Expert: Arshad Khan - 6/19/2011

Question
Sir, please tell me how to determine design  moment using section cut in etabs model of a box shaped shear wall?

Answer
Hi Tanvir,

You can request the analysis outputs at any pre-deterined section cuts so that this appears in the output tables. This is explained in the Help menu, such as copied below:


Analysis Output
Form:  Print Output Tables, Select Output

Use the File menu > Print Tables > Analysis Output command to access the Print Output Tables form. Use the form to specify the type of analysis output data to print to a printer or to a text file.  

Construct the model and run an analysis.

Click the File menu > Print Tables > Analysis Output command to access the Print Output Tables form. Use the check boxes, drop-down list, edit box, and buttons on the form to specify the type of analys output to be printed, the sort order, and if data is printed to file, the path and filename for storing the file.

Note:  If  some objects are selected before executing the File menu > Print Tables> Output command, the printed output will be for the selected objects only.

Type of Analysis Results check boxes. Use the check boxes in this area of the form to select (or deselect) the type of data to be included in the printed output. If an item is "grayed out" and the check box is unavailable, the item is not included in the model.

Select Loads button. Click this button to access the Select Output form. Review and if necessary change the loads to be included in the print out using that form. Click on a load to select or deselect it. Click the Clear All button to deselect all previously selected  loads.

Select Cuts buttons. Click this button to access the Select Section Cuts form. Choose the section cuts to be included in the printed output. Click on a section cut name to select or deselect it. Click the Clear All button to deselect all previously selected section cuts.

Print Sort Order drop-down box. Choose the order of the print out based on Stories, Objects or Loads. If Loads is selected, use the Second drop-down list to specify Stories or Objects as a second sorting criterion.

Print to File checkbox. Check this check box to print the specified data to a text file. Use the File Name edit box and the Browse button to specify the path and filename for storing the .txt file.

Append check box. Check this check box to add the specified data  to an existing file. Use the File Name edit box and the Browse button to specify the path and filename of the .txt file to which the specified output is to be appended.

Selection Only check box. This check box is checked if point, line or area objects were selected before the File menu > Print Tables > Input command was selected; only data for the selected objects will be include in the printed output. Unchecking this check box will cause data for all objects in the model to be included in the printed output.

Envelopes Only check box. When this check box is checked, only envelopes (i.e., minimums and maximums) for the specified data will be provided as the analysis output.

Note: Use the Display menu > Set Output Table Mode command to display similar data in a database format on the screen.