Structural Analysis and Design Software for Timber Structures

Structural Analysis of Timber Structures

The structural engineering programs RFEM and RSTAB are perfectly suited for the structural analysis and design of 2D or 3D timber structures, such timber trusses, timber frames, truss girders, glued-laminated timber, timber sandwich panels, timber panel walls, timber houses, timber bridges, timber towers or timber stairs.

Whether you design beam structures or surface elements, such as cross‑laminated timber plates, there are various options for simple and complex timber structures.

The combination of glued-laminated timber and steel is ideal for many interesting projects. The membrane roofing of a grandstand on the banks of the Elbe in Dresden, Germany, for more than 200,000 guests is an example of this.

The structural analysis program RFEM alows for structural engineers to efficiently perform structural analysis of timber and steel membrane structures.

Customer Project | Membrane Roof Structure

zapf & co. - Structural Engineering GmbH, Strausberg, Germany | www.zapf-co.de
Customer Project | Timber Staircase

Champagne schoolhouse in Biel | © Josef Kolb AG | www.b-3.ch
Many users rely on structural analysis software RFEM (FEA) and RSTAB (frames and trusses) when analyzing and designing timber bridges.
Timber bridges have a long tradition and especially in recent years, they are becoming increasingly popular. In addition to the high performance, economic efficiency, and design variety, the sustainability of the timber material is a compelling argument for the bridge construction.

Customer Project | Pedestrian Bridge

StructureCraft Builders Inc., Canada | www.structurecraft.com
Customer Project | Timber Building

Isenmann Ingenieur GmbH, Haslach/VS-Villingen, Germany | www.isenmann-ingenieure.de
Customer Project | Dome Structure

CIMU - ILE DE SEGUIN, Paris | sblumer ZT GmbH, Austria | www.sblumer.com
Customer Project | Lookout Tower

Ingenieurbüro Braun GmbH & Co. KG, Germany | www.braun-ing.de
Customer Project | Timber Roof Structure

Outdoor Concert Hall on Pasta Island, Jelgava, Latvia | Rodentia SIA, Latvia | www.rodentia.lv
Customer Project | Timber-Concrete Buildings

Palazzo Meridia, Nice, France | Architecture-Studio, France | www.architecture-studio.fr
Customer Project | Timber roof structure

Macallan Distillery, Scotland | WIEHAG GmbH | www.wiehag.com

Structural FEM Analysis and Design

The structural analysis program RFEM 6 is the basis of a modular program family. 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 also allows you to create combined structures as well as model solid and contact elements.

Main Program RFEM 6

Structural Frame & Truss Analysis Software

The structural frame analysis software RSTAB 9 has a similar range of 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.

Main Program RSTAB 9

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.

Wind Simulation Program RWIND 2

Timber Design According to Various Standards

The Timber Design add-on for RFEM 6 / RSTAB 9 designs timber members for the ultimate, serviceability, and fire resistance limit state according to the standards

EN 1995-1-1:2010 (Eurocode 5)
SIA 265:2015-08 (Swiss standard)
ANSI/AWC NDS:2018 (US standard)
CSA 086 (Canadian standard)
GB 50005 | 2017-11 (Chinese standard)

Timber Design Add-on for RFEM 6 / RSTAB 9

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.

Building Model Add-on for RFEM 6

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.

Construction Stages Analysis (CSA) Add-on for RFEM 6

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.

Optimization & Costs / CO2 Emission Estimation Add-on for RFEM 6 / RSTAB 9

Analysis and Design of Laminate Surfaces

The RF-LAMINATE add-on module for RFEM 5 determines stiffness and performs stress and deflection analysis of laminate surfaces (for example, cross-laminated timber panels).

RF-LAMINATE Add-on Module for RFEM 5

Design of Timber Connections

Numerous add-on modules provide design options for steel and timber connections.

Add-on Modules for Connections for RFEM 5 / RSTAB 8

Stand-Alone Programs RX-TIMBER

Stand-alone programs RX‑TIMBER perform the design of the ultimate limit state, the serviceability limit state and the fire resistance according to Eurocode 5.

