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19. Inclined Supports

This example demonstrates the usage of inclined supports. The word INCLINED refers to the fact that the restraints
at a joint where such a support is specified are along a user-specified axis system instead of along the default
directions of the global axis system. STAAD offers a few different methods for assigning inclined supports, and we
examine those in this example.

This problem is installed with the program as C:\SProV8i SS6\ STAAD\Examp\US\EXAMP19.STD.

Example Problem No. 19

Actual input is shown in bold lettering followed by explanation.

STAAD SPACE
INPUT WIDTH 79

Every input has to start with the term STAAD. The word SPACE signifies that the structure is a space frame structure
(3-D) and the geometry is defined through X, Y, and Z coordinates.

UNIT METER KN

Defines the input units for the data that follows.

JOINT COORDINATES
1 0 5 0; 2 10 5 10; 3 20 5 20; 4 30 5 30; 5 5 0 5; 6 25 0 25;

Joint number followed by X, Y and Z coordinates are provided above.

Note: Semicolons (;) are used as line separators to allow for input of multiple sets of data on one line.

MEMBER INCIDENCES
1 1 2; 2 2 3; 3 3 4; 4 5 2; 5 6 3;

Defines the members by the joints to which they are connected.

UNIT MMS KN
MEMBER PROPERTY AMERICAN
4 5 PRIS YD 800
1 TO 3 PRIS YD 750 ZD 500

Properties for all members of the model are provided using the PRISMATIC option (abbreviated to PRIS here). YD
and ZD stand for depth and width. If ZD is not provided, a circular shape with diameter = YD is assumed for that
cross section. All properties required for the analysis, such as, Area, Moments of Inertia, etc. are calculated
automatically from these dimensions unless these are explicitly defined. The values are provided in MMS unit.

CONSTANTS
E CONCRETE ALL

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POISSON CONCRETE ALL

DENSITY CONCRETE ALL

Material constants like E (modulus of elasticity) and Poisson’s ratio are specified following the command
CONSTANTS.

UNIT METER KN
SUPPORTS
5 INCLINED REF 10 5 10 FIXED BUT MX MY MZ KFX 30000
6 INCLINED REFJT 3 FIXED BUT MX MY MZ KFX 30000
1 PINNED
4 INCLINED 1 0 1 FIXED BUT FX MX MY MZ

We assign supports (restraints) at 4 nodes - 5, 6, 1 and 4. For 3 of those, namely, 5, 6 and 4, the node number is
followed by the keyword INCLINED, signifying that an INCLINED support is defined there. For the remaining one -
node 1 - that keyword is missing. Hence, the support at node 1 is a global direction support.

The most important aspect of inclined supports is their axis system. Each node where an inclined support is defined
has its own distinct local X, local Y and local Z axes. In order to define the axis system, we first have to define a
datum point. The support node and the datum point together help define the axis system.

Three different methods are shown in the above 3 instances for defining the datum point.

• At node 5, notice the keyword REF followed by the numbers (10,5,10). This means that the datum point
associated with node 5 is one which has the global coordinates of (10m, 5m, 10m). Coincidentally, this
happens to be node 2.
• At node 6, the keyword REFJT is used followed by the number 3. This means that the datum point for
support node 6 is the joint number 3 of the model. The coordinates of the datum point are hence those of
node 3, namely, (20m, 5m and 20m).
• At node 4, the word INCLINED is merely followed by 3 numbers (1,0,1). In the absence of the words REF and
REFJT, the program sets the datum point to be the following. It takes the coordinates of node 4, which are
(30m,5m,30m) and adds to them, the 3 numbers which comes after the word INCLINED. Thus, the datum
point becomes (31m, 5m and 31m).

Once the datum point is established, the local axis system is defined as follows. Local X is a straight line (vector)
pointing from the support node towards the datum point. Local Z is the vector obtained by the cross product of
local X and the global Y axis (unless the SET Z UP command is used in which case one would use global Z instead of
global Y and that would yield local Y). Local Y is the vector resulting from the cross product of local Z and local X. The
right hand rule must be used when performing these cross products.

