International Journal of Soft Computing and Engineering (IJSCE)

ISSN: 2231-2307, Volume-7 Issue-3, July 2017

Analysis and Design of Reinforced Concrete Beams

and Columns using open STAAD
Fernandes R. J, Javali F. M, Patil S. B

Abstract: Structural designers especially in India use STAAD Introduced PSA (Program for Structural Analysis)
software to execute the structural analysis, but for the design Software, and compared th e results obtained from
purpose still manual calculations and excel spread sheets are OpenSTAAD and analysis done in PSA to MS excel [2].An
being used. It leads to cumbersome and time consuming process
to obtain analysis results from STAAD Pro to design
Automation of structural analysis design iterations using
calculations, hence to automate this process an MS Excel spread DSM (Design Structural Matrix) and OpenSTAAD has been
sheet has been developed. A vba program has been developed to carried out, further the work has been extended for optimal
access the analysis results from STAAD Pro to MS Excel such design of sections [3]. Presented Design Optimization of
that the design process is fully automated which reduces manual Steel Members Using Openstaad and Genetic Algorithm [4].
interference.
Keywords: MS Excel, Open STAAD, VBA, IS 456:2000, II. PROPOSED METHODOLOGY
Analysis, Design, Beam, Column.
A. Analysis
I. INTRODUCTION A typical 3 Dimensional frame was considered for the
analysis, and the frame was modeled in STAAD Pro V8i
STAAD Pro comes with a library of functions allowing software, The initial beam properties were assigned based
users access to the input and output data from STAAD files. on vertical deflection limits and for the column based on
These functions also allow users to create a STAAD input slenderness ratio of IS 456:2000[9], The Dead Load and
data file, launch the STAAD analysis run, and link STAAD Live Load are assigned to the frame according to IS
with any program of their choice for post-analysis 875(Part 1 & Part 2)-1987[12], [13]. Static Analysis of the
operations such as steel design, concrete design, connection frame was carried out based on various load combinations.
design, etc. This library of functions goes by the name After analyzing the structure in Staad analysis engine, the
OpenSTAAD. The most convenient way to utilize these geometry and design forces for selected beams and for
functions is through VB Macros that can be run in Excel, particular load combination were retrieved as shown in Fig.
MathCAD, etc. For a list of these functions one can refer 1 & Fig. 2.
OpenSTAAD Reference Documentation [5] for more
B. Open STAAD Syntaxes
information. OpenSTAAD Macros can be created using any
VB editor. Users may also create them using the VB editor Following Syntaxes have been coded in MS Excel VB
built into Microsoft Excel. The STAAD Pro GUI (Graphical macro to retrieve geometry and design forces for selected
User Interface) too is equipped with a VB editor. beam and particular load combination. Beam No. have been
Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) is a programming retrieved using “Get No Of Selected Beams,” Length of
environment designed to work with Microsoft’s Office beam have been retrieved using “Get Beam Length,”,
applications (Word, Excel, Access, and PowerPoint). Breadth and depth of Beam have been retrieved using “Get
Components in each application (for example, worksheets or Beam Property,”, Minimum and Maximum bending moment
documents) are exposed as objects to the programmer to use of Beams have been retrieved using “Get Min Max Bending
and manipulate to a desired end. Almost anything can be Moment,”, Minimum and Maximum Shear force of Beams
done through the normal use of the Office application to have been retrieved using “Get Min Max Shear Force,”,
automate the work through programming. Node No. have been retrieved using “Get Member
A spreadsheet has been developed for the design of Incidence,” for selected member, Support Reactions such as
Selective Catalytic Reduction Pile Cap Foundation, The Fy, Mx, Mz have been retrieved using “Get Support
micro piles were modeled in STAAD Pro v8i and the forces Reactions,”.
extracted to an Excel spreadsheet through OpenSTAAD
VBA macro [1]. III. DESIGN PROCEDURE
A. RC BEAMS
A code (syntax) has been coded in MS Excel VB macro
and a command button “GET REACTIONS,” has been
provided to retrieve the results Such as Load case, Beam
Revised Version Manuscript Received on June 09, 2017.
Dr. R. J. Fernandes, Department Civil Engineering, SDM College of No., Breadth, Depth, Length, Bending Moment, and Shear
Engineering and Technology, Dharwad, India, E-mail: Force in their respective cells for selected beams and
[email protected] particular load combination as shown in Fig. 3. Provide
Mr. Furqan Ahmed Javali, Department Civil Engineering, SDM
College of Engineering and Technology, Dharwad, India, E-mail: design inputs such as Clear
[email protected] cover,
Mr. Somesh Patil, Department Civil Engineering, SDM College of
Engineering and Technology, Dharwad, India, E-mail:
[email protected]

