Thesis Proposal

Structural Depth

The ultimate goal of this thesis is to a) eliminate the need for tension-only mini piles underneath the footings of each braced frame and b) improve vibration performance of the floor system without negatively impacting the schedule, cost, and architecture of the hospital.

In order to accomplish this objective, the existing steel structure will be redesigned in concrete. A material change to concrete will alter the lateral force resisting system from a series of steel braced frames to concrete shear walls. The floor system will be redesigned as a two-way flat slab in place of composite beam in an attempt to enhance the vibration performance. The foundation system will also be adjusted to account for the increased building weight.

Breadth #1

The first breadth topic will be a cost and schedule analysis of the redesigned concrete system against the existing steel system. The advantages and disadvantages of each system will be compared and a determination of the feasibility of the redesign will ultimately be made.

Breadth #2

The second breadth topic will be a study of the architectural impact of replacing exposed steel HSS columns supporting the south facade of the hospital with concrete columns. The south facade of the hospital is the defining architectural statement of the building and any change to the exposed columns must be evaluated from an architectural perspective.

Another architectural issue which cannot be overlooked is the redesign of the lateral system from steel braced frames to concrete shear walls. A study concerning the impact of shear wall placement on the functionality of the floor plan will be also be performed as part of this breadth study.

 

MAE Course-Related Study

The MAE requirement for this class will be met by utilizing computer models to aid with the design of the structure. This is a direct application of the material taught in AE 597A which is a graduate level computer modeling course. Also, seismic calculations and analysis will have to be performed which will apply course material from AE 538 which is a graduate seismic design course.

 

To view a pdf version of the entire proposal, click here.

To view a pdf version of the executive summary, click here.

To view a pdf version of the revised proposal, click on the image to the left.

To view a pdf version of the revised executive summary, click on the image to the right.