Pad Footings

Recently, I've been working on footings during my mentorship. Footings are the foundations of a structure or building (basically holds the structure/building in place). One type of footing that I've been working on is the pad footing. Pad footings are designed to be embedded in the soil, transferring the buildings' load to the soil. Pad footings are usually placed below a gradient beam, made of concrete, and is connected with column that goes through the gradient beam. This can all be seen in the picture below.

Also, on one of my previous posts, I had to redo the panel zone, since my mentor made some changes to make the drawings simpler for me to draw. This can be seen on the picture below.

Manuals for Building Element Measurements

During my mentorship, I've been starting to use more books to help me calculate building elements. Most engineers can't remember every scale or measurement for every single building element. There are too many components for each type of building element for a single engineer to memorize. These components can be weight, height, depth, thickness, dimensions, etc. Recently, I've been studying more on a building element called Wide Flanges. Wide Flanges help stabilize beams and also let the beams expand their limber properties. To find the measurements to find the weight capacity of the beams, I have to consider these wide flanges in the equation. This book (on the bottom) helps not only give me the measurements for different sizes of Wide Flanges, but also for all steel building elements.

On the top left hand corner of this page there's a picture that's in a shape of an I. That picture is an example of a Wide Flange. This page also shows an example of what measurements structural engineers have to look for during their work hours.

EQ

1.   I reviewed the rule of three for writing an EQ.

Essential Question 
Once a topic is chosen, the student will develop a working essential question.  The purpose of the working essential question is to help the student build a strong foundation of research which will allow him or her to create an essential question that encourages depth and rigor in the chosen topic.  An essential question must:

·                     Provide a framework for studies (It calls for breadth and depth of research, Is not a yes/no question)

·                     Takes a stance (Allows you to argue some point, Cannot be a recitation of facts or a list)

·                      Format (It is specific, The wording makes sense)

2.  Review the following EQs and

·                     Tell us if it meets the rule of 3 criteria.

·                     Tell why it does or why it doesn't

 a.  What is the most important factor in healthy weight loss?

There are many factors to losing weight in a healthy process. For examples, spicy food increases an individual's metabolism compared to other types of food. This can go on to further research on the chemical compounds of spicy food and how this can contribute to weight loss. Since there is more than one answer to this question, it's very easy to take a stance in one effective routine for healthy weight loss. So yes this follows the rule of three because it's specific in what type of weight loss (healthy), there are many answers to answer this question, and there is lots of scientific research involved in finding factors for healthy weight loss.

 b.  What is most important to securing a conviction in a criminal investigation?

I would say this follows most of the rule of three because there are many options to find a criminal guilty such as DNA testing, so it's easy for someone to take a stance to choose what the best way to convict criminals is. The only issue I have with this question is I don't know what type of person is being convicted. So I wouldn't say this question meets the rule of three.

 c.  What is most important in creating a hairstyle that best satisfies a customer?

Same as part b, I wouldn't say this question follows all the rules in the rule of three because it's not clear on what type of demographic the question is aiming for. The question should specifically cite what type of customer because different demographics have different interests in style.

 d.  How can an Anesthesiologist best treat chronic pain?

Yes this follows the rule of three because the question is specific on who is treating the chronic pain, its shows that there can be research because chronic pain isn't an easy topic, and it's easy to take a stance because there are many ways in medicine and therapy to treat chronic pain.

3.  Based on your review of the rule of 3 and your experience with assessing four EQs, please write another draft EQ for your senior project.

How can a structural engineer design structural parts for a building to be resistant towards earthquakes?

Panel Zone

This is a close up of the panel zone. Basically, the panel zone is purposely used to weaken the upper beam of the SMRF (Special Moment Restrain Frame). I mentioned this during my lesson 1 presentation, but not a close up view. In this perspective, it shows how the panel zone connects with the column and the SSDA beam (the upper beam). There's lots of welding within the steel between the column and the beam. Currently, I'm still trying to redraw this panel zone (it's the picture without any labels).

Research and Working EQ

1.  What is your working EQ?

How can a structural engineer design a hospital that provides the best resistance towards earthquakes in California?

2.  What is a possible answer to your working EQ? Please write the answer in thesis format.  Examples:

Understanding the earthquake stresses that impact a hospital will help structural engineers create new building codes to designing better structures for hospitals in California.

3.  What is the most important source you have used that has helped you come up with an answer to your working EQ? 

The most important source that has helped me come with my answer to my working EQ is the book that my mentor, and the book given by my mentor, Building Construction Illustrated Second Edition.

