Introduction

Twenty-six example problems have been prepared to demonstrate how to use the various SAP2000 commands and features. The problems may help improve your understanding of the sequence for using the commands and how the commands relate to one another during the modeling process. The following table identifies the problem name and structure type being modeled, the features involved in the model, and some of the key commands used to complete the model. The list of commands is intended to help you locate an example(s) that demonstrates use of a command. The listed commands are not the only commands used in the problem.

 

Problem Name and

Structure Type

Features Demonstrated

Command Usage Demonstrated

A

Concrete Wall and Steel Frame

  • Grid lines

  • Divide frames

  • Frame releases

  • Steel Design

Assign > Area > Automatic Area Mesh

Assign > Frame Loads > Point

Assign > Frame > Releases/Partial Fixity

Assign > Frame > Frame Sections

Assign > Frame Loads > Distributed

Assign > Joint Loads > Forces

Define > Section Properties > Area Sections

Define > Load Combinations

Define > Coordinate Systems/Grids

Define > Load Patterns

Define > Materials

Design > Steel Frame Design > Preferences

Design > Steel Frame Design > View/Revise Overwrites

Display > Show Forces/Stresses > Joint

Draw > Quick Draw Area

Edit > Divide Frames

File > New Model > 2D Frames - Portal

B

Concrete Wall

  • Groups

  • Section Cuts

  • Load Combinations

  • Linear Replication

Assign > Assign to Groups

Assign > Joint Loads > Forces

Define > Section Properties > Area Sections

Define > Load Combinations

Define > Load Patterns

Define > Materials

Display > Show Tables

Edit > Replicate - Linear

File > New Model > Wall - Shear Wall

C

Truss Frame

  • Diaphragm Constraint

  • Design Optimization

  • Automatic Area Mesh

  • Mode Shapes

  • New Model (not from template, started from scratch)

  • Linear Replication

  • Mirror Replication

  • Radial Replication

  • Steel Design

Assign > Area > Automatic Area Mesh

Assign > Area Loads > Uniform (Shell)

Assign > Frame > Frame Sections

Assign > Joint > Constraints

Assign > Joint > Restraints

Define > Load Cases - Modal

Define > Section Properties > Area Sections

Define > Coordinate Systems/Grids

Define > Section Properties > Frame Sections

Define > Load Patterns

Define > Materials

Design > Steel Frame Design > Display Design Info

Design > Steel Frame Design > Start Design/Check of Structure

Design menu > Steel Frame Design > Review/Revise Preferences

Design > Steel Frame Design > Verify All Members Passed

Design > Steel Frame Design > Verify Analysis vs Design Sections

Draw > Draw Frame/Cable/Tendon

Draw > Draw Rectangular Area

Edit > Divide Frames

Edit > Replicate - Linear

Edit > Replicate - Mirror

Edit > Replicate - Radial

File > New Model > Blank

Options > Dimensions/Tolerances

Start Animation

D

Inclined Support

  • Radial Replication

  • Rotated Support

Assign > Frame > Frame Sections

Assign > Joint > Local Axes

Assign > Joint > Restraints

Assign > Joint Loads > Forces

Define > Materials

Display > Show Forces/Stresses > Joint

Edit > Replicate - Radial

File > New Model > Beam

E

Cables in Tension

  • Draw Special Joint

  • Geometric Nonlinear P-Delta

  • Move

Assign > Joint > Restraints

Assign > Joint Loads > Forces

Define > Load Cases - Nonlinear, P-Delta

Define > Section Properties > Frame Sections

Define > Load Patterns

Define > Materials

Draw > Draw Frame/Cable/Tendon

Draw > Draw Special Joint

Edit > Move

File > New Model > Grid Only

View > Show Grid, None

F

Wall Resisting Hydrostatic Pressure

  • Hydrostatic Loading

  • Joint Patterns

Assign > Area Loads > Surface Pressure (All)

