STAAD Basic Tutorial/Guide

ENGR. FERDINAND A. DAGA | DPWH-DEO | JULY 16, 2018

 STAAD FLOW:

SET-UP
GEOMETRY
GENERAL
ANALYSIS
DESIGN

NOTE:

1. In “GEOMETRY” we add beams, nodes, and everything according to our need.

Under geometry are “Beam”, “Plate”, “Surface”, “Solid”, “Parameter”, “Composition”,
etc.
2. In “GENERAL” there are five (5) sub-menus: Property, Spec, Support, Load and
Definition, and Material. Under the “Property” section, we can add several
properties on our intended project, taking for example, adding an “I-Section” to any
beam or girt. Hence, we can add or define any property to our structure.
3. In “DESIGN” it allows us to determine the structure components, and we could use
the design code for which STAAD must follow. Further, it will allow us to test which
structure components fails and haven’t during the analysis.
4. In making models, modelling trusses is separate from modeling columns and beam
structures. For trusses we set our structure as “Plane” and “Space” for columns and
beams.

SHORTCUTS:
1. Shift + B = Show/Hide beam numbers
2. Shift + N = Show/Hide Node Numbers
3. Shift + P = Plate Number
4. Shift + K = Show/Hide Node Points
5. Shift + D = Show/Hide node distances or dimensions.
6. Shift + S = Show supports
7. Shift + E = Show beam ends
8. Shift + W = Wind Load
9. Shift + Y = Floor Loads
10. Shift + F = Floor Loadings
11. Ctrl + C + V = Paste with Move. Allows user to copy nodes with new direction or
orientation.
12. Ctrl + N = Run Structural Wizzard
13. Ctrl + F5 / F9 = Run analysis

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14. Alt + V + V = View selected objects only
15. F2 = Move
16. F5 = Check syntax in STAAD Editor
17. F4 = Change Orientation
18. F2 = Move and copy

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TRUSS DESIGN:
1. First select “Geometry” and model the truss intended for the project. Make sure
that the dimensions of each member correspond with the dimensions on the plan
(refer to the structural sheets).
2. After modeling the truss, select the “General” section. Under the general section,
the sub-menus like Property, Spec, Support, Load and Definition, and Material shall
be modified. Adding the type of support, click “Support” section and under the
support section. Click Create >> Pinned >> Add. Here, you can add different type
of supports, but for this lesson, “Pinned Support” shall be taken as example.

3. After adding the type of support, the newly added type shall now be
assigned/applied to the designated members of the structures. Using the “Beams
Cursor” select all the beams, and under the “Supports – Whole Structure” click
the type of support needed and “Assigned to Selected Beams”, then click
“Assign”. The members are now modified.
4. On the other side, we have

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STAAD Common Questions:
1. Should I use Add Plate option or Generate Surface Mesh option to model the
slab?
A slab must be modeled using a mesh of plates. You should not model it
using a single plate element because if you do so, the slab will only connect to the
rest of the structure at the corners. So, if you have beams along the edges and
columns at the four corners of the slab the slab would only connect to the columns
but not to the beams. Hence the load from the slab will be transferred to the columns
directly without bothering the beams and so the load path would not be accurate.
Hence you should always use a mesh of plates and the beams at the edges should
also be divided in line with the plate mesh so that connectivity is established at the
common nodes along the edge.

Now that we have established that we must use a plate mesh as opposed to
a single plate to model the slab, let us examine which of the two options we should
use. The Add Plate adds one single plate at a time. So, if you must generate the
plate mesh using this option, you would have to repeat the process multiple times.
You would have to create the nodes first and then create the plates one at a time
using this option which is time consuming. The Generate Surface Mesh option on
the other hand automates the generation of the plate mesh and allows one to
generate the entire plate mesh in one shot. So, the answer is, using the Generate
Surface Mesh is more suited to modeling a slab.

2. In assigning specification to trusses, why should we use the Release instead of

Truss Specification?
Joints on trusses is not actually purely pinned, instead it’s welded. So, web
member ends have bending stiffness. On the other hand, when assigning Truss
Specification on the web members, usually it causes mathematical error in STAAD
Calculations. So, the best solution is to release the ninety nine percent (99%)
bending stiffness of the web members. One Percent (1%) is the bending capacity of
the ends of each web members. Flexural members on top and bottom chords, then
web members are 99% released.

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3. What are the load cases to be used?
Four (4) load cases shall be used: Dead Load, Live Load, and two
(2) Wind Loads. (Refer to NSCP 2015). Wind Load I for the direct pressure
and Wind Load II for the suction. To make it easier to distinguish the
loadings needed for the project, it is better for the user to make an excel file
listing the type and number of loadings needed for the structure.
On the top cord, the dead load that acts on the structure is from the
corrugated roofing sheet, the weight of the purlins and the weight of the
truss itself.
To get the member loads (uniform load) that acts on the truss, first,
the pressure acting on the corrugated roofing sheet multiplied by the spacing
of the trusses. Second, to get the uniform load acting on the purlins, the total
weight of the purlins (can be obtained from the previous STAAD
calculations on purlins) divided by its spacing, divided by its length, then
multiplied by the spacing of the trusses. This scenario, we are considering
the whole structure of the building.

