Primary Training

First Steps

Description Author Date Tekla UK July 2012

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This first exercise will involve the creation of a new model; the setting out and creation of grids; working with views and; inserting basic steel and concrete members into the model. Well also look at the different snapping options and the effects they have. Creating a Model
When creating a new model, there will be several options to choose from:

The Save in option is where the model folder will be saved, and is usually the default <TeklaStructuresModels> folder created during installation. The Model name is what this model will be called. Its a good idea to try and decide on a permanent name at this point which will not change. Changing the name of the model can be done afterwards, but involves changing several file names. Model template allows you to start a model with a companys templates and settings predefined. This is especially useful for sub-contractors. For this model we can set to (None). Model type refers to whether the model will be a single or multi-user model. Multi-user is where several people can work on the same model simultaneously. Here well be using Single-user.

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After creating the model you should have in front of you a 3d view and a default grid.

The mouse pointer should be an arrow, which means its in selection mode. When the pointer is an arrow it means you can pick or select something with the left mouse button. After it is selected, clicking the right mouse button will bring up a menu related to that item. The general rule in Tekla is that you can select or pick something with one click, and bring up its properties with a double -click - as long as youre in selection mode. This goes for objects in the model, views and also toolbar commands.

Controlling Views
Firstly, well see how the view navigation works. By holding the middle mouse button and dragging the mouse you can pan the view around. By rotating the mouse wheel you can zoom in and out of where the pointer is placed. By holding Ctrl and the middle mouse button you can rotate the view around by moving the mouse. Note - The point of rotation (the dashed purple circle) can be set at any time by pressing V on the keyboard and selecting a new point. You can also tick the Automatic Rotation Centre option through the Tools>Options menu, which means a new centre of rotation is specified with each press.

Workarea
The dashed box around the grid is the work area. In a view, you will only be able to see the parts that are within this workarea. This can be reduced at any time to allow you to work in a specific area, and also extended to include the whole model by choosing the Fit Work Area to Entire Model option from the right click menu of the view. The view needs to be selected to do this. A selected view will have a red border around it, meaning it is the active view. Double clicking on the background of a view will bring up the view properties, which allows you to change various options related to the view.

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Creating a Grid
Now well alter the default grid. Double click the grid to bring up its properties. The Grid dialogue box will appear. The first three options are for the coordinates of the grid - or where you want the lines to be and the second three allow you to label the grid lines. Note these must correspond to be correct when using the Create Views Along Gridlines tool. Change the coordinates and labels as shown and Modify the grid properties.

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Inserting Members
Now we can put into the model some basic members. Firstly well put in some concrete columns to form the pad-stones. This command can be started by either clicking the toolbar icon once

or by selecting the option from the Modeling drop down menu (Modeling>Create Concrete Part>Column). Double clicking the icon or holding Shift when selecting from the drop down menu will bring up the Concrete Column Properties box. Bring up the properties and change the profile in the Attributes tab to 1000*1000, and the top and bottom levels in the Position tab to -450 and -1000 respectively.

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Pressing OK or Apply will then set these properties for this command. The only difference between the two is that OK will close the dialogue box and Apply will leave it open, allowing you to insert different members into the model with the same command. After starting a command the cursor will change to a cross, meaning that command is now active. The text at the bottom left corner of the screen will give you the instructions related to that command, in this case Pick position. Place a concrete column at each of the grid intersections. You should notice that the cursor is Snapping to various points of the grid with the shape of the yellow symbol changing. This shape represents the snapping point. What the cursor will automatically snap to is determined by which snaps are selected on the Snapping toolbar.

You can overide these and pick a specific point at any time by right clicking whilst in a command and selecting from the menu.

The command will remain active until you Interrupt, which ends the command and takes you back to Selection mode. You can interrupt by pressing Esc or choosing from the right click menu.

