Structures and Design Modules

When you create a new project, you can choose between a variety of structures, or design modules. The application layout is updated depending on your selection.

Access

Click File New Project.

1. Building Design

Building is not a structure type, but a template which facilitates defining this type of structure. Available coordinates and nodal degrees of freedom for the building are identical as for shells.

2. Structure Types

Several types of structures are available.

Note: It is not possible to combine 3D bar models, i.e. 3D frame models, with a plate, a plane deformation structure, or a plain stress structure.

3. Plane Deformation structures and Axisymmetric structures

Plane deformation structures and axisymmetric structures assume a transversal dimension of one meter regardless of the length unit set in the Job Preferences.

This means that a structure sector with a thickness of 1-meter is modeled, and that it impacts the interpretation of loads and reactions. For example, if the force unit [N] and the length unit [mm] are selected, then:

a linear load is treated as a pressure of value 1 [N/mm / m] = 1000 [N/mm2].
a concentrated load is treated as a linear load of value 1 [N/m] instead of [N/mm].
A sum of reactions is interpreted analogously (always on the length of 1 m).

The axisymmetric module allows you to define the cross section of a solid instead of modeling the whole solid. This cross section represents the intersection of a solid by a half-plane, which is defined by a rotation axis, i.e. the axis of symmetry.

axisymmetric solid

In the figure above, the global Z axis is the axis of symmetry of the solid. In the program, an auxiliary structural axis marks the position of this axis of symmetry. The X coordinate of this axis is equal to zero.

cross section

The cross section is defined on the positive side of the X axis, i.e. to the right of the axis of symmetry.

4. Code Module Design

The RC Element Design and Connection Design modules allow you to build your RC structure elements and steel connectors.

5. Section Design

The Section Definition module allows you to specify bar section definitions for solid and/or thin-walled sections.

6. Parametric Structure

The Parametric structure module allows you to create typical structures such as simple frame 3D structures.