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.
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When selecting the global reference coordinate system, you can select special types of hinges, such as the scissor hinge. With scissor hinges, you can model the crossing of beams in RFEM and RSTAB.
Target
In the sample file, you have four members connected in one node. Each of the two member pairs transfers moments in its "continuous direction", but they do not transfer any moments to the other pair. Only axial and shear forces are transferred in the node.
Solution
Use a global hinge definition to realize a scissor hinge in RFEM or RSTAB.
In this case, the hinge must be assigned either to Member 1 and Member 2, or to Member 3 and Member 4. The other crossing member pair is modeled as bending-resistant without hinge.
There is also a short video tutorial about "scissor hinges", which you can watch by clicking the link below.
In RFEM, it is possible to determine a pushover curve or a capacity curve and export it to Excel. In the following, you can find a list of the steps that must be performed:
A load distribution similar to the mode shape distribution can be generated automatically with the RF‑DYNAM Pro - Equivalent Loads add-on module. This module determines eigenvalues and equivalent loads based on the response spectrum analysis. For each selected eigenvalue, equivalent loads are generated and exported to RFEM in load cases.
The color display of the plastic hinges is shown in Image 05. You can select the color scale according to the acceptance criteria or according to the defined parameters of the hinge diagram.
A further pushover analysis (determination of the inelastic spectrum, performance point) can then be performed, for example, in Excel.
In the download section below, you can find a detailed description of this tutorial within a PDF document (in English).