Question:
I have entered a line hinge within a surface. Does it matter whether the surface at the line hinge is divided or not? I have noticed some differences in the results.
Answer:
Yes, it does make a difference whether the surface is divided or not.
If the line with the line hinge arranged on it is only integrated into the surface and the surface is not divided, the RFEM solver uses a different calculation method than for a surface divided into partial surfaces.
For a line that is only integrated into a surface, the stiffness of the first element row is reduced in order to approximate the line hinge.
When applying partial surfaces, the line hinge is implemented internally by means of line releases so that the hinge can be modeled more precisely.
Furthermore, it is also necessary to check the FE mesh in this comparison. Depending on the geometry of the surfaces and the set FE mesh size, the FE mesh can deviate significantly, so there may be result deviations in addition to the different calculation methods. In this case, the FE mesh can be approximated by FE mesh refinements, if necessary.