STAAD Pro - Simple Continuous Beam Analysis

1. Model the Geometry of the Structure

25 KN/m 10 KN/m 25 KN/m

3.2 4.2 4.0

Start STAAD Pro. Go to File > New and Select Plane type structure and enter a File Name and Click Next.
In the “Where do you want to go?” dialog box select “Add beam” and click Finish.

For this case we will be using the grid

systems to model our structure. Since the
spans are irregular lets setup the
constructions line to irregular. For this
purpose an irregular grid system is to be
created. On the Snap Node/Beam palette
click “Create”

On the “Snap Node/Beam” palette go to

irregular tab and setup the grid spacing.
Enter 3.2 4.2 4.0 under X values under the
Relative Grid Distance.

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By default the grid is set to Isometric view. Let us set the view to the conventional front view.
(Rotate the view so that it is seen from the from Z+ direction, i.e. Front view)

Afterwards click on “Snap Node/Beam” button and click on the Grid line
intersection points. Then beam segments will be draw between each
nodal point you click. Finally press the Escape key on the keyboard to
end the task.

2. Assign Member Properties

TIP: When it
is required to
select beams,
On the Main Page controller, click on "General"> "Property" nodes,
plates, etc.
the
appropriate
Select the members to assign the property by using the Beam selection cursor selection
cursor
and dragging around the beams.
should be
selected first.

Next, click on "Define" button on the "Properties" box.

Go to the "Rectangle" tab and give the dimensions.

In this case, enter the beam size 0.45m x 0.225m,

i.e. YD =0.45 and ZD=0.225.

Click “Assign”

Prepared and Lectured by : Erwin Barthelot Page |2

Then STAAD will assign the sectional properties to the selected members.

After assigning the properties the model should look like this:

[TIP: To toggle the display of the cross sectional annotations on the beams, activate the modelling
window and press "SHIFT" + "X"]

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3. Assign Supports

Go to “General” > “Support” sub page.

Use the nodes cursor and select the nodes to assign the supports.

On the Support Dialog box click on “Create” and go to “Pinned” tab Click Assign. This will
assign the Pinned Support to the selected nodes

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After assigning the Pinned support the model should look like this:

4. Assign Loads

Go to “General” -> “Loads”

In the Load dialog box select “Load Case Details” and click on
“Add”. Next enter a name for the primary load case and click
“Add”.

Then you will see the Load case is listed under the details. Next select that load case
title and click “Add”. This is done to that STAAD knows that
you are going to enter loads under that Load Case.

Then in the “Add New” Load Items dialog box under

“Member Load > Uniform Force”, enter -25 as the W1 load
value. Then click “Add”.

To add another load value of 10 KN/m, enter -10 and click

“Add”.
Finally click “Close”.

Prepared and Lectured by : Erwin Barthelot Page |5

 Notice that now we have defined
two load values under the load case.
But the loads a not yet assigned to
the members. So next we should to
assign the loads to the members;
The load 20 KN/m for the first and
third member and the 10Kn/m value
to the second member.

Select first load item (ie. UNI Gy -25

KN/m load item) and then select the
first and third beam as shown in the
following figure.

(TIP: to select both the beams, click on the first beam and then while pressing the “Ctrl” key,
select the third beam)

Next select the “Assign to Selected Beams” option

and click on “Assign”. Similarly you may add the
other load value to the middle beam as well.

After assigning the load the model should like the

following figure.

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5. Assign the Type of Analysis and Analyze the Model

Go to “Analysis/Print” and in the

“Analysis/Print commands dialog box
“click on “Add” and click on “Close”.

On the menu “Analysis” > “Run Analysis”

After the analysis is completed, select

the “Go to Post Processing Mode” option and click “Done”

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6. View the Results

To see the bending moment, shear force and axial force of the Beams go to “Beam” > “Graphs”

Next select a beam and on the right hand panels it shows the Bending moment, shear force and
axial force diagrams. If you want mode details (Bending moment at a given location of the beams
etc) double click on the beam and go to “Shear Bending” tab.

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