Piers

For general explanations in regard to piers see Project Navigation window / Geometry / Structure / Structural Members / Piers.

There various possibilities for defining piers with respect to their reference and stationing. In general piers can be linked to structural members of the type girder via reference points or directly to one or two axes. Depending on the definition of the pier the definition of the stations can be made local, global or relative.

Every pier always has a point of origin which defines the local station zero on the axis and from which the pier axis is generated in vertical direction upwards (positive local x-direction (global Y)). This point also defines the Geometric Position 1.

Certain types of definitions also require defining a Geometric Position 2. The distance between the Geom. Pos. 1 and Geom. Pos. 2 defines a reference length which can be used for the input of relative stations.

Geometric positions

Depending on the type of definition of the pier, there are different options for defining the geometric positions. In a first step, always a station along an axis is selected as a point of reference at which the pier axis connects.

Relative Distance

The distance of the Geometric Position is measured from the point of reference in vertical direction (global Y-axis) as a vertical offset.

Absolute Height

The position is defined as an absolute height (global Y-axis) along the pier axis (vertical line through the point of reference).

Relative To Origin

(Only available for the Geometric Position 2)

Same as the option Relative Distance, only that the point of origin (Geometric Position 1) is taken as the point of reference.

Types of stationing

The stations of a pier can be defined as local, global or (depending on the type of definition of the pier) relative an as local-end. The types of the stations can also be changed afterwards in the menu Stationing (also for each station individually).

Global

The stations along the pier axis are defined as absolute heights related to the global Y-axis.

Local

The point of origin of the pier axis (Geometric Position 1) defines the local station zero. All further stations along the pier axis are related to that.

Relative

The Geometric Position 1 (origin point of the pier axis) gets the relative station 0, the Geometric position 2 (reference length) gets the relative station 1. All stations between them (or also above or below them) are related to this relative length = 1 and can be calculated based on the defined reference length (from GP1 to GP2).

Local-End

Same as local, only that the Geometric Position 2 is taken for the definition of the local station 0.

Note: Tables which are created for piers must be defined with respect to the selected type of stationing (see Variations). Further, when assigning tables to variables in the menu Variation of the structural member of the pier, you must refer to the respective internal variable ($s, $sl, $sr, $se) - see Variation.

Subdivision of stations

Depending on the type of definition of the pier, there are available different possibilities for subdividing the pier into station points.

Free

The stations along the axis can freely be defined by the user, also in several sections, by defining the start station and end station and a respective subdivision.

Equidistant

The subdivision of the stations is performed in the range of the defined reference length, whereat an equidistant subdivision is suggested which, however, can be arbitrarily changed by the user. Thus, the definition of the section to be subdivided is omitted, whereat the start station is automatically set to the Geometric Position 1 (point of origin) and the end station to the Geometric Position 2 (definition of the reference length).

Begin & End

Analogously to equidistant, whereat within the whole section of the reference length no subdivision points are set, i.e. station points are only created at the begin (Geom. Pos. 1) and end (Geom. Pos. 2) of the reference length. Thus, only one single element/body is created for the whole pier.

For defining piers there are available the following types of definition with the respective features:

Note: These types of definition are specified input procedures for certain application cases for an easier and faster definition. The created piers are always governed by a general definition which can always be adapted and changed in the Property window of the pier and in the submenus of the Navigation tree.