Inside/Out Newsletter | Winter 2013 | Issue 48

INSIDE/OUT ISSUE 48

WINTER

NEWSLETTER

JANUARY 2013

New Databank Resource Assists in Minimizing Earthquake Damage A seismic event or tsunami can significantly impact individuals and communities by disrupting services that provide the basic needs of food, water, and shelter. The George E. Brown, Jr. Network for Earthquake Engineering Simulation (NEES) was created by the National Science Foundation (NSF) with the mission to develop improvements and innovations in seismic design, performance, and construction practice of civil infrastructure to prevent, mitigate, or minimize earthquake/tsunami damage.

Concentric punching shear failure of reinforced concrete test slab at interior column location.

To provide the scientific community with the ability to share resources and collaborate on research projects, a web-based centralized data repository was developed by NEES. Known as the NEEShub Project Warehouse, this “laboratory without walls� serves as a central access point to collect, store, manage, share, and publish data. The uniqueness of these projects is the use of a series of online simulation tools and the ability to conduct large-scale testing to better replicate a real-world earthquake or tsunami. Studies have ranged from improving the seismic performance of steel and concrete structures to understanding geotechnical responses, using sophisticated equipment and tools. Many advances in earthquake engineering have been made during this time.

In addition to housing test data from specific research projects, a database resource has been developed in the NEEShub to present datasets with a common theme. The project databases provide the ability to search for and share experimental data, including project dates, equipment, photographs, and video; test data, including measurements; description of test specimen types; set-up types; materials; and corresponding backing publications.

One such database resource is the American Concrete Institute (ACI) Committee 445 Collected Punching Shear Databank. Developed through a partnership between ACI Committee 445 (Shear and Torsion) and NEES, this databank

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www.abam.com

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provides data from tests of reinforced concrete (RC) two-way slabs loaded statically to simulate concentric punching in a slab around an interior column due to gravity loads. The databank includes an archive of papers in PDF format documenting all the tests. Even though concentric punching failure is typically linked to gravity loading conditions, the experimental evidence stemming from these tests is fundamental for understanding the resistance of RC two-way slabs to punching shear due to lateral loads–let alone to vertical acceleration component–which is critical in building structures and parking garages located in regions of both low and high seismicity. The databank can also be used to verify and calibrate existing specialized code design provisions.

The test data, from over 500 static tests dating back as far as 1938, were collected, compiled, and vetted by ACI Committee 445 under the guidance of BergerABAM Senior Project Manager Carlos E. Ospina (Punching Shear subcommittee chair); Gerd Birkle, Stantec Inc.; Widianto Widianto, ExxonMobil; Dan Kuchma and Neil Hawkins, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; and an early collaboration from Jhon P. Smith, Seattle University.

Test data collection began in 2006 and was completed in the summer of 2012 at which time the collected databank was released to the public. Access to the collected databank and PDF archive is free and only requires preregistration with NEES. In the collected punching shear test databank, the characteristics of test specimens and test results were compiled as faithfully as possible to what has been reported by researchers. A future effort, involving the participation from both ACI Committee 445 members, specialized researchers, and interested practitioners, will deal with the development of a “selected” databank with the goal of endorsing specific test results based on a series of data acceptance criteria. The development of this databank is expected to take a few years.

Resources like this provide opportunities for collaboration and discovery to gain a greater understanding of how structures respond during an earthquake. In addition, these resources play a vital role in providing critical information for improving the seismic design and performance of civil and mechanical infrastructure systems to preserve essential resources during an earthquake.

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Inside/Out Newsletter

Green Apple Day of Service Transforming Schools

We’ve all heard the proverb that “an apple a day keeps the doctor away.” But did you know that a Green Apple can keep healthy, sustainable educational spaces available in our communities?

The Green Apple initiative is spearheaded by the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). Powered by volunteers, these community-based efforts are aimed at transforming schools into healthy, safe, and productive learning environments that will “enhance a child’s ability to learn and a teacher’s ability to teach.” According to the Green Apple website, millions of Americans attend school where the air is filled with toxins and mold, classrooms are overcrowded, and resources are limited and outdated.

On 29 September 2012, the Center for Green Schools at USGBC hosted the first annual Green Apple Day of Service to bring individuals and

communities around the world together to provide healthier, more sustainable places to learn. The event featured educational projects throughout the community that explore alternative energy sources, improve indoor environments, save water, encourage recycling and composting, and connect to the outdoors.

Scheduled projects included learning to build raised flower beds and construct rain gardens, cleaning around school grounds to remove harmful and toxic materials, and planting indigenous trees.

As part of the Green Apple Day of Service, the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Renton/Skyway Branch, Washington, learned to construct their own worm composting containers with help from the American Society of Civil Engineers Seattle Section’s Sustainability Committee.