Notice the unique nature of these datum points. The one for node 5 tells us that a line connecting nodes 5 to 2 is
the local X axis, and is hence along the axis of member 4. By defining a KFX spring at that one, we are saying that the
lower end of member 4 can move along its axis like the piston of a car engine. Think of a pile bored into rock with a
certain amount of freedom to expand and contract axially.

The same is true for the support at the bottom of member 5. The local X axis of that support is along the axis of
member 5. That also happens to be the case for the supported end of member 3. The line going from node 4 to the
datum point (31,5,31) happens to be coincident with the axis of the member, or the traffic direction. The expression
FIXED BUT FX MX MY MZ for that support indicates that it is free to translate along local X, suggesting that it is an
expansion joint - free to expand or contract along the axis of member 3.

Since MX, MY, and MZ are all released at these supports, no moment will be resisted by these supports.

LOAD 1 DEAD LOAD

SELFWEIGHT Y -1.2
LOAD 2 LIVE LOAD
MEMBER LOAD

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1 TO 3 UNI GY -6
LOAD COMB 3
1 1.0 2 1.0
PERFORM ANALYSIS PRINT STATICS CHECK

Three load cases followed by the instruction for the type of analysis are specified. The PRINT STATICS CHECK
option will instruct the program to produce a report consisting of total applied load versus total reactions from the
supports for each primary load case.

PRINT SUPPORT REACTION

By default, support reactions are printed in the global axis directions. The above command is an instruction for such
a report.

SET INCLINED REACTION

PRINT SUPPORT REACTION

Just earlier, we saw how to obtain support reactions in the global axis system. What if we need them in the inclined
axis system? The “SET INCLINED REACTION” is a switch for that purpose. It tells the program that reactions should
be reported in the inclined axis system instead of the global axis system. This has to be followed by the PRINT
SUPPORT REACTIONS command.

PRINT MEMBER FORCES

PRINT JOINT DISP
FINISH

Member forces are reported in the local axis system of the members. Joint displacements at all joints are reported
in the global axis system. Following this, the STAAD run is terminated.

STAAD Output File

PAGE NO. 1

****************************************************
* *
* STAAD.Pro V8i SELECTseries6 *
* Version 20.07.11.79 *
* Proprietary Program of *
* Bentley Systems, Inc. *
* Date= JUN 16, 2016 *
* Time= 1:13:54 *
* *
* USER ID: Bentley Systems *
****************************************************

1. STAAD SPACE
INPUT FILE: EXAMP19.STD
2. INPUT WIDTH 79
3. UNIT METER KN
4. JOINT COORDINATES
5. 1 0 5 0; 2 10 5 10; 3 20 5 20; 4 30 5 30; 5 5 0 5; 6 25 0 25
6. MEMBER INCIDENCES
7. 1 1 2; 2 2 3; 3 3 4; 4 5 2; 5 6 3
8. UNIT MMS KN
9. MEMBER PROPERTY AMERICAN
10. 4 5 PRIS YD 800

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11. 1 TO 3 PRIS YD 750 ZD 500

12. CONSTANTS
13. E CONCRETE ALL
14. POISSON CONCRETE ALL
15. DENSITY CONCRETE ALL
16. UNIT METER KN
17. SUPPORTS
18. 5 INC REF 10 5 10 FIXED BUT MX MY MZ KFX 30000
19. 6 INC REFJT 3 FIXED BUT MX MY MZ KFX 30000
20. 1 PINNED
21. 4 INC 1 0 1 FIXED BUT FX MX MY MZ
22. LOAD 1 DEAD LOAD
23. SELFWEIGHT Y -1.2
24. LOAD 2 LIVE LOAD
25. MEMBER LOAD
26. 1 TO 3 UNI GY -6
27. LOAD COMB 3
28. 1 1.0 2 1.0
29. PERFORM ANALYSIS PRINT STATICS CHECK
STAAD SPACE -- PAGE NO. 2

