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STRUCTURE MODELLING TASK: TO PREPARE A MODEL OF STRUCTURE IN ETABS USING A GIVEN PLAN Define Material Properties: The material

l to be used in the design considering the required strength (grade of concrete M25, M30) and the dimensions of the member sections to be used are decided by the structural engineer. These properties and dimensions are assigned to the member sections in the design prior to any other step. This is exercised by using the Define command. Define > Material Properties > Add new material The values of weight per unit volume, modulus of elasticity can be obtained through standard sources. Units should be taken care of while entering the values. To modify a material use Modify/Show Material command.

Define Member Cross section To define the cross section of a beam or a column. Define > Frame Sections >Add Rectangular Give the name to the section and add the dimensions (depth and width). Special consideration to the units should be given which appear in the extreme right corner of the window. The name of the section should be such that it indicates the depth and width values as it would be convenient to the user (E.g. B230x450, Depth 450, Width 230).

Define Wall/Slab Sections Define > Wall/Slab/Deck Sections >Add Rectangular The walls and the slab to be used as required should be defined. The thickness of the wall and slab and the material to be used (grade of concrete) is to be filled.

Draw points by using Draw Point Objects command. This command enables user to plot points for the placing of line objects like beams and columns.

Point objects of two types:

Joint objects are automatically created at the corners or ends of all other types of objects, and they can be explicitly added anywhere in the model. Grounded (one joint) link objects are used to model special support behavior, such as isolators, dampers, gaps, multi-linear springs and more.

This command requires to set an origin point with co-ordinates (0,0,0). Other points are plotted with respect to origin or any other plotted point. This eventually results in a plan having the basic visual description of base or a storey level. The following shows the point objects for the plan provided:

After the completion of plotting of points, next step is to allocate the positions of beams and columns. Draw beams and columns using Draw Line Objects command. This command helps the user to plot beams and columns between the points plotted.

Line objects of two types:


Frame objects are used to model beams, columns, braces and trusses. Connecting (two-joint) link objects are used to model special member behavior, such as isolators, dampers, gaps, multi-linear springs, and more. Unlike frame objects, connecting link objects can have zero length.

This commands require the selection of minimum two point objects between which the beam or column is to be placed. This results in a storey with all required line (beam or column) objects. The following shows the beams for a particular storey:

In the same way, columns for a storey are provided. While placing beams, sometimes Snap to Perpendicular Projections is useful for removing projections which are not required.

Draw Columns

Select the section of the column defined earlier and place the column as required or decided by the structural engineer in accordance with the approval of the architect. The architects perceive columns as an impediment to the aesthetic beauty of a room or a hall. They require the column to be located in the wasteland (areas that are not of architectural importance in a buildings). A column inside a hall generally deters the appearance of the hall, especially if the building is supposed to be a banquet hall or museum with impeccable art or a drawing room of a house which is the first place for a guest to see. Also, the column with large cross sections if placed inside a room will acquire much of the necessary living space which also is undesirable with such surging costs of properties in todays scenario. So, the job of the structural engineer becomes all the more difficult with economic, aesthetic, and safety constraints as far as a building is concerned. Placing of columns really requires patience, experience and expertise.

Draw walls (especially shear walls) using Draw Walls command. For providing a wall, two points are selected between which wall is to be placed.

Draw slabs using Draw Areas command. For providing a slab points are selected one by one which will lie on the corners of slab. Selection of points should be done in clockwise or anti-clockwise manner, otherwise required shape of slab will not be obtained.

Area objects are used to model walls, slabs, decks, planks, and other thin-walled members. Area objects will be meshed automatically into the elements needed for analysis if horizontal objects with the membrane definition are included in the model; otherwise, the user should specify the meshing option to be used. The following shows the slabs provided for a particular storey:

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