COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN FOR CIVIL ENGINEERS -Series 1

ETABS 2015

Various Civil softwares available in the market are STAAD Pro,

STRUTS, STRAP, STRUDS, RISA, GTS, ETABS, NISA, SAP 2000,
ANSYS, ABAQUS, Msc Natran, PLAXIS and SAFE.

Among them STAAD Pro and ETABS are leading design software in
the market.

In this Seminar We focus on ETABS Software.

ETABS is special purpose analysis and design program developed

specially for Building Systems.

ETABS is short form for Extended Three-dimensional Analysis of

Building System.

ETABS uses Stiffness Matrix method of structural analysis for

members and FEA for Plates.

3D Rendering is available in ETABS.

ETABS has time saving option (One storey, All storey, Similar
storey).

ETABS has built in grid No. A,B,C,D.

It has two screen in default. Left side shows plan view and Right

1,2,3

side shows 3D Isometric view or elevation.

In ETABS Beams and Columns are known as line objects. Slabs and
Shear walls are known as Area objects.

It has built in template.

It has built in code books.

It will calculate loads automatically on beams and columns.

It is easy to give floor load for irregular panels.

It performs wind load and earthquake analysis.

Automatic lumping of masses for earthquake.

Diaphragm action.

Choice of Eigen or Ritz vector for Response Spectrum Analysis.

Ductile detailing as per IS 13920.

Auto calculation of beam reinforcements based on moments at

column face, rather than at column centre line and column
reinforcements based on moments at beam soffit, rather than at
beam centre line.

Design of columns of cross section shape including T, L, +.

It design shear walls.

It displays reinforcement areas or percentage on each beam and

column.

Construction sequence analysis and Pushover analysis can be done

by ETABS.

It has in built Live load reduction for upper floors as per codal
provision.

Additional software for component design specially foundation

design using SAFE software(Mat foundaion, PT slab design).

Disadvantages:

It doe not support for sloping roofs.

It cannot generate floor loads. You have to model slabs. You have to
model slabs as plate element & mesh it and apply floor loads on it.

You canot know what is happening inside the analysis engine of the
software as like STAAD Pro.

The report documentation is not so good when compare to STAAD

Pros report.

ETABS Screen:

Title Bar: It is on the top of the screen. When the programme is in use, this
title bar is highlighted. It includes program and model name.
Menu Bar : It contains programs menus from which various commands
can be

selected to perform specific actions.

Tool Bars and Buttons: The tool bars are made up of buttons placed at top
and side of the screen. We can access commonly used commands by
single click on the button.
Model Explorer: It allows easy access to model definition data including
Property
forms, load definitions and object forms as well as Analysis, Design,
Detailing results in graphical.
Display windows: It shows geometry of the model. The display includes
property, loading, analysis or design results and detailing .
Display title tab: It is located at top of display window. It is highlighted
when the associated display window is active.
Status bar: It is located at bottom of main window. Text describes current
status of the program.

Mouse pointer position coordinates : it displays on the right side of status

bar.
Drawing & selection Drop down list: It is on the right side of status bar.
One Storey, All Stories, Similar Stories are the three options in the drop
down menu. With One Storey option, an object is created only at the
storey level on which it is drawn. All Stories option enabled to create
objects at all storey levels in the model at the same plan location.
Similar storey option enabled to create objects at all similar storey levels
in the model.
Current units: It is located on the far right side of the status bar. This can
be changed at any time during model creation process.
The various Main menu and sub menus are as Follows:
Main Menus

Tool bars :
Left Side Tool bars

Top Tool bars:

New model, Open, Save, Undo, Redo, Refresh Window, Run analysis (F5),
Rubber band zoom, Restore Full view, Restore previous zoom,
Zoom in one step, Zoom out one step, Pan, Set Default 3D view, Set Plan
view,
Set Elevation view, Rotate 3D view, Perspective Toggle, Above Up, Move
down, Object shrink Toggle, Set display Options, Extruded view Toggle,
transparency Toggle, Show Un deformed shape(F4), Display Load joint
Assign, Display Framed load Assign, Display Shell load Assign, Show
Deformed shape(F6),
Display Support/Spring Reaction(F7), display frame/Pier/ Spandrel/link
force(F8),
Display Shell Stresses. Forces (F9), Show named display,
Steel Frame Design, Concrete Frame Design Composite Beam Design,,
Composite Column Design, Steel Joist Design, Shear Wall Design, Steel
Connection Design.

