Post-processor settings

Often, the possibility of applying a multiplying factor or coefficient to the results comes as very handy. For instance, if the analysis has been carried out using Nmm as the units for moment quantities, users might wish to multiply the corresponding results by 1e-6, so as to obtain moments expressed in kNm instead. Alternatively, and as another example, users might also wish to multiply concrete stress values with a factor of -1, so that compression stresses and strains comes plotted in the x-y positive quadrant, as usually presented. Therefore, users are given the possibility to apply multipliers to all quantities being post-processed. This is done through the Post-Processor Settings dialog box, available from the Tools > Post-Processor Settings… menu option, or through the right-click pop-up menu, or through the corresponding toolbar button .

In addition, the Post-Processing Settings provide users also with the possibility of transposing the Output Tables. This might come very hand in cases where, for instance, a model features several thousands of nodes/elements, which in turn leads to default output tables with an equally very large number of columns, that one may not be able to then copy to spreadsheet applications (e.g. Microsoft Excel) that feature a relatively stringent limit on the number of columns (max = 16384). By transposing the tables, the nodes/elements are then listed in rows, thus overcoming the limitation described above (in general, the aforementioned spreadsheet applications cater for tables with might have up to 1048576 rows).

Finally, from the Post-Processor Settings the user may change the damping ratio and the minimum effective modal mass of the modes that will be taken into consideration in Response Spectrum Analysis. These two settings, which have initially been defined in the in the Pre-Processor Settings, can also be changed from within the Post-Processor, in order to adapt the loading combinations to specific needs of the users.

Note, however, that this a post-processor-wide setting, meaning that it applies to all its modules. Hence, users should have in mind that if, for instance, they apply a -1 coefficient to the values of total base shear of the structure (plotted as a y-quantity in the hysteretic plots module) then the values of material stresses (plotted as y-quantity in the stress and strain module) will also be modified by this -1 multiplier.