RCB Modelling Guide

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[ RCB ]
RCB
l Introduction
l Software Interface
l Modelling
l Analysis & Solvers
l Design
l Results & Reports
l Tutorials
[ RCB > Introduction ]
Introduction
l Software Overview
l What's New
[ RCB > Introduction > Software Overview ]
Software Overview
[ RCB ]
RCB is a finite element software package for the 3D modelling and analysis of reinforced concrete buildings subjected to vertical and lateral loading. Among other
features, the software includes vertical load analysis by tributary area method, shear-free walls, cross bracing elements, inclined columns, global torsion, and column
and wall design. RCB software can be used to perform Spectral and Frequency analysis and has wind and earthquake lateral load calculators. Also, the software can
perform a soil-structure-interaction analysis.
The software is based on a unique modelling approach, which allows the user to create each floor separately in a 2D modelling environment, using CAD or REVIT
import, while building a complex 3D model.
Developed in close coordination with the end user, RCB adopts the local design practices in its methodology resulting in an extremely fast and efficient analysis and
design process.
RCB software is only an analytical tool, which performs analysis of the structural system and design of some categories of structural elements. It is important to note
the RCB software will not check the results against the design criteria, and it will not produce any Pass/Fail report, with the exception of Column Design to AS 3600. It
is up to the user to examine all the results, and make certain that the structural system satisfies all the design criteria specified in the appropriate design standards
and regulations.
[ RCB > Introduction > What's New ]
What's New
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
INDUCTAs software packages SLB, RCB, PTD, RCC and FTG released on August 1, 2016 have been developed with the main goal of reducing the modelling, analysis
and design time of the engineering design and drafting process. New features as suggested by the end user have been incorporated as well as the latest
advancements in computer technology.
The New Softwares equivalent old software is as follows:
file:///C:/Users/User/AppData/Local/Temp/~hh6959.htm 30/04/2017
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RCB R/C Building

SLB SLABS
PTD PT3D
RCC R/C Column
FTG Footing
The software performs the same core functions as it predecessors so there is no need to retrain for existing users.
The licensing system has been moved from a local or network dongle to the cloud. Dongles are no longer required and the licensing system is much more stable than
previous versions. The cloud license also makes INDUCTA software much more accessible than precious versions allowing the user to pay for licenses as short as one
month and only pay for the software as it is needed.
The key new features that are available at the release date on August 1, 2016 include:
New Tabbed User Interface
Improved Editing in the Working Area
Floor Master / Slave and Material Types per Level in RCB
Batch Exporting and Design of Floors from RCB to SLB and PTD
Column Design and Scheduling
Multi-Core processing
Streamlined internal calculation procedure for previously slow processes e.g. Wall and floor meshing, wall stresses
Other features that will be made available after release include:
Improved REVIT import / export
Advanced preliminary design in PTD
Wall Design and Scheduling
[ RCB > Software Interface ]
Software Interface
[ RCB ]
The major components of the user interface are highlighted and labelled below. Please refer to the relevant section for more information on a particular part of the
software user interface.
The default Quick Access toolbar buttons are shown below. Commonly used buttons from the Main Task Ribbon can be added to the quick access toolbar by right-
clicking the button and selecting Add to Quick Access Toolbar. This way they will always be available no matter what tab is currently active on the Main Task Ribbon.
l Working Area
l Main Task Ribbon
l Properties Tab
l Viewing Tab
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[ RCB > Software Interface > Working Area ]
Working Area
[ RCB ]
The Working Area is the graphical user interface where the structural model can be defined and edited. After the analysis is complete results can be displayed
graphically in the Working Area. In RCB element on a floor and above can be selected in the working area. In SLB and PTD elements above and below a floor can be
selected in the working area.
The various actions that can performed in the working area are outlined in the following section.
l Home Tab : creating the model and selecting elements

l Edit Tab : editing the model
l Results Tab : viewing the results
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon ]
Main Task Ribbon
[ RCB ]
All of the action that can be performed in the software are group together in their respective tab in the Main Taskbar Ribbon. Many of these tools and features can
also be accessed via shortcuts or via an elements context menu. To quickly changed between tabs press [ Alt ] on the keyboard to bring up the tabs shortcut letter
then press the required letter.
The ribbon can be minimised / maximised by double-clicking the mouse on the Main Task Ribbon or by selecting the button and selecting Minimize the Ribbon. If
the user is proficient with shortcuts then the Main Task Ribbon, the Viewing Tab and the Properties Tab can all be closed during modelling allowing the Working Area
to fill the entire screen.
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l Home Tab
l Input Tab
l Edit Tab
l Import / Export Tab
l Solve Tab
l Design Tab
l Results Tab
l Reports Tab
l Tools Tab
l Settings Tab
l Help Tab
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Home Tab ]
Home Tab
[ RCB ]
The Home Tab, [ Alt + H ] , is where the main controls of RCB are located for creating the model, finding and selecting elements and changing the view in the working
area. The Home Tab is set up so that the user does not have to leave it whilst they are creating their model, after inputting level information in the Input Tab. The
modelling and applying pressure buttons are all found here. As meshing is a common operation during the modelling process it is also included here. Meshing is also
under the Solve Tab. The CAD and Bitmap import tools which are also commonly used during the creation of the model are also found here.
The tools in the Home Tab will be discussed in the following section. CAD import and Bitmap Import will be outlined in other sections.
l View
l 3D View
l Grid Size
l Using Snapping Modes
l Create / Edit Elements
l Select Elements
l Find
l Tools
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Home Tab > View ]
View
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]

The view in the Working Area can be modified using the viewing tools in the Home Tab as shown below.
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l Zoom Extents, [ ` ] : Displays the entire extents of the model within the working area.
l Zoom Box: Right-click, drag and drop the mouse to create an area to zoom into.
l Pan, [ Middle Mouse Click and Drag] : Move the view in the direction that it is dragged.
l Zoom, [ Mouse scroll wheel ]: Zoom the view in and out using the middle scroll wheel on the mouse if present.
l Centre view mouse location, [ Hold Shift + scroll mouse wheel ]: centres the viewing in the working area to the location of the mouse.
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Home Tab > 3D View ]
3D View
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
In the Working Area of a model is always displayed in plan view. The 3D viewer is included that allows the user to view the model as a rendered 3D representation.
The model can be rotated and options are included within the form to turn off certain elements and adjust the transparency. The 3D viewer can be launched via the
Home Tab as shown below or using the shortcut [ Shift ] + [ R ]. The screenshot below is from an RCB model and it is similar for SLB and PTD.
A standalone 3D viewer is also availabe that can be sent to clients so they can view INDUCTA files in 3D.
Model Courtesy of M+G Consulting
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[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Home Tab > Grid Size ]
Grid Size
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]

The grid is a series of discrete reference points on the working area which can be used to define the structures geometry. When the Snapping Mode is set to Snap to
Grid elements will be created or moved to these points. The grid visibility button switched grid visibility on and off. If Snap to Grid is on the software will still snap
to the grid points even when the grid is off. The shortcut for grid visibility is [ F11 ].
The default grid size is 1 x 1 m major axis. This can be changed under Settings Tab > Grid and a minor grid also added.
Major Grid at 1000 mm, Minor grid at 100mm
The cross hair can be shown by selecting Show Mouse Cross-Hair in the Home Tab under "Tools".
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Home Tab > Using Snapping Modes ]
Using Snapping Modes
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]

When editing structure the Snapping Mode will determine where the element is placed or moved. The snapping is visible in Home Tab as shown below. It is in the
same location for RCB, SLB and PTD. The use can cycle through the snapping modes outlined below by pressing the Snap to button on the "Home" Tab under
"Tools" or cycling through then using [ F2 ]. Using [ F2 ] to cycle through the snap settings the various points that define a line element for example can be snapped in
different way e.g. end 1 snapped to grid and end 2 snapped to corner. The active snapping mode will also be shown in the mouse icon when the user starts editing the
structure so there is no need to go back to always go back to the Home Tab to view or edit the snap settings. When editing the model the location where the software
will snap to will be indicated by a green or orange square.
Snapping Mode Tools in the Home Tab
The various snap settings are as follows. The location where the software will snap to with various snap settings and mouse locations are shown below.
Snap to Grid: snaps to the nearest grid from the mouse, including minor grid that has been defined. The software will snap to grid if grid visibility is on or
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off.
Snap to Corner: snaps to the nearest corner of an element nearest to the mouse. This will be the centre of a point element (columns, point loads, moment
loads, piles), the end of a line element (wall, beam, tendon, support line) or the nodes of a geometry line. Snap to corner will also snap to the centre of a line element.
This is indicated by and orange square.
Snap to Column Corner: when snap to corner is on snap to column corner can also be switched on. This will snap to the column corner of rectangular columns in
addition to the column centre.
Snap to Edge: snaps to the nearest edge of a line element. Care should be used when using this snap setting as it will create or move the element with a high
degree of accuracy (many decimal places) that may cause meshing errors. Ideally, if the model is orthogonal, this snap setting should be used in combination with
orthogonal mode.
Snap to CAD (if CAD file is loaded and visible): The user can draw on top of the CAD file in some cases where it was not possible to import an element from
CAD. This should be used just for a few local elements, ideally the CAD file should be cleaned up sufficiently so all elements can be imported directly without needing
to draw on top of the CAD file. If snapping to CAD the imported element will have the same high degree of accuracy present in the CAD file that can cause meshing
errors. If using snap to CAD it is recommended to round off the geometry to prevent meshing errors.
Snap to Grid On: where the software will snap to when the mouse is in those locations.
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Snap to Corner On
Snap to Corner On / Snap to Column Corner On
Snap to Edge On
Snap to CAD On
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Home Tab > Create / Edit Elements ]
Create / Edit Elements
[ RCB ] [ SLB] [ PTD ]

Whether importing from CAD or drawing manually, structural elements are created in the Modelling section of the Home Tab. This section will discuss editing in the
most general sense and will only discuss the point elements and line elements, the elements that make up all of the structural elements. For more information on the
structural elements please refer to Modelling > Structural Elements.
When creating a structural elements the software will switch to editing mode. The mouse icon will change depending on what Snapping Mode has been set and a
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green square will show where that element will be snapped to when the user clicks in the working area. If starting a blank model Snap to Grid should be set there is
nothing else on screen to snap to.
Point elements which includes columns, piles, point loads and moment loads are created by selecting them from Modelling and right clicking once in the working are
at the desired location. The point element's centre will be placed at that location.
Creating a Point Element
Line elements such as walls, beams, tendons, support lines, line loads and horizontal lines loads are created by clicking two time in the working area. Once to define
the starting point and the second time to defined the end point.
Creating a Line Element
Geometry Lines which define the perimeter of areas of different slab thickness and loading are a combination of point elements and line elements. They are defined
by clicking at each corner (node point) of the free shape that is to be created. When the shape is to be created the user can right click and select End to stop the
shape or Close to create another line back to first point creating a close-form shape.
Define a Geometry Line or Area Load

When editing an element the element must first be selected. Its properties can be changed manually in the Properties Tab. It can be edited using one of the applicable
tools from the Edit Tab or the Context Menu. Or it can be dragged on screen using the mouse if it is a line element or a geometry line. This section will only show the
dragging on screen. Please refer to the following section for more information on Editing.
Edit Tab
Properties Tab
Context Menu
With the element selected (1.) and hovering the mouse over the point that was used to define it, in this case the geometry line node, the mouse icon changes
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indicating that this point can be moved (2.). Left clicking again and hold this node can be moved to another location (3.). Once the node is dragged the software
switches to editing mode and the snap settings become visible. Snap settings can be toggled using [F2] during this operation so there is no need to drop the node that
was picked up. Releasing the node snaps it to the snapping point, the green square (4.).
Move a Line Element (same for Geometry Lines)
This section has just illustrated the most basic changes that occur in the working area during editing. There are many more editing options available for each
structural element. Please refer to the Edit Tab chapter.
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Home Tab > Select Elements ]
Select Elements

Within the working area elements can be selected with the mouse or by element type. When used in combination with the visibility filer elements can be quickly
selected. After a user makes a selectoin they can also invert their selection. Note, the user no longer has to press the "select" button to activate selection mode
like the previous versions of the software.
Note in RCB only the elements on and above the floor can be selected. SLB and PTD can select elements on, above and below the floor.
Selecting Elements with the Mouse

Selecting structural elements present in the model can be performed in one of several ways using the mouse in the working area. Note, the user no longer has to
press the select button to activate selection mode like to old software.
l Select [ Mouse Left-Click ]: select the structural element.

l Select and Open Context Menu [ Mouse Left-Click ] then [ Mouse Right-Click ]: select the structural element then open the contextual menu for the selected
element that will list the various editing features relevant to that element.
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l Cumulative Select [ Shift ] + [ Mouse Left-Click ]: cumulatively select multiple structural elements as they are individually clicked.
l Net Select Surround [ Mouse Left-Click ] + (drag mouse in right direction then release): net selects the elements that are completely surrounded by the blue net
select box. On the image below the left part shows the selection process and the right part shows what is selected.
l Net Select Touch [ Mouse Left-Click ] + (drag mouse in left direction then release): net selects the elements that are completely surrounded by or touch the
perimeter of the green net select box. On the image below the left part shows the selection process and the right part shows what is selected.
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Reverse Selection
After making a selection the inverse of what was selected will be selected when the inverse selection button is pressed. Referring to the screenshot above where the
selection on the right was made using net select, if reverse selection is pressed the elements below are now selected.
Select By Type
Under the Tools section of the home tab the select element by type tool lets you select all elements of a certain type that also have a certain property. Press Exit
to return to the working area with the desired elements selected. The screenshot below will select all columns of size 800 x 250 mm.
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[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Home Tab > Find ]
Find

Pressing the Find button in the Home Tab under Tools or [ Ctrl + F ] on the keyboard can be used to find a particular element or coordinate.
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Home Tab > Tools ]
Tools
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]

The various tools available in the Home Tab are outlined below.
Changes the location where elements are snapped to. See Using Snapping Modes.
Snapping Mode, [ F2 ]
Switch the visibility of elements on or off. See Viewing Tab.

Filter
Find a particular element or coordinate. See Find.

Find, [ Ctrl + F ]
Calculate the distance between two specified points. If deflection results are shown in the working area this will also
Get Distance, [ D ] calculate and show the span / deflection value.
Shows the mouse crosshair.

Show Mouse Cross-Hair
Inputs a line element using specified distance.

Line Distance Input
Elements will snap orthogonally (at right angles).

Orthogonal Mode
Select and element by types or specific property. See Select Elements.

Select by Type
Selects the inverse of what was initially selected by the user. See Select Elements.
Reverse Selection
When "Snap to Corner" snapping mode is set this will enable snapping to the corner of columns. See Using Snapping
Snap to Column Corner Modes.
Increase the font size in the working area.

Font Size Increase, [ + ]
Decrease the font size in the working area.
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Font Size Decrease, [ - ]
Clear any text, colours, contour lines, distances, integration results etc. that are shown in the working area.
Redraw
Delete a selected element.

Delete, [ Del ]
Toggle CAD and Bitmap importing and editng tools on / off. See CAD Import and Bitmap Import .
CAD/BMP
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Input Tab ]
Input Tab
[ RCB ]
The Input Tab, [ Alt + I ] , is where various properties are set the apply to the entire structure. In Structure Information the structures levels are defined as soil
properties if soil-structure interaction is to be modeled. The material properties and the extent over which they are applied are set in Material Types. Primary and
Combination Load Cases are set in Loading. The magnitude and location of lateral forces is calculated and set here. Wall Group and shear wall cores are also set in the
Input Tab.
For more information please refer to the following sections:

Structure Information
l Storey Heights
l Master / Slave Levels
l Initial Settlements
l Soil Properties
Material Types
l Material Properties
l Types
l Material per Level
l Slab Structure
Loading
l Load Cases
l Load Factors
l Lateral Loads
l Lateral Load Location
l Spectral Curve Library
l In-Plane Slab Action
Groups
l Wall Groups & Shear Core
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Edit Tab ]
Edit Tab
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[ RCB ]
The Edit Tab, [ Alt + E ] , is where the edit tools for individual elements and for the entire model are found. What is displayed in the editing tab will vary depending on
what type of element is selected. The highlighted tools below only become active when that particular element is selected. The relevant editing tools are also
available in the context menu (right clicking on the element after selecting it) and the most commonly used editing tools have shortcuts so there is no need to switch
back and forth between the Home Tab and the Edit Tab when creating a model.

Selection: Edits the selected element(s) on this floor.
l Copy / Move
l Rotate / Mirror
Model: Edits the entire model across all floors.
l Cut Model / Create Joint
Loads: Copies loads to another floors or another load case on the same floor.
l Copy Loads to Another Floor

l Copy Loads to Load Case
Walls and Columns: Edits columns and walls across all floors.
l Pin / Fix all Columns / Walls
General: Edits elements on this floor and align elements on other floors to elements on this one.
l Set as Master / Align

l Align Vertically
l Clip / Stitch - this section also outlines clip / stitch features availabe under the context menu.
Column / Wall / Geometry Line / Beam: Editing tools related to a specific type of structural element made available after selecting that element type.
l Convert Column to Wall / Wall to Column

l Editing Over Level
l Split / Merge Wall
l Explode / Group Geometry Line
l Split Beam
l Convert Beam to Geometry Line
Editing Features Only Available Under an Element's Context Menu (selecting it and right-clicking): Not shown in the Edit Tab.
l Move Column with Mouse

l Edit Geometry Lines
l New User Note
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Edit Tab > Copy / Move Elements ]
Copy / Move Elements
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]

Copy / Move the selected elements to another location on the same floor. RCB has the option of copying the selected elements to the same location on another floor.
This is covered in Copy to Another Floor. The copying tools can be accessed from the Edit Tab as show or via the context menu by right clicking an elements after
selecting it/them.
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Left: Copy / Move via the Edit Tab

Right: Copy / Move via the Context Menu (select then right-click and element)
Copy / Move in the Global X, Y [ Ctrl + C ] / [ Ctrl + M ]: Copy / Move the selected elements in the global X (fixed as left right direction of working area) and the
global Y (fixed as up/down direction of the working area). The software will require an input for the offset in the global x and the global y and the number of copies is
applicable. If only moving in the X direction for example 0 must be specified for the Y offset.
Make 1 Copy in the Global X by 5.5 m
Copy / Move in the Local x,y [ Ctrl + Alt + C ] / [ Ctrl + Alt + M ]: Copy / move the selected elements in their local x of y axis. The local axis of the element is show when
the software will ask for the local axis offset. As per Copy Global an input is required for both local x and local y offset even if it a zero value. If multiple line and/or
point elements are selected each element will be offset based on its own local axis. In the case that a geometry line consisting of many different lines is selected the
user will be asked which line segments local axis is to be used for offsetting. The local axis of the line that is clicked will be used.
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Make 1 Copy in the Local y by 5.275m
Copy / Move with Two Points [ Ctrl + Shift + C ] / [ Ctrl + Shift + M ]: Copy move the selected elements based on the global X and Y offset that is defined by clicking
two points. After selecting the copy/move operation the software will ask the user to click two points. Snapping Modes can be changed during this operation. Based
on the two points that are clicked an offset in the global X and the global Y is calculated and the member is copied or moved at that offset.
Make 1 Copy Based on the Offset that is Calculated from the Two Points that are Clicked.
The above series of screenshots showed several of ways to copy a wall from one location to another with varying degrees of success. In this case copy in the global is
not suitable as the wall is at an angle. Copy local and copy with two points produced the same results however the exact distance to copy in the local was not known
until the distance tool was used and the distance measured. When copy with two points was done the distance is automatically calculated based on the two points
that are selected so only one operation was performed by the user instead of the two that were needed when copy local was used. For this case copy with two points
is most suitable.
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[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Edit Tab > Copy to Another Floor ]
Copy to Another Floor
[ RCB ]
RCB has the additional option of copying elements selected elements to another floor [ Ctrl + ` ] . They will stay in the same X, Y location but be moved up/down in the
Z direction (another floor). If all elements are selected on a floor Net Select or [ Ctrl + A ] then there is the option of copying up slab thicknesses and pressures which
should always be switched on. Individual floors can be selected or one of the options from the dropdown box can be selected. You cannot copy to the same floor
however to prevent doubling up of elements. Note the floor Master / Slave tool is a much faster way of copying entire floors from one level to another.
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Edit Tab > Rotate, Mirror ]
Rotate, Mirror
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
Rotate: Rotate the selected element(s) by specifying a point which to rotate around and the angle at which to rotate them.
Mirror: Mirror the selected element(s) by specifying the Y value of a horizontal line or the X value of a vertical line to mirror about.
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Edit Tab > Move, Rotate, Scale Model ]
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Move, Rotate, Scale Model
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
Move Model:
Shift in X-X / Y-Y: Moves the entire model (all floors) by the specified offset.
Auto shift: Moves the entire model so the bottom left hand corner is as close to the origin (0,0) as possible without any other part of the model going into
negative coordinates.
Rotate: Rotate the entire model (all floors) by specifying a point which to rotate around and the angle at which to rotate them.
Scale: Scale the entire model at the specified factor.
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Edit Tab > Cut Model / Create Joint ]
Cut Model / Create Joint
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
Keep Left / Right Part of the Model: Cuts the model at the user defined line location and deletes the left / right part of the model. The line is specified on one floor
but the entire model is cut and one part deleted.
Cut Model: Keep Left Part of Model.
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Cut Model: Keep Left (Top) Part of Model.
Create Gap: Create a gap on all floors of a specified width. The first operation will create two geometry lines on either side of the cut location that is specified by the
user. The gap is not created until the user meshes the model and then specifies zero thickness in the area in-between the two geometry lines that were just created.
Gap Created by Automatically Creating Geometry Lines then Specifying Zero thickness In-between them After Meshing.
Create Joint: A gap at the specified location just like create gap above and specific a small beam width and depth to stitch the gap together with beams automatically
copied at 1m centres to create the joint. A beam size of 0.1 m x 0.1 m is a sufficient size. The short beams are then treated as joint behaving in a way that is specified
in the Settings Tab > Models / Solvers > Short Beams into Joints .
Settings Tab > Models / Solvers > Solvers > Short beams into Joints.
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Joint Created by Automatically Creating Geometry Lines with Beams that are then Converted to Joints and then Specifying Zero thickness In-between them After
Meshing.
This automatic way of creating joints may not be desirable in all cases at it only created straight line joints. To create a joint that changes direction and a joint that is
only on the one floor the user my repeat the step above manually. Draw a geometry line in the location of the step, create a copy at about 0.1 - 0.3m when copy /
paste beams of about 0.1m x 0.1m along the gap location.
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Edit Tab > Copy Loads to Another Floor ]
Copy Loads to Another Floor
[ RCB ]
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Copy the selected load type or all loads from one load case to another. The load case they are to be copied to is them specified.
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Edit Tab > Copy Loads to Load Case ]
Copy Loads to Load Case
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
Copy the selected load type or all loads from one floor to another. The floor they are to be copied to is them specified.
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Edit Tab > Pin/ Fix All Columns / Walls ]
Pin/ Fix All Columns / Walls
[ RCB ]
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By default when columns and walls are created in the software they are fix top and bottom. The pin all / fix all tools lets the user pin / fix all column in the entire
model so there is no need to change the fixity as columns and walls are modelled.
As shown in the picture below, columns and wall spanning across multiple floors will keep a fix connection at the location where there is no slab when the Pin All
Columns operation is performed. This fix connection is required so there is no instability in the model. This increased unsupported length is also automatically
considered when performing the column and wall design.
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Edit Tab > Sort Labels ]
Sort Labels
[ RCB ]
The user can automatically create column and wall labels that are applied to the column and wall Label Property in the property that can be viewed in the Property
Tab. The labels can also be displayed in the Working Area by switching on Column Labels in Settings Tab > Viewing Options > Columns.
After creating the label they can be edited by changing the label property for an individual column for example then this change will be applied to all other columns
above / below.
Labels must be created to use Column Design and Scheduling as well as creating the precamber report in the Column / Wall Axial Shortening.
Settings Tab > Viewing Options > Column Labels
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Column Label Located in the "Label" Property of the Column.
When the above property is changed the software asks if it should apply to all.
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Edit Tab > Set as Master / Align ]
Set as Master / Align
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]

Set as Master and Align to Master is the most common editing tool that the will be used when editing the model and cleaning the model of any meshing errors. The
underlying principle is that an element (can be line or point) is set as a master then another element (can be a line or a point) is aligned to the same coordinates as
the master element. In RCB a master element can be set on one floor and elements on another floor can be aligned to it.
The buttons in the Edit Tab are also available in the context menu of an item (right clicking the element after selecting it) and are also available as shortcuts. The
shortcuts and context menus are a much faster and efficient way of setting masters and aligning.
Setting a Master: Left click on an element and select set as master using one of the methods above. The element, be a point element or a line element, will be
highlighted once it is a master.
The end nodes of a line element or nodes of a geometry lines can be set as a master by selecting the line element, hovering the mouse over the node that is to be the
master, right-clicking then selecting set as master from the context menu.
In RCB the user also has the option of setting an element on the floor below as a master. Even though the element cannot be selected, when it is right-clicked there
will be an option to set it as master. This way there is no need to navigate to the floor below.
Align: With a master set elements can be aligned to the master using either the button in the edit tab, right clicking the element to display the context menu and
selecting align or using the shortcut.
For the modes in a line element or a geometry line the user can align the individual nodes but selectin the element, hovering over them, right clicking and selecting
align.
Along with align X/Y which aligns to the X/Y coordinate of the masters there is also an option to align perpendicular (or parallel). This will make a line element
perpendicular or parallel to the master line element.
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1. Select Column, Right-Click, Set as Master

2. Select Column, Right-Click, Align Y
1. Select Geometry Line, Right-Click, Set As Master.

2. Right Click Wall, Set As Master, Align Perpendicular
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Edit Tab > Align Vertically ]
Align Vertically
[ RCB ]
Align vertically can be used to align columns vertically as well as line elements (walls, beams, geometry line) vertically. This is done by selecting the element and
pressing the button in the Edit Tab or right clicking the element after selecting it and select Align Vertically from the context menu. The search radius and the levels
which are to be aligned is then selected.
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[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Edit Tab > Clip / Stitch ]
Clip / Stitch
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]

Extending line elements and clipping and stitching them to other line elements is another common tool that is use to clean up the model and eliminate any meshing
errors. It is an essential tool when cleaning up models that have elements in the diagonal direction.
Two of the clipping features are available as buttons in the edit tab but the entire array is available under the context menu (selecting an element and right-clicking).
Different clipping features are available in the context menu when selecting and right clicking either line element itself or the end of the line element.
Right Clicking a Line Element:
Stitching clip [ Z ]: The software will try to clip back the both ends of a geometry line or line element to the intersection with another line element. If it
cannot find an intersection with another line element for one end that end is not clipped.
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1. Select the line element. 2: While hovering the mouse over the the geometry line (not one of its nodes) right click. 3: Select "Stitch - Clip"
Both free ends are clipped back to an intersecting line element if possible.
Stitching extend [ X ]: The software will try to extend both sends of the geometry line or line element until it intersects with another line element. If it
cannot find an intersection with another line element for one end that end is not extended.
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1. Select the line element. 2: While hovering the mouse over the the geometry line (not one of its nodes) right click. 3: Select "Stitch - Extend"
Both free ends are extended out to an intersecting line element if possible.
Right Clicking a Point on a Line Element:
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Extend with Mouse and Clip: Once this option is selected the user moves the node with the mouse past the line that is to be clipped to without changing the
lines angle. The software will then clip the node to the intersection point of the two lines.
1. Select the line element. 2: While hovering the mouse over the node right click. 3: Select "Extend with Mouse and Clip" 4: Drag the mouse past the line to be
intersected with. 5: Left Click to clip the line back.
Extend by Input Value: Extends the line out / make it longer (positive value) or moves it back / make it shorter in (negative value) at by the input value.
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1. Select the line element. 2: While hovering the mouse over the node right click. 3: Select "Extend by Input Value" 4: Input the value to extend or reduce the
line by
Extend with Mouse: Once this option is selected the user moves the node with the mouse. The node is then placed the exact location that the user left clicks.
Beware of small offsets!
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1. Select the line element. 2: While hovering the mouse over the node right click. 3: Select "Extend with Mouse" 4: Drag the mouse ot the point where the
node is to be moved to. 5: Left-click at the location to move the node to.
Clip: Performs a similar function to Stitching clip function above, however, instead of clipping both ends of the geometry line (if possible) only the end that
the node was selected on will be clipped.
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1. Select the line element. 2: While hovering the mouse over the node right click. 3: Select "Clip"
Additional Considerations when Clipping to Diagonal Lines:

Some of the features outlined above can introduce degree of accuracy into the model. For example when clipping to a diagonal line the intersection point may have
many decimal places. Although the software can handle this degree of accuracy (provided there are not too many other elements in that area) there is a possibility
that meshing errors could occur. In this example if the user was to round off the geometry after performing the clipping operation then this intersection point would
be lost. In order to prevent this the user must insert a node in the geometry line that was intersected to so when the geometry is rounded off this intersection point is
not lost and both points are moved together. It is important to remember that if rounding off geometry that any points intersecting the diagonal have had nodes
created at their intersection point.
4 decimal places are needed to get the exact intersection point after the clipping operation.
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Clipping does not produce nodes on the line that was intersected to.
When the geometry is rounded off [ Tools > Round off Geometry ] this information is lost. When zoomed out it if difficult to see but when zoomed in it is evident that
the line that was clipped has been trimmed back due to rounding.
A solution is to insert nodes by selecting the line, right clicking and selecting "Insert Node" and drag/drop it with "Snap to Corner" on or just select "Insert Intersection
Node"
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When the Geometry is rounded off both points will move together and no gaps are created. The diagonal line now has a few kinks in it and is no longer at the exact
same angle but there are no gaps in our geometry lines, and there is not a high degree of accuracy in the model which will simplify things when the model is meshed
and run.
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Edit Tab > Move Column with Mouse ]
Move Column with Mouse
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]

Unlike line elements which can be moved by selecting their nodes and dragging then, column elements must be moved in a different manner. The column can be
selected and it coordinates changed in the Properties Tab. Another way is to right-click on the column and select Move Column with Mouse. The column can then
be moved and snapped to another location.
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1. Select the column. 2: While hovering the column right click. 3: Select "Move Column With Mouse" 4: Drag the column to the new point changing snap settings with [ F2 ] if
needed. 5: Left Click to place the column.
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Edit Tab > Convert Column to Wall / Wall to Column ]
Convert Column to Wall / Wall to Column
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]

The vertical support elements, columns and walls, are treated differently internally in the software the model will exhibit different behaviour when one or the other is
modelled. The wall being a line support along it centreline and a column being a point support at it centre point. The convert to column wall to column or column to
wall feature enables the user to make this change quickly without having to delete a column / wall and redraw the other element.
Note, that when converting from a wall to a column the software will ask if the beam element is to be added on top and bottom of the column. This is so that the
column element that is created has a similar stiffness to the wall element that it is replacing.
Convert Column to Wall

Left: Button available in the edit tab after selecting a column.
Right: Context menu, select the element then right-click.
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Convert Wall to Column

Left: Button available in the edit tab after selecting a wall.
Middle: Context menu, select the element then right-click.
Right: Messagebox asking to create beams to stiffen new column.
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Edit Tab > Edit Over Levels ]
Edit Over Levels
[ RCB ]
Editing over levels allows an individual property of the selected column or wall over the selected level. A search radius to find elements to change properties for can
also be input so the elements do not need to line up exactly. Another way of ensuring changes made on one floor are copied up to another is to create a floor
Master / Slave Relationship .
Edit over Levels button in the Edit Tab available after selecting an element of that type.
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Editing a Column over Levels
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Edit Tab > Split / Merge Wall ]
Split / Merge Wall
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
Split / Merge buttons in the Edit Tab when a wall is selected.
Split Wall: The wall is broken up equally into the specified number of segments. This is needed if there are long walls modelled greater then 15m which may cause
numerical instability when generating the wall finite element mesh. Once a wall is split the wall is no longer on continuous unit even if the end nodes touch each
other. If a wall is split and the user wants this wall acting as a continuous unit a wall group must be created. Wall groups act as a continuous unit despite being made
up of several different wall elements.
Splitting a Wall into Three Segments
Merge Walls: Two or more wall elements can be merged to create one wall. The software will take the proprieties of the longer wall and use that for the new combined wall. If two
walls are at separate angles are joined then one wall will be create starting/ending at the furthest two points of the original walls
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Merging Several Selected Walls
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Edit Tab > Explode / Group Geometry Lines ]
Explode / Group Geometry Lines
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
Explode Geometry Lines: Breaks up a geometry line into its individual segments which can then be selected and edited individually.
1: Select the Geometry Line to be Exploded 2: Right click on the goemtry line 3: Select "Explode"
Group Geometry Lines: Combines one of more geometry lines into a single geometry line. There must be a common node point for two lines to be joined, they
cannot be joined if there is a gap or overlap. This tool can be used to create a closed form geometry line wrapping around the perimeter of the slab which is generally
good practice as it avoid any meshing errors or mesh not being generated in some location. It can also be used to avoid meshing errors and individual geometry lines
that have been group will be moved together / no gaps will be created when moving or rounding off so there is less chance a close node meshing error will occur after
moving, copying, rounding off.
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Left: Geometry Lines around the slab do not form a closed shape. When the slab is meshed the slab zones are not created correctly.
Right: 1 - 4: Cumulatively select (holding shift) select the 4 geometry lines that create the perimeter of the slab. 5: Right-Click on one of the selected geometry lines 6:
Select "Group"
When the model is meshed again the entire area is meshed correctly.
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Edit Tab > Edit Geometry Lines ]
Edit Geometry Lines
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]

These editing features are currently only available under the geometry lines context menu which is available after selecting the geometry line and right clicking it.
Different editing options are available depending on where the user right clicks:
Right Clicking a Geometry Line Node:
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Select a geometry line, hover the mouse over one of the nodes and right-click
Remove Node: Deletes the node. The geometry line shape will be adjust accordingly.
Move Node: Moves the node at the specified X, Y offset. In the screenshot below the node was move by - 0.5 m in the X.
Break Geometry Line at Node: Creates two separate geometry lines starting / finishing at that point.
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Right Clicking on the Geometry Line:
Select a Geometry Line, hover the mouse over one of the lines (not over a node) and right-click
Insert Node: Inserts a node at the location that was right-clicked.
Insert Mid Node: Inserts a node at the mid-point of the line segment of the geometry line that was right-clicked.
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Insert Intersection Node: Inserts a node at the intersection point of that line segment with another line segment. A node will only be added the geometry line
segment that was right-clicked in this case the top line of the highlighted geometry line.
Split into Segments: Adds an appropriate amount of nodes at the required location to create the user required number of equal segments.
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Edit Tab > Split Beam ]
Split Beam
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]

The beam is broken up equally into the specified number of segments.
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[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Edit Tab > Convert Beam to Geometry Line ]
Convert Beam to Geometry Line
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
The beam element is replaced with a closed geometry lines around the extent of the beam. The thickness must be input after the model must be meshed. It is much
easier to model with beam elements initially than it is with geometry lines so if the user wants to model band beams it is easier to start with a yellow beam element
(line of stiffness applied to the slab) to get an idea of the required width and thickness then convert them to geometry lines and model them as a band beam (two-
way plate bending in both directions) to see the true behaviour. This will save time editing geometry lines intially as a width is determined.
If modelling band beams in PTD and tendons are to be run through them then they must be modelled as a band beam (thickened slab zone).
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Yellow Beam Elements are Selected and the Convert to GL Button Pressed
The Beams are replaced with Geometry Lines. The thickness must be input after meshing.
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Edit Tab > New User Note ]
New User Note
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]

The User Note is a tool that can be used to leave comments in the Working Area. When nothing else is selected in the Working Area, right-clicking the mouse will
allow User Note to be added by selecting "New user note". Once a note has been created they can be open and closed by right-clicking in the working area, with
nothing else selected, and selecting "Toggle Notes". Their visibility can be toggled on/off in the Viewing Tab as well.
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[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Import/Export Tab ]
Import/Export Tab
[ RCB ]
The Import / Export Tab, [ Alt + X ] , is where information can be sent out or put into the model. This is one location where the batch export and run feature can be
accessed or individual floors exported and run. Floors that have been modified in SLB or PTD can be imported into the model as can individual elements. The floor can
also be prepared for CAD export and what is displayed in the working area can be exported to .dxf format. Printing of what is displayed on the working area can also
be performed.
Batch Export
l Batch Export and Design
Import Level
l Import from SLB & PTD
CAD Export
l Prepare Floor
l Export DXF
Selected Elements
l Import / Export Selected Elements
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Solve Tab ]
Solve Tab
RCB Page 46 of 367
[ RCB ]
The Solve Tab, [ Alt + S ] , is where all of RCB's solving tools are located. Mesh, which generates the finite element mesh and the slab structure, is also located in
the Home Tab as it an operation that will be performed many times during the creation of the structural model.
Mesh
l Meshing [ F5 ]
Static Analysis
l Linear Static Analysis [ F6 ]

l 2nd Order Linear Static Analysis [ F7 ]
SLB / PTD Current Floor (Export and Run)
l see Batch Export and Design: SLB & PTD
Batch Analysis
l Batch Export and Design: SLB & PTD
Dynamic Analysis
l Frequency Analysis
l Spectral Analysis
Axial Shortening
l Column / Wall Axial Shortening
Construction Stage
l Construction Stage Analysis
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Design Tab ]
Design Tab
[ RCB ]
The Design Tab, [ Alt + D ] , is where the Design Tools for the selected design standard are located. It is only available if a Linear Static or 2nd Order Linear
Static Analysis have been completed. The picture below shows the design tools available for Australia Standards. Almost all design tools require that a Second Order
Analysis be performed. To view the stress results in a wall and design a wall as a deep beam "Save Wall Stresses for Design" must be switched on in Model and Solver
Settings in the Settings Tab .
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Concrete Design:
l Columns
l Walls
Stress Design:
l Deep Beams (walls)
Punching Shear
l Punching Shear
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Results Tab ]
Results Tab
[ RCB ]
The Results Tab, [ Alt + R ] , is where the various results can be viewed and the results, including the mesh can be deleted if necessary. It is only available if a Linear
Static or 2nd Order Linear Static Analysis have been completed. The results that can be viewed is dependent on what type of analysis has been performed and on
what settings have been chosen in Model and Solver Settings in the Settings Tab.
Displacements
l Vertical Deflection
l Horizontal Displacement
SLB / PTD Results
l Batch Export and Run: SLB / PTD
Reactions
l Static Analysis
l Floor Area
Results
l Slab Moments in X / Y
l Moment Range
l Slab - Column Unbalanced Moment
l Slab In-Plane Stresses (In-Plane Actions)
l Soil Pressure
l Beam Moments
l Wide Beams
Columns and Walls
l P/A Stresses
l Internal Forces
l Wall Group Reactions
General
l Mode Shapes
l 3D Forces
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Reports Tab ]
Reports Tab
RCB Page 48 of 367
[ RCB ]
The Reports Tab, [ Alt + P ] , is where the reports can be produced and exported from RCB. The reports that can be produced is dependant on if and what type of
analysis has been performed / reuslts available. Reports can be created as a text file (.txt), an Excel file (.xlxs) or as a PDF (.pdf). For more infomration on what the
software can calculate and what results can be viewed see the Design Tab and the Results Tab .
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Tools Tab ]
Tools Tab
[ RCB ]
The Tools Tab, [ Alt + O ] , is where the various tools for viewing, fixing the model are located.
Show
l Show Mesh, [ Shift ] + [ E ]: Show the mesh if it is present. This is also available in the Home Tab.
l 3D View, [ Shift ] + [ R ]: View the Structure in 3D. This is also available in the Home Tab.
l Analytical Model [ Shift ] + [ A ]: Shows the centreline, endpoints, geometry lines and gemetry line nodes that the software will mesh to. This is useful when
cleaning up meshing errors. Refer to Cleaning up Meshing Errors for an example.
l Floor Centroid: See Lateral Load Locations .
l LLRF: See Live Load Reduction Factors.
l Wall M/N: Shows visually the location of the eccentricity of the load on the wall in its strong axis. Red is outside of the wall, blue is inside.
l Column Link: Show the Rigid Column Link for offset column if it is switched on in settings
l Backup Files: Show the backup files that have been autoamtically saved by the software.
l Job History: Shows the anlysis history for the file.
General
l Round Off: Refer to Cleaning up Meshing Errors.

l Mesh Check: Refer to Cleaning up Meshing Errors.
l Fix Mesh Error: Refer to Cleaning up Meshing Errors.
l Fix Line Load Gaps: The software will join line loads an horizontal line load if there is a small gap between them.
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Settings Tab ]
Settings Tab
[ RCB ]
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The Settings Tab, [ Alt + T ] , is where the various settings for modelling, viewing and importing can be adjusted.
Models and Solvers: Change settings that will effect the modelling, analysis and design performed by RCB.
General Settings
l Design Code: See Design

l Exclude Beam Overlap: When this switch is 'On', in the self weight calculations the part of the slab which overlaps with the beam section will be excluded
(see picture below). The self weight of the beams and the slabs are evaluated separately, and the weight of slab overlap will be included twice, which
will increase the total self weight. So, to avoid this double up, this switch has to be "On". This will provide more precise evaluation of the concrete self
weight, especially when the beams are very wide.
l Short Beam into Joint: See Cut Model / Create Joint .

l Slab Import: See Import from SLB and PTD.
l Load Combination for 2nd Order Axial: See 2nd Order Linear Static Analysis .
l Area Load Refinement: See Area Load Refinement Factor.
Frequency Analysis Settings
l See Frequency Analysis.
Live Load Reduction Factor
l See Live Load Reduction Factor.
Stiffness Parameters
l Wall Perpendicular Stiffness: See Walls.

l Save Wall Stresses for Design: See Deep Beams (walls).
l Stitch Wall Group: See Wall Groups and Shear Wall Cores.
l Stiffness Reduction Factors: See Analysis and Solvers.
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l Rigid link for column offset: See Rigid Link for Column Offset .
Mesh Settings
l Walls on Transfer Floors: Automatically refine the mesh (add extra nodes) on all walls on transfer floors. RCB automatically determines which floors are
transferring.
l Wall on Non-Transfer Floors: Refines the mesh on all walls in the model.
Switching the above options on will produce more accurate results in the walls but will increase the run time.
Area Method
l See Floor Area
Slab Panels
l See Slabs and Slab in-Plane Stresses
Viewing
Change what is displayed in the working area for each element and set values as default.
Grid
Adjust the grid in the working area. See Grid Size.
CAD
Adjust the import and export settings for CAD files. The default scaling factor for import is 0.001 as the default units in CAD files are typically in mm and RCB uses m.
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Colours
View and adjust the colour that are displayed by the software during the various colour operations.
System
Adjust settings related to the running of the software such as the solver version and number of load cases. For larger models that will have a stiffness matrix size
greater then 3GB the 64-bit solver must be used. Note a 64-bit operating system is required. In this case the upper limit of the model size will be dictated by the
amount of memory (RAM) the user has in their computer.
RCB can use multi-core processing during certain parts of the analysis to greatly reduce the analysis time with "Multi-Core 2" being the faster of the multi core solvers.
Be aware that when using multi core processing if the analysis fails for example due to an instability in the model the user will not be shown the location where the
analysis crashes. In this case the solver must be switched back to "Single Core" or "Multi Core 1" the analysis re-run to determine the location where the analysis fails.
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Reports
Adjust the report settings.
[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon > Help Tab ]
Help Tab
[ RCB ]
The Help Tab, [ Alt + Q ] , is where the information related to the software build, licensing and support and license agreement can be viewed. The manual is also
located here.
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Manual: Opens the user manual.
Information:
l Shortcut Keys: Show the full list of shortcuts.

l News: View the latest news and features.
Updates:
l Web Proxy: Allow access through your network security for INDUCTA updates.
l Updates: Manually check to see if there are any updates available.
Web:
l INDUCTA Home: Visit the INDUCTA Website

l Webinars: View training videos.
License:
l License: Opens the license status window. If a floating license, view the license code and status and update or manually change the code. If single use dongle
view the status and manually update the code.
l SLSA: View the INDUCTA Software License and Support Agreement (SLSA)
About: Information about the Software including the version number.
[ RCB > Software Interface > Properties Tab ]
Properties Tab
[ RCB ]
The Properties Tab shows information about the level that is current visible in the working area, what load case or combination is being displayed, the properties of
the selected element(s) as well as information about the selected element or the entire model.
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Level Information
The level that is displayed in the working area is shown in the top drop down box and, by default, the level below it is shown in the bottom drop-down box.
l / Level Up / Level Down, [ Page Up ] / [ Page Down ]: Switch the view in the working area one level up or one level down.
l Show Transparent Floor: Toggle the visibility of the floor in the bottom drop down box on/off. By default this is the floor below and it is visible.
l Lock Transparent Floor: Lock the floor in the bottom drop down box to the floor below. Unlocking it will allow the floor that is shown underneath the one
in the working area to be changed. It can also be changed to a floor above the one shown in the working area.
l Assign Master / Slave Levels: Create master / slave relationships between floors. This can also be accessed in the Input Tab.
l / Master / Slave Indicator: If master / slave relationships are present and a floor is either a master or slave it will be indicated with an M or S. If on a
slave level pressing the "S" symbol will go its master level.
Load Cases / Combinations
Change between defined primary Load Cases and Load Combinations to view loads and to view results.
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Properties
Shows the properties of the selected element. If more than one element is selected then it will show the common properties. Values of properties of elements can be
changed in the properties window as an alternative way to the element in the working area. The cells in the properties window can be adjusted by adding or
subtracting the value that want to change the property by. In the screen shot below the column will be moved by m in the -ve X after [ Enter ] is pressed.
Information List Box
Shows the model info (top button) or the log file (bottom button). The log file displays the text from the most recent analysis, meshing or linear static for example,
and can show where the analysis stopped. This report can be enlarged by double clicking in the List Box. The Log File is also available under the Reports Tab. If
elements are selected in the working area then information about them will be displayed in this list box.
[ RCB > Software Interface > Viewing Tab ]
Viewing Tab
[ RCB ]
The Viewing Tab is where all of the viewing tools are located. Visibility of elements can be switched on/off and elements can be coloured by a specific property. Some
of the features area also available in the Home Tab however the most commonly used one are also available in the this tab to avoid any unnecessary switching
between tabs. The Viewing Tab can be collapsed by pressing the pin icon so the working area can be maximised. When creating a model (drawing
and editing elements) all of the necessary tools are located in the Home Tab so the viewing tab can be collapsed. The tools internally within the viewing tab can be
expanded and collapsed by pressing the " + " and " - " symbols.
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Working Area
Switch the Grid visibility on / off.

Grid On / Off, [ F11 ]
If loaded, switch the CAD visibility on / off.

Cad On / Off, [ F3 ]
If loaded, switch the Bitmap visibility on / off.

Bitmap On / Off, [ F4 ]
If present, switch the mesh visibility on / off.

Mesh On / Off, [ Shift + E ]
Displays the entire extents of the model within the working area.
Zoom Extents, [ ` ]
Text Size
Increase the font size in the working area.

Text Up, [ + ]
Decrease the font size in the working area.

Text Down, [ - ]
Colouring Elements
Slabs
Colour the slab by its thickness. Only available is the slab has been created / mesh is present.
Colour by Slab Thickness
Colour the slab by its type. Only available is the slab has been created / mesh is present.
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Colour by Slab Type
Switch the slab number on / off.

Show / Hide Slab Numbers
Colour the slab to distinguish if it is in contact with the soil or not. Only available is the slab has been created / mesh
Colour Slabs by Soil Contact is present.
Beams
Colour the yellow beam elements by their size (width and depth)
Colour Beams by Dimensions
Walls
Colour the walls by thickness.

Colour Walls by Thickness
Colour the walls by type.

Colour Walls by Type
Colour the walls by end fixity.

Colour Walls by Fixity
Columns
Colour the columns by thickness.

Colour Columns by Size
Colour the columns by type.

Colour Columns by Type
Colour the columns by end fixity.

