Pretty general question here... Can you narrow it down just a smidgen?
At this point, I would start with saying that you have to design for the vertical and horizontal loads of your associated building code, and get an extensive geotechnical report.
Get a good engineering education, then find a job with a structural engineering firm, learn from your mentors. There is no shortcut. Do not depend on software which you don't understand to design structures which you don't understand.
mssquare48: i am using staad, but i don't know what load combination i will use, will i will input unfactored load (Dead, Live, Wind/Earthquake)? or not? and will i will set the moment of inertia for column 0.7 and 0.35 for beam?
hokie66: Good points, thankz. In school we just learned in designing structural members with given loads, but in actual practice it is not. So i just want to learn some considerations in the analysis and designing.
hokie66's points are not only good, but to do less is dangerous.
We cannot design your building for you in a forum. Your questions are too broad to give an appropriate answer as we know none of your conditions and we do not know to which code you must adhere, since you have given no location.
There is no substitute for such direction and supervision coming from an experienced engineer in your office. Mentoring is a fundamental concept in the progress of engineer practice.....remember, your obligation as an engineer is to protect the health, safety and welfare of the public...not just serve your client's interest. Doing computations and putting lines on paper are just steps in the process that must be tempered by competent engineering judgment...developed through mentoring and experience.
