...
Using
...
links
...
to
...
model
...
beams
...
on
...
an
...
elastic
...
foundation
...
Gap
...
(compression-only)
...
...
objects
...
may
...
be
...
used
...
to
...
model
...
vertical
...
deflection,
...
including
...
that
...
of
...
beams
...
on
...
an
...
elastic
...
foundation.
...
Gap
...
links
...
may
...
be
...
applied
...
as
...
follows:
...
- Define
...
- link
...
- properties
...
- through
...
- Define
...
- >
...
- Section
...
- Properties
...
- >
...
- Link/Support
...
- Properties.
...
- Set the Link/Support
...
- Type
...
- to
...
- Gap
...
- (Figure
...
- 1).
...
- Specify link properties under Directional Properties. Compression-only
...
- properties
...
- may
...
- be
...
- specified
...
- for
...
- each
...
- direction
...
- (Figure
...
- 1).
...
- Set stiffness and open distance through Nonlinear > Modify/Show.
- Select the joint to which the link will be assigned, then model the link through Draw > Draw 1 Joint Link.
Please note that both links and springs are available for modeling, though links are more powerful because they enable nonlinear behavior and may be used either as supports or as connections between two non-grounded joints. Nonlinear link properties are only active when running a nonlinear load case.