Beam Definition dialog

Used to specify beam parameters such as section, material, etc for beams within a beam layout.

Opens when a beam layout is selected using the Place Beam Group tool.

Dialog Settings

Setting Description
Beams list A list of all beams in the selected beam layout is included here.
Right-click and select Copy To to open the Beam Copy dialog. This can be used to copy the current beam parameters to other beams by:
  • the beam identification by supportline and beam location
  • distance
  • ratio
Details
Setting Description
Beam Sections Select the type of sections to use for the selected beam. The options vary for concrete or steel girder bridge types:
  • Beam Slab (P/S or RC Concrete Girders):
    • LEAP Concrete ? A list of the standard precast beam profiles included with LEAP Bridge Concrete . These shapes cannot be spliced.
    • Custom ? A list of standard precast beam profiles from OpenBridge Modeler
  • Beam Slab (Steel Girders):
    • Rolled Shapes ? Select from the Section Property Catalog list of AISC wide flange shapes.
    • Built-Up ? Define a built-up plate girder with optional cover plates. Tapered web depth and flange widths may be used.
Beam Haunch (Concrete Girders)

In order to position the prestressed concrete beams accurately, and subsequently obtain accurate elevations for all substructure components, including bearings, bearings seats and piers, OpenBridge Modeler allows you to input the beam haunch at the center of the beam for both the start and end of each beam. If no bearings are input, the haunch thickness is modeled at the start and the end of the beams. However if the bearings are input, the haunch thickness input is considered at the bearing lines instead.

If the Haunch option is set to "Start, End, Mid", a new field to input Haunch value at midspan is available. Utilizing these three values, the beam is drawn with this camber, and a more accurate haunch volume of concrete is computed.

If the Compute option is checked, you can input a minimum clearance value and a residual camber value at erection, and the program will automatically compute the Haunch thickness values at both start and end of the beam. Minimum clearance is measured at the edge of the beam flange, and is verified all along the beam length.

Options to copy the values from one beam to others is also available.

Diagram showing location of measurement of Beam Haunch at along beam at start and end

Beam Haunch is measured at the center of the beam

Beam Haunch (Steel Girders)

Type a Minimum Haunch height. Minimum Haunch Height is measured at the CL of beam (in beam cross section). For both the left and right haunches of each beam, define the left and right extensions, and the edge type (Chamfered or Normal). For exterior beams, you can chose the option to "Follow Deck Edge" in which case, the haunch width automatically extended to follow the respective deck edge, to facilitate the modeling of thickened deck edges. An optional value for Deck Edge Vertical Offset can also be input, so the thickened portion of the deck can be modeled.

Rotation Angle Precast Beams can be defined plumb or with a rotation angle to follow the slope of bottom of the deck. This field displays the Calculated rotation angle of the beam, if rotation option is selected. You can specify a custom angle by selecting the Override option and typing an angle value.
Automatically Sort Rows Set this option to automatically sort the rows based on the distance definitions so the sections are ordered along the span length from top-to-bottom of the table.
beam rows The rows in table represent segments of the beam along the selected beam/span. If only one row is present, then that definition is used for the entire span length. However, you may add additional rows (except for LEAP Concrete sections) to represent beam splices or other changes in material or section.

Click Insert Row After () or Delete Row () to control the rows added to the table.

If the Different End Template option is checked, you can specify a different beam section, and OpenBridge Modeler will loft the solids based on user specified Variation linear, circular or parabolic along the section length. Both start and end templates need to have the same number of points and start location of points for the loft to be created.

Drawing You can expand or collapse the drawing panel. This shows you an elevation and section view of the current beam's section.

If a section is nonprismatic, you can use the slider control to select a point along the section length.

Advanced Options

Setting Description
Notch

Define notch Depth and Length for start or/and end of beam.

If a sloped cut is required, check the Slope option.

Check the Follow Support Line Skew if you want the beam top flange notch oriented along the skew angle

Dap Input Dap Length and Depth as shown in the figure above to create a cut at the bottom of the beam
Beam End Cut

Applicable to concrete and steel beams. Input Width and Depth of cut. Depending on the depth and width input, the cuts can just be on the flange or all the way down to the bottom of the beam as well as the bearings and bearing seats as shown in the figure below.