3/3/2017 Accuracyvs.

SimplicityinEngineering|SimpleSupports

Accuracyvs.SimplicityinEngineering
bybriancpotter

Once you move beyond basic statically determinate cases, engineering problems rapidly become very difficult to solve
(leading to some creative solutions in the days before computers). An exact solution often requires the aid of either
expensivesoftwarepackagesorextensivecalculustraining.However,whileitmightbedifficultto,say,calculatetheexact
bendingmomentinabeam,itsofteneasiertoputanupperboundonitsvalue.Andsometimes,areasonableupperbound
isallyoureallyneed.

Engineering,inallitsglory.

Heres a real life example I faced recently. A singlestory building has a room dedicated to file storage. In this case, the
files are stored in large shelves that can be moved along tracks mounted to the floor. I had to design the concrete slab to
supporttheweightofthefiles.

This actually is a fairly complex problem to model with any accuracy. First, theres the edge restraints two sides of the
slabarefixedtothefoundation,onesideoftheslabgetsthickerattheedgeofthefilestorageroom,andonegetsthinnerat
the edge of the file storage room. Next, theres the distribution of load. The files dont sit in one spot, but can be slid
anywherealongthetrack.Andtheloadwontspreadoutintothesoilevenly,butwillconcentrateunderthetracklocations.
Findingthemaximumbendingintheslabmighttakeafewdaysworthofmodelingandcalculation.

Myquickanddirtyapproximation.

Since I dont have that kind of time, I change the problem around a bit. First, instead of checking various file rack
locations, I can just use the maximum the track is rated for, 1000 pounds per foot. I toss out all the edge supports, and
assume all the load gets distributed into the soil[1]. Since the slab is a rectangle with longitudinal loads on it, a onefoot
sectionofitwillreasonablyapproximatetheactualconditions.Finally,Iassumeanevendistributionofsoilload.

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3/3/2017 Accuracyvs.SimplicityinEngineering|SimpleSupports

In each case Im either using worstcase load locations, or removing supports that could reduce the stresses in the slab.
The actual bending in the slab cant help but be less than what I get from my simplified model. And these changes
transformtheproblemtoonethatcanbesolvedinabout2minuteswithpencilandpaper.

This gets you a quick answer for estimating concrete volumes, calculating uplift requirements, and doing any other
calculationsthatrequireslabthicknessinformation.Andinthiscase,Iactuallyusedtheresultasthefinalslabdesign.The
filestorageslabendedupbeing6inchesthick,ascomparedto4inchesintherestofthebuilding.Sincetherewasntmuch
savingstobegleanedfromrefiningthosenumbers,Ioptednotto.

Engineeringdesignoftenproceedslikethis.Startwithaquickapproximation,andrefineitasneeded.Sometimesitsout
ofnecessity(forinstance,designingabeamrequiresknowingwhatthebeamsownweightwillbe),sometimesitsdueto
timeconstraints,andsometimesitsbecauseagoodenoughanswerisgoodenough.

Its for this reason that Im often less than enthusiastic about the proliferation of FEA software. A FEA solution, while
highlyaccurateifdonecorrectlyrequiresnothinking,nounderstandingofhowthematerialwillbehave.Youcansimply
recreate the exact loading and support conditions on the member, and have the computer crank through a few hundred
equationsandspitouttheanswer.Oneofthehallmarksofagoodengineer,Ithink,istheabilitytoaccuratelyapproximate
aproblem,sosimplifyitinawaythatmakesiteasytosolvebutstillmimicstherealworldconditions.Itshardtobuild
thisabilitywhileleaningonsoftwareasacrutch.

Notes:

[1]itsimportanttonotethatthisassumptionwillchangeportionsofthebeamfrompositivetonegativemoment.Inthis
case,theslabsimplyhadonelayerofsteelintheexactcenter,andsohadthesamecapacityinbothpositiveandnegative
bendinganothersimplifyingdesigndecision.

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