Design device, design method, computer program

Abstract

Provided is a design device capable of performing structural design in a short period of time at low cost.　A reinforced concrete skeleton comprises a frame F formed by arranging an arbitrary number of reference frames SF in the length, width, and height directions, each reference frame SF consisting of four columns P, four frontage beams FB (precisely, two frontage beams FB and two foundation frontage beams FFB), and four depth beams DB (precisely, two depth beams DB and two foundation depth beams FDB). The columns P, the frontage beams FB, the foundation frontage beams FFB, the depth beams DB, and the foundation depth beams FDB are standardized from the beginning so that the frame F, which is formed by arranging the reference frames SF, can withstand the load of the reinforced concrete skeleton. When a user specifies the frontage, depth, floor height, and number of floors of the reinforced concrete skeleton, the design device automatically designs the reinforced concrete skeleton.

Description

Design device, design method, and computer program

[0001] The present invention mainly relates to a design device for designing reinforced concrete skeletons for residential buildings.

[0002] In Japan, houses are mainly made of wood or reinforced concrete, but in recent years, houses with reinforced concrete structures have become increasingly popular due to their stylish design and robustness.

[0003] However, reinforced concrete frame houses have not yet become more popular than wooden frame houses, largely because, as is well known, the cost of building a reinforced concrete frame house is generally much higher than the cost of building a wooden frame house.

[0004] One reason why the cost of building a house with a reinforced concrete frame is high is that the materials needed to build a house with a reinforced concrete frame tend to be more expensive than those needed to build a house with a wooden frame. Another reason is that building a house with a reinforced concrete frame requires design, including structural design, which is generally expensive. Structural design is expensive because it is generally complex. Structural design generally means designing the building's foundation and framework economically while meeting safety requirements so that it can withstand various loads. For example, in a rigid-frame building, the load is supported by multiple columns and beams, respectively. In many cases, in order to keep the cost of building materials as low as possible, the structure of columns and beams (for example, the thickness of the columns and beams, and the position and number of rebars placed inside them) is almost always different for each column or beam, and it is common to adopt a complex structure in which the structure of columns and beams varies for each column or beam, thereby achieving both the safety performance required of the building after completion and keeping the cost of building materials as low as possible. Nowadays, structural designs have become so complex that in most cases they are carried out using dedicated software installed on computers, and this dedicated software is created using the approach described above.

[0005] As mentioned above, structural design is extremely complex. This creates other problems. As the above explanation clearly shows, the work performed by structural designers in structural design is extremely complex, which means the structural design itself takes a long time and is often relatively expensive. For example, it is common knowledge that the structural design of a single-family home with a reinforced concrete frame requires approximately two months and costs between 500,000 and 1,000,000 yen. Furthermore, until the structural design is completed, the building materials needed to construct the building and the construction man-hours (which are related to the labor costs required during construction) are not determined, making it impossible to estimate the cost required to build the building. Even if a cost estimate is available after the structural design is completed, if the cost is excessive, the client will not be able to make the decision to proceed with the construction of a concrete-framed home. Because such risks exist even after the structural design is completed, many clients hesitate to even begin the structural design process, which requires significant costs. Furthermore, the complexity of such structural design increases the labor costs involved in actually constructing a reinforced concrete frame. For example, if the structure of each column and beam is different, the work of placing rebar inside the concrete formwork will be different for each column and beam, making the work more difficult, leading to reduced work efficiency and the possibility of errors. These factors also hinder the widespread use of concrete-framed houses.

[0006] If structural design could be simplified, for example, if the cost of structural design could be reduced, some of the problems preventing the widespread use of concrete-framed houses could be resolved. However, structural design generally has the objective of "economically designing the foundation and framework of a building so that it can withstand various loads while meeting safety performance requirements," and it is believed that the correct approach to achieving this objective is to "achieve both the safety performance requirements of the completed building and the lowest possible cost of construction materials by adopting a complex structure in which the structures of columns and beams are different for each column or beam." In this situation, the very idea of ​​simplifying structural design does not exist. Therefore, at least at present, no realistic means have been proposed to make structural design cheaper.

[0007] The objective of this project is to propose a technology that simplifies structural design, thereby enabling it to be completed in a short time and at low cost, and in some cases even reducing the cost required to build a house. This technology is exclusively related to a design device that uses a computer.

[0008] The invention proposed by the present applicant to solve the above problems will be outlined first. Conventional structural designs are complex, as already mentioned. Structural design becomes complex, for example, because the structural components of a rigid-frame structure, such as columns and beams, are required to have only the minimum necessary strength, thereby simultaneously ensuring the strength of the building or house provided by the columns and beams while minimizing the cost of construction materials. To ensure that the columns and beams have only the minimum necessary strength, it is necessary to give different structures to columns and beams at different locations within a reinforced concrete skeleton, resulting in a complex structural design. In buildings, it is common for the thickness of each column and the number of reinforcing bars contained therein to vary, and it is also common for the thickness and number of reinforcing bars to vary at different heights within the same column. On the other hand, the simplest shape for a rigid-frame structure in which the load of a building or house is supported by columns and beams is a rectangular parallelepiped frame. A rectangular parallelepiped frame includes four beams extending in the horizontal, mutually perpendicular x- and y-directions, and four columns extending in the vertical z-direction. Among these rectangular parallelepiped frames, a specific shape is defined as a reference frame, and a new rectangular parallelepiped frame is constructed by connecting (or arranging) these reference frames in the x-, y-, and z-directions. In adjacent reference frames, overlapping columns and beams are combined into a single beam. This allows for a certain degree of freedom in constructing a rectangular parallelepiped frame. Next, we consider the case where walls and slabs are added to the rectangular parallelepiped frame created by connecting the reference frames to create a reinforced concrete skeleton. However, we will not consider a somewhat unconventional frame, such as stacking the above-mentioned reference frames 20 times in the z-direction alone to construct a new frame. Consider a case where such an unreasonable situation exists, in other words, where the reference frames are arranged within the range planned by the designer of the design equipment, for example, where X reference frames are arranged in the x direction, Y frames in the y direction, and Z frames in the z direction, and where walls and slabs are further added to these new frames.Columns, beams, walls, and slabs are components of a reinforced concrete structure. It is possible to standardize the configuration of columns and beams in a reference frame so that a new frame created by stacking reference frames within a predetermined area can support the load of a house with a reinforced concrete structure that includes the frame. However, the lowest beam in contact with the ground is given a different standard from the other beams so that it also serves as a foundation. In this way, a reinforced concrete structure including a new frame obtained by arranging X reference frames in the x direction, Y frames in the y direction, and Z frames in the z direction (where the allowable X, Y, and Z combinations are predetermined by the designer of the design system) can support the load of a house with that reinforced concrete structure without the need for new structural design or calculations. However, in this case, the configuration of columns and beams included in the reference frame may often have performance that exceeds the performance required for the new frame created by arranging the reference frames to support the load of a house. In addition, if a reinforced concrete skeleton including a new frame obtained by arranging X number of reference frames including the above-mentioned standardized columns and beams in the x direction, Y number of reference frames in the y direction, and Z number of reference frames in the z direction (however, as mentioned above, the allowable combinations of X, Y, and Z are determined in advance by the designer of the design device, etc.) is guaranteed to be able to support the load of the house including it, then a reinforced concrete skeleton including a new frame obtained by arranging X number of frames in the x direction, Y number of frames in the y direction, and Z number of reference frames in the z direction (quasi-reference frames) conforming to a reference frame that is smaller in at least one of the x direction, y direction, and z direction than a reference frame with columns and beams equivalent to the standardized columns and beams will also be able to support the load of the house including that reinforced concrete skeleton without the need for new structural design or calculation. In this case, it will be even more common for the configuration of columns and beams included in the quasi-reference frames to have performance that exceeds the performance required to support the load of the house.However, by allowing the columns and beams to have the above-described over-performance and restricting the shape of the residence to a rectangular parallelepiped (not necessarily a perfect rectangular parallelepiped, as will be discussed later), structural design becomes significantly simpler, reducing both the time and cost required for structural design. Structural design of reinforced concrete structures based on a simplified reference frame, where columns and beams are standardized, is computer-friendly and less difficult to implement using a design system including a computer. Furthermore, estimates for the construction of the concrete structure, which could only be made after rigorous structural design in conventional design methods, can now be made after the structural design is completed, which can be completed in a short time. Furthermore, by simplifying the structural design, reinforced concrete structures with standardized columns and beams can improve construction efficiency by reducing the difficulty of the actual construction of the reinforced concrete structure, potentially resulting in reduced labor costs. In addition, it may be possible to reduce material procurement costs by purchasing building materials (e.g., rebar) in bulk, which are now common to each standardized column or beam. Taking these factors into consideration, the cost of constructing a reinforced concrete skeleton designed using a simple structural design (the total cost from structural design to construction of the reinforced concrete skeleton) is often lower than before, even when taking into account the increased cost of providing excess performance to columns and beams. The present invention was made based on this concept.

[0009] The present invention is realized as a design device (sometimes simply referred to as a "design device" in this application) for a reinforced concrete skeleton for a house (sometimes simply referred to as a "reinforced concrete skeleton" in this application) as follows: The design device for a reinforced concrete skeleton of the present invention is a design device that includes an input unit that accepts input made by a user using an input device, a rule data recording unit that records rule data that is data on design rules for reinforced concrete skeletons for houses, and a design unit that designs the reinforced concrete skeleton using the rule data recorded in the rule data recording unit based on the input accepted by the input unit, and generates design data that is data on the designed reinforced concrete skeleton.The rule data recorded in the rule data recording unit includes a rule data for determining whether the reinforced concrete skeleton is a rectangular area in a plan view, the rule data being a frontage line segment, which is a virtual line segment of a predetermined length extending in the frontage direction, and a depth line segment, which is a virtual line segment of a predetermined length extending from one end of the frontage line segment in a direction perpendicular to the frontage line segment. The rule data includes a rule data for determining whether the reinforced concrete skeleton is a rectangular area in a plan view, the rule data being ... a plurality of pillars, each of which is a vertical elongated member having a length equal to or less than a third length, erected as a pair at depth division positions which are positions on the two sides dividing the frontage line segment into a length equal to or less than a second length, and at both ends of an auxiliary line segment which is a virtual line segment having the same length as the depth line segment and extending parallel to the depth line segment from the frontage division positions which are positions on the frontage line segment dividing the frontage line segment into a length equal to or less than a second length when the frontage line segment is longer than a second length, and at positions on the auxiliary line segment corresponding to the depth division positions; A plurality of frontage beams, which are long members that horizontally connect the upper and lower ends of all two columns that are parallel to the frontage line and adjacent to the frontage line, in a direction parallel to the frontage line, and a plurality of foundation frontage beams among the frontage beams that are in contact with the ground; a plurality of depth beams, which are long members that horizontally connect the upper and lower ends of all two columns that are parallel to the depth line and adjacent to the frontage line, in a direction parallel to the depth line, and a plurality of foundation depth beams among the depth beams that are in contact with the ground; and a plurality of beams located on two sides of the rectangular area that are parallel to the frontage line. It is recorded that the rectangular space is provided with a plurality of plate-like walls that close the gap between adjacent columns parallel to the frontage line, or a plurality of plate-like walls that close the gap between adjacent columns located on two sides parallel to the depth line of the rectangular range or on the auxiliary line, parallel to the depth line, and a plurality of plate-like slabs that horizontally close the rectangular space surrounded by the two frontage beams and two depth beams, or the two foundation frontage beams and two foundation depth beams, at height positions above and below the columns.In addition to the rule data, the rule data recording unit stores the following data, which are pre-standardized as data usable for the reinforced concrete skeleton so that the structural design strength of a frame composed only of the columns, the front beams, the foundation front beams, the depth beams, and the foundation depth beams is sufficient: column data specifying the standardized thickness of the columns and the configuration of the reinforcing bars in their longitudinal directions, front beam data specifying the standardized thickness of the front beams and the configuration of the reinforcing bars in their longitudinal directions, foundation front beam data specifying the standardized thickness of the foundation front beams and the configuration of the reinforcing bars in their longitudinal directions, depth beam data specifying the standardized thickness of the depth beams and the configuration of the reinforcing bars in their longitudinal directions, foundation depth beam data specifying the standardized thickness of the foundation depth beams and the configuration of the reinforcing bars in their longitudinal directions, wall data specifying the configuration of the walls per unit area, and slab data specifying the configuration of the slabs per unit area. The input from the input unit also includes designation data including information specifying the lengths of the front line segments and the depth line segments. The design unit is configured to generate design data that specifies the reinforced concrete structure by combining the columns specified by the column data recorded in the rule data recording unit, the frontage beams specified by the frontage beam data, the foundation frontage beams specified by the foundation frontage beam data, the depth beams specified by the depth beam data, the foundation depth beams specified by the foundation depth beam data, the walls specified by the wall data, and the slabs specified by the slab data, based on the rectangular range specified by the length of the frontage line segment and the length of the depth line segment received from the input unit.

[0010] The design device for a reinforced concrete skeleton according to the present invention is a design device that includes an input unit that accepts inputs made by a user using an input device, a rule data recording unit that records rule data that is data on design rules for reinforced concrete skeletons for residential buildings, and a design unit that designs a reinforced concrete skeleton using the rule data recorded in the rule data recording unit based on the inputs accepted by the input unit and generates design data that is data on the designed reinforced concrete skeleton. The input unit, which can be configured using an input terminal, an interface, etc., the rule data recording unit, which can be configured using a recording device such as a ROM (read only memory), RAM (random access memory), HDD (hard disk drive), SSD (solid state drive), etc., and the design unit, which can be configured using a CPU (central processing unit), GPU (graphics processing unit), GPGPU (general purpose computing on GPU), etc., are all commonly provided in a computer, and the design device is configured by a computer. The design device may be a dedicated machine solely for the purpose of designing reinforced concrete structures, or may be configured by installing a computer program on a general-purpose computer to cause the computer to function as a design device for reinforced concrete structures. The rule data recorded in the rule data recording unit includes the following rules to be followed when designing a reinforced concrete structure. The reinforced concrete structure includes multiple columns. The rules for the columns are as follows:The columns are erected in pairs at least at both ends of two sides parallel to the depth line of a rectangular area defined by a frontage line, which is a virtual line segment of a predetermined length extending in the frontage direction, and a depth line, which is a virtual line segment of a predetermined length extending from one end of the frontage line in a direction perpendicular to the frontage line, and at depth division positions, which are positions on two sides that equally divide the two sides parallel to the depth line into lengths equal to or shorter than the first length when the width is longer than the first length, and at both ends of an auxiliary line, which is a virtual line segment of the same length as the depth line extending from the frontage division position, which is a position on the frontage line that equally divides the frontage line into lengths equal to or shorter than the second length when the width is longer than the second length, and at positions corresponding to the depth division positions on the auxiliary line.The columns are vertical, elongated members of a length equal to or shorter than the third length.Each reinforced concrete structure includes a plurality of frontage beams and foundation frontage beams. The rules for front beams and foundation front beams are as follows: Front beams and foundation front beams are long members that horizontally connect the upper and lower ends of all two adjacent columns that are parallel to the front line, in a direction parallel to the front line. Of the multiple front beams, those that come into contact with the ground are foundation front beams. All reinforced concrete structures include multiple depth beams and foundation depth beams. The rules for depth beams and foundation depth beams are as follows: Depth beams and foundation depth beams are long members that horizontally connect the upper and lower ends of all two adjacent columns that are parallel to the depth line, in a direction parallel to the depth line. Of the multiple depth beams, those that come into contact with the ground are foundation depth beams. Reinforced concrete structures include multiple walls. The rules for walls are as follows: The walls are formed by sealing the gap between adjacent columns located on two sides parallel to the frontage line of the rectangular area in the form of plates parallel to the frontage line, or by sealing the gap between adjacent columns located on two sides or auxiliary lines parallel to the depth line of the rectangular area in the form of plates parallel to the depth line. The reinforced concrete structure includes multiple slabs. The rules for slabs are as follows: The slabs are plate-shaped and horizontally seal the rectangular space surrounded by two frontage beams and two depth beams, or two foundation frontage beams and two foundation frontage beams, at the height above and below the columns.As can be seen from the above rules, particularly the rules regarding columns, the reinforced concrete skeleton of the present invention is designed based on a rectangular area defined by a frontage line, which is an imaginary line segment of a predetermined length extending in the frontage direction, and a depth line, which is an imaginary line segment of a predetermined length extending from one end of the frontage line in a direction perpendicular to the frontage line. The rectangular area is a rectangular area in a plan view. The rectangular area is defined by two line segments that intersect perpendicularly when viewed from above. One of the two line segments is the frontage line, and the other is the depth line. Note that the portion of the ultimately constructed house corresponding to the frontage line does not necessarily correspond to the frontage of the house, and the same applies to the depth line. The reinforced concrete skeleton has a frame constructed by arranging at least one rectangular frame, corresponding to the reference frame described above, in each of the length, width, and height directions. The frame is constructed by columns defined by the column rules, frontage beams and foundation frontage beams defined by the frontage beam rules, and depth beams and foundation depth beams defined by the depth beam rules. Each of these is multiple, with at least four of each. The frontage beams that contact the ground are foundation frontage beams, and the depth beams that contact the ground are foundation depth beams. The foundation frontage beams and foundation depth beams also serve as foundations. Columns are erected at at least both ends of two sides parallel to the depth line of the rectangular area described above. In other words, columns are always erected at the four corners of the rectangular area. If the depth line is longer than a predetermined first length, columns are also erected at depth division positions, which are positions on the two sides that equally divide the two sides parallel to the depth line into lengths less than the first length. Furthermore, if the frontage line segment is longer than a predetermined second length, columns are erected at both ends of an auxiliary line segment, which is a virtual line segment of the same length as the depth line segment, extending parallel to the depth line segment from the frontage division position, which is a position on the frontage line segment that divides the frontage line segment equally into lengths less than the second length, and at positions corresponding to the depth division position if a depth division position exists on the depth line segment. The columns are vertical, and their length is less than a predetermined third length. The frontage beams and foundation frontage beams are as follows:The front beam horizontally connects the upper and lower ends of all two adjacent columns that are parallel to the frontage line, in a direction parallel to the frontage line. The front beam is a long member. The front beam that touches the ground is the foundation front beam. As described above, the distance between two adjacent columns located on a line parallel to the frontage line across which the front beam is stretched is less than or equal to the second length, so the length of the front beam (and foundation front beam) is always less than or equal to the second length. The depth beam and the foundation depth beam are defined as follows. The depth beam is a long member that horizontally connects the upper and lower ends of all two adjacent columns that are parallel to the depth line, in a direction parallel to the depth line. The depth beam that touches the ground is the foundation depth beam. As described above, the distance between two adjacent columns located on a line parallel to the depth line across which the depth beam is stretched is less than or equal to the first length, so the length of the depth beam (and foundation depth beam) is always less than or equal to the first length. The walls are multiple, and between adjacent columns located on two sides parallel to the frontage line of the rectangular area, plates are formed parallel to the frontage line, or between adjacent columns located on two sides parallel to the depth line or on an auxiliary line parallel to the depth line of the rectangular area, plates are formed parallel to the depth line.The slabs are multiple, and at the height positions above and below the columns, horizontally fill a rectangular space surrounded by two frontage beams and two depth beams, or two foundation frontage beams and two foundation depth beams.The slabs form the roof or floor.In addition to the rule data, the rule data recording unit stores data on building materials that have been pre-standardized as usable for reinforced concrete skeletons, so that the structural design strength of a frame composed only of columns, frontage beams, foundation frontage beams, depth beams, and foundation depth beams is sufficient.Specifically, data on columns, frontage beams, foundation frontage beams, depth beams, foundation depth beams, walls, and slabs are recorded. These data are also used in the design of reinforced concrete structures.Specifically, the data on building materials includes column data that specifies the standardized column thickness and longitudinal reinforcing bar configuration, frontage beam data that specifies the standardized frontage beam thickness and longitudinal reinforcing bar configuration, foundation frontage beam data that specifies the standardized foundation frontage beam thickness and longitudinal reinforcing bar configuration, depth beam data that specifies the standardized depth beam thickness and longitudinal reinforcing bar configuration, foundation depth beam data that specifies the standardized foundation depth beam thickness and longitudinal reinforcing bar configuration, wall data that specifies the wall configuration per unit area, and slab data that specifies the slab configuration per unit area.

