ProtaStructure 2016

Welcome to ProtaStructure Help
ProtaStructure is a dedicated analysis, design and drafting solution for reinforced concrete building
structures. Detailed calculations, material quantities, structural layout plans, beam and slab elevations
and column schedules are all produced automatically from one central model.
Main Topics
Introduction
Project Management
Settings and Parameters
Import and Export
Graphic Editor Basics
Structural Modelling
Building Parameters, Loading and Materials
Building Analysis
Analysis and Design of Slabs
FE Analysis of Floors
FE Analysis of Foundations
Column and Wall Design
Beam Section Design
Foundation Modelling and Design
Reports and Quantity Extraction
Frequently Asked Questions
Introduction
ProtaStructure is a structural analysis, design and drafting program developed for the design of
building systems. The program consists of several modules for performing the following tasks:
3-D Analysis of the structural model of the building
Column, Wall and Beam Reinforcement Design
Column, Wall and Beam Detailing
Foundation Design
Analysis and Design of Stairs

Concrete and Formwork Quantity Extractions
The analysis module has been specifically developed to model building type structures. The integrated
Graphic Editor accelerates the model creation process, minimising possible user errors and thus yields
a more reliable design.
ProtaStructure covers the general characteristics of a building system which can be summarised as
follows:
Building geometry generally consists of horizontal (or inclined) beams and vertical (or battered)
columns.
Most of the beams and columns in the model have similar section properties. Therefore, they
can be grouped into different types and size of the data input files can be shrunk significantly. It
is possible to model all type of column sections (with or without holes).
Slabs with relatively higher in-plane stiffnesses, are utilised to form separate or complete rigid
diaphragms at the same floor level.
Vertical loads (dead and imposed loadings) and floor level horizontal loads (wind and
earthquake or notional horizontal loads) act to the model. For special cases, individual columns
or walls may be exposed to nodal loading (force and moment) in all directions. Besides these,
direction dependent dead and live loads is accounted for in the usual building systems.
Member sizes are considered during analysis phase and all effects are calculated at member
faces.
Rigid zones at column-beam connections can be modelled in detail together with possible
symmetric or asymmetric hinges.
Wall members have a significant effect on building behaviour. Therefore, care should be taken
to model walls accurately. Walls can be analysed as mid-pier or finite element shell.
Most of engineers time is spent checking the output reports and finding member results in the
analysis outputs. Analysis results generated by ProtaStructures Analysis Module are summarised and
transferred automatically to design modules after the analysis stage.
ProtaStructure includes the code of practice requirements for each supported region. In all stages,
necessary checks are carried out automatically by the program.
ProtaStructure should only be used by Structural Engineers who have considerable knowledge of:
Codes of practice and regulations used in their region
Analysis and design of building type structures
ProtaStructure has been tested on numerous structural models before being released. However, the
user is the sole person responsible for the results generated by the program. The user must therefore
exercise due diligence and check the program output thoroughly.
Related Articles:
Welcome to ProtaStructure Help

Project Management
A structure modelled in ProtaStructure is saved with its related settings and parameters as a Project.
Once you have a project open, ProtaStructures automatic backup system can periodically make a copy
of it to prevent accidental loss of data. Open projects can be archived at any stage - the resulting zip file
being an efficient format for transferring the project to other computers. These and other project
management topics are explained in detail in the following sections.
Open Project
Each time you load ProtaStructure, the Open Project form isopen displayed, allowing you to open an
existing project, or start a new project, (in which case the Settings Center form is displayed).
The project to be opened can be selected using the project list which shows all the existing projects in
the current data folder.
If you press the OK button having selected an existing project, the selected project will be loaded to
the Graphic Editor.
If you press Delete Project the currently selected project will be permanently deleted.
At any time, you can also open an existing project using the Open Project option in File pulldown.
The most recently used projects are listed at the bottom of the "File" menu. Selecting a project from
this list with a different data folder will set the data folder of the selected project as current for the next
"Open Project" operation
New Project
If you want to create a new project, you can click the New Project button on the Open Project form
and type-in the Project Code that will identify the new project.
The Project Code can be up to 80 characters in length. Each project should have a different project
code. These characters should be alphanumeric.
Settings Center
When you create a new project, the Settings Control Center form is displayed. This form is used to
rapidly establish default model parameters: design codes; analysis type; material properties; member
design settings etc.
Some of these settings can subsequently be accessed from the Parameters form option in the
Building pulldown menu; others are accessed from the Settings pulldown menu.
The Settings Center also provides a means of easily transferring settings and preferences from one
project to another, e.g. beam detailing preferences for different drawing scales can be saved/retrieved
from templates etc.
ProtaStructure Data File Structure

ProtaStructure stores all the files of a project in a folder named after the unique Project Code.
Each project folder is created under a parent folder called the ProtaStructure Data Folder. There can
be more than one data folder for grouping the different projects.
ProtaStructure Data Folders Arrangement
You can change the current ProtaStructure Data Folder by clicking the Data Folder button on the
Open Project form.
Only when the correct Data Folder is selected will the project be listed and can be opened.
TIP: If you are a new user, for simplicity, use just one data folder for all projects.
Related Articles :
Managing Project Model via File Menu
General Settings
Managing Project Model via File Menu

Once a project is started, project management can be done via the the File pulldown at the top
menu. In addition to New Project & Open Project, the following are the available project tools :
Save Project As
You can create a copy of the active project using the Save Project As option in File pulldown. A copy of
the active project with the provided project code will be created and set as the active project.
By modifying the "Data Folder" in the "Save Project As" dialog you can save the new project to a different
data folder location. Note that, when Data Folder is modified, it will be set as current for the next
"Open Project" operation.
Archiving the Project Files with Compression

In order to create an archive of the project data and/or output files using standard ZIP compression
format, you can use "Archive Project" from the "File" pulldown.
After selecting the file groups to be included in the archive you can use the "Start" button to create the
ZIP file or press the "Cancel" button to unload the form.
Archived files can be retrieved at a later date using Load Project From Archive.
"Project Archive" comprises the following options:
File Groups
The project files are grouped in this section in order to facilitate the selection of files to be included in
the archive. Files to be included in the archive can be selected by checking the groups in this part.
Zip File Name
The name of the ZIP file to be created must be included here. By default, the name of this file is set
identical to the project code.
Zip File Folder
The name of the folder to save the ZIP file must be selected using this field. By default, the archive file
is saved to the standard data directory.
Files to be Zipped
Selected files will be listed in this section based on the checked file groups.
Load Project From Archive

You can use the "Load Project from Archive" selection from the "File" pulldown to unzip a previously
archived project.
The selected archive file is unzipped from its source location to create a project in the current data
folder.
The project can then be opened in the usual way by going to Open Project.
Backup and AutoSave

Backups and AutoSaves of the project can both be activated from the Save tab of "General Settings"
which is located on the "Settings" pulldown menu.
Backup Structural Model
By checking the "Backup Structural Model" option you are electing to automatically backup the old files
for a project each time you manually save it.
You can specify up to a maximum of 5 backups to be retained for each project (when the maximum is
reached, the next backup created overwrites the oldest previous backup file).
Backup files can be retrieved using Open Previous Backup
AutoSave
By setting a non-zero "Automatic Save Interval" you can have the program automatically save the project
at regular intervals while you are working on it.
Open Previous Backup

You can use the "Open Previous Backup" selection from the "File" pulldown to unzip a previous backup
of the current project.
A list of the backups, (including the time each backup was made and its model revision number) is
displayed.
Caution: If you choose to retrieve one of the backup files, the existing model is replaced by a version of
the model as it was at the time the backup was made.
Project Properties
Simple statistics about the project (such as total number of columns, beams, slabs etc) can be seen by
using Project Properties option in File pulldown.
Model revision numbers can also be assigned here and revision notes added.
Title Information
If you fill out the fields in the Title page, this information will be shown at the top of each output
report page.
Licence
Your licence information will be displayed here.
Company Logo
You can choose you company logo in one of bmp, jpg, gif or png formats. The logo will be
displayed in design report headers.
Project Title
A title describing the project can be entered in this field.
Calculated by
Name of the design engineer can be entered in this field.
Controlled by
Name of the checking engineer can be entered in this field.
Project No
You can enter an alphanumeric project number to your project in this field.
Project Date
Date of the project can be given in this field.
Note: The project parameters you specify will automatically be reloaded the next time you start
a new project.
Revision Notes
You can record notes here concerning what has been completed and what you still need to do. You can
also assign a model revision number here.
Project Statistics
Charts are used to display various project statistics. Click the Text File button to output the same data
in tabular format.
Related Articles :
Project Management
General Settings
Settings and Parameters (Contents)

ProtaStructure has a very flexible architecture with settings that can be adjusted to suit your particular
way of working. To facilitate access, settings affecting all parts of the program have been centralised in
the Settings and Parameters Manager, from where it is also possible to transfer settings between
projects and to save preferred settings as templates.
Related settings are grouped together on the Settings menu under specific headings:
General settings control the system based settings
Unit and Format settings control the units and number of decimal places used.
Member and Steel bar label settings can be used to control the format and display of member
and steel bar labels
Display settings control the general display and graphic settings of graphical editor namely
colors, background grid, line type and object snap.
Layer settings control the display of information in the Form Plan.
Toolbars on the Graphic Editor, can be customized by the Toolbar Customize form.
Column Design Settings control the design parameters, detailing and steel bar selection
methods for columns and walls.
Beam Design Settings control the design parameters, detailing, curtailment and steel bar
selection methods for beams, ribs and foundation beams.
Slab Design Settings control the design parameters and detailing for slabs.
Foundation Design Settings control the design parameters and detailing for pad footing and
pile foundation.
Settings and Parameter Manager

The Settings Center is displayed by selecting Settings and Parameters Manager from the Settings
pulldown menu.
It can be used to:
1. Establish the initial settings in a new project
2. Review and modify settings in the current project
3. Swap settings between projects
4. Save preferred settings as templates
Settings are divided into two main categories in ProtaStructure:
1. System based settings
2. Project based settings
System based settings can be displayed by selecting General Settings under the Settings pulldown
menu. Other settings are considered as project based settings and can be shared between projects.
To establish the initial settings in a new project

Whenever you create a new project the Settings Center form will be displayed so that initial settings
can be defined by importing from another Project or from a Template.
1. Select the project or template to import from. (If you choose the former, you can navigate to a
different "Data Folder" to locate the project required.)
2. Click the Import button.
3. All the settings from the chosen project or template are then imported.
Once imported, the settings are permanently saved with the model. They can subsequently be
reviewed/modified by redisplaying the Settings Center.
To review and modify settings

You can use the Settings Center to review/modify all the settings in the current project.
1. Select the settings group to review.
2. Click on the View button at the bottom.
3. Make any changes as required.
To swap settings between projects

You can use the Settings Center to replace settings in the current project by importing from another
project or template.
1. Select the project or template to import from.
2. Choose individual setting groups to be imported, by checking the appropriate box, or boxes.
Unchecked settings are retained.
3. Click the Import button.
4. After settings have been imported the Current Project text is replaced with the name of the
project/template used in the import.
To save preferred settings as templates

If you have adjusted the settings (possibly to establish a set of company defaults) you can select to
Export them permanently to a template so that they can be easily applied to future projects.
1. Open the project that contains the settings to be exported.
2. Display the Settings Center.
3. Click the Select All button if all the settings are to be exported. Alternatively, select the
individual setting groups to be exported by checking the appropriate boxes.
4. If you want to overwrite the settings in an existing template, ensure the Template option is
selected, and then select the template name from the list on the left.
5. Alternatively, if you want to create a new template, ensure the Template option is selected.
Click the New Template button and type the template name in the box provided.
6. Click the Export button to copy the selected settings into the template.
Related Articles:
Import and Export (Overview)
Load Building Model (Import)
External Reference Drawing (Import)
General Settings
System based settings can be modified in this form. These settings may be different for another
ProtaStructure installation on a different computer.
View
View settings of the Graphic Editor can be controlled in the View page of the General Settings form.
Dont Check Model During Member Insertion
Integrity and correctness of the model is very important. A dialog is provided in Building Analysis form
for checking any existing overlapping of members and stability problems.
ProtaStructure can check overlapping of members during insertion as well. If this option is checked,
member overlapping check is disabled during insertion.
Member Tooltip Window Options

You can control the visibility and content of the member tooltip window using the options included in
this section.
A tooltip will only be displayed if one or more of the options in this section is checked.
Angle Step
While dragging two points, Angle Step will be effective when Ctrl key is pressed. The rubber band
line will snap to the multiples of the value entered in this field.
For example, while dragging two points for inserting an axis, if Angle Step is defined as 30, then the
rubber band line will snap to directions like 0, 30, 60, 90, 120 etc.
This option is active during all operations requiring two points to be dragged, like axis, section and slab
strip insertion.
Length Step
While dragging two points, Length Step will be effective when Ctrl key is pressed. The rubber band
lines length will snap to the multiples of the value entered in this field.
For example, while dragging two points for inserting an axis, if Length Step is defined as 1000 (with
units set to millimetres), then the rubber band lines length will snap to values like 1000, 2000, 3000 etc.
This option is active during all operations requiring two points to be dragged, like axis, section and slab
strip insertion.
Member Section Eccentricity Step

You can modify the member eccentricity values by pressing one of the arrow keys in the keyboard
when the member properties window is visible.
Every time one of the arrow keys are pressed the member eccentricity value along that direction is
modified by the amount provided in this field.
For example, when a column is selected and the Properties window is visible, you can modify e1
property by pressing left or right arrow keys, and e2 property by pressing up or down arrow keys.
Plan View Direction (Project Based)

Plans created in the Graphic Editor can be viewed from the current storey (bottom) or from the upper
storey (top). If you check the Top option as the Plan View Direction, then the edges of the beams
under the slab will be drawn with dash lines.
If you select to view from the current storey, by checking the Bottom option, then the beams will be
drawn using solid lines as the other members.
Save
You can control the automatic save options using the fields in this tab.
Automatic Save Interval

You can set the automatic save interval (in minutes) in this field.
Backup Structural Model

With this option checked a backup of the Graphic Editor data files will be created in a "DataBackup"
folder under the Data Folder when the project is first saved.
This backup is then updated every time the "Save Project" option is invoked within the same hour.
In each subsequent hour a new backup file is created when the model is saved, until the specified
Number of Backups to Save has been reached, after which point the first backup file will be
overwritten.
Related Articles:
Settings and Parameters
Units and Format Settings
Layer and Color Settings
Units and Format Settings

ProtaStructure has a fully integrated unit conversion system to facilitate working with various units in
different modules. For example, you may have unit of moments in kN.m and stresses in N/mm 2.
All parameters are being stored independent of the units that are being used. Therefore, at any
instance, you can modify the active units without having to re-start the project.
The process that creates the output reports must be repeated after modifying the units that are used
in the process. For example, if you modify the unit of force from kN to N, then you have to re-
analyse the structure to produce new outputs.
Following are the unit groups that are used in various modules:
Editor
Length unit that is used in the Graphic Editor drawing area can be controlled using this field. All
members are expressed in the unit specified in this field.
Analysis
Force and Displacement units that are used in the Building Analysis module can be controlled using
these fields. All output results are expressed in the units specified in these fields.
All units in this group are derived from the basic Force and Displacement units. For example, if force
unit is kN, the displacement unit is m, then the unit of moments will be derived as kNm and the
unit of inertia used in analysis will be m4 .
Design
Units that are used in the section design modules can be controlled using these fields. Primary units
that are included in this group are Section Dimension and Steel Diameter.
Steel Spacing and Steel Area will be derived from the Section Dimension unit. For example, if
section dimension unit is mm, then the unit of steel area will be derived as mm 2 and the unit of steel
spacing will be mm.
Material
Units that are used for material properties in all modules can be controlled using these fields. All units
are primary in this group.
For example, when the unit of modulus of elasticity is set as N/mm 2 then it will appear in all reports
created by various modules.
The editable columns in the Units and Format Settings are as follows:
Field Widths
Width of the format strings that will be used in report tables can be controlled using the Field Widths
column.
The values provided in this column are in number of characters units.
Number of Decimals
Number of the decimal digits that will be used in report tables can be controlled using the Number of
Decimals column.
The values provided in this column are in number of characters units.
Format Control
The codes provided in this table column will control the format of the values wherever they appear in
the report. Available options are:
0 (Standard: F, Large: E): The values that fit in the reserve field width will be presented in standard
decimal format while the ones that cannot fit are presented in exponential format.
1 (Standard: F, Large/Small: E): The values that fit in the reserve field width will be presented in
standard decimal format while the ones that are too large which cannot fit or are too small that so
cannot be expressed are presented in exponential format.
2 (Standard: E): All values will be presented in exponential format.
Related Articles:
Settings and Parameter Manager

Layer and color settings are controlled from here. The Layers form can be loaded by clicking the
Layers and Color Settings option under the Settings pull down menu.
Individual layers can be switched on or off.
In the Graphic Editor, members are automatically defined in specified layers according to their
member types.
Different layers for different member types help to improve the readability of the drawing.
At the same time, different layers yield to view only some of the member types by freezing the
rest of them.
In the Layer Settings Table, you can freeze or thaw a layer by clicking the check box column at
the beginning of each layer line. The layers frozen will neither show on the screen nor send to
printer or plotter.
When you export a drawing to a CAD program, the names defined in the Layer Description
column will be the layer names in the CAD environment.
Colors of the drawing elements (such as text, line, or circle), can be modified in the Color
column. When you select a cell on the colour column of the table, a colour list will be displayed
with the colour choices available.
Different line thickness values can be assigned to different layers in the Line Width column.
Similar to line width, different line types can be assigned to different layers. When you click a
cell on the Line Type column, a list showing various line types will be displayed. You can use
the Line Type Scale field in Display Settings dialog to define the drawing scale of the lines.
Text font and height can be modified in the Layer Settings Table as well. When you click a cell
on the Text Font column, font choices will be displayed in a list.
If you want to save changes, close the Layer Settings Table by clicking the OK button.
You can search for a specific layer by typing into the serach box provided at the bottom of the
layers dialog.
Member and Steel Bar Label Settings

The format and display of member and steel bar labels is controlled from here.
View
General controls on how the labels appear in the plan view.
Display Beam Labels in Plan

If you check the Display Beam Labels in Plan option, then the labels will be displayed for each beam in
plan views.
You may occasionally like to suppress the display of the beam labels by unchecking this option.
Display Beam Dimensions in Plan

If you check the Display Beam Dimension in Plan option, then the beam dimension texts will be
displayed for each beam in plan views.
Beam Dimensions Order

Use the options in this field to determine whether beam dimensions will be written as "B x H" or "H x
B".
For example, when "H x B" is selected and if width (B) of the beam is "250 mm" and height (H) is "500
mm", then dimensions will be displayed "500 x 250" in the output reports and plan drawings.
Beam Label and Size Text Position Control

An active beam illustration graphic exists that shows how the label will be positioned in beams. By
clicking this graphics, available display options will be cycled.
Beam Label Format Field and Beam Illustration
Use Insertion Axes as Label

For columns, instead of using labels showing the member number and storey, insertion axes can be
used to specify the member.
If you check the Use Insertion Axes as Label option then the labels of the two axes at the insertion
point of the column will form the column label.
Note that, internally a proper column label will be kept no matter if this option is checked or not.
Display Column Labels in Plan

If you check the Display Column Labels in Plan option, then the labels will be displayed near each
column in plan views.
You may occasionally like to suppress the display of the column labels by unchecking this option.
Display Column Dimension in Plan

If you check the Display Column Dimension in Plan option, then the column dimensions will be
displayed near each column next to the column label in plan views.
Display Slab Labels in Plan

If you check the Display Slab Labels in Plan option, then the labels will be displayed for each slab in
plan views.
You may occasionally like to suppress the display of the slab labels by unchecking this option.
Slab Label Type Control

A slab label illustration exists to the right of the Slab Label format definition field that shows the type
of slab label that will be used. By choosing the graphics available, slab label options will be changed.
Slab Label Format Selection Picture
Slab Depth Prefix Characters

You may like to display a couple of letters to the left of the slab depth text printed in the slab label
block. For example, if you enter "h=" in this field, "h=150" will be displayed as the slab depth for a 150
mm depth slab in the label block.
Label to Slab Center

If you check the Label to Slab Center option, slab labels will be displayed at the center of each slab.
Otherwise, you can specify a slab corner to position for the label using the Slab Properties.
Lowered Slab Mark

You may like to display a couple of letters to mark the lowered slabs. The characters entered in this
field will be printed at the lower right corner of the slab label blocks in plan window of Graphic Editor.
Related Articles:
Member and Steel bar Labels
Slab Design Settings
Beam Design Settings - Design & Parameters
Column Design Settings - Design
Member Labels
Each member defined in the Graphic Editor must have a unique identifying member label. Member
label formats can be modified by the user for each member group.
Type Character and Label Format
A typical member label is composed of the following format specifiers:
Every member group will have a different type character that

X: Type
identifies the group. For example, type character for columns
Character
may be C and beams may be B.
n: MemberEach member of the same kind must have a distinct member
Number number at every floor level.
s: StoreyThis is the storey number that is used for defining the floor that
Number the member belongs.
Member labels are formed using the formats specified in the Format field. For example, if the beam
label format is defined as sXn and the type character is B, then the label of the beam number 20 in
3rd floor will be 3B20.
Note that, a trailing character is also allowed at the end of the label to discriminate the members that
have the same member number, like 1B20 and 1B20a or 1B20.
Size Separator
Wherever member dimensions are to be displayed in the drawings, you can set the character
that will be used as separator for width and height of the rectangular sections.
For example, if the size separator is set as x then the dimensions of a typical beam will be
displayed as 250x600.
Steel Bar Labels
Reinforcement steel bar label formatting can be customised using the parameters provided in the
Steel Bar Labels page.
Steel Label Template

By arranging the specifiers that compose the Steel Label Template in the Format field, the
appearance of the bar labels can be customised.
A typical steel bar label is composed of the following format specifiers:
Every steel grade has its own identification character. For

X: Steel Bar
example, T is used for Grade 460 (type 2). X is for the type
Character
character of the steel grade.
n: No. ofThe character n is the format specifier for the steel bar
Steel Bars quantity.
d: SteelThe character d is the format specifier for the steel bar
Diameter diameter text.
The character s is the format specifier for the steel bar spacing.
s: Steel
Spacing text will be used only in steel labels that have spacing
Spacing
information.
The character p is the format specifier for the steel bar

positions. The position numbers of the steel bars will be
p: Bar Mark
displayed separately in circles when this character is not
included in the format string.
Steel bar labels are formed using the format string specified in the Format field. For example, the
label of 28 bars of 16 mm diameter Grade 460 (type 2) bars placed in 250mm centers will be displayed
as 28T14-250 when the format string is set as nXd-s.
When the format string includes the p specifier as well, then the same bars with position number 45
will be labelled as 28T14-45-250 when the format string is set as nXd-p-s.
Bar Group Quantity Separator

If there are groups of the same bars, then the number of groups will be displayed such as 2x5T14-37.
For this type of presentation, the separator character can be defined in the Bar Group Quantity
Separator field.
Steel Spacing Separator

If there is more than one spacing to be specified for the same reinforcement, then the spacing will be
written next to each other separated by the Steel Spacing Separator.
Display Steel Bar Layer Information

A steel bar in a slab can be on the top or bottom of the section. Similarly, according to its direction the
same bar can be on the first or second layer from the top or the bottom. If you check the Display Steel
Bar Layer Information option, then the position and the layer of the reinforcement will be indicated.
If the reinforcement is on the top of the section, this situation will be indicated with T, and if it is on
the bottom of the section this will be indicated with B. B1 shows that the reinforcement is in the first
layer from the bottom of the section, and similarly T1 shows that the reinforcement is in the first layer
from the top of the section.
Steel Bar Positions
If you check the Display Steel Bar Layer Information option, in the Slab RBar Layer Text Separator
field, you can also specify the text separator to be used in the label
Slab Rbar Layer Text Separator

This field is used in conjunction with the Display Steel Bar Layer Information option. When the former
option is checked you can select the character to be used to separate the steel bar layer text from the
steel bar label text.
If you enter a ( character in this field, a ) character is automatically added to the end of the label.
Related Articles:

Display Settings
Colors
General display and graphics settings for the graphic editor are set from here.
Colors
You can choose between Solid or Linear Gradient background styles. Background bottom color will
be used for gradient transition.
Selection Color is used to paint the selected members in user interface.
Highlight Color is used to emphasis a member when mouse cursor is on it.
When a member is selected or highlighted, their insertion line and insertion points will automatically be
shown on the screen. You can customize these colors by changing Insertion Point Color and
Insertion Line Color. Insertion line thickness can also be changed.
Displaying Axis Labels Around the Plan View

Axis labels are automatically displayed around the plan window if the crosses the window boundaries.
You can select the axis label text color to using the "Axis Indicator Color" button.
Grids
ProtaStructure graphical user interface makes use of a smart customizable grid which automatically
shrinks or expands as the model boundaries change. The automatic grid also facilitates a Grid Snap
feature which greatly enhances the modelling process.
Grid Step
Minor grid spacing can be specified by the user in corresponding modelling units.
Major Lines at every

This option specifies the number of minor grids at which a major line will be displayed.
Minor and major grid line colors

Grid colors can be customized using the color picker controls on the dialog.
Automatic Grid in New Views

You can turn on or off the automatic display of the grid system in new views by using this toggle.
Line Type
Line Type Scale

Different linetypes displayed on the graphical user interface can be scaled by this factor. Smaller values
will result in finer (smaller) display of linetypes.
Related Articles:
Toolbar Customize
Toolbars on the Graphic Editor, can be customized by the Toolbar Customize form. The form can be
loaded by clicking the Toolbar Customize option either under the Settings pull down menu or from
the toolbar. You can also right click any toolbar to load the Customization form.
By using Toolbar Customize you can create a new toolbar or modify an existing one.
Any modification and customisation made in the toolbar layout is saved on exit from the program.
Column Design Settings
Design
The Settings and Parameters form can be displayed by clicking the Column Design Settings option
under the Settings pulldown menu or in the Column Reinforcement Design form.
Column design and drafting can be easily controlled with the help of the parameters in this form.
Min Steel Percentages

The parameters on this sub-page control the reinforcement selection.
Min. Column Steel
Minimum steel percentage to be used in a column is given on this page. If the steel area
required in a column section is less than the minimum steel area required then the minimum
steel percentage given in this field will be used automatically.
Max. Column Steel
Maximum steel percentage that can be used in a column section is given in this field. If the
required steel area in a column exceeds this value, than the section will be considered as
insufficient and a warning message will be displayed.
Min. Wall Longitudinal Steel
Minimum steel percentage to be used in walls is given using this field. If the steel area required
in a wall section is less than the minimum steel area required then the minimum steel
percentage given in this field will be used automatically.
Max. Wall Longitudinal Steel
Maximum steel percentage to be used in walls is given using this field. Steel area exceeding the
value provided here is not permitted.
Min. Wall Horizontal Steel
Minimum steel percentage for horizontal steel area to be used in a wall is given on this page. If
the steel area required in the horizontal direction in a wall section is less than the minimum
steel area required then the minimum steel percentage given in this field will be used
automatically.
Use Plain Wall Design
When this option is checked the program will use plain wall design (i.e. design based on no
reinforcement) where it is applicable, resulting in a reduced mimimum area of steel.
Moment Capacity Tolerance
In some cases, you may want to use less steel than required in the column sections. By
introducing a percent positive tolerance in this field, you may accept a higher moment
capacity for the concrete section and thus make the program put less steel than required.
Likewise, negative values will yield greater steel areas than required.
Parameters (BS8110, CP65 & HK codes only)

On this sub-page you can specify the design clause to be applied where alternatives are offered in the
design code.
Bi-axial Bending Method
The method that will be used for bi-axial bending of columns can be selected using the available
option in this field.
Ultimate Strength Bi-axial Bending method will be used if "Bi-axial" is selected. Alternatively,
moment combination method described in "BS8110 (Cl 3.8.4.5)" or "CP65 (Cl 3.8.4.5)" may be
used.
When this option is checked, an effective moment will be calculated based on the x and y
direction design moments and uni-axial bending is applied in this direction.
Design Ultimate Axial Load
Maximum axial load that can be carried by the columns and walls in the structure can be
determined using one of these options.
Related Articles:
Steel Bars Selection Method
Detail Drawings
Selection Method
On this sub-page you can specify the steel bar layout method adopted in design mode.
Fixed Bar Layout Method
Program does not modify the steel bar layout in this method. Only the bar sizes are determined based
on the given layout during design process.
The initial bar layout is determined based on the maximum bar spacing allowed by the current
concrete codes.
Bar Spacing Maximisation Method

In this method, program modifies the layout so that the steel bar sizes are maximised to achieve the
biggest possible spacing (within the spacing range specified in settings) between the bars.
Bar Size Minimisation Method

In this method, program modifies the layout so that the steel bar spacing is minimised (within the
spacing range specified in settings) to achieve the smallest possible bar sizes to be selected.
Column Confinement
On this sub-page you can indicate your preference for the link pattern(s) you want to be considered in
order to meet column confinement requirements when in design mode.
The program will select from the considered patterns the one which best matches the number of bars
and bar spacing in each direction. It will also add tie bars where they are required.
For square columns and rectangular columns of reasonably equal side (b/h < 1.8) you can apply
different preferences to those for rectangular columns of un-equal side b/h > 1.8).
Up to four link patterns can be considered from the following list:
Single Link (this pattern is always considered).
Double Link
Triple Link.
Cross Link
Basic Column Confinement Requirements
In the BS8110 cl 3.12.7.2 requirements there are two cases to consider (EC2, CP65 and HK-2004 are
similar):
1. Where bar spacing exceeds 150mm: Every bar should be restrained by the corner of a link or by
a tie.
2. Where bar spacing is less than 150mm: Corner Bars should be restrained by the corner of a link
or by a tie. Every alternate bar should be restrained by the corner of a link or by a tie
The maximum vertical spacing of these links and ties is 12 times the smallest main (vert) bar
diameter.
Note that the limits on the vertical spacing of containment steel are different in EC2 which
allows for closer spacing near supports and increased spacing in the span.
Wall Confinement
In design mode the program will attempt to satisfy the code requirements for wall confinement by
adopting the link and tie pattern you choose on this sub-page.
Any one of four patterns can be specified in order to satisfy the containment requirements.
You can specify a particular pattern for short walls (Length/Thickness < 6) and a different one for long
walls (Length/Thickness > 6).
The following patterns are available:
Wall
Wall with End Zones

Single Layer Wall
Single Layer Wall with End Zones
Max. Width for Single Layer Walls

A single layer of reinforcement may be appropriate in thinner walls.
You can use this setting to specify the maximum thickness of wall in which a single layer of
reinforcement is to be used. The single layer may be either mesh or loose bars and it may be used in
conjunction with end zone reinforcement.
Basic Wall Confinement Requirements

In the BS8110 cl 3.12.7.4&5 requirements there are two cases to consider (EC2, CP65 and HK-2004 are
similar):
1. When the main steel requirement < 2%, then only horizontal reinforcement is required.
2. When the main steel requirement > 2%, then additional containment ties must be introduced.
Where bar spacing exceeds 150mm: Every bar should be restrained by the corner of a link or by
a tie.
Where bar spacing is less than 150mm: Corner Bars should be restrained by the corner of a link
or by a tie. Every alternate bar should be restrained by the corner of a link or by a tie
The maximum vertical spacing of these ties is twice the wall dimension or 16 times the smallest main
(vert) bar diameter.
Note that the limits on the vertical spacing of containment steel are different in EC2, being 0.6 times
the wall dimension or 12 times the smallest main (vert) bar diameter.
The EC2 requirement in this instance seem onerous so that it may be preferable to limit main steel to
2% and adjust wall sizing if this is not adequate.
Longitudinal Steel
The parameters on this sub-page control the steel bar selection in design mode.
Column Min/Max Bar Sizes

The minimum and maximum longitudinal bar diameters that can be used in columns can be entered
using these fields. When a bar greater than the maximum size specified here is used for any reason,
then a warning message will be issued.
Wall Min/Max Bar Sizes

The minimum and maximum longitudinal bar diameters that can be used in walls can be entered using
these fields. When a bar greater than the maximum size specified here is used for any reason, then a
warning message will be issued.
Min. Bar Spacing

Minimum bar spacing that can be used in columns can be entered in this field.
The value specified here should be greater and equal to the requirements stated in the codes. In cases
that smaller values than "Min. Bar Spacing" is to be used, the program will automatically assume the
code minimums.
Max. Bar Spacing
Maximum bar spacing that can be used in columns can be entered in this field.
Steel Bar Spacing Step

Bar Spacing Step is used in bar selection methods other than "Fixed Bar Layout Method" to increase
and decrease bar spacing by the amount specified here.
Smaller values used as "Bar Spacing Step" may increase the design time considerably. A typical value of
"5 mm" can be used in most cases.
Use Similar Bars as Web Bars for Walls Without EndZones

When this option is checked corner bars will have the same diameter as the web bars in the design of
the walls without endzones.
Concrete Cover
Concrete cover is measured from the outside edge of the column to outside edge of the links. If the
value in this field is zero, the concrete cover will be calculated according to the requirements in the
current concrete codes.
When this value is modified, a message will appear that will propose modifying all the columns in the
building. If a filtering option is active in the column table, the modification will affect only the filtered
columns.
Links
The parameters on this sub-page control the link bar selection in design mode.
Layout methods can be set using the options provided in these pages. Furthermore, by using the
options in Links page you can control the shear design, and selection of links.
Min. Link Bar Size
Minimum bar size to be used for column and wall links can be defined in these fields. Greater bars
sizes will be selected when necessary by the program.
Min. and Max. Link Spacing

Minimum and maximum link spacing to be used in columns can be defined in this field. A greater link
bar size will be selected when the minimum link spacing is encountered during shear design.
Link Spacing Step

Link spacing values will be rounded up according to the Link Spacing Step. For example, if the Link
Spacing Step is 25 mm, spacing values calculated will be rounded up as 150, 175, 200-mm etc.
Also, while selecting the proper link spacing, the program increments the spacing by the Link Spacing
Step defined in this field.
Create Support Regions for Links

If you check the Create Support Regions for Links option, link spacing for the supports and the span
are calculated separately. In order to use same spacing for both span and supports, you must uncheck
this checkbox.
Provide Links Through Beam Depth

If this field is checked, links in support regions will continue to be used inside the beam-column
intersection (joint) in order to provide better confinement and shear resistance.
Mesh Steel
The parameters on this sub-page control the mesh bar selection in design mode.
Use Loose Bars When Mesh Size Not Sufficient

In the cases where design cannot be done with the largest mesh in the mesh library for a particular
wall, program will automatically switch to loose bar pattern if this field is checked. User, in further
design phases, can specify program to revert and try using mesh steel during batch mode design if
loose bar pattern is automatically used.
Min. Wall Length for Mesh Steel

If wall length is shorter than the value entered to this field then mesh steel would not be used in the
design.
Mesh Width
Standard mesh panel width values can be entered in this field. Mesh panels will be drawn and cut
where necessary according to the value entered here. If special production meshes or single mesh
panels are used through the wall length, A value of 0 must be entered. Cut meshes are overlapped
with a distance specified in Mesh Lap/Anchorage Length field.
Mesh Lap/ Anchorage Length

If a standard mesh width is specified in Mesh Width field, then mesh panels will be used at this width.
Adjacent meshes will be lapped using the value entered in Mesh Lap/Anchorage Length field. Mesh
panels will also be extended into wall end zones using this value.
Extend Mesh Steel along the Length of EndZone

If checked, mesh panels will be extended and drawn through the length of the wall end zone. Mesh
bars inside the end zone are ignored during the design calculations.
Related Articles:
Design
Detail Drawings
Detail Drawings
General
General parameters controlling the column drawings can be set using the options provided on this
subpage.
Print Column Links Segment Lengths

Column links can be drawn either with all the segment lengths printed or with only the total length. If
you check the Print Column Links Segment Lengths option, then all the segment lengths of the links
will be displayed on the drawing.
Column Bars Bob Length

Bob length for longitudinal reinforcement in the column application plan is controlled by using this
field.
Column Bars Kicker Depth

In each storey level, column longitudinal bars start in a small distance above the slab level. This
distance can be defined as the Column Bars Kicker Depth field.
Mesh Steel Kicker Depth

In order to account for the kicker concrete in tunnel form constructions, Mesh Steel Kicker Depth
value can be entered in this field. Mesh panels will be offset from the bottom of the wall by an amount
of kicker depth and drawn accordingly.
Width of Links Block in Column Application Plan

All link details for all columns/walls can be expanded automatically in batch mode next to the drawing
sheet in column application plan. This field determines the width to be allocated for link details
drawing block.
Single Link Type (Columns and Walls)

You can use the available options in this field for the type of the single links that will be plotted in
columns and walls.
Column Details
Further parameters controlling the column drawings can be set using the options provided on this
subpage.
Column Detail Drawings Scale
You can enter the scale factor that will be used in the column detail drawings. This Drawing Scale will
only affect the size of the text entities and the special marks.
Display Steel Bars to the Right of the Detail

The steel bars are redrawn to the right of the detail if this field is checked.
Print Steel Bar Detail Lengths

The steel bar detail lengths will be added to the detail if this field is checked.
Print Steel Bar Total Lengths

The steel bar total lengths will be added to the detail if this field is checked.
Display Section Below the Detail

The section is added below the detail if this field is checked.
Foundation Penetration Depth of Links

The depth which the links are shown penetrating into the foundation can be set using this field.
Column Schedule
Parameters controlling the column schedule can be set using the options provided on this subpage.
Column Schedule Drawing Scale
You can enter the scale factor that will be used in the column schedules. This Drawing Scale will only
affect the size of the text entities and the special marks.
Draw Column Insertion Axis

Column insertion axes will be drawn when this field is checked.
Dimension Column Insertion Axes

Column insertion axis dimensions will be drawn if this field is checked.
Dimension Column Section

Column section dimensions will be drawn if this field is checked.
Center Column Labels and Texts in Cell

The justification of the text objects in a schedule cell can be set using this field. Column labels and steel
bar texts will be centred if this field is checked. Otherwise, all texts will be left justified.
Draw Separator Lines between Label Texts

Horizontal separator lines will be drawn between the text objects if this field is checked.
Print Column Insertion Axis Labels

The insertion axes of the columns will be printed below the schedule if this field is checked.
Draw Column Vertical Separator Lines

Vertical separator lines will be drawn between the columns if this option is checked.
Do Not Include the Unselected Storeys in the Table

You can select the storey to be included in the schedule using the "Storeys" list in the "Column
Schedule" dialog. If this option is checked, the unselected storeys between the first and storey entered
in the "Topmost Storey in the Sheet" field will not be drawn in the schedule.
Print Column Labels below the Table

If this option is checked, the label of the bottom column will be printed below the schedule. Column
labels will be included in every cell if this option is not checked.
Print Storey Labels above the Column

If this option is checked, the storey labels will be printed above the row. The storey labels will be
printed inside the related row (in the leftmost cell) if this option is not checked.
Similar Storey Note

You can enter the string that will be displayed for annotating the columns that are similar as the ones
below. "AS BELOW" is provided as default in this field.
Related Articles:
Design
Beam Design Settings
Design & Parameters

You can display the Setting and Parameters form by using the Beam Design Settings option under
the Settings pulldown menu or in the Beam Section Design and Detailing module.
Most of the parameters defined in this section are stored separately for storey beams, rib beams and
foundation beams.
Design
Basic design settings are controlled on this page.
Design Shear Force Control
Based on the selection made here, design shear force may be calculated at Column Face or at a d
distance from column face. Here, d is the effective depth of the beam.
Section Effective Depth Calculation

Effective depth of beam section will be calculated using one of the methods provided in this field.
When Centre of Gravity of Steel Bars field is checked, the section effective depth will be determined
based on the centre of gravity of the tension bars. In this method, the contribution of each tension bar
in the section will be considered separately.
Alternatively, a more conservative method, "Centre of Gravity of Layers" field may be checked. The
calculation of section effective depth is based on the average of the distances of the steel bar layers.
Design Using Rectangular Section

Consideration of flanges during reinforced concrete design of beam section especially in span regions
may yield more economical results. You may check this option to ignore the effect of flanges and use
rectangular beam section in all design calculations.
Batch Mode Design Settings

Using the options provided in this section, control the "Batch Mode" behaviour of the Beam Design
Module.
When "Don't Select Bars if b-required > bw" option is checked, then steel bars will not be selected
during batch mode when bars do not fit in the beam section.
Similarly, when Don't Select Bars if Deflection Check Fails option is checked, then steel bars will not be
selected during batch mode when any of the beams in the axis does not satisfy the deflection
requirements with the calculated steel. For such beams, you can use "Interactive Design" to manually
increase the supplied steel until the deflection check is satisfied.
Ignorable Forces
Ignorable force values during the design process of the beams in the structure will be entered into
these fields. If smaller internal forces are obtained with respect to these values, then these forces will
be ignored by the program.
Beam Bottom/Top Edge Concrete Covers

You can enter the nominal concrete covers to be used at the bottom and top edges of the beams for
the calculation of the effective depth of the section. These values are measured from the edge of the
beam to the outer edge of the links.
Note: When this field is 0 then the calculated nominal cover based on the current concrete codes of
practices will be used.
Section Side Concrete Cover

You can enter the nominal concrete covers to be used at the sides of the beam section for the
calculation of the spacing of the bars. These values are measured from the edge of the beam to the
outer edge of the links.
Beam Ends Concrete Cover

You can enter the nominal concrete covers to be used at the ends of the beam section for the
curtailment of the bars. These values are measured from the edge of the beam to the centre of the
bars.
Parameters
This page is used to set limits on the ranges and spacings of bars used in the design.
Min. Beam Steel Diameter

You can set the minimum allowable (or desirable) steel bar size using this input field. A smaller bar size
will not be used during steel bar selection.
Note that, if you modify this section, you have to re-select the steel bars to reflect the changes.
Max. Beam Steel Diameter

You can set the maximum allowable (or desirable) steel bar size using this input field. A bigger bar size
will not be used during steel bar selection.
Web Steel (Side Bars) Diameter

Minimum diameter that will be used for the side bars can be defined in this field.
Min. Number of Hanger Bars

Minimum number of hanger bars can be defined in this field. Note that, hanger bars will be used only
in the steel patterns that make use of this bar group.
Min. Hanger Bar Diameter

Minimum diameter of hanger bars can be defined in this field. Note that, hanger bars will be used only
in the steel patterns that make use of this bar group.
Minimum Top and Bottom Steel Spacing

You can set the minimum desirable steel bar spacing using this input field.
The value entered in this field must be equal or greater than the minimum allowable spacing value
specified in the active reinforcement code. If you use a bigger value than the minimum requirements of
the codes, the code values may still be used by the program whenever necessary.
Maximum Tension and Compression Steel Spacing

You can set the maximum desirable steel bar spacing using this input field. Maximum steel spacing can
be provided separately for tension and compression bars.

Spacing values will be incremented by the amount specified in this field during iterations.
Steel Bar Cut Length

You can enter the cut lengths of the steel bars used in this section. The length of the bars will then be
checked against this value.
Max. Crack Width (Eurocode 2 only)

This is required to determine the maximum allowable tension bar spacing.
For EC2 (and BS8110) the maximum crack width in the tension zone is controlled by placing a limit on
the maximum spacing of the tension reinforcement.
Permanent Load Ratio (Eurocode 2 only)

Acceptable input range 0.3 to 1.0
This is the ratio of quasi-permanent load to design ultimate load.
i.e. SLS/ULS = (1.0Gk + y2Qk) / (factored Gk + factored Qk)

It is used to determine the reinforcement service stress which in turn is required to determine the
maximum allowable tension bar spacing.
If Qk is taken as 0 then:
SLS/ULS = (1 / 1.25) = 0.8
Hence, setting the permanent load ratio to 0.8 should provide a conservative upper bound for all cases.
Minimum and Maximum Link Diameter

You can set the minimum and maximum allowable (or desirable) link bar size using this input field. A
smaller bar size will not be used during the selection of links.
Note that, if you modify this section, you have to re-design to reflect the changes.
Min. Link Spacing

You can set the minimum desirable link spacing using this input field.
Max. Link Spacing

You can set the maximum desirable link spacing using this input field.
Link Spacing Step

Link spacings will be calculated to be the multiples of the value provided in this field. For example, if
"25 mm" is provided here, link spacing values will be like 150, 175, 200, 225 etc.
Link spacing will be modified by the amount provided here in the "Reinforcement Information" of the
"Beam Editor", every time the spin buttons controlling the spacing of links pressed.
Steel Bar Cut Length Control

Steel cut length can be adjusted using this field.
Related Articles:
Steel Bar Selection
Curtailment
Detailing
Steel Bar Selection
Method
This page is used to apply more specific controls on the bar selection process.
Bar Spacing Maximisation Method

In this method, program modifies the steel layout so that the steel bar sizes are maximised to achieve
the biggest possible spacing (within the spacing range specified in settings) between the bars.
Bar Size Minimisation Method

In this method, program modifies the layout so that the steel bar spacing is minimised (within the
spacing range specified in settings) to achieve the smallest possible bar sizes to be selected.
Display Steel Bar Spacing During Design

If this option is checked, "Beam Editor" will display "s-Bar" (the clear spacing between the bars) instead
of "Min-bw" (minimum beam width that the bars will fit with minimum allowable clear spacing) during
bar selection.
Steel Bar Area Tolerance

In some cases, you may want to use less steel than required in the beam sections. By introducing a
percent positive tolerance in this field, you make the program to put less steel than required.
Likewise, negative percent tolerance values will yield greater steel areas than required.
Minimum Top Steel at a Pin

If hinge mechanism is defined at the beam ends, then you can enter the area of the top steel at
support regions as the percent of the steel area used in span region.
Steel Pattern
This page is used to apply specific controls to the bar pattern applied.
Reinforcement Pattern
You can select the default reinforcement pattern to be used for curtailment of bars using the list
provided in this section.
Use At Least 2 Bars in 2nd Layer

If this option is checked, a minimum of 2 bars will be placed to 2nd layer (if 2nd layer steel is
necessary).
Use Same Bar Size in 1st and 2nd Layer

If this option is checked, the same bar size used in the 1st layer will be used in the 2nd layer steel.
Use Same Number of Bars in 1st and 2nd Layer

If this option is checked, the same number of bars will be used in the 1st and 2nd layer.
Use 2nd Bottom Bars for 70% As

"2nd Bottom Bars" group may be set to be used automatically for (maximum) the 70% of the required
steel just not to extend all bars along the full length of the span.
If this option is selected, the "2nd Bottom Bars" group will be utilised for maximum 70% of the required
steel in interior spans and 50% for exterior spans.
Usage of Support 2nd Top Bars

Two support top bar groups are provided in patterns without bent up bars. "2nd Top Support Bars" are
used for either 2nd steel layer or curtailed shorter for economy.
Use for 40% As

If you want to use the "2nd Top Support Bars" group for maximum 40% of the total required steel area,
you can check this field.
Extend by 0.25L (Default: 0.15L)

By default "2nd Top Support Bars" are extended by 0.15L into the span. If you check this field, these
bars will be extended to 0.25L always.
If this group bars are used in 2nd layer, then they will be curtailed to 0.25L when the total supplied area
in this bar group is greater than 40% of the required steel area.
Note: the coefficient "0.25" is not constant. This value is controlled by "Steel Bar Extension Lengths"
parameter in the "Steel Bars" tab page.
Links
This page is used to apply specific controls to the Links.
Link Quantity Control
Using the two data fields in this section you can control the number of links in a beam section with
respect to the width of the beam, "bw".
"Max.bw For Single Links" field determines limit beam width that single links can be used. When the
beam width, bw, is bigger than this value and less than (or equal to) the value defined in "Max.bw For
Double Links" field, then two links will be used in the section.
When the beam width is bigger than the value defined in "Max.bw For Double Links" field, then three
links will be used.
In addition the Link Type option enables you to choose between having a single outer link with
additional inner links or equally sized links.
Rib Link Type

The type of rib links can be defined using Link Type field in the Rib Links section. The available
options are illustrated below.
Rib Link Types and Parameters
Rib Link Extension

If Closed or Open links are selected for rib links, length of the extension can be defined using Link
Extension field in the Rib Links section
Design Link Spacing at Supports

If you want to have different link arrangements for supports then this option must be checked.
Otherwise, same link size and spacing will be used in span and supports calculated based on the
maximum design shear force.
Same bar size at supports and span

If different link arrangement option is checked for having different links at supports, you can check this
option to use same bar size in supports and span regions. If this option is not checked, different bars
may be used whenever necessary in supports and span region of the beam.
Select Symmetrical Links at Supports

If different link arrangement option is checked for having different links at supports, you can check this
option to use same link arrangement (bar size and spacing) in both supports. If this option is not
checked, different bars arrangements may be used whenever necessary in left and right support
regions of the beam.
Fixed Support Region Width (2h)

If this option is not checked, the width of the support region where different link arrangements are
used is calculated for left and right support regions. These values are displayed in the x-Sup.Links
section of the Interactive Beam Reinforcement Design Editor.
Width of the support regions will be set as 2h when this option is checked.
Beam Links Parameters
Min. Support Region Width

Width of the support regions may be limited so that they will not be less than a certain value. You can
use this option to use a minimum support region of either 0.25L or 2h where L is the clear span
and h is the overall section height of the beam.
Min. Span Region Width Options:

This option is useful when the support region widths are calculated to be almost equal to half beam
span. In such cases, you can select a minimum value that when the span region is to be checked. When
span region is less than the minimum set value here then support links are extended over the span
region.
Related Articles:
Design & Parameters
Curtailment
Detailing
Curtailment
Steel Bars
These settings affect how the reinforcement is curtailed.
Lap Bars Inside Support
If you prefer to lap the bottom bars in the middle of the support region you may select this option.
Lap Bars Outside Support

If you prefer to lap the bottom bars to the right or left of the support region you may select this option.
The bars will be lapped at the side of the support where the bottom bars are smaller. If the bottom bar
sizes are the same in both adjacent spans, then they will be lapped to the right of the support region.
Extend Lap into the Support

If you prefer to extend the bottom bars into the support region by a lap distance after the inner face of
the support, you may select this option.
Extend by Lap into Adjacent Span

If you wish to extend the bottom bars through the support region and extend them by a lap distance
after the outer face of the support, you may select this option.
This option is used generally in earthquake regions to provide more anchorage for the bottom bars.
Merge Similar Bottom Span Bars

You can set this option if you want to merge similar bottom steel bars. For bars to be assumed as
similar, both quantities and bar sizes must be equal.
Merging may be restricted due to geometric constraints and may not be successful in all positions.
Merge Similar Web Bars

You can set this option if you want to merge similar web bars. In order that bars to be assumed as
similar, both quantities and bar sizes must be equal.
Extend Support Bars Symmetrically

As a conservative approach, you may like to extend the support bars symmetrically using the larger
effective span length. Checking this option will extend the support bars to both spans symmetrically.
Where if Lengths Vary by Less Than (%)

If variation in spans is more than the given value no symmetry operation is performed. The minimum
and maximum permitted values are 10 and 50 respectively.
Add Anchorage Length to the Steel Bar Extensions

Occasionally, you may desire to add anchorage lengths to the calculated extension lengths. You may
check this field in such cases.
Merge Similar Span Top Bars

You can set this option if you want to merge similar steel bars used in support and span sections. For
bars to be assumed as similar, both quantities and bar sizes must be equal.
Steel Bar Extension Lengths

Support bar extension length multiplication factor can be set using the field provided in this section.
Steel Bars 2
Further settings that affect how the reinforcement is curtailed.
Extend Top Span Bars to End Support
If you wish to extend the top span bars of the first and last spans to the end supports, you can check
this option.
Dont Use Top Span Bars

Check this option if you dont want to add top support bars at the end support. In this case the span
bars will be increased as necessary.
Extend Bottom Span Bars to End Support

If you wish to extend the bottom span bars of the first and last spans to the end supports, you can
check this option.
Dont Use Bottom Span Bars

Check this option if you dont want to add bottom span bars at the end support. In this case the span
bars will be increased as necessary.
Minimum Tension Lap Factor (BS8110, CP65 & HK codes only)

With this factor set at 1.0 extended lap lengths are only introduced in some cases but not others.
Some users may prefer to increase this factor to 1.4 to standardise on the use of extended lap lengths
throughout.
Max. Bond Quality Coefficient (Eurocode 2 only)

In the bond stress calculation (Cl 8.4.2), the bond quality coefficient 1 can be either 1.0 or 0.7
depending on section depth. Where 0.7 is used the bond strength is reduced and laps are extended.
Specifying a maximum of 1.0 for the Bond Quality Coefficient allows the coefficient to vary between 0.7
and 1.0 as required, hence lap lengths will vary accordingly.
Some users may prefer to specify a maximum of 0.7 (which actually fixes the coefficient at 0.7), the
effect is to standardise on the use of extended lap lengths throughout. Further conservatism can be
introduced in all lap lengths by using a value as low as 0.5.
Plain Bars Bond Quality Modifier (Eurocode 2 only)

In the EC2 Cl 8.4.2 bond stress calculation, there is no factor relating to the rib type of reinforcement,
and no guidance on what adjustments if any should be made for plain bars.
In ProtaStructure a factor T has been introduced (as in BS8110) to allow for this adjustment. It is the
users responsibility to enter a suitable value for plain bars. (Until further guidance becomes available,
Prota would suggest that as per BS8110 a value of 0.5 would be reasonable.)
Type-1 Bars Bond Quality Modifier (Eurocode 2 only)

In the EC2 Cl 8.4.2 bond stress calculation, there is no factor relating to the rib type of reinforcement,
and no guidance on what adjustments if any should be made for Type 1 bars.
In ProtaStructure a factor T has been introduced (as in BS8110) to allow for this adjustment. It is the
users responsibility to enter a suitable value for Type 1 bars. (Until further guidance becomes available,
Prota would suggest that as per BS8110 a value of 0.8 would be reasonable.)
Minimum Anchorage Length

The minimum anchorage length as a multiple of bar diameter can be controlled with this setting.
Bob Control
These settings affect how the bobs are controlled.
Min. Steel Bob Length Control
Using the fields provided in this frame you can control the bobs for top and bottom steel. As an
example, if you have 25 diameter as top steel minimum bob length, then when a value less than this is
required, then 25 diameter length bob will be provided automatically.
Properties of Bob
Usually bottom bars of cantilever beams are not bent. You can force the program to provide bobs for
these bars by checking "Bend Bottom Bars of Cantilever Beams" field.
Draw Bobs for Cantilever Bottom Bars

Generally, cantilever bottom bars are not bent. If you prefer to make bobs to the bottom bars at the
free end of the cantilevers, you can check this option.
Bob Length Control

You can control the action to be assumed when the length of bob is greater than the depth of the
beam.
When Bend Top Bobs Back into Beam option is used, the bars will be truncated. In this case, care
must be taken to check the position and dimensions of the lower columns. Alternatively, Extend Top
Bobs into Columns option is used in order to extend these bobs to their actual lengths. In this case,
care must be taken to check the position and dimensions of the lower columns.
Related Articles:
Design & Parameters
Steel Bar Selection
Detailing
Detailing
General
This tab relates to detailing presentation options.
Drawing Scale
This field contains the entry for the beam detail drawing scale. You may make a selection among the
available scale options.
Min. Wall Length

Curtailment of the bars extended into the columns and walls are treated differently. If you need that
short walls to be considered to act like columns, you can indicate the wall length limit in this field.
Show Bar Marks

Bar marks are determined and included with the bar label text if this option is set. Note that, any other
process that uses the bar marks will not be performed if this option is not checked.
Display Axis Labels / Balloon

By default, axis labels and circles at beam supports are drawn. You can uncheck this option to suppress
these labels.
Draw Axis Labels Above Everything

If this option is checked, axis labels will be extended so that they will be above all other drawing
entities.
Display Slab Lines in Beam Elevation
These set of options control the display of slab lines in the elevation view of the beams. If you check
Both option, the slab and beam lines in front and back will be drawn. Note that there are two
different layer entries that will allow you to set the color and line type properties of these lines
separately.
Beams
Beam Label List

A list of beams in the sheet is generated during the preparation of the detail drawings. You can
uncheck this option to suppress the creation of this list.
Use Beam Insertion Axes as Beam Label

You can check this option if you want to use the insertion axes as being printed instead of the beam
labels.
Print Beam Labels below the Detail

By default, beam labels are printed above the beam elevations. You can check this option if you want
to have labels to be printed below the beam elevation.
Underline Beam Labels

Beam label and section size texts will be underlined in the beam detail drawings if this option is
checked.
Display Beam Reference Levels in Details

This option allows the reference level of the beams to be displayed in the details. The reference level
can be adjusted via the Building > Edit Storey form. This option is not valid for inclined beams.
Short Span Max. Length

The limit below which a beam will be considered as short can be controlled with this setting. Such
beams will be detailed with continuous top and bottom reinforcement which will then be merged to
reinforcement in adjacent spans.
Sections
Beam Section Control
The set of options located in this group controls the section quantity in a beam axis. Available settings
are:
No Sections: No sections will be included in the beam details if this option is selected.
Different Beams: Sections will be drawn only when a beam with different section dimensions is
encountered in a particular beam axis.
All Beams: Section of all beams will be drawn if this option is selected.
Number of Sections
Options in this group control the number of sections to be provided for each beam.
Span Section Only: Only section at the mid-span of the beams will be provided if this option is selected.
Support and Span Sections: Three sections per beam will be provided if this option is selected.
Beam Section Labels Control

The options provided in this section allow you to control the appearance and format of the section
labels.
Section label format can be set using one of the available section label formats provided (A, B, C, ), (a,
b, c ) or (1, 2, 3, ).
If Re-start Section Labels in Every Sheet option is selected, section labels will be reset for every sheet
starting from A, a or 1.
If Re-start Section Labels in Every Axis option is selected, section labels will be reset for every axis
starting from A, a or 1. In this case, in order to prevent repeating labels, you may like to add axis
label preceding the section label by checking the option Add Axis Label as Prefix to Section Labels. If
this option is checked, the labels will look like (A) 1 - 1, (A) 2 - 2 etc.
If Re-start Section Labels in Every Beam option is selected, section labels will be reset for every beam
starting from A, a or 1. In this case, in order to prevent repeating labels, you may like to add axis
label and beam label preceding the section label by checking the option Add Beam Label as Prefix to
Section Labels as well as Add Axis Label as Prefix to Section Labels. If these options are checked, the
labels will look like (A-1B25) 1 - 1, (A-1B25) 2 - 2 etc.
Steel Bars and Links

Re-plot the Bars below the Beam
If you wish to plot the steel bars below the beam elevation to have all segments lengths displayed
properly you can check this option.
Annotate Steel Bars in Beam

If you wish to put steel bar quantity, diameter and barmark information to the bars drawn inside the
beam elevation, you can check this option.
Annotate Bars in Beam Sections

If you wish to put steel bar quantity, diameter and barmark information to the beam sections, you can
check this option.
Use IStructE Style Annotation

If this option is checked section bars are annotated according to the IStructE Style. Generally, this style
may be preferable if there are too many elements to annotate in the sections.
Shift Outer Layer Bars to Enhance Display

Sometimes it is useful to plot the bars shifted (although they are in the 1st layer), to enhance the
display. You can check this option to shift the bars along vertical axis.
Print Steel Bar Layer Information
Layer information (such as T1 for Top 1st layer bars) will be printed in bar label text if this option is
checked.
Display Kinks in Detail

If this option is checked, kinks will be displayed in the beam elevation drawings to mark the ends of the
steel bars.
Draw Link Lines Extended by Link Size

Link lines may be drawn extended further than the top and bottom bars by half bar size + link size to
enhance the beam elevation display if this option is checked.
Print Total Link Quantity

By default, total number of links is calculated and printed with the link labels for each beam. You can
suppress the printing of total link quantity text by removing the checkmark of this option.
Print Number of Link Arms

By default, total number of links arms is printed with the link labels for each beam. You can suppress
the printing of number of link arms text by removing the checkmark of this option.
Draw Link Labels Inline

This option controls the appearance of the link labels with respect to the annotation lines drawn
showing the extent of the link group. If Draw Link Labels Inline option is checked, then the annotation
line is cut in the middle and the label is printed in the middle of this line. Otherwise, an annotation line
is drawn between the extents of the link group and the labels are printed above the line.
Display Additional Link Lines

This option allows the spacing of the links to be expressed graphically.
Print Link Labels Inside the Beam

By default, annotations of links are printed below the beam elevations. You can check this option if you
want to have link annotations to be printed inside the beam elevation.
Link Annotation Distance (from bottom edge)

When Print Link Labels Inside the Beam option is checked, this field controls the distance that the link
annotation line is positioned from bottom edge of the beam.
The value entered in this field is a multiplier applied to the beam section height.
Side Bars
Side Bars Arrangement
The program adds appropriate side bars based on the requirements of the active concrete codes for
deep beams. Selecting "Along h" option will place the side bars equally spaced along the height of the
beam, whereas "Along 2/3 h" option will place them equally spaced along the bottom 2/3 portion of the
section.
Display Only a Single Side Bar in Detail

This option allows only a single indicative side bar to be shown, regardless of the total no. of side bars
required. The purpose is to avoid too many elements in the final drawings, resulting in more legible
output.
Dimensioning
Dimension Steel Bar Lap Lengths
This parameter controls the dimensioning of the laps of the straight bars. This option is quite useful
when "Re-plot the Bars below the Beam" option is not checked.
Dimension 2nd Span Bars

This option allows the proper dimension of the second bottom span bars, whether it is in the first or
second layer.
Dimension Steel Bar Anchorage Lengths

This parameter controls the dimensioning of the support bar extensions. This option is quite useful
when Re-plot the Bars Below the Beam option is not checked.
Dimension Support Region Width of Links

This parameter controls the dimensioning of the length of the beam confinement zone.
Dimension First and Last Links

By default, dimensions for the first link to left support face and last link to the right support face are
drawn for each beam. You can suppress these dimensions by removing the checkmark of this option.
Dimension Axes
By default, axis to axis dimensions is created for each beam. You can suppress these dimensions by
removing the checkmark of this option.
Draw Axis Dimensions Above Detail

By default, axis dimensions are located below the beam elevation drawing. You can move the axis
dimensions to above the beam elevation by checking this option.
Dimension Support Columns and Clear Spans

By default, support columns and clear span dimensioning is created for each beam. You can suppress
these dimensions by removing the checkmark of this option.
Dimension Beam Section

Beam sections will be dimensioned if this option is checked.
Dimension Slabs in Beam Sections

Slab depths in beam section drawings will be dimensioned if this option is checked. Note that, this
option will be inactive if Dimension Beam Section option is not checked.
Related Articles:
Design & Parameters
Steel Bar Selection
Curtailment

You can display the Slab Design Settings by using the Slab Design Settings option under the
Settings pulldown menu.
Design
Basic design settings are controlled on this tab.
Slab Steel Concrete Cover
Depth of concrete cover for slabs can be given in the Slab Steel Concrete Cover field. If you leave this
field as zero, then the concrete cover will be determined based on active codes.
Top Steel Extension Lengths

Support top bars lengths are determined using the factors specified in Top Steel Extension Lengths
fields. These multipliers are applied to the effective span lengths of the slabs.
Slab Span Lengths in Analysis

You can use these fields to toggle using "Use Clear Span" or "Use Centerline Span" (spans calculated
between centre-line of beams).
Steel Bars
Steel bar selection and layout settings are controlled on this tab.
Slab Steel Pattern
For slab reinforcement, there are three steel patterns such as: Bent-up Pattern, Straight Bar Pattern.
When you select any of these patterns, you can view the slab reinforcement detailed accordingly on the
screen.
Slab Bar Spacing

Minimum and maximum steel bar spacing for slabs can be provided in Slab Bar Spacing fields. When
the spacing determined for a steel bar is less than the minimum spacing, then the program will
increase the diameter of the bar automatically.

