GH User Interface

Plug-in Interface for Structural Analysis Plug-ins

Rhino

Refer interface set-up for details of Rhino toolbars and menus.

pageInterface Set-up

Grasshopper

The image below highlights a typical structural plug-in interface within the grasshopper environment. Some will vary depending on the extent of features available for each particular plug-in however all follow a similar logic.

Typical Grasshopper Layout for a Structural Plugin

For each structural plug-in the following layout with some plug-ins having special plug-ins depending on the additional features (outside of general building structure) that a program.

The typical tabs and the components within those are explained below.

Base Tab

• Bake Component

• Model Definition Attributes (Grids and Levels)

• Import/Export options

• Model Decompose Components

Attributes Tab

The Attributes tab consists of components used primarily to establish engineering and design information input required for model element definition such as materials from the material library or user defined materials, Point attributes to define support reactions, properties of structural members etc.

• Materials

• Node Support/Restraint

• Node Attributes

• Properties and Attributes for Curve and Area Elements

• Property parameters

• Staged construction properties and stages

pageMaterialspageProperties and Property Sets

Elements Tab

• Create Structural Node elements

• Create Curve and Area Elements

• Create Solid Elements (where applicable)

• Define Lists of Structural members

• Decompose beam and Area element components

pageElements

Loads Tab

• Load Cases

• Load Combinations

• Curve and Area loading's

• Decompose Loading (where applicable)

Solver Tab

• Analysis Type Selection

• Solver Interaction Component

• Results Query Components

• Results Decomposition

Design Tab

• Create design member properties

• Steel restraint properties