Dear RFEM Support Team,
I am currently modeling a reinforced concrete (RC) wall subjected to cyclic/seismic loading in RFEM, and I would like to clarify the program’s capabilities regarding nonlinear cyclic (hysteretic) material behavior for both concrete and steel.
This capability is not a luxury but an essential requirement to obtain an accurate and realistic seismic response of the structural model.
I kindly request your guidance on the following points:
- Available Material Models
- Does RFEM provide material models for concrete that support nonlinear cyclic/hysteretic behavior, including stiffness degradation, strength deterioration, damage accumulation, and confined vs. unconfined concrete behavior (similar to Concrete Damage Plasticity or cyclic constitutive laws)?
- For steel, are there models that capture cyclic effects such as the Bauschinger effect, cyclic hardening/softening, or pinching behavior?
- Required Add-ons / Modules
- Which modules (e.g., RF-CONCRETE, RF-STEEL, nonlinear analysis add-ons, or time-history analysis tools) are required to enable or enhance these cyclic nonlinear features?
- Element Types and Analysis Options
- What element types do you recommend (shell, solid, layered/fiber sections, etc.) for accurately modeling a cyclically loaded RC wall?
- Does RFEM support fiber-based nonlinear section analysis with cyclic material behavior?
- What types of analyses are available: static nonlinear with load steps, nonlinear time-history (transient), or specific cyclic analysis procedures?
- Cyclic Curves and Material Definitions
- How can loading/unloading curves, stiffness degradation rules, or hysteretic loops be defined within RFEM?
- Is it possible to import experimentally calibrated stress–strain cyclic curves or define custom hysteretic models?
- Documentation and Reference Models
- Are there example models, documentation, or case studies demonstrating nonlinear cyclic/hysteretic behavior of RC walls in RFEM?
- Do you have recommendations for validation procedures against experimental data?
- Outputs and Evaluation
- Can RFEM extract hysteresis loops (force–displacement), dissipated energy, stiffness/strength degradation, and damage indices for both steel and concrete?
I can provide my RFEM model file if you would like to review my current setup.
Thank you for your support, and I appreciate any detailed guidance you can offer.
Kind regards,
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