The Moment Plate Design Settings window ( Job Settings )

Also see :

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To open Moment Plate Design Settings :

Method 1 : Home > Project Settings > Job > Design > Moment Plate Design Settings .

Methods 2, 3 & 4 : In Modeling or the Drawing Editor , choose Settings > Job Settings > Moment Plate Design Settings (classic), or use a keyboard shortcut , or click the icon.

Password protection: If a password has been set using the Change Setup Password utility, you can open this window only if you first enter that exact password.

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Corner operation for flange stiffeners: Cope or Clip . This applies to moment flange plates (for welded and bolted moment connections to a column web) and to column flange stiffeners (for welded and bolted moment connections to a column flange). It also applies to stability plates .

moment flange plates column flange stiffeners
' Cope '
' Clip '
' Cope '
' Clip '

Select ' Cope ' if you want a 90 degree cope where the two corners of the moment flange plate or stiffener plate frame to the supporting column web. These corner copes are made so that the plate clears the column's corner fillet radii.

Select ' Clip ' if you want a single, 45 degree cut made at each of the corners of the framing edge of the plate. As do corner copes, these corner clips ensure that the plate clears the k distance and k1 distance of the supporting column.

Corner operation for flange stiffeners sized by: Total length or Dimension added to corner fillet radius .

tl = total length da = dimension added

The ' Total length ' sizes the cope or clip only if the resulting cut is long enough to clear the k distance and k1 distance. This means, for example, that the default entry of 1/2 inch (or 20 mm) will never be applied to typical column section sizes -- the actual, designed cut will be longer.

The ' Dimension added to corner fillet radius ' applies to the sizing of the cope or clip only if the value entered is larger than ' 0 ' (zero).

Total stiffener clearance: A distance (in the primary dimension " Units " or other units ). The clearance at each end of a stiffener is 1/2 of the "total clearance" that is entered here. ' 0 ' makes the stiffener flush to the surface. This applies to welded moment stiffener plates (flange plates for welded moments to a column web) and to column " Stiffeners " for beam moment connections (continuity plates).

A welded moment connection to a column web . The clearance at each end of the stiffener is 1/2 of the " Total stiffener clearance " that is entered here, in Job Setup .

A welded moment connection to a column flange . The clearance shown in this example is 1/2 of the " Total stiffener clearance ."

Also see: " Total stiffener clearance " on the Plate Design Settings window provides similar control of clearances on non-moment stiffeners.

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|| To Column Flange || To Column Web || To HSS Column || Back-up Bars on Welded Connections ||

------ Web doublers ------

Also see: Connection design applies column web doublers when " Design for doublers " is selected on the Beam Edit window or in User Defined Connections setup. Beam web doublers are a different animal.

Minimum doubler plate thickness: A distance (in the primary dimension " Units " or other units ).

Effect on design: Connection design applies column web doubler plates as thick or thicker than the minimum thickness entered here based on analyzing the amount of web shear applied by beams with moment connections framing into column flanges.

Doubler plate extension above top flange of beam: A positive or negative (-) distance (in the primary dimension " Units " or other units ).

en = distance the doubler plate is extended above the top flange of the beam.

Enter a ' positive distance ' to instruct connection design to extend the doubler plate that distance above the top flange of the beam.

Enter a ' negative (-) distance ' to drop the doubler plate that amount below the top flange of the beam.

Doubler plate extension below bottom flange of beam: A positive or negative distance (in the primary dimension " Units " or other units ).

eb = distance the doubler plate is extended below the bottom flange of the beam.

Enter a ' positive distance ' to instruct connection design to extend the doubler plate that distance below the bottom flange of the beam.

Enter a ' negative distance ' to raise the doubler plate that amount above the bottom of the bottom flange.

Doubler plate side on column web: Both or NS or FS . This applies when " Column web doubler side " is set to ' Automatic ' in the " Moment " leaf on the Beam Edit window or at Home > Project Settings > Job > User Defined Connections .

' Both '
' NS ' (near side)
' FS ' (far side)

When " Column web doubler side " is ' Automatic ' . . .

' Both ' specifies that connection design apply doubler plates on both sides of column webs when doubler plates are required. The thickness of each of these two doubler plates will likely be less than if only one doubler plate were used.

' NS ' instructs connection design to apply a single doubler plate on the near side of the column web. This single doubler plate may be as thick as the combined thicknesses of doubler plates on both sides of the web.

' FS ' configures connection design to apply a single doubler plate on the far side of the column web.

Allow doubler plate to infringe on column K dimension:  or .

