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The flexible end plate beam-to column connection allows for the design of up to 4 number simple connections to be designed, with beams connecting to the column flange or column web. Since the connections are simple connections, as per the SCI Green Book definition, the connections are designed for the maximum applied vertical shear force. Tying forces are also checked to ensure compliance with the disproportionate collapse requirements. The supported beams are assumed to be perpendicular to the column major and minor axes, in line with the SCI Green Book design model.
The default set up for a connection is to have four number beams, one beam on each column flange and two beams connecting either side of the column web. The default screen layout is shown below. The default beam an column sections are 457x191UB67's. The defaults input values are zero. The default layout (with full depth end plates) is shown below.
The General Area provides inputs to input a connection title and to select the connection topology. The General area also provides a control to filter the displayed options in the property grid and to link the connection with a bracing connection (in the standalone mode) to enable any additional connection forces due to the bracing arrangement to be accounted for automatically in the connection design.
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Filter Properties - controls the display and contents of the property grid panel. The properties are selected by clicking in the row and selecting the required option from the drop down
Title - displays the input connection title. To enter a title, click on the row and input the required title.
Flange Beam Left - displays whether not a left side beam has been selected. The selection is made be clicking on the row and setting the required option from the drop down
Flange Beam Right - displays whether not a right side beam has been selected. The selection is made be clicking on the row and setting the required option from the drop down
Web Beam Left - displays whether or not a beam to the left column web has been selected. The selection is made be clicking on the row and setting the required option from the drop down
Web Beam Right - displays whether or not a beam to the right column web has been selected. The selection is made be clicking on the row and setting the required option from the drop down
Link connection to brace - shows whether or not the connection has been linked to a bracing connection.
To Link to a bracing connection, the "Link connection to brace" option needs to be set to "Yes". To do this, click on the row and use the drop down options. When set to "Yes" two additional options are displayed. These are the 'Bracing joint to Flange' and 'Bracing joint to web' inputs. For each, a bracing joint can be selected by highlighting the row and then selecting the design brief for the connection using the drop down list using the down arrow on the right hand side of the row.
In the case of a linked connection design, the loads due to the bracing connections will be taken account of automatically.
The Bolt Details and Weld/Plate grade area provides inputs to control the bolt diameters and grade and the steel grade for the end plates. The default layout of this input area is shown below.
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Bolt Details - displays the currently selected bolt grade and diameter. The default bolts are grade 8.8, 20mm diameter bolts
Plate Grade - displays the currently selected steel grade for the end plates. The grade can be selected by clicking on the row and using the drop down to selected the required steel grade
To select the bolt grade and diameters, the Bolt Details row can be expanded by clicking on the arrow to the left of the row. This displays the following bolt parameter inputs.
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Bolt Grade - indicates the grade and diameter of the currently selected bolts
Bolt Diameter - indicates the selected bolt diameter. To select a bolt diameter, click to select the row and use the drop down options
Hole Dia - click to select and use the drop down options to select the required bolt diameter as a function of the selected bolt diameter
Slip factor - the slip resistance factor ks for preloaded bolts
Each row can be amended by clicking on the required row and using the drop down to select the required bolt parameter.
The Flange Beam Left - Section area provides inputs to define and setup the left hand flange beam. The default layout of the area is shown below.
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Shear - the factored shear force on the left hand beam
Section - the currently selected beam section and steel grade
Beam offset - the offset of the top of the beam.
To define the left beam section, the Section row can be expanded by clicking on the arrow to the left of the row. The layout of the Section area is shown below.
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Steel Grade - display the currently selected steel grade
Section Type - shows the current section type. The default section is a UB
Section - displays the current section. The default is a 457x152UB67
Cell Depth - displays the overall depth for cellular or castellated beams. The default input is zero, meaning the section is based on the input Section only
The Flange Beam Left - Plate area provides inputs to define the parameters of the end plate of the left hand beam connecting to the column flange. The default area is shown below.
