Structural Design

Overview
By: Patrick Kelly A. Fontanilla
 Structural Engineering Design
Basic Concept/ Process:
 Determine structural context
- Geometric/Geological/Architectural information
- Cost, Schedule, Height limit, other limits, etc.
 Determine type of loads that the structure may experience.
- Static or dynamic loads
 Determine what structural system(s) that you may use.
- Reinforced Concrete or Steel structure
- Type of foundation, Columns, Beams/Girders, Shearwalls
 Apply the selected parameters and Perform the detailed design for the
structure.
 Type Of
Loads
Static Loads:
- Dead Load
- Live Load

Dynamic Loads:
- Wind Load
- Earthquake/ Seismic Load
 Dead Loads
 Weight of the structure itself / Loads that are “always there”
- Self-weight and Superimposed
- Columns , Beams/Girders, Floor/Decks, Roofs etc.
 Live Loads
 Loads that may move or change mass/weight
- People, Furniture or Equipments
 Minimum design loadings are usually specified in the building code(s).
- Minimum Live Loads from NSCP 7th Ed. 2015
- Minimum Live Loads from NSCP 7th Ed. 2015 (cont.)
 Wind Loads
 It is placed on the exterior of a structure that are affected by the wind.
 This will depend on: The angle at which the wind strikes the structure, the shape
of the structure (height, width, etc.)
- Typical roof diaphragm from NSCP 7th Ed. 2015
- Load map sample from NSCP 6th Ed. 2010 vs NSCP 7th Ed. 2015
 Earthquake/ Seismic Loads
 Seismic/ Earthquake Loads means application of a seismic oscillation to a
structure.
 To design seismic-resistant structures to safeguards against MAJOR structural
damage that may lead to loss of life and property.
 How does the Earthquake occur?

A sudden slip on a fault is called an

earthquake.

Tectonic plates are always moving.

They struct their edges due to the
friction between the two planes.
Release of this stress by overcoming
the friction is what we feel like an
earthquake.
- Seismic map of the Philippines from NSCP 7th Ed. 2015
- SAM PH (Spectral Acceleration Map) from *proposed NSCP 8th Ed. 2022*
Load Path in Structures

- Load Path is the term used to

describe the path by which loads
are transmitted to the
foundations.

- Different structures have

different load paths. Some
structures have only path while
several (redundancy good).
 Structural
Systems
- Reinforced Concrete or Steel?

- Substructure:
- Foundation ( Shallow or Deep)

- Superstructure:
- Columns, Walls, Beams/Girders, Slab,
etc.
Reinforced Concrete or Steel?
-The majority of manufacturers and experts agree on the fact that concrete is the safest construction
material because it can withstand extreme temperatures and harsh climatic conditions for an
extended period of time. Moreover, it does not require extra fireproofing and can resist heavy winds.
However, a disadvantage of concrete is that if it is not carefully used, it can leave a significant
carbon footprint.

On the other hand, steel is not as resistant to climatic conditions as concrete because it can get soft
or even melt in extremely high temperatures. To prevent this issue, you must use additional fire
protection, which will make the process expensive. However, steel is a very strong and flexible
material in normal conditions. With proper designing and engineering, a steel structure can be
efficiently designed for various purposes.
Reinforced Concrete or Steel?
BOTTOM LINE
-The project’s specifications play a huge role in the choice between steel and concrete. To speed up
the construction process, steel is often used. While, for less maintenance, reinforced concrete is
used. In short, budget constraints, requirements, and the overall type of structure decide the
suitability of the construction material.
Substructure & Superstructure
Substructure
1. Shallow Foundation:
- A shallow foundation distributes loads from the building into the upper layers of the ground.
Shallow foundations perform very well on sites with strong soils, sufficiently thick natural gravel
rafts overlying weaker soils or where robust, engineered ground improvement is carried out.

Types of Shallow Foundation:

- Isolated Foundation
- Combined Foundation
- Wall / Perimeter Foundation
- Mat/ Raft Foundation
Substructure (Shallow Foundation)
Isolated/Combined Foundation:
- An isolated/combined footing must be designed to avoid exceeding its bearing capacity and provide
safety against overturning or sliding while preventing the ground from settling.
Wall / Perimeter / Strip Foundation:
- A perimeter /wall/strip foundation is a type of foundation that provides direct structural support for
exterior building walls with a continuous foundation and footing. Points of interior support are
provided by isolated piers.
Mat/ Raft Foundation:
- raft or mat foundation is a large continuous rectangular or circular concrete slab that carries the entire
load of the superstructure and spreads it over the whole area beneath the building .
Substructure
2. Deep Foundation:
- A deep foundation is a type of foundation that transfers building loads to the earth farther down
from the surface than a shallow foundation does to a subsurface layer or a range of depths. A pile or
piling is a vertical structural element of a deep foundation, driven or drilled deep into the ground at
the building site.

