The “Polybeam” tool allows creating a beam consisting of starting
and endpoints, as well as an unlimited amount of intermediate points. A
poly beam is a beam sequence (straight beams, curved beams, or a combination
of these two) created as a single object. In the below picture you can
see various structural elements with bends such as the handrails and fencing.
These elements are composed of round tubes and are bent at various points,
definite moments, and definite radiuses.
If you specify in the poly beam "Properties" menu profile type
of steel plate, then you can use this tool for creating a complex shape
steel plate.
In the older Tekla Structures versions, it is the only tool allowing creating
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
To open the tool's "Properties" dialog window press the
Select a profile type and create a beam similar to the one, shown below.
Set the length of the polybeam segment of 2000mm each. Enabling the orthogonal
regime facilitates drawing the polybeam segments perpendicular to each
other.
The algorithm for drawing a polybeam algorithm is as follows:
Make sure all the operations are canceled or press the ESC key.
Press the Ctrl+P key combination to go to the view plane.
Select the “ Create polybeam” tool.
By a left-click, indicate the polybeam starting point.
By a left-click, indicate the beam's intermediate points.
Press the Space key or mouse wheel button to complete creating a polybeam.
Press the Esc key to disable the “Create polybeam” tool.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Open the polybeam "Properties" dialog window. It is identical
to the respective standard "Beam" tool, except for some inactive
properties.
Similar to other tools, it is possible to save current polybeam properties
The inactive field refers to the “End offset” parameter, which
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Select the polybeam object. Further, according to the screenshot below
select the point and by a double click on it, go to the “Chamfer
properties” dialog window, and specify the chamfer type to “Rounding”
with the radius value of 1000 mm.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Select the other points as it is shown below and set their Chamfer type
to “Rounding” with the radius value of 500 mm.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Select a point, as it is shown below, and move it to the left at 1200
mm by using the Ctrl+M key combination.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
The polybeam's visual display became of a thin line. In this way,
TS informs the user about an error.
Thus in the present example, the rounding radiuses in the points are respectively
1000mm and 500mm, at the same time we displaced horizontally the
distance between points at 2000-1200=800mm.
The distance between points is 800 mm, but according to the properties
of the points it is 1500mm, which significantly exceeds the real distance
value between the points.
Executing chamfer rounding correctly is not possible until the error is
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Fix the geometry error by moving the point at 500 mm to the
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
The beam’s body is restored.
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Add a point at the beam. There are two ways of adding a point. Let’s
switch on the "Direct modification" tool. Select the beam and
drag the intermediate point upwards as it is shown below:
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Compare your results to those presented below:
Tekla Structures v21.1
Tekla Structures v2021
Exercise adding and deleting new points, drawing polybeams of various
shapes.