Multiple Leg Rebar Constraints and Spacing

[Tim-Peruchini]

I have a beam where I need to model 4-leg stirrups - (1) S3 shape around the outer bars, and (2) T9 shapes around the inner bars.  By default, these 3 objects are modeled on the same plane.  I cut a section along the length of the beam so I can move each rebar to the side.  I then select each rebar one-by-one and click "Edit Constraints" where I then constrain the rebar to the one next to it and specify a clear spacing of 0".  Everything looks good with the 3 objects stacked right next to each other.  The problem is when I change the rebar properties to be anything except "Single" ("Fixed Number", "Maximum Spacing", etc.).  The 3 objects at the end which I specifically constrained still look good, but the rest of the array is messy because these constraints don't appear to be maintained and the spacing varies between bars, causing some to merge back into the same plane.

Am I missing something with constraints and bar arrays?  I even made sure to apply these constraints to both ends of the beam (since editing constraints works for the start and end of the array), but this only made the ends work and then it diverges towards midspan.

[jay_colcombe]

What you are doing is correct it will be down to the number of bars so you cannot finish with the Same Colour at the Start and End as the First set of links with try to fit the Beam Length up to the End Covers.  

So when trying to space them it is filling a Gap rather than being equidistant so you will need to consider this for the additional bars after it - So if you used Number with Spacing you can keep all of the Bar Groups identical.  Think of the constraints as locking the Starting position to ensure the start the array from the correct offset of the other Stirrup and the End constrains as locking against the others to move as one.

I hope this makes some sort of sense lakes sense - in the example below Set the First Range then dragged the end back and for all the others I Edited the Constraints to the Next Bar at the Start & End using Maximum Spacing of 300mm for ALL of the Ranges and if I move the Primary Range they All move as the Primary Range is the Driver and you can edit the Layout Method and then All follow suit.