CISC CAN/CSA S16.1 Steel Section Design

I developed this spreadsheet that can design Beam under flexural, Beam-Column under Uniaxial and biaxial moment in accordance to CISC CAN/CSA S16.1 Structural Steel Design.

The spreadsheet results are compared to Examples in CISC Handbook and the results match exactly.

The spreadsheet results also compare with the CSA Beam Selection Table and the results also match exactly. This program can be used to assist in the design of steel elements to CISC CAN/CSA S16.1.

I will be developing more of the spreadsheet and for those interested, you can contact me for a copy.

Analysis of Beam Section - CSA A23.3 - 04

The following spreadsheet demonstrate my program that can analyse any rectangular beam section. The similar program can analyse rectangular column, circular column which will be demonstrated in the my future blog.

 Eg. 2.1 -The CSA concrete design handbook give the moment as = 207kNm

My spreadsheet Mr = 205.9 kNm

Eg. 2.4 - CSA concrete design handbook give the moment as = 675kNm

My spreadsheet Mr = 690 kNm

There is a slight discrepancy but it is due to the section analysis is very accurately calculate the neutral axis and checking the yield strength of the tension and compression steel.

So it can be seem that the spreadsheet is very accurate in computing the section capacity based on CSA A23.3 - 04.

Retaining Wall Design to CSA A23.3

This spreadsheet design the retaining wall in accordance to CSA A23.3. The spreadsheet also has version for BS8110 & CP65. The analysis of the FOS for the retaining wall does not differ much from code to code. The spreadsheet has widely been used in my project for the last 10 years and has proven to be a reliable spreadsheet.

Column Analysis - Canadia Code A23.3-04

The following spreadsheet can analyse both rectangular and circular columns.

For the example in the CPCA Concrete design handbook, the column example using PCACOL program and also from the tables give Pf=500kN, Mr=192kNm. The spreadsheet give Pf=500kN, Mr= 194kNm.

As can be seen, the spreadsheet yiedl very accurate results.

 

 I will show the rectangular beam analysis spreadsheet that anlayse beam. 

Beam Flexure & Shear Design to Canadian Code CSA23.3-04

The following is the simple spreadsheet that was written for CSA A23.3-04 code.

The spreadsheet results are compare with the Concrete Design Handbook examples and found to be accurate. The following are the comparison.

Concrete Design Handbook                          Spreadsheet Program

Eg.2.1  Mr = 209 kNm  As=1200mm2        As = 1222mm2                                                        

Eg. 2.2  As = 2468mm2                               As = 2489mm2

Eg. 2.4 As = 5674 mm2, As' = 1047mm2    As=5675mm2, As' = 1050mm2

The values of spreadsheet tally with the CSA A24.3 design handbook. The program is accurate. I shall extend this to all the one way, two way slab design, retaining wall, columns design etc.

Next time, I will post my spreadsheet that can analyse the rectangular , circular columns and beams section.

FRP Strengthening of RC Structure - CSA A23.3

Further to the development of the spreadsheet in CSA A23.3, I have developed the FRP strengthening of concrete structures based on the ISIS Concrete Educational Module. The resouces of ISIS are simply wonderful and fill with useful information.
The following is the screenshot of the spreadsheet and the results are compared with Example 1 and the Assignment example 1 in Appendix B of ISIS Concrete Education Module No. 4. As can be seen, the results match correctly for the neutral axis with slight difference of moment capacity of 1.96% only. This difference is inmaterial as it is due to rounding off in the manual calculation.The spreadsheet is only halfway done as I still need to include the shear portion. But this will be the easy task. I will publish the complete spreadsheet for all to download and test.


CSA A23.3 with FRP strengthening and with steel plate strengthening are almost completed and will be published in the couple of weeks time. Most of it already written in BS8110, TR55. I have not yet published them due to the limited examples for testing the spreadsheet. If anyone can direct me with websites that contain examples, I will be glad to verify the programs and publish them for testing.

Continuous Beam Analysis and Design Using OpenOffice

As mentioned in the earlier post, OpenOffice is free. My idea is to convert all my Excel spreadsheets with Macro to OpenOffice Calc programs. Remember the OpenOffice Calc is free and engineers are generally poor. If we don't have to pay for Excel, we could save quite a fair bit in our works. Well to cut it short, here it is :

This is the screenshot of the similar Excel program that now is written in OpenOffice. The conversion from Excel to OpenOffice was actually simpler than I thought. At first, there are errors. But after closer look, I realise not all the formulas can be directly converted. It was not really the problem of OpenOffice as my codes actually contain very specific way of reading some information and this cannot be directly translated to OpenOffice. After some checking, the errors were corrected and the OpenOffice program output the same results as the Excel program (as expected).

