INTRODUCTION:

STAAD.Pro is an Structural Analysis And Design software package.

It is a general- purpose calculation engine for structural analysis and integrated steel,
concrete, timber and aluminum design.

Important steps involved in the analysis are,

1. Model creation, declaring member property & end conditions and application of load.

2. Analysis and Design

3. Output generation and interpreting the results.

Model creation

This includes modeling (geometry), giving property of members, material constants, support
condition, loads and its combination.

Analysis and Design

STAAD Pro will check the syntax (commands) and the data required for analysis and design. If
there is any error, the error message will be displayed. Once the input is acceptable, the analysis
will be performed based on the given parameters and output is generated.

Output generation and interpreting the results

The user can not take the output as correct unless the same is verified.

Reading the output is in post processing which includes the following:

 Tables and graphical output, upon verification; if needed the input may have to be
edited for its correctness.

RUNNING STAAD.Pro:

Click on the STAAD.pro icon from the following procedure.

 start

All programs

STAAD.Pro V8i

CREATING A NEW FILE:

STEP 1:

Running the staad.pro program new dialog box is open. It is consist of,

 Project tasks (select New project),

 Help topics,
 License Configuration (select type of code to be referred).

STEP 2:
This dialog box will come up every time we start the program.

We also need to provide a name in the File Name edit box. This is the name under which the
structure data will be saved on the computer hard disk. The name “Structure 1” (? will be a
number) is recommended by the program by default, but we can change it to any name we want.

A default path name - the location on the computer drive where the file will be saved – is provided
by the program under Location. If you wish to save the file in a different location, type in the

name, or click the button and specify the desired path.

Space : A space structure, Which is a three-dimensional framed structure with loads applied in
any plan, is the most general.

Plane: A plan structure is bound by a global X-Y coordinate system with loads in the same plan.
Floor: A Floor structure is a two dimensional structure having no horizontal (global X or Z)
movement of the structure (FX, FZ & MY are restrained at every joint]. The floor framing (in
global X-Z plane) of a building is an ideal example of a FLOOR structure.

Truss: A TRUSS structure consists of truss members which can have only axial member forces
and no bending in the members.

We choose length unit and Force unit. After specifying the above input, click on the next button.

STEP 3:

Add beam: Begin building your model by creating new joints and beams using the construction
grid, drawing tools and spreadsheets.

Add plate: Begin building your model by creating new joints and 3-noded and 4-noded plate
elements using the construction grid, drawing tools and spreadsheets.
Add solid: Begin building your model by creating new joints and 8-noded solid/brick elements
using the construction grid, drawing tools and spreadsheets.

Open structure wizard: Begin building your model by using standard, parametric structural
templates for trusses, surfaces, bay frames and much more.

Open STAAD Editor: Begin building your model using STAAD syntax commands (non-
graphical interface) through the STAAD editor.

Edit job information: Provide information about the job (i.e. client’s name, job title, engineers
involved, etc.) before building your model.

Click on the Finish button. The dialog box will be dismissed. New page is open.

ELEMENTS OF THE STAAD.Pro SCREEN:

Menu Bar: Located at the top of the screen, the Menu bar gives access to all the facilities of
STAAD.Pro.

Tool Bar: The dock able Toolbar gives access to the most frequently used commands. You may
also create your own customized toolbar.

Main Window: This is the largest area at the center of the screen, where the model drawings
and results are displayed in pictorial form.

Page Control: The Page Control is a set of tabs that appear on the left-most part of the screen.
Each tab on the Page Control allows you to perform specific tasks. The organization of the
Pages, from top to bottom, represents the logical sequence of operations, such as, definition of
beams, specification of member properties, loading, and so on.

Each tab has a name and an icon for easy identification. The name on the tabs may or may not
appear depending on your screen resolution and the size of the STAAD.Pro window. However,
the icons on the Page Control tabs always appear.

The Pages in the Page Control area depend on the Mode of operation. The Mode of operation
may be set from the Mode menu from the Menu bar.
Data Area: The right side of the screen is called the Data Area, where different dialog boxes,
tables, list boxes, etc. appear depending on the type of operation you are performing. For example,
when you select the Geometry | Beam Page, the Data Area contains the Node- Coordinate table
and the Member-incidence table, When you are in the Load Page, the contents of the Data Area
changes to display the currently assigned Load cases and the icons for different types of loads.

The icons in the toolbar as well as in the Page Control area offer Tool Tip help. As we
move the mouse pointer over a button, the name of the button – called a Tool Tip – appears above
or below the button. This floating Tool tip help will identify the icon. A brief description of the
icon also appears in the status bar.

