The following project aims at providing a state of the art reinforced concrete structural design undertaking of a commercial building situated in the city of Ramallah; it is called The Gateway Building.
The building is comprised of thirteen stories, of which the three basement levels serve as parking spaces, one basement level is reserved for storage purposes and the rest seven stories provide office spaces and stores. The upper most two floors are reserved for restaurants. The three basement levels together have a total area of 4800 square meters; each of the upper floors has an average floor area of about 870 square meters.
The loads on each floor will be calculated according to its function. Load values, combinations and factors will be in compliance with the ACI, the IBC or the UBC. Analysis and design of the structure will be carried out using the Extended Three Dimensional Analysis of Building Systems Software, ETABS. The slabs’ design as well as the foundation design will be carried out using SAFE computer software. Various roofing schemes are investigated and explored; the most economic one is recommended. Foundation design is an inseparable part of the present design undertaking.
The Gateway Building has already been designed and constructed in Ramallah. However, the present design exercise is conducted with absolutely no reference to any other previous propriety design efforts.