Profiled plate
Use the Profiled plate tool to define structural slabs with profiled cross-sections, such as corrugated steel or composite decking systems.
When you select Profiled plate, a tool palette opens.
Main tools
- Define - create a new profiled plate element
- Properties - check or edit parameters of an existing profiled plate. Opens the Default settings dialogue for the selected plates
- Convert - convert existing wall foundation, foundation slab, beam, column, truss, plate, plane wall, timber wall, fictitious shell and cover elements into profiled plates
- Hole - define openings within a profiled plate using any of the supported contour tools
- Edge connection - define edge interaction and end behavior (read more below)
- Change direction - change the panel direction of an existing profiled plate
- Physical extent - adjust the visible range of the profiled plate’s geometry
- Panels - manage individual sub-panels of the profiled plate (read more below)
- Default settings - set default values for geometry, material, and edge behavior (read more below)
To read more about the Physical extent tool, see the topic:
User interface ➔ Tab menus ➔ Structure ➔ Additional dialogues ➔ Physical extent
Contour definition methods
Available for both Define and Hole tools.
- Rectangular - draw a rectangular contour
- Circular - draw a circular contour
- Polygonal - draw a custom polygon
- Pick lines - select lines from the model to define the shape
Only available with Define tool:
- Pick existing region - reuse an existing region’s shape
Alignment
- Alignment - drop-down menu to define how the plate aligns with its reference plane.
Options: Top/Left, Center, Bottom/Right
Connection tools
- Setup > - opens a dialogue for editing edge connection properties and endpoint behavior
- Presets > - opens a list of previously saved edge connection setups created using the Setup dialogue
The content of the Setup dialogue is the same as for other shell elements.
To read more, see:
User interface ➔ Tab menus ➔ Structure ➔ Additional dialogues ➔ Shell Default Connections
Edge connection functions
Available when the Edge connection tool is selected.
- Edge connection properties - select an edge of a profiled plate to view or edit connection settings
- Endpoint behavior - define how the ends of a plate's edge connect or terminate
To read more about these settings, see the relevant topics below:
- For Edge connection properties see:
User interface ➔ Tab menus ➔ Structure ➔ Additional dialogues ➔ Edge connections - For Endpoint behavior see:
User interface ➔ Tab menus ➔ Structure ➔ Additional dialogues ➔ Endpoint behaviour
Panel direction
- Change direction - change the direction of the profile’s panels for existing profiled plates
Panel tools
Available when the Panels tool is selected.
- Base line - define the baseline where the division of panel segments occurs
- Swap panels - rearrange panel segments by swapping their order. It is not possible to switch to the opposite side of the Base line
- Cut panel - open the Cut panel dialogue to trim the profile and choose which segment to keep (read more below)
Cut panel dialogue
When you select the Cut panel function from the Panels tool, a dialogue window opens.
This dialogue allows you to define which part of the profiled cross-section will be retained when the panel is trimmed.
Use the profile preview to select the area to keep. The tool provides options to visually inspect the resulting geometry before confirming the cut.
- Full width - read only, shows the full width of uncut panel
- Cut width - read only, shows the remaining panel width after cut
- Left cut - distance from the left to the start of the cut
- Right cut - distance from the right to the end of the cut
You can either use the image to drag the start or end point of the cut or use the numeric values for precise input.
Here you cannot change the cut size, since it is not possible to cut more or less than the Cut width. That value is based on the global model.
Default settings dialogue
When you press the Default settings button, a dialogue window opens.
This dialogue contains four tabs: General, Section, Material, and Default connections. These follow the standard input structure used for shell-based and bar-based components.
To read more about these settings, see the relevant topics below:
- For General tab see:
User interface ➔ Tab menus ➔ Structure ➔ Additional dialogues ➔ Shell General - For Section tab see:
User interface ➔ Tab menus ➔ Structure ➔ Additional dialogues ➔ Bar Section - For Material tab see:
User interface ➔ Tab menus ➔ Structure ➔ Additional dialogues ➔ Regular Material - For Default connections tab see:
User interface ➔ Tab menus ➔ Structure ➔ Additional dialogues ➔ Shell Default Connections