Applies To
	Product(s):	STAAD.Pro
	Version(s):	All
	Environment:	N/A
	Area:	Modeling Solutions
	Subarea:	Specifications
	Original Author:	Bentley Technical Support Group

How can I apply control/dependent specifications between nodes in non global directions? For example I have two nodes and I want to apply a rigid connection between the two nodes along a line joining those two nodes. The line is inclined to the global direction.

The control/dependent specification is a method to model certain linkages between a control point and a set of nodes (called dependent joints) that are connected in the physical structure to the control joint through those linkages.

Those linkages cause the displacement of certain degrees of freedom at the dependent nodes to be patterned after the displacement of those d.o.fs of the control node.

One of the limitations of the control/dependent feature is that those degrees of freedom can be defined in the global directions only. Constraining a displacement or rotation along non-global direction is not available.

If you want to apply the constraints along directions which are inclined to the global directions, one way would be to define a dummy beam element connecting the two nodes along the inclination and assign a material having high E and zero density to that dummy member.