Using Tedds (US design example)

Tekla Tedds
2021
Tekla Tedds Tekla Tedds for Word

Using Tedds (US design example)

In this exercise you will design a steel beam in order to learn how to use any of the calculations in the extensive Tedds Engineering Library.

Allow about 15 minutes to complete this exercise.

Design information required for this exercise

We wish to check the following RHS steel beam:

Design Information
Design Code AISC 360
Dimensions Length 16 ft
Effective length factor 0.80
Design Forces Moment 90 kips ft
Shear 15 kips
Axial compression 10 kips
Proposed section Shape Rectangular HSS preferred
Steel grade A500 Gr C50

Running Tedds and locating calculations

You need to find an appropriate calculation, run it and enter the design information. You will see just how easy this is.

  1. Launch Tedds from the Start Tedds icon on your desktop.
  2. If this is the first time you are starting Tedds, or if you are updating from a previous version of Tedds, then you will see the Tedds Setup Wizard which allows you to configure Tedds with your company details and so on. Work through the various pages of the Setup Wizard and when you reach the end click Finish.
  3. From the Tedds Start wizard click Tedds (as opposed to Tedds for Word) as the version to run.
  4. Now you will see the Tedds Start Page:
    Note: For these exercises, the locale shown above can be set to either USA or Canada).
  5. First, click the New tab.
  6. Then, click New Document:
    You will see the Select Calculation dialog box appropriate to your locale:
  7. Click on the All folder.
    • The instructions about using Tedds are displayed in the right hand panel.
    • Every Tedds calculation is listed in the left hand panel.
    • When you click on a calculation, notes relating to it are displayed on the right side.
    Note: If the Show Examples option is checked, you will also see all of the examples that are included in the library - these demonstrate the potential scope of each of the calculations, show you the typical output, and can be used to start your own designs.

    To find a calculation – you could simply click on a folder in the list to open it, then click a heading to select a calculation. However for this example the Find in list feature will be used instead.

  8. Type steel member design in the Find in list field.
    Note: Find in list will locate the first item title in the library that contains the exact text entered. Keywords in the item description are also considered provided the option to Find in item descriptions remains checked.
  9. The first item in the library matching the entered text is selected - we are looking for the 'Steel member design (AISC360))' calculation. If necessary click Next until it is selected as shown below.
    Note: Note there is also a 'Steel beam analysis & design (AISC360)' calculation available which will determine the design forces before proceeding to the design.
  10. Click the Calculate button at the bottom right of the dialog: three things will happen:
    • A new calculation document will open – you will see this in the background.
    • The Interface for the chosen automated calculation will be displayed at the first page.
    • Another window, titled the Progress Log will also be displayed – we will explain this shortly.

Entering data in the automated calculation user interface

The user interfaces for all of the calculations in the Tedds engineering library use a consistent style which ensures they are easy to use. You select the design options you require and enter values for dimensions, loading etc. all of which are clearly explained. See the box below for more information.
The General Automated Calculation Interface Explained

An '(i)' symbol to the left of a variable description shows that there is more information available about this particular variable. The information area (at the top of the dialog) displays any information about the selected variable (if available). You can also see this information by hovering the cursor over the '(i)' symbol.

Notes - display details about the calculations being performed.

Variables - lists all the current variables. Values can be selected from here to enter into the current interface.

Feedback - this allows you to send feedback to the development team.

Support - tells you how to obtain support in your region.

Data fields - enter information in these fields . Where appropriate, variables may have validation which prevents invalid information being entered.

Buttons... - allow you to enter more information or select a particular item.

Next/Back/Cancel/Finish - continue to the next page / return to a previous page /stop the calculations at the current point / return the data to your calculation document.

  1. In this calculation all the values for design forces and section details can be specified on the first page of the interface and the calculation results are also displayed.

    Note that additional design and output options are available by clicking the appropriate buttons.

    Before we proceed to enter the data take a moment to review the design information given at the beginning of this exercise.

  2. Enter the Design bending moment - major axis as 90 kips ft.
  3. Enter the Design shear force - major axis as 15 kips.
  4. Finally for the Axial load applied, click No axial strength required, change to Required compressive strength and enter a value of 10 kips.
    Note: With Preview results selected, as you change the values and options for your design the calculation results are immediately updated.
  5. Now you need to choose a section to check, but you don't need to go off and find a list of section properties, since all the data required can be accessed within Tedds. In the Span details area, click the Selected section '...' button to display the Data List for steel sections.

