Hi
Please advise for a irregularly loaded pile cap:
1. I have pedestals on top of pile cap slab. If I model them using offsets then would they be calculating the stresses at the plat top. As staad uses plate/ shell elements therefore the stresses are calculated at the mid thickness and extrapolated to the outer surfaces. Or should i model the pedestals to the mid surfaces i.e for a pile cap 900mm thick and pedestal height 300mm should I model as 900/2 +300 =750mm high pedestal.
2. Which forces should I consider for bending steel design. Is it: Mx, My, Mxy, Sx and Sy? How to calculate the effective width.
3. Which forces should I consider for two -way punching shear. Is it: Qx, Qy, Txy? How to calculate effective perimeter.
4. How to locally refine meshing within parameter model. I am using density points.
5. How to calculate ideal FE plate sizes to avoid too coarse and fine meshes without iterations.
Thanks.