Part 2 – Problem 04: What is the total duration of construction for the addition (ie: 4 years, etc.)?

This is something up to the designer; however, the addition should be constructed as fast as possible within a reasonable timeframe and ensuring that the existing hospital structure is functional.

Part 2 – Problem 05: Is our addition (and future retrofit, including all bracing, etc.) restricted to a set footprint/the footprint of the existing structure?

Yes, all parts of the existing structure and the addition should be restricted to the set footprint of each floor, as outlined in the provided drawings.

Part 2 – Problem 01: Regarding the addition, should we make it from the upper floors of the building already created (tenth floor onwards) or should we make a different building next to the one already created?

The Addition should be on top of the existing building

Part 2 – Problem 02: In Table 1.0 of the SDC – Structural Design Guide, two elastic moduli are presented: E and Emin. How should they be applied to the analysis? Are we expected to test both values for our Modal and Time History Analysis or are they used somehow to represent variability in the balsa stiffness?

E should be used in your ETABS or SAP2000 models. Emin should not be used in your numerical model, but may be used in addition to E when determining member capacities according to the NDS. Equations in the NDS explicitly call for E or Emin.

Part 1 – Problem 04: Since only one Poisson’s ratio value is given, is it assumed that the balsa is isotropic rather than orthotropic or should we be specifying material properties for each principal axis (This is in regards to defining the material properties in SAP/ETABS)?

Just use the single Poisson’s ratio and assume that the balsa is isotropic. Although this is not entirely accurate, you may make this assumption for simplicity.