MasterFrame Manual 2019

Copyright © 2019
 Table of Contents
1. Overview...................................................................................................... 5
1.1. Creating a MasterFrame model...................................................................... 5
1.2. MasterFrame Coordinate System ................................................................... 6
1.3. MasterFrame Versions................................................................................. 9
1.4. MasterFrame Integration ............................................................................. 9
1.5. MasterFrame Analysis ................................................................................. 10
1.6. Advanced Analysis Tools .............................................................................. 11
1.7. Analysis Results.......................................................................................... 11
1.8. Exporting to and from MasterFrame ............................................................... 12
2. Concepts....................................................................................................... 13
2.1. MasterFrame Global Coordinate system........................................................... 14
2.2. MasterFrame Local Coordinates ..................................................................... 15
2.3. Member Orientation .................................................................................... 16
2.4. MasterFrame Units ..................................................................................... 16
2.5. Nodal Supports .......................................................................................... 17
2.6. MasterFrame Loads .................................................................................... 17
2.7. MasterFrame Analysis ................................................................................. 18
2.8. MasterFrame non-linear elements .................................................................. 19
2.9. Non-linear P-delta analysis ............................................................................ 20
2.10. MasterFrame Analysis Results...................................................................... 21
2.11. Integrated Design modules ......................................................................... 22
2.12. Finite Element Analysis ............................................................................... 22
3. Starting a New Frame.................................................................................... 24
3.1. Creating a MasterFrame file .......................................................................... 24
3.2. Frame Generation Menu .............................................................................. 25
3.3. Starter Frame............................................................................................ 27
3.4. Project Information..................................................................................... 28
3.5. Create a Frame ......................................................................................... 28
3.6. Modify a Frame ......................................................................................... 29
3.7. Viewing a Frame......................................................................................... 30
3.8. Properties of Frame Elements ....................................................................... 31
3.9. Loads on a Model....................................................................................... 32
3.10. Restraining a Model ................................................................................... 33
3.11. Analysis of a Model ................................................................................... 34
3.12. Results ................................................................................................... 34
3.13. Design – Multi-Material ............................................................................... 34
3.14. BIM Exchange ......................................................................................... 35
3.15. Reports .................................................................................................. 36
3.16. Help Options ............................................................................................ 36
4. Top Toolbar................................................................................................... 38
4.1. Introduction .............................................................................................. 38
4.2. The Actions toolbar..................................................................................... 38
4.3. The Views and Filtering toolbar ...................................................................... 39
4.4. The Members toolbar.................................................................................. 39
4.5. The Nodes and Coordinates toolbar................................................................ 40
4.6. The Supports and Restraints toolbar ............................................................... 40
4.7. The 3D Drawing toolbar ............................................................................... 40
4.8. The Loads toolbar ...................................................................................... 41
4.9. The Gravity Area Loading toolbar ................................................................... 41
4.10. The Wind Loading toolbar ........................................................................... 42

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 4.11. The Grid Lines and Levels toolbar ................................................................. 43
4.12. The Statistics toolbar ................................................................................. 43
4.13. The Display toolbar ................................................................................... 45
5. Viewing and Navigation................................................................................. 47
5.1. Viewing Options - Overview........................................................................... 47
5.2. Viewing Menu ............................................................................................ 49
5.3. Frame Views ............................................................................................. 50
5.4. Member Viewing Groups............................................................................... 53
5.5. End Point Labelling Groups ............................................................................ 56
5.6. Global Member Referencing .......................................................................... 59
5.7. Member Referencing Groups......................................................................... 64
5.8. Basic Model Views....................................................................................... 66
5.9. Basic Model Navigation in Orthogonal View ....................................................... 69
5.10. Basic Model Navigation in Perspective View ..................................................... 70
5.11. The Navigation Cube and Home Button ......................................................... 71
5.12. Filter ...................................................................................................... 72
5.13. Snapshots ............................................................................................... 74
5.14. Filtered Views ........................................................................................... 75
6. Creating a Model ........................................................................................... 78
6.1. Grid Lines.................................................................................................. 78
6.2. Levels, Loading and Global Data..................................................................... 89
6.3. Add Columns ............................................................................................. 98
6.4. Add Members (General)............................................................................... 103
6.5. Adding Members in a Panel........................................................................... 108
6.6. Add Vertical Bracing .................................................................................... 115
6.7. Add Shear Walls ......................................................................................... 120
6.8. Add Roof/Floor Panel Area Loading (Pro) ......................................................... 123
6.9. Add Stiff Deck, semi rigid.............................................................................. 124
6.10. Add Slab, Wall, Ramp (FE surface) ............................................................... 129
6.11. Copy Add Members................................................................................... 129
6.12. Add Frame .............................................................................................. 137
7. Modifying Geometry ...................................................................................... 147
7.1. Introduction .............................................................................................. 147
7.2. Splitting Members ....................................................................................... 152
7.3. Merging Members....................................................................................... 155
7.4. Deleting Members, FE Surfaces and Grid Lines .................................................. 157
7.5. Move Members, FE Surfaces, Grid Lines.......................................................... 158
7.6. Redefine Single Member Geometry ................................................................. 164
7.7. Create Curved Member From Facets .............................................................. 167
7.8. Change Co-ordinate Tools ............................................................................ 168
7.9. Make All Coordinates Positive......................................................................... 178
7.10. Position Coordinates Menu .......................................................................... 178
8. Analytical Model Connectivity........................................................................ 184
8.1. Model Auto Connect.................................................................................... 185
8.2. Analysis Model Consistency Checker ............................................................... 188
8.3. Show and merge Coincident Nodes................................................................. 191
8.4. Merge Two Analytical Members ..................................................................... 192
8.5. Connect Two Members at Intersection............................................................ 193
8.6. Delete Nodes............................................................................................. 193
9. Properties .................................................................................................... 195
9.1. Member Property Editor ............................................................................... 195
9.2. Member Sections and Materials ..................................................................... 203
9.3. Frame Section Property Statistics ................................................................... 214

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 9.4. Member Attributes...................................................................................... 215
9.5. Member Cross Section Orientation ( angle)....................................................... 216
9.6. FE Surface Material Properties ....................................................................... 221
9.7. FE Surface Attached Beams ......................................................................... 221
9.8. Stiff Deck Semi-Rigid.................................................................................... 221
9.9. Member Global Density ................................................................................ 224
9.10. Member Concrete Casing Properties.............................................................. 225
9.11. Coefficient of Thermal Expansion.................................................................. 225
10. Loads ......................................................................................................... 227
10.1. Load Group – Titles and Code Designation...................................................... 227
10.2. Load Cases ............................................................................................. 229
10.3. Load Combinations .................................................................................... 236
10.4. Member Loading....................................................................................... 238
10.5. Nodal Loading .......................................................................................... 254
10.6. Notional Horizontal Loading / Equivalent Horizontal Force.................................... 255
10.7. Density for Self-Weight............................................................................... 257
10.8. Floor and Roof Panels - Area Loading and Construction (Pro) .............................. 257
10.8.1. Area Loading ..................................................................................... 258
10.8.2. Bracing Members ............................................................................... 270
10.8.3. Alternate Load Groups ......................................................................... 272
10.8.4. Line Loads 2018 ................................................................................. 275
10.8.5. Line Loads 2019+............................................................................... 277
10.8.6. Patch Loads 2018............................................................................... 285
10.8.7. Patch Loads 2019+............................................................................. 289
10.8.8. Point Loads 2019+.............................................................................. 293
10.9. Wind Panel Loading (Pro)............................................................................ 293
10.10. FE Surface Loading .................................................................................. 309
10.11. FE Surface Alternate Loading Patterns.......................................................... 310
10.12. Live Load Reduction ................................................................................. 311
10.13. Dynamic and Seismic Loads....................................................................... 313
10.14. Viewing Loads......................................................................................... 313
11. Restraints................................................................................................... 316
11.1. Introduction............................................................................................. 316
11.2. Menu Overview ........................................................................................ 316
11.3. Member End Releases ............................................................................... 317
11.4. Nodal Supports......................................................................................... 323
11.5. FE Surface Edge Supports and Restraints ....................................................... 329
11.6. Potential Plastic Hinges ............................................................................... 329
11.7. Partial Member End Fixity............................................................................ 330
12. Analysis...................................................................................................... 336
12.1. Introduction............................................................................................. 336
12.2. Menu Overview ........................................................................................ 336
12.3. Second Order Analysis Options per Load Case................................................. 337
12.4. P-delta Analysis ........................................................................................ 339
12.5. Elastic Critical Load Factor ........................................................................... 340
12.6. Plastic Analysis ......................................................................................... 341
12.7. Timber Load Duration ................................................................................ 343
12.8. Global Analysis Options............................................................................... 344
12.9. FE Surface Meshing................................................................................... 346
12.10. Static Analysis......................................................................................... 347
12.11. Dynamic Analysis .................................................................................... 351
13. Results - Viewing & Printing ........................................................................ 352
13.1. Introduction............................................................................................. 352

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 13.2. Output Devices ........................................................................................ 353
13.3. Data Files................................................................................................ 353
13.4. Screen Graphics........................................................................................ 356
13.5. Tabular Analysis Results ............................................................................. 356
13.6. Printing Tabular Results .............................................................................. 359
13.7. Member Stresses...................................................................................... 360
13.8. Internal Member Forces ............................................................................. 361
13.9. Graphical Analysis Results ........................................................................... 361
14. Design Menu ............................................................................................... 366
14.1. Design Codes........................................................................................... 366
14.2. Composite Beam to Slab Construction Type Member Groups (Pro) ...................... 367
14.3. Steel and Composite Member Design Groups (Pro)........................................... 368
14.4. Steel Connections Design Groups (Pro) .......................................................... 370
14.5. Column Splices ......................................................................................... 372
14.6. Beam Eccentricities (Pro) ............................................................................ 372
14.7. Design Modules ........................................................................................ 373
14.8. Manage Design Briefs ................................................................................ 373
15. BIM ............................................................................................................ 375
15.1. Revit – Uni-Directional Links ......................................................................... 375
15.2. Revit – Bi-Directional Links ........................................................................... 378
15.3. Revit – Section Mapping Database ................................................................ 381
15.4. Revit – Direct Mapping Database.................................................................. 384
15.5. Revit – Default Sections.............................................................................. 385
15.6. Revit – Database Connection Settings............................................................ 387
15.7. MasterCAD and DXF Output........................................................................ 389
15.8. IFC........................................................................................................ 396
16. Report Generator ........................................................................................ 401
16.1. User Interface Overview ............................................................................ 401
16.2. Print Settings............................................................................................ 403

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MasterFrame Overview

MasterFrame is the main structural frame analysis module. Masterframe provides the primary
interface for creating and analysing structural models, ranging from simple beams, planar
multi-element frames and complex-geometric 3D structures. Masterframe also provides a
common link to a number of other Masterseries modules, such as the member design modules,
Masterframe FE or the Masterframe Dynamic module.

Using an entity-based modelling system, MasterFrame allows the creation of models based on
line elements which are used to represent the structural elements which combine to make up the
structure. End releases allow the modelling of simply supported or continuous structures, or partial
fixities may be specified to simulate rotational springs. Support conditions can be specified,
ranging from simply supported to fixed supports, but also including spring supports for both
translational and rotational restraint.

MasterSeries allows the user to quickly and easily apply loading to the model using a range of
loading tools which allow a very wide range of loading arrangements to be simulated on the frame
entities. The loadings not only allow for gravity and wind loads, but torsional , eccentric,
temperature and lack of fit loads. The range of loading tools available in Masterframe mean loads
can all be quickly and easily applied to a model.

Once loads have been specified, loading cases can be created to apply the loads in the required
combinations with the relevant load factors applied. Load combinations can be created to comply
with either the British Standards, Eurocode or South African SABS codes. The British National
Annex is available for the Eurocode design as default, but customisation options are available to
allow users to input Nationally Defined Parameters in line with other National Annex documents.
An auto load case generator function is provided to allow load cases to be quickly created, but
the user still retains control of the combinations and factors.

Once created, the model can then be analysed to give the Engineer the member forces, nodal
displacement and the support reactions. The analysis results can be displayed in a range of
formats. Once the analysis is complete, the results can then be used within the various
Masterseries design modules. Thus Masterframe can be used as an analysis tools, but can also
be used to automate the design process.

Creating a MasterFrame model

The basic steps involved in creating a model in MasterFrame are as follows: -

· Generate the frame geometry
· Define the entities representing the frame members
· Define the properties and orientation of the members

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 · Define the end restraint conditions of the members
· Define the support conditions
· Define the structural loads

· Create the required loading cases and combinations

· Analyse the model
· Review the results
The sequence of steps is not fixed and so the sequence can be carried out in a different order.
After the analysis is complete, the model can be reviewed and amended as necessary.

MasterFrame Coordinate systems

Within MasterFrame, loadings and supports are defined relative to the global axes coordinate
system. End releases and partial end fixities are defined relative to the member local axes. The
axes systems are as follows: -

Global System of Co-ordinates

The system of co-ordinates used in defining the structure as a whole. The Global X-axis is
horizontal and acts positively towards the right. The Global Y-axis is vertical and acts positively
upward. The Global Z-axis is perpendicular to the XY plane and acts positively into the screen.

Local System of Co-ordinates

The system of co-ordinates is used to define the signs of the internal forces and any loads acting
normal to the member. It is sometimes known as the member system of co-ordinates.
The local x-axis is along the member, and acts from node n1 towards node n2.
The local y-axis is obtained by a 90-degree anti-clockwise rotation of the local x-axis.
The local z-axis acts perpendicular to the local XY plane and is found by rotating 90 degrees
clockwise about the local X axis.

Plane Frame Grillage

The Relationships Between the Global and the Local Systems of Co-ordinates

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Please always use the load diagram to confirm the direction of normal to member loads.
The diagram above illustrates the relationships between the Global and the Local systems of
co-ordinates for plane and grillage frames.

Distance along Members

The distances used in defining load positions, haunch dimension and/or design check
requirements are measured along the slope of the member from node n1.

Nodal Deflections
In plane frames, these include the nodal displacements in the Global X and Y directions, and the
nodal rotation about the Z axis. In grillages, the nodal deflections include the nodal rotation about
the X and Z axes along with the vertical displacement in the Y direction. Please note that for an
East-West member the X rotation is a torsional rotation and the Z rotation is a bending rotation

Plane Frame Grillage

The Sign Convention for the Nodal Deflections

Member Forces
In addition to the values of the Axial force, the Shear force and the Bending moment at the ends
of each member, the value and position of the maximum Bending moment, and the value and
position of the maximum member deflection are also printed.
In the output, the maximum member deflection is defined as the maximum deflection resulting
from the local curvature of the member, measured in relation to the straight line connecting the
new nodal positions. This value is generally more relevant than the absolute deflection, particularly
in the case of a multi-storey structure. The following diagram illustrates the significance and the
sign convention used in conjunction with the maximum member deflection.

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 The Maximum Member Deflection The Sign Convention (Plane Frames)
(Plane Frames)

In plane and space frames, a positive value for axial force indicates compression, and a negative
value indicates tension. The standard convention is used for the shear force and the bending
moment. However, it should be noted that the latter relates to the orientation of the member, as
shown in the diagram above.
In grillages and space frames, a positive torsional moment indicates an anti-clockwise torsion as
seen when looking down the member from the smaller node number to the larger node number.

Support Reactions
The support reactions are based on the out of balance forces at each joint in the model. The
sign convention for the support reactions is illustrated in the figure below. This shows the positive
directions for the six global degrees of freedom.

Pin-Jointed Analysis
With the Pin-Jointed Frame Analysis, the output is considerably more compact than in the case of
the Rigid Frame Analysis. The nodal deflections in the Global X, Y and Z directions are given using
the same sign convention as with rigid frame, but here only the axial force in each member,
together with the axial stress, the length and the type of member are printed.
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With the Pin-Jointed Frame Analysis, the output is considerably more compact than in the case of
the Rigid Frame Analysis. The nodal deflections in the Global X, Y and Z directions are given using
the same sign convention as with rigid frame, but here only the axial force in each member,
together with the axial stress, the length and the type of member are printed.
As before, a positive value of axial force indicates compression, and a negative value indicates
tension. In all other respects the output is similar to that obtained in the case of a Rigid Frame
Analysis.

MasterFrame Versions

MasterFrame is available in two versions, MasterFrame and MasterFrame Pro. MasterFrame Pro
includes all the features of MasterFrame but provides additional tools for creating area-based
gravity loading and wind loadings, along with tools for grouping members for use in the design
modules. MasterFrame Pro also includes a report generation tool for the creation and printing of
the frame information and analysis results. The report generator also allows for the inclusion of
the design results, where other modules are incorporated with MasterFrame.

The additional utilities included in MasterFrame Pro are: -

· Floor and Roof area loading panels
· Wind loading panels, including BREVe site analysis
· Steel Member design groups
· Steel Connection design groups
· Beam Eccentricities for nominal moments

MasterFrame Integration

The MasterSeries suite of software includes a range of modules which can be used as
stand-alone software. But by integrating the modules with MasterFrame, this significantly
increases the power of both MasterFrame and the various additional modules. The seamless
integration of these modules allows MasterFrame to go from an analysis package to an analysis
and design package, thus giving the engineer full analysis and design capabilities under the one
common MasterFrame umbrella.

The additional modules include: -

· MasterKey Steel design
· MasterKey Concrete
· MasterKey Composite beam design
· MasterKey Connections (both simple and moment connections)
· MasterKey Timber
· MasterFrame Finite Element Analysis

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 · MasterFrame Dynamic Analysis
· MasterFrame Seismic Analysis
· MasterFrame Revit Integration

The following diagram indicates the interconnection of the MasterSeries modular system under
the MasterFrame umbrella

MasterFrame Overview

The modular system is available in both MasterFrame and MasterFrame Pro.

MasterFrame Analysis

Both MasterFrame and MasterFrame Pro allow the engineer to analyse a structural model using
static or P-delta second order analysis on any models. Masterframe also allows the analysis to
use non-linear elements such as spring supports and tension/compression only members.
Because the software allows the engineer to use second order analysis, each load case is treated
as a separate analysis case by the software. This means the analysis is carried out for each
individual load case and superposition of load cases is not used in the software, except where
specified by the user by the use of the "Combine Active Load cases" option.

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Advanced Analysis Tools

The addition of MasterFrame Finite Element analysis, MasterFrame Dynamic analysis or

MasterFrame Seismic analysis provides the engineer with advanced analysis capabilities, all utilising
the same MasterFrame model and interface. In the case of the Finite Element Analysis and the
Seismic Module, the analysis results will automatically compile the element forces which are then
used in any subsequent member design. The advanced analysis and design modules use
MasterFrame as the basis method to create and load a model, so allowing users to use the
familiar MasterFrame interface to access the advanced analysis methods. This leads to a
reduction in the learning time for these modules and also avoiding the need to recreate models
for different analyses.

Analysis Results

The results of the analysis of a model are shown in MasterFrame, with the MasterFrame module
acting as the central hub for the collection of the various analyses. Results can be displayed in a
graphical format for either the full frame or for individual structural elements. The analysis results
can also be presented in tabular format. The tabular results can then be printed or exported to
Word.
The Finite Element results can be displayed graphically within Masterframe. The FE results can be
displayed as a colour coded contour output, but section diagrams are also available.

Units
When viewing the results of a Masterframe analysis, whether graphically or in tabular format, the
results are given in the following format:
· mm for the nodal displacements, in the Global X and Y directions; and degrees for
rotation.
· kN for the Axial and Shear Forces;
· kNm for the Bending and Torsional Moments;
· mm for the Maximum Deflection in the member;
· m for the distances along the member measured from node n1;
· m for the Nodal co-ordinates;
· cm2 for the Cross-Sectional Area;
· cm4 for the Second Moment of Area and the Torsional constant;
· kN/mm2 for the Modulus of Elasticity;
· kN for Total Loads;
· kN/m for Load Intensities;

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 · mm for Nodal Settlements in the Global X and Y directions; and
· Degrees for Rotational Nodal Movements.

Exporting to and from MasterFrame

After creating, analysing and designing the model, it is possible to export the frame geometry
and section sizes to produce general arrangement drawings, using the MasterCAD module. The
MasterCAD allows for GA drawings to be annotated with member end reactions and moments.
Using MasterFrame with the MasterSeries Revit Link Manager, it is possible to export the full 3D
models into Revit, including the section sizes and orientations. The Link to Revit can be both a
one-way and two-way link, depending on whether you wish to import or import and export to
Revit.

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MasterFrame Concepts

Introduction

The following chapter outlines the basic concepts involved in using MasterFrame to model a
physical structure, including modelling the loading applied to the structure and the support
conditions. It can often be helpful to understand the general concepts behind a MasterFrame
model when creating an analytic model of a real structure as this can assist in creating an
appropriate structural model for the analysis. This can be particularly helpful when dealing with
models involving Finite Element Surfaces.

MasterFrame models

MasterFrame uses an analytical model based on analytical nodes and analytical elements to
model the interconnected 3-dimensional elements that comprise a physical structure. The
analytical model used in MasterFrame forms a mathematical representation of the physical
structure, from which the stiffness matrix, required as part of the analysis of the structure, is
compiled.
Analytic Nodes – analytic nodes represent points in space. Nodes are associated with an
ordered triplet which represent the global Cartesian coordinates of the point within the model
space.
Analytic Member – analytic members are 1-dimensional line elements which are defined
between two points in space, the points being represented by analytical nodes. Analytic members
must be straight line segments.
Analytic nodes and analytical members together form a mathematical model of the whole, or part
of, a physical structural element. These analytical elements represent the shear centre of the
real element. In doubly symmetric structural sections, the shear centre and centroid are
coincident and so for these type of structural section, the analytical member represents the
element centroid.
Analytic members are always associated with two analytic nodes. The analytic nodes represent
the end points of the analytic member. Several analytic members may be coincident at an
analytic node, in which case the node represents the end point of several analytic members. Only
one node may occur a point in space.
The physical properties of the physical sections are applied to an analytical member as a set of
mathematical values. These mathematical values are used in the analysis and subsequent design
modules. Regardless of the physical values assigned, the analytical members always remain
1-dimensional line elements.
Analytical nodes and analytical members can be used to form a MasterSeries physical member,
which is itself a representation of a physical structural element. A MasterSeries physical member
can comprise of one or more analytical members. 13 An example of a physical member in a model
would be a primary floor beam supporting secondary beams. The physical beam would be made
up a several segments or beam portions, each segment being a single analytic member. The
Analytical nodes and analytical members can be used to form a MasterSeries physical member,
which is itself a representation of a physical structural element. A MasterSeries physical member
can comprise of one or more analytical members. An example of a physical member in a model
would be a primary floor beam supporting secondary beams. The physical beam would be made
up a several segments or beam portions, each segment being a single analytic member. The
intermediate nodes would be shared among at least two analytic members, allowing for the
connecting secondary members.
The MasterFrame physical members are given graphical properties which reflect the physical
properties of the structural element they represent. MasterFrame physical members can be
displayed in the 3D graphics and will have a section shape, orientation and dimensions which are
representative of the real physical member. However, the 3-dimensional nature of the graphical
view is purely graphical, since the underlying model is based on the analytical elements.
MasterFrame physical members can be connected and arranged within the model space to
create a 2 or 3-dimensional model. The positions of the MasterFrame physical members
represent the physical position of the elements of the structure to be modelled. The
MasterFrame coordinates of the nodes representing the connections between elements represent
the joints in the structure.
Once a model has been built, it can be viewed in both a wire frame and a 3D view. However, it is
important to remember that the underlying analysis model is based on the wire frame model,
which in turn is based on the member shear centres.
The intended functionality of MasterFrame is to minimise the time spent by the user dealing with
analytical nodes and analytical members. In general, when creating or modifying a model within
MasterFrame, the software automates the process of creating the MasterFrame physical
members, with the creation of the analytical elements of the model being done automatically in
the background.
Once a model has been partially or fully created, changes are often required to be made. These
changes can include the layout of parts of the floor plans, adding or removing beams, or column
positions or bracing members having to be added or repositioned. Wholesale alterations may
need to be included or new parts of the structure added. The loadings on floors and roofs may
also have to be modified. To make the user’s experience of modelling as simple as possible,
MasterSeries provides a range of very useful tools for the quick altering and modifying of the
members, etc. within the model.

MasterFrame Global Coordinate system

MasterFrame uses a three-dimensional Cartesian coordinate system. The x- and z- axes define a
horizontal plane, while the y-axis indicates the vertical direction. The software indicates the axis
orientations with a dynamic axis symbol. The axis indicator is shown below.

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Each point in space is uniquely identified by an ordered triplet representing the three coordinates,
each coordinate representing the distance from the origin in the axis direction.

MasterFrame Local Coordinates

In addition to the global coordinate system, MasterFrame also employ a local coordinate system
for each physical member. The system of co-ordinates is used to define the signs of the internal
forces and any loads acting normal to the member. It is sometimes known as the member
system of co-ordinates. The local coordinate system is defined as follow: -

The local x-axis is along the member, and acts from node n1 towards n2.
The local y-axis is obtained by a 90-degree anti-clockwise rotation of the local x-axis.
The local z-axis acts perpendicular to the local XY plane and is found by rotating 90 degrees
clockwise about the local X axis.

Plane Frame Grillage

The Relationships Between the Global and the Local Systems of Co-ordinates

Within MasterFrame, a member is defined to start at the lower numbered node at the member
ends. Distance along members is therefore taken from the lower node number, unless noted
otherwise, or the user selects option to defined the position relative to the end of the physical
member rather than the start.

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The diagram above illustrates the relationships between the Global and the Local systems of
co-ordinates for plane and grillage frames.

Member Orientation

To allow the analytic and physical members in a model to reflect the orientation of the real
structural elements comprising the structure to be modelled, MasterFrame includes a member
orientation angle, which represents the rotation of the angle about its local x-axis. This is termed
the beta angle. To allow for the definition of this angle, MasterFrame defines a ‘top’ surface of a
structural member cross section. Even sections with a circular cross section, the analytic and
physical members with still have a defined top surface from which an orientation is defined. In
general, for singly or doubly-symmetric steel sections, the defined ‘top’ is associated with the
cross section major axis.
The beta angle is utilised within the software when displaying analysis results and also within the
design modules.
Doubly symmetric sections have a defined top surface. Therefore, while in reality rotating a
physical entity through 180 degrees makes no difference to the structure, the software will
analyse the structure according to the member orientation. Hence, in the steel design, the
bending moment diagram will be reversed from what would be expected, due to the orientation
of the member and direction of load. The resulting structural behaviour will not change since the
stiffness of the structure would be unaltered.
The software graphical view of the model includes beta angle indicators.

MasterFrame Units

MasterFrame uses the SI system of units. The default units are metres (m), Newtons (N),
Radians (rad) and Centigrade (ºC). The software does not support Imperial units.
For ease of input, the software uses distance inputs of metres (m), force inputs of kilonewtons
(kN), and rotational inputs in radians.
The SI units for density are kg/m³. This is the input value used with the Finite Element Analysis
module. In MasterFrame, the required density inputs are in kN/m³.
Within MasterFrame and the Finite Element Analysis module, for ease of input the default unit for
Young’s Modulus is kN/mm².
The results within MasterFrame as displayed in the following units: -
· mm for the nodal displacements, in the Global X and Y directions; and degrees for
rotation.
· kN for the Axial and Shear Forces;
· kNm for the Bending and Torsional Moments;

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 · mm for the Maximum Deflection in the member;
· m for the distances along the member measured from node n1;
· m for the Nodal co-ordinates;

· cm2 for the Cross-Sectional Area;

· cm4 for the Second Moment of Area and the Torsional constant;
· kN/mm2 for the Modulus of Elasticity;
· kN for Total Loads;
· kN/m for Load Intensities;
· mm for Nodal Settlements in the Global X and Y directions; and

· Degrees for Rotational Nodal Movements.

Nodal Supports

Nodal supports represent external restraint conditions defined to act on the analytical nodes within
any model. The nodal supports are an idealised representation of an external restraint on the
displacement and/or rotation of the node. Nodal restraints are used to define the boundary
conditions on the system of equations which are solved in the analysis of the structure.
Nodal supports may prevent lateral displacements or rotations in the global axes directions. Nodal
supports may also be defined to be linear elastic springs, or support displacements.
When nodal supports are defined as springs, the analysis of the structure is no longer linear, and
the software automatically uses an iterative method for the analysis.
Nodal supports are always applied related to the MasterFrame global axes.

MasterFrame Loads

Within MasterFrame, a wide range of loads can be defined to act on any model, ranging from
loadings defined to act over areas, loads applied to the members of a model and loads applied at
nodes. These loads represent idealisations of the actions on the structure to be modelled.
Within MasterFrame, the MasterFrame physical members are loaded with member applied line
and point loads. Therefore, all area applied loads are decomposed into equivalent distributed line
load or point loads. This is carried out automatically within the software.
Within the analytic model, all loads are then converted into nodal loads for use in the solution of
the equations which form the analysis of the structure. Loads for use in the analytic model are
always converted into loads acting in the global axes. This process is automatically carried out by
the software and is not a user dependent process.
User applied loads are generally applied in the global axes, regardless of the member orientation.
The exceptions are loads applied acting in the major or minor member axes, which are therefore
applied relative to the member local axes. Nodal17 loads can also be applied at a specified angle to
the horizontal and vertical global planes to avoid the need to resolve loads into the global axes.
User applied loads are generally applied in the global axes, regardless of the member orientation.
The exceptions are loads applied acting in the major or minor member axes, which are therefore
applied relative to the member local axes. Nodal loads can also be applied at a specified angle to
the horizontal and vertical global planes to avoid the need to resolve loads into the global axes.

MasterFrame Analysis

MasterFrame allows the user to construct a representation of the structure to be analysed by the
use of MasterFrame physical members, area loads including gravity and wind loads, member and
nodal loads and also to model foundation and other restraint to movements of the structure
using nodal supports. The MasterFrame physical model is an idealised representation of the
actual structure.
Under lying the MasterFrame physical model is the analytic model, comprised of analytic nodes
and analytic members. The analytic model is a further idealised abstraction of the structure. The
underlying analytic model is what is used to set up the system of equations which are solved to
form the analysis of the structure.
The section properties of the MasterFrame physical members are converted into member
stiffnesses for the analytic members of the analytic model. The stiffnesses are initially determined
relative to the local member axes. Each analytic member in the model will have its own local
stiffness properties relating to the axial and bending stiffness of the member. All analytic member
stiffnesses can be expressed in matrix form. Each analytic member stiffness matrix is then
transformed into global coordinates. At this stage, the transformed member stiffness matrices
are compiled into a global stiffness matrix which represents the stiffness matrix of the full
structure in the global coordinates.
The system of equations which represent the structure to be analysed can be written, in matrix
form, as: -
F = Kd

Where F and d are column vectors representing the forces and moments acting at the analytic
nodes of the model and the displacements and rotations of the analytic nodes, all in global
coordinates.
The stiffness matrix K has the following properties: -
1. The stiffness matrix is square. The order of the matrix is equal to the number of degrees
of freedom in the analytical model.

2. The stiffness matrix is symmetric

3. The matrix K is positive-definite

4. The structural matrix K is non-singular.

The first 3 points above relate to properties of the matrix which allow certain operations to be
carried out on the matrix which form part of the process of finding a solution to the system of
equations.
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Where a matrix is singular, this means that it has either no solutions, or infinitely many solutions.
In both cases, a single solution does not exist. This would indicate that the structure is unstable.
Hence a singular matrix is indicative of a structural instability in the physical model.
Following manipulation of the set system of equations, where the stiffness matrix K is
non-singular, the system of equations is solved to give the displacements and rotations of each
analytic node in the model. This represents the displacement of the structure relative to the
global system of axes. The global displacements are then converted into local displacements for
each analytic member of the model, from which the end reactions and end moments of the
analytic members is calculated. At this stage, the member loading, in the form of linearly varying
loads and point loads on the analytic members, are used to calculate the bending moment and
shear force distribution on the member. From the bending moments and shear force diagrams,
combined with the end displacements and rotations of the nodes, the deflected shape of the
member is calculated.
The above briefly describes the analysis method which is carried out for a 1st order linear elastic
analysis of an analytic model for a single load case. For model which included multiple load cases,
the analysis process is carried out for each load case, with the results of each analysis being
saved. While superposition of load cases can be used for 1st order linearly elastic analysis, this
cannot be used for non-linear analysis and so the software does not use superposition.
To accommodate non-linearity in the analysis, MasterFrame uses an iterative process to solve
the system of equations. In this case, the analysis of the analytic model in any load case is
carried out a number of times, with a modification of the stiffness matrix being carried out after
each stage of the analysis. A convergence criterion is used to determine when the change in the
solution is small enough to consider the solution to be complete, or, alternatively, to determine
when the solution is divergent and no solution is possible. A modification of this process can
accommodate a 2nd order P-delta analysis, which can account for the geometric modification of
the structure under loading.

MasterFrame non-linear elements

The use of the following elements in a MasterFrame model will require the modification of the
stiffness matrix discussed above and so will require the use of an iterative solving process to
account for the non-linearity of the model. The non-linearity which arises with the use of these
elements is due to geometric non-linearity, rather than to material non-linearity. Material
non-linearity is not considered in MasterFrame.

Tension only members

Tension only members resist only tensile axial forces – they have no bending stiffness. In models
with tension only members, an initial analysis is carried out to determine the nature of the axial
force in all members in the model. Where a tension only member is found to have an axial force,
the member axial stiffness in the stiffness matrix is set to zero and the analysis is repeated. The
result of the 2nd run of the analysis determined if any other tension only members need to be
taken as zero in the stiffness matrix. The process is repeated until no further changes to the
stiffness matrix are required. The full process is repeated for all load cases.

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Compression only members
Similar to the tension only member, the compression only member will resist only axial forces,
with no bending stiffness. A similar analytic process is required to modify the stiffness matrix after
each iteration within a load case.

Nodal Spring supports

MasterFrame models spring supports using a linear elastic spring model. In this case, the force in
the spring is proportional to the distance, with no limit imposed on the magnitude of the force or
displacement. While the spring element is modelled as a linear elastic element in the analytical
model, the displacement of the spring will require a modification of the stiffness matrix of the
structure and the modified structure may result in a different displacement and so a different
force in the spring. Hence a non-linear analysis is required. The process is similar to that outlined
above.

Non-linear P-delta analysis

In cases where the geometric deformation of the structure is considered to be significant,

account of the deformation of the model and the subsequent impact on the stiffness of the
analytic model can be considered by the use is the P-delta analysis.
Within MasterFrame, two types of P-delta analysis are available. Both of these methods use an
iterative approach to modify the model geometry under load and so modify the stiffness matrix
of the analytic model.

Geometric Stiffness
The Geometric Stiffness method is a two-pass iteration method. The first iteration determines the
axial forces in the analytic members. The stiffness matrix is then modified to account for the
axial force, where compressive force lead to a reduction in the bending stiffness of the member
and tensile force produces an increase in the stiffness of the member in bending. The modified
bending stiffness terms are calculated using stability functions, which depend on the axial force in
the member. The second iteration is then carried out using this modified stiffness matrix.
The Geometric Stiffness method accounts for stress stiffening in the analysis and so is a P-δ
method.
The Geometric Stiffness method is applicable where the lateral deflections of the structure, which
are not taken into account in the modification of the stiffness method, are significant. Where
lateral deformations of the structure are considered to be significant, a full non-linear iterative
approach is required.

Newton-Raphson method
The Newton-Raphson method is a multi-pass iterative method which accounts for vertical and
lateral deflections in the frame, accounting for both geometric deformation of the structure as a
whole, and also the effect of the structure deformation on the stress in individual analytic
members. As such, the Newton-Raphson method accounts for the P-∆ effects on the overall
structure, while some P-δ effects are considered depending on the arrangement of the nodes
within a MasterFrame physical member. 20
The Newton-Raphson method is a multi-pass iterative method which accounts for vertical and
lateral deflections in the frame, accounting for both geometric deformation of the structure as a
whole, and also the effect of the structure deformation on the stress in individual analytic
members. As such, the Newton-Raphson method accounts for the P-∆ effects on the overall
structure, while some P-δ effects are considered depending on the arrangement of the nodes
within a MasterFrame physical member.
At each stage of the iteration process, the deformation of the structure is determined from the
analysis and the stiffness matrix is then modified to account for these deformations in the next
iteration. At each stage, the load on the structure can be either the full load of defined on the
structure, or an incremental approach can be used, where the load is increased in a number of
increments, where the number of increments can be defined by the user.
The P-δ effects include the deformation of the individual members, that is, the deformation of
the member along its length. However, the deformation of model is determined at the analytical
nodes within the model. Therefore, to capture the deformation of a member, the member
requires intermediate analytic nodes. Therefore, in a model where the MasterFrame physical
members have no intermediate nodes, the in-member deformations are not accounted for in the
analysis and in this case the analysis is purely a P-∆ analysis. To take account of the P-δ effects
on any particular member, it is necessary to include nodes along the member length. However, it
must be noted that each node adds 6 degrees of freedom the model, so introducing additional
nodes will increase the number of equations to be solved and so increase the size of the stiffness
matrix. Introducing a large number of analytic nodes can lead to an increase in the time to
analyse each iteration of each load case, leading to longer analysis times.
At each iteration of the Newton-Raphson analysis, the convergence of the analysis is measured
against a convergence criterion. This measures the change in the solution for each iteration and
determine whether or not the method will converge to a solution. Where the process does not
converge, this suggests that the structure is unstable and the structure is not tending to an
equilibrium state. Where the solution is not convergent, this will result in a non-convergence error
in the analysis.

MasterFrame Analysis Results

The MasterFrame analysis involves the manipulation of the stiffness matrix associated with the
analytic structure and the subsequent solution of the system of equations represented by the
matrix equation F = K d. From the solution of the system of equations, the deformation of the
structure is determined, from which the end rotations of the members are determined. From this
the end moments of the analytic members are calculated. Finally, from the end moments and
the loading conditions, the resulting bending moments, shear forces, rotations and deflections of
the members are calculated.
The results of the analysis can then be displayed, either in numerical format or in a graphical
former. Results can be viewed on screen or printed or exported.
Results such as bending moment, shear force, axial force or torsion are displayed relative to the
member local axes.
In general, deflections are given relative to the global axes. This relates to the deflection of the
nodes in the model.
For members modelling structural elements such as beams, the deflection of the members along
its length is generally an important consideration in the design of the structural element. The
in-span deflection of the member can be shown in the results outputs. However, since there may
21
be deflections of the nodes at the end of the member, and to account for the orientation of the
member itself, the in-span deflection is calculated as the maximum deflection along the member
relative to the member axes. Thus, the deflection is taken relative to a straight line between the
For members modelling structural elements such as beams, the deflection of the members along
its length is generally an important consideration in the design of the structural element. The
in-span deflection of the member can be shown in the results outputs. However, since there may
be deflections of the nodes at the end of the member, and to account for the orientation of the
member itself, the in-span deflection is calculated as the maximum deflection along the member
relative to the member axes. Thus, the deflection is taken relative to a straight line between the
start and end nodes of the member.

Integrated Design modules

Where integrated design modules are included, the integrated design module will use the member
forces from the MasterFrame analysis, automatically determining the forces on the relevant
MasterFrame physical members.
Since the integrated design module and the MasterFrame analysis are linked, changes to the
properties of the physical members will result in changes to the analytic model, in particular,
changes to the members of a model will change the stiffness matrix of the analytic model.
Therefore, in the integrated design modules, if the properties of the elements in the model are
modified, when going back into MasterFrame, the analysis results will no longer be available and
the software will prompt for the model to be re-analysed.
After re-analysing the model, a new set of member forces and deflections are calculated.
Depending on the extent of the changes made to the model, this may have an impact on the
design of the elements in an integrated design module and it is possible to find that, after a
re-analysis, the required section properties needed to satisfy the member design change.

Finite Element Analysis

Within a MasterFrame model, it is possible, using the MasterFrame FEA module, to include finite
element surfaces within a single MasterFrame model.
The finite element method (FEM) provides a method to model the behaviour or a continuum
structure, such as floor plates or walls elements. The structural element is subdivided into a series
of small elements. In general, these elements may be two or three-dimensional. This subdivided
structure may then be analysed by matrix methods which are an extension of those used in
MasterFrame for analysis regular structural models using 1-dimensional line elements.
Each finite element is a mathematical formulation, consisting of a number of node points joined
by edges. Each finite element is a mathematical idealisation representing a small part of the real
structural element. Loads applied to a finite element are idealised to act at the node points. Finite
elements are assumed to connect at the node points only, so compatibility between elements is
taken to occur at the nodes.
Finite elements are then connected together to form a mesh, where this mesh is the analytic
representation of the structural element to be modelled. From this mesh, the stiffness matrix for
this FE structure can be compiled. By then converting this local stiffness matrix into global
coordinates, the transformed matrix can be compiled as part of the analytic stiffness matrix of
the full structure, thereby incorporating the FE surface into the analysis of the full structure.

22
The analysis of the structure calculates the deformation of the structure at the node points in the
model, which includes the nodes of the finite element mesh. Thus, the analysis is calculating the
deformations and forces at each node in the FE surface. Thus, the forces are displacements of
each finite element is calculated at the node points of the element. However, since the FE
surface is to model a continuum, an estimate of the forces and displacements across an element
also needs to be calculated. This is done by the use of a suitable shape function. A shape
function is a function which describe the distribution of the element stress and strain between the
node points. The shape function needs to be continuous across the element, as does its first
derivative and also needs to ensure compatibility with the results at the element nodes. For ease
of calculation, polynomials are often chosen for shape functions.
Since the FEM is used to model and analyse the behaviour of a continua, the size of the FE mesh
can have a significant impact on the accuracy of the results. Generally, reduction of the mesh
leads to increased accuracy, but the increased number of nodes and degrees of freedom leads
to a significant increase in the size of the stiffness matrix and a subsequent increase in the
analysis time.
Within MasterFrame FE, 8-noded quadrilateral shell elements are employed. These are
2-dimensional shell elements, with nodes at each corner of the element and additional nodes at
the mid-point of each side. The finite elements used employ Mindlin plate theory which enables
the shear deformations of the elements to be included in the analysis. Mindlin theory assumes
that there is a linear variation of displacement through the thickness of the element, but no
change in the element thickness. This is similar to the assumption that plane sections remain
plane in Bernoulli beam bending.
In MasterFrame, the 2-dimensional finite element surface is used to represent the centreline of
the 3-dimensional element to be modelled and analysed. An FE surface therefore is used to
model a structural element of constant thickness, with the FE surface representing the centreline
of the structural element.

23
Starting a New Frame

This section gives you an overview of how to start creating a structural model, introducing the
various menus that you will need to add, modify, view and load members/elements and analyse
the model, looking at the results before designing the components in the model.

Creating a MasterFrame file

To start a new MasterFrame file from the front screen of MasterSeries:-

1. Go to the Programs > MasterFrame icon

This opens up the file selection menu where you can pick a directory for the new file or select an
existing file which you may be working on.

24
To start a new file:-

1. Click on the New button

2. Type in a file-name of your choice
3. Click on the Create button

Frame Generation Menu

The frame generation menu appears and gives you the option to pick a basic frame as the
starter for creating your own frame.

25
The various starter frames include:-

· Grid lines – set up a series of orthogonal grid lines as a basis for a new frame
· Floor Plate – plan floor layout which can be easily copied up into a 3D frame
· Snap Grid – draw a series of structural elements manually
· Simple Beam – an easily set up single beam

· Continuous Beam – multi-span continuous beam

· Sub-Frame – useful for analysing a part of a structure
· Multi-Storey and Grillage – elevation of a multi-storey frame which can be copied
horizontally into the 3rd dimension, and plane grillages
· Multi-Portal – used to generate single or multi-bay portal frames
· Tower Frame – 3D tower frames and domes
· Roof Truss – 3D roof truss
· Fink Truss, N Lattice and V Lattice trusses – starter trusses

Each of these basic frames can be quickly modified to suit your particular frame layout and
copied upwards or horizontally to create a 3D frame.
We recommend starting with one of these frame pre-processors as this is usually easier than
starting a model from scratch.

26
Starter Frame

To progress you can select the Floor Plan.

1. Pick the Floor Plan from the pre-processor options

The number of bays in each direction can be changed to suit your particular structure, the span
lengths altered, a default member section size chosen and member properties added.
Note that the graphic of the frame layout will dynamically change with each alteration of the input
information.

This type of interface will appear for each of the pre-processor frames allowing you to easily
change the parameters before pressing the ‘Apply’ button to accept the details entered.
If you need to add another starter frame into the existing frame you can add it from the Create
menu, Add Frame and select another pre-processor frame type.

27
Project Information

In the File menu you can:-

· Create a new file

· Open an existing file
· Open a recent file from a list of recently worked on files
· Save the current file or

· Save As (Copy) - save another copy of the current file with a new name
· Add Job and Project References, information relating to the particular project
· Add Notes for the current Job to keep a record of changes, for example
· Exit MasterFrame or exit MasterSeries completely

Create a Frame

The create menu provides all you need to create a new structural model including setting up grid
lines, adding new columns, beams and bracing members. It also covers floor plate information
including area loading and construction type. Note the word ‘Pro’ after this option. Anywhere you
see the word ‘Pro’ it indicates that the feature is a Pro only feature and requires the Pro add-on
to MasterFrame to access these particular items.

28
The same is also true of the menu items that have FE Surfaces included. These refer to the
MasterFrame Finite Element Analysis add-on module which can be added to MasterFrame for
creating, loading and analysing surfaces such as floor slabs or shear walls as a Finite Element
mesh.

Modify a Frame

The Modify Geometry menu allows you to edit an existing structural model. The options include
splitting members, merging members together, deleting and moving members. There are other
tools available including checking the integrity and connectivity of the model.

29
Viewing a Frame

The Viewing menu allows you to manipulate and create views of your structure. This is especially
useful if you have a large structure which you wish to look at in sub-sections, floor plates or along
individual grid lines or other views which may be beneficial to working with the model.

From the Frame Views item a number of frame views can be generated. Most of these are
generated automatically based on the floor levels and the grid lines set up when creating the initial
model. You can also create and save your own views.

30
Properties of Frame Elements

The Properties menu gives you several tools to add properties to members, including section
types (steel, concrete, composite and timber) and relevant section sizes, and additional attributes
such as tension or compression only.

You can select a particular member and deal with its generic properties.
The section size, end releases, construction type and a list of additional attributes can be
modified in this table.

31
Alternatively the section size, orientation, etc. can be altered from the individual options in the
main Properties menu.
Other property items that can be specified include those for FE Surfaces, semi-rigid stiff deck
(diaphragm action), global member densities and coefficient of thermal expansion.

Loads on a Model

Member loading and nodal point loads are added from the Loads menu. Area loading on floor
plates can also be added to a frame – this is a Pro feature enabling the floor plate to be loaded
with the loads being automatically distributed on to the floor members.

32
Automatic wind loading can be applied to the structural model with wind pressures from various
directions being distributed to the frame’s external members. This again is a Pro feature.
Loading can be applied to the Finite Element surfaces, floor plates, shear wall, etc..
Other options include live load reduction on the floors of a model. Also, application of Dynamic
and Seismic loading - these add-on modules to MasterFrame and MasterFrame Pro.

Restraining a Model

The Restraints menu gives you access to member end releases, allowing the ends to be pinned
or rigidly connected to adjacent members. You can also specify member end external support
conditions, as nodal static supports, spring supports and support settlements. Other features
relate to FE surface edge supports, plastic hinges and partial member end fixity.

33
Analysis of a Model

The Analysis menu allows you to carry out Second Order Analysis, choose between various Global
Analysis options and initiate the Static Analysis of the model. FE Surface meshing details can be
varied before analysis is carried out.
You can also proceed through to the Dynamic Analysis add-on module to evaluate natural
frequencies, floor response factors as well as Seismic Analysis.

Results

Post analysis results can be accessed through the Results menu. If analysis has already been
carried out you can access the results immediately, otherwise the program will automatically bring
up the analysis options.
Results can be viewed graphically or in tabular format and exported to print, PDF or Word
(requires Office Tools add-on module). Member stresses and internal member forces can also be
accessed from this menu.

Design – Multi-Material

After completing the model, running through the analysis and viewing the results you can now
begin the design process. The required Design Code can be selected.
Member Design Groups can be set up for composite beams, steel beams and connections,
allowing improved control over the design of groups of members and their end connections.
34
Column splice locations can be specified for multi-floor column heights.
Member Design Groups can be set up for composite beams, steel beams and connections,
allowing improved control over the design of groups of members and their end connections.
Column splice locations can be specified for multi-floor column heights.
You can then progress into the design of the members for steel, composite construction, steel
connections, concrete beams, columns and pads, pile caps and timber design all within one
multi-material modelling environment.

BIM Exchange

Under the BIM Exchange menu you can import and export models between MasterSeries and
Revit Structure. You can also import and export in IFC format and DXF file format. MasterCAD is
used to generate General Arrangement drawings.

35
Reports

You can print out the full input data relating to your model in text format. Frame graphics can
also be printed out or exported to Word (Office Tools module required). Tabular output of
analysis results are also available to print.
The Report Generator (Pro) provides very detailed report generation options in which you can
select from all the components of output from the model, export or print them and also save the
report layout so it can be reproduced if required again.

Help Options

The Help menu provides access to the MasterSeries Learning Centre which takes you to our
Vimeo channel where numerous learning videos are hosted. Help: Contents gives access to a list
of relevant manuals and tutorials in PDF format which are a valuable source of help and give
explanations of many of the features in MasterSeries.
If a remote support session is required as advised by one of our support Engineers, then this
session can be started from the Start Remote Support Session option.

36
37
Top Toolbar

The following section shows the icons on the top toolbar and describes their functionality.

Introduction

The top toolbar in MasterFrame gives you access to numerous tools that you will find beneficial
when examining and navigating through your model. This toolbar is dynamic in that it compresses
and expands depending on the size of your computer screen. As it compresses the icons
become smaller and their individual descriptions are no longer visible. A minimum screen width of
960 pixels is required to display the compressed toolbar, although a preferred width of 1280 is
recommended to show the intermediate toolbar and 1768 for the full toolbar. The tools are
grouped into appropriate sub-sections with each sub-section including a set of related options.
We will review these various sections of the toolbar and see how they can benefit our
manipulation of the frame and the data applied to it.
The compressed toolbar shows most of icons but without their basic descriptions;

The full toolbar shows larger icons with their descriptions and, if required, the option to click on an
arrow to expand the options available.

The Actions toolbar

You can save the MasterFrame file you are currently working on. This will save the current
version of the file to the path name shown at the top of the MasterFrame screen.
There is also the option to undo or redo the previous number of actions that were applied to the
frame. The graphics will update each time to show the changes.
38
There is also the option to undo or redo the previous number of actions that were applied to the
frame. The graphics will update each time to show the changes.
The frame display can be refreshed. This is particularly useful if you have updated area
loading or wind loading panels. The frame will be refreshed to display the latest settings.

The Views and Filtering toolbar

This set of tools enables you to view the frame in its entirety or in individual segments, e.g.,
floors, elevations and sections through the frame. You can add your own snapshots and views
and select items or groups of items to display or hide as appropriate.
For full details see the chapter on Viewing, Filtering and Navigation.

The Members toolbar

The member section sizes, beta angles (orientation), lengths, member numbers and reference
stamps can be easily displayed on the members of the frame.

39
The Nodes and Coordinates toolbar

The node numbers and X, Y, Z coordinates can be displayed for all the nodes in the current view
of the frame.

The Supports and Restraints toolbar

You can display the frame nodal static supports, any nodal spring supports that may have been
added to the frame along with column settlements.
Member end releases can also be made visible.
If stiff deck diaphragm action has been applied to the frame, the surfaces that this has been
applied to can be displayed.

The 3D Drawing toolbar

The elements in the frame can be shown graphically in 3D giving a ‘real’ view of the structure.
The frame elements can be coloured by material, for example, steel elements are shown in
green, composite members in yellow, bracing members in blue, timber in brown and concrete in
grey.
To further distinguish between section sizes, you can select to colour by section and then show
the section key which will give a legend displaying the section sizes and their related colours used
on the frame.
40
To further distinguish between section sizes, you can select to colour by section and then show
the section key which will give a legend displaying the section sizes and their related colours used
on the frame.
Show Section Outline adds lines at the edges of the sections to enhance their outline.

Concrete pads can be displayed where columns meet static supports. These will have a default
size until the pads have been designed at which point they will display the actual design size for
each pad.
The Draw Short option pulls the structural elements back from the nodes so you can see where
an element starts and finishes and the extent of its continuity.
End Plates can be displayed when the frame elements are shown in 3D. These are shown at the
ends of structural members and are set up in the MasterCAD module.

The Loads toolbar

See section on viewing loads.

The Gravity Area Loading toolbar

If gravity area loading has been applied to the frame (part of the Pro features), then these
areas of loading can be displayed graphically using the Gravity icon with both the Colour by
Intensity and Show Key applied so that the loaded areas are coloured and a description of the
load intensity represented by each colour is displayed in the bottom left of the screen.

41
By clicking on the down arrow beside the Show Key option, you will gain access to a list of items
that can be displayed in the key table. Tick which item you wish to display. If you need to display
more than one item at the same time, tick the Multi Select option first and then the several items
to be included in the key. This is very useful for validating the area loading that has been applied
to the model.

Patch and Line loads that have been added to the area loading can also be displayed along with
their values.

The Wind Loading toolbar

Similar to the Area Loading, if Wind Loading (another Pro feature) has been added to the model,
then these areas of loading can be displayed graphically using the Wind Load icon. The Direction
drop list will allow you to select which wind direction you wish to view the wind intensities for. W
loads are due to wind intensity based on Cpe values, P loads will also include the internal pressure
coefficients and S loads will also include the internal suction coefficients.

42
On the graphical display of the wind you can show the ‘Cp’ values across the model, or
alternatively the actual wind pressures ‘Q’ or wind zones ‘W’ applied.

The Grid Lines and Levels toolbar

In the Lines toolbar you can switch on/off the grid lines that have been previously set up for the
frame. The grid lines can also be set to thicker lines if required. The grid line bubbles colour can
be inverted to make them clearer in some instances. You can also draw grid lines that are
outside the current view if you have a partial frame view displayed. This can be particularly useful
when creating a model and adding new members around the periphery of the current partial
view. You also have the option to alter the test size.
The level numbers can also be displayed on the frame members.

