To open the edit window for a “Connection”:

• In CYPE Connect, once the node has been created, select it from the table on the left-hand side of the interface and edit the “Connection” by clicking on the corresponding button at the top.

• In StruBIM Steel, select the "Edit" option for the connection in the "Model" tab (which was previously created using the "Connection" option).

Cutting a plate using a reference plane

Angle-based reference plane

If “Position” is defined by “Angles”, you must first enter the “X”, “Y” and “Z” coordinates of a point on the plane.

The plane is then rotated by entering the “Angle about the ‘X’ axis” and the “Angle about the ‘Y’ axis”. These values refer to the global axes of the assembly’s coordinate system.

Reference plane using a normal vector

If the “Position” of the plane is defined by a“Normal vector” to its surface, the “X”, “Y” and “Z” coordinates of a point on the plane are specified first.

Next, the components “Wx”, “Wy” and “Wz” of the normal vector are written.

Reference plane perpendicular to a bar

To define the “Position”, you can specify that the reference plane is “Perpendicular” to a bar.

In this case, select “Bar” from the relevant drop-down menu.

You can then apply an “X displacement” to the plane along the section’s local X-axis; this can be either positive or negative.

Reference plane based on two bars

To define the “Position”, it can be stated that the reference plane is established “Defined by two bars”.

In this case, select “Bar 1” and “Bar 2” from the relevant drop-down menus.

With this option, if the two selected bars lie in the same plane, the reference plane will be created at the point where their two local X-axes intersect. When the bars do not lie in the same plane, the reference plane will be created at the midpoint of their origins.

Reference plane on the bisector of two bars

To define the “Position”, one can state that the reference plane lies on the “Bisector” of two bars.

In this case, select “Bar 1” and “Bar 2” from the relevant drop-down menus.

Reference plane at the intersection between a bar and one of the plates of another bar

To define the “Position”, it can be stated that the reference plane lies at the “Intersection” between a bar and one of the plates of another bar.

In this case, select “Bar 1” and “Bar 2” from the relevant drop-down menus.

You must specify the plate or part of the second bar with which you wish to obtain the intersection, for example, "To the nearest face", "To the furthest face", the "Flange" or the "Web" of an L-shaped section.

Reference plane at the intersection of one bar and the envelope of another bar

To define the “Position”, you can specify that the reference plane lies at the intersection of one bar and the envelope of another bar (using the “Intersection (Envelope)” option).

In this case, select “Bar 1” from the first drop-down menu and the bar for which you wish to analyse the envelope from the second drop-down menu (“Bar 2 (Envelope)”).

You must specify the face of the envelope with which you wish to obtain the intersection, whether it be "To the nearest face", "To the furthest face", the top face ("Top face"), the bottom face ("Bottom face"), the left face ("Left face") or the right face ("Right face").

Reference plane at the edge of a plate

To define the “Position”, one can specify that the reference plane lies on the “Edge” of a plate.

In this case, select “Plate” from the first drop-down menu, and enter the “Edge number” of the plate where you wish to place the drawing in the corresponding field.

Inserting the additional bar

To insert the additional bar, click on the “Bar” option in the top toolbar.

Model of the connection before and after the insertion of the additional bar

Selection of material and cross-section for the additional bar

In the “Beam” section, use the drop-down menus to select whether the section is made of rolled steel, formed steel, metal tubing or timber, and then select the type of cross-section:

• In the case of rolled steel bars, these may be rolled I, simple U, angle, T section, round bars or square bars
• In the case of shaped steel bars, these may be U-shaped, C-shaped, simple Z-shaped, stiffened Z-shaped, L-shaped or stiffened L-shaped
• In the case of steel hollow sections, these may be rectangular or circular hollow sections
• And in the case of wooden bars, the cross-section is solid rectangle

On the right, select the “Material” from the drop-down menu.

Next, select the "Section" from the drop-down menus below, choosing a specific section from the available series and a particular section within that series.

The information buttons on the right allow you to view the material properties and the geometric properties of the section.

On the right-hand side, you can specify the “Resistance depending on the thickness”.

Determining the length and positioning of the additional bar

Next, enter the “Length” of the section.

The following parameters allow you to adjust the bar’s layout. The “Rotation angle” and the “X displacement”, “Y displacement” and “Z offset” refer to the section’s local coordinate system. For example, you can enter a value of 180 degrees, with no offsets, to rotate the section about its axis. These offsets modify the bar’s position relative to its default position.

If the "Centre longitudinally" checkbox is ticked, the section will be positioned so that its longitudinal centre coincides with the reference point defined in the following section. If it remains unticked, the end of the section will be aligned with that point.

Further down, you can select the reference point for the additional bar in the diagram: either the axis of the section, the centre of one of its faces, or one of its corners.

