ETABS V20 Black Book

By Gaurav Verma

The ETABS V20 Black Book, the 4th edition of our book on ETABS, is written to help beginners learn the basics of ETABS structure modeling and analysis. The book is based on ETABS V20.1 software. The book follows a step-by-step methodology. This book explains the designing of structure, assigning various properties to structure, applying different load conditions, and performing analyses. The book covers almost all the information required by a learner to master basics of ETABS. Some of the salient features of this book are:

 

In-Depth explanation of concepts

Every new topic of this book starts with the explanation of the basic concepts. In this way, the user becomes capable of relating the things with real world.

 

Topics Covered

Every chapter starts with a list of topics being covered in that chapter. In this way, the user can easily find the topic of his/her interest easily.

 

Instruction through illustration

The instructions to perform any action are provided by maximum number of illustrations so that the user can perform the actions discussed in the book easily and effectively. There are about 580 illustrations that make the learning process effective.

 

Tutorial point of view

The book explains the concepts through the tutorial to make the understanding of users firm and long lasting. Each chapter of the book has tutorials that are real world projects.

 

Project

Projects and exercises are provided to students for practicing.

 

For Faculty

If you are a faculty member, then you can ask for video tutorials on any of the topic, exercise, tutorial, or concept. As faculty, you can register on our website to get electronic desk copies of our latest books. Faculty resources are available in the Faculty Member page of our website once you login. Note that faculty registration approval is manual and it may take two days for approval before you can access the faculty website.

• Language: English
• Publisher: CADCAMCAE Works
• Release date: Sep 17, 2022
• ISBN: 9798215884829

Gaurav Verma

Gaurav Verma is currently a Full Professor at the Panjab University, Chandigarh, India (Dr. SS Bhatnagar University Institute of Chemical Engineering and Technology, and Adjunct Faculty at the Department of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology). He is a former CV Raman Post-Doctoral fellow from the Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA. His research focuses on the areas of applied nanoscience and nanostructured materials.

Book preview

ETABS_V20_Cover_BW.jpg

ETABS V20 Black Book

By

Gaurav Verma

(CADCAMCAE Works)

Edited by

Kristen

Published by CADCAMCAE WORKS, USA. Copyright © 2022. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or distributed in any form or by any means, or stored in the database or retrieval system without the prior permission of CADCAMCAE WORKS. To get the permissions, contact at [e-mail] or [e-mail]

NOTICE TO THE READER

Publisher does not warrant or guarantee any of the products described in the text or perform any independent analysis in connection with any of the product information contained in the text. Publisher does not assume, and expressly disclaims, any obligation to obtain and include information other than that provided to it by the manufacturer.

The reader is expressly warned to consider and adopt all safety precautions that might be indicated by the activities herein and to avoid all potential hazards. By following the instructions contained herein, the reader willingly assumes all risks in connection with such instructions.

The publisher makes no representation or warranties of any kind, including but not limited to, the warranties of fitness for a particular purpose or merchantability, nor are any such representations implied with respect to the material set forth herein, and the publisher takes no responsibility with respect to such material. The publisher shall not be liable for any special, consequential, or exemplary damages resulting, in whole or part, from the reader’s use of, or reliance upon, this material.

