5. Design Connections

To design connections you must first have either a Single LC or Batch solution present. Once there is a solution, there are two ways to design connections.

• Choose Solve - Design Connections.

  

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  This option does not automatically open RISAConnection. Instead, it runs in the background, using whatever default or previous settings are in RISAConnection. Once you've done this the Connection Results browser is populated. To fully export into RISAConnection, use the Director tool, as shown next.

• Choose Director - RISAConnection.

  

  This option automatically launches RISAConnection where you can modify the connection parameters, such as number of bolts, clip angle size, clearances, etc., for all the valid connections in your project. You can then solve your model in RISAConnection and then send the information back to RISA-3D to populate the Connection Results browser.

RISAConnection File Creation and Workflow

When using RISAConnection integration, a RISAConnection file is created automatically. The file has the same naming convention as the RISA-3D file and is created in the same directory as the RISA-3D file. It has a .rcn file extension.

Once this RISAConnection file is created you can:

• Use the file separately to make connection changes

• Transfer the file to another machine and work on it separately

• Modify items (bolt criteria, weld criteria, connector sizes, clearances, edge distances, etc.) related to the connections

• Modify or design your connections so that they now work. Move the file back to the location where the RISA-3D model is located. Then, redesign connections in RISA-3D. Your changes are then considered.

Note that any items defined by the RISA-3D models cannot be modified (beam/column sizes, bolted vs welded connections, design code, etc). Any of these changes must be taken care of in RISA-3D and then sent back over to RISAConnection.

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Return to: Integrated Connection Design Procedure