Types of Deep Foundation:

- Bored/ Drilled/ Cast-in-Place Pile
- Driven Pile
- Sheet Pile
- Micropile
Substructure (Deep Foundation)
Bored / Drilled / Cast-in-Place Pile:
- Bored piles are cylindrical bodies made of concrete (with or
without reinforcement) which are installed in the ground by a
variety of methods.
Driven Pile:
- Driven piles are deep foundation elements installed using impact or
vibration hammers to a design depth or resistance.
Sheet Pile:
- Sheet pile walls have been used to support excavations for below-
grade parking structures, basements, pump houses, and foundations,
to construct cofferdams, and to construct seawalls and bulkheads.
Permanent steel sheet piles are designed to provide a long service
life.
Micro-Pile:
- Micropiles also known as minipiles, pin piles, needle piles, and root
piles, are a deep foundation element constructed using high-
strength, small-diameter steel casing and/or threaded bars.
Superstructure
- The superstructure describes the entire portion of a building that sits above ground or the
foundation. The superstructure is typically more extensive than the substructure depending on the
type and size of the building.

Some parts of superstructure may include:

-Floors: Floors separate the levels within the superstructure.
-Beams: These are the horizontal elements within the superstructure that support all the vertical loads.
-Walls: Walls help to provide enclosure and privacy. Walls also carry some of the weight from the beams
and slabs.
-Roof: The roof protects the inside of the building from the elements such as rain and wind.-
-Columns: These are the vertical structures that hold most of the loads from the superstructure and transfer
this weight to the foundation.
Superstructure
GIRDERS/BEAMS, JOISTS AND TRUSSES:
These are the horizontal members that resist vertical loads on a floor or roof structure. Beams, joists and
trusses transfer load to the vertical members of the structure. Joists are often smaller and lighter than
beams. Joists transfer load to larger beams that take load to vertical columns. Usually, the deeper the beam,
joist, or truss, the longer it can span without it deflecting too much or becoming overstressed.
Trusses are an economical option for long spans and are built up of multiple horizontal, vertical and
diagonal elements that are placed in either compression or tension. Trusses are often used in the
construction of roofs in homes and in bridges
Superstructure
COLUMNS:
These are the vertical, often slender, members that resist axial loads from a floor or roof structure. A beam
transfers its load into columns which take the load down to the foundation. Columns are most often loaded
in compression, unless there is uplift on a structure then it is loaded in tension.
Superstructure
SHEAR WALLS:
Shear wall is a structural member in a reinforced concrete framed structure to resist lateral forces such as
wind forces. Shear walls are generally used in high-rise buildings subject to lateral wind and seismic
forces. In reinforced concrete framed structures, the effects of wind forces increase in significance as the
structure increases in height. Codes of practice impose limits on horizontal movement or sway.
Superstructure (Frame System)
3 Basic Frame Systems:

1. Moment Resisting Frame

-A moment-resistant frame is the engineering term for a frame structure with no
diagonal bracing in which the lateral forces are resisted primarily by bending in the
beams and columns mobilized by strong joints between columns and beams. Moment-
resistant frames provide the most architectural design freedom.
2. Braced Frame
-A braced frame is a very strong structural system that is commonly used in structures
subject to lateral loads such as wind and seismic pressure. The members in a braced
frame are generally made of structural steel, which can work effectively both in tension
and compression. The beams and columns that form the frame carry vertical loads, and
the bracing system carries the lateral loads.
3. Shear/ Bearing Walls
-Bearing Wall structures involve elements that actsimultaneously as gravity and lateral
load-resisting elements.
Superstructure (Frame System)
Superstructure (Moment Frame)
Superstructure (Braced Frame)
Superstructure (Shear Walls)
Superstructure (Frame System)
Building
Codes
 Building Codes
 Building codes are rules and requirements that must be followed when designing
a structure. They will tell you the loads the building should be designed to resist
based on occupancy and geographical location. The codes are based on testing
and experience and are ultimately there to protect the public and ensure a building
is safe for people to occupy.
 Design Codes
 1.1.1 National Structural Code of the Philippines (NSCP) Vol. 1, 7th edition 2015
 1.1.2. American Concrete Institute (ACI) Publication:
 ACI 318-14 Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete
 ACI 350-06 Code Requirements for Environmental Engineering Concrete Structures and
Commentary
 ACI 315-99 Manual of Standard Practice for Details and Detailing of Concrete Reinforcement
 1.1.3. American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) Publication:
 AISC 360-16 Specification for Structural Steel Buildings
 Manual of Steel Construction, 9th Edition
 1.1.4. American Welding Society (AWS) Publication:
 AWS D1.1:2015 Structural Welding - Steel
 1.1.5. American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM)
 1.1.6. American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) Publication:
 ASCE 7-10 Minimum Design Loads for Buildings and Other Structures
 1.1.7. Uniform Building Code (UBC), 1997
 1.1.8. International Building Code (IBC), 2015
 1.1.9. American Water Works Association
Design Codes
 Structural
Testing
Before/ During Construction:
- Soil Boring/ Geotechnical Test
- Slump Test
- Concrete Compressive Test
- Rebar Tensile Test

After/ Post-Construction:
- Rebar Scanning
- Rebound Hammer
- Concrete Coring
- Rebar Scanning
Summary:
Structural Engineering:

● Identify the purpose of the structure.

● Identify and predict what loads/forces to
be resisted by the structure.
● Design the structure to provide safe and
economical outcomes (materials, size,
connections, etc.)
● Determine the structural members and
systems to be used in the structure.
● Strictly follows the applicable design
code/s.
● Testing procedures must be followed and
the samples must passed to ensure the
designs are followed.
Thank You.