Civil engineering · 1991 · 164 citations · 0 references
EngineeringComputational DesignComputer-aided DesignStructural AnalysisStructural EngineeringBuilding DesignStructural AssessmentStructural DesignStructural Finite Element AnalysisStructural MechanicsStructural SystemsData Entry ErrorsData Entry OperationsFinite Element Structural AnalysisStructural Integrity TestingStructural Verification
Structural engineering of multistory buildings is complex, but integrated drafting, design, and analysis tools simplify the process and will significantly impact building design. The article traces the evolution of these tools and emphasizes the recent breakthrough of integrating drafting with design and analysis. Engineers draft initial framing in CAD, automatically transfer it to finite element analysis for verification, then feed optimized member sizes back into CAD to update the design. This integration reduces data entry by hundreds or thousands of hours and eliminates costly errors.
The structural engineering of multistory buildings is a complex and time-consuming chore, but new design and analysis tools can greatly simplify the task. The article traces the development of these tools over the past several years, and describes the most important recent advance: the integration of drafting with design and analysis. Now, the engineer can create the initial framing system design through a computer-aided drafting (CAD) program and transfer it automatically to the finite element analysis package to verify structural integrity. Then the optimized member sizes go back to CAD and automatically update the initial design. Data entry is reduced tremendously—saving hundreds or even thousands of hours on a typical project. Potentially costly data-entry errors are also eliminated. As the technology for integrating design and analysis with drafting spreads through the structural engineering field, it will have a major impact on the design of multistory buildings.