# Connecting 1D elements graphically
1D elements that intersect, within a defined tolerance, can be connected by being split at the point of intersection and joined to a common node using the Sculpt > 1D element operations > Connect 1D elements menu command.
The standard case is where two elements that cross are connected. Sculpt creates a new node at the point of intersection and replaces the two original elements with four elements meeting at the new node.
An offset tolerance is specified for the operation. This defines the maximum separation of two elements at the point at which they cross for the elements to be deemed to be intersecting.
A trim tolerance is also specified. If an element crosses another within trim tolerance of the element end then the element is trimmed to end at the crossing point.
A 1D element aligned with the edge of a 2D element will be split at each 2D element node.
Generally the attributes of the original elements are adopted by the new elements and the local directions of the new elements generally align with those of the original. However, the element releases in the new elements are established to result in releases at only the existing positions; a release at end one of the original element results in a release at end one of only the element at that position.
The option is given to split loads and replace references to original elements with references to new elements.
Splitting loads does not occur where a load is applied to an element. This is because the element is included in a saved list or grid surface referred to by the loading record, rather than referred to directly in the loading record list. In this circumstance references to the old element in the saved list or grid surface are replaced by references to the new split elements. For example:
Element 12 has a linearly varying load applied to it and is split. If the element list for the beam load record is 12 then that load will be split correctly, whereas if the element list is #1 and element 12 is included in saved list 1 then that load will not be split. However, in list 1 reference to element 12 will be replaced by the numbers of the new split elements, resulting in a saw-tooth load pattern along the new elements. (The Delete displayed loading command may be helpful in rectifying such problems.)
The procedure is as follows.
- Set the cursor mode to Select elements. Two or more elements must be selected.
- Select the elements to be connected. Elements that are not 1D or 2D will be ignored by this operation and no action will be taken if only 2D elements are selected.
- Give the Connect 1D elements command.
- Specify how the elements are to be split in the Connect 1D elements dialog box.