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Structural Design Using VANTAGE PDMSVersion 11.4

Cadcentre Ltd, High Cross, Madingley Road, Cambridge CB3 0HB, UK

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iStructural Design Using VANTAGE PDMSVersion 11.4

Contents

Part I Introduction

1 Read This First1.1 The Scope of the Guide 1--1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1.2 Learning to Use PDMS 1--1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1.3 Further Training in the Use of PDMS 1--2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1.4 Some Terminology 1--3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .1.5 How the Guide is Organised 1--4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

2 What PDMS Offers You

Part II Getting Started

3 Controlling PDMS3.1 Accessing the Design Environment 3--2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3.2 Using the Mouse 3--4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3.3 Using Menus 3--5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3.4 Using the Tool Bar Buttons 3--6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3.5 The Status Bar 3--6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3.6 Using Forms and their Controls 3--6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3.6.1 Using Radio Buttons 3--7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3.6.2 Using Check Boxes (Toggle Buttons) 3--7. . . . . . . . . . . .3.6.3 Using Text--Boxes 3--7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3.6.4 Using Drop--Down Lists (Option Buttons) 3--8. . . . . . . .3.6.5 Using Scrollable Lists 3--8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3.6.6 Actioning Form Inputs 3--9. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3.7 Alert Forms 3--9. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .3.8 Accessing On--Line Help 3--9. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4 Setting Up the Database Hierarchy4.1 Starting the Structural Application 4--1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4.2 How PDMS Stores Design Data 4--2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .4.3 Creating Some Administrative Elements 4--4. . . . . . . . . . . . .

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5 Creating a Simple Structure5.1 Design--to--Catalogue Cross--Referencing 5--1. . . . . . . . . . . .5.2 How PDMS Represents Structural Members 5--1. . . . . . . . .

5.2.1 Straight Sections 5--1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5.2.2 Nodes 5--2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5.3 Some Initial Setting Up Operations 5--3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5.3.1 Setting Default Storage Areas 5--3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5.3.2 Automating Profile and Primary Node

Allocations 5--4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5.3.3 Setting the Default Specification for Profiles 5--4. . . . . .

5.4 Creating Sections Explicitly 5--6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5.5 Viewing the Design 5--9. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

5.5.1 Defining What Appears in the View 5--9. . . . . . . . . . . . .5.5.2 Manipulating the Displayed View 5--11. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5.5.3 Navigating in the Database by Picking

Elements Graphically 5--13. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5.6 Event--Driven Graphics Mode 5--13. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5.7 Creating Sections Using Graphical Picking 5--14. . . . . . . . . .5.8 Collecting Elements into Temporary Lists 5--20. . . . . . . . . . . .5.9 Copying Parts of the Design Model 5--21. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5.10 Completing the Initial Design 5--23. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .5.11 Saving Your Changes and Leaving Your Design

Session 5--25. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

6 A Quick Way to Build a Regular Structure

7 Enhancing the Basic Structure7.1 Restoring a Previously Saved Setup 7--1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7.2 Trimming Connected Section Ends to Correct

Geometry 7--2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7.3 Adding and Modifying Simple Bracing 7--4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7.4 Adding Standard Bracing Configurations 7--9. . . . . . . . . . . .7.5 Representing Joints 7--12. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7.6 Dominant versus Subordinate Joints 7--17. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7.7 Moving Part of the Structure and Maintaining

Correct Geometry 7--18. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

8 Adding Panels and Plates8.1 Starting the Panels & Plates Application 8--1. . . . . . . . . . . .8.2 How PDMS Represents Panels 8--2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8.3 Setting Default Storage Areas 8--3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8.4 Creating Simple Panels 8--4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8.5 Measuring Distances/Directions in the Design Model 8--6.

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8.6 Splitting a Panel 8--7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8.7 Tailoring Panel Edges by Editing Individual Vertices 8--8.8.8 Moving Panel Edges to New Positions 8--11. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8.9 Creating Negative Extrusions 8--13. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

9 Using Panel Fittings9.1 How Panel Fittings are Defined 9--1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9.2 Creating a Panel Fitting 9--2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

10 Penetrating One Item With Another10.1 How a Penetration is Defined 10--1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10.2 Creating a Steelwork Penetration 10--2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

11 Checking and Outputting Design Data11.1 Checking for Clashes 11--2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11.2 Generating a Data Output Report 11--5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11.3 Querying Mass Properties 11--7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .11.4 Plotting the Design Model 11--9. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

12 Adding Some Curved Steelwork12.1 How PDMS Represents Curved Sections 12--1. . . . . . . . . . . . .12.2 Creating a Semicircular Platform 12--2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12.3 Creating a Runway Beam with Multiple Curves 12--5. . . . . .

12.3.1 Defining a Working Grid 12--5. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12.3.2 Creating a Curved Section 12--6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .12.3.3 Modifying a Curved Section 12--7. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

12.4 Conclusion 12--9. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Part III Reference Appendices

A The Menu HierarchiesA.1 The Beams & Columns Application Menus A--1. . . . . . . . . . .A.2 The Panels & Plates Application Menus A--5. . . . . . . . . . . . .A.3 The Penetration Application Menus A--9. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A.4 The 3D View Menus (Right--Hand Mouse Button) A--10. . . .A.5 The 3D Aid Constructs Menus A--11. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A.6 The Reference Definition Application Menus A--12. . . . . . . . .A.7 The Lists/Collections Menus A--12. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A.8 The Working Plane Menus A--13. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .A.9 The Section Cut Plane Menus A--13. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

B What the Icons RepresentB.1 Switching Between Structural Applications B--1. . . . . . . . . .B.2 General Defaults B--2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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B.3 Creating and Modifying Beams and Columns B--2. . . . . . . .B.3.1 General Defaults B--2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B.3.2 Specifying Section Start and End Positions B--2. . . . . . . .

B.4 Creating Curved Sections B--3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B.5 Creating Ring Sections B--4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B.6 Creating and Modifying Panels B--6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

B.6.1 Specifying Panel Vertex Positions B--6. . . . . . . . . . . . . . .B.6.2 Modifying Vertices or Edges of Panel Loops B--6. . . . . .B.6.3 Connecting Panels B--8. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

B.7 Standard Bracing Configurations B--9. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

C The Structural Design Database

D Structural Catalogue GuideD.1 The Basic Features of the Catalogue D--1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D.2 P--line Identification D--2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D.3 Some Standard Profiles D--4. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D.4 Some Standard Joints D--14. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

D.4.1 Column Connections D--14. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D.4.2 Cleated Connections D--15. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D.4.3 End Preparations D--16. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D.4.4 Baseplate Connections D--17. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D.4.5 Double Notched End Plates D--18. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D.4.6 Single Notched End Plates D--18. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

D.5 Some Standard Fittings D--19. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D.5.1 Stiffeners D--19. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D.5.2 Fire Insulation D--20. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .D.5.3 Lifting Lugs D--20. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

E Other Relevant DocumentationE.1 On--Line Help E--1. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E.2 PDMS Introductory Guides E--2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E.3 PDMS Reference Manuals E--2. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .E.4 General Guides E--3. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

F Some Sample Plots

Index


Part IIntroduction

1--1Structural Design Using VANTAGE PDMSVersion 11.4

1 Read This First

1.1 The Scope of the Guide

This guide introduces the facilities provided by Cadcentre for thedesign and documentation of logically interconnected structures for awide range of process and related plant design industries, bothon--shore and off--shore. It assumes that you are already familiar withstructural design practices, but does not assume any prior knowledgeof computer--aided design systems.

The guide explains the main concepts underlying PDMS and itssupporting applications, and shows how you can apply these to yourown design projects. A key feature of the guide is a hands--ontutorial exercise which is incorporated throughout, allowing you togain practical experience of the ways in which you can use PDMS asyou learn about the powerful facilities which it provides.

This guide does not give step--by--step instructions on how to carry outspecific design functions, since you can access such information as youwork by using the on--line help facilities incorporated into theprogram’s graphical user interface. You will be told how to do this atan early stage.

For fuller information about all aspects of structural design (andother related disciplines) using PDMS, refer to the sources listed inAppendix E of this guide.

1.2 Learning to Use PDMS

The aim of this guide is to help you to learn to use PDMS and itssupporting applications for your structural design work as quickly aspossible. Once you have grasped the basic principles, you will findthat most operations quickly become intuitive.

Read This First

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The best way to learn is to experiment with the product for yourself.To facilitate this, the initial chapters of the guide comprise twoconcurrent sequences of information:

D A hands--on tutorial exercise, which gives a step--by--steppractical introduction to the ways in which you might use theapplications.

D Explanations of the underlying concepts, given at the pointsat which each is first encountered as the exercise progresses.

The intention is that you should work progressively through theexercise, pausing to learn about each new concept as it is introduced.All steps which make up the exercise are numbered sequentiallythroughout the guide. The start and end of each part of the exerciseare marked by lines across the page to separate them from thegeneral information sections, like this:

1.3 Further Training in the Use of PDMS

Although this guide will teach you to understand the key features ofusing PDMS for your structural designs, it cannot possibly show youall of the wide--ranging facilities to which you now have access, norcan it identify the best ways in which you might use the program tosuit your own individual design practices.

To get the best out of PDMS, it is important that you receive propertraining in its use from a qualified instructor, who can answer yourquestions as they arise and give you advice on tailoring yourtechniques to best match your objectives. A wide range of trainingcourses are provided by Cadcentre, covering all levels of expertise andall design disciplines. To arrange attendance on such a course, contactyour nearest Cadcentre support office for further details (see thecopyright page at the front of this guide for a link to our web site).

Read This First


1.4 Some Terminology

As you might imagine, a program with the wide--ranging power ofPDMS is necessarily large and, if you had simultaneous access to allof its features, could be rather daunting. To make the whole programeasily controllable, it is subdivided into convenient functional parts.These are referred to throughout this guide by the following terms:

D Modules are subdivisions of PDMS which you use to carry outspecific types of operation. You will be mainly concerned withtwo modules only: DESIGN, used for creating the 3D designmodel and DRAFT, used for generating annotated anddimensioned drawings of your design.

D Applications are supplementary programs, used in conjunctionwith PDMS, which have been tailored to provide easy control ofthose operations which are specific to particular disciplines. Forexample, the applications which we will mostly be using for ourstructural design work are the Beams & Columns Applicationand the Panels & Plates Application.

You can switch rapidly between the different parts of the program, sothat the distinctions between them become almost imperceptible, butyou need to recognise what is happening when you select from thedifferent functions available to you from the various menus.

The following terms and conventions are used throughout this guideto describe what action to carry out:

Term DescriptionClick Place the mouse cursor over a specified point, then

quickly press and release the designated mousebutton. If no button is specified, always use theleft-hand mouse button.

Double--click Place the mouse cursor over a specified point, thenclick the left--hand mouse button twice in quicksuccession.

Pick Click on the required item to select it.

Drag Place the mouse cursor over a specified point, thenpress and hold down the designated mouse buttonwhile moving the cursor to a second specified point.Release the button over the second point.

Enter Type text into the specified dialogue box, then pressthe Enter (or Return) key to confirm the entry.

Read This First

1--4 Structural Design Using VANTAGE pdmsVersion 11.4

1.5 How the Guide is Organised

This guide is divided into three parts, including some appendices, asfollows:

D Part I (this part) introduces the guide itself and the structuralapplications which it describes.

D Chapter 1 (this chapter) summarises the scope of theguide.

D Chapter 2 gives a general overview of the main designfacilities provided within the structural applications.

D Part II explains, with the help of a worked example, someessential concepts which you need to understand when you usethe structural applications.

D Chapter 3 gives you a general guide to using the PDMSgraphical user interface, including an explanation of how toaccess detailed on--line help. If you are already familiarwith similar forms and menus interfaces, you should beable to read through this chapter rapidly. Do not ignore italtogether, however, as it tells you how to load thestructural design application which forms the basis for thetutorial exercise.

D Chapter 4 explains how PDMS stores its design data andshows you how to organise your data.

D Chapter 5 guides you through the steps needed to create asimple structure comprising only vertical columns andhorizontal beams.

D Chapter 6 demonstrates a useful facility which provides analternative method for creating a regularly configuredstructure rapidly.

D Chapter 7 shows how to add diagonal bracing members,how to model joints between connected members, and howto modify the design by moving interconnected parts of thestructure.

D Chapter 8 shows how to clad the structure by addingpanels and plates.

Read This First


D Chapter 9 introduces the concept of panel fittings.D Chapter 10 shows how to configure those locations where

one item penetrates another.

D Chapter 11 shows how to check your design for clashes,and how to generate reports and plots directly from thedesign data.

D Chapter 12 explains how curved sections are representedand illustrates their use.

D Part III comprises the following set of reference appendices:

D Appendix A shows the complete hierarchy of all optionsavailable from the structural design applications’ barmenus, pull--down menus and submenus in a convenientquick--reference format.

D Appendix B illustrates the principal icons which you willencounter when you use the structural application’s formsand menus, and briefly summarises what each onerepresents.

D Appendix C summarises the database hierarchy whichPDMS uses to store your structural design data.

D Appendix D comprises a sample catalogue of structuralsteelwork sections.

D Appendix E identifies other sources of information whichsupplement, and expand upon, the brief details given inthis guide.

D Appendix F contains some examples of the types of plotwhich can be produced easily by using PDMS with thestructural applications.

D The guide concludes with an Index, allowing you to refer back toany specific topics about whose details you need to be reminded.


2 What PDMS Offers You

PDMS plus the Cadcentre structural applications provide a powerfulsuite of facilities for the creation, analysis and documentation oflogically interconnected steelwork structures. The design modellingfunctions incorporate a degree of ‘intelligence’ which, where possible,makes sensible decisions about the consequential effects of many ofyour design changes, so that you can implement a sequence of relatedchanges with a minimum of effort.

The emphasis throughout is on maximising both design consistencyand design productivity, so that you need only make a minimumnumber of essential design decisions in order to create a reliable andfully documented structural design ready for fabrication and erection.Modifications to your design may be incorporated at any stagewithout fear of invalidating any of your prior work, since dataconsistency checking is an integral part of the product. PDMSautomatically manages drawing production, material take--offreports, etc., by reading all design data directly from a common set ofdatabases, so that there can be no errors introduced by transcribinginformation between different disciplines.

The applications let you check all aspects of the design as the workprogresses, including on--line interdisciplinary clash detection, so thatthe chances of errors and inconsistencies reaching the finaldocumented design are reduced to an exceptionally low level. Theneed for expensive on--site modifications is thereby avoided.

The applications, which have been designed by structural engineersfor structural engineers, are controlled from a graphical userinterface. This means that all design, drawing and reportingoperations are initiated simply by selecting choices from simplemenus and entering data into the appropriate fields on on--screenforms. In many cases the command options are represented bypictorial icons rather than by words, thus simplifying the userinterface still further. Should you need guidance on the use of any ofthe powerful facilities provided within the application, on--screen helpis available at the click of a button.

What PDMS Offers You

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Some key features:

D The applications are designed to use specification data whenselecting structural components (such as Profiles and Joints)from the Catalogue database. This makes it easy to ensure thatall designs incorporate only approved components and thusconform to company standards.

D Where possible, the design applications create and maintainconnectivity of the structural network automatically.

D Structural elements may be named in accordance with apredefined set of rules, so that their positions in the databasehierarchy are always obvious without you having to enterspecific texts during the design process.

D Pointers may be set up to define the storage areas in whichspecific types of design element are to be held in the databasehierarchy. This, especially when combined with the rule--basednaming facility, minimises the amount of data which you have toenter explicitly as you build up your design model.

D Lists of elements may be set up temporarily, so that you cancarry out a design operation on all elements within the listsimultaneously. This can save you a great deal of repetitive workwhen carrying out commonly--repeated design modifications.

D The applications incorporate a number of geometric design aids,such as 3D positioning grids, 3D construction aids and 2Dworking planes, to make it much easier to position structuralelements accurately within the design model. In most cases youcan specify the points at which design items are to be positionedsimply by using the cursor to pick the required points in the 3Dgraphical view of the model.

D Non--standard structural components, such as complex panelsand floor plates, may be created by defining the required shapeas a 2D profile and then extruding this to the desired thickness.

D Negative primitives and shapes may be used in the structuralcatalogue to define complex joint geometry and end preparationsfor structural sections, so that weld preparations and fittingallowances can be modelled easily.

D Templates may be used to define the formation of built--upgirders and similar components, so that the detailed design of



such items becomes simply a matter of entering the requireddimensional and positional data.

D Multiple copies of design components may be created simply byspecifying the number of copies required and their relativepositions and orientations. For example, a complete roofstructure can be created by designing a single roof truss andthen, in one operation, making as many copies as are necessaryto support the length of the roof, with each truss displaced by agiven distance relative to the preceding one.

D Much repetitive work can be avoided in symmetrical designs bymaking copies of interconnected parts of the structure andreflecting them about specified axes, so that the design patternis repeated as required.

D Joint positions may be finely adjusted to ensure accurateassembly, using any standard datum line to define the precisealignment of a joint with its attached sections.

D Sections and panels (wall plates, floor plates, etc.) may bedivided at intersections, after the overall size and shape havebeen defined, without affecting any of their logicalinterconnections. This enables you to design the ‘macrostructure’(for example, complete areas to be covered) first and then tosubdivide this into a manageable ‘microstructure’ for fabricationpurposes at a later stage (typically, to make the most efficientuse of stock panel sizes). The edges of panels may be notched tofit around section profiles, and the edges of adjacent panels maybe shaped such they interlock automatically.

D Penetrations may be created as catalogue elements. Such apenetration, which can incorporate appropriate sleeving, kickplates, etc., may be inserted into a structural section or panel asa complete entity, with the dimensions and position of thepenetration derived automatically from the dimensions of thepipe/duct/cable tray passing though it.

D The applications make it easy for you to create panels and toconnect them to existing sections via linear joints. This facilityuses intelligent cursor picking to enhance the interactionbetween the displayed graphics and the design creation process.You can derive panel vertices simply by picking appropriatedatum lines on existing sections; connections between panels



and sections are then created automatically to give a fullyconnected structural model. Such panels can be used either torepresent floors/walls or to build up complex plated connections.

D You can carry out multi--disciplinary clash checks at any stage ofthe design, thus avoiding spatial conflicts within the overallmodel which could be expensive to rectify at the constructionstage. This is particularly important where different features ofthe design model are under the control of different designers.

D At any stage of your work, you can create reports listingspecified data read from the current database. You can specify astandard report template, enabling you to derive lists ofcommonly required information extremely rapidly, or you candesign a one--off report format to suit any special needs. Theresulting output, which can include data from any designdiscipline, sorted in any way you require, can be either displayedon your screen or sent to a file (for storage and/or for printing).

Structural Design Using PDMSVersion 11.3

Part IIGetting Started


3 Controlling PDMS

This chapter introduces the techniques for controlling PDMS usingthe graphical user interface which you will see on your screen. To dothis, we will begin the tutorial exercise by entering PDMS andaccessing that part of the program which you will use to specify yourstructural design data.

It is assumed that you are already logged in to your workstation andthat you know enough about its operating system to enable you to runa program such as PDMS from an appropriate directory. It is alsoassumed that you know how to open and manipulate windows on yourcomputer by using a mouse. If not, you first need to read the manualssupplied with your computer system or seek advice from yourcomputer systems department.

In order for you to use the tutorial exercise, the structuralapplications and the sample PDMS project (Project SAM) suppliedmust have been correctly installed and you must have been givenread/write access to the project databases. This procedure, whichshould have been carried out by your PDMS administrator as part ofthe product installation sequence, is beyond the scope of this guide.

Controlling PDMS


3.1 Accessing the Design Environment

Exercise begins:

1. Start PDMS. The CADCENTRE PDMS Login form requires youto specify the following information for your intended session:

S The name of the Project in which you want to work. EnterSAM.

S Your allocated User Name and Password. Enter STRUCfor each.

S The parts of the project database (i.e. whichMultipleDatabase orMDB) you want to work in. Enter STRUC.

S The type of operation you want to carry out on the projectdata (i.e. which functionalModule of PDMS you want touse). Select Design. (The Read Only button must remainOff, so that you can modify the database as you work.)

S Whether you want to start from the application’s defaultsettings (Load from Macro Files) or from a customisedsetup saved during an earlier session (Load from BinaryFiles). SelectMacro Files.

You can either type in each entry explicitly, or click the downarrow next to the text--box and select the required option fromthe resulting list.

The settings which you need to enter are as follows:

Enter password

STRUC

Click OK and wait while the application is loaded.

Controlling PDMS


3D View Tool Bar

Main Menu Bar

Members List

3D Graphical View

Main Tool Bar

Status Bar

D Main Menu Bar � the area from which you select theprincipal commands. The title bar of this window shows thecurrent PDMS module and its sub--application (if relevant) inwhich you are working; in this case, the General application ofthe Design module.

D Main Tool bar � provides short--cuts to some commonoperations and standard settings via icon buttons anddrop--down lists.

D Members List � shows your current position in the databasehierarchy. You can move to a different point in the database byusing the left--hand mouse button to pick the required item inthe list.

D 3D Graphical View � the window in which you will displaythe design model graphically as it is being built up. Note thatthis window has a pop--up menu, selectable by using theright-hand mouse button, from which you will select options tocontrol the ways in which the model is represented. It also hasits own tool bar.

Controlling PDMS


D Status Bar � displays information about the current statusof your operations. It is located across the bottom of the mainwindow.

You can reposition or minimise these windows at any time by usingthe standard window management facilities provided by yourworkstation (but do not close them in this way).

3.2 Using the Mouse

You use the mouse to steer the graphics cursor around the screen andto select or ‘pick’ items by using the mouse buttons. The buttonsperform different tasks depending on the type of window, and theposition within the window, where the cursor is positioned. Theappearance of the cursor will change according to the type of displayitem that is underneath it.

The functions of the buttons are:

Left--Hand Button:The left--hand button is the main button for selecting items. On agraphical view, clicking the left--hand button with the cursor over adesign element results in that element becoming the currentelement (that is, the design item on which you want to carry out thenext operation). In a sequence ofmenus, dragging with the left--handbutton activates the command represented by the highlighted menuoption when the button is released. On a form, the effect depends onthe type of gadget that has been selected � see Section 3.6 fordetails.

Middle Button:The principal use of the middle mouse button in DESIGN is tomanipulate a graphical view.

Right--Hand Button:The principal use of the right--hand mouse button in DESIGN is toaccess the menu options specific to the graphical view window.

3.3 Using Menus

There can be three types of option in a pull--down or pop--up menu:

Controlling PDMS


Options shown as plain text: selecting one of these initiates anaction immediately.

Options followed by three dots: selecting one of these displays aform on which to select options, enter data, etc.

Options followed by a triangular pointer: selecting one of thesedisplays a subsidiary menu giving a further range of options.

Throughout this guide, related selections from menus are shown inabbreviated form by using the > symbol as a separator. Thus, thesequence Utilities>Reports>Create means ‘select Utilities fromthe main menu bar, then select Reports from the resultingpull--down menu, then move the cursor to the right and select Createfrom the resulting submenu’.

3.4 Using the Tool Bar Buttons

The tool bar is displayed immediately below the main menu bar in theapplication window. It contains a number of icon buttons which letyou carry out common tasks without searching for the options in themenus.

The actions of the buttons are explained in the on--line help. If youpause the cursor over a button, a tool--tip pop--up will remind you ofthe function of the button. To activate a button, simply click on it.

NOTE: The tool bar can be switched off, or displayed with largericons. To do so, select Settings>System from the mainmenu bar and then set the required options on the resultingSystem Settings form.