Adjusting the position of the additional bar

The “Position” section defines the reference point for the bar’s position. This can be one of the following, depending on the selection made in the “Type” drop-down menu:

• If "Connection" is selected, the additional bar will be positioned using the centre of the connection as a reference. The "X", "Y" and "Z" distances from the section's local coordinate origin to the centre of the connection are then specified.
  Furthermore, the “Angle about the Z-axis” or vertical axis of the connection allows a rotation in plan view, and the “Angle with respect to the XY plane” applies a rotation in the vertical plane containing the section.
• If you select "In the direction of a bar", the additional bar you enter will be positioned along the direction of the selected bar. First, select an existing "Bar".
  From here, you can enter "X/Y/Z displacements" in the local coordinates of that beam, as well as enter the "Angle around the local 'y' axis" and the "Angle around the local 'z' axis" of the selected beam to adjust the orientation of the additional beam relative to it.
  At the bottom, you can also select the reference point for the additional beam in the diagram, whether this is the centreline of the section, the centre of one of its faces, or one of its corners.

Inserting the plate

To insert a plate, click on the “Plate” option in the top toolbar.

Inserting plates to resolve the intersection between different sections

Selecting plate material

First, select the “Material” for the plate from the drop-down menu. If you click on the information button on the right, you can view its properties.

Defining the plate geometry

The following section defines the “Geometry” of the plate. Enter the “Thickness” and select the “Type” of plate from the drop-down menu: “Rectangular”, “Circular” or “Polygonal”.

Rectangular plates

If “Rectangular” is selected, you must specify the “Width X” and “Width Y”.

Circular plates

If you select “Circular”, simply enter its “Diameter”.

Polygonal plates

If “Polygonal” is selected, a table appears in which the geometry of the plate is defined by entering its vertices using coordinates:

• The options in the top bar allow you to "Add", "Copy", "Delete" and reorder vertices in the list.
• If it is a straight section, select "Straight span" in the "Type" column and define the "X" and "Y" coordinates of the starting vertex. The section will extend to the "X" and "Y" coordinates of the next vertex.
• If the section is curved, select "Curved span" in the "Type" column and define the coordinates of the centre of the arc, "Xc" and "Yc". The section will extend from the "X" and "Y" coordinates defined for it to the "X" and "Y" coordinates of the next vertex.
• The program also features a "Generate" tool at the top of the list, which allows you to automatically generate vertices for polygonal plates with straight sections by entering the "Number of sides" and the "Radius" of the circle circumscribed around the plate’s vertices. Using this tool will clear any data previously entered in the list.
• To make it easier to enter this data, the program displays a "Help" image when you click on the relevant button at the top of the list.

Defining the plate position

Finally, the “Position” of the plate is defined. The position of the plate may be relative to the centre of the “Connection”, or the plate may be “Attached” to or “Perpendicular” to another plate, another beam or a reference plane.

The inserted plate can be viewed in the 3D view on the right.

Plate positioned relative to the centre of the connection

In the “Type” drop-down menu, select “Connection” to define the position of the plate by entering the “X”, “Y” and “Z” coordinates relative to the centre of the connection.

If the plate needs to be rotated, you can enter the “Angle about the local ‘x’ axis”, the “Angle about the local ‘y’ axis” and the “Angle around the ‘Z’ axis”.

Panel attached to another element

To define the “Position”, select the “Attached” “Type”. This allows you to specify that the plate is “Attached to” another “Plate”, a “Section” or a “Reference plane”.

If required, you can enter an “X displacement”, a “Y displacement” and a “Z displacement”, as well as an “Angle around the local ‘z’ axis”, which allows you to adjust the position of the plate.

Finally, the “Location” of the plate is specified, which may be “On the front face”, “On the back face” or “On both faces”; in the latter case, two plates are produced.

A plate perpendicular to another component

If you select the “Perpendicular” option under “Position”, you can specify that the plate is “Perpendicular to” another “Plate”, a “Section” or a “Reference plane”, which can be selected from the drop-down menu on the right.

Next, enter the “X/Y/Z displacements”, which allow you to adjust the position of the plate in space. You can also enter an “Angle about the local ‘z’ axis”.

The “Location” of the plate is also indicated; this may be “On the front face”, “On the back face” or “On both faces”, in which case two plates are generated.

Inserting bar adjustments and selecting elements

Clicking the “Adjust bar” option adds an adjustment operation. While the operation remains selected in the left-hand table, you can configure its parameters using the options in the central panel.

Use the drop-down menus at the top to select the “Beam” to be aligned. You can “Align to” a “Beam”, the envelope of a beam (“Beam (Envelope)”), a “Plate”, a “Reference plane” or a “Plane perpendicular to the beam”.

In the “Displacement” field, you can enter a value to adjust the position of the setting.

Using the adjustment tools, the section is lengthened or shortened to the specified point. The result of the operation is displayed in the viewport on the right.

Defining welds in bar adjustments

The program allows you to enter the “Welds” for the “Flanges” and “Webs” directly by ticking the relevant boxes. Within each section:

• The first drop-down menu shows various options for defining the position of the weld bead:
  • On the left-hand side,
  • On the right-hand side,
  • Or on both sides.

• In the second drop-down menu, select the type of weld from the available options, which are as follows:
  • At an angle, defined by the throat depth,
  • At an angle, defined by the thickness of the weld side,
  • Or flush-mounted with a double bevel.

• The third drop-down menu allows you to define the shape of the weld surface, which can be undefined, flat, concave, convex or with smooth transition curves.

• The fourth drop-down menu specifies the location where the work will be carried out, whether on-site or in the workshop.

On the right, you can select the “Electrode” from those available. The information button on the right allows you to view its parameters, such as its reference number or the resistance of the filler metal.

