Project: HiCAD Steel Engineering

Cross-bracing (2602)

'Civil Engineering functions' docking window > Steel Engineering > Connections > Web/Flange to Web/Flange > Cross-bracing (2602)

This Design variant connects

• 2, 3 or 4 beams, or
• 4 plates

with a cross-bracing. The cross-bracing can be created with a turnbuckle or a tensioning element, and with one or two diagonals.

When connecting beams it is also possible to mount the cross-bracing to already existing plates.

In addition, two beams that are perpendicular to each other can also be connected by cross-bracing with a diagonal.

Left: Cross-bracing with turnbuckle - 4 beams, 2 diagonals; Right: Cross-bracing between 2 beams that are perpendicular to each other

Bracing type
Here you can specify, by activating or deactivating the corresponding radio button, whether the cross-bracing is to be inserted with Turnbuckle or Tensioning element.

Fitting
Here you can specify whether the 1st and/or the 2nd diagonal is to be inserted.

Tabs
The configuration of the cross-bracing is defined on several tabs:

• Beams+Profiles,
• Semi-finished products,
• Fixing,
• Connecting points and
• Weld seams.

Favourites
The settings in the dialogue window can be saved as Favourites and reused at any time. To do this, click on the at the bottom left of the window to activate the context menu. More about Favourites management can be found in the Manage Favourites topics of the HiCAD Basics Help.

Buttons

Please note:

• Gusset plates, complete with boltings and weld seams will be assigned to the assemblies of the corresponding beams. If such an assembly does not exist, it will be created - with the beam as assembly main part.
• All other elements of the cross-bracing will be placed, per diagonal, into an assembly called Cross-bracing.

Please note:

If you process a cross-bracing subsequently (double-click on the relevant Feature), and then select a different number of beams, existing rework and dimensionings on parts of the cross-bracing may be lost. HiCAD will display the following message:

Beams+Profiles

On this tab you specify which beams are to be connected with each other. If you want to connect beams, the connection will automatically provide the gusset plates that are required for this.

But you have also the option to use already existing plates on the beams as gusset plates. This can be useful in situations where you want to insert two cross-bracings between two beams, and mount the second cross-bracing to the gusset plates of the first cross-bracing.

Connect beams

Activate the desired insertion option and select - if required, by clicking on the symbol - the beams you wish to connect. For each of the beams you can also choose a Usage from the catalogue. If a usage has already been assigned to the assembly of the beam, the Overwrite usage checkbox can be used to specify whether the existing usage is to be kept or replaced by the usage type selected on the Beams + Profiles tab.

Important:

• When selecting the beams, please observe the selection order indicated in the preview image of the dialogue window!
• Possible beam and profile types are:
• I-beams, L-beams, U-beams, T-beams and Hollow profiles for turnbuckles
• I-beams and U-beams for tensioning elements

After selecting the beams, they will be visualized in the model drawing - complete with the diagonals.

Click on the symbol to reset all inputs on the tab.

The connection automatically supplied the gusset plates. But you have also the option to use already existing plates on the beams as gusset plates. This can be useful in situations where you want to insert two cross-bracings between two beams, and mount the second cross-bracing to the gusset plates of the first cross-bracing.

Connect beams by mounting cross-bracing to existing plates

If you want to mount the cross-bracing to plates that already exist on the beams, you can, in addition to the beams, also choose the corresponding plates. To do this, activate the relevant checkboxes beneath Plates, select the plate and specify a point for the centre of the bore grid for the mounting.

Please note the following:

• Plate A and C, as well as Plate B and D, must lie opposite each other.
• The selected plates must be located on the beam.
• If no point for the centre of the bore grid has been determined, or if the point selection has been cancelled, the corresponding checkbox beneath Plates will be automatically deactivated.

An example:

On the left hand side you can see a cross-bracing inserted between two beams. The gusset plates here were created together with the connection. Then, as you can see on the right hand side, another cross-bracing was inserted between the beams, mounted to the gusset plates of the first cross-bracing (A and D).

Connect plates

If you generally want to insert the cross-bracing between two plates - which have not been assigned to any beams - activate the Existing plates checkbox. Then, activate the corresponding checkbox beneath Plates, select the plate and specify a point for the centre of the bore grid for the mounting.

Please note the following:

• Plate A and C, as well as Plate B and D, must lie opposite each other.
• If no point for the centre of the bore grid has been determined, or if the point selection has been cancelled, the corresponding checkbox beneath Plates will be automatically deactivated.

This possibility is now available for the connection type Turnbuckle.

Semi-finished products

On this tab you can specify

• the semi-finished product (Round steel) for the bracing,
• the semi-finished product for the gusset plates on the beams,
• the semi-finished product for the connecting plates, and
• the boltings for the gusset plates and connecting plates.