Steel bar spacing values will be rounded up to the Steel Bar Spacing Step value provided in this field.
For example, if the Steel Bar Spacing Step is provided as 25 mm, then the calculated spacing values
will be as 150, 175, 200, 225 etc.
Steel Bar Length Step

Steel bar lengths will be rounded up according to the Steel Bar Length Step value provided in this
field.
For example, if the Steel Bar Length Step is 50 mm, length values calculated will be rounded up to end
up with 50s.
Steel Bar Edge Clearance

In slabs, steel bars parallel to an edge of the slab starts at a small distance from the edge of the slab.
This distance can be defined in the Steel Bar Edge Clearance field. Steel Bar Span Lines will be set
considering this value.
Make Bob for Top Steel Cantilevers

If you check the Make Bob for Top Steel Cantilevers option, top steel bars in cantilever slabs will end
with bobs. Otherwise, the steel bars will end with hooks at the end of the cantilever slab.
Put Slab Support Bars to 1st Layer in Both Directions

This field can be checked if it is preferred to put all the support bars to 1st layer. Otherwise, the
program will determine the layer of the bars based on the slab dimensions.
Extend Support Bars Symmetrically When Slab Spans Vary

If you like to extend the support bars symmetrically to the slabs you can check this option. If this option
is checked, larger effective span length is used to control the length of the support bar.
Put Bent-up Bars Along Long Edges of One-way Slabs

By default, bent-up bars are not placed along the long edges of the one-way slabs. You can check this
option if you want to put bent-up bars along the long edges of the one-way slabs.
View
This tab is used to control how the steel bars are displayed.
Print Steel Bar Segment Lengths
Slab reinforcement can be displayed either with all the segment lengths or with only the total length. If
you check the Print Steel Bar Segment Length option, then all the segment lengths of bars will be
displayed on the drawing.
Print Steel Bar Total Length

If you check the Print Steel Bar Total Length option, the total length of each steel bar will be displayed
on the drawing.
Hide No. of Bars in Bar Label

If you check this field, the number of bars calculated based on the spacing and length of the span lines
will be suppressed.
Print Alternative Layer Information

A steel bar in a slab can be on the top or bottom of the section. Similarly, according to its direction the
same bar can be on the first or second layer from the top or the bottom. If you check the Display Steel
Bar Layer Information option, then the position and the layer of the reinforcement will be indicated.
If you check Print Alternative Layer Information option, following texts will be printed as steel bar
layer information:
TT: 1st Layer of Top Steel (T1)
TB: 2nd Layer of Top Steel (T2)
BB: 1st Layer of Bottom Steel (B1)
BT: 2nd Layer of Bottom Steel (B2)
Steel Bar Positions
Slab Steel Bars Section Scale Factor

You can use this field to specify the scale factor to be used in vertical direction (along the depth of the
slab) of the slab sections.
Related Articles:
Defining/ Editing a Slab
Working with Slab Strips

Foundation Design Settings
You can display the Foundation Design Settings form by using the Foundation Design Settings
option under the Settings pulldown menu.
General
Various general settings are controlled on this tab.
Allowable Soil Stress Ultimate Strength Factor

To compare allowable bearing capacity of soil with the stresses calculated by factored vertical load
combinations, this factor is used in scaling allowable bearing capacity. The values are compared after
scaling. If service loads (G+Q) is used in soil stress calculations then this factor must be 1.
Soil Unit Weight

Enter the unit weight of the fill material in this field. The volume of surcharge will be calculated and
multiplied with the "Soil Unit Weight" to yield the additional axial load due to fill material.
Surcharge Height
Enter the height of the fill material in this field. The volume of surcharge will be calculated and
multiplied with the Surcharge Height to yield an additional axial load.
Lean Concrete Thickness

Enter the lean concrete thickness in this field to be used in Pad Base detail drawings.
Design
Design settings are controlled on this tab.
Pad Base Minimum Steel Percentage

Minimum steel ratio to be used in spread foundation footings can be adjusted using this field.
Strip Footing Minimum Steel Percentage

Minimum steel ratio to be used in footings of strip foundations can be adjusted using this field.
Minimum Footing Width

Footing dimensions of pad, pile and strip foundations will be calculated and compared with the
minimum value entered here. Footing dimensions smaller than this minimum value will not be used by
the program.
Minimum Span Moment Coefficient

Beam span moment calculated by Winkler Method, will be compared with the product of q.L2 term and
the coefficient specified here. Smaller values will not be used in the design. Default value is specified as
(1/16). q represents the soil pressure under the column and L is the beam span length .
Minimum Support Moment Coefficient

Beam support moment calculated by Winkler Method, will be compared with the product of q.L2 term
and the coefficient specified here. Smaller values will not be used in the design. Default value is
specified as (1/12). q represents the soil pressure under the column and L is the beam span length .
Pile Foundations
Pile Foundation settings are controlled on this tab.
Allow Tapered Footing

Check this box to allow corners of the footing to be chamfered on plan.
Max. Pile Spacing Multiplier

You can control the maximum pile spacing with this multiplier which is applied to the depth of the pile
cap above the top of the pile. (Pile Cap Depth, h minus the Pile Penetration Depth, p).
Enter the Default Pile Length here.
Rounding Value for Footing Dimensions and Pile Spacing

Footing dimensions and pile spacings will be calculated to be multiples of the value provided in this
field.
Min. Number of Piles

The program will not attempt to use fewer piles than the minimum entered here.
Min. Pile Rows (Walls Only)

The program will not attempt to use fewer pile rows under walls than the minimum entered here.
Ignorable Moment for Single Row Piles

Moments less than the value entered here will be ignored for single row piles.
Add Column Forces Table to the Report (For All Combinations)

Check this box if you require the column forces table included in the report.
Add Pile Axial Forces for Critical Combination to the Report

Check this box if you require the pile axial forces for the critical combination included in the report.
Related Articles:
Foundation Modelling and Design

Various file formats are supported for importing and exporting data for the current project. The Import
and Export topics are explained in detail in the following sections.
Import
The import options are accessible from File > Model File Import :
Load Building Model
External Reference Drawing
Export
The 3D view can be exported via File > Model File Import > 3D DXF Export
The analysis model can be exported to other software packages: Etabs and SAP2000/Lucas
via Model Export
Load Building Model

You can find the "Load Building Model" from File > Model/File Import > Load Building Model
This function allows the import of separate blocks of building from another project. The Building Model
Merge dialog will appear with the options below
The general procedures are listed as below:-
a) We assume that you have two projects;
(i) Target project A- this project refer to the project that you want to import the other model
(ii) Source Project B- this project refer to project that you want to import to your target project
Import the "Source Project B"
Open/Create Target project A -----------------------------------------------------> Merged Project C
(iii) Merged Project C - this project refers to the Target Project A + Project B. This project will replace
the Target Project A and become the new Merged Project C.
b) Project & Data Folder : Choose the source project model that you want to import by ensuring the
the correct Data Folder is selected.
Note: In order to import the source project, please save your project as another name > Select the
newly saved source project from the dropdown list
c) Choose an import option from below:-
(i) Import Axis System from Other Project
This option can be used to import the axis system of an existing project to a new project that
does not have any pre-defined axis. This option is also useful as all building merging
options requires a common axes system between two projects.
(ii) Import Only the Foundation Columns
All columns and walls of a project can be imported to the current model for shared foundation
modelling. Imported columns will not be part of the analysis model of the current
project and their results be taken from their original project.
(iii) Import a Completed Project
This option allows import a different project completely as a building block to a selected
location. All imported members will be considered as native members and will be included
in the analysis.
(iv) Import Storeys from Different Project
You can import the selected storeys of a project to selected storeys of the current model,
provided that the axis system are identical.
Note:
- You have to ensure the storeys in your source model are moved to the same final target
storeys in the target model before importing the storeys.
- In your source model, you cannot use insert storey below to move storeys
- In your source model, you have to insert the storey above and move the storeys below to
the target storeys
- For examples, you want to import storeys 1-3 from your import model to your target model
storeys 4-6. In your source model, you have to insert storeys 4-6 and copy the storeys 1-3 to storey 4-
6, respectively.
- Then, in your target model, you can import your model by setting source storeys 4-6 and
the first target storey as 4.
d) Pick Load Model in the dialog and there will be further instruction on the required input. Finally
choose Finish to import the project.
Related Articles :
Import and Export

This option can be quite useful when you already have structural layouts prepared by a CAD program
that can export DXF files. You can use "External Reference Drawing" option in the "File" menu >
Model/File Import to start importing this DXF file.
Before starting a new model, you may like to have the Architectural plan (or the preliminary structureal
plan) to be displayed as reference to facilitate the creation of axes and structural members. The objects
in the drawing are also recognized by the Graphic Editor, so that you can snap to the intersections,
end-points etc. of the reference objects.
In addition, if the dxf file contains axis, column and wall layouts these can be imported directly to
become elements in the ProtaStructure model.
Attaching DXF File as External Reference

DXF (Drawing Exchange File) format is a very common drawing transfer file format, recognised by
almost all CAD programs.
Considerations in DXF Files to be imported

The following restrictions and recommendations apply to the DXF Files to be imported as External
Reference Drawings:
In order to increase the performance, all the unnecessary entities must be deleted from the
drawing before it is converted into a DXF file and importing it, esp hatching, title blocks, logos,
etc. Ensure that all frozen layers are turned ON in order not miss out any layers.
Only LINE, ARC, CIRCLE, POLYLINE, LWPOLYLINE, TEXT entities are imported. Therefore it is
recommended that more complex entities to be deleted or converted to these object types
before generating the DXF file to be imported.
In order to import the entities in a BLOCK, you need to EXPLODE them. AutoCAD dimensions
are also blocks. In order to import the dimension entities, you have to explode them to lines
and texts.
If you are using programs that generates special objects (like Autodesk ADT), apply
AECExplode command before creating the DXF file. Note that, AECExplode command
generates BLOCKs and these blocks must also be exploded using EXPLODE command.
If the drawing objects are drawn very far from the origin in the original drawing, it is highly
recommended that all the entities are moved closer to the origin using any CAD editor
(preferable to the positive quadrant with positive coordinates).
If the drawing is prepared using a rotated World coordinate system, then the drawing must be
rotated back to the desired orientation before importing.
In order to minimize the size of the imported drawing, TEXT entities will be displayed with
simplest font with minimum number of vectors.
Completlely switch off / freeze / delete all unnecessary entities such as hatching (especially),
title blocks, architectural objects, elevation views, etc from the original dxf before importing the
file into ProtaStructure.
If there are several floor layout in a single dxf file, split each floor layout to different dxf files.
As a general guide, limit a single dxf file to a maximum of 1 MB.
Loading a DXF File

You can use Model/File Import > External Reference Drawing on the File menu to start importing a DXF
file as an external reference. The Reference Drawing Settings dialog will be loaded:
Press the DXF Load button to load the DXF file as External Reference drawing.
A file and folder browsing dialog will appear.
Locate and select the DXF file to be imported using this dialog.
The DXF File Import Options dialog will appear after all the entities in the file have been read
and converted.
In order to match the size of the objects with the ones created in the Graphic Editor, you have
to specify the length unit used in the DXF file by checking one of the available unit options.
Optionally, if you want to import the text entities in the DXF file, you can check the Display TEXT
entities as well option in this dialog.
A different DXF file for each storey in the project can be loaded. The related reference drawing will be
displayed when you switch storeys.
If the unit used in the DXF file is not available in this dialog, you can scale the reference drawing later
using the Scale box in the Reference Drawing Settings dialog.
Displaying the Reference Drawing

After loading the DXF file, you can display it by checking Display Reference Drawing option in
Reference Drawing Settings dialog.
Note that, this option will be functional only if there is an imported DXF file that is attached as
reference drawing.
Moving the Reference Drawing
To move the entities in the Reference Drawing to a specific location, you can use the Move button in
Reference Drawing Settings dialog.
After activating the move command, the Reference Drawing Settings dialog will disappear. You can
move the reference drawing entities by dragging two points in plan view. Automatic Object Snap
options will be available during this process.
Scaling the Reference Drawing

If the reference entities do not appear in the size that you expected, you can scale them by setting the
Scale Factor and pressing the Scale button.
Adjusting the Colors of the Reference Drawing

Generally, it is desirable to view the reference drawing using faded colors or monochrome (with the
ghost layer color specified in Layers Table).
If you check the Use DXF Colors option, the colors assigned to the entities and layers in the DXF file will
be used when drawing the entities. If you prefer to use these colors and fade them as well, you can
adjust the Color Intensity slider.
Reference entities will be displayed in the color specified Layers Table, you can uncheck the Use DXF
Colors option.
Importing Axis and Column from a DXF File
Considerations in DXF Files to be imported

You should have no defined axis in the Graphic Editor plan window prior to using this option, since all
the axes will be imported from a DXF file. The DXF file that will be imported must be prepared based on
the rules below:
The file must be drawn in the units currently used in Graphic Editor.
Axes must be drawn using "Line" entities.
All axes must be grouped in a single layer or two layers (for direction 1 and 2 axes).
Columns must be drawn using Polyline entities.
All columns and wall members must be grouped together in a single layer.
Reference Drawing Settings

From the "Reference Drawing Settings dialog click DXF Load then select the DXF file that will be used
for importing the axes.
Following the selection of the DXF file, "DXF File Import Options" will be displayed.
Select the appropriate units that the original DXF file is drawn with in order to import the drawing in
the right scale.
Press Import Members button in the Reference Drawing Settings window to load Member Import
Options dialog.
The Member Import Options form comprises the following options;
Axis Import Options

Check Import Axes option in this form in order to start to import axis system.
The layers of the axis lines in the DXF file can be selected using the two layer group lists in this section.
If the axes in the DXF file are grouped in two layers for "dir-1" and "dir-2" axes, then select the layer of
the direction-1 axes using the "Axis Layer (Dir-1)" list and select the layer of the direction-2 axes using
the "Axis Layer (Dir-2)" list. Imported axes will be grouped based on the layer selections in this section.
If all the axes in the DXF file are grouped in a single layer, then select this layer using the " Axis Layer
(Dir-1)" list and set the "Axis Layer (Dir-2)" list as "<None>".
All imported axes will be grouped as direction-1 axes in this case. If you want to group the axes based
on their directions, check the "Group by Axis Direction" option.
Read the Axis Labels from Text entities

If "Read the Axis Labels from Text Entities in the Reference Drawing" option is checked, axis labels which
are created by text entities will also be imported from the DXF file..
Group by Axis Direction

If "Group by Axis Direction" option is checked, the imported axes will be grouped as direction 1 and 2
based on their angles rather than their layers.
If this option is checked, the axes closer to horizontal will be grouped as direction-1 and closer to
vertical will be grouped as direction-2.
Column Import Setting

Check Import Columns option in this form in order to start to import axis system.
The layers of the column and wall polylines in the DXF file can be selected using the layer list in this
section.
Read Column Labels from Text Entities

If "Read Column Labels from Text entities in the Reference Drawing" option is checked, column labels which
are created by text entities will also be imported from reference drawing.
Automatic Correction of Slightly Non-orthogonal Axes

During the axis import operation, if any slightly non-orthogonal axes are detected you are given the
option to modify them to be perfectly orthogonal.
Unless corrected, tolerance problems associated with such axes have the potential to occasionally
cause meshing difficulties with slabs in the FE Analysis module.
Related Articles :
Load Buildng Model (Import)
Import and Export
Model/File Export
Exporting 3D view to DXF File

The 3D view can be exported as a 3D DXF drawing via File > Model/File Export. The active 3D view of
the structure will be exported as a 3D DXF drawing.
DXF (Drawing Exchange File) format is a very common drawing transfer file format, recognised by
almost all CAD programs.
Please note that all other drawings (plan, details, etc) must be generated from ProtaDetails.
Model Export
Once you have completed a Building Analysis you can use the Model Export page within the Building
Analysis module > Model Export tab to export the building analysis model into the following software
packages: Etabs and SAP2000/Lucas.
When you have completed a finite element floor analysis you can use the Model Export page within the
Finite Element Floor Analysis module > Model Export tab to also export an FE analysis model of each
storey into the following software packages: SAP2000 /Lucas.
Related Articles :
Import and Export
Graphical Editor Basics (Contents)

The analytical model of the structure is created in the Graphic Editor, either in a 2D plan view, or in 3D.
In order to prepare the model efficiently you are advised to have an understanding of the topics
described in this section and the subsequent Structure Modelling section.
Overview of Graphical editor
Member related controls
Displaying member properties
Creating member with mirroring
Moving members to modified axes positions
Re-label members
Object snap options
Measure
Storey related controls and settings
Zooming and panning
3D View
Overview of the Graphic Editor

When ProtaStructure is started the "Project Manager" is initially displayed. If New Project is clicked the
Graphic Editor is opened with a clear drawing area. Alternatively, if an existing project is selected the
Graphic Editor is opened with the project data loaded, showing the storey last saved in the plan
window.
The Graphic Editor is equipped with standard MS-Windows user-interface features such as pulldown
menus, toolbars and icons to provide better and faster data input.
The Graphic Editor window is composed of following parts:
Pulldown Menu
Pulldown menus are located above the drawing environment area. All commands are located in the
pulldowns.
Toolbars
Almost all menu items in the pulldowns are available in toolbars.
Status Bar
All prompts and help to user appear in the status bar. Status bar is located at the lower-left corner of
the Graphic Editor Window.
Properties Window
Properties Window is a floating window having its own member group title.
A Properties window for each member type can be opened by choosing a member from the Member
pulldown or by selecting the Properties option in the shortcut menu of a currently selected member.
All data fields for the selected member will be available in the Properties Window.
Plan View
The middle-right section of the Graphic Editor Window displaying drawings, surrounded by the above
items.
View orientation is from a point on the positive Z-axis.
3D Windows
Multiple 3D Views of the model can be concurrently made active by right click the Views and select
the 3D view.
View orientation can be set using the provided view control buttons.
Shortcut Menu
Displayed by right-clicking as a cascading menu at the cursor location on the plan window or structure
tree areas.
Provides quick access to context-sensitive items for the selected members in the drawing area.
Note that, when no member is selected, by right-clicking any toolbar, you can display, hide or
customize toolbars.
Structure Tree
Structure Tree provides a complete hierarchical list of all axes and members in the selected storey.
Members may easily be selected by clicking on their labels under the storey they belong. Selected
members will also be highlighted in plan and 3D windows.
Also provides quick access to many menu options displayed by right-clicking on the selected node.
View Control Buttons

View Control Buttons are used to swap between ProtaStructure screen views such as Column
Application, Foundation Details, Plan View, Design Status and 3D view.
Member Related Controls
Member Selection
Before you can edit objects, you need to create a selection set. A selection set can consist of a single
object, or it can be a more complex grouping.
In order to select a member in the drawing area, Select Mode should be active. To activate the Select
Mode you can:
Press the Pick button in the Member pulldown (or toolbar), or re-press one of the member
buttons,
Pick a member in the Structure Tree,
Choose one of the Select Entity options in the Edit pulldown (or toolbar).
Close the Properties Window if visible.
It must be noted that only visible objects can be selected using one of the selection methods.
You can make modifications to the members of the selection set. If only a single member is selected,
the related properites will be loaded for editing. If multiple elements are selected, only group editing
like deleting or mirroring can be performed.
Use one of the following methods to create selection sets:
Pick Mode
In order to select an element, Select Mode must be active. You can select a member by clicking:
On one of the entities that form the member in the Plan Window or,
On one of the entities that form the member in the 3-D Window or,
The members label in the Structure Tree.
When the select mode is active, clicking a new member will clear any previous selection set and only
the last picked member will be selected. In order to add multiple members to the selection set, hold
down the Ctrl key while picking. If a selected element is picked again, then it will be de-selected. All the
selected elements will be highlighted.
Window Selections
You can select objects by enclosing them in a selection window. A selection window is a rectangular
area that you define in the drawing area by specifying two corner points. Dragging from left to right or
right to left will create a selection window. You can create a selection window by pressing either Select
Entity (Window) or Select Entity (Crossing) options in the Edit toolbar. Window selection selects only
objects entirely within the selection area. Crossing selection selects objects within and objects crossing
the selection area.
Window Selection: Selects 1C1 only
Crossing Selection: Selects 1C1, 1C3, Axes A and 1
Window Selection Examples
After picking the first point, you can activate Window selection by dragging the mouse cursor in
positive x direction in the plan view. The rubber band lines will appear as solid when the Window
selection is active. Similarly, you can activate Crossing selection by dragging the mouse cursor in
negative x direction in the plan view. The rubber band lines will appear as dashed when the Crossing
selection is active.
Automatic selection modes will not be active when Member Insertion mode is active (i.e. when one of
the member button is pressed).
Member Selections Using Structure Tree

You can pick a Member Label in the Structure tree with the left mouse button to add the member to
the selection set. Any subsequent pick from the structure tree will cancel the previous selection if Ctrl
or Shift key is not pressed before selection.
Ctrl or Shift keys can be used to make multiple selection in this window.
Member Selections Using 3D Window

You can pick a Member in one of the 3D Windows with the left mouse button to add the member to
the selection set. Any subsequent pick from the 3D Window will cancel the previous selection if Ctrl or
Shift key is not pressed before selection.
Ctrl or Shift keys can be used to make multiple selection in this window.
Displaying Member Properties
Member Properties can also be accessed by right-clicking after selecting an existing member and
choosing the Properties option in the shortcut menu. Properties of the selected member will be
loaded. Alternatively, right clicking over the top of an existing member and selecting the Select and
Load Properties option in the shortcut menu will also load its properties.
Repeating member labels are not permitted in a building. During the insertion of members a warning
note will appear in the status bar if a repeating member label is detected.
Using the Shortcut Menus

You can right-click your mouse to display shortcut menus from which you can quickly choose specific
options related with the selected member(s). The options provided by shortcut menus may also be
accessed by the pulldowns.
Shortcut menus are context-sensitive. The shortcut menu that is displayed, and the options it provides,
depends on the cursor location and the object selected.
Right-Clicking in the Plan Window

Right clicking in the drawing area will display shortcut menus only if a member or a group of members
are selected. The shortcut menu may contain options specific to the type and to the number of
members selected. Delete and Mirror are default options for all of the shortcut menus displayed in
the drawing area.
If only a single member is selected, right-clicking will display Properties option by which you can
access the Properties Window related with the selected member. This option will not be included in
the shortcut menus when multiple selection is performed although the selected members belong to
the same menu group.
When the Properties Window for a selected member is open, right clicking on another member will
display Select and Load Properties option in the shortcut menu. The properties of the selected
member will automatically be loaded in the related Properties Window.
Right-Clicking in the Structure Tree

Shortcut menus can also be displayed by right-clicking the nodes in the structure tree.
Right Clicking in the Toolbar Area (Customization)

Right clicking on any toolbar will display a list of toolbar menu groups. You can hide, display, or
customize toolbars within this shortcut menu.
Creating Members with Mirroring

The "Mirror" command can be used to facilitate the creation of the members in symmetrical buildings.
After completing one part of the floor plan, the other part can be generated with the mirror command.
To mirror the elements:
1. Select the members that will be mirrored.

2. Choose the "Mirror Elements" option in the shortcut menu (displayed by right-clicking after
selection).
3. Pick an axis element that is going to be used as the axis of symmetry for mirroring. Note that, if
such an axis does not exist, you can create one and delete it after completing mirroring.
4. The "Mirror Characters" form will be loaded. Specify the trailing characters to be used for the
generation of the member labels. For example, if "S" is used for beams, then when the beam
"1B3" is mirrored, the created element will have the label as "1B3S". Note that, if "1B3S" already
exists in the floor plan, then the label of the new member will be "1B3X".
5. After closing the "Mirror Characters" form with "OK" button, the process will be started. Wait
until the process is completed.
During mirroring, ProtaStructure will use Create Member command in a loop with new member
positions. Due to this fact, results obtained by the mirror command may not be as expected in
particular models. In such cases, you may be required to make manual modifications to some
members created by mirroring.
Axes perpendicular to the axis of symmetry will be extended automatically to create intersections with
the mirrored axes. Mirror command requires that read-only lock of axes to be removed before running
this command.
Following cases are examples to the known misbehaviours:
Mirroring Support Band Beams

"Support Band" beams that are used to mark the support regions in a flat slab system are required to
be inserted after the creation of the slab panels. The section dimensions of these beams are
determined using the dimensions of the slab panels that they touch. Therefore, ProtaStructure mirrors
these beams after the creation of all other members.
If there are support band beams defined along the symmetry axis, the section dimensions of these
beams should be re-defined based on the new floor plan geometry. Therefore, you have to select these
beams, delete and re-insert them in order to update their dimensions.
Also note that, any manual modification to the loads of the support band beams will be lost during
mirroring.
Mirroring Beams with Manually Modified Loads

Any manual modifications to the loading of the beams are lost during mirroring.
Therefore, if you have any beams with manually edited loads you need to re-enter these modifications
to the beams that are generated by mirroring.
Mirroring Members with Labels Already Existing in the Floor Plan

Members cannot be generated if another member with the same label already exists in the floor.
ProtaStructure will use "X" as the mirror character in such situations. For example, if the beam mirror
character is "S" and beam "2B25" will be mirrored; the resulting member label will be "2B25S". If the
beam element "2B25S" already exists in the floor plan, then the generated beam will be labelled as
"2B25X".
Note that, if both "2B25" and "2B25S" exists prior to mirroring, then one of the beams will be mirrored
as "2B25X" and the other beam will be ignored.
In such cases, + buttons in the Symmetry Characters Dialog may be used. If + button is pressed in a
particular member group, then the first available number will be assigned as label to the generated
members.
Mirroring Walls with One End on the Symmetry Axis

Two wall elements cannot be inserted along the same axis without leaving an empty bay in between.
Due to this modelling rule, if a wall exists perpendicular to the symmetry axis and with one end on that
axis, it will not be mirrored.
If you have such a wall, you need to delete it and re-define a single wall covering the whole length.
Floors with Members Failing in Building Model Validity Check

It is always best to make "Building Model Validity Check" before mirroring a floor. Unexpected fatal
errors may occur if a floor plan includes invalid members.
It may also be an accepted workaround to check "Do Not Check Model During Member Insertion"
option under the Plan tab in the "Graphic Editor View Options" before running the mirror command
(This option should only be used temporarily, or otherwise should be avoided).
Move Members to Axes

All members are inserted based on the positions specified by axis intersections. If, for any reason, you
have to modify the position of the axes, the members that are inserted based on these axes must also
be updated.
You can use the "Move Members to Axes" option in the "Edit" pulldown or in the toolbar to automatically
re-position the members based on modified axis intersections.
"Move Members to Axes" modifies all columns, walls, supports, beams, slabs and ribbed slabs based on
the modified axis positions.
Note: Slab strips will not be updated based on the modified axes. Therefore, any reinforcement
attached to the strips may be incompatible with the new geometry. You have to delete all affected steel
bars and update them for the new plan geometry.
Re-Label Members
The Re-Label Members menu option in File pulldown may be used to re-assign the member labels
for particular member groups.
Members can be re-labelled pressing OK button after selecting one or more member groups.
Members
You can check the member groups to be re-labelled using the check-boxes in this section.
Storeys
Using the dropdown lists in this section, you may re-label only the members in the range defined by
First Storey and Last Storey. For re-labelling the members in a single storey, you can select the same
storey in both lists.
These lists are disabled when All Storeys box is checked.
Sort Reference
Member labels may be sorted based on the available references provided in this section. For example,
if the sort reference point is Left-Top Right-Bot then the member numbers will start from the upper
left corner of the plan and increase from left to right and top to bottom. Similarly, if the sort reference
point is Right-Top Left-Bot then the member numbers will start from the upper right corner of the
plan and increase from right to left and top to bottom. Left-Bot Right-Top and Right-Bot Left-Top
options are also available and they are analogous with Left-Top Right-Bot and Right-Top Left Bot
If the Sort Row wise option button is checked, then member labels will increase first horizontally
(along x-axis) then vertically (along y-axis). If Sort Column wise option button is checked, then priority
will be along y-axis.
Group Members by Direction option is only used for beams and wall members. When this option is
checked, horizontal beams will be labelled first. Reference Angle is used to identify the direction of
the horizontal beams. When Reference Angle is zero, then horizontal beams are along global X-axis.
Group Cantilever Slabs Separately

Occasionally you may want to label the cantilever slabs after finishing labelling the standard panels. In
this case, Group Cantilever Slabs Separately option must be checked.
Labelling Options
Several options in this section are provided to increase the flexibility of the re-labelling operation.
Retain Compatible Labels Between Storeys

If this option is checked, members that are at the same insertion are labelled using the same member
number. For example, all columns in axis intersection B and 12 are numbered using the same number,
say 25. In this case, the labels of this column will be 1C25, 2C25, 3C25 etc.
The bottom-most storey members used in Storey section are used as reference members in this
option. In this case, the members which does not exist in the bottom-most storey will be labelled after
finishing all members in that storey.
This option is only valid if more than one storey at a time is selected for re-labelling.
Member Number Start Value

Member numbers will be started using the value specified in this field. This is useful when the project
consists of more than one block and unique member numbers are used.
Object Snap Options
During object creation commands, you can snap the cursor to points on the drawing entities such as
endpoints, midpoints, intersections and centres. For example, you can insert an axis element from an
intersection created by two existing axis elements to the midpoint of another axis.
Object snap options can be turned on by picking the desired object snap function from the Object
Snap tab in the Display Settings before making a point selection or for dragging.
During the insertion of structural members such as columns, beams and walls, the intersection object
snap mode is automatically assumed and only axis intersections are considered.
Available Object Snap Modes:
Entity Intersection
When the Intersection object snap mode is active, the nearest intersection of entities is snapped.
Intersection mode snaps to the intersection of the objects and also the vertices of the polylines.
Smart Points Along Members

When the Smart Point along members object snap mode is active, the beam and wall insertions will
snap to the 0.25L, 0.33L, 0.5L, 0.67L and 0.75L of the existing wall and beam members
Perpendicular (Smart Points)
When the Perpendicular object snap mode is active, the cursor snaps to a point perpendicular to the
picked entity.
Start/ End/ Corner

When the Start/ End/ Corner object snap mode is active, the nearest Start/ End/ Corner point of the
picked entity to the point selected is snapped.
Middle/Center
When the Middle/ Center object snap mode is active, the cursor snaps to the middle/ center of the
picked entity.
Stepwise Polar (CTRL)

When the stepwise polar mode is active, the object (except wall and beam) can be inserted with the
angle step by holding down the CTRL key.
Osnap Tracking (Extensions)

When osnap tracking is active, the extensions to the endpoints of axes is snapped.
Orthogonal Grid
When the orthogonal grid object snap mode is active, the cursor snaps to the orthogonal grid in the
background.
Measure
Using the Measure option in the right-click shortcut menu, you can measure distance in the plan
layout window.
In order to measure the distance between two points:
1. Pick the Measure option.
2. Press the left mouse button at the first point, drag to the second point and release the button.
The distance measured between these two points will appear in the Status Bar.
Storey Related Controls and Settings
Using the options in the "Building" pulldown, storey information can be modified and an active storey
can be selected.
Select Storey
The Graphic Editor is organised to let the user work on one storey at a time. The active storey can be
selected using the "Select Storey" option in the "Building" pulldown. Or you can select a storey (to make
it current) from the Structure Tree. To do this, right-click on the label of the storey you want to make
current and this will display a list of storey related options in the shortcut menu. If you choose the
Select Storey option, the selected storey will appear in the drawing area and will be marked as
current.
A shortcut for quick selection for the active storey is also available in the "Building" toolbar in the
dropdown list form. Using this dropdown list, the storey where the structural members are to be
inserted can be selected.
Insert Storey
This menu option is used to define or modify the number of storeys in the building.
Total Number Of Storeys

If a storey number greater than the total number of storeys in the building is entered, the number of
storeys in the building is increased using the data provided in the top storey before insertion.
This form can also be used to insert storeys between the available floors. For example, in a "5 storey"
building, entering "2" as the "New Storey to Add" will insert a new 2nd storey to the building and
storeys 2 to 5 will be shifted up as storeys 3-6. The height of the new storey will be the same as the 1st
storey.
Generate Storey
Building systems generally contain similar storeys. The information on a given storey can easily be
copied to another storey using the "Generate Storey" menu option in the "Building" pulldown.
Note that a new storey cannot be added using this form. In order to increase the number of storeys in
a building, use "Insert Storey".
The following fields will be available in this form:
Source Storey
Select the storey that will be used as the source of information for the generation from the dropdown
list of available storeys in the building.
Target Storey(s)
The storey (or storeys) to be generated can be selected from the list of available storeys in the building.
All the information defined in the "Source Storey" will be copied to the "Target Storey(s)".
During the copy operation, member labels will be generated to comply with the label conventions of
the target storey. For example, when beam "1B20" is copied to the 3rd floor, the new beam will have
the label "3B20".
Member Types to be Generated

You can use the member type filters to filter out the members that are not to be generated to the
target storey.
For example, if the slabs in the target storey are different, you may not want to copy the slabs from the
source storey to the target storey. You can uncheck the "Slabs" in this frame to prevent the slabs to be
generated in the target storey.
Delete Storey Information

All the information in a given storey can be deleted using the "Delete Storey Information" menu option
in the "Building" pulldown or in the Storey Menu toolbar.
Select the storey (or storeys) from the storey table to be deleted. When OK button is pressed a
warning message will be displayed. Following this warning, all the defined objects in the selected
storey(s) will be deleted.
Note that the number of storeys in the building cannot be decreased using this menu option. In order
to decrease the number of storeys in a building, use "Remove Storey".
Remove Storey
One or more selected storey in the building can be removed using the "Remove Storey" menu option in
the "Building" pulldown.
Select the storey(s) from the storey table that will be displayed when this form is used. Pressing OK
will remove the selected storey(s) and the number of storeys in the building will be decreased
accordingly.
Edit Storey
Use the "Edit Storey" option in the "Building" pulldown to modify the parameters of a particular storey.
A table loaded with the parameters of the storeys will be displayed when this option is used.
Using the options in this form you can modify "Storey Height", "Storey Label", Imposed Load
Reduction, Generation, 1st Storey Bottom Level, and Foundation Depth fields.
Storey Height (h)

The storey height of a particular floor of the building is specified here. Storey height is defined as the
distance between the top reference levels of the successive floors.
Storey Label
Structural members defined in a particular storey are generated using the storey label associated to
that storey. The storey label of the 1st floor can be defined using this field.
For example, if the storey label is defined as "100", then the beams will be created as "1B1", "1B2", etc.
in this storey.
Storey Description
The description of a particular floor of the building is specified here. For example, Ground floor, Roof
and etc.
Imposed Load Reduction
Axial imposed load reduction values (%) for column and walls.
If you modify any of the imposed load reduction factors, a warning note will appear reminding to save
the project according to the new values specified.
1st Storey Bottom Level

Reference levels of the floors can be controlled using the "1st Storey Bottom Level" field. All the upper
storeys will be positioned using this reference level.
Foundation Depth
The value entered here is used solely to control the length of starter bars on the detail drawings,
minimum value 100mm. The actual value entered is not analytically significant.
Assume Roof as Normal Storey
If you check this box, the roof level is counted in the number of floors when determining the imposed
load reductions to be applied.
Plane width (D1 and D2)

D1: Plane width parallel to the primary earthquake loading direction. Used in Eccentricity calculation
and top level earthquake load.
D2: Plane width perpendicular to the primary earthquake loading direction. Used in Eccentricity
calculation and top level earthquake load.
Total wall area (Wall 1 and Wall 2)

W1: Total wall area of the storey along earthquake direction 1. Used in weak storey irregularity check.
W2: Total wall area of the storey along earthquake direction 2. Used in weak storey irregularity check.
Define selected storeys as similar

It is not required to define the members in all similar storeys of the building. Only the information in
the key storeys is required.
The information in all the other similar storeys can be defined by selecting all the similar storeys from
the list and using the Define selected storeys as similar to create the similar storeys.
If the selected storeys (more than one storey) are already populated. Source storey of generation must
be selected. All information in the target storey(s) will be removed.
Storey data will be generated when you press the OK button.
Reset (Similar storey)

If you want to unlink the similar storey(s), you can select the storey(s) in the list and press the Reset
button to unlink the storey(s) from the other similar storey(s).
Zooming and Panning

The Graphic Editor provides several ways to control the display of the drawing in plan and 3D windows.
You can zoom to change the magnification or pan to reposition the view in the drawing area.
All display control options are located in the "View" pulldown and the toolbar.
The following options are available:
ReGen
The ReGen command re-generates all drawing entities using stored geometry information.
Zoom Window
You can quickly zoom in on an area by picking the opposite corners of the zoom window that defines it.
After selecting the "Zoom Window" option, specify the opposite corners of the zoom window in the
drawing area by dragging two points.
Zoom Previous
All zoom operations are stored. So, anytime, a previous display can be recalled using the "Zoom
Previous" option.
Zoom Extents
"Zoom Extents" displays a view that includes all selected objects in the current storey at the highest
magnification that will fit in the drawing area.
Zoom Limits
"Zoom Limits" displays a view that includes all objects contained within the active sheet borders at the
highest magnification that will fit in the drawing area.
Zoom In and Zoom Out

"Zoom In" increases the magnification of the current view by 20% and "Zoom Out" decreases the
magnification by a similar amount. This option can be used to quickly zoom in and out to the center of
the current view.
Zoom In and "Zoom Out" functionalities are assigned to the mouse wheel. If you rotate mouse wheel
forward you can zoom-in and if you rotate mouse wheel backward you can zoom-out the active view. If
the 3D Windows are visible, the wheel will control the window that has the focus.
Pan
After selecting the "Pan" option, you can pan the drawing image to a new location by dragging two
points that defines the pan direction and amount.
Pan functionality is assigned to the middle mouse button. If you press and drag the middle mouse
button (wheel button in IntelliMouse) you can pan the plan and 3D windows.
3-D View
Multiple 3D Views of the model can be concurrently made active by right click the Views in the
structure tree and select the 3D view.
A 3-D perspective view of the whole model can be displayed which can be filtered to display only
specific storeys, axes, or member types as required.
Settings are provided to customise the 3-D view, allowing colours, textures and a wide variety of other
effects to be applied.
The 3-D view is useful for both checking the structural system and also for the creation of 3-D
presentation images.
Any member in the 3-D window can be selected by clicking with the mouse. The selected member will
be highlighted in the plan window as well.
3-D Windows
Alternatively, click the options in the Window pulldown and choose one of the cascade, tilt vertical or
horizontal options.
After choosing the options, the drawing area will be subdivided by number of separate windows.
If you open 3-D views before inserting structural members, members can be defined and edited in the
3-D view as well.
This effective and powerful property of ProtaStructure enables you to work in a more efficient and
error free manner.
3-D View Controls

You can zoom the 3-D view by using Regen, Zoom Window, Zoom Previous , Zoom Extents,
Zoom Limits, Zoom to Selected buttons.
Besides, you can spin and zoom the 3-D View by using the mouse buttons. If you rotate mouse wheel
forward, you can zoom-in and if you rotate mouse wheel backward you can zoom-out the 3-D view. The
wheel will control the window that has the focus. Right mouse button is assigned to spin functionality.
If you press and drag the right mouse button you can spin the 3-D view.
Active Windows Setting and Visual Interrogation

You can make modifications in 3-D Windows using the Active Windows Setting and Visual
Interrogation under the View pulldown or View control buttons.
Visual Interrogation
"Visual Interrogation" can be used to show various colour coded displays in both plan and 3-D views.
For example, by selecting one of the slab load interrogation types from the drop down menu you can
readily keep track of where particular types of load have been applied throughout the building.
To return to the normal display of the model, simply choose the None from the list of criteria for
recoloring.
Visibility Filters
Filters dialog window can be loaded in Visibility Filters tab. The filters provide options to control the
visibility of all member groups (such as columns, walls, beams, etc) and specific axes for the selected
storey(s). The changes made in Visibility Filters dialog will be updated immediately in the 3-D view.
Storey
In order to select any specific storey(s), click on the related storey label(s) in the Storeys pull down list.
Pressing Select All button will select all the storeys in the structure, whereas, checking Active Storey
Only button will select only the current storey to be displayed in the 3-D window.
Frame axis
Choosing a specific axis in the Frame Axis pull down list will only display the members on that axis.
In order to display the selected member groups on all axes, choose the Select All option.
Member Type
You can also control the display of members in the selected storey(s).
Checked member groups in the Member Type pull down list will be displayed in the selected storey(s).
To select a member group, check the member group name. Clicking on a checked member group will
deselect it.
Scene Settings
After pressing the Scene Settings tab, the settings dialog window will be loaded accordingly.
Display Style
Display Style allows you to control the appearance of structural members using Wireframe,
Shaded, Rendered, Flat and Hidden Line options.
The desired view will be displayed in the 3-D window immediately after pressing the related option
button in the menu.
Camera Projection
Perspective or orthogonal views of the 3-D model can be activated by selecting the Perspective or
Orthogonal in the list of camera projection.
Compass & Coordinate Axis

By checking the Compass option in the dialog window will result in the Cartesian coordinate symbol
to be displayed in 3-D window.
The Coordinate Axis allows you to switch on/off the coordinate axis symbol in the 3-D View on the
orthogonal grid.
Grid
The orthogonal grid at the background can be displayed in 3-D window by checking the Grid option.
The grid step and colors can be configured in the Grid tabs of Display settings.
Bounding Box
If the Bounding Box is checked, a rectangular box with dashed edges will be displayed and the model
will be enclosed in the box.
Structural Modelling (Contents)

Techniques for member creation and loading are described in this section. Also described here are
those other modelling related functions contained on the Member pulldown. Additional modelling
related topics can be found in the preceding Graphic Editor Basics section.
Working with Axes
Working with Columns - Defining/ Editing a Column, Column Properties, Polyline Column Editor,
and Column Column Nodal and Span Loads
Working with Walls - Defining/Editing a wall, and Wall Properties
Working with Beams - Defining/ Editing a Beam, Beam Properties, Defining Curved Beam
Members, Defining Beams out of Columns Insertion Points, and Loading Decomposition
Methods (Yield Line/FE)
Working with Beam Loads
Working with slabs - Defining/ Editing a Slab, and Slab Properties
Working with Ribbed Slabs - Defining/Editing a Ribbed Slab, and Ribbed Slab Properties
Working with Slab Openings
Working with Slab Loads
Working with Planes
Column Support Type Definitions
Slab Additional Loads Library
Wall Types Library
Temperature Loads
Foundation members (Pad Bases, Pile Caps, Strip Footing etc.) are described elsewhere - see
Foundation Modelling and Design.
Typical Steps for Creating a Model

Typical steps for the creation of a building model are outlined below. The forms for the first three steps
will automatically appear when a new project is defined.
Note: Instructions such as pick the "Building Analysis" option in the "Run" menu are shortened to pick
Run/Building ANalysis
1. Choose an appropriate template from "Setting Control Center" to set up the required design
codes and initial parameters then click "Import". The settings can be reviewed and modified at
any time during the building model creation via the "Settings" menu.
2. Define the storey information for the 1 st storey in the building. "Storey Height", "Storey Label" and
"1st Storey Bottom Level" fields must be defined. Click "OK" to close the dialog box.
If the building has only one storey level then the storey data is complete. If not, pick Building/
Insert Storey. Enter the total number of storeys in the building. All storeys will have identical
heights as defined by the height of the 1st storey. (You are therefore advised to define the 1 st
storey with a typical height initially, and revise it if necessary after the other storeys have been
inserted.) To edit any of the properties of any storey pick Building/Edit Storey. More storeys
related information can be studied in Storey Related Controls and Settings section.
3. Axes are the references for all structural members. Therefore, they must be specified before
the columns and beams. Pick Member/Axis to load the Axis Properties. Axes that intersect are
grouped as "1" and "2".
4. Group "1" axes are the ones that have a closer angle to the horizontal (x-axis) and group "2"
axes are the ones that intersect these axes.
To create an axis; define the "Axis Label", set the direction code ("1" or "2") and drag two points
in the drawing area. The axis will be created when you release the left mouse button.
More information of the axis modeling techiques can be studied in Working with Axes section.
5. Select the storey at which you want to start defining members by double-clicking the related
storey title (St-nn) in "Structure Tree" or by picking Building/Select Storey. Alternatively, you can
right-click the Storeys option in the Structure Tree and then click Select Storey.
6. Structural members such as columns, walls, beams and slabs can be defined at this time using
crossing axes as references for their insertion. Typically columns and walls are defined prior to
the beams. More details are available for creating these members in the related sections below.
Building systems usually consist of similar storeys. You can generate similar storeys above or
below the active storey and edit only the differences. To generate a storey pick
Building/Generate Storey.
Member labels are also generated based on the label of the target storey. For example, the
beam "1B20" in the source storey (which is "1") will be generated to 4th storey as "4B20".
Floors that are completely similar do not have to be generated in the Graphic Editor. Similar
storeys are defined in Edit Storey menu (Building drop down). Refer to Storey Related Controls
and Settings.
7. Upon completion of the building model, pick Run/Building Analysis to load the Building Analysis
form.
Click Edit Load Combinations on the Pre-Analysis tab to review the Load Combinations that
will be designed for. To generate a different set of combinations click Loading Generator.
Using the Model Options tab, select modelling options for the analysis (eg. Wall model,
diaphragm options, etc)
8. Check the Building Analysis box on the Analysis page. Also, if required at this stage you can
check Beam Section Design and Detailing or Column Section Design to perform the design
calculations.
9. Click the "Start" button to start the analysis process of the building. Following the completion of
the building analysis, some post-analysis processes will be carried out to prepare the design
data. The beam and column designs will then automatically be performed if the relevant boxes
were checked.
10. Providing analysis results are available the beam and column designs can be performed at any
time by picking Run/Beam Section Design and Detailing or Run/Column Section Design.
11. Pad Foundation, Strip Footing, Pile Foundation or Raft Foundation calculations can be
done at Storey 0 level.
Working with Axes
Axis Properties
"Axis Properties will be loaded by selecting the "Axis" option in the "Member" pulldown (or toolbar) or by
choosing the "Properties" option in the shortcut menu (displayed by right-clicking the mouse) after the
selection of an existing axis.
The "Axis Properties form has two tab pages named as "General" and "Insertion". You can switch
between pages by picking the related tab heading.
A new axis can be defined by specifying the necessary information in the given fields in the form and
by specifying the endpoints of the axis line in the drawing area.
Typical Axis Grid
The "Axis Properties form comprises the following fields:
Label
This field defines the unique label that identifies the axis. This label is limited to 6 characters for
convenience. Repetitive labels in the same building are not allowed.
As in all member types, "Member List" in the "Member" pulldown can be used to list the members of the
same type to provide easy access. This list can be used to select any member by label.
A text controller spin button to the right of the label field is used to facilitate the creation of successive
label text. For example, if the label in this field is "A", then the subsequent axis labels will be "B", "C",
etc.
View Codes
This field allows the user to define secondary axes that do not exist in architectural plan. Unchecking
this field creates a Ghost axes which can be hidden using the Ghost Axis Layers layer option.
Length
This field can be used to monitor the actual length of the axis during dragging of the second insertion
point or after the insertion of the axis.
Angle
This field can be used to monitor the axis angle during dragging of the second insertion point or after
the insertion of the axis.
Not to Plot Option
Usually, the axes that do not exist in the architectural plans can be coded as "Not to Plot". "Not to Plot"
coded axes will not be transferred to the DXF files and will not be printed.
Direction Code
TIP: Members insertionIntersecting axes are marked with "1" and "2" direction codes. To create a
points must be thegood building model, axes with direction closer to global x-axis should be
intersection of at leastcoded as "1" and all the other axes that intersect these axes should be
one direction "1" codedcoded as "2".
axis and one direction
"2" coded axis All members are inserted on axis intersections.
Axis Balloons Plot Control
Occasionally, one of the axis balloons may not be visible. You can use this button to change the
visibility of one of the balloons.
Update Button
Whenever you make new specifications in one of the fields in Axis Properties form for an existing axis
member, press the Update button in order to display the changes in the plan window.
Close
Pressing the Close button will close the Axis Properties form and return back to Select Mode.
Defining a New Axis

Use the following steps to create a new axis:
1. Click the "Axis" menu option in the "Member" pulldown to load Axis Properties.
2. Modify the data in the fields of the Properties form. For example, define the "Axis Label", select
the "Direction code" and make sure that "Frame Axis" field is checked if this is going to be a frame
axis.
3. Pick the axis insertion points by dragging two points in the plan view drawing area. Press the
left mouse button in the first point and drag to second point and release the button. The new
axis will appear.
"Length Step" and "Angle Step" can be used to control the direction and length of the dragged
grid during insertion. In order to activate these options and to constrain cursor movement to
the horizontal or vertical directions (or relative to the angle defined) hold down the Ctrl key
while dragging to the second point and release the key after left mouse button.
4. You can also generate parallel axes from an existing axis. To do this, first select an existing axis
and right-click the mouse to open the shortcut menu. Then choose "Offset Axis" option to
activate the related form for the generation. If the "Axis Properties" form is active during the
selection of an axis, you can activate the form for generation also by choosing the "Offset Axis"
in the "Modify" toolbar. When the related form appears on the screen, enter values in the
"Offset from Previous" field to specify the offset distance from the existing axis. The new axis will
be placed at the given offset from the previous axis on the side picked.
"Step" field indicates the automatic increment of the axis label for the new axis. To define
another label, modify the "Axis" field before clicking the offset side.
Defining a Curved Axis

The method for defining Curved Axes is as follows:
1. Press the Axis button located in the toolbar to load the Axis Properties form. Enter the Axis
Label in the Label field.
2. Choosing the Curve Axis Insertion from the insertion method, press the left mouse button at
the start point and drag to the end point and release the button. First and second points
defined in this way will be the I and J points of the axis respectively. You can press F2 to
define the chord offset of the axis. Note that you can use negative values in the dialog. After
editing the fields in this dialog, press the ENTER button to complete the definition of the
curved axis. The axis will be drawn on the screen accordingly.
Orthogonal Axis Generation

The Axis Generator form can be used to create a group of axes in both direction codes. To access this
form, choose the Orthogonal Axis Generator option in the File pulldown. Then, pick a point in the
plan window as the lower-left reference point for the generation. After picking the reference point Axis
Generator dialog box will appear on the screen. You should specify the necessary values for the
generation in the fields described below;
Grid Insertion
Includes the Reference Point and Insertion Angle fields. X and Y coordinates of the previously picked
reference point is automatically given in the Reference Point fields. These values may be changed to
specify a new reference point.
Insertion angle is the rotation angle of the axes to be generated in both directions ( 1 and 2) in anti-
clockwise direction relative to their default directions.
Direction-1 Axes
Comprises the Number of Axes, Axis Label, Step, Axis Spacing(s) and Axis Extension Length fields to
be filled for the dir-1 axes to be generated. Number of Axes indicates the number of dir-1 axes to be
generated. Axis label defines the start label of the new dir-1 axis. If there are any previously defined
dir-1 axes in the plan window, the program will automatically continue from the last label defined. Step
field indicates the label increment for the successive dir-1 axes to be generated. Axis Spacing(s) field
indicates the distance between each subsequent dir-1 axes. Axis Extension Length indicates the
extension length of the dir-1 axes.
Direction-2 Axes
Comprises the Number of Axes, Axis Label, Step, Axis Spacing(s)and Axis Extension Length
fields to be filled for the dir-2 axes to be generated. Number of Axes indicates the number of dir-2 to
be generated. Axis label defines the start label of the new dir-2 axis. If there are previously defined dir-
2 axes in the plan window, the program will automatically continue from the last label defined. Step
field indicates the label increment for the successive dir-1 axes to be generated. Axis Spacing(s) field
indicates the distance between each subsequent dir-2 axes. Axis Extension Length indicates the
extension length of the dir-2 axes.
Axis Shortcut Menu

You can access the most-often used command options for the axis members in the shortcut menu
(displayed by right-clicking the mouse) after selecting an axis (or a group of axes). A shortcut menu for
a single axis selection comprises Offset, Move, Stretch, Rotate, List Members Using The Axis, Link
Intersecting Axes options specific to an axis member. It must be noted that the Rotate option will be
omitted from the shortcut menu when multiple axes are selected.
Delete, Mirror Elements and Properties options are default options in shortcut menus for all member
types. All the options provided in an axis shortcut menu may also be accessed by using the pulldowns.
Creating Parallel Axes by Offsetting