[0011] The reinforced concrete skeleton designed by the design system of the present application employs a structure that withstands loads through a frame. In other words, the walls and slabs do not need to support loads. In other words, the reinforced concrete skeleton of the present application employs a so-called rigid-frame structure. The frame is a reference frame, as described in the overview of the present invention, consisting of four columns, four front beams (or two front beams and two foundation front beams), and four depth beams (or two depth beams and two foundation depth beams), arranged in the x direction (e.g., the front line direction) and the y direction (e.g., the depth line direction). As already mentioned, the length of the columns is equal to or less than a third length, the length of the front beams (and foundation front beams) is equal to or less than a second length, and the length of the depth beams (and foundation depth beams) is equal to or less than a first length. Here, the thickness and longitudinal configuration of the reinforcing bars of the columns, front beams (and foundation front beams), and depth beams (and foundation depth beams) are standardized. This standardization is designed to ensure sufficient structural strength for frames consisting only of columns, front beams, foundation front beams, depth beams, and foundation depth beams. The conditions that such standardized columns, front beams (and foundation front beams), and depth beams (and foundation depth beams) must satisfy can be easily determined as conditions for a reinforced concrete skeleton including frames obtained by arranging X, Y, and Z pieces of the reference frame described in the Overview of the Invention in the x, y, and z directions (where allowable combinations of X, Y, and Z are determined in advance by the designer of the design device, etc.) to support the load of the entire reinforced concrete skeleton. The frames to be included in the reinforced concrete structure of the present application will be reference frames such as those described above arranged in the x and y directions, or in the x, y and z directions, or reference frames that can be called quasi-reference frames, which have a shorter length in at least one of the x, y and z directions than the reference frames described above, arranged in the x and y directions, or in the x, y and z directions.In either case, a reinforced concrete skeleton including such a frame can withstand the load of the entire reinforced concrete skeleton, without the need for a new structural design, simply by using the included frames. The design device receives input from a user via an input unit. The input from the input unit includes specification data including information specifying the length of the frontage line segment and the length of the depth line segment. The specification data determines the length of the frontage line segment and the length of the depth line segment, thereby determining the shape and size of the rectangular area. Once the shape and size of the rectangular area are determined, the configuration of the reinforced concrete skeleton to be erected within the rectangular area, i.e., the arrangement of the columns, frontage beams, foundation frontage beams, depth beams, foundation depth beams, walls, and slabs that constitute the reinforced concrete skeleton, is determined by rules specified by rule data that define a design method for reinforced concrete skeletons and are recorded in a rule data recording unit. The design unit included in the design device designs the reinforced concrete skeleton thus determined using the specified data received from the input unit and the rule data recorded in the rule data recording unit. Of course, the columns, front beams, foundation front beams, depth beams, foundation depth beams, walls, and slabs used in the designed reinforced concrete skeleton conform to the column data, front beam data, foundation front beam data, depth beam data, foundation depth beam data, wall data, and slab data recorded in the rule data recording unit. The frame included in the resulting reinforced concrete skeleton is obtained by arranging X, Y, and Z reference frames, which are smaller than the reference frame and should be called reference frames or quasi-reference frames, in the x, y, and z directions, respectively (however, the allowable combinations of X, Y, and Z are determined in advance by the designer of the design device, etc.), as described above. This ensures that the frame can withstand the weight of the reinforced concrete skeleton. In this way, the design device of the present application makes it possible to easily design a reinforced concrete structure that can withstand loads using an internal frame based on data on standardized building materials and rule data, and also makes it possible to reduce the time and cost required for structural design.Furthermore, the design system of the present application allows for quick estimation after structural design, which can be completed in a short time. In addition, the design system of the present application also produces the following secondary effects. First, by standardizing the columns, front beams and footing front beams, and depth beams and depth beams of the footing so that they all have the same structure except for their length, and by standardizing the structure of walls and slabs, it becomes possible to standardize the work required to construct a reinforced concrete skeleton, such as assembling formwork for pouring concrete and arranging reinforcing bars in the formwork. This simplifies the work required to build a house with the above-mentioned reinforced concrete skeleton and leads to reduced costs for constructing a reinforced concrete skeleton. Furthermore, by standardizing the columns, front beams, footing front beams, depth beams and depth beams of the footing so that they all have the same structure except for their length, and by standardizing the structure of the walls and slabs, rather than just for one reinforced concrete skeleton, for many reinforced concrete skeletons, it is possible to minimize the types of rebar that need to be placed in the columns, etc. when constructing a reinforced concrete skeleton. This makes it possible to purchase a small variety of building materials in large quantities, which also makes it possible to reduce the purchasing costs of the building materials needed to construct the reinforced concrete skeleton of the present application.

[0012] The frontage line segment may be equal to or shorter than the second length. In this case, there will be no auxiliary line segment within the rectangular area, and columns will exist only on the sides surrounding the rectangular area. Such a reinforced concrete structure is suitable for a detached residence. On the other hand, the frontage line segment may be equal to or shorter than the second length. In this case, the two adjacent spaces separated by the auxiliary line segment may constitute another residence. In this case, at least one auxiliary line segment will be present within the rectangular area, and columns will exist not only on the sides surrounding the rectangular area, but also at both ends of the auxiliary line segment and, in some cases, in the middle of the auxiliary line segment. In this case, the rectangular area will be separated by walls located on the auxiliary line segment. Such a reinforced concrete structure is suitable for apartments, condominiums, and other multi-family housing. As described above, in the reinforced concrete structure of the present invention, the structures of the columns, frontage beams and foundation frontage beams, depth beams and foundation depth beams, as well as the structures of the walls and slabs, are standardized. It is also possible to prepare different sets of standardized columns, front beams and foundation front beams, depth beams and foundation depth beams, walls, and slabs in advance, one set for a reinforced concrete skeleton intended for a detached house and another set for a reinforced concrete skeleton intended for an apartment building. It is also possible to prepare different sets of first length, second length, and third length for a detached house and an apartment building.

[0013] The designation data input from the input unit may include information specifying the number of floors of the reinforced concrete skeleton, which is two or more floors. In this case, the design unit may design new extension columns, which are new columns having a length equal to or less than the third length and having the same thickness and longitudinal reinforcing bar configuration as the columns, to be connected to each of the columns by extending them vertically in the same number as the number specified by the information specifying the number of floors, minus one. The design unit may also design new sets of front beams, depth beams, walls, and slabs, each having the same configuration as the front beams, depth beams, walls, and slabs, for each extended column. In this way, the reinforced concrete skeleton can be used for multi-story housing, regardless of whether it is for a single-family home or an apartment building. In this case, the extension columns are standardized like the columns. The length of the extension columns is also set to be equal to or less than the third length, like the columns. Therefore, even if a multi-story reinforced concrete skeleton is designed using a design system, for the reasons outlined in the overview of the present invention, a reinforced concrete skeleton designed with a simpler structural design than conventional methods can be guaranteed to withstand the load of the entire reinforced concrete skeleton thanks to the included frame. The length of the extension column may be equal to the length of the first-floor column. In this case, the extension column and the column will have the same configuration, including length, and the floor height of each floor in a multi-story reinforced concrete skeleton will be the same. This contributes to further simplifying the structural design of reinforced concrete skeletons and also contributes to more standardized formwork installation and reinforcement work.

[0014] Columns in a reinforced concrete structure designed by the design device of the present invention are standardized, with the same thickness and longitudinal reinforcing bar configuration. Columns are assumed to have the same thickness and cross-sectional shape throughout their entire length. The columns can be rectangular in plan view, with the depth direction longer than the width direction. That is, the column data can be set so that the column identified thereby has such a shape. This allows the column to support part of a wall and makes it easier to provide the column with the ability to withstand the load of the reinforced concrete structure. When the column shape is rectangular in plan view as described above, the width of the depth direction of the front beam may be set equal to the depth direction of the column. The same can be done for the foundation front beam. That is, the front beam data and foundation front beam data can be set so that the beam identified thereby has such a shape. This maximizes the width of the front beam (and foundation front beam) within the range that allows it to be connected to the column, maximizing the front beam's (and foundation front beam's) ability to support the load of the reinforced concrete frame and improving the aesthetic appearance of the connection between the column and the front beam (and foundation front beam). To strengthen the connection between the front beam (and foundation front beam) and the column, it is desirable to extend the reinforcing bars running along their length inside the front beam (and foundation front beam) to the inside of the column. However, by matching the width of the front beam (and foundation front beam) to the column's depth and aligning the width of the front beam (and foundation front beam) to the column's depth, the reinforcing bars inside the front beam (and foundation front beam) can be inserted into the column regardless of their location in the cross section. Furthermore, when the column is rectangular in plan view as described above, the width of the depth beam, which is the length in the width direction, may be equal to the length of the column in the width direction. The same can be said for the foundation depth beam. In other words, the depth beam data and foundation depth beam data can be set so that the column specified thereby has such a shape.By doing so, the width of the depth beams (and foundation depth beams) can be maximized within the range that can be connected to the column, thereby maximizing the effect of the depth beams (and foundation depth beams) in supporting the load of the reinforced concrete frame, and also making it possible to achieve a clean aesthetic appearance at the connection between the column and at least one of the depth beams (and foundation depth beams). Also, in order to strengthen the connection between the depth beams (and foundation depth beams) and the column, it is desirable to extend the rebar running inside the depth beams (and foundation depth beams) in their length direction to the inside of the column, but if the width of the depth beams (and foundation depth beams) is made to match the length of the column in the width direction, and the width direction of the depth beams (and foundation depth beams) corresponds to the column's width direction, it will be possible to insert the rebar inside the depth beams (and foundation depth beams) into the column no matter where it is located in the cross section.

[0015] The input unit of the design device of the present invention is configured to receive the specified data entered by the user, as described above. The design device may be a so-called on-premise device. That is, the design device may be configured to receive the specified data via an input device operated by a user connected to the design device, without using a network. In this case, the user who inputs the specified data is likely to be a client who has received a request from a client to design a reinforced concrete structure. In the case of an on-premise design device, the design data generated by the design unit of the design device is used in various ways, such as by recording the design data in a recording device provided in the design device or detachably attached to the design device, transmitting the design data to an external device, or displaying a diagram of the reinforced concrete structure based on the design data on a display provided in the design device. On the other hand, the input unit of the design device may be configured to receive the specified data from a user terminal operated by the user via a predetermined network. In this case, the design device may be configured to include an output unit that transmits the design data to the user terminal via the network. In this case, the design device is a so-called cloud-based device. The network is primarily the Internet, but may also include at least the Internet and other networks such as an intranet. In the case of a cloud-based design system, the user who inputs the specified data will likely be the client himself / herself. The client will use, for example, a user terminal (such as a personal computer or smartphone) that can communicate via a network as an input device to send the specified data to the design system via the network. This conveniently allows the client to design the structural structure of the reinforced concrete skeleton of the house they wish to build without or with minimal human intervention. In the case of a cloud-based design system, the design data generated by the design unit is used by being transmitted from the output unit to the user terminal via the network, although this does not exclude other uses. For example, a diagram of the reinforced concrete skeleton based on the design data will be displayed on the display of the user terminal.

[0016] As described above, the design device of the present invention has a basic function of designing a reinforced concrete skeleton. The design device of the present invention may include a cost data recording unit that records cost data necessary to calculate the cost required to construct the reinforced concrete skeleton specified by the design data based on the design data, and an estimation unit that estimates the cost required to construct the reinforced concrete skeleton specified by the design data using the cost data recorded in the cost data recording unit and generates estimate data on the estimated cost. As described above, the configurations of the columns, front beams, footing front beams, depth beams, foundation depth beams, walls, and slabs that constitute the reinforced concrete skeleton designed by the design device of the present invention are standardized as described above. Therefore, once the design of the reinforced concrete skeleton composed of these components is finalized, it is possible to easily calculate the construction materials required to construct the reinforced concrete skeleton and the labor hours required to construct the reinforced concrete skeleton. If the data necessary for such calculations is recorded as cost data in the cost data recording unit, the estimating unit can estimate the cost required to construct a reinforced concrete structure specified by the design data based on the design data and the cost data, and generate estimate data, which is data on the estimated cost. The generated estimate data can be used in the same manner as the design data, although it differs depending on whether the design device is on-premise or cloud-based, as already mentioned. For example, if the design device is cloud-based, the estimate data can be transmitted from the design device to a user terminal via a network and used on the user terminal. In this case, the estimate data is transmitted from the output unit to the user terminal via the network.

[0017] The present inventors also propose a method for designing a reinforced concrete structure as one aspect of the present invention. The effects of this design method are equivalent to those of the design device described above. An example of a design method for a reinforced concrete skeleton for a house is a design device that includes an input unit that accepts input made by a user using an input device, a rule data recording unit that records rule data that is data on design rules for reinforced concrete skeletons for houses, and a design unit that designs the reinforced concrete skeleton using the rule data recorded in the rule data recording unit based on the input accepted by the input unit and generates design data that is data on the designed reinforced concrete skeleton, wherein the rule data recorded in the rule data recording unit includes a design method for the reinforced concrete skeleton at least at both ends of two sides of a rectangular range that is a rectangle in a plan view defined by a frontage line segment that is a virtual line segment of a predetermined length extending in the frontage direction and a depth line segment that is a virtual line segment of a predetermined length extending from one end of the frontage line segment in a direction perpendicular to the frontage line segment, and a design method for the reinforced concrete skeleton at least at both ends of two sides of the rectangular range that is a rectangle in a plan view defined by the frontage line segment, which is a virtual line segment of a predetermined length extending in the frontage direction, and a depth line segment, which is a virtual line segment of a predetermined length extending from one end of the frontage line segment in a direction perpendicular to the frontage line segment, and a plurality of columns that are vertical elongated members having a length equal to or less than a third length, which is a predetermined length, erected in pairs at a certain depth division position and at both ends of an auxiliary line segment, which is a virtual line segment having the same length as the depth line segment and extending parallel to the depth line segment from a frontage division position, which is a position on the frontage line segment that divides the frontage line segment into equal segments equal to or less than a second length, which is a predetermined length, when the frontage line segment is longer than a second length, and at positions on the auxiliary line segment that correspond to the depth division position; and two of the columns that are parallel to and adjacent to the frontage line segment. a plurality of frontage beams, which are long members connecting both upper and lower ends of all of the beams horizontally in a direction parallel to the frontage line, and a plurality of foundation frontage beams among the frontage beams that are in contact with the ground; a plurality of depth beams, which are long members connecting both upper and lower ends of all two of the columns that are parallel to the depth line and adjacent to each other in a direction parallel to the depth line, and a plurality of foundation depth beams among the depth beams that are in contact with the ground; and a plate-like seal is placed between adjacent columns located on two sides of the rectangular area that are parallel to the frontage line,Alternatively, among the columns located on two sides parallel to the depth line of the rectangular range or on the auxiliary line, a plurality of plate-like walls that close the gap between adjacent columns parallel to the depth line, and a plurality of plate-like slabs that horizontally close a rectangular space surrounded by two of the front beams and two of the depth beams, or two of the foundation front beams and two of the foundation depth beams, at height positions above and below the columns, and the rule data recording unit stores, in addition to the rule data, information that can be used for the reinforced concrete skeleton so that the structural strength of a frame constituted only by the columns, the front beams, the foundation front beams, the depth beams, and the foundation depth beams is sufficient. and a design method for a reinforced concrete skeleton, the method being executed by the design department, in which the following data are recorded: column data specifying the standardized column thickness and longitudinal reinforcing bar configuration; frontage beam data specifying the standardized frontage beam thickness and longitudinal reinforcing bar configuration; foundation frontage beam data specifying the standardized foundation frontage beam thickness and longitudinal reinforcing bar configuration; depth beam data specifying the standardized depth beam thickness and longitudinal reinforcing bar configuration; foundation depth beam data specifying the standardized foundation depth beam thickness and longitudinal reinforcing bar configuration; wall data specifying the wall configuration per unit area; and slab data specifying the slab configuration per unit area. This design method includes the steps of receiving, as input from the input unit, designation data including information specifying the length of the frontage line segment and the length of the depth line segment, and generating design data that is data specifying the reinforced concrete skeleton formed by combining, based on the rectangular range specified by the length of the frontage line segment and the length of the depth line segment received from the input unit, the columns specified by the column data recorded in the rule data recording unit, the frontage beams specified by the frontage beam data, the foundation frontage beams specified by the foundation frontage beam data, the depth beams specified by the depth beam data, the foundation depth beams specified by the foundation depth beam data, the walls specified by the wall data, and the slabs specified by the slab data.

