All Plug-Ins of Arc Bds

List of Plugins Page#

1 Column Steel Drawing 2

2 Column Steel Summary with Moments 6

3 Column Summary Excel 9

4 Beam Steel Drawing 11

5 Beam Steel Summary 14

6 Beam Moments Extraction 17

7 ETABS to ARC BDS Lite 19

8 STAAD to ARC BDS Lite 33

9 Editing the INTELLI-REIN SHEET 44

Z-Axiss ARC BDSTM

ARC BDSTM is a R.C.C Beam detailing program,

very user friendly to both design engineer and draftsman.

Plugins of ARC BDSTM are useful for design

engineers to speed up design process when analysis is done in STAAD.

Z-Axiss ARC BDSTM

Plug-In Column Steel Extraction as Drawing

Basic Input Requirements

STAAD ANL File (to be analyzed with PRINT ALL before FINISH).

Output Given:-

Column Grid Plan:- Has a plan of

positions of the columns in the building)

Column Steel Elevation: - Generates Column Elevation DWG at selected section.

This plug-in will help the design engineer visualize the structure well, and is very useful when the structure is very big and when columns are failing this diagram will help the design engineer visualize the failure better by getting the data Grid wise

Column Grid Plan

This will generate a Plan marking all the columns in PLAN, using this plan user can

select the Section of the building at a specific Grid location ( X or Z )

This drawing will have positions of columns along X & Z direction (as per STAAD

conventions)

For Eg:- in the plan drawing if a X Grid @ 15490 is shown, it means that at X

Coordinate of 15490, there are certain number of columns, and the Grid plan

draws a line for all such positions extracted from the STAAD ANL file.

Using this Grid plan the Designer can select a specific Section location (along X or

Z) based on his requirements and view the section drawing by selecting Column

Steel Elevation and appropriate section in X or Z Direction.

Plan Showing All the possible X & Z grid position of columns

Columns Data Along X Grid @ 22.758 Shows Section of Building @ X Grid @ 22.758

Starting Node Number

Column Number

Column Size

% of Steel

If the column fails the text will be shown as FAILED and color of column changes to RED

Z-Axiss ARC BDSTM

Plug-In Column Steel Summary with Moments



Track 2 command in STAAD input file. Output Given

Extracts Column Moments and steel area from STAAD output file and shows results in XLS or PDF format.

Helps the Design Engineer Group Columns and understand the behavior of the columns through the forces given

Output sample of Column Steel Summary with Moments (Extracted to an PDF sheet )

Output sample of Column Steel Summary with Moments (Extracted to an XLS sheet )

Z-Axiss ARC BDSTM

Plug-In Column Steel Summary in Excel



Output Given

Extracts Column steel area Level wise from STAAD output file and shows results in XLS

Helps the Design Engineer Group Columns and understand the behavior of the columns especially when there are floating columns in the structure

Output sample of Column Steel Summary (Extracted to an XLS sheet )

Z-Axiss ARC BDSTM

Plug-In Beam Steel Extraction As DRAWING


STAAD ANL File (to be analyzed with PRINT

ALL before FINISH).

Output Given

Extracts Area of Beam Steel Row wise and

generates a Longitudinal Section showing the Area

of the STEEL as given by STAAD.

Beam Steel Area Drawing:- will generate the

drawing with depth of the beam.

Beam Steel Area Single Line Drawing:- will

generate the drawing as a single line beam.

This plug-in will help the design engineer to give the reinforcement of the beam from the areas printed on the drawing.

Output Sample of Beam Steel Area Drawing

Output Sample of Beam Steel Area Single Line Drawing

Z-Axiss ARC BDSTM

Plug-In Beam Steel Summary



Output Given

Extracts Beam Steel Areas ROW wise displays the data in XLS sheet and also shows the % of steel in another sheet

Helps the Design Engineer Group Beams and the percentage of Steel sheet will help the design engineer that the steel provided is as per standards

Output sample of Plug-In Beam Steel Summary (Areas in an XLS sheet)

Output sample of Plug-In Beam Steel Summary (% of Area in an XLS sheet)

Z-Axiss ARC BDSTM

Plug-In Beam Moment Extraction



Output Given

Extract Row wise Beam Moments and Shear Force along with guiding load case from an STAAD ANL file to a XLS file

The program automatically arranges the beams row wise irrespective of the beam numbers and the start node & end node positions; this will be very helpful for the design engineer to visualize the full beam. Helps the Design Engineer Group Beams and understand the behavior of the beams through the forces given.

