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Procedia Engineering 31 (2012) 474 480

International Conference on Advances in Computational Modeling and Simulation

Study on High-rise Structure with Oblique Columns by

ETABS, SAP2000, MIDAS/GEN and SATWE
Kai Hua,b*, Yimeng Yang a, Suifeng Mua, Ge Qua
a

China Shipbuilding NRDI Engineering Co., LtdN0. 303 Wuning Road, Shanghai 200063China
b
Tongji UniversityN0.1239 Siping Road, Shanghai 200092China

Abstract
Facing a large number of new-type complex structural system and progressively consummate earthquake-resistant
theories, the conventional software can no longer meet the needs of calculation and analysis. Meanwhile, some
international finite element programs, such as ETABS, SAP2000, MIDAS/gen and SATWE, were updating
themselves but remained respective limitations. In this paper, response spectrum, time history and linking slab in-plan
stresses analysis were executed combined with a practical project by these programs, which were also compared
following the analysis results.

2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Selection and/or peer-review under responsibility of Kunming
University of Science and Technology Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
Keywords: out-of-codes high-rise building , response spectrum analysis, time history analysis,in-plane stress analysis;

1. Introduction
The level of high-rise buildings is an important indicatoU RI D FRXQWU\ RU FLW\V HFRQRPLF DQG
technological strength. With the continued development and progress of economy, technology and material
in recent years, pretty a few countries are conceived to design and built more and higher buildings. Due to
the large population and small per capita area, the needs of ultra high-rise buildings become much more
urgent. By the various architectural features and style, more and more complex high-rise buildings are
appearing.

* Corresponding author.Tel.: +86-13774210984

E-mail address: whocannet@163.com

1877-7058 2011 Published by Elsevier Ltd. Open access under CC BY-NC-ND license.
doi:10.1016/j.proeng.2012.01.1054

Kai Hu et al. / Procedia Engineering 31 (2012) 474 480

Meanwhile, China has two largest seismic belt in the world, circum-Pacific seismic belt and EuropeAsia seismic zone. China, a developing country with densely populated and low seismic capacity building,
in which the earthquake can be simply summarized as high frequency, wide distribution, high intensity and
shallow focal depth, was described as the world's most earthquake disaster area. And the earthquake has
just occurred in Wenchuan is so that we still remember now. Therefore, the seismic performance analysis
and research of building structures look more indispensable.
However, facing a large number of new, complex structure system and increasingly sophisticated
seismic performance requirements, many conventional design and analysis software cannot ever meet all
the needs. Meanwhile, a number of international design and analysis software, such as ETABS, SAP2000,
MIDAS/Gen and SATWE are constantly improving themselves, but remained respective limitations.
In this paper, response spectrum, time history and linking slab in-plan stresses analysis was executed
combined with a practical project, by the programs mentioned above, which were also compared following
the analysis results.
2. Project Overview and Calculation Models
The project is located in the Shanghai. The main structure is a 29-storey building, including 3 floors
underground and 26 floors above ground. In-situ reinforced concrete frame-core tube structure system was
used in this 115.4-metre-high building, with a 12-metre-high steel frame on the top, and the architectural
rendering is shown in Figure 1. According to the local codes [1], its seismic precautionary intensity is 7,
design earthquake group is Group I, basic acceleration of ground motion is 0.10g, site classification is
Class IV.

Fig. 1. Architectural Rendering

Fig. 2. Structural analytic models (a) ETABS; (b) SAP2000; (c) MIDAS

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Based on the local design guide [2], this building is identified as an out-of-code high-rise building, and
its structural irregularity can be proposed as follows:
(1) Unilateral oblique columns structure: Quite a lot of unilateral oblique columns exist from 1st to 19th
floor, on which the detailed regulations are still unavailable.
(2) Floor partial discontinuous: There is big opening on each floor from 2nd to 16th, and the opening size
along x-axis is greater than the half of the typical floor width.
(3) Torsional irregularity: The maximum displacement ratio and story drift ratio under Y-direction
frequent earthquake effect exceeded the limit value (1.2).
Therefore, ETABS, SAP2000, MIDAS/Gen and SATWE were used respectively to model, calculate
and analyze this building. The structural analytic models are shown in Figure 2.
3. Response Spectrum Analysis under Frequent Earthquake Effect
The first 60 modes were taken and combined by CQC method to calculate the structural seismic
response through elastic response spectrum method. While the effective mass participation factor is larger
than 90%, the reliability of the analysis results was improved. The main structural indicators calculated by
various program are listed in Table 1, the overturning moment ratio of columns is shown in Figure 3, and
the inter-story displacement angle is shown in Figure 4.
Table 1. Main structural indicators
Main structural
indicators