[0018] The present inventors also propose, as one aspect of the present invention, a computer program for causing a general-purpose computer to function as the design apparatus of the present application. The effects of this computer program are equivalent to the effects of the design apparatus described above. Furthermore, the ability to cause a general-purpose computer to function as the design apparatus of the present application also constitutes an effect of the computer program invention. One example of the computer program is a computer program for causing a specific computer to function as a design apparatus, the computer program comprising: an input unit that accepts inputs made by a user using an input device; a rule data recording unit that records rule data, which is data on design rules for reinforced concrete skeletons for residential buildings; and a design unit that designs the reinforced concrete skeleton using the rule data recorded in the rule data recording unit based on the inputs accepted by the input unit, and generates design data, which is data on the designed reinforced concrete skeleton.The rule data recorded in the rule data recording unit of the design device includes a rule data recording unit for recording the reinforced concrete skeleton, the rule data recording unit including a rule data recording unit for recording the reinforced concrete skeleton, the rule data recording unit including a rule data recording unit for recording the reinforced concrete skeleton, the rule data recording unit for recording the reinforced concrete skeleton, the rule data recording unit for recording the reinforced concrete skeleton, the rule data recording unit for recording the reinforced concrete skeleton, the rule data recording unit for recording the reinforced concrete skeleton, the rule data recording unit for recording the reinforced concrete skeleton, a plurality of pillars, which are vertical elongated members each having a length equal to or less than a third length, erected in pairs at depth division positions which are positions on the two sides that equally divide the frontage line segment into lengths equal to or less than a second length, and at both ends of an auxiliary line segment, which is a virtual line segment having the same length as the depth line segment and extending parallel to the depth line segment from the frontage division positions which are positions on the frontage line segment that equally divide the frontage line segment into lengths equal to or less than a second length when the frontage line segment is longer than a second length, and at positions on the auxiliary line segment that correspond to the depth division positions; a plurality of frontage beams, which are long members horizontally connecting both upper and lower ends of all two columns that are parallel to the frontage line and adjacent to the frontage line, in a direction parallel to the frontage line, and a plurality of foundation frontage beams among the frontage beams that are in contact with the ground; a plurality of depth beams, which are long members horizontally connecting both upper and lower ends of all two columns that are parallel to the depth line and adjacent to the frontage line, in a direction parallel to the depth line, and a plurality of foundation depth beams among the depth beams that are in contact with the ground; and a plurality of beams located on two sides of the rectangular area that are parallel to the frontage line. It is recorded that the rectangular space defined by the rectangular beams is provided with a plurality of plate-like walls that close the gap between adjacent columns parallel to the frontage line, or a plurality of plate-like walls that close the gap between adjacent columns located on two sides parallel to the depth line of the rectangular range or on the auxiliary line, parallel to the depth line, and a plurality of plate-like slabs that horizontally close the rectangular space surrounded by the two frontage beams and the two depth beams, or the two foundation frontage beams and the two foundation depth beams, at height positions above and below the columns.In addition to the rule data, the rule data recording unit stores the following data, which are pre-standardized as data usable for the reinforced concrete skeleton so that the structural design strength of a frame composed only of the columns, the front beams, the foundation front beams, the depth beams, and the foundation depth beams is sufficient: column data specifying the standardized thickness of the columns and the configuration of the reinforcing bars in their longitudinal directions, front beam data specifying the standardized thickness of the front beams and the configuration of the reinforcing bars in their longitudinal directions, foundation front beam data specifying the standardized thickness of the foundation front beams and the configuration of the reinforcing bars in their longitudinal directions, depth beam data specifying the standardized thickness of the depth beams and the configuration of the reinforcing bars in their longitudinal directions, foundation depth beam data specifying the standardized thickness of the foundation depth beams and the configuration of the reinforcing bars in their longitudinal directions, wall data specifying the configuration of the walls per unit area, and slab data specifying the configuration of the slabs per unit area. The input from the input unit also includes designation data including information specifying the lengths of the front line segments and the depth line segments. The design unit then functions to generate design data that specifies the reinforced concrete structure by combining the columns specified by the column data recorded in the rule data recording unit, the frontage beams specified by the frontage beam data, the foundation frontage beams specified by the foundation frontage beam data, the depth beams specified by the depth beam data, the foundation depth beams specified by the foundation depth beam data, the walls specified by the wall data, and the slabs specified by the slab data, based on the rectangular range specified by the length of the frontage line segment and the length of the depth line segment received from the input unit.

[0019] 1 is a diagram showing the overall configuration of a design system including a design device and a number of terminals according to one embodiment. A diagram showing the appearance of a terminal included in the system shown in FIG. 1. A diagram showing the hardware configuration of a terminal included in the system shown in FIG. 1. A block diagram showing functional blocks generated inside a terminal included in the system shown in FIG. 1. A block diagram showing functional blocks generated inside a design device included in the system shown in FIG. 1. A diagram showing an example of a login screen displayed on the display of a terminal. A diagram showing an example of an image displayed on the display of a terminal when logged in. A plan view conceptually showing a rectangular area used in a design method executed in the design unit of the design device shown in FIG. 1. A plan view conceptually showing a method of determining the position to erect a pillar in the design method executed in the design unit of the design device shown in FIG. 1. A plan view showing a state in which a pillar has been entered in a rectangular area in the design method executed in the design unit of the design device shown in FIG. 1. A diagram showing a column list, a beam list, a wall list, and a slab list for explaining the concept of component data used in the design method executed in the design unit of the design device shown in FIG. 1. A plan view conceptually showing a method of determining the placement positions of a frontage beam and a foundation frontage beam in the design method executed in the design unit of the design device shown in FIG. 1. A plan view conceptually showing a method for determining the placement positions of depth beams and foundation depth beams in a design method executed by the design unit of the design device shown in FIG. 1. 2. A plan view conceptually showing a method for determining the placement positions of walls in a design method executed by the design unit of the design device shown in FIG. 1. 3. A plan view conceptually showing another method for determining the placement positions of walls in a design method executed by the design unit of the design device shown in FIG. 1. 4. A plan view conceptually showing a method for determining the placement positions of slabs in a design method executed by the design unit of the design device shown in FIG. 1. 5. A diagram showing the reinforced concrete skeleton designed in the state of FIG. 16 as viewed from the side in FIG. 16. 6. A perspective view of an example of a frame of a reinforced concrete skeleton designed by the design method executed by the design unit of the design device shown in FIG. 1. 7. A block diagram showing functional blocks generated inside a design device according to a modified example.

[0020] A preferred embodiment of the design system for a reinforced concrete residential structure according to the present invention and its modifications will be described below with reference to the drawings. In the description of the modifications, common elements will be given the same reference numerals as in the embodiment. In addition, elements common to the embodiment will be omitted in the description of the modifications.

[0021] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of the overall configuration of a design system including a design device 200 according to the present invention. The system according to the embodiment includes multiple terminals 100-1 to 100-N (hereinafter, sometimes simply referred to as "terminals 100") and a design device 200. All of these are connectable to a network 400. In this embodiment, the network 400 is the Internet, although this is not limited thereto. Part of the network 400 may include a LAN, an intranet, or other networks. The terminal 100 in this embodiment corresponds to a user terminal as referred to herein. The design device 200 and the terminals 100-1 to 100-N are capable of communicating with each other via the network 400.

[0022] Next, the configuration of the terminal 100 will be described. The configuration of each of the terminals 100-1 to 100-N can be said to be the same in relation to the design device of the present invention. The terminal 100 includes a computer. More specifically, the terminal 100 in this embodiment is configured as a general-purpose computer. The terminal 100 may be a smartphone, tablet, laptop, desktop, wearable device, or the like. All of these devices are required to be capable of communicating via the network 400, to install a computer program described below, to generate the functional blocks described below internally, and to execute the processing described below. As long as these are possible, other specifications are not particularly important. The terminal 100 may be a publicly known or well-known device, and a commercially available device is sufficient. For example, if the terminal 100 is a smartphone or a tablet, the terminal 100 as a smartphone may be, for example, an iPhone (trademark) manufactured and sold by Apple Japan LLC, and the terminal 100 as a tablet may be, for example, an iPad (trademark) manufactured and sold by Apple Japan LLC. If the terminal 100 is configured as a notebook computer, desktop computer, wearable device, or the like, any of these may be commercially available. In the following, although not limited to this, the discussion will proceed assuming that the terminal 100 is a smartphone.

[0023] FIG. 2 shows an example of the external appearance of the terminal 100. The terminal 100 includes a display 101. The display 101 is for displaying still images or moving images, and may be a publicly known or well-known display. The display 101 may be, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic electroluminescence (EL) display. If the terminal 100 is a desktop computer, the display 101 may be external. However, in this application, the terminal 100 is still considered to include the display 101. The terminal 100 also includes an input device 102. The input device 102 is used by a user to input desired information into the terminal 100. The input device 102 may be a publicly known or well-known display. In this embodiment, the input device 102 of the terminal 100 is a button-type device, but is not limited to this, and may also be a numeric keypad, keyboard, trackball, mouse, speech-to-text input device, tap key, or the like. In particular, if the terminal 100 is a notebook computer, a desktop computer, or a wearable terminal, the input device 102 will likely be an external device such as a keyboard, a mouse, or a tapping switch, but in this application the terminal 100 will still be treated as having the input device 102. Also, if the display 101 is a touch panel, the display 101 will also function as the input device 102, and although not limited to this, this is the case in this embodiment.

[0024] The hardware configuration of the terminal 100 is shown in FIG. 3 . The hardware includes a central processing unit (CPU) 111, a read only memory (ROM) 112, a random access memory (RAM) 113, and an interface 114, which are interconnected by a bus 116. The CPU 111 is a computing device that performs calculations. The CPU 111 executes the processes described below by executing computer programs stored in the ROM 112 or the RAM 113, for example. Although not shown, the hardware may include a hard disk drive (HDD), a solid state drive (SSD), or other large-capacity storage device, and the computer program may be stored in the large-capacity storage device. The CPU 111 may also be another type of computing device, such as a graphics processing unit (GPU) or a general purpose computing on GPU (GPGPU). The computer program here includes at least a computer program for causing the terminal 100 to execute the processes described below (e.g., processes for causing the design device 200 to design a reinforced concrete skeleton using the terminal 100 as an input device, receiving output data described below from the design device 200, and causing the display 101 to display the data as described below). This computer program may be pre-installed in the terminal 100 or may be post-installed in the terminal 100. This computer program may be installed in the terminal 100 via a predetermined recording medium such as a memory card, or via a network such as a LAN or the Internet. The computer program may include data used when the CPU 111 executes information processing in accordance with instructions based on the computer program. The ROM 112 stores computer programs and data necessary for the CPU 111 to execute the processes described below.The computer programs stored in the ROM 112 are not limited to the above. If the terminal 100 is a smartphone, the ROM 112 may store computer programs and data necessary for the terminal 100 to function as a smartphone, such as computer programs and data for implementing functions such as phone calls and emails. The terminal 100 is also capable of browsing websites based on data received via the network 400, and a known web browser is installed to enable this. The RAM 113 provides a work area necessary for the CPU 111 to perform processing. In some cases, the RAM 113 may store (part of) the computer programs and data described above. The interface 114 exchanges data between the CPU 111, RAM 113, etc., connected via the bus 116, and the outside. The interface 114 is connected to the display 101 and the input device 102 described above. Operational content input from the input device 102 is input from the interface 114 to the bus 116. As is well known, image data for displaying an image on the display 101 is sent from the bus 116 to the interface 114 and output from the interface 114 to the display 101. The interface 114 is also connected to a transceiver (not shown), which is a known means for communicating with the outside world via a network 400, such as the Internet. This allows the terminal 100 to transmit data via the network 400 and receive data via the network 400. Data transmission and reception via the network 400 may be performed via a wired connection or wirelessly. For example, if the terminal 100 is a smartphone, such communication would typically be performed wirelessly. To the extent possible, the configuration of the transceiver may be a known or well-known one. Data received by the transceiver from the network 400 by the transceiver is received by the interface 114, and data passed from the interface 114 to the transceiver is sent by the transceiver to the outside world, such as the design device 200, via the network 400.

[0025] As the CPU 111 executes the computer program, functional blocks such as those shown in FIG. 4 are generated within the terminal 100. The functional blocks may be generated by the standalone functions of the computer program described above for causing the terminal 100 to function as a user terminal according to the present invention, or may be generated by cooperation between the computer program described above and an OS or other computer programs installed on the terminal 100. In relation to the functions of the present invention, an input unit 121, a control unit 122, an image generation unit 123, an output unit 124, and a data recording unit 125 are generated within the terminal 100. Of these, the control unit 122 and the image generation unit 123 correspond to the arithmetic unit (CPU 111) in terms of hardware, or are realized by the functions of the arithmetic unit that executes information processing according to the instructions of the computer program described above. The input unit 121 and the output unit 124 correspond to the interface 114 in terms of hardware, or are realized by the functions of the interface 114. More specifically, the input unit 121 and the output unit 124 conceptually correspond to the connection between the interface 114 and the bus 116. The data recording unit 125 is realized in hardware by a recording device, i.e., the RAM 113 or a large-capacity recording device. All of the information processing performed by these functional blocks is realized by the CPU 111.

[0026] The input unit 121 receives input from the interface 114. Inputs to the input unit 121 from the interface 114 include input from the input device 102. The inputs from the input device 102 include, for example, data on a user ID, which is unique identification information for each user used to identify the user, and login data, both of which will be described in detail later. The inputs from the input device 102 also include designated data, both of which will be described in detail later. The designated data includes information specifying the length and width of the reinforced concrete structure that the user is requesting the design device 200 to design. As will be described later, the designated data may include information specifying the number of floors and floor height of the reinforced concrete structure that the user is requesting the design device 200 to design. Furthermore, the data input to the input unit 121 from the interface 114 includes data input to the interface 114 from a transmission / reception mechanism. The transmission / reception mechanism may receive data sent from the design device 200 via the network 400. The data input from the transmitting / receiving mechanism to the input unit 121 includes image control data, design data, estimate data, etc., all of which will be described later. In any case, the input unit 121 sends the data received from the interface 114 to the control unit 122.

[0027] The control unit 122 controls all of the functional blocks generated within the terminal 100. The control unit 122 has, for example, the following functions: User ID data and login data may be input to the control unit 122. Upon receiving this, the control unit 122 links the user ID data with the login data, attaches data specifying the design device 200 as the destination, and sends the data to the output unit 124. Designation data may also be input to the control unit 122. Upon receiving this, the control unit 122 sends the designation data to the output unit 124. The control unit 122 may also receive image control data, design data, and estimate data. Upon receiving this, the control unit 122 sends the image control data, design data, and estimate data to the image generation unit 123. The control unit 122 may also record the design data and estimate data in the data recording unit 125.

[0028] The image generation unit 123 may receive image control data. When the image generation unit 123 receives the image control data, it generates image data for an image based on the image control data. Similarly, when the image generation unit 123 receives design data and estimate data, it has the function of generating image data for displaying an image based on the design data and estimate data on the display 101. In either case, the image generation unit 123 sends the generated image data to the output unit 124. The data recording unit 125 records the design data and estimate data as described above under the control unit 122. In short, the data recording unit 125 is a recording device that records data. The design data and estimate data recorded in the data recording unit 125 can be read out by, for example, the control unit 122.

[0029] The output unit 124 outputs data generated by the functional blocks in the terminal 100 to the interface 114. As described above, the output unit 124 may receive from the control unit 122 linked user ID data and login data, along with data specifying the design device 200 as the destination. Upon receiving this data, the output unit 124 transmits the data to the transmission / reception mechanism via the interface 114. The transmission / reception mechanism transmits the user ID data and login data to the design device 200 via the network 400. As described above, the output unit 124 may receive designated data from the control unit 122. Upon receiving the designated data, the output unit 124 transmits the designated data to the transmission / reception mechanism via the interface 114. The transmission / reception mechanism transmits the designated data to the design device 200 via the network 400. Furthermore, the output unit 124 may receive image data from the image generation unit 123. Upon receiving the image data, the output unit 124 transmits it to the interface 114. The image data is sent from the interface 114 to the display 101, and an image based on the image data is displayed on the display 101.

