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The 6th Saudi Engineering Conference, KFUPM, Dhahran, December 2002 Vol. 3. 79

CBAEL: SOFTWARE FOR STATIC / DYNAMIC ANALYSIS,

DESIGN AND OPTIMIZATION OF STRUCTURES

Abdelhamid Charif 1

1: Professor, Civil Engineering Department, King Saud University, Riyadh.

acharif@ksu.edu.sa

ABSTRACT

This paper describes a professional software for static / dynamic analysis, design and optimization of
structures according to Algerian and French codes of practice. The Saudi reinforced concrete and
seismic codes of practice are currently being implemented.

The software has been developed in Windows environment using the visual programming technology.
It has a friendly graphical user interface for pre and post processing and uses most modern numerical
techniques.

The graphical pre processor offers many finite element mesh generation schemes including the active
front and Delaunay techniques as well as an automatic node-renumbering algorithm minimizing the
matrix profile.

The current version contains nine modules monitored by a main program and sharing many common
resources.

Keywords: Software, Structures, Analysis, Design, Finite Element, Graphical Interface.

‫اﻟﻤﻠﺨﺺ‬

‫ ﺍﻟﻘﻭﺍﻨﻴﻥ‬.‫ﻫﺫﺍ ﺍﻟﺒﺤﺙ ﻴﺨﺹ ﺒﺭﻨﺎﻤﺞ ﺇﻋﻼﻡ ﺁﻟﻲ ﻟﺘﺤﻠﻴل ﻭ ﺘﺼﻤﻴﻡ ﺍﻹﻨﺸﺎﺀﺍﺕ ﺤﺴﺏ ﺍﻟﻘﻭﺍﻨﻴﻥ ﺍﻟﺘﻘﻨﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﺠﺯﺍﺌﺭﻴﺔ ﻭﺍﻟﻔﺭﻨﺴﻴﺔ‬
‫ ﺘﻡ ﺘﻁﻭﻴﺭ ﺍﻟﺒﺭﻨﺎﻤﺞ ﻓﻲ ﻨﻅﺎﻡ ﻭﻴﻨﺩﻭﺯ ﺒﺎﺴﺘﻌﻤﺎل ﺃﺤﺩﺙ ﺘﻘﻨﻴﺎﺕ‬.‫ﺍﻟﻤﻌﻤﻭل ﺒﻬﺎ ﺒﺎﻟﻤﻤﻠﻜﺔ ﺍﻟﺴﻌﻭﺩﻴﺔ ﻫﻲ ﺍﻵﻥ ﺒﺼﺩﺩ ﺍﻹﺩﻤﺎﺝ‬
.‫ﺍﻟﺒﺭﻤﺠﺔ‬

.‫ﻴﺤﺘﻭﻱ ﺍﻟﺒﺭﻨﺎﻤﺞ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻋﺩﺓ ﺍﻤﺘﻴﺎﺯﺍﺕ ﻟﺭﺴﻭﻡ ﻫﻨﺩﺴﻴﺔ ﻹﺩﺨﺎل ﺍﻟﻤﻌﻁﺎﺀﺍﺕ ﻭ ﺘﺤﻠﻴل ﺍﻟﻨﺘﺎﺌﺞ‬

.‫ﻤﺭﺤﻠﺔ ﺍﻟﻨﻤﺫﺠﺔ ﺘﺤﺘﻭﻱ ﻋﻠﻰ ﻋﺩﺓ ﺘﻘﻨﻴﺎﺕ ﺍﻟﺘﺠﺯﺌﺔ ﺍﻵﻟﻴﺔ ﻟﻁﺭﻴﻘﺔ ﺍﻟﻌﻨﺎﺼﺭ ﺍﻟﻤﺤﺩﺩﺓ ﻤﻊ ﺇﻋﺎﺩﺓ ﺘﺭﻗﻴﻡ ﺁﻟﻴﺔ ﻟﻠﻨﻘﺎﻁ‬

.‫ﻴﺤﺘﻭﻱ ﺍﻟﺒﺭﻨﺎﻤﺞ ﺤﺎﻟﻴﺎ ﻋﻠﻰ ﺘﺴﻊ ﻭﺤﺩﺍﺕ ﻤﺴﻴﺭﺓ ﺒﺒﺭﻨﺎﻤﺞ ﺭﺌﻴﺴﻲ ﻭﺘﺴﺘﻌﻤل ﻋﺩﺓ ﺨﺩﻤﺎﺕ ﻤﺸﺘﺭﻜﺔ‬
Vol. 3. 80 Abdelhamid Charif

1. INTRODUCTION

CBAEL is a professional software for static and dynamic analysis, design and optimization of
structures according to Algerian and French reinforced concrete and seismic codes CBA 93,
BAEL 91 and RPA 99 [CGS 1993, 1995, 2000; CSTB 1990,1991]. The tool has been under
development for many years with the visual programming technology under Windows
95/98/2000/NT environment and has a powerful graphical interface for pre and post
processing. Saudi and American codes are currently being integrated. The software has
already been presented in previous occasions [Charif, 1998, 1999]. The present paper
describes the various modules of the software including recent extensions and updating
relative to RC structural optimization by reanalysis, analysis of flows through porous media as
well as the integration of the latest Algerian Seismic code specifications.