DEDICATION

To teachers, who make it possible to disseminate knowledge

to enlighten the young and curious minds

of our future generations

To students, who are the future of the world

THANKS

To my friends and colleagues

To my family for their love and support

Table of Contents

Preface xi

About Author xiii

Chapter 1 : Starting with ETABS

Introduction 1-2

Downloading and Installing ETABS V20 Evaluation 1-2

Starting ETABS 1-3

Starting a New Model 1-5

Grid Dimensions 1-6

Story Dimensions 1-7

Add Structural Objects 1-8

User Interface of ETABS 1-17

Menu bar 1-17

Toolbar 1-17

Status Bar 1-17

Current Working Plane 1-17

Story drop-down 1-18

Grid System drop-down 1-18

Units 1-18

Model Explorer 1-18

Model Tab 1-18

Display Tab 1-22

Tables Tab 1-23

Reports Tab 1-24

File Menu 1-25

Creating a New Model 1-25

Opening a Model File 1-25

Closing a Model File 1-26

Saving a File 1-26

Importing Files/Data 1-27

Exporting Files 1-33

Upload to CSI Cloud 1-34

Creating Video of Analysis 1-35

Printing Graphics 1-36

Generating Reports 1-39

Capturing Picture 1-41

Checking the Project Information 1-42

Chapter 2 : Starting a Project in ETABS

Introduction 2-2

Workflow in ETABS 2-2

Modifying Grid 2-2

Setting Grid Options 2-2

Editing Stories and Grid System 2-3

Drawing Joint Objects 2-3

Adding Grid Lines at Selected Joints 2-4

Drawing Grid Lines Manually 2-5

Snap Options 2-6

Modifying Snap Options 2-6

Drawing with Snap Only 2-7

Drawing Beams/Columns/Brace Objects 2-7

Drawing Beams/Columns/Braces in Plan, Elev, and 3D 2-8

Quick Draw Beams/Columns (Plan, Elev, 3D) 2-10

Quick Draw Secondary Beams (Plan, 3D) 2-10

Quick Draw Braces (Plan, Elev, 3D) 2-10

Drawing Floor and Wall Objects 2-11

Draw Floor/Wall (Plan, Elev, 3D) Tool 2-11

Draw Rectangular Floor/Wall (Plan, Elev) Tool 2-12

Quick Draw Floor/Wall (Plan, Elev) Tool 2-13

Quick Draw Area Around Point (Plan) Tool 2-14

Importing User Mesh as Shell Object 2-14

Draw Walls (Plan) Tool 2-16

Quick Draw Walls (Plan) Tool 2-17

Creating Wall Opening 2-17

Drawing Links 2-18

Drawing Tendons 2-18

Drawing Slab Rebar 2-19

Drawing Slab Panels 2-19

Drawing Support Lines 2-20

Drawing Design Strips 2-20

Drawing Dimension Lines 2-21

Drawing Reference Points 2-22

Setting Views in Viewports 2-22

Setting 3D View 2-22

Setting Plan View 2-22

Setting Elevation View 2-23

Drawing Reference Planes 2-24

Draw Developed Elevation Definition 2-24

Drawing Wall Stack 2-26

Auto Draw Cladding 2-27

Drawing Strain Gauges 2-28

Creating Working Planes 2-29

Chapter 3 : Section Properties and Material

Introduction 3-2

Defining Material Properties 3-2

Adding New Material 3-2

Defining Section Properties 3-6

Defining Frame Sections 3-6

Section Designer 3-15

Activating Snaps 3-15

Creating Reference Geometries 3-17

Drawing Shapes 3-18

Checking Properties of Section 3-21

Defining Tendon Sections 3-24

Adding a New Tendon Property 3-25

Adding Copy of a Tendon Property 3-25

Modifying a Tendon Property 3-25

Deleting a Tendon Property 3-25

Defining Slab Sections 3-25

Defining Deck Sections 3-28

Defining Wall Section 3-29

Defining Reinforcing Bar Sizes 3-29

Defining Link/Support Properties 3-30

Linear Link Type 3-32

Damper - Exponential Link Type 3-33

Damper - Bilinear Link Type 3-35

Damper - Friction Spring Link Type 3-36

Gap Link Type 3-37

Defining Frame/Wall Hinge Properties 3-38

Defining Panel Zone 3-40

Defining Springs Properties 3-41

Defining Point Spring Properties 3-41

Defining Line Spring and Area Spring Properties 3-43

Soil Profile 3-43

Properties of Isolated Column Footing 3-44

Diaphragms Properties 3-45

Pier Labels and Spandrel Labels 3-46

Creating Groups 3-47

Defining Section Cut Properties 3-47

Defining Properties of Strain Gauges 3-49

Defining Line Gauge Properties 3-49