3.5 The Status Bar

The status bar (the Status Form on Unix systems) displays messagestelling you what actions the application is carrying out. You shouldlook at it frequently, especially if the system appears to be waiting foryou to do something, since it will always prompt you for any input oraction which is required to carry out the next step of your currentactivity.

CECE

Clashes...

Reports

Controlling PDMS


If the prompt lets you repeat a task an unspecified number of times,such as picking a selection of items using the cursor, you must pressthe Escape key (or click the Escape button on the Status Form )when you have finished to indicate that you are ready to move to thenext operation.

3.6 Using Forms and their Controls

Forms are used both to display information and to let you enter newdata. Forms typically comprise an arrangement of buttons of varioustypes, text--boxes, and scrollable lists. Input to a form is usuallyvia a combination of mouse and keyboard, the mouse being used toselect appropriate controls and the keyboard to enter data.

While you have access to a form, you may change a setting, return tothe initial values, accept and act on the current data, or cancel theform without applying any changes, according to the nature of theform.

This section describes how to use the principal types of gadget thatyou will see on the various forms.

3.6.1 Using Radio Buttons

Radio buttons are used to select one, and only one, from a group ofoptions. The selection is mutually exclusive, so that selecting oneoption deselects others in that group automatically.

They typically have the following appearance:

Radio button On

Radio button Off

To change the selected radio button in a group, click the requiredbutton.

3.6.2 Using Check Boxes (Toggle Buttons)

Check boxes are used to switch an option between two states,typically On and Off. Unlike radio buttons, they do not interact, sothat you can select any combination to be On at the same time.

Controlling PDMS



Check box On

Check box Off

3.6.3 Using Text--Boxes

Text--boxes are the areas where you type in alphanumeric data suchas names or dimensions. A text--box will usually have a label to tellyou what to enter.

When you first open a form which contains text--boxes, the firsttext--box on the form will be current and a text editing cursor (avertical bar) will be displayed in the box. A text--box often contain adefault entry (e.g. unset) when first displayed. Some text--boxes willaccept only text or only numeric data, and entries with the wrongtype of data will not be accepted.

To enter data into a text--box:

D Click in the box to insert the text editing cursor.

D Type in the required data, editing any existing entry asnecessary. (You may need to delete the existing entry first.)

D When you have finished, confirm the entry by pressing theEnter (or Return) key. Any text--box with an unconfirmedsetting is highlighted by a yellow background.

3.6.4 Using Drop--Down Lists (Option Buttons)

Drop--down lists let you choose one option from a multiple selection.The list will usually have a label to tell you what you are setting andwill show the current selection.


North

To change the setting, click on the down arrow or button face to revealthe full list of available options, then pick the required option.

3.6.5 Using Scrollable Lists

A scrollable list is displayed as a vertical list of options within theform, with vertical and horizontal scroll bars along its sides. To select

Controlling PDMS


an option, click on the line you want. The selected line will behighlighted.

Some scrollable lists let you make only a single selection, so thatselecting any option deselects all others automatically. Other lists letyou makemultiple selections, with all selected options highlightedsimultaneously. To deselect a highlighted option in a multiple--choicelist, click on it again (repeated clicks toggle a selection On and Off).

3.6.6 Actioning Form Inputs

Most forms include at least one control button which is used eitherto enter the command option represented by your current formsetting, to cancel any changes made to the form since you opened it,or to close the form.

The common control buttons have the following actions:

Button ActionOK Enters the current form settings as command inputs

and closes the form.

Apply Enters the current form settings as command inputsand leaves the form displayed for further use.

Cancel Cancels any changes made to the form’s settings andcloses the form.

Reset Cancels any changes made to the form’s settings andleaves the form displayed for further use.

Dismiss Closes the form, keeping the current settings.

Some forms contain more specific types of control button which carryout particular command options (as indicated by the text on thebutton face; e.g. Add or Remove).

3.7 Alert Forms

Alert forms are used to display information such as error messages,prompts and requests for confirmation of changes. You should respondby carrying out the task prompted for or by clicking on the controlbuttons on the form (usually an OK or Cancel button).

Controlling PDMS


3.8 Accessing On--Line Help

Most bar menus end with a Help option. Where available, on--linehelp gives detailed instructions on the use of the forms and menus viawhich you control each application.

The Help option gives you the following choices from its sub--menu:

Help>on Context

This gives you help on any window currently visible in the display.When you select this option, the cursor changes to a question mark(?). Move the question mark into the window on which you want helpand click the left--hand mouse button.

Help>Contents

This displays the Help window so that you can find the required topicfrom the hierarchical contents list.

Help>Index

This displays the Help window so that you can find all topics relevantto a selected keyword.

Help>About

This displays information about the current operating system on yourcomputer and about the versions of PDMS and its applications towhich you have access.

Pressing the F1 key at any time will display the help topic for thecurrently active window (equivalent to Help on Context for thecurrent window).

Exercise continues:

2. Experiment with each of the Help options until you understandthe search and navigation facilities for finding specific items ofinformation. Use the Help>on Context option to read the helptexts for any forms which you can currently see on your screen.

3. When you are ready to continue, close any forms which you havebeen experimenting with as follows:

D If a form has a Dismiss button, click this button.D If a form has its own menu bar, select Control>Close from

that menu.

Controlling PDMS


D Close any Help windows which are displayed bydouble--clicking in the control box in the top left--handcorner of each window. Alternatively, select File>Exit fromthe Help window’s menu bar.

Do not close theMembers List or the 3D View windows, as youwill use these in the next parts of the exercise.

You are recommended to make full use of the on--line help facilitieswhenever you want clarification of any operations during the latersteps of the exercise.


4 Setting Up the Database Hierarchy

In this chapter we will enter the structural steelwork designapplication and create some administrative data elements which willenable us to organise our detailed design in a logical way.

4.1 Starting the Structural Application

Exercise continues:

4. The first structural application which we will use is that fordesigning interconnected beams and columns. To access thisapplication, select Design>Structures>Beams & Columnsfrom the main menu bar.

When loading is complete, the main menu bar and tool bar will showsome extra options, thus:

Before we start to create structural design data, it is important thatyou know how such data is stored and accessed in the PDMSdatabases, so that you will understand the terminology which you willencounter during the design process. This is explained in thefollowing section.

Setting Up the Database Hierarchy


4.2 How PDMS Stores Design Data

All PDMS data is stored in a hierarchic or ‘tree’ format (similar to theway in which you use a hierarchy of directories and subdirectories toaccess your computer files). In the case of a PDMS Design database,the topmost data level is called theWorld (usually represented by thesymbolic name /*), below which are the administrative sublevels Siteand Zone.

The names used to identify database levels below Zone depend on thespecific engineering discipline for which the data is used. In the caseof structural design data, the lower administrative levels (and theirPDMS abbreviations) are Structure (STRU), Framework (FRMW)and (optionally) Subframework (SBFR).

The data which defines the physical design of the individualstructural components is held below Subframework level, giving thefollowing overall format:

WORLD (/*)

SITE

ZONE

STRUCTURE (STRU)

FRAMEWORK (FRMW)

SUBFRAMEWORK (SBFR) (optional)

Design data defining individual structural components which make up the design model

All data is represented in the database thus:

D Each identifiable item of data is known as a PDMS element.

D Each element has a number of associated pieces of informationwhich, together, completely define its properties. These areknown as its attributes.



Every element is identified within the database structure by anautomatically--allocated reference number and, optionally, by auser--specified name. Additional items of information about anelement which could be stored as attribute settings include:

D Its type

D Its physical dimensions and technical specifications

D Its physical location and orientation in the design model

D Its connectivity

Some attribute settings must be defined by you when you createa new element, others will be defined automatically by PDMS.

The vertical link between two elements on adjacent levels of thedatabase hierarchy is defined as an owner--member relationship.The element on the upper level is the owner of those elementsdirectly linked below it. The lower level elements aremembers oftheir owning element. Each element can have many members, but itcan have only one owner.

When you are modifying a database (for example, when you arecreating new elements or changing the settings of their attributes),you can consider yourself to be positioned at a specific point withinthe hierarchy. The element at this location is called the currentelement (often abbreviated to CE).

You can navigate from any element to any other, thereby changing thecurrent element, by following the owner--member links up and downthe hierarchy.

In many cases, commands which you give for modifying the attributesof an element will assume that the changes are to be applied to thecurrent element unless you specify otherwise, so you must understandthis concept and always be aware of your current position in thedatabase hierarchy. TheMembers List (see Section 3.1) will alwaysshow you this information.



4.3 Creating Some Administrative Elements

We will now create some administrative elements at the top of theDesign DB hierarchy, as explained in the preceding section.

Exercise continues:

5. Check that you are at World level (WORL) in theMembers List,then select Create>Site. On the displayed Create Site form,enter the name TESTSITE in the Name text--box.

Type name here

Press Return to confirm the name; note how the system adds a /prefix automatically to conform to PDMS naming conventions.Click OK to create the Site element. Notice that the new elementappears in theMembers List as the current element.

6. Repeat this process, using the appropriate options from theCreate menu, to create a Zone named TESTZONE, a StructureTESTSTRU, a Framework TESTFRMW and a Subframework(Sub--Frame) TESTSBFR, in that order.

YourMembers List should now look like this:

In the next chapter, we will start to build up a design model bycreating some structural members.


5 Creating a Simple Structure

In this chapter we will start to build up a structural design model bycreating a simple configuration of interconnected columns and beams.Before we do so, however, it is important to understand how some ofthe items which make up the design are represented and accessed inthe PDMS databases, as explained in the following sections.

5.1 Design--to--Catalogue Cross--Referencing

To ensure design consistency and conformity with companystandards, the basic definitions of all items which you may use in thestructural design are held in a Catalogue database. This holdsdefinitions of all available profiles and materials for structuralcolumns/beams/bracing etc., all standard types of joint, all auxiliaryfittings, and so on. When you add an item to your design model, youstore the position, orientation etc. for the item in the Design database,but you specify the physical properties of the item by setting up across-reference (called a Specification Reference or SpecRef)which points to an appropriate entry in the Catalogue database.

5.2 How PDMS Represents Structural Members

5.2.1 Straight Sections

Each individual straight structural member (column, beam, etc.) isrepresented in PDMS by a Section (SCTN) element. The geometry ofa Section is defined by two types of attribute setting:

D Its cross--section is defined by reference to a Catalogue Profileelement (I--beam, T--section, Channel, etc.).

D All other aspects of its geometry are defined by setting specificdesign attributes (in most cases these are set automatically by

Creating a Simple Structure


PDMS as you manipulate the model graphically). Two of themost important attributes are the Start Position (POSS) andthe End Position (POSE), since the positions of these pointseffectively determine the length and orientation of the item. Wewill look in more detail at these and some other attributes ofSections later.

To provide a method for referring to individual edges and faces of aSection, each is identified by a named line running along the lengthof the Section. These reference lines (which are derived from theSection’s Profile definition in the catalogue) are called P--lines. As anexample, some of the most commonly used p--lines for an I--shapedProfile might be positioned and named as follows (see Appendix D forfuller details of how this and other profiles are specified):

Profile

LTOS TOS RTOS

NAL NARNA

LBOS BOS RBOS

LTBS RTBS

LBTS RBTS

P--line Naming Key:NA = Neutral AxisTOS = Top of SteelBOS = Bottom of SteelLTBS = Left Top Bottom of Steel

and so on

Start Position (POSS)

End Position (POSE)

SectionP--line (TOS)

5.2.2 Nodes

PDMS uses the concept of Nodes to represent basic analytical pointswithin a structure. Nodes have two main functions:

D To identify the points at which logical connections are madebetween adjoining Sections.

D To define how applied stresses can affect individual points in thestructure (for passing design data to separate stress analysisprograms).



Primary Nodes have their positions specified independently of otherelements.

Secondary Nodes are positioned along the Neutral Axis of anowning Section, at a specified distance from the Section’s StartPosition. If you move a Section, its Secondary Nodes move with it.

5.3 Some Initial Setting Up Operations

In the next part of the exercise we will set up some defaults tocustomise the application to suit our planned method of working.

Exercise continues:

5.3.1 Setting Default Storage Areas

7. First, we will specify where the principal structural elements areto be stored in the design database hierarchy. Select Settings>Storage Areas. The displayed form lets you specify storageareas for Primary Nodes and Sections independently. At thisstage, both areas are shown as unset.

We shall store both types of element directly under theSub--Frame which we created in the last step. Check that thesub--frame /TESTSBFR is the current element, then click oneach line in the Storage Areas list in turn. The new storagearea settings will be shown as follows:

Close the form by clicking the button. Note how the currentstorage area settings are shown below the main tool bar, likethis:

Section storage area Node storage area



5.3.2 Automating Profile and Primary Node Allocations

8. By default, each time you create a new Section, it willautomatically be associated with a Profile from the Catalogue.Also by default, Primary Nodes will not be created automaticallyat unconnected section ends. For our present purposes, leaveboth of these default settings in force, as shown (and controlled)by the following buttons below the main tool bar, thus:

Profiles referenced fromCatalogue automatically

Primary Nodes will not becreated automatically

5.3.3 Setting the Default Specification for Profiles

9. The current default profile, justification line, member line andjoint line (these terms will be explained later) are shown belowthe main tool bar. If these have not yet been set (which will bethe case here), the data area will look like this:

The first structural sections which we will create will becolumns, so we will set the default profile to something suitable.

Click on the button. The resulting Section Specification(Default) form lets you select any specification from the availablecatalogues. For the purpose of this exercise, set theSpecification to British Standard and set the Generic Typeto Universal Columns. From the displayed list of profilesapplicable to BS Universal Columns, select 203x203x46kg/m,thus:



Specification to beapplied to sections asthey are created

Leave the Justification button (which determines the relativealignment of connected sections), theMember Line button(which determines how sections are shown in wireline views anddrawings), and the Joint Line button (which determines theposition of a joint relative to an attached section) set to NA(Neutral Axis). We will see the effects of these later.

Click Apply to use this setting as the new default, noting thatthe current specification is now shown like this:

Dismiss the Section Specification (Default) form when you havefinished with it.



5.4 Creating Sections Explicitly

We will first create four vertical columns, to the following design,using explicit positioning; that is, we will position the columns atgiven positions within the coordinate system of the site rather than bypositioning them relative to existing structural sections (since wehave not yet created any).

4000

9000

9000

5000

N

UE

700050005000

Column 2 Column 3

Column 4Column 1

Origin

Keep these column designations in mind; we shall refer to themthroughout the rest of the exercise.

10. Select Create>Sections>Straight.

You will see both a Section form and a Positioning Control form,which together control how the start and end points of sectionsare specified. The Positioning Control form is not relevant forour current purposes (we will see what it is used for later).

On the Section form, check that the String Method is set toSingle (which means that you will define independent start andend positions for each section) and that the Create Option:Secondary Nodes button is set to On.

Set the Verification: Confirm button to On (so that you cancheck where each new section will be positioned before it isadded to the database).



The form’s settings should now look like this:

Click the button, which tells the system that you want todefine a position by entering explicit coordinates (this is the onlypractical option at this stage). You will see a Define section startform. We want to position the start of the first column at the siteorigin, so leave the East/North/Up coordinates at the defaultposition (E0, N0, U0), like this:

NOTE: The default entry wrt World, meaning ‘with respect tothe World’, defines the coordinate system within whichthe position is specified.



Click OK. The Start position will be shown in the graphical view.

Rather than specifying all three coordinates for the Section’s endposition explicitly, we will define its position relative to theSection’s start.

Click the button.You will now see a Define section end formin a format which lets you enter the required data. We want tocreate a vertical column 5000mm high, so enter the Directionas U and the Distance as 5000, thus:

Click OK, then click the Accept button on the Section form toconfirm the creation of the Section (check theMembers List).

11. Using the same procedures, create the following three Sections:

D Start Position E0 N7000 U0; Length 9000



When you have created all four columns, Dismiss the forms (thePositioning Control form disappears automatically when youdismiss the Section form).

YourMembers List should now show four Sections (SCTN1�4), like this:



Note that each newly created Section is placed before the currentlist position, so that SCTN 1 in the list was the last Sectioncreated (corresponding to Column 1 in the diagram).

5.5 Viewing the Design

In order to see what our design looks like as we build it up, and toenable us to identify design items by simply pointing to them ratherthan by navigating to them in theMembers List, we will now displayour current design in a 3D View window and learn how to manipulatethis display.

5.5.1 Defining What Appears in the View

Exercise continues:

12. Select either Display>Drawlist from the main menu bar orControl>Drawlist from theMembers List menu bar. Thenormal Members List will be replaced by an extended versionentitled Members+Draw. This lets you build up a list of allelements which you want to display, as shown in the Drawlistscrollable list in the lower part of the form. If this list alreadycontains entries (which it should), click the All button in theRemove From Drawlist section to empty the list (the viewshould now show no design elements).



We want to see all of our current design, so navigate to the SBFRby clicking on it in the upper list and click the Add CE button inthe Add To Drawlist section to put the whole of the Sub--Frameinto the Drawlist.

Select Control>Close from the menu on theMembers+Drawform to remove the form from the screen and replace it by thenormal Members List.

13. Position the cursor in the 3D View window and hold down theright--hand mouse button to display the pop--up menu. SelectLimits>CE (CE means Current Element). This adjusts the scaleof the view automatically such that it corresponds to a volumejust large enough to hold the chosen element(s); in this case, theSub--Frame. (A shortcut for the latter operation is to click the

button in the 3D View tool bar.)

14. Again using the 3D View menu, select Iso>Three to set anisometric view direction.

You should now see all four columns, like this:

Verticalslider

Horizontal sliderStatus line showing view direction, manipulation mode etc.

Column 1

Column 2

Column 3

Column 4

Pickmodeprompt

NOTE: If the horizontal and vertical sliders are not visible, selectSettings>Borders from the 3D View menu to display them.



15. Observe the effect of selecting different view directions from theLook and Iso menu options. Revert to Iso>Three when youhave finished.

5.5.2 Manipulating the Displayed View

You can manipulate the displayed model view in a number of ways.The three basic operations which we will look at here are:

D Rotate the view

D Pan the view across the display area

D Zoom in or out to magnify or reduce the view

The current manipulation mode is shown in the status line at thebottom of the 3D View window (it is set to Rotate in the precedingillustration).

To change the view manipulation mode, look at the View Controloptions on the pop--up menu. The options of interest are Zoom, Panand Rotate.

Alternatively, you can change the manipulation mode by pressing oneof the function keys, or by using the 3D View tool bar buttons, thus:

F2 or selects Zoom mode

F3 or selects Pan mode

F5 or selects Rotate mode

Exercise continues:

16. Select Rotate mode. Position the cursor in the view area andhold down the middle mouse button, then move the mouse slowlyfrom side to side while watching the effect on the displayedmodel. The initial direction of movement determines how theview appears to rotate; starting with a left or right movementcauses the observer’s eye--point to move across the view. Nowrelease the mouse button, hold it down again and move themouse away from you and towards you; this time the observer’seye--point should appear to rotate up and down around themodel.



Repeat the rotation operations while holding down the Controlkey. Note that the word Fast appears in the status line and thatthe rate of rotation is increased. Now repeat the same actions,but this time hold down the Shift key. Note that the word Slowappears in the status line and that the rate of rotation isdecreased.

For an alternative way of rotating the model, try dragging thehorizontal and vertical sliders to new positions along the viewborders. You can rotate the model in this way at any time,regardless of the current manipulation mode.

17. Select Pan mode. Position the cursor in the view area and holddown the middle mouse button, then move the mouse slowly inall directions. Note that it is the observer’s eye--point whichfollows the mouse movement (while the viewing directionremains unchanged), so that the displayed model appears tomove in the opposite direction to the mouse; in effect, you movethe mouse towards that part of the view which you want to see.

Repeat the pan operations while holding down first the Controlkey (to increase the panning speed) and then the Shift key (todecrease the panning speed).

18. Select Zoom mode. Position the cursor in the view area and holddown the middle mouse button, then move the mouse slowly upand down. Moving the mouse away from you (up) zooms in,effectively magnifying the view; moving the mouse towards you(down) zooms out, effectively reducing the view. Note that theseoperations work by changing the viewing angle (like changingthe focal length of a camera lens); they do not change theobserver’s eye--point or the view direction.

Repeat the zoom operations while holding down first theControl key and then the Shift key.

19. Position the cursor near the centre of Column 1 and click (do nothold down) the middle mouse button. Notice how the viewchanges so that the picked point is now at the centre of the view.Whenever you click the middle button, whatever the currentmanipulation mode, you reset the centre of interest. Switch toZoom mode (if not already selected), set the centre of interest tothe top of Column 2, then zoom in for a close--up view of the topof the column. You will find this a very useful technique when



making small adjustments to the design: we shall use it later tosee the effect of realigning sections where they are connected ata joint.

20. To restore the original view when you have finished, check thatyour current element is the Sub--Frame and reselect Iso>Threeand Limits>CE.

5.5.3 Navigating in the Database by Picking ElementsGraphically

21. Notice that the pick mode prompt at the top of the 3D View says’Navigate’. Position the cursor over each column in turn andclick the left--hand mouse button. Notice how this navigates tothe picked element, which becomes the current element in theMembers List. Compare the identifier of each SCTN element intheMembers List with its designation in the labelled view shownin Step 14; SCTN 1 should correspond to Column 1, and so on.

5.6 Event--Driven Graphics Mode

Before we begin the next part of the exercise, it is necessary tounderstand a new way of using the cursor to pick points in thegraphical view. Whenever the Positioning Control form (which yousaw but did not use earlier) is displayed, the graphical view isswitched automatically into event--driven graphics mode (you mayhave noticed that the pick mode prompt, immediately above thegraphical view, changed while you were defining positions in Steps 10and 11). This means that when you pick a point in the displayedgraphics, your action is interpreted in whatever way is appropriate toyour current design operation (i.e. the current event) rather thansimply as a request to navigate to a new current element (as was thecase in Step 21). In our examples, picking in event--driven graphicsmode will always be used to specify a position.

The position derived from your cursor pick can be the exact point atwhich you have placed the cursor or, more commonly, it can be aposition which is related to the picked point in a specified way. The



main concept involved is that of the snap function, whichautomatically chooses the nearest Start, End or (optionally)Secondary Node position to the picked point, so that you do not needto be very accurate when positioning the cursor.

The full range of options available for identifying positions isextensive. For example, you can specify a position at:

D a given offset from the nearest snap point;

D the mid--point of a picked item;

D the intersection of two picked items;

D a given proportion along the length of a picked item.

We will use several of the available facilities in the rest of theexercise.

5.7 Creating Sections Using Graphical Picking

In the following part of the exercise, we will add horizontal beams toour four columns. We will identify the start and end positions forthese beams by using the cursor and left--hand mouse button to pickthe columns to which they are to be connected. This has theadvantage that you do not need to remember which section is whichin theMembers List; you work visually, as you would on a drawingboard.

The design which we will build is as follows (with column heightsshown as a reminder):

N

UE

Column 2 Column 3

Column 4Column 1

Beam 1

Beam 2

Beam 4 Beam 3

(4000)

(9000) (9000)

(5000)

Keep these beam designations in mind; we shall refer to themthroughout the rest of the exercise.



For demonstration purposes, we shall create a single beam in theposition occupied by Beams 3 and 4 and then split this into twoseparate beams, with automatic length and connection adjustments,in a subsequent step.

Exercise continues:

22. Click on the Profile Specification button and set thedefault profile specification to British Standard, UniversalBeams, 305x165x40kg/m (as in Step 9). Leave theJustification,Member Line and Joint Line set to NA for thepurpose of this exercise (you will see later that this would not beyour normal choice of justification setting in practice; we areusing this setting for demonstration purposes only).

