Construction Stages Analysis (CSA) for RFEM 6

Consideration of Construction Stages in RFEM

Additional Analyses

Advantages

RFEM

Simple definition of construction phases in the RFEM structure including visualization
Adding, removing, changing and reactivating member, surface and solid elements and their properties (e.g. member and line hinges, degrees of freedom for supports, etc.)
Automatic and manual combinatorics with load combinations in the individual construction phases (e.g. to take into account assembly loads, assembly cranes and other loads)
Consideration of nonlinear effects such as tension member failure or nonlinear supports
Interaction with other add-ons, such as Nonlinear Material Behavior, Structure Stability, Form-Finding, and so on.

Additional Analyses

The Construction Stages Analysis (CSA) add-on is particularly useful. It can ensure that the construction process of structures (member, surface, and solid structures) is considered in RFEM.

Did you know? If you neglect the effects of the construction process, errors may arise in the calculation of entire models. Use the Construction Stages Analysis (CSA) add-on to analyze these effects and consider them in the structural design.

Features

Simple definition of construction stages in the RFEM structure including visualization
Adding, removing, modifying, and reactivating member, surface, and solid elements and their properties (for example, member and line hinges, degrees of freedom for supports, and so on)
Automatic and manual combinatorics with load combinations in the individual construction stages (for example, to consider mounting loads, mounting cranes, and other loads)
Consideration of nonlinear effects such as tension member failure or nonlinear supports
Interaction with other add-ons, such as Nonlinear Material Behavior, Structure Stability, Form-Firnding, and so on.
Display of results numerically and graphically for individual construction stages
Detailed printout report with documentation of all structural and load data for each construction stage

Entering Construction Stages

Have you created the entire structure in RFEM? Very well, now you can assign the individual structural components and load cases to the corresponding construction stages. In each construction stage, you can modify release definitions of members and supports, for example.

You can thus model structural modifications, such as those that occur when bridge girders are successively grouted or when columns are settled. Then, assign the load cases created in RFEM to the construction stages as permanent or non-permanent loads.

Did you know? The combinatorics allows you to superimpose the permanent and non-permanent loads in load combinations. In this way, it is possible for you to determine the maximum internal forces of different crane positions or to consider temporary mounting loads available in one construction stage only.

Calculation

If there are geometry differences arising between the ideal and the deformed structural system from the previous construction stage, they are compared in the program. The next construction stage is based on the structural system stressed due to the previous construction stage. This calculation is nonlinear.

Results and Export

Was the calculation successful? Now you can view the results of the individual construction stages graphically and in tables in RFEM. Moreover, RFEM allows you to consider the construction stages in the combinatorics and include it in further design.