2. RESOURCES OF CBAEL

Version 7 of CBAEL contains nine modules driven by a principal program and sharing many
common resources. Most recent numerical analysis concepts are implemented in the software:

• Finite elements : Use of robust elements - Automatic mesh generation - Optimal

node renumbering - Profile solver – Stress nodal projection – Dynamic memory
management

• Graphics: Friendly graphical environment – Plane / isometric graphical contours –

Animation – Hidden surface algorithm – Pre and post processing.

• Reinforced concrete : Controlled intersection method for equilibrium equation

solution –Integrated code prescriptions – ULS (Ultimate Limit State) and SLS
(Service Limit State) design with many steel layers and various section shapes –
Strain and stress diagrams – Axial force / bending moment interaction curves –
Bending moment / curvature diagrams.

3. REINFORCED CONCRETE DESIGN MODULES

The reinforced concrete module is a powerful workshop where the user can carry various
design and checking calculations for various types of sections in Ultimate and Service Limit
States. The required steel could be determined as optimal, symmetric or with an imposed
upper steel area. Second order effects can be accounted for in case of compressive axial forces
in ULS. The graphical post-processor delivers the number of rebars for various diameters and
the diagrams of strains and stresses (Figure 1). Axial force – moment interaction curves can
be obtained in ULS or SLS for various forms of sections of plain concrete or reinforced with
many (up to 200) steel layers. The tool delivers both the limit curve as well as the zones

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CBAEL: Software for Static/Dynamic Analysis, Design and Optimization of Structures Vol. 3. 81

where the section is either entirely in compression or entirely in tension. This option is very
useful for the design under several combinations of bending moments with axial forces as the
worst case is never obvious. The user can also obtain the moment – curvature diagram for any
level of the axial force. These curves give a quantified appreciation of the section ductility.
Fig. 2 illustrates the analysis results of a box section with four steel layers and highlights the
reduction in ductility (curvature) with a higher value of the axial force.

The shear force and torque module allows the user to determine transverse reinforcement and
their spacing while checking the ultimate shear stress according to code specifications. The
bars may be horizontal, vertical or inclined.

The shear wall module deals with the design of the walls according to their specific Algerian
and French code regulations. Original algorithms are used to determine the steel
reinforcement in many layers with a graphical output (Figure 3).

Figure 1: RC design in ULS (Ultimate Limit State)

With the footing module, the user can carry out the design of isolated footings under columns
as well as continuous foundations under walls. The software delivers both the minimum
dimensions of the footings and the steel reinforcement. The user may keep the software
dimensions or use his provided that in the latter the soil pressure does not exceed the limit.
The post processor delivers the soil pressure distribution and reinforcement detailing
(Figure 4).

The retaining wall module is used to analyze and design this type of structures. Soil pressure
(single or multi layered soil) is determined via Rankine theory with a possible phreatic water
layer. The software checks the stability of the retaining wall and determines the internal forces
and the reinforcement along the members with a graphical output (Figure 5).

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Vol. 3. 82 Abdelhamid Charif

4. FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS MODULES

Beam and plate modules allow the user to analyze and design beam and thin/thick plates on
rigid supports or resting on continuous elastic foundations. Beams of various sections, slabs
and mats of any geometry can thus be analyzed and designed. The plates may have stiffeners
(embedded beams). Surface, line and concentrated loadings may all be applied. Beam section,
plate thickness and soil stiffness may be constant or variable. Flexible and rigid foundation
response may be obtained by parametric analysis (Figure 6). A powerful graphical pre
processor [Charif, 1998b, 1999] allows automatic finite element modeling with an optimal
internal node re-numbering scheme minimizing the matrix profile. The post processor
produces graphical output under various forms including parametric isometric views as well
as the reinforced concrete design (Figures 7-8) The two way reinforcement for plates may be
obtained along the original orthogonal coordinate system or along new skew axes by using the
Wood-Armer criterion [Wood 1968, Armer 1968]. It is also possible to obtain influence lines
and influence surfaces under moving loads.

