Earthquake Test- Building Better Homes -- Improving Structural Engineering with Earthquake Simulator

Improving Structural Engineering with Earthquake Simulator January 1, 2007 — To develop designs that can survive extreme seismic events, and to devise retrofit solutions for older homes, civil engineers who specialize in structural design test realistic models of homes in earthquake simulators. They place the homes on two adjacent shake tables designed to move in three directions, creating realistic earthquake motions. Cameras and accelerometers measure the rate of movement. BUFFALO, NY -- Homes are made to withstand the test of time. But the ultimate test is one that can survive a large-scale earthquake. And simulating an earthquake in a lab helps improve homes in real quake zones. Most people don't ever want to experience an earthquake. "I experienced a very strong earthquake in 1997 in Athens," Ioannis Christovasilis, an Earthquake Structures Graduate Student at University at Buffalo in NY, tells DBIS. "I was a little bit frightened, yes." University at Buffalo Structural Engineer Andre Filiatrault says, "We had an aftershock, maybe a magnitude five ... That was pretty dicey. You felt the shaking work up." But today, Filiatrault is eager to watch an earthquake simulator shake this house to a magnitude 6.7 quake. The full-scale, fully furnished home is built like many in earthquake zones, but prone to damage. The test shows how much shaking a wood home can endure. Filiatrault says, "We shook this building past its so-called design level. We shook it to an extreme event ...

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Contour Crafting - House Building Prototype Robot

This is a prototype of an amazing robot that will be able to construct homes in as little as 24 hours. Uploaded with permission by Dr. Behrokh Khoshnevis. You can learn more about the technology at www.contourcrafting.org

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Ryerson I-Beamers' presentation video for Troitsky Bridge Building Competition 09

A presentation video I made for my bridge building team competing in 25th Troitsky Bridge Building Competition in Concordia University, Montreal. Team members: Brian, Ryan, Mike, Mayo Bridge's mass for Ryerson Competition: 1.162 kg Made of: Popsicle Sticks, White Glue, Dental Floss and 40+ hours of hard work. Load Capacity: 804 kg Result: 1st place in Ryerson Music: Jason Graves

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The Cost of Building a House in Cyprus

Building a house nowadays, is a decision which entails heavy costs, problems relating to finance and construction, delays in delivery and quality problems, titles, delays on building permits etc. Building a house is an investment decision, which should be studied carefully, as most families built a house once in their lifetime and the final decision in most cases can be irreversible. Below are some general guidelines, which could help the owner to assess the cost of building a house, since small items, which could build up the cost of the house, are usually ignored.

Cost of building plot

Prior to the commencement of construction of your own home, at least the plot should be, or nearly be paid. This will certainly give you an advantage with the financing of the building cost for the house and it is a prerequisite for all financiers. For the transfer of ownership of the plot a Governmental transfer fee of 7%-8% (on average) is required on the market value (not necessarily what you paid for) of the plot.

Cost of the Mortgage & Finance

To register a mortgage, a fee will be paid to the Land Registry Office of about 1% on the Mortgage amount. Normally the mortgage amount is the actual loan %2B 20% on top. You will have to pay the stamp duties and other Bank expenses, which could take the form of once and for all Bank charge (say, on average CYP1000). If you borrow from a bank there is an additional charge of approximately 1.5%-2.0% p.a. on top of the legal base rate of 4.5%. There are now many alternative housing schemes including Life Insurance finance, Co-Op financing etc which extend for 25-40 years and own contribution approximately 20% (usually through term life insurance).

Cost of Architectural Drawings

It is imperative to use a qualified Architectural Office which will have the responsibility for the work done. You should not compromise on this, since the Architect is the most important person in the whole process of building your house. Yes, go to different offices and do discuss fee levels and then make your decision, but always use a qualified architect. Rates are normally around 5% on the total cost of the building and includes the design and supervision. Some architects go up to around 6%-8%.

You will also need to employ a Civil Engineer to carry out the structural design. This cost, with supervision is approximately 1% on the cost of the building.

The cost of the building referred to, includes all items, but not the fees paid to the Authorities and decorative items. So please clear the matter with the Architect, Engineer, etc., what is included is the total building cost.

Cost of Building Licence

The Town Planning Department charges for the issue of the licence will cost you around £300 and for the building licence an added amount of £150-£200.

Cost of the Quantity Surveyor & M/E Engineer

If you wish to engage a Quantity Surveyor for the building, a fee of 1% of the total building cost is required. The cost for a mechanical engineer (for large buildings) is approximately 3%-5% on the cost of the Electrical and Mechanical Budget. Although the use of the above is optional, it is recommended for large and complicated buildings.

Cost of the building

Below you will find a guide of the building costs:

Normal quality house

CYP500 per sq. meter for the covered area

CYP150 per sq. meter for the uncovered veranda

CYP250 per sq. meter for the basement

Good quality house

CYP550-CYP650 per sq. meter for covered area (depending on quality/facilities)

CYP180 per sq. meter for uncovered area

Plus the cost of a garage (£3000), water borehole (£1500), fencing and garden (£3500-£4500) for normal plots sizes.

