Cathy Bazan-Arias Chapter 14 From the Ground Up Cathy Bazan-Arias Chapter 14
Key Ideas Cathy Bazan-Arias is a geotechnical and structural engineer Her job is to analyze the ground conditions of a structure She knows the effects of materials, geometry load on a structure and the texture of the soil. She explains the process of choosing the best materials for the foundation and above-ground structure for electrical transmission tower She also explains why soil analysis plays an important role in choosing materials and structural design.
Key Words Strain Elastic limit Elastic deformation Plastic deformation Failure point
Strain Is a measure of how much a material deforms due to stress as compared to its original size.
Elastic limit The point at which a material will no longer return to its original shape due to stress.
Elastic deformation At stress below the elastic limits, a material experiences elastic deformation. It returns to its original shape when the stress is removed
Plastic Deformation At stresses above the elastic limit, a material experiences plasitic deformation - when the change is permanent.
Failure point As stress increases, a failure point is eventually reached when the structure breaks or fractures.
Stress-Strain Curve
Who is Cathy Bazan-Arias? Construction manager and geotechnical engineer Construction worker and geotechnical engineer Construction engineer and geotechnical engineer Structural engineer and geotechnical engineer
What does geotechnical engineer mainly focus on? The underground parts and condition of a structure Geographical condition The materials of a structure Working conditions for workers
Which of the following describes the elastic limit? A measure of how much a material deforms due to stress as compared to its original size? The point at which a material will no longer return to its original shape The point at which a material or a structure breaks The top-down view of a structure
What information can engineers get by looking at stress-strain curves? Stress-strain curves show how a material behaves under increasing stress. These graphs allow engineers to predict the loads a given material can withstand safely, and what will happen to the material if maximum safe loads are exceeded.
Why doe Dr. Bazan-Arias believe that having both geotechnical and structural engineering degree is helpful? Geotechnical engineers specialize in designing how structures or underground parts of structures interact with the land they are standing on. For this reason, it is also important to understand the structures themselves and how they behave under different conditions.
What are the major factors that engineers consider when selecting materials for a job? The unique climate and terrain such as The ability of a material to withstand compression, tension, torsion, and shearing The resistance to corrosion Cost and length of time the structure is expected to last