Defining Quad Gauge Properties 3-50

Chapter 4 : Assigning Properties and Applying Loads

Introduction 4-2

Assigning Properties to Joints 4-2

Assigning Restraint Joint Properties 4-2

Assigning Spring Joint Properties 4-3

Assigning Diaphragms Joint Properties 4-4

Assigning Panel Zone Properties to Joints 4-4

Assigning Additional Mass to Selected Joints 4-5

Setting Joint Floor Meshing Options 4-6

Assigning Frame Properties 4-6

Assigning Section Properties 4-7

Assigning Property Modifier to Frame 4-8

Releasing or Partially Fixing Ends of Frame Members 4-8

Assigning End Length Offset 4-9

Assigning Insertion Points for Frame Members 4-10

Assigning Local Axes 4-12

Assigning Output Stations 4-13

Assigning Tension/Compression Limits 4-13

Assigning Hinges 4-14

Assigning Hinge Overwrites 4-15

Assigning Line Spring 4-16

Assigning Additional Mass to Frame Members 4-17

Assigning Pier Labels 4-17

Frame Auto Mesh Options 4-18

Defining Moment Connections of Frame Beams 4-18

Assigning Column Splice Overwrites 4-19

Assigning Nonprismatic Property Parameters 4-20

Assigning Material Overwrites 4-20

Assigning Column/Brace Rebar Ratio for Creep Analysis 4-21

Assigning Floor Cracking 4-21

Assigning Shell Properties 4-21

Assigning Slab Section 4-22

Assigning Deck Section Properties 4-23

Assigning Wall Section 4-23

Assigning Openings 4-24

Assigning Stiffness Modifiers 4-24

Assigning Thickness Overwrites 4-25

Assigning Insertion Point to Shell Objects 4-25

Assigning Diaphragms to Shell Objects 4-27

Assigning Edge Releases 4-27

Assigning Line Releases 4-28

Assigning Rib Locations 4-29

Assigning Local Axes 4-29

Assigning Area Springs 4-30

Assigning Additional Mass to Shell Objects 4-30

Assigning Shell Hinge Data 4-31

Applying Reinforcement for Wall Hinge 4-31

Defining Floor Auto Mesh Options 4-32

Defining Wall Auto Mesh Options 4-34

Defining Auto Edge Constraints 4-35

Assigning Link Properties 4-36

Assigning Link Properties 4-36

Orienting Local Axes for the Links 4-36

Assigning Properties to Tendons 4-37

Assigning Joint Loads 4-37

Applying Force at the Joint 4-38

Applying Ground Displacement at the Joints 4-39

Assigning Temperature to Joints 4-39

Assigning Frame Loads 4-40

Assigning Point load on Frame Members 4-40

Assigning Distributed Load on Frame Members 4-41

Assigning Temperature to Selected Frame Members 4-42

Assigning Open Structure Wind to Frame Members 4-42

Assigning Shell Loads 4-43

Assigning Uniform Load Sets 4-43

Assigning Uniform Shell Load 4-45

Assigning Non-uniform Load to Shell Objects 4-45

Applying Temperature to Shell Objects 4-46

Assigning Loads to Tendons 4-46

Assigning Tendon Loads 4-47

Assigning Tendon Losses 4-47

Assigning Gauge Properties 4-48

Assigning Line Gauge Property 4-49

Assigning Line Gauge Local Axes 4-49

Assigning Pier Force Acceptance Criteria 4-49

Assigning Objects to Groups 4-50

Copying and Pasting Assigns 4-51

Chapter 5 : Creating Load Cases and Performing Analysis

Introduction 5-2

Defining Load Patterns 5-2

Modifying Lateral load of wind 5-3

Setting Load Cases 5-6

Creating Linear Static Load Case 5-7

Creating Nonlinear Static Load Case 5-8

Creating Nonlinear Staged Construction Load Case 5-11

Creating Modal Load Case 5-13

Creating Response Spectrum Load Case 5-14

Creating Time History Load Case 5-16

Creating Buckling Load Case 5-20

Creating Hyperstatic Load Case 5-21

Setting Load Combinations 5-22

Adding New Combination 5-22

Adding Default Design Combinations in the List 5-23

Converting Combination to Nonlinear Case 5-24

Creating Auto Construction Sequence Load Case 5-24

Creating Walking Vibrations 5-25

Checking Model for Analysis 5-27

Setting Degree of Freedom for Analysis 5-28

Setting Load Cases to Run Analysis 5-28

Setting SAPFire Solver Options 5-29

Automatic Mesh Settings for Floors 5-31

