To determine the allowable stresses for a member, it is necessary to know the grade of steel to be used for the section. This grade determines the yield strength (Fy) and ultimate tensile strength (Fu) of the material of the section.
To set the Steel Grade
Ø Select the required members in the Frame window
Ø Choose Steel Grade from the Design menu
In this dialog you can either
Ø Choose a standard and steel grade from the drop down menu,
or
Ø Type in values for Fy and Fu.
Finally
Ø Choose the method of fabrication to indicate the state of residual stress in the section.
Ø Click OK.
If you choose a standard grade of steel, the Fy and Fu values will be automatically entered for you.
The initial value for the steel grade for all members is AS1397 grade 250.