Define Time History dialog Page 1 of 5

User Interface
Define Time History dialog
Used to define the Forcing Function of a time varying load.

Refer to Section 5.31.4 of the Technical Reference Manual for additional information.

Opens when:

• Commands > Loading > Definitions > Time History > Forcing
Functions is selected, or
• The Add… button is clicked in the Load & Definition dialog found on the
General | Load & Definition page.
Define Time History dialog

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After defining a Time History Load, use the Create New Load Items dialog Time History tab
to apply the load to the structure.

Integration Time Step

Solution time step used in the step-by-step integration of the uncoupled equations.
Type

This refers to the number of the type of functions.

Loading Type

Select the Acceleration, Force, or Moment option to define the type of function being
input.
Save

Select this option to create an external file (input file name with a .tmh extension )
containing the history of the displacements of every node of the structure at every time step.

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The following function type options are available:

Select the Define Time vs. Acceleration, Harmonic Function or From External File option and
provide function data.

Define Time vs. <Loading Type>

Used to specify a time history forcing function, where the loading type is that selected above (either
Moment, Force, or Acceleration).

Specify the values Time and corresponding Force or Acceleration.

The time history forcing function is plotted on the graph at the bottom of the dialog as data
pairs are entered.

From External File

File Name

If the From External File option is selected, the File Name edit box becomes active.

Type the name of the external file containing time history data. File name should be no
more than 8 characters, reside in the same directory as the current input and have no file
extension. The data must be provided as one time-force or time-acceleration pair per line.

For more information on creating an external time history file, see section 5.31.4 of
the STAAD Technical Reference manual.

Harmonic Function

To specify a time history harmonic function, check the Harmonic Function button.
Harmonic Function options for Time History Loading

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Curve Shape
Specify if the harmonic function is a SINE or COSINE curve.
Frequency or RPM
Choose Frequency and enter a circular frequency in cycles per second or RPM and enter
revolutions per minute.
Amplitude
Max. Amplitude of the forcing function in current units.
Phase
Phase Angle in degrees.
Cycles
No. of cycles of loading.
Step or SubDiv
Choose the Step option to time step of loading or SubDiv to subdivide a ¼ cycle into this
many integer time steps.

Spectrum

Select this Function Option to provide Spectrum parameters for your time history loading.

Tmax
The maximum time (in seconds) in the generated time history.
DeltaT
Difference (delta) value in subsequent time steps in the generated time history.
Damp

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Damping ratio (5% is entered as 0.05) associated with the input spectrum.
T1 / T2 / T3
Ending time of the acceleration rise, stead acceleration, and acceleration decay, respectively
(in seconds).
Random Seed
Enter a positive integer (1 to 2147483647) to be used as a unique random number
generation “seed”. A unique time history will be produced for each seed value. Change this
value when you want to produce a “different (from the time history generated with the prior
seed value)” but statistically equivalent time history.
No of digitized Freq.
The input shock spectrum will be re-digitized at this number of equally spaced frequencies
by interpolation. The default is taken as the greater of 35 or the number of points in the
input spectrum.
No. of Iteration
The number of iterations which will be used to perfect the computed time history.

Add

Adds the specified load details to the currently selected load case in the Load dialog and
closes the dialog.
Close

Closes the dialog without adding any load data.

Help

Opens the STAAD.Pro Help window.

Reference Materials
Define (Time History) Parameters dialog

Time History tab

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