User Guide

Tutorial 1 - Modeling
Version 5.0 19
Checking the box for Bad Framing Warnings will produce a message in the
error log whenever the program detects a member that is unsupported at either of
its end joints. This can be common for models that contain cantilevers, rafters
and such.
Checking the box for Unused Force Warnings will produce messages on the
member detail report that informs you when weak axis and torsional moments
have been neglected.
Before we close this window we’ll look at the buttons at the bottom. On the left
is a button that you will see in a few different places, “Save as Defaults”. If we
were to click it now all of the changes we have made would become the default
settings for future models.
Before we move on note the Help button and the button in the upper right
corner. Both are there to assist you. The Help button will take you to a topic in
the help file that explains all of the options before you. The button allows you
to get an explanation of any one option you click on. The help system in RISA-
3D is second to none and is there only to help you.
Now close the Global Parameters window by clicking OK.
Members
You should now see a dialog box for Member Properties, which is shown below.
For the members we are going to draw we must first define what Material Type to
use. The current options are Hot Rolled, Cold Formed, NDS Wood, Concrete
and General. Since the program knows what material a member is made from, it
will sort your input spreadsheets and solution results based on that material.
When performing a solution, the program will only analyze / design members for
load combinations that are appropriate for that material. We will discuss this
issue further in Tutorial 3 – Loading.