Colour Columns by Fixity
Loads
Colour the slab by pressure. Only available is the slab has been created / mesh is present.
Colour Slabs by Pressure
Toggle the visibility of the various elements on and off. This performs the same function as Filter Tool in the Home
Visibility
Tab.
[ RCB > Software Interface > Shortcuts ]
Shortcuts
Shortcut Usage
Cancel (action, selection, etc.) ESC
Manual F1
Toggle between snapping modes F2
CAD visibility on/off F3
Bitmap visibility on/off F4
Mesh F5
Linear static analysis F6
Second order static analysis F7
Batch Analysis/Run F8
CAD Import On /Off F9
Grid On/Off F11
Select by type F12
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Zoom limit `
Find (Element) Ctrl + F
Undo Ctrl + Z
Redo Ctrl + Y
Select all elements Ctrl + A
Print Ctrl + P
Save Ctrl + S
Save As Ctrl + Shift + S
Open Ctrl + O
New Ctrl + N
Copy to another floor Ctrl + `
Copy Selected to 1 level up Ctrl + 1
Move bitmap (if visible) Ctrl + Arrow key
Distance button D
Orthogonal mode O
Line - Distance Input Mode F
Column C
Wall W
Beam B
Wide Beam V
Support Line S
Geometry Line (Slab) G
Area Load A
Point Load N
Line Load L
Pressure Load P
Select an open geometry line, and clip both ends Z
Select an open geometry line, and extends both ends X
Close geometry line while drawing
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[ Space bar ]
Centre the view to the current mouse Shift + Mouse wheel

coordinate forward
Set master Ctrl + Q
Align X, Y, Perpendicular Ctrl + W, Ctrl + E, Ctrl + R
Copy selected elements Ctrl + C
Copy selected elements by two points Ctrl + Shift + C
Copy local Ctrl + Alt + C
Move selected elements Ctrl + M
Move selected elements by two points Ctrl + Shift + M
Move local Ctrl + Alt + M
Toggle visibility columns (Above, Below) Shift + C

Shift + X
Toggle visibility walls(Above, Below) Shift + W

Shift + Q
Toggle visibility geometry lines (Above, Below) Shift + G

Shift + F
Toggle visibility beams (Above, Below) Shift + B

Shift + H
Toggle visibility Wide Beams Shift + V
Toggle visibility line loads Shift + l
Toggle visibility Point loads Shift + N
Show mesh Shift + E
Show 3D view Shift + R
Level Up PageUp
Level Down PageDown
Increase on-screen font size +
Decrease on-screen font size -
Show Analytical Model Shift + A
File Menu Alt + F
Home Tab Alt + H
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Input Tab Alt + I
Edit Tab Alt + E
Import/Export Tab Alt + X
Solve Tab Alt + S
Design Tab Alt + D
Results Tab Alt + R
Reports Tab Alt + P
Tools Tab Alt + O
Settings Tab Alt + T
Help Tab Alt + Q
Pan Middle Mouse Button +

Drag
Centre on mouse location Shift + Scroll Mouse Wheel
View Tendon Profile Select a tendon and press P
[ RCB > Modelling ]
Modelling
[ RCB ]
The INDUCTA software suite provides a complete solution for the analysis and design of reinforced and post-tensioned concrete buildings. The aim is to provide
powerful analytical tools whilst increasing the efficiency of the entire analysis and design process by automating repetitive calculations and eliminating the need for
manual transfer of information between software.
The image below shows an overview of how the main INDUCTA software packages interact. Depending on the size and the nature of the design job not all software
packages will be needed. The concept of the individual programs is outlined in the following section .
The structural model is created quickly by importing CAD or REVIT files and RCB is used to model and analyse multi story buildings in 3D for vertical and lateral
loading. Individual floors are batch exported to SLB and PTD to analyse and design reinforced and post-tensioned concrete slabs respectively as well as slab-on-
ground. Design checks can be performed on columns using RCC and footings using FTG.
For medium to large buildings, during the preliminary design stage, the user only needs to use RCB. The Batch Export and Analyse features allows for long term
deflection results calculated in SLB and PTD to be viewed in RCB without opening the other programs and slab thicknesses be determined without manual, repetitive,
import and export of individual floors. When it comes time for detailed design the finalsied slab plate can be opened in SLB if it is to be a reinforced concrete slab or
PTD if it is to be a post-tensioned slab.
The Column Design and Scheduling feature allows for a full column design and schedule to be created within RCB without having to transfer data to paper or to other
software. Accurate results can be quickly calculated as well as quantities even during the preliminary design stage.
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The following sections outline the concept of the RCB software itself, the modeling principles, structural elements and all other inputs required to build the 3D
structural model.
l Concept
l Building Models
l Structural Elements
l Material Input
l Model and Solver Settings
l Soil
l Loading
[ RCB > Modelling > Concept ]
Concept
[ RCB ]
RCB is a finite element software package for the 3D modelling, analysis and design of reinforced concrete buildings. It provides a comprehensive solution for concrete
building design including vertical and horizontal loading, wind and earthquake calculators, frequency analysis, spectral analysis, soil structure interaction, detailed
stress design, column / wall design and scheduling, construction stages and column / wall axial shortening.
The process of generating an RCB model involves creating the elements for each level of the building that includes the floor geometry (slab and beams) and the
column and wall elements. Material properties are specified for each elements and loading is applied as vertical loads (pressure, line loads, point loads, moment
loads) and horizontal (earthquake and wind). After all floors, strucutral elements, material properties and loading is input the the model is ready to be analysed.
[ RCB > Modelling > Building Models ]
Building Models
[ RCB ]
A 3D model in RCB consists of level information, number and height of each level, and structural elements on each individual level, column, walls, slabs beams etc.
The model can be created using one of several methods:
l REVIT Import : Both the level infiltration and the structural elements are imported directly form the REVIT file.
l CAD Import : The structural elements on each floor are input from a CAD file. The floor levels must already be defined.
l Bitmap Import / Manual Entry : The structural elements are drawn in manually and a bitmap image may be loaded into the working area as a reference. The
floors levels must already be defined.
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After importing or manually creating the model the finite element mesh must be generated to create the slab zones and to get the structure's weight. This section will
cover the various ways a model can be created in RCB in general terms and will go over the meshing principles. For more information about how to create structural
elements and how they are treated within the software please refer to Structural Elements .
l Storey Heights
l Manual Data Entry
l Bitmap Import
l CAD Import
l REVIT Import
l Mesh
l Centroids
l Check Model Geometry
[ RCB > Modelling > Building Models > Storey Heights ]
Storey Heights
[ RCB ]
A model's level information is input in Input Tab > Structure Information > Storey Heights. The number of storey are defined and the storey height can be defined
using floor-to-floor height or by using RL's. Levels can be added and deleted in this location and the ground level can also be specified. If master / slave relationships
have been created between levels then they are also visible here. Custom storey labels can also be added and the user can see if a CAD or BITMAP file is loaded on a
level. Note, if the model was imported from a REVIT file this will already be populated.
Once the levels are defined the level that is active in the working area can be changed in the properties tab and can be scrolled through quickly using the short cuts
[ Page Up ] and [ Page Down ] . By default the floor below will be locked in and will be visible. Pressing the button will toggle the visibility off all structural
elements off the floor below on/off. Unlocking the transparent floor by pressing the button allows the user to specify which floor is shown as the floor below. By
unlocking it a floor that is a few floor down can be shown or even a floor above the selected floor can be shown.
The floor that active, Level 4 in the screenshot below, is the floor that can be viewed and editing. Vertical elements such as columns and wall can only be selected if
they sit on the Level 4 slab, running between Level 4 and Level 5. Even through the Level 3 columns and wall will be visible they cannot be selected. If they are to be
selected the user must make Level 3 active.
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[ RCB > Modelling > Building Models > Storey Heights > Master / Slave Levels ]
Master / Slave Levels
[ RCB ]
Master / Slave relationships can be created between floors within RCB to greatly reduce the time needed to create and edit models. All structural elements from the
master level and all properties of the structural elements from the master level except for the "Type" property will be the same as its slave levels. The type property is
not locked between master / slave levels so that the user can vary concrete grades within a master slave relationship. See Material Types per Level. If there is no
geometry present on the slave level then what is in the master level will be copied up. If geometry is present in a level that is then assigned to be a slave any existing
geometry will be deleted and the geometry from the master will be copied up.
Storey Height information must be defined and the Master slave relationships can be defined under the Input Tab > Structure Information > Master/Slave Levels.
To create a new master slave relationship press "New Master / Slave Group." The first level that is then checked will be the master floor. All subsequent floors that
are checked will be the slave floors. In the screen shots below Level 5 has been set as the master and L6 - L12 are slave levels. Slave groups can also be edited and
deleted in this window. If the user wishes to review what master slave relationships were created they can go back to this window, the Storey Heights window or the
Material Types per Level window.
In the properties window a master level is indicated by the "M" symbol next to it. A slave level is indicated with an "S" in the properties tab and the working area will
be shaded and have the message "Slave level. Locked for Editing". Pressing the "S" button in the properties tab will change the active level to the master level.
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[ RCB > Modelling > Building Models > Manual Geometry Entry ]
Manual Geometry Entry
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]

The various structural elements that can be drawn are located in the Home Tab. For instructions on how to manually create them please refer to Create and Edit
Elements for general information and to Structural Elements for specific information.
RCB
SLB
PTD
[ RCB > Modelling > Building Models > Bitmap Import ]
Bitmap Import
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]

The concept of the BMP Import utility is to use a Bitmap image to display the geometry of the floor as a background image. Once the Bitmap image is imported, the
standard drawing tools can be used to create the slab panels, walls, beams and columns over the Bitmap image. The Bitmap image is only a background and it will not
interfere with the model. A Bitmap image can be created by scanning a paper copy of the plan (using a scanning device), or the image can be created from any file by
taking a screenshot by pressing [ Print Screen ] on the keyboard, pasting in Microsoft Paint for example and saving in bitmap format (.bmp).
Loading the Bitmap

The bitmap can be loaded via the Home Tab by expanding the CAD/BMP section and selecting Bitmap > Load. The selected .bmp file will then be loaded as a
background image in the working area.
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Scaling the Bitmap

The distance for a know dimension must then be measured to ensure that the bitmap scale is correct. The distance can be measures using the distance tool . If the
scale is incorrect the bitmap must be scaled. Before scaling ensure that an appropriate grid size has been set to give the desired degree of accuracy. To scale the
model select Bitmap > Scale as shown below then click two points in the working area and specify the distance. The entire bitmap will be scaled based off the input
distance. When scaling the snap settings should be set to "Snap to Grid" and orthogonal snapping should be switched on if the line that is being scaled to is
orthogonal.
Moving the Bitmap

The bitmap location in the working area can be moved by holding the [ Ctrl ] key and pressing the directional arrows on the keyboard.
Unloading the Bitmap / Loading Another Bitmap

The bitmap can be unloaded by pressing "Unload" as shown below. A bitmap must be unloaded before another can be loaded.
Turn Bitmap Visibility on/off

Bitmap visibility can be toggled on/off in the View Tab as shown below or by using the shortcut [ F4 ].
[ RCB > Modelling > Building Models > CAD Import ]
CAD Import
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[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]

CAD files in .dxf and .dwg format can be imported into INDUCTA software and the the various structural elements can be imported from the CAD file to create the
structural model. It is recommended that CAD files are prepared and cleaned up before they are input into INDUCTA software. See Preparation of CAD Files . If
complex, messy, architectural CAD files are imported into INDUCTA software the engineer has to effectively clean the drawings which is repeating work that the
draftsman will be doing in creating the preliminary structural drawings.
Importing the CAD File

The CAD file can be loaded via the Home Tab by expanding the CAD/BMP section and selecting CAD > Load. Upon loading the CAD file the software will ask if the
lower-left corner is to be shifted to the (0,0) coordinate. The CAD file will be imported based on the CAD Settings in the Settings Tab . The default scaling in the CAD
setting is based off the assumption that the default units in CAD will be mm and the units in INDUCTA software will be m. With the CAD file loaded an additional Snap
Setting become available, Snap to CAD.
Shift, Rotate CAD File

With the CAD file loaded it can be Shifted in the Global X and Y or Rotated.
When rotating the CAD file, if no part of the CAD file is selected, then the following general input will be asked.
A selected CAD drawing can be rotated clockwise or anticlockwise to make it horizontal or vertical based off a reference line. As shown below this is done by 1) switching import
from CAD on [ 9 ] which enables the CAD file to be selected. 2) Selecting the line that is to be used as a reference. 3) Selecting CAD > Shift > Rotate. 4) Specifying the direction and
orientation to rotate to.
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Importing Structural Elements from the CAD File

To import structural elements the CAD file must be loaded and visible and "Import from CAD" must be switched on. This toggles the selection mode to change from
selecting INDUCTA structural elements to selecting the CAD elements that are loaded. CAD elements can then be selected like as INDUCTA structural elements. This
setting can also be toggled on / off using the short cut [ F9 ].
Provided that the various structural elements were drawn in separate layers when preparing the CAD file they can be filtered on screen quickly using one of two
methods. The screen shots below show two ways of isolating the "Columns Below" layers so all columns can be imported.
Left: The CAD layer is selected from the CAD layers drop down list directly
Right: With "Import from CAD" on a CAD element that is in the desired layer is 1) selected, 2) right clicked. 3) show just that layer
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Both methods isolate the "Column Below" Layer
With the desired layer isolated and "Import from CAD" on all CAD elements in the working area can be selected using Net Select (left click, drag and drop) and
pressing "Column" in the Home Tab or [ C ] on the keyboard to import all selected CAD elements as columns for example. The same process is the repeated for walls
and geometry lines that are used to define areas of different thickness and loading. Depending on what INDUCTA program is being used vertical elements (columns
and walls) will import into different locations. If RCB is being used vertical elements will be imported as sitting on that floor and above. If the program is SLB or PTD
the vertical elements will be imported as below the current floor.
Toggle CAD Visibility On/Off

The CAD visibility can be toggled on/off from the View Tab or using the Short cut [ F3 ].
Set Reference Point / Match to Reference Point

In RCB if vertical elements that are imported are to line up then the CAD files they are imported from must also line up. This allows a reference point to be set in a
common location running the height of the building, the corner of a shear core for example, and all other CAD files will be matched to tat reference point. This
features is also present in SLB and PTD in the case that a CAD file is being replaced and the replacement CAD file is to be in a specific location compared to the first
CAD file.
A reference point is set under CAD > Reference Point > Set. The point that is to be set as the reference point is shown with the red square and is Dependant on the
snap settings. If setting a location on the cad file as the reference point be sure to cycle the snap settings to "Snap to CAD," which can be cycled through using [ F2 ].
Going to another level and loading in another CAD file the existing reference point can be shown using CAD > Reference Point > Show. The new CAD file can be aligned
to the reference point by selecting CAD > Reference Point > Match. Again, make sure that "Snap to CAD" snap settings is active and select the point that is to be
matched to the reference point.
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Unloading CAD File

The CAD file can be unloaded by pressing "Unload" as shown below. A CAD file must be unloaded before another can be loaded.
[ RCB > Modelling > Building Models > CAD Import > Preparation of CAD Files ]
Preparation of CAD Files
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]

To ensure that the model geometry is imported quickly and efficiently from CAD into the software, it is recommended to clean up the .DWG or .DXF files prior to
import. Both architectural and structural drawings contain visual information that is not needed in an INDUCTA model. We recommend the draftsman strip down the
drawings as this is work that has to be done in preparation of the preliminary structural drawings. Importing of the architectural drawing directly is not recommended
due to the amount of unnecessary information that is imported and the work required to clean up the drawing/model in INDUCTA software is work that the
draftsman will have to do in preparing the preliminary structural drawings.
Once the CAD files are prepared in an appropriate manner, the time taken to finalise the model and start the analysis is reduced to minimum. In the example used
below, the user was able to create and analyse a complete 14 storey RCB model, including the entire geometry and loading, in 2 hours. The model and images
provided are courtesy of Knight Consulting.
We recommend that the following instructions are followed when preparing the CAD drawing for import into INDUCTA Software:
l Create a single closed polyline bounding the entire slab.
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l Create separate closed polylines for voids, areas of different slab thicknesses and different loading areas.
l Create closed polylines for columns. Create separate CAD layers for columns below the slab and columns above the slab.
l Create closed polylines for walls. If several walls intersect, create a polyline that wraps around their entire perimeter. Create separate CAD layers for walls
below the slab and walls above the slab.
l If partition walls are to be imported as line loads, create a separate CAD layer for those and follow a similar procedure for walls. They can be seen as grey lines
in the image below. Only one side of the grey lines draw for the partitions will be used to import line loads.
l Delete any irrelevant objects, such as landscaping details, shading, text, grid lines, etc.
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[ RCB > Modelling > Building Models > REVIT Import ]
REVIT Import
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]

Data can be exchanged between REVIT the INDUCTA software using the INDUCTA REVIT link. The INDUCTA REVIT link is installed as an add-on to REVIT and is available
for download via the INDUCTA website . The REVIT Link will convert the REVIT model to a format that can be opened in INDUCTA software. Similar to CAD file the
REVIT model must be cleaned up to allow for smooth import into INDUCTA software. Ideally a new preliminary structural REVIT model must be created as this is
generally faster then stripping down the architectural REVIT model. Detailed information about how to prepare the REVIT file can be found under Download >
Documentation on the INDUCTA website .
[ RCB > Modelling > Building Models > Mesh ]
Mesh
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
In order to input slab thicknesses and pressures and then to run the model the finite element mesh must be generated which is found under the Home Tab or the
Solve Tab or by using the keyboard shortcut [ F5 ]. With the mesh window open the mesh sub-division (the mesh size) can be selected. This section will cover the
principles of the meshing in INDUCTA software, an understanding of which will help avoid meshing errors as well as providing tips to create a clean model that will run
smoothly.
Basic Principles
Unlike other finite element software packages INDUCTA software automatically generates the mesh without the need for the user to manually specify sub-divisions
along the structural elements. Depending on what element it is the mesh will be generated to that element as shown below. This section will only show how finite
element mesh is generate to each structural element. For more information about the individual elements please refer to the Structural Elements section.
Walls: Finite element nodes are generate along the centerline of the wall with a finite element node at each end of the wall.
Beams: (as per wall)
Columns: A single finite element node is generate at the center of the column.
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Geometry Lines (slabs) : Finite element nodes are generated along the geometry line and finite element nodes are created at each node within the geometry line.
Point Loads : A single finite element node is generate at the load location .
Moment Loads : Mesh is not generated at the moment load location. The force is interpolated to the surrounding finite element nodes.
Line Loads : Mesh is not generated along the line load. The force is interpolated to the surrounding finite element nodes.
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Mesh Sub-Division
This refers to the size of the finite element that will be generated by the software. The size in meters refers to the length of one face of the triangle that the software
creates. If for example a 1m mesh is used structural elements can still be modeled less than 1m apart the software will just try to make the dimension of one side of
the triangle 1m.
The smaller the number, the finer the mesh, the larger the number of nodes and more accurate are the results. The model will also take longer to run. The larger the
number, the coarser the mesh, the lower the number of nodes and the less accurate the results will be. The model will however run faster.
The default mesh size of 1m is suitable for most cases but it is up to the user to choose a suitable size based on the size and complexity of their model and the desired
accuracy of the results and what stage the design is in. For example 2m mesh may be suitable during preliminary design as it is desired to get results quickly but more
accurate results will be needed using a finer mesh, say 1m, during the detailed design.
Left to Right: 0.5m, 1m, 2m Mesh Sub-Division for the same slab
Meshing Errors
Meshing errors occur when the software attempts to generate mesh to the various structural elements but, due to the models geometry, is not able to do so for the
chosen mesh sub-division. Meshing errors will cause local inaccuracies in the results and, ideally, should all be cleaned up before proceeding to the analysis of the
model. Models with large numbers of meshing may cause slab zones to be generated incorrectly and can also prevent the analysis from running. To fix meshing errors
there are two options:
1) reduce the mesh size in the hope that the smaller mesh will have no errors.
2) modify / simplify the geometry to allow the mesh to run.
Option 1 is not ideal as the smaller size will be greatly increasing the run time, the runtime will increase exponentially, and it still may not solve the errors. Option 2 is
the preferred option and involves cleaning the model to allow the mesh to run. There are some tools available to assist in this under the Tools Tab however they may
not fix everything and the best way is to have an understanding of the meshing principles and know what to do to fix them. This will be covered in the following
sections:
l Modeling Tips to Prevent Meshing Errors

l Cleaning up Meshing Errors
Some meshing errors as they appear in the report are shown below:
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- ERROR: Close Nodes Errors: 6 distance < 5.000000000000000E-02
When the Finite Element mesh is generated an internal comparison is also made between the distance of adjacent nodes in the model and a tolerance set the by the
software. The tolerance depends on the mesh size selected by the user and the different combinations are shown below;
l Mesh Size: > 1m = 0.05m Tolerance for Close node check

l Mesh Size: 0.75m = 0.03m Tolerance for Close node check
If there are any close node errors detected in any part of a model, the locations are shown with red dots on screen when the mesh is displayed. This is done
automatically by the software at the end of the meshing algorithm.
Below, an example is shown for how to fix close node errors. The geometry line does not run along the wall centerline so. To fix this the geometry line is
selected, then a node is added by right-clicking and selecting" insert node." With "snap to corner" on the new node is drag-and-dropped to the end of the wall.
- ERROR: Cannot mesh. No closed polylines.
This message is reported when there are no closed slab geometry lines contained within the model. At least 1 closed geometry line in order to generate the finite
element mesh (typically the perimeter of the floor), however models can contain more than 1 closed slab geometry line. When a geometry line is selected the
software will display either 'closed' or 'open' in the Information Window.
[ RCB > Modelling > Building Models > Mesh > Modelling Tips to Prevent Meshing Errors ]
Modelling Tips to Prevent Meshing Errors
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]

In addition to the meshing principles the following are the tips to keep in mind while modelling they will help prevent meshing errors and get the modelling up and
running as quickly as possible. These are common to all software developed by INDUCTA. What is a suitable degree of accuracy that is capturing the structure's true
structural response and does not take a very long time to run? During the prelminary design stage it may be desirable to get the models running faster with less
accuracy. The degree of accuracy in the architectural file is far greater than what is need in the structural model for example. Getting a model to run at the degree of
accuracy with every little architectural detail modelled will be extremely time consuming and not possible in some cases and modelling every detail is not necessary to
capture the structures true behaviour and produce a structural design.
Preparation of the CAD and REVIT files before input with the following tips in mind will greatly reduce the modelling time and time needed to clean up any meshing
errors.
l Round off Geometry
It is highly recommend that this step is performed in every model.

It is suggest that the user rounds off the geometry lines immediately after importing ALL the geometry from the CAD files. This can be done by selecting an
appropriate option from the main menu [ Tools > Round Off Geometry ]. For most designs, rounding off the geometry to 2 decimal places (e.g.. to the nearest
10 mm) is sufficient without sacrificing accuracy.
The image below is an example of what geometry might be when first imported from a CAD drawing. This is undesirable and the user is advised to round off the
geometry.
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The geometry in CAD may have very high accuracy, allowing many decimal places. This is a common cause of meshing errors. Rounding off geometry makes it
much easier to clean up most of the meshing errors and often helps to avoid them in the first place. Additionally, even if no meshing errors are present, the
extreme accuracy of the geometry imported directly from CAD may cause increased runtime and numerical instability in the model.
Some elements may produce a meshing error even if they are not visibly misaligned, however the high precision of the coordinates in the CAD drawing will
make them indistinguishable on the screen. Rounding off geometry is a convenient way to automatically fix this type of error, illustrated by the image below.
The ends of the walls above and below the slab look aligned at first glance, however their coordinates do not match, resulting in a close node error.
The user needs to pay attention to the geometry when rounding off, as sometimes rounding off geometry may lead to unexpected results. In the image below,
the intersection point of 2 diagonal geometry lines is lost. The way to fix it would be to create an intersection node:
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Creating an intersection node ensures that the intended geometry is preserved:
If the Round off Geometry operation causes the total number of slab zones to change, the software will display a warning message and an option to abort the
geometry changes.
If a another element is imported from CAD after rounding off then that element can be rounded of individually by selecting it then using the Round off
Geometry tool.
l Reality may sometimes get sacrificed to get the model to run smoothly
Some very fine geometrical features may be exceedingly difficult to model within the software without producing a meshing error. We advice that the user
always try to produce simpler, cleaner geometry. The accuracy of the model will not be affected these by very small changes, but the model will run smoother
and without producing erratic results.
In the image below, the error was caused by the complex geometry line wrapping around the wall element. The geometry was simplified by removing several
nodes. The results will not be affected.
The following few points are specific examples of this broader principle.
l Snap geometry lines to centrelines of the wall
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This will produce simpler, cleaner geometry, which will be easier to handle in our software. The recommended approach is shown in the following image:
l Make sure the walls and beams meet at their endpoints
In the first image above, the walls are drawn as one would intuitively draw them, so that their visible perimeter is the same as it is in reality. However, this is not
the correct way to model adjacent walls in our software. Since Finite Element nodes are created at the endpoint of each wall, the correct way to model the
adjacent walls is to make sure that the walls meet at their endpoints. If the walls are intersecting, make sure that one walls endpoint is exactly at the centreline
of the other wall.
l Use one geometry line where one is needed
This will result in a simpler geometry that will be easier for the software to handle. Depending on import method/snap settings used, two geometry lines may
be close enough to each other on the screen to appear as a single line, but if they are not aligned precisely, the meshing error will be produced.
In the image below, the close node errors were produced by 2 misaligned lines. If the geometry was simplified, the errors would be avoided.
l Use snap to edge only when orthogonal is switched on
Snap to edge is a useful snap setting, however it may produce unexpected results when used incorrectly. The elements will snap to a point on the existing edge,
but this may produce minute offsets. We therefore recommend that orthogonal mode is switched on by pressing O on the keyboard when using snap to edge
snapping mode.
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The close node error in the following image was produced because the highlighted geometry line was drawn using snap to edge mode. Visibly it is connected to
the centre point of the column, however the snap setting has produced coordinates that are slightly off, resulting in a meshing error.
l Don't rush, its quicker to set the model up right than it is to get everything in quickly and fix later.
Modelling can be the most time-consuming and tedious aspect of designing a structure, but if the preparation is done right, then the time spent modelling and
fixing up errors is reduced significantly and the user can get accurate results faster. We advice that the user takes time to make sure the model is set up
correctly and all the meshing errors have been eliminated prior to the analysis.
[ RCB > Modelling > Building Models > Mesh > Additional Considerations for RCB ]
Additional Considerations for RCB
[ RCB ]
In RCB there is the additional consideration / added level of complexity of meshing to vertical elements (columns and walls) above and below a current floor. Adding a
level of complexity introduces new potential pitfalls so care must be taken to set up the model neatly. In some cases this might mean that the true location of column
or wall must be changed so that the software can mesh without any errors.
In the screen shots below a floor from an RCB model is shown. The columns and walls above have been modelled as being in the same X plane and Y plane as
necessary. The Set As Master Feature was used to move them into the exact X or Y coordinate. By default the geometry lines of the floor below are visible as show in
the screenshot but RCB does not mesh to geometry lines of the floor below.
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R/C Building: Common Transfer Floor with Columns / Walls Above / Below
Note that walls and columns do not have to line up exactly, the software should be able to handle offsets of the vertical elements up to a point. The minimum amount
of offset that can be handled is dependent on the size of the mesh that is used. In the screenshot below a column above (hatched) is offset from the column below
(solid) by 50 mm in the X direction. When a 1 m mesh is used a close-node error occurs at the column location as this size of mesh cannot handle that degree of
precision. When the mesh size is reduced to 0.5 m then there are no close-node errors. The meshing time and the run time will be greater with the smaller mesh size.
The other alternative is to leave the mesh size at 1m and simply align the columns above/below directly as this small offset will have negligible effects on the final
results. The same principle applies to walls.
Left: 1 m mesh with close-node error (fast run - time)

Centre: 0.5 m mesh with no errors (slower run - time)
Right: 1 m mesh with no errors (fast run - time) - Columns aligned above / below
[ RCB > Modelling > Building Models > Mesh > Cleaning up Meshing Errors ]
Cleaning up Meshing Errors
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
Coming soon.
[ RCB > Modelling > Building Models > Centroids ]
Centroids
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[ RCB ]
When the finite element mesh is generated so to is the slab thickness on each floor. The structure now has mass and the centroid can be reviewed vertical and lateral
loading applied to the structure.
l Mass Centroid
l Earthquake Force Centroid
l Wind Force Centroid
l Shear Centroid
l Segmented Floor
[ RCB > Modelling > Building Models > Centroids > Mass Centroid ]
Mass Centroid
[ RCB ]
RCB automatically calculates the theoretical Mass Centroids for each floor based on the model geometry and the combination for gravity loading which is set in the
Model and Solver Settings .
The"Load Combination for Gravity Load" is the Load Combination which use to evaluate the total floor mass and the theoretical location of floor mass centres. All the
vertical loadings in this load combination, which must include the self weight, are use to evaluate the total floor mass and the theoretical location of floor mass
centres.
The location of the theoretical Floor Mass Centroids for each floor are listed in the "Lateral Load Location" table (see picture below). The table is available from [ Tools
Tab > Show > Floor Centroid ].
The user cannot edit the theoretical locations of the Mass Centroids. The theoretical Mass Centroids are calculated by RCB. (see the columns Mass Centre X and Y, in
the table above)
Mass Centroids are identical for all Load Cases.
[ RCB > Modelling > Building Models > Centroids > Earthquake Force Centroid ]
Earthquake Force Centroid
[ RCB ]
During dynamic events, such as an earthquakes, each floor diaphragm of the building will vibrate horizontally. This vibrations will apply some acceleration on the
mass of the structure, which will generate some horizontal earthquake forces. ( Acceleration x Mass = Force) If we assume that the floors are a rigid diaphragms
in their own plane, then we may lump the mass of each floor at a single point. RCB software can evaluate automatically the location of the point where the floor mass
is lumped. That is the point where the horizontal earthquake force will act.
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If the floor loading is evenly spread over the entire floor then the point where the earthquake force will act is identical to the the theoretical floor Mass Center .
However, it is very likely that the gravity load may not be evenly distributed across the floor, and therefore we have to include some accidental eccentricity on the floor mass
location. This is a typical requirement in almost any national earthquake design code. So, for each floor some mass eccentricity is evaluated and the theoretical mass centroid is
"shifted" to a new location, called Earthquake (EQ) Force Centroid. (see table below) Now, the new shifted mass centroid is located at the EQ Force Centroid. It is assumed that at
this point the horizontal earthquake forces will be applied.
There are four alternative method to evaluate the Earthquake (EQ) Force Centroid:
Mass Center (no eccentricity) AUTO
Mass Center with Eccentricity AUTO
User Defined Location DEFINED BY THE USER
Spread Evenly Over Entire Floor AUTO
Earthquake (EQ) Force Centroids
When the "Mass Center with Eccentricity " option is selected by the user, the mass will be "shifted" away from Shear Centroids in order to produce the largest possible global
torsion of the building. Basically, the software will evaluate the theoretical location of the mass centroid and the location of the shear centroid, and then it will evaluate the new
location of the earthquake (EQ) forces by shifting the mass centroid away from the shear centroid. This shift will generate the largest, worst case, global torsion on the building.
This shift is required by the Earthquake Loading Design Codes.
Note that the EQ Force Centroids may have different values for different Basic Load Cases. For instance, in Basic Load Case 6 we want to shift the EQ Force Centroids away from the
shear centroid. But, in Basic Load Case 7 we want to shift the EQ Force Centroids close to the shear centroid. When the EQ Force Centroids is shifted away from the shear center,
the horizontal earthquake force will generate larger torsion of the building, but it will apply smaller forces on the principal shear wall. But, when the EQ Force Centroids is shifted
close the shear center, the horizontal earthquake force will generate smaller torsion of the building, but it will apply larger forces on the principal shear wall. Strictly speaking we
have to consider both alternative, but this approach will produce a larger number of load combinations. Some, rationalization of the mass "shift" may be more practical. This
selection can be made on the Earthquake Forces Calculator, available from the main menu [ Input Tab > Loading > Lateral Loads ].
When the "Mass Center with Eccentricity" is selected in the Earthquake Forces Calculator the user can select that the mass "shift" is evaluated automatically to
produce the largest global torsion, or it can be either +ve or -ve, for different load cases.
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Mass Center Eccentricity Options
By default the earthquake loads are assumed to be applied at a location away from the theoretical mass centroid for each floor, as follows:
+0.1b for AS1170.4
+0.05b for EC8 and TDY2007
1.5es+0.05b for PNGS1001
Where b is the plan dimension of the structure at right angles to the direction of the action and es is the distance from the centre of rigidity to the centre of mass.
When "Mass Centre" option is selected then the software will apply the earthquake (EQ) force at the same location as the the theoretical Mass Centroid of each floor.
Normally, R/C Building software assumes that each floor is made of one rigid diaphragm. It also assumes that there is one lumped mass for each floor. But, when a model consists of
one or more tower buildings on a common podium and the lateral loads are to be applied at either the "Mass Centre" or "Mass Centre + Eccentricity", then each tower must be
analysed independently in order to calculate the Earthquake loads. If the model is to be analysed as several towers on a common podium, then the option "Spread Evenly Over
Entire Floor" from the drop down list labelled "Earthquake Force Location" needs to be selected. This setting instructs the software that the lateral load is to be spread evenly over
each independent floor plate for each tower contained within the model.
The user may select the "User Defined Location" option in order to overwrite the values calculated by RCB software. This option gives the user a complete control over the
location of the Earthquake (EQ) Force Centroids.
For the purpose of frequency analysis the floor mass is assumed to be located at the Earthquake (EQ) Force Centroids (more...)
Example:
In the following example, there are EQ loads applied to load cases 3 and 4.
When Mass Centre is selected: EQ Force Centroid is at the Mass centre of the floor. This applies to all load cases.
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When Mass Centre with Eccentricity (0.1b,Auto) is selected, RCB calculates automatically the worst case which will create the torsion and puts the EQ there, it can be either +0.1b or
-0.1b. By default, this applies to all load cases, unless the EQ locations are changed per load case by user.
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Also, user can select the location of EQ per load case. In that case, the location is changed from [Input Tab > Loading > Lateral Load Magnitudes] and it only applies to the selected
load case.
Load case:4. Ey (+0.1b)
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Load case: 4. Ey (-0.1b)
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[ RCB > Modelling > Building Models > Centroids > Wind Force Centroid ]
Wind Force Centroid
[ RCB ]
Wind loads in each orthogonal direction (X and Y) are automatically applied to the faces of each floor at geometric centres. For buildings with height above ground
larger than 70m, the wind loads in each orthogonal direction (X and Y) are applied to the geometric centres +0.2b eccentricity (AS-1170.2-2011, Clause 2.5.4). The
location of the Wind Forces can be displayed on the screen by selecting [ Tools Tab > Show > Floor Centroid ], as shown in the following screen shot:
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Wind loads do not need to be calculated in order to shown the location at which they will be applied, and the user cannot override the coordinates produced by the
software, as shown in the screen shot below;
[ RCB > Modelling > Building Models > Centroids > Shear Centroid ]
Shear Centroid
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[ RCB ]
Definition
A Shear Centroid is is defined as a unique point on the floor where if a horizontal force is applied it will not generate any floor rotation. In other words, if a horizontal
force is applied at the Shear Centroid it will generate only translational movement of the floor plate, without any rotation. (see picture below). If the same horizontal
force is applied at any other point it will produce horizontal translation and some rotation of the floor plate. The location of the Shear Centroid is defined by the size
and location of the columns and walls below the floor.
Shear Centroid in RCB
Shear centroids can be displayed for both the current level and the level below. The shear centroid are automatically calculated by the software. The location of the
shear centroids on each floor is based on the location and dimension of the columns and walls supporting that floor.
The Shear Centroid locations can be displayed on screen by selecting [ Tools Tab > Show > Floor Centroid ] from the Main Menu, as shown in the sample screen shot
below.
Also, the Shear Centroids for all level can be shown in a table, by selecting [ Input Tab > Loading > Lateral Load Locations ]
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The shear centroids are used for determining the location of the earthquake force on each floor. The software will automatically shift the earthquake force location
from the theoretical mass centroid to the new location relative the the shear centroid. Firstly, the software will evaluate the theoretical location of the mass centroid
and the location of the shear centroid and then it will evaluate the new location of the earthquake forces by shifting the mass centroid away from the shear centroid.
This location is the EQ Force Centroid. This shift will generate a larger global torsion of the building than by simply applying the earthquake forces at the theoretical
mass centroid. This shift is typically required by national earthquake loading and design codes.
[ RCB > Modelling > Building Models > Centroids > Segmented Floor ]
Segmented Floor
[ RCB ]
When any floor in a building model is segmented, made of several independent zones, the lateral load cannot be applied at the floor centroid. (see picture below)
Segmented Floor
In such a case the "Lateral Load Location" has to be set to "Spread Evenly over Entire Floor".
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However, this approach might be too crude for Wind Loading, because when the model is made of several towers, the wind load has to be evaluated individually and applied
individually on each tower. In such case the lateral wind load has to be applied manually as horizontal line load on each floor for each tower individually. ( See end of Wind chapter
>>> )
[ RCB > Modelling > Building Models > Check Model Geometry ]
Check Model Geometry
[ RCB ]
l Check Slab Geometry

l Check Thickness and Pressure
l Check Material Properties
[ RCB > Modelling > Building Models > Check Model Geometry > Check Slab Geometry ]
Check Slab Geometry
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
The Slab Geometry Lines that are contained within a model can be checked in detail for any errors such as off-sets or misalignments with other elements that are
contained in the model by running [ Tools Tab > General > Mesh Check ] from the Main Menu.
The software will present an input box that allows the user to set a tolerance. It is recommended to run the check with 0.1m and then 0.05m as the tolerance setting.
If there are any potential errors in the geometry, the software will present a table in the top left corner of the Working Area as shown in the screen shot below;
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When the user clicks on the co-ordinates that are displayed in the table, [for example in the screen shot above: (33.08,57.46)] then the software will automatically
zoom to the location of the errors as shown in the screen shot below;
The same error is shown in the following screen shot, however for clarity the zoom has been magnified to identify the type of errors that has been detected - in this
case the slab geometry line that was imported is slightly too long and does not align correctly to form a corner.
If the user now clicks the buttom in the table lebelled as 'fix it' the software will try and resolve the error automatically. In this situation the software recognised the
type of error and correctly modified the geometry by clipping the Geometry Line so the lines align forming a 90 degree corner, as shown in the screen shot below;
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If the software can not automatically fix any geometry errors correctly when the 'fix it' button is pressed, the user can press the 'undo' button.
[ RCB > Modelling > Building Models > Check Model Geometry > Check Thickness and Pressure ]
Check Thickness and Pressure
[ RCB ]
When a model is analysed using the latest version of RCB, an internal check is automatically performed to confirm that the user has entered a slab zone thickness that
is different to the default (set as 0.2m) for all slab zones in the model. If the thickness of a slab zone is intended to be 0.2m, then once the user selects the particular
slab zones the software will 'flag' these zones as not a default thickness.
The software will also check that all the slab zones in a model have a pressure load applied for all Load Cases that have been assigned a label. A report can be
displayed showing a summary of the checking procedure by selecting [ Reports > Structure Overview > Thickness / Pressure].
[ RCB > Modelling > Building Models > Check Model Geometry > Check Material Properties ]
Check Material Properties
[ RCB ]
Using the Material per Level form the materials can be quickly reviewed for the entire model. If there is a variation in the structural element type then an " * " symbol
will be shown. The Material Types per Level window can be used to set the types and to review them too.
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The material can also be viewed in the working area floor by floor by selecting "Colour Wall / Column / Beam / Slab by Type" in the View Tab.
[ RCB > Modelling > Structural Elements ]
Structural Elements
[ RCB ]
l Slabs
l Beams
l Columns
l Walls
l Steel Cross Bracing
l Footings & Slab on Ground
l Piles
l Assigning Types to Structural Elements
[ RCB > Modelling > Structural Elements > Slabs ]
Slabs
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[ RCB ]
l Geometry
l Structure
l How to Model Ramps
l How to Pin Slab to Shear Wall
l Offsets
[ RCB > Modelling > Structural Elements > Slabs > Geometry ]
Geometry
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
Geometry lines are used to define the slab perimeter, areas of different thickness and areas of different loading (if not using area loads). The areas bound by the
geometry lines can be selected only after the finite element mesh has been generated. Geometry lines are created by pressing the "Slab" button under the Home Tab.
The image below represents a series of simplified CAD drawings of a typical floor within a residential building that would be used as a basis to generate the floor.
Geometry lines are used to define the areas of different thickness and loading.
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The screenshot below is of the geometry lines used to define these various areas of interest in the INDUCTA software. The only requirement the user needs to input
into the software is a minimum of one 'closed' perimeter. In this example the outer perimeter is 'closed' allowing the rest of the slab geometry to be entered exactly
as shown in the diagram 'Super Position of Geometry and Loading'.
The screen below shows the slab zones coloured according to the thickness assigned. It is important to note that the user entered the thickness of each zone AFTER
the mesh has been generated.
The screen below shows the slab zones coloured according to the applied pressure in Load Case 1 (Dead Load). As for the slab zone thickness, it is important to note
that the user entered the pressure load for each zone AFTER the mesh has been generated.
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The input of the pressure load for Load Case 2 is the same as for Load Case 1 that is described above. The screen shot below shown the slab zones coloured according
to the pressure load applied to Load Case 2 (Live Load).
[ RCB > Modelling > Structural Elements > Slabs > Structure ]
Structure
[ RCB ]
Slab Structure Types Input table is available under [ Input Tab > Material Types > Slab Structure Types (Ribs) ] from the Main Menu and the user can set the type of
slab structure that is to be used. The default type is two-way flat slab.
There are four types of slab structure as shown in the picture below:
1. Two-Way Flat Slabs

2. One-Way Flat Slabs
3. One-Way Ribbed Slabs
4. Two-Way Ribbed Slabs
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Two-Way Flat Slabs: By default, all slab panels are created as two-way flat slabs and similarly the default table's first type is two-way flat slab. User can change the
table as it is needed.
One-Way Flat Slabs: In order to define a one-way flat slab, the angle (deg. to the global X) of the one-way action (primary direction) and the "k" factor is needed. "k"
factor defines how much weaker the slab will behave in the the secondary direction. Ex: k=500 means that the slab will be 500 times weaker in the secondary
direction compared to the primary direction. "k" factor is between 1 and 500.
One-Way or Two-Way Ribbed (Waffle) Slabs: In order to define ribbed slabs, the angle (deg. to the global X) of the ribs (primary direction) and the moment of inertias
in both primary and secondary directions are needed. Those properties, as well as the effective (equivalent) thickness of the ribbed slabs can be calculated
automatically by the software if the dimensions of the ribs are defined. Those numbers can be changed by users if the ribbed slabs are not concrete only (ex: brick
blocks between ribs).The dimensions of the ribs can be entered on the 'Rib Library' panels as shown below and the custom dimensions can be added to the library for
frequent use.
Angle:
Note that each slab structure type needs to have a label. The slab structure types which don't have a label will be removed from the table when the OK button is
pressed.
Once the slab structure types, which will be used in the model, are defined, they can be assigned to the slab types. Each slab type is associated with one material type
and one slab structure type. See also: Element Types.
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Note: A quick way to change the slab structure type of a slab panel is to select the slab panel, to right click on the mouse and select one of the slab structure types
from the list as shown below:
Slab Structure Type Indicators
[ RCB > Modelling > Structural Elements > Slabs > How to Model Ramps ]
How to Model Ramps
[ RCB ]
INDUCTA software cannot directly model ramps as an element connecting two different levels. This is because if a ramp element is introduced in a 3D building model,
it will connect two levels in a diagonal line, and because of its geometry the ramp will act as a very stiff element for lateral movement, and consequently it will attract
large portion of the lateral load. So, the lateral forces, such as wind and earthquake, will be applied on the ramp, instead of the shear walls. Because of this effect, our
approach is not to model ramps connecting two levels.
Instead, the recommended approach to simulate the effect of a ramp element is to model the ramp as a flat slab zone with small gap along both sides, in order to
force one way action. In this way the ramp will not attract any lateral load, but it will be included in the overall weight of the structure.
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[ RCB > Modelling > Structural Elements > Slabs > How to Pin Slab to a Shear Wall ]
How to Pin Slab to a Shear Wall
[ RCB ]
There are two ways to model this situation in RCB:
l Make a joint in the slab surrounding the shear core:
Note that you will need to model the slab at the shear core. Make sure you turn on Short Beams into Joints under [ Settings Tab > Model and Solvers ].
l Model a very thin slab around the shear core:
[ RCB > Modelling > Structural Elements > Slabs > Offsets ]
Offsets
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[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
Overview
The slab offset is a property of a slab zone that is available after meshing. By default the offset property is set to 0 m and this value means that the centreline of all
slab zones are aligned. Offset value are offsets from this centreline. In SLB and RCB this property is invisible by default as it is not necessary for most applications of
the software. In PTD offsets are needed if tendons are to be run through steps in the slab and to have the correct profiles and tendon uplift. If the user has
forgotten to input slab offsets the top of the slabs will be flattened when the analysis is run.
The reason why it is typically not needed in SLB and RCB is that the INDUCTA software performs 2D thin plate finite element analysis. The thickness of the slab is
important and it is considered however the slabs steps are not. It is assumed that the slab will be detailed to ensure full continuity of the internal forces through the
slab steps. If this is not possible or if the steps start becoming very large then a joint will need to be modelled. So in SLB and RCB slab offsets are not needed.
By default the offset property is hidden in SLB or RCB. It can be switched on under [ Settings > Viewing Options > Slab > Offsets ]. The only application where slab
offsets will be needed in RCB is if the user is exporting the floor to .dxf format and the steps need to be visible [ Import / Export > CAD Export > Prepare Floor &
Export to CAD ] or if the user is performing a Batch Export and Run to PTD for a Preliminary Design: With Tendons. If performing a batch export to PTD and the user
has not input any slab offsets in RCB then the PTD software will automatically flatten the top of the slab at the time of the analysis.
Top: Default slab offsets in INDUCTA Software.
Btm: Offset values needed to get the top of the slab flat.
Flatten Slab: Example
The following example will show how to flatten top top and soffit of a slab around a balcony. When [ Tools > Show slab Steps > Top ] is pressed we can see that the
default centreline offset of 0 m is producing far from the desired result. Note, is this is the RCB or SLB software the "Show Slab Steps" button is not visible until offsets
are switched on under [ Settings > Viewing Options > Slab > Offsets ].
Desired Slab Step
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Default Step in Top of Slab when "Offset" property of each slab is equal to "0"
To flatten the top of the slab the user could manually calculate the values to offset the slabs from each other's centrelines and modify the "Offset" property of each
slab zone or they could use the [ Set as Master > Align Top or Bottom Tool ] which will be much simpler.
The first step is to flatten the top of all of the slabs as outlined below. The slab must be meshed so the slab zones can be selected.
Select and then right click a slab zone preferable with the largest area on the floor and select "Set as Master"
Select all other slab zones quickly using the select by type tool. Select by Type > Slab Zones > All Slab Zones > Exit
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With all zones selected, 1. right click inside any of them and select "Flatten Zones" then 2. input "1" and press "OK" to flatten the top of the slab.
To confirm that the operation was performed successfully the user can press [ Tools > Show Slab Steps > Top ] and should not see anything as the entire top of the
slab should be flattened. If a slab zone is selected, that is not the master, values should be populated in the offset property. Next the balcony slabs will be lowered
by flattening the soffits of the various slab zones as shown below.
Select balcony slab zones 1 & 2, right-click and 3. press "Flatten Zones" and this time input "2" and press OK to flatten the soffit.
Tools > Show Slab Steps > Top: slabs OK but beams No Good.
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Press [ ESC ] to clear the previous master zone, right click and set the internal band beam as a new one as shown above.
Select the other two external band beams, right click on one of them, select "Flatten Zones", input "2" to flatten the soffit.
Tools > Show Slabs Steps > Top
To visually check that the slab steps are correct launch the 3D viewer in the Home or Tools Tab.
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[ RCB > Modelling > Structural Elements > Beams ]
Beams
[ RCB ]
l Beam Line Element

l Band Beam
l Header Beams
[ RCB > Modelling > Structural Elements > Beams > Beam (Line Beam) ]
Beam (Line Beam)
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
Beam Elements (Line Beams) can be defined either along the slab panel edges or anywhere inside slab panels. The line beams can only have a rectangular cross
section. They are created by pressing the beam button in the Home Tab under modelling or using the short cut [ B ] . The beam is then defined by pressing two points
in the working area to define its start and end point. This element should typically be used for beams that are deeper than they are wide, unless modelling in PTD and
tendons are to be run through the beam. See Band Beams for more information.
Beam Element (Line beam)
The orthogonal mode tool contained in the Home Tab [ O ] can be used to assist to create beam elements that are parallel (or perpendicular) to the X or Y axes. Beam
elements can also be imported from a CAD file.
A Line Beam Element is connected to the rest of the structure only at the Nodal Points located along its centre-line (see picture below) The mesh Nodal Points are
generate when the finite elements mesh is created.
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Beam Connected to the Slab in 9 Nodal Points
Beam properties may be viewed by selecting a beam. Once a beam is selected, the section properties may be changed in the property table.
Beam Properties Table
Beam elements can be deleted by selecting one or more beams and either pressing the 'delete' key or clicking on the delete icon on the Main Task bar.
During the analysis, it is assumed that the slab and the beams work together, forming T sections. In the analytical model the beam element is one dimensional
element, a line with bending stiffness attached to the 2D plate finite elements of the slab panels. The vertical offset of the beams is considered by calculating the
moment of inertia about an axis located. It is important to note that the torsional stiffness of beam elements are not considered. Please refer to Beam Vertical Offset
for more information.
Beam Section
In some cases there will be a small bending moment at the ends of a simply supported beam. Normally, it is expected that at a pinned support the value of the
bending moment should be zero. However, when a beam is connected to a slab a small moment can be generated due to the large difference between the stiffness of
the slab and the beam.
An upturn beam is defined by entering ve section depth in the beam property table.
[ RCB > Modelling > Structural Elements > Beams > Beam (Line Beam) > Beam Vertical Offset ]
Beam Vertical Offset
[ RCB ]
Beam vertical offset can be changed from [Settings Tab > Model and Solver]. The setting is global and applies to all line beams in the model.
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Model and Solver Settings for Beam Vertical Offset
There are five options for vertical offset:
l vertical offset: 0.5D

l vertical offset: 0.25D
l no vertical offset
l T section, 3*W
l T section, 5*W
No vertical offset:
Beam with no vertical offset
Moment of inertia of the beam with respect to the system line of the slab (same as the centroid of the beam in this case):
Vertical offset: 0.5D
Beam with vertical offset of 0.5D
Moment of inertia of the beam with respect to the system line of the slab :
Vertical offset: 0.25D
Beam with vertical offset of 0.25D
Moment of inertia of the beam with respect to the system line of the slab :
Vertical offset to the cetroid of the T section with a flange width of 3w (or 5w)
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T Beam with a flange width of 3w. Vertical offset at the centroid of T section
The centroid of the T section:
Moment of inertia of T section (IT = Islab,cc + Ibeam_web,cc) with respect to its centroid:
In order to get the above mentioned moment of inertia at the system line of the slab, the beam vertical offset (s) will be:
[ RCB > Modelling > Structural Elements > Beams > Band Beam (Wide Beam) ]
Band Beam (Wide Beam)
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
Overview
In INDUCTA software there are two types two ways to model beams, as Line Beams or as Band Beams. Typically beams with depth greater than the width should be
modelled using the Line Beam Element and beams with width greater than depth should be modelled as Band beams. Line Beams have stifness in the one direction
along the length of the beam and band beams exhibit behviour of both conventional beams (one-way stiffness) and a plate element (two-way bending). Band Beams
therefore are modelled as thickened slab zones and, as they exhibit behaviour of both slabs and beams, must be designed taking into consideration the requirements
for both slabs and beams.
The orange Wide Beam element [ V ] is simply an integration tool over the specified length and width over whihc the wide beam is drawn and does not form part of the structure. It
is the thickend slab zone that provides the band beams strucutre. Line beams ( a line of stiffness applied to the slab along the yellow beam element's centre ) and band beams ( a
thickedned slab zone ) will produce different results when modelling a beam of the same dimensions.
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Band Beam Made of Thicker Slab Panels
Input
As the band beam is a thickened slab zone it is defined by drawings its perimeter using Geometry Lines. After the finite element mesh is generated the thickness can be assigned by
selecting the slab zone.
Band Beam Modelled as Thicker Slab
The orange Wide Beam can be drawn before or after the analysis and will not affect the results as it is simply an intergration tool. It can be defined using one of the methods
outlined below and, after the analysis is complete, the area defined in the wide beam will be designed as a beam by going to the Results Tab > Beams > Wide Beam.
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During the preliminary desing stage while trying to determine the width and depth of the beams the user can model the band beams as yellow line beam elements keeping in mind
the yellow beam element will typically be stiffer then once resutls that are acceptable are achieved convert them to geometry lines and analyse it as a band beam. This will be much
faster in the preliminasty stage than shifting geometry line to change to beam width.
Wide Beam Over a Band Beam
Defining Band Beams
With the model is meshed and the thickned slab zone of the band beam input the band beam can be designed using the wide beam tool one of two methods as shown above can be
used.
Define Two Points
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Modelling Considerations
It is important to understand how the software treats the two types of beams and how this will influence the results. Yellow line beams are line of stiffness are applied to the slab
along the beam's centreline. These should be used to model beams that are deeper than they are long and represent "conventional" beams where the majority of the stifness is in
the one direction. The band beam is modelld as a thickened slab zone as it will exhibit behaviour of both a slab and a beam as it is acting in both directions. If band beams are to be
cast-in-situ concrete then they should always be set as two-way. The capaity in the seconday direction will have a significant influence on the strucutres defelcitons.
In INDUCTA software the band beam will be treated as a slab and as a result it will have only marginally high bending moments and steel compared to the surrounding slab zones.
This is beceasue the thickende slab zone forms an integral part of the two-way membrane that forms the slab plate and as the software is based on plate finite element theory there
may be less steel in the beam and more in the slab when compared to one-way beam theory. The user has the option of artifically increasing the stiffenss of the band beam element
by changing it's stiffness factors which factors its elastic modulus (selecting he slab zone and changing the factor in the slab zones properties) if in SLB or PTD or by assigning a stiffer
material property in RCB. See Plate Theory vs One - Way beam Theory for more information.
Line Beams are conventional beams with depth greater then width and have their stiffness predominantly along the length of the beam. For instance a Line Beam
can have a section of 400mm wide x 600mm deep. In this case we can use the Beam tool to generate the this type of line beams. Line beams are connected to the
rest of the slab at the nodal points located along its center-line. The width of the beam is ignored in the overall geometry of the slab. The width of the Line Beams is
relatively small in comparisons to the slab span, and therefore this approximation will not influence the results. Traditionally, reinforced concrete beams are
constructed to be relatively narrow with greater depth than width. For instance a traditional beam will be 300mm to 400mm wide and 600mm to 800mm deep. These
types of beams should be modelled as beam line elements. We recommend that the maximum width of a line beam element is not more than 800mm.
The Band Beams are wide an shallow, for instance: 1,600mm wide x 350mm deep. Sometimes, the Band Beams can be as wide as 2,400mm. In such case we cannot
use Line Beams because we cannot ignore the beam section width. In INDUCTA software Band Beams are created as ticker slab panels. So, the user has to define a
slab zone for each Band Beam and assign an appropriate slab thickness. During the analysis the Band Beams will be modeled as plate elements, and they will be
analyzed as a slab with increased thickness.
However, user should note that the beams wider than 2000mm may not work as a single section, and also the results of beams wider than 2400mm should be
checked with alternative methods.
It is important to note that Wide Beam elements are NOT included as a structural element in an INDUCTA software model, but they are only used as a method to
extract the results from the thicker slab panels.
During the analysis, the slab zones making up the Band Beams will be subdivided into plate finite elements and they will be treated as a thick slab. The ticker slab
panels will not attract much larger internal actions, i.e. the bending moments in the Band Beams will be just fractionally larger than the surrounding slab.
Consequently the Band Beams will attract slightly larger internal forces than the slab. This contradicts the traditional definition of a beam, which is treated as a line
support and it therefore it will attract much larger internal forces.
In INDUCTA software there is a Slab Type property, which will allow the user to assign a material with larger modulus of elasticity in order to artificially increase the
stiffness of the Band Beams (ticker slab panels). Now, the bending moments will be larger in these slab zones, and therefore there will be a larger amount of
reinforcement in the Band Beams. This will bring the Band Beam results closer to the manual approach, where the Band Beams are designed separately and the entire
load from the slab is applied onto the Band Beams.
Each Wide Beam in an INDUCTA software model can take on a different value for the Span Sub-division parameter. This parameter defines how many sections the
software will generate between each span when the results are extracted for the Wide Beam. In general, a higher number of sub-divisions will yield smoother results
along the Wide Beam.
Once the model is analysed, the Wide Beam results can be extracted by selecting [ Results > Wide Beam Load Case/Combination ]
[ RCB > Modelling > Structural Elements > Beams > Header Beams ]
Header Beams
[ RCB ]
This section outlines the various ways to model header beam in RCB. It is recommended that the following sections are read first:
l Walls
l Deep Beams (walls)
In shear walls, especially lift core walls, the Header Beams above the doorways have a key role in the distribution and resisting the lateral loading. A Header Beam is a
very short but relatively stiff element connecting the walls segments.
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Header Beam in Shear Walls
Normally, the shear walls take a substantial amount of the later load, and the role of the header beam is to keep together the heavily loaded wall segments.
This role will generate a large shear forces in the Header Beam (see picture below).
Header Beam Shear Force
Header Beams can be analysed and designed in three alternative ways:
(1) Deep Beam using Finite Element method.
(2) Deep Beam using Strut-and-tie method.
(3) Ordinary beam element.
No 1: Finite Elements
In our opinion the most precise modelling of the Header Beams in RCB software is to consider the entire wall as a monolithic unit (wall with opening). The wall is
then automatically sub-divided in finite elements, and the internal stresses are calculated. This approach, by definition, should represent the walls
with openings most adequately, because there are no modelling approximations which could skew the internal force distribution. The walls with openings are 2D flat
structural elements, which include the header beam as an integral part, they work together as a single unit, and they are modelled as a single unit using finite
elements. This approach will provide the most reliable evaluation of the lift core stiffness and the internal stresses in the Header Beams.
The design of the lift core wall, inducing the Header Beams, can be performed by the Wall/Deep Beam module in RCB software. However, this module will design the
steel in the wall (horizontal and vertical bars) to take only the principal in-plane stresses. The stress design approach of the shear walls including the Header Beams
will provide sufficient steel to take all stresses in any direction, which includes the shear stress. Strictly speaking, this steel is sufficient for the wall and the Header
Beam, assuming that each bar, especially vertical bars are anchored adequately. However, it is hard to anchor the bars right above the doorway, and closed stirrup
should be used instead. (see picture below)
Traditionally the Header Beams are designed as ordinary beams and they are reinforced with longitudinal bars and closed stirrups. The design of the longitudinal bas
and the stirrups in the Header Beams can be performed manually as for an ordinary beam section using the bending moment and shear force extracted by integrating
of the stress results. (see picture below)
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No 2: Strut-and-tie
With this approach it is very hard to identify the load on a header beam if it is considered as an isolated element. Also strut-and-tie approach will give us a lot of steel
at the bottom of the section, which is inaccurate. Short beams work primarily in shear and not in bending and the results from strut-and-tie approach can be
misleading. The first problem is that the strut-and-tie may require a lot of steel in the bottom zone (the tie). However, this is not correct because the beam is an
integral part of the shear wall, and the horizontal sliding of the imaginary supports is prevented, so there is no need for any tie.e The other problem is that the strut-
and-tie cannot be used for later loading, which this a dominant role of the header beam. (see picture below). The strut and tie approach could be used for the entire
wall as a monolithic unit but the calculations become much longer and more complex.
Strut-and-Tie Approach
No 3: Ordinary Beam Connecting Wall Segments
This approach considers the Header Beam as an ordinary line beam element connecting the wall segments. This might not be correct either because the beam is an
integral part of a 2D wall, and for the analysis it is very hard do approximate it as an ordinary line beam. This approach will instantly introduce some modelling
approximation, such as the stiffness of the beam and the connection between the walls and the beam ends. These modelling approximations might have some
unpredictable effect on the results. The stiffness of the beam and more importantly the fixity of the beam ends to the walls segments will have significant influence
on the hear beam role in the entire structure, which will impact the distribution of all internal forces in all other elements. Although the Header Beams are very small,
they are very stiff and, their stiffness will influence the results in the entire structure. If ordinary beams are used it is recommended to extend the beams inside
the wall segment, in order to increase its stiffness. This beam extension may vary from 0.5 to 2.0 m or more. Without this extensions the beam is not adequately
connected to the wall segments, and it will not generate significant shear, as expected in a Header Beam. It is recommended to try several beam extension values, in
order to evaluate the sensitivity of the other results.
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Ordinary Beams with Extension
[ RCB > Modelling > Structural Elements > Columns ]
Columns
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
Columns elements provide vertical supports to the slab and are attached to the slab at one point - located at the centroid of each column cross section. A column will
restrain any vertical movement of the slab at that point.
Column sections that have a circular or rectangular/square section are referred to as 'simple sections'. These types of columns can be created either by importing
from a CAD file or manually by selecting the column drawing tool, entering the appropriate section size in the Property Input table and clicking on the working area.
Users can only generate column sections that are 'complex' by importing the section information from CAD. Examples of complex sections are shown below;
The properties of an existing column can be modified by selecting the column and changed by values in the property table.
When a column is created, the current column properties are assigned to the column. For rectangular columns the dimension A is the dimension parallel to the local
x-x axes and dimension B is along the local y-y axes. Column bending moment results are given in the local axes.
The fixity of the columns can be treated as pinned top and bottom, fixed top and bottom and fixed top and pinned bottom. A new addition to RCB is the option to set
a partial fixity as a percentage for each column element independently.
If the fixity condition is set to a pinned there will be no bending moment results for these columns. The length of the columns is taken from the storey height input
table.
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The location of column elements can be placed either on the slab edge or anywhere inside the slab perimeter. Column elements can be deleted by selecting one or
more columns and either pressing the 'delete' key or clicking on the delete icon on the Main Task bar.
The self weight of the columns in the model is automatically included in the reaction calculations for the particular Load Case specified by the user in the 'Load Case Labels'
input table available from the Main Menu [ Input Tab > Loading > Loading Labels and Factors > Basic Load Case Labels ]. The self weight calculations are based on the geometry of
the column section, height and material properties (density) entered by the user.
If the user assigns the 'Vertical Support' option in the Property Table to 'Yes' for particular columns, then the software to terminate the reaction on those columns. This setting is
mainly used for column elements that are located on the lowest floor of a model or columns that are not on the lowest level but will have footings constructed in order for the load
to be transferred to the ground.
[ RCB > Modelling > Structural Elements > Columns > Inclined Column ]
Inclined Column
[ RCB ]
In RCB software the column elements can be vertical or inclined. The vertical columns provide only vertical support, while the inclined columns provide vertical and
horizontal support at the same time. An inclined column will restrain the vertical and horizontal movement of the slab. Therefore, the inclined columns may develop
significant axial reactions due to lateral load on the building.
The Inclined columns are attached to the slabs above and below at points located at the centroid of the column cross sections.
Inclined Colums Tool
An inclined column is created by clicking on two pints on the screen. The 1st point will be on the lower (current) level, and the 2nd pint is on the upper level. The
direction of the inclined column will determine the orientation of the cress section, and the section dimensions A and B. (see picture below)
The inclined columns are identical in all other respect to the conventional vertical column. Once the inclined columns are modeled, the user does not need to take
any special consideration about this type of column element. The column design module will design the inclined column in the same manner as the vertical column.
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Inclined Columns
Inclined Columns Example
An inclined column can be created to go over several levels (see picture below). When an inclined column is created, before clicking on the 2nd point the [Shift] button has to be
pressed. Then, the software will prompt for the number of levels.
Inclined Column Over Several Levles
The internal forces for the inclined columns are listed in the Reaction Report. Also, once the Static Analysis reactions are shown on the screen, we can select any
inclined column, and we can examine all internal forces. (see picture below)
Inclined Column Results in Local and Global Axes
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Note the difference between the results in the local and global axes. The local axes are long the column centerline. While the global axis are (X,Y,Z) global coordinates
for the entire model.
N_loc - axial load in local the axes (along the column lenght)
N_glb - axial load in global Z direction (vertrical)
Inclined Columns Example
[ RCB > Modelling > Structural Elements > Columns > Rigid Link for Column Offset ]
Rigid Link for Column Offset
[ RCB ]
In RCB software the column elements are attached to the slab only at one point, at the centre of the columns. When there is no offset in the vertical column line, top
node of the column is attached to the bottom node of the other column on the floor above, and in such case there is full transfer of the column bending moment.
However, when there is a small offset of the vertical column line from one level to another, the columns are linked only trough the slab, and if the slab thickness is
small, there will not be full moment transfer. Although physically the column cross section overlap, in the RCB moles these columns are connected only via the slab,
which cannot fully transfer the column moment. This will result unto drop of the column moment a that location. (see picture below)
Column Offset
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Column Offset
In RCB there is a switch which can be used to introduce rigid links automatically between the column with small offsetsunder the Settings Tab > Model and Solvers
Settings. (see pictuee below)
When the rigid link option is used the column with small offset will have full moment transfer, as if the offset is not there at all (see pictures below).
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When "Rigid Link Column Offset" is used the model will reflect the behaviour physical structure more realistically. Note that this switch will influence all the results.
[ RCB > Modelling > Structural Elements > Walls ]
Walls
[ RCB ]
RCB software offers a comprehensive set of tools, which can be used to model, design and extract the internal forces and stresses of individual reinforced
concrete and load bearing masonry walls and wall groups, such as lift cores.
A Wall element is defined as rectangular flat structural element connecting two levels of the building. Each wall is defined with its start and end coordinates (the
length), thickness, fixity and type. Each wall type is associated with a specific set of material properties. ( Structural Elements: Element Types )
The Wall elements may have major openings such windows and doors. (see picture below)
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The Walls are defined in plane as a lines on the Current floor.
The walls, similarly like columns and beams, support the slab in the vertical direction and they are connected to the top and bottom slab along the entire length of
their centrelines. When the finite element mesh is generated, the software will automatically generate a series of nodal points along the wall centrelines. The number
of the nodes depends on the mesh size.
Wall Nodes Connecting the Slab
A wall element can be defined on the working area by pressing the Wall drawing tool button, and clicking on two points on the screen using the left mouse button.
The status of the snapping mode will determine how the coordinates of the wall are generated. The orthogonal mode tool contained in the Home Tab or with the
short cut [ O ] can be used to assist to create wall elements that are parallel (or perpendicular) to the X or Y axes. The walls are generated on the current (active)
floor, in a similar manner how they are shown in the architectural drawings. When a wall is created, it is automatically placed on top of the current (active) floor, and
a set of default properly values are associated to that wall. These properties may be changed at any time. An example the property table for the walls is showing
below:
Walls Properties Table
The In-plane Fixity in the wall property table applies only to the in-plane fixity, and it can be set individually for each wall. While, the out-of-plane fixity (wall
perpendicular stiffness) is a global settings on the Model and Solver Setting input panel under the Help Tab, and applies to all walls in the model.
When importing walls from a CAD file, the user needs to select the two parallel lines that define the wall geometry or a single line that represents the centre line of
the wall. The software will then use the position of the lines to determine the location of the wall in the model and also automatically calculate and assign the
thickness.
Wall elements can be deleted by selecting one or more walls and either pressing the 'delete' key or clicking on the delete icon on the Home Tab.
The self weight of the walls is automatically calculated and included in one basic Load Case selected by the user, based on the wall geometry and the associated
material properties.
In order to use the wall elements correctly a good understating how the walls are modelled in RCB software is necessary. It is especially important to understand the
interaction of the walls and the other structural elements, such as slabs, beams and columns.
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The walls can be modelled to be in a group, or as in individual element as shown in the screen shot below;
Wall Groups
Wall Groups in RCB can be treated in two ways:

1) All walls in the wall group are treated individually and the resultant internal forces in the wall group centroid are calculated after the analysis.
2) Adjacent walls in the wall group are connected to each other along the height of the wall, and the wall group is treated as a stiffer substructure. This option is
available from the 'Stitch Wall Group' setting from Model and Solvers. See more on 'Wall Group Stitch'.
Generally speaking, a wall is a 2D rectangular flat element, which can resist a number of external actions.
Axial Load
Out-of-plane
Moment
Shear
In-plane
Moment due to Lateral Movement
Shear due to Lateral Movement
Moment due to Bending as a Beam
Shear due to Bending as a Beam
Wall group is a 3D element, and it can resist a six external actions.

