The results of sixty-five double-sided pushout tests utilizing the Elco grade 8, 5/16 in. diameter, standoff screw functioning as a mechanical shear connector are presented. In all tests, the base material, through which the screw was fastened, was fabricated out of back to back angle to simulate the top chord of an open web steel joist. Varied test parameters include: steel deck profile, base angle thickness, screw embedment depth, slab thickness, and slab width. The objectives of the testing were (1) to provide an understanding of the strength of the standoff screw in various test geometries and (2) to provide an understanding of the slip characteristics, or ductility, of the connector. A review of literature presents several applicable existing welded stud strength models based on post-test observations of failure mechanisms. Modeled failure mechanisms include: concrete splitting, concrete pullout, rib shear, and stud shear. After applying the existing models to the pushout test data, the following conclusions are drawn: (1) the concrete splitting model developed by Oehlers (1989) can be used to predict the strength of the standoff screw in flat slab geometries and (2) no existing model adequately predicts the strength of the standoff screw in geometries utilizing profiled steel deck. An equation, based on a rederivation of a wedged shaped shear-cone pullout model (Lloyd & Wright 1990), is presented which predicts the strength of the standoff screw in geometries with steel deck with acceptable accuracy. / Master of Science

This thesis began as an exploration of the idea of home, a study that revealed the importance of place. Seeking to understand what makes a successful place, I studied neighborhoods with which I was familiar, identifying characteristics of both the vital and the lifeless. As a foundation for architectural exploration, this study helped me to recognize the dynamic qualities of denser, more urban neighborhoods, and to establish rowhousing as the vehicle through which to undertake my exploration of urban living. While providing the genesis for the project and further defining certain elements as worthy of further study, this initial exploration was nonetheless lacking. I had to do more than just speak of the conditions I hoped to achieve and of the characteristics of the elements with which to make the conditions manifest. I had to make the conditions, make the elements. It was essential for me to establish a clear order, so that these conditions could be brought together to form a cohesive whole. I was able to arrive at a fully conceived expression of the project by structuring the conditions that I identified through the application of three dimensional grids. The interrelationships among the grids helped structure the relationships among various conditions, ensuring that they enhanced one another, and were, in fact, stronger together than separately. Working with the grids taught me that in order for them to be effective regulators the grids had to be intelligible while still being flexible; that they should help define but never dictate. It exposed the tension between the regulating devices we, as architects, utilize as tools for design and the three-dimensional material with which the designs are constructed, as well as the obligation of reconciling the two. Not only must the device accommodate the material and the material reveal the device, but indeed all facets of the design must be considered in relation to one another and to the whole. When philosopy, device, and material work in service of one another the possibility for architectural expression rather than simple building is created. One does not revere great architects solely for their philosophies of design, the functionality of the spaces they create, the materials with which they construct them, or the regulating devices they employ, but rather for the complexity with which these elements are brought together to form a whole so well designed that it seems that it could have been done no other way. / Master of Architecture

The use of deck fasteners as shear connectors for composite open web steel joists is studied. Results of thirty-six push-off tests are evaluated in terms of strength and behavior. Six types of deck fasteners are considered. They are: 1. #12-24 Teks/5 self-drilling, self-tapping screws. 2. 1/4-14 Teks/3 with a 1 1/4 in. stand-off sleeve. 3. 1/4-14 Teks/3 with a 1 3/4 in. stand-off sleeve. 4. 1/4-14 Teks/3 with a 2 1/4 in. stand-off sleeve. 5. 0.150 in. dia. air fired pins. 6. Puddle welds (5/8 in. and 3/4 in. diameter). All push-off tests utilize Vulcraft 1.5 VL, 22 gage, composite deck. Several modifications to the typical push-off test arrangement are made, which will permit the test to more closely model the top chord of an open web steel joist. It was found from the push-off test results that all of the deck fasteners, tested in this study, can obtain composite action for snort span open web steel joists with the exception of 0.150 in. diameter air fired pins. A description and the results of each push-off test is included. / Master of Science

The objective of the research reported herein is to present a comprehensive evaluation of all available experimental data from push-out tests utilizing the ELCO Grade 8 standoff screws. The goal is to develop a strength prediction equation and determine reliability parameters compatible with the Load Factor Resistance Design (LRFD) procedure that would allow the use of this shear connector in design of composite floor systems. The study considers results from push-out tests using this type of screw reported by Hankins et al. (1994), Alander et al. (1998), Webler et al. (2000), and Mujagic et al. (2000). Further, this study identifies the limitations in earlier approaches aimed at predicting the strength of standoff screws. An improved strength prediction model is developed that considers all applicable limit states and determines maximum strength of a connector. A reliability study was also conducted to derive strength reduction factors to be used in design. Parameters considered in the model include deck type and geometry, screw height, concrete compressive strength, top chord angle yield strength, and stand-off screw rupture strength. Results from strength prediction model were compared with results from composite joist tests. / Master of Science

