Description of the Code Combination Regulations File

Code combinations are defined in Robot in file with an *.rgl extension (for example: aci.rgl, asd.rgl, ec.rgl, and so on).

Contents of the file

Lines starting with the '|' character are comments and are ignored during analysis. Other lines start with key words that are recognized during analysis.

Key words

The following key words are used in code combination regulations files.

CODE:

name

Name of code combination regulation.

MATERIAL:

type

Regulation type (1 - steel, 2 - concrete, 3 - aluminium, 4 - timber).

VERSION:

number

Version number of Robot, in which the regulation was implemented.

ACTIONS:

number

Number of different load natures (including subnatures).

There are 7 main load natures:

  • DEAD - Dead load (referred to as: permanent action, according to the Eurocode nomenclature),
  • LIVE - Live load (referred to as: variable action, according to the Eurocode nomenclature),
  • WIND - Wind load,
  • SNOW - Snow load,
  • TEMP - Temperature load,
  • ACCI - Accidental load,
  • SEIS - Seismic load (seismic case is automatically multiplied by 1.0 and - 1.0 factor in the code combinations).

COMBINATIONS:

number

Different expressions number (rules) describing the combination definitions.

Each rule must be defined as 1 of 3 types:

  • ULS - Expression used for checking load capacity (internal forces, stresses, and so on),
  • SLS - Expression used for checking the serviceability state (deflections),
  • ALS - Expression used for checking the accidental state.

Definition of new regulations (or the modification of existing ones)

All key words described above should be included in the file.

  1. Change of regulation name

    Enter the name after the CODE: key word.

  2. Adding load natures

    In the part of the regulations defining actions, add a line after the ACTIONS: key word.

    • For example, when adding a live load subnature:

      Before the addition: LIVE: 1.3 - 1.0 - 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.7 1.0 0.8 - 0.0

      After the addition (in place of the original line):

      LIVE: subnature1: 1.3 - 1.0 - 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.7 1.0 0.8 - 0.0

      Or (with the original line)

      LIVE: 1.3 - 1.0 - 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.7 1.0 0.8 - 0.0

      LIVE:subnature1: 1.3 - 1.0 - 1.0 0.9 0.8 0.7 1.0 0.8 - 0.0

      where: subnature1 - is the subnature name displayed in the appropriate dialogs.

      When you define a new load case, you can then assign subnature1 to it.

      After adding a new subnature, you must update the number of defined natures (ACTIONS:).

  3. Factor modification

    For each nature, several factors were defined. Their names generally relate to the symbols used in Eurocode, nevertheless, their meaning is universal. Generally, there are partial safety factors (gu_max, gu_min, gs, and ga) and factors for simultaneous actions. When defining a new subnature, new factors can be assigned to it.

  4. Addition of a new expression to a combination generation

    Each expression consists of 4 parts: dead load, live load, accidental load, and seismic load. Predefined components in the rgl file can be used in expressions.

    • For example, the expression: 4 + 7 + 0 + 0 means:

      4 - DEAD(1,n)* gu(i) - All dead loads are multiplied by an appropriate coefficient: gu_max or gu_min

      7 - Q(1,n)*gu(i) - All live loads are multiplied by a appropriate coefficient: gu_max

      0 - Accidental loads are not considered

      0 - Seismic loads are not considered

    • For example,with all cases defined:

      G1 (dead) gu_max = 1.35, gu_min = 1.0

      Q1 (live) gu_max = 1.5

      W1 (wind) gu_max = 1.5

      We get the following combinations:

      1.35G1

      1.35G1 + 1.5Q1

      1.35G1 + 1.5W1

      1.35G1 + 1.5Q1 + 1.5W1

      1.00G1

      1.00G1 + 1.5Q1

      1.00G1 + 1.5W1

      1.00G1 + 1.5Q1 + 1.5W1

      After adding a new expression, you must update the number of defined expressions (COMBINATIONS:).

Tip: You can easily access regulation (*.rgl) files from RC modules. To open a file, click the Regulation button at the bottom of the screen.