The Statistics toolbar

There are 2 statistics icons – the upper one for the frame statistics and the lower one for
member information and loads.

43
The Frame Statistics table gives a considerable amount of information on the quantities of
materials within the frame. Principally the section sizes are listed along with their lengths, weights
and surface areas with the totals at the bottom of the table.
The table entries can be limited to those visible on the screen, rather than the whole frame.
If members are in viewing groups, these groups can be included in the table.
The alignment of members can also be added – horizontal, vertical or inclined.
Each individual element can be listed (All Sections) or sections of the same size totalled (Section
Totals).

You can use the Copy Section/Paste Section buttons to change a particular section to another
section size already contained within the table, in order to rationalise the sections in your frame.
To do this;

44
 1. Pick the member size you want to copy by highlighting its length, weight or surface info,
so the cell changes colour.
2. Press the ‘Copy Section’ button.
3. Highlight the section size you want to change and,
4. Press the ‘Paste Section’ button.

The section size will be altered throughout the frame to the new size.
This table can be exported to Word and Excel (Office Tools module required) or to the printer.

The lower icon gives access to the Member Information and Loads table.

To obtain member information and the loading on a particular member, select the member by;

1. Picking the member from the frame, or

2. Typing in the member stamp reference, or
3. Typing in the member number.

The Display toolbar

You can further enhance the graphical display of your frame from the options in the display
toolbar.

45
The nodes in the frame can be displayed and their size made larger or smaller to suit.
The lines representing the members can be thickened.
If the area or wind loading is displayed on the frame, the intensity of their colours can be varied
using the colour saturation option.
You can also alter the font size for items that are displayed on the frame, e.g., member sizes or
the size of the numbers, e.g., member numbers.
The settings option opens up a list of items that can be set as on/off for display on the frame.
These include drawing options, node and member labels, wind area loading colours and finite
element display options. Each list can be opened by clicking on the + sign. Tick the box for any
item you want to include on the frame.

This concludes this quick overview of the MasterFrame modelling environment.

46
Viewing and Navigation

This section describes the range of tools available within Masterframe to enable you to navigate
around your model graphically. These tools range from dynamic viewing tools such as zooming
and panning in the graphics window, to creating set views of part or the whole of the model. The
viewing tools can be used throughout Masterframe itself, but also within many of the design
modules where the graphics pane gives the same view of the full model which can be navigated
using the same viewing tools.

The creation of Frame Views allow standard views to be created of the whole or parts of a
model. These are useful to allow the user to rapidly return to a desired view in Masterframe and
the design module. These views can be useful for examining specific parts of a model, both in
terms of the analysis results but also for the design of the model.

Snapshots are similar to frame views, in that they allow the creation of a standard view of the
whole or part of the model. However, unlike the Frame Views, a snapshot can be used in
conjunction with the Report Generator feature to allow for snapshots to be used in conjunction
with the analysis results to provide customized results display of any part of the structure.
Snapshots can be used over within the Report Generator, thus this removes the need to create a
view repeatedly for each output of results.

Masterframe also includes view filtering options to allow the user to quickly view specific frame
views or filter the on screen view to allow only specific member based on section type, material or
member orientation.

Additionally, Masterframe includes options to quickly zoom to specific members and/or nodes
within a model. This allows the user to quickly identify specific analytic members within any model.
This is particularly useful when diagnosing stability issues following a termination of a Masterframe
analysis.

Viewing Options - Overview

In Masterframe, the top bar provides access to a range of viewing options, each giving access to
specific viewing tools which enable you to navigate the model, view member and nodal
information and view the model loadings graphically. There are also display options which allow
you to customize the graphical display and to control the information given on screen under
various tools. The top menu bar is shown below.

For further details of the actions of the top menu tool bar, refer to the Top Toolbar chapter.
47
A brief overview of the top menu bar is given below:-

· Viewing and Filtering - options to controls the extend of the view of the model
· Members - view information related to the members making up a model
· Nodes and Coordinates - view information related to the nodes within a model .
· Supports and Restraints - display the nodal supports, stiff deck and member end releases
· 3D Drawing - turn on the 3D member based graphics view. Also allows the colour coding
of members by material and or section size. Also turns on the section key.
· Loads - display the distributed and point loads defined to act on the members and/or
nodes
· Gravity Area Load - turn on the graphical display of the gravity area loads. Also actives
the display of line and patch loads, as well as turning on the area load key
· Wind Load - activate the graphical display of the wind loads applied through the wind panel
loading features. Also controls the display of the coefficients, pressures or panel
designation
· Grid Lines and Levels - display any defined grid lines and level indicators
· Stats - accesses additional model information including model member statistics and
member loading information
· Display - access the display settings to customise and/or control the graphically displayed
information. Also gives options to control line thickness, node size and text size

The following display options are only available in Masterframe Pro.

· Gravity Area Load

· Wind Load
· Composite Info

In models for which the gravity area loading is not active, the Gravity Area Loading and Wind
Load sections will not be displayed. For further details of the Area Loading features, refer to the
Loads chapter of the Masterframe manual.

The following sections outline the navigation of the model graphically using the graphical display
window and the Views and Filtering tools from the top toolbar. For details on the use of the other
viewing options from the top toolbar, refer to the Top Toolbar chapter of the manual.

48
In addition to the viewing options in the top toolbar, the top menu bar also includes a Viewing
drop down menu. This gives additional tools to control the available information that can be
viewed on screen.

Viewing - top menu

The top menu items include the Viewing drop down menu.

The Frame Views option allows the creation of standard views of the model which can then be
viewed from the Frame Views icon in the top tool bar. Frame views are filtered views, in that they
can be set up to show only part or any model. This allows view to be created of floor plans,
elevations, section or part of a model of specific interest, which can then be viewed quickly and
easily, rather than having to use the view Filter function to repeatedly return to the same view.

Member Viewing Groups allow the creation of a grouping of specific user selected members to be
created which can then be viewed through the View Filters icon in the top tool bar. Unlike the
Frame Views, viewing groups are set up by selecting individual members so it is possible to have
members selected over the full range of the structure rather than grouping with a selection
window.

End Point Labelling allow for the creation of viewing groups for node points at the end of analytic
members.

Global Member Referencing allows for specific member labels to be created and applied to the
members of a model. In previous version of Masterframe members were labelled solely with a
member number, but with the new automated frame renumbering system, member numbers
are no longer fixed and changes in geometry can result in the software changing member
numbers. The member reference is a fixed label which acts like a stamp on a member and is not
affected by the renumbering. The Member Reference can be customized by the user to include
additional information such as member orientation, material, grid location, level and numbering.
The member referencing can be set to be sequential over the whole of the model, or sequential
per level. The Member Reference can be used to label members in the outputs instead of the
member number.

Member Referencing Groups allow for the creation of groups of members to have a specific
customized referencing label applied. This allows for specific member references to be applied to
specific members or groups of members rather that using the Global Member Referencing
throughout a model.

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Frame Views

Frame Views are a set of generated filter frame views which are saved and so can be quickly and

easily viewed using the Frame Views function. The frame views include a
number of automatically created standard filtered views. You can also auto-generate floor plans
based on the input floor levels. In addition to this, the Frame Views allows the user to create
additional Frame Views.

· Full Frame

· Front Elevation
· Rear Elevation
· East Elevation
· West Elevation
· Floor Plan
· Roof Plan

You can view and select Frame Views through the Frame Views drop down found in the Views
and Filtering category of the top bar. Selecting either option will open the Multi-View Setter pop-up
window.

50
The Multi-View setter allow for the creation of new frame views and the editing of current frame
views. The Multi-view setter also allows provides tool for automatically creating and updating the
frame views.

Add a Frame View

1. Click the Add icon in the View Creation area

2. Provide a name using the View name text field
3. If necessary, use the zoom, pan and filter tools to isolate the required part of the model.
4. Hold the left mouse button and use the mouse to select the desired part of the model to
be displayed in the new Frame View.
5. Select the icon to define the standard orientation for the view by selecting one of the view
icons
a) The views can be set up as an isometric view or as planar views. The type of
view can be confirmed by hovering the mouse over the icon.
51
 a) The views can be set up as an isometric view or as planar views. The type of
view can be confirmed by hovering the mouse over the icon.
b) You may also show members in 3D by selecting the 3D Member Profile button
c) The view can be flipped about the vertical axis by selecting the Flip on Vertical
button

6. To create the view, click on the OK icon

Frame views can be edited by the following steps.

To Edit a Frame View

1. Open the Multi-View Setter window.
2. Select the Frame View you wish to edit from the dropdown
3. Modify its name, the view ranges by reselecting the view extents, or display settings by
using the view icons
4. To edit the View, the range can be redefined by using the left mouse button and creating
a window around the desired part of the frame, or, alternatively by inputting range values
manually
5. Click the OK button to close the dialogue

Note: When a view is selected from the drop down, the information in the Multi-view setter
window amends to shoe the relevant values, but the view itself is not displayed in the main
graphics window. The view in the main window can be changed by selecting the required view
from the Frame Views drop down.

To Delete a Frame View

1. Open the Frame View dialogue
2. Select the Frame View you wish to delete from the drop down

3. Click the Delete icon

4. Click the OK button to close the dialogue
To check a view is the correct view, use the frame Views drop down in the tool bar.

To Generate Standard Frame Views

1. Open the Frame View dialogue

2. Click the Create button

3. Click the OK button to close the dialogue
The Standard Frame views created depend on the model itself and whether any grid lines or
default levels have been created when setting up the model. The views created include a full
frame orthogonal views along with elevations, sectional
52 elevations on all grid lines and plans at all
levels defined in the area loading default levels.
The Standard Frame views created depend on the model itself and whether any grid lines or
default levels have been created when setting up the model. The views created include a full
frame orthogonal views along with elevations, sectional elevations on all grid lines and plans at all
levels defined in the area loading default levels.
As well as generating Standard Frame views, the Automatic Generation of Frame views options
allows the software to automatically update the frame views as the model is modified or
redefined. Creating additional levels or adding grid lines will result in new elevations and plans being
added. The names of the new views will be determined by the grid line or level names. Note: The
plans are determined by the Levels set up in the Default Loading options. Therefore, if the level
defined in the Area Loading defaults does not correspond to a structural level, the created view
may be empty, or only show columns.

Member Viewing Groups

Member Viewing Groups differ from Frame Views in that they allow you to specify which
members are to be included in the group. While Frame Views will display all members within a
specified region, viewing groups are created by selecting specific members, hence it is possible to
have a viewing group which includes members arranged over a wide range of the model but
without including all other members within this range as would occur with a frame view. Because
the Member Viewing Groups are defined on members, they do not affect the display of FE
surfaces.

The Member Viewing Groups menu.

Selecting the Member Viewing Group item from the Viewing drop down menu will open the
Member Viewing Groups menu panel. This is located on the right hand side of the screen.

53
To Open the Member Viewing Groups pane
1. Select the Viewing item from the main tool bar at the top of the screen
2. In the list of drop down items, click Member Viewing Group.

To Create a Member Viewing Group

1. Open the Member Viewing Groups

2. Click the Add New Group icon

3. Provide a title for the Member Viewing Group in the text field at the top of the pane

4. Click the Add/Remove Items icon

5. Select the members you wish in include in the group. The member numbers of those
members selected will appear in the right hand pane. For non-3D views, members
selected will also highlight in red.
6. To remove a member, simply select the member in the graphics window again.
7. Multiple members can be selected by holding the left mouse button and windowing around
the required members.
8. The view filters, pan, zoom and Frame Views can be used to reduce the graphical view to
desired part of the structure to aid in the selection of a Member Viewing Group.

54
To Clear a Member Viewing Group of Members
To clear a single Member Viewing Group of its members:
1. Open the Member Viewing Groups
2. Select the Member Viewing Group from the drop down at the top of the pane

3. Click the Clear Current Group button

a) To clear all Member View Groups, click the Clear All Groups button

To Delete a Member Viewing Group

To delete a Member Viewing Group:
1. Open the Member Viewing Groups
2. Select the Member Viewing Group from the drop down at the top of the pane

3. Click the Delete Current Group button

a) To delete all Member Viewing Groups, click the Delete All Groups button . The
software will ask for a confirmation before carrying out the Delete All function.

Using Member Viewing Groups

Member Viewing Groups can be used in Masterframe to view selected parts or the model. These
can be accessed through the View Filters drop down menu.

The View Filter gives a number of options for controlling the graphical display of the model. By
selecting the desired viewing group, the graphical view on screen can be filtered to a Member
55drop down. There are a number of options
Viewing Group by ticking that viewing group in the
available for viewing the member groups:-
The View Filter gives a number of options for controlling the graphical display of the model. By
selecting the desired viewing group, the graphical view on screen can be filtered to a Member
Viewing Group by ticking that viewing group in the drop down. There are a number of options
available for viewing the member groups:-
1. Use this filter for labelling only - this option does not filter the members displayed, but acts
as a filter on the graphically displayed labels. For example, using this option in conjunction
with the section labels will mean only the members in the selected member viewing group
will have a section label displayed.
2. Multi-Select Member Viewing Groups - allows multiple member viewing groups to be
selected. The default setting is for a single member viewing group to be selected at any
one time.
3. Hide Selected Member Viewing Group - rather than displaying a selected member viewing
group, this option will hide the selected member viewing group

Appearing below these three option will be the user created member viewing groups. The user
name will be displayed to identify the viewing group.

Note: The Member Viewing Groups will control only the 1D member elements on any model. The
displayed of FE surfaces are not affected by the member viewing groups. Therefore, in models
with 1D elements and FE surfaces, it may be necessary to use a combination of Member Viewing
Groups and Finite Element Surface Filters when wanting to restrict the view of a model to a
particular part of the structure.

When using the Member Viewing Groups, it is important to remember that the tick box on the
parent item "Member Viewing Groups" must be ticked along with the desired selection of viewing
options. Ticking and un-ticking this item turns the member viewing groups filter on and off but
does not clear the secondary selections.

Member Viewing Groups can also be selected within various design modules, to filter the view of
the model to a specific member viewing groups. This allows the automatic design functions to be
used to size specific viewing groups to use the same section size.

End Point Labelling Groups

End Point Labelling Groups allow groups member end points (nodes) to be set up to be viewed in
a View Filter. This option allows the user to define groupings of nodes to be created by selecting
specific nodes. The End Point Labelling Groups can then be used in conjunction with the other
view filtering functions. The End Point Labelling Groups can also be used in the analysis results,
allowing the engineer to filter analysis results to include or exclude nodes within a group. The
Nodal Viewing Group differs from the member viewing groups in that is doesn't affect the frame
view, only the labelling of the nodes or member end points.
56
specific nodes. The End Point Labelling Groups can then be used in conjunction with the other
view filtering functions. The End Point Labelling Groups can also be used in the analysis results,
allowing the engineer to filter analysis results to include or exclude nodes within a group. The
Nodal Viewing Group differs from the member viewing groups in that is doesn't affect the frame
view, only the labelling of the nodes or member end points.

Selecting the End Point Labelling Group open the Nodal Viewing Groups Menu pane on the right
hand side of the screen.

To Create an End Point Labelling Group

1. Open the End Point Labelling Groups

2. Click the Add New Group icon

3. Provide a title for the End Point Labelling Group in the text field at the top of the pane

4. Click the Add/Remove Items button

5. Select the nodes you wish in include in the group. Individual nodes can be selected by
clicking on them in the graphics window. Multiple nodes can be selected by holding down
the left mouse button and then windowing around a group of nodes.
6. The zoom, pan, filter, Frame Views and View Filters can be used to locate specific nodes
within a model.

To Clear an End Point Labelling Group

To clear a single End Point Labelling Group of its nodes:
1. Open the End Point Labelling Groups
2. Select the End Point Labelling Group from the drop down at the top of the pane

57
 3. Click the Clear Current Group button

a) To clear all End Point Labelling Groups, click the Clear All Groups button

To Delete an End Point Labelling Group

To delete a single End Point Labelling Group:
1. Open the End Point Labelling Groups
2. Select the End Point Labelling Group from the dropdown at the top of the pane

3. Click the Delete Current Group button

a) To delete all End Point Labelling Groups, click the Delete All Groups button

Using End Point Labelling Groups/Nodal Viewing Groups

Member Viewing Groups can be used in Masterframe to view selected parts or the model. These
can be accessed through the View Filters drop down menu.

The Nodal Viewing Groups gives two options for controlling the labelling of nodal groups in any
model

1. Multi-Select Member Nodal Groups - allows multiple nodal viewing groups to be selected.
The default setting is for a single member viewing group to be selected at any one time.
2. Hide Selected Member Viewing Group - rather than displaying a selected nodal viewing
group, this option will hide the selected viewing group.

58
Appearing below these option will be the user created nodal viewing groups. The user name will be
displayed to identify the nodal viewing group. In the above example, five nodal viewing groups
have been created.
Nodal Viewing Groups can also be selected within the results outs area of Masterframe. This the
results can be displayed, printed or exported for only those nodes in a specific Nodal Viewing
Group.

Global Member Referencing

The Global Member Referencing allows the creation of member stamps which are used to to label
the members in a Masterframe model. The Global Member Referencing labels are applied to any
member of a model and do not change. This means that the Global Member Reference is a
unique identifier. This is different from the member numbers, which can be changed when the
software carries out a relabelling are doing an frame renumbering. Thus, if a model geometry is
modified, this can lead to a change in the member numbers (as well as to the node numbers)
but the member reference is retained.

The Global Member Reference can be customized to include a number of descriptors, including
material, member orientation, grid references, level and user input text descriptors as well as a
member reference number. It is possible to set up a single type of Member Reference for all
members, or difference reference systems can be used to denote beams, columns and/or
bracing members. It is also possible to define the Member Reference to be sequentially
numbered across the whole of the level, or to number on a level by level basis.

An option is also included to control whether all the Masterseries output for the model uses the
member numbers of the Global Member Reference.

The Global Member Referencing menu

On selecting the Global member Referencing option from the Viewing drop down, the following
pop up appears.

59
The default setting for the member reference is as shown, with the beam label set and the
columns and bracing to be labelled as per the beams, as indicated by both the columns and
beams being greyed out as the 'As beams' option ticked. The default set up also numbers the
members uniquely over the whole of the model and will use the member reference in the
outputs.

To set up the columns and beams to have independent labels, un-check the "As beams" tick
boxes. Once done, the column and bracing icons will no longer be greyed out and can be
selected by clicking on them with the mouse pointer.

Setting up a Member Reference label

The set up of the reference label is described for setting up on beams. However, the process is
the same for columns and bracing members.

To access the set up menu for the beams, select the beams icon . This opens the
member stamp menu.

60
The Top TAGS row lists the available tags while the STAMP row shows the current set up. Each
tile in the STAMP row is selectable. the tiles can be dragged by selecting them and sing the
mouse to move the tile. Thus tiles can be re-ordered by clicking and dragging. Tiles can also be
removed from the STAMP line by dragging them into the TAGS row. Tiles can also be selected
by hovering the mouse pointer over a tile and using the left mouse button to select and highlight
the tile. When a tile is highlighted, a text description and options will appear in the right hand
column of the Member Stamping menu.

The order of the tiles governs the order that the member information appears in the member
reference stamp. By adding or removing tiles from the STAMP row, member information can be
added or removed from the stamp.

The available tags are:

M - member material information.

The Material information is shown below. In the right hand pane, the text descriptors are shown
under the various heading. For example, if a member is Composite, the member reference with
contain the letters Cp. Each line is customizable - selecting the text box, the text descriptor can
be amended or deleted as required.

61
The trailing separator is simply a text separator. The default setting is to use a space.

O - Orientation

The orientation information is shown below. A text designator can be defined to denote beams,
columns and bracing members. For a member to be identified as bracing, the relevant members
need to be set as 'bracing' - see the area and wind loading menu items in the Loads chapter.
Members which are vertical or close to vertical will be denoted as columns. All other members will
be noted as beams. As per the member material descriptor, the trailing separator allows a user
defined text separator to be defined.

G - Grid Lines

The Grid Line tag will incorporate the grid reference for members for any model which has grid
lines set up. The separator determines the separator between the grid reference, the default
separator is '\'. For example a column located on the intersection of grid line A and 5 will be noted
as A\5. Again, a trailing separator can be set up to separate the grid references from the other
reference text.

L - Levels

The Levels tag will include the level number as part of the member reference. Preceding text can
be input. The default text is 'L', so the default setting will denote a beam at level 1 as 'L1'. Again
62
the facility is provided to include a text separator.
The Levels tag will include the level number as part of the member reference. Preceding text can
be input. The default text is 'L', so the default setting will denote a beam at level 1 as 'L1'. Again
the facility is provided to include a text separator.

T - Text

The text tag allows a text label to be included as part of the member reference. This text will
apply to all member reference labels, which would mean that any text input here will appear on
the member reference for all members in a frame.

# - Numbering

The numbering tag assigns a unique number to each member of the model. Each member is
numbered sequentially throughout the model The number label can be unique over the whole
model, or unique per level. This is controlled by selecting the "Number part of stamp globally
unique" or "Number part of stamp unique per level" options from the Global Default Member
Reference Stamps menu. The numbering used here is not he same as the member numbers.
This is because all analytic members are assigned a member number, but not all analytic
members are defined as physical members in a model. As an example, a member may be used
to define part of the boundary of an FE surface. As such it is assigned a member number, but it
is not a physical member and so does not received a member stamp.

Depending on the set up of the member referencing stamps, labels on members may not be
unique. The "Only apply numbering to non-unique labels" allows a reference number to applied
63
only in cases where other wise the stamp on a member is not unique. This can, in certain
circumstances, reduce the length of the member reference label for members, since only some
members will have an ID number.
Depending on the set up of the member referencing stamps, labels on members may not be
unique. The "Only apply numbering to non-unique labels" allows a reference number to applied
only in cases where other wise the stamp on a member is not unique. This can, in certain
circumstances, reduce the length of the member reference label for members, since only some
members will have an ID number.

Library

The Library feature allows a user to set up a member referencing system and to save this for
use in other models. A descriptor or name can by typed into the input box at the top of the
screen and then the referencing stamp saved. The library files are stored on each user PC.

Renumber All

In the Global Member Referencing menu, the Renumber All function allows the number
part of the member reference stamp to be updated. This can be done when the model has been
amended in terms of frame geometry. This option will renumber all number tags in the whole
model and so can potentially change every member stamp.

Member Referencing Groups

Global Member Referencing Stamps allow a system of member references to be created which
apply to all members in a model, with the possibility of setting up different stamps for beams,
columns and bracing members. The Member Referencing Groups function allows the member
stamp to be customized for a specific member or members. Thus is it possible to create specific
stamps to identify particular member or groups of members.

Selecting the Member Referencing Groups from the Viewing drop down menu opens the Member
Referencing Groups pane on the right hand side of the screen.

64
To Open the Member Referencing Groups pane
1. Select the Viewing item from the main tool bar at the top of the screen
2. In the list of drop down items, click Member Referencing Groups.

To Create a Member Referencing Groups

1. Open the Member Referencing Groups

2. Click the Add New Group icon

3. Provide a title for the Member Referencing Groups in the text field at the top of the pane

4. Click the Add/Remove Items icon

5. Select the members you wish in include in the group. The member numbers of those
members selected will appear in the right hand pane. For non-3D views, members
selected will also highlight in red.
6. To remove a member, simply select the member in the graphics window again.
7. Multiple members can be selected by holding the left mouse button and windowing around
the required members.
8. The view filters, pan, zoom and Frame Views can be used to reduce the graphical view to
desired part of the structure to aid in the selection of a Member Referencing Group.

To Clear a Member Referencing Group of Members

65
To clear a single Member Referencing Group of its members:
1. Open the Member Referencing Groups
2. Select the Member Referencing Groups from the drop down at the top of the pane

3. Click the Clear Current Group button

a) To clear all Member Referencing Groups, click the Clear All Groups button

To Delete a Member Referencing Groups

To delete a Member Referencing Group:
1. Open the Member Referencing Groups
2. Select the Member Referencing Groups from the drop down at the top of the pane

3. Click the Delete Current Group button

a) To delete all Member Referencing Groups, click the Delete All Groups button .
The software will ask for a confirmation before carrying out the Delete All function.

Basic Model Views

In the main graphics viewing pane, Masterframe offers two viewing modes, orthogonal and
walk-through. The orthogonal view is the default view within Masterframe. In the orthogonal
viewing mode, the frame view is set such that the global x-, y- and z-axes are arranged at right
angles, while the walk-through mode uses a vanishing point perspective view.

66
 Orthogonal View of model.

Walk-through viewing mode

The viewing model can be changed by using the right hand mouse button. Position the mouse
pointer anywhere on the graphics window and press the right hand mouse button. If in the
orthogonal mode, the Orthogonal View is marked with a tick.

67
 Orthogonal View enabled.

To switch to the Walk-through viewing mode, click on the Orthogonal View item in the menu. This
switches the view to the walk-through mode, and a walk-though option now appears in the
right-hand mouse menu.

68
 Walk Through mode enabled.

Basic Model Navigation in Orthogonal View

There are three basic modes of navigating a MasterFrame model in orthogonal view, they are:
· Zooming
· Panning
· Orbiting

The three navigation modes are controlled by the mouse. In the case of zooming and panning,
the control is by the use of the mouse wheel alone, while orbiting also requires the use of the
Shift key.

69
To Zoom in and out of a model, rotate the mouse wheel. The position of the cursor on screen
also controls the zoom function, with the mouse pointer being used to aim the zoom. Thus, to
zoom to a particular point on a model, move the mouse pointer over the desired location and use
the mouse wheel to zoom in or out as required.

The Pan function can be accessed by pressing the mouse wheel/mouse middle button. With the
mouse wheel depressed, moving the mouse will pan the model in the same direction and the
mouse moves.

With both the Zoom and Pan functions, it is possible to move the model such that it moves off
the screen, leaving a blank screen behind. In this case, it can sometimes be difficult to

manoeuvre the model back into position. In this case, clicking on the Home icon in the top
left of the graphics screen will automatically return the model to the centre of the graphics
window.

The Orbit function allows the model to be rotated about an orbit point located at the centre of
the screen. The model position can be automatically adjusted to allow the orbiting of the model to
take place about a user specified location. The model is rotated by holding the mouse wheel and
shift key at the same time and then moving the mouse. The angle of the rotation is controlled by
the position of the mouse point on screen. To rotate about a specific point of the model to rotate
about, move the mouse pointer to the required location, hold Shift and press the left mouse
button. The model will reposition itself on screen so that selected point is now located in the
centre of the display. Now, using the Shift and Mouse wheel, the model can be rotated about the
desired point.

The above controls also work for any selected view, either using the view Filter function ,

Frame Views or View Filter functions to select a

required view and then zooming, panning or rotating as required.

The frame view can also be rotated or selected by using the Navigation Cube. This is covered in
the Navigation Cube and Home Button section.

Basic Model Navigation in Perspective View

Perspective view features more advanced navigation modes in order to allow you to manoeuvre
the model as if you are “moving through” and “looking” around the model. Thus is is possible to
viewing the model as if you are inside the model. The perspective model can therefore be very
useful when examining specific areas of a model,70to determine the relationship of structural
elements to one another, particularly when used in conjunction with the 3D viewing options active.
Perspective view features more advanced navigation modes in order to allow you to manoeuvre
the model as if you are “moving through” and “looking” around the model. Thus is is possible to
viewing the model as if you are inside the model. The perspective model can therefore be very
useful when examining specific areas of a model, to determine the relationship of structural
elements to one another, particularly when used in conjunction with the 3D viewing options active.

Once in Walk Through mode, the following controls can be used to manipulate the view.

Walk
· Mouse: use the mouse wheel
· Keys: W to walk forwards, S to walk backwards

Look Orbit
· Mouse: Shift and mouse wheel

Pan Vertically
· Mouse: middle mouse button
· Keys: R to pan upwards, F to pan downwards

Pan Horizontally
· Mouse: middle mouse button
· Keys: A to pan to the left, D to pan to the right

Pan in X Direction
· Keys: G to pan in positive X direction, J to pan in negative X direction

Pan in Z Direction
· Keys: Y to pan in positive Z direction, H to pan in negative Z direction

Move Between Levels

· Keys: Page Up to move up a storey, Page Down to move down a storey

The Navigation Cube and Home Button

The navigation cube is used to quickly jump between standard viewing orientations by clicking on
one of its faces, edges or vertices. The Home icon restores the graphics view to a full frame
isometric views, centred on the display. Both the71Navigation Cube an Home button can be found
at the top left-hand side of the MasterFrame graphics viewport.
The navigation cube is used to quickly jump between standard viewing orientations by clicking on
one of its faces, edges or vertices. The Home icon restores the graphics view to a full frame
isometric views, centred on the display. Both the Navigation Cube an Home button can be found
at the top left-hand side of the MasterFrame graphics viewport.

The navigation cube allows you to jump to the following standard views: front, bottom, left, right,
front and back. You can also mediate between standard elevations by clicking on the vertices of
the cube.

Navigation using the Navigation Cube is done by using the mouse pointer and clicking on the face,
edges of vertices of the cube. Clicking on a face will set the view of the model, or part of the
model, to the standard view noted on the face of the cube. Clicking on the edge of the cube will
navigate to the standard view on the face adjacent the selected edge. Clicking on a vertex will
select a view such that the clicked on vertex becomes the vertex nearest the user.
The orientation of the view is not limited to full frame views and can therefore be used in
conjunction with the view filters and standard or user defined frame views. When using the rotate
function, the Navigation Cube will also rotate to maintain its orientation with the global system
axes. The orientation of the text on the Navigation Cube faces will help identify the orientation of
the model in the graphics view.

The navigation cube is also accompanied by the home button . Clicking this button will take
you back to the standard full frame view, with the model centred on the screen.

Filter

The Filter function allows you to limit which members in the model are visible at any time in
the graphical window. This allows for the view of the model to be restricted to specific areas of
interest. With the view filters to specific members or a specific set of members, the view can be
zoomed, rotated or panned as for the full views, as outlined in the Basic Model Navigation in
Orthogonal View section.

By clicking on the down arrow immediately below the Filter icon, a further three filtering options
can be selected. These are the Zoom Extents, Reveal Frame and Last Zoom options.
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To use the Filter tools:-

Filter the View to a Selected Part of the Model

1. Click the Filter button from the Views and Filtering category in the top bar
2. Draw a box around the portion of the frame you want to view

Reveal All Frame Members While in a Filtered View

1. Click the drop-down button under the Filter button of the Views and Filtering category
2. Click the Reveal Frame button

Revert the Filtered View Back to a Full Frame View

1. Click the Home button found next to the navigation cube

Return to the Last Zoom/Filtered View

1. Click the drop down button under the Filter button of the Views and Filtering category
2. Click the Last Zoom button

The Filter function is not dependent upon whether the current view is filtered or not. This means
it is possible to filter to a part view and then use the filter option to further filter the view. The
Filter will display members which lie fully within the selection window, along with any members
whose centre or mid point also lies within the selection window.

The Zoom extents is dependant upon the view. The Zoom Extents will return the display to the
full extent of the previous display, whether or not this was a full frame view of filtered view. In
effect the Zoom Extents will return the view to the last full screen view prior to zooming the view.
Thus the Zoom Extents will return the view to the either the un-zoomed filtered or full view.

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The Reveal Frame option will display the parts of the model lying outside the filtered view as a
wire frame model with all the structural elements coloured green. This option can be used to
check the relationship of the filtered part of the structure to the rest of the model.

The Last Zoom will revert the display back to the previous selected filtered view.

Snapshots

Snapshots are quite similar to Frame Views in that they are both related to the display of the
model. However, Snapshots are more powerful than Frame Views as they capture all the settings
of the top bar and allow you to recreate a scene. Whereas Frame Views focus on displaying a
range of members within a specified space defined by X, Y, and Z coordinate ranges i.e. there is
no control over which top bar options are selected.

Adding a Snapshot
1. Click the Snapshot button from the Views and Filtering category of the top bar
2. Provide a name for the Snapshot
3. Click OK to add the Snapshot

Navigating Snapshots
1. Click the dropdown button under the Snapshot button from the Views and Filtering
category of the top bar
2. Click the Go To Snapshot button
3. Use the Snapshot dropdown and previous and next buttons to navigate the available
Snapshots
4. Click the Close button when navigation is complete

Editing a Snapshot
1. Click the dropdown button under the Snapshot button from the Views and Filtering
category of the top bar
2. Select the Snapshot from the dropdown
3. Update your view and top bar settings
4. Click the Update button to confirm changes

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Deleting a Snapshot
1. Click the dropdown button under the Snapshot button from the Views and Filtering
category of the top bar
2. Select the Snapshot from the dropdown
3. Click the Delete button
4. Click Yes to confirm deletion in the pop-up dialogue

Generating Snapshots from Existing Frame Views

1. Expand the Frame Views dropdown found in the Views and Filtering category of the top
bar
2. Click the Generate Snapshots button

Syncing a Snapshot to a Frame View

1. Click the dropdown button under the Snapshot button from the Views and Filtering
category of the top bar
2. Select the synced Snapshot from the dropdown
3. Check the Sync Snapshot from linked Frame View checkbox
4. Click the Update button

Syncing All Snapshots to Frame Views

1. Click the dropdown button under the Snapshot button from the Views and Filtering
category of the top bar
2. Select the synced Snapshot from the dropdown
3. Click the Sync All button
4. Click Yes in the pop-up dialogue to confirm sync all

Filtered Views

The View Filters functionality within MasterFrame allows the view of a model to be customized to
display specific members, groups of members and various viewing groups. The aim of the view
filters is to give control over what information appears on the screen at any time.

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When initially selecting the View Filter drop down the following drop down menu is as shown below.

The available filtering options are:

· Orientation
· Materials
· Sections
· Member Viewing Groups
· Member Design Groups
· Finite Element Surface Filters
· Finite Element Surface Components Filters
· Nodal Viewing Groups

Each View Filter has a range of sub options associated with it, which give further filtering filters to
refine the view selection.

To Access the View Filters

To access View Filters:
1. Click the View Filters drop down button from the Views and Filtering category of the top bar
2. Check the filter option you would like to enable
3. Expand the filter heading to choose specific sub-item you want to filter to
4. Select the tick box option representing the filter option required
5. Ensure the parent item tick box is also ticked.

For example, to filter the view to show only the steel members in any model, both the Materials
and Steel items need to be ticked, as shown below:

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77
Creating a Model

The underlying aim in Masterframe is to create a mathematical representation of the structure to

be analysed and designed by creating a model which reflects the geometry, members, support
conditions and loading on the actual structure. The first stage in this process is to create the
overall geometry of the model by combining members to form the basic structural shape of the
structure being considered.
Within Masterframe, the creation of the model geometry and defining the structural members is
done through the Create and Modify Geometry menus. Both these menus provide tools which
allow the structural model to be built up by positioning the structural members and combining
them to create a representation of the structure.
In general, the create menu provides tools for adding structural elements, either by adding
individual members, or by copying earlier added members and replicating elements to create new
structure. The Create menu also provides tools for creating grid lines and defining floor levels.
Grid lines assist in the creation of the frame by helping to define the position of the structure. Grid
lines are also used in other areas of the software to identify the position of members, and can be
used in the outputs. Levels are used in conjunction with the are loading panels to define loading
and construction type for floor levels, which assists in quickly setting up area loads per floor level.
For details of the use of these tools, refer to the relevant section of the Manual.

Grid Lines

In MasterFrame, Grid Lines serve the same purpose as they do in a general arrangement
drawing. They can be added to assist in identifying the positions of structural members. Grid Line
positions can also be used in as part of the member referencing labels and also used in the
design outputs. Within the Create menu, grid lines can also be used to assist in the positioning of
structure to simplify the positioning of structure when adding members.

The Grid Line Editor can be accessed through the first item in the Create menu. Alternatively,
the Grid Line Editor can be opened using the short cut key Ctrl+G.

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The Grid Line Editor interface opens in a right hand pane as shown below.

The initial set up of the grid line panel is shown below.

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The Grid Line Editor provides tools which allow for the creation of grid lines. These can be done
through a grid line creation proforma, or else manually by adding grid lines either by drawing or by
specifying coordinates to position the grid lines. While in previous version of Masterframe, gird
lines were positioned using nodes, effectively tying grid lines to the structure, this is no longer the
case and so the grid lines now exist as lines, similar to construction lines on a drawing, and no
longer need to be associated with nodes in a model.

Grid Line Wizard

To access the Grid Line Wizard from the Grid Line Editor, select the icon. This opens
the Generate Grid Line window.

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The Grid Line wizard allows for the creation of orthogonal, curved/radial or linear grid lines. There
are also options to create a new set of grid lines, or to add created grid lines to those already
within the model. There are also options which control the number of, start positions of, spacing
and labelling of the grid lines. These settings depend on the type of grid lines to be created.

Creation Type:
Replace existing - uses the grid lines set up in the Generate Grid Lines wizard to replace any
currently defined grid lines.
Add to existing - maintains any previously created grid lines and add those set up in the wizard to
them.

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If no grid lines have previously been set up, both options have the same function and will create
only those grid lines defined in the wizard.

Grid Line Type:

Orthogonal XZ - the produces a set of grid lines which are parallel to the x- and z- axes, such
that intersecting grid lines will meet at 90 degrees.
Curve Radial - produces a set of circular or curved grid lines with centre of radius at the input x-
and z-coordinates. This option also produces as set of radial grid lines, originating from the same
centre point
Rotated - this option produces a set of linear grid lines, with the gird able to be specified to run at
an angle to the x- and z-axes.

The required settings for each of these grid lines types will vary, reflecting the type of inputs
required.

Orthogonal Grid Lines

The orthogonal grid lines option allows for the creation of sets of grid lines which are parallel to the
x- and z-axes. Since the grid lines are defined to run parallel to the x- and z-axes there is no
option to specify the centre of rotation of the angle to the x- and z-axis, and these options are
therefore greyed out and not active in this option. The option are:
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The orthogonal grid lines option allows for the creation of sets of grid lines which are parallel to the
x- and z-axes. Since the grid lines are defined to run parallel to the x- and z-axes there is no
option to specify the centre of rotation of the angle to the x- and z-axis, and these options are
therefore greyed out and not active in this option. The option are:

Number of grids - this specifies the number of grid lines to be created. This option is only used
with the regular grids. For irregular grids, this option is greyed out and the number of grid lines
created is specified by the spacings input
Z start position (m) - this input specifies the z-coordinate of the first grid line parallel to the x-axis.
This input applies only to the Grid Line set 1 which is parallel to the x-axis.
Start Label - determines the label on the first gird line. If a letter is input the set of grid lines with
be labelled with letters in ascending alphabetical order. where necessary, the label will use double
letters. If a number is specified as the start label, the grid lines will be numbered in ascending
number from the specified starting number. Note: On initial set up the X grid lines will be labelled
with a letter while the grid lines parallel to the z-axes will be numbered. The lettering/number can
be changed by clicking on the icon at the bottom left of the Generate Grid Lines
window. Alternatively, the lettered/number grid can be redefined after creating the grid line
arrangement, using the Rename Grid Line area of the right hand pane.
Interval (m) - this option determine the spacing of the regular grid lines.
Spacings (m) - this option is active when creating irregular spaced grid lines. The required
spacings are input, separated by a semi-colon. The number of defined spacings determines the
number of grid lines created.

Once the required orthogonal system of grid line has been defined, click on to create
the grid lines.
In the Orthogonal Grid Lines option, it is possible to deactivate either the Grid Line Set 1 of Set 2,
with only the active set of grid lines being created. If both Set are unchecked, the software will
not make any changes to existing grid lines, or no grid line system will be created.

Curved Radial Grid Lines

The curved/radial grid lines option allows for the creation of circular grid lines with an associated
set of radial gird lines. These can be specified to be set up about a centre point. The spacings of
the grid lines can be regular or irregular.

Number of girds - this specifies the number of gird lines to be created for regularly spaced grid
lines. For irregular grids, this option is greyed out and the number of grid lines is controlled by the
number of spacings defined
Start Radius (m) - the radius of the first grid line
Start label - determines the label of the first grid line. By default, the curved grid lines will be the
lettered grid lines while the radial grids will be numbered. These can be swapped using the
icon. Alternatively, the grids can be relabelled after creation using the Rename Grid
Lines area of the right hand pane.
Radius interval (m) - the specifies the fixed distance between the curved grid lines when creating
regular gird lines. If the irregular spacing is specified this input will be greyed out and the spacing
of the curved grid lines will be determined by the83 Radius Spacings (m) input.
Radius interval (m) - the specifies the fixed distance between the curved grid lines when creating
regular gird lines. If the irregular spacing is specified this input will be greyed out and the spacing
of the curved grid lines will be determined by the Radius Spacings (m) input.
Radius Spacings (m) - when created irregularly spaced grid lines, the spacing intervals are
specified in metres, separated by a semi-colon. The radius of the first grid line is specified in the
start radius input
Start angle (deg) - this input determines the angle of the first radial grid line, measure from the
x-axis.
Angle (degrees) - for regularly spaced radial grid lines, this input determines the angle between
the radial grid lines. This option is only active when creating regular grids, and will be greyed out if
the Irregular spacing option is selected.
Angle spacings (deg) - this defines the angle between the radial grid lines.

Rotated Grid Lines

The rotated grid lines produces a set of linear grids, with either regular or irregular spacing, where
the grids are rotated relative to the x-axis. The set-up for these grids is very similar to the
Orthogonal XZ gird lines, with the addition of the input of the angle of rotation to the x-axis. The
angle of rotation is specified in degrees relative to the required axis. In the Grid Line 2 set up,
there is also an option to set the grid line set 2 to be perpendicular to grid line set 1, such that
intersecting grids lines still meet at 90 degrees.
The default settings are for a rotation of zero degrees relative to the x-axis for grid line set 1 and
a rotation of 90 degrees relative to the x-axis. In this case, this will produce a set of grid line
identical to those produced using the Orthogonal XZ grid lines.

Adding Grid Lines with the Draw Function

Gird lines can be added manually be using the Create multiple grid line by drawing option,
activated by clicking on the icon. This option can be cancelled by pressing ESC.
1. Open the Grid Line Editor
2. Expand the Create Grid Lines area
3. Click the Draw button found next to the “Create multiple grid lines by drawing” text
4. The Draw function will remain enabled until selected again, or the escape button is pressed
5. Expand the Grid Lines area if it’s not already expanded
6. Select the grid line set you want to add grid lines to using the “Grid line set to edit” radio
buttons. Grid lines parallel to the x-axis are created with the Set 1 (X) option
selected,while grid lines parallel to the z-axes are added by selecting the Set 2 (Z) option
7. Click the points at which you wish to add the grid lines. The first gird line will be centred at
the origin point. Hoovering the mouse over a grid line will activate a snap point. With snap
points active, moving the mouse pointer on screen will display a dimension value to assist
in positioning grid lines. With a dimension value display on screen, typing a number in will
manually define the required offset from the snap point. Pressing ENTER will then create a
grid line at the typed in value from the snap point.
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 the origin point. Hoovering the mouse over a grid line will activate a snap point. With snap
points active, moving the mouse pointer on screen will display a dimension value to assist
in positioning grid lines. With a dimension value display on screen, typing a number in will
manually define the required offset from the snap point. Pressing ENTER will then create a
grid line at the typed in value from the snap point.

When entering this option when no grid lines have been previously created, the default grid line
type will be the Orthogonal grid lines. To create non-orthogonal or curved grid lines using the draw
function, it is necessary to also use the editing tools in the Grid Line areas to add an initial grid line
type, graphically place this grid line on screen and then draw additionally grid lines of this same
type. Once a grid line is added, when in the Draw mode, it is possible to continue to add new grid
lines of the same type by selecting the required points on screen.
To change grid line type, the process of adding a new grid line is repeated, by clicking on Add Grid
Line and then selecting the grid line type from the Grid Line Type line under the General area
of the Grid Line Editor.
When drawing grid lines, the grid lines types require the following inputs to place a gird line:

Orthogonal - since the grid lines are orthogonal to either the x- or z-axes, the distance from the
relevant axis will define the location of the grid lines. The extent of the grid lines will be set by any
other grid lines already created in the model and the extent of the grid lines will modify
dynamically as more grid lines are created.
Between Two points - the grid line is positioned between a start and end point. Grid lines created
using this method are not restricted in direction. The labelling of the grid line is controlled by the
grid line set setting.
Curved - the curved grid lines can be defined in three ways. Centre and radius required the input
of a centre of the circle, a circle radius and finally a start and finish angle. The start and finish
angles are defined from the x-axis, with angles measured clockwise. Alternatively, a curved grid
line can be created using the Between Three Points method. This requires the input of a start
point, end point and a point internal to the curve. Finally, the third method to create a curved grid
line is to use the Two Points + Arc Height method, where the start and end points are defined
and then the distance from the mid point of the line joining the start and end points is input. The
'side' the distance is measured from controls the position of the curve.

In all of the grid line types, the input information can be selected graphically using the mouse
pointer. When a point on the display is selected graphically, the values automatically fill in the right
hand pane. The order information is input is in the order it appears in the right hand pane. Input
information is shown in the bottom bar under the graphic display window. Additionally, values can
be typed in directly to input areas in the right hand pane rather than defining the required points
graphically.

Adding Grid Lines Manually

With a set of grid lines set up either by using the grid line wizard or by drawing, it is possible to
add, delete or edit these grid lines using the tools in the Grid Line Editor pane on the right hand
side of the screen.

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 1. Open the Grid Line Editor
2. Expand the Grid Lines area
3. Select the grid line set the new grid line is to be added to using the “Grid line set to edit”
radio buttons

4. Click the Add New Item button at the top of the list of grid lines
5. The input mode automatically enters “draw” mode when the button is clicked and the
snap grid will become visible
6. Click anywhere on the screen to add a grid line at this location

Using Tracking Facilities While Adding a Grid Line

MasterFrame’s tracking facilities can be used to create a grid line offset from a point. When in
draw mode, and with the Object Snaps enabled:
1. Hover over a point, and wait for the red X to appear – this indicates you are tracking
from a point
2. Moving in a direction along the X or Z axis will indicate the distance the cursor is from the
point
3. The distance can be set graphically using the mouse, or by type in a number to offset
the grid line by a specified distance

Grid Line Properties

The properties of a grid line (or multiple grid lines) can be accessed and changed or amended
through the property grid, found in the Grid Lines Edit panel. Clicking on a grid line, either through
the graphical interface, or via the list of grid lines in the Grid Line Editor, will allow the editing of the
following grid line properties

General
· Grid Line Name: the identifier of the grid line, typically numerical or lettered
· Grid Line Type: choose between orthogonal, between points or radial
· Lock to Nodes: allows you to lock a grid line to member ends
· If a grid line is locked to a member end, when that member is moved the grid line will
move with it

Location
If the grid line type is set to orthogonal, the following properties will be accessible:

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 · X/Z Coordinate: the grid lines offset from the origin in the specific axis

If the grid line type is set between two points, the following properties will be accessible:

· Start: the start location of the grid line defined by a point (X, Z) in meters
· End: the end location of the grid line defined by a point (X, Z) in meters

If the grid line type is set to curved, the method used to define the curve can be set using the
Curved Style property. There are three methods by which a curve can be defined:

1. Selecting centre position and radius

2. Selecting three points
3. Selecting two points and providing an arc height

Bubble Labels
The bubble labels represent the end point labels on a grid lines. Control over the label style and
offsets is given by:
· Label Ends Style: show the bubble label at the start, end, or both ends
· Start Label Offset: the distance to offset the start label
· End Label Offset: the distance to offset the end label

Selecting Multiple Grid Lines for Editing

1. Open the Grid Line Editor
2. Expand the Grid Lines area
3. Using the Control and Shift keys, select multiple grid lines from the list
a) Only common properties will be available for editing through the property grid

Deleting Grid Lines

1. Open the Grid Line Editor
2. Expand the Grid Lines area
3. Select the required grid line set using the “Grid line set to edit” radio buttons
4. Select grid lines to be deleted from the list of grid lines in the selected grid line set
a) Use the Control and Shift keys to select multiple grid lines

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 5. Click the delete button to remove the selected items

Repositioning a Grid Line Graphically

1. Open the Grid Line Editor
2. Either
a) Click on the grid line to be edited in the interface, or
b) Click on the grid line name in the list of grid lines
3. Click the Draw button next to the “Graphically place the current grid line” text
4. Click the interface at the desired location to reposition the grid line(s)

Note: The number of clicks required to reposition a grid line will vary depending on the type of grid
line. The number of inputs to be selected using the mouse pointer reflects the number of inputs
required to define a type of grid line.
· Orthogonal grid lines will only require on click to reposition them along the X or Z axis
· Grid lines formed between two points will require a start and end point
· Rotated grids will require differing degrees of input depending on the curve style

Renaming Grid Lines

To rename the grid lines automatically:
1. Open the Grid Line Editor
2. Expand the Grid Lines area
3. Select the grid line set to be renamed using the “Grid line set to edit” radio buttons
4. Expand the Rename Grid Lines area
5. Set the naming style to either Lettered or Numbered
6. Provide a start value for the grid line set
7. Click the Rename button to apply the changes

Grid lines can also be renamed manually, using the Gird Line property gird.

Reversing Grid Line Names

1. Open the Grid Line Editor
2. Expand the Grid Lines area
3. Select the grid line set to be renamed using the “Grid line set to edit” radio buttons

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 4. Expand the Rename Grid Lines area
5. Click the Reverse button

Levels, Loading and Construction Defaults

The Levels and Loading/Construction Defaults editor provides tools to allow for the setting up of
levels information which can then be used in conjunction with the area loading to quickly create
floor loadings and floor construction for use in the model. The Levels and Loading/Construction
Details editor is also used to define if a model is to have composite floor construction and if the
beams are to be Slim Floor construction. The Levels and Loading/Construction editor also
provides loading input for use as default loading at the created levels.
Levels information defined in the Levels and Loading/Construction Default are also used by the
software when automatically creating Frame Views - the levels information is used to created floor
plans at the specified levels in the Levels and Levels Defaults.
Note
· Area Loading and Composite are both MasterFrame Pro features

Global Defaults
The Levels and Loading/Construction Defaults contains option to activate the Area Loading (Pro)
and Composite (Pro) options. Both of these options are Global Options, in that they are settings
which influence the behaviour of the full model.
To use area loading panels on floors, and/or to apply wind loading panels on a structure, the Area
Loading (Pro) must be activated. Therefore, even in model which will not have area loading
panels but are to have wind load applied using the Wind Load Panels, the Area Loading option
must still be activated.
For a model which is to have composite construction on at least some of the floor beams, it is
necessary to active the Composite (Pro) option and to select a floor type of Metal Profile Deck.
As a consequence of this, the basic approach for a model with composite construction is to define
the model globally as composite and then specify areas as non-composite where necessary.

Levels and Loading/Construction Defaults panel

The Levels and Loading/Construction Defaults panel can be opened by going to Create>Add/Edit
Levels and their global data. This opens an panel on the right hand side of the screen.

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The available options are given under the three headings.

Enabling Area Loading

To activate the Area Loading for a model. This include the use of both gravity and wind area
loading panels.
1. Open the Levels and Loading Editor
2. Check the box in the Area Loading (Pro) section

This Area Loading options also include:

· Local gravity area loading adds to level default values: In the Area Loading Panels,
Loadings can be specified specified to an area loading panel group. These loads, by
default, will override any values coming from the default loads specified at that level. If
you want area loads to be added to the default loading for levels (specified in the Edit
Levels and Level Defaults area), check this box.

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 · Apply dead loads to slope length – gravity loads are applied on the horizontal projection of
a member as a default setting. Selecting the option to apply dead loads to the slope
length will account for the slope of the member.

When the Area Loading (Pro) have been turned on but the Composite (Pro) has not been
selected, the Slab and self-weight load groups option will be active. This allows the slab self-weight
to be automatically assigned to the specific load group. This option can be used when creating
load groups and load combination to customise the load combinations. This option can be useful if
it is intended to deal with dead loads and self-weight as separate loads on a model.

Enabling Composite Loading

To activate the Composite construction globally for the model:
1. Open the Levels and Loading Editor
2. Activate the Area Loading (Pro)
3. Check the box in the Composite (Pro) section

A message will appear on screen giving you the option to add 5 automatically generated
composite load cases to the current list of load cases, or to replace the first 5 load cases with
these. The software requires specific load cases for use with the design of composite beams.
These load cases are necessary when using composite construction and so the software will
automatically create these load cases, and these load cases cannot be amended by the user. If
they are altered at some point, the software automatically recreates these load cases again and
so any amendments to them will be lost.

The following options are available in the Composite (Pro) section:

· Metal deck profile: specify the metal deck used as part of the floor construction. A range
of manufacturers deck types are available, including slim deck profiles. The option to
select a solid slab is also available, and this option can be used in conjunction with the
hollow core slab dimensions to specify hollowcore slabs. If user defined deck profiles have
been input in the MasterBeam: Composite Design modules, these deck profiles will also be
available.
· Hollow core slab dimensions: for use in conjunction with the solid slab deck type, the
inputs allow for the definition of the voids within a precast floor structure. The inputs allow
for the definition of the precast slab thickness,
91 the spacing between cores, the core
diameter and height
 · Hollow core slab dimensions: for use in conjunction with the solid slab deck type, the
inputs allow for the definition of the voids within a precast floor structure. The inputs allow
for the definition of the precast slab thickness, the spacing between cores, the core
diameter and height
· The ability to Add member-based stiff deck to composite beams. Note that this method is
being phased out as the newer semi-rigid stiff deck method is now preferred, since the
semi-rigid stiff deck is considered to be a more accurate representation of the diaphragm
action of a slab. The semi-rigid stiff deck is also compatible with the Finite Element analysis
module.
· Apply composite design load cases using EC0 Equation 6.10
· Use Slim Floor construction

Edit Levels and their Default Values

The Edit Levels and Level Defaults area provides tools to allow for the creation of levels definitions
and also, depending upon the loading and construction options selected, tools to define the
default loadings to apply at the defined levels.
Without the Area Loading option active, the inputs are limited to the definition of levels information
only, and the Levels and Loading/Construction Defaults are will appear as below:

Without the area loading active then the levels information is primarily used for the automatic
creation of frame view plans. The Beam Top Level (m) can be used to control the graphical
display of the tops of the beams at each level, but this is a graphical display effect only and the
model will still be based on the analytic members,92represented by the beam centrelines.
Without the area loading active then the levels information is primarily used for the automatic
creation of frame view plans. The Beam Top Level (m) can be used to control the graphical
display of the tops of the beams at each level, but this is a graphical display effect only and the
model will still be based on the analytic members, represented by the beam centrelines.
With the Area Loading (Pro) option selected, the Edit Levels and Level Defaults panel will now
included a Loads area, where the default loading to be considered at each input level can be
defined for use with the area loading panels. The default layout is shown below. A scroll bar at
the right of the Edit Levels and Levels Defaults allows for navigation through the full list of the
loading inputs. The loading inputs also allow for the definition of a default slab thickness at each
input level, to allow the software to automatically calculate the slab self-weight based on the slab
thickness and concrete density.

