Seated Beam Connection (" Connection specifications " and more)

On this page :

Setup of beam seats :

Also see :

user defined | auto standard | beam | system

General information about beam seats :

  • Beam seats are applied in a full-featured SDS2 program on the ends of beams, but are detailed on (shop welded to or shop bolted to) columns. Plate seats can only be shop welded to the column. Angle beam seats (stiffened or unstiffened) can be shop welded or shop bolted to the column.
  • A bolted stability angle may be designed with the beam seat and may optionally be detailed on the beam or on the column. Welded stability angles are not designed by the program and do not appear on details, but are assumed to be shipped loose.
  • A full-featured SDS2 program can automatically design a seat for a W or C or tube (HSS rectangular) beam framing into the flange or web of a wide flange or HSS rectangular column, but cannot design a beam seat for a beam framing to an HSS round column. ' Plate ' seats can be designed for beams that slope as much as 30 degrees from horizontal.
  • WT , L or plate may be used as the seat material for beam seats.
  • Connection design in a full-featured SDS2 program looks to relevant setup options and beam seat connection specifications to determine beam seat design.

user defined | auto standard | beam | system | top

------ " Connection specifications ' for ' Seated ' beam connections ------

" Connection specifications " are read-only in an Site Planning. You can find this set of conn specs on the Beam Review window when ' Seated ' is the " Input connection type ." For auto standard or user defined connections, conn specs are not on the Beam Review window, but can be found at Home > Project Settings > Job > Auto Standard Connections or User Defined Connections

Seat material: Plate or Unstiffened L or Stiffened L or Tee . This " Connection specifications " option can be found on the Beam Review window and at Home > Project Settings > Job > Auto Standard Connections and Home > Project Settings > Job > User Defined Connections .

' Plate '
' Unstiff L '
' Stiffened L '
' Tee '

In a full-featured SDS2 program . . .

' Plate ' seats can be designed for beams that slope as much as 30 degrees from horizontal.

' Unstiffened L ' or ' Stiffened L ' or ' Tee ' seats must be applied to the end of a beam framing perpendicular to a column. Also, there must be angle sections listed in Home > Project Settings > Fabricator > Standard Fabricator Connections > Preferred Angle Sizes or W tee sections listed in Home > Project Settings > Fabricator > Standard Fabricator Connections > Preferred WT Sizes . If appropriate angle or tee sizes are not listed, connection design defaults to using plate material for the seat.

Stability angle: Field bolted or Field welded . This " Connection specifications " option sets the method of field attachment for the beam seat's stabilizing angle. The option can be found on the Beam Review window and at Home > Project Settings > Job > Auto Standard Connections and Home > Project Settings > Job > User Defined Connections .

' Field bolted '
' Field welded '

In a full-featured SDS2 program . . .

' Field bolted ' specifies that the stabilizing angle be detailed with (and shop attached to) either the column or the beam, or that it be shipped loose (depending on the choice made to Home > Project Settings > Fabricator > Connection Detailing and Fabricator Options > " Show field bolted stability angles ").

' Field welded ' specifies that a stability angle be shipped loose. Since the angle is not shop attached to either of the two connecting members, it is not created by connection design and does not appear in the model.

Location: On flange or On web . This applies when -- here in " Connection specifications " -- " Stability angle " is set to ' Field bolted '.

' On flange '
' On web '

In a full-featured SDS2 program . . .

' On flange ' instructs connection design to field bolt the stability angle (or bent plate for a sloping beam) to the top flange of the beam. For the angle on a non-sloping beam, connection design uses the Home > Project Settings > Fabricator > Connection Erectability Settings > " Stability angle section size ."

' On web ' specifies that connection design attempt to field bolt the stability angle to the web of the beam per the Single Clip Angles All-Bolted clip angle configuration for the specified " NM bolt diameter " ( Beam Edit or User Defined ) or " NM bolt diameter " ( Auto Standard ). It first tries a ' Wide Gage ' angle, and then a ' Narrow Gage ' angle.

Seat to supporting member: Bolted or Welded . This applies when -- here in " Connection specifications " -- ' Unstiffened L ' or ' Stiffened L ' has been selected as the " Seat material ."

' Bolted '
' Welded '

In a full-featured SDS2 program . . .

' Automatic ' specifies that connection design apply the choice made to Home > Project Settings > Fabricator > Standard Fabricator Connections > Beam Seat Settings > " Angle seat to supporting member ."

' Bolted ' instructs connection design to field bolt the angle seat to the supporting column and shop bolt the angle seat to the supported beam. The seat is a submaterial of the beam and is drawn on the beam detail.

' Welded ' configures connection design to shop weld the angle seat to the column. The seat is a submaterial of the column and is drawn on the column detail.

Seated plate grade: Auto or user-entered . This " Connection specifications " option applies to plate seats, but not to tee seats or angle seats. The option can be found on the Beam Review window and at Home > Project Settings > Job > Auto Standard Connections and Home > Project Settings > Job > User Defined Connections .

In a full-featured SDS2 program . . .

'   Auto (checked) ' specifies that connection design apply the " Plate material grade " that is selected in Home > Project Settings > Fabricator > Standard Fabricator Connections > Preferred Plate Sizes > " Seat Plates " section.

'   Auto (not checked) ' lets a user of that full-featured SDS2 program select a steel grade on the list box ( ). Choices on the list box come from Home > Project Settings > Job > Plate Grades .

Embed plate location: Automatic or Inside wall or Outside wall . This " Connection specifications " option applies when a beam frames to a concrete wall and this beam end's " Input connection type " is ' Seated ' and an " Embed schedule entry " has been made for that same end. The option can be found on the Beam Review window and at Home > Project Settings > Job > Auto Standard Connections and Home > Project Settings > Job > User Defined Connections .

In a full-featured SDS2 program . . .

' Automatic ' specifies that the choice made to Concrete Setup > Embed Schedule > " Plate location " sets whether the plate is located inside the concrete wall or flat to the surface of the wall.

' Inside wall ' embeds the plate in the concrete wall .

' Outside wall ' locates the plate flat to the wall.

user defined | auto standard | beam | system | top

Connection design locks for beam seats :

Connection design locks for beam seats may appear, under a leaf with one of the below-listed names, on the Beam Review window or on a Connection Component window. They may also appear on the User Defined Connections window.

Connection Design Locks
(" Input connection type " = ' Seated ')
Leaf Name Situation
Seated Tee This leaf appears when ' W tee ' has been selected as the " Seat material " for the beam seat.
Seated Plate  ' Plate ' is selected as the " Seat material ."
Seated Angle ' Angle ' is selected as the " Seat material ."
Web Stability Angle " Field bolted " beam seats with stability angles bolted ' On web '.
Top Flange Stability Angle " Field bolted " beam seats with stability angles bolted ' On Flange '.

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