CHAPTER 1:

INTRODUCTION TO
STRUCTURE
1

The conceptual understanding

of structural behaviour.
1.What is the function of a structure?
To carry loads
A structure is a system for transferring loads
from one place to another.

The conceptual understanding of

structural behaviour.
2. What are the loads and the load paths?

The conceptual understanding

of structural behaviour.
3. How does the structure transfer loads?

Basic Structural Systems

Roof Truss
Roof

Roof Beam
Column

Upper Floor

Floor Beam
Ground Floor

Column
Stump
Pile cap
Pile

Roof truss support the weight of roof sheet/tiles and anything on top

Wall plate tie the roof truss to the roof beam

Roof beam support the weight of roof structure

The upper column take the load from the beams

above and transfer them to the column below

The column pass the load to the stump then to

pile cap and pass them to the piles foundation
below
Eventually the soil support the entire load through
Frictional force or otherwise partly distributed to the
hard strata (bedrock) below

The conceptual understanding

of structural behaviour.
4. What are the forces in the structural
elements?

Compression
A compressive force tends to condense material.

Compression

Compression in nature

8
Compression
in
architecture

Tension
A tensile force tends to stretch material.

Tension

Tension in architecture

Tension in nature

Shear
A shearing force tends to divide an object along a plane parallel
with the opposing external forces.

Shear

Shear in nature
10

Torque
Torque is the result of forces which tend to twist an object, resulting
in a shearing stress.

Torque
Torque in a beam

11

Bending
Bending is the result of forces which tend to deflect a manner by
inducing tension, compression and shear.

Bending

Bending in a beam

12

Bending in nature

The conceptual understanding

of structural behaviour.
5. Does the structure have overall stability?

13

Settlement occurs due to compression of the

14
soil under the foundations.

15

16
Differential settlement occurs due to uneven bearing
capacity of the soil or to uneven loading

Earthquake give rise to horizontal ground

movement and can also be the cause of
settlement due to ground compaction. 17

Effect of Differential settlement on wall

18

19
Effect of Differential Settlement on wall siding (finishes)

 The collapse of Highland Towers Condominium in Hulu Kelang,

Selangor on December 11th. 1993, where 48 people were killed.

20

Bukit Antarabangsa

The conceptual understanding

of structural behaviour.
6. Is any element too slender?

21

22

23

24

25

Rules of Thumbs for Approximates

Structural Sizes

The size of the cross-section must allow the internal

forces determined in the analysis to be carried

without overloading the structural material
and
without occurrence of excessive deflection.

Each element is considered individually

The area of cross section determined which will
maintain the stress at an acceptable level in response
to the peak internal forces.

If the element-sizing procedures yield cross-sections

which are considered unsuitable, modification of the

overall form of structure will be undertaken, the
whole cycle of analysis and element-sizing calculation
must be repeated.
26