STAAD.Pro Physical Modeler Help

Add / Assign section dialog

This dialog is used to add and assign sections to members. Existing sections in the model can be used or new sections can be added to the model.

The Add section dialog opens when the Add section tool in the Sections and Materials group on the Catalog ribbon tab is selected.

The Assign section dialog opens when the Section tool in the Assign properties group on the Member ribbon tab is selected.

Property Value
Source Select one of the following options:
  • Catalog - Used to select sections from the STAAD.Pro section database.
  • Model - (Assign section only) Used to select catalog sections previously added to your current model.
  • User Database - Used to select prismatic or custom sections previously saved in your user database.
Type For Catalog, select the type of member to use:
  • Standard — Catalog shapes.
    Tip: Standard sections are available through the STAAD.Pro section database. Custom sections can be added using this application using the Section Database tool. Refer to the STAAD.Pro help for details.
  • Prismatic — Custom shapes by template.
  • External — Select a STAAD.Pro user-provided table (UPT) file.
  • Generic — Provide section property values for a custom section.

Material

When using the Assign section dialog, you can also assign a material simultaneously

SettingDescription
Material Select the material to Name assign in conjunction with the section.
Note: In most cases, the corresponding material to the Category selection is automatically selected for you.
Create material from section For Timber, you will have the option to create a specific material name from the selected section, as material properties will vary with the selected section size.
Density For Timber, specify the material density to use for the species.

Standard Type

Property Value
Category Select the material category:
  • Rolled steel
  • Coldformed Steel
  • Aluminum
  • Timber
Country/Manufacturer Select the country or the manufacturer name where the catalog shape is produced.
Database Displays the STAAD.Pro database name containing the section from the selected Category and County/Manufacturer.
Note: Castellated rolled steel beams, R-Ceco rolled steel sections, European bulb flat sections, European flat bar sections, European solid square sections, steel joists, some cold-formed steel sections, AITC glulam sections, and aluminium profiles are not supported in STAAD.Pro Physical Modeler.
Table Select the shape table.
Shape Displays the shape type included in the selected table.
Name Select the shape name from the table.
View Table Click to open the selected database table in the Section Database Manager.
Type Select the shape specifications, depending on the shape type. For some specification types, additional parameters are needed.

Prismatic Type

Property Value
Shape Select the general shape to use from the drop-down list:
  • Enter TF1 and WF1 only if bottom flange is different than top flange.

Wide Flange

Channel

Angle

Double Angle

Tee

Pipe

Tube

Circle

Rectangle

Trapezoidal
Name Type a section name for the prismatic section.
Dimensions Enter the dimensions for the selected prismatic Shape. Refer to the diagrams above or in the dialog for specific dimensions pertaining to each shape.
Calculate Click to have the program calculate section properties from the entered dimensions.
Note: For Circle and Trapezoid prismatic shapes, the section Properties are automatically calculated for the dimensions given and may not be edited.
Properties The cross-sectional properties for the shape may be manually typed here. Alternatively, the Calculate button can be used to calculate these values based on the dimensions given. Not all properties are required for all shapes.
  • Cross Section Area
  • Shear Area in Y
  • Shear Area in Z
  • Torsional Constant
  • Inertia about Local Y
  • Inertia about Local Z
  • C.G. along Local Y / Z (double angle, channel, and tee only)
  • Radius of Gyration about Principal Axis (single and double angle only)
Composite For prismatic wide flange sections, check this option to provide additional dimensions and properties for the composite portion of the top flange. Type the B (left) (CFL), B (right) (CFR), Thickness (CFT) and Modular Ratio values for the top composite flange.

You can also check the Bottom steel plate to specify the B (left) (BSPL), B (right) (BSPR), and Thickness (BST) dimensions for the optional bottom plate.

External type

Property Value
Table Select the table name from the user property table file. The drop-down list contains the names of all tables in the file.
Source file Displays the user property table (.upt) file selected when the + button is clicked. Click the X button to remove this file in order to change this.
Shape Displays the shape type read from the selected user property table file.
Name Select one of the profile names read from the file.
Dimensions Displays the read-only dimensions for the selected profile name.
Properties Displays the read-only section properties for the selected profile name.

Generic type

Property Value
Name Type a section name for the generic section.
Dimensions

Property Value
YD Depth of the member in local y direction. Used as the diameter of section for circular members.
ZD Depth of the member in local z direction. If ZD is not provided and YD is provided, the section will be assumed to be circular.
YB Depth of stem for T-section.
ZB Width of stem for T-section or bottom width for TRAPEZOIDAL section.
Properties

Property Value
Cross Section Area The cross-sectional area perpendicular to the longitudinal axis.
Shear Area in Y Area used for shear calculations along the major axis.
Shear Area in Z Area used for shear calculations along the minor axis.
Torsional Constant Moment of inertia about the major bending axis.
Inertia about Local Y Moment of inertia about the minor bending axis.
Inertia about Local Z Torsional constant for twist about the longitudinal axis.

Existing Sections

If you select User database as the Source, you can select an existing section from your model or custom user database.

Property Value
Type Select either Prismatic, Custom, or Generic as the shape type.
Shape For Prismatic or Custom shapes, select the template.
Section name A list of previously added sections in the model is available here.
Parent topic: Tools: Member Ribbon Tab
Related tasksRelated reference