Lessons from CROSS Safety Report 1403
The Warning We Can’t Ignore
In the recent CROSS Safety Report (ID 1403), a structural design was found where a moment‐connection between a UB beam and UC column was connected via the column web, not a flange — a design choice that significantly increased the risk of web deformation and higher sagging moments in the beam. Such errors are often rooted in the use of generic software‐libraries, lack of verification or insufficient modelling of connection stiffness – and above everything, lack of structural understanding.
The result?
A flexible connection that allowed more rotation than expected, causing higher sagging moments in the beam—and a real risk to structural safety.
How Did This Happen?
The report reveals a chain of issues familiar to many engineers:
- The design team relied on a software library that lacked the correct connection type.
- A “close enough” template was used without fully modelling the connection’s stiffness.
- The column web deformed more than expected, invalidating the beam design assumptions.
The lesson is clear: connection design cannot be an afterthought—and software must support the correct geometrical complexity with proper verification and no compromise.
Where IDEA StatiCa Makes the Difference
At IDEA StatiCa, we believe that connection design must go beyond selecting from pre‐set templates. Our software allows structural engineers to model the exact geometry, loads, and boundary conditions, to calculate how much rotational flexibility or stiffness is present, and to evaluate whether the connection really behaves as assumed.
With that, you can catch in advance cases where a web‐only moment connection won’t deliver the performance required, and adjust your design (e.g. adding stiffeners, reassigning connection to the flange, choosing a more capable connection type) before the structure goes to fabrication.
By adopting validated modelling tools early, also ensuring good communication between the primary structural designer and the connection designer (sharing loads, assumptions, model geometry), we can drastically reduce the chance of falling into the kinds of traps that CROSS has flagged. The cost of catching issues at the shop drawing stage or later is much higher than investing a bit more in the modelling early on.
Using IDEA StatiCa can help you to eliminate exactly these risks:
✅ Complete Freedom of Geometry
Model the real connection you need—not just what a template library offers.
✅ Verified Capacity & Stiffness
Check rotation, deformed shape and strength using the validated CBFEM method, revealing web deformations, bolt forces, and stress concentrations.
✅ Transparent Communication
Share accurate models and load assumptions across designers, detailers, and fabricators—so everyone knows what the connection really does.
The Call to Action
CROSS reminds us that connections are the weak link.
The right tools—and the discipline to verify—turn that weak link into a point of confidence.
If you design steelwork connections, ask yourself:
- Am I modelling the actual stiffness of my connections?
- Or am I trusting a default template and hoping it’s “close enough”?
Discover how IDEA StatiCa exposes hidden risks before fabrication.
Book a free demo or try our free trial to see the difference.