13TH ARAB STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING CONFERENCE UNIVERSITY OF BLIDA 1 DECEMBER 13-15, 2015 ALGERIA
Possibility of Using Structural Software for Designing and Reinforcement Detailing in Local Consulting Firms Gusen Al-Kafri*, Md. Shaizuddin Sarkar** and Md. Shahnewaz Sarkar* *
Associate Professor, Department of Civil Engineering, Sirte University, Sirte, Libya Post Graduate Student in Structural Engineering, Libyan Academy, Tripoli, Libya
[email protected] [email protected]
**
Post Graduate Student in Structural Engineering, Libyan Academy, Tripoli, Libya
[email protected]
Abstract:There is always a constant pressure on the Structural engineers to do more and more in less time. Doing all things manually from design, analysis to structural detailing requires a lot of time. Therefore the idea of using computer softwares has been developed. Nowadays there are a variety of softwares available for structural engineering. To satisfy the demand of the sector and to stay in the competition, the consulting and designing firms has no other choice except using the advantages of these softwares. This research presents the possibility of using software for designing and reinforcement detailing in Local Consulting Engineering firms. For this purpose, the softwares“Autodesk Robot Structural Analysis 2014” and “AutoCAD Structural Detailing 2014” is used. In this paper, a multistory building is analyzed and designed by Robot. Then various tools of AutoCAD Structural Detailing is used to create detailing of concrete reinforcement drawings for different structural elements. Quantity Takeoff for steel reinforcement is also done by using software. This knowledge can help the structural engineers in Local Consulting Engineering firms to create more precise detailing and fabrication of shop drawings in less time with less effort. This also helps to improve design accuracy by automating the generation of more complete and comprehensive details, drawings, schedules and quantity takeoffs according to various international codes. Key words:Analysis & Design, Detailing of Reinforcement, Quantity Takeoff, Robot 2014, AutoCAD Structural Detailing 2014.
1. INTRODUCTION The capacities and potentials of computer programs make them an incredible asset for any consulting engineering firm. Computers and the softwares that has been developed for the structural engineering industry have changed the way engineers do their work. Computers can be used in every stage of the structural engineering process, from the drafting of proposals and construction drawings, to the structural analysis and design of all types of projects. The major benefits of the use of computer software in structural engineering practice are the following: • • • • • • •
Higher productivity Increased accuracy of analysis and design procedures Design optimization More economical designs Automation of calculation Running of complex calculations and analysis Accurate modelling of complex structures
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The days of drafting taables, straightt edges, compasses and protractors are inn the past. W With the ease, efficiency e andd convenience of drafting sooftware such as a AutoCAD, it is difficult to find engineeering firms thhat have not ju umped on thee CAD bandw wagon. Innovattions in compputer softwaree have made it i possible forr drafters to ccomplete strucctural framingg plans, sectionns, details andd beam and coolumn scheduules in a fractio on of the timee hand drafting would requiire. Each new w version of a particular program offers new featuress that make preparation p off structural drawings easierr. In addition,, structural draawings compiled using com mputer program ms are more accurate a and prrofessional thhan those donee by hand. Structuraal engineeringg analysis andd design proggrams providee the most acccurate analyssis of a structture possible.. Using such software, s engiineers can moodel a compleete structure, including i eveery member annd every load d combinationn that design and a building codes requiree. Using the appropriate a co omputer proggrams, engineers can deterrmine how ann entire structuure behaves under u a given loading and how h each member functionns as part of a whole systeem. The pain-staking and very v complexx task of analyyzingindeterm minant structurres has been eliminated e byy the technolog gy of modernn computer sofftware. Compplete structuress subjected too an envelope of numerous loads can be analyzed in seconds s ratherr than days or weeks. Most draafting, analysiis, and designn programs arre quite flexib ble and lend themselves t too changes of designs, bothh architectural and structuraal. Movement of members and a changes to o their geomettry and orientaation is accom mplished, withh most program ms, by simplle commands.. This adaptaability allows engineers to easily modiffy structural models m whenn changes are made to the architecture of the structuure or when any a design issues require alteration of the structurall system beingg used. Modifi fications can be b made to moodels to “play with the struccture” and finnd a better solu ution, leadingg to more optim mal designs. More M optimal designs may ultimately u allo ow for significcant saving inn construction costs. Computer-Aided Strucctural Engineering tasks contain four phases: p pre-prrocessing, anaalysis, post-prrocessing andd design as shoown in Figure 1.[1]. The objeective of this research is too check the possibility p of using structuural software such as “Au utodesk Robott Structural Annalysis 2014””&“Autodesk Structural Deetailing 2014”” in Local Consulting Engiineering firmss for analysis,, design, detailing and quanntity takeoff.
Figurre 1: Phases inn the use of sttructural engin neering analyssis and designn software
2. PROJECT DESCRIPT TION The buildding structure selected for this t study is a proposed 4 storey residenttial building. IIt has an area of 321.75 m2 2 in ground flooor and 340.366 m for repetitive floor. Maaximum lengtth of the buildding is 25.4 m and the maxim mum width iss 16.1 m. The total height off the building is 17.95m. Thhe building co onsists of 8 sinngle family flaats. It also incclude stair andd a lift. Figure 2 and 3 show ws the plan for ground floor and repetitivee floor respecttively.
