The RAM Structural System V8i

SELECTseries 3TM

TM
RAM Frame Drift Control

Release 14.03
August 2010

Bentley Systems, Inc.

2744 Loker Avenue West, Suite 103
Carlsbad, CA 92010
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Fax: (760) 431-5214

DAA036860-1/0011
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RAM Frame Drift Control
Table of Contents

1 Introduction .................................................................................................................................................... 1
2 Using the RAM Frame Drift Control Module .............................................................................................. 3
2.1 Creating Virtual Load Cases..................................................................................................................................... 3
2.2 Drift Control Analysis .............................................................................................................................................. 4
3 Technical Notes on Virtual Work Theory..................................................................................................... 7
4 References .................................................................................................................................................... 13

v
vi
 Introduction

1 Introduction
The RAM Frame Drift Control module provides a great functionality to study and control the drift behavior
of buildings. Drift, related to the axial, shear, flexural and torsional behavior of each member of a building
structure, is an important design consideration. The total drift at a point can be considered as the sum of all
governing displacement components from each member such as joint , axial, shear, flexure and torsion
related displacements. To this end, RAM Frame Drift Control module helps users identify which member
contributes the most to the drift at a point. The break-down of a member contribution to the drift constitutes
displacement components such as joint, axial, shear, flexure and torsion and this information helps the user
identify what sectional properties of a member to change to arrive at an optimized size. The joint
displacement represents the deformation in the rigid-end zones (panel-zones).

The module is based on the well-known Castigliano’s Energy Theorem where a fictitious or “virtual” load is
applied in the direction of the drift under investigation. A special acknowledgement is given here to Dr.
Finley A. Charney, President, Advanced Structural Concepts Inc., for his prior work in this area, particularly
the virtual work based concepts as implemented it in the computer programs DISPAR and PANELS,
published by Advanced Structural Concepts, Inc., Golden, Colorado.

Energy methods, such as Castigliano’s, help determine the deflection of a structure at a given point due to
an external load by “pairing” it with what is commonly called a “virtual load”. The loads are referred to as
“fictitious” or “virtual” interchangeably only because they do not represent any “real-world” load cases. The
module helps users quantify the contribution of each frame member to the flexibility of the building under
investigation. This information can then be used to modify the sizes and topology of the frames to arrive at a
building design optimized for drift considerations.

The steps required in using the module are explained in detail in Chapter 2. The chapter describes how to set
up nodal and story load cases that are required to calculate the so-called displacement participation factors
that help quantify the contribution of a member to the building flexibility. The chapter also discusses the
graphical and report outputs for the module. Chapter 3 covers the theoretical basis for the Drift Control
module.

RAM Frame Drift Control Release 14.03 1

Introduction

2 RAM Frame Drift Control Release 14.03

 Using the RAM Frame Drift Control Module

2 Using the RAM Frame Drift Control Module

This chapter explains the basics of the Drift Control module. This includes how to set up nodal and story
load cases and how to pair them as load pairs and carry out a Drift Control analysis. The chapter also
discusses the graphical and report outputs for the module.

2.1 Creating Virtual Load Cases

A virtual work or optimization operation requires the application of fictitious load(s) in the direction of the
displacement under investigation. Such fictitious loads are grouped in the RAM Structural System as
“Virtual Load” Cases. Both nodal loads and story loads are available in the Virtual Load cases. The nodal
virtual load cases are defined in the Modeler while the story virtual load cases are defined in RAM Frame
Analysis – Load Cases Mode.

The nodal virtual load cases are created just like any other nodal load case as described in the RAM
Modeler manual.

Virtual story loads are created in RAM Frame using the Loads – Load Cases command while in Analysis –
Load Cases Mode. Virtual loads have their own type: “Virtual Work”. The loads are entered by specifying
their magnitude, their direction and point of application.

The magnitude of the virtual load is not an absolute number. A load of any magnitude is theoretically
possible. The only practical requirement is that the load be of a magnitude that produces reasonable (not
very high or very low) participation factors (PF). The participation factor of an element is defined as the
measure of a member’s contribution to the quantity under investigation, such as roof displacement. A good
rule of thumb is to pick the magnitude as somewhere between 20 to 50% of the estimated seismic or wind
load base shear in the building.

The direction of the virtual load should be in the direction of the drift under investigation. For example, for
studying the behavior of the building in the global X-direction, both the “virtual” and “real” (wind, seismic
or other) load case should be oriented along the global X-Axis. For studying the rotational characteristics of
a building, the user should enter a small virtual load at a large eccentricity. This will essentially produce
virtually a twisting moment that can be paired with the real load that is producing rotations in the building.

