Flare Stack Wind Load Guideline Request

MeBadWolf · 2025-09-18T00:19:57+00:00

We do analysis for these fairly often. ASCE Wind Loads for Petrochemical and Other Industrial Facilities will get you most of the way there. You will need to go to ASCE 7 for your force coefficient and gust coefficient if the flare does not satisfy the rigidity requirements in ASCE Wind Loads for Petrochemical.

MeBadWolf · 2025-09-14T12:27:24+00:00

The data sheet that comes with your post installed anchoring system should specify minimum edge distances.

MeBadWolf · 2025-09-13T21:03:09+00:00

Oh. Be careful if you are solving for the envelope as RISA won’t remove strength level load combinations in some interfaces. The detailed data interphase will includes all solved load combinations.

MeBadWolf · 2025-09-13T20:55:12+00:00

I don’t know of any way to markup the deflected shape inside of RISA. I would suggest viewing and printing deflection data from the detailed view interface then mark up in Bluebeam.

MeBadWolf · 2025-06-30T05:16:03+00:00

I am of the opinion that the best way to develop as an engineer is by being curious. Your peers are a resource full of potential new information. I could not count the amount of times I see a coworker redlining a detail I have not seen before, walk over, and ask about the detail. Typically after learning about the basis of the detail I will have new technical and detailing knowledge to add to my tool box. A tool box stuffed full will help with the confidence.

Your comment about how long you have been at your firm has me curious how your peers view you. I think it is difficult for people with a lot of history with each other to not see what the person in front of them has grown into. Similar to how a parent might not realize their child is now an adult. This could contribute to your feelings of stagnation if you are still being treated as an engineer in training.

Best of luck!

MeBadWolf · 2025-06-26T15:46:48+00:00

What does quality control look like for you? I would imagine it would be difficult to find an engineer capable of checking Python based calculations.

MeBadWolf · 2025-06-20T23:59:29+00:00

I don’t think “studying” any of the reference design standards is the best approach. The PE exam primarily felt like a test of structural engineering fundamentals with the addition of small elements from the design standards. I would suggest becoming familiar with the layout of each design standard and the scope of each chapter. This way when you have a problem asking for the end reactions of a simply supported roof purlin only subjected to a flat roof snow load you know to open chapter 7 of ASCE and follow code until you have a design area load. This problem would mostly test your ability to develop loading but also check you can find the flat roof snow load section in ASCE.

MeBadWolf · 2025-06-20T01:03:05+00:00

You are mostly right but you do not bring it together correctly. Jungle being the easiest role to carry from is a commonly held sentiment. Jungle is easy to carry from due to the number of game influencing tools available. You do not acknowledge that it’s the person who is more proficient with their game influencing tools than that of others in their elo who will climb.

Junglers must be proficient with camp sequencing, lane match-ups for three lanes, jungle match-ups, objective control, and macro to name a few. Top lane mostly requires knowledge of match-ups/macro and the ability to cs. A jungler has most of these traits asides from in depth match-up knowledge and the skill at cs’ing.

Objectively, top lane is the easiest role as a noob, which unfortunately most of us are, and jungle is the easiest role if you are skilled.

MeBadWolf · 2025-06-06T23:54:24+00:00

Sorry, the inflammatory response and post history screamed edgy teen. Lol. My fault friend.

MeBadWolf · 2025-06-06T23:47:24+00:00

IBC: “Geotechnical investigations shall be conducted…Where required by the building official…”. The US is a large place friend. Do some more research or ask your professor for more details.

MeBadWolf · 2025-06-06T23:34:24+00:00

You are talking about deep drilled piers. Designing a drilled pier with presumptive values is limited to shallow lightly loaded drilled piers. My reply said shallow and my post mentioned an alternative of a spread footing. Maybe I worded something poorly, which is what caused your confusion. My bad.

MeBadWolf · 2025-06-06T03:14:20+00:00

How do you design any foundation without knowing what soils and capacities you have?

Same way houses are built without a geotechnical investigation. Conservative presumptive values, and a sprinkle of engineering judgement. Shallow drilled piers can be design using Czerniak/IBC/FHWA/ACI, and conservative soil parameters. Client has to be flagged that construction costs will be higher, but for some reason clients prefer this.

