Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Information on the calculation time can be found in the "sm_.LOG" file. This file is saved in the "! Solver" folder in the working directory of the model. To get there, open the subfolder of the current program instance and the opened model in the working directory of RFEM 6 (Figure 1).

The file can be opened with a text editor, for example. The calculation time is listed at the end of this file (Fig. 2).

The Building Model and the feature of modeling stories with "Rigid Diaphragm" is not designed for all building types.

The function was primarily developed for 3D buildings with 5-10 stories (or more) with a regular or the same floor plan. This means that you should only assign the "Rigid Diaphragm" function to the slabs where the walls and columns are positioned identically in the story above and below. If this is not the case, the instability may occur.

If the model has been entered correctly according to this convention, three options for the result display will be available to you:

• Total
• Floors only
• Combination

The result display of "Total" displays the results on the entire vertical components (that is, walls, shear walls, columns, and so on). See Image 02. If you select "Floors only", the results for the separate calculation of slabs are displayed as a 2D model. The "Combination" option corresponds to the same results from both result types mentioned above.

For smaller 3D models and buildings with different floor plans, it is still better to work with the usual modeling as a 3D model. If you are working with the models that sometimes have regular floor plans, you can alternatively assign the "Rigid Diaphragm" option to the individual floor slabs. The floor plan geometry of the storey above and below this slab should then be the same again.

The fundamental extraction of a 2D floor from any 3D model is not possible with the technology implemented for this add-on function.

If you want to generate an arc in RSTAB 9, you can use the parameterized circular arc in the block manager. To do this, simply open the block manager as shown in Image 01 and select the corresponding block.

In the following dialog box, you can see a preview image of the inserted block. Using the block nodes shown, you can select an insertion point and set it to a node in the model or to manually defined coordinates, see Image 02.

The parameters and member properties can be edited in the Structure tab. This is shown in Image 03.

Image 04 then shows the created round arch.

In the Results navigator, go to the display settings of the results. There, you can activate the "Draw in XY Plane" option under the Support Reactions.

It is possible to create an ellipse in RFEM 6, of course. The best procedure is to prepare main vertices and a point on the ellipse. Run the Ellipse command from the menu > Insert > Basic Objects > Lines > Ellipse. In the input dialog box, select the vertices of the ellipse first, and the control point entry becomes available.

A splice connection using end plates can be easily created using the “Plate to Plate” template from the Components library (Image 01).

For a splice joint without end plates, the configuration can be created manually by adding individual components (Image 02).

The configuration includes the following components. Each component can be easily deleted or copied by right-clicking on the component.

• Plate (2 outer flange plates, 4 inner flange plates, 2 web plates)
• Fasteners (4 sets to connect 4 inner flange plates, 1 set to connect web plate)
• Auxiliary Plane (2 planes)
• Member Cut (2 cuts with the type of cut “By auxiliary plane”)

It is required that a small gap is created using “Member Cut” and “Auxiliary Plane”. The gap is divided between the two members (that is, 1/16” gap is applied as 1/32” displacement to each member).

Alternatively, a sample model “AISC Splice Connection” can be downloaded and saved as a user-defined template (Image 03).

If your project requires editing multiple models, there are two options to choose:

• If you have multiple operations to do in one model and then switch to another, you can do it easily by calling Model() before switching it. This is executed in one session i.e. as fast as possible.

        
model1 = Model(True, 'TestModel1')
Material(1,'S235')
Material(2,'S235')

model2 = Model(True, 'TestModel2')
Material(3,'S275')

Model(False, 'TestModel1')
Material(4,'S235')

Model(False, 'TestModel2')
Material(5,'S275')

        
    

• The second method is to create instance of a Model() and use it as method to parameter to apply changes to specific model. This comes handy when making small amount of changes between a lot of models.

        
model1 = Model(True, 'TestModel1')
Material(1,'S235', model = model1)
Material(2,'S235', model = model1)

model2 = Model(True, 'TestModel2')
Material(3,'S275', model = model2)

Material(4,'S235', model = model1) 

Material(5,'S275', model = model2)

        
    

Parallels Desktop provides a virtual machine on the Macintosh that can run with Windows 11, for example. RFEM 6 can also be installed in this virtual machine.

The graphical issue suggests a problem with OpenGL. Unfortunately, Parallels Desktop only supports the outdated OpenGL version 3.3. RFEM 6 requires at least OpenGL 4.2.

The solution to the problem is to install the MESA drivers. First, install RFEM as usual within the virtual machine. Then, follow the instructions for activating the MESA software renderer in the virtual Windows environment, as described in this FAQ:

Now, you should be able to run RFEM 6 without any problems.

RFEM 6 and RSTAB 9 are currently only available as versions for Microsoft Windows. Nevertheless, it is possible to run the Dlubal Software programs on a modern Macintosh computer with the M1/M2 processor.

We recommend usingParallels Desktop.

Parallels Desktop is software that simulates virtual machines. A computer is represented by software on a virtual machine. A different guest operating system can run on such a virtual machine.

To run RFEM / RSTAB on the Mac, we recommend to install Windows 11 as the guest operating system. The Windows 11 version for ARM is required for the current Macs with the M1/M2 processors. Parallels Desktop provides the installation of the suitable operating system.

In Parallels Desktop, there is Coherence Mode. Then, the individual Windows programs are shown as integrated in the macOS interface.

To use the Dlubal Software programs with Parallels Desktop, it is necessary to activate the MESA renderer.

After the installation, the resources for the virtual machine are calculated very efficiently. Only 8 GB of RAM are used for Windows. If you want to edit slightly larger models with RFEM /RSTAB, you should increase the values.

In order to be able to change the value for the memory, it is first necessary to shut down the virtual machine.

In case of the standard installation of the products RFEM 6, RSTAB 9, and RSECTION 1, the working directory is created under the following path:

C:\User\[Your User Name]\AppData\Local\Dlubal

Figure 01 shows the display of this folder.

Please note that the "AppData" folder is usually a hidden folder. However, this can also be displayed by entering the path directly in Windows Explorer (see the video attached).

The working directories of the individual programs are located in the corresponding sub-folders. Figure 02 shows the directory of RFEM 6.02.

Among other things, you can find the local program configurations and the most recently used program instances here.