Brick Attributes: Attachment

Description

Assigns attachment attributes to faces of selected brick elements.

Attachment attributes are used by the Attach Parts tool to create attachment links between elements. If the tool is not executed, attachment attributes have no effect.

Attachment attributes are independent of load and freedom cases.

Dialog

Type

The type of connection to create.  

• Direct

  Creates a single attachment link between the node on the brick and the corresponding attachment point on the target element.

  The gap between the node on the brick and the attachment point is automatically considered by the direct type; the result is mathematically equivalent to the rigid type described below, which generally creates two links.

• Flexible

  Creates a new beam element to bridge the gap between the node on the brick and the corresponding attachment point on the target element. It then creates an attachment link to connect the free end of the new beam to the attachment point on the target element.

  If there is no gap the beam element is not created and a direct connection is used instead.

  The flexible connection is typically used to automatically generate point contacts between elements.

• Rigid

  Creates a rigid link to bridge the gap between the node on the brick and the corresponding attachment point on the target element. It then creates an attachment link to connect the free end of the new rigid link to the attachment point on the target element.

  If there is no gap, the rigid link is not created and a direct connection is used instead.

  The rigid type is mathematically equivalent to the direct type, but uses two links instead of one.

  The rigid type is conceptually equivalent to the flexible type except that instead of creating a bridging beam element it creates a bridging rigid link.

Connection

The load transfer behaviour of the attachment link.

• Moment

  Since bricks do not have rotational degrees of freedom, moment transfer is not possible across a single attachment link connected to a brick node, so the connection will be pinned at each node. However, if a flexible or rigid attachment type is used, the moment connection option then applies to the connection between the bridging beam or rigid link and the attachment point on the target element.

• Pinned

  Forces, but not moments, will be transferred across the attachment to produce a pinned connection.

Beam Type

The property to assign to bridging beams created when Type is set to Flexible.

Max Gap

The maximum search distance from the brick face used to locate attachment points on target elements.

Negative values are treated as zero.

Common Controls

• Components

• Retrieve from model
• Keep selection
• Free edges / Free faces
• Scale / Add / Delete / Apply

See Also

• Mesh Tools: Attach Parts