TUTORIAL

IDEA STATICA CONNECTION

Tutorial – IDEA StatiCa connection

All information in this document is subject to modification without prior notice. No part of this manual may be
reproduced, stored in a database or retrieval system or published, in any form or in any way, electronically,
mechanically, by print, photo print, microfilm or any other means without prior written permission from the
publisher. SCIA is not responsible for any direct or indirect damage because of imperfections in the
documentation and/or the software.

© Copyright 2020 SCIA nv. All rights reserved.

2 BV – 2020/09/29
 Table of contents

Table of Contents
Table of Contents .................................................................................................................................. 3
Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 4
Modelling the connection ..................................................................................................................... 5
Description of the connection ......................................................................................................... 5
New project ........................................................................................................................................ 8
Members ............................................................................................................................................. 9
Operations ....................................................................................................................................... 10
Connection column to beam B1 ................................................................................................... 11
Connection beam B1 to diagonals D1 and D2 ............................................................................. 12
Connection column to beam B2 ................................................................................................... 14
Connection beam B2 to diagonal D3 ........................................................................................... 15
Stiffeners of column ..................................................................................................................... 17
Load effects .................................................................................................................................. 18
Check the connection ......................................................................................................................... 19
Report ................................................................................................................................................... 21

BV – 2020/09/29 3
Tutorial – IDEA StatiCa connection

Introduction
With IDEA StatiCa you can model and calculate simple and complex connections.
This tutorial will explain:
• How to create a connection with medium complexity;
• How to calculate the connection;
• How to check the connection;
• How to create a report.

4 BV – 2020/09/29
 Modelling the connection

Modelling the connection

Description of the connection

We will create a connection between a column, two beams and three diagonals with following
characteristics:
• Code = EN (Eurocode);
• Material = S 355;
• Cross-section column = HEB300;
• Cross-section beams = HEA400;
• Cross-section diagonals = SHS180/180/12.5;
• Angle of the diagonals = 45°;
• Thicknesses of the welds = 0 (then IDEA takes the default value).
Below you can find different views of this connection:

On the following pages you can find the dimensions of the various elements and operations:

BV – 2020/09/29 5
Tutorial – IDEA StatiCa connection

Front plate: the beam is positioned in the center of the plate. The plate thickness is 16 mm.

Links between the diagonals:

• Connecting plate with thickness = 25 mm

• Lateral plates with thickness = 20 mm and position X = 600 mm

• Tube end lid with thickness = 20 mm

6 BV – 2020/09/29
 Modelling the connection

Connection angles of beam 2:

• Cross-section angle = L100x10
• Located on both sides of the beam web
• Total length of the angle = 300 mm
• Bolts aligned with the center of gravity
• Vertical separation bolt-plate edge = 45 mm
• Vertical separation between bolts = 70 mm

Front plates of the projection in diagonal 3 with thickness = 16 mm

Column stiffeners with thickness = 19 mm

BV – 2020/09/29 7
Tutorial – IDEA StatiCa connection

New project
When starting a new project, the ‘new project’ wizard will open.
Based on the connection you would like to model, you choose a certain class, topology and design or you
completely start from scratch with a blank model.
Also, the parameters such as a project name, project description, default steel grade, default bolt assembly,
default concrete grade and design code can be chosen.
Note: the design code cannot be changed afterwards.
We will take a topology and design where already a column, beam and two diagonals are created and
afterwards we will add the missing members.

8 BV – 2020/09/29
 Modelling the connection

Members
After creating the project, we are in the tab ‘Design’.
We change the cross-section of the elements in the model:
• With ‘edit parameters’, we change the cross-section of the column C to HEB300 and the cross-
section of the beam B1 to HEA400

• With ‘Add new’, we add and apply the cross-section SHS180/180/12.5 (from the group ‘square
hollow sections’) to the diagonals D1 and D2

Note: with ‘edit parameters’ you can only change between cross-section of the same type. Therefore, we
need to use ‘Add new’ to use a hollow cross-section for the diagonals.
We can add an additional beam B2 as a new member (in the toolbar ‘New’).

