Currently, ProtaStructure allows you to model and design for the following steel members:

• Steel Frame
• Steel Column
  
• Steel Brace
  
• Steel Girt 
  
• Steel Purlin
  
• Steel Truss

Please take note that ProtaStructure does not design any Cold-Formed Steel section currently. ProtaStructure scope only design conventional steel structures (Hot-Rolled Steel). 

When cold-formed members defined as a purlin, girt, beam member or etc., they can transfer the loads (including self weight) to the main members (to beam, to truss, or to columns) and ProtaStructure can only analyze their force and steel design is not performed.

The steel members can be designed one by one by selecting the steel member on the model > right click >Steel Member Design. 

Batch Steel Member Designcan be performed by accessing the respective forms for the steel member design in the "Design" ribbon menu.  

In the "Design" ribbon menu, the following buttons can be found:

• Columns : Allows you to perform batch design for steel column members
  
• Frames : Allows you to perform batch design for steel beam members
  
• Braces : Allows you to perform batch design for steel brace members
  
• Purlins : Allows you to perform batch design for steel purlin members
  
• Girts : Allows you to perform batch design for steel girt members
  
• Trusses : Allows you to perform batch design for steel trusses
  

Steel Member Design (Batch Mode)

A Steel member batch design dialog will be shown if one of the above buttons is clicked. The steel member batch dialogs consist of a row of buttons on top and a table summarize the respective type of steel members.

For example, if the"Column Design"is clicked, the table will list all the Steel Column members in the model. Nothing that all members are not designed/checked when the steel member batch design dialog is launched.  

In these steel member batch design dialogs, you can find the following buttons:

• Check Selected: You have to select a steel member in the table below. Then, if this button is clicked, the "Detailed Member Design"dialog will be shown for the selected members 
  
• Check All: This button allows you to perform the checking for all steel members in the table below.
  
• Mark all for print: Allows you to mark all steel members for printing.
  
• Remove all print marks: Allows you to remove all members from printing. 
  
• Design Report: generates the steel member design report
  
• Close: Allows you to close this steel batch design dialog
  

In the steel member summary table, the following information can be found:

• Member label: Shows you the steel member labels as defined in the model
  
• Storey: The storey information of the steel members
  
• Print: If this is checked, the results will be included in the report. If this is not checked, the results will be excluded from the report.
  
• Section: Shows you the steel member section label.
  
• Material: Shows the materials of the steel members
  
• Section Class: Shows you the section class of the steel members
  
• Slenderness Ratio (KL/r): Shows you the slenderness ratio of the steel members. If this is smaller than the allowable, the ratio will be in "GREEN", i.e. pass. If this is greater than the allowable slenderness ratio, the ratio will be marked in "RED", i.e. warning.
  
• Utilization ratio: Shows you the member design utilization ratio based on the most critical condition and load combination. If this is smaller than 1.0, the texts will be marked in "GREEN" , i.e. pass. Otherwise, the texts will be marked in "RED", i.e. failed.
  
• Design Status: Indicates the steel member design either pass or failed.
  
• Governing Check: Shows the critical or governing checks for the steel member design.
  

Alternatively, user can use the search function to find/locate the particular member by clicking the search icon  in the top right corner, then input the member label. 

Check Selected (Detailed Member Design)

The detailed member design dialog can be accessed by following ways:

• Select steel member in the model > Right click > Steel Member Design
  
• Select a steel member in the"Steel Member Batch Design" dialog > Click "Check Selected" 
  
• Double click a steel member in the "Steel Member Batch Design" dialog 
  

In this "Detailed member design" dialog, there are two tabs namely, "Design Summary" and "Parameters" tab.      

• In the "Design Summary" tab, the following information can be found:  
  
  • Steel member section properties
    
  • General parameters which include design code, partial resistance factors and effective length
    
  • Section Classification
    
  • Check for combined Forces
    
  • Axial Compression check
    
  • Shear Check
    
  • Torsion Check
    

Note that the critical load combinations will be shown next to the respective checks.

You can click the "Calculation Details" in the respective checks to expand and show the additional calculated information. Click again, the additional calculated information will be collapsed.  

• In the "Parameters" tab, if "Manually edit the buckling parameter" is checked, it allows you to enter the following user defined parameters for the check design:   
  
  • Brace Length Major, Lx
    
  • Brace Length Minor, Ly
    
  • Buckling Length Coefficient Major, Kx
    
  • Buckling Length Coefficient Minor, Ky
    
  • Distance between transverse stiffeners
    
  • Lateral Torsional Buckling Length, Lb
    

If these fields are set to zero, the automatically calculated values will be used.

