App Settings provides a page called "Defaults". This page lists the minimum parameters of the pier and the footing that Mat3D must use when creating default workspaces or when creating workspaces after importing node geometry and support reactions from third party software solutions such as Staad, ETABS, or GT Strudl.
The parameters include footing X and Z dimension, the thickness of the footing, depth below grade and the support type. The pier parameters include the X and Z dimension, height and reinforcement ratio. When these values are set, new workspaces created using the workspace wizard use these values to size the pier and the footing. The conditions when these geometry defaults are used when creating a new workspace are:
a. Single Mat -> Default Data
b. Single Mat -> Imported Data -> Staad, ETABS or GT Strudl
c. Footing Group -> Default Data
d. Footing Group -> Imported Data ->Staad, ETABS or GT Strudl
All the footings created in a footing group will have the same support type as listed in the Geometry Defaults.
Min Separation Distance:
The value entered for this input determines the criteria which must be used to combine footings automatically to create combined footings or mat. This setting is only available in App Settings. Therefore if data import wizard is used to import support reactions and node geometry from Staad or Etabs or GT Strudl, for multiple nodes of a structure, this setting will be used to determine whether the footings should be combined while creating a footing group type workspace.
Ringwall Minimums:
For a tank foundation design completed in Foundation3D or in ds-Tank3D, enter the minimum height and width of a tank ringwall that must be used to create a default ringwall.
Foundation3D and Mat3D Additional Default Options:
Load Application:
In certain superstructure design conditions, the final reactions at the base of the supports are considered not at the top of the pedestal but at the bottom of the footing. Under such design conditions, when reactions from these superstructure designs are brought into Foundation3D and Mat3D as loads, check or select the option "Consider Applied Loads at the Base of the Footing" so that loads applied to the footings are considered at the base of the footing instead of at the top of the pedestal. By default this option is unchecked indicating that the loads are considered applied at the top of the pedestal.
Concrete Design Options:
Foundation3D and Mat3D by default consider uniaxial bending in each orthogonal direction when computing ultimate or factored soil pressures that are eventually used to complete concrete design. If the concrete design must use factored pressures calculated based on biaxial bending on the footings, then check or select the option "Consider biaxial bending pressure for concrete design". If a limit must be placed with regards to non-contact area between the footing and the soil for factored or ultimate load conditions, check the option "Limit Footing to Soil Non-Contact Area" and enter a value in maximum non-contact area percent box. Under factored or ultimate conditions, when the non-contact area percent exceeds the entered value, the Ultimate Soil Analysis output page will display an orange-brown colored row for every load combination where this non-contact area percent is exceeded.