Horizontal Brace Edit

The navigation tree is found in the left pane of the Horizontal Brace Edit window. It makes navigating the window easier. Right-click opens a menu with options to "Expand all" and "Collapse all". A "Delete" option is shown on the menu if you right-click a custom component. Selecting a section name opens the corresponding leaf on the Horizontal Brace Edit window.
  • General Overview
  • Tips and Tricks
  • Related Tools

General Settings

" Show images " (when checked) displays drawings that depict the dimensions that are controlled by connection design locks.

" Overlay " (when checked) displays one leaf at a time. When you select a leaf, either from the tree on the left or from inside the window itself, all other leaves collapse.

Copy, Paste, Save, Load buttons:

  • The position of these "form" buttons on the window tells you what settings they apply to. Click here for more information.
  • You can Copy ( ) the settings on this window, then Paste ( ) those settings to a different edit window of the same type.
  • Save ( ) saves a file to a global folder ( ) that is used by your current version of SDS2. Give the file a name that will help other users identify its purpose. Load ( ) replaces the settings on this window (except Piecemark) with the settings that are stored in the file that you select.
  • When editing multiple windows at the same time, Paste and Load replace mixed entries to a single field with a single entry. Copy and Save ignore fields with mixed entries, treating them as if they have no entry or do not exist.

"Properties" opens the Edit Properties window, on which you can make entries to custom properties . If your current Job was set to use a legacy flavor when it was created, the window that opens is named Custom Properties , not Edit Properties .

Tip: The Edit Properties window can also be used to read " Log " entries or review or type " Notes ."

Tip: The Member Properties command is an alternative to this button. It opens the Edit Properties window directly, without your first having to open a member edit window.

" Status " opens the Member Status Review window, which can give you additional information about the member, and which you can use to enter status information or designate a member as an existing member .

Note: This button shows if one or more " Repeat " check boxes on the Member Status Review window do not match the checked-unchecked state of same-named fields in User and Site Options > Site > " Member status items to copy/repeat ." On the Status Review window, the fields that do not match User and Site Options are plotted in red .

" OK " (or the Enter key) closes the edit window and saves any changes you have made on the window to the member file.

Solids on "OK" : If the appropriate choice is made to User and Site Options > Modeling > " Automatically process after modeling operation ," then this member will automatically be regenerated (Create Solids will take place) after your press " OK ." Otherwise, you will have to manually Process and Create Solids in order for changes you made on this window to be fully updated in the 3D model.

Change all: If you Edit Member (one member only) and make a change that potentially triggers the " Do you want to change all ... " dialog and the 3D model contains more than one member of the same type that has the same piecemark as the member you changed, a yes-no dialog opens. On it is the question, " Do you want to change all (members with this piecemark). " Press the " Yes " button to change all the members; press the " No " button to change only this member.

" Cancel " (or the Esc key or the button) closes the edit window without saving any changes that you have made. " Cancel " does not undo a " Detail Member " operation.

Note: If you opened this window while adding a member, " Cancel " brings you back to the work point location step of adding a member.

Tip: Any time you use Edit Member just to review a member (and you do not want to set the defaults for to-be-added members), the best way to close this window is to " Cancel. "

" Reset " undoes any changes made since you opened this window.

Exception: " Reset " does not undo changes made using the " Add View " " Delete View " " Detail Member " " View detail " buttons.

Connection Specifications

Hbrc plate

Connection Specific Locks

Horizontal Brace to a Beam's Top Flange

  Gusset One Member Square (angle)

  Brace Connection To Gusset (angle)

  HB Conn2 (angle, gusset welded to beam's web)

  Brace Connection To Gusset Hss Bolted (HSS, pipe, tube)

  Brace Connection To Gusset Hss Paddle (HSS, pipe, tube)

  Gusset One Member (HSS, pipe, tube)

  HB Conn2 (HSS, pipe, tube)

  Gusset One Member Square (W, WT, 2L)

  Gusset One Member (L, W, WT, 2L)

  Brace Connection To Gusset (W, WT, 2L)

  HB Conn2 (W, WT, 2L)


Horizontal Brace to a Beam's Web

  Gusset One Member Square (angle)

  Brace Connection To Gusset (angle)

  HB Conn 2 (angle, gusset weld to beam web)

  NS/FS Clip Conn2 (gusset clip angle(s) bolted or welded to beam web)

  Gusset One Member (HSS, pipe, tube)

  Brace Connection To Gusset Hss Bolted (HSS, pipe, tube)

  Brace Connection To Gusset Hss Paddle (HSS, pipe, tube)

  HB Conn2 (HSS, pipe, tube, gusset welded to beam's web)

  Gusset One Member Square (W or WT or 2L to beam web)

  Gusset One Member (L, W, WT, 2L)

  Brace Connection To Gusset (W or WT or 2L to beam web)

  HB Conn2 (W or WT or 2L, gusset weld to beam web)

  Bottom Gusset One Member (wflg brace to bottom flange)


Horizontal Brace Perpendicular to a Beam

  Gusset One Member Perp (angle, to beam flange)

  Brace Connection To Gusset (angle, to beam flange)

  HB Conn2 (angle, gusset weld to beam flange)

  Gusset One Member Perp (HSS, pipe or tube, to beam web or flange)

  Brace Connection To Gusset Hss Bolted (HSS, pipe or tube, to web or flange)

  Brace Connection To Gusset Hss Paddle (HSS, pipe or tube)