23. Select Create>Sections>Straight to redisplay the Sectionform, which you used earlier, and the Positioning Control form,which this time you will use to identify positions by picking themwith the cursor in the graphical view.

Set the String Method to Single, since we will begin byspecifying the start and end points independently for eachsection. Set Secondary Nodes to On so that secondary nodesand joints will be created automatically at all connectionsbetween sections. Set Confirm to On to begin with and switch itOff later when you feel it is no longer necessary.

Rather than enter explicit coordinates, we will define the StartPosition as a point on one of our existing columns (namely thetop of Column 3) which we will pick using the cursor.

On the Positioning Control form, set the Pick Type option(left--hand drop--down list; see tool tip) to Element. This meansthat you are going to pick sections themselves, rather thanindividual plines, for identifying positions within the designmodel.

The Pick Method setting (right--hand drop--down list) specifieshow you want your cursor picks to be interpreted as positions(remember, we are now using event--driven graphics mode). Setthis to Snap, meaning that you want to snap to the position ofthe nearest Start or End of a picked section; this option willremain in force until you change it.



The settings will look like this:

Notice that the pick mode prompt above the graphical viewshows the current event as ‘Define section start (Snap)’. Pick apoint anywhere in the upper half of Column 3. Note that theword Start appears in the view to mark the specified start pointand that the snap action has placed this at the upper end of thecolumn.

24. The pick mode prompt will have changed to ‘Define section end(Snap)’. Pick a point anywhere in the upper half of Column 2 todefine the End Position of the new beam. Note how the proposedroute of the new beam is shown in the 3D View. Click the Acceptbutton on the Section form to confirm the section creation. Beam1 will be shown with its start connected to the top of Column 3and its end connected to the top of Column 2.

The length of the beam is calculated automatically, with allowancesfor the section dimensions, but you will see that the beam’s position istoo high. This is because the justification datum is set to theNeutral Axis (NA), as shown by the Profile Specification setting/BS--SPEC/305x165x40kg/m (NA/NA/NA). We will now correct this byresetting the justification datum to the Top of Steel (TOS) pline. Theresult will be as shown in the following diagram:

NA of Beam TOS of BeamNodeNode

Exercise continues:

25. Switch temporarily from event--driven graphics mode to

graphical navigation mode by clicking the button on the



main tool bar (check the pick mode prompt). Change the viewdirection to Look>East, move the centre of interest to theapproximate mid--point of Beam 1, and zoom in to see moreclearly what happens at the ends of the beam. Pick the newbeam to ensure that it is the current element and selectModify>Sections> Specification. On the Section Specificationform, set the Justification to TOS, thus.

Set the Use as default profile button to On, so that the nextbeams which you create will be aligned correctly without furtheradjustment. Apply the change and the beam should move downto the correct position.

Notice that the default specification has changed, thus:

You could, alternatively, have realigned just the current beam byselecting theModify>Sections>Justification option, but thiswould not have let you reset the default specification forsubsequent beam creation.

26. We will now create Beam 2, with its Start Position at the top ofColumn 4, running horizontally to connect part--way up Column3. Reset the view, if necessary, to show all sections so far created.Navigating to the beam in Step 25 will have put you back intoevent--driven graphics mode, ready to position the start of thenext Section (check the pick mode prompt again). Position theStart for Beam 2 at the top of Column 4.

To pick the End Position, we will use the snap facility with aspecified offset distance along the picked Section. From thePositioning Control form’s Pick Method list, select Distanceand, in the adjacentMethod Value field, enter 5000 (i.e. theheight of Column 4):



The pick mode prompt should now say ’Pick section end(Distance [5000])’. Pick anywhere in the lower half of Column 3.The End Position is calculated by snapping to the bottom of thecolumn and then moving up (i.e., towards the cursor) by 5000mm.

27. In the preceding step, we had to remember the height of Column4 in order to set the correct snap offset distance. We will nowcreate a beam from the top of Column 1, running horizontally toColumn 3 (equivalent to Beam 3 plus Beam 4 in our designsketch), without remembering any dimensions.

Position the Start of the new beam at the top of Column 1 asbefore (remember to reset the pick option to Snap).

28. We will now compare two alternative ways of achieving therequired End Position. Make sure that Verification: Confirmis set to On so that you can cancel the first method to try thesecond.

Method 1Because the beam is to be horizontal, we can constrain its EndPosition to have the same elevation as its Start Position. To dothis, we will use the explicit positioning form which we usedearlier, but will enter the coordinates on the form by graphicalpicking rather than by typing them in. This step willdemonstrate the ease with which you can mix the different waysof defining positions (using the Section, Positioning Control andDefine section end forms) to suit the current circumstances.

Click the button on the Section form to display the Define

section end form. The latter will initially show the coordinates ofthe last point picked, namely the top of Column 1.

Set the Lock button next to the Up field to On, like this:



Lock On

Notice how the Up coordinate is greyed out to show that youcannot change it.

You can now pick any part of Column 3 to specify the beam’s EndPosition, since the elevation of the snap point will be ignored infavour of the constraint that the End Position must be at thesame elevation as the Start Position; only the East and Northcoordinates of the pick are used. OK the Define section end form,then click Reject on the Section form to cancel the creation.

Method 2The Start Position will still be shown at the top of Column 1.

The and buttons on the Section form both let you

create a section which is perpendicular to another section. Wewill constrain the new beam’s End Direction to be perpendicularto Column 3.

Click the Perpendicular to button , then pick Column 3

(pick the section itself, not a pline: watch the pick mode promptas you move the cursor). The derived End Position will be thesame as for Method 1. This time Accept the section creation.

29. When you have created the three beams, dismiss the sectioncreation forms. (Note that clicking Dismiss on the Section formalso removes the Positioning Control form and returns the pickmode prompt to Navigate.)

Zoom in close to the beam which you created last and notice howit passes straight through Column 2. We will now split this beaminto two separate sections to form Beam 3 and Beam 4.

30. SelectModify>Sections>Split. Set the gadgets on the SplitSections form as follows:



noting that the lengths of Beams 3 and 4 are to be adjustedautomatically where they meet at Column 2 (Connections atsplit set to Trimmed).

Click Apply. When prompted to ‘identify item to be split on’,pick the element which corresponds to the split point, in thiscase Column 2. Cancel the next prompt (since we are splittingthe beam in one place only) by pressing the Escape key (NT) orby clicking the Escape button on the Status Form (Unix). Whenprompted to ‘identify section to be split’, pick any part of thebeam which is to be split to form Beams 3 and 4. Cancel (Escape)the next prompt (since we are splitting one section only).

Notice how the proposed split point is identified in the graphicalview. Confirm the splitting and then dismiss the Split Sectionsform.

When using this facility, the items to be split on and the items to besplit must actually intersect at the required split points. Projectedintersection points will not work.

We have now completed the creation of the substructure illustrated atthe start of this part of the exercise, namely (looking East):



N

UE

Column 2 Column 3

Column 4

Column 1

Beam 1

Beam 2

Beam 4 Beam 3

If you examine theMembers List, you will see that each column nowowns one or more Secondary Nodes (SNODs; marked in the abovediagram) at the locations of the ends of the beams. Each SecondaryNode owns one or two Secondary Joints (SJOIs) with connectionreferences to the attached beams. This provides the logicalconnectivity between the sections.

5.8 Collecting Elements into Temporary Lists

The next design operation will be to create multiple copies of thecurrent substructure, with a specified spacing distance between them.

In order to demonstrate another useful facility, we will put allmembers of the Sub--Frame (Sections, Secondary Nodes and Joints)into a List -- a temporary collection of elements which lets you carryout operations on the list as a whole. Each list definition is valid onlyfor the duration of the current PDMS session (although you can savesuch definitions in a binary file for reloading into a future session).

Exercise continues:

31. Select Utilities>Lists from the main menu or click thebutton on the main tool bar. You will see a Lists/Collections formfor controlling the existence and contents of all lists for thecurrent session. If any lists existed, you would be able to selectthe one which you wanted to modify from the list next to thebutton. Since we have not yet used this facility, this will simplysay ‘No List’.



32. From the Lists/Collections menu bar, select Add>List. In theDescription box on the Create List form, enter TESTLIST.

33. Ensure that your current element is the Sub--Frame and then,from the Lists/Collections menu bar, select Add>CE Members.All elements owned by the Sub--Frame will now be shown asitems within TESTLIST, like this:

Select Control>Close to dismiss the Lists/Collections formwhen you have finished with it.

Notice that the new list automatically becomes the current list,thus:

5.9 Copying Parts of the Design Model

Rather than create many more columns and beams individually, weare now going to copy the ones we have already created and repositionthe copies thus:



Existing Subframe

NU

E6000

Origin

6000 6000

As explained in the preceding part of this exercise, we shall copy thelist containing all members of the Sub--Frame rather than theSub--Frame itself.

Exercise continues:

34. Select Create>Copy>Offset. You will see a Copy with Offsetform which allows you to specify what you want to copy(Object), where the copies are to be stored in the databasehierarchy (to), how many copies you want, and how each copy isto be positioned relative to its preceding neighbour (Offset).

35. Set the Object to be copied to List; since only one list exists, itsname (TESTLIST) will be shown without further selection.

Set the to option to Rel. (Relative). This will create the newelement copies in the same part of the database hierarchy as theoriginal elements; that is, as members of the Sub--Frame.

36. Set the Number of Copies to 3.

37. Note that the Offset must be specified in terms of the local X,Y,Zcoordinates of the geometric primitives making up the structuralitems, rather than the E,N,U coordinates used to position itemswithin the overall design model. In our case, by default, X=E,Y=N and Z=U. Note that the axes are shown automatically inthe displayed 3D View as a guide.

Set the X Offset to 6000, leaving Y and Z set to 0.

The form settings should now look like this:



38. Click Apply to create the three offset copies and, whenprompted, confirm that you want to retain the copies (assumingthat they look correct in the graphical view). Dismiss the Copywith Offset form when you have finished.

39. Reset the view limits and viewing direction so that you can seethe whole of the current design model (e.g. Limits>CE at theSBFR and Iso>Three).

40. Study theMembers List to see what elements have now beencreated and where they fit into the hierarchy. Note that theSub--Frame now owns 32 Sections, comprising 16 columns and16 beams, together with all of the necessary Secondary Nodesand Joints needed to define their interconnections.

5.10 Completing the Initial Design

The final design model which we want to achieve in this part of theexercise has beams running in an East--West direction to give thestructure stability, as shown in the following diagram:



NU

E

Origin

A B C D

In creating these beams, we will include some variations of the waysso far used to define the start and end positions of the beams.

Exercise continues:

41. Start by creating the three most southerly beams (shown blackin the diagram). Do this by creating a single beam and thensplitting it into three lengths to fit between the columns (seeStep 30).

42. Next, we will create the three beams directly to the north ofthose which you have just created (shown striped in thediagram). We will do this in a sequence of operations in whichthe start of each section (after the first) will be situatedautomatically at the end of the preceding section.

Set the String Method to Continuous on the Section form tobegin creating a chained configuration of sections. By default,the start of the next section is assumed to be at the end of theprevious section (as shown in the 3D View); click the RedefineStart button to override this.

On the Positioning Control form, set Pick Method to Intersectto show that you will identify positions at the intersection pointsof pairs of existing sections. To create the first beam, pick firstColumn 3 and then Beam 2 (whose intersection is at the StartPosition of the first required beam, labelled A in the diagram),then use the same method to pick the intersection whichidentifies the end of this beam (B in the diagram). If Confirm isOn, click Accept to create the beam (otherwise your next pickswill simply redefine the end of this section).



The start of the next beam will be positioned automatically at B(as shown in the 3D View). Use the same procedure to pickpoints C and D to create the next two beams. Click theRedefine Start button on the Section form to define a new startfor another section or sequence of sections.

43. Complete the design using a combination of the techniqueswhich you have learned, plus any other options that you want toexperiment with (using the on--line help for guidance whenrequired). Switch Confirm to Off to speed up the process as yougain confidence. If you make a mistake in the middle of defininga section, click Redefine Start to go back a stage.

Dismiss the Section form when you are satisfied with yourresults.

NOTE: If you simply copy beams, either singly or as a composite list,the copies will be positioned but will not be connectedautomatically.



5.11 Saving Your Changes and Leaving Your DesignSession

44. To update the database so as to store the design model which youhave created so far, select Design>Save Work from the main

menu bar or click the button. (It is wise to use this function

periodically as you build up a design, so that you do not have tostart from the beginning in the event of loss of work due to anunforeseen interruption, such as a power failure.)

45. To save your current screen layout and display settings, so thatnext time you use the application you can rapidly restart fromwhere you interrupted your design session, select Display>Save>Forms & Display from the main menu bar.

46. To leave your current PDMS design session and return to theoperating system, select Design>Exit from the main menu bar.If you had made any changes since your last Save Workoperation, you would be asked if you wanted to save them; in thepresent situation, you will just be asked to confirm that youwant to leave PDMS.


6 A Quick Way to Build a RegularStructure

If a significant part of the model that you want to design comprises aregular array of beams and columns, a special facility is provided tospeed up the creation of all the necessary elements to define the fullyconnected structure. Even if your model is not completely regular inlayout, you might find it quicker to use this facility first and then tomodify the design as necessary, rather than build up the designsection--by--section as we have done so far.

In this chapter we will build a new structure using this method, sothat you can judge whether or not it is relevant to your own types ofdesign work.

Exercise continues:

47. Restart PDMS and enter the Design module, loading theapplications from macro files, as explained in Step 1. Notice howthe Project, Username andMDB have been remembered fromyour last session, so that you do not need to enter them again:you do, however, need to enter your Password for every session.Enter the Beams & Columns application, as in Step 4. (We willsee later how to restore the screen layout which you savedearlier.)

48. We will store our new model under a separate Structure elementin the hierarchy, so that it can easily be distinguished from thedesign model which we created in the earlier parts of theexercise. Navigate to Zone level and below this create a newStructure, Framework and Subframework, giving themdifferent names from those specified in Step 6 (for example,/REGSTRU, /REGFRMW and /REGSBFR, respectively).

49. Check that automatic Profile allocation is On and Primary Nodecreation is Off, as in Step 8. (As you will see soon, storage areasand specifications need not be set yet.)

A Quick Way to Build a Regular Structure


50. Select Create>Sections>Specials. The resulting SectionCreation form lists all available methods: the options availabledepend on how your system has been set up, but they shouldinclude the following:

51. To initiate the use of any available method, you click on it in thelist. In this case, select Regular Structure, then Dismiss theform. You will see a Regular Structure form which gives youcomplete control of the whole design process. In the followingsteps, we will look at this form in three distinct parts.

52. The areas labelled Column Data and Beam Data let you setthe storage areas, profile specifications and justification p--linesindependently for the two types of section. Set these as follows(replacing /REGSBFR by whatever name you gave theSubframework in Step 48):

Note



D To enter each Storage area name, navigate to theSubframe and type CE. The name of the current elementwill be entered automatically.

D To enter the Profile specifications, click the Profile buttonto display the Section Specification form and pick therequired specification and pline settings.

53. The Grid Origin area lets you define how your structure is to bepositioned spatially. Enter the following settings:

The Datum setting defines the element whose reference axeswill determine the origin and orientation of the structure.

The Underside of Base--Plate setting lets you set the lowestpoint of your structure (underside of baseplate) relative to thedatum axes. This lets you define the elevations of the structuralmembers relative to a plane which does not correspond to thebase of the overall structure. We have set this to 1000, so thatthe bottoms of the columns will be truncated at an elevation of1000 mm. (We will see the effect of this when we view thecompleted model.)

54. The East Spacings and North Spacings lists specify therelative spacing between adjacent columns in the givendirections. The Elevation list specifies the absolute elevations ofthe beams representing the floor levels. Type in the followingvalues:

These settings will create 16 columns on a 4x4 rectangular grid,with a uniform inter--column spacing of 3000 mm in the Eastdirection and 5000 mm in the North direction. The columns willbe 4000 mm high, to accommodate two floors at elevations of3000 mm and 5000 mm relative to the datum plane, but with the



bottoms of the columns truncated so that they do not extendbelow the 1000 mm elevation specified by the baseplate setting.

55. Set the Trim sections to Plines button On, so that the beamswill have their lengths calculated to fit between the columns towhich they are connected.

56. With view limits set for zone and view direction set to Iso 3, clickthe Preview button to display a ‘stick’ representation of thespecified structure. It should have the following configuration:

Y/NZ/U

X/EOrigin

Shaded area isdatum plane

50003000

3000

5000

100030005000

3000

5000

Check and, if necessary, correct the settings, then click Apply tocreate the structure. The sections will first have the specifiedprofiles applied to give them their 3D geometry, then they will betrimmed to length and connected. This process involves a lot ofcalculation, and might therefore take a minute or two tocomplete; progress will be shown in the status bar.

57. We will now modify the structure by removing beams as follows:



*

*

*

*

*

*

*

*

To do so, select Delete>Identified and then pick the 14 beamswhich are to be removed. Escape the prompt when you havefinished picking and confirm the deletion.

58. Finally, we will reduce the heights of the eight outermostcolumns (marked * in the preceding diagram). Rather thanmodify each one separately, create a new list (select Utilities>Lists, as in Steps 31 and 32) and use the Add>Identifiedoption on the Lists/Collections form to add the columns into thelist by picking them with the cursor.

59. Select Position>Extend>By. When prompted to ‘IdentifySection’, pick any of the columns and then, on the resultingExtend Section - Explicit form, select your new list as the item tobe modified.

The Extend option button requires you to specify which end ofthe item is to be moved. We need to adjust the upper end of eachcolumn, but is this its Start or its End? To check this, make anyone of the columns the current element and select Settings>Graphics>Mark Section. The Start and End will be tagged inthe graphical view. Set the Extend button appropriately.

Set theMaintain Section’s Node Positions to On so that thepositions of secondary nodes will not be affected by the lengthadjustments. (This is only really relevant if you move the Startpositions. We are leaving the nodes in place here simply todemonstrate another facility in the next step.)



Set the Extension by to a Distance of --2000, since we want toreduce the length of each item in the list by 2000 mm. Applythe settings, then Dismiss the form. The result should be asfollows:

60. You will notice that the secondary nodes which were at the topsof the deleted columns are still present, even though they nolonger serve any useful purpose. To delete these, navigate to theSub--frame and select Delete>Tidy Nodes. You will see a TidyNodes form telling you that 8 redundant nodes have beenidentified. Set theMark Nodes for Deletion button to On totag these nodes in the graphical view, then click OK to deletethem.

61. Now, for practice, extend the bottoms of all sixteen columnsdownwards by 1000 mm, so that they rest on the origin plane(shown shaded in the illustration in Step 56).

62. Update the Design database to save your work (by selectingDesign>Save Work).


7 Enhancing the Basic Structure

In this chapter, we will revert to our original structure and add somebracing members. We will then select some joints from the catalogue.Finally, we will modify the structure by moving part of it to a newposition and then restoring the correct geometry between its memberssemi--automatically.

7.1 Restoring a Previously Saved Setup

In order to continue developing the first structural model which wecreated, we will reload the display setup which we saved earlier. Ifyou intend to continue from where you finish at the end of any PDMSdesign session, it is quicker to use the Display>Save>... options tosave your current settings to a file which you can subsequentlyreload, rather than to reload the applications from their sourcemacros each time you use the Design module.

Exercise continues:

63. If you are continuing straight on from the ‘Regular Structure’part of the exercise, so that the Beams & Columns application isstill loaded, select Display>Restore>Forms & Display.

If you exited from PDMS after Step 62, restart PDMS and enterDesign (as in Step 1), but this time set the Load from option onthe PDMS Login form to User’s Binary.

In either case, the result will be to load the display setup whichyou saved in Step 45, so that your graphical view will show thestructural model which you created in the first part of theexercise (stored in TESTSTRU).

Enhancing the Basic Structure


7.2 Trimming Connected Section Ends to CorrectGeometry

When you create a section connected to an existing section, the endpoints of the new section are usually positioned automatically byreference to the currently defined Pline Rule. If this rule has notbeen set up properly, the geometry at the point of connection may beinappropriate. For example, in plan view, the connection between acolumn and an incoming beam may look like this:

or

rather than the intended configuration:

or

To correct this, you can trim the length of the incoming section to anexplicitly picked pline of the owning section. Before we develop ourmodel further, we will correct any errors of this type which mightcurrently exist (otherwise we could have problems connecting ourbracing correctly).

Exercise continues:

64. Zoom in to the graphical view and change the viewing directionso that you can see the detailed geometry of each connectionpoint in turn, looking for any examples where an attachedsection has been trimmed to the wrong length. If you find any,correct them as follows.

Select Connect>Trim to Pline>Pick (force). When promptedto ‘Identify section end to be trimmed’, pick one of the endswhich you want to correct (as shown shaded in the precedingdiagram). You will then be prompted to ‘Identify pline to betrimmed to’; change the view if necessary and pick the plinewhich corresponds to the required section end point (typically



NAR/NAL for a web connection or TOS/BOS for a flangeconnection, as shown by the black dots in the precedingdiagram). Note how the cursor shape changes when it ispositioned on a pline and how the status bar helps you byidentifying which pline is selected at any given moment. PressEscape to action the change.

Repeat this sequence, alternately picking section ends andplines, until all errors have been corrected. Note that, if you areconfident that you have made the correct selections, you can pickany number of section/pline pairs before pressing Escape.

65. To check the current pline rule (if any), select Settings>PickFilters>Plines. You will see a Pline Filter form showing allcurrently defined rules; this probably shows No Rule andNormal, with the former selected. We will set a rule to giveappropriate results for the rest of this exercise. To do so, click theDefine Rule button to display the Define Rules form. Enter theName as Extremities (this will be used to identify the rule insubsequent lists) and the Description as Flange or web facefor trimming at connection. Enter the Rule thus (taking careto include the apostrophes and commas exactly as shown:

PKEY inset (’TOS’,’BOS’,’NAL’,’NAR’,’FOC’,’BOC’,’TOC’)

Click the Include button to add the new rule into the list. Theresult is as follows:



Click OK. Select the Extremities rule on the Pline Filter formto make this the current rule (the form is dismissedautomatically).

NOTE: A full explanation of the ways in which pline rules are setand applied is beyond the scope of this introductory guide.Suffice it to say that the rule we have set here may beinterpreted as ‘Select a pline which has any of the PKEYsettings specified in the list’. (See Appendix D for diagramsshowing how these plines are positioned for typicalsteelwork profiles.)

7.3 Adding and Modifying Simple Bracing

In the next part of the exercise, we will insert some simple diagonalbracing and then use a short--cut facility to modify the spacingbetween the ends of the bracing members and some reference plines.

We will create bracing members connected between columns, asshown by the black sections in the following diagram:

NU

E

A B C D

2 4

1 3 5

6

(The letters and numbers identifying the columns and beams,respectively, in the above diagram will be used for reference purposesin the steps which follow.)

The first bracing member will be connected to Columns A and B andits end positions will be specified in terms of their spacing fromBeams 1 and 2.



We will then use theMirror Copying facility to create the other twobracing members. This facility lets you create a copy of an existingelement and to reposition the copy automatically by reflecting it aboutan axis in a specified plane (so that the original and copy elementsare mirror images of one another).

Exercise continues:

66. Click the Default Profile Specification button and reset thedefault specification to British Standard, Rectangular HollowSections, 200.0x100.0x10.0 with Justification,Member Lineand Joint Line all set to NA. This will be the profile used forthe bracing members.

