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3D FEM · steel, concrete, timber

XFEM4U: 3D frames, plates and walls

One 3D model for the whole structure. With the Eurocode checks on, frames are analysed second-order with imperfections; plates are analysed linearly. Every check goes into the report with its formula, values and clause.

EN1990–1995NANL · BE · UK · DE · ITUSAISC 360-16USACI 318-19

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Free download · first hour free · €100 welcome credit when you register · then pay per use · no credit card · Windows

Version
2027.4.2, 4 August 2026
System
Windows 10 and 11, 64-bit · installer 388 MB
Interface
English, Dutch, German, Spanish, Italian, Norwegian and Portuguese
3D model of a large steel hall in XFEM4U
Fig. 1A model made with XFEM4U.
1Jobs

The jobs it does

What engineers use it for, day to day.

  • Steel halls and buildings

    Frames, bracing and purlins in one 3D model. The load generator adds wind and snow to EN 1991 and builds all load combinations.

    In the manual

  • Concrete floors and walls

    Plates with holes, hinged edges or an elastic bed. Reinforcement from the three-layer model of Blaauwendraad and Braam, shear reinforcement included.

    In the manual

  • Beam grids on piles

    Pile reactions, longitudinal reinforcement and stirrups for shear and torsion, and the reinforcement drawing as DXF (Premium licence, or included with pay-per-use).

    In the manual

  • Earthquake to NPR 9998

    The response spectrum from the natural frequencies (Rayleigh). Seismic load cases in x and y and their combinations are generated. Dutch guideline.

    In the manual
2Capabilities

Global imperfections to EN 1993-1-1 §5.3.2(3)a are applied automatically when the checks are on.

What it does, tab by tab

Model

Beams, plates and walls in one model, drawn, imported or generated.

  • Beams in steel, concrete and timber: tapered, built-up, dummy beams, rigid links, releases and hinges, insertion points, tension-only members, beams on elastic soil.
  • Plates, slabs and walls with automatic meshing, holes, hinged plate connections, orthotropic slabs and elastic soil.
  • Supports in any combination, with springs, compression-only supports and local axes.
  • Node, beam and surface loads, load panels and prescribed displacements; load cases, combinations and combination sequences.
  • A 3D wind and snow generator to EN 1991, a hall wizard, grid lines, levels, layers and a section box.
  • User-defined materials in the material editor.
A 3D steel hall of portal frames generated by the XFEM4U hall wizard.
Fig. 2A hall made with the wizard: frames, purlins and supports in one step. Screenshot from the manual.

Analysis

  • First order (GL) or geometrically non-linear (GNL). With the Eurocode steel or timber checks on, the analysis is always GNL.
  • Global sway imperfections to EN 1993-1-1 §5.3.2(3)a are applied automatically, in +dx and −dx: every ULS combination is calculated twice.
  • Member imperfections (§5.3.2(3)b) are not modelled. Members are checked to §6.3 with the buckling length equal to the member length (§5.2.2(7)b).
  • Plates are analysed geometrically linear; the second-order effects apply to the beams.
  • Water accumulation (ponding) on roofs.
  • Earthquake to NPR 9998: a response spectrum from the natural frequencies, found with the Rayleigh method.
  • Fire: the steel temperature of each member over time, unclad or clad, against its critical temperature.
The XFEM4U calculation settings dialog: analysis type, national annex, NEN 8700, consequence class, imperfections and the steel, concrete and timber codes.
Fig. 3Calculation settings: analysis type, national annex, NEN 8700, consequence class and the code per material. Screenshot from the manual.

Design checks

  • Steel members to EN 1993-1-1, lateral-torsional buckling included, with kc after Serna et al. (§6.3.2.3, table 6.6).
  • Semi-rigid moment joints to EN 1993-1-8: the load-dependent stiffness Sj with a trilinear M-φ curve goes into the analysis.
  • Fire resistance of steel members to EN 1993-1-2.
  • Concrete to EN 1992-1-1: beam grids on piles (longitudinal reinforcement, stirrups for shear and torsion) and plate reinforcement with the three-layer model.
  • Timber members to EN 1995-1-1.
  • Steel to ANSI/AISC 360-16 with the Direct Analysis Method.
  • Concrete to ANSI/ACI 318-19.
  • A steel optimiser that proposes lighter profiles.
XFEM4U beam-to-column joint dialog with the connection drawing and, on the right, the calculation to NEN-EN 1993-1-8 written out.
Fig. 4A beam-to-column joint: the drawing and, beside it, the calculation to NEN-EN 1993-1-8 as it runs. Screenshot from the manual.

