Design Ratios on Members

The result tables of the category Design Ratios on Members contain the result data for the performed designs with the respective design ratios.

Result Tables “Design Ratios by Members” for Steel Design

The member results are sorted in the tabs according to the following criteria:

• Loads (design situations, load combinations)
• Member properties (materials, cross-sections)
• Objects (member sets, members, member locations x)

Design Ratios by Member

Member Set No. / Member No.

For each design criterion, the number of the member set (if designed) and of the member with the greatest design ratio is specified.

Location x

The x-location in the member is specified for which the maximum design ratio was determined. The following locations x are relevant for the table output:

• Start and end nodes
• Member result intermediate points (if defined)
• Member division according to Mesh Settings for members
• Extreme values of internal forces

Stress Point No.

The design is carried out at so-called stress points of the cross-section. These locations are defined by the centroidal distances, statical moments, and thicknesses of the cross-section parts. All standard library sections and RSECTION cross-sections are provided with stress points at the locations relevant for design.

You can check the stress points in the cross-section information dialog. To do this, click the button in the table toolbar. In the 'Stress Points' tab of the info dialog, the stress points are listed with their coordinates and displayed on the cross-section (see Chapter Stress Points in the RFEM manual).

Design Situation

This column names the numbers of the Design Situations for which the individual design ratios are available.

Loading

The numbers of the load or result combinations that are governing for the respective designs are specified.

Design Criterion

This column shows the design conditions according to Standard. The degree of the respective design ratio is expressed by the length of the colored bar.

Design Type

Each design is identified by a code with a number. For example, the cross-section checks according to Eurocode have the code 'SP', the stability analyses the code 'ST', and the serviceability limit state designs the code 'SE'. The design type is explained in the Description column.

Design Formula

You can activate this column in the Result Table Manager. It shows the equations of the standard according to which the designs are performed.

Description

Each design is explained by a short description with reference to the chapter in the standard.

Filter Results by Limit State

If you want only the results for certain limit states or design types to be displayed in the table, set the corresponding filters in the Result Table Manager. Thus, for example, you can only display the results for the stability analyses by deactivating all 'Lines' except for Stability.

The buttons in the table toolbar also provide the option to quickly show or hide the results of certain limit states. They are accessible when designs for the corresponding limit states are available.

	Shows or hides results for ultimate limit state
	Shows or hides results for serviceability limit state
	Shows or hides results for fire resistance designs
	Shows or hides results for seismic designs

Filter Results by Design Ratio

The list on the right in the table toolbar provides the option to filter the tables by design ratios. With the Max option, only the governing design is output for each object.

Displaying Maximum Design Ratio by Object

You can also use a user-defined filter criterion. For this, use the Define option in the list. The Result Table Manager dialog opens with the Criteria - Values tab. Define the condition – for example, to only display design ratios greater than a specific value.

Defining Filter Criteria for Design Ratio

The chapter Filtering Result Tables of the RFEM manual describes how to define conditions for the table values.

Optimize Cross-Section

If the designs for a cross-section are not fulfilled, you can have the program optimize the cross-section. The smallest possible cross-section within the same cross-section series that meets the requirements is found. Proceed as follows:

1. Set the table category Input Data for the steel design.
2. Switch to the Cross-Sections table.
3. Click the corresponding cell in the table column Use Different Cross-Section for Design.
4. Open the list and select the Optimize option (see the image Optimize Cross-Section).