You must specify whether the welds have “Initial/final displacement” values. By default, the program places the weld on the flat part of the web, interrupting the weld bead at the radius specified by the section.

Inserting and defining section trims

To insert the trimming, click on the "Trim section" option in the top toolbar.

Then, in the first drop-down menu, select the "Section" to be trimmed from those available.

Next, indicate the "Position" of the trimming, which can be at the "Top" or "Bottom" of the section.

Under "Type of trim", specify whether it is "Straight", "With chord radius", or "With drill hole":

• In all three cases, the “X” and “Y” dimensions of the cut-out must be specified in the units shown.
• When using cut-outs "With chord radius" or "With hole", the "Chord radius" or the "Hole diameter" is also specified, respectively.
• The image below is provided as an aid to understand the reference system for these dimensions. All of them refer to the envelope of the section, that is, its original geometry prior to the application of adjustments.
• The "Display options" can be used to make the position of the envelope visible in the connection view. To do this, the "Sections" are shown as transparent by clicking in the cell of the "Drawing" column, and the display of the "Envelope" is activated on the right. After clicking "Accept", the envelopes of the sections are displayed in grey.

Inserting the end plate and selecting the section and material

To insert an end plate, click on the “End plate” option. Once the operation has been selected in the left-hand table, you can configure its parameters using the options in the central panel.

Use the drop-down menus at the top to select the “Section” where the plate is to be placed.

Next, under "Join to", select the bar to which the plate is to be joined. This can be done "To the nearest face", to the top flange ("Top flange"), to the bottom flange ("Bottom flange") or to the "Web" of that bar.

Next, select the “Material” of the plate from those available. The information button on the right allows you to view its specifications.

Defining the end plate geometry

In the “Geometry” tab, you define the “Thickness” of the plate.

Next, select the type of plate from the “Type” drop-down menu. This can be:

• “Rectangular, based on section”, defining the top, bottom, left and right overhangs based on the selected section (“Top overhang”, “Bottom overhang”, “Left overhang” and “Right overhang”);
• “Rectangular”, entering the dimensions of the plate directly using “Width X” and “Width Y”;
• or "Circular", in which case the "Diameter" is specified.

Defining the end plate bolts

The “Bolts” tab is used to specify the bolts that secure the end plate to the bar.

First of all, the following parameters are defined:

• You must specify the "Category" of the bolt as either "Non-preloaded" or "Preloaded".
• Below, you can specify the “Type” of bolt by selecting its series and nominal diameter.
• The “Material” of the bolt is specified below.
• The drop-down menu below allows you to select the "Location", either "On-site" or "In workshop".
• The "Reverse direction" box can be ticked to change the orientation of the bolts.
• Finally, the bolt's "Hole" is specified. This can be:
  • "Circular", in which case a "Space" is defined between the hole and the bolt,
  • or "Elongated" in either of the two local directions (X or Y) of the sheet metal. In this case, the ratio between the length and the diameter of the hole ("L/d") is defined, with 1 being equivalent to a circle, as well as the "Space" between the hole and the bolt.

Next, in the following section, the bolts are positioned on the plate:

• You must define the local X and Y coordinates and the angle of the positioning origin for the bolts on the sheet metal by entering this data in the "Origin: X / Y / Angle" fields.
• Below, it is indicated whether the "Layout" of the bolts on the plate is:
  • "By coordinates",
  • by "Rows and columns",
  • by "Rows and columns per flange" (in end plates on rolled I sections),
  • "Perimeter" on the sheet metal,
  • or "Radial".

Defining the welds on the end plate

By selecting the “Welds” tab, you can directly define the welds that join the end plate to the sections on which it is located.

The program allows you to specify a "Perimeter" weld along the contour of the section, or a "Parametric" weld, in which case you must specify the "Welds" for the "Flanges" and the "Webs" by ticking the relevant boxes. Within each section:

• The first drop-down menu shows various options for defining the position of the weld bead:
  • On the left-hand side,
  • On the right-hand side,
  • Or on both sides.
• In the second drop-down menu, select the type of weld from the available options, which are as follows:
  • At an angle, defined by the throat depth,
  • At an angle, defined by the thickness of the weld side,
  • Or flush-mounted with a double bevel.
• The third drop-down menu allows you to define the shape of the weld surface, which can be undefined, flat, concave, convex or with smooth transition curves.
• The fourth drop-down menu specifies the location where the work will be carried out, either on-site or at a workshop.

On the right, you can select the “Electrode” from those available. The information button on the right allows you to view its parameters, such as its reference number or the resistance of the filler metal.

You must specify whether the welds have “Initial/Final displacement” values. By default, the program places the weld on the flat part of the web, interrupting the weld bead at the radius specified by the section.

Inserting lateral plates and selecting sections and material

To insert a lateral plate, click on the "Lateral plate" option. Once the operation has been selected in the left-hand table, you can configure its parameters using the options in the central panel.

Use the drop-down menus at the top to select the “Section” where the plate is to be placed.

Next, under "Join to", select the bar to which the plate is to be joined. This can be done "To the nearest face", to the top flange ("Top Flange"), to the bottom flange ("Bottom Flange") or to the "Web" of that bar.