ETABS

Period(s)

T1

2.6535

T2
T3
T4
T3/T1
Overturning
moment (ratio)
of columns

SAP2000

SATWE

(0.83+0.17+0.00)

2.6384 (0.79+0.21+0.00)

2.7237 (0.85+0.15+0.00)

2.2572

(0.20+0.77+0.03)

2.3039 (0.26+0.74+0.00)

2.2533 (0.15+0.83+0.02)

2.0052

(0.01+0.16+0.83)

2.053 (0.05+0.95+0.00)

1.7964 (0.01+0.02+0.97)

0.88728 (0.68+0.32+0.00)

1.974 (0.00+0.01+0.99)

0.9188 (0.69+0.30+0.01)

0.76

0.78

0.66

T3/T2

0.89

0.89

0.8

946900 (32.10%)

1545632 (52.86%)

1347282 (57.91%)

592700 (24.80%)

1324125 (54.77%)

1353829 (51.80%)

(kN-m)

Fig. 3. Overturning moment ratio of columns (a) X Direction; (b) Y Direction

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Fig. 4. Inter-story displacement angle (a) X Direction; (b) Y Direction

According to Table 1, all the results calculated by different programs are basically similar. Meanwhile,
the periodic pattern of SAP2000 is slightly different with those of the other two programs. Thats because
that the T3 mode of SAP2000 is a local mode with very low participation, which needs to be paid attention
to tell out in future analysis by mode shape and mass participation factor.
Also, Table 1 and Figure 3 show that theres a big difference of FROXPQV overturning moment ratio
between ETABS and SAP2000, which is due to the missing statistic of oblique columns by ETABS.
And the Inter-story displacement angles under X and Y direction frequent earthquakes both meet the
code limited value as shown in Figure 4.
4. Elastic Time History Analysis under Frequent Earthquake Effect
In view of the irregularity of the structure, ETABS and MIDAS were used for the supplement
calculation to exam the structural performance under frequent earthquake by elastic time history analysis
method.
Considering seismic parameters, such as peak acceleration, spectral properties and duration time, three
artificial waves: SHW1 (artificial wave by response spectrum), SHW3 (fitting by natural wave El Centrol)
and SHW4 (fitting by natural wave Taft) were selected to be input along the X and Y direction respectively.
The peak seismic acceleration is 35gal, using mode superposition method to calculate the structural time
history response, with the first 60 vibration modes involved, and the modal damping ratio is taken as 0.05
while the construction material were taken into account.
Through analysis, the maximum storey shear and inter-story displacement angle under X and Y
direction earthquake are shown in Figure 5 and 6 respectively.

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Fig. 5. Maximum storey shear (a) X Direction, MIDAS; (b) X Direction, ETABS; (c) Y Direction, MIDAS; (d) Y Direction, ETABS

Fig. 6. Maximum inter-story displacement angle (a) X Direction, MIDAS; (b) X Direction, ETABS; (c) Y Direction, MIDAS; (d) Y
Direction, ETABS

It can be seen from the figure 5 that the results all meet the requirements of the code [3]: The bottom
shear calculated by each time history wave should be no less than 65% of the response spectrum result;
and the average of time history results should be no less than 80% of the response spectrum result.
Meanwhile, the maximum inter-story displacement angle under X and Y direction frequent earthquakes
also meet the code limited value as shown in Figure 6.
5. Slab Elastic Stress Analysis by Partition Rigid Diaphragm Model
Slab, important lateral force resistant component, plays a vital role to transmit, distribute and balance
the force and deformation during earthquake, but has not been paid enough attention by engineer.
Conventional designs methods are usually based on rigid diaphragm assumption, which assumes
infinite rigid in-plane without any rigid out-plane. This assumption is suitable to most regular structure
with acceptable error, and effectively reduces calculating freedom degree to improve the computational
efficiency. However, in some complex structures, such as local large opening in floors, irregular plane or
elevation, inclined column and weak connection, the in-plane stiffness of slab will be greatly reduced due
to complex force conditions and discontinuity of floor. In these cases, besides the out-plane internal forces