Axis Offset form will be loaded when an axis is defined by dragging two points in the drawing area
assuming that subsequent axes will be created parallel to the current axis.
Axis Offset form can also be accessed by clicking the Offset Axis option in the shortcut menu
(displayed by right-clicking the mouse) after selecting the reference axis.
To define a new axis parallel to the selected axis, press F2 to enter the offset distance in the the field
and press ENTER to accept and insert the axis.
Axis Offset Parameters
Moving an Axis
The "Move Axis" form will be loaded automatically by selecting the Move Axis option in the axis
shortcut menu (displayed by right-clicking the mouse after selecting an axis). The position of the
currently selected axis can be defined by pressing F2 and will be shifted at a distance indicated in the
Move Offset Distance field without any label change. This option is valid only for a single selection. If
there are multiple axes in a selection set, only the most recently selected axis member will be moved.
When an axis is moved, the members that reference this axis will also be rearranged automatically
according to new axis position. All members can be moved to their supposed positions by using Move
Members To Axes option located on the Edit toolbar or pulldown.
Stretching an Axis
End-points of the axis can be stretched (elongated or shortened) by choosing the "Stretch Axis" option
in the axis shortcut menu. To stretch an end-point of an axis:
1. Select an axis (or a parallel array of axes) by using "Pick" or one of the "Select Entity" options in
the Edit pulldown (or by using one of the selection methods described previously). Click the
"Stretch Axis" option in the axis shortcut menu.
2. To define the amount of the stretch, either:
Hover over the grip at the end of the axis, it will turn to red. Then you can click and drag it to
stretch all selected axes, or only one if single selection is made.
Or, drag two points closer to the end of the axis (or the parallel array of axes) to be stretched.
Release the left mouse button when the new position is set. The direction of axis line(s) will not
be altered by the stretch function. The selected axis line(s) will be stretched by the absolute
length of the dragging line in XY plane.
You can use the object-snap modes or pressing F2 (insert the stretching distance and press
Enter) to position the new point precisely.
Multiple Axis Stretching Parameters
While stretching multiple axes, in order to prevent unexpected stretching effects, try to avoid selecting
axes with varying directions. The selected axes should be parallel or must have nearly the same
direction angles. Elongation or shortening effects will be achieved in responce to the dragging
direction.
Rotating an Axis
1. The direction of the axis can be re-defined using the "Rotate Axis" option in the shortcut menu.
To define the new axis direction:Select the axis. Click Rotate Axis option in the shortcut menu
(displayed by right-clicking). The Axis Properties form will be loaded.
2. Click the rotation base point in the drawing area. Rotation base point can be picked by using
one of the object-snap modes. For example, if you want to pick the intersection of two axes as
rotation base point, press the "Intersection" button in the Osnap Form, position the square on
the cursor close to the desired intersection and click the left mouse button.
3. By pressing F2 you can enter the new axis angle (measured counter-clockwise from the
horizontal) to the "Angle" field. Press Enter to accept the defined rotation
Stretch Axis to a Boundary

You can use Stretch Axis to a Boundary option in short-cut menu using the right mouse button after
selecting one or more axes to align one end to a boundary.
This option will stretch or shorten the closer ends of the selected axis to the defined boundary.
1. Select one or more axes. Click Stretch Axis to a Boundary option in the shortcut menu
(displayed by right-clicking).
2. Define the Boundary (by picking two points) to Stretch the Selected Axes. The closer ends of the
selected axes will be extended or shortened to meet the boundary.
The process will be aborted if you fail to define a proper boundary.
Stretch Axis to Member Insertions

You can use the "Stretch Axis to Member Intersections" form to stretch selected or all axes automatically
considering the inserted members and their intersections.
In order to initiate this function,
Right click to the Axes in the Structure Tree and select "Stretch Axes to Member Insertions". In
this case, the function will be applied to all axes in the model.
Select one or more axes and load the short-cut menu using the right mouse button and select
Stretch Axis to Member Insertions option. In this case, the function will be applied to selected axes
(or all axes if Apply to All Axes is checked) in the model.
The Stretch Axes to Member Insertions dialog will be loaded.
The axes will be stretched automatically when the OK button is pressed.
The available options in this dialog:
Consider Axis Intersections As Well
If you have an orthogonal axis grid, you can check this option if you like to consider not only the
member insertion points but the axis intersections as well.
Shrink Only
If you check this option, axes will only be shortened during this operation.
Axis Extension Length
The axes will be extended further away from the outer member insertion (or axis intersection if
Consider Axis Intersections As Well is checked) by the amount entered in this field.
Apply to Selected or All Axes
By default, the function will only be applied to selected axes if initiated by the shortcut menu. If you
check the Apply to All Axes option, the operation will be applied to all the axes in the model.
Axis Table
You can use "Member Tables > Axis Table" in the "Member" menu to modify one or more existing axes.
All cells in the table are editable. You can use the cursor keys or mouse cursor to select a cell and edit
and update the contents.
The "Search" button can be used to find a specific member after typing the label to the "Member" field.
Working With Columns
Defining/ Editing a Column
Defining a New Column

Before inserting a column member its reference axes must be defined.
To define a new column member:
1. Display the storey level in the drawing area which will contain the top of the column.
2. Pick Column from the Member menu or toolbar.
3. Edit the fields in the "Column Properties" form. For example, enter the column Label in the
"Label" field (max. 8 characters) to modify the section dimensions and eccentricities.
4. To insert the column, click on the required reference point in the either the plan view drawing
area or the 3D view. You have to pick an axis intersection as the reference point.
5. Labels of the reference axes will be shown in Top and Bot fields on Column Properties form.
The same axes intersections will be written in these fields when the column is first defined. In
this case column will be placed vertically along the storey levels. In order to define a column
that is inclined along the storey levels, Top and Bot fields must be changed later on. Changing
the insertion axes of a column is explained under Insertion Axes title of this section.
6. Multiple columns with the same properties can be inserted at the same time by dragging two
points along an axis. Columns will be inserted at every intersection along the dragged line.
Editing an Existing Column

In order to edit an existing column:
1. Select an existing column.
2. Right-click and select the Properties menu option. (The Properties form can be accessed
alternatively by pressing the Column button).
3. Modify the fields such as "b1" and "b2 in the "Column Properties" form.
4. Press the "Update" button in the Properties form or Right-click and select Update option in the
Shortcut Menu.
Right-clicking on any one of the b1, b2, e1, or e2 fields will load a list of commonly used values
that may facilitate data entry.
You can repeat this process on as many members as you wish. One member at a time can be edited by
this method. If you want to update several columns at once, you can use "Column Table" in the
"Member" menu. The Column Table can also be reached from the Member Tables option in the
shortcut menu.
Update Column End Conditions

To change the end conditions for multiple columns at the same time:
1. Select the existing column(s).
2. Right-click and select Update Column End Conditions.
3. Choose the required end conditions.
4. Press the "Apply to Selected Columns, Apply to All Columns in Current Storey" or "Apply to All
Columns in the Model" as required.
Related Articles:
Column Properties
Polyline Column Editor
Column Shortcut Menu
Column Properties
"Column Properties" will be loaded when the "Column" option in the "Member" pulldown (or toolbar) is
selected. A new column can be defined by arranging the fields in the form and then by picking the
insertion point in the plan window.
The Column Properties form comprises three pages named as Gen, Drop and 3D. You can shift
between pages by pressing the related tab heading.
The Column Properties form can also be accessed after selecting an existing column and then by right-
clicking and choosing the Properties option in the shortcut menu. You can select a column member by
using one of the Member Selection methods described previously.
When the Column Properties form is open, right clicking on a new column member in plan window and
selecting the Select and Load Properties option in the shortcut menu will load the properties of the
new member in the same window.
The form comprises the following fields:
Label
The label that will identify the column can be entered in this field. This field (after formatted to be a
proper label) is limited to 8 characters. A text control spin button exists to the right of the label field to
facilitate the creation of successive label text.
As in all member types, column member labels will be listed in the Structure Tree under the related
storey heading. This list can be used to select a member by label.
Repeating member labels is not permitted in a building. During the insertion of members the program
will sound an alarm and a warning message will appear in the status bar if a repeating member label is
detected.
Length (Storey)
Enter the number of storeys that the column spans. Generally, every column spans one storey in
building type structures. If the column will span more than one storey, the number of storeys can be
defined in this field.
For example, if a column in the 4th storey spans to the 2nd storey top level, this means that the column
will exist along 4th and 3rd storeys. Therefore, "2" must appear in the "Len (Storey)" field.
TIP: Use the Length

(Storey) field to model
.
buildings with alternating
storeys.
Column Dimensions (b1, b2)

"b1" is the section dimension of the column along the direction-1 axis it is inserted and "b2" is the other
dimension orthogonal to "b1" for a rectangular column. If the direction code of the column is "1/2",
then "b2" is the dimension of the column along the direction-2 axis at its insertion.
"b2" dimension must be zero or negative to define a circular column. When b2 is zero, "b1" will be the
diameter of the circular column.
Hollow section can be defined by entering a negative number in "b2" field that will define the inner
diameter of the pipe within the column.
Column Member Section Properties
Column Eccentricities (e1, e2)

"e1" and "e2" fields define the eccentricities of the column from the insertion axes along direction 1 and
2, respectively. These fields define the eccentricity between the center of the column to the axis
intersection.
Column eccentricities can be set easily by using the "Insertion Options button in the form.
Column insertion point coordinates can also be arranged in the "Polyline Column Editor" dialog window
displayed in the shortcut menu after right-clicking.
Column Insertion Options Button

A set of column insertion option buttons are provided for facilitating the definition of e1 and e2
fields.
After setting the dimensions of a column, you can easily set the column eccentricities
Column by pressing the Column Insertion Options button. After pressing this button a window
Insertion will appear displaying Eccentricity Option Buttons, Eccentricity (a) and Label corner
Options fields.
Choosing one of the options available in the Eccentricity Option Buttons will automatically redefine the
e1 and e2 fields. The "Update" button must be pressed to update the selected column with the new
eccentricity values.
It should be noted that the eccentricities of the column defined here will not modify the location of the
actual analytical frame member used in the analysis model. The frame member will be located on the
insertion point of the column.
A positive value entered in Eccentricity (a) field is used to shift the insertion point of the column in
both "1" and "2" directions. The formulation used can be viewed in the tooltip of relevant buttons.
Generally, column labels are placed to the upper right corner of the column (vertex no. 3). Column
vertices are numbered counter-clockwise starting from the lower/left vertex. You can occasionally
modify the label corner by entering the vertex number of that corner in Label Corner field.
Alternatively, you can control the e1 and e2 values using the direction keys of your keyboard. In
order to modify the eccentricities, first select a column and load the Properties dialog. Then, when you
press left or right keys, the e1 property, when you press up or down keys, the e2 property will be
modified and the column is displaced. The eccentricity step value can be set using the Member Section
Eccentricity Step value in Graphic Editor View Settings dialog.
Insertion Axes
All structural members are inserted based on axis intersections as an insertion reference. At least two
axes of different direction code (namely 1 and 2) must intersect at every insertion point.
Labels of the reference axes will be displayed in Top and Bot fields on Column Properties form.
Same axes intersections will be written in these fields when the column is first defined. In this case
column will be placed vertically along the storey levels. In order to define a column that is inclined
along the storey levels, Top and Bot fields must be changed.
To change the insertion axes written in the Top and Bot fields;
1. Click on one of the axis label shown on the Top and Bot fields. The color of the label will turn
red.
2. Click on the new axis on plan window. You can also pick the appropriate axis among the
Members list that is activated when double-clicked or right-clicked on the axis labels in Top
and Bot fields.
3. Press Update button.

You can also use Pick Bottom Insertion Point button to change the bottom insertion
point of the column. For this purpose, pick the appropriate axis intersection on plan
Pick Bottom
window after you clicked on the Pick Bottom Insertion Point button.
Insertion Point
Column Orientation
Three options can be applied to the column to set its orientation:
1. When "1" is pressed, "b1" dimension of the column will be set parallel to the direction-1
insertion axis that appears in the "Axes" fields. "b2" dimension will be perpendicular to this
direction. Area (A) is the section area of the column and Shear area is 5/6*(Section Area of
column).
2. When "2" is pressed, "b2" dimension of the column will be set parallel to the direction-2
insertion axis that appears in the "Axes" fields. "b1" dimension will be perpendicular to this
direction.
Column End-Condition Options (Fixed/Hinged)

You can use the "Column End-Condition (Fixed/Hinged)" button to release moments of
top, bottom or both ends to assume pinned-end condition.
By successively pressing this button you can follow which end of the column becomes
Column End-hinged.
Condition When one of the ends of a column is hinged, the moments are released in two
orthogonal directions.
Column Sections
Column section properties and material can be evaluated in Edit Section/ Material (can be accessed
by right-clicking the existing column member). After clicking the Edit Section/ Material, a Column
Sections dialog window will be loaded. The dialog window comprised of General, Properties and
Material tabs. The section name and display color of the wall can be changed in General tab. The
moment of inertia, section area and shear areas can be reviewed in the properties tab while the
grade of concrete and steel can be evaluated in the Material tab.
Moment of Inertia (I1, I2) Section Area (A) and Shear Area
"I1" is the moment of inertia along direction-1 axis (about direction-2 axis) and "I2" is the moment of
inertia along direction-2 axis (about direction-1 axis) of the column.
A is the gross area of the section and,
Shear Area is used for the calculation of shear deformations and is calculated automatically as "5/6"
times the axial area of the section.
The program calculates the section properties of rectangular and circular columns automatically if any
(or all) of these fields is zero.
Polyline Column Editor will calculate and update these fields for the polyline columns and the values
will be displayed in the related fields.
Note:
You can make manual modification to any of the section property fields that you want to override the
automatically calculated property.
Column Material Definition

Material properties (concrete and reinforcing steel grade) defined on the Pre-Analysis tab of the
Building Analysis dialog will be assigned to the column element unless otherwise specified.
The material type to be used for a particular column element can be selected using the dropdown list
located in the Material field in the Edit Section/Material page. Concrete is selected by default and
Concrete Grades can be further specified in the Concrete field. Using the Concrete field different
concrete grades can be selected for any particular column element. A corresponding modulus of
elasticity for the selected concrete grade will appear in E field accordingly.
For materials other than concrete or steel, set the Material field to General. However, an appropriate
Modulus of Elasticity must be specified for the material in the E field. For materials other than
Concrete, the Concrete and Steel fields will be disabled and the column will not be included in the
section design.
Selected concrete and steel grades will be used in Column Section Design.
Concrete
If this field is left as Default, the Modulus of Elasticity for the related column will be calculated using
the Concrete Grade determined on the Pre-Analysis tab of the Building Analysis dialog. By selecting a
different Concrete Grade from this list, you allow the program to use the corresponding Modulus of
Elasticity and Characteristic Compression Strength in the calculations. The Modulus of Elasticity value
will also be displayed in the E field on the same form. User-defined Modulus of Elasticity values which
are independent of Concrete Grade can also be entered in this field.
Reinforcement Steel
If this field is left as Default, the Steel Grade for the related column will be taken from the Pre-Analysis
tab of the Building Analysis dialog. By selecting a different Steel Grade from this list you allow the
program to use the corresponding Yield Strength in Section Design.
Drop Panel
In Flat Slab type floor systems, a drop panel can be inserted on top of the columns in order to increase
punching resistance. To place a drop panel, select Drop tab in the Column Properties form and check
Insert Column Drop Panel option.
Dimensions and Eccentricities of the Drop Panel can be adjusted using b1, b2, e1 and e2 data
fields. Definition of these parameters are identical with column dimension and eccentricity parameters.
In order to locate the drop panel just to center the column, press Center button. e1 and e2 values
will automatically be determined according to the column size.
And lastly, depth of the Drop Panel can be defined by using h-Head field.
Changing Relative Height of Column Bottom Nodes

There are two ways to change the relative height of column bottom nodes.
The first way is to manually modify the Del-z (bot) field on 3D page of the Column Properties form. In
order to change this value:
1. Select an existing column.
2. Right-click and select Properties.
3. Click on 3D tab.
4. Insert the relative height from the lower storey level in Del-z (bot) field. (Negative values will
elongate the column downwards while positive values will shorten it upwards).
The second way is to utilise plane members. Plane members can be used to modify more than one
column at once. Besides this, a plane member may have a certain inclination and it can force the linked
columns to obey the plane definition.
Assigning Column Support Type

In order to define the Support Type for the Bottom Node of a column;
1. Select the column member. Load the Column Properties form by selecting the Properties
option in the shortcut menu.
2. Select Default, None or any other user-defined support types using the Support Types list
located in the 3D page of column properties form.
Please refer to Support Type Definitions section in order to create user-defined support types.
Default support restrains all six degrees of freedom (DOF) at bottom nodes of all columns and
walls defined in St01. In other words, all St01 columns/walls bottom nodes will have a fixed
support, whereas other nodes in the system are not restrained.
Bottom nodes of columns/walls will be free to displace, if None is selected.
Update Button
Whenever you make new specifications in one of the fields in Column Properties form for an existing
column member, press the Update button in order to display the changes in the plan window.
Close Button
Pressing the Close button will close the Column Properties form and return back to Select Mode.
Defining Offset Columns/Walls

If a column/wall sits on another column/wall defined on a different axis intersection, that column/wall
is said to be discontinuous in analytical way of thinking. Such a column will be indicated by a different
colour. If the mentioned axis intersections are too close and if 40% of upper columns area resides
within the lower column, ProtaStructure will link these offset columns with automatic rigid links. By
this way, unintended user errors can be tolerated.
Note: This type of modelling should be avoided. Although ProtaStructure is optimised for minimising
user errors, the analysis data file size may grow unnecessarily if false modelling is intentionally used. In
the offset column case, application of rigid links in long offset distances may result in reduction in axial
loads and increase in moments due to eccentricity.
Related Articles:

After defining a rectangular column at an intersection, this column can be converted into a polyline
column by using the Polyline Column Editor.
First, the rectangular column should be selected by using one of the Member Selection methods
described previously. Then the "Polyline Column Editor" can be loaded from the right-click shortcut
menu.
When you load the Polyline Column Editor, you will first see the outline of the rectangular column. The
column insertion point (intersection of the axes) is also displayed.
Column vertices are numbered sequentially. The (0,0) co-ordinate is fixed at the initial position of
vertex 0. The coordinates of each vertex are described by their horizontal, (dx) and vertical, (dy) offset
from this position.
Adding a New Vertex

A new vertex can be added by left-clicking anywhere along the column edge. The vertex will have the
coordinates of the mouse pointer, but if the Snap To Grid option on the toolbar is enabled then the
vertex will be located on the nearest grid point.
Editing Vertex Information

Vertex coordinates of a polyline column or a hole inside the column can be edited by right-clicking on
one of the vertices and selecting the Edit Vertex Data option.
When the Edit Vertex Data option is selected a Vertex Data window is opened. The dx and dy
cartesian vertex coordinates together with corresponding polar coordinates are displayed. In addition
to these, relative distance and relative angle to the predecessor and successor vertices are displayed in
d (Prev), d (Next), angle (Prev) and angle (Next) fields. Any modifications done in one of these fields
will automatically update the corresponding values in the other fields. Changes will take effect when
Apply button is clicked.
A vertex can be deleted by using Delete Vertex option in the vertex shortcut menu.
Edit Vertex Information Window
Inserting a Hole Inside The Column

When the mouse is right-clicked on the drawing canvas, a shortcut menu for Hole Insertion will be
displayed. By selecting one of the Insert Rectangular Hole or Insert Circular Hole options and dragging
the mouse inside the polyline section, the hole can be drawn manually.
Alternatively, an offset hole can be inserted by clicking the Offset Hole button located on toolbar. The
offset distance will be asked for and the whole section will be offset inwards by the specified amount in
order to form the hole.
Editing or Moving a Hole

Vertices of a hole can be edited by right-clicking on the vertex and selecting the Edit Vertex Data
option. Furthermore, a hole can be moved by right-clicking on one of the vertices of the hole and
selecting Move Hole By Dragging or Move Hole By Entering Distance
Likewise, if the hole is circular, Resize Circle option will be displayed when one of the edges of the hole
is right-clicked. Segment number of the circle must be written in n field. r indicates the radius of the
circle. D determines the location of the first point (0 labelled point) on the circle. An angle value in
degrees must be entered in this field. First point will be placed along this angle on the circle and other
points will be numerated counter-clock wise. Xc and Yc are center coordinates of the circle. Update
button will apply the changes.
A hole can be deleted by selecting the Remove Hole option.
Chamfering a Vertex
Vertices of polyline section and holes can be chamfered either by using straight lines or segmented
arcs. In order to chamfer one of the vertices, right click on any of the vertices and select Chamfer
Vertex option. Enter the chamfer distance in Chamfer Distance field in Chamfer Parameters window.
Maximum chamfer distance will be the minimum of two neighbouring edge lengths. The vertex will be
chamfered with a single straight line if you select Chamfer by Straight Line radio button.
You can select Fillet (Insert Segmented Arc) option to fillet the corner. Enter the arc radius in the
Chamfer Edge field. Precision of the arc can be adjusted by increasing the segment number in
Number of Segments field.
Removing a Chamfer or a Fillet

If an edge has two neighbouring edges to be angled such that their extensions intersect each other, the
edge can be assumed to be a chamfer. If this edge is right-clicked, Remove Chamfer option will be
activated in the shortcut menu. If selected, this option will totally remove the edge and will intersect
two neighbouring edges.
When right-clicked on a vertex, Delete Arc option will be displayed if there is a predefined fillet. Fillet
will be deleted and section will be restored if this option is selected.
Replace Arc with Chamfer

Replace Arc with Chamfer option will be displayed if a vertex of a fillet is right-clicked. The segmented
arc will be replaced with a straight line if this option is selected.
Cancel an Action
An action can be cancelled by selecting Cancel option located in the shortcut menu. Alternatively,
ESC button can be pressed from keyboard.
The Polyline Column Editor dialog window comprises the following menu options:
File Menu
This menu includes OK and Cancel options. The changes made will be valid if you close this menu
using the "OK" button. If you press the "Cancel" button the changes will be discarded.
Edit Menu
This menu includes Undo option which reverses the most recent operation. You can press this option
as many times as you wish, backing up one step at a time, until the drawing is as it was when you
began the current editing session. Alternatively, Undo option in the shortcut menu that is displayed by
right-clicking can be used. When the shortcut menu is loaded, Cancel option can be selected in order
not to do any operation.
View Menu
View menu includes Redraw, Zoom Extents, Zoom (+), Zoom (-), Grid Type and Show Vertex
Markers options.
The "Redraw" command re-displays all the drawing entities in the drawing area. After a redraw, the
window is refreshed.
Zoom Extents zooms to display the drawing extents. Using one of the Zoom (+) or Zoom (-) options
increases or decreases the apparent size of objects in the current view. Moreover, Dynamic Zoom and
Pan operations can be performed by using the mouse wheel. In order for the Dynamic zoom to be
enabled, a magnification factor other than 1.00x must be entered in the Magnification field in the
Settings dialog.
Type of the grids displayed on the arena can be swapped from Rectangular to Hexagonal (Isometric)
grid or vice versa by selecting Grid Type option and its sub-options. Change Grid button on the
toolbar can also be used to change the type of the grid.
Draw Menu
Draw pulldown menu comprises of options such as Snap To Grid and Parametric section.
When the mouse is left-clicked anywhere on the Drawing Arena, the vertex will be snapped to the
nearest grid point if Snap To Grid option is enabled. Grid spacing can be modified on the "Settings"
menu.
Parametric Sections
Instead of creating a new column by using one of the editing options, you can choose one of the
standard column sections provided by the Standard Column Shapes option. Common sections can be
easily created by using the parametric options provided in this editor. When you select one of these
column section buttons, related parameters will be available in the frame below. You can enter in the
parameters and choose OK button to create the shape in the drawing area. The new column will
overwrite any existing column information.
Manipulation Menu
You can rotate or flip an existing column outline using the options provided in the Edit menu.
Edit menu includes Rotate, Mirror Vertically, or Mirror Horizontal options.
The modifications will be displayed in the drawing area and the new coordinates of the edges will be
arranged accordingly.
In order to rotate the column around its origin (insertion) point, click the Rotate option and enter the
rotation angle in the Angle field in the dialog. The column will be rotated by the angle indicated,
counter-clockwise, after clicking OK and will be displayed in the drawing area. The new coordinates of
the edges will be arranged accordingly.
In order to mirror the column about x or y axes of the origin (insertion) point use one of the Mirror
Vertically or Mirror Horizontal options, respectively. The column section will be mirrored 180 degrees
about the chosen axis and will be displayed in the drawing area. The new column coordinates of the
edges will be arranged accordingly.
Settings Menu
Clicking the Editor Settings under the File pulldown menu will load the Column Editor Settings. General
screen settings can be controlled by this dialog.
The diameter, spacing, and number of corver/End Zone bars can be adjusted in the Longitudinal Bars
tab.
Grid Spacing to be used in the drawing area can be controlled by the "Grid Settings" tab. Grid spacing
can be given separately for "X" and "Y" directions.
The colour of the background, grid points, edges of the column, vertices and the origin can be selected
from the "Colour" settings tab.
The mouse wheel zoom step and circle segment count can be changed in Others tab.
After modifying some controls in the "Column Editor Settings dialog window, you can unload the dialog
window by clicking the "OK" button.
If you don't want to save changes on the settings you can unload the dialog window by clicking the
"Cancel" button.
It should be noted that if you unload the Polyline Column Editor by clicking the "Cancel" button, all the
modifications on the original rectangular column will be discarded.
Related Articles:
Column Properties
Column/Wall Shortcut Menu

You can access the most often used command options for the column members in the shortcut menu
(displayed by right-clicking the mouse) after selecting a column (or a group of columns).
A shortcut menu for a single column selection includes Polyline Column Editor, Column Reinforcement
Design, Column Steel Details and Column Punching Check options specific to a column member. These
options will be omitted from the shortcut menu when multiple columns are selected.
Delete, Mirror Elements and Properties options are default options in shortcut menus for all
member types. All the options provided in a column shortcut menu may also be accessed by using the
pulldowns.
Defining Column/Wall Nodal Loads

ProtaStructure applies automatic and user-defined lateral loads at each storey level. If multiple
diaphragms and free nodes exist at that storey, the applied load is shared among them in proportion
to their masses. Besides these, joint loads can be assigned to each of the six degrees of freedom at any
individual column top node. Define Column Nodal Load option can be used for this purpose.
As an alternative to defining wind load or soil thrust by means of user-defined lateral loads applied at
the diaphragm/free joint(s), similar loads can be applied as individual column/wall nodal loads (force or
moment) in element basis. Especially, loads from steel roof systems, loads due to temperature changes
in these systems can easily be modelled.
To define nodal loads for column/wall members:
1. Select single or multiple column/wall members you want to assign the nodal loads to.
2. Select the Add Column/Wall Nodal Load option located in shortcut (right-click menu).
3. Nodal load will be assigned only to selected members if you press Apply to Selected
Columns/Walls button.
All vertical members in the current storey will be assigned the same nodal load, if Apply to All
Column/Walls in the Current Storey option is selected.
Apply to All Column/Walls in the Current Building enables all columns and walls in the system to
possess the same nodal load.
4. After selecting one of the three options mentioned above, the Nodal Load form will be loaded.
Select the load case from the Load Case list. This will determine which load case the nodal
load will be defined in. Automatic Lateral Load Cases (Static EQ loading, DX; and Spectrum
Loading SX) cannot hold nodal loads. For this reason, if the nodal load will be a lateral load,
User-Defined Lateral Load or Notional Load type load cases must be involved in your
combination group.
5. Nodal loads are grouped into two categories, namely, Force and Moment. Fx, Fy and Fz
are along global coordinate system, whilst Mx, My and Mz are about global coordinate
system. Right-Hand Rule applies for the direction of moments. In plan window, +X represents
the horizontal direction from left to right and +Y is the vertical axis from bottom to top. +Z
defined in opposite direction to gravity. In order to define a vertical load (gravity load), one must
enter negative values to Fz field. Similarly, torsional moment on any of the joints is the Mz
moment.
6. Close the form by pressing OK button. The entered values will be assigned to column/wall as
nodal loads. To check whether there is a nodal load defined on a column/wall, hover on the
element with the mouse. The Column Tooltip Window will include the nodal load information as
well.
To modify or delete the nodal loads on Column(s) or Wall(s);
1. Select the related column/wall and load the Add Column/Wall Nodal Load form again as
described above.
2. Select the load case from the Load Case list. If there is a nodal load defined in the load case,
program will sound an alert and a message text will be displayed at the bottom of the window.
By entering a different value into the related fields (Fx, Fy, Fz, Mx, My or Mz), you will have
modified the nodal load. Entering a zero, will delete the load at that degree of freedom. In order
for the changes to be valid, just press OK button without switching to a different load case.
Note: Perform the delete/modify operation just for a single load case at a time.
Same operations count for the wall members as well. As details will be explained later, if Mid-Pier
Model is selected for the walls, the nodal load will be applied at the top column (pier) joint in the
middle. Whereas, if the FE Shell Model is used, nodal load will equally be distributed to the nodes of
the panel top edge.
Defining Column/Wall Span Loads

User-defined varying distributed lateral loads can be applied to individual column and wall spans.
As an alternative to defining wind load by means of user-defined lateral loads applied at the
diaphragm/free joint(s), similar loads can be applied as individual column/wall nodal loads (force or
moment) to columns/walls.
Note: The currently specified load combination must include lateral load cases if you intend to
apply column span loads.
To define span loads for column/wall members:
1. Select single or multiple column/wall members you want to assign the span loads to.
2. Select the Add Column/Wall Span Load option located in shortcut (right-click menu).
3. The Span Load form will be loaded.
4. Press the Add button to add a row into the table.
5. Click in the Load Case cell and use the drop down button to select the lateral load case in which
to place the load.
6. Define the loads and dimensions as per the diagram below.
7. Close the form by pressing OK button. The entered values will be assigned to column/wall
as span loads. To check whether there is a span load defined on a column/wall, hover on the
element with the mouse. The Column Tooltip Window will include the span load information as
well.
Related Articles:
Working with Columns - Defining/ Editing a Column
Working with Columns - Column Properties
Working with Columns - Polyline Column Editor
Working With Walls
Defining/Editing a wall
Defining a New Wall

Before inserting a wall member its reference axes must be defined.
To define a new wall member:
1. Display the storey level in the drawing area which will contain the top of the wall.
2. Press the Wall button located in the toolbar.
3. Right-click and select Properties. (Properties can be accessed alternatively by pressing the
Wall button).
4. Edit the fields in the "Wall Properties" form. For example, enter the Wall Label in the "Label" field
(max. 8 characters) to modify the section dimensions and eccentricities.
5. To insert the wall, find its insertion points in the plan view drawing area, or the 3D view. You
have to pick two axes intersections to insert the wall.
Walls are defined by two axis intersection points defining the start and end of the member.
After two axis intersections are picked in the plan view or 3D view the member will be inserted.
Labels of the axes that reference the i and j ends of the wall will be displayed in Top and
Bot fields on Wall Properties form. Identical axis intersections will be written in these fields
when the wall is first defined. In this case wall will be placed vertically between the storey levels.
In order to define a wall that is battered between the storey levels, Top and Bot fields must
be changed.
Editing an Existing Wall

In order to edit an existing wall:
1. Select an existing wall.
Wall button).
3. Modify the fields such as "b" and "b2 in the "Wall Properties" form.
Shortcut Menu.
Right-clicking on any one of the b, b2, Ext. I, or Ext. J fields will load a list of commonly used values
that may facilitate data entry.
You can repeat this process on as many members as you wish. One member at a time can be edited by
this method. If you want to update several columns at once, you can use "Wall Table" in the "Member"
menu. The Wall Table form can also be reached from the Member Tables option in the shortcut
menu.
Wall Shortcut Menu

There is no special option reserved for wall members in the shortcut menu. However, standard
Delete, Mirror and Properties options can be used for walls. Loads transferred from slabs to walls
can be seen and edited by using Edit Member Loads option. As in the columns, nodal loads can be
assigned to wall members using Define Column Nodal Load option.
Wall Table
You can use one of the methods below to load the Wall Table:
1. If no selection is made, all the Walls in the current storey or in the whole system can be listed
using Wall Table option in the Member pulldown.
2. If a mixed selection is made involving Walls, only selected Walls can be listed using Wall Table
option in the Member pulldown.
3. If some of the Walls are selected, only selected Walls can be listed using Properties option in
the shortcut menu (displayed by right-clicking)
If All Storeys option is checked in the Wall Table, other Walls defined in the Graphic Editor are
displayed even if they do not belong to current storey.
You can close this dialog window using Close button. All the changes made in this window will be
applied immediately.
Related Articles:
Wall Properties
Wall Properties
"Wall Properties" will be loaded when the "Wall" option in the "Member" pulldown (or toolbar) is
selected. A new wall can be defined by arranging the fields in the form and then by dragging two axes
intersections in the plan window
The Wall Properties form can also be accessed after selecting an existing wall and then by right-clicking
and choosing the Properties option in the shortcut menu. You can select a wall member by using one
of the Member Selection methods described previously.
When the Wall Properties form is open, right clicking a new Wall member and selecting the Select and
Load Properties option in the shortcut menu will load the properties of the new member in the same
window.
The Wall Properties form comprises four pages named as Gen, Drop and 3D. You can shift
between pages by pressing the related tab heading.
Label
The wall label can be entered in this field. This field (after formatting) is limited to 8 characters. A text
control spin button exists to the right of the label field to facilitate the creation of successive label text.
As in all member types, the wall member labels will be listed in the Structure Tree under the related
will sound an alarm and a warning note will appear in the status bar if a repeating member label is
detected.
Wall Thickness (b)

"b" is the thickness of the wall, which is the section dimension along its minor direction.
Wall Eccentricity (b2)

The eccentricity of the wall along its minor direction is defined by the field "b2" measured as a distance
between the insertion axis and the centreline of wall having a left I-end and a right J-end.
"b2" value cannot be greater than section width/2 or smaller than the width/2.
Wall Member Section Properties
Wall Extensions (I, J)

These fields define the extension dimensions of the wall from I and J axis intersections. I-Extension is
measured from "I" Reference Point to the edge at left and J-Extension is measured from "J" Reference
Point to the edge at right along the major direction of the wall.
These values must be greater than or equal to zero.
Insertion Axes
The simplest method for defining the insertion axes of wall elements is selecting two axes intersections
in the drawing area. For dragging two points, first press the left mouse button and select the second
point.
Following rules apply for the insertion of Walls:
1. Insertion points can be dragged in any preferred direction along the insertion axis. The defined
"I" and J" points will be swapped automatically when necessary based on the lower left point
priority method.
2. At least one common axis must exist among the two intersections. This common axis is termed
as the "Insertion Axis" of the Wall.
3. At every axis intersection at least a direction-1 and a direction-2 axis must be found.
Labels of the axes that reference the i and j ends of the wall will be displayed in Top and Bot fields
in the Wall Properties form. Identical axis intersections will be written in these fields when the wall is
first defined. In this case wall will be placed vertically between the storey levels. In order to define a
wall that is battered between the storey levels, Top and Bot fields must be changed.
To change the insertion axes as written in the Top and Bot fields;
1. Click on one of the axis label shown on the Top and Bot fields. The color of the label will turn
red.
2. Click on the new axis on plan or 3D window. You can also pick the appropriate axis among the
Members list that is activated when double-clicked or right-clicked on the axis labels in Top
and Bot fields.
You can also use the Pick Bottom Insertion Point button to change the bottom
insertion point of the wall. For this case, pick the new longitudinal axis line on plan
Pick Bottom
window after you clicked on Pick Bottom Insertion Point button.
Insertion Point
Shear Wall Sections

Wall section properties and material can be evaluated in Edit Section/ Material (can be accessed by
right-clicking the existing wall member). After clicking the Edit Section/ Material, a Shear Wall
Sections dialog window will be loaded. The dialog window comprised of General, Properties and
Material tabs. The section name and display color of the wall can be changed in General tab. The
moment of inertia, section area and shear areas can be reviewed in the properties tab while the
grade of concrete and steel can be evaluated in the Material tab.
Moment of Inertia (I1, I2) Section Area (A) and Shear Area
"I1" is the moment of inertia along direction-1 axis (about direction-2 axis) and "I2" is the moment of
inertia along direction-2 axis (about direction-1 axis) of the wall.
Shear Area is used for the calculation of shear deformations and is calculated automatically as "5/6"
times the axial area of the section.
The program calculates the section properties of rectangular walls automatically if any (or all) of these
fields is zero. You can view the calculated values by pressing the Display Section Properties button
under the Section heading in the form
You can make manual modifications to any of the section property fields that you want to override
those which are automatically calculated.
Wall Material Definition

Building Analysis dialog will be assigned to the Wall element unless otherwise specified.
The material type to be used in the particular Wall Element can be selected using the dropdown list
located in the Material field. Concrete is selected by default and Concrete Grades can be further
specified in the Concrete field as described below. Steel type can be selected if the wall is to be
manufactured from steel. A default Modulus of Elasticity value is displayed in E field, but it can be
further modified.
Modulus of Elasticity must be specified for the material. For materials other than Concrete, the
Concrete and Steel fields will be disabled and the wall will not be included in the section design.
Concrete
If this field is left as Default, the Modulus of Elasticity for the related wall will be calculated using the
Concrete Grade determined on the Pre-Analysis tab of the Building Analysis dialog. By selecting a
Elasticity and Characteristic Compression Strength in the calculations. The Modulus of Elasticity value
will also be displayed in the E field on the same form. User-defined Modulus of Elasticity values which
are independent of Concrete Grade can also be entered in this field. You can press the "Display Section
Properties" button for viewing the Modulus of Elasticity value used by the program.
In Column Section Design the wall will be considered to possess the Concrete Grade defined here.
Web Steel (Longitudinal)

If this field is left as Default, the Steel Grade for the related wall will be taken from the Pre-Analysis tab
of the Building Analysis dialog. By selecting a different Steel Grade from this list you allow the program
to use the corresponding Yield Strength in Section Design.
Drop Panel
In Flat Slab type floor systems, a drop panel can be inserted on top of the walls in order to increase
punching resistance. To place a drop panel, select Drop tab in the Wall Properties form and check
Insert Column Drop Panel option.
Dimensions and Eccentricities of the Drop Panel can be adjusted using b1, b2, e1 and e2 data
fields. Depth of the Drop Panel can be defined by using h-Head field.
Changing Relative Height of Wall Bottom Nodes

There are two ways to change the relative height of wall bottom nodes.
The first way is to manually modify the Del-z (I, bot) and Del-z (J bot)fields in 3D page of the Wall
Properties form. In order to change these values:
1. Select an existing wall.
3. Click on 3D tab.
4. Write the relative height from the lower storey level in Del-z (I,bot) and Del-z (J,bot)fields.
(Negative values will elongate the wall downwards while positive values will shorten it upwards).
The second way is to utilise plane members. Plane members can be used to modify more than one wall
at once. Besides this, a plane member may have a certain inclination and it can force the linked walls to
obey the plane definition.
Assigning Wall Support Type

In order to define the Support Type for the Bottom Node of a wall;
1. Select the wall member. Load the Wall Properties form by selecting Properties option in the
shortcut menu.
2. Select Default, None or any other user-defined support types using the Support Types list
located in the 3D page of wall properties form.
Please refer to Support Type Definitions section in order to create user-defined support types.
Default support restrains all six degrees of freedom (DOF) at bottom nodes of all columns and
walls defined in St01. In other words, all St01 columns/walls bottom nodes will have a fixed
support, whereas other nodes in the system are not restrained.
Bottom nodes of columns/walls will be free to displace, if None is selected.
Wall Model Type

ProtaStructure provides two different options for the analytical model of walls.
Analysis model of each individual wall member can be specified using Wall Model Type field in the 3D
tab of Wall Properties form.
One of the two models, is the Mid-pier Model which utilizes a single column at the center of the wall
with two rigid arms extending to two sides along the wall width at the top and at the bottom. Other
model is Finite Elements Shell Model which offers more accurate results for certain types of walls. You
can control modelling options globally for all the walls in the system by using Modelling Options in
Building Analysis form. Also, you can override the global model option by selecting a model type other
than Default from the dropdown list in the Wall Model Type field in Wall Properties form.
By this way, you can use different wall models for each separate wall. It is even possible to model the
same wall using different methods at different storey levels.
Update Button
Whenever you make new specifications in one of the fields in Wall Properties form for an existing wall
member, press the Update button in order to display the changes in the plan window.
Close Button
Pressing the Close button will close the Wall Properties form and return back to Select Mode.
Wall Insertion Options Button

This tool button is designed to facilitate the definition of the wall eccentricity "b2". The "Update" button
in the toolbar must be pressed to update the selected member with the new eccentricity values.
After setting the dimensions of a wall, you can easily set the wall eccentricities by
Wall Insertionpressing the Wall Insertion Options button.
Options
Alternatively, you can control the b2 value using the direction keys of your keyboard. In order to
modify the eccentricities, first select a wall and load the Properties dialog. Then, the b2 property will
be modified and the wall is displaced. The eccentricity step value can me set using the Member Section
Eccentricity Step value in Settings > General Settings > View dialog.
Defining Offset Walls
If a column/wall sits on another column/wall defined on a different axis intersection, that column/wall
is said to be discontinuous in analytical way of thinking. Such a column/wall will be indicated by a
different colour. If the mentioned axis intersections are too close and if 40% of upper column/walls
area resides within the lower column/wall, ProtaStructure will link these offset columns with
automatic rigid links. By this way, unintended user errors can be tolerated.
Note: This type of modelling should be avoided. Although ProtaStructure is optimised for minimising
user errors, analysis data file size may grow unnecessarily if false modelling is intentionally used. In the
offset column case, application of rigid links in long offset distances may result in reduction in axial
loads and increase in moments due to eccentricity.
Related Articles:
Defining/Editing a wall
Working With Beams
Defining/ Editing a Beam

Defining a New Beam
Before inserting a Beam member its reference axes should be defined.
To define a new Beam member:
1. Display the storey level in the drawing area which will contain the beam.
2. Press the Beam button located in the toolbar.
Beam button).
4. Edit the fields in the "Beam Properties" form. For example, enter the Beam Label in the "Label"
field (max. 8 characters) to modify the section dimensions and eccentricities.
5. To insert the beam, find its insertion points in the plan view drawing area, or the 3D view. You
have to drag between two axes intersections to insert the beam.
Beams are defined by two axis intersection points defining the start and end of the member.
After two axes intersections are picked in the plan view or 3D view the member will be inserted.
Defining a New Beam without Reference Axis

A new beam can also be defined without necessity of predefining the main reference axis that should
run along the beam. However, true potential end points or the axes that will potentially generate end
points, must be defined first. The following figures illustrate this.
A new beam will be defined between Point 1 and Point 2. These points are true potential end points of
the beam (I and J) and they are created by other axes, rather than a non-orthogonal axis that the beam
is supposed to be defined on.
When the new beam is drawn by picking the Point 1 and Point 2, a new axis will also be generated. This
new axis is given a unique name preceded by @ sign. The label of new axis can be seen on Structure
Tree
In the second case, Point 3 and Point 4 are random points on axes 1 and 2. These are the axes that will
participate in generating potential end points when the beam is drawn.
Again, the new beam is drawn by picking the Point 3 and Point 4. New axis is created automatically and
given a unique name.
Note: This feature is very useful but must be used with caution. If it is intended to define a beam by
traditional method over an already existing axis, you must be sure to snap to the real intersection
point. Program may draw the beam but not on the axis intended. Snapping options can be adjusted in
Object Snap tab in the Display Settings.
Editing an Existing Beam

In order to edit an existing beam:
1. Select an existing beam.
Beam button).
3. Modify the fields such as "Label", "b" and "b2" in the "Beam Properties form".
4. Press the "Update" button in the form.
Right-clicking on any one of the b, b2, h-bot, or h-top fields will load a list of commonly used
values that may facilitate data entry.
You can repeat this process to as many members as you wish. One member at a time can be edited by
this method. If you want to update several beams at once, you can use "Beam Table" in the "Member"
menu.
Update Beam End Conditions
Multiple beams can be hinged or fixed using the Update Beam End Conditions option in the shortcut
menu accessed using the right mouse button after selecting one or more beams.
After choosing the desired end condition a button menu appears for filtering options.
Using this button menu, you can either apply the chosen end condition to selected beams, all beam in
the current storey, or all beams in the model.
Beam Table
You can use the "Beam Table" in the "Member" pulldown to modify one or more existing beams.
Alternatively this option can be reached from the shortcut menu. You can also load Member Tables
toolbar by customizing the available toolbars. All cells in the table are editable. You can use the cursor
keys or mouse cursor to select a cell and edit the contents.
You can use one of the methods below to load the Beam Table:
1. If no selection is made, all the beams in the current storey or in the whole system can be listed
using Beam Table option in the Member pulldown.
2. If a mixed selection is made involving beams, only selected beams can be listed using Beam
Table option in the Member pulldown.
3. If some of the beams are selected, only the selected beams will be listed using Properties
option in the shortcut menu (displayed by right-clicking)
If the All Storeys option is checked in the Beam Table, other beams defined in the Graphic Editor are
displayed even if they do not belong to current storey.
Related Articles:
Beam Properties
Defining Curved Beam Members
Defining Beams out of Columns Insertion Points
Loading Decomposition Methods (Yield Line/FE)
Beam Properties
"Beam Properties" will be loaded when the "Beam" option in the "Member" pulldown (or toolbar) is
selected. A new beam can be defined by arranging the fields in the form and then by picking two axes
intersections in the plan window.
The Beam Properties form can also be accessed after selecting an existing beam and then by right-
clicking and choosing the Properties option in the shortcut menu. You can select a beam member by
When the Beam Properties form is open, right clicking a new beam member and selecting the Select
and Load Properties option in the shortcut menu will load the properties of the new member in the
same window.
The "Beam Properties" form has two tab pages named General and 3D. You can shift between the
pages by pressing the related tab heading.
Label
The label that will identify the beam can be entered in this field. This field (after formatting to be a
As in all member types, the beam member labels will be listed in the Structure Tree under the related
detected.
Type
"Normal" type beams are regular storey beams that are used throughout the structure. These beams
can be created non-orthogonal in the plane and inclined between the storey levels.
"Support Band" beams are used only when Finite Element Floor Models are created for Flat Slab
systems when there are not physical beams between the columns and walls.
These fictitious elements are utilised to mark the support regions of the flat slab systems. The section
dimensions of these members need not be given during insertion since they will be calculated from the
adjacent slab members. Therefore, prior to ceation of the "Support Band" type beams, all slabs in the
floor must be inserted.
The section width of the support band is calculated using the "L/4" of the adjacent slabs and the section
thickness is set equal to the slab depth.
The calculated section dimensions can be manually modified if required. To make such a modification,
just edit the calculated values and press the "Update" button in the toolbar.
Beam Section Width (b)

"b" is the section width of the beam.
Beam Eccentricity (b2)

The eccentricity of the beam along its section width is defined by the field "b2" measured as the
distance between the insertion axis and the beam centreline below having a left I-end and a right J-end.
The "b2" value cannot be greater than b/2 or less than b/2.
Beam Section Depths (h-bot, h-top)
"h-bot" is the section depth measured from the slab reference level (top edge) to the bottom edge of
the beam. Similarly, "h-top" is the section depth measured from slab reference level (top edge) to the
top edge of the beam.
Generally, all beams are inserted to stay below the slab reference level, having "h-top = 0". If you need
to define beams spanning above the slab top edge, then "h-top" will be a non-zero value while usually
"h-bottom" will be set equal to the slab thickness.
Beam Insertion Options Button

A set of insertion option buttons are provided to facilitate the definition of "b2" field.
After setting the dimensions of a beam, you can easily set the beam eccentricities by
pressing the Beam Insertion Options button and then selecting one of the eccentricity
Beam Insertionoptions from the form. Also by pressing the related button, you can view all the loads
Options acting on that beam.
Choosing one of the options provided by pressing the Eccentricity Option Buttons will automatically
redefine the b2 field in the Beam Properties form. "Update" button in the toolbar must be pressed to
update the selected beam with the new eccentricity values.
Alternatively, you can control the b2 value using the direction keys of your keyboard. In order to
modify the eccentricities, first select a beam. Then, when you press up or down keys, the b2 property
will be modified and the beam is displaced. The eccentricity step value can be set using the Member
Section Eccentricity Step value in Settings > Genetal Settings dialog.
It should be noted that the eccentricities of the beam defined here will not modify the location of the
actual analytical frame member used in the analysis model. The frame member will be located on the
insertion point of the beam.
Beam End-Condition (Fixed/Hinged)

You can use "Beam End-condition (Fixed/Hinged)" button to release moments of each
Beam End-end separately (I or J) or both ends of the beam to assume pinned-end condition.
condition
Insertion Axes
All structural members are inserted based on axes intersections as insertion reference. At least two
When an axis intersection is picked in the drawing area, the name of the intersecting axes will appear
in the "Axes" fields in the form. If there are more than two axes in the intersection, then the first
direction-1 axis and the first direction-2 axis found will be selected.
The simplest method for defining the insertion axes of beams is picking two axis intersections in the
drawing area.
Following rules apply for the insertion of Beams:
1. Insertion points can be selected in any preferred direction along the insertion axis. The defined
"I" and J" points will be swapped automatically when necessary with lower left point priority.
2. At least one common axis must exist among the axes found in the two intersections. This
common axis is termed as "Insertion Axis" of the Beam.
To modify any of the insertion axes:
1. Click the axis label field that you want to alter in the member form (the colour of the label field
will change).
2. Click the axis line or label text in the drawing area that you want to select as an insertion axis.
Or, you can select the new axis label from the member list.
3. Click the "Update" button in the toolbar to make the modifications.
Using this method, even the insertion point of the beam can be modified.
Beam Sections
Beam section properties and material can be evaluated in Edit Section/ Material (can be accessed by
right-clicking the existing beam member). After clicking the Edit Section/ Material, a Beam Sections
dialog window will be loaded. The dialog window comprised of General, Properties and Material
tabs. The section name and display color of the wall can be changed in General tab. The moment of
inertia, section area and shear areas can be reviewed in the properties tab while the grade of
concrete and steel can be evaluated in the Material tab.
Moment of Inertia (I) and Shear Area

"I" is the moment of inertia of the beam about a horizontal axis passing from the member's centroid.
Shear Area is used for the calculation of shear deformations of the beam and is calculated
automatically as "5/6" times the axial area of the section.
The program calculates the section properties of rectangular beams automatically if any (or all) of
these fields is zero.
You can make manual modifications to any of the section property fields to override those
automatically calculated.
Flange Dimensions (bf, hf)

The analysis and design of beams can be carried out using rectangular or flanged sections. Flanges
may be non-symmetrical as well. If any of the left and right flange height values ("hf") is omitted, then
the flange at that side is set to zero.
Beam Material Definition

Building Analysis dialog will be assigned to the beam element unless otherwise specified.
The material type to be used in the particular beam element can be selected using the dropdown list
located in Material field. Concrete is selected by default and Concrete Grades can be further
specified in Concrete field as described below. Steel type can be selected if the beam is to be
manufactured from steel.
Modulus of Elasticity must be specified for the material in the E field. For materials other than
Concrete, the Concrete and Steel fields will be disabled and the beam will not be included in the
section design.
Concrete
If Default value is left in this field, Modulus of Elasticity for the related beam will be calculated using
the Concrete Grade determined in the Materials page of Project Parameters form. By selecting a
Elasticity and Characteristic Compression Strength in the calculations. Modulus of Elasticity value will
also be displayed in the E field on the same form. User-defined Modulus of Elasticity values which are
independent of Concrete Grade can also be entered in this field by taking care of the current unit
system.
In Beam Section Design the beam will be considered to possess the Concrete Grade defined here.
Reinforcement Steel
If Default value is left in this field, Steel Grade for the related beam will be taken from Materials Page
of Project Parameters form. By selecting a different Steel Grade from this list you allow the program to
use corresponding Yield Strength in Section Design.
Changing Relative Height of Beam Insertion Points

There are two ways to change the relative height of beam insertion points.
The first way is to manually modify the Del-z (I) and Del-z (J)fields in 3D page of the Beam
Properties form. In order to change these values:
3. Click on 3D tab.
4. Write the relative height from the storey level in Del-z (I) and Del-z (J)fields. (Negative values
will lower the beam end with respect to storey level while positive values will elevate it).
The second way is to utilise plane members. Plane members can be used to modify more than one
beam at once. In addition, a plane member may have a certain inclination and it can force the linked
beams to obey the plane definition.
Update Button
Whenever you make new specifications in one of the fields in Beam Properties form for an existing
beam member, press the Update button in order to display the changes in the plan window and 3D
window.
Close
Pressing the Close button will close the Beam Properties form and return back to Select Mode.
Related Articles:

The method for defining Curved Beam Members is as follows:
1. Press the Beam button located in the toolbar.
2. Right-click and select Properties. When the Beam Properties form is loaded, edit the fields in
the form. For example, you can enter the Beam Label in the Label field, Beam Section Width
(b), Beam Eccentricity (b2) and Beam Section Depth (h-bot and h-top).
3. Select Curved Beam Insertion from the insertion method
4. Pick the first and second points using the left mouse button. First and second points defined in
this way will be the I and J points of the beam respectively.
5. Press F2 on your keyboard to enter the chord offset (h) of the curved beam or you can simply
define the chord offset (h) of the curved beam by picking a point on the graphical editor plan
view.
Related Articles:
Working with Beams - Beam Properties

I and J ends of beams in ProtaStructure Model must actually be defined at the same physical point
with column or wall insertion point. This assures the continuity of analytical model. However, due to
grid system complexities, architectural limitations or possible user errors, end points of the beam may
not coincide with column that is supposed to support it. If the beam end ( I or J) is defined on another
point within the physical borders of the column section, a rigid link is automatically created by the
analysis engine and the continuity is granted for.
Note: As stated above, this feature helps us to prevent user errors or to work around some geometrical
necessities. In normal conditions do not create your models relying on rigid links. Always work with
node-to-node concept in mind.
Also, by automatic rigid links, old version CW type members (hybrid column-wall members) are removed
from use. In case of a double-axised column, define it as a regular one (not by using wall member).
Define the beam end out of the insertion point making it to stay within the column border.
Geometric Model (I end of the beam does not coincide with the column insertion point.)
Analytical Model (Rigid Link created to link the new beam to the column)
Related Articles:
Working with Beams - Defining/ Editing a Beam
Choice of Method
Slab loads can be decomposed on to beams by either the traditional Yield Lines method, or by the
Finite Elements method.
Yield Lines Method

By default, slab loads are decomposed using the Yield Lines method.
Note that, line, point and patch loads inserted on the slab panels are distributed evenly over the area
of the slab panel when the Yield Lines method is used for load decomposition.
Finite Elements Method

If the Finite Elements decomposition method is required, Load Decomposition by FE" (located in the
Run menu) must first be carried out for that particular floor.
A special Finite Element structural model is created for the floor in order to calculate the loads
transferred to the beams. All nodes generated along the beams are restrained in z-direction in the
model. The reaction profiles calculated from the analysis are applied to the beams as slab loads. For
that reason, special care should be provided to make sure that each beam is defined by at least five or
six nodes for an acceptable level of accuracy.
Note that, due to the irregular meshing of triangular DKT plate elements used for Finite Element
modeling, exact symmetry of loading profile may not be achieved in all cases, but a much more reliable
load distribution can be obtained in cases where slabs are loaded with line, point and patch loads and
includes openings.
Defining Beam Loads by the Yield Line method

Yield Lines are automatically determined in slabs as they are positioned. Also, by default, loads are
automatically decomposed on to beams using these yield lines, hence no additional steps are required
to use this method.
Defining Beam Loads by the FE method

Before the Finite Elements method of load decomposition can be applied for a particular floor, the FE
beams loads must be calculated as follows:
1. Select the "Load Decomposition by FE" option in the "Run" pulldown (or toolbar).
2. Press the Determine Loads Transferred from Slabs button to load the selected floor into the FE
Floor Analysis form.
3. Specify the Plate Element Size and Mesh Uniformity Factor required.
4. To create the Finite Elements mesh of the model, click the Generate Model button.
5. Check the generated mesh is sufficient to produce the accuracy you require. (If necessary adjust
the Plate Element Size and/or the Mesh Uniformity Factor and regenerate the mesh until it is
satisfactory).
6. Close the FE Floor Analysis form to start the analysis.
7. Once the loads have been determined, close the Finite Elements Floor Analysis dialog.
8. At this point you will be prompted to choose how the calculated loads are to be applied. Pick
from the following:
"Apply to Selected Beams" this option will only apply FE load decomposition to those beams
that were selected prior to generating the FE mesh, other beams will retain Yield Line
decomposition.
"Apply to All Beams in the Current Storey" this option will only apply FE load decomposition to
beams in the current storey, other beams will retain Yield Line decomposition.
"Apply to All Beams in the Model" this option will apply FE load decomposition to all beams in
the model.
Changing the decomposition method for selected/all beams

To change the decomposition method for selected/all beams:
1. Select a beam, (or multiple beams) and pick Slab Loads Calculation Method in the right-click
shortcut menu.
2. Choose either the Yield Line, or FE Method as required.
3. At this point you will be prompted to choose method of application. You can either apply the
chosen decomposition method to the selected beams, all beam in the current storey, or all
beams in the model
Note: Before you run the building analysis, the FE beams loads must be calculated using the Load
Decomposition by FE.
Related Articles:
Working with Beams - Defining/ Editing a Beam
Working with Beam Loads
The Beam Loads Editor

Loads applied to a beam can be viewed or edited using the Beam Loads Editor which can be accessed
by selecting a beam and picking the Edit Member Loads option in the right-click shortcut menu.
The Beam Loads Editor displays all loads transferred to the beam, namely, self weight, wall loads, point
loads and loads transferred from the slabs.
The Beam Load Editor window includes the following fields:
Beam Loads Table

