Recent content by SmithJ

I would like to take an opposing view to most on this issue of titles. I have found when reviewing resumes (and also submitting my own resumes) that attention is paid to titles in so far as it tells how one has progressed through a company. For example, if your resume says that you were a...

Hello All, How does one determine if differential settlement in a high rise building is dangerous or not? What code and what section of the code addresses this issue of differential settlement and gives guidelines as to what is acceptable or not? Thanks for your help. JS

Hello All, In making employment decisions, how much weight should a bonus carry? Employers seem to be more willing to offer a higher bonus than to increase the salary of a potential employee. What are your thoughts on this? Is it better to go for a higher base salary and sacrifice the bonus...

Thanks for the link Mike. In that post, the wall in question was permanently open (unsheeted) so it met the requirements for the 2 tests. In this case, it is a hangar with an operable door. If we say that a hangar is partially enclosed, then how would we treat a 100' square building that had...

Okay, I'm going to throw in my 2 cents. If a PE has to "re-design" everything they stamp, then that means there is really no need for an EIT or junior Engineer in an Engineering office. I mean, if I (as a PE) am going to have to re-design everything, why should we pay an EIT to run spreadsheets...

Hello All, I am trying to find opinions on the age old question of whether an aircraft hangar is to be designed as enclosed or partially enclosed. My take is that it is an enclosed structure because the hangar doors are not permanent openings. Some Engineers believe it is partially enclosed all...

Sorry, I posted the above before reading JAE's response.

I believe I found the link to the document JAE was referring to: http://www.aisc.org/Content/ContentGroups/Documents/2005_seismic_provisions/SeismicProv_web.pdf I am still trying to find the exact section that makes reference to what we are discussing here. Thanks. JS.

Does anyone have any input on this? Thanks, JS.

This is an issue that I have struggled with in my career. Is the wood plate on top of the beam bracing the beam or is the beam bracing the wood plate. Since we know we can't have it both ways, I prefer to err on the side of conservatism. If the wood plate is being entirely supported by the beam...

JAE, Thanks for your response. When you refer to AISC document, I am assuming you mean the ninth edition of the Steel Construction Manual. Could you verify this and also what section you are speaking about? Thanks, JS.

Is anyone familiar with Section D3.2.1 of the 1996 AISI Cold Formed Design Manual and its applicability to a through fastened roof? The load PL that is calculated in this section is not very clearly defined. Is this the load that must be resisted by each purlin brace only along the roof...

Hello All, I know that one is not supposed to use tension-only bracing in seismic zones D and above (4 and above in the UBC). However, I can not seem to find the particular section of the code where this is addressed. Does anyone have a reference to this? And also what portion of the bracing...

I have a situation here. We designed a riding arena structure and asked that the erector put up the steel using turn-of-the nut method since all the bolts were high strength A490 Bolts. The Erector does not indicate a problem with this and goes ahead to erect the building. Fast forward a few...

All, I was wondering if anyone could share their experiences on this subject. In PEMB, typically, the clear span frames will deflect more than the Endwall frames that have bearing columns supporting the rafter. As a result, the deflections in the main frames will be more than the deflection in...