How can I define a cable cross section in STAAD.Pro ?

Although there is no database of cables in STAAD.Pro but one can define cable sections in a number of ways. The only property that a cable requires is the cross section area. So any property type which can enable the program to obtain the area would be acceptable.

Using the graphic user Interface, one can go to General > Property page and choose the Define option and specify the cable as explained in the picture below.

Alternately one can use the command file to define cable sections as explained next

As a PRISmatic section with the diameter specified using the term YD :

MEMBER PROPERTY
1 PRIS YD 1.0

Or

As a PRISmatic section with the Area specified using the term AX

MEMBER PROPERTY
1 PRIS AX 0.35

Or

As a PIPE section with the outer and inner diameters specified using the terms OD & ID

MEMBER PROPERTY
1 TA ST PIPE OD 1.1 ID 0.0

If you wish to specify it as a user defined section using a user table, that would be acceptable too.

After defining cross sectional properties for cable elements, one can assign cable specification to these members by going to the General > Spec page. You may click on the Beam button within Specifications - Whole Structure dialog box which has a tab called Cable. You can define the initial tension in the cable there and then add and assign the specification to the cable members. In addition, please refer to technical reference manual section 5.23.2 titled Member Cable Specification for more details on cable element/analysis.