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due to vertical loads, the in-plane internal forces, which are usually caused by the transfer and coordination
of shear deformation, should also not be ignored.
Therefore, in order to accurately take the real floor force conditions into account, the elastic
membrane model is used as a rule. This model, considering true in-plane stiffness and neglecting the outplane, could accurately estimate the reduction of in-plane stiffness, not weaken the reinforcement
reservation of beams around, and also remain the real effects of inclined columns or other components.
Whereas, setting the elastic membrane model for the whole building will greatly increase the
computational complexity, especially in the analysis of complex structures.
Thus, to those local irregular floors, the partition rigid diaphragm model is introduced, which assumed
the regular part of floors still follow the rigid diaphragm assumption, the weak connection parts between
them are set as the elastic membrane model, and each rigid diaphragm has its own centroid and
stiffness center respectively [4]. With accurate estimation of the slab in-plane stiffness, this model can also
simulate the opposed phase motion between rigid diaphragms, with a remarkably quickened computational
speed.
As noted above, the floors of most stories in this structure are partial discontinuous with big openings,
while a large lateral load affects on the building just under static load case due to the existence of quite a
lot unilateral inclined columns. So, with the partition rigid diaphragm assumptions to the north and south
partitions of floors, a slab elastic stress analysis were executed by ETABS and MIDAS/Gen program
respectively. Because of the effect of inclined columns, the static loads on the structure cannot be ignored,
and the stress nephograms of the slabs on 2nd floor by ETABS and MIDAS/Gen are respectively shown in
Figure 7 and 8.

Fig. 7. Stress nephograms of the slabs on 2nd floor by ETABS (a) S11 (Direct stress-X); (b) S22 (Direct stress-Y); (c) S12 (Shearing
stress)

Fig. 8. Stress nephograms of the slabs on 2nd floor by MIDAS/Gen (a) S11 (Direct stress-X); (b) S22 (Direct stress-Y); (c) S12
(Shearing stress)

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It can be easily seen from the figures that the stress distributions calculated by these two programs are
roughly equal. Meanwhile, due to the inclined columns, partial slabs need to transmit and balance the force
and deformation between inclined and right columns, and then bear a larger in-plane load under gravity.
This shows that, for complex structures, it is necessary to take the slabs stress analysis at weaken positions.
By comprehensive comparison of these two programs, ETABS has some advanced functions in
preprocessing, such as automatically line constraint and area units division; while MIDAS/Gen has
superior post-processing functions which could combine direct and shearing stresses and calculate the
principal tensile stress of slabs.
6. Conclusion
In this paper, the response spectrum, time history and linking slab in-plan stresses analysis were
executed combined with a practical project with inclined columns by several programs such as ETABS,
SAP2000, MIDAS/gen and SATWE, and the main conclusions of study are as follows:
(1) All the results of response spectrum analysis calculated by different programs are basically similar,
while ETABS may miss the statistic of oblique columns, which need to be paid attention to in future
designs.
(2) The results of time history analysis by SAP2000 and ETABS are roughly similar. However, SAP2000
does not have the concept of storey which made the post-processing much more complicated. Therefore,
to the regular structure, ETABS is recommended; and to those gymnasium or space truss structures,
SAP2000 has its irreplaceable advantages.
(3) As for the slab stress analysis, ETABS and MIDAS/Gen have their respective advantages: ETABSs
good at preprocessing with automatically line constraint and area division; and MIDAS/Gen does well in
the post-processing such as the stresses combinations.
(4) Slab, as the important lateral force resistant component, should not be ignored in design works.
Especially to those complex structures, the slabs stress analysis at weaken positions is really essential.
References
[1] Ministry of Construction RI3HRSOHV5HSXEOLFRI&KLQD. The earthquake intensity, basic accelerations of ground motion and
design earthquake group of main cities in China. In: Code for Seismic Design of Buildings GB50011-2010, Beijing: China
Architecture & Building Press; 2010, p. 172193
[2] Xilin Lu. Idenfication and seismic conceptual design of out-of-code high-rise building. In: Guide to Seismic Design of Out-ofcode High-rise Buildings, Shanghai: Tongji University Press; 2009, p. 523
[3] Ministry of Construction RI3HRSOHV5HSXEOLFRI&KLQD. Structural calculation and analysis. In: Technical Specification for
Concrete Structure of Tall Building, Beijing: China Architecture & Building Press; 2010, p. 3848
[4] Fu Changsheng, Liu Chunming, Li Yongshuang, Ying Jun. Structural seismic design and analysis of linking RC slab in tallbuilding. In: J Building Sturcture, 2008;38:106-110.