STAAD.

Pro
Modeling Fundamentals

STAAD.Pro V8i (SELECTseries 5)

Comprehensive Guide:
Modeling A Complete Structure

NOTE:

This is only a guide and you may opt not

to follow. Engineering knowledge and
judgement should always govern. This
guide is intended for STAAD.Pro V8i SS5.

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Table of Contents
Model Generation ......................................................................................................................................... 2
The Start Page ................................................................................................................................................ 2
The New Project Dialog Box ........................................................................................................................... 3
Starting a Project ............................................................................................................................................ 4
Getting Started ................................................................................................................................................ 5
The STAAD.Pro Screen ..................................................................................................................... 5
Setting Up a Job .............................................................................................................................................. 6
Creating Structure Geometry ......................................................................................................................... 7
The Beam Sub-tab ............................................................................................................................ 7
The Parametric Models Sub-tab ....................................................................................................... 8

Property Assignment .................................................................................................................................... 9

Assigning General Properties ......................................................................................................................... 9
The Property Sub-tab ....................................................................................................................... 9
The Spec Sub-tab ............................................................................................................................ 10
The Support Sub-tab ...................................................................................................................... 12
Creating Groups ............................................................................................................................. 13
The Load & Definition Sub-tab ....................................................................................................... 14
Generating Seismic Definitions ...................................................................................................... 15
Generating Wind Definitions ......................................................................................................... 17
Loading the Structure ..................................................................................................................... 19
Seismic Load Cases .......................................................................................................... 19
Gravity Load Cases ........................................................................................................... 20
Wind Load Cases .............................................................................................................. 21
Generating Load Combinations ...................................................................................................... 22
The Material Sub-tab ..................................................................................................................... 23

Analyzing the Model ................................................................................................................................... 24

The Analysis/Print Tab .................................................................................................................................. 24
The Post-Print Sub-tab ................................................................................................................................. 25
Printing Support Reactions ............................................................................................................ 25
Run Analysis ................................................................................................................................... 25

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Model Generation
The Start Page
Open STAAD.Pro by double clicking on the icon on your desktop or navigating to the program location through
the Start menu. The STAAD.Pro Start Page is displayed.

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The New Project Dialog Box
On the Project Task, start a new STAAD.Pro project by clicking on the New Project… option or navigating through
the File menu and then clicking New (ctrl + N). The New Project Dialogue Box is displayed.

On the New Project Dialog Box, select Space, enter the File Name, choose the File Location, input the Units, then
click Next.

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Starting a Project
To start a new STAAD.Pro project, choose any of the six options on the Where do you want to go? dialog box. In
this case, choose Edit Job Information option.

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Getting Started
The STAAD.Pro Screen
The components of the STAAD.Pro Graphical User Interface (GUI) screen are identified in the figure below.

Menu Bar Main Window Toolbar

Page Control Status Bar Data Area

1. Menu Bar
 Located near the top of the screen.
 Gives access to all of the STAAD.Pro menu functions.
 Many of the same functions are also available from the Toolbar and from the Page Control.
2. Toolbar
 Located near the top and left side of the screen.
 Gives access to the most frequently used commands.
 Individual tool bars are dockable - layout can be reconfigured.
 Customized tool bars can be created.
 Hover the cursor over any icon for Tool Tip Help.
3. Main Window
 Central area of screen where the model and graphical results are shown.
 Background color can be set to either white or black using the Configuration… option in the Project Tasks
section of the Start Page.
4. Status Bar
 Displayed at the bottom of the screen.
 Presents helpful information regarding the status of the program.
 Displays pertinent information for the current page, such as hints for using the current command,
current program operating mode, cursor position, current input units, etc.

