- Design of member ends, members, nodal supports, nodes, and surfaces
- Consideration of specified design areas
- Check of cross-section dimensions
- Design according to EN 1995-1-1 (European Timber Standard) with the respective National Annexes + DIN 1052 + DSTV DIN EN 1993-1-8 + ANSI / AWC - NDS 2015 (US Standard)
- Design of various materials, such as steel, concrete, and others
- No necessary linking to specific standards
- Extensible library including timber fasteners (SIHGA, Sherpa, WÜRTH, Simpson StrongTie, KNAPP, PITZL) and steel fasteners (standardized connections in steel building design according to EC 3, M-connect, PFEIFER, TG-Technik)
- Ultimate load capacities of timber beams by the companies STEICO and Metsä Wood available in the library
- Connection to MS Excel
- Optimization of connecting elements (the most utilized element is calculated)
The Hinged Column Footing category provides four different base plate connections:
- Simple column base
- Tapered column base
- Column base for rectangular hollow sections
- Column base for circular hollow sections
The Restraint Column Footing category provides five different joint layouts of I-sections:
- Base plate without stiffening
- Base plate with stiffeners in center of flanges
- Base plate with stiffeners on both sides of column
- Base plate with channel sections
- Pocket foundation
All connection types include a base plate welded around a steel column. Connections with anchors are set in concrete within the foundation. You can select anchor types M12 – M42 with steel grades of 4.6 – 10.9. The top and bottom sides of the anchors can be provided with round or angled sheets for better load distribution or anchorage. In addition, you can use rectangular or circular anchor heads with threads applied at the member ends.
The material and thickness of the grout layer, as well as the dimensions and material of the footing, can be set freely. Furthermore, you can define edge reinforcement of the footing. For a better transfer of shear forces, it is possible to arrange a shear key (cleat) on the bottom side of the base plate.
Shear forces are transferred by a cleat, anchors, or friction. You can combine the individual components.
After the calculation, RF-/JOINTS Steel - Column Base displays the following design results:
- Net section design
- Bearing resistance design
- Shear
- Block shear resistance
- Sliding
After you have selected the joint type, the connection category, and the design standard in the first input window, you can define the node to be imported from RFEM/RSTAB and to be used for the design of the joint in Window 1.2. Optionally, you can define the connection geometry manually.
In the other input windows, you can then define the parameters of the connection, such as The loading is imported from RFEM/RSTAB or, in the case of manual joint definition, loads are entered.
- Wide range of joint types, for example:
- Bolted connection of diagonals without gusset plate 2D
- Bolted connection of diagonals without gusset plate 3D
- Bolted column joint
- T-, K-, and KT-joints considered for connections of diagonals
- Various categories of connections:
- A - shear/hole bearing connection
- B - slip-resistant connection at serviceability limit state
- C - slip-resistant connection at ultimate limit state
- Bolt strength classes of 4.6 - 10.9
- Bolt diameters M12 - M42
- Modifiable bolt spacing
- Visualization of the entire connection in the view window
At first, the governing joint designs are arranged in groups and displayed with the basic geometry of the joint in the first result window. In the other result tables, you can see all fundamental design details such as the load-carrying capacity of anchors, stresses in welds, and others.
Dimensions, material specifications, and welds that are important for the construction of the connection are visible immediately and can be printed out. It is possible to visualize the connections in RF-/JOINTS Steel - Column Base or in the RFEM/RSTAB model.
All graphics can be included in the RFEM/RSTAB printout report or printed directly. Due to the scaled output, an optimal visual check is possible as early as in the design phase.
After the calculation, RF-/JOINTS Steel - Column Base displays the following design results:
- Base plate bending
- Anchor tension and anchor shear force
- Shear key strength
- Concrete compression / failure of concrete edges
- Friction
- Welds
After you have selected the anchorage type and the design standard in the first input window, define the node in Window 1.2 that is to be imported from RFEM/RSTAB and where the footing anchorage is to be designed.
Optionally, you can define the column cross-section and material manually. In the next input windows, you can define the parameters of the base point, such as The loading is imported from RFEM/RSTAB or, in the case of a manual joint definition, the loads are entered.
All joint types are considered with the moment release at the column flange, or at the column web in the case of a rotated column. Therefore, the module determines the eccentric moment of a web cleat and fin plate connection, which additionally affects the bolt group at the girder flange.
Further eccentric moments may result from the locations of the angles and sheets. In the case of cleat connection, the forces are transferred separately. Shear forces act on the cleat; tension forces and stabilizing moment are assigned to the bolts. Before the calculation, the connection is checked for geometrical plausibility; for example, the bolt hole spacing and edge distance of the bolts.
