Form: Steel Stress Check Information (Code)
Interactive steel frame design allows design results for any frame element to be reviewed, the design overwrites to be changed interactively, and the results to be viewed immediately.
Access Interactive Steel Frame Design as follows:
Select the Analyze menu > Run Analysis command to analyze the model.
Select the Design menu > Steel Frame Design > Start Design/Check command.
Right click on a steel frame element while the design results are displayed on it to access the Steel Stress Check Information (Code) form and enter the interactive design mode to interactively design the element. If design results are not currently displayed, click the Design menu > Steel Frame Design > Interactive Design command and then right click the steel frame element to enter the interactive design mode for that element.
Use the various areas of the Steel Stress Check Information (Code) to review the design:
Story display box. The story level associated with the frame element.
Beam/Column/Brace display box. The label associated with a frame element that is a beam, column, or brace.
Analysis Section display box. The section property that was used for this frame element in the last analysis. Thus the design forces are based on a frame element of this section property. For the final design iteration, the Analysis Section and the Design Section should be the same.
Design Section display box. The current design section property. If the frame element is assigned an auto select list, the section displayed in this form initially defaults to the optimal section. If no auto select list has been assigned to the frame element, the element design is performed for the section property specified in this display box. It is important to note that subsequent analyses use the section property specified in this display box for the next analysis section for the frame element. Thus the forces and moments obtained in the next analysis are based on this section. Change the Design Section manually by clicking the Overwrites button and making the changes on the resulting form. Alternatively, select multiple frames and click the Design > Steel Frame Design > Change Design Section command to change all selected frame sections.
Table Showing Stress or Deflection Details: The information provided in this table depends on which option is selected near the bottom of the form (Strength option or Deflection option).
Strength option. When the Strength option is selected near the bottom of the form, the table shows the stress ratios obtained for each design load combination at each output station along the frame element. Initially the worst stress ratio is highlighted. Following are the headings in the table.
COMBO ID: The name of the design load combination considered.
STATION LOC: The location of the station considered, measured from the i-end of the frame element.
RATIO: The total PMM stress ratio for the element. When stress ratios are reported for this item, they are followed by (T) or (C). The (T) indicates that the axial component of the stress ratio is tension. The (C) indicates that the axial component of the stress ratio is compression. Note that typically the interaction formulas are different depending on whether the axial stress is tension or compression.
AXL: The axial component of the PMM stress ratio.
B-MAJ: The bending component of the PMM stress ratio for bending about the major axis. See Column Major Direction for a definition of the major axis.
B-MIN: The bending component of the PMM stress ratio for bending about the minor axis. See Column Major Direction for a definition of the minor axis.
MAJ SHR RATIO: The shear stress ratio for shear acting in the major direction of the frame element. See Column Major Direction for a definition of the major direction.
MIN SHR RATIO: The shear stress ratio for shear acting in the minor direction of the frame element. See Column Major Direction for a definition of the minor direction.
Deflection option. When this option is chosen near the bottom of the form, the table shows the deflection ratio for each design load combination at each output station along the frame element.
Overwrites button. Click the Overwrites button to access the Steel Frame Overwrites form. Use that form to make revisions to the steel frame overwrites and then click the Details buttons to immediately view the new design results.
Details button. Clicking the Details button displays the Report Viewer showing the design details for the selected design combination and station location. The form has buttons to move through the pages of the summary, to Zoom into the individual report pages, print the report, and save it to the Word compatible format.
Envelope button. This button is available when the Deflection option near the bottom of the form is selected. Clicking this button displays the Report Viewer showing deflection envelope data for the selected design combination and station location .The form has buttons to move through the pages of the summary, to Zoom into the individual report pages, print the report, and save it to the Word compatible format.
See also