After both the real and virtual load cases are created and defined, they should be included in the list of load
cases that are to be analyzed using the Process – Analyze command in Analysis – Load Cases Mode.

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Using the RAM Frame Drift Control Module

2.2 Drift Control Analysis

Once the analysis of the building is completed, the user needs to go to the Drift Control Mode, by selecting
“Drift Control” from the Mode menu. It is in this module that the load pairs are defined and the actual Drift
Control analysis carried out.

2.2.1 Load Pairs

In the Drift Control Module, the “Virtual” Load cases created and analyzed in RAM Frame are “paired”
with a corresponding “real” load cases. The “pairing” of loads is an important feature of energy methods
and care should be taken in identifying what virtual and real load cases to pair. For example, for studying
Drift Control in the global X-direction, a virtual load case applied in the X-direction should be paired with a
real load case in the same direction. These load pairs could be “single” load pairs or “multiple” load-pairs.
While single pairing is what is commonly used, multiple pairing may be necessary to study drifts in a none-
orthogonal direction. The load pairs are defined using the Loads - Load Pairs command in the Drift
Control Module, which lists both the analyzed virtual and real load cases. Pairing is done by specifying the
virtual and real components of the pair and the factor that multiplies them. The factor is usually taken as
1.0.

Once load pairs are defined, the user needs to select the “Process-Analyze” command to perform the Drift
Control analysis. The module then evaluates the participation factors (PF) of each member and color-codes
the elements according to their contribution to the flexibility of the building.

For example, if the user is interested in reducing the roof story drift due to an earthquake load, an
earthquake load case is selected as the “real-load” component of a load pair. The “virtual” component of the
load pair will then be a virtual load that has lateral forces only at the roof level even though the real
displacement is caused by a distributed earthquake load. The structure is then displayed with the PF that
elements are experiencing from the stresses induced by the earthquake load case.

2.2.2 View/Update
The Process - View/Update command lets the user pick a particular member and view the different
components of its participation factor (such as flexural, shear, joint and axial). For example doing a
View/Update on a beam will display the beam properties (size, Fy etc) and also its axial, joint, shear and
flexural displacement participation factors that contribute to the total drift of the building.

The user can also modify the member size and material properties in this dialog box. Once sizes and
material properties are changed, the Drift Control Module automatically recalculates the member PFs based
on the new data. However, note that the elastic stiffness analysis results remain the same until a re-analysis
is invoked from the “Analysis” mode.

2.2.3 Results
The Process – Results command allows the user to visually observe, through normalized color-coding, the
contribution of each member to overall building flexibility. These quantities are called “Displacement

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 Using the RAM Frame Drift Control Module

Participation Factors” [DPF] or alternatively PF, for short. The following DPF are available for color-
coded display:

• Total Displacement Participation Factor – This represents the total member contribution (which is
the sum of axial, shear, flexure, torsion and joint displacements) and is the default used in the
module whenever Drift Control analysis is carried out.

• Total Displacement/Volume Participation Factor – The total DPF divided by the member volume
gives critical information for a minimum weight (or volume) design. Information on Total DPF per
volume helps identify members whose size can be modified to arrive at the most weight/volume
optimized design. Total DPF/Volume is also called the Sensitivity Index (SI). SI can also be viewed
as a measure of the participation of each member per unit volume.

• Axial Displacement Participation Factor – This represents the contribution of members through
axial deflection.

• Shear Displacement Participation Factor - This represents the contribution of members through
major and minor shear deflection.

• Flexural Displacement Participation Factor - This represents the contribution of members through
major and minor flexural deflection.

• Joint Displacement Participation Factor - This represents the contribution of members through
deflections in the rigid end zone. In centerline analysis, the joint DPFs are all zero.

• Member Volume - This represents the volume of the member under consideration.

The currently selected load pair can be changed through the “load pair” drop-down box. The quantities of
interest can also be changed through the drop-down box that lists all displacement participation quantities
and member volume.

2.2.4 Output Reports

The module provides features for printing three outputs that are accessed through the “Reports” command.

• Reports - Displacement Participation – Single - A comprehensive summary of participation

factors for each lateral member for each load pair.

• Reports - Participation Summary - A summary of member volume and participation

factor/volume for each lateral member for each load pair.

• Reports - Displacement/Volume Summary - A summarized output for a single member.

