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Module 1

The document outlines the Theory of Structures course, focusing on the engineer's and architect's perspectives on structural design. It covers major structural elements, understanding loads according to NSCP standards, and the gravity load path with an analogy. Additionally, it discusses the tributary area concept and the importance of determinacy and stability in structural systems, culminating in a student activity to analyze their classroom's structure.

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jerillegrace25
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7 views8 pages

Module 1

The document outlines the Theory of Structures course, focusing on the engineer's and architect's perspectives on structural design. It covers major structural elements, understanding loads according to NSCP standards, and the gravity load path with an analogy. Additionally, it discusses the tributary area concept and the importance of determinacy and stability in structural systems, culminating in a student activity to analyze their classroom's structure.

Uploaded by

jerillegrace25
Copyright
© All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

Module 1: Structural

Systems & Load Paths

Instructor: Michael B. Baylon, CE, [Link].,


[Link].,Ph.D.
Course: Theory of Structures
What is "Theory of Structures"?

The Engineer's View: Predicting how a physical system


responds to external forces using physics and math.

The Architect's View: Ensuring the "firmitas" (firmness) of a


design without sacrificing "utilitas" (utility) or "venustas" (beauty).

Goal: To develop "structural intuition"—the ability to look at a


building and "see" how the weight flows to the ground.
Major Structural
Elements

• Tension Members: Rods, cables,


and ties (e.g., suspension bridges).
• Compression Members: Columns,
struts, and piers (e.g., Greek
temples).
• Flexural Members: Beams and
Girders (members that resist
bending).
• Surface Structures: Slabs, shells,
and folded plates.
Understanding Loads (NSCP Standards)
Architecture students must design for
three primary load categories:
• Dead Loads (D): Permanent weights
(Self-weight of concrete, steel, walls,
tiles, fixed partitions).
• Live Loads (L): Occupancy loads
(People, furniture, movable
equipment). Note: A library has higher
live loads than a residential bedroom.
• Environmental Loads:
• Wind (W): Crucial for high-rise
"Skin-and-Skeleton" buildings.
• Seismic (E): Inertial forces caused
by earthquakes (Essential for the
Philippine setting).
The Gravity Load Path
(The "Waterfall"
Analogy)
Loads move from the highest point of the building to
the soil in a specific hierarchy:
• Floor Slab: Collects the weight of people and
furniture.
• Beams: Support the slab edges.
• Girders: Primary beams that support the secondary
beams.
• Columns: Vertical members that take all the weight
from the girders.
• Footings/Foundations: Distribute the concentrated
column load to the soil.
Tributary Area Concept

• Definition: The floor area that "belongs" to


a specific beam or column.
• Architecture Tip: Identifying tributary
areas helps you decide where to place
columns to avoid oversized beams that
might ruin your ceiling height or aesthetic.
• Calculation: Halfway to the next support
in every direction.
Structural Ideals vs.
Reality
Determinacy: Can we solve the forces using
only the three equations of equilibrium (ΣF_x,
ΣF_y, ΣM)?

Stability: Will the building fall over if pushed?

The Architect's Role: Choosing a structural


system (Truss vs. Frame vs. Arch) that
complements the building's purpose.
Student Activity: "The Building
Walk-Through"
Student
Activity: "The Task: For the remaining 30 minutes of class,
Building students must look at the classroom structure:

Walk-Throug Identify where the beams are (or where they


h" are likely hidden).

Locate the columns.

Sketch the Load Path of their own desk down


to the building's foundation.

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