SAP2000 SAP2000 Web Tutorial 1

12. Place the mouse pointer near the joint labeled “B” in Figure C-3 and note that in this case the
Snap To option text box just says “Point” because the joint does not occur at a grid
intersection. Click on the left mouse button to draw the chevron brace element.
Note: If you wanted to, at this point you could just click on point C in Figure C-3 to
draw the second brace element. If we were to do that, the start point for the brace
would be at the top (point B) and the bottom point would be at the bottom (point C).
Though not necessarily a problem, this would be inconsistent with how we input the
first brace. In this example we will opt for consistency.
Note: If you wanted to, at this point you could move the mouse pointer into the 3D View
window, and select the second joint for the next frame element there. Try moving the
mouse pointer over the 3D View window, but for this example don’t actually click to
define the second frame member.
13. Press the Enter key on the keyboard to stop drawing the second frame member. Note that the
Draw Frame Element button is still depressed, i.e., the program is still in Draw Mode and
ready to draw another frame element.
14. Click on the joint labeled “C” and then the joint labeled “B” in Figure C-3, and then press the
Enter key on the keyboard to draw the second chevron brace member.
15. Click the Quick Draw Frame Element button on the side toolbar. Then click in the
area labeled “D” in Figure C-3 to enter the X-braces. The model now appears as shown in
Figure C-4.
Note: The X-braces could also have been entered using the same technique that was
employed for the chevron braces.
Note: Both the Draw Frame Element and the Quick Draw Frame Element options are
also available on the Draw menu.
Note: The Quick Draw Frame Element option works two different ways. You can click
on a grid segment to quickly draw a single frame element between the two adjacent
perpendicular grid lines. Alternatively, you can click in a space bounded by four grid
lines to quickly draw a cross brace as was done here.
16 Click the Down One Gridline button on the main toolbar twice to display the YZ
elevation at X=-24. Note the window title changes to Y-Z Plane @ X=-24. The model
appears as shown in Figure C-5.
17. We will use a different method to locate these chevron braces. Click the Snap to Midpoints
and Ends button to activate this snapping option. Click the Draw Frame Element
button on the side toolbar, or select Draw Frame Element from the Draw menu. The
program is now in Draw Mode.
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