TENSION ONLY ELEMENTS IN ETABS

Tension-only elements can be modeled on the non-linear version using all versions of ETABS. The process is as follows:

1. Select the elements

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1. to be specified as tension-only.
2. Specify the tension limit (usually a limit higher than expected maximum tension capacity) and a compression limit of zero (or negative) through Assign > Frame/Line > Tension/Compression Limits

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1. .
2. Define and Run a nonlinear static or nonlinear time-history analysis. This is necessary since tension-only assignment is a nonlinear feature. See below on how to convert any load case or combination to nonlinear.

Any load case/ or combination can easily may be converted to a nonlinear case analysis as follows:1) Click on

1. Select the case(s) through Define > Convert

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1. Combos to Nonlinear

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2) Run static linear and when this finalizes run a static nonlinear analysis.

4) Add nonlinear cases in a user defined combination with scale factor 1.

5) Use nonlinear combination as a design load combination as required.

6) Perform design.

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1. Cases
2. Add the nonlinear case(s) to a user-defined combination with a scale factor of 1.0.
3. For design, you can select  the created nonlinear combination as design load combinations.
4. Perform design.

Please note that  response-spectrum analysis only applies to linear systems. Further, response-spectrum loads cannot be converted to nonlinear cases.

See Also

• Tension and compression limits article

• Response-spectrum analysis and nonlinear properties article