Finite Element Analysis (FEA) and Special Structures
WIN Structural has knowledge of many structural engineering software such as: ANSYS, ADINA, ABAQUS, CSI PERFORM, SAP2000, ETABS, ADAPT, CSI bridges, SASSI and SHAKE. This wide spectrum of tools combined with seismic and analytical expertise provide our team with unique capabilities in serving our clients in special structures design and analyses, PEER reviews and Nuclear design certification work.
PROJECT: Sutro Tower Digital Television (DTV) Conversion Project and Seismic Upgrade, San Francisco, CA
WIN Structural team members performed wind and seismic NLTH analysis of the tower modeling its complex geometry and member properties using ANSYS Software. The project included seismic retrofit and evaluation of the steel Tower for the new DTV conversion services, adding and moving equipment, masses and antennas. The Tower is 972ft tall with a guyed wire top cantilever portion of 250ft long at 760ft elevation above grade. WIN as sub-consultant to SGH managed the project and took it through peer review and city-detailed plan checks. The project incorporated wind tunnel testing, vibration analysis, shedding vortex analysis, and application of the wind modes to the complex Tower.
PROJECT: High Rise Building Post Tensioned Slab Analysis, San Francisco, CA
WIN structural engineers performed analysis for pre-stressed systems including design forces for cables and cables layout as well as, the tensioning sequence of complex designs. The WIN Structural team has capability in analyzing cracked slab post-tensioning systems for serviceability checks and floor vibration analyses using RAM Concept and ADAPT software.
PROJECT: Analysis of Pedestrian bridges, Honolulu, HI
Performed vibration analysis of the bridge system for pedestrian comfort. The analytical work included simulation of pedestrians walking on the bridge and measuring the resonance between the structural response and the human frequency excitation. Finally, a design review 3-D model was developed to include modeling of the bridge supports and to come up with retrofit design for serviceability conditions by stiffening the connections and by spacing apart the gap between the structure and the human frequencies to avoid resonance.
PROJECT: Connections Analysis- Modular 2-Story pre-fabricated steel school buildings –DSA, CA
Performed research studies on the structural performance in high seismic zone for the consideration of using modular building units of one and two story prefabricated for DSA public school projects allowing faster construction methods. Modeled the steel connection details and its boundary conditions to the building using ANSYS then, modeled the modular building and its non-linear behavior in CSI perform software. The connection was subjected to E.Q. cyclic excitation to study the modular building connection performance until yielding. Prepared reports and presentations to DSA.
PROJECT: Sylos Analysis and Design, Madera, CA
WIN Structural Consulting team designed and analyzed the 40tons and 25tons steel sylos for Saint Gobain new batch processing plant. Analytical work was accomplished using ANSYS and applying the wall pressure loads of the stored material using Computational Fluid Dynamic (CFD) technique. The cylinders and their supports were designed to stand high seismic loads. Internal sylos features are providing the required performance for handling the stored material through mass or funnel flow, per client’s request. The sylos were seismically anchored to the batch tower floors directly and supported by heavy steel columns exerting heavy dynamic loads on the building floor slabs.
PROJECT: Golden Gate Bridge Main Tower Analysis, San Francisco, CA
This project is under CALTRANS district 4 and the Golden Gate District.
WIN Structural team members as sub-consultant to HDR performed seismic evaluation using finite element analysis (FEA) by means of ADINA software for the main towers (pylon) and the deck supporting cables accounting for rocking and uplift seismic forces of the suspension span towers. The work consisted of modeling the towers using solid elements and shell elements then, conducting a non-linear seismic time history analyses (NLTH) to get the design forces on the tower then, design the retrofit. Project is being executed in collaboration of HDR as a prime consultant.
PROJECT: Seismic Analysis and SSI of Nuclear Power Plant, DCD for Nuclear Power Plant, APR1400 REACTORS, UAE
As a subcontractor to KEPCO-E&C Korea, WIN structural team conducted advanced seismic analyses of the Category-I Reactor Building Complex. Developed seismic dynamic finite element models for capturing the dynamic response of the PCCV, the CIS building structures. The work is docketed by NRC and under review. Both SASSI and ANSYS software were used for the 3-D model development. Developed comparisons and sensitivity analysis between FEM coarse and fine meshes, as well as, conducted SASSI-SSI seismic analyses to predict the effect of surrounding buildings on the nuclear island building.
The Reactor Coolant Building (RCB) complex was model and validated using ANSYS. Prepared and originated calculations and reports to NRC licensing review. The work included the mechanical modeling of the reactor vessel and its coolant system in order to calculate the six components seismic forces on the reactor vessel, fuel rods and all its complex supports.