DESIGN OF STRUCTURAL STEEL
JOINTS AND CONNECTIONS
www.ideastatica.com www.idea-rs.com
WHAT WE DO
Wedevelopsoftwareforstructuralengineers,fabricators,consultantsandallotherswhoperformorusestructuralanalysis.
Ourdevelopmentteamresearches,testsandappliesnewmethodsofanalyzingbehaviorofstructuresandtheirmembers.
Basedonthis,wecreateIDEAStatiCa–softwarethatenablesengineerstoworkfaster,evaluaterequirementsofthenational
codethoroughlyanduseoptimalamountofmaterial.Forus,creatingsoftwareisawaytocontributetomakingeverynew
constructionaroundtheworldsaferandcheaper.
Calculate yesterday’s estimates
PARTNERS
WebuildpartnershipswithkeycompaniesinthefieldandlinkIDEAStatiCawiththeirsoftware.IDEAStatiCaisapart
ofaglobalworkflowwhichimprovesproductivityofstructuralengineersandfabricators.
WeareAECSolutionAssociateofAutodesk,arecommended3rdpartysolutionforAutodeskusers.IDEAStatiCaworks
withRobotStructuralAnalysisandAdvanceSteel.Revitlinkiscoming.
IDEAStatiCahasastrongsynergywithTeklaStructures.WepartneredupwithTrimbletocreateaseamlesslinkbetween
thesetwoprograms.ThelargestdistributorofTeklaStructuresworldwide,companyConstrusoft,resellsIDEAStatiCa
inseveralEUcountriesandLatinAmerica.
OtherpartnersincludeDlubalSoftware,MIDASITandInterCAD.
FUN FACTS ABOUT IDEA STATICA
• Thereare800licensesofIDEAStatiCain30countriesworldwide.
• IDEAStatiCawasthefirsttolaunchcloud-basedstructuralanalysisservice.Ithasover3 000registeredusers.
• TogetherwithMicrosoft,HUAWEI,Dellandothers,weareintheTOP 100companiesintheCzechRepublic.
• OurCEOandCTOwereinthefinalsofEY’sawards“Entrepreneuroftheyear2015”.
• Wehave25peopleintheteamwhoalreadycodedover6millionlinesofIDEAStatiCa.
• Resellersin20countriesaroundtheworld,BIMlinksto12engineeringprograms.
IDEA StatiCa Steel IDEA StatiCa Concrete and Prestressing
IDEAStatiCaSteel
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IDEA StatiCa Connection
Work with data from other programs
IDEA StatiCa Connection
FEA softwareDesignyourjointfromscratchorbuildongeometry
andloadingimportedfromRobot,SAP2000,
SCIAEngineer,RFEM,AxisVM,ConSteelandothers,
cuttingdesigntimeevenmore
CAD softwareTakeadvantageofintegrationintoTeklaStructures
andAdvanceSteeltoprovideworkshopdrawings
andsupportmanufacturingprocess
Steel connection design – reinvented
IDEAStatiCaintroducesanovelwaytodesignandcheckstructuralconnectionsandjoints.Engineerscandeal
withchallengesofresidential,industrial,off-shoreandothersteelstructures.Clearpass/failchecksaccordingto
EC/AISCareavailableinminutes,aswellascompleteoutputreports.
IDEAStatiCaConnectioncandesignalltypesofweldedorboltedconnections,baseplates,footingandanchoring.
Itprovidesprecisechecks,resultsofstrength,stiffnessandbucklinganalysisofasteeljoint.Bolts,welds
andconcreteblocksarecheckedaccordingtoEC/AISC.Templatesformost-usedconnectionsareavailableaswell
aswiderangeofpredefinedhotrolledandsheetweldedmembers.
ANY TOPOLOGYNolimitsinhowmanyconnectionsthereareinthejoint,whatistheirtypeandhowtheyareputtogether.
Shapeisdefinedbyprojectrequirements,notbysoftwarecapabilities.
