Member Property Editor

From the Properties menu you can select to view the Member Property Editor. This editor lists a number of properties relating to any particular member selected from the model. For the selected member the member name, level and grid line location are displayed. The section details can be edited – section material, size and orientation. The member releases can be changed for each end, making it rigid or pinned in the major, minor and torsional axes. The coordinates for each end node of the member are listed but cannot be altered here. (Note:- read only properties added for total length, principal axis lengths, principal plane angles in 2022 version). Other analysis options that can be edited include whether the member is a bracing member (not loaded directly by area or wind loading), is tension or compression only (tie or strut), is released axially (no axial load allowed, eg, a slotted sliding connection), is a dummy member (ignored in the analysis), has self-weight ignored and the value of its coefficient of thermal expansion (where temperature loads are being considered). If the frame has been imported then the Revit ID or IFC GUID member references are included.

You can select several members at a time to change a particular property in all of them in one go.

The Member Property Editor is a very useful tool in that it is like a container which includes many of the properties relating to a particular member or indeed to several members as described above. This means that you can change a number of the member’s properties in one place without having to go into individual menus and change them one at a time. All the information is available in one editing panel.

Methods of editing –

1.At the start of each section there are down arrows and side arrows. Clicking on the down arrow will further open the item to reveal additional items. Clicking on the side arrows will further open these additional items to show their full set of options.

2.As you open these full set of options, you’ll see in many cases a down arrow, which will open a further droplist of possible settings, usually a Yes/No choice.

3.Under the ‘Section Details’ heading there are 5 sub items. The arrows at the right-hand end of these will open further details, including separate tables in which several other items can be altered. For example, the steel section size below.

4.Some of the member properties will be shown in grey – these are for information only and cannot be edited, for example the member name and nodal coordinates.

Selection of members –

1.A single member can be individually picked and will be highlighted in red on the frame. This member’s properties can then be edited where required in the properties editor.

2.Multiple members can be selected by pressing down the ‘ctrl’ key and picking a number of members individually off the frame. All of these members will be highlighted in red. Only the items that are common to all these members will be displayed in the member properties editor. These common items can be edited for the whole highlighted group. The remaining cells will be blank, for example, the member Name, since each member will have a unique name.

Editing Options –

General – The member name/reference, level and grid line details are displayed but cannot be edited. They are shown for information purposes.

Section Details –

1.The Member Type can be changed from steel to concrete, to timber or a haunched box or I section as required. Click on the down arrow at the right-hand end of the cell to display the options.

2.The Section Size details can be opened by clicking on the grey button at the right-hand end of the cell. This will display a table for steel members in which the section type, size and grade can be altered. Additional options include a Double Section, Compound Section, Haunched Section and details of concrete casing or diameter and spacing of cells in a cell beam. Remember to ‘Save’ the revised data so it is changed in the main Member Property Editor.

For a concrete member the Section Size table includes the section shape and dimensions, Young’s modulus E and the modulus of rigidity G.

For a timber section the type, shape, section size and E and G moduli can be changed. Additionally, the strength and service classes and number of pieces can be altered. Options include EuroCode design options, glulam beams, load sharing and flitched beam details.

Haunched Box or I Section dimension set details can be modified.

3.The Beta Angle or section orientation can be overwritten. The angle is displayed in degrees. This item is particularly useful if you need to alter the orientation of a number of members at the same time, eg, rotating a series of columns through 90 degrees.

4.Curved in Major Axis – if a member has been set as a curved member, it will have been designated as curved in the major or minor axis. A ‘true’ setting here will indicate that the member is curved in the major axis. A ‘false’ setting will mean it is curved in the minor axis instead.

5.If a member has discrete web openings, these can be edited for a single member, multiple members or web opening sets. Click on the grey button at the right-hand end of the cell to open the Web Openings options. Choose whether to modify the current member or a web opening set.

Discrete web openings can be added to a beam as rectangular, circular and elongated openings or end notches. Within a particular beam there may be several openings which will form an Opening Web Set. This Opening Web Set can then be applied to similar beams to provide the same openings, for example, across a whole grid of beams running in the same direction with service holes on the same lines.

Select to Edit Current Member Only or to edit the Opening Web Set at the top of the dialogue box. Editing the set will change these openings on all members to which this set has been applied. If you only want to alter the openings in one member, then use the Current Member Only option.

To set up an opening or series of openings on a beam use the  button from the panel below to first add a new item.

In the data entry table above, select the web opening type and fill in the appropriate dimensions for the distance along the beam, etc, etc.

To add another opening to this beam (and set) click again on the  button and fill in the appropriate details.

You can use a previous highlighted opening as a template by selecting the Copy item and Add New button  and editing the existing data to suit the new opening. Items can be deleted by highlighting them and selecting the  button. The  button will select all the items within a set in one go, or alternatively use the standard Windows Shift and Ctrl buttons to multi-select items.

This process will have created an Opening Web Set which can be applied to other beams where required. Click on the other beams that you want to add this set to. Select the Set that you want to use. Then press the OK button to apply this set of openings to these highlighted beams.

You can add a new Opening Web Set by clicking on the  button to the right of the Web Opening Set drop list. This new set can then be populated with opening details. Click on the  button to delete a set.

Use the Copy and Add New Set button  to copy an existing set and add a copy of it as a new set. This new set can be edited as required.

If there are several sets, there may be some duplication of sets or sets that have had all the openings deleted from them. This duplication can be removed using the Delete All Unused Web Opening Sets option .

End Releases –

The member end releases for torsion, major axis moment and minor axis moment can be changed by opening up the End 1 and End 2 Releases lines by first clicking on the > arrows. Click on the down arrow at the right-hand end of a cell to see the Yes/No choice for the particular release type. Note that end 1 of the member is the end with the lower node number.

Composite Construction –

The type of composite construction can be viewed and changed for the current member or a range of members. Under Composite Type the options are:-

As Level Default – the default setting for this particular level will be adhered to.

Non-Composite – a beam can be set to being non-composite in construction.

Composite Standard – a beam can be set as a composite beam with the profiled decking on the top flange.

Composite Slim Floor – a beam can be set as a composite beam with the decking on the bottom flange.

The ‘Shear Connection’ will detail the studs being used and the ‘Mesh Area’ will detail the reinforcement being applied to the composite slab in the locality of the currently selected beam. Note that these 2 items can only be altered in the composite design module and are displayed here for information only.

Nodal Coordinates –

The X, Y and Z coordinates of each end of the member are displayed for information purposes only.

Analysis Options –

Common member attributes can be switched on or off. Use the down arrow at the right-hand end of the attribute cells to select Yes/No. 

The analysis options that can be edited include whether the member is a bracing member (not loaded directly by area or wind loading), is tension or compression only (tie or strut), is released axially (no axial load allowed, eg, a slotted sliding connection), is a dummy member (ignored in the analysis), has self-weight ignored and the value of its coefficient of thermal expansion (where temperature loads are being considered).