Tilt-Up Panel Analysis

Tilt-up Panel Analysis is an advanced software for conducting lifting and bracing analysis for concrete tilt-up panels. It is designed and tested for both solid and open rectangular panels. Panels can have rectangular openings as well as thickenings and depressions including returns and reveals. The software supports both US customary units as well as SI units. It is also capable of incorporating as many panels as needed in a single project. The software also has the function of copying panels and openings/depressions/thickenings of panels to speed up the process of creation and analysis of the entire project. A simplified report of the inputs and outputs as well as a detailed sketch of the panel can be easily exported to a pdf file. To make the report more concise, the user has the choice of including lifting analysis or bracing analysis or both for each panel within the project based on their needs. Furthermore, the bill of materials for the project can be exported to an excel file rather than a pdf file permitting any modifications desired by the user with ease.

Lifting analysis is carried out by considering only the main forces which are flexural forces. The software can run high as well as wide analysis. The user can choose to run the high analysis at any angle of inclination. Wide analysis is approximated by dividing the panel into segments at points of zero-shear from high analysis at the flat position. The user can choose which segment to analyse or analyse all segments combined. Each panel can have up to 4 rows of lifting inserts and up to 4 columns of lifting inserts. Furthermore, in the case of 4 rows of inserts, the user can separately specify the lengths of major and minor lifting cables. The software is also equipped with a neat feature for conducting high analysis for the entire range of angles of inclination to obtain the most critical stresses and moments. There are also tabulated data as well as diagrams for shears, moments and stresses within the panel.

Bracing analysis is carried out in accordance with the “TCA Guideline for Temporary Wind Bracing of Tilt-Up Concrete Panels During Construction”. The user has the choice of either providing the wind pressure acting on the panel or have it calculated based on the provided wind speed. Each panel can have up to 10 braces which should be more than sufficient for all jobs. To simplify and speed up the design procedures, the software is also equipped with calculating the minimum number of braces and their spacings required to resist the applied wind pressure.

Dual Units

Dual units capabilities (US Customary units and SI units).

Project Settings

Project-wide parameters with the option to override some of them on a panel-by-panel bases, which speeds up the process of adding panels to the project.

Concise Presentation

Most parameters and functions including results are concisely fit into a single window for easy access, which facilitates quick creation and execution of projects. Use of the software is further facilitated by dividing the parameters and functions into groups distinguished by color.

Concrete Panel Parameters

A complete definition of the geometry of the concrete panel along with its unit weight including openings, thickenings, and depressions. User can choose to exclude the panel from any desired type of analysis (lifting or bracing analyses). A detailed sketch of the panel can be neatly printed to a pdf file. The software is further complemented by a function for printing simple reports of inputs and outputs into a pdf file.

Panel Openings, Thickenings and Depressions

Pop-up windows for creating as many as needed of panel openings, thickenings and depressions. The functions for modifying and copying these panel features further facilitate and speed up their creation.

Lifting Parameters

A complete definition of the lifting geometry including cable lengths and positions of all lifting inserts.

Bracing Parameters

A complete definition of the bracing geometry including number of braces (up to 10) and position of each brace. The software is made more versatile by allowing the user to either provide the wind pressure or have it calculated from the wind speed provided in the project settings. To speed up the parameter’s assignment, the user can choose to move all braces together on the sketch.

Brace Side View

A pop-up window for the side view of the panel and brace to facilitate the positioning of the braces.

Analyses Functions

The software is equipped with functions for bracing analysis and lifting analysis which includes high and wide analysis. An additional powerful function is the high analysis across all angles of inclinations which can be used to quickly determine the critical stress and moment within the panel.

Angle of Inclination

The high lifting analysis can be performed at any desired angle of inclination between 0 and 90 degrees.

Wide Segments

The wide lifting analysis can be conducted for any desired horizontal segment. These segments are identified by points of zero-shear obtained from high analysis at the flat orientation.

Panel Sketch

A to-scale sketch of the panel is continuously updated as the various parameters are changed. The software is made more powerful by allowing the user to alter the positions of the lift and brace inserts directly on the sketch.

Analyses Results

The summary of the output parameters is neatly and concisely presented in different groups depending on the type of parameter and analysis. The user is alerted to any warnings or failures through changing the text color into red. As the user changes the positions of the lift inserts, the software continuously alerts them to any horizontal imbalance.

Tabulated Lifting Forces

A pop-up table for the normal and shear lifting forces acting at each row of lift inserts.

Tabulated Lifting Results

A pop-up table for the shear, moment, and stress values due to lifting at critical locations within the panel.

Shear, Moment and Stress Diagrams

For further investigation of internal panel forces during lifting, the software is equipped with functions for drawing shear, moment and stress diagrams.

Tabulated Brace Loads

A pop-up table for the brace loads along with the capacities of the braces and panel and floor inserts.

Tilt-Up Panel Analysis