Blog Archives

Humidity/Temperature Testing

Posted by on 24/ 11/ 15

Newly constructed buildings generally have higher humidity levels caused by the moisture inherent in building materials and processes. It is important to dry enclosed buildings out quickly to levels that will not support mold growth and to verify that acceptable levels have been reached and are maintained. Hu­midity should be monitored and controlled from the time the building is enclosed un­til all wet-finish materials have been applied and dried. Humidity controls are especially important in humid climates or when mas­sive wet materials such as concrete or plaster are used. Inexpensive meters for determin­ing temperature and relative humidity called thermohygrometers can be purchased at most electronics and hardware stores.

Relative humidity (RH) varies depending on temperature...

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Attaching stringers

Posted by on 24/ 11/ 15

Because a stairway is often asked to bear considerable weight, stringers need to be securely attached at top and bot­tom. There are several ways to attach a stringer to an upper landing, deck, or floor system (see the drawing at right). Whichever method you choose, the first step is to measure down on the face of the landing header one riser height (7[9]A in. in this example) and carefully mark a level line across the header where the stringers will land. Think again about finish floors at this point. Remember what will cover the stair treads and the landing, and make adjustments to ensure that every step will be the same once all finish treads and floor coverings are installed.

Подпись: A skirtboard, or finished stringer, which is cut to the shape of the stairs, is often installed between the stairs and the drywall to give a more finished look.

nailing in the second and third stringer in the same way...

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Sebastorosa

Posted by on 24/ 11/ 15

The layout of the Sebastorosa is basically the same as the Enesti tuned sideways.

Square feet: 743

With add-on: 837 House width: 16’ House length: 30’ Porch: 6’ x 15%

Great Room: 9%’ x 15: Kitchen: ІУ2 x 9’A

Bathroom: 5%’хб’

Half Bath: 41/2’ x 5’

Addition: 7’x12’

Ceiling height: 7’ 6” – sizes are approximate

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Bridge in Ptock, Poland

Posted by on 24/ 11/ 15

The bridge in Plock, Poland, is a steel, highway and railway, multispan bridge with a significant longitudinal slope. During reconstruction in 1998, a new sprayed pro­tection layer was applied and one layer of 0/16 mm SMA surfacing was laid down. An SBS modified binder—with 50/80 Pen@25°C, SP > 63°C, and ER > 80%—was used. It was an experimental SMA application of 0/16 mm grading on a steel bridge. Its surface integrity, after 2 years in operation, was at least a warning. Large areas of cracks and slight rutting could be seen here and there (Figure 13.2.a). The pavement will have to be reconstructed soon. This rapid pavement failure was probably caused by poor adhesion of the course to the protection layer and high permeability resulting from the use of the coarse 0/16 mm grading.

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Combined Drains

Posted by on 24/ 11/ 15

Sometimes it is desirable to combine surface water runoff collection and sub-surface seepage water into one, combined, drainage system. Typically, such systems are in the form of lateral trench drains (see Section 13.4.1) that are open to the surface. These are the traditional means of draining roads and continue to be used on lower – trafficked roads where run-off contamination is lower and runoff volumes smaller (because the road is narrower).

Their principal drawbacks are: •

The Highways Agency (2006) publishes a table that indicates when it is sensible to consider a combined system and when not to do so.

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Do the prep work for exterior finishes

Posted by on 24/ 11/ 15

Exterior siding and trim must be painted on all sides, not just on the surfaces that will be
exposed to the weather. Back-prime the trim before installation. On doors and windows with wood casings, make sure you back-prime all casings before installing the unit.

Take the time to fill all nail holes with exterior-grade wood putty. Don’t caulk under the lap between siding boards. Always use a good-quality, long-lasting, paintable, exterior – grade caulk. Mask and cover any decks or railings to protect them from drips and spills. Cover the foundation or walkways to keep paint from staining the concrete. Take the time to do it right. There is no excuse for being sloppy with paint. Drops of paint on a wood deck or concrete foundation will look bad for years to come.

Подпись:Do the prep work for exterior finishes

Apply exterior paint

Much...

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ROOF JACKS AND VENTS

Posted by on 24/ 11/ 15

Most skylights are manufactured with a complete flashing package and instructions for installation in a rough opening in the roof framing. Some are available with a kit to adapt the flashing to unusual roofing materials or pitches. Skylights are available in fixed or operable types with screens and/or sun-shade devices. Rough-opening sizes are specified and usually correspond with standard rafter spacing.

Many fixed skylights require a flashed curb to which the manufactured skylight is attached. With these sky­lights, the curb must be flashed like any other large penetration of the roofing surface, such as a dormer or a chimney (see 174 and 175C). Site-built curbless sky­lights are fixed and appear flush with the roof (see 176)...

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Kjj-Stiffness Method—A Unified Method for Both Metallic and Polymeric Reinforced Soil Walls

Posted by on 24/ 11/ 15

Allen and Bathurst (2001) developed a new methodology for estimating reinforcement loads in both steel and geosynthetic reinforced soil walls known as the K0-Stiffness Method. Figure 8.44a and b, for polymeric and metal reinforcements, respectively, are provided for estimating the reinforcement load distribution with respect to the magnitude of maximum reinforcement tension from the top to the bottom of the wall. The soil reinforcement load distribution factor (D, max) in these two figures was determined empirically from all of the available field wall case histories...

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High-Energy Design: Creating a Well-Lit Room with Four Types of Lighting

Posted by on 24/ 11/ 15

TASK LiGHTiNG: BOTH LEDs AND FLUORESCENTS Are up TO The Job

Task lighting is the lighting by which you do work, including undercabinet lighting in a kitchen, closet lighting, and reading lamps. The optimum task light provides shadow – free light and is located between your head and the worksurface.

Depending on the type of fixtures being used, both fluorescents and LEDs can provide effective task lighting. Fluorescent puck lights, such as those by Tresco Interna­tional (www. trescointernational. com), offer shadow-free illumination along worksurfaces such as kitchen counters. Because much of today’s architecture is open plan (where one room flows into the other), choose a light with a color temperature of 2,700 K so that the color is complementary to light sources in other rooms.

For task...

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Design Example of MSE Retaining Wall with Steel Reinforcement

Posted by on 24/ 11/ 15

The following design example is provided with the permission of the Reinforced Earth Company. Typical calculations are shown, including the determination of allowable
reinforcement tension for galvanized steel reinforcing strips. Figure 8.40 shows a cut­away view of a typical Reinforced Earth retaining wall. Refer to Fig. 8.41 for illustration of calculation steps.

Geometry

Height of wall H = 20 ft

Strip length B = 20 ft (AASHTO minimum = 0.7H = 14 ft) Soil Properties

ф

Cohesion, c

Unit weight, у

R. E. material

34.00°

—

0.125 kip/ft3

Random fill

25.00°

0.100 kip/ft2

0.120 kip/ft3

Foundation

25.00°

0.300 kip/ft2

—

Other Properties

• Equivalent fill height for traffic surcharge of 0.25 kip/ft2 =

0.25 kip/ft2 0.120 kip/ft3

• Maximum v...

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