CSE

Connection Study Environment - Guide
Version 6.90
http://www.castaliaweb.com
Via Pinturicchio, 24
20133 Milan - Italy
staff@castaliaweb.com
Copyright 2000-2015 - Castalia srl
Revision 46, November, 17, 2015
Foreword
C.S.E. is a wide and ambitious software program dealing

with steel connections. The project has begun at the end of
the 90s, and still lasts: many thousands hours of work,
study and research have been spent for this project.
The program is explained by the guide, here presented, and
by many lessons and films available at the web site:
www.steelchecks.com
You are kindly requested to point out any possible mistake
or part that should be better explained writing to
staff@castaliaweb.com.
Thank you very much
Paolo Rugarli

C.S.E. - 2001-2015 - Copyright Castalia srl - Milan - Italy - www.castaliaweb.com
All rights reserved. No parts of this work may be reproduced in any form or by any means - graphic, electronic, or
mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping, or information storage and retrieval systems - without the written
permission of the publisher.
Registered user can freely copy this document for internal use only.
Products that are referred to in this document may be either trademarks and/or registered trademarks of the respective
owners. The publisher and the author make no claim to these trademarks.
While every precaution has been taken in the preparation of this document, the publisher and the author assume no
responsibility for errors or omissions, or for damages resulting from the use of information contained in this document or
from the use of programs and source code that may accompany it. In no event shall the publisher and the author be liable
for any loss of profit or any other commercial damage caused or alleged to have been caused directly or indirectly by this
document.
Created: 17/11/2015 in Milan
Producer:
Castalia srl
C.S.E. Author:
Ing. Paolo Rugarli
Guide by:
Ing. Marco Croci
Ing. Paolo Rugarli
Guide supervision:
Ing. Paolo Rugarli
Web:
www.castaliaweb.com
Assistance:
Table of Contents
Foreword
18
Part I Introduction
20
1 Licence
................................................................................................................................... 20
2 How to
...................................................................................................................................
use this guide
22
3 Overview
................................................................................................................................... 24
4 Bolted and welded joints computation (Analisi e calcolo,
...................................................................................................................................
27
supplemento
32/2008)
5 Release
...................................................................................................................................
notes
42
6 CSE scope
...................................................................................................................................
and functionality
43
7 CSE interface
................................................................................................................................... 55
8 General
...................................................................................................................................
introduction to the Commands
58
9 Units ...................................................................................................................................
of measurement
59
Part II Quick Start Guide
63
1 Work...................................................................................................................................
steps
63
Step 1: get
..........................................................................................................................................................
a FEM model (BFEM)
64
I cannot complete
..........................................................................................................................................................
step 1!
65
Step 2: get
..........................................................................................................................................................
the JNodes
66
I cannot complete
..........................................................................................................................................................
step 2!
68
Step 3: construct
..........................................................................................................................................................
and check Renodes
68
Step.........................................................................................................................................................
3.1: geometrical construction of the Renode
69
I cannot
.........................................................................................................................................................
complete step 3.1!
72
Step.........................................................................................................................................................
3.2: setting and executing checks
72
I cannot
.........................................................................................................................................................
complete step 3.2!
75
Step 4: construct
..........................................................................................................................................................
the 3D global model
76
2 The Commands
................................................................................................................................... 76
3 The Interface
................................................................................................................................... 77
4 FAQ ................................................................................................................................... 78
Part III How to...
86
1 Start ...................................................................................................................................
from scratch
86
2 Understand
...................................................................................................................................
the various operational steps
88
3 Understand
...................................................................................................................................
CSE interface
89
4 Import
...................................................................................................................................
a FEM model
91
5 Create
...................................................................................................................................
a FEM model from scratch
146
6 Create
...................................................................................................................................
the jnodes
148
7 Search
...................................................................................................................................
equal jnodes
149
8 Analyse
...................................................................................................................................
or modify a jnode
150
9 Start...................................................................................................................................
building the (re)nodes
150
Table of Contents
10 Print...................................................................................................................................
information about the jnodes
153
11 Understand
...................................................................................................................................
connections in CSE
154
12 Treat...................................................................................................................................
composite components
158
13 Choose
...................................................................................................................................
the type of bolt layout
161
14 Understand
...................................................................................................................................
the checks carried out by CSE
166
Resistance
..........................................................................................................................................................
checks on the joiners (bolt and weld layouts)
166
Bolt.........................................................................................................................................................
layouts
167
Weld
.........................................................................................................................................................
layouts
185
FEM checks
..........................................................................................................................................................
on individual components (throughs and members)
193
Bolt bearing
..........................................................................................................................................................
pressure checks
202
Punching
..........................................................................................................................................................
shear checks
212
Pull-out..........................................................................................................................................................
checks on anchor bolts in anchor bolts layouts
214
Shear checks
..........................................................................................................................................................
on slip-resistant joints (bolt layouts)
217
Bearing..........................................................................................................................................................
surface checks in bolt layouts with bearing surfaces
222
Simplified
..........................................................................................................................................................
resistance checks for members and throughs
224
Net.........................................................................................................................................................
sections check: overview
225
Identification
.........................................................................................................................................
of members net sections
232
Identification
.........................................................................................................................................
of throughs net sections
233
Standard
.........................................................................................................................................................
sections check: overview
236
Standard sections
.........................................................................................................................................
check for members
238
Standard sections
.........................................................................................................................................
check for throughs
239
Block tearing
..........................................................................................................................................................
checks
244
Deformability
..........................................................................................................................................................
checks
251
User checks
.......................................................................................................................................................... 253
Guided ..........................................................................................................................................................
user checks
255
15 Select
...................................................................................................................................
your checks
257
16 Understand
...................................................................................................................................
pre-defined variables
258
17 Understand
...................................................................................................................................
what exactly CSE does
262
18 Understand
...................................................................................................................................
CSE's basic hypotheses
264
19 Consider
...................................................................................................................................
the effects of members shift
267
20 Check
...................................................................................................................................
a (re)node
271
21 Examine
...................................................................................................................................
the results of the checks
272
22 Check
...................................................................................................................................
the results
273
23 Read...................................................................................................................................
the output listing
276
24 Manage
...................................................................................................................................
the report
281
25 Manage
...................................................................................................................................
parametric renodes
285
Suggestions
..........................................................................................................................................................
about prenodes recording
289
26 Select
................................................................................................................................... 290
27 Create
...................................................................................................................................
FEM models of the components
291
28 Create
...................................................................................................................................
FEM models of a set of components or of the whole node
305
29 Readjust
...................................................................................................................................
a (re)node after a modification
315
30 Work
...................................................................................................................................
with the files created by CSE
320
31 Export
...................................................................................................................................
information to other programs
322
32 Understand
...................................................................................................................................
the limitations of LIGHT mode
323
The renode
..........................................................................................................................................................
bar in the light version
325

33 Create
...................................................................................................................................
fixed-alignments drawings
328
34 Take...................................................................................................................................
into account prying forces
333
35 Execute
...................................................................................................................................
buckling analysis of components or of aggregates
335
36 Use ...................................................................................................................................
Sargon Reader
337
37 Use ...................................................................................................................................
non linear analysis
341
38 Understand
...................................................................................................................................
the safety factors used by SNiP Code
359
39 Set the
...................................................................................................................................
member forces
361
40 Browse
...................................................................................................................................
available PRenodes (parametrized connections) archive
361
41 Manage
...................................................................................................................................
the Universal Renode Database
362
Part IV Commands
365
1 File ................................................................................................................................... 365

New
.......................................................................................................................................................... 365
Open
.......................................................................................................................................................... 365
Close
.......................................................................................................................................................... 365
Save
.......................................................................................................................................................... 365
Save as.......................................................................................................................................................... 365

Save configuration
.......................................................................................................................................................... 366
Print
.......................................................................................................................................................... 366
Print previews
.......................................................................................................................................................... 366
Print setup
.......................................................................................................................................................... 367
Title
.......................................................................................................................................................... 367
Report .......................................................................................................................................................... 367

Report
.........................................................................................................................................................
Settings (dialog)
367
Comments
.........................................................................................................................................................
to be added to report file (dialog)
369
Create file
..........................................................................................................................................................
avi...
369
Creation
.........................................................................................................................................................
of an AVI file
371
Photograph
.......................................................................................................................................................... 372
Calculator
.......................................................................................................................................................... 373
Samba...
.......................................................................................................................................................... 373
Import FEM
..........................................................................................................................................................
model
373
Update ..........................................................................................................................................................
FEM model
374
Exit
.......................................................................................................................................................... 374
2 Modify
................................................................................................................................... 374
Undo
.......................................................................................................................................................... 374
Redo
.......................................................................................................................................................... 375
Units
.......................................................................................................................................................... 375
Units
.........................................................................................................................................................
- Length (dialog)
375
Units
.........................................................................................................................................................
- Force (dialog)
376
Units
.........................................................................................................................................................
- Moment (dialog)
377
Units
.........................................................................................................................................................
- Stress (dialog)
377
Units
.........................................................................................................................................................
- Time (dialog)
378
Units
.........................................................................................................................................................
- Temperature (dialog)
379
Units
.........................................................................................................................................................
- Format (dialog)
380
Settings.......................................................................................................................................................... 380
Settings
.........................................................................................................................................................
(dialog)
380
Select .......................................................................................................................................................... 382
0D ......................................................................................................................................................... 382
1D ......................................................................................................................................................... 382
Table of Contents
All ......................................................................................................................................................... 383

None
......................................................................................................................................................... 383
Click
......................................................................................................................................................... 383
Box......................................................................................................................................................... 384
Poly
......................................................................................................................................................... 384
3 Display
................................................................................................................................... 385
Customize
..........................................................................................................................................................
interface
385
Status bar
.......................................................................................................................................................... 385
Application
..........................................................................................................................................................
look
385
Win.........................................................................................................................................................
2000
385
Office
.........................................................................................................................................................
XP
385
Windows
.........................................................................................................................................................
XP
386
Office
.........................................................................................................................................................
2003
386
Visual
.........................................................................................................................................................
Studio 2005
386
Visual
.........................................................................................................................................................
Studio 2008
386
Office
.........................................................................................................................................................
2007
386
Blue style ......................................................................................................................................... 386
Black style......................................................................................................................................... 387
Silver style......................................................................................................................................... 387
Aqua style......................................................................................................................................... 387
Windows
.........................................................................................................................................................
7
387
Reference
..........................................................................................................................................................
axes
387
Reference
.........................................................................................................................................................
axes (dialog)
388
Fem
.......................................................................................................................................................... 388
JNodes .......................................................................................................................................................... 389

Renode.......................................................................................................................................................... 389
Solid
.......................................................................................................................................................... 389
Orientation
.......................................................................................................................................................... 390
Orientation
.........................................................................................................................................................
(dialog)
390
Modes .......................................................................................................................................................... 391
Display
.........................................................................................................................................................
modes (dialog)
391
Sizes .......................................................................................................................................................... 392
Object
.........................................................................................................................................................
size (dialog)
392
Objects.......................................................................................................................................................... 393
Objects
.........................................................................................................................................................
(Property page)
394
Numberings
.........................................................................................................................................................
(Property page)
395
Labels
.........................................................................................................................................................
(Property page)
395
Colours.......................................................................................................................................................... 396
Object
.........................................................................................................................................................
colour (dialog)
396
Font
.......................................................................................................................................................... 397
Scene points
.......................................................................................................................................................... 397
Scene
.........................................................................................................................................................
points display mode and creation rules (dialog)
398
Net sections
.......................................................................................................................................................... 399
4 Draw................................................................................................................................... 400
Redraw.......................................................................................................................................................... 400
Enclose.......................................................................................................................................................... 401
Pan
.......................................................................................................................................................... 401
Pan Up .......................................................................................................................................................... 401

Pan Down
.......................................................................................................................................................... 402
Pan Right
.......................................................................................................................................................... 402
Pan Left.......................................................................................................................................................... 402
Zoom In.......................................................................................................................................................... 402
Zoom In..........................................................................................................................................................
Click
403

Zoom Out
.......................................................................................................................................................... 403
Zoom Out
..........................................................................................................................................................
Click
403
Last zoom
.......................................................................................................................................................... 404
Standard
..........................................................................................................................................................
views
404
Standard
.........................................................................................................................................................
views (dialog)
404
Current ..........................................................................................................................................................
standard view
405
Current
.........................................................................................................................................................
standard views (dialog)
405
Remap .......................................................................................................................................................... 406
World
.........................................................................................................................................................
map (dialog)
406
Change view
.........................................................................................................................................
(dialog)
407
Rotate anticlockwise
.......................................................................................................................................................... 408
Rotate clockwise
.......................................................................................................................................................... 408
Rotate up
.......................................................................................................................................................... 408
Rotate down
.......................................................................................................................................................... 408
Extract .......................................................................................................................................................... 408
Extract
.........................................................................................................................................................
(dialog)
409
Alignments
.......................................................................................................................................................... 409
Alignments
.........................................................................................................................................................
management (dialog)
410
Addition of.........................................................................................................................................
a fixed alignment (dialog)
412
Drawings...
.......................................................................................................................................................... 412
Drawings
.........................................................................................................................................................
creation (Dialog)
412
5 Enquire
................................................................................................................................... 415
Geometry
.......................................................................................................................................................... 415
Find
.......................................................................................................................................................... 415
Find.........................................................................................................................................................
(dialog)
416
Nodes .......................................................................................................................................................... 417

Geometry
.........................................................................................................................................................
(Property page)
417
Constraints
.........................................................................................................................................................
(Property page)
417
Masses
.........................................................................................................................................................
(Property page)
418
Other
.........................................................................................................................................................
(Property page)
418
Trusses.......................................................................................................................................................... 418
Connectivities
.........................................................................................................................................................
(Property page)
418
Beta
.........................................................................................................................................................
(Property page)
419
Slenderness
.........................................................................................................................................................
factors (Property page)
419
Properties
.........................................................................................................................................................
(Property page)
419
Orientation
.........................................................................................................................................................
(Property page)
419
Other
.........................................................................................................................................................
(Property page)
420
Beams .......................................................................................................................................................... 420
Connectivities
.........................................................................................................................................................
(Property page)
420
Extreme
.........................................................................................................................................................
1 (Property page)
421
Extreme
.........................................................................................................................................................
2 (Property page)
421
Beta
.........................................................................................................................................................
(Property page)
421
Slenderness
.........................................................................................................................................................
factors (Property page)
421
Properties
.........................................................................................................................................................
(Property page)
421
Springs
.........................................................................................................................................................
(Property page)
422
Offsets
.........................................................................................................................................................
(Property page)
422
Orientation
.........................................................................................................................................................
(Property page)
422
Other
.........................................................................................................................................................
(Property page)
422
Cross-sections
.......................................................................................................................................................... 422
Materials
.......................................................................................................................................................... 423
Internal..........................................................................................................................................................
forces beams
424
Internal
.........................................................................................................................................................
actions (dialog)
424
Axial forces
..........................................................................................................................................................
trusses
425
Internal
.........................................................................................................................................................
actions (dialog)
425
Table of Contents
Net cross-sections
.......................................................................................................................................................... 426
Net.........................................................................................................................................................
sections (dialog)
426
6 Fem................................................................................................................................... 430
Typical ..........................................................................................................................................................
nodes
430
Splice
.........................................................................................................................................................
joints (Property page)
431
Beam-column
.........................................................................................................................................................
432
Beam-beam
.........................................................................................................................................................
432
Ground
.........................................................................................................................................................
433
Bracings
.........................................................................................................................................................
(Property page)
434
Lattice
.........................................................................................................................................................
(Property page)
435
Typical
.........................................................................................................................................................
structures (1)
436
Typical
.........................................................................................................................................................
structures (2)
437
Material
.........................................................................................................................................................
and cross-section assignation (Dialog box)
439
Nodes .......................................................................................................................................................... 440
Modify
......................................................................................................................................................... 440
Modify nodes
.........................................................................................................................................
(dialog)
440
Delete!
......................................................................................................................................................... 441
Elements
.......................................................................................................................................................... 441
Add......................................................................................................................................................... 441
Beam and .........................................................................................................................................
truss addition (dialog)
442
Pre-defined
...................................................................................................................................
third nodes (dialog)
443
Node addition
.........................................................................................................................................
(dialog)
444
Addition of.........................................................................................................................................
a node in relative coordinates (dialog)
444
Delete!
......................................................................................................................................................... 444
Orientation
......................................................................................................................................................... 444
Orientation.........................................................................................................................................
(dialog)
445
Cross-sections
......................................................................................................................................................... 446
Shape archive
.........................................................................................................................................
access (dialog)
447
Data filters...................................................................................................................................
(dialog)
451
Choice of design
...................................................................................................................................
criteria (dialog)
452
Shape addition
.........................................................................................................................................
(dialog)
455
Shape types
.........................................................................................................................................
(dialogs)
456
Standard shapes
...................................................................................................................................
(dialogs)
457
U or L composed
...................................................................................................................................
shapes (dialogs)
459
Cold formed
...................................................................................................................................
shapes (dialog)
460
Choice of the
...................................................................................................................................
new side (dialog)
461
Initial point...................................................................................................................................
coordinates (dialog)
462
Adding of a
...................................................................................................................................
straight side (dialog)
462
Adding of a
...................................................................................................................................
463
Adding of a
...................................................................................................................................
463
Adding of a
...................................................................................................................................
circular side (dialog)
464
Adding of a
...................................................................................................................................
circular side (dialog)
464
Internal curve
...................................................................................................................................
radius (dialog)
465
Composed...................................................................................................................................
shapes (dialog)
465
Generic composed
...................................................................................................................................
shapes
478
Data acquisition
...................................................................................................................................
of a section made up by polygons (dialog)
479
Closed polygon
...................................................................................................................................
input (dialog)
480
Shape archive
.........................................................................................................................................
(dialog)
483
Cross
.........................................................................................................................................................
section 2nd extremity (taper)
484
Materials
......................................................................................................................................................... 485
Access to .........................................................................................................................................
material archive (dialog)
485
Material archive
.........................................................................................................................................
(dialog)
486
Material data
.........................................................................................................................................
(Dialog box)
486
Material data
...................................................................................................................................
(Property page)
488
10

Uniaxial law
...................................................................................................................................
(Property page)
488
Plasticity (Property
...................................................................................................................................
page)
492
Offsets
......................................................................................................................................................... 493
Offsets (dialog)
......................................................................................................................................... 494
Snap
.........................................................................................................................................................
over locus
495
Snap over locus
.........................................................................................................................................
(dialog)
495
Reset
.........................................................................................................................................................
offsets
497
Assign constraint
.......................................................................................................................................................... 498
Selected
.........................................................................................................................................................
nodes constraints (dialog)
498
Assign end
..........................................................................................................................................................
release
499
End.........................................................................................................................................................
releases and connection codes assignment (dialog)
499
Combi set
.......................................................................................................................................................... 503
Selection
.........................................................................................................................................................
and change of a combination set (dialog box)
503
Select combinations
.......................................................................................................................................................... 504
Combinations
.........................................................................................................................................................
from FEM model (dialog box)
504
Search ..........................................................................................................................................................
members
505
7 JNodes
................................................................................................................................... 505
Search!.......................................................................................................................................................... 505
Edit
.......................................................................................................................................................... 506
Collection
.........................................................................................................................................................
of jnodes (dialog)
507
Info about jnode
.........................................................................................................................................
(Property page)
509
Master (Property
.........................................................................................................................................
page)
510
Central (Property
.........................................................................................................................................
page)
512
Constraint .........................................................................................................................................
(Property page)
513
Extract members
.......................................................................................................................................................... 514
Almost identical
.......................................................................................................................................................... 515
Split
.......................................................................................................................................................... 516
Create listing!
.......................................................................................................................................................... 516
Open listing!
.......................................................................................................................................................... 517
8 Renode
................................................................................................................................... 518
Assign PRenode
.......................................................................................................................................................... 518
Choice
.........................................................................................................................................................
of the PRenode to be applied (Dialog box)
519
Execution
.........................................................................................................................................................
mode of the existing operations (Dialog box)
520
Load
.........................................................................................................................................................
level setting (dialog box)
522
Assign PRenode
..........................................................................................................................................................
to SubRenode
523
Reset renode
..........................................................................................................................................................
content!
527
Set current
..........................................................................................................................................................
orientation
528
Members
.......................................................................................................................................................... 529
Trim-extend
......................................................................................................................................................... 529
Extension .........................................................................................................................................
or shortening (dialog)
530
Entering a...................................................................................................................................
numeric value (dialog)
530
Extend
.........................................................................................................................................................
by click
531
Trim.........................................................................................................................................................
by click
531
Align
.........................................................................................................................................................
face
531
Modify
......................................................................................................................................................... 533
Member (dialog)
......................................................................................................................................... 533
Original
.........................................................................................................................................................
position!
538
No .........................................................................................................................................................
trimming-extension!
538
Modify
.........................................................................................................................................................
cross-section
539
Components
.......................................................................................................................................................... 541
Add.........................................................................................................................................................
through
541
Frequent objects
.........................................................................................................................................
(property page)
541
Rectangular
...................................................................................................................................
plate and constraint block (dialog)
543
Table of Contents
11
Stiffener (dialog)
................................................................................................................................... 546
Hexagon polygon
...................................................................................................................................
plate (dialog)
548
Irregular polygon
...................................................................................................................................
plate
549
Closed polygon
...................................................................................................................................
input (dialog)
551
Angle or double
...................................................................................................................................
angle trunk (dialog)
554
Cross-section
...................................................................................................................................
trunk (dialog)
556
Plate or component
...................................................................................................................................
of standard shape (dialog)
558
Plate or component
...................................................................................................................................
of standard shape - parameterized(dialog)
561
Aggiunta di
...................................................................................................................................
una variabile (dialogo)
563
FEM creation
...................................................................................................................................
input (part of a dialog box)
564
Simple objects
.........................................................................................................................................
(property page)
568
Plates with.........................................................................................................................................
holes (property page)
568
Cut rectangles
.........................................................................................................................................
(property page)
569
Rectangles.........................................................................................................................................
with round bevels (property page)
570
Cut rectangles
.........................................................................................................................................
with round bevels (property page)
571
Cut triangles
.........................................................................................................................................
(property page)
572
Triangles with
.........................................................................................................................................
round bevels (property page)
573
Fingers (property
.........................................................................................................................................
page)
574
Generic objects
.........................................................................................................................................
(property page)
575
Component.........................................................................................................................................
positioning (dialog)
576
Add.........................................................................................................................................................
weld layout
577
Weld layout
.........................................................................................................................................
input (dialog box)
578
Parametric.........................................................................................................................................
weld layout input (dialog box)
584
Add.........................................................................................................................................................
bolt layout
586
Bolt layout.........................................................................................................................................
input (dialog)
587
Anchor data
...................................................................................................................................
(dialog)
595
Bearing component
...................................................................................................................................
material data (dialog)
596
Bearing surface
...................................................................................................................................
polygons (dialog)
597
Slip resistant
...................................................................................................................................
joint (dialog)
600
Block tearing
...................................................................................................................................
(dialog)
602
Bolt choice
...................................................................................................................................
(dialog)
605
Prying forces
...................................................................................................................................
factor setting
607
Parametric.........................................................................................................................................
bolt layout input (dialog)
609
Parametric...................................................................................................................................
bearing surface polygons (dialog)
613
Add.........................................................................................................................................................
plate with click
614
Delete
......................................................................................................................................................... 618
Modify
......................................................................................................................................................... 619
Copy
......................................................................................................................................................... 619
Choice of the
.........................................................................................................................................
way a copy is defined (dialog)
620
Entering a...................................................................................................................................
622
Numeric (dialog)
................................................................................................................................... 622
Angle input
...................................................................................................................................
(dialog)
622
Input a rotation
...................................................................................................................................
around an axis (dialog)
622
Recopy
......................................................................................................................................................... 623
Rotate
......................................................................................................................................................... 623
Rotation of.........................................................................................................................................
a component (dialog)
624
Progressive
.........................................................................................................................................................
naming!
624
Copy
.........................................................................................................................................................
to clipboard
624
Paste
.........................................................................................................................................................
from clipboard
625
Modify
.........................................................................................................................................................
bolt layout settings
627
Modify bolt.........................................................................................................................................
layout options (dialog)
627
Net.........................................................................................................................................................
sections
628
Net sections
.........................................................................................................................................
management (dialog box)
629
Add material
.......................................................................................................................................................... 631
11
12

Common
..........................................................................................................................................................
Properties
632
Common
.........................................................................................................................................................
Settings
632
Shift
.......................................................................................................................................................... 633
Choice
.........................................................................................................................................................
of the way a copy is defined (dialog)
633
Entering a .........................................................................................................................................
635
Numeric (dialog)
......................................................................................................................................... 635
Angle input.........................................................................................................................................
(dialog)
636
Input a rotation
.........................................................................................................................................
around an axis (dialog)
636
Work processes
.......................................................................................................................................................... 636
Work
.........................................................................................................................................................
processes management (dialog)
637
Bevel position
.........................................................................................................................................
input (dialog)
642
Choice of the
.........................................................................................................................................
way a polygon side is input (dialog)
643
Polygon side
...................................................................................................................................
dx and dy (dialog)
644
Polygon side
...................................................................................................................................
ds, a / ds, da (dialog)
645
Parametric
.........................................................................................................................................................
management of work process (dialog box)
645
Variables
..........................................................................................................................................................
and conditions
647
Add.........................................................................................................................................................
a variable
647
Addition of.........................................................................................................................................
a variable (dialog)
647
Internal compiler
...................................................................................................................................
keyboard (part of a dialog)
650
Add.........................................................................................................................................................
"if" variable
653
Addition of.........................................................................................................................................
a variable with "if" statements (dialog box)
653
Add.........................................................................................................................................................
condition
656
Addition of.........................................................................................................................................
a condition (dialog)
657
Internal compiler
...................................................................................................................................
keyboard (part of a dialog)
660
Modify
.........................................................................................................................................................
variable or condition
662
Delete
.........................................................................................................................................................
variable or condition
663
Duplicate
.........................................................................................................................................................
condition
663
Standard
.........................................................................................................................................................
checks
664
Standard checks
.........................................................................................................................................
(Dialog box)
664
Addition of...................................................................................................................................
more variables (dialog box)
668
Check overlaps
.......................................................................................................................................................... 669
Check coherence
.......................................................................................................................................................... 669
Copy Renode
..........................................................................................................................................................
to clipboard
669
Paste Renode
..........................................................................................................................................................
from the clipboard
670
Export dxf!
.......................................................................................................................................................... 671
9 Checks
................................................................................................................................... 671
Set up .......................................................................................................................................................... 671
Check
.........................................................................................................................................................
settings (dialog)
672
Nonlinear analysis
.........................................................................................................................................
settings (Dialog box)
676
Buckling analysis
.........................................................................................................................................
settings (Dialog box)
682
Internal actions
.........................................................................................................................................
input (dialog)
683
Just worst .........................................................................................................................................
combinations
686
Combinations
.........................................................................................................................................
with elastic or plastic limits or with defined actions
687
Internal..........................................................................................................................................................
forces
688
Internal
.........................................................................................................................................................
actions computing mode and positioning
689
Check renode!
.......................................................................................................................................................... 692
Choice
.........................................................................................................................................................
of the master (message box)
693
Which
.........................................................................................................................................................
throughs should be constrained? (dialog)
693
Prepare..........................................................................................................................................................
and analyze FEM model..
694
FEM
.........................................................................................................................................................
model creation settings
695
Envelope
.......................................................................................................................................................... 700
Current ..........................................................................................................................................................
results
701
Enquire.......................................................................................................................................................... 702
Display ..........................................................................................................................................................
bearing surface results
703
Table of Contents
13
Display ..........................................................................................................................................................
net sections results
705
Display ..........................................................................................................................................................
block tear results
707
Block
.........................................................................................................................................................
tearing (dialog)
707
Display ..........................................................................................................................................................
external forces (global)
710
Display ..........................................................................................................................................................
external forces (local)
711
Display ..........................................................................................................................................................
forces
713
Display ..........................................................................................................................................................
forces of subcomponents (components)
715
Display ..........................................................................................................................................................
forces of subcomponents (resultant)
716
Display ..........................................................................................................................................................
components FEM results
718
Display ..........................................................................................................................................................
FEM model results...
719
Deformed
..........................................................................................................................................................
view
719
Deformed
..........................................................................................................................................................
scale
720
Entering
.........................................................................................................................................................
a numeric value (dialog)
720
Combi next
.......................................................................................................................................................... 720
Combi prev
.......................................................................................................................................................... 721
Combi?...
.......................................................................................................................................................... 721
Setting
.........................................................................................................................................................
of a combination (dialog)
721
Instance..........................................................................................................................................................
next
722
Instance..........................................................................................................................................................
prev
722
Instance?...
.......................................................................................................................................................... 723
Setting
.........................................................................................................................................................
of an instance as current (dialog)
723
Open listing!
.......................................................................................................................................................... 723
10 3D model
................................................................................................................................... 724
Regenerate!
.......................................................................................................................................................... 724
Solid
.........................................................................................................................................................
model regeneration options (dialog)
724
Clear! .......................................................................................................................................................... 726
11 PRenode
................................................................................................................................... 726
New... .......................................................................................................................................................... 726
New.........................................................................................................................................................
PRenode (dialog box)
727
Restart .......................................................................................................................................................... 728
Add image
.......................................................................................................................................................... 729
Pause .......................................................................................................................................................... 729
Continue
.......................................................................................................................................................... 730
Save
.......................................................................................................................................................... 730
Aborti! .......................................................................................................................................................... 731

Archive...
.......................................................................................................................................................... 731
Parametric
.........................................................................................................................................................
renodes archive management (dialog box)
732
Prenode in.........................................................................................................................................
alphanumeric format (Dialogo box)
733
Assign to all
.........................................................................................................................................
PRenodes
754
Archive ..........................................................................................................................................................
of available parametric connections
754
12 Nodery
................................................................................................................................... 755
Add Renode
.......................................................................................................................................................... 755
Adding
.........................................................................................................................................................
of a Renode to the Universal Renode Database (dialog)
755
Manage..........................................................................................................................................................
User Renode-Database
756
User
.........................................................................................................................................................
Nodery Management (dialog)
756
Send User
..........................................................................................................................................................
Renode-Database by Email
757
Apply Renode
..........................................................................................................................................................
from Universal Renode-Database
757
Nodes
.........................................................................................................................................................
Available in the Universal Renode Database (dialog)
758
13 Window
................................................................................................................................... 759
New window
.......................................................................................................................................................... 759
Overlapping
.......................................................................................................................................................... 759
Tile
.......................................................................................................................................................... 759
Arrange..........................................................................................................................................................
icons
760
13
14

Window..........................................................................................................................................................
manager
760
14 ?
................................................................................................................................... 760
Guide TOC
.......................................................................................................................................................... 760
Context..........................................................................................................................................................
sensitive help
760
About CSE
.......................................................................................................................................................... 760
About
.........................................................................................................................................................
CSE (dialog)
761
15 Menu
...................................................................................................................................
LIGHT version
761
Nodes .......................................................................................................................................................... 761
Part V Export FEM model
764
1 Export
...................................................................................................................................
FEM model (dialog)
764
Part VI What we mean by
766
1 Alignment
................................................................................................................................... 766
2 Angle
...................................................................................................................................
between active faces
766
3 Aggregate
................................................................................................................................... 767
4 Bearing
...................................................................................................................................
surface polygon
767
5 BFEM
................................................................................................................................... 770
6 Block
...................................................................................................................................
tearing
770
7 Bolt ...................................................................................................................................
layout
771
8 Bolt ...................................................................................................................................
layout net length
772
9 Bolt ...................................................................................................................................
layout with bearing surface
772
10 Boltability
...................................................................................................................................
criteria
774
11 Boltable
...................................................................................................................................
face
775
12 CFEM
................................................................................................................................... 776
13 Chain
................................................................................................................................... 776
14 Check
...................................................................................................................................
combinations
778
15 Check
...................................................................................................................................
section of a bolt layout
779
16 Coherence
................................................................................................................................... 780
17 Component
................................................................................................................................... 780
18 Compressed
...................................................................................................................................
bolts
780
19 Connected
...................................................................................................................................
(Joined) component
781
20 Connection
...................................................................................................................................
code (FEM)
781
21 Connector
................................................................................................................................... 782
22 Constraint
................................................................................................................................... 782
23 Constraint
...................................................................................................................................
block
783
24 Contraints,
...................................................................................................................................
elastic
783
25 Constraints,
...................................................................................................................................
rigid
783
26 Constraints,
...................................................................................................................................
simple
784
27 Current
...................................................................................................................................
orientation
784
28 DBRenode
................................................................................................................................... 784
Table of Contents
15
29 Enquire
................................................................................................................................... 784
30 Exploitation
...................................................................................................................................
envelope
785
31 Extraction
................................................................................................................................... 785
32 Flexibility
...................................................................................................................................
index
785
33 Frustum
...................................................................................................................................
removal
787
34 Hard...................................................................................................................................
point
788
35 IFEM................................................................................................................................... 788
36 Instance
...................................................................................................................................
of a jnode
788
37 Internal
...................................................................................................................................
compiler
789
38 Jclass
................................................................................................................................... 790
39 Jnode
................................................................................................................................... 790
40 Jnode
...................................................................................................................................
mark
791
41 Jnode,
...................................................................................................................................
central
791
42 Jnode,
...................................................................................................................................
cuspidal
792
43 Jnode,
...................................................................................................................................
hierarchical
793
44 Jnode,
...................................................................................................................................
tangent
793
45 Joiner
................................................................................................................................... 794
46 Joiner
...................................................................................................................................
extremities
794
47 Master
................................................................................................................................... 795
48 MCFEM
................................................................................................................................... 796
49 Member
................................................................................................................................... 796
50 Member
...................................................................................................................................
net cross-section
796
51 Member
...................................................................................................................................
types
798
52 Multiplicity
................................................................................................................................... 799
53 No tension
................................................................................................................................... 799
54 Node................................................................................................................................... 800
55 Offsets
................................................................................................................................... 800
56 Overlaps
................................................................................................................................... 801
57 Pannello
...................................................................................................................................
Assistente
802
58 Panel:
...................................................................................................................................
Selected components
802
59 Panel:
...................................................................................................................................
Renode
803
60 Panel:
...................................................................................................................................
Variables and Conditions
806
61 PFEM
................................................................................................................................... 807
62 Pin ................................................................................................................................... 807
63 Principal
...................................................................................................................................
axes of a joiner
809
64 PRenode
................................................................................................................................... 809
65 PRenode,
...................................................................................................................................
applicable
809
66 Prying
...................................................................................................................................
forces
810
67 Renode
................................................................................................................................... 811
15
16

68 Renode,
...................................................................................................................................
blank
812
69 Saturated
...................................................................................................................................
joiner
812
70 Scene
................................................................................................................................... 813
71 Shear
...................................................................................................................................
key
813
72 Shear-only
...................................................................................................................................
bolt layout
814
73 Slave
................................................................................................................................... 816
74 Sub ...................................................................................................................................
Renode
816
75 Throat
...................................................................................................................................
(section/thickness)
816
76 Through
................................................................................................................................... 817
77 Toponode
................................................................................................................................... 817
78 Universal
...................................................................................................................................
Nodery (universal renode database)
818
79 User...................................................................................................................................
checks
818
80 Utilisation
...................................................................................................................................
envelope
819
81 Versor
...................................................................................................................................
of a face
819
82 Views:
...................................................................................................................................
Alphanumeric
819
83 Views:
...................................................................................................................................
Active
820
84 Views:
...................................................................................................................................
FEM
820
85 Views:
...................................................................................................................................
Graphical
821
86 Views:
...................................................................................................................................
JNODE
822
87 Views:
...................................................................................................................................
RENODE
823
88 Views:
...................................................................................................................................
SOLID
824
89 Weld...................................................................................................................................
layout
824
90 Work
...................................................................................................................................
processes
826
Part VII Appendix: shapes sizes
828
1 Frequent
...................................................................................................................................
objects
828
2 Simple
...................................................................................................................................
objects
829
3 Plates
...................................................................................................................................
with holes
830
4 Cut rectangles
................................................................................................................................... 831
5 Rectangles
...................................................................................................................................
with round bevels
833
6 Cut rectangles
...................................................................................................................................
with round bevels
834
7 Cut triangles
................................................................................................................................... 835
8 Triangles
...................................................................................................................................
with round bevels
836
9 Fingers
................................................................................................................................... 837
10 Generic
...................................................................................................................................
objects
838
Part VIII Error Messages
841
1 Error
...................................................................................................................................
Messages
841
Part IX Release notes
848
Table of Contents
17
1 Version
...................................................................................................................................
3.00
848
2 Version
...................................................................................................................................
3.50
859
3 Version
...................................................................................................................................
4.00
862
4 Version
...................................................................................................................................
4.10
865
5 Version
...................................................................................................................................
4.15
867
6 Version
...................................................................................................................................
4.20
868
7 Version
...................................................................................................................................
4.30
868
8 Version
...................................................................................................................................
4.40
869
9 Version
...................................................................................................................................
4.50
871
10 Version
...................................................................................................................................
4.60
873
11 Version
...................................................................................................................................
4.62
875
12 Version
...................................................................................................................................
4.70
876
13 Version
...................................................................................................................................
4.80
878
14 Version
...................................................................................................................................
4.90
878
15 Version
...................................................................................................................................
5.00
878
16 Version
...................................................................................................................................
5.20
879
17 Version
...................................................................................................................................
5.30
879
18 Version
...................................................................................................................................
5.40
880
19 Version
...................................................................................................................................
5.51
883
20 Version
...................................................................................................................................
5.60
884
21 Version
...................................................................................................................................
5.80
887
22 Version
...................................................................................................................................
5.92
888
23 Version
...................................................................................................................................
6.00
889
24 Version
...................................................................................................................................
6.20
891
25 Version
...................................................................................................................................
6.40
895
26 Version
...................................................................................................................................
6.90
896
Index
900
17
18
Foreword
Part
20
Introduction
1.1
Licence
Licensing agreement
LICENSING AGREEMENT
between the company

Castalia s.r.l.
with registered offices in Milan, Via Pinturicchio, 24
and
Mr. Mark Green, Eng.
Via G. L. Mikey, 2
09070 Wherever(XX)
hereinafter referred to as the Licensee
It is hereby agreed as follows:
Castalia s.r.l. hereby grants the Licensee a license for no. 1 copy of the C.S.E. data-processing
software package, serial number XXXXXX, hereinafter referred to as the Software.
The
Software is composed of magnetic and optical data media, hardware safeguards, the software
license and support documentation in various electronic formats. The license is subject to the
following terms and conditions:
1) Further to the Authors agreement, Castalia s.r.l. shall own and retain exclusive copyright
on the software, on the users guide and on all written material associated with the Software.
The Software is protected under Italian law on the Authors' intellectual property and copyright,
by the provisions of international treaties and by other applicable domestic and international
legislation. The Software consists of various modules, each of which is and shall remain the
property of the Authors, not the Licensees.
2) The Licensee shall be entitled to use one copy of the Software on one single computer. If
licensed on an annual basis, as specified on the corresponding invoice, the Licensee shall only
be entitled to use the software until this license agreement expires, unless it is renewed. The
Introduction
21
Licensee may not use the Software on more than one computer or terminal at the same time.
3) In lack of the Licensees written notice (e-mail, fax or letter) within 15 days of the license
expiration, this license agreement shall be considered renewed for another year at the same
conditions as the most recent configuration used by the Licensee, as specified on the
corresponding invoice. The license fee shall be the same as for the previous year, with the
exception of possible changes due to fluctuations in the price index and/or significant variations
associated with Software development. Such variations shall be published on the Castalia
website (www.steelchecks.com) and the Licensee shall receive written notification of any
changes to the license fee due for the coming year.
4) In the event that this license agreement is renewed, the Licensee shall be sent all the
instructions and the files needed to reset the security key by e-mail upon expiry of the
previously valid license.
5) Neither the original Software nor its copies,in full or in part, may be sub-licensed to third
parties whether on a short-term, free of charge, for a limited period of time or in any other
manner.
6) The Licensee hereby assumes full responsibility for custody of the Software. If the Software
is unlawfully removed from its custody, the Licensee agrees to promptly notify Castalia s.r.l.
and to take immediate action to prevent or hinder the Software's unauthorized distribution. The
Licensee shall assume full responsibility for the non-disclosure of any information associated
with the program and agrees not to disclose this information without prior authorization.
7) The Software may not be modified or reengineered in any way, incorporated into other
programs, reverse-engineered, converted, decoded, decompiled, disassembled or subjected to
any process intended to extrapolate its source code.
8) Should the Licensee fail to comply with the above conditions in any way, this license
agreement shall be terminated due to the Licensees default. The latter party shall thus return the
Software together with all associated support material and supplementary documentation as
well as waiving his claim for reimbursement, with the exception of any compensation for
further damage and any civil or criminal lawsuits.
9) The Software shall be provided on an "as is" basis. Even though the Software has undergone
thorough testing before its release, Castalia s.r.l. and the Authors hereby shall not be deemed
liable for any errors or shortcomings in the output generated by the software. The Licensee,
therefore, shall in any case be fully liable for monitoring the softwaress output.
22
10) Subject to the limits of the license holders and the options indicated on its corresponding
invoice, Castalia s.r.l. shall provide updated versions of the Software to be released until this
license agreement has expired by providing access to them through the www.castaliaweb.com
website or www.steelchecks.com website.
11) Acceptance of this License Agreement is a necessary and essential condition for using the
Software. In the event that the Licensee fails to return a countersigned copy of this license
agreement to Castalia s.r.l. within 15 days of the Software delivery, he shall decay of all his
rights to assistance, warranties and updates as well as the immediate termination of this License
Agreement. On this occurance, the Licensee shall be bound to returning the Software itself to
Castalia s.r.l. at its own expense. If it has already been paid, the licensing fee shall be
reimbursed in full with the exception of a penalty amounting to no less than Euro 100+VAT.
12) With regard to any damage caused to the Licensee or any other interested party due to
negligence or any other reason, Castalia s.r.l. and the Authors shall not be held liable for any
sum in excess of the per-unit price paid for the product that caused the damage. Neither Castalia
nor the authors shall under any circumstances be held liable for damage incurred as a result of
the Licensee's failure to fulfill its own obligations or for the loss of data, profits, savings or any
other consequential or incidental damage, or for any claims based on the actions of third
parties.
13) The Milan courts shall have legal jurisdiction over any dispute.
Milan, 28 January 2010

(Castalia s.r.l.)
(Licensee)
The parties hereby explicitly agree to be bound by clauses from 1 to 13:

(Castalia s.r.l.)
1.2
(Licensee )
How to use this guide

How to use this guide
This guide has several sections, each with a particular purpose, as follows.
Introduction
23
Introduction
This contains some general material and prepares the reader for using the software.
How to
This section deals with the various things that the user will need to know and explains
which commands to use to address particular eventualities.
Commands
This is a structured list of all the commands available in the system, together with
detailed explanations of how to use each one.
What we mean by
This part provides concise explanations of a particular term or group of terms: CSE
brings a wide range of indispensable new terminology for understanding what is going on
quickly and easily.
This guide also includes a list of keywords which can be useful in finding material of
interest.
When using the software, pressing the F1 key will bring up the help page for the current
dialog box.
Further information can be found on the programs CD and/or in the CSE area of the
Castalia website, www.steelchecks.com. In particular, this includes several hours of
multimedia video illustrating the operation of all aspects of the program, together with an
informative eBook and validation manual.
24
1.3
Overview
Overview
C.S.E. (Connection Study Environment) is an important and ambitious software project
which is under continual development by Castalia s.r.l. The program aims to provide a suitable
working environment for designing, verifying and drawing the connections in steel structures.
The study of such connections involves some formidably complex issues, and can
currently be considered one of the main challenges to be overcome in the field of design
automation.
There are two sides to this problem of the connections: drawing and calculation.
Connections can only be drawn efficiently through a three-dimensional approach to
handling the solids which make up the actual connection. To draw a connection, it will
generally suffice to generate a list of the three-dimensional objects, suitably positioned, and to
render the objects graphically with suitable hidden surface algorithms. The ability to generate
images obtained by intersecting the connection with appropriately chosen secant planes must
Introduction
25
also be provided.
This three-dimensional approach eliminates the problem of the coherence of the
representations, which is what makes for such a laborious checking process, one that most
design teams are currently still unable to avoid.
If drawing the links is a complex problem, calculating them is even more so, for various
reasons:
1. There are no universal rules for calculating a simple joint, as various models are acceptable
as long as they are balanced;
2. There are no universal rules for calculating the proportion of the stress transferred to a
simple joint in the presence of other simple structural joints;
3. The addition or removal or a component can make a considerable difference to the stresses
involved;
4. A given component can function in a completely different way depending on the context in
which it is used;
Analysing and calculating the connections is one factor which makes steel structures more
computationally complex than those made of reinforced concrete. The current state of play is
that although extensive approaches (creating a certain number of typical connections with
limited validity) have been advanced, no sufficiently general intensive approach yet exists. The
major problem with the extensive approach to automatic computation is its inflexibility, which
does not allow software users either to add new connections or to vary or add to existing ones.
26
An intensive-type connection calculation program should provide:

a general facility for defining connections between n members (generality)
the ability to create connections by freely adding or removing elementary components
(flexibility)
the ability to define the checking rules for individual components quickly and easily,
so that the calculation code learns how to execute the computation (extendibility and
customisability)
the ability to run consistency checks which prevent inefficient connections from being
created or which detect inefficiency at the calculation stage (safety and consistency).
CSE has been developed in order to provide a tool which meets these requirements as
fully as is possible, thus considerably simplifying design practice. The Supplement to issue 32
of the journal Analisi e Calcolo (Analysis and Computation) in October 2008 contained an
article 27 which discussed the CSE project as at September 2008 and which may be useful as a
clear overview of the project in its entirety. Please note that this article refers to the status of
the program as at October 2008; please refer to the Release Notes 42 for full details about the
current version.
CSE successfully relieves the designer of a mountain of calculations which are highly
subject to error, as it automatically carries out all computations needed to transfer the actions
Introduction
27
correctly from the extremities of the members to all the components of the joints (distributing
the forces suitably among the various components), whilst of course adding all the moments of
transport required without throwing away any stress component. It is an extremityly
laborious, difficult and error-prone job, as anyone who has had to do it at least once can testify,
which CSE takes care of completely automatically. This is a highly significant development.
CSE is a major step towards an acceptable engineering solution to all the problems
associated with the computation of the connections in steel structures. It is a strategically
important project which will certainly continue to be extended and enriched over the years to
come.
1.4
Bolted and welded joints computation (Analisi e calcolo,

supplemento 32/2008)
Il calcolo dei collegamenti saldati e bullonati (Analisi e calcolo, supplemento
32/2008)
Bolted and welded joints computation (N.B.: this article is in italian)
Il calcolo dei collegamenti saldati e bullonati
28
Ing. Paolo Rugarli Castalia srl

Analisi e Calcolo
Supplemento al n.32 Ottobre 2008
Il problema
Il calcolo dei collegamenti, segnatamente nelle strutture in acciaio, uno dei settori nei
quali il calcolo automatico rimasto pi indietro. Se vero che esistono applicazioni in grado
di calcolare automaticamente strutture aventi anche milioni di gradi di libert, sia in campo
lineare che in campo non lineare, o di dimensionare in modo semi automatico le armature di
elementi in calcestruzzo armato, o di eseguire automaticamente tavole di disegno (anche per le
strutture in acciaio in 3D), ancora nulla di veramente generale sembra essere disponibile
nellambito del calcolo dei collegamenti.
Il problema formidabilmente complesso poich non esistono formulazioni generali in
grado di trattarlo compiutamente: di fatto il calcolo dei collegamenti viene oggi compiuto dai
software disponibili per un certo insieme di collegamenti tipici, di layout standardizzato
(approccio a ricette di cucina). Se il collegamento in esame non rientra in quelli tipici le
soluzioni tradizionalmente disponibili vengono meno, e non si riesce ad ottenere la soluzione
Introduction
29
desiderata.
A ci si aggiunge il fatto che, anche per i collegamenti tipici, di solito gestiti dai software
in numero pari a non pi di qualche unit, in rari e costosi casi in numero pari a qualche decina,
la implementazione delle regole di calcolo segue criteri hard coded, per cui se il progettista si
trova nella necessit di eseguire calcoli in diverso modo, o con ipotesi diverse rispetto a
quelle tenute in conto da chi ha sviluppato il software, di fatto deve ricorrere a fogli di calcolo
esterni al programma. Lo stesso posizionamento dei dispositivi di unione segue regole
generalmente rigide, non sempre utili a risolvere i problemi reali. Non a caso un ipotetico
censimento dei fogli EXCEL relativi al calcolo di collegamenti tipici, produrrebbe
probabilmente centinaia di diversi esemplari.
Ben consapevole della complessit del problema e della sostanziale inanit
dellapproccio a ricette di cucina, chi scrive ha avviato, ormai da numerosi anni, una ricerca
tesa a creare uno strumento di calcolo generale, o della maggior generalit possibile, atto a
calcolare (non solo a disegnare: a calcolare) nodi bullonati e saldati delle strutture in acciaio
in accordo con le normative disponibili.
Come normale trattandosi dellItalia, un Paese notoriamente prodigo verso i calciatori e
le veline, ma assai pi ostico verso gli studiosi di tutte le specie, una ricerca siffatta non ha
sino ad ora trovato nessun finanziatore n alcun ente interessato ad accelerare il progetto, e
pertanto stata portata avanti nel corso di vari anni, quando le risorse disponibili lo
consentivano.
Il lavoro di ricerca ha portato questanno ad alcuni importanti risultati, dei quali qui si
d cenno, e se esso non pu ancora considerarsi concluso, perch restano ancora aperti alcuni
fronti importanti, pure i risultati ottenuti giustificano un notevole ottimismo. Il programma che
implementa le idee sviluppate, denominato C.S.E. (Connection Study Environment) sta per
essere rilasciato in una nuova versione, capace di eseguire automaticamente il calcolo dei
nodi per una assai ampia generalit di casi, e comunque consentendo il posizionamento
libero dei componenti e delle unioni: non quindi a ricette di cucina ma a composizione libera.
In questo articolo verranno introdotte alcune idee che stanno dietro a questo lavoro,
riservando ad un futuro articolo pi dettagliato la disamina formale dei risultati ottenuti.
Un percorso ideale
30
Il percorso che idealmente si vorrebbe fare potrebbe essere cos descritto:

A. Preparare un modello agli elementi finiti e verificare la struttura per mezzo di verificatori
automatici;
B. Passare in modo automatico dallambiente FEM allambiente 3D, trasformando gli
elementi finiti in membrature;
C. Identificare e catalogare tutti i nodi presenti nella struttura, riconoscendo quelli eguali;
D. Per ciascun nodo definire, in modo interattivo (aggiungendo i componenti come con un
LEGO elettronico) o automatico (proponendo modelli di nodo predefiniti, anche da
parte dellutente stesso), i componenti e le unioni per mezzo dei quali il nodo
realizzato;
E. Verificare ciascun nodo in modo automatico e/o per mezzo di specifiche regole di
calcolo che lutente possa insegnare al programma;
F. Ricostruire la scena complessiva aggiungendo i componenti di ciascun nodo cos come
definiti e verificati nelle fasi precedenti;
G. Restituire sotto forma di tavole e di modello 3D la struttura cos concepita, con anche
distinte pezzi, pesi, eccetera, e creare i file per il taglio automatico dei pezzi (CNC).
Ulteriori passi necessari sono:
H. La possibilit di descrivere e calcolare collegamenti a prescindere dal modello FEM,
calcolandoli sulla base dei limiti elastici o plastici delle membrature connesse;
I. Tornare al modello FEM e da questo di nuovo al modello dei nodi senza perdere le
informazioni definite.
Terminologia minima
Nel seguito si far anche uso di termini specifici, la cui introduzione o ridefinizione si
resa necessaria nel corso del lavoro di ricerca, e di cui si d qui il significato impiegato in
questo contesto:
componente: un qualsiasi solido tridimensionale facente parte della scena.
jnodo: lanello intermedio tra il nodo degli elementi finiti ed il renodo: conserva
le informazioni sulle membrature convergenti, le loro giaciture, le loro forme sezionali, i
loro svincoli, ecc.. Pu dare luogo a differenti renodi a seconda di come i collegamenti e
Introduction
31
le lavorazioni vengono effettivamente realizzati.

membratura: un elemento rettilineo o curvilineo costituito da un unico pezzo con le sue
lavorazioni.
nodo: il nodo nel senso degli elementi finiti.
reclasse: si tratta in pratica di un renodo parametrizzato, ovvero delle informazioni che
definiscono la famiglia di renodi simili.
renodo: il nodo reale con tutti i tramite, tutti gli unitori nelle loro esatte posizioni e la
definizione di tutte le lavorazioni che definiscono univocamente i pezzi come solidi 3D.
Fanno anche parte del renodo le scelte dei materiali, delle regole di calcolo, le ipotesi di
funzionamento degli unitori, le formule di verifica definite dallutente, le sue variabili,
ecc..
renodi simili: sono renodi che differiscono unicamente per il valore numerico di alcune
dimensioni dei componenti e/o di alcune posizioni, e che rispettano opportune condizioni
di applicabilit.
scena: linsieme di tutti i componenti del renodo, esattamente definiti nello spazio 3D.
tramite: qualsiasi pezzo che non sia una membratura e non sia un unitore, usato per
trasferire azioni da un punto allaltro o per irrigidire un componente (membratura o
tramite): ad esempio squadrette, piatti, costole di irrigidimento.
unito: membratura o tramite che viene unito ad altro unito per mezzo di unitori (uno o
pi).
unitore: riunione di componenti elementari (bulloni o cordoni o chiodi) che realizza una
unione tra tramite e membrature. Si considerano solo unitori omogenei: bullonature e
saldature in questo lavoro. Un collegamento pu per essere realizzato mediante pi
unitori di tipo diverso (saldature e bullonature).
Il programma ideale
Nelle primissime fasi della ricerca ci si chiesto cosa il programma ideale avrebbe
dovuto saper fare, arrivando a un layout di requisiti che vengono qui riportati molto
sinteticamente, al fine di poterli poi commentare:
Nella gestione delle membrature e delle loro forme sezionali:
32
1. Trattazione di membrature (1.a) rettilinee; (1.b) curvilinee.

2. Trattazione di forme sezionali generiche incluse: (2.a) le forme elementari; (2.b) le forme
ottenute per composizione; (2.c) le sezioni formate a freddo; (2.d) le sezioni cave (CHS,
RHS) con le problematiche connesse.(2.e) le sezioni ottenute da poligonali generiche.
Nel passaggio da ambiente FEM ad ambiente 3D:
3. Passaggio da un modello FEM ad un modello a membrature riconoscendo la presenza dei
collegamenti ed interrompendo le membrature ove determinato dai collegamenti in modo
totalmente automatico.
4. Classificazione e catalogazione dei jnodi.
5. Riconoscimento automatico dei jnodi eguali nella stessa struttura, marcatura e
numerazione dei jnodi.
Nella libera creazione della scena che fa passare da un jnodo ad un renodo:
6. (6.a) Posizionamento libero dei tramite; (6.b) luso di tramite generici con la stessa
generalit delle membrature.
7. (7.a)Applicazione unitori bullonati con layout a blocchi di bulloni a posizionamento
libero(traslazione e rotazione del blocco su generica faccia di membratura o tramite).
(7.b) Riconoscimento automatico oggetti uniti cliccando la sola faccia di partenza.(7c)
Definizione di bullonature reagenti a solo taglio o (7.d) a taglio ed a trazione.
8. Unitori saldati con layout liberi: (8.a) a cordoni dangolo; (8b) a completa penetrazione
con tutti i principali tipi di smusso.
9. Controllo interferenze e compenetrazioni in modo automatico.
10.Lavorazioni sulle membrature e sui tramite di ampia generalit.
Nel calcolo del renodo:
11.Possibilit di definire nuove variabili ed operazioni tra le stesse a partire da variabili di
renodo predefinite (spessori, dimensioni, posizioni, tensioni dei materiali, ecc.).
12.Possibilit di definire liberamente disequazioni di verifica, basate sulle variabili
Introduction
33
predefinite e quelle aggiunte.

13.Possibilit di calcolare le bullonature in modo automatico (13.a verifiche a taglio e
taglio trazione per i bulloni; (13.b) verifiche a rifollamento per i pezzi uniti dai bulloni;
(13.c) verifica per block shear delle lamiere unite; 13.d verifica dei pezzi uniti sotto
lazione delle forze applicate). (13.e) verifica automatica di bullonature soggette a
taglio-torsione, con (13.f) calcolo automatico del taglio e della torsione a partire dalla
scena; (13.g) verifica automatica di bullonature a trazione o compressione e flessione,
con (13.h) calcolo automatico della trazione e della flessione a partire dalla scena.
14.(14.a)Possibilit di calcolare i layout di cordoni soggetti a sestuple di sollecitazione (F,
M), con (14.b) calcolo automatico delle sestuple di sollecitazione a partire dalla scena.
(14.c) Verifica dei pezzi uniti dal cordone (se di materiali diversi) per il contatto col
cordone.
15.Calcolo di unioni a terra a partire dalla scena.
16.Possibilit di creare una distinta di calcolo automatica con le sollecitazioni calcolate
sugli unitori e gli sforzi calcolati sui singoli componenti (bulloni e cordoni).
Nella restituzione delle tavole e nella creazione di file per il taglio automatico:
17.(17.a) Creazione automatica della scena del renodo su tavole; (17.b) esportazione verso
CAD esterni del modello solido del renodo.
18.(18.a) Creazione automatica della scena complessiva della struttura mediante riunione
delle informazioni sui renodi singoli; (18.b) esportazione verso CAD esterni del modello
solido della struttura dopo la definizione dei renodi.
19.Creazione di una distinta pezzi.
20.Definizione di marche automatiche e/o manuali racchiudenti insiemi di pezzi.
21.Calcolo del peso complessivo e del peso per marca.
Data anche lesigenza di non ricominciare da capo per ogni nuovo renodo simile ad altri gi in
precedenza definiti, il programma deve anche disporre delle seguenti funzionalit:
22.Salvataggio di un renodo esistente in una reclasse.
23.(23.a)Riconoscimento delle reclassi salvate in precedenza adatte al jnodo allo studio,
34
loro proposizione allutente e (23.b) creazione automatica del renodo a partire dalla
reclasse e dal jnodo.
Osservazioni in merito ai contenuti del programma ideale
Quello che stato molto sinteticamente delineato nel paragrafo precedente il
programma ideale, ovvero il programma che capace di risolvere sostanzialmente tutti i
problemi sul tappeto in modo automatico o manuale (ovvero con lassistenza dellutente). Per
ragioni di brevit la descrizione non esaustiva, ma d unidea della vastit del progetto. Negli
ultimi anni la ricerca compiuta da Castalia srl si in particolare focalizzata su alcuni aspetti,
quelli pi innovativi, mentre altri problemi non sono ancora stati toccati, anche se allo stato
attuale sono relativamente poche le difficolt concettuali ancora da affrontare.
Nel progetto delineato in precedenza le difficolt maggiori sono nei seguenti punti: 3, 4,
5, 13, 14, 15. Si tratta infatti di problemi che sono oggi alla frontiera, e per i quali non sono
descritti approcci generali: su di essi si torner in seguito.
I punti 1, 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21 sono tipici dei CAD 3D ed esistono, ad
oggi, programmi in grado di gestirli in modo efficiente.
I punti 11 e 12 non presentano complessit insolubili a patto di poter gestire di fatto un
compilatore interno al software in oggetto (o sviluppato internamente, o usando soluzioni gi
pronte come VBA. La prima soluzione preferibile poich si possono implementare comandi
di estrema facilit duso e che non richiedono la conoscenza di alcun linguaggio di
programmazione da parte dellutente: chi scrive ha optato per questa strada nello scrivere CSE,
cfr. fig. 2).
I punti 21 e 22 sono stati parzialmente affrontati da programmi per il disegno di
carpenteria metallica o da programmi di CAD parametrico e non comportano, almeno
relativamente al problema puramente geometrico, particolari problemi.
Al momento la ricerca ha portato a risolvere i seguenti punti:
3:
il programma in grado di compiere il passo in modo totalmente automatico. Di fatto
lutente che decide come dividere in membrature il suo modello mediante la specificazione di
alcuni semplici codici denominati segno di connessione. Se un beam ha uno svincolo ha
Introduction
35
sempre un segno di connessione in corrispondenza; i truss hanno sempre segni di connessione

agli estremi; i beam con segni di connessione (ma non end release) sono interrotti da un punto
di vista fisico (membrature slave) ma non interrotti da un punto di vista statico. I segni di
connessione e le informazioni FEM sono sufficienti a risolvere il problema.
Fig. 1- Riconoscimento di jnodi eguali in una struttura semplice. Il jnodo in colore giallo (AT)
correntemente selezionato.
4:
il problema stato risolto mediante la definizione di una opportuna struttura di dati
(detta Toponodo) che identifica le caratteristiche del jnodo, nonch mediante una opportuna ed
articolata catalogazione dei possibili tipi di unione tra membrature diverse. La
preclassificazione dei jnodi fondamentale al fine di identificare le propriet tipiche dei
collegamenti. Sono in particolare state individuate, mediante lo studio analitico dei jnodi,
queste categorie di jnodo tra quelle possibili: jnodi gerarchici, nel quali una membratura
ininterrotta e le altre si montano sulla prima, e poi eventualmente a terra; jnodi centrali, nei
quali tutte le membrature risultano interrotte e unite ad uno o pi tramite centrali, eventualmente
collegati a terra; jnodi cuspidali, nei quali due o pi membrature risultano ininterrotte e
terminanti nel jnodo: tali jnodi sono riducibili sempre a gerarchici e indicano un difetto di
informazione; jnodi tangenti in cui due o pi membrature passano ininterrotte nel jnodo: si
tratta di collegamenti eccentrici; jnodi semplici, in cui una membratura collegata a terra.
36
5: il problema stato risolto mediante la introduzione e lo studio dei Toponodi e mediante

algoritmi che fanno uso di trasformazioni ortogonali: il programma in grado di riconoscere i
jnodi eguali in strutture spaziali marcando quelli identici e ovviamente scartando i nodi non
corrispondenti a jnodi (perche interni a membrature e quindi utili solo a fini fem).
Fig. 2- Definizione di criteri di verifica per mezzo delle variabili standard e aggiuntive
11 e 12: il problema stato risolto mediante la creazione di un compilatore interno e di una
interfaccia specificamente pensata per lavorare sui renodi. E da notare che luso di queste
funzionalit limitato al caso in cui qualche verifica sia omessa dagli algoritmi automatici, o
non pienamente soddisfacente agli occhi dellanalista.
Introduction
37
Fig. 3 - Esempio di collegamento misto saldato e bullonato ottenuto per composizione

libera dei componenti (tramite ed unitori)
13: si tratta del problema pi complesso specialmente per la parte che riguarda il calcolo
automatico delle sollecitazioni afferenti a ciascun unitore a partire dalla scena, ovvero solo a
partire dal posizionamento dei componenti e sulla base delle informazioni logiche in merito
alle unioni. Questo specifico punto (13.f, 13.h e 14.b), ovvero il calcolo delle sollecitazioni
sugli unitori a partire dalla scena (e dalle sollecitazioni FEM delle membrature, ovviamente)
stato uno scoglio molto duro: la sua risoluzione, ottenuta nel corso del 2008, rappresenta il
maggior risultato degli ultimi tre anni di ricerca e apre la strada alla soluzione del problema
complessivo in tempi ragionevolmente brevi. Il modello messo a punto consente di calcolare le
sollecitazioni sugli unitori tenendone in conto la posizione spaziale, la connettivit, la tipologia
e la rigidezza.
38
Fig. 4- Esempio di collegamento misto saldato e bullonato ottenuto per composizione libera
Di questo punto 13 sono stati al momento affrontati e risolti i punti: 13.a, 13.b, 13.e, 13.f, 13.g,
13.h. I punti 13.c e 13.d non sono ancora stati affrontati: di questi il 13.c sembra di soluzione a
portata di mano (essendo ormai noti i tagli dei bulloni), mentre il 13.d (verifica generica dei
tramite e delle membrature con le lavorazioni) sembra al momento di maggior complessit data
la generalit del problema in specie per quanto riguarda i tramite, che sono pezzi 3D non
afferenti ad alcuna teoria se non a quelle generali. Per tramite standard (piatti, squadrette)
ragionevole attendersi una soluzione basata su equazioni di verifica convenzionali. E
probabile che per le membrature si possa almeno in parte risolvere il problema della verifica,
in analogia a quanto oggi si fa a mano, generando alle varie ascisse della membratura piani di
indagine normali allasse e computando poi in modo automatico i moduli di resistenza delle
sezioni nette cos ottenute (ma resterebbero da indagare i problemi di flessione locale delle
flange, non trattabili con la teoria della trave). Se si abbandona la teoria della trave, come per i
tramite generici, il problema della verifica si complica in quanto si richiederebbe un calcolo
fem specifico (presumibilmente in campo plastico) da eseguirsi automaticamente in
background.
14: il punto 14 stato risolto in analogia al 13, ovvero mediante lo stesso tipo di modello
numerico 3d del renodo.
15: non che un caso particolare dei precedenti.
Introduction
39
Fig. 5 - Posizionamento libero di un componente

Dato che CSE aveva come principale obiettivo risolvere una ampia classe di problemi,
ma specificamente i punti 3, 4, 5, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 (che ad eccezione del 3 non erano affrontati
da altri software a quanto consta), si sono fatte ab initio delle scelte che danno a CSE un
sottoinsieme delle caratteristiche del programma ideale.
In pratica le seguenti caratteristiche sono gi state affrontate e implementate in CSE:
1a, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2e, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8a, 9, 10 (le lavorazioni sono al momento in fase di
ampliamento e miglioramento per renderle pi user friendly), 11, 12, 13 ad eccezione di
13c e 13d, 14, 15, 16.
Non sono ancora stati affrontati, per ragioni di tempo, ma alcuni lo saranno si ritiene entro
un anno, i seguenti punti: 2d, 8b, 13c, 13d, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23. Di questi pongono
particolari problemi il 13d, in specie per quanto riguarda la verifica dei tramite. Gli altri
problemi sono tutti essenzialmente di soluzione nota, sebbene ovviamente comportino lavori di
programmazione non trascurabili. A breve si ritiene che saranno aggiunti i seguenti punti,
considerati preliminari al rilascio della versione di CSE 2008: 10 ampliamenti, 13c, 17b.
In pratica il programma ad oggi in grado di calcolare le bullonature e le saldature a
cordoni dangolo in modo totalmente automatico, su renodi composti da un numero generico di
40
membrature affluenti, inclinate come si vuole, consentendo il posizionamento libero di

bullonature e saldature, nonch dei tramite. Il renodo pu essere definito con ampia generalit,
posizionando i componenti dove si vuole. Vengono eseguite le verifiche: a taglio-trazioneflessione dei bulloni (quindi con o senza i momenti parassiti); a taglio-torsione a trazioneflessione delle bullonature, eseguendo le verifiche a rifollamento sui pezzi collegati, le
verifiche sulle spaziature dei bulloni e le distanze dai bordi dei bulloni da ciascun pezzo
collegato, con ampia generalit. I layout di saldature vengono calcolati nel loro sistema di
riferimento locale sotto lazione di sestuple di sollecitazione (F, M).
La verifica viene fatta agli stati limite o alle tensioni ammissibili (al momento CNR,
Eurocodice 3 [dal gennaio 2011 anche IS 800:2007 stati limite/tensioni ammissibili, AISCASD e AISC-LRFD]). Le lavorazioni consentono di definire smussi, accorciamenti,
allungamenti, rotazioni di facce. Esiste il controllo di compenetrazione automatico.
La scena viene descritta come con un LEGO elettronico, posizionando i pezzi dove si
desidera, con comandi dedicati a questo scopo. Il calcolo pu essere fatto o a partire dalle
sollecitazioni calcolate dal modello FEM, o a partire dai valori plastici, eventualmente
amplificati per un fattore di sovra resistenza.
Il programma anche in grado di calcolare rigidezze convenzionali per i collegamenti e di
verificare se queste siano coerenti con gli svincoli o i vincoli applicati nel modello FEM. Si
parte da un archivio di 10000 forme sezionali, ma altre forme possono essere generate. Il
programma in grado di analizzare il renodo e scoprire eventuali illogicit come pezzi non
uniti, catene di componenti slegate, ecc..
Prospettive del lavoro di ricerca
Se chiaro che il lavoro sin qui compiuto non ha ancora risolto tutti i problemi,
segnatamente quelli relativi ad alcune verifiche dei tramite, la disponibilit di uno strumento
affidabile in grado di calcolare le sollecitazioni afferenti agli unitori in modo automatico, per
situazioni totalmente generiche di configurazione, semplifica enormemente il lavoro di verifica
e di calcolo dei collegamenti. E infatti noto a chiunque lo abbia fatto almeno una volta in vita
sua, che la parte pi fastidiosa e tale da generare errori, proprio quella in cui si deve passare
dalle sollecitazioni delle membrature, note o per definizione (se elastiche o plastiche), o da un
calcolo FEM, alle sollecitazioni che sollecitano quel layout di bulloni o di cordoni. Tale
Introduction
41
passaggio generalmente non univoco ovvero non bastano mere considerazioni di equilibrio, in
s a volte di fastidiosa valutazione a mano, per ottenere le sollecitazioni affluenti alle singole
unioni. La verifica del layout di bulloni o di cordoni, nota la sollecitazione afferente su di esso,
invece relativamente semplice, e comunque esprimibile in forma chiusa o mediante ben noti
algoritmi iterativi. Ci che non esprimibile in forma chiusa, in generale, proprio la
sollecitazione sullunitore a partire dalle sollecitazioni delle membrature.
La ricerca ha consentito di mettere a punto un modello generale ed efficiente che consente
di fare questo calcolo in modo automatico, tenendo conto delle rigidezze degli unitori e della
loro posizione: vengono cos ad essere calcolati anche gli sforzi parassiti come la flessione sui
gambi, generalmente forfettizzati o trascurati dalle procedure di calcolo a mano. Tale
importante risultato la chiave di volta per tutti i risultati successivi, poich consente di
conoscere le sollecitazioni afferenti a ciascun componente.
La forza del modello consiste nel fatto che si basa su propriet del tutto generali: la
posizione dei componenti, il dimensionamento delle unioni -e quindi il numero il diametro e la
posizione dei bulloni, il numero la posizione e la sezione di gola dei cordoni-, la intensit delle
azioni applicate ed il loro punto di applicazione. Non vengono mai usate istruzioni ad hoc, che
sfruttino informazioni che non siano desumibili dalla scena e dalle impostazioni date al
calcolo. Ci consente di trattare virtualmente qualsiasi tipo di renodo che viene ad essere
calcolato in modo totalmente automatico.
Il piano di lavoro prevede dapprima la ultimazione di punti del programma ideale, che
prevista per il 2009: in particolare la restituzione della scena complessiva, linterfacciamento
con il disegno e la creazione delle biblioteche di reclassi, richiamabili dallutente. In seguito la
ricerca di focalizzer sul problema 13d, cercando di generalizzare il modello gi messo a
punto per includere anche la verifica di resistenza non standard dei componenti tramite e
membratura.
Da un punto di vista commerciale, il programma nella versione 2008 sar rilasciato entro
fine anno. Si sta considerando, inoltre, il possibile interfacciamento con solutori FEM di ampia
diffusione e possibili accordi commerciali coi loro distributori.
www.castaliaweb.com
42
1.5
Release notes
Release notes
Version 3.00 848
Version 3.50 859
Version 4.00 862
Version 4.10 865
Version 4.15 867
Version 4.20 868
Version 4.30 868
Version 4.40 869
Version 4.50 871
Version 4.60 873
Version 4.62 875
Version 4.70 876
Version 4.80 878
Version 4.90 878
Version 5.00 878
Version 5.20 879
Version 5.30 879
Version 5.40 880
Introduction
43
Version 5.51 883

Version 5.60 884
Version 5.80 887
Version 5.92 888
Version 6.00 889
Version 6.20 891
Version 6.40 895
Version 6.90 896
1.6
CSE scope and functionality

The scope and functionality of CSE
Currently (as at version 5.90), the program has the following core features and
functionality:
1. Synchronised multiple views.

2. Print, print preview and the ability to copy images to the clipboard for transfer to other
applications.
3. Hypertext help (HLP), a user guide in PDF format, an information eBook, a validation
manual and a range of introductory videos.
44
4. Creating FEM models within the program.

5. Importing FEM models in Sargon, STAAD PRO, Sap 2000, STRAP, MIDAS,
RISA3D and other format.
6. Automatic recognition of members.
7. Recognition and automatic cataloguing of the equal jnodes 790 for a wide range of general
cases.
Introduction
45
8. Creating a listing of the jnodes with their properties, including the envelope of internal
actions for the various instances relevant for checking purposes.
9. The ability to transform a jnode into a renode 811 by adding components 780 such as angle
brackets, double angle brackets, rectangular plates, beveled rectangular plates (ribs),
triangular plates, trapezoidal plates, regular polygonal plates, circular plates, generic
profile stumps considering the 15,000+ sections present in SAMBA (IPE, HEA, HEB,
HEM and UPN sections, welded T-, L-, and C-sections, T-sections obtained by cutting
rolled H-sections, angular, circular and cold formed sections, generic composites, shear
keys, etc. etc.) and constraint blocks 783 . Shear keys 813 embedded into concrete blocks
may be modelled.
10.Copy, rotation and shift operations.
46
11.The facility to apply work processes 826 such as notches of generic form with a cutting
polygon, notches with a cutting box, face rotations, face translations, triangular bevels,
square bevels and circular bevels. These can be used to modify both members and
throughs. Extending and trimming members.
Introduction
47
12.The ability to specify bolt layouts with regular rectangular, staggered, circular or generic
arrangements. Bolt layouts operating on a shear-only basis, by shear and tension/
compression or by tension only (not compression), anchors, slip-resistant joints, bolt
layouts with bearing surfaces 772 (with non-linear computations to determine the neutral
axis and the part of the bearing surface under compression), and bearing surfaces with
linear, no-tension, elastic-perfectly plastic, trilinear and parabola-rectangular constitutive
laws. Bolt layouts can be applied to any flat face of any object which is contact with
other objects which are to be bolted to it (currently a succession of parallel flat faces),
without limitation on the positioning or orientation. Pins. 807 Prying forces 810 factor setting
(Thornton's method).
48
13.The ability to specify fillet and penetration (full or partial) weld layouts between
touching plane faces, using any number of welds in any positions.
14.The ability to specify local axes for elements or components as the active system of
coordinates.
Introduction
49
15.The ability to define variables and conditions without the need for programming skills,
using formulae held within the program, starting with predefined variables including the
information on the components present in the scene (e.g. a variable fred= m2.fy / m2.ft
or a condition N< m1.fy * m1.A / gammaM0).
16.Automatic recognition of the connections, without the need to indicate the entities
involved.
17.Reconstructing the topology and connectivity of the renode and recognising overlaps for
ill-connected joints and unconnected components.
18.Automatic reconstruction of all the connection chains 776 from a member to its master
member, from a member to the constraint block or from a member to the central entity
(hierarchical jnodes 793 , attachments 782 and central jnodes 791 ).
19.Automatic computation as a function of the combinations specified in the FEM model or,
independently, computation based on the suitably factorised elastic and plastic limits of
the members, defined values or imported combinations 683 (independently of the FEM
model or whether external programs are being used).
50
20.Checking in accordance with CNR at the allowable stresses, CNR at the limit states,
Eurocode 3 part 1-8, Indian standard IS, both working stress and limit states, AISC ASD,
AISC LRFD, and BS 5950, SNiP II, where applicable i.e. the joiners (bolts and welds)
and all relevant parts (slip, bearing, block-tear, punching shear, limit dimensions, freeedge distances, and so on).
21.Automatic creation of finite element models of the components, or of the whole

connection, or of any aggregate of components, for the Sargon Clever solver, for
Sap2000, STAAD PRO, STRAP, MIDAS or other solvers which are compatible with the
.SR3 or .SR4 format. The models are solved automatically by the CLEVER solver, which
comes bundled with CSE, and can be viewed using Sargon Reader, which is also
provided with CSE. The models are meshed automatically with the desired mesh size and
include all the elementary actions transmitted by the bolts and welds, to facilitate a
careful examination of the state of stress of components of any shape, including after
having been subject to work processes.
22.Buckling analysis of FEM models.
23.Automatic bearing stress checks for all entities connected by bolt layouts.
24.Automatic punching shear check for bolted entities.
25.Automatic shear checks on joints.
26.Automatic pull-out checks on anchors.
Introduction
51
27.Automatic checks of the bearing surface in bolt layouts which have them, representation
of the compressive stresses in the surface and the tensile stresses in the bolt layouts.
52
28.Automatically finding the net sections of the members (with notches or holes due to bolt
layouts) and automatically checking them under axial force plus monoaxial or biaxial
bending under the action of the relevant forces reconstructed by summing the
contributions of the individual bolts or parts of the relevant welds (gradation of the
distribution of the stress in the members). Representing the variation of normal stress on
the net section.
29.Block tearing checks.

30.Simplified automatic checks of the throughs in suitable significant sections (plate
attachment sections).
Introduction
53
31.Renode deformability checks.

32.User checks based on formulae specified by the user themselves, stored and applied by
the program for full customisability, extendibility and automation.
33.Colour coded representations of the coefficients of utilisation of each individual

component being checked.
54
34.Providing a representation of the renode deformation for an immediate insight into the
phenomena involved.
35.Representing the forces transmitted by each component to the others, thus enabling the
reconstruction of the equilibria and the flow of the forces from one component to the next.
36.Creating an extended listing with the results of all the checks and the information about
all the components, in Italian or English and with the units of measurement of choice.
37.The ability to export the 3D model of the renode (FACE3D or Line3D) in DXF format.
38.The ability to update the renode model by saving all the saveable work after changes in
the original FEM model have been made.
39.The ability to create a solid view of the entire structure without work processes or of the
part of the structure in which work processes have been defined (with all the details or
Introduction
55
just some of them).

40.Finite Element Analysis of set of components or of the whole (re)node by material non
linearity, geometric non linearity and contact non linearity. The three non linearities can
be activated separately or together. So you can have a geometric+material non linear
analysis, or a material+contact non linear analysis, or a material+geometric+contact non
linear analysis, and so on. Contact non linearities are especially useful when dealing with
bolt layouts in bending.
41.After a non linear analysis has been run, the load-displacement curves referring to
members might be plotted, so as to evaluate properly the connection equivalent stiffness.
1.7
CSE interface
The CSE interface
At the opening of CSE, user can choose through a dialog box the FULL or the LIGHT
mode of the software. FULL mode has all the tools and commands of CSE: every operation
explained in this guide is possible with the FULL mode and the guide itself refers mainly to this
mode, unless otherwise noted. The LIGHT mode, on the contrary, has limited tools and
commands and a simplified interface. For further information see How to understand the
limitations of LIGHT mode 323 .
FULL MODE INTERFACE

56
The working environment involves a main window with a command menu, a status bar,
various toolbars and two scroll bars.
CSE has a great deal in common with all other Windows programs (the operation of the
windows, scroll bars and dialog boxes, etc.), while
other features are specific to CSE. In CSE, for example, clicking the right mouse
button always interrupts a command, and is therefore equivalent to the ESC key. The left
mouse button works like the RETURN key on the keyboard.
The main windows status bar displays the currently active units of measurement
(yellow background). Next section in status bar deals with currently selected entities (light
green background). The entities selected info depends on the active view (FEM, JNODE,
RENODE or 3D). Status bar is also used to display, during some specific commands, the cursor
position, which is continually updated and is expressed in the active units of measurement.
Advisory messages are also shown about the meaning and usage of the commands.
All colours can be chosen by the user, to customise the interface according to their
personal taste.
When the mouse cursor is hovered over a button, a tooltip about the meaning of that
Introduction
57
button is displayed.
CSE supports context-sensitive help.
A number of commands bring up a small red circle on the screen, which is moved
around using the mouse. Sometimes two instances of this circle can be seen instead of one, on
account of dialog boxes being shown or as particular sequences of commands are entered: to
get rid of one of them, simply refresh the screen (using the Redraw 400 command).
LIGHT MODE INTERFACE

In the LIGHT mode, menus are reduced in comparison to the FULL version and the
renode toolbar, simply called node toolbar, is lighter and sequential: unavailable buttons are
not present and available buttons should be used generally from top to bottom. The rest of the
interface is the same of the FULL one. For further information see How to understand the
limitations of LIGHT mode 323 .
58
1.8
General introduction to the Commands

General introduction to the Commands
There are two basic types of command in CSE: modal and non-modal commands.
During a modal command, no other commands can be run. Non-modal commands can,
however, be temporarily abandoned. The first category includes commands which do not
require input data, or commands which lead to a modal-type dialog box (which are terminated
using the OK or Cancel options and do not allow the user to exit without first closing the
dialog box).
The second category includes commands which require the user to make a decision (by
selecting a node or face, etc.). It is also important to know how commands are terminated.
Some commands await the input of particular information and terminate upon receiving it;
others end only when the user decides to stop. Please consult the help text about the individual
commands for detailed information on how they operate.
Non-modal commands last for as long as the user deems fit. If a non-modal command
has been programmed to wait for the user to specify which member a section is to be applied
to, it will remain active until it receives this information or is interrupted.
A non-modal command can always be aborted by right-clicking with the mouse or
pressing the ESC key.
In general, when a non-modal command is executing, it is possible to invoke
another command non-modal or otherwise and after this terminates, the user will again
find themselves where they were before invoking the second command.
Non-modal commands can therefore be stacked up with other non-modal and
modal commands. The user must use this facility both with common sense (taking care not
to invoke commands which are contradictory) and in moderation (stacking up no more
than two or three at a time). The program will display a warning message to remind the
user about this when the third command is entered.
To find out which command is active at a given moment, simply look at the status
bar: when in a non-modal command, the command being executed will be displayed there.
Introduction
59
A series of stacked commands can be terminated simply by repeatedly rightclicking with the mouse (or pressing the ESC key).
For a non-modal command which requires the cursor to be moved, this can be done
using either the mouse or the keyboard. If there is no mouse, the cursor can be moved using the
arrow keys, while the left mouse button can be simulated by the RETURN key and the right
button by the ESC key. With this facility, even those few users who do not have access to a
mouse can still use the system.
1.9
Units of measurement
Computation in CSE is numeric and not literal (i.e. not using symbols), and the units of
measurement are as shown in the main window status bar. The units can be changed
whenever required and the new ones will come into effect immediately for both input and
output, so the new choice must always be consistent.
During the recording of a parametric node (PRenode) 726 and during its successive
application 518 , the measurement units are set equal to (N, mm), Newton and millimeter, and
60
derived units. This depends on the need to decode the constants introduced in the formulae
according to a fixed set of units, as for instance in
m1.tf + 2
where the "2" will be always read as "2mm" (equivalent to "2*gl.mm"), as the formula is
related to to a variable referring to a length.
In the dialogs, the edit boxes with thick borders like this:
must not be confused with the edit boxes with normal border like this:
The first type of edit boxes, those with thick border, accept formulae which can also be or
contain simple numbers. The second type only accept numbers.
As already mentioned, the units of measurement can be changed at any time, and the numbers
will be decoded according to the current units. This last principle is general and is always true.
During the recording 726 of a new PRenode 809 (that is a parametric node) or during its successive
application, the units are automatically reset by the program to (N, mm), and later reassigned to original values at the end of the command. This implies that all the pure numbers to
be input in dialogs during these operations will be decoded with these units, or with units
derived by these. However, as there are indeed pre-defined global variables related to units of
measurement, always available, it is easy to input specific dimensional values in the edit boxes
accepting formulae. You can for instance write:
m1.tf + 2*gl.in
or
m1.N + 123*gl.lb
where the variables "gl.in" and "gl.lb", are respectively related to inches and pounds. The
complete list of the variable related to the measurement units is as follows:
Units
Unit Variable Name
Newton
gl.N
Introduction
Units
Unit Variable Name
Deca Newton
gl.daN
Kilo Newton
gl.kN
Ton
gl.t
Pound
gl.lb
Kilo Pound
gl.kip
Kilogramme
gl.kg
Millimeter
gl.mm
Centimeter
gl.cm
Meter
gl.m
Inch
gl.in
Foot
gl.ft
Yard
gl.yd
61
These variables can be used all the times when a formula must be input (thick border edit
boxes). Thanks to these variables, also who wishes to use units different from (N, mm) during a
PRenode recording, or during its application (when the formulae are possibly specialized for
the connection at hand), can do that: it is enough writing the desired value as
NUMBER x UNIT VARIABLE.
Summing up:
1. The current units determine how the number must be interpreted.
2. The current units can be changed at any time and can be any, with the following limitation.
3. During the commands of recording of a PRenode and its application, the units are always (N,
mm) and derived units.
Part
II
Quick Start Guide
Quick Start Guide
2.1
Work steps
63
Work Steps
The work using CSE can be summarized in a few steps, that are briefly outlined in the
following pages.
To understand CSE it is important to understand that the typical input for CSE is not a
single node, but a whole structure whose connections must be designed and checked.
Therefore, it is necessary to detect where are the "nodes", cataloging them, and building them
only once if there are more identical repetitions of the same node in the structure: CSE is able
to do all these task. If one node only has to be designed, a "small reference structure" will be
needed, that will be automatically or interactively created inside CSE.
Designing and checking steel connections assumes that there is a beam and truss model
(so called BFEM 770 ): only in this way terms like "axial force" or "bending moment" are
meaningful. On the other hand, this model mainly made by beam and trusses, useful to compute
internal forces, and to check members, is not fit to compute connections, because the
connections join members 796 which can be modeled by many single finite elements. Besides, to
define the connections, a fully 3D working mode is needed, a wireframe one is not enough.
For all these reasons, CSE has 4 "views", i.e. 4 different ways to look at the model, and not just
one:
1. A FEM view 820 where can be seen the underlying beam and truss model (BFEM), which
originates the design.
2. A JNode view 822 where the all the detected members and their connections can be seen in a
wireframe working mode.
3. A Renode view 823 where a single "node" is described fully 3D: here is where you build your
connections, and check them. It is then added
4. A 3D view 824 where the whole 3D model of the structure can be seen.
64
2.1.1
Step 1: get a FEM model (BFEM)
Work steps, step 1: get a FEM model (BFEM)

The first thing to do in CSE is to get a finite element model which has beams and/or trusses
elements, completed with the cross-sections description and assignment, and of material
assignment. Such a finite element model is named BFEM 770 , to distinguish it from the other
finite element models that the program generates, and solves.
The BFEM model indirectly describes the members 796 that will be connected together, and must
contain at least one finite element of the type "beam" or "truss".
A BFEM model can be got by two different and alternative methods:
1) Importing it by reading a file describing an already prepared BFEM model, set up using
another program.
In this case, the model usually has the internal actions got from a static analysis, but it can
also lack them. Importing a model in CSE is done by the command File-Import 373 .
Several world-wide used FEM programs are supported. The internal forces, if available,
are imported as well. Combinations, too, are read and imported.
2) Creating it inside CSE.
This second mode can in turn be done in two different ways.
a. Using a command that creates one or more "little BFEM structures", able to
define a typical node. In this way the input is guided and is very simple. The
command is useful for typical nodes and is Fem-Typical Nodes 430 . The command can
Quick Start Guide
65
also generate more uncoupled "little BFEM structures" in order to study more nodes in
one file only. It is not necessary that the BFEM model so defined is computable
(properly constrained and loaded). The geometry of the elements is enough. No loads
must be assigned. Constraints must be assigned if and only if the node is grounded.
b. Using the meshing commands similar to those of the FEM programs, and that allow
to add nodes, elements, assign cross-sections, materials, etc. These commands, all
together, let the user define a BFEM structure having whatsoever geometry. The
commands are all under the Fem menu. It is also possible to generate a "little BFEM
structure" with the previous, guided mode, and then modify it by using these
commands.
If the BFEM model is created inside CSE, it is not necessary to describe the loads that it
carries, nor it is necessary to execute an analysis to compute the internal forces values. The
geometrical description of the elements is enough, as the internal forces to be used for the
connection design can be set directly by the user (command: Check-Internal Forces 688 ) with
no need to compute them.
2.1.2
I cannot complete step 1!
Work steps, step 1: I cannot do that!
Completing step 1 can be problematic if:

1. Imported model. 91 The model is not imported correctly. Sometimes it is needed to work on the original
model to make it fit for CSE needs. For instance, adding combinations, o connection codes, or adding new
cross-sections to the exchange file.
2. Model created inside CSE 146 .
a. Typical structures. It is really very much unlikely that a typical structure cannot be defined by using the
guided procedure, which is very simple. i) Choose the structural layout, if needed enter the member
lengths. ii) Input a material from the list. iii) Assign cross-section to members.
b. From scratch. A good idea to learn may be to start with a simple structure using typical nodes, created by
method a), and then train yourself to modify it. Or nodes are added as first, and then connected by
elements by clicking nodes, or elements are directly added, also adding the needed nodes (space bar).
Remember to assign material and cross-section to elements.
66
2.1.3
Step 2: get the JNodes
Work steps: step 2: get the JNodes

Once the BFEM 770 model has been defined the next steps are:
1. Searching the members 796 starting from finite elements.
A finite element model with beams and trusses elements (BFEM) does not describe the
members. It may happen that a member is divided in several beam elements, and so it is not
true that the beam finite elements are also members 796 . The program must find the members
starting from finite elements (beams and trusses) and it does this job by the command FemSearch Members 505 . Sometimes the search of the members is done automatically, apparently
jumping this step, but this step is always done. The connections join members, not finite
elements. The member search is affected by several BFEM model features like:
the elements alignment;
the change of cross-sections, orientation or material;
the end-releases;
the application of connection codes 781 to the beam elements: these are special codes
that may be optionally applied to the finite elements to mark the end of members that
would otherwise prosecute.
2. Searching the JNodes 790 .

In CSE we use the term "jnode" to distinguish it from "node" so as to avoid a dangerous risk
Quick Start Guide
67
of confusion (only in the quick start guide we use the term "node" with several meanings).
"Node" for us is the "node" of the finite element models. However not all the "nodes" of a
BFEM finite element model are connections zones between members. The ideal points
where more members are joined, or where one or more members are connected to the
ground or to a restraint, are for us "jnodes". JNodes are not just a point in space. It is part of
the JNode definition information as:
The number of members joined together, their mutual angles, i.e. the angles formed by
the axis lines;
The cross-sections and the materials of the members joined, and their mutual
orientations, for instance if a connection is by web or by flange;
The existence of end-releases, or of constraints to the ground or to a restraint;
Etc.
CSE finds automatically by itself the JNodes after it has found the members, the command is
sometimes to be executed explicitly and is Jnode-Search 505 (sometimes the command is not
necessary because the programs does it automatically -for instance after defining a typical
node-, but from a logical point of view, this step, JNode search, is unavoidable and is
always done). CSE finds all the equal JNodes and considers them only once. If a given type
of connection between members is used in more places in the structure, with the same
member sizes, material, mutual orientations and so on, CSE finds all the places where it is,
and relates to a unique JNode several "instances 788 ". In this way it will be possible to
describe the connections once for all, and these connection details will be applied to all
instances of the JNode. Of course, the checks will keep into account the internal forces
arising in the members for all JNode instances, i.e. in every place of the structure where it
has been used.
The JNodes will then be transformed into real nodes, or Renodes 811 , in a working
environment not anymore "wireframe" but perfectly 3D. A JNode can be transformed into a
Renode in thousands different ways: using welds, bolts, plates, angles, special components,
creating the physical connection by infinite possible construction modes. These detailed
information is defined in the following step: construction of the Renode.
Albeit these steps might seem strange or useless, especially if a single node must be computed,
68
their are fundamental if you think that for CSE the typical goal is to deal with a whole structure.
The computation of a single node is a special case. Normally the User must deal with structures
having hundreds or thousands members, and these capabilities are precious as the structure is
managed by a single file. If typical and simple nodes are required, the program builds the
BFEM model, generates the members and finds the JNodes in a completely automated single
step....
2.1.4
I cannot complete step 2!
Work steps, step 2: I cannot do that!

If step 2 cannot be completed the problems probably are due:
1. The BFEM 770 model is not complete: some elements miss material or cross-section. If an element has not a
cross-section it cannot be a structural member!
2. You cannot search for JNodes because members have not been searched yet by the command Fem-Search
Members 505 .
3. The JNodes 790 which have been found have been deleted because of the type cuspidal 792 or tangent 793 . If this
is true, you can search one more time the JNodes and not to delete the cuspidal or tangent ones, when asked.
So you will be able to understand why the program does catalog them in that way, and to modify BFEM
model so that the discarded JNodes are transformed into hierarchical, or simple, or central jnodes. Usually
the problem is due to the fact that in a jnode end more than one uninterrupted member 796 : so it is necessary
to add some connection codes 781 .
4. It has not been selected one and only one JNode, so you cannot switch to Renode view 823 .
2.1.5
Step 3: construct and check Renodes
Work Steps, step 3: construct and check Renodes

Now that JNodes have been found, one and only one JNode is selected to transform it into a
Renode, that will then be checked. The operations: selection of a single JNode; construction
and check of the Renode; are done one by one for all the JNodes the user is interested in, up to
all JNodes (but you can also study only some JNodes). To construct and check a Renode means
to also automatically construct and check all the instances of the underlying JNode, that is all
the identical repetitions of the JNode in the structure.
The JNode selection is done activating the JNode View 822 , by the command Display-JNodes 389 ,
and selecting one and only one JNode, for instance by clicking over its symbol.
Quick Start Guide
69
Once a single JNode has been selected, you must switch to the Renode View 823 , wholly 3D, by
the command Display-Renode 389 . If more than one JNode is selected, the command is grayed.
At this point you can start constructing the Renode. A JNode and the related Renode share the
same identifier, made up by two letters, case sensitive, e.g. AB, Fg, and so on.
Switched to Renode View: the Renode is to be constructed, yet.

The Renode construction is the part more strictly related to the design and check of the
connections.
It can be divided in two steps:
1. The geometrical construction of the Renode and the check of its coherence.
2. The choice of the check settings and the execution of the checks.
To be clear these two steps, named 3.1 and 3.2, will be described in two separate pages.
2.1.5.1
Step 3.1: geometrical construction of the Renode
Work Steps, step 3.1: geometrical construction of the Renode

The geometrical construction of the Renode is the geometrical description of all the components
that are used in the Renode. The members can be shortened, extended, they can be beveled,
some parts can be cut. More components can be added, named throughs 817 , which act as forcetransferrers, and all these components will have to be connected together by means of weldC.S.E. - 2001-2015 - Copyright Castalia srl - Milan - Italy - www.castaliaweb.com
70
layouts 824 and bolt-layouts 771 .

When this geometrical construction step is over, two commands are useful in order to check that
everything is ok.
A first command, Renode-Check Overlaps! 669 , is used to check that no object overlaps any
other.
A second command, Renode-Check Coherence 669 , is used to check that the load paths, or chains
776
, are correct, and that all the connections have been properly detected. If a Renode does not
pass the coherence check it cannot be checked.
Renode has been constructed

The geometrical construction of a Renode can be done in several possible ways:
1. If the Renode is one of the available Parametrized Real Nodes, named PRenodes 809 , then
by the command Renode-Assign PRenode to Renode 518 it can be constructed very quickly,
also changing, if necessary, the choices done by who parametrized it (sizes, thicknesses,
number of bolts, and so on). This operative choice is the only one available in the program
LIGHT versions. A change of thickness or of size, or of number of bolts, is quickly
accomplished deleting all the Renode, and reassigning the PRenode with some different
choice of the parameters.
2. If sub sets of the Renode are recognizable as parametrized real nodes, the subset can be
constructed by using mode 1. For instance, if in a Renode having the three members A, B, C,
Quick Start Guide
71
members A and B can be seen as a sub Renode 816 to which a 2 members PRenode may be
applied, then one part of the complete Renode is automatically constructed (the A-B
connection). The command is Renode-Assign PRenode to Subrenode 523 .
3. If an identical Renode exists in some already prepared model, it is possible to copy and
paste it (by the commands Renode-Copy Renode to Clipboard 669 , and Renode-Paste Renode
from Clipboard 670 ).
4. If some components exists in some already prepared Renode, it is possible to copy and
paste them (by the commands Renode-Components-Copy to Clipboard 624 , and RenodeComponents-Paste from Clipboard 625 ).
5. You can add components, copy them, move them, rotate them, or modify them by workprocesses, thanks to a wide number of interactive commands, all placed under the
Renode menu. These commands are used to geometrically describe the renode adding the
needed components and the joiners like welds and bolts. This fifth mode can be used also
after having executed each of the first 4, to customize or modify the Renode. Connected
objects must share a face in contact (tangent faces). Welds and bolts can be applied to
objects sharing a face. The welds and bolts connection will be recognized based on the
objects position in space. Moving a bolt layout or a weld layout can lead to connection loss.
See: how connection works 154 .
6. Finally, if an identical Renode exists in the Nodery 818 , you can use the command NoderyApply Renode from Universal Renode Database. 757
Mode 5 has been the first to be added to the program and is also the one allowing to build
Renodes with complete freedom, as no use of pre-defined forms or of typical nodes is needed
(FULL version of the program).
Mode 1 is very useful as with CSE FULL it is possible to parametrize our own Renodes.
Mode 2 is often useful to do a part of the work.
Mode 6 is the future, as a very wide Universal Renode Database can be created by users
willing to share their work.
Once the Renode has been geometrically constructed, and once assured it is coherent, we can
logically move to the next step.
72
2.1.5.2
I cannot complete step 3.1!
Work steps, step 3.1: I cannot do that!

If you are not able to construct a Renode, the reasons can be several. It also depends on how you decided to
build the Renode. The most frequently encountered problems are the following.
1. When dealing with "ground renodes" it has not been added a constraint block 783 .
2. Some components are not connected to anything.
3. Some weld layout (WL) or bolt layout (BL) are not properly connected 154 .
a. Because they connect too many components.
b. Because the subcomponents (e.g. single bolts) connect different objects: for instance, bolt number 1
connects A e B, bolt number 2 connects A and C (typically in splice joints).
c. Because WL or BL have been shifted and so lost connection. Just move them to proper position.
d. Because there are faces (typically WL faces) with some points outside the contact face.
e. Because there are faces (typically WL faces) touching other components
4. Because some components overlap
5. The number of maximum objects of chain 776 is not high enough. This avoids ending a chain needed to
connect two components, that will then be seen as unconnected. You must increase the maximum number of
objects in a chain (see chain 776 ).
6. A BL is applied to a not boltable face
2.1.5.3
775
because the sides are too short.
Step 3.2: setting and executing checks
Work Steps, step 3.2: setting and executing checks

The execution of the checks in CSE is a delicate step, as there are several possible types of
checks and the choice of the ones applicable is up to the user.
The first thing to do is to set the internal forces of the members 361 of the Renode at hand.
This is done by a single command, Checks-Internal Forces 688 , which allows to define the
internal forces in 5 different ways.
1. Taking the internal forces from the BFEM model which has been read from a file. This
mode only works if the model has been read from outside and the static analysis was already
done using another program.
2. Setting, for each member, the maximum value of each internal forces component (axial force,
shears, bending moments, torque), as a fraction of elastic limits of the member. For instance,
0.6 times the elastic bending moment, 0.2 times the limit elastic shear. Then, the program
generates 24 combinations of the maximum values 687 , which are used to test all the possible
Quick Start Guide
73
detachment modes of the member from the remaining part of the Renode. The combinations
are decided by the program. If the Renode has m members, there will be 24m combinations.
3. As the previous one, but using plastic limits, and not elastic ones (0.6 times the plastic
bending moment...).
4. As the previous ones, but directly setting the maximum values not as fractions of elastic or
plastic limits, but as specifically input values (for instance N=23kN, M2=100kNm, etc.).
Internal forces are set using the finite elements local reference system (the elements defined
in the underlying BFEM model).
5. By inputing a table which lists all the internal forces of each member, in every needed
combination. The table can be pasted from a worksheet, and the number of decoded
combinations will depend on the number of rows of the table (if the members are m, and
there are nxm rows, there will be n combinations).
The checks are set at the component level, inside the dialogs used to modify each component,
and also at the general, Renode level, in the dialog used to set checks general settings 672 .
Some aspects are here summarized.
1. The cheks of the welds 185 and of the bolts 167 are not complex and are always executed
automatically by the program. The type of the check depend on how the bolts and the welds
have been defined. For the welds, for instance, it is important to distinguish between fillet
welds and penetration welds. For the bolts, there are several possible options, which affect
the checks; among them if a boltlyout is slip resistant or not 217 , if the bolts are anchors 214 or
pins, and if the bolt layout uses or not a bearing surface 772 .
2. The bolt bearing pressure checks 202 and the punching shear checks 212 are not too
complex and are executed automatically by the program (if required).
3. The block tear checks 244 are much complex and imply the search for failure paths in each
component bolted. The program executes them automatically, but it may lead to oversafe
checks in some special cases.
4. The resistance checks of components are generally specking much complex, and can be
faced in three different ways:
i. By means of the automatic "net cross-sections 225 " checks, i.e. slicing the components by
planes and computing the resulting actions over those planes. These are beam-like
74
simplified checks. Net cross-sections keep into account reductions due to holes,
bevels, and so on.
ii. By means of fem checks 193 , that is creating automatically fem models of the components
(or of sets of components), and analyzing them in linear or non linear range.
iii.By means of user's checks 253 , that is by additional checking formulae added by the user.
This can be useful to specifically check some failure modes in a simplified way.
5. The buckling checks of components, if needed, are done by methods (ii) and (iii) of the
previous point 4.
6. Also the deformability checks 251 are important, because they can uncover the behavior of
improperly designed connections.
7. Finally, the user's checks 253 can always be used to make CSE execute specific checks that the
user considers necessary.
Generally speaking, the resistance and buckling checks of components are those posing more
problems.
If the net cross-sections approach is used, these net cross-sections can be found
automatically by the program or defined by the user 628 , helping the program to understand
where they are necessary. However, the net cross-sections are a fairly rough method to
execute the checks, as the stresses spread along components in a complex way (not beamlike).
Much better than the previous ones, are the checks made by automatic FEM modelling. The
analysis can be linear or non linear, and by this fem analyses stresses are computed in a much
more realistic way. However, you need to be able to read a Von Mises stress map, and the
results will be displayed using the program Sargon Reader 337 (which is part of the CSE
package, with no extra cost): it helps CSE to display the results of the FEM analyses.
A possible alternative are the user's checks, using simplified formulae.
When the checks have been executed and are satisfactory, a report can be automatically
generated by the command File-Report 367 . The ODT or ePUB file can then be easily converted
in other file formats like .DOC or .PDF. The program, besides, creates an output listing file 276
(.out, ASCII) which lists all the relevant data and results.
Quick Start Guide
2.1.5.4
75
I cannot complete step 3.2!
Work steps, step 3.2: I cannot do that!

If the Renode is coherent but you cannot check it in a satisfactory way, this may be due to several reasons (see
also here 271 ).
1. The checks cannot be executed because the Renode is not coherent 780 (chains cannot be found) or because
there are overlappings between the components. This contradicts the initial hypothesis of coherent well
posed Renode.
2. The checks are executed but they lead to results much more severe than expected. This may be due to several
reasons:
a. The program uses all the member forces requested, and these lead to stress states usually much more
complex than those expected by a simplified notional check. If you wish, you can use some member-force
components only to make the check easier. Setting member forces 689 .
b. The program is "too on the safe side". Sometimes this may be due to the following reasons, for instance:
i. When checking the net cross sections the program has found automatically net cross-sections which
are not really meaningful for the problem at hand (e.g. too small). But the net cross sections can be
checked only for some internal forces components or can be defined by the user 628 , or as an alternative
you can decide to skip the net cross-section check for one or more components (as for those
components that kind of check is unfit).
ii. When checking by a CFEM 776 a component, the Von Mises stress peak is by far higher than the design
stress. But a very local peak can easily be re-distributed, and only a competent engineering judgement
193
can say if a Von Mises stress map is excessive or not. For safety reasons, the program uses the
stress peak to compute utilization ratio.

iii.When checking against block tear 244 failure paths are detected which do not keep into account
stiffening plates normal to the one being analyzed. If these checks are too strict, they can be avoided.
iv. When checking BL using a bearing surface, it has been used a bearing surface
772
unrealistically large,
or with constitutive law too stiff, or too flexible.

v. The additional bending in the bolt shafts leads to additional stresses not negligible.
vi. The safety factors 672 are improperly set, or the material data are wrong.
3. Some components "are white" (in false colors utilization map), and apparently they are not checked at all, for
instance:
a. Components with no cross-section deductions due to cuts, bevels, bolt-holes, which are not subjected to
FEM checks or to user's checks. They are not subjected to any check.
b. Internal stiffeners, which are not FEM checked as part of the object they stiffen, or to user's checks.
4. It is not possible to let a non linear analysis converge. Often this implies that the component(s) are not
checked because they carry loads higher than their limit load. There are some exceptions:
a. The buckling analysis of members not properly stabilized 346 , which are so computed as cantilevers less
76
than clamped.
b. A material has been unwillingly flagged as no-tension 799 or no-compression
c. The material constitutive law 488 has not been assigned properly
d. A non linear analysis using contact non linearity 350 cannot reach convergence. This may be due to the
penalty constant value, too high.
5. Some components have been asked to cover structural functions that they cannot cover, for instance:
a. "Shear only 587 " bolt layouts loaded by high axial forces and/or bending moments.
b. "Slip resistant 217 " bolt layouts with applied tensile forces able to cancel initial pre-load, or with no preload set.
c. Single bolt bolt layouts loaded by torque 807 .
d. Single weld seam weld layout loaded by bending moments acting on weak axis.
2.1.6
Step 4: construct the 3D global model
Work Steps, step 4: create the 3D global model

It is always possible to generate a 3D global model of the structure which optionally keeps into
account the Renodes constructed up to the moment when the 3D model is created. This is done
by the command 3D Modl-Regenerate! 724
2.2
The Commands
THE COMMANDS
Using CSE, it must be kept in mind that the commands working-mode is as follows:
1. The commands which need to be stopped can be stopped by right-clicking the mouse or by
ESC key.
2. The uninterrupted command can be stacked, but at the third stacked command a warning
message will be issued.
3. Some commands are active if and only if a specific view is active.
4. The commands which cannot be executed at a given moment, because it would be
meaningless, are grayed.
5. The mouse wheel is used to Zoom In and Out.
6. The "right or left arrow" keys are for rotations along the parallel.
7. The "up and down arrow" keys are for rotation along the meridian.
Quick Start Guide
77
8. The "Ctrl" key + "right or left arrow" keys is for horizontal pan.
9. The "Ctrl" key + "up and down arrow" keys is for vertical pan.
2.3
The Interface
THE INTERFACE
Please also read: how to understand the CSE interface 89 .
On the left there are four panes:
Renode 803
lists all the components in the active Renode (double clicking
selects and unselects)

Selected Components 802
lists the presently selected components (double clicking
unselects)
Variables and Conditions 806
lists all the variable and conditions (double click to modify)
Assistant 802
provides an help to understand at which point of the work the
user is
On the right there is a graphical view which can be:

FEM 820
used in the initial phases of the work or to see the underlying BFEM 770
model (wireframe, nodes, beams & trusses).

JNode 822
to see the different (j)nodes and the different occurences of a jnode in the
structure (wireframe, jnodes, members)

Renode 823
to see, study and construct a (real) node in 3D (3D, cleats, welds, bolts, member
in 3D)
Solid 824
to see the whole structure in 3D (3D, optionally with cleats, bolts,
welds, etc.)
78
2.4
FAQ
FAQ
In this section several frequently asked questions are listed.
1.Why are there some many views and not only a 3D view of the connection
with the joined members?
Because CSE manages whole structures, not only single nodes. You can also study single
nodes, however, as a special case. However, also that single node will have a reference BFEM
770
structure. Therefore it is also needed to view the BFEM model of the whole structure, and
all the "nodes" inside it.
2.The checks are done considering the member-to-member connections of

a node one by one or all together?
CSE checks Renodes 811 , where generally speaking several members are joined together. The
checks refer to all components, used to join every member: a single check command refer to all
members, all cleats, and all joiners, for all the combinations, and for all the JNode instances 788
in the model.
3.Why so many new and similar terms are used, like node, jnode, renode,
prenode or BFEM, CFEM etc.?
Because otherwise the risk of confusion is high. CSE tackled for the first time many new
problems and to define unequivocally what we are talking about new words are needed, and
specific terms. CSE manages "nodes" in general, not only pre-defined, typical nodes by
"cooking recipes": the user is free to create the nodes he/she wants! So the problem is much
more general.
4.How many different "FEM" models CSE manages, and why?

CSE manages the following finite element models:
1. BFEM (bernoulli fem, or "beam" fem): it is the model mainly made by beams and trusses
that is used to get the nodes to be computed.
2. IFEM (initial fem): it is a finite element model, created in background by CSE to compute
Quick Start Guide
79
a generic Renode in the first computational sweep.

3. CFEM (component fem): it is a plate-shell FEM model of a single component,
automatically created by CSE on user's request, to check it with static and possibly
buckling analyses. CFEM uses the internal forces in the joiners computed by IFEM, and
reapply them with sign reversed according to action reaction principle.
4. MCFEM (multi component fem): it is a plate-shell FEM model of several components
joined together, automatically created by CSE on user's request, to check the components
for resistance and possibly stability by means of static and buckling analyses.
5. PFEM (pure fem): it is a plate-shell finite element model of the whole node, with all the
components and all the joiners, automatically created by CSE on user's request. Members
are loaded at the far end from connection by forces and moments equivalent to those
described at the connected end (that is balanced with).
Obviously every model has a different goal, and they must not be confused: that is why we use a
specific terminology.
5.Where do I define the member forces?

Once the Renode has been built, by the command Checks-Internal Forces 688 .
6.What kind of combinations of the internal forces are available?

If the BFEM model has been imported from other programs, all the combinations defined in the
original model will be available and can be checked. It is also possible to use the worst 24
combinations for each member, if the combinations are too many. As an alternative to these
combinations, a table of internal forces can be defined and pasted into CSE, thus defining as
many combinations as wished. A further possible approach is to let the program generate some
combinations (exactly 24 for each member), using the maximum for each member simple
internal-force component, as defined by the user. See also here 361 .
7.What if I have to change the size of a member or its orientation?

In general if you check connections this means that the cross-section sizing has already been
done. It is strongly advised to start connection design once the members have been already
designed, also in view of connection design. However, it may happen that when connections are
80
being designed and checked it is found that the cross-sections of one or more members have to
be modified. If this happens the problem is different depending on the BFEM model has been
imported from outside, or the BFEM model has been created inside CSE.
If the BFEM model has been read from outside, and if the internal forces computed out of
CSE by another program are being used, then it is necessary to modify as first the original
BFEM model, out of CSE, rerunning the analysis. Then, by the command Update FEM model
374
it is possible to update the CSE BFEM model without losing the connections (Renodes)
which are not affected by the changes in cross-sections. Using different cross-sections with
the same internal forces would in fact be wrong. A cross-section change in some finite
elements, generally speaking, may change the member search (the program can find different
members), the jnode search (the program can find different jnodes, marking them differently),
and so it destroys much of the information needed. This is intrinsic to cross-section change in
the general context of a 3D structure.
If the BFEM model has been created inside CSE the problem is in principle the same, but is
however possible to change the cross-section of the members of the Renode (by the
command Renode-Members-Modify Cross Section 539 ) without correspondingly change the
BFEM model (which can be done also in the previous case, albeit strongly ill-advised). If
this is done, obviously, there will be a mismatch between the computational BFEM model
(still with the old cross-sections) and that of Renode (which instead is using new ones). It
will be enough to use for the analysis well defined values (and not fraction of elastic or
plastic limits) to get correct results.
If needed, cleats can be copied into clipboard and later pasted when back to renode view.
If typical nodes are being designed, using, as it often happens, parametrized real nodes, it is
faster get back to fem view, reassign the cross-section to finite elements of the BFEM model,
then a) Execute the command Search Members 505 ; b) Execute the command search JNodes 505 ;
c) Switch to the Renode view 389 after selecting the JNode of interest
d) Reassign the
parametrized Real Node 518 . The four operations a,b,c,d imply a few mouse click.
Summing up:
1. If the BFEM model has been read from outside, and you wish to keep the coherence between
Quick Start Guide
81
the models, modify and re-run the BFEM model outside CSE. Then reimport the model by
the command Update FEM model 374 .
2. If the BFEM model has been created inside CSE, you can change the cross section in the
Renode view, but be sure to use the correct internal forces, as the elastic and plastic limits
are computed using the underlying BFEM model which is not changed by a reassign of
member cross section in Renode View. Also, you can get back to fem view, change the
BFEM according to your need, and get back to renode as explained above.
8.Which are the typical steps to do if I have to study one node only, without
importing a whole structure?
If the connection is one of the typical ones, by the command Fem-Typical Nodes 430 it is
possible to quickly generate the smal BFEM model necessary, and then the user gets
automatically to the 3D Renode construction. Using parametrized Renodes the 3D geometrical
construction is quick and easy.
If instead the layout is not typical, then: 1)by the commands in the FEM menu the small BFEM
structure is generated, adding beams and trusses; 2) the members 796 are searched for by the
command Fem-Search Members 505 (one click); 3) the JNodes are searched for, by the
command JNodes-Search 505 (one click). 4) Finally, the JNode is selected in JNode view 822 and
you switch to the Renode view 823 for the 3D construction of the node itself (two clicks).
9.Which are the typical steps if I have to import a whole structure?

First you read the model by the command File-Import 373 . The reading of the model also implies
the automatic search for members. Then the JNodes must be searched by the command JNodeSearch 505 . Finally you select one JNode at a time of the ones found, and you switch to the
Renode view for the 3D construction of the node and its checks.
10.In a nutshell, which are the checks to be done?

The resistance checks of the welds and of the bolts. The bolt bearing pressure checks. The
punching shear checks. The block tear checks. The components (members 796 and throughs 817 )
resistance and buckling checks . If slip resistant bolt layouts are used, the slip check is
automatic. If anchors are used, the pull-out check is automatic. The deformability check, should
be used to verify that the displacements are not excessive, which can warn about an illC.S.E. - 2001-2015 - Copyright Castalia srl - Milan - Italy - www.castaliaweb.com
82
conceived connection design. The checks that require the most part of the user's attention are the
resistance and stability checks of components. The welds and bolts checks are automatic once
the computational settings have been chosen.
11.What kind of report can be generated by CSE?

The CSE report is in ODT or in ePUB file format, and is got by the command File-Report 367 : it
is made by text, tables, and images. This report refers to the checks of the Renode active when
the command is executed (so there will be a report for each renode). Inside Sargon Reader, it is
then possible to create a report for each finite element analysis (CFEM 776 , MCFEM 796 , PFEM
807
). These report, optionally, are added to the main one of the Renode checked. Besides there
is an output listing 276 , in ASCII format (.out extension) which lists in table format all the
computational data and the description of the components. Images can be captured by the
command File-Photo 372 and file AVI 369 of the node can also be created.
12.Why the report is in ePUB file format and how can I get the .DOC or
.PDF file formats?
The ePUB file format is very light, it is not a proprietary format, and is a very suitable format
for tablets and mobile cells. ePUB is a zip file (you can rename it) embedding HTML, JPEG
and PNG files. Besides, ePUB can be easily converted into PDF or DOC by several converters
(for instance http://www.ebookconverter.net/ or Calibre, or AVS Converter). EPUB is the
eBook file format. Using Sigil (http://sigil-ebook.com/ ), which is for free, ePUB can be
directly edited and modified.
13.Can the program import a whole structure with all its internal forces
and combinations?
Yes, if this has been modeled and analyzed by one of the softwares CSE is interfaced with.
14.How can I "teach" to the program some specific checks to be done?

Adding user's variables and user's checks 818 to the Renode being studied.
15.Can I record and parametrize my own typical connections?

Yes, with FULL version. Even the strangest Renodes, due to the cross-section used, due to the
Quick Start Guide
83
number and disposition of components, can be parametrized, so that the program is able to
generate them very quickly, with the desired level of interactivity.
16.How is it recognized the connection between two components in CSE?

