Comet

Analysis and design of joints of steel structures

COMET-2 is used to check and design the most common types of joints of steel bar structures used in civil and industrial engineering. The application contains reference modes which perform reference and auxiliary operations, and design modes which enable to perform checks and design of joints.

The application enables to perform checks for compliance with requirements of SNiP II-23-81*, ShNK 2.03.05-13, SP 53-102-2004, SP 16.13330, DBN B.2.6-163:2010, DBN B.2.6-198:2014, EN 1993-1-1:2005 and EN 1993-1-8: 2005, and to design a steel structural joint based on a particular prototype.

The application implements an approach based on selecting from a set of parameterized standard structural designs of joints (prototypes). Parameters of a prototype depend on the specified design conditions (material, internal forces etc.). Once a design is selected for the joint, the application enables to determine all its parameters, which must comply with the standard requirements, a number of structural constraints, and the assortment of steel members. The initial data for computer-aided design of steel structural joints include a configuration or type of the joint, type and sizes of cross-sections of bearing members connected in this joint, and internal forces acting in these members.

The application enables to generate a drawing of the joint (which can be exported as a DXF file) and to obtain the data on strength of its individual elements (details, welds, bolts, etc.) given as a set of utilization factors of restrictions. The latter enable to evaluate the quality of the obtained design and change some parameters if necessary.

The current COMET version implements different joint prototypes including rigid column bases (which provide a rigid column-to-foundation connection), nominally pinned column bases, beam splices with plates or end-plates, joints of the truss with the bars made of double angles or rectangular (square) hollow sections, pinned and rigid joints between beams and columns, standard joints between beams in the same level, which use bolts or an angle cleat.

Compliance with SNiP is confirmed by the certificate of Gosstroy of Russia.

Help (Reference Information)

The application is provided with a detailed help which includes descriptions of the user interface and conventions of using the application.