You have made a beam or plate element in Diamonds and ConCrete and you do not get the same results from both programs.
Solution
You probably have not made the same assumptions in both programs. To get the same results, you should model the same.
Verify all items in the check list below to obtain the same results. The sequence is important. It has no use comparing reinforcement/ cracked deformation if the elastic results between the software is not the same.
Check list 1: geometry and loads
| Geometry | Check |
| Span length | ☐ |
| Cross-section | ☐ |
| Plate behaviour A plate in Concrete is always bearing in one direction. While in Diamonds multiple plate types are possible. The equivalent icon for a plate bearing in one direction in Diamonds is  , or a beam with width 1000m en height equal to the thickness of the plate in Concrete. |
☐ |
| Concrete properties | ☐ |
| Reinforcement properties | ☐ |
| Loads | Check |
| Partial safety factors | ☐ |
| Load combinations factors | ☐ |
| Chessboard pattern (relevant when beam/ plate has multiple spans). Diamonds cannot automatically generate a chessboard pattern of the life loads. So If you haven’t entered the chessboard pattern manually in Diamonds, you must turn OFF the chessboard pattern in ConCrete by making the little guys hold hands FOR ALL USED LOADGROUPS. |
☐ |
| Eq 6.10 or Eqs 6.10a & 6.10b Eurocode allows you to generate combinations according to equation 6.10 or 6.10a/b.ConCrete will uses equation 6.10. In Diamonds you can choose depending on the national annex. So choose equation 6.10 in Diamonds. |
☐ |
>> The internal forces (bending moments, shear force) and elastic deformation are now the same.
Check list 2: elastic analysis & longitudonal reinforcement
| Check | |
| Bending moments reduction Don’t reduce the bending moment near the supports in ConCrete. This feature is not available in Diamonds. |
☐ |
| Concrete cover In Concrete you enter the net cover. Concrete will add 10mm to that to find the gross cover. You enter the gross cover in Diamonds. When you enter 30mm in Concrete, you should enter 40mm in Diamonds. |
☐ |
| Design standard EN 1992-1-1 + NA is used for structures that still need to be build. ENV 1992-1-1 is an old standard. Both give different results. In Concrete you can change the standard using Preferences > Calculation method. In Diamonds you can change the standard using Analysis > Concrete standard. |
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| Minimum reinforcement The minimum longitudonal reinforcement equals As,min,ConCrete=ρmin∙b∙d In Diamonds ρmin is directly linked to a concrete quality with predefined properties. In ConCrete ρmin depends on fck. If you change fck (in this dialog  ), you should click on the calculator (in this dialog  ) to update ρmin. |
☐ |
>> The longitudinal reinforcement is now the same.
Although small differences are still possible:
- The stress-strain diagram of concrete is bi-linear in Diamonds, while it is a parabola-rectangle diagram in ConCrete.
- Diamonds does not redistribute the bending moments (EN 1992-1-1 §5.5) while Concrete does. Therefore peak moments in Diamonds will lead to peak reinforcement, while in Concrete the longitudinal reinforcement is ‘chopped off’.
Check list 3: shear reinforcement
| Check | |
| Concrete shear contribution Set the concrete contribution to shear capacity to 0% in ConCrete. In ENV 1992-1-1 the standard method was used to calculate the stirrups. This method allowed to take the concrete contribution to the shear capacity into account. In EN 1992-1-1 the variable strut inclination method is used where the concrete contribution is neglected. (in concrete parameters window) |
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| Application of the loads Apply the loads to the lower fibre in ConCrete. In Diamonds you can’t choose, it’s always the lower fibre. More info here. |
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| Load transfer to supports ConCrete assumes that the loading within a distance of d∙(cot θ + cot α) from the supports is immediately transferred to those supports. This results a ‘chopped off’ shear reinforcement near the supports. Diamonds doesn’t have this feature. |
☐ |
>> The shear reinforcement is now the same.
Check list 4: cracked deformation
| Check | |
| Practical reinforcement | ☐ |
| Load combination for cracking Diamonds calculates the cracking of the section using the combination SLS RC envelope. Select the same combination in ConCrete (in concrete parameters window). |
☐ |
>> The cracked deformation is now the same.
Although small differences are still possible because the minimum reinforcement is not the same. Unless you make a new material in Diamonds and define a minimum reinforcement percentages that gives the same minimum reinforcement as ConCrete.