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 Analysis and Design of Reinforced Concrete Beams and Columns using open STAAD

Characteristic strength of reinforcement (fy), Where,

Characteristic cube compressive strength of concrete (fck), b = Breadth of beam, or shorter dimension of rectangular
diameter of bar, No. of stirrup legs, type of Beam column
(Cantilever, Simply supported, and Continuous beam) and f y = Characteristic strength of reinforcement
click “DESIGN” Button to design the beams as shown in
Fig. 3. 8. The maximum area of tension reinforcement ( Ast ,max ) and
compression reinforcement is calculated from clause
B. RC COLUMNS
26.5.1(b) of IS 456:2000[9] [9].
A code (syntax) has been Coded in MS Excel VB macro
and a command button “GET REACTIONS,” has been
Ast ,max  0.04bD (5)
provided to retrieve the results Such as Load case, Node
No., Breadth, Depth, Bending Moment in X and Z directions 9. If M u  M u ,lim the section is under Reinforced, and the
and Axial Force in their respective cells for selected beam is designed as singly reinforced beam (SRB). If
columns and for particular load combination as shown in M u  M u ,lim the section is over Reinforced and the beam is
Fig. 4. Design charts will be prepared based on Breadth (b),
designed as doubly reinforced beam (DRB).
and Depth (D) located on the 1st row of the results retrieved.
Now, provide design inputs such as Clear cover, 10. Area of tension reinforcement ( Ast .1 ) for a singly
Characteristic strength of reinforcement (fy), Characteristic reinforced section at mid span and at support is calculated
cube compressive strength of concrete (fck), Top, Bottom, from Annex G-1.1(b) of IS 456:2000[9].
and Middle Reinforcement diameter and No. of Bars in the
respective cells and click “DESIGN” Button to design the
0.5 f ck   4.6 M u 
columns as shown in Fig. 4. Ast .1  1  1     bd (6)
fy   f ck bd
2
 

IV. DESIGN FORMULATION Where,
A. RC BEAMS fck =Characteristic cube compressive strength of concrete
Following equations for the design of RC Beams have M u =Design moment
been used in the form of VB syntax in MS Excel VBA 11. If section is over reinforced then area of compression
macro.
reinforcement ( Asc ) and additional tensile reinforcement (
1. Effective cover is calculated from table 16 and 16A of IS
456-2000, and based on Maximum Diameter of Bar to be Ast.2 ) is calculated from Annex G-1.2 of IS 456:2000[9].
used.
Dai.ofbar M u  M u,lim  fsc Asc (d  d ') (7)
Eff .cov er  clear.cov er  (1)
2 Ast 2  Asc fsc / 0.87 f y (8)
2. Effective depth ( d ) is difference of Overall depth (D) and
Where,
Effective cover.
d ' = Depth of compression reinforcement from the highly
d  D  Eff .cov er (2)
compressed face
3. Limiting value of xu is calculated from Clause 39.1 of IS 12. No. of bars required and No. of bars provided is
456-2000. calculated based on the diameter of bar selected from drop
4. Limiting moment of resistance ( M u lim ) of a section down list for tension and compression face.
without compression reinforcement is calculated by 13. Development length of bar is calculated from clause
referring Annex G IS 456:2000[9]. 26.2.1 of IS 456:2000[9].
5. Strain in compression steel ( es c ) is calculated from
 s
Annex G-1.1(c) of IS 456:2000[9]. Ld  (9)
4 bd
 xu ,lim  d 
es c  0.0035   (3) Where,
 xu ,lim   s = Stress in bar at the section considered at design load
Where,  = Nominal diameter of the bar, and
d = Effective depth of beam or slab
 bd = Design bond stress
xu ,lim = Limiting value of xu
14. Section check is obtained for maximum area of
6. Stress in compression steel ( fs c ) corresponding to Strain reinforcement from clause 26.5.1(b) of IS 456:2000[9].
in compression steel ( es c ) is interpolated from Table A. of 15. Nominal shear stress in beams is calculated from clause
SP-16 [10]. 40.1 of IS 456:2000[9].
16.
7. The minimum area of tension reinforcement ( Ast ,min ) is
V
calculated from clause 26.5.1(a) of IS 456:2000[9]. v  u (10)
bd
0.85bd
Ast ,min  (4) Where,
fy
v = Nominal shear stress

