MSF21195

Steel Connection Design - Extend Your Advance Steel, Revit, and Robot Structural Analysis Workflow Lubomir Sabatka IDEA RS Graham Aldwinckle Arup

Description

This class will introduce a novel approach to design and check of structural steel joints and connections of any topology. It is based on a new method called Component-based Finite Element Model (CBFEM) and has been implemented into IDEA StatiCa Connection software. Structural engineers and fabricators can use models created in Advance Steel software, Revit software, and Robot Structural Analysis software to quickly export all data necessary and perform pass/fail check of any joint according to the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC) / Eurocode. We will examine this new extended workflow for Autodesk users, and show its relevance on real-life projects from all around the world. Join this class to learn how to deal with any steel joint your projects can bring, in minutes. We’ll explain the whole calculation process and show tools to optimize the joint (bolt patterns and so on). This session features Advance Steel and Revit Structure.

Your AU Expert(s)

Lubomir Sabatka is the CEO at IDEA RS. He is one of the pioneers of using computer-aided engineering (CAE) methods in structural analysis worldwide. With his team, Sabatka has been developing tools for this industry for over 20 years (including Esa Prima Win and SCIA Engineer, among others). In 2009, he shifted his focus to design of structural members, use of cloud technology, and BIM adoption. His team develops IDEA StatiCa applications that are missing pieces in the global workflow of structural engineers and fabricators. Graham Aldwinckle, Associate at Arup. Graham is a Chartered Structural Engineer with over 21 years industry experience. He has a wide range of experience of different building types, including residential, commercial, retail, education, and mixed use. He has extensive tall building knowledge, including landmark buildings such as the Leadenhall Building in London. He is the structural BIM leader for Arup's Building Engineering London teams.

Learning Objectives

Learn how to design and check any steel joint according to AISC/EC in minutes

Understand limitations of current methods, and examine the new CBFEM method for analysis and design of steel joints

Learn how to work with a model from Advance Steel, Revit, and Robot Structural Analysis to increase productivity of steel joint design

See this new approach in real-life projects all around the world

A new method to design steel joints

Beam members are preferred by engineers when designing steel structures. But there are many points on the structure, where the theory of members is not valid, e.g. welded joints, bolted connections, footing, holes in walls, tapering height of cross-section and point loads.The structural analysis in such points is difficult and it requires special attention. The behavior is non-linear and the nonlinearities must be respected, e.g. plasticisation of material of plates, contact between end plates or base plate and concrete block, one-sided actions of bolts and anchors, welds.National codes,CSN EN1993-1-8 and also technical literature offer engineering solution methods.Their general feature is derivation for typical structural shapes and simple loadings. The method of components is used very often.

Components method

The components method solves the joint as system of interconnected items – components. The corresponding model is built per each joint type to be able to determine forces and stresses in each component – see the following picture.

COMPONENTS IN JOINT WITH BOLTED END PLATES, DESCRIBED BY SPRINGS.

Each component is checked separately using corresponding formulas. Because the proper model must be created for each joint type, the method usage has limits when solving joints of general shapes and general loads. IDEA RS together with project team of Department of Steel and Timber Structures of Faculty of Civil engineering in Prague and Institute of metal and timber structures of Faculty of Civil Engineering of Brno University of Technologydeveloped new method for advanced design of steel structure joints. Name of the method is CBFEM – Component Based Finite Element Model – and it is:

General enough to be usable for most of joints, footings and details in engineering practice.

Simple and fast enough in daily practice to provide results in time comparable to current methods and tools.

Comprehensive enough to provide structural engineer clear information about joint behavior, stress, strain and reserves of individual components and about overall safety and reliability.

The CBFEM method is based on the idea, that the most of verified and very useful parts of CM should be kept. The weak point of CM – its generality when analyzing stresses of individual components –was replaced by modelling and analysis using finite elements method.

Examples of designed joints

Workflow description – Advance Steel

This part will show how to activate and use the link between Autodesk Advance Steel and IDEA StatiCa Connection.

How to activate the link 1. Autodesk Advance Steel2016 with update64-Bit UR2 (dated 3.9.2015) or

Advance Steel 2017must be installed on the computer.

2. Download and install the latest version of 64-bit IDEA StatiCa.

Enhanced edition is required.