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 5. Page Control
 A set of tabs to the left of the Main Window.
 Page Control can be closed from within the Mode menu to free the screen area for other uses.
 Each tab allows you to perform specific tasks.
 Organization of the Tabs, from top to bottom, represents the logical sequence of operations in
STAAD.Pro.
 Generally progress through the tabs from top to bottom and enter all the data that are relevant to your
project.
 Tab names may or may not appear on the tabs depending on screen resolution and size of STAAD.Pro
window, but the icons on the Page Control tabs always appear.
 Each tab contains sub-tabs.
 The tabs that display depend on the current Mode of operation, which can be set from the Mode menu
in the Menu Bar.
6. Data Area
 Generally appears on the right side of the screen.
 Displays dialogs, tables, lists, and so forth.
 Context-sensitive to the type of operation being performed.

Setting Up a Job
Setup is the top tab in the Page Control area when in Modeling mode. When the Job sub-tab is selected, the Job
Info dialog is displayed in the Data Area.
The Job Info dialog provides a way to define data such as job name, client, job number, engineer and checker
initials and dates, and so forth. Information entered in the Job Info dialog will be printed in the output reports and
shown in the Recent Files section of the Start Page. The use of this dialog is optional.

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Creating Structure Geometry
The Beam Sub-tab
On the Geometry tab , create/model the framing system of the building in the Beam Sub-tab by entering the
node coordinates and beam incidences on the corresponding tables. Use the Geometry toolbar and the
Generate toolbar for more efficient modeling.

For more advanced user, you may opt to use the STAAD Editor to create the model. Note that there are 4
numbers separated by space before a colon below the “JOINT COORDINATES” command line which stands
for “Node Number <space> X <space> Y <space> Z ;”. While below the “MEMBER INCIDENCES” command
line, there should be 3 numbers separated by space before a colon which stands for “Member Number
<space> First Node <space> Second Node ;”.

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The Parametric Models Sub-tab
On the Geometry tab , create/model the walls/floor/meshed plates of the building in the Parametric
Models Sub-tab. Select the Preview Models on the right dialog box, click Add…. Enter the name of the
mesh model then click OK.

Trace the corner nodes needed for the walls/floor (just click the right mouse button to close the
polygon). Meshing Method is Standard, Element Type is Quad, Target element size is 0.50 m (maximum
mesh dimension), then click OK. Check the preview of the mesh model then click Merge Mesh if ok.
Repeat the process if necessary.

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Property Assignment
Assigning General Properties
The Property Sub-tab
On the General tab, create and assign the properties needed for the structure using the Property Sub-tab.
Use the Section Database button to add steel sections, the Define… button to add concrete sections and the
Thickness… button to add plate thickness for walls/floors.

Use the Beta Angle tab to edit the member orientation if necessary.

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The Spec Sub-tab
On the General tab, create and assign the member specifications needed for the structure using the Spec
Sub-tab.

Use the Node… button to create a Master/Slave specification in case floors are not modeled to account for
diaphragm action.

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Use the Beam… button to create member specification such as Releases and Offsets if necessary.

Use the Plate… button to create plate specification such as Releases if ever necessary.

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The Support Sub-tab
On the General tab, create and assign the support specifications needed for the structure using the Support
Sub-tab.

Click the Create button, then choose the suitable support condition and click Add.

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Creating Groups
Group names are a means for easily identifying a collection of entities like Beams, Plates or Solids using a
single moniker. By grouping these entities, we need to assign attributes such as member properties and
material constants just to the group, a simple process, compared to the task of assigning them to the
individual members.
For easier application of loads, create groups that associate to perimeter beams, floor beams and other
necessary groupings. Select Tools > Create New Group (or ctrl + G).

Enter the Group Name ex. 1STFLOOR, Select Type ex. Floor then click OK. Highlight the member needed to
include in the group then click Associate.

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The Load & Definition Sub-tab
On the General tab, create all types of loadings necessary to analyze the structure using the Load &
Definition Sub-tab.

Select Load Cases Details then click Add….

Enter the load case Number, select the corresponding Loading Type, type the load case Title then click Add.
Repeat the process as many as the load cases needed for analysis.

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Generating Seismic Definitions
On the Load & Definition Sub-tab, select Definitions then click Add.

