Allplan Connection
![FEM-Design Allplan connection FEM-Design Allplan connection - key features](https://strusoft.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Header.png)
StruSoft offers a free tool that enables smart connection between FEM-Design and Nemetschek Allplan. While the load-bearing structural objects are exchanged between the two programs via IFC, this tool allows us to insert the 3D bar and surface reinforcement objects designed with FEM-Design as intelligent, editable objects in the Allplan projects.
In this way, this dedicated tool speeds up the reinforcement editing and documentation following the analysis and design, by providing input for Allplan users with FEM-Design calculated reinforcement geometry and parameters (material qualities, bar diameters, space distributions, concrete covers, etc.), which can be put into a documentation-ready state with small modifications.
Key features
- Editable placement of reinforcement for bars, shells and foundation objects designed automatically or manually with FEM-Design in Allplan projects
- All reinforcement types that FEM-Design can design can be shared with Allplan, so the following:
- bar reinforcement
- concealed bar reinforcement
- surface reinforcement
- surface shear reinforcement
- punching reinforcement
- Ability to select which structural element’s reinforcement we want to transfer to Allplan
- Ability to insert the additional reinforcing bars, so to skip the base net
- Ability to select import methods for bar reinforcement anchorage
- Simple and straight-forward export / import procedure
- Automations performed during the import process: mesh cuttings and rebar overlapping based on the allowed maximum bar length, automatic hooking of stirrups, etc.
- Simple data matching between FEM-Design and Allplan
- Separate Allplan drawings can be assigned to different reinforcement types and positions
- The transferred reinforcement can be modified in position, geometry and parameters, supplemented, labelled and listed in the same way as if it was originally created in Allplan
Download
Reinforcement export for Allplan is available as a built-in Export function of FEM-Design 3D Structure. But in order to make Allplan read the exported FEM-Design reinforcement objects, the following Allplan extension must be installed:
FEM-Design Reinforcement for Allplan | |
Compatibility | Allplan 2022 and later versions |
Release date | 16 May 2024 |
Language versions | English and Hungarian |
Workflow steps
Creation of analysis model
Since the reinforcement design and documentation is prepared and based on a physical model, it is advisable to send this physical model to the FEM-Design program (e.g. as an open-source IFC model) in order to create the analytical model that simplifies it for calculations and designs.
Of course, modelling can also start in FEM-Design, but the more common case is when a physical model comes from an architectural program or from the structural detailing program (such as Allplan) itself.
The following figure is an example of a physical model of a reinforced concrete structure created in Allplan.
![FEM-Design Allplan connection workflow start FEM-Design Allplan connection - reinforced concrete structure](https://strusoft.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Allplan-start.png)
From the IFC file saved from the model, FEM-Design can build the analysis model required for the detailed design (and the soul of the calculations, the optimized finite element mesh).
![FEM-Design model FEM-Design Allplan connection](https://strusoft.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/FD-model.png)
Design of applied reinforcement
![FEM-Design RC design module FEM-Design Allplan connection](https://strusoft.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Allplan-new-1.png)
The Reinforcement design module of FEM-Design provides the opportunity for detailed concrete and reinforcement design of the entire model or only a selected bar and shell element.
![FEM-Design RC shell FEM-Design Allplan connection - RC shell](https://strusoft.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/FD-RC-shell.png)
FEM-Design is able to display, list and document the reinforcement design results in a professional manner with full details of the applied calculations. The following figure shows a documentation part of a designed reinforced concrete bar.
![FEM-Design 5 RC calc-bar FEM-Design Allplan connection - 5 RC calc-bar](https://strusoft.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/FD-5-RC-calc-bar.png)
Reinforcement export from FEM-Design
The designed reinforcement can be saved very simply for Allplan. Just select the analysis objects, whose reinforcement wanted to be shared with Allplan (so the host objects), with the dedicated Export to Allplan command (File menu).
![Reinforcement export from FEM-Design FEM-Design Allplan connection - reinforcement export](https://strusoft.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/FD-Export.png)
Analysis object selection can be done in any mode (Structure, Loads, etc.) and view, and their reinforcement does not need to be displayed. Selection can be done for all visible reinforced concrete objects, or even just one (e.g. a plate) or certain functional types (e.g. foundation). Of course, in the case of a large or complex model, the selection can also be helped by filtering the model view to only the elements to be selected until the time of export.
![RC slab collaboration FEM-Design Allplan connection - RC slab collaboration](https://strusoft.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/RC-slab-collaboration.png)
![RC foundation FEM-Design Allplan connection - RC foundation](https://strusoft.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/RC-foundation.png)
Comments
- All designed reinforcements of the selected objects are exported in .fd2allplan file format dedicated to the connection.