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Using the RAM Frame Drift Control Module

2.2.5 Exiting Drift Control Module

The user may exit the Drift Control Mode through the “Mode” drop-down list box right below the tool bar.
Once a “Drift Control” analysis is done, if any sizes are changed it is recommended to re-check the validity
of the design for strength considerations by going to the steel post-processors.

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 Technical Notes on Virtual Work Theory

3 Technical Notes on Virtual Work Theory

Energy methods such as Virtual Work method have traditionally been used to calculate deflections in
determinate and indeterminate truss structures. The principle of Virtual Work states that the external work
done in a physical domain should be equal to the internal work done.

This principle is further used in such theories as the Castigliano’s theorem that states that the work done by
virtual loads going through real displacements is the same as the internal work done by real loads causing
virtual displacements. This can be expressed as follows:

( )
DPFi = ∫ σ iv ε ir dV
T
Equation 3-1
V
in which
DPFi is the displacement participation factor for member i;
dV is the volume of the member i;
σ iv is the stresses in member i due to a virtual load and
ε ir is the strains member i due to real loads.

The virtual stresses and real strains are computed during analysis in RAM Frame due to real and virtual load
cases, considering element properties and structural configurations.

In its most general form, the contributions to displacements could be expanded through its component
stresses and strains as:

h/2  σ xxv ε xxr + σ yyv ε yyr + σ zzv ε zzr + 

Fvir ∆ real =∫ ∫  v r  dzdA Equation 3-2
 σ γ + σ v
γ r
+ σ v
γ r 
Ω − h / 2  xz xz yz yz xy xy 

As can be seen from the above equation, the contribution to the component participation is made of strain
energy due to in-plane, transverse shear and transverse normal stresses and strains.

This breakdown of contribution helps to identify which behavior is dominant and what sectional or material
property needs to be modified to arrive at acceptable and desired response.

The same principles are extended here to a case of civil engineering structures to get a useful quantitative
assessment of contribution of member flexibility to structural responses such as roof displacement (or drift)
and fundamental periods. Furthermore, the methodology also helps evaluate the contribution of each energy
component, i.e., shear, flexure, axial and joint deformation to the structure’s response under consideration
thereby indicating the member properties that need to be modified for an optimized design.

By multiplying the contribution of both a “virtual” load case and a “real” load to each of the energy
components (i.e., shear, flexure, axial and torsion), the contribution of each member in the structure to drift
is evaluated. The elemental contribution (also called DPF - displacement participation factor) to drift (or

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Technical Notes on Virtual Work Theory

frequency, as the case maybe) is further broken down to each of the components such as shear, flexure,
axial, joint and torsion displacements.

• This breakdown of contribution helps to identify which behavior is dominant and what sectional or
material property needs to be modified to arrive at acceptable and desired responses. For instance, to
reduce drift or frequency, members with large participation factors should be made stiffer and
contributing members with very small participation factors could be made smaller.
Furthermore, an important piece of information is the per volume contribution (or participation) of
each structural element, which is also referred to as Sensitivity Index (SI). It is obtained by dividing
the element participation factor by its volume. From a weight optimization point of view, the
Sensitivity Index provide valuable information as summarized below:
1. “When adding material to a structure to reduce displacement, the material should be added to the
member (s) with the largest sensitivity index.”

2. “When removing material from a structure to improve economy, the material should be removed
from member (s) with the smallest SI values”. [1]

The reader is referred to References [1] - [3] for further reading on Virtual Work optimization.

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 Technical Notes on Virtual Work Theory

Example Problem

A simple 2-Dimensional braced-frame structure is used here to demonstrate the use of the Drift Control
module in generating useful information in controlling drift with minimum weight/volume considerations.
Figure 3-1 shows problem definitions and loadings on the frame. The frame is subjected to lateral loads of
100 Kips, 75 Kips and 50 Kips at the roof, the second and the first floors, respectively. A virtual load of 100
Kips is applied at the roof.

The member sizes are given in Table 3-1. As shown in the table, columns and braces contribute most to the
flexibility of the frame, particularly Columns 5 and 6 at first floor and braces 2 and 3 at second and first
floor, respectively, which is an expected behavior. To decrease the roof drift, the column sizes at the first
floor and the braces need to be increased. The breakdown into components suggests that columns of higher
axial area are needed to reduce drift since it is the axial contribution that is very significant. A column with
higher Ixx and Iyy will not necessarily reduce drift as much as expected.

