How to enter section properties for a non-standard or built-up shape as a User Table of type "Genera


  
 Applies To 
  
 Product(s):STAAD.Pro
 Version(s):All
 Environment: N/A
 Area: Modeling Solutions
 Subarea: Properties
 Original Author:Bentley Technical Support Group
  

How to enter section properties for a non-standard or built-up shape as a User Table of type "General".

A User Table of type "General" does not have any particular shape associated with it, allowing for section properties to be arbitrarily defined.  As such, if you have a non-standard or built-up section for which the properties are known, such a table can be used to easily enter these properties using the following procedure:

1.  Go to the Specification tab at the top of the screen. 

2.  Underneath, expand the User Table menu downward and choose "User Table Manager" as shown below:

3.  In the dialog box that appears, use the Select Section Type menu to choose "General":

 

4.  Click OK. 

5.  In the dialog box that appears, click "Add":

6.  You will see a new window appear in which the general section can be defined.  Make sure to give it a name in the field to the upper-right, then enter the section properties underneath:

7.  Click OK.

8.  You will return to the previous dialog box.  Click Close.

9.  Go to the Properties - Whole Structure dialog box, then click "User Table".  

10.  In the window that appears, select your section name and click Add:

11.  From here the section can be assigned to members just like any other.    

**Note - if the section properties are unknown, you can use the "Define Profile Polygon" option do draw the cross-section and compute them as described in the following wiki:

Create section by specifying Profile Points - RAM | STAAD | ADINA Wiki - RAM | STAAD | ADINA - Bentley Communities