The configuration settings can be modified from the opening page of STAAD Foundation Advanced 2023. The user needs to go to "Configure" option, as shown in the figure below to do the same.

CONFIGURATION SETTINGS:

The “Configure” option allows a user to specify his default options for the model  The user can specify certain settings that he thinks will apply to most of the models he create. The “Configure” option is available for the following categories – (1) General (2) Foundation (3) Options and (4) Drawing Style. Each of these categories is explained in details below.

General

 Configure > General option allows the user to set the default Axis System and Unit System. However, the user can change these settings for any specific file he wants to create.

Axis System

There are two global axis systems that are used in the computational analysis and design of structures. One is the Y UP axis system the other is a Z Up axis system. Both the axis systems are shown in Figure 29. The mathematics of the axis systems are explained in details in section # in the Technical Reference manual.

 

 

When the user clicks on the “Configure > General” option, he will have the option to choose the radio button corresponding to the Y UP and Z UP option. Refer to below snap, where the Y UP option is chosen by the user. If the user wishes to change the axis system from what he has set as the default one in “Configure” while creating a new file, he can always do that at the start as well.

 

 

Unit System

Like the Axis System the default unit system can also be set from the “Configure > General” option. There are two available unit systems – (1) Imperial and (2) Metric. If the user chooses the Imperial system, the basic units of force and distance and all derived units from it will be in English units. If the user chooses to use Metric, the same will be in metric units. In above figure, the user chose his default unit system in “Metric”. However, he can choose to change the default settings for any specific file as well at the start of creating that file.

Please note that there is an “Update” button at the bottom of the screen which becomes active if the user clicks on a different axis system or a unit system than the one shown in the screen based on the program default settings or the last user specified default settings.

Foundation

Configure > Foundation option allows the user to set default settings for modelling, analysis and design of mat foundations and pedestals. The current version handles mat foundations along with regions and pedestals on it. To understand these components and their behavior, please refer to the Technical Reference Manual.

Mat Foundation

When the user chooses this option, the default mat foundation settings are displayed as shown in the below figure. The sequence of clicks to access this option is indicated by the arrow symbols. There are two main areas – (1) Editing section, where the user actually sets the default settings for the mat (2) the other is the preview section where the user can see with the help of illustration the physical interpretation of specific settings.

Each of the default settings in the “Editing” or “Setting” section is discussed in detail along with Figure below.

1. Mat Foundation – Property:

The only item under property is “Thickness”. The edit box corresponding to “Thickness” is used to define the default thickness of the mat. The thickness needs to be specified in the unit system that has been defined for the file that the user intends to work on. In metric units the program will set the value of 300 mm for the thickness while it will set 12 inches thickness in imperial units. The user can choose to set his own default value.

2. Mat Foundation - Column Foundation Positioning

If columns are to be supported by a mat foundation, there can be two possible ways to consider the load transfer from the column to the mat, in the program currently.

 

• The column transfers the load to the top of the foundation. In such a case, the user can consider the bottom node of the column member at the top of the foundation. The “Preview” section as shown in below snap will illustrate this setting.

 

 

• The column transfers the load to the bottom of the foundation. In such a case the user can consider the bottom node of the column member match the bottom of the foundation. The “Preview” section in below snap will illustrate this setting.

 

3. Mat Foundation - Fix Level of Foundation

 “Fix Level” indicates the level where the foundation dimensions are fixed. There are two options for this setting – “Top” and “Bottom”.

 If the user specifies “Top” option, this indicates that thickness specified will go down from this level. In the Application page, when the user creates the mat, he will need to define the top level. The finite element mesh for analysis will also be created at this level. 

 If the user specifies “Bottom” the thickness will go up from this level. In the Applications Page, the user will need to define the bottom level of the mat. The finite element mesh will also be created at the bottom level. Please refer to below snap.

 

 

4. Mat Foundation – Force Transfer to Soil

This setting wants the user to specify how the program should consider the default way of transferring horizontal force from the foundation to the soil if the force is transferred from the top of the foundation. The user is asked to specify if he would like to consider the foundation thickness while transferring the load. If so, he needs to click the radio button besides “Consider Foundation Thickness”. If the foundation thickness is considered, then the program will consider by default, one additional moment created by a horizontal force being applied to the top of the foundation. If the user wishes the program to consider, by default, only the horizontal force and disregard the moment created due to thickness of foundation he needs to click the radio button corresponding to “Ignore Foundation Thickness”. Please refer to below snap which illustrates this.

5. Region – Property

If a region needs to be modelled for additional thickening of the mat the user needs to specify the additional thickness over the mat thickness specified. This setting wants the user to specify the default value of the additional thickness that needs to be considered. The program considered additional thickness is 12 in if the unit setting is imperial and 300 mm if the unit setting is metric.

