THE

EMKIN
FILES

What is the Mystery of

THE E M K I N FILES ?
Engineers are using software for which limitations
have been documented.
Engineers are designing structures without fully
understanding the limitations of the software analysis
tools they are using.

WHY ?

 For more than 29 years, Dr. Leroy

Emkin has been telling the story

Many have not listened

WHY ?

For more than 29 years the

comparisons have been difficult.
Until Now

The Emkin Files now brings you

two illustrations of some
significant differences.
We used the Structural Desktop
program to translate files and run
them through parallel analysis.

14 STORY BUILDING

Original Bracing Layout

A Look at Load
Distribution and Torsion
in the 2nd, 3rd & 4th Stories
Double & Single-Story
Bracing Results
Base Shear Comparison
Limitations of RISAFloor
& RAM Steel Type
Programs
Conclusion

Double-Story Bracing vs.

Single-Story Bracing

GT STRUDL Base Shear

Comparison
RISAFloor, GT STRUDL & STAAD Base Shear (Z-dir)

256
8

307
295
260
316

Frames

7
299
255
267
244

RISAFloor
STAAD
GT STRUDL

93
1

147
172
0

50

100

150

200

Base Shear (kips)

250

300

350

Frames
1
3
7
8
Average

% Dif. Between GT STRUDL & STAAD

14.6%
9.6%
5.8%
4.2%
8.5%

Frames
1
3
7
8
Average

% Dif. Between GT - STAAD Avg. & RISAFloor

42.0%
0.2%
15.4%
15.0%
18.1%

GT STRUDL Base Shear

Comparison
RISAFloor, GT STRUDL & STAAD Base Shear (X - direction)

169

164

6
Frames

242
233
237
233

168

278
272
222

241

222

RISAFloor
STAAD
GT STRUDL

140

128
137
0

50

100

150

Base Shear (kips)

200

250

300

Frames
2
4
5
6
9
Average

% Dif. Between GT STRUDL & STAAD

6.8%
8.8%
2.3%
1.6%
3.6%
4.6%

Frames
2
4
5
6
9
Average

% Dif. Between GT - STAAD Avg. & RISAFloor

5.9%
3.9%
39.0%
30.0%
28.9%
21.5%

Load Application
Limitations of RISAFloor and RAM Steel

Inability to account for non-rectangular geometry

Assumes that side wall wind loadings are equal and opposite
Applies the Wind Load in orthogonal directions only
Difficult to account for architectural features, or other exterior
obstructions

Load Application with GT STRUDL and STAAD.Pro

Engineer can apply loads correctly regardless of geometry
Can handle any shape of structure

Can account for architectural features and exterior obstructions

and distribute the load along the load path of the structure

Conclusions
Torsion is a cause of unusual story shears due to the
2nd floor weak story (atrium), architectural features, nonorthogonal window wall projections, and the nonsymmetric locations of brace frames
The 2-Story X-Bracing contributed to the unusual
loading patterns in the Bracing.
The ability of RAM Steel / RISAFloor-like programs to
model the correct wind loadings is limited to
symmetrical / rectangular structures.
GT STRUDL and STAAD.Pro require more time to
create a model, but allow the user to correctly apply
wind pressures and other loadings.

Cable Pavilion Structure

Preliminary Design
Base
~ 40 meters square
Tower Height ~ 25 meters
Comparisons based on selfweight only

Structural Desktop Model

GT STRUDL Model

STAAD.Pro Model

CABLE # CABLE # Node 1

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16

1961
1962
1963
1969
1972
1974
1975
3444
4404
4405
4406
4409
4817
4820
4929
4930

100
13
14
455
597
195
185
813
812
811
1620
1371
1355
1747
1387
1419

CABLE # CABLE # Node 1

17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38

1959
1960
1964
1965
1966
1967
1968
1970
1971
1973
3441
3445
3454
4407
4408
4410
4816
4818
4821
4931
4932
4933

109
127
127
90
90
456
456
598
598
127
866
866
866
1622
1622
1379
1363
1748
1748
109
1379
1363