Next, select the “Material” of the plate from those available. The information button on the right allows you to view its specifications.

Defining the lateral panel geometry

In the “Geometry” tab, the following parameters are defined:

• the “Thickness” and the “Depth (d)” of the lateral plate
• the “Overlap (or)” between the lateral plate and the section where it is fitted
• the “Spacing” between the section on which the sheet metal is placed and the section to which it is attached
• and a “Y-axis offset” of the sheet metal axis relative to the section axis on which it is placed.

You can use the help available via the button at the top right of this section to guide you through setting these values.

You also select the “Position” of the plate, which can be “On the front side”, as in this case, “On the back side” or “On both sides”.

Specifications for the lateral plate bolts

The “Bolts” tab is used to define the bolts that secure the end panel to the section on which it is placed.

First of all, the following parameters are defined:

• You must specify the "Category" of the bolt as either "Non-preloaded" or "Preloaded".
• Below, you can specify the “Type” of bolt by selecting its series and nominal diameter.
• The “Material” of the bolt is specified below.
• The drop-down menu below allows you to select the "Location", either "On site" or "At workshop".
• The "Reverse direction" box can be ticked to change the layout of the bolts.
• Finally, the bolt's "Hole" is specified. This can be:
  • "Circular", in which case a "Space" is defined between the drill bit and the bolt,
  • or "Elongated" in either of the two local directions (X or Y) of the sheet metal. In this case, the ratio between the length and the diameter of the hole ("L/d") is defined, with 1 being equivalent to a circle, as well as the "Space" between the hole and the bolt.

Next, in the following section, the bolts are positioned on the plate:

• You must define the local X and Y coordinates and the angle of the positioning origin for the bolts on the sheet metal by entering this data in the "Origin: X / Y / Angle" fields.
• Below, it is indicated whether the "Layout" of the bolts on the plate is:
  • "By coordinates",
  • By "Rows and columns",
  • "Perimeter" on the sheet metal,
  • Or "Radial".

Defining the lateral panel welds

By selecting the “Welds” tab, you can define the welds that join the lateral plate to the bar it is attached to.

• The first drop-down menu shows various options for defining the position of the weld bead:
  • On the left-hand side,
  • On the right-hand side,
  • Or on both sides.
• In the second drop-down menu, select the type of weld from the available options, which are as follows:
  • At an angle, defined by the throat depth,
  • At an angle, defined by the thickness of the weld side,
  • Or flush-mounted with a double bevel.
• The third drop-down menu allows you to define the shape of the weld surface, which can be undefined, flat, concave, convex or with smooth transition curves.
• The fourth drop-down menu specifies the location where the work will be carried out, either on-site or at a workshop.

On the right, you can select the “Electrode” from those available. The information button on the right allows you to view its parameters, such as its reference number or the resistance of the filler metal.

Under “Initial/Final displacement”, you can specify the initial or final displacement values for the ends of the weld bead to adjust its length. If these values are set to zero, the default length is applied across the entire sheet.

Inserting a trim in a panel

To trim a plate, click on the “Trim plate” option in the top toolbar.

At the top of the central panel, select the “Plate” you wish to trim from the available options.

You are then prompted to specify whether you want to “Slice with” a “Beam”, another “Plate” or a “Reference plane”, after which you select the beam, plate or plane that defines the trim.

In the case of a beam, in addition to selecting it, you must specify the flange that defines the cross-section, such as the bottom flange (“Bottom flange”), the top flange (“Top flange”) or the “Web” of a double-T section.

The direction of the cut is indicated below; it can be either "On the front" or "On the back".

If desired, you can apply a “Displacement” to the cut-out to adjust its position, as well as add “Welds” by selecting the relevant option.

On the right, in the 3D view of the connection, you can see the effect of the trim made to the plate.

In the example shown here, several plates have been added to connect the section, including top plates for the column and a vertical plate perpendicular to them.

In addition, section adjustments have already been carried out to modify their geometry.

A reference plane has also been defined for use in one of the plate cutting operations.

Next, cut-out operations are defined for the vertical plate ('PLATE3') that connects the angle sections to the top cap of the column:

• In the first cut, select “Bar” C1, “Bottom flange”, and “On the back face”.

• To create a copy, select the operation in the left-hand table and click the “Copy” button at the top. Next, cut out the same “Plate” using “Section” L3 and, specifically, its “Web”, ensuring that the trim is made “On the back face”. In this case, enter an “Offset” of 20 millimetres.
  

• The operation is repeated to perform a third trim. In this case, the cut is made using another “Plate”, by selecting its reference from the drop-down menu and then choosing “On the back face”.

• Finally, a final cut-out is defined on the same “Plate” using a “Reference plane”. Select the plane reference from the drop-down menu and define a trim, once again, “On the back face”.

Example 1

In the first example, the aim is to modify the geometry of a plate perpendicular to a beam.

A new cut is added to corner ‘1’ in the "Corners" table. In this case, select a "Chamfer" cut and enter a "Dimension" of 25 mm.

Next, a new row is added to the table for “Corner” ‘3’, specifying a "Type" of cut as “Bevel”, with a “Dimension” of 80 mm in one direction and 180 mm in the other.

