Local mark numbers in element plans

Tool(s): Element Plan

Schemas of iParts, slabs and walls can be placed next to, below and above the views and sections. In addition, these elements often have labels ( Dimension Line, Label) added manually.

If you have selected the setting for local mark numbers in the Configurations, the element plan list, schema, labels and reinforcement schedules display the local mark numbers instead of the global mark numbers (which apply to the entire drawing file). In conjunction with element plans, any numbers included in labels, schemas and legends are always based on local mark numbers.

If you have selected the Auto ascending starting at 1 setting, local mark numbers (including labels and legends) update with every change you make. The same applies to the element plan table. Starting at 1, the program constantly increments the entire reinforcement of a precast element in accordance with the rules specified. When set to Manual, local mark numbers are only assigned in accordance with the rules specified when the element plan is created. When you make modifications, the local mark numbers do not update automatically. Only when you update the element plan can you reorganize the local mark numbers in accordance with the rules specified.

Separate mark borders for bars, meshes and fixtures.

When defining local mark numbers, the program always assigns separate mark borders to bar reinforcement (bars, lattice girders, stirrup cages, ...), mesh reinforcement and fixtures. In other words, each number starts with "1" or "A", even when the mark number is the same shape. To define how mark numbers look in the table and element plan, open the layout catalog and select the Element plan tab of the element plan properties. You can choose between Number, oval, Letter, oval, Number, square and Letter, square.

To avoid confusion, make sure you select different settings for bars, meshes and fixtures in the layout catalog.

Sort sequence

When defining local mark numbers, the program sorts the reinforcement of the precast element by main type in the following sequence:

1. Secondary girders
2. Secondary bars
3. Stirrup cages
4. Basic reinforcement girders
5. Basic reinforcement bars
6. Secondary meshes
7. Bent-up meshes
8. Basic reinforcement meshes

Next, the program sorts each main type by subtype. Stirrup cages and bent-up meshes are sorted by SC or BM number. The main types are separated as follows:

1. Secondary girders: first secondary girders, then shear girders
2. Secondary bars: no further sorting
3. Stirrup cages sorted by SC number: first stirrups, then longitudinal bars of stirrup cages
4. Basic reinforcement girders: no further sorting
5. Basic reinforcement bars: first longitudinal bars, then cross bars
6. Secondary meshes: no further sorting
7. Bent-up meshes sorted by BM number
8. Basic reinforcement meshes: no further sorting

The third sort criterion is the diameter identifier, mesh identifier or girder identifier. Finally, the program compares the geometry and parameters of the reinforcement that can still not be differentiated based on these three criteria. As a result, identical reinforcement with different global mark numbers will be combined into one local mark number. Stirrup cages and bent-up meshes will not be compared exactly. This is already done by the SC or BM number.

Please note that stirrup cages and bent-up meshes must be entered using the Stirrup Cages and Bent-Up Meshes tools in order for the program to classify them as stirrup cages and bent-up meshes. Otherwise, they do not get SCxx and BMxx numbers. Stirrup placements or bent-up meshes you have created using the Reinforcement task or the Secondary Bars, Freeform and Secondary Meshes, Freeform tools do not get SCxx and BMxx numbers.

When sorting local mark numbers, the program does not differentiate between different bar layers. This means that two identical bars (local mark number 1, for example) get the same local mark number, even when one bar is in the bottom layer and the other one in the top layer. If the Mode of mark numbers (Element plan tab of element plan properties) is set to By layer (this setting adds :B and :T (for bottom and top) and :V and :I (for visible and invisible) to reinforcement marks in the element plan table), a mark number may occur twice in the table (for 1x Mark 1 :B and 1x Mark 1 :T, for example).

Tools provided by the ‘Reinforcement’ task

All tools provided by the Reinforcement task use local mark numbers in conjunction with element plans. When, for example, you place a label in the element plan, the local mark number will be used. A label placed in the floor plan, however, still shows the global mark number.

The way the local mark number created automatically looks in the element plan depends on the settings in the layout catalog. If you add manual mark numbers to individual bars, their look depends on the settings defined for the Reinforcement task. Therefore, make sure that the settings you select in the Options on the Reinforcement - Labels page match those in the Layout catalog.

Please note the following restrictions when you use the tools provided by the Reinforcement task:

• You cannot rearrange local mark numbers manually when you have selected the Auto ascending starting at 1 setting, as the mark numbers update (based on the rules described) with every change you make. Therefore, you cannot select the Rearrange Marks tool when the element plan window is open.
  With the Manual setting, on the other hand, you can rearrange marks as usual.
• Similarly, you cannot assign new mark numbers using the New Mark Number tool when you have selected the Auto ascending starting at 1 setting as any new number would automatically be combined with the original mark number.
• You can only enter local mark numbers when selecting the Place Bar Shape and Full Schema tools. Consequently, the program prompts for the Local mark number instead of the Mark number.
  When it comes to full schemas, the dialog line proposes the first local mark number for which a full schema can be created.
• Local mark numbers are included in labels created by the Full Schema and Partial Schema tools. Similarly, local mark numbers are used by the tools that create dimension lines and labels.
• The Element Information tool includes the Check number of pieces for partial and full schemas option you can use to check the local mark numbers. Please note that you can only place one full schema for each global mark number in a drawing file. This includes full schemas in both placing drawings and element plans.
  
  Therefore, if you want to use full schemas for the element plan, do not place any full schemas in the placing drawing. In addition, make sure that the placing drawing does not contain different precast elements with the same global mark number. Do not place bars with a global mark number directly in different precast elements: Start by copying a bar of a precast element in the placing drawing to a different precast element and place it afterwards. By copying the bars, you assign a new global mark number to them.
  If you want to split off global bar marks that belong to different precast elements in the placing drawing in order to use these marks in the current element plan, select the Reorganize global mark numbers setting when you update the element plan.
  
  Please note that rearranging global mark numbers combines bars in several element plans. As a result, you cannot create a full schema for the element plan.
• The Full Schema, Modify Mark and Delete Mark tools convert the local mark number entered into the global mark number and continue with the latter. You can see a message if different precast elements have the same global mark number. In this case, you cannot use the tool!
• The filters for reinforcing bar elements, mesh elements and lattice girders also provide the Local mark number option if the element plan or window for editing elements is open.

Element plan table

In the layout catalog you can enter a number for the individual types (Secondary girders, Shear girders, …) in the table properties for the table generated automatically (Table I and Table II tabs). This number defines the sequence in the table. If these numbers are not arranged in the same way as the local mark numbers, the numbers in the table are not in ascending order.

Adjust the sequence. The sequence in the table of the proposed layouts that came with Allplan Precast 2008.2 matches the sequence used to assign local mark numbers.

The program lists stirrup cages and bent-up meshes with their SC numbers and BM numbers respectively. In addition, the local mark numbers of the stirrups, longitudinal bars and meshes will be listed.