Adding a Cast Column

You can add a cast column or a pier into your building project. Or, you can create a cast column with a cross section of your own design.

See Also
Creating a Building Structural Grid
Adding the Foundation
About Piers
  1. Create a building grid if the project does not already have one.

    Use a building grid that you create in either Buildings and Civil Structures Design or Buildings Space Planning with Building Grid from the action bar.

  2. To create a pier:
    1. Activate Foundation Reference Planes while creating or editing the building grid.
    2. Create a foundation story.
  3. From the Concrete section of the action bar, click Cast Column .
  4. To create a cast column with a standard shape:
    1. From Shape, click one of the following:

      Option Description
      Round Creates a circular column.
      Square Creates a square column.
      Rectangle Creates a rectangular column.

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

    2. Depending on the column shape, specify the column dimensions.

      For column shape: Click to set the desired dimension:
      Round Diameter
      Square Width
      Rectangle Length and Width

  5. To create a cast column using a cross section defined by an object type, perform the following steps:
    1. In the Cast Column 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 column.

    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.

  6. To position the cast column on a grid, click Position on Grid .
  7. To position the cast column on a wire, click Position on Wires , select one or more wires and then specify the direction of the column.

    Notes:
    • You can click Reverse to reverse the direction of the grid-driven plate.
    • The direction specifies the orientation of the local V axis of the member. Thus you can control the base rotation of the member around its axis. This is useful when attempting to orient a number of members on wires in the same direction.

  8. To create a cast column in a new geometrical set, select the Create in a new geometrical set check box.
  9. To set the column location, in the Create Mode, click one of the following:
    OptionDescription
    Single Inserts columns only on the selected segments.
    Along gridline Inserts columns on all vertical segments along the gridline of the selected segments.
    All in story

    		 Inserts columns on all vertical segments in the same story as the selected segments.
    Above and below

    		 Insert columns on all vertical segments above and below the selected segments.
    Diagrid Insert columns in an ascending diagonal pattern from a pair of selected points.
    Plane to plane Inserts columns between selected planes. You can include points between the selected planes.
    All on side Insert columns on the selected side of the building.
    All interior Insert columns on the interior of the building.
    All in building Insert columns on all vertical segments in the structural grid.

    Note: To create one or more piers, choose either Single or All in the story.

    With the pointer, hover over the structural grid to see a preview of your selection.
    Tip: To place multiple cast columns on a single grid segment, Ctrl + select the grid segment.
  10. To change which grid segment defines the zero angular orientation for the column, in the Cast Column dialog box, click either:
    • Snap Rotation Counterclockwise .
    • Snap Rotation Clockwise .

    For a column, the zero angle orientation is the base orientation to which the system applies the rotation. Use this option to reorient the column. The column reorients until it bisects the angle between grid segments, or is tangent or perpendicular to adjacent grid segments at the base of the column.

  11. Align the column.
    1. To align along the V axis, click one of the following:

      Option Description
      V plus

      		 Positions the column with the grid segment on the +V side of the column.
      V center

      		 Positions the column with the grid segment centered on the V axis of the column.
      V minus

      		 Positions the column with the grid on the -V side of the column.

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

    2. To align along the U axis, click one of the following:

      Option Description
      U plus

      		 Positions the column with the grid segment on +U side of the column.
      U center

      		 Positions the column with the grid segment centered on the U axis of the column.
      U minus

      		 Positions the column with the grid segment on the -U side of the column.

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

  12. To set trim, rotation, and offset options, expand Options.
    1. From Top trim, enter or select the trim dimension for the top end of the column.

      A negative value lengthens the column.

    2. From Bottom trim, enter or select the trim length for the bottom end of the column.

      A negative value lengthens the column.

    3. From U offset, enter or select the column offset along the U axis.
    4. From V offset, enter or select the column offset along the V axis.
    5. From Rotation, enter the angle that the column rotates counterclockwise about the selected alignment point.

      From the 3D area, select the alignment point.

  13. 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:
    1. In a structural grid with a mass, select from these check boxes:

      Option Description
      Show grid points on slabs Displays grid points that lie on the slab surfaces. The system does not display this option with the Diagrid selection.
      Show grid points off slabs Displays grid points that are off the slab surfaces. The system does not display this option with the Diagrid selection.
      Show slabs Displays slabs.
      Show perimeter segment Displays grid segments and points on the perimeter. The system does not display this option with the Diagrid and All on side selection.
      Show interior segment Displays grid segments and points in the interior of the structural grid.

    2. In a structural grid without a mass, select from these check boxes:

      Option Description
      Show grid points Displays grid points.
      Show curved grid segments Generates curved grid segments from curved grid lines.
      Show perimeter segment Displays grid segments and points on the perimeter of the structural grid.
      Show interior segment Displays grid segments and points in the interior of the structural grid.

    Note: To hide the specified element, clear the check box.

  14. Click .