The connection between two components in CSE is always realized by means of a joiner 794 ,
like a weld layout 824 or a bolt layout 771 . The weld layout connects two components, the bolt
layout connects up to 10 thicknesses. Understanding that a weld layout or a bolt layout connect
some components, is done thanks to the spatial position of the weld layout, of the bolt layout
and of the components. To be connected, two components must have two faces in contact,
sharing the same plane but with opposite normals. The program is very strict in checking the
coplanar condition. Moving a weld layout or a bolt layout can result in a connection loss. If this
happens, the connection can be reset by properly moving the displaced components, and
possibly re-editing the joiner.
16.Why does the program by default use the minimum distance from the
edges for all forces direction instead of (possibly on request) using the
minimum X distance for X forces, and the minimum Y distance for Y
forces?
Bolt bearing checks must keep into account the real direction of the resultant force in the bolt
shaft. Usually the coded standards assume that this direction is X or Y, i.e. that of the rows or
columns of the bolt layout, but in general this is not true. Decomposing the resultant into X and
Y components, you will get distances from the edges in general different by the one that you
would find using the direction of the resultant.
84
Part
III
86
How to...
3.1
Start from scratch

How to start from scratch
N.B.: if working in LIGHT 55 mode, see How to understand the limitations of LIGHT mode 323
, because some tools and operations explained here are not available in that mode.
There are two ways to start from scratch in CSE: either by importing a finite element
model which has already been devised and solved, or by creating the model within CSE. In the
latter case, the checks will be carried out using the elastic or plastic limits of the members
(suitably factorised) as the internal actions for computing, or specific values input by the user
or imported from external tables 683 (these modes are available also for imported FEM models,
instead of computed internal forces).
The objective in both cases is to analyse the (re)nodes 811 , which is done by selecting the
corresponding jnodes 790 one by one and transforming them into renodes. The process of
transforming the jnode into a renode essentially consists of adding the components and joints,
and choosing which checks are to be made.
In the first case, if a FEM model is available, the command to import it is Import FEM
model FEM 373 , and then by simply running the Search 505 command to find the jnodes, the user is
ready to work on the various jnodes one by one (see how to start building the (re)nodes 150 ).
In the second case, a dummy FEM model needs to be developed from scratch, containing
suitably interconnected finite elements; then the members need to be found (with the Search for
members 505 command) and finally also the jnodes (using the Search for Jnodes 505 command).
The model is a dummy because it will not be solved with a solver but rather will only be used
to define the topology of the nodes in which we are interested. If the objective is just to analyse
a small number of connections, as seems likely in this latter case, the model does not need to be
realistic: it will suffice that the program can recognise the jnodes which are needed in order to
create the desired renodes. See How to create a FEM model from scratch 146 for more on how to
devise a finite element model in CSE.
How to...
87
The resulting jnodes can be analysed and modified; any that the user considers irrelevant for
their purposes can be excluded from the analysis simply by deleting them. The jnodes are
managed using the Edit 506 command. See the section How to analyse or modify a jnode 150 for
further details.
At this point it can be a good idea to set up the checks, given that all the connections are
presumably to be analysed against the same standard and with similar computation rules and
hypotheses, although this can always be done later. The Checks-Set up 671 command is used to
specify how the connections are to be checked; see How to specify which checks to carry out 257
for more information. If desired, different settings can be used from one renode to another.
The next step is to select (How to select 290 ) the jnodes one by one and view the
corresponding renode, using the Show Renode 389 command.
Each renode must be constructed by adding the necessary throughs 817 and joiners 794 and
carrying out any work processes 826 on the members. New variables 647 and conditions 656 can
also be added and associated with each renode, which can be used to introduce additional
checking criteria (see user checks 818 ). For further information, please see How to start building
the (re)nodes 150 .
The Check coherence 669 and Check overlaps 669 commands can be used to ascertain that all
the entities are correctly connected and that there are no overlaps 801 between the various threedimensional objects which make up the renode.
Before running the analysis, the settings to be used for the checks must be specified, unless
they have been already and the user is happy to continue with them as they stand.
The Check renode 692 command executes all the automatic checks and all the user checks in
accordance with the chosen settings (How to check a (re)node 271 ).
All that remains to be done now is to analyse the results and check them for consistency, as it
is the users responsibility (with CSE as with any other computation software) to check the
results for correctness, by means of separate estimates, evaluations and calculations, simplified
88
or otherwise. Please see the following sections:

How to examine the results of the checks 272
How to check the results 273
3.2
Understand the various operational steps

How to understand the various operational steps
CSE is a major software package which has been developed over several years: at the
outset, the sheer number of commands and its richness of functionality (which is continually
increasing) may seem daunting.
It is therefore important to have a clear understanding of the different operational steps
in CSE, in order to retain sight of our overall objectives.
Currently these steps are as follows:
1. Obtaining a FEM model
2. Finding the members
3. Finding the jnodes
4. Transforming each jnode into a renode by adding throughs and joiners and specifying the
work processes required
5. Running the checks on each renode
6. Documenting the checks carried out and how the renode was built, to pass this
information on to others.
Step 1 can either be automated using the Import FEM model 373 command or carried out
within CSE (see How to create a FEM model from scratch 146 ). In the latter case, the
FEM model will not be solved, as it will only serve to define the jnodes. The internal
actions used for the computations will be the elastic or plastic forces of the members
(suitably tuned and factorised), or values directly specified by the user or imported
from an external table 683 .
Step 2 is only required if the FEM model has been manually created within CSE. It is
automatic and only involves the use of one command (namely Search for members 505 ).
How to...
89
Step 3 is automatic and consists of the single command Search 505 .

Step 4 can be manual, automatic of semi-automatic. The manual mode requires the
renode to be built up using the relevant commands or; the program works here like a
kind of electronic LegoTM, where the components and joints can be positioned at the
users discretion. Otherwise it is possible to apply one of the applicable predefined
connections of the archive; these connections are parametrized and user can modify its
parameters. In addition, after the application it is possible to delete, modify or add
components. For further information, please see How to start building the renodes 150 .
Step 5 is automatic subject to supervision by the user, in the sense that the user must
set up the checks correctly and then analyse them. see How to check a renode 271 and
How to examine the results of the checks 272 . Particular user checks can also be run
automatically, i.e. the program can learn how to run certain checks and then do so
automatically.
Step 6 uses a series of commands, from creating the listing to printing suitable,
meaning-rich images: see How to examine the results of the checks 272 .
3.3
Understand CSE interface

How to understand the CSE interface
The image below shows a range of the various components which make up the CSE interface
(in FULL 55 mode).
The drop-down menu, which is a Windows application standard, can be used to access
all the commands in the system.
The various toolbars (main, renode, post and enquire) contain buttons which allow many
of the most frequently used available commands to be run directly, grouped by function type or
field of application. When a button is greyed, it means that related command is not available
during that work step.
The status bar shows information on the active command together with the detailed results
of the checks on the components.
The current parameters include the active units of measurement and, for renodes, the
current combination 778 and instance 788 .
90
Finally there are the views: CSE has a graphical view 821 and a SOLID view 824 .
The CSE interface

The alphanumeric view offers 4 panes (the picture shows only threee of them as it refers to a
previous CSE version):
the Renode pane 803
the Selected Entities pane 802
the Variables and conditions pane 806
the Assistant pane 802
The following are available in the graphical view:
the FEM view 820
the JNODES view 822
the RENODE view 823
the SOLID view 824
in addition to the plane views with the results for the bolt layouts with bearing surfaces 772
and the net sections 225 .
How to...
91
N.B.: if working in LIGHT 57 mode, (re)node bar, commands and menus are lighter and
simplified (see: Introduction - CSE interface 55 and How to understand the limitations of
LIGHT mode 323 ).
3.4
Import a FEM model

How to import a FEM model
CSE can import models created in SARGON, SAP2000, STRAP and STAAD PRO.
Furthermore, any finite element program supplier can provide support in its software for a
facility to write out the relevant files in the open format known as Open Sargon, which is
readable by CSE (.sr3, or .sr4, .ddb, .sdb and .rdb files). The instructions in English for how to
output these files can be downloaded free from http://www.steelchecks.com/PRO/CS/
interface.asp. Thus any software house wishing to develop an interface with CSE can do so, for
a very modest implementation investment. Users of products whose supplier is unlikely to
develop an interface to CSE can implement the exchange file themselves, with a little
programming skill, or outsource this work to others.
The following formats are supported by CSE:
Sargon (.wsr) 91
SAP2000 92 108 (.sdb) 92
STRAP 101 108 (geom*.dat) 101
STAAD PRO 108 108 (*.std) 108
Open BINARY format (.sr3) 125
Open ASCII format (.sr4) 125
RISA3D 129 108 (.r3d) 92
MIDAS 135 108 (.mct) 92
IMPORTING .WSR FILES (SARGON models)
To import a model devised using SARGON (http://www.steelchecks.com/PRO/SR/

home.asp) into CSE, a new model must first be created using the command New 365 . Then the
Sargon model (the file with extension .wsr) can be imported using the Import FEM model 373
92
command. SAP2000 models are imported in a similar way, this time specifying a file in .SDB
format.
Please note that before importing the model, it must first have been processed so that all
the necessary connection codes have been defined, in order to minimise tangential or cuspidal
jnodes or avoid them altogether. In other words, where there are elements which intersect
(whilst still being continuous), it will be necessary to specify which of the uninterrupted
elements is actually the one without connections (i.e. the master element). Otherwise, one or
more nodes will be marked as tangential or cuspidal in the subsequent automatic recognition
phase (which will result in ambiguous or unachievable solutions).
Sargon supports direct transfer of the active model to CSE from version 9.10.
IMPORTING .SDB FILES (SAP2000 models)

versions from January 2010 onwards
Sargon/ CSE offers the ability to import models prepared in Sap2000. As well as
importing the model, Sargon/ CSE can also import and convert the results of the analysis
carried out in Sap2000. The interface between Sargon, CSE and Sap2000 has been
developed jointly with CSI Italia. Once the command is executed you must specify which
Sap2000 version you are going to use.
General introduction
The interface between Sargon, CSE and Sap2000 can be implemented by having Sargon
or CSE read a .SDB model provided in a given folder.
The Sap2000 model has file extension .SDB, which in itself is something of a problem,
because Sargon also uses this extension for the binary output files containing the Stress
DataBase. We therefore need to avoid clashes between the names of the Sargon model (the
.WSR and the .SDB output file) and the Sap2000 model (.SDB). In order to avoid the risk of
important files being overwritten, when Sargon imports a Sap 2000 model called
"MODEL.SDB", for example, it will prompt the user to save it with the name
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93
"MODEL___.WSR", so that during the subsequent solving phase the file "MODEL___.SDB" is
created and the original "MODEL.SDB" file is not corrupted. A similar procedure applies in
CSE, when a .SDB (Sap2000) file is read and imported directly. In this case, the CSE model
will be named "MODEL___.CSE", so that the binary output (SDB) files created for the internal
forces will not cause any overwrite problems here either.
For an SDB (Sap2000) file to be imported into Sargon or CSE, a functioning copy of
Sap2000 must already have been installed on the computer, including the relevant protection
key. In fact, the process of importing a Sap2000 file invokes Sap2000 itself in the background
along with the link between the Sargon/CSE DLL, "sarkern.dll", using Sap2000.exe.
As soon as the command is invoked, the Sargon or CSE program prompts the user to
confirm whether they wish to have the model solved using Sap2000. If so, the analysis is run in
Sap2000, thus (if necessary) providing the results of the analysis as computed by Sap 2000. So
if the user responds in the affirmative, Sap2000 will run immediately after the solving process,
thus making the results available for subsequent computations. If the user declines, there are
two possible outcomes. If the solving has never been run, then the Sap2000 results will not be
available and it will not therefore be possible to import them. If the solving has already been
run, then the results will be available.
After this prompt, the conversion routine asks the user whether to import the results of
the Sap2000 solving process into Sargon/ CSE. If the user declines, the computation results
(displacements, internal actions, etc.) will not be imported. In Sargon this means that the
imported model will not have the post-processing available, i.e. the analysis must be carried
out using Sargons own solvers. In CSE, this means that it will not be possible to use the FEM
calculations as the basis for computing the connections, and therefore only the combinations not
coming from a FEM computation 778 can be used.
If the user does decide to import the Sap2000 results into Sargon or CSE, the
conversion routine will:
1. Create a binary .DDB file containing the displacements of all nodes in all load cases;
2. Create a binary .SDB file containing the internal forces and stresses in all elements in all
load cases;
3. Create a binary .RDB file containing the constraint reactions of all nodes in all load
cases;
94
4. Mark the model as solved to make the data contained in the actual binary files
accessible.
Some specific aspects of the main issues encountered when writing the conversion
procedure are discussed in more detail below.
Converting Sectional forms
Before opening and reading the model which is to be imported, the conversion routine
reads and imports the sectional forms in order to establish a suitable correspondence between
the sectional forms in Sargon/CSE and those in Sap2000.
The mapping file between the CSE and Sap2000 sectional forms is called
"WSR_S2K_SHPCVT.TXT" and can be found in the CSE installation folder. This file will be
used when a Sap2000 model is imported into CSE. This file, known as the "mapping file", is
usually the same for Sargon and CSE, and is structured as shown below.
$
$
IPE
IPE
IPE
IPE
IPE
...
100
120
140
R 140
160
IPE100
IPE120
IPE140
IPE140R
IPE160
The first column indicates the names of the sections in the Sargon/CSE environment.
The second column shows the corresponding section names in Sap2000. A section is identified
by its name. If the name "beta" in Sap 2000 corresponds to the name "alpha" in Sargon/CSE,
then the sectional form "alpha" will be mapped to "beta". To find out the properties of the
sectional form "alpha", the program must open an archive of sectional forms of type .SMA (an
.SMA file); in particular:
if Sargon is in use, this will be the file "sargon.sma" in the Sargon program folder;
if CSE is being used, the file is "cse.sma" in the CSE program folder.
If the first line of the mapping file contains a "$" or "\\" symbol that means it is a comment line.
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95
The first 18 characters of the names are used for matching purposes. For two names to
be matched, each of these 18 characters must be identical.
The conversion routine operates according to the following detailed rules:
1. The sectional forms in the .SMA file relevant to the program in use (Sargon or CSE) are
read.
2. The entire conversion file is read into memory with its two columns of names.
3. The sections in the Sap2000 model are read and then transformed into Sargon/CSE-type
sections following the procedure below.
a. If the section is an I-section and was not originally read from an archive, it is
converted into a welded I-section with the same dimensions as the section in Sap2000
(N.B. the fillet radius of the I-sections is not defined in Sap2000, hence it would not
be possible to convert them into rolled H-sections in Sargon/CSE). In this case, the
above conversion file is not used. On the other hand, if the I-section was originally
read from an archive, the software then searches for its name from that archive in the
second column of the conversion file. If still not found, then to avoid discarding it, the
section is converted as a welded section using the given dimensions. Otherwise, if
successfully found, the name of the corresponding section in the first column is then
searched for in the .SMA archive. If this name is found in the .SMA file, the Sap2000
section is then converted with the name found in the .SMA file. If not found in the
.SMA file, an error message is then shown (which can be avoided simply by adding a
section with the corresponding name into the .SMA archive), and in any case the
conversion is carried out as a welded section using the available dimensions (H, B,
tw, tf). Note that using rolled or welded sections is different for checking purposes. It
is therefore always advisable to convert the sections using the conversion file.
b. A similar procedure applies for C-, T-, L- and box sections.
c. Pipe, rectangular and full circular sections are still imported, given that their
dimensions are known (without searching for them in the conversion file, which is not
actually necessary).
d. The system searches for the "SECTION_GENERAL" sections in the conversion file. If
found, they are converted, otherwise they are transformed into "generic" sections
which are provided using just their name and computational properties (i.e. area,
96
moments of inertia, etc.).

e. The system searches for the "Double angular" and "double C-" sections in the
conversion file, and if not found an error message is displayed.
f. "Cold formed C-sections", "cold formed Z-sections" and "cold-formed omega
sections" are converted using the given dimensions.
g. "Cold formed double C-sections", "cold formed L-sections" and "cold-formed double
L-sections" are not converted, as there are no API routines to do so.
h. The software searches for the "SD" (Section Designer) sections in the conversion file.
i. "SECTION_VARIABLE", "SECTION_JOIST" and "SECTION_BRIDGE" sections
are not imported.
j. Other sections are not supported and are not imported: if detected, an error message is
shown.
The conversion file is easy to manage and the user can add any lines they require.
As at January 2010, the conversion file contained around 4,000 sections. This includes HEA,
HEB, HEM, IPE, ILS, HLS, H, L, UPN, double L , double UPN and RHS sections, tubes, etc.
etc.
It is as well to note that any user can always ensure that a sectional form in Sap2000 is
converted correctly to a sectional form in Sargon/ CSE, simply by satisfying themselves that the
desired form is present in the .SMA archive and that the Sargon/CSE-Sap2000 mapping
between the names of the two sections is there in the mapping file. Once carried out, the work
will of course apply every time those sections, special or otherwise, are used in any model in
the future.
When installing upgrades, in order to avoid overwriting your mapping files and SMA archives,
it is advisable to take a backup copy of both the mapping file and the SMA file.
Converting materials
Isotropic and "uniaxial" materials are read in and imported. Orthotropic and anisotropic
materials are not imported.
Converting load cases and combinations
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97
Sap2000 supports Load Cases and Load Patterns. Sap2000s Load Cases are mapped to the
Load Cases in Sargon/ CSE. Generally, the number of Load Cases in Sap2000 matches the
number of Load Cases in Sargon (unless the Sap2000 Load Cases which do not map to Sargon
are discarded like modal analyses, which Sargon does not handle as Load Cases). Since Load
Cases in Sap2000 can generally consist of superpositions of Load Patterns, the equivalent
superposition will also apply in the Sargon/CSE Load Cases, except that there will be no trace
of the Load Patterns in Sargon/CSE.
The type of Load Cases in Sargon will be the type of the last Load Pattern included in the Load
Case. The Load Patterns usually have corresponding identical Load Cases (1 Load Pattern for 1
Load Case), but if this is not the case, the rule applies that the type of Load Case in Sargon is
the type of the last Load Pattern defined there. In turn, the type of the Load Pattern in Sap2000
corresponds to the type of the Load Case in Sargon/ CSE, as per the table below.
Load Pattern (Sap2000)
DEAD
SUPER DEAD
LIVE
REDUCE LIVE
QUAKE
WIND
SNOW
OTHER
MOVE
TEMPERATURE
ROOF LIVE
NOTIONAL
PATTERN LIVE
WAVE
Load Case (Sargon)

DEAD
DEAD
LIVE
LIVE
EARTHQUAKE
WIND
SNOW
LIVE
LIVE
THERMAL
LIVE
DEAD
LIVE
LIVE
BRAKING
CENTRIFUGAL
FRICTIONAL
ICE
other
LIVE
LIVE
LIVE
SNOW
LIVE
98
The Load Case type in Sap 2000 relates to the type of analysis: static, non-linear, modal,
response spectrum, etc. The following are imported:
1. The static linear load cases
2. The static non-linear load cases
3. The response spectrum type load cases.
In Sargon, the "modal analysis type load cases are not imported, as they have a different type
of code and are therefore handled separately.
The following possible loads are imported into Sargon/ CSE:
Nodal forces
Nodal couples
Distributed loads (forces or couples) on frame elements, in the global or local reference
system (N.B.: in Sap2000 distributed loads are applied to the line connecting the nodes,
even if offsets have been defined)
Concentrated loads (forces or couples) on frame elements, in the global or local system
Gravitational loads on frame elements
Self weight loads defined as multipliers of the self weight within the load patterns.
Thermal loads on frame elements
Gravitational or thermal loads on plate-shell elements and solids are not currently supported.
Sap 2000 has various types of combination (which can be combinations of load cases or of
other combinations). The following combinations are imported into Sargon/ CSE:
linear additive type combinations
"envelope" type combinations
"absolute additive" type combinations;
"SRSS" type combinations;
"range additive" type combinations.
Combinations are added to the active Combi Set in Sargon/ CSE.
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99
Converting elements
Not all the elements defined in Sap 2000 can be imported into Sargon/ CSE and vice-versa.
A discussion of which elements are imported and which are not follows below.
1. Frame elements in Sap 2000
a. are always imported into Sargon as beam elements. The end releases, the orientation
of the local axes, the rigid offsets, the stiffnesses in the event of partial fixity for
springs associated with the bending moments (while the springs for any partial fixities
in the axial, torsional and shear directions are neglected).
b. there is a different convention between Sap2000 and Sargon/ CSE in terms of the local
axes. See the following conversion table:
Axis
In Sargon
In SAP2000
becomes
becomes
-3
-2
c. Curved frame elements are not imported into Sargon/ CSE.

2. Plate elements in Sap 2000. These are elements without membrane stiffness. They do not
exist as such in Sargon. They are therefore converted into Sargon plate-shell elements
with membrane stiffness given by the thickness defined in the area property.
3. Shell elements (plate+membrane) in Sap 2000. All types of shell are imported (thin and
thick) except for the layered shell (type=6).
4. Membrane elements in Sap 2000. These are converted into Sargon/ CSE membrane
elements.
5. Solid elements in Sap 2000. These are converted into solid elements in Sargon/ CSE.
6. ASOLID elements in Sap 2000. These are not converted.
7. CABLE elements in Sap 2000. These are not converted.
8. LINK/ SUPPORT elements in Sap 2000. These are not converted.
100
9. TENDON objects in Sap 2000. These are not converted.

10.PLANE objects in Sap 2000 (plane strain, plane stress). These are not converted.
Converting connection codes

Within Sargon, the connection code is used to indicate members which, although statically
continuous with the node, must be considered as interrupted from a constructional point of
view. Frame elements possessing any kind of end-release are automatically considered
interrupted, hence there is no need for any connection code. There is, however, the problem of
those elements which, despite having no end-release, must still be considered interrupted for
the purposes of finding the equal jnodes and renodes in CSE.
Given that the information normally handled by Sap 2000 did not allow this data to be passed
explicitly, a suitable enhancement has been devised to enable the desired information to be
passed using the Sap 2000 group concept.
A frame element can have a connection code at either extremity or at both. As already
mentioned, if there is an end release at one extremity then there is no need to add a connection
code, since it is implicit.
The following groups can be added in Sap 2000:
"BI"
"BJ"
"BIBJ"
For all frame elements belonging to the BI group, the I extremity has a connection code;
for all frame elements belonging to the BJ group, the J extremity has a connection code;
for all frame elements belonging to the BIBJ group, both extremities have a connection code.
Converting the results (post-processing)
As mentioned for the case where the results of the Sap 2000 analysis are available, the import
routine can create the binary files with the results in the Sargon/ CSE format. The following are
imported:
1. All displacements of all nodes in all load cases;
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101
2. all constraint reactions of all nodes in all load cases;

3. all internal forces in the frame elements (converted to beams) in all load cases.
Currently, the stresses for two-dimensional and solid elements are not imported and are
therefore null.
IMPORTING STRAP models

versions from September 2012 onwards
Sargon/ CSE offers the ability to import models prepared in STRAP. As well as importing the
model, Sargon/ CSE can also import and convert the results of the analysis carried out in
STRAP.
In order to start the conversion from STRAP file format to CSE or SARGON file format, the
user must choose a .dat file which identify the model. In the subfolder where the model files are
written, there may be several other STRAP models, so choosing the .DAT of the model we are
interested in, simply works to define the model number we are interested in.
The file importing feature works by the following logical path:
1) Ask to STRAP to create a report file for the model at hand, with a suitable file format.
2) Read the report file created by STRAP and convert it into a CSE or SARGON file.
As phase 1 requires STRAP STBATCH.EXE, an installed and working copy of STRAP must be
available in the computer, including the relevant protection key. Sargon/CSE automatically
creates the run file and the report file format required by STBATCH.exe to print the report,
and automatically runs STBATCH itself. In order to run STBATCH, the STRAP folder must be
known to the program CSE/SARGON which performs conversion. It is initially assumed that
STRAP is in "C:\STRAP1" folder. If this is true (a copy of STRAP is found in that folder) the
program moves on, without asking further information. If there is not an available copy of
STRAP in "C:\STRAP1" folder, the program looks for the environment variable named
102
"STRAPFOLDER". This environment variable may be set once for all by the user in order to
teach CSE/SARGON where to find STRAP. In order to set an environment variable just go to
Control Panel, choose Security and System, System, Advanced Settings, and choose
"Environment variables". A dialog will appear, choose "New". Set as the name of the variable
"STRAPFOLDER" and as "value" the folder where actually STRAP is, e.g. "C:\STRAPNEW".
If the environment variable is found, the program will run STBATCH in the folder specfied by
the environment variable. If the environment variable does not exist, then the program will ask
the user to input the folder where STRAP is placed, issuing a warning that such input may be
avoided by properly setting the environment variable STRAPFOLDER.
Report file will be named CSE*.DAT (if using CSE, or WSR*.DAT if using Sargon). Its format
has been prepared to be read by Sargon/CSE. So, when GEOM001.DAT is imported in CSE,
STBATCH.EXE will print CSE001.DAT, in the same folder of STRAP model. Then CSE will
automatically import CSE001.DAT, creating a CSE001.CSE model and its related results files
(CSE001.DDB, CSE001.SDB and CSE001.RDB, for displacements, stresses/forces and
constraint reactions). User can choose a different name for CSE (or Sargon) model.
Some specific aspects of the main issues encountered when writing the conversion procedure
are discussed in more detail below.
Converting global axes
Before reading STRAP's report file, CSE asks the user if vertical global axis in STRAP model
is X2 or X3. According to user's choice, one of the following correspondences will be assumed
(STRAP's vertical axis is highlighted).
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103
Since some information about materials is missing in STRAP (steel yield stress, for example)
when the model is imported user can choose to apply one of the materials from CSE/
Sargon.sma archive or define missing properties (yield stress and ultimate stress) one by one.
After the importing, user can change or modify materials for desired elements, if needed.
Converting cross-sections
Before opening and reading the model which is to be imported, the conversion routine reads
and imports the cross-sections needed in order to establish a suitable match between the
sectional forms in Sargon/CSE and those in STRAP.
The
mapping
file
between
CSE
and
STRAP
cross-sections
is
called
"WSR_STRAP_SHPCVT.TXT" and can be found in the CSE installation folder. This file will
be used when a STRAP model is imported into Sargon/CSE. This file, known as the "mapping
file", is usually the same for Sargon and CSE, and is structured as shown below.
$
$
IPE
IPE
IPE
IPE
...
100
120
140
160
IPE&100
IPE&120
IPE&140
IPE&160
The first column lists the names of the sections in the Sargon/CSE environment.
The second column lists the corresponding section names in STRAP. This is build by adding
three strings: 1) the string referred to the kind of the cross-section; 2) the letter "&"; 3) the
cross-section name in STRAP (which has no kind attached).
A section is identified by its name. If the name "beta" in STRAP corresponds to the name
"alpha" in Sargon/CSE, then the sectional form "alpha" will be mapped to "beta". To find out
the properties of the sectional form "alpha", the program must open an archive of sectional
forms of type .SMA (an .SMA file); in particular:
104
The first 18 characters of the names are used for matching purposes. For two names to be
matched, each of these 18 characters must be identical.
The conversion file is easy to manage and the user can add any lines they require. The user may
actually wish to edit the file "WSR_STRAP_SHPCVT.TXT" in order to add more conversion
lines. So, if a cross-section used in a STRAP model has not been automatically detected by
conversion program, the User may whish ad add the section in CSE.SMA archive by using
SAMBA program, and then edit the conversion file, establishing a match between the STRAP
cross section and the new cross-section just added into the CSE.SMA archive by using
SAMBA.Conversion file includes sections from European, British, American and Indian
archives. As at October 2012, the conversion file contained around 2,000 sections (Europe,
UK, US, India).
1. The cross-sections in the .SMA file relevant to the program in use (Sargon or CSE) are
read.
3. The sections in the STRAP model are read and then transformed into Sargon/CSE-type
sections following the procedure below.
A. The following sections are read by using their dimensions (no conversion file
used): rectangular (property type, PT, =1); pipe (PT=2); tube (PT=3); L (PT=4); I
(PT=5); [ (PT=6); T (PT=7), circle (PT=8).
B. If property type is equal to -1, the cross section is read from table, and conversion
file will be used. If the cross-section is of the types "><", "2L", "[]", "][", the
program decodes the name of the simple cross-section, and searches this crosssection in the conversion table. The complex cross section will be rebuild using
simple cross-section and the distance between the two cross sections. The simple
cross section name is found by performing the following tasks. If the string "><" is
followed by "L130x90x12", in STRAP report file, the program should rebuild the
proper cross section name in the second column of conversion file. To do that,
"L130x90x12" must be replaced by "L&130x90x12". The keyword kind "L" must
then be searched for and separated by size. So for angles the program searches for
How to...
105
the following possible keywords: "L"; "E.ANGLES"; "U.ANGLES". For channels

the program searches the following possible keywords: "UNP"; "UAP";
"CHANNELS".
C. Some sections are not supported and are not imported: if detected, they are
replaced with a rectangular fictitious shape in order to complete the importing.
User can then assign the desired shape defining it directly in CSE, without loss of
results. Otherwise, user can add the needed sections to Sargon/Cse.sma archive
and adding the related conversion lines in WSR_STRAP_SHPCVT.TXT.
It is as well to note that any user can always ensure that a sectional form in STRAP is converted
correctly to a sectional form in Sargon/ CSE, simply by satisfying themselves that the desired
form is present in the .SMA archive and that the Sargon/CSE-STRAP mapping between the
names of the two sections is available in the mapping file. Once carried out, the work will of
course apply every time those sections are used in any model in the future.
When two non standard cross sections are matched (CSE/SARGON archive versus STRAP) it is
important to check that the principal axes of the cross-sections are the same.

STRAP prints results in the report for combinations only. For this reason, in addition to "true"
combinations, user must define n "fictitious" combinations, one for each load case. A
combination is automatically recognized as "fictitious" by CSE if it contains a multiplication
factor equal to 1.0 for one load case only, and 0.0 for all the other load cases (for example,
combination = 1.0 * case1 + 0.0 * case2 + 0.0 * case3 + 0.0 * etc.). See the example in the
following table (fictitious combinations can be also at the end of the list, their position is not
relevant); n is the number of load cases (and of fictitious combinations), m is the number of true
combinations.
106
load case 1 load case 2

combi
1(fictitious)
combi 2
(fictitious)
...
combi n
(fictitious)
...
load case n
...
...
...
...
...
...
combi n+1
(true)
combi n+2
(true)
desired factors for each load case
...
combi n+m
(true)
Combinations are added to the active Combi Set in Sargon/ CSE. Fictious combinations will
not be selected and so they will not be used in CSE checks.
Note that STRAP does not print applied loads in the report; only results are available (see
below).
Converting elements
Not all the elements defined in STRAP can be imported into Sargon/ CSE.
1. Beam elements in STRAP
a) Orientaton, end releases and rigid offsets are read by conversion program.
b) Local orientation conversion from STRAP to Sargon/CSE depends on user's choice
about major axis definition in STRAP. See the following conversion cases:
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107
c) Tapered beam elements are not supported in Sargon/ CSE.

2. Plate elements in STRAP.
a. Elements with 3 or 4 nodes are read by conversion routine.
b. All elements are assumed to be thin plates with constant thickness.
c. No release of edge is currently supported (nor would be useful in CSE).
3. Solid elements in STRAP.
a. Elements with 4 6 or 8 nodes are read by conversion routine.
4. Spring elements in STRAP.
a. Spring elements are read by conversion routine.
b. Spring direction must be specified in global reference system, i.e. node system in
spring definition must be 0.
c. For each stiffness not null, a spring (rotational or translational) is added in CSE/
Sargon.
Connection codes are not supported by STRAP, and it was not possible to use conventions to
make Sargon/CSE able to assign needed connection codes (as done for SAP2000, for example,
where conventional groups define connection codes on beam elements extremities). For this
reason, user possibly needs to define connection codes in CSE after the model has been
imported from STRAP and before JNODES are searched for. If end releases are left unchanged
and only connection codes are added, this operation does not imply a loss of results, so
imported results will be still available after connection codes definition. We recall here briefly
that connection codes are useful when more elements meet in a node without any end release:
connection codes will mark the elements which will be interrupted and connected, while
element with no connection code will remain unmodified and will therefore be the "master" of
the connection.
108

As already mentioned if results of the STRAP analysis are available, the import routine can
create the binary files with the results in the Sargon/ CSE format. The following are imported:
1. All displacements of all nodes in all load cases and combinations
2. All constraint reactions of all nodes in all load cases and combinations
3. All internal forces at beams extremes in all load cases and combinations (at the extremes
only, since internal forces along beam axis are not printed in STRAP report.
4. Currently, the stresses for two-dimensional and solid elements are not imported and are
therefore null.
After the import
Since some information about the model are missing in STRAP's output report, user may need
to modify the model before jnodes search: connection codes may be added to some elements to
avoid cuspidal or tangential jnodes, different materials may be assigned to different elements,
etc. All these operations can be done without losing the results. Note also that cross-sections
can be changed (for example if a section is not in the conversion file, so replaced with a dummy
one).
IMPORTING A FILE .STD (STAAD PRO)

versions from December 2012 onwards
Using Sargon or CSE you can import a model prepared in STAAD PRO, and the results got by using
that program. However, as the documentation referring to Open Staad is quite lacking of several important
info, several information cannot be transferred or it is not clearly explained how to do that. In the following a
clear description of what is imported into Sargon/CSE will be given. All most important and needed
information, however, is transferred.
Introduction
Importing a model into Sargon or CSE is a two steps procedure. First you create a text file by using STAAD.
How to...
109
Then you import that text file using Sargon or CSE.

Let's have a model named "MODEL.STD" in a given folder. The first step is to create a text file named
"MODEL.STD.TXT", in the same folder. This is done by executing a proper macro from within STAAD PRO.
The macro itself is in the file "STD2STX.VBS", placed in the installation folder of Sargon (if you are using
Sargon) or CSE (if you are using CSE). To execute a macro in STAAD PRO, open the model at hand, say
"MODEL.STD", and run the analysis. Save results, so that they will be available for the macro. Then from the
File Toolbar choose the "Run VB Macro" command, and select the file "STD2STX.VBS" located in Sargon or
CSE installation folder. Then run the macro.
During the macro execution, if the results are not available you are prompted to decide if continue the
execution or not. If you are not interested in post processing data, you can continue. If, on the other hand, you
are interested in results (i.e. displacements, reactions, and member forces) then exit the macro ("Continue?"
Answer: "No") and run the analysis.
Once the macro is executed successfully, a message will appear with the full path of the new file
.STD.TXT just created. This file will be named "MODEL.STD.TXT" and is a text file with a wide subset of the
information referring to you model.
Next step will be to open Sargon (or CSE) with a new blank file, and choose the command FileImport (in Sargon) or File-Import FEM Model (in CSE). Among the file types available you will find
"STD.TXT (STAAD PRO)": choose that particular file format, browse your hard disk and select the file which
you previously created in the model folder. This will run a command that will read the file and convert it into
the Sargon (or CSE) file format.
If the user does decide to import the STAAD PRO results into Sargon or CSE, the
conversion routine will:
load cases;
cases;
accessible.
110
File MODEL.STD.TXT is created or using [kN, meter] or using [kips, inch] units. This depends on the
units used in STAAD PRO, if metric or imperial. Stresses are then given in kN/m2, and moments in kNm,
or in ksi and kipin.
Z axis Up vs Y axis Up
Both Sargon and CSE use a "Z axis up" convention, so when reading a STAAD PRO file it's much better
to have it created using the "Z axis up" convention as well. If Z axis up is used, then there is a perfect
match between global axis (X, Y, Z) in STAAD and those in Sargon or CSE. If on the other hand the
Yup flag is used in STAAD, then the conversion between global axes in STAAD and global axes in
Sargon / CSE is as follows :
STAAD GLOBAL AXES
SARGON CSE GLOBAL AXES
Converting cross-section local axes

STAAD uses (x, y, z) local axes, while Sargon /CSE uses (1, 2, 3) local axes. However, generally these
axes are placed differently over cross-sections, depending on the cross-section kind, and depending on
the Z axis up, o Y axis up STAAD user's choice.
Generally speaking the following conversions apply for the most part of the cross sections (i.e. those
doubly symmetric or with symmetry about weak axis):
STAAD MEMBER LOCAL AXES Y axis
up
SARGON CSE MEMBER LOCAL AXES
1, or x
3, or z
-2, or -y
STAAD MEMBER LOCAL AXES Z axis

up
1, or x
2, or y
3, or z
How to...
111
Conversions adopted for the most part of the cross sections
However, some sections require a different mapping, according to the following table.
STAAD MEMBER LOCAL AXES
Y axis up. C cross-sections (x, y, z)
(1, -3, 2)
Y axis up. L cross-sections (x, y, z)
(-1, -2, 3)
Y axis up. L-RA (reversed axes) crosssections (x, y, z)
(-1, -3, -2)
Z axis up. C cross-sections (x, y, z)
(1, -2, -3)
Z axis up. L cross-sections (x, y, z)
(-1, -3, -2)
Z axis up. L-RA (reversed axes) crosssections (x, y, z)
(-1, 2, -3)
Generally speaking a right tern (x, y, z) must be transformed into another right tern (1, 2, 3), and this
can be done just in 8 different ways, preserving axis 1 direction. Each of the 8 possible ways to
transform STAAD tern (x, y, z) to Sargon / CSE (1, 2, 3) is mapped to a "local tern mapping code",
from 1 to 8.
STAAD MEMBER LOCAL
AXES
Sargon / CSE local axes
LOCAL TERN MAPPING

CODE
(x, y, z)
(1, 2, 3 )
(x, y, z)
(1, -3, 2)
(x, y, z)
(1, -2, -3)
(x, y, z)
(1, 3, -2)
(x, y, z)
(-1, 3, 2)
(x, y, z)
(-1, -2, 3)
(x, y, z)
(-1, -3, -2)
(x, y, z)
(-1, 2, -3)
The following table lists the conversion from Sargon / CSE to STAAD:
Sargon / CSE local axes
STAAD MEMBER LOCAL LOCAL TERN MAPPING

AXES
CODE
(1, 2, 3)
(x, y, z )
(1, 2, 3)
(x, z, -y)
112
(1, 2, 3)
(x, -y, -z)
(1, 2, 3)
(x, -z, y)
(1, 2, 3)
(-x, y, z)
(1, 2, 3)
(-x, -y, z)
(1, 2, 3)
(-x, -z, -y)
(1, 2, 3)
(-x, y, -z)
Given this choice, we can say that the normal coding adopted by the conversion routine is the following:
STAAD MEMBER LOCAL AXES
LOCAL TERN MAPPING CODE
Y axis up. Generic cross-sections (x, y, z)
Y axis up. C cross-sections (x, y, z)
Y axis up. L cross-sections (x, y, z)
Y axis up. L-RA cross-sections (x, y, z)
Z axis up. Generic cross-sections (x, y, z)
Z axis up. C cross-sections (x, y, z)
Z axis up. L cross-sections (x, y, z)
Z axis up. L-RA cross-sections (x, y, z)
Generally speaking the conversion file "MODEL.STD.TXT" is written in such a way that the preceding
rules are automatically applied by the conversion routine. This is got by assigning a "local tern mapping
code" "0" to the cross-section in the file "MODEL.STD.TXT" (for an example of how this code is written
in the file MODEL.STD.TXT, see next section).
If on the other hand this local tern mapping code in file "MODEL.STD.TXT" is overwritten by the user
and set to a different value (from 1 to 8), then the program will use the coding related to the local tern
mapping code specified by the user no matter the other possible rules.
How to...
113
An example of conversion between Sargon / CSE and STAAD working environment

(in Sargon / CSE only axis 2 is displayed, being always axis 1 getting out of paper to the viewer, and
axis 3 forming a right tern)
This may be needed if special cross sections are used, so that a correct remapping of the STAAD local
tern (x, y, z) to the Sargon / CSE tern (1, 2, 3) must be specified. Imagine for instance that you have
used a special, not symmetric cross section in STAAD which has axes (x, y, z) according to STAAD
choices (also depending on the Yup/Zup flag).
By editing the "MODEL.STD.TXT" file, at the row referring to that cross section, you will replace the
code "0" with the code you need to set up a correct mapping (x, y, z)-> (1, 2, 3).
Obviously there are a number of consequences:
changing STAAD axis "x" to -1 means reverting the direction of the arrow related to member axial
axis. This need a change in load position definition, in load axial component when defined using local
axes, and in the member forces as resulting on the analysis; of course member nodes (n1, n2) will be
exchanged to (n2, n1).
changing axis (y, z) to (3, 2) means changing end releases and member forces position. Also load
components, if defined in local axes must be exchanged.
generally speaking changing a sign of an axis means changing the sign of the member loads applied
using local reference system, and changing member forces got by analysis;
This procedure, however, must not be done for standard cross-sections. The conversion for such
cross sections is fully automatic
114
Converting Sectional forms

reads and imports the all the possible sectional forms in order to establish a suitable
correspondence between the sectional forms in Sargon/CSE and those in STAADPRO.
The mapping file between the SARGON/CSE and STAAD PRO sectional forms is
called "WSR_STD_SHPCVT.TXT" and can be found in the Sargon or CSE installation folder
depending on the program you are using. This file will be used when a STAAD model is
imported into Sargon or CSE. This file, known as the "mapping file", is usually the same for
Sargon and CSE, and is structured as shown below.
$
$
IPE
IPE
IPE
IPE
IPE
...
100
120
140
R 140
160
IPE100
IPE120
IPE140
IPE140R
IPE160
The first column indicates the names of the sections in the Sargon/CSE environment.
The second column shows the corresponding section names in STAAD PRO. A section is
identified by its name. If the name "beta" in STAAD corresponds to the name "alpha" in Sargon/
CSE, then the sectional form "alpha" will be mapped to "beta" and assigned to members. To
find out the properties of the sectional form "alpha", the program must open an archive of
sectional forms of type .SMA (an .SMA file); in particular:
be matched, each of these 18 characters must be identical. STAAD names begins at column 41
in mapping file.
How to...
115
1. The sectional forms in the .SMA file relevant to the program in use (Sargon or CSE) are
read.
3. To each cross section in the conversion file .STD.TXT is given a name and a type. The
name is a string, the type is a number. Here is a typical block of information about cross
sections in a .STD.STX file:
SECTION PROPERTY
9
1 "UC356X368X129"
3 610 0 3.68600E-01 3.55600E-01 1.64000E-02 3.69824E-
03 8.60067E-03 1.52612E-06 1.46000E-04 4.02000E-04 1.75000E-02 1.04000E-02

2 "UC254X254X73"
3 610 0 2.54600E-01 2.54100E-01 9.31000E-03 2.18526E-
03 4.82043E-03 5.76246E-07 3.91000E-05 1.14000E-04 1.42000E-02 8.60000E-03

3 "UB533X210X82"
3 610 0 2.08800E-01 5.28300E-01 1.05000E-02 5.07168E-
03 3.67488E-03 5.15182E-07 2.01000E-05 4.75000E-04 1.32000E-02 9.60000E-03

4 "UB457X152X52"
3 610 0 1.52400E-01 4.49800E-01 6.66000E-03 3.41848E-
03 2.21488E-03 2.13741E-07 6.45000E-06 2.14000E-04 1.09000E-02 7.60000E-03

5 "UA100X100X8"
3 641 0 1.00000E-01 1.00000E-01 1.55000E-03 5.33333E-04
5.33333E-04 3.34507E-08 6.11001E-07 2.35265E-06 8.00000E-03 8.00000E-03

6 "UC203X203X46"
3 610 0 2.03600E-01 2.03200E-01 5.87000E-03 1.46304E-
03 2.98613E-03 2.21539E-07 1.55000E-05 4.57000E-05 1.10000E-02 7.20000E-03

7 "UB406X178X67"
3 610 0 1.78800E-01 4.09400E-01 8.55000E-03 3.60272E-
03 3.40912E-03 4.61117E-07 1.36000E-05 2.43000E-04 1.43000E-02 8.80000E-03

8 "UB406X140X39"
3 610 0 1.41800E-01 3.98000E-01 4.97000E-03 2.54720E-
03 1.62597E-03 1.07021E-07 4.10000E-06 1.25000E-04 8.60000E-03 6.40000E-03

9 "UA60x60x5"
3 641 0 6.00000E-02 6.00000E-02 5.82000E-04 2.00000E-04
2.00000E-04 4.89583E-09 8.07088E-08 3.17448E-07 5.00000E-03 5.00000E-03

The first field is the cross section number. Then there is the cross section name. Next the
cross section country. The bold numbers in the 4th field are the cross section types (in
STAAD PRO). The next field is local tern mapping code (see previous section) and is
always written as "0" by VBA macro (meaning automatic remapping), albeit it can be
116
edited and modified after the file MODEL.STD.TXT has been created by the macro, and
before reading the file MODEL.STD.TXT into Sargon or CSE, in order to set a different
mapping. After that field there is the "width", the "depth", Ax, Ay, Az, Ix, Iy, Iz, and
finally Tw and Tf, the thicknesses. Before reading the file MODEL.STD.TXT, it is also
possible to change names, type numbers and local tern mapping code according to the
needs. This is normally NOT required, but may be helpful if needed to change from one
cross section kind to another, or to improve conversion.
4. The sections in the STAAD PRO model are read from file "MODEL.STD.TXT" (as seen
previously) and then transformed into Sargon/CSE-type sections following the procedure
below.
a. If the name of the cross section is found in mapping file (second data column), and the
cross section has types 631 or 632 (][ cross section), then the user is asked to set the
clear distance between the two profiles using mm as length measurement unit; the
cross section found in mapping file must be a channel.
b. If the name of the cross section is found in mapping file, and the cross section has
types 633 ([ ] cross section), then the user is asked to set the clear distance between
the two profiles using mm as length measurement unit; the cross section found in
mapping file must be a channel.
c. If the name of the cross section is found in mapping file, and the cross section has type
642 (_||_ long side in contact cross section), then the user is asked to set the clear
distance between the two profiles using mm as length measurement unit; the cross
section found in mapping file must be an angle.
d. If the name of the cross section is found in mapping file, and the cross section has type
643 (_||_ short side in contact cross section), then the user is asked to set the clear
distance between the two profiles using mm as length measurement unit; the cross
section found in mapping file must be an angle.
e. If the name of the cross section is found in mapping file, and the cross section has type
616 (I I cross section), then the cross section will be added assuming a clear distance
equal to 10mm between cross-sections; the cross-section found in mapping file must
be an I rolled or H rolled cross section.
f. No matter if the name of the cross section has been found or not in mapping file , cross
sections of types 667 672 and 677 (rectangular cross sections) are rebuild by using
How to...
117
data written in .STD.TXT file.

g. No matter if the name of the cross section has been found or not in mapping file, cross
sections of types 673 (Tee welded, i.e. sharp corners cross sections) are rebuild by
using data written in .STD.TXT file.
h. No matter if the name of the cross section has been found or not in mapping file, cross
sections of types 650 and 651 (box-like or rectangular-tube cross sections, sharp
corners) are rebuild by using data written in .STD.TXT file. These have constant
thickness.
i. No matter if the name of the cross section has been found or not in mapping file, cross
sections of types 668 and 671 (round cross sections) are rebuild by using data written
in .STD.TXT file.
j. No matter if the name of the cross section has been found or not in mapping file, cross
sections of types 660 and 661 (circular hollow cross sections) are rebuild by using
data written in .STD.TXT file.
k. If the name of the cross section is found in mapping file, the cross section is added as
found in conversion file with no modification. So if the cross section is named AAA in
STAAD and in conversion file this section is related to cross section BBB in Sargon /
CSE archive, then cross section BBB will be applied.
l. If the name of the cross-section has NOT been found in mapping file, and no previous
case is applicable then the program asks to the user to fill the necessary dimensions of
the cross section (using mm as units), whose type has however been recognized as
compatible with Sargon / CSE as it is written in file .STD.STX. The following table
applies:
Type coded in .STD.TXT file
Cross section kind
610
I or H rolled cross section
611
T cut from I or H rolled cross section
616
I I composed by 2 rolled I or H
620
T cut from I or H rolled cross section
630
Rolled channel, parallel flange
631 or 632
][ double channel
633
[ ] double channel
634 or 635
Cold formed channel (without or with lip)
640 or 641
Rolled angle
642
_||_ double angle long side
118
643
_||_ double angle short side
644 or 645
Cold formed angle without or with lip
654
Rectangular hollow tube, round corners (RHS)
655
Circular hollow sections
662 or 663
Zee cold formed without or with lips
664
Cold formed hat section
674
Trapezoid: converted into a rectangular
676
Generic cross section defined by area and area

moments
690
User Provided Table. I or H rolled cross section
691
UPT. Parallel flange channel (rolled)
692
UPT. Rolled angle
693
694
UPT. Tee cut from I or H rolled.
695
UPT. Circular hollow section.
696
UPT. Rectangular hollow section. Sharp

corners.
697
UPT. Generic cross section defined by area and

second area moment.
698
UPT. I or H rolled cross section.
700 or 701
UPT. _||_ double angle, long or short side in

contact.
702
UPT. ][ double channel.
703
UPT. [ ] double channel
771
plate property: unused
m. If, finally, the name of the cross section has not been recognized in the mapping file,
and the cross-section type is not one of those listed in the preceding table, then a
dummy cross-section rectangular, and with the same name of the original cross section
is applied.
The mapping file is easy to manage and the user can add any lines they require, maybe before
importing the model.
As at November 2012, the conversion file contained about 4,000 sections. This include HEA,
HEB, HEM, IPE, ILS, HLS, H, L, UPN, double L , double UPN and RHS sections, tubes, etc.
How to...
119
etc.
It should be noted that the user can always ensure that a sectional form in STAAD PRO, say
BBB, is converted correctly to a sectional form in Sargon/ CSE, simply by assuring that the
desired form is in the .SMA archive with, say, name AAA, and that the Sargon/CSE-STAAD
PRO mapping row between the names of the two sections is there in the mapping file (AAA
BBB). Once carried out, the work will of course apply every time those sections, special or
otherwise, are used in any model in the future.
When installing upgrades, in order to avoid overwriting your own mapping files and SMA
archives, it is advisable to take a backup copy of both the mapping file and the SMA file.
Presently, only Isotropic materials are read and converted. No conversion is done for Orthotropic 2D or
3D materials.
During conversion, as material data extracted to .STD.TXT file by macro lacks info about yield and
ultimate stresses, the user is asked to fill the missing data by choosing:
1. Or to assign Fy and Ft by browsing the Sargon / CSE material archive, to choose one material. That
material will just be used to set Fy and Ft.
2. Or keep all data defined in the conversion file, and just add the yield stress value (Fy) and the ultimate
stress value (Ft) by directly input those values.
This question (see previous figure) is repeated for all materials defined in the model. The material is
identified by its number and by its elastic modulus.
If the answer is Yes, then the following dialogue appears:
120
The user will browse through the archive and choose the material wished. The units of measurement
used are those defined in the conversion file: [kN, meter] if metric units are used in the STAAD file, or
[kips, inch] if imperial units are used int he STAAD file. However here no data must be input: you just
have to choose a row and press Apply (Applica).
If the answer is "No" then the user must just fill the edit boxes referring to yield stress and ultimate
stress, in the next dialog. This must be done using the units of measurement defined in the
conversion file: [kN, meter] if metric units are used in the STAAD file, or [kips, inch] if imperial units
are used int he STAAD file.
How to...
121
It is of course of the utmost importance that these data are filled correctly.
Converting supports
No skewed support is presently imported. Elastic supports are converted into translational or rotational
springs in the Sargon / CSE environment.
Converting members
Members are mapped to beam elements in the Sargon CSE working environment. Offsets and end
releases (0 or 1) are converted and assigned to elements according to those defined in the STAAD
PRO working environment. No elastic release or partial release is presently imported. However, release
elastic constants are written in the .STD.TXT file for future use.
As member end forces are directly read from results this will not affect stress state in using STAAD
imported model in CSE.
If, on the other hand, the model has been imported into Sargon, these elastic releases will have to be re-
122
assigned in view of a perfect match between the original and imported model.
Converting plates.
A constant thickness is assumed for plate elements. This constant thickness is got by a simple average
of the 3 or 4 node-thicknesses of the element as defined in STAAD PRO. No orthotropic material
assigned to plate elements is imported or assigned.
Converting solids
Due to the lack of documentation about solid elements in Open Staad reference manual, no material is
assigned to solid elements, however their connectivity is read and assigned to solid elements in the
Sargon / CSE working environment.
Converting members with the Truss, or NoTension, or NoCompression, or Cable flag
These elements are converted as beam members with properly auto assigned end releases. The
following end releases are assigned automatically:
First Extreme:
RxRyRz
(R1R2R3)
Second Extreme:
RyRz
(R2R3)
all rotations
all rotations but torsional
In fact, in STAAD PRO elements with the flag Truss can still have shears inside. So they are mapped to
beams properly released. The joist flag is not managed presently.
Converting primary load cases
Primary load cases are converted and added to Sargon / CSE model. The name of the primary load
case is retained. The primary load case kind is converted according to the following rules.
Code
STAAD
Sargon / CSE
Dead
Dead
Live
Live
Roof live
Live
Wind
Wind
Seismic
Seismic modal
Snow
Snow
Fluids
Live
How to...
Soil
Live
Rain
Live
Ponding
Live
10
Dust
Live
11
Traffic
Live
12
Temp
Temperature
13
Imperfection
Live
14
Accidental
Live
15
Flood
Live
16
Ice
Live
17
Wind ice
Live
18
Crane hook
Live
19
Mass
Live
20
Gravity
Gravity
21
Push
Live
22
None
Live
123
Converting load case combinations

What is named "load case combination" in the STAAD working environment, is simply named
"combination" in the Sargon or CSE working environment.
In STAAD combinations do not have name, so they are named in Sargon / CSE according to their
progressive number. Load factors are read from file .STD.TXT and assigned to combinations in
Sargon / CSE model.
Results in combinations are got by Sargon / CSE at runtime, by linearly combining effects of load
cases.
In Sargon
/ CSE combinations may be selected or not. Once imported in the new model, all
combinations are selected by definition.

Converting single actions
The following single actions are converted and assigned in the new Sargon / CSE model:
1. Nodal forces and nodal moments.
2. Uniformly distributed forces over member elements (including d1 and d2 data, but not d3 which is
assumed null).
3. Uniformly distributed moments over member elements (including d1 and d2 data, but not d3 which is
assumed null).
124
4. Concentrated forces applied to member elements (including d1, but not d2 which is assumed null).
5. Concentrated moments applied to member elements (including d1, but not d2 which is assumed null).
6. Trapezoidal loads (forces per unit length) applied to member elements.
7. Linear varying loads (forces per unit length) applied to member elements
OpenSTAAD.Load functions "GetXXX" referenced in technical guide are unfortunately not enough to
extract all data referring to loads applied.
So self weight is not converted due to a lack in Open Staad documentation.
Temperature loads are not converted nor assigned.
Element pressures are not converted and assigned.
The only loads which can be imported are those clearly referenced in the Open Staad documentation,
for OpenSTAAD.Load object. While AddXXX functions are many, GetXXX functions are quite fewer.

Connection codes are not supported by STAAD, and it was not possible to use special rules to
make Sargon/CSE able to assign needed connection codes (as done for SAP2000, for example,
where conventional groups define connection codes on beam elements extremes). For this
reason, user possibly needs to define connection codes in Sargon or CSE after the model has
been imported from STAAD and before JNODES are searched for. If end releases are left
unchanged and only connection codes are added, this operation does not imply a loss of results
as no true modification is applied to analytical model. So imported results will be still
available after connection codes definition. We recall here briefly that connection codes are
useful when more elements meet in a node without any end release: connection codes will mark
the elements which will be interrupted and connected, while element with no connection code
will remain unmodified and will therefore be the "master" of the connection.
As already mentioned if results of the STAAD analysis are available, the import routine can
create the binary files with the results in the Sargon/ CSE format. The following are imported:
1. All displacements of all nodes in all load cases and combinations (file MODEL.DDB).
2. All constraint reactions of all nodes in all load cases and combinations (file
How to...
125
MODEL.RDB).
3. All internal forces at beams extremes in all load cases and combinations (file
MODEL.SDB).
4. Currently, the stresses for two-dimensional and solid elements are not imported and are
therefore null.
IMPORTING A FILE .SR3 (ANY PROGRAM)

If a finite element package is available which supports Open Sargon format, the following
files must be exported and then the .sr3 file must be imported into CSE:
A binary .sr3 file describing the FEM model

A binary .ddb file describing the nodal displacements computed
A binary .sdb file describing the stresses and internal forces computed
A binary .rdb file describing the constraint reactions computed.
Users of software which does not support Open Sargon format can ask their supplier to
implement it or implement it directly themselves following the criteria published on the
website http://www.steelchecks.com/CONNECTIONS/interface.asp. As each finite element
program would need an interface of its own with CSE, the solution adopted has been to provide
an open format through which the FEM model data can be converted into a format which can be
read by CSE, regardless of which program originally produced the model.
IMPORTING A FILE .SR4 (ANY PROGRAM)

If a finite element package is available which supports Open Sargon format, the following
file must be exported and then the .sr4 file must be imported into CSE:
126
A text ASCII .sr4 file describing the FEM model and the displacements, reactions, and
internal forces
Users of software which does not support Open Sargon format can ask their supplier to
implement it or implement it directly themselves following the criteria published on the
website http://www.steelchecks.com/CONNECTIONS/interface.asp. As each finite element
program would need an interface of its own with CSE, the solution adopted has been to provide
an open format through which the FEM model data can be converted into a format which can be
read by CSE, regardless of which program originally produced the model.
ASCII format .SR4 very easy to write and therefore is the easiest and probably best
way to create an interface with CSE. Here follows a simple example of .SR4 file, referring to a
simple portal frame. Please follow the already provided link to get further information about
this file format.
JOINT COORDINATES
4
1
0.000000e+000
0.000000e+000
0.000000e+000
0.000000e+000
0.000000e+000
4.000000e+003
6.000000e+003
0.000000e+000
4.000000e+003
6.000000e+003
0.000000e+000
0.000000e+000
JOINT CONSTRAINTS
1
1 1 1 1 1 1
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
1 1 1 1 1 1
MATERIALS
1
1
2.099997e+005 3.000000e-001 7.700850e-005 1.200000e-005 "S235"
CROSS SECTIONS
2
1
"HE180B"
"IPE220"
BEAMS
3
1
0.000000e+000 1.000000e+000
0.000000e+000
0.000000e+000 1.000000e+000
0.000000e+000
0.000000e+000 1.000000e+000
0.000000e+000
BEAM RELEASE
How to...
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
0 0 0 0 0 0
BEAM CONNECTION CODES

1
LOAD CASES
2
1
"LIVE"
NODAL FORCES
0
BEAM CONCENTRATED FORCES
0
BEAM UNIFORM LOADS
1
2
0.000000e+000
0.000000e+000
-1.200000e+001
BEAM LINEAR LOADS

0
BEAM GENERAL LINEAR LOADS
0
ELEMENT TEMPERATURE LOADS
0
2
"Wind +X"
NODAL FORCES
1
2 1
9.810000e+003 0.000000e+000 0.000000e+000
BEAM CONCENTRATED FORCES

0
BEAM UNIFORM LOADS
0
BEAM LINEAR LOADS
0
BEAM GENERAL LINEAR LOADS
0
ELEMENT TEMPERATURE LOADS
0
COMBINATIONS
2
0
"Combi 1: (1,5 ; 0)"
1.500000e+000
0.000000e+000
0
1
"Combi 2: (1,5; 1,05)"

1.500000e+000
127
128
1.050000e+000
DISPLACEMENTS
1
1 0.000000e+000 0.000000e+000 0.000000e+000 0.000000e+000 0.000000e+000 0.000000e
2 4.556698e-002 0.000000e+000 -1.050905e-001 0.000000e+000 3.723036e-003 0.000000e
3 -4.556698e-002 0.000000e+000 -1.050905e-001 0.000000e+000 -3.723036e-003 0.000000e
+000
+000
+000
1
4 0.000000e+000 0.000000e+000 0.000000e+000 0.000000e+000 0.000000e+000 0.000000e
1 0.000000e+000 0.000000e+000 0.000000e+000 0.000000e+000 0.000000e+000 0.000000e
2 5.974094e+000 0.000000e+000 7.057373e-003 0.000000e+000 1.277617e-003 0.000000e
3 5.932202e+000 0.000000e+000 -7.057373e-003 0.000000e+000 1.265200e-003 0.000000e
4 0.000000e+000 0.000000e+000 0.000000e+000 0.000000e+000 0.000000e+000 0.000000e
+000
+000
+000
+000
+000
REACTIONS
1
1 1.064398e+004 -0.000000e+000 3.600000e+004 -0.000000e+000 1.379966e+007 -0.000000e
+000
1
-0.000000e+000
-0.000000e+000
5.002221e-012
-0.000000e+000
5.587935e-009
0.000000e+000
1
3 1.818989e-012 -0.000000e+000
-0.000000e+000
-0.000000e+000
-1.117587e-008
3.600000e+004
-0.000000e+000
-1.379966e+007
0.000000e+000
1
4 -1.064398e+004 -0.000000e+000
0.000000e+000
2
1 -4.917267e+003 -0.000000e+000 -2.417588e+003 -0.000000e+000 -1.240426e+007 -
0.000000e+000
2
-0.000000e+000
-0.000000e+000
4.547474e-013
-0.000000e+000
1.862645e-009
3 -1.955414e-011 -0.000000e+000
-0.000000e+000
-0.000000e+000
1.862645e-009
4 -4.892733e+003 -0.000000e+000
2.417588e+003
-1.233021e+007
0.000000e+000
2
0.000000e+000
2
-0.000000e+000
0.000000e+000
ELEMENT INTERNAL FORCES
BEAM
1
3.600000e+004
-3.600000e+004
1.064398e+004
-1.064398e+004
0.000000e+000
-1.064398e+004
0.000000e+000
1.379966e+007
1.064398e+004
0.000000e+000
2.877625e+007
0.000000e+000
1
0.000000e+000
0.000000e+000
1
0.000000e+000
3.600000e+004
0.000000e+000
-2.877625e+007
0.000000e+000
1
0.000000e+000
3.600000e+004
0.000000e+000
2.877625e+007
How to...
129
0.000000e+000
1
3.600000e+004
0.000000e+000
1.064398e+004
0.000000e+000
-1.379966e+007
0.000000e+000
1
-3.600000e+004 0.000000e+000 -1.064398e+004 0.000000e+000 -2.877625e+007
0.000000e+000
2
-2.417588e+003 0.000000e+000 4.917267e+003 0.000000e+000 -1.240426e+007
2.417588e+003 0.000000e+000 -4.917267e+003 0.000000e+000 -7.264810e+006
0.000000e+000
2
0.000000e+000
2
4.892733e+003
-4.892733e+003
2.417588e+003
0.000000e+000
-2.417588e+003
0.000000e+000
7.264810e+006
2.417588e+003
0.000000e+000
7.240718e+006
0.000000e+000
2
0.000000e+000
0.000000e+000
2
0.000000e+000
4.892733e+003
0.000000e+000
-1.233021e+007
0.000000e+000
2
-2.417588e+003 0.000000e+000 -4.892733e+003 0.000000e+000 -7.240718e+006
0.000000e+000
END FILE
IMPORTING .R3D FILES (RISA3D models)

versions from July 2013 onwards
Sargon/ CSE offers the ability to import models prepared in RISA3D. However, as
RISA3D uses "physical elements" which are not standard finite elements, Sargon/ CSE cannot
also import and convert the results of the analysis carried out in RISA3D. Physical elements in
RISA3D, if detected, are automatically splint into proper finite elements.
The interface between Sargon, CSE and RISA3D can be implemented by asking Sargon
or CSE to read a .R3D model provided in a given folder.
The RISA3D model has file extension .R3D.
The following cards are read into Sargon/CSE:
[UNITS]
[.SOLUTION_PARAMETERS]
"g" used to decide whether X, Y or Z axis is up. In Sargon/
CSE Z is always up.
130
[MATERIAL_PROPERTIES]
[.GENERAL_MATERIAL]
[.HR_STEEL_MATERIAL]
[.CF_STEEL_MATERIAL]
[.WOOD_MATERIAL]
[.CONCRETE_MATERIAL]
[.ALUMINUM_MATERIAL]
[SECTION_SETS]
[.HR_STEEL_SECTION_SETS]
[.CF_STEEL_SECTION_SETS]
[.WOOD_SECTION_SETS]
[.CONCRETE_SECTION_SETS]
[.ALUMINUM_SECTION_SETS]
[.GENERAL_SECTION_SETS]
[NODES]
[BOUNDARY_CONDITIONS]
[SHAPES_LIST]
[MEMBERS]
[.MEMBERS_MAIN_DATA]
[PLATES]
[SOLIDS]
[BASIC_LOAD_CASES]
[NODE_LOADS]
[POINT_LOADS]
[SURFACE_LOADS]
[DIRECT_DISTRIBUTED_LOADS]
The model read from the R3D file will probably need addition of further information which it has not
been possible to directly convert into Sargon/CSE environment. Models created by importing R3D files
should be carefully reviewed in order to check that the conversion has worked successfully.
Converting cross-sections
How to...
131
reads and imports the cross-sections in order to establish a suitable correspondence between
the cross-sections in Sargon/CSE and those in RISA3D.
The mapping file between the CSE and RISA3D cross-sections is called
"WSR_R3D_SHPCVT.TXT" and can be found in the CSE installation folder. This file should
also be edited by the user in order to add new entries, when needed. This file will be used
when a RISA3D model is imported into CSE. This file, known as the "mapping file", is usually
the same for Sargon and CSE, and is structured as shown below.
$
$
IPE
IPE
IPE
IPE
IPE
...
100
120
140
R 140
160
IPE100
IPE120
IPE140
IPE140R
IPE160
The first column lists the names of the sections in the Sargon/CSE environment. The
second column lists the corresponding section names in Sap2000. A section is identified by its
name. If the name "beta" in Sap 2000 corresponds to the name "alpha" in Sargon/CSE, then the
cross-section "alpha" will be mapped to "beta". To find out the properties of the cross-section
"alpha", the program must open an archive of cross-sections of type .SMA (an .SMA file); in
particular:
The conversion routine works according to the following detailed rules:
1-The cross-sections in the .SMA file relevant to the program in use (Sargon or CSE) are
read.
2-The entire conversion file is read into memory with its two columns of names.
3-The cross-sections in the RISA3D model are read and then transformed into Sargon/CSEtype sections following the procedure below.
132
a- If a conversion is found between the name of the cross-section used in RISA3D

model, and one entry of the second column of the mapping file, then the Sargon/CSE
cross section in the first column of the proper row of the mapping file will be used.
b- If a conversion is not found and the cross section is of the types ("b" shape type
in [SHAPES-LIST]): 1 (rolled I or H); 2 (rectangular hollow section, or tube); 3
(pipe); 4 (parallel flange channel); 5 (Tee rolled cross-section); 6 (double L cross
section); 7 (angle); 8 (rectangular cross section); 9 (solid round); 200 (cold formed
C); 201 (lipped cold formed C); 202 or 203 (Z cold formed); 251 (pipe); 252 (L
cold formed); then the user will be prompted with a specific dialog in order to
enter the dimensions of the cross section.
c- If a conversion is not found and the cross section does not belong to any of the
previously listed cross-section types, then a dummy rectangular cross section is
considered. The user may avoid such unwanted behavior by: i) adding the needed
cross section to the Sargon/CSE database by using Samba, if this cross section is
not available; ii) adding a new row to the mapping file with the Sargon/CSE
archive cross-section name in the first column, and the RISA3D cross-section name
in the second column. Otherwise, to save time, cross-section assignment may be redone in the Sargon/CSE environment.
It is as well to note that any user can always ensure that a cross-section in RISA3D is converted
correctly to a cross-section in Sargon/ CSE, simply checking that the desired cross-section is in
the .SMA archive and that the Sargon/CSE-RISA3D mapping between the names of the two
sections is available in the mapping file. Once carried out, the work will of course apply every
time those sections, special or otherwise, are used in any model in the future.
Wood material is read with dummy values: it may later be modified according to real needs in
Sargon/CSE environment. As not all the needed information is printed in R3D file (for instance
How to...
133
yield stress and ultimate stress is not written for all materials), material data should be
carefully revised once the file has been imported.
Converting loads, load cases and combinations
Nodal forces
Member point loads (member only), both forces and couples, both local and global
reference.
Distributed loads (temperature, forces or couples) on members, in the global or local
reference system, also projected.
Surface loads, which are converted into nodal loads
Basic load cases are read into Sargon/CSE as they are defined in RISA3D. If a load case has
gravity multipliers these will be correctly read and the relevant individual loads will be applied to elements
in Sargon/CSE. The following mapping between load types has been set up:
RISA3D
Sargon/CSE
(load category "h" in [BASIC_LOAD_CASES])

0
LIVE
DEAD
LIVE
EARTHQUAKE
WIND
SNOW
LIVE
LIVE
other
LIVE
As results are not read from RISA3D no combination information is presently converted.
134
Converting elements
Not all the elements defined in RISA3D can be imported into Sargon/ CSE. The following
element data are not imported:
- footings
- walls
- diaphragms
It is assumed that relevant walls are modeled via plate elements, while footings will later be modeled in
CSE by using constraint blocks.
MEMBERS are read with end releases and axial offsets. No member design parameter, or member
supplemental data is read, as it is not used as such in Sargon/CSE programs.
PLATE elements are read but not the wall parts.

Within Sargon/CSE, the connection code is used to indicate members which, although statically
the purposes of finding the equal jnodes and renodes in CSE. As there is no coding for this
information in RISA3D, connection codes will have to be applied in Sargon/CSE environment
before the jnode search is asked for.
The results of the analysis carried out in RISA3D are currently not available in CSE/Sargon, as:
1. Physical elements in RISA3D cannot be mapped into finite elements in Sargon / CSE. No proper
nodal connection between physical elements and secondary elements is available in RISA3D.
2. No output file with known format is available with the internal forces computed by RISA3D. However,
such internal forces, may easily be got by pasting tables from EXCEL into CSE, when needed, or by
using special tools to define load levels acting to detach slave members from the master, in CSE.
How to...
135
3.
IMPORTING .MCT FILES (MIDAS models)

versions from July 2013 onwards
Sargon/ CSE offers the ability to import models prepared in MIDAS. As well as
importing the model, Sargon/ CSE can also import and convert the results of the analysis
carried out in MIDAS. The interface between Sargon, CSE and MIDAS has been developed
jointly with Simulsoft, the MIDAS Spanish distributor.
The interface between Sargon, CSE and MIDAS can be implemented by having Sargon
or CSE read a .MCT model provided in a given folder.
As the model managed by MIDAS is much wider than that necessary to Sargon / CSE,
some data fields are not read. The interface will be enhanced to read more cards in successive
versions.
The following data cards in MCT file are currently read and converted:
*UNIT
*ENDDATA
*NODE
*ELEMENT
*MATERIAL
*PLASTIC-MATL
*SECTION
(DBUSER)
*THICKNESS
*CONSTRAINT
*SPRING
*FRAME-RLS
*OFFSET
136
*STLDCASE
*GROUP
*USE-STLD
*CONLOAD
*BEAMLOAD
*ELTEMPER
*LOADCOMB
If the user does decide to import the MIDAS results into Sargon or CSE, the conversion
routine will:
load cases;
cases;
accessible.
Converting Cross sections
reads and imports the sectional forms in order to establish a suitable correspondence between
the sectional forms in Sargon/CSE and those in MIDAS.
The mapping file between the CSE and MIDAS cross-sections is called
"WSR_MCT_SHPCVT.TXT" and can be found in the Sargon or CSE installation folder. This
file will be used when a MIDAS model is imported into Sargon or CSE. This file, known as the
"mapping file", is usually the same for Sargon and CSE, and is structured as shown below.
How to...
$
$
IPE
IPE
IPE
IPE
IPE
...
100
120
140
R 140
160
137
IPE100
IPE120
IPE140
IPE140R
IPE160
The first column lists the names of the cross-sections in the Sargon/CSE environment.
The second column lists the corresponding cross-section names in MIDAS. A section is
identified by its name. If the name "beta" in MIDAS corresponds to the name "alpha" in Sargon/
CSE, then the cross-section "alpha" will be mapped to "beta". To find out the properties of the
cross-section "alpha", the program must open an archive of cross-sections of type .SMA (an
.SMA file); in particular:
1. The cross-sections in the .SMA file relevant to the program in use (Sargon or CSE) are
read.
3. The cross-sections in the MIDAS model are read and then transformed into Sargon/CSEtype sections following the procedure below.
a. DBUSER cross sections.
i. If the [DATA] first field is 1, then the SNAME field is used to search for the crosssection in the mapping file. If the cross section is found the relevant cross-section
found will be used. If the cross-section is not found, the SHAPE symbol is used to
ask to the user the relevant dimensions of the pertinent type, according to the
following mapping: "H", rolled I or H; "B", rectangular hollow section (RHS); "P",
pipe; "L" angle; "C" parallel flange channel; "T" T with sharp corners; "2L" double
angle; "2C" double channel; "SB" rectangular; "SR" round bar; "CC" C cold
138
formed; other symbol, unrecognized. If the cross section is unrecognized, a dummy

rectangular cross section is used.
ii. If the [DATA] first field is 2, then dimensions are directly read from the card, for
the cross sections "H", "B", "P", "L", "C", "T", "2L", "2C", "SB", "SR", "CC". No
data is asked to the user, cross sections are directly read and converted. Possible
problems in defining a cross section will result in the addition of a dummy crosssection, named "DUMMY".
As at July 2010, the conversion file contained around 4,000 sections. This includes HEA, HEB,
HEM, IPE, ILS, HLS, H, L, UPN, double L , double UPN and RHS sections, tubes, etc. etc.
It is as well to note that any user can always ensure that a sectional form in MIDAS is
converted correctly to a cross-section in Sargon/ CSE, simply by checking that the desired
cross-section is in the .SMA archive and that the Sargon/CSE-MIDAS mapping between the
names of the two cross-sections is available in the mapping file. Once carried out, the work
will of course apply every time those sections, no matter their specific kind, are used in any
model in the future.
Converting thicknesses
The only type of thickness managed by the interface is "VALUE". No "STIFFENED" thickness is read. If
a "STIFFENED" thickness is found execution stops.
If a non linear material part it is defined, then it must be described using the standard Sargon / CSE
dialog to add non linear materials 488 . The conversion routine notice the use of a nonlinear material and
prompts the user to define nonlinear material part using sargon / CSE dialog.
If a material has type "1", i.e. it is a standard material, the user is asked to choose if to find it browsing
in the material archive of the Sargon /CSE program, or directly input relevant material data using
standard material addition dialog 486 .
How to...
139
If a material has type "2", the material is isotropic and its data will be directly read from MCT file.
If a material has type "3" it is an orthotropic material and a warning message is issued. The user will be
prompted to input relevant material data using isotropic model.

Each load case defined in MIDAS will imply a load case in Sargon /CSE, and the following
type-conversion table will be used.
Load Case (MIDAS)
USER
Load Case (Sargon /

CSE)
LIVE
D
L
LR
W
E
S
R
IP
EP
WP
FP
SF
B
CR
SH
T
PS
CS
ER
IL
BK
WL
CF
DEAD
LIVE
LIVE
WIND
EARTHQUAKE
SNOW
LIVE
LIVE
LIVE
LIVE
LIVE
LIVE
LIVE
LIVE
LIVE
THERMAL
DEAD
LIVE
LIVE
LIVE
LIVE
WIND
LIVE
140
CO
TPG
LIVE
LIVE
MIDAS has various types of combination (which can be combinations of load cases or of other
combinations). The following combinations are imported into Sargon/ CSE:
linear additive type combinations
"SRSS" type combinations (+ and -);
Combinations are added to the active Combi Set in Sargon/ CSE. Both combinations using
standard load cases ("ST") and other combinations ("CB") are read.
Converting loads

Nodal forces
Nodal moments
Distributed loads (forces or couples) on frame elements, in the global or local reference
system
Concentrated loads (forces or couples) on frame elements, in the global or local system
Gravitational loads
Thermal loads
Converting elements
Not all the elements defined in MIDAS can be imported into Sargon/ CSE and vice-versa.
1. Frame elements in MIDAS
a. These are always imported into Sargon / CSE as beam elements when TYPE is
BEAM, as truss elements when TYPE is TRUSS, TENSTR or COMPTR.
How to...
141
b. No extra data referring to TENSTR or COMPTR is read.

c. Both angle and reference point method in order to define cross-section orientation is
considered and converted.
d. Partial fixity stiffness is assigned only for VALUE input mode (not relative) and only
for My and Mz.
2. Planar elements in MIDAS.
a. These elements are added as plate elements in Sargon / CSE when TYPE is PLATE,
and as membrane elements if TYPE is PLSTRS.
b. They are not considered if they are of TYPE PLSTRN or AXISYM.
c. Both thick and thin plates are considered.
3. Solid elements in MIDAS. These are converted into solid elements in Sargon/ CSE (tetra,
wedge, brick).
4. Spring elements in MIDAS are read and converted in springs in Sargon / CSE when
SPRING card is used.
5. GSPRING elements in MIDAS. These are not converted.
6. ELASTICLINK elements in MIDAS. These are not converted.
7. GL-LINK elements in MIDAS. These are not converted.
8. RIGIDLINK in MIDAS. These are not converted.
Within Sargon, the connection code is used to indicate members which, although statically
the purposes of finding the equal jnodes and renodes in CSE.
Given that the information normally handled by MIDAS did not allow these data to be passed
explicitly, a suitable enhancement has been devised to enable the desired information to be
passed using the MIDAS group concept.
A beam element can have a connection code at either extremity or at both. As already
142
mentioned, if there is an end release at one extremity then there is no need to add a connection
code, since it is implicit.
The following groups can be added in MIDAS:
"BI"
"BJ"
"BIBJ"
For all beam elements belonging to the BI group, the I extremity has a connection code;
for all beam elements belonging to the BJ group, the J extremity has a connection code;
for all beam elements belonging to the BIBJ group, both extremities have a connection code.
As mentioned, if the results of the MIDAS analysis are available, the import routine can create
the binary files with the results in the Sargon/ CSE format. The following are imported:
1. All displacements of all nodes in all load cases;
2. All constraint reactions of all nodes in all load cases;
3. All internal forces in the beam and truss elements in all load cases.
4. All internal forces in spring elements in all load cases.
Currently, the stresses for two-dimensional and solid elements are not imported and are
therefore null.
At the end of model reading, the program will ask whether to read or not results. If results will
not be read, no binary file with output results will be created, and no results will be available
later for checking purposes. If the user, on the other hand, answer "yes", then he/she will be first
of all be prompted with a property sheet 375 that will be used to specify the units needed to read
the files with results.
From version 6.32, released in May 2015, in order to avoid the problems related to the
possible changes in the .CSV files created by different MIDAS versions, also depending on the
different possible analysis types, a proper dialog asks to input the column number (in the
pertinent CSV file) which is related to a given datum. referring to displacements (6 columns),
reactions (6 columns), and internal forces (6 columns for beams, 2 columns for trusses), the
first column number of the ones used must be input.
How to...
143
Column numbering, in CSV file, does not consider empty columns, which are discarded.
The columns to be input are.
For displacements: node, load case and first column of displacements.
For constraint reactions: node, load case and first column of reactions.
For element forces (beams): element, load case, part ("I" or "J") and first column of the (6)
element forces.
For element forces (trusses): element, load case and first column of the (2) element forces.
Then the user is prompted to specify a CSV file for each of the following set of data:
nodal displacements;
nodal reactions;
beam forces;
truss forces.
If instead of choosing a file the CANCEL button is pressed in any of the Choose-File
dialogs, then all results referring to that file will be set to null, and next file will be asked.
In order to properly read the files CSV the user must have converted the XLS, XSLX files
got by MIDAS, in CSV files, by using EXCELTM feature "Save As", and selecting the
appropriate file format, which is "CSV (MS DOS)".
The CSV files must not use comma as decimal separator, but "." (point). So if the
conversion is carried out by replacing points with commas, an explicit search and replace
must be applied before reading the files. The CSV file generated by Save As command does
use ";" as separator between fields of a given row.
Here is a short sample of the files got for displacements, reactions, beam forces and truss
forces, by using the Save As EXCEL command. Some extra new line character (ASCII
CODE 10) is also found in the first rows, these extra new lines are correctly kept into
account by the converter.
DISPLACEMENTS
144
;Displacements;;;;;;;;;;;;
;;Node;Load;Stage;Step;Step Order;"DX
(m)";"DY
(m)";"DZ
(m)";"RX
([rad])";"RY
([rad])";"RZ
([rad])";Load Order
;;1;01_pp estructura;;;0;-0.000235;0.000563;-0.001542;0.000732;0.0002;-0.000042;300001
;;2;01_pp
estructura;;;0;-0.000131;0.000522;-0.000205;0.000403;0.001152;-
0.000019;300001
;;3;01_pp estructura;;;0;0;0;0;0;0;0;300001
;;4;01_pp
estructura;;;0;-0.000099;0.000516;-0.000031;0.000114;-0.000026;-
0.00005;300001
;;5;01_pp
estructura;;;0;-0.000013;0.000526;-0.000353;-0.000314;0.001301;-
0.000031;300001
;;6;01_pp estructura;;;0;0.00014;0.000539;-0.000776;0.000033;0.001104;-0.000023;300001
;;7;01_pp
estructura;;;0;0.000167;0.000531;-
0.000547;0.000278;0.001146;0.000036;300001
For this file the correct settings of the column numbers are: 1 for the node, 2 for the load case and 4
for the displacements.
REACTIONS
;Reaction(Global);;;;;;;;;;;;
;;Node;Load;Stage;Step;Step Order;"FX
(kN)";"FY
(kN)";"FZ
(kN)";"MX
(kN*m)";"MY
(kN*m)";"MZ
(kN*m)";Load Order
How to...
145
;;3;01_pp estructura;;;0;0.033122;-0.1563;7.051901;0.234921;0.068793;0.000143;300001
;;9;01_pp
estructura;;;0;-0.035992;-0.111674;5.523255;0.181268;-
0.165302;0.00031;300001
;;14;01_pp
estructura;;;0;-0.047094;0.102017;8.226277;-0.149291;-0.251207;-
0.000388;300001
;;53;01_pp estructura;;;0;0;-2.209851;0;0;0;0;300001
;;55;01_pp
estructura;;;0;0.51302;3.717744;92.398884;-
4.483324;2.742602;0.004236;300001
;;65;01_pp
estructura;;;0;-2.951695;-3.803535;103.941943;20.945472;-
6.583367;0.003907;300001
;;70;01_pp estructura;;;0;-0.000001;-1.435116;0;0;0;0;300001
;;120;01_pp estructura;;;0;-0.000001;-2.139589;0;0;0;0;300001
for the constraint reactions.
BEAM FORCES
;Beam Force;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;
;;Elem;Load;Stage;Step;Step Order;Part;Part Order;Component;"Axial
(kN)";"Shear-y
(kN)";"Shear-z
(kN)";"Torsion
(kN*m)";"Moment-y
(kN*m)";"Moment-z
(kN*m)";Load Order;Compo Order;Stress
;;50;01_pp estructura;;;0;I[1];0;;-0.04;0;-0.97;0.01;-0.07;0;300001;0;
;;50;01_pp estructura;;;0;J[2];4;;-0.02;0;-1.66;0.01;2.68;0;300001;0;
;;51;01_pp estructura;;;0;I[2];0;;0;0.02;-3;-0.03;2.68;0;300001;0;
;;51;01_pp estructura;;;0;J[4];4;;0;0.02;-3.2;-0.03;4.56;-0.01;300001;0;
;;52;01_pp estructura;;;0;I[3];0;;-7.05;0.16;0.03;0;0.07;0.23;300001;0;
For this file the correct settings of the column numbers are: 1 for the node, 2 for the load case, 4 for
146
the part, and 6 for the element forces.
TRUSS FORCES
;Truss Force;;;;;;;;
;;Elem;Load;Stage;Step;Step Order;"Force-I
(kN)";"Force-J
(kN)";Load Order
;;1;01_pp estructura;;;0;5.245034;5.140802;300001
;;2;01_pp estructura;;;0;9.540789;9.313239;300001
;;3;01_pp estructura;;;0;11.555538;11.199402;300001
;;4;01_pp estructura;;;0;7.710519;7.873809;300001
;;5;01_pp estructura;;;0;16.289015;16.036842;300001
;;6;01_pp estructura;;;0;12.001037;11.826999;300001
;;7;01_pp estructura;;;0;23.159878;22.632203;300001
;;8;01_pp estructura;;;0;9.300742;9.073364;300001
for the element forces.
As in Sargon /CSE no axial force or axially directed distributed load is applicable to

trusses, forces at truss extremities are equal in module and opposite in sign. Reading truss
forces in CSV files (where they can be different at first and second extremity), second
extremity forces will be used as truss forces.
3.5
Create a FEM model from scratch

How to create a FEM model from scratch
To begin, the graphical view 821 must be activated and the FEM view 820 selected.
It is possible to create manually a fem model or to choose one of the available typical
nodes. A typical node can be also modified.
How to...
147
Guided creation of typical nodes

The Typical nodes 430 command can be used to create the FEM models of typical nodes
automatically (splice joints, beam-column joints, ground joints, etc.), which can then be
modified as required.
During guided creation user assigns shapes and material. With this mode it is possible, if
user wants it, to skip members and jnodes searches, automatically done, getting immediately the
3D renode 811 ready for building and check.
Manual creation
Nodes
Nodes are added during the process of adding new elements. Using the FEM-NodesModify 440 command, the coordinates of the existing nodes can be modified, the constraints can
be altered and unreferenced nodes (those not attached to any element) can be deleted.
Unreferenced nodes can also be removed using the FEM-Nodes-Delete 441 command.
Finite elements
Finite elements are added using the command FEM-Elements-Add 441 ; any nodes required
which cannot be identified as existing nodes are also added as part of this process. Truss and
beam elements can also be added. The addition of finite elements is discussed in detail under
the associated command 441 and in relation to the dialog box 442 .
The selected elements can be deleted using the FEM-Elements-Delete 444 command.
The orientation of the elements is defined during the process of inserting them, although it
can also be modified using the FEM-Elements-Orientation 444 ; please refer to the description of
this command for details on how it works.
To assign a section and material to the selected elements, the FEM-Elements-Sections 446
148
and FEM-Elements-Materials 485 commands are used, which provide access to the CSE
archives, in which there are over 10,000 sections available, which can be further added to
using the S.A.M.B.A. software.
Rigid offsets can be applied to the extremities of beam-type elements, using the
commands FEM-Elements-Offsets 493 , Snap over locus 495 and Reset offsets 497 . See the links for
details on each of these.
Constraints
The Assign constraint 498 command assigns nodal constraints to the selected nodes, so that
they are catalogued as rigid attachment 783 , and are thus treated, constructed and verified as such.
End releases
The Assign end release 499 command enables end releases and connections to be assigned
to beam elements.
Assigning end releases and connections is key to the recognition of members 796
(determining the master 795 and slave 816 members) and to the classification of the jnodes 790 (see
the descriptions of the various types of jnode: central 791 , cuspidal 792 , hierarchical 793 and tangent
793
).
The presence of end releases sets to zero the related internal forces, no matter the values
otherwise specified, during a check with combinations not coming from a FEM computation 778 .
3.6
Create the jnodes

How to create the jnodes
Jnodes are created automatically by CSE via the Jnodes-Search 505 command. The user
can create the jnodes indirectly, by choosing the connection codes and FEM modelling. The
program automatically finds all the different instances of a jnode and catalogues them using a
suitable mark, i.e. the jnode mark.
To find the jnodes:
How to...
149
1. a ready and finished FEM model must be present (it does not need to have been solved);
2. the members must have been recognised starting from this FEM model.
The automatic search process creates a list of jnodes which can then be modified by the user
via the Edit 506 command under the Jnodes menu. Please refer to the description of this command
for more detailed information.
The Create listing 516 and Open listing 517 commands respectively create and open a file
containing all the information about the jnodes present.
The Extract members 514 command in jnodes view 822 extracts all the currently selected
members and all the members which are joined at the currently selected jnodes.
3.7
Search equal jnodes

How to search equal Jnodes
In CSE, all equal jnodes 790 are automatically found, marked and catalogued. This is the
preliminary step before the jnodes can actually be analysed and transformed into real nodes
150
(renodes). If there is a FEM model, then this uniquely determines the set of jnodes found. It is
possible, however, after having found the jnodes automatically, to refine the results by deleting
or modifying them. If the FEM model is modified, all the data about the members is lost,
together with the jnodes, which will need to be redefined.
Equal jnodes are found in practice using the Search 505 command from the Jnodes menu. Of
course, searching for equal jnodes is only carried out after importing the FEM model into CSE
or creating it within CSE.
3.8
Analyse or modify a jnode

How to analyse or modify a jnode
Before defining all the details which transform a jnode into a real node (renode), it can be
highly advisable to analyse the jnodes general characteristics. The command to use for
analysing jnodes (and modifying them) is Edit 506 , available from the Jnodes menu. This
command can be used to browse the list of jnodes, delete jnodes which are of no interest (i.e.
those to be excluded from the analysis and/or from the listing), modify some of the jnodes
attributes and view various tables summarising the properties of the jnode (including the
envelope of stresses on the elements making up the jnode, provided that the Sargon or Sap 2000
imported model has been solved and the .sdb and .ddb files are present). The Extract members
514
command also provides useful insights, showing all and only those members which join at
the various instances of the selected jnode.

To produce the summary listing of all the jnodes which are in the structure (at the point
when the command is run), use the Listing 516 command. This output also includes the envelopes
of the stresses on the elements comprising the jnodes, provided that the Sargon / Sap 2000
model has been solved and the .sdb and .ddb files are present.
3.9
Start building the (re)nodes

How to start building the (re)nodes
How to...
151
To build a renode 811 , jnode view 822 needs to be active and the jnode 790 corresponding to
the renode that we wish to analyse needs to be selected. Moving from jnode view to renode
view 823 , the user can start to build the renode by adding throughs 817 (plates, angle brackets,
profile stumps, etc.), joiners 794 (bolts or welds) and work processes 826 to be carried out on the
members or throughs.
In order to be able to select a jnode, the jnodes obviously need to exist: i.e. the search
for jnodes must already have been carried out (with the Jnode search 505 command).
In order to be able to search for jnodes, the members must have been defined, therefore
the members must already have been recognised. If we have started from a pre-prepared FEM
model, the members will have already have been recognised at the point when the model was
imported. On the other hand, if we have started by building the FEM model from scratch within
CSE, the members will then need to be recognised using the Search for members 505 command.
To sum up, the following steps are involved:
1. constructing or importing the FEM model
2. recognising the members (if the FEM model has been created from scratch)
3. finding the jnodes
4. selecting a jnode
5. entering renode view for that jnode
6. building the renode
152
7. checking that renode

Step 6 involves the use of the commands under the Renode menu, which is undoubtedly the
most important menu in the system. The relevant commands are essentially the following:
Assign Prenode 518 : this allows to apply automatically one of the applicable parametric
renodes of the archive. Parameters can be modified runtime. After the application, it is
still possible to use the following commands to modify the renode adding, deleting or
modifying components. It is also possible to apply a parametric renode to a subset of
current renode, using Assign Prenode to SubRenode 523 command.
Set current orientation 528 : this allows a current orientation system to be defined by
selecting one of the local orientation systems of the components 780 present in the scene 813
Members
Extend-Trim 529 : as the name suggests, this allows the members to be extended or
trimmed at the end nearest to the connection in order to compensate for a lack of
offsets in the FEM model or to address various constructional requirements, etc.
Components
Add through 541 : this allows throughs 817 to be added (i.e. rectangular/ triangular/
trapezoidal/ regular polygonal/ circular/ beveled plates, single angle brackets
symmetrical or otherwise double angle brackets, generic form profile stumps and
constraint blocks 783 )
Add weld layout 577 : this enables a weld seam layout 824 to be added.
Add bolt layout 586 : this enables a bolt layout 771 to be added.
Delete 618 : this provides a means to remove the selected throughs 817 and joiners 794 .
Modify 619 : this brings up the dialog box for modifying the currently selected component
Copy 619 : this enables copies of the throughs 817 and joiners 794 to be created using
translations or rigid rotations
Recopy 623 : this allows copies of the throughs 817 and joiners 794 to be created using the
same translation or rigid rotation as the one last used
Copy to clipboard 624 / Paste from clipboard 625 : these allow to copy and paste
throughs 817 and joiners 794 also between different renodes, even belonging to different
How to...
153
CSE models.
Copy renode to clipboard 624 / Paste renode from the clipboard 625 : these allow to
copy whole renodes and paste them on empty equal renodes, even belonging to
different CSE models (these operations involve also actions on members, like work
processes, trimming, etc.).
Rotate 623 : this enables throughs 817 and joiners 794 to be rotated about themselves
Shift 633 allows the components to be shifted using rigid rotations or translations; if
shifting members, CSE adds moments of transport for consistency with the original FEM
model (see the detailed description of this command for further details)
Work processes 636 : this covers a range of different work processes which can be carried
out on members 796 and throughs 817 (frustum removals 787 of rectangular or polygonal bases,
face rotations and translations, triangular, square and circular bevels)
Variables and conditions:
Add variable 647 : this allows new variables to be added for use with additional
conditions (user checks 818 )
Add condition 656 : this allows conditions to be added for use as user checks 818 or as
prerequisites for the applicability of the renode
Modify variable or condition 662 : this is used to modify variables or additional
conditions
Delete variable or condition 663 : this deletes additional variables or conditions
Check overlaps 669 : this is a command which automatically searches for any
overlapswhatis_penetration between the various components of the renode
Check coherence 669 : this checks that all the entities are correctly connected
Export 671 : this is used to create a three-dimensional model of the renode in .dxf format
3.10
Print information about the jnodes

How to print information about the jnodes
154
To produce the summary listing of all the jnodes in the structure (at the point when the
command is run), use the Listing 516 command. This output also includes the envelopes of the
stresses on the elements comprising the jnodes, provided that the Sargon or Sap 2000 model has
been solved and the .sdb and .ddb files are present.
The listing is output into the same folder which contains the CSE model (the file with
extension .cse), which is normally the same folder where the original Sargon (.wsr) or Sap
2000 (.sdb) file is held.
3.11
Understand connections in CSE

How to understand connections in CSE
The connection is a key concept in CSE. It is the mechanism used by the program to
recognise that a given joiner is joined, i.e. connected, to a component.
There are two possible types of joiner: bolt layouts and welds. We shall examine each
of them in detail.
How to...
155
BOLT LAYOUTS
Example bolt layout

The program provides a geometrical description of the bolt layouts with pairs of
hexagonal base prisms (as many pairs as there are bolts). One prism simulates the screw, the
other the nut. The shaft is not modelled. The centre of each hexagon lies on the axis of its bolt.
The axis of a bolt

Starting from the screw head, which is the first extremity, and moving in the direction of
axis 3 of the bolt layout, at a certain distance, d, we find the (upper) prism which simulates the
nut. The net distance between the internal faces of the two prisms must be exactly equal to
the sum of the thicknesses of the bolted component plates. The internal face of the screw lies
on (and is therefore coplanar with) the face of the first joined object of the bolt layout. The
internal face of the nut lies on (and is therefore coplanar with) the face of the last joined object
of the bolt layout. For each bolting level 774 , there are corresponding pairs of faces of different
coplanar objects with opposite versor. This condition of sharing the same plane, once the faces
of the screw and nut are known, is all that CSE needs to reconstruct the connection for all the
parts which are connected up by the bolt layout. The objects to be bolted must be in contact and
there must therefore be a series of paired coplanar faces with opposite versor. Also, the
156
internal faces of the bolt and nut must in turn be coplanar and with versor opposite the faces
which correspond respectively to the first and last face of the entities which are connected.
Operationally, the bolt layout is applied by selecting the first face to be bolted, i.e. the one that
corresponds to the internal face of the screw head. Then, in a plane view, the bolts are put in
place. The program checks that all the bolts fasten the same objects and that all are within the
same face selected by the user. The precise layout of the bolts is reconstructed by the program,
through careful evaluation of the conditions of sharing the same plane. Objects which are not in
close contact (i.e. sharing the same plane) cannot be bolted.
Faces not in the same plane

If a component is shifted or its thickness is altered without modifying the bolt layout (or
vice-versa) then the connection is lost. It can be restored by applying a suitable translation to
the bolt layout, so that the internal face of the screw lies on the external face of the first
connected object, and then returning to the dialog box used to define this bolt layout, as
required, to have the program recalculate the various thicknesses of the connected entities.
If several connected objects are copied at once, including the bolt layout itself, the
connection between them is preserved (although the bearing surface polygon will need to be
redefined). See the relevant heading 315 for more details.
FILLET AND PENETRATION WELDS
How to...
157
Example of fillet welds

A fillet weld is modelled using a series of triangular-base prisms, one for each seam.
Two of the three lateral faces of each prism must be connected, i.e. in an ordered coplanar
arrangement within two faces of the two different objects which are joined by the weld. All
faces of the welds connecting the first object (i.e. the one that the first extremity of the weld
is associated with) must be coplanar. In order to be able to apply the weld, the plane (known
as
) defined by these faces must also correspond to two touching (and hence coplanar) faces
with opposing versors 819 , belonging to the two components connected by the weld, referred to
respectively as the first and second component, f1 and f2. All the other faces of the welds
connected to the second component are not mutually coplanar and follow the perimeter of f1.
The faces of the second component to which the weld seams are attached share a common side
with face f2.
Two objects cannot be welded if they do not have a face in contact (coplanar).
Weld connection is recognized in CSE by finding the faces which are coplanar with those of the
weld seams.
158
Weld connections
If a component is shifted and the weld is not, then the connection is lost. It can be restored
by applying a suitable translation to the weld: if, in the new position, its active faces will be
touching (and coherent with) those of two coplanar objects, the connection will automatically
be restored. If a weld and the objects connected to it are all shifted together, the connection is
maintained.
Connection works in a similar way for penetration welds, but it is not necessary that the
second face is "wider" than the first. Fillet and penetration welds are displayed differently.
3.12
Treat composite components

How to treat composite components
If a component 780 (member 796 or through 817 ) comprises several separate parts (e.g. a
member whose section consists of two joined angle brackets), each of these parts, which we
shall refer to as subcomponents, is considered as a separate entity which must be suitably
connected to the other objects in the scene, in order to prevent weakness and instability. The
example mentioned is shown in the figure below.
How to...
159
This single component is actually composed of two separate subcomponents. The

connection between them can be restored simply using the bolt layout at the plate connecting
them to the column; a bolted plate has also been added to join them at another point further
along the axis of the member, to ensure the two subcomponents fit together better (see the detail
view in the figure below).
Although the separation into subcomponents is important for the connections between the
various objects to be correct and therefore also in terms of calculating the connection the
program generally carries out its various functions and operations at component level; in
particular:
160
selecting objects: if a component comprises several subcomponents, these are selected or

deselected as a single unit;
work processes, shifts, rotations, copies, etc., acting on the component;
the checks to be carried out on a component (creating the FEM model, checking the net
sections, etc.): all subcomponents are subject to the checks specified for their parent
component;
user checks 818 : the additional conditions are associated with the component;
post-processing commands: in the colour maps, all the subcomponents of a component are
coloured according to the utilisation of whichever of them is the most critical, and
accessing the results display for the most critical checks is determined by the cause for the
most critical subcomponent in each combination and instance;
output listing: a component is included in the various combinations and instances on the
basis of the maximum utilisation calculated on its most critical subcomponent.
To expand a little on these last two points, let us imagine that in combination 1 of instance
1 of the connection shown above, the maximum coefficient of utilisation of one of the two angle
brackets which make up the member is 0.60, due to block tearing, while that of the other angle
bracket is 0.61, due to bearing stress (e.g. due to a slight asymmetry in the loads or in the
configuration). In the listing for combination 1 and instance 1, the component will be included
in the list of those members whose maximum utilisation is due to bearing stress and, in that
condition, it will not be possible to view the results of the block tearing checks, as that is not
the most critical cause.
As discussed, the subcomponents are, however, considered as distinct objects in terms of
their connection, and they are subject to the general rules for connection between the various
components. Consider the case in figure (A) below, of a member whose section comprises an
H-section stiffened by a plate against the lower flange. In the renode 811 , the profile does not
operate as a single entity, but rather requires suitable welds to connect them throughout the
entire length of the extrusion (fig. B). If the head of a member is welded to a plate, two separate
weld layouts will have to be applied in order to connect the members two subcomponents to
the plate (fig. C).
How to...
161
Note on distributing the loads in a composite member

If a member comprises a single profile, it is loaded with the internal actions at its
theoretical extremity. If, however, the section is made of several profiles, the actions must be
suitably distributed according to the properties and layout of the subcomponents. CSE carries
this out automatically and accurately, calculating the relevant actions for each subcomponent.
3.13
Choose the type of bolt layout

How to choose the type of bolt layout
CSE supports many different types of bolt layouts 771 , therefore it is very important fully
to understanding the implications of all the decisions which need to be made.
All the functionality is discussed below; for the practical operational details, the reader
is referred to the description of the dialog box 587 used when a bolt layout is added or modified.
162
Shear-only bolt layouts
This choice affects the stiffness of the bolt layout, which in turn affects the computational
model. If a bolt layout must necessarily be subject to tension or compression as no other
component can do it instead with the necessary stiffness ticking this flag will give rise to a
response with very high deformations or unacceptable displacements. It is the analysts
responsibility to check the suitability of the proposed shear-only bolts for the connection in
question, through an analysis of the displacements. It may be that for a given set of
connections, the use of shear-only bolts for a particular layout is simply not acceptable, as a
result of how and where the connections are located.
Compression bolts
If a compression has been computed and this flag has been ticked, the compression will
be taken into account in the resistance checks on individual bolts. Otherwise, even though it has
been calculated, the compression will be neglected for the internal forces when checking the
bolt. For bolt layouts with bearing surfaces 772 , this flag determines whether or not the bolts help
the bearing surface to react the compression. In this case, then, this choice also affects the way
How to...
163
that the internal actions in the bolts (tense and compressed) are computed.
Slip-resistant joint
If the joints are to be slip-resistant, then this option needs to be selected and all the
identification data for the slip-resistant joint must be supplied. In this case a suitable preload
will need to be given, and the bolts will only be calculated for tension. The system will also
check that the shear applied does not make the joint slip.
Anchor bolts
Anchor bolts are usually essential for bolt layouts that fix something to the constraint
block (presumably made of reinforced concrete). Of course it is not always the case that the
bolt layout will have a particular spatial orientation, nor is it strictly necessary for there to be a
constraint block in order to use this functionality, which can then also be used to verify that the
tensions do not exceed certain values.
Pins
164
It is possible to set a bolt layout to act as a pin 807 , with specific differences in the
checks and in the geometric display.
Bolt layouts with bearing surfaces
These must be used whenever a rigorous calculation of the responses in terms of bolt
tensions is required. Typical fields of application are the lag screws of the base plates (or
plates applied to concrete walls) and the calculation of the flanged joints. If the bolt layout
reacts to tension/compression, it is reasonable for there to be a bearing surface, even when the
latter is not entirely fit for the purpose. If the bearing surface is very yielding (e.g. a thin,
unstiffened plate) then it can be conveniently neglected and the bolt layout computed without a
bearing surface. It is clearly inconsistent to specify a bolt layout with a bearing surface and
then shear-only bolts, therefore the program will not permit it. As regards the bearing
How to...
165
surface, this can have various constitutive laws and various compression limit values, as
determined by the user. The bearing surface 767 must be chosen so that it does not fall outside
any of the components that are joined by the bolt layout, as otherwise the situation would be
unrealistic and the FEM models of the components would be out of balance.
Examples
In the following table some examples are reported in order to explain bolt layouts
behaviour settings.
166
3.14
Understand the checks carried out by CSE

How to... understand the checks carried out by CSE
CSE currently supports the following checks on a renode:
1. Resistance checks on the joiners (bolt and weld layouts) 166
2. FEM checks on individual components (force tranferrers and members) 193
3. Bolt bearing pressure stress checks 202
4. Punching shear checks 212
5. Pull-out checks on anchor bolts in anchor bolt layouts 214
6. Shear checks on slip-resistance joints (bolt layouts) 217
7. Bearing surface checks in bolt layouts with bearing surfaces 222
8. Simplified checks of members and throughs 224
9. Block tearing checks 244
10.Deformability checks 251
11.User checks 253
12.Guided user checks 255
As these are clearly key concepts which need to be well understood, all these different checks
will now be discussed below.
As at February 2013, the following checks are not actively supported by CSE:
Fatigue checks
3.14.1 Resistance checks on the joiners (bolt and weld layouts)

RESISTANCE CHECKS ON THE JOINERS (BOLT AND WELD LAYOUTS)
CSE checks joiners 794 automatically. The program works out the stresses acting on a
How to...
167
bolt layout and a weld layout, and uses these to check the individual bolts and weld seams. The
stresses are referred to the joiners centre of gravity and its principal axes 809 system, however
these are orientated in space. A plane layout is assumed for both bolt layouts and welds,
therefore a principal axis normal to the plane of the individual components always exists. The
layout can still have any orientation and spatial layout, subject to being planar.
The progression from working with stresses acting on the bolt layout to stresses acting
on the individual bolts (or from the stresses acting on the weld to those acting on the individual
seams) involves familiar methods described in the literature.
A summary of the various cases is given below:
Bolt layouts 167
Weld layouts 185
3.14.1.1 Bolt layouts
BOLT LAYOUTS
(for pins, go here 180 )
The shear stresses due to Vu, Vv are distributed equally across the bolts:
168
Vu ,i
Vv ,i
Vu
n
Vv
n
The torsion Mz generates a shear in the bolts, which is distributed using the polar moment
of inertia of the bolt layout about its centre of gravity and the distance of each bolt from it:
Mz
vi
Jp
Vu ,i
Mz
ui
Jp
Vv ,i
where JP is the polar moment of inertia, u and v are the principal axes and i is the generic
bolt.
As regards the normal force and the two bending moments, these generate normal forces
(tension or compression) in the bolts, which are computed using very different methods
depending on whether or not the bolt layout has a bearing surface 772 .
If a prying forces 810 factor greater than 1 has been defined, the traction forces used for
this check are those of the analysis amplified by this factor.
If the bolt layout does not have a bearing surface then its neutral axis of bending is through
the centre of gravity of the bolt set, and the tensile and compressive forces in the individual
bolts are determined simply by the formula
Ni
N
n
Mu
vi
Ju
Mv
ui
Jv
where i is the generic bolt, n is the total number of bolts, J are the moments of inertia and
(u,v) is the pair of principal axes.
In particular:
n
vi2
Ju
i 1
n
ui2
Jv
i 1
n
(ui2
Jp
vi2 )
i 1
How to...
169
This kind of operation does favour safety, of course, but it also neglects the significant
contribution to the absorption of the compression forces provided by the contact between the
bolted surfaces (i.e. the bearing surface). In effect, the combined bending and compressive/
tensile action is thus uniquely absorbed by the bolt layout. In order partially to mitigate the
undue conservatism of this nonetheless useful and very common approach, it can sometimes be
a good idea not to consider the compression in the bolts, i.e. to calculate it but then neglect it
during checking.
If the bolt layout has a bearing surface, a surface therefore exists (referred to as the
bearing surface polygon 767 ) which will take the unilateral compression forces. The surface
reacts to compression but cannot react to tension. The bolt layout calculation becomes nonlinear and follows the general approach taken, for example, for computing sections in
reinforced concrete, where the concrete does not react to tension. The use of the bearing surface
enables more realistic results to be achieved, in particular for smaller tensile forces within the
bolt shafts, although it does involve a non-linear calculation for the section and also requires a
certain amount of care. The non-linear calculation is carried out by CSE on the basis of the no
tension 799 constitutive law 799 which is specified for the bearing surface. This may be a
parabola-rectangle, elastic-perfectly plastic, trilinear or unlimited elastic law. In this case, a
homogenization factor is set (for steel) to determine the modulus of elasticity of the bearing
surface. Having established the constitutive law for the bearing surface, there are several key
points to bear in mind. The bearing surface must resist the pressures applied and must readily
satisfy the constitutive law applied. There are two typical cases: a) a reinforced concrete
foundation for which a parabola-rectangle or unlimited linear law will be adopted; b) a flanged
joint where the bearing surface is the flange, which will need to be suitably stiffened to
withstand the pressures applied. The bearing surface must be specified so as to be strong and so
as not to give rise to situations which are physically impossible (e.g. a bearing surface acting in
an area where there is only one surface, as opposed to two in contact). Suffice it to say that for
bolt layouts with a bearing surface, the computations are non-linear and the surface must be of
suitable dimensions to be able to bear the loads applied (also see inherent topic 222 ).
The following cases can be considered for the bolt layout computation:
No-compression bolts: in this case, the compression is calculated and saved but is not
used in the checks;
170
Shear-only bolts: in this case, the axial and flexural stiffness of the bolt layout is very
small but not zero. If the renode also has other, more rigid joiners which can take those
force components then these other joiners will be suitably loaded and the shear-only bolt
layout will be almost unloaded. This is the normal condition. If, on the other hand, there
are no other joiners which can take those force components, then the tensile and bending
forces will act on the shear-only bolt layout, thus generating highly significant
displacements (translations and rotations). Indeed this condition, which is characterised
by very high displacements, highlights a contradiction in the definition of the joint,
precisely in that the bolt layout cannot be shear only. The right way to solve this
problem is to remove the shear only limitation or to add other joiners which can take
the offending forces.
Slip-resistant bolts: see inherent topic 217 .
Anchor bolts: see inherent topic 214 .
Parasitic moments in the bolt shafts: CSE can compute the parasitic moments in the bolt
shafts. If it is decided to neglect them, they will not be taken into account in the checks
(and with the CNR standard, the established penalties will be applied), otherwise they
are taken into consideration by adding the normal stress due to bending calculated using
the formula M/W, where W is the bending modulus of the reacting section of the shaft to
the normal stress due to the tension (or compression). The choice of whether or not to
neglect the parasitic moments in the shafts is applied as a general setting for the checks,
and is not an attribute of the individual bolt layouts.
The bolt layout checks are made for each bolt, subject to the forces relevant to it, in each
section for checking 779 . For each extremity 794 in the bolt layout, the program calculates all
the forces concerned, which it uses to compute the internal actions in each section and then
allocates the unitary forces to the individual bolts and finally checks each bolt one by one.
CSE can bolt up to 10 different plates.
RESISTANCE CHECKS ON BOLT SECTIONS
Resistance check formulae for bolts not being slip-resistant are given below. The presence of a
pre-load does not affect the computation.
How to...
171
CNR 10011 AS
Resistance check on bolt section is done through the following formulae (e=utilization ratio):
N
Ares
kN
kM
M
Wcomp
V
Acomp
f kN
min 0,7 f u , f y
1,5
1,5
if (e
f KN
2
f kN
1.e 3)e
elseif (e
1.e 3)e
else e
e2
if (total)
e2
Acomp
elseif (threaded ) Acomp

if (total)
Wcomp
Ares
W
elseif (threaded ) Wcomp
Wres
In previous formulae, if parasitic bending is neglected, we have:

kN=1,25
kM=0
Otherwise
kN=1
kM=1
CNR 10011 LS
172
Formulae are the same, but 1 must be used instead of 1,5.