3. After installation of both programs, run file Idea4AS2016.batorIdea4AS2017.bat(according

to installed Advance Steel version) in the folder where IDEA StatiCa was installed

(c:\Program Files\IDEA RS\StatiCa6).

Windows administrator rights are necessary for proper processing of batch files.

Run this command again if you reinstalled either of the programs, moved the installation

folder or when upgrading to a newer version of IDEA StatiCa.

How to use the link 1. Open a project in Advance Steel

2. Start the link by typing of command CONCHECK

3. Select a joint node

4. Select members and finish selection by the right mouse button.

First selected member will be set as a bearing one in IDEA StatiCa Connection.

5. Select all joint elements (plates, bolts, welds) and finish by the right mouse button.

Model is imported into IDEA StatiCa Connection

Automatic data transfer is started and IDEA StatiCa Connection with generated project is launched.

Geometry All members were added automatically. We set column as “bearing member”.

DEFINING GEOMETRY

Load effects

We add a new load effect by icon and activate Check equilibrium. Next we define values of internal forces into the table. More load cases can be added.

INPUTTING LOADS

Check of a structural steel joint

Nonlinear analysis is started by icon from the top ribbon. Analysis model is automatically generated, calculation is performed and we can check results.

We activate Strain check, Bolt forces, Mesh and Deformed from the ribbon to get a full picture of what is happening in the joint. Everything is displayed in the 3D window.

RESULT DISPLAY

All values can be checked in detailed in the tables and 2D window. For example, to display check of bolts we select tab Bolts/Anchors tab.We can also activate icon Equivalent stress from the ribbon.

CHECK TABLES

Report IDEA StatiCa offers three types of output reports – one line, 1 page and detailed.

REPORT

Structural steel joint was modeled, designed and checked.

Workflow description – Robot Structural Analysis

This tutorial will show how to activate and use the link between Robot Structural Analysis and IDEA StatiCa Connection.

JOINT IN ROBOT

How to activate the link

1. Robot Structural Analysis Professional (RSAPRO) 2016, version 29.0.0.5650 (x64) or higher must be installed on the computer.

2. Download and install the latest version of 64-bit IDEA StatiCa. Enhanced edition is required.

After installation of both programs, start RSA and Click Add-ins >Add-ins Manager to open the Add-ins Manager dialogue. This option lets you install and implement add-ins (programs) to the appropriate places in the Robot menu. Browse to folder where IDEA StatiCa is installed (c:\Program Files\IDEA RS\StatiCa6)and open file: RobotConnectionToIdeaOpenModelWPF.exe

Finally click Addand Close buttons.

ADD-IN MANAGER

How to use the link 6. Open attached project in Robot Structural Analysis.

7. Selecta joint node and connected members.

8. Start IDEA Connection add-in from the menu.

9. IDEA StatiCa joint import wizard is launched. Set file name and path of IDEA StatiCa

Connection project to save and click button Next

10. Select bottom column member and set it as Bearing and merge column members by

OK button. Finish settings by Connection design button.

Model is imported into IDEA StatiCa Connection

Automatic data transfer is started and IDEA StatiCa Connection with generated project is launched. All members and load effects were added automatically.

IMPORTED MODEL

Design We will define a set of manufacturing operations to model connections between

members. A new operation can add by button.

End plate

ADDING A MANUFACTURING OPERATION

Connecting plate

ADDING A MANUFACTURING OPERATION

Copy CPL1 operation by button from the ribbon and set that on member DM4.

COPYING A MANUFACTURING OPERATION

Cleat

ADDING A MANUFACTURING OPERATION

Stub

ADDING A MANUFACTURING OPERATION

Cut

ADDING A MANUFACTURING OPERATION

Let’s check defined operations of the joint.

DESIGNED JOINT

Check of a structural steel joint

Nonlinear analysis is started by icon from the top ribbon. Analysis model is automatically generated, calculation is performed and we can check results.

We activate Strain check, Bolt forces, Mesh and Deformed from the ribbon to get a full picture of what is happening in the joint. Everything is displayed in the 3D window.

All values can be checked in detailed in the tables and 2D window.

For example, to display check of bolts we select tab Bolts/Anchors tab.We can also activateicon Equivalent stress from the ribbon.

Report IDEA StatiCa offers three types of output reports – one line, 1 page and detailed.

REPORT

Structural steel joint was modeled, designed and checked.