2.3.

6 Geometry menu
Contains tools to create the geometry of the structure by adding and editing nodes, members, plates and solids. Geometry menu in the Modeling mode Description Shortcut Opens the Nodes table, which is used to display a table of nodes with coordinates for adding and editing nodes. The table may also be used to highlight the node on the graphical view of the structure. Used to specify the grid and snap settings as well as to create members by drawing on the grid (snapping to grid points). Opens the Snap Node/Beam dialog, which is used to specify the grid and snap settings as well as to create members and nodes automatically by snapping to grid points. There are two submenu items available under the Plate option: Quad and Triangle. The Quad option is used to generate quadrilateral plate elements while the Triangle option is used to generate triangular plate elements. Either option opens the Snap Node/Plate dialog, which is used to specify the grid and snap settings as well as to create plates and nodes automatically by snapping to grid points. Used to specify the grid and snap settings as well as to create solid elements by drawing on the grid (snapping to grid points). Opens the Snap Node/Solid dialog, which is used to specify the grid and snap settings as well as to create solid elements and nodes automatically by snapping to grid points. Used to insert nodes in an existing member(s). The member is split into the corresponding number of segments with automatic generation of node numbers, member numbers, member properties, and

Menu Item

Nodes

Snap/Grid Node > Beam

Snap/Grid Node > Plate > Quad / Triangle

Snap/Grid Node > Solid

Insert Node

Menu Item

Geometry menu in the Modeling mode Description loads.

Shortcut

Geometry > Split Beam performs the same function as inserting a node into a single member. Opens the Define Member Object Property dialog, which is used to pre-define member Add Beam > Select attributes such as properties, materials, beta New Member angles, or release specifications. Members Attributes which are then added to the model will have these properties by default. Used to create beams between two nodes. Nodes may be existing or can be dynamically generated at the time of creating the beam, similar to the way beams are created using the Snap/Grid Beam tool.
When selected, the pointer changes to the Add

Add Beam > Add Beam From Point to Beams cursor ( ). This used to specify the Point start and end points of a new member by
clicking existing nodes or a place on a beam where you would like to add a new node. The tool remains active so that successive members may be added.

Press the ESC key or select the Beams cursor to stop adding new members. Used to add members between the midpoints of two existing beams. Any new node(s) required at the mid-point of either of the beams will automatically be generated. Add Beams > Add Beam From MidPoint This tool is contained on a fly-out toolbar on the Geometry toolbar. When selected, the pointer changes to the Add Beams cursor ( ). This used to specify the start and end points of a new member by clicking existing beams. The tool remains active so that successive members

Menu Item

Geometry menu in the Modeling mode Description may be added. The midpoints of both beams will be calculated and a new node(s) (if necessary) will be created at those points. The resulting beam will be connected between the two midpoint nodes. The beams will also be split into two parts with all the attributes from the original beams being passed on to its parts. Used to add members between an existing node and the perpendicular bisection of an existing beam. Any new node required on the beam will automatically be generated. The newly added beam will intersect the existing member at a 90 degree angle. This tool is contained on a fly-out toolbar on the Geometry toolbar. When selected, the pointer changes to the

Shortcut

Add Beams > Add Beam by Perpendicular Intersection

Add Beams cursor ( ). This used to specify the start and end points of a new member by clicking an existing nodes and then a beam which the new beam will be perpendicular with. The tool remains active so that successive members may be added. The program will automatically find the perpendicular bisection point on that beam with respect to the original node selected. A new node (if necessary) will be created along with the resulting beam. The beam will also be split into two parts with all the attributes from the original beam being passed on to its parts. Used to define curved members. The curve must be a segment of a circle and the internal angle subtended by the arc must be less than 180 degrees. When selected, the pointer changes to the Add Curved Beams cursor ( ). This used

Add Beams > Add Curved Beam

Geometry menu in the Modeling mode Menu Item Description Shortcut to specify the start and end points of a new curved member by clicking existing nodes. The tool remains active so that successive curved members may be added. Opens the Define Plate Object Property Add Plate > Select dialog, which is used to define the property, New Plate Attributes material and releases to each new plate element as it is created. Used to add Quadrilateral plates. When selected, the pointer changes to the Quadrilateral Plate cursor ( Add Plate > Quad ).

This tool is contained on a fly-out toolbar on the Geometry toolbar. To create new elements, simply click on the existing nodes in the right sequence. A rubber-banded area shows the boundary of the plate being generated. Used to add triangular plates. When selected, the pointer changes to Triangular Plate cursor ( ).

Add Plate > Triangular

This tool is contained on a fly-out toolbar on the Geometry toolbar. To create new elements, simply click on the existing nodes in the right sequence. A rubber-banded area shows the boundary of the plate being generated. Used to add 8 node solid elements by connecting existing nodes. When selected, the pointer changes to the Add Solid cursor (

Add Solid

). To create new solid elements, simply click on the existing nodes in the right sequence. A rubber-banded area shows the boundary of the element being generated.

