9A1.

3 Design Parameters

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Indian Codes - Concrete Design per IS 13920

11B.3 Design Parameters
The program contains a number of parameters that are needed to perform design as per IS 13920. It accepts all parameters that
are needed to perform design as per IS:456. Over and above it has some other parameters that are required only when designed is
performed as per IS:13920. Default parameter values have been selected such that they are frequently used numbers for
conventional design requirements. These values may be changed to suit the particular design being performed. Table 8A1.1 of this
manual contains a complete list of the available parameters and their default values. It is necessary to declare length and force
units as Millimeter and Newton before performing the concrete design.
Once a parameter is specified, its value stays at that specified number until it is specified again. This is the way STAAD
works for all codes.

Table 11B.1-Indian Concrete Design IS 13920 Parameters

Parameter
Name
CODE

Default
Value
-

Description
Must be specified as IS13920
Design Code to follow.
See section 5.52.2 of the Technical Reference
Manual.

BRACING

0.0

Beam Design
1.0
= the effect of axial force will be taken
into account for beam design.
Column Design: Correspond to the terms "Braced"
and "Unbraced" described in Notes 1, 2, and 3 of
Clause 39.7.1 of IS456:2000.
1.0
axis.
2.0
axis.
3.0
axis.

= the column is unbraced about major

= the column is unbraced about minor
= the column is unbraced about both

DEPTH

YD

Total depth to be used for design. This value

defaults to YD (depth of section in Y direction) as
provided under MEMBER PROPERTIES.

CLEAR

25 mm

For beam members.

40 mm

For column members

This is the clear cover to the outermost main
reinforcing bar. It is not the clear cover
for the stirrups or the tie bars.

COMBINE

0.0

Default value means there will be no member

combination.
1.0 = no printout of sectional force and
critical load for combined member in the
output.
2.0 = printout of sectional force for
combined member in the output.
3.0 = printout of both sectional force and

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critical load for combined member in the

output. ***
EFACE

0.0

Face of support location at end of beam. The

parameter can also be used to check against shear at
any point from the end of the member.
Both SFACE and EFACE are input as positive
numbers.*

ELZ

1.0

Ratio of effective length to actual length of column

about major axis.

ELY

1.0

Ratio of effective length to actual length of column

about minor axis.

ENSH

0.0

Perform shear check against enhanced shear

strength as per Cl. 40.5 of IS456:2000.
1.0 = ordinary shear check to be
performed ( no enhancement of shear
strength at sections close to support)
a positive value(say x ) = shear strength
will be enhanced up to a distance x from
the start of the member. This is used
only when a span of a beam is
subdivided into two or more parts.
(Refer note after Table 8A.1 )
a negative value(say y) = shear strength
will be enhanced up to a distance y from
the end of the member. This is used only
when a span of a beam is subdivided into
two or more parts.(Refer note after Table
8A.1)
0.0 = the program will calculate Length
to Overall Depth ratio. If this ratio is
greater than 2.5, shear strength will be
enhanced at sections (<2d) close to
support otherwise ordinary shear check
will be performed.

EUDL

None

Equivalent u.d.l on span of the beam. This load

value must be the unfactored load on span. During
design the load value is multiplied by a factor 1.2. If
no u.d.l is defined factored shear force due to gravity
load on span will be taken as zero. No elastic or
plastic moment will be calculated. Shear design will
be performed based on analysis result.(Refer note)

FYMAIN

415 N/mm2

Yield Stress for main reinforcing steel.

FYSEC

415 N/mm2

Yield Stress for secondary reinforcing steel.

FC

30 N/mm2

Concrete Yield Stress.

