Structural modeling
From the beginning of Consteel’s development, user-friendly structure modeling has been at the forefront, allowing the engineer to build the structure from real structural elements. In the engineering model built by the engineer, the structure is made up of whole elements (beams with haunches, tapered beams or columns, tension braces, slabs, etc.), completely separate from the automatically generated finite element (calculation) model required for analysis and design. Accordingly, the engineer can focus on modeling the appropriate structure.
When modeling, the different functions and options should be applied carefully and the limitations of the applied analysis model should be taken into account, because improperly used modeling options may result in incorrect analysis and design results.
All functionalities connecting with the structural modeling are placed on the Structural members tab. Due to the high importance and wide range of modeling possibilities the functions of the cross-sections and joints are collected in separate modules: Section and Joint.
📄️ Section administration
Sections must be loaded into the model database in order to use them in the model. This can be done in the Section administration dialogue. The Section dialogue can be opened by clicking the command on the Structural members tab. The dialogue can also be reached from the member creating dialogues (Beam and Column) with the command besides the section drop-down menu. In this dialogue window, you can see all the previously loaded sections and new sections can be loaded or created by clicking the appropriate buttons on the right.
📄️ Line members
The line members can be modelled with steel thin-walled, reinforced concrete, and composite cross-section. The members – depending on the placement – can be columns or beams. The column is a special positioned line member, which is always vertical, so the placement is simpler, because only the height should be defined.
📄️ Surface members
Plane surface members with uniform thickness can be modelled. Two options are available for surface member modelling: the arbitrary shaped and positioned plate member (); and the vertical and square wall member (). The latter one is a modelling aid for the frequently used definition of walls since only the reference base line and the two height values should be defined.
📄️ Diaphragm
With the help of the Diaphragm element, an in-plane rigid element can be defined in the model. The structural elements added to the diaphragm maintain their distance from each other in the plane of the diaphragm. With the diaphragm elements, in-plane rigid structural elements like slabs or trapezoid sheets can be easily modeled.
📄️ Rigid body
With this function, you can create a rigid body-like line element in the model. Separate structural members can be linked together with the rigid body.
📄️ Convert members to plates
Members can be converted to plates with Convert members to plates_** function (). This is a non-reversible conversion (however, the undo function is still available) unlike the automatic conversion used during finite element generation of a beam changed to shell element type (Superbeam function_).
📄️ Frame corner wizard
The _Frame corner wizard_ is an optional function for modeling and calculation of the corner regions of structural models more realistically considering the overlapping of connected members. The function automatically identifies the corner zones and applies special treatment for the geometrical modeling, buckling analysis, plastic analysis, and global checks.
📄️ Materials
New material grades can be defined as one of the three different types of material: steel, concrete and concrete reinforcement.
📄️ Supports
There are three types of supports in Consteel: point support, line support, and surface support.
📄️ Spread footing
Definition of foundation as a consistent part of the structural model. Spread footing_** function is available on Structural members_ tab. It is a targeted function only for shallow spread foundations of separate columns.
📄️ Link elements
Link elements connecting elements that are not directly connected to each other. Three types of link elements can be used in Consteel:
📄️ Shear field
With the new object, the stiffening effect of trapezoid sheeting can be considered in buckling analysis.
📄️ Purlins
The functions related to the calculation of the purlins are separated into 3 large units
📄️ Superbeam
Description
📄️ Cutout
The modeling of various web cut-outs is currently available for welded I or H type cross-sections. Other types of sections will be available later. The effect of the cut-out is taken into account during analysis and design if the finite element of the member is shell, where the cutouts will be automatically included in the mesh during the finite element division. Analyzing with normal 7DOF beam finite element these objects are neglected.
📄️ Stiffener
The modeling of various web stiffeners is currently available for welded I- or H-type cross-sections. Other types of sections will be available later. The effect of the stiffeners is only taken into account during analysis and design if the finite element of the member is shell, where the stiffeners will be automatically included in the mesh during the finite element division. Analyzing with the normal 7DOF beam finite element, these objects are neglected. The only exception is, that the warping stiffness of the perpendicular stiffeners can be considered also in the beam representation of the member if requested.