Ease and cost of design are important factors in the choice, efficient design, and buildability of
building frames. The Concrete Centre provides a range of tools with the aim of enabling designers to develop safe, efficient and sustainable designs. The tools cover a range of topics and design stages, assisting users with carrying out design tasks quickly and accurately.
Cost and Carbon: Concept V5
The Concept version 5 spreadsheet compares conceptual designs to Eurocode 2 for a range of forms of reinforced concrete construction, then ranks them in order of cost, programme or embodied carbon. Concept also provides initial element sizes.
Structural Design of Concrete: RC Spreadsheets v4D
For the experienced engineer, the spreadsheets allow the rapid production of clear and accurate design calculations. For post-graduates and new engineers they encourage understanding of concrete design and help the gaining of experience by studying ‘what if’ scenarios.
Dynamic Thermal Properties
A free tool for calculating the thermal properties of construction elements has been launched by The Concrete Centre following development by Arup.
Passive Design Assistant
This software tool helps demonstrate the passive design principles of buildings to non-specialists, and enables key design variables such as orientation, ventilation and thermal mass to be more easily understood.
TCC 8500 spreadsheet
BS 8500 is the specification standard for concrete in the UK. Its latest version, published in 2023, allowed for many more cement types to be specified. TCC 8500 simplifies the specification of concrete to BS 8500 by allowing the user to input the exposure classes, design strength and cover. The spreadsheet then highlights the limiting values required to satisfy the durability requirements for given cement types. All the exposure classes are covered – carbonation, chlorides, sulfates and
freeze thaw attack.
See www.concretecentre.com/tcc8500
