FEM-Design 25 – Consistent Upgrades for Faster and Better Structural Design and Analysis

7 DoF Warping Bar Model

Get More Realistic Behaviour for Steel Beams and Columns

FEM-Design 25 introduces the new General 7DoF warping bar, delivering significantly more realistic torsional behaviour and stability analysis for steel beams and columns. Based on the Modified Kollbrunner theory, it overcomes the limitations of traditional 6DoF and earlier 7DoF models by accurately capturing restrained warping and instability effects for any cross-section type.

• Warping analysis for all cross-sections, not only thin-walled open sections
• More realistic torsion and stability modelling based on the Modified Kollbrunner–Timoshenko approach
• Accurate representation of torsional warping and instability modes such as lateral–torsional buckling
• Consistent analysis for multiple materials, including steel, concrete, timber, and aluminium
• Available for beams and columns for all steel licence holders

IFC Interoperability

Boost Workflow Efficiency through Extended IFC Interoperability

FEM-Design 25 expands IFC capabilities with full IFC 4.3 support, new import options, terrain-to-soil conversion, and flexible multi-model merging. These improvements strengthen OPEN BIM collaboration across structural, architectural, infrastructure, MEP, and detailing workflows.

• Full IFC 4.3 support, enabling the import of structural elements from buildings, roads, railways, waterways, and bridges — either as editable analytical elements or as reference objects.
• IfcPile import, allowing piles to be converted into Columns, Beams, or Reference objects depending on their intended analytical role.
• Terrain geometry import, where IfcSite and IfcGeographicElement surfaces or solids can be brought in as reference objects and transformed into Soil elements via the soil converter. This also applies to connected regions and solid objects drawn directly in FEM-Design.
• Multi-model merging, supporting workflows such as importing models by discipline or inserting repetitive structural units.
• Expanded export options, including IFC export of the analysis Soil model as geometry assigned to IfcSite and exporting selected model parts according to a User Coordinate System (UCS).

RC Design Performance

Get Faster RC Design and Smoother Performance on Large Models

FEM-Design 25 introduces major performance improvements for reinforced concrete design, especially in large and complex projects. Reinforced concrete shell calculations run more than 20% faster, and workflow transitions – including switching to Documentation mode – are now significantly quicker.

Although performance always depends on hardware capacity and modelling complexity, FEM-Design is developed to scale reliably for demanding real-world projects.

• Reinforced concrete shell design calculations have been accelerated by more than 20%.
• Switching to Documentation mode after design is now up to 50% faster compared to FEM-Design 24.
• These benefits come from a substantial reduction in temporary file sizes, enabling faster model loading, smoother transitions, and a more responsive experience when working with large RC models.

Improvements and Quality-of-Life Features

User Interface, General Design, Results & Documentation

Get More Efficient Workflows, Clearer Results, and Better UI

FEM-Design 25 includes a wide range of enhancements across modelling, results, documentation, and the overall user experience. From a more customisable workspace to refined stability handling and clearer post-processing tools, the new version supports faster and more intuitive everyday workflows.

• Enhanced buckling length management, with direction-dependent restraints and preserved buckling settings when modifying member geometry.
• Customisable user profiles allow users to streamline the interface by focusing only on the tools relevant to their typical workflows.
• New result visualisation and post-processing options, providing clearer interpretation of analysis results and improved documentation quality, even for complex 3D models.