This section explains how to use the joints.def text file to set the default properties for different connection types. Not all connections use joints.def.
Topics About joints.def (p. 47)
Defining general defaults (p. 48)
Defining bolt diameter and number of rows (p. 49) Defining other bolt and part properties (p. 50) How Tekla Structures uses joints.def (p. 56) Connections that use joints.def (p. 56)
If you are new to using joints.def, we suggest you read each of the topics in this section thoroughly before making any changes.
About joints.def
Changing the joints.def file changes the default values for different connection types. You can open the joints.def file in any standard text editor.
If you use joints.def, you can still use some system default properties. To force Tekla Structures to use the system default for a particular property, give it the value -2147483648 in joints.def.
By default, Tekla Structures includes the joints.def file in the system folder.
Tekla Structures searches for joints.def in the standard search order.
How joints.def works
For each connection type, Tekla Structures follows these steps to assign bolt and part properties.
1. Tekla Structures determines bolt diameter and number of bolts according to the following criteria:
2. Tekla Structures uses bolt diameter to assign other bolt and part properties.
How to read joints.def
Lines beginning with // are comment lines. They are there to help you read the file, Tekla Structures does not use the information in comment lines.
The first few lines contain some general settings:
Set the following line to the unit of measure appropriate to the version you are using (for example, inches in the Imperial version).
To have Tekla Structures use the default values in joints.def, set the following line to 1. Set it to 0 to have Tekla Structures use the system defaults.
Properties for each connection type appear in individual sections, as shown below. Each section begins with a header row containing the column labels. Do not add columns to the file.
Tekla Structures only uses the values in joints.def for blank fields.
AutoDefaults and manual entries override joints.def.
Connection type According to Clip angle Secondary beam height Shear plate Secondary beam height
End plate Secondary beam height
Gusset Length of angle profile
Diagonal Height of angle profile
Entering values
When you edit joints.def:
•
Enter absolute values or names•
Do not use feet and inch symbols•
Ensure that profiles exist in the profile catalog•
Ensure bolts exist in the bolt catalog.Defining general defaults
If Tekla Structures cannot find a property for a connection in the connection-specific sections of joints.def, it looks for the default property in the General section.
Example In clip angles, Tekla Structures uses the default bolt diameter in the General section if the secondary beam height is larger than the highest value in the Clip angle section of joints.def.
The properties in the General section of joints.def are:
Properties Description boltdia Bolt diameter.
pitch Distance from the center of one bolt to the center of the next.
clipweld Weld size.
angle-cc-inc Tekla Structures adds bolt to bolt distance and web thickness, then rounds the result up by this value.
Complies with US AISC standard.
lprofgapinc Tekla Structures rounds the angle profile gap up by this value. Complies with US AISC standard.
lsize Size of the angle profile.
copedepth Determines notch size.
copelength Determines notch size.
boltedge Edge distance.
webplatelen Haunch plate height (h).
webplatewid Haunch plate width (b).
beamedge Distance from the upper edge of the angle profile to the top of the secondary beam.
knifeclr No longer used.
clipedge Edge distance for bolts (clip angles only).
gap No longer used.
shearplatethk Shear plate thickness.
endplatethk End plate thickness.
shearweld Size of weld.
cliplsize Size of angle profile (clip angles only).
flangecutclear Flange cut clearance.
slotsize Size of slotted hole.
Defining bolt diameter and number of rows
Before you start, read How joints.def works (p. 47). Use the rows beginning with
BOLTHEIGHT in each connection-specific section of joints.def to define the default bolt diameter and default number of horizontal bolt rows for the following connection types:
•
Clip angle, shear plate, and end plate connections (p. 49)•
Gusset connections (p. 50)•
Diagonal connections (p. 50)Clip angle, shear plate, and end plate connections
Tekla Structures calculates the default bolt diameter and number of rows horizontally according to the height of the secondary beam. You can enter the following properties:
clipslots Which part gets slotted holes:
1 for beam 2 for angle profiles 3 for both
Refers to the Slots in list box options on the Bolts tab. See individual connection help for details.
clipattach How the clip angle is attached to the secondary and main parts:
1 is Both bolted
2 is Main bolted / Secondary welded 3 is Main not welded
4 is Main welded / Secondary bolted 5 is Both welded
6 is Main not bolted 7 is Secondary not welded 8 is Secondary not bolted 9 is Both bolted / welded
Refers to the attachment type list box options on the Bolts tab. See individual connection help for details.
copedepthinc Tekla Structures rounds cope depth up using this value.
copelengthinc Tekla Structures rounds cope length using this value.