[0030] Next, the configuration of the design device 200 will be described. From a hardware perspective, the design device 200 may be a computer, or more specifically, an existing publicly known or well-known server. Furthermore, its hardware configuration may also be common. Roughly speaking, it may follow the hardware configuration of the terminal 100, in which a CPU 111, a ROM 112, a RAM 113, and an interface 114 are connected via a bus 116. However, the design device 200 typically includes a HDD, an SSD, or other large-capacity storage device. The configurations and functions of the CPU, ROM, RAM, interface, bus, and large-capacity storage device included in the design device 200 are identical to those of the terminal 100. The interface included in the design device 200 is connected to a transmission / reception mechanism, similar to that included in the terminal 100, for communicating with devices outside the design device 200 via a network 400. Information (data) sent from the bus to the interface is sent to the transmission / reception mechanism, and then sent from the transmission / reception mechanism via the network 400 to, for example, the terminal 100. Furthermore, data sent from the terminal 100 via the network 400 and received by the transmitting / receiving mechanism is sent from the transmitting / receiving mechanism to the interface, and then from the interface to the bus. Note that the interface of the design device 200 may be connected to a display and input device similar to those provided on the terminal 100, but as this is not particularly relevant to the present application, a description of these will be omitted.

[0031] By executing a computer program stored in a ROM, mass storage device, or the like within the design device 200 to cause a computer to function as the design device of the present invention, functional blocks such as those described below are generated within the design device 200. The functional blocks may be generated by a standalone function of the computer program for causing a computer to function as the design device of the present invention, or may be generated by cooperation between the computer program and an OS or other computer programs installed in the design device 200. The computer program may be pre-installed in the design device 200, or may be post-installed in the design device 200. In this case, the computer program may be installed in the design device 200 via a predetermined recording medium such as a memory card, or via a network such as a LAN or the Internet. These circumstances are similar to those for the terminal 100. In the design device 200, an input unit 221, a control unit 222, a design unit 224, a rule data recording unit 225, an estimation unit 226, a cost data recording unit 227, and an output unit 228 are generated in relation to the functions of the present invention ( FIG. 5 ). Among these, the control unit 222, the design unit 224, and the estimation unit 226 correspond to a computing device (a CPU in the description of the embodiment, but not limited to this) in terms of hardware, or are realized by the functions of the computing device that executes information processing in accordance with the instructions of the computer program described above. The input unit 221 and the output unit 228 correspond to an interface in terms of hardware, or are realized by the functions of the interface. More specifically, the input unit 221 and the output unit 228 conceptually correspond to the connection between an interface and a bus. The rule data recording unit 225 and the cost data recording unit 227 are realized by a recording device, i.e., a ROM, a RAM, or a large-capacity recording device, in terms of hardware.

[0032] The input unit 221 receives input from the interface. The data input to the input unit 221 from the interface is data sent from the terminal 100 via the network 400 and received by the transmission / reception mechanism of the design device 200. The data received by the transmission / reception mechanism from the terminal 100 will be described in detail later, but includes, for example, user ID data, login data, and designated data, which are all linked together. When these data are received from the interface, the input unit 221 sends each of these data to the control unit 222.

[0033] The control unit 222 controls all of the functional blocks generated within the design device 200. The control unit 222 also has an authentication function that determines whether a user can log in to the design device 200. The control unit 222 may receive a pair of user ID data and login data from the input unit 221. When the control unit 222 receives the linked user ID data and login data, it authenticates the user having the user ID and, if the authentication is successful, allows the user to log in to services provided by the design device 200. To authenticate users, the control unit 222 records user IDs assigned to all users of the terminals 100. The user IDs are recorded in a part of a recording device, for example, a mass storage device. The user ID is a unique identifier for each user, and is, for example, a string of at least one of letters, numbers, and symbols. The user ID for each user may be issued to each user by the design device 200, or may be determined by each user and notified to the design device 200 in advance. In any case, it is easy to prepare a large number of user IDs, each unique relative to the others, and to store them in, for example, the control unit 222 of the design device 200 or an appropriate recording device, by referring to publicly known or well-known technologies. Of course, user authentication can be performed not only using a user ID, but also using a combination of a user ID and a password. User authentication can also be performed without using a user ID, using the user's physical or behavioral characteristics, such as a fingerprint or iris. In any case, any publicly known or well-known appropriate technology can be applied to user authentication. Details of the authentication process in this embodiment will be described later. The control unit 222 also has a function of generating image control data. For example, once the control unit 222 approves a user's login, it generates image control data that prompts the user to input specified data, or more precisely, image control data that displays an image prompting the user to input specified data on the display 101 of the terminal 100.As will be described later, at other times as well, the control unit 222 is configured to generate image control data for displaying a predetermined image on the display 101 of the terminal 100. In any case, once the image control data is generated, the control unit 222 sends the image control data to the output unit 228. The control unit 222 may also receive designation data. Once the designation data is received, the control unit 222 sends the designation data to the design unit 224.

[0034] The design unit 224 has the function of designing a reinforced concrete skeleton that the user wants the design device 200 to design. As described above, the design unit 224 may receive specified data from the control unit 222. Upon receiving the specified data, the design unit 224 designs the reinforced concrete skeleton. How the design unit 224 designs the reinforced concrete skeleton will be described later. The design unit 224 uses the specified data to design the reinforced concrete skeleton, as well as the data recorded in the rule data recording unit 225. The data recorded in the rule data recording unit 225 includes rule data relating to rules governing the arrangement of the components of the reinforced concrete skeleton, including columns, front beams, foundation front beams, depth beams, foundation depth beams, walls, and slabs, all of which will be described later. Also included are component data, which specifies the configuration of each of the components of the reinforced concrete skeleton, including columns, front beams, foundation front beams, depth beams, foundation depth beams, walls, and slabs (the configurations will be described in detail later). Recording such data is the role or function of the rule data recording unit 225. The design unit 224 designs the reinforced concrete skeleton using the specified data and the data recorded in the rule data recording unit 225, and generates design data that specifies the designed reinforced concrete skeleton. The design unit 224 sends the generated design data to the estimation unit 226.

[0035] The estimation unit 226 has a function of estimating the cost required to construct a reinforced concrete skeleton specified by the design data. As described above, the estimation unit 226 may receive design data from the design unit 224. Once it receives the design data, the estimation unit 226 estimates the cost required to construct the reinforced concrete skeleton. How the estimation unit 226 estimates the construction cost of the reinforced concrete skeleton will be described later. The estimation unit 226 uses the design data to design the reinforced concrete skeleton, as well as the cost data recorded in the cost data recording unit 227. The cost data is a collection of data that serves as a basis for estimating the cost required to construct a certain reinforced concrete skeleton (in this embodiment, a reinforced concrete skeleton specified by the design data). Once the estimation unit 226 estimates the amount required to construct the reinforced concrete skeleton, it generates estimation data, which is data that specifies that amount. The estimation unit 226 sends the generated estimation data to the output unit 228 together with the previously received design data. The function of estimating the construction costs of a reinforced concrete skeleton, which is realized by the estimation unit 226, is an additional function in the design device 200, i.e., the design device according to the present invention. In other words, the estimation function is not essential for the design device 200. If the estimation function is not required, the estimation unit 226 and the cost data recording unit 227 can be omitted from the design device 200.

[0036] The output unit 228 may receive image control data sent from the control unit 222, and design data and estimate data sent from the estimate unit 226. Upon receiving this data, the output unit 228 transmits the data via the interface and the network 400 to the terminal 100 of the user who has requested the design device 200 to design a reinforced concrete skeleton.

[0037] Next, a method of using and operation of the design system configured to include the design device 200 and the terminal 100 described above will be described.

[0038] The user in this embodiment is a person who wants the design device 200 to design a reinforced concrete skeleton to be included in a house that the user wants to build, and who wants the design device 200 to provide an estimate for constructing the designed reinforced concrete skeleton. Although the user is not limited to this, a typical example of the user in this embodiment is a client who wants to build a house (or, more accurately, a person who will become the client later).

[0039] A user logs in to the design device 200 using his / her terminal 100. The login process is performed as follows. However, before the login process is executed, each user notifies the design device 200 of their user ID via their terminal 100 and registers the user ID in the design device 200 in advance. Although not limited to this, in this embodiment, each user's user ID is recorded by the control unit 222 in a predetermined recording device within the design device 200, for example. Note that the login process described below is merely an example, and many different login processes available in the world can be applied. The terminal 100 may be configured to access the design device 200 using a dedicated viewer provided by a computer program installed on the terminal 100. However, although not limited to this, in this embodiment, the terminal 100 is configured to access the design device 200 via the network 400 using a web browser.

[0040] First, a user accesses the design device 200 by inputting the URL of the design device 200 into, for example, the address bar of a web browser. The URL is input using the input device 102. The URL data travels from the input device 102 to the control unit 122 via the interface 114 and input unit 121. The control unit 122 attaches the URL data to access request data and sends it to the transmission / reception mechanism via the output unit 124 and interface 114. The transmission / reception mechanism of the terminal 100 transmits the access request data to the design device 200 specified by the URL via the network 400. The design device 200 receives the access request data via its transmission / reception mechanism. The access request data is sent from the transmission / reception mechanism to the control unit 222 via the interface and input unit 221. The control unit 222 generates image control data for displaying an image corresponding to a login screen on the display 101 of the terminal 100, and sends the image control data to the output unit 228 along with data specifying the destination of the image control data. The output unit 228 sends the data to the transmission / reception mechanism. The transmission / reception mechanism transmits the image control data via the network 400 to the terminal 100 specified by the data specifying the destination, that is, the terminal 100 that has sent the access request to the design device 200.

[0041] Terminal 100 receives image control data via its transmission / reception mechanism. The image control data is sent to control unit 122 via interface 114 and input unit 121, and is then sent from control unit 122 to image generation unit 123. Image generation unit 123 generates image data for displaying an image based on the image control data on display 101. Image generation unit 123 sends the generated image data to output unit 124. The image data is sent from output unit 124 to display 101 via interface 114. An image based on the image data is displayed on display 101. An example of an image displayed on display 101 is shown in FIG. 6(A). This is a so-called login screen. As shown in the figure, the image displayed on display 101 of terminal 100 includes the words "User ID" 501, an input box 502 directly below it, and a button 503 labeled "Send."

[0042] The box 502 directly below the word "User ID" 501 is a space for the user to enter the user ID required for login processing. The button 503 labeled "Submit" is a so-called "Confirm" button, and when the user presses (clicks; the same applies below) this button 503, the user ID displayed in the box 502 at that time is determined as the user ID to be entered. When logging in, the user enters their unique user ID in the box 502 below the word "User ID" 501, as shown in FIG. 6B . Of course, each user typically knows their own user ID, so they can enter the user ID. The user ID is entered using the input device 102. The user ID may be, for example, English letters, numbers, or a combination thereof, and the user can enter the user ID from the input device 102 using a known or commonly known method. The user enters the user ID in the box 502 and presses the button labeled "Submit" 503. When the user presses the button 503 labeled "Send," login data is input from the input device 102 along with user ID data corresponding to the user ID written in the box 502. The login data and user ID data are sent from the input device 102 to the control unit 122 via the interface 114 and input unit 121. The control unit 122 links the login data and user ID data to each other, attaches data specifying the design device 200 as the destination, and sends the data to the output unit 124. The linked login data and user ID data are sent to the transmission / reception mechanism via the output unit 124 and interface 114, and further sent to the design device 200 via the network 400. As a result, the design device 200 performs a process of authenticating the user based on the user ID.

[0043] The design device 200 receives the login data and user ID data, which are linked to each other, via its transmission / reception mechanism. The login data and user ID data are sent from the interface to the input unit 221 and then to the control unit 222. Upon receiving this data, the control unit 222 performs user authentication processing. The control unit 222 determines whether a user ID matching the user ID sent from the terminal 100 is recorded in the recording device in which all user IDs are recorded. If the user ID data sent from the terminal 100 matches one of the user ID data recorded in the control unit 222, the control unit 222 authenticates the user using the terminal 100 that sent the user ID as a legitimate user with that user ID, and allows that user to use the services provided by the design device 200. On the other hand, if the user ID sent from the terminal 100 is not recorded in the control unit 222, the above authentication is not performed, and the user is not allowed to use the services. As already mentioned, a password or other information may be used for authentication, or a password may not be used at all.

[0044] When authentication is successful, the control unit 222 generates the following image control data. This image control data is sent to the terminal 100 in the same way as the image control data for displaying a login screen on the display 101 of the terminal 100. In the terminal 100, the image generation unit 123 generates image data based on the image control data, and the generated image data is sent from the image generation unit 123 to the display 101, in the same way as when a login screen is displayed on the display 101 of the terminal 100. As a result, an image such as that shown in FIG. 7A is displayed on the display of the terminal 100. When this image is displayed on the screen of the display 101, the login process is completed. Note that the display 101 in FIG. 7 is drawn vertically longer than in FIG. 6, which indicates that vertical scrolling of the image displayed on the display 101 will result in the display 101 or image shown in FIG. 7.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 7A , the display 101 displays text 511 saying "Welcome, 111aaaa." The "111aaaa" in the text is, of course, merely an example, the user ID of the logged-in user. The display 101 also displays text 512 saying "Please enter information about the reinforced concrete structure," a box 513 located to the right of the text "Frontage" 513X, a box 514 located to the right of the text "Depth" 514X, a box 515 located to the right of the text "Floor height" 515X, a box 516 located to the right of the text "Number of floors" 516X, and a button 517 labeled "Submit." The text 512 saying "Please enter information about the reinforced concrete structure" indicates that the design device 200 is prompting the user to enter information about the reinforced concrete structure they want the design device 200 to design. The user can also recognize from the "frontage" character 513X, "depth" character 514X, "story height" character 515X, and "number of floors" character 516X that they are being prompted to input four pieces of information: the frontage length, depth length, floor height, and number of floors of the reinforced concrete structure. "Frontage" refers to the length of the frontage line segment, as described below. However, the frontage does not necessarily relate to the side on which the entrance is located. "Depth" refers to the length of the depth line segment, as described below. "Story height" refers to the height per floor of the reinforced concrete structure. If the reinforced concrete structure has multiple floors or a multi-story structure, different values ​​can be entered for the floor height for each floor. However, although not limited to this, in this embodiment, only one value can be entered for the floor height. Even if the reinforced concrete structure has a multi-story structure, the floor height of each floor can only be specified to be equal. In addition, the floor height can be set so that it can only be input as a length equal to or less than a third length, which will be described later, and this is the case in this application. If the value for specifying the floor height input by the user is longer than the third length, for example, an error message can be displayed and the input cannot be accepted.It is obvious that such a thing can be easily realized by known or well-known techniques. The number of floors is used to specify how many floors a reinforced concrete skeleton has.

[0046] Using the input device 102, the user inputs a number corresponding to the width of the reinforced concrete skeleton that the user wants the design device 200 to design in the box 513 located to the right of the character "Width" 513X, a number corresponding to the depth in the box 514 located to the right of the character "Depth" 514X, a number corresponding to the floor height in the box 515 located to the right of the character "Floor Height" 515X, and a number corresponding to the number of floors in the box 516 located to the right of the character "Number of Floors" 516X ( FIG. 7(B) ). The width and depth can be determined appropriately by the user based on the shape and size of the site on which the reinforced concrete skeleton will be built, and the shape and size of the reinforced concrete skeleton to be built later. Either the width or the depth may be longer. In the example shown in FIG. 7B , the user requests the design device 200 to design a reinforced concrete structure with a width of 8,000 mm, a depth of 10,000 mm, a floor height of 3,500 mm, and two floors. After confirming that the correct numbers have been entered in boxes 513 to 516, the user presses button 517 labeled "Send." Like button 503, button 517 functions as a confirmation button. When the user enters numbers in boxes 513 to 516 and presses button 517, the width, depth, floor height, and number of floors of the reinforced concrete structure the user requests the design device 200 to design are determined, and designation data, which specifies these four pieces of information, is generated. The designation data is sent from the input device 102 via the interface 114 and input unit 121 to the control unit 122. The control unit 122 then adds data specifying the design device 200 as the destination to the designation data and sends it to the output unit 124. The data linked to each other is sent to the transmitting / receiving mechanism via the output unit 124 and the interface 114. The designated data is sent from the transmitting / receiving mechanism to the design device 200 via the network 400.

[0047] The design device 200 receives the specification data sent via the network 400 through its transmission / reception mechanism. The specification data is sent from the transmission / reception mechanism to the control unit 222 via the interface and input unit 221. The control unit 222 sends the specification data to the design unit 224. Having received the specification data, the design unit 224 begins designing the reinforced concrete skeleton based on the specification data. When designing, the design unit 224 reads rule data from the rule data recording unit 225 and designs the reinforced concrete skeleton in accordance with the rules specified by the rule data.

