Objective:
This document has been created with the intention to help the users open and run the STAAD
Foundation Advanced (SFA) sample files. Please note that this document only serves as
instructions to perform certain operations and is not a tutorial document explaining the operations
and working of the program.
Access to learning resources of the program:
For access to tutorials that explain the operations and workings of the program please refer to
Example Problems and Tutorial Videos that are available online. In addition, please refer to the
appropriate help contents.
Applicability of this document:
This document applies only for isolated and combined footings. For mat footings, there will be
some minor changes.
This document only helps the user perform certain operations and in a very limited way illustrates
how certain results can be accessed. For detailed learning methods, please refer to the section
titled “Access to Learning Resources of the program”.
Contents in the sample files:
The modelling of foundations and their respective specifications have already been done for the
user in the sample files. The criteria, meaning the parameters for analysis, pot-analysis, sizing,
design and detailing have already been specified and assigned to the foundation objects.
Opening the sample files:
Please ensure that STAAD Foundation Advanced is installed on your computer. Now, double click
on the sample files, with extension “.stph” to open it. Alternatively, you can go into the program and
choose File > Open > Sample Models from the opening page of the program.
It is advised to save the sample file into a new location before running any operations with it. The
running of the sample files creates files and folders within its location and thus could clutter the
sample files folder.
Executing the various commands in the program:
Once you have opened a sample file, which has all the necessary modelling and parameter
information associated with various foundation objects, the user can directly proceed to execute
the various commands – analysis, post-analysis, sizing, design and detailing in the program.
If the user selects an isolated or combined footing, and right-clicks on the mouse button on the
footing, a box will appear displaying five commands as shown in the following figure (Fig-1).
Fig-01
Command 1: Perform Analysis for Isolated / Combined Foundation:
This is a basic check to determine whether the footing size that was specified is sufficient to ensure
base pressure calculation. If so, the program goes on to calculate the soil pressures and the area of
loss of contact for all the load combinations. If there are any load combinations that could not be
analyzed, the results will show an analysis failure.
Fig-2 and Fig-3 illustrate two ways of viewing base pressures for the various load combinations.
Fig-02
Fig-03
Command 2: Perform Post Analysis Check:
This command instructs the program to perform the various stability checks for the footings for the
specified load combinations. These checks include sliding, overturning, maximum soil pressure,
area of loss of contact, etc. based on the post-analysis criteria specified. Note that this check
would make sense only if the footing has been successfully analyzed for the corresponding load
combinations. If the provided footing size is insufficient to satisfy any of the checks, the program
reports a failure for the same for the corresponding load combination.
The footing that has passed the post analysis check will be displayed in green colour. Else, it will be
shown in red. Fig-04 illustrates the same.
Fig-04
To find the exact reason for the post analysis check, the user can click on the PAC result available in
the property table. This is shown in Figure-05.
Fig-05
This will display the results table as shown in Fugure-06.
Fig-06
Command 3: Calculate Plan Size:
If the previous operations indicate that the footing size is not sufficient, then, we can use this
feature to ask the program to find a size that passes all those checks. It requires the user to create a
sizing criterion, which has already been done for this model. Users can again click on the PAC result
available on Property table to check the status of Post Analysis checks.
Command 4: Perform Design:
In general, a design (which stands for determination of the adequacy of the footing in flexure, one-
way and punching shear, etc.) is performed after the engineer has confirmed that the plan size of
the footing is sufficient to pass the stability checks. Thus, in terms of the sequence of the above-
mentioned steps, “Perform Design” operation should be done following the “Calculate Plan Size”
operation. However, if the user chooses to do these checks without having done the stability
checks, the program allows for that. Results are available on property table of selected footing, as
illustrated in Fig-07.
Fig-07
Command 5: Optimize Size and Design
Executing “Optimize Size and Design” invokes all the above-mentioned commands in sequence. In
addition, if the footing fails in the concrete design phase, the program will increase the thickness
until (1) the footing passes all checks (stability + concrete design), or, (2)until the limits set on the
sizes have been reached.