The structural analysis software RFEM 6 is the basis of a modular software system. The main program RFEM 6 is used to define structures, materials, and loads of planar and spatial structural systems consisting of plates, walls, shells, and members. The program also allows you to create combined structures as well as to model solid and contact elements.
RSTAB 9 is a powerful analysis and design software for 3D beam, frame, or truss structure calculations, reflecting the current state of the art and helping structural engineers meet requirements in modern civil engineering.
Do you often spend too long calculating cross-sections? Dlubal Software and the RSECTION stand-alone program facilitate your work by determining section properties of various cross-sections and performing a subsequent stress analysis.
Do you always know where the wind is blowing from? From the direction of innovation, of course! With RWIND 2, you have a program at your side that uses a digital wind tunnel for the numerical simulation of wind flows. The program simulates these flows around any building geometry and determines the wind loads on the surfaces.
Are you looking for an overview of snow load zones, wind zones, and seismic zones? Then you are in the right place. Use the Geo-Zone Tool to determine quickly and efficiently snow loads, wind speeds, and seismic data according to ASCE 7‑16 and other international standards.
Would you like to try out the capabilities of the Dlubal Software programs? You have the opportunity to do so! The free 90-day full version allows you to thoroughly test all our programs.
In RFEM 6, the order of components plays an important role when editing connections, as it "runs" from top to bottom.
For example, if you want to edit a plate, you have to define the plate in the list of components first, as well as the Plate Editor component below. The same principle applies to other components, such as "Plate Cut".
The video shows you in detail how to proceed when modeling the connection without using the component library.
The most likely cause of the different results is that you have probably not set the same smoothing of the surface internal forces.
This can be set separately in RFEM 6 and in the add-on.
If the smoothing is the same in both settings, the stresses are also the same.
In order to consider the support of the structure in the soil correctly, it is necessary to excavate the soil accordingly or to provide the solid with a corresponding opening.
For the CSA O86 and NDS, the Modification and Adjustment factors used in the Timber Design add-on in RFEM 6 can be manually adjusted. The factors are listed under the material properties.
To edit them manually, first open the material(s) being used for timber design and then set them to "User-Defined". Once this is done, navigate to the Timber Design tab where the Modification and Adjustment factors can be entered manually.
In RFEM 6, you can only design reinforced concrete members and surfaces. To do this, use the Concrete Design add-on. This is used to carry out the design for the ultimate limit state, stability, and serviceability limit state.
Reinforced concrete solids cannot be designed directly in RFEM 6.
However, it is possible to create solids with the "Concrete" material and determine the stresses within the solid, for example. Optionally, you can also insert a result beam into the solid, with which the results of the solid are converted into member internal forces. You can then design this result beam in the Concrete Design add-on.
The Calculation for Torsion in the NDS Strength Configuration works together with the torsion limit set to ensure the safety of the member and structure. Below, you find a short explanation for each option:
Check torsional limit only:The ratio torsion check is compared to the torsion limit. If the ratio is smaller than the limit, then no further calculation is carried out. If the ratio is bigger than the torsion limit, an error will be shown in the design check. The error is then the most governing design check in the graphical and tabular results.
According to Timber Construction Manual:Torsion design is according to the Timber Construction Manual 4.6, and the result is a typical design ratio based on the calculation.
Ignore torsion:This setting is very similar to the first option. The ratio is compared from the torsion calculation to the torsion limit. If the ratio is smaller than the limit, then no further calculation is carried out. If the ratio is bigger than the limit, then a warning is shown in the design check. This warning will not be a governing design check in the results tables or graphics and serves only as a warning for safety considerations.
To neglect all torsion for the member design check, the limit value for torsion must be increased.
According to EN 1993‑1‑1, 6.3.4 (1), the general method allows for the lateral-torsional and torsional-flexural buckling analysis of individual structural components, which are subjected to loading in their principal plane and include any single-symmetric cross-section, a variable height, and any boundary conditions, as well as the analysis of entire planar structures or partial structures consisting of such components. Therefore, the design of structural components with an asymmetric cross‑section is not possible using the general method. Steel Design reports a failed design and shows the corresponding error message.
