D2.B.9 Code Checking

The purpose of code checking is to evaluate whether the provided section properties of the members are adequate for the specified loads as per AS 4100 requirements.

Tip: The member selection facility can be used to instruct the program to select a different section if the specified section is found to be inadequate.

Code checking for an analytical member is done using forces and moments at every twelfth point along the beam. The code checking output labels the members as PASSed or FAILed. In addition, the critical condition, governing load case, location (distance from the start joint) and magnitudes of the governing forces and moments are also printed. The extent of detail of the output can be controlled by using the TRACK parameter.

Note: Code checking cannot be performed on composite and prismatic sections.

Refer to D1.B.1.3 Code Checking for general information on Code Checking. Refer to TR.49 Code Checking Specification for details the specification of the Code Checking command.

Example of commands for code checking:

UNIT NEWTON METER
PARAMETER
CODE AUSTRALIAN
FYLD 330E6 MEMB 3 4
NSF 0.85 ALL
KY 1.2 MEMB 3 4
RATIO 0.9 ALL
CHECK CODE MEMB 3 4

D2.B.9.1 Physical Members

For physical members (PMEMBERs), code checks are performed at section stations positioned at 1/12^th points along each analytical member included in the PMEMBER. It is up to you to determine if these locations cover critical sections for design, and adjust as necessary. The number of stations for PMEMBER Design cannot be altered, however the analytical members can be split so that in effect more stations are checked for a PMEMBER.

For each section station along a PMEMBER, section capacity checks are carried for design actions at that station location. Member capacity checks are also carried out for each station. For these the program searches each side of the station to find adjacent effective restraints and design forces and moments. This allows the program to determine the segment / sub-segment that the section station resides in, and then proceeds to calculate the member capacities. Enough section stations should be included to capture all segments / sub-segments for checking.

Note: When checking combined actions for the section capacities, the design actions at the section station are used. However when checking combined actions for the member capacities, the maximum forces from anywhere along the segment / sub-segment being considered are used. This is as stipulated in AS 4100 8.2.

The output reports whether the member has PASSed or FAILed the design checks, as well as the critical condition, critical load case, magnitudes of design actions for the most critical cross-section location (distance from the start joint), and complete calculations for design. The TRACK design parameter can be used to control the level of detail provided in the output.

Tip: You can use the Utilization Ratio tool in the graphical user interface Postprocessing workflow to view color-coded results.

In some cases some of the output will report "N/A" values. This occurs where a calculation does not apply to a member. For example if a member never goes into tension then no values can be reported in the tension capacity output sections.

Note: As per AS 4100 1.4, the TRACK 2.0 detailed level of output for PMEMBER Design uses x and y subscripts to refer to major and minor principal axes respectively. These differ to STAAD.Pro local member axes, where z and y refer to major and minor principal axes.