Beta Angle - What is it?

[imsengr]

Hi all, I am modeling a structural steel space frame in STAAD. I've got all the beams, columns and supports up and it looks ok. I am now inputing material constants and I've got a question about this thing called "BETA ANGLE". What exactly is a "beta angle"? Do all structural steel members have them? Is it an inherent property of structural steel? Or is it a property that you only need to input if it is a certain type of steel, or if it oriented at some angle? Can I ignore it at all? I am mostly working with wide flange W sections and some structural tee, WT sections? Could somebody familiar with "Beta Model" please help me out? Hope you will not get too "technical" and please don't leave "jargon" all over the place. Some explanation in plain and simple English would really be appreciated?

Thank you so much in advance and have a great weekend.

 

[ThomasH]

Beta angle has to do with the members orientation in space. Basically it is associated with strong and weak axis bending so you can definitly not ignore it when working with wide flange beams.

I recommend that you read the manual since there is figures. To explain it in words is difficult.

Thomas

 

[RockEngineer]

You can find a lot of good information by working through the free STAAD online tutorials. Until you understand what a program is doing it is dangerous to analyze something and then count on the results.

http://www.reiworld.com/Product/AllDemo.asp