To cover the required transverse reinforcement, RF‑CONCRETE Members and CONCRETE determine the most cost-efficient transverse reinforcement as a reinforcement proposal in accordance with the predefined stirrup diameter.
RF-CONCRETE Members for RFEM or CONCRETE for RSTAB propose an automatically created reinforcement to the user if the "Design the provided reinforcement" option is selected in Window 1.6 "Reinforcement".
For automatic load case combination in RFEM and RSTAB, you have to enter the possible interaction of load cases. In addition to the simultaneous or alternative occurrence of all load cases of an action, an option for different combination conditions is possible.
In RF-/FOUNDATION Pro, a graphical display of the result details is available. To see them, go to Window 2.2 Governing Design Criteria after the calculation. In the interactive graphic of this window, individual design-relevant values can be displayed for each design performed.
For the design of concrete surfaces, the rib component of the internal forces can be neglected for the ULS calculation and for the analytical method of the SLS calculation, because this component is already considered in the member design. To do this, select the check box in the "Details" dialog box. If no rib was defined, this function is not available.
When calculating foundations according to EC 7 or EC 2, different foundation types or sizes are usually used in one object. However, boundary conditions like the soil parameters, the materials for foundations, concrete covers, and the load combinations selected for design remain the same for all foundations, as a rule.
For a timber connection as shown in Figure 01, you can take into account the torsional spring rigidity (spring stiffness for rotation) of the connections. You can determine it by means of the slip modulus of the fastener and the polar moment of inertia of the connection.
In the RF-/TIMBER Pro, RF-/TIMBER AWC, and RF-/TIMBER CSA add-on modules, you can consider the resulting deformation of a member or set of members. In addition to the local directions y and z, you have the option "R." This allows you to compare the total deflection of a girder to the limit values given in the standards.
In RF‑/FOUNDATION Pro, the available reinforcing steel diameters can be adjusted by the user. The adjustment of the available rebar diameters works similarly to the same function in the RF‑/CONCRETE (Members) and RF‑/CONCRETE Columns add‑on modules.
In RF‑/FOUNDATION Pro, reinforcement drawings are displayed after designing the foundation, where you can record all necessary structures of the reinforcement steel.
In RF-/FOUNDATION Pro, the foundation design requires the definition of the corresponding loading (load cases, load combinations, or result combinations) for different design situations (STR, GEO, UPL, or EQU).
In RFEM 5 as well as RSTAB 8 in RF-/FOUNDATION Pro, you can save the foundation dimensions for all five foundation types as foundation templates in a user-defined database and use them later in other models.
RF‑/FOUNDATION Pro introduced the geotechnical design of single foundations according to EN 1997‑1 in RFEM 5 and RSTAB 8. Depending on the National Annex preset in the add‑on module, you can determine the bearing resistance using Approach 2 or 3 in compliance with EN 1997‑1 up to Version x.04.0108.
In RF‑/TIMBER Pro, it is also possible to define the effective length for lateral-torsional buckling. The effective length for lateral-torsional buckling is then calculated according to EN 1995‑1‑1, Table 6.1. This option is useful especially for non-uniform load introduction.
Various optimizations are available with program version x.06.1103. The RF-/FOUNDATION Pro add-on module has also been subjected to further development.
As of program version x.06.1103, you can enter a soil profile in RF‑/FOUNDATION Pro. This gives you the advantage of setting several soil layers with different soil parameters above and below the foundation base. To enter the soil layers, there is a library with various soil types that can also be extended with user‑defined soils. The user-defined soil profile is shown in an interactive information graphic. Any change (for example, a soil thickness modification) is reflected in the graphic immediately.
According to DIN EN 1990/NA:2010‑12 – NDP to A.1.2.1(1) Comment 2, it is necessary to apply only one of the two climatic actions in the combination expressions for actions according to 6.4.3 and 6.5.3 in the case of places located up to +1,000 m above mean sea level if snow and wind are available as collateral actions, in addition to non‑climatic leading action.
According to DIN EN 1990/NA:2010‑12 - NDP to A.1.2.1(1) Comment 2, it is possible to neglect the combination of snow as a collateral action in cases of wind/snow combination with wind as the leading action in wind zones III and IV.
For the serviceability limit state design according to Section 6.6 of Eurocode EN 1997‑1, settlement has to be calculated for spread foundations. RF-/FOUNDATION Pro allows you to perform the settlement calculation for a single foundation. For this, you can chose between an elastic and a solid foundation. By defining a soil profile, it is possible to consider several soil layers under the foundation base. The results of the settlement, foundation tilting, and vertical soil contact stress distribution are displayed graphically and in tables to provide a quick and clear overview of the calculation performed. In addition to the design of the foundation settlement in RF-/FOUNDATION Pro, the structural analysis determines the representative spring constants for the support and can be exported to the structural model of RFEM or RSTAB.
RFEM and RSTAB provides two different methods for the superposition of load cases. Using load combinations, the loads of individual load cases are superimposed and calculated in a "big load case". On the other hand, result combinations only combine the results of the individual load cases. This article describes the with the basis of defining result combinations and explain it in detail on two examples.