Waqas Haider

Generally to keep construction simple, people go with maximum reinfo throughout unless the max reinfo is too big. If that is the case, they use additional bars at critical locations.
 

There are a number of resources. You can start from here: 
Thanks.
 

Dear Fellows
I have encountered an issue; draftsmen/architects take projects from clients and make structural drawings without calculations and there are engineers whose stamps are available at printing shops which are stamped for very minimal charges. Structural engineers who are stamping as designer and as vetter are having filthy money without fulfilling their duties. These designers and vetters disregard the profession and engineering community, they do not have any ethics and sense of humanity. PEC do nothing or there is no complain against them. Being engineers and specially as structural engineers this is our responsibility to raise this issue to PEC or any other authorities and more to educate our engineering community that have respect and dignity in the profession, one must not disrespect his profession or let disrespected by such black sheep in the community. If a system/community have the ability to spit the wrong things out it remains alive and working perfectly. when system/community allows everything without check, such community is already dead.   
Structural engineers do not get projects who are working earnestly due to such people. 
Main aspect of design safety of humanity is at stack .
This is totally against the PEC Code of Ethics.
This is against the PEC Code of Conduct.
Allah has bestowed us with great knowledge and brain to use for serving humanity and earning rizq e halal. We do use our brains rightly.
We should stop this corruption by whatever means we can do.We must spit these non-professionals out of our community.
This forum is one of the unique voice of structural engineering community, people comes here to get and share knowledge. I request to all the members that will stand with me on this issue.
There is immense need to educate people that structural engineering is a business of life/economy saving, the fees structural engineers charge is nothing in comparison to the cost of lives lost during any incident due to incomplete and false designs or more accurate no designs. 
Regards

1. You need to divide the buildings to avoid irregularities especially in zone 4.
2. start with a crude model, no shear wall (only columns) and try to get the general feel of the structure. For that you could also roughly estimate the gravity loads (for mass source). For example 15-20 kpa let say (including sw+sdl+ll) as gravity load.
3. Iterate by putting in shear walls where you need it. Once the crude geometry is finalized you can go for detailed modelling/design and you will find out the importance of concept stage design at early stage.

That is a common FEA problem. You get infinite stress at supports due to infinite stiffness.This is a problem of stress concentration. For commercial design purposes what you did is okay.

Yes it looks okay.

(1). Structure Aspect Ratios
The Horizontal/plan aspect ratio (Length to Width ratio) of the side block is 160/18=8.8 While its vertical/slenderness ratio (height to width ratio) is 60/18=3.33
I didn't come across any code limitations regarding these ratios But an indian research paper "Effect of Aspect Ratio & Plan Configurations on Seismic Performance of Multistoreyed Regular R.C.C. Buildings: An Evaluation by Static Analysis" concludes that,
      (a) The buildings with Horizontal Aspect Ratios 4 or less than 4, the seismic performance is reasonable. Above this, the worse effects of excessive forces, storey drift and displacement values may be obtained. Hence they should be discarded due to their unsatisfactory, weaker and unreasonable performances on the bases of above seismic parameters, which can cause detrimental and disastrous effects or otherwise be treated with the enough earthquake resistant elements.
    (b)  The buildings with Vertical Aspect Ratios less than 4, the seismic performance is reasonable. Above this, the worse effects of excessive overturning, storey drift and displacement, period of vibration, etc. values may cause detrimental and disastrous effects to the buildings. Hence slender building configuration, as far as possible, should not be chosen, or otherwise be provided with the adequate earthquake resistant solutions.
(2). Flexible Tower on Rigid podium
UBC-97 Section 1629.8.3 item 4 says
       "Structures having a flexible upper portion supported on a rigid lower portion where both portions of the structure considered
        separately can be classified as being regular, the average story stiffness of the lower portion is at least 10 times the average
        story stiffness of the upper portion and the period of the entire structure is not greater than 1.1 times the period of the upper portion
        considered as a separate structure fixed at the base."
And UBC-97 Section 1630.4.2  Item 2 says
2. The following two-stage static analysis procedures may be used for structures conforming to Section 1629.8.3, Item 4.
    2.1 The flexible upper portion shall be designed as a separate structure, supported laterally by the rigid lower
           portion, using the appropriate values of R and ρ.
    2.2 The rigid lower portion shall be designed as a separate structure using the appropriate values of R and rho. The
           reactions from the upper portion shall be those determined from the analysis of the upper portion amplified
           by the ratio of the (R/ρ ) of the upper portion over (R/ρ ) of the lower portion.
 