  HB Conn2 (HSS, pipe or tube, gusset weld to beam web or flange)

  NS/FS Clip Conn2 (gusset clip angle(s) bolted or welded to beam web)

  Gusset One Member Perp (W or WT brace, perpendicular, to web or flange)

  Brace Connection To Gusset (W or WT brace, perpendicular, to web or flange)

  HB Conn2 (W or WT, gusset weld to web or flange)

  Bottom Gusset One Member Perp (W or WT brace, perp, to bottom flange)

  Gusset One Member Perp (angle, to beam web)

  HB Connection To Gusset (angle, to beam web)

  HB Conn2 (angle, gusset weld to beam web)


Horizontal Brace 2- or 3-point bracing

  Gusset 2 Point Square (angle braces, to top flange)

  Brace Connection To Gusset (angle braces, to top flange)

  HB Conn2 (angle braces, gusset weld to top flange)

  Gusset 2 Point (HSS, pipe or tube braces, to top flange)

  Brace Connection To Gusset Hss Bolted (HSS, pipe or tube, web or flange)

  Brace Connection To Gusset Hss Paddle (HSS, pipe or tube)

  HB Conn2 (HSS, pipe or tube braces, gusset weld to top flange)

  Gusset 2 Point Square (W, 2L or WT braces, shared gusset, to top flange)

  Gusset 2 Point (L, W, 2L or WT braces, shared gusset, to flange or web)

  Brace Connection To Member (W, 2L or WT braces, to top flange)

  HB Conn2 (W, 2L or WT braces, gusset weld to top flange)

  Gusset 2 Point (angle braces, to beam web)

  Brace Connection To Gusset (angle braces, to beam web)

  HB Conn2 (angle braces, gusset weld to beam web)

  NS/FS Clip Conn2 (clip angle(s) bolted or welded to beam web)

  Gusset 2 Point (HSS, pipe or tube braces, to beam web)

  HB Conn2 (HSS, pipe or tube braces, gusset weld to beam web)

  Gusset 2 Point (W, 2L or WT braces, to beam web)

  Brace Connection To Gusset (W, 2L or WT braces, to beam web)

  Bottom Gusset 2 Point (W braces, to beam bottom flange)


Horizontal Brace Intersection (X bracing)

  Gusset Intersection (angle braces)

  Brace Connection To Gusset (angle braces)

  Gusset Intersection (WT braces)

  Brace Connection To Gusset (WT braces)

  Gusset Intersection (HSS, pipe or tube braces)

  Brace Connection To Gusset Hss Bolted (HSS, pipe or tube)

  Brace Connection To Gusset Hss Paddle (HSS, pipe or tube)


Horizontal Brace to Beam-Beam Corner

  HB Conn1 or HB Conn2 (bolted to top flanges)

  Clip Angle or NS/FS Clip Conn2 (gusset clips, web)

  Gusset To Two Beams Square (angle brace)

  Brace Connection To Gusset Square (angle brace)

  Gusset To Two Beams (HSS, piper or tube brace)

  Brace Connection to Gusset Hss Bolted (HSS, pipe or tube brace)

  Brace Connection to Gusset Hss Paddle (HSS, pipe or tube brace)

  Gusset To Two Beams Square (W, 2L or WT brace)

  Gusset To Two Beams (L, W, 2L, WT)

  Brace Conn To Gusset (W, 2L or WT brace)


Horizontal Brace to Beam-Column-Beam Corner

  HB Conn2 or HB Conn2 (bolted to top flanges)

  NS/FS Clip Conn1 or NS/FS Clip Conn2 (gusset clips, web)

  Gusset To Two Beams Square (angle brace)

  Brace Connection To Gusset Square (angle brace)

  Gusset To Two Beams (HSS, pipe or tube brace)

  Brace Connection To Gusset Hss Bolted (HSS, pipe or tube brace)

  Brace Connection To Gusset Hss Paddle (HSS, pipe or tube brace)

  Gusset To Two Beams Square (W, 2L or WT brace)

  Gusset To Two Beams (L, W, 2L, WT)

  Brace Connection To Gusset (W, 2L or WT brace)

Left/Right End Limit State

  • The capacity of a connection is calculated for various limit states during connection design.
  • Connection design takes place when you Process and Create Solids, or when you change a connection design lock.
  • Limit states are based from Home > Project Settings > Job > Design > Design Settings > Design method > Connection design method.

  • Limit state formulas are output to expanded calculations.

  • Unity ratio calculations make it easier to visualize the amount of excess capacity in the connection. For example, if the maximum unity ratio is 0.95, then there is an additional 5% of capacity available based on the connection created for this beam.

  • When changing connection design locks, refer to the reported limit state to better assess how your changes affect the capacity of the connection.
  • Horizontal braces are system members.
  • Horizontal braces may be input so they are perfectly horizontal or so that they slope up to 30 degrees from horizontal.
  • To get to a view that is in the same plane as the beams, invoke Snap to Surface and click the top flange of one of the beams.
  • Multi-member edit mixed entries are gray.
  • " Show images " (when checked) displays drawings that depict the dimensions that are controlled by connection design locks.
  • " Overlay " (when checked) displays one leaf at a time. When you select a leaf, either from the tree on the left or from inside the window itself, all other leaves collapse.
  • Custom component settings will appear on the Horizontal Brace Edit window only if a custom component has been added to the horizontal brace (using Model > Component > Add).
  • To show / hide the member tree, select the expand and collapse arrow ( ).