The beams could be made much smaller because they account for less than 5% of the whole deformation.
From a weight optimization point of view, an increase or decrease in brace sizes will produce the most
change in drift. In other words, the braces have the highest sensitivity index. To reduce drift, increasing the
brace sizes (i.e., area) produces an efficient system. This exercise results in maximum stiffness with a
minimum volume of material.

On the other hand, if the need arises to allow more drift, then member sizes could be reduced. The tabulated
results indicate that beam and column sizes could be safely reduced without introducing a significant
increase in drift. The only practical limit on the sizes of the beams and columns will be gravity load designs.
However, since the braces have the highest SI (Sensitivity Index), then reducing their sizes even slightly
(particularly cross-sectional area) will result in large increase in drift. This reduction in brace sizes is
therefore very much limited, compared to beams and columns.

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Technical Notes on Virtual Work Theory

V = 100 Kips
B1

Br1
C1 C2
B2

C3 Br2 C4

B3

C6
C5 Br3

Figure 3-1 A simple Braced-Frame

Table 3-1 Distribution of Displacement Participation Factors Element-by-Element

Flexure Total PF
Member Size Axial PF Shear PF Joint PF Total PF
PF /Volume
Beam 1 W21x166 0.0 0.0970 0.3265 0.1122 0.535 0.00

Beam 2 W21x166 0.0 0.4221 1.4202 0.4881 2.33 0.01

Beam 3 W21x166 0.0 0.661 2.2253 0.7649 3.65 0.02

Col 1 W16x89 1.9311 0.1650 0.8922 0.4398 3.42 0.03

Col 2 W16x89 0.0265 0.1650 0.8922 0.4398 1.52 0.01

Col 3 W16x89 11.5828 0.2572 1.3924 0.7050 13.93 0.13

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 Technical Notes on Virtual Work Theory

Col 4 W16x89 2.9996 0.2572 1.3924 0.7050 5.35 0.05

Col 5 W16x89 31.6713 0.5447 4.1813 0.2819 36.67 0.35

Col 6 W16x89 14.7126 0.5447 4.1813 0.2819 19.72 0.19

Brace 1 HSS4X4X1/2 17.5384 0.00 0.00 0.00 17.5384 0.49

Brace 2 HSS4X4X1/2 31.5886 0.00 0.00 0.00 31.5886 0.87

Brace 3 HSS4X4X1/2 36.1335 0.00 0.00 0.00 36.1335 1.00

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Technical Notes on Virtual Work Theory

12 RAM Frame Drift Control Release 14.03

 References

4 References
1. Charney, F.A., “The Use of Displacement Participation Factors in the Optimization of Wind Drift
Controlled Buildings”, Proceedings of the Second Conference on Tall Buildings in Seismic Regions,
Council on Tall Buildings and Urban Habitat, Los Angeles, 1991.

2. Charney, F.A., “Economy of Steel Framed Buildings through Identification of Structural Behavior”,
Proceedings of the National Steel Construction Conference, AISC, Orlando, FL 1993.

3. Velivasakis, E.E., and DeScenza, R., “Design Optimization of Lateral Load Resisting Frameworks”,
Proceedings of the Eights Conference on Electronic Computation, ASCE, Houston, Texas, 1983.

RAM Frame Drift Control Release 14.03 13

References

14 RAM Frame Drift Control Release 14.03

Index

A N
axial........................................................................................... 5, 10 nodal load
virtual ........................................................................................ 3

C
P
Castigliano’s Energy Theorem..................................................... 1, 7
pairing ........................................................................................ 1, 4
panel-zones .................................................................................... 1
D participation factors ........................................................... 3, 4, 5, 8
PF 3, 4, 5, 10
displacement components ............................................................. 1
displacement participation factors ............................................. 1, 4
drift ............................................................................. 1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 9 R
drift control......................................................................... 1, 3, 4, 9
Reports ........................................................................................... 5
Results ............................................................................................ 4
E
energy methods .......................................................................... 1, 7 S
exiting ............................................................................................. 6
sensitivity index ...................................................................... 5, 8, 9
shear ......................................................................................... 5, 10
F
flexural ............................................................................................ 5 T
Total Displacement Participation Factor ........................................ 5
J Total Displacement/Volume Participation Factor .......................... 5

joint........................................................................................... 5, 10
V
L View/Update .................................................................................. 4
virtual load ..................................................................... 1, 3, 4, 7, 9
load pair ...................................................................................... 4, 5 virtual work ................................................................................ 7, 8

M
Member Volume ............................................................................. 5

RAM Frame Drift Control Release 14.03 15