- General stress analysis
- Automatic import of internal forces from RFEM/RSTAB
- Graphical and numerical output of stresses, strains, clearance, and design ratios fully integrated in RFEM/RSTAB
- User-defined specification of the limit stress
- Summary of similar structural components for the design
- Wide range of customization options for graphical output
- Clearly arranged result tables for a quick overview after the design
- Simple traceability of the results due to the complete documentation of the calculation method including all formulas
- High productivity due to the minimal amount of input data required
- Flexibility due to detailed setting options for basis and extent of calculations
- Gray zone display for unimportant value ranges (see Product Feature)
- Cross-section optimization
- Transfer of optimized sections to RFEM/RSTAB
- Design of any thin-walled section from RSECTION
- Representation of a stress diagram on a section
- Determination of normal, shear, and equivalent stresses
- Output of stress components for the individual member internal force types
- Detailed representation of stresses in all stress points
- Determination of the largest Δσ for each stress point (for example, for fatigue design)
- Colored display of stresses and design ratios for a quick overview of the critical or oversized zones
- Output of parts lists
- Determination of principal and basic stresses, membrane and shear stresses, as well as equivalent stresses and equivalent membrane stresses
- Stress analysis for structural surfaces including simple or complex shapes
- Equivalent stresses calculated according to different approaches:
- Shape modification hypothesis (von Mises)
- Shear stress hypothesis (Tresca)
- Normal stress hypothesis (Rankine)
- Principal strain hypothesis (Bach)
- Optional optimization of surface thicknesses and data transfer to RFEM
- Output of strains
- Detailed results of individual stress components and ratios in tables and graphics
- Filter function for solids, surfaces, lines, and nodes in tables
- Transversal shear stresses according to Mindlin, Kirchhoff, or user-defined specifications
- Stress evaluation for welds at connection lines between surfaces (see the Product Feature)
After you have completed the design, the program takes care of clearly arranged results. Thus, the program shows you the resulting maximum stresses and stress ratios sorted by section, member/surface, solid, member set, x-location, and so on. In addition to the tabular result values, the add-on shows you the corresponding cross-section graphic with stress points, stress diagram, and values as well. You can relate the design ratio to any kind of stress type. The current location is highlighted in the RFEM/RSTAB model.
In addition to the tabular evaluation, the program offers you even more. You can also graphically check the stresses and design ratios on the RFEM/RSTAB model. It is possible for you to adjust the colors and values individually.
The display of result diagrams of a member or set of members enables you a targeted evaluation. For each design location, you can open the respective dialog box to check the design-relevant section properties and stress components of any stress point. Finally, you have the option of printing the corresponding graphic, including all design details.
The parameters of the National Annexes (NA) to Eurocode 3 of the following countries are integrated:
-
DIN EN 1993-1-1/NA:2016-04 (Germany)
-
ÖNORM EN 1993-1-1/NA:2015-12 (Austria)
-
SN EN 1993-1-1/NA:2016-07 (Switzerland)
-
BDS EN 1993-1-1/NA:2015-10 (Bulgaria)
-
BS EN 1993-1-1/NA:2016-07 (United Kingdom)
-
CEN EN 1993-1-1/2015-06 (European Union)
-
CYS EN 1993-1-1/NA:2015-07 (Cyprus)
-
CSN EN 1993-1-1/NA:2016-06 (Czech Republic)
-
DS EN 1993-1-1/NA:2015-07 (Denmark)
-
ELOT EN 1993-1-1/NA:2017-01 (Greece)
-
EVS EN 1993-1-1/NA:2015-08 (Estonia)
-
HRN EN 1993-1-1/NA:2016-03 (Croatia)
-
I S. EN 1993-1-1/NA:2016-03 (Ireland)
-
ILNAS EN 1993-1-1/NA:2015-06 (Luxembourg)
-
IST EN 1993-1-1/NA:2015-11 (Iceland)
-
LST EN 1993-1-1/NA:2017-01 (Lithuania)
-
LVS EN 1993-1-1/NA:2015-10 (Latvia)
-
MS EN 1993-1-1/NA:2010-01 (Malaysia)
-
MSZ EN 1993-1-1/NA:2015-11 (Hungary)
-
NBN EN 1993-1-1/NA:2015-07 (Belgium)
-
NEN EN 1993-1-1/NA:2016-12 (Netherlands)
-
NF EN 1993-1-1/NA:2016-02 (France)
-
NP EN 1993-1-1/NA:2009-03 (Portugal)
-
NS EN 1993-1-1/NA:2015-09 (Norway)
-
PN EN 1993-1-1/NA:2015-08 (Poland)
-
SFS EN 1993-1-1/NA:2015-08 (Finland)
-
SIST EN 1993-1-1/NA:2016-09 (Slovenia)
-
SR EN 1993-1-1/NA:2016-04 (Romania)
-
SS EN 1993-1-1/NA:2019-05 (Singapore)
-
SS EN 1993-1-1/NA:2015-06 (Sweden)
-
STN EN 1993-1-1/NA:2015-10 (Slovakia)
-
TKP EN 1993-1-1/NA:2015-04 (Belarus)
-
UNE EN 1993-1-1/NA:2016-02 (Spain)
-
UNI EN 1993-1-1/NA:2015-08 (Italy)
- Automatic consideration of masses from self-weight
- Direct import of masses from load cases or load combinations
- Optional definition of additional masses (nodal, linear, or surface masses, as well as inertia masses) directly in the load cases
- Optional neglect of masses (for example, mass of foundations)
- Combination of masses in different load cases and load combinations
- Preset combination coefficients for various standards (EC 8, SIA 261, ASCE 7,...)
