Here you can find a variety of structural analysis models for steel structures, which you can use for training purposes or for your projects.
Structural Engineering Software for Steel Structures
Structural FEM Analysis and Design
The structural analysis software RFEM 6 is the basis of a modular program family. The main program RFEM is used to define structures, materials, and loads for planar and spatial structural systems consisting of plates, walls, shells and members. The program also allows you to create combined structures as well as model solid and contact elements.
Structural Frame & Truss Analysis Software
The structural frame and truss analysis software RSTAB 9 has similar functions as the FEA software RFEM. Due to the special attention to beam, frame, or truss structures, it is very easy to use and for many years, it has been the best choice for structural analysis and design of pure structural member models.
Wind Simulation & Wind Load Generation
The RWIND 2 stand-alone program is recommended for complex structures. Utilize this program to simulate wind flow (digital wind tunnel) around buildings or any other objects and generating wind loads, that is the forces acting on these objects based on CFD.
Import the generated wind loads acting on these objects to the structural analysis and design software RFEM or RSTAB.
Stress Analysis of Member and Surface Structures
The Stress-Strain Analysis add-on for RFEM 6 / RSTAB 9 performs a general stress analysis by calculating the existing stresses and comparing them with the limit stresses.
Design of Members According to Various Standards
The Steel Design add-on for RFEM 6 / RSTAB 9 designs steel members for the ultimate and the serviceability limit state according to the standards:
EN 1993-1-1:2005 + AC:2009 (Eurocode 3)
AISC 360-16 (US standard)
CSA S16-19 (Canadian standard)
IS 800 | 2007-12 (Indian standard)
GB 50017 | 2017-12 (Chinese standard)
SP 16.13330 | 2017-02 (Russian standard)
Design of Steel Connections According to Finite Element Method
The Steel Joints add-on for RFEM 6 analyzes steel connections by using an FE model.
Warping Torsion Second-Order Analysis with 7 Degrees of Freedom
The Torsional Warping (7 DOF) add-on for RFEM 6 / RSTAB 9 allows you to consider the cross-section warping as an additional degree of freedom when calculating members in RFEM and RSTAB.
Stability Analysis According to Eigenvalue and Incremental Method
The Structural Stability add-on for RFEM 6 / RSTAB 9 calculates critical load factors and the corresponding stability modes according to the eigenvalue method and the incremental method. Therefore, it is suitable for the linear and nonlinear analysis of the structural stability behavior.
Generation, Analysis, and Evaluation of Building Models
The Building Model add-on for RFEM 6 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 also the entire model (center of gravity) is displayed in tables and graphics.
Consideration of Construction Stages
The Construction Stages Analysis (CSA) add-on for RFEM 6 allows you to consider the construction process of structures (member, surface, and solid structures). Neglecting the influence of the construction process can lead to errors in the calculation of overall models. With the Construction Stages Analysis (CSA) add-on, you can analyze these influences and consider them up to the point of the structural design.
Model Optimization Using Artificial Intelligence (AI)
The two-part Optimization & Costs / CO2 Emission Estimation add-on for RFEM 6 / RSTAB 9 finds suitable parameters for parameterized models and blocks using the artificial intelligence (AI) technique of particle swarm optimization (PSO) to comply with common optimization criteria. Moreover, this add-on estimates the model costs or CO2 emissions by specifying unit costs or emissions per material definition for the structural model.
Structural Dynamic Analysis
Add-on modules for dynamic analyses in RFEM 6 / RSTAB 9 are suited for seismic design, vibration analysis of buildings, machine foundation design, natural frequency analysis for bridges and chimneys, and many other dynamic calculations.
Section Properties of Any Cross-Section
The RSECTION 1 program determines cross-section properties, analyzes stresses, and performs plastic design of any cross-section.
The Effective Sections extension for RSECTION determines effective sections according to EN 1993‑1‑5 and EN 1993‑1‑3. The cross-sections and the calculated cross-section properties can be exported to RFEM or RSTAB.
Structures with Cold-Formed Cross-Sections
With the extension RF-/STEEL Cold-Formed Sections for RFEM 5 / RSTAB 8 and the cross-section properties software SHAPE‑THIN (as of Version 9 and higher), you can design general cold-formed sections according to EN 1993‑1‑3 and EN 1993‑1‑5.
Plastic Design of Steel Cross-Sections
RF‑/STEEL Plasticity is an extension of the RF‑/STEEL EC3 add-on module for RFEM 5 / RSTAB 8. This allows for the plastic design of cross-sections according to the partial internal forces method (TSV) and simplex method.
Generation of Imperfections
The RF‑IMP/RSIMP add-on module for RFEM 5 / RSTAB 8 is used to generate equivalent geometric imperfections (equivalent loads) or a pre-deformed equivalent model.
Fatigue Design of Members
The RF‑/STEEL Fatigue Members add-on module for RFEM 5 / RSTAB 8 allows you to perform fatigue design of steel members or member sets according to EN 1993‑1‑9.
Design of Steel Connections According to Analytical Method
For the design of steel and timber connections, RFEM 5 / RSTAB 8 provides further powerful add-on modules.
Design of Crane Runway Girders
The CRANEWAY stand-alone program calculates and performs all required design checks of crane runway girders according to Eurocode 3. You can optionally select between bridge or suspension cranes.
Plate Buckling Analysis and Design for Plates with or Without Stiffeners
The PLATE‑BUCKLING stand-alone program or the RF‑/PLATE‑BUCKLING add-on module for RFEM 5 / RSTAB 8 allow for buckling safety design of rectangular plates according to the standard EN 1993‑1‑5.
Data Exchange Interfaces
The structural analysis software provided by Dlubal Software can be integrated seamlessly into the Building Information Modeling (BIM) process. The large number of interfaces ensures the data exchange of digital building models with RFEM or RSTAB.
The web service (programmable interface) can be used to read or write data from/to RFEM and RSTAB.
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Models to Download
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- Scalable license system with single-user and network licenses
- Respected and proven software in many well-known projects
"The software is great; it's handled everything we’ve needed to do. But it pales in comparison to the amazing support Dlubal provides. Not only are the responses always on point, they are timely as well.
Wind Simulation & Wind Load Generation
With the stand-alone program RWIND Simulation, you can simulate wind flows around simple or complex structures by means of a digital wind tunnel.
The generated wind loads acting on these objects can be imported to RFEM or RSTAB.

Design of a Thin-Walled, Cold-Formed C-Section According to EN 1993-1-3
Utilize the RF-/STEEL Cold-Formed Sections module extension to perform ultimate limit state designs of cold-formed sections according to EN 1993-1-3 and EN 1993-1-5.
Member Hinge Nonlinearity "Scaffolding Diagram"
The member hinge nonlinearities "Scaffolding - N phiy / phiz" and "Scaffolding Diagram" enable the mechanical simulation of a tube joint with an inner stub between two member elements.
The equivalent model transfers the bending moment via the overpressed outer pipe and after positive locking additionally via the inner stub, depending on the compression state at the member end.
- How do I determine wind loads on structures of any shape?
- Can I assign a nonlinear material to a contact solid and which material is most suitable?
- Which tools are available for a pushover analysis?
- Is it possible to calculate with American steel cross-sections?
- I have calculated a box girder. Which surface results or surface stresses can I use to evaluate the buckling behavior of the web plates?