In this "Detailed member design" dialog, the buttons below can be found on the top of the form:

• Check Design: Allows you to perform the capacity check of the steel member
  
• Change Section: Allows you to change the steel member section. It is recommended that you have to rerun the building analysis, if you have changed the steel member sections as the different stiffness of the steel member will affect the building analysis results
  
• Design Report: Generates the steel member design report
  
• Show Design Stations: Shows the member design forces from different load combinations at different stations along the steel member
  
• OK: Accept the design and Close
  
• Cancel:Discard the changes and Close 
  

Truss Design

Truss design can be accessed by selecting a truss member in the model > Right click > Steel Member Design.

Then, a "Steel Truss Design" dialog will be open. In this dialog, you will find 3 major components which are:

• Top panel: Buttons for performing different functions
  
  • Check Selected: You have to select a steel member in the table below. Then, if this button is clicked, the "Detailed Member Design" dialog will be shown for the selected members
    
  • Check All: This button allows you to perform the checking for all steel members in the table below.
    
  • Change Section: Allows you to change the steel member section. It is recommended that you have to rerun the building analysis, if you have changed the steel member sections as the different stiffness of the steel member will affect the building analysis results
    
  • Report: Generates the steel member design report
    
  • Reset View: Reset the 3D view
    
  • Show Labels: Shows the member labels in the 3D viewer
    
  • Show Utilization Ratios: Shows the member utilization ratio in the 3D viewer
    
  • OK: Accept the design and Close
    
  • Cancel: Discard the changes and Close
    
• Middle panel: A table summarizes all steel members in the truss. This table is categorized the truss members according "Top chord, Bottom Chord, Diagonals and Verticals" members   
  
  • Members: Shows the labels of truss members
    
  • Section: Shows the section of the truss members
    
  • Materials: Shows the material of the truss members
    
  • Slenderness Ratio (kL/r): Shows you the slenderness ratio of the steel members. If this is smaller than the allowable, the ratio will be in "GREEN", i.e. pass. If this is greater than the allowable slenderness ratio, the ratio will be marked in "RED", i.e. warning.
    
  • Utilization ratio: Shows you the member design utilization ratio based on the most critical condition and load combination. If this is smaller than 1.0, the texts will be marked in "GREEN" , i.e. pass. Otherwise, the texts will be marked in "RED", i.e. failed.
    
  • Status: Indicates the steel member design either pass or failed.
    
  • Governing Check: Shows the critical or governing checks for the steel member design. It could be Combined, torsion, axial tension or axial compression.
    
• Bottom panel: A 3D truss design viewer.
  
  • You can use the mouse right click (holding) and pan within the viewer to rotate the 3D view of the truss
    
  • The selected truss member in the middle panel will be highlighted
    
  • If the truss members are checked, the truss members will be colored according to the Utilization ratio scale
    

Specific Steel Design Parameters in Batch

Specify Design Parameter in Batch for Steel Column, Steel Beam, or Frame

1. Select multiple steel columns, steel beams, frames or a combination of these. 
   
2. Right-click and select "Edit Steel Design Parameters". 
   
3. To manually edit a value for single member, click into of the cells and directly type in the value. 
   
4. To manually edit a value for multiple members, click a header cell to select entire column > click "Edit Selected Design Parameters" button.
   
5. Alternatively, select multiple cells by dragging the mouse on grid or pressing CTRL or SHIFT key on keyboard. 
   
Only select the cells belonging to the same column to edit the selected design parameters
6. After edit the parameters, click OK. The design of the selected members will be automatically updated with new parameters. 
   

The "Zero" values for the parameters indicate that ProtaStructure will calculate these parameters automatically during the design. If a non-zero value is entered, the entered value will be used in design. 

Load the Batch Edit Dialog from Design Window

The "Edit Steel Design Parameters" window also can be loaded within the main steel members design menu. 

1. Go to Design tab > Steel Column Design menu on the ribbon toolbar. 
   
1. It can also load the design windows for frames or beams. 
2. Select a single or multiple rows on the window by pressing CTRL or SHIFT keys. 
   
3. Click "Edit Selected Rows" button to load the "Edit Steel Design Parameters" window.