Beam Moments Extracted in an XLS sheet

Z-Axis

Have Engineered A Solution

ETABS

to ARC BDS

TM Lite

A Boon Tool To Generate RC Beam L.S

Details

Why use this Plug-In

As of now ARC BDSTM does not generate layout

from ETABS file hence, to generate Beam L.S for

entire floor this Plug-In can be used.

Procedure generate Beam L.S Details from ETABS MDB file

To Generate the MDB file (from ETABS ) the following tables are

required "Concrete Design 2 - Beam Summary Data - Indian IS 456-2000";

"Control Parameters";

"Beam Connectivity Data"

"Concrete Beam Section Design Data"

"Point Coordinates"

"Story Data"

Concrete Column Section Design Data"

"Column Connectivity Data"

"Frame Section Assignments"

From ETABS generate an MDB file having the above tables.

In ARC BDSTM -> Add On Tools -> Plugins -> Etabs to Lite

The dialog below appears

Select Etabs MDB Intelli Rein Excel option and click Process

Button the dialog box below appears

Click on Extract Button or button the following dialog appears

1. Select an appropriate MDB file and click Open button

2. Click Extract Button the program generates an XLS sheet

******_Intellirein.xls (where ***** is the MDB file name)

The Path of the XLS file is shown as Hint when the mouse is taken near

the Link.

That file is the BASE for generating the ARC BDSTM Lite file,

a. It contains all the Beams extracted from ETABS file

b. Each extracted beam has

Row Name (the program creates a row name

automatically by clubbing all the individual span

names of the row of beam)

Preferred Diameters to be used for reinforcement

Each Individual Span name

Size & Length of each span

Steel Reinforcement AREAS of Each span of beam

including stirrups

Left and right parent type and sizes

For a detailed explanation of the ******_Intellirein.xls file see Editing the INTELLI-REIN SHEET help document

Once the ******_Intellirein.xls is modified,

Select Create ARC BDSTM Lite Input file and click Process button.

The dialog below appears

if the process of creating the ******_Intellirein.xls is

done in this session of work only, the Excel Name

will be populated with appropriate

******_Intellirein.xls file

Otherwise if the ******_Intellirein.xls file is

modified else where or in a different session click

[] button and select an appropriate

******_Intellirein.xls file.

Click on Load from Excel button

Click on Export to ARC BDS Lite

Click on OK

Click on Exit the ARC BDS Lite file is generated; it can be loaded by

ARC BDS Lite version.

Once Loaded

Once the file is opened by ARC

BDSTM

In the list of beams click right button

and click Sort By Row Name

It will sort all the beams row wise,

and that is how the output will come.

Click on Reinforcement Tab

Click on Open Reinforcement

Data Sheet

Ensure that you have the backup of the OLD reinforcement sheet if

required as by CLICKING YES in this dialog.

YOU WILL LOOSE OLD REINFORCEMENT DATA if any.

The xls file created when clicking Yes will contain the data that is

there in the Current *.ZBLD file

Up to this point, all this can be done by the draftsmen in charge.

The draftsmen should save the xls file and give that file to the engineer.

Note:- The draftsmen should complete all the things required such

as

Row Grouping

Splitting of rows if required

Deleting of Beams

Adding of beams

Adding of Grid Numbers etc

All this should have been already done when editing the

******_Intellirein.xls file, in case something is missed the draftsmen can

use the features of ARC BDSTM to modify them.

Once the file XLS file is generated, the draftsmen in charge should NOT

add / deleted any beams in the *.ZBLD file until the Design Engineer has

completed the Modification of the reinforcement.

The design engineer should take care that this reinforcement XLS is done

properly, if this is done perfectly the drawing NEED NOT BE

CHECKED for REINFORCEMENT.

If all the steps above are followed in perfect sequential manner the only

work the design engineer will have is to modify the xls file given by the

draftsmen.

Once the draftsmen receive the modified xls file.

Click on Open Reinforcement

Data Sheet

In the xls sheet opened, replace all

the reinforcement data given by

Design engineer using copy

/paste

Save the xls file

Click Load Reinforcement From

Data Sheet and save the ARC

BDS lite file

Warning: - if this process is NOT

done, the changed reinforcement

will NOT be saved.

Once this is done; WORK IS OVER. Click GO (Generate Output)

button and generate the entire beam L.S.

