Which types of structural framing systems and materials are most commonly used in the US for residences? For office buildings?
What factors determine why these are the most used materials?
The types of structural framing systems and materials used for smaller residential buildings is wood framing. This is because they are cost effective, easily available and easy to work with. This means the lesser needed structural support makes the wood frame a more viable and cost effective option than steel or concrete. For a larger residence they may use steel because of its ability to support heavy loads. Concrete is used in areas that may have to resist weather or any other external factors. For office buildings steel and concrete are used to support the heavy load. On upper floors, steel is used to build a frame, while concrete is used to create structural elements. I believe some of the factors that determine what is used are cost, availability of materials, efficiency, resistance to the environment and the ability to bear a load. The most important factor in my opinion is the ability to bear a load because that will test how well the building serves its purpose.
Why do different teams of designers and subcontractors link and share their models during the design process?
What are the advantages of linking models?
Are there any disadvantages to linking models?
Different teams of designers and subcontractors link and share their models in the design process because it allows them to create a more coordinated and cohesive design. The advantages of linking models are minimizing errors across the designs, more streamlined design, detecting clashing and real time updates. These advantages allow the design teams to identify potential issues early in the project. There are still some disadvantages to linking models. Some of the disadvantages are cluttered projects, compatibility issues, changes having unintended disruptions and the necessity of high performance computers.
How do you think design coordination was done before we started using digital models?
What advantages does doing this coordination digitally have over previous methods?
What strategies can design teams use to find and avoid clashes prior to the start of construction?
What can be done besides sharing the models digitally?
At what point in the project development process should design coordination start?
Is it ever too early?
Design coordination should start as soon as possible and I don’t think it is ever too early. This is because coordination about the design allows the separate working pieces in the project to be on the same page. People like the architects, structural engineers, project managers and contractors must be on the same page if they want a successful project. This is because if they are coordinated then they will be able to identify potential issues, have a clear idea of what is wanted out of the project, proper management of materials and is overall more efficient. By being coordinated early, it allows the work to be streamlined, has everyone on the same page and creates an overall better design process.