Select the code Type, enter all the parameters needed for the generation of seismic loads based on the
selected code, then click Add. Select Seismic Definition under Definitions, then click Add to add the seismic
weights to be considered. Note that all values here should be positive.

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Add Self Weight, Member Weights (if necessary), and finally the Floor Weights.

Add floor weights (weight of floor plus dead loads). Use Group option to add floor weights easily.

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Generating Wind Definitions
On the Load & Definition Sub-tab, select Definitions then click Add.

Enter the Type No., then the description of the wind load type. Repeat the process as many as the wind load
types needed for analysis (consider windward and leeward for both direction of the wind). Then select the
wind load type created under Wind Definitions. Click Add. Then click Calculate as per ASCE-7 to automate
the wind load generation.

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Enter all the needed parameters. Click Apply after completing the dialog box. Click OK after verifying all the
inputted parameters. Repeat the process for all the individual wind load types.

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Loading the Structure
Seismic Load Cases
On the Geometry Tab > Load & Definition Sub-tab under Load Cases Details, select Load case no. 1 (Seismic
Along Z) then click Add….

Choose the direction of the seismic load then input the load factor. Click Add when done. Repeat this process
for the other seismic load cases.

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Gravity Load Cases
On the Geometry Tab > Load & Definition Sub-tab under Load Cases Details, select Load case no. 3 (Dead
Load) then click Add….

For the load case of Dead Load do not

forget to add Selfweight. Add all the
necessary loadings (Nodal Load,
Member Load, Floor Load) for every
gravity load cases.

Note that all values for the gravity load

cases (Dead Load, Live Load, Roof Live
Load) should be negative (-GY)
indicating a downward direction.

All loadings must be assigned

accordingly after.

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Wind Load Cases
On the Geometry Tab > Load & Definition Sub-tab under Load Cases Details, select Load case no. 6 (Wind
Load Along +Z) then click Add…. (Note that you can add wind load manually if you prefer, below is another
option to automate the load.)

On the Add New: Load Items dialog box, select Wind Load. Select the wind load type (remember that all
values in the dropdown box is pertaining to the wind load types under the Definition. In this case, choose
type 1:Regular for windward along positive Z direction.) Then choose Z (Windward Face). The factor should
be 1. Then click Add. Do not close the dialog box yet. Remember that for any wind direction, there is always a
suction force (Leeward wind load). So we need to change the type to 2: Regular then choose –Z
(Leeward/Sidewall Face). Click Add then Close. Repeat this for other wind load cases.

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Generating Load Combinations
On the Load & Definition Sub-tab, select Load Cases Details then click Add. Select Auto Load Combination.

Select the Load Combination Code then click Generate Loads. You may opt to check the Create Repeat Load
Cases checkbox if you want to use PDelta Analysis. Note that it is required to use Repeat Loads for any
iterative analysis like PDelta Analysis. Click Add the Close.

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The Material Sub-Tab
On the General tab, verify and create all materials associated with the structure using the Material Sub-tab.

On the Material dialog box, click Create. Choose the Material Title then edit the Label to change the
associated Material Properties. Choose the Type of Material then edit the value of Strength. Click OK.
Repeat as necessary. Apply the Materials to the specified members of the structure.

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Analyzing the Model
The Analysis/Print Tab
After all the steps above, the model is ready for analysis. Click the Analysis/Print tab on the Page Control area.

The goal is to use the PDelta Analysis to consider the effect of small deltas on the structure. On The Analysis/Print
Commands dialog box, select the PDelta Analysis tab. Enter the number of iterations (minimum of 3). Check the
Small Delta checkbox. Choose any of the Print Option if needed. Click Add then Close.

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The Post-Print Sub-Tab
Printing Support Reactions
Click the Post-Print sub-tab. On the dialog box in the right, click the Define Commands… button. On the Load List
tab, select the Load Cases needed for the output. Click Add.

Click the Support Reactions tab, Click Add. Then click Close. Assign the command to ALL.

Run Analysis
Select Analysis in the Menu bar. Click Run Analysis (ctrl + F5). Wait till analysis is complete.

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