I am assisting a residential architect with this proposed dwelling (see attached). The foundation wall is 14' tall, with full height backfill at the rear wall, tapering down along the sidewalls. Client is an experienced block layer, so I sized a heavily reinforced 12" CMU wall (using RetainPro)...
I post a lot in the 'structural engineering general discussion' forum, but this is probably more appropriate here.
Please see attached concept. I am assisting a residential architect with this proposed dwelling. The foundation wall is 14' tall, with full height backfill at the rear wall...
(Seismic Category A, Northern Minnesota, Exp. category 'B' assumed). A client needs engineering for this custom lake home (example image) with tall wall great room. Lots of glass, and the peak is approx. 25' tall. Also the roof cantilevers out ~6' at the peak. I have not put pencil to paper but...
I am evaluating a SFD for excess deflection in the main floor framing. This residence has a in-ground pool in the basement. A pair of prestressed concrete beams span above the pool, the full length of the dwelling, approx. 52 ft. See attached sketch. Can someone tell me what type of prestressed...
I assist high-end home builders with various structural engineering issues. A common feature locally in high-end single family dwellings are garages with large basements below. The garage floor system is 8" precast plank with a 4" sloped concrete topping. On particularly large garages, a steel...
This is a single story slab-on-grade, or patio home, tucked into a hillside. Typical 8 ft ceiling height. Gable end roof. No basement. Similar to a typical basement foundation, where the floor joists provide the lateral restraint against earth pressures, I assume the roof trusses (with blocking)...
New ICF wall construction with 18 ft overhead garage door on the gable end. From the tables in 2020 IRC 608.8, it will need to be a steel beam header. Are there typical details and instructions for the steel beam pocket and anchorage to the 6" ICF wall...
I am assisting a custom home designer on a project with a basement sport court. One foundation wall of the sport court is adjacent to the garage (slab on grade). At this location, I am considering the foundation is restrained from lateral earth pressure at the top via dowels tied to the...
I am designing a frost-protected shallow foundation (FPSF) for a detached garage, in accordance with ASCE 32-01. Building will be heated and insulated, with 2" rigid insulation around the perimeter, at the vertical face of the grade beam, and extending out horizontal per ASCE 32-01. The client...
What experience have you had specifying Simpson Strong-Tie Special Moment Frames?
I assist a number of custom home builders, architects, and residential designers here in the upper Midwest (Seismic Category A, 115 mph wind). I'm in a large metro area with a building/plan review department that...
Quick question about drawing a garage addition at an angle to existing residence. For drawing up the foundation plan, what is the preferred method of noting the angle? Do I use terms of "degrees" or "?/12" (like a roof pitch)? I drew the preliminary plan at 22.5 degrees, which equates to ~5/12...
I have been asked to assist with the structural engineering on a behemoth custom home with some unusual features, including a basement "sport court" with a 12' tall ceiling...wait for it...underneath the garage. The attached PDF shows the sections and the floor plan at this location. (The garage...
S. Minnesota. 42" frost depth. I have a client who has built many large self-storage garages and RV/boat storage buildings on floating slabs with thickened perimeter grade beams. This is a rural location where the building code is not thoroughly enforced. He would like to build a 60' wide x 120'...
Please see attached image. Looking for some input on how one might go about supporting the stone veneer above this gas fireplace insert, with the right corner open, unsupported. I am envisioning some type of diagonal bracing back to the existing 2x4 stud wall behind. Will likely need to beef up...
Please see attached concept sketch. Custom home builder has a precast garage floor (with basement storage underneath). At the garage rear wall, the building official is requesting a detail for connecting the exterior stud wall to the precast **and allows for 1/2" deflection up/down** for the...
A custom home builder has a client who desires 10' poured basement walls. The local BO reviewing the plans is requiring the walls be engineered, so he contacted me to assist. The IRC has design tables for wall thickness, reinforcing for walls up to 9' height. I am using RetainPro to evaluate the...
I am working on a building addition project. Hollowcore plank will run parallel with the existing wall. Please see attached sketch. Is this an acceptable method of securing the new plank to the existing wall? Existing wall is NOT supporting the plank, but I am trying to pattern this detail after...
An architect sent me this sketch of a proposed addition to an existing storm shelter. To support the pre-stressed plank roof above, I am proposing a 12" CMU bearing wall be added parallel to the existing exterior wall. (I don't want to add any axial or lateral load to the existing wall). I show...
I'm assisting an architect and home remodeler with a residential addition. Typical 1960s construction. I have not yet verified the basement wall height, block thickness, etc. The attached sketch shows 2 options. I proposed the crawl space foundation option. The GC proposed a slab on grade...
I have a HSS column with ~8.0k axial load supporting floor framing at the upper level. That column requires a pad footing a the basement, so it needs to penetrate thru the main floor. Are there special detailing considerations for this? The column is sized correctly per AISC Table 4-4 for axial...
