RCDC
The following identifies the new features and enhancements that have been added in the CONNECT Edition V11 Update 5 of RCDC, which is installed with STAAD.Pro.
RCDC CONNECT Edition V11 Update 5
- Update Pile cap Design" functionality is now added in the Pile cap
module
This functionality would allow users to check the existing design of pile cap against the forces from the revised analysis. The change in the analysis file can be related to the geometry of structure or members or it can be a change in loading, material. The Update Pile cap design is also available if pile caps are designed through pedestal design flow for steel buildings. This feature is available with all design codes available in RCDC.
- Pad footing sizing logic is enhanced if there are axial tensile forces exists in the column and stability checks are performed. In the earlier versions RCDC was increasing only footing depth to satisfy stability (overturning and sliding) checks. RCDC will now try to optimize the footing size by increasing plan dimensions and controlling the depth. This feature is available with all design codes available in RCDC.
- General improvements in various modules based on our renewed
understanding of the ACI 318-2011 code.
Following are General enhancements
- Capping steel grades for flexural design as per Clause 9.4,10.9.3 and 21.1.5
- Restricting value of Sqrt(f'c) to calculate shear capacity of section footing, pile-cap and slab as per clause 11.1.2
- Restricting value of Sqrt(f'c) to calculate development length for Beam, footing, pile-cap and slab as per Clause 12.1.2
Column
- Additional shear for ordinary frame column in case of short column action as per Clause 21.2.3
- Minimum area of shear links in beam column joints as per Clause 11.10.2
- Strength reduction factor for joint of special column joint for shear check as per Clause 9.3.4
- Spacing of links based of shear carried by links as per Clause 11.4.5.3
- Criteria for minimum link diameter based on main reinforcement as per Clause 10.7.5.1
- Minimum pt (transverse) and pl (longitudinal) in wall as per Clause 14.3 and 11.9.8
Beam
- Criteria for maximum % reinforcement for special frames beams as per Clause 21.5.2.1
- Spacing of shear stirrups as per Clause 11.4.5.3
- Strength reduction factor for coupling beams as per Clause 11.10.2
- Minimum reinforcement at any section of bottom based on maximum bottom reinforcement as per Clause 12.11
RCDC CONNECT Edition V11 Update 4
- "Update Beam Design" functionality is now added in the beam module
This functionality allows users to check the existing design of beams against the forces from the revised analysis. The change in the analysis file can be related to the geometry of structure or members or it can be a change in loading, material. This feature is available with all design codes available in RCDC.
- Different Reinforcement Grade for Main and Secondary reinforcement for
Column module
Different Reinforcement grades are allowed in the column module for main and shear links. If a user wants to set a lower reinforcement grade for links, it can now be done. This feature is available with all design codes available in RCDC.
- Pile-cap design for Columns with "Tensile Axial" force
RCDC is now allowing pile caps to be designed for columns with tensile axial force. The design of top reinforcement of the pile-cap would be performed as per axial tension from the column. An additional shear check would be performed for axial tension in the piles. This is applicable to all shapes of pile caps available in RCDC. This feature is available with all design codes available in RCDC.
- Reading and 'Design of Beams at Foundation Level' without column modeled
RCDC is now able to read the beams at the foundation level where no columns are modeled above or below. In absence of columns, RCDC will now assign 'dummy columns' as support at end of beams wherever required. The logic for detection of beams, identifying continuity of beams would work in the same manner for these beams also. This feature is available with all design codes available in RCDC.
- Column Design as per Australian code - An option is provided to user to
calculate the Moment Capacity Reduction Factor (Φ) for column design as
per AS 3600:2018 - Amendment 2
RCDC will allow the user to select the option for the value of 'Moment Capacity Reduction Factor' (Φ) for column design as follows,
- Φ = 0.65 (as constant)
- Φ as per table 2.2.2 of AS 3600:2018 - Amendment 2
- Providing 'Design Change' report for the 'Update Design' functionality
in the column module
RCDC will now provide a 'Design Change' report after performing 'Update Design'. The Report is presented to the user immediately after completion of the operation 'Update Design'. It is also saved automatically in the folder where the RCDC file is saved.
- Reading Tapered tank wall from STAAD.Pro Physical Modeler
RCDC will read the tapered type wall with thickness variation and thickness reduction side if modeled using STAAD.Pro Physical Modeler.
- Providing the option for the value of 'Strength Reduction Factor' for
shear design of special frames for ACI codes.
RCDC will allow the user to select the option for the strength factor (Φ) for the shear design of special frames of beams, columns, and walls.
- Φ = 0.65
- Φ = 0.75
This is available with all the versions of ACI design codes available in RCDC and the NSCP (Philippines) code.
RCDC CONNECT Edition V11 Update 3.1
- Correction for potential errors in ductile column design.
- Fix error in displaying length parameters for ACI 318 (FPS unit codes).
RCDC CONNECT Edition V11 Update 3
- Design of Columns, Shear Walls, Beams, Footings, Pile-caps and Slabs as per ACI 318-19 (English units).
- Update Footing Design will help users to check the existing design against forces from revised analysis. The change in analysis file can be related to geometry of structure or members or it can be change in Loading data. This feature is available to all design codes available in RCDC.
- Different Reinforcement Grade for Main and Secondary reinforcement for Beam module.
RCDC CONNECT Edition V11 Update 2
- Addition of German Annex to Euro code - DIN EN 1992-1-1/NA :2013-04.
Design of Columns, Shear Walls, Beams, Footings, Pile-caps and Slabs as per DIN EN 1992-1-1/NA :2013-04 is now available in RCDC. The details for Ductile (seismic) design as per German Annex are under revision. Once these are available, they would be incorporated in SACD (RCDC). Currently, the ductile design of beams, columns and shear-walls is performed as per relevant clauses in base EN code.
