Material Neutral Axis ( topic )

The neutral axis of a symmetrical material is the axis along the length of the material around which the shape is symmetrical. For a non-symmetrical material, it is the axis along the length of the material around which the weight of the material is distributed. A column's member line is exactly along its neutral axis.

The neutral axis runs through the center point of the cross-section of the material, where the X-X axis and Y-Y axes meet.

A neutral axis plane of symmetry is an imaginary plane through the material (including the neutral axis), on either side of which plane the material is symmetrical. For a round bar or HSS round there are an infinite number of neutral axis planes of symmetry. For an HSS rectangular , there are two neutral axis planes. On a wide flange section, there are two neutral axis planes: assuming the wide flange web is vertical, one plane of symmetry passes horizontally through the neutral axis, while the second plane of symmetry passes vertically through the neutral axis.

Displaying certain member types in stick form in Modeling will show the neutral axis of the member. For instance, the member line of a column, regardless of its material type, is drawn along the neutral axis of the member's main material. For a wide flange, tube or pipe vertical brace, the member line is also drawn through the neutral axis of the member. For a beam or horizontal brace, the member line is drawn at the member's top-of-steel elevation, not through the neutral axis of its main material.

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