Semi-rigid beam-to-column connection

Either a hinge or a link may be used to model a semi-rigid beam-to-column connection, procedures for which are described as follows:

Hinge properties may be defined through Define > Section Properties > Hinge Properties, then they may be assigned to a selected frame object through Assign > Frame > Hinges. Additional details on frame hinges are available in the CSI Analysis Reference Manual (Chapter VIII Frame Hinge Properties).

A link may be assigned to a joint panel zone by first selecting the common joint at a beam-column connection, then by assigning the joint panel zone through Assign > Joint > Panel Zone. Any link property may be specified when modeling the panel zone.

A link may also be created manually by drawing the beam and column objects such that their ends are slightly offset, not sharing a common joint. A link property should then be defined to represent the connection stiffness, and the offset joints should be connected using Draw > Draw 2 Joint Link.

Related Incidents:

Incident 31813: Modeling beam to column connection

Related Emails:

Email "Modeling beam to column connection": (ok → nmh, 1/28/2011, ID 6881452)

TO DO:

Jessica Napier, rewrite per email from Bob 3-31-14

This could be improved. If the connection is linear, one can use end releases with partial fixity stiffness. If nonlinear, then the frame hinge (1) or link element (3) could be used.
Item (2) is for panel-zone flexibility, which is a different mechanism. Items (1) and (3) are for the flexibility within a member at or near where it connects to the joint. Item (2) is
for flexibility in the joint itself, and is represented by rotational flexibility between the column and beam. Set a task for you or Ondrej to re-write.