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  1. Enhineyero

    Telling People No

    Steps I take as follows: 1. Try to explain in simple terms why proposed solution will not work. 2. Try to supplement this with risk vs reward discussion. Most GC appreciate this because if anything goes wrong after construction its usually the GC who is asked to fix a defect. 3. If they still...
  2. Enhineyero

    Interesting situation in Etabs dead load moment diagram

    I agree with human909, most of us learn to crawl before we could walk. Seek guidance from a senior engineer in your office. What you are doing doesnt sound right. Hope you have a good mentor. If you insist on making this 'moment' connection between steel beam and concrete wall, then you need to...
  3. Enhineyero

    T-shaped suspended slab movement joint

    Hi all, would you still need an expansion joint for T-shaped suspended slab if reinforcement provided in both direction is at least 0.6%?
  4. Enhineyero

    When to hang up my shingle

    Thats great! I know some engineers who started their business and got burned. Mainly because their only selling point is they can price lower than the other guy. I understand that a small firm is very low cost - that side of the equation we control. The other factor in the equation is your...
  5. Enhineyero

    When to hang up my shingle

    Hi OP, Have a battleplan. Q1. What are your expectations in terms of money? Most business dont make money in the first two years (if you are lucky, some take five years). Plan for that. Q2. Do you know when to pull the plug? not enough revenue or new clients in 12months? 24months? Put a line...
  6. Enhineyero

    General rant - early career burnout

    OP welcome to the world of Consulting Engineering, where undercutting our competitors is our favorite past time. Kidding. I think everyone gave good advice here, was in the same position a few years ago. Tried to negotiate but company got so greedy, guess they got used to things going their way...
  7. Enhineyero

    Technical drawing reviewing too time consuming?

    I agree with the comments above, However, like you, I hated reviewing shop drawings as a young engineer. More than a decade in, I find it more enjoyable, the addition of a 3D model on the shopdrawing package helped alot. Can't put enough emphasis how important the process is. Good example is...
  8. Enhineyero

    OT - Don McMillan Comedy

    He probably had enough of our high professional fees!
  9. Enhineyero

    Particle board flooring restraint to timber beam

    Agree with Tomfh. Most particleboard used for flooring have an installation manual. Its normally 2.8dia nail, then check AS 1720.1. Beam directly fixed to particleboard? No joist supporting floor? Floor normally restrains joist, then joist restrains beam.
  10. Enhineyero

    Retaining wall supported on single pile

    You need to follow the load path, how do forces get transferred from the wall to the pile? You can omit the base footing as it doesnt do anything, assuming base is supported by a single pile. Most common way to build this is to extend the pile all way to the top of retaining wall to supported...
  11. Enhineyero

    Dumb Contractor Request

    @BulbTheBuilder The fix was to demo the grouted masonry wall, install reinforcement using epoxy, rebuild wall. Builder wore the cost. Project went slowly and we were commissioned for extra site inspections after this incident (our contract has a set no. of inspections which is not enough when...
  12. Enhineyero

    Dumb Contractor Request

    They were hoping that it was over designed and I can certify it as unreinforced masonry. Didnt happen.
  13. Enhineyero

    Dumb Contractor Request

    Contractor: Hi, its says on your drawings that the blockwall needs to be reinforced with 16mm bars? Me: Yes Contractor: Can it be unreinfroced? Me: Uh no...Why whats the issue with 16mm bars? Contractor: Well we forgot about them when we poured the footings. Me: Oh ok, you can still anchor...
  14. Enhineyero

    How I started on my own (Mk II)

    I'll keep it short and simple: - Went to study engineering, loved structural engineering, decided to become a structural engineer - After graduation worked for contractor/builder (finding a structural engineering role was very difficult), then eventually got a job as a structural engineer. -...
  15. Enhineyero

    Do you put polythene in your perimeter footing trenches?

    @ Greenalleycat - I would still install DPC around the trench. Similar to why a DPC layer is installed on masonry wall. Without DPC moisture from footing will travel into your bearer up to timber studs. It might not be alot compared to a slab but it may cause moisture issues around the perimeter...
  16. Enhineyero

    Partners Profit distributions

    Great discussion here. Do you even want to have a partner? Is there a right and wrong reason to get a partner? Interested in what others have to say. Im a sole practitioner, was thinking of starting my business with a partner - never found the right fit and went on my own. Now, I got enough...
  17. Enhineyero

    Slab on metal deck over masonry

    Of course how else would they get a return on their 4x charge out rate that would need to trickle down from the Owners>CEO>VP>Regional Managers>Structural Manager>Team Leader>Senior Engineer>Engineer>Drafter plus not to mention the admin staff (HR, Accounting, IT, Marketing, Sales). if its...
  18. Enhineyero

    Shear Wall Design - Model With or Without Piles as springs?

    Is your spring stiffness correct? It doesnt look too stiff without looking into detail (have you modeled ultimate limit or working load limit on pile stiffness - are your loads ultimate or working load?). Try near infinite stiffness on your piles and see what results you get. Also consider...
  19. Enhineyero

    Did Hilti Make a Mistake? Or Do I Not Understand Shear Friction

    Logically speaking any long steel bar placed at a shear plane will resist shear via dowel action, doesn't matter if it is tension or compression zone. In real life the two planes will not separate until all bars crossing the shear plane fails.
  20. Enhineyero

    Timber fastener edge distance at end grain

    Loads are of course in the strong axis. Below are relevant pages of Australian standards for bolts and screw. Wouldnt the 5xD apply as the side edge distance for end grain connections?

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