Adding a Catalog Column

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

See Also
Creating a Building Structural Grid
Creating a Reference Plane Grid
  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 and can generate segments on non-horizontal reference planes. With curved grid segments on non-horizontal reference planes, you can create curved columns.

  2. From the Steel section of the action bar, click Catalog Column .
  3. To create a catalog column, from one of the standard steel column catalogs:
    1. From the Catalog Column dialog box, to select source, click Catalog .

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

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

      Available selections depend on your Catalog selection.

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

      Available selections depend on your Standard and Shape selections.

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

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

    Notes:
    • You can click Reverse to reverse the direction of the catalog column.
    • 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 column in a new geometrical set, select the Create in a new geometrical set check box.
  8. To set the column location, from 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 the story Inserts columns on all vertical segments in the story of the selected segments.
    Above and below

    		Inserts columns on all vertical segments above and below the selected segments.
    Diagrid Inserts 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 Inserts columns on the selected side of the building.
    All interior Insert columns on the interior of the building.
    All in the building Insert columns on all vertical 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 columns on a single grid segment, Ctrl + select the grid segment.
  9. To change which grid segment defines the zero angle orientation for the column, in the Catalog 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.

  10. Align the column.
    1. To align the column 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 the column 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.

  11. Expand Options and specify the corresponding values.
    1. From Top trim, enter or click to the trim dimension for the top end of the column.

      A negative value lengthens the column.

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

      A negative value lengthens the column.

    3. From U offset, enter the column offset along the U axis.
    4. From V offset, enter the column offset along the V axis.
    5. From Rotation, enter or select the rotation angle that the column rotates counterclockwise about its length beyond the zero-angle position set in Snap Rotation.
  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 the following check boxes:

      Option Description
      Show grid points on slabs Displays grid points that lie on the slab surfaces.
      Show grid points off slabs Displays grid points that are off the slab surfaces.
      Show grid segments Displays grid segments between grid points.
      Show curved grid segments Generates curved grid segments from curved grid lines.
      Show slabs Displays slabs.
      Show perimeter segments 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 segments Displays grid segments and points in the interior of the structural grid. The system does not display this option with the All Interior selection.

    2. In a structural grid without a slab, select from the following 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 .