Analysis features for accurate and reliable results
With Consteel’s toolset at your disposal, each project becomes a journey of exploration and fulfillment, reigniting the excitement and fascination inherent in structural engineering.
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Analysis features
True analysis of global steel structures – the 7 DOF beam element
Consteel is the only structural design software that uses the special 7 degrees-of-freedom (7DOF) beam element for all the global structural analysis types. The 7DOF element is specially developed for thin-walled members where the warping of the cross-section is of high importance in the behavior. Modeling is always done in 3D and various number of analysis types including special and unique ones (like global buckling, buckling sensitivity or imperfection analysis) are developed to assist you to get to know the true behaviour of your structure and design it optimally.
Complete second order analysis
On a spatially deformed slender steel bar member, the acting loads cause secondary effects way more complex than the well-known P-δ effect. With Consteel’s 7DOF finite element, the second-order effects caused by loads on every spatial deformation component can be calculated. Consequently, the effects of any kind of imperfection, eccentricity of loads, supports or joints on deformations and internal forces can be considered in the design.
Global buckling analysis
Global buckling analysis serves Consteel’s automatic stability design based on the General method of EN 1993-1-1. It is a linear eigenvalue analysis performed on the whole structural model calculating the elastic critical load levels and connected buckling shapes showing the relevant modes of stability loss. All global buckling modes (flexural, torsional, and lateral-torsional buckling, and any interactions of these) are calculated, visualized and can be used for automatic design.
Buckling sensitivity analysis
The global model-based buckling analysis results a number of different, yet still relevant buckling shapes. For the design of individual structural members, identifying the critical buckling shapes and their associated slenderness values is essential. Buckling sensitivity analysis is an efficient tool that provides these key insights. It determines the critical structural members based on the deformation energies of the buckling mode shapes. This innovative procedure – developed by Consteel – eliminates the need for manually defining stability design parameters (buckling lengths, unrestrained lengths), while still accurately reflecting the real structural configuration.
Imperfection analysis
Direct consideration of structural imperfections is often required by the code, while in other cases, it represents a compelling alternative solution for stability design. In Consteel, any type of global imperfection—whether it’s initial bow, sway, or notional load—can be easily defined and and their effects can be precisely calculated thanks to the unique 7DOF finite element and complete second order analysis. The appropriate definition of the amplitude of imperfections is vital, which is neither explicitly ruled in the standard nor simple to determine. Consteel offers a unique development of its own to handle this problem. The Overall Imperfection Method automatically determines imperfection amplitudes using standard buckling and lateral-torsional buckling curves combined with buckling analysis, leading the imperfection analysis to results that are completely consistent with the reduction factor method.
Exact analysis of continuous frame corner regions
orner zones have usually significantly different behavior than the connected beam members. Since these zones are very short, the behavior is influenced dominantly by the shear effect. Frame corner regions are semi-automatically recognised in Consteel and specific methods are applied to them during analyis and design with the consideration of kinematic constratint elements between the 7th DOF displacements of the neighbouring members (warping transfer) according to the chosen frame corner topology.
Exact analysis of structural eccentricities
In Consteel, the structure can be modelled as it is in reality concerning eccentricities too. Deformations and internal forces caused by the eccentricities of loads, supports or connections are fully considered. No further action is needed after correct modelling to apply the effects in design calculations.
How can Consteel enhance your work?
Read how the world’s first solar tracker plant are built with the help of Consteel
In 2002, STI Norland built the world’s first plant with solar trackers in Navarra, Spain.
Take a look at the pioneering technologies used and developed by this company, as well as the implementation made in the Consteel software for the structural check process, which has allowed them to evaluate the high stresses to which a solar panel support structure can be subjected..
The design processes of a multi-story industrial structure using a central parametric model
Discover an in-depth case study detailing the expansion of a Turda, Romania plasterboard factory, which shows how the expansion led to the construction of nine new structures.
This project, which uses a central parametric model, won third place in this year’s The Steel Lion Award 2023 competiton, thanks to its innovative use of Consteel software for steel structural design and Pangolin, the Rhino-Grasshopper plugin for Consteel.
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