Connecting two custom made sections

[Tihomir.Karaba]

Hello everyone,

I need to connect two parallel members with custom made sections. In the attached picture you can see their shape and connection orientation. The members are 9 m long, and connected to each other with 42 bolts. Further, lower member is connected with HEA support columns.

The question: is it possible to simulate these connection to get proper results (I don't need connection design just a way to transfer loads from one member to another). I tried with rigid links, that worked in some way, but number and arrangement of rigid links have big influence on the results, so I need another approach.

Thank you very much in advance.

Kind regards

Tihomir

[Artur.Kosakowski]

If you want to use bar elements then I can't see any other option but connect two parallel bars with either rigid links of dummy bars. Otherwise you may want to model the profiles as two shell type objects connected by again bar elements or rigid links.

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