Structural design

Efficient, safe structures, designed to be built.

Photo: Declan Sun / Unsplash

DDES designs concrete, steel and masonry structures under the NSR-10 (Colombia's seismic-resistant building code) for buildings, warehouses and infrastructure in Barranquilla, the Caribbean region and the rest of Colombia. It delivers signed structural calculations and drawings, and follows the application at the curaduría urbana (the building-permit authority) until the permit is issued.

Code: NSR-10
Deliverables: 5
Coverage: Nationwide (Colombia)

What is structural design?

Structural design defines the system that holds up a building and sizes each of its members for the loads and earthquakes the NSR-10 requires. It is done by a civil engineer qualified under Law 400 of 1997, and it is delivered as signed structural drawings and calculations (A.1.3.4 and A.1.5).

We design the complete structure of new buildings, from the structural system to the reinforcement drawings the site foreman works from. All of it under the NSR-10 and suited to the place: on the coast, soft soils, a high water table and a marine environment that attacks the steel; inland, the high seismic hazard of much of the country.

How do structural design and independent review differ?

Source: NSR-10, Title A, and Law 1796 of 2016.
	Structural design	Independent design review
Who does it	The structural designer, a civil engineer qualified under Law 400 of 1997 (A.1.3.4)	A professional other than the designer, with no employment relationship with the designer
What it produces	Signed structural drawings and calculations (A.1.5)	Comments on the design and a signed review statement
When	Before filing the permit application	During the permit process, before the permit is issued (A.1.3.7)
Is it mandatory?	Yes; one- and two-story houses may follow the minimum requirements of Title E (A.1.3.11)	If the lot allows more than 2,000 m² to be built (Law 1796 of 2016)

We explain it step by step in structural design in Colombia. Before you start, look up the seismic hazard of your municipality and the design spectrum.

Concrete, steel and masonry

We choose the system for the project, not out of habit: moment frames, shear walls, dual systems, post-tensioned slabs, structural steel or reinforced masonry. Before deciding, we compare quantities and construction time.

Foundations for coastal soils

We work with the geotechnical study from day one. Piles, mats and spread footings designed for the expansive clays of the southwest, the loose sands near the river and differential settlement.

From model to drawing

We analyze in ETABS, SAP2000 and SAFE and document in Revit. Drawings, bar schedules and quantities come from the same model: what is calculated is what is drawn.

What is the process?

Concepción
We define the structural system with the architect and compare alternatives.
Preliminary sizing
Initial sections, loads and story drift check.
Analysis and design
Full model and design of every member.
Drawings and bar schedules
Documents for the permit and for construction.
Support
Permit-authority comments and site queries.

What do we deliver?

Signed structural calculations
Structural and foundation drawings
Bar-bending schedules and quantities
Analysis model
Support at the curaduría until the permit is issued

Photo: Sven Mieke / Unsplash

Frequently asked questions

How long does a structural design take?

It depends on the size and on how far along the architecture is. As a reference, a five-story building usually takes four to six weeks, and a twenty-story tower three to four months.

What do you need to get started?

Architectural drawings, a geotechnical study and a topographic survey. If you do not have a geotechnical study yet, we help you define what to ask the geotechnical engineer for.

Does the design include the permit process?

Yes. We answer the structural comments from the curaduría and from the independent reviewer until the permit is issued.

How much does a structural design cost?

It depends on the area, the use, the number of floors, the structural system and the soil. With the architectural drawings and the location of the lot, we send you a fee proposal at no cost.