Expert: Arshad Khan - 4/9/2009

Question
QUESTION: Dear Arshad Khan,.
I hope that you are keeping welll.
My question is that we can define/edit  rebar sizes in etabs.. What is the advantage of that.. I mean does ETABS report reinforcement interms of Rebars sizes..
Like 3-#5 bars etc
Thank You

ANSWER: Hi Umar,

This feature is there because ETABS may not allocate the best size/distribution of rebar that is available locally or that meets local codes with respect to minimum/max diameters, minimum/max spacing of rebar, etc. So you can change to suit.



---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: THankyou...
One more thing...
Does Etabs report reinforcement in bar sizes format???

ANSWER: Hi Umar,

Yes, it does.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Sorry to bug you again but how does it report in that format????


Answer
Hi Umar,

This is from the ETABS help menu:

Reinforcement Bar Sizes
Form:  Reinforcing Bar Sizes

Define the reinforcing bar (rebar) name, diameter and area using the Reinforcing Bar Sizes form, which is accessed using the Options menu > Preferences > Reinforcement Bar Sizes command.

The ETABS default reinforcing bars include the following:

ASTM standard bar sizes: #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8, #9, #10, #11, #14, and #18.

ASTM metric bar sizes: 10M, 15M, 20M, 25M, 30M, 35M, 45M and 55M.

European (metric) bar sizes: 6f, 8f, 10f, 12f, 14f, 16f, 20f, 25f, 26f and 28f.

Use the following options on the Reinforcing Bar Sizes form:

Rebar The Bar ID, Bar Area, Bar Diameter display areas list the default rebar. Use the edit boxes at the top of the lists in conjunction with the Add button to add a bar ID, or the Modify and Delete buttons to change or delete a rebar.

Add Button To add a rebar, type the bar ID, area and diameter in the Bar ID, Bar Area and Bar Diameter edit boxes located at the top of the Rebar area. Be sure to enter the area and the diameter in the current units. Click the Add New Bar Size button. If desired make other additions, changes or deletions in the form. Click the OK button.

Modify Button To change a bar ID, area or diameter, click on the bar ID that you want to change in the Rebar area of the form. Note that the data for the bar is highlighted and that it appears in the edit boxes at the top of the Rebar area. Modify the bar ID, area and diameter as desired in the Bar ID, Bar Area and Bar Diameter edit boxes. Be sure to enter the area and the diameter in the current units. Click the Change Bar Size button. If desired make other additions, changes or deletions in the form. Click the OK button.

Delete Button To delete a rebar ID, click on the bar ID that you want to delete in the Rebar area of the form. Note that the data for the bar is highlighted and that it appears in the edit boxes at the top of the Rebar area. Click the Delete Bar button. If desired make other additions, changes or deletions in the form. Click the OK button.

Reset to Default Button The Reset to Defaults button resets all of the area and diameter values for the ETABS default rebar to their default values. It also adds back in any default rebar sizes that you deleted. This button has no effect on other user-defined rebar you may have added.

The reinforcing bar data is used in the following locations of the program:

The reinforcing bar data is used to define reinforcing steel in concrete column frame sections in the Reinforcement Data form. To access this form, click the Define menu > Frame Sections command, highlight a concrete beam section (e.g., CSEC1), click the Modify/Show Property button, click the Reinforcement button and select the Column tab in the Reinforcement Data form. In this instance, ETABS uses the specified area of the bar.

The reinforcing bar data is used to define reinforcing steel in the Section Designer utility. Section Designer is used to define wall pier sections and unusual frame sections. In that instance ETABS uses both the specified area of the bar and the diameter of the bar. The diameter is used to determine the location of the center of the bar when the face of the bar is aligned at a certain cover.

To access Section Designer for defining wall pier sections, select a defined wall pier, click the Design menu > Shear Wall Design > Assign Pier Sections for Checking command, click the Add Pier Section button, fill in the Pier Section Data form and click the Section Designer button. See the Shear Wall Design Manual for more information.

To access Section Designer for frame sections, click the Define menu > Frame Sections command, click Add SD Section in the Add drop-down box, fill in the SD Section Data form and click the OK button.



See also:

Dimensions and Tolerances