Comparison of STAAD Pro & ETABS

S.No
.

Description

STAAD Pro

ETABS

Model Creation

Any type of structure It has inbuilt library for

can be analysed & modeling building
design with its flexible structures only.
modeling environment

3D rendering view

It shows 3D rendering It shows 3D rendering

view to some extent view with real good
only.
effect on the structure.

Structural analysis

Stiffness
Matrix It uses Stiffness Matrix
method for structures for structural analysis
and FEM for plate For members & FEA for
elements.
plates.

Bending moment &

Shear forces

Floor Loading

Difficult to apply floor

load for odd shape.

Floor loads

It can generate Floor It cannot generate Floor

Loads easily.
Loads. You have to
model slabs as plate
element & mesh it and
apply floor loads on it.

Live load reduction

It does not have Live Live load Reduction for

Load
Reduction upper floors is available.
facility. We have to
define
command
prompt to do the
same.

Earthquake analysis

It cannot generate Auto lumping of masses

Earthquake lumping of for earthquake.
masses.
Earthquake force can be
applied on any angle
(Not just X or Y alone.

It gives BMD & Shear

forces to the centre
line of columns

BMD & Shear forces are

calculated from face of
column accurately.
Easy to apply floor load
even for irregular panels.

S.No
.

Time saving options

Description

Member
property,
loading can be given
by cut section with
range by selecting
new view.

It has time saving

options One storey,
Similar storey and All
storey.

STAAD Pro

ETABS

Column design with

cross section of T,L, +
shape
are
not
possible.

Design columns with

cross section of any
arbitrary shape(including
T,L, +)

10

Column design

11

Schematic
representation of
Reinforcement
details

It does not have

schematic
representation of
reinforcement on
columns & beams

It display reinforcements
area, % of steel on
column & beam frames.

12

Diaphragm action

It does not have

diaphragm facility for
wind & earthquake
automatically

It have diaphragm
action(with earthquake
loads & wind loads
automatically applied on
the diaphragm centre)

13

Report

It gives analysis & It does not give such

design
report documentation report.
documentation in a
good manner.

ANALYSIS & DESIGN OF FOUR STOREY RCC MULTISTOREYED

BUILDING USING ETABS 2015
Data:
No. of storeys
Floor to floor height
Height of Plinth above GL

GF +3
:

3.35m

: 1.20m

Depth of foundation below GL : 2.10m

Length along X axis

: 24.40m (8 bays ;Bay 1=3.30m,Bay

2=3.35m,
Bay 3=3.35m, Bay 4=3.35m, Bay
5=3.35m
Bay 6=3.35m, Bay 7=3.35m & Bay
8=3.35m)
Length along Y axis

: 14.60m (2 Bays; Bay 1=8.40m, Bay

2=6.40m)
Column size

: 0.30 x 0.50m

Longitudinal beams

: 0.30 x 0.45m

Transverse beams

: 0.23 x 0.50m

Concrete grade

: M20

Steel grade

: Fe 415

SBC of soil

: 200 KN/m2

1.Geometry creation:

Open ETABS from Desktop or from Start Menu

The start up screen will appear.

Click New model.

In this Select use Built-in Settings with option.

Choose SI units, Indian Codes as shown above and click OK.

No. of grid lines in X Direction

: 9

No. of grid lines in Y Direction

: 3

Spacing of Grids in X Direction

: 3.05m

Spacing of Grids in Y Direction

: 6.20m

In Storey Dimensions enter

No. of storeys

: 4

Typical storey height

: 3.35m

Bottom storey height

: 3.35m

Select Grid Only button Ok.

Note : sIf you want to change the background Go to Main menuDisplay

Graphical Display Set display color by changing screen as Block
backgroundOk.

Go Edit Edit Storey dataEdit storey. OR Right click on the screen

Click Add/Modify data.

Choose Modify/Show Storey Data. Click Modify/ Show Storey data to see
the following screen.

Right click inside the screen. Choose Add Storey Keep Existing Storey
Heights.

