Automation in Design

[ebrahim raeyat]

Till now, I've been able to analyze my Structural models in FreeCAD and I've found the results really impressive. As I'm a structural engineering student and my requirement is to save my time from creating manual reinforcement & manual rebar drawings. So, I've an idea/question for the developers on this forum that can they build a program on FreeCAD that can create automatic reinforcement in the structural members of the building after analyzing the building with loads applied. Also, if it can create automatic rebar shop drawings of different views with automated annotations and dimensioning.

I have same issue with my workflow. in my country (IRAN) there are a lot of software that can do this job perfectly. also steel structures:
1- saze90: http://www.saze90.com/about/drawing/beam/ http://www.saze90.com/about/drawing/column/
2- mohaseb 2000: http://www.mohaseb2000.com/ I am in contact with it's developer.
3- etabsmat: http://www.farasaeg.ir/indexEN.htm
4- sazenegar: http://www.rayansazeh.com/ for steel structures
I also decide to write software like those in freecad. I think it's possible. I want to start from foundation.
now I am writing a program that check shear punching of foundation. till now it reads foundation geometry and recognize punching area:

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I someone want to start some project, I can work full-time on it!

[ebrahim raeyat]

@Bernd Now, I interest in two python module for export dxf.
1. dxfwrite
2. ezdxf

it can install as Python library on FreeCAD. After I create all rebar model in all element of sample building ,I will try to export data from rebar object to dxf. My objective of creating rebar model, I want to make BOQ of rebar or make a Bar-cut schedule.

Hello @chakkree. as mentioned in this page, ezdxf contain dxfwrite. but as i mentioned, there are many softwares for drawing concrete reinforcement entirely and create Bar-cut schedule,
but obviously all of them work with CSI Etabs!

[hardeeprai]

I have same issue with my workflow. in my country (IRAN) there are a lot of software that can do this job perfectly. also steel structures:
1- saze90: http://www.saze90.com/about/drawing/beam/ http://www.saze90.com/about/drawing/column/
2- mohaseb 2000: http://www.mohaseb2000.com/ I am in contact with it's developer.
3- etabsmat: http://www.farasaeg.ir/indexEN.htm
4- sazenegar: http://www.rayansazeh.com/ for steel structures
I also decide to write software like those in freecad. I think it's possible. I want to start from foundation.
now I am writing a program that check shear punching of foundation. till now it reads foundation geometry and recognize punching area:

I someone want to start some project, I can work full-time on it!

That's really will be a good project.

It will be better, if you make project outline.

Project's objectives, what you have, where you wish to go, and what will be approach.

Do you need our input on your project? That will not be of great help, if we don't see that project overview.

[ebrahim raeyat]

That's really will be a good project.

It will be better, if you make project outline.

Project's objectives, what you have, where you wish to go, and what will be approach.

Do you need our input on your project? That will not be of great help, if we don't see that project overview.

Thanks a lot. Do you mean reinforcemetn drawing? or shear punching?

for reinforcement drawing probably define drawing for foundation at first. because all of that software takes more money for that. it seems it must be easier than beam drawing. when i want to start i plan it here.

excuse me for my poor english

[hardeeprai]

Do you mean reinforcement drawing? or shear punching?

It is up to you what you want from your project.

I will just try to give some direction or general guidance, depending on what you wish to do.

for reinforcement drawing probably define drawing for foundation at first. because all of that software takes more money for that. it seems it must be easier than beam drawing. when i want to start i plan it here.

That may be nice.

It was just a suggestion. Otherwise you are free to do things as per your liking.

excuse me for my poor english

Take it easy. If something is not clear, we will ask again.

All the best,

[yorik]

I have same issue with my workflow. in my country (IRAN) there are a lot of software that can do this job perfectly. also steel structures:
1- saze90: http://www.saze90.com/about/drawing/beam/ http://www.saze90.com/about/drawing/column/
2- mohaseb 2000: http://www.mohaseb2000.com/ I am in contact with it's developer.
3- etabsmat: http://www.farasaeg.ir/indexEN.htm
4- sazenegar: http://www.rayansazeh.com/ for steel structures
I also decide to write software like those in freecad. I think it's possible. I want to start from foundation.
now I am writing a program that check shear punching of foundation. till now it reads foundation geometry and recognize punching area:

I just had a look at those, indeed be able to get the same output from FreeCAD would be great! This is no small work, though. I would suggest you start with a good plan... One thing I would certainly do: Separate this into two projects:
1) calculate the structure
2) produce the output (drawings, spreadsheets, etc)
Because these are two pretty different subjects, and they will require very different sets of tools and libraries. For problem 1) there are several open-source solvers out there that could be used probably, aside from FEM (although some of the FEM solvers can calculate 1D elements IIRC)

[hardeeprai]

For problem 1) there are several open-source solvers out there that could be used probably, aside from FEM (although some of the FEM solvers can calculate 1D elements IIRC)

Is any current solver used through FEM workbench has 1D beam element to do plane and frame analysis (which is most commonly used for structural analysis of Steel and Reinforced Concrete frames). I am thinking to use FElt for this purpose.

https://github.com/Sudhanshu-Dubey14/felt

which is an effort to make it to run on latest compilers and hardware.

Original FElt is at: http://felt.sourceforge.net/

Is there anyone who think it will be good addition, and if not how we can do frame analysis in FreeCAD?

[ebrahim raeyat]

I just had a look at those, indeed be able to get the same output from FreeCAD would be great! This is no small work, though. I would suggest you start with a good plan... One thing I would certainly do: Separate this into two projects:
1) calculate the structure
2) produce the output (drawings, spreadsheets, etc)
Because these are two pretty different subjects, and they will require very different sets of tools and libraries. For problem 1) there are several open-source solvers out there that could be used probably, aside from FEM (although some of the FEM solvers can calculate 1D elements IIRC)

Thanks a lot @yorik.
1) those softwares don't calculate the structures. those only read the output of CSI Etabs and just drawing that, although it's not so easy. I am in contact with author of Mohaseb2000 and he sais me that it's not very difficult.
for this, I think the XCFEM software must be used. related thread.

thanks you so much for your hints.

[ebrahim raeyat]

Original FElt is at: http://felt.sourceforge.net/
Is there anyone who think it will be good addition, and if not how we can do frame analysis in FreeCAD?

I think for frame analysis we can use OpenSees, but for general purpos like shear wall and foundation i think we must use XCFEM. I doubt about shear wall or even foundation in opensees!

[hardeeprai]

I think for frame analysis we can use OpenSees

OpenSees has licensing issue