Get a better understanding of the stress distribution within member cross-sections by using clipping planes.
In RFEM, you can generate surfaces from members with the library cross-sections as well as from the members with the RSECTION cross-section.
Do you have individual column sections and angled wall geometries, and need punching shear design for them?
No problem. In RFEM 6, you can perform punching shear design not only for rectangular and circular sections, but for any cross-section shape.
In the Construction Stages Analysis (CSA) add-on, you can use built-up cross-sections by means of what are known as phase sections. Parts of a cross-section of the type "Parametric - Massive II" can be activated or deactivated gradually throughout the construction stages.
The seismic design result is categorized into two sections: member requirements and connection requirements.
The "Seismic Requirements" include the Required Flexural Strength and the Required Shear Strength of the beam-to-column connection for moment frames. They are listed in the ‘Moment Frame Connection by Member’ tab. For braced frames, the Required Connection Tensile Strength and the Required Connection Compressive Strength of the brace are listed in the ‘Brace Connection by Member’ tab.
The program provides the performed design checks in tables. The design check details clearly display the formulas and references to the standard.
Using the "Beam Panel" thickness type, you can model timber panel elements in 3D space. You just specify the surface geometry and the timber panel elements are generated using an internal member-surface construct, including the simulation of the connection flexibility. The Beam Panel thickness type is defined using the Multilayer Surfaces add-on.
A "beam panel" provides you with the following advantages:
- Single-sided and double-sided sheathing is possible
- Automatic calculation of a semi-rigid coupling
- Boarded sheathing
- Stapled sheathing
- User-defined sheathing
- Representation as a complete geometric 3D object (frame, crosstie, column, sheeting, staples), including eccentricity
- Considering openings via surface cells
- Design of the structural elements utilizing the Timber Design add-on
- Independent of material (for example, drywall with cold-formed sections and gypsum fibreboards as the sheathing)
Using the "Rib" component, you can define any number of longitudinal ribs on a member plate. By defining a reference object, you can automatically specify welds on it.
The "Rib" component can also be arranged on circular hollow sections. This requires an additional definition of the angle between the ribs.
You can open the cross-sections in RSECTION using a direct connection, modify them there, and transfer them back to RFEM/RSTAB. Both RSECTION cross-sections and library cross-sections, with the exception of elliptical, semi-elliptical and virtual joists, can be opened and modified directly in RSECTION by clicking a button.
For example, you can thus adjust the reinforcement layout of user-defined RSECTION cross-sections directly in a local RSECTION environment in RFEM/RSTAB. This feature is currently only available for cross-sections with a uniform distribution type. The shear and longitudinal reinforcement defined for library cross-sections is not imported into RSECTION.
The Concrete Design add-on provides you with the option to perform the simplified fire resistance design according to EN 1992‑1‑2 for columns (Section 5.3.2) and beams (Section 5.6).
The following design checks are available for the simplified fire resistance design:
- Columns: Minimum cross-sectional dimensions for rectangular and circular sections according to Table 5.2a as well as Equation 5.7 for calculating time of fire exposure
- Beams: Minimum dimensions and center distances according to Table 5.5 and Table 5.6
You can determine the internal forces for the fire resistance design according to two methods.
- 1 Here, the internal forces of the accidental design situation are included directly into the design.
- 2 The internal forces of the design at normal temperature are reduced by the factor Eta,fi (ηfi), then used in the fire resistance design.
Furthermore, it is possible to modify the axis distance according to Eq. 5.5.
Within the "Plastic capacity design | Simplex Method" in RSECTION, the simultaneous variation of shear stresses over the cross-sectional area is performed in addition to the variation of axial stresses. This extended form of analysis allows you to use redistribution reserves, especially for the cross-sections subjected to shear loading, thus loading the cross-sections even more efficiently.
Go to Explanatory VideoIn the design add-ons (such as Steel Design, Timber Design, and so on), you can optimize cross-sections.
The optimization can be performed, for example, for standard cross-sections of a series, or for the width, height, and so on, in the case of parametric cross-sections.
Go to Explanatory VideoThe Steel Joints add-on provides you with the option to connect circular hollow sections using welds.
It is possible to connect the circular sections to each other or to planar structural components. The fillets of standard and thin-walled sections can also be connected with a weld.
Go to Explanatory VideoIn the Steel Design add-on, you can apply a value for cold-formed sections according to EN 1993‑1‑3, which performs the stability analysis and cross-section design according to Sections 6.1.2 - 6.1.5 and 6.1.8 - 6.1.10.