Thus, when this operation is applied to the selected sheet, it is transformed from a rectangular shape into the desired shape after the cuts are made at the corners.

Example 2

In the second example, a stiffener has been defined that is bolted to the secondary beam, and cuts are to be applied to it.

Add the “Modify corners” operation and, in the “Plate” drop-down menu, select the stiffener.

In the “Corners” table, a cut is added to “Corner” ‘6’, of “Type” “Notch”, with dimensions of 20 mm and 105 mm, and a “Radius” of 10 mm.

A new line is added for the ‘5’ corner, with a notch measuring 105 mm by 70 mm and a radius of 10 mm.

As a result, the stiffener is now shown as a cut-out.

If a “Modify corners” operation is added again, the available corners are those resulting from the previous operations. For example, changes can be applied to corners ‘3’ and ‘4’. To do this, two new rows are added to the table for these “Corners”, selecting “Rounding” as the “Type” in both cases with a “Radius” of 20 mm.

Example 3

In the third example, we want to make cuts at each of the corners of a slab situated between two beams.

Once again, select the “Modify corners” operation and choose “Plate” from the drop-down menu.

Next, add a fillet with a radius of 15 mm at corner ‘1’. Finally, you can create new fillets using the "Copy" option for corners ‘2’, ‘3’ and ‘4’.

Example

In this example, a plate has been inserted beneath the beam, and an angle section has also been added to form the connection between the beam and the column.

These elements are then moved to adjust their position.

• In the first step, select “In the XY plane” and choose the “Nearest” edge. The plate moves to “Bar” “B1”, specifically to the “Upper flange”, and is positioned “On the front face”.

Later on, you can add new “Move” operations to adjust the position of the angle section:

• In the first of these, you specify that you wish to move the beam “Along the Z-axis” and select the “Beam” corresponding to the angle bracket as the “Element”. In the drop-down menu on the right, select the section flange to be considered in the movement; in this case, the “Web”.
  Next, specify that you wish to “Move to” the web of beam B2, positioning it “On the back face”.

• By copying the operation, you can define a second adjustment movement. In this case, for the same beam, you specify that you wish to move its “Flange” to the “Top flange” of column B1.

Inserting bolts and selecting elements to be bolted

To add bolts to the connection, click on the “Bolts” option in the top toolbar.

At the top of the central panel, select the “Element” to be bolted from those available; this can be a “Section” or a “Plate”. If a section is selected, you must select the plate or part of the section to be bolted, such as the upper flange (“Top flange”), the bottom flange (“Bottom flange”) or the “Web” of rolled I sections.

Next, in the "Bolt to" drop-down menu, select the second element to be bolted to the first. Again, this can be a “Section” or a “Plate”; if you select a section, you must select the plate or part of the section where you want to place the bolt.

Selecting and defining bolts

The following section defines the following parameters:

• You must specify the "Category" of the bolt as either "Not prestressed" or "Prestressed".
• Further down, the “Type” of bolt is defined by selecting its series and nominal diameter. If desired, you can click on the button on the right to open a window where you can view the part number and geometric properties of the “Bolt”, the “Nut” and the “Washer”, as well as the “Available lengths”. At the bottom, it indicates whether the bolt is “Prestressed” or “With lock nut”, as well as the “Number of washers on the side of the head” and the “Number of washers on the side of the nut”.
• The “Material” of the bolt is specified below. By clicking on the button on the right, you can view its specifications, including its “Reference”, “Description”, “Modulus of elasticity”, “Yield strength” and “Fracture limit”, as well as the material of the nut and washer.
• The drop-down menu below allows you to select the "Location", either "On site" or "At workshop".
• The "Reverse direction" box can be ticked to change the orientation of the bolts.
• Finally, the bolt's "drill bit" is specified. This can be:
  • "Circular", in which case a "Space" is defined between the drill bit and the bolt,
  • or "Elongated" in either of the two local directions (X or Y) of the sheet metal. In this case, the ratio between the length and the diameter of the hole ("L/d") is defined, with 1 being equivalent to a circle, as well as the "Space" between the hole and the bolt.

Bolt layout

Next, in the following section, the bolts are positioned:

• You must define the local X and Y coordinates and the angle of the positioning origin for the bolts on the plate or bar by entering this data in the "Origin: X / Y / Angle" fields.
• Below, it is indicated whether the "Layout" of the bolts on the plate or bar is:
  • "By coordinates",
  • by "Rows and columns",
  • by "Rows and columns per flange" (in front plates on double-T sections),
  • "Perimeter" on the sheet metal,
  • or "Radial".

By coordinates

Elements can be placed by directly indicating their X and Y coordinates in a table. This is the ideal option for cases where a more precise location of each element is required.

The origin of the local reference system for openings, bolts and anchors can be edited. Above the coordinate editing table is the "Origin" section with the editing of the "X" and "Y" displacements and the rotation angle. These displacements are applied to the group of elements contained in the table. In bolts, the original reference system corresponds to that of the first plate. In anchors and openings, it corresponds to that of the selected plate.

Rows and columns

Distributes the elements regularly in rows and columns, defining the number of elements per row and column and the spacing between them. This is a practical option for homogeneous configurations.