We can right-click on the name to rename the member to ‘B2’. We select cross-section HEA400 with the
pulldown menu and use an angle of -90° for the β-rotation (and 0° for the α and γ rotations).
We will add another diagonal D3 with cross-section SHS180/180/12.5, β-rotation = -90°, γ-rotation = 45° and
α-rotation = 0°.
For the diagonals (D1, D2 and D3), we could set as model type ‘N-Vy-Vz’ (to avoid moments in these
diagonals/bracings).
Each node of the 3D FEM model must be in equilibrium. One member of the joint is always ‘bearing’ and the
others are connected. The name of the column C is underlined, which indicates that this is the bearing
member. You could make another member bearing by right-clicking on its name or right-clicking on the
member itself in the graphical window and choosing ‘Set bearing’.

BV – 2020/09/29 9
Tutorial – IDEA StatiCa connection

Operations
After inserting the members, we can start connecting the members to each other. Therefore, IDEA uses so-
called operations.

For our exercise we will use some operations which execute multiple commands at once. For example, the
operation ‘End plate – beam to column or beam’ will cut the member, add an end plate and provide bolts or
welds.
Of course, it is also possible to do this with multiple single operations (‘cut’ operation, ‘stiffening plate’
operation and ‘bolt grid or contact’ operation).

10 BV – 2020/09/29
 Modelling the connection

Connection column to beam B1

We use the operation ‘End plate – beam to column or beam’ to connect the column C to the beam B1:

In the properties of the end plate we should define the members which should be connected. The thickness
of the end plate is 16 mm, we use M20 8.8 bolts and we define a rectangular end plate of 300 mm by 990
mm. For defining the dimensions, the X axis of the beam is taken as the reference line.
For defining the position of the bolts, you can make use of the ‘;’ symbol or you use a space between the
values. With ‘;’ the dimension is taken from the reference line. With ‘space’, the dimension is taken relative to
the origin. The symbol ‘*’ is used for repetition.
So for the top layers you could use ‘425 -80 -80 -140 -80 -90 -80 -140 -80 -80’ or
‘425 -80*2 -140 -80 -90 -80 -140 -80*2’ or ‘425; 345; 265; 125; 45; -45; -125; -265; -345; -425’, …
The end plate will be welded to the beam with double fillet welds. If the throat thickness is set as 0.0, it is
calculated as ‘thickness plate / 2’.

You can also right-click on beam B1 and choose for ‘Connect to..’. Then you select the member to connect
with (in this case the column C). Now a window appears which gives you the possibilities to connect both
members with each other. You can select the third option, which will add an end plate.

Now the members are automatically set correctly in the properties window.

BV – 2020/09/29 11
Tutorial – IDEA StatiCa connection

Connection beam B1 to diagonals D1 and D2

We use the operation ‘connecting plate – beam to beam or column’ twice: once to connect diagonal D1 with
beam B1 and once to connect diagonal D2 with beam B1.

We connect the connecting plate with diagonal D1. The new gusset plate will be welded with double fillet
welds to the end plate EP1 and beam B1. The thickness of the gusset plate is 25 mm and we define a
rectangular plate of 300 mm by 300 mm.
The X position of the plate is 600 mm and we take as type ‘Cap plate 2x’ with thickness 20 mm and
dimensions 150 mm by 180 mm. We set the cap plate offset to 10 mm, to the plate which will be welded to
the diagonal will have dimensions 200 mm by 200 mm (180 mm of the hollow cross-section + 2 * 10 mm).
We define the position of the M20 bolts according to the description of the connection.

12 BV – 2020/09/29
 Modelling the connection

The gusset plate has a chamfer. We use the editor to edit the gusset plate and to add a chamfer of 150 mm
to corner 2.

After creating the first connecting plate operation, we can copy this operation and change the member from
D1 to D2.

BV – 2020/09/29 13
Tutorial – IDEA StatiCa connection

Connection column to beam B2

We use the operation ‘cleat’ to connect beam B2 with column C.