Selecting the Composite (Pro) construction option will introduce the Composite Properties area
within the Edit Levels and Level Defaults, in addition to the General and Loads inputs. With the
additional inputs, the Loads area is collapsed by default, buy can be expanded by clicking on the
chevron to the left of the Loads title. The defaults layout with the Area Loading (Pro) and the
Composite (Pro) options selected is shown below:

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The inputs in these three areas are outlined below.
General:-
With area loading and composite switched off, you will have access to the following settings for
each level:
· Level Name: the name that you want to apply to the selected level
· Y Value (m): the height of the level in the Y axis
· Beam Top Level (m): the top of steel height for beams lying on the level (for graphical
purposes only).

Loads:-
With area loading enabled, you will have access to the following options in addition to the above:

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 · Loads: the ability to specify a magnitude of load for load groups A – K, for each level.
These loads are used in conjunction with the area loading panels to define the area loads
applied to members.
· Slab Thickness: the thickness of the slab for the level. This is used to calculate the
self-weight of the slab. The load group this load is associated with is controlled by the Slab
and self-weight load group option under the Area Loading (Pro) input area.

Composite Properties:-
With area loading and composite enabled, you’ll have access to the following options, in addition
to those specified above:
· Profiled: set whether the slab on a level is profiled or not
· Composite: specify whether the floor is of composite construction or not
· Partitions (L1): set a value for the load due to partitions on the level. The default value is
1 kN/m2
· Services and Finishes (D1): set a value for the load due to services and finishes on the
level. The default value is 0.5 kN/m2
· Construction Load (G1): set a value for the load due to construction on the level. The
default value is 0.75 kN/m2
· Mesh and Deck (A1): set a value for the load due to the mesh reinforcement and deck of
the slab. The default value is 0.2 kN/m2
· Wet Density (A1): set a value for the density of concrete when wet (kg/m3). The default
value is 2350 kg/m3

The Load groups are all set as Load Group 1 by default. As an example, if the Live Load in the
Loads area is set to a value of 5, then the Live Load will be taken as 5 kN/m2 in load group L1.
The Load Group for members can be changed using the Alternate Loading Groups.

95
Adding or Editing Levels and Level Defaults
Levels information and their associated loading defaults can be added, copied or deleted through
the icons at the top of the Edit Levels and Level Defaults area. Once level have been created,
their default values can be amended by selecting the required level from the list and amending
the values as required. Once Levels have been created, selecting multiple levels allows for
common load values to be define to multiple levels to avoid the need to set multiple levels to
have a common load value or composite property by amending the levels individually.
If the model has already be created, the software can use the model itself to automatically
create levels using the Generate Levels icon. This will use the y-coordinates in the model. This
can lead to the generation of levels where nodes exist between floor levels. In this case, the
Level associated with theses nodes can be deleted using the Delete Item(s) icon to leave only
levels associated with floors.

1. To Add a Level

To manually add a level, click on the icon. This will add a level definition at a y-coordinate
value of 0.0m with a default level name of "Level Name". The required values of level, beam
top, loads and/or composite properties can be input by selecting the required input by selecting it
96
with the mouse and then typing in the desired input.
 To manually add a level, click on the icon. This will add a level definition at a y-coordinate
value of 0.0m with a default level name of "Level Name". The required values of level, beam
top, loads and/or composite properties can be input by selecting the required input by selecting it
with the mouse and then typing in the desired input.

2. To Copy a Level
A previously created level can be used as a template for a new level by using the Copy Level icon
. This means that a level can be created with the values of another level already input, to
speed up the process of inputting values.

To copy a Level, highlight the required level in the Levels list and then click on the icon. This
will add a level with (Copy) added to the title, with the y-value set to zero. The loading and
composite properties of the copied level will be copied across to this new level.

3. To Delete a Level

A Level can be deleted by selecting it in the list of level so it is highlighted and then click on the
icon.

4. Selecting multiple levels

An individual level can be selected by using the mouse pointer and clicking on the desired level.
The selected level will be highlighted in blue and the General, Loads and Composite properties for
that level will be displayed in the box under the levels.

To select all levels, click on the icon. All Levels will highlight in blue. The General, Loads and
Composite Properties information will only display the information relevant to all levels. For
example, if different loads have been input at various levels, with no loads common to all levels,
those load groups used in the model will appear blank

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To select specific levels, hold the Ctrl key and select the the levels with the mouse. To Select a
range of levels, highlight the first level and then hold shift and select the final level of the range.
With a level or levels selected, the selection can be inverted by clicking on the icon.

5. Automatic Generation of Levels

The software can automatically generate levels based on the positions of nodes in a model. To
automatically create levels, click on the icon. The levels will be created in y-coordinate order
and named automatically. Automatically created levels will generate the Levels information only,
no loading information is created. Using the level selection tools, the properties and loadings for
levels can be generated quickly.

6. Sort and Renumber Levels

Levels need not be created in any specific order, but will be named sequentially as they appear in
the levels table. Therefore, it may be desirable to reorder the levels into ascending order, based
on the y value. This can be achieved by clicking on the sort and renumber levels icon .

Add Columns

The Add Columns drop menu provides a number of tolls to allow vertical columns to be added to
a model quickly and easily. The Add Columns pane includes options to select the column material,
section and rotation, set column attributes, automatically assign the columns to member viewing
and/or design groups and to input either a single column (one at a time mode) or to add multiple
columns at once. Using the Add Columns menu, it is possible to add columns at defined level or
by specify a column height and adding the column above or below a specific point which can be
selected graphically. The Add Column menu also allows for the base support to be set
automatically.

The Add Column window can be selected by going to Create>Add Columns. Alternatively, the
short cut key combination Ctrl+Shift+C can be used. This opens the Add Column pane at the
right hand side of the screen. The Add Column pane is shown below.

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Column Section

The column section to be added can be controlled by the column section tools. The section
material can be and cross section type is controlled by a combination of the icons and drop
downs at the top of the Add Column window. The icons give the following options:

Add a Steel Section:-

To add a steel section, select the icon. Once clicked, the drop downs below the icons allow
the selection of the steel section type, steel grade, steel section and the input of the column beta
angle rotation to be input by typing the relevant angle. The drop down options are as shown
below.
99
To add a steel section, select the icon. Once clicked, the drop downs below the icons allow
the selection of the steel section type, steel grade, steel section and the input of the column beta
angle rotation to be input by typing the relevant angle. The drop down options are as shown
below.

The column beta angle can also be controlled using the Column Beta Angle options.

Add a Concrete T-section:-

To add a T-section, select the icon. With this selected, the drop downs disappear. The
section size for a concrete T-section is controlled through the Properties>Member Section
Materials. The default T-section is a 1200x175dp flange with a 350 wide downstand, to give a
section of overall depth 750mm.

Add a Rectangular Concrete Section:-

To add a rectangular concrete section, select the icon. Similar to the T-section, the drop
down items will disappear. The default rectangular section added will be a 400 x 400mm section.
The section size can be amended using the Properties>Member Section Materials menu option.

Add a Rectangular Timber Section:-

To add a rectangular timber section, select the icon. The drop down options will change to
allow for the selection of parameters related to the factors used in the timber design. These
include options to define if load sharing applies, the timber section grade, the number of elements
making up the section and the Service Class. The default section size is a 750x200 section. The
section can be controlled through the Properties>Member Section Materials menu.

In-Use:-
The In-Use option allows for the quick selection of a column section already in use in the model.
Selecting the icon, the drop down options now allow for the selection of any previously input
column section.

Attributes

The attributes of the input column section can be controlled through the Attributes section of the
Add Column menu. The available options are as shown below.

100
Note: The Stiff Deck option applies the old style rigid member style stiff deck. This is based on
modifying the member minor axis properties to make the member rigid laterally. This approach is
less accurate than the semi-rigid style stiff deck method and is not compatible with the Finite
Element module.

Member Group Options

The member viewing a design group options allow a column to be created and automatically
added to a viewing group, a design group or to both. The relevant group can be selected form
the drop down, if any viewing or design groups have already been created. Additional groups can
be added by clicking on the icon and inputting a group name or title in the text input box.

Selection Mode

The Selection mode controls the creation mode and allows single columns or groups of column to
be created by varying the input mode.

Single (snap point):- individual columns are added by selecting the input position graphically on in
the graphical screen. This mode interacts with the model and grid lines using the snap grid tools.

Multiple (windowed):- the multiple column inputs allows an area to be selected by creating a
window around the area in the graphics window. A wind ow is created by placing the mouse
pointer at one corner of the desired area, clicking and holding the left mouse button and moving
the mouse pointer to the opposite corner of the desired area. To assist in creating a widow
around a desired area, the viewing tools can be used to select the required area and view need.
The Multiple option interacts with structure or grid lines, to control where columns are created.
The Grid Line intersections option interacts with the grid lines to create a column at the
intersection of the grid lines which lie within the windowed area. The Beam ends option identifies
the ends of physical members to add columns only at the node points at the end of a member -
this option prevents columns being added at intermediate nodes.

In both options, the column material, section, beta angle, insertion level, base support conditions
and groups are controlled through the options in the Add Column pane.

Where columns have been added, re-selecting them will remove the columns. Thus it is possible
to remove a column in the Add Column mode without have to go to Modify Geometry> Delete
Members option.

Column Beta Angle

The Column Beta Angle options controls the rotation of the column about its vertical axis. While
the Beta Angle input allows a user defined value to be input, the Column Beta Angle options allow
for quick alignment of the column major or minor axes with either grid lines or the nearest beam.
The available options are dependant on the selection mode activated. The Column Beta Angle
options are shown below.

101
Fig. 4 Column Beta Angle options

Align to nearest beam or grid (single select):- This option will automatically align the column
major axis to the nearest beam or grid line. The nearest beam or grid line is controlled by the
proximity to the mouse pointer; the orientation of the column can be controlled by using the
snaps to select the insertion point and then moving the mouse pointer to the beam or grid line
that the column major axis is to be aligned with, The mouse pointer will indicated the column
orientation. Selecting the Minor Axis checkbox means that the mouse inputs control the
orientation of the minor axis rather than the major axis, though the input method remains the
same. This option is only available in the single selection mode.

Auto align with grid lines (single or multiple select):- This option automatically aligns the column
with the selected grid lines set. The grid lines to be aligned with is controlled by the Set 1 or Set 2
radio buttons. The default input mode is to align the column major axis - the minor axis can be
used by selecting the Minor Axis checkbox.

Flip Beta Angle 180º:- This option reverses the column orientation. This can be useful on
elevations and for portal frames where the loading is to be applied to the "outside" face of the
column.

Column Y Values

The Column Y values area controls the column length and whether or not the column is added
above or below a point when selected graphically. A column can also be added between user
specified levels which then controls the start and finish level of the column. The levels defined in
the Create>Add Levels input can also be used to control the input levels for columns.

Base Support

The base support options allow for the control of the nodal support at the base of any added
columns. These options allow for the automatic creation of a support condition at the lower end
of the column. The options are:

Pinned:- creates a pinned nodal support at the base of the inserted column.

102
Fixed:- creates a fixed nodal support at the base of the inserted column.
None:- no nodal support is added at the base of the inserted column length.

In the case of the Pinned and Fixed Base, each input column section will have the selected
support condition applied at the lower end of the column, even if the column is being added
above another column length. To prevent this option, the Support at Free End Only tool can be
selected; using this, the column base will only have a support where the end is free i.e. there are
no other members framing into that end of the column.

Add Members (General)

While the Add Columns tools provide options to add only vertical members, the Add Members
(General) tools allow for the creation of members with any orientation within the model space.
Thus the Add Members (General) tools can be used to input beams, columns, rafters, vertical
and horizontal bracing as well as members rotated on plan, elevation or generally.

The Add Members (General) menu now also includes tools for creating curved members. Curved
members can be specified to be curved about either the member major or minor axis. The curve
is specified on the member centreline and the curve is limited to a arc of a circle - the curve can
be part of a circle, it is not possible to create elliptical or parabolic curves. The arc can be created
at any orientation, but the member can only be curved in the major or minor axis, that is,
members cannot be double curved.

Similar to the Add Columns menu, the Add Members (General) menu gives various options to
control the section materiel, section type and size, member rotation, set the member attributes
and automatically add members to viewing and/or design groups.

The Add Members (General) menu and tools can be accessed from the top menu bar by going
to Create>Add Members (General). This can also be accessed using the shortcut keys Ctrl+M.
The Add Members (General) option opens the Define Members panel on the right hand side of
the screen. The Define Members menu is shown below.

103
When adding members, the Object Snaps can be used to assist in placing a member. Thus
members can be drawn using grid line intersection, other member ends, or at specified distances
from selected snap points. With the use of the snap points, distances and angles can be input
using text inputs.

Member Section.

The member section to be added can be controlled by the member section tools. The section
material can be and cross section type is controlled by a combination of the icons and drop
downs at the top of the Define Members window. The icons give the following options:

Add a Steel Section:

To add a steel section, select the icon. Once selected, the drop downs below the icons allow
for the selection of the Section Type, Steel Grade and Section Size. The member beta angle
orientation can be input in the text box. The layout of the steel drop downs is shown below.

Add a Concrete T-section:

To add a T-section, select the icon. With this selected, the drop downs disappear. The
section size for a concrete T-section is controlled through the Properties>Member Section
Materials. The default T-section is a 1200x175dp flange with a 350 wide downstand, to give a
section of overall depth 750mm.

104
Add a Rectangular Concrete Section:-
To add a rectangular concrete section, select the icon. Similar to the T-section, the drop
down items will disappear. The default rectangular section added will be a 400 x 400mm section.
The section size can be amended using the Properties>Member Section Materials menu option.

Add a Rectangular Timber Section:-

To add a rectangular timber section, select the icon. The drop down options will change to
allow for the selection of parameters related to the factors used in the timber design. These
include options to define if load sharing applies, the timber section grade, the number of elements
making up the section and the Service Class. The default section size is a 750x200 section. The
section can be controlled through the Properties>Member Section Materials menu.

In-Use:-
The In-Use option allows for the quick selection of a column section already in use in the model.
Selecting the icon, the drop down options now allow for the selection of any previously input
member section.

The Define Section check box allows the define section options to be deactivated. In this case, a
default 356x406 UC 634 S355 section is added.

Once members have been added to a model, they section properties can be edited through
either the Properties>View Member Property Editor or the Properties>Member Section Materials
functions.

Attributes

The attributes of the input column section can be controlled through the Attributes section of the
Add Column menu. The available options are as shown below.

Note: The Stiff Deck option applies the old style rigid member style stiff deck. This is based on
modifying the member minor axis properties to make the member rigid laterally. This approach is
less accurate than the semi-rigid style stiff deck method and is not compatible with the Finite
Element module.

Member Group Options

The member viewing a design group options allow a column to be created and automatically
added to a viewing group, a design group or to both. The relevant group can be selected form
the drop down, if any viewing or design groups have already been created. Additional groups can
be added by clicking on the icon and inputting a group name or title in the text input box.

105
Adding Members with Polyline Method

The polyline method allows for the continuous drawing of members, rather than having to define
a member at a time. This tool is useful when defining a run of beams, for example along a grid
line or around the perimeter.

1. Open the Define Member Editor

2. Click the Polyline Method button to enable polyline drawing
3. Click the graphical interface to start drawing your polyline
4. Click on the end points of the first member or run of members
5. The end point selected is automatically taken to be the start point of the next line of
members to be added
6. Repeat adding members as required
7. When you have finished draw all your members, click the Polyline Method button again to
disable this feature

Split physical member

The split physical member check box option determines how the software treats members when
they are defined to start or finish within the length of another member, for example, when
drawing a secondary beam between two primary beams. Selecting this option will split the physical
member into sections to match the analytical members, rather than merge the segments.

Add Curved Member

Selecting the Add Curved Member check box expands the Define Members options. This expand
menu section is shown below.

Placement method:

The placement method drop down controls the input method for defining the curve. There are
three methods to define the curve.

106
 1. Curve Height - this method requires the input of the start and finish points. These define
a line between the start and end points from which the offset of the curve is defined from
the mid point of the chord. Graphically, the cursor can be used to define a horizontal or
vertical offset, the side the curve is drawn being controlled by the position of the mouse
pointer. For a cured which is rotated relative to horizontal, the typed inputs can be used
to defined the curve height at an angle from the horizontal. The axis of rotation is taken
as the chord defined by the line between the start and end points.

2. Curve Centre + Start + End - this input method is based on the defining the curve by
inputting the centre, start and end points. The required points can be selected graphically
on screen using the mouse pointer and/or object snaps, or by typing in coordinates to
overwrite the mouse pointer position. The orientation of the curve is governed by the
right hand screw rule.

3. Between three points - since any three points uniquely defined a circle, this method allows
for the definition of part of a circle by specifying the start and end points and then a point
along the curve. The side the curve will be created is controlled by the side the curve mid
point is selected on.

The inputs can be defined purely graphically using mouse and object snaps, or values can be
over typed in the graphical inputs to manually enter values.

Beta Angle Curved in:

Members can only be curved in the the major or minor axis. This options controls the orientation
of the member once it is created.

Analytical resolution:

The curved member design is based on a curved physical member with underlying analytical
segments. The analytical resolution gives methods to control the resolution of the underlying
analytic segments to make the analytic model coarser or finer as required. A finer resolution will
introduce more analytic segments, but increase the number of underlying members and nodes
which could impact on analysis times if the model contained a large number of curved members
all created with a fine resolution. The curved members also require a minimum number of
segments, with the default number set at 8 segments, so increasing the resolution above a
certain point will not necessarily lead to a decrease in the number of analytical members. The
resolution can be defined by one of three methods:

Chord Eccentricity % radius - this method uses the maximum distance of an analytic segment
from the chord joining it's start and end points of the segment, and limits this to a percentage of
the radius of the arc. Hence a smaller percentage leads to a larger number of segments.

Chord Eccentricity mm - This measures the maximum offset form the curve to the chord joining
the start and end point of the analytic segment. This is similar to the chord radius, but is
controlled as a distance rather than a percentage of the radius. Decreasing the distance will lead
to a larger number of analytic segments. 107
Chord Eccentricity mm - This measures the maximum offset form the curve to the chord joining
the start and end point of the analytic segment. This is similar to the chord radius, but is
controlled as a distance rather than a percentage of the radius. Decreasing the distance will lead
to a larger number of analytic segments.

Chord length m - this is the length of the chord joining the start and end points of the analytic
segment itself. A shorter length leads to a larger number of analytic members.

In all cases, the input value is the target value rather than an absolute value to be used. This is
because the number of analytic segments needs to be an integer value. For example, if the
chord length does not divide the curved length, the software will use the nearest whole number of
analytic segments.

When inputting a curved member additional information is displayed in the bottom bar underneath
the graphics display. The text here indicates the input currently being asked for and the position
of the mouse pointer or input value currently selected. The text also displayed the offset along
an axis when using an object snap.

Adding Members in a Panel

The Add Members in a Panel function allows members to be quickly and easily added within a
panel formed by bounding members. An example of this would be adding secondary members
between primary members. The panel the members are added to is not restricted to be
horizontal or vertical, nor does the panel have to be rectangular, but the panel form a planar
surface and the boundary of the panel must be closed. It is possible to use dummy members to
form the boundary. it is also possible to add members to a panel with curved members forming
part of the boundary.

The Add member in a Panel menu provides a number of options with which it is possible to
control the number of members added, the spacing of members, whether the members are
evenly or irregularly spaced and the orientation of the members. Members can be inserted at a
specific angle or automatically aligned to be parallel or perpendicular to one of the bounding
members, selected by positioning the mouse pointer adjacent the relevant member.

To access the Add Members in a panel window, go to Create>Add Members in a Panel from the
top menu. Once selected the Insert Members in a Panel pane opens on the right hand side of
the screen. This pane is shown below.

108
Member Section.

The member section to be added can be controlled by the member section tools. The section
material can be and cross section type is controlled by a combination of the icons and drop
downs at the top of the Define Members window. The icons give the following options:

Add a Steel Section:

To add a steel section, select the icon. Once selected, the drop downs below the icons allow
for the selection of the Section Type, Steel Grade and Section Size. The member beta angle
orientation can be input in the text box. The layout of the steel drop downs is shown below.

109
Add a Concrete T-section:
To add a T-section, select the icon. With this selected, the drop downs disappear. The
section size for a concrete T-section is controlled through the Properties>Member Section
Materials. The default T-section is a 1200x175dp flange with a 350 wide downstand, to give a
section of overall depth 750mm.

Add a Rectangular Concrete Section:-

To add a rectangular concrete section, select the icon. Similar to the T-section, the drop
down items will disappear. The default rectangular section added will be a 400 x 400mm section.
The section size can be amended using the Properties>Member Section Materials menu option.

Add a Rectangular Timber Section:-

To add a rectangular timber section, select the icon. The drop down options will change to
allow for the selection of parameters related to the factors used in the timber design. These
include options to define if load sharing applies, the timber section grade, the number of elements
making up the section and the Service Class. The default section size is a 750x200 section. The
section can be controlled through the Properties>Member Section Materials menu.

In-Use:-
The In-Use option allows for the quick selection of a column section already in use in the model.
Selecting the icon, the drop down options now allow for the selection of any previously input
member section.

The Define Section check box allows the define section options to be deactivated. In this case, a
default 356x406 UC 634 S355 section is added.

Once members have been added to a model, they section properties can be edited through
either the Properties>View Member Property Editor or the Properties>Member Section Materials
functions.

Attributes

The attributes of the input column section can be controlled through the Attributes section of the
Add Column menu. The available options are as shown below.

Note: The Stiff Deck option applies the old style rigid member style stiff deck. This is based on
modifying the member minor axis properties to make the member rigid laterally. This approach is
less accurate than the semi-rigid style stiff deck method and is not compatible with the Finite
Element module.

110
Member Group Options

The member viewing a design group options allow a column to be created and automatically
added to a viewing group, a design group or to both. The relevant group can be selected form
the drop down, if any viewing or design groups have already been created. Additional groups can
be added by clicking on the icon and inputting a group name or title in the text input box.

Spacing
The Spacing inputs gives control over the spacings and positions of the members being added.
The Arrow at the right hand of the title can be used to expand or contract the spacing area, if
required.
The beam spacing can be set as either regular or irregular. Both these options also interact with
additional inputs below. With the Regular intervals option select, the Number of members to insert
and Spacings of members options are active, while with the Irregular intervals option selected,
only the lower Spacings input is active.

Regular intervals:
The regular intervals option is used to insert a number of member at a regular spacing. The
spacing also controls the position of the first member relative to the members selected.
111
The regular intervals option is used to insert a number of member at a regular spacing. The
spacing also controls the position of the first member relative to the members selected.
When inserting members, the number of members can be controlled either by specifying the
number of members to be added or, alternatively, by specifying the spacing of the members.
There are also options to fill to extents and to evenly space over the panel. These options also
affect the required inputs needed. With the fill to extents option ticked, the number of beams to
insert option is greyed out, while if the Evenly spaced over panel option is selected the Spacing of
members option is greyed out.

To add a specific number of members are a defined spacing:

1. Set the number of members to insert by typing the required number in the input box
This will give a set number of members in the selected panel, with the first member located at
the input spacing from the selected starting beam. The spacings from the end beam to the next
member is controlled by the number of beams inserted and their spacing. If more beams are
specified to be inserted than can be placed in the panel, the software will only add the number of
beams that can fit.

To add a number of beams at equal spacings:

1. Set the number of beams to insert
2. Select the Evenly spaced over panel option.
This will insert the number of beams specified at an even spacing over the full panel, with the
spacing being controlled by the dimensions of the panel and the number of beams.

To add beams at a specified spacing with the maximum number of beams:

1. Specify the desired spacing
2. Select the Fill to extents option
This will give the maximum number of beams over the panel that can be set at the input
spacing, with the number of beams then being controlled by the panel dimensions and spacing.

Irregular intervals:
The irregular intervals are specified solely by the spacings inputs, which defines the gaps between
the beams and hence also controls the number of beams. The spacings are input separated by
semi-colons. The first input value defines the position of the first beam from the selected
boundary member.

Member Direction
Member direction is concerned with the alignment of the members within the panel. The
members added to the panel can be specified to be rotated relative to the global axes, aligned
with a specific member in the model, or, alternatively, aligned parallel or perpendicular to one of
the boundary members of the panel. When aligning to a boundary member in the parallel mode,
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it is also possible to specify that the setting out of the beam is used from the member opposite
the selected boundary member.
Member direction is concerned with the alignment of the members within the panel. The
members added to the panel can be specified to be rotated relative to the global axes, aligned
with a specific member in the model, or, alternatively, aligned parallel or perpendicular to one of
the boundary members of the panel. When aligning to a boundary member in the parallel mode,
it is also possible to specify that the setting out of the beam is used from the member opposite
the selected boundary member.

The layout of the Member Direction area is shown below.

The Angle and Selected Member options allow for the selection of multiple panels. This is done
with by using the mouse pointer and windowing around the required area.

To apply a specific angle of rotation:

1. Select the Angle radio button
a) The corresponding Angle textboxes should now be enabled
2. Enter the angle in degrees you want to rotate the members by

To align members to an existing member:

1. Select the Selected member radio button

a) The Single checkbox should be enabled and activated
2. Click the member with which you want to align your members in the panel

The Align with nearest panel side options over ride the Angle or Selected member options, since
the alignment of the beams to be inserted are now defined by the panel boundary members.
Because the alignment of the members is determined relative to the members forming the
boundary of the panel, each panel can be set up uniquely. Because of this, the Align with nearest
panel side option can only be used to create an individual panel at a time, in a single select mode.

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To align members to a boundary member:

1. Check the “Align with nearest panel side” box

2. Choose whether the members will be aligned parallel or perpendicular to the closest side
a) If parallel is selected, you can add the members starting from the opposite end
of the panel by checking the “Measure from opposite side” box

Panel selection
Panels are selected graphically in the main graphics window by using the mouse pointer. When a
valid boundary for a panel is detected, the panel boundary and the beams to be added are
highlighted in cyan. When the Align with nearest panel side option has been selected, moving the
mouse pointer to a boundary member will cause the alignment of the internal beams to be
amended. The boundary member taken to be the selected member is the boundary member
nearest the mouse pointer. On long narrow panels, this can mean one edge is picked as nearest
over most of the length of the panel.

To add the members to the panel, click on the left mouse button. The new members will now
appear in the panel.
With the new members added, the panel boundaries will now be modified for that area of the
structure. This will be reflected in the change in the cyan borders. Care needs to be taken in case
the mouse button is double-clicked, which can result in a new panel being formed. If this
happens, using the Undo icon can remove the changes.
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With the new members added, the panel boundaries will now be modified for that area of the
structure. This will be reflected in the change in the cyan borders. Care needs to be taken in case
the mouse button is double-clicked, which can result in a new panel being formed. If this
happens, using the Undo icon can remove the changes.
When using the Angle or Selected member options, using the mouse, it is possible to window
around an area to Add Members in a Panel. Using the navigation tools, it is therefore possible to
window into specific areas of a model and quickly add members to a specific area.

Add Vertical Bracing

The Add Multi Level Bracing tools allow for the rapid creation of vertical bracing bays to allow the
modelling of bracing stability systems in a model. The bracing members material, section size and
arrangement can be quickly specified along with various member attributes. As with other tools
for adding members to a model, member viewing and design groups can also be created and/or
selected when inputting the bracing members. The bracing position is controlled by selecting a
start and finish node graphically on screen using the mouse, or by typing in a the required node
numbers. This allows braced bays to be created over multiple levels quickly and easily.
Note: Bracing members can be added to a model using the Add Column, Add Members
(General) and Add Members in a panel tools, by using the member attribute settings to set
members as bracing. The Add vertical Bracing function provides additional tools which can speed
up the creation of braced bays. For horizontal bracing, the Add Vertical Bracing doesn't function
and so the other tools are required.
To access the Add Vertical Bracing options, from the top menu go to Create>Add Vertical
Bracing. The Add Multi Level Bracing pane opens on the right hand side of the screen. The
screen layout is shown below.

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The Add Multi Level Bracing pane is shown below.

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Member Section.

The member section to be added can be controlled by the member section tools. The section
material can be and cross section type is controlled by a combination of the icons and drop
downs at the top of the Define Members window. The icons give the following options:

Add a Steel Section:

To add a steel section, select the icon. Once selected, the drop downs below the icons allow
for the selection of the Section Type, Steel Grade and Section Size. The member beta angle
orientation can be input in the text box. The layout of the steel drop downs is shown below.

Add a Concrete T-section:

To add a T-section, select the icon. With this selected, the drop downs disappear. The
section size for a concrete T-section is controlled through the Properties>Member Section
Materials. The default T-section is a 1200x175dp flange with a 350 wide downstand, to give a
section of overall depth 750mm.

Add a Rectangular Concrete Section:-

To add a rectangular concrete section, select the icon. Similar to the T-section, the drop
down items will disappear. The default rectangular section added will be a 400 x 400mm section.
The section size can be amended using the Properties>Member Section Materials menu option.

Add a Rectangular Timber Section:-

To add a rectangular timber section, select the icon. The drop down options will change to
allow for the selection of parameters related to the factors used in the timber design. These
include options to define if load sharing applies, the timber section grade, the number of elements
making up the section and the Service Class. The default section size is a 750x200 section. The
section can be controlled through the Properties>Member Section Materials menu.

In-Use:-
The In-Use option allows for the quick selection of a column section already in use in the model.
Selecting the icon, the drop down options now allow for the selection of any previously input
member section.

The Define Section check box allows the define section options to be deactivated. In this case, a
default 356x406 UC 634 S355 section is added.

Once members have been added to a model, they section properties can be edited through
either the Properties>View Member Property Editor or the Properties>Member Section Materials
functions.

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Bracing Arrangement
Standard bracing arrangements can be selected using the layout icons. The arrangement icons
are located to the right of the section icons. The icons introduce the following bracing types:

- Diagonal bracing with each diagonal introduced in the same orientation

- Reversing diagonal bracing. Each bay reverse orientation from the previous.

- Cross bracing

- Inverted V bracing.

Attributes

The attributes of the input column section can be controlled through the Attributes section of the
Add Column menu. The available options are as shown below.

Note: The Stiff Deck option applies the old style rigid member style stiff deck. This is based on
modifying the member minor axis properties to make the member rigid laterally. This approach is
less accurate than the semi-rigid style stiff deck method and is not compatible with the Finite
Element module.

Member Group Options

The member viewing a design group options allow a column to be created and automatically
added to a viewing group, a design group or to both. The relevant group can be selected form
the drop down, if any viewing or design groups have already been created. Additional groups can
be added by clicking on the icon and inputting a group name or title in the text input box.

Adding Multi-Level Bracing

Adding a braced bay is controlled by the input of the first and second node locations. These can
be input either by using the mouse pointer to click on the required nodes, or by typing in a node
number. The nodes control both the level and position of the bracing introduced and also the
orientation of the bracing itself within the created braced bay. The node inputs are shown below.

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The braced bay is defined by selecting diagonally opposite corners of the area to which the
bracing is to be added. Generally, this means that the selection is bottom left/top right or bottom
right/top left. The first node can be at either the top or bottom of the area.
With the Activate On Click option active, the braced bay will be added as soon as the second
node number in input. To turn off the Activate on Click option, click on the
icon. This will reveal the Preview and Apply
icons. The preview option allows a preview of the bracing o be added to be viewed. If the bracing
is as required, clicking on will create the braced bay.
The input for a typical braced bay is shown below. The navigation and viewing filter tools can be
used to make the task of selecting the required nodes simpler.

For the diagonal bracing, the orientation of the lowest diagonal matches the orientation of a line
drawn from the first node to the second node inputs. Thus the orientation of the diagonal bracing
can be controlled by selecting bottom left/top right or bottom right/top left when creating a
braced bay. It can be helpful to observe the orientation of the view with the Navigation Cube and
axes indicator to ensure the bracing being introduced is in the correct orientation.
If a braced bay is added but is not as required, the Undo function can be used to quickly remove
the bracing again.

The steps to follow to add a vertical braced bay as as follow:

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 1. Open the Multi-Level Bracing Editor
2. If desired, set the member section properties
3. Select the type of bracing, you have a choice of:
a) Single leg parallel bracing
b) Single leg reverse bracing
c) Cross bracing
d) Inverted V bracing
e) K bracing
4. Select the start point of the multi-level bracing by clicking on a member end
5. Select the end point of the multi-level bracing by clicking on a member end

Add Shear Walls (frame modelling method)

The Add Shear Walls tool provides a method to model the presence of concrete shear walls in a
structure without the need to use the Finite Elements. The Add Shear Walls (frame modelling
method) is available as part of Masterframe and does not require any additional modules.
The frame modelling method modifies the selected part of the model to introduce a column with
the section properties of the wall, this is, the introduced column section has the same cross
sectional properties of the wall added. In addition to this column section, the software also
introduces Rigid Link members, the purpose of which is to transfer loads applied at the edges of
the wall by beams coming into the edge of the walls. The Rigid Link members are rigid in terms of
bending and so any loads applied to them are transferred by to the central column as bending,
thus modelling both the axial forces and bending moment in the wall.
The frame modelling method shear walls require the edge of the walls to be present to define the
outline of the wall. Therefore, when initially creating a model, columns and beams should be used
to create a wire frame outline of the shear walls; the vertical members are used to define the
width of the wall element while the beams are replaced by the Rigid Link members and are
required to fully transfer load from a floor to the wall.

Limitations
The frame modelling method of creating concrete shear walls has some limitations which can
affect the applicability of this method. It is important, therefore, to be aware of the limitations of
this method prior to amending a model. Where the shear walls to be added fall outside these
limitations, alternative methods need to be considered, or the Finite Element module should be
used to model the shear walls as FE surfaces.

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Long walls:
Modelling a long length of wall as a single concrete shear wall will not be an accurate model of the
real wall behaviour in the actual structure, since the rigid link members will be long and so any load
applied to them will result in very large in plane moments in the wall, which will not be an accurate
representation of the stress distribution of the wall. For long walls, it will be necessary to model
the shear wall as a series or shorter wall lengths, with the rigid link members acting in series to
better distribute the forces in the wall, in particular the in-plane bending moments. One method to
determine if the wall lengths are appropriate is to view the deflected shape of the wire frame
model after analysis. If the curvature of the rigid link members is greater than the column, this
would suggest the rigid link members are not sufficiently stiff. This would then suggest that a
shorter wall length needs to be used. Alternatively, the stiffness of the rigid link members can be
increased by increasing the section size of these elements.

Shear deflections:
Generally, in steel and concrete structures, the shear deflection is regarded to be minimal and
therefore need not be considered. However, ignoring the shear deflection for a shear wall could
lead to an overestimation of its lateral stiffness and so lead to an unrealistic estimation of the
lateral stiffness of the structures which would, in turn, lead to deflections of the structure under
lateral loading which would be smaller than would be realistically expected. Therefore, when
modelling with the frame modelling method for shear walls, it is important to activate the Include
Shear Deflection option in the global analysis options. To do this, go to Analysis>Global Analysis
Options.

Base Fixity:
In general, shear walls as supported fully along the length of their bottom edge. In effect the wall
is fixed rotationally relative to in-plane bending. As such, the column member introduced as part
of the frame modelling method will therefore have a fixed base. Amending this to a pinned
support will potentially affect the overall stability of the model and underestimate the lateral
restraint the wall provides.

Core shape:
When using a series of shear walls to model a shear core, the overall shape of the shear core
can have a significant effect on the results. If the core wall is open, say a U shape, the torsional
stiffness of the core as modelled by the shear wall is satisfactory. But for closed cores, the frame
modelling method tends to an underestimation of the torsional stiffness of the core. If the
centroid of the cores coincides with the centroid of the lateral load, such that no overall torsion of
the structure is induced this underestimation is not a factor in the resulting behaviour of the
model. However, for cores which are offset relative to the centroid of the load, the torsion on the
cores can be significant.

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Add Shear Wall pane
The Shear Wall pane can be accessed by going to Create>Add Shear wall ( frame modelling
method). Selecting this will open the Shear Wall panel on the right hand side of the screen. The
layout is shown below.

The Shear Wall panel contains the input area which enables the concrete shear wall to be
created.

To create a shear wall, the inputs required are:

1. The wall thickness
2. The start node - This is the node at the top of one corner of the wall to be created
3. The end node - This is also the node at the top of the wall, at the opposite corner of the
wall to be added. The start and end nodes define the position and length of the wall to be
added

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 4. Lower Level - this defines the level of the bottom of the wall to be created. The level input
is in metres.
5. Upper level - this defines the level at the top of the wall.

When a frame modelling method shear wall is added to a model, it introduces a new central
column which represents the wall. Any columns at the edges of the wall will be removed as a
default. These elements can be retained as dummy members by selecting the Keep Existing
Columns as Dummy Members option.

Selecting Start and Finish Nodes

The start and finish nodes can be selected by using the mouse, moving the pointer over the
required node and selecting by clicking with the left mouse button. The viewing navigation and
filter tools can be used to filter to a specified part of a model to simplify the task of selecting the
nodes. Alternatively, the node numbers can be input manually by selecting the input box and
typing in the value.

Lower and Upper Levels

Similar to the start and end nodes, the lower and upper levels can be input either graphically or
manually by tying in the required values.

Creating the Wall.

With the required wall information added to the inputs, the shear wall can be previewed by clicking
on the icon. If the shear wall is satisfactory, it is created by
clicking on the icon.
Once created, the wall can be removed by clicking on Undo.

Floor and Roof Panels - Area Loading and Construction (Pro)

Gravity Area Loading is an extremely useful tool in applying gravity dead and live loads across the
floor and roof areas of your model. It enables you to apply loading to floor panels outlined by
beams, and have the loads automatically distributed on to the members around the perimeter of
the panel, depending on which direction you have chosen to span the panel. Thus the gravity
loads can be quickly and easily applied to the frame saving a great deal of time. Patch loads, line
loads and point loads can be added onto these panels and again these will be automatically
distributed on to the adjacent members.

On each floor and roof level in turn, select the areas that have gravity loading on them. The
loadings that were entered in the Editing Levels and their Default Values table will be applied to
123 they are overwritten or added to in the
these loading panels for each specified level, unless
Loading – Override Level Defaults area. This allows you to modify the loads locally in areas where
they are different than the defaults for that floor or roof level.
On each floor and roof level in turn, select the areas that have gravity loading on them. The
loadings that were entered in the Editing Levels and their Default Values table will be applied to
these loading panels for each specified level, unless they are overwritten or added to in the
Loading – Override Level Defaults area. This allows you to modify the loads locally in areas where
they are different than the defaults for that floor or roof level.

For full details on how to use these functions see Area Loading, Patch Loads, Line Loads,
Alternate Load Groups and Bracing Members in the Loads chapter.

To access the Add Floor/Roof Panel - Area Loading Construction (Pro) function, go to
Create>Add Floor/Roof Panel - Area Loading Construction (Pro). Alternatively, the are loading can
be accessed through the Loads menu, by going to Loads>Floor/Roof Panel - Area Loading
Construction (Pro).

Add Stiff Deck, Semi Rigid

The semi-rigid stiff deck tool allows the diaphragm action of a floor plate or slab be be added to a
model. This allows the model of the structure to include the ability of the floor structure to
transfer lateral loads back to the bracing, cores of moment resisting frames that form the lateral
stability system of the structure.

The semi-rigid stiff deck is based on an underlying Finite Element surface which models the slab
based on the material thickness and Young Modulus (E-value) along with the area of the
diaphragm defined. These properties are controlled by the user inputs. The semi-rigid stiff deck
FE surface is not part of the Masterframe FE module and does not need the Masterframe FE
module, being part of Masterframe. The semi-rigid stiff deck is used to model the lateral stiffness
of the floor plate only and so does not require the modification of the members making up the
frame. The mesh of the semi-rigid stiff deck uses only the main nodes associated with the frame
linear elements and the mesh is not displayed. The semi-rigid stiff deck FE surface cannot be
loaded vertically. In effect, the semi-rigid stiff deck is dealt with by the software as a separate
entity from any MasterFrame FE surfaces.

Earlier versions of Masterframe used a rigid member based stiff deck system. This was applied
on a member by member basis, and the rigid stiff deck system modified the member minor axis
properties, in effect making the member infinitely stiff about it's minor axis. This system was
satisfactory in most cases, but on floor with large floor voids, this system could lead to higher
than expected axial forces in the members. The semi-rigid stiff deck method offers a more
accurate modelling of the floor diaphragm, particularly on floors with floor voids.

Stiff-Deck Regions

To add a stiff deck region to a model, go to Create>Add Stiff Deck, Semi Rigid. This will open the
Stiff-Deck Region pane on the right hand side of the screen. The screen layout is shown below.

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The Stiff-Deck Region pane contains controls to add a new stiff deck region, control the members
selected for a region and inputs to define the properties of the stiff deck. The stiff-deck panel is
shown below.

The stiff deck regions can be named by typing the desired name in the drop down area. If stiff
deck regions have already be created, they can also be selected from the drop down, either by
expanding the drop down, or navigating using the up and down arrows to the left of the drop
down.

In addition to the drop downs, the row of icons allow for control of the input of members and
regions defining the stiff-deck, and for clearing or deleting selections and stiff-decks. The icons
are displayed as 125
. The icons have the following function:
In addition to the drop downs, the row of icons allow for control of the input of members and
regions defining the stiff-deck, and for clearing or deleting selections and stiff-decks. The icons
are displayed as . The icons have the following function:

- Add/Remove item. Selects or de-selects individual members. With the auto select main
boundary members, this option allows for the selection of panels without having to pick the
boundary members individually

- Find Item. Highlights any stiff regions associated with the member or area selected in the
graphics window.

- Add or Remove only. These options are available in Add/Remove mode. They controls
the selection by only allow members to be added or removed when selecting members.

- Add new groups. This tool adds a new stiff deck region

- Clear current group. This option clears all selected members for the currently selected
stiff deck region. The region is selected by the drop down.

- Clear all groups. This option automatically clears all members selected in all created stiff
deck regions.

- Delete current group. Deletes the selected stiff deck region. The region is selected using
the drop down.

- Delete all groups. Deletes all created stiff deck regions.

In addition to the top icons, there are also the following two options:

- for a selected stiff deck region, clicking on this icon

automatically removes from the selection any members which are internal to the region, this,
non-boundary members.

- the software automatically selectes the boundary members, allowing the

stiff deck to be created by selecting panels rather than individual members.

Create a stiff deck region

A stiff deck region is created by specifying the stiff deck thickness and Youngs modulus E-value,
and then selecting the members which form the outer and inner boundaries of the region. The
stiff-deck thickness and E-value are input by typing the required values into the input boxes.

The deck thickness is input in millimetres (mm). The Youngs modulus input units are kN/mm². If
incorrect units are used this can lead to an error in the analysis, due to the resulting ill-conditioning
of the stiffness matrix.
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The deck thickness is input in millimetres (mm). The Youngs modulus input units are kN/mm². If
incorrect units are used this can lead to an error in the analysis, due to the resulting ill-conditioning
of the stiffness matrix.

When considering a floor slab or diaphragm where the cross-section is not constant, it is
important to recognise that the diaphragm is bending in the plane of the diaphragm, not out of
pane as in the case of a floor plate under gravity loading. Therefore, it is generally advisable to
consider that part of the diaphragm which is constant over the floor area. For example, in the
case of composite floors, this would be the thickness of the concrete above the ribs.

The boundary of the stiff deck region is selected graphically by clicking on the members or panels
making up the stiff deck region, using the mouse pointer. Alternatively, area of the structure can
be windowed around using the mouse. The selected members highlight in red and the member
numbers appear in the right hand pane, in the lower rectangle. When a valid region is selected,
the region will appear in colour, as shown below.

It is possible to create multiple stiff deck regions under one stiff deck title by picking members
across several level in the structure, as shown in the image below. This can speed up the
creation of stiff decks in a model, but has the disadvantage that if a modification is required to
individual floors, they have to be removed from the original stiff deck region and then added as a
new stiff deck region.

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Voids can be created in the stiff deck by selecting both the members forming the external main
boundary and then selecting the members to form the boundary of the opening.

When creating stiff deck regions, the viewing navigation, frame views and view filters can be used
to assist in selecting the boundaries of a stiff deck region.

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Limit on stiff deck application

The semi-rigid stiff deck is intended to model the diaphragm action of both horizontal and inclined
surfaces, such as floor plate and roof structures. The stiff deck region was not intended to model
the stiffness of walls and, therefore, it is not possible to create vertical stiff deck regions. The
software has a tolerance on inclined surfaces, and will not permit the stiff deck to be created on a
surface with a slope of greater than 80 degrees from horizontal.

The stiff deck will act as a diaphragm in the plane of the stiff deck region. Therefore, for inclined
surfaces, the stiff deck will contribute to the stiffness of the structural elements in both the
vertical and horizontal plane.

For members whose beta angle is such that the member beta angle orientates the member
perpendicular to the plane of the stiff deck, the member minor axes moments be assumed to be
taken wholly be the stiff deck.

Viewing Stiff Decks on a model

When in the Stiff-deck regions, stiff deck can be viewed individually by either scrolling through the
created regions using the arrows to the left of the drop, by selecting individual stiff deck regions
from the drop down, or by using the Find Item icon. This will select specific stiff deck regions
which will be shown shaded if they are a valid region. This will only show the regions which have
been created, which may not assist in identifying areas where a stiff deck region is not yet
applied.

In the stiff-deck regions area, clicking on the icon will display all valid stiff deck regions
currently applied to a model. The stiff deck regions will be colour coded to identify the regions.

Within Masterframe, the stiff deck regions can be displayed using the tool, found in the
Supports and Restraints area of the toolbar.

Add Slab, Wall, Ramp (FE Surface)

The Add Slab, Wall, Ramp (FE surface) tool opens the FE surface menu in preparation for adding
an FE surface to a model where the software detects the Masterframe FE module - if the
software license does not include the FE module, an on screen message will report that this
feature is not available.

For instructions on the use of this tool, refer to the Finite Element chapter of the manual.

Copying Add Members, FE surfaces, Grid Lines

The Copy/Add Members, FE surfaces, Grid Lines function provides a number of tools to copy
and replicate existing elements of a model to quickly and easily extend a model. The Copy/Add
Members tools allow single or multiple members to be selected and then copied to a new located
by shifting, rotating or mirroring. Additional members linked the new elements to the original
elements can be automatically added. For copying all elements on a common grid line location,
the auto-select items on grid tools allows elements
129to be quickly selected by selecting the required
gird line. The Copy/Add members tools also includes an add level mode, to quickly copy floor
structure up to create new floor levels and so extend a model. If area loads have been created
on a floor level, these loads will also be automatically copied up when using the Add Level mode.
The Copy/Add Members, FE surfaces, Grid Lines function provides a number of tools to copy
and replicate existing elements of a model to quickly and easily extend a model. The Copy/Add
Members tools allow single or multiple members to be selected and then copied to a new located
by shifting, rotating or mirroring. Additional members linked the new elements to the original
elements can be automatically added. For copying all elements on a common grid line location,
the auto-select items on grid tools allows elements to be quickly selected by selecting the required
gird line. The Copy/Add members tools also includes an add level mode, to quickly copy floor
structure up to create new floor levels and so extend a model. If area loads have been created
on a floor level, these loads will also be automatically copied up when using the Add Level mode.

To select the Add/Copy Members, FE Surfaces, Grid lines tool, go to Create>Add Copy
Members, FE Surfaces, Grid lines. Alternatively, use the shortcut key Ctrl+Alt+C. The will open
the Copy Frame Entities panel on the right hand side of the screen. The screen layout is shown
below.

The Copy Frame Entities panel is shown below.

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Note: When elements are selected to be copied, the are used to define the creation of new
elements in the frame. But the original elements are retained in the model as well as introducing
the new frame elements. The differs from the Move function, where the selected frame
elements are repositioned.
The Copy Frame Entities pane had three main areas. These are described below.

Selection
The selection area controls the type of members which can be selected in the graphically display.
By default, frame elements, that is, members, can be selected by using the mouse pointer and
selecting with the left mouse button. With the Select slabs/wall (FE surfaces) option ticked, FE
surfaces can also be selected and picked for copying. Selecting the Select Grid lines option allows
grids line to be selected for copying.
With the Select grid lines option active, members on a grid line can be automatically selected,
avoiding the need to then select individual or multiple members. The members on a grid line can
be automatically selected by:
1. Check the Select grid lines checkbox

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 2. Using the mouse to select the required grid line(s)

3. Click on the icon.

Selected members, FE surfaces and/or grid lines can be deselected using the mouse, in the
same way as selecting them. To clear all highlighted elements, select the icon.

Copy

The Copy area is used to determine the mode for copying, which also controls the options in the
Shift area, along with controls for the number of copies and whether or not connecting members
are to be added. The Copy area is shown below:

The type of copy is selected by using the radios button. Depending on the mode selected, the
options available in both the Copy and Shift areas change. The copy modes are outlined below.
The Create connecting members option, if selected, will create tie members between the ends of
the new and old members. For example, if a portal frame type structure was copied, the Create
connecting members would also create tie members between the bases, eaves and apex of the
frames.
The Add Level mode is used when copying floor plates. This option is only available in the Shift
mode. With the Add Level mode selected, the Shift X and Shift Z options will be greyed out and
will be deactivated.

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The advantage of the Add Level mode lies in how the software copies columns - if columns are
selected, the column length is automatically adjusted to the Shift Y level value. Thus the Add
level mode uses column section to be copied but creates columns whose length matches the
storey to storey height input in the Shift Y input.

Shift
The shift area is used to control the shift type and shift offsets, based on the mode of shift
selected in the Copy part of the pane. The required inputs are dependant upon the options active
in the Copy panel along with the selected options for the shift type selected.

Shift Mode
Shift performs a translational copy of the selected model entities. There are three forms of shift
copying:

1. XYZ: copy the entities and shift them in the X, Y, and/or Z direction by the specified value
2. Polar: choose a plane of rotation, angle of rotation, and distance to shift the entities
3. Member Axis: shift parallel or perpendicular to a member at a specified distance

The layout of the Shift are is shown below.

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The distance for each point and/or member to be shifted can be specified by inputting the
distance in the relevant axis. To shift in just one axis, only a value need to be input for that axis.
Using the Pick point-to-point option, it is possibly to define the translation for the copy using the
mouse to specify the distance in the x-, y- and z-axes.

Rotate Mode:
Rotate allows you to create a copy of your selected entities by specifying the direction of the
copy using polar coordinates. Each point is copied to a new position defined by the polar shift.
The polar shift does not rotate the copied frame, since every point is shifted by the same
position vector. When the polar shift is selected, the shift inputs is displayed as show below.

The inputs selected are:

1. The plane of rotation

2. The angle of rotation, and
3. The centre of rotation (or origin)

The plane of rotation is selected using the icons. Each icon represents a 2D plane and
controls both the rotation and direction of shift specified in the distance input. The plane settings
are:

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 - the xy plane. The angle of rotation is measured from the x axis

- The yz plane. The rotation is measured from the z axis.

- The xz plane. The angel of rotation is measured from the x-axis.

Member axis:
The member axis mode allows the shift vector of the copy to be defined relative to an existing
member in the model. The direction of the shift can be specified as parallel to the member, or
perpendicular to the member, in either the direction of the member major or minor axis. The
direction of the shift is governed by the input distance to shift.

The Member axis shift options appear as follows:

Rotate Mode:
The Rotate copy mode allows a copy of the selected members to be made by rotating about a
specified centre of origin. The plane of rotation is selected and then the angle or rotation and
centre of orientation are input. The origin point can be specified either manually, by typing in the
position of origin point as a distance from the origin (0,0,0), or graphically.
The rotate mode results in copies where the orientation in the pane of rotation is different from
the original copied members, hence this method of copying differs from the polar copy mode
available in the Shift type copy.
The input area for the Rotate copy is shown below.

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The plane of rotation is selected using the icons. Each icon represents a 2D plane and
controls both the rotation and direction of shift specified in the distance input. The plane settings
are:

- the xy plane. The angle of rotation is measured from the vertical x-axis

- The yz plane. The rotation is measured from the z-axis.

- The xz plane. The angel of rotation is measured from the x-axis.

To graphically input the origin point for the centre of rotation, click on the icon. The
position of the origin can then be defined by selecting a point in the graphics display and clicking
with the left mouse button.

Mirror Copy:
Elements of a model can be copied by mirroring about a mirror line in a specified plane. The
mirror line represents the edge or plane of the mirror. The mirror line is then positioned by
drawing the mirror line graphically on screen. The layout of the Mirror copy area is shown below.

The mirror perp to plane is controlled by selecting the required icon. The options are:

- Mirror perpendicular to the xy-plane

- Mirror perpendicular to the zy-plane

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 - Mirror perpendicular to the xy-plane

To draw the edge of the mirror, select the icon and then use the mouse to draw the
line representing the edge of the mirror in the graphics display window.

Note: The edge of the mirror is taken as the projection of any line drawn in the relevant plane.
For example, to mirror in a line with the mirror perpendicular to the xz plane, if the line has a
component in the y-axis, it is only the component of the line in the xz-plane that is considered.

Preview Changes and Apply

Once the copy type, members to be copied and copy parameters have been input, the
icon can be used to preview the changes to the model. If the
changes are as intended, selecting the icon applies the changes.
Changes to a model can be deleted using the Modify Geometry>Delete Members, FE Surfaces,
Grid Lines function, or using Undo.

Add a Frame

The Import a Frame menu item provides tools to add standard or previously constructed
structural frames to an existing model. This allows for the rapid creation of frames, including the
re-use of previously created structural arrangements.

The Add Frame menu is accessed by going to Create>Add Frame. The sub-menu controls the
type of structural frame to be added to the current model. The sub-menu options are shown
below.