N
Ares
kN
kM
M
Wcomp
V
Acomp
f kN
e
e
min 0,7 f u , f y
f KN
2
f kN
if (e
1.e 3)e
elseif (e
1.e 3)e
else e
e2
if (total)
e2
Acomp

if (total)
Wcomp
A
Ares
W
Wres
EC3
How to...
eN
M ,2
N
0.9 f u Ares
eV
M ,2
V
( bolt class 4.6,5.6,8.8);
0.6 f u Acomp
eV
M ,2
V
( bolt class 4.8,5.8,6.8,10.9);
0.5 f u Acomp
if ( eV
kM
M ,2
1.e 3) AND ( eN
M
0.9 f uWcomp
1.e 3)e
eN
elseif ( eV
1.e 3) AND ( eN
1.e 3)e
max{ eV ,eN }
elseif ( eN
1.e 3) AND ( eV
1.e 3)e
eV
elseif ( eN
1.0)OR ( eV
else e
if (total)
eV
max eV , eN
eN
1.4
Acomp

if (total)
1.0)e
Wcomp
A
Ares
W
Wres
In previous formulae, if parasitic bending has been neglected, we have:

kM=0
Otherwise:
kM=1
AISC ASD
173
174
eN
N
0.5 0.75 f u A
eV
V
(total);
0.5 0.563 f u A
eV
V
(threaded );
0.5 0.45 f u A
if ( eV
kM
0.3) AND ( eN
elseif ( eV
elseif ( eN
else e
if (total)
2
N
M
0.75 0.5 f u Wcomp
0.3)e
eN
0.3) AND ( eN
0.3)e
max{ eV ,eN }
0.3) AND ( eV
0.3)e
eV
2
V
Wcomp
Wres

kM=0
Otherwise
kM=1
AISC LRFD
How to...
eN
N
0.75 0.75 f u A
eV
V
(total);
0.75 0.563 f u A
eV
V
(threaded );
0.75 0.45 f u A
if ( eV
0.3) AND ( eN
elseif ( eV
elseif ( eN
else e
if (total)
2
N
M
0.75 0.75 f u Wcomp
kM
0.3)e
eN
0.3) AND ( eN
0.3)e
max{ eV ,eN }
0.3) AND ( eV
0.3)e
eV
2
V
Wcomp
Wres

kM=0
Otherwise
kM=1
IS 800 WS
175
176
eN1
max{
eN 2
kM
m ,b
eN
eN1
eN 2
eV
m ,b
if (eV
m ,b
N
N
;1.1
}
0.6 0.9 f u Ares
0.6 0.9 f y A
M
0.6 0.9 f uWcomp
3V
0.6 f u Acomp
1.e 3) AND (e N
1.e 3)e
eN
elseif (eV
1.e 3) AND (e N
1.e 3)e
max{ eV , e N }
elseif (e N
1.e 3) AND (eV
1.e 3)e
eV
else e
if (total)
e N2
eV2
Acomp

if (total)
Wcomp
A
Ares
W
Wres

kM=0
Otherwise
kM=1
IS 800 LS
How to...
eN1
max{
eN 2
kM
m ,b
eN
eN1
eN 2
eV
m ,b
if (eV
m ,b
N
N
;1.1
}
0.9 f u Ares
0.9 f y A
M
0.9 f uWcomp
3V
f u Acomp
1.e 3) AND (e N
1.e 3)e
eN
elseif (eV
1.e 3) AND (e N
1.e 3)e
max{ eV , e N }
elseif (e N
1.e 3) AND (eV
1.e 3)e
eV
else e
if (total)
e N2
eV2
Acomp

if (total)
177
Wcomp
A
Ares
W
Wres

kM=0
Otherwise
kM=1
BS 5950
Data are in MPa or pure numbers depending on the context.
Bolt tensile force check: the program uses the "simple method" and therefore keeps into account prying forces
by increasing the computed tensile forces, i.e. reducing the allowable stress, by 20% (1/0.8 = 1.25). According
178
to the standard as no prying force is computed components will have to be checked in the elastic range i.e.
using py tp 2/6 as moment capacity per unit width. This means that fem models of parts in bending should better
be checked in the elastic range.
eN
1.25
N
( 240 / 560 / 700) Ares
eN
1.25
N
min( 0.7 f u , f y ) Ares
eV
V
( bolt class 4.6 / 8.8 / 10.9);
(160 / 375 / 400) Acomp
eV
1,25
if ( eV
k M 1.25
k M 1.25
M
( bolt class 4.6 / 8.8 / 10.9);
( 240 / 560 / 700)Wcomp
M
( other bolt class);
min( 0.7 f u , f y )Wcomp
V
( other bolt class);
0.5 f u Acomp
1.e 3) AND ( eN
1.e 3)e
eN
elseif ( eV
1.e 3) AND ( eN
1.e 3)e
max{ eV ,eN }
elseif ( eN
1.e 3) AND ( eV
1.e 3)e
eV
else e
eV
1.4
if (total)
eN
1.4
Acomp

if (total)
Wcomp
A
Ares
W
Wres
In previous formulae if parasitic bending has been neglected, we have:

kM=0
otherwise
kM=1
SNiP II-23-81
How to...
179
Please also look at the explanations referring to safety factors in SNiP code 359 .
The utilization ratios due to axial force and shear in the shaft are evaluated separately and the worst is
taken as final result.
eN
N
c 0.42 f u Ares
kM
M
( bolt class 4.6, 5.6, 6.6)
c 0.42 f uWcomp
eN
N
c 0.40 f u Ares
kM
M
( bolt class 4.8, 5.8)
c 0.40 f uWcomp
eN
N
c 0.50 f u Ares
kM
M
( bolt class 8.8, 10.9)
c 0.50 f uWcomp
eN
N
c 0.40 f u Ares
kM
M
(others)
c 0.40 f uWcomp
V
( bolt class 4.6,5.6,6.6);
c 0.38 f u Acomp
V
( bolt class 4.8,5.8);
c 0.40 f u Acomp
V
( bolt class 8.8,10.9);
0
.
40
f
A
c
u comp
V
( others );
c 0.38 f u Acomp
eV
eV
eV
eV
max{ eV ,eN }
if (total)
Acomp

if (total)
Wcomp
A
Ares
W
Wres

kM=0
otherwise
kM=1
180
______________________________________________________________________________
RESISTANCE CHECKS OF A PIN

The resistance checks of a pin 807 are generally different from those of a bolt. The pin shaft is
always computed keeping into account the computed bending, no matter the choice to neglect
"parasitic bending" in bolt layouts.
The checks of the pin shaft are different from those of a bolt for three main reasons:
1. the limit allowable stress due to axial force is set equal to 1N/mm2 (1MPa). If the axial force
is higher than the value 1MPa x
r2, the pin does not pass the check. If it is lower, the force
is discarded.
2. The limit tangential stress allowable for torsion Mt is equal to 1N/mm2. If the torque applied
is higher than this limit (equal to 1MPa x r3/2), the shear V in the shaft of the pin is
notionally set equal to 1x1012 N and consequently the pin will not pass the check.
3. The combination rule of the effects due to shear V and bending M for some standard is
different from that of the bolts.
Therefore the expected forces carried by a pin are shear V and bending M, while axial force N
and torque Mt, should be negligible.
CNR 10011 AS
How to...
M
Wgp
V
Agp
f kN
min 0,7 f u , f y
1,5
1,5
if ( e
f KN
2
f kN
1.e 3)e
elseif ( e
1.e 3)e
else e
e2
e2
CNR 10011SL
M
Wgp
V
Agp
f kN
e
e
min 0,7 f u , f y
f KN
2
f kN
if ( e
1.e 3)e
elseif ( e
1.e 3)e
else e
e2
Eurocode 3
e2
181
182
eM
M
1.5 W gp f yp
M ,0
eV
M ,2
if (eV
V
0.6 f up Agp
1.e 3) AND (e M
1.e 3)e
eM
elseif (eV
1.e 3) AND (e M
1.e 3)e
max{ eV , e M }
elseif (e M
1.e 3) AND (eV
1.e 3)e
eV
else e
eV
eM
AISC ASD
eM
M
0.5 0.75 f u Wcomp
eV
V
0.5 0.563 f u A
if ( eV
0.3) AND ( eM
0.3)e
eM
elseif ( eV
0.3) AND ( eN
0.3)e
max{ eV ,eM }
elseif ( eM
0.3) AND ( eV
0.3)e
eV
eM2
else e
eV2
AISC LRFD
eM
M
0.75 0.75 f u Wcomp
eV
V
0.75 0.563 f u A
if ( eV
0.3) AND ( eM
elseif ( eV
0.3)e
max{ eV ,eM }
0.3) AND ( eV
0.3)e
eV
2
M
eM
0.3) AND ( eM
elseif ( eM
else e
0.3)e
2
V
How to...
IS 800 WS
eM
eV
M
0.6 0.9 f uWgp
m ,b
m ,b
if ( eV
3V
0.6 f u Agp
1.e 3) AND ( eM
elseif ( eV
1.e 3)e
eM
1.e 3) AND ( eM
1.e 3)e
max{ eV ,eM }
1.e 3) AND ( eV
1.e 3)e
eV
elseif ( eM
2
M
2
V
else e
eM
M
0.9 f uWgp
IS 800 LS
eV
m ,b
m ,b
if ( eV
3V
f u Agp
1.e 3) AND ( eM
elseif ( eV
1.e 3)e
max{ eV ,eM }
1.e 3) AND ( eV
1.e 3)e
eV
2
M
eM
1.e 3) AND ( eM
elseif ( eM
else e
1.e 3)e
2
V
BS 5950
183
184
eM
M
1.0 Wgp f dp
eV
V
0.5 f dp Agp
if ( eV
( f dp
1.e 3) AND ( eM
min( f yp ,
1.e 3)e
f up
1.2
))
eM
elseif ( eV
1.e 3) AND ( eM
1.e 3)e
max{ eV ,eM }
elseif ( eM
1.e 3) AND ( eV
1.e 3)e
eV
else e
max{ eV ,eM }
SNiP II-23-81
The utilization ratios due to bending moment and shear in the shaft are evaluated separately and the
worst is taken as final result.
How to...
eN
M
( bolt class 4.6, 5.6, 6.6)
c 0.42 f uWgp
eN
M
c 0.40 f uWgp
eN
M
( bolt class 8.8, 10.9)
c 0.50 f uWgp
eN
M
(others)
c 0.40 f uWgp
V
( bolt class 4.6,5.6,6.6);
c 0.38 f u Agp
V
( bolt class 4.8,5.8);
c 0.40 f u Agp
V
( bolt class 8.8,10.9);
c 0.40 f u Acomp
V
( others );
c 0.38 f u Agp
eV
eV
eV
eV
185
max{ eV ,eN }
If an axial force is applied it is discarded if it leads to a normal stress lower than 1MPa. If on the other hand the
normal stress is higher than 1MPa its contribution is summed to the others: it is however an unwanted
condition.
3.14.1.2 Weld layouts
WELD LAYOUTS
186
Fillet welds or individual weld layouts are checked using the throat sections 816
projected onto the face which corresponds to the first extremity 794 of the weld. This is the face
which the two welded objects must, for constructional reasons, have in common. Thus
projected, the throat sections constitute a collection of rectangles in various orientations. These
give rise to an overall shape whose centre of gravity and principal axes can be calculated. The
welds internal actions are also computed by CSE in relation to the principal axes of the weld
itself. As already mentioned, for each seam there is a rectangle of length L and throat section a.
The weld seams moment of inertia, La3/12, about its minor axis of inertia is set to zero by
CSE, since the flexure about the weak axis of the individual weld seam would give rise to a
perpendicular variation of n in the thickness, which is not permitted by the checking models
currently available for welds. The upshot of this is that a weld comprising a single seam has no
stiffness for that flexure and thus is a potential point of hypostaticity. This is flagged up by the
program at the analysis and checking stage, although it is not necessarily a problem: if there are
other stiffnesses which can limit those rotations, the model will still be computable. To
circumvent hypostaticity, CSE will nevertheless add a small stiffness for numeric purposes
only.
Given the polar and bending moments of inertia, the areas and the six actions applied in the
principal reference (N, Vu, Vv, Mz, Mu, Mv), the software calculates the values of tper, tpar and
nper for each weld seam at each of its extremities.
tpar is the tangential stress acting parallel to the direction of the weld (i.e. the line joining
How to...
187
its extremities P1 and P2).

tper is the tangential stress acting at right angles to the weld.
nper is the stress normal to the weld (i.e. along the z-axis).
The welds extremities P1 and P2 lie on the mid-point of the segment of length equal to
the throat section, respectively at the two extremities of the weld length L.
The components tu and tv are first calculated then reprojected to give tper and tpar. The formulae
are as follows:
tu , i , j
Vu
A
Mz
vi , j
Jp
tv , i , j
Vv
A
Mz
ui , j
Jp
n per,i , j
N
A
Mu
vi , j
Ju
Mv
ui , j
Jv
where i is the ith weld, j is extremity 1 or 2, A is the area of the layout, Jp is its polar
moment of inertia, and Ju and Jv are its moments of inertia about the principal axes (u, v). If
is the angle between the principal axes (u,v) and the reference axes (x,y) of the weld, and
is
the angle of the i'th seam in relation to the axes (x,y), then:
t par
tu cos
t per
tu sin
tv sin
tv cos
Once the triple (tpar, tper, nper) is known at each extremity, the check can be run for the selected
standard.
For the CNR standards, the checking formulae are as follows (NB: in the standard, nper,
tpar and tper are referred to respectively as
Any tensile or compressive stresses
||
and
|| present in the transverse section of the weld,
understood as part of the resistance-section of the member, must not be taken into
consideration for the purposes of checking the actual weld.
Consider the components
and
of the projected throat section. For the limit state
188
checks, the following must apply:

when
||
and
are all present:
(1)
(2)
when only the components
and
are present: expression (2) must hold, and the
following must also apply:
||
and
, or
and
||
, or only one of the three components are
present: expression (1) must hold

For the allowable stress checks, the following must apply:
when
||
and
are all present:
(1)
(2)
and
are present: expression (2) must hold, and the
following must also apply:
How to...
||
and
, or
and
||
189
, or only one of the three components are
present: expression (1) must hold
For Eurocode, CSE implements the method set out in EN 1993-1-8, paragraph 4.5.3.3:
Fw, Ed
Fw, Rd
where:
Fw,Ed is the design value of the force in the weld per unit length (that is
Fw, Ed
a n 2per
t 2par
t 2per
Fw,Rd is the design strength of the weld per unit length, and which, regardless of the orientation
of the plane of the throat section 816 relative to the force applied, is equal to
Fw, Rd
f vw.d a
where a is the throat section 816 of the weld and fvw.d is the design shear strength of the seam,
which is equal to:
f vw.d
fu / 3
w
M2
fu is the ultimate stress of the least resistant material among those of the connected entities
w
is a correlation factor which can be obtained from the following table depending on the
material (EN 1993-1-8, Table 4.1):
190
For penetration weld layouts, the checks are carried out by projecting the thickness onto
the common plane of the two welded faces, and then considering the section obtained by joining
the rectangles thus obtained. The section in question is computed as an ordinary section subject
to combined compression and bending or tension and bending, with shears and torsion, and the
ideal Von Mises stress compared with the limit design tension. A simplified approach is used
to take account of the effects of the shear and torsion.
If the thickness of the penetration welds is such that the available thickness is completely
filled (complete penetration welding), then the strength of the weld will be equivalent to that of
the thinner of the plates which it joins (full-strength welds). This can be achieved both with a
single seam of the necessary thickness and with two seams making up the full thickness between
them. This choice affects the type of work process.
The torsional strength can be determined using either the polar moment of inertia model or the
model that computes Jt as the sum of the contributions of type (1/3)La3.
AISC ASD
This standard also uses the ultimate stress of weld material, fu,weld.
Two checks are done:
one referring to base metal (having fu ultimate stress and fy yield stress, computed as those of
the weakest material among the two welded together);
one referring to weld material, having ultimate stress fuweld;
How to...
191
Fillet welds
Force per unit length is used.
For base material to compute the limit it is used the thickness, and not the throat size:
Fbm,Rd
t 0.3 f u
For weld material to compute the limit it is used weld ultimate stress and the throat size:
Fw,Rd
a 0.3 f u ,weld
Penetration welds
Normal and shear stresses are used.
Base metal
The normal stress is checked against the weakest material between the two welded, using fu/2 if
tensile stress and fy/1.67 if compressive, as limit.
The shear stress is checked against the weakest material between the two welded, using 0.3fu as
limit.
Weld metal
The normal stress is checked against the weld material using 0.6 fuweld/1.88, as limit.
The shear stress is checked against the weld material using 0.6fuweld/2, as limit.
AISC LRFD
This standard also uses the ultimate stress of weld material, fu,weld.
Two checks are done:
one referring to base metal (having fu ultimate stress and fy yield stress, computed as those of
the weakest material among the two welded together);
one referring to weld material, having ultimate stress fuweld;
Fillet welds
Force per unit length is used.
For base material to compute the limit it is used the thickness, and not the throat size:
For weld material to compute the limit it is used weld ultimate stress and the throat size:
192
Fw,Rd
a 0.45 f u ,weld
Penetration welds
Normal and shear stresses are used.
Base metal
The normal stress is checked against the weakest material between the two welded, using
0.75fu if tensile stress and 0.9fy if compressive, as limit.
The shear stress is checked against the weakest material between the two welded, using 0.45fu
as limit.
Weld metal
The normal stress is checked against the weld material using 0.8 x 0.6 fuweld, as limit.
The shear stress is checked against the weld material using 0.75 x 0.6fuweld, as limit.
IS 800 WS
Check formula is the same as in Eurocode 3 (force per length unit in the weld is compared with
a proper limit). It results:
Fw, Rd
a 0.6
fu
3
IS 800 LS
Check formula is the same as in Eurocode 3 (force per length unit in the weld is compared with
a proper limit). It results:
Fw, Rd
Fw, Rd
a
a
fu
3
shop welds
m,w
fu
1.2
site welds
m,w
BS 5950
How to...
193
Presently CSE does not manage information about electrodes, so table 37 may not be
implemented.
SNiP II-23-81
Check formula is the same (force per length unit in the weld is compared with a proper limit). It
results:
Fw,Rd
wz
a 0.45 f u
3.14.2 FEM checks on individual components (throughs and members)

FEM CHECKS ON INDIVIDUAL COMPONENTS (THROUGHS AND MEMBERS)
Checking the components (throughs and worked members) is undoubtedly a highly
complex process. This is because the components do not generally adhere rigorously to any
simplified theory, on account of their form, which is usually chunky and irregular as a result of
the work carried out on them, and because the forces that they are required to resist are
typically local forces which have effects in the regions around their point of application.
The overall problem can be stated as follows: given a component of generic form which
is subject to a range of forces originating from the joiners which connect this component to
other components, to determine the state of the stresses and deformations in the component and
to verify that these are compatible with the operation of the joint.
Although onerous in terms of computation time, the best approach to dealing with this
problem clearly involves defining a finite element model (FEM) to simulate the entity in
question using a suitable mesh, subject to a range of forces (generally nodal forces) which in
turn simulate the forces transferred to the entity by the individual welds and bolts with which
the component is in contact. This model would be laborious to devise manually, but CSE can
prepare it automatically.
CSE can create finite element models of components automatically (please refer to the
current version for the definitive list of the available types), thus making it possible to run finite
element analyses (linear or not) of these components in order to verify accurately the state of
the stresses and deformations to which they are subject. CSE (via the checks settings dialog box
194
672
) enables the user: a) to avoid creating the finite element models if they so wish; b) to
generate the models as outlines only, i.e. without the mesh and with just a few construction lines
and the forces; c) to generate complete finite element models without actually solving them; or
d) to generate the models and have them solved as well, automatically reading the maximum
stress value and using it for the checks on the entity in question (automatic FEM check). Each
FEM model has as many combinations as there are combinations of checks on the renode in
question, multiplied by the number of instances of the associated jnode.
The automatic FEM check involves the following series of steps, which CSE carries out
automatically on request:
1. The complete FEM model of the component is created and solved automatically by the
preselected solver during the renode check (when the renode checks 692 are launched, the
FEM solver for the analysis of the components is also launched in the background, every
time it is required);
2. The maximum value
VM
of the unsmoothed Von Mises stress in the model is read and
then divided by the yield stress fy (which is reduced in line with the standard, as
explained below) of the material of which the entity is made, thus resulting in a utilization
E for each check combination.
3. This utilization index E is compared with the entitys other utilization indices, in that
particular combination, resulting from other checks. If this is the largest of the values, it is
stored as the final utilization of the entity in that combination, and the cause is
documented as the FEM check.
Whilst the fully automatic FEM check would clearly be very useful, there are various
problems which actually mean that it is seldom important (although CSE still has the facility to
run it). Given the expected presence of small regions where there are high stress concentrations,
it is not always the case that the maximum unsmoothed Von Mises stress in the model (which is
the indicator inevitably taken into consideration by CSE) is actually significant for checking
purposes. For example, it may be that concentrations of stress around the bolt shafts are created
which are to be expected and indeed acceptable, having already been verified by the bearing
stress checks. Or there may be tiny regions where stresses exceed the yield value without this
necessarily being problematic for the component. For these reasons, given that it is impossible
to replace the skill of a human engineer with some automatic checking process, it is probably
How to...
195
preferable to run the solution of the FEM model created automatically by CSE and analyse it
separately, in order to make a visual examination of the map of the stresses and to decide
whether or not then to accept the entity as calculated using the FEM model automatically
prepared by CSE. If the user opts to have the models created but not to run them automatically,
then the FEM strength checks for that entity will be omitted, and the corresponding coefficient
of utilisation, evaluated using the method described earlier, will not be calculated, stored or
compared with the others. As far as CSE is concerned, the entity has not undergone the FEM
check: it will be up to the user to review the results separately which were obtained using the
model created automatically by CSE, as would be the case for a normal FEM model.
The automatic FEM check is heavily dependent on the quality of the mesh. It is
advisable to use a mesh which is typically neither too large nor small in size. The typical mesh
size is a property of each individual entity and can be varied 564 , thus giving rise to a wide range
of models. If there are regions which require small mesh sizes, such as where two essential
nodes are at minimum separation, this will still be taken into consideration automatically by the
meshing algorithm.
Running the FEM model for one or more components involves the following practical
steps:
1. In the dialog box used to define the component concerned, put a tick against Create
FEM. By default, the program does not create FEM models, so the box needs to be
ticked for the component when inserting it (or when editing it later).
2. In the same dialog box, determine the mesh size for the borders and welds, "c" (default
value: 10mm), the mesh size of the generic elements, "g" (default: 30mm), and the
minimum angle of the meshs triangles, "a" (default: 29).
3. In the general settings for the checks (see dialog box 672 ), select the required options: a)
Do not create FEM models for the components; b) create them in outline form only; c)
create the FEM models but do not solve them; d) create the FEM models and also solve
them (automatic FEM checks).
The fully automated creation of a FEM model of a component by CSE is a process which is far
from simple. Some key information is provided below.
196
FEM model of a plate generated automatically by CSE for Sargon, with deformed view
For each bolt in each bolt layout connected to the entity, there is a corresponding node in
the finite element model, positioned exactly at the centre of the hole. Each bolt hole is not
currently modelled, as this would result in a different order of magnitude in the dimension of the
models, given the need to follow the edge of the hole with an appropriate mesh size. On the
other hand, the local problems of contact between the shaft and the edge of the hole are already
taken into account by the bearing stress checks. The bolt transmits suitable concentrated forces
to the entity, which are modelled as nodal forces. The ability to model the hole as well, so as to
take block tearing into account, is currently under consideration.
The weld seams are divided into n parts reflecting the mesh size adopted for the borders
and welds (L/n
mesh size). If a seam is divided into n parts, (n+1) nodes will be added to the
finite element model, and nodal forces equivalent to nper, tpar and tper in the seam will be applied
at these nodes, which may be transferred from one face to the other with the corresponding
moments of transport. The nodes all lie on the line joining points P1 and P2, corresponding to
the mid-points of the projected throat section.
If there is a bolt layout with a bearing surface, the model must take into account the
pressures distributed by the bearing surface. In this case, nodal forces equivalent to the node
pressure multiplied by the nodes area of influence are applied to the nodes in the model in the
region where the pressures are applied. The neutral axis of bending can cut the elements
differently for different combinations. The finite elements cut by the neutral axis give rise to
approximate nodal forces, which tend to become gradually more accurate as the mesh size
How to...
197
reduces.
Theoretically, in order for the FEM model of a through to be correctly constructed by the
program, the collection of nodal forces applied (due to the actions transferred to the component
by the joiners to which it is connected) needs to be self-balancing. If the forces are selfbalancing, then the six dummy constraints thus added (those strictly necessary properly to
constrain a body isostatically) must generate null constraint reactions, and therefore the
constraint reactions will not disrupt the state of the stresses in the entity.
In practice, as the mesh size is not infinitesimally small, and as a result of the truncation
and rounding errors, the constraint reactions are not strictly null. It is common to obtain
constraint reactions from a few to a few dozen or a few hundred Newtons (a few kilos/ tens of
kilos) without this significantly disrupting the state of the stresses in the entity in question.
It is the analysts responsibility to check systematically that the constraint reactions are
essentially null for each model being analysed. It may be noted that the presence of null
resultants for the applied loads does not in itself imply that the constraint reactions are also
null. One way to establish that the constraint reactions are null, without actually carrying out the
analysis, is to check that the resultant is null and the point of application of the resultant is not
too far from the entity in question.
Map of the stresses [N/mm2]
198
How to...
199
Map of the displacements [mm]

From version 4.41 on (December 2011), it is possible to use weld layouts as fixed constraints
for the FEM models of connected components. In this case, nodes modeling welds are fixed
constraints, so any other fictitious constraint is not needed. Welds forces are applied on
constrained nodes, so they do not produce additional stresses. A plate welded to a RHS shape
is shown (see bolts forces downwards). There is no deformation inside RHS print, because
welds constrain the plate. To use this tool, tick the proper option in weld layout definition
dialog box 578 . If there is at least a weld layout connected to the component to be modeled, then
automatic FEM model will not have fictitious constraints. It is possible to define this options
for all needed weld layouts; the typical use of this tool is the FEM model of a plate welded to a
member and bolted to something else.
From version 5.91, fictitious rigid beam elements are added to the weld nodes, along the seam,
so as to model the constraint to the component under examination due the the components
welded to it. This is an intermediate modeling between no-elements and no fixed-constraints
method (only forces), and the no-elements but with fixed-constraints (clamps) method. So from
version 5.91 onward, the unsaturated welds 812 are always modeled via the nodal forces
equivalent to the action they transfer, plus a set of coplanar fictitious beam elements, whose aim
is to stiffen the plate considering the effect of the other components.
Plate model in which the weld nodes are clamped
200
Plate model in which the welds are modelled via stiff beam elements (from version 5.91)
DESIGN STRESSES
Design stress fd is obtained dividing properly yield stress fy. Yield stress is got by the
nominal one of base material (fy,N), examining the maximum thickness of considered object and
assuming reduction factors that increase with the thickness itself, according to the following
table:
tmax
fy,N < 400MPa
fy,N > 400MPa
< 40 mm
fy=fy,N
fy=fy,N
fy=fy,N - 20MPa
fy=fy,N - 30MPa
fy=fy,N - 40MPa
fy=fy,N - 60MPa
max
80mm
How to...
201
CNR10011 TA
Maximum computed Von Mises stress in the model is compared with this design stress: fy/1.5.
CNR10011 SL
Maximum computed Von Mises stress in the model is compared with this design stress: fy.
EC3
Maximum computed Von Mises stress in the model is compared with this design stress: fy/M,0.
AISC ASD
Maximum computed Von Mises stress in the model is compared with this design stress: 0.666 x
fy.
AISC LRFD
Maximum computed Von Mises stress in the model is compared with this design stress: 0.9 x fy.
IS800 WS
IS800 LS
Maximum computed Von Mises stress in the model is compared with this design stress: fy/m,0,r.
BS 5950
Maximum computed Von Mises stress in the model is compared with this design stress: min(fy,
fu/1.2).
SNiP II
Maximum computed Von Mises stress in the model is compared with this design stress:
min( cfy/
m, cfu/ u).
202
Note well: if the option "neglet parasitic bending in bolts" is active in checks settings dialog
box 672 , that parasitic bending will be neglected in the FEM model too.
3.14.3 Bolt bearing pressure checks
BOLT BEARING PRESSURE STRESS CHECKS
NORMAL BOLTS (NOT PINS)
Once the shear forces transferred at the various extremities by the bolt to the
components connected to it are known, the bearing stress checks can be carried out for those
components. Given a bolt layout connecting m components, CSE carries out the bearing stress
checks for each bolt and component fully automatically. The bearing stress checks explicitly
accept contact stresses in excess of the yield value, relying on the plastic redistribution.
The bearing stress checks are of course associated with the entity, as opposed to the
bolt layout. The shear forces on the bolt shafts obviously form part of the bolt layout strength
checks, and can potentially cause the bolt layout itself to fail, although they have nothing to do
with the bearing stress checks.
In the bearing stress checks, the program attempts, as far as is possible, to take account
of the (internal or external) position of the bolt in relation to the component being checked.
Sides that are recognized as stiffened are not considered. A side is considered as
stiffened if faces with angles smaller than 150 or greater than 210 start from it (180 30).
How to...
203
The bearing stress checks are run automatically by CSE (if required). The bearing stress
utilisation index is compared, for the entity in question, with the other indices of utilisation
calculated by other checks and, if larger, is stored along with the cause which gave rise to it.
The bearing stress utilisation index is defined in different ways for the different
reference standards.
For the CNR standards, it is the ratio of the contact pressure between shaft and sheet to
a suitable reference stress (a function of the entitys yield stress, the position of the bolt and the
thickness of the plate).
For the EC3 standards, there is a similar ratio between contact stresses.
Generally speaking, pressure forces due to bolt shafts due to total shears V acting over
thicknesses are not aligned to simple directions. So the total shear force V is projected in two
components, along x and along y axes, Vx and Vy. These are the "row" and "column" axes for
simple grid layout. If some bolt of a simple grid layout is removed or displaced, the principal
axes (u, v) of the bolt layout are not anymore aligned to original rows and columns (x, y). To
overcome this problem, CSE always uses the (x, y) directions and not principal axes (u, v)
directions when checking for bolt bearing pressures. So the pitches px and py may still be
defined, and the spacing related.
From version 4.30 onward, the bolt bearing pressure checks have been modified in the
following way.
1) When checking plates in contact with "external" bolts, in order to keep into account that the
direction of the component of the force aligned to the row may be positive or negative, it is now
kept as reference distance the minimum between: a) minimum distance from border; b) pitch
distance i.e. distance to the nearest bolt in row. In previous versions just a) was considered.
Keep in mid that when checking plates in contact with "external" bolts, the distance from edge
is the minimum distance no matter force direction, not the minimum for all bolts in the
204
direction considered. This in order to avoid dangerous situations like the one in the figure, on
the right, not covered by the standards as V is not parallel to rows or columns. Projecting in
direction x and y (as it is necessary to have one component parallel and one perpendicular to
rows of the bolt layout) one would get higher lengths that the one effectively available. Using
minimum distance, however, may lead to a slight over safe design in situations like the one in
the figure, on the left.
The detailed formulae are as follows.

CNR TA AND LS
E
where
distm in
min 2.5,
fd
d
is the contact pressure, distmin is the minimum distance of the bolt layout from the
edges of the face of the entity being checked on which the bolt is applied, and fd is the design
stress (a function of the plate thickness and of whether the check is being made at the limit states
or at allowable stresses).
EC3
Given that fu is the ultimate stress and E is the final utilisation, we have:
How to...
kx
ky
Ex
Vx
V
Vy
V
kx c M 2
k1, x x f u
ky
Ey
c M2
k1, y
y u
Ex2
The values of k1 and
205
E y2
depend on the direction of the load and the position of the bolt in
question. For the x direction, where px is the bolt separation in the x direction, we have
For internal bolts:
px
3d 0
0.25
For external bolts:

x
min
distmin p x
;
3d 0 3d 0
0.25
Still considering Ex, if the bolt is internal in the y direction we have:

k1, x
min
1.4 p y
d0
1.7;2.5
Whereas if it is external in that direction:

k1, x
min
2.8distmin
d0
1.7;
1.4 p y
d0
1.7;2.5
For the y direction, the same formulae apply but with the bolt position for actions in the y
direction (for
or x direction (for k1).
The formulae given here are a reasonable development of those provided in EC3 to take
account of the fact that the concept of internal or external depends on the direction of the
force, its positive or negative sign, and also to deal with the case where the force is at an angle.
Where the force is horizontal or vertical, the EC3 formulae are applicable. Otherwise, the
formula adopted will still maintain the balance.
AISC ASD
206
kx
ky
Ex
Vx
V
Vy
V
2k x
dx u
Ey
2k y
dy u
E x2
E y2
dx
min 1.5
px
;3
d
dx
min 1.5
d min
p
;1.5 x ;3 end bolt
d
d
dy
min 1.5
dy
min 1.5
py
d
;3
inner bolt
inner bolt
p
d min
;1.5 y ;3 end bolt
d
d
AISC LRFD
How to...
kx
ky
Ex
Ey
E
Vx
V
Vy
V
kx
0.75
ky
0.75
E x2
dx u
c
dy u
E y2
dx
min 1.5
px
;3
d
dx
min 1.5
d min
p
;1.5 x ;3 end bolt
d
d
dy
min 1.5
dy
min 1.5
py
d
;3
inner bolt
inner bolt
p
d min
;1.5 y ;3 end bolt
d
d
IS 800 WS
207
208
kx
ky
Ex
Vx
V
Vy
V
kx c
0.6 2.5 bx f u
Ey
ky
0.6 2.5
by u
E x2
E y2
px
3d 0
0.25 inner bolt
dx
min
d min p x
;
3d 0 3d 0
bx
min
E
dx
py
dy
3d 0
dy
min
bx
min
dx
0.25
end bolt
f u ,b
; 1.0
fu
0.25 inner bolt

d min p y
;
3d 0 3d 0
dx
0.25
end bolt
f u ,b
; 1.0
fu
where d0 is bolt hole diameter.

IS 800 LS
How to...
kx
ky
209
Vx
V
Vy
V
Ex
Ey
kx
2.5
ky
m ,1
m ,1
bx u
c
2.5
by u
E x2
E y2
px
3d 0
0.25 inner bolt
dx
min
d min p x
;
3d 0 3d 0
bx
min
E
dx
py
dy
3d 0
dy
min
by
min
dx
0.25
end bolt
f u ,b
; 1.0
fu
0.25 inner bolt

d min p y
;
3d 0 3d 0
dy
0.25
end bolt
f u ,b
; 1.0
fu
where d0 is bolt hole diameter.
BS 5950
Given that fu is the ultimate stress, fy the yield stress,
the final utilisation, we have:
the contact pressure due to V, and E is
210
kx
ky
Vx
V
Vy
pbs
V
0.67 ( f y
Ex
max( k x
Ey
max( k y
E x2
fu )
c
pbs
c
pbs
, kx
d
)
0.5 pbs ex
,ky
d
)
0.5 pbs e y
E y2
The values of ex and ey depend on the direction of the load and the position of the bolt under
control. For the x direction, where px is the bolt separation in the x direction, we have
For internal bolts:
ex = px
For external bolts:
ex = min{px ; edge_distmin}
For the y direction, the same formulae apply but with y instead of x.
The formulae given here are a reasonable development of those provided in BS to take
account of the fact that the concept of internal or external depends on the direction of the
force, and also to deal with the case where the force is at an angle. Where the force is
horizontal or vertical, the BS formulae are applicable. Otherwise, the formula adopted will still
maintain the balance.
_____________________________________________________
PINS
The bearing checks for pins are different from those of normal bolts, as there are specific
How to...
211
limitations referring to the shape and thicknesses of the joined parts, that CSE assumes as
satisfied.
The check is done comparing the contact stress
with a limit value
standard used.
CNR 10011-TA
1.35
adm
CNR 10011-SL
L
1.35 f d
EUROCODE 3
1.5 f y /
M ,0
IS-WS
L
fy /
M ,0
IS-LS
L
1.5 f y /
M ,0
AISC-ASD
L
0.5 1.8 f y
AISC-LRFD
L
0.75 1.8 f y
BS 5950
L
pin
part
0.8 min(
pin
part
min( f y , pin , f u , pin / 1.2)

min( f y , part , f u , part / 1.2)
It is assumed that rotation is required and/or pin should be removable.

SNiP II - 23 - 81
For bolt precision class A ("precision bolts"):
which depends on the
212
pin
Rbp
(0.6
410 f u
) fu
E
(0.6
410 Run
) Run
E
where Run=fu is the ultimate nominal stress for the given thickness, and E is the Young's modulus.
For bolt precision classes B and C ("not precision bolts"):
L
pin
Rbp
(0.6
340 f u
) fu
E
(0.6
340 Run
) Run
E
_____________________
3.14.4 Punching shear checks
PUNCHING SHEAR CHECKS
Internal axial forces in bolts are transferred to bolted objects through the head and the
nut; once these forces are known, it is possible to perform punching shear checks for involved
objects. This check can be included or inhibited.
EC3
According to Eurocode 3, the formula for computation is the following:
Nb
0,6
d M t fu
M2
where Nb is internal axial force in the bolt, t is the thickness of the plate currently under check,
fu is the ultimate stress of plate material and dM is bolt head mean diameter, computed as the
average value between d1 and d2, which are the lengths shown in the following figure.
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213
For each involved plate, a check is performed for all combinations and renode instances
and for all the bolts. From each check, an utilization ratio is computed.
CNR 10011 AS
Nb
0,6
d M t f d / 1.5
CNR 10011 LS
Nb
dM t fd
0,6
AISC ASD
Nb
0,6
d M t 0.3 f u
AISC LRFD
Nb
d M t 0.6 0.75 f u
0,6
IS 800 WS
Nb
d M t 0.6 f u
0,6
IS 800 LS
Nb
0,6
dM t fu
1
BS 5950
Nb
0,6
d M t min( f y , f u / 1.2)
SNIP II - 23-81
214
For SNiP code fy and fu are those depending on the thickness of the plate bolted.
3.14.5 Pull-out checks on anchor bolts in anchor bolts layouts

PULL-OUT CHECKS ON ANCHOR BOLTS IN ANCHOR BOLT LAYOUTS
If a bolt layout is classed as an anchor, the pull-out checks are used to supplement the
normal strength checks made on the layout. In practice, the pull-out force N on each bolt is
compared with a limit value Fd which depends on the standard being used (see the relevant
dialog box 595 ), thus generating a utilisation index, E. This utilisation index is associated with
the bolt layout, not the constraint block on which the bolt layout is presumably anchored. As in
the other cases, this index is compared with that obtained for the bolt layout after the other
checks and, if larger, is stored along with the cause which gave rise to it.
In detail the rule is the following:
E
Fd
N
Fd
FL
where is a safety factor depending on the standard used, in this way:
1 for EC3, IS800LS, BS5950, SNiP and CNR limit states

1,333 for AISC-LRFD
1,5 for CNR allowable stress
1,666 for IS800WS
2 for AISC-ASD
This check is omitted if a compression is present, as it is assumed that there will be a
bearing surface to react it.
How to...
215
If a prying forces 810 factor greater than 1 has been defined, the traction forces used for this
check are those of the analysis amplified by this factor.
The calculation of limit pull-out force FL depends on the kind of the anchor defined by the user
and on some parameters. It is possible to define 5 different kinds of anchor, that are checked in
5 different ways.
Kind 1
The bond stress between the bar and concrete is responsible for the resistance. The rule is:
f bd
FL
ln
where:
fbd
is the design tangential bond stress between the bar and concrete;
it is the bar diameter
it is the minimum distance between the bar and the free surface of the constraint block
(end of concrete)
ln
it is the straight length of anchor
Kind 2
Similar to kind 1 but also a hook is resisting, which increases the pull-out force. The rule is:
f bd
FL
ln
7.4 r 3.5 l2
where
fbd
216
(end of concrete)
ln
is the hook radius
l2
is the length of the straight part of the bar, after the hook
Kind 3
Similar to kind 1, but also a washer circular plate is present. The rule is:
f bd
FL
ln
f cd
r2
where:
fbd
fcd
is the design compressive stress of concrete

(end of concrete)
ln
is the washer radius
Kind 4
Similar to kind 3, but the resisting mechanism use concrete cone detachment from constraint
block. Basically the formula provided in Eurocode 2, 6.2 is assumed, considering the
maximum force guaranteed by such mechanism and checking that specific limit between
dimensions are met. The rule is:
How to...
217
where:
fcd
is the design compressive stress of concrete
(end of concrete)
ln
is the washer radius
The program checks also that the dimensions meet the necessary inequalities, and thus also a, r
and ln are used.
Kind 5
If the user wishes to directly input the limit pull-out force (unfactored) he/she may wish to input
directly the value of FL (that will be later divided by
to get Fd).
3.14.6 Shear checks on slip-resistant joints (bolt layouts)

SHEAR CHECKS ON SLIP-RESISTANT JOINTS (BOLT LAYOUTS)
A slip-resistant joint can be associated with a bolt layout (see How to choose the type
of bolt layout 161 ). In this case, strength checks on the bolt layout take account of tension only,
which is necessarily going to be present, and not shear. Instead, the latter is divided by a
suitable limit shear value, which depends on the effective tension in the bolt, and also of course
on the active standard and the settings specified for the bolt layout (see dialog box 600 ): preload, coefficient of friction, etc.
If the joint is slip-resistant then bearing stress checks do not apply.
The bolt layout is subject to two checks: the tension check in the shaft, and the shear
check. Both produce an index of utilisation, and generally the greater of the two is stored as the
final utilisation of the bolt in that particular load combination (with the exception of IS and BS
218
that use an interaction formula). If parasitic moments in the shaft have not been neglected, the
stress associated with them is then added to the stress due to the tension. The part of component
total utilization ratio associated to axial force ( eN ) is the same one already explained in bolts
resistance checks 167 .
If a bolt layout is just-shear 591 and slip-resistant, bendings on the layout cause axial
forces in bolts, not bending.
Check formulae are the following:
CNR 10111 AS
F p ,C
K n f ub Ares
eV
1.5 1.25
eV
99.
V
F p ,C
[( F p ,C
N), N with sign]
[( F p ,C
N)]
max eV , e N
Fp,C is the preload force, expressed as the fraction Kn of the bolts ultimate load
fu,b is the bolt ultimate stress
Ares is the net area of the threading
V is the maximum computed shear
is the coefficient of friction
eV > 1 means the limit value is exceeded, resulting in a slip of connection.
CNR10011 LS
How to...
F p ,C
K n f ub Ares
eV
1.25
eV
99.
V
F p ,C
[( F p ,C
N), N with sign]
[( F p ,C
N)]
max eV , e N
EC3
F p ,C
K n f ub Ares
eV
M ,3
eV
F p ,C
V
0.8 N
[( F p ,C
99.
[( F p ,C
0.8 N), N with sign]

0.8 N)]
max eV , e N
is hole coefficient
AISC ASD
Fp ,C
K n f ub Ares
eV
Fp ,C
1.13
eV
e
V
1.5N
1.13
[( Fp ,C
1.5N/1.13), N with sign]
AISC
99.
[( Fp ,C
max eV ,eN
1
AISC LRFD
1.5N/1.13)]
219
220
Fp ,C
K n f ub Ares
eV
Fp ,C
1.13
eV
e
V
N
1.13
[( Fp ,C
N/1.13), N with sign]
AISC
[( Fp ,C
99.
N/1.13)]
max eV ,eN
IS800 WS
F p ,C
K n f ub Ares
V
eV
m, f
eV2
0.6 F p ,C
e N2
In the code, no prescription was found in order to take into account the possible
decreasing of limit shear as a function of applied loads.
IS800 LS
F p ,C
eV
e
K n f ub Ares
m, f
eV2
F p ,C
e N2
In the code, no prescription was found in order to take into account the possible
decreasing of limit shear as a function of applied loads.
BS 5950
How to...
Fp ,C
K n f ub Ares
eV
V
0.9 Fp ,C
eN
0 if N compressive
eN
N
if N tensile
0.9 Fp ,C
221
eV
eN
is hole coefficient named Ks in the standard.

SNiP II - 23-81
Fp ,C
K n f ub Ares
kM
N
0.42 f u Ares
kM
N
0.40 f u Ares
kM
N
0.50 f u Ares
kM
N
0.40 f u Ares
eN
eN
eN
eN
eV
eV
e
M
( bolt class 4.6, 5.6, 6.6)
0.42 f uWcomp
M
0.40 f uWcomp
M
( bolt class 8.8, 10.9)
0.50 f uWcomp
M
( others)
0.40 f uWcomp
V
Fp ,C
99.
[( Fp ,C
N), N with sign]
[( Fp ,C
N)]
max eV ,eN

kM=0
otherwise
kM=1
For EC3 and IS800, safety factor is defined by the dialog checks settings 672 ; for CNR
222
BS and AISC this parameter is fixed and was got by a reformulation of the equations given by
the standards.
3.14.7 Bearing surface checks in bolt layouts with bearing surfaces

BEARING SURFACE CHECKS IN BOLT LAYOUTS WITH BEARING SURFACES
If a bolt layout uses a bearing surface, it is also necessary to check that the surface can
withstand the forces applied. The object to which the surface is applied is usually subject to an
additional check for crushing of the bearing surface, which is carried out in practice by
comparing the maximum compression stress calculated from the non-linear analysis with a
maximum reference compression stress defined for the bearing surface.
If the constitutive law is unlimitedly elastic, the maximum stress that the surface can
withstand is defined explicitly by the user (using this dialog box 596 ). If the constitutive law is
non-linear, on the other hand, then the maximum stress that the bearing surface can withstand is
deduced from the constitutive law, i.e. essentially as the plateau value of this law. It is worth
noting that if the bearing surfaces limit stress is reached at a given point, this does not in itself
imply for non-linear constitutive laws that the limit resources of the surface have been reached.
Indeed, the limit value is only attained with complete plasticization of the bearing surface. It is
therefore possible that a unit utilisation is computed that does not correspond to the bearing
surface actually collapsing, but only to its partial plasticization.
How to...
223
Example of an unverified support

If a plasticization of the bearing surface is reached which is incompatible with the loads
applied, this is drawn to the users attention during the solving process by suitable error
messages indicating that the applied load has been halved, and by the coefficient of utilisation
being set to the standard value 99.
A stress threshold value (typically for linear constitutive laws) can be set in order to
limit the compression stress (acting, for example, on a flange) to values which are considered
acceptable under the design. In other words, some simplified considerations can be used to
determine a maximum compression stress that a ribbed plate can withstand, and then use that
plate as the bearing surface in the calculation with that maximum compression as its limit value.
If the utilisation is less than 1, then that stress is never reached and the component is effectively
verified as a result without the need for more complex models.
224
Example of a failed crushing check

The cause associated with the utilisation of the bearing surface is compression.
3.14.8 Simplified resistance checks for members and throughs

SIMPLIFIED RESISTANCE CHECKS FOR MEMBERS AND THROUGHS
In addition to bolt bearing checks, block tear checks, punching shear checks, etc., CSE
executes two different kinds of simplified resistance checks of the components (members and
throughs). User can chose if these checks have to be executed or not:
net 225 sections check 225 , executed for the members and all the throughs;
standard 236 sections check 236 , executed for some kinds of throughs.
These checks are explained in detail in the dedicated topics, where hypotheses and
formulae used are described..
According to the case at hand, the user can choose if these simplified checks (net and/or
standard sections) are needed or not, if they are sufficient or if automatic FEM checks 193 or
How to...
225
user's checks 253 must be executed too.
3.14.8.1 Net sections check: overview
NET SECTIONS CHECKS: OVERVIEW

The simplified check of the net sections is done, if required, on the following components:
members, only if there are gross area reductions due to bolt holes, cuts, bevels or other
work processes; it is in fact taken for granted that the members as such have been verified yet,
elsewhere.
throughs, with or without holes or work processes.
CSE scans these components and finds the net sections that must be checked. The
criteria for net sections search of members 232 and throughs 233 are explained in the dedicated
topics. For the throughs, user can also define manually the desired sections (user net crosssections).
For each net cross-section found, CSE checks according to the following rules.
The calculated internal forces in the net cross-section are not those due to the transport of
ideal actions applied to the extremity of the member: indeed, only certain bolts and (in
part) certain welds generally contribute to generating internal forces in the net crosssection in question, namely all those located beyond the section in question. This takes
into account that the transfer of forces to the component via the joiners is spatially
distributed and gradual, and therefore the net cross-sections considered are generally
subject to forces which gradually increase as the various joiners come into effect.
In order to allow for this, the program must (and does) consider only those bolts which
are relevant and only the relevant parts of the weld seams, whilst excluding the
contribution of the bolts and the parts of the welds which fall outside the section in
question.
If a bolt layout uses a bearing surface to carry bending and compression, the relevant part
226
of the compressive stress field acting over the net cross-section at hand is also taken into
account, leading to additional forces and moments applied to the net cross-section
center.This is accomplished by using Green's formula (boundary integral).
The sections that CSE considers for these checks are selected automatically, being the
same ones which are listed with the Enquire net sections 426 command.
Sections are maked as "with holes" if there are bolt holes. Otherwise, they are "gross"
sections. This classification affects the check, changing the reference stress.
In some case, sections are exactly rectangular. If so, shear resistant areas are computed
by "flat-rate", using a simplified formula.
The elementary actions due to single bolts and (part of) welds are transferred to the net
cross-section center, and transformed into its principal axes reference system (u, v).
These axes are not the same, generally, of the original gross section.
Net section: results

The checks currently supported by the program take into account the normal stress (due to
N, Mu, Mv); for the shear since it is not always clear how to compute shear and torsion
moduli in case of a shape composed by polygons (the typical section to be checked), a
simplified approach is used.
Torsion is not presently kept into account.
How to...
227
The program computes a shear resistance modulus in the following way, first for bending
axis u (related shear: Vv, so determining Av,v) then for bending axis v, (related shear: Vu)
determining Av,u. Sometimes labels (2, 3) are also used for (u, v).
For the bending axis u (axis 2 in the picture) related to shear Vv (V3 in the picture) the net
cross-section is "sliced" by 51 straight lines parallel to axis u, all dividing the net crosssection into a part Ai (shaded dark gray in the picture) with a chord bi. Index "i" refers to
the generic straight line cutting the net cross-section. Straight lines are equally spaced.
Once computed the first area moment Si of the area Ai cut by the chord bi, relative to axis
u,
Si
vdA
Ai
the average tangential stress over the chord bi is computed as

i
1 Si
bi J nu
thanks to Jourawskij's formula applied using a notional shear Vv=1. Jnu is the second
area moment of the net cross-section to axis u. Once the loop over the 51 chords slicing
the net cross-section is over, an average tangential stress,
and a maximum tangential stress,
max,
ave,
over the net cross-section
over the net cross-section can be computed. The
average tangential stress is a mean value of the single tangential stress found on chords,
228
and is computed as
m
i
i 1
ave
where m is the total number of not-null chords.This is a special average which does not
keep into account chord lengths, but weights all computed tangential stress the same way,
in order to reduce the relative weight of wide chords versus that of narrow ones (thus
preferring the tangential stresses acting over low-thickness, low-chord plates versus
those acting over high-thickness, wide chord ones: in fact, the true average tangential
stress, which also keeps into account chord-lengths, must of course be V/A, and is known
a priori).
The "computed tangential stress" is set equal to the average between
ave
and
max,
so
allowing for a partial plastic redistribution. Finally, the shear resistance modulus, Av,v ,is
set equal to the inverse of the "computed tangential stress" (the shear force is equal to 1):
Vv
Av ,v
calc
1
0.5
ave
max
For the axis v direction, the same is done, determining Av,u, but clearly the straight lines
are now parallel to axis v, while in the formula to compute tangential stress the second
area moment Jnvis used.
The algorithm keeps into account bolt holes and possible regions where the current
straight line is not cutting the net cross-section at all, or null-length chords, as well.
If the section is exactly rectangular (maybe with holes) the program sets Av,u=Av,v=Anet.
Once the shear resistance moduli are computed, the program computes the limit shears as
(to get fv values see table below)
Vu,lim= fv * Av,u
Vv,lim= fv * Av,v
Finally, a shear utilization ratio is computed as Ev=max(|Vu/Vu,lim|, |Vv/Vv,lim|).
If this utilization ratio is lower than 0.5, the check moves on using normal stress only, as
How to...
will later be explained. Otherwise, a factor
229
=(2*Ev - 1)2 is computed, which is later
used in a plastic check as will be explained below (in this case the check follows EN
1993-1-1, 6.2.8).
If Ev < 0,5 then a linearized plastic domain is used, which considers also the resistance to
tension in case of section with holes: point normal stress check is used, the formula used
to compute utilization ratio is:
E= |N / A| / fd + |Mu / Wu,pl| / fd + |Mv / Wv,pl| / fd
se N < 0
E= |N / A| / fn + |Mu / Wu,pl| / fd + |Mv / Wv,pl| / fd
se N > 0
where subscript n stands for net section, subscript i refers to the generic vertex of
all polygons making up the net cross-section, and the subscript u and v refer to the
principal axes of the net cross-section. The stress fd is the design normal stress. Stresses
fd and fn depend on the active standard. Precisely:
STANDAR
D
CNR-TA
fd
fn
fy/1.5
fy/1.5
fd
CNR-SL
fy
fy
fd
EC3
fy/
M0
fv
with holes: 0.9fu/
M2
without holes: fy/
M0
fy/
M0
with holes: 0.6 x

IS800-WS
0.9fu/
0.6fy
0.6fy
without holes: 0.6fy

IS800-LS
AISC-ASD
fy/
with holes: 0.9fu/

0,r
fy/1.67
without holes: fy/

with holes: fu/2
without holes:
fy/
0,r
0,
0.4fy
230
fy/1.67
with holes: 0.75fu
AISC-LRFD
0.9fy
BS 5950
min(fy, fu/1.2)
0.6fy
without holes: 0.9fy

with holes:
fd
S275 : 1.2fd
S355: 1.1fd
S460: 1.0fd
Other: (fu/1.2 / fy ) fd
without holes: fd
SNiP II
c f y/ m
with holes:
0.58
c f y/ m
cfu / u
without holes:
cfy / m
If on the other hand the shear is high (Ev > 0.5), the check is still plastic, but the utilization
ratio is computed as follows:
E= [ |N / A| / fd + |Mu / Wu,pl| / fd + |Mv / Wv,pl| / fd ] / (1 -
se N < 0
E= [ |N / A| / fn + |Mu / Wu,pl| / fd + |Mv / Wv,pl| / fd ] / (1 -
se N > 0
In these formulae, if
> 1 it is replaced by 0.99. If E is higher than 99 it is set equal to
99.
Computing shear effects the heart of the approximation is in the computation of shear
resistance moduli, Av,u and Av,u. The simplified (but very general) model explained, leads to
shear resistance moduli values higher than those which can be get by using other simplified
approaches, like using vertical plates to carry vertical shear, and horizontal plates to carry
horizontal shear (for instance, in cross-sections made up only by horizontal and vertical plates).
The "vertical" shear is partly carried by horizontal plates, too, and this explains the differences
got. However, the model used is quite robust, and correctly keeps into account real tangential
How to...
231
stresses computed by a generalization of the Jourawskij formula.

If the User does not agree with the calculation made by the program, he/she can always
define ad hoc, specific user's checks, bypassing the net cross-sections checks automatically
done by the program.
The checks on the net sections of the members can be run or omitted (separately for
members and throughs). This can be decided when selecting the general settings for the checks
(see Checks settings 671 ). In addition, it is possible to exclude a single component from the
checks. The main reasons for not performing these checks are as follows:
1. The automatic search for the net sections would take sections which are too small
for the Saint-Venant checks to be meaningful.
2. The checks on the net sections are replaced by suitable user checks, devised so as
to be simpler and to provide a greater emphasis on safety.
3. FEM checks are going to be performed, and therefore these simplified checks are
not required.
From version 6.00 onward (October 2014), it is possible to exclude some internal
forces components from the net cross-section checks, because sometimes their action is resisted
by restraints not kept into account by the program (for instance, a plate over a surface). Using
the flags "weak axis bending" and "strong axis bending" of each component (see the dialogs
referring to each different component, like this 543 ), one can decide to exclude or include the
weak or strong axis bending from the checks of all the net cross-sections of that component. It
must be specified that the "strong axis bending" is the axis with the higher plastic modulus W,
for the single net cross-section at hand, considering them one by one. Typically, for long
rectangular net cross-sections (net cross-sections of plates), the "weak axis bending" is the
bending of the plate out of its plane, and is often useful to avoid its computation being too on the
safe side considering it.
See also:
Identification of members net sections 232
Identification of throughs net sections 233
232
3.14.8.1.1 Identification of members net sections
IDENTIFICATION OF MEMBERS NET SECTIONS

A member which has been trimmed, worked or had bolt holes made in it is naturally
going to be rather complex to deal with. It should therefore strictly be checked with a non-linear
approach using a finite element model, although this can take a long time to compute. As the
member is based on a De Saint-Venant prism, we can consider checking it with a similar
approach to that used for the member checks, with some significant modifications.
Example net section

By scanning the member from its theoretical extremity with planes normal to its axis, various
net sections can be found, which take into account the work processes carried out on the
member and the holes made in it for the bolts. The internal actions for these net sections can
then be calculated, and the sections can be checked as if they were the sections of beam
elements. In carrying out this operation (which CSE does automatically), the following factors
need to be taken into account:
There are sections with discontinuities in them, which can therefore not be checked per
How to...
233
se: the program resolves this problem by sampling the two sections immediately before
and after the section in question;
The calculated forces in the net section are not the theoretical node forces transferred
to the point in consideration: indeed, only certain bolts and (in part) certain welds
generally contribute to generating internal forces in the section in question, namely all
those located between the section in question and the theoretical extremity. This takes
account of the fact that the transfer of forces to the member via the joiners is spatially
distributed and gradual, and therefore the net sections considered are generally subject to
forces which gradually increase with the distance away from the ideal terminal section
and as the various joiners come into effect.
In order to allow for this, the program must (and does) consider only those bolts which
are relevant and only the relevant parts of the weld seams, whilst excluding the
contribution of the bolts and the parts of the welds which fall outside the section in
question.
The sections that CSE considers for these checks are selected automatically, being the
same ones which are listed with the Enquire net sections 426 command.
Sections are maked as "with holes" if there are bolt holes. Otherwise, they are "gross"
sections. This classification affects the check, changing the reference stress.
In some case, sections are exactly rectangular. If so, shear resistant areas are computed
by "flat-rate", using a simplified formula.
The description of the formulae used for the check is done in topic Net sections check:
overview 225
3.14.8.1.2 Identification of throughs net sections
IDENTIFICATION OF THROUGHS NET SECTIONS

For force transferrers (or throughs) there are two different modes to define net cross-sections:
1. the automatic search by the program (automatic net cross-sections);
2. the manual definition by the user (user's net cross-sections).
234
The two modes are described below, in a detailed way. See Net sections check:
overview 225 for a detailed description of the formulae used in the check.
1. AUTOMATIC SECTIONS
Members 232 , which consist in the extrusion of a plane shape, may have net sections due
to holes, bevels, cuts, etc. Throughs, instead, are not given by an extrusion, in general. For the
throughs, CSE does not find net sections in correspondence of holes only, but also in
correspondence of relevant or critical points.
Criteria for sections search depends on throughs kind. For this purpose, throughs are
grouped into three different "families":
throughs belonging to the family of the plane plates (rectangular, triangular, circular,
trapezoidal, generic, holed, etc.): sections found depend on the position of bolts and welds
connected to the object at hand; found sections are perpendicular to plate's middle plane;
sections are always rectangular 228 (with or without holes);
How to...
235
throughs belonging to the family of composed plates: sections are searched scanning all the
local reference system axes (1, 2 and 3) finding sections perpendicular to these axes (in
next image, on the right, a section parallel to plane 2-3 of the reference system is shown, as
an example);
throughs resulting from the extrusion of a shape (angles and double angles, rolled, welded,
cold formed shapes, etc.): sections are found scanning axis 3 of the reference system (the axis
along which the shape is extruded); this is similar to what is done for the members.
236
For families 2 and 3, if the distance between the critical sections found is greater than
50mm, new sections are added in between.
2. USER'S SECTIONS
With the command Renode-Components-Net sections 628 , user can:
define new user's sections, not considering automatic sections;
convert automatic sections into user's sections, and then erase undesired sections or add new
sections.
To define new sections, user has to set a proper view and to click 2 points in the scene.
These points define the plane to which the new section belongs. See command explanation for
further information.
3.14.8.2 Standard sections check: overview
STANDARD CROSS_SECTIONS CHECK: OVERVIEW

In addition to net sections 225 checks, another simplified resistance check is available in
CSE for components having a certain shape. Consider a component given by the extrusion of a
shape.
How to...
237
If we cut the object in the section corresponding to the intersection of the web
(generally, there are not bolts nor welds there), we get a rectangular section, like the one
shown in red in the next image.
Simplified checks can be done on this "beam" section, considering the forces
transferred by joiners 794 (or parts of them) being after the section at hand. Cutting the component
in proper positions, it is possible to check the critical sections. These sections have a
rectangular shape; if the component has a length L, all the sections will have a lenght L. Their
height will be equal to the thickness of corresponding plate.
Different failure modes are taken into account by the standard sections checks. Since the
sections are rectangular, shear and torsion are considered too, having a complete check.
Simplified standard sections checks can be required or not, depending from the case
under study. These checks can integrate other checks, such as the net sections 225 checks or the
automatic FEM checks 193 .
From version 6.00 onward (October 2014), it is possible to exclude some internal
forces components from the standard cross-section checks, because sometimes their action is
resisted by restraints not kept into account by the program (for instance, a plate over a surface).
Using the flags "weak axis bending" and "strong axis bending" of each component (see the
238
dialogs referring to each different component, like this 554 ), one can decide to exclude or include
the weak or strong axis bending from the checks of all the standard cross-sections of that
component. It must be specified that the "strong axis bending" is the axis with the higher plastic
modulus W, for the single standard cross-section at hand, considering them one by one.
Typically, for long rectangular standard cross-sections (net cross-sections of plates), the "weak
axis bending" is the bending of the plate out of its plane, and is often useful to avoid its
computation being too on the safe side considering it.
For further information about components standard sections check, see:

Members standard sections check 238
Throughs standard sections check 239
3.14.8.2.1 Standard sections check for members
MEMBERS STANDARD SECTIONS CHECKS

The simplified checks of the standard sections are not executed for the members: since
members have a main mono-axial development, resulting standard sections would be very long,
and consequently utilization ratios would be very low: so, checks would not be significant.
A possible standard section is highlighted in red
How to...
239
For the members, simplified resistance checks coincide with net sections 225 checks,
which are are executed together with bolt bearing checks, block tear checks, FEM, checks,
user's checks, punching shear checks, etc.
3.14.8.2.2 Standard sections check for throughs
SIMPLIFIED CHECKS OF THROUGHS

For section stumps with L, T or double T shape (as those shown in the following image)
extruded to a given length and then subjected to work processes, standard sections checks are
available in addition to net sections checks 225 .
For these components, the simplified checks are carried out on beam sections found
for this purpose. These sections relate to specifically selected points on the extruded section,
and are rectangular in shape. If the entity is extruded to a length L, all these rectangular sections
have base L. Their height is equal to the thickness of the plate at the significant point on the
section, which is generally located at the joint between a flange or web and the rest of the
section. For example, for an I-section (fig. c) there are six points: the 4 points corresponding to
the attachment of the half-flanges (with the same thickness as the flange, tf) and the two points
corresponding to the attachment of the web (thickness tw).
The centre of gravity of these rectangular sections is on the mid section of the extrusion.
Having defined the sections, CSE evaluates the effects of the relevant joiners (with the
system of the individual bolts and the relevant parts of the welds), on the centre of gravity of the
section for checking in question. In doing so, the contributions from joiners or parts of joiners
located topologically beyond the section being checked are discarded. For example, for point
240
4 of figure (c) above, only the bolts and parts of the welds present on the top left semi-flange
will be considered.
This involves checking relevant inequalities associated with the coordinates of the points
where the forces are applied.
The simplified check on the throughs for these sections examines the strength of the
entity for various possible failure modes. Given that the section is rectangular, shear and
torsion are also considered, to complete the check.
Besides the sections for checking as mentioned above, the program also always checks
the section form which is extruded, corresponding to the mid section of the extrusion. This is the
gross section.
The software does not take the various work processes (beveling, etc.) into account
when running these checks. These are therefore only meaningful for entities which have either
not been worked on at all or have only undergone processes (cuts and bevels) which do not
significantly reduce the initial gross load-bearing areas of the extruded entity.
The simplified checks on the force transfers can be run or omitted, depending on how
relevant the simplified checks are actually thought to be, and on whether or not separate FEM
checks are available.
How to...
241
DESIGN STRESSES
Design stress fd is got dividing properly yield stress fy. Yield stress is got by the
nominal one of base material (fy,N), examining the maximum thickness of considered object and
assuming reduction factors that increase with the thickness itself, according to the following
table:
tmax
fy,N < 400MPa
fy,N > 400MPa
< 40 mm
fy=fy,N
fy=fy,N
fy=fy,N - 20MPa
fy=fy,N - 30MPa
fy=fy,N - 40MPa
fy=fy,N - 60MPa
max
80mm
If SNiP code is used, then the stress reduction due to thicknesses is coded by the standard in
Table 51.
242
CNR10011 TA
Maximum computed Von Mises stress in the model is compared with this design stress: fy/1.5.
Resistance moduli are the elastic ones.
CNR10011 SL
Maximum computed normal stress in the model is compared with this design stress: fy.
Maximum computed shear stress in the model is compared with this design stress: fy
For shear stress utilization ratio, maximum between shear related utilization ratio and torsion
related utilization ratio is considered.
Separated utilization ratios are computed for normal stress and tangential stress, then maximum
value is considered.
Resistance moduli are the plastic ones.
EC3
Maximum computed normal stress in the model is compared with this design stress: fy/M,0.
Maximum computed shear stress in the model is compared with this design stress: fy/(M,0
Separated utilization ratios are computed for normal stress and shear stress, then maximum
AISC ASD
Maximum computed normal stress in the model is compared with this design stress: fy/ 1.67
Maximum computed tangential stress in the model is compared with this design stress: 0.6 x fy/
1.50
For tangential stress utilization ratio, maximum between shear related utilization ratio and
torsion related utilization ratio is considered.
How to...
243

AISC LRFD
Maximum computed normal stress in the model is compared with this design stress: 0.9 x fy.
Maximum computed tangential stress in the model is compared with this design stress: 0.6 x fy
IS800 WS
IS800 LS
Maximum computed normal stress in the model is compared with this design stress: fy/m,0,r.
Maximum computed tangential stress in the model is compared with this design stress: fy/
(m,0,r
244
BS 5950
Maximum computed normal stress in the model is compared with this design stress: fy.
Maximum computed shear stress in the model is compared with this design stress: fy
SNiP II
Maximum computed normal stress in the model is compared with this design stress:
cfy/ m.
Maximum computed shear stress in the model is compared with this design stress: 0.58 cfy/ m.
3.14.9 Block tearing checks

BLOCK TEARING CHECKS
Block tearing is a failure mode in which part of an object (a member 796 or through 817 ) is
torn away from the rest of it, which is generally relevant for normal stresses and shear stresses
on the surfaces involved. In the case illustrated below, the applied tension causes a tear in the
member with a failure path which includes all the bolts. The two surfaces of the failure path
parallel to the applied force are subject to pure shear, and the perpendicular face is subject to
normal stresses. The case shown is only one of the possible failure paths.
How to...
245
Given the direction of the applied force, the total strength of a failure path is the sum of
the strengths of all the surfaces of that path. There are many potential failure paths, and failure
will occur along that of least resistance.
A fundamental problem which has been addressed is the complete dearth of general rules
in the literature and in the standards about block tearing: the available cases are always limited
to forces which are parallel or perpendicular to the sides of a rectangular plate (potentially
stiffened as for H-sections), which give rise to failure paths whose sides are also perpendicular
or parallel to the forces. These paths therefore have limit stresses which respectively equate to:
fu
fy
M2
M0
In reality, the forces are never perfectly parallel or perpendicular, and even when they
are, there may be parts of the path which are not be parallel or perpendicular to them. The value
of the limit stress on one side can therefore be between
If we call this stress
eq ,
and l, depending on the inclination.
its value is given by:

l
eq
2
l
where the angle
cos
l
2
2
l
sin 2
is measured according to the convention shown in the figure below:
246
For sides perpendicular and parallel to the resultant,
if =0, then
if =90, then
and
respectively are applicable:
eq = l
eq = l
The following example provides a clear illustration of the stresses which can be
withstood by the various sides of a generic failure path, as a function of the resultant on the
bolts.
The strength of each side is obtained by multiplying
eq
by the relevant area, which is
given by the thickness of the plate multiplied by the length of the path, excluding holes. The total
strength of the path is given by the sum of the strengths of the various parts of the failure path.
Neither the literature nor the standards offer a general calculation method which is valid
in any situation; this poses a problem, given the need to work out the block tearing in generic
situations in which recourse cannot be made to the simple examples proposed hitherto.
Available studies which have addressed the problem using non-linear FEM models are
inevitably highly onerous in terms of the computation time involved.
Computation time is key for connections whose verification must involve tens or hundreds
of combinations and instances and in which each component can potentially be subject to block
tearing. This is why the approach has been taken with CSE of seeking an entirely new method
which is:
How to...
247
general (i.e. valid in any situation, not just in simple, easily manageable cases)
simplified, for drastic reductions in computation times;
and promotes safety.
It must be said at the outset that the problem has (for now) been addressed only for
entities affected by bolt layouts, however issues which are not currently covered by the block
tearing check are still taken into consideration by the net sections checks and by the
components FEM models. The user can also define additional check conditions with ad hoc
criteria. The FEM analysis, in particular, partly addresses the problems of block tearing due to
welds; this does not apply to bolt layouts as the FEM models do not have bolt holes.
The approach selected has been to analyse the faces of the components affected by bolt
layouts one by one for which the block tearing check is required. Each face is considered
independently of its context, and only the forces transmitted to it by the bolts in the layout 771 in
question are considered.
The forces in the plane of the bolt layout acting at the extremity 794 corresponding to the
middle plane of the plate will be applied to the two faces of the plate. These forces have
already been calculated in the first phase of the checks, for all combinations and all instances.
The image below shows the transfer of forces applied at the extremity of a bolt layout (which
coincides with the middle plane of a plate) to face 2 of the same plate.
Starting with all the bolts in the layout, and gradually reducing the bolts involved until
only 2 remain, all the possible failure paths are searched for as a function of the direction of
the current resultant which join the various bolts and reach the edges of the face in question.
The connecting lines with the edges can be parallel to the resultant (case A in the figure
below), perpendicular to it (case B) or the shortest route to the edge (case C). Finally,
248
combinations of these cases are considered (case D, with a line parallel to the resultant and
another shortest path to the edge).
NB: the strengths of the paths for a subset of the bolts must be compared with the partial
resultant for that subset.
As the method implemented just considers the forces transferred to each face by the bolt
layout in question only, without considering what happens on the rest of the entity, in some
cases it can come up with paths which would be impossible in physical reality, although this is
not a bad thing from a safety perspective. Let us look at the three failure paths illustrated below,
where the part in yellow is torn away from the remaining part (shown in blue). CSE considers
this latter part to be constrained, however in reality if there is nothing to restrain that entity, then
there can be no failure along that path: the smaller the zone considered to be restrained, the
lower the probability that there will be an actual restraint in that zone. It is still a good idea to
consider that path, for safety reasons.
Let us suppose that the object in the figure above is extended towards the left (e.g. with a
member bolted in from its right-hand extremity, see the diagram below): the third path would be
considered but would not turn out to be the most critical, due to the greater length over which
How to...
249
the shear stresses are distributed.
The block tearing checks can be activated or suppressed in the checks settings 671 dialog
box. If activated, they are carried out for all the components affected by bolt layouts which
require them, in line with the settings specified in the bolt layout dialog box 587 .
In essence, these checks are carried out for the bolt layouts for which they are required.
The coefficients of utilisation computed for the various faces affected are associated with the
corresponding components. The results can then be viewed by selecting the desired component
and invoking the Show block tearing results 707 command. The bolt layouts dialog box can,
however, be used to investigate the most critical paths on the affected faces for different
directions of the resultant.
Detail of reference stresses for each standard
CNR 10011 AS
fu
1.5
fy
3 1.5
CNR10011 LS
l
fu
fy
EC3
250
fu
l
M ,2
fy
l
M ,0
AISC ASD
0.5 0.5 f u
l
l
0.5 0.6 f y
0.75 0.5 f u
AISC LRFD
0.75 0.6 f y
IS800 WS
0.69 0.9
fu
1
fy
0.69
0,r
IS800 LS
l
0.9
fu
1
fy
l
0,r
BS 5950
How to...
py
min( f y , f u / 1.2)
Ke
1.2 for S275
Ke
1.1 for S355
Ke
1.0 for S460
Ke
( f u / 1.2)
for other grades
py
l
l
251
0.6 K e p y
0.6 p y
SNiP II- 23-81

The values fu and fy depend on the thickness of the plate checked.
fu
l
c
u
0.58 f y
l
c
m
Lt and Lv are always computed by CSE as gross length minus hole length. So for one row of bolt k = 0.5
and for two rows of bolts k=1.5 (not 2.5 as written in the standard). It must be noted that BS does not
explicitly cover complex situations where there are more than 2 rows of bolts, or where no "row" is
distinguishable. See 6.2.4 of the standard.
3.14.10 Deformability checks

DEFORMABILITY CHECKS
The finite element model which enables the renode to be solved also provides an
estimate of the displacements of the components belonging to the scene. The extent of the
displacements can therefore be estimated and deformability checks carried out.
Some additional remarks about calculating the displacements follow below. A rigorous
252
calculation of the displacements would not be possible even with an extremely sophisticated
model, with geometrical and material nonlinearities. This is for the fundamental reason that the
major part of the quantities concerned are subject to errors and uncertainties which would be
enough to thwart the attempt to produce a rigorous calculation of these displacements. For all
these reasons, the displacement calculation involved is a conventional calculation, in which the
important thing is the order of magnitude of the displacements calculated, not their precise
actual value (which would be impossible to calculate, in any case). This does not seem to be an
undue simplification: the analysis of the displacements (and the associated deformed view)
enables connections to be discarded as unacceptable which at first sight might have looked
efficient. It is therefore critically important that the examination of the maximum displacements
for the various combinations is taken very carefully into account by the analyst, since this can
highlight the need for wholesale or partial improvements/changes for a given renode.
To this end it takes a typical value when it occurs in a model with shear only bolt layouts.
Shear only bolt layouts are useful to avoid certain stresses permeating to the connections and
thus putting the bolts under tension or compression without this having being intended. Consider
a splice joint for an HEB section subject to direct shear like the web: the bolts in the upper and
lower plates are not supposed to work in tension and they are therefore considered as shear
only. If, however, the renode does not have joiners positioned so as to intercept the forces
which would have generated those tensions or compressions, then the tensions or compressions
arise all the same, albeit at the expense of a very high displacement, one which is incompatible
with the renode in question. If the flange bolts in the example above are configured as shear
only and there are no web bolts, the result for that combination will be a very high
displacement. It is not always easy to understand what is happening in a complex connection, so
if there are high displacements then certainly one or more connections will need to be looked at
again.
What constitutes an acceptable displacement will obviously depend on the problem in
hand. With CSE, maximum acceptable displacement thresholds can be set in the dialog box
used to configure the checks (Checks settings 671 ). The results of the deformability checks are
printed out in the listing, and for failed checks a suitable warning message is also displayed on
the screen.
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253
The connection is bent

The analysis of the deformations 719 after the check is a very useful tool for understanding
exactly what has happened and which component needs to be modified.
Deformability checks are always carried out by CSE and they do not depend by the
standard used, but only from parameters defined by the user in checks settings 672 .
3.14.11 User checks

USER CHECKS
Despite the numerous checks carried out automatically by CSE, it is always possible
that some checks are not executed exactly as the user wishes, or that the user wants CSE
automatically to run some special checks which they deem appropriate or necessary.
254
Example of adding a check condition: in this case a net section check is being simulated
CSE offers a highly extensive, general and systematic means for the user to specify
which checks are to be carried out. From an operational perspective, the user checks are
defined using the add variables 647 and add conditions 656 commands.
A condition is an inequality or equality which must be satisfied. The condition is
expressed in terms of variables, which if not predefined are defined as required by the user.
Each renode 811 has a large number of predefined variables which the user can deploy to meet
their requirements (in particular, internal forces in members and in single bolts, varying runtime
from combination to combination). Also, the ability to define new variables based on the
existing ones allows a large number of potential new variables to be generated quickly and
easily. The predefined variables include the internal forces in the members at their theoretical
extremities, hence they can easily be used to devise checking formulae to add to the automatic
checks.
In effect, the user only needs to add the check conditions and associate them with a
component; the program will take care of computing and evaluating them, as the user checks are
carried out along with the automatic ones.
The additional conditions can also be defined as prerequisites: they are not therefore
additional checks to be carried out on a component, but rather criteria with which the
How to...
255
connection must comply in order that it can be applied. The prerequisites are analysed first and,
if they are not satisfied, the program prompts the user for whether or not it should continue to
execute the checks.
The ability to run user checks in such a general way is a highly important feature of the
system, which opens up the way to defining renodes which are parameterized with user checks
which only need to be defined once.
3.14.12 Guided user checks

GUIDED USER CHECKS
The possibility to define user's check is a powerful tool of CSE: user can introduce
formulae and check criteria, then CSE will automatically check them. In CSE, almost any check
can be defined through variables and conditions associated to a given component.
In order to make easier the definition of user's checks, some checks according to main
Standards can be added with the command Standard checks 664 , a sort of "wizard" which has the
purpose to write formulae starting from a minimum amount of input data. The user only has to
define few parameters using already existing variables or simply numbers, then the command
will automatically add the needed formulae according to the standard, under the form of user's
checks.
So, for some standard check not included in totally automatic checks, it is possible to
define additional check conditions 818 defining user's checks 253 in a guided way. This tool is a
wizard for the addition of user's checks.
The user, instead of adding checks using "manual" commands, maybe using additional
variables too, with this tool he just chooses desired check among the available onesand defines
required parameters. Automatically, CSE adds needed conditions (they are formulae) and
additional variables: these sets of conditions and variables define chosed standard check
according to the defined parameters.
256
The command to be used is Standard checks 664 (menu Renode, submenu Variables and
conditions). The component associated to the check must be selected (only that component),
then the command must be executed: a proper dialog box 664 is opened, where user choses a
check and sets the parameters shown in the images.
At the end of the operations, CSE will automatically add one or more conditions
associated to the selected component and one or more variables used by the condition(s).
These variables and conditions can be modified, if needed, as those manually added.
Another use of the command Standard checks 664 implies the addition of a newunta check, not
the editing of the previous one. To edit a previously added check, use the command e non
l'editing delle condizioni precedentemente aggiunte. Tale editing, come detto, deve essere fatto
per ogni singola variabile e condizione con il comando Modify variable or condition 662 .
Currently available checks are the following:
Web panel shear check (EN 1993-1-8 6.2.6.1)
Web in transverse compression (EN 1993-1-8 6.2.6.2)
Shear check for angles
Local stability of notched beam
How to...
257
DAC (double angle cleats), tie force

WEB tie force (for I and H, RHS and CHS cross-sections): DAC, FIN, FEP (flexible end
plate)
See dialog box 665 for more information.
3.15
Select your checks

How to select your checks
CSE has a number of fully automated checks which it always runs, and other checks which are
optional.
The following are optional:
1. Bolt-bearing stress checks: they can be done or not. Typically they are not performed if
they hide some other check result we are interested to, as their utilisation ratios are the
highest. Whether or not to run these checks is controlled using the Checks-Settings 671
command.
2. Block tear checks. Whether or not to run these checks is controlled using the ChecksSettings 671 command.
3. Automatic FEM checks. If the FEM model has been created, it is advisable to have it
examined separately by an analyst using engineering criteria. If this does not uncover
peaks of stress that would formally invalidate the automatic checks, the checks can be run
in order to incorporate the outcome of the checks made with the FEM model into the
results (and the listing).
4. Simplified checks for members and throughs. These checks are a good idea if the throughs
have not otherwise been checked, e.g. via a FEM model. If these checks uncover
problems, or if the hypotheses involved (as described in How to understand the checks
carried out by CSE 224 ) do not satisfy the user, the checks can be eliminated. Whether or
not to run these checks is controlled using the Checks-settings 671 command.
5. User checks. By default these are not run, and to do so the user must add suitable checking
conditions manually using the Add condition 656 command. This is useful for when certain
checks envisaged by the user are not executed by CSE, or when CSEs checks are not
258
considered sufficient for the problem at hand.

In the most general case of freely positioned renodes, it is up to the user to decide which are the
best checks to carry out, from the bolt-bearing stress check, the block tear checks, the FEM
checks, the member net section checks, the simplified through checks and the user checks, in
order to optimise the results produced by CSE for the problem at hand.
3.16
Understand pre-defined variables

How to...understand the predefined variables
In CSE, additional checking conditions 656 can be defined, i.e. the user check 818 . These
can be specified as suitable functions of predefined variables (associated with the various
components 780 already present in CSE) and other additional variables 647 , which in turn may
depend on the predefined variables.
Generally speaking, the predefined variables are divided into global variables and
variables associated to a component. They are available in the renode pane 803 . The name of the
variable is prefixed by gl if it is a global variable, otherwise by the name of the component to
which it refers: e.g. m2.h is the height of the member m2. A fuller list of available variables is
provided below.
Among predefined variables associated to members and bolt layouts, an important
group is represented by the internal forces in these components; at runtime, they take the values
computed during the checks in the various combinations 778 and instances 788 . These variables are
very important in that they enable checking conditions to be defined for a certain component as
functions of the forces in the same component or in other components, in all checking
combinations and all instances.
There are 6 internal actions for the members. For the member m3, for example:
m3.N
axial force in the current combination and instance
m3.T2, m3.T3
shears
How to...
m3.M1
torque
m3.M2, m3.M3
bending moments
259
For bolt layouts there are variables (evaluated at runtime) giving the internal actions in
individual bolts or the envelope for all bolts. Forces applied to individual bolts are computed
by taking the maximum value across all the sections for checking 779 . They are:
B1.NB1
B1.NB2
...
B1.NBn
axial force where the maximum modulus is in bolt 1

axial force where the maximum modulus is in bolt 2
B1.VB1
B1.VB2
...
B1.VBn
maximum shear in bolt 1 (combining the two components Vu and Vv)

maximum shear in bolt 2 (combining the two components Vu and Vv)
axial force where the maximum modulus is in bolt n
maximum share in bolt n (combining the two components Vu and Vv)
Then there are the maximum internal forces across all bolts (the envelope for the bolts
in the layout):
B1.maxNB
axial force with maximum modulus across all bolts, in the current
combination and instance

B1.maxVB
maximum shear across all bolts, in the current combination and instance
The axial force in the bolts can be used, for example, in a checking condition to evaluate the
bending in a plate.
We now take a detailed look at the available variables.
Global
260
gl.pi
pi ( )
gl.L
members trunk length
gl.gm0
gl.gm1
gl.gm2
gl.gm3
gl.gm4
gl.gm5
gl.E
value of safety factor M0

Young's modulus for steel (EC3)
gl.nu
Poisson's ratio for steel (EC3)
gl.G
shear modulus for steel (EC3)
gl.P
theoretical node coordinates
gl.am1.mn
angle between members m1 and mn (in radians)
gl.adm1.mn
angle between members m1 and mn (in degrees)
Members (e.g.: m3)

m3.dir
member direction
m3.e
offset of the member in current renode extremity
m3.l
original length of the member
m3.el1
extension/trimming at the first extreme
m3.el2
extension/trimming at the second extreme
m3.fy, m3.ft
yield stress and ultimate stress
m3.fd1, m3.fd2
design stresses
m3.A
gross area
m3.J2, m3.J3
moments of inertia
m3.W2, m3.W3
elastic section moduli
m3.Wpl2, m3.Wpl3
plastic section moduli
m3.Ny ... m3.Vpl3
elastic and plastic limit actions
m3.h, m3.b, m3.h1
cross-section sizes (depending on the type of section, in this case a
rolled H-section)
m3.r, m3.tw, m3.tf
other sizes depending on the type of section
How to...
m3.Af, m3.Aw
261
area of the flanges and web
in addition to previously listed internal forces.

N.B.: in case of composed cross-sections, sizes are divided for sub-components; for example,
m1.c1.h in the height of sub-component 1 of member 1.
Force transferrer (through)

Here we have a subset of the predefined variables for members: yield stress, ultimate stress,
object sizes.
The variable P (that replaces members' e) refers to the coordinates of the origin of the local
system of the force transferrer.
Welds (e.g.: W2)

W2.P
coordinates of the origin of the local system
W2.G
coordinates of weld layout center
W2.A
total area of the layout
W2.Au, W2.Av
the shear-bearing areas in the u and v directions
W2.Jt
torsional moment of inertia of the layout
W2.Ju, W2.Jv
bending moments of inertia of the layout
NB: for fillet welds, the total area is the design area (which therefore depends on the throat
section) and the subsequent data refers to this; for full-penetration welds, the area and the
other data are computed as a function of the nominal thickness of the welds.
Bolt layouts (e.g.: B1)

B1.P
coordinates of the origin of the local system
B1.G
coordinates of bolt layout center
B1.n
number of bolts in the layout
262
B1.nr, B1.nc
number of rows, number of columns (depending on the type of layout)
B1.d, B1.dh
bolt diameter, hole diameter
B1.Ares, B1.A
load-bearing area and total area, for an individual bolt
B1.AresT, B1AreaT load-bearing area and total area, for the whole layout
B1.Jp, B1.Jx, B1.Jy
the moments of inertia of the layout, normalised in relation to the bolt
area
B1.Vmax, B1.Nmax
maximum centred axial action and maximum centred shear that the bolt
layout can withstand

B1.MtMaxE, B1.MtMaxP
B1.fyb, B1.fub
maximum elastic and plastic torque that the layout can withstand
yield stress and ultimate stress
in addition to previously listed internal forces in bolts.
3.17
Understand what exactly CSE does

How to understand exactly what CSE does
Suppose we have devised a scene 813 , that the joiners 794 and throughs 817 have been put in
place, that the internal forces in the members are known and therefore the renode 811 is ready to
be computed. What does CSE actually do?
A detailed description would be very long and complex, as well as being out of the scope
of this guide. Here we will confine ourselves to a few helpful pointers for using the program
and understanding its general behaviour.
-1-Once the checks have been launched, the program firstly reconstructs all the chains 776
and examines all the connections 781 , in search of unconnected or poorly connected components
780
. If this check is successful, the program moves on to the next step.

-2-This step entails the preparation of the calculation model. This is a suitable finite
element model, in which each component is conveniently modelled using rules which take the
basic hypotheses 264 into account. The stiffness of a bolt layout depends on all the parameters
which help to define it: the number of bolts, their length, diameter and their exact layout with all
the respective distances. The stiffness of a weld depends, similarly, on all its component seams,
their throat sections, lengths and exact spatial positions. Solving the model ensures a response
How to...
263
which is balanced with the applied forces. Nothing is lost, all the components and moments of
transport are correctly taken into account. The model does not discard or neglect any part of the
response. The respective allocation of the components of the forces among the various
components, as calculated from the model, is the product of the specific simplifying hypotheses
established in order to get the model working. In the vast majority of cases, these simplifying
hypotheses, which in any case lead to a response which is balanced with the applied loads,
do not result in the distribution of internal forces being much different from what it would have
been with simplifying hypotheses in a manual calculation. For this to be the case, however, it is
critical that any shear only 814 bolts are actually specified as shear only, in order that the
forces flow correctly.
The model has as many load cases as there are combinations for analysis. The model is
computed internally by the program, giving the displacements of the parts that make up the
renode, along with the internal actions at the various sections for checking and the various
extremities of the joiners. The output of this calculation is the sextuple of internal forces which,
in a given combination, stresses a bolt or weld layout.
-3- Once the internal forces each joiner are known, the program computes the stresses at
each of the joiners sub-components (its individual bolts and weld seams) in all its sections for
checking. The program then runs the joiner strength checks 166 . For bolt layouts, this involves
checking the shear, the pull-out and the bearing surface, if necessary.
- 4- At this point, given the shears in the bolt shafts, the program can perform the
bearing stress checks 202 .
- 5- After this, the finite element models are created for the components for which this
has been requested. Given that the forces are known for the individual sub-components, the
program can compute the forces to be applied to the finite element model (and the
Model.Jnode.Component.sr2 files are created).
- 6- If requested, the program runs the finite element computation for the components
and evaluates the utilisation indices (see automatic FEM checks 193 ).
- 7- Then, if requested, the program performs the net section checks 225 for the members.
- 8- It then runs the simplified checks on the throughs 224 , if requested.
- 9- At this point, the program runs the user checks 253 and calculates new utilisations to
add to those already computed.
- 10 - When the checks have been completed, the output listing is produced (if
264
requested) and the binary file with the results is saved (as Model.Jnode.cs0 for the CNR_TA
standards, Model.Jnode.cs1 for the CNR_SL standards or Model.Jnode.cs2 for Eurocode,
Model.Jnode.cs3 for IS working stress, Model.Jnode.cs4 for IS limit states, Model.Jnode.cs5
for AISC-ASD, Model.Jnode.cs6 for AISC-LRFD and Model.Jnode.cs7 for BS 5950).
3.18
Understand CSE's basic hypotheses

How to understand CSE's basic hypotheses
CSE is a very large and complex piece of software which can carry out a major
proportion of the checks associated with the computation of the joints automatically. The
problem that CSE solves is essentially the following:
given a collection of members connected up together via throughs 817 and joiners 794 , subject
to a certain known state of stress according to beam theory, to calculate the forces which
apply to each joiner and to check each joiner, through and member.
The known state of stress consists of the internal forces at the ideal extremities of the
members. This state of stress can be evaluated in CSE in the following ways:
1. If the CSE model is derived from a FEM model which has been computed, the internal
actions in the members are known, being none other than the internal actions calculated by
the FEM program. In this case, the number of combinations to check is the same as the
number of combinations defined in the FEM model multiplied by the number of instances
of the renode. It is also possible to reduce the number of combinations choosing the most
critical ones (24 combinations for each member 796 , not depending from instances 788
number), with an automatic selection 690 performed during the checks.
2. If the model has been created within CSE and no internal forces are available, or if the
user wishes to use this procedure instead of the previous one where an already-solved
FEM model is available, then the internal forces are evaluated using the elastic or plastic
limits of the section, suitably tuned and factorised. To be exact, in this case, 24nm
combinations are generated, where n is the number of members 796 joined at the renode
and m is the number of instances 788 of the renode. The combinations of the first instance
(i.e. the first 24n) are equal to the combinations of the subsequent instances. 24 x m
How to...
265
combinations are generated in this case, where m is the number of members of the renode.
Renode is reduced to just one instance. This method is usually applied for models which
have only one instance, having been constructed from scratch. If there is a master 795 then
this is the first member, and 24 identical null combinations are associated with it. For
each slave 816 (or in general for each member), 24 combinations are then generated, i.e.: 6
combinations with positive internal actions set in order to the selected (elastic or plastic)
limits factorized with the factor specified by the user; another 6 combinations with
negative internal actions, taken one at a time separately as above; and another 12
combinations in which N, M2 and M3 are adjusted between themselves so as to result in
linearised elementary utilisations which are equal to the factor k specified for each force.
These are kNp and kNm (the multiplication factor for the axial actions, positive and
negative), kV2 kV3 (the multiplication factor for the shears V2 and V3) and kM1, kM2,
kM3 (the multiplication factor for the moments M1, M2, M3), for when the plastic limits
have been selected. This case leads to the following 24 combinations (to be read row by
row, where + means combined with):
kNpNpl
kV2T2pl
kV3T3pl
kM1M1pl
kM2M2pl
kM3M3pl
-kNmNpl
-kV2T2pl
-kV3T3pl
-kM1M1pl
-kM2M2pl
-kM3M3pl
0.5kNpNpl
0.5kNpNpl -
0.5kNpNpl
0.5kNpNpl -
-0.5kNmNpl
-0.5kNmNpl -
+0.5kM2M2pl
0.5kM2M2pl
+0.5kM3M3pl
0.5kM2M2pl
+0.5kM2M2pl
0.5kM2M2pl
-0.5kNmNpl
-0.5kNmNpl -
0.5kM2M2pl
0.5kM2M2pl -
-0.5kM2M2pl
-0.5kM2M2pl -
+0.5kM3M3pl
0.5kM2M2pl
+0.5kM3M3pl
0.5kM3M3pl
+0.5kM3M3pl
0.5kM3M3pl
The 24 combinations generated automatically for each member if the plastic limits have
been selected.
3. The third way is similar to the previous one, but in this case internal forces are defined
by the user. 24 x m combinations are generated, with a scheme similar to the previous
one.
4. The fourth way 683 lets the user copy and paste check combinations from Excel or
Notepad. In this case, the contemporary presence of internal actions is kept, and it is
possible to use also the results of programs not interfaced with CSE (properly
266
rearranged) to check connections.

These combinations test the connections in all possible ways. The k factors adjust the
intensity of the forces being calculated, which may be the elastic or plastic forces, suitably
factorised. If end releases are present, they can be taken into consideration or neglected.
With the convention adopted, it is easy to understand which are the combinations that certain
stresses correspond to for a given member. If, for example, we are interested in the 3rd
combination of member number 3, then the combination in question is number 24x(3-1)+3 =
51.
Once the forces on the ideal extremities of each member are known in each load
combination, the program can calculate the sextuple of relevant forces on each joiner in its
own reference system. This is a very important result, and represents one of CSEs
fundamental achievements. It is derived via a suitable finite element model (see How to
understand exactly what CSE does 262 ). In order to do so, CSE adopts some fundamental
hypotheses which must always apply. These are set out in the numbered list below, which is
followed by a brief discussion.
1. The internal forces at the ideal extremities of the connected members are known.
2. Each joiner 794 (or connector) connects n components. All the sub-components of the
joiner must connect the same components. Joiners which are used partly to connect
certain components and partly to connect others are not acceptable.
3. The minimum number of connected components is 2.
4. Each component must be connected to something.
5. Each joiner must be connected to something.
6. A joiner cannot be connected to another joiner.
7. There must be an unbroken chain 776 of joiners/throughs from each member to the
master (hierarchical jnodes 793 ) or from each member to the constraint block
(attachments 783 ) or from each member to the central body (central jnodes 791 ).
8. The joined elements 781 can be considered to be much more rigid than the joiners 794 .
9. The behaviour of the joiners under deformation is to be describable with simple linear
laws.
How to...
267
Point 1 is part of the preliminaries and has already been discussed. Points 2-7 are typically
satisfied during creation of the renode, via the addition of appropriate numbers of suitably
located components and joiners in order to achieve the desired aim.
Point 8 is largely satisfied in most cases (given that the components must withstand the
forces applied without significant local deformations). Hypothesis 8 is not strictly
necessary: it may be removed in later versions of CSE which use a more sophisticated
computation model (where this is deemed necessary: all the tests carried out up to now do
not appear to require this). The FEM modelling after the initial calculation (i.e. the
computation which determines the internal actions in the joiners), however, discards this
hypothesis and enables the deformation of the joined units modelled to be understood in
detail.
There is a consequence of considering highly rigid throughs and members, and largely
restricting the deformability in the first analysis cycle to the joiners only: i.e. that all the
components which connect two parts of a given component (through or member) will not be
subject to any state of stress at the end of the first calculation sweep (stiffeners). Only parts
which connect different objects will be subject to a state of stress. This means that it is not
possible to calculate the members internal stiffening ribs immediately during the first
analysis cycle, but only with the second, once the forces transferred to the member by the
joiners external to the member itself are known. The FEM modelling of the members and
throughs removes this constraint. It may be noted that all the stiffening ribs connecting
different objects are subject to a state of stress (e.g. the stiffening plates that join a column to
its base plate).
Hypothesis 9 is not strictly essential either for CSE, and it may be replaced in future
releases with more complex models, provided that there is a genuine need for this. The
results obtained for typical joints confirm, however, that this hypothesis does not entail
significant losses in the overall calculation of the renode, but only minor readjustments.
3.19
Consider the effects of members shift

How to consider the effects of members shift
By default, CSE considers the theoretical extremity of a member in the FEM model as
the application point of the internal forces in the renode 811 . If a member is trimmed/extended or
268
shifted, by default the application point of internal forces is unchanged: since the effective
extreme has been changed in the real node, there is a distance between theoretical FEM extreme
and effective extreme. This distance introduces a moment of transport considered by CSE.
It would be recommended to have a coherence between the FEM model of the structure
and the real 3D node: offsets should be considered and modeled also in the FEM model. By
doing so, no shifts nor modifications would be required in the renode, and the effects of the
offset would be considered both in the analysis of the whole structure and in the check of the
nodes.
In the following image (on the left) the FEM model of a beam-colum joint is shown. A
rigid offset on the horizontal element is modeled, so the beam ends in correspondence of
column flange. On the right there is the resulting renode, in its initial situation (before adding
plates, bolts, welds, etc.). During the checks, the application point of beam internal forces
(green circle) lays on column flange, coherently with FEM model.
Let us consider the vertical shear only.
Offset modeled in the FEM model (black line) and consequently in the renode
If the offset is not defined in the FEM model (see next image), renode initial condition
has an overlap between the members; beam application point of internal forces coincides with
theoretical extreme.
How to...
269
Offset not modeled in FEM model; corresponding initial condition in the renode
During renode construction, the horizontal member will be properly trimmed, so its
effective extreme (the red circle in next image) will not coincide anymore with FEM theoretical
extreme. The theoretical extreme will remain the application point of internal forces (green
dot), so there will be moments of transport due to internal forces multiplied by the distance
between effective and theoretical extremes.
Member trimming in the renode
Additional moments of transport will act on the horizontal member (and joiners 794 and
throughs 817 connected to it), but they will not act in the column which will remain simply
compressed (as the point of application of the shear remains the green dot).
270
There are cases where these additional moments are unwanted, in the former case, for
example, because the beam member is to be considered hinged at the column external face.
Being this true, the FEM model should have been prepared accordingly, but often for simplicity
or for speed the FEM model is not coherent. It is then possible to consider in CSE as the point
of application of the internal forces (here the shear) the member extreme as modeled in CSE,
after applying trimmings, or extensions, of shifts, and not the member extreme as resulting by the
FEM model. This avoids to apply the moment of transport to the beam, in our example, but
introduces an incoherence: in the FEM model: actually the column has been computed
coherently with the FEM model as subject to compression only, while coherently with these
new choices it would have had to be computed under compression plus bending. The user can
modify the point of application but afterwards it will be his/her duty to assure that this violation
does not lead to problems for the other elements (here: the column).
To use this choice the user can apply a proper setting in the checks settings dialog box 691 : he or
she can require to consider the effective extreme of the member (and NOT the theoretical one)
as the application point of the internal forces. This implies the moments of transport to be
neglected. As shown in the following image, this causes a loss of coherence between the FEM
model and the real node. Now the forces in CSE are applied in the red dot point.
User asks the program to consider the effective extreme, not the theoretical one
How to...
3.20
271
Check a (re)node
How to check a (re)node
From a practical perspective, checking a renode is very simple: after having created the
renode and checked that it is correct, i.e. that the connections are good and there are no
overlaps, using the Check coherence 669 and Check overlaps 669 commands, simply set up the
checks using the Checks settings 671 command and run them with the command Check renode 692 .
The check is carried out one renode at a time, once the Renode view for the renode in
question has been activated.
The connections in the structure are checked, in effect, by carrying out the checks on all
the renodes in an orderly fashion.
As regards the settings for the checking process, please refer to:
How to understand the checks carried outby CSE 166
How to select your checks 257
How to examine the results of the checks 272
How to check the results 273
An important aspect must be pointed out for the correct understanding of the checks
carried out by CSE: in renodes associated to hierarchical jnodes 793 (the most common case)
there is a member 796 called master 795 to which al the other members are connected; this
hierarchy is univocally defined by connection codes 781 in fem model. At jnode level, then, a
master has already been found.
In central jn 791 odes, instead, members are all interrupted and at jnode level there is not a master
yet: the master will be an object added in 3D renode. During the checks, CSE automatically
searches for a master between renode throughs: the requirement for being a master is that a
through is directly connected to all the members (the direct connection means that there is a
joiner 794 between the master and the member). Possible cases are:
1. a single thorugh complies with the requirements needed to be assumed as master
2. two or more throughs comply the requirements
272
3. no through complies the requirements

In cases 1 and 2 CSE assumes the object or the objects having the aforementioned requirements
and consider them as master. This is done automatically and the check continues.
In case 3 it is needed that user decides 693 which is the master, because there can be situations
giving different results as a function of the choice of the master, so it is up to the user to choose
the most fitting solution.
3.21
Examine the results of the checks

How to examine the results of the checks
Once the checks have been run (see Check renode 692 ; NB: all the commands relating to
executing and setting up the checks and the post-processing may be found in the Checks menu),
the outcome of the checks will of course need to be examined, in order to get a clear picture of
any problems which may be present.
An initial idea of the situation in terms of the utilisation of the components following the
checks which have been carried out (Note: some checks can be made or omitted at the users
discretion) can be obtained at a glance by activating the colour-coded graphical view, in which
different utilisation indices are shown in different colours.
CSE uses a colour scale to show the utilisations in a series of colour bands, at steps of
0.2 in the utilisation index: 0-0.2; 0.2-0.4; 0.4-0.6; 0.6-0.8; 0.8-1.0; 1.0-1.2; 1.2-1.4, >1.4, as
shown here.
Utilisation scale
The colour maps provide an immediate visual aid which can help the user understand
quickly if the renode is in good health or not. They can be viewed both for the envelope
(Envelope 700 ) and for individual combinations of individual instances (Current results 701 ). For
the envelope, the highest utilisation index is shown across the instances of the given renode and
for all combinations. For individual instances/combinations, the utilisation indices for an
individual instance and an individual combination are shown.
How to...
273
This view of the utilisations is the main but not the only way of understanding them.
If FEM models have been created, it is always a good idea to use the FEM software to
examine the exact state of play in terms of the stresses in the entity in question, to help decide
whether or not it is acceptable in engineering terms. In this case, it is always necessary for
throughs fem models to check that the resultant of the constraint reactions is null for all the
combinations in question.
If there is a bolt layout with a bearing surface which is subject to high utilisation, it is
advisable to look at the stress maps for the bearing surface in order to gain an accurate
understanding of the stresses in the surface and the bolts, and then of course to check the
calculations in some way (Show bearing surface results 703 ).
If the member net section checks have been run, it is a good idea to check that the net
sections identified are actually significant (Net sections 705 ) and to represent the field of normal
stress on the net section in order to check it for correctness and severity (Net sections 705 ).
If the block tearing checks have been carried out, the failure paths calculated by CSE and
their resistance to the forces applied can be seen using the Show Block Tearing results 707
command.
The deformed view (see associated command 719 ) is very useful for understanding the
movement of the components and checking that all the connections are good: indeed, if
displacements are encountered of an order of magnitude which jeopardises the suitability of the
renode, this means it is necessary to improve the design of one or more of joints, by adding or
modifying components. When looking at the deformed view, it can be useful to change the
magnification scale of the displacements (see Deformed scale 720 ): the scale effectively
provides an early indication of how good a state the renode is in.
Finally, as an aid to all the tasks involved in analysing and checking the results, the
listing, which can be opened automatically by the program (Open listing 723 ), can provide some
very useful information about the resulting stresses in the individual bolts and welds, which
will certainly help in getting to grips with the results.
3.22
Check the results

How to check the results
Checking the results is a fundamental step for any computation program, and CSE is no
274
exception. It is part of the competent analysts job to analyze the results produced by the
software and to ensure that they are suitably meaningful. Essentially, results in CSE may be
erroneous if there is a badly set-up connection (with high displacements), or if some
components are subject to excessive states of stress without the program having detected this as
some important checks might have not been performed, or in the event of computation errors
which, although unlikely, are not impossible in CSE as in any other computation software.
Examining the deformations, i.e. the orders of magnitude of the rotations and
translations, helps guard against badly set-up connections where the load combinations
examined are effectively representative of what will happen to the connection in its actual life.
As for the presence of overloaded components, it must be remembered that if the
component checks are not carried out by analysing the automatic FEM models, the other aspects
covered are as follows:
1. checks on the strength of the plates: bearing stress, crushing (if there are bolt layouts with
bearing surfaces 772 ), block tearing 770 , net sections 225
2. strength checks on the other types of through (excluding the plates): bearing stress,
crushing, simplified resistance checks 224 and block tearing
3. strength checks on the members: bearing stress, crushing, net sections (if there are holes,
cuts, bevels, etc.) and block tearing
4. strength checks on the stiffening ribs (beveled rectangular plates): these can only be
analysed by including them in the FEM model for the component which they are used to
stiffen
All checks can be run or omitted. The bearing stress if selected is evaluated on all the
components affected by bolt layouts. Block tear, as well, if requested is evaluated for all
components joined to bolt layouts. The other checks (including the FEM check) can be
specified for certain components only and not for others, according to requirements and the
problem in hand.
When special checks not supported as standard by CSE are required, additional conditions
656
can be associated with the various components for inclusion in the programs automatic
checks (see user checks 818 ).
How to...
275
As regards potential computation errors, CSE provides a range of tools that enable any user
to check that it is operating correctly.
First of all, it needs to be checked that the forces exchanged between the various components
in a given load instance-combination (see Display forces 713 ) are actually consistent and in
balance with the applied forces. An examination of these exchanged forces shows who does
what and is therefore a key step in understanding and corroborating the operation of the
solving phase. The images (or at least a sample of them) obtained with this command must
always be studied, and it may be hoped that these will form part of a successful calculation
report.
The next step is to check if only on the basis of simple elementary rules that the internal
forces at the joiners produce the utilisation indices calculated for them by the program. This can
be done with a qualitative visual check on the utilisations with the help of the output listing
(finding the global forces applied at the joiner) and by using the data on the section moduli of
the individual welds and bolts, which can easily be checked, to verify that everything is in line
with expectations. Remember at this point that the forces exchanged are displayed on screen in
the global reference system (X,Y,Z), while the forces at the joiners involved in the checks are
defined in the principal reference system (u,v,z). These forces are included in the listing.
Finally, it will need to be established that the throughs and members can withstand the
stresses distributed to them by the joiners. This can be done in different ways depending on the
simplified strength models which are considered appropriate from time to time for the entity in
question. It may be noted that during these manual checks, we must proceed exactly as we
always have, i.e. without the finite element models. The difference here is that the applied
forces are actually known.
Where a finite element model is available, the analysis can clearly be carried out with
greater precision. In this case, to a certain extent all the checks will automatically be taken into
account (except for block tearing where the model does not have the bolt holes); ascertaining
the correctness of the checks effectively means checking the extent to which the model reflects
the state of stress computed by CSE, on the one hand, and checking the accuracy of the analysis
in the solver, on the other. We will not concern ourselves with the latter, as it is a task which is
dealt with by another program. Instead, we are dealing with the checks here in order to gain
confidence that the FEM model created by CSE is correct. The FEM model must meet the
following requirements:
276
The mesh must be accurate and must model the entity as what it actually is, including
cuts or other work carried out on it.
There must be nodes (either central nodes or nodes around the edge of the holes,
depending on the models) to correspond with the bolts.
For each weld seam, there must be a suitable row of nodes simulating the mid-line of
the throat section of the weld.
In the throughs, the total resultant of the applied loads must be null in every
combination. These loads simulate the forces and couples transferred to the component
by the individual bolts and welds.
The constraint reactions in the FEM model of the throughs must be close to 0.
Summing the nodal forces of the nodes which simulate a bolt layout must give the
forces transferred by the bolt layout to the entity, as shown within CSE (Display forces
713
). Note that if a bearing surface is present, it will also be necessary to consider the
bearing surface pressures.

Summing the nodal forces of the nodes which simulate a weld layout must give the
forces transferred by the weld layout to the entity, as shown within CSE (Display
forces 713 ).
The moments of transport resulting from a shift in the resultant of the nodes in a bolt
layout from its point of application to the centre of gravity of the bolt layout itself must
be identical to the moments transferred from the bolt layout to the component in
question.
The moments of transport resulting from a shift in the resultant of the nodes in a weld
layout from its point of application to the centre of gravity of the layout itself must be
identical to the moments transferred from the weld layout to the component in question.
3.23
Read the output listing

How to read the output listing
All the sections which make up the listing will be discussed below.
Key
How to...
277
All the symbols and terms used in the rest of the listing are shown. This section enables
the user to understand what is in all the other sections and acts as a detailed guide to the listing.
Unknowns, equations and hyperconnectivity
General data on the complexity of the problem in question, using terminology and
concepts taken from the specially developed theory (not referenced here).
The units of measurement applicable in the listing created are those which are active at
the point when it is generated.
SETTINGS FOR THE STANDARD
The chosen reference standard, the value of the safety factors used, the combinations of
checks adopted and information on the other settings for the checks (if parasitic bending
moments in bolts have been considered or not, if internal forces application point is the
theoretical extremity or not, etc.).
DESCRIPTION OF THE COMPONENTS
A concise list of all the renodes components 780 and their main features.
TOPOLOGY OF THE CONNECTIONS
All the renodes chains 776 are listed.
Bolt layouts: general properties
The number of bolts in each bolt layout, the number of rows and columns, the offset of the
centre of gravity and the angle of the principal axes, the hole type and the operating hypotheses
(shear-only, tension, compression, anchorage, slip-resistance, with bearing surface).
Bolt layouts: calculation properties
For each layout: the coordinates of the centre of the layout, the total calculation area, the
layouts moments of inertia, the angle between the principal and the local axes.
Bolt layouts: bolt properties
278
The class and diameter of the bolts in each layout, the hole diameter, the number of
sections for checking, the calculation area (gross or threaded), the hole type, gross area, net
area, limit actions and preload.
Slip-resistant bolt layouts
If this facility is envisaged, the associated calculation data are shown.
Anchor bolt layouts
Bolt layouts with bearing surface
Bolt layouts: the position and section moduli of the bolts
The relevant data is shown for each bolt in each layout.
Distance between the bolts and components joined at the various extremities
For each bolt in each layout, the minimum of all the distances from the edges of all the
perforated objects is shown.
Welds: general properties
A list of the welds and number of seams for each one.
Welds: calculation properties
The coordinates of the centre of each weld layout, the angle between the principal and
local axes, the total area and the moments of inertia
Welds: the positions of the individual weld seams
For each seam in each weld: the length, thickness and throat section, the angle between
the active faces, the coordinates of the two extremities and the inclination from the local x-axis.
User-defined variables
All the additional variables defined by the user are included.
How to...
279
Description of the user checks

All the additional conditions defined by the user are included.
START OF THE AUTOMATIC CHECKS

User-defined preconditions
If the user has defined additional conditions as prerequisites and has requested in the
checks settings that the user checks are to be carried out, this section includes the results for the
prerequisites.
Forces acting on the bolt layouts at their different extremities, global reference system
For each bolt layout, the forces acting on each extremity 794 are shown in all checking
combinations and in all instances 788 , against the global reference system. These are overall
forces acting on the bolt layout (not on its individual bolts) and must not be confused with the
actions in the sections being checked (these are applied at the interface between different
objects, not at the extremities of the bolt layout).
Overall internal actions on the bolt layouts
The internal forces in the sections for checking 779 are shown (against the local reference
system) in each layout in all combinations and all instances. These are overall forces, i.e.
concerning the bolt layout as a whole: these forces are the starting point for checking the
individual bolts.
Internal actions in the bolts for various sections and utilisations
The internal actions are no longer considered against the overall bolt layout, unlike in the
previous section, but rather to each bolt individually. For each one, the coefficient of utilisation
is also shown in accordance with the chosen standard, in all instances and combinations.
Overall internal actions on the weld layouts
The internal forces in each weld layout are shown for all combinations and all instances.
280
Stresses in the weld seams and utilisations

For each weld seam in each layout, the stresses and the coefficient of utilisation are also
shown in accordance with the chosen standard, in all instances and combinations.
Each member, for every combination and instance, is reported in one of the following
sections depending on what causes its maximum coefficient of utilisation. Each section includes
the relevant computation data and the causes of the maximum utilisation.
Members whose maximum utilisation is due to bearing stress
Members whose maximum utilisation is due to their being a bearing surface
Members whose maximum utilisation is due to the net sections check
Members whose maximum utilisation is due to the user checks
Each through, for every combination and instance, is reported in one of the following
sections depending on what causes its maximum coefficient of utilisation. Each section includes
the relevant computation data and the causes of the maximum utilisation.
throughs whose maximum utilisation is due to bearing stress
throughs whose maximum utilisation is due to their being a bearing surface
throughs whose maximum utilisation is due to the net sections check
throughs whose maximum utilisation is due to the standard sections check
throughs whose maximum utilisation is due to the user checks
Information on the notional displacements
A summary of the checks on the displacements and, if there is a renode with combinations
at the elastic limits, information on the end releases considered and the relative stiffnesses of
the components.
END OF THE AUTOMATIC CHECKS
How to...
3.24
281
Manage the report

How to manage the report
CSE is able to automatically create a report, i.e. a document which summarizes most important results
suitably formatted with also pictures and explanations. The report is created in ODT or in ePUB file
format, which is a new format very useful for several reasons we are going to explain.
You can both create the report of the node by the CSE command File-Report, and create the report of
every finite element analysis run. In this latter case, the report of each single fem analysis must be
created inside Sargon Reader, with the analysis file open, by the command File-Report. The
commands (always inside Sargon Reader) Structure-Text-..., are used to customize the report by
adding comments referring to each analysis (static analysis, buckling analysis). The fem analyses
reports can be added to the node report, if needed, for instance to address "generic resistance checks"
not completely executed inside CSE.
ODT format
ODT is an open, not proprietary format, which can basically be seen as XML+JPG+ZIP or XML+PNG
+ZIP. If an .ODT file is renamed changing the extension to .ZIP it will be possible to extract files and to
have a look at the internal structure. Ideally one can modify XML files and then zip back, rename to
.ODT, to get the file upgraded. There are also several free programs available which can be used to
open an ODT file, like Microsoft Word and the native program Open Office as well as by several
other programs (e.g. Wordpad, albeit with worse graphics).
When the command File - Report 367 is executed, the program creates a subfolder in the folder where
the .CSE model is placed, and in that folder writes the unzipped ODT file content.
If the model is named "MICKEY"
and the connection is "AB", the folder will be named
"MICKEY.AB.ODTDIR". The report in ODT format, already zipped and ready-to-use, will be named
"MICKEY.AB.ODT" and will the placed in model folder. So at the end of report creation you will have:
MIKEY.AB.ODT
the report file ready to use in model folder
MIKEY.AB.ODTDIR
a sub folder of model folder with a copy of the report file, unzipped for
your convenience
All the info you need is embedded in the ODT file, the subfolder is a copy of the file in unzipped format.
282
In the subfolder you will find all the files that, once zipped, lead to the ODT file itself. This may be useful
in order to quickly browse images and html files. The ODT folder structure is the following:
ROOT FOLDER OF ODT FILE
content.xml
it is the file with the main ODT file content
styles.xml
it is a file listing the styles used by ODT, it should not be
modified
mimetype
it's a file setting the format, it must not be modified
meta.xml
information about the document
settings.xml
page settings, margin settings and graphic settings
manifest.rdf
this file must not be modified
layout-cache
this file must not be modified
PICTURES (SUB FOLDER)

here all the files with the images of the document
META-INF (SUB FOLDER)
manifest.xml
this xml file lists all the files referenced in the document (also
the image files)

CONFIGURATIONS2 (SUB FOLDER)
these subfolders are added for compatibility, they are not used
THUMBNAILS (SUB FOLDER)
this subfolder has a picture file with the document thumbnail
The first ODT page is the cover, with a table of data. Among these data is the Author of the report,
which may be set using the command Modifiy - Settings 380 , and then saved into file CSE.STS
once for all.

The ODT report is currently in a first release version and will be improved in the next versions of the
program.
The report can be created in three different ways:
Extended report: all chapters are included, and the analytic results can be selectively added to the
report.
Reduced report: it is as the extended, but the results are only added as envelopes.
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One page report: no description of the Renode components, or explanations are added, only the
envelope results are available.
As to the size of the images, it must be explained that these are necessarily described in the ODT
frames, setting their absolute size (in centimeters). However, depending of different screen sizes and
resolutions, it will be possible to have that the same pixel number is mapped to a different absolute size.
The size of the images saved in the file ODT refer to the computer which has generated the ODT file.
Using other computers the images can possibly be resized so as to fit 100% relative size for that
particular computer screen.
The tests executed have shown that before opening the ODT file created by CSE, Microsoft Word
declares it as "damaged" and asks to repair it. This problem is common also to other
applications creating ODT files for Microsoft Word and can easily solved by asking to Word to
"repair" the ODT file. The ODT files created by CSE do not embed macro, and are absolutely safe.
EPUB format
First of all ePUB is an open, not proprietary format, which can basically be seen as HTML+JPG+ZIP. If
an .ePUB file is renamed changing the extension to .ZIP it will be possible to extract files and to have a
look at the internal structure. Ideally one can modify html files and then zip back, rename into .ePUB, to
get the file upgraded. There are also several free programs available which can be used to open an
ePUB file, looking at its content (one particularly quick is Adobe Digital Editions, free; others are SIGIL,
CALIBRE, and more). As ePUB file format has been conceived for small devices, pages do not have
margins. EPUB files are quite compact, may be read using tablets and easily sent via email.
If the ePUB report has to be modified, or upgraded by the user in order to complete it, the best way to
follow is to convert the ePUB file into a .DOC or .DOCX, or also an .RTF, and then open the file with the
preferred editor. In order to perform such a conversion from ePUB file format to other formats
(including PDF) we strongly suggest the AVS converter tool, which can be bought at a low cost (39 in
Europe) and will be surely useful also for other reasons. The following links may be used to purchase
the product:
Product
description:
http://www.avs4you.com/AVS-Document-Converter.aspx?
sct=aff&ct=avangate&cid=40144
Demo
download:
http://www.avs4you.com/download_product_direct.aspx?
product=AVSDocumentConverter&sct=aff&ct=avangate&cid=40144
Purchase: http://www.avs4you.com/Register.aspx?sct=aff&ct=avangate&cid=40144
The converter we have extensively used for our test is named "Document Converter". You can open the
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ePUB file by using document converter, choose the preferred output file format, the folder to which the
converted file will be written, and finally get you file.
If using DOC and DOCX, the first thing to do is to apply margins to pages (menu: Page Layout-Margins
in Word). You will then be able to print the report in a suitable way.
If you do not want to spend that money to buy converter, you may wish to use Sigil as free tool to edit
and print .ePUB files. Margins can be added in the Print preview command. Sigil may be downloaded
here:
Sigil: http://code.google.com/p/sigil/downloads/list
When the command File - Report EPub 367 is executed, the program creates a subfolder in the folder
where the .CSE model is placed, and in that folder writes the unzipped ePUB file content.
If the model is named "MICKEY"
and the connection is "AB", the folder will be named
"MICKEY.AB.EPUBDIR". The report in ePUB format, already zipped and ready-to-use, will be named
"MICKEY.AB.EPUB" and will the placed in model folder. So at the end of report creation you will have:
MIKEY.AB.EPUB
the report file ready to use in model folder
MIKEY.AB.EPUBDIR
a sub folder of model folder with a copy of the report file, unzipped for
your convenience
All the info you need is embedded in the ePUB file, the subfolder is a copy of the file in unzipped
format.
In the subfolder you will find all the files that, once zipped, lead to the ePUB file itself. This may be
useful in order to quickly browse images and html files. The ePUB folder structure is the following:
ROOT DIR OF EPUB
content.opf
a list of all the files that are embedded into the ePUB
mimetype
a file which specify format, must not be edited
toc.ncx
table of content and navigation issues
META-INF (SUBFOLDER)
com.apple.ibooks.display-options.xml
do not edit
container.xml
do not edit
OPF (SUBFOLDER)
all files html and jpeg that are used by ePUB file, plus more images which are created
automatically and not used
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The first ePUB page is the cover, with a table of data. Among these data is the Author of the report,
which may be set using the command Modifiy - Settings 380 , and then saved into file CSE.STS
once for all.