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Thickness - the end plate thickness. An input of zero uses a default thickness
Width - the plate width. An input of zero uses a default thickness
Depth - the depth of the end plate. A zero input gives a default plate depth of 0.6 times the beam web depth, except in the case of a full depth end plate where the end plate matches the beam depth
Offset - the offset of the top of the end plate from the topside of the beam top flange. Does not apply to full depth end plates
Weld size - displays the current weld size. A zero input gives a default weld size of 0.8 times the beam web thickness
Full depth flange weld - Full depth flange weld - for a full depth end plate, displays the weld selection for the connection between the beam and end plate
One sided end plate - when using a PFC the endplate can be defined as a single sided endplate (only on the side of the flanges) with a single column of bolts.
The Flange Bolt Geometry area provides input to define the parameters and geometry of the bolts in the left hand flange beam end plate. The default area is shown below.
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Top Edge Distance - the distance from the top of the end plate to the centre of the top bolts. An input of zero gives a default top edge distance of 1.75 times the bolt diameter
Horizontal Cross c/c - shows the current set bolt horizontal centre-to-centre dimension. This input is used for the inner bolts when staggered or 4 bolts per row are defined
Staggered Cross c/c - the bolt horizontal centre-to-centre dimension for the outer bolts in either staggered bolts or a 4 bolts per row arrangement. An input of zero means only 2 bolts per row will be used
Vertical c/c - the vertical centres of the bolt rows. Bolt row centres are equal. An input of zero uses a default spacing based on the selected bolt diameter
Bolt rows - the number of bolt rows. A zero input gives a default number of bolt rows
Bolts in Pairs - displays the current staggered versus 4 bolts per row bolt layout. The setting can be changed by selecting this row and using the drop down
Where a right hand supported flange beam has been selected, the main property grid will include input areas to allow the definition and set-up for the right hand beam, end plate and the bolts. The layout and functioning of these areas are as per the left hand beam and are, therefore omitted. For details, refer to the above section for the Flange Beam Left Plate, Section and Plate.
The Left and Right web beam inputs are the same as for the flange beams. For details of these inputs, refer to the above section for the Flange Beam Left Plate, Section and Plate.
There is an option for the web bolts to have an irregular vertical set of centres. This will be very helpful in cases where you have different sized beams on either side of the web and you require a step in the bolt spacing of the larger beam to avoid clashing with the web flange of the smaller beam on the other side.
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The support column area provides inputs to define the column section. The default Support Column Properties area is shown below.
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Section - the currently selected column section and steel grade
Top of Column Projection - the top of the column relative to the setting out point.
To define the left column section and steel grade, the Section row can be expanded by clicking on the arrow to the left of the row. The layout of the Section area is shown below.
Steel Grade - display the currently selected steel grade
Section Type - shows the current section type. The default section is a UB
Section - displays the current section. The default is a 457x152UB67
Cell Depth - displays the overall depth for cellular or castellated beams. The default input is zero, meaning the section is based on the input Section only
The Tie Force area provides an input to define the tie force for the disproportionate collapse design of the connections. The minimum tie force is 75kN.
In the case of a design to the British Standard, the tie force will be based on the greater of either 75kN or a percentage of the applied shear force on the connection, with the percentage of the shear force used being based on published guidance SCI P341. The percentage of the applied shear force to be used is set in the Connection Defaults Settings area.
For a connection design the BS EN 1993-1-8, the user must specify the value for the tie force check, subject to a minimum tying force of 75kN.
The Masterseries Simple Connections will design simple end plate connections as full depth end plates, with certain restrictions to ensure that the end plate will perform as a simple connection. To use full depth end plates, the Full depth Flexible End-Plates option must be set. Additionally, the supported beam cannot have any notches, since the end plate is required to run from the top to the bottom flange. Finally, the weld type must be set to "Each Face", in accordance with Check 13 of the SCI Green Book - welds are required to each side of the flange to ensure adequate tying resistance of the connection in the disproportionate collapse condition. In line with the Green Book model, the tying force in a full depth end plate is assumed to be transferred to the end plate by the beam flanges only. The Green Book methodology also requires that the end plate be considered continuous with the beam flanges to ensure that the appropriate yield line pattern is developed. The flexibility of the connection is ensured through dimensional limits on the end plate thickness.