The following screen will appear. Add Storey Height as 3.35m. No. of
Added storeys as 1. Insert Above Storey to Storey 4 and Replicate New
Storey as Storey 4Ok.

2. Define Material Properties:

From Main menu Define Material property

Following screen will appear.

Add New material Choose the standard and Material type grade as M20.
Ok.

Following screen will appear.

Similarly Add New material Choose the standard and rebar Material
type grade as HYSD Grade 415 Ok.

Following screen will appear.

3. Define Section Properties:

Define Column :
From Main menu Define Section properties Frame section.

Following screen will appear.

Click Add New property. Choose Concrete Rectangular and click on the
Rectangular shape button to see the following screen.

Give Property Name say Col 1 for column 1. Choose Material as M20 and
give section dimensions Depth : 500 mm Width: 230 mm. Then click
Modify/show Rebar.

Choose Design Type as P-M2-M3 Design column, Rectangular

reinforcement, Ties and other details like Main bar sizes, cover, stirrups
details etc.

Define Beam:
From Main menu Define Section properties Frame section. Following
screen will appear.

Click Add New property. Choose Concrete Rectangular and click on the
Rectangular shape button to see the following screen.

Give Property Name say B1 for Beam 1. Choose Material as M20 and give
section dimensions Depth : 500 mm Width: 230 mm. Then click
Modify/show Rebar.

Choose Design Type as M3 Design only (Beam), Give cover details.

Define Slab :
From Main menu Define Section properties Slab section.

Following screen will appear.

Click Add new property button for adding new slab.

Give slab name as S1, modeling type as Membrane and Thickness as 110
mmOk.
Ok.
4. Drawing the Structure : ( Beams, Columns and Slabs)
Note: Make sure Snap to Grid is On, in order to snap to existing grid. For
that right
Click Choose Snap option Click Ok

Drawing Beam:
Choose Storey 5
Main MenuDraw Draw Beam/Column/ Brace objects Draw Beam/
Column/ Brace.

Choose B1 in Properties window.

Set similar storey and windowing entire Beam.

For Quick Draw Beams/ Columns option. Choose Similar storey option from
bottom right of the screen. Draw the beams by simply clicking on the grid.
This will draw beams on all floors.
Drawing Column :
Set plan view in Storey 5
Main MenuDraw Draw Beam/Column/ Brace objects Draw Beam/
Column/ Brace. OR Quick Draw Columns.
Choose Col 1 in properties window.
By selecting All Stories option button from bottom right of the screen.
Draw columns by clicking all column locations or by windowing all
columns.

Drawing Slab:
Main MenuDraw Draw Floor/ Wall objects Quick draw Floor/Wall
Choose S1 in Property window on the left. Click on each rectangular grid
where slabs should come. OR on left side screen Select Al tool bar for
selecting all portion of slab. Select Similar storeies option button for
selecting all floor slabs.

5. Assigning Support Condition :

Set Base floor Plan view in left window Set Column points (with mouse).
From Main menu AssignJoint/ point Restraints (supports) Select
FixedOk.

6. Defining Loads :
Gravity loads (Dead & Live load)
Note:
For Self weight multiplier will be 1 for slabs, beams and columns of dead
load. For other loads, it will be zero. Dead Load of Beams, Columns and
slabs are automatically calculated by ETABS as per Section Properties and
Material properties that we have assigned already for dead load
calculation.
Defining Load Patterns:
Main menu Define Load Patterns.

By Default the screen will show only Dead and Live Load. If you want to
add any other loads like Wind or earthquake loads, give a name under
load and choose type and click add New Load button.
Defining Load cases:
Main menu Define load Cases.

Defining Load Combinations:

Main menu Define Load Combinations.

Click Add New Combination button. Give Name and Factor load as 1.50
for

DL x 1.5 + LL x 1.5 Click Ok.

Loads on Slab:
Keep Plan view in Storey 5. Choose one Storey in bottom right.
Main menu AssignShell Loads Uniform .

Roof load : Terrace Water proofing load =2.50 KN/m2

Live Load for Roof=1.50KN/m2

Choose Dead in Load Pattern, give 2.50 KN/m2 as Load. Choose Gravity as
Direction, choose Add to Existing Loads.

