Students Name (Please Print) ______________________________________

Structural Engineering Mechanics and Materials

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of California at Berkeley
Spring Semester 2014

Preliminary Examination- Design Question

Important Note: All the information needed to do this problem are given below. If you still think there is an item
that you need and is not given, or an equation that you need to use but do not remember, please make an
assumption, explain your assumption and use your assumed value or equation and continue your solution. No
questions can be asked or answered during this exam.

Design the frame shown below for the applied loads. The dead load DL, live load LL and seismic lateral load Q shown on
the sketch below are all unfactored nominal values. Use load combinations that you think are appropriate for this case.
The steel girder has lateral bracings and lateral-torsional buckling of the steel beam is not a consideration. You need to
select appropriate material properties of steel and concrete in your design.
Please make sure to check ALL applicable failure modes and if you do not have equations to check any failure mode,
explain how you would do it if this was an open book exam.

30 ft.
DL=3,000 kips
LL=100 kips
Q=30 kips

Steel I-Beam to be designed.

See cross section below.
Rectangular R/C
Column to
be designed

PL 12x1

1 inch thick plate

(height of plate to be
calculated)

Steel Beam Section

24 ft.

University of California at Berkeley

Structural Engineering Mechanics and Materials
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Fall Semester 2012

Doctoral Preliminary Exam- Fall 2012

Design
______________________________

Please read this important note before you start the exam
All the essential information is given. Any other information that you think you
need, such as say strength of concrete or steel used, are part of this design
problem. You need to make assumptions on any number you need and explain
your assumptions. No questions can be answered during this exam.
Consider the tower crane shown in Figure 1. You need to answer the following questions:
Question 1. Check the design of the steel jib (the front arm of the crane) and design the reinforced
concrete tower for the given load condition in Fig. 1 as well as for the condition of no
live load (only 30 kips dead load is present). The given loads are nominal (un-factored)
loads.
The jib structure is a 4-legged truss system with all horizontal, vertical, and diagonal
members consisting of HSS2.5x1/4 pipe section with exterior diameter of 2.5 inches
and thickness of 0.25 in, as shown in Figure 2. The cross section area of a single pipe
section is 1.66 in2. The weight per foot of the 2.5 pipe is 6 pounds.
The reinforced concrete tower has circular cross section. To prevent cracks in the R/C
tower during frequent use of the rotating jib, you need to design it such that the
maximum tensile stress in the concrete under the factored combination of dead and live
load does not exceed 200 psi. The moment of inertia of a circular cross section is
I = (R4)/4 where R is the radius.
Question 2. Consider the crane not having any lift load and position of the jib raised to 60o as shown
in Figure 3. The crane in this position is subjected to high winds of a hurricane. The
winds are from left to right.
a. Calculate maximum wind pressure in pounds per square foot of the exposed
vertical surface of the jib that can cause the jib to rotate clockwise in the
plane of the paper and collapse as shown in Figure 4 (photos are from
Hurricane Sandy in New York).
b. In your opinion, what should have been done before Hurricane Sandy
made a landfall to ensure that the tower crane jib on Figure 4 would not
collapse?

7 ft.

60 ft.

10 ft.

Steel Jib to be checked

30 kips

R/C Tower to be designed

5 kips

Figure 1 for Question 1

65 ft.

2 ft

All truss members are

HSS2.5x1/4:
Area=1.66 in2
External Diameter = 2.5 in.
Thickness= 0.25 in.
Fy= yield stress= 80 ksi
Weight per foot= 6 pounds
per foot

2 ft.

2 ft

2 ft.

Elevation

Cross Section

Figure 2- Details of Steel Jib

Wind

30 kips

Figure 3 for Question 2

Wind

Wind

Figure 4 for Question 2

Name _________________________________________

University of California at Berkeley

Structural Engineering Mechanics and Materials
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

You only need to do either steel

or reinforced concrete design of
the columns but not both!

Doctor Preliminary Exam Design - Spring 2012

The bridge structure shown in figure 1 is considered. The two columns of the bridge: (i) are fixed to the
deck and to the footings, and (ii) have the same hollow square section. Our aim is to design and determine
the response of the bridge under the combined effect of earthquake loading in the North-South direction
and gravity loads. The uniformly distributed factored load, w, includes the self weight of the deck, the
permanent loads, half of the weight of the columns as well as the live load contributing to the seismic
load. The design elastic acceleration at the first translational mode of vibration is Sa = 0.8g. Use a
response modification factor R = 3 to obtain design forces. The yield strength of steel used is fy = 60 ksi

with a post-yield hardening ratio of 2%, as shown in figure 1(d). The concrete compressive strength is fc
= 6 ksi. Consider the RC sections to be well confined. The columns have adequate capacity against
buckling and the pile foundations fixed to the ground. Ignore nonlinear geometry (P-D) effects.

