In addition to the options of Project Navigator - Display, you can modify the visibility of structures (members, surfaces, and so on) and guide objects (dimensions, comments, guidelines, and so on) in the menu and toolbar using the shortcut menus.
Using the Timber Design add-on, timber column design is possible according to the 2018 NDS standard ASD method. Accurately calculating timber member compressive capacity and adjustment factors is important for safety considerations and design. The following article will verify the maximum critical buckling strength calculated by the Timber Design add-on using step-by-step analytical equations as per the NDS 2018 standard including the compressive adjustment factors, adjusted compressive design value, and final design ratio.
The American Wood Council (AWC) has released the 2018 Edition of the National Design Specification (NDS) for Wood Construction. This is the second edition of the NDS to contain a chapter dedicated to cross-laminated timber (CLT) design. Therefore, a couple of revisions were included in the 2018 NDS when compared to the previous 2015 Edition.
In the RF-GLASS add-on module, 3D rendering is implemented to facilitate the definition of the support conditions. This interactive graphical visualization facilitates the input and control of line and nodal supports. However, the schematic display can also be selected, if necessary.
The new generation of RFEM software is an intuitive, powerful, and easy-to-handle 3D FEA program that meets all the latest demands in modeling, calculation, and structural design. The modern design concept, as well as the introduction of new features, make the program even more innovative and user-friendly. The main differences between RFEM 6 and its previous version, RFEM 5, are discussed in the following text.
One of the innovations in RFEM 6 is the approach to designing steel connections. In contrast to RFEM 5, where the design of steel joints is based on an analytical solution, the Steel Joints add-on in RFEM 6 offers an FE solution for steel connections.
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.
A new capability within RFEM 6 when designing concrete columns is being able to generate the moment interaction diagram according to the ACI 318-19 [1]. When designing reinforced concrete members, the moment interaction diagram is an essential tool. The moment interaction diagram represents the relationship between the bending moment and axial force at any given point along a reinforced member. Valuable information is shown visually like strength and how the concrete behaves under different loading conditions.
In addition to the basic combination rules of EN 1990, there are other combination conditions for actions on road bridges specified in EN 1991‑2 that must be taken into account. RFEM and RSTAB provide automatic combinatorics that can be activated in the General Data when selecting the standard EN 1990 + EN 1991‑2. The partial safety factors and combination coefficients depending on the action category are preset when selecting the respective National Annex.
Silos are used as large containers for storage of bulk materials such as agricultural products or source materials as well as intermediates of industrial production. The structural engineering of such structures requires a precise knowledge of the stresses due to particulate solids in the building structure. The standard EN 1991‑4 "Actions on Silos and Tanks" [1] provides the general principles and requirements for determining these actions.
When analyzing structural elements susceptible to buckling by using the modules RF‑STABILITY (for RFEM) or RSBUCK (for RSTAB), it might be necessary to activate the internal division of members.
The RF‑FORM‑FINDING add‑on module can be activated in the "Edit Model - General Data" window, "Options" tab. By activating the module, a new RF‑FORM‑FINDING load case is created and an additional menu appears in the main program, allowing for the definition of prestress conditions for membrane and cable elements.
If you want to import a block with previously saved loads into an existing model, the load cases are not integrated into the existing load cases, but are added to the existing ones.
You can select an object in RFEM or RSTAB by simply clicking it. However, only the last object clicked will stay selected. In order to select several objects at a time, press the Control key while clicking. Since this procedure is not always possible, you can use the "Add to Selection" function in the toolbar or in the "Edit" → "Select" menu.
If new objects are created in an existing visibility, they are hidden immediately, since they do not comply with the particular visibility. However, if you want to display the new objects immediately in an existing visibility, for example when creating a new member, simply select the "Add new objects to visibility" check box.
The "Page and Sheet Numbering" dialog box allows you to add a prefix to page and sheet numbering. It can be an abbreviation that specifies by chapter all model data in the numbering (for example, with "MO").
In the RFEM 5.04.0024 and RSTAB 8.04.0024 versions, there is a new feature in RF‑/TOWER Loading that allows you to define additional surface loads in a load case for dead loads; for example, from grids on platforms.
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.
Sometimes, a model in the graphic window is displayed without filling the entire window, or with overly large margins after clicking the [Show Whole Model] button. To set the size of the graphic margins, click "Options" → "Display Margins and Stretch Factors". The value specifies the percentage of the margin relative to the graphic window size.
The display size of the load vectors can be adjusted quickly in the load shortcut menu: Right-click the load icon and select "Increase Display Size" or "Reduce Display Size" from the menu.
In RF‑/FOUNDATION Pro, reinforcement drawings are displayed after designing the foundation, where you can record all necessary structures of the reinforcement steel.
The result window of the cross-section properties can be adjusted individually using the [Filter] button in the table menu bar. You can then activate or deactivate the individual cross-section parameters in the dialog box.
For relatively large or relatively small surfaces, it can happen that the automatically created result values do not fit the model: In the case of large surfaces, there can be too many result values; in the case of small surfaces, too few.