67. Select Create>Sections>Straight. Using Pick Type: Elementand Pick Method: Intersect on the Positioning Control form,create a single bracing member with its Start at the intersectionof Column A and Beam 1 (A1 for short) and its End at B2.

IMPORTANT: When you pick the sections defining eachintersection point, your first pick defines the section to which theconnection is made. In this case, therefore, you must pick thecolumn before the beam when defining each end, otherwise thebracing gap trimming facility will not work correctly. Do notworry if the vertical alignment of the bracing member ends lookswrong at this stage; we will correct this in the next step.

Dismiss the Section form.

68. Check that the bracing member is the current element and selectModify>Bracing Gap. You will see a Brace Gaps form listingthe different ways of specifying the required gap. Ignore theDefault Gap setting and select Distance on picked Plinefrom a fixed point, noting how the diagram on the form isupdated to show the relevant dimensions and picking sequence.Click Apply; you will see a Brace Gap(s) form. Set Confirm toOn, but do not enter the Gap A data yet.

69. You are now in event--driven graphics mode, ready to pick theplines from which the bracing gap is to be calculated. We willfirst position the lower end of the bracing member (currently atA1 in the preceding diagram). Using the diagram on the BraceGaps form as a guide, pick plines in the following order:



D A pline on the lower face of the bracing member, such as BOS. Pickclose to the connection, so that the gap is calculated for the correctend.

D A pline on Column A along which the gap is to be defined, such asNAL or NAR.

D A pline on the upper face of Beam 1, such as TOS.

Hint: You might find it easier to pick the plines if you switchthe graphics to a wireline view. To do so, selectSettings>Shaded from the 3D View menu or press F8.Manipulate the view as necessary between picks to see eachrequired pline.

Column A

Beam 13. Pline on upper faceof reference member

1. Pline on lower faceof bracing member

Gap (to be set to 150mm)

2. Pline along which gapis to be measured

Bracing Member

When you have picked the third pline, the calculated distancefor the current position will be shown in the graphical view andwill also be inserted into the Gap A text--box on the BraceGap(s) form. The Accept/Reject buttons are now active. Notethat the displayed distance is measured downwards (because ofthe way the plines currently intersect), whereas we want to movethe bracing section upwards. To achieve this, change the Gap Adata to �150, check that the new position shown in the graphicalview is as required, then click Accept to move the section end.

70. Repeat the procedure to position the upper end of the bracingmember with a gap of 150mm measured down Column B fromBeam 2. Dismiss the Brace Gaps form.

71. Before we create the next bracing members, try this facility forchecking whether or not the ends of a section are connected.With the bracing member as your current element, selectUtilities>Beams & Columns. From the menu bar of the small



form which results, pick Tag>All ends. The ends of the currentsection should both be tagged as Connected. (We will seeanother way of checking connectivity later.)

Rather than create and position the other two bracing membersB4�C3 and C5�D6 by repeating the preceding sequence ofoperations, we shall use a short--cut by copying the existing A1�B2section. We will reposition each copy by defining it as a mirror imageof its original reflected in an appropriate plane.

Exercise continues:

72. Select Create>Copy>Mirror. You will see aMirror form whichallows you to specify what you want to copy (Object), where thecopies are to be stored in the database hierarchy (to), and theplane in which the copy position is to reflected.

73. Assuming that you are still at the bracing member, set theObject to be copied to CE and set the to option to Rel. Set theType of mirror option toMirror Copy (since we want to createa new element rather than simply reposition the original one).

74. The plane in which we want to reflect the copied section isrepresented by the shaded area in the following diagram:

NU

E

B

Existing member Copied member

This plane is specified in terms of its direction (i.e. the directionof the normal to the plane) and of the position of any pointwithin it. TheMirror form provides several methods ofspecifying these by picking items in the existing model; we will



use Column B to define the position and will enter the directionexplicitly.

Select Cursor>Element from theMirror form’s menu and,when prompted, pick any part of Column B. The positionidentified will snap to the start or end of this column (dependingon where you picked) and its coordinates will be entered into theEast/North/Up text boxes automatically. You will see a symbolicrepresentation of the plane’s position and orientation in thegraphical view.

Note that the Plane Direction text box now shows the cutplanedirection of the column’s start or end (namely Up or Down).Change this to East and observe the reorientation of thesymbolic plane in the graphical view.

NOTE: If you want to enter the Plane Direction before you pickthe position, set the Lock button for the direction to On toprevent its setting being updated when you pick theposition.

The form settings should now look like this (the Up coordinatewill be 9000 rather than 0 if you picked near the top of ColumnB rather than near the bottom):

75. Click Apply to create the mirrored copy and, when prompted,confirm that you want to retain the copy.



76. Using the same procedure, create the third bracing member(C5�D6) by copying and reflecting the second member(B4�C3).

77. The two copies which you have just created should be positionedcorrectly, but will not yet be connected. To check this, instead ofusing the Tag utility for each new bracing member as in Step 71,select Query>End Connections. The resulting HighlightConnections form lets you see the connectivity status of allrelevant members of the current element. Navigate to theSubFrame TESTSBFR and click the CE button on the HighlightConnections form to update the displayed data. The numbers onthe coloured buttons show the number of sections in eachcategory: they should show 38 sections with both ends connectedand 18 sections with neither end connected. Set thecorresponding Highlight buttons to On to colour the sections inthe 3D View; click on a coloured button if you would prefer adifferent highlight colour.

NOTE: You might think that the upper ends of the columns shouldbe shown as connected. However, the beams at those pointsare connected (via Secondary Joints) to Secondary Nodespositioned along the columns, rather than to Primary Nodesat the column extremities. Therefore, even though theSecondary Nodes in this case happen to be coincident withthe tops of the columns, the diagnoses are correct.

78. To connect the ends of the two bracing sections to theappropriate columns, select Connect>Connect and follow thestatus bar prompts carefully. (Escape terminates each stage ofthe process in the usual way.) Use the Highlight Connectionsform again to confirm the results.

7.4 Adding Standard Bracing Configurations

To avoid the need for creating individual bracing sections as we havejust done, the application provides a quick way of adding somepredefined bracing configurations.



To demonstrate this facility, we will first add a cross bracingconfiguration (using angle sections) in the vertical plane and then adiamond bracing configuration (using universal beam sections) in thehorizontal plane, in the locations shown by the thick black lines in thefollowing diagram:

NU

E

Exercise continues:

79. Select Create>Sections>Bracing Configurations. You willsee a Bracing form.

This form does not use the default settings for section data, sofirst set the following:

Storage area to the Subframe /TESTSBFR;

Profile to British Standard, Equal Angle, 70x70x6.0;

Justification to NAL (Neutral Axis Left: this will align theangle sections back--to--back; see diagram in Appendix D);

Member Line and Joint Line to NA.

Hint: Use the same methods for entering this data as in Step 52.

Leave the Bracing Plane option set to Derived by Section sothat the bracing members will lie in the same plane as thesections to which they will be attached.

80. In the Available Bracing Configurations list, select CrossBracing. Notice how the parameterised diagram shows thedetails of the selected configuration. The diagram shows thedimensions which must be specified (A, B) and the order inwhich existing sections must be picked (1, 2, ...) so as to position



and connect the bracing members correctly. For the cross bracingconfiguration it looks like this:

Gap A

Pick 1

Gap B

Pick 2Note: In our design thisdatum is the lower end ofthe column, since there isno cross beam at this posi-tion.

Click Apply; you will see a Cross Bracing form. Set Gap A to150 and Gap B to 300. Set Confirm to On.

You are now in event--driven graphics mode. Using the diagramon the Bracing form as a guide, pick the two columns betweenwhich the bracing members are to be connected. To achieve therequired configuration, make sure that your first pick is near thebottom of the first column and that your second pick is justbelow the cross beam on the second column; that is, pickreasonably close to the required connection points for the bracingmembers.

When you are satisfied with the configuration shown in thegraphical view, accept the creation of the sections forming thebracing members and then dismiss the Bracing form.

81. Repeat the procedure used in Steps 79 and 80 to create thediamond bracing at the top of the structure. Set the Profile toBritish Standard, Universal Beams, 203x133x25, and theJustification,Member Line and Joint Line all to NA.

In the Available Bracing Configurations list, selectDiamond Bracing. The parameterised diagram will show thatyou need to specify the separations between the bracingmembers for each pair of opposing sections. Click Apply todisplay the Diamond Bracing form on which to enter this data.

Set both Gap A and Gap B to 500, leave the Confirm buttonOn, and pick the four beams (in the correct sequence, as shownin the diagram) to complete the operation. Dismiss the Bracingform when you have finished.



NOTE: You must dismiss the Diamond Bracing form, therebyleaving event--driven graphics mode, in order to change thebracing configuration (as you did between Steps 80 and 81).If you want to add more sections using the current bracingconfiguration, however, you can simply continue pickingconnection points in the graphical view.

7.5 Representing Joints

Although each connection has created a corresponding SecondaryJoint element in the Design database (shown in theMembers List asSJOIs, owned by SNODs), these do not yet have any geometryassociated with them and are not therefore shown in the graphicalview. In order to represent them properly, we must associate acatalogue specification with each joint (in the same way that eachsection profile is defined by an associated catalogue specification).

Joints have a number of attributes whose settings allow you toposition and orientate them and to modify the ends of sectionsconnected to them. We will look at the most important of theseattributes here, so that we can represent some simple joints in ourdesign model. The key to success lies in the optimum design of thejoint as defined in the catalogue, which is a specialised field beyondthe scope of this user guide.

The following topics illustrate the main features (do not try toremember them all now; refer back here when necessary):

A Shelf Angle Joint as defined in the Catalogue:

(only the Neutral Axis pline is shown for clarity)

Z

X

Y

NA

Note: Origin plane is shown byheavy lines in the following diagrams

Origin

Origin plane is X,Y plane throughorigin.Origin plane direction is Z.Plines extrude in Y direction.Pline direction is Z direction.



Position and orientation of a Secondary Joint relative to aSecondary Node:

SNode

Origin Plane Direction (OPDI)

Beta Angle (BANG)

ZDIST

Z

X

Y

defines orientation about X,Y axes

defines orientation about Z axis

defines position of SNode relative to POSS of Section

TOSNA

Position Line (POSL)(here set to TOS) defines position

BOS

Owning Section(2D view only)

Connecting a Joint to the Start of an Attached Section:

OwningSection

AttachedSection

JOIS of Attached Section points to JointCREF of Joint points to Attached Section

Logical Connectivity:

SNode

POSL of Joint set to TOS of Owning Section

TOS

NA

BOS

TOSNABOS

JLIN of Joint set to BOS of Attached SectionJLIN of Attached Section set to NA of Joint

OPDI of Joint

POSS

CTYA of Joint must match CTYS of Attached Section (for connection compatibility)

BANG of Section

BANG of Joint

Note how the origin plane of the Joint is set with reference to theOwning Section (via the POSL attribute), while its position within theconstraints of that plane is set with reference to the Attached Section(by aligning the plines defined by the JLINs of both Joint andSection). That is, with reference to the orientation of the diagram, theJoint is moved horizontally by changing its POSL and vertically bychanging its JLIN. Both the Section and the Joint can be rotatedindependently by changing their BANGs (the Section rotates about itsNA, the Joint about its OPDI).



How the Section end configuration depends on the Joint towhich it is attached:

(using a wedge--shaped Joint to demonstrate the principles)

OwningSection

AttachedSection

SNode POSS

DRNS of Attached Section

POSS offset along NA by Cutback (CUTB) of Joint

NA

NA

determined by CUTP of Joint

Joint’s Cutting Plane

Exercise continues:

For the purpose of this exercise, we will add some simple boltedflanges where the beams are attached to the columns. Remember thatthe joint elements (SJOIs in theMembers List) already exist as aresult of connecting the sections together; we need only set a pointerto the joint specification in the catalogue to define each joint’sgeometry.

82. SelectModify>Joints>Specification. When prompted to‘Identify end of section joint is connected to’, pick the end of anyN�S beam (that is, any beam which abuts a column flangerather than a web) where you want to insert a bolted joint. Youwill see a Joint Specification form for the joint to which yourpicked section end is attached.

83. The method for selecting from the available joint specifications isthe same as that which you used to select section profiles. SelectColumn Connections, Column Flange, 6M24_flange,leaving all other form settings at their defaults.

84. Click the Properties button. You will see a subsidiaryModifyProperties form which lets you specify some local dimensionaldata for the selected type of joint. Set Thickness of Plt to 10,Dist from TOS to 0, and Dist from BOS to 30 (we will seewhat these do in a moment). OK theModify Properties form and



Apply the Joint Specification form to complete the setting of thejoint specification. (The geometry of most types of joint can bemodified via appropriate entries on a form such as this,depending on how the catalogue has been set up.)

85. To see a correct representation of the joint, we must set up thegraphical view so that it displays holes (negative volumes) aswell as solid items (positive volumes). To do so, select Settings>Graphics>Representation from the main menu bar and, onthe resulting Representation form, set Holes Drawn andUpdate all Graphics to On. OK the settings. Zoom in close tothe beam end to see what the joint looks like. Notice how theheight and width of the endplate have been set automaticallyfrom the dimensions of the beam and column, respectively, withadjustments to suit the values entered on the Define Propertiesform. This is possible because the joint dimensions in thecatalogue are specified as design parameters whose values arederived from the attached and owning sections.

The joint should look something like this:

Section endused toidentify joint

Dist from BOS = 30

Thickness of Plt = 10

Notice how the attached beam has been shortened toaccommodate the thickness of the plate and how the bolt holes inthe plate have generated corresponding holes in the columnflanges.

86. The position of the joint relative to the profile of the column (i.e.its owning section) is determined by the joint’s position line. Tosee the effect of changing this, selectModify>Joints>PositionLine. The Position Line form will show the current setting aseither BOS or TOS (depending at which end of the beam thejoint is situated). Change this to the opposite setting (i.e. TOS orBOS), set the Re--trim attached section button to On, andclick Apply. The joint and its attached section end will movethus:



Section endused toidentify joint

87. Reposition the joint correctly, then Dismiss the Position Lineand Joint Specification forms.

88. Rather than set each joint specification explicitly, we can applythe specification for one joint to other joints. We will use thisfacility to specify the joint at the other end of the beam which wehave just been looking at. To do so, selectModify>Joints>JointLike>Maintain Pline. When prompted to ‘Identify end ofsection to be copied like’, pick the same section end as in Step 82(i.e. the end shown in the preceding diagram). When prompted to‘Identify section end to be modified’, pick the other end of thesame beam. Press Escape for both of the next prompts (we areonly modifying one joint in this step). Zoom in close to the secondjoint and notice how its geometry matches that of the first joint.The position line settings for the two joints are, however, setautomatically to opposite flanges of the column (TOS for one,BOS for the other), to give the correct alignment.

NOTE: If the joint were ‘handed’, such as a shelf angle, you wouldalso see that the second joint has been rotated automaticallyabout its vertical axis to match the start/end directions of thesection. This is not apparent for the endplate, but if youselect Query>Attributes you will be able to see whichattributes differ between the two joints.

89. Using the same method as in Step 88, set the specifications forsome of the other column flange joints.



7.6 Dominant versus Subordinate Joints

When you reposition a joint which has one or more attached sections,the effect on those sections depends upon whether or not the joint hasbeen defined as dominant or subordinate, as defined by the settingof the joint’s Joint Freedom (JFRE) attribute.

If JFRE is set to False (the default for a new joint), the joint is saidto be subordinate (also described by saying that the section isdominant). If JFRE is set to True, the joint is said to be dominant.

Consider the following effects, where the joint’s owning section ismoved thus:

Joint subordinate (Sec-tion dominant)(JFRE = False)

Joint dominant(JFRE = True)

Move owning Sectionand Secondary Joint

Two attachedSections connectedto Secondary Joint

Directions of Sections unchanged.Attached Sections still have logicalconnections to Joint, despite geometry.

Directions of Sections changedto align with new Joint position. Logicalconnections are maintained.

We will use this feature in the next part of the exercise.



7.7 Moving Part of the Structure and MaintainingCorrect Geometry

In the next part of the exercise, we shall move the columns and beamsat the eastern end of our structure to increase the overall length ofthe design model. This will require the horizontal beams and thebracing member connected to the moved columns to be extended and,in the case of the bracing member, realigned to maintain the correctconfiguration.

The objective is to demonstrate the dominant joint concept (asdescribed in Section 7.6) and to show how you can easily restoregeometry between sections which has been disrupted by moving partsof a structure independently.

The result which we want to achieve is as follows, where the blacksections will be moved explicitly and the broken lines indicate thenew final configuration:

NU

E

Noterealignment ofbracingmember

The jointsmarked * mustbe dominant

*

*

*

*

***

*

Exercise continues:

90. In order to make the bracing member realign itself to maintainthe specified bracing gap, the joint to which it is connected mustbe dominant. To ensure this, we will make the joints dominant atboth ends of all bracing sections (as would be normal practice).

For the purposes of this exercise, we will also make dominantthe joints at both ends of each of the four N�S beams betweenthe columns to be moved (i.e. the beams shown shaded in thepreceding diagram).



Select Connect>Joint Dominant. Each joint is identified bypicking the section end to which it is connected. When prompted,pick both ends of each bracing member created in Section 7.3(six picks) and the ends of all relevant beams (eight picks). PressEscape when you have finished.

NOTE: This part of the exercise has been designed to illustrate,among other features, the concept of joint dominance. Innormal practice, only the joints at the ends of the bracingmembers would be made dominant.

91. Use the Utilities>Lists facility to create a new list and use theAdd>Identified option to add into it the four columns to bemoved (shown black in the preceding diagram).

92. Select Position>Relatively (BY). You will see a Position Byform which lets you move an item by a given distance in a givendirection. Use the option button near the top--left of the form toset the item to be moved to the list containing the columns(Current List). Enter the required movement in the By textboxes; in this case specify a move by 2000 mm in the Eastdirection.

When you Apply (and confirm) the settings, the columns shouldmove as follows:

NU

E

At first sight, this appears to be a rather disastrous result.However, as long as we have set all of the connectivity rulescorrectly, particularly the joint dominance settings, we can easilyrectify the problem by reconnecting all of the sections whichshould be connected to the columns.



93. Select Connect>Trim to Section>All attached. Whenprompted, pick each of the four columns in turn, then pressEscape and watch the results in the graphical view as thecorrect geometry is restored.

(Note that Trim to Section differs from the Trim to Plineoption, which we used before, in that Trim to Sectionmaintains the existing pline connectivity, thereby retaining anypreviously defined trimming, whereas Trim to Pline resets theconnectivity to an explicit or rule--defined pline.)

94. Save your design changes.

That concludes the introduction to the basic operations involved inthe design of a simple structural framework. In the next part of theguide we shall see how to add some sheet cladding (floor plates and/orwall panels) to our structure.


8 Adding Panels and Plates

In this chapter, we will change to another of the structural designapplications, namely the Panels & Plates application, and add a floorplate to our existing structure. We will then modify this in variousways to demonstrate some of the facilities provided for detailingpanels.

NOTE: The facilities which we will look at next let you add planarmaterial to the design model in any orientation. Throughoutthis text, the term panel will be used for such items in alldescriptions, regardless of whether the element represents ahorizontal floor plate, a vertical wall panel, a sloping roofpanel, or any similar planar item.

8.1 Starting the Panels & Plates Application

In order to access the panel design facilities, we must leave the Beams& Columns application and load the complementary Panels & Platesapplication. Many of the options available in the latter application arevery similar to those which you have already learned to use from thepreceding chapters of this guide, so only the differences will be dealtwith in any detail.

Exercise continues:

95. Select Design>Structures>Panels & Plates from the mainmenu bar (available from within all design applications, not just

the current Beams & Columns application), or click the

button.

The main menu bar and tool bar will change, although thedifferences may not be obvious at a first glance. They will nowlook like this:

Adding Panels and Plates


Look at each pull--down menu in turn; you will see that theoptions in the upper parts of the menus are common to theequivalent Beams & Columns menus, whereas many of theoptions in the lower parts of the menus are specific to the Panels& Plates application. (All menu options for both applications aresummarised in Appendix A for convenient reference.)

8.2 How PDMS Represents Panels

A Panel (PANE) element can be used to represent any sheet materialused to clad a structural model. Using a similar principle to that forrepresenting a Section (which is an extruded 2D catalogue Profile), aPanel is represented by extruding a user--defined 2D shape. Itsgeometry is defined by two types of data:

D The panel’s planar area is defined by a Panel Loop (PLOO)element, which is itself defined by linking together a set ofPanel Vertex (PAVE) elements, each of which has a specificposition in the panel’s 2D coordinate system. Each panel Edge isdefined by a line joining adjacent vertices.

D The panel thickness is defined by setting the Height (HEIG)attribute of the Panel Loop. This represents the distance throughwhich the 2D Panel Loop is extruded to form the 3D panel.

= Panel Loop (PLOO)

= Panel Vertex (PAVE)

Panel (PANE)

Panel thickness =HEIG of PLOO



Each Panel Vertex can have an optional Fillet Radius setting whichrepresents a circular arc which curves towards (positive radius) oraway from (negative radius) the vertex position, thus:

PAVE with +ve radius PAVE with --ve radius

The default radius of zero denotes a point.

8.3 Setting Default Storage Areas

In the next part of the exercise we will set up some defaults tocustomise the application to suit our planned method of working, justas we did for the Beams & Columns application. We will specifywhere the principal panel design elements are to be stored in thedesign database hierarchy.

Exercise continues:

96. Rather than using the Settings>Storage Areas option, as inStep 7, we will use a short--cut method to set default storageareas for Panels and Panel Linear Joints (which we will look atlater). We shall store both types of element under the sameSubFrame which we have been using for our basic frameworkdesign.

Navigate to TESTSBFR and then click the (Panels) and(Panel Linear Joints) buttons in turn. These automatically setthe storage areas to the current element.

The current storage area settings are shown like this:

Panel storage area Linear Joint storage area



8.4 Creating Simple Panels

We will first create a panel which defines the overall area of a largefloor plate and will then divide this up into more manageable sizessuch as might be specified for fabrication purposes. These panels willrepresent the schematic areas only; we will defer detailed trimming ofthe edges to fit around structural sections etc. until a little later.

Exercise continues:

97. Select Create>Panel. You will see a Create Panel form whichprovides, among its other settings, various ways of specifying thepositions of vertices.

We will not enter the optional names for panels in this exercise.Set the Justification to Bottom (this will let us position thebottom face of our panels on the top of their supporting sections)and set the Thickness to 30.

Leave the Representation set to Predefined: Default for now.These settings (Levels and Obstruction) affect the way itemsare shown in 3D views and how they are dealt with whenchecking for clashes between design items; the defaults shouldbe adequate for our current purposes.

We will define the positions of four vertices, V1�V4, whichdefine the overall area of the floor plate shown shaded in thefollowing diagram (all bracing members omitted for clarity):

NU

E

V1 V2

V3V4

A

B

B

A

(The broken lines A�A and B�B show where we will latersplit the panel into three.)



The Create Methods buttons give you the following ways todefine each vertex:

lets you pick a point graphically using any of the standardcursor picking options

lets you construct a point using the intersections of plines withan existing panel(not relevant here, since no panels exist yet)

lets you create a set of vertices which follow the shape of anexisting panel(not relevant here, since no panels exist yet)

lets you specify a position by entering explicit coordinatesrelative to the position of an existing element

lets you specify a distance and direction relative to the precedingvertex

lets you construct a fillet arc by specifying its radius, thenpicking two lines (tangents) between which the fillet is to occur

lets you construct a fillet arc by picking three points throughwhich it is to pass

lets you construct a fillet arc by specifying its radius, thenpicking two points through which it is to pass, then picking a’control point’ defining its position

In the next steps, we will use two of these options to illustratethe principles.

