Free Structural Analysis Software for Educational Institutions

The structural analysis program RFEM 6 is the basis of a modular software system. The main program RFEM 6 is used to define structures, materials, and loads of planar and spatial structural systems consisting of plates, walls, shells, and members. The program can also design combined structures as well as solid and contact elements.

The Nonlinear Material Behavior add-on allows you to consider material nonlinearities in RFEM (e.g., isotropic plastic, orthotropic plastic, isotropic damage).

The Structure Stability add-on analyzes the stability of structures. It determines critical load factors and the corresponding stability modes.

With the Construction Stages Analysis (CSA) add-on, the construction process of structures (member, surface, and solid structures) can be considered in RFEM.

The Form-Finding add-on finds the optimal shape of members subjected to axial forces and tension-loaded surface models. The shape is determined by the equilibrium between the member axial force or the membrane stress and the existing boundary conditions.

The Torsional Warping (7 DOF) add-on allows you to consider cross-section warping as an additional degree of freedom when calculating members.

In RFEM, the Geotechnical Analysis add-on uses properties from soil samples to determine the soil body to be analyzed. Realistic determination of the soil conditions significantly influences the quality of the structural analysis of buildings.

In the Modal Analysis add-on, eigenvalues, natural frequencies, and natural periods for member, surface, and solid models can be calculated.

In the Response Spectrum Analysis add-on, seismic analysis is performed using multi-modal response spectrum analysis. The spectra required for this can be created in compliance with the standards or can be user-defined. The equivalent static forces are generated from this. The add-on includes an extensive library of accelerograms from seismic zones. These can be used to generate response spectra.

The RFEM Building Model add-on allows you to define and manipulate a building by means of stories. The stories can be adjusted in many ways afterwards. Information about the stories and the entire model (center of gravity) is displayed in tables and graphics.

First, the two-part Optimization & Costs / CO2 Emission Estimation add-on finds suitable parameters for parameterized models and blocks via the artificial intelligence (AI) technique of particle swarm optimization (PSO) for compliance with common optimization criteria. Second, this add-on estimates the model costs or CO2 emissions by specifying unit costs or emissions per material definition for the structural model.

The Multilayer Surfaces add-on allows you to define multilayer surface structures. The calculation can be carried out with or without the shear coupling.

The Stress-Strain Analysis add-on performs a general stress analysis by calculating the existing stresses and comparing them to the limit stresses.

In the Concrete Design add-on, various designs according to international standards are possible. You can design members, surfaces, and columns, as well as perform punching and deformation analyses.

The Steel Design add-on designs steel members for the ultimate and serviceability limit states according to various standards.

The Timber Design add-on designs timber members for the ultimate, serviceability, and fire resistance limit states according to various standards.

The RFEM Masonry Design add-on allows you to design masonry using the finite element method. It was developed as part of the research project titled DDMaS - Digitizing the Design of Masonry Structures. The material model represents the nonlinear behavior of the brick-mortar combination in the form of macro-modeling.

The Aluminum Design add-on designs aluminum members for the ultimate and serviceability limit states according to various standards.

With the RFEM Steel Joints add-on, you can analyze steel connections using an FE model.