Solid Modeling of RC Beams: 2. Computational Environment

Abstract

This paper is the second of a two‐part series describing the design and implementation of an interactive reinforced concrete beam design environment called BeamTool. Part two focuses on the issues of implementing and testing BeamTool. The implementation issues are: (1) Design of the user interface to work on two‐ and three‐dimensional descriptions of the beam geometry, (2) techniques for specifying reinforcing‐bar trajectories; and (3) techniques for enforcement of geometric constraints. The BeamTool interface consists of three separate screens, one for each stage of the design process. Their purposes are: (1) Definition and assembly of the solid boundary model of the concrete beam; (2) placement and sizing of reinforcing bars within the three‐dimensional beam model; and (3) determination of the flexural capacity envelope. Designers are expected to progress from screens 1–3 in the natural course of setting up and solving a design problem. Features of the BeamTool system are illustrated via the design of a three‐span reinforced single‐cell box girder beam.