98. Click the button. The Positioning Control form will showthat you are now in event--driven graphics mode, ready to pickthe position of the first vertex. Set Pick Type to Element andset Pick Method to Intersect. Now pick the column and eitherof the beams whose intersection coincides with V1 in thepreceding diagram. The text below the icon buttons on the CreatePanel form will change from ‘No vertices currently defined’ to ‘1Vertices defined (no Panel created)’.

NOTE: The first vertex defined for a new panel becomes the panel’sorigin by default. You can change this later if required.



99. Repeat this point--picking procedure to define V2 and V3, in thatorder. As soon as you have defined three vertices, the plane ofthe new panel will be shown in the graphical view (as a triangle)and a PANE element will be added into theMembers List.

100. As a demonstration, we will position V4 relative to V3. Click the

button. You will see a Define Vertex form on which you canspecify the required offset. Set the Direction toWest and theDistance to 20000. Click Apply to create the vertex. The textbelow the icon buttons on the Create Panel form will now say ‘4Vertices defined (Panel created)’.

101. Leave the Display modification form button set to Off (youwould set this to On only if you wanted to modify the panelvertices immediately). Click OK to complete the panel creationoperation. Note that theMembers List now includes one PANE,one PLOO and four PAVE elements (as defined in Section 8.2).

8.5 Measuring Distances/Directions in the DesignModel

When we completed the Define Vertex form in Step 100, we had toenter the required distance between V3 and V4; that is, the overalllength of the structure in the East�West direction. The figurewhich we entered (20000) was derived from knowledge of the originaldesign data. Instead of calculating this, we could have measured it bymeans of a useful utility, as follows:

Exercise continues:

102. Either select Query>Measure Distance or click thebutton. You will see a Measure form and a Positioning Controlform which together let you measure the distance between anytwo points or lines in the design model. On the PositioningControl form, set Pick Type to Element and Pick Method toSnap, then pick near the tops or bottoms (but not one of each) ofthe columns through the V4 and V3 positions. Hint: Zoom in if



necessary and pick carefully at the ends connected to bracingsections to avoid snapping to the secondary nodes rather thanthe column extremities.The Information area on theMeasure form will show the directdistance between the Neutral Axes of the sections, the XYZcomponents of that distance, and the direction of the secondpoint relative to the first. The data will also be shown in thegraphical view.

103. Experiment with some other graphical picking options tomeasure a few other distances and directions, including some inskewed directions, then dismiss theMeasure form.

8.6 Splitting a Panel

We will now split our new panel along the axes of the intermediatebeams which support it (shown by the broken lines A�A andB�B in the diagram at Step 97), thus forming three smaller panels.

104. Ensure that the panel is the current element (shown as PANEL1 in theMembers List) and selectModify>Split Panel. Whenprompted to ‘Pick ... to be split on’, pick either of the beamsaligned along A�A in the diagram. (You might need to changethe view direction so that the beam you want to pick is notobscured by the panel; alternatively, you can pick either of theother beams which are aligned parallel to A�A in the requiredplane.) The panel will be split along the picked line to form twoseparate panels, each with its own panel loop and set of fourvertices.

105. Note that your current element is still PANEL 1, which is thesmaller of the two panels. Navigate to the larger panel, PANEL2, and split this along B�B to give a total of three panels.

(Note that you can only split a panel along the axis of an existingelement. To introduce a split line anywhere else, simply create asection where you want the split to occur, split the panel, then deletethe section.)



8.7 Tailoring Panel Edges by Editing IndividualVertices

The edges of the panels which we have created run from vertex tovertex along the centrelines of the beam flanges on which they rest.While this may be an adequate representation for an overall designlayout, you will usually need to detail the edges more accurately forfabrication purposes. To do so, you can add, delete or repositionindividual vertices which define the shape of the panel loop. Tointroduce this concept, we will add intermediate vertices betweenexisting panel corners so that the edges fit round the columns whichintersect them. We will also set a radius for some of the vertices togive rounded corners.

NOTE: When we split our original panel into three, new verticeswere created automatically, so the vertex numbers for thecurrent panels do not correspond to those of the originalpanel. As you insert new vertices, the numbering will changeto accommodate them, so care is needed to check that youare at the correct vertex for each panel editing operation.

Exercise continues:

106. Navigate to the westernmost panel (i.e. that betweenV1�A�A�V4 in the diagram for Step 97) and selectModify>Extrusion/Panel. You will see a Loop Vertex Editorform which lets you modify the shape of the current panel bymanipulating individual vertices, edges between vertices, groupsof vertices, etc. Whatever methods you use for picking newpositions, all vertices are constrained to remain in the plane ofthe panel loop (i.e., the underside of the panel) throughout theseoperations.

Check that the options Settings>Confirm andSettings>Confirm on delete from this form’s menu bar areboth set to On.

The active gadgets on the form, and their titles, change to suitthe current circumstances as you use the form. As displayed now,you will notice that many of the buttons (especially thoserelating to Group and Line operations) are greyed out.



The upper part of the form shows that the current focus is onVertex 1, while the lower part shows the coordinates and filletradius of this vertex, thus:

Navigate to vertex Step throughverticesby picking

The geometry of the current panel in Plan view (not to scale) isas follows:

V1 V4

X

YNew verticesto be inserted

Originat V1

PA N E

L

V5

V6V7

V8

V4V1

V2 V3

We will insert four new vertices between V4 and V1, as shown inthe inset view, so that this panel edge fits round the column(note that V4 comes before V1 when defining this edge, sincevertex numbering is clockwise as viewed in the diagram).

107. Each new vertex is added to the sequence immediately after thecurrent vertex, so first navigate to V4 in either of the followingways:

D Click the ‘select vertex/edge’ button on the Loop VertexEditor form and pick the p--point at V4. Note that, becausethis position is within the column, you might find it easierto switch to wireline mode to see it.



D Use the up/down arrow buttons next to the displayedvertex number to step through the vertex list sequentially.Notice how the current vertex and the edge direction to thenext vertex are shown in the 3D View as you do this.

If you know the number of the vertex you want, you can type itdirectly in the Vertex number field. Do not forget, though, thatthe numbering may change as you edit the list; it is usually saferto pick a vertex graphically.

108. Click the ‘Create points’ button in theMode Selection areaof the Loop Vertex Editor form. Set the Positioning Control toElement Snap and position the vertex at the end of the beamwhich joins the column from the direction of V4. A ‘New vertex’tag is added to the graphical view so that you can check theproposed position; if it is correct, click the Create button at thebottom of the Loop Vertex Editor form to confirm the creation.

Notice that the new vertex is now the current vertex (labelled<5>), ready for the next one to be added after it.

109. Position the next vertex, V6, at the intersection of the corner of

the column with the panel. To do so, click the button again,

set the Positioning Control to Pline Snap, and pick the columnpline which passes through the required point (RBOS or LBOS;see diagram in Section 5.2.1). If you cannot pick the pline youwant, select Settings>Pick Filters>Plines from the mainmenu bar and reset the current filtering rule to No Rule (it isprobably still set to Extremities, as in Step 65).

110. Create V7 and V8 by using similar methods to those in Steps 109and 108, respectively.

Rotate the graphical model as necessary and check that thepanel now incorporates a cut--out which fits round the column,as shown in the diagram at the end of Step 106. At present thepanel edges are abutted against the column flanges. We will nextintroduce a small clearance gap by moving the relevant verticesusing the explicit editing facilities.

111. To change from ‘create mode’ to ‘modify mode’, click the

button and pick V5. Note how its current settings are copied intothe Vertex area at the bottom of the form (X, Y and Radius



text--boxes). To introduce a 10mm clearance, change the settingin the X box by adding 10 (the axes, shown at the panel’s origin,are useful here for checking directions in the panel’s coordinatesystem). Click theModify button to confirm the new setting.

112. Repeat the procedure from Step 111, adding or subtracting asnecessary, to move V6, V7 and V8 to give a 10 mm clearance allround, noting that V6 and V7 must be moved in both the X andY directions.

113. Pick V6 and change the Radius setting from the default of zeroto 15 mm. Update the V6 data to the new setting, then repeatthe process for V7.

The final result will be as follows:

V5

V6V7

V8

PANEL

(Set the view to Look>Down and zoom in to see this in detail.You might find it easier to see the detail if you switch to wirelinemode.)

8.8 Moving Panel Edges to New Positions

So far, we have aligned the panel edges along the centrelines of thebeam flanges on which they are supported. We will now move thepanel edges linking V4�V5 and V8�V1 to the outer edges of thebeams. We will specify the new position by aligning the edge with theappropriate pline of the beam on which it rests (LTOS in the followingdiagram), thus:



V5

V6V7

V8 V4V1

TOS

LTOS

Move edgeMove edgeRTOS

PANEL

Exercise continues:

114. Still using the Loop Vertex Editor form, click the ‘select edge to

modify’ button in theMode Selection area and then pick a

point on the panel near the edge between V4 and V5.

Notice how the upper part of the form now shows the currentfocus as Edge 4, while the lower part shows the coordinates ofthe Start of the edge (i.e. V4) and the length of the edge, thus:

Step throughedges

Navigate to edgeby picking

Notice also that the gadgets in the Line area are now active(they were previously greyed out). These are examples of howthe form changes to suit current circumstances, as mentioned inStep 106.

115. By default, the next modification would be applied only to theStart position of the edge; as shown by the Start option, and thefact that START is tagged in uppercase letters in the 3D View.We want to move the whole edge (that is, we want to move V4and V5 simultaneously), so change the option to Aligned, thus:

Pick the LTOS pline on the top outer edge of the beam and thenclick theModify button to move the panel edge to this position.



116. Select Settings>Tag edges from Loop Vertex Editor menu.Repeat the method of Steps 114 and 115 to move Edge 8(V8�V1) to the outer edge of its supporting beam.

117. Use the same process to move the non--abutting edges of allthree panels to the outer edges of their supporting beams (but donot modify any more edges to fit round columns yet; we will lookat other ways of doing this later).

8.9 Creating Negative Extrusions

In exactly the same way that you position Panel Vertex elements todefine the shape of a 2D Panel Loop and then extrude this by therequired thickness to create a 3D Panel, as illustrated in Section 8.2,so you can also position Vertex (VERT) elements to form a 2D Loop(LOOP) and then extrude this to create a 3D Negative Extrusion(NXTR). The difference is that, as its name implies, the negativeextrusion represents a negative volume, that is, a hole. (We havealready encountered negative volumes used in the cataloguedefinition of a bolted flange, where they were used to remove the endof the section to accommodate the joint and to represent bolt holesthrough both the joint and the flange of its owning column; seeillustration in Step 85.)

A negative extrusion is owned by the panel through which the hole isrequired. When created, its justification is set automatically to be thesame as that of its owning panel, although you can move it later ifnecessary.

We will use this facility to create a hole through the floor plate whereone of the columns passes through it. The negative extrusion willhave the same shape as that created by the interposed vertices (V5�V8)in the preceding diagram, namely:



V4

V1V2

V3

PANEL

NEGATIVEEXTRUSION

Panel V3 Panel V2

NOTE: Vertices V1�V4 in this diagram define the negative extrusion;their numbering is independent of the panel vertices.(Negative extrusion vertices are shown in italic todistinguish them from panel vertices.)

Notice how the outer edge of the negative extrusion (V1�V2)extends beyond the outer edge of the panel to ensure that thehole always penetrates through the panel edge. Similarly, thethickness of the negative extrusion should exceed the thicknessof the panel to ensure that the hole always penetrates completelythrough the panel.

Exercise continues:

118. We will create the negative extrusion where a column passesthrough the midpoint of the easternmost edge of the largestpanel (that is, at the opposite end of the structure from thevertices added in Section 8.7). Navigate to that panel (whichshould be PANEL 3 in theMembers List) and selectCreate>Negative Extrusion. You will see a Create NegativeExtrusion form (similar to the Create Panel form which you usedearlier).

119. To see the negative extrusion volume in the graphical view whenyou create it, select Settings>Graphics>Representation andset Holes Drawn to Off (we set this to On in Step 85; we willsee the effect of this setting in more detail shortly). Set Updateall Graphics to On and OK the change.

120. To achieve the correct justification and orientation for thenegative extrusion relative to its owning panel, click theSurface button in the Settings area of the form, then pick the



upper face of the panel. The hole will penetrate into (or, in ourcase, through) the panel thickness from this surface.

Set Hole Depth (equivalent to the thickness of the negativeextrusion) to 250. This large depth will make it easy to see thevolume of the negative extrusion once you have created it: adepth slightly greater than the panel thickness would normallysuffice, since the application automatically adds 1 mm to ensurethat the hole always cuts through the referenced panel surface.

The settings should now be as follows:

121. Using any combination of the methods which you used to createand modify panel vertices (Sections 8.4 and 8.7), create the fourvertices needed to define the required hole round the column, asshown in the preceding diagram. For ease of positioning, alignV1 and V2 with the outer face of the column (although anyposition beyond the panel edge would be satisfactory). Introducea clearance of 10 mm round the column and set the radii of thetwo vertices within the panel area to 15 mm.

Note that the origin plane of the negative extrusion is its bottomface, as shown by the positions of the graphical aids when youare creating and modifying its vertices.

122. When created, the negative extrusion will appear as an outlinevolume superimposed on the design in the graphical view. If youhave positioned it correctly, its upper face will just protrude fromthe top face of the panel, thus:

Panel

Negativeextrusion

Negativeextrusion

Look>West: Look>North:

V1V2 V2V3

(If not, use the Position>Relatively (BY) menu option to movethe negative extrusion vertically to a position where it cuts bothfaces of the panel.)



123. To see the result of applying the negative volume represented bythe negative extrusion to the positive volume of the panel, revertto Holes Drawn On representation (see Step 119). Notice howthe negative extrusion creates a hole only through its owningpanel; it does not affect the column.

Note the effects of the Holes Drawn setting on the Representationform:

D When Holes Drawn is Off, negative volumes are shown asoutline shapes in the graphical view and can be picked using thecursor (you must pick a visible edge, not an invisible surface).Their effect of removing material from positive (solid) items inthe design is not shown. Use this mode when explicitly creatingor modifying a negative item.

D When Holes Drawn is On, negative volumes are not shownexplicitly in the graphical view and cannot be picked using thecursor (although you can still navigate to them using theMembers List as normal). Only their effect on positive volumesthrough which they pass is visible. Use this mode for normaldesign work to view a realistic 3D representation of the designmodel.

That concludes the addition of simple panels to the structuralframework, including two methods for representing holes in thepanels where they fit round structural members. In the next part ofthe guide, we shall look at ways of adding predefined cataloguefittings to panels.


9 Using Panel Fittings

In this chapter we will introduce the concept of Panel Fittings andthen incorporate such a fitting into our design to represent a manholegiving access through a floor plate.

9.1 How Panel Fittings are Defined

A Single Panel Fitting (PFIT) is a catalogue item which can be usedto represent any type of geometric entity which is to be owned by, andpositioned relative to, a panel. Typically, the catalogue might includepanel fittings representing doors, windows, access manholes, liftinglugs, and so on.

As with the bolted joint which we used earlier, panel fittings canincorporate (or consist entirely of) negative volumes which representholes in their owning panels.

A panel fitting is positioned relative to its owning panel’s origin bysetting its Position (POSI) attribute and is orientated about an axisperpendicular to the panel by setting its Beta Angle (BANG)attribute. It can be justified to align its origin plane with the top face,centre plane, or bottom face of the panel by setting its Justification(SJUS) attribute. As an example, a stylised manhole might be definedlike this:

Z

X

Positive volumerepresenting lid

Negative volumerepresenting holethrough panel

Origin

Beta Angle defines orientationabout Z axis

Origin Planedetermines justificationrelative to panel

Using Panel Fittings


When you create a new panel fitting, it is positioned automatically atthe origin of its owning panel. You can then move it to the requiredposition in any of the standard ways.

9.2 Creating a Panel Fitting

Exercise continues:

124. Navigate to the panel in which you want to insert the manholeand select Create>Fittings>Single. You will see a Create PanelFitting form giving access to all available panel fittingspecifications in the current catalogue. Because we are creatinga new panel fitting, rather than modifying the specification of anexisting one, the form is set to show New Panel Fitting as thecurrent element.

Select the Specification for Standard Access, Access Cover, StandardManhole Access, ACCESS_COVER (probably the only item in the list).

Set the Justification to Top outwards. These options let you specify thepanel plane (top, centre or bottom) to be used as the alignment datum andthe orientation of the fitting relative to this plane, like this:

Topoutwards

Topinwards

Centreoutwards

Centreinwards

Bottominwards

Bottomoutwards

125. By default, the fitting will be positioned at the origin of itsowning panel (as shown by the Position field). We will position

it by eye, using the cursor. Click the ‘Pick Position’ button ,

set the Positioning Control to either Graphics Snap orGraphics Cursor, and pick a point somewhere near the centreof the panel area. OK the Pick Fitting Position form to transferthe coordinates of the picked position to the Create Panel Fittingform, then Apply the latter to create the fitting. The new panelfitting is shown in theMembers List as a PFIT owned by thePANE.

126. With the PFIT as your current element, select Orientate>βAngle>90 Degrees to rotate the fitting within the plane of thepanel. (The default orientation has the Beta Angle set to zero.)

Using Panel Fittings


127. To see the effects of changing the justification, selectModify>Fitting and, on the resultingModify Panel Fittingform, try each of the Justification options in turn. Zoom in andlook at both faces of the panel to see how the negative part of thefitting creates the necessary access hole. Reset whicheverjustification you think is most appropriate before dismissing theform.

NOTE: Sections can also own Fittings (FITTs rather than PFITs inthis case) which can serve a similarly wide range ofpurposes. We will not look explicitly at these in the exercise,but similar principles apply to their creation andmanipulation. You may want to experiment with theseyourself by switching to the Beams & Columns application;see Appendix D.5 for some examples. Note that such a fittingis positioned along its owning section by setting its distancefrom the section’s start (the Zdistance).

More complex fittings may be represented by CompoundFittings, each of which can own a set of Subfittings. You willsee an example of how these may be used when we look atPenetrations in the next chapter.


10 Penetrating One Item With Another

Several of the design applications include the concept of aPenetration to allow one or more items to pass through another suchthat there is a logical link between the penetrating and penetrateditems (in contrast to, say, a negative extrusion which can bepositioned and dimensioned independently of any item which passesthrough it or through which it passes). In this chapter we will use thisfacility to show yet another way of creating a hole in a panel where asection passes through it.

10.1 How a Penetration is Defined

Each type of penetration is a selectable catalogue item whosedimensions are parameterised in such a way that they can be derivedautomatically from the dimensions of the component which passesthrough the hole. You can modify the final dimensions by specifyingclearance distances etc. to allow for any special requirements of thelocal design geometry.

Such a penetration can be used where pipes or sections pass througha panel, or, with some restrictions, through a section. The elementtypes used to represent a panel penetration are as follows:

D The point along a pipe at which it passes through a penetrationis represented by an Attachment (ATTA) element owned by theappropriate Branch.

D The point along a section at which it passes through apenetration is represented by a Fitting (FITT) element.

D The point at which a penetration is positioned through a panelis represented by a Compound Panel Fitting (CMPF) elementwhich owns a separate Subfitting (SBFI) for each associatedpenetrating item.

Penetrating One Item With Another


When you create a panel penetration, the application sets up cross--references between the ATTA or FITT and the CMPF/SBFI, like this:

ATTA owned

SBFI owned

PanelBranch

by CMPF;

by Branch

FITT ownedby Section

PanelSection

CREF of ATTA points to SBFICREF of SBFI points to ATTA

CREF of FITT points to SBFICREF of SBFI points to FITT

CMPF ownedby panel

SBFI ownedby CMPF;CMPF ownedby panel

(These diagrams show only single penetrations, where each CMPFowns just one SBFI. For a multiple penetration, each CMPF wouldown one SBFI for each penetrating pipe or section.)

For our present purposes, we will consider only the case of astructural section passing through a panel, so we will be concernedwith specifying a FITT and a SBFI for each penetration.

10.2 Creating a Steelwork Penetration

Our design model currently looks like this (bracing members andmanhole omitted for clarity), showing the two methods so far used forallowing columns to pass through panels:

NU

E

Negativeextrusion

Vertices fittedround column

Penetrationto go here

PANEL 1 PANEL 2 PANEL 3

We will now add a penetration, as indicated in the above diagram, toallow the column to pass through the corner of Panel 1.



Exercise continues:

128. You can create a penetration for a section through a panel eitherfrom the Beams & Columns application or from the Panels &Plates application. The choice depends on which element is to bedominant in determining the penetration’s position andgeometry; that is, whether it is the section or the panel which isto be regarded as the owner of the penetration. Here we wantthe penetration to be owned by the section, so change to theBeams & Columns application.

129. Select Utilities>Steelwork Penetration. This starts theSteelwork Penetration subapplication, whose menu bar will bedisplayed in addition to the existing Beams & ColumnsApplication menu. Both menus are active: one gives access to thegeneral steelwork design functions, the other accesses thosefunctions specific to penetration design.

130. From the Steelwork Penetration Application menu, selectCreate>Penetration. You will see a Create Section Penetrationsform.

This form requires you to specify four types of data:

D Whether the penetration is to allow for a single penetrating item orfor multiple items.

D How you want to identify the panel(s) through which the penetrationis to pass (the penetrated items).

D How you want to identify the section(s) which are to pass throughthe penetration (the penetrating items).

D The default specification of the catalogue penetration which is to beused (the first penetration in the selected specification will be usedby default).

Set the Penetration Type option to Single Penetration.

Set both the Elements to be penetrated and Elements thatpenetrate options to Pick using cursor, showing that you willidentify each item individually by picking it in the graphicalview.

Set the Defaults: Spec. option to Penetrations.



Set the Confirm before penetrating button to On and clickApply. You will be prompted to ‘Identify item to be penetrated’.Pick the panel and Escape the next prompt. When prompted to‘Identify items that penetrate’, pick the column and Escape thenext prompt. Check that the picked intersection point is correct,as tagged in the 3D view, and confirm the creation of thepenetration.

131. You will now see a Penetration Item List form; this is displayedautomatically so that you can complete the specification of thepenetration elements. It shows all data settings relevant to thepenetrating item (FITT) and the penetrated item (or hole; SBFI).

The upper scrollable list acts as a specific members list for therapid selection of, and navigation to, elements relevant topenetrations. It displays the penetrating and penetrated items ina hierarchic (indented) format. Leave the Show option set toItems. The List option controls how the hierarchy is sorted.Since our penetration is owned by the section rather than by thepanel, the options work as follows: Penetrating Items --Owner lists all FITTs for each section; Penetrating Items --Attached lists all FITTs for each panel (grouped by CMPF),thus:

(We have only a single penetration, so the difference here is lesssignificant than when you have several penetrations.) SelectPenetrating Items -- Owner.

The middle list, labelled Penetrating Item, shows the relevantattribute settings for the current FITT (as selected in the upperlist). It is in this list that you select the settings which you wantto modify.



The lower list, labelled Hole Information, shows the relevantattribute settings for the SBFI which is referenced from thecurrent FITT. This data is shown for reference only; we will seehow to modify it later.

Set the Navigate on selection button to On. Any item pickedin the upper list will then automatically become the currentelement in the normal Members List.

132. We have only one FITT which we can modify, so select this in theupper list. Its relevant attribute settings appear as follows:

We want to set the specification, so select SpecRef in this list(the > symbol shows that this is an editable entry). You will see aModify Fitting form.

