The government of India is officially okay with me coming to their country!
(in other words: my Indian visa is ready for pick up)
Monday, January 31, 2011
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Indian Visa Application: Submitted!
They say I can pick up my passport already by Monday! But don't know if I can actually get to the city again so soon.. maybe next Friday or something. The upcoming adventure is becoming more real.
Also I got to see little Wyatt again. Getting so big and even cuter :-D
Also I got to see little Wyatt again. Getting so big and even cuter :-D
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Build Change links
Build Change's handbook for seismic design in Indonesia:
http://www.buildchange.org/tech/BC_BOOK-english.pdf
Good and bad connections:
http://www.buildchange.org/tech/BC_05_Connections.pdf
Article about Build Change in Haiti:
http://www.buildchange.org/pdfs/INNOVATIONS-5-4_Build-Back-Better_Hausler.pdf
http://www.buildchange.org/tech/BC_BOOK-english.pdf
Good and bad connections:
http://www.buildchange.org/tech/BC_05_Connections.pdf
Article about Build Change in Haiti:
http://www.buildchange.org/pdfs/INNOVATIONS-5-4_Build-Back-Better_Hausler.pdf
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
Earthquake and tsunami retrofit and loading
I finally read through "Retrofit Design of Mosques as Vertical Evacuation Structures", a booklet put together by some of my friends in our Engineers for a Sustainable World (ESW) spring design class last year. Here's a link for it: http://www.stanford.edu/~biscombe/Final%20Brochure.pdf.
It goes through:
1. What a vertical evacuation structure is, why a mosque would be ideal, and how you can strengthen it to withstand the earthquake and consequent tsunami loads.
Vertical evacuation means going into the upper stories of a building or on top of a tall hill to avoid the tsunami waves. This is necessary when the water come far enough inland that you might not have time to evacuation horizontally (away from the shore). Mosques are good because people tend to go to religious buildings or community centers after a disaster. Retrofitting means fixing current deficiencies in a structure to make it strong enough for its desired purpose.
2. Initial site and building evaluation.
Is the building tall enough that people would be above the predicted wave height? Are the doors and stairways wide enough for large groups of people to get in quickly? Is there enough space to hold all the people who want to take refuge there? What are the predicted shaking and water levels at this site? All of these factors determine whether the building has potential to be a vertical evacuation structure.
3. Structural evaluation.
Are the floors, beams, and columns strong enough to hold all the refugees? Will the building survive the earthquake, and will it look undamaged enough to inspire confidence as a vertical evacuation structure? Can it withstand wave and debris loading from the tsunami? What method of analysis should you use?
4. Evaluation of retrofit options
What methods are most cost-effective for the current deficiencies? What methods will limit downtime of the building during construction?
You should check it out!
Also there's this document which is referenced a lot in the booklet and has soo much information about tsunamis:
FEMA P646, "Guidelines for Design of Structures for Vertical Evacuation from Tsunamis": http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=3463
Other FEMA documents: http://www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/earthquake/professionals.shtm
This includes stuff about new buildings, retrofits of old buildings (and specifically schools, hospitals, etc), performance based engineering, homeowner's guides, and information about nonstructural components (which contribute a lot to the total monetary losses after earthquakes.. ceiling tiles falling, glass breaking, etc), and lifelines (roadways that allow emergency response vehicles to get in, telephone lines, water lines, etc).
It goes through:
1. What a vertical evacuation structure is, why a mosque would be ideal, and how you can strengthen it to withstand the earthquake and consequent tsunami loads.
Vertical evacuation means going into the upper stories of a building or on top of a tall hill to avoid the tsunami waves. This is necessary when the water come far enough inland that you might not have time to evacuation horizontally (away from the shore). Mosques are good because people tend to go to religious buildings or community centers after a disaster. Retrofitting means fixing current deficiencies in a structure to make it strong enough for its desired purpose.
2. Initial site and building evaluation.
Is the building tall enough that people would be above the predicted wave height? Are the doors and stairways wide enough for large groups of people to get in quickly? Is there enough space to hold all the people who want to take refuge there? What are the predicted shaking and water levels at this site? All of these factors determine whether the building has potential to be a vertical evacuation structure.
3. Structural evaluation.
Are the floors, beams, and columns strong enough to hold all the refugees? Will the building survive the earthquake, and will it look undamaged enough to inspire confidence as a vertical evacuation structure? Can it withstand wave and debris loading from the tsunami? What method of analysis should you use?
4. Evaluation of retrofit options
What methods are most cost-effective for the current deficiencies? What methods will limit downtime of the building during construction?
You should check it out!
Also there's this document which is referenced a lot in the booklet and has soo much information about tsunamis:
FEMA P646, "Guidelines for Design of Structures for Vertical Evacuation from Tsunamis": http://www.fema.gov/library/viewRecord.do?id=3463
Other FEMA documents: http://www.fema.gov/plan/prevent/earthquake/professionals.shtm
This includes stuff about new buildings, retrofits of old buildings (and specifically schools, hospitals, etc), performance based engineering, homeowner's guides, and information about nonstructural components (which contribute a lot to the total monetary losses after earthquakes.. ceiling tiles falling, glass breaking, etc), and lifelines (roadways that allow emergency response vehicles to get in, telephone lines, water lines, etc).
