Joints or Structural Members in in TRIFLEX ® WINDOWS Joints or Structural Members in in TRIFLEX ® WINDOWS

Joints or Structural Members 2 In TRIFLEX ® WINDOWS supports two types of structural members: Rigid Joint (Structural Member) Flexible Joint (Structural Member)

TRIFLEX ® WINDOWS Joints or Structural Members 3 Rigid Joint (Structural Member) To code a Rigid Joint (Structural Member) click with the mouse on Joint icon from the Graphics Toolbar The default settings for a Rigid Joint are: Weight = 0 Use Absolute Length The default settings for a Rigid Joint are: Weight = 0 Use Absolute Length

TRIFLEX ® WINDOWS Joints or Structural Members 4 Rigid Joint (Structural Member) If the length of the Rigid Joint is smaller than the Absolute Length, TRIFLEX will code automatically a pipe which will precede the joint. The Absolute Length will be equal with length of the pipe plus length of the rigid joint If the length of the Rigid Joint is smaller than the Absolute Length, TRIFLEX will code automatically a pipe which will precede the joint. The Absolute Length will be equal with length of the pipe plus length of the rigid joint In this case: Absolute Length = 5 ft Length of the Rigid Joint = 1 ft Length of the preceding pipe = 4 ft Weight of the Rigid Joint =100 lbs In this case: Absolute Length = 5 ft Length of the Rigid Joint = 1 ft Length of the preceding pipe = 4 ft Weight of the Rigid Joint =100 lbs

TRIFLEX ® WINDOWS Joints or Structural Members 5 Rigid Joint (Structural Member) The Rigid Joint can be used to model the following components: (the list is not exclusive): Pumps Turbines Rigid supports Rigid connections User defined flanges User defined valves Rigid vessels Offsets All types of rigid equipment The Rigid Joint can be used to model the following components: (the list is not exclusive): Pumps Turbines Rigid supports Rigid connections User defined flanges User defined valves Rigid vessels Offsets All types of rigid equipment

TRIFLEX ® WINDOWS Joints or Structural Members 6 Flexible Joint - (Flexible Structural Member) Flexible Joints (Flexible Structural Members) are used to model flexible supports or complex structures connected with piping system. In the Structural Steel database, TRIFLEX ® incorporates the AISC standard shapes, dimensions, and properties for W, M, S, H Shapes, Channels, Angles, Round Bar, Square Bar, Structural Tubing, etc. An easy to use User Defined tool allows the user to input new and unconventional shapes in the Steel Database. Flexible Joints (Flexible Structural Members) are used to model flexible supports or complex structures connected with piping system. In the Structural Steel database, TRIFLEX ® incorporates the AISC standard shapes, dimensions, and properties for W, M, S, H Shapes, Channels, Angles, Round Bar, Square Bar, Structural Tubing, etc. An easy to use User Defined tool allows the user to input new and unconventional shapes in the Steel Database.

TRIFLEX ® WINDOWS Joints or Structural Members 7 W Shapes M Shapes S Shapes HP Shapes American Standard Channels Miscellaneous Channel Angles (L) Flexible Joint - (Flexible Structural Member) AISC Database

TRIFLEX ® WINDOWS Joints or Structural Members 8 Round BarsSquare BarsRectangular Bars Flexible Joint - (Flexible Structural Member) AISC Database

TRIFLEX ® WINDOWS Joints or Structural Members 9 Structural TubingSteel Pipe Flexible Joint - (Flexible Structural Member) AISC Database

TRIFLEX ® WINDOWS Joints or Structural Members 10 Flexible Joint - (Flexible Structural Member) - User Defined Data To input a User Defined shape in the Structural Steel database, click with the mouse on Structural Steel in Utilities, Databases menu On Structural Steel Database dialog, Click on New button to enter new data

