The RM Bridge Analyzer: Properties: Cross Sections: FE Mesh Move and Rotate the Nodes is a button with an option to modify current cross-section properties to achieve specific purposes. It is important to note that this function is principally related to all nodes of the current cross-section. The total mesh is translated in the cross-section coordinate system by a certain amount or rotated around the center of gravity or at another reference point. Usually, superelevated or unsymmetric cross-sections might be the ones that require user intervention to get cross-section-related calculations right.
As shown in the figures below, for this example, a BCB - Balance Cantilever Bridge - has a variable Superelevation and this causes the local z-axis and local y-axis of the cross-section to be originally rotated in the real structure. By using the Move and rotate the nodes button user can reinstate the local axes references to the global position for the purpose of stress distribution and calculations. This is performed by Selecting the options Update element beta and Initialize, and the result would be a leveled CS aligned to the principal elements axis.
There are three possible sets: