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<title>Oasys Technical FAQ - The five questions posted most recently:</title>
<description>Questions and Answers for Oasys Software</description>
<link>http://www.oasys-software.com/faq</link>	<item>
		<title><![CDATA[Getting Started - creating a simple portal frame]]></title>
		<description><![CDATA[<h1>Getting Started with GSA</h1><img style="width: 687px; height: 257px" src="images/Image/GettingStartedWithGSA/GettingStartedWithGSA.gif" alt="Plane Frame" title="Plane Frame" width="687" height="257" /><br />
To create the above 2D plane frame in GSA do the following (note that the attached PDF has this text plus additional useful graphics).<br />
<ol>
	<li>From the <strong>File </strong>menu select <strong>New…</strong> or click the <strong>New </strong>(Ctrl +N) button on the Standard tool bar</li>
	<li>In the <strong>New Model Wizard</strong> fill in the job details, then click <strong>Next&gt;</strong></li>
	<li>Select the structure type; in this case set to <strong>Plane</strong>.  Click the <strong>Units…</strong> button to and reset the units by clicking the <strong>kN-m</strong> button, then <strong>OK</strong>, and <strong>Finish</strong></li>
	<li>You should now have a blank graphics window and the gateway open.  You will note that there are a number of shortcut buttons at the bottom of the screen.  Select <strong>Nodes</strong></li>
	<li>As the node units are set to m, ensure that the coordinates are given accordingly.<br />
	Input the coordinates given here.  You will note that the nodes appear in the graphics window as you work.<br />
	<font face="courier new,courier"><strong>x   z</strong><br />
	0   0<br />
	4   0<br />
	8   0<br />
	18  0</font><br />
	</li>
	<li>The rest of the nodes could be placed in the same way, but instead we will copy up the nodes to form the next layer.  Click on the <strong>Graphics </strong>window to make it active then click the <strong>Select Nodes</strong> button on the <strong>Cursor Mode</strong> toolbar.  Click and drag a window around the nodes.<br />
	Open the <strong>Sculpt </strong>Toolbar by selecting that button on the <strong>Cursor Mode</strong> toolbar.  Click the <strong>Copy Selection</strong> button.  Shift the nodes 1, 2 &amp; 3 by 3m in the Z direction; click the <strong>Preview </strong>button to ensure that GSA will give what you expect, then select <strong>OK</strong>.</li>
	<li>Switch on the node numbers by clicking the <strong>Label Node Numbers</strong> button on the <strong>Display Favourites</strong> tool bar.<br />
	Repeat step 6 with nodes 3 + 4 to create the left hand haunch, but this time copy by 4m not 3m.</li>
	<li>Select node 7 and copy 5m in the X direction and 2m in the Z direction.<br />
	Note that during these operations the Nodes table automatically updates.</li>
	<li>To set the frame supports, select the nodes 1 - 4, then right click on the graphics window to open the menu, then <strong>Modify Selected nodes</strong>. Alternately, you can click on the <strong>Modify Selected</strong> button.  You will note that there are releases possible in the six degrees of freedom, but as we have set this model to a plane frame a number of them are greyed out.  For each degree of freedom you can set to Restrain, Free, Free plus a support stiffness (spring support), or don’t modify that freedom.  There are also a number of default restraint types; click on the <strong>Pin </strong>button, then <strong>OK</strong>.<br />
	To display the supports click the <strong>Label Restraints</strong> button on the <strong>Display Favourites</strong> tool bar.  The word Pin should now show next to the modified nodes.</li>
	<li>Now to create the analysis elements.  Click the <strong>Elements </strong>button at the bottom of the screen to open the elements window.  We could define the elements by stating the topology, but it is easier to draw them on.  Click on the graphics window then click the <strong>Add Elements</strong> Sculpt Tool button.  Click on the nodes in turn to create the layout shown above.  Again note that the elements are filled in automatically.</li>
	<li>We now need to add the releases to the elements.  Click the <strong>Select Elements/Members</strong> button on the <strong>Cursor Mode</strong> toolbar, then select the two braces by clicking to the right of them and dragging left (dragging to the left selects the elements that the window crosses, dragging to the right selects the elements within the window).  Right click on the graphics window and Modify Selected Elements on the pop-up menu.  Check the <strong>Modify type of 1D element</strong> and set the toggle box to <strong>Tie </strong>(this means that those elements are tension only) and <strong>OK</strong>.  You will note that the two braces are now a different colour to the other elements.<br />
	Select the two horizontal elements and again <strong>Modify Selected Elements</strong>; this time click the <strong>Releases </strong>button, check <strong>Modify</strong> <strong>Nodes</strong>, then check the <strong>Releases Bending</strong>, <strong>OK </strong>and <strong>OK </strong>again to exit the dialogs.  To confirm the releases click the Label Element Releases button   on the Display Favourites tool bar.  The releases will now show.</li>
	<li>The elements currently have no section data, so let’s define that now.  Click the <strong>Sections </strong>button at the bottom of the screen.  The easiest way to define the sections is to click the <strong>Wizard </strong>button on the <strong>Data Options </strong>tool bar.<br />
	To do the columns first, on the wizard dialog, set the <strong>Name </strong>to Column, and the he material to <strong>Steel</strong>.  You will note the wide range of section definition types available; this time set the radio button to <strong>Catalogue </strong>and click <strong>next</strong>.  There are four catalogues to choose from; for this example set the Catalogue to British, the Type to Universal Columns and the Section to UC254x254x89; click <strong>Next</strong>, then <strong>Finish</strong>.<br />
	Repeat to create Brace, Beam and Rafter section definitions with suitable section profiles.</li>
	<li>Now to associate the sections with the elements.  On the <strong>Graphic Display</strong> toolbar click the <strong>Section Display</strong> button.  Select all the vertical elements (the cursor mode should still be set to Select Elements/Members) using the Ctrl or Alt keyboard buttons to add or remove from the selection group, and right click to <strong>Modify the Selected Elements</strong>.  Check the <strong>Modify property</strong> to and set to 1.<br />
	Repeat for the braces and set to property 2, the horizontal elements to property 3 and the sloping beams to property 4.<br />
	To make it easier to see which element is set to what property, on the <strong>Graphic Display</strong> toolbar click the <strong>Label and Display Methods</strong> button  , change to the <strong>Display Methods</strong> tab and set the <strong>Colour Elements </strong>to <strong>By Property</strong>, then <strong>OK</strong>.  You should now see the different sections in different colours.</li>
