Structural Analysis in Building Design Assignment

Assignment Task

Executive Summary

An executive summary is a brief overview of the report. This is designed to provide readers a quick preview of all the principal points of the report without having to read every section of it in full.

Structural system and members

In this section, provide a detailed discussion of the key structural members used in your chosen case study. Depending on the scope of the chosen project, this may include:

• Roof members
• Discuss the roof members including primary rafters/beams and secondary roof members
• Suspended slab system
• Discus the suspended slab system including the choice of slab plus primary, secondary and edge beams.
• Columns
• Discuss the columns including corner, perimeter, and internal columns
• Load-bearing walls
• Discuss the shear walls and shear core walls
• Bracing bay members
• Discuss the struts and cross bracing that form the bracing bay

In each sub-section, explain the member roles within the overall structural system with reference to the design action(s) being resisted by the member, and the member action(s) induced as a result. Discuss the specific member sizing, cross-sections, materials used, and further structural detailing of the chosen members with comment justifying the members ability to resist the action. E.g. why does the specified member material and cross section make it a suitable choice to resist the action? Additionally, highlight the differences across the structure. E.g. do the members differ on the ground floor vs the top? Or in the corner/edge vs the middle? Etc. If they do, discuss how they’re different, and why.

Strength of members

In this section, use the member detailing presented in section 2 to determine the strength of common structural members from your project:

• If your structural system is a steel portal frame, calculate all of the following:
• compressive member capacity of one perimeter column* in kN (and in tonnes)
• flexural member capacity of one typical rafter in kNm
• the tensile capacity of one cross-bracing member in kN (and in tonnes)

If you have an RC project, calculate all of the following:

• squash load of a corner column in kN (and in tonnes)
• squash load of an internal column in kN (and in tonnes) (use a different shape to the corner column if available)
• reinforcement ratio of any column

For one member, present a realistic hypothetical site situation that could impact the strength of the member. E.g. What if the reo was incorrect? What if the RC member cross-section dimension changed slightly? What if an unspecified notch was cut in your steel column? Or if the fly bracing was missing? Discuss the hypothetical situation and then quantify the impact on strength by replicating the same calc incorporating the revised member properties.

Member-to-member connections

Discuss in detail FIVE specific member-to-member connections used in your chosen structure i.e. locations where the structural members discussed in section 2 connect to each other. E.g. column base plate, beam-column, rafter-purlin, rafter apex, slab-core, steel-concrete composite connections etc. Change the subheadings to suit your structur

• X-X connection. E.g. Connection 1 – Base plate
•  X-X connection. E.g. Connection 2 – Column splice
• X-X connection
•  X-X connection
• X-X connection

Discuss specific elements in the connection and how the forces (axial, shear or bending) are transferred at these connections.

For a steel structure, discussion may include bolts, plates, stiffeners, welds, connectors for each connection. Comment on the rigidity of the connection. For an RC structure, discussion may include reo laps, steel congestion, dowels, bar offsets, hooks/cogs, concrete strength continuity and cold joints.

Refer to learning modules 5-12 for related subject content and assistance with this section. E.g. if your project is primarily structural steel, refer to module 10.

Use annotated screenshots, figures, and photos to assist your discussions. Make comparisons between site images and the structural drawings of all five connections. Support your discussions with additional supporting research from open literature to explain the structural purpose of the connection components and support why the engineer/client chose the specific material, connection type etc. E.g. is the connection rigid and why are the stiffeners important in the overall frame?

Evaluation of the frame and alternative design/construction options

• Comment on the overall design and construction of the structure and provide a broad evaluation of the project. Refer to materials, components, members, system, and construction methods while reflecting on the lessons learnt in this subject and additional independent research.
• Provide discussion on alternative design and construction options that could have been incorporated. E.g. what alternative materials, components, members, system, and construction methods could have been used? How would that impact the project construction schedule, the project costs, or the sustainability considerations?
• Refer to learning modules 5-12 for related subject content and assistance with this section. E.g. if your project is primarily concrete, provide discussion on alternate options using structural steel, structural timber and composite.
• Use annotated screenshots, figures, and photos to assist your discussions. Make comparisons between site images, the structural drawings and include images of the alternatives. 

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