Advance Concrete provides the option to create new predefined rectangular sections. This new option is very useful when we have to create a more complicated reinforcement drawing for a structural element (column / beam).
The "Create a predefined rectangular section" option can be found on the "Advance Reinforcement" toolbar.
The process of creating a predefined rectangular section is similar to creating a rectangular frame. In the first phase, Advance Concrete will create a virtual rectangular frame; at this stage we will be able to set all the parameters for the section's reinforcement bars (diameter, steel grade, concrete covers, hooks type, etc).
After choosing the suitable parameters for the reinforcement bars, we will have to choose the type of rectangular section we would like to use.
In this dialog window, all the predefined rectangular sections are displayed after the number of longitudinal bars. The default sections in Advance Concrete 2011 are made for sections with 4 6 8 10 or 12 longitudinal bars. In a sectional view, the longitudinal bars are the red "dots" and are added by the user after creating the rectangular section, using the "Create a point bar" command from the "Advance Reinforcement" toolbar.
Longitudinal bars
The beam or column on which we used this method of reinforcement can also be viewed in 3D mode.
Advance Concrete has predefined rectangular sections, so the user will only have to choose the suitable one.
In case none of the predefined sections meet users criteria, users can define custom sections by editing a text file.
This file is named "Rebar Sections.txt " and can be found in:
C:\Users\*User\AppData\Roaming\Graitec\AdvanceConcrete\2011\Support\Template
on Windows 7 / Vista
C:\Docs and Settings\*User\ApplicationData\Graitec\AdvanceConcrete\2011\Support\Template
on Windows XP
The creation of a new section is done by editing the already existing file "Rebar Sections.txt ". We can also create a new file (the name should also be "Rebar Sections.txt" so it is recommended to create a backup of the original file. Also please note that this file will be deleted if you uninstall the software).
A new configuration will have the following structure:
CONFIG 1
FRAME (1,6)
FRAME (2,6)
A new configuration should start with "CONFIG (n)" (n is the configuration number).
On another line we will declare the first section element (FRAME - rectangular frame, PIN - pin bar, U - "U" bar, STIRUP - stirrup bar). Any element belonging to a new configuration should be written on a distinct text line.
Numbers from 1 to 6 represent the number of longitudinal bars for the section, and the two rectangles are the rectangular frames that were created in the upper drawing.
To create the first rectangular frame, we have to define it - FRAME (1;6), where 1 and 6 are two of the frame's opposite ends. We will do the same for the second frame.
If we want another configuration with just a rectangular frame and a pin bar we have to define a frame - FRAME (1,6), and a pin - PIN (2,5)
This new feature helps the user manually reinforce structural elements in a short period of time.