INTRODUCTION TO STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS AND DESIGN.
Structural design is the methodical investigation of the stability, strength and rigidity of
structures.
Structural analysis is the method of determining and calculating the effects of loads and internal
forces acting on a structure, building, or object. It is a process determining the response of the
structure to specified arbitrary external loads.
The primary purpose of a structure is to transmit or support loads.
Structural analysis is the prediction of the response of structures to specified arbitrary external
loads. During the preliminary structural design stage, a structure's potential external load is
estimated, and the size of the structure's interconnected members are determined based on the
estimated loads.
METHOD OF STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS
Method of Structural analysis is a process or tool by which we find out the behavior of a
structure or a member of a structure when subjected to certain excitation.
In other words, it is a way of finding out internal forces (axial force, shear force, moment), stress,
strain, deflection etc in a structure under applied load conditions.
The basic objective in structural analysis and design is to produce a structure capable of resisting
all applied loads without failure during its intended life. There are five (5) essential steps to be
followed for the design of any structure, these include Modelling, Load Analysis, Structural
Analysis, Structural Design, and Detailing.
(1) Modelling: The structural model consists of the objects in the system and the static
relationships that exist between them. Groups of objects can be partitioned into packages
or subsystems. Object model diagrams define the structural model. This section describes
the code generated from object model diagrams.
Structural modeling is one of the prime phases of structural services. It is basically a
mathematical or a wireframe representation of a 3D model. It helps to visualize each corner of a
virtual building structure.
(2) Load Analysis: Structural Load Analysis is the verifying process of the loads on physical
structures and its members including fitnesses that analyses the internal forces (axial
force, shear force, moment), stress, strain, deflection, etc., in the structure under applied
load conditions.
Load Analysis is the verifying process of the system by assessing and quantifying that is
the discrete components and comprise loads based on particular conditions.
(3) Structural Analysis: Structural analysis is the method of determining and calculating the effects of
loads and internal forces acting on a structure, building, or object. It is a process determining the
response of the structure to specified arbitrary external loads.
Structural Analysis of structure is essential before starting construction work. It provides the
details of the size of the foundation, the size of the column and beam, and reinforcement details
that are sufficient to carry the load acting on the structure. Before constructing any structure,
there are several documents required like plan, elevation & section details.
This process of finding out the load that a structure can carry safely, without failure is called
Structure Analysis.
Types of Loads on Structures
The Following loads act on structure,
1. Dead Loads
2. Imposed Loads
3. Live Load
4. Crane load
5. Wave Load
6. Earth Pressure Load
7. Impact Load
8. Wind Loads
9. Earthquake Loads
(4) Structural Design: Structural design is the methodical investigation of the stability, strength
and rigidity of structures. The basic objective in structural analysis and design is to produce a
structure capable of resisting all applied loads without failure during its intended life.
(5) Detailing: Structural detailing, as a design process, comprises the design of the cross-section,
elevation, profile and. the connections of a structural member in order to achieve the structural
engineering requirements of stability, strength and stiffness.
The detailer prepares detailed plans, drawings and other documents for the manufacture and
erection of steel members (columns, beams, braces, trusses, stairs, handrails, joists, metal
decking, etc.) used in the construction of buildings, bridges, industrial plans, and non-building
structures.
In conclusion, Structural analysis is a crucial aspect of building design that helps ensure the
safety, stability, and longevity of structures. It is a systematic process that involves the
evaluation of a building's strength and stability using mathematical and computational models.
While structural analysis deals with the calculations and observations of load and stress,
structural design decides the dimensions of the structural members by using those structural
analysis findings. Once the above has been confirmed, projects can then move into the phase of
structural design.
