Building Assessment Settings
Parameters used in assessment and retrofit of existing building can be access in single location through Building Setout > Settings Center > Assessment Settings.
The parameters shown in settings dialog may change with the selected code.
Override Plastic Hinge Limits
ProtaStructure will calculate the plastic hinge damage boundaries according to the selected seismic code requirements. And the limits usually differ for each individual element having different plasticity characteristic.
However, you can override these damage boundaries for visualization purpose. To customize the boundaries:
- Open Settings Center >Assessment Settings.
- Check the "Override Plastic Hinge Limits" option.
- Enter the plastic rotation limits in radians for each performance level.
Default Estimated Reinforcements for the Entire Building
To activate the estimated reinforcement rebars, corresponding options must be checked for member types and follow by enter the estimated values.
Estimated Reinforcements for Individual Members
Other than define the estimated reinforcements for whole building, it is also allowed to assign estimated reinforcement values to individual members.
- Select the member and right-click > Assessment and Retrofitting > select Nonlinear Analysis and Assessment Properties.
- Estimated Reinforcement, Corrosion Factor, Rebar Realization ratio and Moment Capacity Reduction Factor can be entered for selected member.
- Option "Use Member Specific Settings For Assessment" and Estimated Reinforcement Option must be checked in order to activate it for selected member.
A hierarchical approach is adopted in the building assessment process for the use of estimated reinforcement.
The estimated reinforcement assigned to individual members have the priority in the assessment analysis. If no estimated reinforcement is assigned to individual members, then the globally defined value in the assessment settings for the entire building will be used. If the global settings do not specify any estimated reinforcement, then the actual detailed reinforcements on the members defined via design menus will be used.
Priority: Member-specific estimated reinforcement values in the section "Nonlinear Analysis and Assessment Properties" in the right-click menu.
Second Priority: Global Estimated Reinforcement Values in the "Settings Center > Assessment Settings"
Third Priority: Actual detailed reinforcements defined through design menus directly on the member itself.
If no actual reinforcement is defined on the member itself, program will automatically use the default estimated reinforcement in the global settings even if estimated reinforcement usage is not requested.
Members such as Retrofit Wall and Column Jackett will never use estimated reinforcement. Reinforcements on these members must always be entered through design menus.
The following flowchart demonstrates how program will use Estimated and Detailed Reinforcements on the members.
Using Linear Model for Specific Members
This option is introduced to consider any member as "Linear Elastic" during assessment. This option is accessible through the right-click menu > Assessment and Retrofitting > Nonlinear Analysis and Assessment Properties > check option "Use Linear Model".
There may be cases where you want to assume that a beam, column or wall member will behave linearly elastic during assessment or simply, you would like to ignore the material nonlinearity for that member.
Program will automatically assume following members as linear elastic during a nonlinear assessment:
- Basement walls
- Cantilever beams
- Members with end releases (I or J ends, asymmetrically)
- Secondary joists supported with beams at I or J ends
- Members marked as Vertical-Only by the user
- Short beams (Beam length smaller than two times he plastic hinge length)
- Shallow beams (Beam height less than or equal to the adjacent slab thickness)
Once the option "Use Linear Model" is checked, it will force any member to behave linearly elastic during assessment. These members will be modelled with elastic beam-column elements in OpenSees integration.
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