Chinese Steel Design dialog

Used to specify the code check items to be performed and then perform a code check.

Opens when the Design tool is selected on the Chinese Steel Design ribbon tab in the Design group.

Click OK to perform the selected code checks. The Results window opens to display the results of the code check operation.

Structure tab

Setting

Description

Setup Default Design Parameters

Used to specify the design settings for members which do not have a specific design parameter set assigned.

Seismic Option

Option to include the seismic provisions and to identify the precautionary intensity to use:

Note: In order to include seismic design, the mode should include one or more seismic load cases and the "Seismic Measure Grade" should be specified in the member parameter sets.

Design Range

Select whether the design process should be performed on the entire model or only the currently selected members.

Optimize Option

The standard design process will check the structure using the data of the member profiles assigned to the model. However, it is possible to determine if a different profile would be better suited using an optimisation design. This action is applied to the members included in a parameter set that has the option Optimise Design set in the General Parameter page.

The optimization of any given member is determined by checking the applied forces on the given member against all the profiles in the section table from which the member was specified and selecting the profile that provides a maximum utilization that is as large as possible, but less than 1.0.

Note to view the profiles that are assigned to the members after an optimized design

When performing the optimization, there are three options that can be used to manage the optimization process.

Setting

Description

Group Optimize

With this option a single profile is selected that provides a maximum utilization, but less than 1.0, when used on all the members in the parameter set that has the Optimise Design specified. This resulting in all members in the parameter set having the same Optimized Profile.

Fast Optimize

With this option specified, each member will be designed by sequentially stepping through the table of profiles from which the profile has been specified ordered by either

None, i.e. defined by the table sequence, or
the profile area AX, or
the profile major moment of inertia IZ,

until a suitable profile has been identified. If not set, then every section profile in the table is checked.

Iterations

If a number of iterations is specified (i.e., a number >0), then after performing an optimization, the new profiles are assigned to each optimized member and a new analysis is performed. In doing so this may result in a new/different distribution of forces and stresses. The design is then re-performed. These steps are repeated for the number of iterations specified.

Design Checks tab

Select the code check you want the program to perform. There are buttons on the left to quickly select those that pertain to strength, stability, displacement, and detailing. There are also selection tools for all, none, or inverting the selection set.

Note: You can hold <Ctrl> to select multiple items.