Alternative Methods to Extracting Loads for Foundation Design

[generick]

Hello guys,

My coworker and I had a discussion about alternative methods of extracting loads for our foundation design. My approach was to mesh my model at 1 ft and go through each elevation checking for a max value for each respective load cases. My coworker's approach was to mesh his walls into 1 foot strips so he could select all the joints at the base level and plot it in a table with their respective load cases/combinations. I am just curious if there is a less time-intensive way as to designing foundations with loads taken from ETABS?

Thanks

 

[sticksandtriangles]

Do you have SAFE (CSI's concrete design software)? You can somewhat easily export your reactions from ETABs to SAFE.

S&T -

http://www.re-tug.com

 

[generick]

Hi @sticksnadtriangles

We have SAFE, however I haven't had too much experience with the program yet. Normally we'd take the ASD loads and enter it into ENERCALC footing modules. That is definitely an option I could consider.

 

[rscassar]

Pier labelling is my preference for walls onto a raft foundation or pile cap. Either method will/should return the same global values for the wall group Fz, Mx, My & Mz (if these are the terms that you are concerned with). If a pile-cap foundation than you may want to include Fy and Fz for shear distribution to piles. Using the pier loads will give a smoothed reaction as you are extracting line loads instead of node loads.

 

[generick]

@rscassar

That is actually pretty interesting, I'm surprised I haven't looked at pier labelling as another alternative to load take-offs. Most of the foundations I have worked with have been simple strip & column footings.