Rebuilding Structural Library 2

[Deker]

My entire structural library was lost in the mail while being shipped across the country. Rebuilding is going to be a slow process, but at least I can cut out some of the fluff that was just sitting on the shelf (trying to find the silver lining). If you had to start from scratch, what short list of books would you start with? My work consists of commercial buildings in a high seismic area, but I'm curious to know which books others either refer to repeatedly or, if not, could not stand to have missing from their shelves.

 

[Huevo]

My entire structural library was lost in the mail while being shipped across the country.

The stuff of nightmares...

 

[EdStainless]

While I am not a structural and I don't have any specific book recommendations I do have a source.
When I am looking for older real books I us Alibris.com
I have had excellent results working through them.
Good luck with the search.

= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
P.E. Metallurgy, Plymouth Tube

 

[IRstuff]

While the cost might be higher, or not, you might consider getting e-books; they provide huge advantages, 1) you can have multiple copies of any e-book, thus avoiding losing them, 2) they're electronically searchable, thus saving time dragging out physical books and thumbing through them looking for a specific tidbit, 3) you can store tons of books in a less than 12 cubic inches. I have a 4TB drive that currently holds about 180,000 PDF files, and is nowhere close to being full. Of course, the multiple copy thing can get out of hand, as there are probably some files with a dozen copies.

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg

faq731-376 forum1529 Entire Forum list

http://www.eng-tips.com/forumlist.cfm

 

[KootK]

Well, post raging fit, I honestly think that I'd just sit back with the basic codes and manuals and wait to see where organic demand took me. As much as I love my library, 90% of it never gets used and 90% of the remaining 10% can be garnered as PDF. My wife's probably right: ungainly fire hazard.

Should probably have a hard cover Blodgett so that you can at least credibly claim to be a real engineer.

 

[Lomarandil]

The Essentials (*IMO, for general purpose structural engineering)
Codes
Blodgett
Stability Design Criteria for Metal Structures (older editions are fine/better IMO)
AISC design guides
ACI SP-014 Design Aids
PCA notes on ACI 318
NAVFAC if you do any geotech/foundations
A good set of beam and frame solutions for hand verifications (pick your favorite flavor)


Honorary Mention
Roark
PCI Design Handbook
Slabs on Grade by Ringo/Anderson
Newman on metal building foundations
Breyer for timber construction
Reinforced Masonry Engineering Handbook

I still refer to my CERM/SERM from time to time for convenience, although not a primary source

----
just call me Lo.

 

[DrZoidberWoop]

You should use your google drive to hold digital versions of all your code books. It's uselessly old fashioned to use paper books nowadays. I only have a paper version of the steel manual because the company bought it for me and plopped it on my desk. Plus, with a cloud storage system, you can access your entire library anywhere and do a text search for keywords within documents. It's just a better way of working. I've noticed many larger companies/universities have digital libraries like this, and, if you can, it's good to check them out and "borrow" what you find useful.

 

[pmtrevisan1]

all my files are in PDF format and being a hypercondriac I have a double backup system online and on external drive.
for the rebuild I suggest what others have posted already. see which ones are your primary and focus on getting those first. it will be a slow process and I feel your pain.

for codes quite a few are available online including the latest one code Canada.

 

[robyengIT]

I am a bit pragmatic. On my WEB site I listed all the literature in my hand : a number ready for free download, the rest in a virtual shelf. For the second one feel free to contact me through the WEB site (of course without any charge at all). And this for anyone interested too.

http://www.pisaniengineer.com

 

[RaptorEIT]

Linton Grinter, Theory of Modern Steel Structures Vol. 1 & 2

 

[GerryBertier]

Does anyone have the link to NCSEA's "Essential Resources for a Structural Engineers' Library"?

I found it years ago and put them into a amazon price tracker and buy a book whenever a used one shows up for cheap. Secret's out, I guess.

The version I have is August, 2014.

 

[chucklesNOLA]

Generally speaking, I routinely use:

- IBC & California Bldg Code (I do work in a several different states. I think you can get both of these electronically, but I know
the IBC is available as PDF.)
- ASCE 7 (available as a PDF)
- AISC steel manual and seismic manual (I'm a hardcopy guy, but I believe they're now available electronically)
- AISC design guides (available free to AISC members in PDF)
- ACI 318 (which you can get in PDF)
- NDS/SDPWS (also available in PDF)
- various APA references (most available in PDF)
- AISI cold-formed steel design standards (CFSEI members can get all (almost all?) of them for free as PDFs.)

Although I could probably live without them, I'd be sad not to have my collection of the various Blodgett books. I used to think I was too lazy to digitize them, but maybe my motivation just shifted.

On the B-list, I'd probably include:
- Galambos' Guide to Stability Design Criteria for Metal Structures (I don't use it all the time, but when I need it....)
- Roark's handbook (same reason)
- Terry Malone's Analysis of Irregular Shaped Diaphragms (because architects think that a straight line at the diaphragm boundary is some kind of sin....)
- PCA notes on 318 (although with 318-14 I've found the ACI design manuals pretty handy as a substitute)
- pick your favorite geotechnical reference (e.g. DM7.0x) if you do enough geotech/retaining walls/subterranean levels to justify it
- ACI 562 if you do enough concrete retrofit to justify it

Hrm...maybe I'm not a good character reference for a minimal library....


I also periodically refer to the Van Nostrand-Reinhold engineering series (e.g. Timoshenko's elastic stability, etc) when I get something hinky to analyze.

 

[WinelandV]

A very useful resource is the California Falsework Manual, and the California Foundation Manual. Those are both available online as a pdf. So if you want them in your physical library, just go ahead and print them. Definitely geared more towards temporary construction, but worth having around (IMO).

 

[Lomarandil]

Good call wineland! I've found both of those useful as well!

----
just call me Lo.