Surface reinforcement in FEM-Design has its own local coordinate system (LCS). This system is independent of the local coordinate axes of the plate or wall. The direction of the reinforcement does not always have to follow the direction of the shell but can be controlled separately.
To turn on/off the display of local coordinate systems, the following checkbox is available:
Quick tools → Display settings → Macro → Local system
Alternatively, for shells specifically:
Quick tools → Display settings → Detailed settings → Shells → Graphical options → Display local system
Different local coordinate systems
Shell local system (for slab/wall)
Used for analysis results as average forces under Shell internal forces.
The local system of reinforcement (for surface reinforcement)
Used to define the main and secondary directions of reinforcement. Can be set independently of the shell's local system.
It can also be set separately for each reinforcement layer.
Used for design results as average forces under Design forces.
Other local systems can also include connections such as Edge connections.
Selection of reinforcement direction in Calculation parameters
Under
Concrete → Calculation parameters
select how the local system of reinforcement should be defined.
Local system of shell
The reinforcement follows the local axes of the shell.
Suitable for regular slabs where analysis and reinforcement directions coincide.
Orthogonal
A main direction is defined. The secondary direction is automatically created perpendicular to it. Used for ordinary mesh reinforcement.
Skew
Both the main and secondary directions are freely stated.
Used for loose reinforcement when x' and y' should not be perpendicular to each other.
Example showing the directions of the reinforcement layers under:
Concrete → Surface reinforcement → Calculation parameters
