Structural & Civil Engineering Tools
Complete User Guide — 7 Excel Design Tools for Wind, Load, Ballast & Foundation
Calculations
Glex Media — Solar Pro Document Kit
Structural & Civil Engineering Tools Add-On
■ IMPORTANT: These tools provide preliminary engineering estimates for planning purposes. All structural,
foundation and wind-load designs must be reviewed and certified by a licensed structural/geotechnical
engineer before construction, per local building code requirements.
Glex Media — Structural & Civil Engineering Tools Guide Page 1
Contents
1. Wind Pressure Analysis (IS 875-3)
2. Combined Structural Load Sheet
3. Ballast Weight Calculator (Flat Roof)
4. Mounting Thermal Expansion Planner
5. Foundation Material Estimator
6. Pile Foundation Design Sheet
7. Elevated Structure Load Calculator
8. General Notes, Colour Legend & Best Practices
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1. Wind Pressure Analysis (IS 875-3)
File: 1_Wind_Pressure_Analysis_IS875-[Link]
Purpose: Calculates design wind speed and design wind pressure on a solar structure per IS 875 (Part 3):
2015.
How To Use
1 Enter Basic Wind Speed (Vb) for your site from the IS 875-3 wind zone map, or use the reference city
table.
2 Enter Risk Coefficient k1, Terrain-Height Factor k2, Topography Factor k3 and Importance Factor k4.
3 Enter Height Above Ground, Force Coefficient Cf (for your mounting type) and Effective Exposed Area.
4 Read Design Wind Speed (Vz), Design Wind Pressure (pz) and Net Wind Force on the structure.
Key Formulas
Calculation Formula Logic
Design Wind Speed (Vz) Vb × k1 × k2 × k3 × k4
Design Wind Pressure (pz) 0.6 × Vz² (N/m²)
Net Design Pressure Cf × pz
Net Wind Force Net Design Pressure × Exposed Area
Notes & Assumptions
• k2 depends on terrain category and structure size class — see IS 875-3 Table 2.
• Cf for tilted solar arrays typically ranges 1.2-2.2 depending on tilt angle and array row position.
■ Always verify exact Vb from the current IS 875-3 map/annexure — the city reference table is indicative only.
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2. Combined Structural Load Sheet
File: 2_Combined_Structural_Load_Sheet.xlsx
Purpose: Combines Dead, Live, Wind and Seismic loads into standard IS-code Limit State load
combinations to find the governing design load.
How To Use
1 Enter Dead Load, Live Load, Wind Load (from Tool 1) and Seismic Load per unit area.
2 All 7 standard Limit State combinations calculate automatically.
3 Read the Governing Design Load (maximum) for member sizing.
4 Check the Minimum Factored Load — a negative value flags net uplift requiring anchorage design.
Key Formulas
Calculation Formula Logic
Combo 1 (DL+LL) 1.5 × (DL + LL)
Combo 3 (DL+LL+WL) 1.2 × (DL + LL + WL)
Combo 4 (Uplift check) 0.9 × DL + 1.5 × WL
Governing Load MAX of all combination results
Notes & Assumptions
• Combination factors follow IS 800:2007 and IS 875 Part 5 partial safety factors.
• Seismic combinations follow IS 1893 (Part 1): 2016 guidance.
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3. Ballast Weight Calculator (Flat Roof)
File: 3_Ballast_Weight_Calculator_Flat_Roof.xlsx
Purpose: Calculates concrete/paver ballast weight needed to hold down a non-penetrating flat-roof mounting
system against wind uplift.
