New Features in STAAD.Pro V8i SELECTseries 3
STAAD.Pro V8i SELECTseries 3 has added great new functionality to improve the integration possibilities open to engineers working in the office who are constantly looking for improvements in productivity.
- ISM integration
- STAAD.Foundation design
- Export to SACS
- Enhanced wind loading
- Analysis updates
- Eurocodes
- Improved Indian steel design
- Over 90 documented updates
ISM Integration
The growing number of productivity gains achieved by working with multiple specialist applications more efficiently utilizing a central database model can now add STAAD.Pro to the list. Create STAAD.Pro models from an ISM repository that may have started in a modelling application such as ProSteel, Structural Modeler, or Autodesk’s Revit. Alternatively, start in STAAD.Pro and create the ISM repository that can be read by these applications to generate detailing drawings. ISM is not simply about import and export, but changes in the model can be used to update either STAAD.Pro or ISM model. All done with simple, new, menu commands.
ISM is designed around models defined by physical entities rather than the analytical entities that are the basis of a STAAD.Pro model. However, using the StrucLink technology developed for the integration to ProSteel, this difference in modelling has been addressed for the segmental members in STAAD.Pro so that they can be associated to the equivalent single physical entities required in a typical modeling or detailing environment.
Find out more about ISM.
STAAD.Foundation Design
The design of foundations is fundamental to almost every structure designed with STAAD.Pro. The last release of STAAD.Pro saw the inclusion of the STAAD.Foundation application. In this release, the license that is used to drive STAAD.Pro has been extended to provide all the functionality needed in order to design the most commonly used foundations, isolated pads, combined footings, and pile caps.
A more comprehensive set of foundations can be found in STAAD Foundation Advanced.
Export to SACS
STAAD.Pro provides a well-rounded set of tools and functionality to provide general analysis and design for a range of different environments. However, the particular design requirements of the offshore industry can mean that more specialized software may be needed to look into specific offshore conditions. SACS is a recent Bentley accusation that provides this in a very comprehensive range of applications that can now benefit from having the model created directly from an existing STAAD.Pro model by the simple click of a button.
Learn more about the SACS application.
Enhanced Wind Loading
The range of wind loading options has been enhanced with the inclusion of the 2010 version of the ASCE 7 wind loading requirements.
Analysis Updates
By providing a "Mass" reference load category, models can now benefit from having a Single Mass Model. Thus, in models where seismic and/or dynamic loading has resulted in multiple definitions of the mass, this simplification means that there can be an increased confidence in the model due to a reduction in duplication.
The introduction of a Floor Diaphragm command allows the definition of a diaphragm to be created and the centre of mass to be calculated.
The automatic self weight routine has been enhanced so that the self weight of a specific set of Surface Objects can be defined in a load case along with the beams, plates, and solids previously available.
Eurocodes
The growing adoption of the Eurocodes in Europe and other locations means that the complexities of all the combinations of loading need to be considered by more and more engineers. A new macro tool added in this version of the program allows the categorization of primary load cases to be used to classify permanent and variable actions and combine them according to a chosen rule to quickly create tens if not hundreds of combinations at the click of a button.
More Eurocode 3 National Annexes have been added along with an option to see the basic bar requirements in a concrete slab to Eurocode 2 in the Concrete Design mode. For a complete design for slabs to Eurocode 2, RAM Concept (which can have slabs extracted directly from the STAAD.Pro model) should be your tool of choice.
Improved Indian Steel Design
The principle design method in the IS800:2007 code is using the limit state theory. That has been successfully implemented and widely adopted for a few years now. However, the code does make provision for considering a working stress method, and due to the occasional demand for the consideration of this method, IS800:2007 WSDD method has been added and designers can now choose to use this and/or the more common limit state method for their design.
Over 90 Documented Updates
Keeping up with the strict QA procedures adopted in the development process, all the 92 issues addressed in this and previous releases are documented in the Revision History document distributed with the informative ReadMe document. These cover all aspects of the program from the Analysis and Design engine to licensing, security, and installation issues, providing clients with the clearest information and the most comprehensive version of STAAD.Pro V8i yet.
Features in previous versions of STAAD.PRO V8i