(1) Check if the column section has adequate flexural strength. The longitudinal (flexural) steel ratio of
the reinforced concrete (RC) columns is L = 1.5%. The longitudinal steel ratio is defined as the total area
of longitudinal steel used divided by the gross section area.
(2) What is the peak moment the columns can develop at their base?
(3) Determine whether the columns have adequate shear strength. For the RC column the shear
reinforcement of each segment of the column consists of two No. 6 bars every 8 inches, see fig. 1(c).
(4) Calculate the relative displacement, y, of the deck (in the North-South direction) with respect to the
ground when the maximum tensile strain of the section of the columns at their base reaches the yield
strain of steel in tension.
(5) If instead of pile foundations we use shallow square foundations of B=30 ft and D =7 ft, see Figure
1(a), calculate the horizontal absolute acceleration of the deck corresponding to initiation of foundation
uplift. Assume that the soil stresses on the shallow footing base due to gravity are uniform. Are the
shallow foundations going to uplift during a design-level earthquake excitation? The bearing stress
capacity of the soil is s = 0.08 ksi.
(6) What is the peak tensile strain and what the peak compressive strain of the section of the column at its
base when the relative displacement of the deck (in the North-South direction) with respect to the ground
is

y?

w =14 kips / ft

North

150 ft

150 ft

150 ft
7 ft

Column fixed
to the deck

infinitely stiff deck

50 ft

ground

frictionless roller

stiff square reinforced

concrete pile cap

pile

B
(a) Side elevation view of the bridge
STEEL DESIGN
REINFORCED CONCRETE DESIGN
No. 6 @ 8

stress
Lc = 32 in.

t=4 in.

fy = 60 ksi

0.02
1
Lc = 96 in.

E =29000 ksi

North

Lc = 32 in.

(b) Section of steel column

t=18 in.

Uniformly distributed
longitudinal steel with
L = 1.5%

strain

(d) stress-strain relation of

(reinforcing) steel

North
Lc = 96 in.

(c) Section of RC column

Figure 1.
2

University of California at Berkeley

Structural Engineering Mechanics and Materials
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Fall Semester 2011

Doctoral Preliminary Exam- Spring 2011

Design
______________________________

Important Note:
All the essential information are given. Any other information that you think you
need , such as say strength of concrete or steel used, are part of this design
problem . You need to make assumptions on any number you need and explain
your assumptions. No questions can be answered during this exam.

The objective of this problem is to check the design of the steel pipe tower and to design the R/C
foundation. In addition you are asked to sketch the connection of the steel pipe tower to the R/C
foundation, but you do not need to design this connection.
Given the information below and in the next page, do the following:

1. Establish the design seismic force acting at the center of the spherical tank using the response
spectra shown below. The weight of the tank is given as W= 100 kips. Ignore the self weight of
the steel pipe tower.

2. The steel tower is a hollow steel pipe with outside diameter of 48 inches and inside diameter of 46
inches with a thickness of 1.0 inch. Check the design of the pipe under the combination of gravity
and seismic load. For combination of axial load and bending moment in steel, you can use the
following interaction equation:

Pu/cPc + (Mu/ bMp)2 1.0

3. Show the details of the base connection of the tower to the foundation in a neat sketch. Do not
design this connection.
4. Design the R/C foundation for the tower assuming a square spread footing. Assume the supporting
soil to be rock with ultimate bearing strength of 220 kips per square feet.
5. Establish what will be the horizontal movement of the center of the water tank, Point A, under
seismic load.

W = 100 kips
Pipe:
d = 48 in.
d1 = 46 in.
1. Hollow Steel Pipe to be
designed

70 ft

2. Base Connection
to be sketched not designed

3. R/C Foundation
to be designed
ROCK

ELEVATION

University of California at Berkeley

Structural Engineering Mechanics and Materials
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Fall Semester 2010

Doctoral Preliminary Exam- Fall 2010

Design
______________________________
The objective of this problem is to design a retrofit for a beam to increase its load carrying
capacity. Given the information here and on the figure below do the following:
1. Check the beam in as is condition and establish how much concentrated load it can take at
midspan.
2. Consider the retrofit scheme shown below using cables and vertical stubs at L/3 points and design
the cables such that the beam can take twice as much as the capacity you established in Step 1
above.
For both steel and concrete for beam-column interaction equation use: P/Pcr + (M/Mp)2 =1.0. For
buckling capacity you can use Eulers equation. For other items, such as material properties etc., make
assumptions and please provide a brief justification for all your assumptions. Show all your calculations.

