The Link Property Data form has the following areas.
General
Link Property Name edit or display box. ETABS suggests sequential link property names,Link{number}, when a new link property is being defined. A name also can be specified by typing it in the edit box. If an existing definition is being modified, the name of the existing definition will display in the box.
Link Type drop-down list. Select the link property type from the drop-down list. Please refer to the Analysis Reference manual (Help > Documentation > Manuals command) for an explanation of the various link types.
Link Property Notes Modify/Show Notes button. Click this button to display the Link/Support Property Notes form. Use that form to record notes about link/support properties.
P-Delta Parameters Modify/Show button. Click this button to access the Advanced Link P-Delta Parameters form. Use the form to specify the minor and major moments for the I End and J End of the link.
Total Mass and Weight edit boxes. Enter the desired values for Mass, Weight, and Rotational Inertia. Note that the mass is for the entire length of the object and is not mass per unit volume.
Directional Properties
Direction, Nonlinear check boxes. Check the check box associated with the degree of freedom to be specified for the link property. Check the associated Nonlinear check box to specify that the link is a nonlinear dynamic link. Note that nonlinear properties are not available for all program levels. More information concerning program levels is available at www.csiamerica.com/etabs/levels.
Linear properties can be assigned to linear link objects only. The linear property specified for each of the six degrees of freedom of a linear link object is an effective stiffness. This is simply a spring stiffness.
Nonlinear dynamic properties are used for nonlinear dynamic (time history) analysis.
The linear properties specified for each of the six degrees of freedom of all types of link objects, other than linear link objects, are an effective stiffness and effective damping. In such cases, the effective stiffness is, again, simply a spring stiffness. The effective damping specifies dashpot-type damping; it is not a specification of percent critical damping.
Effective damping for a link object contributes to the total damping for response-spectrum and linear time-history analyses. Please refer to the Analysis Reference manual (Help > Documentation command) for more information.
Properties. The Modify/Show for All button(s) in this area of the form accesses the Linear Link/Support Directional Properties form. Use that form to define the Effective Stiffness and Effective Damping for the links. Check a direction check box to enable the associated button.
Access the Link Property Data form as follows:
Click the Define menu > Section Properties > Link/Support Properties command to access the Define Link Properties form.
Click the Add New Property button or highlight an existing definition and click the Modify/Show Property button.