The ePUB report is currently in a third release version and will be improved in the next versions of the
program.
The report can be created in three different ways:
Extended report: all chapters are included, and the analytic results can be selectively added to the
report.
Reduced report: it is as the extended, but the results are only added as envelopes.
One page report: no description of the Renode components, or explanations are added, only the
envelope results are available.
3.25
Manage parametric renodes

How to manage parametric renodes
In CSE, a parametric renode (PRenode 809 ) in the archive can be applied to a renode 811 , as
long as the PRenode is compatible 809 with the current node. CSE has an archive into which the
user can save new parametric renodes.
PRenodes are a generalised version of Renodes, involving the use of parameters.
In constructing a Renode, the objects' dimensions, their shifts or rotations, the number of
bolts, the bolt diameters, the weld throat sections, etc., are all described in terms of numbers.
When constructing a PRenode 809 , the dimensions, positions, shifts, rotations, number of
bolts, bolt diameters, weld throat sections (etc.) can still be defined numerically, but normally
all these quantities are defined via formulae based on the Renode's variables. For example, a
plate's thickness may be "1.5 times the thickness of the master member's flange" (1.5*m1.tf); a
translation may be "twice the height of the master's cross-section" (2. * m1.h) - or that of any
other member - or, similarly, "twice the base of plate P1" (2.*P1.b), which may have been
defined parametrically in its turn.
During the recording of a PRenode or during its successive application, the
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measurement units are automatically set by the program to (N, mm) and derived units. At the
end of the recording of a PRenode, or at the end of its application, the units are automatically
reset to original values. Within the parametric expressions (double border edit boxes) it is
possible to set constant values using different units, by using the global variables related to the
units themselves, as in "100*gl.kip" (see units 59 ).
PRenodes provide several key benefits:

1. The facility to construct families of nodes according to certain rules of the designer's
choosing, thus building up a personal Node library.
2. The ability to build Renodes almost instantly, by selecting an appropriate PRenode from the
Node library and assigning it to the (empty) Renode under construction.
3. The opportunity to continually adapt and refine the instructions recorded in a defined
PRenode, by editing the individual commands recorded when the PRenode was assigned to
the empty Renode under construction.
The ability to create and use PRenodes greatly enhances CSE's power and scope.
The system supports the following PRenode-related facilities:

1. Assigning an existing PRenode from the library to an empty Renode
2. Managing the archive of existing PRenodes
3. Recording and saving new Prenodes to suit your way of working.
Assigning a PRenode
The command to assign a PRenode to the current renode is Assign PRenode 518 , which
can be found in the renode menu. The renode must be empty 812 , i.e. in its starting state, and the
archive must contain at least one PRenode that is applicable 809 to the current renode. When the
command is invoked, a dialog box 519 appears listing all the PRenodes applicable to the current
renode. Once the desired PRenode has been selected, it can be applied completely
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287
automatically or with alterations to some of its parameters, which can be made using a
dedicated dialog box 520 . The renode will then be built automatically based on the parametric
renode selected, the changes made by the user (if any), and the properties of the members in the
renode.
NB: when a PRenode is applied, the system may renumber 518 the renode members.
The functions provided for managing the PRenode archive and recording new PRenodes
are described below. NB these are advanced features intended only for experienced CSE users.
Managing the parametric renode archive
The archive is managed using the Archive 731 command on the PRenode menu. When
invoked, a dialog box appears, which can be used to delete PRenodes, associate new images
with existing PRenodes, copy and modify PRenodes, and add new ones via a text file. For
details, see the help content for the dialog box 732 itself.
Recording and saving a PRenode
A renode can be saved in parametric form by "recording" the process of constructing it
manually, thus adding it to the archive and making it available to apply later to other similar
renodes. Users must take special care when recording a PRenode, because ALL the
operations are recorded. Indeed, while constructing it, objects can be added, modified, deleted,
re-added, deleted again, etc.: normally, this does not affect the renode, but during the recording
process, all these additions, deletions, re-additions, etc., are memorised, although some of them
serve no purpose in terms of the end result.
A PRenode is recorded by constructing the associated Renode. All the normal Renode
commands can be used during this process, although these are actually special versions (called
only when a PRenode is being recorded) that generally accept formulae, not just numbers.
When a renode is constructed smoothly and efficiently, fewer operations are
involved and the recorded result is cleaner. In general, none of the operations saved when
constructing a PRenode can be removed, even those that effectively undo other ones. For
example, if an object is added and later deleted, these two operations must still be recorded,
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because one of the deleted entity's parameters may have been used to define another object;
hence the first object is essential for the definition of the second, even if the former is then
deleted. Operations that really do not affect the stepwise construction of the PRenode can be
removed manually from the PRenode "memory" later, using the parametric renode archive 732
management functions. For similar reasons, when recording a PRenode, the Edit-Undo 374
command cannot be used to undo the last operation(s) carried out.
The command PRenode-New 726 , which is available if the current renode is empty 812 ,
saves all the operations carried out on the connection, so that CSE can re-execute them later on
similar renodes. When the command is invoked, a dialog box 727 appears for the user to enter a
name, description and other basic information about the connection; the renode is then
constructed normally (see How to start building the renodes 151 ), except that the objects' various
dimensions must be defined parametrically, not numerically (as described later).
During recording, the current image in the CSE graphical view 821 can be saved and
associated with the PRenode, using the Add image 729 command (the image is saved in the
program installation folder).
When the parametric renode has been constructed, save it using the PRenode-Save 730
command: the parametric renode will then be added to the archive and can be applied to other
similar renodes.
Defining the dimensions parametrically
In order that the PRenode being recorded can subsequently be applied to other similar
renodes, the dimensions must be defined parametrically: each dimension needs to be expressed
not as a decimal number in the current units of measurement - e.g. 30.5(mm) - but rather in
parametric form, with a string composed of dimensionless numbers and variables. E.g. 2*m1.h
means twice the height of member m1.
For example, if we have an end plate welded to an H-section, and we want its thickness
to be 1.5 times that of the section's flange, we enter the formula m1.tf * 1.5 into the plate's
thickness field, where m1.tf is the thickness of the flange on member m1. If, in the current
renode, member m1 is a HEB300 section with 19mm-thick flanges, then a plate will be added
of thickness 19*1.5=28.5mm. The thickness will nevertheless be saved in parametric form, and
How to...
289
if we subsequently assign the prenode that we have recorded to a renode with a HEM200
section and 15mm-thick flanges, then the plate added will automatically have thickness
15*1.5=22.5mm.
NB: in the dialog boxes, the fields that can accept parametric data have a thicker border, as per
the image below.
Fields for a variable (above) and for numeric data (below)
3.25.1 Suggestions about prenodes recording

SUGGESTIONS ABOUT RECORDING PARAMETRIC RENODES
Here below, we provide some hints and tips to help users record a PRenode. They are
not rules, as such, and users may well prefer other approaches. They are suggestions born of
experience, ideas arising from developing and using the recording functionality, in particular
when creating the CSE archive.
When constructing the connection for a PRenode that is intended for a very wide range of
general applications, bear clearly in mind what could happen in practice when the
dimensions involved are significantly different.
If a PRenode is to be used in a particularly wide range of applications, then a good choice of
renode for the recording would be one that represents a "mid-range" scenario among those
anticipated (e.g. in terms of section dimensions, angles of inclination between the members,
etc.).
When recording a PRenode, it can help to introduce variables at the outset, so that they can be
used to define parameters and formulae.
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To avoid long and cumbersome formulae, consider defining intermediate variables in

advance as building blocks.
The recording process can be streamlined by creating sensible approximate parameters and
honing them later using the archive's alphanumeric (text editing) mode. For example, a
parameter can be defined with a number that is suitable for the renode being used to record
the PRenode, then edited later to replace the number with an appropriate formula.
If you add an entity of the wrong type or in the wrong place, it is advisable to delete it before
going any further. Resume recording and add the entity correctly, save the renode, then
remove any superfluous operations (additions - shifts of position - deletions), using the
alphanumeric (text editing) mode. The operations to be deleted must not interfere with any
other operations, because this could cause problems.
Incorrect work operations can be dealt with similarly: delete it, define a new one, save, and
then delete the addition/removal operations on the incorrect work operation using the
alphanumeric (text editing) mode. This helps to keep the PRenode format cleaner.
In general, superfluous and redundant operations can be removed from a PRenode using the
alphanumeric (text editing) mode, although great care is required to ensure that the operations
removed do not affect those remaining. E.g. if component Y is added using a variable from
the definition of component X, then X should not be deleted, because even though it is not part
of the PRenode, it is essential in order to support component Y.
3.26
Select
How to select
The selection commands provided in CSE are all grouped together in the Modify-Select
menu. They are: All 383 , None 383 , Click 383 and Box 384 .
It needs to be borne in mind that CSE's selection facilities will select different objects
depending on which display mode is active when the command is run.
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291
When in FEM view (see the command Show-FEM 388 ), 1D finite elements or nodes are
selected.
In jnode view (see command Show-Jnodes 389 ), members or jnodes are selected. Note
also that clicking on a jnode automatically causes all instances of that jnode to be selected, as it
is the jnode that is being selected, not a particular instance of it.
If in solid view (see the command Show-Solid 389 ), worked members or faces are selected
(i.e. the 3D counterpart of the 1D members).
If in Renode view (see Show-Renode 389 ), the 3D components of the renode in question
are selected (abstracted from any particular instance of this renode).
Jnodes can also be selected in the window which lists the existing jnodes (via the Edit 506
command in the Jnodes menu). This is equivalent to selecting with the other tools.
Various commands can be applied to the selected objects. For example, the command
used to investigate a renode (Show-Renode 389 ) applies to the only jnode selected (if none or
several have been selected then the command is not active).
In Renode view, 3D objects can also be selected and unselected by double clicking on the
name of the components in the Renode pane 803 .
3.27
Create FEM models of the components

How to create FEM models of the components
When constructing the connections, it can be specified which components a specific FEM
model (plate-shell elements) is to be created for, by ticking the relevant box in the
corresponding dialog. The desired mesh size can also be set. Then, when the checks are being
set up (before actually running them), the user can tell the program whether to create the files
associated with the finite element models which had been requested earlier. In the settings it
can also be specified which of the finite element programs interfaced with CSE must be used.
When the checks are run, the program reports the quality of the mesh (with the minimum
angle and average minimum angle of the elements generated) while creating the FEM models.
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CSE also gives the maximum resultant value for an initial self-balancing check. This check must
then be further refined after the FEM analysis, by examining the constraint reactions. If the
process of checking the connection includes the static analysis of the FEM models, CSE
calculates a coefficient of utilisation for the components affected on the basis of the maximum
Von Mises stress computed.
When the checks have been completed, the FEM models can be opened directly by CSE
(or manually) to check them, view their results, amend them, reanalyse them, etc. For details on
handling the FEM models, please see the description of the Show components FEM results 718
command.
The following diagram illustrates the combinations present in the FEM models of the
components created automatically by CSE
In order to make the envelopes available during post-processing, the same number of
combinations as there are cases is added automatically, as per the unitary matrix shown below.
Thus the envelope of the combinations will necessarily coincide with the envelope of the load
cases.
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When choosing the parameters governing the creation of the mesh, the following points
must be borne in mind. As well as deciding whether or not the FEM model must be made for a
given component, we must define:
if the holes due to bolts will be explicitly modeled or not (default: not);
the mesh size to be used for the edges and welds;
the mesh size to be used for the generic elements;
the minimum angle value for the mesh triangles to be accepted.
the tolerance is the minimum allowable distance between two nodes: nodes at distances
lower than the tolerance are merged together into one node.
The flag regarding the bolt-hole modeling may be useful to better simulate the
weakening due to the holes, albeit not always such modeling is necessary, as the bolt bearing
pressure checks and the block tear checks are already done with other means. Adding bolt holes
implies a finer mesh, and therefore an increased computational effort..
The four latter parameters control the creation of the mesh and enable very different
meshes to be achieved on the same entity. We will see precisely what each parameter
represents and some typical approaches for how to use them.
The mesh size to use for edges and welds is the maximum size that the sides of the
elements lying against the edges or simulating the welds must have. The weld seams, of length
L, will be subdivided into n intervals such that (L/n) < c, where c is the mesh size specified (in
the active length unit of measurement). By edges here, we mean the edges of the polygons
which serve to describe the form of the entity being modelled and that of the entities connected
to it, or the edges of all the polygons which define the bearing surface zone, if bolt layouts with
bearing surfaces are present. Each side of each polygon is subdivided into "n" intervals,
resulting in segments of length less than c. The mesh is constructed so that the segments
generated by the subdivision process just described coincide with the sides of suitable
triangular or quadrangular elements. This is particularly important for the bearing surface, as
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this enables the border lines between the zone with a bearing surface and the zone without to be
meshed explicitly.
The parameter c tells us how fine the mesh is in the critical zones, where it is very
likely that there will be high stress concentrations.
Parameter "d" then gives us the maximum mesh size for the zones away from the edges
mentioned above. Clearly d will be greater than or equal to c. If d is set to zero, then there are
no constraints on the size of the elements and the mesh in the zones away from the edges is free.
This makes it especially easy for the algorithm to create the mesh, although it can result in
meshes which are insufficiently discretized.
The minimum angle a (in degrees) tells us how acute the angles in the triangles can
be. This parameter can reasonably take values in the range 10 - 30 degrees. Typical values
used are <=20 to ensure convergence (default is 19.8), 30 to achieve a more regular mesh,
and something in between for intermediate cases. If the minimum angle is decreased (from 30
to 20, for example), it will be easier to construct the mesh and adapt it to sharp changes in the
mesh size, although this may give rise to less satisfactory meshes. The smaller a is, the easier
it will be for the mesh to pass from zones where discretization is low to those where it is high.
Changing a can even make a mesh feasible when actually it is not. Consider the mesh for a
triangular plate with a vertex angle of 22: if the minimum angle is 29, it will never be
possible to make this mesh.
Tolerance is the minimum allowable distance between two nodes; nodes being at a
lower distance are merged together. Default value is 0,5mm and usually it is not necessary to
change this parameter. In some cases, however, tolerance value is relevant in order to have a
good mesh. For example, consider a bolt layout with bearing surface where there is a bolt at a
distance of 0,6mm from a polygon surface vertex: that distance is greater than default tolerance,
and keeping default value there result in two different but very close nodes; this, in turn, will
lead to short-size sides in plate-shell elements in that zone; increasing a little bit the tolerance,
those nodes would be merged together.
We will now see which potential approaches can be used to get the program to make the
mesh (if not otherwise explained, assumed tolerance in the following examples is the default
one).
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c=d
a=30
As c=d, the mesh is homogeneous, i.e. on average all elements will have the same size. This
will be laborious in terms of the number of nodes, and is practicable only when the elementsides sizes are not too small. The 30 angle ensures the quality of the mesh. In a sense, with this
approach (if c is very small) we are trying to create a homogeneous and very dense mesh.
Now consider:
c=large value
d=0
a=20
This is certainly the simplest mesh to be created, given that the size is large and the internal
mesh is free. The 20 angle is a minimum value below which elements can be expected to
become unacceptably distorted.
The default value is:
c=10mm
d=30mm
a=29
which is a good compromise, a middle way among the various possible meshes.
Lets look at some examples.
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Consider the mesh of the of the selected plate, which is complicated by the use of various
welds and a zone with a rather complex bearing surface
(in this case bolts at vertices
correspond exactly to polygon vertices, otherwise an increasing of the tolerance would be

needed):
Lets try some combinations.

1) c= 5mm; d=40mm; a=25
How to...
2) c=2; d=0; a=20
3) c=30; d=0; a=20
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298
4) c=20; d=20; a=20
5) c=20; d=20; a=29
5) c=10; d=10; a=29
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It can be seen that the resultant of the loads applied to the model (which must be zero) is
sensitive to the mesh size, and to the values of c and d in particular. This depends on the fact
that the neutral axis of bending can generally cut the elements: the nodal forces generated
increase in precision as the elements in that zone become smaller.
The computation time may vary considerably, as thus the number of nodes. If a
satisfactory model is not achieved, it is advisable to try to generate it with different parameters,
in order to reach an optimum mesh.
Note that Rupperts algorithm - which is currently used in the program - converges
reliably for angles = 20, whilst convergence can often be achieved for angles in the range 2530, albeit with increased computation times and denser meshes. There is no point in using
values over 30.
In order to obtain best modeling results it is needed to pay attention to joiners distance
from objects borders. The following example will clarify this aspect: a square plate
(200x200mm) has four fillet welds, one per side. In case A, welds have the same length of the
sides, in case B welds end 2mm before side ends.
A
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Include plate FEM model creation in cases A and B, using the same parameters::
c=9mm, d=30mm e a=29.
FEM models A and B are remarkably different, specially in the zones near to the sides.
Referring to following figures, where details of the corners are shown, it can be seen that in
model B there are closed nodes an subsequently smaller plate-shell elements: they are closer
near the boundaries and increase far from the sides. Model A is more regular and homogeneous.
A
The reason of this difference between two similar situations having the same parameters
is only due to the different length of the welds: in A welds have the same length of the sides, in
B they are a little bit shorter. When the algorithm for automatic fem model creation has to define
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301
the hard points (the nodes that must be preserved, as those on object boundaries, on welds
lines, on bearing surface boundaries, etc.) it splits the sides that must be preserved into a
certain number of intervals, in function of parameter c introduced for mesh size in these zones.
If a border of the object and a weld applied on it lie on the same line segment, two different
partitions must be respected: one corresponding to the discretization of object boundary and
one corresponding to the discretization of the weld. If boundary and weld coincide, they will be
divided in the same way and there will be couples of nodes in the same position, automatically
merged into a single node (as in case A). Otherwise, if boundary and weld have different
lengths (case B), on the same segment line there will be two different partitions, without
coincident nodes. If two nodes are closer than the tolerance, they will be merged anyway,
otherwise there will be small plate-shell elements.
"Sketch models 675 " were created too, in order to better explain the difference between
case A and B. In the following images, details of these sketch models are shown: in A nodes
are evenly spaced, and every node relates both to boundary partition and weld partition; in B,
nodes highlighted in red relate to weld partition, that starts 2mm past the side end: since this
distance is greater than tolerance (0,5mm), nodes are not merged and the mesh is denser and
less homogeneous.
A
If there are not particular reasons to do otherwise, it is recommended to apply welds

along all the length of the sides of components to be analyzed via a FEM model. Otherwise,
models could have a great amount of degrees of freedom and, is some "unlucky" cases,
geometry could make the achieving of the convergence more difficult and require a very
accurate choice of parameters c, d, a and tolerance.
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Let's see another example: consider a HEB100 shape welded to a square plate (200mm
sides) using penetration welds; we want to study plate FEM model. For clarity, consider only
the welding on HEB100 web, neglecting the flanges. In case A there is a single penetration
weld with a thickness equal to 6mm (it is web thickness), in case B there are two penetration
welds with a thickness equal to 3mm (half of the web). Due to the different layout of the bevels
in the two cases (producing a full penetration anyway), for thin plates the choice of A or B
influences automatic FEM model.
A
Let's have a look at the two FEM models created (only sketch models 675 where
required): in A there is a single line of nodes related to weld layout, since it is composed by a
single weld; in B there are two close rows of nodes (distance: 3mm) because there are two
welds. As in the previous example, very closed nodes (but with a distance greater than the
tolerance) cause a mesh with small elements in these zones.
A
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303
In the previous models these parameters were used: c=20mm, d=30mm and a=29.
If the creation of a model has some difficulties in reaching the convergence, it
could be useful to create the sketch model 675 , in order to display the hard points and
evaluate if the difficulty to reach the convergence is due to nodes that are very close but
not enough to be merged. In this case an increase of the tolerance, as a function of the
minimum distances between the hard points, can easily solve the problem.
Note Well
An important aspect that must be highlighted, in order to avoid incorrect or unexpected
modeling, is the "nature" of models automatically created by CSE; they can be divided into
three categories:
1. the plates, with the most various shapes, where plate-shell elements lie in the same plane
corresponding to real plate middle plane;
2. cross-section trunks or members, where plate-shell elements lie in one or more planes that
are parallel to extrusion axis;
3. the assemblages of plates, where plate-shell elements lie on the middle plane of one of the
plates that compose the 3D object.
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All the members 796 belong to category 2.

Throughs 817 can belong to category 1, 2 or 3. Most of the throughs belong to category 1, with the
following exceptions. Category 2 includes single angles, double angles 554 and cross-section
trunks 556 . Category 3 includes the object composed by plates not obtainable by extrusion of a
plane shape (generic throughs 575 ).
Understanding the difference between the three categories is needed to avoid a wrong
choice of the components. For example, consider a C shaped object. If that object is a plate, a
proper plate, these throughs can be used: fingers 574 , irregular polygon plate 549 , rectangular plate
543
with a cut 636 , etc. Coherently, the resulting automatic fem model will have plate-shell
elements all lying in the same plane and all having the same thickness of the object.
Otherwise, if the object we want to add has the same shape, but the amount of the
extrusion makes the object not comparable to a plate, the use of previously quoted throughs
would generate anyway a fem model with elements all lying in the same plate and having a
really great thickness: it would be an error that implies the meaninglessness of the fem model
itself. The correct choice is a cross-section trunk 556 having a C shape. Resulting fem model will
be an assemblage of plates, also with different thicknesses.
How to...
305
Similarly, if we want to add an extrusion of the following shape, in case of a plate the
correct choice would be a circular plate with a circular hole, otherwise in case of a tube the
correct choice would be a cross-section trunk having a circular hollow shape.
It is under study the possibility of adding the fem modeling of components using solid elements
as an alternative to plate-shell elements.
3.28
Create FEM models of a set of components or of the whole node

How to create FEM models of a set of components or of the whole node
The creation of the finite element models (FEM) of aggregates of components (AFEM)
has been added to CSE from version 5.0 released in February 2013, and is a very important
306
goal reached by a long lasting research. While in previous versions of CSE only FEM models
of single components could be created, possibly with their stiffeners, from version 5.0 thanks to
new command Prepare and Analyze FEM model 694 it is possible to create the FEM model of
every possible set of components (the so called aggregate 767 ).
The working logic and the features of such a modelling is complex and will here be
described in detail.
First of all, the choice of the components 780 to be modelled is done by selecting them. The FEM
model of the aggregate (AFEM) will embed all the components selected (members 796 and cleats
817
) and only them.
The selection of the joiners 794 is not considered, as these will be included or not in the AFEM
according to a well defined rule:
Fig. (a). The red joiners are unsaturated, the green ones are saturated
1. If the joiners are saturated 812 , i.e. if all the components they connect are part of the
model to be created, that is all the components they connect are selected, then the
joiners (weld layouts 824 and bolt layouts 771 ) are modelled by using finite elements
(beams) which connect the parts joined to them.
2. If the joiners are unsaturated, they are not included in the AFEM as elements, but are
How to...
307
included in the model by adding the forces that they, joiners, transmit to the
components included in the AFEM which are joined to them. These forces are
applied to nodes placed in proper positions. These forces are those computed in a
previous stage, when the Renode 811 checks have been executed, and, by the action and
reaction principle, are applied with sign reversed to components. The program
guarantees the perfect coherence between the forces applied in the AFEM model to
model the joiners, and the forces employed to perform joiners checks. These single
forces are computed from the overall layout-applied forces 713 (axial force, shears,
bending and torque) to get the single bolt and single weld internal forces according to
the rules specified in the standards.
3. From version 5.91 onward, also the unsaturated 812 weld layouts are modeled via fem
elements (not the bolt layouts). These elements are stiff fictitious beam elements
placed along the seams, which exert the stiffening action of the components not
modeled in the FEM model (i.e. the other components welded). In this way, the stress
distribution gets more realistic and so the displacement field (see picture 199 ).
If the joiners are saturated, they are included in the AFEM as elements, and therefore they can
possibly exchange forces different from those computed during the checks, which are got by a
different 3D model.
Figure (b). Modelling of saturated welds (here fillet welds).
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Figure (b2). Modelling of unsaturated welds (version 5.91 onward)

The saturated 812 weld layouts are modelled by using rigid beam elements along the length of
the single seam axis, in the way explained in the previous image. Such a simplified modelling
guarantees the exchange of all the necessary forces, but does not keep into account the weld
deformability. More sophisticated modelling should include the welds as solid (brick and
pentaedric) elements, but at the moment it seems too expensive in computational terms to be
proposed as a standard tool for every day analysis. Simplified modelling techniques which
better keep into account the welds deformability are currently being investigated.
The saturated 812 bolt layouts are modelled by beam elements (not rigid), in a one-to-one
relationship with each bolt.
If the bolt layout is shear only 814 , the element area of the beam modelling the bolt shaft is set
at a very low value, and so the axial stiffness. The second are moment of the cross-section of
the beam element simulating the bolt is that of the bolt shaft cross-section.
If on the other hand the bolt layout is not shear only, then the cross-section of the beam
element is that of the bolt shaft.
The beam elements are clamped to plate-shell elements, with no end release applied, so the
bolt can carry bending moments.
A very special case is that of the bolt layouts using a bearing surface 772 . To model these bolt
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309
layouts in depth, a layer of nonlinear no-tension 799 "contact" elements should automatically be
added between the two or more surfaces joined by the bolt layout, and necessarily a non linear
analysis should be run (see how... to use non linear analysis 341 ). From version 5.80 onward this
is possible by using the "contact non linearity" option in the non linear analysis setting dialog 676
. When this option is not set, or when linear analysis is asked for, the saturated 812 bolt layouts
using a bearing surface are an exception to the general rule previously outlined: they are not
modelled as connecting finite elements, but instead by adding the forces that they exchange with
the connected components. For this reason, a saturated bolt layout using a bearing surface
sometimes implies a connection discontinuity in the AFEM, a discontinuity which will have to
be properly kept into account by applying a constraint to the part remaining free to move.
However if a non linear analysis using contact non linearity is done, then there will be no
discontinuity.
Fig. (c). Modelling of a complex AFEM (detail)

Consider, for example, the previous figure, which refers to the FEM modelling of a complex
aggregate of components (AFEM) not using contact non linearity.
Member m1, which is passing 798 , is constrained at its extremities and is the fixed part
to which all the other objects do connect, including members.
Members m3 and m4, are effectively connected to m1 in AFEM, as there are several
saturated joiners explicitly modelled with finite elements: they are the joiners in the red
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coloured ovals (a bolt layout not using bearing surface and a weld layout). These members do
not need additional constraints to those already applied to member m1.
Member m2 would be connected to m1 thanks to a saturated bolt layout 812 (which
would be inside black oval), but since this saturated bolt layout uses a bearing surface 772 , it has
not been modelled by adding finite elements, but by adding the forces that this bolt layout
exchanges with the left part (m2 by its connection end plate) and right part (member m1).
Please see the following image referring to this.
Fig. (d). The bolt layouts using a bearing surface, although saturated, are not modelled by
beam elements but by adding the exchanged forces.
For this reason, member m2 (on the left) would be free to move, being not (anymore)
physically connected to m1. Therefore, as may be see in fig.(c), on request of who asked for the
AFEM, i.e. the User, member m2 has been constrained at the unconnected extremity (magenta
dots, see fig. (c) or (e)). In this way the actions transferred by the bolt layout using a bearing
surface to member m2 will lead to a stress state (balanced with the actions applied) that will be
counter-balanced by the applied constraints, in the form of constraints reactions.
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311
Fig. (e). Constraints assigned to members (magenta dots) in a complex model of an

aggregate of components (whole node).
As the members may be totally free of constraints because physically connected (see for
example the situation of members m3, m4, m6 and m7 in the previous image), in order to
correctly keep into account what internal actions in that member cause in the different
components, it is necessary to automatically assign, at the unconnected-to-renode extremity of
each member, a set of forces which are able to cause the internal actions effects, at the ideal
point of connection of the member with the rest of the Renode.
If the member is not constrained these forces will try to detach it from the rest of the
structure (m3, m4, m6 and m7 in fig. e).
If the member is constrained these action will "stop" at the fully fixed constraints
applied to the member (for example members m2 and m5 in fig. e).
Consider the member m5 in fig.(e). At the ideal point O, in the position of the node of
the original beam&truss finite element model, member m5 receives some internal actions, that
is axial force, shears, bending moments and torque. These action are statically equivalent to
other actions applied at point P. If these equivalent actions are applied at point P, at point O the
correct internal actions will be read. Let FO and MO the vectors of the forces and moments
exchanged by m3 with the rest of the structure at point O (so called internal actions), written in
the global reference system. We can write
312
FP
FO
MP
MO
FO
P O
The point P is automatically placed by the program at 100mm beyond the unconnected extremity
of each member, along its axis line, and is connected with the unconnected-to-renode extremity
of the member by a set of rigid beam elements which transfer the force from point P to member
end. These rigid beams do form a sort of cone, see fig. (e) and fig (d), where the cone of an out
of plane member is seen in top view. If a non linear analysis is run, then the load-displacement
curve of the node in P is automatically computed and stored for later use in sargon Reader (see
how to... use non linear analysis 341 ).
The forces are applied to the unconnected-to-renode extremity of all members, with the
exception of those passing 798 , which are usually constrained as they are master 795 -members. The
applied forces change from combination to combination, in the AFEM model, and are always
balanced with the computed internal forces in member (axial force, shears, bending moments,
and torque).
It must be observed that the internal actions may have been considered applied:
1. at the extremities of the FEM elements of the original FEM model (we mean here the beam &
truss original model that can be seen in Fem View 820 , not the AFEM model); or
2. at the extremities of the 3D members in the scene.
Consequently, point O may be:
1. or at the extremity of the beam or truss of the FEM model you can see in Fem View 820
(possibly coinciding with the FEM node if there is no rigid offset), or
2. the extremity of the solid which models the member in the Renode view 823 .
this depends on the choices previously made during the execution of the checks, see the flag
Use beam element extremity in the dialog used for check settings 672 .
Clearly the forces in P also depend on the position of point O.
How to...
313
The FEM modelling of aggregates lets the user free to choose the parts to be modelled
and the way to consider the model. Saturating a joiner means including it into the AFEM as
simplified finite elements, not saturating it means considering the forces it exchanges with the
part modelled, coherently with the check computation previously done.
Between the FEM modelling of single components and the FEM modelling of the whole
node (which may be got as AFEM by selecting all components), it is possible to choose other
solutions at mid, by selecting only some parts and not others. In the following images,
commented, some examples of AFEM may be seen.
This is a base joint and has been got by selecting all components but the constraint block (which
however may not be selected). The only member (master) has been constrained at the
unconnected extremity. All the weld-layouts are saturated and therefore explicitly modelled.
The applied forces (here hidden) come from the bottom.
314
This bolted splice joint has here been modelled as a whole. The master member has been
constrained. Slave has not. All the bolt layouts are saturated.
This is the same splice joint of the previous image, but here the slave member has not been
included in the AFEM. The bolt layouts connecting plates to slave member are unsaturated, and
therefore modelled via the forces they exchange with the part included in the AFEM.
When considering the stress state in the FEM models a set of important facts must be kept into
account in order to avoid misjudgment.
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315
1. Possible stress peaks in the nodes where bolts are joined must not be considered itself as a
problem as the bolt bearing checks 202 have already been executed by the program according
to the rules of the standard used (which allow for possible peaks well over design stress in
the nearby of bolt shafts).
2. Possible detachments due to block tear 244 have already been taken into account by the checks
executed by the program previously (if asked). For this reason, the lack of bolt holes in the
AFEM is usually not an issue.
3. The stress state in the members in the nearby of their unconnected-to-renode extremity
(being it constrained or not) must not be kept into account, as the internal actions in those
cross-sections have already been checked when the members have been checked, usually
before getting to CSE. Instead, what is meaningful, is the stress state of the members in the
nearby of the connected-to-renode extremity: in those parts of the members, actually, results
strongly depend on how the member is connected.
4. A rigid rotation might be ideally applied to deformed shape (a stress free additional rigid
body movement) in order to get a deformed shape physically compatible with real situation.
This is for instance the case of base joints, where what is constrained (i.e. fixed) is the
unconnected extremity.
From version 5.8 onward, the command to modify members 533 may also be used in order to
reduce the member stump lengths. To the end of a finite element analysis, this might be useful in
order to reduce the number of degrees of freedom and so to have lighter models. In a buckling
analysis, too long member stumps may give rise to spurious buckling modes. Member stump
length, however, must not be too short, in order to avoid an improper evaluation of the stress
state in the nearby of the connections.A too long member stump might also result in excessive
bending at the unconnected end, as the state of stress along member is re-constructed from
connected-end internal forces, neglecting transverse loads effects.
3.29
Readjust a (re)node after a modification

How to readjust a (re)node after a modification
In some cases, when certain modifications are made to individual components 780 of a
renode 811 , other components may have to be modified as well. In the less fortunate cases, the
316
necessary modifications can even affect several components in part of the scene 813 .
The main problem is in maintaining the connections after the modifications have been
made: if, for example, we have 5 plates connected by a bolt layout and we want to increase the
thickness of the one in the middle (e.g. if it fails the bearing stress checks), this will necessarily
involve repositioning the various plates so that they are still touching; the bolts will also need
to be repositioned and their net length 772 altered. On the other hand, the thicknesses of the other
plates could simply be reduced so as to keep the total thickness of the piece constant and thus
avoid changing the bolt layout. Clearly then, behind a simple problem such as the above, we
actually find ourselves faced with the need to modify the connection between the objects
involved and there is more than one way to do that.
Future versions of CSE are planned to contain functionality to enable the connections to
be readjusted automatically, but only for those known cases, i.e. only for specific
parameterised case types. Currently (as at August 2009) the program does not yet support
parameterised connections, and therefore operates in the most general case. As there is no
universal rule in the most general case for how to readjust a modified connection, it will be up
to the user to do so directly. In the current version of the software, it is therefore the
responsibility of the user, who will need a clear idea of the geometric requirements
underpinning CSE in order to recognise the connections, to ensure that a renode is coherent
after a component has been modified. Of course, not all modifications require things to be done
to other components.
We will now consider some example modifications which require further intervention to
restore the connections between the objects correctly.
Suppose we want to reinforce the connection below using a splice plate.
How to...
317
We apply a plate (using Add through 541 ) inside the column flange: it will cover the
existing bolts as shown in the figure below.
In this case, the first level 774 of the bolt layout is represented by the face of the plate
which is not in contact with the column: it will therefore suffice to bring up the bolt layout
modification dialog box (Renode-Components-Modify 619 ) and click OK. CSE will
automatically detect the additional plate after the last level and will recalculate the net length 772
of the bolt layout, as shown below.
318
As another example, suppose we want to reduce the plate thickness (shown in blue in the image
below).
We bring up the dialog box to modify the plate (Renode-Components-Modify 619 ) and
amend the thickness: there will still of course be some space between the plate and (in this
case) the column, as shown below. N.B.: after modifying the thickness of a plate, one of its
faces (the one containing the origin of the plates local reference system) will remain in its
initial position, and the other will be subject to a translation.
How to...
319
First of all, we select 290 the plate and the weld and bolt layouts, and translate them so that
the plate touches the column again (using the Renode-Shift 633 command; the magnitude of the
translation is equal to the decrease in the plates thickness, although other means of translation
can also be used, as described in the command, which involve clicking on faces and/or points
rather than entering numbers). As can be seen in the figure below, now it is the horizontal beam
which is disconnected; moreover, the initial net length 772 of the bolt layout is now greater than
the sum of the thicknesses of the connected plates, as the plate has become thinner.
Firstly, we lengthen the member so that it is in the same plane as the edges once again.
320
And finally we simply call up the dialog box to modify the bolt layout (RenodeComponents-Modify 619 ), click OK, and connection is then restored in full between all
components, as in the first example.
Of course, these two examples cannot possibly cover all potential situations and their
associated solutions, in which one change will lead to others, however they aim to give an idea
of how to deal with this kind of problem.
3.30
Work with the files created by CSE

How to work with the files created by CSE
The fundamental file in CSE is MODEL.CSE. All the others can be reconstructed from
How to...
321
it. The file MODEL.CSE does not contain the internal forces output by the FEM model,
which are held in the binary files used by the solver (for Sargon, these are the .DDB, .SDB and
.RDB files).
If starting with a Sargon model, the following files are required by CSE as a minimum:
MODEL.WSR
Sargon file
MODEL.DDB
displacements
MODEL.SDB
internal actions
MODEL.RDB
constraint reactions
MODEL.CSE
CSE model
If a Sap2000 model has been imported, the previous files have been created automatically
by the import routine.
The files MODEL.JNODE.CS0, MODEL.JNODE.CS1, MODEL.JNODE.CS2,
MODEL.JNODE.CS3,
MODEL.JNODE.CS4,
MODEL.JNODE.CS5
and
MODEL.JNODE.CS6, MODEL.JNODE.CS7, MODEL.JNODE.CS8 contain the results

of the checks in binary format, for CNRTA, CNRSL, Eurocode, IS800WS, IS800LS, AISCASD, AISC-LRFD, BS5950, and SNiP II Code, respectively.
The file MODEL.CSE.JNODE.CNRTA.OUT is an ASCII file containing the output
listing of the checks on the JNODE in the MODEL in accordance with the CNR 10011
standards at allowable stresses.
The file MODEL.CSE.JNODE.CNRSL.OUT is an ASCII file containing the output
listing of the checks on the JNODE in the MODEL in accordance with the CNR 10011
standards at limit states.
The file MODEL.CSE.JNODE.EURO3.OUT is an ASCII file containing the output
listing of the checks on the JNODE in the MODEL in accordance with Eurocode 3.
The file MODEL.CSE.JNODE.IS800WS.OUT is an ASCII file containing the output
listing of the checks on the JNODE in the MODEL in accordance with the IS 800 standards at
allowable stresses.
The file MODEL.CSE.JNODE.IS800LS.OUT is an ASCII file containing the output
listing of the checks on the JNODE in the MODEL in accordance with the IS 800 standards at
322
limit states.
The file MODEL.CSE.JNODE.AISCASD.OUT is an ASCII file containing the output
listing of the checks on the JNODE in the MODEL in accordance with the AISC-ASD standards
(allowable stresses).
The file MODEL.CSE.JNODE.AISC-LRF.OUT is an ASCII file containing the output
listing of the checks on the JNODE in the MODEL in accordance with the AISC-LRFD
standards (limit states).
The file MODEL.CSE.JNODE.BS5950.OUT is an ASCII file containing the output
listing of the checks on the JNODE in the MODEL in accordance with the BS5950 standards
(limit states).
The file MODEL.CSE.JNODE.SNIP.OUT is an ASCII file containing the output listing
of the checks on the JNODE in the MODEL in accordance with the SNIP standards (limit
states).
The file MODEL.TXT contains the information on all the JNODES in the model,
including where available the envelopes of the internal forces.
Files of type MODEL.JNODE.COMPONENT.SR2 are binary files with the FEM
models of the components of a given JNODE in the MODEL. They can be read by Sargon. All
the files handled by the FEM program will therefore be MODEL.JNODE.COMPONENT.*
files.
3.31
Export information to other programs

How to export information to other programs
A renode can be exported as a collection of 3D faces, in DXF format. The command to do so
is:
Renode-Export 671 .
Drawing programs which support DXF format can then be used to create renderings and
to dimension the model (which is in 3D). Enhancements are planned to the export functionality
to support interfacing with other programs.
How to...
3.32
323
Understand the limitations of LIGHT mode

How to understand the limitations of LIGHT mode
The LIGHT 57 version has two main limitations compared to the FULL version:
1) It does not support the ad hoc creation of a FEM in CSE (only the creation of typical
nodes, using an automated design tool,
146
with the ability to calculate the nodes with
defined values, factorized elastic or plastic limits, or combinations imported from a

table).
2) It does not support the free construction of three-dimensional nodes, only the application
285
of a parametric node from the archive (with modified parameters, if desired).
These functionality limitations are reflected in the menus and commands, in that only
those options that are actually usable in the LIGHT version are made available.
In the LIGHT version, the following menus from the FULL version are not available:
Jnodes, 3D Model, and PRenode. Those menus contain commands that in the LIGHT
324
version are either unavailable or fully automated. NB: member and Jnode searching is
performed automatically in the background in the LIGHT version.
The FEM and Renode menus from the FULL version have been combined into a single
Nodes menu. The only command available from the FEM menu, in fact, is that for
defining the structural model (Typical nodes), while from the Renode menu, the
commands for the free construction of the three-dimensional connection are not provided.
The simplified Node bar in the LIGHT version contains commands from the Nodes menu
(NB not all the commands have a button in the bar).
The other menus (File, Modify, Show, Draw, Interrogate, Checks, Window, ?) are
available, with the following limitations: the File menu lacks the commands to import
and update a FEM model; and the Checks menu does not contain the commands for
selecting an instance 788 .
Working with the LIGHT version

NB users of the LIGHT version will still need to understand the basic notions of the
software, its underlying principles and the terminology used. The following subjects are
especially important:
Understanding CSE's basic principles 264
How connections work in CSE 154
How to choose the type of bolt layout 161
Understanding the checks that CSE carries out
166
and choosing which checks to perform 257
How to examine the results of the checks 272 , interpret the results 273 and read the output listing
276
We will now look at how to define, build and check a node, including which buttons to
use. For full details about each command, see the dedicated sections in this help manual.
To start, run the command Typical nodes 430 from the Nodes menu, then select the
How to...
325
structural model desired, defining the material, sectional forms, any end releases and other
parameters. When these steps have been completed, the three-dimensional node is presented
with just the members that are not yet connected.
The Assign parametric node 518 command, also on the Nodes menu, is used to select one of
the nodes from the archive that are applicable to the node defined. The parametric node can be
applied as is or with changes to one or more parameters during the automatic application
process.
Now the connection is complete and, if it already meets the user requirements, it is
ready for the checks, once it has been verified and found correct. Otherwise, components or
members can be selected to modify it; new variables and further checking conditions can be
added. The node can even be reset and a different parametric node applied - or the same node
can be reapplied, but in a different way. For more about these operations, see the full list of
buttons 325 available in the LIGHT version.
Before moving on to set up and execute the checks, it is advisable to check for overlaps
(Nodes - Check overlaps) 669 and to check the connection for coherence (Nodes - Check
coherence) 669 .
The command Set 671 , from the Checks menu, can be used to view the predefined settings
for the selected node, and modify them where necessary.
The command Check Renode 692 runs the automatic check on the connection.
When the checks have been completed, the user can then view and examine the results 327 .
3.32.1 The renode bar in the light version

THE RENODE BAR IN THE LIGHT VERSION
All the buttons of the Node toolbar in the LIGHT version are listed below, grouped by
326
menu. The commands that are essential in order to obtain a complete node, and to check it, are
shown in yellow. From Envelope onwards, the commands are used for viewing the results. NB:
the button name and icon for some commands may differ from those in the FULL version; simply
click on the name of a command for full details about it.
Nodes Menu
TYPICAL NODES 430 for defining the type of node and its characteristics
ASSIGN PARAMETRIC NODE 518 to apply a parametric node
RESET NODE 527 to undo the application of a parametric renode
COMPONENTS - MODIFY 619 to modify the selected component
MEMBER - MODIFY 533 to modify the selected member
SHIFT 633 to shift selected components
COMPONENTS - NET SECTIONS 628 to define check net sections
VARIABLES AND CONDITIONS - ADD VARIABLE 647 to add a new variable
VAR. AND COND. - ADD CONDITION 656 to add a new condition
VAR. AND COND. - STANDARD CHECKS 664 to add conditions in a guided way
VAR. AND COND. - MODIFY VARIABLE OR CONDITION 662 to modify the variable or condition
selected
VAR. AND COND. - DELETE VARIABLE OR CONDITION 663 to delete the variable or condition
selected
Checks Menu
How to...
327
SETTINGS 671 to modify the settings for the checks

INTERNAL ACTIONS 688 to set the values of the member end forces to be used to check connections
(this can also be done using SETTINGS 671 )
CHECK RENODE 692 to check the node
ENVELOPE 700 to view the envelope of the utilisations for different combinations
CURRENT RESULTS 701 to view the utilisations for the current combination
INTERROGATE 702 to interrogate the utilisation ratios for the desired entity
SHOW BEARING SURFACE RESULTS 703 for bolt layouts with bearing surface
DISPLAY NET SECTION RESULTS 705 for members with cuts or holes
SHOW BLOCK TEAR RESULTS 707 for bolted objects
DISPLAY COMPONENT FEM RESULTS 718 to view the automatic FEM models
DISPLAY FORCES 713 to see the forces transmitted between the entities
DEFORMED VIEW 719 to see the deformed view of the connection
DEFORMED SCALE 720 to amend the scale of the deformed view
NB: the following commands from the Nodes menu have no corresponding button:
Var. and cond. - Add variable with 'if' 653
Check overlaps 669
Check coherence 669
Export to DXF 671
328
3.33
Create fixed-alignments drawings

How to create fixed alignments drawings
Introduction
Starting from version 5.20 CSE has been equipped with useful commands to
automatically generate DXF files of each alignment 766 defined in the model. The files that are
automatically created by CSE can greatly ease the work of the draftsmen and give a quite
precise idea of how the structure will be. The drawings can also, on request, embed
information about the forces and moments at the joints, so allowing the transfer of the needed
info for connection design yet in the first stages of the work.
In what follows the rules used by the program to create the files will be explained.
We are talking about the model as it comes from the finite element program, not of the
information related to Renode creation. So the DXF files of the alignment will not include a
detailed information of the joints. This feature is available in another command 671 .
The functionality which is here described is very powerful: all the alignments files can be
created with a single command, so getting many files already initialized and ready to be
customized. There are not geometrical limitations: a fixed alignment can be each plane,
however oriented and inclined. The program works in the same way. For instance, it is possible
to draw the four faces of a pyramid-trunk, all its elevations, all the traces of each alignment
over the plane of the current one, all with the same command.
The DXF file is created using different layers, so as to allow a proper display of the
objects. The layers defined in the files are:
ALIGNMENT
the graphical signs related to alignments defined in the
model
JOINT_FORCES
the value in kN and kNm of the envelope internal forces
possibly used by third party to check and design connections

LABEL_SEC
the cross-section labels
MARKS
the member marks
MEMBERS
the members as projected solids
How to...
329
MEMBERS_HIDDEN
the hidden lines of the projected members
SECTIONS
the cross-sections of the members cut by the current
alignment
TEXT
some string text
WIREFRAME_MEMBERS
the members axis and the connection codes
To get the files the command Draw-Drawings 412 must be executed after having
previously defined the geometric loci needed (i.e. the alignments) with the command DrawAlignments 409 . Moreover the search of the members must already have been done (Search
Members 505 command).
Automatic marking of members
When considering automatically the members, the program assign to each member a
"mark" that is a unique identifier which distinguishes it from all the other members.
The mark assignment criterion is based on the availability of alignments. The "mark" is
an alphanumeric string created according to the following rules.
If the member is a truss, the mark starts with "T".
If the member lays in a horizontal plane, the mark starts with "B".
If the member is strictly vertical (directed like Z) the mark starts with "C".
If the member does not have the previously defined properties the mark starts with an
"E" ("element").
The first letter of the mark takes the name of "qualifier".
Considering the nodes of the elements, not its extremities, a member is possibly assigned to a
given alignment. Therefore if rigid offsets are defined, they are not kept into account when
considering the alignment to which a member belongs to.
The two nodes at the member ends are two points in the 3D space. These points may
belong or not to geometrical loci (alignments), previously defined in the model.
A node is said to be fully identified (implicitly: by the loci of the model) if it belongs at
330
least to three different alignments. Actually, three generic planes do meet in a point. Alignments
must not be coplanar (it is not enough they have different names or opposite normals).
We say that a member belongs to to a given alignment (geometrical locus) if both its
nodes belong to that alignment. It must be noted that a member assignment to a given alignment
is automatically done considering its nodes, no matter possibly applied rigid offsets, so as to
allow minor shifts from the alignment that, if not imply a change in the "logical" assignment of a
member, may allow a correct placing of the member in the 3D space.
A member is fully identified if both its end nodes are fully identified. For instance a
member (column) going from node A.1.L1. to node A.1.L2. is a member fully identified. If the
alignments have been correctly assigned, many members will be fully identified. Ideally, every
member. For the fully identified members, the mark is defined as follows:
QUALIFIER.MEMBER ALIGNMENTS.EXTREMITIES ALIGNMENTS
For example, member C previously introduced will have the unique mark:
C.A1.L1L2
For a beam going from node C.1.L2 to node D.1.L2, the mark will be
B.1L2.CD
If the number of the alignments satisfied by the two end nodes is globally lower than six,
the member is not fully identified by the existing alignments. If this holds true the program
generates a temporary mark, with the same previous rule. Consider for instance a secondary
beam going from a point over alignment A of third level L3, to a point over alignment B of the
third level L3, not belonging to alignment 3 nor to alignment 4 (A,B,3,4 define a rectangle at
level L3). The initial mark will be:
B.L3.AB
It must be noted that this mark will be in common with all other secondary beams in the
rectangle comprised between alignments 3 and 4 and alignments A and B at level L3.
After all the temporary marks have been generated, the program searches for temporary
marks identical, and adds a progressive numbering, from 001 to N (3 digits). In such a way the
final mark has the following structure:
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QUALIFIER.MEMBER ALIGNMENTS.NODES
ALIGNMENTS.PROGRESSIVE NUMBER
For instance, all the secondary beams in the previously defined rectangle, will have the
following marks, setting N<10:
B.L3.AB.001
B.L3.AB.002
..
B.L3.AB.00N
This system of marking has the merit of identifying the members on the basis of their
spatial position, whenever possible: so mesh changes do not imply generalized changes, but
only localized (if the alignments do keep their definition and names), and allowing at the same
time an easy detection of member position without the need of adding too many alignments. The
reading of the mark allows a reconstruction of the member position with very good
approximation, also for members not fully identified.
If a good marking system is required, however, before asking to create DXF files it is
better that the alignments have been cautiously defined. In this does not hold true, the need to
use the final group with progressive numbers may be more frequent than is strictly needed.
Besides members fully identified and members not fully identified, there are unidentified
members. The end nodes of these members do not belong (none of them) to one of the
previously defined alignments of the model. These members have a temporary mark defined
only by the qualifier and are identified by the progressive number. It is clear that these members
should be, if possible, avoided.
Geometrical loci, or alignments
As we have seen the geometrical loci definition is a fundamental step in order to get
proper marks for the members, and also for the correct creation of the DXF files. A generic
alignment is identified by the plane having equation
ax+by+cz=d
The unit normal to the plane is the vector
332
a
2
a b
It must be noted that the plane
i
a
j
a
b2 c2
-ax-by-cz=-d
is coplanar to the previous one, but has a different effect when considering the file creation. In
fact the normal to the plane is opposite and the view considered in the DXF file is always
prepared in such a way that the viewer looks from vector second extremity toward the first
extremity. If the sense of the vector changes, this does modify the way member lines will be
drawn in the file, because hidden lines change. This is the reason why the alignments
automatically created by the program are of the kind
x=constant
-y=constant
z=constant
because in this way the views related to these loci (normals (1,0,0), (0,-1,0), (0,0,1)) are the
classic orthogonal views of the drawings. Nothing forbids adding a new locus of the kind
-x=constant
for instance, if the DXF with the opposite view is needed.
Internal forces at the joints
Among the available features in DXF file creation, if the CSE model has been imported
by an already existing and solved FEM model, one can ask for the addition of the envelope
member end forces getting at the joints, to the DXF file. In order to ease the reading of such
forces and moments values, the units of measurement are pre-defined as kN for forces and kNm
for the moments. Besides each value is rounded to the integer and without sign.
The values are displayed differently for beams and trusses. For the beams, for instance,
we have
12,45,23 kN
(0,32,0) kNm
where the values in parentheses are the moments, with the order M1, M2, M3, while the values
not between parentheses are the forces, in the order N, T2, T3. The actions are thus listed in the
local reference system of the related member.
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For the trusses only the axial force value is displayed, rounded to kN and not in
parentheses.
This feature is useful because it may be used as a tool to quickly cross check
connections forces, out of CSE, independently on the final Renodes model.
Solid projected views

Among the available features in DXF file creation there is also that of adding the
members seen as projected solid objects. This kind of display depends on the normal of the
alignment used. Hidden lines are placed in a different layer (named MEMBERS_HIDDEN),
relative to visible lines (layer MEMBERS). There is no limit to the layout of the members or to
the cross-sectional shapes. Members are displayed keeping into account their rigid offsets.
3.34
Take into account prying forces

How to take into account prying forces
The exact evaluation of the prying forces 810 , without a full non linear contact analysis, is
impossible due to a number of reasons, so that the model to compute them used by the standards
is very much simplified and applicable only to very simple and regular cases (T-stub), at limit
state conditions. The fundamental reference for this problem is the following:
William A. Thornton - Prying Action - a General Treatment - AISC, 2nd quarter 1985
which can easily be found in the Internet. This work has been used to implement the formulae
which allow to define an engineering factor K to be applied to the tensile forces in bolts T, so
334
that
K = (T+Q)/T
The tensile force T' to be used in the checks so, is not anymore T, but KT. If K=1 then
T'=T and there are not prying forces. This happens when the plate is thick or stiffened properly
(and so the bending low), or when the lever a-b of the force T to the clamp is low, or, also,
when the force applied T is low. Conversely, K tends to be high when the thickness is low, the
lever arm is high, and the forces are high, too. It is normal that K assumes values around 1.2 or
1.3.
In the simple T-stub model researched in the cited paper (and that is actually the
background document of all present standards) it is possible to write some closed formulae
which quantify all the contributions to Q, and so K may be computed. But in different or more
general cases this formulation is no longer applicable, at least for these reasons:
1. Because the geometry may be more complicated, with plates generically shaped also
due to cuts and bevels and with restraints-layout more complex than T-stub;
2. Because adjacent bolts generally have different forces applied, not all equal,
depending on the load combination. The plate deformation so depends on the complex
interaction of all these forces.
3. Because the prying forces change with the level of the load applied (for instance plate
plasticization leads to a migration of force T point of application).
4. Because also the stiffness of the plate acting as support modifies the exchanged prying
forces, and this stiffness, in general, changes from point to point.
For all these reasons, the only way to treat the problem in the general case is to apply a
factor K (
1) to all bolts in a bolt layout, and increasing by this factor K all the tensile forces
computed for the bolt shafts. The value of K may be determined using Thornton's formulae,
adapted to the case at hand by setting up some sort of analogy.
Future versions of CSE will face the problem preparing automatic FEM models which
should be able to model such behaviour, thanks to plate-shell models. The difficulties of such
an approach depend on the uncertainty in determining the force intensity (which depend on the
load level applied, not only on geometry), on the uncertainty of their position and distribution
along the edges, and on the uncertainty of their evolution with the increase of the load.
Prying forces increase the tensile forces in the bolt shafts and this effect must be kept into
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335
account when necessary. CSE keeps into account the increase of the tensile force in the shafts in
the bolt resistance checks, in the pull-out checks, in the punching shear checks. To get a ductile
behaviour it is good practice to design the components so that their plasticization is reached
before the bolt shafts rupture.
In order to take into account prying forces, the prying forces factor must be set for each
bolt layout in bending and or in tension. To do that, the standard bolt layout input dialog 587 must
be used.
From version 5.80 onward, CSE is able to run a true nonlinear contact analysis when
dealing with the finite element models of set of components, or, at limit, of the whole node. In
order to do that, it is necessary to set the "nonlinearity: contact" flag in the nonlinear analysis
setting dialog 676 . Then, if a non linear analysis using CURAN solver is run, the program will
automatically prepare the model to compute prying forces arising from the contact between the
surfaces joined by bolt layouts using a bearing surface. To get more details please refer to How
to... use non linear analysis 341 .
3.35
Execute buckling analysis of components or of aggregates

How to execute buckling analysis of components or of aggregates
From version 5.40, CSE is also able to execute the buckling analysis of FEM models. Buckling
analysis may optionally be asked for in the general check setting dialog 672 , or in the dialog used
to drive fem analysis of aggregate 695 .
For each combination defined in the finite element model (they are as many as the number of
load cases), the buckling analysis module will search for the first three (3) critical multipliers.
These multipliers may also be negative (and so meaningless as the load sign should be
reversed).
Presently, the buckling analysis module default settings are fixed to the following:
3 critical load multipliers for each combination;
subspace order: 30
Maximum number of iterations: 50
Tolerance: 0.0001
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If other values are needed, then by using the available dialog 682 different settings might be input.
At the end of the analysis the user should:

1. Open Sargon Reader as he/she would do in order to get static analysis results (the two
commands are Display components FEM results 718 for the fem analysis of single
components; and Display FEM models result 719 for the fem analysis of aggregates).
2. Go to the Post-Buckling menu and execute the command "Inquire". This will print the 3
multipliers got for each combination defined in the model.
3. To display critical shapes use the command Post-Buckling-Display when a combination
(not a load case) is active., and move from one mode to the other by pressing the "B " and
" B" buttons.
4. To display a color map with critical displacements components, use the command Post-
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337
Buckling-Map.
Buckling analysis is mainly needed to assess if locally some components buckles. Buckling
analysis is not needed to assess if members buckle, because these checks must have been done
elsewhere, probably in a standard fem program. We are interested in components and in
connections, not in stability of members as a whole. However, when executing the buckling
analysis the finite element model analyzed is simplified as in the finite element model the
members are not modeled with their actual length and constraint. This means that in checking
critical shapes, it is possible that spurious (i.e.: dummy) modes referring to the "member"
buckling are found. These modes will have to be discarded.
The aim of the analysis is to prove that there are no multipliers lower than 1, or around one,
involving the buckling of components of the connection (stiffeners, plates, cleats, or local
buckling of members). A proper safety factor for buckling will have to be addressed by the
User.
A next step in dealing with geometric non linearity will be to consider the geometric stiffness of
plates in the non linear analysis due to plasticity. This will accomplish both problems:
plasticity & buckling. This next step is about to be added to the non linear solver, CURAN.
3.36
Use Sargon Reader

How to use Sargon Reader
This is a quick guide to understand Sargon Reader main commands in order to get graphic
results of the automatic FEM models.
Sargon Reader has a lot of commands and buttons, as shown in the following image, but you
need to know how to use just some of them in order to display relevant results (for example
displacements and stresses).
338
Sargon Reader interface
Main commands
The following image shows the few commands needed to get the relevant results of the models.
Commands needed to display basic results
Use this button
to display stresses in plate elements in current load case. A dialog box is
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339
shown, where the desired type of stress can be selected (for example, Von Mises stress).
Change load case/combination using the related buttons
Use the envelope button
(they are the same of CSE).
to display in the same view the maximum stress in each element in
all the combinations.

The command Post-Stresses PM & SO-Yielding PM, is very useful as it prints an estimate of
the total yielded surface, also group by group, and so it can be used to assess if the stress peaks
read in the model are local, or not.
If needed, use the command Legend in Post menu to change the scale of the stresses (automatic
scale or fixed maximum and minimum values, for example to limit the scale at the yield stress).
Use these buttons
to display the deformed view of the model (with or without
undeformed) in current load case/combination.

Use this button
to hide any post process result.
The following commands in the main toolbar may be helpful to set the desired view of the
model.
Redraw, Enclose the whole model, Choose a predefined view.

Pan (free), Pan up, Pan down, Pan right, Pan left.
Remap, Rotate (4 options).
Zoom commands.
Extract objects (selected or by group).
Like in CSE, use this button
to copy the current view in order to paste it in reports, etc.
Further useful commands
340
The following image shows further commands that could be useful.
Further useful commands
Use this button
to hide or show objects (constraints, forces, etc.) and this button
to change
elements size (for example, plate elements shrink).

Use these commands
in case of buckling analysis (to get deformed views,
multipliers, etc.).
Use these commands
to select/unselect objects:
unselect all;
select all;
elements that can be selected/unselected (all, nodes, plates, etc.);
define filters for selection;
select/unselect by click;
select/unselect by rectangular box;
select/unselect by polygon box.
With this button
it is possible to set the amplification of the deformed view. Use this button
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341
to know the displacement of a single node in current case combination: just move mouse
cursor on the desired node to know its displacement.
Load-displacement and load-stress curve display
In order to get the load-displacement or load-internal stress curves related to a non linear analysis, the
command Post-Curve must be executed. Of course a non linear analysis must have been run. Once the
command is executed a dialog appears, asking to read in a collection of curves, i.e. a .pmc file (button
Read collection). The list box at the top-left corner of the dialog is used to select a curve in the
collection. In turn, the load displacement curve is described by the node number and by the
displacement component. The remaining buttons are used to modify the plot of the curve (Font buttons,
display tick values check box, Swap axes button, Points buttons), to print or copy its image (Print,
Copy buttons) or to write to a .txt file the data (Write to file).
The command "Modify collection" gives access to another dialog used to delete curves from the
collection, or to add new ones as a function of the existing.
3.37
Use non linear analysis

How to use non linear analysis
Introduction
342
Non linear analysis is a key feature in connection design. CSE is equipped with several possible tools in
order to deal with non linear problems, some of which are implicitly related to the rules used by the
standards, while some other require a full engineering judgment and specific choices. Generally
speaking, we have to find a good compromise between the need of "realistic" analysis and the need of
quick solving. For this reason, and also keeping into account that each problem in connection design is
potentially unique, CSE is designed in such a way that it is user's responsibility to find a proper mid way
between the two opposite needs.
The ability to automatically create finite element models of components, or of the whole connection, and
to run them using three different sources of non linearity greatly enhances the computational power of
CSE and the range of the analysis which can be performed.
In the following sections, some important aspects will be underlined, keeping in mind that a full covering
of the issue is just not possible as the matter is quite extended. On the other hand, FEM nonlinear
analysis is the most important development area of the program, and so it is highly probable that in the
coming new versions many new features and functionality will be added.
Implicit non linear analysis

When dealing with the computation of the shear forces or of the axial forces in the shafts of the bolts of
a bolt layout under a shear or a bending moment, the program already uses nonlinear rules 167 got from
the standards which implicitly take into account the plastic redistribution between the sub components.
This is also true for weld layouts in shear 185 .
For bolt layout in bending, defining a "bearing surface 767 " neglects part of the contact surface which is
not considered stiff enough to resist to the normal pressure. This means, somehow, keeping into
account the contact non linearity arising from the no-tension contact between the two or more surfaces
joined by the bolt layout. A further source of non linearity is choosing a "non linear constitutive law 596 "
for the bearing surface: here while a linear strain field is implicitly assumed, a non linear stress field is
computed, by taking into account on one hand the no-tension nature of the constitutive law of the
bearing surface, and on the other hand the non linear stress-strain curve of the compressive branch. By
properly choosing the bearing surface extent, and the non linear constitutive law, the user is easily able
to model typical situations like the edge-loaded model or contact forces, or the linear spreading of the
normal pressures.
This computational approach, is very quick and usually quite effective, and so might be considered as
the standard tool to deal with bolt layouts in bending, using a contact no-tension bearing surface.
The pressure exchanged between the surfaces, and the axial and shear forces in bolts, are then used
as applied loads to load the components, also in the FEM models, and so, the finite element models of
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343
single components or of set of components which may later be prepared, should be considered fully
coherent (in light of the static theorem of limit analysis) with the one computed using linear strain field
for bolt layout bearing surface. Using a bearing surface then leads to a hybrid nonlinear computation in
which the simplifying assumptions are related to the bearing surface extent 597 , to the bearing surface
constitutive law 596 , and to the assumption of a linear strain field for the bearing surface. The analysis is
nonlinear at the "cross section level", i.e. considering the bearing surface plus the bolts as a non linear
cross section under axial force and biaxial bending. The non linearity is in the constitutive law of the
bearing surface (no-tension and possibly also non linear in the compressive branch), and in the
constitutive law of the bolts.
However, deciding a bearing surface a priori, and assuming a linear strain field is not the most
advanced tool available in CSE. In CSE from version 5.80 onward, the finite element models may be
prepared in such a way that a contact non linearity between surfaces is automatically defined, so
leading to a problem solution which considers the strain field as an unknown, as well as, in each
combination, the bearing surface extent. This approach may be quite useful when dealing with non
standard connections, or when a detailed analysis is needed for a standard connections.
Another possible way of computing bolt layout in bending is considering that no bearing surface exists,
and loading only the bolt shafts. In CSE this approach can be applied both in the elastic range (forces
in the shafts are linearly dependent on the distance from the neutral axis), or in the plastic range (all
forces in the shafts are equal), as suggested by AISC.
Implicit non linear analysis is also used when setting the flexibility indexes 785 of bolt layouts and of weld
layouts, or when considering the failure paths for block tearing 244 , or, again, when checking the bolt
shear for the contact pressure according to the "bolt bearing" checking rules provided by the standards.
This last source of non linearity must be kept into account when considering the Von Mises stress maps
of the finite element models prepared using CSE. As the local plasticization of the material has already
be considered in the explicit (and automatic) checks 202 done by CSE according to the available
standards, (very) local Von Mises stress peaks observed in the FEM analysis results in the region
around a loaded node (simulating the bolt pressure against the bearing plate), should normally be not
considered as a danger.
In the next sections, non linear analysis got by explicitly running the CSE nonlinear FEM solver will be
described. These non linearities are kept into account by using non linear finite element analysis
techniques, such as assembling non linear stiffness matrices, running Newton Raphson or modified
Newton Raphson analysis procedure, and so on.
344
Curan solver and Sargon Reader

Results got by running the non linear solver CURAN must be seen using the embedded Sargon reader
program. This is a reader version of a 3D FEM program developed by Castalia srl. Standard results like
displacement and stress maps, may be got using the standard command as explained in How to... use
Sargon Reader 337 . In order to exploit the benefits of a non linear analysis of components or of the whole
node, the user should become familiar with the main commands used in this program. This commands
are useful to get smoothed and unsmoothed stress maps, displacement maps, deformed views, load
displacement curves of notable points, and so on. Please refer to the previously cited reference to have
background information about the issue.
The settings referring to CURAN non linear solver are all listed in the related dialog 676 . This dialog can
be accessed both from the dialog referring to the "check settings 671 ", and from the dialog 694 referring to
the fem analysis of set of components.
Currently CURAN may accept three different sources of non linearity: material NL, geometric NL, and
contact NL (via three check boxes in the CURAN settings dialog 676 ). The user may activate each one of
this and also any possible combination of the three, including all three non linearity. In the following
section these sources of non linearity will be considered one after the other.
Material non linearity

Non linear analysis is used when there are reason to believe that some component is loaded by loads
higher than its limit ones, and when all other checks not dealing with generic resistance have been
passed (namely: bolt bearing pressure checks; punching shear checks; block tear checks; bolts and
welds resistance checks; bearing surface crushing, anchor bars, no-slip for friction resistance). If some
other checks have not been passed it will be more convenient to modify the connection in order to
comply with them, than to run a non linear analysis about components which must however be modified.
On the other hand, there are checks which are a simplified way (and not always surely safe), to assess
structural resistance and stability, and that must therefore be considered alternative. These are the "net
cross-section checks 225 " and the "standard cross-sections checks 236 " which are simplified (beam-like)
checks normally used to avoid fem analysis. Also some user's checks can be used to avoid fem
analysis, for instance checks referring to by hand rules, so used in the current design practice but
possible leading to a too coarse stress state evaluation.
A first step to deal with a more detailed fem analysis is to run a linear one. This can be done by running
the linear solver CLEVER (Cholesky Linear Elastic Variable Element Solver). If the Von Mises stress of
all the components included in the model is lower than the design stress, in every load combination, or if
only very local stress peaks in the nearby of bolt shafts are detected, then the user may accept the
components, considering that the Von Mises stress never reaches dangerous values. If on the other
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345
hand a very large part of one or more components is stressed with high values of Von Mises stress, or if
the order of magnitude of the displacements of the model is too high, then the user may decide that the
component(s) are not acceptable, and revise their sizes.
A more interesting intermediate situation is the one in which some part of the components is stressed
with stresses higher than the yield stress, so that a question arises: had the non linearity (plastic
behavior) be kept into account by a non linear analysis, then would the component have been able to
carry the loads without reaching its (their) limits?
To answer this question a material non linear analysis must be run.
In order to run a non linear analysis of a given component or of a set of components, the solver that
must be run is CURAN (CURved ANalysis) and not CLEVER (this is done in the two - 1 672 and 2 694 dialogs used to prepare fem analyses). Moreover, the components to be analyzed in the non linear
range should have been assigned a non linear material, i.e. a material whose non linear part has been
defined. Both cleats 619 and members 533 may be modified in such a way to receive a non linear (plastic)
material. This can be done by assigning one of the materials in the general archive (in the general
archive "PP" stands for "perfectly plastic", "EP2" stands for "elastic plastic with two branches", i.e.
hardening), or by directly modifying the material assigned to the component(s).
Basically two main choices can be done when assigning the non linear material.
The first one is to assign a PP material, i.e. a material with perfect plasticity. The second one is to
assign a material with hardening. The user, however, may define any possible constitutive law, bi linear,
trilinear or by points. This non linear constitutive law will be applied to the shell elements modeling the
component(s).
It a PP material is chosen, the component may be loaded to a point at which it is not anymore able to
carry increasing loads. A limit is reached, and the analysis will not converge. If this happens to be true,
then CURAN will compute a "load multiplier"
Reaching a limit point with
comprised between 0 and 1, associated to this limit point.
< 1 means that the component is over loaded. The stresses and
displacements will not be those related to
= 1, but those related to the value reached, which may be
considered slightly lower than the "limit" one. If on the other hand a solution is found for the full load
applied ( = 1), then no matter the possible spreading of plasticity across the finite elements of the
component(s), it (they) will be able to carry the load (with redistribution) and the component itself must
be considered as passing the (limit state) checks. In perfect plasticity, Von Mises stress will nowhere be
higher than the design stress. However, if the stress maps are plotted in Sargon Reader, it may happen
that the stresses in the nodes are higher than the maximum available yield stress. This happens because
the stresses are computed at the Gauss points, which are inside the finite elements. If one Gauss point
is at yield stress, say 235MPa, and another at a lower value, say 200 MPa, by interpolating to nodes, a
346
value higher than 235MPa will be found. In order to avoid such effect, in the CURAN settings dialog the
check box "interpolate stresses to nodes" must have the tick removed. Then, the Von Mises stress map
will never include values higher than the plastic yield stress. In dealing with non linear analysis, also
ultimate strains are important. If a Gauss point reaches the "ultimate strain" declared when defining the
material, then it will be considered broken and not anymore able to carry the loads. So, if you don't want
that the ultimate strain is taken into account you will have to specify sufficiently high values of ultimate
strain when defining the material.
If a hardening rule is chosen, then once the yield stress is reached, the Von Mises stress may still
increase. So no "limit" point will be reached and the stresses, using a two branches material model, will
continue to grow. If on one hand this approach may be faster to converge, as the stiffness of plastic
part does not drop down to zero, but just the the hardening branch stiffness, it must on the other hand
be carefully evaluated
the Von Mises stress map of the whole model, in order to exclude that
somewhere in the model the material has reached its ultimate stress. If for instance an ordinary S235
material is used, then no where the Von Mises stress must have reached 360MPa which is the ultimate
stress for S235. If considering also the safety factor this limit will probably be 360/1.25= 288MPa.
The use may decide, as also when dealing with other non linearities, to define a limited and useful set of
load combinations, also notional, in order to analyze the connection behavior under specific set of
internal forces. This may reduce the number of combinations to be checked.
Material non linearity is a powerful tool to perform limit analysis. It must be kept into account that the
many rules existing in several standards in order to assess the ability of given components to carry the
loads applied, are just simplified ways to get similar results: for instance this is the case of the "T-stub"
paradigm, which is a simplified model to compute connections sub parts. As this model is often used far
beyond its limits of applicability, we consider that the finite element modeling using non linear material
models is a by far stronger tool, also considered that it is capable of dealing with every possible
geometry, and every possible load combinations, while T-stub models are usually applied in simple
tension, compression or (uniaxial) bending, and are geometrically very simple, very often, too much
simple.
Geometric non linearity

One dangerous failure mode is related to the local buckling of stiffeners or of plates which are part of a
joint. Local buckling may arise not only in cleats, like plates or stiffeners, but in members, too, no matter
the member buckling check has been passed. So one of the goal of the connection design is to assess
that all parts and sub parts will not buckle under the applied loads.
In CSE there are broadly speaking three different ways to assess local buckling, which is a complex
How to...
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failure mode depending not only on plate thicknesses, position, and joints, but also on load conditions
applied: ideally, a buckling analysis should be performed for every distinct load combinations.
The first mean is to define "user's checks" by adding simplified formulas to be evaluated run time for
every load combination. The second mean is to run a buckling (eigenvalue) analysis for all load
combinations, using a fem model of a single component or of a set of components, also used for stress
analysis. The third mean is to run a true non linear analysis in which the geometric stiffness matrix KG of
the shell elements is assembled together with the elastic or plastic stiffness matrix.
The first mean is applicable only to very standard connections, or to connections reduced to be
standard by very strong simplifying hypotheses. This can be done by using formulas taken from reliable
sources like the standard themselves, or for instance the Steel Construction Institute "Green Books". It is
a common design practice, and can easily be done also in CSE, "cutting out" simple plate strips
imagined in a simple supports or double clamps condition, axially loaded by notional compressive
forces. This approach, in CSE, may also take advantage of ready to use () functions 647 (CHIA, CHIB,
etc) which can be used to define new "user's variables". Common application of this checking mean
refer to column web stiffeners loaded by flange force of connected beams, or to additional stiffeners in
base plates. Albeit this approach can quickly been used, it is questionable when used for complex
stiffeners patterns, or with uncertain stress flows.
The second mean is relatively quick and often quite satisfactory. Once a proper finite element model is
set up, referring to a component and its stiffeners, or also to a set of components, or also ideally to the
whole node, a linear analysis is run together with a "buckling analysis", immediately after the linear one.
This means that after a linear analysis is run for the finite element model at hand, a buckling analysis
starting from the results got by the linear analysis is automatically added. This is done by using the
eigenvalue technique, and by default one critical mode is asked for each load combination. The
geometric stiffness of each finite element in the model, is computed as KG(
(unknown) load multiplier, and
), where
is a linear
is the stress state at the end of the linear analysis. If the multiplier is
sufficiently high, no buckling will occur for the load level ( =1) related to the load combination at hand.
Generally speaking it is in fact not enough to assess the condition
>1
because of the interaction between plasticity and geometrical effects, imperfections, and so on. If in a
given load combination the critical multiplier found with a buckling analysis is
load combination the plastic load multiplier is
u,
cr
, and if for the same
a rule which is generally considered as safe is to
consider the ultimate load level as equal to
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where
is a load reduction factor which might be computed assuming a "non dimensional slenderness"
equal to
u
cr
The function
= ( )
is the well known formula relating the slenderness (non dimensional) to the reduction factor
. It
depends, in Eurocode 3, by the "stability curve" which may be "a", "b", "c", or "d". If the ultimate
multiplier is not available it is safe to use the elastic load multiplier instead. Practically speaking,
however, if the critical load multiplier is high enough, say > 5, it is highly improbable that the connection
as modeled in the fem model might experience a buckling phenomenon.
The third mean is the most advanced, and also the most precise. In fact, eigenvalue buckling analysis is
not always reliable at is uses the implicit assumption that the internal stresses grow linearly with the
external loads applied, which, in turn, is not always true. This third mean is to run a true non linear
analysis in which the loads are gradually increased from 0 the their complete value, by increasing a
load multiplier
from 0 to 1. Using the default Newton Raphson method, the stresses are continuously
updated, and the geometric stiffness matrix is no longer in the form

KG(
but are now in the form

KG[ ( )]
To get such analysis the user must place a tick in the check box "Non linearity: geometric" of the
CURAN setting dialog 676 . If the loads applied are such that no critical load is reached, then the analysis
will converge. If on the other hand the analysis will not converge, then some part is subjected to buckling
and possibly the components will have to be thicker, or the joints to be more evenly spread along the
components. If the analysis is run without plastic effects activated, reaching the applied load level is not
an absolute guarantee unless the plasticization is limited to very local stress peaks in the region of bolt
shafts, corners, weld connections, and so on. In fact, if plasticization spreads along the components,
those regions will have a lower stiffness and so the elastic non linear analysis might be unsafe.
Switching on both geometric and material non linearity, may then be a good way to assess, with one
analysis only, both the limit condition in the limit analysis meaning, and the limit condition in the buckling
analysis meaning. Of course, if plasticization is diffused, and/or if the loads are near the critical ones,
convergence will be slower.
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When using the second and third approach a possibly spurious structural response might be detected.
As the members joining in the connections are cut at a given distance from the ideal connection-node,
these members act as a cantilever partially "clamped" by the connections to the node. Depending on
how the connections of the member have been realized, on the member stump length, and on the loads
applied, it may happen that the critical deformed configuration is not local, as desired, but global, i.e. it
refers to one member buckling out of its plane as a cantilever. This buckling mode is clearly spurious,
as the real member is not cut and will have a buckling behavior depending on its true length and on the
connections at both extremities, not just one. If this spurious buckling mode is found this may be
reduced or avoided by using two methods.
The first method is to make the member stumps shorter, to that the "cantilever" gets shorter, too. This is
done by modifying the member stump length by using the command Renode-Member-Modify 533 .
However, the member stumps must not get too short, or otherwise the stress field in the nearby of the
connection will be modified. Ideally, the stress field will have to regularize up to getting De Saint Venantlike.
The second method to bypass the problem of spurious modes is to add "stabilizing" springs at the
unconnected extremity of the member exhibiting such spurious critical mode. These stabilizing springs
are normal to member direction, and their stiffness is decided in the dialog used 695 to set up the fem
analysis of set of components. This stabilizing springs are especially useful for bracing elements
undergoing a severe compression: as the force is axial, the springs are not loaded, or slightly so, and
the analysis can be accepted. When the stabilizing springs are used in presence of shears and bending
moments, they absorb part of the loads applied and this cannot be considered acceptable.
If a buckling analysis is run, and the computed load multiplier refers to a spurious critical mode (in the
sense explained), but with a critical load multiplier sufficiently high, then the analysis can still prove that
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no local buckling will occur, as the critical multipliers related to local buckling will be higher than the one
related to spurious critical mode. So, even if a critical mode is detected (by using Sargon Reader), the
analysis may still be useful to exclude the occurrence of local buckling in plates and stiffeners.
Contact non linearity

From version 5.80 onward, CSE takes into account the contact non linearity arising from the contact
between plates in the finite element models automatically prepared to analyze connections. Presently
this non linearity is related to bolt layouts using a bearing surface, i.e. mainly bolt layouts under axial
force or bending. When such a bolt layout is defined, the axial force plus bending condition is managed
via three possible approaches.
The first two approaches have already been described in the previous section Implicit Nonlinear
Analysis and do not use finite elements: the first approach is to consider a linear strain field for the
user-defined bearing surface, and then to perform a non linear cross-section like computation. The
second approach is to consider as resisting elements the bolt shafts only, neglecting the contribution of
the bearing surface. The third and most precise approach is to consider in the finite element model the
two mid-surfaces of the components joined by the bolts as at a distance d (the gap) equal to the sum of
half the thicknesses, and to automatically add special "non linear contact elements" which are activated
if compressed (the distance d is getting lower, the gap is closed), and inactivated if pulled (the distance
d is getting higher, the gap is open). As the plate shell elements do deform in a different way from point
to point, some regions of the surfaces interact (and so hidden contact elements will react), while some
other will be considered disjoint (and the added elements will not react, i.e. their stiffness matrices will
not be added to the global stiffness matrix).
(from V. A. Yastrebov, Introduction to Computational Contact Mechanics, Centre des
How to...
351
Materiaux, MINES, Paris Tech)

Non linear contact elements are added considering each node of the contact surface, and joining it with
a shell element of the corresponding "target surface", leading to a solid contact element. The shell
elements of the target surface may have 3 or 4 nodes (blue dots). They belong to one of the two (or
more) connected components, as modeled via shell elements. Target elements are always within the
bearing surface area, so, before running a fem analysis with contact non linearity switched on, the
bearing surface defined for the bolt layouts 597 must have been defined in such a way that the contact
regions will surely be comprised within it. For base plates and flanged beam to column connections it is
suggested to use the whole plate surface as bearing surface.
The forces exerted by the contact elements are proportional to the gap violation (i.e. the difference
between the distance from the contact node to the target surface minus the initial distance between the
two, equal to the sum of the half thicknesses). The constant of proportionality is the "penalty number"
which has the dimension of a force per unit length. If the penalty is too high, the convergence will be too
slow, if on the other hand the penalty is too low the two bodies will overlap one inside the other.
Reasonable numbers have been found for typical problems in the range of 104-105 N/mm, but the value
is problem-dependent.
In practice, the user must just:
1. prepare the bolt layouts with the correct bearing surface and include all the components joined by the
bolt layout in the model by selecting them;
2. switch the "Non linearity: contact" flag on, in the CURAN settings dialog 676 , and
3. in the dialog referring to the finite element model creation of set of components 695 input the penalty
number.
When creating a fem model including a bolt layout using a bearing surface two strategies are possible.
1. If the contact non linearity is not asked for (flag switched off and/or linear analysis), then the program
will apply the forces exchanged between the surfaces and the axial forces in the bolt shafts as
computed using the simplified linear strain field and the cross-section like non linear computation
(already described).
2. If the contact non linearity is asked for (flag switched on and non linear analysis), the forces
exchanged are unknown as well as the bearing surface extension, the strain field is not linear, and the
analysis will find all these.
352
Base plate in bending. Reactions are in the compressed flange region and in the prying forces regions
around the bolts.
Clearly an analysis using contact non linearity may be more demanding in terms of computational time,
especially if the penalty number is too high and the other non linearities are also switched on. However,
the analysis may run at a reasonable computational time and in this case a realistic pattern of forces
and stresses may be got. Key points in determining the computational time are:
The mesh size.
The penalty value.
The existence of more than one non linearities.
The existence of a constraint block included in the analysis and modeled via solid elements.
When contact non linearity is not used, constraint blocks are discarded from the model as the forces
they exchange have already been computed with the linear strain field assumption, nor the stress
analysis of the constraint block is of some interest. If, on the other hand, the contact non linearity is
switched on, then the forces exchanged are unknown and depend also on the constraint block stiffness.
So, the user must decide how to model the constraint block, having two possibilities (dialog referring to
the finite element model creation of set of components 695 ).
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353
Constraint block modeled via a fully fixed set of shell elements at mid thickness. Target elements are
marked with a cross.
The first one is to model the constraint block as a rigid bed over which the base plate rests. In this case
at mid thickness of the constraint block a rigidly fixed layer of nodes is applied.
354
The second one is to explicitly model the constraint block, which will be modeled via solid elements. If
this latter option is chosen, then the constraint block (which is usually computed in the linear range)
must have received a proper "concrete like" elastic material. Albeit it is ideally possible to assign a non
linear steel to a constraint block, this is not usually meaningful. 3D concrete-like non linear stress-strain
relationship are presently not available in CURAN.
It must be kept into account that the assumed length of the beam elements modeling the bolts is
different. In the latter case, constraint block modeled via solid elements, this length is equal to half the
thickness of the base plate, while in the first case (rigid support) the length is equal to the previous one
plus half the constraint block thickness.
Contact forces exchanged: simply compressed column over relatively flexible base plate.
The normal forces exchanged at the contact surface may be seen by asking to display reaction forces
in Sargon Reader (command Post-Reactions-Display of Sargon Reader
). These contact forces do
not have usually a too regular pattern, as the element sizes and orientation are different from node to
node: what is relevant, however, is their global effect. However, if the mesh size is sufficiently small,
then also the pattern of the "reaction forces", i.e. the forces exchanged between the surfaces, gets
regular, and a clear image of the resulting "bearing surface" may be seen. Increasing the mesh
refinement will improve the results got, as the bearing surface is better modeled, however also the
computational time will increase. In symmetrical problems, as the mesh is not usually symmetric, no
exact symmetry is usually got, albeit improving mesh refinement results will get increasingly
symmetrical.
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355
Von Mises stress in a base plate of a column in pure bending.

In the previous figure a base plate Von Mises stress is plotted (top view). Load condition is pure strong
axis bending. The results are got by using a 10mm mesh size for the base plate and a 30mm mesh size
for the constraint block (not displayed).
If the mesh size of the constraint block (modeled via solid elements in this example) is increased to
100mm, results change as the "target surface" is much less refined and also symmetry tends to be
damaged. However, albeit different, results are comparable from an engineering point of view. Best
results are got by using the same mesh size for the target (constraint block here) and contact (base
plate here) surfaces. However, when using solid elements for modeling the constraint block, a mesh too
refined may lead to higher computational time as the solid elements have 6 to 8 nodes. So a good
compromise may be using a mesh for the constraint block having a typical size 3 times that of the base
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plate (10mm -> 30mm). In modeling flanged beam to column connections this problem just does not
exist, as no solid elements are used.
At the current stage of development, contact non linearity is only used for bolt layouts using a bearing
surface, and then only for analysis run by the command Checks-Prepare and analyze FEM model 694 ,
i.e. not for the analysis of single components. This is because the finite element model of a single
component does not include bolt layouts inside, but only the forces exchanged computed via the linear
strain field assumption.
Use of more non linearities all together

The user may switch on more than one non linearity flag at a time. This choice will lead to more realistic
analysis, but of course it will also lead to increased computational times.
If there is no spreading of plasticity among the components, but just very local stress peaks, then
material non linearity flag, surely useful, may be switched off with probably no great loss of accuracy.
If the buckling analysis via eigenvalue solving has shown that the critical multipliers are high, then
probably a geometrically non linear analysis will not be necessary.
If the geometry is regular the simplified assumptions usually adopted for the bolt layout in bending (see
e.g. SCI Green Books), are accurate enough so that no contact non linearity is needed.
The non linear approach should be used when dealing with increasingly complex or non standard joint
configurations, or when a fully refined approach is advisable, for instance in order to address the
reliability of components already designed and in place. While CSE is able to automatically prepare and
run complex models, it is up to the user decide which level of accuracy-vs-computational time is best fit
for the problem at hand. The use of a reduced number of particularly meaningful load combinations is a
possible strategy to exploit the benefits of a non linear analysis while not exceeding with computational
time.
Evalutation of joint stiffness
How to...
357
Sometimes it is needed to evaluate properly joint stiffness. In CSE this can be done by setting up a
proper finite element model, and by considering the load-displacement curve of the (dummy) point of
application of the forces to the unconnected member end. If the member is loaded with simple internal
forces, like axial force, bending, or torsion, then the load-displacement curve of the node at the un
connected extremity of the member considered, may be used in order to get a "stiffness", that is an
evaluation or the forces necessary to apply unit displacements. As the curves got by CSE plot the load
parameter
(ranging from 0 to 1) versus the displacement (or the displacement versus the load
parameter ), the curve must be modified multiplying the load parameter

moment) applied.
times the total force (or
358
For instance in the example of the base joint in figure, as the load displacement curve is purely
linear, one can set:
d= 617.5 mm
u=2.60mm
= atan(2.60/617.5)=atan(4.21 x 10-3)= 4.21 x 10-3
M= 5.0 107Nmm
K = [5.0 x 107 / 4.21 x 10-3]=1.19 x 1010 Nmm/rad
Had the curve been non linear, similar reasoning would have led to a secant or tangent stiffness to be
used as reference value.
The load-displacement curves may be got by Sargon Reader by using the command Post-Curve, and
reading the file .pmc related to the fem model at hand.
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3.38
359
Understand the safety factors used by SNiP Code

How to understand the safety factors used by SNiP code, as implemented
in CSE
SNiP code (SNiP II-23-81) uses a number of different safety factors that will be here commented.
This safety factor is used to transform nominal resistances Ryn and Run into effective resistances.
Usually the value is 1.025 but for some material it is 1.05 or 1.1. It is up to the user to correctly set the
appropriate
value for the connection at hand, keeping into account the material used. The default
value is 1.025. To get the appropriate value please refer to Table 2.

If the materials S235_SNIP, S245_SNIP etc. as defined in the general archive of the program have
been assigned, then CSE will be able to reduce the nominal values of the resistance stresses
considering the thickness of the plates: these reduced values will then possibly further divided by the
safety factor
m.
To recognize a material as "SNIP", and apply the proper reduction due to thickness, a double check is
done about the yield stress and the ultimate stress defined in Table 51, lower thickness class. For
example, if a material has a Ryn= 255 MPa and a Run = 380 MPa, then it is considered S255_SNIP. The
values normally used are those of "structural shape" with the exception of materials S390, S440 and
S590 for which the "sheet, wide-band universal" column has been used. Browsing the CSE material
archive, the *_SNIP" materials are those taken from Table 51.
The normal value for this safety factor is 1.3. This is used when ultimate stress and rupture conditions
are checked. It is up to the user to properly fix this safety factor value.
This safety factor is used for slip-resistant bolted connections. The safety factor default value is 1.12.
The proper value must be assigned to the Renode by considering the Table 36 in SNiP code.
360
wz
This safety factor is used to check fillet welds and depends on climatic conditions. The default value set
is 1.0. It is up to the user to correctly set the proper value depending on the climatic conditions and
allowable steel strength (see clause 11.2).
This safety factor is used for all checks and is defined in Table 6 of the norm. It directly multiplies
resistance, then a value greater than 1 means that the resistance is increased. It is up to the user to
properly set this value depending on the operating conditions.
This safety factor is used for bolt layouts and for bolt-bearing checks. It directly multiplies the shear and
bearing force (not the tensile force) related to a bolt shaft. Its values are defined in table 35 and are
comprised between 0.75 and 1. In CSE the values of gb are automatically set according to this rule:
- if the bolt is a "precision" bolt, then
b=
- if the bolt is not a "precision" one then
1.
b
= 0.9.
More generally in CSE if precision flag for bolt is set, then it will be assumed that the precision class
according to SNiP is "A". If the flag is not set, then it will be assumed a precision class according to
SNiP equal to "B" or "C". Setting of bolt precision class is done in the bolt definition dialog 605 .
The safety factor
is also used in slip resistant bolt layouts (formula 131, par. 11.13). In this case the
value of the safety factor depends on the number of bolts n in the slip-resistant bolt layout, according to
this table:
n<5
n < 10
n > 10
=0.8
=0.9
=1.0
How to...
3.39
361
Set the member forces

How to set the member forces
From version 5.90 to set the member end forces to be used to check connections, and their
points of application, two equivalent methods can be used. Both methods use the same dialog 689
, which is dedicated to this task. In versions < 5.90 only the first method was available, and the
dedicated dialog did not exist (this may be useful to understand the lessons recorded before
version 5.90 was released).
The first one is to access the dedicated dialog 689 from inside the dialog used to set checking
options 672 (command Checks-Set 671 ).
The second one is to execute a specific command dedicated to this task, i.e. Checks-Internal
Actions 688 . This command directly calls the dedicated dialog 689 .
The two methods have exactly the same effect. What is relevant is the latest operation executed
before running the checks.
3.40
Browse available PRenodes (parametrized connections) archive

How to browse available PRenodes (parametrized connections) archive
LIGHT Versions of FULL version in LIGHT mode

The command to be used 754 is in the menu "Nodes" and is also available in the last button of the
main (horizontal) bar. By using this command a list of images referring to the available
parametrized connections can be got.
FULL Version in FULL mode
The command to be used 731 is in the menu PRenodes, and is also used to manage the archive.
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3.41
Manage the Universal Renode Database

How to Manage the Universal Renode Database
The Universal Renode Database, also called shortly Nodery, is a collection of ready-to-use
Renodes, prepared by the CSE customers all around the world. In order to do that, once a
Renode has been finished (i.e. checked in all its parts, setting all the proper checking modes for
each component) it can be added to a local copy of the Nodery, and later sent to CSE
developers. If a Renode 811 is saved into a Database is called "DBRenode 784 ". This new term is
mainly introduced to distinguish the empty Renode 811 at hand, by the (DB)Renodes stored in the
archive.
The Universal Renode Database is contained in the file "dbnodes.bin" placed in the CSE
installation folder. New versions of CSE might contain new versions of this file, which will be
overwritten. So if a specific version of the file is needed, it must be saved with another name,
or placed in a different folder, in order to avoid overwriting when an upgraded CSE version is
installed.
The user might add new (DB)Renodes to the local copy of the archive(file "dbnodes.bin" in
user's hard disk) just by executing a dedicated command 755 . However, only the (DB)Renodes
that have been explicitly added to the "User Database", which is a different database, will
possibly be added to the ones available to all users. The "User database" is contanined in the
file "SN.dbnodes.bin", where "SN" stands for "serial number", a 6 digits number.
Summing up:
1. To add a finished Renode to the local copy of the Universal Renode Database, use the
command Add Renode 755 . This will let you re-use the Renode. Only you will use that (DB)
Renode. Do not add the Renode to the User Renode Database, when asked.
2. To add the Renode to the Universal Renode Database available to all:
a. Add the Renode to the local copy of the Nodery, by executing step 1.
b. Also add the Renode, when asked in step 1, to the User Renode Database, i.e. the file
"SN.dbnodes.bin".
c. When a given number of new Renodes have been collected, send the User Renode
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363
Database, i.e. the file "SN.dbnodes.bin", to Castalia srl by using the command Send User
Renode Database by Email 757 .
Castalia srl will collect all the "SN.dbnodes.bin" files sent by the users, all around the world,
and add to a new version of the Universal Renode Database the (DB)Renodes got from the
users. Successive versions of CSE will gradually increase the available number of existing
(DB)Renodes. In version 6.00 the Universal Renode Database is empty.
The increase of the database depends on the User's partecipation to this effort. So when you
have finished your nodes, if you are satisfied, add them to the Nodery!
Presently only CSE-FULL users can send and apply (DB)Renodes.
The application of a (DB)Renode to an empty Renode is done by a specific command 757 . Once
the (DB)Renode is applied to the Renode, this latter, not empty anymore but complete, can be
directly used as-it-is, or furtherly modified as wished
All the commands referring to the Nodery are placed in the Nodery Menu.
(DB)Renodes 784 must not be confused with PRenodes 809 .
A (DB)Renode is NOT parametric. It is a specific Renode, with all the details fixed. Cross
sections and sizes of cleats, number of bolts & welds, are what they are.
A PRenode is a parametric Renode. It can adapt to several possible configurations, as the sizes
of the components depend on the sizes of the members which can be different.
Part
IV
Commands
Commands
4.1
File
4.1.1
New
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FILE-NEW
This command is used to start a new structure.
4.1.2
Open
FILE-OPEN
This enables the user to open a file which has been saved on the hard disk, on an external
disk or on CD-ROM (over a network, if present, or otherwise).
4.1.3
Close
FILE-CLOSE
Closes the active window. If the model which is being closed has been modified but not
saved, the user is prompted to save the changes.
4.1.4
Save
FILE-SAVE
Allows work to be saved to disk.
4.1.5
Save as
FILE-SAVE AS
This command allows the structure in question to be saved with a different name from that
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currently in use. The original model will not be altered.

Additionally, if there is a Sargon model with the same name as the original structure (or
a sap 2000 model has been imported), a copy will also be made of this with all its associated
files (i.e. the results, outputs, etc.). Thus the combinations and internal actions of the original
FEM model will also be available to CSEs copy of the model, without the need to copy and
analyse the Sargon model all over again.
4.1.6
Save configuration
FILE-SAVE CONFIGURATION
This command saves the current settings so that they can be used again in a subsequent
work session. The settings are saved in the cse.sts file in the installation folder. To change
the settings, simply replace the file. In order, for example, to retain two different configurations,
this can be done by saving the settings in two different files with different names, then copying
across the file for use with the name cse.sts. The settings can of course be modified at any
time using the relevant commands. If, however, updates to the settings are not saved using this
command then they will be lost, and the next time CSE is used, the settings applied will be
those held in the existing cse.sts file.
4.1.7
Print
FILE-PRINT
This command prints the contents of the screen. The actual printout includes additional
information such as the date and time, the copyright notice, keys to symbols/abbreviations, the
user name, etc.
4.1.8
Print previews
FILE-PRINT PREVIEW
This command provides a preview of how the printout would appear.
Commands
4.1.9
367
Print setup
FILE-PRINT SETUP
This enables the user to set the printing options.
4.1.10 Title
FILE-PRINTOUT TITLE
This command enables the user to select a title for the print outputs. To change the title,
simply use this command again. To remove the title, enter a blank string.
4.1.11 Report
FILE-REPORT
This command is used to print a report in ODT or ePUB format. For detailed information about
this tool, see How to manage the report 281 .
The command is active if a renode is active, and if checks have been run yet. Once the
command is executed, a dialog 367 opens, asking for some settings to be used in report generation
phase.
4.1.11.1 Report Settings (dialog)
REPORT FILE SETTINGS (DIALOG)
368
The dialog is used to set some data used during the report creation phase.
Language: current version enables English or Italian.
Extended, Reduced or One Page: the extended report has also the analytic results (every combination 778 and
every instance 788 ); the reduced report does not contain the analytic results, the one page report has only the
envelope results and no info about the Renode.
Type: the type of the file that will be created is chosen. It can be ODT (Open Office) or ePUB.
Height of images in pixel: these fields are used to modify the dimensions of the images embedded into the
report.
Analytic Tables: in this section, if the report is extended, one can decide which analytic tables should be added
to the report (tick applied), and which should not (tick removed). All and None are used to select or unselect
all the check boxes.
Images format: this is used to set the file format of the images embedded into the report file.
ODT Report File Open: here it can be decided whether to open the ODT file once it has been completed. The
file can be open by two different possible applications: Microsoft Word or Open Office write.
Additional comments: this button opens a proper dialog which is used to specify some text to be added to the
general description of the node (string 1) or to the envelope of results (string 2). Using these two strings the
user can customize the report content.
Commands
369
4.1.11.2 Comments to be added to report file (dialog)
COMMENTS TO BE ADDED TO REPORT FILE (DIALOG)
The dialog is used to input two different strings, that will be added to the report as "comment on the node" and
as "comment on results".
4.1.12 Create file avi...

FILE-CREATE FILE AVI
This command is used to create a video in .avi file format of the current view (renode 823
, but also FEM 820 and jnodes 822 view). Videos are collections of fixed images (frames)
properly created and placed by CSE according to user's settings, defined in the related dialog
box 371 .
It is possible to create 3 different kind of movies:
1. Bird view along parallel: starting from current view, a 360 rotation around the model is
done, along a horizontal plane. If a post-process command is active (for example, the
utilisation envelope) related results will be shown too.
2. Bird view along meridian: similar to the previous one, but rotation is along a vertical
370
plane.
3. Current displaced (available in renode view only, if a a deformed view 719 is displayed):
starting from the undeformed view, final deformed view in current check combination is
reached.
3 available modes
Next images show two examples of frames series: a bird view along parallel and a
deformed view.
Example: bird view along parallel
Example: current displaced

The AVI file created by the program, for compatibily, does not have CODEC. This may cause
a greater file size; if the user wants to reduce it, it is possible to edit the file with one of the
available conversion programs (online there is also free or cheap software for video
management).
Commands
For details about video settings and parameters, see dialog box 371 description.
Tipo: modal
Destination: model folder
4.1.12.1 Creation of an AVI file
CREATION OF AN AVI FILE (DIALOG BOX)
AVI movie file settings are defined in this dialog box.

First of all, the desired kind 369 of movie must be defined:
1. Bird view along parallel
2. Bird view along meridian
3. Current displaced
A title and an explanation can be defined.
The name of the video must be defined; full video name will be:
[model name] + [video name] .avi
Movie file will be created in the same folder of CSE model.
371
372
Use Font button to open the dialog box where the font used in the video can be set (title,
explanation).
The following parameters are needed:
Number of samples: is the number of frames in wich a complete rotation is divided into, or
the number of steps from undeformed to final deformed view. If this number is high, movie
will be more "fluid", and its file size will increase.
X direction pixels: movie sizes (height and depth) can be different from those of current
window (graphic view 821 only). As from screen button sets movie sizes equal to current
graphic view size. If the number of pixels is different, movie will be resized. Y direction
pixels are automatically computed to keep current graphic view aspect ratio. If pixels
number increases, file size increases too.
Duration (seconds): it defines movie length. Remeber that each sample cannot be longer than
1 second, in order to avoid too slow movies: so movie length, in seconds, cannot be more
than samples number (for example: 20 samples -> maximum 20 seconds). To avoid a sensible
stop-motion effect, define a proper combination of samples number and movie duration. Note
well: actual movie length can be slightly different from the required one, since samples
duration is rounded up.
Note well: when the movie is created, an automatic zoom is applied in order to include 401 the
whole joint (or the whole structure). There is an exception to this: if the video is in "current
displaced" mode and X direction pixel are exactly those of current view, current zoom is kept.
In this way it is possible to display details of the deformed view.
4.1.13 Photograph
FILE-PHOTOGRAPH
This command copies the content of the active view to the clipboard. The image thus
stored can then be pasted into any application which handles bitmaps (Word, Write, Excel,
Paint, etc.).
Commands
373
4.1.14 Calculator
FILE-CALCULATOR
This launches the Windows calculator.
4.1.15 Samba...
FILE-SAMBA
This command runs the external program SAMBA (Shape And Material Brisk Archive) so that it directly opens
the file CSE.SMA, embedding the cross-section and material archive of CSE.
SAMBA.EXE is placed in the CSE installation folder. By using SAMBA you can add new cross-sections and
new materials to the archive "cse.sma". These new cross-sections and materials will be later among all the
others in CSE.
For the guide about this program, please refer to SAMBA documentation.
4.1.16 Import FEM model

FILE-IMPORT FEM MODEL
This command imports a FEM model which has already been prepared using other FEM
software. CSEs native format is that of the Sargon program (further information on Sargon
may be found on the following website: http://www.steelchecks.com/pro/sr/home.asp).
The import process brings in not only the information on the geometry, the properties of
the sections and materials, the offsets, the end releases and constraints, but also that concerning
displacements, internal actions and constraint reactions in all checking combinations obtained
in the finite element model through static and/or dynamic analyses.
Currently interfaced FEM programs are Sargon 91 , SAP2000 92 , STRAP 101 , STAAD
PRO 108 , MIDAS 135 and RISA3D 129 . In addition, it is possible to import models from programs
which support the open sr3 125 format and open sr4 125 format (the latter is ASCII).
374
4.1.17 Update FEM model

FILE-UPDATE FEM MODEL
This command updates the CSE model after the original imported 373 FEM model has been
updated (for changes to the loads, combinations, analysis settings, or a change to the mesh
itself).
Some alterations can cause some information to be lost (e.g. if some of the work carried
out on a renode is no longer compatible with the nodes new configuration); nevertheless,
everything that can be retained will be retained in the model.
Users should not often find themselves needing to update a model which contains
RENODES which have already been built up. Although with certain operations (e.g. changing
combinations or loads, or changing a material) the work done to set up the RENODES is not
going to be lost, clearly there are other modifications which cannot but necessitate changes to
the members, the recognition of the JNODES and, therefore, the loss of information for some
RENODES (e.g. the addition or removal of elements, node shifts, etc.). CSE attempts to
preserve as much as it can, by reidentifying any RENODES which have been reclassified and
saving as much of the previous work as is possible.
4.1.18 Exit
FILE-EXIT
Use this command to exit from CSE. The system will prompt the user to save any models
with unsaved changes.
4.2
Modify
4.2.1
Undo
MODIFY-UNDO
This undoes the last command. Up to 10 consecutive commands can be undone.
Commands
375
During the recording 726 of a PRenode 809 , Undo command is not available (see How to
manage parametric renodes 288 ).
Type: immediate
4.2.2
Redo
MODIFY-REDO
This re-executes the previous command after an undo.
Type: immediate
4.2.3
Units
MODIFY-UNITS
This command enables the currently active units of measurement to be changed, via a
dedicated dialog box 375 .
During the recording of a PRenode 809 it is not possible to change the units: they must be
(N, mm).
Type: modal
4.2.3.1
Units - Length (dialog)
MEASUREMENT UNITS - LENGTH (DIALOG BOX)
376
This dialog box is used to select the current units of measurement for lengths.
If needed, it is is also possible to change the print format 380 .
4.2.3.2
Units - Force (dialog)
MEASUREMENT UNITS - FORCE (DIALOG BOX)
Commands
377
This dialog box is used to select the current units of measurement for forces.
4.2.3.3
Units - Moment (dialog)
MEASUREMENT UNITS - MOMENTS (DIALOG BOX)
This dialog box is used to select the current units of measurement for moments. They can
be fixed (Nmm, kNm, kips-in, etc.) or they can be automatically derived from current length 375
and force 376 units.
4.2.3.4
Units - Stress (dialog)
MEASUREMENT UNITS - STRESS (DIALOG BOX)
378
This dialog box is used to select the current units of measurement for stresses. They can
be fixed (MPa, kg/cm2, psi, etc.) or they can be automatically derived from current length 375 and
force 376 units.
4.2.3.5
Units - Time (dialog)
MEASUREMENT UNITS - TIME (DIALOG BOX)
Commands
This dialog box is used to select the current units of measurement for time.
4.2.3.6
Units - Temperature (dialog)
MEASUREMENT UNITS - TEMPERATURE (DIALOG BOX)
This dialog box is used to select the current units of measurement for temperature.
379
380
4.2.3.7
Units - Format (dialog)
MEASUREMENT UNITS - FORMAT (DIALOG BOX)
This dialog box is used to select the print format to be used for length 375 , forces 376 ,
moments 377 and stresses 377 .
4.2.4
Settings
MODIFY-SETTINGS
This command is used to define some underlying settings 380 for renode mode.
Type: modal
4.2.4.1
Settings (dialog)
SETTINGS (DIALOG BOX)
Commands
381
For renode mode, this allows:

the choice of the "user name" to be printed in the report 281
the length of the member stumps to be determined (before the search for jnodes)
sounds to be activated or deactivated (tick box)
the boltability criteria for the four-sided faces to be established: a face is not boltable if at
least two of its sides are shorter than the value set (in the current units of measurement)
the maximum number of components of a chain 776 , so that if a higher number is found the
chain will be discarded
CSEs interface language to be set; to activate the selection made, the configuration must be
saved 366 , by shutting down and restarting the program. You may also choose if the program
will start asking the language to be used for the interface, bypassing the choice set in the
configuration file.
the path and name of the finite element program for use in creating and automatically
analysing the FEM models of the components to be set (via the exe box), if a program
other than Clever (which comes bundled with CSE) or Sap2000 is to be used. Enter, for
example, C:\PROGRAMS\PROGRAM_FOLDER\programname.exe; the program specified
must support .sr3 format.
382
Please note that activating sounds has disadvantages as well as advantages. A metallic sound,
like a crash impact, is emitted after an operation which causes an overlap, while a metallic
click sound can be heard after an operation which has not caused objects to overlap. As a
sound provides an immediate signal of whether or not a given operation has caused overlaps,
the program must, of course, carry out an overlap check 669 immediately after the operation,
which takes up a certain amount of time. The advantages are therefore:
immediate feedback on whether an operation has caused overlaps or not;
a more interactive interface for the program;
Whilst the disadvantages are:
slower execution time for the operations;
the potential for nuisance if the metallic crash sounds occur too frequently or at too loud a
volume.
4.2.5
Select
4.2.5.1
0D
MODIFY-SELECT-0D
This command enables the selection of nodes (in FEM mode) and jnodes (in jnodes mode).
Type: flag
4.2.5.2
1D
MODIFY-SELECT-1D ENTITIES
This command enables the selection of finite elements (in FEM mode) and members (in
jnodes mode).
Commands
383
Type: flag
4.2.5.3
All
MODIFY-SELECT-ALL
This command selects all objects at a stroke. In FEM and jnodes modes, only objects of
the type enabled for selection are selected (nodes/jnodes 382 or elements/members 382 ).
Type: immediate
4.2.5.4
None
MODIFY-SELECT-NONE
This command immediately unselects all objects. In FEM and jnodes modes, only
objects of the type enabled for selection are unselected (nodes/jnodes 382 or elements/members
382
).
Type: immediate
4.2.5.5
Click
MODIFY-SELECT-CLICK
This command enables the desired objects to be selected (or unselected, if they have
already been selected), by clicking on them with the mouse. Once the command has been
started, the system waits for the user to select all those objects in which they are interested until
they have finished (this is a non-modal phase). To finish, the command is terminated by rightclicking with the mouse. When in the process of using this command, the user can also run
384
another command (e.g. to change the objects for selection, or to zoom in/out), if they wish.
Type: non modal
NB: when the graphical view 821 is in Renode display view 823 mode, it is also possible to select
and unselect 3D objects by double-clicking on the name of the components in the Renode pane
803
4.2.5.6
Box
MODIFY-SELECT-BOX
With this command, the user can select all objects lying within a rectangle of their
choice (or unselect them, if they have already been selected). Once the command has been
started, the program then waits for the user to define the selection rectangle by specifying its
two opposite corners with a mouse click on the position of each. The command is terminated by
right-clicking with the mouse.
Type: non modal
4.2.5.7
Poly
MODIFY-SELECT-POLY[GON]
This command enables the user to select all objects lying within a polygon of their choice
(or unselect them, if already selected). Once the command has been selected, the program then
waits for the user to define the selection polygon, by specifying each of its points with a mouse
click and then double-clicking to finish. The command can be aborted by right-clicking with the
mouse.
Commands
385
Type: non modal
4.3
Display
4.3.1
Customize interface
DISPLAY-CUSTOMIZE INTERFACE
This is used to customize interface components like menus, tool bars, and also to add new
ones.
Type: modal
4.3.2
Status bar
DISPLAY-STATUS BAR
This command shows or hides the status bar.
Type: immediate
4.3.3
Application look
4.3.3.1
Win 2000
DISPLAY-APPLICATION LOOK - Win 2000
This command is used to modify application look, according to the style defined by the name of the command
itself. The change is immediate and is preserved for subsequent working sessions (data are stored in the
registry key HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Castalia\CSE).
4.3.3.2
Office XP
DISPLAY-APPLICATION LOOK - Office XP

386
4.3.3.3
Windows XP
DISPLAY-APPLICATION LOOK - Windows XP

4.3.3.4
Office 2003
DISPLAY-APPLICATION LOOK - Office 2003

4.3.3.5
Visual Studio 2005
DISPLAY-APPLICATION LOOK - Visual Studio 2003

4.3.3.6
Visual Studio 2008
DISPLAY-APPLICATION LOOK - Visual Studio 2008

4.3.3.7
Office 2007
4.3.3.7.1 Blue style
DISPLAY-APPLICATION LOOK - OFFICE 2007 - Blue style

Commands
387
4.3.3.7.2 Black style
DISPLAY-APPLICATION LOOK - OFFICE 2007 - Black Style

4.3.3.7.3 Silver style
DISPLAY-APPLICATION LOOK - OFFICE 2007 - Silver Style

4.3.3.7.4 Aqua style
DISPLAY-APPLICATION LOOK - OFFICE 2007 - Aqua Style

4.3.3.8
Windows 7
DISPLAY-APPLICATION LOOK - Windows 2007

4.3.4
Reference axes
DISPLAY-REFERENCE AXES
388
This command is for setting the options for displaying the reference axes, using the
Type: modal
4.3.4.1
Reference axes (dialog)
REFERENCE AXES (DIALOG BOX)
The reference axes can be hidden, displayed in their standard positions or at the origin.
They can also be altered in size.
In the standard display, the global axes are displayed at the top right in the graphical view, with
the current axes at the top left.
4.3.5
Fem
DISPLAY-FEM
This command displays the FEM model in the graphical view 821 . This is the view in
which nodes and finite elements are selected.
Type: immediate
Commands
4.3.6
389
JNodes
DISPLAY-JNODES
This command displays the members and jnodes 790 model in the graphical view 821 . If the
automatic jnode search has not yet been carried out, only the members are displayed; if the
members have not been identified either, the display will be blank.
This is the view in which members and jnodes are selected. In particular, this is where
the jnode is selected for transformation into a renode via the addition of the components and
processing operations.
Type: immediate
4.3.7
Renode
DISPLAY-RENODE
When there is currently only a single jnode 790 selected, this command enables the
corresponding renode 811 to be displayed in the graphical view 821 .
Type: immediate
4.3.8
Solid
DISPLAY-SOLID [VIEW]
This command displays the solid model of the entire structure, or part of it, in the graphical
view 821 in solid view 824 mode, showing all the members and work processes carried out on the
renodes 811 being investigated.
The structure is not always present in this view: to see it, use the Regenerate 724 command in the
"3D Model" menu. This view can thus be removed when not required, using the Clear 726
390
command, to avoid unnecessarily complicating the model with irrelevant information, thus
speeding up the various processes in CSE.
If the corresponding view is blank when the Display-Solid View command is used, the system
will automatically regenerate the view and bring up the dialog box 724 used to define the settings.
Type: immediate if the view is not blank, otherwise the dialog box mentioned above appears
4.3.9
Orientation
DISPLAY-ORIENTATION
This command allows the user to manage the display of the orientation of the 1D elements
(finite elements in FEM mode and members in jnodes mode), using the dedicated dialog box 390
to choose the desired settings. If in Renode view, the local coordinates of the components 780
forming part of the scene 813 will be shown.
Type: modal
4.3.9.1
Orientation (dialog)
ORIENTATION (DIALOG BOX)
The orientation can be shown for all objects or only for those which have been selected;
alternatively no orientation can be shown. The user can choose whether to display:
Commands
391
only local axis 2

all the local axes (1, 2, 3) of the local system
the shape of the cross-section
shape + local axes
none of the previous ones
The display options are all available in all modes except those including the shape
which are not present in renode mode, as the shape of the section can already be deduced from
the three-dimension member.
4.3.10 Modes
DISPLAY-MODES
This command enables the FEM elements and 3D components of the renode and solid
view to be represented according to a range of criteria, using a dedicated dialog box 391
Type: modal
4.3.10.1 Display modes (dialog)
MODES (DIALOG BOX)
392
The user can choose to have the finite elements displayed in the same colour (according
to whether they are of the same section, the same material, the same type or the same group), or
with a graduated colour (depending on their maximum slenderness or their slenderness relative
to axis 2 or 3).
3D objects in renode and solid mode can be displayed not only with black edges and white
faces but also using different colours depending on their type and number.
In all these modes a single colour can be set for all objects or elements.
The settings can be saved using the Save Configuration 366 command.
4.3.11 Sizes
DISPLAY-SIZES
This command allows the user to change the sizes of the symbols used by the program to
represent various entities. According to personal taste, and depending on the capabilities of the
graphics card and monitor available, the preferred user settings can be chosen and saved
permanently, using the Save configuration 366 command.
When the command is selected, a dedicated dialog box 392 appears for the user to choose the
sizes they prefer.
These size settings can be chosen in order to optimise behaviour either on the screen or
on the printout.
Type: modal
4.3.11.1 Object size (dialog)
OBJECT SIZES (DIALOG BOX)
Commands
393
This dialog box enables the user to set the symbol sizes. It can be advisable to experiment
a little in order to find the best settings for your screen, and then save these settings using the
Save Configuration 366 command.
In version 3.0, the sizes which can be changed are as follows:
the length of the side of the jnode symbol
the constraint symbol size
the end release symbol size
the length of the side of the node symbol (FEM)
the size of the forces symbol
the line thickness for beams and members
the thickness for trusses
the size of the local orientation axes
the size of the circle which can be moved with the mouse when selecting points or nodes
the thickness of the moveable lines
the size of the internal forces and couples vectors
4.3.12 Objects
DISPLAY-OBJECTS
This command allows the user to control the display of objects 394 , numberings 395 and
labels 395 .
394
Type: modal
4.3.12.1 Objects (Property page)
OBJECTS (PROPERTY PAGE)

In FEM mode, the symbols for the nodes, end releases and constraints can be shown or
hidden.
In renode mode, the names of the members, welds, bolt layouts and force transmitters can be
shown or hidden.
In renode view, the ability to see the names of the objects makes it easier to identify them and
enhances the readability of the listing.
If "Only selected jnodes" is ticked, in jnode view only currently selected jnodes will be
displayed; a modification of selection will change the view in real time.
Commands
395
4.3.12.2 Numberings (Property page)
NUMBERINGS (PROPERTY PAGE)

This enables the numberings of the following objects to be shown or hidden:
- nodes, beams and trusses (in FEM mode)
- members (in jnodes mode)
- bolts and welds (in renode mode)
The numbering of the individual bolts or welds is useful in order to be able to identify which
precise sub-component the listing results are referring to.
4.3.12.3 Labels (Property page)
LABELS (PROPERTY PAGE)

This enables the labels for sections and materials in FEM and jnodes modes to be
displayed or hidden.
396
4.3.13 Colours
DISPLAY-COLOURS
This command allows the user to change the colours used by the program when
representing various entities. When the command is invoked, a dedicated dialog box 396 is
displayed for the user to select the desired options.
These settings can be chosen in order either to optimise behaviour on the screen or on the
printout.
Type: modal
4.3.13.1 Object colour (dialog)
OBJECT COLOURS (DIALOG BOX)
Commands
397
This dialog box is used to determine the object or collection of objects whose colour is to
be changed. The object is selected from the list on the left. Once selected, its colour can be
chosen from the table on the right.
4.3.14 Font
DISPLAY-FONT
This command allows the user to change the font size, colour and type used by the
program in printing text and numbers. According to personal taste, and depending on the
capabilities of the graphics card and monitor available, the preferred user settings can be
chosen and saved permanently, using the Save Configuration 366 command.
These settings can be devised in order to optimise behaviour either on the screen or on
the printout.
Type: modal
4.3.15 Scene points

DISPLAY-SCENE POINTS
This command, which is available when renode view is active, enables the significant points
desired in the scene to be created and potentially displayed, in order to facilitate the insertion
of components, the interrogation of the distances between points, the determination of copy or
translation vectors, etc.
398
When the command is invoked, a dedicated dialog box 398 is displayed, in which the
settings for creating and displaying the significant points can be defined.
If a frustum removal is carried out when significant points have been set up with the
Show points command, these points are momentarily overwritten by the significant points
requested for this work process, and will be newly created and displayed if required once the
work has been completed.
When objects are extracted, of the significant points selected only those belonging to the
currently extracted components are created and displayed.
Type: modal
4.3.15.1 Scene points display mode and creation rules (dialog)
SCENE POINTS (DIALOG BOX)
This dialog box is used to define which significant points must be created in the scene,
and whether these points must be displayed or not.
If the tick box on the left is ticked, the points created will also be displayed, using the size
defined in the relevant field.
Commands
399
On the right-hand side of the box, the significant points to be created are selected. The available
points are:
- the mid-points of the sides of the faces of all the components present
- the points at one-third distances along the sides
- the points at one-quarter distances along the sides
- the centres of all the faces
- the point corresponding to FEM node
- equidistant points on all sides starting from the vertices at the step distance specified
in the box provided (Delta S), in the current units of measurement; if this value is zero
then equidistant points will not be created; to reset the value to 0, simply click the
button next to the field.
All the significant points can be created at the same time, although for an optimum use of
this command it is advisable only to use those which are actually necessary on each occasion.
The various different types of points are displayed in different colours, which are
customisable via the display colours command. All vertices are always displayed, in
addition to the selected points.
4.3.16 Net sections

DISPLAY-NET SECTIONS
This command is used to display components net sections in the scene 813 . If there are a lot
of net sections on different components, it is possible to extract 408 only needed component (or
components) to get the best view. In the right window of the following image, net sections on a
HEB column are shown. On the left, the whole renode is displayed. Net sections are numbered;
holes are shown.
400
If there are a lot of net sections, their display can slown down the graphical view
(during zooms, shifts, etc.). Net sections are created only when they are displayed. Use the
command again to hide the net sections.
Use the command Enquire - Net sections 426 to get detailed information about crosssectional properties of the sections found by CSE.
See also these topics:
4.4
Draw
4.4.1
Redraw
DRAW-REDRAW
This command refreshes the screen straight away. It can be useful when, during non modal
commands 58 , two or no luminous circles are visible instead of one. It can also be useful
sometimes when rotating the view in renode mode to refresh the view of the renode, in order to
update the hidden surfaces.
Commands
401
Type: immediate
4.4.2
Enclose
DRAW-ENCLOSE
With this particularly useful command, the entire structure can be included, to help
optimise the way it is displayed on the screen.
Type: immediate
4.4.3
Pan
DRAW-PAN
This command is used to shift the frame view by a vector specified by the user. When the
command is invoked, the user is prompted to specify two points within the active window.
These points can be selected using the mouse or keyboard. Once the second point has been
selected, the view is translated by the vector specified. The command then waits in case the
user wishes to enter the first point of a new vector.
This function is cyclic in nature, in the sense that the system remains ready to accept
another vector entry until the user explicitly interrupts the command with a right mouse click or
by pressing the ESC key, thus enabling a series of adjustments to be made.
Type: non modal
4.4.4
Pan Up
DRAW-PAN UP
This command is used to shift the frame of view upwards.
402
Type: immediate
4.4.5
Pan Down
DRAW-PAN DOWN
This command is used to shift the frame of view downwards.
Type: immediate
4.4.6
Pan Right
DRAW-PAN RIGHT
This command is used to shift the frame of view to the right.
Type: immediate
4.4.7
Pan Left
DRAW-PAN LEFT
This command is used to shift the frame of view to the left.
Type: immediate
4.4.8
Zoom In
DRAW-ZOOM IN
Commands
403
This command provides an enlarged view of part of the screen. After selecting the
command, the user clicks the left mouse button twice to define the opposite corners of the
rectangular region to be enlarged to the full size of the screen.
The command is terminated by right-clicking with the mouse.
Type: non modal
4.4.9
Zoom In Click
DRAW-ZOOM IN CLICK
This command provides an enlarged view of part of the screen. After selecting the
command, the user clicks the left mouse button twice to define the opposite corners of the
rectangular region to be enlarged to the full size of the screen.
Type: immediate
4.4.10 Zoom Out

DRAW-ZOOM OUT
This command makes the structure drawing smaller. After invoking the command, the user
defines the opposite corners of the rectangular region into which the current window will be
shrunk, with a click of the left mouse button to mark each corner.
The command is terminated by right-clicking with the mouse.
Type: non modal
4.4.11 Zoom Out Click

DRAW-ZOOM OUT CLICK
This command makes the structure drawing smaller. After invoking the command, the user
404
defines the opposite corners of the rectangular region into which the current window will be
shrunk, with a click of the left mouse button to mark the position of the two opposite corners.
Type: immediate
4.4.12 Last zoom

DRAW-LAST ZOOM
This command restores the previous zoom level.
Type: immediate
4.4.13 Standard views

DRAW-STANDARD VIEW
This command gives access to a dialog box 404 for selecting one of the standard views in
the global reference system (x, y, z, -x, -y, -z and 4 isometric views).
Type: modal
4.4.13.1 Standard views (dialog)
STANDARD VIEW (DIALOG BOX)
Commands
405
This dialog box enables the view to be changed, by selecting one of the ten standard
views in the global or current reference system. Each view is associated with a bitmap button.
After changing the view, the model will be displayed in full.
4.4.14 Current standard view

DRAW-CURRENT STANDARD VIEW
This command gives access to a dialog box 405 for selecting one of the standard views in
the current reference system 528 (x, y, z, -x, -y, -z and 4 isometric views).
Type: modal
4.4.14.1 Current standard views (dialog)
STANDARD VIEW (DIALOG BOX)
406
This dialog box enables the view to be changed, by selecting one of the ten standard
views in the global or current reference system. Each view is associated with a bitmap button.
After changing the view, the model will be displayed in full.
4.4.15 Remap
DRAW-REMAP
This command enables the direction of the view to be changed in the graphical view 821 ,
via the use of a dedicated dialog box 406 .
Type: modal
4.4.15.1 World map (dialog)
WORLD MAP (DIALOG BOX)

The mouse can be used to defined the angular displacement of the new direction of view
relative to the direction of the current view.
The versor of the new view is represented by the radius of the sphere which appears on
the screen: in particular, the current view is always represented by the radius which joins the
centre of the sphere with the lowest point of the largest parallel (the equator) on the screen
(longitude 0); choosing this radius does not alter the drawing in any way. Red indicators mark
Commands
407
the significant angles measured along the meridians and along the parallels. These significant
angles are 0, 30, 45, 60 and 90 degrees.
Left-click to select the new view. The command is terminated by right-clicking with the
mouse.
By pressing any key on the keyboard, instead of the left mouse button, the three
components of the view vector can be entered in numeric mode (having specified the current
values of this view vector), via a dedicated dialog box 407 which appears for the user to enter
the necessary data.
4.4.15.1.1 Change view (dialog)
CHANGE VIEW (DIALOG BOX)
This dialog box enables the user to redefine the view vector by specifying its three
components. The new vector does not need to have norm 1.
408
4.4.16 Rotate anticlockwise

DRAW-ROTATE ANTICLOCKWISE
This command rotates the view vector anticlockwise by 5, on a horizontal plane.
Type: immediate
4.4.17 Rotate clockwise

DRAW-ROTATE CLOCKWISE
This command rotates the view vector clockwise by 5, on a horizontal plane.
Type: immediate
4.4.18 Rotate up
DRAW-ROTATE UP
This command rotates the view vector upwards by 5, on a vertical plane.
Type: immediate
4.4.19 Rotate down

DRAW-ROTATE DOWN
This command rotates the view vector downwards by 5, on a vertical plane.
Type: immediate
4.4.20 Extract
DRAW-EXTRACT
Commands
409
This command enables objects to be extracted to be viewed on their own, via the
When operating in extraction mode, re-invoking the command causes the system to exit from this
mode.
When extracting it is not possible to change mode (e.g. to move from renode mode to FEM
mode, etc.).
Type: immediate
4.4.20.1 Extract (dialog)
EXTRACT (DIALOG BOX)

This enables the extraction of all objects belonging to the selected groups (in the list on
the left in the figure) and/or all objects which had been selected when the command was run.
In the example shown, only the objects belonging to groups 2 and 4 would be extracted.
4.4.21 Alignments
DRAW-ALIGNMENTS
410
This command enables the alignments present in the model to be managed. When run, a
dedicated dialog box 410 appears, allowing alignments to be added, removed or modified.
Type: modal
4.4.21.1 Alignments management (dialog)
ALIGNMENT MANAGEMENT (DIALOG BOX)

With this dialog box, all the necessary selections can be made in order to manage the
collection of alignments present in the model. Alignment means a plane whose equation is
known. The alignments are described by means of names which are organised according to
logical criteria.
The frame on the left of the dialog box lists all alignments present in the model. Each line
represents an alignment, with its name and the equation of the corresponding plane (taking
account of the active units of measurement). Each line can be selected individually and some
buttons on the right-hand side allow selections to be made on the selected locus. The buttons
are as follows:
Add by equation
This enables a new locus to be added by entering its equation. When the button is clicked,
a new dialog box 412 is displayed to enable the new locus to be described. The locus is then
added to those already defined.
Add by selection
This enables many loci to be added to the existing ones by examining the beam and truss
elements selected. If there is one (and only one) group of three unaligned nodes selected, the
plane that they define will also be added by this command. For each pair of connected, nonaligned elements selected, the equation of a plane can be specified. The equation of this plane
is compared with that of the existing planes, and if it does not already exist it is added and the
elements are unselected. If the button is clicked when no alignments are present, as is usually
the case, the alignments are named automatically, otherwise a temporary name (???) is
allocated for the user to modify later.
Commands
411
Automatic name assignment to the loci follows the rules below:
Planes of type x=constant: 1, 2, 3, 4, etc.
Planes of type y=constant: A, B, C, D, etc.
Planes of type z=constant: L1, L2, L3, L4, etc.