ANY LOADINGAllforcesareanalyzed.Theoverallcheckofthejointtakesintoaccountinteractionsbetweenallthebeams
andconnections.Engineersstaysonthesafesideallthetime.
IN MINUTESThewholedesignandcheckprocessiskeptshortenoughtobeapartofeverydayworkofstructuralengineers
andfabricatorsallaroundtheworld.
2D frames & trusses Footings, anchoring 3D frames & trusses
www.ideastatica.com www.idea-rs.com
Key features
• Welded/boltedconnections,baseplate,footing,anchoring
• Jointswithvariousnumbersofbeamsinmultipledirectionsandloads
• Analysismodelcreatedaccordingtomanufacturingoperationsused–cuts,plates,stiffeners,ribs,openings,cleats,welds,
boltsetc.
• Automaticgenerationofjoint’sFEmodel,userdoesnothandlewithFEA
• EfficientFEAsolverdeliversresultfasterthancurrentmethods
• Morethan90%ofcalculationsisnational-codeindependent
• Calculationofinternalstress/forcesinjointsbasedonelastic/plasticFEanalysis
• Clearinformationaboutbehaviorofthejoint/connection
• Stiffnessanalysisofanykindofconnection
• Localbucklinganalysisofsteeljoint,criticalloadfactor
Changing the way how we calculate connections and joints in steel structures
Engineerstypicallydesignsteelconnectionsthatfollowprescribedbuildingcoderequirementsbasedonlabempiricaltesting,
computationalmodelverificationandengineeringjudgment.However,manyprojectshavesituationswheretheconnection
designmustbevalidatedbyamorecomprehensiveconnectionanalysis.Thiscanbeverytime-consumingandrequires
advancedsoftwareequipment,impactingprofitability.Aproject-specificwayofstudyingconnectionbehaviorisneededto
ensuresafetyofthedesignwhileincreasingproductivityofthewholeengineeringprocess.
IDEA StatiCa Connection provides
Stress analysis Buckling analysis Stiffness analysis Overall check
IDEAStatiCaSteel
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Story behind
IDEAStatiCaConnectionisaresultofalong-termR&DprojectofIDEAStatiCateamandtwotoptechnicaluniversities.
After5yearsofprimaryresearchandtheoreticalpreparations,thefirstversionoftheapplicationwascodedin24months
andreleasedinMay2014.Sincethen,ithasbeenimprovedconsistentlyandmarketedworldwide.Wearehappytohave
over400licensesin30countries.
KeypartsofthetechnologyofIDEAStatiCaConnectionisprotectedbyapatent.
Output report
Youcanchoosefromthreetypesofoutputreports–oneline,1pageanddetailed.AllchecksaccordingtoEurocodeorAISC
aredisplayedandreferenced.
Validation and verification of results
Togetherwithtechnicaluniversities,resultsofIDEAStatiCaConnectionwereexamined.Thefirstleveloftestingwastodesign
andcalculatetypicaljointsdescribedindesignguidesandcompareresults.Thesecondleveloftestingwasfornon-standard
connectionsandjoints–anadvancedFEAmodelswerecreatedinotherprogramsandresultscompared.Thethirdlevel
ofexaminationwerelivetestsinuniversitylaboratories.Forexample,gradualloadingofafootinguntilitwasrippedfrom
aconcreteblock.
ThisthoroughexaminationconfirmedaccuracyandreliabilityofIDEAStatiCaConnection.Allverificationandvalidationstudies
arepublishedandavailabletotheengineeringpublic.Ournewapproachtosteelconnectiondesignhasalreadybeenpresented
ontensofinternationalconferencesandmeetingsofregulatorybodiesallaroundtheworld.Wearehappytoseeitswide
acceptanceamongstacademics,structuralengineers,fabricators,code-checkersandotherindustryprofessionals.