Rows and columns per flange

Typical distribution of end plates in I-sections. In the "End plate" operation, the edge of the bar that is joined to the plate is known, so it doesn't need to be inserted. In other operations, the edge between flange centres is requested.

Perimeter

Given the dimensions "X" and "Y" of a rectangle, it allows the elements to be placed optionally in the corners, and the rest of the elements are distributed along each side according to the number indicated.

Radial

Given a radius and the number of elements, these are placed radially.

At the top of the central panel, select the “Element” to be welded from those available; this can be a “Section” or a “Plate”. If a section is selected, you must select the plate or part of the section to be welded, such as the upper flange (“Top flange”), the lower flange (“Bottom flange”) or the “Web” of rolled I sections.

Under “Connection type”, select whether the weld is a “Fillet weld” or a “Lap weld”.

The following welding parameters are defined below in the various drop-down menus:

• The first drop-down menu shows various options for defining the position of the weld bead:
  • On the left-hand side
  • On the right-hand side
  • Or on both sides
• In the second drop-down menu, select the type of weld from the available options, which are as follows:
  • At an angle, defined by the throat thickness
  • At an angle, defined by the side thickness
  • Or flush-mounted with a double bevel
• The third drop-down menu allows you to define the shape of the weld surface, which can be undefined, flat, concave, convex or with smooth transition curves.
• The fourth drop-down menu specifies the location where the work will be carried out, either on-site or at a workshop.

The program provides a help section in the top-right corner, where you can find further information about these options.

On the right, you can select the “Electrode” from those available. The information button on the right allows you to view its parameters, such as its reference number or the resistance of the filler metal.

Finally, you specify whether the welds have an “Initial or final displacement”. By default, the program places the weld on the flat section of the wing, with the weld bead interrupted at the radius specified by the section.

In addition, for lap connections, the “Location” option appears, which can be set to “On all edges” or “On a given edge”. In the latter case, the“Edge number” must be specified; this can be found in the connection view.

The example shown here demonstrates how to carry out welding operations to join beams.

1. First, we describe how to add the welds for the lower flanges of a secondary beam to the web of the main beam. In this case, select “Section” and, from the drop-down menus on the right, select beam B2 and “Bottom flange”. Specify that you wish to “Weld to” another “Section”, corresponding to beam B1, and specifically to its “Web”.

Next, select “Angled” and, in the first drop-down menu, choose the option for both sides. Angled weld beads are defined by the groove depth, set to 4 millimetres.

2. To apply this operation to the other beam, after selecting the operation, use the “Copy” option at the top of the table on the left. In the new operation, under the “Element” section, select beam B3, leaving the other parameters unchanged.

3. A new copy of the previous operation is created to apply it to “Section” B3, and specifically to its “Web”.

This defines the weld on the web of the secondary beam, which by default runs along its entire length. The length of the weld can be adjusted by entering an “Initial and final displacement” of 20 millimetres in both cases.

4. This procedure is repeated to apply it to the “Web” of “Section” B2, thereby completing the welds between the beam sections.

5. Next, define the welds between the plate and the beams. To do this, click on “Weld” again and, under “Element”, select “Plate”, choosing the single plate added to the model from the drop-down menu on the right.

Firstly, it is specified that you wish to “Weld to” “Section” B1, and specifically to the “Top flange”.

Within the “Welding” parameters, the “Connection type” is defined here as “Overlap”. Once again, an angled weld bead is defined by the groove depth, which is set to 4 millimetres.

“Alignment” is set to “All edges”.

6. To weld the plate to the secondary beams, copy the operation and apply the weld to section B2.

7. Finally, copy the operation again and select section B3, keeping the other parameters unchanged.

Welding

This operation allows you to weld a solid bar to a plate whose surface is parallel to the bar's directrix.

Welding can be done in two ways:

• Between the bar and the surface of the plate
  Welding is allowed on one side or both sides of the bar. The weld will be of the flare-bevel weld type.
• Between the bar and the edge of the plate
  Different types of welding may be used: flared bevel, angle or edge preparation. The most suitable choice will depend on the thickness of the plate and the diameter of the bar.

Opening at intersection

In this operation, a bar and a plate are selected, and an opening is created in the plate at the point of intersection with the bar. The hole is shaped like an elongated drill hole.

Threaded connection

This operation allows the end of a round bar to be joined to a plate using nuts. To do this, the bar and the plate to which it is joined are selected.

There are several nut layouts, and users must define the length of the tie rod from the last nut, as well as the clearance of the hole. In addition, the reference of the nut and the washer are requested. If the corresponding box is checked, it is possible to manually define the text string; by default, this is generated automatically based on the diameter of the bar. It should be noted that it is not linked to the references in the bolt libraries.

The bar does not have to be perpendicular to the plate. In these cases, users can specify the type of washer or additional device to be placed (see example). This case is not currently represented in the 3D view.

Connecting plate

This operation can place plates using a solid round bar as a reference. In addition to facilitating its positioning, it allows you to generate slots in the plate to fit the bar and apply welds.

Entering contact details

To define contact relationships between surfaces, click on the “Contact relationship” option in the top toolbar.

Next, the two elements involved in the connection are selected, and the parts of each that are in contact are indicated.

Connections can be defined between steel surfaces or between steel surfaces and concrete elements.

