  At the end of my term of office as your president, it is appropriate for me to issue a few words of reflection on my term in office and summarize the past and future activities of AAAEA. Since we did so many activities, I would need several pages to list them all, I am choosing to not list everything at this time but will instead direct you to where you can find them. If you want to know what we did during the past two years, please visit our website and read my articles in the newsletters. You can view “2007 in Review” where we listed all activities and all new programs that we introduced. For all members who are wondering what we have coming up this year, please see our current newsletter and our calendar of events.
&nbspMy second term as president will come to an end soon, new officers will be elected at the election meeting on May 17th, 2008. I would like to write one last newsletter message as the President of AAAEA. This is a message of hope and thanks.
   I hope that the new executive board will continue to provide all the excellent programs that we provided and implement and explore new programs to meet our member’s future needs.
   I hope that we continue to provide the engineering community with an excellent continuing educational seminars and conferences.
   I hope that we continue to provide the consultants and corporations with an excellent pool of talent engineers, computer scientists and architects.
   I hope that we as professionals can lead the way in promoting our profession. Why let the doctors, lawyers and other professionals get all the credit. Let the public know what tremendous contributions engineers make to society. Participate in AAAEA’s Engineers Week activities, student activities, or other outreach programs, promote AAAEA Essay/Poster Contest, and help AAAEA promote our profession. The secret to achieving these activities is having engineers like you and me who volunteer to make it happen. Please help yourself and your profession.
   I hope that members of this association will provide feedback and suggestions in the ongoing efforts to engage existing members, and attract more membership from all areas, and also to offer constructive ideas for our programs. In fact, I would like to invite any and all AAAEA members to become more involved with AAAEA. We are constantly looking for volunteers.
   I hope that all members take advantage of AAAEA leadership opportunities. Remember, AAAEA provides opportunities to expand your perspective and enhance your career growth by developing leadership skills. So, join a committee and sharpen your people skills by working with diverse personalities. Also, gain experience in setting and accomplishing goals.
   I hope that we don’t stagnate! Please get out there and learn something new. Better yet, teach a student or someone else what you do. There are plenty of opportunities to participate in AAAEA’s continuing education programs throughout your career. AAAEA provides opportunities to give seminars in your area of expertise. What better way to achieve this in your area of technical experience than by working on a committee or attending a technical meeting with others who share your area of expertise.
   I hope that we create more students chapters and that a lot of student members apply for our scholarships (FREE MONEY up to $2000 each). Remember the deadline for 2008 application is June 15, 2008. So apply now.
   I hope that each one of our past presidents adapt a program and/or chair an Ad-Hoc committee to benefit our members and community. Thanks Bilal, you are amazing, and our association and our community are lucky to have you.
   I hope that all consultants, corporations and individuals will make every effort to continue to support our association and contribute to our scholarship fund. Thank you all for your past support.
   I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you, the members at large who allowed me to serve as President for the past 2 years, and to the board members who supported me, and who have been willing to do their part to better this Association. I want to express my personal thanks to each one of them. They have kept me energized and excited about all we have accomplished.
   I would also like to thank immensely all the executive board members whose terms will end on May 17th, 2008, for all the hard work they have done for AAAEA over the past several years. It would have been impossible for me to have presided over AAAEA during the past two years without their support and help.
   My final hope is that we as individuals, and as associations, find a sustainable way to the future; a way that does not leave those who come after, with no hope of the lifestyles, education and opportunities that we have been so fortunate to enjoy.    Good luck to the new President and the executive board of AAAEA. Those volunteers are working hard to make AAAEA a successful professional association. I know that they will do great job in carrying the association business, and that they will lead AAAEA to great new heights. Please support them fully by participating in your association meetings, not only by listening to and delivering talks, but also by participating in the organizational structure of AAAEA. Just as the mind has a better chance of flourishing in a healthy body, the intellectual content can be cultivated better under a superior association. Without any doubt we have a very good association, but there is always room for improvement. I am sure that there is no lack of talent around. To grow as an association, we need to continually find new volunteers and get more new people involved. Please suggest the names of these talented people to the nominating committee.
   This is your Association. My term has come and gone, and I can only hope that we continue to prosper and that you share my sentiment of hope, specifically that AAAEA is a valuable Association for you and your business and that you are proud to be a member. Please add AAAEA to your resume and be proud of your association.
   Let me close by saying, it has been a pleasure working with you all and it has been an honor to serve as your president during the past two years.

   If you ever have any questions or problems, please feel free to contact me anytime!