Codes and annexes

Eurocodes with five national annexes, plus the Dutch guidelines for earthquake and existing structures.

Design codes and national annexes
Code · Used forNLBEUKDEITESPT
EN 1990Basis of design, load combinationsNetherlands: includedBelgium: includedUnited Kingdom: includedGermany: includedItaly: includedSpain: not includedPortugal: not included
EN 1991-1-3, -1-4Snow and wind loads (load generator)Netherlands: includedBelgium: includedUnited Kingdom: includedGermany: includedItaly: includedSpain: not includedPortugal: not included
EN 1992-1-1ConcreteNetherlands: includedBelgium: includedUnited Kingdom: includedGermany: includedItaly: includedSpain: not includedPortugal: not included
EN 1993-1-1Steel membersNetherlands: includedBelgium: includedUnited Kingdom: includedGermany: includedItaly: includedSpain: not includedPortugal: not included
EN 1993-1-2Steel, fireNetherlands: includedBelgium: includedUnited Kingdom: includedGermany: includedItaly: includedSpain: not includedPortugal: not included
EN 1993-1-8Steel jointsNetherlands: includedBelgium: includedUnited Kingdom: includedGermany: includedItaly: includedSpain: not includedPortugal: not included
EN 1995-1-1TimberNetherlands: includedBelgium: includedUnited Kingdom: includedGermany: includedItaly: includedSpain: not includedPortugal: not included
NPR 9998Earthquake (Groningen)Netherlands: includedBelgium: not applicable: a Dutch standardUnited Kingdom: not applicable: a Dutch standardGermany: not applicable: a Dutch standardItaly: not applicable: a Dutch standardSpain: not applicable: a Dutch standardPortugal: not applicable: a Dutch standard
NEN 8700Existing structures: partial factorsNetherlands: includedBelgium: not applicable: a Dutch standardUnited Kingdom: not applicable: a Dutch standardGermany: not applicable: a Dutch standardItaly: not applicable: a Dutch standardSpain: not applicable: a Dutch standardPortugal: not applicable: a Dutch standard

✓ included · ✗ not included · – Dutch standard, other countries not applicable

The national annex is chosen per calculation, in the calculation settings. Source: the program documentation, September 2026.

USANSI/AISC 360-16Also: steel design to ANSI/AISC 360-16, with the Direct Analysis Method.

USANSI/ACI 318-19Also: concrete design to ANSI/ACI 318-19.

Interfaces

  • Excel: send nodes, beams, load cases, combinations and loads to Excel, edit them there and read them back.
  • Tekla Structures: import (Premium licence, or included with pay-per-use) and export, through an XML tool made by Tekniq Solution.
  • IDEA StatiCa: export of the geometry and all ULS forces (Premium licence, or included with pay-per-use).
  • IFC export for BIM.
  • DXF: import as an underlay or as beams (DWG is not read); export of the reinforcement of beam grids (Premium licence, or included with pay-per-use).
  • SDNF import, XML import and export, TXT export.
  • Python: build a parametric model from a script (Premium licence, or included with pay-per-use).
A beam grid reinforcement drawing exported from XFEM4U as DXF and opened in AutoCAD.
Fig. 5The reinforcement drawing of a beam grid, exported as DXF and opened in AutoCAD. Screenshot from the manual.
3Output

From the sample report of November 2022 (version 2023.1).

Sample reports

Every formula, every value, every clause.

The report writes each check out: the clause, the formula, the values that went in and the unity check. Your reviewer can follow it, and you can recheck any line with a pocket calculator.

Page 84 of an XFEM4U report in Dutch: bending moment and shear checks to EN 1993-1-1 articles 6.2.5 and 6.2.6, each formula with its values filled in.
  1. ClauseEach check names its article: EN 1993-1-1 §6.2.5.
  2. Formula with the valuesWpl,z · fy / γM0 = 270616 × 235 / 1.00.
  3. Equation number(6.13) and (6.12), as numbered in the code.
  4. Unity check0.35 < 1.0, with the load combination and position.
Fig. 6Page 84 of 123 of the XFEM4U sample report, in Dutch (version 2023.1, November 2022).

