Slab Layout
The checkboxes on the left of the Slab Layout sub-panel are used to select the number of rows and columns of slabs in each model. The entry boxes on the right of the sub-panel allow the detailed specification of slab length, width, thickness and skew angle. The width (y-dimension) of each row of slabs is assumed constant, as is the length (x-dimension) of each column of slabs. For the case of skewed joints, the length parameter controls the distance along the x-axis. Skew angles are specified left-to-right, with the total number of angles equal to the number of columns + 1. A positive skew angle rotates a joint clockwise, and a negative skew angle rotates the joint counter-clockwise.
The origin of the coordinate system employed by EverFE is always shown in the plan and elevation views, and is located at the left edge of the left-most slab and at the bottom of the slab. If a single row of slabs is specified, the x-axis is along the longitudinal slab centerline; if two rows of slabs are specified, the x-axis is along the longitudinal centerline of the bottom row of slabs; if three rows of slabs are specified, the x-axis is along the longitudinal centerline of the center row of slabs. The y-axis always points downward in plan, and the z-axis is positive downward, giving a right-handed coordinate system. This implies that the z-coordinate of the top of the slabs is the negative of the slab thickness.
You can zoom in or out by clicking the ZM in or ZM out buttons located to the upper right of the plan view. A single click scales the view in or out by 10%, and the initial scale factor is 1.00. Alternatively, the scale factor can be manually entered in the entry box between the ZM in and ZM out buttons.
The solver used by EverFE's underlying finite-element code requires that the slabs and base be separated at the transverse and longitudinal joints. At the transverse joints, the separations are set to 12.7 mm (0.5 in.). Note that this dimension is independent of the transverse joint opening specified on the aggregate interlock panel, and cannot be changed by the user. However, it does affect the locations of the second and third columns of slabs, and must be accounted for when attempting to precisely locate a load by manually entering coordinates in the loading panel, or retrieving stresses and displacements at a specified (x,y,z) coordinate.