[0048] The rule data executes the following process for designing a reinforced concrete skeleton. The design unit 224 designs a reinforced concrete skeleton based on a rectangular area α in a plan view, as shown in FIG. 8 . The rectangular area α is the area of ​​a rectangle in a plan view defined by a width line segment A1 and a depth line segment B1, which are perpendicular to each other. The rectangular area α is a rectangle whose four sides are the width line segment A1, the depth line segment B1, the line segment A2, and the line segment B2. The width line segment A1 and the line segment A2 are opposite sides that are parallel to each other, and the depth line segment B1 and the line segment B2 are opposite sides that are parallel to each other. Conceptually, the width line segment A1, the line segment A2, the depth line segment B1, and the line segment B2 are all line segments drawn on the ground on which the reinforced concrete skeleton will be built. The specification data received by the design unit 224 includes information specifying the width and depth of the reinforced concrete skeleton. The length of the frontage line segment A1 is determined by the information specifying the frontage length, and the length of the depth line segment B1 is determined by the information specifying the depth length. In this embodiment, the length of the frontage line segment A1 is determined to be 8,000 mm, and the length of the depth line segment B1 is determined to be 10,000 mm. The frontage line segment A1 corresponds to one side of a reinforced concrete skeleton to be constructed later, which will be a substantially rectangular parallelepiped (as will be described later) in a plan view, and the depth line segment B1 corresponds to the other side of the reinforced concrete skeleton that is perpendicular to the frontage line segment A1. The frontage line segment A1 does not necessarily correspond to the frontage of the reinforced concrete skeleton to be constructed later, and the depth line segment B1 does not necessarily correspond to the depth of the reinforced concrete skeleton to be constructed later. However, in this embodiment, the frontage line segment A1 corresponds to the frontage of the reinforced concrete skeleton to be constructed later, and the depth line segment B1 corresponds to the depth of the reinforced concrete skeleton to be constructed later. The frontage line segment A1 and the depth line segment B1 are determined appropriately to match the shape and size of the reinforced concrete skeleton to be constructed later, based on the shape and size of the site on which the reinforced concrete skeleton will be built, etc. As already mentioned, either the frontage length or the depth length specified by the user may be longer, so either the frontage line segment A1 or the depth line segment B1 may be longer.

[0049] The reinforced concrete skeleton constructed based on the rectangular area α includes a frame with columns, front beams, front footing beams, depth beams, and foundation depth beams. All of these are long members, with the columns extending vertically, the front beams and front footing beams extending horizontally in the direction of the front line segment, and the depth beams and foundation depth beams extending horizontally in the direction of the depth line segment.

[0050] First, we will explain how the design unit 224 determines the position where a pillar will be erected relative to the rectangular area α. The position where a pillar will be erected is determined by the following three rules, Rule 1 to Rule 3. Data corresponding to Rules 1 to 3 is included in the rule data recorded in the rule data recording unit 225, and when determining the position where a pillar will be erected, the design unit 224 reads out the rule data from the rule data recording unit 225 in advance. Rules 1 to 3 will be explained using Figures 9 and 10. Rule 1) Pillars P are erected on at least both ends of two sides of the rectangular area α that are parallel to the depth line segment B1. In other words, pillars are always erected at the four corners of the rectangular area α. Rule 2) If the depth line segment B1 is longer than a predetermined first length, pillar P is erected at depth division position b, which is a position on the two sides that equally divide the two sides parallel to the depth line segment B1 into lengths equal to or shorter than the first length. Rule 3) If the frontage line segment A1 is longer than a predetermined second length, pillars P are erected at both ends of auxiliary line segment B3, which is a virtual line segment of the same length as the depth line segment B1, extending parallel to the depth line segment B1 from a frontage division position a, which is a position on the frontage line segment A1 that divides the frontage line segment A1 into equal lengths equal to or less than the second length. Also, pillars P are erected at positions corresponding to depth division position b, if depth division position b exists on the depth line segment B1. See Figure 9. First, Rule 1 determines that pillars P are erected at four locations marked p1. Next, we consider Rule 2. Rule 2 involves a first length L1 (see Figure 8). The first length L1 is predetermined when determining the reference frame, which will be described later. The first length L1 is also determined by rule data. The first length L1 is predetermined, for example, within a range of 4500 mm to 5700 mm. Although not limited to this, in this embodiment, the first length L1 is set to 5100 mm. To determine the position of the pillar P to be erected according to Rule 2, first, it is verified whether the length l1 of the depth line segment B1 is longer than the first length L1. If the length l1 of the depth line segment B1 is equal to or less than the first length L1, the pillar P cannot be erected on the depth line segment B1 at any position other than p1 at either end thereof, and the pillar P cannot be erected on the line segment B2 at any position other than p1 at either end thereof.On the other hand, if the length l1 of the depth line segment B1 is longer than the first length L1, a pillar P is erected on the depth line segment B1 at depth division position b in addition to at both ends p1 of the depth line segment B1. Depth division position b is the position at which the depth line segment B1 is divided when the depth line segment B1 is divided equally using as small a natural number as possible. For example, if the length obtained by dividing the depth line segment B1 in half is equal to or less than the first length L1, the center of the depth line segment B1 becomes depth division position b. Furthermore, if the length obtained by dividing the depth line segment B1 in half is longer than the first length L1 and the length obtained by dividing the depth line segment B1 in thirds is equal to or less than the first length L1, the two positions that divide the depth line segment B1 into thirds become depth division positions b. More generally, if the length of the depth line segment B1 when divided into n equal parts is longer than the first length L1 and the length of the depth line segment B1 when divided into n+1 equal parts is less than or equal to the first length L1, the n positions on the depth line segment B1 that divide the depth line segment B1 into n+1 equal parts are depth division positions b. In the example shown in FIG. 9, the depth division position b is a single location at the center of the depth line segment B1. In this case, according to Rule 2, the pillar P is erected at two locations: the center p2 of the depth line segment B1 and the center p2 of the line segment B2 parallel to the depth line segment B1. Next, we consider Rule 3. Rule 3 involves the second length L2 (see FIG. 8). The second length L2 is predetermined when determining the reference frame, which will be described later. The second length L2 can be predetermined, for example, within a range from 3700 mm to 5100 mm. Although not limited thereto, in this embodiment, the second length L2 is set to 4100 mm. The second length L2 may be different depending on whether the reinforced concrete skeleton being designed is for a detached house or an apartment building. For example, if the reinforced concrete skeleton is for a detached house, the second length L2 may be set to an appropriate length in the range of 4700 mm to 5100 mm (e.g., 4900 mm), and if it is for an apartment building, the second length L2 may be set to an appropriate length in the range of 3700 mm to 4100 mm (e.g., 3900 mm).If the second length L, which differs depending on whether the reinforced concrete skeleton is for a detached house or an apartment building, is used as a standard for designing based on Rule 3, the user can select whether the reinforced concrete skeleton they want the design device 200 to design is for a detached house or an apartment building. Those skilled in the art will recognize that adding such an item to the screen shown in FIG. 7 allows the user to make such a selection, and that the design unit 224 can be configured to change the second length L2 used based on the user's selection. To determine the position of the column P to be erected based on Rule 3, the design unit 224 first verifies whether the length l2 of the frontage line segment A1 is longer than the second length L2. If the length l2 of the frontage line segment A1 is less than or equal to the second length L2, no column P can be erected based on Rule 3. On the other hand, if the frontage line segment A1 is longer than the predetermined second length L2, the first step is to determine the frontage division position a, which is the position on the frontage line segment A1 that divides the frontage line segment A1 into equal segments equal to or less than the second length L2. Generalizing this approach in the same way as when equally dividing the depth line segment B1 to determine the depth division position b, if the length of the frontage line segment A1 when divided into n equal segments is longer than the second length L2, and the length of the frontage line segment A1 when divided into n+1 equal segments is less than the second length L2, the n positions on the frontage line segment A1 that divide the frontage line segment A1 into n+1 equal segments are the frontage division positions a. According to Rule 3, once the frontage division position a is determined, an auxiliary line segment B3 extending parallel to the depth line segment B1 and having a length equal to the depth line segment B1 is determined. In essence, the auxiliary line segment B3 is a line segment that connects the frontage line segment A1 and the line segment A2 perpendicular to each other. If there are n frontage division positions a, there will be n auxiliary line segments B3. Pillars P will be erected at both ends p3 of the auxiliary line segment B3 and at a position p3 on the auxiliary line segment B3 that corresponds to the depth division position b. In the example of Figure 9, there is one frontage division position a and one auxiliary line segment B3, and pillars P will be erected at both ends p3 of the auxiliary line segment B3 and at the center p3 of the auxiliary line segment B3.

[0051] Figure 10 shows an example in which the design unit 224 determines that columns P are to be erected at positions p1, p2, and p3 within the rectangular area α. While not limited to this example, the column P is rectangular in plan view, with its depth (along the depth line segment B1) longer than its width (along the width line segment A1). While not limited to this example, the column P in this embodiment has a rectangular cross-section with a width length of 400 mm and a depth length of 1200 mm. The numbers mentioned above for the first length L1 and the second length L2 are examples in which the cross-sectional shape of the column P is 400 mm x 1200 mm. Each column P has the same thickness and longitudinal rebar configuration. The thickness or cross-sectional shape of each column P is the same throughout its length, up to the third length, and the rebar arranged within the column P runs longitudinally within the column P. The third length can be determined, for example, as the upper limit of the estimated floor height per floor. The third length can be set to, for example, 4000 mm. The length of the column P in this embodiment is set to a length corresponding to the floor height included in the specified data input by the user using the terminal 100. Therefore, in this embodiment, the length of the column P is set to 3500 mm. The length is determined by the column dimensions excluding the length, the reinforcing bar configuration, and the column data (described later) included in the component data recorded in the rule data recording unit 225. Therefore, when designing the column P, the design unit 224 reads the column data from the rule data recording unit 225 in advance. Although all columns P within a reinforced concrete skeleton are restricted to a length equal to or less than the third length, the length does not need to be uniquely determined in advance. On the other hand, the configuration excluding the length of the column P, in other words, the configuration per unit length, is standardized in a uniform manner. Since the length of a column P determines the floor height of the floor to which the column P belongs in a reinforced concrete skeleton, if the reinforced concrete skeleton employs a multi-story structure as described below, all columns P on the same floor are made the same length. However, it is also possible to standardize the lengths of all columns P on other floors by making them the same length, and although this is not a limitation, this is the case in this embodiment.In other words, in this embodiment, since only one floor height is input via the terminal 100 operated by the user, the floor height of each floor of the multi-story reinforced concrete skeleton is the same, and the length of the columns P arranged on each floor is also the same. However, it is also possible to have the user input the floor height of each floor individually and vary the length of the columns P on each floor, thereby matching the floor height of each floor to the floor height input by the user. Examples of column lists showing the configuration of columns P used in a reinforced concrete skeleton are shown in Figures 11 (A-1) and 11 (B-1). Figure 11 (A-1) shows a column list for a reinforced concrete skeleton for a detached house, while Figure 11 (B-1) shows a column list for a reinforced concrete skeleton for an apartment building. Each column list shows a cross-section of a column P. In the figure, reference numeral 191 denotes a long reinforcing bar running along the length of the column P or perpendicular to the paper, and reference numeral 192 denotes a looped reinforcing bar that surrounds the long reinforcing bar 191 to prevent misalignment. The column list typically also records the dimensions of the column P (excluding its length) and the reinforcing bar configuration (e.g., the placement position of the long reinforcing bars 191, including the number, the spacing along the length of the reinforcing bars 191 at which the looped reinforcing bars 192 are placed, and the types of reinforcing bars 191, 192 placed). The data for the column P corresponding to this column list is column data. The column data includes at least the standardized thickness (cross-sectional dimensions) of the column P and the reinforcing bar configuration along its length. It is possible to use a single type of column data by standardizing the column lists for both detached houses and apartment buildings. While many, or even multiple, column lists are created for columns used in a typical concrete structure, the number of column lists in this embodiment is small. This reduces the amount of column data required.

[0052] Next, we will explain how the design unit 224 determines the positions of the frontage beams and foundation frontage beams. The positions of the frontage beams and foundation frontage beams are determined by the following two rules, Rules 4 to 5. Data corresponding to Rules 4 to 5 is included in the rule data recorded in the rule data recording unit 225, and when determining the positions of the frontage beams and foundation frontage beams, the design unit 224 reads the rule data from the rule data recording unit 225 in advance. Rules 4 to 5 will be explained using Figure 12. Rule 4) The frontage beam FB is positioned so as to horizontally connect the upper and lower ends of all two columns P that are parallel to and adjacent to the frontage line segment A1 in a direction parallel to the frontage line segment A1. Rule 5) The foundation frontage beam FFB is positioned so as to horizontally connect the lower ends of all two columns P that are parallel to and adjacent to the frontage line segment A1, that are in contact with the ground, in a direction parallel to the frontage line segment A1. Referring to Figure 12 , first, according to rules 4 and 5, a front beam FB or a foundation front beam FFB is stretched between two columns P arranged side by side in Figure 12 . Figure 12 is a plan view, and the front beam FB and the foundation front beam FFB overlap. Both the front beam FB and the foundation front beam FFB are long. However, their lengths are equal to or less than the second length L2 and are automatically determined based on the relative positions of the two columns P connected by them. While not limited to this, both the front beam FB and the foundation front beam FFB, which is a type of front beam FB, have rectangular cross sections, and their widths, which are their depth lengths, are equal to the depth lengths of the columns P. Both the front beam FB and the foundation front beam FFB are connected to the columns P so that their widthwise ends are aligned with the depthwise ends of the columns P. Each front beam FB has the same thickness and longitudinal rebar configuration, and the same is true for the foundation front beam FFB. The thickness or cross-sectional shape of both the front beam FB and the foundation front beam FFB is the same throughout their length, and the reinforcing bars arranged within the front beam FB or the foundation front beam FFB run within them in their length direction.In other words, although all front beams FB or foundation front beams FFB within a reinforced concrete structure are restricted to a length equal to or less than the second length L2, their lengths do not need to be uniquely predetermined. On the other hand, the configuration of the front beams FB or foundation front beams FFB, excluding their length—in other words, the configuration per unit length—is standardized. The dimensions and rebar configuration of the front beams FB and foundation front beams FFB, excluding their length, are determined by the front beam data or foundation front beam data (described below) contained in the component data recorded in the rule data recording unit 225. Therefore, when designing the front beams FB and foundation front beams FFB, the design unit 224 reads the front beam data and foundation front beam data from the rule data recording unit 225 in advance. Note that the lengths of multiple front beams FB within a single reinforced concrete structure are the same. Furthermore, the lengths of multiple foundation front beams FFB are also the same. Furthermore, the lengths of the front beam FB and the foundation front beam FFB are also the same. Examples of beam lists showing the configuration of the front beam FB used in reinforced concrete structures are shown in Figures 11 (A-2), (A-3), (B-2), and (B-3). Figure 11 (A-2) shows a beam list for the front beam FB when the reinforced concrete structure is for a detached house, and Figure 11 (B-2) shows a beam list for the front beam FB when the reinforced concrete structure is for an apartment building. Figure 11 (A-3) shows a beam list for the foundation front beam FFB when the reinforced concrete structure is for a detached house, and Figure 11 (B-3) shows a beam list for the foundation front beam FFB when the reinforced concrete structure is for an apartment building. All of the beam lists shown above are cross-sectional views of the front beam FB or the foundation front beam FFB. In the figure, reference numeral 191 denotes reinforcing bars that run in the length direction of the front beam FB or foundation front beam FFB or in a direction perpendicular to the paper, and reference numeral 192 denotes loop-shaped reinforcing bars that surround the long reinforcing bars 191 to prevent them from shifting position. The beam list generally also records the dimensions of the front beam FB or foundation front beam FFB excluding the length, the configuration of the reinforcing bars (the positions of the long reinforcing bars 191 including the number, the spacing in the length direction of the reinforcing bars 191 where the loop-shaped reinforcing bars 192 are placed, the types of reinforcing bars 191, 192 to be placed, etc.).The data corresponding to the front beam FB and foundation front beam FFB corresponding to such a beam list are the front beam data and the foundation front beam data, respectively. The front beam data includes at least the standardized thickness (cross-sectional dimensions) of the front beam FB and the longitudinal rebar configuration, and the same is true for the foundation front beam data. It is also possible to standardize beam lists for the front beam FB and foundation front beam FFB for detached houses and apartment buildings, and to have a single type of front beam data and foundation front beam data. Because the foundation front beam FFB generally requires greater strength than the front beam FB, the thickness (or height) of the latter is set larger than the former, regardless of whether it is for a detached house or an apartment building. While multiple beam lists for the front beam FB or foundation front beam FFB used in a typical concrete structure are created, the number of beam lists for the front beam FB or foundation front beam FFB in this embodiment is small. This also reduces the number of frontage beam data and foundation frontage beam data.