All local loads acting on a beam are listed in the Beam Loads Table at the upper-left corner of the
Beam Loads Dialog window. The information of each load type is listed in a separate line in the table.
Double-clicking on the definition line of any load will open the Load Profile Editor dialog window of the
related load.
Each load definition line is composed of cells which include Load Transfer Side, Load, X, Member
and Manual/Automatic column information for the given load. Manually entered loads will be added to
this list.
Load Transfer Side field indicates the direction of the load acting on the beam. For the manually
created loads, you can choose one of the Load Transfer Side Option Buttons in the Load Profile Editor
to set the load direction. This field is not editable for the automatic loads.
Load field depicts a graphic representation of the load type indicating if the
Self-Weight load is uniformly distributed, partial distributed, or a point load. The load
Wall Loadstype is chosen in the Load Profile Editor window while creating a load
Additional Loads manually. This field is automatically set by the program for the Automatic
Loads
The value defined in the "X" column that shows the distance from the beginning of the load function to
the starting point of the beam (I-end). This value should be less than the whole length of the beam.
Otherwise the load function will not be transferred to the beam.
In case of automatic loads, the Member field provides information about the member that is
transferring load to the beam.
Manual/Automatic Load field indicates whether the load is automatically listed by the program or
entered manually. This field is left blank for automatic loads whereas manually entered loads are
depicted with a hand figure.
Pressing Edit button after selecting an existing load in the Beam Load Table will open the Load
Profile Editor by which you can make necessary modifications for the selected load. Editing options for
Automatic Loads are very limited since most of the information is provided by the program and is not
allowed to be changed. For more information on editing options, see the Editing an Existing Load
definition in this section.
Pressing New Load button will open the Load Profile Editor by which you can specify all the necessary
information to define a new load manually. The new load will be added to the list in the Beam Load
Table. You can modify any information you provided for a new load later on by using the Edit button.
For more information on creating a new load, see the Defining a New Load definition in this section.
Pressing the Delete button after selecting an existing load will omit the load from the list in the table
and delete all the information associated with it. It should be noted that only manually entered loads
can be deleted from the load list.
Reactions
Reactions part in the Beam Load Dialog window displays the Dead Load (G) and Imposed Load (Q)
reactions at both I and J ends of the beam which are calculated automatically with respect to the
load information provided in the load list. If you edit the existing specifications of any load, the
reactions will be recalculated with respect to the new values specified.
All the loads in the Beam Load Table are illustrated in a graphic screen at the right part of the dialog
window. After selecting a load, the illustration of the selected load in the graphic screen will change
colour. When you add a new load or edit an existing load, the changes will be updated in the graphic
screen as well. Pressing Print button will print the graphic screen to the current system printer.
The changes made in Beam Load Dialog window will be valid if you close this form using the "OK"
button. If you press the "Cancel" button the changes will be discarded.
Defining a New Load

The information of each load is stored in the Load Profile Editor window which facilitates a graphic
illustration and specifications for the selected load. You can either open the Load Profile Editor of an
existing load to modify or edit any of these specifications by entering new values in the related fields,
or you can open a blank editor window to define a new load manually.
You must first select the Edit Beam Loads button in beam shortcut menu to access the Beam Loads
Dialog window. In order to add a new load to the Beam Load Table in the Beam Load Dialog window,
press the New Load button. This will open a blank Load Profile Editor window by which you can
specify all the necessary information to create a new beam load. All the fields provided in this editor
window are editable.
Defining a New Uniformly Distributed Load
1. After opening a blank Load Profile Editor window, press the Uniformly Distributed Load option
button which is located at the upper-left corner of the dialog window. Pressing this button will
load a new window for the selected load type.
2. Enter the Dead Load-G and Imposed Load-Q values in the related fields in order to define the
new load. The new uniformly distributed load will be assumed to act over the full length of the
beam and will be illustrated in the graphic screen above. You are also provided with a blank
field where you can enter a name or a definition for the newly created load to retain
information.
3. Press OK button to save the changes and turn back to the Beam Load Dialog window where
you will see the new load added to the list in the Beam Loads Table. Pressing Cancel button
will close the load editor without saving the changes.
Defining a New Partial Distributed Load
1. After opening a blank Load Profile Editor window, press the Partial Distributed Load option
button which is located at the upper-left corner of the dialog window. Pressing this button will
load a new window for the selected load type.
2. The information to define a partial distributed load should be given in the Distributed Load
table at the lower-left corner of the editor window. Each line in the table shows a point defining
the function by three components. In the first column ("X"), the distance from the current point
of the function to the starting point of the beam is given. This value should be less than the
whole length of the beam. Otherwise the load function will not be transferred to the beam.
Note that X cannot be a negative value.
3. In the second and the third columns, Dead Load ("G") and Imposed Load ("Q") values at the
current point of the function are shown. Each vertex point is numerated automatically in the
Vertex column.
4. Pressing any of the Add Below or Add Above buttons will create a new line in the table with 0
default values. You can modify these fields by entering new values in the appropriate cells. You
can also add new lines to the table below or above a selected line by using one of the Add
Below or Add Above buttons. In this case the new line will appear with the X value of the
selected line which is also editable. You can also delete any selected line by pressing the Delete
button.
5. Each load function added or modified can be viewed instantly in the graphic illustration above.
6. You can also use one of the automatic partial distributed Load Options facilitated by pressing
the Load Editor button. If you choose one of the load options provided here, and then fill in
the necessary fields, pressing OK will automatically set the values for the new load in the
Distributed Load Table. Choosing one of the Load Options again will automatically overwrite
any previously defined load function in the table.
7. After defining the partial distributed load, choose one of the Load Transfer Side options to set
the direction of the load.
8. You are also provided with a blank field where you can enter a name or a definition for the
newly created load to retain information.
9. Reference X field indicates the distance from the beginning of the load function to the starting
point of the beam (I-end). The horizontal distances of all other vertex points on the load
diagram are indicated based on this start point as reference.
10. This value will automatically be set by the program if you close the load editor by pressing the
OK button or you can enter a new value manually. Note that this value cannot be a negative
value.
Defining a New Point Load
1. After opening a blank Load Profile Editor window, press the Point Load option button which is
located at the upper-left corner of the dialog window. Pressing this button will load a new
window for the selected load type.
2. Enter the values Dead Load-G and Imposed Load-Q and Reference X (the distance from the
point load to the left point of the beam) values in the related fields in order to define the new
load. Reference X value should be less than the whole length of the beam. Otherwise the load
function will not be transferred to the beam. Note that this value cannot be negative.
3. You are also provided with a blank field where you can enter a name or a definition for the
newly created load to retain information.
4. After specifying the necessary values, the point load will be illustrated in the graphic screen
above.
5. After defining the point load, choose one of the Load Transfer Side options to set the direction
of the load.
Note that the Reactions in the Beam Load Dialog window will be recalculated with respect to the new
Dead Load (G) and Imposed Load-Q values specified for the new loads.
Editing an Existing Load

Both automatic and manually defined loads can be viewed and modified (if necessary) using the " Load
Profile Editor" dialog window for the related load. In order to open the editor window of any load, first
select the load by clicking on its definition line in the Beam Loads Table, and then press the Edit
button. You can also access the editor window of any load by double-clicking on its definition line in the
Beam Loads Table.
In order to edit an existing manual load:
1. Select a load in the Beam Loads Table.
2. Press the Edit button and the Load Profile Editor for the selected load will be loaded
3. Modify the necessary fields in the editor window and press OK button to save the changes and
turn back to the Beam Load Dialog window. Consequently, the Reactions in the Beam Load
Dialog window will be recalculated according to the new values specified.
4. Pressing Cancel button will close the load editor without saving the changes.
It should be noted that editing options for Automatic Loads (except for the Wall Loads) are very
limited since in most cases the necessary fields in the Load Profile Editor are filled by the program
automatically, according to the model created in the Graphic Editor.
It must be noted that editable fields in the Load Profile Editor of each automatic load is different.
Self-Weight of the beam is automatically calculated by the program using to the unit-weight value
defined for the beam members in Project Parameters form. In order to modify the existing Dead Load
(G) in the Load Profile Editor, enter a new value in the related field and press OK to save the changes.
The reactions in the Beam Load Dialog window will be recalculated according to the new value
specified.
Wall Load information is also listed in the Beam Load Table by default. However, the default wall
load values are taken as 0 unless you specify the necessary information in the Load Profile Editor.
In order to specify a wall load:
1. Select Wall Load in the Beam Load Dialog window.
2. Press the Edit button and the Load Profile Editor will be loaded. (Or you can press the Wall
Loads button under the Loads tab in the Beam Properties form to open the Load Profile
Editor directly)
3. Click the Select button and choose one of the default wall type options from the list. After
selection, the unit weight and wall thickness of the selected wall will automatically be calculated
and will be indicated in the related fields.
4. Then, enter the height of the selected wall in the Wall Height field. The Dead Load (G) value
will automatically be calculated and will be indicated in the related field right after the
specification of the wall height.
5. If you enter the values in the related fields manually, the Dead Load (G) value will be calculated
automatically according to the new values specified.
6. After the specification, the load diagram will be displayed in the graphic screen above according
to the new values specified. Pressing OK button will save changes and close the Load Profile
Editor window. The Reactions in the Beam Load Dialog window will be recalculated according
to the new Dead Load (G) value specified. Pressing Cancel button will close the load editor
without saving the changes.
Add.l Loads are also listed automatically in the Beam Load Table. The additional load values are
calculated by the program automatically after you run the Building Analysis. In case you make any
changes in the design, you must run the Building Analysis again in order that the program recalculates
the Additional Loads and updates the necessary fields in the Load Profile Editor accordingly.
To edit additional loads:
1. Select Additional Loads in the Beam Load Dialog window.
2. Press the Edit button and the Load Profile Editor for the selected load will be loaded.
3. Enter new values in the Dead Load (G) and/or Imposed Load (Q) fields.
After specification, the load diagram will be displayed in the graphic screen above according to the new
values entered. Pressing OK button will save changes and close the Load Profile Editor window. The
Reactions in the Beam Load Dialog window will be recalculated according to the new Dead Load
(G) and/or Imposed Load (Q) values specified. Pressing Cancel button will close the load editor
without saving the changes.
Editing options for the automatically calculated Adjacent Slab Loads is very limited. After opening the
related Load Profile Editor of these loads, you can only edit the Reference X field which indicates the
distance from the start point of the load to the left-end (I-end) of the beam. Pressing OK button after
you change reference field for these loads will save changes and close the Load Profile Editor window.
Consequently, the Reactions in the Beam Load Dialog window will be recalculated accordingly.
Pressing Cancel button will close the load editor without saving the changes.
It must be noted that if you uncheck Search Adjacent Slabs option in the Beam Load Dialog window,
automatically calculated Adjacent Slab Loads will be marked as Manual Loads. In this case you can
edit any of the fields in the Load Profile Editor of the related loads.
Beam Load Types

There are three basic load types which may be applied to a beam member.
These load types are Uniformly Distributed Loads (UDL), Partial Distributed
Loads (PDL), and Point Loads (PL). These load types are either calculated by
the program (Automatic Loads) or manually entered by the user (Manual
Loads).
Load Type Option
Buttons ProtaStructure provides graphical means to add loads and uses graphical
symbols to distinguish their types. You must choose one of the option
buttons in the Load Profile Editor dialog window while defining a new load.
Uniformly distributed Loads (UDL): Uniform loads act on the full length of a beam member. All
uniformly distributed loads, including the Self-Weight of the beams and Additional Loads, are
determined by the program automatically. If additional uniformly distributed loads exist, you can
define these loads manually.
There are two fields to define a uniformly distributed load: the load magnitudes "Dead Load -G" and
"Imposed Load -Q". The loads defined in these fields will be applied as uniformly distributed loads
through the total length of the current beam.
For more information see the Defining a Uniformly Distributed Load section below.
Partial Distributed Loads (PDL): A load may change value between the beginning and end of its
length range. These loads can have any shape defined by discrete points over the full or a partial
length of the member.
Slab Loads may be exemplified as a partial distributed load automatically calculated by the program.
For more information see the Defining a Partial Distributed Load section below.
Point Loads: These loads are concentrated loads that may act at any specified point along the
member.
There are three fields that define a point load: Reference X" (the distance from the point load to the left
point of the beam), and the load magnitudes Dead Load -G" and "Imposed Load -Q".
For more information see the Defining a Point Load section below.
Load Transfer Side Options

All these loads are vertical loads. For convenience, vertical beam loads may be classified to be
transferred from left, right or top of the beam.
This option is preset by the program and cannot be modified for the
Automatic Loads and Uniformly Distributed Loads. While defining a new
Load Transfer SidePartial Distributed Load and a Point Load, you can set one of the Load
Option Buttons Transfer Side Options in the Load Profile Editor to set the load direction. This
option is editable.
Definition of Load Transfer Sides
Beam Loads Classification

All local loads acting on the current beam may be classified as:
Automatic Loads
ProtaStructure can calculate the beam loads automatically using the slab area loads, wall information,
unit weight of the members, etc.
The following loads are calculated automatically:
Beam Self Weight as a uniformly distributed load. (using the unit weight of concrete defined in the
"Parameters" form and the geometry of the beam)
Uniformly distributed gravity loads transferred by the walls carried by the beam, as Wall Loads.
(Note that you must manually specify the necessary information in the related fields in the Load Profile
Editor of a wall load.)
Dead and imposed (live) loads transferred from the adjacent slabs (partial distributed loads
calculated based on the self weight and loads of the slabs) as Slab Loads. Slab load decomposition can
be carried out using Yield Lines or Finite Elements methods. When Finite Elements Load
Decomposition method is used, a more accurate load profile can be obtained especially when the slab
is loaded with point, line and patch loads and slabs with openings.
Additional dead and imposed (live) loads as Additional Loads. Program calculates the live loads and
additional dead loads transferred from the adjacent slabs over the top surface of the beam. Wall width
is deducted from the determination of the area of the top surface width of the beam. The Additional
Loads Editor contains an option to disable the automatic calculation of these loads. When "Calculate
Additional Beam Loads" option is unchecked, ProtaStructure will set the magnitude of these loads to
zero.
It must be noted that Automatic Loads cannot be deleted. Editing options for these loads (except for
the Wall Loads) are very limited since in most cases the necessary fields are filled by the program
automatically.
Manual Loads
Beam Load Analysis dialog also allows the user to manually enter any additional uniformly distributed
loads, point loads or partial distributed loads.
For more information you can refer to Defining A New Uniformly Distributed Load, Defining A New
Partial Distributed Load, and Defining A New Point Load sections below.
Load Analysis Options

If the "Search Adjacent Slabs" option in the Beam Load Dialog window is checked, dead and imposed
loads transferred from the adjacent slabs will be calculated by the program automatically. You can
uncheck this option in order to define slab loads manually.
If you want the program to perform the load analysis based on what it determines automatically, you
can check the Search Adjacent Slabs options again.
Copying and Pasting Loads

Manually entered loads of a selected beam can be copied to the clipboard and pasted to beams in the
selection set. To copy and paste the manual loads or wall load of a beam:
1. Select a beam.
2. Right-click to display the shortcut menu and pick Copy Manual Beam Loads or Copy Beam Wall
Load in order to copy the beam loads or wall load to the clipboard.
3. Select the beams that you want to paste the copied manual beam loads or wall load.
4. Right-click to display the shortcut menu and pick Paste Copied Beam Loads in order to paste
the beam loads or wall load in the clipboard to the selected beams.
A warning message will be issued if a beam with no wall load or manually defined load is being copied
to the clipboard.
Working With Slabs
Defining a New Slab

Before inserting a Slab member its reference axes should be defined.
To define a new Slab member:
1. Display the storey level in the drawing area which will contain the slab.
2. Press the Slab button located in the toolbar.
Slab button).
4. Edit the fields in the "Slab Properties" form. For example, enter the Slab Label in the "Label" field
(max. 8 characters) and modify the slab thickness "h".
5. Press the Loads tab in the Slab Properties form to access the next page and define the dead
and imposed loads of the slab. This form can alternatively be loaded by selecting Select and
Load Properties option in the shortcut menu.
6. In either the plan or 3D view, pick the position of the slab. By default, "Beam Region" is set as the
insertion method. So, picking a closed region surrounded by beams and/or walls will be
sufficient to define the slab boundaries. For the other insertion methods see related topics
further in this section.
7. Edges of the slab will be numbered in counter-clockwise direction and displayed in Graphic
Editor, as first edge being the lower edge on plan.
Editing an Existing Slab

In order to edit an existing slab:
1. Select the slab.
Slab button).
3. Modify the fields such as "Label", "h" and/or loadings in the "Slab Properties" form.
You can repeat this process with as many members as you wish. One member at a time can be edited
by this method. In order to update several slabs at once, you can use the "Slab Table" in the "Member"
menu.
Slab Insertion Methods

After completing the parameters in the "Properties" form you can choose the slab insertion method.
The selection of slab insertion methods can be accessed using the "Location" button in the "Properties"
window.
Note that, these methods are not applicable for the insertion of cantilever slabs.
Picking one of these methods will set it active for only one slab insertion. If you want to make a method
to be your default slab insertion method, you can use "Slab Insertion Method (Default)" options in the
"Graphic Editor View Settings" dialog in "Settings" pulldown menu.
Axis Region
When "Axis Region" method for defining slab insertion is selected, insertion axes can be defined simply
by picking a point surrounded by axes.
If there is more than one region (surrounded by axes) within a slab panel, then successive points can
be picked by pressing (and holding down) the "Ctrl" key while picking points. The regions must be
selected one by one using an adjacent region every time. The insertion of the slab will be completed
when the "Ctrl" key is released.
Slab Insertion Using "Axis Region"
Distribution of loads to the adjacent beams (yield lines) will also be displayed if the "Ctrl" is used during
slab insertion, even if there is only one region within the slab area.
The insertion axes will appear in the "Insertion Axes" frame during picking sorted in counter-clockwise
order starting from the lower-left edge of the slab.
Beam Region (Default)

This is the simplest method for inserting a slab. If the slab is completely surrounded by beams and/or
walls then this method can be used. Just pick a closed area (surrounded by beams and/or walls) to
insert the slab.
Slab Insertion Using "Beam Region"
Note: While using this method if "Ctrl" key is pressed, then "Axis Region" method will be active instead of
"Beam Region" method.
Pick Axis
"Pick Axis" method can be used as a third slab definition method. In this method, you can define the
slab by picking the axes surrounding the slab.
To insert a new slab using this method; first select Pick Axis and then pick the axes in any order
(counter-clockwise or clock-wise) starting from any axis. Finally, press "New Slab Panel" button.
Alternatively, instead of pressing New Slab Panel button, you can re-select the first axis you have
shown. The new slab will be inserted to the region surrounded by the selected axes. Then, insertion
axes in the "Insertion Axes" frame will be cleared automatically in order to define a new slab.
Note that, the slab will not be inserted in the defined region if it is not appropriate for a slab insertion
(i.e. crossed by some other members).
This method can be used when the other methods (especially Beam Region or Axis Region) are
difficult to apply.
Pick Points
"Pick Points" method can be used as a fourth slab definition method. In this method, you can define the
slab by picking the axis intersection points around the perimeter of the slab. For simple boundaries
this option requires one less click per slab than the Pick Axis option.
To insert a new slab using this method; after pressing the Insertion button in the "Slab Properties"
window, select Pick Points method. Then, select an axis intersection point and continue selecting axis
intersection points around the perimeter of the slab as required. As soon as you click an intersection
where an axis is found that goes back to the start point the slab is inserted.
This efficient method can be used when the other methods (especially Beam Region or Axis Region)
are difficult to apply.
Note: In the case of an error while using this method, all previously defined axes can be deleted by
pressing the Delete All Axes button then you can restart the definition of the slab.
Insert Slabs Automatically

Multiple slabs can be automatically inserted adjacent to selected beams.
To insert slabs automatically:
Select the beams to add slabs around (all beams will be used if nothing is selected).
Display the Slab Properties Dialog and enter the properties and loads of the slabs to be inserted.
Enter the label of the first slab.
Select the Insert Slabs Automatically command from the Members menu.
Setting Slab Types Automatically

Slab types are used by the analytical analysis procedures. You can use Set Slab Types Automatically
form to assign the slab types considering the neighbour panels in the plan.
In order to initiate this function,
Right click to the Slabs node in the Structure Tree and select "Set Slab Types Automatically " menu
option. In this case, the function will be applied to all slab panels in the model.
Select one or more slabs and load the short-cut menu using the right mouse button and select Set
Slab Types Automatically option. In this case, the function will be applied to selected slab panels (or all
slab panels if Determine the Types of All Slabs in the Storey is checked).
The slab types will be assigned when the OK button is pressed.
This option cannot determine the types of cantilever slabs and slab panels with more than 4 edges.
Slab Table
You can use the "Slab Table" in the "Member" menu to modify one or more existing slabs. All cells in the
table are editable. You can use the cursor keys or mouse cursor to select a cell and edit the contents.
Slab Load Decomposition

ProtaStructure transfers the loads from slabs automatically using the yield line theory. Optionally, FE
slab load decomposition can be applied. For details see: Loading Decomposition Methods (Yield
Line/FE)
Beam loads may be viewed, edited or printed at any time selecting a beam and using the "Edit Member
Loads" option in the shortcut menu accessed by right clicking the mouse
Related Articles:
Slab Properties
Slab Properties
"Slab Properties" will be loaded when the "Slab" option in the "Member" pulldown (or toolbar) is
selected. A new beam can be defined by arranging the fields in the form and then by clicking on one or
more regions surrounded by axis elements in the plan window.
The Slab Properties form can also be accessed after selecting an existing slab and then by right-
clicking and choosing the Properties option in the shortcut menu. You can select a slab member by
When the Slab Properties form is open, right clicking a new slab member and selecting the Select and
Load Properties option in the shortcut menu will load the properties of the new member in the same
window.
The "Slab Properties " form has two tab pages named General and Loads. You can shift between the
pages by pressing the related tab heading.
Slab Label
The label that will identify the slab can be entered in this field. This field (after formatting to be a
As in all member types, the slab member labels will be listed in the Structure Tree under the related
storey heading. This list can be used to select a member by clicking a member label.
detected.
Slab Type
The boundary conditions of the slab are determined from its entry. "Slab Type" codes are used for the
analysis of uniform slabs using the moment coefficients method.
Available Slab Panel Types
A button menu that contains all the possible types will appear when this field is clicked. You should
make a selection from the menu according to the boundary conditions of the slab.
Slab Types 12 and 13 are reserved for the "Cantilever Slabs supported by long and short edges
respectively. These two selections are used by the Finite Element Slab Strips as well. For normal slabs,
any other slab type selection (i.e. All Edges Continuous) can be selected.
The 0 coded slab type in the list is used for modelling the one-way slabs. Prefabricated slabs whose
two parallel edges do not transfer load to the system, can be classified in this category.
Slab Thickness (h)

You can enter the thickness of the slab ("h") in this field. The slab thickness value will appear in the plan
window. If the thickness of the slab is smaller than the minimum slab thickness required, the program
will sound an alarm and a warning note will appear in the status bar.
Concrete Cover
This field can be used to specify the nominal concrete cover measured from the bar face to the edge of
the slab. The effective depth of the slab is calculated using this concrete cover, the size of the bars used
and the layer number of the tension reinforcement.
A global control of nominal concrete covers can be achieved using the "Design" tab in the "Slab Design
Settings" form.
Distance to Reference Point (d)

This field will appear if the slab type is selected as cantilever (Types 12 and 13). " d" is the distance from
the reference point to the beginning of the slab. The reference point of the slab is always the first point
picked during the insertion of the cantilever slab.
Cantilever slab Dimensions (b-Slab, L-Cant)

These fields will appear if the slab type is selected as cantilever. "b-Slab" is the width measured along
the supported edge and "L-Cant" is the cantilever length of the slab.
If "b-Slab" is "0" then the slab is defined as spanning completely between the insertion points. "L-Cant"
will have no effect when "b-Slab" is zero.
When you right-click onto h, d, b-Slab and L-Cant fields, aiding pulldown menus will appear with
the frequently used values. This provides an ease in data input from keyboard.
Label Corner
Slab label will be placed closer to the corner entered in this field. If 0 is entered, the slab label will be
centered in the slab panel.
Angle
Primary reinforcement direction angle of the slab can be defined using the Angle field. The M1
moment contours and M1d design moment contours of the slab will be generated along this direction
in Finite Elements Floor Model Post-processor Window. The M2 and M2d contours will be generated
along perpendicular to the direction defined by this global angle.
Note that Mx and My moment contours are generated along global x and y directions respectively.
The direction defined by the Angle field is measured in degrees counter-clockwise with positive x-axis
to be 0.
Insertion Axes (Standard Slab)

All structural members are inserted based on axis intersections as insertion reference.
Each edge of the slab is defined by an axis. The edges are sorted in counter-clockwise order and listed
in "Insertion Axes" frame. Four methods are available for defining these axes, namely, "Axis Region",
"Beam Region", "Pick Axis" and "Pick Points". The details of how to use these insertion methods are
described below in section "Inserting a Slab".
Axes (Cantilever Slab)

axes of different direction code (namely 1 and 2) must intersect at every insertion point. When an axis
intersection is picked in the drawing area, the name of the intersecting axes will appear in the " Axes"
fields in the form. If there are more than two axes in the intersection, then the first direction-1 axis and
the first direction-2 axis found will be selected.
Two axes of intersection are needed for defining a Cantilever Slab. The simplest method for defining
the insertion axes of a cantilever slab is picking two axis intersections in the drawing area. The first
point picked will be the "Reference Point" of the cantilever slab and "d" distance will be measured from
this point to the start of the slab
Cantilever Slab Parameters
The following rules apply for the insertion of Cantilever Slabs:
1. At least one common axis must exist among the axes found in the two intersections. This
common axis is termed as the "Insertion Axis" of the cantilever slab.
2. The insertion side of the cantilever slab depends on the order of the two points defined. The
slab will be inserted below the insertion axis if the points are picked from left to right. If the slab
is to be positioned above the insertion axis then the points must be picked from right to left.
4. A cantilever slab cannot span longer than the supporting beam (or adjacent slab if there are no
beams). Therefore usually the insertion points must be defined same as that of the supporting
beam (or adjacent slab).
5. The selected two points cannot span more than a beam.
Self Weight
The Self-weight (per area) of the slab will be calculated automatically using the " Unit Weight of concrete"
defined in "Project Parameters" section and "Slab Thickness".
The calculated value can be manually edited. But, if the thickness of the slab is modified or "Self
Weight" is zero, then this field will be updated automatically.
In order to neglect the self weights of the members you have to set "Unit Weight of concrete" defined in
"Project Parameters" section to zero. Alternatively, a negligible (very small) "Self Weight" value may be
entered in this field.
Dead Load (Additional)

The calculated weight (per area) in the above field does not include any additional covers. To add
additional weights such as ceiling plaster, fake ceiling, floor finishes, the "Dead Load" field can be used.
Live Load
The imposed live loads (per area) on the slab can be defined using this field. Right-clicking on this field
will provide access to standard imposed loads defined in the codes.
Parapet Load
Parapet Load can be applied to the cantilever slabs. You can enter the parapet load using the Parapet
Load field located in the Loads tab of the Properties dialog.
Parapet load is classified as dead load.
Relative Level
In order to define the relative top level of the slab you can use this field. According to the negative or
positive values you entered, the slab will be lowered or raised relatively. By this way, you can define
slab systems with different elevations. It is recommended to model the local elevation differences by
this method. If you think that the relative difference in elevations will cause a separation in
diaphragms, then try using plane definitions.
"Slab Strips" must be defined taking lowered or raised slabs into account in order to curtail the steel
bars correctly.
Similarly, if the moment coefficients method of analysis is used, then it should be noted that these
edges will be assumed to be discontinuous.
Using the available options in the "Run" pulldown, the analysis and design of the slabs can be carried
out. Detailed information about the slab analysis and design can be found in the related sections.
Subgrade Co-efficient (Foundation Level slabs only)

A Subgrade Co-efficient can be applied to individual slabs using this box, overriding the value specified
in the FE Raft Foundation Analysis form.
Slab Does Not Contribute To Floor Diaphragm

Usually in the analysis of the building systems, slabs are considered to behave infinitely rigid in their
planes, thus, forming rigid diaphragm action.
If Slab Does Not Contribute to Floor Diaphragm option in the Loads tab is checked, related slab will not
participate in rigid diaphragm action. By this way, all the nodes linked to the corners of this slab will
displace independent of rigid diaphragm. For a complete control over diaphragm formation on a storey
level use Modelling Options in Building analysis form in the Run pulldown.
Related Articles:
Working with Ribbed Slab
Defining/Editing a Ribbed Slab
Defining a New Ribbed Slab

Before inserting a Ribbed Slab member its reference axes should be defined.
To define a new Ribbed Slab member:
1. Display the storey level in the drawing area which will contain the slab.
2. Press the Ribbed Slab button located in the toolbar.
Ribbed Slab button).
4. Edit the fields in the "Ribbed Slab Properties form. For example, enter the Ribbed Slab Label in
the "Label" field (max. 8 characters) and modify the rib dimensions.
5. Press the Insertion tab in the Ribbed Slab Form to access the second page and define the
reference point and the direction of the ribs.
6. Press the Loads tab in the Ribbed Slab Form to access the third page and define the dead and
imposed loads of the ribbed slab.
7. In either the plan or 3D view, pick the position of the slab. By default, "Beam Region" is set as the
insertion method. So, picking a completely enclosed region surrounded by beams and/or walls
will be sufficient to define the slab boundaries. For the other insertion methods see the related
topics further in this section.
Editing an Existing Ribbed Slab

In order to edit an existing ribbed slab:
1. Select the ribbed slab.
Ribbed Slab button).
3. Modify the fields such as "Label", dimensions and/or loadings in the "Ribbed Slab Properties
form.
this method. In order to update several ribbed slabs at once, you can use the "Ribbed Slab Table" in the
"Member" menu.
Inserting a Ribbed Slab

After completing the parameters in the "Ribbed Slab Properties" form you can show the insertion of the
ribbed slab using one of the following available methods. Four methods are available for defining these
axes, namely, "Axis Region", "Beam Region", "Pick Axis" and Pick Points. The selection of ribbed slab
insertion methods can be accessed using the "Insertion" button in the "Ribbed Slab Properties" window.
Axis Region
When "Axis Region" method for defining slab insertion is selected, insertion axes can be defined simply
by picking a point surrounded by axes.
If there are more than one region (surrounded by axes) within a ribbed slab panel, then successive
points can be picked by pressing (and holding down) the "Ctrl" key while picking points. The regions
must be selected one by one using an adjacent region every time. The insertion of the ribbed slab will
be completed when the "Ctrl" key is released.
Ribbed Slab Insertion Using "Axis Region"
The insertion axes will appear in the "Insertion Axes" frame during picking.
Note: Its difficult to apply this method of ribbed slab insertion in the case of increasing number of
regions.
Beam Region (Default)

This is the simplest method for inserting a ribbed slab. If the slab is completely surrounded by beams
and/or walls then this method can be used. Just pick a closed area (surrounded by beams and/or walls)
to insert the ribbed slab.
Ribbed Slab Insertion Using "Axis Region"
Note: While using this method if "Ctrl" key is pressed, then "Axis Region" method will be active instead of
"Beam Region" method.
Pick Axis
"Pick Axis" method can be used as a third ribbed slab definition method. In this method, you can define
the ribbed slab by picking the axes surrounding the slab.
To insert a new slab using this method; first select Pick Axis and then pick the axes in any order
(counter-clockwise or clock-wise) starting from any axis. Finally, press "New Slab Panel" button.
Alternatively, instead of pressing New Slab Panel button, you can re-select the first axis you have
shown. The new ribbed slab will be inserted to the region surrounded by the selected axes. Then,
insertion axes in the "Insertion Axes" frame will be cleared automatically in order to define a new slab.
Note that, the ribbed slab will not be inserted in the defined region if it is not appropriate for a slab
insertion (i.e. crossed by some other members).
This method can be used when the other methods (especially Beam Region or Axis Region) are
difficult to apply.
Pick Points
"Pick Axis" method can be used as a fourth ribbed slab definition method. In this method, you can
define the ribbed slab by picking the axis intersection points around the perimeter of the slab. For
simple boundaries this option requires one less click per ribbed slab than the Pick Axis option.
To insert a new ribbed slab using this method; after pressing the Insertion button in the "Slab
Properties" window, select Pick Points method. Then, select an axis intersection point and continue
selecting axis intersection points around the perimeter of the ribbed slab as required. As soon as you
click an intersection where an axis is found that goes back to the start point the slab is inserted.
This efficient method can be used when the other methods (especially Beam Region or Axis Region)
are difficult to apply.
Note: In the case of an error while using this method, all previously defined axes can be deleted by
pressing the Delete All Axes button then you can restart the definition of the slab.
Ribbed Slab Table

You can use the "Ribbed Slab Table" in the "Member" menu to modify one or more existing slabs. All
cells in the table are editable. You can use the cursor keys or mouse cursor to select a cell and edit the
contents.
applied without getting back.
Ribbed Slab Load Transfer

ProtaStructure transfers the loads from ribbed slabs automatically assuming each rib transfers loading
equally to the supporting beams. Beam loads may be viewed, edited or printed at any time using the
"Edit Member Loads" in the shortcut menu.
Related Articles:
Ribbed Slab Properties
Ribbed Slab Properties
The "Ribbed Slab Properties" will be loaded when the "Ribbed Slab" option in the "Member" pulldown (or
toolbar) is selected. A new ribbed slab can be defined by arranging the fields in the form and then by
clicking on one or more regions surrounded by axis elements in the plan window.
The Ribbed Slab Properties form can also be accessed after selecting an existing ribbed slab and then
by right-clicking and choosing the Properties option in the shortcut menu. You can select a ribbed slab
member by using one of the Member Selection methods described previously.
When the Ribbed Slab Properties form is open, right clicking a new ribbed slab member and selecting
the Select and Load Properties option in the shortcut menu will load the properties of the new member
in the same window.
The "Ribbed Slab Properties" form has three tab pages named General, Insertion, and Loads. You can
shift between the pages by pressing the related tab heading.
Ribbed Slab Label

The label that will identify the ribbed slab can be entered in this field. This field (after formatting to be a
As in all member types, the ribbed slab member labels will be listed in the Structure Tree under the
related storey heading. This list can be used to select a member by label.
detected.
Type
You can select Ribbed Slab Type using this field. Options in this field are:
Normal: Use this option to model monolithic one way Ribbed Slabs that are fixed supported to the
storey beams.
Prefabricated: This type can be used for prefabricated one way Ribbed Slabs. Ribs are hinge connected
to the storey beams.
Grillage: Two way Waffle Slabs can be modelled by this option. Ribs are fixed supported to the storey
beams. Only Finite Element Analysis method can be used in the analysis of such systems.
Rib Dimensions and Spacing (bw, h, h-Slab, s-Block)

Width ("bw") and height ("h") of the rib beams, height of slab (or topping) ("h-Slab") and width of blocks
(or clear distance between the ribs) ("s-Block") can be defined using these fields.
Ribbed Slab Parameters
Insertion Axes
All structural members are inserted based on axis intersections as insertion reference.
Each edge of the slab is defined by an axis. The edges are sorted in counter-clockwise order and listed
in "Insertion Axes" frame. Four methods are available for defining these axes, namely, "Axis Region",
"Beam Region", "Pick Axis" and Pick Points. The details of how to use these insertion methods are
described below in section "Inserting a Ribbed Slab".
Orientation of Ribs
Fields that are used for the orientation of the Rib beams are located in the Insertion page of the
Ribbed Slab Properties form.
Orientation Parameters of Ribs
The "Control Point X" is used for defining the position of the lower edge (viewing from left to right) of
the first rib. One of the following methods can be used to define this point:
1. One of the corners of the slab can be selected to be the control point of the ribs by clicking the
related corner button. The selected corner is marked with a red dot in these buttons.
Next to the four corner buttons, four edge buttons are located that defines the direction of the
ribs. The direction of the ribs is set perpendicular to the edge marked with the red colour on the
button.
To position the ribs using this method, select the edge button, then press one of the corner
buttons and modify (if necessary) the distance and press the "Update" button to re-draw the
ribs.
2. Alternatively, when none of the buttons in this form are depressed, set the rib angle by entering
the desired value (in degrees) to the "Angle" field.
Slab Does Not Contribute To Floor Diaphragm

Usually in the analysis of the building systems, slabs are considered to behave infinitely rigid in their
planes, thus, forming rigid diaphragm action.
If Slab Does Not Contribute To Floor Diaphragm option in the Insertion tab is checked, related ribbed
slab will not be participating in the rigid diaphragm action. By this way, all the nodes linked to the
corners of this slab will displace independent of rigid diaphragm. For a complete control over
diaphragm formation on a storey level use Modelling Options in Building analysis form in the Run
pulldown.
Insert Transverse Rib

The Insert Transverse Rib option in the Insertion tab is used to individually control the existence of
cross ribs. There is a requirement for these (to ensure load sharing) in EC2.
When checked, standard ribbed slabs have one or two transverse direction secondary beam added if
the ribs are longer than certain length limits.
The length limits are controlled via the Slab Setting dialog (defaults 4 and 7 m).
Self Weight
Self-weight (per area) of the ribbed slab will be calculated automatically using the " Unit Weight of
Concrete" and "Unit Weight of Blocks" defined in "Project Parameters" section and using the section
dimensions of the ribs and slab.
The calculated self weight value can be edited by the user. If one of the section dimensions of the ribs
or the thickness of the slab is modified or "Self Weight" is zero, then this field will be updated
automatically.
In order to neglect the self weights of the members you have to set "Unit Weight of concrete" defined in
"Project Parameters" section to zero. Alternatively, a negligible (very small) "Self Weight" value may be
entered in this field.
Dead Load (Additional)

The calculated weight (per area) in the above field does not include any additional covers. To add
additional weights such as ceiling plaster, fake ceiling, floor finishes, "Dead Load" field can be used.
Live Load
The imposed live loads (per area) on the ribbed slab can be defined using this field. Right-clicking on
this field will provide access to standard imposed loads defined in the codes.
Related Articles:
Defining/Editing a Ribbed Slab
Slab Opening Properties

"Slab Opening Properties" will be loaded when the "Slab Opening" option in the
"Member" pulldown (or toolbar) is selected. A new slab opening can be defined by
arranging the fields in the form and then by clicking the insertion reference.
Slab Opening
The following fields exist in this properties form:
Slab Opening Dimensions (b1, b2)
Horizontal ("b1") and vertical ("b2") dimensions of the slab opening can be defined in these fields.
Slab Opening Parameters
Slab Opening Reference Distances (e1, e2)
Slab openings are inserted based on an axis intersection as reference point. The horizontal distance
("e1") and vertical distance ("e2") to the lower left corner of the slab opening can be defined by picking a
reference insertion point and pressing F2 on keyboard. The e1 and e2 can be defined as
coordinates (x, y) or polar (r<angle) with respect to the selected reference point.
The e1 reference distance of opening is measured along the direction specified by the Angle field.
Similarly, e2 is measured perpendicular to the direction specified by the Angle field.
Alternatively, e1 and e2 can be defined by simply picking the reference (first point) and the insertion
points (second point).
Opening Angle
The "Opening Angle" field allows you to define inclined slab openings. This is the angle of the bottom
edge of the opening measured from horizontal axis.
Inserting a New Slab Opening

The Slab should be created before the Slab Opening is inserted.
To define a new Slab Opening:
1. Press the Slab Opening button located in the toolbar.
2. Enter the opening dimensions ("b1" and "b2") and the angle of the opening lower edge with
respect to the direction 1 (horizontal) axis.
3. Picking a reference point on plan or 3D views. Insertion point or the distances to the reference
point ("e1" and "e2") can be defined by picking the second point on the plan or 3D views.
Alternatively, F2 can also be used to define the e1 and e2 after picking the reference point.
4. Note: If F2 is used to define the e1 and e2, the relative coordinates e1 and e2 shall be
separated by a ,, i.e. the format of the input shall be e1, e2. For the polar coordinates, the
radius shall be followed by a < before entering the angle, i.e. the format of the input shall be
radius<angle.
Editing an Existing Slab Opening

In order to edit an existing Slab Opening:
1. Select an existing slab opening.
2. Modify the fields such as opening dimensions in the "Slab Opening Properties" form.
You can repeat this process to as many members as you wish. One opening at a time can be edited by
this method.
Related Articles:
Slab Strip Properties

The "Slab Strip Properties" will be loaded when the "Slab Strip" option in the "Member"
pulldown (or toolbar) is selected.
Slab Strip
The "Slab Strip Properties" has one page only.
After arranging the fields for the slab strip form, a new strip will be inserted by dragging two points in
the drawing area.
The following fields exist in this form:
Strip Label
The label that will identify the strip can be entered in this field. This field is limited to 3 characters.
Slab strip labels are composed of a positive integer (1 to 99) preceded by the character "x" or "y". The
strips along a direction closer to the horizontal must be labelled using "x" followed by the strip number
and the strips along the other direction must be labelled using "y" followed by the strip number. The
strip numbers need not be successive.
For example, the 3rd strip along horizontal direction will be labelled as "X3" and the 2 nd strip along
vertical direction will be labelled as "Y2".
As for all member types, the "Member List" in the "Member" pulldown can be used to list the members
of the same kind. This list can be used to select a member by label.
A text control spin button exists to the right of the label field to facilitate the creation of successive
label text.
Steel Layer
If the strip is set to be Manual Strip, or FE Strip with one of the Span Band Strip, Support Strip or
Fixed Band Strip type in the FE tab, then define the "St. Layer" number (as "1" or "2"). Effective depth
of the slab will be set based on the layer number entered in this field as follows:
For the 1st layer steel:

Cover to Bar Center = Concrete Cover + (Bar Size Along Strip / 2)
For the 2nd layer steel:

Cover to Bar Center = Concrete Cover + (Bar Size Along Strip / 2) + (Bar Size Along the Other Direction)
In slab systems with beams, steel layers will automatically be set using the plan dimensions of the slabs
that the strip intersects. According to this, the steel bars that are located along the short span of the
slab will have the layer number 1 whereas the bars in the other direction are located in Steel Layer
2.
Finite Element Strip

If you are inserting a Finite Element Strip (i.e. the moments will be collected from the finite element
analysis results), then check the "Finite Element Strip" option in the Slab Strip Form and select the Strip
Type from the "FE".
Finite Element Analysis of the slab must have been performed in order to continue with the
reinforcement calculations. Type of the Finite Element Strip must be consistent with the slab system.
For example, if you are working with a slab system with beams, the Finite Element Strip type must be
Span Strip. Similarly, if the system you are working on is a flat plate, then differing with the location,
Span Band Strip, Support Strip or Fixed Band Strip must be selected.
In the case of a Waffle Slab or a Ribbed Slab, FE Rib Strip must be used.
Manual Strip
If you are defining a strip to insert steel bars manually, you can check the Manual Strip option.
The Manual Slab Strip dialog will be displayed if this option is checked. You can fill the data fields
located in this dialog to display the steel bars associated with this strip.
Slab Strip End Conditions
End conditions at the start and end of the slab strip can be set using the option buttons near the "At
Start" and "At End" labels. The axis label will mark the start and an arrow will mark the end of the axis in
the plan window.
Available Slab Strip End Conditions are:
Slab Bob Cantilever
At Start:
At End:
Prior to inserting the strip, choose:
Cantilever option at start or at end if there is a balcony slab at the respective end of the strip,
Bob option at start or at end if the strip is terminated by a supporting beam (or a support band
beam). The top steel bars will be bent at the outer edge of the support beam when this end-condition
is used.
Slab option at start or at end if there is another slab at the respective end of the strip. When this
option is checked, a new field will appear below the option buttons as b-Slab (At Start) or b-Slab (At
End). Enter the dimension of the adjacent slab along the strip in the related field.
An easy way of determining this dimension is clicking to this input field with the mouse and then
selecting the slab (by clicking to the label in the plan window). Then the width along the strip will
appear.
The top steel bars are extended further into the adjacent slab by the anchorage length set by the user.
After all the slab strips are defined, Slab and Ribbed Slab analysis and design reports can be prepared
using the menu options in the "Slab Table" and "Ribbed Slab Table" forms respectively.
Integral Strip
If you are using a Fixed Band Finite Element Strip, you can check the Integral Strip option if you want
to calculated the design moments using integral approach rather than calculating the maximum
moments within the strip range.
Number of Longitudinal and Transverse Points

You can set the number of sampling points to be used in the Finite Element Strips along (longitudinal)
and perpendicular (transverse) strip directions.
Usage of Slab Strips

Slab Strips are used for creating a means for the analysis, design and curtailment of slabs. Slabs along
the strip are determined and their analysis is performed along the strip if the moment coefficients
method is selected. Similarly, a continuous beam analysis is performed along the strips if ribbed slabs
are encountered.
If the method of analysis is selected to be finite elements, then the design results along the strips are
collected from the analysis results based on the type of slab strip set by the user.
The Usage of Slab Strips:
1. Analysis and Design of Slabs: Slabs and Ribbed Slabs that are found along the strips are analysed
and designed. If the strip is a Finite Element Strip, then the analysis results are collected from
the finite element model results otherwise, the analysis of the slabs along the strip is carried
out using the moment coefficient method.
2. Insertion of the Reinforcement Bars: Steel bars calculated during the analysis of the slabs are
inserted along the strip based on the Strip Type parameter.
3. Analysis and Design of Ribbed Slabs: A continuous beam model is created along the strip for the
analysis and design of ribs.
Steel Bars are calculated only along the direction of the slab strips. For that reason, strips must be
defined along both directions for two-way slabs. More than one strip may need to be defined along
one direction for L-shape slabs to take into account different spans.
Similarly, more than one strip may need to be defined along slabs with different adjacent slabs along
an edge. In such cases, in order to make a correct quantity extraction, slab span lines may need to be
manually modified.
Slab Strip Types

Each Slab strip drawn would be automatically considered as a strip for the Moment Coefficient Method,
unless the "Finite Element Strip" box is checked. These strips must pass through the slabs supported by
beams and walls.
As an alternative to the Moment Coefficient Method, "Finite Element Analysis" can be used. To define a
slab strip for the "Finite Element Analysis", the "Finite Element Strip" box must be checked.
The "Strip Type Options Buttons" will be loaded within the Slab Strip
Properties form when the "Slab Strip" option in the "Member" pulldown
Span Strip
(or toolbar) is selected.
Span Band Strip
Support StripSeveral different slabs strips can be defined based on the usage and
position of the strip. When preparing to define a finite element strip,
Fixed Band Strip
prior to defining the points to insert the slab strip, the "Strip Type" must
FE Rib Strip be set by pressing one of the strip type buttons. If you change the strip
type for the slab, press the Update button to update.
For a detailed explanation of the usage of slab strips, you can refer to " Slab Analysis and Design" section
of this manual.
Defining a New Slab Strip

Before inserting a Slab Strip:
1. Beams and columns along the strip must be defined,
2. Slabs or ribbed slabs along the strip must be inserted.

To define a new Slab Strip:
1. Press the Slab Strip button located in the toolbar.
Slab Strip button).
3. Set the label of the slab strip to be defined. When automatic labelling is on, the strip labels will
be assigned incrementally when a new strip is defined.
Slab strip labels are formed by a positive integer (1 to 99) preceded by the character "X" or "Y".
The strips along a direction closer to horizontal must be labelled using "X" followed by the strip
number and the strips along the other direction must be labelled using "Y" followed by the strip
number. The strip numbers need not be successive.
4. If you are inserting a Finite Element Strip, then check the "Finite Element Strip" option in the Slab
Strip Form and select the Strip Type from the "Strip Type Option Buttons".
5. If the strip is a Finite Element Strip, then define the "Rebar Layer" number (as "1" or "2").
Effective depth of the slab will be set based on the layer number entered in this field.
6. Find the insertion points of the slab strip in the drawing area to insert a new element. You have
to drag points to insert the member. If moment coefficients are used, then the analysis of the
strip will be performed immediately and the selected reinforcement will be inserted.
The insertion points must be selected so that they will pass completely through all the slabs
that will be covered by the strip.
Editing an Existing Slab Strip

When a beam or slab along the strip is modified, the strips along these members must be edited. In
order to edit an existing strip:
1. Select the existing slab strip.
Slab Strip button).
3. Modify the fields such as "Label" or end conditions in the "Slab Strip Properties form.
You can repeat this process to as many members as you wish. Only one member at a time can be
edited by using this method.
Slab Strip Shortcut Menu

You can access the most often used command options for the Slab Strips in the shortcut menu
(displayed by right-clicking the mouse) after selecting a Slab Strip.
A shortcut menu for a single Slab Strip selection includes Slab Strip Check Design and Delete Steel Bars
options specific to a Slab Strip member. These option will be omitted from the shortcut menu when
multiple Slab Strips are selected.
Slab Strip Check Design

Adequacy of steel bars placed in the slabs can be controlled by selecting this option. Calculations will
be repeated for that particular slab strip. Slab Analysis and Design Report will be displayed after this
operation.
To perform analysis and design of all slabs and ribbed slabs in the system or in the current storey that
are crossed by a slab strip, select Slab Analysis and Design and/or Ribbed Slab Analysis in the Run
pulldown.
Delete Steel Bars

If there exists steel bars assigned to a particular Slab Strip, those will be deleted by using this option.
Related Articles:
Analysis and Design of Slabs - FE Strip
Analysis and Design of Slabs - Analytical Strip
Slab Load Properties

"Slab Load Properties" will be loaded when the "Slab Load" option in the "Member"
pulldown (or toolbar) is selected. A new slab load can be defined by arranging the
fields in the properties form and then by clicking the insertion reference.
Slab Load
The following fields exist in this properties form:
Load Type
Depending on the selected load type, necessary definition parameters will be set visible in the
properties form.
Three Load Type Buttons are available in the upper pane of the properties form to
Load Type enable the definition of Point Loads, Line Loads and Partial Area Loads.
Slab Load Dimensions (b1, b2)

Horizontal ("b1") and vertical ("b2") dimensions of the slab load can be defined in these fields.
Point Load: These fields will not be available when point load is selected.
Line Load: "b1" will be the length of line load.
Area Load: "b1" will be the horizontal length and "b2" will be the vertical dimensions of the area
load.
Slab Loading Parameters
Slab Load Reference Distances (e1, e2)

Slab loads are inserted based on an axis intersection as reference point. The horizontal distance (" e1")
and vertical distance ("e2") to the lower left corner of the slab load can be defined in these fields. The
definition is similar to the definition of e1 and e2 in the slab opening section.
Load Angle
The "Angle" field allows you to define rotated slab loads. This is the direction angle of the bottom edge
of the area load or direction of the line load measured from global x-axis.
This field will not be available for point loads.
Load Case
For every vertical load case (G and Q) a set of load magnitudes can be defined. You can switch load
cases using the "Next/Previous Load Case" buttons.
Load Magnitudes
Magnitude of the loads can be defined using the fields provided at the bottom of the properties form.
Point Load: Only one magnitude field will be available for each load case.
Line Load: Two magnitude fields will be available for each load case, "w1" for the beginning and
"w2" for the end of the line load. By default, "w2" will be populated when "w1" is modified. You can
modify "w2" manually to define a non-uniform distributed loading.
Area Load: Only one magnitude field will be available for each load case defining the uniform area
loading.
Inserting a New Slab Load

To define a new Slab Load:
1. Press the Slab Load button located in the toolbar.
2. Select the Load Type by pressing one of the Load Type Buttons located in the top pane of the
properties form.
3. Enter the loading dimensions ("b1" and "b2") and load position angle ("Angle", not applicable for
point loads) in the "Slab Load Properties" form. Some of these parameters will be invisible
depending on the load type selected.
4. The distances to the reference point ("e1" and "e2") can be defined on the plan or 3D views by
picking the reference and insertion points. Instead of picking the insertion point, the relative
coordinates of the insertion point can be defined using the F2
5. Enter the load magnitudes for each vertical load case that the load will be applied. You can
switch load cases using the "Next/Previous Load Case" buttons.
6. Click the axis intersection which is going to be used as the reference point of the slab hole.
Alternatively a direction angle can be defined by clicking an axis intersection and dragging to a
second axis intersection point along one of the axes.
Editing an Existing Slab Load

In order to edit an existing Slab Load:
1. Select an existing slab load.
2. Modify the fields such as load dimensions or magnitudes in the "Slab Load Properties" form.
You can repeat this process to as many members as you wish. One loading at a time can be edited by
this method.
Related Articles:
Working with Planes
Plane Properties
"Plane Properties" will be loaded when the "Plane Definition" option in the "Member"
pulldown (or toolbar) is selected.
Plane
Definition Planes are used to assist adjusting the levels of the members in Z direction.
Plane definition is a particularly efficient way of modeling structural members such as sloping slabs
(e.g. ramps) that are not parallel to the plan level in the building.
To define a new Plane:
1. Press Plane Definition button in the toolbar.
2. The Plane Properties form will be loaded. You can change the label of the Plane member by
using up and down arrow at the right of the Plane No: field.
3. Press Insertion button. There are four options to define the Plane member, namely, Axis
Region, Beam Region, Pick Points, and Pick Axis. In order to get detailed information about
these methods please refer to the Slab Insertion section of this manual.
4. After inserting the Plane member using one of four methods mentioned above, coordinates of
the three corner points of the plane member will be shown in Point: 1 , Point: 2 and Point: 3
fields. Point: 1 will be assigned to the Left-Bottom corner of the plane by the program
automatically. Starting from Point: 1, other corner points of the plane will be determined in an
counter-clock wise order. As its known from the mathematics four points are necessary for the
equation of a plane. 4th corner point is calculated internally and will not be shown in these fields.
5. When plane member is first defined, all the values in the Z fields will be zero. This means that
plane is parallel to the storey level and at the same level. If you enter a positive value to the Z
field of a corner point related corner point will be raises by that amount relative to the storey
level.
Editing an Existing Plane Member

In order to edit an existing plane:
1. Select an existing plane.
3. Modify the fields such as Z in the Plane Properties form.
Shortcut Menu.
You can repeat this process on as many planes as you wish. One plane at a time can be edited by this
method.
Move Members to Plane Definition

One of the most commonly used options in the Planes shortcut menu is Move Members to Plane
Definition. It is used after the level of the corner points of an existing plane have been adjusted by
using Z fields.
In order to use this option:
1. Select the Plane in which the level of the corner points have been adjusted.
2. Use Move Members to Plane Definition option in the shortcut menu by right-clicking in order to
adjust all of the structural members contained or at the edge of the plane to the new plane
level.
Each of the Six Degree of Freedoms (DOF) at the bottom node of the columns can be
restrained or unrestrained. Furthermore, each of these DOF can be assigned torsional
Support Type
or axial springs whose spring constants are to be determined by the user.
Definitions
In order to create Support Types to be assigned to bottom node of a column;
1. Select Support Type Definitions option in the Member pulldown.
2. The Support Types form will be loaded. Default Support Type in the list corresponds to a full
restraint at each of the six DOF. In this case, all columns and walls at the St01 level will have
fixed supports while other bottom DOF of the upper columns and walls will not be restrained at
all.
3. To create a Support Condition other than Default, press Add New button on the same form. A
new support category with all DOF restrained will be added to the end of the list.
4. Six degrees of freedom consists of following components: X; displacement along global x axis, Y;
displacement along global y axis, Z; displacement along global z axis. X-Rotation, Y-Rotation and
Z-Rotation are defined about these axes. A checked box just near the DOF means that related
DOF is restrained. If this box is unchecked, Spring Constant field will be enabled. You can
either enter a Spring Constant consistent with the current unit system or just leave it zero to
fully unrestrain the DOF.
5. Close the Support Type Definitions window by pressing OK button after creating the
adequate number of support types.
Hint: For the buildings with columns ending up at different basement elevations, just create a fixed
support type other than Default. Then assign this Support Type to the related columns at the lowest
level as described above.
Soil-Structure Interaction type solutions can also be achieved by the help of this option. However,
spring constants which are closely related with the soil parameters must be selected carefully. A faulty
value selected as the axial spring constant will affect all super-structure force and moments.
Related Articles:
Slab Additional Loads Library

The Slab Additional Loads Library is used to create/edit the additional dead loads selectable from the
drop down menu on the Slab Properties dialog.
The library consists of 3 tables:
Material Library this is a list of various slab materials and unit weights. It can be modified in Edit
Materials
Load Groups this table contains the Load Name and Color of the additional dead loads that can
be edited.
Load Layers this table displays the content of the highlighted Load Group, consisting of one or
more layers of material of a specified thickness. The total load is calculated based on the specified unit
weight of material in the Material Library.
Edit Load References this can be loaded by clicking the Edit References. It can be used to edit
the load references of the slab additional dead load of the selected storey(s). The slab additional dead
load with the same group as the selected Source Load group can be replaced by the dead load as
specified in the Target Load group. If Apply selected load to all slabs is checked, the Target Load
will be applied to all slabs in the selected storey(s).
To create a Load Group:
1. Click on the [+] button underneath the Load Groups table.
2. Enter a load description in the space provided.
3. Ensure this new load group is highlighted, then drag the required material from the Load
Library to the Load Layers table.
4. Enter the required thickness of the material in the Load Layer table.
5. Click OK will save the modification. If cancel is clicked, all modification will be discarded.
Wall Types Library
The Wall Types Library is used to create/edit the standard wall loads selectable from the drop down
menu on the Edit Beam Wall Load dialog.
The library consists of 3 tables:
Load Library this is a list of various wall materials and unit weights which can be edited in Edit
Materials.
Load Groups this table contains THE Load Name and Color of the standard wall loads that can
be created/edited.
Load Layers this table displays the content of the highlighted Load Group, consisting of one or
more layers of material of a specified thickness. The total load is calculated based on the specified unit
weight of material in the Material Library.
Edit Load References this can be loaded by clicking the Edit References. It can be used to edit
the load references of the beam wall load of the selected storey(s). The beam wall load with the same
group as the selected Source Load group can be replaced by the beam wall load as specified in the
Target Load group. If Apply selected load to all beams is checked, the Target Load will be applied
to all slabs in the selected storey(s).
Temperature Loads
User-defined temperature differences can be assigned to individual, or multiple
columns, walls and beams in the model.
An Axial temperature load causes the entire member to change in temperature by

the specified amount.
Define
Temperature A Gradient temperature load is a change in temperature across the width/depth of
Difference the member.
Note: The currently specified load combination must include a Thermal load case in
order to apply a temperature load.
To define temperature loads for column/wall/beam members:
1. Select the members you want to assign the load to.
2. Select the Define Temperature Difference Data option located in shortcut (right-click menu).
3. The Temperature Load form will be loaded.
4. Select a Thermal load case from the Load Case list.