How To Use
1 Enter Net Uplift Force per table (from Tool 1's uplift combination) and required Factor of Safety.
2 Enter Structure Self-Weight and Ballast Block Unit Weight.
3 Enter Roof Max. Allowable Additional Dead Load and Ballast Footprint Area per table.
4 Read Required Ballast Weight, Number of Blocks per table, and the Roof Capacity Check.
5 Check the Total Array Ballast Summary for full-array block count and added roof load.
Key Formulas
Calculation Formula Logic
Required Holding-Down Force Uplift Force × Factor of Safety
Required Ballast Weight MAX(0, Holding-Down Force − Structure Self-Weight)
Number of Blocks ROUNDUP(Required Ballast kg ÷ Block Unit Weight)
Roof Loading Check Total added load ÷ Footprint Area, compared to Roof Max. Capacity
Notes & Assumptions
• Standard 600×600×50mm concrete paver ≈ 43 kg; adjust Block Unit Weight to match your actual block.
• If the Roof Capacity Check shows FAIL, redesign is required — do not exceed roof structural capacity.
■ Always confirm roof structural capacity from building drawings/structural engineer before adding ballast.
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4. Mounting Thermal Expansion Planner
File: 4_Mounting_Thermal_Expansion_Planner.xlsx
Purpose: Calculates linear thermal expansion/contraction of mounting rails across the site's temperature
range and recommends expansion joint gap sizing.
How To Use
1 Select Rail Material (Aluminium, Galvanised Steel or Stainless Steel) — coefficient auto-fills from the
reference table.
2 Enter Rail Length between fixed points, Site Minimum and Maximum Temperature.
3 Enter Expansion Joint Spacing and Installation Safety Margin.
4 Read Total Expansion/Contraction, Movement per Joint Interval, and Recommended Expansion Gap.
Key Formulas
Calculation Formula Logic
Total Expansion (∆L) α × Rail Length × ∆T × 1000 (mm)
Movement per Joint α × Joint Spacing × ∆T × 1000 (mm)
Recommended Gap Movement per Joint × (1 + Safety Margin)
Notes & Assumptions
• Coefficient α: Aluminium ≈ 23×10■■/°C, Galvanised Steel ≈ 12×10■■/°C, Stainless Steel ≈ 17.3×10■■/°C.
• Use rail surface temperature (sun-exposed, can reach 70-80°C) for Tmax, not ambient air temperature.
• Always cross-check against the rail manufacturer's published expansion-joint spacing recommendations.
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5. Foundation Material Estimator
File: 5_Foundation_Material_Estimator.xlsx
Purpose: Estimates concrete volume, cement/sand/aggregate quantities and reinforcement steel weight for
isolated pad/spread footing foundations.
How To Use
1 Enter Footing Length, Width, Depth and Number of Footings.
2 Enter Concrete Mix Ratio (e.g. M20 = 1:1.5:3).
3 Enter Reinforcement details: bar diameter, bar count each direction, clear cover.
4 Read Total Concrete Volume, Cement Bags, Sand/Aggregate Volume and Total Steel Weight.
5 Enter local unit rates in the Cost Estimate table for a preliminary Bill of Quantities value.
Key Formulas
Calculation Formula Logic
Dry Volume Wet Concrete Volume × 1.54 (voids/bulking allowance)
Cement Volume Dry Volume × Cement Ratio ÷ Sum of Mix Ratio Parts
Cement Bags Cement Volume ÷ 0.0347 m³/bag (50kg bags)
Steel Weight per Metre Bar Diameter² ÷ 162 (kg/m, IS 1786 approximation)
Notes & Assumptions
• This is a material take-off estimate — final reinforcement design must be certified by a structural engineer.
• Adjust the mix ratio for your specific concrete grade (M15/M20/M25 etc.) per project specification.
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6. Pile Foundation Design Sheet
File: 6_Pile_Foundation_Design_Sheet.xlsx
Purpose: Estimates axial load capacity (compression and lateral) of a driven/bored pile foundation using
standard skin-friction and end-bearing methods for cohesive soils, with a screening-level lateral load check.
How To Use
1 Enter Pile Diameter and Embedded Length.
2 Enter Soil Parameters: Undrained Cohesion (Cu), Adhesion Factor (α), and Bearing Capacity Factor
(Nc) from your geotechnical report.
3 Read Shaft Surface Area, Tip Area, Skin Friction Resistance (Qs), End Bearing Resistance (Qp) and
Ultimate Pile Capacity (Qu).
4 Enter Applied Axial Load and Required Factor of Safety to see the Adequacy Check.
5 Enter Applied Lateral Load and Load Eccentricity for the simplified Broms' Method lateral capacity
screening check.
Key Formulas
Calculation Formula Logic
Skin Friction (Qs) Adhesion Factor (α) × Cu × Shaft Surface Area
End Bearing (Qp) Cu × Bearing Capacity Factor (Nc) × Tip Area
Ultimate Capacity (Qu) Qs + Qp
Safe Capacity Qu ÷ Factor of Safety
Notes & Assumptions
• This sheet assumes cohesive (clay) soil behaviour — for granular/sandy soils, use β-method / Nq bearing factors
instead.
• A soil investigation (SPT/CPT/borehole log) is mandatory before final pile design.
• Typical Factor of Safety for piles: 2.0-2.5 (IS 2911 guidance) — confirm with your geotechnical report.
■ Lateral capacity uses a simplified short-pile Broms' screening formula — for final design, use full Broms'/p-y
curve analysis or software verification.
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7. Elevated Structure Load Calculator
File: 7_Elevated_Structure_Load_Calculator.xlsx
Purpose: Calculates column axial loads and wind overturning forces for elevated structures such as solar
carports, canopies or raised racking, and checks column adequacy.
How To Use
1 Enter Column Height, Bay Width, Bay Length and Number of Columns per Bay.
2 Enter Dead Load, Live Load and Wind Load per unit roof/array area (from Tool 1/2).
3 Read Tributary Area per Column and the resulting Factored Column Axial Load.
4 Read Horizontal Wind Force, Base Overturning Moment and Base Shear per column.
5 Enter your chosen Column Section's Axial and Moment Capacity (from a steel table) to see the
Combined Interaction Check.
Key Formulas
Calculation Formula Logic
Tributary Area Bay Width × Bay Length ÷ Number of Columns
Column Axial Load (Factored) 1.5 × (Dead + Live) × Tributary Area
Base Overturning Moment Wind Force on Tributary Area × Column Height
Interaction Check (Applied Axial ÷ Axial Capacity) + (Applied Moment ÷ Moment Capacity) ≤ 1.0
Notes & Assumptions
• The interaction check is a simplified linear axial+moment sum per IS 800 Cl 9.3 concept.
• For final design, use exact biaxial bending interaction equations and section classification from IS 800:2007.
■ This is a preliminary screening tool. Elevated structures (carports especially) require full structural analysis and
professional certification before construction.
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8. General Notes, Colour Legend & Best Practices
Every workbook in this kit follows the same visual convention so you can move between tools without
relearning the layout.
Colour Meaning
Yellow fill, blue bold text Editable input cell — enter your project data here
White background, black text Auto-calculated formula — do not edit
Green fill, green bold text Final result / key output / pass-fail check
Best Practices When Using These Tools
• Always start with the Instructions tab of each workbook — it explains the purpose, steps and
assumptions specific to that tool.
• Only edit yellow input cells. Editing white/formula cells will break the calculation chain.
• These tools use standard IS-code formulas for preliminary sizing — they are not a substitute for a
licensed structural or geotechnical engineer's stamped design.
• Chain the tools together: Wind Pressure (Tool 1) feeds into Combined Loads (Tool 2), Ballast (Tool 3)
and Elevated Structure (Tool 7).
• For any project involving public safety, life-safety, or regulatory submission, obtain a soil investigation
report and structural engineer's certification before construction.
Glex Media Solar Pro Document Kit — Structural & Civil Engineering Tools Add-On
Glex Media — Structural & Civil Engineering Tools Guide Page 10