Design Billboard 3x4

How do you ensure the stability of a 10-meter steel billboard against 81 km/h coastal winds? 🏗️🌬️

Excited to share my latest portfolio project: a complete structural design of a steel billboard in Alexandria. I documented the workflow from global analysis down to the finest connection details to deliver a safe, economical, and fabrication-ready structure.

Swipe through the attached PDF to explore the analytical models, engineering challenges, and structural solutions! 👇

🔹 Design Parameters: • Material: Steel 37 • Total Height: 10m (6m main column + 4m display panel) • Design Wind Speed: 81 km/h (Alexandria Region)

🔹 Analysis & Design Phases: 1️⃣ Global Modeling (SAP2000): The structure was modeled as a 3D space frame. Frame end releases were assigned to the bracing elements to ensure proper truss behavior (axial forces only). When the initial column section failed under biaxial bending, I optimized the design by switching to a circular hollow section (Pipe 400x6) equipped with a transition piece (Box 120x120x6) for efficient load distribution.

2️⃣ Base Plate Design (RAM Connection): The base plate and anchor bolts were designed in accordance with AISC 360-16. By meticulously fine-tuning the dimensions, the design achieved a highly economical demand/capacity ratio of 0.99 in the governing minor-axis load case.

3️⃣ Advanced CBFEM Verification (IDEA StatiCa): To validate the complex joints and check for high stress concentrations, a finite element analysis was performed. Instead of drastically increasing the base plate thickness to pass the checks, I introduced triangular stiffeners around the column base. This engineering decision effectively dissipated the stresses and brought all checks to a safe "Pass" status while saving material.

💡 The Takeaway: Integrating multiple structural tools (SAP2000, RAM Connection, and IDEA StatiCa) empowers structural engineers to bridge the gap between global frame analysis and local connection behavior, yielding highly optimized designs.

I would love to hear my fellow engineers' thoughts on connection detailing and stiffener utilization in the comments!

Looking for precise, safe, and economical structural design for your upcoming steel or concrete projects? Feel free to connect or send me a DM. 🤝