Skip to main content

Section definition

The Section definition view is where you define all components that make up a section, including geometry, materials, and reinforcement.

This view is used to construct the physical makeup of the section that will later be analysed.

Creating a new section​

To create a new section, you can:

  • Select a template for a standard reinforced concrete section, or
  • Start from scratch by choosing the Empty section option

To edit an existing section, click anywhere on the highlighted section row in the Section list.

Defining section components​

Under the Definition tab, you define all components that form the section.

Material grades shown here reference the materials defined earlier in the Materials tab.

Editing the section profile​

There are two ways to edit the section profile:

Direct syntax editing​

You can edit the profile definition directly in the syntax field.

Rules for defining the syntax are available via the information (i) icon.

Profile wizard​

Select the pencil icon to open the profile wizard. This guides you through creating or editing the section profile without manually writing syntax.

The three‑dot menu provides additional information and displays section properties related to the section profile.

Defining reinforcement​

To define reinforcement, first set the cover and then select the reinforcement type, such as:

  • Top
  • Bottom
  • Perimeter
  • Link
  • Other available types

Reinforcement description syntax​

In the Description column, use syntax to define:

  • Material grade
  • Bar diameter
  • Bar position and spacing

For example:

  • B references the reinforcement material grade (for example, 500B when using Eurocode)
  • The referenced material label is shown in brackets under the Materials tab
  • Bar diameters (for example, 16, 25) define bar sizes
  • A value such as 4 defines four bars at the top and bottom
  • –200 defines bar spacing at 200 mm centres

Syntax rules are available via the information (i) icon.

Reinforcement interactive editing​

Create and edit the reinforcement group via a wizard by selecting the pencil icon at the end of the reinforcement group row.

Note that you may need to scroll the window to the right on some screens.

Additional reinforcement options​

You can further customise reinforcement by:

  • Using the add reinforcement group or add individual bars buttons to add additional layers
  • Defining bundled bars by specifying the number of bars in square brackets
  • Defining individual bars by selecting the single bar option
  • For individual bars, paste or manually enter the bar coordinates and diameter

Multi-component sections​

To create a multi‑component section, select Add component.

A new component is added to the section and can be defined independently. For example, you can define a steel component by using the wizard to select a profile from a catalogue.

Using the wizard, you can also:

  • Reflect components
  • Rotate components
  • Apply offsets

When viewing the section in isotropic view, additional components are shown as cut out of the concrete. This indicates that overlapping areas are not double‑counted in the analysis.

Video overview​

The following video provides a visual overview of defining sections in AdSec:

Oasys AdSec: Section definition

Note
This video provides a visual overview of section definition in AdSec. It may have been recorded using an earlier version of AdSec, so some details may differ from the version you have installed.