4.  Who is your mentor, or where are you volunteering, and how does what you are doing relate to your working EQ?

 My mentor is Tzuoh-Jaw Wu, structural engineer associate. I volunteer at the company called, Kanda and Tso, and at home. Recently, I have been learning how to calculate loads and stresses. Loads and stresses relate to my working EQ because earthquakes causes stress around the foundation of the building, each structural element composed in a building has certain limits in the amount of load it can carry. By understanding the limitations of the amount load each structurally element can carry, I can understand how structural elements withstands earthquakes. I also been learning how to use the AutoCAD, which is a software that lets me design structural parts for buildings. Learning to design is important because I can create structural elements and I visually see where an earthquake would impact a building.

Independent Component 1 Approval

1.  Describe in detail what you plan to do for your 30 hours.

First, my mentor will teach me the basic duties of a structural engineer. He will let me practice these duties during my mentorship.

Once, I've learned the basics of what my mentor thinks I'm capable of doing, I'm going to do a series of calculations of components that affect buildings. These components range from dead loads, live loads, lengths of columns and beams (specifically), and the weight of columns and beams. During these calculations, I will be using a book that gives a list of measurements of each building element.

I will also be doing lots of work on the computer. My mentor does most of his drawings on paper, so I will be helping transfer those drawings on the computer. My mentor will also tell me what building components he wants me to design on the computer for his future building projects.  

2.  Discuss how or what you will do to meet the expectation of showing 30 hours of evidence.

I'm going to take pictures of my calculations and drawings and I will post these pictures on the blog. I will also physically bring the actual work of my calculations for my independent component.

3.  And explain how what you will be doing will help you explore your topic in more depth.

I will be reading text books to give me more of an overview of different loads that affects buildings and different building elements. I will also be learning more about the engineering design program, AutoCAD, so I can see a better picture of what I am designing.

Roof Framing Design - Beam Calculation

My first assignment is to design a classroom of one story with steel framing. Before I start designing, there are a few tasks that I need to follow. Most of these tasks deal with calculating loads and the weight of building components. Today, I focused on the first task, which dealt with the roof frame design of the classroom.

These are duties I've been assigned to do during my mentorship

The small rectangular squares in the corners of the roof frame, represent the columns. These plans are not three dimensional because the view is above the roof frame. The unit measurements (between grid lines and A&B and 1-3) represents the spacing between the steel beams that will placed, horizontally, on top of the columns (this can be seen on the picture below).



This picture shows the measurements of each beam and the loads that impact the roof. The red squares represents the columns and the steel beams are the blue lines that have measurement W14X22. W is unit for the wide flange, which is the big hinges on the ends of the steel beams. The type of loads that affect the roof are dead loads and live loads. My mentor told me the measurements of each load and taught me how to calculate each load (it's also on this picture.)




This picture explains how to solve the amount of momentum that a typical steel beam can withstand. Since the loads are pushing down on the roof, the steel beams has it's own bending force resisting the dead loads and the live loads.

Second Interview Questions

1.  Who is your mentor and where do they work?

My mentor is a structural engineer associate, Tzuoh-Jaw Wu. He works for a company in South Pasadena called Kanda and Tso Associates. The company is specifically only for structural engineers.

2.  What five questions will ask them about their background?

What types of projects have you've been working recently?

What types of projects have you worked on before and your experiences with those projects?

How did you start working for Kanda and Tso Associates?

How did you achieve your current position as a structural engineer associate at Kanda and Tso Associates?

Do you have any family members that made an impact on your career, if so can you describe the impact they made on you?

Blog 5 Project Reflection and Working EQ

(1) Positive Statement: What positive thing happen as a result of what you have completed so far?

So far I've learned three positive things from my senior project. First, I've learned some of the basics of two different types of engineering fields, structural engineering and mechanical engineering. It's important for me to have a more diverse perspective in multiple engineering fields, because most engineering fields deal with buildings. For instance, structural engineers check the entire building layout, so it's important for structural engineers to be familiar with many building elements so they don't make mistakes. Second, I've learned the basics in a building software program called AutoCAD. Almost all engineers fields that deal with buildings use AutoCAD, so this gives me an advantage to help my mentor design building parts. Finally, I've learned how the engineering environment works. At my current mentorship, there is always a section where the engineer employees design the given details for a specific building project. Then there's another section where the project manager looks over what the engineer employees designed and the other errors on the building project. Once the designs and the errors are fixed on the building project, it will be sent to the architects or to the people who created the building project. This work process is the same as my summer mentorship (at that time my topic was mechanical engineering), which is why my summer mentorship was very helpful in my senior project.

(2) EQ Content:  Pick a piece of research or your interview.  How has it helped you improve your understanding of your topic?

From the research I've looked recently (Building Construction Illustrated Second Edition by Francis D.K. Ching), I've learned that designs in buildings' are always earthquake proof. Each building element plays a specific role in counteracting with any earthquake force. For example, columns are a linear vertical structural element, so the force generated from an earthquake is compressed vertically into the column and is transferred to another building element. I didn't realize the complexity of how buildings counteracted earthquakes because I simply thought there just needs to be heavy materials to withstand earthquake.