P R O B L E M S T A T I S T I C S
-----------------------------------
NUMBER OF JOINTS 6 NUMBER OF MEMBERS 5
NUMBER OF PLATES 0 NUMBER OF SOLIDS 0
NUMBER OF SURFACES 0 NUMBER OF SUPPORTS 4

SOLVER USED IS THE IN-CORE ADVANCED MATH SOLVER

TOTAL PRIMARY LOAD CASES = 2, TOTAL DEGREES OF FREEDOM = 27

TOTAL LOAD COMBINATION CASES = 1 SO FAR.

STAAD SPACE -- PAGE NO. 3

STATIC LOAD/REACTION/EQUILIBRIUM SUMMARY FOR CASE NO. 1

DEAD LOAD
CENTER OF FORCE BASED ON X FORCES ONLY (METE).
(FORCES IN NON-GLOBAL DIRECTIONS WILL INVALIDATE RESULTS)
X = 0.103830050E+02
Y = 0.250000010E+01
Z = 0.103830050E+02
CENTER OF FORCE BASED ON Y FORCES ONLY (METE).
(FORCES IN NON-GLOBAL DIRECTIONS WILL INVALIDATE RESULTS)
X = 0.150000001E+02
Y = 0.411580006E+01
Z = 0.150000001E+02
CENTER OF FORCE BASED ON Z FORCES ONLY (METE).
(FORCES IN NON-GLOBAL DIRECTIONS WILL INVALIDATE RESULTS)
X = 0.103830050E+02
Y = 0.250000010E+01
Z = 0.103830050E+02
TOTAL APPLIED LOAD 1
***TOTAL APPLIED LOAD ( KN METE ) SUMMARY (LOADING 1 )
SUMMATION FORCE-X = -0.00
SUMMATION FORCE-Y = -696.00
SUMMATION FORCE-Z = -0.00

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SUMMATION OF MOMENTS AROUND THE ORIGIN-

MX= 10439.93 MY= 0.00 MZ= -10439.93
TOTAL REACTION LOAD 1
***TOTAL REACTION LOAD( KN METE ) SUMMARY (LOADING 1 )
SUMMATION FORCE-X = 0.00
SUMMATION FORCE-Y = 696.00
SUMMATION FORCE-Z = 0.00
SUMMATION OF MOMENTS AROUND THE ORIGIN-
MX= -10439.93 MY= 0.00 MZ= 10439.93
MAXIMUM DISPLACEMENTS ( CM /RADIANS) (LOADING 1)
MAXIMUMS AT NODE
X = -7.99237E-01 5
Y = -2.49498E+00 3
Z = -7.99237E-01 5
RX= -2.66161E-03 4
RY= 8.87023E-16 4
RZ= 2.66161E-03 4
STAAD SPACE -- PAGE NO. 4

STATIC LOAD/REACTION/EQUILIBRIUM SUMMARY FOR CASE NO. 2

LIVE LOAD
CENTER OF FORCE BASED ON Y FORCES ONLY (METE).
(FORCES IN NON-GLOBAL DIRECTIONS WILL INVALIDATE RESULTS)
X = 0.149999999E+02
Y = 0.500000017E+01
Z = 0.149999999E+02
TOTAL APPLIED LOAD 2
***TOTAL APPLIED LOAD ( KN METE ) SUMMARY (LOADING 2 )
SUMMATION FORCE-X = 0.00
SUMMATION FORCE-Y = -254.56
SUMMATION FORCE-Z = 0.00
SUMMATION OF MOMENTS AROUND THE ORIGIN-
MX= 3818.38 MY= 0.00 MZ= -3818.38
TOTAL REACTION LOAD 2
***TOTAL REACTION LOAD( KN METE ) SUMMARY (LOADING 2 )
SUMMATION FORCE-X = 0.00
SUMMATION FORCE-Y = 254.56
SUMMATION FORCE-Z = 0.00
SUMMATION OF MOMENTS AROUND THE ORIGIN-
MX= -3818.38 MY= 0.00 MZ= 3818.38
MAXIMUM DISPLACEMENTS ( CM /RADIANS) (LOADING 2)
MAXIMUMS AT NODE
X = -2.97411E-01 5
Y = -9.31566E-01 3
Z = -2.97411E-01 5
RX= -1.18888E-03 4
RY= 3.29398E-16 4
RZ= 1.18888E-03 4
************ END OF DATA FROM INTERNAL STORAGE ************
30. PRINT SUPPORT REACTION
SUPPORT REACTION
STAAD SPACE -- PAGE NO. 5

