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

Tekla Tedds
2021
Tekla Tedds Tekla Tedds for Word

Using library calculations in Tedds for Word (Australian 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 RC circular column design 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.
Column state Braced
Length of column 3000 mm
Diameter of column 300 mm
Effective height factor 1.0
Concrete characteristic compressive strength 32 MPa
Reinforcement yield stress 500 MPa
Reinforcement bar size 20 mm
Fitments bar size 6 mm
Nominal concrete cover 30 mm
Exposure classification A1
Design axial load 600 kN
Smaller end moment 25 kNm
Larger end moment 55 kNm
Ratio of axial dead load to total axial load 0.65
Ratio of axial live load to total axial load 0.54

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 Columns folder, then the RC Circular column design (AS3600) folder, then select (click on) the RC Circular column design (AS3600) 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. The data to be entered is given at the start of this exercise. Use this to enter the data for the first page of the interface. You will be comfortable with entering information in the interface by now, so we won't show every input step.
  12. Continue to enter the reinforcement information on the second page. At this point we don’t know how many longitudinal bars will be required so accept the default of 6
  13. When you get to the Exposure classification, note the help information available for the input displayed in the information pane (as shown below).
    Note: Note that information about a particular item will also appear adjacent to your cursor if you hover over the information symbol associated with that item.
  14. Fire resistance and any other data not specifically specified can be left at the default value.
  15. Proceed to the third page and enter the design loads.
  16. Click Next to complete the interface and the calculation will be performed.
  17. Review the calculation result summary displayed in the interface. The current configuration is clearly not suitable as there is insufficient moment resisting capacity.
  18. Click Back two times to return to the reinforcement page. Increase the number of longitudinal bars to 8 and then progress to the result summary once again. The revised configuration should now be acceptable.
  19. The dropdown at the bottom of the page allows you to choose the amount of output you require. For this example pick the Full option. Also check the box to include a sketch and then click Finish to close the interface and generate the report.
  20. Close the Progress Log and examine the calculations in the document - 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

This particular calculation has no hidden text. It is worth pointing out that some do, and that 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 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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