The Story Mass Summary is essentially the "heartbeat" of your lateral force distribution.
The primary benefit of the Story Mass Summary is its role in "Mass calculated manual" verification. By breaking down the weight floor-by-floor, you can easily compare ETABS’ output against manual calculations for:
To get the most accurate summary, you must first define the mass source correctly.
. Users frequently encounter two different tables to evaluate this: Mass Summary by Story Diaphragm Mass Summary Mass Summary by Story
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Master Structural Verifications: Why ETABS Mass Summary by Story is Better
By following these guidelines and using the Mass Summary by Story feature in ETABS, structural engineers can gain valuable insights into the mass properties of their building designs, ultimately leading to safer and more efficient structures.
Navigate to the on the left side of the screen. Expand the Tables tab. Expand Analysis > Results > Structure Results . Double-click Mass Summary by Story to open the data grid. Key Columns Explained
The total translational mass acting in the global X and Y directions. In a standard model, these values are identical because mass is isotropic. The Story Mass Summary is essentially the "heartbeat"
Verifying the story mass summary helps you catch critical modeling errors early:
Here is how to move from simply reading the Mass Summary to interpreting it with precision.
It helps identify mass irregularities (
: Total translational mass along the global X, Y, and Z axes. If you share with third parties, their policies apply
In structural engineering, accurate mass distribution is the foundation of reliable seismic and lateral load analysis. Computers and Structures, Inc. (CSI) ETABS offers multiple ways to extract and verify mass data. However, relying on the standard "Mass Summary by Story" table is often the superior, more efficient approach for design verification.
The mass of a building is a critical parameter in structural analysis, as it affects the structure's response to various loads, including seismic, wind, and gravitational forces. A building's mass distribution can significantly impact its dynamic behavior, including its natural frequencies, mode shapes, and response to external excitations. By evaluating the mass summary by story, engineers can:
If you are encountering any specific during your mass source checks?