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With the Add Frame tools, it is possible to define and introduce the following structural
arrangements:-

· Continuous Beam

· Sub-Frame
· Multi-Storey and Grillages
· Multi-Bar Portal Frame
· Fink Truss
· Lattice Truss

· Space Roof Truss

· Lattice Tower
· Import a Frame

Continuous Beam
The Continuous beam tool allows for the insertion of a multi span continuous beam. The number
of spans, span lengths and loading can be specified. The Continuous Beam panel layout is shown
below.

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Sub-frame
The sub-frame insert allows for the insertion of sub frames comprising multi span and
multi-storey plane frames. As with the continuous beams, it is possible to define the loading on
the beams. The layout of the sub frame menu is shown below.

Multi-storey
The Multi storey tool allows for multi-story plane frames to be constructed, or, alternatively, this
option can be used to create regular floor grillages. In both cases, dead and live loadings can be
specified. The layout of the Multi Storey pane is shown below.

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Multi Bay Portal
The Multi Bay portal allows the creating of multi-bay, 2D portal frames. The inputs allow control
over the number of frames, height to eaves, height to apex, creation of haunches, loading and
base fixity. The layout of the multi bay portal area is shown below. It is also possible to define
different values per span.

Fink Truss
The Fink Truss option allows the creation and addition of a standard fink truss. The span and
height can be input manually, or the span can be controlled by the positioning between two
nodes. There are no inputs for adding loads to the fink truss. The layout of the Fink Truss pane
is shown below.

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Lattice Truss
The lattice truss allows for the creation and addition of standard truss types into the a model.
The truss type is controlled by the drop down, with the available options being:
1. N type lattice
2. V type lattice
3. Vierendeel truss
4. Vierendeel Tower
5. V Tower Frame
6. X Tower frame
7. PI Tower Frame I
8. PI Tower Frame II
For each lattice type truss, the inputs allow control over the dimensions of the truss, which give
the ability to control the shape of the lattice truss. The panel sizes can be specified individually to
give non-symmetrical arrangements.
The layout of the lattice truss panel is shown below.

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Space Lattice
The space lattice tool creates and inserts a 3D space lattice type structure. The inputs can be
used to control the overall size of the space lattice, the truss height and the panel size in the x-
and z-axes directions. The layout of the space lattice panel is shown below.

Lattice Tower
Similar to the lattice truss, the lattice tower allows for the creation of a number of arrangements
of lattice tower frame. The tower type is controlled by the drop down, and gives the following
options.
1. N type lattice
2. V type lattice
3. Vierendeel truss
4. Vierendeel Tower
5. V Tower Frame
6. X Tower frame
7. PI Tower Frame I
8. PI Tower Frame II
The dimensions and panel sizes are controlled by the inputs. The layout of the lattice tower pane
is shown below.

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Import a Frame
The import a frame tool provides a mechanism whereby previously created structures can be
added to a model, or imported to create a new model with the previously frame geometry. The
frame imported will have the geometry, section sizes and area loading panels associated with the
original model, but loads are not imported.

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Once you have selected a frame from the file list, it will be imported into the existing frame, with
the origins of both frame coinciding. To manipulate the position of the imported frame relative to
the existing frame, click on the Origin and Orientation option at the bottom of the panel.

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Add Frame to Existing:-
The node and member numbers of the imported frame can be incremented so that they start at
numbers which are higher than the node and member numbers on the existing frame.

Resize Frame:-
The size of the imported frame can be increased or decreased in the X or Y or Z axes or a
combination of these, to change the span or height of the overall structure before it is added to
the existing frame. For example, when importing a previous portal frame, the span may need
modified in the X direction, and the height in the Y direction.

Shift Frame:-
As previously mentioned, the origins of the imported frame and the existing frame are coincident
initially. You can move the imported frame in the X or Y or Z directions or a combination of these
in order to get the new frame in the correct position relative to the existing frame.

Rotate Frame:-
Equally the imported frame can be rotated to bring it into the desired orientation relative to the
existing frame. For example, you may wish to rotate it through 90 degrees about the Y axis
before adding it to the existing model.

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In the above order of options, the 'shift' will take place before the 'rotation'. You can switch the

order by clicking on the button.

Clicking on the 'Frame Data' button will take you back to the file list.
Click on the 'Apply' button to carry out the actions.

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Modifying Geometry

Once a model has been partially or fully created, changes are often required to be made. These
changes can include the layout of parts of the floor plans, adding or removing beams or column
positions or bracing members having to be added or repositioned. Wholesale alterations may
need to be included or new parts of the structure added. The loadings on floors and roofs may
also have to be modified. To make the user’s experience of modelling as simple as possible,
MasterSeries provides a range of very useful tools for the quick altering and modifying of the
members, etc within the model.

This chapter describes the various tools available in helping to modify the geometry of an existing
model.

Introduction

In this chapter we will detail the various tools in place to help you modify the geometry of existing
structures. This primarily deals with the geometry of ‘line’ type structural elements, e.g. beams,
columns, bracing members, however, some of the tools can also be used to modify the position
of grid lines and alter the geometry/position of Finite Element Surfaces. For clarity the following
terms are used in this chapter.

Member – a structural line type element, e.g. beam, column, bracing, raking column.
· Analytical Member - An analytical member is the line between two node points. Several
analytical members may form one physical member.
· Physical Member – A physical member is formed from one or more analytical members
that form a straight line, whose geometry is the start and end point of the physical
member position. For example, in the case of a primary beam supporting one secondary
beam, the primary beam will have two analytical members due to the connected node of
the secondary beam. The physical member will be formed from the two analytical
members. Physical members are used when applying section property definitions,
member loading, geometric changes, and also for design purposes. Analytical members
and physical members are therefore inextricably linked to each other. Physical
members can either by straight or curved (pure arc), but not cranked.

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· Member Ends – the end of a physical member. This is not the same as a node, as a
node is common to all analytical members ends that connect to it.
· Node – A point at which analytical members join. An analytical member always has a
node at either end.
· FE Surface – A structural finite element surface. These surfaces are planar in geometry
and their geometric shapes are defined by selected members to form their outer and
inner boundaries. Hence if you change the geometry of a member which is used to define
the boundary of an FE Surface, then the geometry of the FE Surface boundary is also
changed.

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 · Grid Line – A grid line is non-structural reference line in the horizontal plane (XZ plane) of
the structure, whose geometry and placement can be independent of or attached to the
structural geometry.

Graphical Entity Selection Techniques

While using many of Modify Geometry functions, graphical selection of entities such as members,
FE surfaces and grid lines are required. Selection within the frame graphics window can either be
done by
· single select - single left click on entity, or
· window select - left click, hold down, move to draw window- and release to complete
selection

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In both select modes, the items that are about to be selected are highlighted in a preview select
colour as described below. This confirms to you the selection that you are about to make.

To graphically select Members

The preview select colour is beige.
Single select - Single click on/near member to add/remove from selection.
Window select - Window multiple members to add/remove from selection. Members are
selected in window mode when their centre is included in the selection window.
The selected members will be highlighted in red.
To graphically select Member Ends
The preview select colour is cyan.
Single select - Single click near member end to add/remove from selection.
Window select - Window multiple members ends to add/remove from selection. Member
ends are selected in window mode when the member end within a small tolerance
(approx. 15 pixels) is included in the selection window.
The selected member end will be highlighted in a red dot a short distance from the end of
the member.
To graphically select Nodes
Single select - Single click on/near node to add/remove from selection.
Window select - Window multiple node to add/remove from selection. A node is point and
is therefore included in the selection if it is inside the window.
The selected node will be highlighted in a red dot.
To graphically select FE Surfaces
The preview select colour is yellow.

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 Single select - move mouse pointer inside FE surface and close to one of the boundary
edges until the yellow preview select colour is shown. Click to add/remove from selection.
Window select - when any of the edges of an FE surface are included in the window, the
FE surface is added/removed from the selection.
The selected FE surfaces boundary members will be highlighted in red.
To select Grid Lines
The preview select colour is cyan.
Single select - move mouse pointer close to the grid line until the cyan preview select
colour is shown. Click to add/remove from selection.
Window select - when any of part of the grid line is included in the window selection, the
grid line is added/removed from the selection.
The selected grid lines will be highlighted in blue.

By default, the selection operates on an add/remove basis, i.e. if a currently selected item is
already in the selection, then it will be removed from the selection. In any of these selection
modes hold down the
Ctrl key to exclusively add items to the selection (no items will be removed)
Ctrl + Shift keys to exclusively remove items from the selection (no items will be added)

The Modify Geometry Menu

From the top menu bar, the Modify Geometry menu contains a range of functions to allow you
to quickly and easily modify the geometry of your structure.

Following any change using these functions, the Undo or Redo buttons in the Actions panel in the
top tool bar can be used to undo or redo the changes made.
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Following any change using these functions, the Undo or Redo buttons in the Actions panel in the
top tool bar can be used to undo or redo the changes made.

Splitting Members

Select Modify Geometry> Split Members. This opens the Split Member editing function at the
right of the screen.

The Split Member function deals with the physical members. Splitting a member will divide the
physical member into two or more new physical members. During this process the member
loading and section properties will be split appropriately also.
The Split Members function has two modes of operation, ‘Split Members(s)’ and ‘Quick Split
Single Member’ which can be selected from the option buttons at the top.
To exit/close the Split Member function, click on the ‘X’ button at the top right of the Split
Members window.

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Split Member(s)
In this mode you perform a split operation on one or more selected physical members.
1. Select the members from the frame graphics window.
To reset the current selection of members, click the ‘Clear’ button.
2. Choose the Split Settings
a) Distance – Splits the member once at the distance specified. This distance is
measured form the end 1 of member, which is always the lower node number.
In general, for beam this will be the lower X or Z co-ordinate value and for
columns the lower Y co-ordinate value. Check the ‘Measure from end 2’ box for
this distance to measure from the second end of the member.
b) Ratio – Splits the member once at the specified ratio of physical member length.
The ‘Measure from end 2’ option is as per the Distance option above.
c) Segments – Specify the number of equal segments to split the physical member
up into.
d) Explode – Splits the physical member at the analytical node points, hence each
analytical member becomes its own physical member.
3. You can optionally click on the ‘Preview Changes’ check button at the bottom of window,
to enter the preview mode. This shows the changes to made in preview mode.
4. To action the changes, click on ‘Apply’ button at the bottom of the window. This also
automatically clears the current selection.

Quick Split Single Member

In this mode you select the single physical member you wish to split, then pick a point on that
member to split the member once at the selected point.

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 1. Pick the single member from the graphics window that you wish to split. If you wish to
cancel this selection and begin again, press the Escape (Esc) key.
2. Pick a point on that member. The member is automatically split at this location.
The snap settings will allow you to pick one of a number of different points on the
member. By default, the snap points will have thirds points, half points, and also
any other point measured from the end of the member the cursor is closest to.
Tip! – When you see the dimension, line appear on the member, simply type a
numerical value to overwrite the dimension, and press enter to automatically pick a
snap point at the dimension value specified.

Insert Analytical Node Only

The ‘Insert analytical node only (do no split physical member)’ check box option can be used with
the split member function to preserve the exiting physical member definitions and create
additional analytical nodes and members within the physical member.
This option might be used to create a node point, internal to the physical member, at which to
1. Place nodal loading. Although member loading supports internal point loads without the
need for a node point.
2. Place nodal support/spring/prescribed displacement conditions.
3. Create an additional point at which analytical quantities can be measured, such as nodal
deflection or vibration response factors.

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Merging Members

Select Modify Geometry> Merge Members. This opens the Merge Member editing function at the
right of the screen.

The Merge Member function deals with the physical members. Merging members will merge
two or more physical members together to form a new physical member. During this process the
member loading and section properties will be merged appropriately also. For non-curved
members, the members to be merged together must form a straight line. For curved members,
they must have a common plane, centre and radius. All members to be merged together must
be connected.
The Merge Members function has two modes of operation, ‘Merge Members(s)’ and ‘Quick
Merge (point to point)’ which can be selected from the option buttons at the top.
In both these options the ‘Remove Redundant Analytical Nodes’ option applies. During the merge
operation, if a node is not used for any purpose (e.g. nodal load/support or connected
members), then the node will be removed when this option is checked.
To exit/close the Merge Member function, click on the ‘X’ button at the top right of the Merge
Members window.

Merge Members (s)

In this mode you perform a merge operation on one or more selected physical members.
The selected members need not be limited to those you wish to merge into a single physical
member. Multiple physical members can be formed in one merge operation. From the selected
members, the program will collate runs of connected straight members. Depending on the ‘Merge
Settings’ selected, these runs may be further subdivided before merging into physical members.

1. Select the members to merge from the frame graphics window.

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 To reset the current selection of members, click the ‘Clear’ button.
2. Choose the Merge Settings. As explained above, from the multiple member selected,
member runs will have been collated for potential merging. These runs can be further
subdivided before merge as follows
a) Auto Merge Beams Between Columns – beam runs are split between supporting
columns before being merged into physical members
b) Auto Merge Beams Between Gird Lines – beam runs are split between
intersections with grid lines before being merged into physical members
c) Auto Merge Columns Between Levels – column runs are split between defined
levels before being merged into physical members.
3. You can optionally click on the ‘Preview Changes’ check button at the bottom of window,
to enter the preview mode. This shows the changes to made in preview mode. It is
useful to have the member numbers on at this point, to see the merged members in
Preview mode.
4. To action the changes, click on ‘Apply’ button at the bottom of the window. This also
automatically clears the current selection.

Quick Merge (point to point)

In this mode you select the two node points between which to merge all the members that fall on
the straight line between the two points. Follow the pick prompts at the bottom centre of the
frame graphics window.

1. Pick a node point to define the start of merge line. If you wish to cancel the point picked
to restart, press the Escape (Esc) key.
2. Pick second node point to define the end of the merge line
The members that fall on this line are automatically merged into a single physical member. If the
start/end node points fall internally to any existing physical members that are on the line, these
will be split before new the physical member is merged.

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Deleting Members, FE Surfaces and Grid Lines

Select Modify Geometry> Delete Members, FE Surface, Grid Lines. This opens the Delete editing
function at the right of the screen.

In this function, entities are selected from the frame graphics window for deletion.
1. Select entities for deletion
Physical Members are be selected by default. Uncheck the ‘Select whole members’ to
allow selection of just analytical member parts. Hence, if you had a physical member
made up of, say 4, analytical members, you could delete member 3 of the 4. In this case
the physical member would be split into two physical members that are now disconnected
due to the deletion of the analytical member.
Check the ‘Select slabs/wall (FE surfaces)’, to allow the selection of FE surfaces for
deletion.
Check the ‘Select grid lines’, to allow the selection of grid lines for deletion. When a grid
line(s) is selected, you can use the ‘Select’ button to auto-select all members on the
selected grid line(s).
To reset the current selection of members, click the ‘Clear’ button.
2. You can optionally click on the ‘Preview Changes’ check button at the bottom of window,
to enter the preview mode. This shows the changes to made in preview mode.
3. To action the deletion, click on the ‘Apply’ button at the bottom of the window. This also
automatically clears the current selection.
To exit/close the Delete Entity function, click on the ‘X’ button at the top right of the Delete Entity
window.

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Move Members, FE Surfaces, Grid Lines

Select Modify Geometry > Move Members, FE Surfaces, Grid Lines. This opens the Move Entities
editing function at the right of the screen.

The Move Entities function can adjust the position of existing physical members, FE Surface and
Grid Line entities. The position of selected entities can be changed by shifting (translational)
and/or rotating.
To exit/close the Move Entity function, click on the ‘X’ button at the top right of the Move Entity
window.
Notes:
During a move operation, the program attempts to preserve the straightness of the physical
straight members. Therefore, as one member is moved, other connected members may also
move, and have a knock-on effect on other connected members. If such a constraint is not
geometrically possible, then a straight physical member that is no longer straight is automatically
split into separate straight physical members.
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During a move operation, the program attempts to preserve the straightness of the physical
straight members. Therefore, as one member is moved, other connected members may also
move, and have a knock-on effect on other connected members. If such a constraint is not
geometrically possible, then a straight physical member that is no longer straight is automatically
split into separate straight physical members.
If you have not selected an FE surface entity, if you change the geometry of a member that is
used to define the boundary of an FE surface, then the geometry of the FE Surface will be also
be changed.

Selection Mode
The type of geometric change depends on the selection mode used. The Move Entities has two
main modes of selection for members; Member Ends and Whole Members

Member Ends
When in ‘Member Ends’ selection mode, the end(s) of a physical member can be selected by
single select or window select. In this mode one end of a member can be moved independently
from the other, so members can be stretched or realigned. When both ends of a member are
moved, it is treated similar to a ‘Whole member’ move selection mode. By selecting member
ends and not common node points to move, this allows much greater flexibility in the type of
changes that can be made. In the example below, the ends of member 50 and 52 are not
selected, and therefore not moved.

Note – Ends of curved members cannot be moved independently from each other. When one
end of a curved member is selected, the program internally selects both ends. Therefore, using
the Move function, curved members cannot be stretched in the same way as a straight
member. For manipulation of this nature of a single curved member, use the Redefine Single
Member Geometry function.

Whole member
When in ‘Whole member’ selection mode, the physical members can be selected by single select
or window select. In this mode the entire member is moved as one. When in this mode, the
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additional option is available to select to move FE surfaces.
When in ‘Whole member’ selection mode, the physical members can be selected by single select
or window select. In this mode the entire member is moved as one. When in this mode, the
additional option is available to select to move FE surfaces.
Check the ‘select Grid Lines’ box to enable selection of grid lines. Note for grid lines, the selection
mode does not affect the move operation, as the whole grid line is always selected and not
individual ends. To modify the geometry of individual ends of grid lines, you can make these
changes in the dedicated Grid Line Editing area.

Move Settings

Move All Connected Ends - The Move entity function can move selected members and FE
surfaces independently from other connected elements. Check this box to move all the
non-selected connected ends and hence retain all connections.
Extend ends to retain connection – Applies to ‘Whole member’ selection mode only. When
moving whole members, and they connect internally to other members, extend the ends of the
moved member such that they retain their connection to the members they are connected
internally to. In the example below member 88 is moved 1m in the Z direction and its left end is
extended to retain its internal connection to the physical member M50-52.

Disconnected supported members – when a physical member is moved, by default any

members connected internal to it (i.e. members it supports, and not member connected to its
ends) are also moved to retain this connection. The program will attempt to move the connected
ends in a manner that preserves the connected members alignment. If this is not possible the
connected ends will move to a new position on the moved member that is the same ratio as the
original position on the moved member. By unchecking this option, the supported members are
disconnected.

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Shift Settings
Check the ‘Shift’ box to perform a shift (translational) type move operation. The shift
amount/direction can be determined in one of three ways by selecting the appropriate options.
Note – If Shifting and Rotating, the order of operations is important, i.e. shift first, then rotate
about new position, or rotate first about original position, then shift. Click the ‘Swap’ button to
change the order of operations. The top most check box determines the first operation.
XYZ – Enter the shift amount in the global X and/or Y and/or Z directions. Note the sign of the
global axis directions. Using the blue ‘Pick’ button, two points (move from and move to) can be
select using drawing snap points, which in turn determine the global X, Y and Z values
automatically. 161
XYZ – Enter the shift amount in the global X and/or Y and/or Z directions. Note the sign of the
global axis directions. Using the blue ‘Pick’ button, two points (move from and move to) can be
select using drawing snap points, which in turn determine the global X, Y and Z values
automatically.

Polar – using polar co-ordinates, i.e. an angle and total shift distance in the selected global plane.
The selected global plane icons are XY, YZ, ZX.

Member Axis – Select a member and using the options select if the shift direction is parallel or
perpendicular to the member. When perpendicular to member is chosen, the default is that the
shift direction is in the major axis of the selected member. Check the ‘Shift about minor axis’ box
to in the minor axis of the member. In the ‘Distance to Shift’ box, enter the total shift amount.

Click the ‘Clear’ button to rest the shift amounts.

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Rotate Settings
Check the ‘Rotate’ box to perform a rotate type move operation.
Note – If Shifting and Rotating, the order of operations is important, i.e. shift first, then rotate
about new position, or rotate first about original position, then shift. Click the ‘Swap’ button to
change the order of operations. The top most check box determines the first operation.

The rotate operation is performed in one of three selected principal global planes XY , YZ ,
or XZ . Enter the angle in degrees to rotate by. Specify the origin of rotation on the selected
plane by either manually entering the two co-ordinate values, or pick clicking on the blue ‘Pick
origin’ button and graphically selected an origin using drawing snap points.
The ’Retain Co-ordinates’ check boxes allows one of the two co-ordinates being changed by the
rotation to be retained. For example, take some horizontal floor beams that are in global Z
direction; if rotating them by 15 degrees in the XZ plane, the X and Z co-ordinate will change. If
the retain Z coordinate box is checked, only the X co-ordinate will be changed. In this case
because the beams are in the Z axis, it would be impossible to make the rotation if the retain X
box was checked. Therefore, care must be taken to the retain axis box that is checked, in
consideration of the original geometry of the structure being rotated.

Click the ‘Clear’ button to rest the rotate amounts.

Move Operation
To change the geometry of selected entities by shifting/rotating
1. Choose your selection mode
2. Select entities to move from the frame graphics window
3. Set the Move Settings, including if the move is to shift and/or rotate. If doing both, note
the order of the operations.
4. If shifting set the Shift amount/direction

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 5. If rotating set the Rotate settings
6. You can optionally click on the ‘Preview Changes’ check button at the bottom of window,
to enter the preview mode. This shows the changes to made in preview mode.
7. To action the move, click on ‘Apply’ button at the bottom of the window. This also
automatically clears the current selection.

Redefine Single Member Geometry

Select Modify Geometry> Redefine Single Member Geometry. This opens the Redefine Single
Member Geometry editing function at the right of the screen.

The Redefine Single Member Geometry function allows you to select an existing physical
member, and reposition this member by effectively redrawing it in a similar fashion to the
Create> Add New Member (General) function. Redefining a member preserves all its; properties,
attributes, releases, loads, group membership of the member, and therefore is more
advantageous that deleting a member and adding a new member to replace it.

The ‘Disconnect intermediate connected members’ check box option operates in a similar fashion
to the ‘Disconnect Supported Member’ in the Move editing function. With this box unchecked any
members that are connected internally (not at the ends) to the member being redefined will
remain attached to the member and the connected ends will move with the redefined member to
the new position. Uncheck this box to disconnect the internally connected members for the
member being redefined.

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Redefining Straight Members
To Redefine the position of a Straight Member
1. Single select to pick the straight member from the frame graphics window. This member
will be highlighted in red. If you wish to cancel this selection and select another member,
press the Escape (Esc) key.
2. Using drawing snap points, pick a point to define the new member start point.
3. Using drawing snap points, pick a point to define the new member end point.
The member redefine is now complete and the member will be in the new position.
Note that if you intend only to move the one end of the member, you still need to pick the start
and end points, in which case one of these points will be same as the existing start/end point.

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Redefining Curved Members
To Redefine the position of a Curved Member
1. Single select to pick the curved member from the frame graphics window. This member
will be highlighted in red. If you wish to cancel this selection and select another member,
press the Escape (Esc) key.
2. The Curve placement method drop list will now be active. From this list select the
placement method and pick graphical placement points as follows to complete the redefine
operation.
a) Curve height Only: - Change the height/plane of the curve only, keeping
existing start and end points. On the frame graphics window two tracking lines will
be available from the centre of the curve base line perpendicular to the base line,
one in the plane of the curve and one perpendicular to the plane of the curve.
Pick any point on these tracking lines to define the new curve arc height, direction
and plane. Tip! – You can enter a numeric value from the keyboard and press
enter key to specify a particular curve height, overriding the current track line
dimension.

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 b) Start + End + Curve Height: - Reposition curved member using drawing snap
points by picking new curve start, followed by curve end. Following which, the
curve height is defined as above.
c) Curve Centre + Start + End: - Reposition curved member using drawing snap
points by picking a curve centre point, followed by a curve start point and finally
curve end point. To ensure the curve is placed in the correct segment of the
circle, the curve start and end points should be clockwise to each other in the
plane of the curve. If the three points selected are co-linear (form a straight line)
no action will be taken as the plane of the curve cannot be determined. In this
case use the ‘Start + End + Curve Height’ placement method above.
d) Between Three Points: - Reposition curved member using drawing snap points
by picking a curve start point, followed by a curve end point and finally a point
internal to the curve. If these points are co-linear, no action will be taken.

To exit/close the Redefine Single Member Geometry function, click on the ‘X’ button at the top
right of the functions window.

Create Curved Member From Facets

Select Modify Geometry> Create Curved Member From Facets. This opens the Create Curved
Member From Facets editing function at the right of the screen.

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The Create Curved Member From Facets function allows you select an existing set of straight
physical members that geometrically form a single curve shape. The function then converts
these separate straight members into one curved member definition.
1. Select the straight members that geometrically form a single curve shape. Use the ‘Clear’
button to the clear the current selection.
2. To action the change, click on ‘Apply’ button at the bottom of the window. This also
automatically clears the current selection. If the selected members do not form a simple
planar arc shape, no action will be taken.

Change Co-ordinate Tools

The ‘Modify Geometry> Change Co-ordinates Tools’ sub menu provides a collection of geometry
editing functions which all operate by changing the co-ordinates of the analytical node points in
one way or another. When the co-ordinate of a node point is changed, all analytical members
which connect to that node point are also changed in geometry. This in turn will change the
geometry of the physical members.

Caution! – care must be taken when using these tools to manipulate geometry, since a change
in nodal ordinates might affect the straightness of a physical member or integrity of a curved
member. Where a physical member is no longer straight, it is automatically split into separate
straight physical members.

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Nodal Selection
In all of the Change Co-ordinate Tools functions, there is a common method/interface for
selecting node points.
To ensure that you are in nodal selection mode, click on the blue ‘Nodes to [text specific to
function]’ button. The text box below the button will turn cyan to indicate that this is the active
text box for graphical input.

Node points are then selected graphically in an add/remove and single/window select fashion as
described.
The selected node points are drawn/highlighted graphically in red and the node numbers selected
are listed in the text box.
The ‘Reset’ button will clear the current selections.
The ‘Add Group’ button allows a range of consecutively numbered nodes to be selected by
entering the start and end node number, then clicking the ‘Add’ button to perform the selection.
This feature has limited use and is marked to be deprecated in future versions (2018 at time of
writing).

Shift XYZ
Shift XYZ moves analytical node points by translationally shifting them.

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Use of the Move Entity shift function is highly recommended over the Shift XYZ function. The
Move Entity function operates by moving structural entities and is much more flexible and
powerful than the Shift XYZ function.
This feature is marked to be deprecated in future versions (2018 at time of writing).
When the ‘Keep Physical Member Straight’ check box setting is on and the ends of a physical
member are shifted it may cause the member to be out of straight, then the software attempts
to adjust the geometry of other connected nodes and members to preserve the straightness.
The ‘Along Member’ and ‘Length’ inputs, provide a means by which to automatically enter Shift X,
Y and Z values, calculated on the basis of the selected member direction and distance specified.
The ‘Along Member’ can be specified by manually entering the member number, or by clicking
the ‘Along Member’ button, then graphically picking a member. As the length/member is changed
you will notice the Shift X, Y and Z values change also.

To shift analytical node points

1. Click on the ‘Nodes to Shift’ to ensure you are in the nodal select mode
2. Graphically select the nodes
3. Enter the shift amount in the global X, Y and Z directions, or use the ‘Along member’ and
‘Length’ inputs to auto complete these inputs, and/or
4. Specify a ‘Move Node’ and ‘To Node’, by either manually enter the node number, or
clicking on the ‘Move Node’ / ‘To Node’ buttons, then graphically selecting the node. Note
that when you graphically select the Move Node, you can immediately graphically select
the To Node as the software will have automatically moved to this input. Using the Mode
Node/To Node inputs, the software calculates the relative shift between the two points
and applies this in addition to any values entered in the Shift X, Y and Z boxes. Hence
these nodes can be any nodes in the model and not limited to those being shifted.
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 that when you graphically select the Move Node, you can immediately graphically select
the To Node as the software will have automatically moved to this input. Using the Mode
Node/To Node inputs, the software calculates the relative shift between the two points
and applies this in addition to any values entered in the Shift X, Y and Z boxes. Hence
these nodes can be any nodes in the model and not limited to those being shifted.
5. You can optionally click on the ‘Preview Changes’ check button at the bottom of window,
to enter the preview mode. This shows the changes to made in preview mode.
6. To action the Shift, click on ‘Apply’ button at the bottom of the window.

Rotate XYZ
Rotate XYZ moves analytical node points by rotating them about a global axis.

Use of the Move Entity rotate function is highly recommended over the Rotate XYZ function. The
Move Entity function operates by moving structural entities and is much more flexible and
powerful than the Rotate XYZ function.
This feature is marked to be deprecated in future versions (2018 at time of writing).
The two ’Retain X/Y/Z’ check boxes allows one of the two co-ordinates being changed by the
rotation to be retained. For example, take some horizontal floor beams that are in global Z
direction; if rotating them by 15 degrees in the XZ plane, the X and Z co-ordinate will change. If
the 'retain Z' coordinate box is checked, only the X co-ordinate will be changed. In this case
because the beams are in the Z axis, it would be impossible to make the rotation if the retain X
box was checked. Therefore, care must be taken with the retain axis box that is checked, in
consideration of the original geometry of the structure being rotated.
The ‘Rotate Beta Angles’ check box ensures that the beta angle (cross section rotation about
member axis angle) value is also rotated appropriately with the rotation. For example, if rotating
a column (Y direction member) in the XZ plane, the member beta angle will also change when
this option is selected.
To rotate analytical node points
1. Click on the ‘Nodes to Rotate’ to ensure you are in the nodal select mode

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 2. Graphically select the nodes
3. Select the global plane to rotate in, XY, YZ or XZ
4. Enter an angle of rotation in degrees
5. Enter the two co-ordinates on the plane of rotation about which the frame will rotate. For
example, the plane of rotation selection is XY, the software will ask for X and Y
co-ordinates. The values can be manually entered, or graphically selected by click on the
‘Centre At…’ button, then graphically pick on a point to set the first co-ordinate, then
picking again on a point (most likely the same point) to set the second in plane
co-ordinate.
6. You can optionally click on the ‘Preview Changes’ check button at the bottom of window,
to enter the preview mode. This shows the changes to made in preview mode.
7. To action the Rotate, click on ‘Apply’ button at the bottom of the window.

Set XYZ to Common Value

This function sets the X, Y or Z value of the selected nodes to a common co-ordinate value. This
can be useful when you have undesired out of plane inconsistencies in the nodal co-ordinates of a
range of nodes that are intended to be in one of the global planes XY, YX, or XZ.

For example, you may have range of horizontal floor beams on the XZ plane, that you wish to
have a common Y value at 3.5m. Let’s say you observe an unintentional inconsistency, i.e.
some nodes have a Y co-ordinate of 3.499m, while others have a value of 3.502m. Using this
function, you can select the nodes and set their Y co-ordinate to the common 3.5m value.
To set common co-ordinate value to a set of nodes
1. Click on the ‘Nodes to Change’ to ensure you are in the nodal select mode
2. Graphically select the nodes
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 3. Select the Co-ordinate value to change by choosing one of the ‘Change X Co-ordinate’,
‘Change Y Co-ordinate’ or ‘Change Z Co-ordinate’ options.
4. In the ‘New [X, Y or Z] Value’ input box, enter the new co-ordinate in (m). You can also
click inside the box, then pick in an existing node point to use its co-ordinate value for axis
being changed.
5. You can optionally click on the ‘Preview Changes’ check button at the bottom of window,
to enter the preview mode. This shows the changes to made in preview mode.
6. To action the change, click on ‘Apply’ button at the bottom of the window.

Scale - Multiply XYZ

This function multiplies the X and/or Y and/or Z co-ordinate values of the selected nodes using
independent multiplying factor for each co-ordinate, and optionally all originating at a common
node point.

To multiply the co-ordinate values of a set of nodes

1. Click on the ‘Nodes to Change’ to ensure you are in the nodal select mode
2. Graphically select the nodes
3. In the three separate ‘Multiply [XYZ] by’ inputs, enter the co-ordinate multiplying factors.
If no value is entered for a co-ordinate, the factor is taken as 1 and no change is made
to this axis co-ordinate. If you wish to scale all three co-ordinates equally (retain the
aspect ratio), then all three inputs must be specified with the same value.
4. Optionally enter the ‘Origin Node’ node number, either by manually entering or by clicking
‘Origin Node’, then graphically picking on a node point. The origin node point co-ordinates
are then used as the centre point for the scaling. If no origin node is selected the multiply
origin is about the 0,0,0 XYZ co-ordinate.
5. You can optionally click on the ‘Preview Changes’ check button at the bottom of window,
to enter the preview mode. This shows the changes to made in preview mode.
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 5. You can optionally click on the ‘Preview Changes’ check button at the bottom of window,
to enter the preview mode. This shows the changes to made in preview mode.
6. To action the change, click on ‘Apply’ button at the bottom of the window.

Swap XYZ – Flip 90 Deg on Global Axis

This function swaps two coordinate values of the selected nodes, using one of three different
swaps; Swap X and Y, Swap Y and Z, or Swap X and Z. This has the effect of rotating the nodes
though 90 degrees.

Use of the Move Entity rotate function is highly recommended over the Swap XYZ function. The
Move Entity function operates by moving structural entities and is much more flexible and
powerful than the Swap XYZ function.
This feature is marked to be deprecated in future versions (2018 at time of writing).
You can also invert (multiply by -1) any of the global axis co-ordinate values using the ‘Reverse’
check boxes
To swap the co-ordinate values of a set of nodes
1. Click on the ‘Nodes to Swap’ to ensure you are in the nodal select mode
2. Graphically select the nodes
3. Choose from one of the three the Swap options
4. Optionally choose to invert any or all of the three global axis co-ordinates using the
‘Reverse’ check boxes
5. You can optionally click on the ‘Preview Changes’ check button at the bottom of window,
to enter the preview mode. This shows the changes to made in preview mode.
6. To action the change, click on ‘Apply’ button at the bottom of the window.

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Redefine Global X axis
This function rotates the selected nodes, such that defined ‘Start Node’ and ‘End Node’ points
are on the global X axis. A further ’Rotation (Deg)’ input then rotates the new co-ordinates about
the global X axis, hence giving complete control over the final placement.

Use of the Move Entity rotate function is highly recommended over the Redefine Global X Axis
function. The Move Entity function operates by moving structural entities and is much more
flexible and powerful than the Redefine Global X Axis function.
This feature is marked to be deprecated in future versions (2018 at time of writing).
To swap the co-ordinate values of a set of nodes
1. Click on the ‘Nodes to Rotate’ to ensure you are in the nodal select mode
2. Graphically select the nodes
3. Click ‘Start Node’ and graphically pick on the desired node. The software will have
automatically moved to the ‘End Node’ input, therefore you should now be able to pick
the end node. These two nodes form the line that will be rotated to the global X axis.
4. Optionally enter the ’Rotation (Deg)’ value to further rotate the selected nodes about the
global X axis. This is done after the rotate start-end vector to X axis in order of
operations.
5. You can optionally click on the ‘Preview Changes’ check button at the bottom of window,
to enter the preview mode. This shows the changes to made in preview mode.
6. To action the change, click on ‘Apply’ button at the bottom of the window.
Note that you can tick the box for Rotate Beta Angles so that the orientation of the columns also
rotate with the X axis rotation.

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Edit Co-ordinate List
This function provides an editable list of all the node point co-ordinates in the analytical model.
Changing the co-ordinate here has the immediate effect of moving the node to the new
co-ordinate. New node points can also be created and existing nodes can be deleted.
Caution! – Whilst using these functions may be occasionally useful, it is not the most efficient
way to change geometry or add new geometry. Using the Move Entity function geometry can be
changed in much more flexible and powerful way. Using the ‘Create> Add Members (General)’,
new members are added and node points are created as needed automatically.

To change the co-ordinates of a single node point

1. To select node either
a) scroll the list to the desired node point number and click in the row of the node
point, or
b) click on node point in the frame graphics window
The node will be highlighted by a red dot.
2. Edit the X, Y and/or Z co-ordinates by over typing the current X Y Z co-ordinate values in
the row. The node is moved immediately with each individual value change.

Alternatively, you can tick the 'Shift Node' box and enter a set of distances by which to
move a node. Insert 3 values separated by commas to move the X, Y and Z
co-ordinates respectively for the highlighted node number. Click on the 'OK' button to
carry out this action.

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To add a node

1. Click on the add button to add a new node to end of node list, or click on the insert

button to insert a new node above the current node (selected row)
2. The node will be added with 0,0,0 co-ordinates. Enter the new XYZ co-ordinate values for
the newly added node.
Nodes added in this way are not connected to any members. If a node is not connected
to a member, it will be automatically deleted prior to analysis or possibly during other
editing operations. After adding a node in this way, the next step should be adding
members that connection to the new nodes. As mentioned, this is not the recommended
way to create new geometry. Using the more powerful functions in the ‘Create’ menu,
new members are added and node points are created as needed automatically.

To delete a node
1. Select the node in the same you would for editing co-ordinates, i.e. select the row or pick
graphically. The node is highlighted in red.

2. Click on the Delete button to delete the single node.

To Import a List of Nodal Co-ordinates

The import co-ordinates function imports current data from the clipboard. The data is expected
to be tab-delimited for XYZ columns and have a separate line for each new node. To achieve this,
1. Prepare a list of co-ordinates as three separate columns for X Y and Z in a spreadsheet,
like Excel
2. Highlight the cells in the spreadsheet and copy to clipboard (Ctrl + C)
3. In the MasterSeries Edit Co-Ordinate List, click on the ‘Import’ button. The new
co-ordinates will be added to the model.

To Export a list of Node Co-ordinates

The ‘Export’ button copies the nodal co-ordinate data to the clipboard as tab-delimited Node
Number, X, Y, Z data with a line for each node. This can then the pasted into a spread sheet like
Excel.

To Make all Co-ordinates Positive

Click on the to make all co-ordinates a positive value. This is achieved by shifting all nodes
in each axis by the same value to ensure the minimum X, Y and Z co-ordinates are zero.
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Click on the to make all co-ordinates a positive value. This is achieved by shifting all nodes
in each axis by the same value to ensure the minimum X, Y and Z co-ordinates are zero.

Make All Coordinates Positive

This function makes all co-ordinates a positive value. This is achieved by shifting all nodes in each
axis by the same value to ensure the minimum X, Y and Z co-ordinates are zero.
To action the change, click on ‘Apply’ button at the bottom of the window.

Position Coordinates Menu

The ‘Modify Geometry> Position Coordinates’ sub menu provides a collection of geometry editing
functions which all operate by repositioning the co-ordinates of the analytical node points. When
then co-ordinate of a node point is changed, all analytical members which connect to that node
point are also changed in geometry. This in turn will change geometry of the physical members.
Caution! – care must be taken when using these tools to manipulate geometry, since a change
in nodal ordinates might affect the straightness of a physical member or integrity of a curved
member. Where a physical member is no longer straight, it is automatically split into separate
straight physical members.

Position on Straight Line

This function enables you to position a selected set of existing nodes on a straight line between a
start node and end node.

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Various options and methods are available to control the nature in which the node move to the
straight line. Taking the example below, nodes 2 and 3 could move to any point on the line
between nodes 1 and 4 to form a straight line.

The options allow this to be controlled as follows,

Equal Spacing – Node 2 and 4 are moved to form an equal spacing between 1 and 4
Retain X or Y or Z Co-ordinate – Depending on the axis of the intended straight line in relation
to the original node positions, the node may only move in one of the three global axes to reach
its position on the straight line. In the example above nodes 2 and 3 could have the retain X
co-ordinate option to only move the nodes in the Z axis (blue arrows) to the straight line, or they
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could have the retain Z co-ordinate to only move in the X axis (green arrows) to the straight line.
In this case the retain Y will have no effect since the line is on XZ plane.
Retain X or Y or Z Co-ordinate – Depending on the axis of the intended straight line in relation
to the original node positions, the node may only move in one of the three global axes to reach
its position on the straight line. In the example above nodes 2 and 3 could have the retain X
co-ordinate option to only move the nodes in the Z axis (blue arrows) to the straight line, or they
could have the retain Z co-ordinate to only move in the X axis (green arrows) to the straight line.
In this case the retain Y will have no effect since the line is on XZ plane.
Note that for certain geometries, some of these options may not produce a desirable result, for
example if the straight line is in the X axis and the node to move is offset from the line in Z axis,
then to retain the Z co-ordinate would not permit the node to move to a point on the straight line.
Perpendicular to Line – Nodes 2 and 3 will move in the direction perpendicular (orange arrows)
to the straight line.
Retain adjoining member alignment – If say node 3 had an adjoining member whose
projection intersected with the straight line, then the node would move in the axis of this member
(dark green arrow) to the straight line.
Keep Physical Members Straight – If the node at the end of physical member moves and
affects the alignment of this member, then other intermediate nodes in the physical member
may be automatically adjusted to ensure the physical member remain straight and therefore
intact as one physical member. Where this is not possible, the physical member will be split up in
to separate straight physical members.
To position nodes on a straight line
1. Click on the ‘Nodes to Change’ to ensure you are in the nodal select mode
2. Graphically select the nodes to move onto the straight line. This can optionally include the
start and end node of the straight line
3. Enter a ‘Start Node’ and ‘End Node’ in the inputs. These can either be manually entered,
or by firstly clicking on the ‘Start Node’/’End Node’ button and graphically picking the node.
Once the start node is graphically selected, the program automatically moves to the ‘End
Node’ input. If no start and node and end node is entered, the program uses the largest
and smallest node numbers of the selected nodes in step 2.
Note, the selected nodes need not be internal to the start/end node straight line. In the
example given nodes 2 and 4 could be moved to the straight line between 1 and 3, or
nodes 1 and 2 could be moved to the straight line between 3 and 4.
4. Review the move settings as described above.
5. You can optionally click on the ‘Preview Changes’ check button at the bottom of window,
to enter the preview mode. This shows the changes to made in preview mode.
6. To action the change, click on ‘Apply’ button at the bottom of the window.

Tip - You may find it useful to annotate the node numbers and perhaps nodal co-ordinate values
on the frame graphics during the use of this function. In cases where graphical changes in
co-ordinates may be imperceptible, the annotated co-ordinate value may confirm that the
appropriate change has taken place. This can be done using the ‘Nodes and Coordinates’ panel
on the top tool bar.
Angle/Slope (XY Plane) check box - Alternatively to positioning selected nodes on a straight
line between two nodes, they can be placed at a defined angle or slope ratio. This function only
operates in the XY plane. Using this function
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Angle/Slope (XY Plane) check box - Alternatively to positioning selected nodes on a straight
line between two nodes, they can be placed at a defined angle or slope ratio. This function only
operates in the XY plane. Using this function
1. Click on the ‘Nodes to Change’ to ensure you are in the nodal select mode
2. Graphically select the nodes to position on the XY plane line.
3. Enter a ‘Start Node’. This can either be manually entered, or by firstly lick on the ‘Start
Node’ button and graphically picking the node. This defines the start point on the XY
plane slope line.
4. Choose the ‘Slope from XZ plane’ option, to then define the slope ration as a ‘1 in’ value.
Eg, if you enter 4, this is an XY slope line of 1 in 4, i.e. a rise in Y of 1m for every X
value of 4m. OR
5. Choose the Angle from XZ (degrees) option, to then define and angle from then
horizontal plane
6. You can optionally click on the ‘Preview Changes’ check button at the bottom of window,
to enter the preview mode. This shows the changes to made in preview mode.
7. To action the change, click on ‘Apply’ button at the bottom of the window.

Position on a Circle
This function enables you to position a selected set of existing nodes on a complete of part circle,
defined by the circle global plane, centre point on that plane, radius, start angle on circle and
finally angle increment between the selected nodes on the circle.

The selected nodes are positioned on the circle in order of the node numbers from smallest to
largest. The original position of the node does not influence its new position on the circle.
To position nodes on a circle
1. Click on the ‘Nodes to Change’ to ensure you are in the nodal select mode

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 2. Graphically select the nodes to reposition on the circle.
3. Choose the global plane for the circle from the ‘About’, i.e. XY, YZ or XZ.
4. Enter the ‘Start Angle’ in degrees, measured anti-clockwise from the horizontal axis of the
plane chosen.
5. Enter the ‘Increment’ angle in degree, which will the angle spacing between the nodes on
the circle in a +ve angle anticlockwise direction. Enter a -ve angle for a clockwise direction.
6. Enter a ‘Radius’ in meters
7. Enter the pair of ‘Centre’ co-ordinate values on the plane of the circle. These can be
entered manually, or by click on ‘Centre at…’ then picking a node to set the first
co-ordinate, then clicking again on a node (likely the same point) to see the second plane
co-ordinate.
8. The ‘Reverse X, Y and/or Z’ check boxes will invert (multiply by -1) the co-ordinate of the
selected nodes in the select axes.
9. You can optionally click on the ‘Preview Changes’ check button at the bottom of window,
to enter the preview mode. This shows the changes to made in preview mode.
10. To action the change, click on ‘Apply’ button at the bottom of the window.

Position on an Arch
This function enables you to position a selected set of existing nodes on an arch, defined by start
and end nodes, an arch height (camber), and a rotation angle for plane of the arch from the
vertical axis.

To position nodes on an arch

1. Click on the ‘Nodes to Change’ to ensure you are in the nodal select mode
2. Graphically select the nodes to reposition on the arch.

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3. Enter a ‘Start Node’ and ‘End Node’ in the inputs. These can either be manually entered,
or by firstly clicking on the ‘Start Node’/’End Node’ button and graphically picking the node.
Once the start node is graphically selected, the program automatically moves to the ‘End
Node’ input. If no start and node and end node is entered, the program uses the largest
and smallest node numbers of the selected nodes in step 2.
4. Enter a ‘Rotation’ in degrees. This determines the plane of the arch, with a zero or
unspecified value being the vertical plane.
5. Enter a height of the arch in the ‘Camber (m)’ in meters
6. Choose between
a) ‘Equal spacing’ to space the selected nodes evenly over the arch
b) ‘Retain local value’ to shift the nodes to the arch perpendicular to the arch base
line from their original position
7. You can optionally click on the ‘Preview Changes’ check button at the bottom of window,
to enter the preview mode. This shows the changes to made in preview mode.
8. To action the change, click on ‘Apply’ button at the bottom of the window.

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Analytical Model Connectivity

In this chapter we detail the automated and user driven features available to ensure the integrity
of your analytical model. This concerns the appropriate connectivity of the analytical nodes and
members to represent the model in the intended fashion and hence perform the structural
analysis with the desired behaviour.
In this section the following terms are used.
· Member – a structural line type element, e.g. beam, column, bracing, raking column.
· Analytical Member - An analytical member is the line between two node points.
Several analytical members may form one physical member.
· Physical Member – A physical member is formed from one or more analytical
members that form a straight line, whose geometry is the start and end point
of the physical member position. For example, in the case of a primary beam
supporting one secondary beam, the primary beam will have two analytical
members due to the connected node of the secondary beam. The physical
member will be formed from the two analytical members. Physical members are
used when applying section property definitions, member loading, geometric
changes, and also for design purposes. Analytical members and physical members
are therefore inextricably linked to each other. Physical members can either
by straight or curved (pure arc), but not cranked.
· Node – A point at which analytical members join. An analytical member always has a
node at either end. Two node points cannot occupy the same co-ordinate in space (within
a small tolerance of each other, which is usually 1mm).

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The intended functionality of MasterFrame is to minimise the time spent by the structural
engineer considering the analytical nodes and member. During the Creation and Modification of
structure, MasterFrame primarily deals with the physical member definitions, through which the
analytical nodes and members are automatically created as needed and related to the physical
members.
All of the tools and settings to ensure a well-connected and consistent analytical model are
available from the Modify Geometry> Check and Modify Analytical Model sub menu.

Model Auto Connect

Select ‘Modify Geometry > Check and Modify Analytical Model > Model Auto Connect and Clean
Up’. This open the ‘Model Auto Connect’ window.

The ‘Model Auto Connect’ deals with situations where the analytical centre lines do intersect and
manages their node point connections.
A ‘Model Auto Connect’ operation will perform the following tasks on the entire model
· Internal Intersect - Check for analytical members that both internally intersect each
other and are thus not connected with a185
common node point. In accordance with the
Internal Intersecting members settings, the analytical members are split and connected
with a new common node point.
 · Internal Intersect - Check for analytical members that both internally intersect each
other and are thus not connected with a common node point. In accordance with the
Internal Intersecting members settings, the analytical members are split and connected
with a new common node point.
· End Intersect - Check for analytical member ends, i.e. nodes, that internally intersect an
analytical member and are thus not connected to it. The analytical member will be split at
the node point and the connection will be made.
· Auto Merge - Using the ‘Remove Redundant Analytical Node’ option, nodes are removed
that are internal to physical members and have no other connected member and are not
being used for any other purpose (e.g. Support/load/response factor). As such the two
connected analytical members at the removed node are merged into one analytical
member.
Also, with the ‘Remove Redundant Analytical Node’ turned on, for physical members that
currently internally intersect but should not in accordance with the Internal Intersecting
members settings, the members are automatically disconnected by removing the node at
the intersection and merging the analytical members.
Important – all intersection checks and subsequent connections are performed on the analytical
centre line. It is possible that members may physically collide/connect, but their analytical lines do
not, in which case the ‘Model Auto Connect’ will not make the connection since this would involve
an adjustment of the analytical member/node positions. This is referred to as a Modelling
Inconsistency and can be checked/repaired using the Analysis Model Consistency Checker.

The ‘Model Auto Connect’ operation can be carried out in either

· a fully automated always on manner through the ‘Auto Connect all members’
check box, or
· on an on-demand basis using the ‘Auto Connect’ button, or ‘OK’ button to exit the
window.

With ‘Auto Connect all members’ setting turned on, MasterFrame will ensure that as the model is
created and modified the ‘Model Auto Connection operation is automatically carried out. This
setting is ON by default for a new file and is also recommended to remain on.
When this setting is turned off, it is possible that
1. Analytical members may intersect but not have a node point connection. In some cases,
this may be desired (e.g. tension only cross bracing), while in other cases the connection
may be required.
2. A node may lie internally on an analytical member but not connect it. It is extremely rare
for this to be desired.

Click the ‘Cancel’ button to exit the window without doing a ‘Model Auto Connect’ or saving any
setting changed.

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Model Auto Connect Internal Intersecting Member Settings

The behaviour of the ‘Model Auto Connect’ operations internal intersection can be controlled using
the following settings.
Auto Connect Member at Intersection – with setting ON, member internal insertion is
performed.
Do not connect tension-only member at intersection – with this setting ON, members that
have the ‘Tension-Only’ attribute are not automatically intersected with other members.
Do not connect bracing member at intersection – with this setting ON, members that are
set as Bracing Type members are not automatically intersected with other members.
Do not connect dummy member at intersection – with this setting ON, members that have
the dummy member ‘De-activate’ attribute are not automatically intersected with other
members. These members are non-structural.
In all of the ‘Do not intersect…’ settings, with the ‘Remove Redundant Analytical Node’ ON,
members are automatically merged that have connected internal nodes to other members.
These global settings can be overridden on a physical member level using the following Member
Attributes

· ‘Auto-Connect’ attribute. This has an ON/OFF setting. When the setting is ON, the
member will always be intersected with other internal intersecting member regardless of
the global rules above. With this setting is OFF, the member will not be automatically
connected to other internally intersecting members.
· ‘Auto-Merge’ attribute. This has an ON/OFF setting. This is a member level override for
the global ‘Remove Redundant Analytical Node’ option.
· ‘No-Intersection’ attribute. With this attribute present the physical member will always be
one analytical member. Even if there are End Intersect condition, these will not be
connected to the member.

Automatically Make Co-ordinates Positive Settings

Using this setting MasterFrame can automatically adjust the model co-ordinates in a global sense
to ensure the nodal co-ordinates are all positive values. This happens automatically as you
transition between exiting functions or at analysis time.
· ‘Automatically make all co-ordinates positive’ - this setting is off by default. Applies to all
three X, Y and Z axes.
· ‘Apply to horizontal XZ plane only (exclude Y)’ – this option can be useful where you wish
to have control over the Y coordinates of the structure, e.g. negative Y co-ordinates
below group level.

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Analysis Model Consistency Checker

Select ‘Modify Geometry> Check and Modify Analytical Model> Check Analysis Model
Connectivity’. This open the ‘Analysis Model Consistency Checker’ window.

This function is extremely powerful and useful for detecting, and in some cases repairing,
modelling inconsistencies. Modelling inconsistencies refer to cases where the analytical model does
not connect, however the physical members appear to connect through collision detection that is
performed.
The preceding Model Auto Connect section deals with situations where the analytical centre lines
do intersect and manages their node point connections.
Modelling inconsistencies may arise in a number of ways, however inaccurate drawing within
MasterFrame and models imported from an external source (particularly ones where
consideration has not been given to the accuracy required from an analytical model connection
point of view) are two of the most common causes.
Typical modelling inconsistencies are
· The end of a physical member falls short of the centre line or end point of another
member where connection is intended.
· Member do intersect on centre lines and connect analytically; however, they produce
multiple node points at very small distances from each other.
· Members overlap physically and are intended to be connected, however their centre lines
do not intersect.

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Running the Check
When this function opens it runs a check operation using the current settings. This operation uses
collision detection on the physical member 3D shapes to determine cases where there is collision,
but no direct or indirect (connection between points by other members) analytical connection.
The settings influence this operation as follows.
Clash detection minimum distance (mm) – This input sets a distance limit beyond which
checking the collision of physical members is ignored. For example, if you had 1m deep beam
and another beam passing perpendicularly under it that was 0.4m away (hence would be
colliding), with this value set to 300mm the clash would be ignored and no issue would be
reported.
Merge connected nodes tolerance (mm) – Where physical members collide but are only
indirectly connected (by other members), and if the distance between the indirectly connected
points is less that this tolerance value, then the points are listed as a suggested change set. This
can be seen as the desired minimum distance between node points. It is generally advisable to
avoid having node points that are “very close” together, in particular where they cause short
members. This can lead to ill-conditioning of the stiffness matrix and undesirable modelling
behaviour. The “very short” distance will depend on the model and its section sizes. The default
in the function is 50mm.
Changes made to these settings are saved in the registry of the PC, and hence will persist
between files.
If you change the settings and/or wish to rerun the check, click on the blue ‘Check’ button.