www.ideastatica.com www.idea-rs.com
Any topology – manufacturing operations
Stiffeners
Double haunches
Connecting plates, cuts
Cuts, notches
Circular end plate, stiffeners
Flange haunches, openings
Plates, bolt grid, cuts
Stiffening members, bolt grids
Irregullar bolt group, flange notches
Connecting plates, notches
Shifted end plate
Bolted or welded cleats
IDEA StatiCa Steel
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Any loading – all internal forces from 3D global analysis
Base plate, stiffening members
Stub
Splice plates
Base plate - N, My, Mz
Base plate, stiffeners, cuts
Fin plate
Beam support (contact), webdoubler
3D loaded joint
Base plate, haunch, notch, washers
Overlaps, contact of plates
Plate to plate, ribs
End plate - My, Mz, Vy, Vz
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3D simulation of a steel joint
Steeljointiscomposedfromplates,welds,bolts,contactsandcanbeanchoredintoconcreteblock.FEAmodelisgenerated
automatically.
PlatesModeliscomposedfromsteelplates–bothpartsofsteelmembersandstiffeningplates.Realshapeofplatesiskept.
Eachplateismeshedindependently.Equivalentstrainischecked.
WeldsWeldsaremodeledasconstrainsbetweenplates.Forcesineachweldareevaluated.Stressinweldischeckedaccording
EN/AISC.
Solid view and transparent view of welds. Calculated stress in weld. Output table with results.
ContactsContactsappearinplaceswheretwoplatesareintouch.Theytake100%ofthepressurebutdonotactintensionatall.
Contacts between web and flanges of 2 overlapped Z sections
3D model Equivalent stress Equivalent strain Overall check
IDEA StatiCa Steel
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BoltsBoltsarenonlinearspringstakingtensionandshear.
3D model Tension forces Shear forces Deformed shape
3D model Contact stress area Break-out cones
Stiffness analysisStiffnessofanyconnectedmemberisanalyzed.Connection
isclassifiedandmoment/rotationdiagramgivesclearview
aboutitscapacity.
Buckling analysisLocalbucklingcandeterminesafetydesignofthejoint.
Softwareshowsthelevelofsafetyandpointouttheweakest
partofjoint.
Concrete blockSteelstructurecanbeanchoredinto
concreteblock.Baseplateisincontact
withconcrete.Tensionistaken
byanchors,shearbybolts,friction
orsheariron.
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Designed by IDEA StatiCa Connection
Stadium roof
Pedestrian Bridge
Crane support structure
Facade secondary structure
Warehouse
Power plant
Congress centre
Broadcast tower
Industry hall
Stadium roof
Lightning column
Congress centre
IDEA StatiCa Steel
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Designed by IDEA StatiCa Connection
Shopping mall
Tower mast
Facade secondary structure
Theatre roof
Warehouse
Off-shore struct
Shopping mall
Railway bridge
Shopping mall
Canopy
Industry hall
Airport Service Bridge
www.ideastatica.com www.idea-rs.com
BIMlinkstoleadingsoftwaresolutionsonthemarketenablestructuralengineersandfabricatorsquicklycheckfeasibility
ofthedesigninanystageoftheproject.Moreover,youhaveapowerfultoolforoptimizingyourdesign.
Working with other programs
IDEAStatiCaConnectionisnotjustastandaloneprogramwhereuserdefinesgeometry,loadsandotherinputsbyhimself.
IthasBIMinterfacewhichenablesimportingsteeljointsandconnections(includingloads)fromotherprograms.
FEA programs
SavetimebyimportinggeometryandloadingfromSAP2000,RobotStructuralAnalysis,SCIAEngineer,RFEM,AxisVM
andConSteelandgorightintodesignandcheck.
WorkflowinRobotStructuralAnalaysis:
CAD programs
Clickon“IDEA”iconinTeklaStructuresorruncommand“Concheck”inAdvanceSteeltoinstantlyexportgeometry
ofaselectedjointintoanewprojectinIDEAStatiCaConnection.Inputloadingandgointodesignandcheck.
