Share a brief overview of your proposed tool or solution (1 page max) that outlines the essentials of your plan. It should include:
Intended users
This tool is intended for architects, structural engineers, and students who need a quick preliminary structural framing design during the early stages of a project. The tool can help users evaluate different framing layouts before investing significant time in detailed structural modeling and calculations. It can also assist architects in understanding how structural decisions such as column spacing and beam spacing affect the overall efficiency, cost, and flexibility of a building.
Need you’re trying to provide a solution or support for
The preliminary design phase often involves many iterations between architects and structural engineers. Decisions regarding column spacing, beam spacing, and member sizing can significantly affect structural performance, construction cost, and usable floor space. However, evaluating multiple alternatives manually can be time-consuming. This tool aims to automate the generation and evaluation of structural framing alternatives, allowing users to quickly compare different layouts and identify efficient solutions early in the design process.
Inputs
- Building footprint dimensions
- Column spacing in X and Y directions
- Beam spacing
- Number of bays
- Floor live and dead loads
- Steel section types for beams, girders, and columns
- Material properties
- Deflection limits
- Building height
Underlying logic of the model you’ll implement
I am expanding my Generative Design Study from Module 7 into a structural framing optimization tool using Dynamo. The model will automatically generate structural framing layouts based on user-defined grid spacing and member selections. Dynamo will create the structural model, assign supports and loads, and perform structural analysis directly within the workflow.
Unlike the original study, which relied primarily on simplified calculations, this tool will utilize Dynamo’s structural analysis capabilities to evaluate the structural performance of each design alternative. The generated framing systems will be analyzed under gravity loads, and key structural responses such as beam deflection, bending moments, and support reactions will be extracted automatically.
Generative Design will then explore multiple combinations of column spacing, beam spacing, and member sizes to identify solutions that balance structural efficiency, cost, and architectural flexibility. The study will compare alternatives and highlight designs that satisfy performance requirements while minimizing material usage.
Outputs
- Maximum beam deflection
- Maximum bending moment
- Support reactions
- Total structural steel weight
- Number of structural members
- Approximate material cost
- Maximum open floor area between columns
- Deflection pass/fail status
- Recommended framing alternatives