Tip No.13: Using the Anchor Bolts Tool (SELECTseries6)

 

Introduction:
This tip covers the features, limitations and placement methods of the new anchor bolt, dowel, stud and embedded head bolt objects. The following is the list of anchor bolt types:

  • Hook Anchor
  • Bent Anchor
  • Plate Anchor
  • Headed Bolt
  • Hook Dowel
  • Bent Dowel
  • Round head stud
  • Hex head stud


Location of tool:

MicroStation:



AutoCAD:

 

Organization of anchor bolts:
Anchor bolts are divided into two ends: extrusion end and embedded end. The embedded end can be subdivided zones/areas, Top Zone, Middle Zone and Bottom Zone, the number of available zones are depended on the type of anchor bolt, for example the Bottom Zone does not apply to Hook Anchors and in the case of studs or dowels no zones are available.

Anchor bolt assemblies comprise of an anchor rod and any combination of nuts, washers, plates and sleeve, referred here after as accessories. The following are the rules for all accessories:

  • One anchor rod per assembly
  • Top threading
  • Optional, maximum of 2 nuts and 2 washers above base plate
  • Optional, maximum of 2 leveling nuts and 2 washers under the base plate
  • Optional, one sleeve
  • Optional, Middle Zone plate with a maximum 2nuts above and 2 nuts below the plate
  • Optional, bottom threading
  • Optional, Bottom Zone plate with a maximum 2nuts above and 2 nuts below the plate

Note: Even though presently threading values are available in the UI, it does not have any effect on the anchor bolt; it will be used in the future to reporting.

Anchor bolt rules:

Accessories:

  • Leveling nuts and washers cannot be assigned without the existence of a base plate, or a plate thickness should be provided need to think about the rule
  • Washers can be assigned only when associated nut exist
  • Middle zone nuts can be assigned only if the middle zone plate is enabled
  • Bottom zone nuts can be assigned only if the middle zone plate is enabled

Values:

  • Entered value should be greater than zero
  • Extrusion value has to be greater or equal to total of grout thickness + plate thickness + nut(s) + washer(s)
  • Sleeve length should be shorter than embedment length minus bend radius
  • Thread length should be shorter than total length or embedment minus bend radius
  • Foot length should be greater or equal to bend radius
  • Anchor bolt diameter should be less or equal to sleeve inner diameter

 

Data handling:
There are two ways of specifying anchor bolt data:

  • Reading data from external user defined Access database (MDB) for rods, nuts, washers, sleeves, and plates



Note: The component selector dialog will always list all available sizes for the main anchor rod. However, when selecting accessories the component selector dialog will automatically filter/list relevant/applicable sizes to the anchor rod diameter.

Example: If a washer is desired, first enable  then click  to specify the database, table and finally the record.

 

 

Note: This workflow applies to all accessories.

  • Entering data manually in the UI/dialogbox for length, thickness, radius, diameter etc.



    Note: 
    It should be noted however that data entered manually in the UI will not be written back to the database.

Database:
When a new anchor bolt database is created or anchor bolt data tables are added to an existing bolt database the following applies:

  • amended database to include a Config table for the support of new anchor bolt data


  • the following are the structures of data tables by type







               







 

Data processing rules:
The data of the embedded part of an anchor bolt is handled internally by the values provided in the UI or read from a database, some types require all three values for UpperEmbedmentLength, MiddleEmbedmentLength and BottomEmbedmentLength, where other require one or two of the values, the following images demonstrate how the value are handled when switching from one type to another and/or when values are read from a database.



Insertion methods:
There are two methods of insertion:

  • Three point insertion method  :
    Specify a point in space followed by embedment direction and rotation direction
  • Plate selection method (this method applies to anchor bolts only) :
    Select an existing plate or flat bar with holes, the program will align the anchor bolts with the holes


Placement pattern:

In addition to inserting a single anchor bolt by the three point method, one can also insert a set of anchor bolts by specifying a rectangular or circular pattern/arrangement, as well as specifying the orientation and justification of the pattern.

Linear pattern is when only the X set of values are provided:

  • Count = number of anchor bolts
  • Dist Btw = distance between anchor bolts
  • Rot Angle = the axial rotation of anchor bolts, this pest seen in hook or bent anchor bolts, dowels and studs.

Rectangular pattern is when additionally the Y set of values are provided.

