Training Manual

Introduction to STAAD Pro

CONNECT Edition
Exercise1
Customize the Program Configuration

In this exercise, you will learn how to customize the following program configurations:

• Base Unit: Dictates the system of units that will be used internally to shore numerical
values during calculations.
• Global Axis Orientation: Dictates the direction of the vertical axis in STAAD.Pro. The
default orientation of the global coordinate system is that the Y axis points in the vertical
direction.

1. Launch STAAD.Pro CONNECT Edition.

2. In the STAAD.Pro Start Page, click on the Configure item.
3. In the Application Configuration dialog, enter the following information:
• Base Unit: Metric
• Global Axis Orientation: Y up
Then, click OK.

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4. Keep this model open for the next exercise.

The default orientation of the global

coordinate system is that the
Y axis points in the vertical direction and a
plan view is represented
by the XZ plane.

You do have an option to specify the vertical

axis as the Z axis, but
this option will eliminate the ability to use
some other functions in
the program, such as the wind load
generator.

5. To view the version number of STAAD

▪ Go to Help and click on About STAAD Pro
6. Using communities
▪ Go to help and click on knowledge base to access Bentley Communities.
7. Using LEARNServer
▪ Go to help and click on Tutorials to access Bentley LEARNServer.

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Exercise 2.
Creating a New Project

In this exercise, you will learn how to create a new project in STAAD.Pro. In STAAD.Pro
CONNECT Edition, the following structure types/workflows are available to create the model
geometry:

In the STAAD.Pro Start Page,

1. click on the New item. Then, enter the following information:
2. File Name: Storage Shed_1.std
3. Location: (navigate to the dataset folder that was supplied with this training)
4. Type: Analytical
5. Units: Metric
6. Job Info: Optional input for job information
7. Then, click on the Create button.

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Exercise 3.
Using quick access options in STAAD

This session will help you to understand new shortcuts and quick access options in STAAD Pro.
All the short cut options previously available in STAAD remains the same.
1. Using the SPACE bar
▪ Click on the main window to activate it.
▪ Press the Space bar in keyboard.
▪ Click on the arrow symbol on the right bottom corner of the pop
up.
▪ Select ‘Node Cursor’ from the Choose commands from option
and move it to the Customize Quick Commands box.
▪ Repeat the same steps to add ‘Node to Node distance’
command. See Fig.1
▪ Click on OK

Figure 1. Customize quick commands pop up

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 2. Using short cut for ‘view’ commands
▪ Use Shift+ right click on mouse to use the View commands

3. Using Customize Quick access tool bar

1. Use the arrow key at the top-left of the window.
2. Select Command file and analysis output to be added to the quick access
command
3. Click on the option More commands
4. Add the required commands. For this exercise add Run Analysis command.
5. Click OK

4. Using Search Option

▪ Search for the required command in the search option at the top right. For ex.
Section wizard
▪ To go to the Help session, click on the ? symbol.

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 5. Enable Auto Save
▪ Go to File
▪ Select the option Tools
▪ Click on Back Up manager option
▪ Check the option Enable Auto Save
▪ Click on Ok

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Exercise 3
Creating structural geometry
In this exercise, we will learn to create the geometry of the structure.
1. Creating the geometry using Grids
▪ Click on Grids under Geometry tab.

▪ Select Beam Grid option

▪ Click on Create in the Snap Node/Beam window
1. Name: Grid1
2. Plane: Y-Z
3. Construction Lines: Y – Left 0, Right 3
4. Z – Left 0, Right 12
5. Click on OK

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 ▪ Activate the Grid1 by checking the box in the Snap Node/Beam window
▪ Make sure the Snap Node/Beam option is active and select the following co-
ordinartes
S.No. Z Y
1. 0 0
2. 0 3
3. 12 3
4. 12 0

▪ Press Escape to stop drawing.

▪ De-activate the grid from the Snap Node/Beam dialog box and close it.