Data Lists

You are now looking at a Data List: a tool that allows you to choose a section and see its properties at the click of a button.

Data Lists Explained

Choose the shape from the left hand pane.

Choose the size from the right hand pane.

Details - click to see properties of the chosen selection.

Select - click to select the chosen selection.

In this case, both a HSS 10x6x3/8 and a HSS 12x8x1/4 may prove adequate but which is the lighter?

  1. Click the Rectangular HSS section type - this is known as the Data List page you require.
  2. Select the size and thickness you require.
  3. Click on the Details button to see all the properties of the selected section – (note that the details window updates instantaneously when you click on another section).
  4. Check the properties of both sections. The HSS 12x8x1/4 section is lighter and may be preferred – choose this section and click Select to continue with the calculation using this section size.
    Note: You will find Data Lists for all kinds of engineering data throughout Tedds calculations; there are data lists for bolts, reinforcing bars, timber sections and much more. However, they all work in just the same simple and intuitive way.
  5. The number next to 'Selected section' allows you to design beams using two or more sections. In this example a single section is sufficient so no change is required.
  6. Set the steel grade to A500 Gr. C.
  7. Enter 16 ft for major and minor axis and torsional restraint spacings.
  8. Click the Design options... button to view another interface page for defining equivalent uniform moment factors etc.
  9. Leave the default values as shown.
  10. Click OK to return to the main page of the interface.
  11. Click Preview output... and scroll through the output, click Cancel when done.
  12. You can now choose the level of output you require by clicking Output options... From here you can also give the calculation a title.
  13. Click OK

Automated calculations and library items

You have probably realized by now that this calculation caters for all kinds of steel sections, dimensions and loading. For each possibility and check, there is an item in the Library - in fact this calculation has over 150 items. When you use a calculation like this, Tedds automatically chooses the appropriate items for your options and input, and puts them together to make up the complete design.

To accept the results and continue, click the Finish

The progress log

The progress log helps to keep you informed about a calculations progress during lengthy calculations, it is also used by some calculations to report the status of specific checks or other pertinent information. When writing your own custom calculations you can add information to the log or you can modify the default options to provide more detailed information about what your calculations is doing which can be helpful for resolving errors.

This particular calculation does not use the progress log to report any additional information.

Examining finished calculations

OK, but how is your chosen section performing? The main interface displayed the design forces, capacities and utilizations but you may want to examine the results in more detail.

  1. Scroll through the calculation and examine the flexural buckling check:
  2. There’s another really important point to note about the calculations displayed – they don’t just show you results, but how those results have been arrived at.
    Note: Tedds is not a ‘black box’ where all you can see is the result, and all you can do is accept it. In Tedds you can see exactly what’s going on. You can see what checks Tedds does. What design method does it use? From where did that number come? The answers to all these questions are right there in front of you! This is a major reason why Tedds is so popular with engineers the world over.

    Furthermore, if you need an example of how to write your own calculations, then look no further. That's exactly what you are looking at - every calculation in the library is an example of how to write your own. How do I write a math expression in Tedds? How do I use logic or a math function in Tedds? Look again at the check shown above and you will see the answers to these questions. We will look more closely at how to write your own calculations in the next exercise Writing Tedds Calculations - Stage 1

Re-calculating

Changes are a fact of life for engineers, they always have been, and they always will be! You need to be able to take account of any changes and update your calculations quickly. With Tedds this is no problem.

Say that your beam needs to be 1.0 ft longer since the beam which supports it needs to be moved, to avoid a clash. Is your section still OK?
  1. Click Calculate on the Home tab (highlighted above).

    The calculation will run again, but this time all the information you entered last time is remembered. It’s a simple matter to change the required data.

  2. Change the distances between restraints to 17 ft.
  3. What is the effect of this change on the design? Check the Calculation results and/or the output to see.

    Tedds makes it easy to update calculations – simply re-calculate and you can update your design quickly.

