How to Design a Simple Two Floor Office Building with a Roof?

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SUMMARY

The discussion focuses on designing a simple two-floor office building with a roof, emphasizing the importance of understanding static loads and material strengths. Key steps include defining the roof and floor specifications, calculating weights, and determining necessary support beams and columns. Participants agree that starting with the roof's weight is crucial for the overall design, and assumptions regarding snow load should be made only if specified. The conversation highlights the need for a solid foundation and structural integrity throughout the building.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of static loads and strengths of materials
  • Knowledge of beam foundations and floor slab design
  • Familiarity with structural column placement and load distribution
  • Basic principles of civil engineering and architectural design
NEXT STEPS
  • Research methods for calculating dead loads and live loads in building design
  • Learn about different types of beam foundations and their applications
  • Study the principles of structural integrity and load-bearing calculations
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Civil engineers, architects, and students in structural design seeking guidance on building design principles and load calculations.

chiku18
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hello everyone

i have to design a simple two floor office building with roof.
i am very lost and confused and don't know where to start from.
can someone help?pleaseeee

concrete1page.jpg
 
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chiku18 said:
hello everyone

i have to design a simple two floor office building with roof.
i am very lost and confused and don't know where to start from.
can someone help?pleaseeee

View attachment 41836

This looks like a static load and strengths of materials problem. You need to specify the type of beam foundation, floor slabs, exterior and internal columns, and roof to be self supporting for static loads only.

Define your roof and floors, calculate weights, If needed, define support beams to support roof and floors, then design columns to support those loads, then define foundation beams to support the full structure.

Hope that helps or somebody with more civil structural background can chime in. It also might help if you would tell us what level of education, statics, materials and math background you are working with.
 
chiku18 said:
i am very lost and confused and don't know where to start from.

Start at the roof and work downwards. You can't design the top floor till you know the weight of the roof it has to support.
 
AlephZero said:
Start at the roof and work downwards. You can't design the top floor till you know the weight of the roof it has to support.

That is more clear than what I wrote. Based on the nodaliztion in the drawing woud you agree that the design probably includes two internal columns on each floor?
 
NUCENG said:
That is more clear than what I wrote. Based on the nodaliztion in the drawing woud you agree that the design probably includes two internal columns on each floor?

yes i agree but how would i find the weight of full roof?
no load is given i can find the dead load

DL=150 lb/ft^3 x cross section

but i can't because its roof...should i just assume snow load?
 
Last edited:
NUCENG said:
That is more clear than what I wrote. Based on the nodaliztion in the drawing woud you agree that the design probably includes two internal columns on each floor?

u mean like this?

1.png
 
chiku18 said:
yes i agree but how would i find the weight of full roof?
no load is given i can find the dead load

DL=150 lb/ft^3 x cross section

but i can't because its roof...should i just assume snow load?

chiku18 said:
u mean like this?

View attachment 41864

No information in the problem definition about snow load so assume none.

Yes
 

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