Beam

An element in any material, with user defined area and inertia properties, and user-definable end releases - used in all solver models for:

Columns (any material)
Beams (any material)
Truss top, bottom and side members (any material)
Mid-pier concrete wall: wall-beam, and wall-column elements
Bearing wall: wall-beam elements
Analysis Elements (any material) with element type: Beam

Truss

An element in any material, with user-defined cross sectional area, and pinned ends (releases not being editable) - used in all solver models for:

Braces (any material) that have not been set as tension or compression only
Truss internal members (any material) that have not been set as tension or compression only
Bearing wall: wall-column elements
Analysis Element (any material) with element type: Truss

Truss 1D solver elements are also used in linear solver models only for:

Braces (any material) that have been set as tension or compression only
Truss internal members (any material) that have been set as tension or compression only

Tension only

A pin ended member in any material, with user-defined cross sectional area, that can only transfer tension. This is a non-linear element which requires non-linear analysis - hence used in non-linear solver models only for:.

Braces (any material) that have been set as tension only
Truss internal members (any material) that have been set as tension only
Analysis Element (any material) with element type: Tension only

Compression only

A pin ended member in any material, with user-defined cross sectional area, that can only transfer compression. This is a non-linear element which requires non-linear analysis -hence used in non-linear solver models only for:

Braces (any material) that have been set as compression only
Truss internal members (any material) that have been set as compression only
Analysis Element (any material) with element type: Compression only

Linear axial spring

An element that deflects linearly when an axial force is applied, in accordance with a user-defined axial spring stiffness. These are specified as:

Analysis Element (any material) with element type: Linear axial spring

Linear torsional spring

An element that rotates linearly when a torsion force is applied, in accordance with a user-defined rotational spring stiffness. These are specified as:

Analysis Element (any material) with element type: Linear torsional spring

Non-linear axial spring

An element that deflects non-linearly when an axial force is applied, in accordance with a user-defined axial spring stiffness. These are used in non-linear solver models only for:

Analysis Element (any material) with element type: Non-linear axial spring

Non-linear torsional spring

An element that rotates non-linearly when a torsion force is applied, in accordance with a user-defined rotational spring stiffness. These are used in non-linear solver models only for:

Analysis Element (any material) with element type: Non-linear torsional spring

Link

This special element connects two nodes incorporating discrete translational and rotational springs at Node 2, In this way it can allow for partial or full transfer of moment or translation between elements connected on either side of the link.

Currently link elements are only used in the “shear only wall” solver model.

Solver element properties

When in a Solver View, solver element properties are displayed in the Properties Window as shown below. Only certain of these can be edited; properties that are dimmed are derived and cannot be changed directly.


Property	Description
General
Active	When this is set to False the solver element is inactive in the analysis. Only certain member types (braces, analysis elements) can be made inactive.
Type	The type of the solver element
Fabrication	The fabrication type of the solver element.
Construction	The construction type of the solver element.
Material	The solver element material.
Gamma angle	Defines the element orientation about its local x axis. When gamma = 0, the local z lies in the plane created by the local x axis and the global z axis.
Length	The solver element length.
Start Releases
Fx, Fy, Fz	These define the translational end releases at end 1.
Mx, My, Mz	These define the rotational end releases at end 1.
End Releases
Fx, Fy, Fz	These define the translational end releases at end 2.
Mx, My, Mz	These define the rotational end releases at end 2.

Solver elements (1D)