Construction Stage Analysis in RFEM 6

The Construction Stages Analysis (CSA) add-on allows for the design of member, surface, and solid structures in RFEM 6 considering the specific construction stages associated with the construction process. This is important since buildings are not constructed all at once, but by gradually combining individual structural parts. The single steps in which structural elements, as well as loads, are added to the building are called construction stages, whereas the process itself is called a construction process. Thus, the final state of the structure is available upon completion of the construction process; that is, all the construction stages. For some structures, the influence of the construction process (that is, all the individual construction stages) might be significant and it should be considered so that errors in the calculation are avoided. A general overview of the CSA add-on is given in the Knowledge Base article titled “Consideration of Construction Stages in RFEM 6”.

The calculation of complex structures by means of finite element analysis software is generally performed on the entire model. However, the construction of such structures is a process carried out in multiple stages where the final state of the building is achieved by combining the separate structural parts. To avoid errors in the calculation of overall models, the influence of the construction process must be considered. In RFEM 6, this is possible using the Construction Stages Analysis (CSA) add-on.

In this article, you will learn how to model and design cable structures in RFEM 6 or RSTAB 9.

In the "Edit Section" dialog box, you can display the buckling shapes of the Finite Strip Method (FSM) as a 3D graphic.

In RFEM 6 and RSTAB 9, you have the option to enter "Visual Objects" as guide objects. You can import the file formats 3ds, stl, and obj.

These objects allow you to create a better reference to the dimensions.

Do you have individual column sections and angled wall geometries, and need punching shear design for them?

No problem. In RFEM 6, you can perform punching shear design not only for rectangular and circular sections, but for any cross-section shape.