I have been using RFEM 6 for my steel design projects in Italy and abroad for a few years now, and it has become indispensable! Geometric modeling, always fast and precise, is easy and convenient due to the internal (CAD) tools. Any type of a structure, from the simplest (beam elements) to the most complex geometries with shell elements, can be modeled with ease; BIM is excellent with other software. Editing is also easy, and if you make changes or revisions to the design, it takes a moment to implement them. The software includes several design standards, is flexible in use, clear, complete with all types of structural analysis, both static and dynamic, precise and reliable. In my opinion, it excels in nonlinearities when both entering the data and performing the nonlinear calculation; the mesh quality is excellent. The post-processing is very complex and the results are always clear, reliable, and easy to check and interpret. It always gives me freedom in my design preferences and assists me with all of them. When I compare myself with colleagues who use other software, frankly, it is impossible to do better. It simply does things that other software does not, and does them in an easy way. The support provided by the Italian team has always been up to the highest standards and has only improved over the years. Thanks and congratulations!
RFEM – Indispensable Software!
Marco Valdini
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In this article, you will learn how to model and design cable structures in RFEM 6 or RSTAB 9.
This article describes and explains the influence of bending stiffness of cables on their internal forces. Furthermore, the text provides information on how this influence can be reduced.
The ASCE 7-22 Standard [1], Sect. 12.9.1.6 specifies when P-delta effects should be considered when running a modal response spectrum analysis for seismic design. In the NBC 2020 [2], Sent. 4.1.8.3.8.c gives only a short requirement that sway effects due to the interaction of gravity loads with the deformed structure should be considered. Therefore, there may be situations where second-order effects, also known as P-delta, must be considered when carrying out a seismic analysis.
The data exchange between RFEM 6 and Allplan can be done using various file formats. This article describes the data exchange of a determined surface reinforcement using the ASF interface. This allows you to display the RFEM reinforcement values as level curves or colored reinforcement images in Allplan.
Use the "Independent mesh preferred" option in the FE mesh settings to create an independent FE mesh for the integrated objects. This allows you to generate a significantly more detailed and precise FE mesh for individual objects that are integrated into one another.
In the "Edit Section" dialog box, you can display the buckling shapes of the Finite Strip Method (FSM) as a 3D graphic.
In RFEM 6 and RSTAB 9, you have the option to enter "Visual Objects" as guide objects. You can import the file formats 3ds, stl, and obj.
These objects allow you to create a better reference to the dimensions.
- Design of five types of seismic force-resisting systems (SFRS) includes Special Moment Frame (SMF), Intermediate Moment Frame (IMF), Ordinary Moment Frame (OMF), Ordinary Concentrically Braced Frame (OCBF), and Special Concentrically Braced Frame (SCBF)
- Ductility check of the width-to thickness ratios for webs and flanges
- Calculation of the required strength and stiffness for stability bracing of beams
- Calculation of the maximum spacing for stability bracing of beams
- Calculation of the required strength at hinge locations for stability bracing of beams
- Calculation of the column required strength with the option to neglect all bending moments, shear, and torsion for overstrength limit state
- Design check of column and brace slenderness ratios