Section Dialog: Properties of Steel Sections

Standard Steel Sections

On this tab, you can select sections from a database.

Properties	Description
	Available section shapes. Click an icon to filter the Family list. If you click the All icon, the Family list displays all section families. If you click a different icon, the list is filtered to display the several families represented by the icon. The image illustrates the shape of sections represented by the icon.
Material	Steel grade associated with a section. Depends on the section type. The Material list displays a list of materials from databases set for your project in the Job Preferences dialog.
Gamma angle	It is a rotation angle that you assign to the section of a linear element. For most sections, the default value is 0.
Label	Name of a section. You can use a standard label assigned automatically, such as, W 16x40.
Color	Color for displaying a section.
Database	The list includes the databases set for your project, in the same order as in the Job Preferences dialog.
Family	The list displays section families. You can filter it by selecting one of the icons.
Section	Section from the database.
Variable	Use this option to define a section that is variable along the element length. It is active only for some section types, such as I-sections and tubes. After you select Variable, enter a value of the section dimension, such as section height for I-sections, or section diameter for tubes. This dimension is automatically added to the section label. This way you define a section with the standard properties at its beginning, and with the properties that you entered at its end. The section height or diameter changes linearly along the element length. Other dimensions of the section do not change.
Elasto-plastic analysis	By default, it is disabled (a section is an elastic section). To specify parameters of elasto-plastic analysis, select the check box. Then click the button. It opens the Elasto-plastic Parameters dialog.

Parametric Steel Sections

On this tab, you can define a section by specifying section dimensions.

	Available section shapes. Click an icon to update the Dimensions panel. Then it displays fields appropriate to the section shape that you select. The image illustrates the shape and dimensions of a section represented by the icon.
Material	Steel grade associated with a section. Depends on the section type. The Material list displays a list of materials from databases set for your project in the Job Preferences dialog.
Gamma angle	It is a rotation angle that you assign to the section of a linear element. For most sections, the default value is 0.
Label	Name of a section. You can use a standard label assigned automatically, such as, RECT_1.
Color	Color for displaying a section.
Dimensions	Section dimensions are illustrated in the image.
Solid	Available under Dimensions, for rectangular and tube sections. Select it to add a section filled inside.
n	Available for polygonal sections. Number of sides for the polygon
D	Available for polygonal sections. Tip to tip diameter. It is a diameter of a circle circumscribed on the outer polygon contour
d	Flat to flat diameter. It is a diameter of a circle inscribed in the outer polygon contour.
Elasto-plastic analysis	By default, the model of steel material is linearly-elastic. To specify properties of the elasto-plastic model of steel material, select the check box and click the Elasto-plastic analysis button. It opens the Elasto-plastic Parameters dialog, where you can specify parameters for the elasto-plastic analysis.

Tapered Steel Sections

	Available section shapes. Click an icon to update the Dimensions panel. Then it displays fields appropriate to the section shape that you select. The image illustrates the shape and dimensions of a section represented by the icon.
Material	Steel grade associated with a section. Depends on the section type. The Material list displays a list of materials from databases set for your project in the Job Preferences dialog.
Gamma angle	It is a rotation angle that you assign to the section of a linear element. For most sections, the default value is 0.
Label	Name of a section. You can use a standard label assigned automatically, such as, RECT_V_1.
Color	Color for displaying a section.
Dimensions	Section dimensions are illustrated in the image.
Start or Origin	Dimensions at the beginning of the section.
End	Dimensions at the end of the section.
Solid	Available for rectangular and tube sections. Select it to define a section filled inside. After you select this option, the edit fields for specifying t wall thickness are inactive.

Compound Steel Sections

On this tab, you can define compound sections, that is sections composed of two or more chords connected by a batten or lattice.

	Available section shapes. Click an icon to update the Dimensions panel with fields appropriate to the section shape that you select. The image illustrates the shape and dimensions of a section represented by the icon.
Material	Steel grade associated with a section. Depends on the section type. The Material list displays a list of materials from databases set for your project in the Job Preferences dialog.
Gamma angle	It is a rotation angle that you assign to the section of a linear element. For most sections, the default value is 0.
Label	Name of a section. You can use a standard label assigned automatically, such as, 2 C 3x3.5 or 4 L 2x2x0.125. Note: Specify labels so that they contain information about the sections from which the chords are made. This information is important for the design of compound sections.
Color	Color for displaying a section.
Database	The list includes the databases set for your project, in the same order as in the Job Preferences dialog.
Family	The list displays section families. You can filter it by selecting one of the icons.
Section	Section from the database.
Spacing d	Distance back to back between components of a compound section. Click to disable the spacing field. Then chords of a compound section are connected to each other by a weld (spacing = 0).
Face to face Back to back	Available when you select Two C- sections and C-section and I-section. Use these options to position sections with respect to each other:
Shorter legs back to back Longer legs back to back	Available when you select Two angles back to back. Use these options to position angles with respect to each other:
Shorter legs Longer legs	Available when you select Two angles face to face. Use these options to position angles with respect to each other:
Other dimensions and settings	All parameters and settings specific to individual compound sections are illustrated in the image on the Compound tab.

Special Steel Sections

On this tab, you can define corrugated, castellated, and welded sections.

	Available section shapes. Click these icons to select a section shape. Then fields in the Dimensions panel are updated to include dimensions and settings appropriate for the selected section. The image illustrates the shape and dimensions of a section represented by the icon.
Material	Steel grade associated with a section. Depends on the section type. The Material list displays a list of materials from databases set for your project in the Job Preferences dialog.
Gamma angle	It is a rotation angle that you assign to the section of a linear element. For most sections, the default value is 0.
Label	Name of a section. You can use a standard label assigned automatically.
Color	Color for displaying a section.
Database	Available for SFB, IFBA, and IFBB sections. The list includes the databases set for your project, in the same order as in the Job Preferences dialog.
Family	Available for SFB, IFBA, and IFBB sections. The list displays section families.
Section	Section from the database.
Other dimensions and settings	All parameters and settings specific to individual special sections are illustrated in the image on the Special tab.

Steel Sections Specified by Ax, Iy, Iz

On this tab, you can define a section by specifying its structural properties.

Material	Steel grade associated with a section. Depends on the section type. The Material list displays a list of materials from databases set for your project in the Job Preferences dialog.
Gamma angle	It is a rotation angle that you assign to the section of a linear element. Not available on the Ax, Iy, Iz tab.
Label	Name of a section. You can use a standard label assigned automatically, such as Section1.
Color	Color for displaying a section.
Structural properties of a section	To specify a section, define at least: Ax, Iy, and Iz.
Additional parameters	Click this button to open the Additional Parameters dialog. There you can specify properties for analysis of internal stresses and code-checking. Values of properties that you define in this dialog are used in the design of steel and timber structure elements.