I am on to bigger and better things. I get to go to a seminar tomorrow on the AASHTO LRFD code. As an engineer, I get to be "in the know" with acronyms. All the states in the US are moving from design by LFD to LRFD (even California!! They're kinda special and have always done their own thing, but have now decided to conform. They've been using the 1997 UBC while the rest of the country has gone on to the 2006 IBC! Ya... I can't believe it either.. those crazy Californians).
Let me tell u how painful the switch is.
Remember Carol Burnett talking about giving birth? She said Giving birth is like taking your lower lip and pulling it over your head. Well... this isn't quite as painful as that, but its close.
In the all knowing wisdom of our government, in order to save a penny, we are going to spend many many dollars. Supposebly, we have all along been wasting cheap materials when we could have an expensive engineer create a slimmer design. Oh wait, now we have to think of the effects of wind on such a light structure (Galluping Girdie), erosion (Minnisota bridge), people
(random bridge that really doesn't have anything to do with this), and of course earthquakes throwing our really tall light buildings around (couldn't find a good youtube video of this).
This had added quite a bit to our design burden. Basically, we used to determine the loads on the structure and the say the material is actually 4 or 5 times less strong as we know it is. This was called ASD (Allowable Safety Design). Now.. we multiply the loads we think the structure will see by designated factors and design to the maximum strength of the material (basically putting the safety factors in at the beginning rather than the end of the design). This was called LFD (Load Factor Design). In the future... we get to do a mixture of both and confuse everyone! This is called LRFD (Load Resistance Factor Design).
K.. now that u know all this, you can go on with ur life. And I get to just sit all day tomorrow and be taught. It really is going to be fun and I'm looking forward to it. No scrambling to figure things out, no trying to get plans out on time, no fixing my dumb errors that threaten the design of a bridge that is already in construction (hypothetical situation of course), just sitting and soaking in knowledge. Just like school... but without the stress!
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
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18 comments:
I hope it is wonderful, stressless, and most knowledge soakaging. I loved training days when I was teaching for the same reasons. I think I would still enjoy it for the same reason, actually. In fact, I think I could use a good all-day parenting seminar or something - maybe one on patience.
ps: let me clarify ...the first person to make 10 comments gets dinner?
Well, what if you live in a different state?
Wow, I don't think I've ever been the first to comment on one of your posts
In fact, I don't think I'm usually in the top three, your so darn popular
and your family is so darn bloggy!
Which I think is really great, and I find myself rather envious.
Have you ever used facebook?
Its pretty amazing, but too addicting, but not as addicting as blogging. Blogging is much more personal.
Okay, this makes ten...
(sorry for being so obnoxious)
Boy, after all those wonderful comments from Mandy, do I need to comment? Happy training!
Um... I didn't understand most of what you said. I must not have an enginering mind. I hope you enjoy yourself though. Its always nice to get out of the office and do something a little different for a day. It keeps things fresh and exciting. I'm glad you embrace that.
are you just trying to show off how 'smart' you are? glad you're smart, not glad it's hard, thrilled you like the contacts!
i have a headache ... and i still love you!
I pretend to know what you are talking about. I'm sure glad you can look forward to something fun.
Fun stuff. Love how the government saves money and finds new improved ways to do things slower and less efficient. Never the less, I hope you enjoy the rest of you training stuff.
matness (reminds me of madness)
So I got bored of reading how smart you are and zoned out...sorry. But since last night was so crazy I forgot to tell you how cool it was to take pictures of you and not have glare from your glasses! Yeah for contacts!
Mandy my dear... I was all excited about the plethera of notes... Oh well... I know its just cuz u luv me!
The whole dinner thing is kinda my own inside joke since I've probably already boughten dinner for everyone that will leave me a comment... 'cept those in my current ward.
BUT... I sure like u and will buy u dinner anytime u come visit me!!! 'cept on sunday of course. Then lets just hope theres something to make in the freezer!
you mean, after you saw that 10 notes were from me, you weren't excited anymore? sniff... Okay, its true, you've probably bought me dinner more times than I can count and its true too that that wasn't my incentive for leaving so many notes, it IS because I love U sooooooooo much and I love reading your fun blog. Although, I thought for sure you would have had a new post by today. Hope that means you are having a great time!
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