Also, please note the illustration of the mat and the region in the “Preview section” for a clearer understanding of the difference. This is again reproduced in below snap.

 

Please note that there is an “Update” button at the bottom of the screen which becomes active if the user clicks or provides a different input than the one shown in the screen based on the program default settings or the last user specified default settings.

Pedestal / Base Plate

Like the “Mat Foundation” option as described above, the Pedestal / Base plate option also has been divided into the “Edit” section and “Preview” section. This is shown in below snap. In the Edit section, the user can specify the requisite default values that he wants to use in the program related to pedestal and base plate. Below snap also shows the sequence of clicks using the arrow lines to access this option.

Each of the options in the editing section is discussed in further detail below with reference to below snap.

1. Pedestal/Base Plate – Pedestal

This option is meant for the user to specify if he would like to consider pedestal below his concrete or steel columns by default. There are two options here – (1) Add Pedestal Below Concrete Column (2) Add Pedestal below Steel Column. The user can choose either one or both of these options. This will make the program automatically model pedestals below columns if the level of the bottom of the column is not the same as the top of the foundation leaving a gap in between.

This option is also illustrated in the “Preview” section as showed in below snap. Note how the illustration corresponding to “Add Pedestal below Concrete Column” has been blurred out as this option is not chosen. The illustration will be as clear as the “Add Pedestal below Steel Column” if we choose this option.

 

 

2. Pedestal / Base Plate – Steel Column

The default surface area of the base plate and the pedestal, on which the base plate will rest, will depend on the two units in this section. The users are expected to provide the default offset values for (1) Base Plate from steel section. This will help determine the surface area of the base plate. This is illustrated in the preview section as shown in below snap. The default machine value is 3 inches for imperial units and 76.2 mm for the metric units (2) Pedestal from base plate. This will help determine the surface area of the pedestal on which the base plate will rest. The default machine settings in 3 inches for imperial units and 76.2 mms for the metric units.

Please note that the pedestal surface area on which the concrete column will be formed will be same as the cross-sectional area of the column.

 

3. Pedestal / Base plate – Pile Support

This option allows the user to specify the default value for the pile embedment length. This is the length by which the pile will go into the mat foundation for piled mat foundation or pile caps. The machine provided default value is 3 inches for imperial units and 76.2 mms for metric units.

 

Options

 

“Common”

 

This allows the user to set some general default settings related to view. It helps to specify the default settings related to (1) Background (2) Theme (3) Project Explorer (4) Construction Preview and (5) Auto Save Command log.

 

• Background: The general background of the screen is white and that is what we only consider for now. All the figures considered in this manual has a white background.

 

• Theme: This decides the colour of the title bars and margins on the screen. By default, the theme colour is blue but this setting can change the default setting into multiple themes by setting different colours. All the figures considered in this manual so far – has “Blue” as the theme colour.

 

• Project Explorer: Please refer to the manual to learn more about the project explorer. In this setting, there is a check box titled “Show Lines”. If the box is checked in – the various items within the project explorer will be connected as dotted lines. Else, there will be no lines shown. Please refer to below snap. The preview will be displayed on the right side of the screen.

 

Construction Preview:

This option has a check box titled “Show Dimension Line”. If this option is checked in, the dimension line is displayed while creating the mat. Below snap shows the difference between having this option checked in and not checked in.

 

 

• Auto Save Command Log: This option has a check box associated with it. If the box is checked in, the program automatically saves the command logs. Please refer to the manual to find out more about command logs. If you have not opted for this option, the program will not save the command logs.

 

“Units – Decimal Places”   

            This option allows the user to set the default units and the default number of decimal places for various parameters (like dimensions, displacements, spring stiffness etc.), relevant to a specific unit system in the file. By default, it displays the same for the unit system that is set in Configure > General option, as discussed in section above. However, the user can change it if necessary.

The user will need to click on the “Unit” column to change the default units in a unit system. A drop down will allow the user to make the change. For example, in below snap – the user is intending to change the default unit for “dimensions” – from meter to mms for the metric unit system.

A preview option, on the right side of the screen will display details, if any, about the parameter chosen.

Similarly, an “up and bottom” switch in the “Decimal Places” column, as shown in below snap – will allow the user to change the default number of decimal places for each parameter displayed. To increase the number of decimal places one needs to click on the “up” switch and to reduce the number of decimal places, one should click on the “down” switch. By default, all the parameters are set to be displayed in three decimal places.

Drawing Style

This relates to all the default settings related to the drawing style. There are three sections to it – (1) Layer Style – this helps the user set the default colour of the Layer (like Mat Boundary, Regions Boundary etc.), (2) Text Style – this helps the user to set the default font and it’s size and (3) Dimension Style – to set the default settings for dimensions.