Rectangular orientation:

XSOUT/YSIN           XSOUT/YSOUT          YSOUT/XSIN         YSIN/XSIN
        

Diagonal:
When the diagonal switch is enable, the four outermost corner anchor bolts are turned outward at 45 degrees.



Polar pattern:

  • Count = number of anchor bolts
  • Radius = radius of the anchor bolt circle
  • Start angle = is the angle at which the first anchor bolt is created, the 12:15 leg of a clock
  • Included angle = is the angle between the first and the last anchor bolt created

 

Polar orientation:

  • In = all anchor bolts are facing inward towards the center of the anchor bolt circle
  • Out = all anchor bolts are facing outwards from the center of the bolt circle

        

Pattern justification:

  • Is the point from which a pattern is arranged Example: if the left bottom justification point is specified, then the pattern is arranged to the right and top direction from the point.
  • Justification applies only to rectangular patterns


Plate sharing:
For plate anchor bolts, plate sharing of top and bottom plates can be independently controlled.

  • With polar pattern the following options are available:

    • Single, each anchor bolt gets a separate square plate rotated toward the center of the pattern
    • Complete, one single/common circular plate is created for the anchor bolt pattern

  • With rectangular pattern the following options are available:

The following is based on a pattern with three AB in the X direction and two in the Y direction:

  • Single, each anchor bolt gets a separate plate
  • X Direction, all sets of anchor bolts in the X direction get common/combined plates
  • Y Direction, all sets of anchor bolts in the Y direction get common/combined plates
  • Complete, one single/common rectangular plate is created for the anchor bolt pattern
       

Templates:
All values and control settings in all the tabs can be saved to user defined templates (customary PS behavior).


Anchor bolt styles:

The main use of styles is to be able to define, save and apply assembly/accessories along with additional user defined data and label formatting to anchor bolts.

Styles can be saved, loaded and rename on the fly.

User styles are organized as follows in specific folders by type under the parent folder

\\Localised\**Country**\Styles\DetailStyles\FastenerStyles\

Note: Only values assigned to the following controls will be saved to a user defined style.


Anchor bolt style behavior:
When trying to insert or update an existing anchor after having altered one or more value or setting of an active style the following applies:

  • “Change the current style name to” Save the style to a new name to retain existing state of the style, apply changes to the active anchor bolts, changes will not affect existing anchor bolts in the dgn file.
  • “Apply changes to all existing object” Retain the same style name and apply current dimension values in the dialogbox to active and existing anchor bolts of the same style in the dgn file. An exception to this rule is when the dialogbox diameter do not correspond to the existing, at which point the option “Apply changes to all existing object” will be greyed out obliging the user to rename the style.
  • “Cancel” the dialogbox will abort and no change will occur.


  • When opening a file with existing anchor bolts, the styles of the anchor bolts will not change even if the style on disk is different / altered.
  • When inserting a new anchorbolt in an existing file, the same logic and conditions is applicable as per Apply Style Change in image above.

User interface:
The user interface has six tabs, the first five tabs are organized by anchor bolt type and the last tab is dedicated to assignment/classification of anchor bolt assembly.




The lower portion of the dialogbox is common to all tabs; it contains placement buttons, user data and formatting controls, placement pattern controls, style controls and ProStructures common controls.

  • Name = Style name
  • Workloose = additional tolerance
  • Material/Grade = from material file
  • Item Number = user defined
  • Treat as Single = treat the collection of anchor bolts and plates as a user connection, or as individual objects.
  • Part list Entry = show part in B.O.M./partlist

List of available tokens to compose name formats/stencils to be used in BOM and export:

  • $(N) = Name, user specified
  • $(T) = Type, user specified
  • $(D) = Diameter
  • $(Lf4) = Length in decimal of feet, 4 indicates decimal places (blank, 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4)
  • $(Li2) = Length in decimal of inches, 2 indicates decimal places (blank, 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4)
  • $(Lm) = Length in millimeters
  • $(LM2) = Length in decimal of meters, 2 indicates decimal places (blank, 0, 1, 2, 3 or 4)
  • $(M) = Material
  • $(C) = Coating
  • $(ID) = Item Number

Partlist Name = compose name formatting for B.O.M./partlist
Export Name = compose name formatting for export/transfer

The upper portion of the dialogbox is where accessories are selections and values entered.

