Define Merged Wall Reinforcement in Polyline Column Editor

Define Merged Wall/Irregular column Reinforcement in Polyline Column Editor

Step 1: Select the merged RC walls on plan view > Right click > Polyline Wall Editor.
  1. This will launch the Polyline Column Editor, which is similar the same dialog used for irregular shaped columns. 
  2. Kindly note that if you have run building analysis, it's also possible to access this polyline column editor by selecting the merged wall > Right click > Column Section Design > Steel Layout.
  3. This button allows you to quickly amend the steel layout and redesign the merged wall in "Column Section design" dialog.
Step 2: Under Steel Layout tab > click “Delete steel bars and links” to remove all the default steel bar and link (functions shown below).




Step 3: Click “Automatic Containment” to insert the corner bars and links.
  1. Kindly note that if the "Automatic containment" is not working, please click "Delete steel bars and links" 
  2. You may point at the created links or longitudinal bar > Right click > Click 'Delete links/ longitudinal rebars" 
Step 4: The Automatic Containment properties box will pop up.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       


  1. In the dialog,  users are able to define Head Zones, General Parameters and the Number of Bars with respect to the parts of the merged wall denoted by "n" in Direction 1 and Direction 2.      
  2. For ductile design of shearwall, you may check "Add Head Zone" & input Head Zone & General Parameters to automatically place bars and links for head and web zone for the entire wall
  3. For normal shearwall, input General Parameters and Number of Bars fields. Click "Reset Bar Counts" to automatically calculate the number of bars based on the selected code. 
Step 5: Click “OK” to close.

Step 6: Then, you can design the wall reinforcement. The program will automatically change the rebar size if they are not sufficient.

Refer to GIF below for example:

 

TIP 1:

You may want to insert the "END ZONE LINKS" manually (not using Automatic Containment), follow the steps below : 

  • Point your mouse cursor at one shorter edge of the wall grey outline > right click > Choose "End Zone Link"

  • Move your mouse cursor and you will observe a rubber band > Left click to confirm & define the length of end zone link

  • The "Link Insertion Parameters" dialog will appear (as below)

  • Pick the appropriate head zone link, usually "Closed Link"
  • Under Head Zone, input the exact zone length on both i and j ends. You may uncheck the I or J end zone link if you do not want to insert it.   
  • Under Head Zone bars, input the exact number of intermediate bars, excluding the corner bars which will be auto-inserted.  

    • n1 is horizontal direction
    • n2 is vertical direction 
    • Select "Bar Diameter"  
  • Click "OK" to insert 
Notes
The end-zone is user-define value. It is based on the ratio of the steel to the concrete at the end zone.
Web ratio is the ratio of the steel to the concrete at the web area of the wall.

TIP 2:

After you define the reinforcement layout for one of the merged walls, you can copy and paste the bars of this merged walls to other similar merged walls by following the steps below:


  1. Go to “Design” on the top menu bar > Click “Column” under "Reinforced Concrete" ribbon
  2. Use “Filter” to filter the merged RC walls by clicking “Filter”
  3. Check “Filter by member label(s)”
  4. Choose the wall “Wxx” (see image below)
  5. Click “OK” 
  1. Choose the wall label “W_XX” in the table which you have defined the wall reinforcement layout
  2. Click “Copy bars”
  3. Select another wall and click "Paste Bars" 
  4. If you want to paste bars to all similar walls in the list, click “Paste bars to all”          

Alternatively, you may use Generate storey to generate the updated merged wall to other storeys, which will also copy the rebars.

NotesWe recommend you also watch this tutorial video :  Automated Rebar Layout for Corewalls | ProtaStructure 2024 & ProtaDetails 2024


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