RCDC 2023

1. Beam Crack-width check for corner Rebar - Indian code - Performing crack-width at the corner and side face of the beam.

   For the beam design, RCDC was performing the crack-width check at the bottom or top edge of the beam. RCDC will now consider the corner rebar for which crack width is performed at the corner and side face of the beam. The choice is given to the user to perform the crack-width check at these new locations. This is applicable to the Indian code only

2. Australian Concrete design code AS 3600:2018 - New check added for Minimum percentage reinforcement in the column based on axial load.

   Presently, RCDC maintains the minimum percentage of longitudinal reinforcement as per the user-defined percentage value given on the design setting screen. A new check is now available to provide the minimum percentage of longitudinal reinforcement as per clauses 10.7.1 (a) and 8.1.6.1 of AS 3600:2018. After selecting a new check, the minimum percentage of longitudinal reinforcement is calculated for the maximum of the following,

   1. Pt defined by the user.
   2. Pt calculated as per clauses 10.7.1 (a) and 8.1.6.1.

   If the axial load on the column is more than the value 0.1f'cAg where f'c is the characteristic compressive strength of concrete and Ag is the gross cross-section area of the column, the minimum area of longitudinal reinforcement is calculated as per clause 10.7.1 (a). In the other case, the minimum area of longitudinal reinforcement is calculated as per clause 8.1.6.1.

3. Addition of 6 & 9 mm rebars in ACI (metric) and NSCP codes.

   New 6 and 9 mm rebars are now available in the column and beam modules of ACI Metric and NSCP design code. The purpose of adding 6 and 9 mm rebars is to optimize the quantity of the shear reinforcement using lesser rebar diameters satisfying the design code requirements. New diameters are available only if the user selects the Rebar diameter option on the reinforcement settings screen.

4. Beam flexural calculation enhancement - ACI and NSCP codes.

   The maximum permissible percentage reinforcement in the beam module is now restricted as per the tension-controlled section. The maximum percentage reinforcement is calculated as per the minimum tension-controlled strain limits given in the design codes. If the percentage reinforcement required for the flexural design is more than the user-defined maximum percentage reinforcement and percentage reinforcement calculated for the tension-controlled section, then the section is qualified as a failed in maximum percentage reinforcement.

5. Load Type reading for load cases from STAAD.

   RCDC will now directly fetch the load case type defined in the STAAD analysis file. When the user reads the STAAD analysis file and opens the Basic load case screen, RCDC will auto-fill the load type column. Users can proceed with the auto-identified load case type or change the type as per design requirements and proceed further.

For more details on these and other issues that have been addressed in this build Refer to the RCDC Release Notes.