You only need to do either steel

or R/C beam but not both!

t =2 in.

5 ft.

P
5 ft.

A
15 ft

Steel or R/C Beam

Steel Beam Cross Section

30 ft
6 # 14 bars on each side.

Beam in As-Is
condition before
retrofit

# 6 stirrups @ 8 inch
spacing

2P
A

Roller
5 ft
15 ft
10 ft

10 ft

2 parallel
cables
10 ft

8 ft.
8 ft.

30 ft
Beam After retrofit

R/C Beam Cross Section

Fall 2009

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, BERKELEY

SPRING SEMESTER 2009

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Structural engineering, Mechanics and Materials

Name: ____________________________________

Ph. D. PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION

DESIGN
Design the main box girder of the cable stayed bridge shown below either in Steel or
Reinforced Concrete. The bridge is a pedestrian/bike bridge. The deck of the bridge is a 10inch thick reinforced concrete slab. The design of deck slab is not part of this problem. The
width of the deck is 20 feet made of two 10-feet wide lanes. For each case of Steel or
Reinforced Concrete the box girder has the same outside dimensions of 8ftx4ft as shown
below. The box is a double-cell box with all walls having the same thickness. You need to select
the material used in the box as well as thickness of the box walls as part of your design. If you
are doing R/C option, you need to design the reinforcement in the box walls as well.
Consider only combination of dead load (self weight) and live load in your design. Wind and
seismic loads are not part of this problem. Light weight concrete (110 lb/ft3) is used in the deck.
The weight of each guardrail and median divider is 200 pounds per linear foot of the bridge. The
live load acting on the surface of the deck is 300 pounds per square feet of the deck. Notice that
live load is not necessarily applied to the entire surface of the deck.
In design of the box girder, consider all applicable strength-related limit states (i.e. failure
modes). Deflection limit states are not part of this problem. Use the interaction equation:
P/Pcr + (M/Mp) 2 1.0 for both steel and concrete boxes. For buckling capacity you can use
Eulers equation: Pcr = (2EA) / (KL/r) 2 Pmax , where Pmax is equal to AgFy for steel box section
and (0.8)[0.85fc(Ac-Ar)+FyrAr] for concrete section. Make assumptions on any information that
is not given, such as concrete cover on rebars and material properties of steel and concrete, and
explain your assumptions. Show all your calculations.
All stay cables are 5 inch
diameter high strength
steel ropes with modulus
of elasticity of 20,000 ksi.

Pin 45o

45o

50 ft

50 ft

Stay cables
connected to box
Median divider
Guard
rail

10 thick R/C
deck slab

4 feet

4 ft
Steel or
Concrete
box to be
designed.

Elevation

6 feet

8 feet

6 feet

Centerline of Sym.

Cross section of the bridge

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

Structural Engineering, Mechanics and Materials

UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT BERKELEY

FALL SEMESTER 2008

Name:

Ph.D. PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION:

DESIGN

Problem 1
Consider an 18-story office building with a square hollow core, as shown. The floor beams are
simply supported at the core and suspended from the cables. The two cables are continuous over
the special saddle at the top of the building.
The service-level loads on this building are:
Floor dead load (includes slab and beam self-weight) wD = 50 psf.
Facade dead load wDf = 20 psf.
Saddle dead load (equally distributed over the roof area) wDs = 150 psf.
Typical floor live load wL = 80 psf.
Wind load (uniform along height) wW = 25 psf.
Neglect the dead and live loads on the floor area inside the core of the building. Assume the wind
load acts only on the rectangular office-space facade; neglect the wind load pressure on the core
and the cables. Consider the following load combinations:
1.4D
1.2D + 1.6L
1.2D + 1.6L + 0.8W
1.2D + 0.8L + 1.6W
Use A992 steel shapes, A572 Gr. 50 plate, HSS 46 ksi tube, fc0 = 6 ksi concrete, GR60 reinforcement, and Grade 270 post-tensioning cables with a minimum ultimate tensile strength of 270
ksi. You can use other materials, but you have to specify their material characteristics.
1. (40) Design the 30x30 core cross-section at the plaza level for the combined axial force and
first-order bending moment it carries using the LRFD approach. Neglect P effects. Keep
the cross section square and symmetric. Investigate N-S and E-W directions to select the
critical loading, but do not consider biaxial bending.
Choose either the reinforced concrete or the steel option.