If this box is checked ( ), connection design allows the doubler plate to infringe on the column K dimension.
The " Maximum doubler plate K infringement " setting is enabled.

If the box is not checked ( ), connection design will not allow the doubler plate to infringe on the column K dimension. The " Maximum doubler plate K infringement " setting is disabled.

Maximum doubler plate K infringement: The value set here controls the maximum distance the doubler plate is allowed to infringe on the column K dimension. This setting is enabled when the " Allow doubler plate to infringe on column k dimension " setting is checked ( ) and disabled when it is not checked ( ).

Doubler plate weld groove angle: The value set here controls the degree of angle which the vertical edges of the column web doubler plate are beveled when required. The vertical edges of the plate are beveled and a bevel groove weld is applied when the plate thickness is 3/8" (10mm) or greater. The vertical edges of the plate are not be beveled and a square groove weld is applied when the plate thickness is less than 3/8" (10mm). Also see " Doubler plate weld root face dimension ".

Doubler plate weld root face dimension: The value set here controls the root face of the vertical edges of the column web doubler plate when beveled edges are required. This only applies when the doubler plate thickness is 3/8" (10mm) or greater. Also see " Doubler plate weld groove angle ".

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------ Flange stiffeners ------

Design depth: As needed or When needed use full depth or Use full depth at all connections . This applies to any beam moment connection to a column flange that is designed when the box for " Design for stiffeners " is checked under the beam end's " Moment " Beam Edit window or at Home > Project Settings > Job > User Defined Connections . The beam end's " Moment type " can be ' Welded ' or ' Bolted '. The column's " Section size " must have an I-shaped profile with flanges; for example, wide flange, S shape or welded plate wide flange.

' As needed '
' Full depth '

When " Design for stiffeners " is checked . . .

' As needed ' lets connection design determine, based on the moment, whether full-depth, half-depth or no stiffeners are needed. End connection failure message: Column flange stiffener length less than minimum required

' When needed use full depth ' also lets connection design determine whether stiffeners are needed. If stiffeners are needed, they will be full depth. End connection failure message: Column flange stiffener length not fit the column

' Use full depth at all connections ' instructs connection design to create full-depth stiffeners whenever the beam frames to the flange of a column. End connection failure message: Column flange stiffener length not fit the column

Note: The length of full-depth moment flange stiffeners are the distance between the column flanges minus the " Total stiffener clearance " that is specified on this window.

Connection design locks: " Column Flange Stiffeners "

Determine plate thickness by: Increasing beam flange or flange plate thickness by percentage or Increasing beam flange or flange plate thickness by dimension or Design as needed .

The first two choices set the thickness of flange stiffeners ( ts ) to be either a percentage increase, or a dimension, added to the beam's flange thickness ( tf ). The connection may be a welded moment connection (shown) or a bolted moment connection (not shown). The box for " Design for stiffeners " must be checked for such stiffeners (continuity plates) to be designed.

' Increasing beam flange or flange plate thickness by percentage ' instructs connection design to calculate the thickness of the stiffener plate ( ts ) by multiplying the percentage that is entered here ( % ) by the beam's flange thickness ( tf ) and then adding that result to the beam's flange thickness ( tf ). Thus ts = tf + (% * tf) . For a beam flange thickness of 1 inch and a percentage of 25, this would result in 1 1/4 inch thick stiffener plates.

' Increasing beam flange or flange plate thickness by dimension ' instructs connection design to calculate the thickness of the stiffener plate ( ts ) by adding the distance entered here ( dim ) to the beam's flange thickness ( tf ). Thus ts = tf + dim . For a beam flange thickness of 1 inch and a distance of 1/4, this would result in 1 1/4 inch thick stiffener plates.

' Design as needed ' instructs connection design to calculate the thickness of the stiffener plate ( ts ) by evaluating how thick the stiffeners need to be to stand up to the " Moment load ."

Warning: You may get the end connection failure message " Column stiffener not thick enough " if you choose either of the first two options, though such a failure is unlikely when the default values are used. If you chose ' Design as needed ', you will not get this failure message so long as the " Plate thickness " in the " Column Flange Stiffeners " leaf is unlocked ( ).

Also see: Home > Project Settings > Fabricator > Standard Fabricator Connections > Plates > the " Column Stiffeners " section lets you set the " Plate material grade " and limit the plate thicknesses that can be applied.

Add additional stiffeners at compressive beam flange if haunch is designed:  or . Under Construction.

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------ Morris stiffeners ------

Minimum morris stiffener thickness: Under Construction.

