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STAAD.Pro and RAM Connection Link

INTRODUCTION
Bentleys STAAD.Pro V8i and RAM.Connection have joined forces to now provide STAAD customers the facility to design structural steel connections in an integrated environment. Once the steel structure has been analyzed and designed using STAAD.Pro, member profiles and design forces can be automatically be exported out to RAM.Connection to design connections. The user will be able to view connection design results in the STAAD interface. RAM.Connection can currently design connections as per the AISC ASD, LRFD and the new 13th edition unified code. The STAAD.Pro and RAM.Connection link currently only supports connection design as per the AISC ASD and LRFD code.

Figure 1 - 3D View of a Building Structure

RAM.Connection (ASD)
The user will be able to design families of connections including: beam-to-column flange, beam-to-column web, beam-to-girder, beam-to-beam, column splices, beam splices, column-beam-brace gusset connections, chevron brace connections, X brace connections and brackets. 1. Open the WHBuilding-Bracing.std file in STAAD.pro V8i. 2. Run the analysis using the Analyze > Run Analysis menu command. 3. Click on the RAM.Connection tab below the row of icons at the top right corner of your screen.

Figure 2 - Beam 197 and column 334 are selected

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4. In this exercise, we will try to design a connection for column 334 and beam 197 as shown in Figure 2. 5. Press the New Envelope button located on the bottom right hand side corner of your screen. Using this feature, you will be able to specify the loads that are to be used for the connection design. 6. In this model, we have generated the load combinations using STAAD.pro automatic AISC load generator. We would like to use all the load combinations for the connection design. Therefore click on the Show Load Combinations Only and Select All Load Cases Shown Below check boxes.
Figure 3 - Creation of the load envelope

7. Click on the Ok button. On the right hand side of the screen, Design Envelope 1 tree item will be created under the Envelope tree item. 8. Select Beam 197 and column 334 as shown in Figure 2 using the mouse and pressing and holding the CTRL key on your keyboard. 9. Click on the Create Joints button on the right hand side data area. The Joint dialog box will appear and will list the column and beam number and set the joint type to BCF. You need to verify if this information is correct. In our model, we are designing a Beam-to-column flange connection so this information is correct. Please refer to section AD.2007-1001.5.1 RAM Connection Design Mode in the STAAD.Pro help documentation for a list of connection types that are supported. 10. Click on the Ok button. Note that a grey colored triangle will appear in the STAAD.Pro graphics window indicating that you have created a joint. Please refer to section AD.2007-1001.5.1 RAM Connection Design Mode in the STAAD.Pro help documentation for joint color coding scheme. The grey color simply indicates that no Design Brief has been associated to the joint.

Figure 4 - Joint dialog box

Figure 5 - Joint has been created

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Figure 6 - Design brief dialog box

Figure 7 - Setting up the design brief

Note that in the data area, the J1-BCF entry has been created in the Joints tree item. 11. Click on the Create Brief button located in the data area. The Design Brief dialog box will appear. Note that the user may select any load envelope that he/she has created. 12. Select the AISC-ASD code. Note that the Design Connections Individually button has been checked off. If this button is check on, STAAD.Pro will assign different connection configurations to different joints included in the same brief.
Figure 8 - Joints Cursor

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13. Select the Basic SP BCF (i.e. Shear Plate, Beam to Column Flange) connection in the connection selection box. The basic connection allows the user to specify a connection for a joint or specify a group of connections to a joint. STAAD.Pro and RAM. Connection will pick the one that is suitable for the group of connections. If the Smart connection type is selected, RAM.Connection will create a connection from scratch and suggest an optimum connection. In this exercise, the Basic SP BCF will be assigned. 14. Transfer all the connections from the left hand side to the right hand side using the double arrows pointing towards the right. 15. Press the Ok button. Note the B1: Design Brief 1 tree item is created in the data area. 16. Select the Joints Cursor on the left hand-side of your screen.
Figure 9 - Connection Design Dialog box

17. Select the B1: Design Brief 1 in the data area. 18. Select the Assign to Selected Entities option in the data area. 19. Press the Assign button. 20. You have successfully defined the connection design parameters. To design the connection using RAM.Connection, click on the graphics window in the white area and then click on Connection Design > Design All Connections menu command. The connection design dialog box will appear showing you the status of the connection. 21. Click the Done button. 22. Select the Joints Cursor on the left hand-side of your screen. 23. Double click on the BCF connection. 24. The RAM.Connection Pad interface will open as shown in Figure 10.

Figure 10 - RAM.Connection Pad

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25. The RAM.Connection interface will show the connection design details in the graphics window. Notice that 2 3/4 bolts are used to carry shear. Click on the rotation controls to see the connection details in 3D. You may also see a dxf of the connection using the dxf icon. 26. To view the connection design calculations, click on Results icon. 27. Close the RAM.Connection pad interface by pressing the Ok button. Return back to the STAAD.pro interface and click on Drawings and Reports control tab on you left. Click on C1 Conn. No. on the right hand side and you will notice that the graphics window gets populated with the connection design drawing and the calculation sheet just below it as shown in Figure 12.

Figure 11 - RAM.Connection Pad - DXF

Figure 12 - Connection design drawing in STAAD.pro interface

2009 Bentley Systems Incorporated. Bentley, the B Bentley logo, RAM, STAAD, and STAAD.Pro are either registered or unregistered trademarks or service marks of Bentley Systems, Incorporated, or one of its direct or indirect wholly-owned subsidiaries. Other brands and product names are trademarks of their respective owners. DAA038010-1/0001 04/09

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