Best Regards,
Jamal Grainawi, P.E., S.E.
AAAEA President

Illinois News

Nomination for 2008 Elections

On behalf the nomination committee, I would like to take this opportunity to thank all the candidates who nominated themselves to lead our association for another productive, challenging and succesfull year. Our anual election meeting has been scheduled for May 17, 2008. The nomination dead line was March 31st, 2008 and for any member who is still interested to run for an office and was not able to submit his/her petition by March 31st, 2008, may still seek election by submitting a petition to the Nomination Committee no later than April 20th. The petition shall be signed by at least fifteen (15) voting members who have been members for at least one year prior to signing the petition. The petition and the statement can be sent to the attention of: AAAEA, P. O. Box 1536 , Chicago , IL 60690-1536 . Or E-mail to: aaaea@aaaea.org Attn: Election Committee.

Regards,

Ahmad Basrawi, Ahmad Hammad, Raghad Adeis-Dahhan, John Dasoqi and Bilal Almasri Nomination Committee

Thank you to Dr. Driss Omari:

AAAEA would like to thank Dr. Driss Omari for all his contribution to AAAEA over the years.You mad a difference. We wish you and your family the best going bachk home,and hope to see you again.

Tech Article: The Need For and the Development of Seismic Codes in the United States - Part II by Mustafa Mahamid, Phd. , P. E.

   The accelerograms from the instruments installed by the US Coast and Geodetic Survey in 1933, provided strong-motion as a result of the 1940 El-Centro earthquake, that lead to a new era in seismic codes.
   In 1943, the city of Los Angeles recognized the influence of flexibility on earthquake design coefficients and adjusted the seismic coefficient, as a function of the number of stories in the building to: c= 0.6/(n=4.5) Where c: is a percent of the dead load.
This provision was incorporated in the Uniform Building Code in 1949 and 1959. This equation was modified when the height limit of the 150 ft was removed from the Los Angeles code to read: c=0.6/(N+0.9(S-8) Where S=13 for buildings having 13 stories or less.
    These were the most stringent seismic provisions until 1947 when San Francisco had more stringent provisions, where they adopted a table of variable coefficients with a maximum value of 8% for one story building and a minimum value of 3.7% for 30 stories with variations for different soil conditions. This resulted in the formation of a joint committee on lateral forces of the San Francisco section of ASCE and the Structural Engineers Association of Northern California. The committee’s work resulted in a report that recommended a lateral force coefficient related to the estimated or the calculated fundamental period of vibration of the structure. This report received a worldwide acclaim and it was the basis for many earthquake codes.
   Due to the need for uniform seismic provisions acceptable to structural engineers throughout California, the Structural Engineers Association of California (SEAOC) appointed a new seismology committee in 1957 to develop the uniform provisions.
   The committee performed detailed studies and came up with recommendations that were adopted by the board of directors of SEAOC in December, 1959. The important provisions of the 1960 SEAOC recommendations are:
  1. Recommendations that only one seismic zone be used throughout California.
  2. Formula and provisions for the determination of the period of the structure were introduced to the provisions.
  3. The distribution of base shear was given by a formula
  4. A formula for overturning was given.
  5. The total lateral force or the base shear was given by the formula, V=KCW; which introduced a new factor “K” which took into account the type or arrangement of the resisting elements.
  6. The coefficient “C” is a function of the period of the structure.
  7. Buildings having 13 stories or 160 ft in height shall have a complete moment resisting space frame capable of resisting at least 25% of the lateral load.
  8. A commentary was prepared to explain the basis of the code provisions. One of the important statements in the 1960 commentary was “ The recommended Lateral Force Requirements are intended to Provide this protection in the event of an earthquake of intensity or severity of the strongest of those which California has recorded.” This level of protection was defined as the primary function of the building code is to provide “minimum standards” to assure public safety.
   The major provisions are as follows:
  1. Requirements for reinforced concrete to qualify for ductile moment frames to be used for heights more than 160 ft.
  2. Requirements for use of shear walls and braced frames as lateral resisting element.
  3. Special requirements for design, construction, and inspection.
  4. Expansion on the commentary to describe the extent of damage that was expected under these revised provisions.