RX-TIMBER Glued-Laminated Beam | Design of glued-laminated timber beams
RX-TIMBER Continuous Beam | Design of continuous beams
RX-TIMBER Column | Design of timber columns
RX-TIMBER Purlin | Design of coupled purlins and continuous beams
RX-TIMBER Frame | Design of three-hinged frames with finger joint connections
RX-TIMBER Brace | Design of stiffening truss bracings
RX-TIMBER Roof | Design of monopitch and duopitch roofs

Interfaces for Data Exchange

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.

Web Service and API

Building Information Modeling (BIM)

Support and Learning

Customer service is a fundamental pillar of the Dlubal Software company philosophy. We provide any necessary support you need to complete your daily work.

Customer Project

Membrane Roof Structure on the Banks of the Elbe in Dresden, Germany

Every summer, movie nights and other events take place on the banks of the Elbe in Dresden. Over 200,000 visitors throughout the summer attend more than 55 films and concerts, complete with national and international artists.
Customer Project

Four-Story Timber Structure in St. Georgen, Germany

The EGT Group’s new St. Georgen location was to have a future-oriented design, taking into consideration both energy efficiency and sustainability. The new four-story oval building consists mainly of timber and was constructed in just four short weeks.
Customer Project

Le Haut-Bois High-Rise Building in Grenoble, France

Two 9- and 6-story residential buildings, which include 56 units in total, are the first in France to be certified passive at the height of 9 stories. The buildings, constructed with 52,972 ft³ of zinc-coated wood, are both an architectural masterpiece and an innovative achievement to inspire housing sustainability for the next decade.
Customer Project

Timber Roof Structure of Mitava Open-Air Concert Hall, Pasta Island, Jelgava, Latvia

A timber roof structure was recently constructed over an existing amphitheater in Jelgava, Latvia. The project, located on Pasta Island, serves as a multi-functional building for recreational, cultural, and social activities.
Customer Project

University of Arkansas Library Annex, Fayetteville, AR, USA

Designed to store nearly 2 million library volumes and works of art, the University of Arkansas Library Annex in Fayetteville was built with cross-laminated timber (CLT) roofs, walls, and floors, and glulam beams, columns, and moment frames.
Customer Project

Palazzo Meridia Office and Retail Building, Nice, France

Palazzo Meridia in Nice is currently the tallest CLT office building in France. Dlubal customer CBS-Lifteam was responsible for the planning, supply, and installation of the timber structure.
Customer Project

Mountain and Valley Station of the Klein Matterhorn 3S Cableway in Zermatt, Switzerland

After more than 2 1/2 years of construction, the world’s highest 3S cableway, "Matterhorn glacier ride", opened at the end of September 2018. The $55 million project was developed to increase passenger capacity to the Klein Matterhorn, at an altitude of 12,802 ft.
Customer Project

Bow River Pedestrian Bridge in Banff, Canada

This slender timber pedestrian bridge was constructed over the Bow River in Banff. At 13 ft wide and 38 ft long, the bridge is complete with a 263-foot clear span, which is perhaps the longest of its kind for a timber bridge.
Customer Project

Macallan Distillery, Scotland

In May 2018, there was completed new production of the renowned Scottish whisky producer Macallan after three years of construction. The company building has a spectacular roof structure which fits perfectly into the surrounding landscape.
Customer Project

Crossrail Station Abbey Wood, London, United Kingdom

With the Crossrail railroad line in Great Britain, one of the biggest infrastructure projects of Europe is in progress.
The construction costs for the 73-mile railroad line amount to about €21 billion.

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Trailer: Structural Timber with Dlubal Software

Further Information

Models to Download

Find a variety of structural timber analysis models to download, which you can use for training purposes or for your projects.

Timber models for free download

Online Manual | RFEM 6

Manuals

Online Manual RFEM 6

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Amazing Support

"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.