Design of base plates can be obtained by invoking the Reports – Base Plates commands. Base plates are designed considering the column size and loads and the specified criteria. Currently, the design can only be performed for single vertical column and not for single sloping or multiple columns sitting on the plate.

The minimum edge dimensions of the base plate, from the face of the column and the side of the column, can be specified to ensure that there is sufficient distance to accommodate the anchor bolts.

For some Codes the allowable bearing of the base plate on the concrete is a function of the size of the plate relative to the size of the support. Thus it is necessary to know the size of the concrete support in order to design the base plate. Since that information is not currently available to the base plate design routines, the minimum footing size can conservatively be specified in the criteria. If even the minimum footing is sufficiently larger than the base plate, the footing size becomes irrelevant and the maximum permissible value of bearing on concrete is used. Otherwise, the criteria can be changed to reflect the varying support conditions and the base plate designs obtained for those columns.