[0053] Next, we will explain how to determine the positions of the depth beams and foundation depth beams. The positions of the depth beams and foundation depth beams are determined by the following two rules, Rules 6 to 7. Data corresponding to Rules 6 to 7 is included in the rule data recorded in the rule data recording unit 225. When determining the positions of the depth beams and foundation depth beams, the design unit 224 reads the rule data from the rule data recording unit 225 in advance. Rules 6 to 7 will be explained using Figure 13. Rule 6) The depth beam DB is positioned so as to horizontally connect the upper and lower ends of all two columns P that are parallel to and adjacent to the depth line segment B1 in a direction parallel to the depth line segment B1. Rule 7) The foundation depth beam FDB is positioned so as to horizontally connect the lower ends of all two columns P that are parallel to and adjacent to the depth line segment B1, which are in contact with the ground, in a direction parallel to the depth line segment B1. Refer to Figure 13. First, according to rules 6 and 7, a depth beam DB or a foundation depth beam FDB is stretched between two columns P located above and below each other in Figure 13. Figure 13 is a plan view, and the depth beam DB and the foundation depth beam FDB overlap. Both the depth beam DB and the foundation depth beam FDB are long. However, their lengths are equal to or less than the first length L1 and are automatically determined based on the relative positions of the two columns P connected by them. Although not limited to this, both the depth beam DB and the foundation depth beam FDB, which is a type of depth beam DB, have rectangular cross sections, and their widths in the frontage direction are equal to the frontage direction length of the column P. Both the depth beam DB and the foundation depth beam FDB are connected to the column P so that their widthwise ends are aligned with the frontage ends of the column P. Each depth beam DB has the same thickness and longitudinal rebar configuration, as do the foundation depth beams FDB. The thickness or cross-sectional shape of both the depth beam DB and the foundation depth beam FDB is the same throughout their length, and the reinforcing bars arranged within the depth beam DB or the foundation depth beam FDB run within them in their length direction.In other words, although all depth beams DB or foundation depth beams FDB within a reinforced concrete structure are restricted to a length equal to or less than the first length L1, their lengths do not need to be uniquely predetermined. On the other hand, the configuration of the depth beams DB or foundation depth beams FDB excluding their lengths, in other words, the configuration per unit length, is standardized. The dimensions of the depth beams DB and foundation depth beams FDB excluding their lengths and the configuration of the reinforcing bars are determined by the depth beam data or foundation depth beam data (described later) contained in the component data recorded in the rule data recording unit 225. Therefore, when designing the depth beams DB and foundation depth beams FDB, the design unit 224 reads the depth beam data and foundation depth beam data from the rule data recording unit 225 in advance. Note that the lengths of multiple depth beams DB within a single reinforced concrete structure are the same. The lengths of multiple foundation depth beams FDB are also the same. Furthermore, the lengths of the depth beams DB and foundation depth beams FDB are also the same. Examples of beam lists showing the configuration of the depth beam DB used in reinforced concrete structures are shown in Figures 11 (A-4), (A-5), (B-4), and (B-5). Figure 11 (A-4) shows the beam list of the depth beam DB when the reinforced concrete structure is for a detached house, and Figure 11 (B-4) shows the beam list of the depth beam DB when the reinforced concrete structure is for an apartment building. Figure 11 (A-5) shows the beam list of the foundation depth beam FDB when the reinforced concrete structure is for a detached house, and Figure 11 (B-5) shows the beam list of the foundation depth beam FDB when the reinforced concrete structure is for an apartment building. All of the beam lists shown above are cross-sectional views of the depth beam DB or foundation depth beam FDB. In the figure, reference numeral 191 denotes reinforcing bars that run in the length direction of the depth beam DB or foundation depth beam FDB or in a direction perpendicular to the paper, and reference numeral 192 denotes loop-shaped reinforcing bars that surround the long reinforcing bars 191 to prevent them from shifting position. The beam list generally also records the dimensions of the depth beam DB or foundation depth beam FDB excluding the length, the configuration of the reinforcing bars (the positions of the long reinforcing bars 191 including the number, the spacing in the length direction of the reinforcing bars 191 where the loop-shaped reinforcing bars 192 are placed, the types of reinforcing bars 191, 192 to be placed, etc.).The data corresponding to the front beam FB and foundation front beam FFB corresponding to such a beam list are depth beam data and foundation depth beam data, respectively. The depth beam data includes at least the thickness (cross-sectional dimensions) of the standardized depth beam DB and the longitudinal rebar configuration, and the same is true for the foundation depth beam data. It is also possible to standardize beam lists for the depth beam DB and foundation depth beam FDB for detached houses and apartment buildings. Because the foundation depth beam FDB generally requires greater strength than the depth beam DB, the thickness (or height) of the latter is greater than the former, regardless of whether it is for a detached house or an apartment building. Furthermore, although not limited to this, in this embodiment, the thickness of the front beam FB and the depth beam DB are the same, and the thickness of the foundation front beam FFB and the foundation depth beam FDB are the same. While beam lists for the depth beam DB or foundation depth beam FDB used in a typical concrete structure are often created in large numbers, the number of beam lists for the depth beam DB or foundation depth beam FDB in this embodiment is small. This reduces the number of depth beam data and foundation depth beam data.

[0054] The above describes a method for designing a frame for a reinforced concrete skeleton of a single-story house or a reinforced concrete skeleton for the first floor of a multi-story house. By adding walls and slabs to the frame, the design of the reinforced concrete skeleton of a single-story house or a reinforced concrete skeleton for the first floor of a multi-story house is completed. Next, the locations of the walls and slabs will be described. First, the walls will be described. The locations of the walls are determined by the following two rules, Rules 8 to 9. Data corresponding to Rules 8 to 9 are included in the rule data recorded in the rule data recording unit 225. When determining the locations of the walls, the design unit 224 reads the rule data from the rule data recording unit 225 in advance. Rules 8 to 9 will be described using Figures 14 and 15 . Rule 8) Walls W fill the gap between adjacent columns P located on two sides of the rectangular area α parallel to the frontage line segment A1, parallel to the frontage line segment A1. Rule 9) Walls W fill the gap between adjacent columns P located on two sides of the rectangular area α parallel to the depth line segment B1 or on the auxiliary line segment B3, parallel to the depth line segment B1. See Figures 14 and 15. First, according to Rule 8, four walls W are arranged with their length extending horizontally in Figures 14 and 15. The walls W are rectangular. The walls W arranged according to Rule 8 have two vertical sides connected to the columns P and two horizontal sides connected to the frontage beam FB or the foundation frontage beam FFB. As shown in Figure 14, the walls W are basically constructed on the frontage line segment A1 of the rectangular area α and the line segment A2 opposite the frontage line segment A1 (i.e., on the outline of the rectangular area α). However, as long as the wall W satisfies the condition that it is arranged parallel to the frontage line segment A1, it may be arranged at a position that is inward from the frontage line segment A1 and inside the rectangular area α, as shown in the lower wall W in Figure 15. In other words, the wall W may be designed to be arranged at a position away from the outline of the rectangular area α. In other words, there is a certain degree of freedom in the design regarding the arrangement position of the wall W. The design unit 224 may be configured to design the position of the wall W to be, for example, the position shown in either Figure 14 or 15 by default.The design unit 224 may also be configured to select the position of the wall W based on input from the user's terminal 100. The user's terminal 100 may select the position of the wall W at the time of inputting the specified data or at a different time. For example, the user may be able to select the position of the wall W after the design data is transmitted to the terminal 100 as described below. Regardless of the position of the wall W, the area of ​​the wall W remains the same between the cases shown in FIG. 14 and FIG. 15 . Therefore, whether the design shown in FIG. 14 or the design shown in FIG. 15 is adopted, there is no significant difference in the estimate described below. Next, according to rule 9, six walls are arranged with the vertical direction as the length direction in FIGS. 14 and 15 . The wall W is rectangular. The wall W arranged according to rule 9 has four sides, two vertical sides connected to the column P and two horizontal sides connected to the depth beam DB or the foundation depth beam FDB. Even in this case, it is permissible to position the wall W that is not on the auxiliary line segment B3 outside the outline of the rectangular area α (i.e., a certain degree of freedom is given to the placement position of the wall W). However, in Figures 14 and 15, the wall W is positioned on the outline of the rectangular area α, i.e., on the depth line segment B1 and the line segment B2 opposite the depth line segment B1. Regardless of whether the wall W is positioned according to Rule 8 or 9, as is well known, it is always plate-shaped. Like columns P, the wall W is also standardized so that its configuration per unit area is the same. Because the wall W does not support the weight of the reinforced concrete skeleton, minimal robustness is sufficient. The dimensions and rebar configuration of the wall W are determined by the wall data (described later) included in the component data recorded in the rule data recording unit 225. Therefore, when designing the wall W, the design unit 224 reads the wall data from the rule data recording unit 225 in advance. Examples of wall lists showing the configuration of walls W used in a reinforced concrete skeleton are shown in Figures 11 (A-6) and (B-6). Figure 11 (A-6) shows a wall list of walls W when the reinforced concrete skeleton is for a detached house, and Figure 11 (B-6) shows a wall list of walls W when the reinforced concrete skeleton is for an apartment building. Both of the above wall lists show cross sections of walls W.In the figure, 191 denotes rebars running in the width direction or perpendicular to the paper surface within the wall W. 191X denotes rebars running in the wall W parallel to the paper surface, vertically relative to the paper surface. A wall list typically records the wall dimensions (wall thickness) and the rebar configuration (such as the spacing and type of rebars between the rebars 191 and 191X running in the width and height directions of the wall W). Data corresponding to each wall P corresponding to such a wall list is wall data. The wall data includes at least the standardized wall thickness, the spacing and rebar configuration between the rebars 191 and 191X running in the width and height directions of the wall W. It is also possible to use a common wall list for walls W for both detached houses and apartment buildings.

[0055] The location of a slab is determined by the following rule 10. Data corresponding to Rule 10 is included in the rule data recorded in the rule data recording unit 225. When determining the location of a slab, the design unit 224 reads the rule data for Rule 10 from the rule data recording unit 225 in advance. Rule 10 will be described using Figures 16 and 17. Rule 10) A slab S horizontally fills a rectangular space surrounded by two front beams FB and two depth beams DB, or two foundation front beams FFB and two foundation depth beams FDB, at the height above and below the column P. See Figures 16 and 17. Figure 17 shows the reinforced concrete skeleton designed in the state shown in Figure 16, viewed from the side in Figure 16. However, the wall W is not shown in Figure 17. According to Rule 10, four slabs S are arranged vertically and horizontally in a 2x2 pattern in Figure 16. The slabs S are rectangular. The slab S arranged according to Rule 10 is horizontal and positioned above and below the column P. The four sides of the slab S are connected to two front beams FB and two depth beams DB, or two foundation front beams FFB and two foundation depth beams FDB. As is well known, all slabs S are plate-shaped. Like columns P, slabs S are standardized to have the same configuration per unit area. Because slabs S do not support the weight of the reinforced concrete structure, minimal robustness is sufficient. The dimensions and rebar configuration of the slab S are determined by the slab data (described later) included in the component data recorded in the rule data recording unit 225. Therefore, when designing the slab S, the design unit 224 reads the slab data from the rule data recording unit 225 in advance. Examples of slab lists showing the configuration of slabs S used in reinforced concrete structures are shown in Figures 11 (A-7) and 11 (B-7). Figure 11 (A-7) shows a slab list for slab S when the reinforced concrete skeleton is for a single-family home, and Figure 11 (B-7) shows a slab list for slab S when the reinforced concrete skeleton is for an apartment building. All of the above slab lists show cross sections of slab S. In the figure, 191 denotes reinforcing bars running through the slab S in a direction perpendicular to the paper.In the figure, 191X denotes rebars running horizontally within the slab S, parallel to the plane of the paper. A slab list generally records the slab dimensions (slab thickness) and the rebar configuration (such as the spacing and type of rebars between rebars 191, 191X running perpendicular to each other within the slab S). The data corresponding to each slab S corresponding to such a slab list is slab data. The slab data includes at least the standardized slab thickness, the spacing and rebar configuration of rebars 191, 191X running vertically and horizontally within the slab S. It is also possible to standardize slab lists for slabs S for both detached houses and apartment buildings.

[0056] The above describes the design method executed by the design unit 224 for the reinforced concrete skeleton of a single-story house or the first floor of a multi-story house. Of course, a house with a reinforced concrete skeleton may also have a multi-story structure. In this embodiment, since the user selects "2" as the number of floors in the specified data, the reinforced concrete skeleton designed by the design unit 224 will be two stories tall. When designing a multi-story reinforced concrete skeleton, at least one new column P, which is equal to or shorter than the third length and has the same thickness and longitudinal rebar configuration as the column P, is connected to each column P by extending the same number of columns P vertically. In this embodiment, the columns P used on the second and higher floors have the same configuration, including length, as the columns P used on the first floor. If one column P is extended and connected to the original column P, the reinforced concrete structure will be two stories high; if two columns P are extended and connected, the reinforced concrete structure will be three stories high, and so on. Then, just as when designing the first floor of the reinforced concrete structure, the top of the newly added column P is connected with a front beam FB and a depth beam DB, and walls W and slabs S are placed. However, because there is a certain degree of freedom in the placement of walls W as mentioned above, the placement of walls W on each floor does not have to be exactly the same.

[0057] The design of a residential reinforced concrete skeleton is thus completed. Note that when designing a reinforced concrete skeleton, the design unit 224 does not necessarily design the columns P, front beams FB, foundation front beams FFB, depth beams DB, foundation depth beams FDB, walls W, and slabs S in the order described above. Furthermore, in the case of a multi-story reinforced concrete skeleton, it is not necessary to design the first floor first and then the second floor. For example, the entire frame of a multi-story reinforced concrete skeleton may be designed first, and then the walls W and slabs S to be attached to the frame may be designed. In the above example, the design of holes for installing window frames and doors in the walls W is omitted, and the design of holes in the slabs S required for installing an internal staircase is omitted. However, these may be designed by the design unit 224 in accordance with conventional techniques. Alternatively, although the selection of the location of the wall W may be left to the user, the design or selection of holes for installing windows or doors may also be left to the user. If the design or selection is left to the user, it would be convenient for the design device 200 to present multiple options to the user and allow the user to select a preferred option. In this reinforced concrete structure, for example, any of the walls W may be entirely made of glass. Even if this is done, the walls W and slabs S do not play a role in supporting the load of the reinforced concrete structure, ensuring sufficient strength of the reinforced concrete structure. Therefore, even if the design or selection of holes for installing windows or doors is left to the user, the function of the frame to support the load of the reinforced concrete structure is not affected.

[0058] The reason why the reinforced concrete skeleton designed by the design department 224 can support its load using only the frame, without relying on walls W or slabs S, is as follows. This will be explained using the perspective views of an example frame F shown in FIGS. 18 and 19 . FIGS. 18 and 19 show perspective views of the frame F in the reinforced concrete skeleton designed by the design department 224. In FIG. 18 , of the two sides of the front side of the rectangular area α at the bottom of the frame F, the left side is the front line segment A1, and the right side is the depth line segment B1. In the example shown in FIG. 18 , the front line segment A1 is equal to or less than the second length L2, and the depth line segment B1 is more than twice but less than three times the first length L1. As a result, the frame F designed according to the above-mentioned rules 1 to 7 will be as shown in FIG. 18 . Here, the rectangular parallelepiped area defined by the four columns P, four front beams FB (more precisely, two front beams FB and two foundation front beams FFB), and four depth beams DB (more precisely, two depth beams DB and two foundation depth beams FDB) shown shaded in the figure corresponds to the reference frame SF described in the overview of the present invention. The frame F shown in Figure 18 is formed by connecting three reference frames SF, one in the direction of the front line segment A1, three in the direction of the depth line segment B, and three in the vertical direction. In Figure 19, of the two front sides of the rectangular area α at the bottom of the frame, the right side is the front line segment A1 and the left side is the depth line segment B1. In the example of Figure 19, the front line segment A1 is longer than twice the second length L2 but shorter than three times the second length L2, and the depth line segment B1 is equal to or shorter than the first length L1. As a result, the frame F designed according to the above-mentioned rules 1 to 7 is as shown in Figure 19. The frame shown in Figure 19 is formed by lining up three reference frames SF explained in Figure 18 in the direction of the frontage line A1, one in the direction of the depth line B, and three in the vertical direction. Here, the columns P, frontage beams FB, foundation frontage beams FFB, depth beams DB, foundation depth beams FDB, walls W, and slabs S form a frame F that is approximately rectangular parallelepiped in shape as a whole by lining up X, Y, and Z reference frames SF in the direction of the frontage line, the direction of the depth line, and the vertical direction (however, restrictions can be placed on the combinations of X, Y, and Z).), and even if a wall W and a slab S are added to it in accordance with Rules 8 to 10 described above, the frame F is standardized so that it will be sufficient to support the load of the entire reinforced concrete skeleton. Therefore, if the combination of numbers specified by the above X, Y, and Z falls within the range of combinations planned by the designer of the design system, it is semi-automatically guaranteed that the reinforced concrete skeleton having the frame F made by arranging the reference frames SF in the length, width, and height directions will have sufficient strength to support the load of the reinforced concrete skeleton. In other words, if the above-mentioned column data specifying the configuration of the column P, the above-mentioned front beam data, foundation front beam data, depth beam data, and foundation depth beam data specifying the configuration of each of the front beam FB, foundation front beam FFB, depth beam DB, and foundation depth beam FDB, the above-mentioned wall data specifying the configuration of the wall W, and the above-mentioned slab data specifying the configuration of the slab S are prepared in advance as a set in a state that satisfies the condition that the frame F is sufficient to support the load of the reinforced concrete structure when the reference frame SF is arranged in the length, width, and height directions, then the frame F in the reinforced concrete structure made in accordance with the above-mentioned rules 1 to 10 will automatically have sufficient strength to support the load of the reinforced concrete structure. This is because the frame F in the reinforced concrete structure designed in this way will have an approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape, with reference frames SF stacked in the length, width, and height directions, or will have an approximately rectangular parallelepiped shape, with frames (quasi-reference frames described in the overview of the present invention) that are shorter than the reference frame SF in at least one of the length, width, and height directions stacked in the length, width, and height directions.

[0059] When designing the frame F shown in FIG. 18 , the auxiliary line B3 does not appear. Therefore, there are no walls W separating the spaces on each of the first to third floors, as they are located on the auxiliary line B3. Therefore, the reinforced concrete skeleton having the frame F shown in FIG. 18 is suitable for a detached house with an interior staircase connecting the first and second floors and an interior staircase connecting the second and third floors. When designing the frame shown in FIG. 19 , two auxiliary lines B3 appear. As a result, walls W are located on each of the first to third floors, dividing each floor into three sections. Therefore, the reinforced concrete skeleton having the frame F shown in FIG. 19 is suitable for a three-story apartment building with three maisonette-type rooms lined up side by side, with the shaded area in FIG. 19 being one unit, by providing an interior staircase connecting the first and second floors and an interior staircase connecting the second and third floors. Alternatively, by adding an exterior staircase and an external passageway as appropriate and eliminating the internal staircase mentioned above, the reinforced concrete structure with the frame shown in Figure 19 would be suitable for an apartment building with a total of nine rooms, with three independent rooms on each floor.

