RF-/STEEL AS | Features

  • Design of members and sets of members for tension, compression, bending, shear, combined internal forces, and torsion
  • Stability analysis of buckling and lateral-torsional buckling
  • Automatic determination of critical buckling loads and critical buckling moments for general load applications and support conditions by means of a special FEA program (eigenvalue analysis) integrated in the module
  • Alternative analytical calculation of the critical buckling moment for standard situations
  • Optional application of discrete lateral supports to beams and continuous members
  • Automatic cross-section classification (compact, noncompact, and slender)
  • Serviceability limit state design (deflection)
  • Cross-section optimization
  • A wide range of available cross-sections, such as rolled I-sections, channel sections, T-sections, angles, rectangular and circular hollow sections, round bars, symmetrical, asymmetrical, parameterized I-, T-, and angle sections, as well as user-defined SHAPE‑THIN sections
  • Clearly arranged input and result windows
  • Detailed result documentation including references to design equations of the used standard
  • Various filter and sorting options of results including result lists by member, cross-section, x-location, or by load cases, load and result combinations
  • Result table of member slenderness and governing internal forces
  • Parts list with weight and solid specifications
  • Seamless integration in RFEM/RSTAB
  • Metric and imperial units

Working with RF-/STEEL AS

First, you have to select the load cases, load combinations, and result combinations to be designed.

Further specifications include presetting of lateral intermediate supports, effective lengths, and other standard-specific design parameters. In the case of continuous members, it is possible to define individual support conditions and eccentricities of each intermediate node of single members. A special FEA tool then determines the critical loads and moments required for the stability analysis in these situations.

In connection with RFEM/RSTAB, it is possible to apply the Direct Analysis Method taking into account the influence of the general calculation according to the second-order analysis. In this way, you avoid using special enlargement factors.

RF-/STEEL AS | Results

The first window shows the maximum design ratios including the corresponding design of each designed load case, load combination, or result combination.

The other result windows list all detailed results sorted by specific subject in extendable tree menus. All intermediate results along the members can be displayed at any location. In this way, you can easily retrace how the module has performed the individual designs.

The complete module data are part of the RFEM/RSTAB printout report. You can select the report contents and extent specifically for the individual designs.