The modal relevance factor is a result of the linear stability analysis and qualitatively describes the degree of participation of individual members in a specific mode shape.
To be able to evaluate the influence of local stability phenomena of slender structural components, RFEM 6 and RSTAB 9 provide you with the option of performing a linear critical load analysis on the cross-section level. The following article explains the basics of the calculation and the result interpretation.
For the stability verification of members using the equivalent member method, it is necessary to define effective or lateral-torsional buckling lengths in order to determine a critical load for stability failure. In this article an RFEM 6-specific function is presented, by which you can assign an eccentricity to the nodal supports and thus influence the determination of the critical bending moment considered in the stability analysis.
The CSA S16:19 Stability Effects in Elastic Analysis method in Annex O.2 is an alternative option to the Simplified Stability Analysis Method in Clause 8.4.3. This article will describe the requirements of Annex O.2 and application in RFEM 6.
Windbreak structures are special types of fabric structures which protect the environment from harmful chemical particles, abate wind erosion, and help to maintain valuable sources. RFEM and RWIND are used for wind-structure analysis as one-way fluid-structure interaction (FSI).
This article demonstrates how to structural design windbreak structures using RFEM and RWIND.
This article discusses the options available for determining the nominal flexural strength, Mnlb for the limit state of local buckling when designing according to the 2020 Aluminum Design Manual.
This article will show you how to use the Torsion Warping (7 DOF) add-on in combination with the Structure Stability add-on to consider cross-section warping as an additional degree of freedom when performing the stability analysis.
The advantage of the RFEM 6 Steel Joints add-on is that you can analyze steel connections using an FE model for which the modeling runs fully automatically in the background. The input of the steel joint components that control the modeling can be done by defining the components manually, or by using the available templates in the library. The latter method is included in a previous Knowledge Base article titled “Defining Steel Joint Components Using the Library". The definition of parameters for the design of steel joints is the topic of the Knowledge Base article “Designing Steel Joints in RFEM 6".
RFEM 6 offers the Aluminum Design add-on to design aluminum members for the ultimate and serviceability limit states according to Eurocode 9. In addition to this, you can perform design according to ADM 2020 (US Standard).
Imperfections in construction engineering are associated with production-related deviation of structural components from their ideal shape. They are often used in a calculation to determine the equilibrium of forces for structural components on a deformed system.
The stability checks for the equivalent member design according to EN 1993-1-1, AISC 360, CSA S16, and other international standards require consideration of the design length (that is, the effective length of the members). In RFEM 6, it is possible to determine the effective length manually by assigning nodal supports and effective length factors or, on the other hand, by importing it from the stability analysis. Both options will be demonstrated in this article by determining the effective length of the framed column in Image 1.
The new RFEM software generation provides the option to perform stability design of tapered timber members in line with the equivalent member method. According to this method, the design can be performed if the guidelines of DIN 1052, Section E8.4.2 for variable cross-sections are met. In various technical literature, this method is also adopted for Eurocode 5. This article demonstrates how to use the equivalent member method for a tapered roof girder.
You can use the selection options in the printout report to receive the detail results (in short or long form) to illustrate the individual buckling modes with the relevant buckling analysis.
RFEM and RSTAB can calculate the critical load factor for each load case (LC) and each load combination (CO) in the case of a geometrically nonlinear calculation (second-order analysis and following).
A member's boundary conditions decisively influence the elastic critical moment for lateral-torsional buckling Mcr. The program uses a planar model with four degrees of freedom for its determination. The corresponding coefficients kz and kw can be defined individually for standard-compliant cross-sections. This allows you to describe the degrees of freedom available at both member ends due to the support conditions.
The RF-STABILITY add-on module determines any critical load factors, effective lengths, and eigenvectors of RFEM models. Stability analyses can be carried out by various eigenvalue methods, the advantages of which depend on the structural system as well as computer configurations.
When analyzing structural elements susceptible to buckling by using the modules RF‑STABILITY (for RFEM) or RSBUCK (for RSTAB), it might be necessary to activate the internal division of members.
Very small torsional moments in the members to be designed often prevent certain design formats. In order to neglect them and still perform the designs, you can define a limit value in RF‑/STEEL EC3 from which torsional shear stresses are taken into account.
Structure stability is not a new phenomenon when referring to steel design. The Canadian steel design standard CSA S16 and the most recent 2019 release are no exception. Detailed stability requirements can be addressed with either the Simplified Stability Analysis Method in Clause 8.4.3 or, new to the 2019 standard, the Stability Effects in Elastic Analysis method provided in Annex O.
The RF‑/STEEL EC3 add-on module automatically transfers the buckling line to be used for the flexural buckling analysis for a cross-section from the cross-section properties. The assignment of the buckling line can be adjusted manually in the module input for general cross-sections in particular, as well as for special cases.
The function, which is also known as shifting, allows you to calculate critical load factors beyond a user‑defined initial value. Determination of the critical load factors is usually done from the smallest to the greatest critical load factor.
When optimizing cross-sections in the add-on modules, you can also select arbitrarily defined cross-section favorites lists - in addition to the cross-sections from the same cross-section series as the original cross-section.
The RX‑TIMBER stand-alone program offers you the option to optimize the lateral-torsional bracing. With this selection, the program iteratively determines the required minimum length of the lateral-torsional bracing.
In the world of construction engineering, the word "imperfections" has a specific meaning. In general, it describes the incompleteness of a structure or the deviation of a structural component from an ideal shape caused by the production.
A calculation break‑off due to an unstable system can have different reasons. On one hand, it can indicate a "real" instability due to overloading of the system; on the other hand, the error message can result from inaccuracies in the model.
This technical article deals with the design of structural components and cross-sections of a welded truss girder in the ultimate limit state. Furthermore, the deformation analysis in the serviceability limit state is described.
If a member is supported laterally to prevent buckling due to a compressive axial force, it must be ensured that the lateral support is actually able to prevent buckling. Therefore, the aim of this article is to determine the ideal spring stiffness of a lateral support using the Winter model.
The previous article, titled Lateral-Torsional Buckling in Timber Construction | Examples 1, explains the practical application for determining the critical bending moment Mcrit or the critical bending stress σcrit for a bending beam's lateral buckling using simple examples. In this article, the critical bending moment is determined by considering an elastic foundation resulting from a stiffening bracing.