Export to Tekla Portal Frame Designer
Export to Tekla Portal Frame Designer workflow
It is important to follow the correct definition, loading and design sequence when frames are to be transferred for design to Tekla Portal Frame Designer.
- Define frames/loading etc in Tekla Structural Designer.
- Run Analyse All (Static).
Analysis is necessary in order for the loading to be included in the export to Tekla Portal Frame Designer.
- Export the frame to Tekla Portal Frame Designer to design it and check member stability.
- Return revised sections/grades and haunch geometry back to the Tekla Structural Designer model.
Note:
Only section sizes, haunch dimensions and steel grades are returned to Tekla Structural Designer. Any other changes to the model data and loading are not returned.
Warning:
Caution is required if the portal frame has been set out in Tekla Structural Designer using height to U/S Haunch, with haunches set to the max. cut depth from the same size as the rafters. In this case, if revised rafter sections are returned to Tekla Structural Designer the eaves level of the frame would update accordingly. Any members or panels that were previously connected to the rafters would need to be edited to suit the updated eaves level.
How loading, restraints and supports are handled in the export
Loadcases and combinations
When you open the Loadcases dialog in Tekla Portal Frame Designer the first four loadcases are automatically created and named as follows:
- Self Weight
- Frame Dead Load
- Frame Service Load
- Frame Imposed Load
The loading in these loadcases will be taken from Tekla Structural Designer loadcases (providing the loadcase names have been specified exactly as per the below table):
| Tekla Structural Designer Loadcase | Tekla Portal Frame Designer Loadcase |
|---|---|
| Self weight - excluding slabs | Self weight |
| Dead | Frame Dead Load |
| Services | Frame Service Load |
| Imposed | Frame Imposed Load |
If the Tekla Structural Designer model does not contain loadcases named "Dead", "Services" or "Imposed"; in Tekla Portal Frame Designer the "Frame Dead Load", "Frame Service Load" and "Frame Imposed Load" loadcases are created regardless, defaulting to the loading values specified in the Tekla Portal Frame Designer Preferences. However, in this situation, since these loadcases are not included in any load combinations they will have no effect on the design.
Every other Tekla Structural Designer loadcase that applies in-plane loading to the frame gets exported to Tekla Portal Frame Designer retaining its original name. Care should be taken in Tekla Structural Designer to ensure that each loadcase name is unique.
CAUTION:
If the Tekla Structural Designer model contains loadcases that do not apply any in-plane load to the frame being exported, the implications need to be carefully considered:
-
If the empty loadcases are named "Dead" and/or "Imposed":
-
The corresponding "Frame Dead Load" and/or "Frame Imposed Load" loadcases are created in Tekla Portal Frame Designer, but instead of being empty they will default to the loading values specified in the Tekla Portal Frame Designer Preferences.
- As a result, extra load would be added to any Tekla Portal Frame Designer combinations containing these loadcases, (which, unless there is a critical uplift case. will always be conservative).
-
-
If the empty loadcase is named "Services":
-
The corresponding "Frame Service Load" loadcase is created in Tekla Portal Frame Designer. Similar to the "Dead" and "Imposed" cases, it will default to the loading value specified in the Tekla Portal Frame Designer Preferences.
However, (unlike the "Dead" and "Imposed" cases) it is removed from the Tekla Portal Frame Designer load combinations and therefore doesn't result in any extra load being added.
-
-
If the empty loadcases have any other name:
-
The loadcases are not exported and they are removed from the Tekla Portal Frame Designer load combinations.
-
Once the empty loadcases have been removed, if the resulting combination is empty, or if it only contains self weight, the combination itself is removed.
-
After making changes to loads in Tekla Structural Designer, you should rerun the analysis before exporting frames to Tekla Portal Frame Designer.
Any changes to loads, loadcases, or combinations made in Tekla Portal Frame Designer are not returned to Tekla Structural Designer.
Lateral Restraints
The Tekla Structural Designer lateral restraints are exported, strut restraints are ignored.
Any changes to restraints made in Tekla Portal Frame Designer are not returned to Tekla Structural Designer.
