Structural Analysis of Glass in RFEM

Designing vertical insulating glass requires assigning different loads on the individual layers of the entire glass unit. This occurs, for example, with simultaneous actions from wind loads and fall protection.

To work even more efficiently, RF‑GLASS allows you to create and save different, user‑defined layer structures that can be reimported later or loaded in another project.

For designing glass in the RF‑GLASS add‑on module, you can use one of two calculation methods: a 2D or a 3D calculation. The main difference between these design options is the automatic modeling of the layers in a temporary model. In a 2D calculation, each layer is generated as a surface element (plate theory); in a 3D calculation, it is generated as a solid. Depending on the selected layer composition, you can either select an option or find it preselected by the program.

In the add-on module, select the surfaces to be designed (for example, by using the Select function). The geometry of the glass pane, as well as the loads, is imported from the RFEM model.

Then, you have to decide if the calculation should be performed without the influence of the surrounding structure (local calculation) or with consideration of this influence (global calculation). If you select the local calculation, each surface selected for the design is detached from the model and calculated separately.

The global calculation considers the entire structure, including entered glass panes. All glass composition data and glass properties of individual layers are to be defined in RF-GLASS input windows. You can select layers of type glass, foil, and gas. The desired material can be imported directly from the library, which contains a large number of materials.

All parameters of individual layers, including their thicknesses, are editable. In addition, you can create a number of compositions in RF-GLASS, allowing you to design different types of glass together.

For insulating glass, you can consider external loads as well as loads due to temperature, atmospheric pressure, and altitude changes for the analysis. The module calculates these loads automatically on the basis of climatic load parameters. If you select the local calculation type, it is necessary to define line supports, nodal supports, and boundary members of the surfaces in RF-GLASS. These supports and members are considered in RF-GLASS only and have no influence on the model created in RFEM.

After the calculation, the results are displayed in clearly arranged result windows. Thus, you can easily find the maximum stress ratio. The stress diagram by composition is displayed as well.

Furthermore, RF-GLASS displays a parts list and, for insulating glass, the gas pressure. It is possible to display the results graphically in the RFEM model.

Both input and result tables of RF-GLASS, including graphics, can be added to the RFEM printout report. In addition, it is possible to export all tables to MS Excel.

• Design of single-layer or laminated glass as well as gas layer insulating glass
• design of curved glass
• Option to select either local calculation without regard to the influence of a surrounding structure, or global calculation with regard to the influence of an entire structure
• Calculation of limit stresses according to DIN 18008:2010-12 or TRLV:2006-08
• Assignment of loads to load duration classes
• Extensive material library including all common glass, foil, and gas types in compliance with the DIN 18008:2010-12, E DIN EN 13474 standards, and the TRLV:2006-08 regulation
• Optional consideration of shear coupling of layers
• Consideration of climatic loads
• Calculation according to the linear static analysis or nonlinear analysis according to the large deformation analysis. analysis
• Stress analysis, ultimate limit state design, serviceability limit state design
• Graphical representation of all results in RFEM
• Possibility to filter results and color scales in result tables
• Direct data export to MS Excel