Wall Group External Actions:
Axial Load
Bending due to Lateral Movement in both directions
Shear due to Lateral Movement in both directions
Torsion about vertical axes (Mz)
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The torsion in wall group (Mz) is derived from the shear forces of individual walls in that group. If individual walls are designed adequately for shear forces, then the
walls group will be automatically reinforced for shear/torsion as well. Wall groups only need to be designed for moments and shear forces.
Internally, the wall elements in the RCB are automatically modelled with rectangular finite elements. With this approach all internal actions, in-plane and out-of-plane
are considered. This is particularly important when the walls are used to act as deep beams.
Each wall is attached to the rest of the structure as fully fixed along the top and bottom centrelines. In the figure below an example wall with a total of 14 connecting
nodes is shown. The number of the connecting nodes depends of the mesh size. Each wall has many more internal nodes, which are used to evaluate the detailed
stresses inside the wall.
Each node has 5 degrees of freedom, which are connected to the other structural elements along the top and bottom wall edges (as shown in the figure above). There
is a global switch called "Wall Perpendicular Stiffness" placed on the [Model and Solver Settings] input panel that can be used to eliminate the out-of plane actions.
When this switch is "Off", all walls in the model will be pinned in the out-of-plane direction, and they will not take any out-of-plane moments. When this switch is
"On" all walls in the model will take some out-of-plane moments.
The walls cannot be pinned for the in-plane actions as since the axial load and the in-plane moment are coupled, and this makes it impossible to 'eliminate' the in-
plane moment. Wall groups will always resist all five external actions shown above, even if all individual walls that below to the group are set to be pinned out-of-
plane (the group will still resist the bending moments on all directions).
Walls Perpendicular Stiffness
When the check box labelled 'Wall Perpendicular Stiffness' is not selected (not checked), all walls in the model will not take any out-of-plane actions. If this check box
is selected (checked), the software will fix all walls in the out-of-plane direction to the slab of the out-of-plane wall moments will be evaluated. This assumes that all
the walls will be designed as reinforced with 2 layers of steel in the vertical direction (double reinforced). However, since the walls have very small out-of-plane
bending stiffness the status of this switch will have only a minor effect on all other results.
Normally, the walls should not take any out-of-plane lateral load as the walls are designed to take the lateral load in their own plane. This is especially important for
walls with a single layer of reinforcement (which are not designed to take any load acting perpendicular to its plane). If this switch is 'Off', the software will not
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consider the stiffness of the walls in the perpendicular direction. This is significant only for the lateral load analysis. The effect of this switch on the gravity load is
negligible.
When analysing a model by the Complete 3D frequency analysis and there are walls modelled over several levels as 'free walls', without being connected to the slab,
then the perpendicular wall stiffness is required at the locations where the wall is not connected to the slab. In this case the Walls Perpendicular Stiffness (out-of-
plane) has to be set to 'On'.
[ RCB > Modelling > Structural Elements > Walls > Walls with Openings ]
Walls with Openings
[ RCB ]
In RCB software, openings can be modelled in wall elements to represent doors (voids starts from the same level as the slab) or as windows (the bottom of the voids
is positioned at a particular distance from the slab).
Part of the meshing algorithm in RCB includes generating a finite element mesh for each wall element while considering any openings. This development has
allowed internal actions to be captured in much more detail while presenting the results of stresses and reinforcement requirements to the user on screen.
The following 3D screen shot shows some examples of window and door openings modelled in walls elements.
Openings are displayed within the Working Area of the user interface using different colours to differentiate between a door and a window. A sample screen shot of
the display is shown below;
There are two methods of creating openings in wall elements. Each method is explained below, including sample videos to demonstrate the detailed steps;
Method 1: Entering the geometry and coordinates of any openings for each wall element manually
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This method requires the user to initially model the overall length of a wall element (including the distance of any voids). The wall is then selected followed by
changing the 'Door/Window' setting in the Wall Element Property table to 'Yes', as shown in the sample screen shot below;
The elevation of the wall is displayed when the user clicks on the button to the right of the Door/Window setting - labelled with 3 dots. A sample screen shot of a wall
is shown below;
A void representing a 1.2m wide by 2.2m height door (positioned 1m from the left corner of the wall) is then defined by clicking on the 'Add' button followed by
entering the location of the botton left corner of the void (relative to the X,Y coordinates of the wall) and the width and height of the door. Clicking on the 'refresh'
buttom completes the operation.
The following screen shot illustrates the final geometry of the wall once the example door has been defined;
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When defining a window, the only difference to the example above is the value for the Y0 coordinate will not be 0 (zero) but will be the distance from the bottom of
the wall to the underside of the window void.
Method 2: Using the existing geometry in the model
An alternate method of creating voids within wall elements is to use the geometry that defines the walls and the configuration is such that there are gaps between
wall elements to represent a door or a window. R/C Building can use this information to determine the distance of the void and relative location along the wall
element.
In order to use this method, the thickness of each wall segment must be the same and the segments that are to be merged into a single wall element (with voids)
must be at the same angle. An example of this requirement is shown below;
The first step in the procedure is to select the wall segments that will be merged into a single wall element. There is no maximum limit of individual wall elements as
long as the requirements outlined above are met.
An example of two segments that have been selected (where the gap in-between will become a door) is shown in the screen shot below. The merge wall option is
displayed by clicking the right mouse button while the wall segments are selected.
The software will then present the following input window that allows the user to specify if the opening is a door or window, and enter the other relevant data - in
this case the height of the door opening being 2.2m.
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It is important to note that the software uses the distance between the internal wall segments to determine the width of the void. A sample screen shot of the door is
shown below;
The following example illustrates the case when two walls are at right angles to each other and the void is to be generated between the two ends.
Like the previous example, the first step is to select the wall segments that will be merged, however in these types of cases the wall segment where the void is to
created needs to be the first segment that the user selects. The following screen shot shows the walls selected in the correct sequence;
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The merge wall option is presented by clicking on the right mouse button while the two segments are selected, and the height of the door is entered as 2.2m. The
sample screen shot below shows the void presented in the Working Area as well as the elevation view. The elevation of the wall is displayed by selecting the
wall followed by clicking on the small button to the right of the Door/Window setting (labelled with 3 dots) within the Wall Property Table.
[ RCB > Modelling > Structural Elements > Walls > Shear-"Free" Walls ]
Shear-"Free" Walls
[ RCB ]
Usually, in a reinforced concrete building there are two types of walls: shear wall, which take most of the lateral load, and load bearing walls, which take only the
vertical load but they will not contribute in the lateral resistance of the building structure. The load bearing walls are constructed of lightly reinforced grouted block-
work, un-reinforced masonry, or pre-fabricate concrete panels which are not fully anchored in the slab. The load bearing walls take only the vertical gravity load, and
it is assume that they do take any horizontal shear. Usually, the lift core and stair case walls are cast-in-situ, and they are designed to take most of the later load.
While the other walls, such as pre-fabricated panels, are load bearing walls and they take only the vertical load, and they are not designed to resist any lateral load.
In order to perform a realistic analysis of a building structures which contains load bearing wall, it is critical to implement a special shear-free wall elements. Any
other modelling approximation of the load bearing walls may results in an-realistic results.
In order to model pre-fabricated concrete panels or load bearing masonry walls, the walls elements in the building model should be set to be "shear-free". In the Wall
property table there is an option to select the in-plane wall fixity. For shear-free walls we need to set the wall End Fixity to Pin Top and Btm. This settings is
especially important for lateral load analysis, where the lift core walls are usually cast-in-situ and they take most of the lateral loads, while the other walls, such as
pre-fabricated panels, take only the vertical loads.
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Fixed and Pinned Walls
In the structural model each wall element is treated as a separate sub-structure modelled by a separate mesh of finite elements. During the analysis, all walls sub-
structures are incorporated into the global building system. Once the displacements of the global building system are obtained, the displacements at the internal
nodes of each wall and stresses and internal forces are calculated.
Shear in Walls due to Lateral Load
In the case of the shear-free walls a series of 3D-link finite elements with two nodes will be generated automatically along the top and bottom wall edges. The 3D-link
elements are defined with series of double node, two nodes with the same coordinates. The 3D-link elements will provide equally distributed vertical stiffness along
the wall edges, which will assure a correct transfer of vertical gravity load. However, the horizontal shear forces in not be transferred by the 3D-link elements. This is
achieved by assigning zero stiffness coefficients in horizontal directions in the 3D-link elements. However, in order to provide numerical stability of the solution this
zero stiffness is set to a very small value, equal to 1,000 times less than the vertical stiffness coefficients, which will provide almost zero shear forces. The
rotational degrees of freedom of the 3D-link elements are also are also set to zero, which. In this way, the horizontal forces will not be resisted by the shear-free wall,
but they will be redistributed to the other vertical elements.
However, shear-free walls may have some moments because the axial stresses along the top and bottom edges are not symmetrical. This non-symmetrical
distribution of the axial stresses along the wall edges will generate some moments. This moments as realistic, if the stresses along the edges are in compression for a
given load combinations. If tension occurs, which is a very rare case, then this moment wall not be realistic, because the cracked contact could not provide rigid joint
for transfer of this moment.
Shear-free wall with moment at min-point L/2
In the picture above there is a shear-free wall with non-zero bending moment at the mid-pint (L/2). This is happening because the software first of all will evaluate
the vertical stresses along the wall edges, and then it will integrate over the stress diagram in order to obtain the total axial load and total moment at the mid-point
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(L/2). If the vertical stress distribution is not symmetrical about the mid-point (L/2), which is a common case, there will be some non-zero moment at the mid-point
(L/2), so the section is in equilibrium. The software reports the moment at the wall mid-point (L/2) in order to be consistent with the other well results, and therefore
there will be some moment in the shear-free walls.
The logic that if the shear is zero than the moment must be zero, applies only for columns because they are line elements, attached to a single point to the slab above
and below. However, walls have length and therefore we have to consider the stress distribution along the wall top and bottom edges, and therefore the "column"
logic does not apply for walls.
[ RCB > Modelling > Structural Elements > Walls > Wall Groups and Shear Wall Cores ]
Wall Groups and Shear Wall Cores
[ RCB ]
Wall Groups
Walls can be grouped in order to evaluate the resultant internal forces for the lift cores (shear wall cores). This can be done from [Input > Wall Groups > Create
(Current Level)].
This way, the wall groups will created individually by the user for each level of the same lift core.
Create wall groups for each level for the same lift core
The internal forces can be display on screen for one or all wall groups on one level.
Shear Wall Cores
Another option is to use "Shear Wall Core" tool from [Input > Wall Groups > Shear Wall Cores > Create (current level and above)]. This tool will detect all walls aligning
with the selected wall through the height of the building (within a perimeter) and create wall groups automatically. This tool will also group all walls (and wall groups)
in one "shear wall core" which will be labelled by the user.
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[ RCB > Modelling > Structural Elements > Walls > Walls Acting as Deep Beams ]
Walls Acting as Deep Beams
[ RCB ]
See Deep Beams (walls).
[ RCB > Modelling > Structural Elements > Walls > Difference Between Columns and Walls ]
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Difference Between Columns and Walls
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
The main difference between column and wall elements is the way they are connected to the slabs. The columns are connected at one point (or node) (column cross section
centroid) to the slab above and to the slab below. The walls are connected to the slabs along a series of nodes, making the walls much stiffer elements and therefore the walls will
attract much larger internal forces due to lateral loading.
It is commonly accepted that a vertical element with rectangular cross section and an aspect ratio larger than 1:4 should be treated as a wall. It is also important to understand that
the software may not perform a punching shear check for wall elements.
[ RCB > Modelling > Structural Elements > Walls > Wall Group Stitch ]
Wall Group Stitch
[ RCB ]
In RCB software, wall groups can be created either before or after the analysis. Wall group tool helps to calculate the resulting forces at the centroid of a number of
walls defined as one group. You can read more on wall groups at: Walls Detailed Stresses, Wall Groups and Shear Wall Cores , Wall Group Reactions and Export
Internal Forces to Excel
In RCB modelling, the adjacent walls in the wall groups are connected to each other only at the slab levels (on top and bottom of the walls). However, if those walls
are known to be casted monolithically and if they need to be rigidly connected along the height of the walls, then 'Stitch Wall Group' setting should be set to ON (for example: lift
cores).
The setting is available from [Settings > Model and Solver Settings ]:
The maximum number of walls which can be grouped together for Wall Stitching is 20. Also the walls have to be connected from their ends. RCB software can
recognize when this is not the case and ask the user if the walls should be subdivided at wall end connections.
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If the user chooses not to subdivide those walls, then for the walls at that location the connection will not be along the height of the walls.
The method used when stitching is ON, considers each wall group as a substructure. Once the stiffness matrix for each substructure is obtained (using direct stiffness
method, by summation of all element stiffness matrices, and also in all individual walls in groups), then it is condensed along the external degrees of freedom. The
adjacent walls in the substructure are connected to each other with horizontal rigid links with high stiffness coefficient values in order to obtain a more
accurate deformation and stress continuity. In-plane stresses and out-of-plane bending and twisting moments are obtained by standard FEM formulation in all
elements nodes. The method can be used for walls with openings and with different end fixities, as well.
Please note that, 'Wall Group Stitching' has significant influence in the behaviour of the wall groups. Generally, when 'Stitch Wall Group' is ON, the model is stiffer which
leads larger internal forces and smaller lateral displacements.
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See: How to Model Global Behaviour of a Building
[ RCB > Modelling > Structural Elements > Walls > Benchmark - Walls Axial Stiffness ]
Benchmark - Walls Axial Stiffness
[RCB]
This benchmark example will consider the axial (vertical) stiffness of the wall elements. The axial wall stiffness is important because it will govern the distribution of
the vertical reaction between walls and columns. The vertical reactions are distribute on the supporting elements, walls and columns, according to their axial
(vertical) stiffness.
Now, let us consider a 10 level model, with storey heights of 3.0 m, which makes the total model height of 30.0 m. On each level there is only one wall with a cross
section of 5.0 x 0.2 m. The modulus of elasticity of all walls is E = 32,744,000 kPa. On the top level there is a vertical load of 50,000 kN. (see image below)
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The theoretical solution for this uni-axial model is given below:
A = 5.0 x 0.2
A = 1.0 m2
Pressure = P / A
Pressure = 50,000 / 1.0
Pressure = 50,000 kPa
Axial Strain = Pressure / E
Axial Strain = 50,000 / 32,744,000
Axial Strain = 0.001527
Vertical Displacement = Axial Strain x Height
Vertical Displacement = 0.001527 x 30.0
Vertical Displacement = 0.0458 m
Vertical Displacement = 45.8 mm (theoretical exact solution)
Error = 100 x ( 45.8 - 45.1 ) / 45.8
Error = 1.5% (walls axial stiffness error)
We may observe that the error magnitude is relatively small, and we can conclude that the accuracy of the wall elements axial stiffness in RCB software is very good.
[ RCB > Modelling > Structural Elements > Steel Cross Bracing ]
Steel Cross Bracing
[ RCB ]
Steel Cross Bracing elements are special structural elements which are used to control the lateral movement of a building. They typically consist of a pair of steel rods
or circular hollow sections arranged in a cross formation with connections at each of the four ends of the cross.
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Steel Cross Bracing
A Steel Cross Bracing element can only be defined between two columns, and may be modelled over one or six levels, as shown in the picture below:
Building Model with Cross-Bracing
In order to create a Steel Cross Bracing element, the appropriate icon in the tool box needs to be displayed and then selected. The icon will become available by
holding the Shift button down on the key board and pressing the Wall icon in the tool box.
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Once the Steel Cross Bracing icon has been created or selected, the element can be defined by two clicks on the screen. The information that defines a Steel Cross
Bracing element is defined at the lowest floor it is attached in the model, as shown in the previous screen shot.
The only mechanical property defined by the user is the cross section area of each brace element. RCB assumes that all Cross Bracing elements are made of steel, and
that they only work in tension. When a lateral load is applied to the model, one of the rods will be in tension and the other one in compression, however the rod in
compression is ignored in the analysis.
The axial force in the rod in tension is shown together with the Column and Wall Reactions (by Static Analysis) as shown in the screen shot below;
In the figure above, the '497 kN' tensile axial force in the Steel Cross Bracing element is distributed over the three levels. This axial tensile force is displayed along or in
the diagonal direction of the rod (ie: not the X or Y components). In the example above the axial forces '125 kN and '497 kN' are due to lateral loads only. Actions in
the Steel Cross Bracing elements do not consider any vertical forces because it is assumed that the Steel Cross Bracing is installed into a building after the main
structure is constructed, and therefore they will not be loaded due the self weight of the structure.
[ RCB > Modelling > Structural Elements > Footings and Slab-on-Ground ]
Footings and Slab-on-Ground
[ RCB ]
There are 2 distinct ways of providing vertical support for a model in RCB: footings and slab on ground. If the model or any structural element is not appropriately
supported, the model will not run.
Some important considerations for modelling the vertical supports are:
l When Slab on ground setting is off
By default, the slab on ground feature is off. The vertical support is provided by footings. Any column or wall can be set as a footing by selecting an appropriate
property from the Property Table.
Wall and column elements on the lowest floor will be considered as footings by the software even if they are not explicitly defined as such. If a wall or column
on any other floor is to act as a footing, the user will have to manually select this option.
l When Slab on ground setting is on
Slab on ground setting can be switched on by accessing [ Input > Soil Properties ] from the main menu and switching the 'User selected slab zones in contact
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with soil' tick box on. Following that, the user will need to manually set the slab zones to act as slab on ground. Walls and columns set as footings will NOT be
considered as such by the software, and the user will need to define a slab to support these.
[ RCB > Modelling > Structural Elements > Footings and Slab-on-Ground > Strip Footing ]
Strip Footing
[ RCB ]
RCB software can be used to model a building supported by a system of strip footing ( grillageof beams). See the picture below.
Model of a Building on Strip Footing
The basement level is in contact with the soil, and it is modelled as a grillage of beam elements (strip footings). In this example the beam sections are 800 x 600.
Strip Footing - Basement Level
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At the basement level all walls and columns are supported by the beam elements (strip footings).
Strip Footing Modelled as Beam Elements
In order to analysed the model, we have to introduce a slab under the entire footing area with a thickness of 10mm. This slab is needed to "engage" the soil, and it
will not make any difference on the final results.
Slab Panel, t = 10mm< /FONT >
Soil Input Parameter Example
The settlements and soil pressure results are valid only under the beams.
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Settlement Results
The beam internal forces can be used for the design of the strip footings.
Beams Bending Moments
[ RCB > Modelling > Structural Elements > Piles ]
Piles
[ RCB ]
RCB software can be used for model two types of piles:
l Point (End) Bearing Piles
l Friction Piles
When bedrock or a strong soil layer is within a reasonable depth, piles are typically extended to the rock surface. These types of piles are very common and in the RCB
software they are modelled as ordinary columns. In order to generate Point Bearing Piles, a model needs to contain an extra level below the lowest floor (where the
piles are modelled). The piles are entered as ordinary circular columns, such that the level of the pile caps is at the same level as the lowest floor of the structure (see
figure below).
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If the column fixity (representing the piles) is set to Pin Top Fix Btm, then the piles will only take axial load, while the moments and shear will be zero.
If the column fixity (representing the piles) is set to Fix Top and Btm, then the piles will have axial load, and some shear and moments due to the rotation of the pile
caps. This rotation is a secondary effect and can be ignored.
(Note that at Ground Level all lateral movements are restrained).
When Point Bearing Piles are incorporated in a model, the lowest level works like a suspended slab ignoring the role of the soil. In this case, there is no need to define
any soil contact properties.
When Friction Piles are to be created in an RCB model, introducing an extra level below the lowest floor in the model is not required. The Friction Piles are generated
using the 'Pile' tool.
The mechanical properties of the Friction Piles are defined by the pile axial stiffness, using only two parameters: Load and Settlements. In the Pile property table the
user can enter these two parameters and the software will use the calculated pile stiffness during the analysis (see picture below).
Other pile parameters such as Length and Diameter are only used for plotting the elements on screen, and during the analysis the Friction Piles are modelled as elastic
springs.
In order to analyse a model with Friction Plies, the lowest level must be set to be in contact with soil, and some soil properties must be defined. These parameters are
entering into the Soil Properties window that is available on the Main Menu under [ Input > Soil Properties ].
This type of arrangement captures the support of the building as partially supported by the piles and partially supported by the soil. It is suggested that the actual soil
stiffness is reduced by 4 to 10 times so most of the vertical load will be taken by the piles. This approach will undervalue the role of the soil.
The axial load on the piles is shown when the reactions are displayed for Column and Wall elements.
Pile caps for both types of piles are modelled as a thicker slab zones, as shown in the figure below;
Note: The current version of RCB does not design piles or check capacity. All actions including overall base shear need to be designed by the user.
[ RCB > Modelling > Structural Elements > Assigning Types to Structural Elements ]
Assigning Types to Structural Elements
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[ RCB ]
To assign material properties to a structural element the various Structural Materials must first be defined. Next the structural elements must be grouped under
different types and a Structural Material linked to that type. This is input under [ Input > Types > Columns / Walls / Beams / Slabs ]. The screenshot below show an
example of defining column types. Column type 1 will have Material 1 (C32) applied to it. Column type 2 will have Material 2 (C40) etc. At this stage the types have not
yet been assigned to the columns in the model yet. It does not matter is not all are used and more can easily be added later if needed.
These defined types must then be assigned to the various structural elements. This can be done using one of two or a combination of the following methods:
Manually: by selecting the element(s) in plan and changing its Type property in the property window.
Material per Level: change the material type for all structural elements on a floor. [ Input > Material Types > Material Per Level ]
The input types can be assigned to all structural elements on a particular floor. The type is selected from the dropdown box and when OK is pressed it will
apply that type to all elements on that floor. This will then be visible when colouring by type and in the elements properties. In the picture below column type
4 that has material C65 will be applied to all columns on Level 1.
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Note, this table can also be used to quickly review the material properties as it will show if there are variation in materials for a structural element on a level. Using
the Material per Level table it is possible to assign all materials to all structural elements without having to select the element(s) in the model working area and
changing the types per level.
Creating Master/Slave relationships will not change the types of any of the structural elements. The types are the only thing that is not changed by using
Master/Slave.
[ RCB > Modelling > Material Input ]
Material Input
[ RCB ]
Material Properties must be defined before they are assigned to the various structural elements. They are defined in the Structural Material Input under [ Input >
Material Types > Material Properties ].
In the sample screenshot below the user enters the Material Label and fc in kPa. The RCB software will fill in the other values. Which then can be modified by the
user. The highlighted E factored in the image below is the elastic modulus that RCB will use for all of its calculations. The user has the option of modifying the factor
to soften or stiffen a particular material.
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The different material are then assigned to the various structural elements in the model by changing the elements type property. See Assigning Materials to
Structural Elements.
[ RCB > Modelling > Model and Solver Settings ]
Model and Solver Settings
[ RCB ]
See Settings Tab.
[ RCB > Modelling > Soil ]
Soil
[ RCB ]
l Soil Modelling: Soil-Structure Interaction

l Soil Properties
l Settlement in the Basement Raft Slab
[ RCB > Modelling > Soil > Soil Modelling: Soil-Structure Interaction ]
Soil Modelling: Soil-Structure Interaction
[ RCB ]
Normally when a 3D model of a building is created, we need to constrain the vertical movement at all footings. This approach is suitable for very stiff foundation soils,
such as rock or compacted sands and gravel. However when the soil is 'softer', we need to consider the influence of the footing settlements, and the internal forces
on all structural elements.
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The figure above illustrates the influence of the footing settlements on the bending moments in the structural elements. For instance, 'soft' soil can reduce the
negative moments in the mid-supports, and increase the positive moments in the mid span. This effect can spread over many floors in a multi-storey building. A
thicker raft slab will reduce but not eliminate this effect. The approach needed here is to analyse the structure and the foundation soil as a combined system.
RCB contains three alternative methods of soil modelling:
l Winkler Model, Uniform K

l Winkler Model, K by Slab Type
l Soil-Structure Interaction
Please note that both Winkler Model options are included in RCB as legacy options only. Soil-Structure Interaction soil modelling approach should be used.
I n order to perform this type of analysis the material properties of the soil layers need to be entered in the [ Input > Soil Properties ] from the Main Ribbon, and
setting to set user selected zones in contact with soil needs to be switched on;
Once these parameters are set correctly the software will evaluate the Influence Factors under each nodal point of any slab in contact with the soil (a Nodal Point is a
corner of each Finite Element triangle).
The Influence Factors for the soil are based on the Boussinesq formula, assuming homogeneous linear elastic isotropic material. The Modulus of Elasticity and
thickness of each soil layer is taken into account. The size of the corresponding area under each nodal point, and the influence to all other nodal points are included in
the analysis.
This is considered to be the most superior analytical approach available for evaluation of foundation settlements and its effect on the structure.
If a building structure consists of a raft and a transfer slab, supporting several floors of masonry (see figure below). RCB will consider the contribution of all structural
elements in the evaluation of the settlements, not just the raft slab. If only the raft slab is considered, it may result in the raft being over-designed as the effect of the
settlement will be ignored on all other structural elements (which might cause development of some cracks in the upper levels).
In the current version of RCB the tension in the soil is not considered in the analysis. If there is negative soil pressure, the slab zones in those areas must be removed
manually (this should be a rare case for service loads).
[ RCB > Modelling > Soil > Soil Properties ]
Soil Properties
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[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
The soil layers can be entered as horizontal or on a slope, where the top surface is always flat. If the soil layers are on a slope (see screen shot below) the values for
the layer thickness and Modulus of Elasticity (E) have to be defined in three points. Each point is defined with the (x,y) coordinates in plan. For all three points the
number of soil layers must be identical, while E and the thickness can vary. These three points will be used to evaluated E at every other point and at any depth by
liner interpolation between the three points.
The Influence Factors for the soil DO NOT include long term effects, such as creep and clay consolidation.
Some typical values for the Modulus of Elasticity (E) for different soil types:
soft normally-consolidated clays: 1,400 - 4,200 kPa

medium clays: 4,200 - 8,400 kPa
stiff clays: 8,400 - 20,000 kPa
loose normally-consolidated sands: 7,000 - 20,000 kPa
medium normally-consolidated sands: 20,000 - 40,000 kPa
dense normally-consolidated sands: 40,000 - 48,000 kPa
Poisson's Ratio 0.20 to 0.45
It is recommended to vary the soil properties for +/- 30%, and to designate the structure to cover for both extreme cases.
[ RCB > Modelling > Soil > Settlement in the Basement Raft Slab ]
Settlement in the Basement Raft Slab
[ RCB ]
The most reliable way to evaluate the settlement of a raft slab supporting a building is in RCB software.
First of all, it is important is to use the the Soil-Structure Interaction method, as it is the most precise. However, the RCB appraoch will make the raft slab very rigid
because it will include the stiffness of the entire building, with all levels above the raft. This increased stiffness of the raft will cause the soil pressure to be more
evenly spread, and it will be mode uniform under the entire raft. It is expected that the RCB model would produce the most likely settlement results, but they will be
less conservative.
The other option is to use SLB wih the Soil Structure Interaction method. In this case the raft is very flexible, because we are ignoring the stiffness of the building on
the raft slab. The raft slab will bend more, and the soil pressure will be more concentrated around the lift cores and columns.
The other aspect is the creep and shrinkage of the concrete, and its effect on the deflections. We recommend to use a load combination 1.0G + 0.3Q for the long
term settlements of a slab-on-ground. When the slab is supported by soil, the deflections generated by creep and shrinkage cannot be realised, because they are
prevented by the soil itself. The creep and shrinkage will only slighty increase soil pressure, which might have some small effect on the long term settlements. This
effect is relativelly small and it can be neglected. Also, the combination 2.4G + 1.26Q, which is normally used for suspended slabs, would produce unrealistically large
deflections for a raft slab.
The consolidation of the soul can be considered by increasing the load factors. For instance, if the final consolidation factor of the soil is 1.5, then for long term
settlements I would use this load combination:
1.5 ( 1.0G + 0.3Q ) = 1.5G + 0.6Q
[ RCB > Modelling > Loading ]
Loading
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[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
l Load Cases
l Load Combinations
l Applying Loads
[ RCB > Modelling > Loading > Load Cases ]
Load Cases
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]

The primary Load Cases are set under the Input Tab > Load Cases.
There is the option of setting 20, 30 or 40 Load Cases and Load Combinations in Settings Tab > System Settings. This option will be greyed out if the modelling has
already been started. In this case save the model that is currently being worked on, create a new file [ Ctrl + N ] , then go Settings Tab > System Settings and change
the number of load cases. Navigate to where the original file (that file that is to have the load cases increased) is located in Windows Explorer and manually delete the
results (.rstx) file. Reopen the original file and you will be asked if you want to increase the number of load cases.
In each of the individual main programs [ RCB, SLB, PTD ] the user can set the Load Cases for all three programs. This way the load cases only need to be input once, in
one program, and then they are carried around to all three programs. The screenshot below shows the Load Case window form in RCB and the tabs for the SLB and
PTD software and how the various primary Load Cases from RCB will be mapped to the other programs SLB and PTD. For example the seismic load case Eqx will be
Load Case 3 in RCB and SLB but it will be in Load Case 7 when exported to PTD.
Commonly used cases and combinations can also be set as default. With the primary Load Cases defined horizontal and vertical loads can be applied to them. See
Applying Loads .
The load case nature values only need to be set if importing / exporting from and to REVIT.
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[ RCB > Modelling > Loading > Load Combinations ]
Load Combinations
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]

The primary Load Cases are set under the Input Tab > Load Factors.
There is the option of setting 20, 30 or 40 Load Cases and Load Combinations in Settings Tab > System Settings. This option will be greyed out if the modelling has
already been started. In this case save the model that is currently being worked on, create a new file [ Ctrl + N ] , then go Settings Tab > System Settings and change
the number of load cases. Reopen the original file and you will be asked if you want to increase the number of load cases.
Just like primary Load Cases the Load Combinations for all three main programs can be set from within RCB. Any Load Combination that has "Envelope" ticked will be
used in any ultimate design calculations that are performed. In RCB, if fire checks are to be performed, "Fire" must be checked for a load combination.
RCB Page 148 of 367
[ RCB > Modelling > Loading > Applying Loads ]
Applying Loads
[ RCB ]
Loading can be applied to the structure once the finite element mesh has been generated.
l Vertical Loads
l Horizontal Loads
[ RCB > Modelling > Loading > Applying Loads > Vertical Loads ]
Vertical Loads
[ RCB ]
l Pressure Loads
l Line Loads
l Point Loads
l Moment Loads
l Live Load Reduction Factor
[ RCB > Modelling > Loading > Applying Loads > Vertical Loads > Uniformly Distributed Loads ]
Uniformly Distributed Loads
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
Uniformly distributed loads (UDL) can be applied to the structure by using on of the two following features:
l Pressure Loads
l Area Loads
Applying UDL's using Area Loads was introduced into the INDUCTA software in January 2017 and is an improvement on the old Pressure Loads. Area Loads will be the
default method to apply UDL's on any files created in versions of the INDUCTA software created after January 2017. Files created before this date will open with old
Pressure Loads.
Note: The method of inputting UDL's can be changed under Settings > System Settings > Uniformly Distributed Loading Input Method. Area Loads are designed to
make inputting of loading faster and easier whilst simplifying the model. Please see Area Loads vs Pressure Loads for more information.
RCB Page 149 of 367
[ RCB > Modelling > Loading > Applying Loads > Vertical Loads > Uniformly Distributed Loads > Pressure Loads ]
Pressure Loads
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
Uniformly Distributed Pressure Loads can be applied to slab zones only, and each zone can take on one pressure load value for each Load Case. The model must be
meshed before any pressure loads can be applied as the slab zones are formed during the meshing process.
The simplest method of applying a pressure load to a model is to select the pressure load icon from the tool box, enter a magnitude in the property table and then
click on a slab zone using the left mouse button. If the pressure load is uniform on all slab zones for a particular load case, then selecting the icon labelled 'Apply
Pressure to all mesh groups' on the DTB will apply a pressure load to all slab zones when the user presses the left mouse button anywhere within the model.
Alternatively, any existing pressure can be modified by pressing the 'Edit Pressure' by expanding the "Pressure" button in the Home Tab and then entering the new
magnitude in the input box. This method can be used to initially apply a pressure to all floors in the model in one operation by selecting the current pressure of 0
(zero) and then entering a new value - in this example 2 kPa.
The other option of applying pressure to Slab Zones is by clicking on the 'Apply Pressure by type' icon on the DTB. This will allow the user to isolate the pressure loads
to the Slab Zones that may be predefined by the type variable during the modelling procedure.
Both the 'Edit Pressure' and 'Apply Pressure by Slab Type' options allow the pressure to be modified on one level or over all floors in the model.
To delete a pressure load from a slab panel, the user can either enter a magnitude of 0 (zero) followed by clicking on the slab zone by using the left mouse button.
RCB Page 150 of 367
Note: When a new slab zone is generated by the software (this will occur if the user modifies the geometry of the floor) the pressure load applied to the new mesh
zones is 0 (zero) by default for all Load Cases. It is highly recommended that the user carefully examines the load after any editing of the floor geometry.
Note: The method of inputting UDL's can be changed under Settings > System Settings > Uniformly Distributed Loading Input Method.
[ RCB > Modelling > Loading > Applying Loads > Vertical Loads > Uniformly Distributed Loads > Area Loads ]
Area Loads
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
Area Loads can be applied over an area of any shape. Similar to point and line loads, area loads are applied to a particular load case. They serve as an alternative to
Pressure Loads, allowing the user to apply a uniformly distributed load over a specified area, however area loads (like Point Loads, Line Loads and the Moment Loads)
are not attached to a particular slab zone. They are visible and can be edited if there is no mesh.
See the following YouTube video for an introduction to Area Loads feature: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Oh4V6pxIqKA
The model will not be able to run if both Area Loads and Pressure Loads are present, so the user needs to make a choice to use one of these alternative methods early
in the modelling process. This can be done by navigating to [Settings > System] and selecting an appropriate option for Uniformly Distributed Loading Input. For a
detailed discussion please refer to Area Loads vs Pressure Loads .
Area Loads are input into the model just like a geometry line . The simplest method of creating an area load is by selecting the Area Load icon from the Modelling tool
box in the Home Tab, entering a magnitude into the Property Table, followed by clicking multiple points anywhere in the Working Area using the left mouse button.
The status of the snap setting (Grid, Corner or Edge) will determine how the Area Load is located within the model. Once an Area Load is defined, its magnitude can
be edited by selecting the Point Load within the Working Area and then modifying the value in the Property Table. Unlike Pressure Loads, when a slab zone is
removed or modified (at time of meshing), the Area Loads (as well as Point Loads, Line Loads and the Moment Loads) on that particular zone will not be deleted.
When generating models from a CAD file, the user can import Area Loads by selecting the lines that represent the areas of specific loading and then pressing the Area
Load icon in the Tool Box. The software will present the user with an input window so the magnitude can be specified.
The accuracy of Area Loads is controlled via Area Load Refinement Factor setting in Model and Solver Settings.
Overlapping Area Loads
In INDUCTA software, whenever there are 2 or more Area Loads overlapping, the software will choose the highest magnitude Areaload to be applied to the area of
the slab under. Area Load magnitudes are not added up. See image below:
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A special case of overlapping Area Loads is 0 magnitude Area Loads. It is recommended that 0 magnitude Area Loads are placed over any voids to ensure Floor Mass
Centroids are calculated correctly. The user can exclude zones from Area Loads by drawing a 0 magnitude Area Load over the desired region, for example inside a lift
core. These will take preference over any other Area Loads:
The user can draw Area Loads extending past the edge of the slab, however the Floor Mass Centroids will not be calculated precisely in this case. It is recommended
to ensure that Area Loads do not extend past the slab edge and that 0 magnitude Area Load is placed over any voids.
[ RCB > Modelling > Loading > Applying Loads > Vertical Loads > Uniformly Distributed Loads > Area Loads > Area Load Refinement Factor ]
Area Load Refinement Factor
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
Area Load Refinement Factor is an option that can be accessed from [ Settings > Model and Solver ].Please note that Area Load Refinement Factor will only be
enabled if Area Load setting has been selected for Uniformly Distributed Loading Input Method under [ Settings > System ]. See Settings Tab for more information.
Area Load Refinement Factor controls the accuracy of Area Loads and can be set in the range 0.5 (default value) - 0.2.
To transmit the area loads to the slab, during the analysis stage area loads are broken up into point loads. The software applies a grid of point loads over the area
loads, then assigns a magnitude to each 'point load' based on which Area Load it falls within. The size of the grid used depends on the size of the mesh and the Area
Load Refinement Factor. Using a smaller value of Area Load Refinement increases the accuracy of Area Loads, however this comes at a cost of increased run time.
Additionally, if a 'point load' is on the edge of the Area Load, then its magnitude is halved.To illustrate the above procedure, consider the simple example below.
Example
Consider a rectangular 3m x 2m Area Load of 1kPa magnitude. Mesh size is 1m. Let's examine the accuracy of Area Loads by varying the Area Load Refinement Factor.
Area Load Refinement Factor = 0.5 (default value):
Grid size = (mesh size) x (refinement factor)
= 1m x 0.5
= 0.5
Point load magnitude = (grid size)2 x (area load magnitude)
= 0.25 x 1
= 0.25kN (note that this value is halved for edge points)
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Grid shown below:
Points inside area load: 15
Points on edge of area load: 20
Total load applied = (15 x 0.25) + (20 x 0.125)
= 6.25kN
Error= 4.17%
Area Load Refinement Factor = 0.2:
Grid size = 0.2m
Point load magnitude = 0.04kN (note that this value is halved for edge points)
Grid shown below:
Points inside area load: 126
Points on edge of area load: 50
Total load applied = (126 x 0.04) + (50 x 0.02)
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= 6.04kN
Error= 0.67%
[ RCB > Modelling > Loading > Applying Loads > Vertical Loads > Uniformly Distributed Loads > Area Loads vs Pressure Loads ]
Area Loads vs Pressure Loads
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
As Area Loads and Pressure Loads cannot be used in a model together, the user needs to make a choice to use either method early in the modelling process.
Therefore, it is important to understand the advantages and disadvantages of using each.
Please see the key differences to note below:
l Meshing and Model Geometry
To apply a pressure load, the model needs to be meshed first. This is not a requirement for area loads. In the following image, an equivalent load is entered
using Area Loads and Pressure Loads. Note that Area Loads do not affect the mesh:
Area loads allow the user to significantly simplify the model geometry and streamline the modelling process (as additional geometry lines are now not required
to specify areas of different loading). The user can make changes to the slab geometry without worrying about any unexpected changes to the loading. For an
illustration of this on a realistic job, see the screenshots below:
Many geometry lines. Difficult to manipulate. Easy to make an error.
RCB Page 154 of 367
Few geometry lines. Easy to change geometry or loading. Errors and modelling time reduced.
l Precision
To transmit the area loads to the slab, during the analysis stage area loads are broken up into point loads. The precision of this process depends on the size of
the mesh and the Area Load Refinement Factor in Settings > Model and Solver Settings. By using a finer mesh size and Refinement Factor it is possible to
increase the accuracy of Area Loads to closely match Pressure Loads (which are precise), however this comes at a cost of increased run time. Typically, it is
expected for Area Load results to be within a few percent of the equivalent Pressure Loads.
l Revit Import (coming soon)
When importing a model from Revit, it is convenient to import Revit Area Loads as INDUCTA Area Loads, rather than introduce extra geometry lines.
[ RCB > Modelling > Loading > Applying Loads > Vertical Loads > Line Loads ]
Line Loads
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
Line loads are typically used to model the self weight of any walls above a slab that will not be load bearing. In an RCB model the self weight of load
bearing concrete or masonry walls are automatically calculated by the software using the geometry of the elements (length, thickness, floor height) and the material
density that is assigned to the particular wall elements.
In some cases there will be walls on a floor that will not be modelled as wall elements and need to be represented by line loads in a particular load case, typically Load
Case 1. A Line Load can be created manually by selecting the Line Load icon from the Tool box, entering a magnitude into the Property Table followed by clicking on
two points anywhere on the slab zones using the left mouse button. The status of the snap setting (Grid, Corner or Edge) will determine how the Line Load is located
within the model. Unlike Pressure Loads, when a slab zone is removed or modified (at time of meshing), the Point Loads, Line Loads and the Moment Loads on that
particular zone will not be deleted.
A line load can be defined anyway inside slab panels or along an edge and the orthogonal mode tool contained in the Home Tab can be used to assist in creating line
load that are parallel (or perpendicular) to the X or Y axes.
When generating models from a CAD file, the user can import Line Loads by selecting the parallel lines that represent the walls above the slab and then pressing the
Line Load icon in the Tool Box. The software will present the user with an input window so the magnitude can be specified.
In the example below the yellow parallel lines represent Line Loads that are to be imported with a magnitude of 9kN/m.
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The screen shot below is the result of the import with the magnitude displayed for each individual Line Load.
Any Line Loads that lie outside the slab perimeter will snap to the nearest slab edge automatically, and can therefore greatly influence results. Line loads outside the
floor perimeter must be deleted either manually (in each load case), or automatically before analysis.
[ RCB > Modelling > Loading > Applying Loads > Vertical Loads > Point Loads ]
Point Loads
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
Point Loads are used to represent loading applied to a floor and can defined anywhere inside the floor (except voids) or along an edge. In an R/C Building model point
loads are typically applied to a floor by column elements that are supporting any the floors above. The magnitude of the point loads are calculated by the software
(Static Analysis or Area Method) when a model is analysed, and presented to the user as reactions.
A Point Load can be applied to a floor to represent any concentrated loading that is not applied to the floor by supported column elements. Examples may include:
construction loads (scaffolding), legs of stacked shelves/containers or storage racks etc.
The simplest method of creating a point load is by selecting the Point Load icon from the Tool box, entering a magnitude into the Property Table followed by clicking
on one point anywhere on a slab zone using the left mouse button. The status of the snap setting (Grid, Corner or Edge) will determine how the Point Load is located
within the model. Once a Point Load is defined, its magnitude can be edited by selecting the Point Load within the Working Area and then modifying the value in the
property table. Unlike Pressure Loads, when a slab zone is removed or modified (at time of meshing), the Point Loads, Line Loads and the Moment Loads on that
particular zone will not be deleted.
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If a floor contains columns above the slab, point loads can be applied to the centroid of each column above by selecting the columns and then clicking on the Point
Load icon in the Tool Box. The software will then present the user with an input window so the magnitude can be entered (for the relative Load Case).
Any point loads that lie outside the slab perimeter will snap to the nearest slab edge automatically, and can therefore greatly influence results. Care should be taken
when importing floors into R/C Building from SLABS software, and detailed checks should be performed for each load case.
[ RCB > Modelling > Loading > Applying Loads > Vertical Loads > Moment Loads ]
Moment Loads
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
Moment Loads are used to represent loading applied to the slab and can defined anywhere inside the floor (except voids) or along an edge. In an R/C Building model
moment loads are typically applied to a floor by column elements that are supporting any the floors above. The magnitude of the moment loads are calculated by the
software (Static Analysis or Area Method) when a model is analysed, and presented to the user as reactions.
A moment Load can be applied to a floor to represent any concentrated loading that is not applied to the floor by supported column elements. Examples may include:
construction loads (scaffolding), legs of stacked shelves/containers or storage racks etc.
The simplest method of creating a moment load is by selecting the Moment Load icon from the Tool box, entering a magnitude into the Property Table, selecting a
directions and then clicking on one point anywhere on a slab zone using the left mouse button. The status of the snap setting (Grid, Corner or Edge) will determine
how the Moment Load is located within the model. Once a Moment Load is defined, its magnitude can be edited by selecting the Point Load within the Working Area
and then modifying the value in the property table. Unlike Pressure Loads, when a slab zone is removed or modified (at time of meshing), the Point Loads, Line Loads
and the Moment Loads on that particular zone will not be deleted.
If a floor contains columns above the slab, moment loads can be applied to the centroid of each column above by selecting the columns and then clicking on the
Moment Load icon in the Tool Box. The software will then present the user with an input window so the magnitude can be entered (for the relative Load Case).
Any moment loads that lie outside the slab perimeter will snap to the nearest slab edge automatically, and can therefore greatly influence results. Care should be
taken when importing floors into R/C Building from SLABS software, and detailed checks should be performed for each load case.
[ RCB > Modelling > Loading > Applying Loads > Vertical Loads > Live Load Reduction Factor ]
Live Load Reduction Factor
[ RCB ]
When considering pattern loading for live load, AS 1170.1 provides guidance on using Live Load Reduction Factors ( or LLRFs). This is discussed in AS1170.1 Clause
3.3. Conservatively, LLRFs can be taken as = 1.0
In R/C Building, Live Load Reduction Factors are calculated based on the equation given in AS1170.1 Clause 3.4.2 (b)
The software will automatically calculate the tributary area of columns, walls and beams. The tributary areas are cumulative from Roof to ground level, so, for
example, a column will be taking the tributary area of any columns above. The tributary areas of each element are then used to calculate the corresponding LLRF.
The slab zones over which LLRFs are applied will need to be indicated by users. First, users need to select the basic load case for live load. Then, they need to specify
the pressure load values (up to three values associated to the specified live load case) and the software will apply the reductions only to slab zones which have these
pressure live load values.
Settings for live load reduction factors can be found on the Settings Tab > Model and Solver Settings . Live load reduction factors are used only if the "Use LLRFs for"
checkbox is checked. The software input is shown below:
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Note that live load reduction factors are only applied for the Static Analysis and they are not used for the mass calculations.
[ RCB > Modelling > Loading > Applying Loads > Horizontal Loads ]
Horizontal Loads
[ RCB ]
The user can apply lateral loading to an RCB model using the following:
l Horizontal Line Load

l Earthquake Load
l Wind Load
[ RCB > Modelling > Loading > Applying Loads > Horizontal Loads > Horizontal Line Load ]
Horizontal Line Load
[ RCB ]
RCB software can be used to apply lateral earth pressure on the floor slab, as horizontal line load (see figure below).
The load is applied in the same manner as the vertical line load. (see figure below)
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Note that the local effect of the earth pressure on the walls is not considered in the software, and the walls have to be checked manually.
[ RCB > Modelling > Loading > Applying Loads > Horizontal Loads > Earthquake Load ]
Earthquake Load
[ RCB ]
The horizontal (lateral) loads are entered in the [ Lateral Load Magnitudes ] input form, available under [ Input Tab > Loading > Lateral Load Magnitude ] from the
Main Menu as shown in the screen shot below:
The Lateral load can be wind or earthquake load and is specified by selecting the option available from the drop down list, as shown in the sample screen shot below.
Note that the wind load calculator is currently only available in R/C Building for Australian design option.
AS1170.4:
EC8:
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TDY2007
PNGS 1001
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Earthquake Loads Location
The Earthquake Loads can be either applied at the EQ Force Centroid , or spread evenly over entire floor area. This can be selected on the [ Lateral Load Location ]
input panel. The Earthquake Force (EQ) Centroid for each floor can be evaluated automatically by the software, or it can be entered manually by the user.
When the automatic option is selected the software will evaluate the mass and the shear centroids of each floor and then the earthquake loads in each orthogonal
direction (X and Y) will be automatically applied at a position calculated as:
+0.1b for AS1170.4