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 International Journal of Soft Computing and Engineering (IJSCE)
ISSN: 2231-2307, Volume-7 Issue-3, July 2017

Vu = Shear force due to design loads f s  0.58 f y

pt ,prov. =Percentage of tension reinforcement provided, and
17. Shear stress in concrete ( c ) is calculated from clause
fs = Service stress in steel.
4.1 of SP-16.
Multiplication factor for compression reinforcement

c 
0.85 0.8 f ck  1  5  1 (11)
(MFt).
6 IF, pc,prov. <0.75, Then
100 Ast  pc,prov. 
pt  (12) MFC  1+  0.15  (18)
bd  0.5 
18. If v  c , the shear is carried by reinforcement ( v ) IF,
hence spacing of stirrups ( Sv ) for design shear  pc,prov. 
MFc  1.6   1.5 Then 1.5 (19)
reinforcement in the form of vertical stirrups is calculated   pc,prov.  0.275 
from clause 40.4(a) of IS 456:2000[9].  
Where,
0.87 f y Asv d pc ,prov. = Percentage of compression reinforcement
Vus  (13)
Sv provided.
Vus  Vu  cbd (14) 23. The lateral stability check for beam is calculated from
clause 23.3 of IS 456:2000[9].
Length for simply supported and continuous beams should
19. If v  c , the shear is carried by concrete hence spacing
250b 2
of stirrups ( sv ) for minimum shear reinforcement in the be least of 60b or .
d
form of vertical stirrups is calculated based on diameter of
100b 2
bar and no. of stirrup legs from clause 26.5.1.5, and 26.5.1.6 Length for cantilever beam should be least of 25b or .
of IS 456:2000[9]. d
B. RC COLUMNS
Asv 0.4
 (15) Following equations for the design of RC Columns have
bsv 0.87 f y been used in the form of VB syntax in MS Excel VBA
Where, macro.
Asv = total cross-sectional area of stirrup legs effective in 1. Effective cover is calculated from table 16 and 16A of IS
456:2000[9], and based on Maximum Diameter of Bar to be
shear,
used.
sv = stirrup spacing along the length of the member, Dai.ofbar
Eff .cov er  clear.cov er  (20)
b = breadth of the beam or breadth of web of flanged beam, 2
and
f y = characteristic strength of the stirrup reinforcement in 2. Effective length is calculated for fixed columns from
N/mm2 which shall not be taken greater than 415 N/mm2. Table 28 of IS 456:2000[9].
20. When member is designed for torsion, transverse 3. Slenderness ratio is calculated from Short and Slender
reinforcement for torsion in the form of rectangular stirrups (long) column from clause 25.1.2 of IS 456:2000[9].
provided perpendicular to axis of member from clause lex lez
,  12 (21)
26.5.1.7 (a) of IS 456:2000[9]. D b
21. 4. If column is slender then additional moments are
x y calculated from clause 39.7.1 of IS 456:2000[9].
Sv  1 1 or 300mm (16) 5.
4
2
Where, Pu D  lex 
M ax    (22)
x1, y1 = Short and Long dimensions of stirrup. 2000  D 
22. Check for deflection have been calculated from clause P b l 
2

