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Scenario 3: Load Bearing Capacity Calculation

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BASIC EVALUATION FOR INSTALLATION ROOF TOP FARM FACILITY ON A REINFORCED CONCRETE BUILDING

Basically, structures must have sufficient strength against both lateral and axial loads exerted on them. Loads exerted on structures, both in dynamic and static behaviour, cause different types of collapse mechanisms. The identification of the most probable collapse mechanism and calculating a load level for the corresponding collapse mechanism requires rigorous calculation. This calculation not only requires expert knowledge in structural engineering but also is very slow in decision making. For this reasons, a procedure for evaluation of establishing a roof top farm on a reinforced concrete building is presented. Following procedure assesses the risk of a probable collapse of a reinforced concrete structure with a roof top farm, without complex calculation.   

Important Note: Please do not use the results to proceed with the project. Consult professionals for further assessment of the inputs and actual results.

Parameters taken into account, for the evaluation of a rooftop farm on a reinforced concrete structure are as follows:

- Seismicity of the region:

Seismic potential of the region strongly affects the intensity of the lateral load level acting on the structure. Risk of the building rises as higher ground acceleration values were assigned for the region where the structure was located. The user may select one of the following options: low, medium or high degrees of seismic risk.

- Age of the building.

Older structures are more prone to a probable risk of collapse for two reasons. Firstly, as the building gets old, so as the building materials age. Aged construction materials, deteriorate and lose their mechanical properties. The second reason is obviously the design code advancements. Naturally during the design stage, buildings must conform the building code requirements of the time being. In other words, older buildings were designed per older, withdrawn, design codes. Risk of the building rises as the building gets older.

- Plan shape of the structure

For a proper seismic behaviour, a building should be uniform through its height and should have symmetry on the floor plan. Identical floor plan dimensions in the orthogonal directions and symmetry in the load bearing member location and size are ideal for seismic design of a structure. However, due to architectural necessities such squarely shaped, symmetrical floor plans cannot be used in all buildings. So, for this criteria user inputs the shape of the floor plan and inputs the approximate dimensions of the floor plan. The risk of the building against a probable collapse, rises as the building gets irregular.

 

Shapes of building roof to choose from

 

Please, input the horizontal length of the floor-plan.
Please, input the vertical length of the floor-plan.
Please, input the "ax" dimension of the floor-plan, in horizontal direction (see figure).
Please, input the "ay" dimension of the floor-plan, in vertical direction (see figure).
Span is the number of beams through x direction located between columns.
Span is the number of beams through y direction located between columns.
Select the total structure height in meters.
Please, type the total number of stories in the building.
Please refer to the table here to determine the number of stories based on the input provided in the preceding question - height of the structure (m).
Please type here the number of columns located in the floor plan.
Only positive numbers are allowed.
Please, use a dot (.) to separate the decimal points.
If you have shear walls or masonry load bearing walls in the floor plan, please input the approximate total cross section area of that members.
Only positive numbers are allowed. Also, please, use a dot (.) to separate the decimal points.