This article describes and explains the influence of bending stiffness of cables on their internal forces. Furthermore, the text provides information on how this influence can be reduced.
The National Building Code of Canada (NBC) 2020 Article 4.1.8.7 provides a clear procedure for earthquake methods of analysis. The more advanced method, the Dynamic Analysis Procedure in Article 4.1.8.12, should be used for all structure types except those that meet the criteria set forth in 4.1.8.7. The more simplistic method, the Equivalent Static Force Procedure (ESFP) in Article 4.1.8.11, can be used for all other structures.
Plate girder is an economical choice for long spans construction. I-section steel plate girder typically has a deep web to maximize its shear capacity and flange separation, yet thin web to minimize the self-weight. Due to its large height-to-thickness (h/tw) ratio, transverse stiffeners may be required to stiffen the slender web.
The Geotechnical Analysis add-on provides RFEM with additional specific soil material models that are able to suitably represent complex soil material behavior. This technical article is an introduction to show how the stress-dependent stiffness of soil material models can be determined.
When a concrete slab is set upon the top flange, its effect is like a lateral support (composite construction), preventing problems of torsional buckling stability. If there is a negative distribution of the bending moment, the bottom flange is subjected to compression and the top flange is under tension. If the lateral support given by the stiffness of the web is insufficient, the angle between the bottom flange and the web intersection line is variable in this case so that there is a possibility of distortional buckling for the bottom flange.
Surfaces in building models can be of many different sizes and shapes. All surfaces can be considered in RFEM 6 because the program allows to define different materials and thicknesses as well as surfaces with different stiffness and geometry types. This article focuses on four of these surface types: rotated, trimmed, without thickness, and load transfer.
With the most recent ACI 318-19 standard, the long-term relationship to determine the concrete shear resistance, Vc, is redefined. With the new method, the member height, the longitudinal reinforcement ratio, and the normal stress now influence the shear strength, Vc. This article describes the shear design updates, and the application is demonstrated with an example.
The optimal scenario in which punching shear design according to ACI 318-19 [1] or CSA A23.3:19 [2] should be utilized is when a slab is experiencing a high concentration of loading or reaction forces occurring at one single node. In RFEM 6, the node in which punching shear is an issue is referred to as a punching shear node. The causes of these high concentration of forces can be introduced by a column, concentrated force, or nodal support. Connecting walls can also cause these concentrated loads at wall ends, corners, and ends of line loads and supports.
In RFEM 6, seismic analysis can be done by using the Modal Analysis and the Response Spectrum Analysis add-ons. Once the spectral analysis has been performed, it is possible to use the Building Model add-on to display story actions, interstory drifts, and forces in shear walls.
In accordance with Sect. 6.6.3.1.1 and Clause 10.14.1.2 of ACI 318-19 and CSA A23.3-19, respectively, RFEM effectively takes into consideration concrete member and surface stiffness reduction for various element types. Available selection types include cracked and uncracked walls, flat plates and slabs, beams, and columns. The multiplier factors available within the program are taken directly from Table 6.6.3.1.1(a) and Table 10.14.1.2.
The punching shear design, in line with EN 1992-1-1, should be performed for slabs with a concentrated load or reaction. The node where the design of punching shear resistance is performed (that is, where there is a punching problem) is called a node of punching shear. The concentrated load at these nodes can be introduced by columns, concentrated force, or nodal supports. The end of the linear load introduction on slabs is also regarded as a concentrated load and therefore, the shear resistance at wall ends, wall corners, and ends or corners of line loads and line supports should be controlled as well.
This article describes how a flat slab of a residential building is modeled in RFEM 6 and designed according to Eurocode 2. The plate is 24 cm thick and is supported by 45/45/300 cm columns at distances of 6.75 m in both the X and Y directions (Image 1). The columns are modeled as elastic nodal supports by determining the spring stiffness based on the boundary conditions (Image 2). C35/45 concrete and B 500 S (A) reinforcing steel are selected as the materials for the design.
This article explains the use of surfaces with the Load Transfer stiffness type in RFEM 6. A practical example is also provided to demonstrate the application of self-weight, snow load, and wind load to a steel hall.
RF-CONCRETE Members also includes the design of a shear joint. In order to perform this design, you should select the "Shear joint available" check box in Window 1.6, Shear Joint tab.
In the case of a reinforced concrete model represented as a mixed structure consisting of surface and member elements, the design is carried out in different modules.
An elastic foundation can be applied to a member. Thus, the influence of the soil is usually included in the modeling. Member elastic foundations can only be defined for the "Beam" member type.
Cross-section properties in RFEM and RSTAB include different types of shear areas. This technical article explains the calculation and meaning of various values.
Very small torsional moments in the members to be designed often prevent certain design formats. In order to neglect them and still perform the designs, you can define a limit value in RF‑/STEEL EC3 from which torsional shear stresses are taken into account.
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 case of wall-like load-bearing behavior of the cross-laminated timber plate, special attention must be paid to the shear deformation in the plane of the pane and thus, in particular, to the displaceability of the fasteners.
The support of the cross-laminated timber panel deserves special attention. Usually, a cross‑laminated wall is secured against shearing by means of shear connectors and against lifting forces by means of tie rods.
With the SHAPE‑THIN cross‑section properties software, you can create any thin‑walled cross‑section and use it in RFEM or RSTAB as a member cross‑section. SHAPE‑THIN can give all relevant cross‑section values of any cross‑section for a design and stress analysis.
For uniformly distributed loading according to EN 1992‑1‑1 (Eurocode 2), the design section for the shear reinforcement can be placed at the distance d from the front edge of the support. Thus for the shear reinforcement, the applied shear force is reduced to VEd,red. To analyze the maximum design shear resistance VRd,max, however, the total shear force is applied.
In RF‑/STEEL EC3, you can assign the same input data to several members or sets of members at the same time. The simultaneous assignment of the input data is possible for intermediate supports, effective lengths, nodal supports, member end hinges, and shear panel and rotational restraint.
In RFEM, you can modify stiffnesses for materials, cross-sections, members, load cases, and load combinations in many places. There are two options in RF‑DYNAM Pro for considering these modifications when determining the natural frequencies.
Structures react differently to wind action depending on stiffness, mass, and damping. A basic distinction is made between buildings that are prone to vibration and those that are not.
In the case of open cross-sections, the torsional load is removed mainly via secondary torsion, since the St. Venant torsional stiffness is low compared to the warping stiffness. Therefore, warping stiffeners in the cross-section are particularly interesting for the lateral-torsional buckling analysis, as they can significantly reduce the rotation. For this, end plates or welded stiffeners and sections are suitable.
RFEM 5 allows you to use many different member nonlinearities for designing a model. In the following text, we look at an example of the use of the "slippage" member nonlinearity. The example is a simplified model of a concrete manhole with a square plan view.
The shear force resistance VRd,c without computational shear force reinforcement according to 6.2.2 of EN 1992-1-1 [1] or 10.3.3 of DIN 1045-1 [2] is calculated depending on the longitudinal reinforcement ratio. If the required longitudinal reinforcement from the bending design is used for the calculation of VRd,c, this leads to an underestimation of the shear force resistance without shear reinforcement in the vicinity of the hinged end supports. In contrast to the shear force, the required bending reinforcement decreases in the direction of the support. Furthermore, the actually inserted longitudinal reinforcement usually deviates significantly from the required bending reinforcement in the end support area (for example, in the case of non-staggered beam reinforcement).