This button is very useful for initialising the loci in a model. The command may find
undesired loci (if all elements have been selected, for convenience), or may fail to add desired
loci (if loci exist without pairs of selected elements). In the former case, the unwanted loci can
easily be removed. In the latter, the loci can be added in manually, or, before executing the
command, by adding and selecting some dummy elements for the sole purpose of finding the
loci desired for this command.
Remove
Remove the selected locus.
Remove all
Remove all loci.
Modify
This brings up a dedicated dialog box 412 which enables the user to modify the name or
equation of the locus.
Sort
Sort the loci by equation.
412
4.4.21.1.1 Addition of a fixed alignment (dialog)
ADDITION OR MODIFICATION OF A FIXED ALIGNMENT (DIALOG BOX)

This provides facilities to specify the data identifying a new alignment or to modify an
existing alignment.
The following details are required:
1.
The alignment code. It is advisable to keep the codes short, as they are used by the
automatic system for marking the members. Some potential examples: 1, 7, A, M,

AA, A1, 1A, L1, etc.
2.
The locus equation, in the form ax+by+cz= d, where a, b, c (dimensionless numbers)
and d (a number expressed in the current unit of length) are to be specified.
4.4.22 Drawings...
DRAW-DRAWINGS
This command is used to automatically create the DXF files of the chosen fixed
alignments 766 of the structure. Once the command is executed a proper dialog 412 appears, which
is used to select the alignments and to choose some settings (see also How... create fixed
alignments drawings 328 ). In order to see the command available, Members must already have
been searched for (Search Members 505 ), and some alignment must have already been defined
(via command Alignments 409 ).
The files will not keep into account the work done on Renodes. They merely keep into
account what is described in the original finite element model.
Type: modal
Destination: view
4.4.22.1 Drawings creation (Dialog)
DRAWINGS CREATION (DIALOG)
Commands
413
This dialog is used to decide which drawings will be created and with which settings. On
the left of dialog there is a list of all the previously defined alignments 766 .
The alignments can be added by using the command Draw-Alignments 409 . Each alignment
can be selected or not. If it is selected its drawing will be created by CSE, otherwise not. Each
selected alignment leads to a distinct DXF file, whose name is got by adding to the model name,
the locus (i.e. the alignment) name. For instance, for a model named "mickey", in the "c:
\donald" folder, the alignment-locus "A" will lead to file c:\donald\mickey.CSE.A.dxf. The
buttons All and None are used to select all alignments or to unselect them, with immediate
effect.
On the right there are some check boxes that are used to decide "what" the drawing will
have to embed, and what will not (see also How... create fixed alignments drawings 328 ).
Wireframe members
If the tick is applied lines related to member axes will be added.
Solid projected members
If the tick is applied, lines related to a projected solid view of the members will be applied.
414
Hidden lines are placed in a different layers.

Marks
If the tick is applied member marks will be added.
Cross-section labels
If the tick is applied cross-section labels will be added to each member.
Connection codes (joint markers)
If the tick is applied connection codes (as small circles) will be added to member extremities.
Joint actions
If the tick is applied the numerical values of the envelope internal forces applied at member
extremities, using kN for the forces, and kNm for the moments. This option may be useful if you
wish to inform a third party in order to allow for connection design. The option is available
only if the model has been imported from and external Finite Element program (like Sargon,
Sap2000, STRAP or STAAD PRO).
Alignments
If the tick is applied graphic signs will be added displaying all the alignments which do
intersect the locus (i.e. the alignment) in the drawing.
Cross-section of intersected members
If the tick is applied the cross-sections of the members cut by the plane of the current alignment
will be added to the file. This option is useful to display members not laying over the alignment
and cut by this.
Commands
4.5
Enquire
4.5.1
Geometry
415
ENQUIRE-GEOMETRY
This command enables the distance between two nodes in the 1D modes (FEM and
jnodes) or the distance between two points in renode mode to be determined.
The user clicks on the first point (or node), and the ID number of the point and its
coordinates in the active units of measurement are then shown in the first line of the dialog box
(see figure below). The user then moves the mouse cursor to the second point/node, and its ID
and coordinates are then shown on the second line; at the same time, the third line shows the
total distance between the points together with the distances between them along each of the
three global axes.
If they wish, the user can then click on another point, which becomes the new first point
and its details are shown on the first line; by moving the cursor to a new second point, the new
distances are then displayed, and so on until the command is interrupted (using the right mouse
button or the ESC key).
From version 6.30 onward, the coordinates are referred to the current orientation 528 .
Type: non modal
4.5.2
Find
ENQUIRE-FIND
416
In FEM 820 and Jnode 822 views, this command allows an element to be found via its
number or identifier. The type of element and its ID must be specified in the associated dialog
box 416 .
Type: modal
4.5.2.1
Find (dialog)
FIND (DIALOG BOX)
The type of element to be found must be selected from the entities list:
node, beam or truss in FEM View 820
jnode or member in Jnode view 822
In the box on the right, the user must specify:
the identification number (for nodes, beams, trusses or members)
the mark (for jnodes)
Commands
417
The object found will be displayed with a red dot, and will be selected. In the example shown,
Jnode AA will be found and selected.
When a Jnode is searched for, it is also possible to set the instance of the Jnode to be found.
The node related to the instance of the Jnode will be selected, so, switching to FEM view, the
spatial position of the instance of the Jnode will appear as a node selected.
4.5.3
Nodes
ENQUIRE-NODES
This command provides information on the nodes in the FEM model. When invoked, a
property sheet is shown (comprising the sections Geometry 417 , Constraints 417 , Masses 418 , Others
418
) containing various information about the nearest node to the mouse pointer. Moving the
mouse scrolls through the various nodes. By clicking on one of them, the nodes data is captured
and even if the mouse is moved again the details shown will still be those relative to this node.
Simply click the right mouse button to go back to scrolling through the nodes again.
Type: non modal
4.5.3.1
Geometry (Property page)
GEOMETRY (PROPERTY PAGE)

This property page provides the coordinates and the number of a node. The coordinates
are to be understood in relation to the active units.
4.5.3.2
Constraints (Property page)
CONSTRAINTS (PROPERTY PAGE)

This property page says, for each of the six possible components of movement, whether a
fixed constraint is present or not.
418
4.5.3.3
Masses (Property page)
MASSES (PROPERTY PAGE)

This property page indicates the translational (TX, TY, TZ) and rotational (RX, RY, RZ)
masses present at a node.
4.5.3.4
Other (Property page)
OTHER (PROPERTY PAGE)

This property page provides the name and group number.
4.5.4
Trusses
ENQUIRE-TRUSSES
This command provides information about the trusses. Once selected, a property sheet
appears showing various information about the truss element currently pointed at by the mouse.
To move from one element to another, simply move the mouse; clicking on an element displays
its data in the property sheet until the user right-clicks to return to browsing through the
elements.
The property sheet comprises the following pages:
Connectivities 418 , Beta 419 , Slenderness factors 419 , Properties 419 , Orientation 419 and Other 420 .
Type: non modal
4.5.4.1
Connectivities (Property page)
CONNECTIVITIES (PROPERTY PAGE)

This property page provides the number of the truss element and its connectivity nodes.
Node n3 is used solely for compatibility with the drawing software.
Commands
4.5.4.2
419
Beta (Property page)
BETA (PROPERTY PAGE)

This property page provides the three coefficients of free deflection and the length of the
beam or truss element. Beta 1 relates to the lateral sway.
These coefficients do not affect the automatic checks made by CSE. Their default value is
1; if the model has been imported from Sargon then the betas of the elements are also
maintained, as defined in the original model.
4.5.4.3
Slenderness factors (Property page)
SLENDERNESS FACTORS (PROPERTY PAGE)

This property page provides the three slenderness factors for local axis 1 (lateral sway),
2 (combined compression and bending) and 3 (combined compression and bending).
4.5.4.4
Properties (Property page)
PROPERTIES (PROPERTY PAGE)

This property page provides the weight, the section, the section number, the material and
material number.
4.5.4.5
Orientation (Property page)
ORIENTATION (PROPERTY PAGE)

This property page provides information on how the orientation of the truss and beam
elements has been defined. The number of the third node is given, along with the three
components of the vector v. It is also stated if the orientation uses the third node to define the
plane 1-2, if it uses the vector to define the plane 1-2, or if it uses the vector to define the plane
1-3. The vector components are in the global reference system.
420
4.5.4.6
Other (Property page)

This property page gives the value of the coefficient of reduction of the area in order to
take account of the holes, the value of the initial axial force in the element, and the name and
group.
4.5.5
Beams
ENQUIRE-BEAMS
This command provides information about the beams. Invoking the command brings up a
property sheet showing various information about the beam element currently pointed at by the
mouse. To move from one element to another, simply move the mouse; clicking on an element
displays its data in the property sheet until the user right-clicks to return to browsing through the
elements.
The property sheet comprises the following pages:
Connectivities 420 , Extremity 1 421 , Extremity 2 421 , Beta 421 , Slenderness factors 421 , Properties 421 ,
Springs 422 , Offsets 422 , Orientation 422 and Other 422 .
Type: non modal
4.5.5.1
Connectivities (Property page)
CONNECTIVITIES (PROPERTY PAGE)

This property page shows the number of the beam element and its connectivity nodes.
Nodes n5 and n6 are used for compatibility with old versions of Sargon for beams with rigid
extremities. Sargon handles rigid offsets directly from version 9.
Commands
4.5.5.2
421
Extreme 1 (Property page)
EXTREMITY 1 (PROPERTY PAGE)

This property page provides the six end release components for the first extremity.
4.5.5.3
Extreme 2 (Property page)
EXTREMITY 2 (PROPERTY PAGE)

This property page provides the six end release components for the second extremity.
4.5.5.4
Beta (Property page)
BETA (PROPERTY PAGE)

This property page provides the three coefficients of free deflection and the length of the
beam or truss element. Beta 1 relates to the lateral sway.
These coefficients do not affect the automatic checks made by CSE. Their default value is
1; if the model has been imported from Sargon then the betas of the elements are also
maintained, as defined in the original model.
4.5.5.5
Slenderness factors (Property page)
SLENDERNESS FACTORS (PROPERTY PAGE)

This property page provides the three slenderness factors for local axis 1 (lateral sway),
2 (combined compression and bending) and 3 (combined compression and bending).
4.5.5.6
Properties (Property page)
PROPERTIES (PROPERTY PAGE)

This property page provides the weight, the section, the section number, the material and
material number.
422
4.5.5.7
Springs (Property page)
SPRINGS (PROPERTY PAGE)

This property page provides the values of the semirigidity constants at the first extremity
(K12, K13) and at the second extremity (K22, K23).
4.5.5.8
Offsets (Property page)
OFFSETS (PROPERTY PAGE)

This property page provides the components of the two vectors which define the offsets at
the two extremities of the beam element. The offsets are defined in the global reference system,
going from node to extremity and are presented in the active unit of measurement.
4.5.5.9
Orientation (Property page)
ORIENTATION (PROPERTY PAGE)

This property page provides information on how the orientation of the truss and beam
elements has been defined. The number of the third node is given, along with the three
components of the vector v. It is also stated if the orientation uses the third node to define the
plane 1-2, if it uses the vector to define the plane 1-2, or if it uses the vector to define the plane
1-3. The vector components are in the global reference system.
4.5.5.10 Other (Property page)

This property page gives the value of the coefficient of reduction of the area in order to
take account of the holes, the value of the initial axial force in the element, and the name and
group.
4.5.6
Cross-sections
ENQUIRE-SECTIONS
Commands
423
This command becomes available when the FEM view 820 is active; it is used to get
information about the cross-sections used in current model. Cross-sections properties are given
in a proper dialog box.
Click the image to get into a dialog box with full information and detail about currently
selected cross-section.
Typo: modal
4.5.7
Materials
ENQUIRE-MATERIALS
This command becomes available when the FEM view 820 is active; it is used to get
information about the materials used in current model. Materials properties are given in a
proper dialog box.
424
Typo: modal
4.5.8
Internal forces beams

ENQUIRE-INTERNAL FORCES (BEAMS)
When the FEM model has been imported from Sargon or Sap2000 and the results of the
static or dynamic analyses are available, this command quantifies the internal forces on the
beam elements in the current combination.
When it is invoked, a dialog box 424 appears; the user then clicks on the element whose
state of stress they wish to ascertain, which causes a dot to appear over it: by moving this dot
along the elements axis using the mouse, the user can see the six internal forces in the local
system displayed in real time in the dialog (in the current units of measurement).
To move from one combination to the next, the commands Next combination 720 and
Previous combination 721 must be used. The combination desired can also be accessed directly
using the command Combination? 721 .
Type: non modal
4.5.8.1
Internal actions (dialog)
ENQUIRE INTERNAL ACTIONS (DIALOG BOX)

This dialog box shows the internal actions in the element which has been clicked on.
n: element number
csi: dimensionless abscissa of the point along the axis
x: abscissa of the point along the axis
N: axial action (for trusses this is constant along the entire axis)
T2, T3: shears in the direction of the local axes 2 and 3 (beams only)
Commands
425
M1: torque (beams only)

M2, M3: bending moments along the local axes 2 and 3 (beams only)
The internal actions are expressed in the current units of measurement.
4.5.9
Axial forces trusses

ENQUIRE-INTERNAL FORCES (TRUSSES)
When the FEM model has been imported from Sargon or Sap2000 and the results of
the static or dynamic analyses are available, this command quantifies the internal forces on the
truss elements in the current combination.
When it is invoked, a dialog box 425 appears; the user then clicks on the element whose
state of stress they wish to ascertain, which causes the axial force to be displayed in the dialog
box (in the active units of measurement).
To move from one combination to the next, the commands Next combination 720 and
Previous combination 721 must be used. The combination desired can also be accessed directly
using the command Combination? 721 .
Type: non modal
4.5.9.1
Internal actions (dialog)
ENQUIRE INTERNAL ACTIONS (DIALOG BOX)

This dialog box shows the internal actions in the element which has been clicked on.
n: element number
csi: dimensionless abscissa of the point along the axis
x: abscissa of the point along the axis
N: axial action (for trusses this is constant along the entire axis)
T2, T3: shears in the direction of the local axes 2 and 3 (beams only)
426
M1: torque (beams only)

M2, M3: bending moments along the local axes 2 and 3 (beams only)
The internal actions are expressed in the current units of measurement.
4.5.10 Net cross-sections

ENQUIRE-NET SECTIONS
This command becomes available in renode mode when there is one and only one
selected component (member or though), to provide information about net sections found by
CSE on the selected component. Automatic simplified resistance checks 225 can be done on these
sections.
For the members, net sections are found only in case of reductions in the gross section 232
due to the presence of bolt layouts and/or where work has been carried out, showing the
properties of all the reduced sections (which are found automatically).
For the throughs, net sections are found in any case, even if there are no holes, no cuts,
etc. (see Identification of throughs net sections 233 for more information).
Net sections found on selected component are displayed in a proper dialog box 426 which
appears after the execution of the command.
Each reduced section is allocated a number which will then be used by the program to
identify the sections where the maximum utilisations have been reached in the simplified
checks.
Type: modal
4.5.10.1 Net sections (dialog)
NET SECTIONS (DIALOG BOX)
Commands
427
Net sections found by CSE on selected component are shown in this dialog box. For a detailed
explanation of net sections search, see
The total number of reduced sections recognised on the member under examination is
displayed at the bottom left of the dialog box. The << and >> buttons can be used to browse
through the various reduced sections.
The following information is shown about the current section:
- an image of the net section including its centre of gravity and principal axes, which can be
printed or copied into the clipboard
- a code: [renode mark].[component name], for example AA.m1
- the number of the section and further information about it, depending from component's
type (the distance of the section, its maximum and minumum size, the plane to which the
section belongs, when needed)
- the net area, the shear moduli, the elastic resisting moments of the net area and the offset
of its centre of gravity from that of the gross section
428
- for members, the ratios between the area and the elastic resisting moments of the net area
and the gross area (NB as we are dealing a priori with different sections, the ratios
between the resisting moments are significant only if the principal axes of the net section
have the same orientation as those of the gross section)
For the members, net sections are found in case of gross area reductions only (holes,
work processes, etc.). These sections are normal to member's axis (the axis 3 of member's
reference system), so they all lay in planes parallel to plane 1-2.
For the throughs, net sections are found according to component type 233 .
Commands
429
Clicking on Net section data brings up a dialog box like as shown below,
containing additional properties of the section (plastic moments, moments of inertia and radii of
gyration).
430
4.6
Fem
4.6.1
Typical nodes
FEM-ELEMENTS-TYPICAL NODES
This command provides an automatic means of creating FEM models with typical
connections. These models comprise 1D beam-type elements to which a section and material
must be assigned. The connection codes 781 envisaged for the desired structural model are also
assigned. The simple connection codes can then be converted into actual end releases, if
necessary.
Furthermore, the structure can be modified according to requirements, by adding or
removing elements, moving nodes, etc.
This command is available when an empty FEM view 820 is active; when run, the user is
presented with a suitable property sheet 431 with which to select the structure diagram, then
through a dialog box 439 materials and shapes can be applied to the elements.
If user wants it, it is possible to skip directly to 3D renode 811 , bypassing automatically
members and jnodes search.
It is possible to add two or more typical nodes in the same CSE model: after the
Commands
431
definition of the first typical node, the program asks if user wants to add another node, and so
on.
Once all the desired typical nodes have been added, in a dialog box it is possible to
define general checks settings 672 , which could be changed later for each renode.
Type: modal
4.6.1.1
Splice joints (Property page)
SPLICE JOINTS (PROPERTY PAGE)
This property page enables one of the available splice joints to be selected. When the
user clicks on the desired diagram a proper dialog box 439 appears, where material and crosssection can be assigned to each member.
If the connection to be inserted is not a splice joint, the user must move on to the
appropriate dialog box for the type of joint sought:
Splice joints Beam-column joints 432 Beam-beam joints 432 Ground joints 433 Bracings 434 Lattice 435
432
4.6.1.2
Beam-column joints (Property page)
BEAM-COLUMN JOINTS (PROPERTY PAGE)
This property page is used to select one of the available beam-column joints. When the
If the connection to be inserted is not a beam-column joint, the user must move on to the
appropriate dialog box for the type of joint desired:
Splice joints 431 Beam-column joints Beam-beam joints 432 Ground joints 433 Bracings 434 Lattice 435
4.6.1.3
Beam-beam joints (Property page)
BEAM-BEAM JOINTS (PROPERTY PAGE)
Commands
433
This property page enables one of the available beam-beam joints to be selected. When
the user clicks on the desired diagram a proper dialog box 439 appears, where material and
cross-section can be assigned to each member.
If the connection to be inserted is not a beam-beam joint, the user must move on to the
appropriate dialog box for the type of joint desired:
Splice joints 431 Beam-column joints 432 Beam-beam joints Ground joints 433 Bracings 434 Lattice 435
4.6.1.4
Ground joints (Property page)
GROUND JOINTS (PROPERTY PAGE)
434
This property page enables one of the available ground joints to be selected. When the
Sizes shown in the image of chosen scheme must be define in bottom boxes.
If the connection to be inserted is not a ground joint, the user must move on to the
Splice joints 431 Beam-column joints 432 Beam-beam joints 432 Ground joints Bracings 434 Lattice 435
4.6.1.5
Bracings (Property page)
BRACINGS (PROPERTY PAGE)
Commands
435
This property page enables one of the available joints with bracings to be selected. When
If the connection to be inserted belongs to another kind, the user must move on to the
Splice joints 431 Beam-column joints 432 Beam-beam joints 432 Ground joints 433 Bracings Lattice 435
4.6.1.6
Lattice (Property page)
LATTICE (PROPERTY PAGE)
436
This property page enables one of the available joints of lattice structures to be selected.
When the user clicks on the desired diagram a proper dialog box 439 appears, where material
and cross-section can be assigned to each member.
If the connection to be inserted belongs to another kind, the user must move on to the
Splice joints 431 Beam-column joints 432 Beam-beam joints 432 Ground joints 433 Bracings 434 Lattice
4.6.1.7
Typical structures (1)
TYPICAL STRUCTURES (1)
Commands
437
This property page enables one of the available typical structures to be selected. When
Sizes shown in the image of chosen scheme must be defined in bottom boxes.
The first typical structure includes the columns of a typical floor structure, whose height
(h) must also be input. The numbers refer to the member number. Colored dots refer to different
jnodes that will be later found. "a" and "b" are the distances from one column to the other
immediately next. Members number 1 are the secondary beams. Members number 4 are the
columns.
The other typical structures are portal frames.
4.6.1.8
Typical structures (2)
TYPICAL STRUCTURES (1)
438
This property page enables one of the available typical structures to be selected. When
Sizes shown in the image of chosen scheme must be defined in bottom boxes.
In this property page tapered portal frames may be defined. Here the numbers refer to
different cross sections, from 1 to 11 for complete portal frame, and from 1 to 5 for half portal
frame. The program will add not only the needed finite elements, with proper cross-section
already assigned, defining tapered members, but also the needed work processes in the different
renodes, so that a correct 3D rendering is got.
Presently only I or H with sharp corners are available, so the user will have to directly
assign cross sections by pressing preferably the "Add New" button in the "Material And Crosssection Assignment 439 " dialog, which will directly lead to the proper cross-section addition
dialog.
Commands
4.6.1.9
439
Material and cross-section assignation (Dialog box)
MATERIAL AND CROSS-SECTION ASSIGNATION (DIALOG BOX)
In this dialog box, materia and cross-section are applied to typical node members.
CSE material archive 486 appears by pressing the Archive button in Material box: user can
choose desired material. Chosen material will be applied to all the members, but it could be
changed later using the commands for fem model 146 management. It is also possible to define a
new material, through a proper dialog box 486 , by pressing the Add button
In Cross-section box, current shape can be assigned to a member by pressing Assign
current! button on the right of each member (from 1 to n, as shown in the image on the right).
Current section is the one in the current box, initially empty. To define a current section, use
Archive button to chosse a shape from CSE archivee 447 or press Add new button to define a new
shape 455 . Changing the current shape, it is possible to assign different shapes to the members.
If Directly search for Jnodes box is ticked, members search 505 and jnodes search 505
will be automatically done by CSE.
440
4.6.2
Nodes
4.6.2.1
Modify
FEM-NODES-MODIFY
This command enables the position and the constraints for the nodes in the FEM model to
be modified and those which are not referenced to be eliminated, by means of a dedicated
dialog box 440 .
Type: modal
4.6.2.1.1 Modify nodes (dialog)
MODIFY NODES (DIALOG BOX)

This dialog box is used to modify the coordinates of the existing nodes in the model, by
overtyping the current values in columns X, Y and Z with the new desired values (in the active
units of measurement).
The constraints can also be modified by changing the value in the Tx, Ty and Tz columns (the 3
translations) and the Rx, Ry and Rz columns (the 3 rotations): 0 indicates that the corresponding
degree of freedom is free, 1 that it is constrained.
Finally, clicking on Delete unreferenced deletes all nodes which are not associated with any
finite element.
Commands
4.6.2.2
441
Delete!
FEM-NODES-DELETE
This command deletes all unreferenced nodes in the FEM model.
Type: immediate
4.6.3
Elements
4.6.3.1
Add
FEM-ELEMENTS-ADD
When the graphical view 821 is active in FEM mode, this command allows new finite
elements to be added. A dedicated dialog box 442 is provided for the user to specify the type of
elements, their third node and method of insertion.
After clicking OK in this dialog box, control is returned to the graphical view and the
program waits in readiness for the user to enter the coordinates of the nodes of the elements to
be added: these can be attached to existing nodes, by clicking on them with the left mouse
button, or new ones can be inserted by pressing the space bar and entering their coordinates
(absolute 444 for the first node, or relative to the first node 444 for the second).
In specifying beams it is necessary to ensure that there are no elements whose two nodes are
aligned with the third node: otherwise the program will give an error message and prompt the
442
user to specify a node again.

When inserting the nodes, the user can change viewpoint, use the scroll bars, zoom, etc.,
during the course of using the command. It may sometimes occur that the moveable dot
disappears or that two can be seen on screen: if this occurs, simply use the Redraw 400 command
to get back to normal again.
Type: modal then, after the dialog box, non modal
4.6.3.1.1 Beam and truss addition (dialog)
ADD ELEMENTS (DIALOG BOX)
This command can be used in two modes: in the first (single mode), the user adds a
series of elements which in general do not share any common node (one element here, one
there, etc.). In the second mode (multiple mode), the user adds a series of beams with the
property that the first node of each beam (apart from the first one) coincides with the second
node of the previous beam.
Each time the command is run, the user will need to decide if they wish to work with
beams or trusses, and also which will be the third node of the beams which they are about to
add.
If v1 is the versor of axis 1 and (N3-N1) is the vector which goes from the first to the
third node defined in this dialog box, the versor of axis 3, i.e. v3, is obtained by normalising the
Commands
443
vector product v1 x (N3-N1). The versor of axis 2 is obtained as v3 x v1.

Any of the nodes already present in the FEM model can be used as the third node. 6
predefined constrained nodes at infinity are always present and may be used as the third node.
By pressing ?, the user can access an additional dialog box 443 which enables the correct
predefined third node at infinity to be assigned (useful as an aide-memoire). These predefined
nodes are:
node
position
+ infinity in the y direction
+ infinity in the z direction
+ infinity in the x direction
- infinity in the y direction
- infinity in the z direction
- infinity in the x direction
The orientation of the elements added can always be changed later, using the Orientation 444
command.
4.6.3.1.1.1 Pre-defined third nodes (dialog)
PRE-DEFINED THIRD NODES (DIALOG BOX)

Click on the direction desired for the local axis 2 of the elements which are about to be
added, and the program will automatically assign the correct third node at infinity in the add
elements 442 dialog box.
444
4.6.3.1.2 Node addition (dialog)
ADD NODE (DIALOG BOX)

This dialog box is used for entry of the coordinates of the node which is to be added, in
the current units of measurement.
4.6.3.1.3 Addition of a node in relative coordinates (dialog)
ADD NODE IN RELATIVE COORDINATES (DIALOG BOX)

The node being added is the second node of a finite element. This dialog box is used for
entering its coordinates relative to those of the first node of the finite element, in the current
units of measurement.
4.6.3.2
Delete!
FEM-ELEMENTS-DELETE
This command deletes all the finite elements currently selected.
Type: immediate
4.6.3.3
Orientation
FEM-ELEMENTS-ORIENTATION
Commands
445
This command enables the orientation of the selected elements to be modified, via a
NB: when assigning cross-section properties 446 , a rigid rotation can be applied to the section
selected: the orientation of the elements involved is automatically recalculated in relation to
their current orientation.
Type: modal
4.6.3.3.1 Orientation (dialog)
ORIENTATION ELEMENTS (DIALOG BOX)
The orientation of the currently selected elements can be defined in 3 different ways:
- by using the third node to define plane 1-2
- by using a vector to define plane 1-2
- by using a vector to define plane 1-3
In the first case, the third node must be specified in the Data section: the elements local axis
3 is automatically calculated as the vector product of axis 1 (defined from the elements two
nodes) and the vector which runs from the first node to the third. Finally, axis 2 is calculated
such that the three local axes give rise to a right triad.
446
In the second case, the three components of a vector v (vx, vy, vz) are defined in the Data
section: axis 3 of the local triad is automatically calculated as the vector product of axis 1 of
the element and the vector v, then local axis 2 is calculated such that the three local axes give
rise to a right triad.
In the third case, the three components of a vector v (vx, vy, vz) are defined in the Data
section: axis 2 of the local triad is automatically calculated as the vector product of axis 1 of
the element and the vector v, then local axis 3 is calculated such that the three local axes give
rise to a right triad.
4.6.3.4
Cross-sections
FEM-ELEMENTS-CROSS-SECTIONS
This command gives access to an archive of the cross-sections containing over 15,000
sections*, in order to choose a cross-section and apply it to the selected elements.
Once the command is invoked, the program asks if we want to choose a cross-section
among those in the archive (YES) or if we want to add a new cross-section (NO).
If we choose YES, a dialog box 447 appears providing access to an archive of crosssections. Two archives are available: the general archive and the model archive. Once the user
has selected the archive that they wish to browse, along with the filters to be applied to the
cross-sections, a cross-section can be selected and applied to the currently selected elements.
If we choose NO, a new dialog box 455 appears; a cross-section kind must be chosen
(rolled, welded, H, L or T-shaped, plate, circular, rectangular, standard or generic cold
formed, composed, polygon shape, etc.). It is not possible to add new composed cross-sections
directly in CSE (with the exception of shapes composed by C or angles): generic composed
sections must be added to the archive using S.A.M.B.A.
Type: modal
Commands
447
* the archive can be further expanded using Castalia s.r.l.s S.A.M.B.A. software. Users with
a current Sargon licence will already have this software.
4.6.3.4.1 Shape archive access (dialog)
CROSS-SECTIONS ARCHIVE (DIALOG BOX)
This dialog box enables the filters to be defined for extracting a subset of the crosssections from the archive. Once the filters have been set up, only those cross-sections will be
extracted from the archive which meet these filter criteria.
This dialog box contains tick boxes and buttons. The tick boxes fall into three categories: type,
group and name search.
Group: there are four available group filters: European, American, Japanese and Nonstandard.
Type: this has five panes: Rolled H shapes, Welded, Other, Composites and Generic.
Rolled H shapes: this groups together the rolled H type cross-sections (HEA, HEB,
448
HEM, IPE, HE, ILS, UC, UB, UBP, etc).

Welded: this contains welded H sections (HSH), U sections (USH), L sections (LSH), T
sections (TSH) and box sections (OSH). Concrete cross-sections of the same shape are
also included under this heading, even though they are not welded.
Other: this contains channels (UPN or UNP, UPFC), angles with equal or unequal legs
(LSM), T-sections (TSM or THSM), plates (PSH), rectangular sections (PSH), tubes (O),
rounds (O) asymmetric beams (ASB).
Composite: contains the composed cross-sections. L2_T are angles composed to form a
T. L2_CR are two angles composed to form a cross. L4_CR are four angles composed to
form a cross. Generic composites are cross-sections obtained by arbitrarily joining a
certain number of elementary or composite cross-sections.
Cold formed: this groups consists of C, L, Z and W cross sections, along with completely
generic ones.
Generic: this consists of the sections identified by moments of inertia and area only.
Name search: this is used via a tick box called Activate and a text box called Name. If the
box is ticked, the character string in the Name field will be used to filter the cross-sections. The
string may contain semi-colons (";") to separate different criteria, and the asterisk character
("*") as a wildcard standing for "any character (none, one or many)". Some example search
strings are shown below:
PLT*
all names beginning with PLT
PLT*; HE*100*
all names beginning with PLT and all HE*100* sections
*PLT
all names ending in PLT
The name filter can be used to extract sections of categories not provided among the standard
filters by type. If sections called PIPPO 100, PIPPO 120, etc., are added, since no standard
"PIPPO" type filter is available, a search string like "PIPPO*" can be used instead.
Only those sections will be selected which meet at least one of the type criteria and
at least one of the group criteria and the name search criterion. If no group filter is
Commands
449
specified, the group will be ignored. If no type filter is specified, the type will be ignored. If
the Activate box is not ticked, the name filter will be ignored. If there are no filters to
take into account, the search results will be determined by the other standard filters only
(if any are specified). If no other filter has been specified either, all sections will be
extracted from the archive (not recommended).
The dialog box contains various buttons besides the tick boxes.
The Limits button allows other filters to be selected, i.e. the filters on the numeric properties of
the cross-sections, in an additional dedicated dialog box (Data filters 451 ). These filters are
additional to the ones discussed above.
The No Limits button removes all data filters.
The Design button allows extra filters to be selected (those based on design criteria), via
another dialog box provided for the purpose (Choice of design criteria 452 ). These filters are
additional to the ones discussed above.
The No Design button removes all design-based filters.
The Model button enables the user to browse through the cross-sections attributed thus far to the
members of the model in question.
So, to sum up, there are filters by group, by type, by name, on the quantitative data and
on the design criteria.
A cross-section that satisfies at least one of the active group criteria is included by the group
filter.
A cross-section that satisfies at least one of the active type criteria is included by the type filter.
A cross-section that satisfies at least one of the name criteria (if activated) is included by the
name filter. Filters which have not been activated do not exclude any cross-sections.
A cross-section that satisfies all the specified data/quantity criteria is included by the data/
quantity filter.
A cross-section that satisfies all the specified design criteria is included by the design filter.
450
Filters are cumulative (more than one can be specified): the sections extracted are those
which meet all the filter criteria (by type, group, name, data/quantity and design criteria) which
have been specified in this dialog box and in the Data filters 451 and Choice of design criteria 452
dialog boxes, without exclusion.
If no filters have been specified, the entire archive is returned (not recommended).
Examples:
To extract all the IPE and HEA cross-sections, and no others, tick IPE and HEA to
activate the filter. Ensure all other boxes are not ticked. Click the No Limits and No Design
buttons to ensure that there are no other active filters. Click Archive.
To extract only those IPE cross-sections of area greater than 1000 mm2. Tick IPE only,
click the Limits button, tick against Area, enter 1000 as the minimum value (it is assumed at
this point that the unit of length is the mm) and a very large number as the maximum value.
Click OK to come back to this dialog box, and click Archive.
To extract welded I-sections called HSU....., tick HSH only, activate the name search
filter and enter the 4-character string shown here within the inverted commas: "HSU*".
To extract welded I-sections called HSU....., plus welded I-sections called HSD., tick
HSH only, activate the name search filter and enter the following string between the inverted
commas as shown: "HSU*;HSD*".
Suppose we need to design a 4-metre span doubly-supported beam with a mid-span load
of 20t. The design requires a deflection of less than 1/500 of the span and a stress due to flexure
of less than 1600 Kg/cm2. A HEA, HEB or HEM section is required.
In this case, the HEA, HEB and HEM type filters should be activated, and then the
Design button pressed. In the design dialog, the structural model must be selected with the
doubly-supported beam with mid-span load, the span and load must be specified (in the units
Commands
451
of measure currently in use), then the deflection criterion will need to be activated, entering
500 as the value for k and the limit stress as the value for m. Then click the Archive button and
a dialog box 483 will appear.
4.6.3.4.1.1 Data filters (dialog)
ARCHIVE SECTIONS DATA FILTERS (DIALOG BOX)
This dialog box is accessed via the Limits button on the Cross-section Archive 447 dialog
box.
This dialog box enables the numeric filters to be defined for extracting a subset of the
cross-sections from the archive. Maximum and minimum values can be set (in the active unit of
measurement) for each quantity described in the dialog box (Slenderness, Weight, etc.). To
activate a filter, the corresponding tick box in the Active column then needs to be ticked. The
tick indicates that the filter is active.
The meanings of the symbols should all be clear, except for Cm (warping constant), Jt
(torsional moment of inertia) and it (radius of gyration).
Jmax: maximum second area moment
452
Jmin: minimum second area moment.

Wmax: maximum section modulus
Wmin: minimum section modulus
WplMax: maximum plastic section modulus
WplMin: minimum plastic section modulus
If a filter is activated, then necessarily only the sections complying with it will be
extracted from the archive. The numeric values are interpreted against the units of
measurement which are active at the time the command is run.
The slenderness filter and the weight filter assume that the length of the element(s) to
which the cross-section is to be applied is known. These two filters are reserved for use in
conjunction with the Sargon code. When using SAMBA, these two filters must not be activated.
4.6.3.4.1.2 Choice of design criteria (dialog)
ARCHIVE SECTIONS CHOICE OF DESIGN CRITERIA (DIALOG BOX)
Commands
453
This dialog box enables a certain number of design criteria to be set for application to a
structural model.
Firstly, the appropriate structural model for the beam or column to be designed is
selected. The available models are displayed clearly in the left hand pane for the user to
browse through. A model can be selected by clicking on it. The available models include the
beam with springs at each extremity having a moment distribution such that the moment in the
span is equal to pL^2/10, whereas the moment at the supports is equal to pL^2/40. This
intermediate distribution between support and clamp can be used to address the case of frames,
where the node is elastically constrained by the rest of the structure (naturally the exact
moment distribution depends on the real value of the spring constant: the distribution proposed
here is an average which is often used in engineering practice).
Once the above has been attended to, the length (L or L2 and L3) and load data are filled
in. If the structural model entails a distributed load, the load p must be specified; if the model
envisages one or more concentrated loads or an axial load, then load P must be specified. Both
the span and the loads p and P are interpreted against the active units of measurement. Load P is
a force, while load p is a force per unit length.
For the compression model, it is not L which needs to be provided, but rather L2 and L3,
i.e. the two free deflection lengths relative to the main axes 2 and 3. If the compression model is
selected, length L is ignored. If, however, any other model is chosen, then L2 and L3 are
ignored.
In order that the design criteria can be validly used, a material must have already
been selected. If the material has not been selected, the system will not permit the user to
exit from the dialog box without first having inactivated all the design criteria.
The material selected is common to all elements (beams and trusses) selected when the
Sections command is run. If the sections selected have no material assigned, or if they have
different materials, then no material will be selected.
The name of the currently selected material is shown in the box under the data about the spans
454
and the loads. If this box is blank, no material is currently selected.

Columns
If the structural model is that of a column, the criterion pertaining to the point load vP <
Plim must be determined, by specifying the standard used to evaluate the stability curve and the
safety factor v (v=1.2 indicates a safety factor equal to 1.2). If a column is selected, all the
other criteria must be inactivated.
The Plim (limit load) value is computed by using the stability curves defined by each
standard.
The available standards are CNR10011-88 on allowable stresses (TA) and ultimate limit
states (SLU), the AISC-89 standards on allowable stress design (ASD), and
Eurocode 3.
The calculation uses the formulae established by each standard, so as to verify that the
design satisfies the criterion. In examining the stability situation, the maximum slenderness
is always taken into consideration, which is computed using the free deflection lengths
given, independently of the specified axis (2 or 3).
Beams
If the structural model is that of a beam (under various constraints and loads), the
following design criteria can then be specified:
kf < L
The deflection must be less than L/k, where k is a design value defined by the user. The
deflection value taken into consideration is always the maximum deflection value, in keeping
with the pre-selected model (of loads and constraints). The modulus of elasticity is that of the
material selected. The moment of inertia used is that of the axis specified (2 or 3).
Commands
455
sM < m
The maximum normal stress due to flexure (sM) must be less than the limit value (m)
specified by the user. The normal stress is evaluated on the basis of Saint-Venants theory,
taking the flexure to be perpendicular to the axis specified (axis 2 the stronger or axis 3).
The moment is the maximum moment on the beam, even if continuous.
gM < Mpl
The maximum moment read on the beam multiplied by the safety factor g must be less than
the plastic limit moment, evaluated using the yield stress fy of the material selected, and the
plastic section modulus of the axis specified (2 or 3).
If the diagram selected is that of a beam, the design criteria relating to columns must be
deactivated.
4.6.3.4.2 Shape addition (dialog)
SHAPE ADDTION (DIALOGO)
456
In this dialog box, a cross-section kind 456 must be chosen, then its name and sizes will
be defined in a proper dialog box. Finally, the insertion dialog box 483 will appear.
4.6.3.4.3 Shape types (dialogs)
TYPES OF SECTIONS (DIALOG BOXES)

Cross sections are available in a range of types (welded, rolled, cold-formed and
composite) and shapes (H-, L-, U-, C-, Z- or Omega-sections, solid or hollow circular, solid or
hollow rectangular, generic, etc.).
New sections can be added (supplementing the 10,000+ sections which can be found in the
archive) in two ways:
adding them to the archive using S.A.M.B.A.
adding them directly in CSE (except for composites, which must be added with S.A.M.B.A.)
The various different dialog boxes relating to the sectional forms are listed below. Similar
types of dialog are grouped together.
Commands
457
Rolled, welded and cold-formed sections or standard form 457

Composite U- or L-sections 459
Composite generic sections 465
Generic cold-formed sections 460
Sections composed of polygons 479
The archive also contains IPN- and TSM-sections (rolled T-sections with tapered
sides). It is not possible to add new sections of these types in either CSE or S.A.M.B.A.: only
those in the archive can be used.
4.6.3.4.3.1 Standard shapes (dialogs)
STANDARD SHAPES (DIALOG BOXES)

This part of the documentation provides a general description of a number of dialog
boxes which have features in common. These dialogs are used to define a new section or
display its properties. When a new section is being added, the boxes with editable values (the
profile dimensions and name) appear in white, with all the others in grey. In enquire mode, all
the boxes are greyed out.
The following profiles use a dialog box which is similar to that which we are about to
describe:
welded sections: H-, L-, C-, T- and box sections
rolled H-, L-, C- and T-sections, and hollow rectangular sections
flat or rectangular sections
hollow or solid circular sections
cold-formed L-, C-, Z- or Omega sections
458
Consider, for example, the dialog box for hollow rolled rectangular sections, which appears as
shown below.
The section dimensions appear on the left: if the profile is being created, these boxes
are white and can be edited; press Update to update the image to reflect the changes made.
The parameters to be specified in this case are the height H, width B, thickness a and radius r.
The dimensions will be different for other types of profile; simply consult the image to see
which of the profile dimensions are being referred to.
The section name is shown underneath (this can be edited if the profile is a new one being
added).
The sectional properties are shown on the right of the image, which are computed
automatically from the data entered. Press Update to refresh the values on the basis of the
current dimensions. Additional information may be computed automatically for certain kinds of
profile.
Commands
459
To confirm the insert of a new section, click OK.
4.6.3.4.3.2 U or L composed shapes (dialogs)
COMPOSITE U- OR L-SHAPES (DIALOG BOXES)

These dialog boxes are used for composite U-sections (rolled or cold-formed) and
rolled L-sections. As detailed below, they look different for different types of composite
section. As new composite sections cannot be added directly in CSE, these dialog boxes are
only used to provide information on the profiles; please refer to the S.A.M.B.A. guide for
further details.
Example: two [ ] channel bars
There are six different types of composite section associated with these dialog boxes:
2 channel bars, [ ]
2 channel bars, ] [
2 cold-formed sections, ] [
2 angles forming a Tee _||_
2 angle bars in a cross formation +
4 angle bars in a cross formation +
460
In all cases, the basic section is shown together with the distance between the sections
and the properties of the section as computed automatically.
4.6.3.4.3.3 Cold formed shapes (dialog)
COLD-FORMED SHAPES (DIALOG BOX)
This dialog box is used to describe generic cold-formed sections. First of all, the
section thickness is specified, then the sides are added and finally a name is chosen. The
thickness may be altered after adding the sides; to do so, simply edit the value and click the
update button.
All the dimensions are interpreted in terms of the active units.
The New Side button is used to insert a side and gives access to the corresponding
dialog box 461 (for selecting the type and the means of adding the new side).
The Remove Side button deletes the last side added.
The computation quantities are updated each time a side is added. Sides can also
represent holes.
Sections can be open or closed. A closed section ends at precisely the same point
where it started. The torsional moment of inertia of a closed section is computed using Bredts
Commands
461
formula.
After adding all the sides, the user can tell the program to calculate the plastic moduli,
which can be done by ticking the relevant box and then clicking the Update button.
The Details button gives access to another window which lists some important
properties, computed as per appendix C of EN-1993-1-3.
CHOICE OF THE NEW SIDE (DIALOG BOX)
With this dialog box, the user can choose which type of side to add, and the numerical
criterion for doing so. Each image button corresponds to a different selection, as below:
adds a straight-line side tangential to the last side added. Only the length of the new side needs
to be given (through a dedicated dialog box 462 ).
adds a straight-line side. The absolute coordinates of the new point need to be given (through a
dedicated dialog box 463 ).
adds a straight-line side. The coordinates of the new point need to be given relative to the
previous one (through a dedicated dialog box 463 ).
462
adds a circular side. The coordinates of the centre and the arc angle in degrees need to be given
(through a dedicated dialog box 464 ).
adds a circular side. The mean radius and the arc angle of the new side need to be given
(through a dedicated dialog box 464 ).
INITIAL POINT COORDINATES (DIALOG BOX)
When the first side of a cold-formed section is added, the program prompts for the
coordinates of the initial point, i.e. the first extremity of the side being added. This dialog box
is used to enter the coordinates of the initial point (the active units of measure apply)
ADDING OF A STRAIGHT SIDE (DIALOG BOX)
This dialog box is used to input the length of the new side in the active units, and
whether or not this side represents a hole. The side will be added so as to be continuous with
the last side introduced. If no sides have yet been added, the button which gives access to this
dialog box is inactive.
Commands
463
This dialog box is used to input the coordinates of the second extremity of the new side,
in the active units, and whether or not this side represents a hole. The first extremity of the new
side coincides with the second extremity of the last side added. If no sides have yet been added,
the system prompts for the coordinates of the initial point instead (via the Coordinates-ofinitial-point 462 dialog box).
Where the new side forms a cusp with the previous one, the program cannot accept the
side, however it can automatically add a curvilinear connecting edge to generate a continuous
transition between the new and old sides, thus automatically eliminating the cusp without the
user needing to concern themselves with the problem (in this case the user is prompted to
specify the internal radius of the edge to be introduced see Internal radius of curvature 465 ).
This dialog box is used to specify the coordinates of the second extremity of the new
side (in the active units) relative to the last extremity added, and whether or not this side
represents a hole. The first extremity of the new side coincides with the second extremity of the
last side added. If no sides have yet been added, the system prompts for the coordinates of the
464
initial point instead (via the Coordinates-of-initial-point 462 dialog box).

Where the new side forms a cusp with the previous one, the program cannot accept the
side, however it can automatically add a curvilinear connecting edge to generate a continuous
transition between the new and old sides, thus automatically eliminating the cusp without the
user needing to concern themselves with the problem (in this case the user is prompted to
specify the internal radius of the edge to be introduced see Internal radius of curvature 465 ).
ADDING OF A CIRCULAR SIDE (DIALOG BOX)
This dialog box is used to input the coordinates of the centre of the circle to which the
new side belongs, the arc angle of the new side, and whether or not the side to be added
represents a hole. The arc angle is expected in degrees and is positive if measured
anticlockwise. The side will be constructed so as to be tangential to the previous side added. If
no sides have yet been added, the system prompts for the coordinates of the initial point instead
(via the Coordinates-of-initial-point 462 dialog box) and assumes that the initial tangent is
horizontal. The coordinates of the centre are interpreted in terms of the current units of
measurement.
ADDING OF A CIRCULAR SIDE (DIALOG BOX)
Commands
465
This dialog box is used to input the radius of the circle to which the new side belongs,
the arc angle of the new side, and whether or not it represents a hole. The arc angle is expected
in degrees and is positive if measured anticlockwise. The side will be constructed so as to be
tangential to the previous side added. If no sides have yet been added, the system prompts for
the coordinates of the initial point instead (via the Coordinates-of-initial-point 462 dialog box)
and assumes that the initial tangent is horizontal. The coordinates of the centre are interpreted in
terms of the current units of measurement.
INTERNAL CURVE RADIUS (DIALOG BOX)
When a straight-line side is added which forms a cusp with the previous side, SAMBA
prompts the user for whether or not a circular edge should be added in order to restore
continuity. If the user confirms, the programs then prompts for the internal radius of the arc to be
added, using this dialog box. The data must be supplied in the current units.
4.6.3.4.3.4 Composed shapes (dialog)
COMPOSED SHAPES (DIALOG BOX)
466
This important dialog box is where composed shapes data are input, and is therefore a
true working environment. The dialog box is also used to output shape information.
When the background of a given field is white, this means that datum is editable, if the
background is gray datum is read only (it depends on parameters or the dialog box is used in
inquire mode).
Commands
467
Meaning and use of controls

Control A (see image)
Here all available shapes are listed, that is all the shapes which can be used to create
the new section. The available shapes are those extracted when the command was executed.
Therefore before executing command you must extract at least the shapes you plan to use in
order to create the new shape. Among available sections there are composed and cold formed
shapes, so you can have composed by cold formed and composed by composed.
Control B (see image)
Here are listed the sections used to create the new shape, that is the shapes chosen until
now. The selected shape (blue row) is the one painted in red in the full drawing. If a cross
section is used more than once, it will appear more than once in this list.
468
Button >>
It is used to add the selected shape in control
to shapes in control B: that is to add a new
composing shape.
Button <<
It is used to remove the selected shape from control B.
Controls in C area (see image)
These controls are used to move the selected shape in control B. Controls X, Y
stands for X and Y coordinate of selected shape center, while a is used to rotate the shape (a
is the angle between selected shape x reference axis and composed shape X reference axis).
Button ->, <-, Up and Down are used to translate selected shape so as to search for
tangent sides. For instance clicking -> the selected shape will be moved on the right until one
of its sides gets tangent to one of the other shapes. Move direction depends on the button choice.
Using this command is very useful because it allows a fast and precise move of composing
shapes, one relative to the others.
Compute plastic W control
If this control is active (a tick is applied) computations will include the iterative
procedure used to compute plastic W. We suggest to activate the control only once youve
finished to set the shapes, otherwise shapes movement will be lowered down. After youve
applied the tick you must press Update button. If this computation is not required plastic moduli
are set equal to elastic ones.
Update button
It is used to update computed data after a change which does not imply automatic
computation. If, for instance, you manually modify data reported inside controls X, Y, and
Commands
469
a, or you modify the compute plastic W control value, you must press Update to get correct
values.
How composed shapes are added
Once youve extracted composing shapes, if you choose to add a composed shape youll
get this dialog box.
Composing shapes are chosen among those of control A and put in control B (even more
than once), using control >>. Now you select each shape one by one, and position it in the
right place using controls in C area. Buttons -> <- Up and Down are particularly
useful, 'cause usually shapes are mutually tangent . If you wish to change a shape added in
control B you first have to remove it, and then you add the replacing shape.
If during sections moving you cross a physically not allowable layout, OK button gets
grayed, to avoid the addition of meaningless shapes.
Moving shapes, do keep into account that shape coordinates are their center coordinates
with respect to global reference axes.
If you wish detailed information about composing shapes you can double click on
the shape (both in control A and B).
Once youve got the desired section you place a tick in Compute plastic W and press
the Update button. Plastic moduli are update and are obviously always greater than elastic
ones.
Plastic moduli computation is not a trivial problem. It may happen that the algorithm
does not converge: you will get a message. This usually happens when plastic neutral axis
crosses regions where sharp curves are present. Usually in sections having one center line this
does not happen.
As to symbol meaning see details 478
MIXED MATERIALS COMPOSED CROSS_SHAPES
470
This range of sections has been further extended to include mixed sections. In essence,
the sections that make up the composite shapes may optionally be allocated a material, which
in general may be different for each.
A reference material then needs to be selected for the final composite section (the
material to which all the computational quantities will be homogenized).
To compute the area, the center of gravity and the moments of inertia, the
homogenization coefficient given by Kel=E/Er is used, where Er is the Young's modulus of the
reference material.
The elastic section moduli are computed such that multiplying W by the yield stress of
the reference material fyr gives the moment of first plasticization of the section, i.e. the
moment at the elastic limit (at the first point to yield, regardless of the material of which it is
made).
Mel = W * fyr
Commands
471
In practice
W = Min{ (Jom * Kpl) / (d Kel)}
where:
Jom is the moment of inertia, homogenized for the main axis considered;
Kpl is the ratio between the yield stress of the material at the point considered and the
yield stress of the reference material;
Kel is the ratio between the Youngs modulus of the material at the point considered and
the Youngs modulus of the reference material;
d is the distance of the point considered from the main axis considered.
In practice, the computation of the plastic section moduli involves calculating the plastic
W values by homogenizing the areas with the factor Kpl, so that multiplying Wpl by the yield
stress of the reference material gives the moment of full plasticization of the section.
Mpl = fyr * W
Note that there is no need for any of the sections to be made of the reference material, and
therefore homogenization can be carried out against any material.
The modulus of elasticity and yield stress data is taken from the archive, without any
multiplication coefficient being applied.
The theory
The generic composite section type now enables us to define mixed sections, namely
sections that are made up of various other sections, each of which being made of a different
material, and where all are assumed to be fully bonded, with the plane sections maintained.
Mixed steel/concrete and steel/wood sections can thus be specified, with various types
of concrete or other materials of choice.
All the properties of the section will be standardized against an equivalent material,
472
respect to which the various component parts will be homogenized. There is no need for any of
the component sections to be made of the reference material.
The materials of the component sections are sourced from the archive, hence they must be
present in it. Where:
n
is the number of sections present
Er
is the stretch modulus of the reference material
Ei
is the stretch modulus of the generic material at generic point i
yr
is the yield stress of the reference material
yi
is the yield stress of the generic material at the generic point of reference, i
Keli
= Ei/Er
Kpli
yi
yr
We have
n
K eli dA
i
Ai
Sx
yK eli dA
i
Ai
Sy
xK eli dA
i
Ai
xg
Sy / A
yg
Sx / A
y 2 K eli dA
Ix
i
Ai
x 2 K eli dA
Iy
i
Ai
I xy
xyK eli dA
i
Ai
from which the principal axes and the moments of inertia J2 and J3 about them can be derived
Commands
473
using the standard methods.

As for the section moduli W, these are defined such that, when multiplied by the yield
stress of the reference material, they bring the section, at some point on it and for some
material, to its first yield.
In practice, given the point Pi of material i, and where d is the distance from the main
axis considered, we have
The stress at the point as if it were made of the reference material:
r=
Md/J
The homogenized stress (the true stress of the actual material at that point):
i=
MKelid/J
The limit condition applies when this stress is equal to the yield of material i, and thus:
MKelid/J=Kpli
yr
The moment that achieves this value is given by:
M=(KpliJ/dKeli)
yr
Therefore the modulus of the mixed section is given, as the point i varies, by the minimum value
of:
W=min{KpliJ/dKeli}
With this assumption, the moment at the sections elastic limit is given by the usual formula
M=W
yr.
As regards the plastic moduli, these are obtained by homogenizing the areas with Kpl rather than
474
Kel, using the formula:
Mpl=Wpl
yr
Thus the moment of full plasticization of the section is obtained by multiplying Wpl by the yield
stress of the reference material.
At this point it is worth making a few remarks about how this data is used.
With the mixed sections, we need to proceed as follows. The sections must be attributed
to the elements in the usual way, although in order for the use of these sections to be meaningful,
the only material that must be allocated to them is the reference material, i.e. the material that
the sectional properties have been homogenized against.
That said, the mixed sections may be used interchangeably with the others, and the
elastic behaviour of the mixed beams can be correctly modelled, in order to obtain stresses and
displacements that are consistent with the theory.
In terms of the results that follow on from this, we need to make the following observations.
The stress values (N/A), (M/W) and (N/A+M/W) are meaningless, in that the stress
obtained is an ideal, homogenized stress, i.e. it is the stress that would apply at the point of first
plasticization if this were made of the reference material, which in general is not going to be the
case.
An indirect estimate of the level of utilisation of the section in the elastic phase is given
by the following dimensionless quantity:
sfr
N
N el
M2
M 2 el
M3
M 3el
N
Ael
M3
M2
yr
W2 el
yr
W3el
yr
where the W values are those computed by the program (and already described above) as
elastic Ws, while Ael is a homogenized area defined so as to give the axial action of the first
Commands
475
plasticization when multiplied by yr.

Given that
n
Ei dA
i 1 Ai
Ei dA
Er
i 1 Ai
K eli dA
Er A
i 1 Ai
where A is the homogenized area computed by the program, the axial action of the first
plasticization is obtained by requiring that the normal stress at the generic point is equal to the
yield stress, taking the minimum axial action:
N
Er A
i
N
Er A
Ei
yi
from the above, the following result applies at the generic point
K pli
K eli
yr
hence
Ael
A min
K pli
K eli
The axial action of full plasticization is obtained instead by the following relation:
n
Apl
K pli dA
i
Ai
We can now use these results to define a coefficient of plastic utilisation, as follows:
476
MIXED SECTIONS USER NOTES
In practice, the controls have been relocated to make room for a new gateway button,
Is Mixed if pressed. Initially the button is un-pressed, and the dialog box appears as shown in
the figure above. When the button is pressed, the dialog box appears as seen below, and the
controls are enabled to provide the functionality needed to define:
The reference material for the overall section (the Change button in the panel at the
bottom).
The material of which the generic section selected and shown in red is composed (the
Change button in the panel containing the translation and rotation controls).
Commands
477
The reference material and the material of each individual section that makes up the
overall section will need to be defined by selecting from the list of materials in the archive in
the usual way, using the dialog box shown below.
Both the component sections and the component materials must already be present in
the archive before the command is run.
To compute the plastic moduli, tick the corresponding box and click on the Update button.
478
GENERIC COMPOSED SHAPES
SAMBA can describe generic composite shapes. This means that you describe sections
obtained by collecting an arbitrary number of shapes, defining each shape position in plane.
(shape center position and rotation angle).
It is also possible to define composite cross-sections of composite cross-sections.
Mixed sections can be handled (those with an arbitrary number of materials) as particular
Commands
479
generic composite shapes.
4.6.3.4.3.5 Data acquisition of a section made up by polygons (dialog)
DATA ACQUISITION OF A SECTION MADE UP BY POLYGONS (DIALOG BOX)

This important dialog box is the point of input for the data about sections which are
composed of combinations of generic polygons, and is therefore a tool of some significance.
This dialog box is also used to provide information on the profile.
When the field relating to a given quantity has a white background, it can be edited;
otherwise, when greyed-out, it is non-editable (as the quantity is derived from the previous
ones).
If the dialog box is opened for information purposes only, all the quantities are greyedout and cannot be edited.
A polygon can be added by clicking the Add polygon button, which brings up an
additional dialog box 480 in which a polygon can be defined. When closing the dialog box, the
user is prompted to specify whether the polygon represents a filled or an empty object.
The >> and << buttons are used to select one of the polygons which make up the section,
480
and enable the user to move from one to another. The currently selected polygon is shown filled
in in red.
The Modify Polygon button allows the user to re-edit the currently selected polygon, by
reaccessing the dialog box which is used to define an individual polygon.
The Remove Polygon button deletes the currently selected polygon.
The Translate Polygon button enables the user to specify a translation vector to apply to the
currently selected polygon.
To compute the plastic W values as well, tick the Compute Plastic Ws box and then click
Update.
A unique name must be chosen for the section to distinguish it from those already present in the
Archive.
Dimensions are given in the active units of measurement.
Given the generality of the problem, the torsional moment of inertia can not be computed
automatically by the program (a differential equation on the partial derivatives over the
domain would need to be solved when only the primary torsion would be available). It is
therefore the users responsibility to assign reasonable values for the torsional moment of
inertia and the radius of gyration.
Nevertheless, the computation of the plastic section moduli is carried out automatically
by the program, provided that there is a tick in the dedicated box. This initiates an iterative
process which enables the plastic section moduli to be evaluated.
INPUT CLOSED POLYGON (DIALOG BOX)
Commands
481
This dialog box enables the form of a generic polygon plate to be defined for use as a through 817
.
Clicking on First point brings up another dialog box in which the X- and Y-coordinates
of the first point must be specified, in the active units of measurement. The reference system of
the polygon is shown by the following figure.
There are various ways of determining the next point:
Inputting DX and DY
this requires the distance in relative coordinates to be
specified between the new point and the last one input (shown in red).
Inputting an angle and a distance
requires the distance from the last point and
the angle (in degrees) between the new side and the horizontal.
482
Inputting an arc
requires the coordinates of the centre of the arc, the initial and
final angles (in degrees), the radius and the number of subdivisions into straight-line
segments. The coordinates and radius must be specified in the active units of
measurement.
Inputting an angle and a distance (projected DX)
requires an angle (in
degrees) and the projection of the new side along the X-axis, in the current units of
measurement.
Inputting an angle and a distance (projected DY)
degrees) and the projection of the new side along the Y-axis, in the current units of
measurement.
Once all the necessary points have been added, the polygon is confirmed by clicking OK.
The current point is shown in green. The << and >> arrows are used to change the
current point, which can be removed (using the Remove button) or modified (with the Modify
point button), which provides access to the dialog box with its coordinates.
The Special polygons button brings up a further dialog box which allows whole
polygons to be added by specifying some of their parameters. These polygons are added to
others which have been prepared earlier, and may themselves be modified by changing their
points.
Commands
483
The following polygons may be added:

Rectangle, given the coordinates of the centre (A and B), the base (C) and height (D)
Circle with centre (A, B), radius C and number of intervals D
Semicircle: in addition to the data in the previous bullet point, the angle of the diameter
above the x-axis must also be specified (in degrees)
Regular polygon of centre (A, B), radius C, number of sides D and angle above the
horizontal of the segment joining the centre with the first vertex equal to E (in degrees)
4.6.3.4.4 Shape archive (dialog)
SHAPE ARCHIVE
This dialog box is used for browsing the cross-sections extracted from the archive,
selecting one and applying it to the currently selected elements (beams and trusses). It is also
used to apply a previously defined new cross-section. To apply the section, select Apply.
If axis 2 is not currently in the desired position, the local axis can be rotated by an angle
(to be specified in degrees) interpreted as a rotation to be applied to the pair of axes 2 and 3
about axis 1, considering the rotation to be positive if anticlockwise (right-hand rule).
484
If a non-zero angle is specified, the vector defining axis 2 will automatically be computed
and set up in the orientation of the element. The orientation code is established in a way which
is consistent with the use of the vector (if the third node was previously used, it isnt any more).
4.6.3.5
Cross section 2nd extremity (taper)
FEM-ELEMENTS-CROSS-SECTION 2nd EXTREMITY (TAPER)

This command is used to apply a cross-section to the second extremity (node J) of the
selected elements. To execute the command properly, the selected elements must all have
received a cross-section at first extremity. Besides, all selected elements should have the same
cross section kind, which will be the same of the cross-section chosen with this command. To
get a tapered element, first extremity cross-section must be different by 2nd extremity crosssection, albeit of the same kind.
The command must be used only in order to define tapered elements. For prismatic
elements it is enough defining the cross section at first extremity.
Once the command is invoked, the program asks if we want to choose a cross-section
among those in the archive (YES) or if we want to add a new cross-section (NO).
If we choose YES, a dialog box 447 appears providing access to an archive of crosssections. Two archives are available: the general archive and the model archive. Once the user
has selected the archive that they wish to browse, along with the filters to be applied to the
cross-sections, a cross-section can be selected and applied to the currently selected elements.
If we choose NO, a new dialog box 455 appears; a cross-section kind must be chosen
(rolled, welded, H, L or T-shaped, plate, circular, rectangular, standard or generic cold
formed, composed, polygon shape, etc.). It is not possible to add new composed cross-sections
directly in CSE (with the exception of shapes composed by C or angles): generic composed
sections must be added to the archive using S.A.M.B.A.
Type: modal
* the archive can be further expanded using Castalia s.r.l.s S.A.M.B.A. software. Users with
a current Sargon licence will already have this software.
Commands
4.6.3.6
485
Materials
FEM-ELEMENTS-MATERIALS
This command allows the desired material to be assigned to the currently selected
elements, by means of a dedicated dialog box 485 .
Type: modal
4.6.3.6.1 Access to material archive (dialog)
MATERIALS ARCHIVE (DIALOG BOX)
By clicking on Model, the user can select a material from those already present in the
FEM model; the Archive button, on the other hand, provides access to an online archive of
materials.
If the user opts to work with the online archive, the results can be filtered so as to display
only those materials which meet the requirements set in the Type, Fy and Ft fields.
486
Type: tick one or more boxes to extract only the materials of the selected types.
Fy: if the Active box is ticked and the desired values have been entered in the Min and Max
fields (in the current units of measurement), only those materials will be extracted whose yield
stress falls within the Min-Max range.
Ft: if the Active box is ticked and the desired values have been entered in the Min and Max
fields (in the current units of measurement), only those materials will be extracted whose
ultimate stress falls within the Min-Max range.
Once the parameters have been set up and the archive selected, the user is presented with
a further dialog box 486 containing the list of the materials which meet the chosen criteria.
4.6.3.6.2 Material archive (dialog)
MATERIALS ARCHIVE
This dialog box presents a list of the materials. Pick one and click Apply or,
alternatively, double-click on a material to select it and apply it to the selected elements.
4.6.3.6.3 Material data (Dialog box)
MATERIAL DATA (DIALOG BOX)
Commands
487
This dialog box is used to add a new material to the archive, to modify an existing
material and to get information about a material.
If fields have a grey background, they can not be modified.
The meaning of symbols is the following:
Name
name of the material (max 20 characters)
weight per unit volume, in current units of measure
Young's modulus, in current units
nu
Poisson's ratio
Fy
yielding stress or elastic limit, in current units
Ft
ultimate stress, in current units
Alpha
thermal expansion coefficient, in current units
"Non linearity" button opens a property sheet 488 where nonlinear data for current material can
be defined.
488
4.6.3.6.3.1 Material data (Property page)
MATERIAL DATA (PROPERTY PAGE)
In this property page it is possible to assign to the material a nature (steel, wood,
concrete, etc.), an identifier of nonlinear part and a description of the material itself.
4.6.3.6.3.2 Uniaxial law (Property page)
UNIAXIAL LAW (PROPERTY PAGE)
Commands
489
This property page is used to define the uniaxial constitutive law for the material.
Linear elastic, non-linear elastic, elasto-plastic and rigid-plastic constitutive laws are
available. Each law may be complete, no-tension or no-compression. We will look at all these
laws in detail below.
The image to the right is updated when the button underneath is clicked, based on the
parameters defined. The image can be copied to the clipboard or printed directly.
Ultimate strains
All the constitutive laws use positive (tension) and negative (compression) ultimate
strains. If the material is linear elastic, it nevertheless has a limit, i.e. when its ultimate strains
are reached: at these points, the material breaks, the tension drops immediately to zero and
the element ceases to respond (if it is the Gauss point of an element, this point is no longer taken
into account in the calculation). Hence, to simulate a material of unlimited elasticity, high
strains
must be
set.
The
recommended
value
is
0.02,
which
corresponds
to
210000x0.02=4200MPa for a typical steel. If the material is plastic, the plastic flow is
interrupted when its limit strain is reached and it starts to break.
490
Completeness
All the constitutive laws can optionally be set up as no-tension or no-compression.
During load reversal, if the ultimate strain has not been reached when the load is reversed, the
material can begin to react again; if, on the other hand, the ultimate strain has been reached, then
the material is broken, and reversing the load will not change this.
Data
This section is subject to change, as different parameters are required based on the type of
curve chosen.
Type of curve
Appropriate parameters for the curve selected will be required in the Data section. The
available curves are as follows.
Linear elastic (unlimitedly elastic)
The "unlimitedly" part is bound up with the amplitude of the ultimate strains. The
modulus of elasticity, E, and the Poisson coefficient, nu, must be defined.
Ramberg-Osgood (non-linear elasticity)
This law is specified via the following parameters:
E
modulus of elasticity in linear phase

Poisson coefficient
see formula
see formula
The Ramberg-Osgood law is a non-linear elastic law described by the following

equation:
1
n
Elastic-perfectly plastic
Commands
491
modulus of elasticity in linear phase

y
yield stress
Poisson coefficient
The plastic flow occurs without hardening.

Rigid-perfectly plastic
y
yield stress
Poisson coefficient
Numerically, the infinite stiffness is simulated by E= 1.e12.

Bilinear (elasto-plastic)
Poisson coefficient
1
1
2
2
deformation at yield
stress at yield
ultimate deformation
stress at ultimate deformation
As extrapolations are not permitted, it is a good idea to equate the extreme deformation
to the ultimate strain. Except where the no-tension or no-compression option has been
selected, it is assumed that the law is symmetrical.
The type of hardening may be isotropic, kinematic or mixed.
Trilinear (elasto-plastic)
Poisson coefficient
1
1
2
2
3
3
deformation at yield
stress at yield
intermediate deformation
stress at intermediate deformation
extreme deformation
stress at extreme deformation
492
to the ultimate strain. Except where the no-tension or no-compression option has been
selected, it is assumed that the law is symmetrical.
By points (elasto-plastic)
In this case, in addition to the Poisson coefficient (nu), a value pair ( ,
) is given for
each point defined. The origin must always be included. The points are in increasing
order of deformation (first the maximum negative deformations, then the negative ones,
then the origin, then the positive deformations, followed by the maximum positive
deformation).
(positive and negative) to the ultimate strain.
To insert a new point, make suitable entries in the "Eps" and "Sigma" fields, then click
the "Add" button. A point with the selected coordinates will be added to the end of the
list. To insert a point between other existing points, select the desired row and click
"Insert" instead of "Add". To remove a point, select the corresponding row and click
"Delete".
NB: the by-points law may be complete, no-tension or no-compression; complete laws
must be symmetrical.
4.6.3.6.3.3 Plasticity (Property page)
PLASTICITY (PROPERTY PAGE)
Commands
493
In this property page it is possible to define the kind of material plastic locus and the
kind of work hardening ( =0 kinematic, =1 isotropic).
4.6.3.7
Offsets
FEM-ELEMENTS-OFFSETS
This command enables the desired offset to be assigned to the extremities of the (beam)
elements previously selected or to the extremities subsequently selected using the mouse.
When the command is run, a dialog box 494 is shown for the user to make the relevant
choices.
The offsets define the position (distinct from that of the nodes) of the extremities of the
beam elements. They are measured in the global reference system and go from node to
extremity. The rotation of the node entails a rotation and translation of the corresponding
extremity. The translation of the node also applies to the extremity in an identical manner. The
offsets are useful in order to take account of the physical size of the joints. The extension of the
offsets influences the resultant of the applied loads and the effective orientation of the elements.
494
Type: modal, then non modal (if manual mode is selected)
4.6.3.7.1 Offsets (dialog)
OFFSETS (DIALOG BOX)
This dialog box is used to determine the operating modes for the command which assigns
the offsets to the beam elements. The available operating modes are:
Manual
If ticked, then on exiting from this box the user will need to click near the extremities of
the elements to which offsets are to be assigned. If this field is unticked on exiting from this
box, the offset will be applied to all selected extremities of the beam elements. An extremity of
an element is selected when the element is selected with its relevant node.
Local system
If ticked, the offsets are defined not in the global but in the local reference system. This
only occurs when the command is executed: the information is always stored in the global
reference system. For example, an offset (100, 0, 0) for the first extremity of a column, if
defined in the local system, shortens the column by 100.
Commands
495
Increment
If this field is ticked, the offsets defined by the command will be added to the existing
ones. If the local system is in use, those present in the global system are first converted to local
references, then the values indicated are added, followed by a final reconversion to the global
system.
Activation
The program can be instructed to use only some of the components specified, by
modifying only some components whilst leaving the others unaltered. For a component to be
used, the corresponding Activate field must have been ticked. If the local reference system is
specified, the addition is applied only to those (local) components which have the tick.
Dx, Dy, Dz
These are the components of the offsets (or of the offset increments), in the global or local
reference systems, in the length units which are active when the command is run.
4.6.3.8
Snap over locus
FEM-ELEMENTS-SNAP OVER LOCUS

This command allows an offset to be applied to all selected beam elements at a stroke, in
accordance with the criteria specified in the relevant dialog box 495 .
Type: modal
4.6.3.8.1 Snap over locus (dialog)
SNAP OVER LOCUS (DIALOG BOX)
496
This dialog box allows a locus to be specified, together with a region of the sectional
forms of the selected elements, thus enabling suitable offsets to be applied to the elements
selected, such that the specified points of the cross-section will lie on the locus specified. The
locus may be one of those already defined via the Alignments 409 command (in which case it
will be necessary to double-click on the line corresponding to it in the left-hand pane, in order
to bring up its equation in the fields provided), or alternatively a locus which has not been
made available, in which case the equation will need to be entered manually in the
aforementioned fields. The user will need to specify a, b, c and d, i.e. the parameters of the
plane equation in the form
ax+by+cz=d
The only parameter with an accompanying unit of measurement is d, which must be taken
from the current unit of length the command is run.
Given a generic cross-sectional form in relation to the principal 2 and 3 axes through its
centre of gravity, let x2 and x3 be the corresponding abscissae. The following points are
defined around the edge of the cross-section:
TOS (top of steel): the first point on the cross-section which algebraically maximises the
x3 coordinate.
Commands
497
BOS (bottom of steel): the first point on the cross-section which algebraically minimises
the x3 coordinate.
ROS (right of steel): the first point on the cross-section which algebraically maximises
the x2 coordinate.
LOS (left of steel): the first point on the cross-section which algebraically minimises the
x2 coordinate.
4.6.3.9
Reset offsets
FEM-ELEMENTS-RESET OFFSETS
This command resets the offsets of some elements in the model by deleting the offsets
previously defined for them. This is a particularly powerful command. The application of the
offsets depends on the following conditions:
a) the element must belong to a slave 816 member of a hierarchical jnode 793 ;
b) all the finite elements making up the member must be selected, so that the member itself
can be considered selected.
The command firstly analyses the finite element model and transforms it in the background
into a member model. This operation is strongly dependent on all the following properties of
the model:
the orientation of the local axes;
the assignment of the sections and materials;
the presence of end releases or connection codes without end releases;
the nature of the elements (whether beams or trusses).

Once the members have been determined, the program searches for the jnodes 790 and
catalogues them by type in order to establish which are the hierarchical ones. In effect, then, in
order to be able to determine which element has been interrupted and with what offset in
relation to another, the connections between the members need to be analysed and an ordering
established of the members which are joined there. In particular, the offset can be determined
498
only where the jnode is hierarchical. For central 791 , cuspidal 792 or tangent 793 jnodes, the offsets
must be defined manually. In reality, the classic beam-column node is always hierarchical in
nature (if clamped to the joint, however, a connection code must be specified), and therefore in
the more common cases the command carries out the operations required completely
automatically.
Once the slave members of each hierarchical jnode have been found, those selected are
then interrupted with axial offsets evaluated as a function of their respective orientation in
relation to the master 795 member. After the members, attention then turns to the automatic
assignment of the offsets for their constituent beam elements. Given that the offsets only concern
the beam elements, any truss-type slave members will not be modified. On the other hand, it is
the shears of the beam elements which normally generate the parasitic moments. If a truss is
offset through being out-of-plane and this offset needs to be taken into consideration, it can
always be transformed into a beam with end releases at the extremities.
It is advisable to execute this command after having completed the mesh.
Type: immediate
4.6.4
Assign constraint
FEM-ASSIGN CONSTRAINT
This command enables nodal constraints to be applied to the currently selected nodes, via
a dedicated dialog box 498 .
Type: modal
4.6.4.1
Selected nodes constraints (dialog)
SELECTED NODES CONSTRAINTS (DIALOG BOX)
Commands
499
Tx, Ty and Tz are the 3 translations of the nodes in the global reference system; Rx, Ry
and Rz are the 3 rotations: if the user clicks OK, the selected degrees of freedom will be
inhibited in the currently selected nodes.
The Clamped button automatically ticks all the boxes, while conversely the Free button unticks
them all.
4.6.5
Assign end release

FEM-ASSIGN END RELEASE
This command allows end releases and connection codes 781 to be applied to the
extremities of the beam elements. The degrees of freedom to release and the extremities of the
elements to which these disconnections are to be applied must be specified in a dedicated
dialog box 499 , in which the user can also decide whether to select the extremities one by one
(manual mode) or to apply the choices to all the extremities currently selected (automatic
mode). The extremity of a beam element is selected if the element itself and the node to
which this extremity is attached are both selected.
Type: modal, then non modal (if manual mode is selected)
4.6.5.1
End releases and connection codes assignment (dialog)
ASSIGN END RELEASE (DIALOG BOX)
500
This dialog box is for selecting the type of end release to assign: the tick indicates that the
corresponding degree of freedom (in the local reference system) is released.
If no degrees of freedom have been released, then if Connection is ticked this indicates
the hierarchy of the element, thus downgrading it to slave status and breaking its structural
continuity with any elements which are aligned with it and which have the same material and
cross-section properties. It is therefore a convention for indicating to the program that the
member is interrupted, e.g. at a point where there is a splice joint.
If Manual is ticked, the user must then click on the extremities one by one, otherwise the
choices made will be applied to all the currently selected extremities. The extremity of a beam
element is selected if the element itself and the node to which this extremity is attached are
both selected.
If Modify only connection code and color, end releases won't be modified.
Connection colour: a colour can be assigned to the end releases and connection codes,
by entering the number corresponding to the desired colour in the box provided (0 9); input 10
to keep the colour as previously specified (or the default colour 0 if no colour has yet been
defined).
Connection codes will need to be defined in different colours when a jnode has more
Commands
501
than one instance 788 and the connection has one or more symmetries: the range of colours is
useful in establishing the correspondence between the members clearly. This is why it can be
necessary to define connection codes for trusses as well, so as to be able to assign different
colours to them too. Codes for trusses (which are hinged by definition and are always
considered as slaves) can only be assigned automatically. If the default colour 0 is assigned,
nothing will be displayed.
If the topology of a jnode 790 does not permit alternative orientations (as the members
which can be superposed are unique, there is only one way to associate one jnode with the
other) or if there is only one instance, then there is no need to define connection codes of
different colours, and the default (0) can be retained. We now consider a case where the colour
difference is actually crucial.
The following image shows a very simple FEM model; consider the two nodes marked
by the small black box: a horizontal element and two vertical elements (the same for the two
nodes) are joined to them. The two connections are equivalent in all respects: besides the
number of joined elements, their inclination, their profile, material and connection codes, etc.,
all match (and therefore so do the member hierarchies). As can be seen in the following jnode
view, the two nodes are associated with the same jnode.
FEM View
Given the symmetry of the two connections, one can be obtained by applying a simple
rigid translation or a rotation/reflection to the other. Clearly, however, in order to retain the
502
correct logical orientation of the two connections in the structure, member 1 of one
connection must necessarily be made to correspond to member 3 of the other connection (and
not member 2). On a geometrical level there would be no difference, but if the correspondence
were 1-2, the same member of the renode 811 would correspond to the internal member for one
instance and the external member for the other instance: whilst irrelevant from a geometrical
perspective, this could however be crucial in terms of the statics, due to the external members
having different loads from the inner one. When connection codes of different colours are
defined in the FEM model, the ambiguity is removed, in that members 1 and 3 are associated
with green connection codes, while those for member 2 are blue. Member 1 corresponds
uniquely to member 3 in the other instance.
Jnodes View
In the renode, member m2 corresponds to the external members of the two instances of the
jnode.
Commands
503
Renode View
NB: if a FEM model is imported from Sargon, the colour information for the connection
codes and end releases is maintained.
4.6.6
Combi set
FEM-COMBI SET
This command is available only if FEM model has been imported from Sargon; the
command is used to select a combiset for the checks and to change combiset names. A proper
dialog box 503 is used to do these operations.
Type: modal
4.6.6.1
Selection and change of a combination set (dialog box)
SELECTION AND CHANGE OF A COMBINATION SET (DIALOG BOX)
504
Select desired combiset (in blue) and press OK to activate it. It is possible to modify the
name of a combiset: select it, type the new name in the box and press Modify Name.
Only for models imported from Sargon.
4.6.7
Select combinations
FEM-SELECT COMBINATIONS
This command is available only if FEM model has been imported, and it is used to
activate or deactivate one or more check combinations. A proper dialog box 504 is used to do
that.
Type: modal
4.6.7.1
Combinations from FEM model (dialog box)
COMBINATIONS FROM FEM MODEL (DIALOG BOX)
This dialog box is used to activate or deactivate one or more combinations (for imported
Commands
505
models only). The ticked ones are active; it is possible to tick and untick manually or using the
buttons: All! to tick all combinations, None! to untick them, Complement! to invert each
combination: the ticked ones become unticked and viceversa.
N.b.: if FEM model has been imported from Sargon, in this dialog box are shown only the
combinations belonging to active combiset 503 .
4.6.8
Search members
FEM-SEARCH FOR MEMBERS
When a FEM model is imported from Sargon, the members 796 are automatically
recognised by CSE during the import process itself.
If, however, the FEM model has been modified after being imported, or if the FEM model
was set up in CSE directly, this command will launch the automatic search for the members.
The search for and automatic recognition of the members is an essential step in order to
recognise and catalogue the jnodes. Indeed, in order to recognise the jnodes it is necessary to
know the members present in the model, and this can only be done either after having imported
a FEM model (i.e. automatically) or at the end of the process of internally defining the FEM
model (i.e. using this command).
The recognition of the members is strongly dependent on the presence of the end
releases and connection codes, in addition, of course, to the orientations of the finite elements,
their cross-section and material, any offsets present in the finite element model and the
orientation of the local axes.
Type: immediate
4.7
JNodes
4.7.1
Search!
JNODES-SEARCH
This command launches the automatic search for jnodes 790 in the given structure. The
program looks for all the jnodes, and marks and catalogues them. In order to be able to run the
506
search for equal jnodes, it is crucial that the members have been searched for first. The
existence and type of the jnodes is strongly influenced by the connection codes (and their
colour), among other things. The absence of a connection code can cause the system to fail to
recognise a jnode (a typical example being the case of the splice joint: if there is no connection
code, then there is only one member, not two).
Before the search, CSE asks if cuspidal 792 and tangent 793 jnodes must be neglected (they
cannot be computed, because of absence of a unique master). A preliminary definition of check
settings 672 is required; then, these setting could be modify for each renode 811 .
It may be the case that, once the search has completed, there are jnodes which are not
relevant or which do not need to be analysed (e.g. if dummy constraints have been defined in
the finite element model). Such jnodes may subsequently be removed using the Edit 506
command.
In order to be able to view the jnodes found, the command Display-Jnodes 389 can be used,
to show the 1D structure with all the marks of the jnodes found. When only one jnode is
selected, a solid view of it can be obtained using the Display-Renode 389 command, which will
enable the work operations and the automatic check on the renode to be carried out.
Each jnode is given a mark consisting of two letters: AA, AB, AC, etc. This mark
provides the fundamental means for the program to identify a jnode and its corresponding
renode.
It is important to understand that a given jnode may be found at several points in a
structure (in several occurrences, or instances): in this case it will suffice to construct and
verify the connection once only, and CSE will automatically check it in all its instances in the
structure.
Type: immediate
4.7.2
Edit
JNODES-EDIT
This command provides important information about the jnodes and also allows the user
Commands
507
to make some key modifications both to the collection of jnodes (unused jnodes can be
removed) and to jnodes individually (e.g. to remove the elastic attachment attribute where this
is not appropriate).
In terms of how it is used, when the command is run a dedicated dialog box 507 is shown
for the user to manage all the choices operationally.
Type: modal
4.7.2.1
Collection of jnodes (dialog)
COLLECTION OF JNODES (DIALOG BOX)
This dialog box enables a series of operations to be carried out on the collection of
jnodes. The large pane on the left contains a list of all the jnodes currently present in the
structure, with their markings and classification (Master 795 for the hierarchical jnode 793 ,
Central for the central 791 jnode, Tangent for the tangent 793 jnode and Cuspex for the
cuspidal 792 jnode). If a jnode is an attachment (or rather, if it has been recognised as such by the
automatic jnodes search algorithm), the jnodes classification is followed by the text Rigid
attachment 783 , Elastic attachment 783 or Mixed rigid and elastic attachment. On the far left,
next to the numbering, there is a tick box. If ticked, the jnode is currently selected; otherwise,
the jnode is currently unselected. Ticking the box to select has exactly the same effect as
508
selecting the jnodes using the Modify-Select commands, when the jnode view is active
(Display-Jnodes 389 command).
The buttons at the right-hand side of the dialog box allow various actions to be carried out on
the collection of jnodes.
The first button, Inquire, provides information on the jnode indicated by the blue highlight
bar (whether selected or not). When the button is clicked, a property sheet is shown containing
all the information on the jnode. Property pages are as listed below.
The first property page is Information about the Jnode 509 . This is always present.
The second is (potentially) the Master 510 dialog box. This is available if the jnode has a
master (hierarchical jnode).
The third (possible) dialog box is Central 512 . This is present if and only if the pre-selected
jnode is of type central.
The fourth (possible) dialog box is Attachment 513 . This is present if and only if the jnode is a
rigid or mixed rigid-elastic attachment.
The third button, Unselect, unselects all the jnodes in the list.
The second button, No elastic restraint, declassifies a jnode previously identified as an
elastic attachment or transforms a jnode classified as a mixed rigid-elastic attachment into a
rigid attachment. This operation is applied to the jnode identified with the blue highlight bar.
This button is used to alter what has been set automatically by the automatic search, if and when
the selections made automatically by the program are not correct (e.g. due to there being dummy
constraints).
The third button, No constraint, declassifies a jnode previously identified as an
Commands
509
attachment.
Buttons Sel/Un sel and Unselect All and Select All , are used to select or unselect
jnodes.
The Delete button allows all currently selected jnodes i.e. those which are ticked to
be deleted from the list of jnodes (and therefore from the model). Please note that after the
deletion of one or more jnodes, the jnode marks will change. Also please not that this button is
available only when the command Jnode-Edit has been executed in Jnode view.
4.7.2.1.1 Info about jnode (Property page)
INFORMATION ABOUT THE JNODE (PROPERTY PAGE)
This property page offers various pieces of general information about the jnode. In
addition to the progressive Number assigned and the Mark, the box shows the classification
type which has been applied to the jnode (Hierarchical or Master, Central, Tangent or
510
Cuspidal, Rigid 783 , Elastic 783 or Mixed rigid-elastic attachment). The number of occurrences
(i.e. how many nodes there are of the type in question in the structure) and the number of
members joined at the jnode are also included.
After selecting one of the nodes that corresponds to the various occurrences of the jnode,
the user can find out which members are joined at the selected node and then, having selected
one of these members from the list, which are its extremities.
The subsequent fields hold the number of through members in the jnode (and how many of
which are cuspidals and how many are interrupted), along with the number of trusses and
beams.
All these general details provide an initial categorisation of the node in question.
4.7.2.1.2 Master (Property page)
MASTER (PROPERTY PAGE)
This property page provides a detailed description of a Hierarchical 793 jnode, i.e. a jnode
Commands
511
in which a master 795 element and one or more slave 816 elements can be identified.
The Master pane indicates which is the master element (which section) together with its
type. The Slave pane enables each of the jnodes slaves to be browsed individually, showing
various information which will be useful for computation purposes. This data concerns the
slave elements type, the kind of attachment between the slave and the master (axial, flexural
hinge, spherical hinge, complete, other) and the type of alignment between master and slave.
In addition to the generic alignment (for which there are no particular remarks to make),
there are the following fifteen possible alignments between master and slave.
Alignments
Description
1)
11
Splice joint (master and slave are aligned)
2)
11-23-32 Splice joint with weak axis of one member aligned with strong axis of
the other
3)
11-22-33 Homogeneous splice joint
4)
22-31-13 Flange homogenous, normal
5)
33-21-12 Web homogenous, normal
6)
23-12-13 Flange with weak axis of one member aligned with strong axis of the
other, normal
7)
32-12-13 Web with weak axis of one member aligned with strong axis of the other,
normal
8)
22
Flange homogenous, inclined
9)
33
Web homogenous, inclined
10)
12
Web centred
11)
13
Flange centred
12)
21
Mutually orthogonal, web
13)
31
Mutually orthogonal, flange
14)
23
Flange with weak axis of one member aligned with strong axis of the
other, inclined
15)
32
Web with weak axis of one member aligned with strong axis of the other,
inclined
If the Sargon or Sap2000 model from which the CSE model is derived has been solved, a
512
series of data items in the Envelope of internal forces in slave pane also appears, providing
information on the envelope of the internal forces in the slave element for different
combinations 778 , and for different occurrences or instances 788 of the jnode in the structure
(or for changes in all similar members in the various nodes which all have the same jnode).
This data represents the first step in establishing the actual sizing of the joint. It includes the
maximum positive and minimum negative internal forces, together with the number of the
element which generates the corresponding maximum/minimum value. It is important to note that
the stresses indicated are generally not simultaneous but represent, indeed, an envelope.
The forces are expressed in the current units of measurement.
4.7.2.1.3 Central (Property page)
CENTRAL (PROPERTY PAGE)
This property page provides detailed information about the central 791 jnodes. The Central
jnodes are those which do not have a master 795 member, as all the members are interrupted at
the node and have a connection at that point. Central jnodes are typical of trusswork structures.
Commands
513
The first pane in the dialog box, Element, contains several pieces of information about
the various members joined at the node. In the first field, the user selects one of the members
which are joined at the node (a list of the sections of each member is available to pick from).
The two fields Element type and Attachment type show the element type and the kind of
attachment to be found at the extremity of the element.
When one of the elements that are joined at the node has been selected, if the original Sargon
or Sap2000 model has been solved, the envelope of the internal forces in the element can be
seen for different combinations and different occurrences of the jnode in the structure (or as all
similar members vary in the various nodes having the same jnode). This data represents the first
step in establishing the actual sizing of the joint. The maximum positive and minimum negative
internal forces are shown, together with the number of the element giving rise to the
corresponding maximum/minimum value. It is important to note that the stresses indicated are
generally not simultaneous but represent, indeed, an envelope.
The actions are expressed in the current units of measurement.
4.7.2.1.4 Constraint (Property page)
ATTACHMENT (PROPERTY PAGE)
514
This property page provides information about a jnode which is classed as an attachment
782
. If a jnode is an attachment, it receives forces from a (rigid or elastic) constraint. Forces are
currently shown for rigid attachments only.

This dialog box shows the envelope of the constraint reactions for different combinations
and different occurrences of the jnode in the structure. The constraint reactions are generally not
simultaneous.
The reactions are expressed in the active units of measurement.
4.7.3
Extract members
JNODES-EXTRACT MEMBERS
In jnode view 822 , this command can be used to select and extract all the members selected
which are joined at the instances 788 of the currently selected jnodes 790 . It provides a useful idea
of the spatial layout of all selected jnodes. This command is largely focussed on the selection
and extraction of a certain number of members, where the members extracted are all confluent
Commands
515
in the occurrences of the selected jnodes.

NB: members which have already been selected are also extracted even if they are not joined at
selected jnodes.
Type: modal
4.7.4
Almost identical
JNODES ALMOST IDENTICAL
This command searches for all the families of almost-identical jnodes 790 in the model and
displays them in a dialog box.
For two jnodes to be almost identical, they must belong to the same jclass 790 and all the
corresponding members must have the same properties (e.g. member 1 of jnode AA must have
the same sectional form as member 2 of the similar jnode AB, etc.).
This command is provided purely for information purposes, and the list of similar jnodes
in the dialog box can be selected and copied to the clipboard.
This can be useful, for example, in identifying jnodes which are equal in all respects bar the
angle of inclination of a truss: in this case, all the variants of the connection would necessarily
have to be constructed and verified, yet identifying all the jnodes that are similar to the one we
wish to analyse can allow us to identify those under the greatest stress, thus reducing the number
of connections for analysis.
516
Type: modal
4.7.5
Split
JNODE SPLIT
This command is used to split an existing JNode into two different JNodes. To activate the
command:
JNode search must have been already done.
JNode view must be active.
One and only one JNode must be selected (in JNode view).
At least one node, or more, related to a JNode occurences of the selected JNode, is itself
selected (in Fem view).
The Renode related to the selected JNode is empty.
The command creates one new JNode for all selected nodes related to JNode occurences. If all
JNode nodes are selected, nothing happens.
So, at the end of the command there will be one more JNode, and its instances will be as many
as the JNode-nodes selected.
If the JNode has only one instance, nothing is done.
If all the selected nodes are not related to JNode instances, nothing is done. Selected nodes not
belonging to instances of the selected JNode are discarded.
Type: immediate
4.7.6
Create listing!
JNODES-CREATE LISTING
This enables a listing to be created (with file extension .txt) with all the information about
the members and jnodes. If the Sargon or Sap 2000 model from which the model was imported
Commands
517
has also been solved (or if the files with extensions .sdb and .ddb are available), the program
can also include various summary information about the stresses in the listing, to enable the
sizing of the connections to be established.
The listing contains the following sections:
1. Key
2. Units of measurement
3. List of members found on the basis of the connection codes.
4. List of parts by section type
5. General list of jnodes found, with mark and type
6. List of detailed information on each jnode
The list mentioned in point 6) comprises the following parts:
Jnode type
List of nodes associated with the jnode
Number of members confluent with the jnode and their list
If the jnode is an attachment, the envelope of the constraint reactions for different jnode
occurrences
If the jnode is hierarchical (i.e. a master exists), the list of all the master-slave
connections, with the orientations, alignments and the stress envelope
If the jnode is central, the list of all cataloguings of the members which are joined at the
jnode with their envelopes (particularly useful in trusswork structures).
Type: immediate
4.7.7
Open listing!
JNODES-OPEN LISTING
If the Jnode listing 516 has already been created, with this command CSE can open it
518
directly.
Type: immediate
4.8
Renode
4.8.1
Assign PRenode
ASSIGN PRENODE
With this command it is possible to assign to the current renode a parametric renode
(PRenode 809 ) among those available in the archive and applicable to current renode: this tool
allows to automate the creation of 3D connection. PRenodes archive can be extended by the
user, who has the possibility to record and save 726 new parametric renodes or add them from
text files 731 .
If in the archive there are PRenodes that can be applied to the current renode, after
command launch a dialog box 519 appears with the list of all applicable PRenodes 809 .
Remark
This command is available only if current renode is blank 812 , (without any added component but
the members and without any work process or operation). If a renode has been totally or
partially built, it can be turned back to a blank renode with the command Renode-Clear 527 .
During the application of the chosen PRenode the units of measurement are reset to (N, mm):
they will be reset to original values at the end of the command. However, inside the thickborder edit boxes e. g. defining component sizes, the user can specify constants in different
units, by using the units global variable, as explained in the Units 59 page. For instance:
"12*gl.in".
If a PRenode is similar to current Renode but members have different numbers, the assignation
Commands
519
of the PRenode implies the renumbering of Renode members. For example, m2(R) of the
Renode corresponds to m3(P) of the PRenode and m3(R) corresponds to m2(P): a renumbering is
needed for the correct application of the PRenode.
Type: modal
4.8.1.1
Choice of the PRenode to be applied (Dialog box)
CHOICE OF THE PRENODE TO BE APPLIED (DIALOG BOX)
All the PRenodes that can be applied 809 to current renodes are listed in the left box. If
currently selected PRrenode (the one highlighted in blue) has one or more associated images,
they are shown in the right part of the dialog box. If a PRenode has two or more images, use <<
and >> buttons to switch them. PRenode description, if available, is shown under the image.
Selected PRenode can be applied to current renode by clicking OK; after that, in a new
dialog box 520 all operation required to renode creation are listed, in function of chosen
PRenode: in that dialog box user can choose to modify some operations, otherwise they will be
done automatically according to PRenode data. See the description of dialog box 520 itself for a
520
detailed explanation.
Convention of archive prenode names:
BE = beam
CO = column
DI = diagonal
GR = ground
LA = lattice
M = master (hierarchical node)
C = central
F = fixed
H = hinged
Default prenode name starts with members total number; in hierarchical nodes, master is
reported before other members.
For example, 03M.CO.2BEH means: 3 members, hierarchical, column, 2 hinged beams.
The name is followed by a mark: the first prenode of the same kind ends with _AA, the second
one with _AB, etc.
4.8.1.2
Execution mode of the existing operations (Dialog box)
EXECUTION MODE OF THE EXISTING OPERATIONS (DIALOG BOX)
Commands
521
In this dialog are listed all the operations that CSE will automatically execute during the
application of chosen PRenode 809 to current renode 811 .
Near each operation there is a tick box. Ticked operation (all by default) are done
automatically by CSE according to chosen PRenode. Some operations can not be modified and
correspondet boxes are greyed. Other operations (generally those requiring data introduction
through a dialog box) can be modified by the user. To modify an operation, the corresponding
box must be not ticked.
When OK is clicked, CSE automatically runs renode creation according to chosen
PRenode, opening proper dialog boxes if there are operations that user wants to modify: in
these dialog boxes user can define the changes.
For example, if a ticked (completely automatic) operation requires the addition of a
plate having as sides 2*m1.h, 2*m1.b and m1.tf (twice the height of member 1 cross-section,
twice its width and thickness equal to the thickness of m1 cross-section flange) CSE will add a
plate whose sizes depend from current renode m1 cross-section. If user wants to change, for
example, plate thickness, he needs to remove correspondent operation tick and CSE will ask
522
him the new sizes through plate definition dialog box. It is not necessary to define sizes in
parametric form: since renode at hand has well known dimensions, it is possible to define
directly proper sizes in numeric form.
Some operations can not be modified (for example those requiring clicks of points and
faces in the scene): if the extension of a member has been defined through the click of the point
of another member, that operation can not be modified. Otherwise, if the extension has been
defined through a number or a parameter, it could be modified removing the corresponding tick.
All interactive button removes all the ticks (all the operation can be changed, with the
exception of the greyed ones); All automatic button ticks all the operations.
4.8.1.3
Load level setting (dialog box)
LOAD LEVEL SETTING (DIALOG BOX)
During the application 518 of a PRenode 809 , if chosen Prenode includes this option, it is
possible to pre-set renode load level using this dialog box.
In "load level input kind" box, internal forces to use must be defined:
From FEM model: internal forces computed in imported FEM model combinations will be
Commands
523
used.
Elastic limits fractions: internal forces will be equal to amplified elastic limits of the
members.
Plastic limits fractions: internal forces will be equal to amplified plastic limits of the
members.
Defined values: internal forces will be equal to the values defined by the user.
If FEM model combinations are used, no other information is needed in this dialog box.
If elastic or plastic limits 687 are used, for each internal force (tension, compression, 2
shears, torsion, 2 bending moments) it is possible to define a load level:
EXTRA LIGHT: amplification factor = 0.1
LIGHT: amplification factor = 0.25
MEDIUM: amplification factor = 0.5
STRONG: amplification factor = 0.75
FULL: amplification factor = 1.0
VALUE: amplification factor definined by the user in proper box (for example 1.3 or 0.35)
All the members will be set according to chosen levels. After the application of the
PRenode, user can change these values anyway, using the checks setting 672 dialog box.
Finally, if defined values are used, tick the VALUE options and type desired values, in
current units: for example, 125000 (N), or 8.55e7 (Nmm), etc. Those values will be associated
to all the members, but after the application of the PRenode user can change these values
anyway, using the checks setting 672 dialog box.
4.8.2
Assign PRenode to SubRenode

ASSIGN PRENODE TO SUBRENODE
524
With this command it is possible to assign a parametric renode (PRenode 809 ) to a subset
of current renode members (subrenode). Renode must be hierarchical 793 , otherwise the
command is not available. In addition, members of the subset must be without work processes
826
.
The command is similar to Assign PRenode 518 (see its detailed description), but in this
case the application is done considering only some of the members of current renode. In other
words, it is possible to select a subset of current renode members and apply a prenode to them.
PRenode must fit the defined subset.
Summing up, the operations are the following:
1) Select the desired members (without work processes).
2) Use Assign PRenode to SubRenode command.
3) If there are applicable PRenodes, choose the desired one 519 .
4) If needed, manually modify 520 automatic operations, otherwise apply PRenode as it is.
Notes
Since the PRenode was applied to a subset of renode members, user must check that there
is no overlap between other members and the automatically added components, and that all
the added components are properly connected.
Since the PRenode is applied to a subrenode, members must be renumbered runtime during
the application, in order to apply operations to corresponding components of the subrenode.
If master 795 is not included in selected members, CSE asks the user to define which is the
master of the subrenode.
During the application of the chosen PRenode the units of measurement are reset to (N, mm):
they will be reset to original values at the end of the command. However, inside the thickborder edit boxes e. g. defining component sizes, the user can specify constants in different
units, by using the units global variable, as explained in the Units 59 page. For instance:
Commands
525
"12*gl.in".
Let's see an example. We have a 2 beams-to-column joint, with two bracings on column web.
Current renode
Select the column and the horizontal beams, defining desired subrenode.
Selection defines a subrenode
Use Assign PRenode to SubRenode command. Currently unselected members will be

temporarily hidden, as well as other cleats 817 or joiners 794 previously added.
526
Components not belonging to the subrenode are temporarily hidden
If there are applicable PRenodes, choose one of them from the list and apply it.
List of applicable prenodes to currend subrenode
Operations can be modified or kept as they are (see Assign PRenode 518 for details). At the end
of the operations, chosen PRenode will be applied to subrenode, and previously hidden
components will be displayed againg.
Commands
527
Prenode has been applied to subrenode
Now it is possible to continue renode creation by manual addition of components, definition

of work processes, etc. or by selecting a new set of members to apply another PRenode to
current subrenode.
Type: modal
4.8.3
Reset renode content!

RENODE-RESET RENODE CONTENT
This command brings back current renode to its original condition (blank renode 812 ):
all added components (joiners 794 and troughs 817 ) are deleted
modifications of members (work processes 826 , trimmings, extensions 529 , shifts 633 , crosssection changes 539 ) are deleted
if there are additional variables 647 and conditions 656 , they are deleted
the eventual definition of a current orientation 528 is deleted
check settings 672 , instead, are kept
Type: immediate
528
4.8.4
Set current orientation

RENODE-SET CURRENT ORIENTATION
This dialog box enables the current reference system to be changed. CSE is equipped
with a global reference system, which cannot be modified, and a current reference system,
which the user can choose from among the local reference systems of the objects present in the
scene.
When the command is run, the program expects the user to select any face of the element
whose orientation is to be taken as the current reference system. To select a face, click it near
its centre of gravity: when the command is being used, the face whose centre of gravity is
nearest to the mouse pointer is highlighted (with thicker, coloured edges) as the mouse is
moved; when the desired face is highlighted, simply click with the left mouse button to select it.
The current orientation immediately becomes that of the object to which this face belongs. After
the face has been selected, the command is still actively running; to break it, either the right
mouse button or the ESC key must be pressed, otherwise the program will continue to expect
the user to select a new face for the current orientation to be changed, and so on and so forth.
N.B.: if objects have been selected, the only faces which can be clicked are those belonging to
these objects.
This command can come in very useful, for example in order to specify translations or
insert objects oriented in accordance with the local orientation of inclined members.
Type: non modal
Commands
4.8.5
Members
4.8.5.1
Trim-extend
529
RENODE TRIM-EXTEND MEMBERS
This command enables a member to be extended or trimmed where the connection joins
in, when this is the only member currently selected and it has not been worked 636 (with cuts,
bevels, or rotations of its faces). If work of those kinds has already been carried out, then in
order to be able to extend or trim the member, either the work must be undone or an additional
face translation 636 can be carried out.
Once the command has been run, a dialog box 530 is presented for the user to specify how
the extension/trimming is to be applied.
Type: modal, then non modal (if plane or point modes are selected)
530
4.8.5.1.1 Extension or shortening (dialog)
EXTEND OR TRIM MEMBERS (DIALOG BOX)

There are three modes in which to extend or trim a member:
Plane
After selecting this option, the user must then choose a face in the scene which is parallel to the
end face of the member, which will be translated until it lies in the plane of the selected face.
Point
After selecting this option, the user must then choose a point in the scene; the face of the
member will be translated so as to lie in the plane parallel to it which passes through the
selected point.
Numeric
After selecting this option, a dialog box 530 is presented for the user to specify an
extension/trim length (in the current units of measurement).
PRENODE MODE
During prenode 809 recording 726 , member extention or shortening must be
introduced in parametric form 288 : instead of previous dialog box, the one for variable addition
649
is displayed, and the extention or shortening can be defined using renode variables.
4.8.5.1.1.1 Entering a numeric value (dialog)
ENTERING A NUMERIC VALUE (DIALOG BOX)

This dialog box is common to various commands and is for the entry of a number
representing the value of the relevant parameter depending on the local context: e.g. the extent
to which a member is to be extended/ trimmed, or the shift delta (in the current units of
measurement), or the amplification of the displacements in the deformed view (a pure number),
Commands
531
etc.
4.8.5.2
Extend by click
RENODE EXTEND BY CLICK
This command extends by a click (10mm) all the selected members. Repeat the
command to get the configuration desired.
Type: immediate
4.8.5.3
Trim by click
RENODE TRIM BY CLICK
This command trims by a click (10mm) all the selected members. Repeat the command
to get the configuration desired.
Type: immediate
4.8.5.4
Align face
RENODE ALIGN FACE
This command automatically orientates the desired member 796 . This could be need in
some cases; for example:
in the FEM model, elements orientation was not defined accurately;
in the FEM model, truss elements orientation was fictitious (because it is not relevant for
structure computation);
in the FEM model, L shapes are oriented considering their principlal axes and not the
construction ones.
532
In the previous cases, there would be a lack of tangency or parallelism between the
faces. This command lets the user adjust the orientation automatically (note: manual shift 633
command is available too).
After the execution of the command, user has to click two faces in the scene: the firs
face belongs to the member which needs the adjustment (face "A"), the second (face "B") is
the reference face. Face A is the one that we want to be parallel to B. Faces A and B must
have opposite exiting normals. Member is automatically rotated to get A parallel to B (rotation
is about member axis). See the following image, with a plain view for more clarity.
In a 3D situation, faces will be, for example, those shown in the following image. Click
the red face (A) first, then the green face (B): the member to which face A belongs will be
rotated to get face A parallel to B.
Type: non modal

Commands
4.8.5.5
533
Modify
RENODE MODIFY MEMBERS

For the selected member, this command activates the optional checks on the net sections
as well as those made via a finite element model created automatically by CSE. When the
command is invoked, a dialog box 533 is shown.
Type: modal
NB: the command is available in renode view when a single member has been selected.
4.8.5.5.1 Member (dialog)
MEMBER (DIALOG BOX)
534
The three buttones Change, Modify and Add are used respectively:
1. To change the material choosing another one in the list of the available materials in the
mode. If the wished material is not in the list of those available in the model, but is one of
the materials stored in the general archive, then it may be added to the list of available
materials by the command Renode-Add Material 631 .
2. To modify the material assigned to this member changing its data values 486 . The change
will have effect also to all the other objects using that material.
3. To add a new material to the list of those existing in the model, by defining one by one all
its data values 486 . The new material will be assigned only to the selected member.
The Length edit box is used to modify the member stump length related to the member at
hand. The shortening or the elongation will be got by shifting the 3D point related to the
unconnected stump extremity, and does not imply any work-process. This option is useful to
fine tune the relative length of the members, depending on their connections. If the stump length
is too short, the cut interferes with the connections (keeping in mind De Saint Venant's
principle); if on the other hand the stump length is too long, then unnecessary computational
overhead is generated, especially in fem analysis. A too long member stump might also result in
excessive bending at the unconnected end, as the state of stress along member is re-constructed
from connected-end internal forces, neglecting transverse loads effects.
The "mode3d" edit box, is used to set the mode the 3d object is rendered in the scene 813 . The
value "0" is the default, that is the typical choice adopted by the program. For round and
circular hollow cross sections, "0" implies 24 subdivisions (15 angle interval). If a different
number is input, that number will be used in order to divide the circle. The number must be
divisible for 4. The "?" button is used to print a memo. Use this option to get wider or thinner
plane faces, or to get a different number of faces to attach the components to. The option also
modifies finite element models.
This dialog box is also used to specify whether or not to activate the following checks for the
selected member :
Commands
535
checking the net sections 225 , if the members gross area has been reduced by bolt holes,
cuts, bevels, etc. One can choose if using or not torsion and weak and strong axis bending
of net cross section, for the checks.
Referring to bolt bearing checks, one can use the minimum distance between X and Y no
matter the force direction (default) or use the minimum distance in direction X for X forces,
and in direction Y for Y forces. See also the question: quick faq 83
automatically creating a FEM model 193 , using the controls described below.
When the automatic checks are executed, finite element models will be created of all the
components for which the Create FEM flag is ticked, in accordance with the criteria
established in the checks settings 671 .
If Use nonlinear computation box is not ticked, automatic analysis of member fem
model -if required- will be linear static; if the box is ticked, analysis will be nonlinear
(component must have a nonlinear material).
The flag Model bolt holes requires that the FEM model is created adding octagonal
holes modeling the bolts holes.
The Borders and welds elements size parameter determines the mesh size along the edges
of the object and around any weld seams; it refers to the active units of measurement.
The Generic elements size parameter allows the maximum mesh size to be defined for the
elements away from the borders and welds. This field can therefore be used to set a mesh with
a given size in the areas around the edges and weld seams and which gradually becomes less
fine further away from them. If this parameter is set to the same value as the previous one, then
by default the mesh will have constant size; on the other hand, if this parameter is greater then
away from the edges the elements can be up to this value in size. If this parameter is set to zero,
there will be no limitation on the maximum size of the elements.
The Triangle minimum angle in degrees parameter enables the regularity of the elements to be
specified: the mesh quality decreases with the minimum angle. For further information see How
536
to create FEM models of the components 294 .

