Engineering Commons^™

Evaluation Of The Edge Strength Of Architectural Glass, Kevin L. Alexander

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

A mechanical device to test the edge strength of glass was developed in a previous study and was to be modified for more accurate results in this study. The mechanical apparatus allows for a load to be applied and directed along one diagonal of a glass beam making the other diagonal the neutral axis. This allows only one edge to be in tension where the failure is desired.

This study evaluated the scored edge lines and the other edge lines of annealed glass which was cut by an experienced glass cutter with a steel scoring wheel, and a carbide scoring …

Design, Construction, Calibration And Applications Of An Apparatus Which Conducts The Large Missle Impact Test, John Schroeder

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

Prior to Hurricane Andrew (August 1992), the South Florida Building Code maintained provisions for the design of building openings based on wind pressure only. Hurricane Andrew provided evidence of other failure modes, including windborne debris and internal pressure. Following the hurricane, several changes were made to building codes in South Florida. One addition requires building openings to resist windborne debris. A missile impact test incorporated into recently accepted Dade and Broward Counties editions of the South Florida Building Code states a window, door, or external protection device shall resist a prescribed number of impacts from a nine pound 2x4 timber …

In-Plane/Out-Of-Plane Dynamic Racking Tests Of Curtain Wall Glass Elements, James H. Culp

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

This report describes a research project that was conducted to examine architectural glass behavior as curtain wall components subjected to earthquake-like dynamic motions. The project was an extension of an earlier pilot study conducted in 1991. The 1991 pilot study dealt only with dynamic racking of the curtain wall in its own plane.

The focus of this study was to investigate the effects of adding out-of-plane motions to the previous in-plane motions and to observe the resulting structural performance of various types of architectural glass. Thus, the curtain wall specimens in the current study were racked with motion components both …

Stiffness Change Effects On Structure Control Systems, R. J. Falkenrath

Opportunities for Undergraduate Research Experience Program (OURE)

This paper contains the results of a computer analysis performed on a two-dimensional model structure, in which the structure response was found under dynamic loading conditions. A structural dynamics program (BASIC) was modified to perform its analysis on a two-dimensional structure with a control system modelled into it. The modified program was then used to determine whether a change in the stiffness of the structure would cause the control algorithm to be ineffective for the structure. In light of the limited scope of the analysis (two-dimensional model with constant applied force on one story), the results indicate that a control …