To help engineers avoid repetitive tasks and foster creative, more efficient design of plant steel structures, Hyundai Engineering initiated a project to automate structural design processes. They wanted to develop a new physical modeling method and generate an analytical digital twin. However, with numerous design variables that can be mismatched and deliver unreliable assessment results, Hyundai realized that they needed comprehensive structural modeling and analysis technology to optimally consider constructability enhancements.
A digital twin is a virtual representation of a physical object or system across its lifecycle, using real-time data to enable understanding, learning, and reasoning. In the context of structural engineering, a digital twin allows engineers to simulate and analyze the behavior of structures under various conditions, making it easier to identify potential issues and optimize designs before actual construction begins.
Hyundai selected STAAD to apply design automation techniques to a plant steel structure on a sample project. Bentley’s application enhanced structural design efficiency, reliability, and quality, as well as optimized design while considering constructability. Based on the total steel volume in their sample project, the digital solution enabled them to refine their designs through analysis and design iterations 70% faster, reducing design errors by 50% and saving a predicted KRW 330 million. The new design automation program adjusts the design variables in real time as the steel structure is modified, facilitating creative and efficient structural design, reducing material steel volumes, and lowering the carbon footprint of structural frameworks.
Case studies have demonstrated that this approach to the project can reduce the total steel weight by about 3% and cut working hours by 70%. In terms of cost savings, the program has shown an effect of approximately USD 1.5 million. The program also includes convenient features for serviceability checks. Typically, each physical member must meet different serviceability criteria depending on its type. Since the new physical modeling method categorizes each physical member, the appropriate serviceability criteria can be applied based on its type. By using Hyundai’s proposed method, design time is dramatically reduced, and since most processes are automated, human errors during the design process are significantly minimized.
By using this program, engineers can spend their time on more valuable tasks instead of focusing on checking for simple errors. This workflow enables engineers to focus more on optimization design, leading to cost-saving effects. The goal of design is to select the most appropriate cross-section for each physical member. In practice, the available sections are limited based on the project requirements. Therefore, engineers can set a list of available sections and select the lightest section for each individual physical member within the list that meets the strength design criteria. Another important criterion in section selection is constructability. Even if a section meets strength criteria, there may be cases where it cannot be installed on-site. To address this issue, a rule is added so that the depth of a parent member must be at least equal to the depth of a child member to ensure constructability.
Hyundai developed a solution that made effective use of capabilities offered by OpenSTAAD, an API included with the STAAD.Pro application. The design automation technology has achieved excellent performance by integrating with STAAD's powerful analysis and code-checking features. First, the program imports geometry information from STAAD, then constructs an analysis model using the proposed algorithm. After, the program assigns boundary conditions and design parameters to STAAD by OpenSTAAD API functions. This technology has the potential to be a game changer in the field of design automation.
Their program has brought significant changes to the design process. Model parameters—such as beta angle, support, and member specification—are automatically assigned based on predefined rules. Similarly, design parameters are also automatically assigned according to the rules. A new construction model concept, including the ideas of hierarchization and categorization, has been introduced. This construction model is automatically generated using only node and bean information. The key idea of the physical model generation algorithm is to sequentially identify the physical members. It follows the same order as the construction procedure on-site. During this process, the algorithm naturally classifies the types of physical members and establishes the parent-child relationship between physical members.
Using the proposed new construction model allows for intuitively defining rules for setting boundary conditions and design parameters. Rules have been developed that can automatically assign all boundary conditions and design parameters for plant steel structures. For example, girders connected to the column web should be shear connections, while girders connected to the column flange should be moment connections.
If you use the analytical model, it takes a lot of time to set the boundary conditions. If you use the physical model, it takes a lot of time to create the geometry because you have to define all the physical members and their connections. In both cases, it takes a lot of time to assign the design parameters. These tasks are repeated multiple times because steel structures are frequently revised during the design period.
By automating these processes, Hyundai Engineering's new program significantly reduces the time and effort required for structural design, allowing engineers to focus on more critical aspects of their projects and ultimately delivering higher quality and more cost-effective solutions.
Sponsored by Bentley