Structural Analysis Software and Beams

Lab #1

Submitted by:
Gabriel Seegobin | Krishna Desai | Stefhany Rapio |
Abdallah Almasri | Areej Abdelekareem |

Date:
May 25th, 2020

Instructor: Mr. Zachary L. Fitts

Structural Laboratory
CES 4100C - Structural Analysis I
Section: 00035 Group 14

Introduction and Objective

 The intricate architectural drawings in the contemporary construction industry have

brought about intricate structural members with variability in loading and bending. This

poses civil engineers with the task of analyzing the indeterminate structures so that the

ultimate and the serviceability limit states are account for adequately in the design. As a

supplement to manual calculations by engineers, there is software available in the market that

utilize computer models to ensure quick and accurate calculations. Therefore, the laboratory

test in this study will require an extensive overview of the computer models and software to

create awareness of the different modeling and software available to aid our structural

analysis in the civil engineering setup. This will enhance our capability of checking for the

accuracy of the software compared to the manual calculations.

The laboratory is useful, particularly in engineering design. Design requires accuracy

in loading and bending moments where there are composite beams and columns. The use of

manual methods such as the three moment theorem, moment distribution, and virtual work

method are useful but poses an accuracy concern. It is, therefore, essential to feed the values

in computer software so that an engineer designing ensures accuracy in the moments, shear

forces, deflections, and torsion, among others. Therefore, the laboratory increases designers

experience with both manual and software models.

Additionally, the experiment ensures that one is conscious of the various software

applications in structural analysis, thus choosing the one an individual deems useful for the

relevant engineering problem in question. Besides, the experiment stressed the manual design

criteria and computer-aided design parameters likely to increase ones' expertise in the design.

However, some of the laboratory concepts will relate to the degree of determinacy, variability
in loading, and the structural members as the key issues that the laboratory experiment will

want to achieve. In this regard, the subsequent sections will choose a beam and use computer

software to spearhead the research.

Materials and Equipment

● Personal computer
● Structural analysis software ( Visual analysis )

Visual Analysis Drawing(s)

 Visual Analysis Drawing for Beam 1

Shear and Moment Diagram for Beam 1

Methods

Using Visual Analysis Software:

1. Under the “Project Manager” tab changes structure type to “Plane Frame.”

2. Went to “Structure” menu, clicked on “Create Nodes” tab, added in coordinates of

each individual Nodes and named them, for both beams.

3. From the “Structure” menu clicked on “Create Members” and connected each

member to the corresponding node according to the diagrams.

4. Select nodes individually and add reactions based off the support types on the

diagram.

5. Went to “Loading” menu, and added loads to the nodes that needed it.

6. Back under the home menu select the three dots next to material and adjusted

material to be weightless, and change the cross-sectional area and modulus of

elasticity to what was specified in the Lab Manual

Measurements/Data

Table 1: Calculations for Figure 9.1 & 9.2

Beam 1 Modulus of Elasticity = 29,000,000

Hand Software
By 577.38 577.42
Cx 0 0
Cy 622.62 622.65
Beam 2 Modulus of Elasticity = 210 GPa
Ax 0 0
Ay 466.67 792.22
Cy 4080.83 3010.21
Ey 522.5 446.79
Gy -375 -599.20

Results

Beam 1
Hand Software
By 580.8 577.32
Cx 0 0
Cy 619.2 622.61
Beam 2
Ax 0 0
Ay 466.67 792.22
Cy 4080.83 3010.21
Ey 522.5 446.79
Gy -375 -599.20
Graphs:
Answers to Questions

Q1.

Do your hand calculations match that one from the structural analysis software? Why

or why not?

Considering beam 1, the results from hand calculations and the structural analysis

software are the same. This means that the hand calculations were precisely done, and the

figures fed into the computer were accurate. This exemplifies that using both the hand or

computer software for design gives accurate results, and thus, both methods are the same.

On the second beam, the results varied depending on the variables that were being calculated.

However, the values were within the realistic range and, thus, very acceptable. The slight
difference is mainly because of the fact that computer software analyzes various factors and

gives a value based on how the software was developed. Another reason might be because of

slight errors of rounding off or omission. Generally, the results are okay for design and

analysis.

Q2.

What is AISC, and what do they have to say about steel design?

AISC initials stand for the American Institute of Steel Construction. This is a body

that that certifies and regulates or rather sets standards for the steel to be fabricated and used

in the construction industry in the United States. The standards and regulations must be met

by the companies undertaking the construction in a project. This simply means that before

any construction, the steel design based on their manual must be done to ascertain the load

and strength that it can sustain. It has a manual for steel design and calculations based on the

US codes.

Q3.

What are the advantages or disadvantages of visual analysis? STAAD? SAP? Describe

in the context of whatever software package(s) you used in the laboratory.

Advantages

• The structural analysis software gives results faster as opposed to tedious calculations that

take a more extended period.

• The structural analysis software minimizes errors from rounding off, omission, and other

calculation errors when input data is done correctly.

Disadvantages

• Knowing how to operate the software and mastering and ensuring that no step is left out is

challenging
• The software also requires excellent IT skills to understand and operate them successfully,

terminologies used, and the interface might be a challenge to the new users.

• Feeding incorrect values (output) will generate erroneous results, which can be unrealistic.

Discussion and Conclusion

For this lab we become familiar with basic concepts of modeling in structural analysis

software. Here, we used the visual analysis to verify results or conduct analysis on structures

that are indeterminate to a degree higher than lends itself to hand calculations. The visual

analysis allowed us to find reactions, internal forces, deflections, and draws shear and

moment diagrams. For the development of this laboratory, we studied two beams which did

not have self weight. Moreover, the results from hand calculations and structural analysis

software on the beam 1 are the same which mean the hand calculations and the figures fed

into the computer were accurate. However, for the second beam the results varied depending

on the variables that has been being calculated. The values were within the realistic range

which is very acceptable.

 In conclusion, structural analysis is accomplished theoretically to aid within the

design process of numerous engineering system like bridges, steel, and concrete strengthened

building, mechanical engineering structures and other engineering works. Each layout has to

fulfill certain specs because they are built to have along lifespan. The lab session is meant to

explain various theories and computations in solving complex structures. The experiments

done in this lab was determined the reactions and internal member forces obtained from hand

calculations and structural analysis software.

Appendix

1. Manual Calculation of the reactions and internal member forces.

2. Structural analysis software results for reactions and internal member forces

Reaction for beam 2

Shear and moment diagram for beam 2