Defining beam end conditions

[hossein]

Dear collegues,

I am very new to this program and I need some tips with defining beam end conditions.
From what I read on the program manual and the forum, it seemed to me that to define the beam end conditions (for instance a semi-rigid connection at beam ends), there needs to be new nodes added to the model at the ends of the beam. Then these new nodes have to be linked to the original nodes using link elements. Obviously the properties of this link defines the type of connection.
Assuming that this is true, this procedure becomes very time consuming and frustrating for a large frame with several members connected to each joint.
Is there any easier way to do this? Like selecting beams and then defining beam end conditions instead, similar to what is done in some other frame analysis programs?
Thank you,

[seismosoft]

The upcoming version of SeismoStruct will feature the possibility of introducing end-releases (as well as offsets) in the frame elements.

Such end-releases, however, will currently not cater for semi-rigid connections definition, but rather fully-hinged conditions only. For the former case, the use of link elements will continue to be necessary, we are afraid; the use of a spreadsheet, or other external tools, to facilitate the generation of the nodes and elements might indeed be advisable, in the case of large models.

Seismosoft Support