Go to Explanatory VideoIn the Concrete Design add-on, you can design any RSECTION cross-section. Define the concrete cover, shear force, and longitudinal reinforcement directly in RSECTION.
After importing the reinforced RSECTION cross-section into RFEM 6 or RSTAB 9, you can use it for design in the Concrete Design add-on.
Go to Explanatory VideoThe "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).
Go to Explanatory VideoThe 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.
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.
Go to Explanatory VideoYou 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.
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.
Curved elements are available only in RFEM. It's possible to intersect curved surfaces and solids.
When doing this, the program generates surfaces with the "Trimmed" surface type. With this technology, you can create very complex geometries, such as pipe intersections or curved openings, with a single click.
The intersection of solids is carried out adaptively using the new solid types "Hole" and "Intersection", according to the set theory. Use this method to create new, complex solid geometries similar to the manufacturing process (drilling, milling, turning, etc.). Therefore, it is possible to create complex curved surface or perforated solid elements. It's a simple process!
Go to Explanatory VideoWould you like to perform cross-section design checks for cold-formed steel members according to EN 1993‑1‑3? No matter if you design the cold-formed sections from the cross-section library or the general cold-formed (non-perforated) sections from RSECTION – your structural analysis program helps you to determine the effective cross-section, taking into account the local buckling and instability. You can also perform a cross-section check according to EN 1993‑1‑3, 6.1.6. In this case, the internal forces from the calculation using Torsional Warping (7 DOF) are taken into account by means of the equivalent stress check
Go to Explanatory VideoIn 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.
The Aluminum Design add-on provides you with further options. Here you can also design general cross-sections that are not predefined in the cross-section library. For example, create a cross-section in the RSECTION program and then import it into RFEM/RSTAB. Depending on the design standard used, you can select from various design formats. This includes, for example, the equivalent stress analysis.
With a license for RSECTION and Effective Sections, you can also perform the design checks while taking into account the effective cross-section properties according to EN 1993‑1‑5.
A graphical and tabular output of the results for deformations, stresses, and strains helps you when determining the soil solids. To achieve this, use the special filter criteria for targeted selection of results.
The program doesn't leave you alone with the results. If you want to graphically evaluate the results in the soil solids, you can use the guide objects. For example, you can define clipping planes. This allows you to view the corresponding results in any plane of the soil solid.
And not just that. The utilization of result sections and clipping boxes facilitates the precise graphical analysis of the soil solid.
As usual, you enter the structural system and calculate the internal forces in the programs RFEM and RSTAB. You have unlimited access to the extensive material and cross-section libraries. Did you know that you can create general cross-sections using the RSECTION program? That saves you a lot of work.
Don't be afraid of additional windows and input chaos! Aluminum Design is completely integrated into the main programs and automatically takes into account the structure and the available calculation results. You can directly assign further entries for the aluminum design, such as effective lengths, cross-section reductions, or design parameters, to the objects to be designed. You can simply and efficiently select the elements graphically using the [Select] function.
Various design parameters of the cross-sections can be adjusted in the serviceability limit state configuration. The applied cross-section condition for the deformation and crack width analysis can be controlled there.
For this, the following settings can be activated:
- Crack state calculated from associated load
- Crack state determined as an envelope from all SLS design situations
- Cracked state of cross-section - independent of load
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.
Use the interfaces for more efficient work. You can import your structures in the DXF format as lines from Autodesk AutoCAD into RFEM 6 / RSTAB 9.
Furthermore, you can export different objects (for example, cross-sections) from RFEM 6 / RSTAB 9 to separate layers in Autodesk AutoCAD.
The object types listed below can be graphically assigned to the elements of the structure modeled in the program.
- Nodal supports
- Member shear panels
- Local reductions of member cross-sections
- Member transverse stiffeners
- Member longitudinal welds
- Effective lengths
- Boundary conditions
- Line supports
- Loads
- Member support
- Punching reinforcements
- Mesh refinements
- Surface reinforcements
- Surface results adjustments
- Surface support
- Service classes
- Imperfections
Did you know? You can easily define structural modifications in load cases of the Modal Analysis type. This allows you, for example, to individually adjust the stiffnesses of materials, cross-sections, members, surfaces, hinges, and supports. You can also modify stiffnesses for some design add-ons. Once you select the objects, their stiffness properties are adapted to the object type. In this way, you can define them in separate tabs.
Do you want to analyze the failure of an object (for example, a column) in the modal analysis? This is also possible without any problems. Simply switch to the Structure Modification window and deactivate the relevant objects.