..........abuse within the community. This is the same as limiting an
engineers professional judgment when we, as a professional community, have
been extolling the need for competent engineers to rely heavily upon
their understanding and rationalization for mechanics and the
subsequent performance of structures.
As an example, the code
restricts the aspect ratio of a shearwall to 2:1. Does this mean that
building official is obligated not to accept any designs where the wall
ratio exceeds this. Or, does it simply require the engineer to prove by
additional analysis that a narrower wall can be designed (as would a
proprietary shear wall) with appropriate stiffness despite the lack of
compliance to code?
An engineer would have to tread carefully before
submitting a design that did not comply with the code. Was it not
Mr. T. Y. Lin (Prestress guru?) severely judged for not
complying?