SUPPORT REACTIONS -UNIT KN METE STRUCTURE TYPE = SPACE

-----------------
JOINT LOAD FORCE-X FORCE-Y FORCE-Z MOM-X MOM-Y MOM Z

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5 1 215.36 288.60 215.36 0.00 0.00 0.00

2 86.45 94.77 86.45 0.00 0.00 0.00
3 301.81 383.37 301.81 0.00 0.00 0.00
6 1 -212.20 286.84 -212.20 0.00 0.00 0.00
2 -85.19 94.06 -85.19 0.00 0.00 0.00
3 -297.39 380.91 -297.39 0.00 0.00 0.00
1 1 -3.15 60.21 -3.15 0.00 0.00 0.00
2 -1.27 32.84 -1.27 0.00 0.00 0.00
3 -4.42 93.05 -4.42 0.00 0.00 0.00
4 1 0.00 60.33 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
2 0.00 32.89 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
3 0.00 93.22 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
************** END OF LATEST ANALYSIS RESULT **************
31. SET INCLINED REACTION
32. PRINT SUPPORT REACTION
SUPPORT REACTION
STAAD SPACE -- PAGE NO. 6

SUPPORT REACTIONS -UNIT KN METE STRUCTURE TYPE = SPACE

-----------------
JOINT LOAD FORCE-X FORCE-Y FORCE-Z MOM-X MOM-Y MOM Z

5 1 415.30 59.81 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00

2 154.54 6.79 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
3 569.84 66.60 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
6 1 410.64 60.94 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
2 152.67 7.25 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
3 563.31 68.19 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
1 1 -3.15 60.21 -3.15 0.00 0.00 0.00
2 -1.27 32.84 -1.27 0.00 0.00 0.00
3 -4.42 93.05 -4.42 0.00 0.00 0.00
4 1 0.00 60.33 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
2 0.00 32.89 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
3 0.00 93.22 0.00 0.00 0.00 0.00
************** END OF LATEST ANALYSIS RESULT **************
33. PRINT MEMBER FORCES
MEMBER FORCES
STAAD SPACE -- PAGE NO. 7

MEMBER END FORCES STRUCTURE TYPE = SPACE

-----------------
ALL UNITS ARE -- KN METE (LOCAL )
MEMBER LOAD JT AXIAL SHEAR-Y SHEAR-Z TORSION MOM-Y MOM-Z

1 1 1 -4.46 60.21 -0.00 -0.00 0.00 0.00

2 4.46 89.73 0.00 0.00 0.00 -208.74
2 1 -1.79 32.84 -0.00 -0.00 -0.00 0.00
2 1.79 52.01 0.00 0.00 0.00 -135.58
3 1 -6.25 93.05 -0.00 -0.00 0.00 0.00
2 6.25 141.75 0.00 0.00 0.00 -344.32
2 1 2 300.10 75.79 -0.00 -0.00 -0.00 125.95
3 -300.10 74.15 0.00 0.00 0.00 -114.37
2 2 120.47 42.75 -0.00 -0.00 -0.00 76.77
3 -120.47 42.10 0.00 0.00 0.00 -72.12

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3 2 420.57 118.55 -0.00 -0.00 -0.00 202.71