What is difficult is the macro for excel cannot be directly convert to OpenOffice macro. This is the painful part for me, as there are not many books and resources on writing Macro for OpenOffice and the process is also much more tedious than VBA. After 2 weeks of on and off writing, main part of the Macro was in shape but one crucial problem was bugging me, ie how to unload the menu after popping up. I decided to stop for a week and send the code to a friend who are familiar with OpenOffice to take a look. He is helpful but can't really give the solution. Then suddenly, I come across a website and briefly talk about the similar issue (not exactly but was along that line). I copy the idea and "hola", it solved. Now the macro works exactly like Excel program.

I am waiting for the release of OpenOffice 3.2 for testing the program further.

Beam Flexural & Shear Design to CSA A23.3-04

Beam Flexural & Shear Design (Excel & Calc) - Reinforced concrete design in accordance to Canadian Concrete Code CSA A23.3-04. By inputing the moment and shear force, reinforcement required for the section can be design.

The program is easier to use than the commercial software as the input can be altered any time and the design check is clearly printed so that check can be carried out manually, if needed. The program was cross-checked with commercial software and found to be adequate.

Composite Steel Column Design to EC4 using Excel Spreadsheet

Composite Column Design to EC4 (Excel & Calc) - The spreadsheet program can design and check the rectangular concrete column with steel I-section, Concrete filled circular section (CHS) and Concrete filled rectangular section (RHS & SHS ).

A screenshot of the rectangular concrete column with steel I-section is show below:

Reinforcement can also be added to the section. Moment capacity check and interaction ratio check according to EC4 will also be carried out.

Similarly, the program can also carried out concrete filled circular section CHS, rectangular section RHS and square section SHS.

The excel and calc spreadsheet were tested using examples and also compared with the EC4 capacity tables listed in the handbook. The results are exact and proved to be accurate.

For the same Excel and Calc spreadsheet, section capacity check for steel section subject to axial force, bending moment and shear force are also included. The section check is applicable to UB or UC section with fully restraint or non-restraint conditions. User will need to input the restraint length to calculate the buckling moment capacity.

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RC Concrete Design Using EC2

After developing most of the spreadsheet in BS8110 and CSA, I have started converting some of the spreadsheet into EC2. Well, EC2 is somewhat similar to Bs8110 with some variants. But generally, the concept behind is similar.

In the coming weeks, I hope I could post all the spreadsheets in my blogs.

Simple Cleat Bolt Design BS5950 - 2000

This the screenshot of the simple cleat with bolted design. The design checks are very comprehensive. Not only the bolts are being check, the cleat, block shear, eccentric moment due to reaction etc are being checked. Currrently, the design is based on BS5950 -2000.
This program is thoroughly cross check with BSI design example and found to be accurate.

The similiar program is also written in Canadian Code CAN/CSA-S16.1. But the program is not fully tested for accuracy yet. Till I find a suitable example for cross-checking, I will publish the results and screenshot.

Splice Joint Design to BS5959-2000

This is the splice joint design screenshot. I have been very busy for the last few months and find very little time to update the blogs and reply to all the queries. I will try to find time to reply to all of you.

Some of you have received my spreadsheets and given very valuable comments for my improvement. Most notably comments are from the Iran and India engineering community that have responded and tested the Excel spreadsheets and given positive feedback. So far there is no error found except some improvement suggested from the users. I am so busy with my current works that simply can't find time to update further. Well, hopefully, this year I will be able to incorporate all the comments and resend to all the reviewers.

If you like my works, please send me a email or just post your comments. I really hope the Canadian Engineering communities can also read this and appreciate the works that I have done.

Continuous Beam Analysis and Design Using OpenOffice

As mentioned in the earlier post, OpenOffice is free. My idea is to convert all my Excel spreadsheets with Macro to OpenOffice Calc programs. Remember the OpenOffice Calc is free and engineers are generally poor. If we don't have to pay for Excel, we could save quite a fair bit in our works. Well to cut it short, here it is :

This is the screenshot of the similar Excel program that now is written in OpenOffice. The conversion from Excel to OpenOffice was actually simpler than I thought. At first, there are errors. But after closer look, I realise not all the formulas can be directly converted. It was not really the problem of OpenOffice as my codes actually contain very specific way of reading some information and this cannot be directly translated to OpenOffice. After some checking, the errors were corrected and the OpenOffice program output the same results as the Excel program (as expected).

