This article compares the calculation times between RFEM 5 and RFEM 6.
Identical models and calculation parameters were used in both software generations for the comparison.
The following software versions were used as a basis:
- RFEM 6.14.0003
- RFEM 5.40.01
Hardware and System Environment
CPU: Intel(R) Core(TM) Ultra 7 165H (1.40 GHz)
GPU: NVIDIA RTX 2000 Ada Generation
RAM: 32 GB
Operating System: Windows 11
Example 1
A structural analysis was performed for all load cases and load combinations, and steel design was calculated for all members.
| Objects | Number |
|---|---|
| Nodes | 704 |
| Lines | 1212 |
| Members | 1212 |
| Surfaces | 0 |
| Load Cases | 11 |
| Load Combinations | 256 |
Example 2
A structural analysis was performed for all load cases and load combinations.
| Objects | Number |
|---|---|
| Nodes | 33 |
| Lines | 32 |
| Members | 32 |
| Surfaces | 0 |
| Load Cases | 21 |
| Load Combinations | 4464 |
Example 3
A structural analysis was performed for all load cases and load combinations, and steel design was performed for all members.
| Objects | Number |
|---|---|
| Nodes | 1123 |
| Lines | 2537 |
| Members | 2534 |
| Surfaces | 0 |
| Load Cases | 10 |
| Load Combinations | 108 |
Example 4
A structural analysis was performed for all load cases and load combinations, as well as a reinforced concrete design for all members and surfaces.
| Objects | Number |
|---|---|
| Nodes | 229 |
| Lines | 226 |
| Members | 78 |
| Surfaces | 28 |
| Load Cases | 4 |
| Load Combinations | 41 |
Summary
As of the release of RFEM 6, the software is not only regularly updated with new features, but its performance is also continuously optimized. Especially for models with a large number of load combinations, a significantly reduced calculation time can be achieved. This is possible due to the initiation of several independent solver processes, which allows for the efficient use of available hardware resources and the parallel computation of calculations.