Frame Section Property Data Form

Use the Frame Section Property Data form to specify property data parameters for a frame section definition. The specific parameters available depend on the section shapes, which include a wide range of steel and concrete shapes as well as a General shape, a steel joist shape,  a Nonprismatic section, a section defined using Section Designer, and the Auto Select Section List option.  

Common to All Shapes:

• Property Name edit box. Common to  the forms for all section shapes and the Auto Select option, use the default name shown or type a new one in this edit box.

• Modify/Show Notes button. Common to the forms for all section shapes, click this button to display the Frame Property Notes  form. The form can be used to add notes about frame section properties to the model file. Type the notes directly into the large text box area. Notes also can be reviewed using this form.

• Section Shape drop-down list. Common to the forms for all section shapes,  when available, this drop-down list can be used to select a different section shape.

TIP:  Because the  Auto Select and Nonprismatic options involve the use of lists of sections, ensure that the appropriate lists are created first (i.e., the sections to the used in the Auto Select and Nonprismatic section definitions must appear in the large display area on the left-hand side of the Frame Properties form). Similarly, the material properties, display colors, section dimensions,  and frame property/stiffness modification factors of those sections should be reviewed/established before the Auto Select and Nonprismatic section definitions are completed.

Common to Most Shapes:

• Material drop-down list. The material property for the selected shape  is displayed in this drop-down list. If necessary, the drop-down list can be used to select a different material property definition. Use the button to the right of the drop-down list to display the Define Materials form and add or modify a material property definition. For Auto Select and Nonprismatic sections, the materials are defined in the frame section definitions that comprise the Auto Select list and the Start and End sections used to specify the nonprismatic section, respectively.

• • Encased Rectangle and Encased Circle shapes. The Encasement Material can be specified using the drop-down list near the bottom of the form; clicking the   button to the right of the drop-down list will display the Define Materials form so that a new material definition can be added to the model if needed. If the Material definition (shown in the Material display box at the top of the form) for the Embedded I-Section needs revision, first define an I-Section with the required steel material definition, and then select that I-section from the Embedded I-Section drop-down list.

  • BU I Cove Plate (Built-up I Section with Cover Plates) shape (i.e., built-up cover plate). Select the frame section using the I-Section Data drop-down list, or click the button to the right of the drop-down list to display the Frame Section Property Import Data  form and import additional sections.
    
    In addition, the yield stress for the top and bottom flange and the web can be overwritten.
    
    Material definitions can be specified for the top and bottom cover plates by checking the Include Top Cover Plate and Include Bottom Cover Plate check boxes and then selecting a material definition from the Material drop-down list.

• Display Color display box and Change button. The frame sections to which this section property definition is assigned will be shown using this display color. Click the Change button to display the Color form and specify a different color.

• Section Property Source:  In most cases, the Section Property Source is User Defined because the Frame Section Property Data form is used to specify the section property data.

• Section Dimensions. The edit boxes in this area of the form are specific to the shape selected and are assumed to be self-explanatory. Type revised values in the edit boxes as necessary.

• Show Elastic Section Properties and Show Section Properties button. Depending on the shape, click one of these buttons to display the Frame Section Properties form. The data are defaults associated with built-in and imported section types, or the data are automatically calculated by ETABS on the basis of specified dimensions. The values are shown for review purposes only and cannot be edited unless the property definition is for a General section.  Brief explanatory hover text displays when the mouse cursor is placed (not clicked) on a row in the Item column (left-hand side) of the form.

• Sketch display area. A sketch of the selected section shape is displayed.

• Modify/Show Modifiers button. Click this button to display the Property/Stiffness Modification Factors form. Use that form to specify the desired modification factors. Note that modification factors can be assigned here or alternatively directly to frame objects, as explained in Frame - Property Modifiers.  Note that it is intended that the modification factors should be defined either here or as part of an assignment, but not both.

Used for Specific Shapes

• Modify/Show Rebar button. This button appears on the forms for Rectangular, Encased Rectangle, Encased Circle, Tee, and Angle  shapes when the Material is concrete. Clicking the button displays the Frame Section Property Reinforcement Data form. Use the form to define the reinforcement for the shape.

• Mirror about Local 2 Axis / Local 3 Axis check boxes.  A check box to create a duplicate of the specified shape appears on the forms for Channel, T, Angle, Double Angle, and Cold Formed C, Z, and Hat shapes. With the exception of the Angle shape, the duplicate is oriented relative to the local 2-axis. For the Angle shape, the mirroring is specified about the Local 2 and 3 axes.

Unique Elements of Select Sections

• Joist Section option. The unique parameters of the Frame Section Property Data form when this option is chosen are explained in the Steel Joist Section topic.

• Auto Select option. The unique parameters of the Frame Section Property Data form when this option is chosen are explained in the Auto Select Option topic.

• Nonprismatic section. The unique elements of the Frame Section Property Data form when this option is chosen are explained in the Nonprismatic Frame Sections topic.

Access the Frame Section Property Data  form as follows:

1. Click the Define menu > Section Properties > Frame Sections command  to display the Frame Properties  form.

2. Do one of the following:

   • Click the Add New Property button to display the Frame Property  Shape Type form  and select a shape from the Section Shape drop-down list or click the desired shape button.

   • Highlight a previously defined section definition and click the Add Copy of Property or the Modify/Show button.