GLD

None

Gravity load number to be considered for calculating

equivalent u.d.l on span of the beam, in case no
EUDL is mentioned in the input. This loadcase can
be any static loadcase containing MEMBER LOAD
on the beam which includes UNI, CON, LIN and
TRAP member loading. CMOM member loading is

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considered only when it is specified in local

direction. FLOOR LOAD is also considered.
The load can be primary or combination load. For
combination load only load numbers included in
load combination is considered. The load factors are
ignored. Internally the unfactored load is multiplied
by a factor 1.2 during design.
If both EUDL and GLD parameters are mentioned in
the input mentioned EUDL will be considered in
design
No dynamic (Response spectrum, 1893, Time
History) and moving load cases are
considered.
CMOM member loading in global direction is not

considered.
UMOM member loading is not considered.

HLINK

IPLM

Spacing of
longitudinal
bars
measured to
the outer face
0.0

Longer dimension of the rectangular confining hoop

measured to its outer face. It shall not exceed 300
mm as per Cl. 7.4.8. If the HLINK value as provided in
the input file does not satisfy the clause the value
will be internally assumed as the default one. This
parameter is valid for rectangular column.
Default value calculates elastic/plastic hogging and
sagging moments of resistance of beam at its ends.
1.0 = calculation of elastic/plastic
hogging and sagging moments of
resistance of beam to be ignored at start
node of beam. This implies no support
exists at start node.
-1.0 = calculation of elastic/plastic
hogging and sagging moments of
resistance of beam to be considered at
start node of beam. . This implies
support exists at start node.
2.0 = calculation of elastic/plastic
hogging and sagging moments of
resistance of beam to be ignored at end
node of beam. This implies no support
exists at end node.
-2.0 = calculation of elastic/plastic
hogging and sagging moments of
resistance of beam to be considered at
end node of beam. . This implies support
exists at end node. **

IMB

0.0

Default value calculates elastic/plastic hogging and

sagging moments of resistance of beam at its ends.
1.0 = calculation of elastic/plastic
hogging and sagging moments of
resistance of beam to be ignored at both
ends of beam. This implies no support

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exist at either end of the member.

-1.0 = calculation of elastic/plastic
hogging and sagging moments of
resistance of beam to be considered at
both ends of beam. This implies support
exist at both ends of the member.**
MINMAIN

10 mm

Minimum main reinforcement bar size.

MAXMAIN

60 mm

Maximum main reinforcement bar size.

MINSEC

8 mm

Minimum secondary reinforcement bar size.

MAXSEC

12 mm

Maximum secondary reinforcement bar size.

PLASTIC

0.0

Default value calculates elastic hogging and sagging

moments of resistance of beam at its ends.
1.0 = plastic hogging and sagging
moments of resistance of beam to be
calculated at its ends.

RATIO

4.0

Maximum percentage of longitudinal reinforcement

in columns.

REINF

0.0

0.0 = Tied column (default)

1.0 = spiral reinforcement

RENSH

0.0

Distance of the start or end point of the member

from its nearest support. This parameter is used only
when a span of a beam is subdivided into two or
more parts.
Refer note after Table 9A.1

RFACE

4.0

4.0 = longitudinal reinforcement in column is

arranged equally along four faces.
2.0 invokes two faced distribution about major axis.
3.0 invokes two faced distribution about minor axis.

SFACE

0.0

Face of support location at start of beam. It is used

to check against shear at the face of the support in
beam design. The parameter can also be used to
check against shear at any point from the start of the
member.*
Both SFACE and EFACE are input as positive
numbers.*

SPSMAIN

25 mm

TORISION

0.0

Minimum clear distance between main reinforcing

bars in beam and column. For column center to
center distance between main bars cannot exceed
300 mm.
0.0 = torsion to be considered in beam design.
1.0 = torsion to be neglected in beam design.

TRACK

0.0

Beam Design:
0.0 = output consists of reinforcement
details at START, MIDDLE and END.

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1.0 = critical moments are printed in

addition to TRACK 0.0 output.
2.0 = required steel for intermediate
sections defined by NSECTION are
printed in addition to TRACK 1.0 output.
Column Design:
0.0 = reinforcement details are printed.
1.0 = column interaction analysis results
are printed in addition to TRACK 0.0
output.
2.0 = a schematic interaction diagram
and intermediate interaction values are
printed in addition to TRACK 1.0 output.
ULY

1.0

Ratio of unsupported length to actual length of

column about minor axis.