The Node distance tolerance parameter defines the maximum distance to which nodes are
merged.
This function offers the user the option to analyse the stresses and deformations in the
components separately via FEM models created completely automatically or semiautomatically, if the user wishes to create the mesh directly themselves. The automatically
created FEM model contains the forces acting on the component in all combinations of checks
and in all instances, as correctly applied (in the form of nodal loads) at the points where they
are transferred by the weld seams, bolts and bearing surfaces.
The user can have the system create the complete FEM model with associated static
analysis automatically, or the latter phase can be omitted if they wish to inspect the model
before analysing it.
If, on the other hand, the user prefers to create the mesh themselves, they can have only the
edges of the components maintained, which are defined by suitable one-dimensional elements.
Finally, the creation of any FEM model can be suppressed regardless of the tick in this dialog
box for each individual component. These choices must be made in the Settings for checks 672
dialog box.
If the box controlling the search for stiffeners (Search and mesh stiffeners) is ticked,
then when constructing the model of the component in question CSE will also include the
components recognised as its stiffeners (welded or bolted to it). Welds and/or bolt layouts will
be modelled using beam elements.
If the automatic static analysis is requested, the stresses read on the plate-shell elements
belonging to the main component will determine its level of utilisation, whilst those read on the
elements pertaining to the stiffeners will be associated with the corresponding components.
Given a member A and a through B, for B to be recognised as a stiffener of A and added
to its FEM model, the following conditions must obtain:
A must have the Create FEM and Search and mesh stiffeners boxes ticked
B must have the It is a stiffener box ticked (dialog box for adding the through)
Commands
537
B must be connected to A only (via welds or bolt layouts)
Instead of the single through B, there may be an assembly of several throughs {Bi} which,
considered as a single entity, satisfies the third point; furthermore, each component of this
assembly must comply with the second condition.
Note on the dimension and minimum angle of the plate-shell elements

If, during the process of automatic creation of the FEM models, triangular elements with a
smaller angle than that set as the minimum are detected, such elements are subdivided and a
new check is made on the angles. For particular configurations of the mandatorily fixed nodes
(see the figure below, in which there are weld seams very close to the edges), there may be
triangular elements with angles less than the minimum. It may also be the case that after the first
subdivision, even the two new triangular elements have smaller angles than the set minimum,
and so on. In order to avoid repeated iterations, it may be prudent to reduce the minimum angle.
538
4.8.5.6
Original position!
RENODE ORIGINAL POSITION

This command is available in renode view 823 when a single member has been selected.
It brings the member back to its original position, thus cancelling the effect of any translations
and/or rotations which may have been applied earlier.
Type: immediate
4.8.5.7
No trimming-extension!
RENODE NO TRIMMING/EXTENSION
This command is available in renode view 823 when a single member has been selected
to which no work processes 636 have been applied (the command becomes available once any
such processes are undone). It restores the selected member to its original length, thus
cancelling the effect of any trims and/or extensions which may have been applied earlier.
Type: immediate
Commands
4.8.5.8
539
Modify cross-section
RENODE MODIFY CROSS SECTION

This command is available in renode view 823 when a single member has been selected.
The command changes the selected members sectional form.
When run, the system shows the user an advisory to inform them of the above, and then
prompts for whether a section is to be selected from the archive 447 or a new one 455 is to be
added (similarly to when a section is assigned to the FEM model elements or the generic force
transferrers obtained through the extrusion of a sectional form).
This command is not available during PRenode recording 726 .
Type: immediate
NB: this command has the potential to be very dangerous, especially when starting from an
imported FEM model, as it introduces an inconsistency between this FEM model and the
renode, and between different renodes which have members in common. It must only be used
if it is absolutely necessary, and after thinking through the effects carefully.
This command may be of use in the following scenario, for example: consider a FEM model
which has already been analysed and checked, where there are diagonals composed of
trusses, and their profile comprises two double UPN sections 10mm apart.
Suppose, when checking a connection after being imported into CSE, that the two UPN
sections need to be brought to a distance of 15mm apart, in order to have a larger safety
margin for the bearing stress check on the plate which has been inserted between the two
sections and bolted to them.
Modifying the profile in the original FEM model would require all the analyses and checks
to be rerun, the FEM model to be reimported into CSE, the renode to be reconstructed, etc.,
and the modification would be ineffectual for the purposes of the FEM model, relating as it
does to trusses which would have the same area (identical shifts, identical strength checks,
540
less demanding compression stability checks, increasing the W about an axis). Therefore this
command can be used to preserve the FEM model intact whilst replacing the section
composed of two UPNs 10mm apart in the renode with a section comprising the same UPNs
at a new distance of 15mm.
The same change would need to be made in the renode at the members other extremity,
unless it is a connection which is also to be analysed.
The modifications made to the members can affect the solid view of the overall structure.
From version 6.30 onward, the program checks if the following conditions are verified:
1. There is only one jnode in the model.
2. There are some, but all the members potentially modified by this command (in the different
instances of the current jnode) are referenced only in the jnode currently studied.
3. The modified members are referenced also in other jnodes, different by the one being
studied, but these different jnodes only have one instance.
If none of these conditions (mutually exclusive) is verified, then reassigning the cross-section to
the selected member of this JNode-Renode will imply a severe incoherence in the global
model. Changing some members cross-sections and not others, in only some instances of other
jnodes, alters the equal-jnode detection. It will be better to modify the original FEM model and
then move forward by issuing a new JNode-Search command. A possible strategy is:
-Modify the model in the fem program used and then use the command File-Update Fem
Model 374 : this will save the Renodes already created. The components of the modified
Commands
541
Renode can be copied and later pasted to new file.

-If no outside fem model is available, save the CSE model with another name. Modify fem
model by using internal commands, then save fem into disk by the command Export FEM
Model 764 (format .sr3). Then use the previous command File-Update Fem Model 374 from the
original CSE model.
If none of the 3 conditions is satisfied the program issues a warning which otherwise is not
issued.
4.8.6
Components
4.8.6.1
Add through
RENODE ADD through
This command enables the addition of throughs 817 into the scene of the renode 811 under
consideration, using a dedicated property sheet 541 .
Type: modal, then non modal
4.8.6.1.1 Frequent objects (property page)
FREQUENT OBJECTS (DIALOG BOX)

Frequent
Simple 568
Plates with holes 568

573
RecCut 569
Finger 574
RecRou 570
Generic 575
RecMix 571
TriCut 572
TriRou
542
This property page is used to select one of the most frequently used throughs available in
CSE. Then, in subsequent dialog boxes, the throughs parameters and spatial orientation 576 are
set up; finally, the through is entered into the scene.
Most frequently used types of through are as follows:
Rectangular plate 543
Beveled rectangular plate 546
Triangular plate 558
Trapezoidal plate 558
Hexagon diagonal plate 548
Circular plate 558
Regular polygon plate 558
Generic polygon plate 549
Angle bracket 554
Double angle bracket 554
Cross-section trunk or generic shape 556
Commands
543
Constraint block 543
These initial forms can then be further modified by doing work processes 636 on them.
PRENODE MODE
In parametric renode 809 recording mode 726 a slightly different dialog box 561
appears: it is similar to the previous ones, but sizes must be defined in parametric form. During
PRenodes recording mode are not available yet the following objects: irregular polygon plates
and generic cross-section trunks.
4.8.6.1.1.1 Rectangular plate and constraint block (dialog)
ADD RECTANGULAR PLATE, OR CONSTRAINT BLOCK (DIALOG BOX)

Adding a rectangular plate as a through
544
The width (DX), height (DY) and thickness (DZ) of the plate must be specified in the
current units of measurement, such that:
height >= width >= thickness
The name of the component which the program assigns by default can be modified, if
required.
Given material can be changed or modified. Change button opens a dialog box with the list
of renode available materials. Modify button opens a dialog box 486 where it is possible to
modify current material parameters; it is also possible to define nonlinear data. With Add
button it is possible to add a new material, linear or nonlinear, through a proper dialog box 486
.
Simplified resistance checks 224 can be required (for the plates, they coincide with net
sections checks 225 ) and one can choose if using or not torsion and weak and strong axis
bending of net cross section, for the checks.
A FEM model 564 of the actual plate can be created after the checks are made, in order to
analyse the stresses and deformations in detail via a plate-shell model, and the maximum
mesh size can be specified, i.e. the maximum length of the side of each element. The mesh
size must be specified in the active units of measurement. Bolt holes can be explicitly
modeled or not.
Adding a constraint block as a through
Commands
545
The constraint block must be used when there is a rigid attachment 783 : indeed, the block
simulates that which the connection being analysed is attached to (a foundation mat, a wall,
etc.). All the degrees of freedom of the constraint block are blocked. In the renodes 811
associated with jnodes 790 which are categorised as rigid attachments, there must always be one
and only one constraint block.
The width (DX), height (DY) and thickness (DZ) of the block must be specified in the
current units of measurement, such that:
height >= width >= thickness
546
required.
The form of the constraint block is a parallelepiped, by convention.
4.8.6.1.1.2 Stiffener (dialog)
STIFFENER (DIALOG BOX)
Adding a rectangular plate with beveled edges as a through; the following must be specified:
the dimensions of the sides, h and b (in the current units of measurement)
the thickness t
the bevel size a
Commands
547
the name of the component (can be left as the default value)

given material can be changed or modified. Change button opens a dialog box with the list of
renode available materials. Modify button opens a dialog box 486 where it is possible to
.
the type of bevel (whether on one vertex only or both)
simplified resistance checks 224 can be required (for the plates, they coincide with net sections
checks 225 ) and one can choose if using or not torsion and weak and strong axis bending of net
cross section, for the checks.
a FEM model 564 of the actual plate can be created after the checks are made, in order to
modeled or not.
NB: If, prior to running the add through 541 command, only one I- or H-member has been
selected, the parameters h, b and a are initialised in the dialog box so as to adapt the plate with
beveled edges to the dimensions of the cross-section of the member, so that it can be inserted as
a stiffener without the need to calculate its dimensions.
548
4.8.6.1.1.3 Hexagon polygon plate (dialog)
HEXAGONAL PLATE FOR DIAGONAL (DIALOG BOX)
Adding a hexagonal diagonal plate as a through. This type of through is useful to join members
which are inclined in relation to the master.
The angle of inclination of the diagonal (in radians) must be specified in the
aforementioned example, this coincides with the inclination of the member. CSE can
calculate the correct angle automatically, by defining the projections (Dy and Dx) of the
diagonal, then using the Set angle button.
The width, diagonal and thickness of the plate must be specified in the current units of
measurement: the width and the diagonal, together with the angle, uniquely define the form of
the plate, which has two inclined sides parallel to the diagonal and equidistant from it, two
Commands
549
horizontal and two vertical sides (as shown in the image below).
required.
Given materiale can be changed or modified. Change button opens a dialog box with the list
.
A FEM model 564 of the plate can be created after the checks are made, in order to analyse the
stresses and deformations in detail via a plate-shell model, and the maximum mesh size can
be specified, i.e. the maximum length of the side of each element. The mesh size must be
specified in the active units of measurement. Bolt holes can be explicitly modeled or not.
4.8.6.1.1.4 Irregular polygon plate
IRREGULAR POLYGON PLATE (DIALOG BOX)

550
Adding a generic polygon plate as a through.

The thickness of the plate must be specified in the current units of measurement.
required.
.
Commands
551

A FEM model 564 of the plate can be created after the checks are made, in order to analyse the
stresses and deformations in detail via a plate-shell model, and the maximum mesh size can
be specified, i.e. the maximum length of the side of each element. The mesh size must be
specified in the active units of measurement. Bolt holes can be explicitly modeled or not.
The form of the plate is defined by the Polygon button, which gives access to a dedicated
dialog box 551 .
INPUT CLOSED POLYGON (DIALOG BOX)
This dialog box enables the form of a generic polygon plate to be defined for use as a through 817
.
Clicking on First point brings up another dialog box in which the X- and Y-coordinates
of the first point must be specified, in the active units of measurement. The reference system of
552
the polygon is shown by the following figure.
There are various ways of determining the next point:
Inputting DX and DY
this requires the distance in relative coordinates to be
specified between the new point and the last one input (shown in red).
Inputting an angle and a distance
requires the distance from the last point and
the angle (in degrees) between the new side and the horizontal.
Inputting an arc
requires the coordinates of the centre of the arc, the initial and
final angles (in degrees), the radius and the number of subdivisions into straight-line
segments. The coordinates and radius must be specified in the active units of
measurement.
Inputting an angle and a distance (projected DX)
degrees) and the projection of the new side along the X-axis, in the current units of
measurement.
Inputting an angle and a distance (projected DY)
degrees) and the projection of the new side along the Y-axis, in the current units of
measurement.
Once all the necessary points have been added, the polygon is confirmed by clicking OK.
Commands
553
The current point is shown in green. The << and >> arrows are used to change the
current point, which can be removed (using the Remove button) or modified (with the Modify
point button), which provides access to the dialog box with its coordinates.
The Special polygons button brings up a further dialog box which allows whole
polygons to be added by specifying some of their parameters. These polygons are added to
others which have been prepared earlier, and may themselves be modified by changing their
points.
The following polygons may be added:

Rectangle, given the coordinates of the centre (A and B), the base (C) and height (D)
Circle with centre (A, B), radius C and number of intervals D
Semicircle: in addition to the data in the previous bullet point, the angle of the diameter
above the x-axis must also be specified (in degrees)
Regular polygon of centre (A, B), radius C, number of sides D and angle above the
horizontal of the segment joining the centre with the first vertex equal to E (in degrees)
554
4.8.6.1.1.5 Angle or double angle trunk (dialog)
ADD SINGLE OR DOUBLE ANGLE BRACKET (DIALOG BOX)

Single angle bracket
The drop-down menu Angle is used to choose the dimensions of the section of the angle
bracket which is to be inserted. If the option All has been selected in the right-hand pane of the
dialog box, the drop-down menu will list all the angles in the archive; if, on the other hand, the
Equal legs only or Unequal legs only options are active, only angles of the type selected will
be presented in the list to pick from.
A length must be specified for the entity, in the active units of measurement.
Commands
555
required.
.
Simplified resistance checks 224 can be required and one can choose if using or not torsion and
weak and strong axis bending of net cross section, for the checks.
The user can choose whether or not to subject the through to the torsion checks.
A FEM model 564 of the component can be created after the checks are made, in order to
modeled or not.
Double angle bracket
556
In addition to the data shown for the single angle bracket,

the distance between the two angle brackets must be specified, in the active units of
measurement;
for angles with unequal legs, it must be specified which legs of the two sections must be
parallel: if Long side contact is ticked, the sections are placed side by side along the long
side, otherwise on the short side.
4.8.6.1.1.6 Cross-section trunk (dialog)
ADD CROSS-SECTION TRUNK (DIALOG BOX)
Commands
557
A cross-section trunk taken from the cse.sma archive (in the CSE installation folder) can
be used as a through. It is also possible to define a new cross-section.
As when adding a section to the FEM model (please refer to this for a detailed
description 446 of its operation), clicking the Select button brings up a dialog box which prompts
the user whether they wish to select a section from those in the archive (YES) or create a new
one (NO). The Yes button brings up the CSE section archive 447 which, as already mentioned,
contains over 10,000 sections, to which new ones can be added using Castalia s.r.l.s
S.A.M.B.A. software: rolled cross-sections, cold-formed cross-sections of generic form,
composite and welded cross-sections, those made of polygons, etc. Clicking NO brings up a
further dialog box 455 in which the user must first choose the type of section and then specify its
dimensions.
Once the section has been selected, the length of the trunk must be specified, in the active units
558
of measurement.
required.
Given material can be changed or modified. Change button opens a dialog box with the list
.
Simplified resistance checks 224 can be required and one can choose if using or not torsion and
weak and strong axis bending of net cross section, for the checks.
The "shear key 813 " attribute may be set for the cross-section trunk.
The user can choose whether or not to subject the through to the torsion checks.
A FEM model 564 of the component can also be created after the checks are made, in order to
modeled or not.
4.8.6.1.1.7 Plate or component of standard shape (dialog)
PLATE OR COMPONENT OF STANDARD SHAPE (DIALOG BOX)
Commands
559
This dialgo box is used to add different components with various shapes; it looks
different according to the chosen shape. Dialog box structure and various parameters do not
change; required sizes and the image, instead, change according to shape kind.
In the following figure, variable sections are highlighted in red; the rest is fixed.
560
The following parameters must be defined.

Object sizes, defined in current units (depending from chosen object); the image (also
depending from the object) is updated runtime in function of defined sizes and can be copied
or printed using the proper buttons.
Component name; assigned by default, it can be changed.
.
modeled or not.
In order to possibly match CHS member solid rendering, which uses a 15 degrees angle
step, the user may choose to generate the plate, in the scene, with circular sides divided into
15 degrees steps. This does not affect true side definition, which is actually circular. This
option is specially used with circular holes that must match existing CHS members.
N.B.: objects in property sheet "generic 575 " are composed by different plates; other objects are
composed by a single plate.
All kinds of through managed by this dialog box are reported in the appendix 828 .
Commands
561
4.8.6.1.1.8 Plate or component of standard shape - parameterized(dialog)
PLATE OR COMPONENT OF STANDARD SHAPE - PARAMETERIZED (DIALOG BOX)

PRENODE MODE This
dialogo box is available during RPenode recording only.
This dialgo box is used to add in parametric form different components with various
shapes and its used during PRenodes 809 recording 726 . It looks different according to the chosen
shape: dialog box structure and various parameters do not change; required sizes and the image,
instead, change according to shape kind. Object sizes must be defined in parametric form, so
that the PRrenode under recording could be applied later to similar renodes.
In the following figure, variable sections are highlighted in red; the rest is fixed.
562
The following parameters must be defined.

Parameterized object sizes (depending from chosen object): they must be defined in
parametric form 288 , using available renode variables and numbers (for example, the side of a
plate could be defined as 2*m3.h, twice the height of member 3 cross section). Buttons
near each size open a dialog box 563 for quick variables definition.
.
modeled or not.
Commands
563
In order to possibly match CHS member solid rendering, which uses a 15 degrees angle
step, the user may choose to generate the plate, in the scene, with circular sides divided into
15 degrees steps. This does not affect true side definition, which is actually circular. This
option is specially used with circular holes that must match existing CHS members.
N.B.: objects in property sheet "generic 575 " are composed by different plates; other objects are
composed by a single plate.
All kinds of through managed by this dialog box are reported in the appendix 828 .
N.B.: if numbers are used in variables definition, they must be given in Newton,
millimeters and derived units, independently from current units.
ADDITION OF A VARIABLE (DIALOG BOX)
This dialog box is used to add quickly a size in parametric form during parametric
renodes 809 recording 726 .
The length of a plate, for example, can be defined as twice the height of member 1
cross-section: 2 * m1.h
564
It is possible to type directly characters in the top-right box, insert operator by clicking
the buttons and insert available variable by double-clicking them in left-bottom box.
For further information see: How to manage parametric renodes 288
4.8.6.1.1.9 FEM creation input (part of a dialog box)
FEM CREATION INPUT (PART OF A DIALOG BOX)
These controls are common to all dialog boxes dealing with the addition of throughs,
except for the constraint block.
When the automatic checks are executed, finite element models will be created of all the
components for which the Create FEM flag is ticked, in accordance with the criteria
established in the checks settings 671 .
If Use nonlinear analysis box is not ticked, automatic analysis of component fem model
-if required- will be linear static; if the box is ticked, analysis will be nonlinear (component
must have a nonlinear material).
Model molt holes is a flag asking to explicitly model the bolt holes via an octagonal
hole.
Commands
565
The Borders and welds elements size parameter, which is defined in the active units of
measurement, determines the mesh size along the edges of the object, around the edges of any
bearing surfaces and around any weld seams.
The Generic elements size parameter allows the mesh size to be defined for the elements
away from the borders and welds. This field can therefore be used to set a mesh with a given
size in the areas around the edges and seams and which gradually becomes less fine further
away from them. If this parameter is set to the same value as the previous one, then by default
the mesh will have constant size; on the other hand, if this parameter is greater then away from
the edges the elements can be up to this value in size. If this parameter is set to zero, there will
be no limitation on the maximum size of the elements.
The Triangle minimum angle in degrees parameter enables the regularity of the elements to be
specified: the mesh quality decreases with the minimum angle. For further information see How
to create FEM models of the components 294 .
The Node distance tolerance parameter defines the maximum distance to which nodes are
merged.
This function offers the user the option to analyse the stresses and deformations in the
components separately via FEM models created completely automatically or semiautomatically, if the user wishes to create the mesh directly themselves. The automatically
created FEM model contains the forces acting on the component in all combinations of checks
and in all instances, as correctly applied (in the form of nodal loads) at the points where they
are transferred by the weld seams, bolts and bearing surfaces. For the throughs, these actions
are self-balanced, as there are dummy constraints whose sole purpose is to prevent
hypostaticity.
The user can have the system create the complete FEM model with associated static
analysis automatically, or the latter phase can be omitted if the user wishes to inspect the model
before analysing it (which is highly advisable).
If, on the other hand, the user prefers to create the mesh themselves, they can have only the
edges of the components maintained, which are defined by suitable one-dimensional elements.
Finally, the creation of any FEM model can be suppressed regardless of the tick in this dialog
566
box for each individual component. These selections must be made in the checks settings 672
dialog box.
If the box controlling the search for stiffeners (Search and mesh stiffeners) is ticked,
then when constructing the model of the component in question CSE will also include the
components recognised as its stiffeners (welded or bolted to it). Welds and/or bolt layouts will
be modelled using beam elements.
If the automatic static analysis is requested, the stresses read on the plate-shell elements
belonging to the main component will determine its level of utilisation, whilst those read on the
elements pertaining to the stiffeners will be associated with the corresponding components.
If the It is a stiffener box is ticked, the through will be taken into consideration in the
search for any stiffeners during creation of the FEM model for other components for which this
search is enabled.
In practice, for a through the system can be asked to find any stiffeners or that the through
itself be considered as a possible stiffener for other throughs or members which require the
FEM model.
Given a component A (member or through) and a component B (through), for B to be
recognised as a stiffener of A and added to its FEM model, the following conditions must
obtain:
A must have the Create FEM and Search and mesh stiffeners boxes ticked
B must have the It is a stiffener box ticked
B must be linked to A only (via welds or bolt layouts)
Commands
567
Instead of the single through B, there may be an assembly of several throughs {Bi} which,
considered as a single entity, satisfies the third point; furthermore, each component of this
assembly must comply with the second point.
Note on the dimension and minimum angle of the plate-shell elements

If, during the process of automatic creation of the FEM models, triangular elements with a
smaller angle than that set as the minimum are detected, such elements are subdivided and a
new check is made on the angles. For particular configurations of the mandatory intervention
nodes (see the figure below, in which there are weld seams very close to the edges), there may
be triangular elements with angles less than the minimum. It may also be the case that after the
first subdivision, even the two new triangular elements have smaller angles than the set
minimum, and so on. In order to avoid repeated iterations, it may be prudent to reduce the
minimum angle.
568
For further information see: How to... create FEM models of the components 291
4.8.6.1.2 Simple objects (property page)
SIMPLE OBJECTS (PROPERTY PAGE)

Frequent 541
Simple

573
RecCut 569
Finger 574
RecRou 570
RecMix 571
TriCut 572
TriRou
Generic 575
In this property page the user chooses between available simple plates, then a dialog box
558
appears and needed data can be defined.

PRENODE MODE
appears: it is similar to the previous one, but sizes must be defined in parametric form.
4.8.6.1.3 Plates with holes (property page)
PLATES WITH HOLES (PROPERTY PAGE)

Frequent 541
Simple 568
Plates with holes
RecCut 569
RecRou 570
RecMix 571
TriCut 572
TriRou
Commands
573
Finger 574
569
Generic 575
In this property page the user chooses between available plates with holes, then a dialog
box 558 appears and needed data can be defined.
PRENODE MODE
4.8.6.1.4 Cut rectangles (property page)
CUT RECTANGLES (PROPERTY PAGE)

Frequent 541
Simple 568

573
RecCut
Finger 574
RecRou 570
Generic 575
RecMix 571
TriCut 572
TriRou
570
In this property page the user chooses between available cut rectangles, then a dialog box
558

PRENODE MODE
4.8.6.1.5 Rectangles with round bevels (property page)
RECTANGLES WITH ROUND BEVELS (PROPERTY PAGE)

Frequent 541
Simple 568

573
RecCut 569
Finger 574
RecRou
RecMix 571
TriCut 572
TriRou
Generic 575
Commands
571
In this property page the user chooses between available rectangles with round bevels,
then a dialog box 558 appears and needed data can be defined.
PRENODE MODE
4.8.6.1.6 Cut rectangles with round bevels (property page)
CUT RECTANGLES WITH ROUND BEVELS (PROPERTY PAGE)

Frequent 541
Simple 568

573
RecCut 569
Finger 574
RecRou 570
Generic 575
RecMix
TriCut 572
TriRou
572
In this property page the user chooses between available cut rectangles with round
bevels, then a dialog box 558 appears and needed data can be defined.
PRENODE MODE
4.8.6.1.7 Cut triangles (property page)
CUT TRIANGLES (PROPERTY PAGE)

Frequent 541
Simple 568

573
RecCut 569
Finger 574
RecRou 570
RecMix 571
TriCut
TriRou
Generic 575
Commands
573
In this property page the user chooses between available cut triangles, then a dialog box
558

PRENODE MODE
4.8.6.1.8 Triangles with round bevels (property page)
TRIANGLES WITH ROUND BEVELS (PROPERTY PAGE)

Frequent 541
Simple 568

TriRou
RecCut 569
Finger 574
RecRou 570
Generic 575
RecMix 571
TriCut 572
574
In this property page the user chooses between available triangles with round bevels, then
a dialog box 558 appears and needed data can be defined.
PRENODE MODE
4.8.6.1.9 Fingers (property page)
FINGERS (PROPERTY PAGE)

Frequent 541
Simple 568

TriRou 573
RecCut 569
RecRou 570
Finger Generic
RecMix 571
TriCut 572
575
Commands
575
In this property page the user chooses between available fingers, then a dialog box 558
PRENODE MODE
4.8.6.1.10 Generic objects (property page)
GENERIC OBJECTS (PROPERTY PAGE)

Frequent 541
Simple 568

TriRou 573
RecCut 569
Finger 574
RecRou 570
Generic
RecMix 571
TriCut 572
576
In this property page the user chooses between available generic objects, then a dialog
box 558 appears and needed data can be defined.
PRENODE MODE
N.B.: objects in this property page are made of different plates monolithically joined. The
background color is yellow to remember that this components are not simple plates.
4.8.6.1.11 Component positioning (dialog)
COMPONENT POSITIONING (DIALOG BOX)
Commands
577
After having selected the type of through and specified its parameters, it will need to be
positioned in the scenewhatis_scene. In order to do so, the component must first be oriented
using this dialog box, by pressing the
and
buttons, which relate to the axis about which
the rotation is to be applied (Rx = rotation about the current x-axis 528 , etc.). The value of the
rotation step applied around each axis is that specified in the fields DRx, DRy and DRz.
The Restart button returns the through to its initial position; the Update button is used to
update its position after having entered rotation values in the corresponding text boxes.
Once the piece has been orientated, the point of insertion is selected, i.e. the point on the
through which is to coincide with the point which will then be clicked in the scene. By clicking
Ins. Point, the significant point (the extremities and mid-points of the sides and the centres of
the faces) nearest the mouse pointer belonging to the through being added will be indicated with
a red dot; when the one desired is clicked, it will be shown with a small box around it. The
command can be rerun as required. If it is difficult to select the correct insertion point after
having clicked Ins. Point, the dialog box can be resized to make the drawing commensurately
larger at the same time.
Clicking OK at this point takes the user into the graphical view: a point in the scene must
now be clicked, for the point selected in the dialog box to coincide with; the component will be
orientated in accordance with the parameters set earlier.
If CSEs sounds 380 have been activated, a click sound will be heard if the piece just
added does not overlap any of the other components in the scene, with a more dramatic sound to
warn if overlaps do occur.
4.8.6.2
Add weld layout
RENODE ADD WELD LAYOUT
This command enables a weld layout 824 to be added. Once the command has been
invoked, the face on whose perimeter the welds are to lie must first be selected. To select the
desired face, the mouse cursor must be positioned close to its centre of gravity; the face will be
578
shown with thickened, coloured edges: left-clicking on it will select it, and at the same time:
CSE automatically recognises the face, tangential and coplanar to that selected, on which the
other faces of the welds will lie
the weld layout input dialog box 578 is brought up, for the fillet weld seams to be defined
NB:
- a weld layout must connect two components only;
- if there are selected objects, the first face to be chosen must be one of the faces of the selected
objects.
PRENODE MODE During
the recording 726 of a parametric renode 809 , a dialog box 584 similar to
the previous one appears, where data must be expressed in parametric form 288 .
Type: non modal during the choice of face, then modal
4.8.6.2.1 Weld layout input (dialog box)
ADD WELD LAYOUT (DIALOG BOX)
Commands
579
Fillet or penetration welds can be applied; use the tick box at the top left to choose: a
tick in the box means the welds will be penetration welds.
Mergers are special penetration weld-layouts which will not be subjected to checks.
In the image in this dialog box, fillet welds are shown outside the welded face, and the
throat section is represented as a function of the angle of incidence between the welded objects.
Conversely, penetration welds (and mergers) are shown inside the face (i.e. as if
penetrating it). The size of the weld on the designed section cannot be the same as the specified
thickness. The calculation thickness for penetration welds, however, is always equal to the
nominal thickness stated (e.g. if the plate to be penetrated is of thickness t and there are two
penetration welds, one on each side, then to make a complete penetration, each one must have
thickness t/2, independently of how the plate is positioned. If the plate is not at 90, this
thickness, projected onto the plane of the joint, will be greater than t/2 in size, although it will
always be treated in the calculation as having the nominal value t/2, so that the two t/2 values
fill the thickness of the plate, t). If penetration welds are added, the program checks that there
580
are no overlaps, which are physically impossible.

In the global scene, the two types of weld are represented as shown in the images below
(the fillet welds on the right, the full-penetration welds on the left in the first image).
If the box "Shop" is ticked weld layout is considered as made in the workshop,
otherwise in field. This information is used in computations according to IS 800 standards (WS
or LS), which use different safety factors for welds made in workshop or in field.
Commands
581
The field Fu is available only when AISC-ASD or AISC-LRFD standard is being used
(otherwise it's hidden). It refers to the ultimate stress of the weld metal. Default value is 70 ksi.
There are two modes for inserting welds: Apply to all sides and Add weld
Apply to all sides
This mode enables a number of welds to be inserted at the same time. The Initialization
pane allows a minimum length to be specified (welds shorter than this are not inserted) as well
as the distance to be maintained between the welds and borders. The thickness to be assigned to
the welds is set in the General data section. When the Apply to all sides button is clicked, the
welds which comply with the parameter settings are inserted.
Add weld!
The arrow buttons in the Face sides pane can be used to scroll through the sides; the
currently selected side will be highlighted in red in the image on the right. When Add weld is
clicked, a weld will be inserted on that side, which may subsequently be modified.
Add All Side Weld!

The arrow buttons in the Face sides pane can be used to scroll through the sides; the
currently selected side will be highlighted in red in the image on the right. When Add All Side
Weld is clicked, a weld will be inserted on that side, having the full length of the side.
Modify individual welds

This section allows the welds to be modified, regardless of which mode was used to
insert them. The arrows can be used to position on the desired weld, which will be shown in
green in the picture. Its parameters can then be edited, i.e. length, thickness and position. Move |
582
<-- -->| buttons shift selected weld automatically placing it at the beginning or at the end of the
corresponding side. Type 0 in "position" box to replace current weld at the center of the side.
For each weld, CSE computes its throat section and the angle between its active faces,
and shows a warning message when the angles are too large or too small.
Calculation options
This is where the user must specify the method for computing the torsional moment of inertia;
the two options are:
Jp: polar inertia of the entire layout
Jr: the sum of (1/3)Lt3 for the various welds
Weld layout computing data
In this section, the following data are computed in real time:
Area of the layout (A): the sum of the areas of the individual welds (length multiplied by
throat section)
The moments of inertia about the principal axes (Ju and Jv)
Polar moment Jp
If the box Full constraints in FEM model 199 is ticked, FEM models of the components
connected to this weld layout will have fixed constraints in correspondence to this layout
welds, instead of fictitious constraints.
Flexibility index
The stiffness of a weld layout is directly proportional to the number of single
welds, and inversely proportional to the throat thickness.
Besides, the bending and sliding stiffness of a weld layout is inversely proportional to the
cube of the flexibility index 785 set by the user. If the flexibility index is increased (> 1) the
stiffness of the weld layout compared to that of the other weld layouts that do cooperate
in carrying the applied actions, will decrease accordingly. If instead this flexibility index
Commands
583
decreases (< 1) the relative stiffness increases.

Image
The Zoom, PanX and PanY controls can be used to control the image display, by enlarging
or shrinking it, or shifting it left and right and/or up and down.
The faces of the image can be filled by clicking on Fill.
The current image can be copied to the clipboard for pasting into text documents or picture
editors (Copy) or printed directly (Print).
When welds are inserted, their dimensions are included in the dialog box image in real time,
as well as in the printout or clipboard copies.
By pressing and holding the arrow buttons alongside Font size, the size of the digits
displayed can be increased or reduced.
By clicking inside the graphic window twice, you will get the distance of the two points
clicked. This can be useful to position correctly the welds.
584
4.8.6.2.2 Parametric weld layout input (dialog box)
ADDING A WELD LAYOUT IN PARAMETRIC MODE (DIALOG BOX)

PRENODE MODE
This dialog box enables the user to define a weld layout while recording a PRenode 726 .
It is like adding a normal weld layout 578 (see description of that for a general explanation),
except that the weld thicknesses, dimensions and positions must be defined parametrically 288
here.
The parametric variables can be entered either by typing directly into the thick-edged
Commands
fields or by clicking the
585
buttons alongside them to bring up a convenient dialog box 563 . Using
the Apply to all sides button, for instance, the thickness can be defined using the formula m1.tf,
i.e. the thickness of the flange on member 1. When the current PRenode 809 is applied to a
similar renode where m1 has a different flange thickness, the weld thickness will be
recalculated based on the section. Fixed thicknesses can also be set, e.g. 10(mm).
NB: any numbers used in defining the variables must, if dimensional, always be expressed
in Newtons, millimetres and derived units, whatever the active units may be.
The distance from the edges and the minimum length of the sides where the welds are to
be added may also be parametrised.
Welds may be modified individually, as when adding welds 578 in non-parametric form.
The auto code in the current weld's length field means that the length of that weld is calculated
automatically based on the distance from the edges and the minimum length of the sides. To
make a weld run all the way along the side to which it is applied, simply enter total in its length
field; this applies regardless of the above parameters.
Fillet or penetration welds - made in the workshop or on site - can be used, as when
adding a weld layout normally; the current weld can be removed or a new one added on the
side selected in red.
The Typical section button, which is available only when defining a parametrised weld
layout, provides an automated means of defining a weld layout for rolled H-sections. Based on
the type of welds required (penetration or fillet), the program automatically applies the welds,
adjusting their thickness given their position (whether flange or web welds). In particular, for
penetration welds, each weld will be half as thick as the plate to which it is applied; the
thickness of fillet welds will be
2 / 2 ,t where t is the thickness of the plate to which the weld
is applied. The image below illustrates this for penetration welds.
586
4.8.6.3
Add bolt layout
RENODE ADD BOLT LAYOUT

This command enables a bolt 771 layout to be added. Once the command has been invoked,
the face on which the bolt heads are to lie must first be selected. To select the desired face, the
mouse cursor must be positioned close to its centre of gravity; the face will be shown with
thickened, coloured edges: left-clicking on it will select it, and at the same time:
CSE automatically recognises all bolting levels starting from the face clicked: if there are
fewer than four boltable faces 774 or fewer than three bolting levels 774 , a message advising
that connection is impossible is shown, otherwise
the dialog box 587 for defining the bolting parameters is launched.
NB:
- all the bolts in a layout must connect the same components in the same order (up to a maximum
of 10 plates);
- if there are selected objects, the first face to be chosen must be one of the faces of the selected
objects;
- all bolts must lie on the face initially clicked, although they can then penetrate other faces of
the same object.
Commands
PRENODE MODE During
587
Type: non modal during the choice of face, then modal
4.8.6.3.1 Bolt layout input (dialog)
ADD BOLT LAYOUT INPUT (DIALOG BOX)
This dialog box enables the parameters to be set for the bolt layout that is about to be
inserted. When a face is selected in the scene, it may be the case that the bolting levels can no
longer be uniquely defined due to the possibility of there being several paths to follow:
depending on how the bolts will be positioned by means of this dialog box, CSE will discard
588
the faces and the levels which are not affected by the bolt layout. For example, by selecting the
face highlighted in red in the figure below, there are two possible paths depending on the
position of the bolts.
All the bolts in a given layout must connect the same plates, in the same order. In the example
in the figure above, a layout cannot be devised which includes the bolts in group 1 along with
those in group 2: two separate layouts must be created.
Bolts
The dialog box brought up by the Change 605 button enables the diameter, class and loadbearing area to be determined, together with the play between hole and bolt. All bolts in the
layout have the same specifications.
Arrangement
The possible arrangements are:
regular: n rows x m columns; if this arrangement is selected, ticking Empty inside causes
only the bolts around the edge to be retained;
staggered: in relation to the regular arrangement, i.e. every other column has one bolt fewer;
circular: n concentric circles, each with m bolts;
free: starting from the current arrangement, this enables individual bolts to be added or
removed, and selected bolts to be moved around (individually or in groups).
Regular, staggered or circular arrangements

Commands
589
Quantity
For regular and staggered arrangements the number of rows and columns needs to be set;
for the circular arrangement, the same pair of fields is to be used to specify the number of
concentric circles and how many bolts on the circumference of each. This facility is not
available for the free arrangement.
Distances
In the current units of measurement, the distances between the rows and the distances
between the columns are set for the regular and staggered arrangements; for the circular
arrangement, the Rows distance stands for the distance between the bolts on the circle of
smallest circumference, and the Columns distance is the increase in the radius from the first
circle to the second. The radius of the innermost circle is uniquely determined by the number of
bolts and their separation. This facility is not available for the free arrangement.
Free arrangement
This pane is active only if the free option has been ticked in the arrangement section. The
bolts are initially positioned as previously defined. At this point, the layout can be freely
modified as required using the various commands.
Add inserts a new bolt at the centre of the layout; the new bolt becomes selected (shown in
yellow)
Remove eliminates all selected bolts
Sel/Unsel selects or unselects the current bolt (this is the one highlighted with a red outline)
Unselect all the selected bolts, and selects all the unselected ones.
The arrows below are used to change the current bolt by scrolling through all bolts in the
layout
590
All selects all bolts

None unselects all bolts
The arrows alongside X and Y are used to translate all selected bolts along the x- and y-axes
of the bolt layout.
Thus a completely generic layout can be defined or a standard arrangement modified. For
example, an initial regular arrangement can be turned into a free arrangement, by selecting all
the bolts on one line and translating it as required; on the other hand, starting from a circular
arrangement, a single bolt can be eliminated if assembly considerations mean it could not be
included; and so on and so forth.
NB: if the specification of additions, removals or shifts in free arrangement mode results in a
new type of arrangement (regular, staggered or circular), the changes made will necessarily be
lost.
Centre offset
The bolt layout can be translated by setting two offsets, Dx and Dy, in the active units of
measurement. The x- and y-axes of the reference system of the dialog box are as shown in the
following figure.
The bolt layout can also be rotated about its centre by specifying an Angle (in degrees). If
a circular plate is being bolted and the bolt layout is not aligned with the faces of the other
objects, the ! button can be used to realign the layout automatically with the sides of the
other faces: the angle will automatically be set so as to achieve the correct alignment; the button
can be clicked again to align the layout with subsequent sides.
Commands
591
Basic information
The following properties are automatically computed:
Net length
The sum of the thicknesses of all the perforated plates, in the active units of measurement.
Minimum thickness
This is the minimum thickness of all the perforated plates, in the active units of
measurement.
Multiplicity
The number of bolt section checks.
Types
If none of the following options are ticked, the bolts work on a shear and tension basis;
the support is not resistant to compression. Otherwise, the options can be ticked to establish
different operational settings.
Shear-only bolts
If ticked, the bolts work on a shear-only (not tension) basis (if, for example, in the
calculation for a splice joint between two H-section beam stumps, we want to ensure that
the shear parallel to the web is not assigned to the bolts on the flanges and vice-versa,
this is the option to use).
NB: if the bolts also work on a tension basis (field not ticked), they will be shown in the
graphical view with a dot on their head. This display convention is not applied in the
post-processing stage.
Flexibility index
The stiffness of a bolt layout is directly proportional to the number of bolts of
which it is comprised, and to the fourth power of the radius of the bolts, and inversely
592
proportional to the net length 772 of the bolt layout.

The stiffness of a bolt layout is also inversely proportional to the cube of the flexibility
index 785 set by the user.
Compressed bolts
If this box is ticked, the bolts will also react when subjected to compression.
Otherwise, their compression is calculated but is not taken into account in the checks.
This option also affects the way a bolt layout with bearing surface is calculated (if the
compressed bolts assist the bearing surface or not).
Slip-resistant joint
This option enables the bolt layout to operate on a friction-grip basis, when the
preload, friction coefficient and hole coefficient are specified in the dedicated friction
data 600 dialog box. If a preload is defined in the subdialog but the box is not ticked, the
bolts will not operate on a friction-grip basis, but instead the preload will be
considered during the check as an additional internal force in the bolts.
NB: bolts with preload are displayed in the graphical view with a triangle on the upper
face of their head; when working on a friction-grip basis, the diagonals of the lateral
faces are also drawn. These display conventions are not applied in the post-processing
stage.
Is an anchor
This option is ticked when the bolt layout to be used is an anchor. The Anchor data
595
dialog box is used to determine the type of anchor, the equivalent length and the
tangential bond stress.

NB: the anchors are shown differently in the graphical view depending on the type chosen
in the dialog box.
Use bearing surface polygon
A bearing surface polygon can be used if the support needs to react to compression.
To set up the bearing surface polygon(s), click the bearing button located under the image
pane, which brings up a dedicated dialog box 597 . The constitutive law of the bearing
Commands
593
material is then defined in the bearing data 596 dialog box.

Use bolt net area for bearing calculation
When a bolt layout has a bearing surface, there is a choice of whether the
calculation should use the net or gross bolt area.
Add inertia of bolts in bearing calculation
When a bolt layout has a bearing surface, there is a choice of whether or not
the calculation should take into account the bolts own moment of inertia.
If no bearing surface use plastic distribution
This flag sets the computation of the bolt layout in bending in such a way that the
forces in the shafts follow a plastic distribution (all forces equal) and not elastic (forces
increasing with the distance from the bending axis). This flag may is used only if the bolt
layout does not use a bearing surface. AISC specifications suggest this method as an
alternative to that using a bearing surface, assuming that the compressed bolts are not
considered (see flag compressed bolts).
Block tearing
If the Check block tear box is ticked, the block tearing 770 check is activated for the
affected components of the bolt layout in question, subject to the checks settings 671 . The
button to the right of the tick box provides access to a dialog box 602 which can be used to
interrogate the various failure paths calculated by CSE as a function of the perforated
pieces and the direction of the resultant applied, with the corresponding strength limit
values.
Limit values of elementary actions
CSE calculates the maximum centred axial action, the maximum centred shear and the
maximum torque that the bolt layout can withstand. The user can choose whether to adopt the
elastic or plastic limits.
Prying forces factor
594
This edit box is used to input prying forces factor 810 for the tensile bolts. These bolts
will be checked with a tensile force computed multiplying the analysis tensile force by this
factor (see background 333 ). The button K,prying opens a useful dialog 607 used to set the proper
value for the prying forces factor for the problem at hand.
Image
All the faces corresponding to the various bolting levels are represented, along with all the
bolts and all the faces which are not recognised as bolting levels but which are in contact with
the boltable faces (the image of a bolt layout connecting a base plate to the foundation will also
show the outlines of the column welded to the plate and the weld seams).
The face shown with red edges is the one which was clicked in the scene, while that with
green edges is the one which is currently selected in the dialog box. The arrows under the
figure are used to scroll through the various faces corresponding to the bolting levels; if the face
clicked in the scene is selected, its red edges will turn green to show that it has now been
selected. The measurements (i.e. the distances from the edges) given are those for the currently
selected face.
The Zoom, PanX and PanY controls can be used to control the image display, by enlarging
or shrinking it, or shifting it left and right and/or up and down.
The faces of the image can be filled in by clicking on Fill.
The bolt heads can be shown in order to be able to see their overall size.
The current image can be copied to the clipboard for pasting into text documents or
picture editors (Copy) or printed directly (Print).
By pressing and holding the arrow buttons alongside Font size, the size of the digits
displayed can be increased or reduced.
Commands
595
The effect of ticking the Do not show messages box is to suppress the warning messages
alerting the user to when bolts fall outside the face which has been clicked, or when not all the
bolts penetrate the same pieces, etc. This avoids messages being shown when the layout is
being positioned. In any case, CSE will not allow inconsistent bolt layouts to be inserted in the
scene.
By clicking inside the graphic window twice, you will get the distance of the two points
clicked. This can be useful to position correctly the bolts.
4.8.6.3.1.1 Anchor data (dialog)
ANCHOR DATA (DIALOG BOX)
The Data section is used to define the anchor type (1, 2, 3, 4 or 5, as shown in the image),
and several data whose meaning is explained in the "Symbol meaning" box, and whose usage
depends on the kind of the anchor (some data may also be unused).
Please refer to the section where the checks are explained
214
for further information.
596
Safety is a safety factor (also elsewhere 214 called
) whose value depends on the
standard used:
1 for EN 1993, CNR-limit states and IS800-LS
1.5 for CNR-allowable stresses
1.666 for IS800WS
1.333for AISC-LRFD
2 for AISC-ASD
4.8.6.3.1.2 Bearing component material data (dialog)
BEARING COMPONENT DATA (DIALOG BOX)
The constitutive law of the bearing material used must be defined in this dialog box. Four
different formulations are available, all of the no tension variety, one linear and three nonlinear.
Unlimited elastic constitutive law no tension: a homogenization factor m (which reduces
the elastic modulus of the bolts) and the maximum compression stress
max must be
Commands
597
defined. For example, if the bearing material is a type of concrete, the homogenization
coefficient can be set at 1/15. Homogenization is carried out in relation to steel.
Elastic-perfectly plastic constitutive law no tension: the elastic modulus E, the yield
stress sy and the ultimate deformation eu must all be defined, along with the safety factor
M.
Parabola-rectangle constitutive law no tension: the vertex of the stress parabola s1, the
deformation e1 and the ultimate deformation eu must all be defined, along with the safety
factor M.
Trilinear constitutive law no tension: the stress-deformation points with coordinates (s3,
e3), (s2, e2) and (su, eu) must all be defined, along with the safety factor M.
Except for the dimensional numbers m and M, the other values must be specified in the active
units of measurement.
The ratio between the maximum compression stress acting on the bearing surface as calculated
by the program and the maximum compression stress possible on the basis of the specified
constitutive law represents its coefficient of utilisation. This utilisation helps to determine the
utilisation of the component which constitutes the bearing surface.
4.8.6.3.1.3 Bearing surface polygons (dialog)
BEARING SURFACE POLYGONS (DIALOG BOX)
598
In this dialog box the bearing surface polygon 767 must be defined, i.e. the polygon which
encloses the contact area between two objects which can undergo a compression reaction as the
stresses spread through the components affected.
The image and its controls are described in the add bolt layout 587 dialog box. This box
also shows the face of the component which is subject to a crushing test in yellow.
Defining the bearing surface
The bearing surface polygon must be within the intersection of all the faces of the crushed
objects (or, in the limiting condition, it may coincide with this intersection). 4 buttons are
provided to help achieve the desired bearing surface, as below.
bearing surface = current face: when this button is clicked, the bearing surface is set as
the current face (i.e. the one shown in green; the arrows beneath the image can be used to
scroll through the various faces);
bearing surface = current face bordered by c: operates like the previous button, whilst
also adding a border to the selected face, of size equal to the projecting border value c
Commands
599
defined later on;

bearing surface U face bordered by c: the surface defined previously is supplemented
with an additional contribution given by the current face, with projecting border c; this
button can be used to add the outlines of several faces in sequence;
bearing surface U border +/- c of current face: the surface defined previously is
supplemented with an additional contribution given by the border of the current face (only
the border, without related face); sign is considered, so it is possible to add a border but
also to subtract it, using a negative value;
bearing surface Int current face: this intersects the previously defined bearing surface
with the current face, so as to eliminate portions of the bearing surface which extend
beyond the borders of the crushed objects.
Bearing surface Sub current face: this subtracts the surface delimited by the current face
from the polygon previously defined.
The program thus enables the user to define one potentially very complex polygon, a collection
of different polygons or a polygon with internal holes.
Object to be checked as bearing surface

To define the object which must be subjected to the crushing check, the button needs to be
clicked when one of the faces of this object is the current face (in green). This face will then be
shown in yellow.
Defining c
The projecting border value c can be entered manually or calculated automatically using the
600
button provided, once the following parameters have been set:

- the thickness tp of the plate which transfers the compression force
- its yield stress fy
- the design stress fjd of the crushed object
When the button is clicked, the value is calculated as
tp
f y /(3 f jd
M0
Bearing surface data

This section contains two data items which are automatically computed by CSE: the area
of the bearing surface and the maximum simple compressive force which can be withstood.
4.8.6.3.1.4 Slip resistant joint (dialog)
SLIP RESISTANT JOINT DATA (DIALOG BOX)
Commands
601
Values must be supplied for the friction coefficient Mu, the hole coefficient Fi and the
preload Fp,C for the bolts, expressed as the fraction Kn of the ultimate load of the bolt: Fp,C =
Kn * fu,b * Ares, where fu,b is the ultimate stress of the bolts and Ares the net area of the
threading. The lower part of the dialog box is used to display suggested values for Mu and Fi
according to various different standards.
The shear applied to the bolts is compared with the limit shear, defined as
Mu * Fi * Fp,C / safety
EN 1993 uses a safety factor equal to
M3,
IS800 safety factor uses
m,f
(they can be
defined in the checks settings 672 ); for the other standards, the safety factor has been derived by
recalculating from the formulae used in each standard.
602
Slip is therefore considered by the program as a possible cause of bolt layout failure,
represented by the coefficient of utilization being greater than 1. The coefficient of utilization
for slotting is the ratio between the shear applied to each bolt and the maximum shear that the
bolt can withstand, and it naturally takes into account not only the preload but also any
(favourable) compressive or (unfavourable) tensile forces present on each bolt. The coefficient
of utilization for slotting helps to determine the utilization of the bolt layout.
NB: bolts with preload are displayed in the graphical view with a triangle on the upper
face of their head; for those working on a friction-grip basis, the diagonals of the lateral faces
are also drawn. These display conventions are not applied in the post-processing stage.
4.8.6.3.1.5 Block tearing (dialog)
BLOCK TEARING (DIALOG BOX)

This dialog box has two functions: it shows the results when invoked by the Display
block tear results 707 command and it displays the most critical failure paths for changes in the
inclination of the resultant of the forces applied when invoked from the Input bolt layouts 587
dialog box.
RESULTS
Commands
603
This dialog box displays the results of the block tearing 770 checks on the selected entity,
in the current combination and instance.
The diagram on the right shows the most critical failure path as a function of the stresses
caused by the bolt layout in the current combination and instance, among all possible paths
analysed.
At the left there is the basic information 587 about the bolt layout, followed by the ultimate
block tearing force (Fultima) and the applied force, as a function of the angle of the applied
force. This angle, which refers to the resultant at all bolts under consideration, is also shown in
the dialog box.
Finally the system also calculates a coefficient of utilisation for the component, which is equal
to the ratio between Fapplicata and Fultima.
In the case shown in the figure above, the force applied has an angle of incidence of 0
and is 1.486 times as strong as the corresponding block tearing resistance. The convention on
the angle of the resultant is shown in the figure below, in which the failure method in the case in
604
question is also shown.
To discover the possible failure paths, the user will need to go to the subdialog box
which handles block tearing (see below); this can be accessed from within the bolt layout
modification 587 dialog box in question.
INTERROGATION OF THE MOST CRITICAL PATHS
This dialog box provides a means to find the most critical block tearing failure paths
Commands
605
calculated by CSE for changes in the resultant on the bolts (all or a subset of them, depending
on the path), with the corresponding limit action which can be withstood by these paths.
The basic information about the bolt layout is shown at the top left, taken from the add
layout 587 dialog box. The controls under the image (which can be copied to the clipboard or
printed) are described in the aforementioned dialog box.
The image shows the details from the main dialog box, together with the most critical
failure path on the current face (in green) as a function of the angle of incidence of the resultant
applied. A discussion of the search for paths can be found in the section on Understanding the
checks made by CSE 244 .
The current angle of incidence, using the convention described above, is that set in the
dedicated field in the Preliminary study section. The corresponding most critical failure path
(shown in the figure) and the corresponding resistance (Fultima) for that path when subject to a
force of the set inclination are shown as a function of this angle.
The angle of incidence can be changed using the arrows, whereupon the path and the
Fultima are automatically updated in real time. The most critical path and the Fultima are also
updated as the user scrolls through the various faces.
NB: the most critical failure paths may involve all the bolts in the layout or only a subset of
them.
4.8.6.3.1.6 Bolt choice (dialog)
BOLT CHOICE (DIALOG BOX)
606
First of all desired bolt set must be selected, choosing between 6 different sets (all having
hexagonal head):
European
Indian
American
European high strength friction grip
Indian high strength friction grip
American high strength
European size pins (EN 22341)
Indian size pins (presently assumed equal to European)
American size pins (AISC LRFD Table 8.32, 1998, "Gray" book Vol. II)
Then the drop-down menus are used to select the bolts diameter and class.
The user specifies whether the load-bearing area in question must be the total area or the
threaded area.
Commands
607
There is also a field to set whether the play between hole and bolt is to be normal or
precision. If the "normal" bolt hole is chosen, the value of the play (difference between bolt
hole diameter and bolt shaft diameter) can be optionally set, using the current length units. If
it is equal to 0 (default value), the value used by the program is that specified in the relevant
standard for "normal" holes.
The bolts are marked as follows: [diameter]-[class]; an F (for full) is then added if the
load-bearing area is to be the total area, or a P if the precision hole has been chosen.
4.8.6.3.1.7 Prying forces factor setting
PRYING FORCES FACTOR SETTING (DIALOG)
This dialog is used to set the prying forces factor K 810 . To this end, the only available model is
used, that is the one using T-stub. Of course there are more complex situations and different
from T-stub: these situations will necessarily have to be dealt with adapting the T-stub model to
the problem at hand. In fact there is no simple and general way to consider prying forces, not
608
using T-stub model.

The dialog uses the formulae of W. Thornton's paper "Prying Action - a General Treatment",
published by AISC on 1985.
The input data, which can be changed at any time, are:
1. The diameter d of the bolt shafts.
2. The diameter dh of the holes.
3. The distance p between the bolts.
4. The distance a from bolt axis to free edge.
5. The distance b from the bolt axis to the clamp.
6. The yield stress Fy of the plate or of the component.
The dialog can be used in two ways:
1. Setting as input the thickness t (the one assigned to the component or another value,
increased to keep into account stiffeners), and determining the value alpha by which
K,prying depends. So in this working mode, given t, K,prying is got.
2. Setting as input alpha, and consequently K,prying, and then reading the thickness t necessary
to get that value of K,prying. So in this working mode the thickness of the component or its
stiffeners might have to be changed.
If K,prying is equal to 1 (alpha=0), then there is no prying force. If K,prying is greater than 1
(alpha > 0 but < 1), then the prying forces develop. Higher thicknesses lead to lower K,prying.
The maximum prying effect is when alpha=1.
To set the proper working mode the button "alpha is a function of t", or, conversely, "t is a
function of alpha" must be pressed.
The ratio Tmax/B measure the effective part of the maximum allowable load that the bolt will be
able to take in tension. B is the limit value of the tensile force applicable to the bolt shaft,
according to the standard used. Values of this ratio lower than 1, imply that a part of the force B
is "lost" to take prying force.
Commands
609
4.8.6.3.2 Parametric bolt layout input (dialog)
PARAMETRIC BOLT LAYOUT INPUT (DIALOG BOX)

PRENODE MODE
This dialog box allows users to define a bolt layout during the process of recording a
PRenode 726 . It is very similar to the standard method of adding a bolt layout 587 (click link for a
general explanation of the procedure involved), except that some data must be specified
parametrically 288 . These data, as described in more detail below, are:
bolt diameter;
quantities and separation distances;
the layout's offset and rotation;
bearing surface 613 (s) - but not the constitutive law.
610
Other information must, however, be defined normally in numeric form, even when
recording a parametric renode:
layout type (e.g. regular or staggered);
operational scenarios (shear-only bolts, compression bolts, slip-resistant joints, anchors,
etc.);
sub-dialog boxes used to define the slip resistance 600 , anchor 595 and bearing 596 properties
(only the constitutive law, not the surface).
Finally, the bolt class and type are defined at the start of the process of recording 727 the
parametric renode; they are the same for all that PRenode's bolt layouts.
Data to be input in parametric form
Like all the data that is to be input in parametric form 288 , the variables can be typed
directly into the thick-edged fields; alternatively, the
buttons alongside the boxes can be
clicked to bring up a dialog box 563 that offers a convenient way to insert the variables. A
separation distance or offset may thus be defined as a function of the side of a plate or the height
of a section (e.g. P1.H/2 is half the height of plate P1, 2/3*m1.b is two thirds the width of the
section of member 1, etc.). Note that a diameter can still be typed in directly (e.g. 27mm) and
stored as a constant, which the user can edit later, if need be, when the PRenode that is being
recorded is assigned to a similar renode.
Because the calculation of the bolt diameter in closed form might give a number that
does not correspond to a standardised diameter (even after rounding to an integer value), and
because the diameter determines the minimum distances between the bolts and the edges - and
therefore also the separations and the number of bolts - an automated design tool to determine
the diameter, quantities and separations has been specially developed for CSE, to complement
the standard definition process mentioned above.
This feature automates the process of determining the bolt diameter and layout. It works
for regular row and column arrangements, as well as for staggered arrangements and those that
are empty inside. It calculates the diameter of the bolts, the number of rows and columns, and
Commands
611
the separations, using an algorithm based on the following parameters:

the "weight" of the connection, chosen by the user;
the minimum thickness of the perforated plates, calculated automatically by CSE;
two reference lengths, defined by the user.
The connection can have one of three "weights": light (indicated with letter l), medium
(m) and heavy/strong (s). To calculate the bolt layout and diameter using the automated design
tool, enter the following string in the fields desired (all fields or only those for the parameters
that you wish to calculate in this way, setting the others directly) - auto_ followed by the letter
identifying the "weight", i.e.:
auto_l
automatic sizing - light
auto_m
automatic sizing - medium
auto_s
automatic sizing - heavy

If auto_mis selected, the bolt diameter will be calculated using the following formula:
50 t
where t is the smallest of the perforated plate thicknesses, in millimetres; the result is also in
millimetres. The diameter will be the standardised value closest to the exact value calculated
(e.g. if the result is 29.62, the bolt selected will be an M30).
For auto_l, the diameter will be the standardised value just less than the exact value
obtained from the formula above; with auto_s, it will be that just above. E.g. with standard
European bolts, if the formula gives a diameter of 27 for the medium sizing, then the light sizing
will be an M24 and the heavy sizing an M30.
The
and
buttons automatically default the diameter field with the strings auto_l,
auto_m and auto_s, respectively.

If the inter-row separation field is set to auto_s, then the distance between the rows will
612
be the smallest permitted under the current standard for the current diameter; auto_l will give
the maximum distance; and auto_m will give a distance midway between the two. The same
logic applies to the column separation.
Separation obtained with auto_s
The buttons
and
automatically initialise the separation fields with the strings
auto_l, auto_m and auto_s, respectively.

The number of bolts on a row depends on the column separation and the row length
(similarly for the bolts on a column). The row length depends on the expression auto_x(length),
where x may be l, m or s, as discussed earlier, and 'length' is a reference length that can be
defined numerically (e.g. 400mm) or - as is usually preferable - parametrically (e.g. 2*P1.H,
i.e. twice the height of plate P1). As an example, for a bolt layout on plate P1, if we opt for
auto_s(P1.H), then the dimensions will be worked out by laying out the bolts on a length equal
to the height of the plate less twice the minimum distance of the bolts from the edges of that
reference length permitted under the current standard for the current diameter. In practice, the
bolts will be laid out as close to the edges as possible. The number of bolts on the row is then
calculated by subdividing the "boltable length" by the distance between the bolts on the same
row (i.e. the column separation).
Distance from the edges obtained using auto_s(P1.H)
The buttons
and
automatically initialise the fields for the various quantities
with the strings auto_l(length), auto_m(length) and auto_s(length), respectively.

Clearly, the exact boltable length may not be a multiple of the exact separation
Commands
613
distance: therefore, the algorithm calculates an arrangement that represents the optimum
layout given all the various parameters.
If a value is entered numerically, e.g. a column separation of 65mm, then the entire
layout will be calculated based on this value and the others involved; hence, even a separation
defined by a constant may be modified in this optimisation process.
This parametric bolt layout input dialog does not include an edit box for the prying
forces factor. In fact this factor depends on the parameters in quite a complex way and it is not
possible to establish a simple formula valid in general for its value. It is user's duty, once the
Renode has been generated, modify the prying forces factor for the bolt layouts keeping into
account dimensions and proportions of the problem at hand.
NB: any numbers used in defining the variable must, if dimensional, always be expressed
in Newtons, millimetres and derived units, whatever the active units may be.
4.8.6.3.2.1 Parametric bearing surface polygons (dialog)
PARAMETRIC BEARING SURFACE POLYGONS (DIALOG BOX)

PRENODE MODE
614
This dialog box is used to define one or more bearing surface polygons during
PRenodes recording 726 . It works similarly to normal surface polygons 597 definition (see its
description for a general explaination), with the difference that here eventual data needed to
polygons definition must be expressed inparametric form 288 (with the exception of fjd value,
expressed in numerical form and computed by default in function of support constitutive law 596
).
It is possible to type directly the variables in the boxes with thicker boundary, or press
the buttons
near the boxes to open a dialog box 563 that helps in variables definition.
4.8.6.4
Add plate with click
RENODE ADD PLATE WITH CLICK
Commands
615
This command is used to add a plate with poligon shape. The shape of the plate is defined by
clicking some points in the scene 813 . The points must lie on the same plane. To close the
polygon, last point must coincide with the first one. Once the shape has been defined, the
program asks to define the thickness of the plate. Also the material, the name and the settings
for the checks can be defined.
Let's see an example. We want to add a stiffener to an I section with tapered flanges.
Execute the command, then click a point of the I section as the first point of the polygon (1).
616
Click next points following the internal shape of the I section (2, 3, 4).
Continue clicking next points (5, 6), then click the initial point again (1).
The points define the shape of the plate; their order defines the direction of the extrusion vector,
according to following image.
Commands
617
Once the last point has been clicked, a dialog box is shown: it is the same dialog box used to
define generic polygon plates 549 . Here the thickness of the plate must be defined. In addition, it
is possible to change material, name and define check settings.
Finally, press OK to add the object in the scene.
618
The previous one was just an example; with this command it is possible to add plates of
different shapes, according to the design needs.
Once the component has been added in the scene, it can be modified 619 like any other generic
polygon plate 549 . It can also be shifted, copied or deleted like any other cleat.
4.8.6.5
Delete
RENODE DELETE COMPONENT

This command deletes all the currently selected components 780 , apart from any members
796
. Members cannot of course be deleted, as they form a part of the topology of the connection.
Type: immediate
N.B.: an entity can also be deleted, regardless of whether currently selected or not, using the
Renode pane 803 : simply click on the component name in the list and press Canc (Del) to remove
it; the graphical view will be updated in real time.
Commands
4.8.6.6
619
Modify
RENODE MODIFY COMPONENT

When there is only one selected component 780 , regardless of the members 796 , this
command brings up the modification dialog box for the component in question, which is the
same as the box used to add this component. The parameter values in the dialog box are the
components current values, and editing them will modify the component itself. For example,
alterations can be made to the bolt diameters in a layout, the thickness of a weld seam, the
length of a rectangular plate, the bevel of a stiffener, the length of an angle bracket, etc.
N.B.: an entity can be modified, regardless of whether currently selected or not, also using the
Renode pane 803 : by simply clicking on the name of the component in the list and pressing the
space bar, the dialog box for modifying the type of component selected is then shown.
PRENODE MODE During
PRenode 809 recording 726 , it is not possible to modify components: it
is possible to modify them after prenode saving via alphanumeric management 731 , otherwise
they can be deleted and re-added.
Type: modal
4.8.6.7
Copy
RENODE COPY COMPONENT

This command allows a copy to be created of all currently selected components in the
scene (excluding members) at a given distance. The copy can be made by rigid translation or
rigid rotation. When the command is invoked, a dialog box 620 appears offering the translation
modes available for copying the objects.
Type: modal, then non modal (except in the numeric modes)
620
4.8.6.7.1 Choice of the way a copy is defined (dialog)
CHOICE OF THE WAY A COPY IS DEFINED (DIALOG BOX)
This dialog box is used to choose from 5 different ways of defining a rigid translation
vector and 3 different ways of defining a rigid rotation vector in shift or copy operations
affecting one or more components. Members may be shifted only, not copied; moreover, when a
member is shifted, this entails the addition of moments of transport in proportion to the extent of
the shift.
TRANSLATION
2 points
After selecting this option, the user must then click on two points in the scene; the
translation vector will have the first point as its first extremity, and the second point as its
second.
2 faces
After selecting this option, the user must then click on two mutually parallel faces in the
scene; the translation vector will be normal to the two faces, with its tail lying in the plane of
the first face and its head lying in the plane of the second.
Face+Incr
When this option is selected, the user will need to click on a face in the scene, whereupon
an additional dialog box 622 will appear for the extent of the translation to be specified (in the
active units of measurement), in a direction normal to the face and starting from it. If a positive
value is entered, the translation will be along the normal coming out of the face (for all faces,
the normal emerges directly so as to point out of the solid to which they belong).
Commands
621
Face Point
After selecting this option, the user must then click on a face and a point in the scene; the
head of the translation vector will thus be at the point, and the vector will be normal to the face,
which its tail lying in the plane of the face.
Numeric
When this option is selected, the components of the translation vector must be entered in
the current reference system, and in the current units of measurement. (dialog box 622 )
ROTATION
2 points + angle
If this option is selected, the user must click on two points in the scene to determine the
axis of rotation, and define an angle to represent the extent of the rotation (positive if
anticlockwise). (dialog box 622 )
Member + angle
The axis about which the rotation will take place is that of the member clicked (any of its
faces can be clicked on for this purpose); the user will then need to specify an angle
representing the extent of the rotation. (dialog box 622 )
Numeric
The coordinates of two points defining the axis of rotation must be entered, along with an
angle determining the extent of rotation. (dialog box 622 )
PRENODE MODE
During parametric renode 809 recording 726 some of the modes described
above work in a different way. All the operations requiring the click of points and faces in the
scene do not change; otherwise, all the data normally defined in numeric form, during PRenode
recording must be introduced in parametric form 288 : instead of dialog boxes requiring a a single
value, the dialog box for single variable addition 649 is displayed; instead of dialog boxes
requiring two or more values, the dialog box for multiple variables addition 668 is displayed.
622
4.8.6.7.1.1 Entering a numeric value (dialog)

etc.
4.8.6.7.1.2 Numeric (dialog)
NUMERIC (DIALOG BOX)

In this dialog box, the components of the rigid translation vector for shifting or copying
must be entered with respect to the current reference system and in the current units of
measurement.
4.8.6.7.1.3 Angle input (dialog)
ANGLE INPUT (DIALOG BOX)

In the member + angle and 2 points + angle copy and shift modes for rigid
rotations, this dialog box is used to enter the angle of rotation.
4.8.6.7.1.4 Input a rotation around an axis (dialog)
INPUT A ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS (DIALOG BOX)

In numeric shift/copy mode using a rigid rotation, this dialog box is used to specify the
coordinates of the two points which define the axis of rotation (x1, y1, z1 and x2, y2, z2, in the
active units of measurement) and the angle of rotation, alpha.
Commands
4.8.6.8
623
Recopy
RENODE - RECOPY COMPONENT

This command allows a copy to be created of all currently selected components in the
scene (excluding members) at a distance defined by the last rigid translation or rotation vector
previously used.
See Copy 619
Type: immediate
4.8.6.9
Rotate
RENODE ROTATE COMPONENT

This enables the selected component to be rotated (members excluded), via a dedicated dialog
box 624 .
This command rotates each object about one of its significant points, and is not the
same as shift via rigid rotation 633 , in which all objects are rotated about the same axis.
NB: if a bolt layout with a bearing surface is rotated, the bearing surface polygon will then have
to be redefined.
Type: modal
624
4.8.6.9.1 Rotation of a component (dialog)
ROTATION OF A COMPONENT (DIALOG BOX)
This dialog box is used to apply rotations to the selected object, by clicking the arrows to
select the axis and direction desired. The rotation steps are equal to the value set in the box
for the selected axis, in degrees (DRx, DRy, DRz). If the Local option is selected, the object
will be rotated about its corresponding local axis, otherwise the object will be rotated around
the corresponding axis for the current system.
4.8.6.10 Progressive naming!
RENODE COMPONENTS-PROGRESSIVE NAMING
This command is used to change the name of all components in such a way that the numeric part is
progressive (P1, P2, P3...), with no jumps in numbering. It may be useful if during the adding and
removal of components unwanted jumps in numbering have been created, or if it happens that two
components share the same name, which must be absolutely avoided. Renaming of components also
imply the renaming of all the variables sharing the old names.
Type: immediate
Destination: document
4.8.6.11 Copy to clipboard
RENODE COPY TO CLIPBOARD
This command is used to copy the selected components to the clipboard. Members 796 are NOT
Commands
625
copied, even if selected. It is possible to copy cleats 817 (plates, angles, etc.) and joiners 794 (bolt
layouts, weld layouts). It is possible to copy one or more components at the same time.
Once the desired components have been copied to clipboard, they can be pasted into the same
renode, into another renode of the same CSE model or even into a renode of another CSE model
(see command Paste from clipboard 625 ).
Type: immediate
Destination: clipboard
4.8.6.12 Paste from clipboard
RENODE PASTE FROM CLIPBOARD
This command is used to paste into the current renode all the components previously copied to
the clipboard using the command Copy to clipboard 624 .
The set of components is added to the scene 813 like any other single component: the Component
positioning 576 dialog box is shown, and it is possible to define the orientation of the set of
components, its insertion point and finally the point in the scene corresponding to the insertion
point.
626
Define orientation and insertion point
Insert components in the scene

Note well: after the pasting of components, check their correct position in the scene, also using
commands Check overlaps 669 and Check coherence 669 .
A particular care must be used in considering materials. If the component has material "n" in the
original model from which it is copied, then it will keep this position-number in the materialvector of the model in which it is pasted. If "n" is higher than the number of available materials
in the model which receives the component, the number of material of that object will be set to
1 in the model in which it is pasted. The identity of the number of material does not imply the
Commands
627
identity of material data. Materials will be those used in the respective models.
Type: non modal

Destination: scene
4.8.6.13 Modify bolt layout settings
RENODE MODIFY BOLT LAYOUT SETTINGS

This command enables the operational settings for all the bolt layouts currently selected
to be modified. A dialog box 627 is provided for the required modifications to be made.
This command is useful for amending a number of bolt layouts at once and only in terms
of their operational settings.
Type: modal
4.8.6.13.1 Modify bolt layout options (dialog)
RENODE MODIFY BOLT LAYOUT SETTINGS (DIALOG BOX)
This dialog box is used to modify the operational settings of the currently selected bolt
layouts, which have been previously defined during the process of creating them or when
making individual changes to each layout. The standard scenario, if no other options are ticked,
envisages bolts operating on a shear and tension basis; the user can also choose the following
628
settings (see the add bolt layout 587 dialog box for further details):
shear-only bolts
bolts also operating on a compression basis
slip-resistant joints (friction joints)
anchor bolts
This command enables the required parameters to be changed for all selected layouts,
without having to modify them all one by one. In the Action pane, only those boxes which are
relevant to the settings being modified must be ticked; the corresponding tick boxes on the same
line in the Options pane set how the layout is to operate.
In the example shown, when OK is clicked, all the bolt layouts selected will NOT be friction
joints, regardless of how this parameter had been set prior to the command being executed,
whilst all other settings will remain unaltered and each bolt layout will maintain its own
settings.
Of course, if there is a need to modify the data for the operational settings which require
it (e.g. the constitutive law for the bearing material or the friction coefficient of the slipresistant joints), the relevant bolt layouts must be modified individually.
4.8.6.14 Net sections
RENODE NET SECTIONS
This command is available when there is only one selected trough 817 in the active
graphical view 821 . For the selected component, it is possible to define new net sections or to
modify those sections automatically found by CSE.
A dialog box 629 is opened after the execution of the command: there, user can choose the
desired operation. Pressing OK, that operation is executed.If it is necessary, use the command
again to define further operations.
Before executing the command, set a view perpendicular to one of selected
Commands
629
component local reference axes. In particular, for the plates, set a view parallel to plate
middle plane. Defined section will be perpendicular to the view.
At the first execution of the command there are the automatic 233 sections only. Available
operations in the dialog box 629 are the following:
Addition of a new section by the user (it needs the click of two points 630 in the scene to define
the section), with the simultaneous deletion of all the automatic sections
Deletion of a user's section
Deletion of all the user's sections
Conversion of the automatic sections into user's sections; then it is possible to add/delete
sections.
NOTES: before executing the command, it could be useful to show the net sections (DisplayNet sections 399 ); if needed, it is possible to work extracting 408 and displaying only some
components; with the command Display-Scene points 397 it is possible to display those points
needed to define the desired sections.
See also Identification of throughs net sections 233 .
Type: modal, then non-modal when defining a new section
4.8.6.14.1 Net sections management (dialog box)
NET SECTIONS (DIALOG BOX)
630
This dialog box allows 4 differen operations, described below.

1) Add a new user cross-section defined by choosing two points in the scene
If the user chooses this option and clicks OK, then he or she has to define the desired
section in the scene. If there are automatic 234 sections, these are deleted; otherwise, if there are
previously defined user's 236 sections, the new section will be added to them. To add a new
section to the automatic ones, the operation (4) must be executed first.
After the click of OK, we go back to the scene, where two points must be clicked to
define the plane to which the desired section belongs. Consider, for example, the image below,
where a section has been previously defined (section 1, corresponding to the bolts on the right).
If we want to add a similar section to the internal bolts, we could click, for example, the centers
of the two bolts.
After the click of these points, section 2 will be added. This section is perpendicular to
current view.
If new sections are needed, just use the command again.
Commands
631
2) Remove net cross-section number...

When there are user's 236 sections, it is possible to remove the section number n by
choosing this option, defining the identification number and clicking OK.
3) Clear all the previously defined user cross-sections and go back to automatically found
cross-sections
If this option is ticked and then OK button is pressed, then all the previously defined
user's 236 sections will be deleted. The automatic 234 sections are restored.
4) Take all the automatic cross-sections and add them to the list of user cross-sections
To convert all the automatic 234 sections into user's 236 sections, choose this option and
click OK. Then, some sections could be deleted or new sections added.
See also Identification of throughs net sections 233 .
4.8.7
Add material
RENODE-ADD MATERIAL
It is sometimes necessary to assign a material which is not in the list of the materials
assigned to entities in the current model. If this new material can be picked from the general
archive of the available materials, it can be used this command in order to add the needed
material to the list of the materials available in the model. Then: this command is used to add to
the list of the available materials in the model a material taken from the general archive. Later,
by using standard modification commands, the new material just added to the list will possibly
be assigned to members or cleats.
Once the command is executed a proper dialog appears, asking to choose one of the
materials in the general archive. Once the choice is done, the material is added to the modelavailable list of materials.
Type: modal
632
4.8.8
Common Properties
RENODE-COMMON PROPERTIES
This program is useful to apply some common settings to selected components (cleats and
members). Once the command is executed a proper dialog opens. The settings which can be
changed refer to the checks to be executed, and to the finite element model creation.
Type: modal
4.8.8.1
Common Settings
COMMON SETTINGS (DIALOG)
This dialog is used to modify some settings common to more type of components. The
modified settings will be applied to all the components selected.
In order to really apply the change of a given setting, it is necessary that a tick is applied
to the check box "activate change" related to that setting. If the checkbox is not activated
applying the tick, each object will keep the corresponding setting unchanged.
Commands
633
The buttons Activate All and Inactivate All are used to apply or remove the tick to all
the check boxes at once.
4.8.9
Shift
RENODE SHIFT COMPONENT
This command enables all currently selected components to be moved within the scene
via a rigid translation or a rigid rotation. When invoked, a dialog box 633 is shown for the user
to specify the shift parameters.
NB: the members can also be shifted to make any adjustments required due to
particular constructional or assembly requirements. For consistency with the FEM model, the
program automatically adds moments of transport to the internal actions of the members
involved, in proportion to the shifts applied: the user can choose to neglect these moments of
transport, through a proper checks setting 691 . For detailed information about members shift, see
How to consider the effects of members shift 267 .
Type: modal, then non modal (except in the numeric modes)
4.8.9.1
Choice of the way a copy is defined (dialog)
CHOICE OF THE WAY A COPY IS DEFINED (DIALOG BOX)
This dialog box is used to choose from 5 different ways of defining a rigid translation
vector and 3 different ways of defining a rigid rotation vector in shift or copy operations
affecting one or more components. Members may be shifted only, not copied; moreover, when a
member is shifted, this entails the addition of moments of transport in proportion to the extent of
634
the shift.
TRANSLATION
2 points
After selecting this option, the user must then click on two points in the scene; the
translation vector will have the first point as its first extremity, and the second point as its
second.
2 faces
After selecting this option, the user must then click on two mutually parallel faces in the
scene; the translation vector will be normal to the two faces, with its tail lying in the plane of
the first face and its head lying in the plane of the second.
Face+Incr
When this option is selected, the user will need to click on a face in the scene, whereupon
an additional dialog box 635 will appear for the extent of the translation to be specified (in the
active units of measurement), in a direction normal to the face and starting from it. If a positive
value is entered, the translation will be along the normal coming out of the face (for all faces,
the normal emerges directly so as to point out of the solid to which they belong).
Face Point
After selecting this option, the user must then click on a face and a point in the scene; the
head of the translation vector will thus be at the point, and the vector will be normal to the face,
which its tail lying in the plane of the face.
Numeric
When this option is selected, the components of the translation vector must be entered in
the current reference system, and in the current units of measurement. (dialog box 635 )
ROTATION
2 points + angle
Commands
635
If this option is selected, the user must click on two points in the scene to determine the
axis of rotation, and define an angle to represent the extent of the rotation (positive if
anticlockwise). (dialog box 636 )
Member + angle
The axis about which the rotation will take place is that of the member clicked (any of its
faces can be clicked on for this purpose); the user will then need to specify an angle
representing the extent of the rotation. (dialog box 636 )
Numeric
The coordinates of two points defining the axis of rotation must be entered, along with an
angle determining the extent of rotation. (dialog box 636 )
PRENODE MODE
During parametric renode 809 recording 726 some of the modes described
above work in a different way. All the operations requiring the click of points and faces in the
scene do not change; otherwise, all the data normally defined in numeric form, during PRenode
recording must be introduced in parametric form 288 : instead of dialog boxes requiring a a single
value, the dialog box for single variable addition 649 is displayed; instead of dialog boxes
requiring two or more values, the dialog box for multiple variables addition 668 is displayed.
4.8.9.1.1 Entering a numeric value (dialog)

etc.
4.8.9.1.2 Numeric (dialog)
NUMERIC (DIALOG BOX)

636
In this dialog box, the components of the rigid translation vector for shifting or copying
must be entered with respect to the current reference system and in the current units of
measurement.
4.8.9.1.3 Angle input (dialog)
ANGLE INPUT (DIALOG BOX)

In the member + angle and 2 points + angle copy and shift modes for rigid
rotations, this dialog box is used to enter the angle of rotation.
4.8.9.1.4 Input a rotation around an axis (dialog)
INPUTTING A ROTATION ABOUT AN AXIS (DIALOG BOX)

In numeric shift/copy mode using a rigid rotation, this dialog box is used to specify the
coordinates of the two points which define the axis of rotation (x1, y1, z1 and x2, y2, z2, in the
active units of measurement) and the angle of rotation, alpha.
4.8.10 Work processes

RENODE WORK PROCESSES
This command allows various types of work to be carried out on the currently selected
component (member or through), or existing work to be undone. To activate the command and
gain access to the associated dialog box 637 , one and only one work process must be selected.
PRENODE MODE During
Commands
637
4.8.10.1 Work processes management (dialog)
WORK PROCESSES MANAGEMENT (DIALOG BOX)
New work processes can be added or existing ones removed.

To add a new one, the required type must be ticked and the necessary parameters set,
before clicking Add.
WORK PROCESSES
Removal of rectangular box prism
This mode allows the user to remove a portion of the component which is contained in a
prism of infinite length in the direction normal to the current view and whose section is a
rectangle defined by the user by clicking on the two points in the scene that they wish to use for
its two opposite vertices. After the first point is clicked, a dialog box 642 is shown, prompting
638
the user to specify which vertices are to be beveled (if any).

The clickable points in the scene are the significant points for the objects present. If
working in extract mode 408 , the points of objects which have not been extracted are not visible.
If the space bar is pressed, once the first point has already been chosen, the distance of the
second corner of the box from the first - diagonally opposite - can be input (dx, dy).
Parameters required: bevel radius (if bevels are to be applied)
Removal of polygonal prism

prism of infinite length in the direction normal to the current view and whose section is a closed
polygon defined by the user, potentially with curvilinear connecting edges.
The polygon is defined by clicking on the points in the scene; the first point must be clicked
again at the end to close the polygon. This can be got in an easier manner by a left mouse
button double click. In addition to the above standard mode, the sides can also be defined via
an additional dialog box 643 , which is accessed by pressing the space bar instead of clicking on
the subsequent point; this allows the next side to be defined by means of numeric values, lets
bevels be added or allows the last side entered to be removed. The status bar shows the current
distances from the last point of the polygon.
The points which can be seen and clicked in the scene include not only the significant
points for the various 3D objects presents, but also additional points on the sides of the faces of
the object which is being worked on (see Command options, below).
Parameters required: bevel radius (if bevels are to be applied), command options.
NB: should the significant points cease to be visible in the graphical view whilst a box or
polygon is being defined, they can be restored to the screen by simply carrying out one of the
following:
1. using the redraw 400 command
2. zooming (using the mouse wheel or the dedicated commands)
Commands
639
3.clicking the scroll bars on the right and under the graphical view 821
Removal of prism by using a face

prism of infinite length in the direction normal to a clicked face.
The polygon is defined by the points of the clicked face. The cut has no bevels.
Parameters required: none.
Face rotation
This mode allows a face of the selected component to be rotated: the user will need to
select first the face to be rotated and then another face in the scene to which the first face will
be parallel after the rotation.
Care will of course be required to ensure that impossible rotations are not requested. For
example, with a cube, it would not be possible to rotate one of its faces to make it parallel with
another adjacent face without this violating the three-dimensional nature of the object!
When choosing this kind of work process the program asks which rule will have to be chosen to
rotate the face. The first rule (the only one available before version 5.40), rotates the face and
possibly changes its shape in order to simulate an inclined cut. The second rule (available from
version 5.40) simply rotates the face without any change to its shape. This second version is
needed when dealing with tapered members. The rule is chosen via a bitmap-button dialog.
Besides, once the first face has been clicked, i.e. the face to be rotated, it is now possible to set
the new normal vector by pressing the space bar instead of clicking another face, having the
normal properly oriented. This simplify operation when no face is available having the desired
normal vector.
Circular bevel
640
This enables a circular bevel to be made, of the radius specified. The two extremities of
the edge to be beveled must be clicked in the scene. The program automatically deduces
whether the bevel must be made by removing or adding material, depending on the position of
the sides running out from the vertexes.
CSE approximates circular bevels with two planar faces so as not to overburden the view with
graphical details which are really of minor importance during the connection calculation
process, although they are rendered correctly in the working drawings.
Parameters required: bevel radius
Triangular bevel (isosceles)

This enables a bevel in the form of an isosceles triangle to be made, whose sides are
equal to the radius/side specified. The two extremities of the edge to be beveled must be
clicked in the scene. The program automatically deduces whether the bevel must be made by
removing or adding material, depending on the position of the sides running out from the
vertexes.
Parameters required: bevel side
Square bevel
This enables a square bevel to be made, of side equal to the radius/side specified. The
two extremities of the edge to be beveled must be clicked in the scene. The program
automatically deduces whether the bevel must be made by removing or adding material,
depending on the position of the sides running out from the vertexes.
Parameters required: bevel side
Rectangular bevel
Commands
641
This enables a square bevel to be made, of sides equal to the width and height specified.
The two extremities of the edge to be beveled must be clicked in the scene. The program
automatically deduces whether the bevel must be made by removing or adding material,
depending on the position of the sides running out from the vertexes. If the bevel is applied with
opposite width/height as wished, it must be deleted and re-assigned. Rectangular bevels cannot
presently be parametrized.
Parameters required: bevel width and height
Triangular bevel (generic)
This enables a bevel in the form of a generic triangle, whose sides are equal to the width
and height specified. The two extremities of the edge to be beveled must be clicked in the
scene. The program automatically deduces whether the bevel must be made by removing or
adding material, depending on the position of the sides running out from the vertexes.
Parameters required: bevel width and height
Face translation
When this mode is selected, the user must then click a face of the object being worked on,
followed by another face parallel to it: the first face selected (belonging to the object being
worked on) will be translated so as to lie in the plane of the second face. In order for the
command to be used, all edges running out from the vertices of the first face need to be parallel
to one another.
ADDITIONAL PRELIMINARY WORK PROCESS DATA

Bevel radius, in the active units of measurement (required for prism removals and bevels).
A description of the work operation (the field must contain at least one alphanumeric character,
642
although whilst it can be left as undefined it is advisable to add a brief description for all
work).
COMMAND OPTIONS
These options refer to the display of the other significant points on all the sides of the
object which are being worked on, when the Removal of polygonal prism mode is selected.
By ticking the corresponding boxes, the points spaced at one-half, one-third and onequarter intervals (respectively) along the sides can be shown. The Delta S parameter allows
additional equidistant points to be displayed along the sides, starting from all the vertices and at
a spacing determined by the value specified. The parameter refers to the active units of
measurement.
DELETE LAST WORK CARRIED OUT

The left hand pane shows all the work operations carried out on the component, in the
order in which they were entered. The last one in the list can be removed by clicking the Delete
last work process button.
4.8.10.1.1 Bevel position input (dialog)
BEVELS (DIALOG BOX)
This dialog box is used to tick the vertices of the rectangle which are to be beveled,
during the process of carrying out a removal of a rectangular box prism 637 ; the bevel radius is
as specified in the preceding dialog box.
Commands
643
4.8.10.1.2 Choice of the way a polygon side is input (dialog)
POLYGON SIDE (DIALOG BOX)
During removal of a polygonal prism, pressing the space bar will bring up this dialog
box, with which the user can define the next side of the polygon in 3 different ways (as
additional alternatives to the standard method of clicking the points in the scene), and/or specify
a bevel between the side which is about to be defined and the previous one, and/or remove the
last side entered.
dx, dy
The first mode requires the two coordinates of the second point of the side being inserted,
relative to the first point (dx, dy). The distances are input in the current units of measurement;
the x- and y-axes of the polygons reference system are always oriented as shown in the figure.
ds, a
The second mode requires the length of the new side (ds, in the current units) and an angle
644
(a, in degrees) with the x-axis of the previous figure. Positive angle values represent
anticlockwise rotations.
ds, da
The third mode requires the length of the new side (ds, in the current units) and an angular
change (da, in degrees) relative to the inclination of the previous side. Positive angle values
represent anticlockwise changes of inclination.
Remove last side deletes the last side inserted, regardless of the method originally used to
insert it.
Command settings: if ticked, this adds a bevel between the side about to be entered and the
last side to have been entered. The side can then be defined using one of the 3 alternative
methods listed above; instead, the user can go back and do this in the standard mode (i.e.
clicking points in the scene), by clicking OK.
During PRenode 809 recording 726 , dx, dy, ds, a, da values must be defined in
PRENODE MODE
parametric form 288 .
4.8.10.1.2.1 Polygon side dx and dy (dialog)
POLYGON SIDE dx, dy (DIALOG BOX)

The coordinates of the second point on the side of the polygon must be given relative to
the first point, in the current units of measurement. The reference system for this entry is as
shown in the following figure. This dialog is also used to input the second corner of a box (dx,
dy from first corner to diagonally opposite corner).
Commands
PRENODE MODE
645
During PRenode 809 recording 726 , dx and dy values must be defined in
4.8.10.1.2.2 Polygon side ds, a / ds, da (dialog)
POLYGON SIDE ds, a / ds, da (DIALOG BOX)

In ds, a mode, the length of the new side of the polygon must be specified (ds, in the
current units of measurement), together with the angle relative to the x-axis as in the figure
below (a, in degrees).
In ds, da mode, however, the angle supplied is the change of inclination from the
previous side (da, in degrees; positive values mean changes of inclination in an anticlockwise
direction).
PRENODE MODE
During PRenode 809 recording 726 ds and a (or da) values must be defined in
4.8.10.2 Parametric management of work process (dialog box)
PARAMETRIC MANAGEMENT OF WORK PROCESS (DIALOG BOX)

PRENODE MODE
646
This dialog box is used to manage the work processes when recording a Prenode; it is
similar to the dialog box for normal work process management 637 , to which readers are
referred, but with the following differences:
1. In the command Options view, the only points available are those at one-half, one-third and
one-quarter intervals along the sides, but not other equidistant points of user-defined
separation steps.
2. The bevel radius can be set either numerically or as a parametric formula. Clicking the
button alongside the field brings up a dialog box 563 in which to specify the formula.
3. Unlike in standard mode (where the two vertices of the box are clicked), in parametric
mode, after the first point is clicked, the dialog box 642 always appears to prompt for the
vertices to bevel, if any, but after this - instead of clicking on the second point - a dialog box
is presented for the user to specify the box's dimensions, in numeric or parametric form.
where x and y are defined, relative to the screen, as shown in the figure below.
Commands
647
4. In defining a polygon, when recording (unlike in standard mode), only the first point may be
clicked, after which the space bar can be pushed to bring up the dialog box 643 to define the
polygon's next side.
4.8.11 Variables and conditions

4.8.11.1 Add a variable
RENODE ADD VARIABLE

When alphanumeric view 819 is active (to activate it, simply click within it), a new
variable can be added using CSEs internal compiler, via the dialog box 647 which appears
when this command is invoked.
The additional variables can be used, along with those already predefined, to set up new
additional conditions 656 for use as extra verification criteria or as prerequisites for the
applicability of the renode.
Type: modal
4.8.11.1.1 Addition of a variable (dialog)
ADD VARIABLE (DIALOG BOX)
648
The dialog box used to add a new variable is simply the interface to an actual compiler
within CSE: the user fills in the fields described below and the program converts the data
entered into an alphanumeric string and computes the value of the variable.
Variable name
The variable name must not contain spaces.
Formula defining the variable

The terms of the formula can be numbers, predefined and/or additional variables already
created, suitably combined together using operators. Clicking on the name of a variable in the
list at the lower central part of the box transcribes the variable into the formula; on the right, a
special keypad 650 is provided to facilitate the process of entering the operators. Alternatively,
Commands
649
the formula can be typed in from the keyboard. The question mark "?" button is used to get an
evaluation of the formula to check it is correct.
Dimensions
The drop-down menu can be used to specify whether the variable represents a length, a
stress, a surface, a pure number, and so on.
Variable description
This optional field allows the user to enter a description of the variable.
The pane at the bottom left of the box shows all the components in the scene, with their
properties and geometrical characteristics.
When the fields have been suitably completed, clicking on OK will create the variable,
which can then be displayed in the alphanumeric view 819 , variables and conditions pane 806 ,
with its corresponding numerical value computed by CSE; it can then also be used to define
other variables or conditions.
N.B.: if dimensional numbers are used in variables definition, they must be given in
Newton, millimeters and derived units, independently from current units. To keep clear
the variable definition, it's better to avoid the use of dimensional constants: they can be
replaced by the corresponding global variables related to the units (gl.kN, gl.kip, gl.in,
etc.). See also Units 59 . For instance, to input 50 (mm) or 50 (inches), one can write
"50*gl.mm" or "50*gl.in".
PARAMETRIC RENODE CREATION
650
PRENODE MODE
This dialog box is used also to define quickly sizes or other data in parametric form
during PRenodes 809 recording 726 .
The length of a plate, for example, can be defined as twice member 1 cross-section total
height: 2 * m1.h
It is possible to type directly in the top-right box, insert operators by clicking the buttons
on the bottom-right part of the dialog box and double click the variables of bottom-center box to
insert them in the string of variable definition.
4.8.11.1.1.1 Internal compiler keyboard (part of a dialog)
INTERNAL COMPILER KEYPAD

The buttons on the numeric keypad have the following functions:
+
plus
minus
multiplied by
divided by
raised to the power
left bracket
right bracket
SIN
sine of the angle in brackets (in radians)
COS
cosine of the angle in brackets (in radians)
TAN
tangent of the angle in brackets (in radians)
ASIN
arc sine of the angle in brackets (in radians)
ACOS
arc cosine of the angle in brackets (in radians)
ATAN
arc tangent of the angle in brackets (in radians)
DEG
converts the number in brackets from radians to degrees
RAD
converts the number in brackets from degrees to radians
SQRT
square root of the number in brackets

Commands
651
CBRT
cube root of the number in brackets
SQRE
square of the number in brackets
CUBE
cube of the number in brackets
HYP
the hypotenuse of the two values in brackets separated by a comma (the square
root of the sum of the squares)
MIN
the minimum value of the values in brackets separated by commas
MAX
the maximum value of the values in brackets separated by commas
CEIL
rounds the number in brackets up to the nearest integer
FLOR
rounds the number in brackets down to the nearest integer
ABS
the absolute value of the number in brackets
VMIS
the Von Mises formula for the two values in brackets (square root of 2 + 3 2)
CHIA
reduction factor as a function of the dimensionless slenderness in brackets

(imperfection factor
CHIB

CHIC
= b)*

CHID
= a)*
= c)*

= d)*
GETX
returns the x coordinate of the point specified in brackets
GETY
returns the y coordinate of the point specified in brackets
GETZ
returns the z coordinate of the point specified in brackets
WFEL
(b, h) returns bh2/6
WFPL
WVEL
(b, h) returns 2/3bh
WVPL
(b, h) returns bh
WTEL
(l, t) returns lt2/3
WTPL
CLEAR
clears the formula field
* The formulae for the computation of
(chi) as a function of the dimensionless slenderness
652
and the imperfection factor
are, as per EN1993-1-1:

1
2
where
con
0,5 1
1,0
0,2
The imperfection values for the various instability curves are: a=0.21
b=0.34
c=0.49
d=0.76
Further available functions and operators
The following formulae are also available, even if they have not a button in the keypad.
LOGE
(a) returns natural logarithm
SINH
(x) returns hyperbolic sin
COSH
(x) returns hyperbolic cos
TANH
(x) returns hyperbolic tan
NORM(point variable) returns the norm of the given point (or the difference between points)
NOXY
(point variable) returns the xy norm of the given point (or the difference between
points)
VEC3
(a, b, c) returns the point having a, b, c coordinates
POW
(a, b) returns ab
Further operations on points and vectors

=
(A=B) assignment
(A?B) identity, returns 1 if A=B, 0 if false
A!B different from
A^B cross product
A%B returns the dot product of points A and B
A|B returns the distance between points A and B
Commands
653
4.8.11.2 Add "if" variable
RENODE ADD "IF" VARIABLE
variable using 'if' can be added using CSE's internal compiler. The relevant dialog box 653 can
be accessed using this command.
Variables with 'if' can be used, together with predefined variables and other additional
variables 647 , to define new additional conditions 656 for use as extra verification criteria or as
prerequisites for the renode's applicability.
With additional variables without 'if', definitions simply take the form "variable_name =
value"; but for variables with 'if', we have:
if "condition 1" applies, then "variable_name = value A"
else if "condition 2" applies, then "variable_name = value B"
else if "condition 3" applies, then "variable_name = value C"
else if "condition 4" applies, then "variable_name = value D"
and if none of these conditions applies, then "variable_name = value E"
The first and last conditions are always required, while the others are optional. Please
see the dialog box 653 for more details.
Type: modal
4.8.11.2.1 Addition of a variable with "if" statements (dialog box)
ADDITION OF A VARIABLE WITH "IF" STATEMENTS (DIALOG BOX)
654
The dialog box for adding a variable with "if" allows you to define a variable that takes
different values according to whether certain conditions apply. Variables with "if" can be used
both during normal construction of a renode and while recording 726 a PRenode 809 .
As with additional variables without "if", the name and dimensions must be specified,
while an optional description can also be provided. The keypad 650 is also available here, and
the user can double-click on the variables in the list at the bottom left. For these features, please
see the dialog box 563 for variables without "if".
Unlike variables without "if", for which a value is assigned directly, here the variable's
value depends on certain conditions. The basic construct is: if a certain condition applies, the
variable takes the value given by formula A, otherwise it follows formula B:
if condition is true, var=A
else var=B
where A and B may be numbers or functions of other variables.
Commands
655
This basic construct can be expanded using (up to 3) else if instructions: if condition A*
applies, then the variable takes the value given by formula A; otherwise, if condition B*
applies, the variable is evaluated according to formula B; otherwise [...].; otherwise, if no
condition applies, the variable's value is given by formula E.
if condition A* is true, var=A
(else if condition B* is true, var=B)
(else if condition C* is true, var=C)
(else if condition D* is true, var=D)
else var=E
We can illustrate with a simple example.
If the thickness of plate P1 (P1.t) is less than or equal to 40(mm), then the variable
P1.f_ref equals the yield stress of the material from which the plate is made (P1.fy), otherwise
this value is reduced to fy -20N/mm2 (P1.fy - 20).
The variable above can be used for an additional user check 818 in which the reference
stress for plate P1 varies with the plate's thickness. Thus, if the plate thickness were increased
from 40 to 45 millimetres, the user check would not need to be modified, because the variable's
value would already have reduced, based on the thickness.
To set an additional condition, for example, we could define:
656
P1.t <= 40
P1.f_ref =
P1.fy
Else if P1.t <= 80
P1.f_ref =
P1.fy - 20
Else
P1.f_ref =
P1.fy - 40
If
so that, if the thickness were less than or equal to 40mm, then the variable would equal P1.fy;
for thicknesses greater than 40mm but less than or equal to 80mm, the variable would take the
value fy-20N/mm2, and for thicknesses over 80mm, the variable would be equal to fy-40N/mm2.
The conditions must comprise a first member, an operator and a second member; the
following operators can be used:
=equals
!=
does not equal
<less than
>greater than
<=
less than or equal
>=
greater than or equal
NB: double-clicking on a variable in the list at the bottom or clicking on a keypad button will
insert the variable or operator desired into the condition or formula field defining the variable
where the cursor is. If the cursor is in another type of field (name, description, etc.), then the
variable or operator will be added into the condition or formula field that the cursor last
visited.
4.8.11.3 Add condition
RENODE ADD CONDITION

condition can be added using CSEs internal compiler, via the dialog box 657 which this
command brings up.
Commands
657
The additional conditions can be used as further checking criteria to be satisfied, in

addition to the automatic checks made in accordance with the selected standard, or as
prerequisites for the applicability of the renode.
In essence, the user instructs the program how to make additional checks in accordance
with their requirements, and CSE will then automatically apply these checks to the renode.
Type: modal
4.8.11.3.1 Addition of a condition (dialog)
ADD CONDITION (DIALOG BOX)
The dialog box used to add a new condition is simply the interface to an actual compiler
658
within CSE: the user fills in the fields described below and the program converts the data
entered into an alphanumeric string.
Formula
The formula describing the condition is specified by filling out the three fields below.
First member
The terms of the first member can be numbers, predefined and/or additional
variables already created, suitably combined together using operators. The question
mark button "?" on the left is used to evaluate first member in order to check it is
correct.
Condition
The drop-down menu can be used to specify whether the first member must be equal
to, different from, less than, greater than, less than or equal to, greater than or equal to the
second member.
Second member
The terms of the second member can be numbers, predefined and/or additional
variables already created, suitably combined together using operators. Clicking on the
name of a variable in the list at the lower central part of the box transcribes the variable
into the formula; on the right, a special keypad 660 is provided to facilitate the process of
entering the operators. Alternatively, the second member can also be typed in from the
keyboard. The question mark button "?" on the right is used to evaluate second member
in order to check it is correct.
Condition type
The drop-down menu can be used to specify whether the condition is a check or a
prerequisite. In the former case, the formula will be associated with a component and
automatically verified by CSE in all combinations and all instances, in addition to the automatic
Commands
659
predefined checks made by the program for that component.

In the latter case, the condition must be satisfied in order for the renode to be applicable:
the prerequisites are verified first, and should one or more of them not be satisfied, the program
will prompt the user to decide whether or not the computation of the connection should
continue.
Component to which the condition refers

If the condition is a prerequisite, this parameter is not necessary. If, however, it is a
verification condition, then the component must be specified to which it refers and to which the
coefficient of utilisation deriving from the condition will be associated, as calculated in the
various combinations and instances. This coefficient will then be compared with those resulting
from the other automatic checks established for this component (bearing stress, FEM check,
resistance, etc.).
Descriptions
Succinct descriptions can be entered for the condition in general and the first and second
members, using the respective fields provided. Although optional, this is highly advisable in
order to make for a readable listing.
The pane at the bottom left of the box shows all the components in the scene, with their
properties and geometrical characteristics.
When the fields have been suitably completed, clicking on OK creates the condition,
which can then be displayed in the alphanumeric view 819 , variables and conditions pane 806 .
N.B.: if numbers are used in conditions definition, they must be given in Newton,
660
4.8.11.3.1.1 Internal compiler keyboard (part of a dialog)
INTERNAL COMPILER KEYPAD

The buttons on the numeric keypad have the following functions:
+
plus
minus
multiplied by
divided by
raised to the power
left bracket
right bracket
SIN
sine of the angle in brackets (in radians)
COS
cosine of the angle in brackets (in radians)
TAN
tangent of the angle in brackets (in radians)
ASIN
arc sine of the angle in brackets (in radians)
ACOS
arc cosine of the angle in brackets (in radians)
ATAN
arc tangent of the angle in brackets (in radians) *
DEG
converts the number in brackets from radians to degrees
RAD
converts the number in brackets from degrees to radians
SQRT
square root of the number in brackets
CBRT
cube root of the number in brackets
SQRE
square of the number in brackets
CUBE
cube of the number in brackets
HYP
the hypotenuse of the two values in brackets separated by a comma (the square
root of the sum of the squares)
MIN
the minimum value of the values in brackets separated by commas
MAX
the maximum value of the values in brackets separated by commas
CEIL
rounds the number in brackets up to the nearest integer
FLOR
rounds the number in brackets down to the nearest integer
ABS
the absolute value of the number in brackets
VMIS
the Von Mises formula for the two values in brackets (square root of 2 + 3 2)
Commands
CHIA
661

CHIB
= a) **

CHIC
= b) **

CHID
= c) **

= d) **
GETX
returns the x coordinate of the point specified in brackets
GETY
returns the y coordinate of the point specified in brackets
GETZ
returns the z coordinate of the point specified in brackets
WFEL
WFPL
WVEL
(b, h) returns 2/3bh
WVPL
(b, h) returns bh
WTEL
WTPL
CLEAR
clears the formula field
* The formulae for the computation of

and the imperfection factor
(chi) as a function of the dimensionless slenderness
are, as per EN1993-1-1:

1
2
where
0,5 1
con
1,0
0,2
The imperfection values for the various instability curves are: a=0.21
b=0.34
c=0.49
d=0.76
Further available formulae
The following formulae are also available, even if they have not a button in the keypad.
662
LOGE
(a) returns natural logarithm
SINH
(x) returns hyperbolic sin
COSH
(x) returns hyperbolic cos
TANH
(x) returns hyperbolic tan
NORM(point variable) returns the norm of the given point (or the difference between points)
NOXY
(point variable) returns the xy norm of the given point (or the difference between
points)
VEC3
(a, b, c) returns the point having a, b, c coordinates
POW
(a, b) returns ab
Further operations on points and vectors

=
(A=B) assignment
(A?B) identity, returns 1 if A=B, 0 if false
A!B different from
A^B cross product
A%B returns the dot product of points A and B
A|B returns the distance between points A and B
4.8.11.4 Modify variable or condition
RENODE MODIFY VARIABLE OR CONDITION

This command, which is available when the alphanumeric view 819 is active, enables the
additional variable or condition currently selected to be modified (clicking on it once selects it
and changes its colour to blue; double-clicking on it will run the modification command).
When the command is invoked, a dialog box opens up (the same one used to add a
variable 647 or condition 657 ); its fields contain the data of the variable/condition which is being
modified.
Type: modal
Commands
663
NB: the name of a variable which has already been used cannot be modified, as it may have
been used by other additional variables or conditions and thus have been referenced in the
string defining them.
4.8.11.5 Delete variable or condition
RENODE DELETE VARIABLE OR CONDITION

This command, which is available when the alphanumeric view 819 is active, enables the
additional variable or condition selected to be deleted (pressing the DEL/CANC key on the
keyboard also has the same effect).
Type: immediate
NB: when a component is deleted 618 from the scene, all the additional variables and conditions
are also deleted, since they could refer to parameters of the now-deleted component. It is
therefore good practice to add the variables and conditions after constructing the renode.
If, after having completed the connection and having defined any additional variables and
conditions, the results of the checks should require some adjustments to the connection, it will
suffice to modify the components affected, without deleting them: in this way the additional
variables and conditions will be retained.
4.8.11.6 Duplicate condition
VARIABLES AND CONDITIONS DUPLICATE CONDITION

This command enables the currently selected condition 818 to be duplicated. The new
condition will initially be the same as the original one and it can then be modified 662 in order
to obtain a second condition which is similar to the first (e.g. the same check associated with
another component, with suitable changes to the relevant parameters).
For the command to be available, alphanumeric view 819 must be active and a condition
664
must be selected (e.g. simply by clicking on it with the mouse).
Type: immediate
4.8.11.7 Standard checks
VARIABLES AND CONDITIONS STANDARD CHECKS
This command is used to add user checks 253 in a guided 255 way: user chooses the
desired check among the available ones and defines required parameters, then CSE
automatically adds additional conditions 818 and variables that define chosen check.
The command is available when graphical view 821 is active and there is only one
selected component. This component is the one to be associated to the check we are going to
add.
After the execution of the command, a proper dialog box 664 is opened, when the user can
choose the kind of check.
Type: modal
4.8.11.7.1 Standard checks (Dialog box)
STANDARD CHECKS (DIALOG BOX)
Commands
665
Choose desired standard check 255 among the available ones. Images show required
parameters through proper schemes (for example, dstiff is the distance between the stiffeners).
The button Set opens a dialog box 668 where required parameters can be defined. They
can be numbers or formulae (using available variables, predefined or additional). The pression
of Set button implies the choice of a check, so the other ones are hidden and only chosen check
remains.
When parameters have been defined, current check is added in the box called Resulting
user's check.
Press OK to add current check to the model (CSE automatically adds conditions and
variables).
Available checks
Web panel shear check (EN 1993-1-8 6.2.6.1)
666
Web in transverse compression (EN 1993-1-8 6.2.6.2)
Shear check for angles
Local stability of notched beam
Commands
DAC, tie force
Web tie force
Web shear
Plate lateral sway
667
668
4.8.11.7.1.1 Addition of more variables (dialog box)
ADDITION OF MORE VARIABLES (DIALOG BOX)
***
This dialog box is shown when the program needs the input of one or more variables by
the user.
In case of a standard check 664 setting, required parameters (their number is not fixed)
are those shown in the image related to chosen check. A length can be defined in numeric form
(for example 150 [mm], in current units), using a variable (for example "P3.h", the height of
plate P3) or using a formula (for example "0.8/m1.h1").
The buttons
near each box open a dialog box 563 for a quick definition of the variables.
Commands
PRENODE MODE
669
During parametric renode 809 recording 726 , this dialog box is displayed
when the program needs two or more values in parametric form 288 to be defined by the user
(with the exception of throughs addition 817 , which has its own dialog box 561 ). The number of
required data depends from the command that opened the dialog box.
4.8.12 Check overlaps

RENODE CHECK OVERLAPS
With this command, CSE looks for any overlaps 801 between the components 780 of the
renode. If there are objects which have overlaps then these are selected, whilst all those
without are unselected.
Type: immediate
4.8.13 Check coherence

RENODE CHECK COHERENCE
With this command, CSE checks that all the components 780 are correctly connected
together. If there are objects which are not connected or which are not connected correctly, then
these are selected, whilst all the others are unselected.
Type: immediate
4.8.14 Copy Renode to clipboard

RENODE COPY RENODE TO CLIPBOARD
This command is used to copy current renode to the clipboard. Then, using the command Paste
renode from the clipboard 670 , it is possible to paste the copied renode into another equal
renode (also belonging to another CSE model). If the renode is different, it is not possible to
paste.
670
Together with the components, also the following operations are copied:
work processes on members and cleats;
members trimming and extensions;
shift of components;
addition of variables and conditions;
check settings.
Type: immediate
Destination: clipboard
4.8.15 Paste Renode from the clipboard

RENODE PASTE RENODE FROM THE CLIPBOARD
This command is used to paste into current renode a renode previously copied to the clipboard
with the command Copy renode to clipboard 669 .
It is possible to paste the copied renode to another equal renode (also belonging to another
CSE model), which must also be empty 812 . If the renode is different, or if it is equal but not
empty, it is not possible to paste.
Together with the components, also the following operations are pasted:
work processes on members and cleats;
members trimming and extensions;
shift of components;
addition of variables and conditions;
check settings.
A particular care must be used in considering materials. If the component has material "n" in the
original model from which it is copied, then it will keep this position-number in the material-
Commands
671
vector of the model in which it is pasted. If "n" is higher than the number of available materials
in the model which receives the component, the number of material of that object will be set to
1 in the model in which it is pasted. The identity of the number of material does not imply the
identity of material data. Materials will be those used in the respective models.
Type: immediate
Destination: scene
4.8.16 Export dxf!

