We provide hints and tips to help you get started with the RFEM program.
Design of Steel and Membrane Structures | RFEM | Info Day Online | 15.12.2020 | 1/4
Video
First Steps with RFEM
Description
In the first part of the Dlubal Info Day Online recording, Andreas Niemeier shows how to model and design a tennis court roof.
The following topics are included:
- Tennis court roof modeling
- Loads
- Wind load generation based on CFD
- Load case combinations
- Stability analysis
- Generation of imperfections
- Member and surface components design
Keywords
Tennis court roof Steel structures Eurocode 3 Membrane structure Membrane surface Wind loads of curved roofs CFD simulation RF-LIMITS Limits
Links
- Software for Form-Finding and Cutting Patterns of Membrane Structures
- Software for Wind Simulation & Wind Load Generation on Structures
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Cutting Pattern of Membranes and Cable Elements
Cable and tensile membrane structures are regarded as very slender and aesthetic building constructions. The partly very complex double-curved shapes can be found using suitable form-finding algorithms. One possible solution is to search for the form via the equilibrium between the surface stress (provided prestress and an additional load such as self-weight, pressure, and so on) and the given boundary conditions.

Display of Topology on Deformed Structure
With the activated option "Topology on form-finding shape" in the Project Navigator - Display, the model display is optimized based on the form-finding geometry. For example, the loads are displayed in relation to the deformed system.
- Are the models and presentations from Info Day 2020 freely available, and can you send them to me?
- I get the error "The stiffness matrix is singular!" for a calculation in RF‑FORM‑FINDING. What can I do?
- How do I get the actual member length of cables, for example, after the calculation in RF‑FORM‑FINDING?
- How is it possible to create the cutting pattern geometry for a decorative sticker on a biaxially curved membrane roof?
- How are the properties of the elasticity and shear modulus of a membrane fabric with the usual force/length syntax transformed into the general force/surface syntax to be entered in RFEM?
- Why is the membrane constricted so much during the form-finding? I am obtaining very large deformation values.
- When modeling a building, there is a location where I have a wall on a ceiling that is not supported underneath. What are the modeling options for this?
- How are guy wires processed in RF‑FORM‑FINDING, concerning the prestress load to be applied? Is it necessary to assign a prestressing force to the guy wires?
- How do I apply the ASCE 7 Orthogonal Directional Combination procedure (100% + 30% rule) to my seismic load in a static analysis?