📽️ Workshop Tutorial Multi-Storey Concrete Building Design [Workshop Recording 2025]
📽️

Workshop Tutorial Multi-Storey Concrete Building Design [Workshop Recording 2025]

Posted on April 14th, 2025 in Webinars

Overview

This practical workshop demonstrates how to model, analyze, and design a multi-storey concrete structure from scratch using MasterSeries MasterFrame, Finite Element (FE) Analysis, and Concrete Design modules.

Obtain CPD for this workshop here:📄 Free Learning Resources and CPD



Summary

This workshop details the process of designing a multi-storey concrete building using MasterSeries software, guiding users from initial model creation to comprehensive structural analysis and reinforcement design. The session systematically covers building the structural frame, defining elements like columns, beams, and shear walls, and applying various load types, including dead, live, and wind loads, with a focus on alternative pattern loading for accurate slab design. A significant portion is dedicated to Finite Element (FE) surface modelling for slabs and walls, explaining how to define boundaries, openings, and support conditions, followed by an in-depth exploration of reinforcement design within the concrete slab and wall modules, covering basic, peak, strip, and punching shear reinforcement for optimal structural integrity.

Key Topics

  • MasterSeries Software
  • Building Design
  • Slab Reinforcement
  • Shear Walls
  • Structural Analysis


Key Takeaways & Workflow

  1. Geometry & Loading

    • Built a 3-span, 3-storey building frame with square concrete columns, ground beams, floor/roof slabs, and structural shear walls with door openings.

    • Defined 4 storey levels, applied perimeter masonry loads, floor live loads, and set up automatic Eurocode load combinations alongside MasterKey wind loading (Belfast site).

  2. FE Meshing & Analysis

    • Configured an initial $0.5\text{ m}$ mesh with automatic stiff region alignment around column/wall intersections.

    • Executed static FE analysis to evaluate frame deflections, 1D member forces, and slab/wall stress contour maps, using a $<10\%$ maximum error threshold to ensure mesh quality.

  3. Slab & Reinforcement Design

    • Assigned basic top and bottom rebar meshes ($T12@200\text{ mm}$) to meet main sagging/hogging requirements.

    • Added auto-sized peak zones over columns to absorb high moments and strip zones over wall supports, followed by integrated punching shear verification at column heads.

  4. Wall Design & Output

    • Utilized the auto-generate zones feature to instantly segment shear walls into equal 1 m design piers and coupling beams across openings.

    • Generated structural calculations and exported reinforcement design-intent drawings (DXF/DWG) and Word reports.


Timestamped Summary

1. Introduction & Initial Geometry Setup

  • [00:00] Overview & Workshop Goals: Host Patrick McGinley introduces the training workshop, focusing on building a multi-storey concrete structure from scratch using MasterFrame, FEA, and Concrete Design modules.

  • [01:23] Multi-Storey Frame Generation: Parametric setup of a 3-span, 3-storey initial frame model in MasterFrame.

  • [01:58] Frame Duplication & Geometry Modification: Duplicating frames across the Z-axis, deleting unnecessary lower members, and keeping the structural columns intact.

  • [03:05] Defining Ground Beams: Creating concrete ground beams ($450 \times 600\text{ mm}$) using polyline tools with released end conditions.

  • [03:54] Grid Lines & Storey Levels Setup: Drawing grid line sets along the main axes and defining automatically detected levels (Ground, First, Second, and Roof).

2. Finite Element (FE) Surface Modeling & Loading

  • [04:56] Ground Floor Slab & Surface Definition: Creating the ground floor FE surface with boundary elements, assigned $C28/35$ concrete, and a $250\text{ mm}$ thickness.

  • [06:17] Attaching Beams & Surface Loads: Attaching ground beams to the surface and applying dead, live, and perimeter masonry wall loads.

  • [08:20] Roof Slab Definition: Creating the top roof surface with lower loading parameters.

  • [09:03] Structural Shear Wall Modeling: Modeling three shear walls across different grid axes with bottom pinned boundary conditions.

  • [11:20] Shear Wall Openings: Inserting dummy members to define structural wall openings (e.g., doors/windows) within FE surfaces.

  • [12:54] First & Second Floor Slabs: Defining elevated floor surfaces with dummy members for interior slab openings, duplicating surfaces across storey levels [17:25].

3. Wind Panels, Columns & Combination Generation

  • [18:32] Two-Way Wind Panels & Column Properties: Setting up 2-way spanning wind panels across elevations and assigning $350\times350\text{ mm}$ square concrete column properties [18:54].

  • [19:10] MasterKey Wind Load Generation: Defining site data (Belfast) and generating wind loads/pressures across 4 wind directions.

  • [19:50] Automatic Load Combination Generation: Configuring load cases for Eurocode/BS, including alternate pattern live loading on slabs [21:18].

4. FE Meshing & Structural Analysis

  • [23:51] Global FE Meshing Configurations: Adjusting mesh options, setting stiff regions over column/wall intersections, and choosing a $0.5\text{ m}$ mesh size.

  • [25:32] Static FE Analysis Run: Executing the static analysis on the multi-storey frame model.

  • [26:29] Reviewing Graphic Analysis Results: Analyzing 1D/line element axial forces, moments, shears, and frame deflection shapes [27:05].

  • [27:31] Shell Element Results & Mesh Quality Check: Reviewing surface bending moments, displacements, and checking maximum error percentage (aiming for $<10\%$ for mesh quality control) [28:35].

  • [29:20] Section Line Diagrams: Extracting average design bending moment strips along 1-meter widths.

5. Concrete Slab Reinforcement Design

  • [29:54] Slab Designer Defaults: Setting general cover, bar diameter limits ($T10$–$T20$), and auto-sizing options.

  • [31:49] Basic Reinforcement Check: Assigning basic top/bottom mesh reinforcement ($T12@200\text{ mm}$) to pass sagging/hogging checks [33:40].

  • [35:48] Peak Reinforcement Over Columns: Adding localized peak reinforcement zones at column heads and auto-sizing top rebar to absorb stress concentrations [37:19].

  • [40:06] Strip Reinforcement Over Walls: Adding strip rebar bands over supporting shear walls to resist negative hogging moments [40:21].

  • [42:25] Punching Shear Checks: Performing automatic punching shear checks at internal, edge, and corner column locations [44:25].

6. Concrete Shear Wall & Coupler Beam Design

  • [46:03] Shear Wall Pier Settings: Configuring wall defaults using the equal strip width method ($1\text{ m}$ strips).

  • [47:04] Drawing Pier Zones & Manual Checks: Designing vertical/horizontal rebar in wall panels and adjusting reinforcement configurations [48:03].

  • [48:42] Coupler Beam Checks: Setting up deep beam checks over wall openings.

  • [49:04] Auto-Generating Wall Zones: Automatically detecting shear wall piers and lintel/coupler beams across all story levels.

7. Documentation & Q&A

  • [50:53] Exporting Design Reports & Drawings: Exporting design reports to Word and layout intent drawings to DXF/DWG format.

  • [51:32] Deflection & Crack Control Module: Directing to the long-term concrete deflection and crack analysis add-on module.

  • [53:00] Software Bundles & Closing Remarks: Summary of MasterSeries modules, licensing bundles, and concluding notes.