TRIFLEX ® WINDOWS Joints or Structural Members 11 Flexible Joint - (Flexible Structural Member) - User Defined Data B axes C axes The points should be input in counterclockwise order Input the points coordinates to describe the cross sectional area of the new shape and click OK Based on input points TRIFLEX ® will calculate the cross sectional area characteristics. NOTE: Torsion Constant, K is an Input Data Based on input points TRIFLEX ® will calculate the cross sectional area characteristics. NOTE: Torsion Constant, K is an Input Data

TRIFLEX ® WINDOWS Joints or Structural Members 12 Flexible Joint - (Flexible Structural Member) - User Defined Data The New Shape 1 User Defined Flexible Joint

TRIFLEX ® WINDOWS Joints or Structural Members 13 Torsional Constant - a common error: K is used to describe the torsional constant. Unfortunately, this same variable is used to describe the polar moment of inertia of a shape. These are NOT the same thing. To add to the confusion, in the case of a circular member they are numerically equal. With other shapes, severe miscalculations result when the polar moment of inertia is used as the torsional constant. The polar moment of inertia is the sum of the X and Y moments of inertia. For an I-beam the torsional constant is equal to: Where t is the element thickness. For a W8x24, the polar moment of inertia is approximately 101 in 4 whereas the torsional constant is only 0.35 in 4. Since is inversely proportional to J, this error could result in grossly under-calculating the stress. Flexible Joint - (Flexible Structural Member) - User Defined Data

TRIFLEX ® WINDOWS Joints or Structural Members 14 Flexible Joint - (Flexible Structural Member) Using Mirror C Axes option, the profile can be flipped about B Axes such that the C direction becomes the NEGATIVE C direction

TRIFLEX ® WINDOWS Joints or Structural Members 15 Using Orientation of B Axis counter clockwise from the MNU direction vector option, the profile can be rotated about the A Axis B axes C axes A axes MNU = Most Nearly UP Flexible Joint - (Flexible Structural Member)

TRIFLEX ® WINDOWS Joints or Structural Members 16 Flexible Joint - (Flexible Structural Member) Shear Distribution Factor for Forces Parallel to B and C axis is the Cross Sectional Area divided by the Effective Shear Area

TRIFLEX ® WINDOWS Joints or Structural Members 17 Shear Distribution Factor Example 2: For a Hollow Rectangular Tube, c in the C direction, b in the B direction, t = wall thickness, the cross sectional area is approximately 2 (b+c) t. For Shear forces parallel to B, the Shear Factor is 2 (b+c) t / 2 t b = 1 + c / b. For Shear forces parallel to C, the Shear Factor = 1 + b / c. Shear Distribution Factor Example 2: For a Hollow Rectangular Tube, c in the C direction, b in the B direction, t = wall thickness, the cross sectional area is approximately 2 (b+c) t. For Shear forces parallel to B, the Shear Factor is 2 (b+c) t / 2 t b = 1 + c / b. For Shear forces parallel to C, the Shear Factor = 1 + b / c. c b b c t B Axis C Axis B Axis C Axis Shear Distribution Factor Example 1: For a Rectangular Solid with dimensions bxc, the Effective Shear Area is given as 5/6 bc. The cross sectional area is bc. The Shear Factor in the B and in the C direction will then be bc/ (5/6 bc) = 1.2 Shear Distribution Factor Example 1: For a Rectangular Solid with dimensions bxc, the Effective Shear Area is given as 5/6 bc. The cross sectional area is bc. The Shear Factor in the B and in the C direction will then be bc/ (5/6 bc) = 1.2 Flexible Joint - (Flexible Structural Member)

TRIFLEX ® WINDOWS Joints or Structural Members 18 Flexible Joint - (Flexible Structural Member) Examples of how to use Flexible Structural Members to code Navy Hangers

TRIFLEX ® WINDOWS Joints or Structural Members 19 For more details please contact: 6219 Brittmoore Road Houston, Texas U.S.A. Voice: Fax: :