5. Define the required axial or gradient temperature difference and choose the member types to
which it is to be applied. For axial loads, a positive value denotes a rise above ambient
temperature; a negative value denotes a fall.
6. The temperature difference will be assigned only to selected members if you press Apply to
Selected Members button.
All members in the current storey will be assigned the same temperature difference, if Apply to
All Members in the Current Storey option is selected.
Apply to All Members in the Model enables all members in the system to possess the same
temperature difference.
7. Close the form by pressing the OK button. The entered values will be assigned as temperature
loads. To check whether there is a temperature load defined on a member, hover on the
element with the mouse. The Column Tooltip Window will include the temperature load
information as well.
To modify or delete the temperature loads on Column(s) Wall(s) or Beam(s);
1. Select the related column/wall/beam and load the Temperature Load form again as described
above.
2. Select the load case from the Load Case list. By entering a different value into the related
fields (T(axial), T 2-2(Gradient) or T 3-3(Gradient)), you will have modified the load. Entering a
zero, will delete the load. In order for the changes to be valid, just press OK button without
switching to a different load case.
Note: Perform the delete/modify operation just for a single load case at a time.
Building Parameters, Loading and Materials (Overview)

Before analysing the building you must ensure that Parameters, Load Combinations, Storey Loads and
Materials have been correctly defined. These settings are all located on the Pre-Analysis tab of the
Building Analysis dialog. They are explained in detail in the following sections :
Parameters (Project)
Load Combinations
Storey Load
Materials
Parameters
The Parameters dialog is located on the Pre-Analysis tab of the Building Analysis form. It is also
available on the Building menu.
The dialog contains the following pages: Codes, Lateral Loading, Lateral Drift and Title.
Codes
Both the design and the loading code are selected from the Codes page of the Project Parameters
form.
Using the select buttons, you can choose the codes to be active for the current project. You can select
only one design and one loading code.
All the checks and requirements specified in the selected codes will be performed by the program
automatically.
Foundations
The Foundations page is used to specify the following two parameters:
Allowable Stress of Soil
Allowable Stress of Soil can be entered using this field. This value will be used in the foundation
analysis and design.
In the foundation design menu options, you can also enter different allowable stresses for each
footing.
Coefficient of Subgrade Reaction
Coefficient of Subgrade Reaction can be entered in this field. This value is used to model soil with elastic
springs in strip footing and raft foundation systems.
The allowable stress of soil and coefficient of subgrade only affects the foundation analysis and design;
which is treated separately from the superstructure (using building analysis). The building analysis
produces the superstructure column and wall forces which are transferred automatically for
foundation analysis and design.
Lateral Loading
Notional design ultimate horizontal loads can be applied at each floor or roof level simultaneously
equal to a certain percentage of the characteristic dead weight of each floor. If you check the Apply
Horizontal Notional Loads at Floor Levels option, then the notional loads will be calculated and applied
by the program automatically, at the centre of gravity of each separate diaphragm and each free node
proportional to their masses at the same storey level.
As an alternative to the dead weight (G) percentage, you can select the imposed weight (Q) or the total
weight (G+Q) percentage to be applied as a notional horizontal load.
Lateral Load Factor and Loading Direction
You can define the percentage amount in the Lateral Load Factor field. If you want to specify a loading
direction other than the global X and Y directions, you can give an angle in Lateral Load Angle field.
Definition of Loading Direction
Number of Contributing Members (Eurocode 2 only)
In Cl 5.2(5) the calculation of the reduction factor am depends on the number of contributing members,
m.
Valid input for m in directions 1 and 2 is any whole number from 1 to 1000. The default value is 1 which
results in am = 1.000. If a value of 1000 is entered then am would reduce to 0.707.
No. of Modes to be Calculated
This field sets the maximum number of mode shapes that will be calculated (only relevant if an
Eigenvalue Analysis is performed).
Live Load Participation Factor (n)
This field is used in the notional load calculation if the G+nQ option is selected. It is also used to
control the storey mass in an Eigenvalue Analysis. See Eigenvalue Analysis Parameters for details.
Lateral Drift
The fields displayed on this page will depend upon the code being designed to. Refer to Overview of
Bracing and Sway Sensitivity in the Engineers Handbook for a detailed discussion on this topic.
BS8110, CP65 & HK codes
For the slenderness check of columns and walls, the braced condition in each direction is determined
either by the user or automatically by the program.
If you check the User Defined Bracing For Column and Walls option then you can specify the bracing
condition for directions "1" and "2" manually. Otherwise the program checks the bracing condition at
each floor level for each direction automatically.
When defining the bracing condition manually, direction "1" is the direction of the column/wall closer
to global x-axis and direction "2" is the other orthogonal axis of the column/wall.
Irrespective of whether it is determined automatically or manually, you can change the bracing
condition for an individual column or wall on the Slenderness page located in the Column Design
Editor of the Column Reinforcement Design module. Note that for walls, direction is interpreted
differently in the design module; direction 1 for walls is always perpendicular to the major axis of the
wall.
Eurocode 2
The Braced checkboxes are used to identify the Bracing Members (i.e. the member types that
contribute to lateral stability of the building) in each Global Direction. The default setting is that
columns are considered to be braced; walls are considered to be braced about their minor axis, but to
provide bracing to the structure about their major axis.
Direction "1" is the direction of the column/wall closer to global x-axis and direction "2" is the other
orthogonal axis of the column/wall.
You can change the bracing condition for an individual column or wall in the Slenderness page located
in the Column Design Editor of the Column Reinforcement Design module. Note that for walls, direction
is interpreted differently in the design module; direction 1 for walls is always perpendicular to the
major axis of the wall.
After analysis, if the structure is found to be sway sensitive, the calculated amplification factors are also
displayed on this page. A user-defined checkbox is provided to enable you to over-ride the calculated
values based on your engineering judgement.
Title
The Title tab allows the user to input the Project information that will appear in all the reports :
Project Header
Made by
Checked by
Project No
Project Date
Related Articles :
Load Combinations
The load combinations to be used during the analysis of the building model can be specified by clicking
the Edit Load Combinations button which is located on the Pre-Analysis tab of the Building Analysis
form.
Load Combinations Editor

The Load Combinations Editor lists the current set of load combinations. A typical combination set is
given below:
Each combination with its corresponding load factors appears as a row in the table. If you select one of
the combinations on the list and press the Add button, a copy of that combination will be created. By
using the related cells in the table, you can modify load factors and combination names.
An existing load combination can be deleted using Delete button.
The load factors considered in the Finite Elements Floor Analysis module are obtained from the first
combination in the table. The first combination should therefore include unpatterned Dead Load (G)
and Imposed Live Load (Q). You must also carefully consider the load factors applied in this combination
to ensure that the correct ultimate load factors are used in the finite element analyses.
For example, if you want to apply an ultimate load factor of 1.4 to Dead Loads in Finite Element Floor
Analysis, the load factor of the first combination must be 1.4G.
Live Load Reductions are applied to those load combinations with a check in the LL. Red cell. Click in
this cell to toggle the setting as required.
The easiest way to define a new set of load combinations within the Load Combinations Editor is to
click the Loading Generator button.
Loading Generator
The Loading Generator is used to automatically create a new set of load combinations within the Load
Combinations Editor.
The Vertical Loads section is used to define the basic gravity combinations and Patterned gravity
combinations. It is also where Staged Construction combinations are defined.
The Lateral Loads section is used to define Notional Loading, Wind Loading, and Soil Pressure.
The generated combinations can also include Temperature Loading.
All of the load cases specified in the loading generator will be factored accordingly to form a set of
combinations. Each combination in the set is given a unique name depending on the characteristics
and number of load cases.
Vertical Loads
Check Define Dead Loads (G) and Define Live Loads (Q) to create the first combination as all spans fully
loaded with max. factored G and Q.
The maximum factors are code dependent and are specified in the Max. G Factor and Max. Q Factor
fields.
A field for defining the psi_zero factor is only displayed if the current design code is EC2. The default for
psi_zero is 0.7.This factor is applied to Q in those combinations in which the imposed load is
considered as an accompanying action.
Check Create Unfactored G+Q Combination to include an additional combination of 1.0G + 1.0Q.
Check Define Pattern Loads Automatically to activate the pattern load template from which five basic
pattern load arrangements (referred to as P1, P2, P3, P4 and P5) can be selected.
Pattern P1 applies adverse load to the first span, beneficial load to the second span and so on.
The current design code controls which load case(s) are patterned:
BS8110 /CP65 both G and Q are patterned.
EC 2 only Q is patterned
Note that the effective adverse load factors for dead load and live load are the Max. G Factor and Max.
Q Factor values respectively. The effective beneficial load factors for dead load and live load are 1.0
and 0 respectively.
The following table illustrates the basic load patterns for dead or live load:
Check the Direction Dependent Pattern Loading option to enable the patterns to be applied in one
direction only.
Examples of each direction dependent pattern are shown below:

Staged Construction
Staged Construction loadcases and combinations are activated within the Loading Generator.
Check Stage Construction Cases to enable a staged construction analysis.
The Stage Duration field is used to specify the default duration of each stage, this can subsequently be
amended for individual stages.
Check Stage Construction Cases: G to create an sG staged loadcase.
Check Stage Construction Cases: Q to create an sQ staged loadcase.
Check Create New Combinations for Staged G and Q to create two sets of combinations, one with the
unstaged cases and the second with the staged cases. When not checked, only one set of combinations
is created which uses the staged cases.
Once the loading has been generated, it is possible to then adjust the content and duration of the
stages via the Load Cases button.
Lateral Loads
Notional Loads, Wind Loads and Soil Pressure type lateral load cases can be specified.
If the current design code is either BS8110 or CP65, additional controls are presented for the Wind and
Soil Pressure cases to specify which combinations should be created.
Temperature Loading
Check Temperature Loading to create combinations which include a thermal load case.
The contents of thermal load cases are restricted to Temperature Loads.
Manual Definition of Load Cases

When the Load Combinations Editor" is displayed you can click the Load Cases button in order to see a
table of all the load cases in the load combination set.
There is no limit to the number of vertical and horizontal load cases that can be defined.
The first column in the table contains the label of the load case. Any string value can be assigned as the
label but short names are preferable. The second column graphically explains the load case type by the
use of a symbol. The third column defines the pattern of the vertical load case ( _ empty, = full ). The
fourth column shows the direction of the lateral load cases, whereas fifth column specifies the
eccentricity (if any) of the lateral load case. The last column includes the definition of the load case.
Always give a brief explanatory description to the load cases that you create.
In order to create a new load case, select one of the existing load cases and press one of the Add
Below or Add Above buttons. After the load case is added, press the Edit button to modify it using
the Load Case Editor.
The Load Case Label and Load Case Description fields must be filled with brief explanations.
Vertical Loads
Live loads in the building will be represented by one vertical load case and similarly dead loads will be
represented by another vertical load case. In addition to dead and live loads where all the spans are
fully loaded, pattern loadings can be defined and used both for dead and live loadings. These patterns
can either be predefined or user-defined. Besides these, direction-dependent pattern load cases can
be defined (while beams in one direction have pattern loading, other direction beams are fully loaded
or unloaded according to load transfer mechanism). In this way, the reduction of the axial load in the
columns is minimized.
Manual Definition of Vertical Load Cases

If you select the Vertical Load option on the Load Case Type frame, three load case types will be
activated in the list on the right.
User Defined Vertical Load allows you to define manual vertical loads other than the dead and live load
category. These loads can be assigned onto beams, slabs and column/wall nodes.
Dead Load Case generally consists of member self weights and additional dead loads. However, you
are free to assign additional distributed loads or point loads under the dead load case category.
Live Load Case includes vertical temporary imposed loads on the building other than dead load and
other stationary loads.
Enter the pattern of the dead or live load into the Load Pattern field under the list on the right. Pattern
loads will have fully loaded spans specified as 1, and unloaded spans as 0. For example, in order to
create a dead or live load with a Full-Empty-Full-Full-Empty pattern, enter 10110 in this field. If all
spans will be fully loaded, then leave this field empty.
As you enter at least two characters as the load pattern, Pattern Direction field will be activated.
Pattern load will be applied along the direction specified here. For example, if you want direction-1
beams to have pattern loading while direction-2 beams with no pattern loads (if they are not sitting on
a direction 1 beam) then, select Dir-1 beams. Select None to apply the pattern loading to both
direction beams.
Lateral Loads
Lateral load cases are classified as User Defined Lateral Loads, Notional Loads or Wind Load.
The direction of these lateral loads and eccentricities in each direction can be defined by the user.
Manual Definition of Lateral Loads
If you want to manually calculate the lateral loads and apply them to the building, then select User-
defined Lateral Load or Wind Load from the list. Application points and magnitudes can then be
entered in Storey Loads Editor.
In the case of Notional Load, lateral loads are automatically calculated as a percentage of the storey
weight and cannot be modified.
Parameters related to the notional loading can be specified within the Lateral Loading tab of Building
Parameters.
For each of the above lateral load cases, Loading Direction is said to be Primary for the angle value
specified in Building Parameters. The Secondary (Primary + 90) direction is perpendicular to the
primary direction. In summary, to create a load case that will consist of a loading in the X direction,
select Primary. For a Y direction loading select Secondary (Primary+90).
Each lateral load case can be defined to have an eccentricity. This can be specified in Eccentricity field.
For each direction, eccentricity can be specified as + or -. The amount of eccentricity can be
controlled globally from Building Parameters. The default value for eccentricity is 5%.
Thermal Load
To manually create a thermal load case select the Thermal Load option on the Load Case Type frame,
then simply fill in the Load Case Label and Load Case Description fields.
Adjusting Construction Stage Content and Duration

Having used the Loading Generator" to define your staged construction load cases, you can then click
the Load Cases button in order adjust the content and duration of each stage.
Highlight the construction stage load case to be adjusted and then press the Edit button to modify it
using the Load Case Editor.
Adjusting Construction Stage Content
By default each floor level is initially considered to be a stage.
The first stage must always include storey 1; however it and each subsequent stage can be adjusted to
include more than a single storey.
To increase the number of storeys considered in a stage - simply change the storey number at which the
next stage commences.
For example, to combine storey 1 and storey 2 into a single stage - edit Stage-2 to start at storey 3.
When a stage is edited in this way, higher stages are automatically adjusted to suit.
To increase the number of storeys considered in the last stage this requires you to combine the last stage
with the penultimate stage. To do this, enter 0 as the storey number for the last stage. This deletes the
last stage so that the top storey is now considered part of the previous stage.
Note: The above technique for deleting stages can actually be used to place the entire structure in the
first stage. The reason for doing this is to allow the model to be simultaneously designed for patterned
load combinations derived from the building analysis AND combinations derived from the FE merged
load cases.
Adjusting Construction Stage Duration
The duration for each stage controls the Youngs Modulus used for the analysis of the stage.
By default all stages initially have the same duration, however individual stage durations can be edited
as required.
Related Articales :
Storey Load
Lateral loads can be applied at each floor level of the analysis model, or individual Column/Wall nodes
(Joint loads that can be assigned to individual columns/walls are not limited only to lateral loads). You
can use the Storey Loads Editor to define horizontal loads applied at each floor level.
For example, if the wind loads calculated manually are larger than the notional loads, you can enter
them here. In this case, the entered value will be shared between rigid diaphragms and free nodes on
that storey by their mass ratios. Torsional effects due to eccentricity will be handled by applying a
torsional moment on diaphragm master joints and free nodes if exist.
Lateral loads acting on storey levels can be seen and modified in Storey Loads Editor located on the
Pre-Analysis page of Building Analysis form. The Storey Loads Editor consists of two tables.
In the upper table storey masses and centers of gravity are displayed.
The lower table displays lateral load cases used in the analysis with magnitudes of forces and
application points.
Depending on the storey selected in the upper table, the force and application point values will
differ. Also depending on the lateral load case type used, the force values can be altered or not.
For example, notional horizontal loads are automatically calculatd based on the Code chosen
and hence cannot be edited. Wind load cases are manually created and hence can and should
be edited.
Values written in these cells are for whole storey. If there is more than one rigid diaphragm or free
nodes on the storey level, this load will be shared proportional to their masses. Eccentricity will be
applied as a torsional moment to diaphragm points or free nodes. This eccentricity will be calculated
considering 5% of whole plan dimension. Forces and moments are applied at the gravity centers of
each diaphragm.
Storey masses and mass centers are calculated during the building analysis process. After a
modification to the building model, masses and mass centers will be calculated again if building
analysis is repeated.
Related Articles :
Wind Load Input and Analysis
Materials
Concrete and steel grades are assigned to each member type from the Pre-Analysis tab page in the
Building Analysis Form.
From this page press the Edit button in the Material field.
Material grades in ProtaStructure are taken from the Codes. You can easily define a new grade using
the Add button.
By default, two sets of material are predefined :
Default Materials used for all superstructure storeys members (Storey 1 and above)
Foundation Floor used for foundation members modelled in Sotrey 0
There is option to add Storey Having Different Material if there is a need define specific storey
members to have different materials. Please note that material can also defined for each member
individually by selecting a member > right-click > Edit Section/Material.
Selecting a Concrete Grade

ProtaStructure allows you to select different concrete grades for different member types. You can
define concrete grades for columns, beams, slabs, ribbed slabs and foundations separately.
To select a concrete grade for a member type, you press the button next to the member type label to
display the Concrete Grades List. After selecting a grade you can check the Apply to all member types
option to use the same grade for all member types.
If you want to define a new concrete grade, press the Add button. Similarly, you can delete an existing
grade by selecting it in the table and pressing the Delete button.
Fields on the Concrete Grades List are editable. You can select any cell to enter a new value.
In the Concrete Grades List, the characteristic strength is the cube strength of the concrete. For the
analysis and design of members, the design strength for a given material is derived from the
characteristic strength divided by the Material Factor. The Material factor is defined in the Material
Factor field.
The Modulus of Elasticity of the concrete grades are calculated using the formula E = K O + 0.2fcu .
After selecting a concrete grade, you can close the form by clicking the OK button.
Selecting a Steel Grade

ProtaStructure allows you to select different steel grades for different member types. You can define
the steel grades for columns, beams, slabs, ribbed slabs, foundations and links separately.
For example, if you want to use Grade 460-Type2 for the whole system, and Grade 485-Fabric for
slabs, you can easily select this here.
To select a steel grade for a member type, you can press the button next to the member type label to
display the Steel Grades List. After selecting a grade you can check the Apply to all member types
option to use the same grade for all member types.
If you want to define a new steel grade, press the Add button. Similarly, you can delete a grade by
selecting it in the table and pressing the Delete button.
Fields on the Steel Grades List are editable. You can select any cell to enter a new value.
In the Steel Grades List, the characteristic yield strengths of the steel grades are given. For the analysis
and design of members, the design strength for a given material is derived from the characteristic
strength divided by the Material Factor. The Material factor is defined in the Steel Material Factor field.
After selecting a steel grade, you can close the form by clicking the OK button.
If the Rib Type of a steel grade is zero, then these bars will automatically have hooks at the ends. If
you dont want hooks at bar ends, you can remove the check in the Hook column, thus providing
straight bars.
Properties of Hook
Determining Bars Sizes to be used

In the Materials page, next to each Member Type Steel button there are Dia buttons. If you click a
Dia button you will see a list of available bar sizes.
If you remove the check against a bar, then for the selected steel grade, this diameter will not be used
for the selected member type in the project.
Unit Weight of Concrete
Unit Weight of Concrete given in this field is used for calculating the self-weight of columns, walls,
beams, slabs and foundations.
Unit Weight of Blocks
Unit Weight of Blocks is used in calculating the self-weight of the filler blocks used in ribbed slabs. If
you enter zero in this field, then you can define ribbed slabs without blocks.
Related Articles :
Building Analysis (Content)

Having modeled your structure and defined the parameters/loading to be applied, you are now ready
to generate the member design forces. These are determined by performing a 3D analysis of the whole
building.
The pre and post analysis stages, along with the various applicable analysis options are fully described
in the following sections.
The Building Analysis Process

To begin this process pick the Building Analysis option located in the Run pulldown menu this will
load the Building Analysis form.
The Building Analysis form comprises 6 tab pages namely, Pre-Analysis, Model Options", "Analysis" ,
Post Analysis, "Model Export" and "Reports". You can carry out all the steps related to the Building
Analysis using these pages. The typical process is described below:
1. The items that are required to be specified prior to the analysis are grouped under the Pre-
Analysis tab. These include the basic parameters (design codes etc.) accessed by clicking
Parameters. You must also determine the material properties to be used in the design of the
structural members via Edit Materials. You can determine the combinations to be used in the
analysis using Edit Load Combinations. Furthermore, you can re-examine the information
about the structure such as center of gravity, storey loads and their application points by
clicking Edit Storey Loads
These items are fully described in the previous section, Building Parameters, Loading and
Materials
2. You can determine the options to be used in the formation of analytical model by using the
fields located under the Model Options tab. This form comprises three sections namely,
Model, Stiffnesses and Settings.
3. Before running the analysis it is useful to first check the model for various potential geometric
errors by running the Building Model Validity Check which is located on the Analysis tab.
4. In order to perform the analysis you must check the Building Analysis option located in the
Analysis tab. If required you can also check the Perform Eigenvalue Analysis option.
5. Optionally, you can check Column/Wall Reinforcement Design and Beam Reinforcement Design
options to select or check the steel in columns, walls and beams. Note that these options are
also available in the Run pulldown.
6. Click the Start button on the Analysis tab to start the building analysis. Here, first of all beam
loads are calculated, then the integrity and completeness of the graphical information is
checked and related connectivity data is prepared. A Finite Element model of building is created
with frame elements (and optionally shell elements for the walls) after the preparation of the
connectivity data. The analysis is performed in a single pass unless staged construction
loadcases are detected, in which case a staged construction analysis is performed.
7. Assuming the analysis completes without any problem a Building Analysis Completed
Successfully message will appear at the bottom of the dialog.
8. After completing the Building Analysis process without any error, you can use the buttons
located under the "Post Analysis" tab to graphically review the results on a 3-D model of the
structure, to create the analysis reports and to carry out Column/Wall and Beam Reinforcement
Design.
9. If required you can export the structural model to other packages using the buttons located
under the Model Export tab.
10. Finally you can examine and take print outs of the prepared reports using "Reports" page.
Staged Construction Analysis

A staged construction analysis is performed for every staged construction loadcase that has been
defined. For details of how these are created using the Loading Generator see Load Combinations >
Staged Construction
The results for the staged load cases can be examined in the same way as those for the unstaged load
cases, using the Model and Analysis Results Display.
The staged and unstaged combinations are both used for design.
Pre-Analysis
Load combinations, materials and other parameters relating to the analysis are specified on the Pre-
Analysis page of the Building Analysis form. These are fully described in the section: Building
Parameters, Loading and Materials
Model Options
Options to be used in analysis can be specified in Model Options page of Building Analysis form.
Model Options comprises of three tab pages namely, Model, Stiffnesses and Settings.
Any modifications made in this page can be undone by pressing Default Settings.
Model
Parameters related with the analytical model of the building can be adjusted on the Model tab.
Storey Degrees of Freedom

There is a list for defining the degrees of freedom for each storey. Storey degrees of freedom options
in ProtaStructure are:
X/Y and Torsion Permitted: Translations in X and Y directions and floor torsion about Z-axis
are permitted.
X/Y Permitted, Torsion Prevented: Translations in X and Y directions are permitted. But
torsion about Z-axis is prevented.
Only X Permitted: Only translation in X direction is permitted. Translation in Y direction and

rotation about Z-axis are prevented.
Only Y Permitted: Only translation in Y direction is permitted. Translation in X direction and

rotation about Z-axis are prevented.
The last two degrees of freedom options are useful for the analysis of a 2d-frame system defined along
the unrestrained direction.
TIP: You can select the Only X permitted or the Only Y permitted options to define the degrees of
freedom of a single frame system
Storey Degrees of Freedom
Rigid Zones
Rigid zones formed at the Column-beam intersections are taken into consideration automatically by
the program in the analysis model. Rigid zones are important in determining the effective lengths of
members.
In order to consider cracks that can be formed in the intersections, rigid zones may be reduced by a
certain amount to calculate more realistic effects. ProtaStructure Analysis Model has the following rigid
zone options:
Maximum option will use full member section dimensions to form the rigid zones and
calculates the member forces at the member faces.
Reduce by 25% option will reduce the member section dimensions by 25% to form the
reduced rigid zones and calculates the member forces at a distance 0.25d from the member
faces.
None option will not take the rigid zones into consideration and calculates the member forces
at the member axes.
Wall Model
ProtaStructure can model the walls in the building in two different ways. One of them is Midpier Model
and the other is Finite Element Shell Model. Using the radio buttons located in Wall Model field, you
can determine the wall model to be used in the building globally.
Mid-pier Model uses a single column at the mid-point of the wall panel to model the wall. Interaction
with neighbouring elements such as columns, beams or other walls are established by rigid beams
extending to two sides.
If Finite Elements Shell Model is selected, wall members will be modelled by quadrilateral shell
elements (as shown below)
Maximum height and width of shell elements can be entered into Shell Width and Shell Height fields.
Default value of 500 mm by 500 mm is adequate for most cases. Analysis time increases as the width
and height values decrease.
The following are example of cases where FE Shell model maybe preferred:
If the building includes narrowing walls, or wide basement walls, it is recommended to use
Finite Element Shell Model.
If there are walls that are discontinuous (not extended to foundation) and supported by beams,
FE Shell model will be more accurate as the variation in forces along the length of the wall can
be captured.
Walls modelled as Mid-pier Model require less analysis time than the walls modelled as Finite
Elements Shell Model.
Each individual wall member in the system can be defined to use a different wall model in the analysis.
This can be done via wall properties or wall table > Wall Model Type. There are 3 options :
1. Default : use the global Wall Model Setting in Pre-analysis
2. Mid- Pier : Use Mid-Pier Model for this wall only
3. FE Shell : User Finite Element Model for this wall only
For example, a wall can be modelled using Midpier model in first storey and Finite Element
Shell Model in the second storey.
This is especically useful for specific discontinuous walls where FE shell may be required only
for the transfer level while the rest of the walls can use Mid-Pier.
Rigid Diaphragm Modelling

Under the excitation of lateral loads, it must be specified whether the slabs in each storey level will
behave infinitely rigid in their plane (i.e. rigid diaphragm action) or not. This behaviour is generally
modelled as Rigid Diaphragm.
By assuming rigid diaphragm action in a storey level, degrees of freedom are reduced to translation X
and Y directions and a torsion about Z axis normal to the plane of X and Y. There will be no axial
deformation in the beams residing in rigid diaphragm.
If Slabs To Define Rigid Diaphragm option is selected, rigid diaphragms will be created by examining the
continuity and neighbourhood of slabs both in horizontal and vertical directions. If two or more slab
groups do not touch each other directly or by means of other intermediate slabs, each of these groups
will form a separate rigid diaphragm. There may be nodes that do not touch any of the slabs. These
nodes, then, are defined as free nodes and they do not belong to any of the diaphragms.
Single Rigid Diaphragm At Each Floor Level option forces the whole storey level to behave like a rigid
diaphragm even if there is no slabs defined.
If No Rigid Diaphragm At Floor Levels option is selected, rigid diaphragm action is not utilised in the
analysis. All nodes in the storey levels will be accepted as free nodes. If there are big openings in the
floor (approximately greater than 1/3 of total floor area), it will be difficult to expect a rigid diaphragm
action. Then this option should be used in the analysis.
Beam Section
Using the radio buttons located in this section, flanges of the beam can be taken into account in the
building model.
Stiffnesses
Moment of Inertia, Modulus of Elasticity, Torsional Constant and Cross Sectional Area of member
groups can be scaled by using the coefficients in Stiffnesses page. Values less than 1 will reduce the
related parameter whereas values greater than 1 will increase its value.
For example, if you want to minimize the lateral load sharing of columns in a Wall-Frame structure, you
can use a coefficient of 5% for column moment of inertia. This operation will globally multiply all
column moment of inertias by 0.05 during the analysis data preparation and analysis will be conducted
accordingly.
If any modification is made in this field, analysis must be repeated.

Please note that for most of template, the Torsional Stiffness Factor of Beams defaults to 0.01 (1%) to
minimize torsional forces on main beams generated by secondary beams. If there are situation such as
curve beams that user want to utilise more of torsional stiffness, this setting can be increased.
Stiffnesses can also be changed for individual members by selecting the member > right-click > Edit
Section/Material.
Settings
Additional options related to the analysis can be specified on the Settings tab.
Issue Warnings For Cantilever Beams Not Marked

If free end of the beams are not specified in Graphic Editor, then program will display a warning to
mark this free ends. If this option is unchecked, no warning will be displayed.
If individual cantilever beams marking have been manually done (via Mark Free End of Cantilerver
Beam), its recommended to uncheck this option, otherwise this warning will always appear when
Building Analysis is run.
Issue Warnings For Unsupported Columns Before Analysis

If columns or walls in the system are left unsupported, warning messages will be displayed to alert the
user. Column may not be sitting on another member or may not be assigned a support at the lower
joint. In case of such a warning, you must go back to Graphic Editor and correct the model. This feature
can be disabled by unchecking this option.
Print Column, Wall and Beam Section Properties in Post-Analysis Report

Column, Wall and Beam section properties can be included in the Post-Analysis Report by checking this
option.
Use Sparse Solver for Building Analysis

The purpose of the sparse solver is to reduce the time required for analysis. For certain model types a
dramatic reduction in the analysis time can be achieved, (e.g. models utilizing the FE shell model for
walls or very big models); for other models it may be less significant.
However, the sparse solver is more stringent and less forgiving on modelling errors such as
unsupported members and instability. If the model does not run to completion, try switching this
option off.
Total/Relative Horizontal Drift Limits

Building horizontal drift checking is carried out and included in the Post-Analysis Report. The limit
values for the "Total Horizontal Drift" and "Relative Horizontal Drift" values defined here will be used in
this report.
Total Horizontal Drift is the ratio of floor horizontal displacement to the height to the level of the floor,
and Relative Horizontal Drift is the ratio of relative floor horizontal displacement to the height of that
particular storey.
Axial Load Comparison Tolerance

ProtaStructure compares vertical loads on the building before transferred onto the beams and after
decomposed onto the beams before building analysis. A third check is performed by summing the
column axial loads after the analysis. These three group of values must be similar. A 5% tolerance in
difference is adequate as a default value. If there are problems related with slab yield lines or load
transferring in the model, this difference may exceed 5%. A warning message is issued after the
analysis if 5% tolerance is exceeded. Examine the Axial Load Comparison Report for more details.
Storey Weight and Center of Gravity Calculations

After the vertical loads are defined on the system, they are decomposed onto the beams and reaction
values are calculated at the nodes. These reactions are also regarded as masses at the joints. If Use
Decomposed Loads option is selected, then masses in the joints are used in center of gravity and
weight calculations. If there are no beams in the system (like in Flat Slabs), then Use Undecomposed
Loads option should be used.
Angle Limit for Splitting Beam Axes

Allows user to set the angle limit at which connected beam axes with different orientation will be split
(else combined). Refer to related article below for more details.
Related Articles :
Building Analysis

Allows user to set the angle limit at which connected beam axes with different orientation will be split
(else combined)
Only beams axes exceeding the set angle will be split to separate design & detailing axes.
This setting is under Building Analysis > Model Options > Settings > Angle Limit for Splitting Beam
Axes
In the below example, there are 3 beam axes with 0, 45 & 70 degrees respectively
When the angle is set to 30 degrees (default), only 1B1-1B2-1B3 will be combined into single beam
design axis while the rest will be split to separate axes (as below)
When the angle is set to 50 degrees, only 1B1-1B2-1B3 & 1B4-1B5-1B6 will be combined into single
beam design axis while the rest will be split to separate axes (as below)
Analysis
The Building Analysis is performed from the Analysis page of the Building Analysis form.
On this page options are also provided to run a Building Model Check, to perform an Eigenvalue
Analysis, to run batch Column/wall and Beam designs, and to display the Axial Load Comparison
Report.
Building Model Check

Before making the building analysis you can use the "Building Model Validity Check" options to make a
final model check on the model you have created.
Using the "Building Model Validity Check", you can determine "Overlapping Slabs", Overlapping
Columns, "Overlapping Slabs and Beams", Columns Inside Slab Panels, "Overlapping Beams and
Walls", Validity of Axis Intersections, Proximity of Axis Intersections and Overlapping Columns
Spanning More than One Storey.
If any of the above overlapping conditions is detected, you have to return back to the Graphic Editor
and modify the members that cause the problem.
Building Model Validity Check option can be applied to the "Current Storey" or "All Storeys".
Perform Building Analysis

A linear elastic static analysis is performed for every unstaged loadcase that has been defined and a
staged construction analysis is performed for every staged construction loadcase.
The results for both the unstaged and staged load cases can be examined using the Model and
Analysis Results Display.
The unstaged and staged combinations are both used for design purposes.
Perform Eigenvalue Analysis

An Eigenvalue Analysis can be performed as part of the Building Analysis in order to calculate natural
frequencies and mode shapes, (which will be dependent on storey mass and model stiffness). No
loading is used in the analysis. The Eigenvalue Analysis results can then be used for seismic design
purposes and can also be of value if wind tunnel tests are required.
Controlling the Storey Mass for Eigenvalue Analysis

The storey mass for Eigenvalue analysis is always based on the dead load G plus a fraction of the live
load Q. The degree to which the live load is assumed to participate is controlled by the participation
factor (n), which can be specified on the Lateral Loading tab of the Building Parameters dialog.
Note: For Lateral Load calculations, the storey weight can be based on G or Q or G+nQ. The Live Load
Participation Factor, (n) does not affect the Notional Load Calculation unless the G+nQ option is
selected.
The G and Q components of the Storey Mass/Weight can be derived from the decomposed beam loads,
or the undecomposed slab loads, the choice of option being controlled via the Settings tab of the
Building Analysis Model Options dialog.
The mass/weight determined for the chosen option can be reviewed by hovering the cursor over the
Center of Gravity indicated on the form plan after running a Building Analysis.
If all slabs transfer their loads to beams or walls, either choice should produce a similar mass/weight.
However in flat slab models this is often not the case - the mass determined using the decomposed
beam loads option is likely to be significantly smaller than that from the undecomposed slab loads
option. In such models it is important that the latter option is always selected.
Model Stiffness for Eigenvalue Analysis

The engineer should use section properties that are appropriate for the Eigenvalue Analysis. For
columns and walls this could involve making global stiffness adjustments to model cracked section
properties. The ACI code may be referred to for some guidance in this regard. These adjustments can
be made via the Model Options/Stiffnesses tab of the Building Analysis form.
Controlling the Number of Mode Shapes Required
These are set on the Lateral Loading tab of the Building Parameters dialog.
Graphical Results
To view a mode shape, activate the Displacements button and select the mode shape required from
the Loading menu. Animation can be activated if required from the Displacements menu.
Numerical Results
Numerical output from the analysis consisting of frequencies and mass participations is accessed from
the Report tab Eigenvalue Results Report Button.
Column/Wall and Beam Reinforcement Design

Check these boxes if you want the program to automatically run batch designs of the columns/walls
and beams immediately following the analysis.
Re-select Steel Bars

Any previously designed steel will be checked using the latest analysis results, unless you check the
option to re-select steel bars in which case the program will attempt to design new steel for the latest
analysis results.
Axial Load Comparison Report

The "Axial Load Comparison Report" provides a means of verifying the total dead and live load applied to
the building. It can also can be used to cross check:
slab loads have been correctly decomposed on to supporting members
gravity load applied matches the building analysis total vertical reaction
gravity load applied matches the FE chasedown total vertical reaction
This report sums all of the dead and live load applied at each storey and displays the axial forces in the
columns and shear walls. These values need to agree with each other within a tolerance limit (5% by
default). If they do not, it may indicate loads are lost due to possible error in modelling. Hence, the
reason for the discrepancy should be investigated.
Table 1 : TOTAL LOADS (Based on Slab) is sum of dead and live loads of all members with the slab
load not yet decomposed or calculated on the beam. You can take this as the input weight of the
structure.
Table 2 : TOTAL LOADS (After Decomposition of Beam) takes into account the decomposition of the
slab load onto the beams based on either yield-line or FE Decomposition. The beam load now includes
the slab loads (and hence zero values are shown under the slab column).
Table 3 : BUILDING ANALYSIS COLUMNS AND WALL AXIAL LOADS sums up the actual column and
wall axial loads after building analysis (for regular beam/slab model)
Table 4 : FINITE ELEMENT ANALYSIS COLUMN/WALL AXIAL LOADS sums up the actual column and
wall loads after Finite Element Chasedown process from top to bottom storey (required for flat slab
models)
For beam slab model (all slabs supported properly by beams), check the following:
Firstly, check Table 1 total values are similar to Table 2. This ensures that all slab loads are
accurately captured by beams, i.e. no slab loads are lost.
Then verify Table 2 total values are similar to Table 3. This ensures that all the superstructure
weight are completely captured by the columns and walls down to the foundation.
For flat slab models, check the following:
Check Table 1 total values are similar to Table 4. This ensures that all the superstructure slab
weight are completely captured by the columns and walls down to the foundation.
Ignore Table 2 and Table 3 and the associated warnings because these tables are only
applicable to beam slab model
Related Articales :
Building Analysis
Post Analysis
The analysis produces graphical results for both the Static and Eigenvalue Analysis that can be
accessed simultaneously in the Model and Analysis Results Display. Tabular results can be obtained as
an Analysis Results Report.
Model and Analysis Results Display

The Building Analysis procedure creates a 3-D analytical model of the building which can be viewed
using the Model and Analysis Results Display option located on the Post Analysis of the Building
Analysis form.
By using options in Model and Analysis Results Display, you can effectively check whether the analytical
model is prepared correctly - you can display details such as frame and nodal loadings, system
connectivity information, rigid end zones, end releases etc.
Again by using the available options, you can review the analysis results such as displacements, axial
forces, shears, bending moments, torsions, and finite element contours.
Display of the analytical model can be controlled using the right mouse button and mouse wheel.
Rotation operations can be performed by pressing right mouse button and dragging. Zoom-In and
Zoom-Out can be performed by rotating the mouse wheel. Pan operations can be done by pressing the
mouse wheel and dragging.
The following buttons can be used to control the display:
GENERAL & ELEMENTS TAB

The most commonly used view settings can be selected directly from the drop down menus, however
other settings such as node display type, text properties and size, local axis colours etc. can be
adjusted by displaying the General & "Elements" tab.
Print
You can send the high resolution image of 3-D analytical model to printer by using Print button. A
print preview is displayed so that you can check the image before it is printed.
Find Node/Member
This button can be used to locate an individual node, frame element or shell element within the 3-D
analytical model.
Filter
Particularly for complicated and big-sized models, filtering is essential. By utilising the Filters button
any unnecessary detail can be removed or restored. You can remove any storey level, any axis, or
member type from the view, enabling you to focus on a particular detail in the model.
Nodes
When the Nodes button is depressed the additional options on the drop down become active. Selecting
Labels from the drop down controls the display of node numbers. Similarly, Supports and Springs
display any support/spring assigned to a node if they exist.
Nodal loads assigned to each node can be seen if the Nodal Loads option is checked.
All Diaphragms can be used to show how nodes are connected to any diaphragms in the model.
Frame Elements
Select Labels from the drop down to view the member labels. Frame Numbers are automatically
assigned to each element during the analysis model creation. Any rigid members (including those
created for example when Rigid Zones have been specified) can be displayed using the Rigid
Members option.
Point loads and distributed loads acting on beam spans can also be displayed on analytical model.
Check Frame Loads option for this purpose.
Other details that can be activated for frame elements are Local Axes and Frame Direction Arrows.
Shell Elements
Select Labels from the drop down to view the shell numbers. In order to isolate shell elements from
neighbouring members and easily distinguish the connectivity information, check Shrink option.
RESULTS TAB
Displacements, Frame Element Results and Contours are displayed for the load case selected in the
Loading list.
If an eigenvalue analysis has been performed, mode shapes of the building will have been calculated
and the modes can be selected from the Loading list in order to see the mode shape.
Displacements
Translation and rotation values at the node points can be displayed either as a resultant or in each of
the global directions. For angled systems, if non-orthogonal displacements are to be investigated, then
the Resultant option can be used.
To animate the displacement display, select Animation.
The decimal precision of the displacement values can be adjusted from Unit and Format Settings in the
Settings menu of the Graphic Editor.
Further configuration options exist in the Displacements section of the View Settings menu as
described below.
Displacements are assigned an automatic scale when first loaded. To increase the scale factor uncheck
the Auto Scale box and enter a value manually into the Display Scale field.
The Cubic Curve option draws the displacements of frame and shell members by making use of the
loading on the elements, otherwise displacements are drawn just at the node points if this option is
removed.
To change the display unit of the displacements, adjust the Displacement Display Unit. If you select
Analysis, then the displacement values will be displayed in whatever unit is used in analysis.
The speed and number of steps in the animation can be adjusted via the View Settings menu. For a
smooth animation slow-down the speed while increasing the step number.
Diagrams
There are 6 force and moment components related to a frame element each of which can be displayed
from the drop down menu:
N : Axial Load
T : Torsional Moment
V2 : Shear force along element local axis 2 (Major shear of beam and wall; shear of column along dir 1)
V3 : Shear forces along element local axis 3 (Minor shear of beam and wall; shear of column along dir
2)
M2 : Bending moments about element local axis 2 (Minor moment of beam and wall; moment of
column along dir 1)
M3 : Bending moments about element local axis 3 (Major moment of beam and walls; moment of
column along dir 2)
Select the Labels option to see the diagram values on the display.
Moment or force diagrams are also drawn for the rigid members if you check the Rigid Members in the
Diagrams section of the View Settings menu.
Diagrams are assigned an automatic scale when first loaded. Uncheck Auto Scale box in the View
Settings menu and enter a value manually into the Scale field to use a different scale.
Contours
If a Finite Element Shell Model is used for analytical modelling of walls this button will be enabled
allowing you to display either shaded or line contours for the selected contour type.
There are 9 contour types related to the shell elements, the required type is selected from the View
Settings menu:
F11 : Horizontal Axial Force per unit length,
F22 : Vertical Axial Force per unit length,
F12 : Shear Force per unit length,
M11 : In-plane Bending Moment per unit length,
M22 : Out-of-plane Bending Moment per unit length,
M12 : Twisting Moment per unit length,
Displacement X,
Displacement Y,
Displacement Z,
Shell internal forces are given for unit length of the member.
The number of contour intervals can be adjusted from the View Settings menu.
Legend
Use this button to display the legend for the currently selected contour option. The legend will remain
in the view as long as the contour display is active.
Analysis Results Report

In order to examine the analysis results calculated at joints, frames and shell elements, press Analysis
Output Report Preparation button in the Post Analysis tab.
Analysis Results dialog will be loaded. You can perform multiple filtering on analysis results by using
this tree structured form. As the default view, model will be categorised in storey basis. By selecting
Member Types in List Type field, you can categorise the results in element basis.
If you highlight Building title and press >> button, all members in the system (Nodes, Columns,
Beams etc.) will be listed on the Structural Members list on the right.
You can do further selections by expanding the Building title and subselecting any elements under
any of the Storey title. For the items to be transferred to analysis report, select the item on the tree
and press >> button. If you just want to transfer all the elements on Storey01 to the analysis report,
ideally select Storey01 title and press >>. In order to exclude the transferred items from the report,
select related item from the Structural Members list and press <<.
Only a few structural members may be transferred to the analysis report. You can expand different
titles on the tree and select multiple structural members by pressing CTRL simultaneously.
After selecting and transferring the structural members, press Next button.
A list will be displayed on the screen containing the names of the elements you selected and
transferred.
Specify the result type from the Result Type field.
If Frames option is selected, frame members used in the analytical model will be displayed
with their corresponding labels. Internal forces will be reported with respect to the element
local axes.
Shells option will be enabled if Finite Element Shell Model is used for wall modelling. Internal
forces of each single shell element will be reported by this option.
Select Nodes option to include information and results of the joints (such as support
conditions, coordinates, nodal loads, displacements and rotations).
Some structural members may be consisted of more than one frame element. In order to
obtain a single set of results for these type of members, select Structural Members option.
Results will be displayed along global axes.
After specifying the result type for the members, press Next button and specify which
combinations or load cases that the report will be created for.
Load cases and load combinations are listed on the right while the internal force components are on
the left. Perform multiple or single selections by using CTRL/SHIFT buttons to select from the two lists.
Click on the Next button to continue. If you do not make any selections in one of the two lists, all of
the items in the list will be included in the report.
After building analysis, Axial Load (N), Shear Forces along local axes (V2, V3), Torsional Moment (T),
Bending Moments about the local axes (M2, M3) are calculated at the Columns, Beams and Walls
Printing the Analysis Results Report

As the last step in report creation, specify report options such as the number formats and priorities.
You can click on Create Report button at any time during the steps of report creation described above.
Except the first step, if no selection is done at the other steps, it will be accepted as if all the items are
selected in the list, (nothing selected means everything selected).
Analysis Report will be created in text format after these steps. Print preview of the analysis report
prepared can be obtained by selecting from the Output Reports list on the Post Analysis page of
Building Analysis form. No preview will be available for a report that has not yet been created.
Analysis Output Sign Convention

The sign convention is illustrated in the following figures.
Positive Definition of Member Forces
Local Axis Directions
Local axis directions are illustrated above for the structural members.
For columns;
Local Axis-1 is always defined from top to bottom along the column longitudinal axis.
If column is of direction 1 or , Local Axis-2 is along the Dir-1 Insertion Axis of the column. Local Axis-3
is defined according to the right hand rule and is normal to the plane of Local Axis-1 and Local Axis-2.
If column is of direction 2, Local Axis-3 is along Dir-2 insertion axis. Local Axis-2 is defined according to
the right hand rule and is normal to the plane of Local Axis-1 and Local Axis-3.
For walls;
Local Axis-1 is always defined from top to bottom along the wall longitudinal axis.
Local Axis-3 is always normal (pointing out) to the wall panel plane. Local Axis-2 is in the wall panel
plane and perpendicular to Local Axis-3.
For beams;
Local Axis-1 is always along the beam longitudinal axis and defined from start to end point of the
beam. (From bottom to top if beam seems vertical in plan, or from left to right if beam seems
horizontal in plan)
Local Axis-2 is always defined along +Z direction. Local Axis-3 is defined according to the right hand rule
and is normal to the plane of Local Axis-2 and Local Axis-1
Right Hand Rule: While Right Hand Thumb shows the local axis-2, rotation direction of our hand is from
Local Axis-3 to Local Axis-1
Related Articles :
Building Analysis
Reports
Pre-analysis Checks Report

This report summarises basic analysis model data such as storey heights, load combinations, materials
and section properties.
The member sections properties will only be included if the option to "Print Column, Wall & Beam
Section Properties in Post-Analysis Report" is checked (via Model Options > Settings). We suggest that
this options be unchecked to reduce memory requirement and size of the report.
Post-analysis Checks Report

This report summarises the post analysis storey drift checks
Joint Shear Check (HK-2004 only)

For the Hong Kong design code only this report summarises the column-beam joint shear checks.
Analysis Model Echo Report

This report contains tha analysis model data (solver input file).
A more detail report will be generated if the option to "Create Detailed Analysis Echo File" is checked
(via Model Options > Settings. We suggest that this options be unchecked to reduce memory
requirement and size of the report.
Storey Displacements Report

ProtaStructure calculates the displacements in the x and y directions and torsion for each load
combination for each storey.
ProtaStructure creates building models by using three degrees of freedom in each rigid diaphragm
group. These degrees of freedom are: displacement in x direction, displacement in y direction and
torsion. There are displacements resulting from different load cases at the mass center of each
diaphragm.
In the Building Analysis form, Storey Displacements option in the Reports menu can be used to print
out the storey displacements.
Sway Classification Report

This report displays the calculations for determining the sway classification of each storey in the
structure. The calculations vary depending on the active design code. If designing to BS8110, CP65 or
HK-2004 the calculations are in accordance with ACI 318-02. If designing to EC2 the calculations are in
accordance with Annex H of that code.
Beam Load Analysis Report

This report lists the slab loads that decomposed on to each beam along with those loads applied
directly to each beam. It does not include secondary beam reactions or discontinous (transfer)
columns and wall loads as these loads are not externally applied and are evaluated in the builidng
analysis.
Eigenvalue Results
If an Eigenvalue Analysis has been performed, an extra button appears on the Reports tab. The
Eigenvalue Results Report provides numerical output from the Eigenvalue analysis consisting of
frequencies and mass participations.
This report will also be created if earthquake analysis has been performing (by generating siesmic load
cases & combination). The report will show all the earthquake analysis results such as :
Modal participation factors
Dynamic Forces
Spectrum modal amplitudes
Base Forces due to siesmic load cases
Slab Loads Report

This report shows all the slab additional dead loads as created in the Slab Additional Loads library
Wall Types Report

This report shows all the brickwall (or partition) types as created in the Wall Types Library.
Related Articles :
Building Analysis
Analysis and Design of Slabs (Contents)

Solid Slabs, and Flat Slabs can be analysed and designed in ProtaStructure. Suitable Slab Strips must
be defined In the Graphic Editor to distinguish the different types of slab so that they can be analysed
with an appropriate method.
The Analytical Strip type employs the Moment Coefficient Method, whereas the FE Strip type is used
in conjunction with the results of an FE floor analysis. A Manual Strip type can be specified where
reinforcement is to be placed directly without any design.
Note that the ultimate load factors used in the analysis are obtained from the first load combination
defined in the Standard Load Combination used in the analysis of the building. Therefore, when a
customized load combination is used, special care must be taken to have the first combination to
reflect the correct load factors.
Typical procedures of the slab design and the column punching shear check can be studied in the
subsections
Related Articles:
Analytical Strip
Finite Element (FE) Strip
Slab design and settings
Column Punching Check
Analytical Strip
Slab Strips for the Moment Coefficient Method

These strips are used for solid slabs supported by beams or walls. A slab strip lies through adjacent
solid slabs (defines an axis). Support and span moments for all solid slabs connected by this axis will be
calculated by the Moment Coefficient Method.
Span reinforcements for each slab will be selected according to the span moment calculated for that
slab. For the calculation of support reinforcements, the biggest support moment of the two adjacent
slabs will be selected after redistribution. After determining the steel area required in the support, the
area of the reinforcements coming from the spans and passing through the support would be
calculated. If these bars dont satisfy the area required in the support, additional support
reinforcement would be provided.
Each Slab strip drawn would be automatically considered as a strip for the Moment Coefficient Method,
unless the Finite Element Strip box is checked. These strips must pass through the slabs supported by
beams and walls.
Reinforcements calculated according to the Moment Coefficient Method will be shown on the screen,
as soon as the strip is drawn.
Related Articles:
FE Strip
Finite Element (FE) Strip
Slab Strips for the Finite Element Analysis of Solid Slabs Supported
by Beams (Span Strip)
As an alternative to the Moment Coefficient Method, Finite Element Analysis can be used. To define a
slab strip for the Finite Element Analysis, the Finite Element Strip box must be checked, and the
Span Strip option should be selected. Similar to the Moment Coefficient Method, these strips must
pass through the slabs supported by beams and walls. After drawing all strips, you can start the
analysis of the slabs by using the FE Floor Analysis option in the Run pull down menu. (See FE Floor
Analysis chapter for details)
Span reinforcement is calculated according to the maximum moment found in the Span Zone. Span
Zone is L/4 distance from each axis defining a slab as shown in the sketch. Similarly, support moments
are taken from the Support Zone which is the L/4 distance in each side of a support. After determining
the maximum moment in span or support, ProtaStructure calculates the reinforcement required
accordingly.
Definitions of Span Zone and Support Zone for Solid Slabs supported by beams or walls (Span Strip
Parameters).
Support Band Strip for Flat Slabs

Different types of slab strips should be used for span and support reinforcement calculations for flat
slabs. Span Zone is the L/4 distance from each axis defining a slab, and Support Zones are (in
between) the span zones and the axis. To define span and support zones properly, Support Bands
should be drawn. These bands must be placed between the columns and walls that support a slab and
are not connected by beams. To draw a Support Band, click the Beam option and check the Support
Band box in the Beam Form loaded. Slabs should be defined before the support bands. When a
support band is drawn to connect supports, namely columns and beams supporting a slab, the width
of the band will be defined according to the widths of the adjacent slabs. Width of a support band is
the sum of the L/4 lengths of two adjacent slabs. These support bands work as imaginary beams.
Therefore, loads coming from slabs to these bands, can be viewed and edited in the Beam Load
Analysis menu.
Span Band Strip for Flat Slabs

In flat slabs, for calculating the reinforcement required according to the maximum moment found in
the span zone, Span Band Strips should be defined. These strips can be drawn on the screen after
checking the Finite Element Strip box and selecting the Span Band Strip option. These strips must
pass through the span zones of slabs. After drawing all strips, you can start the analysis of the slabs by
using the FE Floor Analysis option in the Run pull down menu. (See FE Floor Analysis chapter for
details)
Definitions of Span Zone and Support Zone for Flat Slabs supported by columns and walls (Span
Band Strip).
Support Strip for Flat Slabs

In flat slabs, for calculating the reinforcement required according to the maximum moment found in
the support zone, Support Strips should be defined. These strips should pass through the Support
Bands defined between the columns and walls supporting a flat slab.
To define a Support Strip, after checking the Finite Element Strip box in the Slab Strip Properties,
select the Support Strip option from the Strip Menu. A Support Strip passing through a Support
Band finds the maximum moment close to the supports in the band and the reinforcement for the
support zone is calculated according to this moment.
After drawing all strips, you can start the analysis of the slabs by using the FE Floor Analysis option in
the Run pull down menu. (See FE Floor Analysis chapter for details)
Definition of Support Band and Support Strip
Fixed Band Strip for Flat Slabs

When you prefer to put a single top and bottom steel along the strip, "Fixed Band" strips are ideal
solution, especially for complex plans that Span Band or Support Band strips cannot be used or for
small buildings like villas.
Extents of the "Fixed Band" to the left and right side of the strip line is provided by the user. Following
the analysis of the floor, all nodes within the region covered by the strip will be scanned and a single
maximum positive and a single negative moments are returned (that creates bending along the
direction of the strip). Based on these moments a top and a bottom steel is selected and placed along
the strip.
To define a Fixed Band Strip, after checking the Finite Element Strip box in the Slab Strip Properties,
select the Fixed Band Strip option from the Strip Menu. Then, the strip line can be dragged through
the slab panels in the floor.
Band extents can be defined either by entering the left and right distances to the "Left Extent" and
"Right Extent" fields, or alternatively by picking a point to the left or right side of the strip line after
pressing "Pick Point" button.
Picking points may be a more preferred method of providing strip extents when the strip will be
extended up to an existing axis line or a slab edge. You can use "EndPoint" or "Nearest" snap modes
before picking a point on the reference line. After picking a point, you can apply the modification to the
strip by pressing the "Update" button.
Steel cut length can be adjusted using the "Slab Steel Bars Cut Length" field located in the "Steel Bars"
page of the "Slab Design Settings" form.
"Fixed Band" Slab Strip Results Interpretation
Related Articles:
Analytical Strip
Slab Design
Solid slabs are analysed according to the Moment Coefficient Method unless the strips defined for
them have been set as Finite Element Strips.
After the insertion of all slabs and slab strips, the slab analysis and design can be carried out in batch
mode using the "Slab Analysis and Design" option in the "Run" pulldown menu. The "Slab Analysis and
Design" option can alternatively be accessed using the right-click menu of "Slabs" node in the "Structure
Tree".
The ultimate load factors are obtained using the first load combination defined in the Standard Load
Combination used in the analysis of the building. Therefore, when a customized load combination is
used, special care must be taken to have the first combination to reflect the correct load factors.
Follow the items listed below, for the analysis and design slabs using the Moment Coefficient Method:
1. First insert the Slab Strips in plan view. If you want to use Moment Coefficient Method, these
strips should not be Finite Element Strips. Therefore, while drawing these strips, the Finite
Element Strip option in the "Slab Strip Properties" should not be checked.
2. If you want to analyse only the slabs of the current storey, then All Storeys box should not be
checked in the Slab Analysis and Design dialog. If you check this option, then all the slabs in the
building will be included in the calculations.
3. Press the "Calculate" button to run the process. The output report created during the process
will be displayed.
4. If you close the Slab Analysis and Design window, the reinforcements will be inserted or
updated (if already exist) in the plan view.
Abbreviations and symbols used in the reports when the slab designs are performed according to the
Moment Coefficient Method:
Type Type of panel and location

g and q Dead and Imposed Loads of slabs
L1 Slab dimension in the direction of the slab strip
L2 Slab dimension in the vertical direction to the slab strip
C Moment Coefficient
M Design Moment Calculated
As Area of reinforcement required
Without using the "Slab Analysis and Design" dialog you can update the reinforcements of slabs by
selecting and updating the strips passing through that slab. Note that the output report will only be
created or updated when "Slab Analysis and Design" dialog is used.
Alternatively, steel bar objects can also be selected and modified manually. Note that, these manual
changes will be overwritten at the next update of the parent slab strip that it resides on, if the required
steel is more that provided be these bars.
Settings used in Slab Design

Settings to be used in the slab designs are assigned using the Slab Design Settings option under the
Settings pulldown menu. See: Slab Design Settings for details.
Drawing Slab Reinforcements

Slab reinforcements can be drawn automatically using Slab Strips in the Graphic Editor Screen.
After placing all slab strips, follow the steps listed below to draw slab reinforcements:
1. If you are using the Moment Coefficient Method for the analysis, then after the Slab Design
procedure, the reinforcements selected will be drawn on the screen automatically.
2. If you are using the Finite Element Method for the analysis, then each slab strip should be
updated by the Update Steel Bars option in Arrange Steel Bars form located in View pulldown
or using Arrange Steel Bars menu option located in the toolbar.
Arrange Steel Bars Menu
Options placed in the Arrange Steel Bars menu are listed below:
Update Steel Bars
The Update Steel Bars option can be used for drawing steel bars of a slab for the first time or to
update the steel bars already drawn.
If the steel bars required for a slab have changed as a result of a new analysis, then the Update Steel
Bars option will update only the insufficient reinforcements drawn regarding the previous analysis. If
you increased some of the reinforcements manually then these bars would not be changed by the
updating procedure. If you want to change all the reinforcement placed according to the previous
analysis and edited manually, then you should use the Delete Steel Bars option before the Update
Steel Bars option.
Delete Steel Bars
The Delete Steel Bars option erases all the steel bars drawn on the screen. . It may be better to use
Delete Steel bars option before using Update Steel Bars option.
Related Articles:

You can perform punching checks according to the selected concrete code using the Punch
Punching Check option located in the Run menu.
The punching check calculations have been designed for flat slab structures and raft foundations.
Therefore, the stiffnesses of any connecting beams (if they exist) are not considered in the calculations.
The punching check is applied only to the selected members, or if no selection exists, then all columns
and walls in the storey will be checked.
Alternatively, you can make a single column or wall selection and use the right-click shortcut menu to
check the selected member.
The Calculate button performs the punching check and results are displayed in the report preview
window.
Punching perimeters of the selected columns are automatically determined and drawn in the plan view
for visual confirmation. The Regen command will erase these perimeters.
Punching perimeters are color coded:
A green perimeter indicates that the column satisfies the punching check.
A red perimeter indicates that the column fails the punching check.
Excluded regions of the punching perimeters (due to the existence of holes, along the edges of
the slabs etc.) are drawn using a block color.
Related Articles:
Column Design Settings - Steel Bars Selection Method
Column Design Settings - Detail Drawings
Working with Columns - Defining/ Editing a Column
Working with Columns - Column Properties
FE Analysis of Floors (Contents)

The vertical load analysis of floor systems and any slab strips as required, modelled in the
ProtaStructure Graphic Editor can be carried out within the Finite Element Floor Analysis Module.
The Finite Element Analysis form can be loaded by selecting "FE Floor Analysis" from the "Run" pulldown.
The form is composed of the following pages:
1. Floor Mesh and Analysis : The Finite Element model is generated and analysed from here using
the selected parameters (Column/Wall Model Types, Stiffness factors, Cracking & Creep) by
clicking the Floor Mesh and Analysis button.
2. Post Analysis Processes and Reports: This page is used for visualising and reporting the
displacements and forces obtained from the analysis.
3. Model Export (Optional): This page can be used for transferring the FE model to other analysis
packages.
Column/Wall Model Types, Stiffness factors, Cracking & Creep

The finite element model is prepared using the model options located on the Floor Mesh and Analysis
page as described in the topics below. These should be set before clicking the Floor Mesh and Analysis
button to generate the mesh.
Column/Wall Model Types

In all analysis modelling options the following assumptions are used:
The rigid zones due to columns, beams and walls (short dimension) are not considered. Therefore,
for columns only one node (in plan view), for walls a series of nodes along the wall insertion axis are
created.
A series of frame members are created for modelling beam elements, between the nodes created
for plate elements along the edge of the beam. The rigid zones due to beam dimensions are ignored.
Thin shell members are utilised for modelling the slab panels. Shear deformations of these members
are not taken into account.
X and Y translational degrees of freedoms and rotations about z-axis are restrained at all nodes.
Three Column and Wall modelling options are provided in the ProtaStructure Finite Element Floor
Analysis Module, namely, fixed support model, elastic spring model and a short frame model.
z-Restrained (Pinned) Support Model:

The z-direction translational degree of freedom of the column nodes and wall nodes are restrained in
this model type. Rotational degrees of freedom of these nodes are not restrained.
Rigid frame members (with equivalent rotational rigidity to that of the wall element) are placed
between the wall nodes.
All the other nodes can translate in z and rotate around x and y.
z-Restrained (Pinned) Support Model
Elastic Spring Element Model

An elastic spring element is placed at the column and wall nodes. The stiffnesses of the springs are
calculated so that they will simulate the axial rigidity (k = EA / L) of the column and wall elements.
Rigid frame members (with equivalent rotational rigidity to that of the wall element) are placed
between the wall nodes.
All other nodes can translate in z and rotate around x and y.