[0060] In any case, the user simply specifies the frontage length, depth, floor height, and number of floors of the reinforced concrete skeleton, and the design unit 224 of the design device 200 can design a reinforced concrete skeleton including columns, frontage beams, foundation frontage beams, depth beams, foundation depth beams, walls, and slabs. If the floor height (i.e., the length of the column P) is fixed, the user does not need to specify the floor height. If the number of floors of the reinforced concrete skeleton is limited to one, the user does not need to specify the number of floors. Therefore, the design unit of the design device 200 can design a reinforced concrete skeleton by specifying only the frontage length and depth length at a minimum. The design unit 224 generates design data that identifies the designed reinforced concrete skeleton. The design data can be, for example, three-dimensional image data or CAD (Computer Aided Design) data, but the data format is not important. However, it would be better if the data format of the design data were as general-purpose as possible if the user were to be able to view an image of the reinforced concrete skeleton based on the design data on the display 101 of his / her own terminal 100. The design unit 224 sends the generated design data to the estimation unit 226.

[0061] Since the design of a reinforced concrete skeleton using such a design device 200 can be performed without relying on human labor, it can be completed in an extremely short time, at least compared to the time required for conventional structural design. The time required to design a reinforced concrete skeleton varies depending on the size of the reinforced concrete skeleton and the performance of the computer or server used to build the design device 200, but can be, for example, from about 10 seconds to several minutes, and the design device 200 prototyped by the applicant was also able to design a reinforced concrete skeleton in that amount of time. Even if the design device 200 required several tens of minutes to design a reinforced concrete skeleton, use of the design device 200 would enable the design of a reinforced concrete skeleton to be completed in an extremely short time compared to conventional structural design, which often required about two months. As described above, to ensure that a frame included in a reinforced concrete skeleton designed by the design unit 224 can support the load of the reinforced concrete skeleton, it is necessary that the set of numbers X, Y, and Z obtained by lining up X, Y, and Z reference frames included in the frame in the width line direction, depth line direction, and vertical direction, respectively, be within the range expected by the designer of the design device 200. Therefore, if the reference frames included in a frame included in a reinforced concrete skeleton designed by the design unit 224 based on the specified data input by the user and sent from the terminal 100 to the design device 200 exceed the range expected by the designer of the design device 200, the design unit 224 may cancel the design of the reinforced concrete skeleton or may not proceed with the design from the beginning. The decision as to whether to complete the design of the reinforced concrete skeleton may be made by the control unit 222, rather than the design unit 224. For example, if the relationship between the numerical value specifying the frontage length of the reinforced concrete structure included in the specified data, the numerical value specifying the depth length, and the numerical value specifying the floor height and number of floors, and the numerical value specifying the height of the reinforced concrete structure, exceeds a predetermined relationship, the design unit 224 may of course make that judgment, but the control unit 222 may also make a judgment not to complete the design of the reinforced concrete structure.In any case, if the user is unable to complete the design of the reinforced concrete structure based on the specified data sent from the terminal 100 to the design device 200, an error code generated by the control unit 222 may be sent from the design device 200 to the terminal 100. Of course, the error code may include a reason why the design device 200 is unable to design the reinforced concrete structure using the specified data entered by the user. Furthermore, after sending the error code, the image shown in FIG. 7A may be displayed again on the display 101 of the terminal 100 to prompt the user to resend the specified data to the design device 200. The generation of the error code and the subsequent processing are both well-known or well-known techniques in the design of abnormalities in computer systems.

[0062] The design unit 224 sends the generated design data to the estimation unit 226. Upon receiving the design data, the estimation unit 226 estimates the cost required to construct a reinforced concrete skeleton specified by the design data. The estimation unit 226 reads cost data from the cost data recording unit 227 and uses the cost data to estimate the cost required to construct a reinforced concrete skeleton specified by the design data. As described above, the cost data is a collection of data that serves as a basis for estimating the cost required to construct a certain reinforced concrete skeleton (in this embodiment, the reinforced concrete skeleton specified by the design data). The cost data may include, for example, the unit prices of each construction material, such as reinforcing bars, cement, sand, gravel, additives, etc. required to manufacture concrete, formwork and its accessories, data for calculating the number of construction man-hours required to build a certain reinforced concrete skeleton, and data such as the daily wages of workers required to perform the construction work. In addition, for data that serves as the basis for estimating the cost required to build a reinforced concrete skeleton, such as data that fluctuates daily, the estimating unit 226 may be equipped with a function to collect the data from outside the design device 200 (e.g., from an appropriate device in the Internet). This can improve the accuracy of the estimate. Such data collection techniques are well known or well-known as crawling techniques for collecting data from the Internet, and such techniques may be applied. The data collected by crawling may be recorded in the cost data recording unit 227, so that the cost data recorded in the cost data recording unit 227 can be constantly updated. The estimating unit 226 uses the above-mentioned cost data to estimate the cost required to build a reinforced concrete skeleton. This estimate can be made by adding up, for example, material costs, labor costs, and disposal costs of waste generated during construction. Software for estimating the cost required to build a building is well known or well-known and is already in practical use.Examples include "ASCAL (trademark)," software for performing integrated structural calculations and cost estimation for reinforced concrete buildings manufactured and sold by Otsuka Shokai Co., Ltd.; "BUILD. Integrated VI (trademark)," software for performing integrated structural calculations and cost estimation for reinforced concrete buildings manufactured and sold by Structural Software Co., Ltd.; and "WALL-1 (trademark)," software for performing integrated structural calculations and cost estimation for wall-type reinforced concrete buildings manufactured and sold by Structural Systems Co., Ltd. By recording the data required for estimation used in such software as cost data in the cost data recording unit 227 and executing the calculations used in such software in the estimating unit 226, it is possible to implement a function in the estimating unit 226 that estimates the costs required to construct a reinforced concrete skeleton specified by the design data using publicly known or well-known technology. Once the estimating unit 226 determines the amount required to construct the reinforced concrete skeleton designed by the design unit 224, it generates estimate data that specifies that amount. The estimation unit 226 sends the generated estimation data together with the previously received design data to the output unit 228. The design data and estimation data are sent from the output unit 228 to the transmission / reception mechanism.

[0063] The time required to estimate the cost of constructing a reinforced concrete skeleton varies depending on the size of the reinforced concrete skeleton and the performance of the computer or server used to construct the design device 200, but can be, for example, about 10 seconds to several minutes, and the applicant's prototype design device 200 was also able to design a reinforced concrete skeleton in about that amount of time. Even if it takes several tens of minutes for the design device 200 to estimate the cost of constructing a reinforced concrete skeleton, using the design device 200 makes it possible to estimate the cost of constructing a reinforced concrete skeleton in an extremely short time, considering that a similar estimate would often require one to two weeks of manual work in the past.

[0064] However, a reinforced concrete skeleton specified by design data can be constructed using conventional construction methods if it is constructed after the design data is met. For example, in the case of a reinforced concrete skeleton for a one-story residential building, first, formwork is assembled and rebar is appropriately placed inside the formwork. Concrete is poured into the assembled formwork and cured to harden, thereby constructing the foundation front beams FFB, foundation depth beams FDB, and slab S corresponding to the first floor. Next, the formwork assembled to construct the foundation front beams FFB and foundation depth beams FDB is removed, and the formwork is reassembled and rebar is appropriately placed inside the formwork. Concrete is poured into the assembled formwork and cured to harden, thereby constructing the columns P, front beams FB, depth beams DB, walls W, and slab S corresponding to the first floor ceiling. This completes the reinforced concrete skeleton for a one-story residential building. In the case of a reinforced concrete skeleton for a multi-story, e.g., two-story, residential building, after completing the first floor concrete skeleton as described above, the formwork assembled to construct the first floor columns P, front beams FB, depth beams DB, walls W, and slab S corresponding to the first floor ceiling is removed, and the formwork is reassembled, rebar is appropriately placed inside the formwork, and concrete is poured into the assembled formwork and cured to harden, thereby constructing the second floor columns P, front beams FB, depth beams DB, walls W, and slab S corresponding to the second floor ceiling. Similar procedures can be repeated to construct floors above the third floor. The reinforced concrete skeleton includes, for example, anchoring portions where the columns P, front beams FB, and depth beams DB, or the columns P, foundation front beams FFB, and foundation depth beams FDB, intersect, as shown by the dashed lines in Figure 19. At that intersection, the reinforcing bars extending in the length direction of the column P, the reinforcing bars extending in the length direction of the front beam FB, and the reinforcing bars extending in the length direction of the depth beam DB, or the reinforcing bars extending in the length direction of the column P, the reinforcing bars extending in the length direction of the foundation front beam FFB, and the reinforcing bars extending in the length direction of the foundation depth beam FDB, intersect with each other.By crossing the rebars in the frontage, depth, and vertical directions, the connections between column P and frontage beam FB, column P and depth beam DB, column P and foundation frontage beam FFB, and column P and foundation depth beam FDB can be strengthened, helping to increase the load resistance of the reinforced concrete skeleton. For example, the long rebar 191 in column P typically extends from the top to the bottom of the reinforced concrete skeleton. The ends of the rebars extending along the length of frontage beam FB, depth beam DB, foundation frontage beam FFB, and foundation depth beam FDB can all be extended into column P by an appropriate length, for example, about 400 mm. Furthermore, the rebars extending along the length of the front beam FB, the length of the depth beam DB, the length of the foundation front beam FFB, and the portions of the foundation depth beam FDB that extend into the column P may be bent at right angles or folded back in a U-shape. This process of crossing the rebars contained within the columns and beams three-dimensionally at the joints between the columns and beams is called anchoring. It is preferable to standardize this anchoring method for the column data, front beam data, foundation front beam data, depth beam data, and foundation depth beam data in the design device 200. This allows the estimating unit 226 to more accurately determine the required length of rebar and the man-hours required to place the rebar, resulting in a more accurate estimate of the costs required to construct a reinforced concrete skeleton.

[0065] Similar to when image control data is sent from the design device 200 to the terminal 100, the design data and estimate data are sent from the transmission / reception mechanism via the network 400 to the terminal 100 of the user requesting the design of a reinforced concrete structure. If the design data and estimate data are quickly transmitted from the server 200 to the terminal 100 after the estimate data is generated (as the design device 200 is typically designed to do, and this is also the case in this embodiment, although not limited thereto), the user who transmitted the designated data from the terminal 100 to the server 200 can obtain the design data and estimate data in a short time. The terminal 100 receives the design data and estimate data via its transmission / reception mechanism. The design data and estimate data are sent from the transmission / reception mechanism to the input unit 121 via the interface 114, and then from the input unit 121 to the control unit 122. The control unit 122 sends the design data and estimate data to the image generation unit 123. The image generation unit 123 generates image data for an image of a reinforced concrete structure specified by the design data and sends the image data to the output unit 124. The image data is sent from the output unit 124 to the display 101 via the interface 114. An image based on the image data, i.e., an image including an image of the reinforced concrete structure specified by the design data, is displayed on the display 101. The image may also display the amount required to construct the reinforced concrete structure based on the estimate data, simultaneously with the image of the reinforced concrete structure. If such a display is to be performed on the display 101, the image generation unit 123 may generate an image for displaying such a display on the display 101 based on the design data and the estimate data. Of course, the estimated amount does not need to be displayed on the display 101 simultaneously with the image of the reinforced concrete structure. For example, when a user operates the input device 102 to input an image to switch images, under the control of the control unit 122, the image displayed on the display 101 may be switched between an image of the reinforced concrete structure and an image of the estimated amount.Furthermore, by allowing the user to select whether or not estimate data is required, it is of course possible to implement measures such as preventing the display of the costs required to build a reinforced concrete structure on display 101 if the user does not require estimate data.

[0066] The control unit 122 also records the received design data and estimate data in the data recording unit 125. This allows the user to display on the display 101 of the terminal 100 an image of the reinforced concrete structure based on the design data and an image of the estimated amount based on the estimate data, even after the terminal 100's access to the design device 200 is cut off.

[0067] <Modification> A design device according to the modification will be described. The design device according to the modification is substantially the same as the design device 200 of the above-described embodiment. The design device 200 according to the above-described embodiment is a so-called cloud-based device, whereas the design device according to the modification is an on-premise device, differing from the above-described embodiment. Simply put, in the above-described embodiment, the designated data was input to a terminal 100 located differently from the design device 200, but in the design device according to the modification, the designated data is input to an input device provided in the design device. Also, in the above-described embodiment, images based on the design data and estimate data were displayed on a display 101 provided in the terminal 100 located differently from the design device 200, but in the design device according to the modification, the images are displayed on a display provided in the design device. In other words, although illustrations are omitted because these are publicly known or well-known technologies, the design device according to the modification includes an input device and a display. The input device may be a publicly known or well-known device, such as a numeric keypad, keyboard, trackball, mouse, speech-to-text input device, tap key, or a display when the display is a touch panel. The display may be built into the design device or an external display. The display is, for example, a liquid crystal display or an organic EL display.

[0068] The design device in the modified example is identical in terms of hardware to the design device 200 in the above-described embodiment. The design device in the modified example is configured with a computer. However, the design device does not need to be configured as a server, but may be configured as a general-purpose personal computer, such as a laptop or desktop PC, or a tablet. Like the design device 200 described in the embodiment, the design device in the modified example includes the same hardware as the terminal 100 described in the embodiment, namely, a CPU 111, a ROM 112, a RAM 113, an interface 114, and a bus 116, and also includes the same mass storage device as described in the embodiment. The configurations and functions of the CPU 111, ROM 112, RAM 113, interface 114, bus 116, and mass storage device are the same between the embodiment and the modified example. However, while in the above-described embodiment, a transmission / reception mechanism was connected to the interface of the design device 200, an input device and a display are connected to the interface of the design device in the modified example.

[0069] In this modified example, a computer program for causing a computer to function as the design apparatus of the present invention is recorded in a ROM, mass storage device, or the like within the design apparatus. By executing the computer program, functional blocks such as those described below are generated within the design apparatus 200. The functional blocks may be generated by a standalone computer program for causing a computer to function as the design apparatus of the present invention, or may be generated by cooperation between the computer program and an OS or other computer programs installed on the design apparatus. The computer program may be pre-installed on the design apparatus, or may be post-installed on the design apparatus. In this case, the computer program may be installed on the design apparatus via a predetermined recording medium such as a memory card, or via a network such as a LAN or the Internet. These circumstances are the same as those for the design apparatus 200 of the above-described embodiment. As in the above-described embodiment, the design system includes an input unit 221, a control unit 222, a design unit 224, a rule data recording unit 225, an estimation unit 226, a cost data recording unit 227, and an output unit 228. Furthermore, a recording unit 223, which was not included in the above-described embodiment, is also included (see FIG. 20 ). Among these, the control unit 222, the design unit 224, and the estimation unit 226 correspond to a computing device (although not limited to this, it is referred to as a CPU in the description of the embodiment) in terms of hardware, or are realized by the functions of the computing device that executes information processing in accordance with the instructions of the computer program. The input unit 221 and the output unit 228 correspond to an interface in terms of hardware, or are realized by the functions of the interface. More specifically, the input unit 221 and the output unit 228 conceptually correspond to the connection between an interface and a bus. The rule data recording unit 225, the cost data recording unit 227, and the recording unit 223 are realized by a recording device, i.e., a ROM, a RAM, or a large-capacity recording device, in terms of hardware.

[0070] The functions of the input unit 221, control unit 222, design unit 224, rule data recording unit 225, estimate unit 226, cost data recording unit 227, and output unit 228 in the design apparatus of the modified example are basically the same as those in the above-described embodiment. However, in the above-described embodiment, data input to the input unit 221 was sent from the terminal 100 operated by the user via the network 400 and received by the transmission / reception mechanism. On the other hand, in this modified example, the data is input from an input device. In the modified example, the data input from the input device is input to the input unit 221 via an interface. Also, in the above-described embodiment, data output from the output unit 228 is sent to the transmission / reception mechanism and then sent from the transmission / reception mechanism to the terminal 100 via the network 400. On the other hand, in this modified example, the data is output to a display. Also, in the above-described embodiment, the control unit 222 executes login processing, but the control unit 222 in the modified example does not have the function of executing login processing. This is because login processing itself is not necessary in an on-premise design apparatus. Furthermore, the control unit 222 in the design device of the modified example does not have the function of generating image control data, which the control unit 222 in the design device of the above-described embodiment has. Instead, the control unit 222 in the modified example has the function of generating images to be displayed on the display. This point will be described later.

[0071] Next, the method of use and operation of the design device in the modified example will be described. The user who operates the design device in the modified example is, but is not limited to, a person who has received a request from a client to design a reinforced concrete skeleton, for example, a person working at a design office.

[0072] The user launches the above-mentioned computer program for causing the computer to function as a design device. The control unit 222 then generates image data. This image data is used to display an image such as that shown in FIG. 7 on a display provided in the design device. The image data is sent from the control unit 222 to the output unit 228, and then sent to the display via an interface. As a result, an image such as that shown in FIG. 7 is displayed on the display based on the image data. The image shown in FIG. 7 is data that prompts the user to input specified data.