From the list of fitting specifications displayed, select SteelSections, Steel Sections, Rectangular, PENI/RECT. Set theJustification to NAL or NAR (it does not matter which). TheZdist(ance), which determines the position of the fitting alongits owning section, is set automatically from the calculatedpenetration coordinates; leave this value as it appears. Leave theBeta Angle (which determines the orientation of the fittingabout the section) at the default value of 0.

Click the Properties button. The resultingModify Propertiesform lets you set the local geometry for the fitting (similar to theway in which we specified joint details in Step 84). Set theX--Clearance and Y--Clearance to 20 so that the fittingextends beyond the section extremities by 20mm in eachdirection. Leave the X--Offset and Y--Offset set to zero, so thatthe fitting is centred on the section’s neutral axis. OK thesesettings and Apply theModify Fitting form.

When you have finished setting the specification for the FITT,Dismiss the Penetration Item List form and its associated forms.



133. Having fully specified the part of the penetration which relatesto the penetrating section (the FITT), we must now do the samefor the part which relates to the penetrated panel (the CMPFand its SBFI).

Navigate to the panel and selectModify>Penetrations fromthe Steelwork Penetration Application menu. The resultingPenetration Display form lets you specify whether you want tomodify penetrating or penetrated items: select ListPenetration Holes and click Apply. You will see a PenetrationList form. This is very similar to the Penetration Item List formwhich you used in the preceding step, except that the lists arenow based on the CMPF and SBFI data rather than the FITTdata. The ‘navigation’ lists now look like this, so theowner/attached definitions have been reversed when comparedwith the equivalent lists shown in Step 131:

Note that the middle list now shows Hole Information readyfor modification, while the lower list now shows PenetratingItem data for the referenced FITT.

134. Select the SBFI in the upper list. Before we modify the SBFI’sspecification, we need to ensure that it is correctly aligned withthe FITT from which it is to derive some of its settings. To dothis, select Position>Align with Ref. from the SteelworkPenetration Application menu.

135. Select SpecRef in the middle list to show theModify PanelFitting form. Set the specification to Hole Penetrations, HolePenetrations, Rectangular, PENH/FITT/RECT2.

Click the Properties button to display theModify Propertiesform for the dimensions of the hole. Although you could set



X--Length and Y--Length explicitly to match those of thepenetrating item, there is an easier way of doing this by copyingthe data automatically from the referenced item (namely theFITT). Leave all properties at their default values of zero andOK/Apply the forms to set the SpecRef.

136. From the Steelwork Penetration Application menu, selectModify>Copy like ref. The effect is to change the attributes ofthe current SBFI to match the corresponding settings of theFITT to which it refers. In this case, the effect is to set the X andY dimensions of the SBFI to be compatible with those of theFITT. To check this, look at the Ref Data settings shown in theHole Information list on the Penetration List form:

137. Close all of the forms relating to penetrations and zoom in for aclose inspection of the new penetration. Save your designchanges to conclude this part of the exercise.

In the next part of the exercise, we will look at some ways of checkingthe design model and outputting some design data derived from thedatabase settings.


11 Checking and Outputting Design Data

To ensure maximum design integrity, the structural applications letyou check the data in several ways so that any potential mistakes aredrawn to your attention. In this chapter we will look at one of thesechecking facilities, namely the method of checking for clashes (spatialinterferences) between design elements.

Finally, we will look at three ways of outputting design data derivedfrom the structural model: the generation of a tabulated reportshowing the material required to build the design (categorised bysection profile); the analysis of some mass properties of the steelworkmembers (centre of gravity, surface area and weight calculations); andthe creation of a plot showing the structural layout.

NOTE: The facilities which we will be using here are available fromboth the Beams & Columns and the Panels & Platesapplications (from all design applications, in fact), so it doesnot matter which application you are currently using.

Checking and Outputting Design Data


11.1 Checking for Clashes

The types of clash identified depend on two factors:

D The obstruction levels of the clashing elements

D The current touch and clearance tolerances

Obstruction Levels

All design primitives and all catalogue primitives have an obstructionattribute (OBST) which defines the physical type of obstruction whichthe primitive represents:

D A hard obstruction (OBST=2) represents a rigid andimpenetrable object, such as a steel beam or a plant vessel.

D A soft obstruction (OBST=1) represents a volume which is notsolid but which needs to be kept clear for access.

D Any primitive with OBST=0 represents a freely accessiblevolume and is ignored for clash checking purposes.

Extent Of Clashing

As well as distinguishing between hard and soft clashing items, thechecking utility recognises three categories of clash between them,depending on how far the two primitives intrude on each other’sallocated space. These categories are:

D A physical clash: the primitive volumes overlap by more than aspecified amount. This usually means that a definiteinterference exists.

D A touch: the primitives either overlap by less than the amountneeded to cause a clash or are separated at their closest point byless than a specified distance. This may simply mean that oneitem is resting upon another as intended, or it may indicate aproblem.

D A clearance: the primitives are separated at their closest pointby more than the amount necessary to constitute a touch but lessthan a specified clearance distance. This represents a ‘nearmiss’, which you may want to investigate.

These three classes are illustrated below for the clash specifications:

Touch limits: 5mm overlap to 2mm gap

Clearance limit: 8mm



so that the following criteria apply:

D If the items overlap by more than 5mm, a clash is reported

D If the items overlap by less than 5mm, a touch is reported

D If the items do not overlap but are separated by less than 2mm,a touch is reported

D If the items are separated by more than 2mm but less than 8mm,a clearance is reported

D If the items are separated by more than 8mm, no interference isfound

overlap > 5mm overlap < 5mm 2mm < gap < 8mm

A Physical Clash Touches A Clearance

gap < 2mm

The Clash Detection Process

Each element which is to be checked for clashes has its own geometrychecked against that of all other elements which are specified by acurrent obstruction list. Items which are not in the obstruction listare ignored during the clash checking operations. By default, theobstruction list includes all elements in the database, so that eachelement to be clash checked is tested against every other element. Tocontrol the amount of checking carried out in a large database, youcan restrict the obstruction list to a few specific elements and/or youcan specify a 3D volume (the clash limits) within which the clashchecking is to be confined.

To highlight the locations where clashes are found, the clashing andobstruction items are shown in contrasting colours in the graphicalview (two shades of red, by default).

Exercise continues:

138. We will start by using the defaults for all clash checkingsettings. To see what these are, select Settings>Clasher>Defaults to display the Clash Defaults form. Think about the



meaning of each setting shown (refer to the precedingintroduction; ignore the reference to ‘Branch’, which relates topiping designs only); then Cancel the form.

139. We will check the westernmost panel (PANEL 1) for clashesagainst all other elements in the test framework. The defaultobstruction list (all elements in the current design database) willinclude the regular structure created in Chapter 6, so we mustedit the list to remove this. To do so, select Settings>Clasher>Obstruction>List. You will see an Add/Remove ObstructionItems form which is used in a similar way to theMembers+Drawform (as introduced in Step 12). Remove all current entries andthen Add the framework /TESTFRMW.

140. Navigate to the panel which you want to check and selectUtilities>Clashes. You will see a Clash Display form. Theleft--hand side of this form controls the clash checking process;the right--hand side consists of a 3D view in which you can lookin detail at any clashes diagnosed. Select Control>Check CEfrom the form’s menu bar to run the clash checking process and,when completed, study the Clash List which shows all clashesfound.

You will see a hard--hard (HH) clash at both points where thepanel has a column passing through it, and a hard--hard touchwhere the panel rests on each of its seven supporting beams andwhere it abuts the adjacent panel. To see a summary of allclashes found, select Query>Clash>Summary from the form’smenu. The resulting Summary form shows the total number ofclashes in each category:

Note, in particular, that there are no clashes where the panelhas been modified to fit round the columns.



141. To study any clash in detail, select the corresponding line in theClash List and then select Query>Clash>Detail. The ClashDetail form shows the extent of the clash, the identities of boththe clashing and obstruction items, and the calculated positionat which the clash was diagnosed.

Notice how the clashing items are highlighted in differentcolours in the graphical view. To change these colours, displaythe Clash Defaults form again (as in Step 138) and choose thecolours you want to use.

142. Experiment with some of the other options on the Clash Displaymenus and then close the form.

NOTE: If the Auto Clash button is set to On, thus: , each newelement that you create is checked immediately for clashesas the design is built up. This can slow down progress whenyou are adding many new elements, but is very useful whenyou want to add a few new items to an existing design whichhas already been checked for clashes.

11.2 Generating a Data Output Report

The reporting utility lets you read selected types of information fromthe design database and present the output in a convenient tabulatedformat. Each report can be customised by specifying some or all of thefollowing:

D Where the output is to appear (on the screen or in a file ready forprinting).

D Any introductory header which is to appear at the beginning ofthe report.

D The page length (if the report is to be paginated).

D The page layout, including number and positions of columns,column headings, etc.

D Any headers and footers which are to appear at the top andbottom of each page.

D The selection criteria which define which data settings are to beincluded in the report.



Once such a report has been designed, its specification can be savedfor future use in the form of a report template file. The ways inwhich you define how a given report is to be generated and presentedare beyond the scope of this exercise, but we will look at the results ofthe process by using a pre--prepared template which outputs amaterial take--off list for each type of steel profile used in our design.(You will probably use your company’s standard templates for mostreports anyway, in which case this is the method you would normallyuse in practice.)

Exercise continues:

143. Select Utilities>Reports>Run to initiate the reporting process.You will see a File Browser listing all files in the currentreporting directory (specified by your System Administrator aspart of the project setting--up procedure). Select the...\REPORTS\TEMPLATES directory. All files with a .tmp suffixare report templates. Select steel_mto.tmp, which has beendesigned to produce a material take--off report for steelworksections. Click OK on the File Browser.

144. To run the report defined by the chosen template, you mustspecify two things (as determined by the rules within thetemplate): where the report is to appear, and what part of thedatabase hierarchy is to be read when extracting the requiredtypes of data. When you OK the File Browser to specify thetemplate, a Report Details form will appear which lets you dothis.

Leave the Filename text--box empty (which will send the reportto the screen automatically). In the Hierarchy text--box, enter/TESTFRMW, since we want to list the material take--off for thewhole of the design model. Click OK to run the report.

145. The tabulated report output will be displayed in a CommandOutput window which is opened automatically, like this:



This report shows the total cut length for each of the steelprofiles used in the design and the number of lengths into whicheach profile is divided. (Do not worry if part of the headingseems inappropriate for your project; this wording is written intothe template simply as an example of the type of heading whichyou might want to use.)

11.3 Querying Mass Properties

You can calculate the surface area, volume, mass and the position ofthe centre of gravity (CofG) of a structural item from a knowledge ofits geometry and the properties of the material from which it is made.The calculation can be set to derive either a gross or a net result; forexample:

D Gross weight is the weight of material needed before anynegative geometry (such as end preparations) is applied. Thisdata is appropriate for material cost estimating etc.

D Net weight is the weight of material after any negativegeometry is applied. This data is appropriate for determiningas--built weights for loading calculations, transport planning etc.

(The detailed way in which positive and negative geometry is used incalculations is determined by the Representation Level settings.These are beyond the scope of this introduction and we will use thedefault levels throughout this exercise.)



In the same way that the geometry of a section profile, joint, fittingetc. is specified by setting the design element’s SpecRef attribute torefer to an entry in a Catalogue database (as explained in Section5.1), so its material properties are specified by setting itsMaterialReference (MatRef) attribute to refer to an appropriate entry in aProperties database. It is the material density which is thesignificant property used in the mass calculations.

In the next steps of the exercise, we will first specify the material foreach structural element in our design model and will then use thisdata to derive some mass--related details.

Exercise continues:

146. We will specify the same material for all structural items(sections, joints, fittings, panels etc.), so first navigate to thesubframework TESTSBFR and then selectModify>Materialfrom the main menu. You will see a Set Material form listing allavailable material specifications in the Properties database.

Leave the option set to CE and set Cascade Material to alloffspring to On. (The latter will set the MatRef for all elementsbelow the current subframework to the selected materialautomatically.)

From theMaterials list, select GR275 (density 7850.00 Kg/M3)and click Apply. The whole framework will be highlighted in thegraphical view to show that all design elements have beenselected for modification to the selected material. Confirm thechange.

147. Select Query>Mass Properties. You will see aMass Propertiesform which lets you make all necessary calculations based on thecurrent material density. Set the upper option to CE (still atsubframework level), set the Results option to Gross, and clickApply.

The calculated gross surface area, volume and mass for thewhole subframework will be shown in theMass Properties list,together with the position of the centre of gravity. The centre ofgravity will also be tagged in the graphical view.



148. Change the Results option to Net, set the Append to listbutton to On (so that you can compare the next result with theexisting one in the list), and click Apply again. Note thedifference between the calculated net and gross weights; thissmall difference is due to the material removed for jointallowances, panel cut--outs, etc.

149. Set the upper option to Pick, click Apply, and perform similarcalculations for individual items or groups of items which youpick using the cursor. (Use Escape to terminate each pickingsequence in the usual way.)

11.4 Plotting the Design Model

PDMS’s drawing module provides very powerful facilities forgenerating annotated and dimensioned plots of all or part of thedesign model. We will use just a small part of this power to producean isometric plot of our structural layout using default settings only.

Exercise continues:

In order for the drawing facilities to apply the correct rules forrepresenting structural items, we must set a design attribute whichwill tell the drawing module how to interpret the design data. Theattribute used for this purpose is the Function attribute of theparent Zone.

150. Navigate to the Zone which you created in Step 6 (/TESTZONE)and selectModify>Attributes. You will see aModify Attributesform listing the current settings for the Zone. The Functionattribute will probably say unset; it is this setting which weneed to change.

Select the Function line in the list. You will see a smallFunction form showing the current setting. Edit the text toreplace unset by Steelwork. OK/Apply the changes.

We must now switch from the DESIGN module, which we have beenusing to create the design model, to the DRAFT drawing module.



151. Select Design>Modules>Draft>Macro Files.

When the DRAFT applications have been loaded from theirmacro files, you will see the DRAFT General menu bar and toolbar, and an empty 2D view window (theMain Display, analogousto the 3D View which we have been using in DESIGN), thus:

Drawing sheet will

be displayed here

We must next set up an administrative hierarchy to define how plotsare to be stored (in a real project this would probably have been donefor you already). The parts of the hierarchy with which we areconcerned here are as follows:



DEPARTMENT

REGISTRY(REGI)

(DEPT)

DRAWING(DRWG)

SHEET(SHEE)

LIBRARY(LIBY)

Standard symbols, annotations etc.

VIEW

Design database elements to be drawn

LIBRARY(LIBY)

152. Select Create>Department and name the elementSTRUCDEPT. Click OK. You will now see a DepartmentInformation form. Attributes set at Department level arecascaded down to all lower levels. To set them, click theAttributes button to display a Department Attributes form. Onthe latter form:

D Select the A4 drawing sheet size (note that this sets theWidth and Height automatically).

D Leave all pen definitions, hatch patterns and terminators attheir default settings.

D From the Ruleset Reference options, select/DRA/PRJ/REPR/GEN/STRU.

D Set Backing Sheet Reference to Reference and select/DRA/MAS/BACKS/MET/A4_Land. This will applystandard borders and data areas to all drawings created inthis Department.

The settings should now look like this:



D Click Apply, then Dismiss.

Check that the Create Registry button on the DepartmentInformation form is set to On and OK this form. You will see aCreate REGI form.

153. Name the Registry STRUCREGI and click OK. You will see aRegistry Information form. Note that all attribute settings forthe Registry have been copied from its owning Department (anyindividual attribute cascaded in this way can be overwritten at alower level if required).

Set Create Drawing to On and select Explicitly. Click OK.You will see a Create DRWG form.

154. Name the Drawing STRUCDRWG and click OK. You will see aDrawing Definition form. Enter the Title as Structural View.Note that the Date and Drawn By entries are derivedautomatically from your system log--in data. Click Apply, thenDismiss.



That completes the setting up of the drawing administrationhierarchy; we are now in a position to define the content of a drawingsheet ready for viewing and plotting.

155. Select Create>Sheet>Explicitly and OK the Create SHEEform. TheMain Display view will show the backing sheetspecified in Step 152. You will also see a Sheet Definition form.Note that all settings have been cascaded down fromDepartment level. Click Apply, then Dismiss.

The detailed design data, extracted directly from the Design database,is applied to the sheet in the form of individual Views.

156. Select Create>View>User--defined and OK the resulting form.A User-defined View form will be displayed, and a defaultrectangle will be added to theMain Display to show where thedesign data for this view will be plotted.

We will plot a single view on the sheet, so we will first resize thedefault view area to fill the available space. To do so, selectFrame>Size>Cursor from the User-Defined View menu and,when prompted, pick points just inside the top--left andbottom--right corners of the drawing area within the backingsheet layout.

On the User-defined View form, enter the Title as ISO3 View;set the Type to Global Hidden Line; and set the Direction toISO3 (select this using the options from the middle Directiongadget).

The part(s) of the design model which are to be plotted arespecified by means of a drawlist (similar to the way in which thecontent of a 3D View was specified in DESIGN). SelectGraphics>Drawlist from the User-Defined View menu todisplay the Drawlist Management form. In the Reference ListMembers list, navigate to the subframework holding the designmodel (/TESTSBFR) and click the Add button to add it to thedrawlist.



We must now set the drawing scale so that the plotted modelrepresentation fits sensibly into the area available on the sheet.First click the Auto Scale button on the User-Defined View formand notice how the precisely calculated scale is displayed in theadjacent text--box. To modify this to the nearest smaller standardscale, click the Nearest button. The chosen standard scale willnow be displayed (e.g. 1/200). Click Apply to implement the newscale calculation. The final settings will look something like this:

Click the Update Design button to plot the drawlist element(s)in theMain Display at the chosen scale, thus:



This is as far as we will go with Draft in this exercise, although thefull range of 2D drafting facilities available is extensive, allowing youto add dimensioning and labelling data derived directly from thedesign model, and to add any other specific 2D annotation which yourequire.

In the next, and final, chapter, we will look at some of the facilitiesavailable for creating and modifying some nonlinear structural designelements.


12 Adding Some Curved Steelwork

So far we have built our design model entirely from straight steelworksections. In this final chapter we will add some nonlinear sections.

In order to provide some reference points for use when routing acurved section, we will construct a temporary working grid.

12.1 How PDMS Represents Curved Sections

Curved structural items are represented by Generic Section(GENSEC) elements, the geometry of which is defined by sweeping a2D catalogue profile along a path. This path is represented by aSpine element, owned by the GENSEC, whose route is specified interms of a sequence of member Spine Points (POINSP) andCurves. For example:

= SPINE

= POINSPStart POINSP

End POINSP

PROFILE

CURVE

CURVE

The Beams & Columns application menu provides options for creatingtwo versions of the GENSEC:A ring section, restricted to an arc of a circle (up to a full circle),comprising two Spine Points separated by a single Curve.

A more general curved section, comprising any number of SpinePoints and Curves.

Adding Some Curved Steelwork


12.2 Creating a Semicircular Platform

In order to demonstrate the principles, we will create a semicircularring section which projects out from our existing structure. The endsof the ring section will be positioned near the ends of the topmostbeam at the western end of the structure, and it will be supportedfrom below by two straight sections, like this (only sections shown,not panels):

180ºRingSection

Existingdiamondbracing

N

E

Start

End

Support

Support

Looking Down:

U

N

Existingcrossbracing

Looking East:

Inset 100

Start

End EndInset 100

Exercise continues:

157. In the Beams & Columns application, set the default profilespecification to British Standard, Equal Angle, 70x70x10.0,



with Justification,Member Line and Joint Line all set toNA.

158. From the main menu bar, select Create>Sections>Ring. Youwill see a Ring Section form, the buttons on which provide manydifferent ways of specifying the section’s geometry.

We do not want to create a full circle, so set Circle Definition:Arc to On.

We will define the path of the section (the GENSEC’s Spine) bypicking the two positions at its ends plus a third point whichspecifies how the arc is directed (that is, whether it curvestowards the East or the West). The diameter of the circle will bederived automatically from the distance between the first two

positions. To do this, click the ‘Derived diameter’ button

(fourth button, second row).

To define the start of the ring section (prompt says ‘Define ...first point’), set the Positioning Control to Pline, Distance 100and pick near the southern end of the NA pline of the beam. Youwill probably need to unset the pline picking rules(Settings>Pick Filters>Plines)and zoom in very close todistinguish between the plines.

To define the end (prompt says ‘Define ... second point’), use thesame procedure at the northern end of the same pline.

The third prompt says ‘Define ... control point’. The point youpick will determine the plane in which the ring section lies (theplane through all three points) and the direction in which thesection curves (depends on the position of the third point relativeto the line joining the first two points). We want the ring sectionto lie in a horizontal plane and to curve towards the west, so pickany point on the NAR pline of the beam. (This has the sameelevation as the NA pline and lies to its west.)

159. We will now create two straight sections which run from themid--point of the beam below the ring section, and which supportthe ring section at points equispaced along its length (as shownin the preceding diagram).



Select Create>Sections>Straight. Both sections will have thesame start point, so on the Section form set String Method toRadial. Set the Positioning Control to Pline,Mid--Point andpick the TOS pline of the lower beam.

To position the upper ends of the two supports, set thePositioning Control to Element, Fraction 3 and pick the ringsection twice, about one third of its length from each end, thenEscape.

You may, if you wish, modify the angle sections to give morerealistic geometry at their ends, although the currentconfiguration is adequate for our present purpose.

160. We will complete the semicircular platform by positioning a floorplate inside the supporting angle section.

Change to the Panels & Plates application. SelectCreate>Panel.

On the Create Panel form, set Thickness to 20 andJustification to Centre. We will define the panel boundary bypicking points around the ring section (GENSEC) whose shape itis to follow. Click the ‘Derived arc passing through three points’

button .

Pick the three points defining the panel boundary as follows:

S First point: snap to one end of GENSEC.

S Second point: snap to mid--point of GENSEC.

S Third point: snap to other end of GENSEC.

Escape the next prompt. The 3D View will show a circle, half ofwhich follows the ring section, as a construction aid. Notice that,although you have only picked three points, the message ‘4vertices defined’ is shown. These vertices are positioned thus:



First pick

Second pick

Third pickV1 V4

V2 V3

fillet radius fillet radius

Click OK to complete the panel creation.

12.3 Creating a Runway Beam with Multiple Curves

To demonstrate how you can create and modify a section whichfollows a multiply--curved path, we will position an overhead runwaybeam along the southern end of the structure, thus:

= existing structure= working grid (1000mm spacing)= runway beam (curved section)

N

E

Gridorigin

Y

X 6 12 20

7

Start

End

The upper face of the runway beam will, for convenience, bepositioned against the lower faces of the beams from which it issuspended. In practice, you would probably want to interpose hangersor bolted flanges to support the runway beam.



To make it easier to position the points and curves defining theGENSEC’s spine, we will first create a horizontal working grid as aworking aid (as shown in the diagram).

Exercise continues:

12.3.1 Defining a Working Grid

161. From the Beams & Columns Application menu, selectUtilities>Working Plane. The resulting Working Plane formlets you define a plane onto which all graphical picks will beprojected, with an optional grid superimposed on the plane tohelp you position graphical picks without needing to refer toexisting parts of the design model.

From the Working Plane form’s menu, select Define>LinearGrid. The resulting Working Plane - Linear Grid form lets youdefine the number and spacing of the grid lines, and the positionand orientation of the grid’s plane. Set both the X and YSpacing to 1000 and enter the Number of visible lines as 40.(The grid behaves as though it is of infinite size; this settingcontrols only the size of the grid shown in the 3D View.)

