HR_DAD_RC_1.0 - Database-Assisted Design Software for High-Rise Buildings

HR_DAD_RC_1.0 is a time-domain integrated wind engineering and structural engineering methodology for designing structures subjected to fluctuating wind loading. The HR_DAD software allows the estimation of global and local wind effects, including individual member demand-to-capacity indexes (DCIs), with any specified mean recurrence intervals (MRI) by accounting for the directional properties of the extreme wind speeds and the building aerodynamics and dynamics. The software incorporates ASCE 7 Standard requirements, ACI 318 requirements for reinforced concrete buildings, and AISC requirements for steel buildings.

Building information

• Basic information (building height, number of stories, number of DOF's per floor)
• Structural properties (list and details of members, floor heights)
• Dynamic properties (number of modes, modal periods, modal shapes, modal damping ratio, mass)

Load information

• Load factors
• Gravity loads (dead, superimposed dead, and live loads on floors)
• Wind loads (wind tunnel test data)

Wind climate information

• Wind climatological data
• Micrometeorological data
• Terrain data and building orientation.

All information required for DAD must be provided as a MATLAB formatted file or be typed in the software. The details are described in the software or in the accompanying report (downloaded below).

• Demand-to-capacity indexes (DCIs) for any members
  - DCI for interaction of axial force and bending moments
  - DCI for interaction of shear forces and torsion
• Interstory drift
• Top-floor acceleration

The model scale time histories of the floor wind loads for the 60-story CAARC (Commonwealth Advisory Aeronautical Research Council) building, consisting of measurements in 10 degree increments around the building, are also available for download. The loads are based on synchronous pressure time histories on the surfaces of the building model, obtained from wind tunnel tests carried out at the CRIACIV Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel, Prato, Italy.

Specifically, the following options are available:

• The file may be provided as a self-extracting zip file. The advantages of this format are that the files are compressed (which speeds downloading) and that no software is required to unpack the files. The disadvantages of this format are that they only work for Windows platforms and some firewalls disallow the downloading of files with a "EXE" file extension.

• The file may be provided as a non-self-extracting zip files. The advantage of this format is that it can be unpacked on Unix/Linux platforms (use the "unzip" command) and it can possibly be downloaded on Windows sites that disallow "EXE" files. The disadvantage is that Windows users will need software (typically the WinZip software, but it is possible that other archiving software can also handle this format) to unpack the files.

• Some files are provided as individual files.

• User's manual including installation instructions (PDF format)

  Note: Last Updated 1/2011

• Standalone executable version of the HR_DAD_RC_1.0 software (non-self-extracting zip file) (requires installation of MCRInstaller.exe from The Mathworks, Inc.)

  Note: Last Updated 1/2011

• Input for the 60-story example described in the user’s manual (non-self-extracting zip file)

  Note: Last Updated 1/2011

• The time histories of the floor loads for the 60-story Example described in the user’s manual (non-self-extracting zip file)

  Note: Last Updated 1/2011

  Note: Pressure data have been obtained from wind tunnel tests carried out at the CRIACIV Boundary Layer Wind Tunnel, Prato, Italy http://www.criaciv.unifi.it/.

• Simulated Directional Hurricane Wind Speed Data (self-extracting zip file, non-self-extracting zip file, or individual ASCII files)

• HR_DAD for steel structures (2009)

The software for HR_DAD for steel structures was developed by Dr. Seymour Spence of the University of Perugia. Drs. Massimilano Gioffre and Emil Simiu served as advisors.

Significant earlier research and development by Drs. Mihai Iancovici, William Fritz, and Dr. Rene Gabbai is acknowledged with thanks.

A separate download page is also available for DAD software for rigid, gable-roofed buildings, developed by Dr. Joseph A. Main.

Please email any questions, comments, or requests for the HR_DAD software (source code) to Dr. DongHun Yeo.