RF-STEEL BS | Features

  • Design of tension, compression, bending, shear, and combined internal forces
  • Stability analysis for flexural buckling and lateral-torsional buckling
  • Automatic determination of critical buckling loads and critical buckling moments for general load applications and support conditions by means of a special FEA program (eigenvalue analysis) integrated in the module
  • Optional application of discrete lateral supports to beams
  • Automatic cross-section classification
  • Deformation analysis (serviceability)
  • Cross-section optimization
  • Wide range of cross-sections available, such as rolled I-sections, C-sections, rectangular hollow sections, angles, double angles (arrangement flange on flange), T-sections. Welded sections: I-shaped (symmetrical and asymmetrical about major axis), channel sections (symmetrical about major axis), rectangular hollow sections (symmetrical and asymmetrical about major axis), angles, round pipes, and round bars
  • Clearly arranged result tables
  • Detailed result documentation including references to design equations of the used standard
  • Various filter and sorting options of results, including result lists by member, cross-sections, x-location, or by load case, load and result combination
  • Result table of member slenderness and governing internal forces
  • Parts list with weight and solid specifications
  • Seamless integration in RFEM/RSTAB
  • Metric and imperial units

Working with RF-/STEEL BS

It is necessary to enter material, load, and combination data in RFEM/RSTAB in compliance with the design concept specified by BS 5950 (or Eurocode). The RFEM/RSTAB material library already contains relevant materials for BS 5950.

RFEM/RSTAB automatically creates the corresponding load combinations according to BS 5950 (or Eurocode). However, you can also create all the combinations manually in RFEM/RSTAB. The RF-/STEEL BS add-on module requires members and sets of members, as well as load cases, load combinations, and result combinations to be designed.

In the subsequent input windows, you can adjust preset definitions of lateral intermediate supports and effective lengths. In the case of continuous members, it is possible to define individual support conditions and eccentricities of each intermediate node of single members. A special FEA tool then determines the critical loads and moments required for the stability analysis in these situations.

RF-STEEL BS | Results

The first window shows the maximum design ratios including the corresponding design of each designed load case, load combination, or result combination.

The other result windows list all detailed results sorted by specific subject in extendable tree menus. All intermediate results along the members can be displayed at any location. In this way, you can easily retrace how the module has performed the individual designs.

The complete module data are part of the RFEM/RSTAB printout report. You can select the report contents and extent specifically for the individual designs.