Optimization of Structural Grid in Low Rise Reinforced Cement Concrete Framed Buildings

The size and number of columns have a significant impact on the cost of the structure, the structural behaviour, and the functional aspects of a building. In conventional building structures, a small center-to-center spacing among columns in the structural grid can interfere with the architectural design of functional areas, halls, and parking spaces. The purpose of the study is to analyze and optimize the Reinforced Cement Concrete framed structures of low-rise buildings (about 10 m high) for the basic structural design recommendations. The objective of the study is to determine the most economical structural solution for the RCC framed structure, having a similar footprint and built-up area in all cases. The methodology adopted is by conducting structural design using STAAD-Pro software. A three-story RCC framed structure with a rectangular building of 30.0 m × 20.0 m on each floor was assumed for the study. Six cases of different structural grid configurations for similar building and the total covered area have been defined. The structure was analyzed and designed in STAAD Pro with the help of IS-456 2000. It has been ensured that loading conditions remain similar and all the structural members are safe in all cases while modeling and analyzing structures. As a result, some of the structural grid configurations have been recommended for low-rise RCC framed buildings up to G + 3 Storeys i.e. 6.0 m × 6.0 m, 6.0 × 7.5, 6.6 × 7.5 m, and 7.5 m × 7.5 m. As per structural design and analysis, it can be inferred that the most economical and optimized structural design solution for low-rise buildings (G + 2 Floors) has a structural grid of 7.5 m × 6.7 m.