Sefp Consistent Design

[UmarMakhzumi]

Salaam All,

 

Looking forward to develop a series of articles under the title of "SEFP Consistent Design". 

 

The aim is to provide simple and lucid examples for our Pakistani Engineers that use UBC 97; examples will serve as quick reference and try to clarify misconceptions prevalent in design offices. Anyone, who would like to volunteer on this is most welcome. 

 

As the name indicates, "consistent design" is meant to spread common understanding of complex code clauses that a design engineer faces on a day to day basis. e.g., calculating story stiffness, or designing a flexible diaphragm. Examples would be pure, and written by authors with copyrights to SEFP.

 

Current target is to have at least 2 examples published per month. I hope this will help young engineering to develop a rock-solid understanding and design the right thing rather than saying yes to whatever they are told to follow.That's my goal. 

 

Any ideas, input, volunteering in appreciated. 

 

Thanks.

[abdulqadeer29]

SIR, 

surely this will give a very much clear picture of things and make concept very much clear....the problems which i faced today surely everone face those at their initial stages, but sometime we are lucky to get a good senior in our office to guide us in the right way , but you are not lucky evertym , sometym you just have to follow the usual practice that is going on in your office without getting proper concept behind those things, and if there is something new we got and stuck in that, our seniors just simply say " you are doing wrong" without explaining the main reason behind....

sir i appreciate your Idea and i wish more experience people join you in this cause ..............

[EngrUzair]

Aoa,

 

Sir Umar!

 

 

Looking forward to develop a series of articles under the title of "SEFP Consistent Design". 

 

The aim is to provide simple and lucid examples for our Pakistani Engineers that use UBC 97; examples will serve as quick reference and try to clarify misconceptions prevalent in design offices.

 

Firstly, I totally agree with the idea of "Consistent Design", for the Pakistani Engineers.

 

BTW, What is the progress achieved on this idea so far?

 

Secondly, IMHO this idea of Consistent Design may be made even more useful, keeping in view following comments:

 

1. What I have understood from your post, your basic idea is limited to consistent design for UBC-97 and earthquake resistant design ONLY.  IMO, this should extend to all other design types, based either on material (concrete, steel, wood etc) or the nature of loading (earthquake, wind, snow, etc) as well.

 

2. According to my knowledge, although in our country mostly US Design Codes are being used by private consultants or government departments, there is generally no consensus among the structural engineers as to which design codes (British or US) are to be adopted, even for common materials like concrete and steel.  In this context, first of all we should decide a standard or 'Consistent' Structural Design Criteria for the proposed 'Consist Design'. This design criteria should include both 'Material design Codes' for the various structural materials (concrete, steel, wood etc) and the 'Loading Codes' (for dead, live, earthquake, wind, snow etc).

 

My recommendations regarding 'Consistent Structural Design Criteria', are as follows:

 

a. We should use US Material Design and Loading codes, being more advanced and progressive. And, also because our national building code, Building Code of Pakistan, is based on US codes.

 

b. In line with above recommendation, specific Material Design codes should be:

 

   (1) ACI 318 for Reinforced Concrete Design

  

   (2) AISC 360 for Structural Steel Design

 

   (3) AISI for Cold-Formed Steel Design

 

c. Specific Loading codes should be:

 

   (1) Building Code of Pakistan (Seismic Provisons-2007) and UBC-1997 for Earthquake (Seismic) Loads

 

   (2) ASCE 7 for all other (Dead, Live, Wind, Snow) Loads

 

 

Thirdly, this is a very important and special topic. As such, it should be allotted a separate full forum, and all the relevant posts should be placed in this new forum.

 

 

Thanks.

[EngrUzair]

A little update:

 

An alternative for "SEFP Consistent Design CODE" proposed above, may be the adoption of the design and loading codes referenced in the IBC (International Building Code), with certain essential changes regarding environment loads (e.g., Wind, Snow, etc) pertaining to Pakistan.

 

Similar practice has already been in vogue in some countries, e.g., Abu Dhabi has recently adopted a building code, based on IBC 2009. Whereas, 2007 Saudi Arabian building code is also based on IBC. There might be some other countries, following this practice, too.

 

Refer to following link, for further details in this regard:

 

http://skghoshassociates.com/SKGAblog/viewpost.php?id=37

 

 

Regards.

[UmarMakhzumi]

Thanks Uzair.

Its a great idea. We can look into what you are suggesting. I will get back to you on this.

Thanks.

[EngrUzair]

And, to complete the record, here is the list of building codes for other countries (outside USA), which are also based on ICC codes.

• the regional Caribbean Building Standards
• the Residential Building Code for Mexico
• the Haitian National Code
• the Honduras Building Code
• Jamaica’s construction codes; and
• Georgia’s building safety codes.

[Reference: ICC fact sheet 2014;  http://www.iccsafe.org/newsroom/Documents/factssheet.pdf]

 

 

Regards.

[UmarMakhzumi]

I think its a great idea. The only problem I see is that it may require a team on individuals to work on it- like a Committee. I personally have been on a very tight schedule since last one year. I think we can all start by writing articles and once we have enough meat, we can start working towards guidelines. What do you say? I can provide you with a list of articles I have to write for SEFP and probably you can write some of those?

 

Thanks.

[EngrUzair]

Umar,

 

IMO, it is very nice that you have decided to start working on this idea. It would certainly be a demanding task, and as you have rightly said, would require a team to share knowledge and effort, for making this idea a reality.

 

However, first of all, we will need to workout a detailed outline regarding what all has to be done, and in what manner.  And, I am very keen to know what is your planning to take on this very important job.

 

Regards.

 

[UmarMakhzumi]

Uzair,

 

My plan is first publish a number of articles under SEFP consistent design. This is important for a number of reasons. The most relevant reason related to subject thread is that It will also help me identify who is willing to take time out and do some research, put it in your own words and tweak it as per the practice in Pakistan. I am willing to proof read all the articles.  Once I can find enough members like these, we can set up a Committee and do what you are recommending.

 

I have got the following topics that interested members can start working at:

 

Confined Masonry: Building Safer Houses

 

Long Term Deflection of Concrete Beams

 

Concrete/ Steel Pile Design

 

Stability and Strength: Fundamentals and Basics 

 

Seismic Design: Cord and Collectors

 

Dynamics Design: Fundamental period, frequency and mode shapes

 

Members are more than welcome to suggest something they want to write. Please don't put your final year project thesis here. The articles that we plan to publish are meant to be different.

 

Thanks.