What is difficult is the macro for excel cannot be directly convert to OpenOffice macro. This is the painful part for me, as there are not many books and resources on writing Macro for OpenOffice and the process is also much more tedious than VBA. After 2 weeks of on and off writing, main part of the Macro was in shape but one crucial problem was bugging me, ie how to unload the menu after popping up. I decided to stop for a week and send the code to a friend who are familiar with OpenOffice to take a look. He is helpful but can't really give the solution. Then suddenly, I come across a website and briefly talk about the similar issue (not exactly but was along that line). I copy the idea and "hola", it solved. Now the macro works exactly like Excel program.

I am waiting for the release of OpenOffice 3.2 for testing the program further.

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Continuous / Subframe Analysis and Design Spreadsheet (Excel & Calc)

This is the sample page of the continuous spreadsheet program that I developed. The load pattern combination is accordance to BS8110 (1985, 1997). The design of the beam section is also in accordance to BS8110. CSA A23.3-04 design spreadsheet is currently being developed.

The input is simple and straight forward. The beauty of using spreadsheet is that even if the input is enter incorrectly first time, you could amend it later without going through the entire input process. Output forces are directly printed beside each spans.

The are two buttons command, namely "Span Information" & :Input Load Type". This is where all the macro will be invoked.

Input : 1) By clicking the macro, the input screen would ask for number of span, support conditions, beams span lengths, beam and column sizes in a sequential way.

2) Next step is to invoke the Input Load Type macro.

3) You can input maximum 10 load cases for each spans. Uniformly distributed load, triangular load, point load, trapezoidal load and linear load are all the load cases.

4) No analysis step is needed as analysis will be completed the moment the last load case is completed.

5) The support reactions for Dead Load, Live Load and ultimate load & column moment will also be computed and shown in the spreadsheet.

Next post, I will illustrated the Continuous/ Subframe analysis spreadsheet usingn OpenOffice. Essentially, they are exactly the same. Well OpenOffice is free and therefore may make it more attractive for Engineers to run with OpenOffice Calc. All programs are available in BS8110, CSA A23.3-04.

Full Precast Factory Building

The factory was fully precast due to the client's brief of fast track construction. Columns, beams, floor planks and vertical partition walls were precast.

Structural Analysis Programs in Excel Spreadsheet

The followings described the Excel Spreadsheet Programs :

1) Continuous &Subframe Analysis and Design (Excel & Calc) - This program analyses and design continuous beams or subframe using moment distribution methods. Moments and shear forces envelope are based on BS8110 requirements but the programs can analyse more rigorous loading patterns if needed. The maximum number of span is 10 and can carry out analysis on cantilever ends, fixed ends etc. Excel macro is added to the programs to ease the input of spans and loadings. However, the programs can still work if the macro is disable, it will only be a more cumbersome input steps only. The program had been tested rigirously with commercial software such as SAP2000, Prokon Continuous Beams, TopCad Beam and some textbooks examples. All the results tally exactly.

The program is also writtten in OpenOffice and run perfectly well. In future post, I will denote as (Excel & Calc) for Microsoft Excel format and OpenOffice Calc format.

The design module is an add-on and can be carried out separately from the analysis portion. Currently the design is in BS8110 (1985, 1997). CSA A23.3-04 code is currently implementing.

2) Reinforced Concrete Section Analysis (Rectangular Beams, Rectangular and Circular Column) - (Excel & Calc) Every engineer writes a program to design moment and shear for RC sections once in their work life. I developed more than section design. This is a capacity check of rectangular beam and column and circular column. The analysis is carried out using first principle and reinforcement arrangement can be asymmetric. Macro is written to accelerate the iteration process but without the macro, the program will still work.

Currently, the program is written in both BS8110 and CSA A23.3-04.

3) Beam Design (Excel & Calc) - Design the reinforcement requirements of beam section for bending moment, shear force and torsional force. This is a typical beam design program that is used on daily basis.

The program can design in both BS8110 and CSA A23.3-04.

4) Pilecap Design (Excel & Calc) - Design of pilecap for pilegroup of 2 to 6 piles. The pile arrangement need to be regular in order for the program to work.

5) Box Drain Design (Excel & Calc) - Design of box culvert using coefficient given in Reynold Handbook. The program was tested using SAP2000 plane frame with numerous load patterns and cases. Results proved to be exactly.

6) Retaining wall Design (Excel & Calc) - Design of L shape retaining walls and checking of factor of safety for sliding, overturning and bearing pressure. The soil can be on the heel or toe of the retaining walls making the program very versatile to use.

7) Corbel Design and Deep Beam Design (Excel & Cal) - Design corbel and deep beam using strut and tie model.

There are other programs that I will list in my next few post.

Cascadia - 13 Blocks of 10 Storeys luxury condonminium at Upper Bukit Timah Road

Orchard Central - 12 Storeys luxury shopping malls at Orchard Road. The structure is post-tensioned beams with composite steel columns.