(3) What has worked for you so far in the senior project?

Well what's worked so far is I've found a reliable mentor and he's told me what I'm going to do during my mentorship. My research has also been good because my mentor has given me reliable book sources that are text heavy.

(4) What hasn't worked so far?  

I can't find a second mentor and there's a lot of my math that I haven't learned that is involved in my research.

(5) Finding Value:  

·                      What is a potential question you would like to study this year?  (working EQ)

How can a structural engineer design a hospital that provides the best resistance towards earthquakes in California?

·                      What do you plan to do for mentorship? 

I plan to design details for my mentor on the computer by using the software AutoCAD and to learn more about structural engineering as my mentor explains what I'm designing. 

LEGOs and Structure Engineering

Article Links: 

• http://science.howstuffworks.com/engineering/structural/5-things-lego-blocks-teach-structural-engineering.htm#page=0
• http://archive.today.uci.edu/Features/profile_detail.asp?key=114

I've always loved to play with LEGOs ever since I was a kid (I still am a kid). Whenever I would build a LEGO Star Wars space ship, I would always crash it on my other LEGO buildings, recreating an action scene from some movie or video game. However when I read this article, I found that there is a more meaningful purpose to LEGOs than just for my own amusement.

LEGOs not only are used to build LEGO buildings, but can also be used to simulate real buildings. Conveniently, my senior topic, structure engineering, can relate to this. There are many examples in this article that taught me more about structure engineering. For example, if I wanted to measure static loading, weight on a non-moving structure, I would build a bridge (out of LEGOs) and use a toy car to cross over the bridge. If my bridge seems unstable, I can add more LEGOs to reinforce the bridge and make it sturdier. In this example, it not only shows the principle of static loading, but also on the principle of bracing. In real life situations, engineers use beams and columns to reinforce structures. LEGOs are a good representation of beams and columns. Another LEGO example relating to structure engineering is the concept of space. If I wanted to build a LEGO city, I have to consider not only the amount of people inside my city, but also the proximity of the buildings in my city. Similarly, structure engineers also consider these same factors for purposes such as earthquake incidents.

So do people really use LEGOs to simulate buildings? Yes, the article explains that there are competitions in the world where competitors create LEGO experiments to see how earthquakes affect buildings. In fact, as I was researching more, universities even go out to kids and use LEGOs to spark the kids' interests in civil engineering. I wouldn't have thought of using LEGOs to teach myself about structure engineering. It just shows that even my childhood toys can teach me something new.

Blog 4: Interview Preparation

1.  Who do you plan to interview?  Why?

I plan to interview Structure Engineer Associate, Tzuoh-Jaw Wu because he has lots of experience in the field of structure engineering. The reason why he has lots of experience is because he started as an employee and worked throughout his career to achieve his Associate position. This shows that he is familiar with many roles in the structure engineering field and I believe this can help me with my senior topic and my career choice. He also is well educated because he has master's degree in structure engineering, which makes him an even more reliable interviewee.

2.  You have to ask 5 questions.  What additional questions do you plan to ask? 

What is your schedule at work like?

Why do you enjoy your job?

Why did you become a structure engineer?

How did you become a structure engineer?

What challenges do you face during work?

Specifically, what building elements do you design or inspect?

Did you have any interests in other engineering fields besides structure engineering?

What types of math is used throughout your projects?

How much of your time is spent with working with others?

Blog 3: Topic Choice and Semester 1 ESLR Goals

1. My senior topic will be structure engineering
2.What do you plan to do this year to show growth in each of the ESLRs?  Be specific and use an example.  Examples can come from senior project, model assembly, core, and/or participation in senior class ASB or other organizations on campus (clubs etc).

I will be an Effective Learner by turning in my work earlier and using my time in school wisely.

I usually turn my work in on time, but my work is usually done the day before it's due. I realize this isn't my best effort and will make my goal to finish my assignments no sooner than the day before the deadline. Another goal I will be working on is using class time wisely. To fulfill this goal, I will use house time more effectively by working on school related tasks rather than socializing with others.

I will be an Effective Communicator being attentive to the teacher/instructor and strengthening my communication skills

I will try my best to make certain of myself not to talk when the teacher is giving instructions. I sometimes have a problem with this and I will stop it by facing my eyes towards the instructor. I will also work on my communication skills and rely on my iPoly teammates in group work. For example, I will conquer my fear in socializing with others that I'm not familiar with if I am stuck in a group with these people for a group assignment.

