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Civil Engineering/expansion gap for 93m rcc structure?

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Expert: - 11/19/2010


Question
First let me brief about my building.,
A rectangular RCC building with length of 93m, Width as 28m and height as 36m but the roof is covered with steel truss. The structure will looks like a open rectangular tank. All around will be provided with RCC wall where we need to store materials as Gypsum/flyash. The foundation is proposed as pile. At 30m lvl a 60T grane is located and to  to control the deflection at gantry lvl we are approximately getting the column size as 1mx3.5m (tappered).
The location of building is in india - and specifically located in less seismic zone & wind speed as 47m/s.

My question is whether the building shall be without expansion gap?

Answer
Hi Sureshbabu,

As a general rule you should have expansion joints at bewteen 40-60 m centres. So, in your case you should have one in the middle of the 93m length. However, if you wish not to have an expansion joint in the RC structure, then you just need to do a thermal analysis and put in the additional horizontal rebar to prevent cracking.

As for the roof structure, you should have oblong holes for bolting the purlins so that these may freely expand/contract with the changes in temperature.

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Arshad Khan

Expertise

I can answer any questions to do with civil and structural engineering consultancy and construction industry in East Africa and the Middle East, and specifically with the analysis and design of reinforced concrete structures. My particular expertise is in the aseismic design and optimisation of tall buildings.

Experience

Employment history: 36 years in Construction and consultancy in the UK, Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Ethiopia, Eritrea, South Africa, Somalia, Zambia, Austria, Bahrain, Kuwait, Doha and the U.A.E.

Organizations
.Fellow of Institution of Structural Engineers (UK) .Fellow of Institution of Civil Engineers(UK) .Member of the Institution of Engineers, Kenya .Registered Engineer, ERB, Kenya .Member of the Architectural Association of Kenya (Engineers Chapter) .Chartered Engineer (UK)

Publications
•1984: International Conference on the Art and Practice of Structural Design, London •1994: 3rd Int. Kerensky Conference in Structural Engineering, Singapore •2008: International Conference on High-Rise Towers, Abu Dhabi

Education/Credentials
BSc, 1st Class Hons, in Building Engineering, University of Bath, UK MSc in Concrete Structures and Technology, University of London. Diploma of Imperial College, UK.

Awards and Honors
•Science Congress Special Award (for 2-seater Hovercraft - 1968) •Institution of Civil Engineers Award for outstanding performance at Bath University (1975) •Concrete Society Postgraduate study Bursary Award (1976) •Consular Representative for British High Commission, Nairobi. (1995 to 1998) •Examiner for Institution of Civil Engineers Professional Interviews, Nairobi. (1997 to 1998) •Branch Representative in Vienna for PI assessment for Inst. of Struct. Engrs. (1999 to date)

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