Integrated Civil Engineering

Design Project
(Building Structure Design)

CIVL 395

HKUST
By : Ir. K.S. Kwan
Date: 3/07

Content
1. Building Control in Hong Kong
2. Design Criteria
3. Structural Form (Residential Building)
4. Hong Kong Wind Loading
5. Computer Modeling
6. Design Example

STRUCTURAL FORM
for Residential Building
Tower
Podium Structure
Building adjacent to slope

Lintel beam

To identify the wall as structural

element and link them together by lintel
beam to provide sufficient lateral
stiffness

Wall

Slab

Slab Design
Concrete grade
Grade 30 to 35 (too high concrete grade may lead to thermal crack
during large pour of concrete)

Steel reinforcement percentage

Design as HK CoP 2004 for structural use of concrete
Average steel ratio is around 120~140 Kg/m3

Preliminary slab size estimation

About 100mm~400mm depending on the span of slab ( to minimize
the number of different slab thickness, say 2 ~3 types, at typical floor
for buildability consideration
To consider the following loading
Self weight
Finishes (domestic area/toilet/kitchen) (25mm to 80mm thick)
Partition

Slab is designed as
one-way or two ways
slab

Wall Design
Concrete grade
Grade 30, 40, 60 or more is commonly used. By using high strength
concrete, it can optimize the wall thickness and increase the lateral
stiffness of wall. The concrete grade will also be changed along the
height of building e.g. from Grade 60 at lower floor to Grade 30 at top
roof.
The thickness will be trimmed down along the height of building e.g.
from 400 at 1/F and gradually changed to 200 at top floor. The
thickness will be changed every 10 ~20 storey to minimize the
disturbance on construction.

Steel reinforcement percentage

Design as HK CoP 2004
Average steel ratio is around 100~150Kg/m3

Preliminary wall size estimation

Gravity Load by tributary method
Wind Load by simple computer model

Vertical Element Gravity Load Estimation by

Tributary Area Method
250

2625

200

2625

250

W2

200

W3
W1

W1

3900

C1

Plan

3-D

TRIBUTARY AREA METHOD

Assumption
No. of storey = 20
Storey height = 2800
Slab thickness = 150
Beam size = 400x200 (ext.)
Beam size = 450x250 (int.)
Dead Load = 10KPa
Live Load = 3KPa

TRIBUTARY AREA METHOD

(KN)
250

2625

200

2625

250

W2

200

C1

1686

W1

2264

W2

2568

W3

1266

W3
W1

W1

C1

Plan

3900

Lintel Beam Design (where linking shear

Lintel
Beam

wall together to transmit wind shear force)

Size
Width as wall thickness
Depth controlled by headroom (min.
under side of beam i.e. 2100 at door
and 2300 under beam
Concrete grade same as floor slab
for easy concrete pour with slab or
more if required

Steel reinforcement percentage

Design as HK CoP 2004
Average steel ratio is around 120
~160 Kg/m3

Preliminary lintel size estimation

Wind Load by simple computer
model; the size is always controlled
by wind shear transmission (in some
critical case, steel plate will be used
to replace r.c. design to enhance the
wind shear transmission)
Gravity Load by tributary method
(not the controlled case)

Steel plate at lintel

beam

Transfer
Structure
Tower
(Shear Wall system)

Podium
(Plate Structure)

Supporting Column
(Rigid Frame)

Transfer Girder Structure

The behavior is similar to deep beam when

the wall extending to columns such as case a,
b & c.

Transfer Plate Structure

Shear Wall
Structure at
Tower above
Transfer Plate

Thick plate structure

to support all wall
structures above

Column
Structure below
Transfer Plate

Transfer Plate

Transfer Structure Design (Plate or Girder)

Design similar to pilecap or beam
Closed column spacing under the transfer structure to allow truss effect
at transfer structure to minimize the deformation of transfer structure
(Prestressed transfer structure is required for large span )

Steel reinforcement percentage

Design as HK CoP 2004
Average steel ratio is around 240~280 Kg/m3

Preliminary size estimation (1.5m ~5m)

Depend on the spacing of columns and tower loading
Gravity load as the wall load transmitted tower load to plate level
Wind load the plate behaviour as frame structure integrated with columns
below
Normally, the thickness is controlled by shear stress

Podium
Structure
Behavior

Loading from tower

including:
(P) Axial Load
(M) Moment
(V) Shear

Transfer Plate Design

To cater for gravity load and
wind load from tower
structure including axial load,
moment and shear
The transfer plate with
column below to form a rigid
frame structure
All loadings are transmitted
to foundation by shear,
moment and axial force.

Transfer Plate with

Prestressed Tendon

Building Development
Adjacent to Slope

Retaining structure is
required for building
near the slope
The extent of
excavation will
depend on the subsoil
condition of slope i.e.
Rock / Soil
??
??

?
??
?
??