Click on the symbol to select the semi-finished product directly from the Standard Part catalogues.

Possible semi-finished products are:

Assemble the bolting by clicking on the symbol and selecting the required components in the Bolted/riveted connection dialogue window. Proceed in the same way as you would do for the 3-D function Bolting.

The Boltingwill be inserted as a same-named bolting group. At Assignment: you specify by activating the corresponding radio button, whether this bolting is to be assigned to the assembly of the corresponding beam, or as a loose part that does not belong to any assembly. If you choose "Loose part", the bolting will be inserted on the same structure level as the assembly of the beam.

Fixing

Here you can specify how the diagonals are to be fixed on the beams, and the turnbuckles or tensioning elements to the diagonals.

Fixing - Bracing type: Turnbuckle

Parameters - Bracing type: Turnbuckle
Diagonals	Here you specify the fixing of the diagonals on the beams. If you want to use the same parameters for both diagonals, click on the symbol.
Front flange / Rear flange*	These options are only available if the Mount to flange checkbox beneath Gusset plate on the Connecting point tab has been activated.
Distance from centre axis*	You have the additional option to specify the distance from centre axis. This value determines the insertion point of the first plate on the first identified column beam.
Gusset plate*	You can choose rectangular or pentagonal plates as gusset plates. The dimensions of these plates can be specified on the Connecting point tab.
Position of round steel to connecting plate	Use these options to specify the position of the round steel on the connecting plate - separately for the 1st and 2nd diagonal. Possible are the following positions: Centre (slotted), Front Back Example (1) Front, (2) Centre (slotted), (3) Back
Turnbuckle	Here you specify the fixing of the turnbuckles on the 1st and 2nd diagonal. If you want to use the same parameters for both turnbuckles, click on the symbol.
Position of turnbuckle	With the following options you specify the position of the turnbuckle on the 1st and 2nd diagonal: Length of 1st round steel The position of the turnbuckle is determined by the length of the round steel (>0). Distance from beam The turnbuckle has a particular distance from the beam (>0). Distance, percental The turnbuckle has a particular distance from the beam (>0). The distance of the turnbuckle from the beam is specified in the form of a percentage with regard to the length of the bracing, i.e. to the start point and end point of the round steel.
Create welding end (A) and (B)	Activate or deactivate these checkboxes to determine whether welding ends are to be created or not. The turnbuckle can be created without, with one or with two welding ends. Depending on the position of the turnbuckle, one or two round steels with or without threads will be created as a result. Example (1) Turnbuckle, (2) Round steel, (3) Welding ends
Select turnbuckle from catalogue	Here you select the turnbuckle. Click the  symbol to directly select the part from the standard part catalogue.
Usage	Here you can assign a usage to a turnbuckle. The default setting is Cross-bracing.

* These options are not available if plates have been selected on the Beams+Profiles tab.

Fixing - Bracing type: Tensioning element

Tensioning element

Connecting point

Here you specify how the gusset plates are to be mounted onto the beams, and the connecting plates to the gusset plates. Also, the size of the gusset plates, the position of the bolting and the corner processing for the plates can be specified here.

The setting options on this tab may vary, depending on the gusset plate that was selected on the Fixing tab.

Connecting point - Bracing type: Turnbuckle - Gusset plate = Pentagonal plate

Connecting point - Bracing type: Turnbuckle - Gusset plate = Rectangular plate

* Not all options will be available if plates have been selected on the Beams+Profiles tab.

Connecting point - Bracing type: Tensioning element

Bracing type
	For each of the tensioning elements you can specify how it is to be mounted to the beam. Click on the corresponding number button to choose the required tensioning element and then specify the desired settings. If you want to use the same parameters for all tensioning elements, click on the symbol.
General	By selecting one of the symbols you specify how the position of the tensioning element is to be determined - via point selection or distance input.
	Point, as intersection point of beam axis and round steel axis. Specify the required point. The intersection point of the beam axis and the round steel axis will then be located in this point.
	Distance Beam start – Intersection point of beam axis and round steel axis Enter the required distance.

Weld seams

On this tab you can specify for the bracing type Turnbuckle which weld seams are to be created. One distinguishes between weld seams

• at the gusset plates,
• at the connecting plates and
• at the welding ends.

Activate or deactivate the corresponding checkboxes to specify where weld seams are to be created. For each edge you can set the Type of thickness designation, the Weld seam thickness, the Weld seam type and the Inspection category. If you want to apply the same settings to all gusset plates, click on the Equate symbol.

Weld seams tab

For continuous HV and HY weld seams, enter 0 as the weld seam thickness.

Connections + Variants (3-D-SE) • Dialogue Window for Connections (3-D SE) • The Catalogue System for Connections + Variants (3-D SE)

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