These analysis, if the estimates are indeed fairly accurate, shows that some car makes are indeed more fuel economical than others i.e. if indeed Eminemkayc spends N2,800 fuel per week from Berger to VI everymorning, then the car can do N2,800 per month if he stays in Ikoyi (these offcourse are just estimates, but indeed eye opening)

Thanks eminemkayc for your contribution. When I said no moment transfer, I meant for the sake of manual analysis. Of course in reality except for roller supports, nearly all supports transfer some amount of momemt. One important thing is construction experience added to your detailing experience would make you a good designer. When I said construction experience I mean construction experience acquired by doing and not by reading. They are different. Same applies to detailing.

Meanwhile, I can see you are a research fellow in the oil and gas environment, what is your area of research, it may be of interest to me and some other people in this forum

Thanks. My brother, my area of research is practically undefined just like the Lim ((x^2 - 4)/(x-2)) as x approaches 2 .Well basically,I'm deeply into advanced mathematical analysis and DEEP research, iv worked on membrane and plate theories for highly indeterminate structural elements and developed programs on mathematical derivatives on thin plates nd shells, worked on Navier's solution to the fourth order governing equation as a solution to the true distortion of plates under uniformly distributed loads and now into buckling analysis of offshore submerged structural steel members. Working from proofs of Euler's fundamental buckling theories of different end conditions for slender elements to the actual stress behavior of these deep water members under axial load. i hv also worked, and consult on major engineering design projects for the IOCs, which involves in place, lifting and jacket stability analysis under extreme conditions in addition to production of 3D sacs/staad analytic models. . . These things are quite tedious and take a chunk of my tym, but science, i tell you is interesting and has drawn me closer to my CREATOR i must admit!!

q1: The welded plate is actually a pin. The plate is only welded to the steel superstructure and not the concrete substructure so no moment is transferred between the steel and the concrete. A concrete column reinforcement placed under a concrete mat reinforcement is a good example of a fixed support. It transfer moments to the foundation. That is the reason why you need to be careful in your detailing and construction practices. Also a normal column to pad or raft beam connection has a great element of fixity. It is only for the reason of manual analysis (calculations) that the assumption that only "axial load is transferred" is made.

q3: it is after 28days not 21. Also 100mmx100m cubes are acceptable (by standards) though the usual practice is 150mmx150mm. It should also be known that this value is compressive strength as the values for tensile strength are different and quoted differently. You also mention cylinder, also note the values for cylinders are different as cubes and cylinders do not produce the same result. And that is why you see quotes like C12/15 or C20/25 showing cylinder/cube respectively. In the latest eurocodes, the value for the cylinder is what is used for design.

q4: On this also, one major reason is the soil pressures, if the soil bearing capacity is relatively low (subject to area covered by pad), you would have to use raft instead of pad. Also when your pad foundation covers about 2/3 of the building area it becomes uneconomical (cost) and unsafe from geotechnics point of view i.e. the distribution bulb intersect which could also lead to a form of failure, in this case a raft is used. As for differential settlement, don't use a raft when this would occur it would ultimately fail. It is better you use a pile. This needs further analysis.

q6: You are right with the software answers. The easier ones that are used with hand calculations are 3-moment and moment distribution method.

I hope this informs.

Hello all,

I am a practicing Structural Engineer and its nice to interact with you here. I will post more later. For now, feel free to ask me any Civil / Structural Engineering question and I will attempt to answer as much as I can