Overview

The goal of this tutorial is to explain how to model pinned connection between crossing members as shown in the figure below for location E:

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Figure 1 - System with crossing member

Create model

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Figure 2 - SAP2000 analytical model

Select members 3 and 5 and assign moment M33 end release to the start joint of the members using the "Assign > Frame > Releases/Partial Fixity" menu command.

Select joint 4 (the joint at which the horizontal and inclined members cross) and use the "Edit > Edit Points > Disconnect" menu command to create for separate joints at this location, one for each of the connected members. This will replace joint 4 by four separate joints (numbered 4, 7, 8, 9) as shown in the figure below:

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Figure 3 - Crossing-member joint specification

To model continuity for the horizontal member and the inclined member, merge joints 4 and 7 and also merge joints 8 and 9 as follows:
- Use "Select > Select > Labels" menu command to select joints 4 and 7 (ie. the "continuity joints" for the inclined member) and then use "Edit > Edit Points > Merge Joints" command to merge the two selected joints to make the inclined member continuous.
- Repeat the same procedure for joints 8 and 9 to make the horizontal member continuous.

Select the two resulting joints at the intersection of the inclined and horizontal members and assign equal constraint for all translational degrees of freedom to make model the pinned connection (alternatively you could use link to connect the two joints.
Assign pinned support to joint 1 and roller support to joint 2.
Use "Analyze > Set Analysis Options > XZ Plane" menu command to model the structure in 2D.
Assign 100kN load in gravity direction to joint 6 using a "LOAD" load pattern:

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Figure 4 - Load application

The resulting moment diagram is shown in the figure below:

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Figure 5 - Flexural response

Alongkorn Lamom, Thaksin Thepchatri, and Wanchai Rivepiboon: Hybrid Connection Simulation Using Dynamic Nodal Numbering Algorithm ; American Journal of Applied Sciences 7 (8): 1174-1181, 2010

[SAP2000 V14.2.3 model|Modeling pinned connection between crossing members^model A V14.2.3.zip] - relevant SAP2000 model (zipped SDB file)