Elastic Spring Support Model
Short Frame Model

In this modelling option, the bending rigidity of the columns is considered by providing a frame
member below and above (if exists) the column nodes. The sectional properties of the frame members
are set equivalent to that of the actual members.
Top nodes of the upper columns are set so that all degrees of freedom are restrained except z-
translation, while all degrees of freedom of the bottom nodes of the lower columns are restrained. The
top nodes of the lower columns (which is the bottom node of the upper column as well) can translate
in z and rotate around x and y.
The springs, with stiffnesses equivalent to the axial rigidity of the walls are introduced at the nodes in
the walls, similar to the "elastic spring element model" option. Rigid frame members (with equivalent
rotational rigidity to that of the wall element) are placed between the wall nodes.
Short Frame Model
Stiffness Factors
Beam, Slab, Column and Wall stiffness factors can be set automatically to make an allowance for
cracking and creep. An automated calculation is provided for this purpose: see Cracking & Creep.
Alternatively the stiffness factors can be defined individually if required for maximum flexibility.
Beam Stiffness Multiplier

Beam bending stiffnesses will be multiplied with the factor provided in this field. Occasionally, you may
like to have beams to provide exaggerated restrain effect to the slabs and rib beams. In order to realise
this effect, you can increase the stiffness factor of the beams by entering values greater than 1 in this
field.
Note that, this factor is not applied to the ribs or grillage beams.
Slab Stiffness Multiplier

Slab bending stiffnesses will be multiplied with the factor provided in this field. Occasionally, you may
like to reduce slab stiffnesses to provide exaggerated restrain effect to the slabs and rib beams. In
order to realise this effect, you can decrease the stiffness factor of the slabs by entering values less
than 1 in this field.
Column Stiffness Multiplier

Column stiffnesses will be multiplied with the factor provided in this field.
Wall Stiffness Multiplier

Wall stiffnesses will be multiplied with the factor provided in this field.
Include Column and Wall Sections in the Model

This setting controls the inclusion of column and wall outlines in the finite element analytical model.
A single node will be used for modeling the columns if this option is not checked. This option is very
useful for reducing the support moments at column and wall nodes by considering the section of the
column.
If you check this option, rigid links are provided to create a rigid column outline to reduce stress
concentrations and spikes occurring around columns and walls.
Note that, this modeling option is created specifically for flat slab structures. Models may not be
created successfully for beam/slab systems.
Include Slab Plates in FE Model

This setting controls the inclusion of slabs as Finite Element Plate Bending elements.
If you check Include Plates in FE Model, slabs will be included in the Finite Element Floor Model. When
slab are included, calculated slab loads that are transferred to beams are ignored and beams are
divided into segments using the nodes created by the plate elements.
Consider Beam Torsional Stiffnesses

Beam Torsional Stiffnesses are calculated and used in the finite element model if this option is
checked. Otherwise, the torsional stiffness of all beams in the model will be ignored.
Include Upper Storey Column Loads

If this option is checked, the calculated column axial loads of the upper storey Finite Element Model are
transferred as point loads at the related column locations. Using this option, it is possible to make 3D-
Short Frame analyses and include the column and wall axial loads of the upper stories.
Note that, if this option is checked, the analyses should be carried in order from upper to lower floor
levels.
Upper Storey Column Loads Table

Column and wall loads that are calculated in the upper floor levels analysis can be viewed and edited
using the Upper Storey Column Loads Table.
Note that, the self weight of the columns and walls are added to the axial force results of the upper
storey.
Use Sparse Solver for FE Analysis

dramatic reduction in the analysis time can be achieved, for other models it may be less significant.
Cracking & Creep

The "Cracking & Creep" button is used to calculate a stiffness factor which is then applied to the FE
model. The purpose of this factor is to make an allowance for creep, cracking and shrinkage when
determining an estimate of total long term concrete slab deflection.
Key points to note when considering total long term concrete slab deflection are:
1. The total deflection estimate is obtained by reviewing the G+Q*F combination.
2. The stiffness factors suggested also take account of the load factors the deflections displayed
are a serviceability estimate.
(There is no requirement to make further adjustments to the deflections).
3. If you are using the stiffness factor adjustment as suggested then there is absolutely no value in
looking at the deflections for G or Q individually. (These results are only left visible to
accommodate engineers with their own methods of estimating the deflection based on
different adjustment factors.)
4. It needs to be understood that creep and cracking effects do not apply equally to dead and
imposed loads this is another reason why the individual G and Q deflection plots should be
viewed with extreme caution if at all.
5. If the total deflection determined by this method is greater than span/250 then in general the
slab may be regarded as being too thin.
6. It is Protas view that considering deflection in this simple, well established and accepted
fashion remains the most pragmatic approach in most situations. (Refer to concrete centre
guide How to design reinforced concrete flat slabs using Finite Element Analysis for further
information.)
7. The possibility of adding reinforcement to control deflection is sometimes raised. This requires
a more theoretical approach where once again creep cracking and shrinkage must all be
considered. Our research indicates that this approach cannot readily prove slab depths which
have always been accepted without the addition of reinforcement, are in fact acceptable. You
also have to add a lot of reinforcement to make a small % difference to the deflection.
Therefore, it seems that indiscriminate use of such an approach may lead to wasteful
specification of additional reinforcement.
To calculate the stiffness factor to apply:
1. Choose the Load Type (either Domestic/Office or Storage).
2. Enter the Average/Typical Dead Load on the current storey.

3. Enter the Average/Typical Live Load on the current storey.
A suggested range for the stiffness factor is calculated based on the above input. This range
also depends on the code being designed to.
4. The Stiffness Factor to Apply is displayed at the bottom of the dialog. The default is the lowest
value in the suggested range.
5. Click the OK button to apply the stiffness factor.
On the Model Preparation page the Beam, Slab, Column and Wall stiffness factors will now be
set to the calculated value.
Related Articles:
Floor Mesh and Analysis - Generate Model
Post Analysis Processes and Reports
The Floor Analysis Post-Processor
Model Export
Floor Mesh and Analysis - Generate Mesh

The floor mesh is generated in the "FE Floor Analysis" pre-processor, which is accessed by clicking the
"Floor Mesh and Analysis" button.
Generate Model
A triangular mesh consisting of DKT plate elements and frame members (if they
exist) will be generated generated when the Generate Model button is clicked on
the toolbar. Beams and walls are modelled as frame members sliced to be
compatible with the plate mesh.
The size of triangular plate members generated is determined by a combination of the Plate Element
Size and the Mesh Uniformity Factor. These values should be tailored carefully according to the
required mesh density, as the mesh density significantly affects the model size and accuracy of
computations.
The generated model will be saved automatically after meshing.
Plate Element Size

This is used to specify the maximum plate size that can be created within the mesh. Minimum plate
sizes will be dictated by physical boundaries in the model (e.g. column boundaries) and by seed nodes.
Specifying the Plate Element Size too small results in an overly fine mesh requiring longer to perform
the calculations. Conversely if the Plate Element Size is too large, the mesh will be too crude to
produce accurate results.
Mesh Uniformity Factor

The "Uniformity Factor" can be modified to adjust the uniformity of the mesh for various floor plans.
Acceptable values range from "0" to "100".
If "100" is entered the plate element size will generally be similar everywhere in the model.
At the other extreme, if "0" is entered, the size of the plate elements will be smaller in relatively smaller
slab panels, cantilever slabs and around the slab openings.
Analysis
Press the Exit button in the File pulldown menu in order to analyse the generated FE model. Analysis
will be performed automatically. The phases of the analysis process can be monitored from the
displayed console window. This window will close as soon as the analysis completes.
Related Articles:
Model Export

Once the analysis has completed the Post-Analysis Processes and Reports page is automatically
displayed.
Moment factor parameters can be adjusted if required, before clicking the Analysis Post -processing
button to review the results.
Positive and Negative Moment Factors

These factors should be defined before clicking the Analysis Post-processing button to review the
results.
Output results that are viewed in the Post-processor and Analysis Results Reports are factored using
the values entered in these fields.
Analysis Post-processing
The Analysis Post-processor is equipped with several options to provide a visual display of the analysis
results. Displacements, moments and various other graphical outputs can be investigated. It is
accessed by clicking the Analysis Post-processing button.
See: The Floor Analysis Post-Processor for further details.
Output Report Preparation

After the completion of the analysis phase without any errors, you can generate output reports of the
Finite Element Analysis results. The Output Report Preparation button will load the Analysis Results
form that is used for the generation of formatted reports.
The output reports can be prepared for selected nodes, slabs and/or frame members. In all tab pages,
you select items to be included using the visible lists and then press the Create Report button to
generate the report. The generated report will be loaded to the standard editor for quick viewing or
formatting and printing.
The form has four tab pages:
Nodes Tab
Node results can be filtered by nodes or slabs. When selections are made in the "Slabs" list, the nodes
within or along the edges of the selected slabs will be included in the report. Similarly, information on
selected nodes can be obtained by making a selection from the "Nodes" list.
For every node, the following fields may be included in the generated reports:
Restraints: Restraint conditions of the degrees of freedoms of the nodes. For every degree of
freedom, "0" indicates unrestrained, and "1" indicates restrained conditions.
Nodal Coordinates: X, Y and Z coordinates of the nodes.
Nodal Displacements and Rotations: Nodal displacements along global x, y and z axes and nodal
rotations about global x, y and z axes calculated during the structural analysis of the model.
Nodal Reaction Forces: Reaction forces along global x, y and z axes calculated during the structural
analysis of the model.
Nodal Reaction Moments: Moment reactions about global x, y and z axes calculated during
structural analysis of the model.
Slab Deformations: The maximum and minimum displacements obtained on each slab. Soil
Reactions: The soil reaction force along z axes calculated during the structural analysis of the model.
Soil Reactions (summary): The maximum and minimum soil reactions obtained on each slab.
Using the sort options in the lower part of the form, output results can be reported and sorted by
nodes or by selected loadings.
Plates Tab
Using this tab page, a report for the analysis results calculated for the plate members can be created.
Plate results can be filtered by plate members or slabs. When selections are made in the "Slabs" list,
the plate members within the selected slabs will be included in the report. Similarly, information on
selected plate members can be obtained by making selection in the "Plates" list.
For every plate, the following fields may be included in the generated reports:
Member Forces: Moments Mx, My and Mxy, for each node of the plate elements calculated during
the structural analysis of the model.
Nodal Forces: The force Fz and moments Mx, My, the remaining portion of the structure applied at
each node of the plate element.
Using the sort options in the lower part of the form, output results can be reported as sorted by plate
members or by selected loadings.
Print Element in a Single Line option will output the results of all nodes of a plate or frame member in a
single line. This will produce a compressed report.
Selecting the Skip Line between Elements option will leave a blank line between all member results. This
may be used for a clearer report.
Frames Tab
Using this tab page, a report for the analysis results calculated for frame members can be created.
Frame element results can be filtered by beams and columns or frame members. When selections are
made in the "Beams" list, the frame members for the selected beams or columns will be included in the
report. Similarly, information on selected frame members can be obtained by making a selection from
the "Elements" list.
For every frame member, the following fields may be included in the generated reports:
Member End Forces: Forces Fx, Fy and Fz calculated along local member coordinates, at each end of
the frame member calculated during the structural analysis of the model. Here, Fx is the axial
force, Fy and Fz are the shear forces along respective local axes.
Member End Moments: Moments Mx, My and Mz, calculated about local member coordinates, at
each end of the frame member calculated during the structural analysis of the model. Here, Mx is the
torsional moment, My and Mz are the bending moments about respective local axes.
Using the sort options in the lower part of the form, output results can be reported as sorted by frame
members or by loadings.
Number Format
The format of the numbers that will appear in the report can be modified for displacement, rotation,
force and moment values separately using the fields in this tab page.
The up/down buttons to the right of the Total Length and Decimal fields can be used for modifying
the total number of digits and the number of digits after the decimal symbol respectively. The effects
of the modifications are displayed dynamically on the form.
Create Report Button

After setting the preferences the required output can be generated using the Create Report button.
The resulting file will be displayed in the editor.
Axial Load Comparison Report

The "Axial Load Comparison Report" provides a means of verifying the total dead and live load applied to
the building. It also can be used to cross check:
slab loads have been correctly decomposed on to the supporting members
gravity load applied matches the building analysis total vertical reaction
gravity load applied matches the FE chasedown total vertical reaction
Merging FE Beam and Column Results with Building Analysis

Results
Analysis results obtained from the Finite Element Floor Model analysis can be merged with the beam
and column results obtained by the Building Analysis.
Merging FE Beam Results with Building Analysis Results
Analysis results obtained from the Finite Element Floor Model analysis can be merged with the beam
results obtained by the Building Analysis.
Only the vertical load cases of the Building Analysis output are affected by this process. The dead load
case (G) values and any patterned dead load case (GP11, GP12 etc.) values are replaced with the first
load case values of FE results and the live load case (Q) values and any patterned live load case (QP11,
QP12 etc.) values are replaced with the second load case values of FE results.
Merging FE Column Results with Building Analysis Results

Analysis results obtained from the Finite Element Floor Model analysis can be merged with the column
and wall results obtained by the Building Analysis.
Only the vertical load cases of the Building Analysis output are affected by this process. The dead load
case (G) values and any patterned dead load case (GP11, GP12 etc.) values are replaced with the first
load case values of FE results and the live load case (Q) values and any patterned live load case (QP11,
QP12 etc.) values are replaced with the second load case values of FE results.
Related Articles:
Model Export

Click the Analysis Post-processing button to access the Floor Analysis Post-processor.
The post-processor is equipped with several options to provide a visual display of the analysis results:
displacements, moments and various other graphical outputs can be investigated.
View Controls
View controls are located on the General tab as follows:
Orthogonal Plan Mode

In order to obtain a true plan view of the 3-D model, use Orthogonal Plan Mode button
located in the toolbar. When orthogonal plan mode is active, no rotation can be
performed with the mouse. Only pan and zoom is allowed in this mode of display.
Press the same button to deactivate the plan mode.
View Angle
Use the mouse right and left buttons and scroll wheel to perform zoom in/out,
rotation and pan operations. Alternatively, 3-D View button on the toolbar or in the
View menu can be used to control the movement of the 3-D display. This form
contains nine viewing direction buttons. You can view the model from any pre-set
direction.
Orthogonal/Perspective View
Perspective (Frustum) view of the 3-D model can be obtained by
Orthogonal/Perspective View button in the toolbar.
Print
The Print Preview Menu is loaded when the Print button on the toolbar or the Print
option on the File pulldown is selected. Print is used for creating the hardcopy of the
graphical model displayed in the drawing area.
Save Image As Bitmap File

3-D image on drawing area will be saved as bitmap, if Save Image As Bitmap File
button in the toolbar is clicked.
View Settings
Elements in the FE Model are categorised under different titles. Display settings related with these
elements can be adjusted using View Settings property grid located on the left of the Floor Analysis
Post-Processor screen.
Titles located in the View Settings Property Grid are:
General Settings
Geometry (Structural Members)
Nodes
Frame Element
Plate
Displacements
Contours
User Defined Contours
Threshold Contours
Slab Strip
Legend
Titles in the grid are expandable. Each title includes general property fields that control colour, text
style, label display, visibility etc
View Settings - General Settings

General properties of the display are controlled from the View Settings, General Settings title. In order
to change the background colour of the display arena, click once on the cell containing the Background
Colour text. The cell on the right hand side will display a small box previewing the color and a
button. Press this button to load the operating system color picker.
In order to perform an anti-aliasing, Line Anti-Aliasing text shall be checked. This will smooth the line
edges.. By cheking the Face Anti-Aliasing, polygons will be drawn smoothly on the screen.
Texts can be displayed in three different styles:
Bitmap style uses the true type system fonts and size of the text does not change when screen
is zoomed in or out.
Perspective style again uses true type system fonts, but text size changes with zoom
operations. In addition, text objects far from view plane are displayed smaller.
In the Vector style, text objects are displayed using vector fonts like other drawing objects (ISO,
ROMAN, TXT). Text size changes with respect to distance from viewplane and magnification.
Text properties related with all elements in the drawing area can be controlled from the Label
subtitle of each element category title. Label styles of each separate category can be specified
independently from each other. General properties related with three distinct text styles
(bitmap, perspective or vector) can globally be adjusted from Bitmap Font Properties,
Perspective Font Properties and Vector Font Properties fields located under General Settings
title. The Raster Bitmap Properties subtitle includes controls concerning dimension and line
settings being sent to printer.
View Settings - Structural Members

Slab, Wall, Column and Beam members defined in Graphic Editor are all categorised under the
Structural Members title. Display, colour and label settings can easily be done using the fields that
expand when > sign near the title is pressed.
View Settings - Nodes

Nodes are the connections of analytical members (shells, frames). Analysis results such as moments,
displacements are calculated at each node. Display properties related with nodes can be specified by
using the subtitles located under Node title in the property grid. Nodes can be displayed in three
styles. Display Mode cell controls this property. Sphere style displays the nodes as small spheres
whose diameters are controlled by Sphere Size field. Colours of these spheres can be specified from
Element Color cell. Cross style displays the nodes as 3-D asterisks. Nodes are viewed as one pixel
sized points when Point option is selected.
If you have defined partial slab loads, these can be displayed by Nodal Load data field. Should there
are supports assigned to the nodes, these can be displayed by Support title.
View Settings - Frame Element

Other than the structural members defined in the Graphic Editor, there are analytical members
automatically created by analysis engine. Beam, column, wall, rib and waffle slab members are
modelled by frame elements while normal slabs are modelled by triangle plate elements. Frame
Element title includes the controls related with the display of frame elements in the floor system.
Shrink option provides an isolated display of frame elements by dispatching them from their end
nodes. Direction of the frame element can be seen using fields in Element Direction title. Local axes of
frame elements can also be seen by Local Axes field.
Rigid beams in wall members or automatic rigid links are grouped under Rigid Elements title.
Appearance settings can be made using the fields under this title.
If there are user-defined loads that have been defined on beams in Graphic Editor, these also can be
seen and adjusted using the fields located under Frame Loads title.
View Settings - Plates

Discrete Kirchhoff Triangles used in the finite element slab analysis are called plates in short.
Appearance settings of plate elements can be made using the fields located under Plate title. Display
of the plate elements are controlled by two groups: Faces and Edges. Faces represent the solid infill
of the plate elements. Transparency settings can be done by the Transparency field located under
Faces subtitle of Plate title. Colour, Line width, Label properties are controlled in the same manner as
the other elements described previously.
Model Display Controls

Model Display controls are located on the Elements tab as follows:
Structural Members
The Display Structural Members button in the toolbar hides/displays the beam,
column, slab and wall and pile members in the model. When clicked on, the Structural
Members title will automatically expand in the View Settings proprerty grid with all its
subtitles, enabling a quick access for editing.
The drop down options under this button can be used to:
hide/display the structural member labels
hide/display slab shading
hide/display slab loads
Nodes
Nodes exist at the connections of analytical members (shells, frames). Analysis results
such as moments, displacements are calculated at each node.
The Display Nodes button in the toolbar hides/displays the nodes in the model. When
clicked on, the Node title will automatically expand in the View Settings proprerty grid
with all its subtitles, enabling a quick access for editing.
hide/display the node labels
hide/display nodal loads
hide/display supports
hide/display springs
Frame Element
The Display Frame Elements button in the toolbar hides/displays the frame elements
in the model. When clicked on, the Frame Elements title will automatically expand in
the View Settings proprerty grid with all its subtitles, enabling a quick access for
editing.
hide/display the frame element labels
hide/display local axes
hide/display the element direction
hide/display user-defined loads defined on beams in Graphic Editor (frame

loads)
Note that other than the structural members defined in the Graphic Editor, there are
other analytical members automatically created by the analysis engine. Beam, column,
wall, rib and waffle slab members are modelled by frame elements while normal slabs
are modelled by triangular plate elements.
Plates
The Display Plate Elements button in the toolbar hides/displays the plate elements in
the model. When clicked on, the Plates title will automatically expand in the View
Settings property grid with all its subtitles, enabling a quick access for editing.
hide/display the plate labels
hide/display the plate thicknesses
hide/display the plate pressure
shrink the plates for clearer viewing
hide/display plate shading

Loading and Effects
These panels (on the right side of graphical editor) are used to specify the result to be displayed.
Loading
The active load case or combination can be set using the Loading panel. Results will be displayed for
the selected load case or combination.
The contour plots are generated for the selected loading if the "Display Contours" button is depressed.
Also, the selected effect (displacement or moment) for the selected loading will be displayed in the
status bar for the pointed node.
Effects (Displacements and Moments)

The effect that is viewed both on the contour plot and on the status bar can be selected using the
"Effects" panel. The following effects can be selected:
Displacement: Displacement of the nodes along the z direction.
Mx: Average nodal moment along global x direction
My: Average nodal moment along global y direction
Mxy: Average nodal torsional moment.
M1: Average nodal moment along Direction 1*
M12: Average nodal torsional moment
As(d)1-bot: Required steel area in the bottom face of the slab along Direction 1 (Wood-Armer Effects
included)
As(d)1-top: Required steel area in the top face of the slab along Direction 1 (Wood-Armer Effects
included)
included)
included)
Soil Pressure: The soil pressure applied on the node.
Soil Pr. Threshold: The threshold plot of the soil pressure against the allowable soil stress value.
As the mouse pointer is hovered above the nodes, the closest one will be snapped. Necessary
information about that node will be displayed in the status bar (below the graphical editor).
*In the Graphic Editor, you can define angle properties for slabs using the Angle field in Slab
Properties menu. M1, M2 and M12 are then calculated with respect to these angles in Finite Element
Post Processor. Especially for the buildings that may have angled plans, reinforcements are needed to
be installed along a specified angle rather than global X and Y. In order to see the moment and steel
contours for different angles, you must have specified angle values for related slabs in the Graphic
Editor.
Displacements and Contours
Displacements, automatic and user-defined contours are selected from the Results tab. These are
then displayed for the selected loading.
Display Displacements
Deformations of the floor system can be displayed/hidden on 3-D model by clicking
the Displacements button in the toolbar; when active, the Displacements title in the
View Settings property grid will be expanded enabling the adjustment of settings
related to the displacement display.
+/- Scale buttons control the exaggeration of the displacement display. Displacements can be
animated by clicking the Animation button.
Contour Plots
ProtaStructure provides useful tools for creating automatic and user-defined contours.
When the Standard Contours button on the toolbar is depressed, the displacement,
required steel area and/or moment contours for the plate elements will be plotted
based on the Effects and Loading options selected.
The Contours title in the View Settings grid will also be expanded automatically,
enabling the adjustment of settings related to the contour display if required.
The Number of Contours field in the View Settings grid (Left panel of the graphical editor) indicates the
number of intervals that the calculated maximum and minimum values of the selected effect will be
displayed in contour view. Larger values yield a smoother contour display.
General Properties of Automatic, User-Defined and Threshold Contours

Contours can be drawn using line representations, or as color-filled regions. They can be displayed on
the undisplaced, or the displaced floor.
Display settings of Shaded Contours and Line Contours can be made under their own subtitles in the
View Settings grid.
Shaded contours can be displayed transparently by using the Transparency option. A value of
100 provides a virtually solid display, lowering the transparancy value increases the degree of
transparency.
Line contours represent the boundary values of the contours. Width of the contours are
controlled by the Line width field, whereas colour of the lines can be controlled by Line Type.
Values of the contour lines are displayed by contour labels. The Contour Labels subtitle
contains fields to control Visibility and Label Spacing.
User- Defined Contours

In addition to automatic contours, user-defined (custom) contours can be created.
When the User-Defined Contours button on the toolbar is depressed, the

displacement, required steel area and/or moment contours for the plate elements will
be plotted based on the Effect and Loading options selected.
To configure user-defined contours click the Edit Contours button. The number of contours, contour
intervals and labels can be controlled from the dialog that is displayed.
Maximum and minimum values of the effect specified in the Effects list are calculated automatically.
The range is divided into the number of intervals specified in Number of Contours field. These intervals
are by default labelled as Contour1, Contour2, etc. The contour intervals and their labels can
subsequently be modified as required.
The color of each contour interval can be modified within the User Defined Contours title in the View
Settings grid.
Threshold Contours
In order to check whether the calculated values of an Effect exceeds a threshold value, one can use
Threshold Contours.
When the Threshold Contours button on the toolbar is depressed, the displacement
required steel area and/or moment contours for the plate elements will be plotted for
upper and lower threshold values based on the Effect and Loading options selected.
To configure threshold contours click the Edit Contours button.
Maximum and minimum values of the effect specified in the Effects list are calculated automatically
and written into Contour_Min and Contour_Max fields. Any value between maximum and minimum
values can be written into Lower Threshold and Upper Threshold fields. The interval between lower
and upper threshold will be painted with green whereas areas below lower threshold and above upper
threshold are painted with red. In other words, threshold contours can be said to be a specialized
subset of user-defined contours. The only difference is that it is limited only to two contour values.
Concrete Cover
The effective depth of the concrete is required in order to display required steel area
contours. To set this value, click the Concrete Cover button.
Required Steel Areas for direction 1 and 2 will be calculated using the available moment from the finite
element analysis. Hence, clear concrete cover, layer of the bar in the specified direction and the
diameter of the bar is important in effective depth calculation. Enter the clear concrete cover distance
(to bar face) in the Concrete Cover (To Bar Face) field. Select the layer of direction-1 bars (outer or
inner) from the Dir-1 layer (it depends on the effective load transfer direction of slab, usually bars on
short edge are installed at outer layer). Bar diameters can be specified in the Bar Diameter field for
Dir-1 and Dir-2. The information provided here will only be calculated for the display of required
steel area.
Edit Contours
When User-Defined or Threshold Contours are active, contour values and labels of
the legends can be adjusted using the Edit Contours button.
If the selected effect is one of moment effects or displacement, contours specified by the fields under
User-Defined Contours title, will identically be loaded into the Contour Settings menu as a list. Values
between the maximum and minimum values can be modified and new labels can be assigned to the
contours. Besides these, the user-defined labels can be displayed in the legend.
In order to change the number of contours to be shown on the display, modify the Number of
Contours field and press Update button. If you click on Yes on the upcoming dialog, minimum and
maximum values will be divided into the specified number. In order to change one of the contour
values and its label, select it in the list on the left. Contour Label and Contour Value fields will be
activated on the right. Modify these fields and press Update button at the lower corner. Click OK to
reflect the changes onto the display area.
If the selected Effect is one of the Required Steel Areas, again the contour properties such as contour
number and values will be loaded into the Contour Settings menu. This time, Steel 1, Steel 2 and
Steel 3 fields will be available in addition to Contour Value and Contour Label fields. In order to set
the value of one of the contours to a specific reinforcing steel area, select the contour from the list on
the left. Check the Steel Area-1 box and specify the Diameter and Spacing. Corresponding steel
area will automatically be calculated and displayed in the same window. If there are more than one
layer of steel bars in the section, then also check the Steel Area-2 and Steel Area-3 boxes. Steel
areas will be superposed. Click Update button to change the value of the contour. Contour label will
automatically be changed as bar diameter and spacing.
If Contour Value option is selected in the Legend part of the Custom Contour Settings menu, legend
labels will be the numerical values of the contour boundaries. If Contour Label option is selected,
legend labels will be identical with the contour labels.
Col/Wall Node Interpretation

The way contours are plotted takes account of the Col/Wall Node Interpretation setting. This can be
set to include or ignore the col/wall nodes. An option also exists to interpolate between the two.
Export Contours (Under development)

If the selected effect is one of the design steel areas [As(d)1-bot, As(d)2-bot,
As(d)1-top, As(d)2-top], the contours on the drawing area can be exported to
the Graphic Editor.
Before exporting the custom contours for design steel areas, create your own custom contours by
using Edit Contours and Concrete Cover buttons. Click on the Export Contours button in the
toolbar. When you return to Graphic Editor by closing FE Floor Analysis Module, click on Regen
button. Contour lines will be displayed on plan view. Layer of these contours can be freezed/thawed
using Layer Control menu.
Legend
As long as the contour view is active, a legend will be displayed at the lower left corner of the screen.
Using the Legend title in the View Settings, display properties of the legend can be adjusted. Number
of Indexes can be equal to the number of contours at most. Position and size of the legend can easily
be controlled by Position and Size fields in the View Settings.
Design Strips
In order to plot the analysis results and obtain the maximum moments to be used in
design, the deformation and moment profiles along a given strip can be generated.
This can be achieved easily by dragging two points defining the design strip after
pressing the Design Strip button on the toolbar and selecting the "Strip Type".
Design Strips can be inserted only in plan view.

Strip values are obtained by (discretising) the line defined by the strip points and the deformation
profile is plotted in the Slab Strip form. The minimum number of strip points calculated along the
profile is provided in the No. of Points field. The strip points of the profile are also displayed on the
model plot.
The displacement and moment profiles are created along the design strip line dragged in the drawing
area for the load case or load combination selected in the "Loadings" dropdown list. Additionally, the
maximum and minimum values obtained along the strip line are displayed in this panel.
The graphical profile can be switched to display displacements or moments using the relevant options.
The displayed moment diagram is obtained using the averaged nodal moment values about the axis
perpendicular to the strip direction in plan view.
The design moments are displayed below the diagram for supports and spans of each slab panel. The
design moments are maximum moments creating tension in top and bottom edges, determined based
on the "Strip Type" selected during the insertion of the design strip.
Strip Types
Four types of Slab Design Strips can be defined:
Fixed Width Band: The width of the design strip is determined using the "Half Band" field defining
the half width along both sides of the strip centreline.
Span Band: Considering the smallest of the edges of the slab that the design strip passes through,
two parallel lines defining the strip region are drawn. The active strip width is set as the middle half
slab width. This strip is used for flat slab systems.
Support Band: This type of design strips must be located along the support regions of the flat slab
systems.
Span Strip: This strip type has behaviour similar to the Span Band. This strip is used for standard
beam/slab systems.
You can refer to Slab Strip Types in the Analysis and Design of Slabs section for more information on
the behaviour of the design strips.
Printing Design Strips

When an individual strip is displayed a graphical hardcopy can be printed by clicking the Print button.
Multiple strips can be printed using the Print Slab Strip option in the File pulldown menu. The
diagram type, loading and the design strips to be printed can be determined using the options in this
dialog.
Transferring Slab Design Strip Results

After closing the Floor Analysis Post-Processor module, the Transfer Options form will be loaded. By
using the options in the Column and Wall Results Transfer Options dropdown list located in this form,
you can control the transfer of the results obtained from column or wall end nodes.
Slab Strip Transfer Options

If Transfer Slab Strip FE Analysis Results option is checked, the analysis results of all strips will be
transferred back from the FE module for the design of the strips.
If Consider Plate Torsion Effects (Wood and Armer) in Slab Design Moments option is checked, the design
moments will be so adjusted to include the torsion effects based on Wood and Armer methodology.
The Column and Wall Results Transfer Option can be selected to be either Ignore in Strip Results or
Interpolate With First Neighbour Nodes in order to reduce the relatively higher results in column nodes
to consider the section dimensions of the columns.
Note that, in a relatively coarse mesh, it may cause under-design of the strips if Ignore in Strip Results
option is preferred.
Since columns are modelled using a single node and walls are modelled using a series of nodes,
undesired stress concentrations may occur on these locations, resulting unexpectedly high support
moments. Only a single negative and positive maximum moment are returned from Fixed Band slab
strips. The area covered by these strips is designed using a single top and bottom steel to resist these
moments. When the column nodes are considered in the design, all the area covered by a Fixed Band
Strip will be based on a very high moment.
Following options may be used alternatively for taking into account the stress concentration effects in
these strips:
Include in Strip Results

If the Finite Element Analysis Post-processing Form is used with this option selected, then the results
obtained in the column nodes and wall end nodes will be returned for being taken into account during
design.
This option is recommended for all slab strip types other than the "Fixed Band" strips.
Include in Strip Results Option
Ignore in Strip Results

If the Finite Element Analysis Post-processing Menu is used with this option selected, then the results
obtained in the column nodes and wall end nodes will be ignored and will not be taken into account
during design.
This option can be used for "Fixed Band" strips. In this case, additional support steel may be necessary
and can be inserted manually after design based on the maximum column node moments.
Ignore in Strip Results Option

Use Average with First adjacent Node
during design. Alternatively, values obtained by averaging the column node (or wall end node) with the
first neighbour nodes around the column (or wall end). This way, the moment reduction effect of the
finite column and wall dimensions will be taken into account in a better approach.
This option is recommended for the "Fixed Band" strips. In this case, additional support steel may be
necessary and can be inserted manually after design based on the maximum column node moments.
Use Average with First adjacent Node Option
Having determined the option to control the transfer of the results obtained from column and wall end
nodes in the Column and Wall Results Transfer Options list in Transfer Options form, press OK button.
Transferring the results back to the Graphic Editor environment enables the design of slabs and
selection of slab steel bars based on the moments calculated using the Finite Element Analysis. Beam
Analysis Results are also transferred during this process to be used for merging with the building
analysis results.
It should be noted that, when a modification on the model or loading is made, the analysis should be
re-run.
Related Articles:
Model Export
Model Export
The Model Export menu option on the Finite Element Analysis Form can be used for exporting an FE
analysis model of each storey into the following software packages: SAP2000 /Lucas.
Related Articles:
FE Analysis of Foundations (Contents)

The foundation system is modelled in the Graphic Editor and can comprise of mats, piled rafts, pads,
pile caps and strip footings. All of these foundation types can be analysed in the FE Raft Foundation
Analysis module.
Prior to FE Raft Foundation analysis, its necessary to complete the structural analysis to determine the
loads to be used in the raft foundation analysis.
FE Raft Foundation Analysis is only available at the foundation storey. It is accessed by selecting "FE
Raft Foundation Analysis" from the "Run" pulldown.
The form is composed of the following pages:
1. Floor Mesh and Analysis: The Finite Element model is generated and analysed from here using
the selected parameters by clicking the Floor Mesh and Analysis button.
2. Post Analysis Processes and Reports: This page is used for visualising and reporting the
displacements and forces obtained from the analysis.
3. Model Export (Optional): This page can be used for transferring the FE model to other analysis
packages.
Floor Mesh and Analysis - FE Raft Foundation

The finite element model is prepared using the model options located on the Floor Mesh and Analysis
page as described in the topics below. These should be set before clicking the Raft Foundation Mesh
and Analysis button to generate the mesh.
Soil Subgrade Coefficient

This coefficient will be used for determining the rigidity of the springs used for modelling of the soil
behaviour. Basically it is a spring stiffness (kN/m) per m2 of ground, hence the units kN/m3.
Ignore the Bearing Capacity of Soil

Note: This field is only displayed if piles have been defined in the foundation.
Where piles are introduced to carry the load the soil bearing capacity can be totally excluded either by
setting the coefficient of subgrade reaction to zero, or more conveniently by checking the option
Ignore the Bearing capacity of the soil.
Note that if you have mixed piled mats and pads then you have to introduce a ground bearing
pressure in order to avoid infinite displacements.
Consider Beam Torsional Stiffnesses
Beam Torsional Stiffnesses are calculated and used in the finite element model if this option is
checked. Otherwise, the torsional stiffness of all beams in the foundation will be ignored.
Apply Live load Reduction (All Combinations)

If live load reductions have been defined and this option is checked, the reductions will be applied in all
combinations. If no live load reductions have been defined, checking this option has no effect.
Note: Although when designing to Eurocodes, live load reductions need only be applied to
combinations in which Q is a leading action, it is not currently possible to make this distinction in
ProtaStructures FE foundation model. Reductions can only be applied to all combinations, or none at
all.
Foundation Loads Table

By pressing the Foundation Loads Table button the Upper Storey Column Loads Table will be loaded.
Here, the forces and moments acting on the foundation coming from columns and walls above will be
listed.
In this table, if you select any load case instead of All Loads Cases, only the forces and moments
related to that load case will be listed.
Note that, this table is in an editable form. You can make modifications in this table, prior to
performing the analysis of foundation.
Edit Materials
You can re-select the material properties to be used in the design of the structural members by
pressing Edit Materials button.
Use Sparse Solver for FE Analysis

dramatic reduction in the analysis time can be achieved, for other models it may be less significant.
Related Article:
The FE Raft Foundation Post-Processor
Generate Mesh
Model Export (Raft Foundation)
Raft Foundation Mesh and Analysis - Generate Mesh

The raft foundation finite element model preparation module can be loaded by pressing the Raft
Foundation Mesh and Analysis button.
Generate Model
A triangular mesh consisting of DKT plate elements and frame members (if the
walls are modelled as frame members sliced to be compatible with the plate m
The size of triangular plate members generated is determined by a combination of the Plate Element
Size and the Mesh Uniformity Factor. These values should be tailored carefully according to the
required mesh density, as the mesh density significantly affects the model size and accuracy of
computations.
The generated model will be saved automatically after meshing.
Plate Element Size

This is used to specify the maximum plate size that can be created within the mesh. Minimum plate
sizes will be dictated by physical boundaries in the model (e.g. column boundaries) and by seed nodes.
Specifying the Plate Element Size too small results in an overly fine mesh requiring longer to perform
the calculations. Conversely if the Plate Element Size is too large, the mesh will be too crude to
produce accurate results.
Mesh Uniformity Factor

The "Uniformity Factor" can be modified to adjust the uniformity of the mesh for various floor plans.
Acceptable values range from "0" to "100".
If "100" is entered the plate element size will generally be similar everywhere in the model.
At the other extreme, if "0" is entered, the size of the plate elements will be smaller in relatively smaller
slab panels, cantilever slabs and around the slab openings.
Analysis
Press the Exit button in the File pulldown menu in order to analyse the generated FE model. Analysis
will be performed automatically. The phases of the analysis process can be monitored from the
displayed console window. This window will close as soon as the analysis completes.
Related Article:
Floor Mesh and Analysis
Post Analysis Processes and Reports - Raft Foundation

Once the analysis has completed the Post-Analysis Processes and Reports page is automatically
displayed.
Moment factor parameters can be adjusted if required, before clicking the Analysis Post -processing
button to review the results.
Positive and Negative Moment Factors

These factors should be defined before clicking the Analysis Post-processing button to review the
results.
Output results that are viewed in the Post-processor and Analysis Results Reports are factored using
the values entered in these fields.
Analysis Post-processing
The Analysis Post-processor is equipped with several options to provide a visual display of the analysis
results. Displacements, moments and various other graphical outputs can be investigated. It is
accessed by clicking the Analysis Post-processing button.
See: The FE Floor Analysis Post-Processor for further details.
Output Report Preparation

After the completion of the analysis phase without any errors, you can generate output reports of the
Finite Element Analysis results. The Output Report Preparation button will load the Analysis Results
form that is used for the generation of formatted reports.
The output reports can be prepared for selected nodes, slabs and/or frame members. In all tab pages,
you select items to be included using the visible lists and then press the Create Report button to
generate the report. The generated report will be loaded to the standard editor for quick viewing or
formatting and printing.
The form has four tab pages:
Nodes Tab
Node results can be filtered by nodes or slabs. When selections are made in the "Slabs" list, the nodes
within or along the edges of the selected slabs will be included in the report. Similarly, information on
selected nodes can be obtained by making a selection from the "Nodes" list.
For every node, the following fields may be included in the generated reports:
Restraints: Restraint conditions of the degrees of freedoms of the nodes. For every degree of
freedom, "0" indicates unrestrained, and "1" indicates restrained conditions.
Nodal Coordinates: X, Y and Z coordinates of the nodes.
Nodal Displacements and Rotations: Nodal displacements along global x, y and z axes and nodal
rotations about global x, y and z axes calculated during the structural analysis of the model.
Nodal Reaction Forces: Reaction forces along global x, y and z axes calculated during the structural
analysis of the model.
Nodal Reaction Moments: Moment reactions about global x, y and z axes calculated during
structural analysis of the model.
Slab Deformations: The maximum and minimum displacements obtained on each slab. Soil
Reactions: The soil reaction force along z axes calculated during the structural analysis of the model.
Soil Reactions (summary): The maximum and minimum soil reactions obtained on each slab.
Using the sort options in the lower part of the form, output results can be reported and sorted by
nodes or by selected loadings.
Plates Tab
Using this tab page, a report for the analysis results calculated for the plate members can be created.
Plate results can be filtered by plate members or slabs. When selections are made in the "Slabs" list,
the plate members within the selected slabs will be included in the report. Similarly, information on
selected plate members can be obtained by making selection in the "Plates" list.
For every plate, the following fields may be included in the generated reports:
Member Forces: Moments Mx, My and Mxy, for each node of the plate elements calculated during
the structural analysis of the model.
Nodal Forces: The force Fz and moments Mx, My, the remaining portion of the structure applied at
each node of the plate element.
Using the sort options in the lower part of the form, output results can be reported as sorted by plate
members or by selected loadings.
Frames Tab
Using this tab page, a report for the analysis results calculated for frame members can be created.
Frame element results can be filtered by beams and columns or frame members. When selections are
made in the "Beams" list, the frame members for the selected beams or columns will be included in the
report. Similarly, information on selected frame members can be obtained by making a selection from
the "Elements" list.
For every frame member, the following fields may be included in the generated reports:
Member End Forces: Forces Fx, Fy and Fz calculated along local member coordinates, at each end of
the frame member calculated during the structural analysis of the model. Here, Fx is the axial
force, Fy and Fz are the shear forces along respective local axes.
Member End Moments: Moments Mx, My and Mz, calculated about local member coordinates, at
each end of the frame member calculated during the structural analysis of the model. Here, Mx is the
torsional moment, My and Mz are the bending moments about respective local axes.
Using the sort options in the lower part of the form, output results can be reported as sorted by frame
members or by loadings.
Number Format
The format of the numbers that will appear in the report can be modified for displacement, rotation,
force and moment values separately using the fields in this tab page.
The up/down buttons to the right of the Total Length and Decimal fields can be used for modifying
the total number of digits and the number of digits after the decimal symbol respectively. The effects
of the modifications are displayed dynamically on the form.
Create Report Button

After setting the preferences the required output can be generated using the Create Report button.
The resulting file will be displayed in the editor.
Pile Results Report

The Pile Results Report button will generate a formatted report comparing the maximum pile
compression and tension results against their capacities.
The report can optionally include results for all load cases and for all load combinations.
Transfer Foundation Beam Results

When this option is selected Foundation Beam axes will be created and the FE analysis results will be
used for their design.
Related Article:
Generate Mesh

Click the Analysis Post-processing button to access the FE Raft Foundation Post-processor.
The post-processor is equipped with several options to provide a visual display of the analysis results:
displacements, moments and various other graphical outputs can be investigated.
View Controls
View controls are located on the General tab as follows:
Orthogonal Plan Mode

In order to obtain a true plan view of the 3-D model, use Orthogonal Plan M
performed with the mouse. Only pan and zoom is allowed in this mode of display
View Angle
Use the mouse right and left buttons and scroll wheel to perform zoom in/out, ro
can be used to control the movement of the 3-D display. This form contains nine v
Orthogonal/Perspective View
Perspective (Frustum) view of the 3-D model can be obtained by Orthogonal/Persp
Print
The Print Preview Menu is loaded when the Print button on the toolbar or the
graphical model displayed in the drawing area.
Save Image As Bitmap File
3-D image on drawing area will be saved as bitmap, if Save Image As Bitmap File b
View Settings
Elements in the FE Model are categorised under different titles. Display settings related with these
elements can be adjusted using View Settings property grid located on the left of the Floor Analysis
Post-Processor screen.
Titles located in the View Settings Property Grid are:
General Settings
Geometry (Structural Members)
Nodes
Frame Element
Plate
Displacements
Contours
User Defined Contours
Threshold Contours
Slab Strip
Legend
Titles in the grid are expandable. Each title includes general property fields that control colour, text
style, label display, visibility etc
View Settings - General Settings

General properties of the display are controlled from the View Settings, General Settings title. In order
to change the background colour of the display arena, click once on the cell containing the Background
Colour text. The cell on the right hand side will display a small box previewing the color and a
button. Press this button to load the operating system color picker.
In order to perform an anti-aliasing, Line Anti-Aliasing text shall be checked. This will smooth the line
edges.. By cheking the Face Anti-Aliasing, polygons will be drawn smoothly on the screen.
Texts can be displayed in three different styles:
Bitmap style uses the true type system fonts and size of the text does not change when screen
is zoomed in or out.
Perspective style again uses true type system fonts, but text size changes with zoom
operations. In addition, text objects far from view plane are displayed smaller.
In the Vector style, text objects are displayed using vector fonts like other drawing objects (ISO,
ROMAN, TXT). Text size changes with respect to distance from viewplane and magnification.
Text properties related with all elements in the drawing area can be controlled from the Label
subtitle of each element category title. Label styles of each separate category can be specified
independently from each other. General properties related with three distinct text styles
(bitmap, perspective or vector) can globally be adjusted from Bitmap Font Properties,
Perspective Font Properties and Vector Font Properties fields located under General Settings
title. The Raster Bitmap Properties subtitle includes controls concerning dimension and line
settings being sent to printer.
View Settings - Structural Members

Slab, Wall, Column and Beam members defined in Graphic Editor are all categorised under the
Structural Members title. Display, colour and label settings can easily be done using the fields that
expand when > sign near the title is pressed.
View Settings - Nodes

Nodes are the connections of analytical members (shells, frames). Analysis results such as moments,
displacements are calculated at each node. Display properties related with nodes can be specified by
using the subtitles located under Node title in the property grid. Nodes can be displayed in three
styles. Display Mode cell controls this property. Sphere style displays the nodes as small spheres
whose diameters are controlled by Sphere Size field. Colours of these spheres can be specified from
Element Color cell. Cross style displays the nodes as 3-D asterisks. Nodes are viewed as one pixel
sized points when Point option is selected.
If you have defined partial slab loads, these can be displayed by Nodal Load data field. Should there
are supports assigned to the nodes, these can be displayed by Support title.
View Settings - Frame Element

Other than the structural members defined in the Graphic Editor, there are analytical members
automatically created by analysis engine. Beam, column, wall, rib and waffle slab members are
modelled by frame elements while normal slabs are modelled by triangle plate elements. Frame
Element title includes the controls related with the display of frame elements in the floor system.
Shrink option provides an isolated display of frame elements by dispatching them from their end
nodes. Direction of the frame element can be seen using fields in Element Direction title. Local axes of
frame elements can also be seen by Local Axes field.
Rigid beams in wall members or automatic rigid links are grouped under Rigid Elements title.
Appearance settings can be made using the fields under this title.
If there are user-defined loads that have been defined on beams in Graphic Editor, these also can be
seen and adjusted using the fields located under Frame Loads title.
View Settings - Plates

Discrete Kirchhoff Triangles used in the finite element slab analysis are called plates in short.
Appearance settings of plate elements can be made using the fields located under Plate title. Display
of the plate elements are controlled by two groups: Faces and Edges. Faces represent the solid infill
of the plate elements. Transparency settings can be done by the Transparency field located under
Faces subtitle of Plate title. Colour, Line width, Label properties are controlled in the same manner as
the other elements described previously.
Model Display Controls

Model Display controls are located on the Elements tab as follows:
Structural Members
The Display Structural Members button in the toolbar hides/displays the beam, co
title will automatically expand in the View Settings proprerty grid with all its subtit
hide/display the structural member labels
hide/display slab shading
hide/display slab loads
Nodes
Nodes exist at the connections of analytical members (shells, frames). Analysis res
The Display Nodes button in the toolbar hides/displays the nodes in the model.
with all its subtitles, enabling a quick access for editing.
hide/display the node labels
hide/display nodal loads

hide/display supports
hide/display springs
Frame Element
The Display Frame Elements button in the toolbar hides/displays the frame elem
View Settings proprerty grid with all its subtitles, enabling a quick access for editin
hide/display the frame element labels
hide/display local axes
hide/display the element direction
hide/display user-defined loads defined on beams in Graphic Editor (frame
Note that other than the structural members defined in the Graphic Editor, ther
wall, rib and waffle slab members are modelled by frame elements while normal s
Plates
The Display Plate Elements button in the toolbar hides/displays the plate element
property grid with all its subtitles, enabling a quick access for editing.
hide/display the plate labels
hide/display the plate thicknesses
hide/display the plate pressure
shrink the plates for clearer viewing
hide/display plate shading
Loading and Effects

These panels (on the right side of graphical editor) are used to specify the result to be displayed.
Loading
The active load case or combination can be set using the Loading panel. Results will be displayed for
the selected load case or combination.
The contour plots are generated for the selected loading if the "Display Contours" button is depressed.
Also, the selected effect (displacement or moment) for the selected loading will be displayed in the
status bar for the pointed node.
Effects (Displacements and Moments)

The effect that is viewed both on the contour plot and on the status bar can be selected using the
"Effects" panel. The following effects can be selected:
Displacement: Displacement of the nodes along the z direction.
Mx: Average nodal moment along global x direction
My: Average nodal moment along global y direction
Mxy: Average nodal torsional moment.
M12: Average nodal torsional moment
included)
included)
included)
included)
Soil Pressure: The soil pressure applied on the node.
Soil Pr. Threshold: The threshold plot of the soil pressure against the allowable soil stress value.
As the mouse pointer is hovered above the nodes, the closest one will be snapped. Necessary
information about that node will be displayed in the status bar (below the graphical editor).
*In the Graphic Editor, you can define angle properties for slabs using the Angle field in Slab
Properties menu. M1, M2 and M12 are then calculated with respect to these angles in Finite Element
Post Processor. Especially for the buildings that may have angled plans, reinforcements are needed to
be installed along a specified angle rather than global X and Y. In order to see the moment and steel
contours for different angles, you must have specified angle values for related slabs in the Graphic
Editor.
Displacements and Contours

Displacements, automatic and user-defined contours are selected from the Results tab. These are
then displayed for the selected loading.
Display Displacements
Deformations of the floor system can be displayed/hidden on 3-D model by click

Settings property grid will be expanded enabling the adjustment of settings relate
+/- Scale buttons control the exaggeration of the displacement display. Displacements can be
animated by clicking the Animation button.
Contour Plots
ProtaStructure provides useful tools for creating automatic and user-defined contours.
When the Standard Contours button on the toolbar is depressed, the displaceme
on the Effects and Loading options selected.
The Contours title in the View Settings grid will also be expanded automatically, e
The Number of Contours field in the View Settings grid (Left panel of the graphical editor) indicates the
number of intervals that the calculated maximum and minimum values of the selected effect will be
displayed in contour view. Larger values yield a smoother contour display.
General Properties of Automatic, User-Defined and Threshold Contours

Contours can be drawn using line representations, or as color-filled regions. They can be displayed on
the undisplaced, or the displaced floor.
Display settings of Shaded Contours and Line Contours can be made under their own subtitles in the
View Settings grid.
Shaded contours can be displayed transparently by using the Transparency option. A value of
100 provides a virtually solid display, lowering the transparancy value increases the degree of
transparency.
Line contours represent the boundary values of the contours. Width of the contours are
controlled by the Line width field, whereas colour of the lines can be controlled by Line Type.
Values of the contour lines are displayed by contour labels. The Contour Labels subtitle
contains fields to control Visibility and Label Spacing.
User- Defined Contours

In addition to automatic contours, user-defined (custom) contours can be created.
When the User-Defined Contours button on the toolbar is depressed, the displa
based on the Effect and Loading options selected.
To configure user-defined contours click the Edit Contours button. The number of contours, contour
intervals and labels can be controlled from the dialog that is displayed.
Maximum and minimum values of the effect specified in the Effects list are calculated automatically.
The range is divided into the number of intervals specified in Number of Contours field. These intervals
are by default labelled as Contour1, Contour2, etc. The contour intervals and their labels can
subsequently be modified as required.
The color of each contour interval can be modified within the User Defined Contours title in the View
Settings grid.
Threshold Contours
In order to check whether the calculated values of an Effect exceeds a threshold value, one can use
Threshold Contours.
When the Threshold Contours button on the toolbar is depressed, the displacem
upper and lower threshold values based on the Effect and Loading options sele
To configure threshold contours click the Edit Contours button.
Maximum and minimum values of the effect specified in the Effects list are calculated automatically
and written into Contour_Min and Contour_Max fields. Any value between maximum and minimum
values can be written into Lower Threshold and Upper Threshold fields. The interval between lower
and upper threshold will be painted with green whereas areas below lower threshold and above upper
threshold are painted with red. In other words, threshold contours can be said to be a specialized
subset of user-defined contours. The only difference is that it is limited only to two contour values.
Concrete Cover
The effective depth of the concrete is required in order to display required stee
Required Steel Areas for direction 1 and 2 will be calculated using the available moment from the finite
element analysis. Hence, clear concrete cover, layer of the bar in the specified direction and the
diameter of the bar is important in effective depth calculation. Enter the clear concrete cover distance
(to bar face) in the Concrete Cover (To Bar Face) field. Select the layer of direction-1 bars (outer or
inner) from the Dir-1 layer (it depends on the effective load transfer direction of slab, usually bars on
short edge are installed at outer layer). Bar diameters can be specified in the Bar Diameter field for
Dir-1 and Dir-2. The information provided here will only be calculated for the display of required
steel area.
Edit Contours
When User-Defined or Threshold Contours are active, contour values and labe
If the selected effect is one of moment effects or displacement, contours specified by the fields under
User-Defined Contours title, will identically be loaded into the Contour Settings menu as a list. Values
between the maximum and minimum values can be modified and new labels can be assigned to the
contours. Besides these, the user-defined labels can be displayed in the legend.
In order to change the number of contours to be shown on the display, modify the Number of
Contours field and press Update button. If you click on Yes on the upcoming dialog, minimum and
maximum values will be divided into the specified number. In order to change one of the contour
values and its label, select it in the list on the left. Contour Label and Contour Value fields will be
activated on the right. Modify these fields and press Update button at the lower corner. Click OK to
reflect the changes onto the display area.
If the selected Effect is one of the Required Steel Areas, again the contour properties such as contour
number and values will be loaded into the Contour Settings menu. This time, Steel 1, Steel 2 and
Steel 3 fields will be available in addition to Contour Value and Contour Label fields. In order to set
the value of one of the contours to a specific reinforcing steel area, select the contour from the list on
the left. Check the Steel Area-1 box and specify the Diameter and Spacing. Corresponding steel
area will automatically be calculated and displayed in the same window. If there are more than one
layer of steel bars in the section, then also check the Steel Area-2 and Steel Area-3 boxes. Steel
areas will be superposed. Click Update button to change the value of the contour. Contour label will
automatically be changed as bar diameter and spacing.
If Contour Value option is selected in the Legend part of the Custom Contour Settings menu, legend
labels will be the numerical values of the contour boundaries. If Contour Label option is selected,
legend labels will be identical with the contour labels.
Col/Wall Node Interpretation

The way contours are plotted takes account of the Col/Wall Node Interpretation setting. This can be
set to include or ignore the col/wall nodes. An option also exists to interpolate between the two.
Export Contours (Under development)