Setting Mesh Size for Walls 5-31

Setting Hinges for Analysis Model 5-32

Cracking Analysis Options 5-32

Running the Analysis 5-33

Applying Model Alive 5-34

Modifying Undeformed Geometry 5-34

Checking Analysis Log 5-35

Unlocking model 5-35

Display Options 5-35

Undeformed Shape 5-35

Load Assigns 5-36

Deformed Shape 5-36

Force/Stress Diagrams 5-36

Display Performance Check 5-40

Energy/Virtual Work Diagram 5-40

Cumulative Energy Components 5-41

Story Response Plots 5-42

Combined Story Response Plots 5-42

Plot Functions 5-43

Saving Named Display 5-44

Showing Named Display 5-44

Showing Data Tables 5-45

Chapter 6 : Running Design Study

Introduction 6-2

Steel Frame Design 6-2

Steel Frame Preferences 6-2

View/Revise Overwrite for Steel Frame Sections 6-4

Setting Lateral Brace Parameters 6-5

Selecting Design Group 6-7

Selecting Design Combinations 6-7

Performing Design Check 6-8

Stress Information of Structural members 6-9

Interactive Design View 6-11

Display Design Info 6-11

Removing Auto Select Sections 6-12

Changing Steel Frame Sections 6-12

Resetting the Design Sections to Previous Analysis Values 6-13

Verifying Analysis V/s Design Section 6-13

Verifying All Members according to Analysis Parameters 6-13

Resetting All Overwrites 6-14

Deleting Design Results 6-14

Concrete Frame Design 6-14

Composite Beam Design, Composite Column Design,

and Steel Joist Design 6-15

Overwrite Frame Design Procedure 6-15

Shear Wall Design and Concrete Slab Design 6-16

Live Load Reduction Factors 6-17

Setting Lateral Displacement Targets 6-19

Setting Time Period Targets 6-20

Detailing 6-21

Defining Rebar Selection Rules 6-21

Calculating Rebars for Detailing 6-23

Options 6-24

Setting Display Units 6-24

Database Management 6-25

Setting Tolerances 6-27

Arranging Windows 6-28

Graphics Preferences 6-28

Architectural Plan Options 6-29

Setting Graphics Colors 6-29

Setting Graphics Mode 6-30

Allowing Multiple Towers 6-30

Creating Tower Property 6-31

Assigning Objects to Towers 6-33

Displaying/Hiding Start Page 6-33

Showing Value at Cursor for Assign/Design 6-34

Showing Bounding Plane 6-34

Displaying Architectural Dimensioning 6-34

Moment Diagrams on Tension Side 6-34

Playing/Stopping Animation Sound 6-34

Defining Auto Save Time for Model 6-34

Saving and Resetting User Default Settings 6-35

Customizing Toolbars 6-35

Showing/hiding Crosshairs 6-36

Showing/hiding Model Explorer 6-36

Chapter 7 : Project

Project 1 7-2

Designing Tall Buildings 7-19

Lateral Stability Systems in Tall Buildings 7-19

General Loads on Tall Buildings 7-20

Key Points for Tall building Design 7-21

Project 2 : Tall Building Design 7-22

Chapter 8 : Editing and Advanced Structure Design

Introduction 8-2

Undo-Redo Tools 8-2

Cut-Copy-Paste 8-2

Deleting Objects 8-3

Adding Structures to Model 8-3

Adding 2D Structure 8-3

Adding 3D Structure 8-4

Replicating Objects 8-5

Creating Linear Pattern 8-6

Creating Radial Pattern 8-7

Creating Mirror Copy 8-8

Replicating Objects to a Story 8-9

Extruding Joints to Frames 8-10

Linear Extrusion 8-10

Radial Extrusion 8-11

Extruding Frames to Shells 8-11

Merging Nearby Joints 8-12

Aligning Joints/Frames/Edges 8-13

Moving Joints/Frames/Shells 8-15

Frame Editing Tools 8-15

Dividing Frames 8-15

Joining Frames 8-17

Reversing Frame Connectivity 8-17

Modifying/Showing Frame Type 8-17

Editing Shell Objects 8-18

Dividing Shells 8-18

Merging Shells 8-19

Expanding/Shrinking Shell Objects 8-20

Splitting Shell Edges 8-21

Removing Joints from Shell Objects 8-21

Chamfering Slab Corners 8-21

Advanced Structure Design 8-22

Creating Twisting building structures with Cylindrical Grid 8-22

Creating Tapered Building 8-31

Preface

