Following is a typical steel frame design process that might occur for a new building. Note that the sequence of steps taken in any particular design may vary but the basic process will probably be essentially the same.
Note: This procedure uses the menu commands. The same functions can be accessed using the Model Explorer.
Use the Design menu > Steel Frame Design > View/Revise Preferences command to choose the steel frame design code. In addition, this command allows review of and changes to other steel frame design preferences. ETABS provides default values for all preferences so this command can be used to review the values and to make changes when necessary.
Run the building analysis using the Analyze menu > Run Analysis command.
The following three commands can be used to tailor the design process to meet specific requirements, although their use is not mandatory to complete a design.
If needed, assign steel frame overwrites by first selecting frame elements and then using the Design menu > Steel Frame Design > View/Revise Overwrites command. Note that ETABS provides default values for all steel frame design overwrites so this command can be used to review those values and to make changes only when necessary for selected frame elements.
If needed, designate design groups using the Design menu > Steel Frame Design > Select Design Group command. Note that at least one group must have been created by selecting objects and clicking the Assign menu > Group Names command. Adding objects to a group ensures that when the group is specified for design, all elements in that group are given the same beam size.
If needed, use design load combinations other than the defaults created by ETABS for steel frame design by clicking the Design menu > Steel Frame Design > Select Design Combo command. Note that at least one design combo must have been created by clicking the Define menu > Load Combinations command.
Designate lateral displacement targets for various load cases using the Design menu > Steel Frame Design > Set Lateral Displacement Targets command.
Click the Design menu > Steel Frame Design > Start Design/Check command to run the steel frame design.
Review the steel frame design results using any of the following methods:
Click the Design menu > Steel Frame Design > Display Design Info command to display design information on the model.
Right click on a frame element while the design results are displayed on it to enter the interactive design mode and interactively design the frame element. If design results are not currently displayed, click the Design menu > Steel Frame Design > Interactive Design command and then right click a frame element to enter the interactive design mode for that element. Note that while the program is in interactive mode, the overwrites can be revised and the results of the new design immediately viewed.
Use the Model Explorer > Tables command to select design data for on-screen display in tabular format.
Use the File menu > Create Report command to print steel frame design data. If a frame element(s) is selected before the command is used, data is printed for the selected element(s) only.
Use the Design menu > Steel Frame Design > Verify all Members Passed command to verify that no members are overstressed or otherwise unacceptable.
Use the Design menu > Steel Frame Design > Change Design Section command to change the design section properties for selected frame elements.
Click the Design menu > Steel Frame Design > Start Design/Check command to rerun the steel frame design with the new section properties. Review the results using the procedures described above.
Rerun the building analysis using the Analyze menu > Run Analysis command. Note that the section properties used for the analysis are the last specified design section properties.
Compare the lateral displacements with the lateral displacement targets.
Click the Design menu > Steel Frame Design > Start Design/Check command to rerun the steel frame design with the new analysis results and new section properties. Review the results using the procedures described above.
Repeat the process in steps 9 through 13 as many times as necessary to complete the design.
Select all frame elements and click the Design menu > Steel Frame Design > Make Auto Select Section Null command. This removes any auto select section assignments from the selected frame elements (if they have the Steel Frame design procedure).
Rerun the building analysis using the Analyze menu > Run Analysis command. Note that the section properties used for the analysis are the last specified design section properties.
Verify that the lateral displacements are within acceptable limits.
Click the Design menu > Steel Frame Design > Start Design/Check command to rerun the steel frame design with the new section properties. Review the results using the procedures described above.
Click the Design menu > Steel Frame Design > Verify Analysis vs Design Section command to verify that all of the final design sections are the same as the last used analysis sections.
Use the File menu > Create Report command to print selected steel frame design results.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Design is an iterative process. The sections used to run the original analysis typically are not the same sections as those used at the end of the design process. The Design menu > Steel Frame Design > Verify Analysis vs Design Section command is useful for making sure that the design sections are the same as the analysis sections. Always be sure to run a building analysis using the final frame section sizes and then run a design check based on the forces obtained from that analysis to ensure that the analysis results reflect the final design.