Adding a Cast Brace

Cast Brace lets you add a standard shape cast brace to the building project. Or, you can add a cast brace based on a cross section of your own design.

  1. To create a cast brace with a standard shape:
    1. In the Cast Brace dialog box, from Shape, choose a shape.

      While editing multiple structure features, you can click for different shapes of different members.

    2. Depending on the brace shape, specify the brace dimensions.
  2. To create a cast brace using a cross section defined by an object type, perform the following steps:
    1. In the Cast Brace dialog box, to select source, click Object Type .
    2. Click and select an object type from the list of imported object types.

      Notes:
      • Import an object type before creating the member. You can import an existing object type or create a new object type. For more information, see Building and Civil Assemblies User's Guide: Defining Object Type.
      • To undefine the object type, you can click .

    3. Click to display the graphic help of the object type.
    4. In the Size list, select the required size for the brace.

    The out of the box object types are found at Startup\Structure\ObjectTypes.

    To install additional content, select Install Optional Content Now.

    The SDD_DSA_Object_Type.3dxml file (for the DSA collection corresponding to the AISC standard) makes all the shapes available with a single import. The best practice is to import the 3dxml files with the option As Reference.

  3. To set the brace location, in the Cast Brace dialog box, from Create Mode, click one of the following:
    OptionDescription
    Single

    		 Inserts a brace at only the selected segments.
    Along gridline

    		 Inserts braces at all similar segments along the gridline of the selected segments.
    All in the story

    		 Inserts braces at all segments in the same story as the selected segments.
    Note: Your segment selections affect the additional braces that the system automatically locates in the adjacent bays. If both of the selected segments are part of a four-sided structural bay (including the vertical segments extending downward), the system copies the brace to other analogous structural bays in the story.
    Above and below

    		 Inserts braces at all horizontal segments above and below the selected segments.
    All in the building

    		 Inserts brace at all segments in the structural grid.
  4. To create a cast brace in a new geometrical set, select the Create in a new geometrical set check box.
  5. To change the zero angle orientation for the brace, in the Cast Brace dialog box, click either:
    • Snap Rotation Counterclockwise
    • Snap Rotation Clockwise
  6. Align the brace along the U axis and the V axis.
  7. From Positioning Type, click either:
    OptionDescription
    Length & Angle To place the brace by specifying the length and angle.
    Length & Length To place the brace by specifying the length along the two picked segments.
  8. To specify other cast brace options, expand Options.
  9. Expand Grid Segment Display and in the Grids to Display box, select the grids to display, and then select the checkboxes according to the requirement:
  10. In the Cast Brace dialog box, click .

 

See Also
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