THE USER MUST EXPRESSLY UNDERSTAND THE PURPOSE OF THE PROGRAM AND MUST INDEPENDENTLY VERIFY THE RESULTS. SAP2000 represents the most sophisticated and user-friendly release of the SAP family of computer programs.
Welcome to SAP2000
Getting Started
Installing SAP2000
We recommend that you read the rest of this manual to familiarize yourself with the new concepts. Please also see the "What's New in Version 9" topic in the Welcome topic of the help facility of the program to learn more about the new and improved features of SAP2000.
About the Manuals
These changes significantly improve the program's capabilities in a sustainable and forward-looking manner.
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The Structural Model
Units
The Structural Model
Objects and Elements
When the analysis is performed, SAP2000 automatically converts the object-based model to the element-based model used for the analysis. This element-based model is called an analysis model and consists of traditional finite elements and joints (nodes).
Groups
If you have experience using traditional finite element programs, including previous versions of SAP2000, you are probably familiar with collating physical models into smaller finite elements for analysis purposes. For users who are new to finite element modeling, the object-based concept should seem completely natural.
Coordinate Systems and Grids
Properties
A rectangular frame section property named RECT, and a circular section named CIRC, both with the material CONCRETE. If you assign the frame profile property RECT to a frame object, any changes to the definition of the RECT section or material CONCRETE are automatically applied to that object.
Load Cases
For the SUN15 load case, different temperature values can be assigned to different objects in the structure to account for the effects of the sun on the structure at 3:00 PM. SAP2000 also has three built-in acceleration loads that represent a translational ground acceleration in each of the global directions. To account for any structural response due to load cases, analysis cases must be defined and run (described below) to specify how the load cases will be applied (e.g., statically, dynamics, etc.) and how the structure should be implemented. be analyzed (eg, linearly, non-linearly, etc.).
Functions
Functions are not assigned to objects, but are used in the definition of analysis cases.
Analysis Cases
Power Spectral Density Analysis: Harmonically variable loads are applied according to a probabilistic load specification over a range of frequencies and the expected value of the response is determined. Instead, all loads acting together on the structure should be combined directly in the analysis cases. Non-linear step construction: loads are applied without dynamic effects, by adding or removing parts of the structure.
Combinations
Absolute type: The absolute values of the results from the included analysis cases and combinations are added. SRSS type: The square root of the sum of the squares of the results from the included analysis cases and combinations is calculated. Envelope Type: Results from the included analysis cases and combinations are enveloped to find maximum and minimum values.
Design Settings
Output and Display Definitions
Options are available to save named definitions of display views, sets of output tables, document formats and function plots as part of a model.
Learning More
The Graphical User Interface
The SAP2000 Screen
Main Window
Menu Bar
The Graphical User Interface
The SAP2000 screenshot 4 - 3 some cases are commands on submenus of the main menu, in which case they are listed as Menu > Submenu > Command.
Toolbars
Choose the buttons on the toolbars by clicking the down arrow and selecting the buttons.
Display Windows
Status Bar
Using the Mouse
Viewing Options
2-D and 3-D Views
Perspective
Pan, Zoom, and 3-D Rotate
Display options 4 - 7 by dragging a window around the area of interest while holding down the left mouse button. Panning allows you to dynamically move the structure around the display window by holding down the left mouse button while dragging the mouse in the window. Use the 3D Rotate command to dynamically rotate the structure by holding down the left mouse button while dragging the mouse in the window.
Limits
Element View Options
Other Options
Refreshing the Display Window
Basic Operations
File Operations
Defining Named Entities
Drawing
Drawing Objects
Snap Tools
Drawing Controls
Constant S - The line is drawn at a constant angle and constant length, measured in 2-D view. Constant D - The line is drawn at constant lengths along the axes shown horizontally and vertically in the 2-D view. Select the drawing controls from the floating form that appears while drawing, or press the appropriate letter key ("H", "V", "A", etc.) on the keyboard.
Selecting
After the choice set is created (the “noun”), an action (the “verb”) is performed on it. Select menu > Select > The All command selects every object in the model, regardless of which objects appear in the display windows. Select menu > The Get Previous Selection command selects the same objects as in the last complete selection operation.