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------ Haunches ------

Design: As needed or For all moment end plates . This applies when the " Connection design method " is ' EUROCODE 3 ' or ' EUROCODE 3 UK ', the " Section size " of a beam is a wide flange and the " Input connection type " is ' End plate ' or ' User defined ' and the " Moment type " is ' Bolted '.

' As needed ' permits connection design to design haunches in place of top and/or bottom moment end plate flange stiffeners on an as-needed basis.

' For all moment end plates ' instructs connection design to always design haunches in place of top and/or bottom moment end plate flange stiffeners.

Connection design locks: " Top / Bottom Moment Haunch Stiffener " " Moment Stiffeners "

Default haunch location: Top or Bottom or Both . This applies to beam-to-column framing situations when the " Connection design method " is ' EUROCODE 3 ' or ' EUROCODE 3 UK ', the " Section size " of a beam is a flanged shape such as wide flange , the " Input connection type " is ' End plate ' or ' User defined ', the " Moment type " is ' Bolted ," and the " Haunch location " is ' Auto '.

When " Haunch location " is ' Auto ' . . .

' Top ' designs a haunch for the top flange of the beam.

' Bottom ' designs a haunch for the bottom flange of the beam.

' Both ' designs two haunches, one for the beam's top flange, the other for the beam's bottom flange.

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|| To Column Flange || To Column Web || To HSS Column || Back-up Bars on Welded Connections ||

Determine welded moment flange stiffener thickness by increasing beam flange thickness by: Percentage of flange or Dimension . This sets the method that used to determine the thickness of the stiffener plates for a welded moment connection on a beam to a column web. Click here for an example from the Connection Guide. Click here for information on connection design locks.

Select ' Percentage of flange ' and enter a percentage if you want connection design to create welded moment flange plates that are the beam flange thickness plus the percentage of the flange thickness that is entered here.

Select ' Dimension ' and enter a distance if you connection design to apply welded moment flange plates that are the beam flange thickness plus the distance that is entered here.

Note: Beam flange thickness is defined independently for each section size in the local shape file .

Example 1: The flange of a beam whose left end frames to the web of a column is 1 inch thick. You specify a welded moment shear plate connection for the left end of that beam. A " Percentage of flange " of ' 25 ' is entered here. Connection design creates moment flange plates that are 1 1/4 inch thick.

Example 2: The flange of a beam is 1 inch thick. You specify a welded moment shear plate connection for the left end of that beam. A " Dimension " of ' 1/4 ' is entered here. Connection design creates moment flange plates that are 1 1/4 inch thick.

Plate extension for welded moment: The distance (in the primary dimension " Units " or other units ) that you would like the plate to extend past the flanges of the column. Click here for an example from the Connection Guide. Click here for information on connection design locks.

x = the distance the welded moment plate extends beyond the flanges of the column.

Tapering: Connection design is able to generate a welded moment column web plate that is tapered if the " Plate extension ... " ( x in the above illustration) is greater than 2.5 inches and the flanges of the supported beam are sufficiently narrow. If the width of the beam flange requires a " Taper width " ( tw ) that is greater than the overall plate width ( pw ) minus 1.5 inches ( tw > pw - 1.5 inch ), connection design generates the plate without a taper.

Top flange moment stiffener location: Flush top or Centered or Flush bottom . This sets the placement of the top flange stiffener plate for a beam with a welded moment connection framing to a column web -- click here (Connection Guide) or here (connection design locks) for examples.

' Flush top '
' Centered '
' Flush bottom '

' Flush top ' instructs connection design to place the top surface of the top stiffener in the same plane as the top flange of the beam.

' Centered ' centers the top surface of the top stiffener with respect to the bottom flange of the beam.

' Flush bottom ' places the bottom surface of the top stiffener in the same plane as the bottom surface of the top flange of the beam.

Bottom flange moment stiffener location: Flush top or Centered or Flush bottom . This applies when ' Welded ' is selected as the " Moment type " on a wide flange beam framing perpendicular to a wide flange column web -- click here (Connection Guide) or here (connection design locks) for examples.

' Flush top ' instructs connection design to place the top surface of the bottom stiffener in the same plane as the inside surface of the bottom flange of the beam.

' Centered ' instructs connection design to center the top surface of the bottom stiffener with respect to the bottom flange of the beam.

' Flush bottom ' instructs connection design to place the bottom surface of the bottom stiffener in the same plane as the bottom surface of the bottom flange of the beam.

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|| To Column Flange || To Column Web || To HSS Column || Back-up Bars on Welded Connections ||

Wrap flange plates around column:  or . This option tells connection design which type of moment flange plate to use at an HSS column.

If this box is checked ( ), connection design uses a moment flange plate that wraps around the supporting HSS column.

