You are on page 1of 48

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.

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
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

Basic Input Requirements

STAAD ANL File (to be analyzed with


PRINT ALL before FINISH).
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

Basic Input Requirements

STAAD ANL File (to be analyzed with


PRINT ALL before FINISH).

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
Basic Input Requirements
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

Basic Input Requirements

STAAD ANL File (to be analyzed with


PRINT ALL before FINISH).
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

Basic Input Requirements


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

STAAD to LITE Plug-In Help Page 1


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

STAAD to LITE Plug-In Help Page 2


In Menu bar Select
Add On Tools  Plugins  Staad to ARCBDSLite

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

STAAD to LITE Plug-In Help Page 3


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.

STAAD to LITE Plug-In Help Page 4


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.

STAAD to LITE Plug-In Help Page 5


Once the Main Beams are selected the following form pop ups

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

STAAD to LITE Plug-In Help Page 6


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

STAAD to LITE Plug-In Help Page 7


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)

STAAD to LITE Plug-In Help Page 8


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

STAAD to LITE Plug-In Help Page 9


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.

STAAD to LITE Plug-In Help Page 10


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.

STAAD to LITE Plug-In Help Page 11


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.

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
If user wants to have different Rod dia for extra bars they can give by Rods for Bottom Extra bars
separating with , For Example 16,12 or 16,20
How the reinforcement is calculated by the program from the area of steel
For A Beam (600 x 600) with 3 spans and size
Criteria for Minimum Number of
Rods
Width Of Beam Min Numbers
<= 400 2
>400 & < 600 3
For calculating the Top Reinforcement >=600 4
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)
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.

You might also like