The Time History Analysis add-on provides you with accelerograms for the calculation. This extension allows for dynamic structural analysis of the acceleration-time diagrams.
There is an extensive library of earthquake records available for you, but you can also enter or import your own diagrams. The time history analysis is performed using the modal analysis or the linear implicit Newmark analysis.
In RFEM 6 and RSTAB 9, you can export line graphics to the SVG format (vector graphics).
SVG stands for Scalable Vector Graphics and is an XML-based file format for displaying two-dimensional vector graphics. These vector graphics can be scaled without loss. It is possible to edit the SVG files using text editors, embed them on websites, and open them in the usual browsers.
The Ponding load type allows you to simulate rain actions on multi-curved surfaces, taking into account the displacements according to the large deformation analysis.
This numerical rainfall process examines the assigned surface geometry and determines which rainfall portions drain away and which rainfall portions accumulate in puddles (water pockets) on the surface. The puddle size then results in a corresponding vertical load for the structural analysis.
For example, you can use this feature in the analysis of approximately horizontal membrane roof geometries subjected to rain loading.
You can import STEP files into RFEM 6. The data are directly converted into the native RFEM model data.
STEP is an interface standard initiated by ISO (ISO 10303). In the geometry description, all shapes relevant for RFEM (line, surface, and solid models) can be integrated by the CAD data models.
Note: This format is not to be confused with DSTV interfaces, which also use the file extension *.stp.
Using the "Load Transfer Only" story type, you can consider slabs without stiffness effect in and out of the plane in the Building Model add-on. This element type collects the loads on the slab and transfers them to the supporting elements of a 3D model. Thus, you can simulate secondary components, such as grillage and similar load distribution elements, without any further effect in the 3D model.
Create guidelines with or without a description for the display of a building grid! You can lock the guideline position to prevent accidental movement of them, for example.
Furthermore, you can glue the guidelines to nodes in order to move the glued nodes as well. That makes your work a lot easier!
Do you want to create calculation diagrams? With RFEM and RSTAB, this works globally and without any problems. Create and organize your calculation diagrams directly in the Navigator - Data or via the menu Insert → Calculation Diagrams. Use calculation diagrams to record and display a relation between the various calculation results. It is also possible to superimpose similar diagrams.
Have you ever wondered if you can render without a graphics card? We have the answer! Software rendering for alternative image synthesis without the support of a graphics card is possible. You can easily control this solution with the Windows command scripts:
Enable Software Renderer.cmd (switch on)
Disable Software Renderer.cmd (switch off)
in the program folder C:\Program Files\Dlubal\RFEM 6.02\bin.
Extruding surfaces into a casing is also possible without any problems. Place the desired surface properties between the boundary lines of the surface and the copied lines. The program does the rest for you.
Converting members to surface models works without any major problems. Easily generate member local section reductions using the Generate Surfaces from Members function. Thus, you can convert the members into surface models.
You know for sure that when connecting tension-loaded components with bolted connections, you need to consider the cross-section reduction due to the bolt holes in the ultimate limit state design. The structural analysis programs also have a solution for this. In the Aluminum Design add-on, you can enter a member local section reduction for this. Enter the reduction of the cross-section as an absolute value or as a percentage of the total area at all relevant locations.
Was your design successful? Very good, now comes the relaxed part. Because the program gives you the performed design checks in a table. You can display all result details in detail here. The clearly presented design formulas ensure that you will be able to understand the results without any problems. There is no black-box effect with Dlubal Software.
The design checks are carried out at all governing locations of the members and displayed graphically as a result diagram. You can find more detailed graphics in the result output. This includes the stress distribution on the cross-section or the governing mode shape, for example.
All input and result data are part of the RFEM/RSTAB printout report. You can select the report contents and extent specifically for the individual design checks.
When defining the input data for the modal analysis load case, you can consider a load case whose stiffnesses represent the initial position for the modal analysis. How do you do that? As shown in the image, select the "Consider initial state from" option. Now, open the "Initial State Settings" dialog box and define the type Stiffness as the initial state. In this load case, as of which is the initial state taken into account, you can consider the stiffness of the structural system when the tension members fail. The purpose of all of this: The stiffness from this load case is considered in the modal analysis. Thus, you obtain a clearly flexible system.
Did you know? You can easily define structural modifications in load cases of the Modal Analysis type. This allows you, for example, to individually adjust the stiffnesses of materials, cross-sections, members, surfaces, hinges, and supports. You can also modify stiffnesses for some design add-ons. Once you select the objects, their stiffness properties are adapted to the object type. In this way, you can define them in separate tabs.
Do you want to analyze the failure of an object (for example, a column) in the modal analysis? This is also possible without any problems. Simply switch to the Structure Modification window and deactivate the relevant objects.
Design of tension, compression, bending, shear, torsion, and combined internal forces
Consideration of a notch
Design of compression perpendicular to the grain on the end and intermediate supports with (EC 5) and without reinforcement elements (fully threaded screws)
Optional shear force reduction at the support (see the Product Feature)
Design of curved and tapered members
Consideration of higher strengths for similar components that are close together (factor ksys according to EN 1995‑1‑1, 6.6(1)-(3))
Option to increase shear resistance for softwood timber according to DIN EN 1995‑1‑1:NA NDP to 6.1.7(2)
Your options in timber design are diverse. You can consider cut-to-grain angles, transverse tension stresses, and volume-dependent radii of curvature for tapered and curved members. To design the area of the grain cut, the strength is adjusted accordingly in the case of bending tension or bending pressure. In order to also allow you to perform a stability analysis with the equivalent member method, the height to determine the effective and lateral-torsional buckling lengths is set at a distance of 0.65 × h to the actual design point.
