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Civil Engineering/steel cantilever shelter for 3 cars

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Expert: - 4/28/2010


Question
Hello Sir,
I have to design a steel cantilever parking for 3cars. What are and how do I calculate loadings that would affect the life of the shelter structure? What type of cantilever structure would you propose if it had to be aesthetic and functional at the same time?
Thanking you in advance

Answer
Hi Mi,

In Mauritius, as you will not have any snow loading, the main loading will be self-weight, some nominal live loading for maintenance (say 0.25 kN/m2) and wind loading, for which the uplift will probably be the most prominent. You will also need to brace the half-portal frames in the other direction, in the plane of the columns and in the plane of the roof sheeting.

I would imagine that a tapering steel beam (shallow at tip, deeper at the elbow), would look nice and you can slope the top surface of the cantilever as well so that rainwater runs off backwards towards the columns.

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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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