Modelling & Analysis of a 20 storey building with Transfer Plate

Introduction
This document shows an example of a 20 storey building with transfer plate which is modelled and analysed in

Example Model

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 Modelling & Analysis of a 20 storey building with Transfer Plate

Transfer Plate Scope Statement

ProtaStructure is able to model and analyse a transfer plate structure where the lateral load resisting elements
are discontinuous with the following clarifications:
1. The transfer plate can be idealised by a grillage of beams at the transfer level to support the
discontinuous vertical elements and connect them to the columns and walls below the transfer level.
The 3D Building analysis will give results for both gravity as well as lateral analysis (e.g. wind) load
cases.
In essence this is a traditional idealisation procedure and it must be noted that the accuracy of the
idealisation is completely in the engineer’s control.
2. FE analysis of transfer plates is limited to gravity load cases only. The transfer plate is modelled as
slabs which will be meshed in the FE Analysis. Moments will develop between columns/walls and the
transfer plate as a result of this loading.

ProtaStructure will provide design for transfer plate with the following limitations:
1. 3D Building Analysis will provide design forces for columns, walls and beams (including the band
beams at the transfer level). However, the engineer should evaluate the validity of the design forces of
band beams as an idealisation of the transfer slab.
2. For gravity load case, The FE analysis will provide design forces at the transfer level in terms of
moment contours. The required area of steel can be obtained by displaying the steel contours or by
cutting design slab strips. This is dealt with in the same manner as flat slab system as described in
Engineer’s Handbook Chapter 29 : Flat Slab Model.

Modelling in ProtaStructure
Please refer to the document “Transfer Plate Example” for background information of transfer plate analysis.

In ProtaStructure we suggest the use of band beams to form the idealised grillage of beams within a slab. Band
beams having the same depth as the transfer slab are used to connect all the columns and shearwalls above
and below the transfer level to create a frame model. Band beams are in a sense fictitious beams that allow you
to generate a coherent building analysis 3D frame model. Importantly however, these beams are not passed to
the FE Analysis model, so they do not affect the FE Analysis results. If normal beams are used, the stiffness
and the self weight will be included in the FE Analysis (if used) and there would then be double counting of the
stiffness and self-weight of the transfer plate.

As for the arrangement of the band beams, generally, all columns and walls should be connected in both
horizontal and vertical direction to allow for sufficient frame action to transfer the loads to the columns below. As
noted above, this idealisation is entirely in the engineer’s own control, however as a general guideline, the width
of the beams should be sufficiently wide as to approximate the stiffness and behaviour of the transfer plate (by
default ProtaStructure will assume the beam width as a quarter of the width of the adjacent slabs). The beams
need to be arranged so as to provide support to all the discontinuous members arriving from the level above.

It is possible to model transfer slab without the band beams – this will be simplification where all lateral loads
will be transferred by rigid diaphragm. Also, effect of lateral load cases on the transfer plate will be ignored since
the FE gravity load chasedown will only cater for gravity, G + Q loadcase.

In summary, the nominal procedure to model the transfer structure in ProtaStructure are :
1. Model the transfer slab using slab properties (best to ensure separate slabs along the discontinuous
coumns/walls).
2. (optional) Model the grillage of beams (we recommend using band beams) to connect all column and
shearwalls above and below the transfer level.
3. Run Building Analysis which will generate forces for all beams, columns and shearwalls due to gravity
and lateral load cases.
4. Run FE Gravity Load Chasedown so the forces on the transfer plate can be analysed
5. Merge FE “column results” so that the correct loads are accumulated to the foundation.

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 Modelling & Analysis of a 20 storey building with Transfer Plate

Transfer Plate Level

(ST01 in model)

C3

C1

C2
C4

The above shows the physical layout of the band beams and slabs at the transfer floor level (ST01 in
ProtaStructure). The red column shows the columns below the transfer level. The discontinuous columns and
shearwalls above the transfer floor are shown in blue.

Podium Floor
(S02 in
ProtaStructure)

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Modelling & Analysis of a 20 storey building with Transfer Plate

1/F to Roof
(S03 to ST21 in model)

3D view showing only

the first 3 levels in model

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 Modelling & Analysis of a 20 storey building with Transfer Plate

Building Analysis Results

The following shows that analytical model that is created and analysed in Building Analysis.

Full 3D Analytical Model Close-up view showing only

(Finite Element Shear Walls) transfer and podium level

Close-up view showing only

transfer level

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 Modelling & Analysis of a 20 storey building with Transfer Plate

Graphical Review of Deflections

The analytical model produced after building analysis can be reviewed graphically in the post analysis. For
example, below shows the entire 3D model and the deflection of the structure under Wx and Wy load case
respectively. Please refer to the “Storey Displacement Report” for a summary of deflections for each storey. The
following review of graphical results is meant to illustrate the behaviour of the structure, it is by no means
exhaustive.

The red values above shows maximum resultant displacement of the entire structure. The resultant is the
resultant of the displacement of global X, Y, Z direction.

Proceed to run FE Gravity Load Chase down and examine the deflections / forces at the transfer level to ensure
the discontinuous walls and columns are supported.

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