Design of a Joint for Thin Plate Beams

[FelipeDosset]

Good morning,

I am having trouble or I am not sure if it is possible to make the following connection with the steel joints add-on for RFEM 6.
I have the following design:

It is a continuous square tubular section post, in which I want to join two beams. One of them is a beam with a C-shaped cross-section (white) that inserts into the U-section beam (blue). I want to know if it is possible for the L-shaped sleeve to be bolted on one side to the web of the U beam and on the other side to be bolted both to the web of the C beam and to the web of the square tubular beam.

Currently, I get an error because the sleeve plate intersects with the web of the C beam (white).

Any information on whether this connection can be made or not will be very helpful.
Thank you very much.
Best regards

[gerhard.rehm]

Hi FelipeDosset,

thanks for your message!

To analyse the problem more precisely, the model file would be very helpful:

Click on File → Save as and choose the following settings to reduce the file size:

Then upload the file here (e.g. *.rf6, *.rs9) – this way, the community can also contribute to the solution.

Prefer not to share the file publicly? No problem – send it to me via direct message: click on my profile picture or user name → Message.

Best regards
Gerhard Rehm

[FelipeDosset]

Hi Good Morning,

Ok, i uppload here, i hope you can analize clairly.
TFM_FelipeDosset_STEELJOINTS.rf6 (1,5 MB)
I am tryinng to define the joint in the node nº 18.

Thank you very much.
Best reggards.

[gerhard.rehm]

Thank you for the file.

1. A member cut is not needed, because the component "Cleat" has it included directly. This is enough:
   

   

2. The front cleat makes no sense
   

   

3. Connect member 2 with member 3. When you connect member 3 with member 1 the web of the C-section is not considered:
   

   

4. Now there is the problem, that you cannot directly connect all 3 plates with the bolts with plate components. Please use this workaround:
   

   

5. Insert bolts manually and defined that the bolts should go through all 3 elements:
   

   

6. Repeat the same for cleat 2:
   

   

7. Inser bolts manually:
   

   

8. As you can see, there is a gap between the flanges:
   

   

Since it is small, it has not such an high influence and calculation is possible. In case you wanna have a proper connection, you need to define member eccentricities to allign the components perfectly. I have attached the file (without member eccentricities).
TFM_FelipeDosset_STEELJOINTS.rf6 (1,5 MB)

[FelipeDosset]

Thank you very much for the explanation!!
Very kind!
Best regards