NSCP 2015 PAGES:

 Minimum Design Dead Loads – Chapter 2, 2-13,14
 Minimum Roof Live Loads – Table 205-3, Chapter 2, 2-20
 Basic Wind Speed – 2-38,39,40
 Wind Loads – 2-95….103

4. What are the things needed to remember in seismic design?

Certain thing should be put in mind when doing seismic design. First
and foremost, for the seismic definitions, under the seismic parameters the
type of code to be used in designing is UBC 1997 since this code corresponds
to the NSCP 2015.
For the seismic loads, add 5% factor for the Accidental Torsional
Moment. Accidental Torsional Moment can be amplified using Natural
Torsional Moment, however, this will only be applied when the structure has
rigid diaphragms.
5. What do you need to know about tie beams?
Tie beams is also modeled in STAAD. Considering that the tie beams
as part of the lateral frame system, it will shoulder the perimeters of the wall.
Instead of using wall footing, tie beam is much safer to be used since in wall

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 footing it settles the soil and will results to CHB cracking. If the tie beam will
support it, then it will be stronger and durable.

6. Flow in seismic Design

a. Define parameters. Set type to: UBC 1997
b. Input values on the desired parameters. (Zone, Importance Factor,

7. In seismic design, why do we prefer rigid diaphragm instead of the

traditional way master slave?
In the master slave, you cannot extract center of mass unlike with the rigid
diaphragm. Thus, rigid diaphragm is more recommended.

Part I – MODELING AND DESIGNING TRUSSES

1. Under the Geometry Section, set node 1 x, y and z plane to zero. This will set as
your starting point. Then, plot the nodal points.
2. Connect these nodes using “Add Beam” , corresponding to the truss
members dimensions and its figure.
3. Under the General Section, modify your truss members properties. General >
Property > Section Data Base (Only applicable if the section used in truss
structure is listed on the table, or else the user must make his/her own property).
4. Such case, to make the desired property of your structure the following
procedures must be followed. User Table > Add or Tools > Create User Table
> Select Section Type (i.e., wide flange, channel, angle, etc.) > Ok > New Table
> Add New Property > (Input the desired values) > Calculate > Ok.
5. To assign the property made by the user: (Select all the applicable beams) >
User Table > Select Existing Table > Assign.
6. Instead of using Truss Specification, also to avoid error in STAAD calculations,
the structure needs to be released. (Select all the applicable beams) > Specs
> Beam > Start > Partial Moment Release > MP (set to 0.99) > Add > Assign
to selected beams.
Specs > Beam > End > Partial Moment Release > MP (set to 0.99) > Add >
Assign to selected beams.
Explanation for this why we must release the structure is also provided on the
“Frequently asked Questions About STAAD Design” page.

Part I – MODELING AND DESIGNING BEAMS AND COLUMNS

DE
1. Reference Load Definitions
a. REF LOAD – DL
i. Selfweight = 1.0
ii. Floor Load = (from excel file total floor dead load)

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 iii. CHB Load = (kn/m) for 100 mm, pressure = 2.98 kN/m2.
Member load = Pressure x height of CHB
Height of CHB = 2nd Floor height – beam height
SEISMIC DESIGN:

2. General > Spec > Select Node > Nodes > Floor Diaphragm > Input Floor Height
> Assign
3. (After diaphragm command) STAAD Editor, input the following:
CHECK SOFT STORY ASCE7 > SAVE > CLOSE
4. General > Load and Definition > Seismic Definitions > Add > (Type: UBC 1997)
> Input Parameters (refer to excel file) > Add
5. Click D Zone 0.4 > Add > Reference Load > Ref Load DL > Along Y > Add. The
structure now has seismic mass
If you set your Ref Load – DL to Mass instead of Dead, then the user no longer
needs to set up this procedure.

6. Load Cases Details:

1. Seismic – 1. EX, 2. EZ
2. Dead – DL
3. Live – LL

7. EX > Add > Seismic Loads > X Direction Factor 1 > Accidental Torsional Moment
> 0.05 > Natural Torsional Moment > 1.0 > Add > Close
8. EZ > Add > Seismic Loads > Z Direction Factor 1 > Accidental Torsional Moment
> 0.05 > Natural Torsional Moment > 1.0 > Add > Close
9. DL > Add > Repeat Load > Ref Load > R1: Ref Load – DL > Factor -1 > Add >
Close
10. LL > Add > Floor Load > Input Value > Group > Add
11. LL >Add>Member Load > Input Value > Select Applicable Beams > Assigned to
Selected Beams
12. Analysis Print > Add > Run Analysis
13. To Remove the Warning, change command using STAAD Editor. Under Seismic
EX and EZ input the following:
PERFORM ANALYSIS
CHANGE
14. Run Analysis (check if warning sign still there)
15.
Current Video: Part 6, 25:03

09158727907

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