I will be an Effective iPoly citizen by having less tardies, working for more community service hours, and joining at least one commitee:

I've made a goal that I will only have at a minimum one tardy per semester for my last year at iPoly High School. In recent years, I've gotten three tardies per semester, which is an extremely bad habit considering now there's a detention rule for seniors. I will also take advantage of my mentorship to gain more community service hours. I did reach a little bit over 200 hours after my summer mentorship; however, if I want my college application to be more successful; then I need to do more hours than what's required of my school. I also plan on joining a committee for the senior class, even though currently I still can't make a decision which committee I want to join.

I will be an Effective User of Technology by using web links to help me on my core classes and learning new functions on powerpoint programs:

I will use certain websites to help me on my studies regarding core classes and senior project. For example, I will use the url link PHSchool.com/advanced as tool to check my work for Mrs. Pitman's physics class and to help me study for physics. Another goal I will strive for in being an effective user of technology is I will be familiar with microsoft powerpoint and google drive powerpoint. For example, I will learn new applications on these powerpoint programs such as including adding video links and adding transitions to my slides (I tend to have problems with this).

Summer Mentorship Component

Literal:  

1. (Know) Using google doc (drive) link a log of specific hours and a description of your duties 

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/ccc?key=0AvtFX3hRxacldFkyZkVVWFRhZzJvbmtEMzVDWFhZZ2c#gid=0

2. What is the contact name & number of where you volunteered?       

Kevin Chen. 909-594-3836. dHA and Calpec is where I volunteered.

3. (Need to know) What questions were raised because of the 10 hours of experience?  List them.     

Besides meetings and working in the office, what other things do engineers do?

Which engineering field is the most demanding?

What type of engineer do I want to be?

Which engineer field is more focused on design?

Interpretive

4. What is the most important thing you gained from this experience? Why?

The most important thing I learned from this experience is engineers (that design parts of buildings) check the work of the architects. I always believed that architects only designed the exterior of buildings, but they actually design the entire layout of the buildings. When I was asking my mentor about my confusion if I was drawing some building parts in the correct position, he told me that the engineers have to correct the architect's work because sometimes they don't know certain parts of buildings.

This is important for me because architects and engineers constantly work together on many building projects. This is also important because I'm not sure whether I want to pursue in architecture or engineering.

Applied
 
5. How did what you did help you choose a topic?  Please explain.

Mostly what I did in my mentorship was drafting the duct work of a building. The company that I was doing my mentorship is separated into two engineering departments: electrical engineering and mechanical engineering. My mentorship is in the mechanical engineering department, which is why my drafting was only related to mechanical engineering. So how did this help I chose a topic? I found that drafting parts for mechanical engineers was a little repetitive. I told my dad, who is a structure engineer, about this and he told me that in structure engineering, there more details to look at where as mechanical engineering is only focused on a few building parts. So I decided to choose structure engineering to see if this will spark my interest in the engineering filed.

2013 2-Hour Presentation Reflections

Title:  2013 2-Hour Presentation Reflections
Label:  Research
Due Date:  Monday, June 11th by 8AM

Content:

Literal:  

1.  (Know) What presentations did you see?  Name the topic and the person's first name.

 Leslie - Zombie Culture

Roxana - Daycare Centers

 Jaime - Navy: Ways against terrorism

 Joseph - Integrate Native Species

Andrea - Painting

 Raul - Remote Control Car Racing

Reann - Wildlife Conservation

Jada - Autism/Psychiatry

Ana - Event Planning

Kendall - Coping With Cancer

Rachel - Teaching Chemistry

Jacob - Teaching History

JD - Pastry Art

Salvador - Soccer

2.  (Need to know) What questions do you have that haven't been answered about the senior project? This can be about the senior project in general, any components or about a presentation topic you saw or what they said.  

Here are my questions I have about the senior project?

How many components are there during senior year?

What are the components of the senior project?

When do we make our own essential question during the senior project?

During senior year, can our mentorship hours count as community service after the 50 hours we completed?

What grade percentage is the senior project worth?

Interpretive:

3. What has the most important part of the senior project based on what you are seeing in the 2-hour presentations?

Research is probably, I think, the most important part of the senior project. The reason is because research determines good or poor content. If there is good content, the presentation will usually be interesting enough to attract the audience. For example, I thought Jada's presentation, when I saw her topic, wouldn't be fun, since I'm not interested in her topic. However, Jada gave lots of new information about the functions of child games that intrigued me to listen to her presentation even though I didn't like her topic.

Applied:

4. What topic are you considering doing and why?

I'm considering my topic to be electrical engineering because I interested in becoming an engineer and it's one of the engineering fields that I'm not as familiar with. I'm not sure what type of engineer I want to be, which is why I might consider to do electrical engineering, to see if I become interested in this field. Doing something new will also make me research more information, which would benefit my senior project.