Analysis and design of framed structures under many types of loadings and combinations is
also possible. The tool offers many modeling options such as internal hinges, rigid end
offsets, rigid diaphragm as well as a powerful user graphical interface (Figure 9) for pre and
post processing. Automatic successive re-analyses allow the user to optimize the structure by
correcting the member dimensions until all code requirements are met. Members for which
the steel reinforcement is greater than the code maximal limit are considered under designed
and automatic or user-controlled increase in dimensions is invoked. Members for which the
code minimum reinforcement is used can be considered as over designed and automatic or
user-controlled reduction in dimensions may be activated. The automatic re-analysis option is
not a mathematical optimization technique but it allows the user to cater for both structural
safety and economy.

5. FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS OF FLOW THROUGH POROUS MEDIA

This module is for the analysis of confined or unconfined flows through porous media with
graphical pre and post processing facilities. Plane and axi-symmetric models can be used. In
unconfined flows, the software allows tracking of the free surface and seep surface without
resorting to geometrical mesh correction. Complex geometries may thus be studied.
A powerful nonlinear algorithm combining elastic-plastic methods and updating of boundary
conditions is used. Contours of potential and stream line functions as well as the pressure are
all produced by the post processor (Figure 10). Flows through and below dams, around and
towards wells can all be analyzed and the exploitation of aquifers may thus be rationalized.

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CBAEL: Software for Static/Dynamic Analysis, Design and Optimization of Structures Vol. 3. 83

Fig.2: Analysis of a box section with four steel layers

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Vol. 3. 84 Abdelhamid Charif

Figure 3: RC design of a shear wall with many steel layers (Dialog box and results)

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CBAEL: Software for Static/Dynamic Analysis, Design and Optimization of Structures Vol. 3. 85

Fig.4: Design of footings

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Vol. 3. 86 Abdelhamid Charif

Figure 5: Analysis and design of retaining walls.

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Figure 6: Analysis and design of a continuous beam foundation on elastic soil

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Vol. 3. 88 Abdelhamid Charif

Figure 7 : Analysis and design of a slab

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Figure 8: Analysis and design of a stiffened plate – Internal forces in embedded beams

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Vol. 3. 90 Abdelhamid Charif

Figure 9: Analysis and design of framed structures

Figure 10: Analysis of an unconfined flow in an earth dam

6. SEISMIC STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS

With this module it is possible to carry out a dynamic and seismic structural analysis
according to the Algerian seismic code RPA 99. Many 2d and 3d modeling options are
available with various modal and seismic direction combinations. All code regulations
including zoning, the spectrum and the accidental torsion effects are integrated and the post
processor delivers modal shapes with animation, modal forces, resulting displacements and
forces and various code checking (Figure 11).

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CBAEL: Software for Static/Dynamic Analysis, Design and Optimization of Structures Vol. 3. 91

Fig. 11: Forces du mode 3 et forces resultants.

7. CONCLUSIONS

CBAEL is the only professional software integrating all Algerian code specifications. It has
been used by many Algerian university and industry professionals. The Saudi code
specifications are currently being integrated. To the author’s knowledge it is the only serious
attempt to develop such a software in Arab countries.

REFERENCES

1. Armer G.S.T. ,1968, “Correspondence on reference of Wood” , Concrete, Vol. 2 , No 8,

pp. 319-320.
2. Charif A., 1998a , “CBAEL logiciel d’analyse et ferraillage des structures selon les
règlements.” 1er Colloque Maghrébin de Génie Civil, Biskra 16-17 Novembre 1998, pp.13-23.
3. Charif A., 1998b , “Pré-processeur graphique de modélisation par éléments finis.”
1er Colloque Maghrébin de Génie Civil, Biskra 16-17 Novembre 1998, pp.75-85.
4. Charif A., 1999 , “Graphical pre-processor for finite and infinite element modelling.” Second
Jordanian Civil Engineering Conference, Amman 16-17 November 1999.
5. C.S.T.B.,1990, “Règles de calcul des parois et murs en béton banché”, DTU 23.1
6. C.G.S.,1993, “Règles de conception et de calcul des structures en béton armé CBA 93”
7. C.G.S.,1995, “Règles de conception et de calcul des parois et murs en béton banché”, DTR-
BC 2.42

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Vol. 3. 92 Abdelhamid Charif

8. C.S.T.B.,1991, “Règles techniques de conception et de calcul des ouvrages et constructions en

béton armé suivant la méthode des états limites BAEL 91”
9. C.G.S.,2000, “Règles parasismiques algériennes RPA 99”, OPU 2000.
10. Wood R.H., 1968, “The reinforcement of slabs in accordance with field of moments”
Concrete Magazine, Vol. 2 , No 2, pp.69-75.

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