General Front Plate Connection, Double-Sided (1322) (3-D SE)

"Civil Engineering functions" docking window > Steel Engineering > Connections > Front side to web/flange side > Front plate > General front plate connection, double-sided (1322)

Use this function to connect beams with a bolted front plate connection - with or without stiffeners. The connection can be made to the web or to the flange of a beam. Depending on the fitting situation, the connected beam will be notched automatically. Furthermore, weld seams can directly be inserted and annotated if desired.

Identify the beam you want to connect.
Identify the target beam to which the connection is to be made.
The General front plate connection, double-sided dialogue window will be displayed.

The General front plate connection, double-sided (1322) dialogue window

The configuration of the front plate connection takes place via the different tabs of the dialogue window.

After entering all required data you can fit the front plate. If you select Apply, the plate will be fitted, but the dialogue window will remain open. If you select OK, the plate will be fitted, and the dialogue window will be closed. If you exit the dialogue window with Close, the function will be cancelled and the plate will not be fitted/changed.

After entering all required data, you can fit the plate. If you select Apply, the plate will be fitted, but the dialogue window will remain open. If you select OK, the plate will be fitted, and the dialogue window ill be closed. If you select Close, the changes will be discarded and the window will be closed without fitting the plate.

Please note:

The front plate and the boltings will be assigned to the assembly of the beam to be connected. If such an assembly does not exist yet, it will be created and will then contain the beam, the front plate and the bolting. If the plate is generated with weld seams, a part called Weld seam is additionally assigned to the assembly. The stiffeners are assigned to the assembly of the target beam to which the connection is made.
If you exit the window with Close, the fitting of the front plate will be cancelled. If you select Apply the plate will be fitted and the dialogue window will remain open. If you select OK, the plate will be fitted and the dialogue window will be closed.
The weld seams tags are only defined in the dialogue, they are however not automatically inserted in the drawing. To insert the weld seam tags, right-click a weld seam and select Insert weld seam tag in the context menu and specify the start point of the tag by identifying a point or an edge.

Manage configurations

Configurations can be saved, enabling you to access your individual, customised configurations at any time.

More about configurations

Configure front plate connection

The front plate connection is configured via the different tabs of the dialogue window:

Selected parts,
Front plate,
Stiffeners,
Notch and
Weld seams.

Selected parts

This tab provides information about the previously identified beams, e.g. designation, material, dimensions etc. Value inputs or modifications are not possible here.

Front plate

In this tab you specify type and size of the plate, the position of the plate in relation to the beam, the bore type and the and the bore grid.

The Front plate tab

Clearance

Here you enter the value fore the clearance, i.e. the distance of the plate from the second identified beam.

Semi-finished product

The plate can consist of sheet metal or flat steel. Click the icon to select plate type and material directly from the corresponding standard part catalogues.

Geometry

You can choose between three methods for the definition of the geometry (size) of the plate. Select the desired method from the Definition listbox.

Definition - Absolute
A plate defined by the specified width/height is fitted, which can be moved by a specified offset in x- or y-direction. The values specified for the offset determine the distance from the plate's centroid to the beam's centroid.

Furthermore, you have the following options for the positioning of the plate:

Front plate x / y
You can position the plate, through specification of the corresponding settings, in such a way that particular points on the plate or a bore lie exactly in the centroid of the beam cross-section (1st beam).

Positioning options

Beam x / y
The plate will be positioned in such a way that the centroid of the beam cross-section lies in one of the displayed points of the beam:

Positioning options

If you have entered an offset, the plate will be moved accordingly.

Definition - With projection
The plate size is determined by the identified beam and the specified projection.

Example

Definition - With projection beyond grid
The plate size is determined by the identified beam and the specified projection beyond the bore grid.

Example

Boltings

Here you can define the bolting set, e.g. type of the bolt, bore diameter etc. Click the icon and select the bolting components. Proceed in the same way as you would do with the Steel Engineering Boltings function.

Grid

The bore grid determines the position and arrangement of the bores on the end plate.

X- and Y-offset (distance to centroid of beam)
Number of bores in X- and Y-direction and their distance to each other. If you want all bores running in one direction to have the same distance to each other, you can simplify the data entry by doing the following: Enter the distance value into Change all field. All fields will automatically be assigned the entered value.

Stiffeners

You can create the connection with or without stiffeners. The settings can be made separately for the upper and the lower stiffener.

The Stiffeners tab

If you want to fit the stiffener, activate the Insert checkbox and click the icon to select the stiffener type from the catalogue.

Further parameters are as follows:

Fitting type	Here you define how you want the stiffener to be fitted: Either perpendicular to the reference point or aligned.
Type	Activate the corresponding radio button to specify whether you want to insert a full stiffener or a partial stiffener.
Dimensions	Specify the width of the stiffener, or activate the Auto checkbox if you want HiCAD to automatically determine the width.
Others	Enter a value for the clearance, if desired.
Int. corner	Here you specify the data of the internal corner. Depending on the selected corner option, these refer to the chamfer length or the fillet radius. If you want HiCAD to automatically determine the value, activate the Auto checkbox.
Ext. chamfer	Here you specify the data of the external chamfer for partial stiffeners. Enter, depending on the selected option, the values for chamfer lengths and chamfer angles.

Notch

Depending on the fitting situation, the beam to be connected will be notched automatically. On this tab you can specify the options for the notching.

The Notch tab

Type

Bore out and Radius are available as notch types. Select the desired option and enter the fillet radius.

Length x Height

You can chose between automatic and manual input of length and height of the notch. Automatic determination selects the standardised minimum values for height and length according to DASt guidelines while taking the entered minimum flange distance into account. The following options are available:

Automatic
Enter the fillet radius R, the distance from web aS and the minimum distance aF from the flange.

Enter
Enter the length L and the height H of the notch instead of the minimum distance from the flange.

Weld seams

You use the Weld seams tab to place weld seams onto the edges of connected beams.

The Weld seams tab

Activate the corresponding checkboxes to select the edges on which you want to place the weld seams. You can select a weld seam type for each edge and specify the thickness of the seam. Furthermore, you can define weld seam annotations for all edges to be welded together. Click the , symbol to open the Weld seam dialogue. It is operated largely in the same way as the dialogue of the 3-D function Insert weld seam symbol.