[0073] As described in the above embodiment, the user inputs designated data not through the input device of the terminal 100 but through an input device connected to the design device. In this case, too, the user inputs a number corresponding to the width of the reinforced concrete structure they want the design device to design in the box 513 located to the right of the character "Frontage" 513X, a number corresponding to the depth in the box 514 located to the right of the character "Depth" 514X, a number corresponding to the floor height in the box 515 located to the right of the character "Floor Height" 515X, and a number corresponding to the floor number in the box 516 located to the right of the character "Floor Number" 516X ( FIG. 7B ). After confirming that the correct numbers have been entered in the boxes 513 to 516, the user presses the button 517 labeled "Send." The button 517 functions as a so-called "Confirm" button. In a modified example, the button 517 would be labeled "Confirm" instead of "Send." When the user inputs numbers into boxes 513 to 516 and presses button 517, the frontage, depth, floor height, and number of floors of the reinforced concrete skeleton that the user wants the design system to design are determined, and specification data, which is data specifying these four pieces of information, is generated. The specification data is sent from the input device to the input unit 221 via the interface. The specification data is then sent from the input unit 221 to the control unit 222.

[0074] The control unit 222 sends the specified data to the design unit 224. Having received the specified data, the design unit 224 begins designing the reinforced concrete skeleton based on the specified data. When designing, the design unit 224 reads rule data from the rule data recording unit 225 and designs the reinforced concrete skeleton in accordance with the rules specified by the rule data. The processing performed by the design unit 224 to design the reinforced concrete skeleton is as described in the above embodiment. As a result, the design unit 224 generates design data. The design data is sent from the design unit 224 to the estimation unit 226.

[0075] Upon receiving the design data, the estimation unit 226 estimates the cost required to construct the reinforced concrete skeleton specified by the design data. The estimation unit 226 reads cost data from the cost data recording unit 227 and uses the cost data to estimate the cost required to construct the reinforced concrete skeleton specified by the design data. The process performed by the estimation unit 226 to estimate the cost required to construct the reinforced concrete skeleton is as described in the above embodiment. As a result, the estimation unit 226 generates estimate data. The estimation unit 226 sends the generated estimate data to the control unit 222 together with the previously received design data.

[0076] Upon receiving the design data and estimate data, the control unit 222 generates image data. This image data is used to display an image based on the design data, i.e., an image of the designed reinforced concrete structure, on a display connected to the design device. As in the above-described embodiment, this image data may include an image of the estimated cost based on the estimate data, and the user may be allowed to select either the image of the reinforced concrete structure or the image of the estimated cost. The control unit 222 sends the generated image data to the display. As a result, in the above-described embodiment, the display will display an image similar to the image displayed on the display of the terminal 100, i.e., an image including at least one of the image of the reinforced concrete structure and the image of the estimated cost.

[0077] The control unit 222 also records the received design data and estimate data in the recording unit 223. This allows the user operating the design device to check images of the designed reinforced concrete structure and images of the estimated cost on the display, even after some time has passed, as needed, using the design data and estimate data recorded in the recording unit 223. The design data and estimate data can be sent to an external device outside the design device, for example, by email, or can be recorded on a portable recording medium that is detachable from the design device and used in the external device.

[0078] 100 Terminal 200 Design device 221 Input unit 222 Control unit 223 Recording unit 224 Design unit 225 Rule data recording unit 226 Estimation unit 227 Cost data recording unit 228 Output unit α Rectangular range A1 Frontage line segment B1 Depth line segment B3 Auxiliary line segment a Frontage division position b Depth division position P Column FB Frontage beam DB Depth beam FFB Foundation frontage beam FDB Foundation depth beam W Wall S Slab

Claims

1. A design device comprising an input unit that accepts input made by a user using an input device, a rule data recording unit that records rule data that is data on design rules for a reinforced concrete structure for a house, and a design unit that uses the rule data recorded in the rule data recording unit based on the input accepted by the input unit to design the reinforced concrete structure and generate design data that is data on the designed reinforced concrete structure, wherein the rule data recorded in the rule data recording unit includes: a frontage line segment, which is a virtual line segment of a predetermined length extending in a frontage direction, and a depth line segment, which is a virtual line segment of a predetermined length extending from one end of the frontage line segment in a direction perpendicular to the frontage line segment, in a rectangular range in a plan view, the range being defined by the frontage line segment, which is a virtual line segment of a predetermined length extending from one end of the frontage line segment in a direction perpendicular to the frontage line segment; at least both ends of two sides parallel to the depth line segment of a rectangular range, which is a rectangular range in a plan view, and a depth division position, which is a position on the two sides that evenly divides the two sides parallel to the depth line segment into lengths equal to or less than the first length when the frontage line segment is longer than a first length, which is a predetermined length, and a plurality of pillars that are vertical elongated materials with a length equal to or less than a third length, which is a predetermined length, erected in pairs at both ends of an auxiliary line segment, which is a virtual line segment of the same length as the depth line segment that extends parallel to the depth line segment from the frontage division position, which is a position on the frontage line segment that evenly divides the frontage line segment into lengths equal to or less than the second length when the frontage line segment is longer than a second length, which is a predetermined length, and at a position corresponding to the depth division position on the auxiliary line segment; a plurality of frontage beams, which are long materials connecting both upper and lower ends of all two of the columns that are parallel to the frontage line and adjacent to each other in a direction parallel to the frontage line, and a plurality of foundation frontage beams that contact the ground among the frontage beams; a plurality of depth beams, which are long materials connecting both upper and lower ends of all two of the columns that are parallel to the depth line and adjacent to each other in a direction parallel to the depth line, and a plurality of foundation depth beams that contact the ground among the depth beams; a plurality of plate-shaped walls that close the gap between adjacent columns that are located on two sides of the rectangular area that are parallel to the frontage line, or a plurality of plate-shaped walls that close the gap between adjacent columns that are located on two sides of the rectangular area that are parallel to the depth line or on the auxiliary line, in a direction parallel to the depth line;and a plurality of plate-shaped slabs that horizontally fill a rectangular space surrounded by two of the front beams and two of the depth beams, or two of the foundation front beams and two of the foundation depth beams, at height positions above and below the column, and the rule data recording unit stores, in addition to the rule data, the following data that are pre-standardized as usable for the reinforced concrete skeleton such that the structural design strength of a frame composed only of the column, the front beam, the foundation front beam, the depth beam, and the foundation depth beam is sufficient: column data specifying the standardized thickness of the column and the configuration of reinforcing bars in the longitudinal direction; front beam data specifying the standardized thickness of the front beam and the configuration of reinforcing bars in the longitudinal direction; foundation front beam data specifying the standardized thickness of the foundation front beam and the configuration of reinforcing bars in the longitudinal direction; depth beam data specifying the standardized thickness of the depth beam and the configuration of reinforcing bars in the longitudinal direction; foundation depth beam data specifying the standardized thickness of the foundation depth beam and the configuration of reinforcing bars in the longitudinal direction; wall data specifying the configuration of the wall per unit area, a rectangular area specified by the length of the frontage line segment and the length of the depth line segment received from the input unit, and the design unit generates design data which specifies the reinforced concrete structure formed by combining the columns specified by the column data recorded in the rule data recording unit, the frontage beams specified by the frontage beam data, the foundation frontage beams specified by the foundation frontage beam data, the depth beams specified by the depth beam data, the foundation depth beams specified by the foundation depth beam data, the walls specified by the wall data, and the slabs specified by the slab data, based on the rectangular area specified by the length of the frontage line segment and the length of the depth line segment received from the input unit.

2. The design device according to claim 1, wherein the frontage line segment is equal to or shorter than the second length.

3. The design device according to claim 1, wherein the frontage line segment is equal to or longer than the second length, and the two adjacent spaces separated by the auxiliary line segment constitute another residence.

4. The design device as described in claim 1, wherein the specified data input from the input unit includes information specifying the number of floors of the reinforced concrete structure, which is two or more floors, and the design unit is configured to: design new extension columns, which are new columns having a length equal to or less than the third length and have the same thickness and longitudinal reinforcement configuration as the columns, on top of all of the columns, one less than the number specified in the information specifying the number of floors, to be extended vertically and connected to all of the columns in the same number; and design to add new sets of front beams, depth beams, walls and slabs having the same configuration as the front beams, depth beams, walls and slabs, respectively, for each extended column.

5. The design device according to claim 4, wherein the design unit is adapted to set the length of the extension column equal to the length of the column.

6. The design device according to claim 1, wherein the column identified by the column data is a rectangle in plan view with a length in the depth direction longer than a length in the width direction.

7. The design device according to claim 6, wherein a width, which is a length in the depth direction of the frontage beam specified by the frontage beam data, is set equal to a length in the depth direction of the column.

8. The design device according to claim 6, wherein the width, which is the length in the frontage direction of the depth beam specified by the depth beam data, is set equal to the length in the frontage direction of the column.

9. A design device as claimed in claim 1 or 4, wherein the input unit is adapted to accept the specified data from a user terminal operated by the user via a predetermined network, and further comprising an output unit for transmitting the design data to the user terminal via the network.

10. A design device as claimed in claim 1 or 4, further comprising a cost data recording unit which records cost data which is data necessary for calculating the cost required to construct the reinforced concrete structure specified by the design data based on the design data, and further comprising an estimation unit which estimates the cost required to construct the reinforced concrete structure specified by the design data based on the design data using the cost data recorded in the cost data recording unit, and generates estimation data which is data on the estimated costs.

11. A design device as described in claim 9, further comprising a cost data recording unit which records cost data which is data necessary for calculating the cost required to construct the reinforced concrete structure specified by the design data based on the design data, and an estimation unit which estimates the cost required to construct the reinforced concrete structure specified by the design data based on the design data using the cost data recorded in the cost data recording unit and generates estimation data which is data on the estimated costs, and the estimation data is transmitted from the output unit via the network to the user terminal.

12. A design device comprising an input unit that accepts input made by a user using an input device, a rule data recording unit that records rule data that is data on design rules for a reinforced concrete structure for a house, and a design unit that uses the rule data recorded in the rule data recording unit based on the input accepted by the input unit to design the reinforced concrete structure and generate design data that is data on the designed reinforced concrete structure, wherein the rule data recorded in the rule data recording unit includes: a frontage line segment, which is a virtual line segment of a predetermined length extending in a frontage direction, and a depth line segment, which is a virtual line segment of a predetermined length extending from one end of the frontage line segment in a direction perpendicular to the frontage line segment, in a rectangular range in a plan view, the range being defined by the frontage line segment, which is a virtual line segment of a predetermined length extending from one end of the frontage line segment in a direction perpendicular to the frontage line segment; at least both ends of two sides parallel to the depth line segment of a rectangular range, which is a rectangular range in a plan view, and a depth division position, which is a position on the two sides that evenly divides the two sides parallel to the depth line segment into lengths equal to or less than the first length when the frontage line segment is longer than a first length, which is a predetermined length, and a plurality of pillars that are vertical elongated materials with a length equal to or less than a third length, which is a predetermined length, erected in pairs at both ends of an auxiliary line segment, which is a virtual line segment of the same length as the depth line segment that extends parallel to the depth line segment from the frontage division position, which is a position on the frontage line segment that evenly divides the frontage line segment into lengths equal to or less than the second length when the frontage line segment is longer than a second length, which is a predetermined length, and at a position corresponding to the depth division position on the auxiliary line segment; a plurality of frontage beams, which are long materials connecting both upper and lower ends of all two of the columns that are parallel to the frontage line and adjacent to each other in a direction parallel to the frontage line, and a plurality of foundation frontage beams that contact the ground among the frontage beams; a plurality of depth beams, which are long materials connecting both upper and lower ends of all two of the columns that are parallel to the depth line and adjacent to each other in a direction parallel to the depth line, and a plurality of foundation depth beams that contact the ground among the depth beams; a plurality of plate-shaped walls that close the gap between adjacent columns that are located on two sides of the rectangular area that are parallel to the frontage line, or a plurality of plate-shaped walls that close the gap between adjacent columns that are located on two sides of the rectangular area that are parallel to the depth line or on the auxiliary line, in a direction parallel to the depth line;and a plurality of plate-shaped slabs that horizontally fill a rectangular space surrounded by two of the front beams and two of the depth beams, or two of the foundation front beams and two of the foundation depth beams, at height positions above and below the column, and the rule data recording unit stores, in addition to the rule data, the following data that are pre-standardized as usable for the reinforced concrete skeleton such that the structural design strength of a frame composed only of the column, the front beam, the foundation front beam, the depth beam, and the foundation depth beam is sufficient: column data specifying the standardized thickness of the column and the configuration of reinforcing bars in the longitudinal direction; front beam data specifying the standardized thickness of the front beam and the configuration of reinforcing bars in the longitudinal direction; foundation front beam data specifying the standardized thickness of the foundation front beam and the configuration of reinforcing bars in the longitudinal direction; depth beam data specifying the standardized thickness of the depth beam and the configuration of reinforcing bars in the longitudinal direction; foundation depth beam data specifying the standardized thickness of the foundation depth beam and the configuration of reinforcing bars in the longitudinal direction; wall data specifying the configuration of the wall per unit area, a step of receiving, as an input from the input unit, designation data including information specifying the length of the frontage line segment and the length of the depth line segment; and a step of generating design data that is data that specifies the reinforced concrete structure formed by combining the columns specified by the column data recorded in the rule data recording unit, the frontage beams specified by the frontage beam data, the foundation frontage beams specified by the foundation frontage beam data, the depth beams specified by the depth beam data, the foundation depth beams specified by the foundation depth beam data, the walls specified by the wall data, and the slabs specified by the slab data, based on the rectangular range specified by the length of the frontage line segment and the length of the depth line segment received from the input unit.

13. A computer program for causing a specified computer to function as a design device comprising an input unit for receiving input made by a user using an input device, a rule data recording unit for recording rule data which is data on design rules for a reinforced concrete structure for a house, and a design unit for designing the reinforced concrete structure using the rule data recorded in the rule data recording unit based on the input received by the input unit, and generating design data which is data on the designed reinforced concrete structure, wherein the rule data recorded in the rule data recording unit includes: a frontage line segment, which is a virtual line segment of a predetermined length extending in a frontage direction, and a depth line segment, which is a virtual line segment of a predetermined length extending from one end of the frontage line segment in a direction perpendicular to the frontage line segment, in a rectangular range in a plan view, the range being defined by the frontage line segment, which is a virtual line segment of a predetermined length extending from one end of the frontage line segment in a direction perpendicular to the frontage line segment; at least both ends of two sides parallel to the depth line segment of a rectangular range, which is a rectangular range in a plan view, and a depth division position, which is a position on the two sides that evenly divides the two sides parallel to the depth line segment into lengths equal to or less than the first length when the frontage line segment is longer than a first length, which is a predetermined length, and a plurality of pillars that are vertical elongated materials with a length equal to or less than a third length, which is a predetermined length, erected in pairs at both ends of an auxiliary line segment, which is a virtual line segment of the same length as the depth line segment that extends parallel to the depth line segment from the frontage division position, which is a position on the frontage line segment that evenly divides the frontage line segment into lengths equal to or less than the second length when the frontage line segment is longer than a second length, which is a predetermined length, and at a position corresponding to the depth division position on the auxiliary line segment; Among the said columns, a plurality of frontage beams, which are long members horizontally connecting both upper and lower ends of all two columns that are parallel to and adjacent to the frontage line segment in a direction parallel to the frontage line segment, and a plurality of foundation frontage beams among the said frontage beams that are in contact with the ground; Among the said columns, a plurality of depth beams, which are long members horizontally connecting both upper and lower ends of all two columns that are parallel to and adjacent to the depth line segment in a direction parallel to the depth line segment, and a plurality of foundation depth beams among the said depth beams that are in contact with the ground;a plurality of plate-shaped walls that close the gap between adjacent ones of the columns located on two sides parallel to the frontage line of the rectangular area in a plate-like manner parallel to the frontage line, or that close the gap between adjacent ones of the columns located on two sides parallel to the depth line of the rectangular area or on the auxiliary line in a plate-like manner parallel to the depth line; and a plurality of plate-shaped slabs that horizontally close a rectangular space surrounded by two of the frontage beams and two of the depth beams, or two of the foundation frontage beams and two of the foundation depth beams, at height positions above and below the columns. In addition to the rule data, the rule data recording unit stores, in addition to the rule data, column data that specifies the thickness of the standardized columns and the configuration of reinforcing bars in the longitudinal direction, which are standardized in advance as those that can be used for the reinforced concrete structure so that the structural design strength of a frame composed only of the columns, the frontage beams, the foundation frontage beams, the depth beams, and the foundation depth beams is sufficient; frontage beam data specifying the standardized thickness of the frontage beam and the configuration of the reinforcing bars in the longitudinal direction, foundation frontage beam data specifying the standardized thickness of the foundation frontage beam and the configuration of the reinforcing bars in the longitudinal direction, depth beam data specifying the standardized thickness of the depth beam and the configuration of the reinforcing bars in the longitudinal direction, foundation depth beam data specifying the standardized thickness of the foundation depth beam and the configuration of the reinforcing bars in the longitudinal direction, wall data specifying the configuration of the wall per unit area, and slab data specifying the configuration of the slab per unit area. The input from the input unit includes designation data including information specifying the length of the frontage line segment and the length of the depth line segment, and the design unit: Using the rectangular range specified by the length of the frontage line segment and the length of the depth line segment received from the input unit as a reference, design data is generated which is data specifying the reinforced concrete structure formed by combining the columns specified by the column data recorded in the rule data recording unit, the frontage beams specified by the frontage beam data, the foundation frontage beams specified by the foundation frontage beam data, the depth beams specified by the depth beam data, the foundation depth beams specified by the foundation depth beam data, the walls specified by the wall data, and the slabs specified by the slab data, all of which are recorded in the rule data recording unit.Computer program.

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