Adding a Catalog Beam

You can select a beam shape from a catalog and add it into your building project. Or, you can create a beam with a cross section of your own design.

  1. Create a structural grid if the project does not already have one.

    Use a structural grid that you create in either Buildings and Civil Structures Design or Buildings Space Planning with either the Building Grid or Reference Plane Grid . The structural grid can have straight or curved grid segments. With curved grid segments, you can create curved beams.

  2. From the Steel section of the action bar, click Catalog Beam .
  3. To create a catalog beam from one of the standard steel shape catalogs, perform the following steps:
    1. In the Catalog Beam dialog box, to select source, click Catalog .

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

    2. From the Standard list, select the required catalog.
      For example, to use a beam shape from the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), click AISC.
    3. From the Shape list, select a beam shape.

      Available selections depend on your Catalog selection.

      For example, if you are using AISC, a possible selection is W Shapes.
    4. From the Size list, select the beam size.

      Available selections depend on your Standard and Shape selections.

  4. To create a catalog beam using a cross section defined by an object type, perform the following steps:
    1. In the Catalog Beam 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 beam.

    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.

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

    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.

  7. To create a catalog beam in a new geometrical set, select the Create in a new geometrical set check box.
  8. To set the beam location, from Create Mode, click one of the following:
    OptionDescription
    Single Inserts beams only on the selected segments.
    Along gridline

    		 Inserts beams on all similar segments along the gridline of the selected segments.
    All in the story Inserts beams on all similar segments in the story of the selected segments.
    Above and below

    		 Inserts beams on all similar segments above and below the selected segments.
    Diagrid Inserts beams in an ascending diagonal pattern from a pair of selected points.
    Plane to plane Inserts beams between selected planes. You can include points between the selected planes.
    All on side Inserts beams on the selected side of the building.
    All interior Insert beams on the interior of the building.
    All in the building Insert beams on all similar segments in the structural grid.
    With the pointer, hover over the structural grid to see a preview of your selection.
    Tip: To place multiple catalog beams on a single grid segment, Ctrl + select the grid segment.
  9. To change the zero angle orientation for the beam, in the Catalog Beam dialog box, click either:
    • Snap Rotation Counterclockwise
    • Snap Rotation Clockwise

    For a beam, the zero angle orientation is the base orientation to which the system applies the rotation. Use this option to reorient the beam. The beam reorients by 90 degrees about the axis.

  10. Align the beam.
    1. To align the beam along the V axis, click one of the following:

      Option Description
      V plus

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

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

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

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

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

      Option Description
      U plus

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

      		 Positions the beam on the U axis of the beam.
      U minus

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

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

  11. Expand Options and specify the corresponding values.
    1. To automatically trim one end of the beam to its neighboring column, select the Auto trim end 1 check box.
    2. To enter your own end 1 trim value, clear the Auto trim end 1 check box and in the End trim 1 box, specify the trim value.

      Note: A positive value shortens the beam; a negative value lengthens the beam.

      Ensure that your entry does not exceed the beam length.

    3. To automatically trim the other end of the beam to the neighboring column, select the Auto trim end 2 check box.
    4. To enter your own end 2 trim value, clear the Auto trim end 2 check box and in theEnd trim 2 box, specify the trim value.

      Note: A positive value shortens the beam; a negative value lengthens the beam.

      Ensure that your entry does not exceed the beam length.

    5. To offset the beam vertically, specify the Vertical offset.
    6. To offset the beam offset along the U axis, specify the Horizontal offset.
    7. In the Rotation box, specify the angle value for the beam in counterclockwise rotation about its length.

      Valid range entries are from -360 to +360 degrees.

  12. Expand Grid Segment Display and in the Grids to Display box, select the grids to display, and then perform the following steps:
    1. In a structural grid with a slab, select from these check boxes:

      Check Box Action
      Show grid points off slabs To display grid points that lie off the slab surfaces.
      Show grid points on slabs To display grid points that lie on the slab surfaces.
      Show grid segments To display grid segments.
      Show slabs To display slabs.

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

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

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

  13. Click .