- Addition of American code ACI 318M-19
Design of Columns, Shear Walls, Beams, Footings, Pile-caps and Slabs as per ACI 318M-19 (Metric units) is available in RCDC.
RCDC CONNECT Edition V11 Update 1
- Addition of Pile-cap deign in Australian code - AS 3600:2018.
Design of Pile-cap as per AS 3600 : 2018 is now available as general availability. User can now design the pile-cap with all available pile configurations in RCDC.
- Addition of Tapered and Stepped type wall in the Tank structure module.
In RCDC 11 tank walls with uniform wall thickness could be designed. In this release, design of tapered and stepped (up to 3 steps) walls can be designed. For Stepped wall, if the wall consists of multiple parametric surfaces one above the other with different thickness in the analysis model, then wall will be identified as stepped wall. Design will be performed as per the available thickness at various section locations for both the walls. User can change the definition of wall with uniform thickness (in analysis model) to 'Tapered' in RCDC and set thickness at Bottom and top of wall. Design calculation, drawings and all other reports will be available for new types of walls.
- Exporting Tank wall geometry and reinforcement data to ISM.
Option is now available to user to export tank wall, tank slab, columns, and beams geometry with reinforcement data to ISM. This facility is available only if user designs the tank structures and column & beams are present in the tank analysis file. Using ISM user can export the data to Structural Synchroniser or Pro-structure to view 3D geometry with detailing of the reinforcement for tank wall, slab, column, and beam module.
- Addition of load type for Earthquake and Wind loads in Euro code.
In Euro code there are different material safety factors for persistent and accidental load types. Now the option is available to define the load type for Earthquake and Wind load based on the design requirements. Based on the project and design requirements, user can now define earthquake/ wind load as persistent or accidental. Accordingly, material safety factors would be used in the design of various elements available in software.
- Addition of Soil and Fluid load in the load case list.
New load types are added in the list of basic load case for Soil and Fluid type. These load types are specifically added from the requirement from tank structure design. Presently Soil load is treated as a dead load and Fluid load is treated as Live load to create load combinations.
RCDC CONNECT Edition V11
- Addition of Australian code – AS 3600:2018,
Columns and Walls, Footings, Beams and Slabs can now be designed in RCDC using AS 3600:2018 and output can be generated
- Addition of Belgium Annex for BS EN Code.
NBN EN 1992-1-1 (ANB: 2010) (Belgium annex) has been added in RCDC. It is available for design in all the modules including water-tank structures.
- Addition of BS EN Base / Custom Code for all modules.
Users can now modify specific parameters (from base EN code) to create a 'Custom' annex to suit local design standards.
- Design of Tank Structures for Base EN code, Singapore Annex and Malaysian Annex
Design of tank structures is now available for the Base Euro code (BS EN 02-1-1-2004), Singapore annex (SS NA) and Malaysian Annex (MS NA)
- Factored or Unfactored Earthquake/ Wind Load (ASCE) for design using ACI code -
RCDC now allows user to define type of load for EQ and Wind from analysis as factored or Unfactored. The standard template of load combinations has load factors consistent with the choice made by the user.
- Joint check for Ductile column design using Euro Code
For columns when "Ductile Design - High" option is selected by user, now Joint check would be performed as per BS EN 1998-1-2004 code.
- Footing Module - Effect of Ground Water Table in soil pressure check and sizing
for all types of footing
Effect of buoyancy due to ground water is now considered in the minimum pressure check of footing design.
RCDC CONNECT Edition V10
The Advanced Concrete Design application, RCDC, has been updated to v10.0 which includes:
-
Philippines code - NSCP - 2015 .
- The Tank Design Module has been extended with the addition of Detail Design Reports and Detailed Drawings for both Tank Walls and Tank Slabs.
- Eurocode EN 1992-1 (including all National Annex variations) design extended to include additional effects from sway in the design of shear.
RCDC CONNECT Edition V9 Update 4
Following are some of the new features implemented in RCDC CONNECT Edition V9 Update 4,
- Reading SRSS and ABS load combinations from STAAD:
RCDC will read the SRSS and ABS type load combinations available in STAAD. This will complete the reading of all types of load combinations through STAAD.
- Beam rebar diameter restricted as per column size for ductile (seismic)
detailing for ACI 318 (2011, 2014, 2011M,2014M) and IS 13920 (2016):
As per the ductile detailing requirement of IS and ACI codes, the minimum size of the column shall be calculated as per the rebar diameter provided in Beam. The analysis model is prepared by the user in various analysis software. It is presumed that the user has checked all the requirements before proceeding to design in RCDC. Hence, in RCDC we consider that column sizes available from analysis files are final. RCDC will restrict the rebar to be provided in Beam as per column size available.
- Water & Wastewater Tank design -Tech Preview:
A new module is added to RCDC for the design of structures with tanks (liquid retaining structures). This is added as 'Tech Preview' feature. The design would be based on EN 02 - 2004 + EN 03 - 2006 UK code. Design outputs like reinforcement provided and various drawings will be available. In This release, reports like design calculation and BOQ will not be available to the user.
RCDC CONNECT Edition V9 Update 3
RCDC CONNECT Edition V9 Update 3 is here with implementation of following,
- Reading Repeat load cases: RCDC will now read the member forces from STAAD file for Repeat Load Cases with a much easier process. This would enable users to adopt the latest methods of designing structures for results from P-Delta analysis or any other non-linear analysis.
-
Column Joint check (Seismic detailing as per IS 13920 - 2016) User can select the Joint Check to be performed by one of the two methods
- For Maximum Axial Force (current method) at the Joint from all combinations
- For Axial Force from each Earthquake combination.
- Euro Code Beam Design Report - Enhancement and fixing small bugs.