Analysis and Design of

3D Steel Truss
Using SAP2000
ACECOMS, AIT
SAP2000 Tutorial Example ACECOMS, AIT

Analysis and Design of

3D Steel Truss
Using SAP2000
Table of Content
Objective ........................................................................................................................3

Problem ..........................................................................................................................3

Material ......................................................................................................................3

Geometry ....................................................................................................................3

Step-by-Step Solution.....................................................................................................4

Start Modeling and Define Grid Line.........................................................................4

Assign Frame Elements..............................................................................................6

Define and Assign Groups .........................................................................................8

Define and Assign Frame Section ............................................................................11

Assign Restraints......................................................................................................15

Define Load Cases....................................................................................................16

Assign Loads ............................................................................................................17

Analysis the Model...................................................................................................18

Design Steel Members..............................................................................................19

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Objective
To demonstrate and practice step-by-step on the model-
ing, static analysis, design and optimization of 3D Trian-
gular Steel Truss using AISC-ASD89

Problem
Find the lightest steel pipe sections for primary and sec-
ondary members of 3D triangular truss as following de-
tails.

Material
Steel

Es = 29000 ksi
fy = 36 ksi
Poissons Ratio = 0.3

Geometry

15 @ 1.00m = 15.00

100
cm
4 x LL= 1,000 kg

cm
0
10

75 cm
Primary Members
Secondary Members

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Step-by-Step Solution
Start Modeling and Define Grid Line

Step 1-1 Start Model: Start up screen of SAP2000, select the working unit Kgf-cm
from drop-down menu on the bottom-right of screen then click on or go to File >
New model.

Step 1-2 Define Grid Line: Define grid line only one bay of truss by entering grid
line parameters as shown in above figure and click OK.

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Step 1-3: Back to main screen, showing gird line that has been defined from previ-
ous step. Close X-Y Plane window by clicking at top-right of screen.

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Assign Frame Elements

Step 2-1 Draw Frame Elements in Bay 1: Click on to make cursor snap to grid
line or joint and click on or go to Draw > Draw Frame Elements then cursor will
be changed from selection mode to draw mode. Draw frame elements as shown in
above figure by single click at first end and double click on the other end one by
one.

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Step 2-2 Select All Frame Elements: Change to selection mode by clicking on
. Click on to select all elements in model then selection status will report 6
Joints, 12 Frames selected.

Step 2-3 Copy Elements in Bay 1 to Bay 2-15: Go to Edit > Replicate. Enter X =
100 and Number = 14. Click OK.

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Back to main screen showing all frame elements in bay 1 are copied to all the rest
of bays.

Define and Assign Groups

Step 3-1 Select Primary Members: Click on to change from 3D View to XY

Plane @ Z=0 View. Draw selection rectangular cover all members in this plan (se-
lection status = 16 Joints, 15 Frames selected)

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Step 3-2 Select Primary Members: Click on to move XY Plane elevation from
Z = 0 to Z = 0.75. Draw 2 selection rectangular to cover all members along X-axis
as shown in above figure. (Selection status = 48 Joints, 45 Frames selected.

Step 3-3 Define and Assign PRIMARY Group: Go to Assign > Group Name.
Enter PRIMARY in text box, click on Add New Group Name and click OK.

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Step 3-4 Select Secondary Members: Click on to select all members. (Selec-
tion status = 48 Joints, 138 Frames selected.

Step 3-5 Select Secondary Members: To deselect primary members, go to Select

> Deselect > Groups, select PRIMARY and click OK. (Selection status = 98
Frames selected)

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Define and Assign Frame Section

Step 4-1 Import Pipe Sections: Go to Define > Frame Sections. Select Import
Pipe from first drop-down menu.

Step 4-2 Import Pipe Sections: Select steel section database file (extension with
.pro). For this example select Aisc.pro and click Open.

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Step 4-3 Import Pipe Sections: Select all pipe sections by clicking on first section
(P.5) and clicking on last section (PXX8) with holding Shift button in keyboard.
Click on OK.

Step 4-4 Import Pipe Sections: Click on OK again in Pipe Section window.
Back to Define Frame Sections dialogue showing all pipe sections are in Frame
Sections list.

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Step 4-5 Define Auto Selection Section: Select Add Auto Select from second
drop-down menu.

Step 4-6 Define Auto Selection Section: Select all pipe sections in List of Sec-
tions by clicking on first section (P.5) and clicking on last section (PXX8) with
holding Shift button in keyboard. Click on Add -> to move all selected pipe sec-
tions from List of Sections list to Auto Selections list and click on OK.

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Step 4-7 Assign Auto Selection Section: Click on to select all members.
Click on or go to Assign > Frame Sections, select AUTO1 and click OK.
AUTO1 sections are assigned into all members in model as shown in above fig-
ure. Click on to change back to normal mode.

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Assign Restraints

Step 5-1 Assign Roller Support: Select 2 Joints at the first end as shown in above
figure by clicking on them one by one. Click on or go to Assign > Joint > Re-
straints, select and click OK.

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Step 5-2 Assign Hinge Support: Select 2 Joints at the other end as shown in
above figure by clicking on them one by one. Click on or go to Assign > Joint >
Restraints, select and click OK.

Define Load Cases

Step 6-1 Modify Load Case: Enter Load = DL and clicking on Change Load

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Step 6-2 Add New Load Case: Enter parameters as shown in above figure, click
Add New Load and click OK.

Assign Loads

Step 7-1 Select Joints: Click on 4 Joints at the middle of truss one by one.

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Step 7-2 Add LL Load: Click on or go to Assign > Joint Static Loads >
Forces. Select Load Case Name = LL, enter Force Global Z = -1000 (minus for
downward) and click OK.

Analysis the Model

Step 8-1: Click on to start analysis. SAP2000 will ask to save this model. Se-
lect folder and specify File name to save this model. Click on Save.

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Step 8-2 Start Analysis: Click on or go to Analyze > Run. Check error mes-
sages from "Analysis" window after analysis is complete.

Design Steel Members

Step 9-1 Select Design Code: Go to Options > Preferences, select Steel tab,
select Steel Design Code = AISC-ASD89 and click "OK"

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Step 9-2 Select Design Groups: Go to Design > Select Design Group, double
click on PRIMARY and SECONDARY one by one to move these groups from
List of Groups to Design Groups.

Step 9-3 Select Design Combo: Go to Design > Select Design Combo,
SAP2000 will create load combinations according selected code from previous step
and add them into Design Combos automatically. Select one of them and click
Show to view defined load case and load factors. Load combination can be de-
fined manually from Define > Load Combinations. Click OK to accept this de-
fault.

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Step 9-4 Start Design: Go to Design > Start Design/Check of Structure.

SAP2000 will optimize by selecting the lightest section (W8x18 for this example)
from the section group (AUTO1) which satisfies the AISC-ASD89 that can be
shown by clicking and selecting Section in Frames.

Click on and draw rectangular line cover the first end area to enlarge 3-D
view. In 3D View shows SAP2000 will assign P3 section to all primary members
and P1.25 to all secondary members.

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