Final ARCE 260 ACTUAL QUESTIONS
AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Identify the John Hancock building, name its location and name its chief structural
designer, and name its structural system in two words - Correct answers✔1968 by SOM.
Chicago, Illinois.
Tallest building outside of NY at the time.
Fazlur Kahn was the structural engineer.
Two words: Trussed Tube
Identify the Sears (Willis) Tower, name its location and name its chief structural
designer, and name its structural system in two words - Correct answers✔Sears tower is in
Chicago.
Engineer: Fazlur Kahn
Bundled tube
Briefly describe a few biographical facts about Khan - Correct answers✔Graduated 1st in his
class, earned 2 MS and a PHD in 3 years at Univ. at Illinois.
Describe the huge problem known as the "premium for height" - Correct answers✔The problem
with the premium for height is the fact that cost increases as you increase the height of the
building. Wind resistance increases and safety precautions as well.
Describe a framed-tube system, point out a significant architectural problem with
this system as it relates to the columns on the facade - Correct answers✔The framed tube system
means that the building is hollow in the middle, there is no structural support there. However, the
, problem there is that it doesn't bend as a traditional cantilever beam would so there is much
higher shear lag.
Identify the Brunswick Building and point out its spandrel beam - Correct answers✔Plaza on
bottom, lots of horizontal and vertical beams holding it together. The spandrel beam is the
horizontal beam across the bottom and top.
Describe a "tube in a tube" system - Correct answers✔Combination of the inner tube to the
perimeter tube. It is like having a stiffened core. The inner tube reacts with the outer one.
Fazlur Kahn did this to the One Shell Plaza in Houston.
Briefly, yet eloquently, describe some of the design issues surrounding initial planning of the
John Hancock building - Correct answers✔Originally there was to be two towers.
Shadow studies and privacy issues led to the development of only one tower. Having two would
increase the amount of shadows casted and having them so close together would decrease
privacy.
Describe a "trussed tube" system, also known as a diagonally braced tube, including
whether or not the diagonals assist with carrying gravity load - Correct answers✔The diagonally
braced tube increases the strength of the building. The diagonals are never in tension. Only
carried the wind and gravity load. The tying actions of diagonals at corners allowed for tubular
behavior. The braces decrease as you go up the building.
Argue for or against the argument posited by Saliklis and Billington, that an efficient, large
scale structure exhibits democratic, not despotic, principles - Correct answers✔
Describe a bundled tube system. - Correct answers✔The bundled tube system is a connection of
different heights of buildings. It is effective because the tubes are independently strong, but
AND CORRECT ANSWERS
Identify the John Hancock building, name its location and name its chief structural
designer, and name its structural system in two words - Correct answers✔1968 by SOM.
Chicago, Illinois.
Tallest building outside of NY at the time.
Fazlur Kahn was the structural engineer.
Two words: Trussed Tube
Identify the Sears (Willis) Tower, name its location and name its chief structural
designer, and name its structural system in two words - Correct answers✔Sears tower is in
Chicago.
Engineer: Fazlur Kahn
Bundled tube
Briefly describe a few biographical facts about Khan - Correct answers✔Graduated 1st in his
class, earned 2 MS and a PHD in 3 years at Univ. at Illinois.
Describe the huge problem known as the "premium for height" - Correct answers✔The problem
with the premium for height is the fact that cost increases as you increase the height of the
building. Wind resistance increases and safety precautions as well.
Describe a framed-tube system, point out a significant architectural problem with
this system as it relates to the columns on the facade - Correct answers✔The framed tube system
means that the building is hollow in the middle, there is no structural support there. However, the
, problem there is that it doesn't bend as a traditional cantilever beam would so there is much
higher shear lag.
Identify the Brunswick Building and point out its spandrel beam - Correct answers✔Plaza on
bottom, lots of horizontal and vertical beams holding it together. The spandrel beam is the
horizontal beam across the bottom and top.
Describe a "tube in a tube" system - Correct answers✔Combination of the inner tube to the
perimeter tube. It is like having a stiffened core. The inner tube reacts with the outer one.
Fazlur Kahn did this to the One Shell Plaza in Houston.
Briefly, yet eloquently, describe some of the design issues surrounding initial planning of the
John Hancock building - Correct answers✔Originally there was to be two towers.
Shadow studies and privacy issues led to the development of only one tower. Having two would
increase the amount of shadows casted and having them so close together would decrease
privacy.
Describe a "trussed tube" system, also known as a diagonally braced tube, including
whether or not the diagonals assist with carrying gravity load - Correct answers✔The diagonally
braced tube increases the strength of the building. The diagonals are never in tension. Only
carried the wind and gravity load. The tying actions of diagonals at corners allowed for tubular
behavior. The braces decrease as you go up the building.
Argue for or against the argument posited by Saliklis and Billington, that an efficient, large
scale structure exhibits democratic, not despotic, principles - Correct answers✔
Describe a bundled tube system. - Correct answers✔The bundled tube system is a connection of
different heights of buildings. It is effective because the tubes are independently strong, but