The stability analysis may be performed as section design according to EN 1993‑1‑1, 5.2.2 (7) a, provided that a spatial calculation according to the second-order analysis is performed with the global and local imperfections applied. In order to model the lateral-torsional buckling, it is necessary to determine the internal forces according to the geometrically nonlinear torsional buckling analysis with regard to warping torsion. Then, it is only necessary to perform the section design, as all stability effects are covered by the calculation. Therefore, this design method is applicable to all cross‑sections subjected to any loading.Considering the cross-section warping as an additional degree of freedom is possible using the Warping Torsion add-on.
Both RFEM and RSTAB provide solution: There are numerous European and international standards as well as add-ons available for both programs that can facilitate your daily design work of aluminum and lighweight structures.
Main Programs RFEM and RSTAB
The main programs RFEM and RSTAB are used to define the model with its properties and actions. In addition to spatial beam structures, such as scaffolding or frame structures, you can also model membrane structures with RFEM. Thus, RFEM is the more versatile variant—especially if you work in other areas, such as solid construction.
Available Standards
Add-ons for Aluminum and Lightweight Structure
Design add-ons supplement the functionality of the main programs. Use the Aluminum Design add-on to perform the ultimate and serviceability limit state design, as well as the stability analysis according to the standards listed above. The Torsional Warping (7 DOF) add-on allows you to also perform lateral-torsional buckling analysis with up to seven degrees of freedom.
The design checks can be carried out for a large number of standardized and parameterized cross-sections. Lightweight structures often includes special cross-sections, such as extruded sections. You can define it with the program RSECTION and use it for the design in RFEM or RSTAB.
In the case of membrane and cable structures, the Form-Finding add-on facilitates your task to determine the shape of member and surface models subjected to axial forces.
In case of any questions about the Dlubal solution for aluminum and lightweight structures, our sales team will be happy to assist you.
Both RFEM and RSTAB provide the solution. There is a design add-on available for the European and international standards that can facilitate your daily work in structural concrete design.
The main programs RFEM and RSTAB are used to define the model with its properties and actions. For concrete structures, RFEM is clearly the first choice: In addition to spatial frame and truss structures, you can also model plate, wall, and shell structures here.
Add-on for Concrete Structures
The Concrete Design add-on allows you to perform the ultimate and serviceability limit state design checks according to the standards listed above. The stability analysis according to the equivalent member method (nominal curvature method) can be carried out for rectangular or circular cross-sections. The design add-on also covers the punching shear design checks for the surfaces with nodal, line, and surface supports.
The scope of functions of the add-on includes the design check for limiting the deflection of reinforced concrete components. The analytical deformation analysis takes into account the different cross-section states "uncracked" and "cracked" (state I / state II).
In case of any questions about the Dlubal concrete design solutions, our sales team will be happy to assist you.
RFEM allows you to perform structural analysis and design of laminate and sandwich structures. The same applies to the cross-laminated timber. Stress and deflection analysis of laminate and sandwich surfaces is performed according to the laminate theory, taking into account the shear coupling.
Programs and Add-ons
RFEM is the main program that you can use to define the model and actions. You can model planar and spatial structures, consisting of plates, walls, shells, and members.
For the stress and deflection analysis, you need the Multilayer Surfaces add-on. It allows you to define and analyze layer structures.
Use the Timber Design add-on to also design the member supporting elements of the structure according to Eurocode 5 or ANSI/AWC NDS, for example.
Dynamic Analysis
If you need to perform a seismic or vibration analysis, the corresponding Dynamic Analysis add-ons are the perfect tools for determining natural frequencies and mode shapes, or for the analysis of external excitations.
In case of any questions about the Dlubal timber design solutions, our sales team will be happy to assist you.