In the case of rectangular cross-sections, you can usually achieve a direct connection by using welds. However, you can also connect them to other cross-sections in the same way. Furthermore, other components such as end plates help you to connect the rectangular cross-sections to other structural components.
With Dlubal Software, you always have an overview, regardless of whether your projects are from the reinforced concrete, steel, timber, aluminum, or other industry. The program clearly displays the design check formulas used in your design (including a reference to the used equation from the standard). These design check formulas can also be included in the printout report.
In the Steel Joint add-on, you can design the connections of members with composite cross-sections. Furthermore, you can perform joint design checks for almost all thin-walled cross-sections in the RFEM library.
When performing a design according to EN 1993‑1‑3, it is possible to graphically display a mode shape for the distortional buckling of a cross-section, and for the RSECTION cross-sections.
The mode shape can also be output in RSECTION 1 for library cross-sections.
In the Timber Design add-on for RFEM, you can design members as well as surfaces according to Eurocode 5, SIA 265 (Swiss standard), CSA O86 (Canadian standard), or ANSI/AWC NDS (American standard); for example, cross-laminated timber, glued-laminated timber, softwood, mass timber, and so on.
Here, the weld design becomes child's play. Using the specially developed material model "Orthotropic | Plastic | Weld (Surfaces)", you can calculate all stress components plastically. The stress τperpendicular is also considered plastically.
Using this material model you can design welds closer to reality and more efficiently.
Design of a frame connection with taper and stiffened members. A stress analysis and a buckling stability analysis were carried out for the connection. To display the buckling results, the connection was converted into a separate model.
Using the "Connecting Plate" component, you can additionally and automatically create a new gusset plate in the Steel Joints add-on. This saves you separate components, and the other elements, such as a cap plate and a slide plate, are thus automatically taken into account with their dimensions.
The program can also help you here. It determines the bolt forces on the basis of the calculation on the FE model and evaluates them automatically. You can perform the design checks of the bolt resistance for the failure cases tension, shear, hole bearing, and punching shear according to the standard. The program takes care of everything else in this step. It determines all the necessary coefficients and displays them clearly.
Do you want to perform weld design? The required stresses are also determined on the FE model in that case. Then, the Weld element is modeled as elastic-plastic shell element, where every FE element is checked for its internal forces. (Plasticity criteria is set to reflect failure acc. to AISC J2-4 and J2-5 (weld resistance check) and also J2-2 (base metal capacity check). The design can also be carried out with the partial safety factors according to the selected National Annex.
You can perform the plate design plasticall by comparing the existing plastic strain to the allowable plastic strain. By default this is set to 5% for the AISC 360 but can be specified through user-definition 5% according to EN 1993-1-5, Annex C, or again, user-defined specification.
Graphical display of the connection geometry that is updated in parallel with the input
The Steel Joints Template included in the Add-on allows you to select from several connection types and, when selected, is applied to your model
In the Template, there are connections from 3 general categories: Rigid, Pinned, Truss
Automatic adaptation of the connection geometry, even if the members are subsequently edited, due to the relative relation of the components to each other
RFEM allows you to use a special line hinge to model the special properties of the connection between the reinforced concrete slab and masonry wall. This limits the transferable forces of the connection depending on the specified geometry. You guess right: This means that the material cannot be overloaded.
The program develops interaction diagrams that are applied automatically. They represent the various geometric situations and you can use them to determine the correct stiffness.
Compared to the RF‑/STEEL add-on module (RFEM 5 / RSTAB 8), the following new features have been added to the Stress-Strain Analysis add-on for RFEM 6 / RSTAB 9:
Treatment of members, surfaces, solids, welds (line welded joints between two and three surfaces with subsequent stress design)
Output of stresses, stress ratios, stress ranges, and strains
Limit stress depending on the assigned material or a user-defined input
Individual specification of the results to be calculated through freely assignable setting types
Non-modal result details with prepared formula display and additional result display on the cross-section level of members
If a weld seam connects two plates with different materials, it is possible to select from a combo box in the Steel Joints add-on which one of both materials should be used for the weld seam.
The "Member Editor" component allows you to modify the individual or several member plates in the Steel Joints add-on.
You can use the chamfer, notch, rounding, and hole operations with multiple shapes. It is possible to apply both operations, "Notch" and "Chamfer", for several member plates.
In this way, you can notch flanges from I-sections, for example (see the image).
The design of cold-formed steel members according to the AISI S100-16 / CSA S136-16 is available in RFEM 6. Design can be accessed by selecting “AISC 360” or “CSA S16” as the standard in the Steel Design Add-on. “AISI S100” or “CSA S136” is then automatically selected for the cold-formed design.
RFEM applies the Direct Strength Method (DSM) to calculate the elastic buckling load of the member. The Direct Strength Method offers two types of solutions, numerical (Finite Strip Method) and analytical (Specification). The FSM signature curve and buckling shapes can be viewed under Sections.
The new steel sections according to the latest CISC Handbook (12th edition) are available in RFEM 6. The sections are listed in the Standardized library. In the filter, select “Canada” for the region and “CISC 12” for the standard. Alternatively, the section name can be directly entered in the search box located at the bottom of the dialog box.
In the Steel Joints add-on, you can determine the initial stiffness Sj,ini according to Eurocode and AISC. This can be done for selected members with reference to the internal forces N, My, and Mz.
In the Members tab of the input dialog box of the Steel Joints add-on, you can select the desired internal forces via a checkbox. Multiple selection is possible. For these internal forces, the stiffness analysis is carried out with a positive and a negative sign.
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.
For timber surfaces with the "Constant" thickness type, the crack factor kcr and thus the negative influence of cracks on the shear capacity is taken into account.
In the Steel Joints add-on, you can design connections according to the American standard ANSI/AISC 360‑16. The following design procedures are integrated:
In addition to other predefined components in the design add-on for steel connections, the universal base component "General Weld" can be used to enter complex connection situations.
As you probably know, the design checks for the selected members are carried out, taking into account the defined charring time. All necessary reduction factors and coefficients are stored accordingly in the program and are taken into account when determining the load-bearing capacity. That saves you a lot of work.
The effective lengths for the equivalent member design are taken directly from the strength entries. You do not have to enter them again.
After completing the design, the program presents the fire resistance design checks clearly and with all result details. This allows you to follow the results completely transparently. The results also contain all the required parameters, so you can determine the component temperature at the design time.
In addition to all these features, the program allows you to integrate all result tables and graphics, including the ultimate and serviceability limit state results,into the global printout report of RFEM/RSTAB as a part of the steel design results.
You can graphically evaluate result sections for the timber surface design. This can be done in the RFEM graphic as well as in the result history window. The sections can be placed at any location in order to evaluate the design results in detail.
In RFEM and RSTAB, you can design members with the "Laminated Veneer Lumber" material type. The following manufacturers are available:
Pollmeier (Baubuche)
Metsä (Kerto LVL)
STEICO
Stora Enso
In the ultimate configuration, you can consider strength coefficients for increasing the strengths. The coefficients reducing the strengths are automatically taken into account regardless of this. Try it now!