Some useful commands in SAP2000 1.Extrude Command Use the Edit
menu > Extrude command to sweep selected objects through space
to create new
objectsofhigherdimensionortoconvertlinestoareasandareastosolidswiththesame
thickness as the original line or area object. The process of
extrusion increases the dimensional space of an existing object by
one. In other words, line objects are of one dimension that can be
generatedfromadimensionlessobject,thepointobject.Inasimilarmanner,atwo-dimensionalobject,areaorplate/shellcanbegeneratedfromaone-dimensionalobject,the
lineobject.Thisfeatureisespeciallysuitedtocreatingsolidobjectsfromplate/shells,
plate/shell objects from beams and beams/columns from points/nodes.
a)Extrude points to Frame/Cable- This command is used to convert
points into lines. This tool can be used to draw columns on X-Y
plane. In order for this command to work a minimum of one joint
should be selected.
FromExtrudePointstoLinestabshownbelowselecttypeofextrusiondesired.Also
specifytheextrusiondirectionwiththeirrespectiveincrementsandnumberofcopies.
Forinstancetoextrudetheabovepointintoacolumnofheight3mwithsection
property FSEC1, set Increment data dz = -3.0 to extrude it
downward. b)Extrude lines to Areas- This command is used to convert
lines into area. This tool can be used to draw walls on X-Y plane.
In order for this command to work a minimum of one frame should be
selected.
FromExtrudeFrametoAreastabshownbelowselecttypeofextrusiondesired.Also
specifytheextrusiondirectionwiththeirrespectiveincrementsandnumberofcopies.
For instance to extrude the above frame into a wall of height 3m
with section property ASEC1, set Increment data dz = -3.0 to
extrude it downward. Frame object selected
2.Replicate Command
Replicateisanotherverypowerfulwayofgeneratingalargemodelfromasmallmodelwhen
the objects and/or joints form a linear or radial pattern or are
symmetrical about a plane. When joints or objects are replicated,
the assignments on those joints and objects are also
replicatedSteps to be followed a)Select the objects to be
replicated. b)Click the Edit menu > Replicate command and choose
the Linear, Radial, or Mirror tab to complete the following types
of replication. To Replicate in a Linear Array Steps to be followed
a)Select the members and joints to be replicated. b)Click the Edit
menu > Replicate command to access the Replicate form. c)Click
on the Linear tab. d)Fill in the dx, dy and dz offset distances in
the Increments edit boxes. e)Type the number of times the selected
entities are to be replicated in the Number edit box. f)Click the
OK button. 3.Group Command
TheconceptofgroupsisthebackboneofsomepowerfultoolsinSAP2000.Agroupisa
collectionofobjectsthatisassignedauniquename.Groupsmaybeusedformanydifferent
purposes.Eachobjectmaybepartofasmanygroupsasneeded.Allobjectsarepartofthe
built-in group named "ALL." Steps to be followed a)Select the
objects to be included in a
group.b)ClicktheAssignmenu>AssigntoGroupscommandtoaccesstheAssign/Define
Group Names
form.Ifagrouphasnotalreadybeendefined,usethebuttonsonthe
Assign/DefineGroupNamesforminthesamemannerasdescribedinthe Define
Groups topic to define a group name and specify uses for the
grouped objects.
Ifagrouphasbeendefined,orafteronehasbeendefined,clickonthe desired
group name in the Groups list box.
c)Inthelowerleft-handcorneroftheAssign/DefineGroupNamesform,selectthe
appropriate option: Add to Group. Adds the selected objects to
others already in the group. Replace Group. Deletes the existing
objects in the group and replaces them with the current selection.
Delete from Group. Delete the selected objects from the group.
d)Click the OK button to close the form.