+0.05b for EC8 and TDY 2007
1.5es + 0.05b for PNGS 1001
from the theoretical mass centroid of each floor.
( b is the plan dimension of the structure at right angles to the direction of the action, es is the distance from the centre of rigidity to the centre of mass).
The location of the earthquake loading ( EQ Force Centroid ) can be modified using the drop down list displayed on the [ Earthquake Load Location ] input
form (available under [ Input ] on the Main Menu). Users can also enter their own coordinates by selecting the 'User Defined Location' option.
Earthquake loads are applied in the X and Y directions in separate Basic Load Cases that are defined by the user. Each floor can only have one load per Basic Load
Case.
R/C Building has a calculator that will generate earthquake loads following the procedure outlined in AS 1170.4, EC8, TDY 2007, PNGS 1001 and based on the
geometry and loading that defines a model. The calculator is available under [ Input > Lateral Loads ] from the Main Menu, and is launched by selecting 'Earthquake
(Floor Mass Centre)' from the drop down option contained in the Lateral Load Type, followed by clicking on the button labelled 'Earthquake Loads AS-1170.4' or
'Earthquake Loads EC8' or 'Earthquake Loads Turkish Seismic Code' or 'Earthquake Loads PNGS 1001' as shown in the screen shots below;
AS1170.4:
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Note: By default, the Annual Probability of Exceedance (P) is calculated according to Building Code of Australia, Section B1.2, Table B1.2b. However, if the user decides
that the building is not within the scope of BCA, then the Table F2 from AS1170.0 is also available, by un-checking the checkbox named 'Complies BCA Table B1.2b',
which makes the selection of Design Working Life available.
EC8:
TDY2007:
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PNGS1001:
The drop down list located at the top of the Earthquake calculator contains one option: 'Static Analysis'. In order for the Dynamic Analysis option to be selected,
the Frequency Analysis needs to be initially perform - available under [ Solve > Frequency Analysis ] on the Main Menu.
Second drop down list on the calculator displays the orthogonal directions in which the earthquake load will be applied. This option needs to be consistent with the
Basic Load Case selected on the [ Lateral Loads ] input window shown in the background of the screen shot below.
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In the above example Basic Load Case 3 is selected as 'x', therefore the option for the 'Earthquake Load Acting in Global Direction' needs to be 'X X'.
The horizontal equivalent static shear force acting at the base of the structure (base shear) is distributed to the floors according to AS 1170.4 (Section 6), to EC8
(Section 4.3.3.2.3), to TDY2007 (Section 2.7) and to PNGS1001 (Section 3.4.6) . Base shear is affected by seismic weight and the natural period of the structure as well
as by site sub-soil class and all parameters printed on the Earthquake Load calculator. In this example Load Combination for the gravity load (at time of earthquake)
was specified as Load Combination Number 2 (1.0 DL + 0.4 LL).
Fundamental Periods
In the case of the 'Static Analysis' option, the fundamental natural period of the structure will be calculated using the empirical formula by default, given in AS 1170.4
(Section 6.2.3), in EC8 (Section 4.3.3.2.2), in TDY 2007 (Section 2.7.4) and in PNGS 1001 (Section 3.4.5).The user also has the option to enter the fundamental period
obtained from the dynamic analysis by de-selecting the check box labelled 'Auto Period'.
Note that according to AS 1170.4, the base shear obtained using the fundamental period determined through dynamic analysis should not be less than 80% of the
base shear obtained using the fundamental period determined by empirical formula. In TDY 2007 the same limit is defined as 90% for buildings with A1, B2 and B3
irregularities and 80% for regular buildings (TDY 2007, Section 2.8.5). The limit is 90% for PNGS 1001 (Section 3.5.2.3).
---
Users also have the option to enter their own base shear values as a percentage of the total structure seismic weight. It needs be noted that user must manually
check if earthquake loads generated by the calculator are greater than the Minimum Resistance requirements (outlined in AS 1170.0 Structural Robustness, Section
6 Clause 2.2).
In the case when the 'Dynamic Analysis, 2D' option is selected, the modal periods of the structure will be calculated by the 'Advanced 2D' Frequency Analysis. This
type of Frequency Analysis can be performed after selecting the 'Advanced 2D' option that is available under [ Settings > Model and Solvers Settings ] on the Main
Menu. Please note that 2D Dynamic Analysis is only available for Australian Code. 3D Dynamic Analysis is available for ALL codes and it is the recommended method .
See also: Dynamic Analysis: Method of Analysis
In Dynamic Analysis, peak modal responses will be calculated using the ordinates (spectral accelerations) of the response spectrum curve that corresponds to the
modal periods. Response spectrum curves can be selected from the drop down list on the [ Earthquake Load ] form. The maximum magnitudes of the internal forces
and displacements due to the earthquake action are evaluated by combining the magnitudes of the mode shapes combined with either CQC (Complete Quadratic
Combination) or SQSS (Square Root of the Sum of Squares) method. (see picture below)
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Once all parameters are entered, for either the 'Static Analysis' or 'Dynamic Analysis, 2D' option, the calculator will display a summary of the general loads, including
the total earthquake loads as an equivalent 'Base Shear', as shown below;
The distribution of the total load to the floors will be summarized in the [ Lateral Loads ] input table as shown for AS1170.4 in the screen shot below;
It needs to be noted that earthquake horizontal loading may include a global torque on each floor, a moment Mz about vertical axis. The sign convention of the global
torsional moment is the same as 'right hand screw rule' (anti-clock wise when looking on the model in the Working Area).
[ RCB > Modelling > Loading > Applying Loads > Horizontal Loads > Wind Load ]
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Wind Load
[ RCB ]
RCB calcualtes the equivalent static wind loading to AS/NZS 1170.2 as outlined in the following sections considering alongwind and crosswind effects as well as
calculating the peak acceleration of the top floor. Wind loading determined from a wind tunnel test can be imported into the model.
[ RCB > Modelling > Loading > Applying Loads > Horizontal Loads > Wind Load > Basic Calculations ]
Basic Calculations
[ RCB ]
AS/NZS 1170.2-2011: Ammendement 2 Dec 2012
***Note***: As of 11/01/2013 the wind calculator has been modified to suit AS/NZS 1170.2:2011 Amendment 2 Dec 2012. Changes as they apply to the
RCB wind calculator are :
l Table 4.1(b) has been deleted. All Mz,cat values are from table 4.1 (previously Table 4.1(a)).
l Table 6.1 has been replaced. The minimum height for a given value of turbulence intensity (Ih) is now 5m.
l Terrain Category 1.5 has been included.
Input
The horizontal (lateral) loads are entered in the [Lateral Load Magnitudes ] input form, available under [ Input Tab > Lateral Load Magnitude ] from the Main Menu as
shown in the screen shot below:
Input
Applying Wind Loads
In order to apply a wind load to a model the basic load case the laod is to be applied to is selected from the drop down list and the type of lateral load needs to be set
to 'Wind' for the as shown in the sample screen shot below. For more information on defining basic load cases see Loading: Load Cases .
R/C Building has an in-built calculator that will generate equivalent static wind loads to AS/NZS 1170.2:2011, based on the geometry that is defined in the model. An
in-built wind load calculator is not currently available for Eurocode and BS 8110.
Clicking on the 'Wind Loads AS-1170.2' button will then launch the Wind Load Calculator as shown in the screen shot below:
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Lateral Load Input
Primary Load Cases for Wind
The following screenshot show the suggested primary load cases for ultimate wind design assuming Cdyn = 1 (see AS/NZS 1170.2 Section 6 & Results and Reports:
Frequency) and the building is not sensitive to dynamic wind effects. Wind in the negative x and y had been input as an individual load case as it is assumed that the
terrain, shielding, topography and directional multiplies and hence the wind load will be different from these directions.
Basic Primary Wind Combinations
R/C Building Wind Calculator in relation to AS/NZS 1170.2:2011
Wind loads in each orthogonal direction (X and Y) and are automatically applied to the faces of each floor at geometric centres.For buildings with height above ground
of more than 70m, the wind loads in each orthogonal direction (X and Y) are applied to the geometric centre at an eccentricity of 0.2b (AS/NZS-1170.2:2011, Clause
2.5.4).
Clicking on the 'Wind Loads AS-1170.2' button will then launch the Wind Load Calculator as shown in the screen shot below;
The wind direction is applied in the orthogonal x and y axes and its direction is specified using the [Wind Direction to Apply the Load] drop down box. The
screen shot below is an example of correctly matching Basic Load Case 5 'Wind X' to the 'Wind Direction to Apply the Load' as positive X.
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Wind Load Calcualtor & Setting Correct Direction
R/C Building initially checks is your structure falls within the scope of AS/NZS 1170.2-2011 i.e. the building height is less than or equal to 200m.
The regional wind speed (VR) is determined by the software when the Wind Region and Recurrence internal (R) are input.
Please note the design limit state input is no longer required as of AMDT No. 2 2012 as this input was used to determine whether to use Table 4.1(A) or 4.1(B) in
AS/NZS 1170.2:2011. As of Dec 2012 there is only Table 4.1.
The site wind speed (Vsit,) is calculated using the regional wind speed and the user input values of direction (Md), terrain/height (Mz,cat), shielding (Ms) and
topography (Mt) multipliers.
The software assumes that the site wind speed (Vsit,) is the design wind speed . In other words, that the values of Md, Mz,cat, Ms and Mt used to calculated
(Vsit,) produce the worst case wind speed in a 450
sector of the orthogonal face of the building as per figure 2.2 and 2.3 of AS/NZS 1170.2:2011.
The aerodynamic shape factors (Cfig,e) are input for the windward and leeward walls only as it is assumed moments due to the side and roof pressures will cancel out.
The Internal Aerodynamic Shape Factor (Cfig,i) are not required as they will cancel out when calculated base moment.
Note, the user must multiply the external pressure coefficients (Cp,e) by the area (Ka), combination factor (Kc,e) and porous cladding reduction factor (Kc,e) as
applicable.
The dynamic response factor (Cdyn) is then input. If the structures natural first mode fundamental frequency (n1) is greater than 1 Hz then Cdyn = 1. This section has
assumed that Cdyn =1. The dynamic response factor along with the advanced Section 6 calculations will be discussed in detail in the following section when 0.2 Hz
n1 1 Hz. The natural frequency can be determined by performing a frequency analysis. See Results and Reports: Frequency .
Extra Height Above Roof
The user has the option of including extra height above the roof in the wind calculations for example in the case that a steel pergola is constructed on the roof of the
buildings. Checking the [Include the Extra Height in the Roof Wind Load] Box applies this wind pressure in the calculations with Mz,cat being calculated for the height
of the building plus the extra height. Un-checking the box only increases the value of Mz,cat.
Generating Wind Loads
Once all parameters are entered, the distribution of the total load to the floors will be summarized in the [ Lateral Loads ] input table as shown in the screen shot
below:
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Wind Loads
There is one Wind Force per floor. The total Floor Wind Force is evaluated as a sum of Wind Pressure acting on the facade walls below and above the current floor
(see picture below). The facade areas (A1 & A2) are evaluated as (Floor Width x Storey Height).
Floor Wind Force
The Wind Calculator in R/C BUILDING software is not suitable for building models with more than one tower. If the model consists of several isolated towers on a
common podium (see picture below), the wind load has to be calculated manually for each tower, and applied as horizontal line load long along the faade of each
floor, on each tower individually.
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[ RCB > Modelling > Loading > Applying Loads > Horizontal Loads > Wind Load > Advanced Calculations ]
Advanced Calculations
[ RCB ]
Section 6 AS/NZS 1170.2-2011
If the natural first mode fundamental frequency (n1) is 0.2 Hz n1 1Hz the structure is deemed to be sensitive dynamic wind effects. If the structure has an n1 <
0.2 Hz then it is not covered by AS/NZS 1170.2:2011.
The equivalent static along wind and cross wind forces must be calculated to Section 6.2 and 6.3 of the standard. Along wind dynamic effects due to wind are caused
by turbulence buffeting. Cross wind dynamic effects are caused by turbulence buffeting and wake excitation.
Both [Advanced Clause 6.1] and [Crosswind Clause 6.3] must be checked if 0.2 Hz n1 1Hz as both along wind and cross wind dynamic excitation mechanisms will
be present.
The ratio of structural damping to critical damping of the structure (AS/NZS 1170.2:2011 Clause 6.2.2) and the first mode of natural frequency of vibration in the
along wind direction (na) must be input for the along wind calculations.
The mode shape power exponent (k) (AS/NZS 1170.2:2011 Clause 6.3.2.1) and the first mode natural frequency of vibration in the cross-wind direction must be input
for the cross-wind calculations.
Note, the along wind and cross wind first mode of natural frequency of vibration (na) and (nc) will vary depending on what wind direction is being considered. In the
following screenshots (building in plan) the wind is in the positive x direction therefore the first mode of natural frequency of vibration in the along wind direction (na)
will be the structures natural first mode fundamental frequency that has a dominant motion in the direction of the wind, the x-x direction. In this case it corresponds
to the structures first mode fundamental frequency (n1 = na). The first mode of natural frequency of vibration in the cross-wind direction (nc) will be the structure's
first mode fundamental frequency that has a dominant mode in the direction perpendicular to the wind, the y-y direction. In this case it corresponds to the
structure's second mode fundamental frequency (n2 = nc ). Even though the structure has some twisting in the y-y direction there is still a dominant movement in this
direction. Note, the values of na and nc will be the same for wind in the positive and negative x direction as the direction of along wind and cross wind vibration will be
the same. See Results and Reports: Frequency on how to determine the structure's natural frequencies using RCB.
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Now we examine the case when the wind is coming from the positive y direction. As can be seen in the screenshot below the first mode of natural frequency of
vibration in the along wind direction (na ) corresponds to the structure's second mode fundamental frequency (n2 = na ). The first mode of natural frequency of
vibration in the cross-wind direction (nc ) corresponds to the structure's first mode fundamental frequency (n1 = nc ). Note, the values of na and nc will be the same for
wind in the positive and negative y direction as the direction of along wind and cross wind vibration will be the same.
Primary Load Cases for Wind
The following screenshot shows the suggested primary load cases for wind. It accounts for all combination of along wind and cross-wind forces. Note, there is
currently no option to set the sign for the cross-wind forces. The user must check is the force is applied in the correct direction and manually change the sign if it is
not. For example LC3: Wux+cWuy refers to positive along-wind in the x direction along with positive cross-wind in the y direction.
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Peak Acceleration at the Top of the Structure
RCB calculates the peak acceleration to Appendix G of AS/NZS 1170.2 for the input along wind and crosswind directions. Accelerations will be calculated for all
serviceability Average Recurrence Interval Wind Speeds; 1yr, 5yr, 10yr, 20yr and 25yr regardless of what Average Recurrence interval has been set for the calculation
of equivalent static along-wing and cross-wind forces. RCB will also automatically use the serviceability ratio of damping to critical damping ratio of 0.01 regardless of
what is input under "Damping Ratio". The accelerations can be viewed after wind forces have been calculated by pressing "Report" in he Later Loads" window.
Combination of Along Wind and Cross Wind Response
Studies have show that applying peak along-wind and cross wind forces simultaneously is conservative (Melbourne, 1975 & Pham & Liechester 1980) as it is unlikely
that peak along wind a crosswind effects will occur simultaneously. The code allows for a reduction of these forces (AS/NZS 1170.2:2011 Clause 6.4) as is illustrates in
the figure below. Ma refers to peak moments due to along wind forces, Mc refers to peak moments due to cross wind forces. R/C Building does not calculate this
reduction.
Error Messages and Warnings
For a full list of errors and warning that may appear please refer to Wind Load - Example .
The following warning message may also appear. This refers to limits placed on values of turbulence intensity in Figures 6.2 - 6.5 of AS/NZS 1170.2:2011. If the
turbulence intensity is outside these limits the software will calculate to the nearest one.
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[ RCB > Modelling > Loading > Applying Loads > Horizontal Loads > Wind Load > Wind Load from Wind Tunnel Tests ]
Wind Load from Wind Tunnel Tests
In RCB software there is no way to input Mz wind moment directly. However, you can change the type of the loading from Wind and Earthquake, and enter the load
location manually. For the analysis the type of the loading does not make any difference, it just some load applied on the structure at a certain location on the floor.
This is the procedure:
1. Say, LC 3 is Wind, but in the lateral load input table is set to type earthquake.
2. In the Lateral Load Location input form, go to LC3, and select User Defined Location'. Now, in the table you can enter any (X,Y) co-ordinates for the lateral load
location.
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3. You can see below how the LC3 force in X-X has an eccentricity.
The force is 1,000 kN, and the eccentricity is 2.0m, so the moment Mz is 2,000 kNm. If you have the values for the forces in X-X and Mz, you can easily calculate the
eccentricity, and enter it in RCB software. If you apply eccentricity to Wx, it will generate moment Mz, and there is no need to apply any eccentricity to the Wy force.
In the picture above, you can see how the Mz is rotating the floor.
[ RCB > Modelling > Loading > Applying Loads > Horizontal Loads > Wind Load > Example ]
Example
[ RCB ]
Example: Wind Sensitive Building
The following section will go through the step-by step procedure of applying wind loads to a tall building that is sensitive to dynamic wind excitation.
The screenshots show the building and its typical floor layout. It is 90m high x 30.4m x 30.4 m. The floor layout shows that it is fairly symmetrical. Note the height is 90
m above ground.
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Isometric
Typical Floor Layout
Load Combinations
It has been decided that, in order not to unnecessarily penalise the structure, each wind direction will be considered individually with the changing values
terrain, shielding, topography and direction being considered. It is also suspected that this building will have n1 1Hz so 8 primary ultimate wind loads
have been added. Note, extra cases will need to be added if service wind loads are to be analysed. With 8 primary ultimate wind loads we then have 16
combination load cases.
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Wind Ultimate Primary Load Cases
Wind Ultiamte Combination Load Cases
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Preliminary Analysis
The next step is to confirm if the structure is wind sensitive and that it is within the scope of the code 0.2 Hz n1 1Hz . First the structure is meshed and analysed
(with first or second order analysis) and a frequency analysis is performed. For more information see Analysis & Solvers > Dynamic Analysis > Frequency . The
following screenshot shows the frequency report [Reports > Frequencies]. The first 3 mode shapes calculated are non-global or "parasitic." This is indicated by low/
zero mass participation factor (MPF). A low mass participation factor means a single element (column, wall, slab) is vibrating by itself. These values are ignored.
No. 4 & 5 have a very high mass participation factor. If we were to open the [Results>Frequencies] and view the animation for these mode shape we would see global
movement of the structure. Therefore ignoring the parasitic mode shapes the the structures natural fist and second mode fundamental frequencies are n1 = 0.3 Hz
n2 = 0.4 Hz respectively. As expected the results are similar as the building is symmetric but not the same as the structure is stiffer about the x-x axis. We have
confirmed that the building is dynamically sensitive n1 < 1 Hz and that it is within the scope of AS/NZS 1170.2:2011 (height <200m, n1 > 0.2 Hz).
Note, when performing a frequency analysis it is recommended that the mass participation factor (MPF) is greater than 90% as suggested in Analysis & Solvers >
Dynamic Analysis > Frequency Analysis > Complete 3D . In this case this can be ignored as we are performing the frequency analysis at this stage to determine the
natural first and second mode fundamental frequencies only.
When a structure is non-symmetrical there may be a coupled motion of translation in the x and y (twisting) in the first 2 natural frequencies. By examining the mass
participation factors and deterring what direction has the greater amount, the dominate direction of vibration can be determined. This is important when
determining the na and nc values which will be discussed in the following sections.
Frequency Report
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Frequency Animation [Results> Frequency]
Applying Wind Loads
The next step is to start defining the wind loads on the structure. Pressing [Input > Lateral Load Magnitudes] we start by matching the Basic Load Case to the [Wind
Direction to Apply the Load] both in the positive x. The wind, shielding and topographic multipliers have been chosen as one for this wind direction. The aerodynamic
shape factors have been calculated taking the reduction factors into account. The Cdyn input is inactive as [Advanced Clause 6.1] is selected and [Crosswind Clause 6.3]
is selected as both along wind and cross-wind forces act concurrently and we are choosing to put them in the same load case.
The appropriate values of na and nc have been entered. In this case the along wind direction is in the x-x. It was shown from the frequency analysis the dominant
natural frequency in the x-x direction is na = n2 = 0.4 Hz. The crosswind the crosswind direction, y-y direction, the dominant natural frequency is nc = n1 = 0.3 Hz.
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Applying Loads
Clicking [OK] the calculator tells us that Cdyn = 1.00. Note this value can be be less than one.
Cdyn
The error message below then appears saying that the geometry of the structure (height : breadth : depth) falls outside the range of sizes specified in Clause 6.3.2.3
and that the closest dimension will be used (3:1:1). As our building is 90m:30.4m:30.4m (2.96:1:1), strictly speaking it falls outside the bounds of the code but as it is
within about 2% we will continue with the calculations to AS/NZS 1170.20:2011. In the case the structures if well outside of the bounds the same message will appear,
clicking cancel will only calculate the along wind effect.
Section 6.3.2.3 in AS/NZS1170.2:2011 calculates the crosswind force spectrum coefficient (Cfs ). This value is used in deterring the crosswind forces due to dynamic
wind excitation mechanisms. As the dynamic response of the building due to wind is dependent on the area which it hits it and how it flows around it this force is
governed by its geometry (h:b:d) ratio. The wind code provides values for a range of sizes and turbulence intensities (which RCB calculates automatically). If your
structures falls outside of the geometric bounds in section 6.3.2.3 the equivalent static crosswind forces calculated by AS/NZS 1170.2:2011 will not be accurate and
specialist advice should be sought.
Geometry Outside Bounds of Code
Another message appears letting us know that the crosswind forces are large. This is expected for such a tall building.
Large Crosswind Forces
The values are then calculated and a force in the +ve x (along wind) and +ve y (crosswind) is applied to the structure. Examining the values we see that the along wind
values (x) reduce in a fairly constant manner as expected based on the windward and leeward pressure distributions. The reduction is due to effects of surface
roughness.
The crosswind forces (y) reduce much more rapidly and are larger than the crosswind forces at the top of the building. This is due to the fact that the dynamic
response and resulting forces are very large and very low at the bottom.
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Load Magnitude
Along Wind Forces due to Wind Pressure
RCB Page 180 of 367
Crosswind Forces Due to Dynamic Crosswind Effects
The warning message shown below is ignored as we have intentionally put forces both in the x-and y.
Loads in both x and y
The process is repeated for all remaining primary wind cases. Note, the wind calculator currently does not have an option to change the sign of the cross-wind forces
independently of the along wind. The sign values defaults for both directions to the sign input in [Wind Direction to Apply Load]. The user must manually change the
sign for crosswind as required.
Manually Change Sign
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Be aware that as the oncoming wind direction changes from x to y direction the values of the first mode fundamental frequency in the along wind and crosswind
direction (na and nc) will now swap. Please refer to Wind Loading: AS/NZS 1170.2:2011 Section 6 for an illustration of this.
Swap na and nc
[ RCB > Analysis & Solvers ]
Analysis & Solvers
[ RCB ]
l Finite Element Method - Theory

l Linear Static Analysis
l 2nd Order Linear Static Analysis
l Common Errors During Analysis
l Batch Export & Analysis: SLB & PTD
l Dynamic Analysis
l Construction Stage Analysis
l Column / Wall Axial Shortening
l Solvers
[ RCB > Analysis & Solvers > Finite Element Method - Theory ]
Finite Element Method - Theory
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
The complete analysis is performed by several analytical procedures or computational models. A linear elastic Finite Element method is employed for calculating the
deflections and the bending moments. A very accurate triangular plate element, known as discrete Kirchhoff element, is used. The triangular shape of the elements
allows a reliable generation of the finite element mesh. Also, an additional element is available in order to take into account the shear deformations: Mindlin/Reissner
element is used to calculate the shear in slab, when 'Thick Plate' option is selected.
Note that Kirchhoff element neglects transverse shear deformation and the nodal shear values calculated when Kirchhoff element (Thin Plate option) is used are
derived from moment results and they are indicative only. In order to include the shear deformation in the element, Thick Plate option should be selected. In that
case, Mindlin/Reissner element is used.
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The Finite Element Method will introduce some additional stiffness at the supports, which will result in higher negative moments at the walls and columns. The effect
is local and it will not influence the results at other locations. The Smooth Moment switch (located may be used to reduce these moments. This option will
implement numerical smoothing of the slab moment results. This will reduce the sharp negative moments at walls and columns while the positive moments at mid-
spans will not be affected (as they are relatively flat). Another method is to use the Moment Redistribution option to reduce the negative moment. A factor of 10% is
recommended for most cases.
After the analysis, all the results should be reviewed critically, and any suspicious results should be examined carefully.
If the model is altered in any way (by editing slab panels, wall geometry, or modifying the load) the old results are not applicable, and a new analysis should be
performed.
[ RCB > Analysis & Solvers > Finite Element Method - Theory > Plate Theory vs. Beam Theory ]
Plate Theory vs. Beam Theory
Coming soon.
[ RCB > Analysis & Solvers > Linear Static Analysis ]
Linear Static Analysis
[ RCB ]
In finite element analysis, structures are modelled as an assemblage of finite number of members and nodes. RCB uses triangular elements with 3 nodes and it divides
the model into triangular elements automatically when the mesh is generated. Once a model has been meshed, RCB can perform all other analyses available in the
software including static analysis.
Static analysis assumes that loads or displacements are applied very slowly to the structure and therefore neglects the inertia and velocity dependent damping forces.
The static analysis algorithms solve a set of equilibrium equations [K] {U} = {R} to obtain nodal displacements {U}, where [K] is the structural stiffness matrix and {R} is
the external load vector. Internal forces (axial force, shear force, moments) are calculated based on nodal displacements.
Analysis results are available in terms of wall and column reactions, vertical deflections, horizontal displacements, bending moments, wall and column stresses and
punching shear.
Note: P-Delta effects are not considered when a model is analysed using the Linear 1st Order Static Analysis. For these efforts to be included the user needs to analyse
the model using the 2nd Order Analysis option. See also: 2nd Order Static Analysis
[ RCB > Analysis & Solvers > 2nd Order Linear Static Analysis ]
2nd Order Linear Static Analysis
[ RCB ]
The 2nd Order analysis will consider the slenderness of braced and unbraced columns and it will magnify the bending moments automatically. The software will
consider the reduction of the column stiffness due to the effect of the axial load. This will cause larger lateral floor deflections, and it will increase the columns and
walls bending moments. This type of analysis is recommended for unbraced frame structures without shear walls.
In general, the 2nd Order analysis will provide more accurate deflection and internal forces results, since the P-Delta effects are automatically considered during the
analysis.
This procedure is much simpler to implement, yet much more precise than the simplified column design method suggested in AS 3600. This is especially important for
unbraced multi-storey frame structures.
For areas with very low seismicity, such as Australia, this type of analysis, in some cases might eliminate the need for shear walls, or it can reduce their size or
number, which will lead to a more economical design. The 2nd Order analysis can be used to prove that an unbraced multi-storey frame structure (columns only),
might provide sufficient lateral robustness (AS 1170.0, clause 6.22), and inter-storey lateral drifts below 1/500 (AS 3600, clause 2.4.3), and that the columns can take
the increased moment due to slenderness.
The 2nd Order analysis considers only the columns, since the walls are not prone to potential buckling. Out-of-plane stiffness of the walls should be neglected, and in-
plane stiffness is very large and any buckling is very unlikely.
The internal forces in the columns obtained by the 2nd Order analysis can be used to design all the columns, treating them as 'braced' columns, since the secondary
moments due to lateral joint displacement are already included during the analysis (AS 3600, clause 10.2.2). This is a much more accurate and yet simple procedure
for the column design, as there is no need to make a decision whether the columns are braced or unbraced, or to estimate the effective length. The internal forces (N,
RCB Page 183 of 367
M and S) produced by the 2nd Order analysis can be directly used to design each column element as a 'braced' column. In this case the Le (effective length) can be
taken as the storey height. For slender columns, moment magnification factors for braced columns can be used.
In order to perform the 2nd Order analysis, in the 'Model and Solver' input panel an appropriate load combination for the column axial load must be selected. The
axial load in each column calculated from this load combination will be used to evaluate the column slenderness for all load cases and combinations. For short and
wide buildings, we recommend load factors: 1.0*DL + 0.8*LL to be used for regular structures. For tall and very narrow structures, where a larger overturning moment
might be generated (which will increase the axial load in the perimeter columns) we recommend 3.0*DL + 3.0*LL. The factor of 3.0 assumes that the axial load on
each column might be increased 3 times due to the overturning moment. It is even better to consider the P-Delta effect for lateral loading separately, using two load
combinations for the column axial load: 1.0*DL + 0.6*LL + 1.0*E and 1.0*DL + 0.6*LL - 1.0*E. In this case several analyses must be performed for different load
combinations. (DL- dead load, LL-live load, E-earthquake load).
[ RCB > Analysis & Solvers > Common Errors During Analysis ]
Common Errors During Analysis
[ RCB ]
l Zero or Negative Pivot Error

l Negative or zero diagonal member
l Wall nsort .NE. kau_d+kau_g Error
l Low Memory
[ RCB > Analysis & Solvers > Common Errors During Analysis > Zero or Negative Pivot Error ]
Zero or Negative Pivot Error
[ RCB ]
Zero or Negative Pivot error occurs during the analysis in INDUCTA software and is caused by instability in the model. Negative Pivot Error is a relatively common
error, however it can be hard to fix up.
Most often the error occurs in RCB, but it can also occur in other INDUCTA software. The following image shows a screenshot of the issue:
The user can use [ Ctrl + F ] and enter the coordinates or the node number provided in the error message to locate the source of the error. In some cases as discussed
below, the coordinates provided may not point exactly to the source of the error.
The error can be caused by:
l A beam, wall or column is left with one or both ends in the air. This will result in the software being unable to find a unique solution for the systems of linear
equations. For example see the image below:
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It is important to remember that in RCB the beam elements always act together with the slab, providing additional stiffness. If the user needs to design a beam
to span over the void, a 'dummy' thin slab has to be drawn over the beam element.
If a column or wall is to be free-standing, the fixity has to be set as fixed-fixed. If the unsupported end is left as pinned, the negative pivot error will be
produced. See image below:
l Slab-on-ground setting is on but no elements set to be in contact with the soil. Similar to the point above, this will leave the model without adequate vertical
support.
l Overly complicated geometry. In some cases, the source of the error may not be obvious, and complex geometry in one part of the model can cause numeric
instability elsewhere. For example, in the image below, once the error coordinates were entered, the following location was shown:
RCB Page 185 of 367
Clearly, the error is not caused by any unsupported elements. To solve the error, the floor geometry will have to be rationalised and simplified.While it is
difficult to provide a step by step guide for this type of error, the general principle is to keep the geometry as simple as possible while preserving all of the
important information. In some cases the reality has to be sacrificed to a minor degree to get the model to run. Understanding the meshing principles is
helpful in rationalising the geometry of the model.
In some cases, the error may persist even after the model geometry has been simplified. In such case, to get the model to run it is recommended to delete all of
the geometry lines on the floor that is causing the error. The user will then need to gradually re-draw the geometry.
[ RCB > Analysis & Solvers > Common Errors During Analysis > Negative or zero diagonal member ]
Negative or zero diagonal member
Negative or zero diagonal member error is the same as Zero or Negative Pivot Error, occuring only in Multi Core 2 solver. It should be noted that while Multi Core 2 is
the fastest solver, it does not output the location of the error. The user should switch to either Multi Core 1 solver or the Single Core solver under [ Settings > System ]
and run the model again in order to find the location of the error. Once the error is fixed, the user can run Multi Core 2 solver again.
[ RCB > Analysis & Solvers > Common Errors During Analysis > Wall nsort .NE. kau_d+kau_g Error ]
Wall nsort .NE. kau_d+kau_g Error
[ RCB ]
During analysis, RCB solver may produce an error, eg
Walls Finite Element Mesh... 214
ERROR: nsort .NE. kau_d+kau_g, Wall No: 214
This is a common error which occurs during the generation of Finite Element mesh for the wall elements within the RCB model. Use [ Ctrl + F ] shortcut to find the wall
in the model that is creating this error (in this example, wall 214) and examine the wall and the floor geometry both above and below the wall. Several issues may be
at the root of this error:
l Wall is too long. Typically, this will occur in walls which are longer than 20 m.
Solution: Split the wall into several segments. Note that this will make the model "softer". However, in reality such long walls are likely to develop cracks,
preventing the wall from acting as a continuous element.
l Wall geometry is too complex, too many wall openings.
Solution: Simplify the wall opening geometry, make sure there are no overlapping openings or really small openings.
l Model geometry above/below the wall is too complex
Solution: Clean up and simplify the slab geometry. Make sure there are no meshing errors, geometry lines intersecting at sharp angles, or many intersecting
elements at short intervals.
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[ RCB > Analysis & Solvers > Common Errors During Analysis > Low Memory Error ]
Low Memory Error
[ RCB ]
The error is produced if there is not enough memory (RAM) to complete the analysis. To fix this issue you may try the following steps:
l Increase mesh size (to decrease model size)

l Close background applications
l Run the model on a 64-bit machine using the i64 solver set under System in the Settings Tab.
[ RCB > Analysis & Solvers > Batch Export & Analysis: SLB & PTD ]
Batch Export & Analysis: SLB & PTD
[ RCB ]
See Batch Export & Analysis: SLB & PTD.
[ RCB > Analysis & Solvers > Dynamic Analysis ]
Dynamic Analysis
[ RCB ]
l Frequency Analysis
l Spectral Analysis
[ RCB > Analysis & Solvers > Dynamic Analysis > Frequency Analysis ]
Frequency Analysis
[ RCB ]
l Concept
l Usage Instructions
l Parasitic Mode Shapes
[ RCB > Analysis & Solvers > Dynamic Analysis > Frequency Analysis > Concept ]
Concept
[ RCB ]
RCB can be used to evaluate the Natural Periods, Natural Frequencies and the associated Mode Shapes of the free vibrations of a building model. The method used to evaluate the
Natural Periods of free vibration is known as Frequency Analysis .
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What is Frequency Analysis
The Natural Periods, Frequencies and the associated Mode Shapes are basic dynamic properties of a building structure, and generally they depend on two
parameters: the stiffness of the structure and the mass. The stiffness is a function of the geometry and configuration of the structural elements, and the modulus of
elasticity. While the mass is derived from one Load Combination selected by the user. Usually the mass is derived from the service load combination, such as 1G+0.6Q
(100% self weight and dead load plus 60% live load).
Frequency Analysis is an analytical procedure, which uses the stiffness and mass properties of a structure and to evaluate the dynamic properties of a building
structure. The dynamic properties of a structure are defined as a series of mode shapes and associated natural period (T, seconds) or frequencies (f, Hz).
Note that f = 1 / T.
Natural Period of Free Vibrations of a Simple Oscillator
In the figure above the displacement over time of a simple oscillator is shown. The oscillator was 'forced' to vibrate by some external action, and then let to vibrate
freely. The length of the sin wave of the free vibrations is the natural period (T). The natural period of the free vibrations is a function of the stiffness (k) and the mass
(m) of the structure.
Simple Oscillator, SDFS (Single Degree of Freedom System)
The Natural Periods (T) of the free vibrations are properties of the structure, and they can be used to evaluate how the structure will behave (respond) if subjected to
dynamic loading. Dynamic loading is loading which varies over time, such as wind, earthquake, rotating machinery and explosions. The dynamic loading will act on the
structure with varying magnitude over a certain length of time, during which the structure will vibrate, and the mass of the structure will 'receive' some acceleration
that will produce inertial forces (Mass * Acceleration = Force). When the structure deforms it will generate internal elastic forces. The vibrations will also cause
friction between the material particles and between the structural components, which in turn will generate damping forces. All these forces: the external dynamic
force (action), internal elastic forces, inertia (Mass * Acceleration), and damping force must be in equilibrium at any time.
Equitation of Vibrations
The Natural Periods can be used to assess the sensitivity of a structure subjected to dynamic loading, and to evaluate the risk of excessive vibrations. For instance, if
some of the mode shapes of the structure have similar frequencies as vibrating machinery attached to the structure, it is very likely that this will cause excessive
vibrations due to the resonance effect.
The other use of the mode shapes is in the Dynamic Response Analysis of the structure. The vibrations of the structure due to some external dynamic loading can be
evaluated as a sum of vibrations of simple oscillators (SDFS, Single Degree of Freedom Systems). The figure below shows that at any time during the vibrations, the
deformed shape of the structure (on the left) can be expressed as a sum of several mode shapes. The amplitude of each mode shape is evaluated as a SDFS subjected
to the dynamic force. This procedure is called the Mode Superposition Method.
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Mode Superposition
[ RCB > Analysis & Solvers > Dynamic Analysis > Frequency Analysis > Usage Instructions ]
Usage Instructions
[ RCB ]
The 3D Complete method for Frequency Analysis automatically set on the [ Model and Solvers] input panel, and there is no need for this method to be selected
manually.
In order to run the frequency analysis, the "Save Mass and Stiffness for Frequency Analysis" checkbox needs to be turned on in the [ Model and Solvers] input panel.
Mass and Frequency matrix can become quite large, so in order to save space and run the analysis efficiently we recommend this checkbox to be switched off. Only
switch it on if Frequency analysis needs to be run. Note that 1st Order or Linear Static Analysis will need to be run to generate the Mass and Stiffness matrix.
The Complete 3D method will evaluate all mode shapes, translation in X-X and Y-Y, and rotation about the vertical axes without any lateral load input required. If
sufficient number of mode shapes are evaluated the Mass Participation Factor in each orthogonal direction will be greater than 90%. This is the most reliable method
for dynamic analysis suitable for any structure.
Example: 3D Mode Shapes
Note that the location of the mass centres of the floor will influence the Frequency Analysis results. The user may set the mass centres on the floors. This will have some influence
on the translation mode shapes, but it will effect more the rotation mode shapes.
Global Torsion
In order to perform a Dynamic Analysis, either Frequency or Spectral, an RCB model needs to be finalised, with all the geometry and all vertical loading. Also, the
model must mesh and run correctly, without any errors.
Then, on the [ Model and Solvers Settings ] input panel we need to select a Load Combination that will represent the mass of the structure. This load combination is
typically: 1.0G+0.3Q (100% Dead Load and 30% Live Load), or it can be 1.0G+0.6Q for warehouses. (see picture below)
It is important to note that the floor mass can be either evenly spread over the entire floor, or it can be lumped at a mass centroid. The mass floor centroid can
be automatically or manually shifted relatively to the shear centre at a distance of 0.1b (where "b" is floor width), in order to consider the uneven distribution of the
RCB Page 189 of 367
floor loads, and to emphasize the tensional vibration of the building. For the purpose of frequency analysis the floor mass is assumed to be located at the Earthquake
(EQ) Force Centroids. (more...)
In the figure below this parameter is marked as (Floor Mass Centroid with 0.1b Ecc). This parameter is user selectable, and it can be entered on the [ Input > Lateral
Load Location ] input panel. In the [ Lateral Load Location ] input panel this parameter is listed as "Earthquake Force Location". ( more...)
The number of mode shapes to be evaluated can be up to 20. The recommended value is between 3 to 6.
Mass Offset and Load Combination for Mass
When a User Defined Location for the [ Lateral Load Location ] is selected, we can enter different EQ Force Centroids for Each Load Case. Now, for the purpose of
the Frequency Analysis we need to select one Load Case, which will be used to define the floor mass locations. (see picture below) This is a special case, when the
user wants to have a complete control on the Mass Centroids.
User Defined Mass Centroids
Initially the value for the Period Shift is set to '0' (zero). The Period Shift is used when we want to eliminate the local 'parasitic' mode shapes. A parasitic mode shape
occurs when one or more isolated structural elements are vibrating with a very low frequency. The software may evaluate a few parasitic frequencies, but as they do
not represent the global dynamic behaviour of the structure they are useless. In such instances a value of 1.0 sec for the Period Shift needs to be entered and the
software will eliminate all parasitic frequencies.
The next step is to generate the finite element by selecting [ Solve > Mesh ] from the Main Menu. Once the mesh has been generated the model is then analysed
using the Linear Static or Second Order Analysis option available from the Main Menu. During the analysis the software will automatically create and store the
stiffness and mass matrices of the model, which will be later used in the Frequency Analysis.
The Frequency Analysis is then performed by selecting [ Solve > Frequency Analysis ] from the Main Menu. The 3D mode shapes, translation in X-X and Y-Y, global rotation,
and the associated natural periods will be evaluated. Note that the total M.P.F (Mass Participation Factor) in X-X and Y-Y must be greater than 90%. If the total M.P.F is less than
90%, then a larger number of mode shapes need to be evaluated. Also, the model should be checked for loose structural elements (columns, walls, beams which are not connected
to the structure) or for thin transfer slabs. Those elements vibrate locally and hide the general dynamic behaviour of the structure. If we had unlimited number of mode shapes then
all modes would be included in the behaviour, however this is not possible. Therefore elimination of parasite vibrations and a realistic number of mode shape number are
recommended in order to achieve the MPF to be over 90% .
Once the frequency results have been generated, the frequency report is available from the Main Menu under [ Reports > Frequencies ]. A sample report is shown
below:
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Frequency Analysis Results Example
In the example above, the user requested 3 mode shapes to be evaluated. The software will calculate a total of 9 mode shapes, 3 in X-X direction, 3 in Y-Y direction
and 3 in rotation. The largest M.P.F (Mass Participation Factor) in the X-X direction indicates a dominant mode shape in X-X (translation).
The dominant mode shape in the sample report above in X-X is Mode No 1, T=0.8339s. The dominant mode shape in Y-Y is Mode No 2, T=0.5439s. The modes with
small M.P.F in both directions, such as Mode No 3 are modes in rotation. This will be obvious when the modes are plotted in 3D (and displayed as animated
behaviour) by selecting [ Results > Mode Shapes 3D ] from the Main Menu. Following screen shots show the first 3 mode shapes of an example model:
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[ RCB > Analysis & Solvers > Dynamic Analysis > Frequency Analysis > Parasitic Mode Shapes ]
Parasitic Mode Shapes
[ RCB ]
RCB Page 192 of 367
The purpose of the Frequency Analysis is to evaluate the natural period of vibrations and the associated mode shapes of the global free vibrations of the structure. A
global vibration, or global mode shape is a vibration of the entire structure in one of the principal direction, X-X or Y-Y or a rotation about the vertical axes. (see
picture below)
Global Mode Shape
However, in each structure there may be some structural elements which are able to vibrate by themselves. We call these vibrations local vibrations, and the mode
shapes are called local or parasitic mode shapes (see picture below). The parasitic mode shapes are not of interest, since they do not represent the global
behaviour of the structure, and generally they are useless in the Spectral Analysis. In the picture below we can see an example of a wall with a free top edge, which
can vibrate locally in different directions.
Parasitic Mode Shape Example
If we look at the Frequency Analysis report, we can recognize the parasitic mode shapes by the zero or close to zero M.P.F. (Mass Participation Factor) in both
directions, X-X and Y-Y. Note that the rotational mode shape may also have small M.P.F. factors. The 3D view of the Frequency Analysis results will show the
rotational mode shapes.
The problem with the parasitic mode shapes is if there are too many, and since we evaluate only a limited number of mode shapes by the Frequency Solver, we may
not have sufficient number of global mode shapes in X-X and Y-Y direction, and the M.P.F. will be less than 90%. In such case we cannot proceed with the Spectral
Analysis.
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Mass Participation Factors (M.P.F)
In our example, the vibrations of the wall with free edge can be constrained by modelling a narrow slab strip along the wall free edger. This will eliminate the
parasitic mode shapes, and it will not affect the Static Analysis Results. (see picture below)
Narrow Slab Strip over the Wall Free Edge
Another typical example is a wall going over several levels, which is not properly connected to any slabs. (see picture below) In this example, the "free" wall at the middle of the
stair-case can vibrate by itself, and it will generate larger number of parasitic mode shapes, which will produce a very low M.P.F (Mass Participation Factor) In this case the solution
is to set the slab thickens to some small value, just sufficient to prevent the vibrations of the free wall.
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Vibration of "free" Wall
Recommended setting to obtain higher M.P.F (Mass Participation Factor)
[ RCB > Analysis & Solvers > Dynamic Analysis > Spectral Analysis ]
Spectral Analysis
[ RCB ]
l Concept
l 4-Step Complete Spectral Analysis
l The Sign of the Spectral Results
l Wall Stresses with Spectral Analysis
l Vertical Wall Stresses with Spectral Analysis
RCB Page 195 of 367
[ RCB > Analysis & Solvers > Dynamic Analysis > Spectral Analysis > Concept ]
Concept
[ RCB ]
What is Spectral Analysis
A dynamic force can expressed as a time dependant function: Time History. In the figure below a dynamic force is plotted over a total period of 2.5 seconds at regular
intervals of 0.1 seconds.
Time History of Dynamic Force
If this force is applied to a point on a structure it will cause the structure to vibrate, i.e. the structure will 'respond'. At any point of the structure a similar time history
of the displacement and any other internal forces will be generated. The displacements and the internal forces generated by an external dynamic load is called the
'Dynamic Response'. This type of response as a time history output is not practical as it is very hard to follow the changes over a period of time. The results of interest
are the maximum values of the displacement and the internal forces. We can implement the Spectral Analysis approach which will provide only the maximum values
of the displacement and the internal forces. In order to implement the Spectral Method, the dynamic force given as the Time History has to be transformed into a
Response Spectrum curve.
A Response Spectrum curve is devised in the following manner:
- The dynamic force given as a time history (see figure above) is applied to a simple oscillator (SDFS, Single Degree of Freedom System) defined with its natural period T.
The SDFS will vibrate and a time history of the displacements and the acceleration can be calculated. We can then select the maximum acceleration of the SDFS. For
example, if we consider a SDFS with period T=1.5s and maximum acceleration equal to 4g (g is earth acceleration). We can use different natural periods from 0s
(zero) to 3s at regular intervals of 0.1s. We can then develop the complete Spectral Response curve (see figure below). Note that the simple oscillator (SDFS) has some
nominal dumping, and normally this damping is assumed to be 5%.
Response Spectrum Curve
The spectral curve is called a Response Spectrum because the spectral values (acceleration in this case) are the maximum acceleration values of the response
obtained on a SDFS. In a similar manner we can derive Response Spectral Curves for displacement and velocity. However it is customary to use the Acceleration
Response Spectrum curve.
These types of Acceleration Response Spectrum curves are given in any earthquake design codes, such as AS 1170.4. The earthquake action is represented with a
typical Acceleration Response Spectrum curve. In the design codes several averaged Spectral Response Curves are provided for different soil conditions. These curves
RCB Page 196 of 367
are scaled to adjust for different levels of earthquakes. The spectral curves can be specific for particular seismic events. (see figure below)
Spectral Curve of a Specific Seismic Event
For larger buildings or for buildings of greater significance, a location-specific Spectral Curves should be developed. Based on the seismic study of the specific site and
the local soil conditions, a synthetic Spectral Curve can be produced. These location-specific synthetic Spectral Curves will represent the seismic events most
accurately.
A Spectral Analysis is summarised in the following steps:

- Perform the Frequency Analysis and evaluate several mode shapes and the associated natural periods, T1, T2, T3, etc..
- Obtain an Acceleration Response Spectrum curve, which represents a particular dynamic load.
- For each natural period (T) evaluate the spectral acceleration, using the Spectral curve.
- Evaluate the participation of each mode shape in the dynamic response of the structure using the corresponding spectral acceleration and participation
factors. For each mode shape the maximum displacements is calculated.
- Combine the modal displacements to obtain the maximum displacement of the structure.
- Use this displacement to obtain the internal forces.
[ RCB > Analysis & Solvers > Dynamic Analysis > Spectral Analysis > Usage Instructions ]
Usage Instructions
[ RCB ]
Spectral Analysis
Note that Spectral Analysis is available only with the combination of the Complete 3D Frequency Analysis Method.
Once the Complete 3D Frequency Analysis has been performed and the results have been examined (and the total M.P.F. - Mass participation factor in both X-X and Y-Y directions
have been confirmed to be greater than 90%), we can proceed with the Spectral Analysis.
The Spectral Analysis consists of four steps:
1. Linear Static or Second Order Analysis (store 3D stiffness and mass matrices)
2. Complete 3D Frequency Analysis (3D mode shapes and natural periods are evaluated)
3. Perform the Spectral Analysis (deformed shape due to a dynamic event is evaluated)
4. Linear Static or Second Order Analysis (internal forces from the Step 3 are combined with other load cases)
All the steps above have to be performed in the sequence shown, without modifying the geometry of the model or the load applied to the model.
Spectral Analysis: Step 1
The first step is to set the frequency setting on the [ Settings > Settings in the Model and Solvers ] input panel to Complete 3D and to run the Static analysis. During the analysis, the
software will evaluate and store the global 3D stiffness and mass matrices, which will be used in the Frequency Analysis. Note that the mass is derived from the Load Combination
for Gravity Load selected by the user on the Model and Solver Settings input panel. Initially the number of mode shapes can be set to 3, for more regular structures, and to 6 for
irregular structures.
It is important to note that the floor mass can be either evenly spread over the entire floor, or it can be shifted away from the shear centre at a distance of 0.1b
(where "b" is floor width), in order to emphasise the torsional vibration of the building. In the picture below this parameter is marked as: (Floor Mass Centoid +
0.1b). This parameter is user selectable, and it can be entered on the [ Input > Lateral Load Location ] input panel. In the [Lateral Load Location] input panel this
parameter is listed as "Earthquake Force Location". ( more...)
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The 3D Frequency Analysis is performed by selecting [ Solve > Frequency Analysis ] from the Main Menu. During this step the required number of mode shapes and associated
natural periods will be evaluated. The next step is to examine the Frequency Analysis results and confirm that the total M.P.F. (Mass participation factor), in both X-X and Y-Y
directions is greater than 90%. If this is not the case the number of Mode Shapes needs to be increased and if necessary to apply the Period Shift to eliminate the parasitic mode
shapes. See also: Dynamic Analysis: Complete 3D
The Spectral Analysis is performed by selecting [ Solve > Spectral Analysis ] from the Main Menu. Within the Spectral Analysis input window, the user is required to select an
appropriate set of input values, and the analysis needs to be performed twice: the first time for the X-X direction, and the second time for Y-Y direction. During this step the software
will apply the dynamic event (the earthquake) that was represented by the Spectral Curves in X-X and Y-Y direction separately. During this process the software will also evaluate the
deformed shape of the structure for each direction. The results for each direction will be associated to a specific Basic Load Cases that was selected by the user.
In the picture below, the user performs the Spectral Analysis in X-X Direction and the earthquake action will be stored in the basic load case No 3. The same procedure needs to be
done for Y-Y Direction selecting another basic load case.
The final step requires the Static Analysis to be performed again. This will combine the internal forces from all other load cases with results from the Spectral Analysis in the X-X and
Y-Y directions. The software will provide a message in the Information box indicating the basic load cases where the Spectral Analysis results were included. All other lateral loads in
these two basic load cases will be ignored.
All spectral analysis results including all internal forces and wall group reactions are evaluated by combining the results of all mode shapes.
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All sptecral analysis results, including the deformations, reactions and all other internal forces can be examined by selecting the appropriate basic load cases and load combinations.
See also: 4-Step Complete Procedure
Report:
Spectral Report summerizes the parameters used in the spectral analysis and shows the spectral forces. These forces are equivalent spectral forces per floor. They are calculated
based on the design spectrums for each mode shape and combined using SQSS or CQC methods. They are provided to give an idea about the magnitude of the spectral action
compared to equivalent earthquake static forces calculated acccording to AS1170.4, Clause 6.2.
However, please note that they are not applied as static forces during spectral analysis which takes into account the dynamic properties of the building. Therefore, even though
the equivalent static and spectral forces per floor might be similar, this would not necessarily be the case for the results of the analysis, especially for multiple DOF systems.
See also: Overturning Moment
[ RCB > Analysis & Solvers > Dynamic Analysis > Spectral Analysis > 4-Step Complete Spectral Analysis ]
4-Step Complete Spectral Analysis
[ RCB ]
The 4 steps explained in Spectral Analysis can be done in one go using 'Spectral Analysis 4-Step Complete Procedure', which is available from [ Solve > Spectral Analysis > Complete 4-
Step Procedure ] as shown in the picture below. Spectral analysis is available for AS1170.4, EC8, TDY2007 and PNGS 1001.
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In step 1, the analysis method recommended is "Linear Static Analysis" because, this step is used in the calculation of the natural periods of the building, which will be later on used
in the design spectrums to calculate the spectral forces. If "2nd Order Static Analysis" is used in Step 1, the building will be more flexible and depending on where the natural periods
are on the design spectrum, the spectral forces can be smaller than they really are. In step 4, either of the analyses can be used, however please note that in order to design
reinforced concrete elements, 2nd Order Static Analysis analysis must be selected.
Period Factor is used to scale down the periods calculated during Frequency Analysis, in order to get larger acceleration values on design spectrums which will give larger spectral
forces. This tool can be used when the spectral forces are too low compared to the equivalent static forces.
Equivalent spectral forces are printed in the Spectral Report. Please note that those forces are not the actual spectral action applied to the building during spectral
analysis. They are printed to give an approximate idea to the user when comparing dynamic and static actions. Also, they can be used in the estimate evaluation of
the spectral wall stresses.
Also See: Wall Stresses with Spectral Analysis and The Sign of the Spectral Results
[ RCB > Analysis & Solvers > Dynamic Analysis > Spectral Analysis > The Sign of the Speactral Results ]
The Sign of the Speactral Results
[ RCB ]
Usually, the Spectral Method is used to apply the earthquake actions in two Basic Load Cases. One Basic Load Case is use to apply the earthquake action in X-X direction, and the
one for Y-Y direction. All internal forces for all structural elements, such as bending moments, shear and axial load will be evaluated for all Spectral Load Cases.
The Spectrum Method procedure will identify the maximum internal actions for each structural element, for each mode shape individually. Then, the maximum values of the
internal forces for each mode shape will be combined using either SQSS (Square Root of the Sum of Squares) or CQC (Complete Quadratic Combination) method in order to evaluate
the final internal forces. During combining the modal results using CQC or SQSS methods, the sign of the final results will be lost. Therefore, the final internal forces results will not
have sign. Note that the Spectral results sign is lost because of the method itself, and it is not because of the software. The meaning is that any internal force can reach the same -
ve or +ve value during the vibrations caused by the earthquake.
However, in the software we artificially adopt the sign for the Spectral results from the dominant mode shapes in X and Y direction. So, the software will identify the dominant
mode shape in X-X direction, and it will use the sign for the Spectral Load case in X-X direction. The same is done for the Y-Y direction. Now, the Spectral results will have a sign.
[ RCB > Analysis & Solvers > Dynamic Analysis > Spectral Analysis > Wall Stresses with Spectral Analysis ]
Wall Stresses with Spectral Analysis
[ RCB ]
Internal wall stresses results will not be evaluated for the Spectral Load Cases, except for the vertical wall stresses SigmaY. Usually, the Spectral Method is used to apply the
earthquake action in two Basic Load Cases. One Basic Load Case is use to apply the earthquake action in X-X direction, and the one for Y-Y direction. For these two Spectral Basic
Load Cases the wall internal stresses will not be evaluated. However, all other internal wall actions, such as bending moment, shear and axial load will be evaluated.
RCB Page 200 of 367
the final internal actions. During combining the modal results using CQC or SQSS methods, the sign of the final results will be lost. Therefore, the final internal forces results have no
sign. The meaning is that each internal force can reach the same -ve or +ve value during the vibrations caused by the earthquake .
Now, if the sign of the internal actions is lost it it impossible to evaluate the wall stress results, because they consist of three components: SigmaX, SigmaY and TauXY. If the sign is
lost, we cannot use the three stress components to evaluate the principal stresses.
Because of this, wall Spectral stress results are not provided in RCB software, even though 'Save Wall Stress for Design' option is checked on the [Settings>Model and Solvers Form].
Instead, we suggest an alternative procedure for wall Spectral stresses evaluation. An relatively reliable estimation of the detailed wall stresses from the Spectral Analysis can
be performed by following the procedure :
1) Calculate the Spectral displacements as explained in How to Use Spectral Analysis and 4-Step Complete Spectral Analysis chapters.
2) Open Spectral Analysis Report using the button provided on "Spectral Analysis 4-Step Complete Procedure" Form. On the report the spectral forces for floor would be listed.
3) Apply the forces provided on the Spectral Analysis Report as lateral forces [Input> Lateral Load Magnitudes]. Note that it is recommended to use additional two basic load cases
for this purpose only. (see example below)
4) After running Linear Static or 2nd Order Static Analysis one more time, the wall stresses the Basic Load Cases 'Ex_spectral2' and 'Ey_spectral2' will be available.
If a building has a dominant mode shapes in both orthogonal directions, then the Wall stresses estimate obtained in this manner will be close to the actual Spectral Wall
Stresses. But, now wall stresses will have an appropriate sign, and they can be used in wall and deep beam design .
For example: Basic Load Cases 'Ex' and 'Ey' can be used for equivalent static forces, 'Ex_spectral' and 'Ey_spectral' can be used for Spectral analysis results, and 'Ex_spectral2' and
'Ey_spectral2' can be used for applying Spectral forces as static forces for the purpose of evaluation wall stresses.
Basic LC1: Dead Load
Basic LC2: Live Load
Basic LC3: Ex (equivalent static earthquake force in X-X)
Basic LC4: Ey (equivalent static earthquake force in Y-Y)
Basic LC5: Ex_spectral (earthquake in X-X, used for all results except wall stresses)
Basic LC6: Ey_spectral (earthquake in Y-Y, used for all results except wall stresses)
Basic LC7: Ex_spectral2 (spectral static earthquake force in X-X, used for wall stresses) point (2) above
Basic LC8: Ey_spectral2 (spectral static earthquake force in Y-Y, used for wall stresses) point (2) above
Please note that the internal wall stresses obtained in this manner are only an estimate.
[ RCB > Analysis & Solvers > Dynamic Analysis > Spectral Analysis > Vertical Wall Stresses with Spectral Analysis ]
Vertical Wall Stresses with Spectral Analysis
[ RCB ]
For Spectral Load Cases only the vertical wall stresses (SigmaY), along the top and bottom wall edges will be evaluated. No other internal wall stresses will be evaluated for the
Spectral Load Cases.
Usually, the Spectral Method is used to apply the earthquake action in two Basic Load Cases. One Basic Load Case is use to apply the earthquake action in X-X direction, and the
one for Y-Y direction. For these two Spectral Basic Load Cases no other wall stresses will be evaluated, expect SigmaY. However, all other internal wall actions, such as bending
moments, shear and axial load will be evaluated for all Spectral Load Cases.
the final internal actions. During combining the modal results using CQC or SQSS methods, the sign of the final results will be lost. Therefore, the final internal stresses results,
and the vertical stresses SigmaY, will not have a sign. Note that the Spectral results sign is lost because of the method itself, and it is not because of the software. The meaning is
that SigmaY stresses along the top and bottom edge can reach the same -ve or +ve value during the vibrations caused by the earthquake.
However, in the software we artificially adopt the sign for the Spectral results from the dominant mode shapes in X and Y direction. So, the software will identify the dominant
mode shape in X-X direction, and it will use the sign for the Spectral Load case in X-X direction. The same is done for the Y-Y direction. Now, the Spectral results will have a sign. (see
picture below)
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[ RCB > Analysis & Solvers > Construction Stage Analysis ]
Construction Stage Analysis
[ RCB ]
In any Structural Analysis it is assumed that the entire loading is applied on the complete structure instantaneously. The Liner Static and 2nd Order Analysis in RCB are based on the
same assumption. In this case all structural elements contribute in the resistance of the entire loading. The internal forces are distributed according to the relative stiffness of the
elements. Ultimately, any loading at any position of the structure contributes to the internal forces in any structural elements.
However building structures are constructed and loaded gradually, several floors at a time. Typically in a building structure, the construction loading is about 80% to 90% of the
service loading. The loading of the 1st stage is supported only by the structure that is constructed up to that moment. The additional loading from the 2nd stage is supported by the
structure that is constructed up to that moment (stage 1 and 2). The 2nd stage is constructed on already realized deflections from the 1st stage. This will influence the distribution of
the internal forces in all structural elements, especially the reaction of the transfer floor.
Let us closely examine three alternative approaches to evaluate the reactions on a transfer slab: Contributory Floor Area Method, Static Analysis, Construction Stages Analysis.
Contributory Floor Area Method: In the Contributory Floor Area Method it is assumed that the structure is 'cut' vertically, and the loading on each floor is lumped at the closest
support. This is the preferred method for manual calculations. This will result in uniform reaction in all columns, regardless whether they terminate at the transfer slabs or they
continue to the ground. In the figure, the reactions R1and R2 are calculated by Area Method and are identical.
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For the design of the transfer slabs this is very conservative and will result in a non-economical solution.
Static Analysis: In the Static Analysis approach, where it is assumed that all the loading is applied on the entire structure instantaneously, the reactions in the columns which
terminate at the transfer slab will be smaller. This is because these columns have a flexible vertical support, and therefore they will attract smaller reactions. In the previous figure,
the reaction R1 is significantly smaller than the reaction R2. This approach will underestimate the values of the reaction in the columns that terminate at the transfer slabs.
Construction Stages Analysis: In the Construction Stages Analysis the structure and the loading is applied gradually, as it is constructed. For instance, at the end of the first stage all
the deflections due to the self weight are released, and the upper levels will be constructed on already realized deflections. RCB software can perform this type of analysis in stages.
The deflections and the internal forces are incrementally accumulated as the structure is constructed. This will provide the most accurate estimate of the reactions on the transfer
slabs. In the previous figure, it is shown that the reactions in the columns that terminate at the transfer level (R1) are still smaller than the reactions in the column which go to the
ground (R2), but the difference is not as much as in the Static Analysis.
If we try to design the transfer slabs isolated from the structure, applying all the loading from above will be still very conservative since we do not consider the contribution of the
structural elements in the upper levels. Regardless which approach we assume to evaluate the reactions on the transfer slab, if we design it isolated from the rest of building using
SLABS software, it will be a rather conservative approach. The most accurate design of the transfer slab would be to evaluate the internal forces and to design it as an integral part of
the entire building structure, using the Construction Stages Analysis approach.
NOTE: Although the Construction Stages Analysis is much more accurate than Contributory Floor Area method, we must recognize that the Area method has been used successfully
in many design jobs. Although more conservative, the Floor Area method has proven to yield safe structural systems. If we use Construction Stages Analysis and we end up with a
less conservative design (smaller sections, less steel), this potentially might 'uncover' some errors in the design methodology, which were previously 'covered' by the more
conservative approach. It should be clear that the safety of the structure is made of three components: load factors (we assume increased loading), strength reduction factors (we
assume decreased material strength), and not-so-obvious built-in safety in the analytical procedures. Normally, simplified methods such as the Floor Area method are more
conservative. For instance, traditionally we have been using the Floor Area method, but at the same time we were ignoring the twisting moment in the slab design Mxy. If we use a
less conservative analytical approach, we reduce the built-in safety factors in the analytical approach, which might 'uncover' a problem related to the Mxy twisting action.
[ RCB > Analysis & Solvers > Column / Wall Axial Shortening ]
Column / Wall Axial Shortening
[ RCB ]
l Concept
l Theory
l Benchmark Examples
[ RCB > Analysis & Solvers > Column / Wall Axial Shortening > Concept ]
Concept
[ RCB ]
In medium and high-rise buildings the axial shortening of columns and walls will have a significant effect on the distribution of the internal force in the structural
elements and on the final design. The vertical settlement itself is not so much of a concern, but the differential settlement between the vertical elements causing a
redistribution of forces is. For example, a softer, highly loaded column will have much larger vertical settlements in comparisons to a stiffer shear wall. Differential
settlement can cause serviceability criteria to be violated over time and can possibly generate unacceptable lateral drift of the building. This relative difference of the
vertical settlements between walls and columns can also redistribute moments in the slab and in the beams hence it is necessary to consider these effects in
design by, for example, precambering some vertical elements or making them stiffer to ensure uniform long term shortening of the vertical elements. Axial
shortening is a long term process which is affected by the loading history during construction and creep and shrinkage effects.
For buildings of up to 20 levels, including the basement levels, the axial shortening of columns can be considered as a secondary effect, and it should not be
significant. For buildings from 20 to 30 levels it is very likely that it will have some significant effect on the distribution of the internal forces. For buildings larger than
30 levels the axial shortening of columns will have a major impact on the design, and it must be considered in the design of all structural elements.
RCB offers a comprehensive solution for the axial shortening of columns and walls based on a state-of-art analytical solution. RCB provides a linear solution to the
non-liner problem of axial shortening by breaking that analysis into four steps. Please refer to Usage Instructions for more details on each step.
Step 1: Construction Stages Analysis (Load History on Columns and Walls)