The design includes detailed information about analyzed internal forces, validity limits, and design conditions. Design failures are clearly marked in the result overview.
All input and result data are also documented in the general RFEM/RSTAB printout report. Separate design cases allow flexible analysis of the individual components in large structures.
A successful design check is based on the plausibility check of the geometric conditions.
The RF-/HSS add-on module performs the calculation for the following designs:
- Flange failure of chord member due to normal force
- Shear failure of chord member due to normal force
- Strut failure due to normal force
- Punching shear due to normal force
- Integration in RFEM/RSTAB with automatic geometry recognition and transfer of internal forces
- Optional manual definition of connections
- Extensive library of hollow sections for chords and struts:
- Round sections
- Square sections
- Rectangular sections
- Implemented steel grades: S 235, S 275, S 355, S 420, S 450, and S 460
- Various types of connections available, depending on the standard specifications:
- K connection (gap/overlapping)
- KK connection (spatial)
- N connection (gap/overlapping)
- KT connection (gap/overlapping)
- DK connection (gap/overlapping)
- T connection (planar)
- TT connection (spatial)
- Y connection (planar)
- X connection (planar)
- XX connection (spatial)
- Selection of partial safety factors according to the National Annex for Germany, Austria, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Poland, Slovenia, Switzerland, or Denmark
- Adjustable angles between struts and chords
- Optional chord rotation of 90° for rectangular hollow sections
- Consideration of gaps between struts or overlapping struts
- Optional consideration of additional nodal forces
- Design of the connection as the maximum load-bearing capacity of the struts of a truss for axial forces and bending moments
First, the module combines governing designs of the column and the horizontal beam and displays the connection geometry in a result table. The other result tables include all important design details such as flow line lengths, load-bearing capacity of screws, weld stresses, or connection stiffnesses. All connections are visualized in a 3D rendering graphic.
Dimensions, material specifications, and welds that are important for the construction of the connection are visible immediately and can be printed out. It is possible to visualize the connections in RF-/FRAME-JOINT Pro or directly in the RFEM/RSTAB model. All graphics can be included in the RFEM/RSTAB printout report or printed directly. Due to the scaled output, an optimal visual check is possible as early as in the design phase.
The RF-/FRAME-JOINT Pro add-on module performs the following designs according to the standards EN 1993-1-8 or DIN 18800:
- Beam end plate and column flange according to the plastic hinge theory
- Tension of bolts (including contact forces)
- Shearing of bolts
- Tension force introduction in column web and beam web
- Buckling analysis of gusset plate
- Shear design of gusset plate
- Compression force introduction in column web and buckling design of web plate
- If required:
- Design of diagonal stiffeners
- Web stiffener
- Supplementary web plates
- Compression force introduction in horizontal beam
- Design of welds
It is possible to select connection nodes graphically in the RFEM/RSTAB model. The relevant cross-section data and geometry are imported automatically. You can also define the parameters of hollow section connections manually. If necessary, you can modify the sections in the module.
The default angle between struts and chords can be modified as well. The geometric relation of the struts to each other is important for the correct choice of design. This relationship can be defined by specifying a gap between the struts or by overlapping them.
At first, the governing joint designs are arranged in groups and displayed with the basic geometry of the joint in the first result window. In the other result tables, you can see all fundamental design details such as the bearing resistance, shearing, sliding, and others.
Dimensions, material properties, and welds important for the connection construction are displayed immediately and can be printed directly. It is possible to visualize the connections in RF-/JOINTS Steel - Tower or in the RFEM/RSTAB model.
All graphics can be included in the RFEM/RSTAB printout report or printed directly. Due to the scaled output, an optimal visual check is possible as early as in the design phase.