162. The default position of the plane’s centre and its orientation areshown by the blue square in the 3D View. Leave theOrientation as it is (Y is N, Z is U, X is E). We want theelevation of the plane to be at the lower faces of the beams, so setthe Positioning Control to Pline, Intersect and pick the BOSplines for the two beams which meet at the required origin (seepreceding diagram). The Position should be East 0, North 0,Up 4696.6 (the latter is the height of the column less the depthof the beam).

Click the Preview button to see the grid in the 3D View. Set theDetail toggle to On and click Preview again to number the gridlines. OK the Working Plane - Linear Grid form.

163. On the Working Plane form, set the Active and Visible togglesto On (so that the grid will be both effective and visible in thegraphical view).

Set theWorking Grid Snap to On, which means that when youlater pick positions on the grid, the picked point will alwayssnap to the grid intersection nearest to the cursor position.



Select Control>Close from the Working Plane form’s menu tocomplete the operation.

12.3.2 Creating a Curved Section

NOTE: In the following steps, we will identify positions along the path of thespine by their (X,Y) coordinates on the working grid; for example, (X20, Y0) is the position of the south--eastern corner of the overallstructure.

164. Set the default profile specification to British Standard,Joists, 203x152x52kg/m. Set the Justification to TOS, so thatthe upper face of the runway beam will coincide with theworking plane and, therefore, with the undersides of thesupporting beams. (See generic type DINI in Appendix D.3 for adiagram of a similar profile.)

165. Select Create>Sections>Curved. You will see a Curved Sectionform, the buttons on which provide various ways of specifyingthe path of the section’s spine. Because our section follows acomplex path which does not conform to the simplified standardgeometry provided by most of the buttons, we will use afree--form definition which will let us build up any sequence of

spine points and curves. Click the ‘Free definition’ button .

Notice that theWorking Plane toggle at the left--hand side ofthe Positioning Control form is now set to On. This provides away of switching the working plane on or off without having todisplay theWorking Plane form each time. The red highlight onthe toggle button is intended as a reminder when the workingplane is active, since you can get unexpected results if you forgetit is on when you make graphical picks.

166. You are now in event--driven graphics mode, ready to pick thesequence of positions which will define the spine. Set thePositioning Control to Screen, Snap. Any cursor pick you makewill be projected onto the working plane and will then snap tothe nearest grid intersection point (remember that you setWorking Grid Snap to On when you defined the grid in Step163). If you make a mistake at any stage, the Undo button onthe Curved Section form lets you delete one or more points inreverse order.



With reference to the grid coordinates, pick position (X0, Y2) todefine the start (origin) of the GENSEC.

Set the Radius to 2000 and pick (X4, Y2) to define the positionof the first curve.

With Radius still set to 2000, pick the following positions, inthis order: (X4, Y6), (X8, Y6), (X8, Y2), (X18, Y2), (X18, Y6),(X20, Y6). When you pick the last position, you will be warnedthat it is not possible to fit in a curve with 2000 radius so close tothe preceding position and will be asked if this represents theend point: click Yes to complete the operation. Close the CurvedSection form.

12.3.3 Modifying a Curved Section

167. To demonstrate how easily you can modify a curved section, wewill reroute part of the runway beam as follows:

= modified path

Y

X6 12 20

7

0

= original path

Start

End

1

1 = curve number (at new fillet position)

4 5

Check that the new GENSEC is the current element and selectModify>Sections>Definition. You will see aModify Section(Curved) form which lets you edit the position and/or radius foreach individual point/curve in the spine.

Set the first Spine Point option to Start and pick the new startposition at (X0, Y1). Click theModify button to implement themove.



Change the first Spine Point option to Curve and set thesecond Spine Point option (up/down arrows) to 1. Move Curve1 to (X4, Y1), leaving its Radius set to 2000.

NOTE: The graphical aids show the position and radius of the current andadjacent curves as you modify the spine shape. The X and YAttributes on the Modify Section (Curved) form show the coordinatesrelative to the GENSEC’s origin (start), not in terms of the workinggrid positions.

Move Curve 4 to (X8, Y1) and change its Radius to 3000.

Select Curve 5 and change the third Spine Point option fromFillet to Centre:

Notice how the graphical aid now shows the radius centre at(X16, Y4) instead of the radius fillet at (X18, Y2). Move thecentre to (X15, Y4), pressModify, then change the Radius to3000.

The latter operation illustrates the two ways of specifying acurve’s position:

Centre position

Fillet position

Radius

168. Repeat the clash checks which you carried on the earlier versionof the design model in Section 11.1. Think about the reasons forthe extra clashes which are diagnosed for the current design.

169. Save your design changes and exit from PDMS.

12.4 Conclusion

That concludes both the tutorial exercise and this introduction tosome of the ways in which PDMS and the Cadcentre structural



applications can help you in your design work. We hope that workingthrough this book has given you an insight into the potential power ofPDMS and that you will have gained sufficient confidence to exploresome of the more advanced options on your own.

For further technical details, refer to the sources of information listedin Appendix E.

If you have not already done so, you are strongly advised to attendone or more of the specialised PDMS training courses, which willshow you how to get the maximum benefits from the product in yourown working environment (see Section 1.3).


Part IIIReference Appendices

A--1Structural Design Using VANTAGE PDMSVersion 11.4

A The Menu Hierarchies

This appendix shows the principal menu hierarchies in a quick--reference format, to allow you to find the option you want rapidly.

A.1 The Beams & Columns Application Menus

Design

General...Equipment...

Save Work

ModulesExit

HVAC Designer...Structures >

ASL Modeller...

Display

Graphical View

Save >Restore >

Forms & DisplayForms & Display As...Forms As...Display As...

Forms & DisplayForms & Display From...Forms From...Display From...

Panels & Plates...

Command Line...

Members...Plot View...

Advanced Members...

Hangers & Supports...

Get Work

Cable Trays...

View Control...

Design Templates...

Session Comment...

>

Draft

CompareMonitor...

Spooler

Specon

ExportIsodraft

Paragon

Propcon

>>>>>>

Macro Files...

Default Binary...User’s Binary...

Select Binary...

Drawlist...

Admin...Lexicon*

*

Note: These modules are available only if you are logged in as a Free user (e.g. System)*

Pipework...

Walls & Floors...Extract Control...

Saint...

The Menu Hierarchies

A--2 Structural Design Using VANTAGE PDMSVersion 11.4

Query

General...

Properties...Attributes...

Settings

Units...

GraphicsSystem...

Storage Areas...

>

Defaults...Obstruction >

List...Limits...

Naming...

>

Note: These options are available only if you are logged in as a Design administrator.*

Tolerances...

DB Changes...Project >

Axes...Measure Distance...

Status...Users...

MDBs...

Teams...DBs...

View...Representation...Colour...

Properties...Clasher

Draft Edge Defaults...

Purposes

>

>

Check Defaults... Define...Relationships...

*

*

*

Utilities

Data Consistency...

> CE onlyCE offspring

Data Checker...Clashes...Autonaming

Lists... Run...Create...Modify...Delete...

Beams & Columns...

Claimlists...

Run...Create...Modify...Delete...Dump Attributes...Select Driver...

DB Listing...ReportsQuick Reports...Export

>

>

Constructs...

Reference Data...

Auto Clash

End Connections...

Picking...

Unmark sectionMark section

Pick Filters >

Plines...Ppoints...

Elements...

Working Plane...

Steelwork Penetration...

Mass Properties...

Aid CE Arrow...

User Rights...



Create

Structure...

Site...Zone...

Copy

Framework...Sub--Frame...Sections

Fitting

Offset...> Rotate...Mirror...

Group...

Modify

Sections >Joints...Fitting

>

Specification...

Justification...

Joint Line...

Split...

>

Merge...

Definition...

Specification...Position Line...Joint Line...

Position Line...

Attributes...

Like >

picked elementcurrent elementCE into list

Name...

Lock...HierarchyGroup...

>

CutPlane...

Include...Reverse Order...Reorder...

Delete

CE

Name...Members > Selection...

AllTidy Joints...Tidy Nodes...

Identified

Bracing Gap...

Material...

Compound Joint...

Joint Like > Maintain PlineUse copied Pline

Attributes Global...

List

Member Line...

PNode at SCTN End

>

Straight...

Bracing Configurations...

Specials...

Mitre Ends

Multiple attached...

Splice...

>Single...Compound...

Properties...

Sub--Compound...

Re--evaluate RulesUnlink from Original

Curved...

Definition...

Ring...

Draft Edge Drawing...

Angle...



Position

Explicitly (AT)...Relatively (BY)...

Axes...

>Angle --180 Degrees--90 Degrees

0 Degrees90 Degrees

180 Degrees

Orientate

Rotate...

Extend > Through...By...

B

Connect

Trim to Pline

DisconnectConnect

Trim to Section>>

PickPick (force)

PickAll attached

Joint DominantJoint Subordinate

Help

On ContextContentsIndex

Flip

All attached

Drag Explicitly...Align Secondary Nodes

About

Window

3D View (1)Members

etc.

depending oncurrentwindows



A.2 The Panels & Plates Application Menus

Design

General...Equipment...

Save Work

ModulesExit

HVAC Designer...Structures >

ASL Modeller...

Display

Graphical View

Save >Restore >

Forms & DisplayForms & Display As...Forms As...Display As...

Forms & DisplayForms & Display From...Forms From...Display From...

Beams & Columns...

Command Line...

Members...Plot View...

Advanced Members...

Hangers & Supports...

Extract Control...

Cable Trays...

View Control...

Design Templates...

Session Comment...

>

Draft

CompareMonitor...

Spooler

Specon

ExportIsodraft

Paragon

Propcon

>>>>>>

Macro Files...

Default Binary...User’s Binary...

Select Binary...

Drawlist...

Admin...Lexicon*

*

Note: These modules are available only if you are logged in as a Free user (e.g. System)*

Pipework...

Walls & Floors...

Get Work

Saint...



Query

General...

Properties...Attributes...

Settings

Units...

GraphicsSystem...

Storage Areas...

>

Defaults...Obstruction >

List...Limits...

Naming...

>

Note: These options are available only if you are logged in as a Design administrator.*

Tolerances...

DB Changes...Project >

Axes...Measure Distance...

Status...Users...

MDBs...

Teams...DBs...

View...Representation...Colour...

Properties...Clasher

Draft Edge Defaults...

Purposes

>

>

Check Defaults... Define...Relationships...

*

*

*

Utilities

Data Consistency...

> CE onlyCE offspring

Data Checker...Clashes...Autonaming

Lists... Run...Create...Modify...Delete...

Panels & Plates...

Claimlists...

Run...Create...Modify...Delete...Dump Attributes...Select Driver...

DB Listing...ReportsQuick Reports...Export

>

>

Constructs...

Reference Data...

Auto Clash

Mass Properties...

Picking...

Pick Filters >

Plines...Ppoints...

Elements...

Working Plane...

Penetrations...

Joint Connections...

Aid CE Arrow...

User Rights...



Create

Structure...

Site...Zone...

Copy

Framework...Sub--Frame...Panel...

Fittings

Offset...> Rotate...Mirror...

Group...

Modify

Attributes...

Like >

picked elementcurrent elementCE into list

Name...

Lock...HierarchyGroup...

> Include...Reverse Order...Reorder...

Delete

CE

Name...Members > Selection...

AllTidy Joint...

Identified

Draft Edge Drawing...

Negative Extrusion...

Attributes Global...

List

>Single...Compound...

Properties...

Sub--Compound...

Re--evaluate RulesUnlink from OriginalRepresentation...

Thickness...

Extrusion/Panel...Justification...Specification...

Split Panel...Fitting...

Material...

Angle...



Position

Explicitly (AT)...Relatively (BY)...

Axes...

>Angle --180 Degrees--90 Degrees

0 Degrees90 Degrees

180 Degrees

Orientate

Rotate...B

Connect

Trim

DisconnectConnect

> PanelEdges

Help

On ContextContentsIndex

Edge

Level VerticesPanel Origin

About

Window

3D View (1)Members

etc.

depending oncurrentwindows

Vertex



A.3 The Penetration Application Menus

Display Settings Navigate CreateControl

Scrap View on/off

Modify

Close

Active Item

Delete Position

Clip Box...

Defaults...

Referenced ItemIdentify Penetration HoleIdentify & Select

Penetration Hole...1 To 1 Penetration...Penetration...

Name...Penetration Hole...Penetrations...Merge Penetrations...

Penetration Shape...Copy like ref.

Orientate

Delete PenetrationDelete Multi PenetrationTidy Multi Penetrations

Penetration...Link PenetrationAlign with ref.

Rotate...Align with ref.

Penetration List...

Angled Penetrations...

Angle...

Undo Merge



A.4 The 3D View Menus (Right--Hand Mouse Button)

IsoLimits

CE OriginCE CentroidPick OriginPick CentroidLimit Box

CE

ObstructionWindow

Explicit...

View Control

Look

RotateClipping

OwnerPickDrawlist

Clip Box

OneTwoThreeFour

ClipboxRestore

Settings

>>>>>>>

Zoom F2Pan F3Rotate F5Walk F6

Up

EastWest

Explicit...

DownNorthSouth

Plan SouthPlan North

Plan WestPlan East

Explicit...

Eye F7Shaded F8Borders F9Perspective F4Background...

Save ViewRestore ViewCopy like viewLong Menus

EnableCappedColour...CEOwner

Explicit...

Limits BoxPick item

shows option is selected

Note: If Settings>Long Menus is Off, fewer options will be available.

>>

Save 1Save 2Save 3Save 4

Restore 1Restore 2Restore 3Restore 4



A.5 The 3D Aid Constructs Menus

Toolbar...

Through 3 pointsFillet...Point to tangentPoint to tangent, radius <val>...Tangent to 2 points, radius <val>...Tangent to tangent...Tangential to 3 lines

Diameter 3 pointsDiameter <val> 3 points...Diameter 2 pointsDiameter <val> centre...Radius 3 pointsRadius <val> 3 points...Radius 2 pointsRadius <val> centre...DeriveExplicit...

Modify DeleteSettings CreateControl

List...

Save...Load...

Close

Repeat

CircleLineWork PointPlaneGrids

>>>

>>

Toolbar...Between 2 pointsAngle from line...Two planesBisect two linesPoint to tangentTangent to tangentDeriveExplicit...

Toolbar...

Derived positionExplicit...

Toolbar...

Through 3 pointsExplicit...

Toolbar...

Linear...Radial...Plant...

CutCopyPaste...Toolbar...Definition...PositionRadiusExtendProject onto Plane

PickAll ConstructsSize...

Offset...Rotate...Mirror...

Move >

Copy >

Offset...Rotate...Mirror...



A.6 The Reference Definition Application Menus

Create ModifyDisplay

Gridline

Name...

>

Settings

Plane >Area...Grid...

Area...Element...

PositionOrientation

Definition...Plane

>>

>

Explicit (AT)...Relative (BY)...

Explicit...

Definition...Set toSize

>>

Control

Close

Design PointPlineIntersection3 Points

times 2Half Size

Gridlines...Planes...

Storage AreasActive Plane

> Define...for Gridlinesfor Planes

Graphics

Tag GridlinesUntag Gridlines

A.7 The Lists/Collections Menus

Add Remove

CECE MembersIdentified

Control

Close

Selection...

CECE MembersIdentified

List...from ListAllSelection...List



A.8 The Working Plane Menus

Define

PickRepositionPlane...

Plant Grid...

Control

Close

Radial Grid...Linear Grid...

A.9 The Section Cut Plane Menus

Cursor Intersection

ElementDesign PointPlineStart Cut Plane

General

CE

End Cut Plane

Owner

Points

Perpendicular

ElementsDesign Points

ElementDesign PointPlines

>>>

to Elementto Design Pointto Pline

to Design Pointto Elementto Pline

to Plineto Design Pointto Element

B--1Structural Design Using VANTAGE PDMSVersion 11.4

B What the Icons Represent

This appendix gives a brief explanation of the meanings of theprincipal icons which you will encounter on the forms and menus. Itis intended as a reference guide for use while you are learning to usethe applications; you will soon become familiar with the icons onceyou have used them a few times.

B.1 Switching Between Structural Applications

These buttons, in the main application window, let you switch rapidlybetween the structural applications. (The icon for the currentapplication will be inactive.)

Switch to Beams & Columns application.

Switch to Panels & Plates application.

Switch to Walls & Floors application.

What the Icons Represent

B--2 Structural Design Using VANTAGE PDMSVersion 11.4

B.2 General Defaults

Automatic clash checking Off / Automatic clashchecking On (current element clash checked aftereach modification).

Set default specification for Profiles.

Set default storage area for Sections and GENSECs.

Set default storage area for Primary Nodes.

B.3 Creating and Modifying Beams and Columns

B.3.1 General Defaults

Primary Node creation Off / PrimaryNode creation On (Primary Nodes createdautomatically when new sections arecreated).

Profile Off (new sections have nocatalogue reference) / Profile On (newsections have automatic cross--referenceto current default catalogue profile).

B.3.2 Specifying Section Start and End Positions

Enter explicit coordinates for start or end position.

Specify end position in terms of its distance and directionfrom the start position.



B.4 Creating Curved Sections

Use buttons to pick position; enter Radius for next curve.

Free Definition: Pick three or more points in sequence todefine section of any shape (constrained to be planar).

Right Angle: Pick three points to define right--angled(L--shaped) section.

Closed Rectangle (Fillet): Pick three points to defineclosed rectangular section, where direction changes aredefined by fillet positions outside rectangle.

Closed Rectangle (Centre): Pick three points to defineclosed rectangular section, where direction changes aredefined by radial centre positions inside rectangle.

Open Rectangle (Fillet): Pick three points to define openrectangular (U--shaped) section, where direction changesare defined by fillet positions outside rectangle.

Open Rectangle (Centre): Pick three points to defineopen rectangular (U--shaped) section, where directionchanges are defined by radial centre positions insiderectangle.

Swan Neck: Pick three points to define section with twoopposed right--angled bends.

Obloid: Pick two points to define centres of semicircularends, plus third point to show in which of the straight sidesthe section start/end are to be positioned.



B.5 Creating Ring Sections

These options provide various ways of constructing a circle. The ringsection will then follow all or part of the circumference of this circle.Where ambiguity might occur, arcs are defined as minor arcs.

Through 3 points: Pick three points through which circleis to pass. For an arc: first point will be start of ring section;third point will be end of ring section.

Derive from a picked item: Pick design element fromwhich radius and centre of circle can be derived. Ringsection will be superimposed on this circle; you can thenreposition new section as required.

Fillet: Enter radius on separate form. Pick two lineardesign items which are tangential to required circle. For anarc: point of contact with first line defines start point; pointof contact with second line defines end point. Plane of ringsection is normal to both lines and through first line.

Tangential to 3 lines: Pick three linear design items.Circle will be constructed to fit between these tangents.Plane of ring section is normal to, and midway between,first two lines.

Fixed radius, tangential to a circle: Enter radius onseparate form. Pick position towards which circle is to bedirected (control point), then pick design item from whichcircle can be derived. Ring section will be tangential toderived circle, on side specified by control point.

Fixed radius, passing through 2 points: Enter radiuson separate form. Pick two positions defining start pointand end point for ring section, then pick position towardswhich circle is to be directed (control point).

Tangential to a circle: Pick position defining centre ofring section, then pick design item from which circle can bederived. Ring section will be tangential to derived circle andradius will be distance from first pick to tangent point.

Tangential to 2 circles: Enter radius on separate form.On two coplanar circular design items, pick positions nearto points at which ring section is to touch tangentially; thenpick position near to centre of ring section.



Derived diameter: Pick two positions representingopposite sides of circle (so that distance between picksdefines diameter), then pick position towards which circle isto be directed (control point). For an arc: first point will bestart of ring section; second point will be end of ring section.

Derived diameter on working plane: Working planemust be active. Pick two positions representing oppositesides of circle (distance between picks defines diameter).Picked positions will be projected onto working plane andring section will lie in this plane. For an arc: first point willbe start of ring section; second point will be end of ringsection.

Fixed diameter: Enter diameter on separate form. Pickposition of centre of ring section, then pick two positionsaligned with start and end of ring section (in that order).Ring section lies in plane through the three points.

Fixed diameter on working plane: Working plane mustbe active. Enter diameter on separate form. Pick position ofcentre of ring section. Ring section will be 180º arc, createdanticlockwise from X--axis of working plane.

Derived radius: Pick position of centre of ring section,then position of start point of ring section (distance betweenpicks defines radius). Then pick position aligned with endpoint of ring section. Ring section lies in plane through thethree points.

Derived radius on working plane: Working plane mustbe active. Pick two positions representing centre and startof ring section (distance between picks defines radius).Picked positions will be projected onto working plane andring section will lie in this plane. Ring section will be 180ºarc, created anticlockwise about Z--axis of working plane.

Fixed radius: Enter radius on separate form. Pickposition of centre of ring section, then pick two positionsaligned with start and end of ring section (in that order).Ring section lies in plane through the three points.

Fixed radius on working plane: Working plane must beactive. Enter radius on separate form. Pick position ofcentre of ring section. Ring section will be 180º arc, createdanticlockwise from X--axis of working plane.

Define explicitly: Displays form on which to enter centre,radius, plane orientation, and subtended start/end anglesfor ring section. These can each be typed in explicitly orpicked graphically.



B.6 Creating and Modifying Panels

B.6.1 Specifying Panel Vertex Positions

Pick position graphically using any standardcursor--picking method.

Construct position using intersections of two plines withexisting panel.

Create vertices which follow outline of existing panel.

Identify position relative to position of existing element.

Specify position in terms of distance and direction frompreceding vertex.

Construct fillet arc with specified radius between twopicked tangent lines.

Construct fillet arc passing through three picked points.

Construct fillet arc with specified radius, passing throughtwo picked points, with ’bulge’ in picked direction.

B.6.2 Modifying Vertices or Edges of Panel Loops

Selects all vertices in the loop, so that you can modify themas a group.

Lets you select any number of individual vertices so thatyou can modify them as a group.

Lets you pick an edge to be modified. The adjacent Edgearea shows the current edge number.



Lets you pick a vertex to be modified. The adjacent Vertexarea shows the current vertex number.

Lets you create a new vertex, which will be allocated thenext number in the sequence after the current vertex.

Lets you navigate to a vertex or an edge by graphicalpicking.

Reverses group definition by implicitly renumbering groupvertices in the opposite sense (clockwise/anticlockwise). Theorigin moves to the other side of the ‘gap’. Note that thischange affects only the group’s behaviour; it does not affectthe vertex numbering for the panel loop.

Moves ‘open--side’ of group, and origin, one position‘forwards’ (i.e. in same sense as vertex numbering).

Moves ‘open--side’ of group, and origin, one position‘backwards’ (i.e. in opposite sense to vertex numbering).

Expands group area by moving each edge outwards, bydistance entered in text--box, normal to its own direction.This affects all edges, including those in cut--outs, soexcessive expansion can give invalid loop geometry.

Contracts group area by moving each edge inwards, bydistance entered in text--box, normal to its own direction.This affects all edges, including those on panel protrusions,so excessive contraction can give invalid loop geometry.

Moves Start vertex along edge direction to align it througha picked position or to intersection with a picked line. Edgelength can change during this operation.

Moves End vertex along edge direction to align it through apicked position or to intersection with a picked line. Edgelength can change during this operation.

Moves ‘free’ vertex (lowercase tag) around reference vertex(uppercase tag) to align edge with a picked line. Edgelength is unchanged.

