PreparedbyAyeglAskan&smailOzanDemirelforCE384,Fall2008

MiniSAP2000TutorialforanExampleBeam(HandsonExerciseintheLab.)

Question:HowdowemodelthebeamwehadanalyzedmanuallyinHomework#3usingSAP2000?
This is a minitutorial prepared for the structural analysis of a sample beam using SAP2000. Please note that the
orderofstepsbelowisnotimportant,howeveroneshouldbecarefulincompletingallofthembeforetheanalysis.
You might need to use other options in other versions or for other problems; this is only one sample use of the
softwareforabeamanalysis.SAP2000hasaverystrongtutorialitself,whichyoucanAccessfromtheHelpmenu
andyouareencouragedtoreaditwheneveryouhavequestions.
1)DefineModelGeometry

a) Defining the New Model: The first step when you start SAP2000 is to start a New Model under the File
menu.

b) Basic Units: If you are starting a new model, choose the Initialize Model from Defaults with Units you
want to use (Fig1). The units used to start a model become the basic units for that model. All material
constantsanddimensionssuchasmodulusofelasticity,length,area,momentofinertiashouldbedefined
compatiblewiththebasicunits.Itispossible,however,tousetheUnitsdropdownlistonthestatusbarto
changetheunitsatanytime.

Figure1

c)TypeofStructure:Choosingatemplatethatcloselyresemblesthestructuretobeanalyzedanddesigned
can greatly speed the overall modeling process in most cases. Pick a Structure template from the Select
Template option (choose beam for our case,Fig2). Please note that there are many other options available
accordingtothetypeofstructureyouwishtoanalyze.

Figure2
B
C
12kN/m
cable
10m
A
D
EI
bcum
: S x 1u
4
kN. m
2

EA
cubIc
:4 x 1u
4
kN
Beamisaxiallyrigid.
10m 8m

PreparedbyAyeglAskan&smailOzanDemirelforCE384,Fall2008

d) Defining Dimensions & Grid Generation: When you select beam, a new window will appear asking the
dimensionsrequiredtodrawtheshapeofthebeamtobeanalyzed.ToeditgridsmanuallytickUseCustom
Grid Spacing and Locate Origin box and hit Edit Grid button. Set ordinates on X Grid Data as x1=0, x2=10,
x3=18andsetordinatesonZGridDataasz1=0,z2=10(Fig3).Inordertoaddextraelementstothestructure,
click Draw menu and choose the type of element you wish to add. Choose Draw Frame/Cable/Tendon in
ordertodrawcableconnectedtothebeam.

Figure3

e) Support Conditions: By default, SAP2000 will assign pin support restraints at the supports. To view or
change the supports connections, click on the grid point where the support is and choose Joint under the
Assignmenu,andselectRestraints(fig4).

Figure4

f)EndReleases:CableBDisattachedtothebeamsuchthatthereisnomomenttransferbetweenthebeam
and the cable. In order to model this behavior select cable BD, follow Assign > Frame/Cable/Tendon >
Releases/PartialFixityandReleaseMoment33atstartandendjoints(fig5).

Figure5

PreparedbyAyeglAskan&smailOzanDemirelforCE384,Fall2008

2)DefineMaterialProperties&FrameSections

a) Material Properties: To assign the material properties of the members in our beam and cable, choose
Materials under the Define menu. A window will appear where you can either choose among the default
materials or you can define your own material by clicking Add New Material. When new material window
appears,youcanenterproperties.(Pleasenotethatifyoudonotwanttheselfweightofthestructuretobe
considered,entermassandweightperunitvolumeas0.0)
Hint: If flexural rigidity (EI) and axial rigidity (AE) of sections are given instead of section dimensions and
modulusofelasticity,takeE=1forsimplicity(Fig6).

Figure6

b) Frame Sections: To define the crosssection properties of structural elements, click on Frame Sections
option under the Define menu. The Frame Properties window will appear. If you do not want to use
standard sections, choose Add General under Choose Property Type and Add segment and hit Add New
Propertybutton(Fig7).(PleasenotethatonecanaswellassignaRectangularframesectionandenterthe
widthanddepthaswell,ifthesectionisrectangularanddimensionsareknown.)

Figure7
Forcable:onlyenterthearea,restofthecoefficientsiszeroforourcase
Forbeam:assignalargevaluetoareasuchas10e6inordertoassureaxialrigidity,entermomentofinertia
aboutmajoraxis,andrestofthecoefficientsiszeroforourcase.
Do not forget to assign a Section Name and the Material Property you defined in previous step to your
framesection.

PreparedbyAyeglAskan&smailOzanDemirelforCE384,Fall2008

3)AssignFrameSections&StructuralLoads

a) Assigning Frame Sections: In the previous step, you defined two new frame section (cable and beam)
whereyouaddedthematerialpropertyyouhaddefinedbefore.Now,youshouldselecttheframemembers
which you wish to assign the frame section properties you defined. In order to assign frame section to a
selectedmemberfollow:Assign>Frame/Cable/Tendon>FrameSections.

b)DefiningStructuralLoads:Todefinedistributedloadsontheelements,clickthememberwherethereisa
distributed load, and then follow: Assign > Frame/Cable/Tendon Loads> Distributed. (Similarly to define
joint forces on the structure, click on the joint where there is a force and select the joint loads from the
assignmenu.)

4)Analyze
a) Analysis Options: Under the Analyze menu choose Modal and click Run/Do not Run Case to prevent
modal analysis (modal analysis is not required for our case). Press Run Now. You will be asked a file name
where the results of the analysis will be saved. (Opening a new folder to save all the output files is
recommended.)AfteryouseeAnalysisdonewindow,clickOK.

b) Run Analysis: Under the Analyze menu choose Modal and click Run/Do not Run Case to prevent modal
analysis (modal analysis is not required for our case). Press Run Now. You will be asked a file name where
theresultsoftheanalysiswillbesaved.(Openinganewfoldertosavealltheoutputfilesisrecommended.)
AfteryouseeAnalysisdonewindow,clickOK.

5)AnalysisResults

a)DeformedShape:ThedefaultinitialoutputofSAP2000isthedeformedshapeofthestructure.Ifyouright
click on the joints (Fig8) on this deformed shape, you can see the magnitudes of the deformations at the
joints

Figure8

b)MemberForcesandSupportReactions:Toseethevaluesofthesupportreactions,ormoment,shearand
axial forces, or diagrams, choose Show Forces/Stresses from the Display menu. Choose Joints or
Frames/Cablesfromthemenu.Youcanseethevaluesoftheforcesanddiagramsyouwishtosee.(Afterthe
force diagrams are plotted, if you right click on a member, you can see the values on the moment/force
diagramsindetail.)
Youcanalsoseeanalysisresultsintabularform.ChooseShowTablesunderDisplaymenuandselecttypeof
resultyouareinterested.Youcanalsoexportsap2000analysisresultstoexcel:Display>ShowTables>tick
boxesnearinterestedresults>clickOK>File>ExportCurrentTable>ToExcel.