- Design of knee joints, T-joints, cross joints, and continuous column connections with I-shaped sections
- Import of geometry and load data from RFEM/RSTAB or manual specification of the connection (for example, for recalculation without an existing RFEM/RSTAB model)
- Flush top connections or connections with bolt row in extension
- Design of positive and negative frame joint moments
- Various inclinations of right and left horizontal beams as well as application to frames of duopitch and monopitch roofs
- Consideration of additional flanges in a horizontal beam, for example for tapered sections
- Symmetrical and asymmetrical T-joints or cross joints
- Two-sided connection with different cross-section depth on the right and left
- Automatic preliminary design of bolt layout and required stiffening
- Optional design mode with possibility to specify all bolt spacing, welds, and sheet thicknesses
- Screwability check with adjustable dimensions of used wrenches
- Connection classification by stiffness and calculation of the spring stiffness of connections considered in the internal forces determination
- Check up to 45 individual designs (components) of the connection
- Automatic determination of governing internal forces for each individual design
- Controllable connection graphics in rendering mode with specifications of material, sheet thickness, welds, bolt spacing, and all dimensions for construction
- Integrated and flexibly extensible settings of National Annexes according to EN 1993-1-8 standard
- Automatic conversion of internal forces from structural analysis into respective sections, also for eccentric member connections
- Automatic determination of initial stiffness Sj,ini of the connection
- Detailed plausibility check of all dimensions, including specifications of input limits (for example, for edge distances and hole spacing)
- Optional application of compression forces to a column through contact
- Possibility to update the cross-section depth of horizontal beams in case of tapered connections after connection geometry optimization in RF-/FRAME-JOINT Pro
After selecting the loads required for the design and, if necessary, the desired standard for the design, you can define the limit loads in Window 1.2 Limit Parameters. In addition to the manufacturers listed in the limit library, it is possible to add user-defined entries.
After selecting all limit elements for the design, you can optionally define the load duration class (LDC). However, this module window is available only for timber fastener design according to EN 1995-1-1 or DIN 1052.
The RF-/FRAME-JOINT Pro add-on module designs connections of structures calculated in RFEM/RSTAB. If there is no RFEM/RSTAB structure available, you can define the geometry and loading manually; for example, when checking external calculations, for example.
Designed nodes are usually imported from RFEM/RSTAB. The module recognizes all connected members automatically and assigns a connection type to them. Depending on the connection type, you can define further details of ribs, backing plates, web plates, bolts, welds, and hole spacing. As loads, you can select any load case, load combination or result combination in RFEM/RSTAB.
In the case of the "preliminary design" calculation mode, RF-/FRAME-JOINT Pro performs the first calculation step to suggest applicable layouts. After you select the relevant layout, the module displays all designs in detailed result tables and various graphics.
- Design of moment resistant and simple joints of I-shaped rolled cross-sections according to Eurocode 3:
- Moment-resisting end plate connections (type IH/IM)
- Moment resistant purlin splices (PM type)
- Simple joints with angle cleat and long angles (IW and IG types)
- Simple joints with header end plates mounted either on web only or on web and flange (IS type)
- Check of coped connections (IK) in combination with pinned end plates (IS) and angle connections (IW)
- Automatic design of required joint with bolt sizes (all types)
- Check of required thickness of load-bearing members for shear connections
- Results of all required structural details such as appliances, hole arrangements, necessary extensions, a number of bolts, end plate dimensions, and welds
- Results including stiffnesses Sj,ini of bending-resistant connections
- Documentation of available loading and comparison with resistances
- Results of design ratio for each individual joint
- Automatic determination of governing internal forces for several load cases and connection nodes
After the design, all results are displayed in clearly arranged result tables; for example, by load case or by node. The governing internal forces are compared with the limit values listed in the DSTV guideline.
You can visualize the joints graphically in the add-on module or in RFEM/RSTAB. In addition to the input and result data, including design details displayed in tables, you can add all graphics into the printout report. This way, comprehensible and clearly arranged documentation is guaranteed.
The extensive DSTV guideline is included in the database of the RF-/JOINTS Steel - DSTV add-on module. Each joint is characterized by a unique alphanumeric code.
The possible DSTV connections can be filtered out by the corresponding specifications for the DSTV connection type (IH, IW, IS, IG, and IK) and the used cross-section. This way, it is possible to determine the load-carrying capacity of the selected joint.
After opening the add-on module, it is necessary to select the joint type (moment resistant or pinned I-beam connection). You can select the individual nodes graphically in the RFEM/RSTAB model.
The RF-/JOINTS Steel - DSTV add-on module recognizes the cross-section including the corresponding material automatically, and checks if a joint design according to the DSTV guideline is possible. Furthermore, you can model and design structurally similar connections on several locations in the beam structure.
The results of warping torsion analysis are displayed in RF-/STEEL AISC and RF-/STEEL EC3 in the usual way. Among other results, the corresponding result windows include the critical warping and torsional values, internal forces, and design summary.
The graphical display of mode shapes (incl. warping) enables a realistic assessment of buckling behavior.
First, the governing design checks of the connection for the respective load case, and load combination, or result combination are displayed. In addition, it is possible to display results separately for sets of members, surfaces, cross-section, members, nodes, and nodal supports.
- You can use a filter to further reduce the displayed results and thus present them in a clearer way.
Since RF-/STEEL Warping Torsion is fully integrated in RF-/STEEL AISC and RF‑/STEEL EC3, the data are entered in the same way as for the usual design in these modules. It is only necessary to select the option "Perform warping analysis" in the Details dialog box, tab Warping Torsion (see the figure on the right). You can also define the maximum number of iterations in this dialog box.