Viewing the Checks Results

The results of the checks are listed as individual change sets in the tree view window. A change
set consists of one or ‘move points’ moving to a new common ‘move to’ position. All change sets
are highlighted graphically, with the move points drawn in a smaller light grey dot and the ‘move
to’ points drawn in larger grey dot.

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You can navigate to a change set either by picking on it the frame graphics (tree view will scroll to
the change set item and select it), or by selecting the item in the tree view. You can also move

to the previous/next item in the list using the arrow buttons in the tree view header
area. Using these buttons also zooms the frame graphics to the selected change set. You can

zoom the frame graphics to the selected change set using the button in the tree view
header.

The current change set is then highlighted with the ‘move points’ in blue and ‘move to’ point in
red.
The change sets are listed in the tree view in two main categories as follows.

Auto-connected suggested changes

This lists out the change sets that can be automatically resolved by the program.
Each item/change set can be selected to accept that suggested change using the check box on

the tree node item or using the button in the tree view header area. To reject the suggested
change set and remove it from the list click on the button in the tree view header area. To
select/deselect all suggested changes click use the buttons. A selected change set is
drawn in a pale blue/violet colour.

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To action the selected/checked changes, click on the ‘Connect All Selected Elements’ button at
the bottom of the window. This moves the selected change set ‘move points’ to their ‘move to’
point. When complete the program automatically reruns the check. Items that were previously
rejected may reappear in the list.

Disconnected colliding elements – Manual Review

This lists potential model connectivity issues for information purposes only. No automatic changes
can be made to these items. Issues such as overlapping internally colliding members that are
disconnected are listed in this category. Change sets that conflict with those listed in the Auto
-connect suggested changes category are listed here.
It is recommended to firstly review/fix the ‘Auto Connect Suggested Changes’ category before
examining the item in this category. If any changes to the modes are required to resolve listed
potential issues, then the functions in the Modify Geometry menu should be used.

Show and merge Coincident Nodes

Select ‘Modify Geometry> Check and Modify Analytical Model> Show and merge Coincident
Nodes’.

This function allows you to view analytical nodes that are in close proximity to each other within a
specified tolerance, and also perform a merge operation on the node pairs. This provides more
primitive functionality than the more powerful Analysis Model Consistency Checker.
It is generally advisable to avoid having node points that are “very close” together, in particular
where they cause short members. This can lead to ill-conditioning of the stiffness matrix and
cause undesirable modelling behaviour. The “very short” distance will depend on the model and
its section sizes. A distance of 10mm to 50mm is suggested.
To merge co-incident nodes
1. Ensure the ‘Coincident Nodes’ box in checked
2. Enter the node ‘Tolerance (mm)’ value. This is the minimum distance between nodes for
checking purposes. The nodes that are within the tolerance distance from each other are
highlighted in red and are grouped into node pairs.

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 3. Click on a highlighted node pair to automatically set the ‘Merge Node’ and ‘with Node’. The
node clicked closest to will be the ‘Merge Node’. If you wish to reverse the merge
node/with node, then click on the same node pair again. It is important to note that the
‘Merge Node’ will move to the ‘with Node’ and be merged into one node.
4. You can optionally click on the ‘Preview Changes’ check button at the bottom of window,
to enter the preview mode. This shows the changes to made in preview mode.
5. To action the change, click on ‘Apply’ button at the bottom of the window.

Merge Two Analytical Members

Select ‘Modify Geometry> Check and Modify Analytical Model> Merge Two Analytical Members’.

This function allows you to merge two connected co-linear (on a straight line) analytical members
into one analytical member. This function will generally only be used to remove a redundant
node, i.e. it is not being used for any purpose. This type of operation can be carried out in more
automated fashion on the entire model using the Model Auto Connect with its auto merge
‘Remove Redundant Node’ option.
If this function is used to merge two co-linear analytical members and there are other member(s)
connected to the common node point, the two selected members will be merged and thus
disconnected from the other connected member(s). This is generally undesirable. The Model
Auto Connect would undo this action, by splitting the analytical member again at the intersecting
node point.
To merge two co-linear connected analytical members
1. Manually enter the ‘Merge Member’ number or click on the ‘Merge member’ button and
pick the member from the frame graphics window.
2. Manually enter the ‘with Member’ number or click on the ‘with member’ button and pick
the member from the frame graphics window. Note if you graphically picked the ‘Merge
member’, then MasterFrame will have automatically moved onto the ‘with Member’ input
3. You can optionally click on the ‘Preview Changes’ check button at the bottom of window,
to enter the preview mode. This shows the changes to made in preview mode.
4. To action the change, click on ‘Apply’ button at the bottom of the window.
It will be helpful to have the member numbers annotated on the frame graphics to confirm that
the change to the model has taken place. Click on the ‘M#’ button in the members panel of the
top tool bar to display these.

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Connect Two Members at Intersection

Select ‘Modify Geometry> Check and Modify Analytical Model> Connect Two Members at
Intersection’.

This function allows you to connect two analytical members at a common intersection point,
hence, both members will be split, forming one new node point and two new analytical members.
This type of operation can be carried out in more automated fashion on the entire model using
the Model Auto Connect with its internal intersect options.
Important - If this function is used to connect two intersecting analytical members, and they fall
within any of the ‘Do Not Intersect…’ rules of the Model Auto Connect, this action will be undone
either the next time the Model Auto Connect operation is run, or with immediate effect if it is in
always on ‘Automatically connect all members’ mode.
To connect two analytical members at a common intersection point
1. Manually enter the ‘Member 1 number or click on the ‘Member 1’ button and pick the
member from the frame graphics window.
2. Manually enter the ‘Member 2’ number or click on the ‘Member 2’ button and pick the
member from the frame graphics window. Note if you graphically picked the ‘Member 1’,
then MasterFrame will have automatically moved onto the ‘Member 2’ input
3. Check the ‘Split Physical’ option to split the physical member definitions at the new node
point.
4. You can optionally click on the ‘Preview Changes’ check button at the bottom of window,
to enter the preview mode. This shows the changes to made in preview mode.
5. To action the change, click on ‘Apply’ button at the bottom of the window.
It will be helpful to have the member numbers and/or node numbers annotated on the frame
graphics to confirm that the change to the model has taken place. Click on the ‘M#’ and/or ‘N#’
buttons in the top tool bar to display these.

Delete Nodes

Select ‘Modify Geometry> Check and Modify Analytical Model> Delete Nodes’.

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This function is maintained in MasterFrame for legacy purposes. It is recommended to use the
more powerful Delete Entity function.
Deleting analytical nodes will also delete all analytical members connected to the nodes, and in
turn delete physical members or parts thereof.
If you wish to remove a node between two co-linear members without removing members, this
can be done using the Merge Two Analytical Members function, or more generally using the
Model Auto Connect ‘Remove Redundant Node’ option.
To delete of a set of nodes
1. Click on the ‘Nodes to Delete’ to ensure you are in the nodal select mode
2. Graphically select the nodes
3. You can optionally click on the ‘Preview Changes’ check button at the bottom of window,
to enter the preview mode. This shows the changes to made in preview mode.
4. To action the change, click on ‘Apply’ button at the bottom of the window.

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Properties

This section covers viewing and altering the properties of members and other elements. Note
that FE Surface editing is covered elsewhere in the section on Finite Element analysis.

Member Property Editor

From the Properties menu you can select to view the Member Property Editor. This editor lists a
number of properties relating to any particular member selected from the model. For the selected
member the member name, level and grid line location are displayed. The section details can be
edited – section material, size and orientation. The member releases can be changed for each
end, making it rigid or pinned in the major, minor and torsional axes. The coordinates for each
end node of the member are listed but cannot be altered here. Other analysis options that can
be edited include whether the member is a bracing member (not loaded directly by area or wind
loading), is tension or compression only (tie or strut), is released axially (no axial load allowed, eg,
a slotted sliding connection), is a dummy member (ignored in the analysis), has self-weight
ignored and the value of its coefficient of thermal expansion (where temperature loads are being
considered).
You can select several members at a time to change a particular property in all of them in one
go.
The Member Property Editor is a very useful tool in that it is like a container which includes many
of the properties relating to a particular member or indeed to several members as described
above. This means that you can change a number of the member’s properties in one place
without having to go into individual menus and change them one at a time. All the information is
available in one editing panel.
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The Member Property Editor is a very useful tool in that it is like a container which includes many
of the properties relating to a particular member or indeed to several members as described
above. This means that you can change a number of the member’s properties in one place
without having to go into individual menus and change them one at a time. All the information is
available in one editing panel.

Methods of editing –
1. At the start of each section there are down arrows and side arrows. Clicking on the down
arrow will further open the item to reveal additional items. Clicking on the side arrows will
further open these additional items to show their full set of options.

2. As you open these full set of options, you’ll see in many cases a down arrow, which will
open a further droplist of possible settings, usually a Yes/No choice.

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 3. Under the ‘Section Details’ heading there are 5 sub items. The arrows at the right-hand
end of these will open further details, including separate tables in which several other items
can be altered. For example, the steel section size below.

4. Some of the member properties will be shown in grey – these are for information only and
cannot be edited, for example the member name and nodal coordinates.

Selection of members –
1. A single member can be individually picked and will be highlighted in red on the frame.
This member’s properties can then be edited where required in the properties editor.
2. Multiple members can be selected by pressing down the ‘ctrl’ key and picking a number
of members individually off the frame. All of these members will be highlighted in red. Only
the items that are common to all these members will be displayed in the member
properties editor. These common items 197 can be edited for the whole highlighted group.
The remaining cells will be blank, for example, the member Name, since each member will
have a unique name.
 2. Multiple members can be selected by pressing down the ‘ctrl’ key and picking a number
of members individually off the frame. All of these members will be highlighted in red. Only
the items that are common to all these members will be displayed in the member
properties editor. These common items can be edited for the whole highlighted group.
The remaining cells will be blank, for example, the member Name, since each member will
have a unique name.

Editing Options –

General – The member name/reference, level and grid line details are displayed but cannot be
edited. They are shown for information purposes.

Section Details –

1. The Member Type can be changed from steel to concrete, to timber or a haunched box
or I section as required. Click on the down arrow at the right-hand end of the cell to
display the options.
2. The Section Size details can be opened by clicking on the grey button at the right-hand
end of the cell. This will display a table for steel members in which the section type, size
and grade can be altered. Additional options include a Double Section, Compound Section,
Haunched Section and details of concrete casing or diameter and spacing of cells in a cell
beam. Remember to ‘Save’ the revised data so it is changed in the main Member
Property Editor.

For a concrete member the Section Size table includes the section shape and dimensions,
Young’s modulus E and the modulus of rigidity G.

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For a timber section the type, shape, section size and E and G moduli can be changed.
Additionally, the strength and service classes and number of pieces can be altered.
Options include EuroCode design options, glulam beams, load sharing and flitched beam
details.

Haunched Box or I Section dimension set details can be modified.

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3. The Beta Angle or section orientation can be overwritten. The angle is displayed in
degrees. This item is particularly useful if you need to alter the orientation of a number of
members at the same time, eg, rotating a series of columns through 90 degrees.
4. Curved in Major Axis – if a member has been set as a curved member, it will have been
designated as curved in the major or minor axis. A ‘true’ setting here will indicate that the
member is curved in the major axis. A ‘false’ setting will mean it is curved in the minor
axis instead.
5. If a member has discrete web openings, these can be edited for a single member,
multiple members or web opening sets. Click on the grey button at the right-hand end of
the cell to open the Web Openings options. Choose whether to modify the current
member or a web opening set.
Discrete web openings can be added to a beam as rectangular, circular and elongated
openings or end notches. Within a particular beam there may be several openings which
will form an Opening Web Set. This Opening Web Set can then be applied to similar
beams to provide the same openings, for example, across a whole grid of beams running
in the same direction with service holes on the same lines.

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Select to Edit Current Member Only or to edit the Opening Web Set at the top of the
dialogue box. Editing the set will change these openings on all members to which this set
has been applied. If you only want to alter the openings in one member, then use the
Current Member Only option.

To set up an opening or series of openings on a beam use the button from the
panel below to first add a new item.

In the data entry table above, select the web opening type and fill in the appropriate
dimensions for the distance along the beam, etc, etc.

To add another opening to this beam (and set) click again on the button and fill in
the appropriate details.
You can use a previous highlighted opening as a template by selecting the Copy item and

Add New button and editing the existing data to suit the new opening. Items can

be deleted by highlighting them and selecting the button. The button will select
all the items within a set in one go, or alternatively
201 use the standard Windows Shift and
Ctrl buttons to multi-select items.
 Add New button and editing the existing data to suit the new opening. Items can

be deleted by highlighting them and selecting the button. The button will select
all the items within a set in one go, or alternatively use the standard Windows Shift and
Ctrl buttons to multi-select items.
This process will have created an Opening Web Set which can be applied to other beams
where required. Click on the other beams that you want to add this set to. Select the Set
that you want to use. Then press the OK button to apply this set of openings to these
highlighted beams.

You can add a new Opening Web Set by clicking on the button to the right of the
Web Opening Set drop list. This new set can then be populated with opening details. Click
on the button to delete a set.

Use the Copy and Add New Set button to copy an existing set and add a copy of it
as a new set. This new set can be edited as required.
If there are several sets, there may be some duplication of sets or sets that have had all
the openings deleted from them. This duplication can be removed using the Delete All
Unused Web Opening Sets option .

End Releases –
The member end releases for torsion, major axis moment and minor axis moment can be
changed by opening up the End 1 and End 2 Releases lines by first clicking on the > arrows. Click
on the down arrow at the right-hand end of a cell to see the Yes/No choice for the particular
release type. Note that end 1 of the member is the end with the lower node number.

Composite Construction –
The type of composite construction can be viewed and changed for the current member or a
range of members. Under Composite Type the options are:-
As Level Default – the default setting for this particular level will be adhered to.
Non-Composite – a beam can be set to being non-composite in construction.
Composite Standard – a beam can be set as a composite beam with the profiled decking
on the top flange.
Composite Slim Floor – a beam can be set as a composite beam with the decking on the
bottom flange.
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 Composite Slim Floor – a beam can be set as a composite beam with the decking on the
bottom flange.
The ‘Shear Connection’ will detail the studs being used and the ‘Mesh Area’ will detail the
reinforcement being applied to the composite slab in the locality of the currently selected beam.
Note that these 2 items can only be altered in the composite design module and are displayed
here for information only.

Nodal Coordinates –
The X, Y and Z coordinates of each end of the member are displayed for information purposes
only.

Analysis Options –
Common member attributes can be switched on or off. Use the down arrow at the right-hand
end of the attribute cells to select Yes/No.

The analysis options that can be edited include whether the member is a bracing member (not
loaded directly by area or wind loading), is tension or compression only (tie or strut), is released
axially (no axial load allowed, eg, a slotted sliding connection), is a dummy member (ignored in
the analysis), has self-weight ignored and the value of its coefficient of thermal expansion (where
temperature loads are being considered).

Member Sections and Materials

In the Member Sections Materials option, you can specify the member material, eg, steel,
concrete or timber and then choose the section sizes and other related attributes.
The above selections and attributes can also be edited in the Member Property Editor.
Initially all members have no section property applied to them, therefore it is necessary to apply
some section properties before analysing.
The most important point to note is that the Member Section Properties area can be used in

three different modes, i.e. Member , Global and Copy To modes.

Member Mode

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Member Mode is the default mode and perhaps the mode that you will use most frequently. In
Member mode you can apply and edit section properties on a member-by-member basis. To do
this,
1. Select the member you want to apply or change the section properties on. You can
select a member by,
a) clicking on it in the main frame geometry area, or
b) if you know the member number you wish to edit then you enter the number in
the box, or

c) by selecting the member number from the

drop list
The selected member is highlighted in 3D member profile in the frame geometry window. For

this reason, it is recommended not to turn on the global 3D member profile option from
the top tool bar while working in this area.
2. Select a section type from the section editor area, i.e. Steel Sections, Concrete and
Timber (Rectangular, Square, Tee and Circular Sections), Haunched I & Box Sections or
UserSections. See the Section Property Editing area below
3. Select or define the section you require from the chosen section type

While in member mode all changes made in the section properties editing area are automatically
applied to the selected member. There is no need to do anything further such as assigning
these properties. All changes made affect the current selected member only.

When you select a member in member mode, the current section properties of that member are
displayed in the section properties editing area. Therefore, member mode can be used to
investigate the current section properties on members.

Global Mode

Global Mode is used only to change existing section definitions and cannot be used to apply
section properties where none are defined.
Global Mode is used to change the section properties on a group of members that have the
same section definition applied. In other words, global mode can be used to change all
occurrences of the same section property at once.
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Global Mode is used to change the section properties on a group of members that have the
same section definition applied. In other words, global mode can be used to change all
occurrences of the same section property at once.
Global Mode groups members together that have the same section properties. Beneath the
global mode icon, the drop list indicates how many different member groups have been created,
i.e. how many different section properties are currently applied in the frame.
To change section properties while in global mode,

1. Click on the icon to switch to Global mode.

2. Select the existing section property, i.e. member group you wish to change. You can to
this by:

a) Selecting a group from the drop list

b) The actual description in the drop list is the section reference text as interpreted
by the program. In this example ‘SEC +6131’ is the steel section reference
number in the section database, ‘GR 43’ is the steel grade, while ‘b 0.000 h 0.000’
refers to concrete casing dimensions around the steel section. When a group is
selected the full section property information is displayed in the section property
editing area
c) Clicking on a member in the frame geometry area will move to the member
section property group associated with that member
All the members in a group are highlighted in red on the screen, i.e. the highlighted
members all have the same section size.
3. Change the current section properties using the Section Properties Editing Area

As in Member Mode the changes are applied automatically, however, to all members in the
currently selected group. Once you are finished in Global Mode it is recommended that you
return to the Member Mode.

Copy To Mode

This is one of the most powerful editing modes, which is used for copying a section property to a
member or group of members in one operation.
The key concept in Copy To mode is that the Section Properties Editing Area becomes the
template of information to be pasted onto the members you select. In this sense the Copy To
mode differs greatly from the Member and Global modes in that if you change information in the
section properties editing area, you are not changing any existing section properties.
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The key concept in Copy To mode is that the Section Properties Editing Area becomes the
template of information to be pasted onto the members you select. In this sense the Copy To
mode differs greatly from the Member and Global modes in that if you change information in the
section properties editing area, you are not changing any existing section properties.
To use the Copy To mode,

1. Click on the icon to switch to Copy To mode

2. Set up the required section information in the section properties editing area (template).
As you edit the section in the template, members that match the modified template are
shown in red. All other members are shown in black
3. Paste this information onto the frame by selecting member(s) in the frame geometry
area. You can select member(s) by,
a) Clicking on individual members
b) Windowing a group of members
When you select members the section in the template is applied to the members in black and
removed from members in red. Hence the Copy To can be used to add and remove section
properties.
Copy To mode can continue to be used by repeating steps 1 and 2.

Important Note: Bear in mind that when you are in Copy To mode that when you select a
member you have changed the section property of that member. It is vitally important to be
aware which editing mode you are in, since haphazardly selecting members while in Copy To
mode could disrupt your model. Remember that in Member and Global modes, changes are
made as you edit. In Copy mode changes are only made when you click or select members in
the frame geometry area.

Tip! When you are finished using Copy To, move back to Member mode. Member mode is
safer in that when you select a member you are not changing the section property.

You can choose to use these editing modes in your own way and in whatever order you prefer.

Steel Sections

The steel section type provides a comprehensive database of structural steel sections. Select
the required steel section type, section size from that type and steel grade from the three drop
lists.
There are a number of options which can be applied to the standard steel sections. There
individual toolbars are activated by clicking on the respective icon.

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Section Side Profile: This specifies any specific side profile such as a haunch at each end.
See below for further details on how the haunches are specified.

Double Member: This will specify two of the selected sections to the selected model member.

Concrete Casing: This will create a concrete casing of the steel section. The height, width and
cube strength of the casing should be specified.

Compound Section: This option can specify a variety of items that can be added to the
original section such as top/bottom plates and secondary sections. For a plate, specify a
thickness and an overall width or alternatively a projection beyond the outside of the flange.

A secondary member can be added to the main section, eg, a channel added to the top flange
(for example, a crane beam) or a UB or UC added into the web of the main member (for
example, a wind portal column fixed perpendicular to a main column).

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Cellular Design: The basic dimensions of the cellular section can be specified such as cellular
hole spacing, cellular hole diameter and distance from top of slab to top of opening. Holes that
are close to critical locations can also be filled in automatically.

Do is the diameter of the cell as a ratio of the overall beam depth and S is the cell spacing as a
ratio of the cell diameter up to a maximum of 1.95 Do. Alternatively, both dimensions can be
entered in millimetres.

Discrete Web Openings: See section in Member Property Editor.

Section Type: Specify the type of section required for the member. i.e. UB, UC, RHS etc.

Grade: Specify the grade of steel used for each member.

Section Dimensions: This specifies the overall geometry of the chosen section shape.

Haunch Specification: The double haunch option allows you to specify haunch lengths (m) and
haunch depths from either end of the member. End 1 is always the lower node number of the
member. The haunch depths are specified by a H/D ratio, where H is the overall depth of the
member (including the haunch) at the node point and D is the depth of the chosen section size.

The lengths of the haunches are measured along the local member axis, however by checking
the Measure Haunch on Plan box the haunches will be measured along the horizontal X-Z
plane. This will obviously only be of influence in non-horizontal members.
The mm option allows the overall depth of the haunches to be specified in mm, as opposed
to an H/D ratio.

The Swap Dim button simply swaps the haunch length and depth information for the two
ends.
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The Swap Dim button simply swaps the haunch length and depth information for the two
ends.

The single haunch option differs from the double haunch in that you enter the uniform length of
the member from end 1 and end 2. The haunch depth is specified in the same way as for the
double haunch member.

Concrete and Timber

This section type provides options to specify regular shaped sections with a particular E (elastic
modulus) and G (shear modulus) value. Although this option is most commonly used for
modelling concrete and timber sections, it can also be used to model regular shaped sections of
any other material by entering the appropriate E and G value.

To use this section type,

1. Choose one of the regular section types from the buttons at the
bottom of the screen.
2. Choose a material type from the Steel, Concrete, Sawn Timber, Planed Timber and
Regular Timber options. This has the effect of setting the appropriate E and G values in
the text boxes.
When a timber material is selected further parameters are available regarding timber
grade, no. of pieces and service class. Note that only the rectangular, square and circular
section shapes are available in timber. A flitched timber beam can also be specified by
giving the number of timber and steel plate members along with the plate grade and size.

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 3. Select or enter the section dimensions. You can
enter any dimensions you wish in the white coloured text boxes, or you can select a
dimension from the grey coloured drop list. The only difference between the sawn, planed
and regular timber property options is the pre-set section dimensions that are available in
the drop lists.

General Haunched I and Box Sections

This section type allows you to model an I or box shaped single haunched member, which tapers
from one user defined cross section dimension to another. For normal haunched rolled steel
sections it is recommended to use the Steel Sections type as described above. These haunched
I and box sections are used for analysis purposes only and not integrated design.

To use the haunched I and Box Sections,

1. Firstly, enter the two cross section dimensions in the Edit DimSet area.
a) Click on the Edit DimSet button

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 b) Select whether you want to view the input dimensions in an I or Box section format
c) Using the graphic at the bottom left of the screen as a guide, enter one of the
cross-section dimensions in the B, H, b and h text boxes
d) Each cross section you enter needs to be saved to the DimSet library. Each cross
section must have a unique DimSet Number between 1 and 30. Enter a number
that is not current being used. You can use the drop list to view the existing items
in the DimSet library.
e) Click on the Save to Library button. The items in the DimSet library are then
available for use on any other member.

f) Repeat steps c to e for further cross sections

g) Click on Exit Edit

2. Choose the I-Section or Boxed Section option

3. Choose the cross section DimSet for end 1 and end 2
4. Enter the uniform length of the member from end 1 and end 2
5. Enter the Material E (elastic modulus) and G (shear modulus) values

User Sections

This section type is based purely on the user defined basic section properties of area, inertia,
modulus etc. The main principle in successfully using user sections is that they must be saved to
a library. The library can be local to the current file only where that saved section can only be
used in that file. Alternatively, sections can be saved to an open library database in which case
the saved user sections become available in all files.

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If you wish to add the user section so that it is available to all files click on the Edit Open
Library User Sections button to open the database.

To add a user section to a library,

1. Enter the basic section properties in the Area, Ix, Iy, J, E and G text boxes
2. Each section in the either the local or open library must have unique reference number
between 1 and 999. The drop list shows the sections that are currently saved to the local
or open library, depending on which option ‘Local User Sections’ or ‘Open Library User
Sections’ is selected. You can use this list to determine what section reference number is
available for use. Enter an available section
212 number.
 2. Each section in the either the local or open library must have unique reference number
between 1 and 999. The drop list shows the sections that are currently saved to the local
or open library, depending on which option ‘Local User Sections’ or ‘Open Library User
Sections’ is selected. You can use this list to determine what section reference number is
available for use. Enter an available section number.
3. Enter the name of the section as a descriptor that will appear in the list.
4. Click on ‘Save Data’ icon to save it in the Open Library database. You can add another
section using the green + symbol or delete a section using the red X symbol. Note - any
section added in the ‘Local User Sections’ is automatically saved with the file without the
need to press a ‘save’ button.
5. You can also add the section modulus values Zx and Zy for the major and minor axes or
Zx top and Zy top for an unsymmetrical section. These are used to calculate the member
stresses. Shear areas and the plastic moment capacity can also be added.

Note that the ‘Open Library Sections Database’ is saved as a separate file ‘UserSec.SDF’ in the
C:\ProgramData\MasterSeries directory of the local machine. This file can be copied across to
other users in the office should you need to share common sections.

To apply a saved user section to a member

1. Select which library you want to use using the ‘Local User Sections’ or ‘Open Library User
Sections’ options.
2. Select the saved user section from the drop list.

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Frame Section Property Statistics

The Frame Section Property Statistics enables you to view statistical information on your frame,
including the estimated frame weight. The information should not be used as a cutting list. The
lengths shown are based on the member centrelines in the model.

The Limit to Visible option only includes members in the current screen view in the statistics
table. Members not on screen are omitted.
The Viewing Groups option adds a column in the table in which the viewing group that a
member belongs to (if any) is displayed.
The Member Align option adds a column in the table in which the member orientations are
displayed – horizontal, vertical or inclined.
The All Sections/Section Totals options allow you to switch between showing the information
on all of the individual beams or as totals for each section size.
If you wanted to optimise your sections used in a frame, you can Copy one section size from
the table and Paste it over another section to replace it. Click into one of the cells (turns blue)
for the section size you want to copy across. Select
214 the ‘Copy Section’ option. Then click into one
of the cells for the section size you want to replace and select the ‘Paste Section’ option.
If you wanted to optimise your sections used in a frame, you can Copy one section size from
the table and Paste it over another section to replace it. Click into one of the cells (turns blue)
for the section size you want to copy across. Select the ‘Copy Section’ option. Then click into one
of the cells for the section size you want to replace and select the ‘Paste Section’ option.
The Frame Statistics table can be exported to Word or Excel (Office Tools required) or to the
printer for further analysis.

Member Attributes

Often additional attributes need to be applied to various individual members in your frame.
These include attributes such as Tension Only or Compression Only where, for example, a
cross bracing member may be considered as tension only. Therefore, it is ignored in the model
when a compressive force appears in it during analysis.
To access these member attributes, select the option from the Properties menu. The various
attributes appear at the bottom left of the screen. These can be expanded by clicking on the
More Attributes button.

Note that most of these attributes can also be edited in the Member Property Editor.
You can set a member as a De-activated or Dummy member. These members are usually
used to define the edges of an area loaded panel, wind loaded panel or an FE surface where no
actual member exists but something is required to show an edge for the panel. These members
are ignored in the frame analysis.
There are also options to Ignore the Self Weight of a member, apply Partial Fixity to the
member ends (see Restraints section) and change the member Name.
You can choose to have Auto Connect on so that a member that intersects with another
member will automatically connect at the intersection point, eg, cross bracing. Note that this
applies to individual members. For the whole frame this and similar attributes can be globally
controlled in the Modify Geometry menu under the Check and Modify Analytical Model > Model
Auto Connect and Clean Up control box. Equally, the No Intersection option can be applied to
individual members so that they cross each other without being connected and hence share no
load.
The No Axial option is useful in some circumstances so that no axial load is transferred through
the member, for example, a sliding joint in the direction of the member or a slotted top joint in a
215to be supported by the gable posts.
portal frame gable column where the rafter is not
The No Axial option is useful in some circumstances so that no axial load is transferred through
the member, for example, a sliding joint in the direction of the member or a slotted top joint in a
portal frame gable column where the rafter is not to be supported by the gable posts.
The Stiff Deck is largely not used any more. Instead you should use the more accurate
semi-rigid stiff deck – see below for further details. It is still included here as it can apply to older
files before the semi-rigid method was introduced.
A Rigid Link attribute is assigned to members which create a rigid link between a floor slab and
a shear wall. This is usually set up automatically when the shear walls are created from the
Create menu. It is a modelling technique used to help transfer the lateral loads from the floor
into the shear wall or core.
The Auto Merge option provides member level control for automatically removing redundant
nodes in a member.
The Auto-Connect attribute. This has an ON/OFF setting. When the setting is ON, the member
will always be intersected with other internal intersecting member regardless of the global rules
above. With this setting is OFF, the member will not be automatically connected to other
internally intersecting members.
The No-Intersection attribute. With this attribute present the physical member will always be
one analytical member. Even if there are End Intersect conditions, these will not be connected to
the member.

Member Cross Section Orientation (angle)

The angle defines the member orientation and affects the direction of normal to member loads
(N and M loads). The angle can be thought of as how the member is orientated about its own
axis. If any member in space is thought to be initially positioned on the X axis, then in order to
position the member in the correct position in space it is firstly rotated horizontally, i.e. the α
(alpha) angle. Secondly it is rotated vertically, i.e. the γ (gamma) angle to achieve the final
position. The β (beta) angle can be seen to perform the final rotation of the member about the
axis running along the member length.

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With the member in the initial X axis position, a β Angle of zero can be thought of orientating the
member to bend vertically about its stronger major axis (xx axis). The sign convention of the β
Angle rotation is best understood by placing your eye looking form the member’s smaller node
number towards the larger node number, then a positive rotation occurs in the anticlockwise
direction.
As with the section properties, initially all members are assumed to have no definite β angle value
applied to them and therefore assume a default value of zero.
In plane frames and grillages, the default value of zero causes all members to bend about their
major axis only.
In plane frames and grillages, you can only use β values of 0, 90, 180 and 270 degrees.

From the Properties menu you can select the Member Cross Section Orientation (β angle) option.
If you are currently in either the Member Loading or Member Section Properties area you can
shortcut to the Member Orientation by clicking on the button at the top right of the screen.
Note that this attribute can also be edited in the Member Property Editor.

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As with the Member Sections and Materials you can switch between Member , Global

and Copy To modes.

Member Mode
Member Mode is the default mode and perhaps the mode that you will use most frequently.

In Member mode you can apply and edit β angles on a member-by-member basis. To do this,
1. Ensure that the ‘Incremental β value change on member click’ is set to zero

2. Select the member you want to apply or change the angle on. You can select a member
by,

218
 a) clicking on it in the main frame geometry area, or
b) if you know the member number you wish to edit then you enter the number in
the box, or

c) by selecting the member number from the drop

list

The selected member is highlighted in 3D member profile in the frame geometry window. For
this reason, it is recommended not to turn on the global 3D member profile option from the top
tool bar while working in this area.
1. Edit the value in the ‘Selected Member Current β angle’ text box to change the angle. As
you do this both the selected member in the frame geometry area and the selected
member graphics window will graphically indicate the new member orientation.
All changes made affect the current selected member only.
When you select a member in member mode, the current angle of that member is displayed in
the ‘Selected Member Current angle’ text box. The member mode can be used to investigate
the current angles on members.
While in member mode the ‘Incremental β value change on member click’ option can also be
used to change a member’s angle. By entering a value in this text box, then clicking on a
member, the member will be rotated by this value. Repeated clicks on the same member will
continue to increment its β angle by the entered amount. Again, all changes are shown
graphically as the changes are made.

Global Mode
Global mode is used only to change existing angles and cannot be used to apply β angles where
none are defined.

Global mode is used to change the angle on a group of members that have the same angle
applied. In other words, global mode can be used to change all occurrences of the same angle at
once.
Global mode groups members together that have the same angle. Beneath the global mode
icon, the drop list indicates how many different member groups have been created, i.e. how
many different angles are currently applied in the frame.
To change β angles while in global mode,

219
 1. Click on the icon to switch to Global mode.
2. Select the existing angle, i.e. member group you wish to change. You can do this by,
a) Selecting a group from the drop list

.
b) Clicking on a member in the frame geometry area will move to the member angle
group associated with that member.
The members in the group are highlighted in red on the screen, i.e. the highlighted
members all have the same angle.
3. Change the β angle for the selected group using the

text box at the bottom left of the screen.

As in member mode the changes are applied automatically to all members in the currently
selected group. Once you are finished in Global mode it is recommended that you return to the
Member mode.

Copy To Mode
This is one of the most powerful editing modes, which is used for copying a single angle to a
member or group of members in one operation.

The key concept in Copy To mode is that the value in the box

becomes the angle to be pasted onto the members you

select. In this sense the Copy To mode differs greatly from the Member and Global modes in
that if you change the ‘angle to copy…’, you are not changing any existing angles.

To use the Copy To mode,

1. Click on the icon to switch to Copy To mode.

2. Set up the required angle in the box. As you edit

the angle value in the box, members that match the ‘current value’ entered are shown in
red. All other members are shown in black
3. Paste this information onto the frame by selecting member(s) in the frame geometry
area. You can select member(s) by,

220
 a) Clicking on individual members.
b) Windowing a group of members
When you select members the ‘current value’ is applied to the members in black and removed
from members in red. Hence the Copy To can be used to add and remove angles.
Copy To mode can continue to be used by repeating steps1 and 2.
Important Note: Bear in mind that when you are in Copy To mode that when you select a
member you have changed the angle of that member. It is vitally important to be aware which
editing mode you are in, since haphazardly selecting members while in Copy To mode could
disrupt your model. Remember that in Member and Global modes, changes are made as you
edit. In Copy mode changes are only made when you click or select members in the frame
geometry area.

Tip! When you are finished using Copy To, move back to Member mode. Member mode is safer
in that when you select a member you are not changing anything by doing so.

FE Surface Material Properties

The material properties of a Finite Element surface can be defined under the Properties menu.
For further details see the manual on Finite Element Analysis.

FE Surface Attached Beams

The beams that are attached to a Finite Element surface can be defined under the Properties
menu. For further details see the manual on Finite Element Analysis.

Stiff Deck Semi-Rigid

Stiff Deck or Diaphragm Action is where you take account of the floor slab to distribute lateral
loading back to the bracing frames or shear cores in pinned frames. This can be applied to
horizontal and sloped surfaces but not vertical surfaces.
This approach actually models the stiffness of your floor realistically based on its Young’s Modulus
and depth. This has the benefit of avoiding potential problems with ill-conditioned stiffness
matrices due to large stiffness terms.
Under the bonnet the semi-rigid stiff-deck option generates a coarse finite element mesh, using
triangular plane stress elements between existing nodes, meaning no extra degrees of freedom
are created, so your model analyses just as quickly but with added accuracy.
221
Under the bonnet the semi-rigid stiff-deck option generates a coarse finite element mesh, using
triangular plane stress elements between existing nodes, meaning no extra degrees of freedom
are created, so your model analyses just as quickly but with added accuracy.
Add stiff deck by clicking on members or panels or windowing several panels and add openings by
deselecting members or panels (or not selecting them in the first place).

If you’re using stiff deck on your models there are a few things you should know about how it
works. The stiff deck adds plane stress elements to the existing stiffness matrix in order to
accurately model the diaphragm action of the deck. No out of plane bending stiffness is added.
Here’s a diagram to illustrate this:

With the above model viewed on plan, here are the deflections under a horizontal load:

Important things to note at this point are…

1. There is no actual deck added to the structure, all the stiff-deck feature does is change
values in the existing stiffness matrix in order to add extra stiffness to the in-plane (X and
Z direction if your stiff-deck is flat) translational degrees of freedom.
2. The moment of inertia and neutral axis of the members and their vertical stiffness is
unaffected. Therefore, vertical deflection of members is unaffected by stiff-deck.
3. The mass of the deck is not taken account of and has to be manually added to the
model using area loading or member loading.

How to apply it to your model

1. Go to: Properties > Stiff deck Semi-Rigid

222
2. Enter a Stiff-Deck thickness and a value for E. These are used to alter the stiffness
matrix (not to add loads to your model). Give the surface a relevant name.
3. Select Auto Select Main Border Members and also Add/Remove Member/s as per the
image below:

4. With these options selected you can now define the stiff deck in one of two ways.
a) The first is to select the border members one by one, adding them to the stiff
deck definition manually.
b) The second approach is to window the members which will make up the stiff deck.
Be careful with this approach to only window the members that will be part of the
stiff deck, as windowing other members will confuse the automatic border
identification.
The stiff deck areas will be shown as coloured surfaces on the model. If a surface has a
boundary with members shown in red, but is not shaded then the stiff deck isn’t applied
properly and the boundary should be checked for any members that may have been
omitted. On adding these members, the surface should fill in as coloured.
5. To add further stiff deck areas for other surfaces, you can select the large + symbol to
add a new group. The group members can also be cleared or the whole group or groups
deleted using the other symbols in the same line.

223
Notes for Analysis
1. Do not apply the stiff deck to surfaces that FE surfaces have been defined on. This can
lead to erroneous results and problems with the FE mesh generator.
2. One of the great things about this semi-rigid stiff-deck approach is that it is fully
compatible with the dynamic analysis engine.
3. Another thing to note is that, because the stiff deck feature doesn’t add stiffness to the
vertical rotational degrees of freedom, the dynamic analysis can return mode shapes
where the beams have lateral displacement caused by free rotation at their ends. These
mode shapes are irrelevant and can simply be ignored.

Member Global Density

The member global density is selected from the Properties menu. This will bring up the Global
Data panel in the right hand side of the screen. The global density is based on the E value of the
materials in your frame which are defined when you choose a section material. If the E value is
greater or equal to 200, then the material is assumed to be steel at a density of 77 kN/m3.
Similarly, for E between 20 and 200 concrete is assumed and for E below 20 it is assumed to be
timber. These values are editable.
If you don’t want the density to be included automatically untick the Include Member Density
box. The columns are usually included in load group D1 or D0 if pattern loading is being
considered. Members other than columns are in the D1 load group.

224
Member Concrete Casing Properties

The member concrete casing properties are selected from the Properties menu. Again, this takes
you into the Global Data side panel where the concrete density, strength and E value can be
defined as global values. These will be applied to any steel beam or column members on which
concrete encasement has been defined in the Member Sections area.

Coefficient of Thermal Expansion

The coefficient of thermal expansion option is selected from the Properties menu. Again, this
takes you into the Global Data side panel where you can input your own coefficient value or apply
the steel/concrete default value. This value is used in conjunction with the load ‘Temperature
Change’ found in the Loads > Member Loading menu. See section on applying member loads.

225
226
Loads

This section covers the loading of members within a frame including area loading and wind
loading, both of which are Pro features. It also includes nodal loading and notional horizontal loads
and the setting up of the loading cases and combination factors. FE surface loading and dynamic
and seismic loads are covered elsewhere in the relevant sections of the manuals.

Load Group – Titles and Code Designation

British and European Codes of Practice demand that structures are designed to sustain dead,
live, wind and notional loads under both service and ultimate conditions. These loads are
combined using various load factors to produce a variety of loading cases. It is essential
therefore to differentiate between the various types of loads applied to the frame so that they
can easily be combined to produce any number of loading cases.
In many instances, it is necessary not only to distinguish between dead, live and wind loading but
also between various types in each category. For example, when considering the design of
concrete beams under alternate loading, it will be necessary to differentiate between the dead
load on odd spans (1, 3, 5, .. etc.) and on even spans (2, 4, 6, .. etc.). The same rule applies
to the live loads. In portal frames you may need to distinguish between side wind with internal
suction, side wind with internal pressure, gable wind with internal suction and gable wind with
internal pressure.
MasterSeries enables you to distinguish between the various types of loads using a set of 141
load groups with unique labels as follows:
D0 to D9, L0 to L9, W0 to W9, N0 to N9, A0 to A9, B0 to B9, C0 to C9, E0 to E9,
F0 to F9, G0 to G9, H0 to H9, I0 to I9, J0 to J9, K0 to K9 and UT.

227
The UT is the Unity Load factor for loads and other conditions which apply in all loading cases.
Usually all Nodal Supports are defined with a UT Load Group. A Nodal Support is no different
from any other load in that it will only be active in a loading case if it’s Load Group is active (i.e.
not zero) in the Loading Case. The default Nodal Support Load Group UT is active in all Loading
Cases and means that the support is always present.
Each load group can be given a title to describe the loads under its umbrella. It is important to
understand that a Load Group can have many different shapes and intensities of load in it. The
only requirement is that all loads in a single load group must all be applied to the structure at the
same time and be multiplied by the same Load Factor.
A good example of a Load Group is “Wind blowing on the side of a building”. Each face will have
a different load intensity and some will be X-Axis Loads some will be N-Axis (normal to member)
Loads. Indeed, some of the loads could be partial UDL’s or Triangular Loads but they are all in
the same Load Group (e.g. W1) as they occur simultaneously.

To edit the load group titles, select "Load Group - Titles and Code Designations" from the Loads
Menu. Under the Load Group Titles tab, you can highlight whichever load group title you want to
change and overtype the title. Note that the load group number can be selected from the drop
list of numbers.

228
For live or imposed loads to EuroCode EC0 you can choose an imposed load type from the
category drop list, eg, Category B: Office.
A ratio for Ginf over Gsup, lower value of permanent action divided by the upper value of
permanent action, can be entered, if required. This currently defaults to a ratio of 1.0.
To increase efficiency, you can save load group titles in a special library using the Add + button
and then retrieve them from the combo list in any other project. You can delete items no longer
required using the Del X button. To add the load group title to a particular group, highlight the
required group, eg, W2 and then select the appropriate title from the library drop list, eg, Gable
Wind.

Load Cases

From the Loads menu you can select the Load Cases option to access the loading cases and the
associated load combinations where combination load factors can be set up for each individual
load case.
This area allows you to edit, add, delete, copy and paste, import and sort loading case titles.
To increase efficiency, you can save case titles and their load combination in a special library
using the Add + button and then retrieve them from the drop list in any other project. You can
delete items no longer required from this library using the Del X button.

The cluster of buttons from Dead through to (Serviceability) are quick typing buttons that insert
the chosen word into the Load Case Title text box.

229
Adding Load Cases
To add a new loading case:

1. Press the Add Load Case button

2. Type in the new title in the Loading Case Title text box. Remember you can use the
quick typing buttons.
3. Define the loading combination. See instructions below on using the Loading Combination
tab.

230
To create a Serviceability loading case from a current Ultimate loading case:

1. Press the Add Service Case to current load case button

This will generate an additional loading case with the same title, however with
(Serviceability) at the end. The load combination is also copied with all load factors for the
new case set to 1.0.

2. Press the Add Service Cases to all load cases button to generate a series of
service cases, one for each ultimate case already present

To save a loading case to the standard loading cases library:

1. Select the case you wish to save
2. Make sure that you have the correct load factors in the load combination

3. Press the Add button

To add new case as a copy of an existing case:

1. Select case you want to copy from the top drop list

2. Press the Copy Case button

3. Press the Add Case button

4. Press the Paste Case button

To import a loading case from the standard loading cases library:

1. Press the Add Case button

2. Select the appropriate case from the library

3. Press the Import selected load case from library below button

There is an Auto-Generation of Load Cases option available which takes much of the manual
labour of creating a series of load cases out of the hands of the user and sets them up quickly
for you – see section below on auto generation of load cases.

Deleting Load Cases

231
To delete a loading case:

1. Press the Delete Case button

This action will open the Delete Loading Cases panel.
2. Highlight the load case or cases (use the Ctrl key to multi select cases) that you wish to
delete and click on the Delete button.
3. Confirm that you want to delete this load case.
There are options to select all cases, or all ultimate or service cases, non-critical load
cases or clear all selected cases.

Suspending Load Cases

Options are provided for suspending loading cases, which means loading cases that have been
set up will not be analysed. The main benefit of this function is to save analysis time by ignoring
certain loading cases that may not be needed just yet. The benefit of suspending loading cases,
rather than deleting them, is obviously that the loading cases do not have to be recreated when
they are needed again. An example of where the suspend options could be useful is if you had a
model with a large number of members and numerous loading cases, and the only item you wish
to investigate at this moment in time is the support reactions from loading case 10. By
suspending all cases but number 10, the analysis will complete in a fraction of the time it would
take for all the cases to analyse.

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You can suspend loading cases by either,
1. For an individual case, select the case you want to suspend then check the ‘Suspend this
case’ box
2. For a group of cases press the Edit button. A list of all loading cases will appear. Select
the items in the list you wish to suspend. You can use the Select and Clear All buttons to
help you. Finally press the Suspend button in this area.

Combining Load Cases

You can combine load cases to produce new cases. The load case which is current can be a
combination of the results from one or more active load cases which precede it in the list. For
example, 1.25x1 + 1.5x2 is equivalent to (1.25 x Case 001) + (1.5 x Case 002).

Importing Load Cases

Load cases from other MasterSeries frames can be imported into the current frame to save
having to create new cases time and time again. For example, an office may wish to have a
standard set of loadcases which will be applied to all models of a certain type. A file with all these
load cases already set up is opened and the load cases imported from it into the current frame.
To do this:

1. Select to Import from MasterSeries File . This takes you into a directory/file
structure.
2. Select the directory your file is located in.
3. Select the file that has the standard set of load cases. The list of load cases and load
groups appears.
4. Highlight the load cases and load groups you wish to import.
5. You can Add them to the current list of load cases in your file or totally Replace the
current set of load cases with the ones from the chosen file.
6. Once you are satisfied with your selection, click on the Apply button to import them.

Auto Generation of Load Cases

To reduce the amount of work required in setting up the numerous load cases applicable to your
model, MasterSeries has an Automatic Load Case Generator. This is used to create or edit all
loadcases.

1. To start the process click on the Create/Edit All Load Cases Edit button .
This opens up the load case generator templates box.

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The buttons in the top right of the load case generator allow you to Add, Delete, Copy, Sort and
Reset the load case templates in the top list. Several typical template titles are already in the list.
To define which load groups are to be included in each template:
1. Highlight the template you want to modify, eg, Dead + Live.
Note - if there is a current template you don’t want to be included in your list of load
cases, then remove the tick from the tick box to the left of that template title and that
combination will be omitted.
2. Tick which Load Groups you want to include in this template, eg, D0 Dead Load, D1 Dead
Load and L1 Live Load. You can also designate if these load groups are to be considered
Favourable or Leading or neither.
Another useful tip is to tick the box to List Used Load Groups Only. This will reduce the
load group list to only those already defined in the file.
3. Under the Options, choose the Load Case Type or types, eg, Ultimate + Service. This will
generate all Ultimate and Service load cases for the load groups ticked in the table above.
4. For EC design select which Ultimate Case Type to use, eg, STR/GEO Set B Eq. 6.10 a+b.
5. Select which Service Case Types to use, eg, Characteristic.
6. Horizontal Notional Forces can be added into these load cases by ticking the Add EHNF
box. These can be added in the same directions as the wind directions already specified in
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the Wind Loading set up.
 6. Horizontal Notional Forces can be added into these load cases by ticking the Add EHNF
box. These can be added in the same directions as the wind directions already specified in
the Wind Loading set up.
7. Carry out the same procedure for each of your load case templates entered at the top of
the Load Case generator screen.
8. Click on the Preview button at the bottom of the templates box to see a list of all the load
cases about to be generated. Examine the cases and then close the preview list. Modify
any templates if required.
9. Select the Add button either to Add to, Update or Replace these load cases in the file.

Note that the load combinations are also generated at the same time as the load case titles.

Notional Horizontal Loading Cases

Horizontal notional loads can also be added to the load cases outside of the Automatic Generation
screen.
1. Select the blue Notional Loads at the bottom of the screen.
In the list of existing load cases you can manually set up to add the NHL:
a) For each load case selected at the top of the screen, tick the Horizontal Notional
Loads box.
b) Enter the Horizontal Loads percentage value, usually 0.5%.
c) Select which load case the factored vertical loads are to be taken from and
d) Which direction these loads are to be applied in relative to the X direction

Alternatively, you can generate the NHLs automatically in the Generate Horizontal Notional Loads
option:
1. Set the series of directions you want the loads to be applied in, eg, 0, 90, 180 and 270
degrees.
2. Click on the Generate button to add the loads and any additional load cases that may be
required.
The analysis process will calculate the HNLs for each load case in turn and then add these loads
into the load case and reanalyse the case. The Elastic Critical Load Factors can subsequently be
checked in the Steel Design module of the MasterSeries.
Important: The application of horizontal notional loads should not be confused with the notional
loads groups N0 to N9. They are not connected in any way. The notional load groups are
standard load groups that are used for loads that may not be Dead, Live or Wind. The
horizontal notional loads are independent from any of the load groups and do not appear in the
Load Combinations area.

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After the frame has been analysed the calculated values of the horizontal notional load can be
viewed in the frame data file. From the main MasterFrame menu select Data> View Data.

Analysis Options
Select the blue Analysis Options at the bottom of the screen.
This gives access to a number of analysis options, most of which are considered in-depth
elsewhere in the manual.
Second order P-Delta analysis can be carried out on individual load cases to examine the
stability of a frame under the loads on that particular load combination – See Analysis chapter.
The Elastic Critical Load Factor can be found using a buckling analysis instead of the
horizontal notional load method for each individual selected load case. Again, the results will
appear in the steel design.
Occasionally, you may wish to carry out a plastic analysis, eg, on a portal frame. For further
details see Potential Plastic Hinges in the Restraints menu.
If a frame has timber sections in it, the timber load duration terms for the various load cases
can be set manually per case, by selecting each load case in turn and then the appropriate load
duration for that case.
Alternatively, there is an Auto Set button where the program will set the load duration term for
you, based on whether the case is a wind case, ultimate case or other type of case.

Load Combinations

If you haven’t used the Auto Generation of Load Cases option above, you can manually define
the load factor for each of the load groups that you wish to include in the particular loading case,
having already set up the load groups and load case titles, in the Loading Cases tab.
When a new file is created, MasterFrame will always generate a number of default loading cases
and associated loading combinations. The MasterFrame standard defaults include Dead plus Live
(Ultimate) and Live Only (Serviceability) cases or 5 Composite Design load cases if any part of
your frame has been set as a composite floor.
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When a new file is created, MasterFrame will always generate a number of default loading cases
and associated loading combinations. The MasterFrame standard defaults include Dead plus Live
(Ultimate) and Live Only (Serviceability) cases or 5 Composite Design load cases if any part of
your frame has been set as a composite floor.

To define a load factor for a load group in the current loading combination:
1. Select the appropriate loading case using the drop down list or spin button. At this stage
the load case has already been added using the Loading Cases tab. See above.
2. Select the load group you wish to define. For example, if you wish to include the D1
loading group, then select the Dead category and load set 1 (as shown).
3. Assign a load factor to the selected load group by typing in a value or clicking on one of
the common load factors displayed. Once a non-zero load factor is given to a load group,
it should appear the main blue coloured load combination cell.
To remove a load group from the load combination:
1. Select the load group you wish to remove by simply clicking on the load group item in the
blue load combination window.
2. Assign a zero value to its load factor. This can also be done by typing in a zero or
selecting it from the common load factors.
All the load factors defined in the current Loading Combinations are multiplied by the Global Factor
(Usually set to 1), which is independent for each loading case. The Global Factor enables you to
investigate structures under incremental loading, for example 90% of the loads (just change the
Global Load Factor to 0.90).
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All the load factors defined in the current Loading Combinations are multiplied by the Global Factor
(Usually set to 1), which is independent for each loading case. The Global Factor enables you to
investigate structures under incremental loading, for example 90% of the loads (just change the
Global Load Factor to 0.90).
The Wind Options are only applicable when using the integrated MasterKey Wind Analysis
program for the calculation and application of the wind loading – see Wind Loading section of
manual.
These loading combinations of factored load groups are subsequently used in the analysis.

If you need to edit a particular group load factor in several load combinations at once, use the
Edit Load Group > Add/Remove load groups in multiple cases ‘Edit’ button. This will open up a list
of the load case combinations.
1. Highlight the load cases in which you want to change the load factor. You can highlight
multiple cases using the keyboard Ctrl button and click on the cases in question.
2. In the Settings choose whether to add or remove the load factor.
3. Select the Load Group from the drop list.
4. Change the load factor – a zero will omit the load factor from that group.
5. Click on the ‘Apply’ button to implement the changes.

Member Loading

In Member Loading individual members are selected and loads applied to them to act directly on
the chosen members. Other methods of applying loads within MasterFrame include Area Loading
and Wind Loading which apply gravity loads over a floor area or wind loads over a building
envelope. These loads are then automatically distributed by the program on to the frame
members. See the manual sections on Area Loading and Wind Loading below for details on how
to apply these loads to a frame.

To apply member loads, select Member Loading from the Loads menu at the top of the screen.
If you are currently in either the Member Section Properties or Member angle area you can
shortcut to the Member Properties by clicking on the button at the top right of the screen.
In the bottom left of the screen a set of Add Loads icons will appear. To expand these click on
the ‘More Loads’ button.

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The Member Loading area can be used in three different modes, i.e. Member , Global
and Copy To modes, in very similar fashion to the section properties and member
orientation areas.

Member Mode
Member Mode is the default mode and perhaps the mode that you will use most frequently.

In Member mode you can apply and edit loads on a member-by-member basis. To do this,
1. Select the member you want to apply or change the loads on. You can select a member
by,
a) clicking on it in the main frame geometry area, or
b) if you know the member number you wish to edit then you enter the number in

the box, or

c) by selecting the member number from the

drop list
The selected member is highlighted in 3D member profile in the frame geometry window. For
this reason it is recommended not to turn on the global 3D member profile option from the top
tool bar while working in this area.
Using the Member Loading application buttons apply the desired load types on the member. The
loads will appear in the list of loads in the loads editing area.
Use the Loads Editing Area to define the magnitude, direction and load group of each load. See
Using the Loads Editing Area below.

