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D3.B.6 Design Parameters
D3.B.6 Design Parameters
6 Design Parameters
Note: Once a parameter is specified, its value stays at that specified number till it is specified again. This is
the way STAAD works for all codes.
CODE -
Must be specified as BS5950
AD Depth at end/2 Distance between the reference axis and the axis of
restraint. See G.2.3
BEAM 3.0
Beam divisions
CAN 0
Deflection check method. See Note 1 below.
CB 1
Specifies the method used to calculate Mb.
ESTIFF 0.0
Clauses 4.8.3.3.1 and 4.8.3.3.2
KY 1.0 K factor value in local y - axis. Usually, this is the minor axis.
KZ 1.0 K factor value in local z - axis. Usually, this is the major axis.
LEG 0.0 Valid range from 0 – 7 and 10. The values correspond to
table 25 of BS5950 for fastener conditions. See note 2
below.
LVV * Used in conjunction with LEG for Lvv as per BS5950 table 25
Maximum of Lyy
for double angles. See note 6 below.
and Lzz(Lyy is a term
used by BS5950)
MYX 1.0 Equivalent moment factor for minor axis lateral flexural
buckling as defined in clause 4.8.3.3.4
PNL * 0.0
Transverse stiffener spacing ("a" in Annex H1)
0.0 = Infinity
MAIN 0.0
Slenderness limit for members with compression forces,
effective length/ radius of gyration, for a given axis:
SAME** 0.0
Controls the sections to try during a SELECT process.
SBLT 0.0
Identify Section type for section classification
SWAY none Specifies a load case number to provide the sway loading
forces in clause 4.8.3.3.4 (See additional notes)
SGR 0.0
Steel Grade per BS4360
TB 0.0
LImit of moment capacity in Cl 4.2.5.1:
0 = Mc limit 1.5pyZ
TRACK 0.0
Output details
WELD
1.0 closed Weld Type
**For angles, if the original section is an equal angle, then the selected section will be an equal angle and
vice-versa for unequal angles.
Note: There was an NT parameter in STAAD.Pro 2005 build 1003 which is now automatically calculated
during the design as it is load case dependent.
D3.B.6.1 Notes
1. CAN, DJ1, and DJ2 – Deflection
a. When performing the deflection check, you can choose between two methods. The first
method, defined by a value 0 for the CAN parameter, is based on the local displacement. Refer to
TR.44 Printing Section Displacements for Members for details on local displacement.
If the CAN parameter is set to 1, the check will be based on cantilever style deflection. Let (DX1,
DY1, DZ1) represent the nodal displacements (in global axes) at the node defined by DJ1 (or in
the absence of DJ1, the start node of the member). Similarly, (DX2, DY2, DZ2) represent the
deflection values at DJ2 or the end node of the member.
Compute Length = distance between DJ1 & DJ2 or, between start node and end node, as the
case may be.
b. If CAN = 0, deflection length is defined as the length that is used for calculation of local
deflections within a member. It may be noted that for most cases the Deflection Length will
be equal to the length of the member. However, in some situations, the Deflection Length
may be different. A straight line joining DJ1 and DJ2 is used as the reference line from which
local deflections are measured.
For example, refer to the figure below where a beam has been modeled using four joints and
three members. The "Deflection Length" for all three members will be equal to the total length
of the beam in this case. The parameters DJ1 and DJ2 should be used to model this situation.
Thus, for all three members here, DJ1 should be 1 and DJ2 should be 4.
PARAMETERS
DFF 300. ALL
DJ1 1 ALL
DJ2 4 ALL
c. If DJ1 and DJ2 are not used, "Deflection Length" will default to the member length and local
deflections will be measured from original member line.
d. It is important to note that unless a DFF value is specified, STAAD will not perform a deflection
check. This is in accordance with the fact that there is no default value for DFF.
e. The above parameters may be used in conjunction with other available parameters for steel
design.
2. LEG – follows the requirements of BS5950 table 28. This table concerns the fastener restraint
conditions for angles, double angles, tee sections and channels for slenderness. The following values
are available:
The slenderness of single and double angle, channel and tee sections are specified in BS 5950 table 25
depending on the connection provided at the end of the member. To define the appropriate
connection, a LEG parameter should be assigned to the member.
