Gemetryline Modeling is a new method to define slab boundaries introduced in R/C Building 2009 beta and SLABS 2009 beta software.

 

What's the difference between Geometry-line modeling and current modeling method?

 

With geometryline modeling, slab boundaries or panels are defined using polylines, drawn up by the user or imported from CAD drawings. The lines can be either closed or open.

Under the current modeling method, slab panels are limited to three or four sided polygons

 

Typical slab shapes in the current versions of SLABS and R/C Building are shown below:

The key difference between the two methods is that the slab geometry line concept introduced in SLABS 2009 beta and R/C Building 2009 beta allows users to set properties such as thickness, pressure, stiffness factors, etc. to slab zones, not individual slab panels as in previous versions of the software.

 

We have also improved the CAD drawing (DWG or DXF) importing functions in both programs, so minimum or no preparation is required in order to build complete models directly from CAD files.

 

Below is a sreencast that illustrates the new slab geometry line concept:

 

 

 

 

How to turn Geometrylines to slab panels

 

The new modeling method allows the user to input (or import) polylines to defined the slab areas, but the slab properties (thickness, etc) will only be available after meshing. Our improved meshing algorithum will generate slab zones that allows the user to assign the appropriate properties.

 

For example, below is a floor with an opening inside using the geometry lines:

 

Once the boundary line is selected by the user, a table listing all the coordinates of the points will be shown:

Once the model is meshed, slab zone properties can be assigned as shown below:

 

Voids can be created by assigning a thickness value of 0 (zero) for particular slab zones within a model (this can be seen as white finite element triangles in the screenshot above).