Engineering
We have articles! Its authors include aficionados such as Dr. Arnold Wilson and Nanette South Clark, as well as others with a sincere interest or expertise in an engineering-related subject.
Chris Zweifel: Consulting Engineer
Chris Zweifel, now 41 and successfully operating ZZ Consulting, said that he always wanted to be an engineer. The question was what kind since engineering encompasses many branches. “I couldn’t make up my mind – had a hard time figuring it out,” Chris admits. Finally, about the time he began working on his bachelor’s degree, he decided on Civil Engineering.
Dr. Arnold Wilson and Domes – Past, Present and Future
Dr. Arnold Wilson doesn’t credit human ingenuity for the invention of a dome — he credits the egg. Wilson, who retired after completing a 40-year career as Civil Engineering Professor at Brigham Young University, says, “The egg has always fascinated me. You can see that it’s the shape and structure of the shell that gives it its strength. Much the same is true for a dome, and I think we borrowed from nature when we began building domes.”
Sierra Club Article Salutes David B. South’s Vision
David B. South, the visionary founder of Monolithic Inc. and Domes for the World, is often compared to Buckminster Fuller, the other pioneer in dome building. But few have heard of architect Wallace Neff, who also was dedicated to making the world go round.
Rebar Splicing and Rebar Sizing
Monolithic’s recommended procedure for splicing rebar has changed. For years and years, we just overlapped the rebar and tied the bars together. In fact, when I first started we overlapped and welded the bars together. But it turns out that unless you’re using A706 rebar – which is very expensive – welding the rebar is not allowed. So we recommend that you stay away from welding.
A Master’s Thesis on Monolithic Domes
For Nanette South, David B. South’s daughter, years of study and work have culminated in a thesis titled, “A Finite Element Analysis of the Monolithic Dome.” Its ten chapters, figures and tables discuss the history of thin-shell and Monolithic Domes, shell theory, finite element analysis, comparisons of shell theories and a buckling analysis.
Engineering Blogs
Articles, thoughts, anecdotes, innovations, explanations, reflections, ideas, interesting stories, pictures, and movies from the engineer’s aspect.
Academic Theses About Monolithic Domes
Here is a collection of thesis papers and research documents about Monolithic Domes, compiled by students and presented at various colleges and universities.