The following sequence describes a typical steel joist design process. 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.
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 joist overwrites by first selecting beams to be assigned overwrites and clicking the Design menu > Steel Joist Design > View/Revise Overwrites command. Note that ETABS provides default values for all steel joist design overwrites so this command can be used to review those values and to make changes when necessary for selected beams.
If needed, designate design groups using the Design menu > Steel Joist Design > Select Design Groups 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 joist design by clicking the Design menu > Steel Joist Design > Select Design Combo command. Note that at least one design combo must have been created by clicking the Define menu > Load Combinations command.
Click the Design menu > Steel Joist Design > Start Design/Check command to run the steel joist design.
Review the steel joist design results using one of the following methods:
Click the Design menu > Steel Joist Design > Display Design Info command to display design input and output information on the model.
Right click on a beam while the design results are displayed on it to enter the interactive design mode and interactively design the beam. If design results are not currently displayed (and the design has been run), click the Design menu > Steel Joist Design > Interactive Steel Joist Design command and then right click a beam to enter the interactive design mode for that beam. Note that while the program is in interactive mode, you can also view diagrams (load, moment, shear and deflection) and design details on the screen.
Use the Display menu > Show Tables command to select design data for on-screen display in tabular format.
Use the File menu > Create Report > Output Report command to print steel joist design data. If a beam(s) is selected before this command is used, data is printed for the selected beams only.
Use the Design menu > Steel Joist Design > Verify all Members Passed command to verify that no members are overstressed or otherwise unacceptable.
Use the Design menu > Steel Joist Design > Change Design Section command to change the steel joist design section properties for the selected joists.
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.
Again use the Design menu > Steel Joist Design > Change Design Section command to change the steel joist design section properties for selected joists, if necessary.
Repeat Steps 8 and 9 as many times as necessary to complete design.
Select all beams and click the Design menu > Steel Joist Design > Make Auto Select Section Null command. This removes any auto select section list assignments from the selected beams.
Rerun the building analysis using the Analyze menu > Run Analysis command. Note that the beam section properties used for the analysis are the last specified design section properties.
Click the Design menu > Composite Beam 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 design results if desired.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Design is an iterative process. The sections used in the original analysis are not typically the same as those obtained at the end of the design process. Use the Design menu > Steel Joist Design > Verify Analysis vs Design Section command to verify that the design sections are the same as the analysis sections. Always run the building analysis using the final joist section sizes and then run a design check using the forces obtained from that analysis to ensure that the analysis results reflect the final design.