Committee members include employees from

Editors / Writers Jana Roy Dee Young Carlos Ospina Blythe Meigs Matt Kumpula Nora Bretaña Design and Production Jana Roy

To update your contact information, please e-mail newsletter@abam.com

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BergerABAM, other local consultants and companies, and students from the University of Washington. Supplies for the event were donated by BergerABAM. Together, we can impact the lives and futures of millions of children by providing safer learning environments. Next year’s Day of Service is scheduled for 28 September 2013.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of the Renton/Skyway Branch learned to construct worm composting containers.

To find a project in your community, visit http://mygreenapple.org/events.

The Ultimate Measuring Tape Firm Offers New Services The BergerABAM survey group is excited to offer three-dimensional (3-D) laser scanning services. Staff is able to provide support for many applications through the use of 3-D laser scanning technology in which large amounts of reality can be completely captured in 3-D detail by BergerABAM’s professionals. The portability of the new FARO Focus3D Laser Scanner system allows the rapid capture of geometrically correct point clouds. Due to the speed of this new laser scanning technology, timesensitive projects can be accomplished in once unachievable periods. Site surveys are completed many times faster compared to conventional survey techniques. The visual and geometrical assessment of a site, feature, or structure can be carried out “virtually” through the analysis of the generated high-density, color point clouds through powerful software solutions. The laser scanner also captures comprehensive photographic imagery, which creates the most intuitive tool of them all, a complete 3-D capture of time. Complex details, typically missed by traditional measurement as-built methods, are almost entirely eliminated as the scanner captures everything it sees. Repeat site visits are, therefore, reduced and most often eliminated. BergerABAM provides full “start to finish” 3-D laser scans complete with 2-D and 3-D deliverables.

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3-D Laser Scanning Markets

Additional Scan Data Uses Include

Deliverables May Include

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Structural engineering

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Clash detection

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2-D drawings

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Architecture

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Reverse engineering

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Civil engineering

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Deformation analysis

3-D surfaces/solid models/mesh/ Revit™ models/PDFs

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Plant, process, and power

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Virtual site visits

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Point Cloud

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Mechanical/electrical

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Pipe routing

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Topographic mapping

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Design verification and certification

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Civil information modeling

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Construction visualization

Imagery - screen captures and scan panoramic photos equivalent to a 70 megapixel camera

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Manufacturing

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Complete as-built documentation

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Mining and tunneling

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Historical preservation/restoration

Inside/Out Newsletter

Helping to Prepare Troops

Four-Story Masonry Sniper Tower Constructed

In response to the sensitive nature of urban warfare in the world today, Joint Base Lewis-McChord (JBLM) Fast Rope Sniper Tower near Tacoma, Washington, provides urban climbing, rappelling, and all phases of fast-rope insertion training for U.S. Special Forces and sniper training for the general soldier population at the base. This $1.7 million project incorporates urban floor plans within the building to provide realistic clearing of multi-story structures and elevated live-fire precision integrated shooting.

Because the primary project goal was to provide a variety of training opportunities, BergerABAM incorporated as many options for training as possible in an 800-square-foot floor plan. The tower consists of four-story masonry walls with steel floor framing and a concrete-topped metal floor deck.

The structure features opportunities to practice shooting from behind concrete barrier blocks and to rappel from a pole mounted on the roof and from anchors cast into the roof. Swing platforms provided at each floor allow access to the rappel pole with the option to swing these poles in and out of position, depending on the training exercise. The entire south face of the structure is an “urban climbing wall” (as opposed to the usual rock-climbing wall) that includes ladders, pipes, conduits, and artificial “mechanical units” similar to such building outcroppings as air-conditioners.

Each floor level has an exterior platform with a balcony and training roofs, with each training roof having a different slope and roof material to vary the types of training needed to traverse these surfaces.

BergerABAM decided to use Revit™ (building information modeling software) to tailor the structure to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ (USACE) and the Special Forces’ needs. This enabled the team to present the project to the client in meetings, showing elevations and sections of the building, as well as rotated views around the buildings.

As options were discussed, the design team was able to quickly incorporate proposed revisions into the drawings to demonstrate the effect, thereby promoting discussion and facilitating the decision-making process.

Because BergerABAM was able to make these design changes with a quick

turnaround and speed up the design process, innovative improvements were made on the project scope of the building. These improvements to the floor plan increased the training opportunities, including a return wall and the urban climbing wall structures in place of the conventional climbing-wall handholds that were in the original baseline project. This unique project, though small in square footage, was one on which BergerABAM enjoyed working with the Special Forces and the JBLM Range Control to design the most functional project possible. Special thanks go to USACE Project Manager Fred Brown and USACE Construction Manager Jeff Tollar.

The entire south face of the structure is an “urban climbing wall” and each floor level has an exterior platform with a balcony and training roofs.

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