Analyse the model floor-by-floor to get the load history per column and wall for a chosen service gravity load combination using the 28 day properties of concrete as
defined in the material properties .
Step 2: Column and Wall Shortening due to Shrinkage and Creep

Unrestrained shrinkage shortening and creep shortening using the load history from Step 1 are calculated per column and wall and stored in the chosen primary load
case. Time varying properties of concrete are considered.
Step 3: Linear Static Analysis with Shortenings

Apply the shortening values calculated in step 2 to the structure and calculate the forces they generate and elastic shortening. Construction compensation of the
vertical settlements can be ignored (0% RL) or considered (100% RL). By default the 28 day values of concrete will be used for this analysis, however there is an option
to use a separate, stiffer, value for steps 3 and 4 as defined by the user. If no pre-set (construct the columns higher so they settle flat at some point in the future) is to
be applied to the columns and walls then all results can be viewed after this step.
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Step 4: Static Analysis with Shortenings and Pre-set (optional)
If pre-set is to be applied to any columns or wall then step 4 needs to be run. The software can calculate pre-set automatically to make the floors flat at the time set in
"Shortening at" in step 2. User defined pre-set values can also be entered at this step.
Note: This solver is independent of the Construction Stage Analysis.
[ RCB > Analysis & Solvers > Column / Wall Axial Shortening > Usage Instructions ]
Usage Instructions
[ RCB ]
In order to use the axial shortening feature in RCB at least three basic load cases are needed. Four are needed if the wall and columns are to be pre-set /
precambered:
1. LC1: Dead Load (G)

2. LC2: Live Load (Q)
3. LC3: Axial Shortening due to Creep and Shrinkage (Cr_Shr)
4. LC4: Automatic or user defined pre-set (PS)
At least, the following load combinations are needed to complete the axial shortening calculations and to view the results:
1. 1.2G + 1.5Q: Ultimate gravity load case for strength design without long term creep and shrinkage effects. Strictly speaking it is not needed for the axial
shortening calculator, but can be used for comparison against the ultimate gravity case with creep and shrinkage (3).
2. Q + 0.6Q : Any service load combination used in the Step 1 calculation of the Axial Shortening solver. The loading history per column and wall is determined
during the construction stage analysis in step one for this load combination.
3. 1.2G + 1.5Q + Cr_Shr: Ultimate gravity load case for strength design considering the internal forces due to long term creep and shrinkage effects. Note that pre-
set or any other construction compensation will not produce any internal forces. So, regardless of whether there is pre-set or not, this is the load combination
for internal forces to be used in design, which includes long term effects and construction stages.
4. Q + 0.6Q + Cr_Shr + PS*: Load combination used to check the service limit state. It includes shrinkage and creep of the columns and walls, elastic shortening
due to the service load case G+0.6Q, and the pre-set if it has been applied.
*: PS only needed if column / wall pre-set is applied.
After meshing the structure, the Columns and Wall Axial Shortening Input form becomes active under the 'Solve' tab.
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Columns & Walls Axial Shortening Form
Step 1: Construction Stages Analysis (Load History on Columns and Walls)
When calculating Step 1 RCB runs the model floor-per-floor, calculating reactions in each column and wall as the floor above is constructed and with the selected load
combination evenly applied. At this stage a time input is not required as the reactions per construction of each stage are calculated that are to be used for the creep
and elastic shortening calculations in step 2. The loading is illustrated in the figure below. In reality the loading is much more complex due to stripping and back
propping and variation in construction loads. Step 1 is calculating the loading increment per column and wall as the building is constructed. The principle is the same
as that outlined in Construction Stages , however, unlike the construction stage analysis, the user cannot input the number of floors per construction stage. Every
floor is a construction stage. This approach, which implements a proper static analysis of each stage of construction, will provide a precise load history per column and
wall which considers the frame action and constraint of all structural elements.
When the construction stage analysis is run the load history is saved as this type of analysis may take a long time to complete for larger buildings and it is desirable to
keep the results. The results and load combination used to create them are displayed. If reactions from another load case are needed the step 1 analysis needs to be
performed again. If there are major changes to the structure the analysis will also need to be run again to get the correct reactions on each column and wall at each
construction stage.
The form can be re-opened and the user can go directly to step 2 if a construction stage analysis has been run and saved. RCB will see that there are loading history
results saved and will be able to proceed directly to step 2.
The elastic modulus Ec used in the step 1 analysis is from the Modulus of Elasticity input in the Material Properties as shown in the figure below.
RCB Page 205 of 367
Load History Example for A Simple 3 Story Building
28 day Elastic Modulus Ec used for Step 1
Before Step 2: Input exposure type, reinforcement ratio and material type
Once step 1 is complete the column/wall exposure type and reinforcement ratio properties will become active for columns and walls. The user must close the axial
shortening form and edit the values from their default value exposure value of k4 = 0.65 and reinforcement ratio p = 0.01. The values calculated from step 1 will
be saved. The other input that is required is the final basic drying shrinkage strain . This is an input in the material properties table associated with the column
and wall types.
[Input > Types > Columns and Walls]
[Input > Material Properties]
The elastic modulus Ec used in the step 2 analysis is calculated using the characteristic compressive strength value (fc) that is input in the Material Properties as
shown in the figure below. The mean in-situ compressive strength (fcmi ) is determined from AS 3600-2009 Table 3.1.2 and the elastic modulus of the concrete is
calculated as per Clause 3.1.2. For more information and information on how the time varying properties of the concrete are determined refer to the theory section.
Input Exposure Type and Reinforcement Ratio
RCB Page 206 of 367
Input Final Drying Basic Shrinkage Strain & Values used to calculate Ec
Step 2: Calculate Creep, Shrinkage and Elastic Displacements
The shrinkage shortening and creep shortening due to the load history in step 1 are calculated at regular time intervals based on the floor to floor cycle and at some
point in the future defined in the "Shortening at" text box. The "Shortening at" time can be at end of construction or at 30 years for example.
A constant construction/ loading cycle is assumed. The floor to floor cycle in days refers to the number of days between constructions of slab to slab. The columns are
assumed to be poured half way between each cycle. It is assumed the slab is loaded with the load selected in step 1 and is applied as soon as the slab is constructed.
Referring to the figure above the load history for a column on ground floor is shown on a 3 storey building with a construction cycle of 14 days. It is assumed the
columns are constructed in between each cycle.
Step 1 calculated the magnitude of the forces per column as each floor is constructed. In the graph above F1, F1+F2, F1+F2+F3 are calculated only. The load time
history is determined in step 2 calculations based on the construction cycle that is input.
The axial shortening results from Step 2 are stored in Primary Load Case as shown below.
Note, these shortening values are for the unrestrained columns and wall and the restraint provided by the structural system is not considered at this time. This is
considered in subsequent steps. The step 2 shortening values are the un-restrained or potential creep and shrinkage values.
Set the Primary Load Case to Save Axial Shortening Values
Step 2: Variation Factors
Due to the variation of concrete properties even within the same cylinder testing batch AS 3600 requires that a variation range be considered for the elastic modulus
of concrete, shrinkage strain and creep coefficient. The user must determine which combination will produce the worst case forces in the structure. For more
information please refer to the theory section.
Step 2: Calculations
The axial shortening is then calculated and the reports can be viewed showing all relevant values. The shortening is automatically calculated at each half cycle and
cycle. Shortening for a particular time can be calculated by filling in the "Shortening at" text box. Detailed reports can be viewed or summary reports. The time varying
properties of the concrete, the time and duration of the applied load and restraint due to reinforcement are taken into consideration in the calculations. For more
information please refer to the theory section.
The user also has the option of disregarding types of shortening by checking/un-checking the Shortening to be considered in the analysis boxes.
The total shortening is shown by pressing the [Summary] button and individual values can be viewed by pressing the [Open Report] button.
Before Step 3: Set Long Term Concrete Properties
As in Step 1, Steps 3 and 4 use a single non-varying value for f'c and E during the analysis. Step 1 uses the 28 day value set in the material properties. If the "Use long-
term stiffness and modulus elasticity" check box is unchecked then the same 28 day values will be used in Step 2 and 4. However, if calculating the shortening at some
point in the future, 30 years for example, the values will be greater than the 28 day value. Switching on "Use long-term stiffness and modulus elasticity" allows
different values as defined by the user to be used for the Step 3 and 4 calculations.
RCB Page 207 of 367
Before Step 3: Compensation
Before running Step 3 the user has the option of taking construction compensation into account (100% RL) when calculating the shortening of the columns and walls.
First, consider the case where no compensation is used (0% RL).
Most buildings will undergo differential axial shortening due to the fact that the vertical supporting elements will have different sizes and reactions. In the case the
building is unsymmetrical in plan this differential settlement will cause horizontal displacement of the building. If the differential settlement is not compensated when
a floor is constructed the floor would be constructed on a displaced shape. The new floor will undergo differential settlement and this effect accumulates as the
construction continues. At the top floor this differential settlement has increased to produce very large differential displacements between elements of different
stiffness and cause a large re-distribution of the internal forces over time as well as lateral drift of the building. In other words, if the floor was to have a 2.8m column
height the 0% RL option constructs columns at exactly 2.8m high. This is the 0% RL compensation option.
In the case floor is the constructed level to the specified RL for that floor, any differential settlement due to creep, shrinkage and elastic effect up to the point just
before that floor's construction are levelled out and the new floor is constructed flat. In other words if column height is 2.8m as specified in the architectural
elevations it will actually be constructed slightly longer, 2.803m say as, in order to get Level X to the RL specified in the architectural plans the column has to be a bit
longer as there already has been some shortening of the columns below and some elastic displacement of the supporting transfer slab. As per the figure below, this is
what is done in RCB when compensation is set to 100% RL. The floor is pulled up to the RL for that floor specified in [Input > Storey Heights] and long term effects
allowed to continue after the floor's construction.
In reality all floors will be built flat so the 100% RL is the compensation option that should be used in design. The 0% RL no compensation is included for comparison.
Please note compensation is only vertical. Vertical compensation has the effect of reducing horizontal drift as differential settlement is reduced. However, lateral
compensation, for example if jumped formed shear cores are used, is not performed in RCB. It is also assumed that the pour cycle is walls/columns then slab then
wall/column then slab etc. Jump-formed cores that are one or more levels above the current floor are not considered.
Left: 0% RL - No Compensation
Right: 100% RL - Compensation
Step 3: Linear Static Analysis with Shortenings or

Step 3: Construction Stages with Shortenings
In Step 3 the unrestrained potential creep and shrinkage values that were calculated in Step 2 are applied to the structural system to determine what forces they
RCB Page 208 of 367
generate. A static analysis will be performed in order to evaluate the settlements considering the constraint of the structural system and the connection between
structural elements.
Depending on what compensation was selected either a Linear Static analysis will be performed (0 % RL) or a Construction Stage Analysis will be performed (100% RL).
After this step the user can examine the internal forces and the vertical settlements of all walls and columns at the chosen time from step 2 and can decide if they are
within acceptable limits. Based on the results from Step 3 the user can determine if any pre-set / precamber of the columns or walls during construction is needed. If
pre-set is to be used then Step 4 is to be run.
In the case that pre-set is not to be used and any issues caused by differential settlement are to be solved by stiffening vertical elements, only Steps 1-3 need to be
run.
Step 4: Static Analysis with Shortenings and Pre-Set (Optional)
This step is used only if some additional pre-set value is to be applied to the columns and walls. RCB can automatically evaluate the pre-set values on all walls and
columns at all levels in order to have zero settlement at the chosen time specified in the "Shortening at" text box in Step 2. To achieve this the column and wall is to
be constructed above the designated floor RL so that the floor above settles to a flat position at the "Shortening at" time. This is different to the 100% RL
compensation. 100% RL compensation makes Level X flat at the time of its construction to the architectural RL. Pre-sets make Level X flat at some time in the future.
If pre-sets are used it is not practical to pre-set every single column and wall / get every floor flat. The main goal is to limit differential settlement to acceptable
limits. The automatically calculated values can then be manually modified so that columns and walls are pre-set every few floors. Static analysis is run again with the
shortenings and pre-sets to determine their effect on the structure.
To be able to view the Pre-Set Table all columns and walls must have a label assigned to them. To automatically create labels go to Edit > Automatic Labelling
Columns/Walls > Columns / Walls > Assign by Vertically Alignment.
To get the floors flat at a certain point in time using the automatically calculated values do the following as per the screenshot above:
1. Set "Load Case for Pre-set"
2. Specify the type of shorting to be pre-set.
3. Calculate the Auto Pre-Set
7. Run Linear Static Analysis with Shortenings and Pre-set.
To use your own pre-set values:
1. Set "Load Case for Pre-set"
2. Specify the type of shorting to be pre-set.
3. Calculate the Auto Pre-Set: this must be done to generate an Excel file in the format that can be read by the Step 4 analysis.
4. Modify the Auto Pre-Set by Pressing "Open".
5. Make changes to the Auto Pre-Set values and save the spreadsheet.
6. Select Pre-Set Table for Linear Static Analysis
7. Run Linear Static Analysis with Shortenings and Pre-set.
RCB Page 209 of 367
Automatically generate pre-set table after pressing 4.1. Highlighted cells are the amount each column had to be pre-set so the floor above is flat at time t = 30 years.
All columns are pre-set / constructed higher in this case.
The pre-set values from the automatically generated table are modified manually so that columns only on L2 and Ground are pre-set and constructed higher. This
produced similar differential displacements as the automatically generated value in the screenshot above.
[ RCB > Analysis & Solvers > Column / Wall Axial Shortening > Theory ]
Theory
[ RCB ]
Calculation of the long term effects of creep and shrinkage and the elastic shortening of a column/wall at the time of loading requires a knowledge of the concrete
elastic modulus ( Ect ) at a particular time, t. AS3600 -2009 relates all calculations back to the characteristic compressive cylinder strength of the concrete at 28 days
( fc ). RCB uses the time varying properties of the concrete as per the Age-Adjusted Modulus Method to calculate the axial shortening of the columns and walls and
takes into account the restraint provided by the reinforcement in Step 2.
Loading:
The loading history for the columns and walls is idealised in R/C Building (see Instructions ). It is assumed that the load will be applied at a constant cycle. In reality the
construction cycle may vary and the self weight and superimposed loads may not be applied at the exact same time. There will be stepping in the load as floor finishes
are applied, partitions erected and variable quasi-permanent actions are applied. There will also be variation when frequent variable actions are applied. There will
also be variation depending on the construction method (Webster & Brooker, 2006) .
Variation Factors:
Concrete is heterogeneous mix of material with its strength properties influenced by the member's shape, size, age, rate of application of load, ambient conditions
and aggregate. It is for this reason that even within the same cylinder testing batch there is a range of values. As the figure below shows there is variation in the
predicted strength values and measured strength values even under controlled conditions. AS3600 - 2009 requires that this variation is considered by applying a
20 % variation in the concrete modulus of elasticity (Ec ) and 30 % variation in the creep coefficient and free shrinkage .
RCB Page 210 of 367
Measured vs Predicted Strength
Calculation of Characteristic Compressive Strength at 28 days fc:
fc is defined as the strength obtained at 28 days by 95 % of the concrete. The value of fc is determined from a series of compressive cylinder tests. In Australia and
North America this is a cylinder that is 150 mm in diameter and 300 mm long for normal strength concrete and in Europe and Asia it is a 150 mm cube. The cylinders
are stripped after 24 hours and placed in a 22o C water bath until they are tested. The loading rate during the test is 20 MPa/min. The mean compressive strength of
the concrete at 28 days (fcm ) is the statistical mean of a series of standard cylinder tests as shown in the figure below. It is assumed that the cylinder tests form a
finite sample from a normally distributed infinite population. For a mean strength (f cm ) and standard deviation (s) the characteristic strength (fk ) with a probability
(P) level of being exceeded is fk = fcm - s. Where is a coefficient depending on P. For the case of fc where P = 0.95 the value of given in AS 3600-2009 is 1.64 and
the following characteristic compressive strength is used:
fc = fc.28 - 1.64s
Compressive Strength Variability
Mean in-situ compressive strength ( fcmi ) and Elastic Modulus of Concrete ( Ec ):
The mean strength fcm as shown above is for concrete cured and loaded in very controlled conditions and there can be variability on the compressive strengths even if
they are from the same batch, hence the use of statistical methods. Concrete poured in a structural element on site will have different curing conditions to the
cylinder so another value is used to describe the mean in-situ compressive strength fcmi. Clause 3.1.1.2 of AS 3600-2009 defines this as 90% of the mean value of the
cylinder strength (fcm), in absence of more accurate data.
It is the value time varying value of fcmi (t) that is used to calculate the modulus of elasticity as per AS 3600-2009 Clause 3.1.2.
The density is determined from the value put in the material properties. How fcmi (t) increasing with time is outlined below.
Gain in compressive strength with time:
Concrete gains compressive strength rapidly after hardening and this gain progressively decreases after hardening. The figure below shows the general strength gain
under average conditions for general purpose and high-early strength cements where fc(t) is the mean strength of the concrete at time t and fc.28 is the mean
strength of the concrete at 28 days. This increase in strength is influenced by ambient conditions, fineness of the cement, chemical compositions and curing. Using the
equation above in RCB the strength increases past the fcmi values given in Table 3.1.2 of AS 3600-2009 as time (t) goes past 28 days.
RCB Page 211 of 367
Time varying properties of concrete:
AS 3600-2009 does not provide an equation on how to attain the time varying values of fc, fcmi and Ec other than performing cylinder compressive tests at various
ages of the concrete. RCB predicts the behaviour of the mean in-situ compressive strength fcmi varying with time by calculating it to the following equation proposed
by the American Concrete Institute (ACI Committee 209, 2008):
Where:
t = time in days.
This equation is deemed to be suitable as the cylinder sizes and statistical methods to determine the concrete properties are the same in the Australian and American
Concrete Codes, AS3600-2009 and ACI 318-11 (ACI Committee 318, 2011) (ACI Committee 209, 2008) (Committee BD-002, 2009) (Portland Cement Association,
1999).
The time varying elastic modulus is then calculated as per AS 3600-2009 Clause 3.1.2 as mentioned previously.
Only the f'c kPa value in RCB is used from the material properties. From the f'c input the mean in-situ compressive strength (fcmi) is chosen from Table 3.1.2. Note if
the strength value is not one of the standard concrete strength grades the value is determined using interpolate LaGrangian Interpolation. If fc < 20MPa of fc > 100
MPa it is outside the scope of the Australian code and will produce inaccurate results for axial shortening. This strength value cannot be used in RCB and will return an
error message:
Axial Shortening:
It is initially assumed that the column or wall is unrestrained at the top edge and the shortening due to creep, shrinkage and elastic deformation are calculated. The
total axial shortening is the sum of the shrinkage, elastic shortening and creep with creep and shrinkage varying with time and the elastic shortening occurring at the
time of loading.
This imposed deflection is then applied to the structure and the redistributed forces are then calculated. The calculation of shrinkage, creep and elastic shortening are
outlined below.
Shrinkage:
Shrinkage is a phenomenon that causes the size of a concrete section to decrease over time. A number of concurrent physical and chemical processes that involve the
movement of internal moisture through small pores in the hardened cement paste and loss of moisture through the surrounding air cause this decrease in size. As can
be seen in the figure below the shrinkage strain increases progressively to a maximum asymptotic value . Shrinkage is load independent and is related to ambient
conditions and the surface area to volume ratio of the member. A concrete column in a humid environment with a low surface area to volume ratio will experience
less shrinkage than one in an arid environment with a high surface are to volume ratio. RCB assumes that constant exposure conditions are experienced by a
column/wall during its life i.e. its shrinkage will be constant as per the figure below. In reality this will change over its life for example an interior column may be
exposed during its construction but be interior for the reminder of its life.
RCB Page 212 of 367
RCB calculates the free shrinkage strain as per Section 3.1.7 of AS3600-2009 and takes into account the restraint caused by the column reinforcement to get the
final shrinkage strain . The inputs required to calculate the shrinkage strain is the exposure type in the column properties window for the column required to
determine the k4 factor as per section 3 of AS3600-2009:
k4
Arid environment 0.7
Interior environment 0.65
Temperate and inland 0.6
environment
Tropical or near coastal 0.5
The final basic shrinkage which is based on the quality of the local aggregate is also required. This is input in the material properties based on the property type.
The values stated in Section 3 of AS3600-2009 are shown below. The user also has the option of entering other values.
Sydney and Brisbane 800 x 10-6

Melbourne 900 x 10-6
Elsewhere 1000 x 10-6
Free shrinkage is composed of a chemical (autogenous) component and a drying component.
free shrinkage = chemical (autogenous) shrinkage + drying shrinkage
However the steel provides restraint to shrinkage so the final value of shrinkage is less than the free shrinkage value so another input is required, the
reinforcement ratio. This is applied to the columns after step one has been run as a percentage (%). The area of steel (As) and area of concrete (Ac) are calculated
based on the reinforcement ratio entered and the gross area (Ag) of the column.
In order to determine the restrained shrinkage it is initially assumed that the steel and concrete have no bond and the column is unrestrained. A mass concrete
column at time t = 0 the column has height L - th where L is the floor-to-floor height and th is the thickness of the slab above, (a). Over time the concrete will shrink
some distance , (b). In the column with steel and concrete if there is no bond between the concrete and reinforcement the steel would remain in place and
the concrete will shrink as per the mass concrete column, (c). The reinforcement however is bonded to the concrete and the reinforcement will restrain the concrete
as it shrinks. In order to determine the restrained shrinkage amount we apply a compressive for P on the steel and an equal tensile force P on the concrete:
The elastic strain in the steel is and in the concrete is . By equilibrium:
The shortening due to shrinkage is shown in (d). It is assumed the steel and concrete are fully bonded. For more information in the derivation of these values please
refer to Foster, et al., 2010.
RCB Page 213 of 367
(Foster, et al., 2010)
Creep and Elastic Strain
When the load is applied to the column at time t = 0 the member undergoes elastic strain due to the applied load. If the load remains constant the strain in the
concrete continues to increase due to creep. Creep is a time dependant effect the caused by moisture being squeezed from the gel pores within the cement paste and
is influenced by the magnitude of the applied load, ambient conditions, size of the member and the concrete mix. RCB assumes that the load applied at a particular
construction cycle is constant and is maintained over the course of construction of the upper floors. In reality the magnitude of loading will change over the life of the
building. Constant exposure is also assumed.
The creep is influence by the magnitude of the loading so the creep strain and elastic strain are related using the creep coefficient . If loaded within the service
range of stresses, , creep coefficient is defined as the ratio of the creep strain to the elastic strain(fdration internationale du bton (fib), 2009) :
As the elastic strain is known but the creep strain is not, the creep coefficient is calculated to Amendment No.2 March 2013 of Section 3.1.8 of AS 3600-2009. As per
shrinkage the user input column exposure is needed as is the reinforcement ratio. All other factors are automatically calculated based on the column size. Note, if an
fc value that is not one of the standard strengths is used, RCB will linearly interpolate the values from Table 3.1.8.2 for the basic creep coefficient .
AS 36002009 calculates the creep strain based on the elastic modulus of concrete at 28 days. Studies have shown this is inaccurate as the modulus of concrete varies
with time (Gilbert, 2008) . RCB takes into account of the ageing of the concrete during the time of the loading by using the Age-Adjusted Modulus Method. The Age-
Adjusted Effective Modulus is defined as:
(fdration internationale du bton (fib), 2012)
The adjusted creep coefficient is:
Where:
The ageing coefficient depends on the duration of the loading and the age of the first load and takes into account that loading is gradually applied to the structure, not
suddenly, which reduces the creep as the concrete ages during the application of the load (Gilbert & Mickleborough, 1990) . Typical values vary from 0.6 1. Accurate estimates of
the ageing coefficient have been made by Bazant (1972) and Neville et al. (1983). RCB uses the simplified approximation:
It has been shown that the values of are almost constant when year where the above equation is a good approximation (Ghali, et al., 2002)(fdration
internationale du bton (fib), 2012) . For times less than one year this value will be conservative. Bazant (1972) showed that this factor increases with time from its minimum value
RCB Page 214 of 367
when load is applied.
However, the above equations for creep and elastic strain are only considering the concrete. It is assumed initially the column is unrestrained and reinforced with a load P applied,
(a). There will be some restraint provided by the steel as input by the user in the column/wall properties. Referring to the figures below at the time of the application of load the
initial elastic deformation is , (b) and of the total force P; Pso is taken by the steel and Pco is taken by the concrete with the following values:
Pso=Pnp/(1+np)
Pco=P/(1+np)
Where:
From these initial forces the elastic strain is calculated.
If the concrete and steel are not bonded the steel deformation will remain in the steel at and concrete deformation will increase in the concrete to the unrestrained value
, (c), where .
As the steel and concrete are bonded a tensile strain of must be applied to the concrete and a compressive strain of be applied to the steel and the increment force
becomes:
Where:
From equilibrium the restrained strain due to creep and elastic effects (d) is:
The restrained creep shrinkage alone is calculated by subtracting the elastic shrinkage from the creep + elastic value above.
For more information in the derivation of these values please refer to Foster, et al., 2010.
The total shortening is comprised of the restrained creep and shrinkage values that vary with time and the initial elastic strain. The deformation is calculated by multiplying by the
length. In the case of shrinkage this is the length of the exposed column or wall, floor to floor height minus slab above thickness (L - th) and for elastic and creep it is the floor to floor
height L. Therefore the total axial deformation is:
Where:
The shrinkage shortening is independent of load so is calculated from when the column is poured. The elastic and creep shortening is load dependant. Each load increment on a
column is considered individually taking into consideration the age of the column at time of loading and the duration of the load. The sum of elastic and creep shortening over time
for all load increments is then added to the shrinkage shortening.
It is assumed that the temperature remains constant and no thermal strains are applied to the concrete (fdration internationale du bton (fib), 2009).
RCB Page 215 of 367
Shortening Example
Application of the column/wall shortenings to the structure
Until now it has been assumed that the columns and walls will be unrestrained and can freely undergo shortening however the slabs and beams will restrain this axial shortening.
The restraint will impose additional forces in the slabs and the beams. Step 3 of the analysis is imposing this shortening on the structure and calculating the forces that are
generated.
Tension in Columns and Walls
For a column in tension shrinkage shortening effects are calculated as shrinkage is load independent. RCB will however assume creep and elastic due to tension effects will be zero.
These effects will occur in reality therefore there will be inaccuracy in the shortening/elongation of columns in tension. Studies have shown that the mechanisms of tensile creep are
different to those of compression creep (Ostergaard, et. al, 2001) and the further research is needed to provide clear design guidance in this area (Gilbert & Ranzi, 2010). It is for this
reason that tensile creep is not calculated in RCB.
Based on the construction sequence a column may be in compression under axial loading during initial stages of construction but then go into tensions due to axial load once
construction is complete. This is considered in RCB with shortening effects being calculated accordingly.
References
ACI Committee 209, 2008. ACI 209.2R-08 Guide for Modeling and Calculating Shrinkage and Creep in Hardened Concrete, s.l.: American Concrete Institute.
ACI Committee 318, 2011. Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete (ACI 318-11) and Commentary. 2011 ed. s.l.:American Institute of Concrete.
Alexander, S., 2001. Axial Shorteneing of Concrete Columns in High Rise Buildings. Magazine of Concrete Advice, Volume 33, pp. 36-38.
Bazant, P. Z., 1972. Prediction of Concrete Creep Effects Using Age-Adjusted Effective Modulus Method. Journal of the American Concrete Institute, 69 (69-20), pp. 212-217.
Committee BD-002, 2009. Australian Standard Concrete Structures (AS3600-2009). 2009 ed. Sydney: Standards Australia.
fdration internationale du bton (fib), 2009. fib Bulletin 51: Structural Concrete - Textbook on behaviour, design and performance, vol.1. Second Edition ed. Lausanne, Switzerland:
International Federation for Structural Concrete (fib).
fdration internationale du bton (fib), 2010. fib Bulliten 65: Model Code 2010, Final draft - Volume 1. Final Draft ed. Lausanne, Switzerland: The International Federation for
Structural Concrete (fib).
fdration internationale du bton (fib), 2012. fib Bulliten 66: Model Code 2010, Final draft - Volume 2. Final Draft ed. Lausanne, Switzerland: THe international Federartion for
Structural Concrete (fib).
Foster, S. J., Kilpatrick, A. E. & Warner, R. F., 2010. Reinforced Concrete Basics 2E. Sydney: Pearsons Australia.
Ghali, M., Favre, R. & Elbadrt, M., 2002. Concrete Structures: Stresses and Deformations. Third Edition ed. New York: Spoon Press.
Gilbert, R. I., 2008. Calculation of Long-Term Deflection, Brisbane: Concrete Institue of Australia.
Gilbert, R. I. & Mickleborough, N. C., 1990. Design of Prestressed Concrete. Sydney: Allen & Unwin (Australia) Ltd.
Gilbert, R.I & Ranzi, G., 2010. Time-Dependant Behaviour of Concrete Structures. First Edition ed. New York: Spon Press.
Ostergaard,L., Lange, D.A., Altouabat, S.A. and Stang, H., 2001. Tensile basic creep of early-age concrete under constant load. Cement and Concrete Research, 31, pp. 1895-1899
Portland Cement Association, 1999. Note onf ACI 318-99 Building Code Requirements for Structural Concrete with Design Applications. 7 ed. Skokie, Illinois: Portland Cement
Accociation.
RCB Page 216 of 367
Warner, R. F., Rangan, B. V., Hall, A. S. & Faulkes, K. A., 1998. Concrete Stuctures. South Melbourne: Addison Wesley Longman Australia Pty Ltd.
Webster, R. & Brooker, O., 2006. How to design concrete structures using Eurocode 2: 8. Deflection calculations. Surrey: BCA.
[ RCB > Analysis & Solvers > Solvers ]
Solvers
[ RCB ]
The user can select from several solvers in System Settings (Please see under Settings Tab ).
RCB can use multi-core processing during certain parts of the analysis to greatly reduce the analysis time with "Multi-Core 2" being the faster of the multi core solvers.
Be aware that when using multi core processing if the analysis fails for example due to an instability in the model the user will not be shown the location where the
analysis crashes. In this case the solver must be switched back to "Single Core" or "Multi Core 1" the analysis re-run to determine the location where the analysis fails.
[ RCB > Design ]
Design
[ RCB ]
l Concept
l Eurocode Concept
l Columns
l Walls
l Slabs
l Beams
l Deep Beams (Walls)
l Wide Beams
[ RCB > Design > Concept ]
Concept
[ RCB ]
RCB Page 217 of 367
The design modules in RCB software can be used to determine the steel reinforcement in columns and wall. The steel design of the walls and columns includes fire
design as well. The design modules will design the steel for pre-defined concrete sections specified by the user. In order to design the columns and walls, the 2nd
Order Analysis must be performed, and also the Load Combinations that will be included in the 'Design Envelope' must be selected, as shown in the figure below
( [ Input > Loading Labels and Factors > Load Combination Factors ] ). The corresponding check box adjacent to each Load Combination defines whether this Load
Combination will be used in the Strength Design Envelope or not. Also, one ore more Load Combinations should be included in the Fire Design Envelope.
Columns:
In RCB all columns are treated as braced (AS3600, Clause 10.2.2), since the axial forces and bending moments are determined by an elastic analysis incorporating
secondary moments due to lateral joint displacements (2nd Order Analysis). The bending moments are further increased by applying moment magnifiers calculated
for braced columns. Columns are designed for both top or bottom bending moments.
The column design module will perform a complete design (strength, fire, core confinement and shear) of columns that have a 'regular' cross-section (complex
sections are not designed in the current version of the software), and the result of the design will produce the required number of vertical bars and required stirrup
details in the columns. For design of 'irregular' shape columns, INDUCTA's software RCC can be used.
'Failed' Columns:
RCB software will attempt to design all the columns, but it that is not possible the columns will be reported as 'failed'. Columns that are reported as 'failed' should be
examined carefully, in order to determine the reason for failure. As all the columns in the model have a unique number, a particular column can be easily located in
plan view by using [ Ctrl + F ] shortcut from the main interface. This will bring up a search window that will require a column number as input (column numbers are
contained in the Design Reports and can also be seen in the Design Table tab of the Column Design and Schedule window). Once the software locates the column
(which may not be on the current "Active floor"), a red and yellow circle is placed on top of the column. The user may then decide what action should be taken. (e.g:
increase the column size, alter material properties etc). Alternatively, the user may change the column properties in the Column Design and Schedule window.
Note: the current version of RCB does not allow the user to design complex or inclined columns using the Column Design and Schedule module. Complex columns can
be designed using the RCC software package.
Walls:
(Coming soon).
[ RCB > Design > Eurocode Concept ]
Eurocode Concept
[ RCB ]
Basic Eurocode Concepts
RCB Page 218 of 367
RCB software implements Eurocode2 methodology for the design of reinforced concrete sections and elements, also follows the stipulations given in Eurocode 8,
related to the calculation of the seismic input and the influence of the selected ductility class on the overall structural, element and section design. The basic EC2/EC8
concepts implemented by RCB software are:
a) National document concept
In order that the Eurocodes be implemented in one country, special National Document should be prepared and adopted by the country's government. The National
Document should contain the specification for values of parameters which will be used in that particular country, based on local conditions. Although, the so called
recommended values of these national document parameters have been adopted in RCB as default, the user could change these values, according to the adopted
National Document in the user's country.
b) Partial factors for materials according to EC2, 2.4.2.4
In EC2, Clause 2.4.2.4, Table 2.1N, parameters for partial factors for materials are given, depending on the design situation, defined as Persistent/Transient or
Accidental. The first case defines the partial factors for load combinations consisting of dead and live load, i.e., generally, loads with persistent character, whereas
the second case applies for load combinations where the accidental loads (like earthquake) are present. In R/C BUILDING, the default values for these parameters are
based on the recommended values given in Eurocodes.
c) Ultimate limit states (ULS) and Serviceability limit states (SLS) concepts, according to EC2, chapters 6 and 7, respectively
In R/C BUILDING, design of the reinforcement bars (longitudinal and shear bars) according to the ultimate limit states concept of the reinforced concrete sections has
been provided for all specified load combinations defined as either Persistent/Transient or Accidental, and also for the envelope case of the selected load
combinations. In addition, for those load combinations specified as Serviceability, check of the cracks and deflections, according to the Serviceability limit states
concept has also been provided.
d) Ductility classes concept, according to EC8, 2.2.2 (1) and 5.2.1

The design philosophy of Eurocodes, related to the allowed damage level of the sections, elements, floors and the whole structure, uses the concept of the ductility
classes. Three ductility classes for design are available:
l Low ductility class (DCL),

l Middle ductility class (DCM)
l High ductility class (DCH)
Low ductility class should be adopted by the designer for cases of structural design in low seismic regions. Also, low ductility class can be used for regions with higher
seismic activity for special structures for which very low damage level is allowed. This assumes that the structure should be design to behave almost linearly even for
high level of seismic actions, which applies for special structures, like nuclear plants, etc. Middle and high ductility classes should be used for seismic prone regions
and for structures which are allowed to behave nonlinearly during earthquakes, even with higher damage, however without collapse. It is recommended that the
designer for this case uses both DCM and DCH and as a final solution to adopt the more critical case. For the first case (DCM) the seismic forces will be higher, but the
nonlinear displacements could be lower due to the smaller q-factor. For the case of DCH, the seismic forces will be decreased, however, since the q-factor is higher,
the nonlinear displacements could be critical. For both cases, the criteria related to capacity of sections (minimum and maximum ratio of the designed longitudinal
and shear bars) and the criteria for the allowable inter-story drifts should be satisfied.
RCB with Eurocode
l Automatic calculation of the seismic input in terms of either equivalent static forces distributed along the height of the building (EC8, Clause 4.3.3.2 Lateral
force method of analysis) in two orthogonal directions for static analysis, or in terms of spectral curve definition for spectral analysis (EC8, Clause 4.3.3.3 Modal
response spectrum analysis). See also: Earthquake Loads and Dynamic Analysis.
l Automatic bending and shear design of RC sections, following Ultimate limit states (ULS) concept (EC2, chapter 6), separately for beams, slabs, columns and
walls according to EC2 and EC8, for selected ductility class - Low (DCL), Medium (DCM) or High (DCH), according to EC8, Clauses 2.2.2 (2) and 5.2.1.
l Automatic Capacity Design Check for pure frame systems with selected DCM or DCH ductility class, according to EC8, Clause 4.2.2.3. See also: Column Design
and Beam Design.
l Automatic crack control, following Serviceability limit states (SLS) concept (EC2, chapter 7) for beams and slabs, according to EC2, Clause 7.3.
l Automatic deflection calculation for slabs, according to EC2, Clause 7.4.
l Automatic punching shear control for slabs, according to EC2, Clause 6.4.
l Persistent/Transient, Accidental and "Serviceability" load combination types (as refered at EC2, Clause 2.4.2.4 and Chapters 6 and 7). See also: Load
Combinations and Load Combination Types EC2.
[ RCB > Design > Columns ]
Columns
[ RCB ]
l Design & Schedule: AS3600-2009

l BS 8110
l EC2 / EC 8
l TS500 / TDY2007
[ RCB > Design > Columns > Design and Schedule: AS3600-2009 ]
RCB Page 219 of 367
Design and Schedule: AS3600-2009
[ RCB ]
RCB performs a detailed design of each column in the building for each envelope load combination and fire load combination. It will either attempt design the column
or check the user input values. The column is designed or user input values checked for strength, fire, shear and core confinement. The column design can vary all
factors that will influence the column strength except for the section's size. The user has full control over which design parameters are varied and the priority in which
they are varied to get a column design that passes. The results are presented in a tabular form which the user can then rationalise by using groups to produce the final
design and column schedule using RCB.
Once the steps in model preparation are complete the column design and schedule can be opened in the Design Tab > Concrete Design, section's > Column (2009).
The recommended general procedure which is illustrated in the example:
Design all column using RCB to AS 3600-2009: this will produce a bare minimum design to AS 3600-2009
Rationalise the design that is produced by grouping columns with similar results whilst checking material quantities to see how efficient the design is.
After a few iterations of rationalising the design lock in the user defined values that will be the final column design. Perform a design check and then
commit any changes back into the model.
[ RCB > Design > Columns > Design and Schedule: AS3600-2009 > Calculation Procedure ]
Calculation Procedure
[ RCB ]
The RCC column software performs a design check for a single column with a single bar configuration for one ultimate load case and one fire case. The RCB building
software performs the exact same calculations but will check all ultimate load cases in the envelope and fire load cases whilst trialling various combinations of bar
size, configuration, cover, concrete grade and tie size as specified in the Design Parameters and Design Strategy to satisfy AS3600-2009. The design check performed
for a single column as outlined in the RCC manual is repeated multiple times per column that is being designed by RCB. If user defined values are input in RCB they
will be checked in the exact same way as RCC but for all ultimate load combinations and fire cases.
For more information about the column design procedure please refer to:
l Strength: Pass / Fail Section 10 AS 3600

l Fire: Pass / Fail (if fire load is applied) Section 5 AS 3600
l Core Confinement: Returns required spacing of input tie diameter Section 10 AS 3600
l Shear: Returns required spacing of input tie diameter (if shear force is applied) Section 8 AS 3600
[ RCB > Design > Columns > Design and Schedule: AS3600-2009 > Calculation Procedure > Strength ]
Strength
[ RCB ] [ RCC ]
The order of the calculations performed in RCC are as per the order displayed in the report and are detailed below. The final results produced at the end of the
strength calculations are two sets of safety factors:
Clause 10.6.4 Safety Factor: calculated using Eqn. 10.6.4 AS3600-2009 (this is what was previously displayed in the old INDUCTA R/C Column).
Loading Line Safety Factor: calculated using the loading line distances. The distance to the intersection point with the M-N interaction curve is divided by the
distance to the load to get the safety factor.
Radius of Gyration (rg): Is calculated in the X and Y directions according to Clause 10.5.2 (for rectangular and circular sections). For complex sections the Radius of
Gyration is calculated by integrating the section.
For complex sections, the position of the plastic centroid is calculated. It is assumed that the axial load is acting at the plastic centroid.
Applied Axial Load (N*): Column self-weight is not included and must be added manually. The same value is used for the top and bottom of the section.
Moments: Minimum (Mmin), Applied (M*apl), and Design (M*des): Shown for X, Y or XY as appropriate, top and bottom sections.
Minimum moment: calculated Cl. 10.1.2
Applied Moment: as input by the user or imported from RCB
Design Moment: the maximum of the absolute value of the minimum moment of the applied moment. The sign of the applied moment will be kept when
calculating M*1 / M*2 (see below).
Ratio of Smaller End Bending Moment to Larger End Bending Moment (M*des,1 / M*des,2): Calculated as defined in Cl.10.3.1 (b). Column curvature in both
RCB Page 220 of 367
directions is determined from the signs of the moments at the ends of the column. If there is no user applied moment, e.g. the column is pin-pin, RCC will use single
curvature. If there is applied moment the program will use the sign of the applied moment regardless of its magnitude. Note, the software use finite element sign
convention.
Slenderness: The column is checked to see if it is short or slender as defined in Cl. 10.3
Moment Magnification Factor: This parameter is due to slenderness and is calculated to Clauses 10.4.2 (braced) and 10.4.3 (unbraced). For rectangular sections, the
magnification factor is calculated for both directions separately. The bending moment increase (due to slenderness), is calculated as a product of the design bending
moment and the Buckling Magnification Factor, Clause 10.4.1, AS3600.
For unbraced slender columns, the software will recommend second order analysis of the full frame. The RCC software considers the slenderness effects on an
isolated column, which may not be appropriate for unbraced slender columns.
The applied axial load N* is also compared to the buckling load Nc at this stage.
M-N Points: All points on the M-N interaction diagram are calculated as outlined in Cl. 10.6.2. The key points are displayed in the report: Squash Load point,
Decompression point, Balance point, Pure Bending point, Pure Tension point, together with the factors. For more information on how the M-N curve is calculated
refer to M-N Interaction Diagram section.
Moment Capacity at Design Load, N*: Calculates the max allowable moment (Mu) for the applied axial load (N*) by getting the horizontal intersection with the M-N
Interaction curve. In other words how much more can the column be bent at the applied axial load. If the section satisfies Cl. 10.6.3 then the X and Y direction are
considered separately otherwise the biaxial bending is checked. Eqn. 10.6.4 is checked and a safety factor is produced using this equation. A safety factor less than
one indicates the column is failing.
Moment and Axial Capacity Mu, Nu: Calculates the max allowable M and N by getting the load lines intersection with the M-N curve and derives the safety
factor. In other words how much more axial load and bending moment can the column take.
[ RCB > Design > Columns > Design and Schedule: AS3600-2009 > Calculation Procedure > Strength > M-N Interaction ]
M-N Interaction
[ RCB ] [ RCC ]
Once a column has been solved, the M-N Interaction Diagram for the biaxial case will be displayed. The different M-N interaction diagrams can be viewed, for non-
circular columns, by selecting the relevant one in M-N Interaction > Direction.
The following viewing options are available:
Ultimate/Fire: Show/hide ultimate and fire loading line.
Show Tension: Show/Hide tension part of the M-N interaction curve, where the tension is taken by longitudinal steel only.
Grid: Show/hide grid.
M at N*: Show/hide the M at N* point (obtained by horizontal intersection of the load with the M-N Curve).
Special Confinement Zone: Show/hide the special confinement zone, where applicable.
Direction: See the shape of the M-N curve for Mx, My, Mxy .
RCC uses the parabolic stress profile as outlined in C3.1.4 of AS 3600 Supplement 1: 2014 and does not use a rectangular stress block.
A sample M-N Interaction Diagram is shown below.
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For the columns primary direction (Mx, My for rectangular and complex and Mxy for circle) RCC uses a linear relationship between the decompression point and the
squash point. Several intermediate points are calculated between the decompression point and the balance point and between the balance point and the pure
bending point. A linear relationship is assumed between the pure bending point and the pure tension point.
The Mxy curve for rectangular and complex curves is then calculated based on the magnitude of the applied ultimate load and the applied fire load. In the case that
Mxy will be the same for Fire, Ultimate, top and bottom only one curve is plotted for Mxy. If the Mxy curve will be different then multiple curves will be plotted.
[ RCB > Design > Columns > Design and Schedule: AS3600-2009 > Calculation Procedure > Fire ]
Fire
[ RCB ] [ RCC ]
If a fire load N*f is applied the fire check to section 5 will be performed in the following order:
5.6.3: Restricted tabular method to determine structural adequacy for columns
5.6.4: General tabular method to determine structural adequacy for columns
5.7.2: Fire resistance period (FRPs) for walls.
RCC will check first if the table can be used then return a pass/fail for that particular column based on the loading under the fire case and the columns dimensions. If
the column is rectangular and Cl. 10.6.3 is satisfied X and Y will be considered separately. For the fire design to return a PASS at least one table must return a Pass
for the top of the column and the bottom of the column.
Moments, Minimum, Applied, Design Fire: Following the same logic as for strength the fire design moment is determined. The user also has the option of
overwriting any applied moment with the minimum fire moment in single curvature.
Slenderness and moment magnification are calculated individually per fire design table taking into consideration the fire loading, the effective length under fire
conditions (lo.fi) for each case, checking slenderness and calculating moment magnification if necessary then getting the loading line intersection with the M-N Curve.
[ RCB > Design > Columns > Design and Schedule: AS3600-2009 > Calculation Procedure > Core Confinement ]
Core Confinement
[ RCB ] [ RCC ]
RCC calculates the spacing required to confinement the core as per Cl. 10.7.3. Using the number of ties that were defined during the section input all checks for closed
ties to section 10 are done at this point. The minimum spacing of the core confinement calculations and the shear calculations will then be applied to the entire length
of the column. The minimum spacing RCC will iterate to is 50mm. Currently RCC cannot handle bundled bars or calculated confining pressures for closed tie layout as
defined in Figure 10.7.3.3 (c).
Initially the tie size is checked to see if it can restrain the longitudinal reinforcement to Table 10.7.4.3.
If fc 50 MPa then core confinement is deemed to be provided if the maximum spacing of Cl. 10.7.4.3 is satisfied.
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If fc > 50 MPa the software will automatically calculated the special confinement zone and plot it as necessary. If the column is rectangular and satisfies Cl. 10.6.3
then only the primary X and Y directions are checked for the special confinement zone and XY will not be checked or plotted.
For regions of the column outside of the special confinement zone as defined in Figure 10.7.3.1(B) the maximum allowable spacing is used as defined in Cl. 10.7.3.1.
For regions inside the special confinement zone, starting from the maximum allowable spacing as defined in 10.7.3.1(b), the effective confining pressure is calculated
using both the simplified calculations to 10.7.3.3 and the deemed to comply calculations to 10.7.3.4. If neither calculations satisfy the minimum effective confining
pressure of 0.01fc then the spacing is reduced, but not further than the lower limit defined in the user input, until one of them is satisfied. If both are satisfied then
the spacing to the simplified calculation is used.
The minimum spacing is then taken and compared against the spacing required for shear if applicable.
[ RCB > Design > Columns > Design and Schedule: AS3600-2009 > Calculation Procedure > Shear ]
Shear
[ RCB ] [ RCC ]
Is shear load is applied to the column then a shear check is performed to Section 8 of AS 3600. If no shear load is applied then the closed ties are only designed to
Section 10 for core confinement. If shear load and a spacing is calculated then the minimum spacing from the section 10 core confinement calculations and section 8
shear calculations is applied to the entire column. The minimum spacing RCC will iterate to is 50mm. All detailed calculations and varying spacing over the length of
the column are calculated and presented in the report.
Both X and Y directions for the top and bottom of the column are considered. If the column is circular then a vector sum of the X and Y shear force is used.
Initially, RCC will check to see traverse spacing of the user defined legs satisfy the requirements of Cl 8.2.12.2.
If they do the then shear strength limited to web crush is checked to Cl. 8.2.6, If the column will fail by web crushing (V* > Vu.max) then the section depth must be
increased for that particular direction.
The shear capacity of the just the concrete (Vuc) and the shear capacity of a column with minimum steel (Vu.min) is then calculated to Cl. 8.2.7 and 8.2.10
respectively.
RCC then determines which shear zones apply to the column based on the load that is applied and the Vu.max Vuc and Vu.min values calculated. Up to 3 zones
are considered for shear reinforcement (depending on the value of V*):
1. Vu.min < V* <Vu.max, appropriate spacing to Clause 8.2.10
2. 0.5Vuc < V* Vu.min, minimum shear reinforcement, spacing to Clause 8.2.8
3. V* 0.5Vuc, minimum reinforcement can be waived, except for when the column dimension exceeds 750 mm.
Each zone has a maximum allowable tie spacing Smax

1. Vu.min < V* <Vu.max: Smax = min( 0.5Dx, 0.5Dy, 300, Cl. 10.7.4.3)
2. 0.5Vuc < V* Vu.min: Smax = min( 0.75Dx, 0.75Dy, 500, Cl. 10.7.4.3)
3. V* 0.5Vuc: Smax = Cl. 10.7.4.3 if D < 750
Smax = min(0.75Dx, 0.75Dy, 500, 10.7.4.3) if D 750
For each zone, using the maximum spacing and the minimum shear reinforcement requirement is checked. Asv.min as calculated to Cl. 8.2.8 using the above spacings
is compared to the user input are of ties. If this maximum spacing for each zone does not satisfy Cl. 8.2.8 then the spacing is reduced until it does.
Starting from this spacing the shear capacity of the section (Vu = Vuc + Vus) is checked against the design shear load (V*). For zone 1 only if the section does not
have enough capacity then the spacing is reduced. For zones 2 and 3 minimum spacing will be sufficient. This is repeated for each direction (X,Y for rectangular XY for
circular) and for both sides of the column (top and bottom).
The minim spacing is then applied to the entire length of the column. All detailed calculations and results are shown in the report.
[ RCB > Design > Columns > Design and Schedule: AS3600-2009 > Model Preparation ]
Model Preparation
[ RCB ]
The following steps must be completed before the Column Design and Schedule can be opened and the columns designed.
1) Perform a 2nd order static analysis to get the column internal forces.
2) Assign labels to all columns which are used to create the table under the Edit Tab > Walls and Columns > Sort Labels > Columns by Vertical Alignment.
3) Have load combinations to be used in the envelope design selected.
4) Have load combination(s) to be used for fire design selected if a fire design is to be performed.
With the above complete the Column Design and Schedule form can be opened under in Design Tab > Concrete Design, AS3900 > Column (2009).
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[ RCB > Design > Columns > Design and Schedule: AS3600-2009 > Design Table Tab ]
Design Table Tab
[ RCB ]
Overview
With the Column Design and Schedule window open the column schedule can be viewed under the Design Table tab. This table is a summary of all of the column
information and will show a summary of the results for the columns once a design is completed. As the user rationalises the design created by RCB this will eventually
become the final column design and schedule for the job. The cells will be populated, by default, with the column number, its unique index in RCB, and its size. The
levels will automatically be filled in based on what has been input in the Storey Heights. The concrete grade shown for that level will be the concrete grade that is
used for the majority of the columns. If some have different concrete grade it will be visible in the individual columns cell. If the material type is the same for all
columns on a level then only one value of fc will be visible. The fire resistance period is also show and is set to 90 min for all columns and levels by default. It is this
table that will form the final column schedule. As the designs are run the user will be able to see the results for all columns in the building clearly in one place. This
table is also used to create groups which can be used to rationalise the design that is produced by the software.
Sample Column Design and Schedule Table with No Design
Customise View
The information that is displayed in each column cell can be switched on/off using the Customise Table button. Some values will not be displayed until a design has
been completed.
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The user can switch between the column information and the applied loads using the Show Applied Loads checkbox. All internal forces can be viewed and the user
can customise what is displayed. The type of reactions that are displayed (area or static) are set under General in Design Parameters .
Changing FRP
The FRP can be changed for an entire floor by pressing in the FRP cell and changing its value. The FRP can also be modified for and individual column by editing the
individual column parameters.
Designing Columns
Pressing Design will design or check all columns, all columns on one floor or one column and reports can be viewed ranging from summary reports to detailed
reports showing every iteration that the software went through to arrive to result displayed on screen. Any changes made to the column properties either by RCB or
by user input values will not be committed to the model until Update Building is selected and Exit is pressed. See Update Building below.
If no user defined values are present in an individual column or a column group RCB will attempt to design the columns to the requirements of AS 3600-2009 based
on the global Design Parameters and the Design Strategy selected.
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If user defined values are present the postscript -U will be visible in a columns cell. RCB will not modify that user defined design parameter and modify the others. If
all relevant design parameters are set to user defined for a particular column of column group then the column will perform a design check for the user input
parameters. See Editing Column Properties below.
The calculation order in RCB is:
1) Strength
2) Fire Design
3) Core Confinement
4) Shear
The above assumes they are all switched on in Design Parameters . If a solution could not be found for strength or the design check failed for strength then RCB will
not move onto the fire design or checks. If a solution could not be found or fire design or checks then RCB will not move onto shear and core confinement design or
checks.
In the case that design parameters have to be changed for one segment of the calculations all other segments will be re-checked with these new parameters. For
example, if the shear tie size had to be increased then RCB will re-check strength and fire to make sure the column passes with this reduced effective depth.
Viewing Results on Table

