Add Beam

Beams in RS3 are three-dimensional support elements that can be used to model a variety of support types including steel or concrete beams, steel sets, piles, trusses or similar support elements.

Beams can be added as individual (single) beams or beam patterns to selected faces or edges of external volume pieces, as described below.

To add Beams:

1. Select the Support workflow tab
2. Select Faces Selection or Edges Selection as the Selection Mode for adding a beam pattern or single beam, respectively.
3. Select the face or edges on which to add the beam(s).
4. Select Add Beams from the toolbar or the Beams sub-menu of the Support menu.

TIP: with the face or edge(s) selected, you can also right-click on the viewing screen and select Add Beams from the Support sub-menu.

5. You will see the Add Beams dialog. In this dialog.
   1. Select the Beam Property type.
   2. Select the beam Direction, by specifying the Beam Axis and Imin Direction.
   3. In a multi-stage mode, the Staging options allow you to specify the stage at which the beam(s) will be installed and the stage at which the beam(s) will be removed.
   4. Select the Application of the beam (single beam or beam pattern). If beam pattern is selected, the beam pattern can be defined by specifying the Pattern Arrangement, Horizontal Spacing, and Vertical Spacing of the beams.

See below for details about the beam property, direction, and staging.

6. When finished specifying the load properties and the preview of the applied load, as indicated by the display of green arrows, is as desired, select Apply. The Uniform Load will be applied to the selected face(s), as indicated by the display of red arrows and the magnitude.

Beam Property

You can select a Beam Property type in the Add Beams dialog. If you wish to edit the beam properties you can use the Edit Beam Property shortcut button beside the beam property type list.

Beam Direction

In order to define how beams are installed on a boundary with respect to the beam cross-section, you must choose a Beam Axis and Imin Direction.

BEAM AXIS

You may choose either the Imin Axis or the Imax Axis of the beam cross-section to represent the beam cross-sectional axis.

IMIN / IMAX DIRECTION

You must then choose a direction for the chosen beam axis. The following options are available:

• Normal
• Trend & Plunge
• Vector

Staging

If your model is staged, you can specify the installation and removal stage of beams.

• Install at stage - by default the installation stage will be set to the stage that you are currently viewing (i.e. the currently selected stage tab). You can enter a different stage if necessary.
• Remove at stage - by default the removal stage will be set to never. You can enter the stage at which the beams are to be removed (uninstalled), if applicable.