We are now ready to start building the model geometry. The steps and wherever possible,
the corresponding STAAD.Pro commands (instructions which get written in the STAAD input
file) are described in the following sections.
 Menu Bar
Tool Bar

Page

Control
Data

Area

Main

Window

Selection Toolbar:
Icon Corresponding Menu
options purpose Description
Used to select First, select the nodes
nodes curser. Then, click on the
graphically node in window.

Used to select First, select the Beams

beam Cursor. Then, click on
graphically the members you wish to
select. To select multiple
members, hold down the
Control key while
selecting, or create a
rubber-band style
window around the
desired beams.
Used to select First, select the Plates
plates
Cursor. Then, click on
graphically
the plates you wish to
select. To select
multiple plates, hold
down the Control key
while selecting, or
create a rubber-band
style window around
the desired plates.

Used to select First, select the

surface
Surface Cursor. Then,
graphically
click on the surface
you wish to select. To
select multiple
surfaces, hold down
the Control key while
selecting, or create a
rubber-band style
window around the
desired surfaces.
Used to select First, select the Solids
solids
Cursor. Then, click on
graphically
the solids you wish to
select. To select
multiple solids, hold
down the Control key
while selecting, or
create a rubber-band
style window around
the desired solids.

Used to select First, select the

any geometry
Geometry Cursor.
graphically. It
is Then, click on the
a mechanism
entity you wish to
for
selecting select. To select
nodes,
multiple entities, hold
beams, plates
and solids, or, down the Control key
any
while selecting, or
combination
of these, create a rubber-band
simultaneousl
style window around
y.
the desired entities.
Used to First, select the Load
graphically
Edit Cursor. Then,
select a
component of double-click on the
an
diagram of the load
existing load
case for component you wish to
modification.
edit.

Used to First select the Support

graphically
Edit Cursor. Then,
select a
support double-click on the
whose
support icon at the
parameters
one node where you wish
may wish to
to modify the details of
modify.
the existing support.
 Used to First, select the
graphically
Release Edit Cursor.
select and
modify an Then, double-click on
existing
the member on which a
member
release currently defined
specification
START or END release
condition has to be
modified.

THE ROTATION TOOLBAR:

Icon Description

Displays the structure as seen from the front. When the global Y
axis is vertical, this is the elevation view, as looking towards the
View From +Z negative direction of the Z-axis.
 Displays the structure as seen from the back. When the global Y
axis is vertical, this is the elevation view, as seen looking towards
View From -Z the positive direction of the Z-axis.

Displays the structure as seen from the right side. When the
global Y axis is vertical, this is the side elevation, as seen looking
View From +X towards the negative direction of the X-axis.

Displays the structure as seen from the left side. When the global
Y axis is vertical, this is the side elevation, as seen looking
View From -X towards the positive direction of the X-axis.

Displays the structure as seen from the top looking down. When
the global Y axis is vertical, this is the plan view, as seen from
View From +Y the sky looking down.

Displays the structure as if one is looking up skywards.

View From -Y

Displays the structure in the isometric view.

Isometric view

Input to the STAAD can be two ways,

1. GUI (Graphical User Interface)

2. STAAD editor program.

Input required initially to get into STAAD:

1. Type of building (ex: Residential, infra structure)

2. Configuration

2.1 plan

2.2 centre line drawing (or) key plan

2.3 column orientation

3. Load calculation:

3.1 Dead load,

3.2 Live load

3.3 Wind load

3.4 Seismic load

3.5 Snow load

3.6 Temperature load

4. Analysis

4.1 Shear force

4.2 Bending moment

4.3 Deflection

5. Design

STEPS INVOLVED IN STAAD:

1. Modeling

2. Property

3. Specifications and supports

4. Grouping
5. UPT (User Provided Table)

6. Loads and Load combinations

7. Design-R.C.C

8. Design – Steel

9. Optimization

10. Take Off

1. MODELING:

Modeling

1. GUI (Graphical User Interface)

2. STAAD editor program.

2. STAAD editor program:

STAAD editor program -

Example: considered R.C.C. framed structure.

1. Set up :
Putt the data into Job info box as shown in above diagrame.

2. Geometry:

Geometry – Beam

2.1 joint coordinate:

Shift + N – node number

Translational repeat:

First select the node 1, 2, 3 and 4 by icon.

Select this . Dialog box is open.

Global Direction – Select the direction ( translation repeat to Y axis)

Default step spacing : distance between step1 to step2.

Finally click OK.

Shift + B – Member number

Member coordinate :

- Add beam.

Select add beam icon. Click one node to another node.

STAAD editor program:

Select the icon. Dialog box is open. Click the save botton.

2. GENERAL:

2.1 Property:

To assign the property of this structure.

It is considered,

 Section,
 Beta angle.

Click the define option. New dialog box is open.

Select the Shape and section of the member as shown in figure,

Finally click and add close.
Select Materials: material property of the structure.

Beta angle: