Edwin R. Schmeckpeper

Fiber-Reinforced Plastic Grid for Reinforced Concrete Construction

The objective of this paper was to evaluate the suitability of Fiber-Reinforced Plastic (FRP) grids for use as a structural reinforcement in slab-type concrete structures. The behavior of concrete beams reinforced with FRP grids was experimentally investigated. Two different types of FRP grids were tested; the first type used carbon fibers, the second type used a mixture of carbon and E-Glass fibers. The mechanical properties of these two FRP grids were determined. For each of the two types of reinforcement, five concrete beams were tested to failure. The flexural behavior, as characterized by the load-deflection response, was monitored throughout the tests. The results from the flexural tests on FRP reinforced concrete beams showed that the failure mode, measured deflections and ultimate loads were consistent with predictions.

Evolution of Design Code Requirements for Exterior Elements and Connections

Seismic design requirements for precast concrete cladding panel connections have evolved significantly over the past fifty years. This paper summarizes the pertinent requirements from the Uniform Building Code from 1967 to 1997, and the International Building Code 2000. A hypothetical design illustrates how emphasis in the code has evolved for both lateral force requirements and story drift displacement requirements arriving at a balance of moderate lateral force and displacement requirements. The numerical results are based on a hypothetical case of panel connections for a ten-story moment-resisting steel frame structure built in seismic Zone 4. This historical summary is of value to designers who deal with the seismic rehabilitation of precast panel connections.

Mini workshop — Exploration of a direct method for measuring ABET professional skills

Proficiency in professional skills related to teamwork, ethical responsibility, oral communication, impact of engineering solutions, life-long learning, and contemporary issues is critical for success in the multi-disciplinary, intercultural team interactions that characterize 21st century engineering careers. Yet, programs across the nation have struggled to define, teach, and measure professional skills since their introduction as ABET criteria for engineering programs in 2000. The Engineering Professional Skills Assessment (EPSA) is a direct assessment method centered on one of several inter-disciplinary scenarios that frame a contemporary societal problem, a generalized set of discussion questions intended to guide a meaningful, 45 minute discussion of multiple scenarios among 4–6 students, and the Engineering Professional Skills rubric that is broadly applicable for all scenarios. In this mini-workshop, participants will examine one scenario in detail along with self-scoring and peer-scoring of a scenario discussion among workshop participants. This experience will be structured to produce small-group and large-group insights about administering and scoring the EPSA in classroom situations. The intended audience for this workshop includes faculty who teach courses identified for collecting data on ABET professional skills, ABET coordinators from the entire spectrum of engineering programs, and ABET engineering program evaluators.