Choose Menu > Clear Selection command deselects all objects Other selection (and de-selection) operations are described in the following sections.
Selecting Graphically
Select with 3-D box - Click two points in the 3-D view to select all objects within the box whose diagonal is defined by two points and whose sides are parallel to the X, Y and Z axes. The first three options are available by default and are marked with a normal pointer. The last two options require you to set the selection type using the Select menu or toolbar.
For example, suppose a model includes hidden point and line objects, but only area objects are displayed in a given window. If a selection is made by dragging a window around the entire structure, only area objects will be selected, even if hidden point and line objects actually exist within the selection window.
Selecting by Feature
If the same set of objects is likely to be selected more than once, build the selection set and then assign a group name to the selected objects. After a group name has been assigned, the selection set can be reselected using the group name.
Editing
Inserting and adding to the model from a template does not work on a selection of objects.
Assigning
Undo and Redo
Analyzing
To run the analysis, use the Analyze > Run menu and select which cases to run. If an analysis case is chosen that requires results from another case, the required case is run first if not already done. For example, if a response spectrum case is run, the case defining the modes used is also run if necessary.
When the analysis is complete, review the analysis messages using the scroll bar in the monitor window. While the analysis is in progress and the monitor window is present on the screen, no other SAP2000 operations are allowed.
Displaying
The messages are also saved in a file with the extension .LOG, which can be viewed later using the menu File > Show Input/Output Text Files.
Model Definition
All other assignments for objects can be viewed using the Display menu > Show Load and Display Assignment menu >.
Analysis Results
Function Plots
Designing
Locking and Unlocking
New cases can be added and cases that have not been run can be changed or deleted without effect. If a case that has already been run is changed or deleted, analysis results for that case and all cases that depend on it are deleted.
Entering Numerical Data
Setting Options
Getting Help
Use the Search feature to find topics containing specific words From the Help menu, also access all SAP2000 documentation in Adobe Acrobat .PDF file format or go to the CSI website. The Help menu > About SAP2000 command will display the program version as well as information about the computer's operating system.
Working with Data Tables
Classification of Tabular Data
Model definition information is always available even if no analyzes have been performed or no design has been performed. Analysis result data includes deflections, forces, stresses, energies, and other response quantities that can be generated in a graphical user interface.
Design Results
Working with Data Tables
Uses for Tabular Data
The program provides full control over how tables should be formatted, as described in “Controlling Formatting for Display and Printing”. For more information about creating formatted tables, see "Displaying Tabular Data," "Printing Tabular Data," and "Custom Report Writer."
Structured Database Tables
Displaying Tabular Data
However, any changes made to the tables by these programs cannot be returned to the SAP2000 model while displaying the data. See the section "Editing tables interactively" later in this chapter for an explanation of editing tabular data. Options provide complete control over how tables should be formatted, as described in "Controlling Formatting for Display and Printing".
However, it is not recommended to import those files back into the model because the formatting applied during rendering will likely result in errors when the file is imported.
Printing Tabular Data
Custom Report Writer
The program also provides options to control table formatting, page setup, and fonts. Use the Options menu > Database > Set Program Default Formatting DB command to specify the desired units and precision for each type of numerical element in the program (eg, forces, moments, lengths, etc.). For example, use this command to specify that structure dimensions are displayed in feet (or meters) with three decimal places and that section dimensions are displayed in inches (or millimeters) with one decimal place.
By default, the program will use the current units for all items, with built-in settings for numeric precision. Note that exported database tables do not use any of this formatting information, except that database tables in Excel format use the units specified by the Options menu > Database > Set Program Default DB Formatting command.
Interactive Table Editing
Exporting Tabular Data
Importing Tabular Data
For example, the coordinates of the joints are inputtable, as well as the connection of the frame objects to the joints. The lengths of the frame objects are included in the model definition data for information purposes, but lengths are not input as they can be calculated from the coordinates of the joints to which each object is connected.
Automatic Export During Save
Export During Analysis
The database table and field names in SAP2000 can be customized via the Options > Database > Table and Field Names menu.
Microsoft Access Database
Microsoft Excel Spreadsheet
Plain Text File
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