The building process and factors that inform it
The building process is informed by numerous factors that include the suitability of the materials, the nature and number of structural components, and the skills set possessed by the construction managers and engineers. The principal roles of this report are the examination of the three main factors that must be considered when defining the suitability of materials, the application of these influences to two existent buildings, and the exploration of some vital structural components and their significance in buildings. The rationale for the examination of structural components and the two case studies is to provide a comprehensive look into how engineering choices are informed by the various suitability factors.
Suitability of Structures: Factors to Consider
The design phase is one of the most pivotal stages in construction. Architects and other professionals engage intensively during this stage to ensure that the safety of the occupants of this structures is met through excellent modelling (Wyatt and Hough, 2013). The principal factors that define the structural suitability of a building include their serviceability, stability, and the strength. Buildings that fail to meet the criteria that comprise of this three factors are likely to collapse or to be destroyed (Wyatt and Hough, 2013). Moreover, other influences such as sustainability, overall aesthetics, and construction costs must also be considered when defining structural suitability.
Strength
Buildings are established to carry a specific load of a defined magnitude (Wyatt and Hough, 2013). Prior to the construction of a structure, engineers engage in a detailed process of material selection and the calculation of the maximum threshold of a structure. The calculations can either be done using computer software packages such as solid works and ArchiCAD or manually when dealing with smaller and less complex structures (Wong and Zhou 2015). The rationale for evaluating the strength of a structure is to define a safety factor that is highly dependent on the building's proposed use, the predicted quality of the techniques and skills of the workmen, and material variability.
The strength of the structures can also be determined by the materials used in their construction. According to Wong and Zhou, building materials must undergo a stress test to define their behaviour when subjected to different loads. Construction components that have the greatest ability to withstand the stresses are more preferred to the materials with less resistance. Whenever the strength criterion fails to be considered, devastating outcomes such as the development of cracks and overall structural distortion occurs. The ultimate consequence of such flaws is the collapse of the structures and their declaration as unfit for human occupancy.
Stability
According to Aydin and Bozdogan (2016), the stability of a structure refers to its ability to be steady and withstand forces of different magnitudes. Stable structures are capable of resisting deformation and destructions caused by natural catastrophes or human activities. The four basic component arrangements that are employed in the enhancement of the stability of a building include angular bracing that is widely utilized in steel structural systems, rigid joints in steel and concrete structures, lift shafts that comprise of solid walls that provide strength and result in stability, and shear walls that comprise of braced panels that counteracts loads.
Serviceability
The final feature that determines the suitability of a particular building structure is its ability to be maintained and serviced. According to Wyatt and Hough (2013), owners and occupants of structures that are suitable must deem them as functional and usable. The two factors of serviceability and functionality are highly interchangeable. An example of serviceability features in a structure is the presence of a car part in a building's basement that comprises numerous columns that maximize space.
Case Studies
The suitability of constructions and structures has become a common topic among key stakeholders in the building industry resulting in the design and development of strong, stable and serviceable structures. The first example of a structure in a workplace is the LNG Condensate Stabiliser in an LNG processing plant. The strength of the LNG compensate stabiliser can be seen in the materials used in its construction.
Fig 1. Condensate Stabiliser
The structure is made of round-shaped trusses that are specifically designed to absorb compressive and tensile loads thereby making them have increased strengths to handle the loads. Moreover, the condensate stabiliser is vertically oriented; a feature that improves its stiffness thereby enhancing its stability. According to Wauthle et al. (2015), different structures have diverse orientations that are used to achieve various goals. The vertical orientation is particularly used when the building is intended to hold huge load magnitudes and specifically enhances the stiffness of a structure. Lastly, the serviceability of the condensate stabiliser unit is enhanced by the nature of the structural beams and columns. The columns and beams have an epoxy fire protection applied on them to enhance their insulation properties and ensure that the risk of hydrocarbon fires is significantly reduced.
The second structure that had all the three suitability factors consider before and during its construction is the air-cooled condenser module shown below.
Fig 2: Air Cooled Condenser
The structure was highly strengthened through the circularly shaped trusses made of high tensile steel with the stability of the structure being enhanced by its rigid joints that are made of columns and beams that are firmly joined together through welding, shared reinforcements and bolting. The structure also has sustainable bracing on its both sides to mitigate the loads imposed by the winds and tropical cyclones. Moreover, the main serviceability feature in this structure is the application of hot-dripped galvanising into the structure to minimize corrosion risks in the aggressive environment. The columns have increased spacing to enhance the ability to maintain and service the structure.
Structural Components and their Importance
Nawari and Kuenstle (2015) argued that structural components of a building are significant not only for their aesthetic values but also due to their ability to promote the structure's suitability and functionality. The common component that was present in the two structures was the I-beam. The significance of the shape of the I-beam is to handle the maximum bending load while utilizing limited material amounts (Zhang, Gu and Sun 2016). Whenever a uniform load is applied to the structure simultaneously, the maximum deflection occurs in the middle. The I-beam's key role in the two structures is to handle maximum pressure or stress exerted by the heavy condensers and stabilisers. Another key structural component that is closely linked to the I-beam is the steel truss that is straight and has a single plane. The steel trusses are mainly used as bridges due to their simple structures and the ability to uniformly distribute pressure thereby reducing their probability of falls when using these structural components. Lastly, the structural components (trusses) enhance the serviceability of the two structures while making them more aesthetic and appealing.
Conclusion
In summary, the report successfully defines the three main factors that must be considered when defining the suitability of materials, applies these influences to two existent buildings, and extensively explores the vital structural components and their significance in buildings. The key understandings derived from the exercise are that structural suitability is defined by its strength, serviceability, and stability, the I-beam is specifically shaped as it is to absorb maximum load while using the least materials, and that trusses are fundamental structural components used to enhance the stability of a structure.
One-Page Summary
The structural components of a building significantly affect their suitability and functionality, different buildings have diverse structural requirements and their construction must be informed by a myriad of factors. The principal roles of this report are the examination of the three main factors that must be considered when defining the suitability of materials, the application of these influences to two existent buildings, and the exploration of vital structural components and their significance in buildings. The rationale for the examination of structural components and the two case studies is to provide a comprehensive look into how engineering choices are informed by the various suitability factors. The principal factors that define the structural suitability of a building include their serviceability, stability, and the strength. The serviceability of a building refers to the ability to maintain and work freely within the structure while its stability is the ability to withstand stresses of different magnitude without tripping or collapsing. The two structures used as structural examples include an LNG Condensate Stabiliser and an Air-Cooled Condensor in an LNG processing plant. The common component that was present in the two structures was the I-beam. The significance of the shape of the I-beam is to handle the maximum bending load while utilizing limited material amounts. Steel trusses, in contrast, are mainly used as bridges due to their simple structures and the ability to uniformly distribute pressure thereby reducing their probability of falls when using these structural components. The key understandings derived from the exercise are that structural suitability is defined by its strength, serviceability, and stability, the I-beam is specifically shaped as it is to absorb maximum load while using the least materials, and that trusses are fundamental structural components used to enhance the stability of a structure.
Bibliography
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