Graphical connections
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Users of Site Planning can review members with graphical connections by checking the model. Connection Design Calculations and Expanded Connection Design Calculations are not provided for graphical connections.
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What is a graphical connection?
Graphical connections are system connections that have been modified by adding holes in connection materials, or by cutting, editing, deleting or moving connection materials in a program such as SDS2 Detailing . Connections can also be made graphical in a full-featured SDS2 program by deleting connection materials or by simply checking the box for "
Graphical " for the left- or right-end " Connection " field under the "
Information " leaf on the member's edit window.
When one material that makes up a system connection is made graphical, each material that is a part of that connection is tagged as User modified connection material on the material's General Information window.
Graphical connections will not be redesigned so long as they remain graphical.
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When to use graphical connections :
It is generally preferable that system connections not be made graphical whenever possible.
Graphical connections are employed (in, for example, SDS2 Detailing ) when connection design is unable to generate a connection that is to engineering specifications.
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Graphical connections compared to system connections :
Graphical connections do not undergo the limit-state strength capacity testing that system connections undergo during connection design .
Graphical connections usually take a lot longer for a user to create than do system connections.
The Connection Design Calculations Report and Expanded Connection Design Calculations Report do not include strength calculations for graphical connections.
Graphical connections do, however, permit users to create connections for situations where no available system connection will work.