Free bars

The normal way in SCIA Engineer is to define the reinforcement in beams through templates for both shear and longitudinal reinforcement.

On the other hand, it may be sometimes more convenient to input separate bars (both stirrups and longitudinal bars). This feature is also necessary when the reinforcement is imported from a third party program (e.g. Allplan).

The principle is that the user defines the shape of the reinforcement bars and then selects the members into which these bars are included.

Free bars are considered in all calculations (design and checks). On the other hand, free bars are not included in the bill of material and scheme of reinforcement.

Free bar input parameters

Basic parameters

Name	Specifies the name of the entity.
Layer	Defines the layer into which the entity is located.
Position number	(informative) Tells the position number of the bar.
Diameter	Specifies the diameter of the bar.
Mandrel	Specifies the mandrel.
Material	Specifies the material of the bar.
Long/Stirrup	Tells if the bar is a longitudinal bar or a stirrup.
Construct	If ON, the bar is ignored in design and checks. It is just a structural bar.

Repetition

Number

It is possible to input a set of bars at a time. This parameter specifies the total number of the bars in one set.

Dir X

Dir Y

Dir Z

These three values determine the distance between individual bars in the set.

Description position

Horizontal

Defines the horizontal position of the description (label) of the reinforcement bar.

Vertical

Defines the vertical position of the description (label) of the reinforcement bar.

Anchorage

Location

Defines if anchorage length is to be defined with the bar or not.

Add/subtract

Specifies whether the specified anchorage length is to be added to the input bar or whether the effective length of the bar is obtained from the defined bar by subtracting the specified anchorage length.

Length

Specifies the anchorage length.

Arc

Curve type

Defines the type of the curve in bents of the reinforcement.

Curve parameter

Defines the parameter of the selected curve.

The procedure to input a free bar

Open service Concrete Advanced.
Start function New free bars > New free bar.
The input dialogue is opened on the screen.
Fill in the required parameters.
Confirm with [OK].
Define the shape of the bar in the graphical window.
End the function.

Note: The procedure can be slightly different for service Concrete.

Allocation of free bars

Once a free bar is input, it represents a standalone entity that has no relation to any of the defined beams, columns, plates, etc. in the model. It is necessary to allocate the bar to required members.

The principle is similar to the allocation of post tensioned tendons.

The allocation can be done through the corresponding action buttons.

Manual allocation

The user manually selects the members where the reinforcement free bar is allocated. To do sop, select the required free bar and click action button [Select allocation]. Then follow with the selection of appropriate members.

Automatic allocation

The program automatically selects the members where the reinforcement free bar is allocated. To allocate bars automatically, click action button [Allocate automatically]. The program does the allocation on its own.

Editing the shape and properties of a free bar

Once a free is defined, it is possible to change its properties and/or shape.

The procedure to change the parameters of a free bar

Select the required free bar.
Its properties are displayed in the Property window.
Make necessary changes.
Clear the selection.

The procedure to change the shape of a free bar

Select the required free bar.
Its properties are displayed in the Property window. A few action buttons are displayed in the Property window as well.
Click button [Table edit geometry] to get a table with bar coordinates. You may modify the shape in this table.
Alternatively, you may click button [Table edit geometry] to be able to edit graphically the shape of the bar. When this option is activated, the vertices of the selected free bar are highlighted and can be moved, etc.
Clear the selection when everything is done.

Exploding normal reinforcement into free bars

Any standard reinforcement can be exploded into free bars. Once this is done, the reinforcement bars lose all their original properties and become free bars. This operation is irreversible.

The procedure to explode a normal reinforcement into free bars

Open service Concrete Advanced.
Start function New free bars >Explode tofree bar.
Select the required reinforcement. End the selection with ESC
You are asked if the reinforcement elements are to be deleted or not.
Select YES if you want to have just the free bars (the original reinforcement is transformed into free bars.)
Select NO f you want to keep the original reinforcement and have its copy converted into the free bars.