ETABS Column or pier

[misteryCo]

Hello, i'm glad that there is such a helpfull forum.

I have folwing question -

have you ever model a column with shell elements. And if you did it when you model it as frame and when as pier(shell elements) based on the column size. Usualy my choice is based on column size if depth by width is more then 4 i use shell modeled column.

 

[amae36]

Hi
I medel a truss stracture in my 3D modeler and make an analysis for define load factor and FOS in this stractuer,in FE analazer if u decide to obtain base Stractural force and moment diagrams u must use the higher grade of elements such as the beem elements in this type of elements the analyzer can calculate the axil forces and its reactions, moment and shear bending diagram, but if u want to solve plane stress or fatique in stracture members u must use lower grade of elements such as cylendrical, shell or solid elements. my FE analyzer in this case is in mechanical category but i try to verify my results by Etabs, i think Etabs use the same way to this type of analysis bcos when i model the truss as a frame i cant get the stress plots and only deflection & shear & moment diagrams ar avalible, some of this study is published in my own weblog u can see both type of this meshing method in the pics that i put them in this blog:

http://www.mechanicalmates.persianblog.ir

http://mechanicalmates.persianblog.ir/page/truss