In this concluding module, my objective is to create an advanced design assistant tailored specifically for structural engineers. This assistant will support engineers in generating structural framing system model and making crucial preliminary decisions related to material selection, grid subdivision, and determining the optimal number of floors to maximize project benefits as well as sustainability performance.
Intended users
The target audience for this design assistant comprises practicing structural engineers who often find themselves juggling multiple projects simultaneously. These professionals require quick estimates and preliminary designs for new buildings. By utilizing this assistant, engineers can efficiently provide multiple design solutions during discussions with project owners.
Need you’re trying to provide a solution or support for
Our design assistant aims to assist the engineers by generating design solutions for various materials and offering recommendations on the optimal number of spans and stories, eliminating the need for time-consuming hand calculations and extensive investigations. These suggestions will consider both the economic benefits and the environmental impact, specifically the carbon footprint, ensuring a comprehensive and sustainable approach to decision-making.
Inputs
The input mainly include the variables to flex and constants throughout the parametric design, e.g., geometry of the building and the local context, such as the construction cost, market value, etc.
Variables to flex
- Geometry of building to be designed
- Building height
- Size/shape of building in plan view (rectangle/ellipse/circle)
- Framing system layout
- Column positions (different for curved boundary buildings)
- Span spacing in both X and Y direction
- Number of secondary beams
- Inter-story height
- Structural elements to be placed
- Material (concrete/steel/timber)
- Cross-section properties (shape/dimensions)
Constants
- Local context variables (may differ depending on the material selection)
- Construction cost per SF
- Market value per SF
- Carbon footprint per SF
- Material unit weight per CF
Underlying logic of the model you’ll implement
The framing system of the building would be generated given the overall geometry, and the number of spans and stories. The framing elements would be assumed to be equally spanned in both x and y direction, and the gravity/lateral load is assumed to be uniformly distributed. The corresponding structure would be generated in Dynamo for visualization.
- Compute the structural total weight
- the maximum horizontal and vertical reaction forces in structural elements
- The maximum reaction forces would be calculated based on the sub-frame structures with maximum beam length based on structural engineering domain knowledge.
- Compute the net benefit
- The construction cost is calculated by multiplying the cost per area by the area, assuming uniform distribution from ground floor to the roof.
- The market value is calculated by multiplying the value per area by the area, assuming a parabolic distribution from ground floor to the roof.
- The net benefit is computed as market value - construction cost.
- The cost and value would differ depend on different materials selected.
- Compute the carbon footprint
- The carbon footprint would be estimated given the selected material.
Outputs
The outputs mainly include the structural model, economical analysis, structural performance, and the sustainability evaluator.
- Revit model of framing system
- Structural elements total weight
- Maximum reaction forces
- Net benefit (market value - construction)
- Carbon footprint