If the process is done perfectly, in days time you can generate Beam

L.S for entire floor, the only thing left will be to put them in title block

and edit some clashes.

By Editing the Reinforcement in xls sheet instead of the final drawing,

the advantage is that the steel take off will be very accurate.

Precautions to be taken in Input file of ZBLD.

1. To reduce the number of sections in the final output

In Settings Menu Beam General Settings

a. Remove all the checks in Show Sections At

b. If you are having varying slab depths in the floor

select Show Total Depth in Cross Section Depth

c. Select Row in Show Cross Sections per

2. Ensure Proper scaling is set, if the beams are very large or

spans are many you can have a different Horizontal scale &

different scale i.e. select 1:100 scale for LS & 1:50 scale for

section, that way most of the beams will be within the title

block of A1.

3. Ensure the grids of the beams are properly placed (you can

use the Open Excel Data button

Note: - Only for the 1st beam Left and right Grids need to be

given for all the other beams in the row you can give only the Right Grid.

4. Do a dry run of the file once it generates the layout, see the

important beams that require the cross section to be shown

note the numbers and go back to Detailed Edit of the

beams for which the section is required.

Select the required section

5. For getting your title block in the paper space, where ever

the ARC BDS.exe is present normally C:\Program

Files\ZaxisES\ARC BDS Lite there will be a

Layouts.DWG file Open the dwg

Insert your title block in appropriate Layout of AutoCAD

for example insert (SI units) A1 Title Block in A1MM

Tab and erase the green lines.

If this process is done every drawing will be generated your

title block.

Please Note:- if these procedures are followed in Toto, you

will get a 95 % ready drawing with beams placed in your title

block and with NO errors in reinforcement and only few dim

clashes that can be edited easily.

STAAD to LITE Plug-In Help Page 1

Z-Axiss STAAD to LITE Plug-in

Why use this Plug-In

1. When Layout generated by ARC BDSTM

is not required 2. When the nodes in STAAD input file are NOT Exactly matching the

Architectural drawing.

3. When number of beams are to be added on the fly which are not reflected in the STAAD model.

4. When the Beam row in STAAD is to be split as multiple Beam Rows

during detailing (due to various reasons such as level difference etc)

5. Want the program to be Draftsman friendly in the input while editing the properties of beams.


Salient Features

a. Extract Beam Data from from STAAD output file.

b. Generates an Intelligent interactive XLS sheet allowing the Design Engineer to choose the Rod Dia for the Top & Bottom Separately and automatically calculate the number of rods required based on area of steel at the section intelligently.

c. Generates a Final xls SHEET using which the Table will be created,

and the engineers will be at liberty to change the reinforcement data as per their requirements.

d. Reduces massive amount of time for the design engineer


In Menu bar Select Add On Tools Plugins Staad to ARCBDSLite

The above form appears Select Staad data (ANL) Intelli rein Excel Click process


The following form appears Select an appropriate STAAD ANL file and click Read Anl File Button. The program automatically deducts different levels in of the building and displays in ascending order. Select a level for which the Beams are to be extracted and detailed. Give a Row Name Prefix & Starting Row Number (so that beam numbering will begin with that number) Click Extract Data Note:- Generate Drawing Button will generate a Single line beam dwg of the selected floor showing the Beam Names & STAAD ids This is just a tool to help the design engineer get a clear picture of the floor beams.


Some times (not necessarily always) the above form pops up, the design engineer should decide the Main beam & secondary beam, the program automatically & intelligently selects appropriate main beam however the design engineer should check it once. And click OK.


Once the Main Beams are selected the following form pop ups

Select STAAD Data (anl) Intelli Rein Excel and click process


Initial Input XLS sheet Generated automatically by the program by extracting data from an STAAD file

The Engineer has to Only Populate an appropriate DIA of Rod & % of Increase of Area of Steel, in this Sheet and RE-NAME rows if required. Note :- the area of steel being shown in the xls columns is extracted from the STAAD automatically. Please Note:- Even Extra Bars with different dia can be given separated by ,

For detailed help on editing the IntelliRein file see Editing the INTELLI-REIN SHEET help document


Select Create ARC BDS Lite input file and click process

The above form appears

(it has the data from the XLS sheet given as explained in Page 6 & similar to Page 7)


Program Generated final XLS sheet from the Initial (in the above screen) Notice that the Number of Bars are Automatically calculated and populated.


The Engineer can choose to change the generated Reinforcement provided as per his/her requirement and also change the stirrups spacing, Like the one below.