Four aspects influencing the vibration characteristics of steel member supported floors were investigated. The four aspects are: 1) the number of tee-beams effective in resisting a heel-drop impact for steel joist and steel beam-concrete slab floors, 2) the effective moment of inertia of steel joist and joist-girder members, 3) the ability of joist seats to provide composite behavior between the supporting member and overlying slab, and 4) the effects of extending and restraining the bottom chords of joist members. A new equation was developed to predict the number of effective tee-beams. The proposed equation is recommended to replace the two current equations. The proposed equation is a regression equation based on the results of a finite element analysis of 240 floor systems and is considered to be more accurate than the current equations. Next, a study was undertaken to determine the relationship between the span-to depth ratio of a joist or joist-girder member and it's effective moment of inertia. Twenty five joists and joist-girders were modeled and analyzed using the finite element method and their effective stiffnesses calculated. The effective stiffness of each member was plotted against the respective span-to-depth ratio. A linear regression line was then fit to the data to mathematically represent the trend. Finally, a vibration test floor was constructed to investigate the joist seat behavior and extended bottom chords. Finite element models were developed and analyzed and frequency and stiffness tests were performed to evaluate the floor's behavior. Conclusions were then drawn and recommendations made concerning the joist seat behavior and the effects of extending joist bottom chords. / Master of Science

I en byggnad kan ljud och vibrationer från steg spridas och dessa ljud kan störa de människor som vistas i byggnaden. Stegljudsisoleringsförmågan hos ett bjälklag beror på hur det är konstruerat och hur hög styvhet och massa bjälklaget har. I detta arbete undersöks stegljudsisoleringen hos tre bjälklagstyper. Dessa är monterade i befintliga byggnader, belägna i Växjö och ägda av fastighetsbolaget Videum.   Syftet med arbetet var att undersöka vilket av de tre bjälklagstyperna som är bäst lämpat att ha i en kontors- eller universitetsbyggnad, med avseende på akustik. Vidare var syftet att undersöka vilket av dessa tre bjälklag som avskärmar stegljud i horisontalled mest effektivt. Målet med arbetet har varit att genomföra en standardiserad stegljudsmätning och en enkätundersökning för att kunna fastställa vilket av de undersökta bjälklagen som har bäst stegljudsisolering. Data från dessa undersökningar har analyserats och beräknats.   Resultatet från stegljudsmätning och enkätundersökning visar att det bjälklag som avskärmar stegljud bäst är KL-träskiva med betongpågjutning. De undersökta bjälklagskonstruktionerna inklusive anslutningar till väggar är inte helt jämförbara och därför bör det nämnas att resultaten avser konstruktionslösningen som helhet och inte enbart själva bjälklaget. / Sound and vibration which originate from footsteps can spread in a building and may disturb the people who residence it. Ability to insulate impact sound varies depending on how the joists system is designed and how high its stiffness and mass are. In this thesis the impact sound insulation of three different joists systems will be examined. The joists systems are installed in existing buildings located in Växjö, Sweden and owned by the real estate company Videum.   The purpose of the thesis was to examine which of the three different joists systems that is most suitable for office- and university buildings, concerning acoustics. Furthermore, the purpose was to examine which of the joists systems that has the best ability to sequester impact sound horizontally. The goal with the thesis was to perform a standardized impact sound insulation measurement and a survey to determine which of the joists systems that has the best impact sound insulation. All data was analyzed and calculated.   The results show that the CLT board with a concrete layer reduces the impact sound most efficiently. However, it should be mentioned that the designs of the objects are not fully comparable and therefore the results relate to the entire design including the wall floor connection, rather than to the joists systems alone.

