ETFE (ethylene tetrafluoroethylene) is a high-performance plastic material with many favorable properties for membrane structures. The up to 95% translucent foils made of ETFE material are mainly convincing due to their resistance to weather conditions and aging.
The material is often used for pneumatically supported foil cushions. These pressurized foil cushions are used for building roofs and envelopes due to their low weight and ability to compensate for high loads through plastic deformations.
The nonlinear material behavior of ETFE, which depends on the temperature and load duration, can be simulated with the RF‑MAT‑NL add-on module in RFEM 5 or with the Nonlinear Material Behavior add-on in RFEM 6.