How are steel joints calculated using the new Advance Design Steel Connections module?

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In this example we will use a model similar to the one in the figure.

The structure is a steel frame, built from an S253 material; the columns are IPE330 sections and the beams are IPE240 sections. Over the beams is placed a linear force of 10kN, as shown in the figure.

Both of the beam-column connections or the beam-beam connection are bolted connections with haunch: "Flange Haunch" and "Apex Single Haunch".
After the structure is calculated, the following force diagrams will be available:

To define all the connections using the new ADSC model, select the entire structure, and then, from the context menu, select the "Export to ADSC" option. You can individually select any number of connections from the structure and export them to ADSC.

This option will open ADSC, Advance Design Steel Connections. Using this module, you can define all the connections in the model while being able to see in real time all the changes in the steel connections. Also, you can calculate the connection resistance and generate the calculation report. The steel connections will be verified using the forces from Advance Design.

In this example we will define and calculate the connection between the two beams of the structure, an "Apex Single Haunch" connection.

As it can be seen, this application window contains, from left to right, a "Pilot" area, which contains a list with all the connection imported from the Advance Design model, next to it is a CAD area where you can see the connection, the third area contains the details of the connections and the last area contains calculation report notes.

Regardless of the connection configurations from Advance Design, in ADSC, the connection is imported with all the parameter values set to the default values.

To modify the connection properties, use the "Joint" command. This command will open the connection properties window. In this window you can define all the connection properties similar to the way they are defined using Advance Steel.

In this window, it is easy to see that the forces used to calculate the connection are the ones from Advance Design.

After the connection is fully defined, according to your preferences, use the "Calculate" command to update the connection details and to run the connection calculations.

To generate and view the report, use the "View HTML Report File" or "View TXT Report File" commands.

The report generated using the new Advance Design Steel Connections module will contain pictures with the connection preview.

After defining this connection the other connections imported from Advance Design can be defined. Select the next connection from the "Pilot" by double-clicking on it. You will be prompted to save the changes made to the steel connection and to save the changes in the GTC file. The GTC file is the file that creates the link between Advance Design and the new ADSC module.

The other connections are defined in the same way.

After all the connections are defined and calculated, close the ADSC module. If the modifications are saved in the GTC file, all the properties defined for the steel connections will be transferred to the corresponding connections in Advance Design.