
Product Features
Dlubal Software programs and add-ons provide you with a wide range of powerful features. We are continuously developing the software, adding new features, and optimizing existing workflows. We also always have an open ear for our customer requests. Therefore, suggestions and requests from the users are regularly incorporated when we are working on improvements or new add-ons.
- Import of cross-sections, materials, and loads from RFEM
- Input of straight and parabolic tendons, layout definition of prestressing steel
- Automatic calculation of prestressing forces and equivalent member loads
- Transfer of equivalent loads to RFEM
- Consideration of short-term losses resulting due to friction, anchorage slippage, relaxation, elastic deformation of concrete, and so on
- Results of tendon strains before and after anchorage
- Calculation of the minimum and maximum stresses in tendons
- Internal forces results in defined sections
- Optional calculation of RF-TENDON Design in background
- Clear representation of tendon layout in 3D rendering
- Printout or RTF export of results
- Settings of display parameters and units (metric or imperial, decimal places etc.)
In the cross-section program RSECTION, you can define welds (fillet welds, corner fillet welds, lap fillet welds) for thin-walled cross-sections. For these sections, you can calculate the weld stresses.
In the Steel Joint add-on, you can define anchors in a concrete block when using the "Fastener" component.
In the Geotechnical Analysis add-on, it is possible to select the stiffness modulus method (known as "RF-SOILIN" from RFEM 5) as soil modeling. The solution includes the following features:
- Realistic representation of the interaction between a building and soil using a surface support according to the nonlinear iterative method
- Consideration of several soil samples (probes) at different locations, also outside the building
- Consideration of groundwater level as well as side effects due to excavation and the fixed lowest soil layer
- Calculation of elastic foundation coefficients for each individual element
- Stiffness modulus method for any (number of) combinations
- Transfer of foundation coefficients for further combinations
In the Snow Load Wizard, you can optionally consider snow overhang and snow guard when generating snow loads according to Eurocode.
The Construction Stages Analysis (CSA) add-on allows you to modify the object and design properties of members, surfaces, and so on, in the individual construction stages.
During the calculation, you can display the model deformation for the calculation steps graphically in the calculation progress window.
In the wind simulation, it is possible to consider member coatings (for example, from ice loads).
In the Geotechnical Analysis add-on, the "Anchor" member type is available. It allows you to enter the parameters for the tension member part as well as for the grout body of the anchor, and is supported in the soil solid.
In RFEM 6, there is an option of a hierarchical control between the load transfer surfaces and floors in Building Model. This also allows you to create walls made of load transfer surfaces in order to consider curtain walls in the facade, for example.
If you activate the "Link to Nearby Objects…" option for nodes, RFEM or RSTAB automatically searches for neighboring objects. A link in the form of a rigid member is then created for these members, nodes, or surfaces.
You can specify various settings for searching for nearby objects. Including search area, object types to be searched for, and objects to be excluded. Furthermore, you can specify member hinges for the created connecting member.
The Cable on Pulleys member type allows you to simulate a cable system deflected by pulleys.
This member type only absorbs tensile forces and can only be displaced in the longitudinal direction. It is suitable for flexible tension elements whose longitudinal forces are transferred through the model via deflection points (for example, a pulley).
The gRPC-based Dlubal API gives you access to almost all modeling and calculation functions, allowing you to create, modify, and analyze models programmatically. The ability to extract results is not yet implemented, but will be added in a future update.
The API is based on Python and is the technological successor to the previous Webservice with Python. While most modeling functions are already available, work is ongoing to complete the implementation.
Further information can be found on the following website:
In the Steel Joints add-on, you can display the contact stresses graphically in the result window of the steel joint model.
When using the “Base Plate” component in the Steel Joints add-on, you can adopt the foundation dimensions and materials defined using the Concrete Foundations add-on with just one click.
When using a surface with Glass Composition, the software automatically creates a Glass Composition Model. This enables further customization, such as adjusting shear coupling settings.
The "Nonlinear Material Behavior" add-on includes the Anistropic | Damage material model for concrete structural components. This material model allows you to consider concrete damage for members, surfaces, and solids.
You can define an individual stress-strain diagram via a table, use the parametric input to generate the stress-strain diagram, or use the predefined parameters from the standards. Furthermore, it is possible to consider the tension stiffening effect.
For the reinforcement, both nonlinear material models "Isotropic | Plastic (Members)" and "Isotropic | Nonlinear Elastic (Members)" are available.
It is possible to consider the long-term effects due to creep and shrinkage using the "Static Analysis | Creep & Shrinkage (Linear)" analysis type that has been recently released. Creep is taken into account by stretching the stress-strain diagram of the concrete using the factor (1+phi), and shrinkage is taken into account as the pre-strain of the concrete. More detailed time step analyses are possible using the "Time-Dependent Analysis (TDA)" add-on.
It is now possible to keep the results of the steel, steel joint, aluminum, and timber design despite changing the design properties and settings (see the setting in the image). The results are thus not deleted, but marked as invalid.
When restarting the design, only the invalid design results are updated. If objects are subsequently added to the design, they are additionally designed when restarting the design, while the previously calculated results remain valid.
In addition to the program login using your Dlubal account, you can optionally log in with your Microsoft account.
In RFEM and RSTAB, you can use parametric RSECTION cross-sections. If the corresponding parameters have been defined in RSECTION, you can easily modify them in RFEM/RSTAB.
The error messages of the design add-ons for invalid or deactivated objects can now be displayed in the table without previous design. This allows you to correct your entries before starting the design.
You can use the "Result Line" member type to integrate the results for selected objects into a member internal force without having to specify a cross-section.
In RFEM, the following thickness types are available for walls without shear (for example, masonry walls, timber panel walls):
- Wall Shear-Free
- Wall Shear-Free in X
- Wall Shear-Free in Y
In the Steel Joints add-on, you can define circular bolt or anchor layouts.
The calculation diagram monitor can be used to display and animate nodal result diagrams (over time or over load steps).
The calculation diagram monitor can be open while still having access to the program itself.
Result points (previously surface result points) allow you to set user-defined points for result values on surfaces and solids. This function provides you with additional evaluation options in addition to the result values at grid points and FE mesh nodes. Three types of result points are available:
- On Surface
- Spatial (special type for RWIND)
- In Solid
The result points can be found under the result objects in the Navigator Data and in the Insert menu.
In the Concrete Design add-on, you can determine the required longitudinal reinforcement for the direct crack width analysis (w k).
For the design of reinforced concrete members, there is the option to automatically determine the number or diameter of rebars.
It is possible to consider initial states in the time history analysis.
Want to automatically consider steel joint stiffness in your global RFEM model? Utilize the Steel Joints add-on!
Activate joint-structure interaction in the stiffness analysis of your steel joints. Hinges with springs are then automatically generated in the global model and included in subsequent calculations.