20130927

Another NSCP 2010 Erratum

This one is actually a question asked by a former student.. from back in 2010! She says:
I came across with Method 1 - Simplified Procedure, and in Equation 207-2, pnet=lambda*Kzt*w*pnet9, where pnet9, as given in the definitions, is the net design wind pressure for Exposure B at h=9m and Iw from Figure 207-3. I turn to Figure 207-3, and in the label of Figures 207-3 it states that it is "pnet (Exposure B at h=10m with Iw=1.0 and Kzt=1.0)". My question is if the Figure 207-3 is already the net design wind pressure (pnet) or is it the pnet9 (net design wind pressure)? Also, if the values are for a 10m high building or 9m high building?

20130920

Some NSCP 2010 Section 207 Errata

If you have been using the NSCP 2010 wind loading provisions (Section 207), you have probably noticed already many typographical and other errors. I have only started to look at it more deeply recently, and here are some I noticed (and that readers have also pointed out):

20130917

Take Home Quiz ;-)

Note: This was updated on 9/17/13 at 8:00 PM.

This is a take home quiz that I gave my students 10 13 days to complete on their own. To encourage independent work, I based the parameters they were going to use on their "student numbers." If you are a practicing structural engineer, go ahead and choose from the values listed below and try to answer the questions yourself.

20130907

Presentation in front of ~2,000(?) Civil Engineering Undergrads at the 2013 National CE Symposium

The event was held on September 6, 2013 at the University Theater, University of the Philippines, Diliman, Quezon City, and organized by the UP Association of Civil Engineering Students. I introduced the many different facets of wind engineering to these civil engineering undergrads from around the country. I think I did okay. :-)


20130808

An example problem on wind load calculation according to NSCP 2010 ;)


A 20-meter-high square-plan five-storey building with flat roof and 4m-high floors, located in Makati CBD, has sides of 10 meters length each, and a large open front door on the first floor that is 2m x 2m in dimension. Assuming that G = 0.85 and that torsion is negligible,
  1. Show how this maybe is an open, partially enclosed, or enclosed building.
  2. Determine the internal pressure coefficients.
  3. Determine the external pressure coefficients for the design of main girders and shear walls.
  4. Determine the base reactions due to along-wind loads acting on the front wall of the building.

20130711

IBM to donate supercomputer to PAGASA

The DOST announced that IBM will donate a supercomputer to PAGASA. The meteorological agency will purportedly use it with more advanced modelling software to account for general climate conditions in the country for the next 5 to 10 years, and to improve their weather forecasting, being able to anticipate typhoons up to 7 days before it might affect the country as opposed to the maximum 3 days advanced forecasting they are able to do with current resources.

20130709

"iTyphoon" app for iOS, Android, Windows Phone, and Nokia devices

From the developer's app description:
"iTyphoon is a mobile application that provides typhoon updates to Filipinos and the world, free!"
Download it via this iTunes link for your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch:

20130704

More papers on Typhoon/Wind Engineering in the Philippines

These are links to papers/reports I was a co-author of, that are rather useful for typhoon/wind engineering education in the Philippines as well.

20130702

Presentation at 2013 PICE National Midyear Convention

On June 28, 2013, I went to Subic Bay to present a paper entitled "How to estimate 'site-specific wind loads?'" at the 2013 National Midyear Convention of the Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers. It is essentially a more formal paper version of an article I posted here on this blog earlier. The full video of the presentation is below. (Note: The slides are in English but the presentation itself is in Filipino.)