With the design complete the table will now colour all of the cells based on the safety factor or fire results. Safety factors and steel percentages will also be displayed
per cell for the worst case ultimate load. Information can be toggled on and off using the Customise Table button. If fire design and shear and core confinement
calculations have been switched on in Design Parameters then additional information may also be present.
Strength Results
The colour scale displayed in the cells is related to the columns safety factor. The worst case safety factor is displayed. The safety factor will be in the biaxial xy
direction unless Cl. 10.6.3 of AS3600 is satisfied. If it is and it is then safety factors in the x and y will be displayed separately provided they are the worst case.
The colours green and blue indicate that the column is working. Yellow, orange and red indicate the column is failing with the colour indicating the degree of passing
or failure. In the case that RCB is trying to design a solution within the Design Parameters and using the Design Strategy and was not able to find a solution the steel
and safety factor for the final iteration will be displayed.
A range of colour scales can be viewed by setting a safety factor range to display.
Fire Results
If fire design is switched on in Design Parameters and a fire design or check is performed the table will display additional information. The fire design or check will be
performed if strength has passed. If the Fire Design has passed then Fire PASS will be visible in the columns cell and the colour will be as per the strength safety
factor scale as outlined above. If Fire Design has failed then Fire FAIL will be visible in the columns cells and the colour will be orange. If fire design governs the
symbol * will be visible in columns cell.
Shear and Core Confinement Results

If shear and core confinement is switched on and both strength and fire design or checks have passed then shear and core confinement check will be performed
provided it has been switched on in the design parameters. If there is no shear load the closed ties will only be designed to Section 10 of AS3600. If shear is present
then they will be designed to Section 8 and 10. If the design was successful or the check passed then the tie size and spacing will be displayed in the cell.
Columns that are failing for strength, fire and shear can be isolated using the following radial buttons.
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The results can be cleared for all columns by pressing the clear results button.
Individual columns or multiple columns can have their designs cleared by selecting them, right clicking and selecting Delete Column Design and these columns can
be redesigned individually or a group redesigned without losing the results in all of the others.
Viewing Results in Reports

With the design complete several reports are available for viewing:
Summary: Overview of the results for the columns that were designed. This will show Pass/Fail for the calculations there were switched on in the Design
Parameters.
All Columns Detailed: All iterations of the design for all columns that were designed.
Material Summary: Material summary of the columns per level and total for the entire model for the finalised design or for the final iteration before the
column failed. In other words the summary of the materials for the sizes and bar configurations that are shown in the table.
One Column Detailed: All iterations of the design for the selected column.
Creating Groups
In order to produce a final column schedule the design that is produced by R/C Building will be rationalised. RCB may produce a different set of results per column but
by creating a column group the worst case results will be applied to all columns in a defined group. The safety factors will be updated accordingly so it will be clearly
visible to see if a column belongs in a group (safety factors are similar) or if it should be moved to another. Once the design groups are created and a satisfactory
design is achieved the user can rationalise the results produced by RCB and lock-in any values using Edit Column Properties then perform their final design check.
Please refer to Example 1 for a demonstration of how to create and use column design groups.
Editing Column Properties

Column properties can be edited for individual columns or for a group by right clicking on the columns cell in the Design Table and selecting Edit Column Design.
These are the local column design properties and any changes made here will take precedence over anything designed in the global Design Parameters. Checking the
various Edit boxes will fix that parameter and all other variables will be modified as per the Design Parameters and the Design Strategy in an attempt to design the
column. If all parameters are switched to Edit for a particular design (strength, fire, shear and core confinement) the program will perform a design check. This is
illustrated in the example below.
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In this example Fire Design and Shear and Core Confinement design have been switched off in Design Parameters so the individual column (Col. 34) will only be design
or checked for strength. In design strategy we have switched off concrete so only the number of bars and bar size will be varied in the design. Referring to the left
image below, the number of bars has been edited to 4 in the A direction and 2 in the B direction. When Design is pressed RCB will keep the number of bars fixed
and change bar size if needed. In this case the minimum bar size that was set in the Design Parameters is sufficient.
Now we will attempt to rationalise the design further by inputting user defined values for all parameters that are governing the strength design. Concrete does not
need to be checked as it has been switched off in the design parameters. Selecting the column and fixing the bar size we attempt to reduce the number of bars but
receive a warning message that we are below 1% steel.
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Next a larger bar size is used which will have more than 1% steel. Pressing design again the column will have a design check performed. There is nothing to design as
all parameters that will be governing the strength capacity have either been fixed or switched off. In this case a design is produced with a slight higher steel ratio but
the number of bars has been reduced.
The above example was only looking at shear. If fire design and shear and core confinement were switched on in the Design Parameters then we could edit/fix
individual properties as shown above. If we wanted to do a design check for the column for strength, fire, shear and core confinement then all edit boxes would need
to be ticked and values that would be checked inputted.
The properties for column groups are editing in the exact same way.
Update Building
If the user manually modifies column design parameters or RCB does so in the process of its design they may have an effect on the results in the RCB model. For
example if during the design the concrete grade of columns needed to be changed this will have an effect on the reactions. If the steel percentage was changed then
the column wall axial shortening results may be affected. On closing the column scheduling form the user has the option of updating the building model with these
changes. This is done by toggling the Update Building checkbox on/off.
Any changes made to the column design will always be remembered locally in the column scheduling form so the user can freely open and close the window as they
wish with Update Building off if the column design is not yet complete and they do not want to commit any changes to the model. Ideally the building should only
be updated once when the column design has been finalised and the user wants to commit any changes to the final building model.
[ RCB > Design > Columns > Design and Schedule: AS3600-2009 > Design Parameters Tab ]
Design Parameters Tab
[ RCB ]
In this tab the user can specify the global design parameters that will be applied to all columns. These parameters can be modified later for individual columns or
column groups. These parameters are intended to be used as a first pass and the design can be refined later using Edit Column Design . Any parameters modified
locally for the individual column of column group in Edit Column Design will take precede over these parameters. The parameters are broken up into groups based
on the major parts of the calculations that are performed per column . Various parts of the column design can be switched on or off so the user can see what is
governing the column design. At a minimum, strength design must be performed.
Strength Design
RCB will produce a steel bar configuration based on the limits input for strength design below as well as the limit 0.01 steel percentage 0.04.
Bar Size Min, Max: The minimum and maximum bar size that the software will use in its design checks. The bar size range that will be used in the design
iterations.
Bar Strength: The yield stress of the longitudinal bar.
Max Concrete Strength: The maximum characteristic compressive strength of the concrete at 28 days that will be used by the software in its design checks.
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The minimum value is what is input in the column types material property.
Min/Max Bar Spacing: The maximum and minimum bar spacing of the longitudinal bars that the software will use when performing its design checks. The bar
spacing range that will be used in the design iterations.
Aspect Ratio Limit: Columns that exceed this aspect ratio (b/d) will be ignored in the column design and designed as walls where b is the smaller column cross
section dimension and d is the larger column dimension.
Fire Design
Exposed: Exposure for fire design. Expose on one side or exposed on more than one side.
lo.fi = 0.5Lu for Table 5.6.4: The equivalent table in Eurocode 2 for fire design allows for a reduction in the effective length under Fire conditions in a similar
manner to table 5.6.3. This option will reduce the effective length under fire for Table 5.6.4 as it does for Table 5.6.3 of AS 3600-2009.
Overwrite and moment with Mmin w/ single curvature: If any calculated moment is present the software will ignore it and only use the minimum moment
for the fire case.
Shear and Core Confinement Design
Tie Size: The starting tie dimeter that will be checked by the software for shear and core confinementchecks and increased if necessary.
Tie Strength: Tie yield stress fsy of the closed ties.
3: shear design parameter to Cl. 8.2.7.1 that will be used if shear load is present.
General
Concrete Cover, mm: clear cover to the closed ties. If vary concrete cover is selected in Design Strategy RCB will increase the cover starting from this value if
possible.
Reactions by: area method or static analysis.
Factor k, Leff: The effective length factor. The user must input this manually. The software will not read what fixities have been input into the model.
d: Loading factor needed for AS 3600-2009 Section 10 calculations. This must be user input and the software does not check what the load is present from all
dead and live cases.
[ RCB > Design > Columns > Design and Schedule: AS3600-2009 > Design Strategy Tab ]
Design Strategy Tab
[ RCB ]
In this tab the user can specify which design parameters are varied in RCB for each aspect of the column design and the order in which they are varied until a design
that passes is achieved. Switching various parameters on or off and changing their priority (1 being modified first) will produce a different design.
Strength Design Strategy

Number of Bars: number of longitudinal bars that must satisfy the input maximum and minimum spacing limits defined in the global Design Parameters .
Bar Size: the bar diameter of the longitudinal bars that must first satisfy the input maximum and minimum bar size limits defined in the global Design
Parameters .
Concrete Strength: the fc value of the concrete starting from a lower limit as input in the column properties and increasing, if needed, to the upper limit
defined in the global Design Parameters .
Fire Design Strategy
Number of Bars: (as per strength design strategy)
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Bar Size: (as per strength design strategy)

Cover: the clear cover to the ties that will be increased, if needed and possible, from the lower limit defined in the global Design Parameters .
Shear Design Strategy
Tie Size: the tie bar diameter that that will be increased if needed from the lower limit defined in the global Design Parameters .
The example below shows how changing the various design settings and priority will produce different designs for a single column designed for strength only. In this
case Fire Design and Shear and Core Confinement have been switched off.
Using the following global design parameters RCB will only attempt to design the section with bar sizes ranging from N20 to N28. The steel lower and upper limits of
1% and 4% are always considered. If the steel was increased above 4% and the column fails then the column could not be designed as the concrete grade will not be
increased.
In the first strategy the number of N20 bars will be increased starting from the max allowable spacing. If this design fails for the arrangement or steel < 1% the spacing
of the N20s will be decreased until a design that works is achieved or it goes past the minimum spacing in which case RCB will restart this process with the next bar
size up N24s. In this case it was able to find a solution within the set parameters as shown below.
In the second strategy a number of bars is first determined that satisfies the spacing limits. Starting at the minimum bar size of N20, RCB will check to see if column
has passed and steel 1%. If not it will keep increasing the bar size for this same number of bars until a solution is found or the max bar size is exceeded. In the case
the max bar size is exceeded it will increase the number of bars and start the process again from the min bar size to the max bar size. In this case it was able to find a
solution within the set parameters as shown below.
As can be seen the percentage is identical however the second design strategy, not only produces a more efficient design, it has produced a design with fewer bars so
it will be easier to construct. All iterations of the design can be viewed in the columns detailed report to see how the RCB software arrived to its final design.
In the above example if the Concrete Strength was switched on and it priority was set to 1 an amount of steel would have been input to satisfy the min defined
criteria for bar size, spacing and steel percentage then, if the column did not work, fc would have been increased to its upper limit in an attempt to find a solution.
The same logic is adopted for Fire Design. Number of Bars, Bar Size and fc can be increase to try to increase the Nu value hence decrease the deemed to comply
requirements for fire design to Section 5 of AS 3600-2009. RCB can also attempt to modify the cover provided minimum criteria for bar size and spacing is satisfied.
For shear and core confinement design only the tie size is modified. This is because the spacing is already calculated in the internal calculations for a single design
iteration as outlined in the RCC manual . The only parameter that RCB modifies is the tie size so if it did not work for that tie size RCB will try the next size up.
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[ RCB > Design > Columns > Design and Schedule: AS3600-2009 > Export Settings Tab ]
Export Settings Tab
[ RCB ]
This tab modifies the settings for the export of an individual column to RCC or the Column Schedule table to Excel. One column for one ultimate and one fire load case
can be exported.
The export directory can be modified as can the Strength Load Combination and Fire Load Combination.
To export a column right-click its cell in the Design Table and select export to RCC. RCC will then launch automatically if licenses are available.
[ RCB > Design > Columns > Design and Schedule: AS3600-2009 > Design and Schedule: Example1 ]
Design and Schedule: Example1
[ RCB ]
It is recommended that Calculation Procedure, the Design Parameters and Design Strategy have been reviewed before looking at this example.
This example will show the basic functionality of the column design and scheduling in RCB. A final design will not be produced, but the procedure needed and the
tools that can be used to get to the final design will be outlined. It will show that a design can be completed using only INDUCTA software without having to manually
transfer data between software or print information on paper.
The RCB design will be used initially to get a first pass design for all the columns, which will then be rationalised to produce a final column design. The columns on a
simple 10 storey building will be designed with one transfer floor. Some preliminary column sizes have been provided. The required FRP for the lower floor is 120 min
and 90 min for all other floors.
Firstly the column sizes will be confirmed, as well as the strength of the concrete to be used and its extent. Note the steel will be designed by RCB for this initial pass,
but we are not so much interested in bar size and layout, as initially we will only be looking at the steel percentage. Bar layout will be looked at in more detail later in
the example.
As a first pass all columns will be set to 40MPa for the entire model. Assuming all material and column types are input, the column material properties can be quickly
changed using the Material Types per Level shown below.
With the mesh and 2nd order analysis complete, the column design and schedule windows is opened. The following global design parameters will be set. At this stage
the parameters of interest are the concrete cover, which needs to be at least 20mm, and the Max Concrete Strength, which has been set to the upper limit of
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100MPa. Looking at the design strategy, all design parameters have been set to be varied. RCB will try to modify everything (except the columns size which it does
not do) in an attempt to find the solutions. For more detailed info on how this works please refer to Design Parameters and Design Strategy.
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In the Design Table, before the design starts, the FRP for the basement must be set to 120min by double-clicking the cell and changing the value.
Pressing Design in the Design Table will design all columns based on the global Design Parameters and the Design Strategy that was chosen above. Focusing on the
L1 column design results as shown below, it is evident that despite RCBs attempt to design these columns it was not able to do so. These columns are failing for fire.
Fire design governs the output steel and concrete results as evident by the *. RCB was able to find a solution for strength, it then tried to find a solution for fire by
increasing steel and concrete strength but was not able to do so. If we are interested to see what is needed just for strength we can switch off the fire design in the
global design parameters and run the analysis again. Referring the to Design Table results, we see that the column almost has 4% steel and then it has tried to
increase the concrete the max allowable that was set (fc = 100 MPa) but still fails. Referring to the design strategy, starting at the user defined fc = 40MPa, the
number of N20 bars was first increased until the upper limit of 4% was hit. It then repeated the process for the next be size up (N24 bars) and could not find a solution
all the way up to max bar size set of N28. Then RCB tried increasing the concrete strength. In this case it increase the values to the upper limit of 100MPa and could
not find a solution. Therefore it will not be possible to get an 800 x 250 column working for FRP = 120 min. The only option is to increase the minimum dimension. All
iteration can be viewed in the column report.
Based on the previous results it has been decided an upper limit of fc = 65MPa will be used for the concrete and the section size will be increased if necessary. One
option would be to close the column schedule form and change the size of the column and the material in the model itself. A faster way is to make these changes in
the Column Design and Schedule form then commit them back to the model once we are satisfied with the design. This is what we will do now. Returning to the
Design Parameters Tab we will set the Max Concrete Strength to fc = 65MPa.
Returning to the Design Table we know from the previous run that a 250 wide column would not work with fc = 65MPa so we will increase the width to 300. This is
done by right-clicking and editing the column properties via Edit Column Design. This is done one-by-one per column. A Design Group can also be created but this will
not be done at this stage. As shown below as the column Dimension are changed the post-script -U appears indicating that a user-defined value is present in the
design.
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The above is repeated for all other columns on ground floor and Design is pressed again. As evident from the results RCB cannot find a solution with 300 wide
columns and fc = 65MPa for Columns 1, 2 and 4 (RCB index).
Repeating the above for 350mm RCB was able to find a solution. It is only for Col. 4 that fc of 65Mpa is needed. All other column will work with fc = 50MPa or less
and keeping the minimum column dimension to 350.
Next, we will attempt to get Col. 4 working with 50MPa concrete by increasing the minimum column dimension to 400mm. The max concrete grade is set to 50 MPa
in the Design Parameters and the design is re-run producing the results below. As can be seen all columns pass. fc = 40MPa is still shown on the right of the table, that
is because this was the lower limit input fc in the model and most columns on this floor now work for fc = 40Mpa. Columns 4 and 5 need 50MPa so we will choose to
apply 50MPa to all columns on this floor.
We will lock-in the 50MPa by assigning it as a user defined value so it is no longer changed from this point onwards. Note, we can always close this form, go back to
the model and apply it via the "Materials per Level" form, but that is slower. We will start creating our Design Groups now as well. The columns will be grouped by
their sizes. Group 1 (C1, C2, C87, C88, C89, C90) will have dimensions 800 x 350 and Group 2 will have dimensions 800x400 (C4, C5). In order to create the groups, the
columns must first have identical size. As we experimented with different sizes previously, we will either have to go column by column and make the sizes the same
via Edit Column Design or wipe the design, create the groups and input the sizes per group as mentioned above. In this case we will do the latter.
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Pressing the Delete Design button clears our table and revert the values back to concrete grades and column sizes present in the model. Selecting C4 and C5 we right-
click and create a New Column Group to create Group Number 1. Right-clicking on any of the columns in group number 1, the 250 dimension is increased to 400 and
the concrete grade is increased to 50MPa. In a similar fashion, C1 and C2 are selected and the next group is created. Then Column C87-C90 are selected and the Add
to Existing Group is selected and group 2 entered. Just as per the other group, we will change the concrete grade to fc = 50Mpa and the dimension to 350mm. We
will also change the concrete grade of Col 3 to 50MPa using Edit Column Design.
Running the design again, the worst case final design will be applied to the entire group and the safety factor and colour will be shown based on the design load for
that individual column.
Moving on to the upper floors and running the design again, we can see the columns on L2 L3 are not working for fc = 50MPa. The sizes of these columns will be
increased so they work. This is done by creating another group as outlined above. As we will also extend the 50MPa concrete to L4, we will also make this column
larger. Selecting C60, C61 and C62 another group is created and Editing Group Properties we set the dimension to 350 mm. Running the Design again we can see that
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these columns along with all others are now working for fc = 40 MPa.
We have arrived to concrete grade and column size for all columns that works. Steel has not yet been looked at in detail. This would be a good point to commit the
changes we have made in column schedule back to the model. After selecting Update Model and pressing "Exit", another column type is created with 50MPa
concrete strength. All sizes that were changed have now been updated in the model.
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Returning to the Column Design and Schedule form, we will switch off the concrete strength in the design strategy. We have reached a solution for concrete and
section size and we no longer want the software to attempt to change it.
The next step is to rationalise the steel design to something that will be easy / logical to build and detail. The design produced by RCB is currently the minimum that is
needed to AS3600 using the Design strategy that has been chosen. The total steel weight can be viewed by selecting Material Summary from the dropdown box and
pressing Report. The material summary for the columns per level and for the entire job can be viewed. As the user rationalises the design they can always refer back
to the material summary to see how the groupings and changes they have made have affected the total material.
In our example the initial bare minimum steel weight was 10,753 kg. In the below screenshot I have started creating some design groups to rationalise (apply one
layout to all) the design. Designing the columns again and re-opening the material report the steel has increased to 11, 709kg in the columns based on the two
groups / rationalisations that I created.
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This rationalisation process is repeated for all columns in the building until a final design is achieved that satisfies AS3600, and is logical and easy to build. Columns can
be added to groups and removed from groups as the design progresses and a final solution is reached. As bar layouts are reached that the user is satisfied with then
they can be locked in by going to edit column or design group properties, selecting the Edit tab and typing in the number. This way these design parameters are not
modified by RCB when design is pressed again. The finalised column schedule can be exported to CAD (not available yet during Beta testing).
Note that this example did not look at tie spacing. Please refer to the RCC manual for more info on those calculations. Generally speaking, a design for ties should be
achieved in most cases.
[ RCB > Design > Columns > BS 8110 ]
BS 8110
[ RCB ]
Once 'Design Code' option under [Settings>Model and Settings] is set to be BS 8110 and 2nd Order Analysis is performed, the reinforcing steel in the column elements,
based on already pre-defined concrete sections, can be designed using the column design module available in the software under [Solve > Concrete Design BS8110 >
Columns] from the Main Menu.
The following sample screen shot shows the column design module for a column that has been designed using BS8110-1997;
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The software can design an individual column, all the columns on the current floor, or all the column elements contained within an R/C Building model in a single
operation.
The descriptions below are related to the outcome when the Check Box options are ticked in the Column design window;
l Print N,Mx,My: Will display the relative Axial Force and Moments (Mx,My) for each column, and each load case in the Report.
l Report Auto Open: The Design Report will automatically open once the design is finished.
l Show Top-10 Ast: Show the top 10 columns that contain the greatest [Area of steel / Cross-sectional Area] (%), when designed.
l Slender: Creates a list of slender columns. This does not influence the design.
l Factor k, Leff: Assigns the effective length as a ratio of the physical column height.
l Plot Bars: Will plot the arrangement and numerical description of the number of bars, type and size for each column. (This box has to be checked when
exporting DXF files of the column design).
l Print Shear Results: The relevant Shear Results will be included in the Design Report.
l Concrete Cover: Distance from the concrete surface to the longitudinal reinforcing bars.
[ RCB > Design > Columns > EC2 / EC8 ]
EC2 / EC8
[ RCB ]
Once 'Design Code' option under [Settings>Model and Settings] is set to be EC2/EC8, and 2nd Order Analysis is performed, the reinforcing steel in the column
elements, based on already pre-defined concrete sections, can be designed. For this purpose we use the column design module available in the RCB software, [Solve >
Concrete Design, EC2/EC8 > Columns] from the Main Menu.
Column Design EC2/EC8
The following sample screen shot shows the column design module for EC2/EC8;
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Column Design EC2/EC8
l The software can design an individual column, all the columns on the current floor, or all the column elements contained within an R/C Building model in a
single operation.
l The design can be performed either for all load combinations or for the envelope.
l Capacity design can be performed only after all columns and beams are designed and only for pure frame structures.
l Concrete Effective Cover is the distance from the outmost concrete fiber to the centroid of the tension reinforcement taken as 10% of the column depth (0.1d)
in the direction of action.
Concrete effective cover EC2/EC8
l Ductility class of the building is normally set when Earthquake Loads are calculated (see also: Eartquake Loads) and cannot be changed here once the base shear
and all internal forces are calculated accordingly. However, if the ductility class is never set on Earthquake Load calculator then it is allowed to set it on this
form.
l Results are given as reinforcement ratios at bottom and top sections of the columns as shown in the figure below:
Column Design Report
[ RCB > Design > Columns > TS500 / TDY2007 ]
TS500 / TDY2007
[ RCB ]
Once 'Design Code' option under [Settings>Model and Settings] is set to be TS500/TDY2007 and 2nd Order Analysis is performed, the design of beams need to be
performed in order to take into account the beam moment capacities in the calculation of column shear safety. Then, the reinforcing steel in the column elements,
based on already pre-defined concrete sections, can be designed using the column design module available in the software under [Solve > Concrete Design
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TS500/TDY2007 > Columns] from the Main Menu.
The following sample screen shot shows the column design module for a column that has been designed using TS500/TDY2007;
The software can design an individual column, all the columns on the current floor, or all the column elements contained within an R/C Building model in a single
operation.
The descriptions below are related to the outcome when the Check Box options are ticked in the Column design window;
l Show Top-10 Ast: Show the top 10 columns that contain the greatest [Area of steel / Cross-sectional Area] (%), when designed.
l Slender: Creates a list of slender columns. This does not influence the design.
l Plot Bars: Will plot the arrangement and numerical description of the number of bars, type and size for each column. (This box has to be checked when
exporting DXF files of the column design).
l Print Shear Results: The relevant Shear Results will be included in the Design Report.
l Concrete Cover: Distance from the concrete surface to the stirrup.
l EQ Load Cases: Are used in the calculation of design shear forces when Ra=2 (TDY2007, Section 3.3.7.1).
l User Defined Column Parameters: See Columns - AS3600
l Report: Displays the design results of columns in bending.
l Shear Report: Displays the design results of columns in shear.
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l Design Check Report: Checks the TDY2007 requirements for each column.
l Design Summary: Displays the columns in a list where the design information is summarized. The columns can be listed by 'column number' or 'column label'
and for the selected level or for the entire building. Also note that columns can automatically be assigned a label by selecting [ Tools > Column and Wall Labels ]
from the main menu.
[ RCB > Design > Walls ]
Walls
[ RCB ]
l AS 3600
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l BS 8110
l EC2 / EC8
l TS500 / TDY2007
l Shear in Wall Joints
[ RCB > Design > Walls > AS 3600 ]
AS 3600
[ RCB ]
Once 'Design Code' option under [Settings>Model and Settings] is set to be AS 3600 and 2nd Order Analysis is performed, the reinforcing steel in the wall elements,
based on already pre-defined concrete sections, can be designed using the wall design module available in the software under [Solve > Concrete Design, AS3600 >
Columns and Walls > Edition 2001] or [Solve > Concrete Design, AS3600 > Walls > Edition 2009] from the Main Menu.
The software will only allow the wall elements to be designed following AS 3600 once the model has been analysed using the 2nd Order Static Analysis option.
Wall Design AS3600 2001
The input parameters for the AS 3600 - 2001 method are shown in the screen shot below;
The software can design an individual wall, all the walls on the current floor, or all the wall elements contained within an R/C Building model in a single operation.
The descriptions below are related to wall design;
Print N,Mx,My: Will display the relative Axial Force and Moments (Mx,My) for each column, and each load case in the Report.
Report Auto Open: The Design Report will automatically open once the design is finished.
Show Top-10 Ast: Show the top 10 walls that contain the greatest [Area of steel / Cross-sectional Area] (%), when designed.
Slender: Creates a list of slender walls. This does not influence the design.
Factor k, Leff: Assigns the effective length as a ratio of the physical wall height. (see below)
Max wall t for single layer: If wall thickness is larger than given value, two layers of reinforcement will be used.
Min. Horizontal reo ratio, crack control: Horizontal reinforcement for crack control for walls restrained from expanding or contracting due to shrinkage or
temperature change. (AS3600-2001, Clause 11.6.2 and AS3600-2009, Clause 11.7.2)
Ignore out-of plane buckling: If checked, software doesnt check and report if the axial loading exceeds the buckling load in out-of-plane direction.
Out-of plane apply min M: If checked, it applies a minimum moment of 0.05tN* in out-of-plane direction. It is recommended to set this option On in order to take
account the accidental moments in the out-of-plane direction. This setting is used in conjunction with 'Wall Perpendicular Stiffness' global setting on ' Model and
Solvers Settings ' window and creates four possible effect on the moment (My) which will be used in the out-of-plane design of the wall:
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Wall design strategy:

Strategy 1: Bar size is kept fixed, and the bar spacing is determined by the software. There is no limit on the bar spacing.
Strategy 2: Minimum bar spacing is entered by user.If smaller spacing than the entered value is calculated, a larger bar size will be adopted and a new spacing
will be re-calculated. (vertical bars only)
Concrete Cover: Distance from the concrete surface to the longitudinal reinforcing bars.
Wall Design AS3600 2009
The following sample screen shot shows the wall design module for a wall that has been designed using AS3600-2009;
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Modifications regarding AS3600 - 2009
Concrete material properties (AS3600-2009, Clause 3.1.2)
Maximum compressive stress of concrete ( 0.9fc) and concrete stress-strain curve (AS3600-2009, Clause 3.1.4)
Capacity reduction factors (AS3600-2009, Table 2.2.2)
Short column criteria for braced columns (AS3600-2009, Clause 10.3.1. (a))
----------
Factor k, Leff
R/C BUILDING software does not evaluate automatically the factor k, as defined in AS 3600-2009, clause. 11.4. The user may select an appropriate value for the
factor k, which will be used to calculate the effective height of the walls. The factor k selected by the user will unconditionally multiply the wall height (store-to
storey) of all walls. Then, this factored height will be further used in the wall design.
We suggest that initially a factor of either k=1, assuming unrestrained one-way buckling, or k=0.75, assuming restraint one-way buckling is used for design of all walls.
For walls with single layer of steel, we recommend a factor of k=1. Then, the user should identify some walls where a different value of k can be used. The user can
evaluate manually a different value for factor k,anddesign one wall at the time.< /FONT>< /FONT>
Our observation is that AS 3600-2009 has a relatively conservative approach for design of slender walls and columns, and the underling approach in the code is to
promote usage of walls and column which are not sensitive to buckling. Usually, 10 to 20mm increased wall thickness will reduce the risk of buckling significantly, and
provide safer and more robust designs.
----------
Fire Design - AMDT No. 2 March 2013
The wall is also checked for fire using the deemed-to-comply approach of AS3600-2009 for structural adequacy only. Note, integrity and insulation are NOT checked.
Only table 5.7 (walls) can be used. In the case that a wall has a low aspect ratio and is to be designed and detailed as a column it is recommended to analyse that
particular wall in R/C Column. Once the design is complete the Report button opens the summary report for both strength and fire. For more detailed information
on the fire design press the Fire Check Report button.
Walls with openings are included (AS3600-2009, Clause 11.4.)

When walls with major openings are designed by the AS 3600 method, the software will use the reduced length of the wall, which is made up of the total length less
the length of all openings (in the principle direction of the wall, not the height). This is considered as a simplified but conservative approach. Reduced length
modification included in both 2001 and 2009 Wall Design modules.
Accordingly, if total area of the openings is less than or equal to 1/10 of the wall area or there are openings with height less than or equal to 1/3 of the wall height,
the openings are ignored in the design. In the opposite case, a reduced wall length is used in the design in order to take into account the reduced stiffness of the wall
due the openings. In such case, it is also advised to check the Stress Analysis Results available from Wall/Deep Beam Design menu.
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[ RCB > Design > Walls > BS 8110 ]
BS 8110
[ RCB ]
Once 'Design Code' option under [Settings>Model and Settings] is set to be BS 8110 and 2nd Order Analysis is performed, the reinforcing steel in the wall elements,
based on already pre-defined concrete sections, can be designed using the wall design module available in the software under [Solve > Concrete Design BS8110 >
Walls] from the Main Menu.
The software will only allow the wall elements to be designed following BS 8110 once the model has been analysed using the 2nd Order Static Analysis option.
The input parameters for the BS 8110- 1997 method are shown in the screen shot below;
The software can design an individual wall, all the walls on the current floor, or all the wall elements contained within an R/C Building model in a single operation.
The descriptions below are related to wall design;
l Show Top-10 Ast: Show the top 10 walls that contain the greatest [Area of steel / Cross-sectional Area] (%), when designed.
l Slender: Creates a list of slender walls. This does not influence the design.
l Max wall t for single layer: If wall thickness is larger than given value, two layers of reinforcement will be used.
l Ignore out-of plane buckling: If checked, software doesnt check and report if the axial loading exceeds the buckling load in out-of-plane direction.
l Reduce Wall Length if Opening Height > Wall Height / n1 and/or Reduce Wall Length if Opening Area> Wall Area/ n2:
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When walls with major openings are designed, the software will use the reduced length of the wall, which is made up of the total length less the length of all
openings (in the principle direction of the wall, not the height). This is considered as a simplified but conservative approach.
Accordingly, if total area of the openings is less than or equal to 1/n2 of the wall area or there are openings with height less than or equal to 1/n1 of the wall
height, the openings are ignored in the design. In the opposite case, a reduced wall length is used in the design in order to take into account the reduced
stiffness of the wall due the openings. In such case, it is also advised to check the Stress Analysis Results available from Wall/Deep Beam Design menu.
[ RCB > Design > Walls > EC2 / EC8 ]
EC2 / EC8
[ RCB ]
Once 'Design Code' option under [Settings>Model and Settings] is set to be EC2/EC8, and 2nd Order Analysis is performed, the reinforcing steel in the wall elements,
based on already pre-defined concrete sections, can be designed. For this purpose we use the wall design module available in the R/C BUILDING software, [Solve >
Concrete Design, EC2/EC8 > Walls] from the Main Menu.
Wall Design EC2/EC8

The following sample screen shot shows the wall design module for EC2/EC8;
Wall Design EC2/EC8
l The software can design an individual wall, all the walls on the current floor, or all the wall elements contained within an R/C Building model in a single
operation.
l Capacity design can be performed for structures containing walls.
l Concrete Effective Cover is the distance from the outmost concrete fiber to the centroid of the tension reinforcement taken as 10% of the column depth (0.1d)
in the direction of action.
l Ductility class of the building is normally set when Earthquake Loads are calculated (see also: Eartquake Loads) and cannot be changed here once the base shear
and all internal forces are calculated accordingly. However, if the ductility class is never set on Earthquake Load calculator then it is allowed to set it on this
form.
l Results are given as reinforcement ratios at bottom and top sections of the walls as shown in the figure below:
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Wall Design Report
[ RCB > Design > Walls > TS500 / TDY2007 ]
TS500 / TDY2007
[ RCB ]
Once 'Design Code' option under [Settings>Model and Settings] is set to be TS500/TDY2007 and 2nd Order Analysis is performed, the reinforcing steel in the wall
elements, based on already pre-defined concrete sections, can be designed using the wall design module available in the software under [Solve > Concrete Design
TS500/TDY2007 > Walls] from the Main Menu.
Wall Design TS500/TDY2007
The following sample screen shot shows the wall design module;
l EQ Load Cases: Are used in the calculation of design shear forces when Ra=2 (TDY2007, Section 3.6.6.3).
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l Reduce Wall Length: design of the wall will be performed for a reduced wall length if the openings in the wall are larger then the dimensions defined by the
user. Note that the openings are taken into consideration during the analysis and the internal forces are calculated accordingly.
l Use Design Forces: When this option checked instead of the internal forces obtained from the analysis, the design bending moments as described in TDY2007
(Section 3.6.6) are used. These moments can be calculated from [Solve > Concrete Design TS500/TDY2007 > Wall Design Moments] as shown below:
On this form, the walls aligned vertically over several storeys are defined as one shear wall. Note that the walls which will be inlcuded and excluded from a
shear wall can be modified by the user. Then the moment diagrams obtain from the analysis and the design moment diagrams calculated according to TDY2007
(Section 3.6.6) are plotted for a given load combination.
[ RCB > Design > Walls > Shear in Wall Joints ]
Shear in Wall Joints
[ RCB ]
When a lift core or stair case is constructed as a cast-in-site reinforced concrete element, then the walls make a monolithic complex section - working as a complex section, as shown
in picture below;
Walls in a Lift Core
When a cast-in-site lift core or stair case is subjected to lateral loads, a significant shear forces will develop in the vertical joints between the walls (see picture below). A monolithic
reinforced lift concrete core can easily take these shear forces and there is no need for any special detailing.
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Shear Force in the Verticla Wall Joints dur to Lateral Load
However, when the lift core is made of pre-fabricated concrete panels, then there is a 10mm to 30mm vertical gap between the walls. When this type of lift core is subjected to
lateral loads, there will be a shear force applied in the top and bottom slab at the location of the vertical joints (see figure below). The concrete slab will not be able to take these
forces, and visible cracks will develop as shown in the figure below:
Lift core made of pre-fabricated panels applies shear force on slab
To overcome this problem, the walls of the lift core are typically connected by two or three welded steel plates along the vertical joints as shown below;
Steel plates connection pre-fabricated panels
R/C Building can calculate the shear force in the vertical wall joints. In order to obtain these results the walls in the lift core have to be put together as a Wall Group. This is done by
selecting the wall elements that make up the group followed by selecting [ Input > Wall Groups > Make Wall Group ] from the Main Menu.
Once a model is analysed the shear in the vertical wall joints can be displayed by selecting [ Reports > Column and Wall Internal Forces ] from the Main Menu. Within this
window the option labelled 'Shear in Wall Joints' must be checked before displaying the results (see picture below).
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The software will then display the shear in the vertical wall joints on screen as shown in the following example;
The magnitude of the shear force in each wall joint is to be used to design the steel plates between two levels. The shear forces in the vertical wall joints as shown on the screen are
acting from the current floor to the floor above
In the example results above, the shear force at the free wall ends can be ignored.
Note that only the wall joints shear forces due to lateral loads such as earthquake and wind, have to be used for the steel plate design. The user should chose only
the Basic Load Cases for wind and earthquake, and display the wall joint forces, and use the maximum value for design of the steel plates.
[ RCB > Design > Slabs ]
Slabs
[ RCB ]
l Export & Analysis: SLB & PTD

l Import from SLB & PTD
l EC2 / EC8
l TS500
[ RCB > Design > Slabs > Export & Analysis: SLB & PTD ]
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Export & Analysis: SLB & PTD
[ RCB ]
In order to design slabs and beams each floor must be exported from RCB to SLB (reinforced concrete design) or PTD (post-tensioned concrete design). RCB uses the
gross section properties (Ig) in the analysis and SLB and PTD use cracked section properties (Icr) taking long term behaviours of the slab and beam into account.
RCB introduces Batch Export and Analysis feature [ SLB / PTD Batch ] to allow the user to export and run the analysis over several floors in SLB and/or PTD
simultaneously and automatically without having to manually open the SLB and PTD software. Alternatively individual floors can be exported and run using [ SLB / PTD
Current Floor ]. The user can then view SLB and PTD calculated deflection results for each level in RCB. Geometry, loading, material properties and the mesh are all
being transferred with each file, which eliminates the need to 'clean up' the exported files. The exported files can also be opened in SLB and PTD for detailed analysis
and editing and imported back into the RCB model if needed. Typically, the user would use Batch Export and Analysis from RCB to examine the slab behaviour
and confirm the slab thicknesses, then finalise the design of each level in SLB or PTD.
Note: the user needs to have valid SLB / PTD licenses in order to run the Batch Export and Analysis Feature.
Export and Analysis is available via the Solve Tab:
l Export Settings
l Moment Field
[ RCB > Design > Slabs > Export & Analysis: SLB & PTD > Export Settings ]
Export Settings
[ RCB ]
Below is a screenshot of the Batch Export and Analysis form. The settings outlined below are applicable when exporting and running multiple floors (batch) or
individual floors to SLB and PTD.
The results will depend on the export settings chosen. The export settings can be applied to the entire building by selecting , alternatively the settings can
be applied to each level individually by selecting .
Export Settings
l Reactions
l Long Term Deflection Settings
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l PTD Preliminary Settings
[ RCB > Design > Slabs > Export & Analysis: SLB & PTD > Export Settings > Reactions ]
Reactions
[ RCB ]
Reactions
The column / wall reactions above the slab can be exported as either floor area reactions or static analysis reactions, and the bending moments re-calculated in SLB
and PTD. Alternatively, bending moments can be exported directly as bending moment fields ( without the need for re- calculation in SLB and PTD). Typically the
exporting of reactions should be for vertical loads and exporting moment fields should be for lateral loads. The user may also choose to export the level without
reactions.
Note: if no results are present in the RCB model, then none of the exporting options will be available, however the floor geometry can still be exported.
The export options are as follows:
l Export without reactions
Only slab geometry will be exported along with any user-defined loading.
Export without Reactions
l Export with Reactions from Above:

Reactions by Floor Area
Column and wall moments are not present as the reactions are calculated simply by tributary area.
Options available:
Variable Wall Distribution of Wall Reactions: If switched ON, wall reactions will be exported as point loads. If switched OFF, wall reactions will
be exported as a constant averaged UDL over the length of the wall. Available only if Wall Subdivision is turned on for Area Method under
[ Settings > Model / Solvers ].
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Floor Area Reactions

Variable Distribution of Wall Reactions OFF
Reactions by Static Analysis
With static analysis reactions, the stiffness of the structure and the vertical elements are considered when calculating the load distribution.
Options available:
be exported as a constant averaged UDL over the length of the wall.
Include Column Moments: Include or exclude column moments.
Static Analysis Reactions

Variable Distribution of Wall Reactions OFF
No Columns and Wall Moments
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Static Analysis Reactions

Variable Distribution of Wall Reactions ON
Columns and Wall Moments
Reactions by Area and Static
Two separate export files will be created.

Options available:
be exported as a constant averaged UDL over the length of the wall.
Include Column Moments: Include or exclude column moments.
l Export Moment Field: Slab and Beam
The above options exported reactions from RCB as point load and line loads above the vertical elements, with the forces in the slab to be re-calculated in SLB
and PTD. However, this approach is not possible for lateral loads. As lateral loading cannot be input into SLB and PTD, the moment results calculated in RCB per
finite-element node (moment field) can be exported and the slab and beams can then be designed for these forces in slb and PTD. A more detailed explanation
of the concept can be found in the moment field section .
When the Export Moment Field: Slab and Beam is selected and the [OK] button is pressed, the To Be Exported as Moment Field form opens.
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Only the primary load cases that have moment results in the slab and beam are available for selection. The load cases that are not selected will have their
reactions exported as point loads or line loads, as per the screenshots above. The load cases that are selected will have their moment field results exported. Any
program calculated points loads and line loads (reactions) and any user defined point loads will be automatically deleted from the selected cases to prevent a
doubling up for the forces when the model is run in SLB or PTD.
Comments on the various reaction exports

There is a great variation in the reactions based on what type of reactions are selected (static or floor area) and the manner in which the reactions are output
(variable distribution / spread evenly). It is up to the user to determine which is the most suitable for the scenario that they are trying to model.
It is important to note that SLB and PTD only analyse the slab and beam and ignore the effects of the walls above. Any effects that the wall and columns above have
on a particular slab are simulated through the exported reactions.
For example, consider a wall acting as a deep beam, with the slab hanging off it. Therefore the static analysis reactions would be most suitable as they are taking the
hanging effect of the deep beam into account through the magnitude of the point loads. If variable distribution of the reactions was selected, the true behaviour of
the wall above may not be represented as there is a net ve reaction along the wall. Floor area reaction may not be suitable as the frame action of the walls is not
considered and the distribution of the reactions is only by floor area and may not be accurate. If the floor area reactions were used in this case then a beam element
should be modelled to account for the stiffening effects of the wall above.
There are instances where floor area reactions may be suitable, for example in the modelling of unreinforced brick or block masonry. There will never be any ve
uplift reaction when floor area reaction are used, in other words the floor will never be held down by the walls below. Static analysis reaction can also be suitable for
his case but the user must check that they do not get an ve uplift reaction. If they do they must delete the wall or section of the wall, replace its self-weight with a
line load and run that analysis again to eliminate any holding down effects. Currently there is no compression only setting for columns and walls in INDUCTA
software.
[ RCB > Design > Slabs > Export & Analysis: SLB & PTD > Export Settings > Reactions > Moment Field ]
Moment Field
[ RCB ]
l Load Cases to Export

l Modelling Considerations
l Export Reactions vs Export Moment Field
[ RCB > Design > Slabs > Export & Analysis: SLB & PTD > Export Settings > Reactions > Moment Field > Load Cases to Export ]
Load Cases to Export
[ RCB ]
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When [ Execute ] is clicked on the Batch Export and Analysis form, the To Be Exported as Moment Field is opened.
The checkboxes that are active are for the load cases that have moment results present. Only primary load cases can be exported as moment fields and they must be
re-combined in SLB or PTD. The main purpose of the exporting moment field feature is to export the moments for lateral load cases, loading that cannot be input into
PTD and SLB, however the user can also export vertical load cases as moment fields.
The load cases that are selected will have all user input or program calculated point loads, line loads, pressures and moment loads deleted to prevent doubling up of
the results. Take for example a lateral wind load case where the user has added moment loads along one edge to simulate wind loading on a steel awning. The
bending moments calculated in the slabs and beams will take this into consideration, so there is no need to exporte the moment load and the moment to SLB or PTD.
[ RCB > Design > Slabs > Export & Analysis: SLB & PTD > Export Settings > Reactions > Moment Field > Modelling Considerations ]
Modelling Considerations
[ RCB ]
Mesh Size and Slab Geometry
The moment results are exported per finite element node in RCB. Similarly for beams finite element nodes are created along the beam length and results are
calculated at each finite element node. When importing into PTD and SLB, the RCB node results are distributed to PTD or SLB nodes. When using batch export and
run, the geometry and the mesh size is the same, so the node location and therefore the forces will match exactly. No extra precautions need to be taken if using
Batch Export and Run.
However, the user may choose to alter the mesh size once the file has been exported and opened in SLB or PTD for detailed analysis. In the case that the mesh size
has changed, SLB and PTD will linearly interpolate the RCB results to the surrounding SLB and PTD nodes. Therefore using coarser mesh in the PTD and SLB models will
result in a result in a loss of accuracy, as shown in the beam example below. The user must also take care not to modify the perimeter of the model. SLB and PTD
moment fields will still work if the perimeter nodes are within 1m of the RCB node (if outside) however there will be a loss in accuracy at these locations. If they are
more than 1m away then the moment field will not be analysed and designed for in SLB and PTD. Therefore it is not recommended to change the perimeter model or
the geometry of the slab.
Adding new structural elements and changing slab thickness in SLB and PTD will make the moment field results inaccurate as the moment distribution will changes.
Unless the changes are minor, the floor will need to be imported back into RCB, re-run and the moment field re-exported. No warning messages will be given if the
internal slab structure is changed.
When the Mesh Size is Different the Results Interpolate from RCB Nodes to the SLB Nodes
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Beams
As per the slab, the results along the beam (Moment, Shear, Torsion) will be interpolated if there is a change in the mesh size. If the total number of beams in the SLB
or PTD model is less than in the RCB model, the moment field analysis will give a warning, as the moment field is no longer accurate. The beam size can be changed
and the model will run the analysis, however the moment field results will not be accurate as a different beam sizes will have a different moment field. In the case a
beam is accidently deleted, a user can re-draw the beam in the exact same location and the model will run even if the beam number has changed. If more beams are
added into the SLB or RCB model beyond what was imported from RCB, the user is given a warning, but the analysis will run. Again, the results may not be accurate
with additional beams added as the moment distribution will be different.
The screenshots below show the effects of changing the mesh size between SLB and RCB. The RCB model has a 1m mesh size. When imported into SLB the moment
field results are show for the same beam when the results are interpolated to a smallest 0.75m mesh size and 2m mesh size. In both cases the peak +ve and -ve
moment is smoothed out / missed when the mesh size is changed. Therefore it is recommended not to change the mesh size between RCB and SLB / PTD for
moment field analysis .
In summary the mesh size can be varied with the results interpolated based on the mesh size. The user should avoid changing the perimeter of the slab if a moment
field has been imported. Any changes in the geometry, slab thickness will in reality change the moment results, therefore, the model should be re-run in RCB with
these changes added and the result re-exported as moment fields.
RCB Beam Moment Results: Ex - 1m Mesh Size
SLB Beam Moment Results: Ex - Interpolated to 0.75m Mesh Size
SLB Beam Moment Results: Ex - Interpolated to 2m Mesh Size
[ RCB > Design > Slabs > Export & Analysis: SLB & PTD > Export Settings > Reactions > Moment Field > Export Reactions vs Export Moment Field ]
Export Reactions vs Export Moment Field
[ RCB ]
The following screenshots compare exporting reactions via static analysis with variable distribution of reactions to exporting of moment field reactions for a lateral
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load (Eqx) and for a vertical load (Dead Load: SDL + SW).
The top picture shows the bending moment field for Eqx in RCB. The picture below shows the bending moment that is generated in SLB when the Eqx reaction are
exported into SLB using static analysis reactions with variable distribution of reaction. It is evident that there is a big difference in the bending moments and exporting
of the moment field must be used for lateral cases, exporting of reactions is not suitable.
Mx-x Eqx: RCB
Mx-x Eqx: SLB when Exported as Reactions and Bending Moment Re-Calculated
The following set of pictures compares moment field export of a vertical load to reactions exported and moment field re-calculated in SLB. It is evident that for the
vertical loads the moment field results are very similar exporting of reactions and re-calculating moments in SLB.
Mx-x Dead: RCB
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Mx-x Dead: RCB Moment Field Imported into SLB
Mx-x Dead Load: SLB when Exported as Reactions and Bending Moment Re-Calculated
[ RCB > Design > Slabs > Export & Analysis: SLB & PTD > Export Settings > Long Term Deflections ]
Long Term Deflections
[ RCB ]
Long Term Deflection settings for SLB and PTD considering cracked section properties (Icr) can be set for the export of individual floors or multiple floors when
exporting from RCB. If performing a batch export (exporting multiple floors) the same settings can be applied per floor or varied per floor of the export. How to vary
the settings per level is shown below in the SLB screenshot. PTD is similar.
For more information about the long term deflection calculations in SLB and PTD please refer to the following section in their respective manuals:
[ SLB > Results & Reports > Deflections ]
[ PTD > Results & Reports > Deflections ]
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PTD Long Term Deflection Settings
SLB Long Term Deflection Settings - apply varying properties per level
1. Select the Level(s) to apply the setting to
2. Adjust the long term deflection settings as necessary
3. The settings are applied when "OK" is pressed.
To review settings on an individual floor select the floor from the "Show settings for" drop down box.
[ RCB > Design > Slabs > Export & Analysis: SLB & PTD > Export Settings > PTD Preliminary ]
PTD Preliminary
[ RCB ]
Two types of PTD preliminary analysis can be performed when exporting and running from RCB, Preliminary Design with Tendons and Without Tendons. This section
outlines the usage of PT export from RCB assuming a basic understanding of the modelling concepts in PTD. It is recommended to read the manual sections below
highlighted with " * " even if familiar with PTD as these are new features.
For more information please refer to the following section in the PTD Manual:
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[ PTD > Modelling > Structural Elements > Support Lines ]
[ PTD > Modelling > Structural Elements > Tendons ]
[ PTD > Modelling > Structural Elements > Tendons > Auto Tendons ] *
[ PTD > Analysis & Solvers > Preliminary Design: No Tendons ]
[ PTD > Analysis & Solvers > Preliminary Design: With Tendons ] *
[ PTD > Analysis & Solvers > Modelling and Design Methodology using PTD ] *
Preliminary without Tendons
Preliminary Design: no Tendons is used to perform a quick first pass check on the post-tensioned slab by applying an constant P/A and uplift without entering any
tendons. This quick analysis is used to evaluate and confirm the slab depth, location and size of the band beams and drop panels and the location of the support lines
based on the negative moment. No slab offsets / flattening of the slab is needed.
The results produced by this case are idealised and most likely will not be able to be achieved in reality as a constant P/A may not be achievable (losses not
considered, restraint from columns / walls), nor will a constant uplift. Depending on the structural system that is chosen (e.g. a banded slab) these results may be
even less accurate. For more accurate preliminary results a Preliminary Design: With Tendons should be performed.
Batch (Multiple Floors)
When performing a batch export "Without Tendons" must be selected from the PTD Preliminary Analysis Settings for All Levels or for the desired
Level otherwise tendons will automatically be populated as below. It is similar when "Per Level" is selected.
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PTD Preliminary Analysis Settings: Batch Export - No Tendons
Single Floor
When exporting ans and running a single floor the PTD preliminary analysis settings are set as shown below. The type of PTD preliminary analysis that is run is
set under [ Solve > SLB / PTD Current Floor > PTD > Preliminary Without Tendons ].
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PTD Preliminary Analysis Settings: Single Floor - No Tendons
Preliminary with Tendons
Preliminary Design: with Tendons is used to perform quick preliminary design checks on the slab considering tendons. It is more accurate than Preliminary Design: No
Tendons. Preliminary Design: with Tendons can be used in cases where the slab thicknesses need to be confirmed without the need for checking every tendon profile.
To run a Preliminary design with Tendons, tendons are required. Let us assume initially that the tendon layout is unknown and there are no tendons. The tendons
cannot be drawn in RCB, they will automatically be created based on the spacing outlined in the [ Preliminary with Tendons ] tab below. The tendons will be created
by PTD when PTD is automatically launched.
In order for the automatically generated tendons to have correct profiles, support lines must be drawn. Support lines are drawn in RCB so that when the floor is
exported to PTD and auto tendons are generated, these auto tendons will have correct profiles. It is the support lines that are used to generate the tendon profiles.
They should follow the belts of negative (hogging) moment. They are drawn as shown below. Please refer to the PTD manual chapters above on best practice when
defining support lines.
Support lines following the belts of negative moment.
In order for the tendon profiles, and hence the uplift, to be correct, the steps in the slab must be defined. This is a property of the slab zone that is switched off by
default in SLB and RCB, as it is not needed if not drawing tendons. It can be switched on under [ Settings > Viewing Options > Slab > Slab Offset ]. For more
information on how to modify the slab step please refer to Slab Offsets. Note if slab offsets are not input then the top of the slabs will be flattened when PTD is run.
Batch (Multiple Floors)
With support lines defined and slab offsets input / slab zones flattened the PTD Preliminary Analysis with tendons can be run when performing the export and
run from RCB. For tendons to be created "With Tendons" must be selected. If it is not, then a Preliminary Design without tendons will be performed and no
tendons will be created on the floor(s). If the "Populate New Tendons (Auto)" is switched on, then any existing tendons will be overwritten with the auto
tendons, in this case tendons spaced at 2 m centres in the X and Y.
If performing a batch export and run and varying spacings of tendons are required, e.g. a typical floor and a transfer floor, then each floor must be exported and
run individually.
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PTD Preliminary Analysis Settings: Batch Export - With Tendons
Single Floor
When exporting ans and running a single floor the PTD preliminary analysis settings are set as shown below. The type of PTD preliminary analysis that is run is
set under [ Solve > SLB / PTD Current Floor > PTD > Preliminary With Tendons ]
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After the export and run is complete, the tendons that were created are visible in pink. Note that there are some invalid tendon profiles running through voids. As this
is a preliminary design, these errors are ignored and results can be viewed. For more information please refer to the PTD manual sections outlined above. The
tendons are only visible in RCB and cannot be edited . If the user wishes to edit the tendon, then they must open PTD and edit them in there. The floor can then
be imported back into RCB and the tendons will be visible.
Note, if a floor has been re-imported and another export and run (Preliminary Design with Tendons) is to be performed from RCB, the tendons will be overwritten
unless "Populate New Tendons" is switched off. If it is off, any existing tendon layouts and profiles will be used.
Non transfer floor after batch export and run to PTD with Tendons.
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Non Transfer floor after it was edited in PTD and imported back into RCB.
Populate New Tendons must be set to off if the edited PTD layout is to be kept when another export and run is performed.
[ RCB > Design > Slabs > Import from SLB & PTD ]
Import from SLB & PTD
[ RCB ]
An SLB or PTD file can be imported into the RCB model. The file can be created from scratch or previously exported from RCB.
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If "Overwrite the whole floor (Including column/wall above and below)" is selected, any existing geometry on the current level will be deleted and replaced with that
from the imported file. RCB will match the material properties to the ones already in the model, creating new materials if required.
[ RCB > Design > Slabs > EC2 / EC8 ]
EC2 / EC8
[ RCB ]
Once 'Design Code' option under [Settings>Model and Settings] is set to be EC2/EC8, and 2nd Order Analysis is performed, the reinforcing steel in the slab elements,
based on already pre-defined concrete thicknesses, can be designed. For this purpose we use the wall design module available in the RCB software, [Solve > Concrete
Design, EC2/EC8 > Slabs] from the Main Menu.
Slab Design EC2/EC8