Sample workflows:

  • Invoke Anchor Bolt command
  • Select one of the following tabs
    • Hook Plate A. Bolt
    • Bent Plate A. Bolt
    • Plate A. Bolt
    • Head bolt
    • Dowels and Studs
  • 1st scenario
    • Preferably select an anchor rod diameter from a database (all values will be automatically replace/overwrite in corresponding text field), optionally enter or overwrite values in available text field (generally to the right of the graphical illustration).
    • Enable/disable check boxes as desired (generally to the left of the graphical illustration)
    • Clicking “…” button (generally to the left of the graphical illustration) one can browse and access corresponding mdb>table and terminate by selecting a record.
    • Optionally one can provide values and selections to common data at the lower section of the dialogbox
    • Optionally one can make selections in the assignments tab.
    • Back to the original tab; provide appropriate information in the placement pattern area at the lower right section of the dialogbox.
    • First provide a name then click “Save Style” button at the middle lower section of the dialogbox, to save all setting and selections to a style that can be loaded and reused at a later time.
    • At this point we are ready to insert the anchor bolt(s), dowel(s) or stud(s) by one of the 2 insertion methods provided at the bottom of the dialogbox
      • By clicking the “Free 3 Pts” Button, specify and insert point in the model, followed by a point for the downward direction and finally a point in the X direction.
      • By clicking “Select” Button, select and existing plate or flat bar with holes for inserting anchor bolts, or plate or flat bar  without holes for inserting dowels or studs.
        • An alert message will appear when and the process will abort when:
          • All holes are not of the same diameter
          • Diameter + workloose specified in UI do not correspond to existing hole diameter.
    • Anchor bolt(s), dowel(s) or stud(s) will be created as specified.
  • 2nd scenario
    • Click “Load Style” button at the middle lower section of the dialogbox
    • Browse and select an anchor bolt, dowel or stud style to load Note that only similar styles to the active tab will be available for selection.
    • Pre-established user selections/settings are reinstated and display in the dialogbox
    • At this point one can use the insert methods outline in 1st scenario or additionally modify some settings, save a style then insert.

 

Anchor bolt editing and manipulating procedure:

  

  1. Editing after creation:
    1. Select yellow object (if exist) and right click
        1. From context menu select “edit connection”
        2. Invoke AB dialogbox for editing
        3. Only relevant/corresponding tab will be enabled for editing
        4. If existing/selected AB were originally created by plate selection method, the pattern area will be greyed out, otherwise it will be enabled.
        5. At this point the user is free to modify AB type, parameters, pattern (see item iv) and user data.
        6. Style can be modified, save and new one can be created.
        7. Finally accept all changes.
    2. When selecting an anchor bolt that is part of a collection (yellow object), same as “a”
  2. Context menu
    1. Select PS properties, for changing display options (design to come).
    2. Select Edit connection, for editing the collection.
    3. When a single anchor bolt is selected that is part of a collection one can edit or delete the collection.
      If selected anchor bolt is not part of a connection/collection, one can only access PsProperties dialogbox.
    4. Select Delete connection; delete the yellow object or the yellow object plus the contents.
    5. The status of the controls and value should be as per select item
        1. Yellow object,  pattern area should be enabled, including rect/polar
        2. Single anchor bolt, pattern area should be disabled, including rect/polar

Note: If user has deleted the yellow object inadvertently or purposely, the anchor bolts cannot be edited as single objects.

Note: The location of the pattern is only associated to the yellow object. As a result, when anchor bolt(s) associated to a pattern is/are copied to another location and edited,  the anchor bolt pattern is recreated at its original location.

 

Error handling:
User input errors are trapped and notified during any of the 2 creation processes, when clicking the create button a message is displayed if there is any user input error, at this point the user has to resolve this issue before returning to the creation procedure, should there be more than one error, the user has to cycle through them repeatedly.

 

Template behavior:
Generally the template actions save/load/import etc. related to *.sve and *.tpl conforms to ProStructures general procedures/guidelines with one exception:

  • When the anchor bolt command is invoked for the first time, the UI is populated with default hard coded values.
  • All subsequent times the command is invoked the UI is restored to its previous state (*.sve), if the anchor bolt style is not found on disk, a message is displayed and the UI is populated with default hard coded values.
  • Similarly, when a template is selected and loaded, if the anchor bolt style is not found on disk, a message is displayed and the UI is populated with default hard coded values.

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