ETABS is the ultimate integrated software package for the structural analysis and design of buildings. Incorporating 40 years of continuous research and development, this latest ETABS offers unmatched 3D object based modeling and visualization tools, blazingly fast linear and nonlinear analytical power, sophisticated and comprehensive design capabilities for a wide-range of materials, and insightful graphic displays, reports, and schematic drawings that allow users to quickly and easily decipher and understand analysis and design results.

The ETABS V20 Black Book, the 4th edition of our book on ETABS, is written to help beginners learn the basics of ETABS structure modeling and analysis. The book is based on ETABS V20.1 software. The book follows a step by step methodology. This book explains the designing of structure, assigning various properties to structure, applying different load conditions, and performing analyses. The book covers almost all the information required by a learner to master basics of ETABS. Some of the salient features of this book are:

In-Depth explanation of concepts

Every new topic of this book starts with the explanation of the basic concepts. In this way, the user becomes capable of relating the things with real world.

Topics Covered

Every chapter starts with a list of topics being covered in that chapter. In this way, the user can easy find the topic of his/her interest easily.

Instruction through illustration

The instructions to perform any action are provided by maximum number of illustrations so that the user can perform the actions discussed in the book easily and effectively. There are about 580 illustrations that make the learning process effective.

Tutorial point of view

The book explains the concepts through the tutorial to make the understanding of users firm and long lasting. Each chapter of the book has tutorials that are real world projects.

Project

Projects and exercises are provided to students for practicing.

For Faculty

If you are a faculty member, then you can ask for video tutorials on any of the topic, exercise, tutorial, or concept. As faculty, you can register on our website to get electronic desk copies of our latest books. Faculty resources are available in the Faculty Member page of our website (www.cadcamcaeworks.com) once you login. Note that faculty registration approval is manual and it may take two days for approval before you can access the faculty website.

Formatting Conventions Used in the Text

All the key terms like name of button, tool, drop-down etc. are kept bold.

Free Resources

Link to the resources used in this book are provided to the users via email. To get the resources, mail us at [e-mail] or [e-mail] with your contact information. With your contact record with us, you will be provided latest updates and informations regarding various technologies. The format to write us e-mail for resources is as follows:

Subject of E-mail as Application for resources of ........... Black Book.

You can give your information below to get updates on the book.

Name:

Course pursuing/Profession:

Contact Address:

E-mail ID:

For Any query or suggestion

If you have any query or suggestion, please let us know by mailing us on [e-mail] or [e-mail]. Your valuable constructive suggestions will be incorporated in our books and your name will be addressed in special thanks area of our books.

About Author

The author of this book, Gaurav Verma, has authored many books on CAD/CAM/CAE topics. He has authored books on Autodesk Revit, Autodesk Fusion 360, Autodesk Inventor, SolidWorks, SolidWorks Simulation, SolidWorks Flow Simulation, SolidWorks CAM, SolidWorks Electrical, AutoCAD Electrical, Creo Parametric, Mastercam, MasterCAM for SolidWorks and many other CAD, CAM, and CAE topics. If you have query/doubt in any CAD/CAM/CAE package, then you can directly contact the author by writing at [e-mail].

