Thermal Comfort

One important important environmental criterion to be satisfied is thermal comfort.  Often this would mean indoors, but it could also mean outdoors.  After all, what happens outdoors sort of dictates what happens indoors.

Reply to a reader question on engineering design practices in the Philippines

The comment went as follows:

Hi, I am a "young" engineer practicing structural engineering.

Reply to a reader question on IBC vs ACI minimum reinforcements + New URL / Web Address

This RONJIE.COM Civil Engineering website has a new URL (or web address): engg.ronjie.com.

A reader read through my article about the UBC and IBC seismic provisions, and posted a question-comment not related to seismic provisions though, and this time talking about ACI and IBC minimum reinforcement provisions for concrete.  My reply and the original comment is shown below.

What is Engineering? + New Engg.RONJIE.COM Look

If this isn't your first time here (http://ronjie-engg.blogspot.com/), you would have noticed the new look of this website that is all about engineering, from the RONJIE.COM perspective.  What is Engineering?

Change in Website

With the creation of Wind.PH, there needed to be a dividing line between what is posted here (RONJIE.COM/engineering) and on Wind.PH.  This website will soon host only my online essays and details of my publications, as well as non-wind-engineering-related events and other information, applicable to the Philippines and to other parts of the world.  Wind.PH will document the existence of any available wind-engineering-related publications and events, relevant to Filipinos or to the Philippine setting only, which may include one or more of posts on this website (RONJIE.COM/engineering).

New website on wind engineering in the Philippines launched

Wind.PH was created on 16 May 2010 and was spurred by the same idea behind the ASEANwind network. It is a site that is aimed at establishing a focal point for wind engineering related literature for Filipinos or by Filipinos, wind engineering networking in the Philippines and effectively establish an "engineering virtual organization," and encouraging research and education on wind engineering in the Philippines. Wind.PH is currently being maintained by RONJIE.COM/engineering.

Visit the website at http://windph.blogspot.com.

Envi discussions

This morning's class was just dedicated to discussion about 3 things:

1. "Energy saving for household appliance"
2. Emission trading
3. Environmental tax for fossil fuels

Wind-Related Disaster Risk Reduction for Haiti

We all know about the thousands of deaths and damages recently in Haiti due to a very strong earthquake.  Efforts in rebuilding are now on-going, and of course, people are now trying to build homes that are more earthquake-resistant.  But earthquakes are not all that Haiti needs to prepare for.  Haiti is also in a hurricane-prone area, being just next to the Atlantic Ocean.

PhD in Wind Engineering

Last April 16, 2010 I came back to Tokyo Polytechnic University in Atsugi, Japan, but this time as a PhD candidate particularly in the field of (structural) wind engineering.  I hope to share with you all some of the things I learned and some of my work.  Actually my post on May 3, 2010 is an example of school work (a class report specifically) that I prepared while here.

Maintaining GDP growth while reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the Asia-Pacific region

A report submitted to Prof. Masaaki Ohba on 12 May 2010 some PhD Student at Tokyo Polytechnic University, Atsugi, Kanagawa, Japan ;-)

Introduction

It has been a recent global concern that excessive greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are causing the so-called Global Warming phenomenon, which means an increase in average global temperatures by 1.1 to 6.4 degrees Celsius in this century [IPCC, 2007].

Code of Ethics for Civil Engineers

Taken from the PICE website on 23 March 2010.

Fundamental Principles

Civil engineers uphold and advance the integrity, honor and dignity of the civil engineering profession by:

Code of Ethics for Structural Engineers

Taken from the ASEP website on 23 March 2010.

It shall be considered unprofessional and inconsistent with honorable and dignified bearing for any members of the Association of Structural Engineers of the Philippines:

Wind Research

This is a running list of wind engineering research in the Philippines that could be carried out by interested students and researchers.

CE 256 Final Grades

We've checked your final exams and here now are your final grades.

Designing for near-field earthquakes, using the NSCP 2001

If you are familiar with the NSCP 2001 earthquake loading provisions (ELPs), you know it is based on UBC 1997.  Some people think it is "copied" from UBC 1997, but copied "poorly."  It is not copied!  It is based on UBC 1997 but it had to be suited to "local" conditions.