23.2.1, Fig. 4 and fig. 5 of IS 456:2000[9], and M az  u  ez  (23)

2000  b 
multiplication factor is calculated from clause 22.2 of SP-24
[11]. Where,
 Multiplication factor for tensile reinforcement (MFt). Pu = axial Load on the member,
lex = effective length in respect of the major axis,
1
MFt  lez = effective length in respect of the minor axis,
  pt ,req.    1 
0.225   0.00322  f s     0.625log10 
  p  pt ,prov. 
  t ,prov.   
(17)
Where,

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 Analysis and Design of Reinforced Concrete Beams and Columns using open STAAD

D = depth of cross-section at rightangles to the major axis, Pu

and (35)
f ck bd
b = width of the member.
M u ax
6. Axial load carried by the assumed section and (36)
reinforcement, is calculated from clause 39.6 of IS f ck bd 2
456:2000[9]. M u az
(37)
f ck bd 2
Puz  0.45 fck .Ac  0.75 f y .Asc (24) 13. Design check has been obtained on the basis of
7. Modification factor for slender compression member is moments due to design loads and, moment capacity due to
calculated from Table 60 of SP-16 [9]. axial load and biaxial bending from clause 39.6 of IS
456:2000[9].refer (38)
n n
 p   M ux   M uz 
Pb x   k1  k2  f ck bD (25)      1.0 (38)
 f ck   M ux1   M uz1 
 p  Where,
Pb z   k1  k2  f ck bD (26) M ux , M uz = moments about x and y axes due to design
 f ck 
loads,
Puz  Pu
kx  1 (27) M ux1 , M uz2 = maximum uniaxial moment capacity for an
Puz  Pb x
axial load of Pu bending moment about x and z axes
P  Pu
kz  uz 1 (28) respectively, and  n is related to Pu / Pu z , Where,
Puz  Pb z
Where,
Pu z  0.45 fck Ac  0.75 f y Asc (39)
Pbx , Pbz = axial Load about major and minor axis,
k1 , k2 = multiplying factors,
For values of Pu / Pu z  0.2to0.8 , the values of  n vary
p = percentage of reinforcement provided,
linearly from 1.0 to 2.0. For values less than 0.2,  n is 1.0;
Puz = axial Load resisted by adopted section and
for values greater than 0.8,  n is 2.0.
reinforcement, and
14. Pitch and diameter for lateral ties is calculated from
kx , kz = multiplying factors about major and minor axis.
clause 26.5.3.2(c) of IS 456:2000[9].
8. Correction is applied to additional moment calculated in 15. Development length of bar is calculated from clause
step (4) with multiplication factors kx , kz . 26.2.1 of IS 456:2000[9].
9. Minimum eccentricity about major and minor axis is
calculated from clause 25.4 of IS 456:2000[9].  s
Ld  (40)
4 bd
lex D
emin .x    20mm (29)
500 30 Following cases obtained from clause 3.2.3 of SP-16 have
l b been used to plot interaction charts in MS Excel.
emin .z  ez   20mm (30)
500 30
1. When the neutral axis lies outside the section.
n
Pu pi
10. Moment due to minimum eccentricity is calculated  C1    fsi  f ci  (41)
f ck bD i 1 100 f ck
from clause 3.4 of SP-16 [9].
 fsi  fci   i 
n
Mu pi y
 C1  0.5  C2    (42)
M ex  Pu emin.x (31) f ck bD 2
i 1 100 f ck D
M ez  Pu emin.z (32)
2. When the neutral axis lies within the section.
n
Pu pi
 0.36k    fsi  fci 
11. Actual corrected moment > corrected additional
(43)
moment and moment due to minimum eccentricity, is f ck bD i 1 100 f ck
considered for total design moment for which the column is
 fsi  f ci   i 
n
Mu pi y
to be designed.
2
 0.36 k  0.5  0.416 k    D
M ux  M e min.x  M x (33) f ck bD i 1 100 f ck