- The base net bars can be filtered out at the Allplan import.
Import reinforcement into Allplan
The import is performed by the FEM-Design RC Import add-on tool installed on Allplan (see Download). This can be achieved via the path shown in the picture: Library > Default > PythonParts.
![API start FEM-Design Allplan connection - API start](https://strusoft.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/API-start.png)
The import is performed in two simple steps:
- Select the .fd2allplan file sent from FEM-Design by specifying the path to its storage location
- Execute the import by specifying the import settings to automate and perform additional operations on the loaded reinforcement objects:
![Allplan open2 new FEM-Design IDEA StatiCa connection - open connection](https://strusoft.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Allplan-open2-new.png)
- Start label ID for bar and area reinforcement, which is recommended to be different from the existing reinforcement identifiers for the sake of joint listing and management
- Extra geometry parameters of stirrups (Bending roller radius and Hook length)
- Parameters required for cutting and placing regional reinforcement including Max. bar length, Overlap length and internal bar management mode called Place area reinforcements:
- In polygon means that placed bars are managed separately, so a full schema of each individual bar can be created later
- Per meter means that only the placing lengths are managed, so the creation of a schema merely results in a value showing the number of meters
- Import basenets option enables basic reinforcement to be filtered out of the objects to be imported
![Allplan import basenet Allplan import basenet](https://strusoft.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Allplan-import-basenet.png)
- The Import overhanging bar anchorages option controls the method of importing anchorages created and exported with FEM-Design:
- no ignores the anchorages, so the bar reinforcement will be loaded without them
- yes imports the anchorages with their full specified length
- yes, but trim at body ends imports anchorage sections that are inside the physical body of beams and columns, the parts hanging outside will be cut off
- Steel grade mapping between FEM-Design and Allplan project-specific database
- Target drawings by reinforcement types to be placed, which should be created before starting the import and are recommended to have different ID from the existing reinforcement drawings
![Drawing set FEM-Design Allplan connection - Drawing set](https://strusoft.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Drawing-set.png)
Reinforcement editing (briefly)
All bar and surface reinforcement are created as parametric, editable and documentable so-called Bar Shape objects in selected drawings of the current Allplan project.
The parameters of a reinforcement – for example stirrups – suggested by FEM-Design calculations (e.g. spacing, bar diameter, length, etc.) and extended by import settings (e.g. with hooks) can of course be modified at any time before or during documentation.
![Allplan barRC prop FEM-Design Allplan connection - Allplan barRC prop](https://strusoft.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Allplan-barRC-prop.png)
If, for example, the position of a beam reinforcement differs due to discrepancies between the analytical and physical model, it can be easily modified with the editing functions of Allplan.
![Allplan move RC FEM-Design Allplan connection - Allplan move RC](https://strusoft.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Allplan-move-RC.png)
The surface reinforcement is generated as Span-type Area Reinforcement during the import, so editing operations typical for those object types can be applied (e.g. the placement modification).
![Edit region FEM-Design Allplan connection - Edit region](https://strusoft.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Edit-region.png)
The display of imported reinforcement objects (e.g. the Placement Display Mode) can also be set according to the usual methods in Allplan (as if the reinforcement had been created in Allplan from the beginning).
![Allplan surface RC edit FEM-Design Allplan connection - Allplan surface RC edit](https://strusoft.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Allplan-surfaceRC-edit.png)
Documentation, labeling and reports (such as bar schedule tables) can all be carried out in detail for both bar and surface reinforcement objects.
![Allplan bar RC FEM-Design Allplan connection - Allplan bar RC](https://strusoft.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Allplan-barRC.png)
![Allplan surface RC FEM-Design Allplan connection - Allplan surface RC](https://strusoft.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/05/Allplan-surfaceRC.png)
Why wait? Download an automated 2 x week free trial of FEM-Design and get started today!
FEM-Design Wiki
Full details on the Allplan connection can be found on the FEM-Design Wiki by clicking here.
Calculations performed according to:
Euro Code
Belgian National Annex
British National Annex
Danish National Annex
Dutch National Annex
Estonian National Annex
Finnish National Annex
German National Annex
Hungarian National Annex
Latvian National Annex
Norwegian National Annex
Polish National Annex
Romanian National Annex
Spanish National Annex
Swedish National Annex
Turkish Seismic Code
Languages supported:
English
Finnish
French
Dutch
Hungarian
Polish
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