While in member mode all changes made in the loads editing area are automatically applied to the
selected member. All changes made affect the current selected member only.

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When you select a member in member mode, the current member loads on that member are
listed in the loads editing area. Therefore member mode can be used to investigate the current
loads on members.

Global Mode
Global mode is used to change the member loads on a group of members that have the same
pattern of loads or single load applied. In other words global mode can be used to change all
occurrences of the same single load/load pattern at once.

Global mode groups member together that have the same single load or load pattern depending
on which option is selected. Beneath the global mode icon the drop list indicates how many
different member groups have been created, i.e. how many different single load/load patterns
are currently applied in the frame.
The difference between the single load and load pattern options is best understood by the
following simple example. The four members shown have member loads applied to them.

While in Global (Load Pattern) mode the program will create a group of the members that have
the same configuration of loads applied. Hence here three groups will be generated comprising of,
Member Load Group 001 – M1
Member Load Group 002 – M2 and M3
Member Load Group 003 – M4
No Loads – in this example there are no members in the group since all members are loaded.

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When in Global (Single Load) mode the members that have the same single item of load applied
will be grouped together. Since in this example only two different items of load exist only two
groups have been created.
D1 UDLY –005.00 (kN/m) – M1, M2 & M3
L1 UDLY –007.00 (kN/m) – M2, M3 & M4

To change member loads while in global mode,

1. Click on the icon to switch to Global mode.

2. Select to work in either single load or load pattern, depending on how you wish to change
your loads.
3. Select the existing Single Load/ Load Pattern you wish to change from the drop list.
Tip: When in Load Pattern mode a group may be selected by clicking on a member in the frame
geometry area.
The members in the group are highlighted in red on the screen, i.e. the highlighted members all
have the same single load or pattern of loads.
1. Edit the member loads in the loads editing area. Items of load can also be either added or
deleted. See Using the Loads Editing Area below.
As in member mode the changes are applied automatically to all members in the currently
selected group. Once you are finished in Global mode it is recommended that you return to the
Member mode.

Copy To Mode
This is one of the most powerful editing modes, which is used for copying an arrangement of
member load(s) to a member or group of members in one operation.

The key concept in Copy To mode is that the List of Loads in the Loads Editing Area becomes
the template of information to be pasted onto the members you select. In this sense the Copy
To mode differs greatly from the Member and Global
241 modes in that if you change information in
the List of Loads, you are not changing any existing loads on the frame. Copy To can be used
can be used in either Add/Delete or Replace Loads mode.
The key concept in Copy To mode is that the List of Loads in the Loads Editing Area becomes
the template of information to be pasted onto the members you select. In this sense the Copy
To mode differs greatly from the Member and Global modes in that if you change information in
the List of Loads, you are not changing any existing loads on the frame. Copy To can be used
can be used in either Add/Delete or Replace Loads mode.
In Copy To (Add/Delete) mode the loads in the template (list of loads) are applied to selected
members in addition to any existing loads. If the loads that are being copied already exist on a
selected member then the loads are deleted from that member.
In Copy To (Replace Loads) mode the loads that are being copied will replace any existing loads
on the selected members.
To use the Copy To mode,

1. Click on the icon to switch to Copy To mode.

2. Select to work in either Add/Delete or Replace Loads.
3. Set up the loads to be copied in the template. This can be done either by,
a) Selecting an existing pattern of loads (Member Load Template) or existing single
load from the drop list.
b) Using the Loads Editing Area.
As you edit the loads in the template, members that match the modified template are shown in
red. All other members are shown in black
1. Paste this information onto the frame by selecting member(s) in the frame geometry
area. You can select member(s) by,
a) Clicking on individual members.
b) Windowing a group of members
In Copy To (Add/Delete) mode, when you select members the loads in the template are applied
to the members in black and removed from members in red. Hence the Copy To can be used
to add and remove member loads.
Copy To mode can continue to be used by repeating steps 3 and 4.
Important Note: Bear in mind that when you are in Copy To mode that when you select a
member you have changed the loads on that member. It is vitally important to be aware which
editing mode you are in, since haphazardly selecting members while in Copy To mode could
disrupt your model. Remember that in Member and Global modes, changes are made as you
edit. In Copy mode changes are only made when you click or select members in the frame
geometry area.

Tip! When you are finished using Copy To, move back to Member mode. Member mode is
safer in that when you select a member you are not changing anything by doing so.

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Using The Loads Editing Area
The list of loads in the editing area represents the loads on the selected member when in
Member mode, the loads on a group of members when in Global mode, and the loads to be
copied to members when in Copy To mode.
To add loads to the list click on one of the loads type application buttons. Each of these loads
types is described in further detail below.

The loads added will appear on the list on the right of the screen. The load definition in the list will
contain information about its Load Group, load type, direction, magnitude, and dimensions (where
applicable).

A typical example of a member point load PY is shown below.

D1 PY -050.000 1.520 (kN, m) where,
D1 Load Group – Dead Load in Load Set 1
P Load Type. Non-editable
Y Load Direction
-050.00 Load Sign and magnitude
1.520 Distance of the point loads from end1 (lower node number) of the member
(kN, m) Indicates the units for the numerical values in the load type. In this case we can
see that the first value is a load in kNs, while the second value is distance in
metres.
Non-editable.

The items in the list of loads can be directly edited from the keyboard. Any editable item can be
changed by clicking on the relevant text to position
243 the red cursor. Text can be directly entered
from the keyboard starting from the location of the red cursor. The position of the red cursor can
be changed using the mouse or using the arrow keys on the keyboard. Note that it is not
The items in the list of loads can be directly edited from the keyboard. Any editable item can be
changed by clicking on the relevant text to position the red cursor. Text can be directly entered
from the keyboard starting from the location of the red cursor. The position of the red cursor can
be changed using the mouse or using the arrow keys on the keyboard. Note that it is not
possible to enter an invalid character for load group and load direction.

To edit a load that has been added to the list:

1. Firstly, select the load in the list by clicking on any character in the load definition
2. The load group can be changed by either,
a) selecting the load group and load set from the drop lists at the bottom right of
the screen , or
b) Over-typing the load group text, e.g. D1, in the load definition. Click on D to
place the red cursor and then type one of the load group letters, i.e. D, L, W or
N. The red cursor will move to the number, where a number between 0 and 9
can be typed. The items in the drop list below should change to reflect what has
been entered.
3. The load direction can be changed by either,

a) Clicking on one of the load direction buttons at the bottom

right of the screen.
b) Typing the load direction directly in the load definition by entering X, Y, W, Z, N
or M from the keyboard. The load direction types are described in more detail
below.
4. Change the numerical values of load magnitude or load distances directly in the load
definition from the key board. Note that the position of the decimal point in a value can

be changed. The buttons can also be used to change the sign of the forces in
the load definition.

To delete a load
1. Select the load in the list by clicking on any character in the load definition

2. Press the at the bottom right of the screen

Other options in the loads editing area include:-

For some items in the load list, the order that they appear in the list can influence their effect.
The sort spin button will move the selected load’s position in the list.

By clicking on the horizontal spin button to the right of the text box the currently selected load will
move on the member by the increment in metres specified in the text box. Only member loads
with distance definitions are influenced by this function.
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By clicking on the horizontal spin button to the right of the text box the currently selected load will
move on the member by the increment in metres specified in the text box. Only member loads
with distance definitions are influenced by this function.

The second spin button will change the load group of all the loads in the list in the order of D, L,
W and N. For example, if we have two loads in the list with load groups D1 and L2, then these
would be changed to L1 and W2.

The third spin button will increase or decrease the load set number of all the loads in the list.
Again taking the example, as above, the load sets could be changes to D2 and L3.

Graphical Display of Loads in the Editor

The loads in the list are graphically displayed in the Selected Member graphics window at the top
right of the screen.

The graphical display is controlled by the options at the right of the screen.
Draw Current Member will display a load diagram of the total loads on the member, while the
Draw Current Load option will only display the load that is currently selected in the list.

Spin button to graphically move the origin of the load(s) relative to the centre line of the member

Increase (up button) /decrease (down button) the graphical scale of the distributed member loads

Increase (up button) /decrease (down button) the graphical scale of the point member loads

245
Display numerical value of current member load or total member loads depending on which Draw
Current option is selected. The value displayed is always in kN/m units for the distributed load
and kN for point loads.
If the loads are not visible it may be their graphical scale needs to be increased.

Tip: The thick blue line on one side of the distributed member load diagram can be thought of
as the arrowhead of the load direction, while the side where the value is displayed is the tail of the
arrow. This will help to clarify the load direction.

The frame load diagram can also be displayed which draws all the loads for the current frame
view in the frame geometry area. Press the button in the top tool bar.

See section on the Top Toolbar for further description of this utility.

Load Directions
Each member load type can have a number of different load directions. In a load definition the
load direction is indicated by the character at the end of the load type. For example, in the load
definition,
D1 UDLY -050.000 (kN/m)
UDL is the load type and Y is the load direction. The various different load directions are
described below.

Y Load Direction
Global Y axis, where a negative value of load acts downwards. In the case of distributed loads
the load is applied over the horizontal projected length of the member.
X Load Direction
Global X axis, where a positive value of load acts from left to right. In the case of distributed
loads the load is applied over the length of the member projected onto the YZ plane.

246
Z Load Direction
Global Z axis, where a positive value of load acts from front to back. In the case of distributed
loads the load is applied over the length of the member projected onto the XY plane.

W Load Direction
Y direction distributed load calculated for true member length and not just the X-Z plane
projection. Useful for applied self-weight UDL in kN/m units. This load direction is only applicable
to the UDL load type

247
N Load Direction
Load direction normal to the major axis of the member.

The positive direction of the load depends on the node numbering of the member, and is found
by rotating 90 deg anti-clockwise from direction of member from lower to higher node.

Where n1 is the lower node number.

248
M Load Direction
Load direction normal to the minor axis of the member.

Tip: When unsure about the load direction or sign convention it is best to rely on graphical
validation since this will always be correct.

Member Load Types

When one of the member load type buttons are pressed, the associated load type is added to
the list in the loads editing area. The use of the loads editing area is described above. The
purpose and format of each of the load types is described here.

Standard Member Loads

In the following descriptions the load direction indicator in the load definition is underlined, e.g. in
UDLY the Y character defines the load direction. See above for load directions available.

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UDLY
Applies a uniformly distributed load W (kN/m) over the full (projected horizontal) length of the
member.

D1 UDLY -000.000 ( kN/m )

W (kN/m)

PY
Applies a point load F in the specified load direction at a distance x measured along the member
axis from the lower node number.

D1 PY –000.000 0.000 ( kN,m )

F(kN) x(m)

PTRY
Applies a partially distributed triangular load starting at a distance x1 with the intensity W1 going to
the distance x2 with the intensity W2. All distances are measured from the lower node number.

D1 PTRY –000.000 0.000 0.000 –000.000

W1(kN/m) x1(m) x2(m) W2(kN/m)

250
PDLY
Applies a partially distributed load W based on the total load F between the x1 and x2 dimensions
measured horizontally from the lower node number.

D1 PDLY –000.000 0.000 0.000 (kN,m,m)

F (kN) x1(m) x2(m)

TY1,2
The total load F is distributed over the full member length in a triangular pattern. The distributed
load varies from the maximum intensity W(kN/m) at one end of the member to zero intensity at
the other end. For TY1 the W occurs at end 1 of the member, and for TY2 W occurs at end 2
of the member. W = F * 2 /L.

D1 TY1 -000.000 ( kN )
F (kN)

TYC
The total load F is distributed over the full member length in a triangular pattern. The distributed
load varies from zero at one end to the maximum intensity W(kN/m) at the centre of the
member, then back to zero at the other end . W = F * 2 /L.

D1 TYC -000.000 ( kN )
F (kN)

251
TRY
The total load F is distributed over the full member length in a trapezoidal pattern. The
distributed load varies from zero at end 1 to the maximum intensity W(kN/m) at the x1 distance,
remaining at that intensity to the x2 distance, then returning to zero at end 2 of the member.

D1 TRY -000.000 0.000 0.000 (kN,m,m)

F (kN) x1(m) x2(m)

PTY1
The total load F is distributed over a partial length of the member in a triangular pattern. The
distributed load varies from the maximum intensity W(kN/m) at a distance of x1(m) along the
member to zero intensity at the x2(m) distance end. All distances are measured from the lower
node number. W = F * 2 /(x2 - x1).

D1 PTY1 -000.000 0.000 0.000 (kN,m,m)

F (kN) x1(m) x2(m)

PTY2
As per PTY1, however with the zero intensity located at x1 and the maximum intensity W
(KN/m) located at the x2. W = F * 2 /(x2 - x1).

D1 PTY1 -000.000 0.000 0.000 (kN,m,m)

F (kN) x1(m) x2(m)

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PMN
Applies a point moment M in the specified load direction at the distance x1 measured long the
member axis from the lower node number.

D1 PMN +000.000 0.000 (kN.m,m)

M (kN.m) x1(m)

EM1,2
Applies the moments M1 and M2 to the local major axis of the member at end 1 and end 2
respectively. Note that no other load directions apply in the load type.

D1 EM1 +000.000 EM2 +000.000 (kN.m)

M1(kN.m) M2(kN.m)

EndM
Applies moments Mz to the major axis and My to the minor axis at the specified end node n (1
or 2) of the member.

D1 EndM 1 +000.000 +000.000 (Mz, My)

n Mz(kN.m) My(kN.m)

Density
Applies a local density to a member. This option should not to be used in conjunction with the
global density option found from the Properties or Loads menus, which automatically applies a
single density to all members in the structure.

D1 D 024.000 ( kN/m3 )
D (kN/m3)

Rise
Defines the temperature differential on a member for the application of thermal loading. Note
that it is essential that the member has a defined co-efficient of thermal expansion either from
the global definition in the Properties menu or locally from the Loads menu – see below.

D1 DT +000.000 (Degree C)

Co-
Applies a Co-efficient of thermal expansion to the member. This is more of a material property
of the member rather than a load. Thermal loading is not applied to the member until a
253
temperature differential value is applied through the Rise load type. See above. Like the density
a global value of thermal expansion co-efficient can be applied to all member from the Properties
menu, in which instance this local member definition should not be used. The value of the
Applies a Co-efficient of thermal expansion to the member. This is more of a material property
of the member rather than a load. Thermal loading is not applied to the member until a
temperature differential value is applied through the Rise load type. See above. Like the density
a global value of thermal expansion co-efficient can be applied to all member from the Properties
menu, in which instance this local member definition should not be used. The value of the
co-efficient represents the amount of thermal strain that is produced through a 1 degree Celsius
rise in temperature.
D1 Alpha 12.0E-6 (Thermal Expansion)

Short
Applies a shortening of a member along its length. This will result in the strain due to the
shortening of the member being taken up in the rest of the frame. Note that the shortening is
defined in metres.

D1 DL -00.000 (m)

Torq ecc
The torq ecc. has the effect of offsetting the member loads from the shear centre of the
member in both the members local major (ey) and minor axis (ex), hence creating a torque load
on the member. The torque eccentricities specified apply to all member loads that follow after it
in the list of loads applied to that member. Hence the following example shows how a UDL on a
member is made eccentric by 50mm from the minor axis to create a torque force, while the
point load remains applied relative to the shear centre of the member.
D1 PY 050.000 01.550 ( kN, m)
UT Torq ex +0.050 ey +0.000 ( m, m )
D1 UDLY 015.000 ( kN/m )

Frame Spacing
The frame spacing has the effect of multiplying all loads that follow after it in the list of loads by
the specified factor. The frame spacing value is entered in meter units. For example, when
using a frame spacing along with a UDL, the value entered for the UDL can be thought of as the
area (kN/m2) load since it will be multiplied by the spacing value.

UT Spacing 01.000 (Multiply AllLoads)

Note: MasterFrame will move the position of the Spacing definition to the top of the list of loads
during analysis, therefore ensuring that the multiplication factor is applied to all loads on that
member.

Nodal Loading

Nodal loads can be added from the Loads > Nodal Loading menu.
The general nodal information area:

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Nodal Loads can be added to individual nodes or groups of nodes. It is sometimes useful to
change the view to make picking a group of nodes easier.
Each definition consists of:
1. A list of Nodes that the loads are being applied to. Place the cursor in the nodes list text
box. Nodes may be selected by cross windowing a group of nodes, or individually clicking
on nodes in the graphics area.
2. The load definitions in up to six directions, point loads FX, FY and FZ and point moments
MX, MY and MZ.
3. The load group (e.g. D1, L1).

To apply another set of loads you must first select Add button, click Reset to clear the current list
of selected nodes if necessary. Then define the new node list, the load values and the load group.
You may alternate between the nodal loading briefs by either selecting them from the drop down
list or by using the adjacent (Next/Prev.) spin button.

All the nodal loading briefs may be graphically viewed simultaneously by clicking the Show button.
You can set the Load Scale to suit and display the load values using the Show Load Values button.

Notional Horizontal Loading / Equivalent Horizontal Force

The option to automatically add horizontal notional loading or equivalent horizontal forces to a
series of ultimate loadcases for examining the stability of a frame is accessible from the Loads >
Notional horizontal loads (HNL/EHF) menu.
The Notional Loads allows you to automatically apply a specified percentage of the factored
vertical loads in one loading case and add them as a horizontal notional load to the current or any
subsequent loading case.
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This is done through the use of the ‘HNL/EHF’ option, which calculates a specified percentage of
the factored vertical load in the current load case. The notional loads can subsequently be
applied into this current loading case, or any other loading case further down the loading cases list.
The simplest way to generate the correct cases and add the notional loads is to use the
automatic ‘Generate’ facility.
1. First enter the load directions (on plane from X axis anticlockwise). Note that these may
have already been included if some wind load directions have already been included
elsewhere.
2. Then click on the ‘Generate’ button. You may notice the number of load cases increase
as some new cases are added. Many other existing cases will have the notional loads
option automatically applied.

Important: The application of horizontal notional loads should not be confused with the notional
loads groups N0 to N9. They are not connected in any way. The notional load groups are
standard load groups that are used for loads that may not be Dead, Live or Wind. The
horizontal notional loads are independent from any of the load groups and do not appear in the
Load Combinations area.

After the frame has been analysed the calculated values of the horizontal notional load can be
viewed in the frame data file. From the main MasterFrame menu select Report > View/Print
Frame Data.

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Density for Self-Weight

From the Loads menu you can access Density for Self-Weight. This will take you to the same
screen as that already described under Member Global Density found in the Properties chapter.

Floor and Roof Panels - Area Loading and Construction (Pro)

Introduction
Gravity Area Loading is an extremely useful tool in applying gravity dead and live loads across the
floor and roof areas of your model. It enables you to apply loading to floor panels outlined by
beams, and have the loads automatically distributed on to the members around the perimeter of
the panel, depending on which direction you have chosen to span the panel. Thus the gravity
loads can be quickly and easily applied to the frame saving a great deal of time. Patch loads, line
loads and point loads can be added onto these panels and again these will be automatically
distributed on to the adjacent members.

On each floor and roof level in turn, select the areas that have gravity loading on them. The
loadings that were entered in the Editing Levels and their Default Values table will be applied to
these loading panels for each specified level, unless they are overwritten or added to in the
Loading – Override Level Defaults area. This allows you to modify the loads locally in areas where
they are different than the defaults for that floor or roof level.
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On each floor and roof level in turn, select the areas that have gravity loading on them. The
loadings that were entered in the Editing Levels and their Default Values table will be applied to
these loading panels for each specified level, unless they are overwritten or added to in the
Loading – Override Level Defaults area. This allows you to modify the loads locally in areas where
they are different than the defaults for that floor or roof level.

Add Floor/Roof Panel - Area Loading and Construction (Pro)

Opening the Area Loading Editor

1. Select the Create item from the main tool bar at the top of the screen

2. In the list of dropdown items, click Add Floor/Roof Panels – Area Loading and Construction

Area Loading Panel Groups

This area provides you with the ability to create area loading groups. Each group can be tailored
to include its own:

· Span type

· Span orientation

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 · Panel edge projection

· Loading

· Construction details

· Composite loading

Adding an Area Loading Panel Group

1. Open the Area Loading Editor
By default, the Area Loading Editor should open on the “Area Loading Panel Groups” tab. If it isn’t

open, select it by clicking its icon .

1. Click the Add New Group button to create the group

2. Provide a title for your new area loading panel group

3. Click the Add/Remove Items button

4. Using the mouse, hover over a closed region of your model in which to add an area load
a) If the region is valid, its boundary members will be highlighted

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 5. Click the highlighted region to apply an area load to it
6. Choose whether to make the area load a one-way or two-way spanning panel by clicking
the Span Type radio buttons

a) If you make the panel(s) two-way spanning, the “One Way Span Directions”
options will be hidden
7. If required, enter a distance for the panel edge project and select whether it extends to
the outer edge of the bounding members
8. Enter your level loading overrides if required
9. If composite construction is enabled, enter your construction and composite level
overrides as required

All changes will be saved as you enter them.

Make Local Panel Changes

Instead of editing a whole group of panels in one go, you can edit an individual panel using the
Make Local Panel Changes option.

This is useful when only localised panels need to be altered.

Click on the 'Make Local Panel Changes' button and select an individual panel.
Alter its loading, etc. as required. Click on the 'Make Local Panel Changes' button again to move
back to the main menu.

Span Type and Orientation

If you chose to add one-way spanning panels , you will be able to precisely set the span
direction using one of the following items from the “One Way Span Directions” area:
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If you chose to add one-way spanning panels , you will be able to precisely set the span
direction using one of the following items from the “One Way Span Directions” area:

· Span in X direction

· Span in Z direction

· Span parallel to a selected member(a)

· Span perpendicular to a selected member(a)

· Span at an angle to global X axis(b)

· Span shortest distance(c)

1. These items will enable the “Pick” controls that allow you to graphically select a member
with which you can align the panel parallel or perpendicular to. To pick your member, click
the Pick button and select a member from the graphical area.

2. Span at an angle to the global X axis will enable the textbox next to the Pick button,

allowing you to specify the angle

3. Span the shortest distance provides you with access to the Parallel to side and Average
angle check boxes

a) Parallel to side: this aligns the span to the shortest side, regardless of orientation
b) Average angle: this takes the average angle of all the corners in the closed panel
and aligns the span based on it

You can also choose to have the panel as two-way spanning instead in which case the
program will automatically distribute the loads to the surrounding members.

Panel Edge Projection

You can project the edges of floor area loads beyond their bounding members. You simply need
to provide:

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 · An extension value for the edge project (in meters)
· Whether the projection extends to the outer edge of the physical member

Area Loading Edge Projection

A basic edge projection facility is available to you through the Area Loading Panel Groups section.
However, more powerful edge projections can be specified in the Area Loading Edge Projections.
These projections are member based and can be applied in several ways:

1. Auto Side: the software automatically chooses the side on which to apply the projection
a) This will usually be the “free” side of the member (typically a side not enclosed
by the structure or overlapping an existing edge projection)
2. Load Upper: this will apply an edge projection to the “upper” side of a member based on
node numbering
3. Load Lower: this will apply an edge projection to the “lower” side of a member based on
the node number

Notes
· Load upper and lower can be enabled at the same time
· To view the edge projections, enable Gravity loads under the Gravity Area Loads category
· Dummy members will not appear when 3D viewing is switched on – when selecting
members to apply the edge projection to, it’s best to have 3D viewing switched off
· When applying Auto Side, Load Upper, Load Lower edge projections, it may be necessary
to manually refresh the graphics before being able to see your changes
· To do this, go to the Actions category in the menu bar, select the Undo dropdown
and click Refresh

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Loading – Override Level Defaults
The loading area allows you to override the default area loading values. It’s split into dead and
live loads and can be specified for a range of load groups by separating area loading values with a
semi-colon (;). This will cause the default loads to be overridden for this particular panel or group
of panels only. This can be useful if you have a localised area where the loads differ from the
defaults which have been applied to the rest of the floor.

· For example, you could apply a dead load of 1 kN/m2 for load group D1 and a 1.5
kN/m2 for load group A1 by typing “1;1.5” into the Dead Load Plan textbox

Construction – Override Level Defaults

In this area you can override the default level construction settings. Without setting the
Composite option from the Levels and Loading Defaults editor, you will be limited to applying
either the default level slab settings, or a solid slab with a specified thickness.

With Composite construction enabled you will have access to the settings for:

· Profiled slabs - slab thickness and density

· Precast solid slabs - overall slab thickness, precast slab thickness and density

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 · Precast hollow core slabs - as above and hole spacing, diameter and height

Each of these items comes with its own set of options, allowing you to customise the area loading
panel to meet your exact specification.

Composite – Override Level Defaults

With Composite construction enabled from the Levels and Loading Defaults editor, the composite
construction override will become available. This area provides you with the option to include a
custom composite loading for:

· Partition loads
· Service loads
· Construction loads
· Mesh/deck loads

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Automatic Member Selection

Automatic selection of members can be achieved using the buttons found below the edge
projects groups panel. Here, you have access to:

· North and West Edge Beams

· South and East Edge Beams

· Inner Beams

· East-West Beams Only

· North-South Beam Only

· Columns Only

· Auto Select

Using these controls, you can combine items to tailor your selection. Simply check the applicable
items, and click the Auto Select button to apply the edge projection to the members.

Opening the Panel Edge Projection Editor

1. Open the Area Loading Editor

By default, the Area Loading Editor should open on the “Area Loading Panel Groups” tab. The
Panel Edge Projections button is found to the right of it.

1. Click the “Panel Edge Projections” button

Adding an Edge Projection

1. Open the Panel Edge Projections Editor

For more clarity when selecting members, ensure 3D viewing is off, and Gravity Loads are enabled

1. Click the Add New Group button to create the group

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 2. Provide a title for your new panel edge projection group

3. Click the Add/Remove Items button

4. Determine the projection selection type:
a) Auto Side
b) Load Upper
c) Load Lower
5. Enter a value for the edge projection in meters

6. Using the mouse, select the members from the graphical area to be included in the group
a) If the projection isn’t shown immediately, go to the Actions category in the menu
bar, select the Undo dropdown and click Refresh
b) As an alternative to selecting or windowing members, you can make use of the
Automatic Member Selection facilities to select members

Applying Edge Projections to All Levels

1. Open the Panel Edge Projections Editor
2. Using the group name dropdown, navigate to the edge projection group you want to copy
a) Alternatively, add a new panel edge projection

3. At the bottom of the editor, click the “Copy Current to All Levels” button

Common Area Loading Mistakes

The program can intelligently place area loading on panels which have numerous sides and
shapes just by the user picking the panel. However, sometimes area loading panels have issues
whereby the load doesn’t appear on the panel. Normally the panel would colour in, indicating that
the load has been applied to it. If the panel does not colour in after being selected, there could
be a few reasons as to why the load isn’t being applied.

1. Non-planar panels. These are panels that are not planar, i.e. the perimeter members
don’t lie in the same planar surface. This plane doesn’t necessarily have to be horizontal,
but it must ensure that a surface placed across the members is not twisted. There is a
small tolerance built into the method to allow a slightly non-planar panel.

In the example below the lower ramp panels are slightly twisted because the Y
coordinates on GL 2 don’t match whilst those on GL 1 and 3 do match. Therefore the
lower ramp panels are twisted and the panel
266 cannot be defined.
In the example below the lower ramp panels are slightly twisted because the Y
coordinates on GL 2 don’t match whilst those on GL 1 and 3 do match. Therefore the
lower ramp panels are twisted and the panel cannot be defined.

Once the Y coordinates of these nodes are consistent the panels will be easily completed.

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 2. Bracing Members in the panels perimeter members – bracing members are members
that are by definition not loaded with area loading. Therefore if a bracing member makes
up part of the panel perimeter, the load can’t be applied to it and hence the panel cannot
be completed. Check the perimeter members have not been set as bracing members.

3. Panels in which perimeter members have not been split correctly where other members
join them and so cannot be selected as a panel. In this case the members may seem to
be connected graphically but are not actually connected in the model.

In the model below we want a panel to be included to the left of M247 and a stair void to
the right. However, when the panel is being selected, the full panel is being picked up from
M107/8 to M111. The member M247 in the middle of the panel is being ignored in the
selection process as if it didn’t exist.

On closer inspection it can be seen that member M33 above the panel is not split where M247 is
apparently joining it. To solve this issue use the Modify Geometry > Check and Modify Analytical
Model > Model Auto Connect and Clean Up option to Auto Connect Members at Intersections.
Since M33 is now split where M247 joins it, the left hand panel can now be applied leaving the
void to the right.

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Viewing Area Loading
The area loading, patch and line loading can be displayed graphically on the frame using the icons
in the Gravity Area Load section of the top toolbar.

Using the drop arrows at each type of load, the values can also be displayed and the colour load
legend (key) included. Thus you can verify the loaded areas and their values.

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By dropping the arrow next to the Show Key icon, you can choose which types of loads to include
in the legend.

Dead and live (D + L) loads are displayed by default, but you can select any load group from A
to L. To display multiple load groups at the same time and in the same legend, first tick the box
for ‘Multi Select’ and then tick as many groups as you require. You can also include the concrete
slab thickness and weight if a slab has been specified. This is useful if you have defined a
composite floor construction.

Bracing Members

A bracing member in this context is a member that is in an area loaded panel but is not directly
loaded itself by the panel loading. As the name suggests this could be a diagonal bracing member
in a roof (or in a wall in the case of wind loading) that is indirectly loaded due to the movement of
the frame. It is best to identify these members before applying area or wind loading so that no
panel loading is applied to them.

Go into Loads > Floor and Roof Loads - Area Loading and Construction (Pro) > Bracing Members
(members not in panels). Select the members that are to be designated as bracing members.
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Go into Loads > Floor and Roof Loads - Area Loading and Construction (Pro) > Bracing Members
(members not in panels). Select the members that are to be designated as bracing members.

This attribute can also be changed in the Member Property Editor.

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Alternate Load Groups

Alternate loading patterns can be set up along with the area loading if the loads have to be
considered in a patterned fashion.
The alternate load groups area is used to help define this patterned loading. Here, the members
are selected to be in one of several pattern groups. For example, in a floor plan, every other
member would be selected to be in the dead D1 and live L1 group. The intermediate members
would be selected to be in the dead D2 and live L2 group. Hence loading patterns can be set up
in the loading combinations to provide maximum or minimum loading on members.

Opening the Alternate Load Groups Editor

1. Open the Area Loading Editor

By default, the Area Loading Editor should open on the “Area Loading Panel Groups” tab. The
Alternate Load Groups button is the second button to the right of it.

1. Click the Alternate Load Groups button

Adding an Alternate Load Group

1. Open the Alternate Load Groups Editor
2. Select the load group number designation that you want to edit by using the dropdown
a) Number designations go from 0 to 9
3. Click on the members which you want to include in the Alternate Load group, eg, load
group D1 L1

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 4. Move to the next load group, eg, D2 L2 and select the members that are to be in this
group.

Now that groups have been set up, you can set the load combinations for the alternate loading
patterns.

Notes
· You can rename the load group however it will not change the load combination number
associated with the items in the load group
· Load group numbers are limited to 0 – 9 and correspond to the designated load group
letters. 273
· Load group numbers are limited to 0 – 9 and correspond to the designated load group
letters.
· For a visual representation of this, from the top menu bar, go to:
· Loads > Load Cases > Load Combinations > Load Factors

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Line Loads (prior to 2019)

The program also enables the application of general gravity line loads to a panel in which gravity
area loading has been applied. A general line load can be applied to a panel or over a range of
panels and its location is simply measured relative to a member, which acts as a datum. The line
load will be distributed according to the span characteristics of the panel, i.e. one way or two way
spanning.
Each definition of line load is stored in a line load member group. The information held by the
group relates to the position and dimensions of the line load relative to a member and also the
magnitude of dead and live loading in kN/m.
Line loads can be placed over area loading panels. The line load will be resolved according to the
direction of span of the panel and transferred to the panels supporting members.

The corresponding line load diagram depicts what each of the four fields – A, B, C and D –
represent. The red line along the bottom indicates the selected member from which you specify
the line load start and end points.
The fields B and C together represent the start point of the line load, measured from the start of
the selected member (lower node number end), in the XZ plane. Fields A and D represent the
end point of the line load, measured from the start of the selected member, in the XZ plane.
Note that A and B start from the centre line of the selected member.

Notes
· If your line load, or part of it, lies beyond the external bounds of the area loading panels,
the portion of load beyond the boundary members will not be taken into account

Opening the Line Load Editor

1. Open the Area Loading Editor

By default, the Area Loading Editor should open on the “Area Loading Panel Groups” tab. The
Line Loads button is the third button to the right of it.

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 1. Click the Line Loads button

Adding a Line Load

1. Open the Line Loads Editor
2. Click the Add New Group button to create the group
3. Provide a title for your new line load group
4. Click the Add/Remove Items button
5. Click on a member from which you want to apply the line load
6. Specify a start point for your line load by providing a value in the B and C textboxes
7. Fields A and D represent a length from the start point of the member to the end point of
the line load – provide a value for both to establish your line load definition
8. Under the Load Intensity area, you have the option to specify up to four different types
of load and their magnitudes
a) You can rotate through the available load group letter denominations, usually D,
L, A and G.
b) Apply a value to each load group denomination using the adjacent textbox and
separating values with a semi-colon (;)
9. With the line load defined, you can click other members onto which this line load definition
can also be applied

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Hint: In a line load group if all the dimensions are zero then the line load is applied over the full
length of the member. Also when both distances of the line load perpendicular to the member
are zero, the line load is applied on the actual member and not on the area loaded panel.

Notes
· The nodal coordinates can be useful when determining your start point and the length and
width to the end point of the line load. To switch them on:
· From the Nodes and Coordinates category in the toolbar, enable node coordinates
in the X and Z directions
· When applying a load intensity, the specified load will apply to the group number specified
under the alternate load groups area
· For example, if you set the load group letter denomination fields to D, L, A, G,
and you have set the corresponding alternate load group number to “Load Group
D3 L3” (i.e. load group number 3), the load intensity values will apply to D3, L3,
A3, G3 only

Line Loads (2019+)

The program also enables the application of general gravity line loads to a panel in which gravity
area loading has already been applied. A general line load can be applied to a panel or over a
range of panels and its location is simply measured relative to a member or members, which act
as a datum Alternatively, the line load can be manually drawn on the floor levels of the model.
The line loads will be distributed according to the span characteristics of the panels on which they
sit, i.e. one way or two way spanning.
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Each definition of line load is given an individual name and stored in the line load group. The
information held in the group relates to the position and dimensions of the line load relative to a
member and also the magnitude of dead and live loading in kN/m.
Line loads can be placed over area loading panels. The line load will be resolved according to the
direction of span of the panel and transferred to the panel’s supporting members.

Notes
· If your line load, or part of it, lies beyond the external bounds of the area loading panels,
the portion of load beyond the boundary members will not be taken into account.

Opening the Line Load Editor

1. Open the Area Loading Editor

By default, the Area Loading Editor should open on the “Area Loading Panel Groups” tab. The
Line Loads button is the third button to the right of it.

2. Click the Line Loads button

Alternatively, go to the Loads > Floor and Roof Panels – Area Loading and Construction (Pro) >
Line Loads on Panels option on the top menu.

Adding a Line Load

Add an item, ie, a new line load.

Copy the selected item and add a new item to be the same as the copied item.

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 Delete items.

Select All items. Use standard windows Shift and Ctrl to multi-select items.

Inverts the current selection of items.

1. Click on the Add an Item button .

2. Type in a suitable line load name.

3. Under the Load Values and Load Groups, enter the value of dead and/or live load in
kN/m. The load group letter can be changed, should you wish, by clicking on the down
arrow at the end of the cell, giving load group letter options from A to L.
4. To add another load group under the current line load, click on the Add=> button and
Add Item. This will open up a third load which can be edited as necessary. Items can also
be removed using this option.
5. Decide on which Placement Method to use:-

A. On Member.
The line load will be placed on the selected member or members, along their full
length as a UDL. To select members, press the Select button and click on the
relevant members. These members will be highlighted in red and a line load
279
appear on them graphically.
 The line load will be placed on the selected member or members, along their full
length as a UDL. To select members, press the Select button and click on the
relevant members. These members will be highlighted in red and a line load
appear on them graphically.

B. Offset from Member.

This method is similar to the ‘on member’ option above, except that the line load
will be offset from the member. The start and end distances are the distances
along the reference member, while the start and end offset dimensions are the
distances perpendicular to the member to the start and end positions of the load.

The load will be distributed automatically to the local beams depending on the
direction of span of the underlying area loaded panel.

C. Draw mode.
In the Draw method you can literally draw the line loads on the model. The
drawing method uses the snap settings available in the bottom right of the
graphics screen. You can also type in the dimension to set the next snap point. A
line load can be continuous in nature and varying in direction from point to point.

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To place a line load on a floor level, indicate whether it is a varying load or not.
Select the appropriate level that the line load is to be placed on. Press the Draw
button to start picking points on the model’s floor level. Using the snaps, pick a
start point for the wall and then an end point. As previously stated you can type in
a dimension and press return to define this end of the load. If the wall is to
continue, select another end point for the second stretch of line load, and so on.
When finished this line load definition, reselect the Draw button to stop or press
the escape key on the keyboard.

The line loads can be repeated at other floor levels. This can be very useful if
each floor level has the same layout of walls, for example, corridor and office or
bedroom walls in a high rise structure. Click in the Level Repeat cell and use the
down arrow at the end of the cell to select if the line loads are to be carried up to
other floors or not. If they are to be repeated the Repeat at Levels option will
open up, allowing you to add items as necessary. For each new level, select the
Level Name for the floor to which the line loads are to be repeated on.

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To add a varying line load, select Yes in the Varying Load cell. This will open up 2
further lines in which the Start Varying Ratio and End Varying Ratio can be
specified. Thus the starting load will be the full line load multiplied by the start ratio
and similarly for the end of the load. The line load will vary linearly between these
2 values.

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6. Moving Line Loads - Note that loads can be moved graphically. Click on the particular load
to highlight it in red. Handles will appear at the ends and centre of the load. Any one of
these can be dragged to a new position to move the load.

7. Anchoring – the line loads can be anchored to the global XZ coordinates or locked to a set
of nodes or to a reference member.

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Edit Tools

Move selected items – select the line load to move, click on the arrows icon, select a point
to move from and then select the point you want to move to and the line load will move across
to that point.

Rotate the selected item – select the line load to rotate, enter the angle of rotation
(positive is anti-clockwise), click on the rotate icon and select a point of rotation for the line load to
rotate about.

Copy the selected item – select the line load to copy, click on the copy icon, pick a point
to copy from and then a point to copy to and a second line load will appear as a copy of the first.

Delete selected items – select the line loads to delete and click on the delete icon to
remove them.

Display Settings

In the display settings the loads selected above using the line load name or names can be
displayed individually, otherwise all the line loads on the frame will be shown.
The X and Z coordinates can be displayed on the model so that the position of loads can be
checked.
To improve the display the scales for the loads can be varied.

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Patch Loads (prior to 2019)

Patch loads are applied in a similar fashion to line loads. Patch loads can be placed over an area
loading panel or a number of panels. The resulting forces due to their load will be resolved,
according to the direction of span, to the supporting boundary members.

The corresponding patch load diagram depicts what each of the four fields – A, B, C and D –
represent. The red line along the bottom indicates the selected member from which you specify
the patch load start and end points.

The fields B and C together represent the starting corner of the patch load, measured from the
start of the selected member, in the XZ plane. Fields A and D represent the opposite corner of
the patch load, measured from the start of the selected member, in the XZ plane. Note that A
and B start from the centre line of the selected member.

Notes
· If your patch load, or part of it, lies beyond the bounds of the area loading panels, the
portion of load beyond the boundary members will not be taken into account

Opening the Patch Load Editor

1. Open the Area Loading Editor

By default, the Area Loading Editor should open on the “Area Loading Panel Groups” tab. The
Patch Loads button is the fourth button to the right of it.

1. Click the Patch Loads button

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Adding a Patch Load
1. Open the Patch Loads Editor
2. Click the Add New Group button to create the group
3. Provide a title for your new patch load group
4. Click the Add/Remove Items button
5. Click on a member from which you want to apply the patch load
6. Specify a start point for your patch load by providing a value in the B and C textboxes
7. Fields A and D represent a length from the start point of the member to the end point of
the patch load – provide a value for both to establish your patch load definition
8. Under the Load Intensity area, you have the option to specify up to four different types
of load and their magnitudes
a) You can rotate through the available load group letter denominations
b) Apply a value to each load group denomination using the adjacent textbox and
separating values with a semi-colon (;)
9. With the patch load defined, you can click other members onto which this patch load
definition will apply

Notes
· The nodal coordinates can be useful when determining your start point and the length and
width to the end point of the patch load. To switch them on:

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 · From the Nodes and Coordinates category in the menu, enable node coordinates
in the X and Z directions
· When applying a load intensity, the specified load will apply to the group number specified
under the alternate load groups area
· For example, if you set the load group letter denomination fields to D, L, A, G,
and you have set the corresponding alternate load group number to “Load Group
D3 L3” (i.e. load group number 3), the load intensity values will apply to D3, L3,
A3, G3 only

Snow Drift Loading

On the roofs of buildings it is often necessary to consider snow drift loading either in roof valleys
or behind parapets, for example. The snow drift is usually triangular in shape, starting from a
max depth and reducing to zero part way up the roof pitch. Whilst triangular loading is not
available within the area loading options, an alternative approach would be to add patch loading in
strips across the roof. Each strip would have a higher intensity until the maximum value is
reached, a series of stepped loads rather than a true triangular load.
How to develop this loading?

Create a patch (strip) load along the lowest point of the valley and give it the highest intensity of
snow drift loading, eg, a live load of 3.0 kN/m2. Select one of the members to be the reference
member from which the dimensions start.

Create another patch load to produce the second strip up the roof altering the dimensions where
necessary and the snow load intensity, eg, a live load of 2.0 kN/m2. Create a third patch load
further up the roof and give it the lowest intensity, eg, 1.0 kN/m2.

Finally, repeat the procedure for the opposite side of the valley to produce loading similar to that
shown below.

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Picture of patch snow loading strips decreasing in intensity up the roof slope.

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Patch Loads (2019+)

The program also enables the application of general gravity patch loads to an area of panels in
which gravity area loading has been applied. It can be seen as providing additional loading over a
specific area on top of the area loads already on the panels.
A patch load can be applied to a panel or over a range of panels and its location is simply
measured relative to a particular member, which acts as a datum or can be manually drawn on
the floor levels of the model. The patch load will be distributed according to the span
characteristics of the panel, i.e. one way or two way spanning.
Each definition of patch load is given an individual name and stored in the patch load group. The
information held in the group relates to the position and dimensions of the patch load relative to a
member and also the magnitude of dead and live loading in kN/m.
Patch loads can be placed over area loading panels. The patch load will be resolved according to
the direction of span of the panel and transferred to the panel’s supporting members.

Notes
· If your patch load, or part of it, lies beyond the external bounds of the area loading
panels, the portion of load beyond the boundary members will not be taken into account.

Opening the Patch Load Editor

1. Open the Area Loading Editor

By default, the Area Loading Editor should open on the “Area Loading Panel Groups” tab. The
Line Loads button is the fourth button to the right of it.

2. Click the Patch Loads button

Alternatively, go to the Loads > Floor and Roof Panels – Area Loading and Construction (Pro) >
Patch Loads on Panels option on the top menu.

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Adding a Patch Load

Add an item, ie, a new patch load.

Copy the selected item and add a new item to be the same as the copied item.

Delete items.

Select All items. Use standard windows Shift and Ctrl to multi-select items.

Inverts the current selection of items.

1. Click on the Add an Item button .

The remainder of the procedure to add patch loads essentially follows that of placing line
loads on the floors, except for the following minor differences.
The Placement Method only includes 2 options now – Offset from a Member or the Draw
method. The Offset from a Member option is the same as that for the line loads above.
The Draw method is slightly different in that instead of drawing a line between 2 points,
the Place Mode allows for the drawing of Polygonal shapes, Rectangles or Picking Panels
which have previously been created.
For Polygonal shapes you can pick a series of points to define the polygon, ensuring that
the polygon is a closed region.

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Note that the load boundary can be moved graphically. Click on the particular load to
highlight its perimeter in red. Handles will appear at the ends and centre of the perimeter
lines around the load. Any one of these can be dragged to a new position to move the
load.
For the Rectangle placement method select 2 diagonally opposite corners and the
enclosed rectangle will fill in.
For the Pick Panels placement method just click on a panel to infill it.

Varying Patch Loads Method

A patch load with varying values can be set up easily. Set the Varying Load option to Yes
and then enter three ratios for 3 points on the perimeter of the varying patch load. Finally
select the 3 points that these ratios apply to by first clicking on the grey box at the right
hand end of the Varying Points cell, then click on the 3 individual points.
This feature would be useful when applying snow loading to the valley of a portal roof, for
example.

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The Edit Tools options are the same as for the line load so the patch load can be moved

laterally, rotated, copied or removed. An additional tool is the Clean Up option which will
delete lines that do not form patch shapes and so keep the input tidy.

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Point Loads (2019+)

Point Loads are placed on the floors using the same method as Patch Loads, but obviously with
no varying loads option.

Wind Panel Loading (Pro)

Introduction
The Wind Panel Loading function when applied to a frame, automatically calculates and applies
the weighted external pressure coefficients “Cpe” to be used with each wind loaded panel for
each wind direction specified.
The value of Cpe is dependent on the wind surface angle to the horizontal, the angle between
the wind direction and the normal to the wind surface and the wind zone depending on the
position of the member within the wind surface and the building as a whole, the typical wind zones
from BS 6399 Pt2 are:
A-D and H-K for walls and inclined walls
A-G and X-Y for flat roofs, and
A-J and K-S for monopitch and duopitch roofs.
EC design uses similar lettered zones around a building.

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Adjustments are automatically made for corner angles, funnelling effects 0.25b to 1.00b,
re-entrant corners and both narrow and wide recesses.

The program will dynamically change all Cpe values for any changes you make to wind directions
at any time. All angular values and all member zoning locations are dynamically determined by
the program. To ensure maximum flexibility you will however be able to overwrite some or all of
these values.

Once a site has been identified in UK or Ireland from the site data maps or wind pressure site
data has been manually entered for sites outside the British Isles, the program combines the site
dynamic wind pressure with the local Cp values to determine the actual wind pressure on each
panel of the building for each of the specified wind directions. These pressures are distributed on
to the individual members of the frame as local loads prior to analysis of the frame.

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Applying Wind Loading Panels to a Frame

The wind loading is applied to the frame through a series of steps;

1. Specify the wind directions and internal pressure and suction coefficients.
2. Set up the wind loading cases automatically.
3. Select globally wind loaded members on which the wind load reduction will apply.
4. Select the wind site from the UK and Ireland map to obtain local data.
5. Apply the wind panels to the walls and roofs of the building model.
6. Identify ‘bracing’ or non-directly wind loaded members, eg, wall or roof bracing.

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Wind Directions

Up to 8 wind directions on the frame can be considered using the load groups W1 to W8. The
direction of the wind is defined based on the angle with the frame’s global X axis. For example
W1 to W4 could be used to define four principal wind directions, 0, 90, 180 and 270 degs for a
rectangular shaped building. The angle between the frame Z axis and magnetic North is specified
in the ‘Angle to North’ text box. If the ‘Draw Global Axis’ icon is on, then the global axis symbol at
the bottom right of the screen graphically indicates the North direction in relation to the frame
global axis.

Tip – you can double click on the ‘Ang. With X’ label to automatically introduce the principal axis
values. Similarly, double clicking on the ‘Int Pres Co.’ or ‘Int Suc Co.’ labels will introduce basic
coefficients of 0.2 for internal pressure and 0.3 for internal suction. Note that you don’t need to
place a minus sign in front of the 0.3 since it has been designated as a suction coefficient.

There are several wind methods available in the design codes. The particular method you wish to
use can be selected in the ‘Method’ box.

There is also an option here to use the ‘User Defined’ method. In selecting this option, a table
opens up to enable you to enter your User Defined Values for the site. These will be used as the
dynamic wind pressures for the various heights 296of your building. Note that the dynamic wind
pressure ‘q’ is entered in units of Newtons per metre squared (N/m2), not kN/m2 as would often
be the case. This is so the values line up with those used internally within the site data module.
There is also an option here to use the ‘User Defined’ method. In selecting this option, a table
opens up to enable you to enter your User Defined Values for the site. These will be used as the
dynamic wind pressures for the various heights of your building. Note that the dynamic wind
pressure ‘q’ is entered in units of Newtons per metre squared (N/m2), not kN/m2 as would often
be the case. This is so the values line up with those used internally within the site data module.
Wind reduction factors can be added for various wind diagonal lengths.

Determination of Cs and Cd factors for wind.

The structural factor CsCd takes into account the effect on wind actions from the
non-simultaneous occurrence of peak wind pressures on the surface (Cs) together with the effect
of the vibrations of the structure due to turbulence (Cd). For further detailed information see
section 6 of EC1-1-4 and associated National Annex.
In the wind loading input area the CsCd factor can be directly entered by the user or,
alternatively, the program can evaluate the CsCd factor based on the building type. Select the
type of building from the droplist in the MasterKey Wind Loading panel. The program will calculate
the CsCd based on the UK NA.

Wind Load Case Generation

Wind loading cases can be automatically generated for all wind directions and local/overall wind
situations (wind diagonals in the BS code). These include dead, live and wind combinations in both
ultimate and service conditions. 297
Wind loading cases can be automatically generated for all wind directions and local/overall wind
situations (wind diagonals in the BS code). These include dead, live and wind combinations in both
ultimate and service conditions.
See Auto Generation of Load Cases on how to generate these wind loading cases. This will
generate a set of load cases which includes the W1 to W8 wind directions. There will also be a full
set which will include the internal pressure coefficient. These will show a ‘P’ load group instead of
the ‘W’ load group in all these combinations. Similarly there will be another set including the internal
suction coefficients shown as the ‘S’ load group.

Wind Load Reduction Members (Wind Diagonals)

In EuroCode wind design, individual members can be specified for local or overall wind effects.
(Wind diagonals are only relevant in British Standard design and have a similar function).
This option has the effect of designing the members which are locally loaded by wind (such as
cladding members) for a larger wind pressure than members which are globally loaded by wind,
e.g. vertical bracing members.
By default it is assumed that all frame members are being designed for local wind effects. If
there are members in your frame that you want to be only considered for overall wind, eg,
bracing members, you can place these members in the Wind Load Reduction groups.
Select ‘Wind load reduction on globally wind loaded members’.

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On the frame, click on the members on which the wind load reduction will apply.
Note that the overall wind effect factor is the CsCd (user specified per wind direction) multiplied by
the lack of correlation factor (automatically determined). The CsCd factors are set in the wind
directions table. Also ensure that wind loading cases set as ‘Overall Wind Loading’ in the load
combination area are in place.

Selecting the Wind Site Data

You can select the site data from the Wind Site map by clicking on the button in the right
hand panel or from the Loads > Wind Panel Loading (Pro) > Site Data Wind Analysis menu.
Once in the site data you can select the particular site for your building by;
1. Picking the site location from the GB site map
2. Picking the site location from the Irish site map
3. Manually inputting the national grid reference NGR
4. Inputting the site’s Eastings and Northings
You can examine the wind pressure values calculated by scrolling to the bottom of the output
screen. You will see that wind pressure values are determined for the different heights in the
structure, for each wind direction specified and also for each wind diagonal.
Select File> Exit MasterKey Wind Analysis, to take you back into your model. The dynamic wind
pressures for the site will have been automatically applied to your model on exiting the Wind
Analysis.

For a building outside of the Britain Isles click on the ‘Set Default Site’ button in the Site Data tab,
then enter the relevant site data as described in Site Data Wind Analysis – Background section
below.
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For a building outside of the Britain Isles click on the ‘Set Default Site’ button in the Site Data tab,
then enter the relevant site data as described in Site Data Wind Analysis – Background section
below.
For additional information on the site data, local obstructions, fetches and topography see Site
Data Wind Analysis – Background section.

Setting Up Wind Panels

Basics
The Wind Loading facilities in the Loads menu enable the application of an area load in the
direction normal to any planar surface. Similar to area loading, the wind loading is controlled by
wind loading panel groups. Each wind loading panel group defines one planar surface and
contains the following information.
1. All the wind panels in the planar surface
2. Up to 8 different wind load intensities on the surface, using wind load groups W1 to W8,
representing eight different wind directions. Each group applies a uniform load intensity to
its surface.
3. The side of the surface on which the wind loading is applied
4. The load distribution characteristics on the surface, i.e. one way or two way spanning.

The wind zones and coefficients of external pressure are automatically calculated for each wind
direction on each surface. The dynamic wind pressure is then calculated by the MasterKey Wind
Analysis module to arrive at the wind loading on the surface.
When we access the Wind Loading with a file where no previous wind loading has been applied,
an empty wind load group is present. Each wind loading group applies to one planar surface.
Each planar wind loaded surface of the building should have a separate group.

The Basic Rules of Wind Loading;

1. Each wind load group applies a uniform wind load intensity normal to a planar surface
2. A wind load group can only apply to one planar surface
3. All the members that define the panels in a planar surface should be added to the wind
load member group. This is different from the gravity area loading application method
where only the loaded members are added to the group. The wind loading calculations
determine which members of the panels are loaded and which are not according to the
direction of span.
4. Unlike the gravity area loading method, bracing members do not need to be defined in a
special bracing group, rather they are simply not added to the wind loading group and
therefore do not affect the distribution of wind area loading.

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 5. A member can belong to more than one wind load group.
6. A panel must have three or four straight sides. A straight side of a panel can be made
up of any number of individual elements.

Wind Loading side panel

All the utilities required to set up wind panels are contained in the right hand panel. We will take a
quick look at their functions.