WorkflowinTeklaStructures:
Node selection in RSA Design of connection Check EN/AISC
Node selection in TS Input of load effects Check EN/AISC
IDEA StatiCa Steel
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R&D background
IDEAStatiCaConnectionisaresultofalong-termresearchanddevelopmentprojectwithrootsbackinthe90swhenourCEO
LubomírŠabatkastartedexaminingthetopicwithoneoftheleadingacademicsworldwideinthefieldofsteelstructures–
ProfessorFrantišekWald.
Afteryearsofpreparation,theresearchteamwasputtogetherfromIDEAStatiCadevelopersandacademicstafffromtwo
technicaluniversitiesintheCzechRepublic–CzechTechnicalUniversityinPrague(Prof.FrantišekWald&team)andBrno
TechnicalUniversity(Prof.MiroslavBajer&team).Weputtogetherlong-termexperiencewithdevelopmentofcomponent
method(CM),practicalexperiencewithdesignofsteelstructuresandprovenprofessionalexperiencewithfinite-element
andsoftwaredevelopment.Over30peopletookpartinthisprojectwithover1,5mil.EURofcostsincurredinresearch,
development,validationandverificationofthisnewapproach.
Wecreatedanewmethodforanalysisandcheckofsteeljointsofgeneralshapesandloading.ItiscalledComponent-Based
Finiteelementmodel(CBFEM)anddiffersfromallcurrentmethodsbybeing:
GENERALitisuseableforalljoints,anchors
anddetailsusedbystructural
engineersandfabricators
SIMPLE AND FASTitprovidesresultsintimecomparable
withcurrentlyexistingmethods
andtools
COMPREHENSIVEengineersgetinformationaboutjoint
behavior,stress,strainandreserves
ofindividualcomponentsandoverall
safetyandreliability
Ideal elastic/plastic material diagram Live testing of the new CBFEM method
www.ideastatica.com www.idea-rs.com
How CBFEM works
Wecombinetwowell-knownandtrustedmethodsusedbyengineersallaroundtheworld–finiteelementmethod
andcomponentmethod:
• Jointisdividedintocomponents
• Allsteelplatesaremodeledbyfiniteelementmethodassumingidealelastic-plasticmaterial
• Bolts,weldsandconcreteblocksaremodeledasnonlinearsprings
• Finiteelementmodelisusedforanalyzinginternalforcesineachofthecomponents
• Platesarecheckedforlimitplasticstrain–5%acc.toEC3
• Eachcomponentischeckedaccordingtospecificformulasdefinedbythenationalcode,similarlyaswhenusingcomponent
method
Validation and verification
ResultsofalltestsperformedtoconfirmsafetyandreliabilityofCBFEMmethodandIDEAStatiCaConnectionarepublished
andavailable.Visitourwebsitetoexaminethem.ProfessorWaldandhisteamarealsopublishingabookdevotedtostructural
steelconnectionsdesignusingCBFEMmethod:
Component model Bolted joint CBFEM model
Benchmark cases for advanced design of structural steel connections
IDEA StatiCa Steel
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Euro
code/AISC Complia
nt
Improving daily work of engineers
IDEAStatiCaConnectioncandesignsteeljointsandconnectionsofanytopologyandloadedinalldirections.Itkeepsthewhole
analysis-design-checkprocessinminutes.Thisopensapossibilityforstructuralengineersandfabricatorsaroundtheworldto
increaseproductivityofdesigningsteeljointsandconnections.
BE SAFEStayonthesafe-sidewithallchecks
accordingtoselectednationalcodes
athandatanytime.
SAVE TIMEEngineersspend80%ofthe
connectiondesigntimeon20%
non-standardcases.Dothem
inminutesaswell.
OPTIMIZEKnowexactlyhowmuchmaterial
isneededinthejointandtake
advantageofit.
OrcontactoneofourresellersinNetherlands,UK,Spain,Germany,Switzerland,Italy,LatinAmerica,Poland,Portugal,
Greece,Singapore,Belgium,Romania,Hungaryandothercountries.
Get your 14-day trial at our website
www.idea-rs.comwww.ideastatica.com