Figurre 2: Ground floor f plan
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Figuree 3: Repetitivee floor plan Usually, the t analysis and a design of buildings shoould follow so ome general or o standard sppecifications. In I the presentt study, the ACI A 318-08 Metric M is usedd for analysis and design of o structural members. m Thhe compressiv ve strength off concrete, fc’ is taken as 24.14 MPa. Thhe yield strenngth for main reinforcing bars, b fy is takeen as 420 MP Pa and for thee stirrups it is taken as fyv = 300 MPa. Based on the materials m used in the buildinng, the dead lload (DL) is calculated c andd the live load (LL) is taken according to ASCE 7-10 as shown in Taable 1: Table 1: Applied A dead & live loads DL (K KN/m2)
KN/m2) LL (K
Rooms
2.96
1.992
Balcconies
1.96
1.992
Stairrs &Exitways
1.96
4.779
Roof
1.96
0.996
Cateegory
3. METHOD DOLOGY At first coomputer modeelling of the whole w structurre was done in n Robot Structtural Analysis 2014. Then th he loads weree applied. Figuure 4 shows thhe structure aft fter modelling it in the softw ware.
F Figure 4: The structure s afterr modelling in robot
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After moodelling the sttructure, analyysis and desiggn of all the sttructural elem ments were carrried out acco ording to ACII 318-08 Metrric by using Robot R Structurral Analysis. Then T detailing g of structurall elements and quantity tak keoff for steell reinforcemennt was done byy using AutoC CAD Structuraal Detailing 20 014.
4. RESULT &DISCUSSIONS Autodeskk Robot Structtural Analysiss 2014 has a special s featuree that can calcculate the num mber, weight and a volume off each elementt of the structuure. After finiishing the desiign stage, quaantity surveyinng for all the eelements are done d by usingg the software.. Figure 5 show ws the numbeer, weight and concrete volu ume required for f all beams and columns.
Figuure 5: Numberr, weight and concrete c volum me for beams and columns by robot
ware not onlyy calculate thee required andd provided reiinforcement foor an elementt, it can show w the providedd The softw longitudinal and transversse reinforcement including the spacing between b them m in 3D, whicch helps to un nderstand andd imagine the element e reinfoorcement easilly. Figure 6 shhows the detaiiling of reinfoorcement for oone of the colu umns.
Figure 6:: Design results of column by b robot strucctural analysis
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Autodeskk Structural Detailing D 20144 is perfect foor creating thee detailing off reinforcemennt and quantitty takeoff forr reinforcemennt steel. Figurre 7 shows thhe detailing of o reinforcem ment and Figuure 8 shows thhe quantity taakeoff for alll columns andd both are geneerated automaatically by the software.
Figure 7: Detailing D of reeinforcement for columns generated g by Autodesk A strucctural detailing
Figurre 8: Quantityy takeoff for coolumns generaated by Autoddesk structurall detailing a their num mbers. Also we w can see thee From thee above table,, we can see all types coluumns used in the project and diameter, lenngth, mass andd shape of barrs for each typpe of column. Figure 9 and 10 also geenerated by Autodesk A Strucctural Detailin ng and shows the detailing oof reinforcem ment for one off the foundatioon in the projeect, where section a-a, b-b and a c-c showss the detailing of reinforcem ment for the fo ooting in plan,, short directioon and long diirection respecctively.
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Figure 9: Detailing of o reinforcemeent for the foooting in plan
nt in short and long directionn Figure 10: Detailing of reinforcemen
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Finally thhe detailing off reinforcemennt for the stairrs is also generated by the software, whicch is shown on n Figure 11.
Figure 11: Detailing D of reinforcement for the stairs generated by Autodesk struuctural detailin ng
It must be noted, hoowever, that with the caapabilities an nd potentials of computerr programs come certainn disadvantagees that curtail their value in the engineeriing business. There T is a groowing concernn that the com mplete reliancee on computerr programs to solve engineeering problem ms has created d several flaw ws in the strucctural engineeering process,, namely the abandoning a off the fundamenntals of enginneering theory and practice, the incorrect use of softwaare, the use off software by the wrong inndividuals, andd the lack off verification of o the results of computer run analyses and designs.. Since these negative imppacts can leadd to faulty designs and th he placing off people in uunnecessary riisk, structurall engineers havve a professioonal and legall obligation too make certain n that any desiign that they ssubmit in whiich computerss were involveed, were comppleted with carre and diligennce. The impleementation off standard methhods of check king computerr results is a wise w and essenttial addition too the structuraal engineering g procedure.
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5. CONCLUSION Based on the present study the following points are concluded: 1.
“Autodesk Robot Structural Analysis 2014” can be used in local consulting engineering firms for analysis and design of various types of projects. It can be also used for calculating the volume and weight of concrete required for different elements.
2.
“AutoCAD Structural Detailing 2014” can be used in local consulting engineering firms for generating workshop drawings including the detailing of reinforcement for various structural elements. Quantity takeoff for steel reinforcement can be also generated by this software and will be updated automatically if any changes has been done for the reinforcement.
3.
Although structural analysis and design programs are quite easy to use, engineering knowledge is not left behind. Rather, the user's structural engineering knowledge must compliment the power of the program. The program does as it is told and must not be thought of as a "black box" that engineers buildings. The program merely crunches numbers and performs calculations that would either be too difficult or too time consuming for the engineer to do by hand.
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[2] [3] [4]
Reyes, A.D.L., 2006, The Role of Computer-Aided Drafting, Analysis, and Design Software in Structural Engineering Practice, Graduation Project in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of M.Sc. in Civil and Environmental Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Massachusetts, USA. “Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete and Commentary” (ACI 318M-08), American Concrete Institute, USA. “Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures” (ASCE/SEI 7-10), American Society of Civil Engineers, USA. Autodesk, Robot Structural Analysis 2014, Structural Analysis Software, version 2014.
[5]
Autodesk, AutoCAD Structural Detailing 2014, Structural Detailing Software, version 2014.
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