ASDIP STEEL is a structural engineering software for design of steel members and connections. It includes the design of biaxial base plates and anchor rods based on the latest AISC 360 and ACI 318 provisions. But how do you actually enter the information in the program? How do you define the geometry and loads? How do you check the results? How do you optimize the design? How do you print out the reports? Following is an overview of the user-interface and the steps required to design biaxial base plates using ASDIP STEEL.
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Biaxial base plates design steps
1. Specify the base plate and support geometry.
ASDIP STEEL has a built-in database of the AISC steel sections. In the Geometry tab click on the AISC button to invoke the list of steel sections and properties, and select the desired section. Alternatively, the user can enter the column dimensions directly.
Specify the dimensions of the base plate and the concrete support. The plate can be placed eccentrically on the support and the software will take this into consideration to design the anchorage. Enter the support thickness and the grout thickness under the plate.
ASDIP STEEL generates a summary of the results in the At-a-Glance tab for a quick overview of the base plate and anchorage design as you go. This way any problem can be identified immediately, as shown in the screen shot below.
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2. Specify the anchor rods and material properties.
ASDIP STEEL complies with the ACI and AISC seismic provisions. Click on the Show Parameters button at the top of the Materials tab to specify the seismic parameters.
The base plate design assumes the strain compatibility with no pryout forces on the anchor rods. To enforce this thick plate behavior the user can specify that the plate must remain elastic, in accordance with the current ACI anchoring provisions.
Specify the number, size, location and properties of the anchor rods. End rods are those located outside the column flanges, and side rods are those located between the column flanges. ASDIP STEEL allows to specify up to 14 anchor rods around the column.
ASDIP STEEL generates a condensed presentation of the results, organized by topic and load combination, for a quick granular check of the design. The screen shot below shows the Materials tab and the Condensed tab.
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3. Enter the applied loads.
Use the Loads tab to enter the applied loads on the base plate. Loads can be vertical, horizontal and moments about the two axes. Design method per either ASD or LRFD.
The software allows to specify either a set of load cases, such as dead, live, roof live, snow, wind, and seismic, to be combined per the specified load combinations, or a set of pre-combined loads. For the latter loads, it's assumed that they were combined somewhere else, and therefore no further load factors are applied. This is useful when you need to use the output loads from another software.
ASDIP STEEL generates a detailed presentation of the results, showing step-by-step calculations organized by topic and load combination, with exposed formulas and references to the AISC code. This is excellent for a deep granular check of the design. The screen shot below shows the Loads tab and the Detailed tab.
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4. Design the anchorage for tension.
Use the Anchorage > Tension Analysis tab to enter the required information to design the anchor rods for tension. Specify any supplementary or anchor tension reinforcement. Anchor reinforcement must be designed and detailed to resist the full tension and so avoid the concrete breakout failure. The software generates an image of the tension breakout area.
ASDIP STEEL generates a plan view of the biaxial base plate, showing the extent bearing pressure diagram and the tension load per anchor rod. Note in the screen shot below that the software shows the values of the bearing pressure at the corners, and it can be sorted by load combination.
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5. Design the anchorage for shear.
In the Anchorage > Shear Analysis you can specify the way the shear load will be resisted, either by friction only, a combination of a shear lug and friction, or by anchor rods only. If the anchor rods option is selected, the software allows to specify if washers will be welded to the base plate, in which case all anchor rods will be effective to resist shear. Otherwise only the front rods will be effective.
Specify any supplementary or anchor shear reinforcement. Anchor reinforcement must be designed and detailed to resist the full shear and so avoid the concrete breakout failure. The software generates an image of the shear breakout area, as shown below.
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Takeaway
ASDIP STEEL includes the design of biaxial base plates, anchor rods, and shear lugs. The graphical user interface is simple and intuitive, with multiple options to optimize the design easily. The results are shown instantly in both text and graphic format.
For engineering background, please read the blog post Base Plate and Anchor Rod Design Overview. For our collection of blog posts about base plate and anchorage design please visit Anchor Rods Design.
Detailed information is available about this structural engineering software by visiting ASDIP STEEL. You are invited to download the Free 15-day Software Trial, or go ahead and Place your Order.
Best regards,
Javier Encinas, PE
ASDIP Structural Software