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

Tekla Tedds
Modified: 20 Mar 2025
2025
Tekla Tedds Tekla Tedds for Word

Using library calculations in Tedds for Word (Eurocode 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 Timber member analysis & design (EN1995) 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

Analysis Information
Use the following information for the calculation.
Beam span Length 3000 mm
Supports: Pinned
Loading
Self Weight factor 1
Dead Load Full UDL 2 kN/m
Imposed Load Full UDL 3 kN/m
Load Combination 1 1.35 x Dead + 1.5 x Imposed
Design Information
Use the following information for the calculation.
Type of beam Flitch
Breadth of timber members 44 mm
Depth of timber members 195 mm
Number of timber sections 2
Timber grade stresses C24
Service class of timber 1
Breadth of steel members 8 mm
Depth of steel members 190 mm
Number of steel members 1
Steel design stress 235 N/mm2
Bolt diameter 12 mm
Characteristic tensile strength 400 N/mm2
Length of bearing 100 mm
Compressive edge of beam Restrained
Duration of loading Long term
Maximum allowable deflection 0.004 x span

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 index option selected.
  3. To open a folder in the index simply double-click it. Open the Beams folder, then the Timber member analysis & design (EN1995) folder, then select (click on) the Timber member analysis & design (EN1995) 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. Click the Design options... button, enter the bolt diameter and tensile strength. Take a moment to review the other inputs asked for on this page, then click OK
  13. Click the Geometry... button, enter the span and support data then in the Section box, click Select...
  14. Check the Flitch box, then enter the timber and steel plate properties.
  15. In the droplist at the top of the dialog, select Timber (EC5) to display the timber strength classes datalist, and from there click Softwood species, C24 and Select
  16. Click OK to close the Section dialog.
  17. Click the Loading tab and then on the right side of the dialog click + Add to add a Beam member load. Enter this as a Permanent Load Case UDL of 2 kN/m in Global Z.
  18. In in the next row enter a second Beam member load, this time an Imposed Load Case UDL of 3 kN/m in Global Z.
  19. Click on the Load Combinations tab - as the factors are the those we require, simply click OK.
  20. Select the nominal yield strength for the steel plates.
  21. At this point you can review the force and deflection diagrams if required.
  22. Click the Deflection criteria... button, enter choose span/250, enter a deflection limit of 12mm then click OK
  23. Click OK to return to the previous page of the interface and you will see the calculations have been performed and utilisation ratios determined while you are still in the interface.
  24. If the design is not satisfactory it is a simple matter to use the Member details... button to adjust the section to achieve a satisfactory design. You should find that the flitch beam passes all the checks so click Finish to close the interface and place the calculations into the document.
  25. 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

Some calculations are hidden however. 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.

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 over-type 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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