Recent content by KBVT

What part of the country are you in? Glulam is much more available on the west coast than in the east.

The grade beams are designed to act composite with the concrete slab. Running the vapor retarder through the construction joint at this location would impact the horizontal shear transfer at this location.

I have a structural slab-on-grade system with grade beams and girders. I am trying to determine how to run the vapor retarder below the slab. Is it typical to run the vapor retarder continuous below the grade beams or can the vapor barrier be turned down at the face of the grade beam? I have...

For government projects, 10 mil minimum is required. 2 sheets of 6 mil is also common to protect against small tears.

Allow the contractor to backfill, but make sure the wall is braced until it reaches the desired compressive strength.

I have always factored loads on an interior wall in the same manner as an interior beam. Exterior wall = edge beam. Use K LL factors in accordance with Table 4-2 of ASCE 7.

Yes, the Kd factor should be used in all calculations utilizing the load combinations in Section 2.3 and 2.4 of ASCE 7-05. This came about when they revised the load combinations (LRFD) to have a 1.6 multiplier in lieu of the 1.3 which was present back in ASCE 7-95. Reference section C6.5.4.4...

I never recommend the use of shear keys in my concrete details. ACI provides coefficient of friction values for concrete placed against hardened concrete not intentionally roughened in the shear-friction part of the code. Obviously, you need sufficient clamping reinforcement through the joint...

I've typically gone to a seated connection in this scenario with a small angle close to the beam top flange for erection stability.

It seems that your concern about end rotation is valid, see AISC's response to the same question. http://www.modernsteel.com/steelinterchange_details.php?id=211

The 3/4" orifice does not appear directly in the standard but it is noted within the base UFGS 31 63 16 specification. Researching on the web also reveals that this is a common configuration. I can't tell when one configuration is more appropriate than the other.

I am editing a specification section for Auger Cast Piles. I am unsure what flow cone test parameters I should be issuing to the contractor. The subsurface soils on the site are very poor, basically extremely soft silt & clays to a depth of 65-70 feet. We are using 16" diameter ACIP piles...

Due to the lack of traffic in the forum, I have gone ahead and posted the question in the Structural Engineering Other Topics Forum. Please disregard this thread and I apologize for the cross-posting.

I am editing a specification section for Auger Cast Piles. I am unsure what flow cone test parameters I should be issuing to the contractor. The subsurface soils on the site are very poor, basically extremely soft silt & clays to a depth of 65-70 feet. We are using 16" diameter ACIP piles...

When determining the shear capacity of a significantly coped web, does the reduced h of the web need to be accounted for in the web compactness calculations in Chapter G of AISC? I have a W16x31 that has more than 50% of the web coped due to a sloping roof and I am trying to determine the shear...