M uz  M e min.z  M z (34) (44)

xu
12. Design parameters are interpolated from interaction k
charts for Pu vs Mux and Pu vs Muz based on clause 3.2.3 of D
SP-16 [9]. (45)
Where,

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 International Journal of Soft Computing and Engineering (IJSCE)
ISSN: 2231-2307, Volume-7 Issue-3, July 2017

C1 = coefficient for the area of stress block to be taken 14. Guy Hart-Davis, “Mastering VBA,” 2nd edition, WILEY dreamtech,
2006.
from Table H (SP-16 clause 3.2.2), 15. Website:http://www.civilnstructural.com/soft-tools/(OpenSTAAD
learning videos).
Asi
pi = where Asi is the area of reinforcement in the ith 16. Website: https://www.excelcampus.com/ (MS Excel VBA coding_
bD language).
row,
f si = stress in ith row of reinforcement, compression being AUTHORS PROFILE
positive and tension being negative; Dr. R. J. Fernandes is currently working as an Assistant Professor in
SDM College of Engineering and Technology, Dharwad. He has done PhD
f ci = stress in concrete at the level of ith row of and M. Tech industrial structures from NITK, Surathkal and BE Civil
Engineering from BVBCET, Hubballi. His main area of research is
reinforcement; Laminated Composites, Finite Element Method, and Structural
n = number of rows of reinforcement. Optimization.
C2 D = distance of the centroid of the concrete stress
Furqan Ahmed Javali is currently pursuing B.E Civil Engineering
block, measured from the highly compressed edge, from SDM College of Engineering and Technology, Dharwad.
yi = distance from the centroid of the section to the ith
Somesh Patil is currently pursuing B.E Civil Engineering from SDM
row of reinforcement; positive towards the highly College of Engineering and Technology, Dharwad.
compressed edge and negative towards the least compressed
edge.

V. CONCLUSION
The objective for automation of Design of R C Beams
and Columns using MS Excel and Open STAAD have been
accomplished. The above Analysis and Design problem has
been verified with standard Text Books. It reduces time, as
compare to manual calculation for Design of Beam and
column elements of a large project.
In future automation of the design processes for RC
elements and optimization of RC elements can be carried
out. The reactions retrieved from Open STAAD to MS
Excel will be useful in advanced foundation design.

REFERENCES
1. Jonathan Meyer, “SCR Pile Cap Foundation Design Using STAAD
v8i & Excel,” Structures Congress 2011, pp. 2485-2495, April 2012
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PSA as a Free Structural Analysis Software,” Bonfring International Fig. 1: Selected Beams in STAAD Pro for the design
Journal of Man Machine Interface, Vol. 4, Special Issue, July 2016
3. P.Mujumdar and J. U. Maheswari, “Integrated Framework for
Automating the Structural Design Iteration,” Proceedings of the
International Symposium on Automation and Robotics in
Construction, 2015
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9. IS 456:2000, “Indian standard code of practice for plain and
reinforced concrete – code of practice,” Bureau of Indian Standards,
New Delhi, 2000.
10. SP 16-1980, “Design aids for reinforced concrete to IS 456-1978,”
Bureau of Indian Standards, New Delhi, 1980.
11. SP 24-1983, “Explanatory Handbook on Indian standard code of
practice for plain and reinforced concrete (IS 456-1978),” Bureau of
Indian Standards, New Delhi, 1983.
12. IS 875(Part 1)-1987, “Design Loads (Other than Earthquake) For Fig. 2: Selected Columns in STAAD Pro for the design
Buildings and Structures,” Bureau of Indian Standards, New Delhi,
1987.
13. IS 875(Part 2)-1987, “Design Loads (Other than Earthquake) For
Buildings and Structures,” Bureau of Indian Standards, New Delhi,
1987.

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 Analysis and Design of Reinforced Concrete Beams and Columns using open STAAD

Fig. 3: Beam forces obtained from STAAD Pro to MS Excel

Fig. 4: Reactions for columns obtained from STAAD Pro to MS Excel

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