	<li>Loading next.  On the gateway on the left of the screen, double click on <strong>Loads</strong>, then <strong>Nodal Loading </strong>then <strong>Node Loads </strong>to open the table. Also switch on the display of loads in the graphic window buy clicking <strong>All Load Diagrams</strong> on the <strong>Display Favourites </strong>tool bar.<br />
	To apply a wind force to the horizontal beams, type the following into the <strong>Nodal Loading</strong> table on a single line:<br />
	Nodes: 5<br />
	Load Case: 3<br />
	Axis: Global<br />
	Direction: x<br />
	Value: 5<br />
	A horizontal point load should now be visible on the frame.  If it is not, change the <strong>Cases </strong>choice on the <strong>graphic </strong>window to L1</li>
	<li>Now open the <strong>beam loading</strong> table from the <strong>gateway</strong>.  To apply UDLs to the left hand horizontal beam, select it in the graphics window, then right click and <strong>Copy Selection As List</strong>.  In the <strong>Beam Loading</strong> table past the selection to the Beam list.  Set the load case to 2, the type to Uniform, Axis to Global, Projected to ~, Direction to z, and the load value to -6 kN/m.  Note that the gravity load is negative as it acts in the opposite direction to the z axis.<br />
	Select and copy the right hand horizontal beam to a new beam list, set the values as above except the Type to Linear, and the Load 2 to -8 kN/m.  You should now have a varying load increasing to the portal frame column.  If the load slopes away then swap the Load 1 and 2 values around.<br />
	Now select and copy the rafters to a new load line, again load case 2 but set the projected to Projected.</li>
	<li>To add self weight, open the Gravity Loading table from the Gateway and accept the defaults by just pressing Return.</li>
	<li>To analyse the frame you click the <strong>Analyse </strong>button on the GSA tool bar.  You may get some warnings, but for this exercise do not worry about them unless the analysis will not run; if that is the case check the data already input.<br />
	You can now display the results graphically using the remaining buttons on the Display Favourites tool bar   and the Deformed Image   on the Graphic Display tool bar.</li>
	<li>To create a load combination, enlarge <strong>Cases and Tasks</strong> on the Gateway on the left side of the screen, then double click on <strong>Analysis Tasks</strong>.  Right click on the Analysis Tasks window and select <strong>New Analysis Task…</strong> from the menu.  Click <strong>Next </strong>and <strong>add </strong>the three standard load combinations 1.4L1+1.6L2, 1.4(L1+L3), 1.2(L1+L2+l3)) as separate cases.  Click on <strong>Next </strong>and <strong>Finish </strong>to analyse them.<br />
	On the graphics window the case or combination to view can be selected using the Cases toggle box on the top of the window; you can also go through them in sequence by clicking on the adjacent + and – buttons. <br />
	</li>
	<li>You can print out the graphics window with the results; annotate the result values by clicking the <strong>Select for Annotation</strong> button on the <strong>cursor mode </strong>tool bar and click or window the elements that you want to see the results for.<br />
	Tabular results can be chosen by clicking the <strong>Output </strong>button on the bottom of the screen; double click on the data that you wish to view. <br />
	</li>
	<li>Congratulations, you now have a fully analysed GSA frame.</li>
</ol>
<p>
The PDf version below may be a little easier to read as it shows the button icons. You can also download a finished copy of the GSA file
</p>
<p>
 See the <a href="../products/structural/gsa/viewlets/GettingStartedWithGSA/Getting%20starting%20with%20GSA.html" target="_blank">Getting Started with GSA</a>  movie. 
</p>
]]></description>
		<link>http://www.oasys-software.com/faq/index.php?action=artikel&amp;cat=9&amp;id=118&amp;artlang=en</link>
		<pubDate>Tue, 20 Jul 2010 15:12:00 GMT</pubDate>
	</item>
	<item>
		<title><![CDATA[Why does applying a soil nail force as a surface load obtain a different Factor of Safety?]]></title>
		<description><![CDATA[<strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;">With the default option of unchecked “anchor force is applied as surface load” box (BS8006 calculation method)</span></strong> 
<ul style="margin-top: 0cm">
	<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: list 36.0pt"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;">For a given slip circle, Slope looks for the minimum anchor capacity based on pullout, tensile failure or stripping;</span><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"><span> </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;"></span></font></font></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: list 36.0pt"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;">Resolves it parallel to the slip surface at the point at which the anchor crosses the slip surface in order to derive a simple restoring moment;</span><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"><span> </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;"></span></font></font></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: list 36.0pt"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;">Adds this moment to the other restoring moment derived from slope stability theory to give a total restoring moment;</span><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"><span> </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;"></span></font></font></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;"> </span><strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;">With the “anchor force is applied as surface load” box checked</span></strong><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;"></span> 
<ul style="margin-top: 0cm">
	<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: list 36.0pt"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;">slope again calculates the minimum anchor capacity but applies it as a surface load;</span><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"><span> </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;"></span></font></font></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: list 36.0pt"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;">This means that it is worked through the method of slices calc, ultimately resulting in an increased normal force on the failure surface, and hence a greater restoring moment by virtue of increased friction;</span><font size="3"><font face="Times New Roman"><span> </span><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;"></span></font></font></li>
	<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: list 36.0pt"><span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;">There is no explicit calculation of moment due to the reinforcement.</span></li>
</ul>
<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: list 36.0pt" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;"> This means that the surface load option will tend to obtain a higher factor of safety and the BS8006 calculation is acknowledged to be conservative.  In essence, the two solutions give the following results:</span>
</p>
<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: list 36.0pt" class="MsoNormal">
 
