PCM

PCM (Progettazione di Costruzioni in Muratura, Masonry Construction Design) is the BIM software by Aedes Software dedicated to the design of all types of masonry buildings. It is a parametric 2D/3D CAD that, starting from the structural schematisation, analyses the static and seismic safety of the building.

Version 2020.2.1 introduced new features for reinforced concrete elements: the strengthening of beams and columns with Fibre Reinforced Polymer (FRP) composites, pushover analysis and the local capacities of the elements. A team from ASDEA assisted Aedes in developing the theory and validating the new features, specifically the newly developed nonlinear plastic hinges that model existing and strengthened structural elements.

The strengthening of reinforced concrete beams and columns with FRP composites complies with CNR-DT 200/2013, “Instructions for the Design, Execution and Control of Static Consolidation Interventions through the use of Fibre-Reinforced Composites”. The arrangement of the strengthening strips is defined during structural modelling by acting on certain properties of the elements, with an input method that varies with the type of element (column or beam) and of cross-section (rectangular, circular or T-shaped).

The plastic hinge in PCM is a mixed biaxial bending-shear hinge. Unlike the more common uncoupled flexural and shear hinges, it predicts the failure mode of the element from the moment-rotation law alone: flexure, shear-flexure or shear. It is obtained by superimposing the degrading shear hinge law on the elastic-plastic behaviour of the biaxial bending hinge, and allows strength and ductility checks at every step of the nonlinear analysis.

Hinge types:

• mixed uniaxial bending-shear hinge, for beams;
• mixed biaxial bending-shear hinge, for columns.

Learn more about PCM on the Aedes Software website