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Technical Reference
2.4 Design Parameters
The program contains a large number of parameter names which are needed to perform designing and code checking. These parameter names, with their default values, are listed in Table 2.1. These parameters communicate design decisions from the engineer to the program. The default parameter values have been selected such that they are frequently used numbers for conventional design. Depending on the particular design requirements of an analysis, some or all of these parameter values may have to be changed to exactly model the physical structure. For example, by default the KZ (k value in local z-axis) value of a member is set to 1.0, while in the real structure it may be 1.5. In that case, the KZ value in the program can be changed to 1.5, as shown in the input instructions (Section 6). Similarly, the TRACK value of a member is set to 0.0, which means no allowable stresses of the member will be printed. If the allowable stresses are to be printed, the TRACK value must be set to 1.0. The parameters PROFILE, DMAX and DMIN are only used for member selection.

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NOTES: 1) When performing the deflection check, the user can choose between two methods. The first method, defined by a value 0 for the CAN parameter, is based on the local displacement. Local displacement is described in section 5.43 of this manual. If the CAN parameter is set to 1, the check will be based on cantilever style deflection. Let (DX1, DY1,DZ1) represent the nodal displacements (in global axes) at the node defined by DJ1 (or in the absence of DJ1, the start node of the member). Similarly, (DX2, DY2,DZ2) represent the deflection values at DJ2 or the end node of the member. Compute Delta = SQRT((DX2-DX1)**2 + (DY2-DY1)**2 + (DZ2-DZ1)**2) Compute Length = distance between DJ1 & DJ2 or, between start node and end node, as the case may be. Then, if CAN is specified a value 1, dff = L/Delta Ratio due to deflection = DFF/dff 2) If CAN = 0, deflection length is defined as the length that is used for calculation of local deflections within a member. It may be noted that for most cases the Deflection Length will be

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equal to the length of the member. However, in some situations, the Deflection Length may be different. For example, refer to the figure below where a beam has been modeled using four joints and three members. The Deflection Length for all three members will be equal to the total length of the beam in this case. The parameters DJ1 and DJ2 should be used to model this situation. Also the straight line joining DJ1 and DJ2 is used as the reference line from which local deflections are measured. Thus, for all three members here, DJ1 should be "1" and DJ2 should be "4".

3) If DJ1 and DJ2 are not used, "Deflection Length" will default to the member length and local deflections will be measured from original member line. 4) It is important to note that unless a DFF value is specified, STAAD will not perform a deflection check. This is in accordance with the fact that there is no default value for DFF (see Table 2.1). 5) A critical difference exists between the parameters UNT/UNB and the parameters LY & LZ. UNT/UNB parameters represent the laterally unsupported length of the compression flange. It is defined in Chapter F, page 5-47 of the specifications in the AISC 1989 ASD manual as the distance between cross sections braced against twist or lateral displacement of the compression flange. UNT/UNB parameters are used to calculate the allowable compressive stress (FCZ and FCY) for behavior as a beam. LY and LZ on the other hand are the unbraced lengths for behavior as a column and are used to calculate the KL/r ratios and the allowable axial compressive stress FA. 6) SSY and CMY are 2 parameters which are based upon 2 values defined in page 5-55, Chapter H of the AISC 9th ed. manual. SSY is a variable which allows the user to define whether or not the member is subject to sidesway in the local Y direction. CMY is a variable used for defining the expresiion called Cm in the AISC manual. When SSY is set to 0 (which is the default value), it means that the member is subject to sidesway in the local Y direction. When SSY is set to 1.0, it means that the member is not subject to sidesway in the local Y direction. The only effect that SSY has is that it causes the program to calculate the appropriate value of CMY. If SSY is set to 0 and CMY is not provided, STAAD will calculate CMY as 0.85. If SSY is set to 1 and CMY is not provided, STAAD will calculate CMY from the equation on page 5-55. However, if the user provides CMY, the program will use that value and not calculate CMY at all, regardless of what the user defines SSY to be.

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Figure 2.1 - Terms used in calculating slenderness ratios KL/r for local Y and Z axes 7) For a T shape which is cut from a parent I, W, S, M or H shapes, the PROFILE parameter should be assigned a value corresponding to the parent shape. For example, if the T desired is an American WT6, specify W12 for the PROFILE parameter.

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