02-05-2014, 02:17 PM
From Start to Finish: Model, Design and Optimize a Multi-Story Concrete Structure using ETABS
Introduction
This lecture is generally geared towards the intermediate user level of ETABS. However,
if you have never used ETABS before, do not be set back. We have designed this course
in such a way that even the inexperienced ETABS user will have no problem following
along. The end-to-end example that we present will be drawn from scratch to exhibit the
most general and common modeling techniques mentioned above.
The morning will be spent discussing general modeling techniques for concrete beams,
columns, walls and floors. Part of the morning, as well as part of the afternoon will be
spent on Concrete Frame and Shear Wall Design. We will finish the afternoon
presentation discussing the design and detailing of concrete floor systems and output
creation of reports for submittal.
We have chosen a very specific end-to-end example that we will describe in the
presentation. In these seminar notes, you will find descriptions, computer model
definitions, and results for the concrete structure. As we present the model, please feel
free to follow along.
Description
This is a thirteen-story concrete shear wall building that contains elevator cores at its
north and south ends. A parking garage is located within the bottom five floors of the
structure. Each parking floor is connected to the adjacent floors using ramp elements.
The building is subjected to vertical static loading and computer-generated earthquake
loading per the 2003 International Building Code. Automated wind loads are also
applied to the structure per the ASCE 7-02 code. The building consists of concrete beams
and columns along with a concrete deck on every level. Please refer to Figure 1 for a
three dimensional view of the structure.
Import Grid and Floors using DXF File
The grid definition for this model contains both Cartesian and cylindrical coordinates
systems. The grid spacing in the X and Y directions are non-uniform. In this case, it is
easiest to import an architectural grid from a .DXF file.
Click the File menu > Import > DXF File of Architecture Grid command to access the
DXF Import form. Locate the filename/path of the .DXF file to be imported and click the
Open button.
Use the drop-down boxes to select the DXF layer names that contains the lines and
insertion points in the DXF file as the ETABS corresponding elements. For this model,
we select the GRIDS layer and click OK. ETABS then imports the lines from any layer
in the DXF file as ETABS grid lines. Note: Make sure that the gridlines are drawn as
a part of the GRIDS layer in the AutoCAD .dxf file. In the Coordinate System box,
choose the GLOBAL coordinate system for importing the file. Also select the units as
Kip-Ft. Your grid system should look like Figure 2. If you want to import multiple grid
systems, you could do so by reimporting another grid system to the same model.