3.4. Elements

Elements Structural elements are a combination of sections and members. A structural element will have it’s geometry fully defined, and contain element contains all the information needed to analyze and object.

Design Elements Design elements are a combination of structural elements with their design information. These design elements are what users will work directly with, and live in specific design libraries. Many design libraries contain functions that can initialize a basic structural element. All design objects have the following “special” attributes dictionaries.

Design Props:

  • This is used to store any internal attributes limitstates need for design that are design code dependant. Examples include the fire portection used for glulam elements, or if a beam element is curved.

User Props:

  • This provides a safe place for users to store any additional information they want in design. The limitstates library will objects will not use this attribute.

Geometry Props

  • This is used to store information about output element geometry. Examples include making plots or rendering geometry.

Some elements, such as CLT, may have design geometry that differs from their analysis model. In the example of CLT, while it is a 2D plate, it is often modeled as if it was a beam.

3.4.1. Element1D

class Element1D[source]

Bases: object

Should not be used directly. Defines interfaces that other classes, i.e. a beam element or a column element will use.

Parameters

  • member (Member) – A structural member that records where the element lies in space, and records information loading information.

  • section (SectionAbstract) – The cross section of the structural element.

  • designProps (dataclass, optional) – The design props store store any internal attributes limitstates need for design that are design code dependant. Examples include the fire portection used for glulam elements, or if a beam element is curved. The default is None.

  • userProps (dataclass, optional) – A object that stores additional information needed for users. The limitstates library will objects will not use this attribute. The default is None.

  • eleDisplayProps (dataclass, optional) – A object used to store information about output element geometry. This includes information necessary for makign plots or rendering geometry. The default is None.

Return type

None.

designProps: DefaultDesignProps
eleDisplayProps: EleDisplayProps
getEIx(lUnit: str = 'm', sUnit: str = 'Pa')[source]

Returns EI about the sections local x axis, which is generally the strong axis. Returns in units of sUnit x lUnit^4

Parameters

  • lUnit (float, optional) – The length units to output Ix in. The default is ‘m’.

  • sUnit (float, optional) – Stress units to output E in. The default is ‘Pa’.

Returns

The EIx for the section.

Return type

float.

getEIy(lUnit: str = 'm', sUnit: str = 'Pa')[source]

Returns EI about the sections local y axis, which is generally the strong axis. Returns in units of sUnit x lUnit^4

Parameters

  • lUnit (float, optional) – The length units to output Iy in. The default is ‘m’.

  • sUnit (float, optional) – Stress units to output E in. The default is ‘Pa’.

Returns

The EIy for the section.

Return type

float.

getGAx(lUnit: str = 'm', sUnit: str = 'Pa')[source]

Returns GA about the sections local x axis, which is generally the strong axis. Returns in units of sUnit x lUnit^2

Parameters

  • lUnit (float, optional) – The length units to output Ax in. The default is ‘m’.

  • sUnit (float, optional) – Stress units to output E in. The default is ‘Pa’.

Returns

The GAx for the section.

Return type

float.

getGAy(lUnit: str = 'm', sUnit: str = 'Pa')[source]

Returns GA about the sections local y axis, which is generally the strong axis. Returns in units of sUnit x lUnit^2

Parameters

  • lUnit (float, optional) – The length units to output Ay in. The default is ‘m’.

  • sUnit (float, optional) – Stress units to output E in. The default is ‘Pa’.

Returns

The GAy for the section.

Return type

float.

getLength()[source]

Returns the total length of the element.

getVolume(lUnit='m')[source]

Returns the volume of the element in the input units.

Parameters

lUnit (float, optional) – The length units to output Ay in. The default is ‘m’.

property mat
member: Member
setEleDisplayProps(eleDisplayProps: EleDisplayProps)[source]
userProps: UserProps

3.4.2. BeamColumn

class BeamColumn(member: Member, section: SectionAbstract, designProps: Optional[dataclass] = None, userProps: Optional[dict] = None, eleDisplayProps: Optional[EleDisplayProps] = None)[source]

Bases: Element1D

Represents a structural element that takes bending and axial loads. The beamcolumn class can be used directly, but is most commonly used by special objects in design libraries, which inherit from this class.

Parameters

  • member (Member) – A structural member that records where the element lies in space, and records information loading information.

  • section (SectionAbstract) – The cross section of the structural element.

  • designProps (dataclass, optional) – The design props store store any internal attributes limitstates need for design that are design code dependant. Examples include the fire portection used for glulam elements, or if a beam element is curved. The default is None.

  • userProps (dataclass, optional) – A object that stores additional information needed for users. The limitstates library will objects will not use this attribute. The default is None.

  • eleDisplayProps (dataclass, optional) – A object used to store information about output element geometry. This includes information necessary for making plots or rendering geometry. The default is None.

Return type

None.

3.4.3. getBeamColumn

getBeamColumn(L: float, section: SectionAbstract, lUnit: str = 'm', designProps: Optional[dict] = None, **kwargs) → BeamColumn[source]

A function used to return a basic beamcolumn based on an input length. The beamcolumn returned by this fuction will be a simply supported beam with one span.

Parameters

  • L (float) – The input length for the beamcolumn.

  • section (SectionAbstract) – The section the beamcolumn ises.

  • lUnit (str) – the units for the input length.

  • designProps (dict, optional) – Additional design propreties the section will use. The default is None.

Returns

The output beamcolumn object.

Return type

BeamColumn