Restraint

Click on the Add restraint button :

Without selection, the left panel shows a message :

Select a node

The selection mode is automatically set to POINT. You can so directly select a node.

1. Anchor

MetaStructure lets you only create anchors :

Property	Description	Unit Metric	Unit USA
Label	Label of the restraint	-	-
Kx	Spring Constant acting in X direction	kN/mm	Kips/in
Ky	Spring Constant acting in Y direction	kN/mm	Kips/in
Kz	Spring Constant acting in Z direction	kN/mm	Kips/in
KΘx	Rotational Spring Constant acting in X direction	kN.m/rad	Kips.ft/rad
KΘy	Rotational Spring Constant acting in Y direction	kN.m/rad	Kips.ft/rad
KΘz	Rotational Spring Constant acting in Z direction	kN.m/rad	Kips.ft/rad

To know the UNIT of the value, just move the mouse over the cell.

The labels are shown with the node names view button.

You can change the coordinate system that defines the directions X,Y,Z :

Global (default)
Local to adjacent element coordinate system
Local to the node coordinate system (if exists on node)

Click here for more information about new coordinate system on node.

The Level is used to identify the spectrum applied to this anchor for multilevel floor response spectrum analysis.

Set the coordinate system to Local to adjacent element and click the Create button to create an anchor :

If one or more spring constants are unchecked, the symbol of the anchor is changed from a box to a disk :

You can Undo this command.

You can later modify or remove this anchor by selecting it and clicking on Modify/Remove buttons.

2. Anchor plate

Set the coordinate system to Local to adjacent element and check the Anchor plate cell :

Press the Edit button and set the plate properties :

Pay close attention to the axes ! The profile is rotated on the preview to match the X-axis of the plate !

Press OK to validate the anchor plate and press Create to validate the restraint :

The resulting anchor plate is rotated to correspond to the actual X-axis of the beam ! The plate is perfectly represented with its thickness and bolts. The grouting is represented under the plate with its thickness. The concrete is represented with its dimensions and dashed lines and crosses on virtual edges.

2.1 Plate definition

Define the plate geometry and material :

Explanation of the fields on the picture :

Property	Description	Unit Metric	Unit USA
Width	Width of the plate	mm	in
Height	Height of the plate	mm	in
Thickness	Thickness of the plate	mm	in
Center X	Distance along X between center of plate and center of beam	mm	in
Center Y	Distance along Y between center of plate and center of beam	mm	in

Click on the … button to select a Structure material :

Click here for more information about database of materials.

2.2 Fastener definition

Define the type of fastener :

Explanation of the fields on the picture :

Property	Description	Unit Metric	Unit USA
Hole diameter	Diameter of the hole	mm	in
Tolerance	Anchor drilling area (uncertainty square side)	mm	in

Click on the … button to select a Fastener :

Click here for more information about database of fasteners.

2.3 Anchor definition

Define the fastener arrangement :

Explanation of the fields on the picture :

Property	Description	Unit Metric	Unit USA
Space	Distance between 2 fasteners	mm	in
Eccentricity	Offset between center of plate and center of fasteners	mm	in

The Regular checkbox means that the fasteners are considered to be placed in a regular grid (even if there are small deviations), and are thus subject to regulatory checks.

The Internal fasteners checkbox adds internal fasteners inside the grid.

You have also the possibility to edit the position of every fastener and assign a reasonable offset in the case of quasi-regular configurations, subject to regulatory verifications :

Select a row and change the X, Y values

To know the UNIT of a property, just let the mouse over the property name.

Property	Unit Metric	Unit USA
X	mm	in
Y	mm	in

2.4 Edges to concrete definition

Define the distance between the plate and the free border of the concrete :

Blank value means that the plate is at an infinite distance from the free border of the concrete.

When a free edge is present, the fasteners are checked with additional failure modes : failure by splitting (tension) and edge failure (shear).

The Virtual edges checkboxes let you take account of the interaction between neighboring plates if they are too close to each other.

Explanation of the fields on the picture :

Property	Unit Metric	Unit USA
Distance	mm	in

2.5 Concrete definition

Define the concrete properties :

Choose between C20, C25, C30, C35, C40, C45, C50, C55, C60 classes, cracked or not, with or without reinforcements (dense, splitting, edge).

Property	Unit Metric	Unit USA
Thickness	mm	in

2.6 Shear and grouting definition

Property	Unit Metric	Unit USA
Thickness	mm	in
Strength	N/mm²	ksi

Grouting: enter the thickness and strength of the mortar if leveling is planned. To model an anchor with spacing but no mortar, it suffices to define the thickness of the mortar equal to the spacing and the resistance equal to 0.

The Shear lug checkbox means that all the shear forces are assumed to be taken up by the lug. Only the bending moments and the normal force acting on the plate are considered for the calculation of the fasteners.

The Washer nut checkbox means that the bending moment in the anchor induced by shear can be reduced if a washer and a nut are directly attached to the concrete surface (in case of non-null grouting thickness).

The Cannot rotate checkbox means that the anchor plate is assumed to be free to rotate.

2.7 Stiffeners

Define stiffeners to reinforce the plate :

Types :

None
Web
Flange
WebFlange
Special (only for channel and I)
Complete (only for channel and I)

You can define the thickness, heights and the lengths of the stiffeners in both sides.

Property	Unit Metric	Unit USA
Length, height and thickness	mm	in

The axis are depending on the defined coordinate system :

Global (default)
Local to adjacent element coordinate system
Local to the node coordinate system (if exists on node)

The definition of stiffeners is only useful for finite element analysis !

Click here for more information about Finite Element Analysis of anchor plates.