DESIGN AND ANALYSIS OF ‘FRAME

TUBE STRUCTURAL SYSTEM’

By Abrar Ahmed Zardi

ABSTRACT :
A tubular structural system is used in high-rise buildings to
resist lateral loads like wind and seismic forces. These lateral
load resisting systems let the building behave like a hollow
cylindrical tube cantilevered perpendicular to the ground.
Thus the structure exhibits a tubular behavior against the
lateral loads.
According to increase of population in cities, tall buildings
have become interesting and fascinating for urban managers
and engineers.
Tubular frame structure is one of the most efficient systems
in tall buildings under lateral load. The analysis of these
structures usually involves considerable time and effort due
to large number of members and joints.

1
INTRODUCTION
A tubular structural system is used in high-rise buildings to resist lateral loads
like wind and seismic forces. These lateral load resisting systems let the building
behave like a hollow cylindrical tube cantilevered perpendicular to the ground.
Thus the structure exhibits a tubular behavior against the lateral loads.

Maximum Efficiency of the entire structure for lateral strength and

stiffness can be achieved only by making all column elements
connected to each other in such a way that the entire building acts as
a hollow tube or rigid box cantilevering out of the ground. Such a
system is called Framed Tube System. This system is efficient for
building high rise structures.
This system was originally developed for rectangular plans, it is now
used for different shapes and sometimes used for circular and
triangular plans too. The tube frame consists of closely spaced
columns, 2-4m between centers, joined by deep girders. This will
create a tube that will act like a continuous perforated chimney or
stack.
In this system overturning resistance as well as overturning stresses in
the columns would be direct tension or compression without any
bending. The lateral resistant of frame tube system is provided by
very stiff moment resistant frames which form a “tube” around the
perimeter of the building.
The gravity load is shared between the tube and interior column or
walls. The panel normal to the direction of the wind is considered as
flange and the panel perpendicular is considered as web of the
cantilever. When lateral loads act, the perimeter frame aligns in the
direction of load and acts as a web. This system is most efficient in
rectangular plan building.

2
Features of Tubular Structural System
The tubular structural system evolved from the concept of
the rigid frame system which is a three-dimensional frame
capable of resisting all the lateral loads with the façade
structure.
The system consists of an internal core arrangement
surrounded by exterior columns. The exterior
perimeter columns are closely spaced and tied together with
deep beams forming a rigid frame. Hence, this arrangement
creates a dense and strong structural wall along the exterior
of the building.
The exterior framing is designed to be strong enough to resist
the lateral loads acting on the building, thereby letting the
interior of the building resist gravity loads. The interior
columns are few in number and located around the core
structure.
The core frame and the perimeter frames are spanned
with beams or trusses. These members help to transfer the
gravity loads within the structure. This mechanism maximizes
the effectiveness of the perimeter tube to resist overturning
moments formed due to lateral loads.

3
Types of Tubular Structural System
The major types of tubular structural systems are:
1. Framed tube system
2. Trussed tube system
3. Tube-in-tube system
4. Bundled tube system
5. Hybrid tube system

4
Framed Tube Structural System
Framed tube structural system consists of closely spaced
exterior columns that are rigidly connected with deep
spandrel beams running continuously along each facade and
around the building corners. This arrangement increases the
beam and column stiffness by decreasing the clear span
dimensions and increasing the member depth. This type is
efficient for buildings with a height from 38 to 300 m.
OBJECTIVE AND SCOPE
Maximum Efficiency of the entire structure for lateral
strength and stiffness can be achieved by making
all column elements connected to each other in such a way
that the entire building acts as a hollow tube or rigid box
cantilevering out of the ground. This system is efficient for
building high rise structures.
This system was originally developed for rectangular plans, it
is now used for different shapes and sometimes used for
circular and triangular plans too. The tube frame consists of
closely spaced columns, 2-4m between centers, joined by
deep girders. This will create a tube that will act like a
continuous perforated chimney or stack.
In this system overturning resistance as well as overturning
stresses in the columns would be direct tension or
compression without any bending. The lateral resistant of
frame tube system is provided by very stiff moment resistant
frames which form a “tube” around the perimeter of the
building.
The gravity load is shared between the tube and interior

5
column or walls. The panel normal to the direction of the
wind is considered as flange and the panel perpendicular is
considered as web of the cantilever. When lateral loads act,
the perimeter frame aligns in the direction of load and acts as
a web. This system is most efficient in rectangular plan
building.
LITERATURE SURVEY
 Braced tube Structural System: A Review
 Design And Analysis of RC ‘Tube in Tube Structure’ using
ETABS Subjected to Wind Load
 Simple Analysis of ‘Framed-Tube Structures’with
Multiple Internal Tubes
 Simple Analysis of ‘Tube Frame System’ of Tall Building
by Using of Deformation Functions
 CONCEPT OF TUBULAR DESIGN IN HIGH RISE
STRUCTURES
 PARAMETRIC STUDY OF VARIOUS TUBE IN TUBE
STRUCTURES
 Performance of tube in tube structures: A review