Building Development
near Slope
Walls at Tower

Transfer Plate

Column under
transfer structure

Large Diameter
Bored Pile

Pile Cap

Retaining Wall Structure

Pile Cap

Retaining structure for

semi-basement
construction

Retaining Wall
Structure with
deep excavation
required

Two levels
basement to
reduce the deep
excavation

HONG KONG
WIND LOAD
Wind Load
Assessment Procedure

Wind Responses of a Building

Static
No movement

Equivalent
Static Load

Wind direction

WC 2004

Dynamic

- Along wind
response
Gust Factor
Method
WC 2004

- Cross wind
response

- Torsional wind
response

Literature/ Wind Tunnel Test

WC 2004

Wind Load Assessment Procedure

(1)

Step 1 Determine Method of Calculation

Determine method of calculation according to the signpost in Cl. 3.3 (p.2)

and Cl. 7.6 (p.5).

Method Signpost in Wind Code 2004

Characteristic

(i) fnatural > 1Hz; or

(ii) H <= 5 x Min (B, D); and
H <= 100m

No significant resonant
dynamic response
Equivalent Static Load
Method [Cl. 5, p.3]

II

(i) fnatural <= 1Hz; and

(ii) H > 5 x Min (B, D); or
H > 100m

Susceptible to along wind

resonant response
Gust Factor Method
[Cl. 7, p.4]

III

(i)

Susceptible to dynamic
excitation
Recommendation from
literature/ Dynamic wind
tunnel test [App. A, p.7]

Open frame with significant

resonant dynamic response, or
(ii) fnatural < 0.2Hz, or
(iii) Significant cross wind /
torsional resonant response

To determine building
height (H) and width
(B,D)
Building least
horizontal dimension
(B,D)

Building
height (H)

Building on plan

To define the height

and least dimension
of building

Sec A-A
b

A-A

B
B-B
Sec B-B

Wind Load Assessment Procedure (2)

Steps 2 - 5

Step
2a

Method 1 Static Building

Method 2 Slightly Dynamic Building

Calculate Design Wind Pressure

(3-sec. gust pressure)
[Table 1, p.3]

Calculate Design Hourly Mean Wind

Pressure
[Table 2, p.5]

2b

Calculate Gust Response Factor (G)

[Appendix F, p.19~21]

Calculate Topography Factor

[Appendix C, p.10~13]

Calculate Topography Factor

[Appendix C, p.10~13]

Calculate Force Coefficients (Cf)

Calculate Force Coefficients (Cf)

Height Aspect Factor, Ch

Shape Factor, Cs
Reduction Factor, RA

[Appendix D, p.14~16]
5

Calculate Total Wind Force

F = Cf. qz .Az
[Eqn (1), p. 3]

Height Aspect Factor, Ch

Shape Factor, Cs

[Appendix D, p.14~15]
Calculate Total Along-Wind Force
F = G. Cf . qz .Az
[Eqn (3), p. 4]

Step 2a Design Wind Pressure/ Design

Hourly Mean Wind Pressure
Wind Code 2004
Only One Terrain
Open Sea Terrain

Wind Profiles Below 200m

Wind Pressure Profile Under 200m

250

1983
1983
(Stepwise)
PNAP150

Height (m)

200

2004

150

100

50

0
0.00

1.00

2.00

3.00

Pressure (KPa)

4.00

5.00

Step 2b - Along Wind Dynamic

Resonant Response by Gust Factor
Method (1)

The original method was developed by Davenport

(1967) and Vickery (1966 and 1971)
In Wind Code 2004, the equation is simplified to:
2

G = 1 + 2I h gv B +
2

g f SE

(Refer to Wind Code 2004 Appendix F for

description of the other variables)

Step 2b - Along Wind Dynamic Resonant

Response by Gust Factor Method (2)
Dynamic resonant response is dependant on the
magnitude of the fluctuating load as well as its size
(or scale) in relation to the size of the structure
The size reduction factor, S, accounts for the
correlation of pressures over a building and is equal
1
to
h/ represents
the size of the
3.5na h 4na b
b/
1 +
1 +

wind gust
V
V
h
h

The reduction factor, RA, in Table D3 (p.16) does

not apply to the Gust Factor Method in
Appendix F

Step 3 Topography Factor (1)

Wind Code 2004
Speed up ratio adopted from BS6399-2:1995
except that the altitude factor in BS6399-2 was
excluded
(In BS6399-2, altitude factor is used to adjust
the basic wind speed for the altitude of the site
above seal level.)

Step 3 Topography Factor (2)

Step 3 Topography Factor (3)

Step 3 Topography Factor (4)

Step 3 Topography Factor (5)

These examples are taken
from British reference book
based on British Code. Due to
the different requirements in
British Code and Hong Kong
Code regarding the idealization
of the hill/slope, the actual
hill/slope shall be differently
idealized under the two Codes.
These examples from British
were for illustration only and
the method of idealizing the
hill/slope should not be copied
for application to Hong Kong
Code.

Step 3 Topography Factor (6)

Step 3 Topography Factor (7)

Comment: Idealized slope (a) may be more appropriate for Hong Kong Code.

Topography Factor (App. C of HK Wind Code)

Forces on Buildings
1.

Total Force on a Building

F = Cf qz Az
where Cf = force coefficient
qz = design wind pressure at height z
Az = effective projected area of that part of the
building corresponding to qz
2.

