To view the plate stresses along an arbitrary line cut across plate elements, use the following procedure.

Given a finite element, ABCD, which is subject to a set of stresses, it is possible using mechanics theory to cut that element along an arbitrary line, EF, and resolve the forces at the cut surface.

However, the forces of adjacent finite elements obtained this way are not balanced (i.e., not in equilibrium) and the stress values are discontinuous across element boundaries.

STAAD.Pro has stress result options for cut lines which employ a method of mathematically processing the FEA stress results which are then in equilibrium against the cross-section forces and are continuous across element boundaries. The cut line coordinate system, STR, is used (i.e., a local coordinate system with S as the axis along the cut line, T in the plane of the elements, and R normal to those elements).

1. On the Results ribbon tab, select the Layouts > Results Along Line tool in the View Results group. The Results Along Line dialog and layout open.
2. In the Results Along Line dialog, click Cut by a Line.
3. In the view window, click the start and end points of the line.
4. Click a third point to define the cut direction. A perpendicular line is rubber banded to the mid-point of the line drawn in step 3. The line is added to the list and the in Max Absolute results along the line are displayed in the graph and table.
5. Customize the stress results:
   1. (Optional) Type a Name for the line.
   2. Select the Stress Type from the drop-down list.
      • Options Max Absolute through Tressca Bottom (i.e., options with "(Line)") represent values across individual elements.
      • Options St-Line through Qt-Line represent values that have been mathematical processed to be continuous across element boundaries and have forces in equilibrium along the cut line.
      

      Stresses along a cut line for "-Line" stress types

      St

      Normal stress perpendicular to the cut line, σ_t.

      Sts

      Shear stress along the cut line, τ_t.

      Mt

      Bending moment along the cut line, M_t.

      Mts

      Bending Moment about the T axis. This is in the plane of the plate and perpendicular to the cut line (i.e. the S axis).

      Qt

      Out-of-plane shear, Q_t

   3. Type a Max No Div to specify the number of equal divisions displayed in the graph.
      Tip: Higher values result in a clearer graph, with 10-20 being a normal range.
   4. Click Update.
6. (Optional) Add the cut line results to the report:
   1. Click Create Report. The Report Title dialog opens.
   2. Check the Save Report option.
   3. Click OK.

The graph displays the selected stress values along the cut line using the number of divisions per element specified.

Forces listed in the table when these results are selected are given in the in a coordinate system relative to the cut line (i.e., "FS" is along the cut line, "FT" is in the plane of the element, and "FR" is normal to the element). This is indicated by the "-Line" suffix of the results.

The table has two tabs: Stresses and Total Force. In the case of "-Line" stress types, the forces are given in the local cut line coordinate system:

Forces along a cut line for "-Line" stress types

Fs

Resultant force along the cutline

Ms

Resultant moment about the cutline

Ft

Resultant force perpendicular to the culine in the plane of the plate

Mt

Resultant moment about the line perpendicular to the cutline in the plane of the plate

Fr

Resultant force perpendicular to the cutline out of the plane of the plate

Mr

Resultant moment about the line perpendicular to the cutline out of the plane of the plate