Design Options

Once the section types have been defined and assigned to the columns you want to evaluate, you will need to specify parameters by which columns will be evaluated. The parameters for which to evaluate columns with, can be assigned in the Design Options window. The Design Options window can be accessed through Column Design>Design Settings.

Clicking the Design Settings icon will open the Design Options window.

Click on image to enlarge.

Click the + sign below to expand a table containing the properties that can be set along with their description.

Design Options Property Table:

Setting

Description

Design Parameters

Consider Slenderness

Allows the user to define if they want to consider slenderness effects in the design of columns. If set to Yes, the user must design the columns for P-Delta.

NO:

Force Source

Allows the user to define the source from which loading will be extracted to design column elements.

The options are:

FEM	Utilize the most recently run Finite Element solution reactions.
Tributary Method (Axial Gravity Only)	Utilize the most recent calculation using tributary gravity axial loading. Note: You must have load takedown tributaries created in the model. Generate load takedown tributaries through the Loading>Load Takedown icon.
Envelope of FEM and Tributary	The program will take a strict maximum envelope of axial loads and moments from the FEM and Tributary methods.
FEM Moments and larger of Tributary/FEM Axial	The program will use moments from the FEM analysis and the larger axial load component from either Tributary or FEM analysis. This feature could be used to exclude minimum moments from use in the design.

FEM Reaction Set

Displays the last run analysis and usage case that will be used for the FEM reactions. The format is Usage Case:Analysis Mode. The analysis mode can be local (single-level) or global (multi-level).

Load Reduction

Allows the user to account or not account for live load reduction in the column design. Select Yes or No to include or exclude load reduction factors from the design of columns. Yes will apply the load reductions factors. See the Live Load Reduction Factors topic for more information.

YES:

FEM (P-Delta)	Signifies the user is designing for the effects of P-Delta. When set to yes, the program will only allow for the selection of P-Delta combinations in the Design Options window.
FEM Reaction Set	Displays the last run analysis and usage case that will be used for the FEM reactions. The format is Usage Case:Analysis Mode. The analysis mode can be local (single-level) or global (multi-level).

Max. Utilization

The maximum design utilization the program will use for column design, 1.0 being default.

Code

Select the appropriate design code from the drop down list. Available options are:

ACI-318-14

ACI-318-19

Compression Stress Block

Options are Rectangular or Parabolic.

Design Constraints

(As/Ag) Maximum

Define the upper limit for reinforcement percentage Rho.

(As/Ag) Minimum

Define the lower limit for reinforcement percentage Rho.

The top section of the Design Options window shows the available load combinations which can be used for the design of columns. If P-Delta combinations are selected in the list, ADAPT-Builder will design for the 2nd Order effects of P-Delta. Refer to the P-Delta section of the Perform a Column Code Check help topic for more information.

Note: The load combinations listed depend on the Force Source input of the Design Options window. If FEM is selected, only load combinations that were run in the last analysis will be available to select. If the option for Consider Slenderness Effects is set to YES only P-DELTA combinations will be available.

Load combinations can be selected (highlighted blue) or deselected (not highlighted) as desired by clicking on the combination. The user may use the control or shift keys to select multiple combinations. The solution used in the design is based on the Force Source property of the Design Options window. When FEM is used, the solution used will be the most recently executed multi-level (Global) or single-level (Level) solution. The last run solution set will be listed in the FEM Reaction Set property of the Design Options window.

Caution: When code checking columns, the use of the hyperstatic load case is not recommended due to the method used to calculate hyperstatic actions. For load combinations that include the hyperstatic load case, the program will automatically replace the hyperstatic load case with the prestressing load case in the background of the code check of columns.

Once the options have been selected, the user can click the OK button to close the window and save the settings. Alternatively, the user can click the Cancel button to close the window without saving changes. The user can then go to Column Design>Solve to Perform a Code Check of the column.