    The commentary highlights the intent of these provisions as follows: “ ..structures designed in conformance with the provisions and principles set forth therein should be able to:
   1. Resist minor earthquakes without damage.
   2. Resist moderate earthquake without structural damage, but with some non-structural damage.
   3. Resist major earthquake of the intensity or severity of the strongest experienced in California, without collapse, but with some structural, as well as non-structural, damage.” The 1967 SEAOC recommendations were adopted by the 1967 Uniform Building Code.    As a conclusion, the building code by itself is not enough to guarantee a good construction. Competent engineers, with experience in earthquake engineering, together with adequate inspection by qualified personnel and skilled contractors are essential to obtain earthquake resistant structures.

References:
1. 2006 International Building Code, International Code Council (ICC).
2. Uniform Building Code, different versions.
3. Modern Earthquake Codes, History & Development, Frank E. McClure, a publication of Computers and Structures, Inc.

Interview with Ahmad Hammad, PhD., SE., PE. Senior Supervising Structural Engineer, Senior Professional Associate

Q1-How was your experience as a president of AAAEA?
The experience was challenging yet rewarding. We had to build on the success we enjoyed from the former board and introduce new programs and activities for our members and the community. I had pleasure in seeing how our programs and activities benefited our members at large as well as the personal and professional relationships we built.

Q2- How important is the variety of AAAEA functions and activities?
The association has members with diverse backgrounds and experience and the programs offered covered a wide range. We tried to involve the members, their families, and the community. Among the activities the association offered and continue to offer are the PE, EIT, and ACT review classes; picnics; business networking; professional development and job placement; social dinners; scholarships, etc.

Q3- How can we encourage our members to participate in the AAAEA activities?
Continue to offer a variety of activities and programs that will benefit them. We need to stress the fact that with the breadth and diverse membership the association enjoys, there is no limit to what the association can offer. Without everyone’s involvement and the hard work of all the volunteers, we could not be a success.

Q4- How do you find AAAEA educational and professional services?
The educational and professional services offered by AAAEA, without a doubt, are exceptional and surpass those of other professional organizations that have been around for many years. AAAEA educational programs are offered regularly and are taught by highly educated and experienced practicing engineers, architect and computer scientists and are practically free of charge for its members. .AAAEA has assisted over 200 members in job placement and connected several companies.

Q5- As an AAAEA previous president, what was the most important achievement AAAEA has reached at the time?
With the help and involvement of the committed members of AAAEA, the first scholarship was offered to two well deserving student members. The scholarship program continues to be a cornerstone in AAAEA’s activities. Credit is due to the scholarship committee members, Bilal Almasri and the companies and individuals that contribute funds to the program.

Q6- Finally, do you enjoy reading our E-newsletter
The following may be recommended:
• Consider sending News Alerts of time sensitive material.
• Recommend issuing the E-Newsletter at a set schedule regardless of the size; however, some of the basics should be included, such as new members, congratulations, member news, and upcoming events.
• Profile a company or an individual who made a difference

Members Corner

AAAEA is pleased to welcome New Memebers :

Dr. Naser Abu-Hejleh

Abdulaziz Alshahrani

Dr. Wael Alkasawneh

Nidal AbuShukhaidem

Mohamad Hejazi

Anees Rizk

Congratulations :

To our colleague Mohammad Kazkaz and family on the new arrival,baby girl Raneen.

To Wafaa Gobba for Landing a new Position at AT&T

To Laila, Jamal, Lorri and the Grainawi family on Laila's graduation from Maryland Institite College of Art with major in Interdisciplinary Sculpture.

To Nasser Grainawi on his wedding

To Bara,Falah,and Majd Elmasri on Bara's graduation from college with double major International Studies and English.

Best wishes to our colleague Mustafa Awad on his relocation to Kuwait,good luck and stay in touch.

To Hussam Alkhatib and family on Hussam's graduation from UIC with major in Structural Engineering. And also landing a new full time job at Parsons Brinckerhoff, Chicago, IL.

Jokes of the Month

Q: Why did the engineers cross the road?
A: Because they looked in the file, and that's what they did last year.

The Top 10 Things Engineering School didn't teach
10. There are at least 10 types of capacitors.
9. Theory tells you how a circuit works, not why it does not work.
8. Not everything works according to the specs in the databook.
7. Anything practical you learn will be obsolete before you use it, except the complex math, which you will never use.
6. Always try to fix the hardware with software.
5. Engineering is like having an 8 a.m. class and a late afternoon lab every day for the rest of your life.
4. Overtime pay? What overtime pay?
3. Managers, not engineers, rule the world.
2. If you like junk food, caffeine and all-nighters, go into software.
1. Dilbert is a documentary.

Q:When does a person decide to become an engineer?
A: When he realizes he doesn't have the charisma to be an undertaker.

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