Some Structural Problems—Standard Oil of Indiana Building

The structural design of the outer shell of the Standard Oil of Indiana building, consisting of columns and spandrels fabricated from wide thin steel plates, is unique for high-rise buildings. The design created unusual structural analysis and design problems which were addressed with a combined experimental-theoretical approach. Studies of three such problems were documented, namely, the stability of the columns formed of plates, with and without stiffeners; stress conditions in plates making up the column-spandrel assemblages, particularly stresses near weldments; and the stability of spandrel plates under shear and bending. All three problems were studied theoretically, using finite element techniques. In addition, the stability of the columns was studied experimentally with the aid of MIT undergraduates. The results of these studies are useful for evaluating design criteria particularly in situations not clearly covered by commonly accepted codes.