O aumento dos problemas de vibrações excessivas em estruturas civis oriundos de atividades humanas rítmicas tem conduzido à necessidade de desenvolvimento de critérios específicos para projetos sujeitos a ações dinâmicas rítmicas. Esta foi à motivação principal para o desenvolvimento de uma metodologia de análise centrada na resposta de um sistema estrutural submetido a cargas provenientes de atividades humanas rítmicas. Esta dissertação investiga o comportamento dinâmico de pisos compostos (aço- concreto) sujeito às atividades rítmicas provocadas pelas pessoas. O carregamento dinâmico foi obtido através de testes experimentais com indivíduos praticando atividades rítmicas e não rítmicas. A metodologia de análise proposta adota técnicas usuais de discretização presentes no MEF (Método dos Elementos Finitos), com base no emprego do programa Ansys. O sistema estrutural investigado consistiu em um ambiente de restaurante com uma área de dança adjacente. O modelo estrutural consiste de um piso suportado por treliças metálicas (joists) para longos vãos (14m) apoiados diretamente sobre paredes compostas por de blocos de concreto. O peso efetivo do sistema foi estimado como sendo de 3,6 kPa, incluindo 0,6 kPa para pessoas dançando e jantando. O momento de inércia efetivo dos joists foi da ordem de 1,6x106 mm4, baseando-se nas tensões suportadas. O estudo paramétrico considera uma correlação entre os resultados numéricos e analíticos. Os valores das acelerações de pico foram comparados com os limites recomendados por normas de projeto, baseando-se em critérios de conforto humano. Os resultados indicaram que os limites sugeridos pelas normas de projetos não foram satisfeitos. Tal fato indica que estas atividades rítmicas podem gerar picos de aceleração que ultrapassam os limites estabelecidos em recomendações de projeto. / The increasing incidence of building vibration problems due to rhythmic activities led to need of a specific design criterion for rhythmic excitations. This was the main motivation for the development of a design methodology centred on the structural system dynamical response submitted to dynamic loads due to human rhythmic activities. This dissertation investigated the dynamic behaviour of composite floor (steel- concrete) subjected to the human rhythmic activities. The used dynamic loads were obtained through experimental tests with individual carrying out rhythmic and non-rhythmic activities. The proposed analysis methodology adopted the usual mesh refinement techniques present in the finite element method (FEM) simulation implemented in the ANSYS program. The investigated structural system was used in a restaurant facility with an adjacent dancing area. The floor system consists of long span joist supported by concrete block walls. The floor effective weight was estimated including people dancing and dining. The floor effective weight was estimated to be equal to 3.6 kPa, including 0.6 kPa for people dancing and dining. The effective composite moment of inertia of the joists, was selected based on its required strength, ie: 1.1x106 mm4. The parametric study considered correlation between analytical and numerical results found in literature. The peak acceleration values were compared to limits proposed by design codes, based on human comfort and those values were not satisfied. Such fact indicated that these rhythmic activities could generate peak accelerations that surpass design criteria limits developed for ensuring human comfort.

O aumento dos problemas de vibrações excessivas em estruturas civis oriundos de atividades humanas rítmicas tem conduzido à necessidade de desenvolvimento de critérios específicos para projetos sujeitos a ações dinâmicas rítmicas. Esta foi à motivação principal para o desenvolvimento de uma metodologia de análise centrada na resposta de um sistema estrutural submetido a cargas provenientes de atividades humanas rítmicas. Esta dissertação investiga o comportamento dinâmico de pisos compostos (aço- concreto) sujeito às atividades rítmicas provocadas pelas pessoas. O carregamento dinâmico foi obtido através de testes experimentais com indivíduos praticando atividades rítmicas e não rítmicas. A metodologia de análise proposta adota técnicas usuais de discretização presentes no MEF (Método dos Elementos Finitos), com base no emprego do programa Ansys. O sistema estrutural investigado consistiu em um ambiente de restaurante com uma área de dança adjacente. O modelo estrutural consiste de um piso suportado por treliças metálicas (joists) para longos vãos (14m) apoiados diretamente sobre paredes compostas por de blocos de concreto. O peso efetivo do sistema foi estimado como sendo de 3,6 kPa, incluindo 0,6 kPa para pessoas dançando e jantando. O momento de inércia efetivo dos joists foi da ordem de 1,6x106 mm4, baseando-se nas tensões suportadas. O estudo paramétrico considera uma correlação entre os resultados numéricos e analíticos. Os valores das acelerações de pico foram comparados com os limites recomendados por normas de projeto, baseando-se em critérios de conforto humano. Os resultados indicaram que os limites sugeridos pelas normas de projetos não foram satisfeitos. Tal fato indica que estas atividades rítmicas podem gerar picos de aceleração que ultrapassam os limites estabelecidos em recomendações de projeto. / The increasing incidence of building vibration problems due to rhythmic activities led to need of a specific design criterion for rhythmic excitations. This was the main motivation for the development of a design methodology centred on the structural system dynamical response submitted to dynamic loads due to human rhythmic activities. This dissertation investigated the dynamic behaviour of composite floor (steel- concrete) subjected to the human rhythmic activities. The used dynamic loads were obtained through experimental tests with individual carrying out rhythmic and non-rhythmic activities. The proposed analysis methodology adopted the usual mesh refinement techniques present in the finite element method (FEM) simulation implemented in the ANSYS program. The investigated structural system was used in a restaurant facility with an adjacent dancing area. The floor system consists of long span joist supported by concrete block walls. The floor effective weight was estimated including people dancing and dining. The floor effective weight was estimated to be equal to 3.6 kPa, including 0.6 kPa for people dancing and dining. The effective composite moment of inertia of the joists, was selected based on its required strength, ie: 1.1x106 mm4. The parametric study considered correlation between analytical and numerical results found in literature. The peak acceleration values were compared to limits proposed by design codes, based on human comfort and those values were not satisfied. Such fact indicated that these rhythmic activities could generate peak accelerations that surpass design criteria limits developed for ensuring human comfort.

