Attached Scientific Computers in Structural Analysis
The design and analysis process is explored in terms of its requirements for user decision-making and interaction. This is presented as a three-phase procedure: (1) the engineer developing...
Equation Solving on a Parallel Computer
The application of computers to the analysis of large structural systems is examined. The analysis procedure is presented as three distinct phases: (1) element formulation, (2) equation...
Accuracy Control of Finite Element Analysis of Articulated Structures
An examination of the properties of two-node element models leads to data establishing the acceptable choices in discretization to insure the accuracy of finite element analysis of articulated...
A Perspective on Engineering Computing
Computing in engineering seems to be evolving very rapidly and yet the data shows that it frequently takes twenty years before a viable concept becomes widely available. Economics is the...
The Mexican Earthquake: A Firsthand Report
The Mexican earthquake of September 19, 1985 was most peculiar, because of the combination of its intensity, regularity, and duration. No other earthquake has had an intensity of IX, at...
Liability: Problem or Crisis?
Engineering firms are being hit with liability insurance rate increases of 30%, 50% or more. Deductibles are being raised and the maximum coverage is being decreased. Some firms cannot...
Tiedback Walls Untie Intersection
The intersection of Gallows Rd. and Arlington Blvd. in Virginia's Fairfax County required separation. Tiedback retaining walls, which required only 18 in. instead of the 18-22...
Spanning Urban Obstacles
Extension of Pittsburgh's Crosstown Expressway is a � mile portion of a massive $500 million urban highway now under construction. The extension is a complex of five roadways...
Scenic Squeeze
Constructing a four-lane dual highway through the 12 miles of Colorado's Glenwood Canyon involves several engineering innovations: cantilevered roadways, unusual retaining...
Effective Pedestrian Safety Programs
Pedestrian fatalities account for 16 percent of all highway-related deaths and about 129,000 pedestrians are involved in accidents each year. Analyses of pedestrian accident data and determining...
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Highway Safety Improvements
The need exists for better information relative to the effectiveness of various safety treatments and actions. Reliable measures of effectiveness are required for determining the most...
Roadside Design in the Future
Since the first roadways were built, highway designers have constantly been striving to ensure that motorists can travel to their destinations on safe highways. However, their efforts...
Shoulder Rumble Strips at Narrow Bridges
The highways in the United States have thousands of minimum design narrow bridges. Replacement of these bridges with current state of the art designs is not cost effective nor feasible...
End Treatments for Deep Beam Highway Guardrail
End treatments on highway guardrail serve two functions: (1) to make the end safe in case of an impact there, and (2) to provide anchorage in case of an impact adjacent to the end. Two...
What to Do When a Failure Occurs
When a major building problem involving structural failure occurs, action should begin immediately to determine the damage or failure and detect the underlying problem. This paper will...
An Historical Perspective of Failures of Civil Engineering Works
The blight of failures has smitten civil engineering works since ancient times. An examination of historic cases reveals relationships to contemporary cases that are useful in guiding...
Failure Classifications
A detailed description of the failure classification with respect to the constructed facilities is presented. Author is of the opinion that most reports of failure even of an extensive...
Data Collection and Information Dissemination: Current Efforts and Challenges
The need for the civil engineering community to collect and disseminate information on failures has been discussed widely. It appears that in recent years our profession's reluctance to...
Quality Assurance/Quality Control: Alternative Approaches to Reduce Failures
Efforts to achieve quality on construction projects usually center around code-compliant design, thorough specifications, and careful inspection. The alarming increase in both the frequency...
Seismic Acceleration Maps for Oregon
To evaluate the seismic hazard for the Corps dams in the Portland District, operating basis earthquakes (OBE) and maximum credible earthquakes (MCE) were established for seismic zones...
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