 
 
 
 

Solutions;
1. Why dont you import the cad drawing (as shown in image) into SAFE and draw footings with proper orientation?
2. Like you got reactions under so many combinations from ETABS for each column, in the same way, you could select all columns and export to EXCEL the local forces at and then filter for zero location and proceed with manual design.
3. Get global reactions (like you did already) but one group at a time. By one group i mean all the columns on one radial grid line. All columns on that grid will have same orientation and angle right. Export to EXCEL, transform forces in XY to that angle. New rotated forces will be;
Fx' = Fx Cos theta + Fy Sin theta
Fy' = -Fx Sin theta + Fy Cos theta
there you go, you now have the new rotated forces. Repeat it for each radial line and then design footings manually.

Hooks bent inwards provide confinement and increase ductility.
Thanks.

Assalamualaikum SE Pakistan
in this pca seismic guide detailing it says that the rebar hook shall be bends towards to the center of column but i always see the bend is towards to the outer of column, which one is right? and why?
all the best

Design strips are required to get total reinforcement area by integrating stresses of area objects.

Thank you sir. This forum is by far one of the best forum I'm in.

Adding a basement for home construction is obviously the owner's choice. But as a structural engineer for home construction in Pakistan, I would highly recommend not to add basement. This is due to lot of additional expenses, like RCC retaining walls, waterproofing, flood control, toilet/bath expenses, ventilation etc.
If designed and constructed properly you do not need to worry about earthquake. Again, I would have added one and half additional floors from the same money being spent on basement and also forget about the worries mentioned above. Or could have spent it elsewhere like finishes, elevations etc.
And what do you mean by Pillar foundation?

I remember Nowshera has some flood history too so you might want to reconsider the basement portion based on that.
However, if you still wan to to have a basement, a semi-basement, just 4' below grade might be more in-expensive option. You can also ask your structural engineer to design a masonry retaining wall (if he can). That can save you some money. Also, things to watch out are water proofing details at the exterior face of the wall.
Thanks.
 

It can happen when lateral loads are included in combinations. Stresses of reversal due to lateral loads causes any side of joint in continuous beam to have tension on lower side causing positive moment at support on one side. So check if ur combination is including lateral loads. 

Only exterior walls need to be of RCC. For construction purpose, U can consult the following manual. and MUST follow its practices. But remember, it is not the design manual. So you need to have a good design of your house including footings, RCC walls, band beams, and corner columns etc. 
 

Also keep mesh size same i manual and automesh option. Automesh option, if not specified, does meshing at max size of 4ft x 4ft. If mesh size is same, Then do as sir Waseem said. i think results should not vary if slab is meshed manually or automatically.

In calculating design forces, have you considered the application of point load on a panel, which will support lights, at the top of the pole, in addition to the UDL on the pole itself.
Is it possible that only two bolts will be effective in resisting moment for a wind direction in which two bolts will lie on the neutral axis, and the moment arm will be sqrt(2) x 12.

Thanks Engr. Waqar haider for providing me such a usefull information regarding design strips.In shaa ALLAH I will recommend this site to my Engr. Friends 

Hello Naqash, 1st of all welcome to this forum. And also try to spread this forum in your area/circle as much as possible, so that maximum people can take benefit of it. 
Naqash if you remember, in manual design of roof slab or footing slab, we use to consider a unit strip and design this unit strip for output results. Then we provide the steel and section calculated for this unit strip, to whole of footing or slab.
Similarly, in Safe foundation, you are to define and assign design strip of unit width to let software show you output i.e. forces and steel etc for this unit design strip. you can also go for any width of design strip. Results will be accordingly but design will be same. Mostly a unit strip i.e. for MKS system 1 meter strip and for FPS 1 ft strip is defined and assigned. 
After running the model, you have two options to check your results of forces and reinforcement. 
1) Based on Finite Elements
In this method reinforcement and forces for each and every element, in which structure has been divided / meshed, will be reported. This is a bit different than our usual manual practice of designing.
2) Based on Design strips
In this method reinforcement and forces are reported on strip based. This is quite easy to understand. You can check both methods for better idea. Another important thing is that we define 2 design strips "Strip A" and "Strip B" to read results in X and Y axis or in Shorter and Longer directions respectively. If you provide strip A in both X and Y directions, Then you will not be able to read results in X and Y axis, separately. display of results will be mixed. For this purpose we provide 2 different strips.