Timber is an inherently sustainable material which is important for future construction in the UK. In recent years many developments have been made in relation to timber technology and construction products. As the industry continues to look to construct more efficient, cost effective and sustainable buildings a number of new engineered timber products have emerged which are principally manufactured off-site. In terms of light timber frame, products such as structural insulated panels (SIPs) and engineered floor joists have emerged. For heavy timber construction, systems such as glulam and cross laminated timber (CLT) are now increasingly common. Despite many of the obvious benefits of using wood as a construction material a number of concerns still exist relating to behaviour in fire. Current fire design procedures are still reliant upon fire resistance testing and 'deemed to satisfy' rules of thumb. Understanding of 'true' fire performance and thus rational design for fire resistance requires experience of real fires. Such experience, either gathered from real fire events or large fire tests, is increasingly used to provide the knowledge required to undertake 'performance based designs' which consider both fire behaviour and holistic structural response. At present performance based structural fire design is largely limited to steel structures and less frequently concrete buildings. Many of the designs undertaken are in accordance with relevant Eurocodes which give guidance on the structural fire design for different materials. For the same approaches to be adopted for timber buildings a number of barriers need to be overcome. Engineered timber products, such as SIPs and engineered joists, are innovative technologies. However, their uptake in the UK construction market is increasing year on year. Little is known about how such systems behave in real fires. As a result the development of design rules for fire is a difficult task as failure modes are not well understood. To overcome this barrier the author has undertaken a number of laboratory and natural fire tests on SIPs and engineered floor joists to establish how such products behave and fail in real fires. The data gathered can be used to develop design approaches for engineered timber products in fire, thus negating the need to rely upon fire resistance testing. The development of design rules from the data gathered would be a progressive step towards performance based design. Realising performance based fire design for timber structures at present has three obvious barriers. Firstly, thermo-physical properties for timber exposed to natural fires are not well defined. Current guidance in standards such as EN 1995-1-2 provides data for standard fire exposure only. Movement towards design for parametric fires requires a better understanding of timber thermo-physical behaviour under different rates of heating and durations of fire exposure. Secondly, particularly in the UK, the fire performance of timber buildings is heavily influenced by the behaviour of gypsum plasterboard which is commonly used as passive fire protection. The thermal behaviour of gypsum under both standard and natural fire conditions is still not well understood. The majority of research available relating to gypsum in fire is dated, whilst board products continually evolve. Finally, the whole building behaviour aspects utilised in the fire design of steel and other structures have arisen as a result of complex numerical simulations. At present most commercial finite element codes are not appropriate for modelling entire timber buildings exposed to fire due to complexities relating to the constitutive behaviour of timber. Timber degrades differently depending upon stress state (i.e. tension or compression), temperature and importantly temperature history. In recognition of the above barriers, the author has made a number of developments. Firstly, a modified conductivity model for softwood is proposed which is shown to give acceptable depth of char and temperature predictions in timber members exposed to the heating phase of parametric fires. This model is suitable for adoption in any computational heat transfer model. Secondly, the finite element software TNO DIANA has been modified, via user supplied subroutines, to simulate large timber buildings exposed to fire by considering stress state, temperature and state history. The developments made in this engineering doctorate are intended to facilitate the progression of performance based design for timber structures. The numerical approaches adopted herein have been supported using multi-scale experimental approaches. As a result a number of novel tools for implementation in FEA models are proposed which should ultimately lead to a more rational approach to the fire design of timber buildings.

The objective of this project was to evaluate methods to remediate a wood I-joist with a single, circular hole in the web while leaving utilities in place. The methods were experimentally evaluated with a full-scale bending test using four equally spaced point loads. There were three depths of joists with varying flange widths and two span lengths (4.88 m & 2.44 m). Failure modes for the long span joists without holes were in the flanges in either tension, compression or lateral buckling; but once a hole was introduced the majority were classified as shear failures. Effectiveness of the remediation was evaluated based on three criteria: strength, stiffness, and ease of installation/cost. The OSB collar patch was effective for 8 out of the 12 series tested. A maximum reduction of load from a joist with no hole to one with a hole was 49% for the long span and 58% for the short span. The OSB collar was not as effective in returning stiffness to the joists, but was easier to install and less expensive than the LSL patch. / Graduation date: 2013