Reports as RTF, PDF or DOCX, in the language set in the program: English, Dutch, German, Spanish, Italian, Norwegian and Portuguese. The output selection decides what goes in.

4Limits

Source: the XFEM4U manual (References › Limitations; Calculation settings) and the release notes.

Where XFEM4U stops

Stated plainly, so you can decide before you start.

  1. Plates are analysed geometrically linear. Second-order effects are calculated for beams only.
  2. Member imperfections are not modelled: members are checked to EN 1993-1-1 §6.3 with the buckling length equal to the member length.
  3. Earthquake: NPR 9998 only, the Dutch guideline.
  4. Model size has no fixed limit. Memory and the bandwidth of the stiffness matrix decide how big a model can get.
  5. CAD exchange is through DXF; DWG files are not read.
  6. Windows 10 and 11 only (64-bit), on .NET 10. The installer is 388 MB (21 August 2026).
  7. Not in XFEM4U: modal analysis beyond the natural frequency, eigenvalue buckling, cracked (physically non-linear) concrete in 3D, construction stages and moving loads.
5Works with

Works with

The other Struct4U programs, your Word report and the software around you.

Struct4U

  • XFrame2DExchange models through XML.
  • XSpreadsheetsParametric models from Excel that open in the program.
  • Word add-inThe report in your own Word document, kept up to date.
  • AI AssistantAnswers from the XFEM4U manual, with the page.

Other software

  • IFCExport the model for BIM.
  • Tekla StructuresImport (Premium or pay-per-use) and export, as XML.
  • IDEA StatiCaExport geometry and all ULS forces.Premium or pay-per-use
  • ExcelSend model data to Excel and read it back.
  • DXFImport as underlay or beams; export incl. reinforcement drawings (Premium or pay-per-use).
  • PythonBuild a parametric model from a script.Premium or pay-per-use

All integrations

6Learn

Learn it

7Users

In a user’s words

As a small consulting firm, we were looking for an affordable option for simple and more complex FEM calculations and ended up with Struct4U. Both the fee system (per hour when used) but also the software really appealed to us. Due to the extremely high (intuitive) ease of use during input and the good output capabilities, both for the FEM software and the material toolboxes, all packages score highly with us. With an alert, knowledgeable and responsive support, it is a strong tool for the structural engineer.

ir. F.D.H. SchleipfenbauerIngenieursbureau Middelhuis en Schleipfenbauer · NL
8What's new

Recent releases

  1. Fire resistance of steel structures. IFC export for BIM. kc for lateral-torsional buckling after Serna et al.

  2. Send and retrieve model data with Excel. Export to Tekla Structures.

  3. Output as a Word document (.docx), with the formulas as Word equations.

Current version 2027.4.2, released 4 August 2026. All changes are in the release notes. (opens in a new tab)

9FAQ

Questions

01Is the analysis second-order?

For frames, yes. With the Eurocode steel or timber checks on, XFEM4U always calculates geometrically non-linear, with the global imperfections applied automatically. Plates are calculated linearly.

02Which national annexes are included?

The Dutch, Belgian, British, German and Italian annexes, chosen per calculation. Steel can also be designed to ANSI/AISC 360-16, and concrete to ANSI/ACI 318-19. There is no Spanish or Portuguese annex.

03What does an hour of XFEM4U cost?

€15 per hour on pay-per-use, billed per minute and capped at €4,000 per computer per calendar year for all programs together. Or take the Advanced licence at €2,218 per year.

04Which features need Premium?

IDEA StatiCa export, Tekla import, DXF export and Python. They come with the Premium licence, €2,688 per year for a single user, which also brings priority support. Pay-per-use includes these features as well.

05Can I bring in a model from Tekla, AutoCAD or Excel?

Yes: Tekla import (Premium licence, or included with pay-per-use), DXF as an underlay or as beams, SDNF and XML import, and Excel for nodes, beams, loads and combinations.

06Does XFEM4U run on a Mac?

No. XFEM4U is a Windows program (64-bit).

Model your next structure in XFEM4U.

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