Discussion: more description of project...

more description of project? sounds interesting!

it's really, really cool. we are installing 2 levels of basement underneath the occupied and functional main library on campus. in our excavation we discovered abnormally high rock which compromises the existing structural concrete columns. so WU directed us to cut those columns out (14 out of 15) and replace them with new steel columns. so we installed heavy-duty shoring, transferred the building load to it, and are now taking out our first row of 4 columns.

the project has a couple viewing areas, one right next to the main (south) entrance of the library, and another on the east fence. if you are in the neighborhood just ride up and look!

Shh, don't tell the library patrons what you guys are doing while they are studying. :)

That's an amazing mass to shore up and replace columns.

I recall a similar project when I was in undergrad. The school was built on old marshland and, apparently, when the size of the footings for the library were determined, the weight of the books was not included in the calculation. That's a problem since a library doubles in weight once you put the books in. So, the library was sinking. The foundation had to be re-done while the building was in use. The irony that this was all happening at an engineering school was not lost on anyone.

design loads for classrooms = 40 psf
design loads for libraries = 150 psf
(these do not include weight of the structure)

kind of interesting: http://www.ce.udel.edu/courses/CIEG407/ASCE003c04_...

we aren't cutting out the columns because of a design error, just the existing (and unforeseen) rock elevations make their future plans impossible without column replacement.

I went to the 9-11 Museum at ground zero a few weeks ago (the day before the 2-day classic champs), and it was pretty hard for the engineer in me.

I was thinking a lot about the building foundations, which are in plain view.

I just put some of my photos on Facebook:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10210687...

design loads for classrooms = 40 psf
design loads for libraries = 150 psf
(these do not include weight of the structure)

Yeah, I'm sure that was known in 1969, too. Somebody f'd up.