Construction Software Lab

Scientific calculations using spreadsheets

Aims:

Get familiar with spreadsheet for performing scientific computations

Lean to use logical expressions and conditional statements
Learn to use matrix expressions and statistical functions

Question 1. Create a spreadsheet to compute the weight of steel required for the
construction of steel beams with the following cross-section (Figure 1).
wtf
ttf
dw

tbf

Variables:
wtf - width of top flange
ttf - thickness of top flange
dw - depth of web
tw- thickness of web
wbf - width of bottom flange
tbf- thickness of bottom flange
L length of the beam

tw
wbf
Figure 1. Cross section of a built-up beam.
Use the spreadsheet to calculate the total weight of steel for constructing beams of all
combinations of flange thickness and depth of web given below (42 combinations in
total):
Flange thicknesses in mm. (same for top and bottom): 8, 10, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20.
Depth of web in mm: 100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150.
Values for other variables are given below:
wtf - width of top flange 80 mm
tw- thickness of web 12 mm
wbf - width of bottom flange 80 mm
L length of the beam 6 m
Rho density of steel = 7800 kg/m3

Question 2. The total volume of concrete (m3) used in a construction project was
recorded every 10 minutes and is given below:
0.3 0.6 1 1.5 2.1 2.8 3.5 4.3 5.1 6 7.1 8.3 9.5 10.8 12.2 13.4 14.8 16.1 17.3 18.3 19.6 20.8
21.8 23 23 23 23.6 24.4 25.6 26.6 27.6 28.6 29.6 30.6 31.6 32.6 33.6 34.6 35.8 37 38 39.2
39.2 39.2 39.2 39.2 39.2 40 41 42.1 43.3 44.5 45.7 46.7 47.9 49.1 50.1 51.3 52.5 53.7
54.7 55.2 56.4 57.6 58.8 59.8 61 62.2 63.2 64.4 65.6 66.8 67.8 69 70.2 71.2 72.4 73.6
74.6 75.8 77 78 79.2 80.4 81.6 82.6 83.8 85 86.2 87.2 88.4 89.6 90.8 92 93 94.2 95.4 96.6
97.8 98.8 100 101.2 102.2 103.4 104.6 105.8 106.8 108 109.2 110.2 111.4 112.6 113.6
114.8 116 117 118.2 119.4 120.3 120.9
The construction started at 6 O clock in the morning and the first data was recorded at
6:10 AM. The productivity rate is expressed in terms of the volume of concrete used.
Compute the productivity rate for every one hour interval. Which hour has the highest
productivity rate?
Question 3. Solve the following system of simultaneous equations using a spreadsheet.
4a + 3b + 2c + 3d = 7
8a + 3b + c + d = 5
2a + 6b + 3c + 2d = 7.5
4a + 6b + c + 4d = 8
Question 4. The data file q4-companyData.xls contains data related to several
construction companies. The first column contains an identifier for each company. The
second column contains the net value of projects done by the company in a year. The
third column contains the total number of personnel. A company is classified as a
medium size company if the net value of projects is between 100,000 and 1,000,000 or
the total number of personnel is between 100 and 1000. Calculate the average value of
projects done by medium size companies.
Question 5. The data file q5-students-data.xls contains the marks obtained by students in
an admission test. Candidates are selected based on the marks they obtained as well as
based on the reputation of their colleges. Equal weightage is given to the marks and the
rating of the college. The rating of the college is given in the second sheet. Find out
which student gets selected if the total score of the student is the sum of the marks and
the score rating of the college.
Question 6. The data file q6-productivity.xlsx contains the daily productivity rates of
two companies performing similar tasks in a construction project. Plot and compare the
distribution of productivity rates in the form of histograms. Use z-test to determine if the
difference in productivity rates of the two companies are significant.