Introduction to SAP2000

Part 1:
Get started and Build your
model

By Eng. Omar Kammouh

 STEP1: GETTING STARTED
• Click: “File-New model”
• Choose units (you can change later)
• Choose type of structure
• Set number of stories, bays, story height,
etc.. (you can change later)
• Don’t define beams and columns if you
have more than one type of sections
• Click Ok
 STEP2: BUILDING GEOMETRY
• Click: “Define-Coordinate/grid
systems-modify/show system”
• Adjust the geometry of the grid in
X, Y and Z directions
 STEP3: DEFINE MATERIALS
• Click: “Define-materials-add new
material”
• Click on the defined material then
“Modify/Show material)
• Modify the properties if
necessary (E, poisson ration, fc, fy,
etc..)
 STEP4: DEFINE SECTIONS
• Click: “Define-section properties-frame
sections”
• Click “add new property-choose concrete-
rectangular section”
• Give your section a name-define
dimensions-assign material-concrete
reinforcement (important for non linear
analysis only)
• If you have more than one section type,
define each one independently (if the
sections are similar use “add copy of
property”)
• Click ok
 STEP5: ASSIGN SECTIONS
• Click: “draw-draw
frame/cable/tendon”
• Choose the correct section and draw on
the grid (Hints: adjust the view to speed
up the drawing-click on the starting
point and on the end point-right click
after you draw each element
• draw only one frame use the duplicate
command to repeat for all frames:
select the frame elements-click edit-
replicate-assign distance and number of
repetition if the distance is constant)
 STEP6: ASSIGN BASE SUPPORTS
• Select the base nodes
• Click: assign-nodes-restraint
• Choose the correct support
 STEP7: GROUPING
• If the building you are modeling is
large, try to group your sections
according to type, frame number,
storey number, etc...
• To group elements: “select the
elements that you want to group-
assign-assign to group-define
groups-add new group-change the
name-Ok”
• Grouping will prevent you from
getting lost later when you show the
results!
 STEP8: DEFINE DIAPHRAGM CONSTRAINT
• A Diaphragm Constraint causes all of its constrained joints to move together as a
planar diaphragm that is rigid against membrane (in-plane) deformation. This
constraint can be used to model the behavior of concrete floors (or concrete-
filled decks) in building structures, which typically have very high in-plane
stiffness.
• Diaphragm helps prevent unnecessary analysis for the slab without losing its
behaviour
• One diaphragm for each floor (otherwise the floors will be constrained with
respect to each other)
• How to: click “assign-joint-constraint-define joint constraints-choose constrain
type: diaphragm- add new constraint-give a name”
• For each floor, select all nodes (here grouping and screen view is important)-
assign-joint-constraint-click on the defined constraint-apply.
STEP8: DEFINE DIAPHRAGM CONSTRAINT
 STEP9: ASSIGN STATIC LOADS
LOAD PATERNS
• Click :define-load patterns:
Self weight: structural memebers G1
type: dead
self weight multiplier: 1
click “add new load pattern”
Slab G2:
type: dead
self weight multiplier: 0
click “add new load pattern”
Super imposed-Walls: G3
Live Q1
type: live
self weight multiplier: 0
click “add new load pattern”
Snow Q2
type: snow
self weight multiplier: 0
click “add new load pattern”
STEP9: ASSIGN STATIC LOADS
 STEP9: ASSIGN STATIC LOADS
ASSIGN SURFACE PRESSURE
There are 2 ways to assign surface load
1-on the slab (you have to define a new material and a new section)
• Define-section properties-area section-shell-add new section-name: slab no weight-assign the material (you can
click on + in the material section to define new material)-add new material-concrete-weight=0
• Draw- draw rectangular area (or quick area)
• Select the slabs you want to assign a specific load (grouping and view are important here)-assign-area load-
uniform to frame (one or 2 ways loading).
• Insert the load pattern, load direction, load distribution, load value. One way direction is the red axis direction
(you can rotate the local axis to change the direction)
• To rotate the axis: click assign-area-local axis
STEP9: ASSIGN STATIC LOADS
 STEP9: ASSIGN STATIC LOADS
ASSIGN SURFACE PRESSURE
2-on the beams (you have to manually
compute the load carried by each
beam)
• Assign-frame loads-distributed
 STEP9: ASSIGN STATIC LOADS
ASSIGN LINEAR LOAD ON THE BEAM
• Select the beams-assign-frame
loads-distributed
 STEP10: LOAD COMBINATIONS
• Define- Load combination-add
new combo
• You can also use the automatic
load combination command. In
this case you have to adjust the
design code : Design- concrete
frame design-view/review
preferences
• Create envelopes: Load
combination-add new combo-
load combination
type:envelope
 STEP11: RUN ANALYSIS AND SEE RESULTS

• Click on the
• Go to display to see results (or use
the shortcuts)
• Right click on the structural members
to see result details
 ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
1-Pin connections in case of precast
structures

• Select the beam-assign- frame-

release- check M2 and M3

2-Use shortcuts on the left bar to clear selection or select previously selected item or select all