Function
Story is used to define the floor levels if the analysis model is a building. Because the positions of the stories are defined using the GCS Z-axis coordinates, the floor planes of the building must inevitably be parallel to GCS X-Y plane.
Story is used for the following purposes :
1. Assign wall combination numbers to the wall elements entered in the analysis model.
2. Define stories to apply the auto-calculated lateral forces as story forces. (Refer to "Wind Load" and "Static Seismic Load")
3. Consider automatically rigid diaphragm action and specify diaphragm masses at the relevant stories. (Refer to "Floor Diaphragm Masses")
4. After analysis, Story is used to classify and arrange results data such as story drifts, input loads and self-weights by stories. (Refer to "Story Drift", "Story Weight Table", "Story Load Table")
Data entry and results data related to Story
In general, stories are identified by floors in a building. In generating an analytical model for a building structure, floors are considered as rigid diaphragms, and lateral loads such as wind and seismic loads are assumed to act on the floor diaphragms.
Also in design of the building structure, results related to Story are required, which are story stiffness ratios, story eccentricity ratios, story drifts, story shear forces, etc.
1. Auto generation of story data
Gen NX provides the auto-generation function for story data by automatically recognizing the z-coordinates of nodes in the structure. (In the main menu, Structure > Building > Story)
If the user defines the Ground Level, basements can be considered to which auto-generated wind and seismic loads are not applied. Floor diaphragms are automatically considered for all floors except for the lowest level. In order to release the floor diaphragms for specific stories, select Boundary > Advanced > Diaphragm Disconnect in the main menu.
Fig. Display of story diaphragm
2. Check the results related to story
Gen NX provides the following results:
- Story drift
- Story drift (Time history analysis)
- Story Displacement
- Story shear force (Response Spectrum Analysis)
- Story shear force (Time History Analysis)
- Story mode shape
- Story eccentricity
- Story shear force distribution ratio
- Torsional amplification factor
- Overturning moment
- Story axial force sum
- Stability coefficient
- Torsional Irregularity
- Stiffness Irregularity Check
- Weight Irregularity Check
- Capacity Irregularity Check
- Ultimate Story Shear Check (In Taiwan version only)
Story shear force distribution ratio can be produced when Story Shear Force Ratio (Model>Building>Control Data) is checked on before analysis is performed.
Call
From the Main Menu select [Structure] tab > [Building] group > [Story]
Shortcut key: [F10]
Input
Auto Generation Story Data
Use the Table Entry function to directly enter the story data in the Table or click the Auto Generate Story Data button.
Ground Level
The ground level is expressed by the coordinate of the GCS Z-axis. The stories from the Base to the ground level are assumed as underground stories and designated as 'B1', 'B2'... during the auto-generation of story data.
Direct Entry Method of Story Data in Table
Refer to "Usage of Table Tool" in the Story Entry Table to enter the following data :
Terminology
Familiarize with Usage
Basic directions (Cell motion, selection, size control, etc.)
Data manipulation (Add, delete, modify data, etc.)
Copy/Paste data using clipboard
Supplementary Table functions
Table Sorting
Table format setting
Auto-fit column width
Graph printing
Supplementary functions by Table types
Node/Element Table
Results Table
The command supplies 3 Table dialog boxes related to stories and the data entries for each dialog box are as follows :
Story tab
Module name : Modules for the building structure, such as a twin tower. Click [Define Module] button to define module data.
Story Name
Level : Story height (elevation)
Height : Floor to floor height
Floor Diaphragm : Assign Floor Rigid Diaphragm to the relevant story. This function constrains Dx, Dy and Rz to the relevant story.
Tracing Drawing : Activates the imported Tracing File by assigning it to each story.
Line Grid : Activates the line grids defined in Define Line Grid for each story.
Note 1
If "Do not consider" is selected for Floor Diaphragm and Membrane Type of wall is defined, Singular Warning message is displayed when the analysis is carried out. This is because Membrane Type of wall does not have out-of-plane stiffness. It can be resolved by changing the Membrane Type into Plate Type.
Note 2
If Floor Diaphragm is considered, all masses of the relevant story are lumped into Mass Center. The mass data lumped into Mass Center can be checked from Query> Story Mass Table.
Note 3
When a Support condition (3 translational degrees of freedom and 3 rotational degrees of freedom restrained) is assigned to a certain node on Floor Diaphragm, the degrees of freedom overlapping with Floor Diaphragm are automatically released.
Note 4
In case of stepped slabs, consider Floor Diaphragm to each slab and define Elastic Link-Rigid Type to the slab gap.
Wind tab
Name : Story name
Floor Width X-Dir. : Effective width of the building in X-axis, subjected to GCS Y-direction wind load
Floor Width Y-Dir. : Effective width of the building in Y-axis, subjected to GCS X-direction wind load
Floor Center Xc : Coordinate of the position in GCS X-direction, to which the wind load is applied
Floor Center Yc : Coordinate of the position in GCS Y-direction, to which the wind load is applied
Seismic tab
Name : Story name
Eccentricity X - Dir.
Accidental eccentricity distance in X-direction to calculate the accidental eccentricity moments due to the seismic loads at each story in GCS Y-direction when the equivalent static seismic load is calculated
Eccentricity Y - Dir.
Accidental eccentricity distance in Y-direction to calculate the accidental eccentricity moments due to the seismic loads at each story in GCS X-direction when the equivalent static seismic load is calculated
Auto-generate story data
Click the Auto Generate Story Data button to auto-generate the story, wind and seismic table data using the geometric data of the building.
Note
Gen NX auto-generates story data based on the entered nodal coordinates. Gen NX assumes the Z-coordinates of all the entered nodes as story levels and includes them in the Selected List. Click the right arrow button before clicking [OK] to exclude the levels not required from the Selected List and move to the Unselected List.
Include Seismic Accidental Eccentricity
When a static seismic load needs to be automatically calculated, check on the box to consider Accidental Eccentricity for torsional moment. The magnitude of the eccentricity is specified in percentage relative to a Plan Dimension.
Define Module
Click the Define Module... button to assign stories to each module for twin towers.
Module Name : Specify a Module Name.
Note
Define Module Names considering that Story Result Tables are generated in an ascending order or a descending order.
Select Stories
Start Story : Specify the lowermost story included in a module.
Include : Check on to include the currently selected story. For example, when start story is "2nd floor" and "Include" option is not selected, the module will included from "3rd floor".
End Story : Specify the uppermost story included in a module.
Include : Check on to include the currently selected story. For example, when end story is "5th floor" and "Include" option is not selected, the module will included up to "4th floor".
Define Story Region : Select a check box to activate [Define Story Region] button. This button shall be used for defining a region of each module. For example, in order to define the left tower in the figure below, specify Start Story as 2F and End Story as 5F with defining left tower region in the model view by mouse clicking. In order to define modules for twin tower, Story Region must be defined.
Module Data : Display Name & No. of Stories for the defined Modules.