For the steel canopies with the glass on the top you have to consider few things for the design. As others mentioned you the strength of the glass can be and should be provided by the manufacturers according to your spans and wind load requirements. There is a small software for the glass thickness check saflex which is available for free on net check that to get approximate glass thickness you can put in your initial assumptions for the glass like tampered double glazed with air space  with assumed size etc . This glass thickness can be used for the dead weight calculation to be used in calcs. 
Now for modelling you can model the frame and assign the area shell element with weightless properties. And put your dead loads for glass as well as the framing of the glass with will be provided on the steel to hold the glass panels as oneway loadings on the area elements. Put your live loads mainly for the cleaning purpose on the main steel members as point loads take impact load and apply as pressure load point load on the area element as the glass is tested against the impact of any thing falling on it from a height check the codes there is a value I don't remember now but you can check its steel ball impact test. Also apply the canopy wind loadings you can calculate that from ASCE-7-10 or the check internet for the Australian code it has a special clause for canopy wind laodings. 
Once these loadings are done make you appropriate load combinations and complete your analysis. No need to change any modifiers for steel structure. 
You can check your shear and axial values all along the beams to calculate the connections required for holding the glasses. There area special pressure plates and tobbler coneectors normally supplied by the glass suppler and they are enough for holding the things but still you can verify the small screws provided by the details. 
Please excuse as the dicription is soo long but I hope this will help you. 

Hello Naqash, 1st of all welcome to this forum. And also try to spread this forum in your area/circle as much as possible, so that maximum people can take benefit of it. 
Naqash if you remember, in manual design of roof slab or footing slab, we use to consider a unit strip and design this unit strip for output results. Then we provide the steel and section calculated for this unit strip, to whole of footing or slab.
Similarly, in Safe foundation, you are to define and assign design strip of unit width to let software show you output i.e. forces and steel etc for this unit design strip. you can also go for any width of design strip. Results will be accordingly but design will be same. Mostly a unit strip i.e. for MKS system 1 meter strip and for FPS 1 ft strip is defined and assigned. 
After running the model, you have two options to check your results of forces and reinforcement. 
1) Based on Finite Elements
In this method reinforcement and forces for each and every element, in which structure has been divided / meshed, will be reported. This is a bit different than our usual manual practice of designing.
2) Based on Design strips
In this method reinforcement and forces are reported on strip based. This is quite easy to understand. You can check both methods for better idea. Another important thing is that we define 2 design strips "Strip A" and "Strip B" to read results in X and Y axis or in Shorter and Longer directions respectively. If you provide strip A in both X and Y directions, Then you will not be able to read results in X and Y axis, separately. display of results will be mixed. For this purpose we provide 2 different strips.

What meshing you are talking about? Slab meshing supported on these beams or beam meshing itself?
What I could discern is you are using a shell element supported on beam. In this case, you should mesh the slab so that slab has nodes along the length of beam. Shell transfers loads to nodes and if not meshed, all the loads would go to beam ends at point loads.

Why dont you simply assign insertion point to model this eccentricity? If you are having a frame, You can assign these insertion points to either the beam or the column a per situation? You can offset any end of member (Column or Beam) by this method to model eccentricity. If you are having a frame, and want to model the eccentricity at a specific joint, select the member at that joint (the member which is offest from center lines) and go to assign manu--> Assign insertion Point--> and assign desired offset nd desired axis. But dont forget to uncheck DON'T TRANSFORM STIFFNESS otherwise only geometry will be offset instead of stiffness i.e. required in calculations by the software.
If you having only one column, You can also o the same, You want to provide eccentricity. You can either offset your load point as said by sir Rana, or you can offset your column centroidal axis by applying required offset in insertion points in desired axis. again dont forget to uncheck DON'T TRANSFORM STIFFNESS.

The concept is that: "Shoot for the moon, even if you miss, you will land in stars". Just because you are trying to achieve something that is not possible from one perspective and even if you don't achieve it you will still become something not as great as your inspiration but better than what you used to be.