Note: The below mappings assume default rotations of the rafters and columns. (Changing the rotation by 180 degrees flips the restrained flange in Tekla Portal Frame Designer.)
Rafter Restraints
These are exported to Tekla Portal Frame Designer restraints as follows
| Tekla Structural Designer Lateral Restraint | Tekla Portal Frame Designer Restraint | |
|---|---|---|
| Top Flange | Bottom Flange | |
| X | X | Torsional |
| X | - | Outer |
| - | X | Inner |
| - | - | No restraint |
Column Restraints
These are exported to Tekla Portal Frame Designer restraints as follows
| Tekla Structural Designer Lateral Restraint | Tekla Portal Frame Designer Restraint | |
|---|---|---|
| Face A | Face C | |
| X | X | Torsional |
| X | - | Outer |
| - | X | Inner |
| - | - | No restraint |
Note:
The rafter top flange and column face A can be identified graphically, for details see: 1D member local coordinate system (general case).
Supports
The Fy, Fz and Mx Tekla Structural Designer support properties are used to configure the Tekla Portal Frame Designer base fixities as shown in the following table.
Any changes to base fixities made in Tekla Portal Frame Designer are not returned to Tekla Structural Designer.
| Tekla Structural Designer Support | Tekla Portal Frame Designer Base Fixity | |
|---|---|---|
| Fy Fixed | Horiz. Stiffness (ULS, SLS, Stability): Restrained | |
| Fz Fixed | Vertic. Stiffness (ULS, SLS, Stability): Restrained | |
| Mx Fixed | ULS: | Rot. 100%, Cap. 100% |
| SLS: | Restrained | |
| Stability: | Restrained | |
| Fy Free-Release | Horiz. Stiffness (ULS, SLS, Stability): 0kN/m | |
| Fz Free-Release | Vertic. Stiffness (ULS, SLS, Stability): 0kN/m | |
| Mx Free-Release | ULS: | Rot. Free, Cap. 1% |
| SLS: | Free | |
| Stability: | Free | |
| Fy Free-Spring Linear: XkN/m | Horiz. Stiffness (ULS, SLS, Stability): XkN/m | |
| Fz Free-Spring Linear: XkN/m | Vertic. Stiffness (ULS, SLS, Stability): XkN/m | |
| Mx Free-Spring Linear: XkNm/rad | ULS: | Rot. XkNm/rad, Cap. 1% |
| SLS: | XkNm/rad | |
| Stability: | XkNm/rad | |
|
Fy Free-Spring Non Linear: -ve=XkN/m, +ve YkN/m |
Horiz. Stiffness (ULS, SLS, Stability): Max (X, Y) kN/m | |
|
Fz Free-Spring Non Linear: -ve=XkN/m, +ve YkN/m |
Vertic. Stiffness (ULS, SLS, Stability): Max (X, Y) kN/m | |
|
Mx Free-Spring Non Linear: -ve=XkNm/rad, +ve YkNm/rad |
ULS: | Rot. Max (X, Y) kNm/rad, Cap. 1% |
| SLS: | Max (X, Y) kNm/rad | |
| Stability: | Max (X, Y) kNm/rad | |
| Mx Free-Nominally Pinned: 10% | ULS: | Rot. Free, Cap. 1% |
| SLS: | 20% | |
| Stability: | 10% | |
| Mx Free-Nominally Pinned: X% | ULS: | Rot. X%, Cap. 1% |
| SLS: | X% | |
| Stability: | X% | |
| Mx Free-Nominally Fixed: X% | ULS: | Rot. X%, Cap. 100% |
| SLS: | X% | |
| Stability: | X% | |
To export a single frame
Note:
Export requires a Tekla Portal Frame Designer licence.
To export multiple frames
Note:
Export requires a Tekla Portal Frame Designer licence.
To return revised sections from Tekla Portal Frame Designer
If the section sizes have been revised in Tekla Portal Frame Designer they can be returned to Tekla Structural Designer as follows:
In Tekla Portal Frame Designer click Portal Frame> Return sections to model