Contact relationships are represented in the 3D view of the layout by a green surface located between the elements selected in the operation.

Contact between steel surfaces

In the relationships defined between steel surfaces, the elements involved in the relationship are selected in the "Element 1" and "Element 2" sections. These can be a “Section” or a “Plate”.

If a "Section" is selected, the part of the section involved in the connection is specified, such as the top flange ("Top flange"), the bottom flange ("Bottom flange"), the left web ("Left web"), or the right web ("Right web") of rectangular tube sections.

Contact surfaces between two steel profiles

Contact with concrete surfaces

You can define a contact between a steel surface and the surface of a concrete element. To do this, select “Concrete” in the “Element 2” section.

The concrete element can be a new element defined in this operation, if "Defined in the element" is selected, or an existing element, in which case "Selection" must be chosen.

If "Defined in the element" is selected, the following parameters must be specified:

• The "Location" of the concrete element, whether "On the front face" or "On the back face" of the contact interface
• The element’s “Material”, which can be selected from those available
• The geometry of the element, defined by the values for "Top overhang", "Bottom overhang", "Left overhang", "Right overhang" and "Thickness", measured from the contour of the contact surface. For each of these, you must indicate whether or not the concrete element extends beyond the specified values by selecting the corresponding option from the drop-down menu.

Circular openings

To insert circular openings, select “Circular” under “Type”.

To position a circular opening, enter the ‘X’ and ‘Y’ coordinates of the opening’s centre relative to the element’s local coordinate system. Finally, enter the "Diameter" of the opening.

Rectangular openings

To insert rectangular openings, select “Rectangular” under “Type”.

You must define the local X and Y coordinates and the angle of the positioning origin for the openings in the element by entering this data in the "Origin: X / Y / Angle" fields.

Next, you must specify the “Width X” and “Width Y” of the opening.

In the diagram below, you can select the reference point for the opening: either its centre, the centre of one of its sides, or one of its corners.

Polygonal openings

To insert circular openings, select “Polygonal” under “Type”.

For polygonal openings, a table appears in which the geometry of the opening is defined:

• The options on the top bar allow you to “Add”, “Copy”, “Delete” and reorder vertices in the list. You can click “Add” several times to enter the “X” and “Y” coordinates of the vertices that form the opening’s polygon.
• The polygon may include straight or curved sections:
  • If it is a straight section, select "Straight segment" in the "Type" column and define the "X" and "Y" coordinates of the starting vertex. The section will extend to the "X" and "Y" coordinates of the next vertex.
  • If the section is curved, select "Curved segment" in the "Type" column and define the coordinates of the centre of the arc, "Xc" and "Yc". The section will extend from the "X" and "Y" coordinates defined for it to the "X" and "Y" coordinates of the next vertex.

To make it easier to enter this data, the program displays a "Help" image when you click on the relevant button at the top of the table.

The program also features a "Generate" tool at the top of the list, which allows you to automatically generate vertices for polygonal openings in straight segments by entering the "Number of sides" and the "Radius" of the circle circumscribed around the vertices of the opening. Using this tool will clear any data previously entered in the list.

Hole

To add holes, select “Hole” under “Type”.

To position the hole, enter the "X" and "Y" coordinates of the hole centre relative to the part’s local coordinate system. Then select the type. This can be "Circular" or "Elongated":

• If it is "Circular", a "Space" is defined between the drill and the component passing through it, in addition to the "Diameter".
• The hole can be "Elongated" in either of the two local directions (X or Y) on the sheet metal. In this case, the ratio between the length and the diameter of the hole ("L/d") is defined, where 1 corresponds to a circle, as well as the "Space" between the hole and the through-part and its "Diameter".

In this example, a plate has been inserted at the top of the column, and its geometry has subsequently been adjusted. A front plate has also been added to connect beam B1 and column C1.

Next, the necessary welds are made between the beam sections and between the plate and the beams.

Next, openings are cut into the beam to simulate a lightened web:

1. Select the “Section” B1 and choose the “Web”. In this case, the opening takes on a hexagonal shape, so select “Polygonal” and enter its coordinates in the table.

2. Further along, a second opening is cut into the beam.

To do this, copy the previous transaction by selecting it in the table on the left and clicking the “Copy” button at the top.

Next, whilst retaining the rest of the data, enter the coordinates of the new opening to position it correctly. The values can be typed directly into the cells or pasted from the clipboard.

3. To create an opening in the plate, click on the “Opening” option again and, in the “Element” section, select “Plate” 1 from the drop-down menu.

Inserting anchors

To insert anchors, click on the “Anchors” option in the top toolbar.

First, select the "Element" where the anchors are to be defined; this can be a "Plate" or a "Section". If you select a section, you must then select the plate or part of the section where you wish to insert the anchors.

Next, you decide whether the “Concrete” is “Defined in the element” or whether you wish to “Select” a concrete element entered via a separate operation.