Assign > Joint > Restraints

Assign > Joint Patterns

Define > Joint Patterns

Define > Materials

File > New Model > Wall - Shear Wall

G

Frame with Support Displacement

  • New Model from Template

  • Support Displacement

Assign > Frame > Frame Sections

Assign > Joint Loads > Displacements

Define > Materials

Display > Show Forces/Stresses > Joint

File > New Model > 2D Frames - Portal

Options > Dimensions/Tolerances

H

Reinforced Concrete Beam

  • Concrete Design

  • New Model From Template

Assign > Frame > Frame Sections

Assign > Frame Loads > Distributed

Define > Section Properties > Frame Sections

Define > Load Patterns

Define > Materials

Design > Concrete Frame Design > Display Design Info

Design > Concrete Frame Design > Select Design Combos

Design > Concrete Frame Design > Start Design/ Check of Structure

File > New Model > Beam

I

Prestressed Concrete Beam

  • Load Combinations

  • Output Stations

  • Prestressing

Assign > Frame > Output Stations

Assign > Frame > Frame Sections

Assign > Frame Loads > Distributed

Define > Load Combinations

Define > Section Properties > Frame Sections

Define > Load Patterns

Define > Materials

Display >  Show Forces/Stresses > Frame/Cable/Tendon

Draw > Frame/Cable/Tendons - Tendon

File > New Model > Beam

J

Beam on Elastic Foundation

  • Divide Frames

  • Load Combinations

  • Springs

Assign > Frame > Frame Sections

Assign > Joint > Masses

Assign > Joint > Springs

Assign > Joint Loads > Forces

Define > Section Properties > Frame Sections

Define > Load Patterns

Define > Materials

Display > Show Forces/Stresses> Frame/Cable/Tendon

Edit > Divide Frames

File > New Model > Beam

Options > Dimensions/Tolerances

K

Steel Moment Frame

  • New Model From Template

  • Steel Design

  • Unbraced Length Ratio

Assign > Frame > Frame Sections

Assign > Frame > Distributed

Assign > Joint Loads > Forces

Define > Load Patterns

Define > Materials

Design > Steel Frame Design > Start Design/Check of Structure

Design > Steel Frame Design > View/Revise Overwrites

Display > Show Tables

File > New Model > 2D Frames - Portal

L

Periodic Loading

  • Mode Shapes

  • Modal Time History Analysis (Periodic)

Assign > Frame > Frame Sections

Assign > Joint Loads > Forces

Define > Load Cases - Time History, Periodic

Define > Section Properties > Frame Sections

Define > Functions > Time History

Define > Materials

Display > Show Plot Functions

File > New Model > 2D Frames - Portal

M

Flat Plate in the X-Y Plane with a Twist

  • Mesh Area Objects

  • Trick Problem

Assign > Joint Restraints

Assign > Joint Loads > Forces

Define > Section Properties > Area Sections

Define > Materials

Display > Show Forces/Stresses > Joint

Draw > Draw Rectangular Area

Edit > Mesh Areas

File > New Model >

 Grid Only

N

Frame Shear Wall Intersection

  • Diaphragm Constraint

  • Groups

  • Section Cuts

Assign > Assign to Groups

Assign > Frame > Frame Sections

Assign > Joint > Constraints

Assign > Joint > Restraints

Assign > Joint Loads > Forces

Define > Load Cases - Modal, Nonlinear, Time History

Define > Section Properties > Area Sections

Define > Frame Sections

Define > Materials

Define > Section Cuts

Display > Show Tables

Draw > Quick Draw Area

File > New Model > 2D Frames - Portal

Options > Dimensions/Tolerances

O

Isolated Building Nonlinear Time History Analysis

  • Base (Seismic) Isolation

  • Diaphragm Constraint

  •  Ritz Vectors

  • Dynamic Analysis

  • Mode Shapes

  • Link Elements

  • Modal Nonlinear Time History Analysis

Assign > Area > Sections

Assign > Area Loads > Uniform (All)

