Hello.

I created a simplified model of a hydropower plant building for which a verified and approved analysis already exists, and I wanted to compare my results with the reference model. After observing differences, I tried to make my model fully identical to the reference one.

The following are identical:

• geometry;

• soil conditions;

• restraints;

• hinges;

• loads;

• load combinations;

• finite element types and main analysis parameters.

However, I obtain a different distribution of internal forces in the steel structure. As a result, different columns show the maximum utilization ratio in ULS (ultimate limit state check) compared to the reference model.

Specifically:

• in my model, the maximum utilization is in the columns located in the middle of the edge frames (with sections rotated by 90°);

• in the reference model, the main columns of some intermediate frames show the highest utilization in ULS.

Could you please advise what might be the reason for such a difference?

Happy to share any more detail if needed.

Thank you in advance,

Ioane