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 that are most commonly used for residences are wood and brick. Factors contributing to why these are most used for residential are that wood is lightweight and readily available, as well as as a more desirable aesthetic for architects of residential homes. Brick is easy to use and provides strong support in a non-seismic zone. Residential spaces use simpler framing systems of beam and column layouts. With less stories and a smaller capacity, there is less of a need for stiffening systems.
For office buildings, concrete and steel are the most commonly used materials. Concrete is found in abundance and is cheap, although it has a severely negative effect on the environment in the carbon emissions produced. Steel is more expensive but likewise readily available and has some more desirable properties to concrete, especially in seismic resilience. Thus, these factors lead to why they are the most used.
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?
The notion of linking and sharing models during the design process is greatly beneficial such that designers and subcontractors can experience real life changes of a certain model to work around their own modeling. There are several advantages to this: structural engineers can model around openings desired for MEP equipment or architect, points of clashing can be detected early, structural engineers know where to hide their framing behind architectural walls and floors, the overall feel of the space is emananted more by having coordination of all models. Some disadvantages would be: a slower interface and debugging process if models do not align, a situation of “too many cooks in the kitchen,” sometimes it may be easier for the architect to fully finish their model before sending over to the structural engineer. Even though edits and changes will occur throughout the design process, it can be tedious to continuously make changes simulataneously and may actually cost time and money in the end.
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?
Before digital models were done, model coordination was done over long meetings with hand-drawn plans. Overlayiing architectural floor plans and structural floor plans was a manual process to pick up the clashes in only a 2D sense. The biggest advantage of doing this coordination digitally is the 3-dimensional aspect of the coordination. Clashes on a 2D floor plan sense are useful, but not as useful as being able to see both models as one - where opening, heights, framing clashing can be more easily detected. Another big advantage to the digitial coordination is a huge saving of both time and money.