FRILO wins ZÜBLIN as cooperation partner

With Ed. Züblin AG, FRILO Software GmbH, provider of innovative solutions for statics and structural design, has won one of the largest German construction companies as a research partner. The cooperation came about through the collaboration of both companies in the Technical Committee "Design and Construction". The aim of the joint project is to confirm the practical suitability of the FRILO software solution Reinforced Concrete Column B5+ for the dimensioning of reinforced concrete columns with high-strength reinforcement.

ZÜBLIN has been using the high-strength reinforcing steel SAS 670/800 of Stahlwerke Annahütte Max Aicher GmbH & Co. KG for years. "This steel is much more efficient than classical reinforcing steel and allows in connection with the corresponding type approval much higher reinforcement degrees. This leads to higher load-bearing capacities of the reinforced concrete columns", explains Martin Benz, Head of Technical Office for Structural Engineering at ZÜBLIN Central Technology.In order to illustrate the time-dependent load-bearing behavior of a reinforced concrete column with high-strength reinforcement, a calculation tool based on Excel was used so far. "With the implementation of the higher-strength steel SAS 670/800 in the FRILO solution reinforced concrete column B5+, we now have a fully-fledged software solution for the dimensioning of the column load-bearing capacity", says Benz.

"By means of comparative calculations and comparisons of already existing calculations, the suitability for practical use is to be checked before other FRILO customers can also benefit from the solution", Peter Fritz, Head of Product Management at FRILO, explains the approach of the research project. The focus is on the verification of the accuracy and efficiency of the column design.

First results are already available

The FRILO solution already convinces in practice with its user-friendliness. "The B5+ software has a clearer and more comprehensible program interface with corresponding graphic representation and an attractive design. As a result, we enjoy a higher input comfort and more possibilities in the illustration of dimensioning relevant aspects such as the modelling of multi-story columns or a greater flexibility in the load input", says Benz.

Research at ZÜBLIN is carried out in an application-oriented manner during ongoing project operation in order to obtain results that are suitable for practical use. It is also a tradition to work with brands from the Nemetschek Group, to which FRILO has belonged since 1999.