Properties Description
Property Description
name Use the name BOLTHEIGHT
part Use the part name ANGLECLIP
sec.beam.height Height of secondary beam
diameter Bolt diameter. Must exist in the bolt catalog.
number_of_bolts Number of bolts horizontally
Gusset connections
Tekla Structures calculates the default bolt diameter and number of bolt rows horizontally according to the length of the angle profile. You can enter the following properties:
Diagonal connections
Tekla Structures calculates the default bolt diameter and number of bolt rows horizontally according to the height of the angle profile. You can enter the following properties:
Defining other bolt and part properties
Before you start, read How joints.def works (p. 47). Once Tekla Structures has used joints.def to calculate bolt diameter, it uses the result to assign other properties to bolts and parts, according to connection type.
Example Enter the default properties for bolts and parts in clip angle connections in the rows beginning ANGLECLBOLTPART in the CLIP ANGLE section of joints.def.
Properties lookup
table The table below lists the properties you assign for bolts and parts for each connection type.
Gusset and diagonal connections have additional properties. See Gusset connection properties (p. 51) and Diagonal connection properties (p. 54).
Key to lookup table
Property Description
name Use the name BOLTHEIGHT
part Use the part name GUSSET
lproflength or
angleproflength
Length of angle profile
diameter Bolt diameter. Must exist in bolt catalog number_of_bolts Number of bolts horizontally
Property Description
name Use the name BOLTHEIGHT
part Use the part name DIAGONAL
profileheight Height of angle profile
diameter Bolt diameter. Must exist in bolt catalog.
number_of_bolts Number of bolts (horizontally)
Connection type Full name
C Clip angle
S Shear plate
E End plate
G Gusset
D Diagonal
Gusset connection properties
Enter these additional default properties in the row beginning GUSSETDEFDIM. Not all gusset connections use all these properties:
Property Description
Connection Type
C S E G D
name Identifies the connection
type.
Example GUSSETBOLTPART for gusset connections.
* * * * *
bolt diameter Bolt diameter. Must exist in the bolt catalog.
See also Profile type-dependent bolt dimensions (p. 55)
* * * * *
shear plate thickness
Thickness of shear plate * end plate
thickness
Thickness of end plate *
gusset thickness Thickness of the gusset * conn. plate
thickness
Thickness of the connection plate
* angle profile
or L profile
Name of the angle profile to use:
•
Must exist in the profile catalog•
Enter the exact name•
Example:L100*100*10
* * *
number Number of bolts in each row:
•
vertically•
horizontally* * * * *
pitch Distance between bolts from the center of each bolt. For vertical and horizontal bolts
* * * * *
edge distance Distance from the center of a bolt to the edge of the part.
For vertical and horizontal bolts
* * * *
vert.bolt firsthole
Position of the first vertical row of bolts
* * *
Option Description
Affects plate shape
name GUSSETDEFDIM
boltdia_def Bolt diameter for all bolt groups.
Leave the Bolt size field blank in the dialog box to have Tekla Structures use the value in joints.def.
tol_prim See illustration.
tol_sec See illustration.
dist_diag_prim Clearance between the first secondary part selected and the main part.
dist_diag_sec Perpendicular distance from last secondary part selected to the nearest secondary.
angle_first_corner See illustration. Yes angle_sec_corner See illustration. Yes dist_between_diag Clearance between braces.
first_bolt_from_lin e
Bolt edge distance for the bolt groups on the Gusset tab.
dist1 The length of the edge of the gusset plate that is perpendicular to the lowest brace.
Yes
dist2 The length of the edges of the gusset plate perpendicular to the braces.
Yes dist3 The length of the edge of the gusset
plate perpendicular to the uppermost brace.