Anchor configuration

First, the following parameters are defined:

• You must select the anchor's "Category" from the following:
  • "Cast-in anchor – Corrugated bar",
  • "Cast-in anchor – Threaded rod",
  • "Cast-in anchor – Smooth bar",
  • or "Cast-in anchor".
• Further down, you can select the “Type” of anchor, choosing its series and nominal diameter from those available. If you wish, you can click on the button on the right to open a window where you can view details such as the following:
  • For the “Bolt”, the series reference, the “Nominal diameter” and the “Diameter of the thread” are shown.
  • In the case of the “Nut” and the “Washer”, the series codes and nominal diameter are also given, along with the “Outer diameter”, “Inner diameter” and “Thickness” of each.
• Next, select the “Material” of the anchor. By clicking on the button on the right, you can view its properties, including its “Reference”, “Modulus of elasticity”, “Yield strength” and “Fracture limit”, as well as the material of the “Nut” and the “Washer”.

Two drop-down menus then appear to allow you to select the type of anchor. These drop-down menus vary depending on the selected anchor "Category".

For example, in pre-installed rebar anchors:

• In the first drop-down menu, select the type of connection between the bolt and the plate, which can be flush-mounted with a washer and single nut, flush-mounted with a welded bolt, spaced, or spaced with a nut and washer.
• The second drop-down menu allows you to select the type of concrete anchor, which can be a straight extension, with a washer and single nut, with a double nut, with a 180-degree hook, or with a 90-degree bend.

The program asks you to define the parameters corresponding to various geometric dimensions, such as “Ln”, “L1”, “L2”, “d” or “h”. To make it easier to enter this data, a help image is available via the button to the right of the “Category” drop-down menu.

On the right, you can specify the following additional parameters:

• The anchor's "Hole" is defined later on. This can be:
  • "Circular", in which case a "Space" is defined between the drill bit and the anchor
  • Or "Elongated" in either of the two local directions (X or Y) of the sheet metal. In this case, the ratio between the length and the diameter of the hole ("L/d") is defined, with a value of 1 corresponding to a circle, as well as the "Space" between the hole and the anchor
• The drop-down menu below allows you to select the "Location", either "On site" or "At workshop".
• The "Reverse direction" checkbox can be ticked to change the orientation of the anchors.
• It is also possible to apply a layer of “Levelling mortar” between the element and the concrete, specifying its thickness.

Finally, the "Check anchors" checkbox can be ticked to enable the program to carry out checks on these elements. The button on the right opens a pop-up window where you can configure the parameters and factors to be taken into account in these checks.

Layout of the anchors

The following section then specifies the number and layout of the anchors:

• You must define the local X and Y coordinates and the angle of the positioning origin for the anchors on the plate or bar by entering this data in the "Origin: X / Y / Angle" fields.
• Below, it is indicated whether the "Layout" of the anchors on the plate or bar is:
  • "By coordinates",
  • By "Rows and columns",
  • By "Rows and columns per flange" (in front plates on rolled I sections),
  • "Perimeter" on the sheet metal,
  • Or "Radial".

Defining a concrete element

The “Concrete” tab allows you to define the concrete element of the anchor in this same operation and appears if this has been specified previously (by selecting “Defined in the element” in the “Concrete” section).

First, specify the “Material” by selecting it from the concrete options available in the project. The button on the right allows you to view the parameters of the selected concrete, such as the “Reference” or the “Compression resistance”.

Finally, the geometry of the concrete volume is defined using the values for the "Top edge", "Bottom edge", "Left edge", "Right edge" and "Thickness", measured from the outline of the selected slab. For each of these, you must indicate whether the concrete element is limited to these values or extends beyond them by selecting the corresponding option from the drop-down menu.

Stiffeners can be inserted into the web of a section or into a plate.

Stiffeners can be inserted into the web of a section or into a plate.

The fasteners available for timber include dowels, bolts and screws.

The fasteners available for timber include dowels, bolts and screws.

The fasteners available for timber include dowels, bolts and screws.

Definition and application

A prequalified connection is a structural connection whose geometry, construction detail and behaviour have been previously verified by testing and analysis, and which complies with the criteria set out in specific standards, especially in the field of earthquake-resistant construction.

Prequalified connections are applied and required in structures where the seismic-resisting system consists of moment frames (without bracing), particularly in the case of special frames (SMF) or intermediate frames (IMF), as defined in AISC 341.

Related regulations

In the program, the "Prequalified connections" operation only appears in projects that have one of the following steel codes selected:

• United States: AISC 360-22 (LRFD)
• Colombia: NSR-10
• Mexico: NTC-2023

Prequalified connection types available

The types of prequalified connections implemented are as follows:

• RBS (Reduced Beam Section)
• BEEP (Bolted Extended End Plate)
  Includes types 4E (four-bolt unstiffened), 4ES (four-bolt stiffened) and 8ES (eight-bolt stiffened).
• BFP (Bolted Flange Plate)
• WUF-W (Welded Unreinforced Flange-Welded Web)

The program can be used to define in detail the components of each prequalified connection in the operation's editing panel.

Checks on prequalified connections

In addition to the other checks carried out on the connection, the program carries out the specific checks defined in the AISC 341 and AISC 358 standards for prequalified connections.

These checks can be displayed on screen by selecting the "Prequalified connections" option, available in the corresponding drop-down in the "Analysis" tab of the connection editing window.

Prequalified connection check reports

The documents provided by the program include summarised and detailed reports of the checks carried out on the defined prequalified connections.

To obtain this, the corresponding sections of the report must be activated.