For a project in Rotterdam, ADS Ertner used IDEA CONNECTION to analyze a structural steel connection. This program calculates steel connections utilizing the CBFEM method, where each thin-walled cross-section is modeled with nonlinear material properties, nonlinear bolts, and nonlinear welds. In order to transfer loads, ADS Ertner needed to use blocks in the connection model. In IDEA CONNECTION, blocks are not easily integrated with thin-walled plates.
In May 2022, the new Sky Bridge footbridge opened in the Dolní Morava area (Czech Republic); it is the longest footbridge in the world, with a length of 2,365.49 ft. The design and construction of the footbridge were carried out by TAROS NOVA a.s., and the structural analysis was performed in RFEM 5.