Select all slabs just by clicking on each slab as belowClick Apply Ok.

Now again select all slabs. Choose Live load as 1.50 KN/m2 ApplyOk.
Floor Loads:
Floor finish = 1.0 KN/m2
Live Load =4.0 KN/m2
Keep the Plan view as Storey 1. Choose Similar Stories button in bottom
right.
Main menu AssignShell Loads Uniform.

Select all slabs just by clicking on each slab and give the Load value as
1.0 KN/m2 ApplyOk.

Similarly give Live load as 4.0 KN/m2 for all other floor slab.
Wall loads on Beam:
Parapet wall =5 KN/m2

Keep Plan view in Storey 5. Choose One Storey button in bottom right.
Select Outer beams just by clicking on each beams.
Main menu AssignFrame Loads Distributed.

Choose load as Dead, Give Uniform load as 5 KN/m . Choose Add to

existing Loads. Direction: Gravity ApplyOk.

Wall on Floor beams:

External wall Load 230 mm thick =14.50 KN/m
Internal Wall Load 1150mm thick =6.60 KN/m
Keep Plan view in Storey 2. Choose Similar Storey button in bottom right
(For storey 3, Storey 4). Select Outer beams just by clicking on each
beams.
Main menu AssignFrame Loads Distributed.
Choose Load pattern as Dead, Uniform Load=14.50KN/m, select Add to
Existing Loads ApplyOk. Similarly select inner beams just by clicking
on each Beams. Apply Uniform Load =6.60 KN/m ApplyOk.
Wall Load on Plinth Beams:
External Wall load =20.5 KN/m Internal Wall Load = 10.20 KN/m
Keep Plan view as storey 1 with One storey option in bottom right. Select
outer beams and assign Dead load for Plinth beam as 20.5 KN/m and
select inner beam and assign Dead Load for plinth beam as 10.20 KN/m
similar to roof beam on Parapet wall.
Concentrated or Point load Due to Secondary beams:
Keep Storey 1 in Plan view, choose Similar stories button in bottom right
(For Storey 2, storey 3, Storey 4). Select all the Transverse Beam of
8.40m length just by clicking on the beams.

Main menu AssignFrame Loads Point.

Choose Load as Dead Load as Forces, Choose Add to existing loads, give
Load distance as 2.2m, Load as 35.14 KN. Choose Absolute Distance from
end 1 ApplyOk.

In the similar way give Live load as 12.28 KN as concentrated Load on all
floor beams of transverse beams.
To view Loads:
Click on Display Framed Load icon on the tool bar as shown below:

7. Check the Model:

Main menu Analyse Check Model.

Check model have no errors or warning.

Close the screen.

8. Analysis:
Main menu Analyse Run Analysis or use F5.

After successfully analyzing you will see the deformed shape as default
screen.

9. Results :
Main menu Display Undeformed Shape or F4 button.
To see the Loads acting on the structure:
Main menu Display Load Assigns.
To view BMD & SFD:
Main menu Display Frame / pier/Spandrel/ Link Forces or F8 button or
icon.

Select Load case (Case) or Combination (Combo), Moment or Shear

values.

BMD Diagram

SFD Diagram
View set elevation view. Select BMD for the required frame.

BMD for the frame

Right click on any Beam to see the individual beam BMD

& SFD as below:

To Erase the Results:

In order make changes in the Model after run the analysis, you have to
erase the results.
Main menu Display Unlock Model.

Click Ok. Then after making necessary changes run the program again.
11. Concrete Design:
Main menu Design Concrete frame Design Start Design /Check.

Set to Elevation view=1 in right window Reinforcement area will be

displayed on the Frame.

Right click on any of the member to see the design information.

Click summary button to view the detailed result.

-Summary
- Flexural details
- Shear details
- Envelope Ok.
To see the % of steel on Beams and Columns:
Main menu Design Concrete frame design Display design
Information Select Design output= rebar % Ok.
12. Detailing :
Main menu Detailing Detailing Preferences (for setting units)
Detailing Concrete Component Preferences (for setting labels etc)
Detailing Rebar Selection Rules (for Longitudinal, Stirrups details)
DetailingStart Detailing (will start detailing the members)

You can see the detailed results for all beams, columns and slabs.