ULZ

1.0

Ratio of unsupported length to actual length of

column about major axis.

WIDTH

ZD

Width to be used for design. This value defaults to

ZD as provided under MEMBER PROPERTIES.

Bar combination has been introduced for detailing. Please refer section 9A1.6 for details.
* EFACE and SFACE command is not valid for member combination.
** IPLM and IMB commands are not valid for member combination. These commands are ignored for members forming physical
member.
*** The purpose of COMBINE command is the following:
1. If a beam spanning between two supports is subdivided into many sub-beams this parameter will combine them into one
member. It can also be used to combine members to form one continuous beam spanning over more than two supports.
2. When two or more members are combined during design plastic or elastic moments will be calculated at the column
supports. At all the intermediate nodes (if any) this calculation will be ignored.
Please note that the program only recognizes column at right angle to the beam. Inclined column support is
ignored.
3. It will calculate sectional forces at 13 sections along the length of the combined member.
4. It will calculate critical loads (similar to that of Design Load Summary) for all active load cases during design.
Beams will be combined only when DESIGN BEAM command is issued.
The following lines should be satisfied during combination of members:
1. Members to be combined should have same sectional properties if any single span between two column supports of a
continuous beam is subdivided into several members.
2. Members to be combined should have same constants (E, Poi ratio, alpha, density, and beta angle)
3. Members to be combined should lie in one straight line.
4. Members to be combined should be continuous.
5. Vertical members (i.e., columns) cannot be combined.
6. Same member cannot be used more than once to form two different combined members.
7. The maximum number of members that can be combined into one member is 299.
Sectional forces and critical load for combined member output will only be available when all the members combined
are successfully designed in both flexure and shear.

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ENSH and RENSH parameters will have to be provided (as and when necessary) even if physical member has been formed.

11B.3.1 Example
The following lines show a standard example for design to be performed in IS 13920.
STAAD SPACE
UNIT METER MTON
JOINT COORDINATES

MEMBER INCIDENCES

MEMBER PROPERTY INDIAN

CONSTANTS

SUPPORTS

DEFINE 1893 LOAD

ZONE 0.05 I 1 K 1 B 1
SELFWEIGHT
JOINT WEIGHT

LOAD 1 SEISMIC LOAD IN X DIR

1893 LOAD X 1
LOAD 2 SEISMIC LOAD IN Z DIR
1893 LOAD Z 1
LOAD 3 DL
MEMBER LOAD
UNI GY -5
LOAD 4 LL
MEMBER LOAD
. UNI GY -3
LOAD COMB 5 1.5(DL+LL)
3 1.5 4 1.5
LOAD COMB 6 1.2(DL+LL+SLX)
1 1.2 3 1.2 4 1.2
LOAD COMB 7 1.2(DL+LL-SLX)
1 1.2 3 1.2 4 -1.2
LOAD COMB 8 1.2(DL+LL+SLZ)
2 1.2 3 1.2 4 1.2
LOAD COMB 9 1.2(DL+LL-SLZ)

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2 1.2 3 1.2 4 -1.2

PDELTA ANALYSIS
LOAD LIST 5 TO 9
START CONCRETE DESIGN
CODE IS13920
UNIT MMS NEWTON
FYMAIN 415 ALL
FC 20 ALL
MINMAIN 12 ALL
MAXMAIN 25 ALL
TRACK 2.0 ALL
*** UNFACTORED GRAVITY LOAD ON MEMBERS 110 TO 112 IS 8 T/M (DL+LL) I.E., 78.46 NEW/MM
EUDL 78.46 MEMB 110 TO 112
** MEMBERS TO BE COMBINED INTO ONE PHYSICAL MEMBER
COMBINE 3.0 MEMB 110 TO 112
*** PLASTIC MOMENT CONSIDERED
PLASTIC 1.0 MEMB 110 TO 112
DESIGN BEAM 110 TO 112
DESIGN COLUMN
END CONCRETE DESIGN
FINISH

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