2. Splitting a beam
▪ Use Shift+b to show the member numbers.
▪ Select member no.2
▪ Click on Insert Node option from the ribbon.
▪ Use Add midpoint option. A node at 6m will be created.
▪ Click on OK
3. Using Translational Repeat option
▪ Select all the members in the view window. Use
ctrl+a or manually select using mouse drag.
▪ Press Space bar and opt for Translational
Repeat. Same option is available in the ribbon.
o Global Direction: X
o No. of steps: 2
o Default spacing: 4m

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 o Check Link Steps
o Check Open Base
o Generation Flags: All
o Click OK

4. Using Mirror option

▪ Select all the members in the window.
▪ Select the Mirror option from space bar.
▪ Mirror Plane: Y-Z
▪ Plane at X: 10m
▪ Generate Mode: Copy
▪ Click OK

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 5. Using Connect Beams option
▪ Use Shift+N to show the node numbers.
▪ Select the Node cursor using the space bar.
▪ Select nodes 13 and 28 from the GUI.
▪ Use ctrl+c and ctrl+v (copy and paste)
▪ In the pop up window, use Y: 1.5m
▪ Click OK
▪ Select node numbers 13,31,28 and 32
▪ Click on connect beams, and choose along Y axis.

Connect Beams

▪ Click on the view window to deselect nodes.

▪ Use Add beam command and create a new beam along beam 31 and 32 and
press escape
▪ Select nodes 14, 31,32 and 29 and select translational repeat option using
space bar.
o Global direction : Z
o No. of steps: 1
o Default step spacing: 5m
o Check the boxes for: Link steps and Open base
o OK
▪ Use Add beam command to add members between 33 and 35, 35 and 36, 36
and 34.
▪ Select the beams 37, 38 and 39 as show in the below fig.
▪ Use translational repeat to create 2 copies along, z direction with default step
spacing (-)6m, link steps and open base

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 6. Using translational repeat to create the next storeys of the structure.
▪ Use shift+Right click to get the view commands.
▪ Opt for the front view of your structure.
▪ Select the members as shown in the below image.

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 ▪ Use translational repeat along Y axis, with number of steps 2 and default step
spacing 3m. Don’t choose Link Steps option
▪ Shift+right click and select front view and select the middle portion of the
structure.
▪ Unselect the members in the projection as shown in the below image.

▪ Use translational repeat option along Y axis, with number of steps 1 and default
step spacing as 4.5m. No link steps.

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 7. Using Structure Wizard to create the truss.
▪ Click on Structure Wizard option under Geometry.
▪ In the new window
o Model Type: Truss Models
o Double Click on Howe Roof
o Length: 12m
o Height: 3m
o Width: 0m
o No. of bays along length: 4
o No. of bays along width: 0
o Click on Apply
▪ Go to file within Structure Wizard and choose the option Merge Model with
STAAD Pro model
▪ A pop up window will appear asking if you would like to transfer this prototype
into STAAD. Click on Yes.
▪ In the paste prototype model pop up, select the option Reference pt
▪ Reference point will be selected by default. Click on OK.
▪ Select a node in the main geometry as shown in the below figure.
▪ Click Ok on the next pop up.
▪ Press escape to come out of the previous command.

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 8. Using generate rotate option

▪ Delete the 2 beams as shown in the below image, in order to avoid duplication of
beams while using the generate rotate option.

▪ Select the members as shown in the below image.

▪ Select the Generate rotate option using the space bar

▪ Set Angle as 90 degrees

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 ▪ Select the node cursor icon for Node1 from the pop up, as shown in the above image.

▪ In the view window, select a node along which you need to rotate your selected
elements. (In this case, we are rotating the selected members along Y axis)
▪ Select the node cursor icon for Node 2 from the pop up
▪ In the view window, select a second node which is beneath the 1 st node.

▪ Click OK
▪ Delete the Orphan nodes created.(Utilities> Node tools> orphan nodes)
▪ Press Shift+right click and go for front view.
▪ Select the truss members as shown below and use translational repeat along X axis,
no. of steps 5, default step spacing -4m and link steps

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 9. Using Parametric Models

▪ Click on parametric models under Geometry in the ribbon as

shown in the image
▪ Click on Add in the next window.
▪ In the New Meshed Surface pop up, click on OK

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 ▪ Select the nodes as shown in the below image

▪ Make sure to come back to the first node to complete the closed area.
▪ A new window Mesh Parameters will appear now.
▪ Set the Target element size as 0.5m
▪ Click on OK
▪ A new window will appear as shown. Click on Yes

▪ Select the opening type as Circular Opening

▪ Click Ok

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 ▪ Select the centre and radius of the circle as shown in the above image.

▪ Add the number of divisions along the periphery as 36. Click OK

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 ▪ You will get a surface with an opening as shown above.
▪ Close the Snap Node/Beam window
▪ Click on merge mesh
▪ This should be your final model.

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