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C.S.E. - WHAT IT DOES


The actual version of C.S.E. is able, in short and incomplete synthesis, to perform the following steps (also please look at the films the lessons and the card):

 

• Read into C.S.E. a Sargon or Sap2000 fem model, finding automatically the members which make up the structure (well different from finite elements!). If the FEM model has been solved, then internal forces will be used, in different load combinations, to execute the checks.
  

 

• Alternatively, create a FEM model inside C.S.E., able to describe a given joint where a given number of members are connected together, no matter their orientation: end releases, constraints, connection codes, offsets, orientation, materials, cross-sections, are all defined into C.S.E. (indipendence from FEM programs). It is also possible to create more complex FEM model and recognize, within them, the same (j)nodes, as for all the imported FEM models. If this holds true, then the checks will be performed using elastic or plastic limits conveniently factorized.
  
• Recognize automatically all the equal (j)nodes within the structure, mark them, and categorize them (recognition of equal jnodes).
• Create simple drawings in which the jnode identifiers (marks) are applied in the spatial positions of the node themselves, so as to produce informative printings able to make standard the references to the nodes of the structure at hand (preliminar jnodes study).
  
• Have both in a listing and at screen, summary informations able to be the starting point for the joint computation. Particularly, for every jnode listed one can have the envelopes of internal forces, keeping into account variation of both combinations and instances (occurencies) of the jnode at hand. Thanks to this scheme you have fastly the internal forces from which start for the checks (pre-analysis of jnodes).
  
• Create a listing referring all the members found, their dependance from the FEM model, all the jnodes found, with their marks, the fem nodes associated, the members associated, their topologic, structural and static informations and all the informations needed for a by hand computation and/or check (jnodes listing).
  
• Automatically recognize constraints and have the envelope of the constraint reactions, at different load combinations and at different jnode occurencies.

 

• Then, for each jnode you have to create a renode, i.e. a real node. You will do that thanks to graphic, interactive commands (like an electronic LEGOTM).
  

   

• Create workings (cuts, bevels, face rotations and translations) and add components to a renode. You can add plates, single or double angles, cross-sections trunks of any kind, constraint blocks (free, interactive building of the renode).

   

• Apply bolt layouts, managed with wide generality (rectangular bolt matrices, simple or staggered, made perimetral too, concentric circles, roto-translation of the bolt layout over the chosen face, free bolt positioning). In this phase the internal distances and border distances checks are automatized. The bolts can  be shear-only, or tension-compression as well. Several computational methods are possible (no slip bolts, with or without bearing polygon, reacting or not to compression, anchorages...).
  

   

• Apply fillet welds layouts, also with non ortogonal faces, with automatic recognition of pertinent sides, of lengths and angles.
  

   

• Check for overlapping between 3D objects (overlapping check). Check renode logic (no matter its topology) pointing out components not joined, ill joints, lack of connections (renode chains, check of connection effectiveness).

   

• Define new variables starting from pre-defined variables added automatically by the program. Define conditions or checks with the most general freedom, starting from pre-defined variables and user-variables. It is not necessary to know any programming language, because variables and conditions are defined into the program by specific tools (free definition of variables and   conditions).

 

• Fully check (automatically) bolt layouts. Shear, tension/compression, parasitic bending if required, and their interaction (N, V, M). Check slip connections. Check anchorages. Check no-tension bearing support.

   

• Check bolt layouts eventually using no-tension bearing surfaces (flanges, base plates). The bolt layout is checked under six forces (axial force, two shears, twisting moment, bending moments). No matter the space position of the bolt layout, its orientation, absolute or relative, no matter the number of bolts and their actual layout, no matter the number of layouts in the scene, applied to any component, the program computes shear and traction forces in the bolts, at each level, and executes automatically bearing stresses checks of each plates joined by the bolts. Automatic checking algorithms can be driven by the user thanks to proper settings. The program can keep into account, if required, parasitic bending acting over bolts, and is sensible to bolt diameter (bolt checks, bearing pressure checks). If a bearing surface is present the program executes non linear computations with no-tension material for the bearing surface.

 

• Fully check (automatically) fillet weld layouts, made up of an arbitrary number of welds, no matter their placement, absolute or relative, the number of weld layouts in the scene, applied to any couple of components among those present in the scene, computing forces per unit length applied to each weld, and executing automatically the checks (fillet welds check).

   

• Execute member net cross-section checks fully automatically (axial force plus bending). (automatic net sections check)
• Execute automatically simplified (not FEM) checks on throughs.  (simplified through checks)

   

• Create automatically the finite element models of components (members, throughs), keeping into account workings and stiffeners, so as to fine check their stress status. The models are ready to run. The forces applied model single bolts and single welds and, if present, the bearing surface actions (see  here).
• Print a detailed listing with all the forces applied to each complete layout (bolts and welds) and to each instance of the layout (single bolts and welds), with all relevant results including those referred to components like members and throughs, and those due to user checks. (listing).

   

• Study connection displaced views (displaced).
• Execute the user-defined checks by addinf variables and conditions, in every load combination and renode instance. Add the results of these checks to the listing and see their consequences in false colours on the screen  (additional automatic user-checks).
• Execute a coherence check between the displacements levels allowed by the connections designed in renode, and the end releases added in the finite element model (displacement coherence checks).
• For the checks executed using elastic and plastic limits (i.e. not using fem results), fem or not, create automatically proper limit forces combinations, to be applied to members one by one, so as to prove renode effectiveness in different fictious load states (fictious automatic combinations of limit forces).
• For FEM checks, execute automatically the maximum stress check of component in every instance of the renode and in every load combination defined in the fem model, or in every fictious load combinations  (fem combinations check).

   

• Export a 3D DXF file with the description of the renode with all its components (export to CAD).