Tools: Surface Ribbon Tab

Table 1. Assign Properties group
Tool name	Description
Material	Opens the Assign material dialog, which is used to specify a material standard for the selected surfaces.
Thickness	Opens the Assign surface thickness dialog, which is used to specify a thickness for the selected surfaces.
Attribute	Select a surface type from the drop-down list to assign to the selected surfaces. These description tags are used in helping to identify elements in modeling and used by the analytical analysis engine as well as in concrete design. Undefined - no description tag used. Wall WALL_TANK Slab SLAB_TANK

Table 2. Edit group
Tool name		Description
Flip Surface		Used to change the local axis 3 (i.e., out-of-plane direction). This will change the surface connectivity nodes. Note: Refer to the Surfaces > Connectivity spreadsheet to review the corner nodes for surfaces.
Alignment >	Align Axes on Surfaces	Click to align the local axes of all selected shells in direction of the local axes of the first selected shell.
Alignment >	Align Surface Axis 1 to a Node	Click to align the local axis x of all selected shells in direction of the selected node. Tip: This tool is useful for axi-symmetric models.
Divide		Opens the Segment surfaces dialog, which is used to divide the selected surfaces into smaller entities.
Merge		Merges two or more selected surfaces into a single surface.
Create Gap		Opens the Create surface gap dialog, which is used to specify an edge gap around a selected four-node surface.
Fix Warped Surfaces		Used to realign all the nodes in a surface to either a plane defined by three selected nodes or the plane of the surface axis (if no nodes are selected).

Table 3. Mat and Edge Supports group
Tool name	Description
Linear	Opens the Assign custom support dialog, which is used to assign linear support parameters for the edge of the selected member between the two selected nodes.
Mat Foundation	Opens the Assign Mat Foundation dialog, which is used to specify a surface support on a soil foundation.

Table 4. Loads group
Tool name	Description
Point	Opens the Add surface concentrated load dialog, which is used to add a concentrated force at any point on the surface. The load is added to the active load group.
Uniform Pressure	Opens the Add surface uniform pressure dialog, which is used to specify a uniform area load (i.e., pressure) over the entire surface. The load is added to the active load group.
Variable Pressure	Opens the Add: Surface Variable Pressure Load dialog, which is used to apply a load with linearly varying pressure to the selected surfaces.
Hydrostatic	Opens the Add Surface Hydrostatic Pressure Load dialog, which is used to apply a load based on fluid hydrostatic pressure to the selected surfaces.
Surface Temperature Load	Opens the Add Temperature Load dialog, which is used to add a temperature expansion or temperature gradient load in a surface.

Table 5. Tools group
Tool name	Description
Edit Surface	Click to open an isolated view of the selected surface for editing in elevation. The Surface tools for material, thickness, and attributes are active. Similarly, the Create UCS, Create Grid, Polygonal Opening, and Circular Opening tools on the Model ribbon tab are active. Once you have completed your edits, click the tool again to exit the edit mode. You will be prompted to commit your changes back to the physical model.

Assign Surface Thickness dialog

Segment surfaces dialog

Create Surface Gap dialog

Assign Mat Foundation dialog

Add Surface Concentrated Load dialog

Add Surface Uniform Pressure Load dialog

Add Surface Variable Pressure Load dialog

Add Surface Hydrostatic Pressure Load dialog

Add Temperature Load dialog

Parent topic: Ribbon