6/23/2017 Releasingplateelementsfromattachedbeams?

RAM|STAADForumRAM|STAADBentleyCommunities

Releasing plate elements from attached beams?

Here's a situation that seems to come up frequently: I create a model in STAAD that includes a combination of linear elements (for things like beams,
columns, etc.) and plate elements (to model surface elements like floors, roofs, etc.). When surface elements get meshed, the attached coplanar beams
or columns get broken into many small segments, which is fine. The problem is that the attachment of each plate element to each linear element defaults
to full fixity at all nodes. This has the effect of creating full composite action between the linear and surface elements. In many of my cases, the actual
structure does not have full composite action between these elements (certainly not to the extent that generally happens in the model). As a result, my
model is then un-conservative in this regard. I don't want to be selecting section sizes based upon the strength increase that comes from false composite
action. Is there a slick way to somehow release the plates from the attached linear elements so that out-of-plane loads on the plates are still transferred
to the linear elements, but shears and moments are not? I don't want to release shears and moments between pairs of adjacent plate elements - just
between the plate elements and the attached linear elements. However, I also don't want to have to get too fussy with releases. Trying to figure out node
numbering and plate orientation based upon the local axis seems like a royal pain in the neck. Is there a simple way to do this? If it's too complicated, I'll
just stop using hybrid models. Anybody got a good solution for this?

Dave
https://communities.bentley.com/products/structural/structural_analysis___design/f/5932/t/59176 1/2
6/23/2017 Releasingplateelementsfromattachedbeams?RAM|STAADForumRAM|STAADBentleyCommunities

STAAD analysis STAAD.Pro STAAD Plate bending moment Staad pro plate analysis in stadd release plate

meshing STAAD plates

David Coon

1 Reply (Most Recent Reply)

Seth Guthrie

My gut tells me to avoid hybrid models unless you really want that full composite action to occur. In cases where you simply want linear beams
supporting loads, use floor loads, or manually entered member loads, and leave the shells out. Then use a diaphragm (or some sort of rod bracing) to
provide diaphragm stability. That modeling is just way simpler and easier to hand verify, etc.

If you do need to work with a hybrid model including slabs and beams but you don't want the slabs and beams to interact compositely, I think the
easiest approach is to position the slab elements slightly above the beams and then transfer forces to the lower beams through short columns (pin
the columns to avoid Vierendeel truss behavior).

^ Go to first post

https://communities.bentley.com/products/structural/structural_analysis___design/f/5932/t/59176 2/2