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After interrupting, the cursor will change back to an arrow, allowing you to select any objects in the model. Multiple items can be selected by holding Shift or Ctrl when selecting. Shift will only allow you to select, while Ctrl will also allow you to deselect. You can also use a window to pick multiple items. The direction which you create the window affects what is included in the selection left to right means the whole object must be in the window, while right to left will include the object in the selection as long as any part of it is in the window. Next well put in some steel columns. Double click the Create Column icon

or select the command from the drop down menu while holding Shift (Modeling>Create Steel Part>Column) to bring up the Column properties. Change the Profile to UC203*203*46 and the top and bottom levels to 6000 and -425 respectively, then press OK, which will set these properties to the command.

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Now place a column at each of the grid intersections over the pad stones, Interrupting when finished to end the command.

Next well alter the rotation of the four columns at grids B/1, B/4, C/1 and C/4. This can be done either by bringing up the properties of the member, changing the properties and pressing Modify, or by using the Mini Toolbar. For this well use the Mini Toolbar, which allows you to easily modify objects and copy their properties elsewhere. Selecting one of the columns should bring up a transparent menu just next to it, which will become solid as you hover the cursor over it.

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There will be several properties available to change. Click on the Position icon and move the green dot around the outer circle 90 degrees, which you will see will rotate the column in the model.

Then double click the Copy properties icon and pick the other three columns.

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When an object in the model is selected, you will notice a yellow and purple dot appear at each end of the member.

These are the start and end points of that member, with the theoretical line between them the reference line. When placing an item into the model, the point or points picked represent where this reference line will be. The object can be positioned relative to this line by changing the various Position settings in the object properties. Note it is good idea when modeling in Tekla to position the parts relative to the reference line where you would like the dimensions on the drawings to be from i.e. centrally in both directions for columns and bracings, and centrally on plan and below or Behind on elevation for beams. Now well put some beams between the columns. Bring up the Beam properties (Modeling>Create Steel Part>Beam)

Change the profile to a UB305*165*40 and press OK. We want to place the beams from the centre line of each column along the top level. It will make this easier to do by turning off Snap to geometry lines

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This will mean youre only able to snap to the reference lines of parts, not the part itself. It is a good idea to have this switched off when positioning the members as it greatly reduces the risk of picking a wrong point. With the beam command started, note the difference between this being switched on and off and what you can snap to. Snap to geometry lines switched on

Snap to geometry lines switched off

With Snap to geometry lines switched off, place 3 beams between the columns along grid line 1, and 3 between the columns along grid line A.

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Now interrupt, select the 3 beams on grid line 1, right click and select Copy.

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Copy the beams from grid 1 to grids 2, 3 and 4, then do the same for the beams on grid A, copying them to grids B, C and D.

Next well put some diagonal members in between grids 3 and 4, and C and D. Open the Beam properties, change the profile to UB254*146*31 and press OK.

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Now we need to select a point to reference from, so with Ctrl held pick the top of the column on grid C/4.

Now we can enter a distance from this reference point. Pressing R on the keyboard will bring up the Numeric Location box.

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Here we can specify a distance from the point just picked. The first figure will be in the X direction and the second in Y. If a Z direction is needed then this will come third, however if not there is no need to enter one. So we want to type in the box 2000,0. Pressing OK or the Enter key will then make the first point of the beam 2000 along grid 4 from the column.

Then do the same for the second point, this time entering values of 0,-2000 to set the second point 2000 back along grid C from the same point.

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Instead of putting the other 3 members in the same way, it would be easier and quicker to copy them around the centre point of the bay. Pick the diagonal member, right click and select Copy Special>Rotate.

With the command started we now need to specify a point of rotation. This will be the centre point of the bay. Again, holding Ctrl, pick the top of the column on grid B/4. Now press R and enter the values 2500,-2500. Press OK or Enter and the point of rotation should now be set, filling in the origin values on the left of the Copy Rotate box.

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Change the number of copies to 3, the rotaion angle to 90 and then press Copy. This will create 3 copies of the beam around that point.

Tekla (UK) Limited Tekla House, Cliffe Park Way Morley, Leeds, LS27 0RY U.K. Tel. +44 113 307 1200 Fax +44 113 307 1201