The warping torsion analysis is performed for sets of members in RF-/STEEL AISC and RF‑/STEEL EC3. You can define boundary conditions such as nodal supports or member end releases for them.
It is also possible to specify imperfections for the nonlinear calculation.
- Applicable for members defined as sets of members
- Separate solver that considers 7 deformation directions (ux, uy, uz, φx, φy, φz, ω) or 8 internal forces (N, Vu, Vv, Mt,pri, Mt,sec, Mu, Mv, Mω)
- Nonlinear design according to second-order analysis
- Input of imperfections
- Calculation of critical load factors and buckling mode shapes as well as the visualization of them (incl. warping)
- Integration into member design in the RF-/STEEL AISC and RF‑/STEEL EC3 add‑on modules
- Available for all thin‑walled steel cross‑sections
General
- Beam to Column joint category: connection possible on the column flange as well as on the column web
- Beam to Beam joint category: optional arrangement of ribs on the opposite side
- Bolt sizes from M12 to M36 with the strength grades 4.6, 5.6, 8.8, and 10.9
- Arbitrary bolt hole spacing and edge distances
- Notching of the beam is possible
- Connection with pure shear loading, pure normal force load (tension joint), or possible combination of normal and shear forces
- Checking compliance with the requirements for pinned joints
- Check of the minimum and maximum bolt hole spacing and edge distances
Web cleat connections
- One or two vertical and up to 10 horizontal bolt rows possible at each leg
- Wide range of equal and unequal angles
- Possible to modify angle orientation
- Designs:
- Shear, bearing resistance, and tension design of bolts
- Shear, bending, and tension design of angles considering deduction of bolt hole
- Shear and tension design of girder web considering deduction of bolt hole
- Tension transmission into the column with the T-stub model
- Notching at the critical section
Fin plate connection
- One or two vertical and up to 10 horizontal bolt rows are possible
- Flexible size of the fin plate
- Location of the fin plate can be modified
- Designs:
- Shear and bearing resistance design of bolts
- Shear, bending, and tension design of fin plates considering deduction of bolt hole
- Stability analysis of long, slender fin plates
- Shear and tension design of girder web considering deduction of bolt hole
- Weld as fillet weld
- Notching at the critical section
End plate connection
- Two or four vertical and up to 10 horizontal bolt rows
- Flexible size of the end plate
- Location of the fin plate can be modified
- Designs:
- Shear, bearing resistance, and tension design of bolts
- Shear and bending design of end plates considering deduction of bolt hole
- Shear and tension design of girder web
- Tension transmission into the column with the T-stub model
- Weld as fillet weld
- Notching at the critical section
End plate connection with cleat
- Fixation of the beam by end plate with two bolts
- Flexible size of cleat and end plate
- Designs:
- Load introduction into the beam according to EN 1993-1-5, Chapter 6
- Support of the stabilizing moment by the bolts and welds at the end plate
- Cleat
- Cleat welds as fillet welds
- Tension transmission into the column with the T-stub model
The result windows list all results of the calculation in detail. In addition, 3D graphics are created, where individual components as well as dimension lines and, for example, This allows you, for example, to display or hide the weld data. The summary shows if the individual designs have been fulfilled: The design ratio is additionally visualized with a green data bar, which turns red when the design is not fulfilled. Furthermore, the node number and the governing LC/CO/RC are displayed.
When selecting a design, the module shows the detailed intermediate results including the actions and the additional internal forces from the connection geometry. There is the option to display the results by load case and by node. The connections are represented in a realistic 3D rendering possible to scale. In addition to the main views, it is possible to show the graphics from any perspective.
You can add the graphics with dimensions and labels to the RFEM/RSTAB printout or export them as DXF. The printout report includes all input and result data prepared for test engineers. It is possible to export all tables to MS Excel or in a CSV file. A special transfer menu defines all specifications required for the export.
After opening the add-on module, it is necessary to select the joint group (Pinned Joints), then the joint category and joint type (web cleat, fin plate, short end plate, end plate with cleat). Then, you can select the nodes for design in the RFEM/RSTAB model. RF-/JOINTS Steel - Pinned automatically recognizes the joint members and determines from its location whether they are columns or beams.
It is possible to exclude particular members from the calculation, if required. Structurally similar connections can be designed for several nodes at the same time. Loads require selection of the governing load cases, load combinations, or result combinations. Alternatively, you can enter the cross‑section and load data manually. In the last input window, the connection is configured step by step.