Exam (elaborations)
Structural Engineering (Test 1) Detailed Questions and Expert Answers
- Course
- Structural Engineer
- Institution
- Stanford University
Structural Engineering (Test 1) Detailed Questions and Expert Answers
[Show more]
Content preview
Structural Engineering (Test 1) Detailed Questionsand Expert Answers
Def: structure - ANS ...a structure is anything built; ...a structure is any assemblage
of materials intended to sustain loads; ...a structure is something made to react to
forces and hold its shape
Example of structures - ANS Towers, buildings, bridges, tables, chairs, pencils,
paper clips, aluminum cans, human skeletons
Height of Eiffel Tower - ANS 300 m
Length of Golden Gate Bridge - ANS 0.8 miles
When was the Eiffel Tower built - ANS 1889; 100 years after French Revolution
Height of Duke Chapel - ANS 210 feet
Height of Empire State Building - ANS 1250 feet (without antenna, with antenna -
1454 feet), built in 1931
Height of John Hancock - ANS 1127 feet, built in 1969
,Architecture of John Hancock - ANS Sides are sloped - base is wider and that makes
it sturdier against the wind; X's on the outside are exposed structure
"Mechanical utopias" - ANS No such thing - there is always room for improvement.
There are inconveniences/necessities that lead to development of tools and
systems.
Past successes... - ANS Are no guarantee of future performance.
Box structures and bridges - ANS Cut a bridge in half - made from box structures.
Box geometry gets a lot of stiffness - obviously we want bridges to be strong and
stiff.
Cross-sectional cardboard - ANS Corrugated boxes. Less material, a lot of little
"boxes" side by side which gives strength and is light, a series of folds.
Def: patent - ANS When someone/a company takes legal credit of an idea (by
inventors/designers/engineers who serve as critics/creators). Gives inventor
temporary monopoly on inventions.
Why do things/structures change? - ANS A catastrophic failure occurs, less
catastrophic faults and failures arise. Engineers devise ways to eliminate them.
, Problems with older designs, and why we redesign things. - ANS Strength (stronger
materials are developed), durability (better protective finishes), serviceability,
usability, aesthetics, cost (more efficient construction).
Why/how/when did the paper clip evolve from the straight pin? - ANS Industrial
revolution - a lot of inventions made to automatically do things (like the pin
making machine)
Problems with office pins - ANS Relatively difficult to apply/remove; exposed sharp
point; can snag unrelated documents; pricked fingers; leaves holes in paper; hard
to reuse - these sorts of problems are why we patent things
Gem Manufacturing - ANS Made the first paperclip, but didn't patent it
Shades of pencils - ANS Drawing pencils are a combination of graphite, clay, and
wax. Darker shade --> more graphite --> less clay. The lead gets thicker because
less clay makes it less strong.
How does a pencil work as a structure? - ANS The entire pencil itself is a beam;
forces acting on the beam are fingers, pushing down to write, etc.
Arrows on a free body diagram - ANS Arrows go where the contact is.
Why did we change from bottles to cans? - ANS Needed bottle opener; expensive
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller Schoolflix. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $15.39. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
Can Stuvia be trusted?
4.6 stars on Google & Trustpilot (+1000 reviews)
75323 documents were sold in the last 30 days
Founded in 2010, the go-to place to buy study notes for 14 years now