The following sample screen shot shows the slab design module for EC2/EC8;
Slab Design EC2/EC8
l The software can design only one floor at a time.

l The design can be performed only for the envelope.
l Concrete Effective Cover is the distance from the outmost concrete fiber to the centroid of the tension reinforcement entered by the user.
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l Crack control can be perfomed by two options:

1. Direct check: Software checks if the tension reinforcement amount is enough for crack control limit.
2. Crack width: Software calculates the crack widths and checks if it is within the allowable limits.
Here, the concrete is the clear cover which is the distance from the outmost concrete fiber to the surface of the outmost reinforcement.
Concrete cover for crack control EC2/EC8
l Results are given as reinforcement ratios as shown in the figure below:
Slab Design Report
l Top or bottom reinforcement areas in X or Y direction are plotted on the main screen as shown in the figure below:
Slab Reinforcement
Slab reinforcements can also be plotted by selecting the [ Results > Slab Reinforcement > X - X ] or [ Results > Slab Reinforcement > Y - Y ] from the main menu.
[ RCB > Design > Slabs > TS500 ]
TS500
[ RCB ]
Once 'Design Code' option under [Settings>Model and Settings] is set to be TS500, the reinforcing steel in the slab elements, based on already pre-defined concrete
thicknesses, can be designed. For this purpose we use the wall design module available in the RCB software, [Solve > Concrete Design, EC2/EC8 > Slabs] f rom the
RCB Page 270 of 367
Main Menu.
Slab Design TS500
The following sample screen shot shows the slab design module for TS500;
Slab Design TS500
Slab reinforcements can also be plotted by selecting the [ Results > Slab Reinforcement > X - X ] or [ Results > Slab Reinforcement > Y - Y ] from the main menu.
The results of flat slab are plotted separetely for X-X and Y-Y directions and for bottom and top steel as contourlines. The values at each mesh node will be
printed when the user click on the slab area.
The results of the ribbed slabs are plotted per slab and the printed text contains, the bottom, top, flange and shear reinforcement.
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Slab Reinforcement
[ RCB > Design > Beams ]
Beams
[ RCB ]
l BS 8100
l EC2 / EC8
l TS500
[ RCB > Design > Beams > BS 8100 ]
BS 8100
[ RCB ]
RCB performs beam design according to BS 8110 and EC2/EC8. Beam design according to AS 3600 is performed in the SLABS software, when one floor is exported
from R/C Building to SLABS for detailed design.
Once 'Design Code' option under [Settings>Model and Settings] is set to be BS 8110, beams can be designed using the beam design module available in the software
under [Solve > Concrete Design BS8110 > Beams ] from the Main Menu.
The following sample screen shot shows the beam design module;
The descriptions below are related to beam design;
l Concrete: Characteristic concrete strength as defined in BS 8110.

l Longit. Steel, MPa: Yield strength of longitudinal reinforcement
l Longitudinal bars: Bar diameter of longitudinal reinforcement
l Effective cover % of D: Effective cover entered as a percentage of the beam gross depth (including slab thickness)
l Vertical Steel, MPa: Yield strength of shear reinforcement
l Longitudinal bars: Bar diameter of shear reinforcement
l No of Vertical Legs: Number of legs which is will be used in shear reinforcement design
l Plot Bars: will plot numerical description of the number of bars for beams. (This box has to be checked when exporting DXF files of the beam design).
The reinforcement design is performed only for bending and shear, torsion in the beams is not included in the design.
The beams longitudinal reinforcement design is based on BS 8110, Clause 3.4.4.4. The beam section is treated as a rectangular, single-reinforced or double-reinforced
section on bending. The reinforcement is calculated for the beam envelope results. The position of the reinforcement centroid is selected by the user on the Beam
Design window. Normally, effective concrete cover is assumed to be 0.1*D, (D-gross depth of the beam section including slab thickness).
The minimum percentage of reinforcement is calculated following BS 8110, Table 3.25. Over-reinforced beams are checked following BS 8110, Clause 3.12.6.1.
The design strength factors for concrete and steel are taken as 1.5 and 1.05, respectively, following BS 8110, Clause 2.4.4.1 (Table 2.2).
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After the BS 8110 beam design is performed a summary report is available by clicking on the button labelled Report within the design window. The report will
provide the parameters used in the design, the internal forces, bottom and top longitudinal reinforcement, the concrete shear capacity, distance between the stirrups
and number of vertical legs, as shown in the figure below.
[ RCB > Design > Beams > EC2 / EC8 ]
EC2 / EC8
[ RCB ]
Once 'Design Code' option under [Settings>Model and Settings] is set to be EC2/EC8, and 2nd Order Analysis is performed, the reinforcing steel in the beam elements,
based on already pre-defined concrete sections, can be designed. For this purpose we use the beam design module available in the R/C BUILDING software, [Solve >
Concrete Design, EC2/EC8 > Beams] from the Main Menu.
Beam Design EC2/EC8

The following sample screen shot shows the beam design module for EC2/EC8;
RCB Page 273 of 367
Beam Design EC2/EC8
l The software can design an individual beam, all the beams on the current floor, or all the beams elements contained within an R/C Building model in a single
operation.
l Concrete Effective Cover is the distance from the outmost concrete fiber to the centroid of the tension reinforcement entered by the user.
l Crack control can be perfomed by two options:

1. Direct check: Software checks if the tension reinforcement amount is enough for crack control limit.
2. Crack width: Software calculates the crack widths and checks if it is within the allowable limits.
Here, the concrete is the clear cover which is the distance from the outmost concrete fiber to the surface of the outmost reinforcement.
Concrete cover for crack control EC2/EC8
l Results are given as reinforcement ratios at each section of the beams as shown in the figure below:
RCB Page 274 of 367
Beam Design Report
[ RCB > Design > Beams > TS500 ]
TS500
[ RCB ]
Once 'Design Code' option under [Settings>Model and Settings] is set to be TS500/TDY2007 , and 2nd Order Analysis is performed, the reinforcing steel in the beam
elements, based on already pre-defined concrete sections, can be designed. For this purpose we use the beam design module available in the R/C BUILDING software,
[Solve > Concrete Design, TS500/TDY2007 > Beams] from the Main Menu.
The following sample screen shot shows the beam design module;
The design of the beam is performed at each section (matching the mesh nodes) along the beam. When Plot Bars is checked the bars will be plotted on the main
screen as shown below:
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Beam internal forces and steel design are given at each node in the following report:
Also, the Design Check Report checks the TS500 and TDY2007 requirements for each beam.
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[ RCB > Design > Deep Beams (Walls) ]
Deep Beams (Walls)
[ RCB ]
l Concept
l Theoretical Approach
l Using the Software
l Practical Considerations
l Numerical Example
l Cantilever Example
l Split Level Example
l How to Exclude Masonry Walls
l Walls with Major Openings
l Componental Stresses and Integration
[ RCB > Design > Deep Beams (Walls) > Concept ]
Concept
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[ RCB ]
The Concept
This method is used for particular walls within an RCB model in addition to the AS 3600 wall design approach.
Deep beams and shear walls with major openings are widely used structural elements. Incorporating deep beams are an especially efficient type of construction, as
they can support weight from several floors and they can span large distances between the supports without the need for beams.
The RCB software offers a set of state-of-the-art analytical tools, based on the Finite Element approach, which can be used in the analysis and detailed design of deep
beams and shear walls with openings.
The main advantage of the Finite Element approach is that it provides a very good insight into the distribution of the stresses inside the wall. Using this approach
allows the designer to distribute the reinforcing steel within the wall to increase load bearing capacity, while reducing material cost as any additional reinforcement is
only specified were it is required.
The walls and deep beams interact with other structural elements on the same floor and with the elements on the upper and lower levels. Therefore a 3D structural
model is the most appropriate approach to analyse and design deep beams.
The design of deep beams is governed by the internal stress distribution, and it cannot be performed by the simplified beam theory based on a uni-axial state of
stresses. The most accurate approach for deep beam design is to evaluate the distribution of in-plane stresses, and to introduce reinforcing bars where the concrete
tension strength is exceeded. The stress distribution within a deep beam is a bi-axial (2D) state of stresses, where all in-plane stresses are considered.
In the RCB software all component stresses ( sx sy txy ) and the principal stresses (s1 and s2 ) are obtained by the Finite Element Method (FEM). The stresses are
evaluated in a number of detailed points in the wall (as shown in the figure below).
Internally the wall is sub-divided into a number of rectangular design cells (dx/dy). The calculation of the required reinforcement is performed at the middle points of
each design cell (dx/dy). The cell size, dx and dy, is between 0.2m and to 0.3m (as shown in the figure above). The design procedure consists of calculating the
vertical and the horizontal components of the total force acting at each cell, taking into account the thickness of the wall, t, and the orientation of the tensile principal
stress, the angle alpha (a). Note that the steel design is based on the principle stresses ( s1 and s2 ), while the shear stress is zero. The angle alpha (a) is defined
between the positive X axis and the direction of the principle stress s1 , contra-clockwise.
If a wall is subjected to out-of-plane actions, such as out-of-plane bending, then the stress-strain state becomes three-dimensional, and additional design
considerations are needed. The three-dimensional stress state is not considered in this method.
The overall design is based on two rules:
1. When the principal stress in tension, s1 are greater than the tensile strength of the concrete, cracks will form and the tensile stress will be taken by the
reinforcing bars in the horizontal and the vertical directions. If the stress in the bars is limited to a specific limit, then the cracks width can be controlled, which
in turn will ensure the strength and serviceability of the wall.
2. When the principal stress in compression, s2 is greater than the compressive strength of concrete, it is assumed that the wall will fail. In this case the thickness
of the wall or the concrete grade should be increased - this should be a rare case in most practical designs.
The relationship between the principal (s1, s2 ) and componental (sx, sy ) stresses is as follows:
[ RCB > Design > Deep Beams (Walls) > Theoretical Approach ]
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Theoretical Approach
[ RCB ]
Theoretical Approach
The first step in the analysis is to evaluate the principal stress in tension s1 at the centre of each rectangular design cell (dx/dy) as shown in the figure below;
If the principal stress in tension is greater than the tensile strength of the concrete (as defined by the user), that is an indication that in that cell some reinforcement is required. The
amount of required reinforcement will be determined in such manner to limit the tensile stress in the bars. This in turn will limit the crack width. For instance, for bars size 12mm, if
the tensile stress in the bars is limited to 125 MPa, the cracks width will be less than 0.3mm. The procedure for calculating the reinforcement is given below;
For each design cell (dx/dy) the total tensile horizontal force H (kN), and the total tension vertical force V (kN) are calculated as follows:
The total required cross section area for the horizontal and the vertical reinforcement in the design cell dx/dy is calculated as follows:
The user might adopt some basic grid reinforcement in horizontal and vertical directions Hbg and Vbg. This basic steel grid will be taken into account in the field dx/dy with the
expressions:
So that the additional reinforcement can be calculated based on the difference between the total required steel and the basic grid for the horizontal and vertical bars:
If Adif_h is less or equal to zero, it means that the horizontal basic grid is sufficient, and that no additional horizontal reinforcement is needed. Also, if Adif_v is less or equal to zero, it
means that the vertical basic grid is sufficient, and that no additional vertical reinforcement is required. Note then the software assumes that basic grid bars (as defined by the user)
is distributed throughout the entire area of the wall.
For the cases where Adif_h or Adif_v are greater than zero, some additional reinforcement in the horizontal and/or vertical direction is evaluated. The software will
attempt to place a single additional bar between the bars of the basic grid, starting from bar size of 12mm in diameter. If this bar size of 12mm is not sufficient, the
software will try bar sizes of 16mm and 20mm. If the bar size 20 is not sufficient, the software will indicate how many bars are needed in each space between the
basic grid bars, as shown in the following screen shot;
The notation of the parameters mentioned in this Chapter is as follows:
Vbg Given vertical basic grid (in mm2/m')
Hbg Given horizontal basic grid (in mm2/m')
Smax Maximum allowed spacing in both vertical and horizontal directions (in mm)
Dh Selected horizontal bar diameter (in mm)
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Dv Selected vertical bar diameter (in mm)
nL - Number of layers for distribution of the reinforcements (usually nL=2)
sa Allowable stress in reinforcement (N/mm2)
s1 Principal tensile stress in concrete (kN/m2)
a Angle of orientation of the principal tensile stress (degrees)

t Membrane thickness of the element (m)
dx Horizontal length of the considered rectangular field (m)
dy Vertical length of the considered rectangular field (m)
[ RCB > Design > Deep Beams (Walls) > Using the Software ]
Using the Software
[ RCB ]
In order to design a deep beam element using the RCB software, the following steps need to be performed by the user;
l Ensure the check box labelled 'Save Wall Stress for Design' is selected (or checked) in the [ Settings > Models and Solvers ], as shown in the screen shot below;
l The finite element mesh is then generated by selecting [ Solve > Mesh ] from the Main Menu.
l A 2nd order analysis must be performed by selecting [ Solve > 2nd Order Static Analysis ] from the Main Menu.
Once the analysis has successfully been completed and the results have been saved, the Deep Beam Design window is launched by selecting [ Solve > Wall / Deep
Beam Design ] from the Main Menu. The following window is then opened by the software;
Note: Each wall element that is contained within an R/C Building model can be displayed in the design window by entering its number into the 'Wall No.' input box.
The design of the reinforcement is based on the allowable stresses in bars. The user may vary the value of the allowable steel stress sa in order to examine the effect
of this parameter on the final design. If for example, sa is equal to the yielding strength of steel sy, in that case the ultimate stresses concept is applied. (Note that
the load combinations factors should be in compliance with the ultimate stress concept).
The user can also check the state of the principal stresses in tension and in compression for each Load Cases and Load Combination (including Envelope Load
Combination) by pressing the button labelled Tension and Compression. For each case, it is possible to view the values of the compressive stresses for each design
cell (dx/dy), by moving the mouse over the wall as shown in the screen shot below;
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The orientation of the principal stresses is presented graphically by short lines in the middle of each design cell. These lines will represent the stress flow in the wall.
If the principle stresses are exceeded it will be indicated with a circles in a different colour. If any red circles are shown when the compression stresses are displayed is
it recommended to either increase the wall thickness or the concrete grade.
When the tensile stresses are displayed, any grey circles indicate zones where some reinforcement will be needed. Once the stresses are examined the user may
proceed with evaluating the reinforcement by pressing the Design button. The user can also check the distribution of vertical and horizontal stresses along the
bottom and top edges of the wall/deep beam element (using the buttons labelled Horizontal Stress and Vertical Stress respectively).
[ RCB > Design > Deep Beams (Walls) > Practical Considerations ]
Practical Considerations
[ RCB ]
The Deep Beam design module built into the RCB software does not check buckling of the walls. Therefore, the designer must consider the slenderness of the wall and make an
assessment of the potential of buckling. If a deep beam is restrained at the floor levels, which makes the physical height of the wall say 3.0m, and if the wall thickness is greater than
150mm, buckling should typically not be problem. Note that the slenderness of the deep beam is checked during the AS 3600 design procedure, which is a minimum requirement in
any wall design. Also, as deep beams are major structural elements, it is recommended to manually check the slenderness.
If a deep beam is supporting several levels of masonry walls, in the R/C Building model it is recommended to reduce the modulus of elasticity of the wall above the deep beam by 4
to 6 times. This will guarantee that the masonry walls above the deep beam will not take any significant in-plane bending. This can be emphasised by increasing the modulus of
elasticity of the deep beam itself by 2 to 4 times. This approach makes the deep beam stiffer, and it will force the deep beam to work harder and to attract larger internal forces.
These factors for the deep beam can be used only for the strength design. When the deflection criterion of a deep beam is examined, the actual modules of elasticity of the deep
beam must not be increased.
The design of deep beam in the R/C Building software is governed by two main parameters:
l Concrete tensile strength
l Steel allowable tensile stress
The design engineer has to decide on both parameters, and typically the tensile concrete strength can be evaluated by the formula in AS 3600, clause 6.1.1.3. For concrete grade
32MPa, the tensile strength can be calculated as 2.26 MPa. It is known through practical experience that concrete can take much larger tensile stress than this value, such as 4, 6, or
even 8 MPa, however these values are not always reliable. It is therefore recommended that a conservative value of about 2.0 MPa is adopted for the concrete tensile strength.
The allowable stress in the reinforcing steel can be limited to 25% of the steel yield grade. For example a steel yield grade of 500 MPa would result in an allowable stress of 125 MPa.
This is considered a very safe value, which will limit the crack width in the deep beam to 0.3mm.
It is known that the allowable value of the steel stress can be set as 50% or even 100% of the steel strength without compromising the load bearing capacity of the deep beam. This
figure has to be considered in conjunction with the values of the load factors used in the strength limit state.
If for example, the ultimate load factors are taken as ultimate limit state of (1.2G, 1.5Q), then the allowable stress value can be set as 80% to 100% of yield (500 MPa). If the ultimate
load factors are taken as serviceability limit state of (1.0G, 0.4Q), then the allowable stress value should not be set to be greater than 25% of yield (500 MPa). A very conservative
approach is to set the load factors as the ultimate limit state of (1.2G, 1.5Q), and to limit the steel stress to 25% of yield (500 MPa). The most conservative design approach for deep
beams will be to limit the concrete tensile stress to 2.0 MPa for the service load combination (1.0G, 0.4Q), which will prevent any cracks forming in the concrete.
Deep beams are usually made of reinforced concrete, and they must be supported with a minimum at two points by columns are other walls. These types of concrete beams can
support significant loads of 10 or more floors, however if a deep beam is made of grouted masonry blocks, it may support up to 3 floors, and spans should not be larger than 10m. In
these cases the tensile strength of the material (grouted masonry blocks) must be undervalued, for example 0.2 to 0.5 MPa, in order to arrive to a reliable design. Also, the deep
beams made of grouted masonry blocks are very brittle, and can easily develop visible cracks. Special care must also be taken during construction in order to ensure that the grout
completely fills all wall cavities. The recommended minimum reinforcement specified for this type of construction is 12@200, in the vertical and the horizontal directions.
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A concrete deep beam can span large distances such as 10 to 14m, but there must be a minimum of two support points, by either walls and/or columns. If a deep beam is not
correctly supported there may be large stress concentrations developed in the slab near the ends of the deep beam, and these stresses can easily cause local failure of the slab.
The compression stresses developed in the deep beams are typically not a problem. However, if the compression is greater than 30% of the concrete strength some special measures
may be introduced (this can occur in a small zone above the column supports). In these cases it is recommended to extend the starter bars from the supporting columns/walls into
the deep beam, and to place 3 to 5 stirrups in the deep beam. This arrangement will provide confinement of the concrete that is subjected to high compressive stresses.
When considering the reinforcement in a deep beam, the vertical bars are of equal significance as the horizontal bars. It is recommended to use the same bar size and spacing for the
vertical and horizontal bars. The simple beam analogy (which assumes that only the horizontal bars in the bottom section will yield) is not correct, and must not be used in deep
beam design.
The deep beam design module does not check the minimum steel requirements specifically for deep beam elements. This has to be checked manually by the design engineer.
When a deep beam is used to transfer the load from the upper levels, and when it is supported by columns, its primary function is to transfer (distribute) the load from the upper
levels on the supports below. However, the deep beam is also holding the slab attached to the bottom edge, which is hanging from the deep beam. The connection between the
deep beam (wall) and the slab at the bottom edge is in tension (especially at the mid-span), and a series of anchors must be used to take this force. It is recommended to ignore the
role of the tensile concrete strength in this connection and to only rely on the steel reinforcing bars.
Usually the deformations of a deep beam are very small. A simplified evaluation of the long term deflection can be made by multiplying the short term deformations by a factor of 2
to 3.
[ RCB > Design > Deep Beams (Walls) > Numerical Exmaple ]
Numerical Exmaple
[ RCB ]
The RCB model used in the numerical example is shown in the following 3D screen shot;
The model contains all material parameters, loads and is solved by generating the finite element mesh and solved using the 2nd Order Static Analysis option.
The Deep Beam design module is opened by selecting [ Solve > Wall / Deep Beam Design ] from the Main Menu. A sample screen shot of the deep beam located
on the first floor of the model is displayed in the design module, as shown below;
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In order to examine the initial results, the values of the concrete tensile strength is set to 1MPa, and the value of the allowable steel stress is set to 125MPa (as shown
above).
The displacement of the deep beam can be displayed by clicking on the button labelled 'Displacement'. The screen shot of the results is shown below;
Note: The displacement of the deep beam is very small and will not govern the design.
The next step is to display and examine the compression stresses by clicking on the button labelled ' Compression'. A sample screen shot is shown below;
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The software displays the detailed output in the Information window on the right side of the design screen. The results presented indicate that the maximum
compressive stress in the deep beam is about 15.5MPa (which is about 50% of the allowable limit). The stress 'flow' is overlayed on top of the deep beam, showing an
arch - as expected for this configuration of supporting conditions. When any results are displayed on screen, the user can extract the value at any location within the
deep beam inside the diagram using the left mouse button.
The tensile stresses are displayed by clicking on the button labelled 'Tension'. A sample screen shot is shown below;
The on screen results indicate that the maximum tensile stress occurs above the supporting columns on the left and right bottom corners of the deep beam. The value
of the maximum tensile stress of 3 MPa (shown in the information window) indicates that the concrete tensile capacity of 1 MPa is exceeded.
Considering the results that have been examined thus far, clicking on the button labelled 'Design' will instruct the software to carry out the design based on the
current input factors. A sample screen shot of the design output is shown below;
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The output above indicates that there are additional bars (black lines) required in addition the basic grid of 12mm bars are 300mm spacing (shown as red lines).
Using the mouse to zoom in and hover over either area where the additional reinforcement will show the details of the additional reinforcement that is required. A
sample screen shot for the bottom left corner of the deep beam is shown below;
At this stage the designer may choose to vary the input parameters that were initially set for the concrete tensile strength and allowable steel stresses. Slightly
increasing these values will allow the designer to examine the design results produced by R/C Building for the most realistic set of input parameters. The new value
for the concrete tensile strength is 2 MPa, and the new value for the allowable steel strength is set to 250 Mpa. A sample screen shot of the design output is shown
below;
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The difference in additional reinforcing bars is relatively significant. The initial set of input values resulted in several additional 20mm bars to be introduced above the
supporting columns. Increasing the value (by a factor of 2) of the concrete tensile strength and the allowable steel strength has resulted in only a single
additional 12mm bar required in the horizontal and vertical directions, above each supporting column.
In a practical situation it is recommended that the designer adopt the design that was produced using the initial set of input values (the more conservative input of 1
MPa for the tensile concrete stength, and allowable steel stress of 125 MPa). The reasoning behind this suggestion is that the overall cost of additional reinforcement
is not significant, however the safety between the two sets of input values is twofold.
The above reasoning illustrates the advantage of the Finite Element approach, showing a very good insight into the distribution of the internal forces, which will allow
the designer to introduce a minimum amount of extra material exactly where it will make the largest contribution to the overall safety.
The next step is to consider the stresses along the top and bottom edges of the deep beam. Apart from viewing the stresses inside the wall element, as covered
above, it is necessary to check the vertical (normal) and horizontal (shear) stresses along the bottom and top edges of the wall. These stresses are used to calculate
the required vertical anchors in the joint between the deep beam and the slabs. The distribution of the vertical stresses along the edges of the selected wall in this
example are displayed by clicking on the button labelled 'Vertical Stress' and are shown in the screen shot below;
The information window above indicates that the maximum vertical compressive stress at the supports is 18.3 MPa. This value is well within the compressive strength
of the concrete (32MPa), and the maximum vertical tensile stress of 0.3MPa is also well within the tensile capacity of the concrete, assumed as 2MPa. This result
indicates that there is a low risk of separation occurring between the bottom edge of the deep beam and the slab. In practical designs it should always be assumed
that there will be separation between the deep beam and the slab, and the appropriate bars to anchor the deep beam and the slab need to be designed.
---
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The horizontal stresses (shear) along the top and bottom edges of the deep beam and slabs are displayed by clicking on the button labelled 'Horizontal Stress'. A
sample screen shot of the results is shown below:
The information window indicates that the maximum value is 7.7 MPa. This shear stress could cause slippage of the wall relative to the slab along any already
formed horizontal cracks due to the tensile stresses. To prevent these two failure modes, vertical bars along the top and bottom edges of the deep beam and the
slabs need to be designed, in order to resist pullout and slipping actions (Note that an appropriate anchorage length needs to be entered into the input window). The
figure below illustrates how the two failure models can occur along the top and bottom edges, and how the vertical anchorage bars resist these actions.
In order to design the anchors, the integral 'I ' section formed by the wall and the bottom and the top slabs needs to be taken into account. The anchors can be
designed assuming that the steel cross-sectional area resists the total pullout force due to tensile vertical stresses, as well as the main part of the shear forces acting
along the tensioned boundary zone.
For the deep beam in this example it is assumed that a crack between the deep beam and the slabs has already formed and that the total stress will be taken only by
the anchors. The necessary anchor bars on the bottom boundary between the wall and slab are then designed as follows:
From the vertical stress diagram (shown previously), the maximum vertical tensile stress in the bottom edge is sy_max = 0.3 MPa. The total pullout force, N, to be
resisted by the anchors will be:
N = 300 x 0.2 (stress * wall thickness)
N = 60 kN/m
It is assumed that there will be anchors placed from the deep beam into the slab below at a rate of (12@300 x 2 layers), therefore the stress in the anchors can be
evaluated as:
Steel area = 0.0007539 m2 / m ( 753.9 mm2 / m )
Stress in the bars = 60 / 0.0007539
Stress in the bars = 80 MPa < 500 MPa : OK for ultimate load
Note that the above calculations are applicable at the point of the maximum stresses. We may average the stress by a distribution factor of 0.3 to 0.4, which wall
reduce the stress by 60% to 70%. We can confirm this by examining the principle stresses in tension along the bottom edge if required.
The next step is to check the shear slip. The maximum shear stress of 7.7 MPa is at the wall ends near the supports. As this stress is concentrated over a very small
zone we can use a distribution factor of 0.1 or 0.2. Therefore the average shear stress is 0.2 x 7.7 MPa = 1.54 MPa < 2.0 MPa. Typically this shear stress will be resisted
by the concrete along the deep beam edges. However if a crack between the deep beam and the slab forms the shear will be taken by the anchors. Normally, the
shear stress is not of any significance, although it has to be checked in each design.
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As a general rule we recommend to anchor each vertical bar from the deep beam into the slab. It is also recommended that the designer confirms that the shear can
be taken by the concrete. It is a very rare case when additional steel is required to cover the shear between the deep beam and the slab.
The last step of this procedure is the calculation of the necessary anchorage length, which must be performed in compliance with the current design code AS 3600.
[ RCB > Design > Deep Beams (Walls) > Cantilever Example ]
Cantilever Example
[ RCB ]
Let us consider a wall-deep beam cantilever holding 7 levels. The service load reaction is 2,700 kN
Cantilever, L = 9.13m
The detailed wall stress results are showing zones with high tensile stress, 8.2 MPa and 3.8 MPa. Thse high tensile stresses will require some substantial
reinforcement.
We can try to design the wall with two layers of N20 @ 100, and we will still need some extra bars in the zones with high tension.
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[ RCB > Design > Deep Beams (Walls) > Split Level Exmaple ]
Split Level Exmaple
[ RCB ]
Let us consider a design of a deep beam in a 8-sorey split-level building. The building is a multi-level car park with two storey hotel on top, with a 15.7m span deep beam located at
the entrance of the car park. This deep beam supports loading from 5 levels above. (see picture below)
Deep-beam on Split Level
The building has split-leves, and therefore the deep beam has to be made of two independat wall elements placed one on top of the another. Althought, the beam is made of two
individual wall elements, the software will identify the common horizontal edge, and it will conect both walls, and they will work as a monotlitic unit.
We can observe that the deep-beam is supported by a short wall and a colum on the left-hans side, and by a lift core walls on the right hand side. The span of the deep beam is 6.3 +
9.4 = 15.7m (see pictue below). Along the 6.3m span the beam is not attaced to any other element, and we can expect that in this span the maximum internal foces will be develop.
While in the 9.4m span there are slabs attaced to the wall along the top and bottom edge, which will form an I section, and this will make the wall-beam much stronger. Becasue of
this we expect that the 9.4m span will not develop significant internal forces, and it will not be be critical for the design.
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Dimensions of the deep beam
The deep-beam is loaded along the 9.4m span by a point load coming from the column above, and a line loads from two floors (see picture below).
Deep-beam loading arrangement
Now we can mesh and run the model, and we can use the Deep-Beam solver in the R/C BUILDING software to display the stress distribution in each wall separately. We should not
look at the Wall reaction report, because this is not a regular wall and the vertical reactions and moments about the base are irrelevant.
In the picture below we have put together the tensile stress results from both walls. From the flow of the principle stresses it is obvious that both walls work as a single unit.
Tensile Stress due to Factored Gravity Load (left-hand side only)
From the stress results we can observe that the maximum tensile stress is 14.7 MPa, at the bottom of the mid span (see picture above). The tensile stress magnitude indicates that
the critical section might develop some visible cracks regardless of the amount of steel installed. The concrete cracks will not reduce the load bearing capacity of the beam.
Now, we can use the maximum stress of 14,700 kPa, and we utilize the beam section analogy to evaluate the design moment for gravity load, M* = 7,360 kNm. Note the beam
section is 2.74 x 0.4 m. This is a significant design moment even for such deep section. Now, we may use BEAM2 software to design the critical section.
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Bending design using beam section analogy
The design by beam section analogy indicates that we need about 20 N24 in the bottom zone, in order to get the section capacity of 8,200 kNm.
If we use the deep beam design module in R/C BUILDGN, we will get comparable amount of steel. (see picture below) If the basic grid is 16 @ 150 in two layers, then we will need
extra horizontal bars 3N20 + 5N20 + 2N20 in the bottom zone.
Mid-span extra steel (Design parameter max steel stress 400 MPa)
Note that in deep beam design the vertical bars are of equal importance.
The steel detailing and anchorage of each bar has to be considered very carefully.
The geometry and the loading of this beep-beam are relatively complex, and the results might not be very reliable, regardless of the method used. In such a case we recommend
that a more generous design is adopted.
R/C BUILDING software considers the entire structure with all elements working together in 3D, and therefore the results form R/C BUILDING should be accurate. However, a design
check by some alternative methods is recommended.
Model courtesy of Sellick Consultants Pty Ltd, ACT
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[ RCB > Design > Deep Beams (Walls) > How to Exclude Masonry Walls ]
How to Exclude Masonry Walls
[ RCB ]
Often, the walls/deep beams are constructed over several levels. In such case, it is a common practice to construct the wall/deep beam on the lowest level as
reinforced concrete walls, and the walls above as grouted block-work masonry walls (see picture below). Now, we want only the concrete walls to act as deep beam,
and the walls above not to act as deep beams.
In such case, in the building model we have to assign different modulus of elasticity for the concrete and the for masonry walls. We suggest that the masonry walls have 4 times
smaller modulus of elasticity, and the concrete walls have 4 times larger modulus of elasticity. Now, all the internal forces will be concentrated in the concrete walls. Otherwise, if
we use identical modulus of elasticity, all the walls on all levels will act as deep beams, shearing the load. However, if the concrete wall at the lowest level has significantly larger
modulus of elasticity, then this wall will take all beam actions.
[ RCB > Design > Deep Beams (Walls) > Walls with Major Openings ]
Walls with Major Openings
[ RCB ]
Often, in a building model there are a few walls wait major openings. The first thing we need to consider is the wall able to work as a single unit. It is easy to model
the wall with all voids and let the software design it. But, if we know that the wall will not work as a single unit, it is better to refine the model, so it will reflect the
dominant behavior of the structural elements.
Let us consider a shear wall with two major openings, which is a part of a stair case (see picture below).
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Wall with Major Openings, 3D View
The wall has a door and a long window, which segments the wall in several zones with different dominant actions. Although we may assume the wall is a single unit, different zones
of the wall, because of the geometry, will act in different manners. So, the wall in the picture below will not act as a single unit, and it should not be modelled and considered as a
single element.
Wall with Major Openings
In the picture below we have marked five wall zones, which act in a different manner. In each zone the dominant action is completely different :
Wall Zones
Explanation of the Wall Zones:
1. This is the only zone of the wall which acts as shear wall. This zone can be constructed as reinforced concrete with vertical and horizontal bars. This is the only
part of the wall which can contribute to the lateral resistance of the building. It shoudl be modelled separately, an a single rectangular wall.
2. This connecting beam will certainly crack. Because of its location, this beam will attract larger moment and shear, and it is not necessary actually to design it
to take these larger internal actions. It is a good idea, in this beam to induce a vertical joints and to reinforce it with put X bars, making some king of moment-free
joint, so the beam will not crack.
3. This wall zone works as a column, and should be modelled and designed as a column with stirrups. Also, the top part of the column is "short column" with a
potential brittle shear failure. It is the best if this column is isolated form Zone 5 with a vertical joint, so it does not form a "shot column".
4. This part of the wall forms a T section with the slab above, and it act as a web of the T section. It will need stirrups for shear, and horizontal bars at the bottom
for the bending. It has to be modeleld and designed as a beam.
5. This zone does take any load, except it own weigh, and we only need to ensure its local stability. This part of the wall can be isolated from the other zones, and
constructed as grouted masonry.
NOTE: It is critical that the computer model reflects the structural system, and it is able to capture and predict the its general behaviour and the dominant actions.
Otherwise, the results from the analysis may not be reliable.
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[ RCB > Design > Deep Beams (Walls) > Componental Stresses and Integration ]
Componental Stresses and Integration
[ RCB ]
The Concept
Wall/Deep Beam Stresses and Design Module in R/C Building allows to view the componental stresses as well as the principal stresses. If the "Componental Stresses"
checkbox is off, the software will display the principal values for compression and tension when the user selects a deep beam node, as shown in the image below:
Note that if both principal stresses at a node are in tension, then the compression will be displayed as 0 (see image below), while the displayed tension value for the
same node will be the highest of the two principal stresses. The same logic applies when both the principal stresses are in compression.
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When the "Componental Stresses" checkbox is on, additional information is available for each node. The user can check stresses in the X and Y directions as well as
view the shear stress and the angle in radians. See image below:
Note that by convention, compression results are shown as +ve, while the tension results are -ve. The txy sign has no significance.
Integration
The integration function within the module allows to obtain average stress values for a section. Integration may be performed over horizontal or vertical lines. To
integrate, click the integration button and click on two nodes within the deep beam/wall. Following that, the software will display the average stresses along the
integration line. Additionally, the bending moment and shear values are displayed in the panel on the right as seen in the image below:
The sign convention for the bending moments and shear forces is shown below:
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[ RCB > Design > Wide Beams ]
Wide Beams
[ RCB ]
In order to design wide beams export the floor to SLB software, see: Export to SLB & PTD .
[ RCB > Results & Reports ]
Results & Reports
[ RCB ]
l Sign Convention
l General
l Deflections
l Reactions
l Slab In-Plane Stresses (In-Plane Slab Actions)
l Punching Shear
l Slab Moments
l Beam Moments
l Soil Pressure
l Frequency and Mode Shapes
l Overturning Moment
l 3D Forces
l Exporting Results
[ RCB > Results & Reports > General ]
General
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
INDUCTA software can display on-screen results by selecting the appropriate option from the Main Menu under the [ Results ] tab. The user can extract on-screen
results at any node on a floor using the left mouse button, and obtain the maximum value within a rectangular area by drawing a box using the left mouse button.
On-screen results include:
[ RCB ]
l Reactions on individual Column and Wall elements (Static Analysis and Area Method)
l Reactions on Wall Groups
l Detailed Wall Stresses
l Deflections (Vertical and Horizontal)
l Slab In-Plane Stresses
l Punching Shear (AS 3600 only)
l Slab Moments
l Beam Moments
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l Soil Pressure
l Centroids
l Frequency
l Mode Shapes
[ SLB ]
l Deflections: instantaneous and long term (slab and beams)

l Internal Forces (slab, beam, columns and walls)
l Bending Moments (slab, beams, wide beams and columns)
l Shear (slab and beams)
l Torsion (beams)
l Punching shear check and design (columns above and below, and short walls)
l Reactions on columns and walls by static analysis and area method
l Reinforcement (slab and beams, and wide beams)
l Mode shapes and natural periods of vibrations
l Soil pressure (for slab-on-grade)
l Piles reactions (for slab-on-grade with piles)
l Slab reinforcement details (reinforcing bars mark-up)
[ PTD ]
l Deflections (slab and beams)

l P/A Stresses (Transfer, Service)
l Tension Cracks and Ast Errors
l Tendon Extensions
l Tendon Losses
l Duct Profiles
l Tendon Clashing
l In-Plane Movement
l Internal Forces (columns and walls)
l Bending Moments (slab, beams and columns)
l Shear (slab and beams)
l Torsion (beams)
l Reactions (columns and walls)
l Reinforcement (slab and beams)
The software also offers detailed reports for specific output based on the selection made by the user from the [ Reports ] tab on the Main Menu, and the status of the
Load Case or Load Combination options displayed on the Main Task Bar. Report types include:
[ RCB ]
l Structure Summary
l Gravity Load Summary
l Thickness/Pressure Report
l Horizontal Displacement
l Frequencies
l Reactions by Static Analysis
l Reactions by Area Method
l Preferred Column Sizes
l Log File
[ SLB ]
l Input Data
l Load Summary
l Static Reactions
l Area Reactions
l Thickness / Pressure
l Reinforcement Quantity
l Ast Zone Report
l Log File
[ PTD ]
l Input Data
l Load Summary
l Static Reactions
l Steel Rates
l Thickness / Pressure
l Tendon Losses
l Tendon Ast
l Tendon Layers
l Tendon Extensions
l Tendon Clashing
l Duct Profiles
l Log File
[ RCB > Results & Reports > General > Extracting Results ]
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Extracting Results
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
Graphical on-screen results are displayed by selecting the appropriate option from the Main Menu under the [ Results ] tab. The user can extract on-screen results at
any node using the left mouse button, and obtain the maximum value within a rectangular area by drawing a box using the left mouse button, as shown in the screen
shot below.
The software will then present the maximum value within the selected box as shown in the following screen shot:
[ RCB > Results & Reports > General > Coloured Lines / Flooded Colours ]
Coloured Lines / Flooded Colours
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
The user has the option to display the results that are presented on screen as contour lines either as coloured lines or as flooded colours:
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Note: the position of the legend is fixed to the top left corner for the Working Area. When displaying the results as flooded lines, the range is automatically set by the
software and cannot be modified by the user. In contrast, when displaying the results as lines, the range can be refined and then reset as needed (see the images
below).
Full result range is shown first
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The user can change the range as needed
The new results range is set
[ RCB > Results & Reports > General > Integration ]
Integration
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
INDUCTA software has a number of integration tools. The Integration tools are automatically displayed when the results selected by the user can be integrated, such
as Moment, Moment Envelope and Reinforcement results:
The folllowing tools are available:
l Distance Tool
l Clicking on 2 Points
l User Defined Integration Distance
l Moment / Shear Line
l Clear Current Integration Results
[ RCB > Results & Reports > General > Integration > Distance Tool ]
Distance Tool
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[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
When the deflections results are displayed, the user can extract the span/deflection ratio by selecting the Distance tool and clicking on two points on the screen
defining the span.
For all other result types, the distance tool will only display the distance between 2 points that were clicked.
[ RCB > Results & Reports > General > Integration > Clicking on 2 Points ]
Clicking on 2 Points
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
The example below outlines how to use the integrate between two points tool, while also incorporating the Orthogonal Mode option. The general model geometry
is shown in the screen shot below;
For this example the Reinforcement results, Y-Y top will be used as the results to be integrated. The first step is to show the Reinforcement results in Y-Y by selecting
[ Results > Reinforcement Y-Y ] from the Main Menu. The Top option is then selected, resulting in the following reinforcement contours;
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Once the results are on displayed on the screen the Integrate between two points button in the DTB is pressed and then the left mouse button is used to define the
two points shown in the screen shot below.
Note that the Orthogonal Mode and the Snapping mode are set as shown in the following screen shot;
The total required top reinforcement in the Y-Y direction is shown in the following screen shot (Note: the total shown below is a total area of steel over a distance of
2.4m, therefore the rate is 984mm2/m);
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[ RCB > Results & Reports > General > Integration > User Defined Integration Distance ]
User Defined Integration Distance
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
This feature is very useful for extracting results when models contain drop panels or band beams that are supported by columns.
The example below is a model that will be used to illustrate the general procedure of extracting reinforcement results using the integration tool that allows the user
to specify the integration width.
The Reinforcement Y-Y Top results are displayed by selecting [ Results > Reinforcement Y-Y ] from the Main Menu followed by selecting the Top option from the
DTB, as shown in the screen shot below;
Once the results are displayed on the screen the next step is to select the Integrate by clicking one point and specifying a distance icon as shown in the sample
screen shot below;
Before selecting the column, the user needs to ensure that the snapping mode is set Snap to Corner. The next step is to click on the column using the left mouse
button, and shown in the following screen shot;
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Once the column is selected, the software will prompt the user to enter the total integration width (with the column becoming the centre of the width) into the text
input box.
It is important to note that the software will automatically recognise the direction of the results and then integrate perpendicular to that direction. The final results
for this example are shown in the screen shot below;
[ RCB > Results & Reports > General > Integration > Moment / Shear Line ]
Moment / Shear Line
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[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
The Moment Line and Shear Line tools are only displayed when the results displayed by the user can be integrated.
Results extracted using the Moment Line are shown in the same direction as the moment results selected by the user, were as the other integration results are
perpendicular to the results displayed. The following sample model is used to illustrate this concept.
The model is analysed and the Moments My are displayed for Load Combination 1. The next step is to click on the Moment Line icon in the DTB followed by selecting
a column using the left mouse button as shown in the following screen shot (Note: the central area of the model is chosen for the example);
The results in the screen shot above show a maximum positive moment of 26.8 kNm/m and a maximum negative moment of -57.5kNm/m. It is important to
understand that these values are the peak results and for this reason the Moment Line tool should only be used to understand how the slab is behaving rather than
using the results for the design of the reinforcement in the slab.
The screen shot below is a close up of the column showing the maximum negative moment along the Moment Line and also the integrated moment perpendicular to
the Moment My results.
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[ RCB > Results & Reports > General > Integration > Clear Current Integration ]
Clear Current Integration
[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]
The Clear Integration tool will simply remove any on screen integration results that have been generated by the user. This feature is intended to improve the
efficiency of reviewing the moment and reinforcement results as the user does not need to re select the results if they choose to only clear the current on screen
integration output.
This tool is displayed along with the other integration icons in the DTB when the type of results selected by the user can be integrated.
[ RCB > Results & Reports > Deflections ]
Deflections
[ RCB ]
l Vertical Deflections AS 3600

l Vertical Deflections from SLB & PTD
l Long Term Deflections EC2
l Long Term Deflections TS500
l Horizontal Floor Movement
l Horizontal Displacement Report
[ RCB > Results & Reports > Deflections > Vertical Deflections AS 3600 ]
Vertical Deflections AS 3600
[ RCB ]
RCB software can display the vertical deformations of a floor as coloured contour lines or flooded contours by selecting [ Results > Vertical Deflection Shape ] from the
Main Menu. The deflections results are dispalyed for the current Basic Load Case or Load Combination, as shown on the Main Task Bar. RCB uses gross section
properties (Ig). If long term deflections are to be calcualted then a batch export and analysis to SLB and/or PTD must be performed.
Slab deflection results in RCB cannot be used in the design because they are based on the gross moment of inertia, and they do not include any long term effects such
creep and shrinkage. Also, on the upper floors, the slab deflections are effected by column axial shortening.
The deflection at each node can be displayed by clicking on the slab using the left mouse button as shown in the sample screen shot below;
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Deflection Results in RCB using Igross
Deflections in R/C Building are calculated using Igross (gross section properties) of the slabs and beams multiplied by the stiffness reduction factors given in [ Settings >
Settings in the Model and Solvers ]. Therefore, deflection results are only indicative and it can be used as instant deflections. Note that the long deflections will be two
to three times larger.
Also, axial shortening of the walls and columns will contribute to the slab deflections. In tall buildings more than 10 storeys, the axial shortening of the walls and
columns can be significant (10 to 30mm) which will make the slab deflection results unreliable.
When the vertical slab deflections are of interest, each floor from the RCB model should be exported to either the SLB or PTD software, and then these
software programs will be used to evaluate long term deflection, based off Ieff, which includes long term effects such as creep and shrinkage.
[ RCB > Results & Reports > Deflections > Vertical Deflections from SLB & PTD ]
Vertical Deflections from SLB & PTD
[ RCB ]
If a level has batch results associated with it, SLB / PTD results will be available from the Results tab:
Whe user can select which deflection results are to be viewed using the dropdown box. Use the checkbox to switch between Static and Area results. A Batch
[ RCB > Results & Reports > Deflections > Long Term Deflections EC2 ]
Long Term Deflections EC2
[ RCB ]
During the Linear Elastic or 2nd Order analysis, RCB software will evaluate the horizontal and vertical deflections at each node. These deflections are instant elastic
deflections based on gross (un-cracked) moment of inertia of beam and slab sections, multiplied by the Stiffness Reduction Factors. The Stiffness Reduction
Factors are defined by the user on the [ Model and Solver Settings ] input panel. Instant deflections for each floor can be shown on the screen by selecting [ Results
> Vertical Deflection ], on the main menu.
Once the slab and beam steel design is performed by TS500 design code, the long-term deflections for each floor can be evaluated by selecting [ Solve > Slab Long-
Term Deflections ] on the main menu. The Long-term deflections are evaluated for one Service Load Combination. Also, the user has to enter two more parameters:
Shrinkage Strain and Creep Coefficient. Then the software will evaluate the reduced moment of inertia for each beam and slab section, considering the cracked
sections and the long term effects. Then, a single factor per floor will be evaluated, which is used to multiply the Elastic Deflection results.
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Long-term deflections Input Data
This approach, with a single multiplication factor per floor, is considered to be a good estimate of the long- term deflections, and it can be used for ordinary
structures, such as residential and commercial buildings. This approach will provide long-term deflections result of acceptable accuracy.
Long-Term Deflection Results - EC2
[ RCB > Results & Reports > Deflections > Long Term Deflections TS500 ]
Long Term Deflections TS500
[ RCB ]
During the Linear Elastic or 2nd Order analysis, R/C BUILDING software will evaluate the horizontal and vertical deflections at each node. These deflections are instant
elastic deflections based on gross (un-cracked) moment of inertia of beam and slab sections, multiplied by the Stiffness Reduction Factors. The Stiffness Reduction
Factors are defined by the user on the [ Model and Solver Settings ] input panel. Instant deflections for each floor can be shown on the screen by selecting [ Results
> Vertical Deflection (Elastic) ], on the main menu.
Once the slab and beam steel design is performed by TS500 and TDY 2007 design code, the long-term deflections for each floor can be evaluated by selecting [ Solve >
Slab Long-Term Deflections ] on the main menu. The Long-term deflections are evaluated for one Service Load Combination. Also, the user has to enter the load
case for permanent loads, loading duration, and the compressive reinforcement ratio for slabs. Then the software will evaluate the reduced moment of inertia for
each beam and slab section, considering the cracked sections and the long term effects. Then, a single factor per floor will be evaluated, which is used to multiply the
Elastic Deflection results.
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Long-term deflections Input Data
This approach, with a single multiplication factor per floor, is considered to be a good estimate of the long- term deflections, and it can be used for ordinary
structures, such as residential and commercial buildings. This approach will provide long-term deflections result of acceptable accuracy.
Long-Term Deflection Results - TS500
[ RCB > Results & Reports > Deflections > Horizontal Floor Movement ]
Horizontal Floor Movement
[ RCB ]
The horizontal movement of each floor is available for each Basic Load Case and Load Combination. The floor movement is available under [ Results > Horizontal
Displacements ] from the Main Menu. R/C Building will show the displaced shape of the floor as a dashed line overlayed on the geometry of the model as shown in
the sample screen shot below;
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Horizontal Floor Movement
Horizontal floor movement in X and Y direction can be extracted at any point on the floor by clicking the left mouse button. The 'd:' result indicates the absolute
movement at the particular node in millimetres.
The general displaced shape displayed in the Working Area is an efficient method of determining if any global torsional effects are applied to the model.
The horizontal movement of all floors is summarised in the Horizontal Displacement Report.
[ RCB > Results & Reports > Deflections > Horizontal Displacement Report ]
Horizontal Displacement Report
[ RCB ]
Horizontal Displacement Report can be displayed by selecting [ Reports > Horizontal Displacement ] from the Main Menu.
The report that is produced is based on the Load Case or Load Combination that was displayed on the Main Task Bar. A sample report according to AS3600 and
AS1170.4 is shown below;
The displacements given in the report are the average values for each floor. The average is calculated based on the four out most corners of the slab geometry. These
values can be used as a good indication of the lateral movement of the building, however they don't take into account the rotation of the floors. If the consecutive
floors rotate in the same direction, the rotational effect will not have major effect on the averaged horizontal displacement results. Torsional movement for each floor
can be displayed by Horizontal Floor Movement .
In the report the following results are given for each floor:
l Absolute displacements
l Inter-storey drifts
l Design Inter-storey drifts
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Absolute displacements are calculated using static or spectral analysis based on the lateral loading defined by the user. Inter-storey drifts (isd_X and isd_Y) are
evaluated from the absolute displacements. The report also provides the Inter-storey Drift Ratios.
Note: All levels on and below GROUND level which is defined in [Input > Sorey Heights] input panel are restrained for horizontal movement.
AS600 - AS1170.4
Inter-storey Drift Ratio (1/500) should not be greater than 1.0. For an average building the Inter-storey Drift Ratio is about 0.3. For tall buildings more than 30 levels or
shopping centers without shear walls, this ratio can be greater 1.0.
Design Inter-storey drifts are calculated based on AS1170.4 Clause 6.7.2, using the Ductility Factor / Performance (m/Sp).
Maximum Inter-storey drift ratio limit is h/500 according to AS3600 Clause 2.3.2 and 1.5%h according to AS1170.4 Clause 5.5.4.
EC2/EC8
Design Inter-storey drifts are calculated based on EC8 Clause 4.3.4, using the Displacement Behavior Factor (Displacement Behavior Factor = Behaviour Factor (qd) *
Reduction Factor (v)).
Maximum Inter-storey drift ratio limits according to EC8 are:
l 0.005h for buildings having non-structural elements of brittle materials attached to the structure, EC8 Clause 4.4.3.2(a)
l 0.0075h for buildings having ductile non-structural elements, EC8 Clause 4.4.3.2(b)
l 0.01h for buildings having non-structural elements not interfaring with structural deformations,or without non-structural elements, EC8 Clause 4.4.3.2(c)
[ RCB > Results & Reports > Reactions ]
Reactions
[ RCB ]
l Static Analysis
l Floor Area
l Difference Between Reaction Methods
l Wall Group Reactions
l Walls
l Tension in Columns and Walls
[ RCB > Results & Reports > Reactions > Static Analysis ]
Static Analysis
[ RCB ]
Once an analysis of an RCB model has been successfully performed, the internal forces (reactions) in all columns and walls and for all Basic Load Cases and Load
Combinations are available. The reactions can be displayed as a total axial load on screen (for the current Load Case or Load Combination shown on the Main Task
Bar) by selecting [ Results > Reactions - Static Analysis - Columns and Walls ] from the Main Menu.
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On the [ Viewing Options ] input panel, there is a switch "Show Area and Static Reactions Together', which will allow display of column and wall reactions evaluated by
the two alternative method simultaneously on the screen. This feature allows the user to select the larger reaction, which may be used for footing design.
Detailed on screen reaction results (based on the current Load Case or Load Combination shown on the Main Task Bar) are available by selecting [ Reports > Columns
and Wall Internal Forces/Stresses ] from the Main Menu. The software will present the user with the window shown in the screen shot below that contains options
for the output.
Once all the settings have been confirmed, the detailed output is displayed on the screen as shown in the following sample screen shot;
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Other on-screen results include Axial Stresses in Columns & Walls, Principle Stresses in Walls Elements, and Shear in Wall Joints.
A detailed reaction report is available under [ Reports > Reactions Report (Static) ] from the Main Menu, as shown in sample screen shots below;
All internal forces are given in the local co-ordinates, and the (+) axial load sign represents compression and (-) axial load represents tension.
The orientation of the local X and Y axis for the columns are determined by the angle of rotation. The local axes of the walls are determined by the direction of the
wall in plan. (see figure below).
The sign convention for the column internal forces, bending moments is illustrated below. This convention applies for both top and bottom ends of the column. The
positive moment +Mx is action in the direction of the positive local x axis (xL). The positive moment My is acting in the direction of the positive local y axis (yL). The
local axis are defined by the column section dimensions a and b, and the angle of rotation Alpha. The local x axis is parallel to the dimension a, and the local y axis is
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parallel to the dimension b. The angle Alpha is defined as anti-clock-wise from the positive global x axis (xG). If the angle Alpha is zero, the local and global axes
coincide. The angle Alpha can take values form -90 to 90 degrees.
The sign convention for the internal force, bending moments of the walls is identical as for the columns, if we consider that the wall length is dimension a (shown
above), and the dimension b (shown above) is the thickness of the wall. The angle of rotation Alpha, i.e. the direction of the local x axis (xL), is determined by the
position of the wall in plan, pointing from 'end 1' to 'end 2' (see figure below). The positive bending moment +Mx is action in the direction of the positive local x axis
(xL).
During the design of the columns and walls the sign and bending moment orientation Mx and My is automatically considered.
NOTE:
In INDUCTA software we have adopted the internal forces label convention based on "direction". The tradition approach is to define the moment labels based on the
axes about which the bending moment is rotating, and then Mx would be coupled with Sy. In the software this approach could be confusing. Therefore, in INDUCTA
software all internal forces are labelled in direction, and Mx is coupled with Sx.
Regarding the sign, we promote the idea that in INDUCTA software the user does not need to check the signs of internal forces for the walls and columns. The sign is
only important for the slab, which follows the traditional approach, and it is clearly marked in INDUCTA software.
RCB software is not a general purpose frame analysis software, where the engineer will need to print the internal forces results report, and then check visually the
magnitude and the sign. RCB is a design software, where the columns and walls are symmetrically reinforced, and the software will combine all internal forces with
the correct signs automatically, and it will design the columns with symmetrical reinforcement. Therefore, the engineer does not need to look at the sign at all. In
RCB software the sign of the internal forces in walls and columns does not have any practical application.
By using INDUCTA software we believe that we have eliminated one unnecessary step, which will shorten the design time, without imposing any risks of errors.
However, if required, the software can plot the M, S, N diagrams in the walls and column, so the engineer can always examine the moment diagram paters.
[ RCB > Results & Reports > Reactions > Floor Area ]
Floor Area
[ RCB ]
RCB software can be used to calculating the reactions on the walls and columns by the Tributary Area Method. The (Tributary) Area Method implemented in the software tries to
mimic the manual calculations performed by hand, when the load is distributed among the surrounding supports considering the distance and location of the supporting elements.
This method will apply appropriate fractions of a point and line loads to the surrounding column and wall supports.
The algorithm distributes point loads (or columns that transfer on a particular level) on all supporting columns on the floor below considering the distance between
the point load (or transferring column) and each supporting column, and also considering the area of slab that each column supports.
The following generalised procedure outlines the steps and calculations performed by the software in order to determine the reactions in the supporting elements by
the Area Method.
1.) Determine distance between the supporting elements and the load
2.) Exclude the elements that will have 0 (zero) reactions due to either a large distance (>15m) between the load and the support or are located within a shadow zone.
3.) Determine the dissecting angle between the supporting elements and the load
4.) Solve the final equation Fi for the reaction
5.) Repeat steps 1-4 for the next supporting element
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For the numerical example below, the calculations are based on the point load and 'Column A' highlighted in the two screen shots below;
On the [ Viewing Options ] input panel, there is a switch "Show Area and Static Reactions Together', which will allow display of column and wall reactions evaluated by
the two alternative method simultaneously on the screen. This feature allows the user to select the larger reaction, which may be used for footing design.
There are two conditions that exclude any supporting elements from the reaction calculations by the Area Method. These include either a distance greater than 15m
between the load and the supporting element, or if the support is located within a shadow zone.
The screen shot below indicates that in this example the distance (d) between the point load and each supporting column is within the maximum 15m:
The second condition is to determine if any of the supporting elements are located within a shadow zone. A shadow zone is created for each supporting element by a
120 degree angle placed at each supporting element as shown in the screen shot below:
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The dashed grey coloured lines in the screen shot above indicate the placement of the 120 degree angles relative to the 50kN reaction. The grey coloured zones are
the shadow zones, and all supporting elements that are within these zones are excluded from the calculations. Note: the coordinates of the bottom right column
coincide with the shadow zone boundary and is therefore excluded in the rest of the Area method calculations.
Once the supporting elements that satisfy the exclusion conditions are known, the next step in the calculations is to determine the bisecting angle (a) between these supporting
elements.
Using the parameters calculated in the previous steps, the following equation is solved for each supporting element to determine the reaction;
In the case of 'Column A, the step by step calculations are;
The factor k is a "Distance Weight" and it is used to controls the distribution of the load considering the distance to the support. If the Weight Factor is k=3, then most of the
load will go to the closes support. This is a default settings in the software. But, if the Weight Factor is k=1, then the load will be distributed to the supporting elements in a similar
manner as the Linear Static analysis. The "Distance Weight" factor k can be selected by the user on the "Model and Solver Settings" input panel.
---
In the case of supporting walls, the shadow zones are generated in a similar manner with the only difference being that are two 120 degree angles placed at each end
of the wall. The screen shot below is an example that illustrates this concept;
The process outlined above is repeated for each point load on each level in every Load Case. All line loads and pressure loads in a model (in each Load Case) are
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reduced to point loads and the entire procedure is again repeated for each supporting element.
A Report containing a tabulated output of the Area Method is available by selecting [ Reports > Reactions Report (Floor Area) ] from the Main Menu.
[ RCB > Results & Reports > Reactions > Floor Area > Wall Subdivision ]
Wall Subdivision
[ RCB ]
RCB software can be used to calculate the reactions on the walls and columns by the Tributary Area Method. The (Tributary) Area Method implemented in the
software tries to mimic the manual calculations performed by hand, when the load is distributed among the surrounding supports considering the distance and
location of the supporting elements. However, when considering the supporting walls, it assumes that the load will be transferred along the total length of the walls,
no matter how far is one end of the wall to the acting load.
In the example below, the point load is distributed to all columns through the lenght of the walls.
However, the load is at one end of the walls and one may expect that the columns on the other end would have very small or zero reactions. This is similar to the case
where the walls are divided into smaller segments as shown in the figure below.
In order to simulate this behaviour [Model and Solver Settings > Wall Subdivision] setting can be used.
When this setting is ON, the walls are automatically subdivided into smaller segments during the analysis and then put back together. Therefore the smaller wall
segments far away from the acting loads don't transfer the loads below and the columns beneath these walls have zero or very small reactions.
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When 'Wall Subdivision' is used, after displaying the area reactions, if 'Variable Distribution' option is selected, the reactions on the subdivided walls can be seen as
below.
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[ RCB > Results & Reports > Reactions > Difference Between Reaction Methods ]
Difference Between Reaction Methods
[ RCB ]
R/C Building can evaluate reactions in the walls and columns by two alternative methods: Static Analysis and Tributary Area Method.
The Static Analysis Method (using either 1st or 2nd order) is based on the principles of the structural analysis, and like any other frame element software it will
evaluate all internal actions, including the reactions by assembling and solving the global stiffness matrix of the structure. This method considers the 'frame' action of
structures, and assumes that all the loading is applied on the structure instantaneously.
The Tributary Area Method will evaluate the reactions in the columns and walls on each floor individually, considering the tributary area around each vertical support
and transferring the reactions floor by floor from the top to the lowest level of a building. This is how the vertical load analysis is done 'manually' (or by hand) and this
method ignores the 'frame' action of the structure as the load distribution is based solely on the position of the vertical supports. The Tributary Area Method is
the preferred approach for masonry buildings, were there is no 'frame' action.
Both methods will produce a different set of reactions for the same model, however the total reactions on each floor are identical for both methods. In some cases
the reactions can vary by up to 50%, especially on columns and walls terminating on a transfer slab.
The Static Analysis approach assumes that all the loading is applied on the entire structure instantaneously. This will results in relatively smaller reactions in the
columns that terminate at a transfer floor. This is due to the transferring columns have a flexible vertical support, and therefore they will attract smaller reactions. In
the figure below, the reaction R1 is significantly smaller than the reaction R2.
The Tributary Floor Area Method assumes that the structure is 'cut' vertically, and the loading from each floor is lumped to the closest support. In the example above,
this will result in uniform reactions in all columns, regardless whether they terminate at the transfer slab or they continue to the ground. The reactions R1 and R2
calculated by the Area Method are identical.
The most accurate method to evaluate the reactions on a transfer slab is to use the Construction Stages approach. Generally, this approach will produce reactions in
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the transfer columns greater than the Static Analysis, but smaller than the Tributary Area Method.
An alternative approach is to make the transfer slab 4 to 6 times stiffer than the other structural elements. This method will produce similar reactions as
the Construction Stages Analysis. The easiest way to make the slab zones beams on the transfer floor stiffer is to assign a modulus of elasticity 4 to 6 times greater
than the actual value in the Material Properties. As this will increase the stiffness of the transfer floor, in turn the reactions in the transfer columns will be larger.
[ RCB > Results & Reports > Reactions > Wall Group Reactions ]
Wall Group Reactions
[ RCB ]
RCB can 'group' the internal forces resulting from several walls and calculate the resultant at the centroid of all the walls included in the group. Please note that the
internal forces of individual walls can be different based on the ' Stitch Wall Group ' setting.
The wall group tool is especially useful when a lift core is designed as a complex section and when all walls are working together. The figure below shows a lift core
consisting of 9 walls.
Lift Core Wall Group
In order to dispaly the resultant reactions of a wall group, first fo all the we need to maek a wall group by selection several walls and pressing [Results > Wall Groups
make Wall Group], on the main menu (see picture below).
Make Wall Group
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Now, the wall group is formed and we can display the wall group reaction. The walls can be formed either before or after the analysis. Now, we can select a wall group [ Input >
Wall Groups > Select Wall Group ], followed by [ Results > Wall Group Reaction ]. This is suitable for a quick review of the Wall Group results. A more versatile option is available
under [ Reports > Colum and Wall Internal Forces/Stress ]. On this input panel we can choose to display the reactions for all of one Wall Group. (see picture below)
Column and Wall Internal Forces/Stresses
Note that even if we have a wall group we can still display the reactions in the individual walls forming the Wall Group. If we choose "Reaction by Static Analysis", and if the "Wall
Group Show" option is switched off we can display internal forces on each wall in the local axes, as shown below .
Reaction in Each Individual Wall
We can display Wall group detailed stresses by selection the witch "Axial Stresses Details". (see picture below) Also, when the "Rotate Axes" switch is select, the
software will rotate the Group Wall reactions.
Note that the internal forces in each wall are obtained by integration of the detailed wall stresses, and that the wall group internal forces are obtained as a sum of all
individual walls internal forces. And, at the end these wall group forces are used to evaluate the wall stresses as in a complex section. This procedure can be seen as
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averaging of the wall stress results.
Wall Group Rotated Axes and Detailed Stresses
When "Report: Wall groups All Load Combination" is select the software will produce a summary table with the Wall Group reactions for all load combinations.
Wall Group Reaction Summary Table
The vertical red line in the figure below indicates the centroid of the wall group. The bending moments Mx and My are given in the direction of the global axis. Note
moment Mx is parallel to the global X-X direction, and My is parallel to the global Y-Y direction.
After the analysis, the resultant forces at the centroid of the selected wall group (or selected walls) are calculated as follows:
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N= S Ni
Mx = S (Mxi+Nidi)
My = S (Myi+Nidi)
Here 'i' represents the walls from 1 to 9 and di represents the distance of each wall from 1 to 9 to the wall group centroid in the x and y directions. Resultant forces
are shown below.
Wall Group Centroid
The torsion in wall group (Mz) is derived from the shear forces of individual walls in that group. If individual walls are designed adequately for shear forces, then the walls group will
be automatically reinforced for shear/torsion as well. Wall groups only need to be designed for moments and shear forces.
[ RCB > Results & Reports > Reactions > Walls ]
Walls
[ RCB ]
l Axial Stresses in Columns and Walls