If the box is not checked ( ), connection design uses a moment flange plate on the flat width of the HSS column wall.

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|| To Column Flange || To Column Web || To HSS Column || Back-up Bars on Welded Connections ||

------ Solids and Detailing Options ------

Depending on the choices made under this tab, a back-up bar may be shown in the model (after Create Solids ) or in the member bill of material (after Detail Members ). A back-up bar for a welded moment connection is never shown on the member detail itself, but may be shown in the member's bill of material. To instruct connection design to create a welded moment connection, set the " Moment type " to ' Welded '.

Material type: Flat Bars or Plates . This applies to welded moment connections. Such connections are designed when the " Moment type " is set to ' Welded '. A back-up bar may be created for such a connection when " Create solids for back-up bars in modeling " is on. Regardless of the choice made here, connection design will look to the Back-up Bar Schedule to determine the size of back-up bar that is required.

Couldn't find '1/2x1' in the flat plate schedule.

   
When the " Material type " is ' Flat Bars ', you might get a warning like this one. The warning keeps this window open until you fix the problem.

' Flat Bars ' instructs connection design to validate the Back-up Bar Schedule to ensure that all " Dimensions " entries made to it correspond to entries made to the miscellaneous Preferrred Flat Bar Sizes list. This ensures that only flat bars will be used as back-up bars for welded moment connections.

' Plates ' instructs connection design to allow " Dimensions " entries to the Back-up Bar Schedule to not match entries made to the miscellaneous Preferrred Flat Bar Sizes list. Plate material will be used for the welded moment connection back-up bar whenever connection design cannot find a matching flat bar on the Preferrred Flat Bar Sizes list.

Material grade: A36 or A572-42 or etc. This sets the steel grade that will be applied to the back-up bar for a welded moment connection. Such connections may be designed when the " Moment type " is set to ' Welded '. Back-up bars are included with welded moment connections when " Create solids for back-up bars in modeling " is on.

Effect on the model: If " Create solids for back-up bars in modeling " is turned on, then the " Steel grade " for a flat bar back-up bar will be the " Material grade " specified here. If the back-up bar is a plate, then its " Steel grade " will also be the " Material grade " that is specified here.

Effect on the bill of material: If Home > Project Settings > Fabricator > Bill of Material Layout > " Steel grade " is specified to be shown in the bill of material and Job Setup > Moment Plate Design Settings > " Bill of Material and Detailing Options " is set to show the back-up bar in the bill of material, then the " Material grade " that is selected here will be shown in the " Steel Grade " column on the member's bill of material.

Available material grades for plates and flat bars: Cells under the " ASD/LRFD/CISC " tabs for Plate Grades and Flat Bar Grades are filled out with the same material grades. This means that, so long as the " Connection design method " is ' ASD13 ' or ' LRFD13 ' or ' CISC8 ' or ' CISC9 ' or ' ASD9 ' or ' LRFD3 ' or ' ASD14 ' or ' LRFD14 ' ' or ' CISC10 ', the steel grades that are listed here will be the same as those listed in Home > Project Settings > Job > Material Grades > Flat Bar Grades .

Create solids for back-up bars in modeling: or . Regardless of the choice made here, back-up bars will not be shown on the member detail itself.

VIDEO A back-up bar can be generated in solids form on a welded moment connection. ( SDS2 Detailing , v2015)

Create solids for back-up bars ...
Create solids for back-up bars ...

If this box is checked ( ), then non-seismic back-up bars may be generated when the " Moment type " is set to ' Welded ' and " Seismic moment frame member " ( Beam Edit > " Seismic " leaf) is set to ' No ' or possilbly ' Automatic '. Seismic back-up bars will also be generated if " Create solids for seismic connections " is checked.

If the box is not checked ( ), then back-up bars for welded moment connections will not be generated during Create Solids .

Create solids for seismic connections: or . Regardless of the choice made here, the back-up bar will not be shown on the member detail.

If this box is checked ( ), then back-up bars for seismic welded moment connections may be generated when the " Moment type " is set to ' Welded ' and " Seismic moment frame member " is set to ' Yes ' or possibly ' Automatic '.

If the box is not checked ( ), then back-up bars for seismic welded moment connections will not be generated during Create Solids .

Bill of Material and Detailing Options: Show as total linear feet or Show in BOM as quantity by length or Do not show in BOM . This applies during Detail Members . You need to have back-up bars in the model in order to get them in the bill of material. In order to get back-up bars in the model, " Create solids for back-up bars in modeling " needs to have been on during Create Solids .

