Column releases
The following column release options are provided:
Moment releases
- Pinned - Pinned to the adjacent stack and connecting members. This means pinned about the major and minor axes of the section but fixed torsionally.
- Fixed - fully fixed
- Fixed, and set as a cantilever end - Cantilever ends can be applied to the top or bottom stacks. When applied, both ends of the chosen stack are set to fully fixed.
- Moment (pin My) - Pinned about the y axis only
- Moment (pin Mz) - Pinned about the z axis only.
Note: While Moment (pin My) and
Moment (pin Mz) releases are less usual, for continuous columns composed of two
or more stacks, they have been provided in response to customer feedback, to allow
any/all column stacks to be pinned in one direction whilst the other direction remains
fixed.
When such a release is applied, a Warning status is issued in the Column Property dialog. This is intentional and does not prevent analysis or design - as the Warning tooltip states, it is to prompt the engineer to consider the connection details at this location in the column.
Translational releases
- Fy and Fz releases are prevented in all stacks i.e. no ‘roller’ connections.
- Fx (axial) release allowed at the top of the topmost stack only.
- Mx (torsional release allowed in all stacks.
Set releases in a Review View
While column releases can be set
directly in the Properties window/Properties dialog they can also be set or toggled graphically in a
Review View as follows:
- Use the Show/Alter State Fixed/Pinned attribute to review or apply pinned/fixed ends
- Use the Show/Alter State Cantilever end attribute to review or apply cantilever ends