RENODE - EXPORT
This command allows a model of the renode currently shown in the graphical view 821 to
be exported in .dxf format.
Once the command is executed a question must be answered, if the DXF will be created
using "FACE3D" entities (answer "YES"), or using "LINE3D" entities (answer "NO"). The
first option is useful if some kind of rendering or shading of the Renode must be prepared,
mainly to have an idea of how the Renode is built. The second option is more useful if from the
DXF some kind of 2D drawing must be got.
The command also detects if an extraction 408 is active. If this holds true then only the
extracted components will be added to the file.
Type: immediate
4.9
Checks
4.9.1
Set up
CHECK SET-UP
This command provides a means of specifying the reference standard, the methods for
calculating the internal actions and other settings and operating parameters for carrying out the
automatic checks 692 ; a dedicated dialog box 672 is provided.
672
Type: modal
4.9.1.1
Check settings (dialog)
CHECKS SETTINGS (DIALOG BOX)
This dialog box is used to specify all the settings for the automatic checks made on the
renode.
Code
This is the section for selecting the reference standard. Those currently available are:
Commands
673
CNR 10011 TA (Allowable Stresses)

CNR 10011 SL (Limit States)
EN 1993-1-8 (Eurocode 3)
IS 800:2007-WS (Working Stress)
IS 800:2007-LS (Limit States)
AISC-ASD (Allowable Stress Design)
AISC-LRFD (Load and Resistance Factor Design)
BS 5950 (Limit States)
SNiP II - 23- 81
Internal actions computing mode

This button gives access to a dedicated dialog which can be used to set the member end forces values,
and to decide the point of application of these forces. The forces set will be used to check the
connections.
Listing
The user can choose the language to be used for the output listing (Italian, English or
Spanish), whether this listing is to be opened automatically when the checks have been
completed, and whether to include the results of the checks in the output. If the results are not to
be included, the listing will only contain the description of the model and (depending on the
option used) the combinations considered, where the worst-case combinations from all those
imported are selected automatically; in very complex models or those with many instances and
hundreds or thousands of combinations, the listing can take time to produce.
Partial safety factors
M (gamma
M)
This section is available only if Eurocode 3 or IS 800 are selected. For european
standard, factors
M0,
M1,
M2,
M3,
M4
and
M5
must be defined. If indian standard are selected
674
(working stress or limit states) this section looks different from the one shown in initial image:
factors
m0,R,
used, then
m,
m0,b ,
m,1(b),
u, h, c
m,f
and
m,w
must be defined;
m,x
box is not used. If SNiP code 359 is
must be set.
Checks to be executed
Bolt bearing stress checks: this option activates or deactivates the bearing stress checks for
all the components affected by bolt layouts.
Punching shear checks: this option activates or deactivates punching shear checks for
components affected by bolt layouts.
Parasitic moments in bolt shafts: with this option the user can decide whether or not to
have the bolt checks take account of parasitic flexure in bolt shafts (the program always
calculates this anyway). This choice affects also the simplified resistance checks (net
sections, standard sections) and the automatic FEM checks.
Block tear checks: if ticked, the automatic checks will also include block tearing checks on
the components for which this is necessary.
Member net cross-section checks: if this option is ticked, all the net sections 225 will be
checked for all the members with reduced gross area (due to bolts or work having been
carried out).
Commands
675
Simplified through checks: if is possible to execute net sections 225 checks and standard
checks 236 on throughs 817 (in addition, each component can be included in these checks or
excluded).
User Checks (additional formulae): if this option is ticked, any conditions manually 253 o
semi-automatically 255 added by the user (prerequisites and/or checks associated with a
component) are analysed. The prerequisites are checked first, and if they are not satisfied
then the user is prompted for whether to continue or not; the additional checks are carried out
along with the other checks envisaged, for different instances and combinations.
FEM components analysis: if there are components with the Create FEM 564 flag ticked, this
section controls the creation of the finite element models for such entities. 4 options are
provided:
Do not create models: with this option, even if there are components requiring it, no FEM
model is created.
Create sketch models only: a sketch model is created of the components which require
a FEM model to be created: truss elements reconstruct the exact geometry of the middle
plane; nodes are present which correspond to the bolts and weld seams and are generated
by load cases containing the actions transmitted by the joiners in all combinations and all
instances resulting from the automatic checks; finally, there are constraints to prevent the
model from being weak and unstable: for the throughs these are dummy constraints in that
the forces are self-balanced. The user must mesh the component with plate-shell elements,
observing the alignments of the edges, bolts and seams, then specify the material and the
thickness for the elements in order to carry out the static analysis, then examine the results.
If there are bolt layouts with bearing surfaces, the pressure forces exerted by the bearing
surface cannot be added if this option is selected, as the mesh is not present.
Create complete models: this option does what the previous one does, whilst also
creating an automatic mesh with plate-shell elements, in accordance with the
discretization 564 set up in the component addition/modification dialog box, with the
thickness and material as already specified. The user need only run the static analysis and
examine the results in the various load cases.
676
Create and analyze models: this option does what the previous one does, whilst also
running the static analysis, linear or nonlinear, automatically for all load cases. The
strength utilisation of the component is evaluated as the ratio between the Von Mises
maximum ideal stress in the model and the reference stress for the active standard (with
appropriate reductions if the thickness is over 40mm).
Use CSE (Clever/Curan): if this option is selected, the models will be created in Sargon
format and will be analysed using the linear static solver Clever or the nonlinear one
Curan, which come bundled with CSE, according to the settings of each component
requiring a fem model. Settings for Curan solver are defined in the dialog box 676 that
appears pressing the
button near the word Curan ->.
Use Sap2000: if the Sap2000 software is available, it can be used to create the FEM
models and carry out the analysis with its own solver.
Use other: if another finite element program is available which can handle .sr3 format, it
can be used to create and analyse the models (provided this option is ticked); the
programs name and folder need to be specified in the modify settings 380 dialog box.
Displacement bounds
A limit displacement (in the active units of measurement) and a limit rotation (in radians)
must be defined: CSE will check whether these values are exceeded in all combinations; it will
warn the user of any displacements or rotations which are outside these permitted bounds. The
maximum values calculated are shown in the output.
PRENODE MODE
During the recording 726 of a parametric renode 809 also check settings are
saved, and they will be applied later when current prenode will be assigned 518 to a similar
renode. The choice of check forces and nonlinear settings are not available.
4.9.1.1.1 Nonlinear analysis settings (Dialog box)
NONLINEAR ANALYSIS SETTINGS (DIALOG BOX)
Commands
677
This dialog box provides a way to set certain operational parameters for the CURAN
non-linear solver. The "eyes looking at you" are presently an experiment referring to priming
effects. See http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1686213/ .
The various parts of the dialog box are documented below; for definitions and explanations of
the various terms used, please refer to the terminology 680 section.
Managing load scenarios (load stations)
This check is used by the Sargon finite element software package, which shares this
dialog with CSE. In CSE, the load path (the application of a load scenario to the condition
calculated with the previous scenario) is not used.
Convergence
678
As the norm of the error, we can use the square root of the sum of the squares (SRSS)
or the infinity norm (max abs).
In the indicators section, the tolerances as regards the displacement, residual, work and
divergence can be modified. The individual controls on displacement, residual and work can be
activated or left unused.
Analysis strategy
The user can specify the maximum number of iterations possible, so that the analysis
stops when this number is reached.
The amplitude of the load step can be set by the user in advance (fixed size), or
parameters can be set up to control how the increment is checked and calculated at each
iteration.
If the first option is chosen, then by setting a step of 2, for example, half of the total load
will be applied at the first step, and the other half at the second step.
If you opt for automatic step-amplitude check, then you must specify the desired number
of iterations, the exponent for the increment chosen, and the maximum and minimum step values.
Finally, the automatic reduction of the step amplitude can be enabled or disabled when
convergence is not achieved.
Analysis method
The full and modified Newton-Raphson methods are currently available.
Non-linearity
From version 5.80 onward CSE supports with its internal sover CURAN three different
kind of nonlinearities, which may be activated separately, or together:
1. Material non linearity. Specially useful to use plastic constitutive laws such as elasticperfectly plastic or hardening. The shells used to model the element steel plates are
considered as a set of layers in plane stress and later integrated via Lobatto's rule of
integration.
2. Geometric non linearity. This is useful to study buckling phenomena such as those of
stiffeners and gusset plates. Geometric non linearity may be activated together with material
non linearity.
Commands
679
3. Contact non linearity, which will be used when there is some bolt layout using a bearing
surface. Here the program will automatically define a contact surface and a target surface,
and between the two surfaces new contact elements (active only in compression) will be
defined. The bearing surface definition (the bearing surface is now a problem unknown, but
will be initialized by the user's choice) is used to mark shell elements as being "contact" or
"surface". So in order to avoid improper definition of the contact surface the whole plate (in
base plate or in flange MR connections) should be defined as bearing surface. If this non
linearity is not set and there are bolt layouts using a bearing surface, then the forces
exchanged will be evaluated thanks to the simplified method using linear strain distribution
in the bearing surface defined by the user, and linear or nonlinear constitutive law for the
bearing surface.
Other
Information messages can be enabled or disabled during the analysis; the user can also
choose whether to activate interpolation of stresses at the nodes of the two- and threedimensional elements. This latter option, if not activated, avoids that a stress equal to yield
stress in a Gauss point might lead to a stress spuriously higher than the yield stress at the nodes,
which if using elastic-perfectly plastic laws, cannot just be possible.
Number of Lobatto integration points
The number of Lobatto points can be set to 20 or any value in the range 3-12.
Lobatto's integration, like Gauss', transforms an integral of a function into the weighted sum of
the values of that function in some special points, that is
Wif(xi) , called (Lobatto or Gauss)
integration points. Gauss points are used to integrate over the surface of plate elements, Lobatto
points are used to integrate along the plate thickness. For non linear beam, Lobatto points are
used to integrate along the beam axis. More points lead to more precise analyses but also to
longer computational times.
Fiber number (beam elements)
This is the number of "point areas" to be used when dividing the cross section of a non
linear beam element. Higher numbers lead to more precise values (but only up to a problem
dependent limit), but slower analysis.
680
Return to the plastic locus

The user can specify the tolerance and the maximum number of iterations. Loading may
lead to violation of the plastic locus, i.e. the stress state is outside the physically admissible
boundary given by the plastic surface. Several techniques are available to "return over the
plastic locus", re-establishing the physical admissibility of the stress state.
Other parameters
The user can set the value below which a pivot is considered null as well as the
precision of the limiting multiplier. The displacements can also be printed at each iteration.
Arc Length
The arc length technique is used to pass limit or critical points and in order to follow
the softening branch of a load-displacement curve. Usually these functionality is not needed
when dealing with steel connection, as the limit point is all is needed. However, if this option
is set, the program will automatically switch to arc length control when the current stiffness
parameter (CSP) gets to a given value (starting from 1.0) of after a given number of load steps.
Then, looking at the load-displacement curve of the unconnected member extremities will show
a post-limit branch.
TERMINOLOGY
The way CURAN works is described using terminology that needs to be clearly understood.
This section provides some important definitions.
Load scenario: a set of forces that are applied to the structure at the same time, increasingly
gradually from 0 to 1, starting with null stresses and displacements. Several load scenarios do
not constitute a load path.
Load station:not used by CSE; a set of forces applied to the structure at the same time, of
gradually increasing intensity scaled between 0 and 1, starting with non-null stresses and
displacements that are usually derived from a previous load station. A series of load stations
Commands
681
constitutes a load path.

Load step: in the application of a load scenario/station, a load step constitutes the application
of a load increment of scaled intensity between 0 and 1, as part of a series of previous load
steps, with a view to completing the load case/station, i.e. by reaching the full-scale intensity of
1.
Step size:a number between 0 and 1. If the step size is preset, it is equal to 1/nstep, where nstep
is the desired number of load steps. Alternatively, if the step size is set automatically, then the
step size is initially 1/nstep and is then adjusted during the analysis based on the level of nonlinearity encountered.
Iteration: load steps are applied in an iterative process. In each iteration, the internal forces
and the residuals are calculated, and the norm of the error index (whether arising from the
variation in displacement or imbalances in the forces) is compared with a suitable error
measure.
Error norm:for an error index vector, there are two types of norm: A) The SRSS, the square
root of the sum of the squares; B) The maximum modulus value of the vector terms. The error
index vector can be chosen, generally, as: A) the vector of the non-balanced forces to be
applied to the successive iteration; B) the vector of additional displacements of the last
iteration; C) the work done by the vector of the forces applied to the last iteration associated
with the change in displacement on the last iteration.
Limit point: if, during application of the loads, some part of the structure becomes a
mechanism, this is flagged up and the calculation stops. The load multiplier level (for the
current load scenario or load station) between 0 and 1 corresponding to the limit point is
printed. The calculation continues with the next load case. In the load case where there is a
mechanism, there are unbalanced forces, and a summary of the displacements, deformations and
stresses corresponding to the point immediately prior to the limit point is printed.
Load multiplier: a dimensionless number between 0 (at the start of the load case/station) and 1
(at the end).
Analysis strategy: CURAN currently supports the full Newton method and the modified
Newton method.
682
4.9.1.1.2 Buckling analysis settings (Dialog box)
BUCKLING ANALYSIS SETTINGS (DIALOG)
This dialog is used to set the working mode of the eigenvalue buckling analysis solver.
The number of the critical modes (i.e. of the critical multipliers) to be extracted defines how
many critical modes will be computed by the analysis. Having more modes allows a deeper
understanding of the possible buckling modes of the structure at hand. For each load
combination, a number of critical modes equal to this number will be computed.
Subspace order must be significantly higher than the number of modes requested, but not too
high, to avoid unnecessary computational effort. If the number of modes requested is not too
high, then it may be used three times that value as a good estimate of the subspace order
number.
Tolerance is usually equal to 0.0001 or 0.001. Lower values will accelerate convergence, but
may lead, especially for critical mode shapes, imprecise deformed configurations. However, if
the aim is to have an idea of the critical shapes originating from the applied loads, then no
particular problem should raise by using values around 0.01.
The maximum number of iterations (to reach the requested tolerance) enables stopping the
analysis if no convergence is achieved.
Commands
683
4.9.1.1.3 Internal actions input (dialog)
INTERNAL ACTIONS INPUT (DIALOG)
In this dialog box it is possible to import desired check combinations for current
renode. "Clear" button deletes box content, "Initialize, 5 combinations" fills the box with the
format needed to describe 5 combinations, with a number of rows equal to 5 multiplied by
renode members number (internal forces values are fictitious). Initialisation can be done to
create a starting point for data insert or simply to understand required format. It is not a strictly
required step, because data can be copied and pasted directly from Excel or Notepad.
If a change of the current units is needed, the button "Units" can be pressed getting
access to the relevant dialog (also the model units will be changed). The button "Axis (1, 2, 3)"
is used to get a memo of the rules used by the program: it must be kept into account that the axis
are those of the finite elements as resulting from the FEM View 820 . For most cross sections axis
2 is the "strong axis". The axes are always the principal axes of the cross-section.
The format of a row is the following:
684
# combination
# member
V2
V3
M1
M2
M3
where N, V2, V3, M1, M2 and M3 are the six components of internal actions in current
combination (axial force positive if tensile, two shears, torsion and two bending moments,
expressed in CSE current units). Values must be separated by tabs. If there are n members,
table scheme is the following:
Combination 1 - member 1 - 6 internal forces
Combination 1 - member 2 - 6 internal forces
...
Combination 1 - member n - 6 internal forces
then is the turn of combination 2, an so on....
If node has two members and we want to define, for example, 2 combinations, in Excel
just prepare a table as the following one, where the first row corresponds to combination 1 and
member 1, with 6 internal actions.
Now select 4 rows x 8 columns, copy and paste them in CSE dialog box.
Alternatively, the same data can be copied from Notepad (values separated by tabs).
Commands
685
In CSE dialog box, press Shift+Ins to paste the table, then click OK. If there are no
errors in the format, saved combinations are summarized and we switch back to main check
settings dialog box 672 ; otherwise eventual errors are reported.
If you have output files coming from FEM programs non interfaced with CSE, you can
rearrange these results in required format in order to use them in renodes check with CSE.
N.B.: remember that if you are using a FEM software not interfaced with CSE, you can ask for a
possible link between Castalia srl and the software house producing your FEM program; if you
have programming skills, you can also make an interface by your own through free CSE format,
downloadable at: http://www.steelchecks.com/PRO/CS/interface.asp.
686
4.9.1.1.4 Just worst combinations
WORST COMBINATIONS ONLY

The most critical combinations are selected thus: given a FEM model imported with C
combinations, a jnode with I instances and M members, for the associated renode there will be
24xM checking combinations selected, according to the following criteria:
combination 1 the combination (out of the total of C) with the maximum positive axial force in
member m1 across all instances I of the jnode
combinations 2 to 6 each of the other elementary actions in place of the axial force
combinations 7 to 12 as for the first 6, but taking the minima instead
combinations 13 to 24 instead of the individual actions, suitable combinations of them (the
bending moments and axial forces are considered. The 12 combinations are sought which generate
the maximum simplified normal stress values: = {|N/A| + |M2/W2| + |M3/W3|}max).
We then move on to member 2:

combination 25 the combination (out of all C of them) with the maximum positive axial force in
member m2 across all instances I of the jnode;
combinations 26 to 30 each of the other elementary actions in place of the axial force
combinations 31 to 36 as for the first 6, but changing the sign
combinations 37 to 48 instead of the individual actions, suitable combinations of them, as
discussed above.
We then move on to member 3, etc.

We thus obtain a total of 24xM combinations and a single instance.
NB: if member 1 is a master, the first 24 combinations are void.
Once the most critical combinations have been found as per the method described, all the
members are loaded with the 6 actions simultaneously applicable in that combination and
instance of the node, i.e. in the instance which gave rise to the maximum value.
Commands
687
4.9.1.1.5 Combinations with elastic or plastic limits or with defined actions
COMBINATIONS WITH ELASTIC OR PLASTIC LIMITS OR WITH DEFINED ACTIONS

When the checks are made with the elastic or plastic limits or with defined actions, 24
combinations are generated for every member, starting from the master, each of which contain
one or more elementary actions. The model for each member is as follows:
Combination 1: Axial action with positive sign (elastic, plastic or defined value)
Combination 2: Shear in the direction of axis 2, positive
Combination 3: Shear in the direction of axis 3, positive
Combination 4: Torque, positive
Combination 5: Bending moment about axis 2, positive
Combination 6: Bending moment about axis 3, positive
Combinations 7 to 12: actions of the combinations from 1 to 6, negative sign
Combinations 13 to 24: suitable combinations of the previous elementary actions (see the
last two lines of the summary tables below, which are to be read on a line-by-line basis)
V2
V3
M1
M2
M3
-N
-V2
-V3
-M1
-M2
-M3
0.5N + 0.5M2
0.5N -0.5M2
0.5N + 0.5M3
0.5N -0.5M3
-0.5N + 0.5M2
-0.5N -0.5M2
-0.5N+0.5M3
-0.5N-0.5M3
0.5M2 +0.5M3 0.5M2 -0.5M3
-0.5M2+0.5M3
-0.5M2-0.5M3
The 24 combinations generated automatically for each member if the defined actions are
selected.
kNpNpl
kV2V2pl
kV3V3pl
kM1M1pl
kM2M2pl
kM3M3pl
688
-kNmNpl
-kV2V2pl
-kV3V3pl
-kM1M1pl
-kM2M2pl
-kM3M3pl
0.5kNpNpl +
0.5kNpNpl -
0.5kNpNpl +
0.5kNpNpl -
-0.5kNmNpl +
-0.5kNmNpl -
0.5kM2M2pl
0.5kM2M2pl
0.5kM3M3pl
0.5kM2M3pl
0.5kM2M2pl
0.5kM2M2pl
-0.5kNmNpl -0.5kNmNpl -
0.5kM2M2pl
0.5kM2M2pl
0.5kM2M3pl +0.5kM3M3pl -0.5kM3M3pl
-0.5kM2M2pl + -0.5kM2M2pl 0.5kM3M3pl
0.5kM3M3pl
0.5kM3M3pl
The 24 combinations generated automatically for each member if the plastic limits are
selected (substitute "pl" with "el" for elastic limits).
Factors are the following (real numbers greater or equal to 0):

kNp
factor for tension
kNm
factor for compression
kV2
factor for shear V2
kV3
factor for shear V3
kM1
factor for torsional moment M1
kM2
factor for bending moment M2
kM3
factor for bending moment M3
If a factor other than 1 is used, the limit actions will be increased or reduced in
accordance with the value specified (this can be particularly useful for overstrength).
If the information on the end releases present in the FEM model is being considered, the
combinations corresponding to the non-transmitted actions will be zero.
4.9.2
Internal forces
CHECK INTERNAL FORCES
This command is used to set the values of the members end forces to be used in the
Commands
689
checks, and their point of application. A dedicated dialog box 672 is provided. The same result
can be got by using the dialog dedicated to checks settings 672 .
Type: modal
4.9.2.1
Internal actions computing mode and positioning
INTERNAL ACTIONS COMPUTING MODE AND POSITIONING (DIALOG)
Methods of calculating the internal actions
690
4 methods are available for calculating the internal actions during the renode check; the
first of these can be used only if the FEM model has been imported from Sargon.
As from load combinations: the renode will be checked by considering the internal actions
in its members, calculated in all checking combinations of the initial FEM model. By ticking
the Worst only box, CSE selects a limited number of significant combinations (24 multiplied
by the number of members) in order to reduce the calculation time and the size of the output.
The criterion for selecting the most critical 686 combinations is based on the internal actions in
the members in all combinations and instances, therefore there is no guarantee at the outset
that the combinations which may be the most critical for a given component will actually be
eliminated. It is therefore advisable to take special care when selecting the combinations. For
example, in a model with thousands of combinations and dozens of instances of a renode, it
can be useful to carry out checks on a limited number of combinations when designing the
connection, in order to expedite the computation, and to carry out the checks in all
combinations only at the end, when the connection has essentially achieved its final form.
Elastic limits*: the connection is checked with the elastic limit actions of the members that
join there, suitably factorised.
Plastic limits*: the connection is checked with the plastic limit actions of the members that
join there, suitably factorised.
Specified values*: the connection is checked with the actions specified for the various
members.
* one instance only is checked; for each member, 24 combinations of checks are generated,
each of which include an individual action (plastic, elastic or defined by the user) or a
suitable combination of several actions, according to this model 687 . The following values
enable the actions in the members to be determined: if the defined values are selected, the
values of these actions must be specified; if the elastic or plastic limits are selected, the
increasing or reducing factors of the corresponding elastic or plastic action must be defined.
This must be done for every member; the member can be changed using the arrows alongside
the current member.
Commands
691
N (compression): axial compression force

N (tension): axial tensile force
V2 and V3: shears
M1: torque
M2 and M3: bending moments
Use information about end releases: if this option is ticked, the internal actions which are
not transmitted in the FEM model due to the presence of end releases are not taken into
consideration (e.g. the moments if there is a hinge): this is a null combination for maintaining
the same order among the combinations of a member. If this option is used with elastic
limits, the listing will show the relative stiffnesses of the various members.
If we are using the elastic limits we will set, for example, M2=0.6 if the current member is
working at 60% of the elastic limit for bending about the strong axis. If the defined actions
are being used, we will specify, for example, that N (tension) = 125000N, if this is the
design value.
Input forces from table: the connection is checked with combinations imported from Excel
or Notepad; selecting this option, a proper dialog box 683 appears, where needed data can be
imported.
Internal actions points of application (positioning)

If this option is ticked, then CSE will consider the theoretical extremities of the finite
elements (nodes) as the application points of the internal forces. The extreme of a finite element
is usually coincident with its node, but when there are rigid offsets applied to the beam element.
If a member is shifted, extended or trimmed in the renode, the application point will not change
and moments of transport will be added. These additional moments will act on that member
(and on those joiners and cleats connected to it).
Otherwise, if the option is not ticked, the application point will that of the 3D member
in the scene, not of the finite elements, and the moments of transport will not be added. This
causes the loss of coherence between the FEM model of the structure and the real 3D node. In
692
some cases, user could need to neglect these moments of transport, according to defined design
choices. See How to consider the effects of members shift 267 for more information.
Units
The button Change Units is used to change current units and gives access to the relevant
dialog. It must be kept into account that also the model units will change accordingly.
PRENODE MODE
During the recording 726 of a parametric renode 809 also check settings are
saved, and they will be applied later when current prenode will be assigned 518 to a similar
renode. The choice of check forces and nonlinear settings are not available.
4.9.3
Check renode!
CHECKS CHECK RENODE
This command launches the automatic renode 811 checks in all combinations and for all
instances of the jnode 790 , in accordance with the standard, the criteria and the parameters
defined in the settings 672 . If the user has added additional check conditions 656 , these will also be
run.
Only a) in renodes belonging to the central 791 kind, and b) if there is not any through
complying with the requirements needed for being automatically recognized as master 795 , then at
the beginning of the checks a message 693 appears, asking if is member m1 to be assumed as the
master. If user answers "yes", m1 will be the master; if he answers "no", a dialog box 693
appears, and user must specify which through or throughs are the master(s).
For further information see:
How to... check a (re)node 271
N.B.: if there are available results, a dialog asks if the user really wants to run checks: this
Commands
693
prevents to accidentally start checks.

PRENODE MODE
This command is not available during the recording 726 of a parametric
rendoe.
Type: immediate
4.9.3.1
Choice of the master (message box)
CHOICE OF THE MASTER (MESSAGE BOX)
This message appears if central jnodes are found missing one or more throughs
complying with the requirements 271 needed to consider them as a master for the central jnode
itself.
This message asks if member m1 has to be assumed as the master for the central jnode
(switching it to a hierarchical one), or if the master has to be chosen by the user. Click "yes" to
define m1 as master, click "no" to choose the through or the throughs that must be assumed as
master(s) in a proper dialog box 693 .
For further information see:
4.9.3.2
Which throughs should be constrained? (dialog)
WHICH THROUGHS MUST BE CONSTRAINED? (DIALOG)
694
In this dialog box the user chooses the through 817 (or the throughs) that must be
considered as master(s) 795 in the check of central 791 renodes which do not have any through
directly connected to all the members. For direct connection we mean: through 817
joiner 794
member 796 .
If user does not remember the name of the component (or components) to be chosen as
master or did not choose components yet, it is possible to end the analysis (button: cancel) and
return to the scene to study the renode or simply read the name of the relevant components:
for further information see:
4.9.4
Prepare and analyze FEM model..

CHECKS PREPARE AND ANALYZE FEM MODEL
This command is used to prepare, run and display the finite element model of an
aggregate 767 of components 780 . Once the model has been created and analyzed, the command
also opens the program used to display analysis results. If the internal CSE solvers have been
used, then the program Sargon Reader will be open. The choice of which solver to use is made
after the command execution in the proper dialog 695 .
In order to execute this command Renode View 823 must be active, and the Renode 811 must
already have been checked. Besides, some components (members 796 and or throughs 817 ) must
Commands
695
have been selected. The selection of the joiners 794 is not kept into account. The constraint block
783
is not currently modelled and must not be selected.

It is a very powerful and innovative command: to get more information please refer to
How ... Create FEM models of aggregates or of the whole node 305 .
4.9.4.1
FEM model creation settings
FEM MODEL CREATION SETTINGS (DIALOG)
This dialog is used to apply the settings needed to create and analyze the FEM model of the
selected components. To get more information about FEM model creation of aggregates please
see at How... create fem models of aggregates or of the whole node 305 .It may also be useful to
read How...use nonlinear analysis 341 .
First of all the name of the model to be created is set. If the model already exists, it
will be overwritten. Choosing by hand the model name is useful to distinguish the several
possible models that, for a given Renode 811 , can be created and analyzed. The name input is
added to the model name and to the Renode name in the following way. If the model is named
MODEL and the Renode is AB, if the name Test is assigned, the final FEM model name would
be:
696
MODEL.AB.Test
If the internal CSE solvers are used the model file has the extension .WSR (Windows SaRgon).
If so, the program used to display results is Sargon Reader.
The second important choice is the boundaries and welds element size, that is the size,
to be input using current length unit, of the edge of the finite elements along the components
boundaries and along the single weld seams. This value, due to compatibility reasons of the
several parts that together define the comprehensive model, must be unique, for all parts.
Obviously, the smaller the value, more refined and large will be the final model. The size of the
elements far from the boundaries and from the welds, and the minimum element angle of the
parts meshed, is set accordingly to the single component settings, as defined in proper part of
applicable dialogs 564 . By using this rule the mesh refinement can be different, in some extent,
from part to part.
The third choice is that referring to the constraints. In the left part of the dialog is
placed a checklist of the members 796 and of the throughs 817 which are included in the model, that
is the selected components when the command was executed. The program will apply
constraints to the object chosen by placing a tick in the check box, leaving free of constraints the
others. The choice of the constraints which are necessary to execute the analysis is important,
and depends on the problem at hand. The following rules do apply.
1. The constraints to the members are applied as full fixity to the extremity not connected to
renode of the member. If the member is a passing member 798 they are applied at both the
(unconnected by definition) extremities.
2. The constraints to the cleats are applied as 6 elementary constraints, i.e. three translational
and three rotational one-dof constraints, so as to apply a minimum 3D constraining to the
rigid body (no redundancy, no lack of constraint).
3. If some unsaturated 812 weld layout is in the model (modelled as forces applied to weld
layout connecting nodes) the loaded nodes of these weld layouts are completely fixed, by
applying full fixity condition to all weld layout nodes, if and only if these weld layouts do
have the proper flag ticked (see the dialog used to define weld layouts 578 ). Otherwise the
Commands
697
nodes are free.

4. If a constraint block is in the list (a constraint block might be in the list because a non linear
contact analysis has to be done), it must be constrained. Constraints will be applied
according to the choices made in the Constraint block modeling box (see below).
The constraint must be applied in such a way to define proper physical scenarios. Typical cases
are the following.
1. Base node over constraint block 783 . The master 795 member is usually constrained if
the constraint block is not in the list. By definition the constraint is applied to the
unconnected extremity, so, far from constraint block, which is not modelled.
2. More than one member in model. Usually only the master is constrained. If no
master member is present, than one of the member or one of the components.
However, if a member n is connected by a bolt layout using a bearing surface 772 ,
and if it is not asked a nonlinear contact analysis, then that member must also be
constrained, because otherwise it would be detached from the rest and free to move
(see also what in How... Create FEM models of aggregates or of the whole node
305
). On the other hand, if a nonlinear contact analysis is asked for, then the bolts
will be explicitly modeled as finite elements, and that member will not be free to
move: it will not need constraints.
3. Only cleats are in the model, no member. In this case each aggregate of objects
unconnected to the other aggregates possibly in the model must have one component
(only one) constrained. If one aggregate only is in the model then one object only
should be constrained.
If Sargon Reader is used, then nodal constraints are displayed as magenta dots.
The model creation choices are the following:
1. Only sketch model, that is without the plate-shell elements but preserving all the construction
lines, so as to better understand possible meshing problems due to the unlucky position of
hard points 788 .
2. Complete models, that is with plate-shell elements, but without running the analysis.
698
3. Complete models and analysis run. The proper solver will be launched and at the analysis
end the proper program will automatically be open to display results.
As solver it is possible to use:

1. CSE internal linear elastic solver (CLEVER: Choleskij Linear Elastic Variable Element
Resolver).
2. CSE internal nonlinear solver (CURAN, CURved ANalysis).
3. Program Sap2000 (which must be installed and available).
4. Program MIDAS (a MCT file will be created)
5. Program STAAD PRO (a STD file will be created)
6. Any other solver interfaced with CSE.
If a nonlinear analysis is run, the materials of the components (members and cleats) must be
properly defined as non linear (for example as elastic-perfectly plastic, or elastic-hardening). If
nonlinear analysis is chosen button "..." should be used to properly set non linear solver
settings.
Contact non linearity
This set of controls is only meaningful if a non linear analysis is to be performed, with contact
non linearity flag switched on.
The penalty edit box is used to set the penalty value to be used for contact elements. This
penalty number is a stiffness (force per unit length) and must be input using current units.
Roughly speaking the penalty is the internal stiffness of the non linear contact elements which
are automatically added by the program between the two or more surfaces of each bolt layout
using a bearing surface. This stiffness is activated if the non linear contact elements
are
compressed, i.e. if the gap is being closed. The penalty must not be too high, or converge
problems will arise, and must not be too low, or the surfaces will penetrate one into the other.
Good choices are apparently in the range 104-105 N/mm.
Constraint block modeling is a set of controls used to decide how the constraint block is to be
modeled if it is added to the model. As usually constraint block implies a bolt layout using a
bearing surface, and if non linear contact analysis is asked, a "target" surface is needed which
Commands
699
is related to the constraint block itself. This target surface may be: the mid plane of the
constraint block (clamp at half thickness), ideally assumed to be rigidly fixed; or it can be the
"upper" surface of a block modeled via brick, solid elements (solid elements). The first choice
is used in order to set a rigid bearing surface, and in order to have a simpler, faster finite
element model, probably with faster convergence. The second choice is used in order to model
the constraint block deformability, as in this case the constraint block is modeled with brick
elements. If this latter option is chosen a proper material must have been assigned to constraint
block. In order to decide the mesh size of the constraint block (when it is modeled via solid
elements) the edit box Mesh size is provided. Solid elements slow down the solution, and so a
good compromise between the accuracy of the mesh and the computational time must be found.
Constraint block mesh size also drives the "target surface" mesh size, so a too coarse mesh is
not suggested. A good choice seems to be to set the mesh size of the constraint block about 5
times the mesh size of the typical part of the fem models.
Stabilizing springs
If geometric nonlinearity is added to a non linear analysis, or if a buckling analysis is asked for,
with the aim of getting information about the possible buckling of stiffeners, or of gusset plates,
or generally speaking of local components or parts, it may happen that spurious buckling of
members is found as the members in the finite element models created automatically by CSE are
necessarily cut into stumps getting out from the node. This unwanted effect may be reduced by
shortening the member stumps 533 , or it may be reduced by adding "stabilizing" springs at the
unconnected extremity if each member. In order to do that, the members to which the stabilizing
700
spring have to be applied must have been selected in the stabilizing springs list box, and a
proper value of translational stiffness must have been set (Stiffness). If the members are only
subjected to a compressive or tensile axial force, the stabilizing springs do not absorb any
force, as they are perpendicular to the member axis. However, if shears or bending moments
are also assigned to the member, then the springs will be loaded and the stress distribution in
the connection components will be modified. So their use is limited to purely pulled/
compressed elements as those of bracing.
The creation of the aggregate FEM models easily leads to models having many tens of
thousand degree of freedom, or possibly several hundreds thousands. Sometimes the size of the
model is so large that it is not possible to deal with all load combinations at one time (they may
be hundreds). This happens when the binary output file size is greater than 2Gb. For this reason
it is possible to choose a sub set of the available load cases for the FEM analysis. The check
list load cases to include in model is used to choose a subset of the available load cases for the
FEM model. Only the load cases with a tick applied will be included in the FEM model. To
quickly set and unset the load cases, the buttons All and None may be used.
4.9.5
Envelope
CHECKS - ENVELOPE
This command enables each component to be displayed with a colour which corresponds
to the maximum utilisation calculated in all combinations and all instances of the node. The
utilisation scale is shown in the figure below: if an elements colour is between yellow and
blue, this means that it has been successfully verified; from red onwards means that at least one
check in one combination and instance was not satisfied.
Components shown in white have not undergone any checks. If, for example, a member
does not have bolt layouts (only welds), no checks will be carried out on it, since the check on
the weld seams is enough to cover the member as well: in such cases, the most inferior material
among those of the welded components will be considered, and if all the welds have been
Commands
701
checked this means that the member has also been too.
When the envelope is active, the utilisation level can be determined accurately for each
component, using the enquire 702 command.
Type: immediate
4.9.6
Current results
CHECKS CURRENT RESULTS
This command enables each component to be displayed with a colour which corresponds
to the utilisation calculated in the current combination and instance; the utilisation scale is
shown in the figure below: if an elements colour is between yellow and blue, this means that it
has been successfully verified; from red onwards means that its utilisation is greater than 1.
Components shown in white have not been subject to any checks. If, for example, a
member does not have bolt layouts (only welds), no checks will be carried out on it, since the
check on the weld seams is enough to cover the member as well: in such cases, the most
inferior material among those of the welded components will be considered, and if all the
welds have been checked this means that the member has also been too.
When this command is active, the utilisation level can be determined accurately for each
component, using the enquire 702 command.
To move from one instance to another and one combination to another requires the use of
the Next instance 722 , Previous instance 722 , Next combination 720 and Previous combination 721
commands, which appear in the toolbar as the buttons shown below:
702
The combination desired can also be accessed directly using the Combination? 721
command, or straight from the desired instance via the Instance? 723 command.
Type: immediate
4.9.7
Enquire
CHECKS - ENQUIRE
This command is available when the utilisation envelope 700 or current results 701 are
active. When the mouse cursor is moved, information is shown at the bottom of the CSE
window about the utilisation of the component to which the face currently pointed at by the
mouse belongs. To see the utilisation of the desired component, simply move the cursor over
any of its faces.
In the example illustrated below, the mouse is pointing at a face of bolt #3 in layout
number 6 and its maximum utilisation under stress, which is equal to 0.436, is achieved in
combination 25 and instance 1.
Commands
703
The example also shows the envelope; if, however, the user is in the current results, then
the current internal actions are shown instead of the combination and instance number.
Type: non modal
4.9.8
Display bearing surface results

CHECKS SHOW BEARING SURFACE RESULTS
After running the checks 692 , when one and only one bolt layout with bearing surface
polygon 596 has been selected, this command enables the user to see the results for the bearing
surface and bolts.
The graphical view 821 then displays a two-dimensional view of the bearing surface
polygon, with the corresponding sections of the bolts. NB: the polygon and bolts are shown in
the bolt layouts principal reference system. The local axes are displayed together with the
projections of the global axes.
The compressed zone of the support is coloured according to sigma/sigma,lim in the
current combination and instance, while the zone in tension remains white. The bolts are shown
in the colour which corresponds to the utilisation due to the axial action only; if the bolts do not
operate on a compression basis then those in the compressed zone are not under load (and are
shown in white). See the image below for further information.
704
Normal stress in the bolts is given, as well the maximum stress in the bearing surface. .
As already mentioned, for the bolts this is not the total utilisation, which is also dependent on
the shear and can be seen in the envelope, but only the part that pertains to the axial action.
The limit of the compressed zone is simply the neutral axis of the plane section under
bending. Distance between bolt layout center and neutral axis is shown.
The top left section of the graphical view 821 shows the Computing data:
The bolt layout name, the instance, combination and type of constitutive law adopted for the
bearing support.
The axial action and bending moments acting.
The utilisation of the support, the maximum stress in the support and in the bolts.
Distance between bolt layout center and neutral axis; angle of the neutral axis.
Distance between the point with maximum compression and bolt layout center.
commands, which can be found in the toolbar as the buttons shown below:
Commands
705
command, or straight from the desired instance by means of the Instance? 723 command.
Type: run directly

4.9.9
Display net sections results

CHECKS DISPLAY NET SECTION RESULTS
If the check on the net sections of the members or throughs has been requested in the
checks settings 671 , this command enables the results for the currently selected component to be
displayed (there must be one and only one selected component, otherwise the command cannot
be used).
In the graphical view 821 a two-dimensional image is shown normal to the most critical net
section for that component in the current instance and load combination.
NB: if the greatest utilisation in current conditions is caused by other reasons (bearing
stress), then this is reported and no section is shown. In order to conserve disk space, only
the information concerning the significant checks is stored.
The image of the most utilised net section is coloured according to the levels of utilisation
(the colour scale used is not identical to that of the display of the overall utilisations, but given k= /
- is calibrated according to the current maximum and minimum stresses if kmin <
-1.25 or kmax > 1.25, otherwise -1.25 and 1.25 are set as the extremities of the scale, with 0.25
intervals). The sign is also considered. In the example in the image below, for example, the
maximum ratio between applied stress and maximum stress does not exceed the limits + and 1.25.
706
The following summary information is displayed above the image:

the names of the renode and the component, the net section number and the current instance
and combination
the internal forces in the net section (axial action and bending moments)
the utilization ratio index (considering axial force, shears and moments)
the maximum and limit normal stresses
commands, which appear in the toolbar as the buttons shown here below:
Type: run directly
Commands
707
4.9.10 Display block tear results

CHECKS DISPLAY BLOCK TEAR RESULTS
This command provides access to a dialog box 707 showing the results of the block
tearing 770 checks on the selected component, in the current combination and instance.
To view the results for the selected component:
the block tearing check must have been included as one of the checks selected 671
the selected component must be affected by this phenomenon
for the current combination and instance, the block tearing must be the cause which returns
the maximum utilisation coefficient for that entity
Type: modal
4.9.10.1 Block tearing (dialog)
BLOCK TEARING (DIALOG BOX)

This dialog box has two functions: it shows the results when invoked by the Display
block tear results 707 command and it displays the most critical failure paths for changes in the
inclination of the resultant of the forces applied when invoked from the Input bolt layouts 587
dialog box.
RESULTS
708
This dialog box displays the results of the block tearing 770 checks on the selected entity,
in the current combination and instance.
The diagram on the right shows the most critical failure path as a function of the stresses
caused by the bolt layout in the current combination and instance, among all possible paths
analysed.
At the left there is the basic information 587 about the bolt layout, followed by the ultimate
block tearing force (Fultima) and the applied force, as a function of the angle of the applied
force. This angle, which refers to the resultant at all bolts under consideration, is also shown in
the dialog box.
Finally the system also calculates a coefficient of utilisation for the component, which is equal
to the ratio between Fapplicata and Fultima.
In the case shown in the figure above, the force applied has an angle of incidence of 0
and is 1.486 times as strong as the corresponding block tearing resistance. The convention on
the angle of the resultant is shown in the figure below, in which the failure method in the case in
Commands
709
question is also shown.
To discover the possible failure paths, the user will need to go to the subdialog box
which handles block tearing (see below); this can be accessed from within the bolt layout
modification 587 dialog box in question.
INTERROGATION OF THE MOST CRITICAL PATHS
This dialog box provides a means to find the most critical block tearing failure paths
710
calculated by CSE for changes in the resultant on the bolts (all or a subset of them, depending
on the path), with the corresponding limit action which can be withstood by these paths.
The basic information about the bolt layout is shown at the top left, taken from the add
layout 587 dialog box. The controls under the image (which can be copied to the clipboard or
printed) are described in the aforementioned dialog box.
The image shows the details from the main dialog box, together with the most critical
failure path on the current face (in green) as a function of the angle of incidence of the resultant
applied. A discussion of the search for paths can be found in the section on Understanding the
checks made by CSE 244 .
The current angle of incidence, using the convention described above, is that set in the
dedicated field in the Preliminary study section. The corresponding most critical failure path
(shown in the figure) and the corresponding resistance (Fultima) for that path when subject to a
force of the set inclination are shown as a function of this angle.
The angle of incidence can be changed using the arrows, whereupon the path and the
Fultima are automatically updated in real time. The most critical path and the Fultima are also
updated as the user scrolls through the various faces.
NB: the most critical failure paths may involve all the bolts in the layout or only a subset of
them.
4.9.11 Display external forces (global)

CHECKS DISPLAY EXTERNAL FORCES (GLOBAL)
This command is used to display the forces transferred from each slave 816 member to the
master 795 and from the master to constraint block (in constraint 783 nodes only), in global
Commands
711
reference system. Forces and moments are displayed in correspondence to member's theoretical
extremity.
Tensile axial force in diagonal, global reference display

It is also possible to show forces in member's local system, using the command Display
external forces (local) 711 .
command, or straight from the instance required by means of the Instance? 723 command.
Type: non modal
4.9.12 Display external forces (local)

CHECKS DISPLAY EXTERNAL FORCES (LOCAL)
712
This command is used to display the forces transferred from each slave 816 members to
the master 795 and from the master to constraint block (in constraint 783 nodes only), in members'
local reference system. Forces and moments are displayed in correspondence to member's
theoretical extremity.
Tensile axial force in diagonal, local reference display

It is also possible to show forces in member's local system, using the command Display
external forces (global) 710 .
Type: non modal
Commands
713
4.9.13 Display forces

CHECKS DISPLAY FORCES
After the checks have been made, this command can be used to display the actions acting
over the various components in the current combination and instance, in the active units of
measurement. This is a very important command in terms of finding out what is happening in the
renode.
The overall forces exchanged by the weld-layouts and the bolt-layouts in the global
reference system, are shown. The forces act over selected components. If more selected objects
are directly connected the forces exchanged between them are not shown (they would be equal
and with opposite sign, due to the principle of action and reaction). The forces shown are those
exchanged between the selected components and the un-selected components, and precisely are
those acting over selected components.
In the example illustrated below, a member and the bolt layout connected to it are
selected: only the forces conveyed to the bolt layout by the plate are shown. To get the only
forces acting over the member, select just the member deselecting the bolt layout. To get the
forces acting over the plate due to the bolt layout and the weld layouts, just select the plate.
In other words, only the internal actions of the unsaturated extremities of the joiners are
shown. The extremity of a joiner is saturated if both the objects which are joined at that
extremity are selected or unselected, that is if their selection state is the same. The forces are
shown as acting over the selected component(s).
714
In extraction 408 mode, the forces transmitted between the extracted and unextracted
objects are displayed.
See also the commands:
Display forces of subcomponents (components) 715
Display forces of subcomponents (resultant) 716
Type: non modal
Commands
715
4.9.14 Display forces of subcomponents (components)

CHECKS DISPLAY FORCES OF SUBCOMPONENTS (COMPONENTS)
After the checks have been made, this command can be used to display the actions
transmitted between the various components in the current combination and instance, in the
active units of measurement. This is a very important command in terms of finding out what is
happening in the renode.
The forces transmitted between the currently selected components and the other
components which are connected to it are shown in the graphical view. With the Display forces
713
command, forces are shown globally on bolt layouts and weld layouts; here, forces are
shown considering the single bolt and the single weld.

Forces along X, Y and Z (global axes) are shown, as well as moments about the same
axes. For welds, forces per length unit are shown at welds ends (stress multiplied by throat
section). All the vectors have the same length in the display.
Similarly to the Display forces command, the actions on the components are shown
according to objects selection/extraction criteria 713 .
In the following image, the forces exchanged between each bolt and the plate are shown
(bolt layout is selected).
716
The Display forces of subcomponents (resultant) 716 is similar to this one, with the
following difference: resulting forces and resulting moments are displayed on bolts and on
welds ends, with vectors having a different length according to their value.
Type: non modal
4.9.15 Display forces of subcomponents (resultant)

CHECKS DISPLAY FORCES OF SUBCOMPONENTS (RESULTANT)
After the checks have been made, this command can be used to display the actions
transmitted between the various components in the current combination and instance, in the
active units of measurement. This is a very important command in terms of finding out what is
happening in the renode.
The forces transmitted between the currently selected components and the other
components which are connected to it are shown in the graphical view. With the Display forces
713
command, forces are shown globally on bolt layouts and weld layouts; here, forces are
shown considering the single bolt and the single weld.

The resulting forces and the resulting moment are shown for each bolt. For welds,
resulting force per length unit is shown at welds ends (stress multiplied by throat section).
Vectors have different lengths according to their value.
Commands
717
Similarly to the Display forces command, the actions on the components are shown
according to objects selection/extraction criteria 713 .
In the following image, the resulting force and the resulting moment exchanged between
each bolt and the plate are shown (bolt layout is selected).
The Display forces of subcomponents (components) 716 is similar to this one, with the
following difference: all the forces and moments components (X, Y and Z global axes) are
displayed on bolts and on welds ends, with vectors having all the same length.
Type: non modal
718
4.9.16 Display components FEM results

CHECKS DISPLAY COMPONENT FEM RESULTS
After checking a renode in which the creation of the FEM models 291 for the components
has been included, this command allows the user to open the FEM model of the selected
component, if it has been created for that entity. The command is not available if alphanumeric
view 819 is active.
If a finite element program with an interface to CSE is available, e.g. SAP2000, and if
FEM models are to be created by this program, then when the command is run the model for the
selected entity will be opened using the version of the selected program in use.
If a new renode check is made, then when the command is run the files for the FEM
models already created are updated.
If the program being used is Sargon, then regardless of whether the user has a licence for
the program, the models will be analysed with the version of Clever which is bundled with
CSE, and the Display component FEM results command will open the models using Sargon
Reader, which is also part of the bundle. Those without access to Sargon or who have a copy
on an annual subscription basis with a limited number of nodes supported can, however, have
the models created and analysed without a limit on the number of nodes, and view the results,
using the Reader.
If the .wsr model for the current component is not yet present when the command is run,
the user will be prompted to save it.
To modify and/or reanalyse the models separately with your own version of Sargon (the
Reader can only be used in display mode), they must be opened by Sargon directly or by
double-clicking on the corresponding .wsr file. If this file is not present, it can be created by
importing the associated .sr2 file into a new project. The file names are as follows:
[CSE model name].[renode mark].[component name].wsr
[CSE model name].[renode mark].[component name].sr2
Commands
719
If the model was created in Sargon format 672 , see How to use Sargon Reader 337 to learn how to
display relevant results.
Type: run directly
4.9.17 Display FEM model results...

CHECKS - DISPLAY FEM MODEL RESULTS
This command is used to choose an already analyzed FEM model and to open this
model in the proper program used to display results. Once the command is executed, a FILE
DIALOG appears which is used to select a file. After wards, the program necessary to open
and display the model is run. The file type proposed depends on the FEM solver chosen when
setting the choices for the checks (in this dialog 672 ).
If the model was created in Sargon format, see How to use Sargon Reader 337 to learn how to
display relevant results.
4.9.18 Deformed view

CHECKS DEFORMED VIEW
This command enables the deformed configuration of the connection in the current
instance and combination to be displayed, once the checks have been run. The display scale of
the deformed configuration can be modified using the command provided 720 .
The display shows a deformed configuration which takes account of the deformation of
the components which are considered deformable; the order of magnitude of the displacements
is an excellent indicator of the quality of the connections.
720
commands, which appear in the toolbar as the buttons shown below:
Type: non modal
4.9.19 Deformed scale

CHECKS DEFORMED SCALE
This command provides a means of defining an amplification factor for the displacements
in the deformed view, by means of a dedicated dialog box 720 .
4.9.19.1 Entering a numeric value (dialog)

etc.
4.9.20 Combi next

CHECKS NEXT COMBINATION
Commands
721
This command enables the user to move on to the next combination.
Type: immediate
4.9.21 Combi prev

CHECKS PREVIOUS COMBINATION
This command enables the user to move back to the previous combination.
Type: immediate
4.9.22 Combi?...
CHECKS COMBINATION?
This command provides a means of going directly to the desired combination without
having to scroll through all of them; a dedicated dialog box 721 is provided.
Type: modal
4.9.22.1 Setting of a combination (dialog)
CHECKS COMBINATION? (DIALOG BOX)
722
Selecting the desired combination from the list and clicking OK makes it the current
combination, with immediate effect. With this command the user avoids having to scroll through
all the combinations to reach the one they wanted, which is especially useful when there are a
large number of combinations present.
4.9.23 Instance next

CHECKS NEXT INSTANCE
This command enables the user to move on to the next instance.
Type: immediate
4.9.24 Instance prev

CHECKS PREVIOUS INSTANCE
This command enables the user to move back to the previous instance.
Type: immediate
Commands
723
4.9.25 Instance?...
CHECKS INSTANCE?
This command provides a means of going directly to the desired instance without having
to scroll through all of them; a dedicated dialog box 723 is provided.
Type: modal
4.9.25.1 Setting of an instance as current (dialog)
CHECKS INSTANCE? (DIALOG BOX)
Selecting the desired instance from the list and clicking OK makes it the current instance,
with immediate effect. With this command the user avoids having to scroll through all the
instances to reach the one they wanted, which is especially useful when there are a large
number of instances present.
4.9.26 Open listing!

CHECKS OPEN LISTING
If checks have already been carried out on the renode which is currently being displayed,
this command allows the user to open the output listing using notepad.
724
4.10
3D model
4.10.1 Regenerate!
3D MODEL - REGENERATE
This command is used to regenerate the solid model of the structure in the solid view 824 .
When invoked, a dedicated dialog box 724 appears for the user to specify how the model is to be
regenerated.
During normal working, it is advisable to keep the solid view empty (see the Clear 726
command) so as not to slow down the computational process, by regenerating the scene only
when necessary.
Type: modal
4.10.1.1 Solid model regeneration options (dialog)
SOLID MODEL REGENERATION OPTIONS (DIALOG BOX)
Commands
725
This dialog box is used to specify the settings for regenerating the solid model, which can be
done in two different ways.
With members as per the FEM model: all the members in the FEM model are regenerated,
without considering any work processes, cuts, trims, translations, etc. which may have been
applied at renode 811 level.
As per worked renodes: all renodes which have already been subject to work processes are
regenerated, taking account of the work itself and positioned so as to correspond to the
instances associated with it. If all the renodes have been subject to work processes, the entire
structure can be regenerated with all the work carried out (the addition of force transferrers,
bolts, weld layouts, bevels, cuts to the components, etc.).The user can choose which
components to regenerate (members, force transferrers, bolt layouts or weld layouts) by
ticking the boxes provided. For the 4 types of component, the number of faces to be
regenerated is shown: the more faces there are, the longer it will take to regenerate the solid
model. There is also a choice of two different methods for this type of regeneration: BSP
(Binary Space Partitioning), which is more accurate but slower, and Newell, which is less
accurate but quicker. For very large structures with a great many faces, the user must
726
determine which are the best settings given how complete they wish the model to be and how
much time they are prepared for the regeneration to take.
NB: when regenerating the solid model with members as per the FEM model, the Newell
method is always used.
4.10.2 Clear!
3D MODEL - CLEAR
This command is used to clear the contents of the solid view 824 ; all the information
present is removed. During normal working, it is advisable to keep the solid view empty so as
not to slow down the computational process, by regenerating 724 the solid model only when
necessary.
Type: immediate
4.11
PRenode
4.11.1 New...
PRENODE - NEW
This command is used to add a new PRenode 809 (parametric renode) to the archive,
saving all the operations done during current renode creation.
Operationally, PRenode recording is done as follows:
1. starting from a blank 812 renode, execute PRenode-New command
2. in the following dialog box 727 , define PRenode name, description, etc.
3. create the renode* by adding components (bolt and weld layouts, plates, angles, etc.),
defining work processes (as cuts, bevels, etc.) and eventually defining new variables and
check conditions
Commands
727
4. save 730 the PRenode

(*) during the PRenode recording, renode creation is different from the normal mode
since sizes and data must be defined in parametric form, as functions of available variables: in
this way, the PRenode could be applied later to similar renodes (for further information see
Definition of sizes in parametric form 288 in How to manage parametric renodes).
During the recording of a new PRenode the units of measurement are reset to (N, mm): they will
be reset to original values at the end of the command. However, inside the thick-border edit
boxes e. g. defining component sizes, the user can specify constants in different units, by using
the units global variable, as explained in the Units 59 page. For instance: "12*gl.in".
4.11.1.1 New PRenode (dialog box)
NEW PRENODE (DIALOG BOX)
728
In this dialog box, the following data of the PRenode we are going to record 726 or modify must
be defined or modified::
Prenode name
Description
Explanation
Prefix for images associated to the PRenode: in case of picture saving 729 , that prefix will be
automatically proposed by the program.
None of the data is strictly needed, with the exception of the name.
The bolt class and type must first be chosen for use with all the bolt layouts that will be
added during creation of the parametric renode. This choice must be made using a dialog box 605
that appears when the Select bolt class and type button is clicked. The diameter must be
defined for each bolt layout individually, as it may change, while the class is normally the same
for all bolt layouts in a connection.
The lists at the bottom show all the PRenodes already present in the archive, along with
all the prefixes for the images already used. By double-clicking on the name of a PRenode, the
current PRenode's name field is populated with the name of the parametric renode selected;
similarly, double-clicking on a prefix that is already in use populates the current PRenode's
prefix field with the name clicked. The user can then modify these parameters so as to obtain
new names similar to but different from those of PRenodes already in use.
4.11.2 Restart
PRENODE - RESTART
With this command it is possible to restart the recording 726 of a parametric renode 809 of
the archive, with the possibility to add new operations. Operative steps are the following:
1. Starting froma a blank 812 renode similar 809 to the PRenode to be modified, execute this
Commands
729
command.
2. Choose desired PRenode among all the available similar PRenodes (there can be one or
more similar PRenodes, or none). This step is similar to standard PRenode assignation 518 .
3. The PRenode is applied and the recording 285 starts: it is possible to add new components,
new variables and contitions, etc.
4.11.3 Add image

PRENODE - ADD IMAGE
During the recording 726 of a parametric renode, this command is used to capture the image
in the ghraphic view 821 and to save it in a file associated to the current PRenode. A name for the
jpg file must be defined (the program suggests a name composed by the user-defined prefix 727
and a progressive number;the name can be changed anyway). The image must be save in CSE
installation folder (that folder is automatically suggested from the program).
It is also possible to associate more than one image to the same PRenode: all the
associated images will be available during parametric renodes archive 731 or during PRenode 518
assignation.
Type: modal
4.11.4 Pause
PRENODE - PAUSE
During the recording 726 of a parametric renode, this command pauses the recording. The
operations done during a pause are not recorded. They will be done in standard mode and not in
730
parametric one.
Use the command Continue 730 to end a pause.
Type: immediate
4.11.5 Continue
PRENODE - CONTINUE
If the recording 726 of a parametric renode has been paused 729 , this command ends the
pause. If the operations done after a pause depend from the operations done during a pause,
they may cause some problems in PRenode application.
Type: immediate
4.11.6 Save
PRENODE - SAVE
This command is used to save the parametric renode 809 that we are currently recording 726 .
The PRenode is added to the archive and it could be applied later to similar renodes.
After the saving of the PRenode, it is possible to make further operations to the renode,
but they won't be saved. In addition, required sizes and data must be defined in numerical form,
and not in the parametric 288 one.
Type: immediate
Commands
731
4.11.7 Aborti!
PRENODE - ABORT!
This command ends parametric renode 809 recording 726 without saving. Once this
command is executed, renode creation switches back to normal mode, where sizes and data
must be expressed in numerical way and not in parametric way 288 .
Type: immediate
4.11.8 Archive...
PRENODE - ARCHIVE
This command is used to manage the parametric renodes 809 of the archive. Through a
dialog box 732 it is possible to modify, duplicate, delete, add PRenodes and add new images to
them.
This command is not available in LIGHT versions or in LIGHT mode.
PRENODE MODE
This command is not available during parametric renodes recording 726 , in
order to prevent possible interactions between contemporary modifications on the same

PRenodes; for example, during a restart 730 , new recorded operations could collide with
contemporary modifications of the same PRenode via alphanumeric text.
Type: modal
732
4.11.8.1 Parametric renodes archive management (dialog box)
PARAMETRIC RENODES ARCHIVE MANAGEMENT (DIALOG BOX)
This dialog box is used to manage the PRenodes in the archive.

The left box contains a list of all the available PRenodes; operations can be performed
on the selected PRenode (the one highlighted in blue). An image of the PRenode (if available)
is shown on the right. If the selected PRenode has two or more associated images, it is possible
to switch them with the buttons << and >>. Current image can be deleted with the Remove
button below the image itself. With Add button it is possible to associate a new image to
selected PRenode, defining file folder and name (the image can be displayed if it is in CSE
installation folder). Open button opens current image with MS Paint so that it can be displayed
in its real size and/or it can be modified.
Previous buttons are for images management only; buttons in Actions on selected
PRenode box are for PRenodes modification.
Commands
733
Remove! deletes from the archive the selected PRenode.

Duplicate! creates a copy of selected PRenode (it could be modified later).
Modify or show starting data brings up a dialog box 727 where the user can modify the basic
information about the selected PRenode (its name, description, etc.).
Modify PRenode by editing a text enables the user to modify the operations used to construct
the selected PRenode, using a suitable dialog box 733 in which the PRenode is converted into
an alphanumeric format for the user to work with. NB great care is required when modifying
a PRenode.
The buttons in the Operations on the archive section provide the following
functionality:
Add new PRenodes from file button: adds PRenodes to the archive from a text file.
Save PRenodes onto a file (txt) button: writes the PRenodes currently in the archive to a text
file; the format of the parametric renodes saved to the file is the same used in modifying the
PRenodes in text mode.
Save PRenodes into a file (BIN) button: writes the PRenodes currently in the archive to a
binary file (the same used by CSE).
Clear all Prenodes from the archive button: removes all PRenodes in the archive.
Assign to all button: opens a dialog box 754 where it is possible to assign some settings to all
the PRenodes in the archive, with a single operation.
When OK is clicked, all changes made to the archive are saved to the file archive.bin in
the CSE installation folder; if Cancel is clicked, the changes are discarded.
4.11.8.1.1 Prenode in alphanumeric format (Dialogo box)
PRENODE IN ALPHANUMERIC FORMAT (DIALOG BOX)
734
This dialog box enables the user to modify a PRenode 809 described in alphanumeric form. All
the information about a PRenode is contained between the "NEW PRENODE" and "END
PRENODE" command lines. The first part contains a general description of the PRenode:
name, description, explanation
number of associated images, default prefix for the images, names of the associated images
description of the jclass 790 associated with the PRenode
information on the bolts
information about the direction of the members (incoming, outgoing, passing-by)
information on the symmetry of the sections about the main axes
the members' orientation.
The example below shows the first part of a PRenode in alphanumeric form. Every
command line terminates with a description of the various parameters. This initial part should
not generally be modified.
NEW PRENODE
name
= prenode name
description = prenode description
explanation = prenode explanation
npictures
=
1 ;
file prefix for pictures = short_004
picture = short_004_(1).jpg ;
JCLASS DESCRIPTION
Commands
735
nmembers =
2 ; the number of members in this jclass
keyword =
0 ; keyword
description = description
167 0 1 0 1 0 128 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 62 ; codes for member i
1 1 2 0 1 38 56 1 64 0 0 0 0 0 0 ; codes for member i
9998
2
3
0
; topological classification, nmembers, nbeam, ntruss
1
1
1
0
; ncut, nuncut, nconnected, nunconnected
0
0
; constrained, constraint
END JCLASS DESCRIPTION
bolts
0
6
0
1 ; bolt set, bolt class, precision bolt, full reactive
sense
1 0 ; member number, member code
sense
2
1 ; member number, member code
symmetry 1 1 1 ; member number, symmetry codes for cross-section principal axes
symmetry 2 1 1 ; member number, symmetry codes for cross-section principal axes
orientation of member
1
; member number
-2.00000e-011
1.00000e+000
0.00000e+000 ; V1.X, V1.Y, V1.Z
-1.00000e+000
-2.00000e-011
0.00000e+000 ; V2.X, V2.Y, V2.Z
0.00000e+000
0.00000e+000
1.00000e+000 ; V3.X, V3.Y, V3.Z
orientation of member
2
; member number
-0.00000e+000
-1.00000e+000
2.00000e-011 ; V1.X, V1.Y, V1.Z
-0.00000e+000
2.00000e-011
1.00000e+000 ; V2.X, V2.Y, V2.Z
-1.00000e+000
-0.00000e+000
-0.00000e+000 ; V3.X, V3.Y, V3.Z
The second part of the PRenode in alphanumeric form, enclosed between the command
lines "OPERATIONS" and "END OPERATIONS", contains all the operations executed:
extensions; trimmings; cuts; bevels; adding plates or other force transferrers; adding bolt and
weld layouts; deleting, copying and shifting objects; defining current orientations; adding
variables and check conditions, etc. A short extract is shown below, with various operations
(for a complex PRenode, there may be many dozens of operations).
OPERATIONS
CHOOSEBOLT
; choice of the bolt set and class
SHRINKMEMBER2 ; member shift by a point
2
; the number of the member to be shifted
POINT 2 1 1 25 0 0 ; owner type, owner number, point type, face num, side num, pos
SHRINKMEMBER3 ; member shift by a variable
2
; the number of the member to be modified
d(mm) = -m1.tf ; elongation/shortening in formula
ADDTHROUGH
; addition of a Force transferrer
0
8
P1
; object type (0 plate, 1 composite plate), object sub-type, object name
0.0e+00
1.0e+00
0.0e+00 ; Local orie vector V1 components
0.0e+00
0.0e+00
1.0e+00 ; Local orie vector V1 components
1.0e+00
0.0e+00
0.0e+00 ; Local orie vector V1 components:
NEWORIGIN
5
5
0
1
; point type, face num, side num, position over side
POINT
2 2 5 17 0 1 ; owner type, owner number, point type, face num, side num, pos
0
0
0
0
; 1=true, 0 =false : dofem, non-linear, isstiffener,
search_stiffeners
1.0e+01 3.0e+01 2.9e+01
5.0e-01 ; sizemesh(mm), sizemesh2(mm), minangle_mesh(deg),
tolerance_mesh(mm)
t(mm) = m1.tf
; plate thickness
b = m1.b
; variable = expression
h = 2*m2.h
; variable = expression
736
...
...
...
END OPERATIONS
ENDPRENODE
Alongside every line, there is a description of the various operations and parameters.
Later, we will take a detailed look at the instructions defining each operation; for now, the
important thing is to understand the general structure.
The operations are shown in the same order in which they were carried out when the
PRenode was recorded; any alterations must preserve the chronology of the operations: e.g. if
the sequence involves adding one plate, then another, then adding a bolt layout to connect them,
this last operation cannot be put before the other two.
Operations can be removed en bloc, as long as no other operations depend on those
removed: e.g. a stiffener can be removed along with its welds, but only if this does break any
chains 776 , affect conditions between objects, remove variables used in defining other
components, etc. Similarly, series of operations or individual operations (for fine adjustments)
can be added.
Individual operations can be modified by overwriting the parameters with new ones.
When making such changes, be very careful to take account of operations that depend on those
that you modify: e.g. with a trimmed member of a certain length and an end plate of a certain
thickness, if the plate thickness is modified, then the magnitude of the trimming operation will
also need to be altered; conversely, if the trimming was defined after the plate was added, and
the magnitude of the trimming was defined based on the plate thickness, then the trimming may
be automatically corrected by the system.
All the available commands are listed and described below; first, we explain some
common parameters, along with the strings FACE and POINT, which are used by many
commands.
ownertype defines the type of object to which the face or point belongs (2 for members, 3 for
force transferrers and joiners)

ownernum defines the number of the object to which the face or point belongs
facenum defines the number of the face on the object
Commands
737
pointtype defines the type of point (corner, side midpoint, etc.)

pointpos defines the number of the side on the face containing the point
pointnum defines the point's position
Following the conventions above, we have:

FACE
ownertype
ownernum
facenum
The string FACE defines a face: the type of object to which it belongs; this object's number; the
face number. The example below relates to a member (since ownertype is 2), in particular
member number 4, and the face number is 5.
FACE
Now let's look at the string POINT.

POINT
ownertype
ownernum
pointtype
facenum
pointpos
pointnum
The string POINT defines a point: the type of object to which it belongs; the object's number;
the point type; the number of the face to which the point belongs; the number of the side on this
face; and the point's position.
Modifying points and faces is a very delicate business that is generally best avoided.
For commands operating on the selected components, the strings SELECTED and
ENDSELECTED hold the list of selected objects, which is structured as follows, where n
indicates the number of objects selected:
SELECTED
n
ownertype(1)
ownertype(2)
...
ownertype(n)
ENDSELECTED
ownernum(1)
ownernum(2)
ownernum(n)
738
The number of ownertype-ownernum rows must be equal to n, and every row indicates the type
and number of one of the selected objects.
The full list of commands is as follows.
ADDCHECK
component
description
equation
first member
second member
The ADDCHECK command adds a checking condition. "component" is the name of the
component with which the check is associated (e.g. m1, P3, etc.); "description" is an optional
description of the condition; "equation" is the checking condition, comprising two members
separated by an operator (e.g. m2.N < m2.A*m2.fy); "first member" and "second member" are
two optional descriptions of the two members in the equation.
ADDIFVARIABLE
name
DIM=dimension
description
if( condition1 ) then name = formula1
elseif( condition2 ) then name = formula2
else
name = 5
[optional]
[optional]
[optional]
The command ADDIFVARIABLE adds a variable with "if". "name" is the variable's name.
"dimension" is LENGTH, SURFACE, VOLUME, INERTIA (for the length raised to the power
of 4), FORCE, MOMENT, STRESS, ANGLE (for rotation), or NONE for a simple number;
"description" is an optional description of the variable. "condition1,2...4" are the conditions
that must be checked (e.g. m1.b<=m1.h); "formula1,2...4" are the formulae that give the
variable's value if the corresponding condition is the first, second, third or fourth to be verified;
"formula5" is the formula that gives the variable's value if none of the previous conditions
apply. For a detailed description of variables with "if", see the dialog box 653 used to add these
variables.
Commands
739
ADDPRECONDITION
description
equation
first member
second member
The command ADDPRECONDITION adds a precondition. "description" is an optional

description of the precondition; "equation" is the formula defining it, comprising two members
with an operator in between (e.g. m2.N < m2.A*m2.fy); "first member" and "second member"
are two optional descriptions of the two members in the equation.
ADDBOLTLAYOUT
name
a
b c ;
d
e
f
g
h
i
l
m
Kn Ks Mu
anchor, tau, length
datum 1 datum 2 datum 3 datum 4
ex
lin cod maxs matm
d1 d2 d3 d4 d5
d6 d7 d8 d9 d10
FACE
ownertype ownernum facenum
d = diam
nrows = row
ncols = col
drb = dist_r
dcb = dist_c
odx = offsx
ody = offsy
oan = alpha
n
mode1
FACE
border = formula)
...
The ADDBOLTLAYOUT command adds a bolt layout. "name" is the layout's name; "a"
indicates the arrangement (1=rows and columns, 2=staggered, 3=circular); "b" indicates
whether the interior is empty (1=yes, 0=no). "d", "e", "f" and "g" indicate respectively whether
the layout is shear-only, with compressed bolts, slip-resistant bolts or anchors (1=yes, 0=no);
"h" indicates whether the neutral axis is in the centre (1=yes, 0=no); "i", "l" and "m" indicate
respectively whether the threaded area is to be considered in the bearing calculation, whether
the bolts' own inertia is to be considered, and whether block tearing is to be checked (1=yes,
0=no). Kn, Ks and mu set the three parameters concerning slip-resistance 600 ; anchor, tau and
740
length define the three anchoring 595 parameters; datum1-4 are not currently used (they relate to
the graphical view of the anchor); "ex" indicates the extremity of bolt layout to which the object
that is to be checked as a bearing surface is attached; if "lin" is 0, the bearing surface's notension constitutive law is unlimited elastic; if it is 1, "cod" specifies its type (0=elasticperfectly plastic, 1=parabola-rectangle, 2=trilinear); for an unlimited elastic law (lin=0), then
maxs and matm apply, respectively the maximum normal stress and the homogenisation factor;
in the other three cases (lin=1), the data from d1 to d10 define the law (see table further on);
FACE 736 specifies the initial face of the bolt layout; "diam" is the diameter of the bolts (number,
formula or string like auto_x 611 ); "row" and "col" determine the number of rows and columns
(number, formula or string like auto_x(length) 611 ); "dist_r" and "dist_c" indicate the row and
column separations (number, formula or string like auto_x 611 ); "offsx" and "offsy" indicate the
bolt layout's offsets in the x and y directions; "alpha" specifies the rotation of the layout. The
subsequent lines all help define the bearing surface(s): "n" indicates the number of operations
recorded; for each operation, "mode1" indicates the mode for the first operation (0=current
face, 1=current face with projecting border, 2=add current face with projecting border,
3=intersect with current face, 4=remove current face), FACE 736 indicates the face affected by
this operation, "formula" indicates the thickness "c" of the projecting border (i.e. the distance
between the sides of the new face and their parallel counterparts on the old face - for details
about the operations and projecting borders, see the dialog box 613 used to define the bearing
surfaces); we then move onto the next operation, and so on.
Law
el-pp
parrect
trilin
.
cod d1 d2 d3 d4 d5 d6
d7
d8 d9 d10
0
E sy eu
gammaM
1 s1 e1 eu
gammaM
2
eu su e2 s2 e3 s3 gammaM
s1, e1, etc., are explained in the dialog box 596 used to define the bearing material.
ADDTHROUGH
type subtype name
v1x
v1y
v1z
v1x
v1y
v1z
v1x
v1y
v1z
NEWORIGIN pointtype facenum pointpos pointnum
POINT
ownertype
ownernum
pointtype
facenum
pointnum
pointpos
Commands
a
b
c
e
f
g
t(mm) = i
b = l
t = m
...
741
d
h
The ADDTHROUGH command adds a force transferrer. "type" is the type of object (0 = plate,
1 = composite plate); "subtype" is the object subtype (an integer); "name" is the component
name; v1x, v1y, v1z, v2x, ..., v3z are the components of the vectors V1, V2 and V3, which
define the component's local orientation system; NEWORIGIN and POINT 736 define the point
on the object selected as the point of insertion, and the point in the scene to which it must
correspond; "a" indicates whether the FEM model for the component is to be created (0=no,
1=yes); "b" indicates whether a non-linear analysis needs to be run for the FEM model (0=no,
1=yes); "c" indicates whether the component is a stiffener (0=no, 1=yes); "d" indicates whether
any stiffeners need to be looked for when creating the component's FEM model (0=no, 1=yes);
"e" and "f" indicate the mesh size respectively in the FEM model's critical zones (edges, welds,
etc.) and away from such areas; "g" indicates the minimum angle for the finite elements; "h" is
the tolerance, i.e. the distance below which two nodes are merged together (NB: the mesh data
are not parametric); "i" is the plate thickness and may be a number or a formula (e.g. 20 or m2.tf
+m3.tf). The subsequent lines represent the measurements needed to define the object's
dimensions ("l", "m", etc., may be numbers or formulae), and there may therefore be more of
less of them, depending on the object type.
ADDVARIABLE
name = formula
DIM=dimension
description
The ADDVARIABLE command adds a variable. "name" is the variable's name; "formula" is
the formula that gives the variable's value; "dimension" is LENGTH, SURFACE (for area),
VOLUME, INERTIA (for length raised to the power of four), FORCE, MOMENT, STRESS,
ANGLE (for rotation), or NONE (for a simple number); "description" is a description of the
variable.
ADDWELDLAYOUT
name
type
Jt
workshop
742
FACE
ownertype
minsidelength = a
distance
= b
thick
= c
d
side_c1
wlength
=
wposition =
wthick
=
side_c2
wlength
=
wposition =
wthick
=
...
...
ownernum
facenum
e1
f1
g1
e2
f2
g2
The ADDWELDLAYOUT command adds a weld layout. "name" is the component name; "type"
can take the values 0 (fillet welds) or 1 (penetration welds); Jt indicates the method of
calculating the moment of inertia (0=polar moment of inertia, 1=Jr=(1/3)*Lt^3); "workshop"
can be 1 (weld made in workshop) or 0 (on site). FACE 736 indicates the face to weld; "a", "b"
and "c" are the parameters for the automatic application of the layout: "a" is the minimum length
of the sides to which a weld must be applied; "b" is the distance of the weld's edges from the
endpoints of the side to which it is applied; "c" is the thickness of the welds; "d" is the number
of welds in the layout. A series of blocks then follows, one for each weld, each will the
following structure: side_c1 is the number of the side to which the first weld is to be applied,
e1 is the length of the first weld, f1 its position along the side, g1 the weld thickness; e1, f1 and
g1 may be numbers, formulae or the strings "total" and "auto" (for more details, see the
description of the dialog box 584 used to add welds when recording a PRenode).
BEVEL_CIRCULAR
owner type
ownernum
radius(mm) = r
ownertype ownernum pointtype
facenum
facenum
pointpos
pointpos
pointnum
pointnum
The BEVEL_CIRCULAR command adds a circular bevel. Ownertype and ownernum 736 define
respectively the type and number of the object to which the bevel is applied; "r" is the number
or formula defining the bevel radius (e.g. 20mm or 2*m1.r); the two POINT 736 strings contain
the two points that define the bevel.
Commands
BEVEL_SQUARE
owner type
ownernum
radius(mm) = r
facenum
facenum
pointpos
pointpos
743
pointnum
pointnum
The command BEVEL_SQUARE adds a square bevel. It has the same syntax as that for the
circular bevel.
BEVEL_TRIANGULAR
owner type
ownernum
radius(mm) = r
facenum
facenum
pointpos
pointpos
pointnum
pointnum
The BEVEL_TRIANGULAR command adds a triangular bevel; it has the same syntax as that
for the circular bevel.
CHECKSET
norm
a
b
c
d
; norm, neglect parasitic bending, use end
release, language listing, open listing
e
f
g
h
i
; check net sect, FEM type, simplified checks,
user checks, solver
l
m
n
o
; check block tear, check bolt bearings,
expanded listing, check punching shear
gamma,M0 gamma,M1 gamma,M2 gamma,M3 gamma,M4 gamma,M5
disp rot
The CHECKSET command defines the settings used for the checks. "norm" is an integer in the
range 0-7 that defines the reference standard (0=CNR-TA, 1=CNR-SL, 2=EN1993-1-8,
3=IS80WS, 4=IS800LS, 5=AISC-ASD, 6=AISC-LRFD); "a" determines whether the parasitic
moments in the bolts are to be neglected (a=0: no, a=1: yes); "b" indicates whether end releases
in the checking combinations are to be considered (0=no, 1=yes); "c" sets the language for the
listing (0=English, 1=Italian, 2=Spanish); "d" controls whether the listing is shown
automatically when the checks have been completed (0=no, 1=yes); "e" establishes whether the
checks on the members' net sections are to be run (0=no, 1=yes); "f" determines if and how the
FEM models are created (0=not created, 1=skeleton only, 2=complete models, 3=complete
744
models and automatic analysis); "g" and "h" determine whether the simplified checks on the
force transferrers and the user checks, respectively, are to be run (0=no, 1=yes); "i" sets the
solver for the automatic FEM models (0=Sargon Clever/Curan, 1=SAP2000, 2=other); "l", "m"
and "o" respectively determine whether the block tear, bearing stress and punching checks are
to be run (0=no, 1=yes); "n" controls the type of output listing (0=basic, 1=with results);
gamma,M1 are the values of the safety coefficients; "disp" and "rot" are the maximum
displacement and rotation values for the displacement check.
CHOOSEBOLT
The CHOOSEBOLT command determines the bolt type and class. There is no alphanumeric
option.
COPYOBJECTS_2FACES
SELECTED
n
ownertype
ownernum
...
ENDSELECTED
FACE
ownertype ownernum
FACE
ownertype ownernum
facenum
facenum
The command COPYOBJECTS_2FACES copies the objects selected 737 with a translation
vector defined by the distance between the planes to which the two parallel faces defined in
the FACE 736 lines belong.
NB: for all copy commands, ownertype must always be set to 3 for the objects to be copied
(members cannot be copied).
COPYOBJECTS_2POINTS
SELECTED
n
ownertype
ownernum
...
ENDSELECTED
POINT
ownertype
pointnum
POINT
ownertype
pointnum
ownernum
pointtype
facenum
pointpos
ownernum
pointtype
facenum
pointpos
Commands
745
The command COPYOBJECTS_2POINTS makes a copy of the objects selected 737 with a
translation vector defined by the two points specified in the POINT 736 lines as shown above.
COPYOBJECTS_2POINTS_ANGLE
SELECTED
n
ownertype
ownernum
...
ENDSELECTED
POINT
ownertype
pointnum
POINT
ownertype
pointnum
rot(deg) = alpha
ownernum
pointtype
facenum
pointpos
ownernum
pointtype
facenum
pointpos
The COPYOBJECTS_2POINTS_ANGLE command makes a copy of the objects selected 737

with a rotation vector defined by the two points specified in the POINT 736 lines and by the
angle alpha (in degrees; it may be a number or formula).
COPYOBJECTS_AXIS_ROT
SELECTED
n
ownertype
ownernum
...
ENDSELECTED
x1(mm) = x_1
y1(mm) = y_1
z1(mm) = z_1
x2(mm) = x_2
y2(mm) = y_2
z2(mm) = z_2
rot(deg) = alpha
The command COPYOBJECTS_AXIS_ROT makes a copy of the objects selected 737 with a
rotation vector defined by the two points specified by the coordinates (x_1, y_1, z_1) and (x_2,
y_2, z_2) and by the angle alpha (in degrees; it can be a number or formula).
COPYOBJECTS_FACE_ANGLE
SELECTED
n
ownertype
ownernum
...
ENDSELECTED
746
FACE
ownertype
rot(deg) = alpha
ownernum
facenum
The command COPYOBJECTS_FACE_ANGLE makes a copy of the objects selected 737 with a
rotation vector defined by the axis of the member chosen and by the angle alpha (in degrees; it
may be a number or formula). The reference member is identified by the string FACE 736 .
COPYOBJECTS_FACE_DELTA
SELECTED
n
ownertype
ownernum
...
ENDSELECTED
d(mm) = delta formula
FACE
ownertype ownernum
facenum
The COPYOBJECTS_FACE_DELTA command copies the objects selected 737 with a

translation vector whose orientation is defined by the normal of the face indicated in the FACE
736
line and whose length is defined by the parameter "delta" (number or formula).
COPYOBJECTS_FACE_POINT
SELECTED
n
ownertype
ownernum
...
ENDSELECTED
POINT
ownertype
ownernum
pointnum
FACE
pointtype
facenum
pointpos
The command COPYOBJECTS_FACE_POINT makes a copy of the objects selected 737 with a
translation vector whose orientation is defined by the normal of the face indicated in the FACE
736
line, and whose length is equal to the distance between that face and the plane parallel to it
containing the point specified on the POINT 736 line.
COPYOBJECTS_NUM
SELECTED
n
ownertype
ownernum
...
ENDSELECTED
dx(mm) = x
dy(mm) = y
dz(mm) = z
Commands
747
The command COPYOBJECTS_NUM copies the objects selected 737 with a translation vector
of orientation defined by the three components x, y and z (in the current frame of reference).
CURRORIE1
FACE
ownertype
ownernum
facenum
The command CURRORIE1 defines a current orientation system. FACE 736 specifies the face of
the component whose local orientation will be taken as the current orientation.
CURRORIE2
The command CURRORIE2 resets the global orientation system, cancelling the current one.
CUT_BY_BOX
ownertype ownernumber
radius(mm) = a
POINT
ownertype ownernum
b1
b2
b3
b4
dx(mm) = x
dy(mm) = y
vx,L, vy,L, vz,L
pointtype
facenum
pointpos
pointnum
The CUT_BY_BOX command removes a rectangular box prism. ownertype and ownernum 736
are the type of object whose work processes are to be removed, and the number of that object;
"a" is a number or formula specifying the radius of any bevels. POINT 736 indicates the base
point for the box; b1, b2, b3 and b4 indicate whether box vertices 1, 2, 3 and 4 have bevels
(1=yes, 0=no); x and y indicate the length of the box's sides in the x and y directions; vx,L, vyL
and vz,L define the orientation of the box's reference system in relation to the reference system
of the object to which the work process is applied.
CUT_BY_POLY
ownertype ownernumber
radius(mm) = a
n ; number of different points in the polygon
POINT
ownertype ownernum pointtype facenum pointpos pointnum
code_l1
; new point addition code 1: dx, dy; 2: d, alpha; 3:
748
d, alpha_r
dx(mm) = x1
dy(mm) = y1
code_l2
d(mm) = d1
alpha_r(deg) = alpha1
...
b1
b2
...
vx,L, vy,L, vz,L
The CUT_BY_POLY command removes a rectangular box prism. ownertype and ownernum 736
are, respectively, the type and number of the object whose work processes are to be removed;
"a" is a number or formula determining the radius of any bevels; POINT 736 specifies the base
point of the box. There then follows a block for each point defining the polygon (apart from the
first); code_l1 indicates how the first side is defined (1=dx,dy; 2= d,alpha; 3=d, alpha_r),
code_l2 indicates how the second side is defined, and so on; every "code_li" line is followed
by two lines specifying two parameters, depending on the method selected (e.g. the numbers/
formulae x1 and y1 for dx-dy mode, the numbers/formulae d1 and alpha1 for d-alpha mode,
etc.); b1, b2, ... indicate whether polygon vertices 1, 2, ... have bevels (1=yes, 0=no); vx,L, vyL
and vz,L define the orientation of the box's frame of reference relative to that of the object to
which the work process is applied.
DELCOMPONENTS
n
c1
c2
...
The command DELCOMPONENTS deletes the selected objects: n indicates the number of
objects selected; this is followed by n lines, each of which contains the number of one of the
selected components (c1, c2, etc.)
DELETEVARIABLE_OR_CONDITION
number
Commands
749
The DELETEVARIABLE_OR_CONDITION command removes the variable or condition

whose number is stated in the second line.
DEL_WORK_PROCESS
ownertype
ownernum
The DEL_WORK_PROCESS command deletes one or more work processes from the specified
component. ownertype and ownernum 736 represent the type and number of the object from which
the work processes are to be removed; if n equals 1, the last work process is removed; if n is 2,
then both the last and the penultimate are deleted, and so on.
DUPLCONDITION
number
The DUPLCONDITION command duplicates the condition defined by the number in the second
line.
MEMBERORIGINALPOS
SELECTED
ownertype
ENDSELECTED
1
ownernum
The MEMBERORIGINALPOS command brings the selected member back into its original
position. The structure cannot be altered, and the only parameter that can be edited is the
member number (ownernum).
MEMBERNOELONGATION
SELECTED
ownertype
ENDSELECTED
1
ownernum
The MEMBERNOELONGATION command removes extensions and trims from the selected
member. The structure cannot be altered and the only editable parameter is the member number
(ownernum).
750
MODMEMBER
number
a
b
f
g
c
h
The MODMEMBER command defines the settings for a member. "number" is the member
number; "a" determines whether the simplified checks should be run (1=yes, 0=no); "b"
determines whether torsion is to be taken into account (1=yes, 0=no); "c" whether the FEM
model should be created (1=yes, 0=no); "d" whether a non-linear analysis is required (1=yes,
0=no); "e" whether stiffeners must be looked for (1=yes, 0=no); "f" is the mesh size near edges,
welds, bearing surfaces, etc., while "g" is the mesh size away from such areas; "h" is the
minimum angle for the finite elements; "i" is the tolerance, i.e. the distance below which two
nodes are merged together. The mesh data are not parametric.
RECOPY
SELECTED
n
ownertype
ownertype
...
ENDSELECTED
ownernum
ownernum
The RECOPY command recopies the selected 737 objects. ownertype must always be equal to 3
(only force transferrers and joiners may be copied).
ROTATE_FACE
FACE
FACE
ownertype
ownertype
ownernum
ownernum
facenum
facenum
The ROTATE_FACE command applies a rotation to the face of the object specified. The first
FACE 736 line identifies the object to be rotated and the face involved; the second FACE line
specifies the reference face, to which the first face will become parallel after the rotation.
ROTATEX
SELECTED
ownertype
ownertype
...
n
ownernum
ownernum
Commands
751
ENDSELECTED
local
angle
The ROTATEX command rotates the objects selected 737 about the global x-axis or about local
axis 1. ownertype must always be set to 3 (only force transferrers and joiners can be rotated). If
"local" equals 1, each object will be rotated about its own local axis 1, otherwise all objects
will be rotated about the global x-axis; "angle" determines the amplitude of the rotation, in
degrees.
ROTATEY
SELECTED
n
ownertype
ownernum
ownertype
ownernum
...
ENDSELECTED
local
angle
The ROTATEY command rotates the objects selected 737 about the global y-axis or about the
local axis 2. ownertype must always be set to 3 (only force transferrers and joiners can be
rotated). If "local" equals 1, then each object is rotated about its own local axis 2, otherwise
about the global y-axis; "angle" sets the magnitude of the rotation, in degrees.
ROTATEZ
SELECTED
n
ownertype
ownernum
ownertype
ownernum
...
ENDSELECTED
local
angle
The ROTATEZ command rotates the objects selected 737 about the global z-axis or about local
axis 3. ownertype must always be set to 3 (only force transferrers and joiners can be rotated). If
"local" is set to 1, then each object will be rotated about its own local axis 3, otherwise all
objects will be rotated about the global z-axis; "angle" determines the amplitude of the rotation,
in degrees.
SHIFT_FACE
752
FACE
ownertype
d(mm) = delta
ownernum
facenum
The SHIFT_FACE command applies a face translation to the object indicated. The FACE 736
line identifies the object to be shifted and the face affected; "delta" indicates the magnitude of
the translation and may be a number or a function formula (e.g. 25 or 0.5*m3.b).
The following shift-object commands work like the corresponding copy commands 744 , to which
readers are referred for details, with the difference that the original objects are shifted
according to the specified vector, whereas for the copy operation, the originals remain
unchanged and copies of them are created according to the vector.
SHIFTOBJECTS_2FACES
SHIFTOBJECTS_2POINTS
SHIFTOBJECTS_2POINTS_ANGLE
SHIFTOBJECTS_AXIS_ROT
SHIFTOBJECTS_FACE_ANGLE
SHIFTOBJECTS_FACE_DELTA
SHIFTOBJECTS_FACE_POINT
SHIFTOBJECTS_NUM
SHRINKMEMBER1
number
FACE
ownertype
ownernum
facenum
The SHRINKMEMBER1 command extends or trims the member indicated, so that its end face
is left resting on the plane of the specified face, which must be normal to the member's axis.
"number" indicates the number of the member that is to be extended/trimmed; the FACE 736 line
identifies the face referred to.
SHRINKMEMBER2
number
POINT
ownertype
ownernum
pointtype
facenum
pointpos
pointnum
The SHRINKMEMBER2 command extends or trims the member specified, so that its end face
is left resting on the plane normal to the axis of the member containing the point indicated.
"number" indicates the number of the member that is to be extended/trimmed; the POINT 736 line
Commands
753
defines the point that identifies the plane normal to the member's axis.
SHRINKMEMBER3
number
d(mm) = delta
The SHRINKMEMBER3 command extends or trims the specified member by a given amount.
"number" indicates the number of the member to be extended/trimmed; "delta" defines the
magnitude of the operation, and may be a number or a formula - it will be positive for
extensions and negative for trims (e.g. 25, -10, -m1.b/2).
LOADLEVEL
mode
type
type
type
type
type
type
type
factor
factor
factor
factor
factor
factor
factor
The LOADLEVEL command is used to pre-set members load level. "Mode" defines the kind of
internal forces to be used:
FEM for internal actions of imported FEM model;
ELASTIC or PLASTIC for members elastic or plastic forces;
DEFINED for values defined by the user.
Then, 7 rows follow (these rows are not relevant when using FEM forces): they define tension,
compression, 2 shears, torsion and 2 bending moments. "Type" defines the amplification factor
for elastic and plastic limits: use strings EXTRALIGHT, LIGHT, MEDIUM, STRONG or
FULL to define factors equal to 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, 0.75 or 1.0; "factor" is not relevant. Otherwise,
use the string VALUE and define desired "factor" in the second column (for example, 1.3). If
the mode is DEFINED, use the string VALUE as "type" and define desired forces and moments
in the "factor" column (use N and mm).
754
4.11.8.1.2 Assign to all PRenodes
ASSIGN TO ALL PRENODES
This dialog box is used to assign the desired settings to all the PRenodes of the archive,
with a single operation. It is possible to set:
the Standard
output listing settings: language, automatic opening, type (extended or short);
safety factors related to the chosen Standard.
4.11.9 Archive of available parametric connections

NODES - ARCHIVE OF AVAILABLE PARAMETRIC CONNECTIONS
This command is only available in LIGHT versions, or when working in LIGHT mode
with full version.
The command is in the Menu "Nodes" and in the main horizontal bar.
Once the command is executed it gives access to the dialog 732 used to manage the archive,
with all the controls referring to the archive management hidden: you can just browse from one
PRenode 809 to the others, looking at the associated pictures.
Commands
755
The aim of the command is to inform about the available parametrized connections in the
version used.
Type: modal
4.12
Nodery
4.12.1 Add Renode

NODERY - ADD RENODE
This command adds the current Renode 811 , supposing it is finished in each of its parts, to the
local copy of the Universal Renode Database (the file "dbnodes.bin" placed in the CSE
installation folder). Once this is done, the program asks if the new DBRenode 784 must be added
to the user-database of the nodes ready to be sent to Castalia srl (i.e. CSE developer). This
second file is placed in the CSE installation folder and is named "SN.dbnodes.BIN", where
"SN" is the serial number of the User, e.g. "100101.dbnodes.bin". This file can be later sent to
Castalia srl so that the Renodes embedded into it can be added to the Universal Renode
Database.
The command is active only in Renode View 823 . Once it is executed, a proper dialog 755 opens,
asking some general information about the Renode. The users are kindly requested to use
English language.
4.12.1.1 Adding of a Renode to the Universal Renode Database (dialog)
ADDING OF A RENODE TO THE UNIVERSAL RENODE DATABASE (DIALOG)
This dialog is used to input a short description of the (DB)Renode 784 and some more
extended explanations which will be useful later or to someone else, when the DBRenode will
be applied to another structure. The "description" should be short, while the "explanation" is
useful to explain the details. It is kindly asked to use English language.
756
4.12.2 Manage User Renode-Database

NODERY - MANAGE USER-RENODE DATABASE
This command is used to maintain the user renode databse, that is the array of
DBRenodes 784 embedded into the file "SN.dbnodes.bin".
Once a (DB)Renode is selected, its description and its explanation can be modified, or
the selected (DB)Renode can be deleted.
Once the command is executed a proper dialog 756 opens.
It should be kept in mind that every database change is referring to the database
contained in the file "SN.dbnodes.bin", which is the one that will be optionally sent to Castalia
srl. The changes in the database do not refer to the database "dbnodes.bin" that is used to list
the applicable DBRenodes.
4.12.2.1 User Nodery Management (dialog)
USER RENODE DATABASE MANAGEMENT (DIALOG)
Commands
This dialog is used to change the (DB)Renodes 784
757
stored in the database
"SN.dbnodes.bin".
The List of the Renodes in the Nodery lists all the (DB)Renodes in the User Renode
Database. For each renode in the database, it is printed the date of creation and the
"description" of the (DB)Renode. Once a (DB)Renode of the list is selected, the operations
listed in the right-side of the dialog can be applied.
The Description and the Explanation can be modified overwriting the original text and
then pressing the button Modify!. The button Remove! is used to remove the selected (DB)
Renode from the database.
In order to better understand what a (DB)Renode embeds, a list of all the components in
the selected (DB)Renode is available, with all the components dimensions and settings.
The button Clear All! removes all the (DB)Renodes from the user database (file:
"SN.dbnodes.bin"). This can be meaningful for instance once the User Database has been sent
by email to Castalia srl (CSE developer), so as to manage smaller files.
4.12.3 Send User Renode-Database by Email
NODERY - SEND USER RENODE-DATABASE BY EMAIL
This command implies the immediate sending by email of the file "SN.dbnodes.bin" to the
email address "staff@castaliaweb.com". Sending the email implies agreeing that the (DB)
Renodes embedded in the file sent will be made available to all users, and added, possibly
with modifications, in the general database (Universal Renode Database, file "dbnodes.bin")
released in a successive version of the program, as a plus for all customers.
4.12.4 Apply Renode from Universal Renode-Database

NODERY - APPLY RENODE FROM UNIVERSAL RENODE-DATABASE
This command is used to apply to an empty Renode 811 (i.e. without added components, and
without working-processes applied to the members), an existing (DB)Renode 784 of the
Universal Renode Database (file "dbnodes.bin" placed in the CSE installation folder).
Once the command is executed, CSE checks if there are applicable (DB)Renodes in the
758
Universal Renode Database, i.e. nodes perfectly fit for the empty Renode at hand. In order to
consider an existing (DB)Renode in the Universal Renode Database perfectly fit for the Renode
at hand, not only all the members must be equal (that is they must have equal cross-sections, as
identified by the names), but also all the relative angles and orientation between members must
be equal.
Generally speaking, it may happen that no (DB)Renode is applicable to the empty Renode, or
that there is more than one (DB)Renode applicable (possibly: one).
In the first case, a message is printed, in the latter case a proper dialog 758 opens, allowing to
choose the (DB)Renode to apply.
Once the (DB)Renode is chosen, this is applied to the empty Renode, to that it is automatically
constructed.
4.12.4.1 Nodes Available in the Universal Renode Database (dialog)
NODES AVAILABLE IN THE UNIVERSAL RENODE DABADASE (DIALOG)
This dialog is used to apply one of the applicable and available (DB)Renodes 784 of the
Universal Renode Database (file "dbnodes.bin") to the empty Renode 811 at hand.
Commands
759
Once a (DB)Renode is selected, this is described by the Description and Explanation

fields (as recorded by the one who has prepared the (DB)Renode), and is available an ordered
list of all the components in the (DB)Renode, with all their dimensions and settings. By
pressing the button OK the selected (DB)Renode is applied to the empty Renode.
In the row identifying each single (DB)Renode, it is printed the date of creation, the name
of who prepared the (DB)Renode and the possible application mode as described by a
progressive number.
4.13
Window
4.13.1 New window

WINDOW - NEW
This command opens an additional window containing the current active model, to enable
the user to see different views of the same name renode/ views of different renodes/ a 1D-view
and a jnode view in parallel, etc., at the same time.
Type: immediate
4.13.2 Overlapping
WINDOW - CASCADE
This command cascades all the windows open in CSE.
Type: immediate
4.13.3 Tile
WINDOW - TILE
This command provides a tiled view of all the windows open in CSE.
Type: immediate
760
4.13.4 Arrange icons

WINDOW ARRANGE ICONS
This command reorders all the icons in the windows open in CSE, starting from the
bottom left corner.
Type: immediate
4.13.5 Window manager

WINDOW WINDOW MANAGER
This command is used to manage active windows. Once the command is executed a standard dialog appears
which is used to activate and place the windows as desired. Besides it is possible to save one or more file.
4.14
4.14.1 Guide TOC

HELP-CONTENTS
This command brings up the help window at the main index.
4.14.2 Context sensitive help

HELP- CONTEXT-SENSITIVE HELP
This is a particularly useful command. It enables the user to access information about the
commands and buttons, simply by clicking on them.
4.14.3 About CSE

HELP-ABOUT CSE
This command shows the version of the software.
Commands
761
4.14.3.1 About CSE (dialog)
ABOUT CSE (DIALOG BOX)

This dialog box shows the Copyright notice and the version of the software.
4.15
Menu LIGHT version
4.15.1 Nodes
This menu is available only for LIGHT versions or when the FULL version works in LIGHT mode. The menu
collects commands which are located in different menus of the FULL version, and sometimes changes their
names to ease program use. In the following the commands are listed with their LIGHT version names, as links
to the associated FULL version commands.
Typical nodes 430
Assign Parametrized node 518
Reset Node Content! 527
Members
Modify 533
Original position! 538
Components
Delete
618
Modify 619
Net sections 628
Add Material 631
Shift 633
Variables and Conditions
Add Variable 647
Add If Variable 653
Add Condition 656
Modify Variable or Condition 662
Delete Variable or Condition 663
Duplicate condition 663
Standard Checks 663
Check overlaps! 669
Check Coherence 669
762
Export DXF 671

Archive of Available Parametric Connections 754
Part
764
Export FEM model

FILE-EXPORT FEM MODEL
This command is used to export toward other file formats the BFEM 770 model of the
structure. Once the command is executed a proper dialog 764 opens.
5.1
Export FEM model (dialog)

EXPORT FEM MODEL (DIALOG)
This dialog is used to choose the format toward it will be exported the current BFEM
model 770 of the whole structure. If Sap2000 is chosen, it is necessary that Sap2000 is currently
installed in the computer, as the export runs a background instance of Sap2000 itself.
Part
VI
766
What we mean by
6.1
Alignment
What we mean by... ALIGNMENT
An alignment is basically a plane defined in the space. It is used to collect objects whose
axis-line lays over the plane. In CSE the plane may be defined in a general way, so it may have
every possible inclination.
Typically, alignments are used to define loci of the type x=constant, y=constant or
z=constant. Each alignment must have a name. Typically capital letters (X), integer numbers (#)
and elevation numbers are used (L#).
6.2
Angle between active faces

What we mean by... ANGLE BETWEEN ACTIVE FACES
A fillet weld is a triangular based prism connected to two components 780 ; one of its side
faces is free and the other two are coplanar with the first and second component, respectively:
these two faces are the active faces. CSE checks that the angle between them is neither too
small nor too large, warning the operator if this condition is not met.
In the example in the picture below, component #1 is the inclined member and component #2 is
the plate.
What we mean by
6.3
767
Aggregate
What we mean by... AGGREGATE
An aggregate is a set of members 796 o throughs 817 . The set may include connected and
unconnected components, or also, partially connected components.
6.4
Bearing surface polygon

What we mean by... BEARING SURFACE POLYGON
In the bolt layouts with bearing surfaces 772 , the contact area between two objects which
can react with a compressive stress field, depending on distribution of the stresses in the
components concerned, is defined by one or more polygons, the bearing surface polygons.
For instance, if we consider a column with an H-shaped cross-section, welded to a
relatively thin base plate, which in turn is fixed to a concrete block, then the plate flexibility
will only result in a small part of the plate, around the H-section footprint, and any stiffeners,
reacting to compressive stresses. That part will be defined by one or more bearing surface
polygons as the bearing surface.
In the connection shown in the following picture, the region under compressive stresses is
the part of the plate surface marked in red.
768
In the next picture, which is taken from CSE dialog used to define the bearing surface
polygons (by a view normal to the bolt layout), the bearing area (shown in grey) is the
collection of the bearing surfaces of the web, of the flanges, and of the stiffeners. This region
must be completely inside the plate surface.
Now consider the flange connection shown in the following picture.
What we mean by
769
The bearing surface polygon that we are going to use is the following, with a footprint
which is equal to the cross-section of the welded member, with a suitable border depending on
the material and on the thickness of the two plates which are in contact.
We can now see how the results are computed by CSE: one part of the area enclosed by
the polygon is compressed, while all the bolts are in tension since, in this case, they are all
beyond the neutral axis.
770
The bearing surface can also be the collection of several footprints: for instance an end
plate with stiffeners can have holes inside and more distinct polygons may be required.
6.5
BFEM
What we mean by BFEM
BFEM stands for Bernoulli Finite Element Model, or Beam Finite Element Model. It is a finite
element model that uses beam and truss finite elements to model members. Of course it may
also embed different finite element types. The BFEM models are commnly used to study steel
structures.
6.6
Block tearing
What we mean by... BLOCK TEARING
Block tearing is a failure mode in which part of a component is torn away. Generally it is
caused by the simultaneous action of normal and shear stresses along the failure surface.
What we mean by
771
The failure paths can be different and ideally all must be analyzed; the failure happens
along the most critical, depending on the forces applied. CSE automatically computes the
possible paths and, depending on the forces in the different combinations and instances, finds
the most critical path, computing an coefficient of utilisation.
In the following picture, some of the failure paths are shown, as automatically computed
by CSE for a bolt layout with staggered holes. The paths depend on the bolt positions, the shape
of the plate and the direction of the resultant of the forces applied.
6.7
Bolt layout
What we mean by... BOLT LAYOUT
A bolt layout is a set of bolts which all have the same features (diameter, material grade,
threaded area) and all connect the same components, in the same order. A bolt layout can be
applied when the boltability criteria 774 are satisfied.
Thanks to a particular choice for the bolt a bolt layout may be flagged as a pin 807 .
772
6.8
Bolt layout net length

What we mean by... BOLT LAYOUT NET LENGTH
The net length of a bolt layout is equal to the sum of the thicknesses of the plates which
have been drilled. In the following picture, L1, L2 and L3 are the thicknesses of the 3 plates
joined by the bolt layout over the upper flange, and the net length is L.
6.9
Bolt layout with bearing surface

What we mean by... BOLT LAYOUT WITH BEARING SURFACE
A bolt layout with bearing surface is a bolt layout 771 in which part of the surfaces of the
bolted components help in bearing the compressive forces developed by bending. If this
happens, obviously the bolt layout must be computed taking into account the compressive forces
exerted by components in contact. The most critical component material (e.g. the concrete in a
concrete-steel interface) is described by a no tension 799 constitutive law. The region where
crushing due to compressive forces can occur is that enclosed by one or more bearing surface
polygons 767 specified by the user.
NB: The user can also specify that compression bolts 780 should provide further help in bearing
the compressive part of the stresses.
What we mean by
773
In the example below, a column is bent along its strong axis. Choosing the constraint
block 783 as the weaker bearing object in order to define the constitutive law, this will be
crushed in a well-delimited area and the bolts in this area will not be under load (unless
compression bolts 780 are used); at the opposite side, the bolts will be in tension and the surface
unloaded.
When there are combined actions, offsets or asymmetrical connections, finding the neutral
axis is complex, and it is located in different positions in each combination 778 and in each
instance 788 . A specific non-linear algorithm (derived from those utilised in non-linear
computations of reinforced concrete cross-sections) is used by CSE in order to find its position
and the compressive stresses acting over the reactive part of the bearing surface, as well as the
tensile stresses in the tensile bolts.
It is worth emphasizing that the bearing surface check is not exhaustive, as the shear and
tension in the bolts, the bearing pressures in the bolted components due to the bolt shafts, the
component strength and other factors must also be checked. However, the bearing pressure over
the bearing surface may help in checking the connection, typically also leading to indirect
strength checks for the weaker bearing surface: for instance, by limiting the compressive stress
774
to a given value, the Engineer could ascertain that a component will be able to bear the loads
applied. Compressive stress could be a design value for concrete walls and foundation blocks.
6.10
Boltability criteria
What we mean by... BOLTABILITY CRITERIA
Two or more plates (up to a maximum of ten) can be bolted when they are in contact. We
have the concept of the bolting level: two parallel faces belonging to the same object or to the
same object component are two bolting levels apart (for instance the top and bottom faces of a
plate, or the external and internal faces of a flange of an H-section).
A bolt layout must have at least three levels, with pairs of faces in contact, with the
exception of the first and last levels, which have one face only. If, for instance, there are n
connected plates we have:
level
1:
the first face of the first plate
level
2:
the second face of the first plate, in contact with the first face of the second plate
level
3:
the second face of second plate, in contact with the first face of the third plate
level 4:
...
level 2n+1:
the second face of the third plate, in contact with the first face of the fourth plate
the second face of the n-th plate
Non-consecutive levels can belong to the same object: for instance if a member has a
composed cross-section and a plate is inserted between the two sub-components, the bolts will
pierce first the first sub-component of the member, then the plate and finally the second subcomponent of the same member.
Bolts that pierce different sets of objects cannot belong to the same bolt layout. In the
example in the figure below, there are two different bolt layouts: one has four bolting levels
(and involves the C-section, the plate and the angle-bracket), while the other has three (and
involves just the C-section and the plate).
What we mean by
775
If n plates are joined together, there are, as mentioned, n+1 bolting levels. The internal
levels are the bolt check-sections (and therefore there are n-1 of them); the bolt layout has the
same number of extremities as there are plates: each extremity is at the midpoint of the thickness
of the associated plate.
Besides, CSE rejects faces with very short sizes, in order to exclude faces which could
not physically be bolted on account of their small size: the user can specify the tolerance to be
applied to determine whether a side length is too short and thus if a face is boltable 775 or not.
6.11
Boltable face
What we mean by... BOLTABLE FACE
A face is boltable if it has at least two sides which are longer than a predefined minimum
length, which can be set by the user. See the discussion of boltability criteria 774 .
In this way, faces which are too small to be bolted can be rejected, which makes the
process of applying a bolt layout generally more immediate. If, in a given situation, we want to
place a bolt layout even over very small faces, this can be achieved simply by changing the
tolerance value (i.e. the limit length).
The following image illustrates some examples of components which have faces which
776
are boltable (shown in green) and others which are not (in grey). Changing the boltability limit,
it would be possible to apply bolts on pleats of cold formed shapes.
6.12
CFEM
What we mean by CFEM
CFEM stands for Component Finite Element Model, it is a mainly plate-shell finite element
model of a single component, possibly with its stiffeners (that is components that are connected
only to it and to no other component).
6.13
Chain
What we mean by... CHAIN
A chain is the path that you must ideally take to go from a slave member 816 to a master
member 795 . Generally there can be n possible paths, depending on the complexity of the
connection. In the example shown in the picture below, however, there is one only possible
path:
What we mean by
slave m2
weld layout W1
plate P1
bolt layout B1
777
master m1
From version 4.60 a maximum chain length may be set, so that if a chain is longer it will be discarded. The
length is measured as number of components, including joiners. The number proposed by the program is 10,
but this value may be changed using dialog Settings 380 .
The limit to the chain length is used to discard those paths topologically allowable but that do not define
"direct" connections, but indirect. Sometimes these indirect connections are needed, but other times these are
778
repetitions and redundancies that may be avoided in order to rebuild the logic of the connections. Moreover,
limiting the chain length helps avoiding that in special connections layouts, thousands chains are found. If a
high limit length for chain is set (maximum is 255), for example in the connection shown in the picture, several
thousands chains would be found, the most part of which would be topologically and physically correct, but unacceptable from an engineering point of view.
6.14
Check combinations
What we mean by... CHECK COMBINATION
1. Combinations coming from imported FEM model computation

If we opt to verify a connection in a structure which has been imported from a FEM
software (like Sargon or SAP2000) according to the internal actions computed in the
original model, the combinations of checks are the same as those in the original model, being
the linear combination of the (factorised) elementary load cases in the FEM model.
If there are a lot of instances (tens, hundreds) and a lot of combinations (hundreds,
thousands), it is possible to consider only few relevant combinations, automatically selected
according to proper criteria 686 .
2. Combinations NOT coming from a FEM computation

If the model has been created within CSE or if it has been imported but we do not want
to use FEM combinations, it is possible to use the following check combinations.
What we mean by
779
2.1 Combinations based on elastic or plastic limit values or based on defined values
If a renode is going to be checked using elastic or plastic cross-section limit values
(factorized by any factors (k) input by the user) or with defined actions values, the
combination to be checked are created automatically and their number will depend on the
number of members. For each member, in fact, 24 combinations 687 are automatically created:
the first 12 embed one single internal action component obtained by factorizing elastic or
plastic limits or defined values (6 with a plus sign, 6 with a minus sign), and the remaining
12 are different suitable combinations of the individual actions N, M2, M3.
2.2 Combinations from table
It is also possible to import 683 check combinations from Excel or Notepad. Here the
number of combinations is set by the number of imported rows, and can be any number.
6.15
Check section of a bolt layout

What we mean by... CHECK SECTIONS OF A BOLT LAYOUT
The check sections of a bolt layout are cross-sections of the bolt layout at the interface
(tangent planes) between the connected plates. It is here that the internal actions are computed.
The number of check sections is therefore 1 less than the number of connected plates.
In the following picture the check sections are marked with blue squares (whilst the red
dots mark the extremities of the bolt layout 794 ).
780
6.16
Coherence
What we mean by... COHERENCE
The coherence of a renode means the correct connection of all its components 780 . In order
for a slave 816 to be correctly connected, there must be at least one chain 776 joining it to the
master 795 . A renode is coherent when all its slaves belong to at least one chain. No component
should be unconnected (i.e. free in space).
CSE has automatic checks to test if there are components which have no connection or are
not correctly connected (e.g. if a slave member is connected to a plate but the plate is not
connected to the master). Users can easily detect and fix any errors made when creating the
renode.
6.17
Component
What we mean by... COMPONENT
A component is any three dimensional solid which forms part of the scene 813 of a renode
811
6.18
: the components can therefore be members 796 , throughs 817 or joiners 794 .
Compressed bolts
What we mean by... COMPRESSED BOLTS
Bolts are not checked for compression by default in CSE (because usually this
compression is carried by surfaces in contact), but the user can specify that the bolt checks
should take into account this internal force carried by the bolts, working with any bearing
surface 772 present.
What we mean by
6.19
781
Connected (Joined) component

What we mean by... CONNECTED (OR JOINED) COMPONENT
A connected (or joined) component is any through 817 or member 796 which is connected to
other components by means of one or more joiners 794 .
6.20
Connection code (FEM)

What we mean by... CONNECTION CODE (FEM)
In the finite element model a connection code relates to the extremities of a beam
element: this code can be an end release, i.e. the lack of continuity at an extremity of one or
more of the internal actions of the element in its reference system (e.g. a rotation end release
avoids this rotation being transferred between the node and the beam element, so that the
associated bending moment is null), or it can be a simple connection code, in which case there
is no end release but the element is physically broken at the extremity marked by the connection
code itself.
If an end release is added, then by definition a connection code is added as well. On the
other hand, if a connection code is added, an end release does not necessarily have to be added
as well. In other words, there can be physical interruption without FEM analysis end-release.
782
The connection codes, together with the finite element alignments and the continuity in the
cross-section, material and orientation, determine how the members 796 are recognised and the
hierarchy among them: if a member is broken before the node it will be a slave 816 , otherwise it
can be a master 795 .
Connection codes and end releases can have different colours, in order to identify
uniquely the orientation of symmetrical joints occurring more than once in the structure.
N.B.: connection codes can be applied also to truss elements, in order to assign different
colours.
6.21
Connector
What we mean by... CONNECTOR (JOINER)
A connector or joiner is a set of elementary components (bolts or welds) which
implement the connection between several connected components 781 .
6.22
Constraint
What we mean by... CONSTRAINT
There is a "constraint" or "attachment" wherever there is a constrained or restrained node
in the FEM model. If the constraint is due to fixed degrees of freedom in the FEM node, the
constraint jnode is rigid 783 ; on the other hand, if the restraint is only due to other elements not
modelled in CSE (plates, membranes or solids) then the constraint is elastic 783 .
What we mean by
6.23
783
Constraint block
What we mean by... CONSTRAINT BLOCK
The constraint block is a through 817 which models the object (or set of objects) to which
the jnode is constrained. If a renode is a constraint then a constraint block must be applied.
6.24
Contraints, elastic
What we mean by... ELASTIC CONSTRAINT
Wherever there are elements in the FEM model that act as restraints to a node (e.g. plateshell or solid elements), there is an "elastic constraint", or "elastic attachment" in the associated
jnode in CSE. On the other hand, if the restraint is due to null degrees of freedom in the node
(true constraints) then in CSE we have a rigid constraint 783 .
CSE automatically detects the constraints, but the user can decide to delete those they
consider unnecessary. If, for example, a dummy constraint has been applied to the FEM model
(e.g. to avoid a pseudo-mechanism, such as for rotations in a node where are connected only
trusses), the user can delete the "constraint flag" from the jnode, so that no constraint block will
have to be added.
6.25
Constraints, rigid
What we mean by... RIGID CONSTRAINT
Wherever a node in the FEM model has an ideal constraint, i.e. where displacements are
set to be null, there is a jnode in CSE of type rigid constraint. On the other hand, when a FEM
node is attached to elements which are not beams or trusses (e.g. plates or membranes), CSE
will recognise an elastic constraint 783 .
CSE automatically detects the constraints, but the user can decide to delete those they
consider unnecessary. If, for example, a dummy constraint has been applied to the FEM model
784
(e.g. to avoid a pseudo-mechanism, such as for rotations in a trusses-connected node), the user
can delete the "constraint flag" from the jnode, so that no constraint block will have to be
added.
6.26
Constraints, simple
What we mean by... SIMPLE CONSTRAINT
When a FEM node is connected to one member 796 only and the node is constrained in
some way (e.g. to a concrete wall or slab), then CSE recognises a simple constraint.
6.27
Current orientation
What we mean by... CURRENT ORIENTATION
A CSE model has a global coordinate system which is uniquely defined. In the renode
view 823 , the user can decide to use the local coordinate system of a component 780 (which is
usually different from the global system) as a reference for all the objects for various functions
of the program.
This can be very useful when placing objects in the scene that must be aligned to the CS
of a peculiar member or an object which is already present in the scene itself.
6.28
DBRenode
What we mean by... DBRENODE
A "DBRenode" is a Renode stored into a universal renode database. This Renode, which
will be usually saved into a DBRenode only if it is complete, can be later reused by every CSE
user.
6.29
Enquire
What we mean by... ENQUIRE
The CSE enquire commands provide a wealth of information about the model, including:
What we mean by
785
distances between points or nodes

properties of FEM model nodes, beams and trusses, and internal actions in one-dimensional
elements (in all combinations imported from the FEM model, if any)
information about jnodes 790 and the envelope of the internal actions at member extremities
features and properties of the components 780 of the renode 811
all the information relating to the check on a set of joints, i.e. a renode: coefficients of
utilization for the various components, forces exchanged between components, net crosssections checks, etc.
6.30
Exploitation envelope
What we mean by... EXPLOITATION RATIOS ENVELOPE
See Utilisation envelope 819 .
6.31
Extraction
What we mean by... EXTRACTION
Some objects can be extracted in order to display only one part of the structure (or
renode), whilst hiding the rest of it.
This feature is available in all the views; objects can be selected for extraction on the
basis of the current selection or, in FEM 820 and Jnode 822 views, on the basis of belonging to
given groups defined in the FEM model imported.
NB: Sargon has a very general concept of "group": the same group can contain different kinds
of element and also both elements and nodes. A group is a collection of an arbitrary number of
objects which share some common feature which is useful for the user.
6.32
Flexibility index
What we mean by... FLEXIBILITY INDEX OF A BOLT LAYOUT OR OF A WELD LAYOUT
786
Generally the translational or slipping stiffness (see next picture) of a bolt layout 771 is
directly proportional to the number n of bolts which make up the layout, the bolt radius r raised
to the fourth power, and inversely proportional to the net length 772 l of the bolt layout.
In CSE a parameter called the flexibility index, f, has been introduced in association with
bolt layouts or weld layouts, so that the translational stiffness is also inversely proportional to
the cube of the flexibility index.
In summary, the translational stiffness of a bolt layout:
directly proportional to n and r4
inversely proportional to l3
inversely proportional to f3
So if f is equal to 1, it does not affect the stiffness.
A quite similar concept is also valid for weld layouts (from version 4.62). For welds what
matters is the weld throat thickness (and obviously the number of single welds, and their
position and length).
By using the flexibility index, the user can modify the stiffness of a bolt layout or of a weld
layout, in order to load some joiners 794 more than others.
Let's take for instance a splice joint with bolted plates (web and flanges), under tension: in
the plastic range, a plasticization of the web thickness will occur due to bolt pressure, so that
the internal actions will be redistributed to the flange bolt layouts, which will continue to carry
the load. By setting a suitable flexibility index (greater than 1) in the web bolt layout, the user
can model this effect and thus achieve the action-distribution desired.
As the standards forbid that welds and bolts are used in a parallel resisting layout and not in
What we mean by
787
a chain in order to carry the same actions, the problem of setting the flexibility index refers to
the choice of the relative stiffness of a weld layout relative to other weld layouts, or of a bolt
layout relative to other bolt layouts. The flexibility index is used to set the relative part of the
forces flowing into each joiner. If the flexibility index is higher than 1 the relative stiffness
decreases; if it is lower than 1, the relative stiffness increases.
If the relative stiffness of a joiner increases with respect to the others used in a parallel
layout to carry the same forces, then the part of the forces flowing into that joiner increases as
well.
6.33
Frustum removal
What we mean by... FRUSTUM REMOVAL
This is a work process 826 carried out so as to remove part of a three dimensional
component. This part is the intersection of the original 3D object with a prism of infinite length
(frustum) having a cross section defined by the user.
The frustum cross-section is defined in the same plane as the screen and can be
rectangular or polygonal in shape, with or without circular (rounded) corners; the frustum axis
is perpendicular to the screen.
788
6.34
Hard point
What we mean by...HARD POINT
A hard point is a point that the mesh must necessarily include. A hard point is typically referring to a bolt
position, or to the extremity of a segment, i.e. one of the lines used to be compliant with a given mesh size in
welds or in object boundaries.
6.35
IFEM
What we mean by IFEM
IFEM stands for Initial Finite Element Model, and it is the finite element model created in
background by CSE to execute the analysis of the actions flowing into each component, starting
from the member forces. The IFEM model guarantees a balanced solution with the externally
applied loads (member forces).
6.36
Instance of a jnode
What we mean by... INSTANCE OF A JNODE
What we mean by
789
The instance or occurrence of a jnode 790 is the repetition of the same jnode in different
parts of the structure, possibly with different orientations, but with the same topology (joined
members, cross-sectional properties, materials, constraints and end releases, relative
inclinations, etc.).
If there are several occurrences/instances of a Jnode, for all these occurrences it will
suffice to build a single renode 811 only, which, in turn, will also have several occurrences (the
same as for the associated jnode); in the automatic checks, the renode will then be loaded by the
internal forces of all occurrences, in all combinations, one by one.
In the picture below, all the occurrences of the same jnode have the same mark 791 and the same
colour.
6.37
Internal compiler
What we mean by... INTERNAL COMPILER
CSEs internal compiler is used to "teach" the program additional check and design rules,
790
to supplement those already provided by the program, according to different standards.