Anyway some of the features of the NSCP 2001 ELPs that are in contrast with similar ones in the UBC 1997 are as follows:

CE 256 Pre-Finals Grade (UPDATED, OFFICIAL)

To CE 256 students, these are your final grades unless you are not exempted from taking the final exam (i.e. your Grade is marked "FINALS"). These are the OFFICIAL results.

Tallest Trends and the Burj Khalifa

Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat ratifies official height and “World’s Tallest” status of the Burj Khalifa

CE 256 Pre-Finals Grade

To CE 256 students, for your advanced info these are your final grades unless you are not exempted from taking the final exam (i.e. your Grade is marked "FINALS"). Official results will be posted at the UP ICE bulletin board.

Earthquake and Severe Wind Exposure and Vulnerability Workshop

I talked about two topics at the recent Earthquake and Severe Wind Exposure and Vulnerability Workshop held on 12-13 March 2010 in Tagaytay City, Philippines, organized by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) and Geoscience Australia (GA).  The 3 proponents aim to better understand and reduce risks associated with natural hazards in the Philippines, building upon existing tools and methods to estimate impact for local natural hazard events.

Appropriate "retrofit" designs save lives from earthquakes, typhoons, and floods

This download <http://www.unesco-ipred.org/gtfbc/DWf_10_key_points_Hurricane_resistant_construction.pdf> provides a pretty simple enough starting point on what things owners could do to protect life and property.  It appears to have been prepared by Development Workshop France.

UBC or IBC? Revisiting the justifications for moving from UBC to IBC as basis for new NSCP earthquake loading provisions

UPDATE: Please refer also to my newer article entitled, "Designing for near-field earthquakes."


1. Introduction

The National Structural Code of the Philippines (NSCP) has been the primary code that provides guidance to civil and structural engineers on the design and evaluation of buildings, towers, and other vertical structures around the Philippines since its first edition was published in 1972 (then as National Structural Code for Buildings or NSCB). It includes provisions for steel, concrete, timber, and masonry design as well as for estimating combined effects of dead, live, earthquake, wind, and other loads.

CE 256 - Part 2 Wind Effects, Session 7

Today is our last session about wind effects.  I gave the 2nd long exam which involved determination of design wind forces on a borderline-high-rise building on a topographic feature and with a monoslope roof.  After the exam, I talked very briefly about overall design for wind effects - load combinations, wind directions, use of wind tunnel testing, more on natural frequency and damping estimates, occupant comfort, reducing wind-induced vibrations via use of dampers, and so on.  This CE 256 class will start on earthquake effects next Saturday.

CE 256 - Part 2 Wind Effects, Session 6

Today we wrapped up the discussion on Wind Effects Part 4 - Dynamic Wind Effects.  Students submitted their homework from the last session, and were given 2 additional homework problems for submission next week:

CE 256 - Part 2 Wind Effects, Session 5 (UPDATED!)

We continued our discussion on aerodynamics and pressure coefficients.  And then we started our discussion on dynamic wind effects.  Additional references for this discussion, aside from Simiu and Scanlan and NSCP 2001, include the ASCE7 standards (looking at the 1993, 1995, and 1998/2002/2005 versions) and a paper I co-authored with Prof. B.M. Pacheco, PhD, PE, and which he presented at the 2007 PICE National Convention.

Two example problems were given to students as a homework to be submitted next meeting:

CE 256 - Part 2 Wind Effects, Session 4

Today, we had our first long quiz which covered the CE 256 Part 1 topic, structural dynamics, (30%, essay questions) and "defining the wind" (70%+5% bonus) which covered wind speed conversions, and topographic effects.  Students were given 1 hour and 40 minutes to answer the quiz.  We started to discuss about aerodynamics and pressure coefficients for about an hour after the quiz.

CE 256 - Part 2 Wind Effects, Session 3

Today, the discussion on "defining the wind" was continued and some example problems were presented.

CTBUH revises criteria for "tall" buildings

http://www.ctbuh.org/HighRiseInfo/TallestDatabase/Criteria/tabid/446/language/en-GB/Default.aspx