Switches on the wind loading module

Gives access to the Wind Diagonals input screen

Gives access to the Bracing Members input screen

Gives access to the Wind Directions screen

Takes you to the Wind Site Data area

Allows you to add or remove items

Find panels

Add a new group

Clear current group / clear all groups

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 Delete current group / delete all groups

Pick panel or members to create wind surface

Fast select panel / automatically create all panels

One way or two way spanning panel

Direction of span of panel, horiz, vertical or shortest direction

Rotate the span direction to an angle or align with a member

There are a few tick box options relating to the wind panels;
Wind on both sides (Parapet)/(Canopy) – if a panel is outside the envelope of a building, eg, a
canopy or wall parapet, the program will assess the coefficient of force for that panel, taking
account of wind being applied to both sides of the panel.
Note that canopy panels should be applied along each side of a building separately as individual
rectangular shaped panels. Do not apply a single panel around the whole circumference of a
building roof as this will adversely affect the coefficients used.
Close open sided wind panels – automatically closes open panels.
Swap direction of red normal lines – the red lines perpendicular to a panel indicate the external
face. If required you can swap the direction of the red normal lines so they are in the opposite
direction.
Create panels from all selected members.
Ignore Wind Loads on Dummy Members – dummy members are sometimes used to close
panels. Any wind spanning on to a dummy member is split half and half between its ends and
applied as point loads to the structure. You can choose to ignore the wind on dummy members
where relevant.

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The wind zones, coefficients of pressure and dynamic wind pressures are automatically calculated
within the wind analysis module when the panels are applied to the envelope of the building.
Therefore the Load/Cpe table will remain blank. You can override the automatically calculated
values, if required, by typing in your own values for any of the Cpes, zones, funnelling effects
and angles between surfaces (beta angle).
Note that gravity dead and live loads can also be added to panels within the Load/Cpe table. This
is especially useful, for example, on multi-faceted roofs, saving you having to add area loading
panels to these area and so saving double working.

Update all panels for their interaction

Reset titles for each panel automatically

Draw all wind loading panels

Colour code wind loading per surface/intensity

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 Copy brief to clipboard

Paste brief from clipboard

See below for further information on combining panels and resetting titles.

Adding Wind Panels

Switch to the Add/Remove button and then choose a selection mode. You can either;
1. Pick individual panels off the frame. As you move the cursor over the frame individual
panels will be outlined in cyan. These can be added to the current group. Panels that
have already been placed in a wind panel group will have a dark blue outline to distinguish
them from unpicked panels. Add a new group for a new planar surface.
2. Pick individual members off the frame. All the members around the perimeter of a panel
should be selected. The outline members will show in red. Once the outline has been
closed the panel should highlight in colour. The red lines perpendicular to the members of
the surface indicate the side that the program sees as the outside face of the panel.
Note – in both the above options you can also window around panels/members to include
them.
3. The fast selection of wind panels option not only allows you to pick a panel, but will
automatically add a new group each time a panel is picked speeding up the process.
4. Use the Auto All option to allow the program to attempt to automatically apply wind panels
to the envelope of the whole frame. You must ensure the perimeter of the frame has
been split into rectangular and triangular panels for this function to work well. Dummy
members may need to be added in locations to facilitate this.

Ideally you want the complete external envelope of the building to be closed in by wind panels.
Hence the program, when assessing the wind zones, can distinguish between the interaction of
adjacent panels and so produce the most accurate wind loading around the building for each wind
direction being considered.
Check the application of the wind loading around the building using the Wind Load display buttons
in the top toolbar – see chapter on Getting Started. Show the panels and their pressure values
for each wind direction. Positive values will be external pressures (usually coloured yellow) and
negative values will be external suctions (usually coloured green).

Combining panels
You can combine panels so that 2 or 3 or more panels in an elevation or roof can act together.
However, these panels must all be in the same planar surface.

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For example, if a side elevation has a part of the elevation spanning vertically and part spanning
horizontally, these would have to be defined as 2 separate panels. Since they are in the same
elevation you want them to interact to give their true wind zones and relevant Cpes. Thus you
would combine these 2 panels.
Whilst in one panel, click on the ‘Select Panels to Combine with’ button and then click on the
second panel. Both panels should highlight in colour but only one panel will show the red
perpendicular lines (indicating the outer surface). When the program examines the envelope of
the building these 2 panels will be considered to act as one, even though their span directions are
different.

Update all panels for their interaction

After adding new panels you can have the program update the interaction of all the panels. In
doing this the program will reassess the interaction of the various panels around the building
envelope and will update the zones and Cpe values.

Reset titles
Each panel title can be entered by the user or alternatively you can let the program set its own
titles. Allowing the program to set the titles automatically means that the panel interaction has
been automatically assessed and a relevant title based on its orientation and position within the
structure attributed to each panel. The title will have an ‘@’ symbol in front of it.
After alterations or additions to the panels, the panel titles can be updated by clicking on the
‘Reset Titles’ button.

Bracing Members

You can access the bracing members option from the button in the top right panel or from
the Loads > Wind Panel Loading (Pro) > Bracing Members menu.
These bracing members are members in panels that are not directly loaded with wind loading, eg,
bracing members in a roof or external wall panel.
1. Click on the +/- button to pick members.
2. Select the members that are to be bracing members.

Viewing Wind Loads

Wind Loading panels can be displayed graphically using the Wind Load icon. The Direction drop list
will allow you to select which wind direction you wish to view the wind intensities for. W loads are
due to wind intensity based on Cpe values, P loads will also include the internal pressure
coefficients and S loads will also include the internal suction coefficients.

305
On the graphical display of the wind you can show the ‘Cp’ values across the model, or
alternatively the actual wind pressures ‘Q’ or wind zones ‘W’ applied.
Wind loading on members can be displayed using the Frame Loads icon in the top toolbar – see
section on Viewing Loads on how to use this function.

Site Data Wind Analysis – Background

The MasterKey Wind Analysis Site Data is based on a third party piece of software that
integrates seamlessly with MasterFrame (Pro). In the Site Data interface there is the main map
of the UK or Ireland alongside a more detailed local map. There are also 2 circular diagrams
based on the chosen site location, one indicating your structure surrounded by 30 degree
segments and the distances to sea, country and town displayed in blue, green and red. The
second diagram indicates the distribution of wind pressure around your structure. Below the main
maps, the calculations are displayed.

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Choosing a Site Location from the Wind Data Map
A location is chosen from the MasterKey Wind Analysis site data map for Great Britain or Ireland,
or if outside these areas a default site can be set up to generate the wind pressures for a
particular location. Pick a site directly off the map or enter the site grid references, if known, to
get exact site information. (Note - grid references can be obtained from various internet sites, for
example, www. multimap.com, based on the site address or post code.) You can also enter the
eastings and northings, if known.

Accurate wind and topographical information is contained within the Wind Map database. This
information is used by the program to obtain the wind pressures on a structure as it varies with
height and orientation. Several wind diagonal lengths can be taken into account. The user can
choose which analysis method to employ.

Site Data interface

The Site Data tab enables you to enter a title reference and select which map type to be the
main graphic. You can choose between the GB site or Irish site maps. The grid references are
shown here and can be manually changed if you know the exact grid references for your
particular site. The basic wind speed and site altitude are given. The data for a particular site can
be saved as an independent file for future re-loading (Save/Load Site to file). If the site is outside
Great Britain or Ireland, you can set up a file containing a default (overseas) site, using the Set
307
Default Site button. The site information for an overseas site is manually entered in the following
tabs, so that the wind pressures can be accurately calculated.
main graphic. You can choose between the GB site or Irish site maps. The grid references are
shown here and can be manually changed if you know the exact grid references for your
particular site. The basic wind speed and site altitude are given. The data for a particular site can
be saved as an independent file for future re-loading (Save/Load Site to file). If the site is outside
Great Britain or Ireland, you can set up a file containing a default (overseas) site, using the Set
Default Site button. The site information for an overseas site is manually entered in the following
tabs, so that the wind pressures can be accurately calculated.

The Site Data tab also allows you to specify the orientation of your building relative to the North,
so as to ensure accurate application of the wind loading to the individual faces of the structure.

Obstructions Interface
If there are obstructions in the vicinity of the structure being examined, these can be taken into
account by specifying the height of and distance to the obstructions at intervals of 30 degrees
around the building. These are normally automatically entered from the in-built database, but can
be overridden if desired.
If the orientation of the building is known, the UK Sd factors can be used to reduce the wind
pressures around the building. If the orientation is not known or is outside the UK or Ireland, the
Sd factors should be set equal to 1.

Sea/Country/Town Interface
Fetch distances and category types are automatically included when a site is selected from the
Great Britain/Ireland map. For a site outside Great Britain/Ireland, the values can be entered
manually for each orientation.

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Topography Interface
The local topography can be taken into account resulting in modification of the wind loading. This
can be done using the internal data within the wind map or altered manually.
There is an option to use the site altitude only to evaluate the wind loading ignoring the effects of
local topography.

Report (Output) Interface

On the Report (Output) tab, the user can select which method to employ for the calculation of
the wind loads – Standard, Hybrid, Directional or Designer’s Guide. Having settled on the
appropriate method, the screen and printing output options can be selected. The basic wind
speed automatically selected from the map may be changed if desired, as can the start and
length of the season under consideration. Building floor levels and wind diagonal lengths can be
changed from the defaults if necessary (note – when used in conjunction with MasterFrame
(Pro), these values are automatically taken from the model). Select the risk period from the
droplist. Finally the graphics scale and number of segments can be varied. The wind pressure
diagram can be viewed for each wind diagonal length a, if applicable.

FE Surface Loading

FE Loads are applied to FE surfaces as area loads, patch loads, line loads and point loads. These
can be viewed using the Frame Loads Diagram settings. Tick the Finite Element Loads box and
select which types of loads to display.

309
Also see manual on MasterFrame Finite Element Analysis.

FE Surface Alternate Loading Patterns

See manual on MasterFrame Finite Element Analysis.

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Live Load Reduction

The loading codes recognise that in a multi-storey building, the imposed (live/variable) loading
may not exist on all floors simultaneously. The codes provide a method to reduce the axial
loading on columns with increasing number of floors. In certain columns the axial force may be
reduced by a percentage dependent on the number of floors (with loads qualifying for reduction)
carried by the column under consideration.
MasterFrame enables you to very quickly specify the percentage reductions using either of two
approaches.
1. Apply percentage reductions to the total live load being applied to the column, or
2. Apply percentage reductions to individual live floors loads supported by the column.
The defining of the floor levels uses a simple approach.
The reduced column axial force and pad foundation loading is linked to MasterKey Steel,
Connections and Concrete design modules.

To apply live load reduction;

1. Select Loads > Live Load Reduction from the top menu bar.
2. Tick the ‘Apply LLR to column and foundation design’ option
3. Tick the ‘Apply LLR to total load instead of incremental load…’ option to use approach 1
above or omit the tick to use approach 2.
4. Specify the percentage reductions per floor/level, separating the values with semi-colons.
5. Specify the Minimum Level Height. MasterFrame uses this value to define the floors levels
for the reduction percentage. If the local column height is less than the minimum level
height the percentage reduction is not increased and the level number is not incremented.
6. Analyse the frame. When live load reduction is activated the analysis procedure conducts
two sets of analysis, i.e. both with and without live load reduction. This enables the
311
percentages and minimum level height to be modified post analysis, omitting the need to
reanalyse the frame.
 6. Analyse the frame. When live load reduction is activated the analysis procedure conducts
two sets of analysis, i.e. both with and without live load reduction. This enables the
percentages and minimum level height to be modified post analysis, omitting the need to
reanalyse the frame.

To view the reduced axial load;

1. From the Results menu select the Graphical Analysis Results.
2. Select to display the Geometry / Axial loads.
3. Check the ‘Show Values’ option to display the axial force value on the members in the
frame geometry area. The axial force in the columns that are subject to live load
reduction are shown with the full axial force minus the reduction force, eg, 768 – 146 kN
where 146 kN represents the reduction force.

To modify the reduction parameters post analysis;

1. Select the Frame Loads button from the top tool bar.
2. In the Load Diagram panel click on the ‘Change live load reduction values’ button.
3. You can alter the reduction parameters. The reduction method can also be changed
using the ‘Base reduction on total load’ tick box (checked for method 1 above).
4. Click Apply changes to activate the new parameters.
5. While viewing the axial force as described above the ‘Show results without live load
reduction’ Remove button can be used to hide the force reduction values and can be
redisplayed using the Restore button.

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Dynamic and Seismic Loads

See manual on MasterFrame Dynamic and Seismic Analysis.

Viewing Loads

After applying loads to your frame and setting up load cases, you may wish to verify your loads
on the members of the frame. The loads displayed will include member loads, area loads and
wind loads depending on which load combination you select to display. Select Frame Loads from
the top toolbar.

You can display the loads by load case from the drop list of available load cases. This will show
the loads from that particular combination of applied loads on the individual frame members.
You can also display particular load groups, eg, dead D1, wind W1, live L2, etc. Set the Load
Case to All Loading Cases at the top of the load case drop list. Then set the Load Group to
whichever group you wish to view to display just this particular group of loads.
In the Load Display Settings, tick the Draw Distributed Loads and/or Draw Point Loads to show
these loads, selecting an appropriate scale for each.

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The loads will be displayed in blue. You can move the loads slightly above the members using the
baseline distance to make the diagram clearer. The vertical lines on the load diagram can be
moved closer or further apart using the interval option. The numerical value of the loads are
shown using the 123 kN button. The distance between point loads can be displayed. Setting
arrows on the loads indicates the direction of the loads on to the members. A thin or thick blue
base line can also be shown at the bottom of the loads. These features should help you create a
clear diagram of the loads for checking or printing.

When displaying wind loading, you can select whether to show the W, P (including internal
pressure) or S (including internal suction) loads and which wind diagonal values you want to
include.
The Display Loads in Direction buttons give you the opportunity to choose which loading directions
you want to look at. You can choose more than one direction to be displayed at a time. The
directions represent the global X, Y and Z directions, followed by normal to the major and minor
axes of the member. The final button lets you switch on/off the member density display.
Whatever diagram you have on the screen can be printed or exported from the Report >
Print/Export Current Frame Graphics menu to printer, PDF or Word. As the whole of the graphics
area is what is printed, try to make your diagrams fill the full extent of the screen. These
graphics displays can also be included in the Report Generator (Pro).
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Whatever diagram you have on the screen can be printed or exported from the Report >
Print/Export Current Frame Graphics menu to printer, PDF or Word. As the whole of the graphics
area is what is printed, try to make your diagrams fill the full extent of the screen. These
graphics displays can also be included in the Report Generator (Pro).

Viewing Area Loading

See viewing area loads section in the Area Loading chapter.

Viewing Wind Loading

See viewing wind loads section in Wind Panel Loading chapter.

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Restraints

This section allows you to restrain your model in various ways, including static supports, member
end releases (eg, pinned ended beams) and restraints to FE surfaces.

Introduction

The MasterFrame Restraints menu provides tools to allow the modelling of a variety of restraint
conditions within a MasterFrame model. The restraints include conditions applicable to the ends of
members, such as member end releases to give pinned members, or supports applied at node
positions, for example, to model the support from a foundation at the foot of a column. The
MasterFrame restraints also allow for the definition of both linear translational and rotational spring
restraint conditions at any node within a MasterFrame model.
Also accessible in the Restraints menu are the edge restraint condition applicable to finite element
surfaces. This allows lateral or rotational support conditions to be applied to the edges of any FE
surfaces in the model. These are broadly similar in nature to nodal support conditions, but rather
than acting at specific nodes, they must be applied to the edge of an FE surface.
Also available from the Restraint menu are option which allow for the definition of partial fixity to
be applied to the end of members. This allows the modelling of rotational or torsional restraint as
a percentage of the stiffness of the member.
Also included in the restraint menu is the option to define which members are to be consider to
have a potential plastic hinge at the end of the member.

Menu Overview

The MasterFrame Restraint menu is accessed from the top menu text bar. The graphical
restraint indicators can be activated from the Supports and Restraints area of the icon ribbon.

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 Main MasterFrame interface showing Restraint menu expanded

The Restraint drop down menu is shown below, indicating the layout of the menu. Also indicated
are the available short-cut commands for quickly accessing the menu options.

Member End Releases

On selecting the End Releases, the Release and Copy menu pane is displayed on the right-hand
side of the main graphics window. This menu is shown below.

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The menu allows you to specify the type of end release. This is done by ticking the relevant
checkbox for the release. Note that the end releases can also be edited in the Member Property
Editor.
The member end releases allow moment releases to be specified to the ends of a member. The
end releases can be specified to release each of the major, minor or torsional axes of the
member, or any required combination of these three conditions. The end release defines the
member to be free to rotate at its end about the relevant axis. In the case of major and minor
axes releases, these simulate a pinned end member. The torsional release means the member is
free to rotate about the member long axis.
Where members portions have been Merged (see Modify Geometry menu) to better represent
the physical entity as it will appear in the structure, the Release Physical Ends Only option will only
apply the end release to the ends of the defined ‘physical’ member. This will prevent end releases
being applied to the ends of the individual portions of members which make up the ‘merged’
member.
Selection of the members is done by clicking on the member in the graphics window. With the
Release near End option ticked, the defined end released will be applied to the end nearest the
cursor when the member is selected. The end release indicator will appear on the end of the
member in the graphics window.
A typical view of a structure with end releases applied is shown below.

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 Typical graphical view of Release and Copy menu

The end release indicators on the member ends graphically show the settings for the end
releases. A typical indicator is displayed below.

Where a release is not active, the box is coloured red. In the above example, both the major
and minor axes have been released while the torsion release has not.

In the case where all three axes have been released, the indicator changes to a small white
circle.

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 Part frame view with fully major, minor and torsional end releases to members

The Release and Copy menu also provides options to automatically apply selected end releases
to horizontal members orientated in the East-West (aligned with the global x-axis) and
North-South (aligned with the global z-axis) directions. This applies the selected end releases to
those members displayed in the graphics screen. Thus, when combined with the filtering options
available from the Frame Views of Zoom Filter function, it allows the rapid application of end
releases to a selection of horizontal members. The East-West and North-South options
automatically recognise the ‘physical’ members – it is not necessary to select the Release Physical
Ends Only option.
When the East-West and/or North-South options have been ticked, an ‘Apply’ icon will appear at
the bottom of the Release and Copy menu pane.

Clicking ‘Apply’ will set the end releases of the displayed East-West and/or North-South beams to
have the selected end release types.

Note: Caution is needed when applying the East-West and North-South end releases, since these
apply to all displayed beams. Where end releases have already been defined and applied to
beams, the East-West and North-South option will overwrite these end releases with the new
selection if the beams are shown in the graphical display.

There are a number of options available to modify or change the end releases on members after
end releases have already been applied. For a small number of members, it is possible to change
the ticked options for torsion, major and minor axis releases and then click on those members
ends which are to be redefined in the graphics window.
To change all end releases of a specific setup to a different arrangement, this can be done by
clicking on the Change Release Type icon in the Release and Copy pane.

This changes the right-hand pane to the Change All Releases pane, as shown below

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In the ‘Change From’ selection, select the setting of the release type that it is required to
change. In the ‘Change To’ selection, set the ends release setup which is to replace the current
setting. Once done, clicking on the Apply icon and the bottom of the screen will automatically
change all instances of the ‘Change From’ setting to the ‘Change To’ type of end release.
The Change All Releases applies to all members currently visible in the main graphics display.
Therefore, the use of the Frame View filters and Zoom Filter allows the selection of a specific set
of members or part of a model for which the end releases types are to be changed. This allows
control over which end releases will be changed by the Change All Releases function.
To return to the Release and Copy menu pan, click on the ‘Edit Releases’ icon.

The ‘Remove All Releases’ allows the quick removal of end releases from the whole or part of a
model. Clicking on the Remove All Releases icon open the Remove All Releases pane.

From here, click on the ‘Remove All Releases’ icon and select ‘Apply’ to remove all the end
releases. The software will display a pop-up asking the user to confirm the removal of all
releases. Selecting ‘Yes’ will proceed.
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The ‘Remove All Releases’ function applies to portion of the frame visible in the graphics window.
By using the Frame Views and viewing filters it is possible to control the members which the end
releases are removed from.
To return to the ‘Release and Copy’ pane, select the ‘Edit Releases’ icon.

In addition to the features discussed above, the ‘Copy Member’ option can be selected which
allows the end releases of a specified member to be taken as a default setting and then applied
to specific members, selected graphically.
Selecting the Copy Member function opens the Release and Copy pane, as shown below.

The ‘Master Member’ is the member which is to be used as the ‘default’ for the end release
setup. The member number can be input into the input box. (See the Members icon section for
help in viewing Member Numbers). Alternatively, by first clicking in the input box, the required
member number can be input by clicking on the member in the graphics window.
To select the members which the releases are to be copied to, first click on the input box below
the ‘Members to Copy TO’ icon, or, alternatively, click on the ‘Members to Copy TO’ icon itself,
and then select the required members in the graphics window.
To copy the end releases, the ‘Release’ checkbox must be ticked.
To apply the changes, click on the ‘Apply’ icon at the bottom of the screen.

The Copy Member function does not select the physical members – selection is by portions or
lengths of members between nodes. To ensure end releases are only applied to the ends of the
‘physical’ members, check the Release Physical Ends Only checkbox.

Additional features are available in the Copy Member function which allow member loading, section
type and section beta angles to also be copied, either along with or instead of the end releases.
The use of these features is the same as outlined above. It should be noted that, as for the end
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releases, this feature works on the individual members between nodes and does not recognise
the physical member set up of a merged member. In addition, this feature will only copy loads
applied to a member through the Member Loading function and does not copy loads applied to a
Additional features are available in the Copy Member function which allow member loading, section
type and section beta angles to also be copied, either along with or instead of the end releases.
The use of these features is the same as outlined above. It should be noted that, as for the end
releases, this feature works on the individual members between nodes and does not recognise
the physical member set up of a merged member. In addition, this feature will only copy loads
applied to a member through the Member Loading function and does not copy loads applied to a
member applied as either area or wind loading.

Nodal Supports

Each of the Nodal Static Support, Nodal Spring Support and Nodal Support Settlements functions
open a common interface, where each type of nodal support can be accessed, defined and
applied to the model. For each support type, different types of restraint can be defined to give
different support conditions, to be applied either to different nodes, or, supports can be defined
to apply to particular loadcases. so, it is possible to have different support conditions apply to the
same node, with the support type determined per loadcase.

The typical restraint interface is shown below. The active icon in the window below is the Static
Support icon.

Nodal Support Window

The static supports are all specified in relation to the global axes. Regardless of the orientation of
the members in a model.

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Nodal Static Supports
The Nodal Static supports act on specified nodes and can be defined to give no translational
movement in the global x, y or z-axes. Nodal Static supports can also be defined to provide
rotational restraint about specific global axes.
The Nodal Static supports can be accessed by going to Restraints>Nodal Static Supports from
the top text menu bar. Alternatively, if in the Static Support window, the Static Supports can be
accessed by selecting the Static Support icon.
On entering the Static Support window, the static support indicators are automatically turned on
and displayed for the structure, or part of the structure, currently displayed in the graphics
window.

The bottom pane of the Static Support window gives the following information.

Sort brief order – reorder the support briefs

· Current brief – indicates the current brief order
· Selected nodes – indicates the nodes which the current nodal support has been applied to
· Select support brief – indicates the current support brief information. Support briefs can be
selected from the drop down
· Load group selector – nodal supports can be assigned to a load group so they are active
in particular load combination. This includes selecting the main load group and also the load
group number.
· Exit – closes the nodal support window and returns to the main MasterFrame window.

To create a nodal support group: -

1. Ensure the ‘Static Supports’ icon is selected

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 2. Click on the ‘Add‘ icon
3. Define the restraint conditions
4. Select the required load groups
5. In the graphics window, select the required nodes to have the support condition to be
applied to.

When selecting nodes, the individual nodes can be clicked on individually. Alternatively, multiple
nodes can be selected by left clicking and hold the mouse and windowing the required portion of
the model. Note this will select all the nodes in the window, thus it may be necessary to use the
frame views or zoom filter to display only the required part of the model.

Once the nodes have been selected, the nodal support indicators will appear in the graphics
display.

To delete a nodal support group: -

1. Select the required support groups from the brief selector drop down

2. Click on the ‘Delete’ icon

To display all the support restraints in the graphics window, click the ‘Show’ icon. This will show all
restraint types on all nodes currently displayed. This helps identify any nodes which are intended
to have some form of a nodal restraint but have not yet been included in any restraint briefs.

Nodal Spring Supports

The Nodal Spring Supports act on specified nodes and can be defined to provide an elastic linear
spring restraint at the selected nodes. The directional spring restraints act in the global x, y or
z-axes and are specified in terms of a linear spring stiffness, specified in kN/m. Thus, the force in
the spring is proportional to the linear displacement of the node. Rotational springs can also be
defined at any node, specified in kNm/radian.
The Nodal Spring supports can be accessed by going to Restraints>Nodal Spring Supports from
the top text menu bar. Alternatively, if in the Nodal Support window, the Static Supports can be
accessed by selecting the Static Support icon.
On entering the Static Support window, the static support indicators are automatically turned on
and displayed for the structure, or part of the structure, currently displayed in the graphics
window.

The bottom pane of the Static Support window gives the following information.

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Sort brief order – reorder the support briefs
· Current brief – indicates the current brief order
· Selected nodes – indicates the nodes which the current nodal support has been applied to
· Select support brief – indicates the current support brief information. Support briefs can be
selected from the drop down
· Load group selector – nodal supports can be assigned to a load group so they are active
in particular load combination. This includes selecting the main load group and also the load
group number.

Exit – closes the nodal restraint window and returns to the main MasterFrame window.

To create a nodal spring restraint group: -

1. Ensure the ‘Spring Supports’ icon is selected
2. Click on the ‘Add‘ icon
3. Input the spring restraint stiffnesses in the required directions
4. Select the required load groups for the Spring Supports
5. In the graphics window, select the required nodes to have the support condition to be
applied to.

When selecting nodes, the individual nodes can be clicked on individually. Alternatively, multiple
nodes can be selected by left clicking and hold the mouse and windowing the required portion of
the model. Note this will select all the nodes in the window, thus it may be necessary to use the
frame views or zoom filter to display only the required part of the model.

Once the nodes have been selected, the nodal support indicators will appear in the graphics
display.
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Once the nodes have been selected, the nodal support indicators will appear in the graphics
display.

To delete a nodal support group: -

1. Select the required support groups from the brief selector drop down

2. Click on the ‘Delete’ icon

To display all the support restraints in the graphics window, click the ‘Show’ icon. This will show all
restraint types on all nodes currently displayed. This helps identify any nodes which are intended
to have some form of a nodal restraint but have not yet been included in any restraint briefs.

Nodal Support Settlements

The Nodal Support Settlements act on specified nodes and can be defined to simulate a lateral
displacement in the global x, y and z-axes or a rotation about the global axes. Lateral
displacements are specified in millimetres, while the rotations are specified in radians.
The Nodal Spring supports can be accessed by going to Restraints>Nodal Support Settlement
from the top text menu bar. Alternatively, if in the Nodal Support window, the Support
Settlements can be accessed by selecting the Support Settlement icon.
On entering the Static Support window, the static support indicators are automatically turned on
and displayed for the structure, or part of the structure, currently displayed in the graphics
window.

The bottom pane of the Static Support window gives the following information.

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 · Sort brief order – reorder the support briefs
· Current brief – indicates the current brief order
· Selected nodes – indicates the nodes which the current nodal support has been applied to

· Select support brief – indicates the current support brief information. Support briefs can be
selected from the drop down
· Load group selector – nodal supports can be assigned to a load group so they are active
in particular load combination. This includes selecting the main load group and also the load
group number.

Exit – closes the nodal restraint window and returns to the main MasterFrame window.

To create a nodal spring restraint group: -

1. Ensure the ‘Supports Settlements’ icon is selected
2. Click on the ‘Add‘ icon
3. Input the support settlement values in the required directions
4. Select the required load groups for the Supports Settlements
5. In the graphics window, select the required nodes to have the support condition to be
applied to.

When selecting nodes, the individual nodes can be clicked on individually. Alternatively, multiple
nodes can be selected by left clicking and hold the mouse and windowing the required portion of
the model. Note this will select all the nodes in the window, thus it may be necessary to use the
frame views or zoom filter to display only the required part of the model.

Once the nodes have been selected, the nodal support indicators will appear in the graphics
display.

To delete a nodal support group: -

1. Select the required support groups from the brief selector drop down
2. Click on the ‘Delete’ icon

To display all the support restraints in the graphics window, click the ‘Show’ icon. This will show all
restraint types on all nodes currently displayed. This helps identify any nodes which are intended
to have some form of a nodal restraint but have not yet been included in any restraint briefs.

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FE Surface Edge Supports and Restraints

Support or restraint conditions can be specified to apply to the edge of Finite Element surfaces.
These restrains are defined relative to the Global axis system and can apply translational or
rotational restraint. Restraints to an FE surface must be applied to an FE surface edge, but the
edge can be a boundary between two or more FE surfaces.
For details of the use an application of the FE surface edge restraints, refer to the Finite Element
Chapter of the manual.

Potential Plastic Hinges

The Potential Plastic Hinges option allows members to be defined to allow the formation of a
plastic hinge at one or both ends. This option is used in conjunction with the Analysis Options,
where load cases can be selected to include a plastic analysis.
For details of the use of the Plastic Analysis, refer to the Analysis chapter of the manual.
On selecting the Potential Plastic Hinge option from the Restraint menu, the Plastic Hinge menu
pane opens on the right-hand side of the screen. The main screen is shown below.

To select a member end to be included in a plastic analysis, click on the end of the member in
the main graphics window. A marker will appear on the nearest end of the member.
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To select a member end to be included in a plastic analysis, click on the end of the member in
the main graphics window. A marker will appear on the nearest end of the member.
In the right-hand pane, two icons are provided which take the user to additional menus.
1. Remove All Plastic Hinges – this changes the Plastic Hinge pane to the Remove Plastic
Hinges Pane. Here, click on the ‘Apply’ icon removes all plastic hinges from member ends.
To exit this menu, click on the ‘X’ in the top right-hand corner of he Remove Plastic
Hinges pane or, alternatively, select another item from the top menu.
2. The Analysis Options icon will open the Analysis Options menu. For details of this menu,
see the Analysis chapter of the manual.

Partial Member End Fixity

The Partial Member End Fixity option allows a partial release to be applied to the ends of a
member or members within a MasterFrame model. The partial fixity is defined as a percentage
of the bending stiffness of the member itself. Partial fixities are defined through the Member
Loading menu and are treated in a similar manner as member loads – the partial fixities are
assigned to a load group and are added into particular load cases by applying a factor to the load
combination.
Since partial fixities are applied to members are treated in the software in a similar manner as
member loads, the partial fixities are found in the Member Loading screen. Therefore, the
member loading screen can be accessed by going to Loads>Member Loading or by going to
Restraints>Partial Member End Fixity.
The initial Member Loading screen is shown below.

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The partial fixities are found in the ‘Add Attributes’ area, which can be expanded by clicking on
the ‘More Attributes’ icon. The expanded attributes menu is shown as: -

To add a partial fixity to a member: -

1. In the graphics window, move the cursor over the required member
2. Left click the mouse to select the member. The selected member will highlight in red and
be shown in 3D, in the main graphics window. The member will also display in the upper
right-hand pane.
3. Click on the ‘Partial Fixity’ icon.

When done, the partial fixity ‘load’ will now display in the bottom right hand pane. The partial fixity
will be shown as: -

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When first applied to a member, the default partial fixity is defined as: -
UT PartFix 00.00 --- --- (Mt My Mz)
These symbols have the following meaning: -
UT – Unity Load factor. This means the partial fixity will apply globally to the model
00.00 - this indicates a zero percent fixity
--- - there is no fixity applied to the Mt, My or Mz axis of the member at the member start node
--- - there is no fixity applied to the Mt, My or Mz axis of the member at the member end node

The Mt, My and Mz indicators refer to the member torsional, minor and major axes.
To add a partial fixity to a specific axis, a ‘+’ need to be added to in the relevant position in the
‘---’ indicator, at the relevant end of the member. This can be done by overtyping the + in the
required position. Where a ‘-‘ occurs, then no partial fixity is considered about that axis at the
specified end of the member. This means the member will be ‘fixed’ to the node it connects to.
The partial fixity is specified as a percentage of the member bending stiffness about the various
axes. For example, a value of 00.00 indicates a partial fixity of zero percent, which is equivalent
to a pinned support. A value of 20.00 would give a partial fixity of 20% of the member stiffness
about the specified axis and ends. An input value of 99.99 is taken to be a fully fixed connection.
The first two letters refer to the load group that the partial fixity will be considered to be acting in.
By treating partial fixities as load groups, it is then possible to add the partial fixities to specific
load cases and so have different partial fixities being applied in different load cases. An example
of this would be to have a partial fixity of 0% in Ultimate Load cases, 10% in the Sway cases and
20% partial fixity acting in the Serviceability load cases.
When the Load Group is set to UT, the partial fixity for the member is taken to act in all
loadcases.

To add a partial fixity to a specific load case for a member or set of members: -
1. Select a member to have a partial fixity defined at one or both ends.
2. Click on the ‘Partial Fixity’ button to add a partial fixity ‘load’ to the member
3. Specify the Load Group the partial fixity is to be added to
4. Define the partial fixity percentage and directions per end

To include a partial fixity in a specific load case, the load group for the partial fixity needs to be
included in the load combinations with a factor of 1.0 against the select load for the partial fixity.
To navigate to the Load Combinations, go to Loads>Load Cases and select the Load
Combinations tab from the top right-hand side of the Load Case Combinations pane. The load
cases can be navigated from the Load Case drop down. With the correct load case showing,
input a value of 1.0 in the required load case input box. Repeat for all required load cases.

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For situations where the Partial fixities are to be added to multiple load cases, the ‘Edit Load
Group’ feature can be used. This can be selected by clicking on the ‘Edit’ icon. This will open the
‘Load Case Combinations’ pane in the right-hand side of the screen.

The load cases to have the partial fixity added can be highlighted in the load case list. At the
bottom of the table, a number of options can be selected to automatically highlight loadcases. To
multi-select loadcases, or add loadcase to those automatically selected, hold the CTRL-key and
then left mouse click on the required loadcase.

To add a load group to the load cases, select the required load group from the ‘Load Group’ drop
down. For partial fixities, where the load factor is to be 1.0, add 1.0 into the Load Factor input
box. To add the partial fixities, ensure the ‘Add’ radio button is selected, then click on the ‘Apply’
icon.
Having clicked on ‘Apply’ and then confirmed the selection, the software will return to the Load
Combinations tab.

Partial Fixities and column bases

The partial fixity function applies a rotational restraint to the end of a member. This gives a
degree of rotational restraint in the specified direction with the degree of restraint being specified
as a percentage of the stiffness of the member itself. Where the degree of restraint to the base
of a column is non-zero, this means that the column will produce an end moment, but this is
dependent upon the nodal support condition. If the base to the column is pinned, the base
cannot resist any moment and so the base of the 333column will be pinned regardless of the degree
of partial fixity defined. Therefore, for the base of a column, partial fixities will only be effective
when the nodal support to the base of the column is defined as a fixed support.
The partial fixity function applies a rotational restraint to the end of a member. This gives a
degree of rotational restraint in the specified direction with the degree of restraint being specified
as a percentage of the stiffness of the member itself. Where the degree of restraint to the base
of a column is non-zero, this means that the column will produce an end moment, but this is
dependent upon the nodal support condition. If the base to the column is pinned, the base
cannot resist any moment and so the base of the column will be pinned regardless of the degree
of partial fixity defined. Therefore, for the base of a column, partial fixities will only be effective
when the nodal support to the base of the column is defined as a fixed support.

Partial Fixities and beam ends

Similar to a column base, the partial fixity for the ends of a beam rely on the structure coincident
to the end of the beam being able to resist bending. Thus, if the beam is defined to have a
pinned end, the partial fixity will not generate any moment since the beam is free to rotate at the
node. Therefore, partial fixities at the ends of beams can only be effective if the appropriate
beam axis has not had an end release condition applied.

Multiple partial fixities

Each partial fixity allows for the specification of a single Load Group and a single partial fixity
percentage. Therefore, to specify partial fixities in different Load Groups, or to apply different
percentage fixities in different load combinations, it will be necessary to apply more than one
partial fixity to a member.
The method outlined above for adding a partial fixity to a member can be repeated as often as
necessary, to add the required number of partial fixities to any member. Therefore, by using
multiple partial fixities on a member, it is possible to have a different percentage of fixity in
different axes, or to have different percentages of fixity about the same axes in different
loadcases.
One particular area where this is useful is in the design of portal frame columns, where it is
common practice to design a column in the ultimate limit state as a pin-ended column, while
treating the serviceability case with a degree of partial fixity to the column. In this case, the
column nodal supports would be defined as fixed and two partial fixities would be added to the
columns. A partial fixity would be defined in one load group and set to have 00.00 fixity, while the
second partial fixity would be added to another load group and defined to have a fixity of 20.00.
By adding these to the appropriate loadcases, the column would be pinned in the ultimate load
cases and partial fixed in the serviceability cases.

Partial fixity load factor

Within MasterFrame, partial fixities are treated by the software in a similar manner to member
loads. To include the partial fixities, it is necessary to define them to act in a load group and then
include the load group in the appropriate load combinations, by including the load factor in the
appropriate load group.
However, the load factor applied to the partial fixity load is only designed to act as an on/off
switch to activate the partial fixity. In this case, if a factor greater than 1.0 is specified, the
percentage fixity is still that as specified for the partial fixity – the percentage of partial fixity is not
multiplied by the load factor.
If a partial fixity is set in the same load group as another member attribute or member load,
then both will be applied in a load case based on the value of the load factor. In this case, the
partial fixity cannot be applied independently of 334
the loads or attributes. In general, it is advisable
to define partial fixities in load groups with no other loads or attributes, to avoid situations where
partial fixities are applied accidentally when trying to include loads, or vice versa.
If a partial fixity is set in the same load group as another member attribute or member load,
then both will be applied in a load case based on the value of the load factor. In this case, the
partial fixity cannot be applied independently of the loads or attributes. In general, it is advisable
to define partial fixities in load groups with no other loads or attributes, to avoid situations where
partial fixities are applied accidentally when trying to include loads, or vice versa.

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Analysis

There are several analysis options and methods available in MasterFrame. The following section
will take you through these analysis options and describes their uses and how to apply them.

Introduction

The MasterFrame Analysis menu provides tools to allow the setting up of type of analysis to be
carried out on a MasterFrame model, including accessing options to apply different type of
analysis to different load cases. This includes setting up 2nd order elastic analyses and plastic
analyses.
Also accessible are options which relate to the model globally. These options allow for the inclusion
of exclusion of particular properties in the model which may influence the analysis results. As
global options, these apply to all members in a model, regardless of member orientation, section
type, material or loading.
The analysis menu also includes a number of options related to the analysis of a model which
includes finite element surfaces. These analysis options relate to the FE meshing density which
has and influences on the quality of the results of an FE analysis.
The static analysis option allows the user to run the static analysis of a model. The static analysis
runs the analysis for all defend load cases, including any load case which include 2nd order effects
or incorporate a plastic analysis.
Finally, where the Dynamic Module is available, the dynamic analysis is accessed through the
Dynamic Analysis option.

Menu Overview

The MasterFrame Analysis menu is accessed from the top menu text bar. The menu location is
shown below.

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The analysis menu is shown below.

Second Order Analysis Options per Load Case

The standard analysis method in MasterFrame is a 1st order linear elastic analysis. Where
elements such as tension only members, no axial force members or spring restraints are included
in a model the software automatically carries out an iterative analysis process to reflect the
presence of these elements or restraints.
The Second order analysis option opens the Analysis Options pane, which opens in the right side
of the window. When the pane opens, the software defaults to load case 001 and none of the
available options are selected. The initial pane is shown below.

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The available options are: -
1. Include P-delta Analysis – this enables a P-∆ analysis to be carried out on specific load
cases, to account for the geometric deformation of a structure
2. Elastic Critical Load Factor – enable the calculation of the elastic critical load factor for
specific load cases
3. Include Plastic Analysis – consider the formation of plastic hinges where members have
been selected to have one or more plastic hinges
4. Timber Load duration – for use in conjunction with models which include timber members,
the load duration sets the relevant K factor in the selected load cases.
At the foot of the pane, links are provided to quickly access other menu items. These include the
Global Data, including material densities, coefficient of thermal expansion and live load reductions,
Load Cases which opens the Loading Case Combinations menu. The Notional Loads navigates to
the horizontal notional load menu.

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P-delta Analysis

The P-Delta analysis utilised in MasterFrame is a P-∆ analysis, which modifies the frame geometry
under loading and re-analyses the model in the deflected position. The software carries out an
iterative process, carrying out the analysis a number of times, modifying the frame geometry for
each iteration, until either an equilibrium condition is reached, or, if equilibrium is not reached, a
fame stability warning is given.
Two methods of P-delta analysis are available, the Newton Raphson method or the Geometric
Stiffness method.

1. Geometric Stiffness method

In the Geometric Stiffness the method, the bending stiffness of the elements in any model are
modified to account for the axial force present in the member. Compressive forces will reduce the
bending stiffness, while tensile axial forces will increase the element stiffness. In the case of a
member which is loaded to its Euler buckling compressive load, the bending stiffness will be
reduced to zero.
In the Geometric stiffness method, only two iterations are carried out, the first to calculate the
axial force under a linear static analysis, the second iteration to account for the modified member
stiffnesses in bending.
Since the geometric method only uses two iterations, it is less computationally demanding that
the Newton-Raphson method, so, for larger models, it requires less time to analyse than would
be required for the Newton Raphson method. However, with only two iterations, the method
takes less account of the geometric deformation of the structure under load. Thus, the
Geometric Stiffness method is less suitable for the analysis of structures where the deformation
of the structure is significant. As a result, the Geometric Stiffness is less generally applicable than
the Newton Raphson method.

2. Newton-Raphson method

The Newton-Raphson non-linear iterative method carries out a series of analyses, modifying the
stiffness matrix of the structure to account for the deformation of the structure from the
previous analysis. At each stage of the analysis, the out-of-balance forces due to the difference
in the external and internal model forces is calculated. The process is continued until the out of
balance in the external and internal forces is within a prescribed tolerance, within a specified
number of iterations.
The process terminates when either (a) The analysis converges to a solution where there out of
balance forces are within tolerance, or, (b) The analysis diverges and a solution is not possible.
The Newton Raphson method uses the lateral translations of the nodes within a model to assess
the deformation of the model geometry in each iteration. This means the internal deformation of
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the members themselves is not necessarily assessed as part of the analysis, unless the member
contains intermediate nodes. Intermediate nodes can be added to a member by splitting the
The Newton Raphson method uses the lateral translations of the nodes within a model to assess
the deformation of the model geometry in each iteration. This means the internal deformation of
the members themselves is not necessarily assessed as part of the analysis, unless the member
contains intermediate nodes. Intermediate nodes can be added to a member by splitting the
member (see Modify Geometry>Split Member for details). Alternatively, analytic nodes can be
added to a member. Where internal nodes are added to a member, then the deformation of the
member is accounted for, to some degree, within the analysis.
In general, the member deformations are of less significance than the nodal deformations of the
model. In terms of the member design, in the concrete design additional moments are added as
the design stage to account for the internal deformations of the members, while in the steel and
timber design, effective lengths and member buckling as accounted for at the design stage.
The Newton-Raphson method would be the most generally applicable type of P-delta analysis.

Elastic Critical Load Factor

The Elastic Critical Load factor option uses a matrix analysis method to identify the lowest buckling
mode of the structure. This method is based on the geometric stiffness matrix method, which
modifies the standard stiffness matrix to account for the compressive force in an element.
Where an element has a compressive force, the bending stiffness of the member is reduced,
whereas a tensile force will increase the bending stiffness of a member. For a member loaded to
its Euler Critical Buckling load, the Geometric stiffness method will reduce the bending stiffness of
the member to zero.
The Elastic Critical Load factor is the elastic buckling load divided by the axial load on a member.
For each individual load case, the axial load on the member is derived from the analysis of the
particular load case.
With the Elastic Critical Load option active for a load case, the analysis of that load case will find
the load factor at which the analysis no longer has a solution, indicating the structure is no longer
stable. An iterative approach is used to find the load factor at which buckling occurs.
The results of the Elastic Critical Buckling analysis are given the Graphical Analysis Outputs,
accessed by going to Results>Graphical Analysis Results. The Elastic Buckling factor is reported in
the right-hand pane for those load cases where the Elastic Critical Load Factor option was
activated.
In the Graphical Analysis Output, the Elastic Critical Buckling mode shape can also be shown
graphically for any load case where the analysis option was active.
The Elastic Critical Buckling Load Factor method identifies the largest factor at which the analysis
no longer completes, indicating the system of equations can no longer be solved. This indicates
the structure is no longer stable. However, the instability may occur when a single member
becomes unstable, or it may indicate the overall structural system has become unstable.

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Elastic Critical Buckling Load Factor versus alpha-crit analysis
Both the Eurocode and British Standards provided a method to calculate the factor by which the
design load would need to be increased to cause elastic instability in the global frame. In the
Eurocode this is the alpha-crit factor, while in the British Standards this was the lambda-crit factor.
Both the alpha-crit and lambda-crit calculations are based on the sway buckling mode of the
structure, being based on the horizontal deflection under the horizontal design load. The aim of
the alpha-crit and lambda-crit methods is to determine the global instability mode of the structure
based in the initial elastic stiffness and the lateral deflections of the structure.
In a structure where the global instability is dominant and the whole structure buckles first, then
the Elastic Critical Load factor method would be expected to give a similar Elastic Load factor as
the alpha-crit and lambda crit-methods. However, if the buckling of an axially loaded member
dominates the analysis and it is this Elastic Critical factor that the Elastic Critical method identifies,
then the buckling mode identified will not be that of the global structure and therefore it is highly
likely that the Elastic Critical Load factor method will result in a significantly different load factor
than would result from the alpha- or lambda-crit methods.
The Graphical Analysis Output allows the display of the Elastic Critical Buckling Mode shape. The
displays the deformed shape of the structure. To determine if the buckling shape is global, it is
necessary to review the overall mode shape and make an engineering judgement.

Plastic Analysis

The use of the plastic analysis option means that within the analysis, the software will calculate
the positions of any plastic hinges which will be formed in selected members. The plastic moment
of a section will be determined by the selected section, determining the section plastic modulus.
The plastic hinge will only allow a moment up to and not exceeding the plastic moment at the
point of the plastic hinge. In line with plastic theory, the first hinge will occur at the point of
maximum bending moment.
The software uses an iterative approach when using the Plastic analysis. An initial elastic analysis
is carried out to determine the point of maximum moment and a plastic hinge applied. The
analysis is then re-run and the modified bending moments calculated. Further plastic hinges are
determined, if selected and the process repeats until either a solution is found, or sufficient plastic
hinges form such that the structure is no longer stable, in which case an analysis warning will be
given, identifying the node at which the instability occurs.
The Plastic Analysis is specified on a per load case basis.
The Plastic Analysis includes two options when applying the Plastic Analysis to any load case.
These options are: -
1. Include Incremental loading – the load is applied in increments and the positions any
plastic hinges is determined at each load increment and the positions of any hinges is
used in the next step in the loading. This341
assists in determining which hinges form in which
order.
 1. Include Incremental loading – the load is applied in increments and the positions any
plastic hinges is determined at each load increment and the positions of any hinges is
used in the next step in the loading. This assists in determining which hinges form in which
order.
2. Find the plastic load factor – this option calculates the moment at the hinge position at
which a hinge would form, compared to the moment at that point in the load case under
consideration and takes a ratio of the two moments to return the plastic hinge formation
moment as a ratio of the moment due to the load case. A ratio less than 1.0 indicates
that the plastic capacity of the member is less than the moment which would occur at
that point in the load case under consideration. Where the Load Factor ratio is greater
than 1, then the plastic capacity is greater than the moment applied in the load case
under consideration.

The plastic load factor is given in the Graphical Analysis Outputs. Refer to the Results chapter for
further details.
To enable the Plastic Analysis to be applied to several load case, rather than having to go load
case by load case, clicking on the Apply icon will open the Apply Plastic Analysis Setting Loading
Cases pane. This pane is shown below.

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To apply the Plastic Load analysis, select the load case in the upper pane. The load case will
highlight blue. To multi-select load case, hold the Ctrl key and then click on each required load
case in the upper right-hand pane. The load cases can be scrolled using the mouse wheel
In the bottom pane, options are providing to allow the quick selection of load cases. The selection
will be shown in the upper pane, with the selected load case highlighted in blue.
Clicking the Apply icon will add all the plastic analysis to the selected load cases.
Clicking Close will close the Apply Plastic Analysis Settings Loading Cases window and go back to
the Analysis Options Window.

Timber Load Duration

For models with timber elements, the timber load duration classes can be set for each load case,
in line with the Load-duration class definition of EC5.

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Global Analysis Options

The Global Analysis Options provides control over features of the analysis of a model which apply
to the model in its entirety. These are distinct from options which apply on a
member-by-member or loadcase-by-loadcase basis.

Do Not Show Out of Balance Loads as Support Reactions

Due to rounding errors in the way computers deal with numbers, the solutions of the equations
defined by the structure stiffness matrix may results in difference in the forces calculated at
nodes. These forces can display as a support reaction when viewing the results. Because these
forces are related to nodal forces, they can occur at nodes which do not have a restraint
condition applied.
Out of balance forces can occur particularly where there are very significant differences in
stiffnesses of members connection at a node. In particular, in older model with the old style rigid
stiff deck applied to very short members, this could happen and may indicate potential
ill-conditioning of the stiffness matrix. Other notable areas where this may occur is at the junction
of columns with bracing members, where small differences in the bracing forces between levels
can occur.
The default option in the software is that this option is checked, so that out of balance forces do
not show in the support reaction results.
This option can be useful as a diagnosis tool in models. In general, the out of balances forces
would be expected to be small.

Ignore Torsional Stiffness

The torsional stiffness of all elements in a model will be ignored from the analysis, with the
member torsional stiffness being taken as zero. This option can prevent members having a
degree of bending restraint taken at their ends due to the torsional stiffness of any other
members coincident with the ends of the element.
This option can be useful in grillage structures, where restraint to members due to the torsional of
adjoining members is not wanted to be taken into consideration in the analysis. The ignore
torsional stiffness option can give a simple and quick away to ignore this effect. However, it is
possible that the stability of the structure in terms of the analysis is dependent on the torsional
stiffness of members, with the result that models which will analyse without issue with the
torsional stiffness taken into consideration, return analysis warnings when the torsional stiffness is
ignored.
In general, it is advised that member releases are used to prevent the transfer of bending from
one member into another member in torsion, rather than using the Ignore Torsional Stiffness
option.
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In general, it is advised that member releases are used to prevent the transfer of bending from
one member into another member in torsion, rather than using the Ignore Torsional Stiffness
option.
This option is, by default, not active in the software and required the user to select it in any
model.

Include Shear Deflection

In structures with steel or concrete, in general, the deflection resulting from shear is ignored for
the purposes of design. This is not the case for timber elements, where the shear deformation is
significant, with the shear deflection potentially accounting for 5-20% of the deflection of a timber
element. Both the British Standard and Eurocode for timber design require the shear deformation
to be considered as part of the design of timber elements.
Selecting the Shear Deflection option includes the shear deflection as part of the analysis and so
includes the shear deformation of the elements in a model in the deformation of both the
structure and the elements in the structure.
The ratio of Elastic Modulus to Shear Modulus in steel and concrete is approximately 2. In timber,
this ratio is approximately 16. It can be seen, therefore, that the effect of the shear deformation
is considerably less significant in either steel or concrete, in comparison with timber, and so the
inclusion of the shear deformation for steel and concrete elements will generally not be significant.
The default setting for software is that the Include Shear Deformation option is not active.
One exception to this rule is steel cellular beams, where the presence of the web openings means
that the shear deformation of the beam becomes significant. In this instance, where a cellular
steel beams is added to a model, the Include Shear Deformation global setting is activated in the
software.
In the Finite Element Analysis, shear deformation is also significant. However, with the use of
Mindlin-Reissner plate theory, the transverse shear deformation is automatically accounted for in
the analysis. Thus, the shear deformation of the Finite Elements utilized within MasterFrame FE is
not dependent on the Include Shear Deformation.

Use faster Pardiso Solver for all models.

The MasterFrame module and MasterFrame FE modules have two different analytic engines.
The MasterFrame FE module uses a proprietary Intel MLK Pardiso solver. This solver uses
shared-memory, multiprocessing parallelisation to allow multi threading and so enables the
software to solve multiple equations at one time. This is necessary in the solution of the
equations arising from the Finite Element Analysis to allow the analysis to complete in an
acceptable time frame.
The use of the Pardiso solver has now been included as an Option in MasterFrame2018. The
major advantage of this is that it can represent a very significant reduction of time to analyse in
large MasterFrame models which do not include Finite Elements. However, the Pardiso solver is
significantly more sensitive to ill-conditioning of the stiffness matrix.
Ill-conditioning can arise in matrices where there are large differences in the magnitude of
adjacent stiffness terms. This can lead to a loss345of accuracy, due to the floating-point arithmetic
used computers. The degree of ill-conditioning can be described through the use of a condition
number, with a high number representing ill-conditioning. With a large condition number, the
Ill-conditioning can arise in matrices where there are large differences in the magnitude of
adjacent stiffness terms. This can lead to a loss of accuracy, due to the floating-point arithmetic
used computers. The degree of ill-conditioning can be described through the use of a condition
number, with a high number representing ill-conditioning. With a large condition number, the
matrix is very sensitive to small changes in the inputs. Such a matrix is effectively singular. In this
case, the set of equations described by the matrix cannot be solved and the analysis cannot
complete. This will result in analysis instabilities.
The standard MasterFrame analysis engine is less sensitive to ill-conditioning of the stiffness
matrix and frame instabilities. Therefore, it is possible to find a model will not analyse with the
Pardiso solver but will analyse without issue while using the default solver. In general, this is an
issue which is related to the matrix methods utilised within the solvers, rather than an issue which
would indicate an instability in the structure which the MasterFrame model represents.

Include Warping Stiffness in Curved Members

In a standard stiffness matrix, the member torsional stiffness is based on the Saint Venant
torsional constant GJ/L. While this is satisfactory for Bernoulli beams, this will significantly
underestimate the stiffness of a curved open section. Ticking the ‘Include Warping Stiffness in
Curved Members’ will calculate a modified warping stiffness of the member to account for the
warping stiffness. The analysis then utilizes a non-linear iteration to calculate the deformations of
the curved members.
The ‘Include Warping Stiffness in Curved Members’ option is active by default in the software.
The method only applied to curves members, so for a frame with no curved members, the
standard Saint Venant torsional constant will be used for all members. This is a conservative
approach.