- Optional import of initial states (for example, to consider prestress and imperfection)
- Structure Modification
- Consideration of failed supports or members/surfaces/solids
- Definition of several modal analyses (for example, to analyze different masses or stiffness modifications)
- Selection of mass matrix type (diagonal matrix, consistent matrix, unit matrix), including user-defined specification of translational and rotational degrees of freedom
- Methods for determining the number of mode shapes (user-defined, automatic - to reach effective modal mass factors, automatic - to reach the maximum natural frequency - only available in RSTAB)
- Determination of mode shapes and masses in nodes or FE mesh points
- Results of eigenvalue, angular frequency, natural frequency, and period
- Output of modal masses, effective modal masses, modal mass factors, and participation factors
- Masses in mesh points displayed in tables and graphics
- Visualization and animation of mode shapes
- Various scaling options for mode shapes
- Documentation of numerical and graphical results in printout report
In the modal analysis settings, you have to enter all data that are necessary for the determination of the natural frequencies. These are, for example, mass shapes and eigenvalue solvers.
The Modal Analysis add-on determines the lowest eigenvalues of the structure. Either you adjust the number of eigenvalues or let them determined automatically. Thus, you should reach either effective modal mass factors or maximum natural frequencies. Masses are imported directly from load cases and load combinations. In this case, you have the option to consider the total mass, load components in the global Z-direction, or only the load component in the direction of gravity.
You can manually define additional masses at nodes, lines, members, or surfaces. Furthermore, you can influence the stiffness matrix by importing axial forces or stiffness modifications of a load case or load combination.
In RFEM, you can use these three powerful eigenvalue solvers:
- Root of Characteristic Polynomial
- Method by Lanczos
- Subspace Iteration
RSTAB, on the other hand, provides you with these two eigenvalue solvers:
- Subspace Iteration
- Shifted inverse power method
The selection of the eigenvalue solver depends primarily on your model size.
As soon as the program has completed the calculation, the eigenvalues, natural frequencies and periods are listed. These result windows are integrated in the main program RFEM/RSTAB. You can find all mode shapes of the structure in tables and also have an option to display them graphically and to animate them.
All result tables and graphics are part of the RFEM/RSTAB printout report. In this way, you can ensure clearly arranged documentation. You can also export the tables to MS Excel.
- Consideration and display of story masses
- Listing of structural elements and their information
- Automated creation of result sections on shear walls
- Output of section resultants in global direction for determining shear forces
- Optional definition of rigid diaphragm by story (story modeling)
- Stiffness type Floor Slab - Rigid Diaphragm
- Defining floor sets,
- for example, calculation of slabs as a 2D position within the 3D model
- Shear walls: Automatic definition of result members with any cross-section
- Design of rectangular cross-sections using the Concrete Design add-on
- Definition of deep beams
- Design with the Concrete Design add-on
- Tabular output of story actions, interstory drift, and center points of mass and stiffness, as well as the forces in shear walls
- Separate result display of the floor and stiffening design
- Optional neglecting of openings of a certain size
You have two options for a building model. You can create it when you start modeling the structure, or activate it afterwards. In the building model, you can then directly define the stories and manipulate them.