Menu Item

Geometry menu in the Modeling mode Description Shortcut: [Add 8-node Solid tool]

Shortcut

Solids shapes with different number of nodes can be added using some of the tools contained on the fly-out toolbar found on the Geometry toolbar. Used to define a surface by interconnecting existent nodes; mainly for modeling shear walls. When selected, the pointer changes to the Surface cursor( ). To create a new Surface element, click on existing nodes in a clockwise or counterclockwise order. The last click of this operation must be on the first node in the sequence. The Add Surface Openings tool can be used to place openings within a previously created surface element. Used for scanning through a selected set of points and creating collinear beams passing through 3 or more points which lie along a straight line. If collinear nodes exist amongst the nodes selected, STAAD.Pro will automatically generate beams through those nodes. Before using the Create Collinear Beams tool, select the nodes through which the beams will be created using the Nodes Cursor. STAAD.Pro will automatically find the nodes that are collinear and create beams through them. Not all of the nodes need to be collinear with each other. The following figure shows how six separate beams were created from the nodes selected in the previous figure. A message will be displayed if the no collinear nodes among the nodes selected can be determined.

Add Surface

Create Colinear Beams

Menu Item

Geometry menu in the Modeling mode Description Shortcut Used for automatically creating beams connected between points which lie along an imaginary straight line parallel to the selected global axis. Members will only be created from selected nodes.

This menu item contains a sub-menu list of Connect Beams the global axis. The axis selected is that used Along > X Axis / Y for detecting parallel, colinear nodes. Axis / Z Axis The program will automatically detect which nodes are collinear and lie along the global axis selected. Beams will be generated along the nodes that satisfy those requirements. The following figure shows a group of nodes selected for this particular operation. Used to automatically generate plates from a selection of beams bounding panels. Panels bounded by beams on all sides are filled with plates. Typically used for floor slabs, this method significantly reduces the modeling time for generation of floor slabs in multi-storied framed structures. If no closed polygon can be found of the enclosed shape is not planar, then an error message will be displayed.

Create Infill Plates

Depending on the node order, some or several plates may be facing opposite directions. The Plate Reference Point dialog can be used to remedy this. This will orient all the plates in the same direction. Also, check for plates, whose boundary nodes do not align themselves with other connecting plates. The Check Beam/Plate Connectivity tool under the Tools menu can help identify these problems. Opens the Geometry | Parametric Models Create Parametric page, which is used to create and edit wall, Models slab, and panel meshes. Opens the Translational Repeat dialog, Translational Repeat which is used to copy (or repeat) the entire

Menu Item

Circular Repeat

Geometry menu in the Modeling mode Description Shortcut structure or a portion of the structure in a linear direction. We may generate one or several copies of the selected components. Opens the 3D Circular dialog, which is used to make copies of the entire structure or a portion of it in a circular direction. Used to generate a either a polygonal or quadrilateral finite element mesh by selecting boundary points from existing nodes.

Generated Surface Mesh

The polygon can be meshed into quadrilateral or triangular elements. You have control over parameters like number of divisions along each side of the polygon. Polygonal holes can also be defined within the surface during the meshing process for polygonal meshing. Used to generate a finite element mesh for Generate Plate Mesh an existing plate element. Used to select a wall which will have a common boundary with a slab consisting of a previously generated finite element mesh. Generate Slab/Wall This tool allows the consideration of Connection boundary conditions at the interface of the panel and any other panel on whose surface one of its edge lies. Used for physically shifting the location of either a. the structure with respect to the origin of the axis system (Origin) Move > (list) b. existing nodes, beams, plates and solids (model entities) by a specified value in the global X, Y and Z directions. Opens Rotate dialog, which is used to rotate the selected portions of the structure about the specified axis through a specified distance. The selected portions may be

F2 (with selection)

Rotate

Menu Item

Geometry menu in the Modeling mode Description copied or moved. Refer to the discussion on the Select menu for details on the selection procedure. Opens the Mirror dialog, which is used to copy or move the entire structure or a portion of it by "mirroring" about any plane parallel to one of the three global Cartesian planes. Opens the Stretch Member(s) dialog, which is used to increase the length of a member in various ways. The benefit it offers is that a member may be extended even if you do not readily know the coordinates of its ends joints in its stretched condition. This is useful in the case of members whose axis lie at an inclination to the global planes. Shortcut: This menu item is only available when one or more members are selected. Used to scan the model and locate members which cross each other in space, but are not necessarily connected to each other at the intersection point. After detection, this feature may then be used to split the members at the intersection point so that they now become attached. Opens the Merge Selected Beams dialog, which is used to join two collinear beams and replace them with one beam. Used to merge selected nodes.

Shortcut

Mirror

Stretch Selected Member

Intersect Selected Members > Highlight / Intersect

Merge Selected Members Merge Selected Nodes

Opens the Renumber dialog, which is used to renumber selected entities starting with a Renumber > Nodes / specified number. The numbering sequence Members / Plates can be in an ascending or descending order / Solids and the order can be sorted by some criteria if needed. Used to break a member into two or more Split Beam members. The member is split into the

Menu Item

Geometry menu in the Modeling mode Description corresponding number of segments with automatic generation of node and member numbers, member properties and loads. Functionally identical to Geometry > Insert Node Splits a beam into separate beams at any selected node(s) which are located along that beam. This is useful when some new nodes are created on the line of the member and you want to split the beams at these newly created nodes. Opens the Structure Wizard window, which offers a library of pre-defined structure prototypes, such as Pratt Truss, Northlight Truss, Cylindrical Frame, etc. The Structure Wizard may parametrically generate a structural model, and then transfer and superimpose it on the current structure.

Shortcut

Break Beams at Selected Nodes

Run Structure Wizard