Sketch a G+1 residential plan according to Vaastu Shastra and Calculation of Loads as per IS code

Question. Sketch a G+1 floor residential plan, according to Vaastu Shastra, and list down the names of the structural drawings required to be provided to the site for construction.

Also, assume the sizes of the structural elements (Column, Beam, Slab, etc.,) and accordingly calculate the individual corresponding loads from the members as per IS code.

Answer. Introduction to vastu shastra:

• Vastu shastra is the ancient indian science of architecture and acts as a guideline to design our home in the way that enhances the positive energies.
• Our home is abundant with powerhouse of energy sources like sun,wind,moon,water,earth and fire.
• Effect of sunrays,flows of winds,pull of earth's magmetic field and other cosmic energies.
• A good home needs to radiate the right kind of energy.

According to vastu shastra, some of the basic principals are as follows:

• Rooms should be prefarably be square or rectangular in shape.
• rooms should be airy,bright and clean.
• Centre of the house should be an empty space.
• Heavy furniture should be kept in the South-west direction.
• Avoid keeping plants and water featurs in the bedroo.
• Dining space should be near the kitchen and not near the main door.
• Mirror facing the bed is strictly not allowed.
• Mirrors in the bedroom should be placed somewhere or in such a way where the bed cannot be seen.

Auspicious directions according to the vastu shastra are listed below:

• Kitchen:

1. For the placement of the kitchen south-east is the best.
2. but North-east should be avoided.

• Staircase:

1. For the staircase South-west is the best.
2. But North-east direction should be avoided.

• Toilet:

1. For the toilet North-west is the best.
2. But North-east should be avoided.

• Master bedroom:

1. For the master bedroom South-west is the best.

• Guest room:

1. North-west direction is the best for the guest room.

• Living room:

1. North-west is the best direction for the living room.

• Overhead tanks:

1. West is the best.

• Underground tanks:

1. North-east is the best direction.
2. But South-west should be avoided.

The list of drawings that is mandatory to be provided to the site are listed below:

• Architectural drawings:

1. Site plan.
2. Working plan.
3. Section drawings.
4. Elevation drawings.

• Structural drawings:

1. General notes.
2. Centre line drawing.
3. Footing and column layout with reinforcement details.
4. Column schedule with reinforcement details.
5. Plinth beam layout with reinforcement details.
6. First floor beam layout with reinforcement details.
7. First floor slab layout with reinforcement details.
8. Lift pit and headroom with reinforcement details.

• Electrical drawing.
• Plumbing drawing.
• Finishing drawing.

Ground floor plan:

Dimensions of the Ground floor plan :

• Kitchen = 4m X 3.5m
• Dining hall = 4.2m X 5.4m
• Bed room 1 = 3m X 3.6m
• W/C Bath = 3m X 3.6m
• Living room = 6.5m X 5.2m
• Prayer room = 1.2m X 0.6m

First floor plan:

Dimensions of First floor plan:

• Guest room = 3.8m X 4.1m
• Children's room = 3.04m X 3.04m
• Library = 4.0m X 3.9m
• Toilet = 2.4m X 3m
• Master bedroom = 4.2m X 4.8m

Other dimensions:

Thickness of the External/internal wall = 230mm = 0.23m

Thickness of the slab =250mm =0.25m

Dimensions of the column = 300mm X 300mm = 0.3m X 0.3m

Dimension of the beam = 300mm X 450mm = 0.3m X 0.45m

Height of the wall of ground floor = 4m

Height of the wall of First floor = 3.5m

Calculation of loads:

• Dead load calculations :

A) Dead load on column :

Dimension of column = 300mm X 300mm

= 0.3m X 0.3m

Height of column = (Slab thickness X 2) + Height of the wall of ground floor + Height of the wall of First floor.

= (0.25m X 2) + 4m + 3.5m

= 8m

Total volume of one column = 0.3m X 0.3m X 8m

= 0.72 m^3

Unit weight of RCC is 25KN/m^3 (as confirming to IS 875 part 1).

Dead load of one column = Total volume of column X Unit weight of RCC.

= 0.72m^3 X 25KN/m^3

= 18KN

B) Dead load of beams:

Dimension of beams = 300mm X 450mm

= 0.3m X 0.45m

Total volume of beam per meter length = 0.3m X 0.45m X 1m

= 0.135m^3

Unit weight of RCC is 25KN/m^3 (as confirming to IS 875 part 1).

Dead load of beams = Total volume of beam X Unit weight of RCC.

= 0.135m^3 X 25KN/m^3.

= 3.375 m^3.

C) Dead load of slab:

Slab is always designed for the span of 1m^2.

Hence assume size of the slab as 1m.

Thickness of the slab = 0.25m =250mm

Unit weight of RCC is 25KN/m^3 (as confirming to IS 875 part 1).

Total volume of slab per square metre in span area = 1m X 1m X 0.25m

= 0.25 m^3

Dead load of slab per square metre in span area = Total volume of slab per square metre in span area X Unit weight of RCC.

= 0.25m^3 X 25KN/m^3

= 6.25 KN.

D) Dead load of walls :

Thickness of the internal/external walls = 230mm = 0.23m

Unit weight of brick masonary = 20KN/m^3 (as confirming to IS 875 part 1).

Height of the ground floor wall = 4.5m

Therefore, the dead load of the ground floor wall per unit metre length = Volume of wall per metre length X Unit weight of brick masonary.

= (4m X 1m X 0.23m) X (20KN/m^3)

= 18.4 KN

Height of the first floor wall = 3m

Therefore, the dead load of the first floor wall per unit metre length = Volume of wall per metre length X Unit weight of brick masonary.

= (3.5m X 1m X 0.23m) X (20KN/m^2)

= 16.1 KN

Total weight of both the ground and the first floor walls per unit metre length = 18.4KN + 16.1KN

= 34.5 KN

• Live load calculation:

As per the IS 875 part 2, For the residential building,live loads are taken as follows:

• Living/Dining = 2KN/m^2.
• Bedroom = 2KN/m^2.
• Kitchen = 2KN/m^2.
• Toilet = 2KN/m^2.
• Washroom = 2KN/m^2.
• Staircase = 3KN/m^2.

• Wind load calculations:

If the height of the building is more than the 10 meters then the building needs to be designed for the wind load.

But in this case the total height of the building is 7.5m. Thus wind load is not to be considered.