Costs to other Authorities

Extra costs have to be paid for connection to the Water Board, Electricity, Telephone and Land registry Office (demarcation, issue of title etc) estimated at about £1000 in total.

-Total cost/sq.m. for a (250 sq.m.) house
-House 250 sq.m. @ £550/sq.m. £138.500
-Fees and Licences £9.000
-Interest on Loan (say) £6.000
-Other Authorities £1.500
-Garden etc. £3.000
-Sundry other expenses £4.000
-Total cost £162.000 or (£745/sq.m.)
-on top add 15% V.A.T.

The purchase of equipment and installation cost of central heating is an addition and costs approximately £20/sq.m. and for the airconditioning system, an additional amount of approximately £40/sq.m.

A large number of people act as their own contractors for the building and subcontract all the various jobs and supplies of the work. Where the owner is able and with sufficient knowledge and has the time to carry out the supply and coordinating function, there could be a possible saving of 8-10% on total cost. Going further, if "weekend housing" is put into effect (whereby all the family and friends offer themselves as labourers, skilled and unskilled) then the cost can be reduced by 12%-15%. Obviously, in both cases there is the strong danger that the quality will suffer and the time of completion extended.

In recent years, with the introduction of VAT and the increase in labour costs, we have experienced an increase of 7-10% per year, in building cost, a level which is higher than inflation. This has made the building of a house that much more difficult. A house can take approximately 18 months to be completed.

A last item that can cost between 5%-8% in addition, is the right of the Contractor to ask for increase in labour costs and materials prices during the period of construction. Therefore a certain amount for unforeseen costs should be included in the final costing.

Unfortunately in Cyprus we have not reached any stage of prefabrication, whereby sections of the house, windows, doors, kitchens, etc., are prefabricated so that there is a reduction in costs. Also the shortage of skilled labour has created a certain indifference to the quality produced and should always be watched.

The problems related to the building of a house and the related delays have caused the market to direct its interest towards ready houses (a circumstance which did not exist 7-9 years ago). We expect this trend to continue with a positive effect on the value of ready homes.

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Building Permits and Inspections

Probably the most intimidating part of building your own house is the permit process. Not only do the the requirements vary from township to township, but at times the decisions made seem so subjective that we find ourselves seething in frustration. However, permits and inspections are a necessary step, and they are in place predominately for your protection. Ask any earthquake victim in Iran. Because I am concerned here with new construction, I won't go into the permits required for renovation; that's another story.

In a new development, the buyer usually doesn't have to think about permits; the builder takes care of all the details. With independent projects, you may end up engaging a contractor who hires all the sub-contractors and takes care of the permits. This makes life infinitely easier for the buyer, but you'll pay for that convenience. In rural areas, because township officials are usually volunteers, they tend to work only one or two hours a week, and often after five o'clock. If you miss their time, you'll probably have to wait another week. This could run your builder ragged and cause unwelcome delays.

If you decide to get the permits yourself, the first thing you want to do is go to the township office and acquire their Code Requirements for Single Family Dwellings, and also their Building Permit Requirement Checklist (or whatever they call these documents). The Code Requirements will cover everything from smoke detectors to egress windows, from stair requirements to insulation, from foundations to chimneys and anything in between. It wouldn't hurt to send a copy to your log home manufacturer, just in case. The Building Permit checklist, though more simply worded, will be the most important document to familiarize yourself with. If even one of these items are unchecked, you won't get that permit that day!

Once you start the process, you come to realize that the Construction Permit is the most important, the most sought-after, the most critical objective in your immediate scope. Without it, you cannot even break ground. Since everything ties together, the township wants to make sure you have your "ducks in a row" before they "permit" you to start. There will usually be a one-year time limit to the permit, or a six-month time limit if construction is stopped in the middle. You should budget about $1500-$2000 for your average building permit, unless there unusual circumstances attached to your project (wetlands delineation, variances, etc.).

Because every township is different, I'll limit myself to my own building project, which took place in rural NJ. We chose to sign up as Homeowner Builder, which the owners can opt to do if they are going to live in their own house. We were technically responsible for getting the permits and the subs (although we hired a contractor who hired most of the subs for us). This meant that we had to climb a steep learning curve to understand all the components of the project.

Here is what we had to acquire to qualify for the building permit:

TAX CERTIFICATION: This document came from the township, and verified that not only did we own this piece of land, we were up to date with our property tax payments.

TWO SETS OF SEALED BUILDING PLANS: We learned very quickly how important this was. What they wanted was an Architect's or Building Engineer's stamp on the plans that came from the log home manufacturer. Do not assume that the plans will come pre-stamped. Not all manufacturers have the ability to apply a seal from every state. Our plans were not sealed, and we had to scramble around and find someone willing to stamp someone else's plans. This is not an easy task, because most architects do not want to take on that responsibility. This snag set our project back two months.

