Can I model and analyze a multi-sto

[Amogh Deshpande]

Can I model and analyze a multi-storey timber building in ETABS? From where can I get the proper timber material properties? Since the building has no steel or concrete will it be able to sustain lateral and gravity loads? and what all thinkgs should be changed in the section properties

 

[BulbTheBuilder]

Can I model and analyze a multi-storey timber building

Yes, you have to update the material properties. Where to get them, I can't tell you. It varies from the kind of timber being used.

Since the building has no steel or concrete will it be able to sustain lateral and gravity loads?

If analyzed and designed appropriately, yes. I am not a timber expert but talk to someone with experience in timber design

The question is, can you design timber in ETABS? That I can't say. Unless they have a new timber module designer I don't know of

 

[JoshPlumSE]

Huh.... I thought I responded to this awhile ago. I guess not.

Timber structures are kinda challenging to analyze (with ETABS or any other software). Beams and columns are easy with many programs (I've used RISA). I've done wood trusses in ETABS, and it was pretty easy. But, that's just analysis. Once I got the proper forces, I did a hand calc per the NDS to check the capacity of the truss members. The most challenging part is making sure I had the right material properties for my analysis and my code check.

That being said, wood walls are (IMO) a much more difficult challenge. That's true for both gravity and shear. My tendency is to include only the lateral resisting system in wood multi-story models for my analysis. I'd create a orthotropic wall where the vertical stiffness was based off the properties of the wall studs and the shear properties were based off of the sheathing and nailing. It's a surprising amount of work.

I'd be interested in knowing what other people do. I know RISA-3D / RISAFloor has attempted to do a better job with these types of wood structures. But, I suspect that most people have in house spreadsheets or such to help them navigate this type of design for the project they normally work on.