Rotates group or edge anticlockwise through specifiedangle. Edge length is unchanged.



Rotates group or edge clockwise through specified angle.Edge length is unchanged.

Lets you move vertex group by inserting it at a differentposition in the loop sequence. Group will be inserted aftercurrent vertex.

Moves current vertex, edge or group such that newpositions are derived by reflecting original positions about apicked line (i.e. gives mirror image).

Deletes current vertex, edge or group.

Lets you manipulate a fillet arc at the current loop vertex.

B.6.3 Connecting Panels

Makes a vertex--to--vertex connection.

Makes an edge--to--surface connection.

Makes an edges--to--surface connection.

Makes an edge--to--surface connection by dragging edges asnecessary.

Makes an edge--to--edge connection.

Makes an edges--to--edge connection.

Makes an edge--to--edge connection by dragging edges asnecessary.



Makes an edge--to--section connection.

Makes an edges--to--section connection.

Makes an edge--to--section connection by dragging edges asnecessary.

Trims all edges of a panel to suit its current connections.

B.7 Standard Bracing Configurations

(These are not icons, but they show the standard configurationsrepresented by the listed options on the Bracing form. Letters A, Bshow specified gaps; numbers 1, 2 ... show order of picking sectionsbetween which bracing members are to be connected.)

A

B

12 Cross Bracing

A

B

1

2

3

4

A/K Bracing (1), 4 picks

A

B

1

2

34


A

B

1

2

3


A

B

12 Single Bracing (1)



A

B

1

2

Single Bracing (2)

B2

A1

Knee Bracing (1)

B 2

A1

Knee Bracing (2)

B2

A1

3

4

Diamond Bracing

C--1Structural Design Using VANTAGE PDMSVersion 11.4

C The Structural Design Database

The part of the Design database hierarchy which holds structural elements is asfollows (elements in italics, e.g. RELEASE, are for analytical purposes only):

STRUCTURE

FRAMEWORK

SECTION PRIMARY NODE

SECONDARY NODE

PRIMARY JOINT

SECONDARY JOINT

PANEL

ROUTING PLANE GROUP

LOAD CASE DESCRIPTOR

FITTINGSECTION POINT LOAD

SECTION DISTRIBUTED LOAD

RELEASE NODAL LOAD

NODAL DISPLACEMENT

RELEASE NODAL LOAD

NODAL DISPLACEMENT

ROUTING PLANESUBFRAMEWORK

PRIMARY COMPOUND JOINT

SECONDARY COMPOUND JOINT

PANEL FITTING

PANEL LOOP

PANEL LINEAR JOINT

PANEL VERTEX

PANEL LINEAR JOINT

PANEL VERTEXCOFITTING

NEGATIVE EXTRUSION

LOOP

VERTEX

(STRU)

(FRMW)

(LCDE)

(RPLG)

(RPLA)(SBFR)

(SCTN) (PNOD)

(PANE) (PALJ)

(PFIT)

(PLOO)

(PAVE)

(PALJ)

(PAVE)(COFI)

(NXTR)

(LOOP)

(VERT)

(PCOJ)(PJOI)(RELE)

(NODI)

(NOLO)

(SCOJ)

(NOLO)

(NODI)

(RELE)

(SJOI)

(FITT)

(SDLO)

(SPLO)

(SNOD)

SUBJOINT(SUBJ)

SUBJOINT(SUBJ)

optional

negativeprimitives

SECTION LINEAR JOINT

SECTION VERTEX

(SELJ)

(SEVE)

GENERIC SECTION(GENSEC)

SPINE(SPINE)

SPINE POINT(POINSP)

CURVE(CURVE)

JOINT LINE DATUM(JLDATUM)

POSITION LINE DATUM(PLDATUM)

FIXING(FIXI)

D--1Structural Design Using VANTAGE PDMSVersion 11.4

D Structural Catalogue Guide

This appendix gives a much--simplified introduction to the way thestructural catalogue is used in creating the design model and lists theprincipal features of some standard catalogue components to whichyou may want to refer when creating your design model. (For fulldetails of the way in which the catalogue is built up and used, see thePDMS PARAGON Reference Manual.)

D.1 The Basic Features of the Catalogue

All profiles, joints, fittings etc. used in the design are selected fromthe Catalogue database by setting the Specification Reference forthe corresponding design element so that it points to the requiredcatalogue entry.

Each catalogue item is defined in terms of two subsidiary sets of data:

D A Geometry Set, which defines the overall physical shape ofthe item in terms of a set of 2D and/or 3D basic shapes (knownas primitives). A sectional profile is made up of 2Dprimitives only (which are extruded to form a 3D section in thedesign model); a joint or a fitting is made up of 3D primitiveswhich define its complete volume. A geometry set can includenegative 3D primitives to represent holes.

D A Point Set, which defines a number of reference points anddirections superimposed on the geometric shape so thatindividual parts of that shape can be identified andmanipulated. These reference points can include p--points,which represent a 1D point position and a direction, and p--lines(or plines), which represent a 2D line and a direction.

Structural Catalogue Guide

D--2 Structural Design Using VANTAGE PDMSVersion 11.4

A range of catalogue components with similar overall geometry willall reference the same geometry set and point set, so that the amountof data needed to represent all possible items is kept to a minimum.The dimensions of the items are not fixed in the catalogue but areexpressed in terms of design parameters. Values are allocated tothese parameterised dimensions when the item is used in a specificpart of the design model: they may either be set explicitly or derivedfrom associated dimensions of other design components to which theitem is to be connected.

D.2 P--line Identification

Each p--line is identified by a two, three or four letter code (known asits PKEY) which identifies its relative position in the 2D profile(remember that each p--line is extruded in the design model torepresent a line running along the length of a section). The mostcommonly referenced PKEYs use the following naming conventions(each profile uses only a subset of these):

BBH Bottom bolt holeBBHL Bottom bolt hole, leftBBHR Bottom bolt hole, rightBLW Bottom left of webBLWT Bottom left web topBOC Bottom of channelBOS Bottom of steelBRW Bottom right of webBRWT Bottom right web, topFOC Face of channelHBA Hole, bottom of angleHOA Hole, outside of angleIOC Inside of channelLBOA Left bottom of angleLBOC Left bottom of channelLBOS Left bottom of steelLBTS Left bottom top of steelLTBA Left top bottom of angleLTBS Left top bottom of steelLTOC Left top of channelLTOS Left top of steel



LTTA Left top top of angleNA Neutral axisNAB Neutral axis bottomNAL Neutral axis leftNALO Neutal axis left outsideNAR Neutral axis rightNARO Neutral axis right outsideNAT Neutral angle topRBOA Right bottom of angleRBOC Right bottom of channelRBOS Right bottom of steelRBTS Right bottom top of steelROA Right of angleROC Right outside of channelRTBS Right top bottom of steelRTOC Right top of channelRTOS Right top of steelTBH Top bolt holeTBHL Top bolt hole, leftTBHR Top bolt hole, rightTLW Top left of webTLWB Top left web, bottomTOAX Top of angle, X orientationTOAY Top of angle, Y orientationTOC Top of channelTRWB Top right web, bottomTOS Top of steelTRW Top right of web



D.3 Some Standard Profiles

The following pages illustrate the principal catalogue profiles,showing the p--lines and parameterised dimensions associated witheach.



Generic Type: BOX

PARA 1LEFT RIGH

PARA 2

NA

TOS

BOS

LTOS RTOS

LBOS RBOS

PARA 4

PARA 3

PARA 7

PARA 6

PARA 5 = Weight per unit length

Other Parameters:



Generic Type: ANG


Other Parameters:

NAT

LBOA RBOA

HOA

RTOA

RTTA

NARNAL

TOAX

TOAY

LOANAB HBA

NA

PARA 2

PARA 1

PARA 5

PARA 10

PARA 8

PARA 7

PARA 3

PARA 9

PARA 4



Generic Type: TUBE


Other Parameters:

PARA 1

NAGGNAEE

NAAA

NACC

GG FF

AA

SS

MM

EE

DD

BB

CC

XX

WW

VV

UUTTRR

QQ

PP

OO

NN

PARA 2

NAMM

NAWW

NAKK

NAOO

NAII

NAUUNAQQNASS

LL

KK

JJ

IIHH

There are three types of Pline:S AA--XX every 15 degrees round the circumferenceS NAAA--NAWW every 30 degrees from the centreS NA equivalent to NAGG

NA &



Generic Type: BEAM

PARA 1

PARA 2

NA


Other Parameters:

PARA 8

NAL NARNALO NARO

LTOS RTOSTOSTLW TRW

BOSBLW BRW

TLWB TRWB

PARA 6

LTBS RTBSTBHR

PARA 4

PARA 3

LBTS

LBOS

BBHLBBHR RBTS

RBOS

BLWT BRWT

PARA 12

PARA 7 = Cross Sectional AreaPARA 9 = Nominal DepthPARA 10 = Nominal WidthPARA 11 = Surface Area per unit length

TBHL



Generic Type: DINI

PARA 1

PARA 2

NA


Other Parameters:

PARA 8

NAL NARNALO

NARO

LTOS RTOSTOS

BOS

PARA 6

PARA 7

PARA 3

LBOS RBOS

PARA 11

TBHLTBHR

PARA 10(as percentage)

BBHL BBHR

PARA 4

PARA 9 = Nominal Depth

PARA 4 measured midway between TOS and LTOS



Generic Type: BSC

PARA 1

PARA 2

NA


Other Parameters:

PARA 10

FOC IOC ROC

RTOCLTOC

PARA 8

PARA 7

TBH

PARA 4


PARA 4 measured midway between LTOC and RTOC

TOC

PARA 5

BBH

BOCLBOC RBOC

PARA 9(degrees)

PARA 13

PARA 12 = Nominal Width

PARA 3



Generic Type: DINU

PARA 1

PARA 2

NA


Other Parameters:

PARA 10

FOC IOC ROC

RTOCLTOC

PARA 8

PARA 7

TBH

PARA 4


PARA 4 measured midway between the PARA 14 limit and RTOC

TOC

PARA 5

BBH

BOCLBOC RBOC


PARA 13


PARA 3

PARA 14

PARA 14 is usually either zero or equal to PARA 3

= =



Generic Type: TEE

PARA 2

PARA 1

NA


Other Parameters:

PARA 5

NAL NARNALO NARO

LTOS RTOSTOS

TLWB TRWB

PARA 7

LTBS RTBSTBHR

PARA 4

PARA 3

PARA 8 = Nominal WidthPARA 9 = Nominal DepthPARA 10 = Original DepthPARA 11 = Original Width

TBHL

RBOSLBOSBOS

PARA 12 = Original Weight



Generic Type: DINT

PARA 2

PARA 1


Other Parameters:

PARA5

NARO

RTOSLTOS

TBHR

PARA 4


PARA 3 measured midway between TOS and BOS

TOS

PARA 3


TBHL NA

BOS

NALO NARNAL

PARA 4 measured midway between LTOS and TOS

PARA 10 = Original DepthPARA 11 = Original WidthPARA 12 = Original Weight

PARA 15

PARA 7

PARA 14


PARA 13



D.4 Some Standard Joints

The following diagrams illustrate the principal types of joint in thecatalogue, showing the parameterised dimensions (as described onthe corresponding forms) which must be specified when each joint isconnected to a section in the design.

D.4.1 Column Connections

Column Flange:

a

b

c

Dist from TOS = aDist from BOS = bThk of Plt = c

Column Web:

a

b

c

Dist from TOS = aDist from BOS = bThk of Plt = c

d

d

Notch Depth = d



D.4.2 Cleated Connections

Bolted Web:4M20_bolted_web_cleats

a Length of cleats = a

Cutback Bolted Web:

a Length of cleats = a

Welded Seat:

a

Extension Width of Bottom Angle = a



D.4.3 End Preparations

Single Clearance:

a

Radius of Rathole = a

Double Clearance:

Flush_p_cutback:

aRadius of Rathole = a

Flush_p_cutback_with_snipe:

aRadius of Rathole = a



D.4.4 Baseplate Connections

30mm_thick_attached_baseplate:

Dia of Bolt = aa

30mm_thick_user_defined_baseplate:

Depth of Plt = aWidth of Plt = bBolt wrt Depth = cBolt wrt Width = dDia of Bolt = e

e

c

c

a

d d

b



D.4.5 Double Notched End Plates

Dble Notch End Plate:4M6_10mm_thk_plt

D.4.6 Single Notched End Plates

Sgle Notch End Plate:

a

b 1st Row = a2nd Row = b3rd Row = 0(in this example)



D.5 Some Standard Fittings

The following diagrams illustrate some typical fittings from thecatalogue, showing the parameterised dimensions (as described onthe corresponding forms) which must be specified when each fitting isadded to the design.

D.5.1 Stiffeners

Single Full Depth:10mm_flange_stiffener

Double Full Depth:8mm_double_stiffener

Single Partial Depth:8mm_single_stiffener

Short length = aLong length = b

a

b



D.5.2 Fire Insulation

Parallel Flange Beam:

a

c

b

e

g

f

d

Top Flange Top Thickness = aTop Flange Width = bTop Flange Bottom Thickness = cWeb Thickness = dBottom flange Top Thickness = eBottom flange Width = fBottom Flange Bottom Thickness = g

Position Line NA

Zdistance (measured from POSS ofsection) determines start of insulation

D.5.3 Lifting Lugs

General Lifting Lug (GEN--LL):

a

d

e

b

c

Height of Pad Eye = aWidth of Pad Eye = bVertical Distance = cShape Radius = dHole Radius = ePad Eye Thickness = f(not shown)

Lifting Lug, Bolted:

E--1Structural Design Using VANTAGE PDMSVersion 11.4

E Other Relevant Documentation

This guide is intended only as an introduction to those parts of PDMSmost relevant to structural design. As such, it describes only the mainconcepts needed to get you started. Should you need more detailedinformation about any topic, the following documents are available.

E.1 On--Line Help

For detailed instructions on the use of the forms and menus via whichyou control the application, on--line help is provided as an integralpart of the user interface.

The Help option on the menu bars gives you the following choices:

Help>on Context

This gives you help on any window currently visible in the display.When you select this option, the cursor changes to a question mark(?). Move the question mark into the window on which you want helpand click the left--hand mouse button.

Help>Contents

This displays the Help window so that you can find the required topicfrom the hierarchical contents list.

Help>Index

This displays the Help window so that you can find all topics relevantto a selected keyword.

Help>About

This displays information about the current operating system on yourcomputer and about the versions of PDMS and its applications towhich you have access.

Other Relevant Documentation

E--2 Structural Design Using VANTAGE PDMSVersion 11.4

Pressing the F1 key at any time will display the help topic for thecurrently active window (equivalent to Help on Context for thecurrent window).

E.2 PDMS Introductory Guides

The following guides introduce the principal PDMS facilities to newusers (this Structural guide is part of the set):

Industrial Building Design Using PDMSDESIGN Accessways, Stairs and Ladders Application User GuideIntroduction to PDMS Design TemplatesDrawing Production Using PDMS

Introduces the range of facilitiesavailable in the DRAFT module.

Reporting from PDMS Introduces the database reporting utilityavailable from within most PDMSapplications, including the use ofexpressions to select relevant data.

E.3 PDMS Reference Manuals

The full PDMS documentation set includes a number of referencemanuals which give detailed explanations of all the technical conceptsinvolved. These manuals also describe the underlying commandsyntax which can be used to control PDMS directly (thus bypassingthe forms and menus interface).

Those particularly relevant to structural design work include:

DESIGN Reference Manual Covers concepts and commands for alldesign disciplines.

DRAFT Reference Manual Explains the commands for the PDMS2D drafting facilities.

PARAGON Reference Manual Explains how to set up a PDMSCatalogue.

E.4 General Guides

The following guides are intended for use only by experienced PDMSusers who want to write their own applications:

Other Relevant Documentation

E--3Structural Design Using VANTAGE PDMSVersion 11.4

Plant Design Software Customisation GuideExplains how to write your ownapplication macros using PML(Cadcentre’s Programmable MacroLanguage) and how to design your ownforms and menus interface.

Plant Design Software Customisation Reference ManualSupplements the Customisation Guide.Includes a list of PML 2 Objects,Members and Methods. For Forms andMenus objects, the command syntaxrelating to the objects is included.

F--1Structural Design Using VANTAGE PDMSVersion 11.4

F Some Sample Plots

This appendix comprises some examples of typical (though relativelysimple) plots showing the sorts of structural designs which may becreated using PDMS with the CADCENTRE structural applications.

Index--1Version 11.4Structural Design Using VANTAGE PDMS

Index

3D view, 3--4

AApplication

Beams & Columns, 4--1definition, 1--3loading, 8--1Panels & Plates, 8--1

Attachment, pipe penetrations, 10--1

Attribute, definition, 4--2

BBottom of steel (BOS), 5--2

Bracing

creating individual members, 7--4creating standard configurations,7--9, B--9

modifying bracing gaps, 7--5Button

control, 3--9option, 3--8radio, 3--7toggle, 3--7

CCatalogue database, 5--1

Centre of gravity calculations, 11--7

Check box, 3--7

Clash, definition, 11--2

Clash checking

auto checking, 11--5checking process, 11--3clash limits, 11--3extent of clash, 11--2obstruction levels, 11--2obstruction list, 11--3principles, 11--2

Clash limits, 11--3

Clashing extent, 11--2

Clearance, definition, 11--2

Collection. See List

Compound panel fitting,penetrations, 10--1

Control button, 3--9

Copying

mirror option, 7--7offset option, 5--21

Current element, definition, 4--3

Curve, definition, 12--1

Curved section

creating, 12--6definition, 12--1modifying, 12--7

DDatabase hierarchy, 4--2

Draft data, 11--11Density, 11--8

Design parameters, D--2

Design session, ending, 5--25

Index

Index--2 Structural Design Using VANTAGE PDMSVersion 11.4

Display

restoring, 7--1saving, 5--25

Distance, measuring, 8--6

Draft applications, loading, 11--10

Draft database hierarchy, 11--11

Draft module, 11--10

Drag, panel edge, 8--11

Drawing sheet, Draft, 11--13

Drawlist, 5--9

EEdge

definition, 8--2dragging, 8--11picking, 8--9

Element, definition, 4--2

End position

definition, 5--2identifying, 6--5

Ending design session, 5--25

Escape key/button, 5--19

Event--driven graphics mode, 5--13

FFillet radius

definition, 8--3setting, 8--11

Fitting, section penetrations, 10--1

Forms and display

restoring, 7--1saving, 5--25

Framework (FRMW)

creating, 4--4definition, 4--2

Function attribute, setting for Draft,11--9

GGeneric Section (GENSEC),definition, 12--1

GENSEC, definition, 12--1

Geometry set, D--1

Graphical view, 3--4

Gross weight, 11--7

HHard obstruction, 11--2

Help, on--line, 3--9

Holes

negative extrusion, 8--13penetrations, 10--1

IIsometric view, 5--10

JJoint

beta angle, 7--13connection references, 7--13cutback, 7--14cutting plane, 7--14dominant/subordinate, 7--17joint freedom, 7--17origin plane direction, 7--13position and orientation, 7--13,7--15

position line, 7--13, 7--15secondary, 5--20selecting from catalogue, 7--14specifying, 7--12, 7--14

Joint line, definition, 5--5

Justification

definition, 5--5specifying, 5--16

Index


L

Leaving design session, 5--25

Limits, setting for view, 5--10

Linear grid, defining, 12--5

List

adding members, 5--21creating, 5--21definition, 5--20scrollable, 3--8

Loop (LOOP), definition, 8--13

M

Mass calculations, 11--7

Mass properties, querying, 11--7

Material reference (MatRef), 11--8

MDB selection, 3--2

Measuring facility, 8--6

Member, definition, 4--3

Member line, definition, 5--5

Members list, 3--4

Menu, pull--down, 3--5

Menu bar, 3--4, 3--5

Module, definition, 1--3

Module selection, 3--2

Mouse buttons, functions, 3--4

Multiple database selection, 3--2

N

Negative extrusion (NXTR),definition, 8--13

Negative volume, 8--13

Net weight, 11--7

Neutral axis (NA), 5--2

Nodedefinition, 5--2deleting, 6--6primary, 5--3secondary, 5--3, 5--20

OObstruction levels, 11--2Obstruction list, 11--3On--line help, 3--9Option button, 3--8Owner, definition, 4--3

PP--point, definition, D--1Panel (PANE)


Panel edgedefinition, 8--2dragging, 8--11picking, 8--9

Panel fillet radiusdefinition, 8--3setting, 8--11

Panel fitting (PFIT)beta angle, 9--1definition, 9--1justification, 9--1position, 9--1

Panel loop (PLOO), definition, 8--2Panel origin, definition, 8--5Panel thickness, definition, 8--2Panel vertex (PAVE)

definition, 8--2modifying, 8--8picking, 8--9

Panel vertex creation, 8--5

Index

Index--4 Structural Design Using VANTAGE PDMSVersion 11.4

Panning view, 5--11

Parameters, D--2

Password entry, 3--2

Penetration

creating, 10--2definition, 10--1detailing, 10--4

Physical clash, definition, 11--2

Pick mode prompt, 5--10, 5--13

PKEY, D--2

Pline

definition, 5--2, D--1examples, 5--2identification, D--2

Pline rule

function, 7--2setting, 7--3

Plotting facilities, 11--10

Point set, D--1

Primary node, automatic creation,5--4

Primitives, D--1

Profile (PROF)


Project selection, 3--2

Prompt, cancelling, 5--19

Prompts, 3--6

Properties, setting, 7--14

Properties database, 11--8

Pull--down menu, 3--5

RRadio button, 3--7

Regular structure, creating, 6--1

Reports

generating, 11--5principles, 11--5templates, 11--6

Representation, setting graphicalview, 7--15

Representation level, 11--7

Ring section


Rotating view, 5--11

SSave work facility, 5--25

Saving design changes, 5--25

Screen layout, saving, 5--25

Scrollable list, 3--8

Secondary joint (SJOI), 5--20

Secondary node (SNOD), 5--20

Section, extending/shortening, 6--5,7--2

Section (SCTN), definition, 5--1

Sheet, Draft, 11--13

Site


Snap function, 5--14

Soft obstruction, 11--2

Specification reference (SpecRef), D--1


Spine, definition, 12--1

Spine Point (POINSP), definition,12--1

Split facility

panels, 8--7sections, 5--19

Index


Start position

definition, 5--2identifying, 6--5

Status bar, 3--4, 3--6

Status form, 3--6

Storage area, specifying, 5--3, 8--3

Structure (STRU)


Subfitting, penetrations, 10--1

Subframework (SBFR)


Submenu, 3--5

Surface area calculations, 11--7

TText box, 3--7

Tidy nodes facility, 6--6

Toggle button, 3--7

Tool bar, 3--4, 3--6

Top of steel (TOS), 5--2

Touch, definition, 11--2

Training courses, 1--2

Trimming sections, 7--2

UUser name entry, 3--2

VVertex (VERT), definition, 8--13Vertex creation (panels), 8--5View

3D/graphical, 3--4, 5--9centre of interest, 5--12panning, 5--11representation setting, 7--15rotating, 5--11zooming, 5--11

View direction, 5--10Volume calculations, 11--7

WWeight calculations, 11--7Working grid, 12--5Working plane, 12--5World, definition, 4--2

ZZone


Zooming view, 5--11

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Structural Design Using VANTAGE PDMSpdmstraining.net/.../01/...PDMS-Structural-Design.pdf · Structural Design Using VANTAGE PDMS i Version 11.4 Contents Part I Introduction 1 Read