The effective projected area of an enclosed building shall

be the frontal projected area

3.

The effect projected area of an open framework building

shall be the aggregate projected area of all members on a
plane normal to the direction of the wind

4.

Each building shall be designed for the effects of wind

pressures acting along each of the critical directions

Force Coefficeints
A.

For Enclosed Building

a) Cf = Ch x Cs
b) From other international codes accetped by
BA
c) For building with isolated blocks projecting
above a general roof level, individual force
coefficients corresponding to the height
and shape of each block shall be applied.
d) For building composed of similar contiguous
structures separated by expansion joints,
the force coefficients shall be applied to
the entire building.

Height Aspect Ratio Ch

Height
Breadth

Height Aspect Factor Ch

1983

2004

1.0 or less

0.95

0.95

2.0

1.0

1.0

4.0

1.05

1.05

6.0

1.1

1.1

10.0

1.2

1.2

20.0 and over

1.4

Remark: Linear Interpolation to obtain intermediate values

Shape Factors Cs for Enclosed Building

b/d

Cs

1.0 or less

1.0

2.0

1.1

3.0 and over

1.3

Plan Shape
Rectangular
d

wind

Cs for buildings
with closed
spacing

d
Remark: Interpolate linearly

Shape Factors Cs for Enclosed Building

Plan Shape

Cs

Circular
wind

Other Shapes

0.75

Cs for the Respective enclosing

rectangular shape in the direction of
the wind

Note:
When the actual shape of a building renders it to become sensitive
to wind acting not perpendicular to its face, the diagonal wind
effects and torsional wind effects should be considered

Reduction Factor RA

Gusts are the results of eddies and vortices

The speed of gust is a function of its duration

The smaller the size of the gust, the shorter will be its duration and the
higher will be the gust speed

The larger the size of gust, the longer will be its duration and the lower the
average gust speed

A small gust can only create high wind loading on a small local area of the
structure

The whole structure should be designed with the speed of a gust which is
just big enough to affect the whole structure simultaneously

A 3 second gust can normally engulf a building with frontal area of 300 to
800m2, a longer duration gust is required to be effective on the whole of
the structure

A reduction factor is therefore applied when designing buildings of larger

dimensions
(E.C.C.Choi Commentary on 1983 wind codes)

Not applicable for buildings with significant resonant dynamic response

designed by using hourly mean wind pressure

Reduction Factor RA for Enclosed

Buildings
Frontal Projected Area m2

Reduction Factor RA
2004

500 or less

1.00

800

0.97

1000

0.96

3000

0.92

5000

0.89

8000

0.86

10000

0.84

15000 and over

0.80

Note : Linear Interpolation may be used to obtain intermediate values

 Wind Load Case

X & Y directions are commonly accepted
Additional wind direction (e.g. diagonal wind
for Y-shape building) is required
For large frontal area building (say >50m),
additional torsional wind load (10% of long
face dimension) is required

Wind Load Distribution

at Building

Wind Load Calculation as HK CoP

(Building is considered as significant resonant dynamic structure)

Wind load
calculation at each
floor for a building with
40 storey (with 3 floors
above domestic floor)
and the building width
is 40.23m
Building structure as
significant resonant
dynamic structure \
Sa=topography
factor

Wind Load Calculation as HK CoP

(Building is not considered as significant resonant dynamic structure)

Wind load
calculation at each
floor for a building
with 40 storey (with 3
floors above
domestic floor) and
the building width is
40.23m
Building structure
not considered as
significant resonant
dynamic structure
(Note: Total wind
shear is larger based
on static wind load
approach for building
aspect ratio just
greater than 5)
Sa = topography
factor

COMPUTER MODELING

Common Structural Analysis

Software used in Hong Kong
GSA
STARIII
GTSTRUDL
PAFEC
STAN

ETABS
SAP2000
SAFE
SADS

Tall Building Modelling Assumptions

1.

Material All structural

components behave
linearly elastically.

2.

Participating
Components only the
primary structural
components participate
in the overall behaviour

3.

Floor slabs Floor slab

are assumed to be rigid
in plane unless they
contain large openings
or are long and narrow
in plan

Only the primary

structural
components are
put in model

Rigid in plane

Tall Building Modelling Assumptions

4.

Negligible stiffness
component stiffness of
relatively small magnitude
are assumed negligible

5.

Negligible deformations
deformations that are
relatively small and of little
influence are neglected.

6.

Cracking the effects of

cracking in reinforced
concrete members to
flexural tensile stresses may
be represented by a
reduced stiffness

This line should be a

straight line in
assumption due to the
small deformation

How to apply wind loading in

computer model?
In common building shape
with the rigid diaphragm
assumption, the wind load
should be applied at the
geometry centre of each floor

Wind
load
applied
at floor

Wind load applied at

centre of frontal area

What can you find in

computer modeling?
Seismic, wind and gravity
analysis
Deformation of building
under different loading
conditions
Member force under
different loading conditions

Deflection of building at top

floor including the X & Y
displacement and Z direction
rotation

Q&A
If you have any questions about the structural design, please
forward email (with your Name and Student ID no.)
to : akskwan@gmail.com