3-420.57 116.25 0.00 0.00 0.00 -186.49
3 1 3 0.00 89.61 0.00 -0.00 -0.00 207.02
4 0.00 60.33 -0.00 0.00 -0.00 0.00
2 3 0.00 51.96 0.00 0.00 -0.00 134.89
4 0.00 32.89 -0.00 -0.00 0.00 0.00
3 3 0.00 141.58 0.00 -0.00 -0.00 341.90
4 0.00 93.22 -0.00 0.00 -0.00 0.00
4 1 5 415.30 59.81 0.00 0.00 -0.00 0.00
2-344.24 40.69 -0.00 -0.00 -0.00 82.79
2 5 154.54 6.79 0.00 0.00 -0.00 0.00
2-154.54 -6.79 -0.00 -0.00 -0.00 58.81
3 5 569.84 66.60 0.00 0.00 -0.00 0.00
2-498.77 33.90 -0.00 -0.00 -0.00 141.61
5 1 6 410.64 60.94 0.00 -0.00 0.00 0.00
3-339.58 39.55 -0.00 0.00 -0.00 92.64
2 6 152.67 7.25 0.00 -0.00 0.00 -0.00
3-152.67 -7.25 -0.00 0.00 -0.00 62.77
3 6 563.31 68.19 0.00 -0.00 0.00 -0.00
3-492.25 32.30 -0.00 0.00 -0.00 155.41
************** END OF LATEST ANALYSIS RESULT **************
34. PRINT JOINT DISP
STAAD SPACE -- PAGE NO. 8

JOINT DISP
STAAD SPACE -- PAGE NO. 9

JOINT DISPLACEMENT (CM RADIANS) STRUCTURE TYPE = SPACE

------------------
JOINT LOAD X-TRANS Y-TRANS Z-TRANS X-ROTAN Y-ROTAN Z-ROTAN

1 1 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0026 0.0000 -0.0026

2 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0012 0.0000 -0.0012
3 0.0000 0.0000 0.0000 0.0038 0.0000 -0.0038
2 1 0.0005 -2.4510 0.0005 0.0007 0.0000 -0.0007
2 0.0002 -0.9139 0.0002 0.0003 0.0000 -0.0003
3 0.0008 -3.3649 0.0008 0.0011 0.0000 -0.0011
3 1 -0.0363 -2.4950 -0.0363 -0.0007 0.0000 0.0007
2 -0.0146 -0.9316 -0.0146 -0.0003 0.0000 0.0003
3 -0.0509 -3.4265 -0.0509 -0.0011 0.0000 0.0011
4 1 -0.0363 0.0000 -0.0363 -0.0027 0.0000 0.0027
2 -0.0146 0.0000 -0.0146 -0.0012 0.0000 0.0012
3 -0.0509 0.0000 -0.0509 -0.0039 0.0000 0.0039
5 1 -0.7992 -0.7992 -0.7992 0.0023 0.0000 -0.0023
2 -0.2974 -0.2974 -0.2974 0.0007 0.0000 -0.0007
3 -1.0966 -1.0966 -1.0966 0.0031 0.0000 -0.0031
6 1 0.7903 -0.7903 0.7903 -0.0024 0.0000 0.0024
2 0.2938 -0.2938 0.2938 -0.0008 0.0000 0.0008
3 1.0841 -1.0841 1.0841 -0.0032 0.0000 0.0032
************** END OF LATEST ANALYSIS RESULT **************
35. FINISH
*********** END OF THE STAAD.Pro RUN ***********
**** DATE= JUN 16,2016 TIME= 1:13:55 ****
STAAD SPACE -- PAGE NO. 10

************************************************************

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* For technical assistance on STAAD.Pro, please visit *

* http://selectservices.bentley.com/en-US/ *
* *
* Details about additional assistance from *
* Bentley and Partners can be found at program menu *
* Help->Technical Support *
* *
* Copyright (c) 1997-2016 Bentley Systems, Inc. *
* http://www.bentley.com *
************************************************************

Parent topic: STAAD.Pro Application Examples American

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