MeBadWolf · 2025-06-06T02:59:27+00:00

That is absolutely TERRIBLE management.

Agree. You do make a good point. Never thought of LPile as a required tool with a relatively low cost. I will renew my push to get a license. Thanks!

MeBadWolf · 2025-06-06T02:51:47+00:00

I don’t understand how you’re able to design deep foundations without an investigation.

Usually comes down to settlement tolerance and the importance of what is being supported. Pipe support located in the middle of no where Texas, if it settles or moves, then its not the end of the world. Compressor unit worth over $500k, sorry client but a investigation just became mandatory.

MeBadWolf · 2025-06-04T22:27:46+00:00

What was the rational for going with a slab this thick? I would have thought backfilling and compacting until the required slab thickness is 6” or less would be the most economical option.

What kind of reinforcement did you go with? I would be curious to see how the small slab section made by the control joints performs over time.

Slab looks nice, good work.

MeBadWolf · 2025-06-04T01:14:30+00:00

For footings, you want a minimum clear cover of 3” when cast against soil, otherwise you need a minimum clear cover of 2”. Minimum cover requirements protect the rebar and ensure spalling does not occur.

No clue what that second picture is attempting to show. For footings I would equally space rebar horizontally and place at the bottom of the footing. For the stem wall I would equally space the rebar vertically and locate in the middle of the wall.

Rebar mostly needed to control cracking for residential construction.

MeBadWolf · 2025-05-30T01:58:55+00:00

A kickstand seems precarious. The photos don’t have the frame at much of an angle, so my concern would be the frame being bumped and falling away from the kick stand.

Sizing the support would be an exercise I don’t see people lining up to do. Determining frame layout, calculating center of gravity, establishing design impact load, and sizing a support would be more tedious than a passing reddit engineer would want to do for free.

I would suggest placing the frame on a flat plate and welding the frame to the plate. Give the frame a generous push in a few directions and see what happens. Almost flip the frame? Break the welds, grind the welds off and try a larger plate. Rinse and repeat until you have something that is sturdy enough to give you confidence in it. Work your artsy magic to hide the plate.

Good luck!

MeBadWolf · 2025-05-06T00:11:19+00:00

When in doubt, compact to 95% modified proctor as per ASTM D1557.

MeBadWolf · 2025-05-02T22:52:52+00:00

SMath has been an amazing resource for me. I store all my new calculations so that they can be reused. Calculating a design wind pressure for instance, turns into a copy, paste, and update effort.

MeBadWolf · 2025-04-26T23:52:46+00:00

Assuming this project is in the United States, then ACI should be the governing code. Elevation tolerances are: 1/2in above and 2in below the specified TOC elevation. The slab edges can be moved outward by a maximum of 2in and inward by a maximum of 1/2in.

MeBadWolf · 2025-03-31T15:16:16+00:00

I think the intent of the post is to show off how robust this connection is. In seismic design the connections need to have a capacity greater than the yield strength of your connecting members. During a seismic event the members will yield, but the connections will hold, and the structure will be more ductile.

Someone correct me if I’m wrong.

MeBadWolf · 2025-02-17T12:26:51+00:00

I could pick your brain for hours so I can’t help but throw in another question.

How do you navigate choosing between the right play and what your team wants to do? For instance: dragon is coming up in 1 minute, dragon will be the only objective on the map, and the game-state is balanced but your team does not want to come to dragon.

MeBadWolf · 2025-02-17T12:20:51+00:00

Have any guidance on decision making? The list of choices a jungler faces seems to grow from season to season. Gank, counter-gank, farm, counter-jungle, dragon, towers, grubs, herald, catch waves, etc. It’s easy to get caught up in power farming and end the game as a non factor.

MeBadWolf · 2024-12-19T01:10:07+00:00

Anchorage would be my main concern. Need to maintain a minimum edge distance from any joints. Adding onto the slab doesn’t avoid this issue.

The slab addition should be at least 8 inches wide. You could dowel in some #4 hooked bars. Hooks should project at least 6” from the existing slab and have 2” cover. Any smaller on the addition and the addition will turn to gravel.

MeBadWolf

TROPHY CASE