RCDC 2023.00.02

1. Beam Ductile detailing Enhancement - All design code

   RCDC was performing ductile detailing for the top and bottom reinforcement of the ductile beam as per code requirements. The area of reinforcement provided at the section is used for the ductile detailing. However, in a few cases, instead of using the area of reinforcement provided, the area of reinforcement required was used for ductile detailing. It is now made consistent in cases and the area of reinforcement provided is used.

2. Column effective length factor Enhancements in redesign tools.

   In the column design, an effective length factor is calculated which is required to perform the slenderness check. As per the type of frame (Sway and Non-sway), section size, and material properties of the column and beam, the effective length factor is calculated for the column. At the auto-design stage, the effective length factor was calculated as per the data available to the software.

   RCDC provides options to change the material grades and member sizes at various stages of the design and redesign. RCDC was not recomputing the effective length factor if the user has changed the column size or material properties at various design and redesign stages. It was taking the effective length factor values calculated before the auto design function.

   Now, we have given the option to recompute the effective length factor at various stages of column design and redesign.

RCDC 2023.00.01

An issue with beam auto design has been resolved in RCDC V23.00.01.24. The correct column/wall supports are now identified for beams and auto-design operation can be performed without any error.

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.