Applies To
	Product(s):	STAAD.Pro
	Version(s):	ALL
	Environment:	ALL
	Area:	Steel Design
	Subarea:	General Steel Design Solutions
	Original Author:	Sye Chakraborty, Bentley Technical Support Group

 

I am trying to do some connection design using STAAD.Pro and came across some WELD DESIGN options as part of the AISC ASD design code. Is this the right choice or are there other options to design welds and other connections in STAAD.Pro ?

 

The WELD design available as part of the AISC ASD design code in STAAD.Pro is a very rudimentary design and was implemented long time back when there were no other options in the software to carry out such tasks. The software has moved a long way since then and now we have a full fledged connection design tool in the form of RAM Connection which can design connections as per the latest AISC codes. There is an interface to RAM Connection from within STAAD.Pro that you can access as shown next

 

 

The advantage of using the RAM Connection mode is that it is fully integrated inside STAAD.Pro. So you can analyze the structure in STAAD.Pro and the connections can be designed based on the member forces from the analysis. More details on the RAM Connection mode can be found within the STAAD.Pro Help Documentation (File > Help > Contents) as illustrated below

 

 

The WELD design feature within the AISC ASD code will be taken out from STAAD.Pro in the near future and we strongly recommend that you use the RAM Connection mode as shown above for carrying out any connection design.