 For the R/C section, determine the thickness of the section t and the amount of reinforcement As on one side of the section, assuming this much reinforcement will be placed
on all four sides. Do not consider buckling of the core or of the reinforcement. Provide
a sketch of your design including reinforcing bar size and spacing.
For the steel section, determine the thickness of the section t assuming the critical
buckling stress is equal to 0.6Fy and that the section is compact and does not undergo
lateral-torsional buckling such that it can develop its full plastic moment capacity. Use
the following interaction equation:
Pu
8 Mu
+
Pn 9 Mn

(1)

Provide a sketch of your design including stiffener shape and spacing needed to keep the
core cross-section wall compact.
2. (5) Conceptually design the floor system for a typical floor of this building. The reinforced
concrete floor slab is 6 inches thick. Provide a sketch showing the joists, beams and girders
of this system.
3. (30) Design a typical floor beam B-B for the floor and facade loads it carries using the LRFD
approach. The reinforced concrete floor slab is 6 inches thick. The depth of the cross section
below the slab is limited to 24 inches, such that the total beam plus slab depth is limited to
30 inches. Floor deflection is limited to L/240. Choose either the reinforced concrete or the
steel option.
For the R/C section, specify the cross section shape, dimensions and determine the
amount of reinforcement. State your assumptions regarding the connection between the
slab and the beam. Provide a sketch of your design including reinforcing bar size and
spacing, and hoop size and spacing.
For the steel section, use the attached table of W24 sections. State your assumptions
regarding the connection between the slab and the beam. Provide a sketch of your design
including stud size and spacing, if they are used in design.
4. (10) Design the cable cross-section assuming it is made 0.5-diameter GR270 post-tensioning
steel strands for the maximum tensile load it carries using the LRFD approach with = 0.6.
5. (15) Determine the service-load vertical downward deflection of the cable at point A and at
point C. Assume the cable has an elastic modulus E = 23000 ksi and that it has a constant
cross section throughout. Neglect the axial deformation of the roof girder A-A. Use a rational
method to take into account the change of force in the cable along its length between A and
C. What portion of this elongation is due to the dead load?
Determine the vertical downward deflection of the cable at points A and C due to a 50o F
temperature increase in the cable. The coefficient of thermal expansion = 6.5 106 in/in
per o F.
Describe how to counteract the effect of these deflections on the inclination of floor beams
during and/or after construction?

saddle
t

30'

cable

As

R/C

30'

roof

Steel

30'

30'
plaza
30'

30'

floor girder

30'

cable

typical floor

core

N
30'

30'

cable

18@15'=270'

30'

University of California, Berkeley

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Structural Engineering , Mechanics and Materials

Name:________________________

PRELIMINARY EXAMINATIONS- SPRING 2008

DESIGN Question
Consider ONLY one of the two steel or reinforced concrete structures shown below. All members
have the same cross section which is shown in the figures. The loads shown are service (unfactored) gravity loads P and un-factored seismic load E. Check all failure modes and calculate the
seismic load E that can be applied to this structure. Concrete cover over the rebars is 2. The steel
beam is sufficiently braced and lateral-torsional buckling is not a consideration.
All the information you need for this problem are given below, still, if you feel you need a piece of
information that is not given, make a reasonable assumption and continue the problem. No
questions can be asked during the exam. You can use approximate equations if you do not
remember exact equation, but, you have to explain the approximation and how that approximation
might affect your answer.

STEEL

or

CONCRETE
10 kips

30 kips

(service gravity)

(service gravity)

(Seismic)

(Seismic)
13 ft

13 ft

10 ft

10 ft
20 ft

20 ft
13 ft

13 ft

20 x 30 R/C Beam

PL 1 x 12 (Top and Bott.)

PL 1x 20
x

# 4 ties @ 8c/c

Continuous welds at
the corners

Steel : Fy=36 ksi, Fu=58ksi

8 # 10 rebars
(diameter=1.25)

Steel rebars : Fy=60 ksi,

Concrete: fc=6,000 psi