If your design is successful, the relaxed part of your work follows. Because the program does many processes for you. For example, the performed design checks are displayed in a table. It shows you all the result details. Due to the clearly presented design formulas, you will be able to understand the results without any problems. There is no "black box" effect here.
The design checks are carried out at all governing locations of the members and displayed graphically as a result diagram. Furthermore, detailed graphics, such as the stress distribution on a cross-section or the governing mode shape, are available for you in the result output.
All input and result data are part of the RFEM/RSTAB printout report. You can select the report contents and extent specifically for the individual design checks.
Please note that when connecting tension-loaded components with bolted connections, you need to consider the cross-section reduction due to the bolt holes in the ultimate limit state design. But don't worry, this can be easily done in the program. In the Steel Design add-on, you can enter a member local section reduction – and that's it. You can enter the reduction of the cross-section as an absolute value or as a percentage of the total area at all relevant locations.
Did you know? In contrast to other material models, the stress-strain diagram for this material model is not antimetric to the origin. You can use this material model to simulate the behavior of steel fiber-reinforced concrete, for example. Find detailed information about modeling steel fiber-reinforced concrete in the technical article about Determining the material properties of steel-fiber-reinforced concrete.
In this material model, the isotropic stiffness is reduced with a scalar damage parameter. This damage parameter is determined from the stress curve defined in the Diagram. The direction of the principal stresses is not taken into account. Rather, the damage occurs in the direction of the equivalent strain, which also covers the third direction perpendicular to the plane. The tension and compression area of the stress tensor is treated separately. In this case, different damage parameters apply.
The "Reference element size" controls how the strain in the crack area is scaled to the length of the element. With the default value zero, no scaling is performed. Thus, the material behavior of the steel fiber concrete is modeled realistically.
Find more information about the theoretical background of the "Isotropic Damage" material model in the technical article describing the Nonlinear Material Model Damage.
Communication is the key to success. This also applies to a client-server relation. WebService and API provides you with an XML based information exchange system for direct client-server communication. Programs, objects, messages, or documents can be integrated into these systems. For example, a web service protocol of the HTTP type runs for the client-server communication when you are looking for something in the Internet using a search engine.
Now back to Dlubal Software. In our case, the client is your programming environment (.NET, Python, JavaScript) and the service provider is RFEM 6. Client-server communication allows you to send requests to and receive feedback from RFEM, RSTAB, or RSECTION.
What is the difference between WebService and an API?
WebService is a collection of open source protocols and standards used to exchange data between systems and applications. In contrast, an application programming interface (API), is a software interface through which two applications can interact without a user being involved.
Thus, all web services are APIs, but not all APIs are web services.
What are the advantages of the WebService technology? You can communicate more quickly within and between organizations.A service can be independent of other services.Webservice allows you to use your application to make your message or feature available to the rest of the world.Webservice helps you to exchange data between different applications and platforms Several applications can communicate, exchange data, and share services with each other. SOAP ensures that programs created on different platforms and based on different programming languages can exchange data securely.
Communication between the web service client and server is optionally encrypted via the https protocol. To do this, you can install an SSL certificate with the corresponding private key in the settings.
In theory, a web service can be created with any programming language. However, we, the Dlubal team, have decided on another way. We have created high-level function libraries for our users. With these high-level function libraries, you can create powerful scripts by simple programming. These libraries include:
Why did we choose these programming languages? We decided on these programming languages for a specific reason, of course. Python, in particular, has the following features that we consider especially suitable:
You determine the deformation for members and surfaces, taking into account the cracked (state II) or non-cracked (state I) reinforced concrete cross-section. When determining the stiffness, you can consider "tension stiffening" between the cracks according to the design standard used.
To model structures in RWIND Basic, you find a special application in RFEM and RSTAB. Here, you define the wind directions to be analyzed by means of related angular positions about the vertical model axis. At the same time, you define the elevation-dependent wind profile on the basis of a wind standard. In addition to these specifications, you can use the stored calculation parameters to determine your own load cases for a stationary calculation per each angular position.
As an alternative, you can also use the RWIND Basic program manually, without the interface application in RFEM or RSTAB. In this case, RWIND Basic models the structures and terrain environment directly from the imported VTP, STL, OBJ, and IFC files. You can define the height-dependent wind load and other fluid-mechanical data directly in RWIND Basic.
There are also improvements in the data exchange to make your work process easier. In addition to the import of IFC 2x3 (Coordination View & Structural Analysis View), the import and export of IFC 4 (Reference View & Structural Analysis View) is now supported.
WebService and API allows you to communicate with RFEM, RSTAB, and RSECTION via high-level functions. You can use it to create your web or desktop applications and optimize your workflow. There is also an RFEM 6 server that runs on your computer without a GUI, but only responds to your WebService requests.
Also in this case, RSTAB will certainly convince you. With the powerful calculation kernel, its optimized networking and support of multi-core processor technology, the Dlubal structural analysis program is far ahead. This allows you to calculate more linear load cases and load combinations using several processors in parallel without using additional memory. The stiffness matrix only has to be created once. Thus, it is possible for you to calculate even large systems with the fast and direct solver.
Do you have to calculate multiple load combinations in your models? The program initiates several solvers in parallel (one per core). Each solver then calculates a load combination for you. This leads to better utilization of the cores.
You can systematically follow the development of the deformation displayed in a diagram during the calculation, and thus precisely evaluate the convergence behavior.
Don't have an RFEM or RSTAB license yet? No problem. Just download the 90-day trial version. This will allow you to test the full version of the program without any limitations.
Do you want comprehensible structural calculations? Then Dlubal structural analysis software is the right choice. The programs provide you with calculations without being a "black box". See for yourself and check out the verification examples available here, which will reveal the calculation methods to you.