After opening STAAD software whose latest version is STAADV8i following options are

available.

1)”Project task” which includes

a)New project

b)Open project

c)Open from filewise

d)configuration

e)Backup manager

f)Liscence management

A begineer may use New project option and after he gains some momentum he can try
out with other options..

3)Recent file

4)Liscence configuaration

Under liscence configuration all international codes are given.User need to select the
code with which he will design and for every code there is a liscense required…Also in
this column one option is there which is called “Advance STAAD engine” …Please note
activating this facility liscence need to be obtained for Bentley by paying extra cost for
this…The advantage of this facility is that it reduces the time required for analysis and
numerous degree of freedom of a structure are involved…This facility reduces the zeros
in the stiffness matrix there by saving time required for analysis…

Modelling

Next comes the modeling option..Different people have different ways of modeling…

After selecting the type of frame one is interested…which includes plane,space,floor and
truss,model can be created in following ways,

1)In pulldown menu of STAAD in Geometry option one has the option of “Run
structural wizard”..One can model the structure using this..
2)By typing the coordinates nodes can be created which later can be connected by
members to form a frame..

3)Also there are options like copy(by clicking right click of mouse) and in pulldown
menu “geometry option where “translational repeat command” is there..which also can
be used to create a model..

After creating the model support specification needs to be given to the structure…for
which support command can be used…

Next step involve defining the property which can be done using property dialog
box..wherein there is option of “Define” “section database” and user table.Define
command is generally used for RCC structure and database contains all standard steel
section of different counties..However if we have any buildup structure ..this property
can be given using “user table”..

Next steps involves “Applying the load”

Load command has many options

a)Member load

b)Joint load

c)Floor load

d)Hydrostatic load etc..

Next load combination needs to be done…

Analysis

After applying the load..user need to give the command “perform analysis” followed by
“Run analysis”…

After this analysis is done ..one can check support reaction,bending moment ,shear force
,deflection etc…
Please note this is just a beginning..There are many other aspect..like applying seismic
load,wind load,moving load,time history load,P delta analysis …once a user gains a
momentum he can slowly proceed with this aspects…

Design

In design respective codes needs to be selected and following parameter needs to be

applied depending on the suitably..

Parameter Description

Name
FYM
Yield Stress for main reinforcing steel.
AIN

FYS
Yield Stress for secondary reinforcing steel.
EC

FC Concrete Yield Stress.

CLE For beam members.

AR For column members

MINM
Minimum main reinforcement bar size.
AIN

MAXM
Maximum main reinforcement bar size.
AIN

MINS
Minimum secondary reinforcement bar size.
EC

MAXS
Maximum secondary reinforcement bar size.
EC

BEAM DESIGN
A value of 1.0 means the effect of axial force will be taken into account
for beam design.
BRA
CING
COLUMN DESIGN
A value of 1.0 means the column is unbraced about major axis.
A value of 2.0 means the column is unbraced about minor axis.
A value of 3.0 means the column is unbraced about both axis.

RAT
Maximum percentage of longitudinal reinforcement in columns.
IO

A value of 4.0 means longitudinal reinforcement in column is arranged

equally along 4 faces.
RFACE
A value of 2.0 invokes 2 faced distribution about major axis.
A value of 3.0 invokes 2 faced distribution about minor axis.

Width to be used for design. This value defaults to ZD as provided

WIDTH
under MEMBER PROPERTIES.

Total depth to be used for design. This value defaults to YD as

DEPTH
provided under MEMBER PROPERTIES.

BEAM DESIGN:
For TRACK = 0.0, output consists of reinforcement details at START,
TRACK
MIDDLE and END.
For TRACK = 1.0, critical moments are printed in addition to TRACK
 0.0 output.
For TRACK = 2.0, required steel for intermediate sections defined by
NSECTION are printed in addition to TRACK 1.0 output.
COLUMN DESIGN:
With TRACK = 0.0, reinforcement details are printed.
With TRACK = 1.0, column interaction analysis results are printed in
addition to TRACK 0.0 output.
With TRACK = 2.0, a schematic interaction diagram and intermediate
interaction values are printed in addition to TRACK 1.0 output.
With TRACK = 9.0, the details of section capacity calculations are
printed.

REINF Tied column. A value of 1.0 will mean spiral reinforcement.

ELZ Ratio of effective length to actual length of column about major axis.

ELZ Ratio of effective length to actual length of column about major axis.

Ratio of unsupported length to actual length of column about minor

ULY
axis.

ULZ Ratio of unsupportd length to actual length of column about major axis.

A value of 0.0 means torsion to be considered in beam design.

TORSION
A value of 1.0 means torsion to be neglected in beam design.

Minimum clear distance between main reinforcing bars in beam and

SPSMAIN column. For column centre to centre distance between main bars
cannot exceed 300mm.

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
SFACE
also be used to check against shear at any point from the start of the
member.

Face of support location at end of beam. The parameter can also be

EFACE used to check against shear at any point from the end of the member.
(Note: Both SFACE and EFACE are input as positive numbers).

Perform shear check against enhanced shear strength as per Cl. 40.5
of IS456:2000.

ENSH = 1.0 means ordinary shear check to be performed ( no

enhancement of shear strength at sections close to support)

For ENSH = a positive value(say x ), shear strength will be enhanced

ENSH upto 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 )
For ENSH = a negative value(say –y), shear strength will be enhanced
upto 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)
If default value (0.0) is used 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.

Distance of the start or end point of the member from its nearest
RENSH support. This parameter is used only when a span of a beam is
subdivided into two or more parts.

Next design beam and column option needs to be given..

Please note while modeling one uses “Global coordinate axis” and the results are in
“Local coordinate axis”.This convention are given in STAAD help menu…

In a nutshell STAAD involves the following

Creating a structural model. This consists of generating the structural geometry,

specifying member properties, material constants, loads, analysis and design
specifications, etc

· Visualization and verification of the model geometry

· Running the STAAD analysis to perform analysis and design

· Verification of results - graphically and numerically

· Report generation and printing

The best way of learning STAAD is through help menu of STAAD…….STAAD is a user
friendly package and graphical user interface of STAAD is superb

Hope this helps

Regards,

S.Adhikari