We connect the web of member B2 with column C with a profile L100X10 with length 300 mm. We place the
cleat at both sides of the web of B2, with a gap of 10 mm and a notch of 10 mm. We use bolts M20 as fasteners.

You can also right-click on beam B2 and choose for ‘Connect to..’. Then you select the member to connect
with (in this case the column C). Now a window appears which gives you the possibilities to connect both
members with each other. You can select the first option, which will add a cleat.

14 BV – 2020/09/29
 Modelling the connection

Connection beam B2 to diagonal D3

First, we use the operation ‘stub – plate to plate’ on diagonal D3.

We add the plate with thickness 16 mm at 500 mm. We define the dimensions to have a rectangular plate of
300 mm by 280 mm.

We use the editor to edit the plate: we add a rounding of 20 mm to all corners:

BV – 2020/09/29 15
Tutorial – IDEA StatiCa connection

Then, we use the operation ‘cut’ to connect the diagonal D3 with beam B2.

We set ‘Cutting plane’ as ‘Closer’ to trim the diagonal D3 (for extending we would use ‘Farther’).

16 BV – 2020/09/29
 Modelling the connection

Stiffeners of column
We use the operation ‘stiffener’ to model the stiffening plates on column C.

We define the stiffeners, with thickness 19 mm, at 186 mm and -371 mm. We set a chamfer of 30 mm.

BV – 2020/09/29 17
Tutorial – IDEA StatiCa connection

Load effects
Now the connection is modelled, we can add load effects.
A first load effect LE1 is created automatically.
As example, we will add some normal forces and moments to the ends of the beams and diagonals.

When you select ‘Loads in equilibrium’ in the ‘Options’ toolbar, you’ll see if there are unbalanced forces or not.

If there are unbalanced forces, they will be placed on the bearing member (in our project is this column C).

18 BV – 2020/09/29
 Check the connection

Check the connection

Now the connection is modelled and loaded, we can calculate it. The analysis type is set as EPS, which means
that we will perform a stress-strain check.
In the ‘CBFEM’ toolbar we can check the code settings with ‘Code setup’. There you can edit the partial safety
factors, set the limit value for the plastic strain, …

When the code settings are fine, we can launch the calculation with the ‘Calculate’ button in the ‘CBFEM’
toolbar.

If the calculation is successful, some summary results are shown on the top left corner:

We can have a look at the detailed results in the ‘Check’ tab.

There we can have a look at the ‘Overall check’ and the ‘Strain check’.
We can visualize the equivalent stress (see figure below), the plastic strain, the stress in the contacts, the bolt
forces and the deformed mesh.

BV – 2020/09/29 19
Tutorial – IDEA StatiCa connection

It can also be interesting to run the calculation of the buckling shapes. You can launch this calculation via
Calculate > Stress/strains – Buckling (you can launch it only in the Check tab).
The buckling shape can help you to judge e.g. if you need to add stiffeners somewhere.
We can see that buckling shape 3 occurs on beam B2, but since the buckling factor is quite high (> 10), it’s
not necessary to take actions it.

Based on the results, you can judge if this connection is ok or not.

If you have to make changes to increase the strength of the connection or to optimize the components, you
can go back to the Design tab and make the changes. Afterwards, you can calculate and check again.

20 BV – 2020/09/29
 Tutorial – IDEA StatiCa connection

Report
When the connection is finished you can go to the Report tab.
There is a list of items to choose from:

There are also some settings, which allow you to create drawings in certain directions. It is also possible to
turn on the bill of material and the formulas in the report.

In the ‘Type of report’ toolbar you can choose for ‘brief’, ‘one page’, ‘detailed’ or ‘BOM’ (bill of material).
With the ‘Report view’ toolbar you can export the report to several formats: DOC, PDF, DXF.
Note: the header is not editable. If you want to modify it, you can export the report to DOC and edit the header
in Word.
It is possible to add drawings from the gallery. The pictures will be added just before the bolts chapter.
Note: the position of the pictures in the report is not editable. If you want to modify it, you can export the report
to DOC and replace the pictures in Word.

BV – 2020/09/29 21