Splitting Structural Elements

It is often easier to model an overall structure then split it into smaller components for fabrication or assembly purposes. The split function allows Sections, Generic Sections, and Panels to be split from the

Beams & Columns or Panels & Plates utilities.

6.3.1 Selecting Elements to Split

Selecting Modify > Sections > Split… from the main menu in the Beams & Columns application, or Modify > Split… from the main menu in the Panels & Plates application, displays the Split Steel form.

The elements to be split are added to the Elements to split list using the options available in the Add to list options list.

The following options are available:

 CE – this option adds the Current Element to the list.

 CE Members – this option adds all members of the Current

Element.

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 Current list – this option adds the current active list (if one exists).

 Graphical pick – this option allows the user to select elements from the graphical display.

 Graphical window selection – this option allows the user to select a range of items by dragging a selection box over them in the graphical display.

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The selected elements are highlighted in red in the 3D view.

Right clicking anywhere in the Elements to split list displays a pop- up menu with the same selection options as those described above. The pop up menu is available at any time and does not require the Elements to split list to be populated.

If the Element to split list is empty, the options to remove items from the list are greyed out.

If the list is populated, the two element removal options are active. There functions are described below.

 Remove Selected from list – this option removes the selected members from the Elements to split list. Multiple element selection may be made using standard Windows selection methods.

 Clear List – this option removes all elements from the Elements

to split list.

6.3.2 Defining where the Elements will be Split

Once the required elements have been added to the

Elements to split list, the user must define where the

elements will be split.

The Define split-on area of the form has an options list with the following choices:

 Pick Section(s) to split on – this option enables the user to graphically select one or more sections to be split on from the 3D View. Selecting this option displays the prompt ‘Pick a section to split on:’ .

One or more sections may be selected, the selection process being terminated by pressing the Esc key. The selected items are highlighted in cyan.

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 Define Graphical Aid Line(s) to split on – this option enables the user to create one or more aid lines to split on by selecting points in the graphical display. Selecting this option displays the prompt ‘Line

start (Snap) Snap:’ One or more aid lines may be created, the creation process being terminated by

pressing the Esc key.

 Define Graphical Plane(s) to split on – this option enables the user to create one or more planes to split the selected elements on.

Selecting this option activates the Plane Size and Plane Direction textboxes in the Define split-on area of the form and the

checkboxes adjacent to them.

The prompt ‘Pick to Position Plane (Snap) Snap:’ is displayed. One or more planes may be created, the Plane Size and Plane

Direction being set before the next plane is created. The creation

process is terminated by pressing the Esc key.

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Checking the Fill checkbox ‘fills’ the plane aid. Checking the checkbox adjacent to the Plane Direction textbox locks the Plane Direction, for any subsequently created plane(s), to the current setting.

Once graphical aid lines and/or planes have been defined the Modify Graphical aid line/plane and Delete Graphical aid line/planes buttons are enabled.

Clicking the Modify Graphical aid line/plane button displays the prompt ‘Pick aid to be modified pick

Aid:’. Picking a line or plane from the 3D view displays the appropriate aid modification form, i.e. Modify

Clicking the Delete Graphical aid line(s)/plane(s) button displays the prompt ‘Pick aid(s) to be deleted.

<esc to finish> pick Aid:’. One or more lines or planes may be selected for deletion. The selection process

is terminated by pressing the Esc key.

6.3.3 Connections at Split

The Connections at split area of the form enables the user to define what will happen to the sections at the split. This functionality is applicable to SCTN elements only.

If the Pick Section(s) to split on option is selected the Connections at

split options section of the Split Steel form becomes active.

The user can define how the ends of the split section(s) will relate to one another after the split by selecting one of three options.

None

The section is split at the Justification line of the section it is split on (default setting). However, there is no connectivity created between the sections.

Nodes

The section is split at the Justification line of the section it is split on. SNOD and SJOI elements are created connecting the split sections to the section(s) they were split on.

Trimmed

The section is split at the Justification line of the section it is split on. SNOD and SJOI elements are created connecting the split sections to the section(s) they were split on. The split sections are trimmed to the Pline at the extremity of the section(s) they were split on.

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6.3.4 Splitting the Elements

When all selection options have been made, clicking the Split button on the bottom of the Split Steel form will split the elements.

One part of the split element retains the original Database Reference Number and the remaining part(s) are allocated new Database Reference Numbers.