Advance Steel - Eurocodes 3

Advance Steel includes an improved connection design engine with extended capabilities for the fast and easy checking of steel connections according to Eurocodes 3 and AISC rules. The program is able to run specific checks according to Eurocodes 3 rules for several types of connections, optimizing connection design for all structural elements of the model.

Example: Eurocodes 3 connection design for beam to column knee of frame bolted with haunch

Advance Steel, Connection Design according to Eurocodes 3
For each steel connection, Advance Steel provides an interactive window that allows users to define the desired parameters.

All changes made in this window can be viewed in real time. Moreover, the collision check tool warns when connection elements overlap, and also notifies the user whether there is enough space for a wrench to fit between the bolts.

The beam to column knee of frame bolted with haunch is a typical connection, commonly used between steel structural elements. After defining the connection parameters and efforts based on the connection calculation, users can easily check if the steel connection follows Eurocodes 3 rules.

Advance Steel, beam to column knee of frame bolted with haunch

Advance Steel, beam to column knee of frame bolted with haunch

The checking is performed separately for each connection component.

Bolts check
End plate and column check
Column web check
Haunch check
Global analysis

Bolts check

Distances between bolts and to the plate end must be between the minimum and maximum allowed values specified by Eurocodes 3 rules.

End plate and column check

Checking the bolt shear and bolt bearing at the end plate and column.

The end plate is checked for shear yielding, shear ultimate and block tearing.

Advance Steel: End plate and column check

Column web check

Several geometric verifications, resistance and stability checks are performed at the column web in order to avoid buckling.

Haunch check

Haunch elements (web and flange) are geometrically checked as well as for tension.

The beam web is checked for tension.

Weld length and thickness are checked together with the stresses resulting from the load type.

Weld checking is performed for all welded elements.

Global analysis

Advance Steel, Moment - Rotation diagram of a steel connection

The global analysis can be done only if the defined hypotheses are compatible with the predictable behavior of steel connections. For moment distributions, the beam to column connections are usually modeled as fully hinged and fully fixed. Actually, the connection behavior is in between these two extremes. For this reason, Eurocodes 3 specifies an intermediary type of connection: the semi-rigid connection.

Starting from the moment - rotation M - Φ behavior curve of a connection, three main characteristics can be distinguished:

Young modulus or tangent modulus for a given moment, M_Sd
Design resistance moment, M_Rd
A rotation capacity Φ_Cd greater than M_Rd moment

Taking into account these characteristics, beam to column connections are classified as a function of stiffness and resistance.
According to stiffness, three areas can be distinguished on M - Φ diagram, based on M_pl - Φ_pl beam characteristics. These areas are determined by the initial K₀ stiffness of the steel connection.

The steel connection design module of Advance Steel applies the connection classification according to stiffness. The connections design module generates a Moment – Rotation diagram for each verified connection.