The tunnel size does not impact an earthquake, or at least not as a first order effect. The collapse of a tunnel could create a sinkhole, but for most cases your tunnel very close to the surface and/or have a very large tunnel. Unless this was a large event you probably wouldn’t notice it if …
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When did modern architecture begin?
Most architects and historians peg the beginnings of modern architecture (now being called mid-century modern) at the founding of the Bauhaus school in Germany. So 1919. Of course, Walter Gropius and Le Corbusier (two of the greatest modern architecture architects) were practicing before this time so you will find a few different answers.
How does the increase in the span of a beam affect the design of the beam?
Increasing the span decreases the loading bearing capability of the beam. To the degree depends on the nature of the loads, but the beam moment is likely to be affected most.
How does the thermal expansion of rebars not compromise the structure of encasing concrete?
Steel has a coefficient of about 10.8 and concrete about 12. As mentioned before these are pretty close. But, they are different. In this case it is most likely that the concrete will be applying force to the steel rather than the other way around (with thermal stresses). When a material is constrained we can …
When someone constructs a house, do they have to take into account the Earth being curved?
Generally speaking, any object less than 20 miles in length is more concerned by local conditions rather than earth curvature. And even at that, this is just the point earth curvature could become an issue.
If wood is stronger than metal for building homes, businesses, and skyscrapers, why can people chop it in half but not metal?
This is a common example that engineers and material chemists love, but this is only part of the story. Individual wood fibers are roughly as strong as mild steel. The problem is that while steel exists as roughly a whole uniform crystallin composite, wood is an aligned fiber bundle held together by a cellulose matrix …
What is the minimum width for a curved and sloped driveway?
Most driveways are 20′ wide. The curve may make it wider because of how it is likely to intersect your curb/street. The slope shouldn’t make difference unless it is fairly steep. Depending on how complicated your driveway is you may need a contractor or engineer to help you out.
What house materials are the least flammable?
Reinforced concrete and solid grouted reinforced CMU are the most fire-resistant. Heavy steel with fireproofing is considered equivalent. Brick masonry. Light gauge metal framing with fireproofing. Heavy timber (6×6 and bigger). Light gauge metal framing without fireproofing. Wood-framed would be the least fire-resistant. As a side note, you need to be careful with stone, clay, …
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What would walking on a giant gem sound like?
Similar to most hard flat surfaces, many of which actually art large crystals. The space around the walking surface will really mean more than the walking surface as to the sound comes back to you.
How are speed limits for roads determined?
The simple and unsatisfying answer is traffic engineers doing traffic analyses. A bit more in-depth answer is that roads are broadly divided into highways, arterials, collectors, and streets. Highways connect cities. Arterials are the major routes within cities. Collectors are branch or minor streets but not residential. Streets are your typical residential street. Roads can …
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