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  4. Introduction to the Tekla Structural Designer user interface
  5. Overview of the Project Workspace
  6. Project Workspace Connections window

Project Workspace Connections window

Tekla Structural Designer
Modified: 13 Nov 2024
2024
Tekla Structural Designer

Project Workspace Connections window

The Connections tree organizes steel connections in a hierarchical way, by Type (i.e. Type/Reference), and by Group (i.e. Type/Section size/Reference).

Overview

When opened for the first time, or if the model has been edited in a way that affects the connection configurations within it, you must run Update Connections in order to determine the valid connections and group them.

This applies a set of rules to create and organize connections into the following Types:

  • Beam to Beam Moment Connections (MBC)
  • Beam to Beam Simple Connections (SBC)
  • Beam to Column Moment Connections (MCC)
  • Beam to Column Simple Connections (SCC)
  • Beam Brace Connections (BBC)
  • Column Beam Brace Connections (CBBC)
  • Column Brace Connections (CBC)
  • X Brace Connections (XPC)
  • Column Splices (CSC)
  • General Connections (GC)
If working to the British Standard design code only, the following connection Type is also provided in order to allow this type of connection to be edited and designed using Tekla Connection Designer:
  • Base plate connections (BP)

Valid connections are listed in the Connections tree and grouped (by connected member sizes) in the Connection Groups tree. They are also represented by a box in the active scene view, (provided 'Box' is selected in the Connections group in the Scene Content side pane).

Note: Simple connection resistance, Column base plate design, and SidePlate sizing are independent processes that do not require valid connections to be formed in the above manner. Consequently no information is displayed for them in the Connections tree, (unless working to British Standards, in which case base plates are displayed).

Update connections

To create connection objects for the first time, or to recreate connections after changes to the model:

  1. Click on the Connections tree in the Project Workspace
  2. Right-click the Connections branch.
  3. Choose Update Connections from the context menu.

    This applies a set of rules to determine all valid steel connections in the model. The resulting connections are listed in the Connections Tree and are also shown by bounding boxes in the Scene Views.

    Note: If the model has been changed so that new connections exist, these are not created automatically; you are required to update connections as required.

Grouping of connections

Connection objects are grouped automatically by their associated member section size, the resulting groups being displayed in the Project Workspace > Connection tree.

The following rules are applied in automatic connection grouping:

  • Beam to Beam Simple Connections - are grouped by the associated beam section size. Where there are two different sizes of beams associated with connection then grouping is based on the higher section size of the beam.

  • Beam to Column Moment Connections - are grouped by the associated column section size.

  • Beam to Column Simple Connections - are grouped by the associated column section size.

  • Beam brace connections - are grouped by the largest associated brace section size.

  • Column beam brace connections - are grouped by the largest associated brace section size.

  • Column brace connections - are grouped by the largest associated brace section size.

  • X brace connections - are grouped by the largest associated brace section size.

  • Column Splices - are grouped by the associated column stack below section size.

  • General Connections - where a general connection is associated with a column then it will be grouped by the column stack below section size, otherwise it will be grouped by the associated beam section size.

Select connection in visible views

  1. In the Connections tree, right click on the appropriate connection reference to open the context menu.
  2. Choose Select in visible views
    The connection is selected if it exists in the active scene view.

Select connected members in visible views

  1. In the Connections tree, right click on the appropriate connection reference to open the context menu.
  2. Choose Select connected members in visible views
    The members attached to the connection are selected in the active scene view.

Export connection to IDEA StatiCa

This option is available for all connection types apart from Column Splices and X brace connections. An IDEA StatiCa license is also required.
  1. In the Connections tree, right click on the appropriate connection reference to open the context menu.
  2. Choose Export connection to IDEA StatiCa
    The connection is exported to IDEA StatiCa from where it can be designed.

Edit, design, or export connection using Tekla Connection Designer

These options are only available for moment connections to the Eurocode and British Standards regional codes. A Tekla Connection Designer license is also required.
  1. In the Connections tree, right click on the appropriate connection reference to open the context menu.
  2. Choose one of the following options: from the context menu.
    1. Edit <connection reference> using Tekla Connection Designer
      This will open a dialog allowing the connection geometry and loading to be edited.
    2. Design <connection reference> using Tekla Connection Designer
      This will design the connection in the background using Tekla Connection Designer and display the results in a dialog.
    3. Export <connection reference> using Tekla Connection Designer
      This will open the Tekla Connection Designer application to allow the connection to be edited and designed.
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