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60-Story Moment-Frame & Core High-Rise
Classical high-rise dual system: perimeter moment-resisting frame shear lag and central shear wall core interaction.
As a fundamental structural engineering benchmark, the classic dual system combines an interior RC elevator core with an exterior moment-resisting steel frame comprising 36 columns and continuous floor spandrel girders. Because spandrel girders bend in double curvature, shear lag reduces the effectiveness of inner perimeter columns compared to corner members. WebCAE computes the exact load sharing between core wall shear and perimeter frame portal action, checking lateral sway, buckling stability, and modal frequencies.
1. Geometry & FEA Mesh
- •Building dimensions: 240.0 m total height, 60 stories, 40.5 × 40.5 m footprint, with a central 13.5 × 13.5 m core (t = 0.6 m).
- •Perimeter moment frame: 36 box columns spaced at 4.5 m (stepped in 3 height tiers: 510 × 43, 408 × 34, 280 × 23 mm) tied by 255 × 21 mm spandrel beams at every floor.
- •Concrete slabs: 60 trapezoidal diaphragm levels tying the inner core walls to the facade columns, transferring lateral wind diaphragm shear.
- •Mesh composition: 14,256 shell quads, 5,184 beam elements, 11,608 nodes (69,120 active DOFs, 74,000+ total DOFs).
2. Loads & Boundary Conditions
- •Rigid base fixity across all 36 column footings and 6 core wall perimeter base segments.
- •Full height boundary-layer wind profile delivering 18.21 MN total base shear and overturning moment of 2,941.6 MN·m.
- •Full gravitational dead load accounting for concrete density and structural steel sections to establish baseline axial compression.
3. Simulation Results & Findings
- ✓Top lateral wind deflection u_top = 0.298 m (within acceptable drift limit H/505, with Vierendeel frame action absorbing 42% of base overturning).
- ✓Critical gravitational load factor λ₁ = 7.21 based on full 3D geometric stiffness matrix K_σ.
- ✓Fundamental lateral vibration mode f₁ = 0.194 Hz, demonstrating characteristic coupled core-frame flexural-shear deformation profile.
Civil engineering practices use WebCAE as an instantaneous validation tool to compare classic moment-frame solutions with outrigger or diagrid alternatives using uniform material budgets. The portable .caeweb container lets project managers and peer reviewers check frame forces, column P-M interaction, and story drifts on standard laptops.
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