Internal force in sap2000 are indentified with:
Normal Forces: prefix F
Moments: prefix M
Shear Forces: prefix V
In sap2000 force we can show using local or
global coordinate system. All calculation are
based on global coordinate system, but we can
see force and in some diferent coordinate system.
In most situation we do not need to define new
systems or to changing default local.
Sufixs are using to define direction of internal
forces.
Local System: This system are using if we want to
see particulary internal force (like mx, my, mxy).
Global System: In this system we present only main
internal force which sa2000 calculated using below
equation:
Mman,min=((mx+my)/2)+/- sgrt(((mx-my)/2)^2+mxy^2)
For designing always are mandatory main force, but
we can assume that on critical position particular
and main forces are same (mxy->0).