Define Materials

Forms: Define Materials, Quick Material Definition, Material Property Data

Use the Define menu > Materials command to add, modify, or delete a material property definition. The material property definitions are then used in defining the structural objects (frame sections, cable sections, tendon sections, area sections, solid properties).

TIP: The forms described in this topic also can be accessed by clicking the + (plus) symbol that may appear next to a drop-down list of available materials, such as the Material drop-down list on the Shell Section Data form, or the {Frame Section Type} Data forms.

Click the Define menu > Materials command to access the Define Materials form.
Click the appropriate button to complete the required action:

Add New Material Quick button. Click this button to access the Quick Material Definition form. Use that form to select a material type and add a material definition based on various popular specifications (e.g., ASMT A36, ASTM A993-Fy50, f'c4000psi, Alloy 6061T6 and so on).

Select the Material Type from the drop-down list.
Select a Specification from the drop-down list.
Click the OK button to close the form and return to the Define Materials form.
Highlight the newly defined definition and click the Modify/Show Material button to display the Material Property Data form and review, and where appropriate modify, the specifications for the definition.

Note that the Modify/Show Notes button on the Material Property Data form can be used to access the Material Notes form. Use the form to add Material Notes to the model file.

Add New Material button.

Click the Add New Material button to access the Material Property Data form. Use the options on the form to create a user definition for the material property.

Material Name and Display Color. The program will suggest a name and display color for the material definition. Use the suggestions, or type a name in the Material Name edit box, or click the Color box to access the Color form and choose a new display color.
Material Type. Choose a material type from this drop-down list. The selection made here determines the other parameters to be specified for the definition.
Modify/Show Notes button. Click this button to access the Material Notes form.
Weight and Mass, Isotropic Property Data and Other Properties for {Steel, Concrete, Aluminum, Cold Formed, Rebar, Tendon} Materials areas. Reviews the parameters specified in these areas of the form, and where necessary, type revised values in the edit boxes. The Units drop-down list can be used to change the units on this form to facilitate data entry for the various parameters.

Click the OK button to close the Material Property Data form and return to the Define Materials form. The newly named material property will be listed in the Materials list box. After the property has been defined, use the commands on the Assign menu to assign the property to an area(s), frame section(s), cable(s), tendon(s) or solid(s).

Modify/Show Material button.

Highlight the name of the previously defined material in the Materials area of the form.
Click the Modify/Show Material button to access the Material Property Data form.
Use that form to change the appropriate entries.
Click the OK button to close the form and return to the Define Materials form.

Delete Material button.

Highlight the name of the previously defined material in the Materials area of the form.
Click the Delete Material button to delete the selected definition.

Show Advanced Properties check box. Check this check box and then click the Add New Material button to access the Material Property Options form. Use that form to specify advanced materials properties and to access additional forms related to nonlinear material data, damping properties, time dependent properties (concrete and tendon material properties only), and thermal properties (heat transfer).

Example: Definition of materials is demonstrated in Problem A, Problem B, Problem C, Problem D and others.