Chapter 1

Starting with ETABS

The major topics covered in this chapter are:

•Introduction

•Downloading and Installing Educational ETABS

•Starting ETABS

•Creating a New Model

•Steel Design and Concrete Design Codes

•User Interface of ETABS

•Opening a document

•Closing documents

•Basic Settings for ETABS

Introduction

ETABS is a 3D Modeling and analysis software used to prepare and analyze the building models for real load conditions as per the building design codes. ETABS is capable of performing simple as well as largest & complex non-linear problems of multi-storey. Following are some of the tasks that can be performed easily with the help of ETABS:

•Multi-story commercial, government and health care facilities

•Parking garages with circular and linear ramps

•Buildings with curved beams, walls and floor edges

•Buildings with steel, concrete, composite or joist floor framing

•Projects with multiple towers

•Complex shear walls and cores with arbitrary openings

•Performance based design utilizing nonlinear dynamic analyses

•Buildings based on multiple rectangular and/or cylindrical grid systems

•Flat and waffle slab concrete buildings

•Buildings subjected to any number of vertical and lateral load cases and combinations, including automated wind and seismic loads

•Multiple response spectrum load cases, with built-in input curves

•Automated transfer of vertical loads on floors to beams and walls

•Capacity check of beam-to-column and beam-to-beam steel connections

•P-Delta analysis with static or dynamic analysis

•Explicit panel-zone deformations

•Punching shear checks for concrete slabs

•Construction sequence loading analysis

•Multiple linear and nonlinear time history load cases in any direction

•Foundation/support settlement

•Large displacement analyses

•Nonlinear static pushover

•Buildings with base isolators and dampers

•Design optimization for steel and concrete frames

•Design of concrete slabs using mild reinforcement and post-tensioning

•Design capacity check of steel column base plates

•Floor modeling with rigid or semi-rigid diaphragms

•Automated vertical live load reductions

In this book, we are going to discuss most of these tasks and many others. Now, we will start with downloading and installing ETABS V20 evaluation version and then we will discuss the user interface of the software.

Downloading and Installing ETABS V20 Evaluation

The procedure to download and install ETABS V20 (Evaluation) is given next.

•Open the link https://www.csiamerica.com/products/etabs/trial in your web browser. The CSI Software Download page will be displayed; refer to Figure-1.

•Enter your contact information in the form and click on the SUBMIT button. An e-mail will be sent to your provided e-mail id.

•Click on the Click to Download link in the e-mail. An executive file will start downloading. Once the file has downloaded, click on it to run and input the Trial Activation key sent via E-mail when asked.

•Follow the instructions and the software will get installed. Note that there are some restrictions on the uses of evaluation version of the software. If you want to work on live projects then you should buy the professional version of ETABS.

Starting ETABS

•Click on the Start button in Windows 10 and type ETABS. List of the programs with the typed characters will be displayed; refer to Figure-2.

•Click on the ETABS 20 option from the menu. The user interface of ETABS will be displayed; refer to Figure-3.

Starting a New Model

•Click on the New Model button from the Toolbar or New Model option from the File menu or press CTRL+N from the keyboard. The Model Initialization dialog box will be displayed; refer to Figure-4.

•Select the Use Saved User Default Settings option if you want to use the default set options saved by you like units, preferences etc. Note that these options are set by using Save User Default Settings option in the Options menu. We will discuss more about these options later in the book.

•Select the Use Settings from a Model File radio button to use setting specified in earlier created model file of ETABS.

•Select the Use Built-in Settings With radio button if you want to manually specify the settings related to units, steel database, design codes etc. The option below the radio button will become active on selecting this radio button. Select desired parameters in the drop-downs. Details of different drop-downs are given next.

Display Units : The options in this drop-down are used to set units required for various parameters of the model like length, area, angle, temperature, and so on.

Region for Default Materials : The options in this drop-down are used to define the country for which you want to create the model. Note that default material will be applied to model based on selected option.

Steel Section Database : The options in this drop-down are used to select desired steel section for use in structural drawing. There are various steel section database codes depending on the country you are in. Like AISC 14, AISC 14M, and so on. More information about these codes can be accessed from related database.

Steel Design Code : The options in this drop-down are used to select the design code for steel as per the requirement.

Concrete Design Code : The options in this drop-down are used to set desired concrete design code. This code is used to define concrete frame design, shear wall design, and so on.

•Click on the OK button from the dialog box to start a new model. The New Model Quick Templates dialog box will be displayed; refer to Figure-5.