If the selected effect is one of the design steel areas [As(d)1-
the Graphic Editor.
Before exporting the custom contours for design steel areas, create your own custom contours by
using Edit Contours and Concrete Cover buttons. Click on the Export Contours button in the
toolbar. When you return to Graphic Editor by closing FE Floor Analysis Module, click on Regen
button. Contour lines will be displayed on plan view. Layer of these contours can be freezed/thawed
using Layer Control menu.
Legend
As long as the contour view is active, a legend will be displayed at the lower left corner of the screen.
Using the Legend title in the View Settings, display properties of the legend can be adjusted. Number
of Indexes can be equal to the number of contours at most. Position and size of the legend can easily
be controlled by Position and Size fields in the View Settings.
Design Strips
In order to plot the analysis results and obtain the maximum moments to be used
This can be achieved easily by dragging two points defining the design strip after p
Design Strips can be inserted only in plan view.
Strip values are obtained by (discretising) the line defined by the strip points and the deformation
profile is plotted in the Slab Strip form. The minimum number of strip points calculated along the
profile is provided in the No. of Points field. The strip points of the profile are also displayed on the
model plot.
The displacement and moment profiles are created along the design strip line dragged in the drawing
area for the load case or load combination selected in the "Loadings" dropdown list. Additionally, the
maximum and minimum values obtained along the strip line are displayed in this panel.
The graphical profile can be switched to display displacements or moments using the relevant options.
The displayed moment diagram is obtained using the averaged nodal moment values about the axis
perpendicular to the strip direction in plan view.
The design moments are displayed below the diagram for supports and spans of each slab panel. The
design moments are maximum moments creating tension in top and bottom edges, determined based
on the "Strip Type" selected during the insertion of the design strip.
Strip Types
Four types of Slab Design Strips can be defined:
Fixed Width Band: The width of the design strip is determined using the "Half Band" field defining
the half width along both sides of the strip centreline.
Span Band: Considering the smallest of the edges of the slab that the design strip passes through,
two parallel lines defining the strip region are drawn. The active strip width is set as the middle half
slab width. This strip is used for flat slab systems.
Support Band: This type of design strips must be located along the support regions of the flat slab
systems.
Span Strip: This strip type has behaviour similar to the Span Band. This strip is used for standard
beam/slab systems.
You can refer to Slab Strip Types in the Analysis and Design of Slabs section for more information on
the behaviour of the design strips.
Printing Design Strips

When an individual strip is displayed a graphical hardcopy can be printed by clicking the Print button.
Multiple strips can be printed using the Print Slab Strip option in the File pulldown menu. The
diagram type, loading and the design strips to be printed can be determined using the options in this
dialog.
Transferring FE Raft Foundation Design Strip Results

After closing the Floor Analysis Post-Processor module, the Transfer Options form will be loaded. By
using the options in the Column and Wall Results Transfer Options dropdown list located in this form,
you can control the transfer of the results obtained from column or wall end nodes.
Transfer Options
Since columns are modelled using a single node and walls are modelled using a series of nodes,
undesired stress concentrations may occur on these locations, resulting unexpectedly high support
moments. Only a single negative and positive maximum moment are returned from Fixed Band slab
strips. The area covered by these strips is designed using a single top and bottom steel to resist these
moments. When the column nodes are considered in the design, all the area covered by a Fixed Band
Strip will be based on a very high moment.
Following options may be used alternatively for taking into account the stress concentration effects in
these strips:
Include in Strip Results
obtained in the column nodes and wall end nodes will be returned for being taken into account during
design.
This option is recommended for all slab strip types other than the "Fixed Band" strips.
Include in Strip Results Option
Ignore in Strip Results

If the Finite Element Analysis Post-processing Menu is used with this option selected, then the results
during design.
This option can be used for "Fixed Band" strips. In this case, additional support steel may be necessary
and can be inserted manually after design based on the maximum column node moments.
Ignore in Strip Results Option
Use Average with First adjacent Node

during design. Alternatively, values obtained by averaging the column node (or wall end node) with the
first neighbour nodes around the column (or wall end). This way, the moment reduction effect of the
finite column and wall dimensions will be taken into account in a better approach.
This option is recommended for the "Fixed Band" strips. In this case, additional support steel may be
necessary and can be inserted manually after design based on the maximum column node moments.
Use Average with First adjacent Node Option
Having determined the option to control the transfer of the results obtained from column and wall end
nodes in the Column and Wall Results Transfer Options list in Transfer Options form, press OK button.
Transferring the results back to the Graphic Editor environment enables the design of slabs and
selection of slab steel bars based on the moments calculated using the Finite Element Analysis. Beam
Analysis Results are also transferred during this process to be used for merging with the building
analysis results.
It should be noted that, when a modification on the model or loading is made, the analysis should be
re-run.
Related Article:
Generate Mesh

The Model Export menu option on the Finite Element Analysis Form can be used for exporting an FE
analysis model of each storey into the following software packages:SAP2000 /Lucas.
Related Article:
Generate Mesh
Column and Wall Design (Contents)

The Column Reinforcement Design form can be accessed by clicking the Column Section Design
option under the Run pulldown menu in the Graphic Editor.
ProtaStructure can design rectangular, circular and polyline columns under uniaxial or biaxial bending
according to Ultimate Strength Design.
General
Settings to be used in the column and wall designs are assigned using the Column Design
Settings option under the Settings pulldown menu or in the Column Reinforcement Design form.
Concrete and steel grades to be used in the column and wall designs are assigned using the Materials
button on the Pre-Analysis page of the Building Analysis dialog.
Analysis results for the columns and walls are automatically transferred to the Column Reinforcement
Design module by the program. Columns and walls can be designed either according to these original
analysis results or for member forces defined by the user.
Column Reinforcement Design Modes

Column and Wall Design can be performed in two modes:
Interactive Mode
The design can be performed for individual member one storey at a time
using the Column Design Editor. Consideration should certainly be given to
designing critical members by this method to obtain the best results.
More information about this method can be found under the title
Interactive Column Design.
Batch Mode
Using this mode, reinforcement of all beams can be calculated and selected
by the program automatically. More information about this method can be
found under the title Column Design (Batch Mode).
Overview of the Column Summary Table

After clicking the Column Section Design option in the Run pulldown you will see a summary table in
which all the columns and walls in the current project are listed for all storeys.
The summary table can be manipulated as follows:
To filter members
Initially the column summary table displays all columns and walls at all storeys. You can filter the table
by clicking the Filter button located on the Edit tab.
The following filtering options are provided: Display All Members, Filter by Storey, Filter by Member
Label, List Failed Members Only, List Columns Only and List Walls Only. If the Filter by Storey option is
selected, a list of storeys will appear on the right of the option. You can choose any storey from this list
so that the members of that storey are listed in the table. Similarly if the Filter by Member Label option
is selected a field for member label input will appear on the right of the option. When the desired
member label is typed, the table will consist of a list of members with that label on all storeys.
Furthermore, if you select the List Failed Members Only option, only members for which reinforcement
couldnt be determined will be listed in the summary table.
To return to a listing of all members choose the Display All Members option in the Filter Axes dialog.
To sort the table into a different order

Initially the column summary table displays members sorted by member label, then Storey. You can
sort in different ways by dragging Group, Column or Storey column headers to the area indicted.
The first header becomes the primary and the next becomes the secondary sorting criteria.
To remove a sorting criteria drag it back into the table header.
Copy and Paste Bars

Copy Bars and Paste Bars, located on the Edit tab, allows the designed bars from one member to be
pasted to other members with similar geometry. A check design is then performed to establish if the
pasted bars are sufficient.
Because no relation is established between the source and destination members, re-selecting bars
would result in the members adopting different bars to each other once more.
Copy Bars
Using this button, steel bars from the selected member can be copied to the clipboard and can be
pasted to members with similar geometry.
Select the member to copy and press the Copy Bars button. The member label will be marked by an
arrow symbol and all members with similar geometry will be highlighted with an = mark.
Paste Bars
If a member is marked by an arrow symbol, then you can use this button to paste steel bars from it to
other selected members.
Note that you can only paste steel bars to members marked with =.
A check design is carried out immediately after paste operation to check if the provided steel is
sufficient and the tick/cross mark will be updated.
Paste Steel Bars to All

If a member is marked by an arrow symbol, then you can use this button to paste steel bars from it to
all the members marked with =.
Column Design (Batch Mode)
All columns and walls can be designed automatically in batch mode. If you select the Column Design
(Batch Mode) option the Column Reinforcement Design dialog will be loaded. The parameters in this
dialog control the column design in batch mode.
Note that consideration should be given to designing critical columns and walls using the Interactive
Design option instead.
The Column Reinforcement Design dialog

Options and fields on the Column Reinforcement Design dialog are:
Storey Filter
The Storey Filter can be used to list all columns or only the columns of any one storey on the screen.
When you click the Storey Filter option, a list showing all the storey names and the All Storeys option
will be opened. You can either select a storey name or the All Storeys option to design the columns.
Reinforcement Selection Options

Batch mode column section design includes the following options:
Check Steel (Select New Steel When Previous Bars are Sufficient): This option will not modify the previously
selected bars, if the area ratio is sufficient for the new conditions. New reinforcement will be selected
only if the bars are not adequate.
Check Steel (Dont Select New Steel When Previous Bars are Sufficient): This option will not modify the
selected bars, no matter the bars are adequate or not. If the bars are inadequate, columns will be
marked with a X sign.
Reselect All Steel Bars: This option will delete all the available bars in the section and perform the
column section design from scratch.
Review of Batch Design

A report is generated during the batch mode design to inform the user of any problems during the
design process. You can review this report by pressing the Messages button in the Column
Reinforcement Design dialog.
After closing the Column Reinforcement Design dialog the summary table is redisplayed. The Design
and Print columns in the table will be marked for those members that have been designed
successfully and the steel bars and links provided will be listed.
The Utilization Ratio will also have been calculated. If this ratio is greater than 1.0 for a column or wall
then it can be said that the selected reinforcement is not sufficient.
Steel Standardisation
Using this dialog, you can:
Standardise the steel in the columns between storeys. You can check the steel bars provided in the
columns of a particular column line storey by storey and make manual modifications to standardise
them.
Manually input/modify steel bars.
Steel bars of columns with polyline cross sections cannot be modified using the options provided in
this dialog.
Column Line List

You can select a column line using this dropdown list. All column lines will be referenced in this list.
Walls will be referenced using their I-insertion points.
When a column line is selected in this list, all columns in this column line will be loaded to the table
below.
If you make any modification to the data presented in this table, you need to press Save button
before selecting another column line, otherwise the modifications will be lost.
Modifying the Column Steel Bars

All columns (or walls) in the selected column line will be displayed in the column table. The steel bar
quantity and size cells are editable in this table.
Columns with arbitrary cross-sections cannot be edited using this dialog.
Saving Column Lines

You can use Save button to save the modifications in the selected column line before selecting
another column line or closing the dialog.
Reports
Various reports are available to be printed from the Report tab of the Column Reinforcement Design
form.
Summary Table
To print the summary table as it is displayed on screen, click the Column Table button.
Design Report
After design has been accomplished the Design Report button can be used to print the results.
Column Analyses
You can use this option to check the capacities of the columns and walls calculated using the supplied
steel.
This table is generally used for checking the capacity of an existing building.
Column Forces Listing

In the column design stage, the most critical member force group (axial load and moments) among all
the different member forces resulting from different load combinations in the building analysis, will be
selected and used. To view the most critical member force group used for design, the Column Forces
Listing option in the Column Toolbar can be used. By clicking this option you can load the Column
Forces Listing form. Member forces can be listed either for all columns or only for the columns at
foundation level. Similarly, all column member forces or only the most critical ones can be selected for
listing.
Marking the Axes for Printing

The Design and Print columns in the table will be marked for the members that have been designed
informing you that the members are designed and ready for printing.
The mark in the Print column indicates that the member will be included in the output report. When
the Design Report option is selected, only the members that are marked for printing will be
transferred to the output report.
After selecting a member in the table, you can either mark or unmark it for printing by clicking in the
Print box.
The print marks for all members in the table can be set using the Mark All Columns button. Similarly,
all print marks can be removed by using Remove Marks button.
Related Articles:
Interactive Column Design
Interactive Column Design

In the Column Design Editor column sections and reinforcement arrangement can be
examined and changed interactively.
Since columns and walls are the primary members of a structure, especially the
critically loaded ones should be designed interactively where the user can view the
results of each loading applied on the column clearly and update the arrangement of
the reinforcement.
Using the Column Design Editor

The Column Design Editor can be loaded by clicking the Interactive Design button or double clicking a
column line in the summary table.
Data fields in the Column Design Editor display the geometry, loads and the reinforcement of the
current selected column.
Fields in the Column Design Editor are as follows:

Section Dimensions
Section dimensions include the dimensions of the column along 1 (horizontal axis) and 2 (vertical
axis) directions (b1 and b2). Distances between the centre of the column to the intersection of the
axes selected as the reference point for the column insertion (e1 and e2), the column clear lengths
(L1 and L2), and the concrete cover.
In polyline columns, the b1 and b2 values show the maximum extents of the column section along
the 1 and 2 directions. These fields cannot be updated in polyline columns.
In circular columns the Inner and Outer Diameters will be displayed in the b1 and b2 fields. If the
circular column has a hollow cross-section, then the value in the b2 field will show the inner diameter.
In such a case, b2 will be negative.
If you modify these fields, you have to click the Update button to apply the changes.
Load Combinations Table

Member force results from each load combination during the analysis procedure are listed in a table.
Fields in this table are:
Load combination number used in the building

No analysis. There are separate spaces reserved for
column/wall top and bottom ends.
Axial Load Result of the related load

N
combination
Bending moment along Dir-1 axis of the

M1
column.
Bending moment along Dir-2 axis of the

M2
column.
V1 Shear Force along Dir-1 axis of the column.
V2 Shear Force along Dir-2 axis of the column.
Load
Name of the load combination
Combination
Column Result
Load Combinations
Load combination (or combinations) to be used in section design must be specified before going on
with interactive section design. If you select Select/Unselect All option, all combinations in the table will
be selected/unselected. In this case, column section design will be performed for each selected
combination and steel bars will be selected for the most critical one.
After unselecting all combinations by clicking Select/Unselect All option, you can select one or more
combinations on the table. To select a specific combination from the table, just click on the leftmost
header cell on the row of that combination. Watch the mouse pointer changing its shape when you
hover on the leftmost cell. You can select multiple combinations by pressing CTRL on the keyboard and
clicking on the leftmost cell. By this way, you can make the program use only these combinations
during section design of the column.
One or more combinations can be stored as user-defined and its values can be modified. Steel bars
can be selected for the critical one of these user-defined combinations. For this purpose, select the
combinations you want to store as user-defined by the help of CTRL button on the keyboard. Click on
Select Marked Combinations as User Defined option. Table will now accommodate only the selected
combinations. Others will temporarily go out of the view. You must notice that User Defined Loads
checkbox is also automatically checked after this operation. If you uncheck User Defined Loads
checkbox, all the combinations will be restored back on the table.
In order to modify the values of user-defined combinations, just click on the corresponding cell on the
table. Values near the top edge of the cell are reserved for top end of column and the values near the
bottom edge of the cell for bottom ends of the column. For a quick modification in a cell, first enter the
top value from keyboard. Enter a SPACE or a COMMA character and continue with the bottom end
value. Then hit ENTER. If the top end value will be zero, then first enter SPACE (or COMMA), and then
enter the bottom end value. Again hit ENTER from keyboard. It is adequate to enter just a SPACE (or
COMMA) and then ENTER, if both of the values are zero.
Arranging Steel Bars

Steel bars in the column section can be arranged by modifying the fields in the Steel Bars page.
In polyline columns, after making some modifications to the arrangement of the steel bars, you can use
the Reset Bars option to turn back to the original arrangement.
Rectangular and Circular Columns

While arranging the steel bars in rectangular or circular columns, bars to be placed as Corner Bars, x-
Intermediate Bars and y-Intermediate Bars can be controlled separately. This option allows the user to
select different bar sizes for these areas.
The x-Intermediate Bars are the ones that are placed through the global x-axis edge of the column.
And the y-Intermediate Bars are the ones that are placed through the global y-axis edge of the
column. The steel bars placed in the corners are considered separately.
For example, if in the Steel Bars page the corner bars are shown as 1, the x-Intermediate Bars are
3, and the y-Intermediate Bars are 1, then there will be 4x1 bars on the corners, 2x3 through the
edges in the x-direction, and 2x1 through the edges in the y-direction. As a result, there will be 12 steel
bars in the column section.
Rectangular Column Reinforcement
In circular columns, only the Corner Bars field has a value. This value will show the total number of
bars to be placed in the circular section.
When you modify any field in the Steel Bars table, such as the Quantity or the Area Ratio, the sketch
on the screen will be updated accordingly.
Polyline Columns
In polyline columns, each steel bar need to be defined separately. Therefore each bar has a number to
be specified.
When you position a bar in the sketch, the number of the bar will be selected in the Steel Bars table.
Unlike rectangular or circular columns, in polyline columns bars are specified by their x and y
coordinates.
To add a new bar, you need to show where the new bar will be placed in the section. If you want to add
a bar in a corner formed by links, you can simply click this corner and drag through the side where the
bar will be placed. When you release the mouse button, the bar will be shown in the sketch and will be
added to the Steel Bars table. If you want to remove a bar, you can select it on the sketch and press
the Del (Delete) button on the keyboard.
If you want to add bars along an edge of the polyline column, click
the first corner of the edge and drag to the other corner. When
you release the mouse button, the number of the bars to be
placed will be asked. These bars will be placed between the
corners and they will be spaced equally. The corners of the edge
should be shown in counter clock-wise order.
Bars Area Ratios

The Area Ratio values allow the user to select different bar sizes in the same section.
For example, if you specify the area ratios of the corner bars as 1.00, x-intermediate and y-
intermediate bars as 0.8, then the intermediate bars will be selected as R16 when the corner bars are
R20.
Steel Area Required

When the design procedure is completed, steel area required will be displayed in the bottom of the
Steel Bars table.
Steel Bar Sizes
According to the steel area required, bar sizes are selected by the program automatically. But all the
fields in the Steel Bars Table are editable. Therefore, the user can modify the selected bar sizes by
considering the steel area required.
The Steel Area Supplied will be updated according to changes made in the Steel Bars Table.
If you select the Rbar Diameter option under the Settings page, diameters of the bars will be written
on the sketch.
Steel Area Supplied

When the design procedure is completed, the steel area supplied will be displayed at the bottom of the
Steel Bars table.
Links
You can view the links selected for the current column in the Links page. When the Links page is
selected, the edge numbers of the column will be shown in the sketch which will help you to follow the
links described.
Link spacing for the supports and the span are calculated separately. If you want to use the same
spacing both for the span and the supports, uncheck the Create Support Regions for Links option under
Column Design Settings/Steel Bars/Links.
If you want to delete the support regions only in the current column, you can simply copy the size and
spacing of the links calculated for the span to the supports in the Shear Design page.
Rectangular and Circular Columns

ProtaStructure selects a Single Link for rectangular and circular columns as a default. But you can
select any other type of link, such as Cross Link or Double Links, from the Links Pattern window in
the Links page.
Polyline Columns
ProtaStructure selects some links for polyline columns considering their geometry. But if you want to
modify these links you can use the Add and Delete buttons in the Links page.
To modify a link, first you need to select it either from the Links Table in the Links page or by selecting
the link on the sketch. The link selected will be shown bold in the sketch.
If you want to make changes on a link, after selecting the link, first remove it by pressing the Delete
button, and then press the Add button to create a new link.
When you click the Add button, the New Link form will appear on the screen. To create a new link,
you need to write down the edge numbers of the column that the link will follow. These numbers
should be given in order and be separated by commas. When you close the New Link form by
clicking the OK button, the new link will be positioned in the sketch.
Shear Design
Shear forces on the section and the links provided accordingly are displayed in the Shear Design
page. The Shear Force calculated in the Building Analysis (Vd), Concrete Shear Stress (vc) and Limiting
Shear Stress (vl) can be viewed in this page. These values cannot be edited.
Size and spacing of the links selected are displayed on the right side of the page. Links for the span and
for the supports are given separately. Size and spacing of links can be edited on this page. If you press
the Calculate button after selecting a new size, a new spacing will be calculated accordingly.
The number of link arms provided in each direction are given in the # of Link Arms fields. If a standard
link type is selected then these numbers will be determined by the program automatically. But if you
want to describe a special link, you can write the number of link arms into these fields.
Slenderness
A column may be considered braced in a given plane if lateral stability to the structure as a whole is
provided by walls or bracing designed to resist all lateral forces in that plane. For the slenderness check
of the columns, the braced condition in each direction should be determined either by the user or
automatically by the program.
If you check the Control Braced Condition Manually option in the Project Parameters form, then you
can specify the bracing condition for the X and Y directions manually. Otherwise ProtaStructure checks
the bracing for each direction automatically based on the drift of the storey levels. But in both
situations, you can change the bracing condition for a single column in the Slenderness page of the
Column Reinfrocement Design editor.
The Effective Length Factors and Slenderness are determined separately for braced and unbraced
columns and additional moments will be calculated accordingly.
Settings
The labels to be displayed in the sketch can be controlled by the options given under the Steel Labels
title.
Steel Labels
By default, there is no label shown on the sketch. If you select the RBar Diameter option on the
Settings page and turn back to the Steel Bars page, the diameters of the steel bars will be displayed in
the sketch. Similarly, the sequence numbers of the steel bars in polyline columns can be viewed by
selecting the No Seq. Text option.
Column Reinforcement Design

To perform the reinforcement calculation, click the Interactive Design button in the
Column Design form. Column design will be performed for the selected load
combinations according to the parameters defined in this form.
All selected load combinations will be used for the design, and the one that requires the biggest steel
area will be determined automatically. If you select only one load combination, the column design will
be performed for that combination only.
In each load combination there are two moments and one axial load value. If the moment calculated
according to the minimum eccentricity specifications of the codes is greater than the moment that
comes from the load combination, then the moment calculated according to the codes will be used in
that direction.
Column Design Parameters
If the steel area required is less than the minimum steel area determined according to the Min.
Reinforcement % given in the Column Design form, then the minimum steel area will be used
automatically. Minimum reinforcement percentage can be determined for columns and walls
separately in the Settings and Parameters menu.
You can break the iterations by clicking the Close button.
Column Analysis
After the determination of the column reinforcement, Column Interaction Diagrams
can be prepared. Using the interaction diagrams, a better understanding of the
behaviour of the column can be achieved. Column interaction diagrams can be drawn
using the Column Analysis button.
Column Interaction Diagram
Axial Load Moment and Moment1 Moment2 interactions can be plotted on an interaction diagram.
A slice cut, taken at any level of an Axial Load-Moment diagram will yield the Moment1-Moment2
diagram, which represents the biaxial bending envelope at that level of axial load.
Biaxial Bending Envelope can be plotted for the combination specified in Loading list. Axial load level
of the selected combination will be indicated by a black line on N-M diagram. If both M1-M2 and N-
M diagrams are selected to be displayed on the same page by Both option, then, the slice taken at
the combination axial load level will be plotted just under the N-M diagram. Besides these, you can
query the moment capacity for any level of axial load by entering an axial load value into the N: field
and pressing >> button.
If the column dimensions or steel pattern in direction 1 and 2 are different than the interaction
diagrams for Dir-1 and Dir-2 will also be different.
Data points of the interaction curve can be transferred to a text file by clicking Print Results button.
Enter the number of data points and intermediate angles of calculation in the Print Form.
In order to send the Interaction Diagrams to the printer, click on Print button.
Closing the Column Editor

If you want to save the current design, click the OK button to close the Column Design Editor. If you
dont want to save you can click the Cancel button.
Related Articles:
Overview of the Column Summary Table
Beam Section Design (Contents)

The Beam Section Design and Detailing form can be accessed by clicking the Beam Section Design and
Detailing option under the Run pulldown menu and then selecting one of the Storey Beams, Ribs
or Foundation Beams sub-options.
General
Settings to be used in the beam designs are assigned using the Beam Design Settings option under the
Settings pulldown menu or in the Beam Section Design and Detailing form.
Concrete and steel grades to be used in the beam designs are assigned using the Materials button on
the Pre-Analysis page of the Building Analysis dialog.
Analysis results for the beams are automatically transferred to the Beam Section Design and Detailing
module. Beams can be designed either according to the original results from the building analysis or
for member forces defined by the user.
Beam Types
The Beam Section Design and Detailing menu options are explained below.
Storey Beams
Following the completion of the structural analysis without any errors, a Beam Summary File consisting
of the maximum effects in the beams is created. This file will be used as the input data for the Beam
Reinforcement Design.
Rib Beams
The analysis results of the rib beams are generated using the Ribbed Slab Analysis menu option in the
Run pulldown. These results will then be automatically transferred to the Beam Section Design and
Detailing module.
Foundation Beams
If strip footings are used in the building, the Strip Footing Calculations should be completed first. The
strip foundation axis information will be transferred to the Beam Section Design and Detailing module
automatically.
How The Beam Design Forces are Generated

The Beam Section Design and Detailingmodule requires six Design Moments and two Design Shear
Forces for each beam to calculate the reinforcement.
These moments are creating the most critical tension values at:
Left support top
Right support top
Span top
Left support bottom
Right support bottom
Span bottom of the beam.
The design shear forces that will be used in design are the most critical support shear values
developed.
All the effects chosen for design will also be listed in the beam design output reports.
Storey Beams
ProtaStructure Structural Analysis Module transfers the analysis results obtained using all the loading
combinations to the Beam Section Design and Detailing module automatically.
After the structural analysis the most critical of the six design moments and two design shear forces
are selected for each beam, among all the effects obtained from all loading combinations.
Rib Beams
The analysis of the Rib beams can be accomplished using the Ribbed Slab Analysis menu option in the
Run pulldown.
As a result of the Ribbed Slab Analysis all the ribbed slab strips defined in the Graphic Editor are
analysed and transferred to the Beam Section Design and Detailing module automatically. Similar to the
storey beams, the most critical effects in the support and span of the ribs are used.
Foundation Beams
After performing the analysis of the all of the strip footings in the Graphic Editor, the Foundation
Beams Section Design and Detailing module is loaded with the Foundation Beams option; all effects will
be transferred automatically.
Beam Reinforcement Design Modes

After clicking the Beam Section Design and Detailing option in the Run pulldown, and selecting the
type of the beam (Storey, Rib or Foundation Beams) you will see all the beam axes in the current
project listed for all storeys.
Beam Design can be performed in two modes:
Interactive Mode
The design can be performed for individual axes one storey at a time using the
Reinforcement Data Editor. Consideration should certainly be given for designing axes
containing critical beams by this method to obtain the best results.
More information about this method can be found under the title Interactive Beam
Reinforcement Design.
Batch Mode
Using this mode, reinforcement of all beams can be calculated and selected by the
program automatically. More information about this method can be found under the
title Beam Reinforcement Design (Batch Mode).
Related Articles:
Interactive Beam Reinforcement Design
Reinforcement Data Editor
Beam Section Design - Filter, Sorting, Batch Design, Grouping, Reporting

To design an axis interactively either double click on it in the Axes Table, or click the Interactive Design
button on the Design tab.
An interactive beam design editor will be displayed which consists of two pages. You can switch
between the pages by clicking the "Steel Bars and Beams tabs.
Usage of the Axis and Beam Data Editor

Click on the Beams tab to display the Axis and Beam Data Editor containing geometric data for the
beams in the current axis. The distances between the axes and the column dimensions are contained
in this table editor.
The columns in the Axis and Beam Data Editor are explained in detail below:
Axis Name
The labels of the axes that the current axis crosses appear in this column. Axis Name is restricted to a
maximum of 4 characters.
Distance
This field shows the axis-to-axis span length of the beam. The values in these fields represent the
distance between the axis on the current row and the axis on the next row.
Beam
TIP: The format of the
Beam Labels generatedThese fields in the Beam column contain the labels of the beam in
by the Graphic Editor canconsecutive order. The typical labelling convention of beams in
be customised usingProtaStructure is as follows:
"Member and Steel Bar
Templates"on the<Storey-No> <Type Char> <Beam-No>.<PostFix>
Settings menu.
Here Storey-No and Beam-No can range from 1 to 99. Beam Type Character is the character that is
used to specify beam member group. This character is specified in the "Graphic Editor Settings" form.
For example, "B" is usually used for beams. Rarely, a prefix character (other than the type character
code) may appear to the left of the type character to denote the type of beam.
The postfix is a character for discriminating between beams having the same number. For example
1B23A is a beam on the first storey, having 23 as beam number and A as postfix. 11B20 has the
beam number 20 and is on the 11th floor.
Beam Section Dimensions: bw and h

Section dimensions of the rectangular beam are contained in these fields. bw represents the width of
the beam and h the height.
Flange Dimensions: bf, hf and zf

Total width of the flange, "b-flange", depth of flanges at left and right, "h-flange Left" and "h-flange Right",
and distance between top of beam section and top of left and right flanges, "z-flange Left" and "z-flange
Right" fields are used to specify the position and dimension of flanges.
Flange information will always be transferred to this editor, no matter if they are used in the building
analysis or not. In order to design the beams as a rectangular section, check Design Using Rectangular
Section box in the Parameters page of the Beam Design Settings menu option.
Beam Section Parameters
Top Reference Level of Beam

These two fields, Top-RL i and Top RL j hold the reference level value of the top of the beam for I
and J ends respectively. Especially for the axes having beams with different top levels, the changes in z-
coordinate are calculated using the values in this column.
Note that Beam top reference level will be transferred from ProtaStructure Analysis Module
automatically.
Support Type
This field indicates the condition for the left support of the current beam. Tree different types of
support conditions can be defined:
COLUMN: A column exists at the end of the beam.
BEAM: A supporting beam exists at the end of the beam.
FREE: No support exists. This is a free end of a cantilever beam. This condition can only exist at the
first and last row of the table.
Support type should be selected based on one of the above conditions at the left support of the
currently selected beam. The last row on the table is only for representing the right support condition
of the last beam.
Concrete Cover
This field contains the concrete cover of the individual beams. Concrete cover is measured from the
edge of the beam to the outer edge of the links.
The concrete covers for all beams are calculated using general conditions in the current concrete codes
unless otherwise specified by the user. A global control exists in the Design page of the Beam Design
Settings menu option .When the values in the beam table are left blank, the general setting will govern.
A zero value in this column will assume the code settings in the currently selected concrete code.
Top and Bottom Columns: hi and hj

The four input fields contain the section information of the supporting
TIP: If the Support Type iscolumns, if "COLUMN" is defined in the support type field.
"FREE", the values in
these fields will beHere, "hi" is the distance from the left edge of the column to the axis and
ignored. "hj" is the distance from the right edge of the column to the axis for top and
bottom columns separately.
Beam: h, z, bi and bj
The four input fields contain the section information of the supporting beams, if "BEAM" is defined in
the support type field.
Here, "bi" is the distance from the left edge of the support beam to the axis, "bj" is the distance from
the right edge of the support beam to the axis, "h" is the section height of the support beam and "z" is
the top reference level of the support beam.
Beam Section
A checkmark in this field indicates that a section of the current beam will be included in the detail
drawings of the axis. ProtaStructure can determine the beams having different sections, and
automatically check this field.
The Axis and Beam Data Interactive Design Button

The Interactive Design button on the Beams tab of the Axis and Beam Data Editor can be used for
viewing the moments and shear forces selected from the analysis results for the selected beam.
If the Interactive Design button is clicked or the Enter key is pressed when a beam is
selected, a dialog containing the maximum moments and shear forces obtained
considering all loading combinations will be displayed.
The displayed effects are:
The maximum moments creating tension at the top edge of the beam, in left support, span and right
support regions,
The maximum moments creating tension at the bottom edge of the beam, in left support, span and
right support regions,
Maximum Shear force, Vd, for both supports,
The tension steel area (As) and compression steel area (As) are calculated for all moment values
provided in the corresponding fields.
These values are editable. In other words, the form can be used for calculating the steel for any given
design moment. Editing moments fields will dynamically re-calculate and update the required steel
areas.
The most critical shear forces for all combinations are transferred to the Beam Reinforcement Design
module. These values are used for the shear design. The shear values, Vd fields, are also editable and
any change in the shear force will update the shear reinforcement (links).
Note that, only the shear force value at the supported end of the cantilever beams will be taken into
account during the shear design. Links based on this shear force value (Vd) will be used throughout the
span of the cantilever beam.
The dialog will be closed and any modifications will be saved if the OK button is pressed. The Cancel
button (or "Esc" key) will also close the Reinforcement Design Dialog, and the changes will be discarded.
The contribution of the bent-up bars (if they exist) in the shear resistance of the beams are ignored.
Related Articles:
Beam Section Design - Filter, Sorting, Batch Design, Grouping, Reporting

Click the Steel Bars tab to display the Reinforcement Data Editor showing the steel bars selected after
beam bending and shear design.
This form is a dynamic dialog. It allows the user to edit the selected steel bars and links. The user can
also examine the effect of changes on the calculations immediately. The provided reinforcement
patterns are very detailed so that little or no editing of the detail drawings is required. The detail
drawings of the beams in the current axis can be viewed using the "Detail Drawing" button in this
dialog.
This Editor consists of four sections:

1. The schematic sketch of the beam: On the top of the form, the beams on the current axis are
drawn schematically. The sketch shows the supports, beam labels, section dimensions, span
lengths and required steel areas (at the top edge and bottom edge, at supports and span).
2. Excess Steel Areas: Just below the beam sketch, the Extra As values are displayed, indicating the
excess steel area provided by the supplied steel at the same locations. If any modification is
made to the selected steel bars, the affected Extra As values will be automatically updated.
The red values in these fields indicate that the steel area requirement at that position is not
adequate.
3. Reinforcement Data Fields: These are located beneath the "Extra As" values. The steel bar fields
are arranged according to the reinforcement pattern selected. Navigation between the steel bar
fields can be made by simply clicking the mouse button or by arrow keys. The automatically
selected bars can be modified using the spin buttons located adjacent to the selected steel bar
field.
If any modification is made, recalculation of the supplied bars will be dynamically performed
and other related fields will be updated as well. More information on the reinforcement data
fields can be found in the related topics below.
4. Feedback Fields Section: This section is located at the lower part of the form. More information
on these fields can be found in the following sub-sections.
As-min Fields
Minimum steel areas calculated based on the minimum steel percentages stated in the active concrete
code will be displayed in these data fields separately for top edge and bottom edge of the beam and
for supports and span region.
The values in these fields will be displayed in red when the supplied reinforcement does not satisfy the
minimum requirements.
B-Up Middle Fields

These fields display the possible width of the middle straight section of the bent-up bars. If the
reinforcement pattern used does not include the bent-up bars, these values can be ignored.
Min-bw Fields
The minimum section width that is required for placing the selected bars (at the top and bottom edge
of the beam) will be displayed in these fields. The clear distance between the bars is calculated using
the standard aggregate size. The values displayed in these fields include link size, concrete covers,
longitudinal bar sizes and the clear distance between the bars.
The values in these fields will be displayed in red when the provided bars do not fit in the current beam
section.
Defl. Check Results

ProtaStructure carries out deflection checks based on the clauses of the active concrete codes. The
output of the deflection checks is displayed in these fields.
x-Sup.Links Fields
Links in the support regions are calculated automatically and the calculated widths of the support
regions are displayed in these fields.
Reinforcement Data Editor - Steel Bar Groups

Based on the selected reinforcement pattern, several Steel Bar Types are used during design and
curtailment. Using these fields, you can modify the selected steel bars that are initially set by the
program.
The cursor is positioned on the first field of the first bay when this menu is loaded. Navigation between
the steel bar fields can be made using the mouse, direction keys and Enter key. You can also use the
Previous/Next Span buttons or Left and Right key with Ctrl key pressed to navigate between beams in
the axis.
To modify a selected bar group, you can use the up/down buttons located on either side of the steel
bar field. For longitudinal bars, the Up/Down button to the left side of the field controls the steel bar
quantity while the Up/Down button to the right side of the field controls the steel bar diameter.
Alternatively, you can use the following short-cut keys to modify the steel bars:
F1 Increase steel bar quantity

F2 Decrease steel bar quantity
F3 Select an available bigger bar diameter
F4 Select an available smaller bar diameter
For example, to modify 2T16 to 4T14, it will be sufficient to press F1 twice and F4 once.
The available Steel Bar Groups in ProtaStructure are outlined below. All of the following bar groups will
not be visible in all reinforcement patterns. The necessary bar groups will be available depending on
the selected reinforcement pattern. Reinforcement patterns can be selected using the Select Bars
button in the ribbon.
Hanger Bars
Hanger bars are used mainly with the bent-up bar patterns to provide links to be connected. These
bars are used at the top layer in beams and in bottom layer in the foundation beams.
The general mask used in this field is <n><d> form.
Hanger Bars Field

The number of hanger bars is usually determined based on the width of the section.
The hanger bars are usually lapped at mid-span when the selected quantity and size is the same as the
neighbouring spans. Note that, unlike the top and bottom straight bars, hanger bars are not extended
to 0.25L of the adjacent span.
The Min. No. of Hanger Bars and Min. Hanger Bar diameter in the Settings and Parameters dialog
controls the minimum number of bars that can be placed in each span and the size of the bars.
The Steel Bar Cut Length field in the Settings and Parameters dialog controls when the bars will be
lapped. The bars are extended along the spans until the Steel Bar Cut Length value is reached.
These bars are used in both the span and support regions of the beam to satisfy the required steel
area.
Top Bars
NOTE: These bars can beTop straight bars are placed at top layers of beams. They are used in both
used as hanger barsspan and support regions of the beam to satisfy the required steel area.
when it is desired that
separate bars be put inAlso, when extended to 0.25L to the adjacent beams, they are also used to
every span. satisfy the required steel area of the supports of the adjacent span beams.
Top Bars Field
The top bars will not be extended to the adjacent support when the top levels of the beams are not the
same; therefore they will not be used to satisfy the required steel area of the supports of the adjacent
span beam.
In the first and last supports or when there is a level difference between the beams, these bars are
extended to the column and a bob is made when necessary to provide sufficient anchorage.
Support Top Bars

Support top bars are placed at top layers at supports of beams. They are used in support regions of
both beams and are extended to satisfy the required steel areas. They are either extended to 0.25L to
into the adjacent beams and lap the span bars.
Support Top Bars Field
Two different groups of support top bars will be provided when the top levels of the beams are not the
same.
Bent-up Bars
Bent-up bars will be available when a reinforcement pattern that uses this bar group is selected. Bent-
up bars are used in top layers of support regions and bottom layer span regions. They are extended to
0.25L to the adjacent beams. Therefore they are used to satisfy the required steel area of the supports
of the adjacent span beams.
Bent-up bar curtailment style is controlled by the parameters provided in the Bent-up Bar Controls
section of the Settings and Parameters menu.
Bent-up Bars Field
Bottom Bars
Bottom straight bars are placed at the bottom layers of the beams. They are used in both the span and
support regions of the beam to satisfy the required steel area.
Also, when extended to 0.25L to the adjacent beams, they are also used to satisfy the required steel
area of the supports of the adjacent beams.

Bottom Bars Field
The bottom bars will not be extended to the adjacent support when the bottom levels of the beams are
not the same; therefore they will not be used to satisfy the required steel area of the supports of that
adjacent beam.
Support Bottom Bars

Support bottom bars are placed at the bottom layers at the supports of beams. They are used in
support regions of both beams and are extended to satisfy the required steel areas. They are either
extended to 0.25L to into the adjacent beams and lap the span bars.
Support Bottom Bars Field
Two different groups of support top bars will be provided when the bottom levels of the beams are not
the same.
Side Bars
For deeper beams bars are used in side faces of beams for control cracking. The number and spacing
of these bars is determined based on the requirements of the selected codes of practice.
The minimum bar size is determined based on the value specified in Web Steel Diameter field in the
Settings and Parameters dialog.
The Min. No. of Hanger Bars and Min. Hanger Bar diameter controls the minimum number of bars that
can be placed in each span and the size of the bars.
The general mask used in this field is <n><d> form. The parameter n is applied for each beam side.
Side Bars Field
Links
Equally spaced links can be placed along the beams in three regions, namely, left and right supports
and span.
The width of the support regions is determined and displayed in the x-Sup.Links line in the
Reinforcement Information editor.
The general mask used in this field is <n><d>/<s> form.
Links Field
NOTE: Bent-up bars (ifLink arrangement and calculation parameters are available in the Links
available) are notpage of the Settings and Parameters menu. Using these options, minimum
considered in shearand maximum link spacing, link diameter range and support links
design. arrangement can be controlled.
Reinforcement Data Editor - Buttons

The following buttons are displayed in the ribbon at the top of the Reinforcement Data Editor.
Select Bars
Various reinforcement and curtailment patterns are available and can be selected using the Select
Bars button located in the ribbon. You can select the most suitable reinforcement pattern using this
button.
Diagrams
The shear force, bending moment envelope diagrams for the beams in the axis can be
generated by clicking the Diagrams button in the ribbon.
Envelope diagrams are generated using all the loading combinations.
Furthermore, you can select any load case or combination. For the selected load case
or load combination, the shear force, bending moment diagrams will be displayed
accordingly.
While using Print button enables you to print the diagram, diagram values can be saved to a text file
by using Table button in the Diagrams Form.
Navigation between the Beams

To navigate between the beams you can use the left and right arrow
buttons.
Scaled View and Horizontal Scaled Adjustments

The beams may appear based on their actual span lengths in this editor if the Scaled
option in the ribbon is checked. The horizontal scale may be modified using the up and
down buttons next to the Scaled checkbox.
Modification of the horizontal scale may be necessary when the resolution of your
display is not sufficient, or when you want to see more (or less) beams in one screen.
Closing the Editor

You can use the OK button to close the editor; save the modifications made to the current axis and
return to the Beam Section Design and Detailing form. Changes will be discarded if the Cancel
button is used to close the editor.
Filter, Sorting, Batch Design, Grouping, Reporting

Manipulating the Beam Summary Table
The summary table can be manipulated as follows:
To filter axes
Initially the beam summary table displays all beams at all storeys. You can filter the table by clicking
the Filter Axes button on the Design tab of the Beam Section Design and Detailing form.
The following filtering options are provided: Display All Members, Filter by Storey, Filter by Axis Label
and List Failed Members Only. If the Filter by Storey option is selected, a list of storeys will appear on
the right of the option. You can choose any storey from this list so that the beams of that storey are
listed in the table. Similarly if the Filter by Axis Label option is selected a field for axis label input will
appear on the right of the option. When the desired axis label is typed, the table will consist of a list of
beams on that axis in all storeys. Furthermore, if you select the List Failed Members Only option, only
axes for which reinforcement couldnt be determined will be listed in the Beam Table.
To return to a listing of all axes choose the Display All Members option in the Filter Axes dialog.
To sort the table into a different order

Initially the beam summary table displays axes sorted by Axis label, then Storey, then Part. You can
sort in different ways by dragging Group, Axis or Storey column headers. The first header becomes
the primary and the next becomes the secondary sorting criteria.
To remove a sorting criteria drag it back into the table header.
Beam Reinforcement Design (Batch Mode)

All the beams in the structure or in a selected storey can be designed automatically in batch mode. This
is accessed via the Beam Design (Batch Mode) button on the Design tab.
After finishing the design of the critical axes interactively you can design the beams for the remaining
axes automatically using the batch mode beam design dialog.
In this case selecting the Dont select steel when previous bars are insufficient option will prevent re-
design of the interactively designed axes. If the Batch Mode Design is being used for the first time or all
beams are selected for design again you can choose the Re-select All Steel Bars option.
In order to start the Batch Mode Beam Reinforcement Design click the Analysis button in this dialog.
A report is generated during the batch mode design to inform the user of any problems during the
design of the beams. You can review this report by pressing Messages button in the Beam
Reinforcement Design dialog.
Beam Grouping
You may decide to utilise beam axis grouping in order to rationalise your design and reduce the
number of details produced. You define the groups from the Grouping tab of the Beam Design and
Detailing form.
Beam axes can either be grouped automatically, or manually.
Note that the advantages of grouped beam design do not come for free the beam design process will
be slower, but you will save much more time in the long run because of the detailing efficiency you
gain.
Manual Grouping
Groups are created manually as follows:
To manually define a new group:
1. Click on a row in the table to select the master of the group.

In the table an arrow appears next to the axis label and the row becomes highlighted. Beams
on the chosen axis are simultaneously highlighted in the plan view.
An equals sign (=) appears adjacent to all similar axes (i.e. with matching geometry) that can
potentially be added to the group.Click the Edit Group button.
2. Hold down the CTRL key and click on those additional rows in the table which are also to be
part of the group and then click the Add Axis button.
A new group is created consisting of all the axes selected.
To manually add all similar axes to a new group:
1. Click on a row in the table to select one of the axes which is to be part of the group.
In the table an arrow appears next to the axis label and the row becomes highlighted. Beams
on the chosen axis are simultaneously highlighted in the plan view.
An equals sign (=) appears adjacent to all similar axes (i.e. with matching geometry) that can
potentially be added to the group.
2. Click the Edit Group button.
3. Click the Add All Similars button.
A new group is created consisting of all the similar axes.
To manually remove an axis from a group:
1. Click on the row in the table containing the axis to be removed.
3. Click the Remove Axis button.
The selected axis is removed.
To break an individual group:
1. Click on the any row in the table containing an axis in the group.
3. Click the Break Group button.
4. Click Yes to confirm.

The selected group is removed.
Automatic Grouping
Three different options exist for creating groups automatically:
Group All Similar Axes - similar axes (i.e. with matching geometry) at all floors are placed in the
same group as each other.
Group Beam Axes Vertically each individual axis that shares the same geometry on multiple floors
is placed in a unique group.
Group Beam Axes Within Floor - similar axes within a particular floor are placed in the same group
as each other.
To automatically group all similar axes:
1. Click the Automatic Grouping button and from the drop down menu select Group All Similar
Axes.
A prompt appears indicating that all ungrouped axes will be grouped automatically. Note that
any existing groups will be maintained.
2. Click Yes to proceed.
Previously ungrouped similar axes at all storeys are placed in new groups automatically.
To automatically group beam axes vertically:
1. Click the Automatic Grouping button and from the drop down menu select Group Beam Axes
Vertically.
3. Previously ungrouped similar axes at all storeys are placed in new groups automatically.
To automatically group beam axes within a floor:
1. Click the Automatic Grouping button and from the drop down menu select Group Beam Axes
Within Floor.
Previously ungrouped similar axes within a floor are grouped automatically for all storeys.
Change Group Master

Use the Change Group Master option on the Grouping tab to re-specify the master for a particular
group.
The existing group master is indicated in the table by an arrow symbol.
Note: Detail drawings and calculations are only output for the group master -other beams in the group
are noted as similar.
To change the group master:
1. Click on the row in the table containing the new group master.
3. Click the Change Group Master button.
The selected row becomes the new group master.
Verify Groups
Use the Verify Groups option on the Grouping tab to check the validity of all existing beam groups.
Break All Groups

Use the Break All Groups option on the Grouping tab to remove all existing manual and automatic
beam groups.
Note that any existing reinforcement (based on the previous design groups) will be retained when
groups are broken in this way, therefore you should reselect the steel bars after breaking the groups.
Copy and Paste Bars

A less sophisticated feature when compared to grouping; Copy Bars and Paste Bars, located on the
Design tab, allows the designed bars from one axis to be pasted to other axes with similar geometry.
A check design is then performed to establish if the pasted bars are sufficient.
Because no relation is established between the source and destination axes, re-selecting bars would
result in the axes adopting different bars to each other once more.
Copy Bars
Using this button, steel bars from the selected beam axis can be copied to the clipboard and can be
pasted to axes with similar geometry.
Select the beam axis to copy and press the Copy Bars button. The axis label will be marked by an
arrow symbol and all beam axes with similar geometry will be highlighted with an = mark.
Paste Bars
If a beam axis is marked by an arrow symbol, then you can use this button to paste steel bars from it to
the beams on the selected axis.
Note that you can only paste steel bars to the beam axes marked with =.
Paste Steel Bars to All
If a beam axis is marked by an arrow symbol, then you can use this button to paste steel bars from it to
all the beam axes marked with =.
Reports
Various reports are available to be printed from the Report tab of the Beam Design and Detailing
form.
Printing the Beam Design Report
After beam design has been accomplished the Design Report button can be used to print the results.
Beam Capacity Reports
You can use this option to check the capacities of the beams calculated using the supplied steel. This
table is generally used for checking the capacity of the existing buildings. This button is not displayed
when designing to the EC code.
Print Summary Table
To print the summary table as it is displayed on screen, click the Print Summary Table button.
Print Bars List
To display and print a table of the beam reinforcement, click the Print Beam Steel Table button. Axes
where it has not been possible to determine the reinforcement are also indicated.
Flange Shear Check (EC2 Design only)
To display and print the flange shear check results, click the Flange shear Check button. This button is
not displayed when designing to other codes.
Marking the Axes for Printing
The Design and Print columns in the table for the axes that have been designed inform you that the
beam is designed and ready for printing.
The mark in the Print column indicates that the beam axis will be included in the output report. When
the Design Report option is selected, only the axes that are marked for printing will be transferred to
the output report.
After selecting an axis in the list, you can either mark or unmark it for printing by clicking in the Print
box.
The print marks for all items in the list can be set using the Mark All Design Axes button. Similarly, all
print marks can be removed by using Remove Marks button.
Where grouping has been applied, print marks for the group masters only can be set using the Mark
Group Master Axes Only button. When the report is printed, calculations are displayed for the group
master axis only. Other beams in the same group are listed underneath each the master beam.
Changing the Quantity of Axes for Bar Schedule
You can increase or decrease the quantity of an axis, (Qty) by using the Axis Quantity Increase/Decrease
spin buttons in the table.
The quantity of axes will be used as a multiplier in the bar schedule.
Related Articles:
Beam Design Settings - Design & Parameters

Foundation Modelling and Design (Contents)
You can design Pad Base (footing), Strip Footing, and Raft Foundation using ProtaStructure. In order to
insert a footing the analysis of the structural model must be completed.
Footings can only be inserted at the foundation level. Therefore Storey 0 must be set as current storey
before inserting a footing.
Settings to be used in the foundation designs are assigned using the Foundation Design Settings
option under the Settings pulldown menu.
Related Articles:
Foundation Design Settings
Pad Bases
Pile Caps
Strip Footing
Raft Foundation Design
Piled Rafts
Merging of Building Foundations
Shallow Foundtion
Pad Bases
Before defining a Pad Base:
1. The building model must be completed and analysed, so that the column axial
loads and moments are determined.
Insert Pad
Base
2. The foundation storey (Storey 0) must be set as the current storey.
In order to determine concrete and steel grades that will be used in the Pad Base Design, first pick
Building Analysis option in Run pulldown. Then, press Edit button in Material field of Pre-Analysis
tab page.
Pad Base Insertion

To define a new Pad Base:
1. Select a column to insert the pad base. More than one column may be selected. In that case,
the calculated pad base (based on the effects transferred from all the selected columns) will be
inserted to all selected columns.
2. Right-click to display the shortcut menu and select Insert Pad Base option.
3. The Pad Base Properties dialog will be displayed. Check the parameters in this dialog and press
Calculate button to design this footing.
4. Use the up arrow buttons located to the right of the Lx and Ly fields to decide on the desired
footing size.
5. Press OK button to close Pad Base results dialog.
6. After completing the design of the pad base, press the OK button to complete the insertion of
the footing.
Editing an Existing Pad Base

In order to edit an existing pad base:
1. Select an existing pad base,
2. Right-click to select "Properties" from the menu.
3. Modify and re-design the pad base,
4. Press the "OK" button in the Pad Base Properties dialog to update the pad base.
this method.
Pad Base Properties

The "Pad Base Properties dialog will be loaded when the "Insert Pad Base" option is selected.
The Pad Base Properties dialog can also be accessed after selecting an existing pad base and then by
right-clicking and choosing the Properties option in the shortcut menu.
There are two tab pages in this dialog named Footing Data and Column Data.
The Footing Data tab page comprises the Footing Label, Footing Depth, Taper Height, Surcharge
Weight, Soil Unit Weight, Allowable Stress of Soil, Concrete Cover, Steel Bar Diameters fields.
The Column Data tab page displays loading information of the selected columns to be included in this
footing.
When the dialog is closed using OK button, the footing will be inserted. This button is only available
after the footing design is completed. You can use the "Print" button to view and transfer the pad base
design output of the current footing to printer.
Footing Data
The "Footing Data" page of Pad Base Properties dialog contains the following fields:
Footing Label
You can enter the label associated with the footing in this field. By default, a footing label associated
with the column label will be generated. For example, F1 will be generated if a footing for column
1C1 is to be created.
Footing Depth / Taper Height
Footing Depth is the depth of the footing at the tip. If a non-zero Taper Height is defined, the sum of
footing depth and taper height will be used as the section depth during the design of the footing.
Surcharge Height
Soil Unit Weight
Allowable Stress of Soil
You have to enter the Allowable Stress of Soil in this field. This value will be used during the
determination of the footing dimensions.
Allowable Stress of Soil value defined in the "Project Parameters" will be used as the default value in this
field.
Steel Bars
Enter the steel bar diameters that will be used for each direction steel in this field. You have to
manually increase the steel bar diameter if the steel is reported to be not sufficient.
Concrete Cover
You cannot enter any value to this field. To modify the value in this field, first select Graphic Editor
Settings menu option under Settings pulldown. Thereupon, select the Design tab page in
Foundations Settings form. Enter new concrete cover value used in the design of pile caps to the Pad
Bases Concrete Cover field. Note that, concrete cover is measured from outer edge of the section to
the center of the steel bar.
Load Selection Options
If Try All Combinations option is checked, all load combinations for all columns selected for the footing
will be checked and the most critical combination will be used in the final design. This is the default
option.
Alternatively, as a more conservative approach, the Use Maximum Loads in All Combinations option
may be checked. In this case, the biggest axial load and biggest moments will be picked up considering
all combinations and these effects will be used in the design. If this option is checked, the selected
effects will be displayed in the "N", "Mx" and "My" fields for reference.
Occasionally, you may desire to manually enter the loads to be used in the footing design. In this case,
check Use Manually Defined Loads option and enter the axial load and moments manually in the fields
provided in this section.
Column Data
Column information and analysis results are displayed for each loading combination in the Column
Data tab page.
Pad Base Design

After completing the parameters in the "Pad Base Properties" dialog, you can press the "Calculate"
button to analyse the footing. The results are displayed in a Pad Base dialog, within which you can
adjust the footing design.
The Pad Base dialog contains information of the selected column data, footing dimensions, analysis
results and design parameters.
By default, the footing size will be selected based on the similar aspect ratio. You can use the up arrow
buttons located to the right of the Lx and Ly fields to decide on the desired footing size.
Footing Dimensions Section

Pressing up/down arrow button to the right of Lx will increase/decrease the horizontal size of the
footing by Footing Length Step value each time. In this case, the Ly value will be automatically
calculated (if the Calculate Footing Dimensions Automatically is checked) so that the allowable soil
stress will not be exceeded.
Similarly, pressing the up/down arrow button to the right of Ly will increase/decrease the vertical size
of the footing again by Footing Length Step and the Lx value will be automatically calculated (if the
Calculate Footing Dimensions Automatically is checked).
Alternatively, If you do not want the footing dimensions to be updated automatically, the Calculate
Footing Dimensions Automatically shall be unchecked. The manual check can be performed using the
Perform Design Check button.
If "Square Footing" option is checked, the Lx and Ly values are set equal automatically and Footing
Length Step value is added to both dimensions every time one of the up arrow buttons are pressed.
Note that, as footing dimensions increase, soil pressure decreases. To resume back to the economical
design, uncheck and re-check the Square Footing box.
By pressing up/down arrow button at the right of the ex, the footing will be shifted to the right/left in
plan view based on the Footing Length Step.
Similarly, by pressing up/down arrow button at the right of the ey, the footing will be shifted
upward/downward in plan view based on the Footing Length Step.
You can close the "Pad Base Design" dialog using the "OK" button.
Related Articles:
Pile Caps
Strip Footing
Piled Rafts
Strip Footing
For a strip footing to be defined under a series of columns/walls, foundation beams must have been
defined beforehand between the columns/walls.
ProtaStructure performs the strip footing calculations for all load combinations and draws moment
and shear diagrams as a combination envelope. Besides these, calculations are also performed based
on coefficient of subgrade reaction interval.
Before inserting a footing:
1. The building model must be completed and analysed, so that the column and wall axial loads
and moments are determined.

