Export to Tekla Portal Frame Designer
Export to Tekla Portal Frame Designer workflow
It is important to follow the correct definition, loading and design sequence when frames are to be transferred for design to Tekla Portal Frame Designer.
- Define frames/loading etc in Tekla Structural Designer.
- Run Analyse All (Static).
Analysis is necessary in order for the loading to be included in the export to Tekla Portal Frame Designer.
- Export the frame to Tekla Portal Frame Designer to design it and check member stability.
- Return revised sections/grades and haunch geometry back to the Tekla Structural Designer model.
Only section sizes, haunch dimensions and steel grades are returned to Tekla Structural Designer. Any other changes to the model data and loading are not returned.
How loading, restraints and supports are handled in the export
Loadcases and combinations
When you open the Loadcases dialog in Tekla Portal Frame Designer the first four loadcases are automatically created and named as follows:
- Self Weight
- Frame Dead Load
- Frame Service Load
- Frame Imposed Load
The loading in these loadcases will be taken from Tekla Structural Designer loadcases (providing the loadcase names have been specified exactly as per the below table):
Tekla Structural Designer Loadcase | Tekla Portal Frame Designer Loadcase |
---|---|
Self weight - excluding slabs | Self weight |
Dead | Frame Dead Load |
Services | Frame Service Load |
Imposed | Frame Imposed Load |
Every other Tekla Structural Designer loadcase that applies in-plane loading to the frame gets exported to Tekla Portal Frame Designer retaining it's original name. Care should be taken in Tekla Structural Designer to ensure that each loadcase name is unique.
If a particular Tekla Structural Designer loadcase does not apply any in-plane load to the frame being exported, the loadcase is not exported and it is also removed from the Tekla Portal Frame Designer load combinations.
If the Tekla Structural Designer model does not contain loadcases named "Dead", "Services" or "Imposed"; the "Frame Dead Load", "Frame Service Load" and "Frame Imposed Load" loadcases are created regardless, (defaulting to the loading values specified in the Tekla Portal Frame Designer Preferences). However, since these loadcases are not included in any load combinations they will have no affect on the design.
If the Tekla Structural Designer model contains loadcases named "Dead", "Services" or "Imposed" which do not apply any in-plane load to the frame being exported; then in the same way as any other loadcase that does not apply any in-plane load, the loadcase is removed from the Tekla Portal Frame Designer load combinations. (In this situation the "Frame Dead Load", "Frame Service Load" or "Frame Imposed Load" loadcase is still created regardless (defaulting to the loading value specified in the Tekla Portal Frame Designer Preferences), but once again since it does not get included in any load combinations it will have no affect on the design.
Once loadcases that do not apply in-plane load have been removed from a load combination, if the resulting combination is empty, or if it only contains self weight, the combination itself is removed.
Any changes to loads, loadcases, or combinations made in Tekla Portal Frame Designer are not returned to Tekla Structural Designer.
Lateral Restraints
The Tekla Structural Designer lateral restraints are exported, strut restraints are ignored.
Any changes to restraints made in Tekla Portal Frame Designer are not returned to Tekla Structural Designer.
Rafter Restraints
These are exported to Tekla Portal Frame Designer restraints as follows
Tekla Structural Designer Lateral Restraint | Tekla Portal Frame Designer Restraint | |
---|---|---|
Top Flange | Bottom Flange | |
X | X | Torsional |
X | - | Outer |
- | X | Inner |
- | - | No restraint |
Column Restraints
These are exported to Tekla Portal Frame Designer restraints as follows
Tekla Structural Designer Lateral Restraint | Tekla Portal Frame Designer Restraint | |
---|---|---|
Face A | Face C | |
X | X | Torsional |
X | - | Outer |
- | X | Inner |
- | - | No restraint |
The rafter top flange and column face A can be identified graphically, for details see: 1D member local coordinate system (general case).
Supports
The Fy, Fz and Mx Tekla Structural Designer support properties are used to configure the Tekla Portal Frame Designer base fixities as shown in the following table.
Any changes to base fixities made in Tekla Portal Frame Designer are not returned to Tekla Structural Designer.
Tekla Structural Designer Support | Tekla Portal Frame Designer Base Fixity | |
---|---|---|
Fy Fixed | Horiz. Stiffness (ULS, SLS, Stability): Restrained | |
Fz Fixed | Vertic. Stiffness (ULS, SLS, Stability): Restrained | |
Mx Fixed | ULS: | Rot. 100%, Cap. 100% |
SLS: | Restrained | |
Stability: | Restrained | |
Fy Free-Release | Horiz. Stiffness (ULS, SLS, Stability): 0kN/m | |
Fz Free-Release | Vertic. Stiffness (ULS, SLS, Stability): 0kN/m | |
Mx Free-Release | ULS: | Rot. Free, Cap. 1% |
SLS: | Free | |
Stability: | Free | |
Fy Free-Spring Linear: XkN/m | Horiz. Stiffness (ULS, SLS, Stability): XkN/m | |
Fz Free-Spring Linear: XkN/m | Vertic. Stiffness (ULS, SLS, Stability): XkN/m | |
Mx Free-Spring Linear: XkNm/rad | ULS: | Rot. XkNm/rad, Cap. 1% |
SLS: | XkNm/rad | |
Stability: | XkNm/rad | |
Fy Free-Spring Non Linear: -ve=XkN/m, +ve YkN/m |
Horiz. Stiffness (ULS, SLS, Stability): Max (X, Y) kN/m | |
Fz Free-Spring Non Linear: -ve=XkN/m, +ve YkN/m |
Vertic. Stiffness (ULS, SLS, Stability): Max (X, Y) kN/m | |
Mx Free-Spring Non Linear: -ve=XkNm/rad, +ve YkNm/rad |
ULS: | Rot. Max (X, Y) kNm/rad, Cap. 1% |
SLS: | Max (X, Y) kNm/rad | |
Stability: | Max (X, Y) kNm/rad | |
Mx Free-Nominally Pinned: 10% | ULS: | Rot. Free, Cap. 1% |
SLS: | 20% | |
Stability: | 10% | |
Mx Free-Nominally Pinned: X% | ULS: | Rot. X%, Cap. 1% |
SLS: | X% | |
Stability: | X% | |
Mx Free-Nominally Fixed: X% | ULS: | Rot. X%, Cap. 100% |
SLS: | X% | |
Stability: | X% |
To export a single frame
Export requires a Tekla Portal Frame Designer licence.
To export multiple frames
Export requires a Tekla Portal Frame Designer licence.
To return revised sections from Tekla Portal Frame Designer
If the section sizes have been revised in Tekla Portal Frame Designer they can be returned to Tekla Structural Designer as follows: