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There are two ways to look at this question. What is the lowest part of the structure, or what is the lowest human occupied part of the building. First question. The answer is the foundation. this is the part of the building which interfaces with the building and ground it sits on. Second question. There …

Continue reading “What is the lowest part of a building?”

Okay, the answer to this can be rather complex. First, don’t think of the paper as a single object but rather as a net (really more like threads placed in random directions) of single thread-like fibers. When you crumpled the paper you bent each of the threads along each crease beyond their ability to bend …

Continue reading “Why does putting a heavy book on a crumbled piece of paper make it flatten out, and why does it take 10-15 minutes for it to happen, not instantaneously?”

Simple answer; building codes don’t address the “short column effect.” This is generally addressed during the peer review/plan check process. As such, it depends on whether the plan check engineer checks for this, or if they decide that the engineering presented is adequate.

The answer comes down to any one of several points. First, is it readily available as a building material? Throughout most of the world there are two favored building materials at the single home scale. Wood/timber and concrete/masonry. Basically, if wood is scarce or not suitable due humidity, mold, or infestation concrete or clay blocks, …

Continue reading “Why do people build their homes out of concrete? What are the advantages?”

Let’s break this into two segments; you’ll see why. First, let’s work on a basement intended for human living. Generally, it will be cooler than most similar spaces due to the extra insulation (dirt) outside, unless it is below freezing outside in which case it will tend towards a little warmer. Most of the natural …

Continue reading “What is it like to live in a basement?”

Basically, you are looking to install a crash bollard with a mailbox mounted on top. This is a detail of one. Typically, it is restrained at the ground by pavement, but isn’t required. The bollard itself is a 4″ diameter schedule 40 metal pipe or 4″ A36 steel pipe. Some designers also add rebar (4-#4 …

Continue reading “Can you make a mailbox post out of cement as a deterrent for cars hitting it?”

Short answer; maintenance. Most people will close the door during rain, do something to cover a broken window even if they don’t fix it, and try to get rid of insects and rodents. None of this happens in abandoned buildings, and it added up quickly.

Simple answer; no. For the most part, only rooms where people are expected to gather for some length of time. This number doesn’t represent the actual amount of people that can be packed into a space, but the amount of people in the space at a predefined density. It is to be used as a …

Continue reading “Are all buildings required to have a sign showing the maximum occupancy?”

They are the same, but humans tend to think of vertical distances as farther than horizontal ones.

No. Imagine you are floating a large thin cookie on a lake of milk. When you went to move the cookie it fractured. For some reason, you decided to mend the fracture using staples. Now remember, you’re really good at mending cookies with staples, so it is a good fix. The problem is that when …

Continue reading “Could earthquakes on San Andreas Fault be stopped by driving huge steel piles deep into bedrock on either side of fault and welding huge cross beams, thereby anchoring ever north moving Pacific Plate to more stable North American Plate?”