STAAD PRO RESULTS

UPPER CABLES
Cable Force 2 Initial Length Input Length
Node 2 Cable Force 1 (kN)
CABLE # Node 1
(kN) (length)
(m)
(m)
12
198.878
374.42
24.534
24.4997
9007
100
81
325.767
347.49
25.378
25.3425
9010
13
119
505.503
595.65
18.886
18.8596
9013
14
14
250.02
300.47
17.372
17.3477
9031
455
14
356.241
245.36
16.7
16.6767
9040
597
12
76.314
144.03
15.448
15.4264
9046
195
13
50.635
151.36
15.845
15.8229
9049
185
858
567.775
571.37
18.886
18.8596
9055
813
13
119.124
79.13
21.536
21.5059
9064
812
12
105.843
81.6
21.536
21.5059
9067
811
813
296.206
304.12
17.372
17.3477
9070
1620
811
370.916
353.2
25.378
25.3425
9079
1371
812
368.326
351.93
24.534
24.4997
9088
1355
813
284.658
289.87
16.7
16.6767
9094
1747
812
39.135
128.49
15.448
15.4264
9100
1387
811
56.612
150.38
15.845
15.8229
9103
1419
BOTTOM CABLES
Cable Force 2 Initial Length Input Length
Node 2 Cable Force 1 (kN)
CABLE # Node 1
(kN)
(m)
(m)
791
134.725
150.99
12.71
12.7020
9001
109
798
43.47
49.43
12.893
12.8849
9004
127
791
20.889
175.44
12.893
12.8849
9001
109
798
190.11
233.99
11.65
11.6427
9004
127
799
8.908
10.65
10.65
10.6433
9022
90
798
96.342
80.22
11.39
11.3829
9025
456
799
78.098
85.5
11.0364
11.0295
9028
456
797
140.901
85.89
11.976
11.9685
9034
598
796
144.662
25.76
11.707
11.6997
9037
597
795
308.644
220.13
10.391
10.3845
9043
127
1343
49.739
52.59
12.893
12.8849
9052
866
1342
39.452
43.05
12.893
12.8849
9058
866
1340
346.034
291.68
10.391
10.3845
9061
866
1341
103.4
86.2
11.036
11.0291
9073
1622
1342
118.028
84.08
11.39
11.3829
9076
1622
791
239.971
238.46
11.649
11.6417
9082
1379
794
193.619
195.32
12.731
12.7230
9085
1363
1344
114.566
95.61
11.707
11.6997
9091
1748
1343
114.266
83.62
11.98
11.9725
9097
1748
796
24.849
90.05
11.837
11.8296
9106
109
1341
3.147
12.98
10.65
10.6433
9109
1379
1344
14.924
21.64
11.825
11.8176
9112
1363

Node 2

Element ID#

12
81
119
14
14
12
13
858
13
12
813
811
812
813
812
811

91961
91962
91963
91969
91972
91974
91975
93444
94404
94405
94406
94409
94817
94820
94929
94930

Node 2

Element ID#

791
798
791
798
799
798
799
797
796
795
1343
1342
1340
1341
1342
791
794
1344
1343
796
1341
1344

91959
91960
91964
91965
91966
91967
91968
91970
91971
91973
93441
93445
93454
94407
94408
94410
94816
94818
94821
94931
94932
94933

GT STRUDL RESULTS
TOP CABLES
Cable Force Unstress Length
(kN)
(m)
859.54
24.1443
649.36
25.6387
1084.88
18.8593
549.58
17.6147
631.64
16.3952
149.96
15.2777
149.2
15.9463
1075.55
18.8924
191.7
21.536
191.7
21.536
579.14
17.5933
716.32
25.5946
898.17
24.1609
664.28
16.4136
150.47
15.2747
150.47
15.9156
BOTTOM CABLES
Cable Force Unstress Length
(kN)
(m)
255.5
12.7129
251.41
12.8784
243.15
12.8641
248.57
11.6664
247.63
10.5471
249.74
11.2928
258.27
11.0025
259.84
11.8918
255.79
11.665
250.74
10.3484
248.64
12.8609
255.11
12.882
246.38
10.3545
261.26
11.001
242.99
11.2929
254.13
11.661
257.45
12.735
258.5
11.6753
256.47
11.9144
258.93
11.7504
244.32
10.5427
258
11.751

Element ID#
81961
81962
81963
81969
81972
81974
81975
83444
84404
84405
84406
84409
84817
84820
84929
84930
Element ID#
81959
81960
81964
81965
81966
81967
81968
81970
81971
81973
83441
83445
83454
84407
84408
84410
84816
84818
84821
84931
84932
84933

Cable Number

Upper Cable Comparison

16
15
14
13
12
11
10
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1

STAAD (Length)
STAAD (Tension and Length)
GT STRUDL

200

400

600
Axial Force (KN)

STAAD Total Weight: 5161.916

GT STRUDL Total Weight: 5988.347
% Diff.

14.82%

kN
kN

800

1000

1200

Lower Cable Comparison

STAAD (Length)
STAAD (Tension and Length)
GT STRUDL

38
37
36
35
34
33
32
31

Cable Number

30
29
28
27
26
25
24
23
22
21
20
19
18
17
0.00

50.00

100.00

150.00

200.00

250.00

Axial Force (kN)

300.00

350.00

400.00

 TRUST NO ONE

TRUST NO ONE
Our first responsibility is to the public
safety.
The Stamping Engineer is 100%
responsible.

THE TRUTH IS OUT

THERE

THE TRUTH IS OUT THERE

Good engineering practice is finding the
true answer, not just getting an answer.
Understanding your software is a
requirement, not an option.
All software is NOT created equal.

 I WANT TO BELIEVE

I WANT TO BELIEVE

that the structural engineering

profession has the integrity that we
must have to fulfill our commitment to
the public trust.

The Emkin Files is one means to

assist our fellow structural engineers
to accomplish this goal.

Special Thanks to:

The Ramblin Wrecks from
Georgia Tech
Dr. Leroy Emkin
Dr. Kenneth (Mac) Will
Michael Swanger
Robert Abernathy
Hamid Zand
Ben Deaton
The GT STRUDL
Users Group

And, of course, to:

Joan
Joan of Tech

Incrocci