Assign > Frame > Frame Sections

Assign > Joint > Constraints

Define > Load Cases - Buckling

Define > Section Properties > Area Sections

Define > Functions > Time History

Define > Link/Support Properties

Define > Load Patterns

Define > Materials

Display > Show Tables

Display > Show Plot Functions

Draw > Draw 1 Joint Link

Draw > Draw Frame/Cable/Tendon

Draw > Quick Draw Area

Edit > Replicate - Linear

File > New Model > 3D Frame - Open Frame Building

P

Critical Buckling Load

  • Buckling Analysis

  • P-Delta

Assign > Frame Loads > Points

Assign > Frame > Automatic Frame Subdivide

Assign > Joint > Restraints

Assign > Joint Loads > Forces

Define > Load Cases - Nonlinear, P-Delta

Define > Section Properties > Frame Sections

Define > Load Patterns

Define > Materials

File > New Model > Grid Only

Q

Three Frames

  • Concrete Moment Frame

  • Create Time History Video

  • Dynamic Analysis

  • Mode Shapes

  • New Model From Template

  •  Link Elements

  • Nonlinear Time History Analysis

Assign > Joint > Masses

Assign > Joint > Restraints

Assign > Joint Loads > Forces

Define > Load Cases - Modal, Nonlinear, Time History

Define > Frame Sections

Define > Functions > Time History

Define > Link/Support Properties - Damper

Define > Link/Support Properties - Rubber Isolator

Define > Materials

Draw > Draw 1 Joint Link

Draw > Draw 2 Joint Link Element

Draw > Quick Draw Frame/Cable/Tendon

File > Create Video > Multi-Step Animation Video

File > New Model >- 2D Frames - Portal

Start Animation

R

Bridge with Moving Load

Not Applicable to this Version of SAP2000

Please refer to CSiBridge for more information about working with bridge models.

S

Finite Element Model of Steel Beam with Web Opening

  • Change Labels

  • Section Cuts

  • Mesh Areas

  • New Model (From Scratch, Not From Template)

  • Stress Contours For Shells

Assign > Assign to Groups

Assign > Joint > Restraints

Assign > Joint Loads > Forces

Define > Section Properties > Area Sections

Define > Materials

Define > Section Cuts

Display > Show Tables

Display > Show Forces/Stresses > Shell

Draw > Draw Rectangular Area

Edit > Change Labels

Edit > Mesh Areas

Edit > Replicate - Linear

File > New Model > Grid Only

View > Set 2D View

View > Set Limits

T

Domed Cylindrical Structure

  • New Model From Template

  • Add To Model from Template

Edit > Add to Model from Template

File > New Model > Shells - Cylinder

File > New Model > Shells - Dome

 

U

Barrel Vaulted Structure

  • Add To Model From Template

  • Load Combinations

  • New Model From Template

Assign > Area Loads > Uniform (Shell)

Assign > Joint > Restraints

Define > Load Combinations

Define > Load Patterns

Define > Materials

Draw > Draw Quad Area

Edit > Add to Model from Template

Edit > Mesh Areas

Edit > Move

Edit > Replicate - Mirror

File > New Model > Shells - Barrel Shell

File > New Model > Wall - Shear Wall

View > Set 2D View

View > Set Limits

View > Show All

View > Show Grid

View > Show Selection Only

V

Temperature Loading

  • Grid Lines

  • Temperature Loading

Assign > Frame > Frame Sections

Assign > Frame Loads > Temperature

Assign > Joint > Restraints

Define > Coordinate Systems/Grids

Define > Load Patterns

Define > Materials

Display > Show Forces/Stresses > Joint

File > New Model > 2D Frames - Portal

W

Simple Beam with Trapezoidal Loads

  • Divide Frames

  • Trapezoidal Loads (Distributed Loads)

Assign > Frame > Frame Sections

Assign > Frame Loads > Point

Assign > Frame Loads > Distributed

Define > Load Patterns

Define > Materials

Edit > Divide Frames

File > New Model > Beam

X

Through Truss Bridge

Not Applicable to this Version of SAP2000

Please refer to CSiBridge for more information about working with bridge models.

Y

Response Spectrum Analysis for Single Degree of Freedom System

  • Draw Special Joint

  • Dynamic Analysis

  • Mode Shapes

  • Response Spectrum Analysis

Assign > Joint > Masses

Assign > Joint > Springs

Define > Load Cases - Response Spectrum

Define > Functions > Response Spectrum

Display > Show Forces/Stresses > Joints

Draw > Draw Special Joint

File > New Model > Grid Only

Z

Response Spectrum Analysis

  • Diaphragm Constraint

  • Dynamic Analysis

  • Grid Lines

  • Mesh Areas

  •  Mode Shapes

  • New Model From Template

  •  Linear Replication

  •  Response Spectrum Analysis

Assign > Frame > Frame Sections

Assign > Joint > Constraints

Assign > Joint > Masses

Assign > Joint > Restraints

Define > Load Cases - Response Spectrum

Define > Section Properties > Area Sections

Define > Coordinate Systems/Grids

Define > Section Properties > Frame Sections

Define > Functions > Response Spectrum

Define > Materials

Draw > Draw Rectangular Area

Draw > Quick Draw Area Element

Draw > Quick Draw Frame/Cable/Tendon

Edit > Mesh Areas

Edit > Replicate - Linear

File > New Model > 3D Frame - Open Frame Building