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Using library calculations in Tedds for Word (US design example)

Tekla Tedds
2021
Tekla Tedds Tekla Tedds for Word

Using library calculations in Tedds for Word (US design example)

We have shown that you can write your own calculations in Tedds for Word, but you can also use the Library Calculations. The advantage of this is that you can add additional text to your output easily, because it is already in a Word document. You can also combine more than one calculation in a document, add pictures and tables - anything you need to create a polished report. And if you need to update the calculations you can do it directly in the document.

Sometimes, of course, you just need an answer right now and the polishing can wait. That's why we have Tedds too. With the two modes, you have both bases covered.

In this exercise we will use the Seismic Force calculation to show you how to run a typical calculation from the extensive Engineering Library in Tedds for Word.

Allow about 15 minutes to complete this exercise.

Information required for this exercise

Design Information
Use the following information for the calculation.
Code version ASCE 7-10
Override R value for IBC No
Risk Category II
Site Class D
Short Period 0.2
1 sec Period 0.3
Determine SDC from Table 11/6-1 alone No
Include vertical load distribution No
Building height 40 ft
Effective seismic wt 5000 kips
Structure is regular and less than 5 stories Yes
Lateral Force System Steel Frame (eccentrically braced)
System Type Building Frame Systems (selected in Data Table)
Basic seismic-force-resisting system Type 1. - Steel eccentrically braced frames (selected in Data Table)
Override approximate fundamental period No
Long-period transition period 8 sec

Buttons used in this exercise

The new commands you will be introduced to in this exercise are located on the Tedds tab as shown below:

Using Calculation Sections in Tedds for Word

As stated, one of the reasons for running library calculations in Tedds for Word is so that you can combine a number of calculations in a single document. In this case, each calculation should be placed in a separate Calculation Section, so we will start off by introducing one of these. Calculation Sections will be explained in more detail later in this exercise.

  1. Open a new Tedds document.
  2. Insert a New Calc Section by clicking the appropriate button.
  3. The following dialog will appear - enter a name for the section. This will form the title for the calculation in the document.
  4. Click OK and this will enter a Calculation Section Title in the document. We place a calculation below this title and thus within the section. You should note that your cursor is now on the line below the section title.

Selecting calculations from the library

All the library calculations are available from the Library Access System. To use a calculation we retrieve it from the Library, place it in our document and calculate it.

  1. If it is not open already, launch the Library Access System.
  2. Click the Index button if the index is not displayed and ensure you have the Tedds calculations (US Units) index option selected.
  3. To open a folder in the index simply double-click it. Open the Loading folder, then the Seismic forces (ASCE7) folder, then select (click on) the Seismic forces (ASCE7) item
  4. To place this calculation in the document, click the Execute button in the library. (You can also double-click on the selected item to do this.) In both cases you will see the Insert Calc Item dialog.
  5. This dialog allows you to control where the item will be added. Simply choose the options as above then click OK and the item will be pasted at the cursor position in the document.
    Note: Note that one of the options in the dialog is to add a new Calc Section. In this example we have already added one manually, so as shown above, on this occasion the option should be unchecked.
  6. You should now have the following in your document.
  7. We can now close the Library - there is no need to have it open while a calculation is running.
  8. Click the Calculate Section button to start the calculation.
  9. The Interface for the calculation will now be displayed, along with the Progress Log. You are now in familiar territory as everything from this point works exactly as you learned in the first exercise – Using Tedds
  10. Click the Notes button and briefly look at the notes before proceeding.
  11. You will be comfortable with entering information in the interface by now, so we won't show every input step in detail. The data to be entered is given at the start of this exercise.
  12. When you get to enter the Site Class (= D), click on the down arrow at the side of the information pane (as shown below) to see all the help information available for this input.
  13. When you are ready, click on the up arrow (to which the down arrow has changed) to reduce the information pane, and continue on to the next page.
    Note: Information about a particular item will also appear adjacent to your cursor if you hover over the information symbol associated with that item.
  14. Continue to enter the information required by the interface. When specifying the Response modification factor you will find that a Data Table will be displayed.

Using Data Tables

Data tables are designed to look like tables from printed references, so that you immediately feel at home with them. Indeed we hope you will find yourself recognizing them.
  1. When the table displays, note the four tabs at the bottom: Table, Variables, Notes and Sketches (the latter tab being dimmed because there are no sketches associated with this particular table).
  2. Take a look at the variables for the table by clicking on the Variables tab. This informs us which variables still need selecting before the design coefficients and factors can be determined and copied back to the calcs.
  3. Return to the Table tab and select the required System Type by clicking on a heading in the first column of the table. Also ensure an appropriate Basic Seismic-Force Resisting System is selected in the second column.
  4. When you are ready to continue the calculation, exit the table by clicking the Copy to calcs button or hitting Enter on your keyboard. DO NOT close the table using either of the buttons to the top right of the window - this will abort the calculation!
  5. The Copy to calcs button will enable when you have made a selection. Click this or hit the enter key to continue when you are ready and the calculation will be completed.
  6. Enter the rest of the design information, then click Finish - the calculation will be completed.
  7. Close the Progress Log and examine the calculations - they are of the same form as the ones you saw in Tedds, and they show you exactly how the results have been determined.

Viewing hidden text in Tedds for Word

There is a slightly different way of viewing Hidden Text in Tedds for Word.

  1. Check the Hidden Calcs box to view any hidden text.
  2. Uncheck the button to re-hide.
    Note: This particular calculation has no hidden text, although it is worth pointing out that some do.

Re-calculating in Tedds for Word

This is accomplished in a similar manner to Tedds.

  1. Click the Calculate Section button.
  2. The calculation will now run again - try changing some of the input data in the interface.
  3. DO NOT overtype values on the page prior to re-calculating - this is not the way to change input data when using our library calculations (as distinct from ones you have written yourself in the manner shown in the previous section of the guide) in Tedds for Word.

Adding another calculation to the document

To start a new calculation in this document create a new Calculation Section.

  1. Place your cursor below your existing calculations.
  2. Click the Add New Calc Section button.
  3. Type a name for the new section – this will be the title of your next calculation. Then click OK.
  4. A new calculation should be placed below this title and thus within the section.
  5. Retrieve another calculation from the library and place it within this section
  6. To calculate just one section, we place our cursor within the section and use the Calculate Section button.
Calculation Sections Explained

Refer back to the section Storing variables in Tedds. You will note that here we have just one list of saved variables, known as Document variables, as we have not used Calculation Sections. When we

use Calculation Sections, Tedds for Word saves the variables for each calculation in a separate list unique to each section. These are knows as Section variables. This ensures that all your input values are retained separately from those for another calculation.

When you need to update a single calculation within a document that contains many calculations, simply place your cursor within that section and use the Calculate Section command. Place your cursor within the first section in your document, and click the Variables button to view the unique list for this part of the document.

Tedds for Word also has commands which enable you to manipulate the calculation sections in your document. You can delete a calculation section, copy it, paste it into a new location in your document and change it’s name.

What next?

Congratulations! You have completed the third exercise of the guide and learned all you need to run calculations from the Library in Tedds for Word.

You can now save the document and re-use it as appropriate.

In the next section you will learn how you can make your own calculations even more powerful: Writing Tedds Calculations - Stage 2

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