Included in the building plan will probably be a separate foundation plan, since most log homes do not provide a foundation as part of the building. If there is a separate foundation plan, it too will need to be stamped by a qualified engineer or architect.

SIGNED, SEALED ELECTRIC PERMIT APPLICATION: Don't expect the log home manufacturer to provide electrical drawings. Once you hire an electrician, you'll have to sit down with him and determine where you are putting your outlets, light switches and fixtures. Local code will determine how close together your outlets will go. Do yourself a favor and put in many more outlets than you think you will need; retrofitting could be unsightly. Also, plan on twice as many light fixtures than a standard home - wood sucks up light like a sponge. While you are at it, it helps to include your cable wires, phone wires and CAT5 in every room, even though you may not think you'll need it. Once you move into the house, you may change a room's usage from your original conception - we did, and regretted our shortsightedness.

SIGNED, SEALED PLUMBING PERMIT APPLICATION: This is another set of drawings that will not come from the log home manufacturer. You and the plumber must figure out where the fixtures are going, and if you live in the country remember that the plumbing needs to hook into your septic. (This permit is separate from the septic design permit).

APPROVED COUNTY SEPTIC DESIGN: The septic design came from the local civil engineer. The permit application came from the township, but the septic approval came from the county.

HVAC DIAGRAM showing where your ductwork is going.

DRIVEWAY PERMIT: In our case, this came from the Director of Public Works. We had to make provision for a pipe to be installed beneath a 24' paved apron at the end of the driveway. This allowed the water runoff unimpeded access to the stream down the block.

STATE WELL PERMIT and TOWNSHIP WELL PERMIT if you are digging your own well. If there is a drought going on, they might put a hold on new well permits, which will put a hold on the whole project. So get it as quickly as possible.

PLOT PLAN AND ZONING APPROVAL: the Plot Plan will come from the local civil engineer. This is not the same as a survey, which will be required by the mortgage company. The plot plan shows the location of the house, driveway, well and septic as well as the perimeter of the building envelope.

WATER TABLE INVESTIGATION REPORT: this will help you determine whether you can dig a basement, or do you need to raise the house up?

These are the big ones. You might have local wetland delineation issues, easements, or setbacks to worry about. Once you get that Construction Permit, treat yourself to a celebratory dinner. You'll have earned it!

The Construction Permit needs to be prominently displayed on the job site. You also need to keep one of those sealed sets of building plans on site at all times, just in case you get a surprise visit from an inspector. Hopefully by now you will have made friends with the township inspector, because he's going to have a big say in the ease or difficulty of your project. The inspections are all spelled out and will be required at each step in the process before you can move on. This could cause a delay of one to several days (not counting bad weather), so think ahead - but not too far ahead.

The first inspection will come pretty quick. When your excavator digs the hole for your foundation, the township may inspect the bottom of the footing trenches before placement of footings. If you are using a Superior Walls precast foundation system, there will be no footings so this inspection will be unnecessary. However, the footings for your deck and porches will need to be inspected.

There will be a foundation inspection before the backfill is shoveled in. The big inspection will be the framing inspection. This must be done before the insulation is added. Then, there will be an inspection for the plumbing, the electrical panel and wiring, the septic or sewer service, then insulation. At the end of the project, there will be a final inspection before issuance of a Certificate of Occupancy; the inspector will look at the finishing work, the smoke detectors, fixtures, etc. There may be other inspections in between, depending on the township.

Unless you are acting as your own general contractor, inspections should not concern you, except that if something fails the whole project grinds to a halt. If you are the Homeowner Builder, you will probably be arranging the inspections yourself, and it helps to know what the township is looking for.

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Building a Shed - Three Routes to Success

What is the best way of building a shed? The answer to this question depends upon several factors including the type of DIY skills you have, the type of shed you want, the availability of local building materials, the availability and price of paying a local shed builder to do the work for you. There are three principal ways to go about building your shed, starting with the most time and skill intensive:

Building a shed from scratch. 

If you love woodwork, DIY and working with your hands this route will be the most satisfying. Unless you have some building design experience it is probably best to start off with an inexpensive set of shed plans. Building a shed in this way he is time intensive and will most likely result in a quality shed that you can be proud of. It may not necessarily be cheaper than a pre-made shed (depending on how your source your building materials) but the sense of satisfaction will be immense.

Shed kits and pre-fabricated sheds. 

If this is your first building project of this type this may be your best route. Shed building kits come in a variety of styles and complexity. These range from post and beam sheds at the most complex to kits where you nail together pre-cut timber and ply components at the other. There are also varying degrees of pre-assembly. Some sheds come as pre-assembled panels which are simply bolted together. The skill required here is mainly strength and the ability to use a hammer, screwdriver and spanner.

Employing a Shed Builder. 

For those who are short on time, skill or interest; employing a shed builder could be the best route. This can range from simply paying a local handyman to put together a shed kit to employing a full-blown shed building company to manage the project from start to finish. This would include completing the outline and detailed design to your specific requirements to finishing the last coat of paint.

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