Strip Footing Definition
To define a new Strip Footing:
1. Insert the footing beams that will be used in the strip footing. The beams must be defined such
that vertical members (i.e. columns and walls) are covered in the strip footing (at their
endpoints).
2. Select all the beams that will be included in the strip footing. (Note that, beams can be selected
in any order)
3. Right-click to display the shortcut menu and select "Insert Strip Footing" option. The Strip
Footing dialog will be displayed.
4. Press the "Calculate" button to design the footing. Refer to the "Strip Footing Design" section of
this manual for more information on this topic.
5. After completing the design of the strip footing, press the "OK" button to complete the insertion
of the footing. Note that "OK" button will not be available if the design of the footing is not
completed correctly.
Editing an Existing Strip Footing

In order to edit an existing strip footing:
1. Select an existing strip footing,
2. Right-click to load the "Properties" form and modify the design of the strip footing,
3. Press the "OK" button in the "Properties" form to update the footing.
this method.
Beams of the Strip Footing

Beams that will be included in the strip footing must be defined prior to insertion of the strip footing.
These beams must be defined based on the following rules and constraints:
Beam Dimensions and Eccentricities
The dimensions of the beams included in a strip footing must be identical. Beams with different section
dimensions cannot be used in a single strip footing.
In some models, the columns or walls to be included in a strip footing may not be aligned along a
single axis. In such cases, if necessary, beams can be inserted along more than one axis. If the axes
that the beams are inserted along are parallel, beam eccentricities must be so defined to yield beam
lines perfectly aligned.
Strip Footing Beam Constraints
Beam Insertion Rules
Beams must be defined so that all columns and walls in the strip footing must be on at least one of the
insertion points of the beams. In the figure above, column C1 is on I-end of beam B1. Similarly, I-end of
Wall W1 is on J-end of beam B1. Since the column C2 insertion is on axis B, the beam B2 had to be
defined along this axis, so that column C2 will be on J-end of beam B2.
Note that, for the wall elements with their major direction along the strip footing, wall I-end must be
considered as reference point (i.e. J-end of the wall must be ignored as if it is a column defined using
one insertion point). For this reason, beam B2 is inserted between axes 2 and 4, rather than inserting
two beams from 2 to 3 and 3 to 4.
Strip Footing Design

After selecting the footing beams, the "Strip Footing" dialog will be loaded when "Insert Strip Footing"
option is picked in the shortcut menu displayed by right-clicking.
The "Strip Footing" dialog can also be displayed when the "Properties" option is picked in the shortcut
menu displayed by right-clicking after selecting an existing strip footing.
Strip footing calculations are performed based on beam on elastic foundation method (Winkler
Method). Calculations can be done either for all load combinations or for an envelope of all load
combinations. Also, envelope calculation can be done for an interval of coefficient of subgrade
reaction.
In order to determine concrete and steel grades that will be used in Strip Footing Design, first pick
tab page.
Strip Footing Calculation
1. Loading and geometry information of all related columns, walls and beams will be loaded into
Strip Footing dialog. All the information in the table can be modified.
2. Select the combination in Loading section for which the calculations are to be performed. If
you want to obtain a design envelope for all combinations then check Design Envelope
checkbox.
3. Enter the value of Subgrade Coefficient of Reaction into the Subgrade Coefficient field.
4. If you want to perform the calculations for an interval of subgrade reaction values, check Step
checkbox. Then enter the second subgrade coefficient value into the second field enabled. By
using the spin buttons, indicate the number of steps for interval calculation.
5. For the determination footing width, select the appropriate method of Soil Pressure Selection
Criteria.
6. Click on Calculate button. Note that, Design Envelope and Step boxes must be checked
together, if you want to do the calculations both for subgrade reaction and combination
envelope.
7. Results of the calculation will be loaded into Strip Footing Results form. Results can be
checked from the report or from the diagrams. Soil pressure, shear and moment diagrams are
located in the Diagrams page.
8. Click OK to complete the design and draw the strip footing on the plan view.
9. You can perform the design of the foundation beams by selecting Foundation Beams option
of the Beam Section Design and Detailing menu in Run pulldown.
Soil Pressure Selection Criteria
Prior to commencing the design of the strip footing, its necessary to determine the method of which
soil pressure under the footing will be calculated. For this purpose, select the appropriate method
among the methods given in the Soil Pressure Selection Criteria for Calculating the Footing Width
field.
Default method is Maximum Soil Pressure that is used normally for soft soil. Especially for firm soil,
other methods, namely, Average in L/4 Column Region, Average in L/2 Column Region can also be used.
Nevertheless, these two methods must be used with care as calculated soil pressure can decrease
without any control resulting in an unsafe design.
Left and Right Extensions
There are two fields reserved for the extensions at the beginning and at the end of the strip footing.
Enter the cantilever (extension) lengths Right Extension and Left Extension fields, if you want to
include such extensions in the design.
Strip footing parameters
Footing Width
If you do not provide any values in this field before calculations, required footing width will
automatically be calculated. You can ideally enter width values other than the calculated one in this
field. But in this case you must click on Design button again. If the required width is greater than the
value you entered, then calculated value will be accepted. If the entered value is greater than required
width, then calculated value will be discarded.
Footing Depth
Footing Depth must be specified before design. This value can be changed if necessary, but design
must be repeated in this case.
Steel Diameter
Enter the steel diameter to be used in footing design. If bar spacing is calculated too dense, specify a
larger diameter.
Column List
Information about a column residing on a strip footing alignment can be adjusted using the column list
table. Do the necessary modification by directly clicking in the table cells. Data fields in the table are
explained below.
Column Name
Name of the column defined in Graphic Editor is written here.
Column Section Width (b-column)
Width of the columns along the strip footing direction is specified here. Support moments and shear
forces calculated in the beams are reduced by increasing values of this parameter.
Eccentricity of the Column (e-column)
Distance of column left edges to the axis is specified here. If the axis passes through the midpoint of
the column, then this parameter will just be the half of the column section width.
Axial Loads And Moments
If you want to ignore the

effect of the columnAxial loads and moments found at the bottom nodes of foundation columns
moments in the design,are listed here for the selected combination. These values can be modified
specify zero values forby the user.
Moment values.
Orthogonal Span Width
If the strip footings are inserted as a two dimensional grid, then column axial loads must be shared
between two footings in two directions. For this purpose, enter the distance of the column in
orthogonal direction into the Orther Dir. Len. field. Reduced axial loads can be seen on the Strip
Footing Results form.
Definition of Orthogonal Span Width.
In the example sketch above: d1 is the orthogonal span width for column S1 when the strip footing is
calculated along axis A. Similarly, orthogonal span width for column S2 along axis B is d1 + d2. The
value for column S3 along axis C is d2 + 2d3, unlike others.
Related Articles:
Pad Bases
Pile Caps
Piled Rafts

You can model Raft Foundations (with beams or without beams) and analyse with FE Raft Foundation
Module. Please refer to the FE Analysis of Foundations section for a detailed discussion.
Raft Foundation without Beams

1. Switch to Storey 0 level in Graphic Editor and define slabs into the axis regions. Use CTRL
button if necessary. For a detailed discussion on slab definition with axis region method, please
refer to Graphic Editor section. You can select any slab type e.g. 1 for all slabs as Slab Type
code is not important.
2. Load the Slab Strips member from the toolbar. Check Finite Element Strip option.
3. Select Fixed Band Strip in the FE page. Draw the slab strips in both directions and in the
support and span regions.
4. Select FE Raft Foundation Analysis option in the Run pulldown. Please refer to the FE Analysis
of Foundations section for a detailed discussion.
5. After the analysis is complete, click on Update Steel Bars option of Arrange Steel Bars menu in
the toolbar in order to draw the slab reinforcement along the slab strips on the screen.
6. Punching Shear Check is especially important in the design and modeling of Raft Foundation
without Beams. Perform punching check using Column Punching Check option in the Run
pulldown. If necessary, its preferable to increase the Slab Depth.
Fixed Width Strip Definition
Raft Foundation with Beams

1. Switch to Storey 0 level in Graphic Editor and connect the columns and walls by foundation
beams along horizontal and vertical directions.
2. Define slabs into the beam regions. You can select any slab type e.g. 1 for all slabs as Slab
Type code is not important.
3. Load the Slab Strip member from the toolbar. Check Finite Element Strip option.
4. Select Span Strip in the FE page. Draw the slab strips in both directions. As you know this strip
is used for standard beam/slab systems.
5. Select FE Raft Foundation Analysis option in the Program pulldown. Please refer to the FE
Analysis of Foundations section for a detailed discussion.
6. After performing Raft Foundation Analysis and closing the Analysis Post-processing form,
press Transfer Foundation Beam Results button. Thereupon, you can carry out the design of the
foundation beams by selecting Foundation Beams option of the Beam Section Design and
Detailing menu option in Run pulldown.
7. After the analysis is complete, click on Update Steel Bars option of Arrange Steel Bars menu in
the toolbar or in the shortcut menu in order to draw the slab reinforcement along the slab
strips on the screen.
Related Articles:
FE Strip
Slab Strips
Pad Bases
Pile Caps
Strip Footing
Piled Rafts
Deep Foundation
Pile Caps
Before defining a Pile Cap:
1. The building model must be completed and analysed, so that the column
Insert Pile Cap axial loads and moments are determined.
In order to determine concrete and steel grades that will be used in the pile cap design, first pick
tab page.
Pile Cap Insertion

To define a new Pile Cap:
1. Select a column under which the pile cap will be inserted. More than one column may be
selected. In that case, the calculated pile cap (based on the effects transferred from all the
selected columns) will be inserted to all selected columns.
1. Right-click to display the shortcut menu and select Insert Pile Cap option.
2. The Pile Cap Design dialog will be displayed. Check the parameters in the dialog and press
the Calculate button to design the pile cap.
3. Use the (+) Increase and (-) Decrease buttons to adjust the number of piles used.
Note: It is not possible to decrease to less than the original number of piles calculated. In other
words, (+) Decrease can only be used to reduce an (+) Increase.
4. After completing the design of the pile cap, press the OK button to close the Pile Cap
Design dialog and complete its insertion.
Editing an Existing Pile Cap

In order to edit an existing pile cap:
1. Select an existing pile cap,
2. Right-click and select "Properties" from the menu.
3. Modify the design of the pile cap,
4. Press the "OK" button in the "Properties" form to update the pile cap.
this method.
Pile Cap Properties

The " Pile Cap Design dialog will be loaded when the "Insert Pad cap" menu option is selected.
The Pile Cap Design dialog can also be accessed after selecting an existing pile cap and then by right-
clicking and choosing the Properties option in the shortcut menu.
Prior to performing the calculations, there are initially three tab pages in this dialog named General,
Loads and Parameters.
The General tab page comprises pile and pile cap geometric data, specified reinforcement and the
pile capacity.
The Loads tab page displays loading information of the selected columns to be included in this
footing.
The Parameters tab page is for specifying the design parameters (Axial Load, moments, and
additional soil surcharge).
If Try All Columns/Combinations option is checked, all load combinations for all columns selected for
the pile cap will be checked and the most critical combination will be used in the final design. This is the
default option.
may be checked. In this case, the pile cap will be designed for the biggest axial load and moments
among all combinations. If this option is checked, the selected effects will be displayed in the "N", "Mx"
and "My" fields for reference.
Occasionally, you may desire to manually enter the loads for design. In this case, check Use Manually
Defined Loads option and enter the axial load and moments manually in the provided fields.
After the calculations have been performed the fourth Report tab is added. The tab contains a
general design calculations. Alternatively, a report can be viewed or printed by pressing the Print
button at the right of the Calculate button.
When the dialog is closed using OK button, the pile cap will be inserted. This button is only available
after the calculations have been performed.
General Data
The "General" page of Pile Cap Design dialog contains the following fields:
Footing Label
You can enter the label associated with the footing in this field. By default, a footing label associated
with the column label will be generated. For example, F1 will be generated if a footing for column
1C1 is to be created.
Pile Cap Depth (h)
This is the overall depth of the pile cap.

Steel Bars
Enter the steel bar diameters and spacing that will be used for each direction steel in these fields. You
have to manually increase the steel bar diameter if the steel is reported to be insufficient.
Concrete Cover
You cannot enter any value to this field. To modify the value in this field, first select Graphic Editor
Settings menu option under Settings pulldown. Thereupon, select the Design tab page in
Foundations Settings form. Enter new concrete cover value used in the design of pile caps to the Pad
Bases Concrete Cover field. Note that, concrete cover is measured from outer edge of the section to
the center of the steel bar.
Pile Parameters
Enter the "Pile Type as either Circular or Square and the "Pile Size.
Pile Capacity
Enter the "Compression and "Tension capacity of the pile and also the Spring Coefficient.
Min. Pile Spacing (Center-to Center) (s-min)
Piles will be positioned so that they are spaced not closer than the minimum spacing parameter
entered here.
Pile Penetration Depth (p)
This is the depth the pile penetrates into the pile cap.
Loads
The "Loads" page of Pile Cap Design dialog contains the following fields:
Load Selection Options
If Try All Columns/Combinations option is checked, all load combinations for all columns selected for
the footing will be checked and the most critical combination will be used in the final design. This is the
default option.
may be checked. In this case, the biggest axial load and moments will be selected based on all
combinations and these effects will be used in the design. If this option is checked, the selected effects
will be displayed in the "N", "Mx" and "My" fields for reference.
Occasionally, you may desire to manually enter the loads to be used in the pile cap design. In this case,
check Use Manually Defined Loads option and enter the axial load and moments manually in the
provided fields.
Surcharge Height
Soil Unit Weight
Parameters
The "Parameters" page of the Pile Cap Design dialog contains the following fields:
Allow Tapered Footing
Check this box to allow corners of the footing to be chamfered on plan.
Max. Pile Spacing Multiplier
You can control the maximum pile spacing with this multiplier which is applied to the depth of the pile
cap above the top of the pile. (Pile Cap Depth, h minus the Pile Penetration Depth, p).
Min. Distance from Pile face to Cap Edge

Pile cap dimensions will be calculated and compared with the minimum value entered here. A distance
from the pile face to the cap edge smaller than this minimum value will not be used by the program.
Min. Distance from Column face to Cap Edge
Pile cap dimensions will be calculated and compared with the minimum value entered here. A distance
from the column face to the cap edge smaller than this minimum value will not be used by the
program.
Default Pile Length
Enter the Default Pile Length here.
Rounding Value for Footing Dimensions and Pile Spacing
Footing dimensions and pile spacings will be calculated to be multiples of the value provided in this
field.
Min. Number of Piles
The program will not attempt to use fewer piles than the minimum entered here.
Min. Pile Rows (Walls Only)
The program will not attempt to use fewer pile rows under walls than the minimum entered here.
Ignorable Moment for Single Row Piles
Moments less than the value entered here will be ignored for single row piles.
Add Column Forces Table to the Report (For All Combinations)
Check this box if you require the column forces table included in the report.
Add Pile Axial Forces for Critical Combination to the Report
Check this box if you require the pile axial forces for the critical combination included in the report.
Report
A report of basic information, loading and results is displayed for the calculated number of piles.
Pile Cap Design

After completing the parameters in the various tabs of the Pile Cap Design dialog you can press the
"Calculate" button to determine the number of piles required and the min. and max. pile forces.
The results are displayed on the Report tab, from where you can use the (+) Increase and (-) Decrease
buttons to adjust the number of piles used.
Note: It is not possible to decrease to less than the original number of piles calculated. In other words,
(+) Decrease can only be used to reduce an (+) Increase.
After completing the design of the pile cap, press the OK button to close the Pile Cap Design dialog
and complete its insertion.
Piled Rafts
Before defining a Piled Raft:
1. The building model must be completed and analysed, so that the column axial
Insert Pile loads and moments are determined.
Piled Raft Insertion

To define a new Piled Raft:
1. Define slabs to form the raft at the Storey 0 level. For assistance on slab insertion techniques,
you can refer to Slab Insertion Methods. You can select any slab type e.g. 1 for all slabs as
Slab Type code is not important.
2. Select the slabs for insertion of piles (More than one slab can be selected by holding the Ctrl).
3. Right-click to display the shortcut menu and select Insert Pile option.
4. Click a suitable axis intersection as the pile reference point.
5. The Pile Properties dialog will be displayed. Define the appropriate parameters in the dialog
and press the OK button to position the piles within the slabs.
Editing Existing Piles

To edit an existing raft:
1. Select the piles to be edited,
2. Right-click and select "Properties" from the menu.
3. Modify the parameters as required,
4. Press the "OK" button in the "Properties" form to update the selected piles.
Deleting Piles
To delete piles:
1. Select the piles to be deleted,
2. Right-click and select "Delete" from the menu.

Pile Properties
The "Pile Properties dialog will be loaded after selecting the "Insert Pile" menu option and choosing a
reference point.
There are four headings in this dialog named Pile Parameters, Pile Insertion, Vertical Loading Pile Safe
Working Load and Lateral Loading Pile Safe Working Load.
When the dialog is closed using the OK button, the pile(s) will be inserted.
Pile Parameters
The "Pile Parameter " area contains the following fields:
Pile Type
Circular and Square piles can be created.
Pile Diameter (d)
This is diameter of a circular pile or length of side of a square pile.
Pile Penetration Depth (p)
This is the depth the pile penetrates into the pile cap.
Pile Length (L)
This is the length of the pile.
Pile-Edge Min. Distance
Piles will not be placed closer to the edge of the slab than than this minimum distance.
Pile Spring Co-efficient
This is dependent on ground conditions and the pile type. It is entirely up to the user to input a
reasonable value and specialist advice may be required.
Pile Insertion
The fields in this area will vary depending on if you are inserting new piles or editing the properties of
existing piles.
Eccentricities (Ex, Ey)
When inserting new piles: Ex and Ey are the eccentricities in x and y from the reference point.
Pile Spacings (Sx, Sy)
Sx and Sy spacings are required when inserting new piles on a rectangular pattern. For a hexagonal
pattern only Sx is required.
Angle
This is the angle on plan used to define the x direction for pile spacings.
Generation Pattern
Rectangular and Hexagonal pile patterns can be created.

Pile Safe Working Load
The compression and tension safe working loads for vertical combinations will be factored by 1.4
(BS8110) or 1.25 (EC) in the design.
Piled Raft Design

After completing the placement of piles in the raft, in order to determine the individual pile loads the
next stage is to perform an FE analysis of the foundation. For details refer to FE Analysis of
Foundations. On completion of the FE analysis the calculated pile loads are checked against the pile
safe working loads (factored in the vertical case) and each pile is given a pass or fail status.
Related Articles:
Pad Bases
Pile Caps
Strip Footing

Structures above a certain size are likely to contain expansion joints in order to prevent damage
caused by expansion and differential movement.
Although ProtaStructure enables the user to apply modelling options such as Slabs to Define Rigid
Diaphragms to analyse such structures, it may be better to split them into separate models at the
expansion joints so that each model can be analysed individually. (One of the reasons for that is to
ease the controls required by the Earthquake codes in seismic regions).
However, if this solution technique is adopted a potential problem arises, that is, in practice building
foundations are cast together covering all the structure.
To get around this ProtaStructure provides a powerful option to merge together previously analysed
projects to enable the design of a common foundation.
Merged projects depend on the original projects dynamically. Whenever the analysis results of the
original projects are altered these modified results will also be applied to the foundation project as
soon as the project is re-opened.
Merging of Building Foundations is achieved as follows:
1. Prior to the merging process each of the blocks separated by the expansion joint must be
modelled and analysed as an individual project. Note that the loading combinations and units
system used in each project must be same.
2. Open one of these projects by using the Open Project option. From now on we will refer to this
project as the First Model.
3. Select the Load Building Model option in the Model/File Import menu of the File pulldown.
4. The Merging/Linking Building Models dialog will be loaded. In this dialog, select the other project
to be merged with the first model using the drop down Project: list. This project will be
referred to as the Second Model.
5. Enter a character in the Block Character field. If the Add Block Character to Column Labels
option is selected then this character will be added to the column labels of the second model.
Otherwise, the Do Not Replace the Column Labels option is to be selected.
6. Press the Load Model button in Merging/Linking Building Models dialog. Column and walls of
the second model will be displayed on the screen in a faded form. This is the original position of
the second model. You can change it by the method explained in Steps 7 and 8.
7. If the position of the columns and walls are correct press the Finish button to complete the
merging process. Otherwise, you can use Drag Two Points to move the model. Drag a line
defining the offset amount and direction in plan view. Note that new Dx and Dy values will
appear in the corresponding fields. Alternatively, you can directly enter Dx and Dy values.
8. Press the Move Model button to position your second model.
9. Repeat Steps 7 and 8 until the second model is in the proper position.
10. Press the Finish button to complete the merging process.
11. Two projects will be displayed on the screen. By selecting the Storey 0, you can then proceed
to define pad base, strip footing or raft foundations.
Related Articles:
Pad Bases
Pile Caps
Strip Footing
Piled Rafts
Reports and Quantity Extraction (Contents)

The various reports can be produced using the Report Manager within ProtaStructure are described in
this section.
In addition to that Quantity Extraction Tables can be used to view, edit, and print the related quantity
estimations.
The generated reports can be exported to PDF, MS Words, Image or Web.
Related Articles:
Report Manager
Quantity Extraction Tables
Report Manager
The Report Manager is designed to collect and concatenate reports created using the
Report Manager
modules.
Button
The Report Manager is the central report manager where all analysis and design reports can be
accessed and managed. It can be found from the File pulldown menu. Alternatively, you can find it
from the file toolbars above the structure tree.
Reports can be created from each of the modules. The main reports are formatted and consist of a
header & footer and a main body containing text, graphics and/or tables. The report can be configured
and printed, or it can saved for later printing via the Report Manager.
In the top menu, there are 3 tabs, namely, Report Sets, Reports, and Header Settings tabs. The
functions of the buttons in those tabs will be explained in the following subsections.
Report manager
Report Sets Tab

The report sets allows the user to create the combined reports. The users can choose and add the
available reports to the report sets
Current Set
This can be used to select and list the existing report sets. The contents of the selected report sets will
be display on the left panel.
View
It combines all reports in the selected report set sequentially and views the report set. The generated
report can be printed or exported to other formats.
Options also exist for exporting the report to different formats as below:
1. PDF Exports the document content to portable document format; and
2. To Office Exports the document content to MS Word 97-2003 (.doc) or MS Word 2007 (.docx)
format
3. To Image Exports the document to one of the image formats
4. To Web Exports the document to Hyper Text Markup Languange (HTML) or Web Archive
(MHT) format.
Combined report
New
It creates a new blank report set. After this button is clicked, the user has to assign a Report Set Name
for the new report set.
Delete
It can be used to delete the current report set.
Add All Available

It adds all available reports in the reporsitory to the selected report set.
Add All Reports

It adds all reports in the reports in the repository to the selected report set.
Reports Tab
New Report from File

It creates a new report from a Word Document (.docx) or Rich Text File (.rtf). Thr original file is
converted to RTF and copied to the local project folder.
Delete Report
It can be used to delete the selected report
Expand All
All category groups in the middle frame can be expanded by pressing this button.
Collapse All
All category groups in the middle frame can be collapsed by pressing this button.
Header settings Tab
Use QR Code
It generates a QR Code using the user licence information and automatically inserts it in the header. It
can be used where authentications is required in project submission. RTF files of all reports are
automatically regenerated for this setting to take effect.
Load Logo
It can be used to load a jpeg, png, bmp or gif file from the disk. Maximum file size is 1MB. The loaded
picture is scaled and used as the company logo in the report header. RTF files of all reports are
automatically regenerated for this setting to take effect.
Clear Logo
It clears the loaded company logo. RTF files of all reports are automatically regenerated for this setting
to take effect.
Report Set Contents (Left Panel)

The left hand pane contains a list of all the reports that are automatically produced and also reports
that are included in the selected report set
Insert Table of Contents

If this button is activated by clicking, it will automatically generate and insert a table of contents using
heading styles in the selected report set.
Insert Summary Report

If this button is activated by clicking, it will automatically create a summary of notifications and add to
the combined report.
Move Up
It can be used to move the selected report up in the list.
Move Down
It can be used to move the selected report down in the list.
Delete Report
It can be used to delete the selected report from the current report set.
List of Reports (Middle Panel)

The middle panel contains a list of organized and grouped reports in the various folders. You can
expand or collapse the main folders by clicking on topics.
Notifications (Right Panel)

The Rright hand panel contains Notifications such as warnings and failure in any of the design checks.
Show/Hide Errors
Show or hide the errors in the notification list.
Show/Hide Warnings
Show or hide the warnings in the notificaition list.
Show/Hide Messages
Show or hide the messages in the notification list.
Related Articles:
Reports and Quantity Extraction
Quantity Extraction Tables

Concrete and formwork quantity estimations can be created at any time, either by clickin
Quantity Extraction Tables icon, or by using the related menu selection under the "File" pulldow
Using these options, related quantity estimations can be viewed, edited, printed and (depending on the
table chosen) the information can be exported to PDF, MS Words, Image or Web.
Concrete Quantity Extractions
When the "Concrete Quantity Extractions" table is selected, a summary report tabulating the total
amount of concrete used in the building can be created using the "Create Report" button.
The total volume of concrete used in columns, beams and slabs is displayed respectively for each
storey separately. In addition to the concrete breakdown, the total volume of filler blocks used in
ribbed slabs is also calculated and displayed.
A detailed breakdown of the concrete quantities can then be obtained using the "Report" button.
The only report format supported for Concrete Quantity Extractions is the ProtaStructure Report.
Formwork Estimations
When the "Formwork Quantity Table is selected a summary report tabulating the total area of
formwork required for the building can be created using the "Create Report" button.
The total area of formwork used in columns, beams and slabs is displayed respectively for each storey
separately.
A detailed breakdown of the formwork quantities can then be obtained using the "Report" button.
The only report format supported for Formwork Quantity is the ProtaStructure Report.
Related Articles:
Report Manager
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

INSTALLATION
Latest Release Software Download
The latest version: ProtaStructure 2016 Service Pack 8.2
Please download installation setup from this link :
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B7j9oWUeAUmdcTRnUXg0QmNrSmc
or One drive link: https://1drv.ms/u/s!AsDF0YXpCN6xuT0S6ES4Bane4xMz
Previous Version: ProtaStructure 2016 Service Pack 6
Please download installation setup from this link :
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B7j9oWUeAUmdLVBVNTdmM2psR1k
IMPORTANT!
Please ensure you have a valid maintenance program before installing the ProtaStructure 2016 as
new activation code is required.
Please first ascertain the type of license you have & refer to the correct installation steps :
A. Standalone Hardware Lock
USB lock can be used in any computer & does not have the word "NW" in the label tag.
B. Network Hardware Lock
The usb lock must be plugged to the server & has a NW label in the label tag.
C. Network Sotware Lock
No physical usb device is given. The license is activated in the registry of the server.
A. Standalone Hardware Lock Installation

1. Uninstall any previous versions of ProtaStructure 2016 (for pre-release users)
o ProtaStructure 2015 need not be uninstalled. Please read FAQ below
2. Install the downloaded ProtaStructure 2016 using all default options
3. Plug in the hardware key
4. Start ProtaStructure 2016
5. Choose Hardware Lock in License Activation Options menu
6. Copy & paste the Product Activation menu (Print Screen) showing clearly the hardware key
Serial number & Request code (example shown below)
1. Send it to asiasupport@protasoftware.com
2. Once you receive the Activation Code, copy & paste it the dialog box and choose Activate.
Important Note:
If you are exisitng ProtaStructure 2015 user(s), you have to repair the ProtaStructure 2015 after
the installation of ProtaStructure 2016. Please refer to the FAQ below.
B. Network Hardware Lock Installation

Install & Activate ProtaStructure 2016 in the server :
1. Sit in front of the server where the network hardware key is plugged
4. Choose Hardware Lock in License Activation Options menu
5. Copy & paste the Product Activation menu (Print Screen) showing clearly the hardware key
Serial number & Request code (example shown below)
2. Once you receive the Activation Code, copy & paste it the dialog box and choose Activate
Install ProtaStructure 2016 in all user (client) computers :
2. Install the downloaded ProtaStructure 2016
o Enter the IP Address of the server in the Floating Network License Details menu
o Default port is 1245. Ensure the port is not blocked.
3. Start using ProtaStructure 2016
Important Note:
C. Network Software Lock Installation

Install & Activate ProtaStructure 2016 in the server :
1. Sit in front of the server where ProtaStructure 2015 was activated previously
4. Choose Software Lock in License Activation Options menu

5. Copy & paste the Product Activation menu (Print Screen) showing clearly the Serial number &
Request code (example shown below)
2. Once you receive the Activation Code, copy & paste it the dialog box and choose Activate
Install ProtaStructure 2016 in all user (client) computers :
2. Install the downloaded ProtaStructure 2016
o Enter the IP Address of the server in the Floating Network License Details menu
o Default port is 1245. Ensure that the port is not blocked.
3. Start using ProtaStructure 2016
Important Note:
FAQ : Do I need to uninstall ProtaStructure 2015 before

installing 2016?
No, you do not need to uninstall ProtaStructure 2015. ProtaStructure 2016 and ProtaStructure 2015
can be installed and used in the same computer. However, a repair of ProtaStructure 2015 is required
after the installation of ProtaStructure 2016 :
1. Go to Control Panel > Add Remove Program / Programs and Feature

2. Select ProtaStructure 2015
3. Select Change > Repair
FAQ : Can ProtaStructure 2016 open older models saved in

2015 version?
Yes, new versions of ProtaStructure can open older versions of the model. However, a re-analysis is
required. We recommend that a design check be done as well.
FAQ : Can new models of version 2016 be opened in older

ProtaStructure 2015?
No. Once the model is saved in 2016 version, it can no longer be opened in any previous version.
If you want to retain the analysis & design results of a 2015 version model, please go to File > Save
Project As > save it with a new project name in 2016 version. This way, the previous model in version
2015 will not be affected.
Other Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Hardware & System Requirements for ProtaStructure & ProtaDetails
Can ProtaStructure & Orion be installed in the same computer?
ProtaStructure is not starting nothing happens
ProtaStructure is responding or performing slowly - reasons and solutions
Hardware & System Requirements for ProtaStructure &
ProtaDetails
Minimum Hardware & System Requirements for ProtaStructure & ProtaDetails:
Operating System : 32 and 64 bit versions of Windows 7, 8 & 10
At least 1 GB free disk space and 8 GB physical memory (RAM)
A CPU with multi-core support is recommended
A screen resolution of 1280x720 pixels and higher is required
Since ProtaStructure and ProtaDetails make use of latest graphical visualization techniques, a
dedicated graphics card supporting OpenGL and DirectX with min 1 GB of video is required
Windows .NET Framework version 4.5 (please turn on Windows auto-update)

For bigger models, we recommend a minimum 12 GB of physical memory.
Related Articles :
ProtaStructure is responding or performing slowly - reasons and solutions

Check if Orion 17 or prior versions is installed in the same PC.
Orion 17 (& prior versions) cannot be installed on the same computer with ProtaStructure.
If you have installed ProtaStructure without removing Orion 17 then a complete removal and
reinstallation is required :
1. Uninstall Orion 17 & prior version
2. Uninstall ProtaStructure
3. Reinstall ProtaStructure
Please refer to article Can ProtaStructure & Orion be installed in the same computer? for more
details.
Related Articles :
Can ProtaStructure & Orion be installed in the same computer?
ProtaStructure is responding or performing slowly -
reasons and solutions

If you find ProtaStructure performing or responding slowly, the following are possible reasons and
solutions :
The computer does not meet meet the minimum or recommended

specifications
Check the computer meets the required specification by reading this article : Hardware & System
Requirements for ProtaStructure & ProtaDetails
The dedicated grahpics card/processor is not activated or utilised

Since ProtaStructure and ProtaDetails make use of latest graphical visualization techniques, a
dedicated graphics card supporting OpenGL and DirectX with min 1 GB of video is required. However,
depending on the computer settings, the graphics card may not be activated or utilised by the program
(even if it exists).
The first step is to check if the graphics card is recognised by the operating system by accessing
Windows Control Panel > Device Manager. Ensure that under Display Adapters, the graphics card is
listed and also there is no problems reported.
It may be necessary (even recommended) to specifically set ProtaStructure (& it's componenets) to use
that graphics card when started by :
1. Go to the graphics card control panel. Usually, this can be accessed by right-clicking anywhere
on the Desktop and then choose the graphics card control panel.
2. In the "3D Settings" or similar settings, ensure to add the following executable to always use
"High Performance <graphics card name> processor" :
ProtaStructure.exe
AnlPostPro1.exe
Both of the files are in C:\Program Files (x86)\Prota\ProtaStructure201x by default
The antivirus is causing the slow performance

The antivirus is a known cause of slow down due to it's constant scanning or monitoring of project files.
The easiet and fastest solution is simply to deactivate the antivirus while using the program,
especially the "auto-protect" function (you can easily turn it back on after using the program).
Alternatively, you can exclude certain folders used by the program from the auto-protect or scanning
of the antivirus. This can be done by launching the antivirus interface and excluding the follwing
folders:
1. Project data folder (main/parent folder that stores the project folder).
o by default it may be C:\Users\User\Documents\ProtaData201x
2. C:\Program Files (x86)\Prota
o default program folder
If excluding the folders does not improve the performance, please deactivate the antivirus completely.
The loaded External Reference Drawing is too big

If you have loaded a dxf as reference drawing, the loaded dxf file might to too big and contain many
unnecessary entities :
Completlely switch off / freeze / delete all unnecessary entities such as hatching (especially),
title blocks, architectural objects, elevation views, etc from the original dxf before importing the
file into ProtaStructure.
If there are several floor layout in a single dxf file, split each floor layout to different dxf files.
As a general guide, limit a single dxf file to a maximum of 1 MB.
For details on this function, read this article : External Reference Drawing (Import)
Power Options
By default, the computer power plan may not be set to "High Performance". If the "Power saver" option
is selected, then the Graphic Settings will be set to "Maximum Battery Life", i.e. the graphics
preformance will be slower.
To increase the performance of the graphics:
1. Go to Control Panel\All Control Panel Items\Power Options
2. Select High performance (it may be hidden under the Show additional plans)
Auto Update Adjacent Members

By default, this function is activated to check the validity of adjacent members when a new member is
created or modified. This also automatically calculate slab loads onto beams.
To increase modelling speed, this option can be switched off by clicking on the icon to deactivate it (as
shown below)
If this option is switched off while modelling, please switch it back on before running Building
Analysis. This is because the slab loads needs to be calculated onto the beams (be patient, it might take
some time for this process to complete depending on the size of the model).
Further, it is highly recommended that you always perform Building Model Check frequently
especially before running Building Analysis.
Related Article :
Analysis
Building Analysis (Content)

Can ProtaStructure & Orion be installed in the same
computer?
Orion 18
Orion 18 can be installed with ProtaStructure on the same computer. However, you will need to
perform a Repair of Orion 18 after the installation of ProtaStructure:
1. Go to Control Panel > Add Remove Programs
2. Look for and select "CSC Orion18"
3. Right-click > Repair
Orion 17 & prior version

Orion 17 (& prior versions) cannot be installed on the same computer with ProtaStructure since it is not
possible to resolve system conflicts.
If you have Orion 17 or prior version , it needs to be uninstalled before installing ProtaStructure.
If you have installed ProtaStructure without removing Orion 17 then a complete removal and
reinstallation is required :
1. Uninstall Orion 17 and prior version
2. Uninstall ProtaStructure
3. Reinstall ProtaStructure
Windows Socket Error 10048 Trying to Obtain Network
Licence
The Windows Socket Error 10048 occurs when an application is unable to open a TCP/IP socket for
communications with another application or computer. Normally, this indicates that the TCP/IP
protocol is unavailable, or the desired port number for the socket is already in-use.
For high traffic scenarios this message shows a problem on the workstation running ProtaStructure.
The IP stack can't create additional outgoing TCP/IP connections because it runs out of available socket
numbers for the IP address(es) that you have been configured for licence server. This error occurs
when your workstation cannot allocate new sockets. On Windows the default limitation is 5000 - 1024
open sockets (5000 is the default max user port setting and the first 1024 ports are reserved).
ProtaStructure licence server works on port number 1245 by default. IP is chosen by the client. IP and
port numbers can be changed on NetKeyLicenceServer installation and if changed, all client NetKey.ini
files must be configured accordingly.
As a workaround to this problem:
Re-start the computer & start the license server again (there might be more than 1 instances of
it running). If this does not solve the issue, then proceed to the next step.
Bring up Windows Registry Editor dialog by typing regedit in the Run dialog (Can be
accessed using Windows+R key combination.)
Increase the dynamic port range. The max by default is 5000. You can set this up to 65534.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\MaxUserPort
Reduce the time spent in TIME_WAIT state. Default is 4 minutes (240 seconds), but you can set
this to 30 seconds.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE
\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Tcpip\Parameters\TCPTimedWaitDelay
The keys inside the Parameters node are visible on the right hand side of registry editor as
shown below.
If the keys do not exist, right-click on parameters node and add two DWORD (32 bit) values.
(MaxUserPort and TcpTimedWaitDelay)
A Registry key can be edited by right-clicking on the key and selecting Modify. For
MaxUserPort key, Select Decimal and enter 65534 which is the largest available unsigned 4 byte
value.
Related Articles:
Hardware & System Requirements for ProtaStructure & ProtaDetails
Runtime Error 2006: Invalid Tools collection Index

If you get this error when starting ProtaStructure, the solution is :
1. Browe to the user roaming profile; typcially it is :
C:\Users\<User name>\AppData\Roaming\Prota\ProtaStructure\R1\Eng
2. Delete the file GEUsr.TB3
3. Restart the program
Note : The file will be re-created. This file holds toolbars information previously set which should be
automatically removed when new version is installed.
Related Articles :
Lateral Load
Notional Load and Input

General
You will learn how to include the notional load into your model
You will know how to view the applied notional load graphically in post analysis
Create Notional Load Cases and Combination

To add Notional Load to the model, the Notional Load Cases and Load Combinations shall be
generated: Run > Building Analysis > Pre-Analysis > Loading Combinations> Loading
Generator > Check the Notional Loading
Define the Notional Load Design Parameters
To check or modify the parameters of Notional Loading: Parameters > Lateral Loading tab
Evaluate the Applied Notional Load

To evaluate the automatically calculated and applied Notional Load to each storey: Run >
Building Analysis > Pre-Analysis > Storey Loads and Parameters
In this case 1.5% of self-weight of each storey is applied at the center of mass (CG) of each
storey.
o Total G of the storey 1 = 4757.3 kN
o Applied Nx = Ny = 4757.3kN * 1.5% = 71.4 kN
o All CG, Nx and Ny are automatically calculated.
View the Applied Notional Load Graphically
To check the applied notional load in the Post-Analysis > Model and Analysis Result Display
> Click the Nx or Ny from the load cases
Related Articles:
Parameters
Load Combinations
Seismic Load - Basic Guide

General
You will learn how to incorporate the basic seismic loading into your model.
You will know how to view and generate the outputs report
Procedures
Select a Design Code
Select an Earthquake Code: Building Analysis > Pre-analysis tab > Parameters > Codes tab >
Choose an Earthquake code from the list
Define Load Cases and Combinations

Generate the Seismic Loading cases: Loading Combinations > Loading Generator > Check the
Seismic Loading > select Equivalent Static load or Modal Response Spectrum
Update the Seismic Design Parameters
You can define the seismic parameters by going through all tabs in Seismic Parameters. Seismic
Parameters > Parameters Tab, Analysis, Structural Irregularities or Settings.
You can adjust the number of Vibration modes: Seismic Parameters > Analysis Tab
Define the Live Load Participation Factor
You can assign the live load participation factor and number of rigid basements in Building > Edit
Storey
Building Analysis
You can run the Building Analysis: Building Analysis > Analysis tab > Check Building Analysis > Start
Post-analysis Model and Analysis Result Display

Post analysis results can be examined by going to Building Analysis > Post Analysis tab > Model
and Analysis Result Display >Select a model shape or load cases from the right panel.
Figure below shows a typical animated vibration mode 3.
To view the post analysis reports: Building Analysis > Reports > Post Analysis Checks Report &
Eigenvalue results report
Note: Additional Detailing for DCM and DCH are still under development. Users have to make
necessary their own adjustments on the detailing if the DCM or DCH is selected. For more
details, please refer to EC8 Part 5.
Related Articles:

There are 2 methods of defining lateral or wind loads:
1. Through the Storey Load Editor
2. Using Column Nodal loads
Method 1: Storey Load Editor
If you want to insert wind load using Storey Loads Editor then Wind load should be applied at the
centre of building elevation (see figure below).
ProtaStructure will automatically distribute the wind load to the centre of diaphragm of each tower
the magnitude of the distribution is proportional to the mass of each floor. Tower with bigger
members and larger slab would have a higher mass and hence will attract more wind load.
The wind loads, namely Wx and Wy are defined as point loads on each storey. The coordinates (X, Y) of
the applied wind loads are measured from (0, 0) - NOT from the bottom left corner (axes
intersection) of the model.
Note: The Notional Horizontal Loads are applied at the centre of mass (CG) of the floor, whereas the
Wind Loads should be applied at the centre of the building elevation.
See example below assuming that the 2 towers have the same mass.
i. In order to add Wind Load to the model, you should generate the Wind Load Cases and Load
Combinations: Run > Building Analysis > Pre-Analysis > Loading Combinations> Loading
Generator > Check the Wind Loading
Tip: The Load cases can be modified in the Load case Editor (Run > Building Analysis > Pre-Analysis
> Loading Combinations> Load Cases > Choose the Load case > Click Edit).
For example, the default labels of wind load cases in x and y directions are R x and Ry. The user can
modify them to Wx and Wy in the load case editor.
ii. To apply the Wind Load to each storey: Run > Building Analysis > Pre-Analysis > Storey Loads and
Parameters
iii. To check the exact magnitude of wind load applied on each tower, you would need to go to the
Post-Analysis > Model and Analysis Results Display --> choose the load case say W y and then look
at the nodal loads applied (as shown below)
The 2 towers will still behave independently. The limitation of this method is that you cannot control
the value of load on each tower.
If you want more control then the other method (Method 2) is to apply column nodal load onto specific
columns.
Method 2: Column Nodal Loads
To assign the column / Wall nodal loads:
1. Select a column or multiple select columns you want to apply the nodal load
2. Right click and select Add Column/ Wall Nodal Load > choose Apply to Selected Columns/
Walls
3. In the Nodal Load > Choose say the relevant load case you want to include this load. This may
be any existing load case or the new load case which you have added above.
4. Enter value for Fx (+ve to the right on the plan view), Fy (+ve upwards on the plan view).
Explanation on sign convention is automatically shown at the bottom of the menu
5. To check which column you have entered nodal load, simply place your mouse cursor over the
column and the information will be shown.
6. If you rerun Building Analysis and check go to Model and Analysis Results, you should notice
that there is effect due to the nodal loads you have applied if you choose the relevant Load
Case under Result tab (display displacement or BMD)
Example below:
i. Total Wy = 100 kN, i.e 25 kN for each column at the wind face
ii. Run Building Analysis > Model & Analysis Results Display to check the analytical model and
assumptions.
Related Articles:

Guidelines when creating grid lines in ProtaStructure
Every element which is created in ProtaStructure is attached to Grid Lines; the importance of a simple
clear grid system is essential to producing a manageable and accurate model. The more complicated
the axis system the more likely errors are to occur; the golden rule is 'Keep It Simple'.
Make reference to the following guidelines when creating gridlines:
1. Try to avoid axis that are very close together

Since member insertion is based on axes intersection, having too many axes that are too close
together may result in picking the wrong intersection of axes when creating members.
2. Use as few axes as possible

For the same reason above, model only the necessary axes. Note that it is the structural behaviour
that is important, hence small architectural offsets discrepancies will have negligible difference. For
example it would be unreasonable to model 2 parallel axes with only 20mm between them - where a
single axis would suffice.
3. Keep axis short and localized to the place where it is used

For the same reason above, this is to avoid too many axes intersection. Note that you automatically
shorten axes by selecting axes > right-click > Stretch Axis to Member Insertion
4. Set Unused Axes to Ghost to clear the clutter in the view

Highlight the folder Axis in the Structure Tree > right click and choose Set Unused Axis to Ghost (ALL
Storeys) to clear the clutter in view. For the same purpose you can turn off the axis label by going to the
axes properties and click on the balloon.
5. Perform 'Building Model Check' before running Building Analysis

Building Model Check will check for commons errors for axes. The following axes errors are explained :
Axis Intersection Proximity Check:
Intersection: A-1 and B-1 too close... (d= 17.27 mm)
Reason : This means that there are intersection of axes that are too close to each other (less than
20mm). As explained above, having too many axes intersection too close too each other increases the
likelihood of using the wrong intersection. Check the members are using the correct intersection if the
situation is unavoidable (and ignore this warning). Alternative, update the coordinate of the ends of the
axes by selecting the axis > righ-click > Edit Axis End Point > pick the new position of end point of the
axes.
Slightly Non-orthogonal Axes (Angle < 0.1 deg):
Landscape Axis:A1 - (Delta-Y = 1 mm, L = 20000 mm, Angle = 0.00286 d)

...Completed... Error Count= 1
These axes can be rectified by using the 'Edit' pulldown menu.
Reason : "Almost" vertical and horizontal axes having angles not exactly 0 and 90 degrees will be
flagged (eg. 0.002degrees). It is best to avoid this in the first place when creating axes. Existing axes
with such issues can be auto-fixed by going to Edit (top menu) > Fix the Almost-Orthogonal Axes
Flat Slab Guideline
Flat Slab Insertion methods

For flat slab, it is unlikely that your slab would be fully bounded/surrounded by beams, hence
the more appropriate method would be Axis Region or Pick Axis.
For Axis Region, you simply click on any point bounded by axis and a slab will be automatically
with those axis as insertion axis. You can combine them by holding down the CTRL key while
clicking successively locations and a single slab panel will be created after you release the key.
For Pick Axis method, simply hold down the CTRL key while picking on the axes that bound the
slab, then click New Slab Panel. For more information, please refer to Working with
Axes section.
When inserting slabs for flat slab, make sure that all columns and shear walls lies at the
edges or corners of the slab.
In other words:
1. The slab boundary must coincide with the insertion axis of column/wall. For example, if the insertion
axis of the column is A/1 then the slab boundary at the column must be either axis A or axis 1.
2. Try to keep your slab four-sided, i.e. rectangular or squarish.
3. For raft, its slab type does not matter as it is only applicable for slabs designed using yield line, i.e.
normal slab strip
Flat Slab Reinforcement Design

The preferred method to show reinforcement for flat slab is to User Defined Contours or
"Threshold Contour" as explained in the Flat Slab Training and The Floor Analysis Post-
Processor
Alternative, you can try to show rebars on the model plan view but it is important that you
define and cut the correct Finite Element Slab Strip for you model that would be Fixed Widh
Band strip. More details are available under Slab Strip Type (Working with Slab Strips and Finite
Element (FE) Strip sections)
Fixed width band strip, will take a single max positive and negative moment to design for the
entire length and width of a strip. Hence you only get one top and bot reinforcement, with may
lead to some overdesign if the width of the strip is too large. Hence, you need to examine or
evaluate how wide and how many fixed width band strip you want to cut as that has an
influence on how efficient the steel design is.
In the FE tab of the FE slab strip, there is an option to use "integral". As the name implies, the
moments across the width of the strip is averaged out or spread out by integration so that a
lower maximum moment is obtained. This assumes that the slab is sufficient stiff so that the
load tend to distribute itself across a certain width. With integral unchecked, Orion scans for
a single max moment to design across the span and support region.
Please be aware that cutting strips may not be able to give you full solution, you will still need to
combine or supplement it by investigating the steel contours.
In a nutshell, you will need to insert:
a) Model/define slabs
b) Cut FE Strip across of the appropriate type (refer to more notes below)
Above : choose fixed band strip in FE Slab Strip properties. Check Integral Strip
Above : Cut strip through top columns. Change Extents Left (top) to O and Right (bottom) to 2000
(quarter of panel width)
Cut second strip across columns now with left and right extent set to 2000 mm
Cut the middle strip and adjust the left and right extents so that is coincides exactly with the
extent of the other strip, ie. no overlapping of strip widths. Do for the left extent and then the
right extent using the procedure shown above.
c) Run FE Floor Analysis > Post Analysis Processes and Reports > Analysis Post-Processing
d) Run > Slab Design and Analysis (or select a particular slab strip > Right Click > Arrange All Steel Bars>
Update All Steel Bars)
Make sure that everything is fine, i.e. mesh generated is reasonable by checking following in the post-
processor:
a) If you have defined your slab edges correctly, you will notice that edges of shell elements coincide
perfectly on the red dot represented by the column and shear walls.
b) The edges of shell element of one slab coincide perfectly with that of the adjacent slab.
Column Puching Shear Design

Finally, do not forget to check for punching shear. Try not to run all the columns punching shear
shear check altogether, as you need to define the correct type of column location (interior,
edge, column).
To do this, you can select a group of columns having the same type location by successively
selecting each column while holding down the ctrl key.
Then right click and choose 'Column Punching Check'.
Be reminded you must first run FE floor analysis and post processing, and click 'merge column
results with building analysis results' so that slab loads based on FE analysis are transferred to
the columns.
Otherwise column punching will be based on building analysis (i.e yield line slab analysis) rather
the FE floor analysis.
You should not perform punching shear check for the columns connected to beam as you will
need to design the beam to take the shear.
Protastructure does not take into account any beam connected to a column for punching shear
check.
Drop panels can be inserted added through the column properties > Drop tap.
Note the depth of the drop panel defined as h-Head is inclusive of the slab thickness, NOT measured
from soffit of slab. Note that drop panels works best to improve punching shear capacity. They are less
effective in reducing moment at the column as a thicker section may attract more moment, hence only
model drop panel if punching shear is a problem.
Define Slanted/Inclined Beam

In order to define a beam that is inclined along the storey levels, delZ-i and/or delZ-j fields in
the 3D tab must be changed.
There are three methods to create the inclined beam:
Method 1
You can create the inclined beam in the 3D graphical editor by simply picking two insertion points.
You can pick two member insertion points

You can pick the smart point on the member (see object snap to switch on/off the smartpoint)
You can hold down the CTRL and the insertion points will be available at a length step of 100 mm (can
be adjusted in Settings> General Settings).
Method 2
After you insert the beam on a plan view. You can manually modify the Del-z (I) and Del-z (J)fields in
3D page of the Beam Properties form. In order to change these values:
3. Click on 3D tab.
4. Write the relative height from the storey level in Del-z (I) and Del-z (J)fields. (Negative values
will lower the beam end with respect to storey level while positive values will elevate it).
Note: Positive and negative delZ values will raise and lower the elevation of beam respectively.
For more information, please refer to "Beam Properties" section.

Method 3
Plane members can be used to modify more than one beam at once. In addition, a plane member may
have a certain inclination and it can force the linked beams to obey the plane definition. For more
information, please refer to "Working with Planes" section.
Define Slanting/Sloping Column and Wall

Labels of the reference axes will be displayed in Top and Bot fields on Column Properties or Wall
Properties form.
Same axes intersections will be written in these fields when the column/wall is first defined.
In this case column/wall will be placed vertically along the storey levels.
In order to define a column/wall that is inclined along the storey levels, Top and Bot fields must be
changed.
Method 1
To change the insertion axes written in the Top and Bot fields;
1. Click on one of the axis label shown on the Top and Bot fields. The color of the
label will turn red.
2. Click on the new axis on plan window. You can also pick the appropriate axis among
the Members list that is activated when double-clicked or right-clicked on the axis labels in
Top and Bot fields.

Method 2:
You can also use Pick Bottom Insertion Point button to change the bottom
Pick insertion point of the column/wall. (see screenshot)
Bottom
For this purpose, pick the appropriate axis intersection on plan or 3D window
Insertion
after you clicked on the Pick Bottom Insertion Point button.
Point
Define Wall Span Loads
Defining Column/Wall Span Loads

User-defined varying distributed lateral loads can be applied to individual column and wall spans.
As an alternative to defining wind load by means of user-defined lateral loads applied at the
diaphragm/free joint(s), similar loads can be applied as individual column/wall nodal loads (force or
moment) to columns/walls.
Note: The currently specified Load Combination must include lateral load cases if you intend to apply
column span loads.
To define span loads for column/wall members:
1. Select single or multiple column/wall members you want to assign the span loads to.
2. Select the Add Column/Wall Span Load option located in shortcut (right-click menu).
3. The Span Load form will be loaded.

4. Press the Add button to add a row into the table.
5. Click in the Load Case cell and use the drop down button to select the lateral load case in which
to place the load.
6. Define the loads and dimensions as per the diagram below.
7. Close the form by pressing OK button. The entered values will be assigned to column/wall as span
loads. To check whether there is a span load defined on a column/wall, hover on the element with the
mouse. TheColumn Tooltip Window will include the span load information as well.
Difference between Building Analysis and FE Floor
Analysis
Building Analysis (BA) results is incorrect for flat slab/partial flat slab system for vertical loads (G+Q)
because BA model a beams + columns analysis model. The slab itself is excluded in the analysis model :
the slab load is merely broken down (decomposed) onto the beams (by yieldline or FE Floor Analysis
for Beam Loads). However, BA analysis has to be run to obtain the Fx and Fy results since FE Floor
Analysis only deals with vertical loads. Hence, finally the complete results for flat slab systems would be
obtain from combination of FE Floor Analysis for vertical loadcases (G+Q) and from BA for horizontal
load case (Fx + Fy)
FE Floor Analysis (Gravity Load Chasedown) method is specially catered for flat slab system (no beams
to carry loads to columns). For FE Floor Analysis, beams + columns + slabs are all considering in the
analysis model by meshing. Since FE Floor Analysis can only consider one floor at a time, in order to
accumulate the columns loads you need to do a chasedown process. This method can be chosen to
override Building Analysis Result.
Hence you can ignore the axial load comparison warning (if any) pertaining to Building Analysis and
proceed to perform a FE Gravity Load Chase down by:
1. Run Building Analysis (must run at least once for the model, ignore axial load comparison
warning first)
2. Please note that the Chasedown Procedure can be automated in the FE Floor Analysis screen.
However, the following shows the manual steps.
3. Go to FE Floor Analysis > Select topmost storey from the dropdown menu
4. FE Floor Analysis > Mesh generation > Analysis. (Make sure to check Include upper column
loads even for the top storey. Use a reasonable no. of plates and perhaps change the mesh
uniformity factor to 80 (to get more uniform mesh)
5. Analysis Post-Processing is optional. Go in if you want to look at the results then go out.
Transfer Option > OK.
6. Repeat step 2 : Go to FE Floor Analysis > Select next lower storey from the dropdown menu.
7. Do the same process until you reach ST01 (The FE Floor Chasedown can be completed
automated)
8. Check option Merge Column Result with Building Analysis result. This means that column
loads will now use FE Analysis Chasedown result instead of Building Analysis Result.
9. Check option Merge Beam Result with Building Analysis result (Optional if there are
occasional beams in the flat slab)
After completing the FE Gravity Load Chasedown correctly, click on the Axial Load Comparison Report,
scroll to the 2nd page. Notice that a Sum Finite Element Shearwall/Column Loads table is added. Check
that the total loads are close to that of Sum of Undecomposed Slab Loads to ensure that no loads are
lost.
Export to Revit
ProtaBIM:
Revit2016
ftp://protar@ftpr.prota.com.tr/PSRelease/ProtaBIM2016_sp0_rvt2016.exe
Revit2015
http://protasoftware.com/plumbing/downloader.ashx?file=ProtaBIM2015_sp1_rvt2015.exe
Special Note: Please use the Revit 2016 if you have column drop panel/ column head.
usr: downloader
pwd: Uvpsc*1234*
Alternatively, you can download them from Google Drive:-
Revit2016
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B7j9oWUeAUmdVWpyMzRaR25CYjA
Revit2015
https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B7j9oWUeAUmdQ2c4RVlwZFFFSVk
Important Note:
ProtaBIM for Revit only works if Structural Discipline is installed and selected during
installation of Revit.
During Autodesk installation, Revit installer asks for the disciplines. Structural must be checked.
The plugin will not be visible for Architectural or other disciplines.
Please make sure that the computer is using Revit with structural configuration.
Installation
1. When you install, it automatically registers itself for Revit.
2. DLL file is installed on C:\Program Files(x86)\Prota\ProtaBIM2015 by default.
3. .addin manifest file is created under C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\Revit\Addins\2015 and

..\2016
4. We have tested it on Revit2015 & expect it to work for 2016 as well.
Usage
1. When you run Revit, you should create new project using ProtaStructure_Metric template
file. All related families are pre-loaded in this template. Otherwise import will fail. This step is
vital.
2. It is located under My Documents\ProtaBIMDocs\Templates (For ProtaBIM2015 version) or

My Documents\ProtaLib\Templates (For ProtaBIM2016 version)
3. If all goes right, you should be seeing ProtaBIM Ribbon tab on Revit toolbar.
4. Click on Import From ProtaStructure and show the .prota file of any existing PS project.
5. Import starts and logs the messages and errors.
6. After dialog is closed, Revit continues to regenerate members. This can take time for large
models.
7. If you import the same model again or any other model, you should start with a new blank
project.
Notes
CXL file is not used any more. Because of technical problems (build errors) we removed CXL
export from PS.
Segmented grids and arcs are not supported.
Curved beams are supported.
Slanted Walls not supported.
Polyline columns are not supported.
Steel members are exported as UB and UC ( with correct dimensions.)
Material grades are exported.
Frame Member fixities are exported and written on Revit analytical wire.
Information for Wind Tunnel Test

1. You can find the information of Level, Height, Elevation, Mass.Mass Moment of Inertia, and
Centre of mass from Building analysis > Reports tab> Post analysis Check report.
2. For the displacements( dx and dy) and rotation (Rz) of all modes, please go to Building analysis>
Post analysis tab> Model and Analysis Results Display
i. For the displacements in x and y directions, you can Select the mode shape from the right panel
(see image below) > click the Displacements > Click X and Y, respectively> Read the
displacements graphically.
Note: You can use the Filter in the General tab to filter the storey or members if there are
too many members.
i. For the rotation in z, you can Select the Mode Shape from the right panel (see image below)>
Click the Properties on the Results tab > select a Node around the centre of diaphragm >
read from the list.
How to Create the mode displacement of center of mass diaphragm excel csv file:
Load your project (that has an eigenvalue analysis) > Building Analysis > Post Analysis >
Analysis Model & Results.
Press and hold-down Ctrl and Shift keys together
Pick a mode shape. A message will appear indicating the txt file has been created in the folder
(as below)
Release the keys.
Repeat step 2 to 4 for other mode shapes..
The diaphragm displacements of the selected loading will be printed to the respective csv file.
Explore using windows explorer and Double-click the file to open it in Excel.

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Welcome to ProtaStructure Help

Settings and Parameters

Import and Export

Graphic Editor Basics

Building Parameters, Loading and Materials

Analysis and Design of Slabs

Column and Wall Design

Beam Section Design

Foundation Modelling and Design

Reports and Quantity Extraction

Frequently Asked Questions

3-D Analysis of the structural model of the building

Column, Wall and Beam Reinforcement Design

Column, Wall and Beam Detailing

Analysis and Design of Stairs

Codes of practice and regulations used in their region

Analysis and design of building type structures

Welcome to ProtaStructure Help

ProtaStructure Data File Structure

Managing Project Model via File Menu

Managing Project Model via File Menu

Archiving the Project Files with Compression

"Project Archive" comprises the following options:

Zip File Name

Zip File Folder

Load Project From Archive

Backup and AutoSave

Backup Structural Model

Backup files can be retrieved using Open Previous Backup

Open Previous Backup

Settings and Parameters (Contents)

General settings control the system based settings

Layer settings control the display of information in the Form Plan.

Settings and Parameter Manager

1. Establish the initial settings in a new project

2. Review and modify settings in the current project

3. Swap settings between projects

4. Save preferred settings as templates

Settings are divided into two main categories in ProtaStructure:

1. System based settings

2. Project based settings

To establish the initial settings in a new project

2. Click the Import button.

To review and modify settings

1. Select the settings group to review.

2. Click on the View button at the bottom.

3. Make any changes as required.

To swap settings between projects

1. Select the project or template to import from.

3. Click the Import button.

To save preferred settings as templates

1. Open the project that contains the settings to be exported.

2. Display the Settings Center.

Load Building Model (Import)

External Reference Drawing (Import)

Member Tooltip Window Options

Member Section Eccentricity Step

Plan View Direction (Project Based)

Automatic Save Interval

Backup Structural Model

Units and Format Settings

Layer and Color Settings

Units and Format Settings

The values provided in this column are in number of characters units.