Once the reinforcement is changed appropriately

The detailer can click Export to ARC BDS Lite Button.

The program will create an input file that can be opened by ARC BDS Lite and all the data is populated automatically thus reducing massive amount of time.

Z-Axiss ARC BDSTM

IntelliRein Editing the IntelliRein File

This file is generated by STAAD to LITE or ETABS to LITE Plug-In A normal user NEED NOT edit any items in this sheet, however for a user after considerable understanding of the STAAD to LITE or ETABS to LITE Plug-In can enhance the productivity by editing this file.

The XLS sheet is the summary of the full Longitudinal Section Data of a Beam extracted from STAAD/ETABS, such as reinforcement areas, the left & right parent (support) sizes etc. This sheet is contains reinforcement of a Individual Beam (as per LEFT, MIDDLE, RIGHT parts of beam) & is grouped ROW wise.

If user wants to have different Rod dia for extra bars they can give by separating with , For Example 16,12 or 16,20

User Editable DATA Columns A to G

Column Remarks

A Row Name, the Draftsmen can change the name of the ROW here

B Preferred Bar Dia to be used for top reinforcement

C Preferred Bar Dia to be used for Bottom reinforcement

D % of Area of steel to be increased before calculating the number of Rods for Top Straight bars

E % of Area of steel to be increased before calculating the number of Rods for Top Extra bars

F % of Area of steel to be increased before calculating the number of Rods for Bottom Straight bars

G % of Area of steel to be increased before calculating the number of Rods for Bottom Extra bars

How the reinforcement is calculated by the program from the area of steel For A Beam (600 x 600) with 3 spans and size

For calculating the Top Reinforcement To get number of Straight RODS Area of Steel (Max of Top Mid) = 437.3 mm2 Number of Bars = Round Up { (Ast * % of Increase) / Area of Rod} but satisfying the min number of rods criteria

(437.3 * 1.1 )/ 201.06 { 10 % increase and 16 Dia Rod) Round up = 3 , but as per minimum number of rods based on width Number of Bars provided = 4 Hence Provided reinforcement will be 4-16

For Bottom Reinforcement To get number of Bottom Straight RODS Area of Steel (Max of Left & Right) = 982.87 Number of Bars = Round Up { (Ast * % of Increase) / Area of Rod} But satisfying the min number of rods criteria

(982.87 * 1.1) /201.06 { 10 % increase and 16 Dia Rod) Round up = 6 (which is greater than minimum number of bars) Number of Bars Provided = 6 Hence provided reinforcement will be 6-16

Note:- All the reinforcement will automatically be calculated by the program based on the above logic, the user has to edit the reinforcement given in ARC BDSTM (The provided reinforcement can be edited by clicking Open Reinforcement Data Sheet in ARC BDSTM see help file of ARC BDSTM for more details on how to edit the reinforcement of beam)

Criteria for Minimum Number of Rods

Width Of Beam Min Numbers

400 & < 600 3

>=600 4

Normally giving proper Dia of rods is the only work to be done by the Engineer, however some times

If the data given in STAAD / ETABS is not accurate, the length can be modified (Change the Length value in Column J)

If the Row Beam is to be split that can be done in this file, Say for Eg:- a Beam has 8 spans and for some reason the Draftsman wants to split the beam into 2 beams with spans of 5 & 3

A. Draftsman should insert a blank row in between 2 beams B. The Row name should be Unique C. The Columns B to G (Rod dias) should be singular

A draftsmen with a little practice can do all work below (a little guidance by the design engineer will be helpful)

He can give this XLS file to the draftsman and ask him to RE-Name the ROWS

Break Rows if required sometimes the Etabs /STAAD file generates a Big row of beam due to drafting reasons we may need to split it as 2 or Many beams, in such a case the user can split the beam right in this file (see Annexure II for more details)

Add additional beams if required that are not there in the Etabs / STAAD anl file

Delete Beams, if beams are given in the Etabs / STAAD ANL files but are not required in the drafting output, they can be deleted here.

Group similar beams by keeping the main beam and the other beams in brackets ( .. ) and deleting the beams

Note:- It is at this stage the Engineer SHOULD check discrepancies of the sizes between the

Design and Drawn Layout. As it happens many times

The design file is changed and the Layout or The layout is changed and the design input file

Fundamentally if this STAGE is done right, 90% of the work is over, the only thing that needs to be done is to fine tune the reinforcement given by the program.

Documents

All Plug-Ins of Arc Bds