Things That Fall?Lessons from Some Construction Accidents and Structural Failures
The causes and results of several construction accidents are reviewed. The lessons to be learned from such a summary are that all too often the simplest oversight leads to catastrophic...
Seismic Performance of Base-Isolated Building Structures
The theories and assumptions behind the base isolation technology are briefly described. As an illustration of its application, the base isolation of an existing 12-story hospital in Long...
Diagnosing Lateral Strength of Existing Concrete or Masonry Buildings
A research prospectus is presented for improving present methods of structural evaluation for concrete and masonry buildings. Specifically, the proposed research plan is limited to strength...
Mitigation of Wind-Created Risks During Construction
Wind damage to structures during construction has been found to be significant and often catastrophic. Structural failures are often the result of wind loads that are far less than the...
Bonded Polyester Concrete Overlays Used in California
Bonded polyester concrete overlays have been very successful in California in restoring and preserving bridge decks from damage by road salts. The polyester concrete system has been employed...
Reliability of Highway Bridge Piers
Structural safety of reinforced concrete bridge piers supporting highway traffic is studied. Reliability indices for flexure, shear, and combined flexure and axial load limit states at...
After-Fracture Response of a Two-Girder Steel Bridge
The I-40 bridges over the Rio Grande are due to be razed in mid 1993 due to geometry and traffic safety considerations. The bridges are classified as 'fracture critical' two girder steel...
Development of an Improved Rapid Seismic Analysis Procedure
New developments in computer capabilities and lessons learned from recent earthquakes have facilitated improvement of the Rapid Seismic Analysis Procedure (RSAP) currently specified in...
How to Include Reliability Constraints in Structural Optimization
Structural optimization is a complex process made of design cycles aimed at finding the best possible solution. At each design cycle ultimate and/or serviceability limit states must be...
Structural Analysis in Context
The issues of what student should learn about structural analysis and how it should be taught are explored considering the purposes of structural analysis in engineering practice and the...
Development in Criteria for Dam Corrective Actions
Reviewed is the recent history of the Bureau of Reclamation (Reclamation) Safety of Dams (SOD) Program. Particularly, the development of decision philosophies and technical approaches...
Inspections, Evaluations and Modifications for Corps of Engineers Dams
The Corps of Engineers owns and operates 580 dams in the United States. As these dams become older (199 are over 50 years old), dam safety and modifications play an increasing role in...
Embankment Dam Safety
Procedures for identification and evaluation of conditions which can lead to catastrophic dam failure through either piping or deep seated instability of the downstream surface are presented....
Risk Assessment: A Tool for Dam Rehabilitation Decisions
A phased approach to the dam rehabilitation decision problem is presented. The approach is based on viewing the newer dam safety evaluation approaches of incremental damage assessment...
Design Considerations for Raising Existing Dams for Increased Storage
While a number of new dams have been constructed in the United States and other countries in recent years, much of the construction activity related to dams has involved the raising of...
Roller Compacted Concrete for Embankment Overtopping Protection
In the first National Dam Safety Inventory and inspection performed by the Corps of Engineers, the majority of deficiencies found were related to the inability of the project to retain...
Seepage Control in Dam Rehabilitation
This paper is concerned with the control of seepage problems which develop in existing dams. It is prefaced with a discussion of attitudes and experiences that have evolved over the last...
Improving Seismic Safety of Dams in California
A search of the dam files at California's Division of Safety of Dams has revealed that at least 94 dams have been improved for seismic stability. The results of the search are tabulated...
Improving Dam Safety Using a Fin Drain
Bloemhoek Dam is an embankment dam with a maximum height of 21 m, which leaked severely after first filling in 1978. This leakage resulted in the development of `boils' over a portion...
Certified Safety Assessment of Zoccolo Dam
The paper reports one of the activities carried out in the framework of a so called `certified assessment of safety' program activated by ENEL SpA - Italian National Electric Board - in...
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