# Strands \[FEA]

Strands define the prestressing strand properties used in tendon definitions and section reinforcement. Strand data can be imported from a database or manually defined.

## Properties

**Diameter:** The nominal diameter of the prestressing strand. Common sizes include 0.5 inch (12.7 mm) and 0.6 inch (15.2 mm) for 7-wire strands.

**Area:** The cross-sectional area of the prestressing strand. This is used in computing the total tendon area (# of Strands × Strand Area) and in sectional analysis tools such as moment capacity and interaction diagrams.

**Weight:** The weight of the strand per unit length. Used for computing the self-weight contribution of the prestressing steel.