Hidden text

All the calculations performed by Tedds are available in the output and in general so they are – but at times some intermediate calculations are hidden to reduce the amount of output. It is simple to view these and to include them in your printout.

  1. Open the application’s View tab then use the Hidden Text option and examine the check again. You will see all the hidden text underlined with dashed lines.
  2. In this example there are no hidden calculations but you will see the names of the Library items used in the output.
  3. Select View/ Hidden Text again to hide the Library item names. Now let us consider how to print calculations.

The header & printing

Obviously you want professional looking printed output. You will see that you have a header region at the top of the calculations, but how do you set its details?
  1. Click the Header button highlighted above – this opens a dialog where you can enter some project details in your header.
  2. On the Company page you can define your own company details. Do this now, if you want to. If you don’t, then remember to do so before you print your first “proper” set of calculations.
  3. On the Template page you will see the Tedds template which your calculations will use and the logo file which Tedds will add to the template. You can change the template and logo if necessary – click this tab and check that its details are correct.
  4. Maybe you would like to try a different style of template, there are a number of standard templates to choose. Click the Select… button to see these. Choose the template you want to use and you will see a preview of what calculations produced with that template will look like. When you have found the template you want to use click OK to use it.
  5. If you have a copy of your company logo in electronic format, and the template style you select supports a logo, then you can add your logo to the template. Make sure that the logo is available on your computer, Browse to find it, and then click OK to add it to the template.
  6. Click OK to exit the Header Properties dialog and view your finished calculation.
  7. If the logo is not the right size open the Header Properties dialog once more and change the Scale of the logo to make it fit the template correctly.
  8. Once the template and logo are correct click to display the file menu. From here you can Print the calculation to obtain a hard copy.
  9. Congratulations, you have produced your first piece of work with Tedds!

To finish this example let’s look at a few points about saving and outputting your results.

Saving and output options

You can save every Tedds calculation to a unique file that you can recall and edit any time in the future. The file extension .ted is unique to Tedds.

  1. Click to display the file menu.
  2. Save your file and give it a name - it’s a good idea to save all the examples you will produce in the course of completing the guide, for future reference.
  3. The output you see in the document can be printed direct to a printer, but you have other options.
  4. Click the drop-down button adjacent to Send To on the file menu to view these.
  5. Choose the option of sending the output to Word and experiment with the other options if you wish. Once your output is in a Word document, you can edit it as much as you wish.
  6. By clicking the drop-down button adjacent to Save As on the file menu you can also save the active document, or all documents in the active project to PDF.

Performing a new calculation

How do you start a new calculation in Tedds?

Click to display the file menu; then click

The Select Calculation dialog will open, from where you can select and start a new calculation in a new document.

Managing multiple related calculations

Can several calculations be saved in a single document?

As stated earlier, each calculation must be saved to a unique file - however multiple files can be collected together in a single project. They can then be organized as required using the Project Manager.

Benefits of projects include:

  • you can specify a shared document header for all the project files,
  • locating files is made easier - when you open the project all files within it are opened automatically,
  • calculations can be placed into named groups, making them easier to manage.

To start a new project:

  1. Click to display the file menu; then from the menu choose the New Project button.
    A new empty project is created in the Project Manager.
  2. New or Existing Documents are then added and arranged into folders as required, either by right-clicking, or via the Project tab.

What next?

Congratulations! You have completed the first exercise and now know all you really need to make use of the wide range of calculations available in the Tedds Engineering Library and to begin using Tedds productively. Take a look through the index and try some more. How about:

  • carrying out a wind load calculation?
  • designing a retaining wall?
  • designing an RC footing?
  • analyzing and designing a timber rafter, beam or post…

The choice is yours, and all these calculations work in the same straightforward, intuitive way. Some calculations may also include Data tables which 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.

What can you do if the Library does not contain the exact calculation for which you are looking? You need to perform a number of calculations, and could do with a calculation to help you out with these. First of all, TELL US:

  • if you are running a calculation, then you will see a Feedback button to the left-hand-side of the interface,
  • if you are not running a calculation, then you can choose the Feedback… option from the Help menu.

We are constantly working to expand our Engineering Library and your input helps us do this!

But you don’t have to wait until we produce these for you – you can write them yourself. We will look at this in the next exercise: Writing Tedds Calculations - Stage 1

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