📺Automated Concrete Wall Design to Eurocode 2 [WEBINAR RECORDING]

Posted on October 12th, 2023 in Webinars

Summary

This MasterSeries Software webinar introduces the new concrete shear wall design functionality within their MasterSeries 2023 software, an extension of the existing MasterKey Slab Designer module. The presentation is divided into two main parts: an overview of shear wall design principles and behaviour, followed by a demonstration of the software's capabilities. Key topics covered include the function of shear walls in providing lateral stability against horizontal loads like wind, their structural behaviour, common failure mechanisms, and traditional design methodologies. The demonstration highlights how the software can automatically generate and optimise shear wall and coupling beam designs, offering various peer subdivision methods and the ability to export detailed reinforcement drawings.

Key Topics

• Shear Wall Design
• MasterSeries Software
• Finite Element Analysis
• Concrete Slab Module

Description

This MasterSeries webinar focuses on the design of concrete shear walls using MasterSeries software, specifically in accordance with Eurocode 2 (EC2). It was presented by Patrick McGinley and Andrei Buzas from MasterSeries.

The webinar covers both the theoretical background and practical application of shear wall design within the MasterSeries suite.

Key Topics and Information from the Webinar:

• Introduction to MasterSeries and BIM Integration:

    ◦ The model used for demonstration was previously featured in an introduction to MasterSeries 2023.

    ◦ MasterSeries allows export to IFC using the MasterCAD BIM add-on module for MasterFrame, enabling use with third-party tools like SketchUp for client presentations or construction sequencing.

    ◦ MasterCAD BIM supports bidirectional model exchanges with software like Revit, Tekla Structures, and AutoCAD.

• Fundamentals of Shear Walls (Patrick McGinley's Presentation):

    ◦ Function: Shear walls primarily provide lateral stability to a building, resisting horizontal loads such as wind, notional loading, or equivalent horizontal forces. They also take vertical loads and are very stiff, making them popular in taller buildings where deflections are critical.

    ◦ Setting Out: Ideally, shear cores (typically central for vertical access) or shear walls should be located in the same, symmetrical positions on all floors to effectively transfer loads to the foundation. They should be located in line with the centroid of the building to minimise torsional effects.

    ◦ Loads and Combinations:

        ▪ For low seismic risk, wind loads are often most significant. Preliminary sizing can use 1-1.5 kN/m² for wind loads.

        ▪ Equivalent Horizontal Forces (Notional Loads) can be estimated as 0.3% of the worst-case load combination as per Eurocode 1.

        ▪ MasterSeries's Key One Loading module can determine wind pressures, and MasterFrame can generate wind panels, apply loads, and add horizontal notional loads.

        ▪ Critical ULS design load combinations can be automatically generated in MasterFrame.

    ◦ Load Transfer: Floors act as diaphragms (stiff plates) to transfer wind loads from external cladding back to the shear core. This requires all elements (slabs, beams, columns, shear walls, foundations) to work together.

    ◦ Failure Mechanisms: Critical global failure mechanisms include vertical and horizontal shear, push-pull effects from moments at the base, and buckling (especially for slender walls). Openings necessitate the design of coupling beams to share horizontal loads between vertical piers.

    ◦ Traditional vs. FE Design: Traditional checks for single wall panels can be conservative (e.g., treating as a fixed cantilever). Finite Element (FE) modeling offers greater accuracy in load application and analysis, leading to significant economical benefits when combined with the wall design module.

    ◦ Wall Geometry and Eurocode Definitions: Rules of thumb exist for height-to-breadth ratios (typically 15-30). Eurocode defines slender walls (height/width > 4:1, bending dominant, vulnerable to buckling) and short walls (height/width < 1:1, shear dominant). Minimum thickness is usually 150mm, but 200-250mm is common for site work and fire resistance.

• Concrete Wall Design in MasterSeries (Andrei Buzas' Demonstration):

    ◦ Module: The new concrete wall design functionality is integrated into the MasterKey Slab Designer module, now renamed MasterKey Slab and Wall Designer in MasterSeries 2023.

    ◦ Design Components: The module designs concrete wall piers (column-like vertical components) and wall coupler beams (for openings).

    ◦ Workflow:

        1. Basic Data and Defaults: Users set steel grade, cover, basic bar sizes, spacing, and design methodology for both shear walls and coupler beams.

        2. Pier Zone Generation: Wall pier zones can be drawn manually or auto-generated across selected wall surfaces.

        3. Design Methods for Pier Subdivision: Different options for how the wall pier is divided into design strips for analysis and reinforcement:

            • Equal strips with fixed width (default, common, e.g., 1m strips from ends with a makeup middle zone).

            • Equal number of strips.

            • User-defined strip width.

            • One zone (appropriate for aspect ratio < 6).

            • Left and right zone axial and bending (outer zones carry moment, center handles shear).

        4. Reinforcement Input: Users can specify the same reinforcement for all strips or different arrangements per strip (e.g., vertical and horizontal bars).

        5. Edge Restraints: Critical input for each wall panel, including pinned top/bottom, one vertical edge restrained, all four edges restrained, custom beta, or cantilever conditions.

        6. Detail Design Output: Provides detailed checks for slenderness, slender moments, nominal eccentricities, biaxial bending, shear forces, and verifies rebar areas and spacings for each design strip.

    ◦ Coupler Beam Design:

        1. Generation: Coupler beams are created above openings, linking wall piers.

        2. Design Methodology: The program intelligently performs a strut and tie check for deep beams (length/depth > 2) or switches to standard beam theory for shallower beams.

        3. Reinforcement: Designs top, bottom, side, and shear bars.

    ◦ Optimisation and Auto-Design:

        ▪ The software displays unity ratio counter surfaces to visually indicate design status.

        ▪ An auto-design function can optimize reinforcement for selected elements, current type, or all piers and coupling beams.

        ▪ A "scan for failure" option helps identify design issues.

        ▪ The demonstration showed the auto-design reducing default reinforcement (e.g., 16mm bars at 200mm spacing) to the minimum required (e.g., 10mm bars at 350mm spacing) based on detailing checks.

    ◦ Reporting and Export: Design reports can be generated, and reinforcement layouts can be exported to DXF/DWG for AutoCAD detailing.

The new shear wall design functionality is available to users who already have the MasterKey Slab Designer module in MasterSeries 2023.