Bolted plate to plate connection design (EN)

1 New project

Launch IDEA StatiCa and select the Connection application.

Create a new project by selecting the starting template closest to the desired design. Fill in the name and choose Eurocode as the design code and the steel grade as S235.

2 Geometry

Two beams were automatically added. Change the cross-section of member B1 to a welded I section and define the cross-section dimensions (height, flange thickness, and width and thickness of the web).

Assign the same cross-section to member B2. You can use the drop-down menu.

3 Load effects

One load effect was automatically generated. Change the values of internal forces in the chart.

4 Design

You can see that one manufacturing operation (Plate to plate) was automatically created by the template, and you can simply modify it: change the bolts and welds properties. 

5 Check

Start the analysis based on CBFEM by clicking Calculate in the ribbon. The analysis model is automatically generated, the calculation is performed and you can directly see the overall check results in the top-left corner of the scene.

More detailed results can be displayed in the Check tab: activate the Strain check, Bolt forces, Mesh, and Deformed shape of the connection in the ribbon to get a full picture of what is happening in the joint. 

Individual results can be checked in the appropriate tables. E.g., open the Bolts tab to see the utilization of each bolt. You can see that some bolts are almost unused and may be removed to optimize the design.

You can also look at the bolt check equations in the expanded menu.

6 Optimization

IDEA StatiCa Connection allows easy optimization of the design. 

We pointed out that the utilization of some bolts is close to zero. You can remove them and make the design more economical.

Right-click on the connecting plate and open the Editor. Click Explode the bolts table and delete bolts 5, 7, 9, 11, 17, 19, 21, and 23.

Re-run the Calculation and check the updated results. The new design passed all the checks, and you saved 1/3 of the bolts.

7 Report

At last, you can review the Report. IDEA StatiCa offers a fully customizable report to print out or save in an editable format.

You have designed, optimized, and code-checked a bolted plate-to-plate connection according to Eurocode (EN).