MasterKey Concrete Beams Interface Regions

The MasterFrame Tool Bar buttons allow the user to manipulate the view in the Frame Graphics window. The controls are as described in the MasterFrame manual and Help files.

Beam Elevation

The Beam Elevation window displays the currently designed beam. The user may directly edit the number of bars, their diameters and lengths here using the methods described in Beams: Editing Main Bars.

Note: the currently active bar is highlighted in red (bottom middle bar in the above graphics). You can make another bar the currently active bar by selecting its label.

Bending Moment and Shear Force Diagrams

Displays the applied BM/Ft/SF diagram together with the capacity diagram. Any failures are shown as vertical red lines. The number of design increments along the length of the beam (vertical blue lines) can be changed in the Display and Print sub menu for beams in the Basic Data and Defaults.

If any part of the capacity exceeds 1.5 times the maximum applied force then the capacity is graphically curtailed to this value and is drawn in green.

Note: When designing in BS code the bending moment (BM) diagram is displayed. In EC design the diagram shows the tension force (Ft) in the reinforcement bars.

Failure Bar

The Failure Bar displays any beam failures at the appropriate positions along the beam in red for bending failure and blue/black for shear failure. If the Failure Bar background is cyan then there is a dimensional failure.

Double clicking on the Failure Bar displays the design results screen, positioned to the dimensional checks.

The Failure Bar also contains the section marker that indicates the position of the section in the Cross Section window. A single click with the mouse re-positions the section marker.

Quick Buttons

	Display and edit the Basic Data and Design Defaults options.
	AutoDesign the current member
	AutoDesign the current run of members. Used in beams only.
	AutoDesign All the Visible members in the current frame.
	Scans all members in search of design failures. Stops at the first failure encountered. Move to next failure.
	Allows you to view the detailed beam design calculations and dimensional checks.
X	Close concrete design and return to analysis

Editor Tabs

The tabs allow you to view the various editing screens with their associated options and controls

Display various editing options depending on which Editor Tab is active. See the Editing Screens below.

Frame Graphics

Displays the MasterFrame Frame geometry. The currently designed beam is highlighted in red. The window is used to graphically choose the member to be designed. The frame view can be manipulated using the MasterFrame top tool bar. You can zoom in to enlarge the frame for easier member selection.

Displays the beam cross-section corresponding to the section marker position in the Failure Bar. The

and

buttons allow you to expand or shrink the size of the cross section.