l Axial Stresses in Walls: How to View
l Walls Nominal Capacity
l M/N Capacity
[ RCB > Results & Reports > Reactions > Walls > Axial Stress in Columns and Walls ]
Axial Stress in Columns and Walls
[ RCB ]
The software will display the relative stresses in all columns and walls due to the axial load evaluated by the static analysis. This method considers the frame action,
therefore tension in some columns can be expected. The software will display the relative stress in each column and wall as a ratio of the compressive strength. The
strength is entered in the material input panel, and it is different for each material type.
The formula used to calculate the stress is shown below;
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Axial Stress = ( N / A ) / f 'c
N - axial load
A - cross section area
f 'c - material strength
The relative stress can be limited to 0.4 (or lower) for a service load combination 1.0DL + 0.6LL in order to assure ductile behaviour of the columns. The relative stress
factor is user selectable at the time when the report containing the Axial Stress results is launched by selecting [ Reports > Preferred Column Sizes ] from the Main
Menu.
If the columns are not expected to have large bending moments (even and regular spans), then the stress factor can be 0.40 or even 0.45. If larger bending moments
result in the columns (larger irregular spans), the factor should be 0.30 or 0.25.
Another alternative is to limit the relative stress to 0.50 for the vertical load design combination: 1.2DL + 1.25LL.
This will provide a good indication of the column sizes at the preliminary stage, but it will not guarantee that all the columns will pass the design stage. Therefore all
the columns must be designed and checked individually for a variety of load combinations.
[ RCB > Results & Reports > Reactions > Walls > Axial Stresses in Walls: How to View ]
Axial Stresses in Walls: How to View
[ RCB ]
The axial stresses in walls are the vertical component of the internal wall stresses along the top and bottom wall edge. The axial wall stresses have an arbitrary
distribution along the wall length.
Wall Axial (Vertical) Stress Distribution Along Bottom Edge
In RCB there are several ways to calculate and display the axial wall stresses.
l Stress Due to Axial Load Only

l Individual Wall: Columns and Wall Internal Forces/Stress
l Wall Group: Columns and Wall Internal Forces/Stress
l Detailed Stress Flow: Wall / Deep Beam Stress Design
Stress Due to Axial Load Only
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The axial stress on an individual wall due to the vertical load only (N) can be calculated manually from the wall reaction results. In the picture below the static analysis
reactions of N are shown for a particular load case. The reaction along the wall is averaged along its length and dividing this reaction by the length of the wall the axial
stress is determined as shown below. This approach ignores the additional stresses caused by the bending moment (M).
Uniform Axial Wall Stress due to Vertical Reaction Only (moment is ignored)
Individual Wall: Columns and Wall Internal Forces/Stress

Now, if we show more detailed wall results [Reports > Column and Wall Internal Forces/Stress] for the bottom section of the wall, we can observe a total axial load
that matches the results from the screen shot above. The moments are also displayed in the picture below. The maximum and minimum stresses are displayed in
kPa which are caused by a combined action of the axial force (N = 722 kN) and the bending moment in the local x-x direction (Mx = -159 kNm). The bending moment
sign in the local x-x determines which is end 1 and end 2 of the wall.
Wall Group: Columns and Wall Internal Forces/Stress
The walls can be grouped into a Wall Group in order to display the results for the walls as a single unit. In the picture below the vertical stresses in kPa are displayed at
one meter intervals along the length of each wall. Please note that internal forces of the individual walls can be different based on the 'Stitch Wall Group ' setting.
Now, we can observer that in the same wall for the same load combination the wall stresses vary from 765 to 472 kPa compression. These are derived stresses, and
although comparable with the detailed wall stresses that will be shown below, they are different. This difference is caused by the fact that these stresses are
derived from the total wall group reactions which has an effect of smoothing the stresses over the length of the wall.
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Derived Wall Axial (Vertical) Stress in Wall Group
Detailed Stress Flow: Wall / Deep Beam Stress Design

The most precise values for wall axial stresses can be displayed under [ Solve > Wall/Deep Beam Stress Design ]. If we display the vertical stresses for the same wall
and for the same load combination as above, not only can the stresses on the top and bottom part of the wall be viewed simultaneously, we can observer that there is
a variation of the stresses along the wall length. The values along the bottom edge vary form 1,530 kPa to 349 kPa. (see picture below)
Wall Axial (Vertical) Detailed Stress Distribution
The same precise wall stresses shown above, can also be shown under [ Results > 3D Force Diagrams ], Wall stresses Sigma Y. (see picture below)
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Detailed Stresses 3D View
Summary
The difference of the wall axial stress results for the various output methods described above, is due to the way the internal forces and wall stresses are evaluated
within R/C Building. The most precise results are calculated initially and other results are derived from the precise internal wall stresses using various approximations.
The wall internal actions are calculated in this order:
1. Detailed wall stresses based on the wall finite element mesh. (most precise, used in Wall/Deep Beam Design)
2. Internal forces for individual walls, the wall reactions (N, M, V ) are derived by integration of the detailed wall stresses along the top and bottom wall edge.
These are then used in steel design of individual walls treated as a rectangular section.
3. Internal forces for wall group are calculated by summarising the internal forces from all individual walls making the group. This can be used for lift core footing
design. See also Wall Group Stitch .
4. Derived stresses for the wall groups are evaluated as for a complex section formed by the individual walls in the wall group, and loaded by the total sum of the
internal forces. (smoother)
[ RCB > Results & Reports > Reactions > Walls > Walls Nominal Capacity ]
Walls Nominal Capacity
[ RCB ]
RCB software offers a simple means to check visually the load baring capacity of the walls. In the "Wall Types" input table we can enter the "Nominal Capacity"
for different wall type. (see picture below).
Wall Nominal Capacity Input Table
Then, after the analysis when you display the wall reactions per 1m run, [kN/m], we can disply a table which indicates in colour which walls are passing or failing. This
feature can be used to identify quickly la baring capacity of masonry walls.
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Walls Nominal Capacity Example Results Screen
[ RCB > Results & Reports > Reactions > Walls > M/N For Walls ]
M/N For Walls
[ RCB ]
The M/N values of the walls can be displayed on screen, for the selected load case or load combination. This tool can be selected from [Tools > Show Walls M/N ].
This can be used for precast panels which have very low tensile capacity. In this case, each panel can overturn individually, instead of the overturning of the building
as a whole.
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The eccentricities (M/N values) are marked from the center of the walls.
l If the eccentricity (M/N) is within the wall length (ecc < L/2) , the eccentricity is marked in blue dot .
W463 L = 5.2 m N = 2,240 kN M = 2,477 kN ecc = 2,477 / 2,240 = 1.106 m ecc < L/2 (1.106 < 2.6)
l If the eccentricity (M/N) is outside the wall length (ecc > L/2), the eccentricity is marked in red dot .
W464 L = 2.5 m N = 1,082 kN M = 2,569 kN ecc = 2,569 / 1,082 = 2.374 m ecc > L/2 (2.374 > 1.25)
l If the wall is in tension, the eccentricity is marked in red dot with an outer red circle .
W89 L = 1.2m N = -63 kN M = 45 kN ecc = 45 / -63= -0.714 m ecc > L/2 (0.714> 0.6) and N < 0
[ RCB > Results & Reports > Reactions > Tension in Columns and Walls ]
Tension in Columns and Walls
[ RCB ]
Generally, columns and walls are vertical supporting elements subjected to compression. However, sometimes for a some special geometrical configuration and
loading some column or walls may receive significant tensile forces.
Tension in columns and walls is not desirable because the design of tensile concrete elements is not economical. Also, it is likely that some visible cracks will develop.
Therefore, an effort should be made to modify the configuration of the structural system in order to eliminate the tension in the walls and columns.
RCB and RCC software can design walls and column in tension, but even with a small tensile force, the required steel may go over the tolerable limit, and the design
may fail.
A typical example is a short end span (see picture below). In such case the end column will receive some tension, even for vertical gravity loading.
Short End Span - Column in Tension
The other example is a cantilevered slab supporting several levels (see picture below). If the cantilever on the lower levels is relatively flexible, then the columns at
the lowest level do not have firm support and the upper floors are actually hanging on the column. In such case, it is likely that even for gravity loading , some
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tension will develop in the columns at the lower levels.
Flexible Cantilever on the Lower Levels
Another typical configuration is when the shear walls of a lift core will be in tension is the case when the lift core is located outside the perimeter of the floor, but it is
still firmly attached to the floor. (see picture below). In such a case the walls of the lift core are very lightly loaded from the gravity load, but they will receive a
significant push-pull axial forces form the earthquake and wind actions.
Isolated Lift Core
Due to later load the walls will make a force couple, and the walls will receive significant tension, which may easily overcome the compression due to gravity loading.
Push-Pull forces in the walls due to Lateral Loading
A similar configuration is when a wall terminates but it is supported by two columns (see picture below). Similarly, in this configuration, the supporting columns will
receive relatively small compression from the gravity loading but the walls above, because of their significant later stiffness, will attract a larger portion of the later
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load, and this will generate significant force couple in the column. The tensile force in the supporting columns will easily overcome the compression force from
gravity loading, and we may have some difficulties designing these columns with larger tensile forces.
Shear Wall Supported by Columns
It is our suggestion to identify these cases during the preliminary design, and make an effort to reconfigure the structural system in order to eliminate the tension in
the wall and columns.
[ RCB > Results & Reports > Slab In-Plane Stresses (In-Plane Slab Actions) ]
Slab In-Plane Stresses (In-Plane Slab Actions)
[ RCB ]
When designing a reinforced concrete building the basic assumption is that the concrete floor will act a rigid diaphragm in its own plane. If the floor is made of a slab
with thickness greater than 100mm, then this assumption is valid. The concrete slab on each floor will connect all the walls and columns, and it will distribute the
lateral load among all vertical elements.
R/C Building can emphasize the in-plane rigidity of the concrete slab by increasing the in-plane floor stiffness by 10 times. This option is labelled as 'In-Plane Stiffness
Factor x 10' that is available under [Settings > Models and Solvers] from the Main Menu. When this check box is selected (checked), all floors act as infinitely rigid
diaphragms and any relative lateral movement between the vertical elements is eliminated.
'In-Plane Stiffness' check box is used to save the in-plane slab stresses (Sigma X, Sigma Y and Tau XY) during the analysis. In order to display in-plane stress results, this
check box should be selected (checked) before the analysis.
Typically concrete floors can easily take the in-plane stresses generated by the lateral loading and no special measures are required. However in some special cases
such as when a floor has an irregular shape or narrow areas, the in-plane slab stresses can be significant. An example of this type of geometry is shown in the diagram
below;
In the figure above the mass centre is located on the right side of the floor, and the Shear Centroid is located on the opposite side of the floor as there are shear
walls only on the left side. Due to the location of these two centroids there will be significant in-plane actions transferred through the narrow slab zone.
The results for the Sigma X Stresses are displayed by selecting [ Results > Slab In-Plane Stresses > Sigma X ] from the Main Menu. The following screen shot shows the
Sigma X results in the narrow slab strip for the example floor (Sigma X stresses are acting in the horizontal direction on the screen).
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By closely examining the results in the narrow slab strip, it is clear that at this location the slab is bending in its plane and therefore some compression and tension
stresses will be generated ( +ve sign indicates tensile stresses). While the In-Plane stress results are displayed, the results at any point in the slab can be extracted
by clicking the left mouse button.
The value 650.6 indicates the in-plane force in kN over a 1m length. The equivalent tensile stress at the same point is 3.25 MPa and if we assume that the concrete
can take up to 2 MPa in tension, then the tensile capacity of the concrete is exceeded and extra steel is required to take the in-plane tension in the slab. In order to
design the steel, we will integrate over the tensile zone which will produce a total tensile force of 393.5 kN as shown in the figure below;
Using these results we can calculate the required number of bars to take this force. It is suggested that in order to determine the number of bars required, the
allowable steel stress should be limited to 0.25 of the steel strength. In this case:
Steel Area = Force / Stress
Steel Area = 393.5 / ( 500,000 * 0.25 )
Steel Area = 0.003148 m2 ( 3,148 mm2)
This rate is equivalent to 10 N 20 over the length of 1.3m or N20 @ 130mm. As the lateral force acts in both directions it is necessary to adopt N20 @ 130mm over
the entire width of the narrow slab strip. The final step in the design is to combine this steel with the regular bending steel. For example we can place an additional
N20 @ 260 top, and N20 @ 260 bottom, or N20 @ 130mm centrally located in middle of the slab section as shown below;
[ RCB > Results & Reports > Punching Shear ]
Punching Shear
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[ RCB ]
l General
l Critical Shear Perimeter
l Punhing Shear - EC2
[ RCB > Results & Reports > Punching Shear > General ]
General
[ RCB ]
RCB can be used to check the risk of punching shear failure according to AS 3600, EC2 and TS500. The Punching Shear Check can be performed for all columns on the
'Active Floor' or for the columns contained in the entire model (all floors).
This Punching Shear check can only be used when the model has been fully analysed either by Static Analysis and/or Area Method.
For each column in a model the Punching Shear is checked for the top and bottom considering the slab below and slab above the column.
After selecting an appropriate Load Combination, (normally the Load Combination for ultimate strength) the user can click on the 'Punching Shear Check' button to
perform the check. The results and other design parameters for each column will be shown in a table. A summary report will also be shown in the information box
(bottom-left corner of the window). The columns that fail the check will be listed in the dropdown box named 'Pick Column to Design', and from this list each failed
column can be selected for a more detailed examination.
The RCB software does not design for punching shear, but it will evaluate the potential risk of failure.
The Punching Shear check is very sensitive to the value of the unbalanced moments in the columns. Since RCB is a 3D structural analysis software program, the
moments will be larger due to the lateral sway of the entire building. However when an isolated floor is considered, all lateral movements are prevented. Therefore in
RCB, the Punching Shear Check may report that many columns fail which may not be the case when considered as a single floor in SLB or PTD. To control this there is a
'M Reduction Factor', which will allow the user to reduce the unbalanced moments. We recommend a value of 0.5 for the 'M Reduction Factor' to be used in order to
match results generated in SLB.
[ RCB > Results & Reports > Punching Shear > Critical Shear Perimeter ]
Critical Shear Perimeter
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[ RCB ]
When there are columns positions along the slab edge or near voids in a slab, RCB will automatically adjust the geometry of the critical perimeter to represent the
actual location of the column as it will be constructed. Care should be taken when a model contains complex column sections and the critical perimeter calculated
by R/C Building should be checked by an engineer.
With the introduction of the Slab Geometry Lines in RCB, using CAD files to build models will result in a very accurate representation of the location of the supporting
column elements relative to the slab geometry. The screen shot below shows a hatched column (supporting the slab) near a corner of the slab perimeter. The critical
shear perimeter calculations have been refined in R/C Building to recognise this type of arrangement in a model, however it is very important that all the results are
carefully checked for a combination of input similar to the screen shot below.
The introduction of complex column sections in RCB also includes the critical shear perimeter calculations for these types of elements. The example screen shot below
shows the critical shear perimeter for three complex columns that are supported by the Ground Level slab (they are applying load to this floor).
Despite extensive internal testing the user should thoroughly check all calculations and results when models contain complex column sections.
If there are beam elements that intersect with the location of any supporting columns, the software will assume that the shear will be taken by the beam and the
Punching Shear check will not be performed for the supporting column.
In AS3600 (Section 9.2) and TS500 (Section 8.3), the critical shear perimeter is d/2 (d is the effective slab thickness) from the face of the loaded area.
[ RCB > Results & Reports > Punching Shear > Punching Shear - EC2 ]
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Punching Shear - EC2
[ RCB ]
The analysis follows the specifications in the standard Eurocode2. As described in 6.4.3, the program will check the layer of basic control perimeter which is 2d (d is
the effective slab thickness) from the face of the loaded area. If the design shear stress (v_stress) does not exceed the design concrete shear resistance of the
perimeter without shear reinforcement (vc), then no shear reinforcement is needed, otherwise shear reinforcement is needed. Note that R/C BUILDING software does
not design for punching shear, but it will evaluate the potential risk of failure.
Openings in the slab which will reduce the shear perimeter can be specified using configure button. Each opening is defined by size and position from the centre of
the column, and the reductions at each perimeter are displayed.
During the punching shear cheeck, it is assumed that the effective slab thickness is 90% of the slab thickness and the slab reinforcement ratio is 0.2%.
[ RCB > Results & Reports > Slab Moments ]
Slab Moments
[ RCB ]
l Moments in X & Y
l Slab - Column Unbalanced Moments
[ RCB > Results & Reports > Slab Moments > Moments in X & Y ]
Moments in X & Y
[ RCB ]
Moment results in the slab are displayed on screen by selecting [ Results > Mx-x Slab or My-y Slab ] from the Main Menu.
The bending moment results in the top and bottom of the slab are displayed at the same time and are given in the X and Y directions, i.e Mx is acting in X-X direction
about the Y-Y axis. The software will provide bending moment results at any point on the floor by clicking at a particular location using the left mouse button. The
maximum value of the slab bending moments can be identified by making a rectangle with the mouse while the results are displayed on the screen.
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The moment results calculated during an analysis using R/C Building are evaluated using only the Igross value that is calculated by the software. See also: Modelling:
Settings: Global Settings and Options. The detailed design is performed by exporting a floor to SLABS or PT3D. See also: Design: Slab (floor): Export to SLABS or PT3D
Typically the moment results of interest in an R/C Building model result from lateral loads and are compared to the design carried out for the vertical loads in the
SLABS or PT3D software packages. The details regarding the steps involved for this procedure are available in the following chapter: Results & Reports: Slab Moments:
Moment Range.
The details and step by step procedure for extracting the results by integration are essentially identical to the notes contained in the SLABS manual and are available
at the following link: SLABS: Results & Reports: Integration
See also: Slab Moments in SLABS and R/C BUILDING for differences in results.
[ RCB > Results & Reports > Slab Moments > Slab - Column Unbalanced Moments ]
Slab - Column Unbalanced Moments
[ RCB ]
RCB can display the Unbalanced Moments in the slab at each column and short wall. This feature is useful when designing joints for lateral loads.
Lateral Load on Building Frame
An unbalanced moment in the slab is a "jump" in the slab moment diagram due to the influence of the columns (see picture below). This moment can be used to
evaluate the capacity of the slab due to lateral load. In other words the out of balance moment in the columns is equilibrated by the slab.
Unbalanced Slab-Column Moment
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For example a lateral load in the x-x is applied. In the picture above the total unbalanced moment at the mid-span column is 527.5 kNm. This force is the sum of the lower moment in
the column above and the upper moment in the column below (blue). The forces in the columns and walls above and below a floor can be viewed simultaneously using the 3D forces
feature [Results > 3D Internal Force Diagrams].
Note that in a case of lateral load, the unbalanced moment is about two times larger than the moments in the slab on each side of the wall. So, for a later load case, we may assume
that the moment in the slab on each side of the column is about 50% of the value of the unbalanced moment shown by the software. But, note that this is applicable only a case
of lateral loads.
Unbalanced Moments Display
The software will only display the magnitude of the Unbalanced Moment, but it will not provide detailed information about the distribution of the moment on each
side of the column (see picture below). This is due to the fact that the R/C Building is performing thin plate finite element analysis and this out of balance force is
being spread into the surrounding slab (plate) element, unlike a frame analysis where the out of balance force would go directly into a supporting "beam" element.
The moments in the slab on each side of the column may have the same or the opposite sign. To get a rough idea of the distribution of the moment on either side of
the slab the user can open the moment results for the particular load case used to generate the out of balance moment [Results > Mx -x Slab] as shown in the figure
below.
Unbalanced Moments in a Column - Slab Joints
Moment x-x in slab
It is evident from the magnitude of the bending moments in the above picture that the moments are approximately equal and opposite. Therefore the moment would
approximately be Mx-ub / 2 = 263.75 kNm plus/minus on either side of the slab. The same method can be used to approximate the distribution of the unbalanced
moment in the slab for more complex geometries and loading.
[ RCB > Results & Reports > Beam Moments ]
Beam Moments
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[ RCB ]
The moment results for all the Beam Elements contained on a floor of an R/C Building model can be displayed (for the current Load Case or Load Combination shown
in the Main Task Bar) by selecting [ Results > Beam Bending Moments ] from the Main Menu.
The following sample screen shot shows the incremental values along the beam elements for Load Combination 1: Strength;
It is important to note that the beam elements are not designed in R/C Building as the software will only calculate Igross for the beams. Further detailed calculations
such as Icr, Ieff and the required reinforcement is performed by exported the floor contained it the R/C Building model to SLABS.
See also: SLABS: Results & Reports: Beam Elements
See also: Design: Slab (floor): Exporting to SLABS or PT3D
[ RCB > Results & Reports > Soil Pressure ]
Soil Pressure
[ RCB ] [ SLB ]
Once a model has been analysed using the soil-structure concept, the soil pressure results are available for each Basic Load Case and Load Combination. Normally the
maximum soil pressure should be checked for the service load combination, for instance 1G+0.7Q, and compared to the allowable soil pressure for the site of the
structure.
Soil Pressure results can be displayed by selecting [ Results > Soil Pressure ] from the Main Menu. A sample screen shot of soil pressure contours and values are shown
in the screen shot below;
In the image above the maximum soil pressure for the service load combination is 60 kPa, which is along the perimeter. The soil pressure in the internal area of the
slab is about 20 kPa.
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[ RCB > Results & Reports > Frequency and Mode Shapes ]
Frequency and Mode Shapes
[ RCB ]
RCB software can perform a Frequency Analysis and evaluated the frequency results: mode shapes and associated natural period and frequencies. Once a model has
been analysed, and the Frequency Analysis is performed the frequency results can be examined using the 3D viewed by selecting [ Results > Mode Shapes ] from the
Main Menu.
The Frequency results report contains a detailed output that as well. R/C Building will automatically generate the report based on the selection made by the user by
selecting [ Reports > Frequencies ] from the Main Menu.
The mode shapes amplitudes and associated natural periods can be either listed in a text report, or viewed as an animation using the 3D viewer. The report that
contains the Mode Shape amplitude can be opened by selecting [ Reports > Frequencies ] from the Main Menu.
In order to view the mode shapes in 3D, the Frequency settings must be set to 'Complete 3D'. Once the model has been solved following the sets outlined in the
chapter; Dynamic Analysis: Methods of Analysis: Example: Complete 3D the mode shapes can be viewed by launching by selecting [ Results > Mode Shapes ] from the
main menu. A sample screen shot showing the Second Mode shape for a model is below:
[ RCB > Results & Reports > Overturning Moment ]
Overturning Moment
[ RCB ]
Overturning moments can be obtain from [Reports > Overturning Moment Check]
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Action Forces are lateral forces like earthquake and wind loads. Reaction Force is from one of the load combinations used for vertical loads. The moments due to
action force and reaction force are calculated (about the mass centroid of the building). If the action moment is less than the reaction moment then it is assumed that
the overturning is not an issue for the building.
The action forces should be defined from [Input > Lateral Load Magnitude]. In R/C BUILDING spectral analysis calculates the spectral displacements and then internal
forces. No spectral forces are explicitely calculated during this process . Therefore overturning moment check cannot be used for spectral analysis directly (action
forces will be zero in the report) . However, "equivalent spectral forces" are provided in the Spectral Report (see How to Use Spectral Analysis ). If necessary those
forces can be entered in Lateral Load Magnitude Table as static forces. But user should note that 'spectral analysis' and 'appyling equivalent spectral forces as static
forces' are not the same thing. This should be only done as an approximate approach.
[ RCB > Results & Reports > 3D Forces ]
3D Forces
Coming soon.
[ RCB > Results & Reports > Exporting Results ]
Exporting Results
[ RCB ]
l To CAD
l To Excel
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[ RCB > Results & Reports > Exporting Results > To CAD ]
To CAD
RCB offers the user the option to export (or create) a CAD file that includes any information and data shown within the Working Area. This approach allows the user
to utilise the tools and functions within a CAD drawing package to print or document the design, as well as use the exported CAD file as a basis for drafting.
The exported CAD file is created in the DXF format, and this file type is universal and can be opened by many different drafting packages. At any time, the user
can export the information contained within the Working Area by clicking on the 'Export DXF' icon that is located on the Main Tool Bar. The example screen shot
below shows the on-screen design results for column elements within an apartment building;
The exported DXF file is shown in AutoCAD in the following screen shot;
Note: The units that the DXF file is created in are hard-wired within RCB to meters (ie: the exported DXF file is at a 1:1 scale to the R/C Building model)
Options regarding the information that is included in the exported DXF file are available under [ Settings > CAD Import/Export ] from the Main Menu. A sample screen
shot of this window is shown below;
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[ RCB > Results & Reports > Exporting Results > To Excel ]
To Excel
Column, Wall and Beam internal forces can be exported to Excel tables after the static analysis is performed, from [Reports > Internal Forces to Excel > ...]
The excel tables available are:
Table of the internal forces for all load cases or combinations for the selected elements (walls, columns or beams). Multiple elements can be selected and
displayed in the table.
Selected Walls: All Load Cases

Selected Walls: All Load Combinations
Selected Columns: All Load Cases
Selected Columns: All Load Combinations
Selected Beams: All Load Cases
Selected Beams: All Load Combinations
Table of the internal forces for all load cases or combinations used in the analysis for all columns, walls, wall groups or shear wall cores. The elements are listed
per level starting from the top level.
All Walls: All Load Cases

All Walls: All Load Combinations
All Columns: All Load Cases
All Columns: All Load Combinations
All Wall Groups: All Load Cases
All Wall Groups: All Load Combinations
All Shear Wall Cores: All Load Cases
All Shear Wall Cores: All Load Combinations
Tables include the following information for the displayed elements:
Level label
Dimensions (Walls, Columns and Beams only)
Concrete strength (Walls, Columns and Beams only)
Axial Load (Static Analysis) (Walls and Columns only)
Axial Load (Area Method) (Walls and Columns only)
Moment X-X (Top and Bottom) (Walls and Columns only)
Moment Y-Y (Top and Bottom) (Walls and Columns only)
Shear X-X (Top and Bottom) (Walls and Columns only)
Shear Y-Y (Top and Bottom) (Walls and Columns only)
Total Length (Wall Groups and Shear Wall Cores only)
Total Length Excluding Doors and Windows (Wall Groups and Shear Wall Cores only)
Centroid(Wall Groups and Shear Wall Cores only)
Maximum Positive Moment along the element (Beams only)
Maximum Negative Moment along the element (Beams only)
Maximum Shear along the element (Beams only)
Load Case or Combination for the displayed internal forces
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Selected Wall - Internal Forces for all Basic Load Cases
All Columns - Internal Forces for all Load Combinations (level by level)
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All Wall Groups- Internal Forces for all Load Combinations (level by level)
All Shear Wall Cores- Internal Forces for all Load Combinations (through the height of the building - level by level)
[ RCB > Tutorial ]
Tutorial
l Model Set Up
l Defining Geometry
l Meshing the Model
l Slab Thicknesses and Loads
l Analysis and Results
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[ RCB > Tutorial > Model Set Up ]
Model Set Up
The following tutorial chapter will explain the common set up procedure to be completed in preparation for modelling a structure in RCB. Please familiarise yourself
with the major components of the software interface which will be referenced throughout the tutorial:
To create a new model, select [ File > New ] from the Main Task Ribbon. A blank model similar to the one in the screenshot above will appear on your screen. Then
Titles, Grid Properties, Storey Heights and Material Properties will need to be set by the user.
Note: The tutorial is written for Uniformly Distributed Loading input as Pressure Loads. The default way of specifying UDLs is using Area Loads. The method of
inputting UDL's can be changed under Settings > System Settings > Uniformly Distributed Loading Input Method. Please do so before proceeding with the tutorial
example.
Titles
It is important to record relevant information for each project. To access Job Report Titles, select [ Input > Titles ] from the Main Ribbon, then fill out the table as
following:
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Press 'OK' after entering all the information to return to the main screen. The information will be stored within the file and could be viewed or edited at any time.
Additionally, the user may choose to display these notes on any printed reports.
Grid Properties
The grid is a useful tool for defining the model geometry. As this model geometry for this task is very simple and is to be entered manually, the default grid spacing of
1 m by 1 m is appropriate. To confirm the grid size, under the Main Ribbon select [ Settings > Grid Size ] and verify the following default values:
After ensuring 1 m by 1 m grid is switched on, press 'OK'.
Defining Storeys
In each model, the number of storeys and their height need to be entered by the user. This can be done by selecting [ Input > Storey Heights ] from the main ribbon.
The following window will then be shown:
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Type in '4' in the box labelled 'Total No. of Storeys', then press the 'Enter' key on your keyboard. RCB will produce the following table:
Note that the default storey height is 3 m and by default the RLs are calculated automatically by the software. Change the height of level 4 to 3.2 m as shown below.
Note that RL is updated by RCB The RLs can be input by pressing the button. They should be input from top down. This example however will only use the height
values:
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After pressing 'OK' in the window above, the storeys are defined by the software. This can be verified by viewing the storeys in the floor selection dropdown box
located on the right hand side of the screen:
Defining Material Properties
To access the Material Properties table, select [ Input > Material Properties ] from the Main Ribbon. Fill in the material properties table as shown in the following
screenshot:
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To save the model, select [ File > Save ] from the Main Ribbon.
Next: Defining Geometry
[ RCB > Tutorial > Defining Geometry ]
Defining Geometry
Please complete the previous chapter Model Set Up before continuing this tutorial.
The geometry will be defined by manual user input. Note that this method of input is very easy, however it is not appropriate for a large-scale realistic job. The
procedure provided here is intended as an illustration of the basic functionality of the software only. More complex geometry input methods, such as CAD and Revit
import, are covered elsewhere in this manual.
Defining Columns and Walls
Walls and columns are vertical support elements used in RCB.
The columns are defined by selecting the 'Column' tool in the Home tab in the Main Ribbon. Note that 'Column' tool is part of the Modelling group within the Home
tab, along with other structural elements and loading tools.
Ensure that the grid is on and 'Snap to Grid' setting is switched on .
In RCB, when creating vertical elements on a particular floor, please note that these are placed on that floor and are extended to the underside of the floor above.
The following steps will show how to create columns and walls on Level 1 and extended to the underside of Level 2.
Follow the steps 1-4 in the following image to create the first column on level 1 with coordinates x = 3 m, y = 3 m. Note that since the 'Snap to Grid' option is
switched on, you will not need to click precisely on the grid, and the software will snap the column to the nearest grid point. The point where the software will snap to
is indicated by the green square:
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To view the column properties, press 'Escape' key on your keyboard to de-select the 'Column' tool, then left-click the column. The properties can be viewed and
changed in the Property Table, and the additional information is displayed in the Information Window. Each element has a number automatically assigned to it by the
software to help identify and locate it. This can also be viewed by left-clicking the element and it is displayed in the Information Window. The image below shows an
example of the information that can be viewed in the Property Table and the Information Window by selecting an element:
The rest of the columns can be created in a similar fashion by left-clicking at the appropriate gridpoints. The coordinates and numbers of each of the columns are shown below:
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Columns 10, 11 and 12 will have circular cross -section, so their properties will have to be edited. This can be done by selecting the columns and editing through the Property Table.
To select multiple elements at the same time, use the 'Select' tool from the toolbox, then left click columns 10, 11 and 12 while holding down the 'Shift' key on your keyboard.
While the columns are selected, in the Property Table change the shape to 'Circular' and then set the diameter D = 0.4 m as shown in the following image:
Note that so far the fixity of all the columns has been set as 'Fix Top and Bottom'. To pin all the columns, use the 'Select by Type' button found in the Home Tab
in the Main Ribbon or using [ F12 ] shortcut key , then use the following input to select all columns:
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With all columns selected, in the property box change the fixity to 'Pin Top and Bottom':
After this operation, all the columns on Level 1 have been defined.
To define the walls, select the 'Wall' tool from the toolbox. Each wall is defined by clicking 2 points on the where the endpoints of each wall are to be located.
The rest of the walls can be defined in a similar fashion. When the walls have been entered, the floor layout should look like it is shown in the image below. The wall
numbers have been labelled, and can be seen in the Information Window by left-clicking the wall element.
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Defining Slab Geometry
The walls and columns on Level 1 will provide vertical support for the model and act as footings. This is recognised by the software, so we will not need to set the
walls and columns to act as footings manually. Additionally, there is no need to draw the slab on Level 1. For more detailed explanation please refer to Footing and
Slab on Ground chapter in this manual.
The next step is to switch to Level 2 to define the slab. This can be done by selecting Level 2 from the dropdown list in the floor selection box:
The software will display the elements below the current floor using a different hatch. At this point your screen will display the following:
The next step is to define the slab boundary. In RCB and other INDUCTA software, the Slab tool is used to define slab geometry (geometry lines), such as slab edges,
voids, areas of different slab thickness and different loading zones.
To draw the slab outline, select the 'Slab' tool , then left-click and release at the grid points in sequence as shown in the image below:
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To finish creating the geometry line, right click anywhere on the screen after clicking point number 6 and click 'Close' in the menu that pops up as shown below:
After completing that, the geometry line shown in the image below has been created. To view its properties, right-click on an empty area of Working Space to enter selection mode,
then click on the geometry line you have just created. Use the Information Window to verify that the geometry line is closed:
In the Information Window you can see that the Geometry Line is closed. RCB, along with other INDUCTA software, requires one closed geometry line to define the slab edge. The
geometry lines located within the slab edge may be both open or closed.
The geometry line can be adjusted manually by entering coordinates of each node through the Property Window. Rather than calculating the new value, the user can change values
as in a spreadsheet cell. For example, to shift the coordinates of Point 1 of the slab geometry line created in the previous step by 0.5 m in Y direction, follow the instructions given in
the image below:
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After pressing 'Enter', the geometry line will be changed as shown in the following image. To undo this operation, press [ Ctrl+Z ] or select the Undo button from the Main Task Bar:
Geometry linesthat will be used to define the voids and areas of different thickness/loading are defined in the same way. The following image shows the geometry
line that will be used to define a void. Please note that the voids are created by assigning 0 thickness to an area, and this step will be completed after meshing of the
model, but the void perimeter has to be drawn now.
So far we have defined a slab on Level 2 and columns and walls on Level 1 as supports. Selecting [ Tools > 3D View ] from the Main Ribbon, we can view the structure
that we have created so far:
Defining Beams
Beams provide additional stiffness to the slab. A beam element can be drawn in the same way as a wall, by clicking on two points in the Working area. Use the 'Beam'
tool in the Home tab and left click the following points to define a beam:
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Columns and Walls
Next we can define the vertical support elements on Level 2 (extending between Level 2 and Level 3). Create 0.4 m diameter pinned circular columns and 0.2 m thick
fixed walls as shown in the screenshot below:
Copy Elements to Another Floor
To make building the model more efficient and quick, it is possible to copy any selected elements and copy them to another floor or floors. This is especially useful if a
model has several typical levels, in which case only one of them will need to be drawn and then copied.
Select walls and columns drawn in the previous step (walls 4 - 6 and columns 13 - 19) using the 'Select' tool and left clicking the elements while pressing down the
'Shift' key on your keyboard. Then right click anywhere and select 'Copy to Another Floor':
The following menu will appear. Select Levels 3 and 4 as destination for the walls and columns to be copied to, then press 'OK':
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Switch to Level 3 to check the results:
You can then create the following slab on Level 3 and copy it up to Level 4 and Roof following the instructions above:
After completing that, you can preview the model in 3D by selecting [ Tools > 3D View ] or by pressing [ Shift + R ] on your keyboard:
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Next: Meshing the Model
[ RCB > Tutorial > Meshing the Model ]
Meshing the Model
Please complete the previous chapter Defining Geometry before continuing this tutorial.
In order to apply the loads and slab thicknesses, the Finite Element Mesh needs to be generated. The precise results, such as slab moments and deflections, will only
be available at the nodes of the mesh. Finer mesh sub-division will generate more precise results, but will increase the run-time of the model accordingly.
To mesh the model, select [ Solve > Mesh ] from the Main Ribbon or press F5 on your keyboard. The following menu will appear:
The default mesh subdivision is 1 m. Change the mesh size to 0.75 m and press 'OK' to mesh the model. The meshing algorithm will run and you will see the following window once
the mesh is finalised. Press 'Exit' to view the mesh:
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The simple model shown in this example will run without any meshing issues.
The mesh on Level 2 should look like the one in the following screenshot:
To view the mesh on other levels, select the level from the floor selection dropdown list and press the 'Show Mesh' button located in the viwing tab or [ Shift + E ] on the
keyboard.
Next: Slab Thicknesses and Loads
[ RCB > Tutorial > Slab Thickness and Loads ]
Slab Thickness and Loads
Please complete the previous chapter Meshing the Model before continuing this tutorial.
Apply Slab Thicknesses
Slab thicknesses can only be entered once the model has been meshed. The information is stored by the software, so if the model is meshed again, the user will not
need to re-enter the slab thicknesses.
Navigate to Level 2 of the model. To assign a thickness to a slab zone, left-click to select the slab zone, then enter a thickness in m in the Property Table as shown
below. Press the 'Enter' key on your keyboard to commit the value.
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To define a slab zone as a void, follow the same procedure as above, but enter '0' in the Thickness tab.
To verify the thicknesses, you can view the slab zones by thickness. To do this, choose the 'Geometry Line' tool from the toolbox and select 'Colour by Thickness'
button from the Dynamic Task Bar as shown below:
Note that the 0 thickness slab zone is displayed as a void.
As an exercise, change all the slab thicknesses to 0.3 m on Levels 3 and 4. Set slab thickness = 0.2 m on the Roof.
Define Basic Load Cases
To define the loads, the basic load caseshave to be set up first. Then loads, such as pressure, line and point loads are to be assigned to an appropriate basic load case.
The load cases can be defined by selecting [ Input > Load Cases ] from the Main Ribbon. You can enter the basic loadcases for RCB as shown in the table below. Note
that you can also set up the basic load cases exported to SLB and PTD from this form. For each loadcase, type in the label and select the Load Case Nature from the drop
down list. In the screenshot below, Load Case 4 has been defined as an earthquake in X-X (seismic) and Load Case 4 as wind in Y-Y. Load Cases 1 and 2 are assigned by default by the
software. The self weight of the model is calculated automatically and is included in Load Case 1 - Dead Load.
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Note that these loads are entered as an illustration only. In a real job, a higher number of basic load cases will have to be applied.
When finished, press 'OK' to return to the main screen.
Define Load Combinations
Once the basic load cases have been defined, the user can set up the load combination factors . This can be done by selecting [ Input > Load Factors ] from the Main
Ribbon. Enter the following factors corresponding to a basic load case in the appropriate spaces in the tablebelow to define the load combinations. To include the load
combinations in the Design Envelope, tick the box in the 'Envelope' column of the table next to the desired load combination. Note that the load case for fire can be
entered similarly.
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When finished, press 'OK' to return to the main screen.
Apply Pressure Loads
Go to Level 2 of the model. To apply a pressure load to a slab zone, select a basic load case (in this case LC1 - Dead Load), then select the 'Pressure Load' tool
in the Home tab. Enter '1.5' as the magnitude of the pressure load in the property window, then click anywhere within the slab zone to apply the pressure, as shown
in the image below:
The same procedure is to be followed to apply the Live Load of 2 kPa.
As an exercise, apply the Dead Load = 1.5 kPa and the Live Load = 2 kPa to levels 3 and 4. On the Roof, set the Dead Load = 0.5 kPa and the Live Load = 0.5 kPa.
Summary of Pressure Loads to be applied to the model:
LC 1, Dead Load, LC2, Live Load,

kPa kPa
Roof 0.5 0.5
Level 4 1.5 2
Level 3 1.5 2
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Level 2 1.5 2
Level 1 -- --
To quickly check that the loads have been entered correcty, you can view them in 3D. Select [ Tools > 3D View ] from the Main Ribbon, then under the Load Visibility
tab select the load case and tick the boxes as shown below to view Pressure Loads and their magnitude:
Note that other types of loads, such as Point Loads, Line Loads and Moment Loads can also be applied in RCB, however this is not covered in this tutorial.
Lateral Loads
Lateral loadscan be applied to the model in addition to vertical loads. These can be input by selecting [ Input > Lateral Loads ] from the Main Ribbon. Previously we
have defined load case 3 as Earthquake in the X-X direction and load case 4 as Wind in the Y-Y direction.
Enter the following values for load cases 3 and 4:
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Note that RCB has inbuilt calculators to define the lateral loads for wind and earthquake. If these are used, the values will be filled in automatically by the software.
Next: Analysis and Results
[ RCB > Tutorial > Analysis and Results ]
Analysis and Results
Please complete the previous chapter Slab Thickness and Loads before continuing this tutorial.
Analysing the model
There are several options available for analysis of a structure in RCB. These can be seen under [ Solve ] in the Main Ribbon. In this tutorial, we will proceed to use
Linear Static Analysis . Select [ Solve > Linear Static ] from the Main Ribbon. The window shown in the image below will appear and the analysis will run.
To review the log file after the model analysis has been completed, select [ Reports > Log ] from the Main Ribbon.
Results: Slabs
Navigate to Level 2 of the model. To view the deflections , select the load case 1 - Dead Load from the Main Task Bar, then select [ Results > Vertical Defl. ] from the
Main Ribbon.
Note: RCB results should be treated as indicative since the software will only calculate Igross . The individual floors will have to be exported into SLB / PTD for detailed
design to consider the cracked section properties and long-term behaviour.
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The following image shows the deflection results under Dead Load for Level 2:
For deflection results, RCB will automatically display the maximum deflection for the floor - in this case the maximum deflection is 3.2 mm and the maximum camber
is 0.4 mm. Thick green lines indicate the lines of contraflexure. To view the magnitude of the deflection at a different location, simply left click that spot in the model.
Note that for deflection, as well as other results, precise values are available only at the nodes of the Finite Element Mesh (see Meshing the Model in this
tutorial). Intermediate values used to generate the image above are interpolated from these results.
Deflection results can also be viewed for a particular load combination, not just for a basic load case. While still displaying the deflection results, select Load
Combination 3: 1G +0.3Q +Ex to view the results for this load combination.
It is often more useful to check the span / deflection ratio, rather than simply the magnitude of deflection. To calculate that, while the deflection results are being
displayed, select the 'Distance' tool from the Results Panel and click on two points in the Working Area as shown below, making sure the snap setting is set to 'Snap to
Grid':
To clear the screen, press the 'Escape' key on your keyboard. Note that this will not delete the results from the memory.
Bending moment results can be viewed in a similar manner to deflections. The moment results are available in the X-X and Y-Y axes. Shown below are the moment
results in the X-X for Load Combination 3. To view these, select Load Combination 3 from the Main Task Bar, then select [ Results > Mxx Slab ] from the Main Ribbon:
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To show the maximum value in an area, drag the cursor across the screen while pressing the left mouse button to define a rectangular area. RCB will then display the
maximum value in that range:
The slab moments in Y-Y axis can be displayed in a similar manner by selecting [ Results > My-y Slab ] from the Main Ribbon. The results are available for any load
case / combination.
Another useful tool available for the extraction of the moment results in RCB is the Moment Line . This tool will display the moment results along the user-defined line
in the same direction as the results displayed by the user. While showing moment results, select moment line tool to cut a moment line:
To view the horizontal displacements for Level 2 under Load Combination 3, select [ Results > Horizontal Displ. ] from the Main Ribbon. The following image will be
displayed. Left click a point to view its lateral displacement. To see the summary of the results for the entire floor, see the data shown in the Information Window:
To view the lateral displacement summary for the entire structure, select [ Reports > Horizontal Displ. ] from the Main Ribbon. Below is a sample of the report that
will be produced, showing the isd (inter-storey drift) values:
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Results: Beams
RCB can be used to extract the bending moment results for the beam elements . Once again, note that the beam elements are not designed in RCB as the software
will only calculate Igross for the beams, so the floor will need to be exported into SLB or PTD software for detailed beam design.
To view the indicative beam bending moments, select [ Results > Beam Moments ] from the Main Ribbon:
Results: Columns and Walls
The user can view multiple results for the walls and columns.
To view the reactions by static analysis , select [ Results > Static Reactions ] from the Main Ribbon. The following screenshot shows a sample of the reactions of walls
and columns on Level 2:
Similarly, the reactions by area method can be obtained by selecting [ Results > Area Reactions ] from the Main Ribbon.
For a more detailed on-screen output, [ Reports > Internal Forces ] from the Main Ribbon. The following menu will appear:
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After confirming the options have been entered as shown above, press 'OK' to view the detailed report on screen:
End of Tutorial

RCB Modelling Guide

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[ RCB > Introduction ]

[ RCB > Introduction > Software Overview ]

[ RCB > Introduction > What's New ]

[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]

RCB R/C Building

[ RCB > Software Interface ]

[ RCB > Software Interface > Working Area ]

l Home Tab : creating the model and selecting elements

[ RCB > Software Interface > Main Task Ribbon ]

Main Task Ribbon

[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]

[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]

Model Courtesy of M+G Consulting

[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]

Major Grid at 1000 mm, Minor grid at 100mm

Using Snapping Modes

[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]

Snapping Mode Tools in the Home Tab

Snap to Corner On / Snap to Column Corner On

Create / Edit Elements

[ RCB ] [ SLB] [ PTD ]

Creating a Point Element

Creating a Line Element

Define a Geometry Line or Area Load

Move a Line Element (same for Geometry Lines)

[ RCB ] [ SLB] [ PTD ]

Selecting Elements with the Mouse

l Select [ Mouse Left-Click ]: select the structural element.

[ RCB ] [ SLB] [ PTD ]

[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]

Switch the visibility of elements on or off. See Viewing Tab.

Find a particular element or coordinate. See Find.

Shows the mouse crosshair.

Inputs a line element using specified distance.

Elements will snap orthogonally (at right angles).

Select and element by types or specific property. See Select Elements.

Increase the font size in the working area.

Font Size Decrease, [ - ]

Delete a selected element.

For more information please refer to the following sections:

l Wall Groups & Shear Core

For more information please refer to the following sections:

Model: Edits the entire model across all floors.

l Cut Model / Create Joint

l Copy Loads to Another Floor

l Pin / Fix all Columns / Walls

l Set as Master / Align

l Convert Column to Wall / Wall to Column

l Move Column with Mouse

Copy / Move Elements

[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]

Left: Copy / Move via the Edit Tab

Make 1 Copy in the Global X by 5.5 m

Make 1 Copy in the Local y by 5.275m

Copy to Another Floor

[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]

Move, Rotate, Scale Model

[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]

Cut Model / Create Joint

[ RCB ] [ SLB ] [ PTD ]

Cut Model: Keep Left Part of Model.

Cut Model: Keep Left (Top) Part of Model.