Brace properties


General
Name	The automatically generated name.
User Name	Can be used to override the automatically generated name if required.
Group	The name of the group to which the member belongs. See: Steel member design groups
Plane	Indicates the level or frame within which the member is placed.
Characteristic	Brace
Active	Clearing this option makes the brace inactive in the analysis. See: Inactive members
Material type	Steel Timber General Cold formed
Construction, Fabrication	The available construction and fabrication options depend on the characteristic and material type selected, see Member characteristic, construction and fabrication properties
Autodesign	See: Concrete member autodesign, Steel member autodesign
Design section order (steel only)	The design order file from which a section size will be selected. Note: Only displayed for Autodesign For details of managing order files, see: Manage design section orders
Rotation	Rotation of the member about its local x axis.
Alignment
Global offset end 1, end 2	Can be used to model a physical offset with respect to the global axes at one or both ends of the member, (exceptions apply). See: Member global offsets
Major snap level, Minor snap level	Defines the major and minor alignment of the member relative to the insertion point.
Major offset, Minor offset	Used to offset the member from the snap point in the major and minor axis.


All spans
Section	The section size
Grade	The material grade
Connection	Bolted Welded
Compression only, Tension only	Specify if the brace is compression only, or tension only. Note: Tension only and Compression only members are non-linear elements and therefore require non-linear analysis. If linear analysis is performed they will be treated as linear elements
Relaxation factor	Only displayed if the brace is tension only (default 0.0). Any value entered is not used unless you also check the ‘Use relaxation factors for tension only elements’ box in Analysis Options. Note: It is highly unlikely that you would ever need to set a specific release factor for an individual brace. See 1st order non-linear settings in: Analysis Settings
Releases
Fixity end 1, end 2	Pinned
Torsional load release end 1, end 2	Check one end only to define a torsional release.
Vertical load release end 1, end 2	A vertical load release can be applied to the end of a V or A type brace pair so that they don’t prop other members against gravity loads, (you are prevented from releasing single braces, or other brace pairs in this way).
Include force in eccentricity moment end 1, end 2	Eccentricity moments in steel and precast columns as a result of beam connection eccentricities do not also consider the brace connection eccentricities unless this property is checked for the appropriate end of the brace. When checked ON the brace axial force is resolved into a vertical force, multiplied by the connection eccentricity, to obtain a connection eccentricity moment. When checked OFF the brace axial force does not contribute to the total connection eccentricity moment. See: Steel column connection eccentricity moments - overview Precast column connection eccentricity moments - overview
Wind loading
Apply open structure wind load	Select this flag if you want open structure wind loads to be calculated. See: Open structure wind loads
Shape factor, Cf	The default shape factor varies according to the entity type and is taken from Model Settings > Loading > Wind Loading Note: Default Cf factors are taken from the document ‘Wind Loads For Petrochemical And Other Industrial Facilities’ published by ASCE.
Effective area XY
Formula	The default effective area formula varies according to the entity type and is taken from Model Settings > Loading > Wind Loading
Factor	The factor used in the above formula can be edited if required.
Effective area XZ
Formula	The default effective area formula varies according to the entity type and is taken from Model Settings > Loading > Wind Loading
Factor	The factor used in the above formula can be edited if required.
Load reductions
KLL (Head Code ACI/AISC)	Specify the KLL factor in accordance with Table 4-2 in ASCE 7-05/ASCE 7-10. See: Overview of live or imposed load reductions
Reduce imposed loads by (All other Head Codes)	Although the percentage of imposed load reduction is not determined automatically, this property allows you to specify the percentage manually. reducible loadcases are reduced combinations incorporating reducible loadcases are reduced See: Overview of live or imposed load reductions
Compression
Effectve length factor y-y, z-z
Tension
Net area	Specified as an effective net area or a percentage value.
Size constraints (steel only)
Max depth, Min depth, Max width, Min width	Size Constraints are only applicable when Autodesign is checked. They allow you to ensure that the sections that Tekla Structural Designer proposes match any particular size constraints you may have.
Seismic
In a seismic force resisting system	If this is the case, select the checkbox, and then specify the SFRS direction and type. Note: Design of members in seismic force resisting systems is only supported for the ACI/AISC Head Code in the current release.


Utilization ratio
Apply (to autodesign)	On When an Autodesign is performed, the design will be incremented to achieve a utilization ratio less than the ratio limit. Off When an Autodesign is performed, the design will be incremented to achieve a utilization ratio less than 1.0. See: Apply user defined utilization ratios
Apply (to check)	On When a Check is performed, the check will pass provided the utilization ratio is less than the ratio limit. Off When a Check is performed, the check will pass provided the utilization ratio is less than 1.0.
Ratio limit	The utilization ratio against which the autodesign or check is performed (when applied above).


Fireproofing
Protected	When members are set as 'Protected', self-weight of the members is increased by the weight of fireproofing. See: Fire proofing


UDA
Name Finish Class Phase Note File	A customizable list of the attributes that can be applied to individual members and panels. See: Create and manage user-defined attributes