When manipulating the stories, you can choose whether to modify or retain the included structural elements using various options.
RFEM does some of the work for you. For example, it automatically generates result sections, so you don't need to perform a lot of calculations.
You can display the results as usual via the Results navigator. Furthermore, the dialog box of the add-on shows you the information about the individual floors. Thus, you always have a good overview.
- Automatic generation of FE analysis models: The add-on automatically creates a finite element model (FE) of the steel connection in the background.
- Consideration of all internal forces: The calculation and design checks include all internal forces (N, Vy, Vz, My, Mz, MT) and are not limited to planar loading.
- Automatic load transfer: All load combinations are automatically transferred to the FE analysis model of the connection. The loads are transferred directly from RFEM, so manual data input is not necessary.
- Efficient modeling: The add-on saves you time when modeling complex connection situations. You can also save the created FE analysis model and use it further for your own detailed analyses.
- Extensible library: An extensive and extensible library with predefined steel connection templates is available.
- Wide applicability: The add-on is suitable for connections of any type and shape, compatible with almost all rolled, welded, built-up, and thin-walled cross-sections.
- Selection of nodes in the RFEM model, automatic recognition and assignment of the members connected to the node
- Many predefined components available for easy input of typical connection situations (for example, end plates, cleats, fin plates)
- Universally applicable basic components (plates, welds, auxiliary planes) for entering complex connection situations
- No manual editing of the FE model required by the user, the essential calculation settings can be changed via the configuration settings
- Automatic adaptation of the connection geometry, even if the members are subsequently edited, due to the relative relation of the components to each other
- Parallel to the input, a plausibility check is carried out by the program to quickly detect missing input or collisions, for example
- Graphical display of the connection geometry that is updated in parallel with the input
The program supports you: It determines the bolt forces on the basis of the FE analysis model and evaluates them automatically. The add-on performs the standard-compliant design of bolt resistance for failure cases, such as tension, shear, hole bearing, and punching, and clearly displays all required coefficients.
Do you want to perform weld design? The welds are modeled as elastic-plastic surface elements, and their stresses are read out from the FE analysis model. The plasticity criteria is set in the way that they represent failure according to AISC J2-4, J2-5 (strength of welds), and J2-2 (strength of base metal). The design can be performed with the partial safety factors of the selected National Annex of EN 1993‑1‑8.
The plates in the connection are designed plastically by comparing the existing plastic strain to the allowable plastic strain. The default setting is 5% according to EN 1993‑1‑5, Annex C, but can be adjusted by user-defined specifications, as well as 5% for AISC 360.
You can display all essential results on the FE model. In this case, you can filter the results separately according to the respective components.
Furthemore, RFEM delivers you all design checks in a tabular form, including the display of the formulas used. If you wish, you can transfer the result tables to the RFEM printout report.
- Stress determination using an elastic-plastic material model
- Design of masonry disc structures for compression and shear on the building model or single model
- Automatic determination of stiffness of a wall-slab hinge
- An extensive material database for almost all stone-mortar combinations available on the Austrian market (the product range is continuously being expanded, for other countries as well)
- Automatic determination of material values according to Eurocode 6 (ÖN EN 1996‑X)
- Option to create pushover analysis
You enter and model the structure directly in RFEM. You can combine the masonry material model with all common RFEM add-ons. This enables you to design the entire building models in connection with masonry.
The program automatically determines for you all parameters required for the calculation by using the material data that you have entered. Then, it finally generates the stress-strain curves for each FE element.
Was your design successful? Then just sit back and relax. You benefit from the numerous functions in RFEM also here. The program gives you the maximum stresses of the masonry surfaces, whereby you can display the results in detail at each FE mesh point.
Moreover, you can insert sections in order to carry out a detailed evaluation of the individual areas. Use the display of the yield areas to estimate the cracks in the masonry.
Once you activate the Form-Finding add-on in the Base Data, a form-finding effect is assigned to the load cases with the load case category "Prestress" in conjunction with the form-finding loads from the member, surface, and solid load catalog. This is a prestress load case. It thus mutates into a form-finding analysis for the entire model with all member, surface, and solid elements defined in it. You reach the form-finding of the relevant member and membrane elements amid the overall model by using special form-finding loads and regular load definitions. These form-finding loads describe the expected state of deformation or force after the form-finding in the elements. The regular loads describe the external loading of the entire system.