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Structure templates & quantities
Most models do not start from a blank canvas - they start from a beam or a frame. CivilKit Studio can generate a parametric structure for you, and gives you a live steel take-off so you can see quantities from the moment you start.
Generate a structure
Open File ▸ Generate structure (or press Ctrl/⌘+K and type "generate"). Pick a template, set the dimensions, and press Enter (or click Generate). It replaces the current model with a fresh, ready-to-solve structure - real catalogue sections included.
Continuous beam
| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Spans | Number of equal spans |
| Span length (m) | Length of each span |
| UDL (kN/m) | Downward uniform load applied to every span |
| Section | Catalogue section (grouped by family) |
A pin at the first support and rollers at the rest, with the rotations continuous over the supports. One span gives a simply supported beam.
Portal frame (gable)
| Field | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Span (m) | Eaves-to-eaves width |
| Eaves height (m) | Column height |
| Roof pitch (°) | Apex rise = (span / 2) · tan(pitch) |
| Rafter UDL (kN/m) | Gravity load along both rafters |
| Column / Rafter section | Chosen independently |
| Base fixity | Pinned (typical) or fixed |
A single-bay symmetric gable portal: two columns, two rafters to a central apex.
Sections are real
The section pickers list the live catalogue grouped by family (Universal Beam, Universal Column, PFC, RHS, ...). Generated members carry full geometry, so the AS 4100 design checks and Auto-size work on them immediately.
Live steel take-off
Before you even solve, the Summary tab shows a Model overview: node / member / plate / support / load-case counts plus a steel take-off grouped by section - count, total length, mass per metre, and total mass, with a grand-total tonnage. It recomputes as you re-size members, so you can watch the tonnage change while you optimise. Copy it straight to a spreadsheet with Copy (TSV).
If any member sits on a section with no catalogue mass (e.g. a generic section not yet assigned a profile), it is excluded from the tonnage and the total notes how many members were left out - so a take-off is never silently partial. The same take-off and note appear in the PDF report.
Go to an element
In large models, press Ctrl/⌘+K and type an element id - n47, m12, or a bare 47 - to select and frame that node or member in the 3D view.