Show as total linear feet
Show in BOM as quantity by length

' Show as total linear feet ' results in the two back-up bars for each beam with a welded moment connection being reported as having a " Unit Quantity " of 1. The " Length " reported will be the combined length of the two back-up bars. The annotation " LIN FT " (' Imperial ') will be added to the " Remarks " column.

' Show in BOM as quantity by length ' results in the two back-up bars for each beam with a welded moment connection being reported as having a " Unit Quantity " of 2. The " Length " reported will be the actual length of one back-up bar. The " Minor Mark " of the two back-up bars will be listed.

' Do not show in BOM ' results in back-up bars not being shown in the member bill of material.

------ Back-up Bar Schedule ( columns on ) ------
(sets the back-up bar size when " Create solids for back-up bars in modeling " is on)

Min. Connection Width (included): The width (in the primary dimension " Units " or other units ) that the welded moment connection must be equal to or greater than in order for Create Solids to generate the back-up bar specified on this line.

A welded moment connection with a connection width of exactly 4 1/2 inches would get the back-up bar specified on line 2 since 4 1/2 is excluded from line 1 but included for line 2.

In this example, the field welded moment connection frames perpendicular to a column web, and the connection width is therefore equal to the W section's flange width (bf) . For a skewed connection, the connection width would be greater than the beam's flange width since the W section's flange would be cut at an angle instead of square.

Note: In order for Create Solids to generate a back-up bar, " Create solids for back-up bars in modeling " needs to be turned on.

Max Connection Width ( excluded ): The width (in the primary dimension " Units " or other units ) that the welded moment connection must be less than in order to get the back-up bar specified on this line.

A welded moment connection with a connection width of exactly 5 1/2 inches would get the back-up bar specified on line 3 since 5 1/2 is excluded from line 2 but included for line 3.

The connection width in this example is exactly equal to the length of the field weld along the beam's top flange.

Length: The length (in the primary dimension " Units " or other units ) that the back-up bar will be in the model when a welded moment connection undergoes Create Solids with " Create solids for back-up bars in modeling " turned on.

The 3D field weld for the back-up bar is not shown in this example since the display of " Welds " are turned off in Display Options .

This is the " Material length " of a flat bar. It is the " Order length " or " Part length " for a rectangular plate.

Dimensions (Thickness x Width): The thickness x width of the back-up bar (flat bar or plate).

The thickness of a back-up bar corresponds to the " Material thickness " of a flat bar. Its width corresponds to the flat bar's " Material width ." If a rectangular plate is used instead of a flat bar, then these dimensions correspond to the plate's " Material thickness " and " Material width ."

Couldn't find '1/2x1' in the flat plate schedule.


   
When the " Material type " is ' Flat Bars ', an entry made here is validated. If there is no matching entry in the miscellaneous Preferrred Flat Bar Sizes list, you get a warning like the one shown in this example.

A flat bar from the miscellaneous Preferrred Flat Bar Sizes list will be used for the back-up bar if the " Dimensions " entered here match an entry made to the Preferred Flat Bar Sizes list. If the " Material type " is ' Plates ', it is possible that there will be no match; in which case, connection design will use rectangular plate material.

Description: The section size of the flat bar or plate material.

For this example, ' 1/2x1 ' was entered as the " Dimensions (Thickness x Width) " for lines 4 and 5. Since the " Material type " was set to ' Plates ' and no FL1/2x1 entry had been made to the miscellaneous Preferrred Flat Bar Sizes list, the program automatically entered PL1/2x1 as the " Description " for lines 4 and 5.

When the welded moment connection back-up bar is generated, the section size entered here will be filled out as the " Description " of the material on that material's General Information window. If " Bill of Material and Detailing Options " is set to show the back-up bar in the member bill of material, then Detail Members applies the entry made here as the " Description " of the material on the member bill of material.

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To close Moment Plate Design Settings :

   

"OK" (or the Enter key) closes the Moment Plate Design Settings window and saves the settings on it to the Job Settings file in your current Job .

Validation : If you switched the " Material type " for back-up bars from ' Plates ' to ' Flat Bars ', the Back-up Bar Schedule will be checked for invalid entries to its " Dimensions " fields. If such invalid entries are found, you will not be permitted to exit this window until those entries are fixed or you switch back to ' Plates ' as the " Material type ."

Note: If you want changes to this window applied to particular members, you can Process Selected Members then Process and Create Solids . Or you can Mark Members for Processing then Process and Create Solids .

"Cancel" (or the Esc key) closes this window without saving any changes. that you might have made to it.

"Reset" undoes all changes made to this window since you first opened it. The window remains open.

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