The data is input via a simple interface, and then automatically converted into
alphanumeric strings, which are used to define the user checks 818 .
6.38
Jclass
What we mean by... JCLASS
A jclass is the set of all similar jnodes 790 ; two jnodes are similar if they can be
catalogued in the same way relative to a particular subset of the information which defines a
jnode.
In particular, a necessary condition for cataloguing two jnodes in the same way is that
they have the same toponode 817 .
The jclass concept is useful for grouping different jnodes which are nonetheless similar.
In this way, whole sets of jnodes can be treated using the same rules even if, strictly speaking,
they are different. Consider, for example, a couple of jnodes which are completely similar,
except that one, jnode A, uses an IPE200 cross-section , while the other, jnode B, uses the
cross-section IPE240. It is clear that, although different, the two jnodes are very similar and so
they can be built using similar techniques. In the same way, if a jnode A has a member inclined
by an angle of 23.,5 and a jnode B, which is almost identical, has the same member with an
inclination of 32.9, it is very probable that the two jnodes belong to the same jclass.
6.39
Jnode
What we mean by... JNODE
A Jnode is a set of connections between members joined at a particular node in the finite
element sense, which is not fully defined but has a set of basic information which can be
obtained through a wireframe model. The Jnode is thus an intermediate step between the node
in the finite element sense, and the renode 811 , i.e. the actual connections in the 3D world, with
all the information about the components, the joiners, bevels, cuts, and more. In particular, the
What we mean by
791
information defining a jnode includes the number, the orientation, the exact inclination, the
cross-sections and materials, and the end releases and connection codes of all the members
joined in the FEM node which are common to the members themselves.
A jnode can appear more than once in a structure, i.e. it can have several occurrences 788 .
A jnode can belong to various possible classifications, in particular it can be hierarchical
(where all members are connected to a master), central (where all members are connected to a
central component), cuspidal (where there is more than one master, a situation which can
always be avoided by a suitable assignment of connection codes), tangent (when two members
have an internal point in the FEM node related to the jnode) and a simple attachment (when a
member is constrained to an external object). When passing from a FEM model to a Renode 811 ,
the Jnode is an unavoidable intermediate ring.
A Jnode can lead to different possible Renodes, depending on how the actual connections
are designed.
6.40
Jnode mark
What we mean by... JNODE MARK
Each jnode 790 automatically recognized by CSE is identified by a mark made up of two
letters: the first jnode is marked "AA", the second "AB", the third "AC", and so on...
6.41
Jnode, central
What we mean by... CENTRAL JNODE
In a central jnode, all the members 796 are interrupted and they are all connected to the
same throughs 817 (one or more) that hold them together.
792
CSE automatically recognizes the presence of a through directly* connected to all the
members and considers that component as the master 795 . If there are two or more throughs being
directly connected to all the members, all those throughs are considered as masters, and
constrained. If there is no through connected to all the members, CSE asks the user to choose the
object(s) to be considered as master.
(*) direct connection means through 817
6.42
joinere 794
member 796
Jnode, cuspidal
What we mean by... CUSPIDAL JNODE
In cuspidal jnodes, all the members 796 converge to the node, but there is more than one
member that is not interrupted. Jnodes of this kind are easily avoidable with no loss of
generality, by leaving just one member cuspidal 798 and interrupting all the others (thus obtaining
a hierarchical jnode 793 ), or interrupting all members (and so getting a central jnode 791 ).
What we mean by
6.43
793
Jnode, hierarchical
What we mean by... HIERARCHICAL JNODE
A jnode is hierarchical when there is just one member 796 which is a passing or a cuspidal
798
member and therefore uninterrupted (master 795 ), while all the others (slaves 816 ) connect to it.
From version 4.40 on, if a jnode with two or more members has only one passing
member, it is not necessary to break other members with connection codes: jnode will be
automatically classified as hierarchical anyway, and the only passing member will be the
master.
6.44
Jnode, tangent
What we mean by... TANGENT JNODE
A jnode is a tangent jnode when there are several through 798 -members 796 at the same
point, or at least one cuspidal 798 member together with at least one through-member. These
layouts, which imply overlaps, may arise when offsets which are actually present in the
physical model, have been neglected in the FEM model.
794
6.45
Joiner
What we mean by... JOINER (CONNECTOR)
A joiner or connector is a set of elementary components (bolts or welds) which
implement the connection between several joined components 781 .
6.46
Joiner extremities
What we mean by... JOINER EXTREMITIES
Bolt layouts
The extremities of a bolt layout are at the mid-plane of the thicknesses of the bolted
objects, at the points corresponding to the bolt layout centroids. The number of extremities is
thus equal to the number of "plates" (i.e. thicknesses) bolted. In the following image, the
extremities of the bolting layout are marked with red dots (whereas the blue squares represent
the check-sections 779 ).
What we mean by
795
Weld layouts
One extremity of the weld layout lies in the plane of the face containing the welds; the
other is along a segment normal to this face, at a distance from the first extremity equal to a
proportion of the throat section of the welds, as computed automatically by the program (both
points are relative to the weld layout centroid). In the following figure, the weld extremities are
marked using red squares.
6.47
Master
What we mean by... MASTER
A master is a component 780 of a node to which all members 796 connect.
796
In most common jnode type, the hierarchical 793 one, master is the only non interrupted
member: it can therefore be only through or cuspidal 798 .
In central jnodes 791 , instead, master is usually a through 817 , but there can be more than one
through acting as master.
6.48
MCFEM
What we mean by MCFEM
MCFEM stands for Multi Component Finite Element Model, and it is a mainly plate-shell finite
element model of a set of components.
6.49
Member
What we mean by... MEMBER
A member is a straight or curved solid element consisting of a single piece, along with
the work that has been done on it.
In the wireframe model, a member is a set of aligned beam elements, all having the same
cross-section, the same material and the same orientation, besides which there are no
connections 781 between them.
6.50
Member net cross-section

What we mean by... MEMBER NET CROSS-SECTIONS
The members 796 that have been subject to some work processes 826 and/or have holes due
to bolt layouts 771 have reduced gross sections.
CSE automatically computes all the net sections of all the members with reduced gross
sections; if specified by the user, CSE will check their strength in all the checking combinations
778
and for all jnode occurrences 788 for that renode 811 .
The member shown in the picture below, for instance, has holes in the web and in the
flanges; in addition, the flanges have cuts at the end and the cut also affects part of the web, with
circular bevels.
What we mean by
797
The following pictures show some of the net sections found by CSE: the first is in the part
where flanges do not exist any more; the program outputs the distance from the ideal extremity
of the member along with the properties of the net cross-section area, compared with the gross
section properties. The principal axes of both sections have also been drawn, along with the
offset between them.
798
The following picture, however, shows a net section with bolt holes. There is a net
section for the centre of each bolt: therefore if there are unaligned bolts, in the net section of
one bolt centre it will also be possible to see parts of the other bolt holes which also pertain to
that section. Unaligned bolt centres, however, are out of the current section. In the example it
can clearly be seen that the cross section associated with the centres of the holes in the flanges
contain parts of the web-holes.
If the user requires, CSE will execute the automatic check of all the net sections under
traction and (biaxial) bending or under compression and (biaxial) bending. These internal
"sectional" forces acting over the net sections are due to the relevant elementary forces arising
from individual bolts and/or welds or parts of individual welds (stress distribution along the
members). The normal stress field acting over the net section is also available.
6.51
Member types
What we mean by... MEMBER TYPES
What we mean by
799
A member is a passing-member if the jnode is within its axis line (i.e. not in one of the two
extremities) and there are no end release or connection codes.
A member is interrupted if the jnode is in one of the two extremities and in that extremity a
connection code is applied (end release or connection code proper).
A member is cuspidal if the jnode is one of the two extremities and there is no connection
code or end release at the extremity of the jnode.
Passing and cuspidal members are also said to be un-interrupted.
6.52
Multiplicity
What we mean by... MULTIPLICITY
The multiplicity of a bolt layout is the number of its check sections 779 , and therefore one
less than the number of plates connected.
6.53
No tension
What we mean by... NO TENSION
A no tension computation is a computation based on a constitutive law which has
800
compressive but no tensile stresses. To compute the material which acts as the bearing support
for the bolt layouts, CSE has 4 different no tension constitutive laws: one indefinitely elastic,
and 3 nonlinear (elastic perfectly plastic, parabola-rectangle and trilinear).
6.54
Node
What we mean by... NODE
A Node is the "node" in the finite element sense, i.e. a dimensionless object to which the
finite elements attach, that can be constrained, to which loads (nodal forces) or imposed
displacements can be applied, etc.
NB: in some contexts, node can mean more generically a set of joints (for instance "the node is
checked according to the standard...").
6.55
Offsets
What we mean by... OFFSETS
It may be that the extremities of a finite element do not coincide with the nodes: in this
case there will therefore be eccentricities and thus rigid offsets. The elements axis, running
from the first extremity to the second, can therefore be different (even un-aligned or nonparallel) from the segment which joins the two nodes.
The distance between one extremity and its associated node gives rise to moments of
transport: the greater the offsets, the higher the transfer moments.
What we mean by
801
When detecting members 796 , the alignment requirement for two (or more) elements is
therefore interpreted in terms of the position of the extremities, rather than that of the nodes.
6.56
Overlaps
What we mean by... OVERLAPS
An overlap (overlapping) is an intersection between two or more solid objects
(components 780 ) in the scene 813 . This may happen due to the incorrect placement of a through 817 ,
the failure to define proper offsets in the members 796 joined in the renode, or the insertion of a
bolt layout in such a position that the bolt nuts are placed where other objects have already
been positioned, etc..
Obviously, actual physical overlaps are not allowed, and CSE has an automatic overlap
check to find them, enabling the user to detect potential errors and fix them, by shifting or
suitably modifying components, adding bevels, cuts, etc.
The following picture illustrates an overlap between a beam and a column.
802
6.57
Pannello Assistente
What we mean by ASSISTANT PANEL
The Assistant Panel is an help to guide the inexperienced User across the different work steps.
Depending on the steps already done, some check buttons are checked or not. Besides, some
"semaphores" get the color red, or green, depending on the point where the user has arrived
during the work.
6.58
Panel: Selected components

What we mean by... SELECTED COMPONENTS PANEL
The Selected Components panel is a panel in the alphanumeric view 819 . Its contents are
the same as in the Renode panel 803 , with the only difference that here only the currently selected
components are listed, as opposed to all the components that actually are in the scene.
What we mean by
6.59
803
Panel: Renode
What we mean by... RENODE PANEL
The Renode panel is a panel in the alphanumeric view 819 . All the components in the scene
are included, with their relevant properties.
The following information is shown for each member:
identifier (master, slave)
uniquely defined name
type (beam, column, or generic)
cross-section name
type of the members connection to the node (clamped, hinged, etc.)
cross-sectional data
And for each through:

symbol
804

tyte
geometric sizes
Finally for the joiners:

symbol
type
features of the layout*
(*) for the weld layouts this means:
- the number of fillet welds
- the thickness, if the same for all the fillet welds
- the throat section, if the same for all the fillet welds
(*) and for the bolt layouts:
- an alphanumeric identifier string, containing the bolt diameter, the bolt class and the main
distances between rows and columns
- computing settings (shear-only, use of bearing surface polygon, slip-resistance, anchor,
and more)
- individual bolt threaded and gross area
What we mean by
805
The currently selected components in the Renode view 823 are selected in the Renode
pane, as well: a small square around the component-name marks selected components.
Components in the Renode view can also be selected/unselected by double-clicking over

the desired components in the Renode pane.
806
6.60
Panel: Variables and Conditions

What we mean by... VARIABLES AND CONDITIONS PANEL
The Variables and Conditions panel is a panel in the alphanumeric view 819 . The predefined variables of all the components are listed, and, if the user has defined new variables or
conditions, these additional variables or conditions are included as well.
The pre-defined variables are a collection of numerical data which is meaningful and
necessary for the automatic checks. The user can also add new variables of their own using
these pre-defined variables (or other new variables which they have already added), or can use
them to add new conditions (checks or pre-conditions) that the renode must satisfy, using CSEs
internal compiler.
What we mean by
6.61
807
PFEM
What we mean by PFEM
PFEM stands for Pure Finite Element Model, and it is a mainly plate-shell finite element model
of a whole Renode, with all the members, all the components, and all the joiners. It is created to
better analyze the mutual actions of the components between themselves and the stress state of
the components. Ideally a PFEM model can be used to check all the components. In CSE it is at
the moment used to check resistance and stability of members and components (not to check
welds, or bolts, not for the bolt bearing pressure checks, not for punching shear and not for
block tear).
6.62
Pin
What we mean by PIN
A pin is a special kind of bolt layout with specific features. To set a bolt layout as a pin,
it is necessary that the bolt kind chosen for the bolt layout is one of those available for pins
(European, Indian, and American). Once that such a kind has been selected, in the proper dialog
605
, all the settings of the bolt layout seen now as a pin are preset.
The bolt layout has necessarily one row and one column only, and has a regular
arrangement. Due to computational reasons the bolt layout is not "shear only", is not an anchor,
and does not use a bearing surface, is not slip resistant, et cetera. All these settings and other
more are automatically done by the program, and the relevant check boxes and edit controls in
the bolt layout input dialog 587 are grayed and inactive.
To have them back active, it is necessary to choose a "bolt" which is not a pin in the bolt
choice dialog 605 .
From an engineering point of view, pins are basically shear only elements. Axial force
and torque applied to a pin may not be carried. Numerically, however, small eccentricities or
rounding errors may arise, so as to cause (light) torsions, and or (light) axial force in a pin. The
program executes a check in particular about the torsion applied, which may not be carried by
the pin, and it discards it if small enough.
The torque applied to the pin seen as a whole is discarded if it causes a tangential stress
808
in the pin shaft (evaluated as a circular cylinder of radius r, being r the radius of the pin shaft),
lower than 1N/mm2. This means a torque applied lower than r3/2 (r in mm, torque in Nmm). If
on the other hand the torque applied is higher than this value, then the shear in the pin shaft is
notionally set equal to 1x109N, and therefore the check will not be satisfied. It is therefore of
the utmost importance that the shear assigned to the pin seen as layout be centered in the pin
shaft center, itself. While moving the pin along its belonging face, this problem will then have
to be clearly kept into account, considering with strict tolerances the theoretical points where
the forces are applied (typically axial forces in members) or their line of action. For example if
a force equal to 50000N must be carried by a pin having a radius of 15mm, the maximum
acceptable eccentricity for the pin position relative to the line of action of the force will be:
emax = (3.14*153 / 2) / 50000 = 0.106 mm.
The axial force applied to the pin (seen as layout) is directly discarded if leading to a
stress in the shaft lower than 1N/mm2. Otherwise checks will not be passed.
The bending applied to the pin is directly applied to the shaft leading to a normal stress
which is then combined with the shear stress arising from the shear force applied.
It is clearly needed that the axial force and the torque in a pin are negligible.
The geometric display of a pin is different from that of a normal bolt, as the head
resembles a circular disk, and so are the checking formulae (resistance 167 and bearing 202 ).
Note well: pin's torsional inertia moment is theoretically null; in order to prevent large
displacements in case of very small offsets multiplied by high forces, a fictitious torsional
inertia moment is assigned to the pin (Jt,pin). Conventionally, it is equal to 1/1000 of shaft
circle's torsional inertia moment:
What we mean by
J t , pin
6.63
J t ,circle
1000
809
r4
1
2 1000
Principal axes of a joiner

What we mean by... THE PRINCIPAL AXES OF A JOINER
CSE automatically computes the principal axes of a weld or bolt layout, depending on the
position of the elements in the layout and, for weld layouts, also depending on the thickness of
the individual welds (throat section); the bolts in one of these layouts, however, always have
the same diameter.
6.64
PRenode
What we mean by...PRENODE
A PRenode is a parametric renode 811 . CSE has an archive of parametric renodes, which
can be expanded by the user saving new PRenodes built according to his own needs.
The parametrized real nodes (PRenodi) are defined in such a way that the objects in the
scene, with their dimensions and their position are defined parametrically. A special case of
parametrization is using pure numbers instead of parameters. Generally the dimensions of the
cleats and the characteristics of the joiners depend on the variables of the objects already
added, starting with members, and then moving to added components.
The ability to build renodes parametrically allows the description of whole families of
Renodes, able to adapt to a particular choice of the initial member cross-sections. Then, when
assigning the PRenode, it will always be possible to modify this or that feature (for instance the
number of bolts), to fit the given problem.
PRenodes are pre-defined renodes which can be applied to other similar renodes,
bypassing manual creation of 3D connections.
6.65
PRenode, applicable
What we mean by...APPLICABLE PRENODE
A PRrenodo 809 is applicable to a renode if it is similar to that renode, it means
810
topologically equal: PRenode and renode must be associated to similar jnodes 790 , belonging to
the same jclass 790 .
In order to better understant, think to a joint with a single member connected to the
ground. A PRenode of that kind, having a member with a rolled H shape, would be applicable
to renodes having HEB, HEA, IPE shapes, etc. The same PRenode would not apply to a renode
in which the only member connected to the ground has a RHS shape, or to a renode that has an
additional diagonal element., etc.
PRenodes applicability check is needed to filter, among all the available PRenodes of the
archive, only the PRenodes saved starting from a structural scheme similar to the one at hand,
considering also members cross-section type.
The following are the conditions needed to make a PRenode applicable to a Renode 811 :
1. Renod and PRenode are both hierarchical, or both central, or both simple.
2. They have the same number of members and there must be a perfect correspondence of
the cross-sections (rolled H shape VS rolled H shape, rolled angle VS rolled angle,
welded C VS welded C, RHS VS RHS, etc.).
3. Members alignments are similar (but not necessarily identical, for example an angle
can be 33 but also 39 or 48). Some particular cases are exceptions, like an
alignment of 90 that is a special case and needs a perfect fitting.
It is not necessary that members sizes are the same (the scope of the parametrization is
to adapt the same PRenode to Renodes with different sizes). In case of constrained nodes, it is
not necessary that constraints are the same.
6.66
Prying forces
What we mean by...PRYING FORCES
What we mean by
811
By the action and reaction principle, the tensile forces T in the bolts shafts do bend the
connected plates. These plates, due to bending, may find a support in the plates in contact and
this support reactions, named prying forces and generally referred to by the symbol Q, do
change the stress state of the whole set bolts+plates. In particular, the exchanged forces along
the edges in contact due to the plate bending Q, lead to an increment of the tensile forces in the
bolt shafts (from T to T+Q), and to a different distribution of the forces loading the plates.
If the maximum allowable force in a bolt shaft is B, only (B-Q) will be available to carry
external loads. See also the background 333 .
6.67
Renode
What we mean by... RENODE
The Renode (a term which is derived from the words REal and NODE) is a real node,
i.e. a complete node with all information needed to build it up and to compute it. A renode
therefore incorporates all the components 780 needed to define it, together with all their work
processes and all the rules and choices devised in connection with the checks.
In order to be defined, a renode needs all the components in the scene to be in position,
and the exact description of all components (with sizes, materials and, orientations) to be
known, including the throughs 817 , the joiners 794 and the associated joints. The computing rules
must also be added in order to define a renode, i.e. all the particular choices made by the user
about the different possible ways of checking the components.
812
6.68
Renode, blank
What we mean by... BLANK RENODE
A Blankn renode is a renode 811 without any operation on it: there are members 796 only
(without any shift, trimming, extension, cut, bevel, etc.), there are no joiners 794 , no troughs 817 , no
additional variables or conditions.
Parametric renodes 809 can be applied only to blank renodes. All renodes are empty after
their automatic search. After eventual modifications done to a renode, it is possible to delete all
those modification to get a blank renode again.
6.69
Saturated joiner
What we mean by... SATURATED JOINER
A saturated joiner is a joiner which connects components which are all selected. If one
object connected is not selected, the joiner is unsaturated.
What we mean by
6.70
813
Scene
What we mean by... SCENE
The scene is the set of all the components 780 of the renode 811 , defined precisely in the 3D
space.
6.71
Shear key
What we mean by...SHEAR KEY
A shear key is an object embedded into the constraint block 783 so as to carry mainly shear
forces and torque, leaving more or less unchanged axial force and bending moments.
In CSE a shear key is necessarily a cross-section trunk (see the addition of a crosssection trunk dialog 556 ) which should be placed in such a way to be completely embedded into
a constraint block 783 . The shear key is connected to the upper part of the Renode generally by a
fillet weld or penetration weld layout which joins it to the lower face of a base plate. The axis
of the joiner which connects the shear key to the base plate should be aligned with one of the
global axes X, Y or Z.
The most frequent case is that of a column with base plate. In this case to the base plate is
welded, to the lower face, the shear key, which is then embedded into the concrete cast
modelled via the constraint block (see figure). In this case the weld normal to the welding face
aligned to Z axis.
Other possible cases are those of beam-to-wall connections, in which the shear key will
be connected to a weld layout having axis directed like axis X or Y.
Since the shear key is fully inside the constraint block, to display it it is necessary to
extract all objects but the constraint block itself.
814
Each cross-section trunk may be a shear key and it is not necessary that the cross-section used
for the shear key resembles that of the member(s). More than one shear key may be used. Shear
key itself is not checked, but the welds that connect it to the base plate, yes. Contact pressure
checks may be done by adding a specific user check 818 .
It is not possible, nor meaningful, to add shear keys to Renodes without a constraint block 783 .
In addition to the chains 776 going from each member to the constraint block, the program also
checks for the chains going from each member to the shear key. This is part of the Renode
coherence check.
6.72
Shear-only bolt layout

What we mean by... SHEAR-ONLY BOLT LAYOUT
Among other possible flags, the user can decide to use shear-only bolt layouts 771 , i.e. bolt
layouts with negligible bending and axial stiffness, so that bolts will be loaded shear forces not
by axial forces. If more than one bolt layout is capable of bearing a set of actions, and some of
the available bolt layouts do not have a relevant stiffness, then the relevant bending and axial
forces will be carried only by those joiners which have a relevant stiffness. So if there is more
than one bolt layout in the scene, the loads will migrate to those joiners which have suitable
stiffness. Shear-only bolt layouts are usually organized so that one or more subset takes some
actions while other sets take the others. It is therefore a computational hypothesis set by the
user which deals with how the actions are distributed among the joiners of the various
What we mean by
815
components.
Consider, for instance, a splice joint between two HEB 300 members, like that shown in
the picture below. If we use shear-only bolts, the shear parallel to the web will be carried by
the web bolts (shown in red) and that parallel to the flanges will be carried by the flange bolts
(shown in blue), according to the simplified computational rules which are widely used in
engineering practice.
If, on the other hand, the shear-only option is not used, the flange bolts will react with a
tension to the shear parallel to the web, and vice-versa.
N.B.: since the model is 3D, and CSE also computes the parasitic bending in the bolt
shafts (which can be neglected or otherwise in the checking phase), there will always be
internal action in the web bolts when computing the effects of the shear parallel to the flanges,
and vice-versa; the better the connection, the lower those stresses will be. If, to take a
somewhat extreme example, we were to set a hundred bolts in the web and just two in the
flanges, we could not obviously expect that with shear parallel to the flange the web bolts
would be unstressed!
816
6.73
Slave
What we mean by... SLAVE
A slave is a member 796 which is interrupted 798 in the node so as to connect to the master
795
6.74
Sub Renode
What we mean by... SUB RENODE
A subrenode is a a subset of the members of a Renode 811 , currently selected. In order to
apply a PRenode 809 to them, they must not have work processes assigned.
6.75
Throat (section/thickness)
What we mean by... THROAT (SECTION/THICKNESS,)
What we mean by
817
The effective throat section/thickness of a (fillet) weld is the height of the largest triangle
(with equal or unequal sides) that can be inscribed within the fusion faces and the weld surface,
measured perpendicular to the outer side of this triangle (EN 1993-1-8, paragraph 4.5.2).
In CSE, fillet welds have triangular cross-section: the effective throat section is therefore
the height of this triangle.
6.76
Through
What we mean by... THROUGH
A through is a component which is neither a member 796 nor a joiner 817 . Usually a through
is used to transfer forces from one point to another or to stiffen a component (a member or
another through), such as angle brackets, plates or stiffeners.
6.77
Toponode
What we mean by... TOPONODE
The toponode is the following data structure:
jnode 790 class (simple 784 , hierarchical 793 , central 791 , tangent 793 or cuspidal 792 )
number of members 796 in the jnode
number of through- 798 members
number of cuspidal 798 members
number of interrupted 798 members
number of members made up of beam elements (in the FEM sense)
number of members consisting of (one) truss element
818
Boolean flag for whether the node is constrained or free
6.78
Universal Nodery (universal renode database)

What we mean by UNIVERSAL NODERY
A Universal Nodery is a collection of Renodes 811 already prepared and ready to be
assigned to blank Renodes which have the same members, meeeting one another with the same
angles. The nodery is "universal" because it comes out from the addition of the renodes
prepared by all the CSE users willing to partecipate to the project. The universal nodery is
contanined in the file "dbrenodes.bin" placed in the installation folder.
6.79
User checks
What we mean by... USER CHECKS
Besides the automatic checks already provided by CSE according to different standards,
the user can "teach" the program how to perform further checks. With the systems genuine
internal compiler, the user can actually add variables and conditions, which can be additional
checks or pre-requisites that the joint must satisfy in order to be applied.
The pre-requisites are general conditions that the joint must satisfy and are checked by
CSE before all the other checks. If there is at least one pre-requisite which is not satisfied, the
program prompts the user for confirmation of whether or not to continue checking.
The additional check conditions, however, which are always linked to a component, are
executed together with the automatic checks, for all the combinations 778 and for all the
occurrences 788 of the node, and therefore these are also automatic checks. The term "user"
means that these checks are not pre-defined or pre-programmed according to the chosen
standard, but rather that they are new checks determined by the user according to his/her rules.
User checks lead to a coefficient of utilisation for the component to which they are linked;
this is then compared to those resulting from the other checks, and finally the maximum value is
stored and included in the listing. Thus in the end the user checks are treated just like the
automatic checks. Ideally a user can perform user checks only and still check all the
What we mean by
819
components for hundreds of combinations.
6.80
Utilisation envelope
What we mean by... UTILISATION ENVELOPE
The different components 780 of a renode are subjected to a range of checks in all the
combinations 778 and for all the instances 788 of a jnode 790 : the utilisation envelope (i.e. of the
utilization coefficients) is the maximum utilisation of each component for all the possible
combinations and instances, so that a global view of the level of utilisation for that renode can
be obtained.
6.81
Versor of a face
What we mean by... VERSOR OF A FACE (UNIT VECTOR)
The versor of a face is a vector of modulus 1, which is perpendicular to the face and
oriented so that it points away from the solid to which the face belongs.
6.82
Views: Alphanumeric
What we mean by... ALPHANUMERIC VIEW
The CSE interface has two tiled views: the graphic 821 view and the alphanumeric view.
The alphanumeric view appears on the left, and is highlighted with a red frame in the picture
below.
In this view the following can be displayed:
the Renode pane 803
theSelected components pane 802
theVariables and Conditions pane 806
820
NB: the sizes of the two views can be changed, by bringing the mouse near to the dividing line
which separates them, clicking it with the left mouse button and then moving to the right or left.
6.83
Views: Active
What we mean by... ACTIVE VIEW
The CSE interface has two different views: the graphic 821 and the alphanumeric 819 . They
cannot be active simultaneously; one of the can be activated simply by clicking either mouse
button (right or left) inside it.
6.84
Views: FEM
What we mean by... FEM VIEW
The FEM view is a mode of the graphical view 821 . Here the user can view the FEM
model which has been imported from external programs, or create a new model using the tools
provided in CSE.
What we mean by
6.85
821
Views: Graphical
What we mean by... GRAPHICAL VIEW
The CSE interface has two tiled views: the graphical view and the alphanumeric 819 view.
The graphical view appears on the right, and is highlighted with a red frame in the picture
below.
Here the following 3D views (i.e. modes of the graphical view) are available:
the FEM view 820
the Jnode view 822
the Renode view 823
the Solid view 824
The graphical view is also where the following are displayed:
the results of the bolt layouts using a bearing surface 772 (plane view)
the results of the member net-sections (plane view)
822
NB: the sizes of the two views can be changed, by bringing the mouse near to the dividing line
which separates them, clicking the left mouse button and then moving right or left.
6.86
Views: JNODE
What we mean by... JNODE VIEW
The jnode view is a mode of the graphical view 821 , in which the members 796 and the
jnodes 790 automatically detected by the program are shown. In this view, which is a wireframe
view as well as the FEM view, the 0D objects are jnodes (not FEM nodes, as in FEM view),
the 1D objects are members (not finite elements, as in FEM view)
What we mean by
6.87
823
Views: RENODE
What we mean by... RENODE VIEW
The renode view is a mode of the graphical view 821 which shows the scene 813 of the real
node. In this view the renode can be freely constructed according to the users needs and
checked according to the chosen standard.
824
6.88
Views: SOLID
What we mean by... SOLID VIEW
The solid view is a mode of the graphical view 821 . The entire structure without work
processes, or the part where work processes have been defined, is displayed in this view.
In order to have a lighter model, without needless information, it is recommended to keep solid
view empty 726 , regenerating 724 it only when necessary.
6.89
Weld layout
What we mean by... WELD LAYOUTS
A weld layout is a set of welds that join the same couple of components, which may be
throughs 817 or members 796 .
Welds can be fillet welds or penetration welds.
What we mean by
825
With the former, two faces at an angle of 60 - 120 to one another are joined by a fillet
bead, which connects the two faces together; special computational rules are used for
this type of weld based on the concept of throat thickness 816 . In CSE, fillet welds are
represented by triangular prisms, one for each bead.
In the second case, a plate is suitably beveled and the penetration weld is placed in the
space thus created. If the thickness is filled completely, the weld is a full penetration
weld, otherwise it is a partial penetration weld. For a physical point of view, a
penetration weld requires material to have been removed via appropriate work
processes. To make the program faster and more interactive to use, it is not actually
necessary in CSE to remove this material first (although this will naturally be taken into
account in the computations and the resulting drawings). From a graphical perspective,
the penetration weld is shown with a triangle placed almost adjacent to the lateral face
of the plate with its ideal bevel, and slightly proud of it, to suggest a quantity of excess
material. It is proud by 1mm. The height of the other side is notionally set equal to
2mm.
The following image shows the difference between CSEs conventional representations of a
fillet weld and a penetration weld.
826
6.90
Work processes
What we mean by... WORK PROCESSES
The work processes are 3D modifications to objects, according to specific rules. They
are used to adapt the 3D objects to the design needs, in order to obtain new, complex shapes, or
to make room for joiners, to avoid overlaps, and so on.
In CSE several possible types of work processes can be applied to the 3D objects that
are throughs 817 and members 796 : bevels of various shapes are available (triangular, circular and
square), together with face rotations, face translations, frustum 787 subtraction using a polygon or
a box, potentially with circular corners.
Part
VII
828
Appendix: shapes sizes

APPENDIX: SHAPES SIZES
Here are reported the sizes of the shapes that can be added through the dialog box Add
parameterized plate 558 . The following are the categories in which shapes are divided.
Frequent objects 828
Simple objects 829
Cut rectangles 831
Rectangles with round bevels 833
Cut rectangles with round bevels 834
Cut triangles 835
Triangles with round bevels 836
Fingers 837
Generic objects 838
7.1
Frequent objects
FREQUENT OBJECTS
7.2
Simple objects
SIMPLE OBJECTS
829
830
7.3
Plates with holes

PLATES WITH HOLES
7.4
Cut rectangles
CUT RECTANGLES
831
832
7.5
Rectangles with round bevels

RECTANGLES WITH ROUND BEVELS
833
834
7.6
Cut rectangles with round bevels

CUT RECTANGLES WITH ROUND BEVELS
7.7
Cut triangles
CUT TRIANGLES
835
836
7.8
Triangles with round bevels

TRIANGLES WITH ROUND BEVELS
7.9
Fingers
FINGERS
837
838
7.10
Generic objects
GENERIC OBJECTS
839
Part
VIII
Error Messages
Error Messages
8.1
Error Messages
841
APPENDIX: ERROR MESSAGES

CSE is a wide program, and there are many messages that can be issued, most of them being self-explanatory.
Here some error messages are summarized, explaining their meaning. The most part of these messages are
rare, some of them have never been observed (namely all those referring to vector size limits). Others are
frequent and usually depend on an improper use of the program.
Messages which imply reaching a limit of some vector size (please inform as so that the limits can be
incremented):
1.Too many loaded nodes (20000 CFEM): the CFEM and MCFEM models must not have more than 20,000
nodes directly loaded by nodal forces.
2.Too many points: max is 13 points for the poly: the closed polyline used to define a work-process (a cut)
must not have more than 13 points (this limit will be increased).
3.Maximum node number exceeded in face display (200): a face must not have more than 200 points
4.Too many workings (30): not more than 30 work-processes can be applied to a component
5.Too many points (contour 500): the contour-lines must not be described by more than 500 points
6.Too many member in a renode! (30): a renode must not have more than 30 members
7.Too many faces in stack (50 faces): examining the faces potentially drilled by a bolt the there must not be
more than 50 faces (by definition, all parallel)
8.Too many chains to be displayed (> 100): there are more than 100 available chains to connect two
components, they will not be displayed all. Just to avoid a too long enumeration.
9.Too many next faces found (> 10): more than 10 thicknesses would be connected
10.Limit reached - CutAway - Face.dll: probably an unexpected condition has been found during a cut by
closed polyline
Messages which imply an internal error as they imply an unexpected working mode (the .cse model
and a clear description of the operation leading to one of these messages should be sent)
Error: two faces equal meaning
Too many faces with the same meaning
Internal error
842
Internal error: chosen Renode is not found similar

Internal error in StepForward: a joiner has not been found in pjd
Internal error in RetrieveBlockTear
Internal error in CheckConditions: condition implies no !=, =, <, <=, >, >=, so what does it mean?
Internal error in refresh variables - Showrenode
Internal Error in ShowRenode-RefreshVariables
Messages which imply some problem during the block tear checks
These are rare problems that can be avoided switching off the block tear checks for the bolt layout which
generates them, and adding alternative checks (e.g. by user's checks). Please send to us the model issuing
one of this messages.
Unable to find most distant points
Error in GetBreakAll
BoltLay::GetBreakAll Unable to find intersection
Error in BoltLay::FindBoundary
BoltLay::GetMinPath Unable to find intersection
Messages related to errors occurred when applying a work process using a rectangular or a closed
polyline cut
The requested work-process has not been applied or result in singularity in geometry or topological
ambiguity. To avoid the message delete the work process and re-apply it differently.
Internal error in Clip (3) - face.dll
Internal error in Clip (1) - face.dll - exit after exit
"Internal error in Clip (2) - face.dll exit after exit
Internal error - WA_clip - C and D are coincident Face.dll
Messages that imply some degenerated topology of faces or lines:

Such degeneration can be caused by null radii or more generally by dimensions that the program expect
not being null, when instead they are. Cuts along specific alignments may sometimes cause problems in
reconstructing the resulting cut-object topology.
Error Messages
843
Error null norm vector

Error found face having null norm vector
Limit reached - WA_IntersectAll - Face.dll (200)
Internal error in CutAway impossible jump - Face.dll
Messages related to net cross-section plastic moduli evaluation:

The net cross-section computation & check imply intersecting components by a cutting plane, so leading to
a resulting "net" cross-section, which must be detected. The plastic moduli of these net cross-sections using
net cross-section principal axes must be evaluated to better check its resistance. Computing plastic moduli
of a net cross-section, implies an iterative procedure, that sometimes cannot converge. If this happens, the
program uses the elastic modulus instead of the plastic one, so leading to checks more on the safe side. All
these messages are possibly related to this lack of convergence.
Convergence on angle not reached while computing plastic moduli: assumed elastic values
Convergence on c value not reached while computing plastic moduli: assumed elastic values. (unknown PNA
has equation: ax+by+c=0)
Error in computation of limit moduli while iterating on angle
Error in computing plastic data
Error in GetLimitModuli
Error in Normal Plastic Step
Error in Plastic Step
Starting angles not found.
Messages which imply the impossibility to check a bolt layout using a bearing surface
A bolt layout using a bearing surface is always computed by a non linear procedure, as the bearing
surface is no-tension. Sometimes the procedure is not able to converge for these reasons: a) The applied
load is beyond the limit load (load point outside limit domain); b) there is no element able to carry the
required compressions: the bearing surface cannot as it is pulled, the bolts cannot as they have been
computed using the "no compression" flag. c) The convergence was not reached due to numerical
problems.
In this case the program issues a warning and in that combination the checks are not passed. You can try
setting the bolts as also compressive, enlarge the bearing surface or reduce the loads, or, also, change the
bearing surface constitutive load. Sometimes, if the reached convergence is good, but not optimal, the
program asks whether to accept or not the solution computed, albeit the convergence is not optimal.
844
External loads halved. Set boltlayout 'also in compression' flag on, or change bearing surface extension.
No convergence on boltlayout. Load cannot be applied.
Unable to execute elastic computation
Unable to execute nonlinear computation
Warning: after 80 iterations a tolerance < 1.e-003 but > 1.e-004 was reached in finding the BL neutral axis. It
seems good, but not very good. Accept this solution?
Messages related to the bearing surface
The bearing surface must be wholly inside the faces in contact (A). Small violations can be due to tolerance
problems and if this is so they are usually not too dangerous for the analysis (B). Sometimes the "bearing
surface face-inside-component face" criterion is not fully applicable (C).
In A it is clearly not allowed that the bearing surface is outside the available surface. In this case an
intersection of the wrong bearing surface with the available surface will lead to a corrected bearing surface
shape.
In B it is possible that a point of the bearing surface is outside of a negligible distance. Also in this case it is
useful the intersection command (here
597
).
In C the point P of the bearing surface (the whole flange) is necessarily external to the surface "i" of the
reinforcing plate (cover) placed under the flange, and this condition is not avoidable and does not mean that
there will be "pressures toward void" due to the presence of the web.
The object which acts as bearing surface must be checked for crushing. It is therefore necessary to set the
object acting as bearing surface (usually the weakest component) so as to relate to it the checks done by the
Error Messages
845
program.
At least one point of bearing polygon has been found which is outside the faces in contact. Continue anyhow?
Warning! It has not been specified which object must be checked as bearing.
Messages which imply the failure of an expected command or operation:
A problem was found while scanning one net cross-section for component %s. This net cross-section will be
skipped. The program was unable to detect one of the expected net cross-section
Error applying working "name" (number "#" of the object) for object "object name": a work process could not
be applied
Error: not all side exiting from this face have the same direction. No working applied: a face translation could
not be applied
Error retrieving net-sections
Points do not lay over a plane: points that should be coplanar are not
Different number of drilled thicknesses: bolts of the same bolt layout drill different thicknesses, and this is
not acceptable
Difference in the sequence of drilled objects: bolts of the same bolt layout drill different objects, and this is
not allowed
Difference in the piece number of drilled objects: bolts of the same bolt layout drill different objects, and
this is not allowed
Too many extremities in a joiner: a bolt layout cannot connect more than 10 thicknesses. A weld layout only
two components (or subcomponents). Faces in contact imply that the WL connects more than two
components (check triangular end-faces).
Only Jnodes of the master-slave or of the central kind presently supported: jnodes not being simple,
hierarchical or central cannot be checked.
Warning very high plate thickness: fd may be not correct: the thickness of a component is higher than the
maximum expected by the standard used, in order to specify the design stress reductions
Weld extremities unrecognized in component fem model: the nodes related to a weld layout has not been
found in the FEM model of a component.
Error: composed cross section may not use JUAN (generic) cross-sections: section identified numerically
(so called, by joke, "Juan") cannot be part of a composed cross-section
Limits reached: program aborts: protection fault
Unknown document: problem in the file format when reading or file with no assigned name when writing
846
Messages which imply a potential incoherence in the model:

Warning! Material or cross-section modification implies a mismatch with original FEM model.
Changing material or cross-section in the renode implies an incoherence with the original FEM model: in
theory, if an analysis has been run using that FEM model,it should be re-run.
Warning, this will create a severe problem with jnode detection. Some instances of some jnode will not be
equal anymore. A new jnode search is necessary. Proceed anyhow?
The previous message is issued when the cross-section or the material of some members are modified. There
can be other equal jnodes using other members, which are not involved in the re-assignment. So, equal jnode
detection would be affected (jnodes previously considered equal would no longer be as such).
Part
IX
848
Release notes
Release notes
Version 3.00 848
Version 3.50 859
Version 4.00 862
Version 4.10 865
Version 4.15 867
Version 4.20 868
Version 4.30 868
Version 4.40 869
Version 4.50 871
Version 4.60 873
Version 4.62 875
Version 4.70 876
Version 4.80 878
Version 4.90 878
Version 5.00 878
Version 5.20 879
Version 5.30 879
Version 5.40 880
Version 5.51 883
Version 5.60 884
Version 5.80 887
Version 5.92 888
Version 6.00 889
Version 6.20 891
Version 6.40 895
Version 6.90 896
9.1
Version 3.00
Release notes: version 3.00, May 2009
This project has had to face many difficulties, in terms of the complexity of the subject
and the impossibility of working continuously on the project, despite its considerable
importance. Nevertheless 2008 saw a major breakthrough which has led to rapid progress, the
Release notes
849
results of which have all been included from version 3.0 of the program onwards. We were
able to set up a very general computational model which enables the internal forces flowing
into the joiners to be computed. This led to the automatic checks on the joiners in the renode,
and indeed has opened the way to all the subsequent developments.
CSE has thus reach the milestone of being able to use a general algorithm for the
automatic checks on generic joints. As at version 3.0, the program has the following main
features and functionality:
1. Synchronized multiple views.

2. Print, print preview, and the ability to copy images to the clipboard for transfer to other
applications.
3. Context sensitive HELP (HLP), a user guide in PDF format, information ebook,
validation manual and introductory films.
850
4. Creating FEM models within the program.

5. Importing FEM models in Sargon format.
6. Automatic recognition of members (from finite elements).
7. Detection and automatic classification of the equal jnodes 790 for a wide range of general
cases.
8. Producing a listing of all the jnodes and their properties, including the envelope of
internal actions for the different occurrences of the same jnode, which is useful for
checking purposes.
Release notes
851
9. The ability to transform a jnode into a renode 811 by adding components 780 like angle
brackets, double angle brackets, rectangular plates, bevelled rectangular plates
(stiffeners), triangular plates, trapezoidal plates, regular polygonal plates, circular plates,
generic cross-section trunks using a set of more than 10,000 cross-sections (IPE, HEA,
HEB, HEM and UPN sections, welded T-, L- and C-sections, T-sections cut from rolled
I- or H-sections, angles, CHS, cold formed sections, generic composites, etc. etc.) and
constraint blocks 783 .
10.Copy, rotation and move operations.
852
11.The facility to define work processes 826 like generic shape cuts using a cutting polygon,
cuts using cutting boxes, face rotations, face translations, triangular bevels, square bevels
and circular bevels. These work processes let the user modify both the members and the
force transferrers. Extending and trimming members.
12.The ability to specify bolt layouts with regular, staggered, circular or generic
arrangements. Shear-only bolt layouts, or shear and tension/compression or shear and
Release notes
853
tension-only bolt layouts, anchors, slip-resistant joints, bolt layouts using a bearing
surface 772 (computed via non-linear computation in order to find the neutral axis position
and the part of the bearing surface under compression), bearing components with linear,
no-tension, elastic-perfectly plastic, trilinear or parabola-rectangle constitutive laws (all
no-tension). The bolt layouts can be applied to any plane face of any object which is in
contact with other objects that will be bolted to it (currently a set of parallel faces), with
no limitation in orientation or layout.
13.The ability to define weld layouts (fillet welds only) joining plane faces in contact, using
any number of fillets in any orientations.
14.The ability to define the local axes for the elements or for the components as the active
coordinate system.
854
15.The ability to define variables and conditions via formulae input and stored in the
program (without the need for programming skills), starting from pre-defined variables
which include the information about the components in the scene (for instance a variable
mikey= m2.fy / m2.ft or a condition N< m1.fy * m1.A / gammaM0).
16.Automatic recognition of the connections, without the need to indicate the entities
involved.
17.Reconstructing the topology and connectivity of the renode and recognising overlaps for
ill-connected joints and unconnected components.
18.Automatic reconstruction of all the connection chains 776 from a member to its master
member, from a member to the constraint block or from a member to the central entity
(hierarchical jnodes 793 , attachments 782 , central jnodes 791 ).
19.Automatic computation as a function of the combinations specified in the FEM model or,
independently, computation based on the suitably factorised elastic and plastic limits of
the members (independently of the FEM model or of whether external programs are being
used).
20.Checking the joiners in accordance with CNR at the allowable stresses, CNR at the limit
states, Eurocode 3 parts 1-8 where applicable (checks on bolts and weld seams).
Release notes
855
21.Automatic creation of finite element models of the plates for the Sargon Clever solver,
which can be imported into Sargon for further study or solved automatically by CSE. The
models are meshed automatically with the desired mesh size and include all the
elementary actions transmitted by the bolts and welds, to facilitate a careful examination
of the state of stress of plates of any shape, including after having been subject to work
processes.
22.Automatic bearing stress checks for all entities connected by bolt layouts.
23.Automatic shear checks on joints.
24.Automatic pull-out checks on anchors.
856
25.Automatic checks of the bearing surface in bolt layouts which have them, representation
of the compressive stresses in the surface and the tensile stresses in the bolt layouts.
26.Automatically finding the net sections of the members (with notches or holes due to bolt
layouts) and automatically checking them under axial force plus monoaxial or biaxial
bending under the action of the relevant forces reconstructed by summing the
contributions of the individual bolts or parts of the relevant welds (gradation of the
distribution of the stress in the members). Representing the variation of normal stress on
the net section.
27.Block tearing checks

28.Simplified automatic checks of the force transferrers in suitable significant sections
Release notes
857
(plate attachment sections).
29.Renode deformability checks.

30.User checks based on formulae specified by the user themselves, stored and applied by
the program for full customisability, extendibility and automation.
31.Colour coded representations of the coefficients of utilisation of each individual

component being checked.
858
32.Providing a representation of the renode deformation for an immediate insight into the
phenomena involved.
33.Representing the forces transmitted by each component to the others, thus enabling the
reconstruction of the equilibria and the flow of the forces from one component to the next.
34.Creating an extended listing with the results of all the checks and the information about
all the components, in Italian or English and with the units of measurement of choice.
35.The ability to export the 3D model of the renode (FACE3D) in DXF format.
36.The ability to update the renode model by saving all the work which can be retained after
changes in the original FEM model have been made.
Some problems and problem classes have not yet been addressed due to lack of time,
although they will soon be included in the software. The enhancements which are planned for
future releases are listed below. Some of these are anticipated in the space of a few months,
others within a year or two.
Within a short period:
Release notes
859
New commands to facilitate the addition of standard components in standard positions

(end plates, web or flange plates, etc.)
Enhancements to the graphical view for hollow sections or pierced plates (e.g. the
annulus)
Slots
New additional force transferrers
Improvements to the command which generates work processes for cutting polygons or
boxes
The addition of complete-penetration welds (currently only fillet welds are supported)
Within a medium period:
Drawing sections according to arbitrary plans
Additional graphical output to drawing packages
Further new renode parameters and a new library of standard connections to be
retrieved in just a few mouse clicks
Creating cut-down versions of the program to deal with the most common joints only.
Within a long period:
Creating the 3D model of the entire structure with all renodes solved and an overall
final graphical rendering
AISC standards
Rivets
New cut-down versions of the program with the common joints
Automatic drawing board creation
Further progress with the problems involved in connections with circular tubes.
9.2
Version 3.50
Release notes: version 3.50, October 2009
Version 3.5 introduces a range of important new features and includes various fault fixes; the
860
operation of certain commands has also been generalised.

The main new developments in this release are:
1. The new interface with Sap2000 for both input (FEM models to use as a starting point)
and output (FEM models of the plates and components to be examined). This also opens
the way to running checks in the plastic range, which is currently not supported by
CLEVER.
2. The user checks have been generalised and made fully equivalent to the automatic checks.
It is now possible to associate user checks with a component and see the results of these
checks on screen in the colour maps.
3. New option flags have been added for the simplified checks
4. Further new option flags for bolt layouts.
5. Generalisation of the overstrength factors for the individual internal force components.
6. The addition of new predefined variables and new functions to describe the user checks.
7. Amendments to the output listing.
The new flexibility index
There are cases where the distribution of the forces between various bolt layouts can be
Release notes
861
computed by the program, even in the context of a balanced model, without taking sufficient
account of bearing stress (which is checked automatically in any case). The bearing stress can
redistribute the forces, typically from the bolt layouts which are subject to high bearing stress to
those which have not yet reached this state. To take this into account, some bolt layouts (e.g. the
web layouts in a splice joint) can be associated with a flexibility index greater than 1 to reduce
its stiffness. The axial load will thus migrate toward the flange bolt layouts by the amount
desired. Please see the help text for additional information.
The flexibility index is currently only applied to shear-only bolt layouts.
Modifications to the user checks
A considerable amount of work has been carried out in this area. Now the additional user
checks must be associated with a component, and their result will be displayed on screen
exactly as for the automatic checks. This allows the user to view the results of their checks and
makes them more easily comparable with the automatic ones. The output listing has also been
extensively improved to this end. It now also includes the description of the checks and the user
variables.
New flags for controlling the checks
The user can now choose whether or not a force transferrer must be subject to simplified checks
and whether or not the simplified checks are required to use torsion (which is sometimes
inactivated by monolateral supports). For bolt layouts with a bearing surface, there is also the
ability to choose whether or not the moment of inertia of the bolts themselves is to be included
in the combined compression and bending calculation, and whether to use the net or gross area
in the definition of the axial inertia of the bolts. An additional flag has been added to the check
settings to determine whether or not the user checks are to be carried out.
Fault fixes
Fixes have been provided for some faults which could lead to incorrect or misleading results in
862
certain cases.
1. The graphical rendering of the (positive/negative) sense of the moments exchanged
between components was incorrect when the twin force was null and the sign was
negative.
2. The computation of the forces transmitted by the bolts to the components in the simplified
force transferrer checks was inaccurate in some cases.
9.3
Version 4.00
Release notes: version 4.00, April 2010
Numerous enhancements and modifications have been made which, extend and improve the
program significantly. The changes since the last version can be summarised as follows:
1. In the definition of the bearing surface (for bolt layouts with a bearing surface), it is now
possible to specify more than one polygon, to represent complex surfaces obtained by
adding a suitable projection "c" around the faces facing the (topmost) plane of entry of the
bolts. This enables the compliance of the plates to be taken into account, along with the
fact therefore that the zones which react to compression can be of relatively modest size,
concentrated around the footprint of the joined plates (see diagram).
2. An open exchange format has been devised, known as .SR3, and CSE can read and write
files in this format. With the read facility, FEM models created elsewhere can be
imported, whilst the write function allows FEM models to be created for components in a
Release notes
863
format which can also be read by other programs. CSE can call any other program
directly (which can be selected once and then used again every time thereafter) and pass
it the .SR3 file for it to read and solve. If this program then creates the .SDB, .DDB and
.RDB files with the results, CSE will be able to read these results directly, as it already
does with Sargon/CLEVER. This development opens up the program to all who may wish
to interface with it.
3. The program is now available in two languages. On entry, the interface is presented in
English; the Modify-Settings command can be used to set the desired language (English or
Italian). The documentation has now been translated into English.
4. A new command has been provided to enable the user to choose whether or not to display
the points in the scene and to determine the criteria to be used to build the scene. This can
all be very useful when constructing the components and specifying the work processes to
be carried out on them.
864
5. The FEM model for the components has been enhanced, thus allowing the minimum angle
for the mesh triangles to be specified, along with a different mesh size for edges, welds
and generic elements. This enables heterogeneous meshes to be used, which can be much
finer where required and less so where not. Improvements have also been made to the
process of quadrangularizing the elements.
6. In the FEM modelling, the components can now be computed with CLEVER, which is
now supplied as standard with CSE independently of Sargon, and the results can be
viewed using SARGON READER, which is also supplied as standard with the CSE. The
components can be viewed directly, by selecting them and clicking a dedicated button.
This functionality has also been extended to SAP2000 and to the generic solver, where it
can be configured under the general settings.
7. The CLEVER sparse matrix solver is now always going to be part of the releases, as
opposed to the skyline solver, for solving the component FEM models.
8. Sub-components (composite sections or force transferrers obtained by extruding
composite sections, or double angle-brackets) are now also supported. In the connection
logic analysis, when the composite components are examined their sub-components are
considered as separate entities. This implies the need to bring the sub-components
together using suitable joints and eliminates certain problems inherent in the treatment of
composite sections as monolithic entities.
9. In the FEM component modelling, individual entities can now be classed as stiffeners,
Release notes
865
and the user can choose whether or not to include a components stiffeners in its FEM
model. This feature, together with the handling of the sub-components, makes it possible
to create very complex FEM models automatically.
10.Block tearing checks have been added to the set of standard checks which can be run
automatically by the program on request. Although this is a complex subject for which
further enhancements are expected in the future, the current routine already supports a
healthy number of block tearing failure cases.
11.All the checks are now optional. The user can therefore choose which of them should be
carried out.
12.The graphical view has been improved for hollow sections.
13.The program can now read ANF format directly (STRUCAD). The program can therefore
be invoked by passing it an ANF file, which will be imported directly as if it were a
Sargon file.
14.The handling of the underlying model for central renodes has been enhanced.
15.Several minor faults and glitches have been corrected.
9.4
Version 4.10
Release notes: version 4.10, June 2010
Version 4.1 introduces the following important new features
1. Penetration welds 824 have been added. This significantly extends CSE range.
2. Choice between two different torsion computation methods for weld layouts (Jp, polar
866
inertia moment, or Jr, sum of slim rectangles contributions)

3. For imported fem model, it is possible to automatically select most critical check
combinations for each renode, in order to reduce computational time and output listing size.
4. For both imported fem models and models defined in CSE, it is possible to define different
multipliers for elastic or plastic limits (a multiplier for compression, one for tension, one for
V2 shear, one for V3 shear, one for M1, etc.); each member can have different multipliers. In
addition, forces and moments values can be directly defined (new mode).
When elastic/plastic limits or defined values are used, a single instance is now computed.
If elastic limits are used in combination with use info about end releases, now stiffnesses
are computed even if multipliers are not equal to 1.
5. It is possible to discard cuspidal and tangent jnodes from jnodes search. In addition, after
jnodes search it is possible to define preliminary checks settings.
6. New cross-sections can now be added directly in CSE, without using S.A.M.B.A. (for both
finite elements sections and renode throughs section).
7. Two output listing options: with renode description only or with full results listing.
8. New language added for the listing: Spanish in addition to English and Italian.
9. New default variables added for bolt layouts: axial forces and shears in every bolt, in each
combination and maxima in all bolts. These variables are useful for user checks.
10.Three new isometric standard views added.
Release notes
867
11.3D model menu is now active. Regenerate and Clear commands let you display and hide 3D
view of the whole structure or of its worked part. When 3D view is clear, the model is
lighter. N.B.: this command is not complete and needs some improvements.
12.End releases and connection codes can have different colours, in order to univocally define
the orientation of symmetrical jnodes having more than one instance. For the same reason, it
is also possible to define coloured connection codes for trusses.
13.New command added in Jnodes menu: Almost identical finds and prints similar jnodes
families.
14.Display Objects has a new flag which allows to display selected jnodes only.
15.Duplicate condition command added.
16.Three new commands added in Renode-Members menu:
- Original position brings back selected member to its initial position after shifts and/or
rotations
- No trimming-extension removes applied trimmings or extensions from selected member
- Modify cross-section allows the modification of selected member cross-section
17.New shapes composed by [ and L can now be added directly in CSE.
18.Sides recognised as stiffened sides are discarded in bolt pressure bearing checks.
19.Nodes distance tolerance can be defined for members and throughs fem models creation: if
two nodes are closer than defined tolerance, they are merged.
20. Display Modes settings for renode view now apply to solid view too.
21. Several further small improvements added.
9.5
Version 4.15
Release notes: version 4.15, October 4, 2010
Version 4.15 introduces the following important new features:
1. When creating automatically FEM models of components, it is now used Hughes's thick plate
formulation based upon Mindlin-Reissner theory. [1]
2. Section "Members whose worst utilization ratio is due to fem resistance checks" has been
added to output listing.
3. Graphical display of circular hollow sections has been improved
868
4. The problem of managing models with spaces in model name or file path has been removed.
5. Few minor defects have been corrected.
[1] T.J.R. Hughes, Finite Elements Based Upon Mindlin Plate Theory With Particular Reference to the FourNode Bilinear Isoparametric Element, Journal of Applied Mechanics, September 1981, Vol. 48.
9.6
Version 4.20
Release notes: version 4.20, December 2010
The following important new features have been added.
1. Automatic punching shear check for bolted entities (optional)
2. Possibility to import check combinations for a renode from an Excel table or from Notepad.
3. Small improvements added and few minor defects corrected.
9.7
Version 4.30
Release notes: version 4.30, January 2011
Release notes
869
The following very important new features have been added in version 4.30.
1. Indian standard IS 800:2007-WS added (Working Stress)
2. Indian standard IS 800:2007-LS added (Limit States)
3. American standard AISC-ASD added (Allowable Stress Design)
4. American standard AISC-LRFD added (Load and Resistance Factor Design)
5. Weld layouts now can be made "in shop" or "in field" (in computations, this affects indian
standards only).
6. In bolt kind choice, 6 different bolt sets are available: european, indian, american, european
HSFG (high stregth friction grip), indian HSFG and american HS (high strength).
7. In resistance check of slip resistant bolt, axial force in bolts considered also the pre-load,
being on the safe side. From this version on, internal axial force for resistance check does
not consider the pre-load, that is used for slip checks only.
8. Different parameterized plates have been added as available thorughs.
9. Now it is possible to define plates with holes.
10. Through choice dialog box has been replaced with a property sheet.
11. The application of bearing pressure in components automatic FEM models has been
improved.
9.8
Version 4.40
Release notes: version 4.40, November 2011
1. A new facility has been added to apply one of the compatible parametric renodes from the
archive to the current renode; its parameters can be modified as required. In this mode, the
three-dimensional connection is created automatically, just by selecting the desired
predefined connection from the archive.
2. The ability has been provided to save new parametric renodes, by recording the operations
performed when constructing the renode or using a text file. When recording a PRenode, the
dimensions are defined parametrically, not numerically, so that they can be applied to
similar renodes, but with different dimensions, inclinations or other quantities.
870
3. CSE now comes in both a FULL version (with all commands and all available functionality)
and a LIGHT version, with a simplified, semi-automated interface and cut-down
functionality.
4. This release includes the new PRenode menu, with the following commands: New, Add
image, Save, Abort and Archive.
5. In the Renode menu, the following commands have been added: Reset Renode and Assign
PRenode (previously called Assign standard renode, which has now been removed).
6. Users can now also run non-linear analyses on the automatic component FEM models. The
dialog boxes used to define the material and add components have also been enhanced to
support non-linearity.
7. New tool for the definition of standard checks via guided user checks.
8. The commands Set of combinations (Combiset) and Select combinations are new additions
to the FEM menu; they manage the combisets (only for models imported from Sargon) and
activate/deactivate combinations (for both Sargon and SAP2000).
9. The sr3 format now also covers combinations of combinations. As well as linear additive
combinations, combinations of type SRSS+, SRSS-, range + and -, + and - absolute values,
and max and min envelopes are now also available.
10.The bolt layout flexibility index, which previously could only be used in shear-only layouts,
is now also available for other bolt layout types.
11.The Typical Structures command has been renamed Typical nodes and can now be found in
the main FEM menu. This command has also been enhanced to allow materials and sections
to be assigned to members using an automated design tool, to allow several typical nodes to
be added to the same CSE model, and to enable the members and jnodes searches to be
bypassed (they can be run automatically by the program). New typical structures have been
added.
12.If a node's FEM model contains a single through-member, and all the others terminate at the
node, it is no longer necessary to specify the connection signs for the slaves, because the
jnode is automatically recognised as hierarchical, and the sole through-member is taken to be
the master.
13.The minimum default angle for the automatic FEM models of the components is now 19.8.
14.Other minor improvements and fixes.
Release notes
9.9
871
Version 4.50
Release notes: version 4.50, May 2012
1. The sections check 225 now covers also the throughs, not anymore the members alone. This is
a very important improvement, for plane plates in particular,because it reduces the need of
automatic FEM models. Components are scanned to find relevant "net sections". In these net
sections (often rectangular) are computed the effects of single bolts and single welds that are
beyond the considered section. Bearing surface loads are considered too, if present (only the
part of the surface being beyond the section is considered, using a boundary integration,
Green's formula). In a lot of cases, this new tool covers in an automatic way the checks
required by the Standards (for example, initial sections of FIN plates). CSE considers in
different ways the different kinds of components. Generic extruded shapes are cut with
planes normal to extrusion axis; composed plates are cut along all the 3 principal axes; plane
plates (a very important case) are cut with planes normal to plate middle plane (z=ax+by+c,
where xy is the plane of the plate). The orientation of these planes is free, and it can be
automatic or defined by the user. In the first case, the program uses alignments given by bolt
alignments and single weld axes to find the planes; in the second case, the program will use
those planes chosen by the user.
2. Net sections results display have been improved: normal stress
d,
is given, instead of k= /
to avoid misunderstanding bewteen k and the utilisation E which considers also the
shear; in addition if
min
< -1.25
or
max
> 1.25
then
min
and
max
are used (as in the
previous versions). If previous equations are not satisfied, maximum and minimum of the
scale are set to +1.25
and -1.25
d,
with 0.25 intervals.
3. The Enquire - Net sections 426 command now covers also the throughs.
4. New command added: Renode - Components - Net sections 628 . It lets the user define desired
net sections for the checks.
5. New commands added: Display - Net sections 399 . It is used to display in the 3D scene the
components net sections, with their number. The command has a button in the main toolbar.
6. If the net section is exactly rectangular, Av = A is set in the check (the net sections of the
872
plates are always rectangular). Net sections computation is now plastic, always.
7. In net sections check is used fd for bending and compression, fn for tension (fn=fd if there are
not holes).
8. When executing the checks it is now possible to use the effective position 267 of members
extremities as the application point for the internal forces (instead of the theoretical one, in
case of members shifts, trimmings or extensions, rotations). Note: prism subtractions, face
shifts and face rotations are not considered. This new feature can be used to neglect nondesired moments of transport, but it must be used carefully, because it introduces a loss of
coherence between the FEM model and the 3D real model of the node.
9. The "neglect parasitic bending on bolts" flag (checks setting dialog box) now affects also the
checks of net sections, standard sections and automatic FEM.
10.During the recording of a PRenode, it is not possible to open PRenodes archive; in addition,
a red circle in the graphical view reminds that recording is on.
11.The dialog box for bearing surface definition has been improved: now it is possible to add
the border (only the border) of the selected face (positive or negative, for addition or
subtraction). About that, it must be said that for particular boolean operations sequences, it
was found a problem in Warwick University routine used by CSE: a "full" polygon could be
inside a "full" polygon, leading to wrong normal stress results. The problem has been found
and removed. There was no evidence of this problem while using typical operations as the
choice of a face, a face with additional borders, a face with the subtraction of a hole, etc.
12.The display of bearing surface results has been improved: now,
in all the bolts and
on
the bearing surface are given, together with neutral axis inclination, its distance from bolt
layout center and the distance of maximum compression point; utilization ratio colored map
depends from /
lim ratio.
13.While looking at the bearing surface results and net sections results display, it is now
possible to use the zoom and pan commands. Results can be displayed in the best way,
enlarging most interesting zones.
14.Design stress on the anchor bolts belonging to bearing surfaces now depends on the chosen
standard only (not on linear or nonlinear choice).
15.If a bolt layout is slip-resistant and shear-only, now a bending on the layout causes axial
force in bolts, not moments (axial force in bolt shafts is already present, due to the pre-load).
Release notes
873
16.The management of the objects with holes has been improved in the dialog box for bearing
surface definition. Welds positioning is now easier.
17.In the dialog box for weld layouts definition, buttons |<-- and -->| have been added: they
place current weld at the extremes of the side (this tool is not available during PRenodes
recording).
18.Load level setting 522 dialog box has been added for parametric renodes. By using this dialog
box, users can pre-define the loads for the renode which will be automatically created. It is
possible to manage the load levels also using the alphanumeric format (FULL version only).
19.New commands added: Enquire-net sections 422 and Enquire-Materials 423 to get information
about model cross-sections and materials quickly.
20.New commands added: Trim by click 531 , Extend by click 531 and Align Face 531 in the Renode
menu, Members sub-menu.
21.Toolbar "Post" added. It contains all the buttons dedicated to the post-processing.
22.An error has been removed in free-positioning bolt layouts. When a bolt was deleted, layout
principal axes were not computed again. This computation was done only when a new bolt
was added and/or a bolt moved. This problem has been found and removed.
23.Added new commands to display the forces exchanged by single bolts and single welds,
both as cartesian components and as vector resultant. Commands: Display forces of
subcomponents 715 and Display forces of subcomponents (resultant) 716 . These commands are
very helpful.
24.Added the following cross-sections: UC, UB, UBP, ASB, UPFC.
25.Added the function NOXY(point) to the keypad for variables and conditions addition; it
returns the xy norm of a point (or of the difference between points).
26.Added the predefined variable .G (position of bolt and weld layouts center).
27.Added a new button (with dialog box 754 ) to the PRenodes management dialog box: it is
possible to assign some parameter to all the PRenodes of the archive.
28.Two new standard checks 664 added: web shear and plate lateral sway.
29.Other minor improvements and fixes.
9.10
Version 4.60
Release notes: version 4.60, July 2012
874
The following very important new features have been added to version 4.60.
1. The whole package has been recompiled using compiler Visual Studio 2010, the last
available in Microsoft production. Previous version had been compiled using Visual Studio
2008. This recompile implies the substitution of system DLL MSVCR90.DLL and
MFC90.DLL with DLL MSVCR100.DLL and MFC100.DLL. They all reside in the
installation folder.The new compiler aligns CSE with the most recent standards of Windows
programming.
2. Several new commands have been added to customize application look and application
interface. They are all in the menu Display. New command Customize Interface 385 replaces
previous command Tool Bar. More commands, used to change application look, are all
under Display-Application Look sub-menu. These commands are used to modify the
application look according to different possible styles. Besides, toolbar and menu
customization have been improved. The new command Window-Window Manager 760 has
also been added, to better manage application windows..
3. In order to improve non standard cross-section management, two important new features
have been added.
a. The first one is to allow the direct running of program SAMBA, which now join the
application CSE as a separate tool, for free. SAMBA is specifically designed to manage
cross-section archives and material archives, all embedded into a file .SMA (CSE.SMA
for CSE application). A new command, File-SAMBA 373 , is used to immediately run the
application SAMBA directly opening the file CSE.SMA in the CSE application folder. So
new cross-sections and new materials may be added and or modified. SAMBA (Shape
And Material Brisk Archive) has been used for years in order to tackle these kind of
issues, and is equipped with a specific documentation, both in Italian and English. The
files to consider for English version, are: SAMBAE.PDF and SAMBAE.CHM, both in
CSE installation folder.
b. The second one is that it is now possible to define generic composite cross-sections from
within CSE, without the need of first upgrading the archive CSE.SMA by using SAMBA.
In practice, if a generic composite cross-section is chosen, the user first has to choose the
cross-sections he/she is going to use in order to define the new composite cross-section,
Release notes
875
which is done by extracting these needed cross-sections from the archive by setting proper
filters. Then, the desired cross-section is defined placing needed cross-sections where
needed (dialog Composed Shapes 465 ).
4. To avoid too long chains 776 , a new parameter has been defined in dialog Settings 380 , and
saved with file model.cse, which sets the maximum number of components crossed which
the generic chain is discarded. The suggested default value is 10, this number may be
comprised between 3 and 255.
5. A tolerance length value has been modified from 10-3 to 10-1 mm during the complex phase
of failure paths search in block tear checks. Due to a too strict tolerance value, sometimes
the algorithm had problems in finding the failure paths, and so an error message like
"GetBreakAll-Unable to find intersection" was issued. This should now be much less
probable.
9.11
Version 4.62
Release Notes: version 4.62, September 2012
Several very important new features have been added to version 4.62.
1. Pins 807 are now available. They are considered as special boltlayouts having one element
only and with a special bolt. The rules for checking pins (resistance 167 and bearing 202 ) are
different from those of normal bolt layouts.
2. Shear keys 813 are now available, that is special components embedded into the concrete
constraint block with the aim of carrying shears and torque.
3. The flexibility index 785 has been added to weld layouts, as well as it was already available
for bolt layouts. This if necessary allows a different setting of the relative force flow among
different joiners working in parallel layouts.
4. The way anchorages 214 (i.e. bolts as anchors) may be defined in CSE has been substantially
improved. Now 5 different kinds of anchors are available.
5. Some bugs have been removed, especially related to members with hollow sections, now
improved. Particularly:
a. Members having cross-sections defined as arrays of polygons, when used to define
876
hollow sections, were not correctly displayed.

b. The FEM model of CHS members (circular hollow sections) was rotated by 7.5 degrees
relative to renode scene, so leading to meshing difficulties and mismatch with the renode
scene.
c. When using hollow sections, the constraints of FEM models of members were missing.
d. Samba crashed when trying to add UPFC (parallel flange channels) and ASB (asymmetric
beams).
6. The CSE file format has been changed due to the improvements related to welds, shear keys,
and anchors. As well, the PRenode alphanumeric (text) format. PRenodes saved in the binary
format are automatically read in CSE and adapted to new file format. Also, when reading old
CSE models, they will be automatically converted to new format. However, old CSE
versions will not be able to read new files saved with version 4.62.
7. It is still a work in progress but apparently already available the import of files .STD
(STAAD PRO). Do not use this option for the moment.
9.12
Version 4.70
Release Notes: version 4.70, October, 29 2012
Several very important new features have been added to version 4.62.
1. New interface with Strap 101 (Structural Analysis Program). It is possible to import in CSE
files GEOM*.DAT created by Strap. CSE automatically launches the creation of Strap's
report via Stbatch.exe and imports the output, including information about model geometry,
elements properties, offsets, orientations, etc. together with internal forces in load cases and
combinations, if available. Then the user needs to search for jnodes, create renodes and
check them. If needed, user can define connection codes (not available in Strap) before
searching for jnodes, without losing results.
2. For imported FEM models, the following operations can be done without loss of results:
modification to elements' local orientation, modification of cross-sections, materials and
offsets, definition of end releases and connection codes. It's up to the user to check if
changes are compliant with imported results.
Release notes
877
3. The Assign end release 499 dialog box has been improved with the option to modify
connection codes only, without change of end releases.
4. Units for moments 377 and stresses 377 can be defined independently from length and force
units (derived units are still available). Units for moments and stresses are printed in the
status bar. In addition, it is possible to change print format 380 for length, forces, moments and
stresses.
5. Output listing now contains measurement units for all values.
6. For bolt layouts with bearing surface, stresses in all the bolts and in all bearing surface
points are printed in the output listing.
7. New cross-sections have been added to the archive (more than 1000 new shapes).
8. A new option in Display orientation 390 dialog box is available ("Section+local axes"): it
displays the shape of the cross-section together with the local axes. Previously available
options have been renamed: synthetic now is called "Axis 2 direction", complete now is
called "Local axes", detailed now is called "Section".
9. Two new commands added in Checks menu: Display external forces (global) 710 and Display
external forces (local) 711 . These commands are used to display the forces and the moments
transferred from the members to the rest of the node.
10. Pins 807 computation has been improved in order to prevent large displacements due to small
offsets.
11.Report 367 creation in ePUB format has been added to command list. This report file merges
formatted text and pictures taken from the program, automatically. The general program
setting dialog now also lists the Author name, in order to embed it into the report created
automatically. See How to manage the report 281 for more info.
12.When using members with composed cross-sections (i.e. sections got by assembling several
simple cross-sections) with shears applied, in versions < 4.67 the shear applied was
incorrectly set to member sub-components, so that the sum of the shears applied to subcomponents was not equal to the total shear applied. Presently the shears are applied to
simple cross-section depending on the ratio between the simple cross section area, and the
overall cross section area.
878
9.13
Version 4.80
Release Notes: version 4.80, November, 29 2012
This is an intermediate version which releases the new STAAD PRO file import capability.
Here is the link to the topic:
STAAD PRO 108 108 INTERFACE RELEASE NOTES 108
9.14
Version 4.90
Release Notes: version 4.90, December, 17 2012
This version adds two main new features to the program:

1. BS 5950 have been added to the standards available in CSE.
2. The new file format .SR4 (ASCII) has been added to the file formats available, in order to read a fem model
(solved or not) into CSE. This new file format is important as it can easily be managed by users by
themselves, and or using external programs.
9.15
Version 5.00
Release Notes: version 5.00, February, 25 2013
This very important new version adds the following new features to the program:
1. Creation of the finite element model mesh has been made much faster.
2. Full review of AISC code has been done, aligning CSE with applicable rules of AISC manual 14th edition.
3. For bolt layouts in bending, not using a bearing surface to carry the compressive part of the stresses, it is
now possible to choose a plastic distribution of forces in the bolt shaft. This led to a new flag in the bolt
layout dialog. When using AISC this option is the one suggested if not using a bearing surface.
4. It is now possible to create automatically the fem models of aggregates of components (AFEM), at limit the
fem model of the whole renode. This new feature greatly enhances the program capabilities and is a
milestone in the developing of CSE.
5. A new set of PRenodes has been added to the PRenode archive. The total number of available PRenodes is
now 332.
Release notes
9.16
879
Version 5.20
Release Notes: version 5.20, March, 15 2013
This new version adds the following new features to the program:
1. DXF files of the fixed alignments and elevations of the structure may now be created thanks to the new
command Draw-Drawings 412 .
2. The DXF of the Renode can now be created not only using FACE3D entities, but also using simple lines.
3. Member materials in Renode can now be modified to define, typically, a non linear material behaviour for
the FEM plate-shell elements of a given member.
4. Prying forces factor 810 has been added to the bolt layout definition.
9.17
Version 5.30
Release note: version 5.30, April, 15, 2013
This version of the program modifies the bolt bearing pressure checks in the following way.
1) When checking plates in contact with "external" bolts, in order to keep into account that the
direction of the component of the force aligned to the row may be positive or negative, it is now
kept as reference distance the minimum between: a) minimum distance from border; b) pitch
distance i.e. distance to the nearest bolt in row. In previous versions just a) was considered.
Keep in mid that when checking plates in contact with "external" bolts, the distance from edge
is the minimum distance no matter force direction, not the minimum for all bolts in the
direction considered. This in order to avoid dangerous situations like the one in the figure, on
the right, not covered by the standards as V is not parallel to rows or columns. Projecting in
direction x and y (as it is necessary to have one component parallel and one perpendicular to
rows of the bolt layout) one would get higher lengths that the one effectively available. Using
minimum distance, however, may lead to a slight over safe design in situations like the one in
the figure, on the left.
880
9.18
Version 5.40
Release notes: version 5.40, May 13 2013
1) Change in the computation of the bolt layouts using a bearing surface.
This version of the program modifies the computation of the bolt layouts using a bearing surface
(for the limit state standards: CNR-SL, IS-LS, EC3, BS, ASIC-LRFD) and the checks of the
bolts according to Eurocode 3 and BS.
A) When computing a non linear stress state in the bolt layouts using a bearing surface, the
constitutive law used for the bolts now uses the yield stress and the ultimate stress with no
reduction. Only allowable stress standards were using, and use, a linear law for bolts.
The first point of the trilinear law used for limit state standards is now (fy/E, fy). The second
point is (eu, fu). The third point is (eu+1000, fu + 100000 MPa), where eu is the ultimate stress
(ET=1000 MPa). In this way the stress computed in the bolts will be able to cross the limit
fixed by the standards (a limit lower than fy) and this will automatically imply a not passed
check.
The constitutive law previously adopted for limit states standard was previously using, instead,
the points (fy/E
M2, fy M2),
(eu, 0.9fu/
M2)
and (eu+1000, 0.9fu/
M2
+ 100000 MPa). Although the
stress of the horizontal branch is now increased, due to the limitation at fu and no more at 0.9fu/
M2,
the checks will result not passed in general for lower values of the applied load. In fact the
limit of the standards does not allow the yielding of the bolts, albeit physically possible, as for
Release notes
881
the bolts fu/fy < 1.25. The program, adopting now an unfactored constitutive law, will allow
plastic redistribution of the stresses between bolts (as it happens physically) but at the expense
of stresses surely higher than those allowed by all the standards, so leading to unpassed checks.
Previously, the program, reached the maximum stress bound allowed by the standards (equal to
0.9fu/
M2
for Eurocode 3, and generally much lower than true yield stress), used a progressive
plastic redistribution up to the reaching of the plastic limit domain of the bolt layout. Higher
applied loads resulted in a lack of convergence. In other words this means that the checks of the
bolt layouts using a bearing surface resulted in "checked" values next to 1, instead of
"unchecked" values next to and greater than 1 when both these conditions were true:
1- the applied actions were higher than the limit associated to the tensile stress 0.9fu/
least one bolt, but lower than the value leading to (redistributed) stresses 0.9fu/
M2
M2
in at
in all bolts.
2- Standards Eurocode 3 or BS 5950 were used.

When standards IS-LS, CNR_SL and AISC-LRFD, were used, reaching the tensile stress 0.9fu/
M2
(we mean the equivalent to the maximum allowable tensile stress in each standard)
automatically implied uncomplaining checks due to the use of an elliptic formula. When
allowable stress standards were used, the tensile stress in bolts could be higher than (2/3)
0.9fu/
M2,
so the problem was not present.
B) For the reasons explained, due to the constitutive law previously adopted for the bolts, when
using limit state standards, the program did never compute tensile stresses in bolts higher than
0.9fu/
M2
, as once reached that value a plastic redistribution started. Therefore the maximum
possible utilization for the bolts, eN , was equal to 1.0. When also shear was applied, with
882
utilization eV, the final utilization computed by the program was (eN/1.4 + eV) according to
Eurocode 3 and (eN+eV)/1.4 according to BS, both lower than 1 (red branch in figure). A more
precise value for utilization should have been 1. Now the formulas consider max(eN, eV ) if at
least one of the two is greater than or equal to 1, and apply the combined formula only if both
values are strictly lower than 1. Due to the constitutive law adopted previously, it was never
possible to reach the gray region in the picture, while now it is possible.
2) Tapered cross section for members.
A new command needed to assign a second cross section to finite elements has been added.
This command assigns a second cross-section at the second extremity of the finite elements, so
leading to tapered cross section. Future versions will enable a direct addition of tapered
members via specific commands to be added.
3) Change of the command Inquire-Find
The command now allows to find a given instance of a Jnode. The user may set the Jnode name
and the number of the instance to be found. The program will select the jnode and the node in
the fem model referring to the instance set (so switching to FEM view the node will appear
selected). In order to better distinguish the already worked Jnodes from the others, a light-green
border is now drawn around the Jnode symbol of the Jnode which have somehow been worked
(Renode not blank).
4) Change in the command Work-process rotate face.
When choosing this kind of work process the program now asks which rule will have to be
chosen to rotate the face. The first rule (the only one available before version 5.40), rotates the
face and possibly changes its shape in order to simulate an inclined cut. The second rule
(available from version 5.40) simply rotates the face without any change to its shape. This
second version is needed when dealing with tapered members. The rule is chosen via a bitmapbutton dialog.
Besides, once the first face has been clicked, i.e. the face to be rotated, it is now also possible
Release notes
883
to set the new normal vector of the already clicked face by pressing the space bar instead of
clicking another face, having the normal properly oriented. This simplifies operation when no
face is available having the desired normal vector.
5) Addition of the buckling analysis
If the CLEVER or CURAN solver is chosen, and a static (linear or non linear) analysis is
executed, it is possible to ask for a buckling analysis to be performed immediately after the
static analysis is run. The buckling analysis is executed for all the combinations defined in the
model, and the results are available using Sargon Reader as for the stress maps after static
analysis. For more information about this new kind of analysis see: How to execute buckling
analysis of components or aggregates 335 .
9.19
Version 5.51
Release notes: version 5.51, June 30 2013
1) Addition of the interfaces to programs MIDAS and RISA3D
Two new interfaces have been added to the program: the interface to MIDAS 135 , and the
interface to RISA3D 129 .
2) Addition of new typical nodes.
It is now possible to add typical structures like floors and portal frames, including tapered
portal frames.
Typical structures (1) 436
Typical structures (2) 437
3) Addition of new PRenodes.
The number of available PRenodes is now 395. New PRenodes have been added referring to
Hollow sections. The new PRenodes are all available for FULL and LIGHT PREMIUM
884
versions.
4) Light versions enhancement
From CSE version 5.51, LIGHT versions of the program may import (and later upgrade) finite
element models as well as FULL version. The commands (Import & Upgrade) are available in
the File menu and are basically the same commands of the FULL versions. No buttons are
available in the toolbars for these two commands.
Of course, when importing an already prepared complete finite element model, many JNODES
will be available. The user will have to select one by one these JNODEs and construct them
into RENODEs by using the available PRenodes in the pertinent library (23 nodes in LIGHT
ENTRY, 68 nodes in LIGHT BASIC, 395 nodes in LIGHT PREMIUM). If the JNODE will not
have any available PRENODE, it will not be possible to develop it into a RENODE using
LIGHT versions.
5) Addition of new solvers for FEM analysis of component and of aggregates.
Finite element models of components or of aggregates of components, can now be created for
STAAD PRO and for MIDAS solvers.
9.20
Version 5.60
Release notes: version 5.60, December 3 2013
The new release 5.60 is quite important as several strategic commands have been added.
1) New copy&paste components command
These very useful commands use the clipboard to copy and paste components (cleats and
joiners) from one Renode to another. The source Renode may also be in a different file.
Renode-Components-Copy 624
Renode-Components-Paste 625
The components may be rotated and applied to a specific insertion point.
Release notes
885
2) New copy&paste Renode command

This command lets you copy into the clipboard a whole (identical) Renode taken from one
model, and later paste it into another Renode, also of another model. So if in the past you have
already modeled a Renode as a whole you will be able to just copy and paste.
Renode-Copy Renode to Clipboard 669
Renode-Paste Renode from Clipboard 670
This new command opens the path for a new important feature that will be added to next
versions: a universal connections database. Users will be able to save their designed Renodes
into their local libraries and then the Clients' libraries will be possibly merged into a brand
new global service: the Universal Connections Database (UCD). Clients who will wish, will
be part of a community of designers all around the world accessing a unified database of
already designed and checked connections.
3) New command to apply existing PRenodes to a SubRenode
This command is quite useful when a subpart of a Renode (SubRenode 816 ), i.e. a selected subset
of members, may be quickly constructed if viewed as a stand alone Renode to which a PRenode
is to be applied.
Renode-Assign PRenode to SubRenode 523
4) New command to add plates by clicking points in the scene
This new very useful command is used to define the points of a polygon that will be extruded to
define a plate. The points clicked must be coplanar. The thickess is input as last parameter..
Renode-Components-Add plate by click 614
5) Creation of file AVI

A command useful for demonstration purposes and in order to explain how a Renode is
886
constructed. A FILE avi is automatically created simulating a bird view of the connection. It
works also for deformed views.
Create file AVI 369
6) Addition of more than 150 new PRenodes
We have added some like 150 new PRenodes similar to existing ones but using tapered flanges
I and H cross-sections (IPN and Indian cross-sections, for instance).
We are in for doing the same for I and H welded cross-sections. This will increase the
PRenode database to 700 units. More additions are in the pipeline, so the target of 1,000
PRenodes does not seem too far.
7) Added many more new cross-sections to archive for improved compatibility with
MIDAS & RISA3D
Some cross-section were not available in the cross-section database. Now we have added
more.
8) Improved CSE LIGHT toolbars
CSE LIGHT toolbars have been improved and are now more easily readable.
9) Improved creation of the FEM models of sets of components
We have solved some tolerance issue and FEM models creation is now much more stable.
10) STAAD PRO interface error removal
We have found that the combinations of STAAD PRO were not properly imported when
combination numbers had jumps in STAAD file. The problem has been removed.
11) When upgrading a FEM model created via RISA3D or STAAD the connection codes
assigned in CSE are maintained.
Release notes
887
When a FEM model is imported from RISA3D or MIDAS you possibly need to apply
connection codes in CSE. If you later upgrade the fem model, with old versions you would have
lost the connection codes applied. The new version solves the issue.
9.21
Version 5.80
Release notes: version 5.80, April 24 2014
The new release 5.80 is important mainly for the addition of the geometric non linearity and the
contact non linearity options, in the non linear solver settings. These two additions greatly
extend the range of the capabilities of CSE, as now the program is able to tackle three different
sources of non linearity in its automatically prepared fem models (how to... use non linear
analysis 341 ). Other changes are as follows.
1. Added many more new PRenodes 809 (from v. 5.60 to v. 5.70). The PRenodes available are
now 786.
2. Added geometric non linearity 346 to CURAN solver.
3. Added contact non linearity 350 to CURAN solver.
4. Added the non linear analysis load-displacement curve management in Sargon Reader, very
useful to assess connection stiffness 356 .
5. Improved interface 89 . The status bars are now more readable and the number of selected
items is now available.
6. Sap2000 interface has been upgraded to version 16.
7. When initializing the user combinations 683 , the values are now set all to 0.
8. A new command 631 has been added to add materials not already referenced in the model.
9. Member-stump length can now be individually modified with the command to modify
members 533 . This is useful to limit the number of degrees of freedom in the fem models, and
also to limit spurious buckling modes 346 .
10.Several changes have been made to the dialog 694 used to set fem models of set of
components.
11.In special cases it might be necessary to assign a proper material to a constraint block (non
888
linear analysis using contact non linearity, and constraint block modeled via solid elements).
12.It is now possible to set the number of critical modes to be extracted by the eigenvalue
buckling analysis, both for the single component fem models and for the model of set of
components. This is done by accessing a proper dialog 682 .
9.22
Version 5.92
Release Notes: version 5.92, June 6 2014
The new release 5.92 is different from 5.80 mainly due to the addition of the SNiP standards
(Russian standard), for the rearrangement of the dialog referring to check settings, which is now
more readable, and for the modification of the FEM modelling on unsaturated weld layouts in
the fem models of single components or of sets of components. The changes are the following:
1. New Russian standard SNiP II-23-81 has been added (to have programming details look
here 166 and here 359 ).
2. The dialog used to set the checking options has been modified. Now all the controls
necessary to set the internal forces of the members, and the points of application of these
forces (their positioning), have been placed in a new dialog 689 , which can be accessed both
from inside the dialog used to set checking options
672
or from a new command Checks-
Internal actions 671 , placed in the Checks menu. The effect of both ways is exactly the same.
3. A bug related to member having a cross-section made by two angles L forming a cross (+)
has been removed. The center positions of these two angles was mirrored leading to an over
estimate of the moments applied to bolts placed over a leg.
4. The net cross section checks have been improved: now the maximum "utilization" ratio can
never exceed 99. As this depends on 1/(1-) 225 , when
tends to 1 the utilization ratio did
grow to high values.

5. The haunch finite element models reported inverted thicknesses for web and flange: the
mismatch was removed.
Release notes
889
6. From version 5.91, fictitious rigid beam elements are added to the weld nodes of unsaturated
weld layouts 812 in the FEM models of single components or of aggregate of components,
along the seams, so as to model the constraint exerted over the component under examination
due to the components welded to it. This is an intermediate modeling between no-elements
and no fixed-constraints method (only forces), and the no-elements but with fixed-constraints
(clamps) method. So from version 5.91 onward, the unsaturated welds 812 are always
modeled via the nodal forces equivalent to the action they transfer, plus a set of coplanar
fictitious beam elements, whose aim is to stiffen the plate considering the effect of the other
components. This leads to more realistic FEM analyses.
7. From version 5.92, to avoid possible misunderstanding, during the recording of a new
PRenode, and during its application, the units are temporarily automatically set to (N, mm).
To ease the input of constant in different units, new global variables 59 like "gl.in", "gl.lb"
have been defined.
9.23
Version 6.00
Release Notes: version 6.00, October 15 2014
Several new features have been added to version 6.00, previous version was 5.92, and some
minor defects have been removed. Here is a list of the main changes:
1. It has been added the new Menu "Nodery", which groups the commands referring to the
Universal Renode-Database (commands Add Renode 755 , Manage User Renode Database 756 ,
Send User Renode Database by Email 757 , Apply Renode from Universal Renode-Database
757
). The Users may store in a local version of the archive their finished Renodes, so that they
may later re-use them, applying a Renode of the database to the empty Renode to be
constructed. Besides, a local copy of the Renodes added by the user to the general archive
can be sent to Castalia srl, who will maintain a Universal Renode-Database, that is a huge
database with all the ready-to-use Renodes prepared by the Customers willing to send their
890
finished Renodes to the central database. The central database will then be gradually
increased, and in successive versions of the program more and more ready-to-use Renodes
will be available. See How to Manage the Universal Renode Database 362 for more
information.
2. It is now possible to ask for FEM models of components also with the explicit modeling of
the bolt-holes. This fem-creation mode may lead to more complex models but also
sometimes better catch the weakening of the components due to holes. It must however be
kept in mind that bolt bearing pressure checks and block-tear checks are already checked by
other means.
3. The simplified checks of the members and of the cleats by means of the net cross-sections
check and the standard sections check have been made more tunable introducing new flags,
for the inhibition of some components of internal forces acting over the net cross-section, or
standard section, at hand (strong axis bending, weak axis bending). This allows to discard
checks that may be too safe-side, removing from the checking formula some term(s).
4. The ePUB report creation may now be done according to three different modes: an extended
mode, a reduced mode and a "one-page" mode. The user can choose the language and modify
the picture size.
5. The members having circular hollow section (or round) may now be rendered in 3D by an
arbitrary number of faces (multiple of 4).
6. The coherence check for bolt-layouts has been modified to allow the definition of bolt
layouts having nuts and heads embedded into other components, or of anchor bars welded to
the "inside" face of a base-plate. This modification is under study, albeit already added. The
anchor bars welded at the inner face can be simulated by normal bolt layouts, that may be
"submerged" by a plate placed over the plate to which the anchors are welded.
7. It has been improved the reading of the Staad Pro "*.std.txt" file, allowing now I- or Hcross-sections with top and/or bottom cover plates, and concrete slab.
8. The reading of "*.csv" files of MIDAS solver has been improved, trying to make automatic
the detection of the number of rows of the header.
9. It has been removed a bug in the Internal Forces settings dialog introduced in version 5.92:
some flags & values were not saved properly.
10.It is now possible to open and import Sap2000 files using different Sap 2000 versions:
version 14, 15 or 16. Version 17 interface is in preparation.
Release notes
9.24
891
Version 6.20
Release Notes: version 6.20, March 31 2015
The new release 6.20 has several important new features, increment usability and ease to use,
and removes some bug. In particular the follwing has been done:
1. Improve the behavior of the program when used with non metric units (inch, foot, kip, ksi...).
2. Improve the ease of use for the new users (assistant panel and other).
3. Improve the usability of several program features, and speed up and improve display.
A public thank to Jason McCool, Cabot, Arkansas, USA, for the number of his hints aimed at
improving program usability, particularly for non metric users (USA, UK, ...).
These are the changes/additions:
1. A new command for the automatic renaming of components has been added (RenodeComponents-Progressive naming! 624 ). It is especially used in the rare cases when
components with identical name are found, or if the numbering of components has unwanted
"jumps".
2. Added the command File-Export FEM Model 764 . It is exported the overall structure BFEM
770
model, in several formats. This can be also useful to add changes by editing a text file,
and later re-import (by File-Update FEM Model).

3. The report and the dialog referring to report settings 367 , has been modified so as to let the
user change the pictures file format, and their size.
4. The bolt layout dialog 587 has been modified: if the bolts are free set, it is easier to choose a
bolt, because from the last bolt you can directly switch to first one (no need to get back). The
"complement" selection has been added for free set bolt layouts.
5. The units are now clearly displayed when browsing the cross-section and material
databases.
6. The material filter 486 has been modified, and so the adding a material 486 dialog: you can now
892
assign the European, American, and so on type of material directly, so that it will be easier
to extract and browse specific sets of materials.
7. The units used for the information in the left panes are now metric or imperial depending on
the choice of the unit of measurement. In previous versions they were always metric.
8. Added new materials to the database (many new USA materials).
9. Add more cross-sections to the database (many new Russian cross-sections).
10.The Russian cross-section filter has been added.
11.Added the rectangular bevel 637 as further work process type (this work process cannot be
parametrized). This work process enables to apply rectangular cuts in plane to one flange
only of a I- or H- member.
12.New global ("gl.XXX") variables added, and new constants of general use, many of those
are related to units, typical angles, and safety factors according to IS and SNiP.
13.Now before saving new formulas to define new variables, they can be evaluated for
checking purposes (dialogs variable addition 647 and condition addition 657 ). This greatly
improves the usability of the user's variables and of the user's checks.
14.Improved messaging if a bolt layout using a bearing surface does not converge: the number
of load halving has been reduced to 3, so avoiding awkward loops.
15.When adding work processes implying cuts, the scene points are now many more, as also the
points of the objects not being processed are added. This modification makes easier to
properly define the region of the cut, at the cost of a brief delay due to point finding.
16.A change of view now does not imply an automatic Zoom All (Enclose). This enables
rotating continuously the view when considering a detail of the model.
17.Added several new features related to mouse wheel. Now mouse wheel + space bar
implies a continuous rotation along the parallel; mouse wheel + Ctrl key implies a
continuous rotation along the meridian; mouse wheel + horizontal arrows an horizontal
pan, and mouse wheel + vertical arrows a vertical pan. These new features increase the
usability of the program.
18.Added the command yielded surface in Sargon Reader. This command is important as it
prints an estimate of the amount of surface of plate shell elements, beyond the yield point.
Small yielded surfaces will probably be not dangerous thanks to stress redistribution. The
Sargon command is Post-Stresses PM & SO-Yielding PM.
19.Added the assistant pane 802 . This should make it easier to new users to learn how CSE
Release notes
893
works and the needed steps to get checking a Renode.

20.Reduced the number of files saved onto disk. Many files created by the solvers were
actually
useless
to
the
CSE
user,
and
are
now
automatically
deleted
(e.g. .LII, .LIJ, .BIN, .CUI, .BOG, .COG, .INF, .temp.005, .temp.006, .temp.009). So now the
number of the files written onto disk is much lower.
21.Executing a poly line cut with bevels, while the bevel radius is null is not anymore possible.
This lead to irregular geometry due to singularities.
22.Typical structure definition dialogs have been improved. Now, when necessary, the user
must enter the dimensions (height, base) and there is no default acceptable. This to avoid
getting in the material and cross-section dialog with a wrong geometry defined.
23.Beam-to-wall typical structures 433 have been added. In this way also the beam to wall
typical node can be quickly defined.
24.Added a button to add a weld of the same length of the current side in the weld layout dialog
578
. This is a very useful feature when applied to sides got by a cut, when the cut length is
unknown.
25.Added more sections to the report, with the pre-defined variables, the user's variables, and
the user's conditions and checks. This is very useful to document clearly the checks that the
user has asked to the program to add.
26.Passing members have now their internal forces in the jnode. This allows studying passing
members constrained in the jnode, eccentrically. In the figure above, an example of
application of this new functionality.
894
27.The initial, default values proposed for the fractions of elastic or plastic member forces
have been changed from 1.0 to 0.1. This will make it easier for new users to get good results.
28.Several important dialogs have now tool tips: addition of a bolt layout, addition of a weld
layout, check settings, internal forces settings...
29.Many single sections of the Sargon Reader Guide have been translated in English. We
started from the shortest sections and considering single issues and dialogs 827 units have
been translated up to now. There are still 313 single sections to be translated, which are
averagely longer. We hope to be able to translate Sargon Reader (and Sargon) guide before
the summer.
30.A quick start guide has been added to program documentation.
31.If only one JNode is found, this is now automatically selected.
32.When modifying already added user's variables, it is now possible to instantiate variables
added after the one being modified. If for example the variable A, B, C have been added, in
this order, it is now possible to modify B so that B=B(C).
The corrections and modifications of the program behavior are:

1. The bolt identification string in the bolt layout dialog.
2. The rounding of the weld seams length: it is now 0.1mm or 0.001 inch depending on the
active unit.
3. It was not possible to shift a cut-face after applying a bevel, now this limitation has been
removed.
4. When applying a subrenode to a renode the work processes of the unselected members were
detected, so avoiding the application of the subrenode. This has now been corrected.
5. A boring issue, needing a screen refresh after changing view has been removed.
6. The printing module to get the output listing from Sargon Reader has been recompiled, to
avoid its crash due to a format misalignment.
7. A crash is now avoided, when internal forces are displayed while at the same time
components are modified.
8. When executing linear analysis, the bearing pressures of bolt layouts using bearing surface
were not applied in the FEM models (CFEM 776 , MCFEM 796 and PFEM 807 ), if the contact
Release notes
895
nonlinearity flag was turned on in the non linear dialog settings, no matter the fact a linear
analysis was executed.
9. The term "exploitation" has been removed from the documentation in English language and
from the program in English, and has been replaced by "utilization".
9.25
Version 6.40
Release Notes: version 6.40, June, 19, 2015
The new release 6.40 is different by 6.20 especially due to the report in ODT format.
ODT files can directly be open by Microsoft Word, and by many other editors with no need of
a format conversion. Therefore, the command File-Report 367 has been modified (it can now
also directly open the ODT file created).
Besides, it has once more been modified the system that can be used oto get a rotation or a pan
by keyboard due to conflicts emerged with other commands and features:
-mouse wheel: zoom in or out;
- right and left arrows: rotation along parallel
- up and down arrows: rotation along meridian
- ctrl+right or left arrows: pan right or left
- ctrl+up and down arrows: pan up or down
ODT report can be created also by Sargon Reader (command: File-Report. Comments can be
added by the Structure-Text-... commands). Therefore, every FEM analysis executed by CSE
can have its report, that may be possibly added to the report of the (re)node.
IMPORTANT
From this version onward, by default the net cross-section checks for members and cleats, and
the simplified checks for cleats, are not activated: they must be explicitly required. As the
"generic" resistance checks can be done in several ways (net cross-sections checks, simplified
checks, user's checks and fem checks) it seems better that the user decides, component by
896
component, which tool should be used.
9.26
Version 6.90
Release Notes: version 6.90 November 17 2015
Version 6.90 has several improvements and new features.
It has been better specified the behavior of the program in copy&paste operations, referring
to materials. The material position-number in the material vector is kept from copy to paste
(which does not imply the identity of materials). If the original number is higher than the
number of available materials in the paste-model, it is set equal to 1 in the pasted object. In
previous versions, this last condition led to a data mismatch.
A new flag has been added referring to bolt bearing checks. If it is switched on, then for all
the boundary bolts the same minimum distance will be used no matter the direction of the
force component. If it is switched off, it will be used the minimum distance in direction X for
X forces component, and minimum distance in direction Y for Y forces component. The flag
is attributed to components, not to bolt layouts. See also this question 83 .
To speed up the modification of the checks-settings and of the settings referring to FEM
model creation of components, a new command 632 has been added, which can be used to
modify the settings of more (selected) components at a time.
The fem modeling of single members or member trunks forces, loaded by pressures due to the
bearing-surfaces of connected bolt layouts using bearing surface, could be incorrect due to a
recent modification referring to plate groups in Sargon reader: the problem has been fixed.
Welds connecting parts with different yields, used for the checks the maximum yield instead
of the minimum (mistype of ">" instead of "<").
The units of measurement of the generated FEM models, if the father CSE model uses stress
and moment units inconsistent with those of length and force are now reset to (N, mm), (daN,
cm) or (Lb, in) depending on the length unit.
The bolt layout and weld layout dialogs drawing window can now be clicked to get distance
between two points. This helps much in finding proper bolt and weld position.
The overlapping check sometimes failed to detect overlapping weld layouts, it has now been
Release notes
897
improved.
Cross shape W21x55 has been added to archive.
The fem modeling of objects which have been work-processed (by cut by box or cut by poly,
for instance) in such a way to generate holes inside their plates, has now been improved.
To close the polygon describing a "cut by polygon" work process it is now possible to
double click the left mouse button (it is not needed anymore to re-click the first point).
A new work process "cut by face" has been added: it is like a cut by polygon, where the
polygon is that of a clicked face. It is very useful to cut holes.
In alphanumerical view (on the left) all the information referring to component checking
options have been added.
The lack of convergence in computing bolt layouts using a bearing surface has been made less
probable allowing to accept tolerances < 0.001, but > 0.0001. Previously tolerance had to be
< 0.0001 always.
In Sargon Reader it is now possible to display the non dimensional Von Mises stress, i.e.
normalized to the yield. This is very useful when dealing with model having parts with
different yields.
It is now possible to set the play (difference between bolt hole diameter and bolt shaft
diameter), for "normal" bolts.
It is now possible to set the ultimate stress of a weld (default: 70ksi). This datum is only
available when using AISC-ASD or AISC-LRFD standards. Also, the checking rules of
welds according to AISC have been upgraded: now checks refer to base material and to weld
material.
The new flag "merger" has been added to weld layouts. Mergers are special penetration
welds that are not checked: they simulate a "fusion" between two components in one.
The graphic display of anchors has been changed: no faces at all are displayed at the "exit"
face. Also, it is possible to define an anchor in such a way that "exit" face is not parallel to
the clicked one (the "entrance" face). This is not allowed for bolt layouts which are not
"anchors".
898
To reduce the probability of situations like the one displayed (on the left), where a point of
the welds is out of the welded face, the long side of the penetration welds is not anymore
mapped to the thickness of the weld, but is coherent with a dummy thickness of 2mm. The
display model of fillet welds has been kept unchanged. Next picture shows how the same
penetration weld is displayed in new version.
It has been improved the STAAD PRO input file, as generated by CSE for single component
and for sets of components: the groups have been added, as well as some cards referring to
execution control, and BETA cards referring to very small angles removed.
In the FEM models of sets of components, the constraint applied to members it is not applied
anymore to all the end-faces nodes, but only to the single control node where also the loads
are applied. This makes the model cleaner and easier to modify (in STAAD or other
Solvers).
The command Jnode-Split 516 has been added. This new command is used to split a JNode
into two different JNodes.
Release notes
899
900
Index
-Aabout CSE info 760
active view 820
ad plates bevels 569
add angle double 554
add bolt layout 587
add bolt layout joiners 586
add component parametric prenode 561
add condition 657
add condition user check 656
add fem elements truss beam 441
add fem node 444
add fingers 574
add frequent objects 541
add generic cross-section trunk 556
add hexagon polygon plate 548
add if variable 653
add if variable user check 653
add irregular polygon plate 549
add more variables 668
add node 444
add parameterized plate 558
add parametric bolt layout prenode 609
add parametric weld layout prenode 584
add plates bevels 570, 571, 572, 573
add plates holes 568
add polygon plate 614
add rectangular plate constraint block 543
add shape 455
add side 461
add simple objects 568
add stiffener bevel plate 546
add through plate constraint block angle shape
cross-section hole 541
add truss beam fem 442
add variable 647
add variable user check 647
add weld layout 578
add weld layout joiners fillet penetration 577
addg eneric objects 575
aggiorna fem 764
aggiunta di un Rendo 755
aggregate 695, 719, 767
aggregate fem models 305, 694
alignments 409, 410, 412

allinea faccia membratura orientazione 531
allineamenti 412
almost identical similar jnodes 515
alphanumeric view 819
anchor bolt layout 595
angle active faces weld 766
arrange icons 760
Aspetto applicazione 385, 386, 387
assign constraint 498
assign constraint fem 498
assign end release fem beam 499
assign fem beam end release 499
assign material fem 485
assign prenode archive typical renode parametric
518, 519, 520, 523
assingn cross-section shape fem 446
automatic check renode 692
automatic fem checks 193
avi file 369, 371
-Bbasic hypotheses 264

bearing constitutive law 596
bearing surface 772
bearing surface check 222
bearing surface polygon 597, 767
bevels 642
blank renode 812
block tear tearing checks 244
block tearing 602
block tearing checks failure 770
bolt bearing pressure checks 202
bolt layout 771
bolt layout check sections 779
bolt layout flexibility index 785
bolt layout net length 772
boltability criteria 774
boltable face 775
bolts check 167
bolts diameter class 605
buckling 335
buckling analysis 335
build renodes 150
Index
-Ccalculator 373
central jnode 791
chain 776
change view worldmap 407
check coherence chains 669
check combinations 778
check combinations elastic plastic limits 687
check combinations from fem worst 686
check forces combinations 683
check overlap overlaps 669
check renode 271
check results 273
checks 166, 262
checks bearing surface results support 703
checks block tearing results 707
checks current results 701
checks enquire 702
checks envelope exploitation 700
checks exchanged forces results 710, 711, 713
checks fem results 718
checks net sections results 705
checks results deformed view 719
checks set up standard 672
checks set up standards 671
choose bolt layout type 161
choose checks 257
clear 726
close file 365
coherence 780
cold formed shapes 460
colors 396
combiset 503
combiset combinations combination check 503
commands 58
common shapes 457
component 780
components position positioning 576
composed shapes 465
composite components subcomponents connection
158
compression compressed bolt bolts 780
connection 154, 781
connection fem modeling 305
connection fem modelling 694
connector 782
constraint 695, 782
901
constraint block 783, 813

context sensitive help 760
copia componenti 624
copy component 619
copy components 624
copy move components 620
copy renode 669
create fem model 146
critical multipliers 335
cse copyright 761
current orientation 784
current reference system 528
current standard view 405
current standard views 405
cuspidal jnode 792
-Ddbrenode 784
deformability checks displacements rotations 251
deformed scale 720
delete component through joiner layout 618
delete fem nodes 441
delete finite element 444
delete variable condition 663
deselection selection 383
disegni 328, 412
display colours 396
display fem model 388
display jnodes 389
display modes 391
display objects labels numberings 393
display renode 389
display sizes 392
display solid view 389
display welds 896
duplicate condition 663
DXF 328, 412
-Eeccentricity 807
effetto leva 333, 607, 810
elastic constraint 783
enclose 401
enquire beams 420
enquire geometry 415
enquire inquire 784
902
enquire internal forces beams

enquire internal forces trusses
enquire net sections 426
enquire nodes 417
enquire trusses 418
examine results 272
exctract members 514
exit 374
exploitation envelope 785
export renode dxf autocad cad
extract 409
extract objects 408
extraction view 785
424
425
interface 55, 89, 91

internal compiler 650, 789
internal forces 688
interroga materiali 423
interroga sezioni 422
-J671
-FFEM 291, 305, 337, 694, 695, 719, 767

fem model checks 564
FEM models 719
fem view 820
file 320
find 415, 416
find combination 721
find instance 723
finestre applicazione 760
finite elements fem typical nodes automatic
font 397
foundations 813
frustum removal work process 787
-GGeneric composed shapes

Gestione finestre 760
graphic view 821
guide help 760
guide how to use 22
-Hhard point 788

hierarchical jnode
793
-Iimport fem model

instability
335
373
478
430
jclass jnode 790

jnode 516, 790
jnode edit 506
jnode instance 788
jnode jnodes 150
jnode mark 791
jnode view 822
jnodes create listing 516
jnodes info 509
jnodes jnode 148, 149
jnodes list collection 507
jnodes open listing 517
jnodes search 505
jnodo 512, 513
joined component 781
joiner 782, 794, 812
joiner extremes extreme 794
joiner principal axes 809
-Llabels 395
leva 333, 810
license 20
light version 323, 325
linked software interface
luoghi geometrici 412
322
-Mmaster 795
master choice 693
material data 486
materials archive 485, 486
member 796
member net cross section 796
member type 798
members original position 538
membrature accorciamento accorcia 531
membrature allungamento allunga 531
Index
menu 385
MIDAS 91
modify component 619
modify cross section member 539
modify fem nodes 440
modify members 533
modify selected bolt layouts 627
modify variable condition 662
multiplicity bolt layout 799
-Nnew file 365

new window 759
next combination 720
next instance 722
no tension, nonlinear constitutive law 799
node 800
nodoteca universale 755, 818
nonlinear analysis curan 676
nonlinear material 488, 492
notes 42, 848, 859, 862, 865, 867, 868, 869
numberings 395
-Oobjects 394
offset 800
offset beam fem 493, 494, 495
offset fem beam 495
open file 365
open output listing results checks
orientation 390, 445
orientation fem element 444
output listing 276
overlapping 759
overlaps 801
overview 24
paste renode 670

penetration weld layout 896
personalizzazione interfaccia 385, 386, 387
photograph 372
pin 807
plasticity
335
polygon 480, 643
polygon shapes composed 479
prenode abort 731
prenode add image 729
prenode applicable similar 809
prenode continue 730
prenode new save parametric node 726, 727, 730
prenode parametric renode 809
prenode pause 729
prenode restart 728
prenodes alphanumeric management 733
prenodes archive 731, 732, 754
prenodes parametric renodes 285, 289
previous combination 721
previous instance 722
print 153, 366
print preview 366
print setup 367
prying forces 333, 607
pull-out checks 214
punching shear checks 212
-R723
-Ppan 401
Pan down 402
Pan left 402
Pan right 402
Pan up 401
parametric bearing surface polygon
paste components 625
903
613
readjust modify renode 315

recopy component copy
623
redo undo 375
reference axes 387, 388
refresh 400
remap worldmap 406
renode 811
renode panel 803
renode view 823
report 281
reset offset fem beam 497
reset renode 527
reset trim extend trimming extension member
resistance checks bolts welds 166
results 337
rigid constraint 783
RISA3D 91
rotate anticlockwise 408
rotate clockwise 408
538
904
rotate component 623, 624

rotate down 408
rotate up 408
-SSAMBA, cross-section archive, material archivei

373
SAP 2000 91
Sargon Reader 337
sargon sap2000 import fem 91
saturated 812
saturation 812
save configuration 366
save file 365
save file as 365
scene 813
scene points 397
scene points display
398
scope and functionality
43
search members 505
select 290
select combinations combination check 504
selected panel 802
selection 382, 383, 384
settings 380
shape type 456
shapes cross sections archive 447
shapes cross-sections archive 483
shapes filters 451, 452
shear key
813
shear only bolt layout 814
shear slip resistant checks 217
shift move components 633
simple constraint 784
sizes 392
slave 816
slip resistant joint 600
SNiP 359, 361
solid view 724, 824
solid view regenerate 724
solver 695
spostamento membrature azioni interne momento
momenti trasporto 267
STAAD PRO 91
standard guided user checks 664
standard views 404
start 86
status bar 385
steel connections,steel
joints,checks,verification,software,steel checks,
welded connections, bolted connection, welded joints,
bolted joints 20, 22, 24, 27, 42, 43, 55, 58, 59, 86,
88, 89, 91, 146, 148, 149, 150, 153, 154, 158, 161,
166, 167, 185, 193, 202, 212, 217, 222, 244, 251,
253, 255, 257, 258, 262, 264, 271, 272, 273, 276,
281, 285, 289, 290, 291, 315, 320, 322, 323, 325,
328, 333, 335, 365, 366, 367, 372, 373, 374, 375,
376, 377, 378, 379, 380, 382, 383, 384, 385, 386,
387, 388, 389, 390, 391, 392, 393, 394, 395, 396,
397, 398, 400, 401, 402, 403, 404, 405, 406, 407,
408, 409, 410, 412, 415, 416, 417, 418, 420, 424,
425, 426, 430, 431, 432, 433, 434, 435, 436, 437,
439, 440, 441, 442, 443, 444, 445, 446, 447, 451,
452, 455, 456, 457, 459, 460, 461, 465, 479, 480,
483, 485, 486, 488, 492, 493, 494, 495, 497, 498,
499, 503, 504, 505, 506, 507, 509, 514, 515, 516,
517, 518, 519, 520, 523, 527, 528, 529, 530, 533,
538, 539, 541, 543, 546, 548, 549, 554, 556, 558,
561, 564, 568, 569, 570, 571, 572, 573, 574, 575,
576, 577, 578, 584, 586, 587, 595, 596, 597, 600,
602, 605, 609, 613, 618, 619, 620, 623, 624, 627,
633, 636, 637, 642, 643, 645, 647, 650, 653, 656,
657, 662, 663, 664, 668, 669, 671, 672, 676, 683,
686, 687, 688, 692, 693, 700, 701, 702, 703, 705,
707, 710, 711, 713, 718, 719, 720, 721, 722, 723,
724, 726, 727, 728, 729, 730, 731, 732, 733, 754,
759, 760, 761, 766, 767, 770, 771, 772, 774, 775,
776, 778, 779, 780, 781, 782, 783, 784, 785, 787,
788, 789, 790, 791, 792, 793, 794, 795, 796, 798,
799, 800, 801, 802, 803, 806, 807, 809, 810, 811,
812, 813, 814, 816, 817, 818, 819, 820, 821, 822,
823, 824, 826, 828, 829, 830, 831, 833, 834, 835,
836, 837, 838, 848, 859, 862, 865, 867, 868, 869
steps 88
STRAP 91
subrenode 523
-Ttangent jnode 793

taper 484
tapered elements 484
tavole 412
third node 443
throat section thickness fillet weld 816
through component 817
throughts components 828, 829, 830, 831, 833,
834, 835, 836, 837, 838
tile 759
title 367
toolbar 385
toponode 817
Index
torque 807
trim extend members 529, 530
T-stub 333
typical nodes 431, 432, 433, 434, 435, 439
typical structures 436, 437
-UU L composed shapes 459

undo 374
units 59, 375, 376, 377, 378, 379, 380
units measure 375
universal node database 784
update fem model 374
user check 818
user checks 253
user checks standard guided 255
utilisation envelope exploitation 819
-Vvariables 258
variables conditions panel 806
verifiche risultati forze scambiate
versor face 819
715, 716
-Wweld layout 824

welds check 185
windows 760
wireframe orientation 390
work prcesses bevels cuts prenode parametric
645
work prcesses members throughs components bevels
cuts face rotate 637
work process processes 826
work processes members throughs components bevel
cut rotate face 636
worldmap 406
-Zzoom
402, 403, 404
905
906
http://www.steelchecks.com
Via Pinturicchio, 24
20133 Milan - Italy
Copyright 2000-2015 - Castalia srl

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Connection Study Environment - Guide

C.S.E. is a wide and ambitious software program dealing

Connection Study Environment - Guide

Connection Study Environment - Guide

Part II Quick Start Guide

Part III How to...

Connection Study Environment - Guide

1 File ................................................................................................................................... 365

Save as.......................................................................................................................................................... 365

Report .......................................................................................................................................................... 367

C.S.E. - 2001-2015 - Copyright Castalia srl - Milan - Italy - www.castaliaweb.com

All ......................................................................................................................................................... 383

JNodes .......................................................................................................................................................... 389

Pan Up .......................................................................................................................................................... 401

C.S.E. - 2001-2015 - Copyright Castalia srl - Milan - Italy - www.castaliaweb.com

Connection Study Environment - Guide

Nodes .......................................................................................................................................................... 417

Connection Study Environment - Guide

C.S.E. - 2001-2015 - Copyright Castalia srl - Milan - Italy - www.castaliaweb.com

Connection Study Environment - Guide

Aborti! .......................................................................................................................................................... 731

Connection Study Environment - Guide

Part V Export FEM model

Part VI What we mean by

Connection Study Environment - Guide

Part VII Appendix: shapes sizes

Part VIII Error Messages

Part IX Release notes

C.S.E. - 2001-2015 - Copyright Castalia srl - Milan - Italy - www.castaliaweb.com

C.S.E. - 2001-2015 - Copyright Castalia srl - Milan - Italy - www.castaliaweb.com

Connection Study Environment - Guide

between the company

C.S.E. - 2001-2015 - Copyright Castalia srl - Milan - Italy - www.castaliaweb.com

Connection Study Environment - Guide

Milan, 28 January 2010

The parties hereby explicitly agree to be bound by clauses from 1 to 13:

How to use this guide

C.S.E. - 2001-2015 - Copyright Castalia srl - Milan - Italy - www.castaliaweb.com

C.S.E. - 2001-2015 - Copyright Castalia srl - Milan - Italy - www.castaliaweb.com

Connection Study Environment - Guide

C.S.E. - 2001-2015 - Copyright Castalia srl - Milan - Italy - www.castaliaweb.com

Connection Study Environment - Guide

An intensive-type connection calculation program should provide:

C.S.E. - 2001-2015 - Copyright Castalia srl - Milan - Italy - www.castaliaweb.com

Bolted and welded joints computation (Analisi e calcolo,

C.S.E. - 2001-2015 - Copyright Castalia srl - Milan - Italy - www.castaliaweb.com

Connection Study Environment - Guide

Ing. Paolo Rugarli Castalia srl

C.S.E. - 2001-2015 - Copyright Castalia srl - Milan - Italy - www.castaliaweb.com

C.S.E. - 2001-2015 - Copyright Castalia srl - Milan - Italy - www.castaliaweb.com

Connection Study Environment - Guide

Il percorso che idealmente si vorrebbe fare potrebbe essere cos descritto:

C.S.E. - 2001-2015 - Copyright Castalia srl - Milan - Italy - www.castaliaweb.com

le lavorazioni vengono effettivamente realizzati.

Connection Study Environment - Guide

1. Trattazione di membrature (1.a) rettilinee; (1.b) curvilinee.

C.S.E. - 2001-2015 - Copyright Castalia srl - Milan - Italy - www.castaliaweb.com

predefinite e quelle aggiunte.

C.S.E. - 2001-2015 - Copyright Castalia srl - Milan - Italy - www.castaliaweb.com

Connection Study Environment - Guide

il programma in grado di compiere il passo in modo totalmente automatico. Di fatto

sempre un segno di connessione in corrispondenza; i truss hanno sempre segni di connessione

il problema stato risolto mediante la definizione di una opportuna struttura di dati

C.S.E. - 2001-2015 - Copyright Castalia srl - Milan - Italy - www.castaliaweb.com