I haven't been learning as many words as I'd planned
This always happens once the quarter starts. Catching up..
12/27
happy birthday -selamat hari ulang tahun
have to -harus
how much/how much does it cost? -berapa banyak/berapa biayanya?
12/28
today -hari ini
tomorrow -besok
yesterday -kemarin
12/29
1 -satu
2 -dua
3 -tiga
4 -empat
12/30
building -gedung
caution -hati-hati
earthquake -gempa bumi
tsunami -tsunami
evacuate/evacuation -mengungsi/pengungsian
12/31
pants -celana ("ch")
shirt -kemeja
shoes -sepatu
1/1/11!!
water -air
food -makanan
eat -makan
drink -minum
The ones I have yet to memorize..
1/2
boil -merebus (verb), air matang (boiled water)
clean -membersihkan (verb), bersih (adjective)
wash -mencuci (something), mandi (oneself).. like kamar mandi, washroom!
1/3
doctor -dokter
medicine -obat
hurt -sakit
pharmacy -apotek
buy -membeli
12/27
happy birthday -selamat hari ulang tahun
have to -harus
how much/how much does it cost? -berapa banyak/berapa biayanya?
12/28
today -hari ini
tomorrow -besok
yesterday -kemarin
12/29
1 -satu
2 -dua
3 -tiga
4 -empat
12/30
building -gedung
caution -hati-hati
earthquake -gempa bumi
tsunami -tsunami
evacuate/evacuation -mengungsi/pengungsian
12/31
pants -celana ("ch")
shirt -kemeja
shoes -sepatu
1/1/11!!
water -air
food -makanan
eat -makan
drink -minum
The ones I have yet to memorize..
1/2
boil -merebus (verb), air matang (boiled water)
clean -membersihkan (verb), bersih (adjective)
wash -mencuci (something), mandi (oneself).. like kamar mandi, washroom!
1/3
doctor -dokter
medicine -obat
hurt -sakit
pharmacy -apotek
buy -membeli
The beginning of the last quarter
My last quarter of being a student started yesterday. Need to figure out what to take..
The options:
1. Social Dance 3 (1)- taking this one, it's the only Richard Powers one I haven't done yet
2. ESW Peru seminar (1 or 0)- doing this, maybe for credit
3. Nonlinear (3 or 4)- probably not doing this, I think it's more theory then I'll really need. plus matlab and project and final..
4. Earthquake Hazard and Risk (3 or 4)- really wanted to take this one, but it might be almost a repeat of a class I took last quarter
5. Foundations (2 or 3)- probably should learn/relearn some soil stuff, and Lucy is the TA! hi Lucy
6. Sleep and Dreams (3)- I have so many weird dreams about zombies, etc. plus Esteban and Ivan are taking this. and maybe Greg too!
7. Independent study (2 or 3)- could get credit for last spring's ESW design class, plus the stuff I did last quarter and will do this quarter..
8. Women's seminar (1)- talk with some ladies about life, also have cookies
I need 3 units worth of structural engineering, and 6 units of other classes that would count towards my degree in general but don't have to be structural engineering.
In order of preference:
1 Dance + 2 Foundations + 3 Sleep (or Risk) + 2 or 3 Independent + 1 Peru + 1 Women?
1 Dance + 3 Foundations + 3 Sleep (or Risk) + 2 or 3 Independent + 1 or 0 Peru + 1 Women?
Conclusion:
I'm going to sleep in tomorrow; not going to 9:30am Nonlinear!
PS- Got the first of my shots for aa2011 today.. an unexpected expense. :-/
The options:
1. Social Dance 3 (1)- taking this one, it's the only Richard Powers one I haven't done yet
2. ESW Peru seminar (1 or 0)- doing this, maybe for credit
3. Nonlinear (3 or 4)- probably not doing this, I think it's more theory then I'll really need. plus matlab and project and final..
4. Earthquake Hazard and Risk (3 or 4)- really wanted to take this one, but it might be almost a repeat of a class I took last quarter
5. Foundations (2 or 3)- probably should learn/relearn some soil stuff, and Lucy is the TA! hi Lucy
6. Sleep and Dreams (3)- I have so many weird dreams about zombies, etc. plus Esteban and Ivan are taking this. and maybe Greg too!
7. Independent study (2 or 3)- could get credit for last spring's ESW design class, plus the stuff I did last quarter and will do this quarter..
8. Women's seminar (1)- talk with some ladies about life, also have cookies
I need 3 units worth of structural engineering, and 6 units of other classes that would count towards my degree in general but don't have to be structural engineering.
In order of preference:
1 Dance + 2 Foundations + 3 Sleep (or Risk) + 2 or 3 Independent + 1 Peru + 1 Women?
1 Dance + 3 Foundations + 3 Sleep (or Risk) + 2 or 3 Independent + 1 or 0 Peru + 1 Women?
Conclusion:
I'm going to sleep in tomorrow; not going to 9:30am Nonlinear!
PS- Got the first of my shots for aa2011 today.. an unexpected expense. :-/
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