</p>
<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: list 36.0pt" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;">Default option:                MSu/F + Mn/F = Mw</span>
</p>
<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: list 36.0pt" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;">Surface load option:        MSu/F +   Mn  = Mw</span>
</p>
<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: list 36.0pt" class="MsoNormal">
 
</p>
<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: list 36.0pt" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 10pt; font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;">where Msu is soil restoring moment, Mw is soil disturbing moment, Mn is moment due to nail forces. </span>
</p>
<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: list 36.0pt" class="MsoNormal">
 
</p>
<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt; tab-stops: list 36.0pt" class="MsoNormal">
 
</p>
]]></description>
		<link>http://www.oasys-software.com/faq/index.php?action=artikel&amp;cat=20&amp;id=147&amp;artlang=en</link>
		<pubDate>Mon, 15 Mar 2010 13:55:00 GMT</pubDate>
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		<title><![CDATA[Changes to wall EI do not cause changes in deflection or bending moment]]></title>
		<description><![CDATA[<p>
<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;">The reason for this is explained in the Help file topic :</span>
</p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;">Detailed Processes in Frew -&gt; Creep and Relaxation</span>
</p>
<p>
<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;">You should apply wall relaxation instead of manually changing the wall EI and this will correctly model the change from short to long term wall stiffness, and you&#39;ll see the effect on the moments and deflections. </span>
</p>
]]></description>
		<link>http://www.oasys-software.com/faq/index.php?action=artikel&amp;cat=17&amp;id=146&amp;artlang=en</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:39:00 GMT</pubDate>
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		<title><![CDATA[I want to paste a bitmap image into my Frew file title block.  I have tried saving the bitmap as all of the available options in Paint (I see the help file says RGB but I don't know which one that is) but when I click paste nothing happens.  Can you help?]]></title>
		<description><![CDATA[<span style="font-size: 10pt; color: blue; font-family: &#39;Arial&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;">You just need to copy the bitmap to the Windows clipboard first.<span>  </span>Once it&#39;s there, Paste will put it on the titles dialog. </span>
]]></description>
		<link>http://www.oasys-software.com/faq/index.php?action=artikel&amp;cat=17&amp;id=145&amp;artlang=en</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:31:00 GMT</pubDate>
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		<title><![CDATA[Is it possible to print all output stages at once using frew? I've tried the 'batch plotting' but it only printed multiple copies of the first output stage]]></title>
		<description><![CDATA[<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11pt; color: #1f497d; font-family: &#39;Calibri&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;">Yes, now it is possible to print all the output stages in Frew using batch plotting. </span>
</p>
<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal">
 
</p>
<p style="margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt" class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: 11pt; color: #1f497d; font-family: &#39;Calibri&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;">This problem was due to a bug which was fixed in F</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; color: #1f497d; font-family: &#39;Calibri&#39;,&#39;sans-serif&#39;">rew – 18.2 Build 1 (Release 8).  Batch plotting was revised for Frew 19.0.</span>
</p>
]]></description>
		<link>http://www.oasys-software.com/faq/index.php?action=artikel&amp;cat=17&amp;id=144&amp;artlang=en</link>
		<pubDate>Wed, 03 Feb 2010 15:29:00 GMT</pubDate>
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