Relation between Soil Investigation and Steel Structure for Boiler

[hamidun]

Dear All,

I am having confusion when my Senior Engineer in Company said that "Soil Investigation will impact Steel Structure for Boiler".

In my understanding, Steel Structure of Boiler will only be impacted by the load from the Boiler, wind, seismic, etc. And Soil Investigation will be used to Design Foundation of Boiler including Steel Structure (with Loading Data from Boiler & Steel Structure must be known).

The conclusion is that, we do not need to wait Soil Investigation Report to design Steel Structure of Boiler.

I hope you get my point and please correct me if my understanding is wrong.

Thank you.

 

[GeorgeTheCivilEngineer]

It may be that you could make the foundations more efficient if the superstructure is designed differently.

For example, 4 legs it cheaper to build than 8 legs in the superstructure. But if the ground is too poor for support the load of 4 legs you need to mobilise a piling rig etc... whereas 8 legs could be done with a raft. Until you know the approximate state of the ground it's guesswork.

 

[hamidun]

GeorgeTheCivilEngineer,

Yes, agreed. Superstructure loading data will make the foundations design more efficient.

But the point of my question is that, why Soil Investigation is needed to design the superstructure?

My understanding is that the design of superstructure has nothing to do with the result of Soil Investigation. Is it correct?

 

[HTURKAK]

You did not provide a lot of info. here. The first point , the superstructure design will be directly affected for seismic design as per soil type etc.

Type of foundation shall also be decided as per geotechnical data.



Use it up, wear it out;
Make it do, or do without.

NEW ENGLAND MAXIM

 

[hamidun]

HTURKAK,

It means to design superstructure, we have to wait until soil type is known? Is that what you are trying to say?

 

[BridgeSmith]

If you don't understand how the results of the soil investigation will affect the superstructure design, ask the Senior Engineer to explain it to you. You've already been given a few plausible scenarios as to how your Senior Engineer could be (and probably is) right, but we can only speculate.