The following list indicates the value of the LEG parameter required to match the BS5950 connection
definition:
La = KY × LY
Lb = KZ × LZ
The slenderness calculated for the v-v axis is then used to calculate the compression strength pc for
the weaker principal axis (z-z for ST angles or y-y for RA specified angles). The maximum slenderness
of the a-a and b-b axes is used to calculate the compression strength pc for the stronger principal axis.
Alternatively for single angles where the connection is not known or Table 25 is not appropriate, by
setting the LEG parameter to 10, slenderness is calculated for the two principal axes y-y and z-z only.
For double angles, the LVV parameter is available to comply with note 5 in table 25. In addition, if
using double angles from user tables, (refer to TR.19.4 Double Angle) an eleventh value, rvv, should be
supplied at the end of the ten existing values corresponding to the radius of gyration of the single
angle making up the pair.
The design parameter PY should only be used when a uniform design strength for an entire structure
or a portion thereof is required. Otherwise the value of PY will be set according to the stipulations of
BS5950 table 9 in which the design strength is seen as a function of cross sectional thickness for a
particular steel grade (SGR parameter) and particular element considered. Generally speaking this
option is not required and the program should be allowed to ascertain the appropriate value.
The values supplied for UNL, LY and LZ should be real numbers greater than zero in current units of
length. They are supplied along with or instead of UNF, KY and KZ (which are factors, not lengths) to
define lateral torsional buckling and compression effective lengths respectively. Please note that both
UNL or UNF and LY or KY values are required even though they are often the same values. The former
relates to compression flange restraint for lateral torsional buckling while the latter is the
unrestrained buckling length for compression checks.
When the TRACK parameter is set to 0.0, 1.0, or 2.0, member capacities will be printed in design related
output (code check or member selection) in kilonewtons per square meter.
TRACK 4.0 causes the design to carry out a deflection check, usually with a different load list to the
main code check. The members that are to be checked must have the parameters DFF, DJ1, and DJ2
set.
The values for the equivalent moment factors can either be specified directly by the user as a positive
value between 0.4 and 1.0 for MX, MY and MYX and 0.44 and 1.0 for MLT.
The program can be used to calculate the values for the equivalent moment factors by defining the
design member with a GROUP command (refer to TR.16.1 Listing of Entities by Specifying Groups). The
nodes along the beam can then be defined as the location of restraint points with J settings.
Additionally for the MLT parameter, the joint can be defined as having the upper flange restrained
(positive local Y) with the a U setting or the lower flange restrained (negative local Y) with a L setting.
For example, consider a series of 5 beam elements as a single continuous member as shown below:
To enable the steel design, the beam needs to be defined as a group, called MainBeam:
Note: This can be done in the User Interface by selecting Tools > Create New Group….
Joint 1 = Node 3
Joint 2 = Node 1
Joint 3 = Node 33
Joint 4 = Node 14
Joint 5 = Node 7
Joint 6 = Node 2
Say that this member has been restrained in its’ major axis (local Y) only at the ends. In the
minor axis (local Z) it has been restrained at the ends and also at node number 33 (joint 3). For
local flexural buckling, it has only been restrained at its ends. Hence:
MX _MainBeam J1 J6
MY _ MainBeam J1 J3 J6
MYX _ MainBeam J1 J6
b. Consider MLT
Say that this member has been restrained at its’ ends against lateral torsional buckling and the
top flange has been restrained at node number 33 (joint 3) and only the lower flange at node
number 7, (joint 5). Hence:
MLT _MainBeam J1 T3 L5 J6
To split the beam into two buckling lengths for Ly at joint 14:
MY _groupname J1 J4 J6
This parameter is used to specify a load case that is to be treated as a sway load case in the context of
clause 4.8.3.3.4. This load case would be set up to represent the kam pMs mentioned in this clause and
the steel design module would add the forces from this load case to the forces of the other load case
it is designed for.
Note that the load case specified with this parameter will not be designed as a separate load case.
The following is the correct syntax for the parameter:
_(group name)
Example
SWAY 5 MEM 1 to 10
SWAY 6 _MainBeams