FE Surface Meshing

The FE surface meshing option provides options which control the mesh used in the Finite
Element Analysis module. The FE mesh has an impact on the accuracy of the results returned
from an FE analysis.
The meshing options can apply globally to all FE surfaces in any model. Other meshing options
apply to particular FE surfaces, or particular points within specific FE surfaces.
If changes are made to the model geometry, the mesh needs to be regenerated. The
Analysis>FE Surface Meshing>Regenerate FE Mesh allows the mesh to be regenerated at any
time.
For details of the FE meshing, refer to the Finite Element Analysis chapter of the manual.

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Static Analysis

The Static Analysis option allows the user to select from 5 types of static analysis to be carried
out on a model.

The static analysis employs matrix methods to manipulate the stiffness matrix associated with
the MasterFrame model and then solve the equations, using the specified restraint conditions are
the required boundary conditions. From the solution of the equations, the nodal displacements
are obtained. The next stage is to use the nodal displacements in conjunction with the stiffness
matrices for each individual member to obtain the member end forces and rotations. From the
end forces and rotations, the member loading is then used to calculate the bending moment and
shear force distribution in the members.

On selecting the Static Analysis, the following window presented, form which the analysis is
selected.

The analysis type can be selected by clicking on the appropriate icon at the bottom of the window.
Depending on the type of structure and also the active MasterFrame licenses, some icons may
be shown ‘greyed out’. This indicates that a particular analysis type is not available.
Below the analysis type icons, any licensed based limitation on the number of elements in the
type of static analysis is indicated.

The type of static analyses are as follows: -

Space Frame
The space frame analysis is the most general type of analysis. This is a 3-dimensional analysis,
allowing for model geometry in the x-, y- and z-axes. Similarly, the allowable load directions are
also in the x-, y- and z-axes directions. The model may incorporate pinned, fully fixed or partial
fixity connections. Models may also include non-linear elements, such as tension or compression
only members and spring supports. The space 347 frame analysis also incorporate model with Finite
Element surfaces in the analysis.
The space frame analysis is the most general type of analysis. This is a 3-dimensional analysis,
allowing for model geometry in the x-, y- and z-axes. Similarly, the allowable load directions are
also in the x-, y- and z-axes directions. The model may incorporate pinned, fully fixed or partial
fixity connections. Models may also include non-linear elements, such as tension or compression
only members and spring supports. The space frame analysis also incorporate model with Finite
Element surfaces in the analysis.

Space Truss
The space truss analysis allows for the analysis of a 3-dimensional structure, with the model
arranged in the x-, y- and z-axes and similarly loaded in the x-, y- and z-axes. However, all joints
in a space truss are assumed to be pinned, regardless of the end restraint condition defined in
the model.
In addition to the above conditions on the model, no member loading is considered in the space
truss analysis. All member loads are resolved to give the equivalent end reactions in the
members, and these end reactions are then taken to be nodal loads. Therefore, the space truss
is taken analytically to behave as a pin jointed truss. As a consequence, all members in a space
truss will only be subjected to axial loading, either compressive or tensile. No bending will occur in
the members.

Plane Frame
The plane frame analysis is applicable for structures which are 2-dimensional structures in the xz
plane only. Only loading in the x and y directions can be considered – loads in the z direction
cannot be accommodated in the plane frame analysis so even for 2-dimensional models, if the
loads are out-of-plane, the Space Frame analysis will be required.
Furthermore, the loads, even if acting in the x- or y- directions, must act in the plane of the
frame itself. This means that eccentric loads, where the eccentricity would shift the loads out of
the plane of the frame, cannot be analysed in a plane frame analysis. Again, in this case, the
analysis would require the use of the Space Frame option.
The plane frame analysis method allows the use of pinned, fixed or partial fixity connections,
where the rotations are about the global z axis.
The plane frame analysis uses 3 degrees of freedom for each node in the model. All members
will therefore remain in the plane. It is not necessary to add restraints in the z-direction, nor in the
theta-x or theta-y directions.

Plane Truss
The Plane Truss analysis is used for analysing pin jointed truss structures. Similar to the plane
frame, the structure must be planar, being located in the xy plane only, and only be loaded in the
xy plane. Unlike the plane frame, however, all members are assumed to be pinned, so they have
no rotational restraint in the theta-z direction.
The loading of a pin-jointed truss is taken to act on the nodes of a frame. In this case, similar to
the space truss, any member loading is resolved into the nodal reactions and then analysed as a
nodal load. While this is satisfactory for small loads, in cases where the local member stresses are
considered to be significant, the plane truss analysis is not satisfactory and either the plane frame
or space frame analysis needs to be used.
Since all members are taken to be pinned for the purposes of the analysis, any end releases or
partial fixities are ignored in the analysis and are not effective.

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Similar to the plane frame analysis, loads must act in the same plane as the structure, and so
eccentric loads cannot be analysed in the plane truss analysis.

Grillage
The grillage analysis is used for the analysis of 2-dimensional structures which lie in the zx plane.
The degrees of freedom considered in the grillage are the x- and z-axis, along with the theta-x
and theta-z axes. Only loading considered in the y-axis. Thus, the only loading considered in the
grillage analysis is out-of-plane, vertical loading.
End releases and partial fixities can be applied to any member in the model, but these only
related to the rotations about the theta-z and theta-x directions. Any releases or partial fixities
relating to the theta-y direction will be ignored for the purposes of the analysis.
The grillage analysis will consider eccentrically applied loads where the eccentricity is an offset in
the global x or z directions. The y-axis offset for eccentric loads will not have an effect since it is
not possible to apply loading in the xz plane.

Of the analysis types available, the most generally applicable is the Space Frame analysis, which
covers the full range of degrees of freedom. The Space Frame can be used for any of the other
types of structure, but the model needs to be analytically stable in all the degrees of freedom.
Therefore, where a model analyses without issue in another analysis type, it may require the use
of additional restraint conditions when analysis my means of the Space Frame analysis type.
Further, since the Space Frame considers all forms of loadings, if member loads are intended to
be applied only to act at the ends of members, it would be necessary to define them as nodal
loads in the Space Frame analysis.

In the Analysis Type and License window, it is possible to tick the checkbox under the suspend
column. The enable specific load cases to be excluded from an analysis. The list of load cases
can be scrolled using the mouse wheel, or by clicking on and dragging the side scroll bar.

Analysis Results
The results of the analysis can be reviewed in the Results section of the software. The analysis
results can be viewed graphically or tabular form. When viewing the results graphically the results
can be viewed for the frame or part of the frame, or for individual members.
For details of the results menu, refer to the Results chapter of the manual.

Possible Analysis errors

The MasterFrame analysis uses methods from linear algebra to solve the system of static
equations represented by the stiffness matrix of the modelled structure. The set of equations
represented by the structure, loads and restrained is given in matrix notation as f = Kd, where f
is the external forces matrix, d is the displacement matrix and K is the structural stiffness matrix.
Both f and d are column vectors.

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To solve the system of equations, the stiffness matrix must be singular. If the matrix is not
singular, then the system of equations represented by the stiffness is matrix is not stable. When
this occurs, the software is unable to complete the solution of the system of equations and will
return an analysis error.
Analysis errors can occur for a number of reasons and may be related to the type of analysis
being run on a model. The most common errors related to the degrees of freedom in the model,
representing the end releases in a model. Errors of this type are generally reported as relating to
the θx, θy or θz directions. Other errors can relate to the displacement of nodes and are noted
as dx, dy or dz degrees of freedoms. When these types of error occur, the software will also
report the node at which the analysis error relates. It is possible to get a number of degree of
freedom errors at any one node, and analysis errors can occur at multiple nodes.
When an analysis error occurs at a node or nodes, the nodes will be highlighted in red on the
model. It is also possible to search for nodes using the Zoom to Member/Node function.
A typical cause of errors related to rotational degrees of freedom on members meeting at a
node. When a member is released rotationally from a node by the introduction of an end release,
the end of the beam is free to rotate relative to the node. However, it also means the node can
rotate relative to the beam. In the case that all the members concurrent to the node are release
rotationally in at least one direction, then the node will be free to rotate relative to all the
members. The consequence of this is that the stiffness term for that rotational direction of the
node will be zero, since there is nothing to resist any rotation. The means that the system of
equations will not be able to be solved and so the software will report an analysis instability at the
node. In general, a node needs to be connected laterally and rotationally to at least one member
joining the node.
Under certain circumstances, the software will report an analysis error but will allow the analysis to
proceed based on a 1% fixity to all connections. The 1% fixity will prevent the type of error
discussed above, since all pinned end members and end releases will be replaced by a partial
fixity. The aim of this option is to allow the analysis to complete such that the deflected diagram
of the structure can be viewed by going to Results>Graphic Analysis Results. The deflection
results will help to identify the part or parts of the model which are giving rise the analysis
warning. The aim of the 1% fixity is purely to work as a diagnostic tool, by allowing the deflected
shape of the model to be viewed. If the option to proceed based on a 1% fixity to all released
joints is used, the software will not allow the user to proceed to the Design tools.
Some analysis errors relate specifically to the use of the non-linear analysis, either due to
non-linear elements in the model, or due to the use of the P-delta analysis. In either case, in
order to run a non-linear analysis, the software utilises an iterative analysis method and calculates
a convergence factor at the end of each iteration. If the iteration factor is increasing, this
indicates that rather than converging to an equilibrium position, the structure is continuing to
deflect after each iteration, and is not going to converge to a solution. When running the analysis,
the iteration factor will display at the bottom of the screen. When a non-convergence error
occurs on a P-delta analysis, it is often necessary to remove the P-delta analysis, rerun the
analysis and then review the deflections of the frame to identify potential areas of large
deflections which could be contributing to the problems with the convergence of the analysis. In
cases where the non-convergence is not due to a P-delta analysis, the issue will be related to the
non-linear elements in the frame. The non-convergence may be related to the deflection of the
model under particular load cases, and it may be necessary to review the section sizes of
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elements such as bracing elements.
occurs on a P-delta analysis, it is often necessary to remove the P-delta analysis, rerun the
analysis and then review the deflections of the frame to identify potential areas of large
deflections which could be contributing to the problems with the convergence of the analysis. In
cases where the non-convergence is not due to a P-delta analysis, the issue will be related to the
non-linear elements in the frame. The non-convergence may be related to the deflection of the
model under particular load cases, and it may be necessary to review the section sizes of
elements such as bracing elements.

Dynamic Analysis

In additional to the static analysis, the MasterFrame Dynamic module allows a dynamic analysis
to be carried out as part of the vibration design for floor and stair structures. The Seismic Design
module is also accessed through the Dynamic Analysis.
To access the Dynamic Design features, go to Analysis>Dynamic Analysis.
For information on the dynamic analysis, refer to the Dynamic Chapter of the manual.

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Results - Viewing & Printing

One of the important aspects of creating a model, applying loads to it and analysing the various
load combinations, is to subsequently produce meaningful results in a manner that can be easily
interpreted by the Engineer and anyone else tasked with checking the model and the output from
it. To this end MasterSeries supplies you with numerous tools to interrogate your model’s results
and produce output which can be used along with the design of the members to prove the model
is adequate to resist the forces applied to it.

This section will take you through viewing the analysis results in both graphical and tabular
formats, and how to print out the information you require.

Introduction

Once you have generated and analysed the frame, you can:
· View and print the data;
· Print the frame geometry;
· View and print tabular analysis output;
· View and print shear, bending and deflected shapes diagrams and envelopes for the
whole frames, part of the frame or individual members; and
· Design or validate your frame.

In this chapter, we shall look at all the different output you can obtain.
· Output Devices
· Data Files
· Screen Graphics
· Tabular Analysis Results
· Graphical Analysis Results

Not included this chapter

· Finite Element Results - See MasterFrame Finite Elements chapter
· Dynamic Results – See MasterFrame Dynamic Analysis chapter
· Seismic Results – See MasterFrame Dynamic Analysis chapter

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Output Devices

You can output your input and output to:

· Any installed Windows Printer
· The MasterSeries PDF Writer
· Any installed PDF Writer
· Microsoft Word (requires PowerPad or MasterSeries Office Tools)

In the printing of the Data File, we shall review the different Output Devices.

Data Files

Your MasterFrame input file is in stored in a format that is friendly to computers but is not very
legible. Thus, we have a dedicated option to view & print your data file.
From the menu, you select Report > View/Print Frame Data

A typical Data File is displayed below.

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The contents will vary depending on your licensed modules, the options you have used in the
frame and the Display Options and Print Options selected.

Play around with the different options and your display will automatically update to reflect your
choice. As you select options, the total number of lines to be printed is shown to the right of the
Print Options title.

You can reduce the number of lines/pages using the following settings.

List per Group – Members with the same section will be bundled together. Members with the
same loading will be bundled together.
Don’t Include Properties (A, IX...) just the section size is shown. E.g. 457x153 UB 52 [S355]
Select to Minimize output (2 loads per line)
As well as viewing the Data File we can also print it.

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Exporting to Word
Exporting to Word requires PowerPad or MasterSeries Office Tools. If you don't have either of
these, the option will be greyed out.
Click on Export to Word.
1. A dialogue appears saying Starting Word.
2. Click OK.
3. The MasterSeries will load Word, and select the correct template file
4. The Word document will minimise (don't panic)
5. The exporting will start
6. One or more progress screens will appear

7. When the exporting is finished, Word will reappear.

Printing
We can print to any Windows printer or to a PDF file. These are both activated by clicking on the
Print button. This displays our Printer dialogue.
If you are printing to a PDF writer, you must check the PDF checkbox as highlighted opposite.
This is so the MasterSeries does not close the PDF document.

Only when you have finished all your PDF printing, do you click on the small printer in the status
bar at the very bottom of the screen. This finalises the pdf file and sends it to your PDF writer.

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The printer dialogue also allows you input Job & Sheet information together with Page numbers
and who Made the calculations.
You can change the document size and orientation through the Edit button. For PDF files you
can keep switching orientation between pages. This means that one PDF document could have
the Data file in Portrait with Graphics Landscape and the design results Portrait again.

Screen Graphics

In most areas of MasterFrame, you are able to print the current screen graphics. On any
screen, right mouse button click and select Print Graphics from the pop up menu.
This will pop up a virtual page, where you can zoom, Pan & rotate your frame. You still have
access to the top toolbar to Tweak the screen. When happy, click the Printer button to print.

In the main MasterFrame interface you can also select Print Current Frame Graphics from
the Report menu.
If you wish to print to Word then select Export to Word Current Frame Graphics from the
Report menu. Exporting to Word does NOT allow you to Zoom, Pan or otherwise Tweak the
view.

Tabular Analysis Results

MasterFrame has powerful reporting tools for viewing & printing the numerical results. These are
the Member Forces, Member & Nodal Deflections and Support Reactions.
From Results menu select Tabular Analysis Results.
Note: If required, the Analyse dialogue will be displayed for you to Analyse the frame.

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Below the results table are four option panels to allow you to select the results to display.

Viewing
Here you select the Results Table you wish to view.

Support Reactions also gives you the total reactions in each direction for the whole frame.
This is a good check on your applied loads.
Member Forces gives you the Axial, Shear, Bending & Torsion at each end of the member,
together with the Maximum in-span Moment and Deflection. Theses in-span values are at the
maximum point and not (necessarily) the mid-point.
Note: Member Deflection is the in-span deflection, relative to the displaced nodes. This means
a tenth floor beam member deflection is approximately the same as the first floor beam, if they
have the same span, section & loading. The member below has an in-span deflection of only
6.52 mm (14.42 – (8.22+7.59)/2 = 6.52 mm).
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Note: Member Deflection is the in-span deflection, relative to the displaced nodes. This means
a tenth floor beam member deflection is approximately the same as the first floor beam, if they
have the same span, section & loading. The member below has an in-span deflection of only
6.52 mm (14.42 – (8.22+7.59)/2 = 6.52 mm).
This is the value you would use to check the beam against L/360 deflection limits.

The List Per panel allows you to list per Loading Case (the norm) or list per Node/Member

The Node/Member option is great for viewing all the loading cases per node or member.

Filtering
This panel allows you to select the loading case to view. If you are using List per Node/Member,
then here you can select all the cases you wish to see.

The defaults are:-

Nodal deflections – Service Cases

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 Support Reactions – Service Cases
Member Forces – Ultimate Cases

Printing Tabular Results

To print the tabular results, enter the viewing of Tabular Results area as described in the previous
section. Then select the Print Tabular Output option from the menu.

Printing of output is best handled in the following sequence

1. Select the Nodal Deflections Tab (1)

2. In the Nodal Selection Panel (5) select the nodes you want to print
a. Use the All or None buttons or if you set up Nodal groups then use the drop list.
b. To select a selected set of nodes, press the None button and then graphically
pick your nodes
3. In the Case Selection Panel select the cases to Print the nodal deflections for. To use
Selected Cases option you need to hold down the Ctrl key to select multiple cases.

4. Now select the Member Forces Tab (2)

5. In the Member Selection Panel (5) select the members you want printed
6. Again, In the Case Selection Panel select the cases to Print the Member Forces for.

7. Now select the Support Reactions Tab (3)

8. In the Support Selection Panel (5) select the nodes you want printed
9. Again, In the Case Selection Panel select the cases to Print the Support reactions for.

Now choose your output device.

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Member Stresses

Member stresses is of limited use as it only examines the “direct stresses”.

It finds the maximum
· Mx Major Axis Moment along the member
· My Minor Axis Moment along the member

· F Axial Load along the member.

It ignores
· Vx Shear
· Vy Shear
· T z Torsion
Then using the Area, Zx & Zy properties of each member it returns the maximum & minimum
stresses in the member fmax & fmin.
The fact that Mx, My & F may not occur at the same time is ignored.

or

Filtering at the bottom is similar to the view & print Tabular output.
The Display Options panel allows you to select whether to display the Area, Zx & Zy or basic
stresses fa, fx, fy as shown in the 2 tables above.
Note: these stresses take no account of Axial & Lateral Torsional buckling.

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Internal Member Forces

Internal member forces allow you to view the Axial, Shear and Bending Forces on a member at
different distances along the member.
Note: Torsion is ignored.

The above member is set for forces at 3 intervals (4 values). However, MasterFrame also gives
values each side of each external load. Thus, we have values at 2.1 m and 2.101 m.
Filtering at the bottom is similar to the view & print Tabular output.

Graphical Analysis Results

MasterFrame has powerful reporting tools for viewing & printing the graphical results.
Note: In this chapter, we are concerned with MasterFrame and MasterFrame P ro Line
Elements. For Finite Element Shell Elements, please refer to the finite element
chapter.

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The screen is split into 4 different settings areas.
· Graphic Type
· Axis & Values
· Scale and Shading &
· Loading case

For each Graphic Type, the Axis, Values and Scales change as follows

Geometry/Axial
Show Values displays the Axial Force in each member in kN. For sloping members, you get 2
values. One for each end.

End values are written away from the end of the member to avoid clashing with other members
and values.

Shear Force
Show Values displays the Shear Force at each end of the member in kN.
The diagram is drawn as a scale in m. So, a 75 kN shear would be drawn 1.5 m high at a scale
of 50 kN per metre.
Intervals sets the number of intervals the diagram is drawn at and is measured in meters.
MasterFrame will also add extra interval points at distinct changes in loading.

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Torsion
Show Values displays the Torsion at each end of the member in kNm.
Scale is X kNm per metre.

Bending Moment
Show Values displays the Bending Moment at each end of the member in kNm. Where there
is an in-span peak moment this value is also given, but it’s value is written at the centre of the
span, irrespective of its location.

Deflected Shape
Displays the deflected shape with the deflections magnified.
No values can be displayed.

Deflected + Geom
This is much more flexible than the Deflected Shape option.
There are 2 types of deflection values.
1. Nodal deflection
2. In-Span deflection

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Nodal deflection is easy to understand. It is the global deflection of the node. The nodal
deflection increases on the middle column as you move up, floor by floor. This is due to the
columns compressing.
The highlighted in-span deflections do not change much as they are a measure of the curvature
of the beam. On the fourth floor, the beam is not worried that the two columns have
compressed 19 mm, only that the beam gives 14.7 mm of in span deflection. This is the value
you use for your span/360 deflection check.

Cantilevers.
In cantilevers we need to know, not the in-span deflection, but the differential deflection between
the 2 ends. Thus, the option to show differential deflections.
Tip. If you set Magnification to 1 or 2 and see large displacements then you might have a
problem.

Member diagrams
The Member Diagrams button allows you to view all the forces on a single member.

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The third span, fourth floor beam gives you the values above.
Note the deflection is now the global deflection 33.08 mm = 14.7 + (19.62+18.27)/2 = 33.65
mm approximately. The discrepancy is because the maximum in-span is not at the mid-point.

Printing Graphical results.

This is very similar to Tabular Results except you can change scales, zoom & pan in the preview.

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Design Menu

The Design menu gives access to several items relating to the design of the members within a
MasterFrame model. These include which design codes to use, creating member design groups
so that several members can all be designed to one set of criteria, column splice locations and
beam eccentricities, design briefs management and access to the material design modules.

Design Codes

The particular design code you wish to use can be selected from the Design Codes list. These
currently include British Standard, EuroCode and South African codes. By selecting a particular
code, the load combinations will be set up using this code’s load factors and combinations. Other
criteria specific to the chosen code will be available in the analysis and design modules. You can
switch between design codes whilst in the MasterFrame model to see what effect the different
codes will have on your frame.
If you are using the EuroCode, you can also switch between National Annexes. There is a default
NA and a UK NA built into the MasterSeries. You can add new or alter existing National Annexes
in the Customisation area of MasterSeries. 366
If you are using the EuroCode, you can also switch between National Annexes. There is a default
NA and a UK NA built into the MasterSeries. You can add new or alter existing National Annexes
in the Customisation area of MasterSeries.

Design Groups (Pro)

The Design Groups enables you to set up groups of members that will have the same design
parameters. Therefore, they can be designed using the same data or section size common to all
members in the group.
The groups screens all use common tools;

Allows you to add or remove items

Find panels

Add a new group

Clear current group / clear all groups

Delete current group / delete all groups

Composite Beam to Slab Construction Type Member Groups (Pro)

In the Levels and Global Data table the floor levels and the construction type for each level can
be set. In the instances where this has been set to composite construction, it may be that not all
the beams on that particular level are going to be composite construction. Therefore, groups of
beams that are to be of different construction than their level default can be placed in a group
and the type of construction changed to suit.

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Steel and Composite Member Design Groups (Pro)

Design groups can be used to:

a) Define a common set of design parameters for a group of members
b) Specify that a group of members must be designed to have the same section size
Although not essential, design groups are recommended since they allow a more controllable and
rational design to be achieved, particularly when allowing the steel or composite design programs
to perform an automatic design.
To define a steel or composite design group:
1. Go to Design > Steel and Composite Member Design Groups
2. Enter a group name in the drop list, for example, Edge Beams
3. From the design group type dropdown list, select the appropriate design brief type
4. Enter the common design parameters, i.e. effective lengths, deflection criteria, maximum
depth, minimum depth, restraint portion spacing, etc
5. Check the “Change data for Whole Group” box to employ the design parameters entered
for all members in this group
6. Check “Change Section for Whole Group” box if you wish all members in this group to
have exactly the same size
7. Select the members to be included in this group

The design brief types include;

a) Axial with Moments – ideal for beams and columns with moments, shear and axial loads
applied. The effective length ratio can be defined, nominal moments switched on,
deflection limits, min and max depth parameters and portion lengths between lateral
restraints, etc applied. These will be used in the design of this particular group of
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members.
 a) Axial with Moments – ideal for beams and columns with moments, shear and axial loads
applied. The effective length ratio can be defined, nominal moments switched on,
deflection limits, min and max depth parameters and portion lengths between lateral
restraints, etc applied. These will be used in the design of this particular group of
members.
b) Axial with Moments + Appendix G (Annex BB in EC) – as above but also including the
Appendix G check for torsional stability of the unrestrained compression flange.
c) Columns in Simple Construction – useful for columns that have no bending within their
length except nominal moments.
d) Strut and Tie – useful for diagonal bracing, etc where only axial tension or compression
forces are being considered.
e) Composite Beam – applied to members which are to be compositely designed. Deflection
limits and min and max depth parameters can be set and are particularly useful in
automatic design of composite beams.

The deflection limit value entered is generally the span over the value that’s used for live load
only service deflections, eg, L/360. More intelligently, when a value between 1 and 20 is entered,
a deflection limit pattern is used.
Deflection limit patterns are defined inside the Steel and Composite Beam Design programs from
the MasterFrame menu. Deflection limit patterns allow different “span over” values to be used for
different combinations of serviceability cases.
In addition to this absolute millimetre deflection limits can also be set in this area. For example,
entering “360; 10” in row two under the Live column means that for deflection limit pattern
number 2, live load only deflections will be checked against span/360 and also against an absolute
deflection of 10.0 mm.

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Steel Connections Design Groups (Pro)

Similar to the design group sets above, you can create groups of connections where each group
will be designed to use the exact same connection layout for all joints in that group. Thus,
connection fabrication costs can be kept to a minimum. The forces and moments from all the
ultimate load cases for all the members within the group will be examined together and the
optimum solution produced that suits all the criteria.
To define a connections design group:
1. Go to Design > Steel Connections Design Groups

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 2. Enter a group name in the drop list, for example, Eaves Joints along Grid Line A
3. From the connection type drop down list, select the appropriate connection type
4. Select the members to be included in this group
5. Add new groups as required
Note that all selected member ends in a group must have the same geometry and section sizes.
You can also reduce the number of duplicate loadcase force sets by setting difference values.
Connection types include;
a) Moment : Beam to Column including eaves type
b) Moment : Beam to Beam including apex type
c) Moment : Base Plate
d) Moment : Beam, Column or Hollow Splices
e) Simple : Beam to Column Flexible End Plate, Fin Plate or Cleat
f) Simple : Beam to Beam Flexible End Plate, Fin Plate or Cleat

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Column Splices

This area allows you to consider column splice locations by specifying which column lifts on a
column run will be the same section size. This is achieved by defining Drafting Super Members.
A drafting super member allows independent design checks to be added to the individual
members. However, the section size of all the parts of the drafting super members are made
the same in the MasterKey Steel Design program.
Also, during any automatic design, the most critical member of the drafting super member is
selected and will determine the section size for all other parts of the drafting super member.
When the Column Splices option is selected from the menu, the program automatically turns on
the vertical member filter and places the structure in front elevation. At this point the column lifts
in the structure that are to be the section can be windowed. This produces the individual drafting
super members, from each of the straight runs of members included in the selection.

Beam Eccentricities (Pro)

MasterFrame uses an analytical model based on the centreline of members, so normally the
centreline of a beam would line up with the centreline of a column. Therefore, no eccentricities
are automatically considered. It should be noted however, that in steel design there is an option
to consider nominal moments in the Axial with Moments design check and in the columns in
Simple Construction check. Hence it is not necessary to set all the beams as having offsets, just
those that have an offset outside the normal 100mm off the flange or web of the columns.
If a beam is offset from the centreline of the column to which it is attached then you can select
that beam and specify the offset both in the direction of the beam and laterally perpendicular to
the beam. The beam can be aligned laterally to the centreline of the column or to the edge of
the flange. An additional offset dimension can be added.
The other end (End 2) of the beam can be offset to different dimensions if required otherwise it
is assumed both ends are offset by the same amount.

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Design Modules

Once a frame has been analysed you can design the frame members according to their material.
The program will carry the moments, shears and axial forces and deflections from the analysis
seamlessly into the design modules so you can accurately design the building. If you select a
design module and the frame hasn’t yet been analysed or needs to be reanalysed after a
change has been made in the model, you will be prompted to analyse it after which it will carry on
through into the design module. Each set of materials can be designed in turn from the same
model.
Design modules include steel member design, composite deck steel beam member design, steel
connection design, concrete beam, column and pad design, pile cap design and timber member
design.
If members are sized or resized in the design modules, the frame should subsequently be
reanalysed and the members checked that they are still satisfactory.

Manage Design Briefs

You can delete all design briefs for each material used if you need to clear them. With the steel
design briefs, you can also sort the order of the briefs. In the ‘sort’ list, select a brief and drag
into the new position in the list. The list should be saved after making alterations.
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BIM

The MasterSeries model can be integrated with Revit Structure software. Uni and bi-directional
links are included in MasterSeries which facilitate exchanging the model to and from the Revit
environment. This is carried out using the MasterSeries Link Manager.
IFC exchange format is also supported.
The model can also be manipulated within MasterCAD and exported as marked up frame views
into GA drawings.

Revit – Uni-Directional Links

Exporting a Uni-Directional File from MasterSeries

1. With your MasterSeries file open, from the top tool bar go to: BIM Exchange > Revit
Exchange > MasterSeries Revit Link Manager
2. Click on “Uni-Directional Exchange” from the top tabs
3. Click “Export to Stand Alone Exchange File”
4. In the dialogue that opens, click the Browse button and navigate to your desired folder
5. Provide a name for the file, and click the Save button
6. Click the Export MSR button

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Importing a Uni-Directional File to Revit
1. Open Revit and create a new project
2. Save the file
3. Select the Add-ins item from the ribbon bar
4. Click on the MasterSeries Revit Link Manager icon
5. In the manager, select “Uni-Directional Exchange” from the top tabs
6. Click “Create New Model from Stand Alone Exchange File”
7. Browse to the location of your uni-directional file (with file extension MSR), select it and
click open

Exporting a Uni-Directional File from Revit

1. From within your Revit project, select the Add-ins item from the ribbon bar
2. Follow steps 2 – 5 in Exporting a Uni-Directional File from MasterSeries
3. Click on the Send button

Importing a Uni-Directional File to MasterSeries

1. Start MasterSeries
2. From the start-up screen, click the Frames item from the top menu bar
3. In the list of dropdown items go to Import a File, and click “Import from MasterSeries
Revit Link Manager”
4. Follow steps 5 – 7 in Importing a Uni-Directional File to Revit looking for a RMS file
extension this time

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5. Click on the Extract button
6. A number of nodes and members will be extracted from the RMS file. Click on the Load
button to open the frame in MasterFrame

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Revit – Bi-Directional Links

Exporting a Bi-Directional File from MasterSeries

1. With your MasterSeries file open, from the top tool bar go to: BIM Exchange > Revit
Exchange > MasterSeries Revit Link Manager
2. Click on “Bi-Directional Exchange” from the top tabs
3. Click the Create New Link button
4. In the dialogue that opens, click the Browse button and navigate to your desired folder
5. Provide a name for the file, and click the Save button
6. Click Submit Changes to Link
7. Select Yes or No when prompted if you’d like to export the analysis results

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Importing a Bi-Directional File to Revit
1. Open Revit and create a new project
2. Save the file
3. Select the Add-ins item from the ribbon bar
4. Click on the MasterSeries Revit Link Manager icon
5. In the manager, select “Bi-Directional Exchange” from the top tabs
6. Click the Connect to Exiting Link button
7. Browse to the location of the bi-directional link file (with file extension MRLnK), select it and
click open
8. Click the Create New Model from Link button

Submitting Changes to a Bi-Directional Link

1. Open the Revit Link Manager in either MasterSeries or Revit
2. Under the Bi-Direction Exchange tab, click the Submit Changes to Link button

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Updating a Model from a Bi-Directional Link
1. Open the Revit Link Manager in either MasterSeries or Revit
2. Under the Bi-Direction Exchange tab, click the Update Model from Link button
a) At this point you can review the changes and determine which changes you want
to import
3. When you’re happy with the changes, click OK to update the model

Notes on Bi-Directional Links

It can be very easy to break the bi-directional link. For example, if you rename a file and attempt
to re-link it with an existing model, this won’t work as the MRLnK file has no version history
associated with the new file, and as such has no idea which members map to which.

To ensure mapping between models in Revit and MasterSeries remains consistent, we

recommend you submit changes to the link frequently. This will reduce the risk of the models
diverging from one another.

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Revit – Section Mapping Database

Interoperability between MasterSeries and Revit sections is handled through a database that
maps the sections based on:

· Whether they’re a column or framing element

· Material type – namely steel, concrete or timber
· The section type, for example UB, UC, IPN, IPE etc

· The section form, for example I-Sections, CHS, RHS, ASB etc

The MasterSeries Revit Link Manager ships with two databases for handling section mapping:

· User Sections Database – used for storing details of custom Revit Families
· MasterSeries Sections Database – used for storing details of Revit’s default Families

The User Sections Database can be added to and edited. However, the MasterSeries Sections
Database is read-only and cannot be edited.

Opening the Revit Link Manager

1. With your Revit project open, select the Add-ins item from the ribbon bar
2. Click on the MasterSeries Revit Link Manager icon

Opening the Revit Section Mapping Database

1. Open the Revit Link Manager
2. At the bottom of the dialogue, click the Open Database button

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Switching Between User and MasterSeries Databases
To switch between the User Sections Database and the MasterSeries Sections Database:

1. Open the Revit Section Mapping Database

2. From the top of the window, use the dropdown to switch between the available databases
a) Note that to enable editing of the User Sections tab you will need to have selected
the User Sections Database from the drop down

Adding Support for Custom Revit Families

If you wish to export/import custom Revit Families, you’ll need to add a record for each family in
the Revit Section Mapping Database. To do this:

1. Open the Revit Section Mapping Database

2. Ensure that the database is set to “User Sections Database” using the dropdown from
the top of the window
3. Select the tab that corresponds to the material of your custom Revit Family
4. Select the tab which corresponds to the section form
5. Click the Add button in the top tool bar
6. Enter the Revit Family Name, Path and corresponding parameter values
7. Click the Save button

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Specifying a Custom Revit Family Library Location
If you’re not using the default library location from Revit to store your custom family files, you’ll
need to specify it. To do this:

1. Open the Revit Section Mapping Database

2. Ensure that the database is set to “User Sections Database” using the dropdown from
the top of the window
3. At the bottom of the window, click the Browse button
4. Navigate to and select the folder where your custom Revit Family files are stored
5. Click OK

Referencing a Custom Revit Family Library Location in the Database

If you’ve specified a non-default location for custom Revit Family files, you can reference them in
database section records:

1. Open the Revit Section Mapping Database

2. Ensure that the database is set to “User Sections Database” using the dropdown from
the top of the window
3. In the database record that refers to a custom Revit Family, set the Path value to
“[UDP]”
a) [UDP] is a short code for User Defined Path
4. Click the Save button

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Revit – Direct Mapping Database

In addition to the User Sections Database and the MasterSeries Sections Database, there is
another called the User Section Direct Mapping Database.

This database is used to map custom user sections defined in MasterSeries with Revit Families.
Because these sections don’t have parameters such as a height and width, the only way to map
them with a Revit Family is to explicitly state which family the section belongs to.

Viewing the User Section Direct Mapping Records

1. Open the MasterSeries Revit Link Manager
2. Click the User Sections tab that follows the three main material tabs

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Adding a Record to the User Section Direct Mapping Database
1. Open User Section Direct Mapping area
2. Ensure that the database is set to “User Sections Database” using the dropdown from
the top of the window
3. Click the Add button in the top tool bar
4. Enter the section number associated with the user section in MasterSeries
a) This is the “No” column in the open library of user sections in MasterSeries
5. Enter the MasterSeries Section Name
a) This is the “Name” column in the open library of user sections in MasterSeries
6. Click the Open Folder button next to the Path textbox, in the dialogue the opens
7. Navigate to the Revit Family file location, select it and click Open
8. The Revit Family Name textbox should automatically be populated after setting the path
a) If it isn’t, type the Family Name into the textbox
9. Click the Open Folder button next to the Revit Family Symbol textbox
10. Select the section size from the list of available family symbols
11. Click the Save button

Revit – Default Sections

When carrying out a uni-directional or bi-directional link, your structural elements may match any
number of section types. The link attempts to match sections based on a number of factors,
and if a Revit Family meets those criteria, it will apply that family to the structural element.
However, this may not be your first choice of sections. To avoid the application of unwanted
sections, you can set up default sections.

When determining which section is applied, MasterSeries Revit Link Manager evaluates sections in
the following order of precedence:

1. Custom Revit Families in the User Sections Database marked as default sections
2. Custom Revit Families in the User Sections Database
3. Revit Families in the MasterSeries Sections Database marked as default sections
4. Revit Families in the MasterSeries Sections Database

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Default sections are associated with a year version of Revit. This allows you to have several
default sections with the same material, section form, element type, and section. When selecting
a year version of Revit for a default section, you’re telling the software that “this default section is
available for use in Revit 2017 onwards”. Hence, if a default section is marked as being available
from 2018 onwards and you’re using Revit 2016 the default section will not be applied.

MasterSeries Revit Link Manager ships with a series of sections set as defaults, however you can
add and remove default sections as you see fit.

Opening the Section Defaults

1. Open the Revit Section Mapping Database
2. From the top of the window, click the Edit Default Sections

Adding a Default Section

1. Open the Section Defaults area
2. Filter the list of available sections using the dropdowns along the top of the dialogue
a) You can filter according to material, section form, element type (framing or
column) and section type
3. With your filtering selections made, check the section in the list that you want to set as a
default
4. In the dialogue that opens, select the year from which this Revit Family was available from
5. Click the OK button
Your changes will have been saved automatically.

Removing a Default Section

1. Open the Section Defaults area
2. Filter the list of available sections using the dropdowns along the top of the dialogue

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 a) You can filter according to material, section form, element type (framing or
column) and section type
3. With your filtering selections made, uncheck the default section in the list

Your changes will have been saved automatically.

Revit – Database Connection Settings

You can modify where your MasterSeries Revit Link Manager databases are hosted. By default,
they’ll be hosted locally on your computer, however you can host them in a shared location that’s
accessible to a network.

Hosting the databases in a shared location will ensure changes are ubiquitous across your
organization (provided that each users MasterSeries Revit Link Manager points to the shared
location).

Database Names and Location

There are four databases that ship with the MasterSeries Revit Link Manager. Upon installation,
the databases will be located in C:\ProgramData\MasterSeries\RevitAddin and are named as
follows:

· Default Sections Database.mdf

· MasterSeries Section Mapping Database.mdf
· User Section Mapping Database.mdf
· User Section Direct Mapping Database.mdf

Note: The Program Data directory is hidden by default. You may have to change your
computer settings to unhide it. Alternatively, you can type in the directory location at the top of a
Windows Explorer window.

Attaching a Database
When attaching the distributed databases to your own SQL Server instance, you’ll need to name
the database appropriately for the software to connect to them. The database file name’s and
their attached database names have been listed below.

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 Database File Name Attached Database Name

Default Sections Database DefaultRevit

MasterSeries Section Mapping Database MsRevit

User Section Mapping Database UserRevit

User Section Direct Mapping Database DirectRevit

Hosting the Databases in a Shared Location

1. Open the MasterSeries Revit Link Manager
2. Click the Database Connection Settings button from the bottom of the window
3. Select Shared SQL Server Database
4. Enter the SQL Server Instance into the textbox that appears
a) By default, integrated security will be used
5. If you are not using integrated security, uncheck the Use Integrated Security box
6. Enter a user ID and the password required to access the SQL Server instance
7. Click Save

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MasterCAD and DXF Output

MasterCAD is primarily used to set up and export 2D and 3D models to 3rd party systems. The
export/import features of MasterCAD focus on geometry, section sizes, and orientation. Using
MasterCAD you can export models to the following software:

· AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT

· MasterSteel
· MultiSteel

· StruCAD
· XSteel
· 3D+

Opening MasterCAD
1. With your MasterSeries file open, from the top tool bar go to: BIM Exchange >
MasterCAD: GA Drawings and Solid CAD Model

Exporting a 2D Drawing to DXF

1. With MasterCAD open, from the top tool bar to go: Export 2D > GA Drawing as DXF File

You will be presented with a dialogue that allows you the set up the export’s output. It contains
two tabs: Page Setup and Page Layout. See each section for the individual steps involved in their
set up.

Editing the 2D Drawing Page Setup

1. Select the view(s) you want to display in the DXF output by clicking the list of Selected
Views from the right-hand-side of the dialogue

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 a) You can make use of the “All”, “Selected” and “Current” radio buttons at the
bottom of the Selected Views area to quickly filter your selection
2. Fill out the details for your Title block
a) You can enter a client name, architect, job details, drawing details and a drawing
number (none of these required are required items for exporting purposes)
3. Under the Text Styles & Settings area, use the Style dropdown to apply your chosen
settings for Title, Labels and Dimensions

For each item you will have access to:

· Font

· Height: the height of the text item in mm and its ratio to the width
· Colour by Layer: the text item will match the layer colour
· Omit Default Grades: leave out the grade in a section size that has a default grade applied
· Omit Spacing from Labels: leave out the spacing between members
· Text Case: choose between sentence case, upper and lower case

1. Under the Global Drafting area, apply a line style for stick lines and cross-sections

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 a) These settings can be saved by clicking the Save button below the Global Drafting
area
b) To reload saved settings, simply click the Load Settings button
2. At the bottom of the dialogue, click the Browse button
3. Navigate to the directory you want to save the DXF output to
4. Provide a name for the file and click open

Editing the 2D Drawing Page Layout

The Page Layout screen is an interactive dialogue that allows you to modify and position drawing
elements prior to their output. The Page Layout will provide you with an indication of the size and
location of each drawing component. There will be one drawing component for each view that has
been selected in the Page Setup.

1. Set the page size from the bottom left-hand dropdown

a) You can output both single pages and drawings that run over a series of pages
2. Set the scale for the drawings using the Dwg Scale dropdown
3. Apply a Title Block
a) The No File setting means no title block will be drawn
4. Apply a Layering Table
5. Enter the page margins for the left, top, right and bottom in mm
6. Click and drag each drawing component into position

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Auto Scaling and Locating All Drawing Components
As a starting point to laying out your DXF output, you can make use of the Auto Scale and Auto
Locate buttons found at the top right-hand-side of the Page Layout screen. After this you can
customize the scale and location of drawing components if required.

Individual Drawing Component Options

You can apply a number of settings to each drawing component in the Page Layout using the
right-hand-side options.

1. Click on the drawing component you want to edit

2. Under the Active Object heading, set the scale and line style from the dropdowns

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 3. Select the items you wish to be displayed in the output of the drawing component, you
have a choice of:
a) Visible: hide/show the component
b) Grid Lines: hide/show grid lines in the component
c) Centre Lines: hide/show centre lines in the component
d) Sections: hide/show members that are sections in the component
i) You can filter this to near (above) and/or far (below) members
ii) When in plan use the Far setting except when at ground level – in this
case you should be using near (above)
e) Dimensions: hide/show dimensions in the component
4. Under the Labels tab, set the selected output for Member Labels
5. Under the Forces tab, select the selected output for forces present in the drawing
component
a) There are four items required for displaying forces: type of force, limit state,
members to print forces on and value filters
b) The maximum moment, shear force, and axial load will be displayed on the ends
of a member
c) The limit state will be set to Ultimate Limit State by default
d) Member types include beams, columns, inclined and at supports
e) Filtering force values can be applied by separating items with a “;”, for example
“5;75;25;10” corresponds to a moment of 5kNm or greater, shear of 75kN or
greater, axial of 25kN or greater, and all forces being rounded up to the nearest
10kN
6. Click the Export button to export the DXF file

Global Options
Three additional items are available from the bottom right-hand-side of the Page Layout. They
are:
· Border: choose whether to draw the page border or not
· Landscape: set the page to landscape or portrait
· Load AutoCAD: automatically load the file in AutoCAD after exporting

What to Do If Your Export Text is Too Big

If your text is too big it’s an indication that your drawing or drawing component scale is too large.
For example, if you have a member that is 5000 mm long and is drawn at a scale of 1:250 scale
with 2.5 mm high text, then the text will be 250 x 2.5 = 625 mm high. We suggest that you limit
your scales to between 1:20 and 1:150 for best393 results.
If your text is too big it’s an indication that your drawing or drawing component scale is too large.
For example, if you have a member that is 5000 mm long and is drawn at a scale of 1:250 scale
with 2.5 mm high text, then the text will be 250 x 2.5 = 625 mm high. We suggest that you limit
your scales to between 1:20 and 1:150 for best results.

Exporting a 3D Model
MasterCAD can be used to export 3D models to a variety of 3rd party applications. There are two
main systems, which it exports to:

· 3D DXF: exports DXF surfaces that can be imported to AutoCAD and AutoCAD LT, along
with any other application that allows importing of DXF format
· 3D Script: exports the 3D model as a script file

· This can be read by AutoCAD only (i.e. not AutoCAD LT) as it creates extruded
and truncated solid objects

Exporting a 3D DXF Model to AutoCAD

1. With MasterCAD open, from the top tool bar to go: Export 3D > DXF File (Surfaces)
2. Select the profile type you want to export
a) Full Profile: full thickness sections – an I-section would have 12 surfaces
b) Outline: zero thickness sections – an I-section would have 3 surfaces
c) Wire frame: draws each member as a single line
3. If you want to automatically load AutoCAD after exporting, check the Start AutoCAD box
4. If you want each line to be coloured according to its layer information, check the Colour
by Layer box
5. Click the Browse button and navigate to the directory where you want to save the file
6. Enter a name for the DXF file
7. Click Open
8. Apply a Layering table from the dropdown
9. Click Export

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Exporting a 3D Script Model to AutoCAD
1. With MasterCAD open, from the top tool bar to go: Export 3D > AutoCAD Script File
(Extruded Solids)
2. If you want to automatically load AutoCAD after exporting, check the Start AutoCAD box
3. If you want to delete the automatically generated guidelines for extruded solids, check the
Delete Guide box
4. If you want to shade the model using gouraud and edge shading, check the Shade
Members box
5. Click the Browse button and navigate to the directory where you want to save the file
6. Enter a name for the script file
7. Click Open
8. Apply a Layering table from the dropdown
9. Click Export

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IFC

IFC has many different types for representing shapes. For interacting with MasterSeries, only a
selection of these types is required. They are:

· IfcBuildingStorey: used to define levels in MasterSeries

· IfcBeam: used to define beam elements in MasterSeries
· IfcColumn: used to define column elements in MasterSeries
· IfcMember: used to define a general member in MasterSeries

IfcBeam, IfcColumn and IfcMember are all one-dimensional line elements which must be
represented as an IfcExtrudedAreaSolid. An IfcExtrudedAreaSolid is defined as a line that runs
between two points, and has a profile extruded over its length to create the 3D representation.

The following table outlines compatible profile definitions used with MasterSeries and an example
section type based on the profile.
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The following table outlines compatible profile definitions used with MasterSeries and an example
section type based on the profile.

IfcProfileDef Name Example Section Type

IfcRectangleProfileDef Solid rectangular bar

IfcIShapeProfileDef UBs, UCs

IfcUShapeProfileDef Channels

IfcLShapeProfileDef Angles

IfcTShapeProfileDef T-Sections

IfcCircleHollowProfileDef CHSs

IfcCircleProfileDef Solid circular bar

IfcRectangleHollowProfileDef RHSs

MasterSeries also makes use of two, two-dimensional elements. They are:

· IfcSlab, and
· IfcWall
Both of these types are represented as finite element surfaces when imported to MasterFrame.

Limitations
It’s possible to have an IFC model that looks correct when viewed through an IFC viewer but
won’t import correctly to MasterFrame. This is usually due to how the IFC model has been
created – there are many ways to create three-dimensional shapes and representations of
structural elements in IFC, however not all of them contain the data required to create a real
structural element.

The most common breach of this is when an IFC model uses an IfcFacetedBrep to represent
structural elements. An element made with an IfcFacetedBrep is simply composed from a series
of surfaces i.e. it has no profile definition. This makes it impossible for MasterFrame to determine
what type of section the element is.

If possible, when creating the IFC file you should opt to form elements using the
IfcExtrudedAreaSolid class, which is composed of an IfcProfileDef and an IfcDirection (a section
profile which is extruded along a length defined by two points in space).

MasterFrame adheres to IFC 2x3 Coordination View, version 2.0. This is a specification that aims
to handle the coordination between architectural, mechanical and structural representations. For
more information, visit the Building Smart website.
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MasterFrame adheres to IFC 2x3 Coordination View, version 2.0. This is a specification that aims
to handle the coordination between architectural, mechanical and structural representations. For
more information, visit the Building Smart website.

Importing an IFC Model

1. From the MasterSeries start-up screen, go to Frame > Import from File > Import from
IFC 2x3
2. Using the MasterFrame Import File dialogue, navigate to your IFC file, and click Open
3. At this point you will be presented with the IFC 2x3 File Import dialogue, which has a
variety of options that allow you to tailor your import:

· Import Slabs as Finite Element Surfaces: If you want slabs defined in IFC model to
be imported as FE surfaces, check this box
· Import Walls as Finite Element Surfaces: If you want walls defined in the IFC model
to be imported as FE surfaces, check this box
· Retain Y Coordinates: This will use the IFC models vertical offset and apply it to the
model created in MasterSeries (as opposed to zeroing the level)
· Additional Y Coordinate Offset: If you want to modify the vertical offset by a specific
amount, you can do so by providing a value (mm)
· Ignore Plates with an Aspect Ratio Less Than: To avoid importing items that may
be inaccurately represented by one of the four compatible MasterSeries IFC types, you
can apply an aspect ratio to filter out bogus elements
o For example, an IFC model could have a steel end plate that was modelled using
the IFC column type, but we don’t want to import the end plate as a column, and
therefore specify a minimum aspect ratio
· IfcDiscreteAccessory: accessories included or added to elements will be included in the
import process
· Auto Connect Geometry: IFC models are based purely on physical elements, where
each element is typically drawn short of another – there is no consideration for the
structural analytical model
o To combat this, you can attempt to automatically connect the elements by
checking this box and specifying an end extension
o MasterFrame will make use of clash detection between elements to help determine
a suitable structural model
o To check the structural validity of your model prior to auto-connection, you can
import it with this setting unchecked
· End Cropping: the distance to extend the physical elements by for the purposes of
clash detection and automatically connecting geometry

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 1. After setting your import options, select the type of MasterSeries file to create on import
using the File Type Created dropdown
a) You have a choice of MasterFrame, MasterPort and FlatSlab
2. Click the Browse button and navigate to the directory in which you want to save your file
3. Provide a name for the MasterSeries file and click Open
4. Click the Extract button to being the import process
5. If you want to view the model immediately, once the extraction of the file is complete,
click the Load File button to view the imported file

Exporting an IFC Model

1. With your MasterFrame model open, from the top menu bar go to BIM Exchange > IFC
2x3 Export
2. In the dialogue that opens, click the Browse button and navigate to the direction in which
you want to save the file
3. Provide a name for the IFC file and click Open
4. Click the Export IFC button

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400
Report Generator

The Report Generator provides you with full control over the layout and content of your design
reports, allowing you to quickly and easily customise the output to your specific needs. Reports
can be created in a short time, and if changes are made, the report can be reproduced from a
saved template.

User Interface Overview

1. Templates
This section includes a list of predefined templates that are specific to the particular
program from which you accessed the Report Generator. Click on an item in the list and it
will populate the Report Contents pane with applicable report items.

2. Report Contents
The Report Contents contains a list of output items. These items can be dragged across
to the Report Layout area to be included in the final report.

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3. Item Manipulation
Report items can be manipulated in the following ways:

· Add Add an item from the Report Contents pane to the Report Layout
· Remove Remove an item from the Report Layout
· Up Move the selected item order upwards in the Report Layout
· Down Move the selected item order downwards in the Report Layout

Alternatively, you can make use of the click and drag functionality.

4. Report Layout
The Report Layout box will allow you to order individual elements of the report. You can
also include or exclude items by checking/unchecking its corresponding checkbox. This can
be useful if you want to quickly generate variations of a report without deleting items.

5. Title and Description

Clicking on an item will display its title and description. If you provide a custom title and/or
description for the Report Layout items, then they will also be displayed here.

6. Options, Saving Layouts and Printer Set Up

Options:-
Most report items come with an associated set of options. This can be related to aspects
such as which loadcases or members to print. To set these features, simply click the
Options button and fill out the dialogue box that opens.

Save:-
If you want to save a specific Report Layout, click this button. Once saved, you’ll be able
to access it from the Saved Templates area. Upon saving a layout as a template, any
items specific to the file will be removed, for example, loadcases, members, nodes etc.

Print Settings:-
You can edit the print output options from this area. Simply click the button and the print
overlay will be display. Note that you are required to set the print output the first time you
attempt to print. Subsequent printing will make use of the same settings unless you
choose to review them.

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 7. Printing
The first time you attempt to print your report, you will be required to set the print output
(the “Set Up”). Once this is done, the button text will change to “Generate” indicating that
click it will result in the generation and printing of the report.

8. Saved Templates
This area will display all of your saved Report Layouts. Simply click the Load button for it
to populate the Report Layout area. Report items will have retained their specific
settings/options (excluding file specific items like loadcases), not just the order of their
output.

Print Settings

1. General Settings
Set the printer, page size and page orientation of the output. Note that you have the
ability to print to PDF using MasterSeries’ built-in PDF writer.

2. Output Type

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 Set whether to print to PDF, Word or to a physical printer.

3. MasterSeries PDF Options

If you have selected to print to PDF using MasterSeries’ built-in PDF writer, you will have
access to these addition options. You can have the software:

· Ask for the file name on every export to PDF

· Overwrite the existing default file name (taken from the MasterFrame file name)
· Increment the file name – PDF exports will end with a “_X.pdf” where X is a
number

Note: By default, PDF exports will be saved in the same directory as your MasterFrame file.

4. Default Settings
You can save the current print settings as the default settings by checking this box and
clicked Save when you’re done.

Selecting Several Report Items

To select multiple items from the Report Contents box, you can:

· Hold Ctrl to select individual items

· Hold Shift to select all items between a range

Notes:
· When dragging multiple items to the Report Layout pane, you will need to click and drag
from the primary item (the item highlighted in blue)
· The multi-selection functionality is limited to the Report Contents pane – you cannot use
it with the Report Layout pane

Using Click and Drag

Report items can be manipulated in the follow ways:

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 · Dragging from Report Contents to Report Layout will add the item to the Report Layout
box for printing
· Dragging from Report Layout to Report Contents will remove the item form the Report
Layout
· Drag items vertically within the Report Layout box to reorder them – this will be reflected
in the printed report

Notes on Container Items

Container items are used only to group other report items – they have no output themselves. To
add printable report items to a Container, simply click and drag an item to the Container and it will
appear as a sub-item of the Container.

Notes:
· You can manipulate sub-items of a Container using either the click and drag functionality
described above, or using the Add, Remove, Up and Down buttons
· All sub-items can be included or excluded from the pint output by checking/unchecking the
Container item
· Containers cannot have another Container as a sub-item

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