Yes
tol_lprof See illustration.
tol_stiffener Tolerance of stiffener.
chamfer_dx Dimensions of stiffener chamfer on the Gusset tab:
chamfer_dy
chamfer_corner_dx chamfer_corner_dx
chamfer-corner_dy chamfer_corner_dy
The illustration below shows the properties on the Picture tab of the Boomerang wrapped diagonal (58) connection dialog box.
side_length
diafit_length Fit length in connection 19. Leave the Distance gusset flanges cut field blank in the dialog box to have Tekla Structures use the value in
joints.def.
tol_lprof corner_dy corner_dx dist_diag_sec tol_sec
angle_sec_corner dist3
dist_between_diag dist2
dist1
Option Description
Affects plate shape
Diagonal connection properties
Enter these additional default properties for bolts and parts in the rows beginning DIAGDEFDIM. Not all diagonal connections use all these properties:
dist_diag_prim tol_prim
Property Description
name DIAGDEFDIM
boltdia_def Bolt diameter for all bolt groups. Leave the Bolt size field blank in the dialog box to have Tekla Structures use the value in joints.def.
dist_gus_diag Gap between the gusset plate and the brace. If tube profiles are closed with end plates, the gap between the gusset plate and the end plate.
dist_in Depth of the cut in the brace. Enter a negative value to prevent the connection plate from being inside the tube brace.
dist_dv Distance from the edge of the brace to the edge of the connection plate. This dimension changes the width of the connection plate.
sec_cut_tol On the Tube diag tab:
sec_cut_tol slot_length_tol slot_length_tol
tube_cut_tol On the Tube diag tab:
tube_cut_tol conn_cut_dx On the Tube diag tab:
conn_cut_dy
conn_cut_dx conn_cut_dy
round_plate_tol On the Tube diag tab:
end_plate_thk
flanges_cut_angle On the Brace conn tab:
flanges_cut_angle
dist_flanges_cut
dist_skew_cut dist_flanges_cut
dist_skew_cut
end_plate_thk End plate field t in the Tube diag tab.
This illustration shows the properties that appear on the Picture tab of the Tube crossing (22) connection:
Profile type-dependent bolt dimensions
For some connections, Tekla Structures calculates bolt size according to profile size. For example, Clip angle (141) and Two sided clip angle (143) connections.
In this type of connection, Tekla Structures takes bolt size from the PROFILE TYPE-DEPENDENT BOLT DIMENSIONS section of joints.def, if you leave the corresponding fields blank on the Bolts tab in the connection dialog box, as shown below:
The options are:
Example To find the bolt dimensions to use with an L6X6X1/2 profile in a clip angle connection:
1. Tekla Structures searches the rows beginning PROFILEBOLTDIM for L6X6X1/2 in the dist_dv
dist_in dist_gus_diag
Property Description
width Width of the profile
one bolt firsthole For single bolts, distance from the heel of the profile angle to the first hole.
two bolts firsthole For two bolts, distance from the heel of the profile angle to the first hole.
pitch Distance between bolts from the center of each bolt. For vertical and horizontal bolts.
2. If there is no match, Tekla Structures searches the rows beginning ANGLECLBOLTPART in the CLIP ANGLE section of joints.def.
How Tekla Structures uses joints.def
This example explains how Tekla Structures calculates bolt diameter and other properties using joints.def. We are using a Bolted gusset (11) connection. The height of the diagonal profile is 10".
•
Tekla Structures calculates bolt size and number of bolts according to profile height. It searches the BOLTHEIGHT rows for a profile height of 10".•
The profile height is greater than 8.0 but less than 12.0, so Tekla Structures uses the row with the profile height 8.0. This sets the bolt diameter to 0.75.•
Tekla Structures assigns the bolt and part properties according to the bolt diameter. It searches the DIAGBOLTPART rows for a bolt diameter of 0.75.Result
Tekla Structures does not use the connection plate thickness or angle profile properties in this connection.
Connections that use joints.def
Only the following connections use joints.def
Property Value
Bolt diameter 0.75
Number of bolts horizontally 2 Edge distance horizontally 1.5 Edge distance vertically 1.5 Distance between bolts horizontally 2.5
Distance between bolts vertically system default
Connections Connections
Two sided angle cleat (25) Boomerang bracing cross (60) Beam with stiffener (129) Corner bolted gusset (57) Column with shear plate (131) Boomerang tube diagonal (59) Bolted moment connection (134) Corner tube gusset (56)
Clip angle (141) Boomerang wrapped diagonal (58)
Two sided end plate (142) Corner wrapped gusset (63)