STAAD.Pro

Model Generation

• Roaming grid labeling for construction lines for easy beam/column placement
• Selective labeling to turn on/off individual beam/plate/solid labels with new shortcut keys
• Auto mesh of user-defined polygonal element boundary by simple mouse clicks
• Unlimited Undo and Redo
• All values can be input as fractions with their units directly in any edit box (i.e. 5’ 12 1/2” or 12.36 m)
• More structure wizard models including user-defined parametric structures to create any structural template
• Define any point as the center for cylindrical and reverse cylindrical coordinate system
• New user-defined steel databases to add customized sections or steel libraries
• Interactive menu-driven model generation with simultaneous 3D display
• Multiple and customizable views that can be saved for future sessions
• 2D and 3D graphic generation using rectangular, cylindrical and reverse cylindrical coordinate systems
• Segments of repetitive geometry may be used to generate complex structural models
• Generate, copy, repeat, mirror, pivot, etc. for quick and easy geometry generation
• Quick/easy mesh generation
• Library of commonly used structures can be picked and modified to add to other parts
• Comprehensive graphics editing
• Graphical specification and display of properties, loadings, supports, orientations etc.
• Import AutoCAD DXF files
• Access to text editor
• User-controlled scale factors for deflected or mode shapes
• Intelligent objects (nodes, beams, plates) to report geometry
• Structure Wizard to create meshes with holes and curved surfaces
• Full 3D rendering capability with lighting and shading
• Fireproofing on columns, beams and braces
• Auto-meshing of complex slab systems. Automatically refines the mesh if columns or openings or wall lines are added
• Dynamic auto-scaling of all force diagrams while zooming
• Re-indexing of stress contour values and ranges during zooming and creation of new views
• Backup manager and auto-save to automatically save, retrieve, compare and restore current or older versions of the same file
• Color-coded element display based on attributes
• User-defined axis of rotation for viewing
• Graphically displaying customized shapes in 3D within the STAAD.Pro environment
• Customizable node/member renumbering schema
• Automatic adjustment of beta angles and plate orientations during copy, rotate and mirror operations
• Automatic wall-slab interface with proper boundary connectivity

Finite Element Modeling

Plate Elements – General

• Based on hybrid element formulation
• 3 and 4-noded elements
• Plane stress action and plate bending action both available
• Ideal for modelling “surface” structures such as walls, roof slabs, foundation slabs, etc.
• Capable of handling out-of-plane shear. So, thin and thick plates can be both modelled

Surface Elements

• Create shear walls using superelement
• Automatic meshing in the background
• Create openings, boundary lines, density/column points and wall lines
• Full design included

Modeling

• Graphical mesh generation facilities available for generating elements from complex shapes with holes
• Import of DXF files for 3D surface entities
• Degrees of freedom at nodes can be released selectively
• Constant thickness as well as linearly varying thickness between the nodes
• Nodal loads, uniform pressure over any region, trapezoidal pressure loads, surface expansion and bending temperature loads

Results and Graphical Verification

• Stress retrieval at nodes and at any point within the element
• Global corner forces
• Outputs include stress contours, animation and numeric tables
• Find total stress / forces distribution along any line

Solid Elements

• 8 noded brick elements which can be collapsed down to 6 noded elements
• Pressure loads, nodal loads, selfweight, and temperature loads
• Stress retrieval at nodes
• Outputs include stress contours, animation and numeric tables

International Design Codes

Steel Design

• Design Codes include AISC (ASD and LRFD), AASHTO and optional codes such as ASCE 52 and several international codes like BS5400, BS5950, French, German, Canadian, Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Mexican (NTC), EC3 and Scandinavian
• Design of HSS Sections
• Design of steel beams with cover plates
• Start your model without specifying any sizes!
• Design of tapered sections like I-beams and hexagonal, dodecagonal and octagonal tubes
• Design cold-formed and aluminum sections with full database library included
• AISC code check for members with cover plates
• Interactive steel designer to model enhanced physical members and report step-by-step calculations for each design clauses and formula
• Moment and shear connection designer integrated with the steel designer to perform several column flange-beam moment and shear connections
• New AASHTO 2000 code
• 1996 AISI Cold-Formed Steel Design and section library
• New welding design code
• Built-in Steel Tables of several countries including AISC, British, Canadian, Australian, French, German, European, Japanese, Chinese, Indian, etc. Shapes include I-Beams with or without cover plates, Channels, Angles, Double Angles/Channels, Tees, Pipes and Tubes
• User-specified Design Parameters to customize design including profile, deflection, story drift, depth, slenderness ratios, etc.
• Code Check, Member Selection consisting of Analysis/Design cycles
• Design Codes include AISC (ASD and LRFD), AASHTO and optional codes such as ASCE 52 and several international codes like BS5400, BS5950, French, German, Canadian, Japanese, Chinese, Indian, Mexican (NTC) and Scandinavian
• Composite beam design (including stud spacing) per AISC ASD and LRFD
• Torsion design per Pub. T-117
• Transmission tower design code – ASCE 52 – (optional)
• Design of face-to-face double channels
• Design of open web joists and joist girders with complete SJI tables
• Design of non-composite castellated beams
• Design of angles about the principal or geometric axis

Concrete Design

• Two-way slab design to design irregular-shaped slabs. Full reinforcement contour and reinforcement layout plans are created
• Rectangular concrete shear wall design (with deep beam design) and automatically mesh an existing wall and provide horizontal, vertical and edge reinforcements based on axial, moments and pressure loadings. Provide openings (doors and windows) as well
• Automatic calculation of cracked moment of inertia for concrete design
• Design of Concrete Beam/Column/Slab per ACI 318. Optional codes include BS8007, BS8110, Canadian, French, German, Spanish, Mexican (NTC), Scandinavian, Japanese, Chinese, Australian, and Indian Codes
• Numerical and Graphical Design Outputs with reinforcement details
• Interactive concrete design and detailing with bar scheduling and interactive rebar layout
• Design “physical members” by combining separate beam entities as one

Timber Design

• Code check/selection per AITC Code
• Full timber database with species
• Canadian timber code (CSA O86-01) with database of associated species
• EC8 (European) timber code

Aluminum Design

• Optional Aluminum Design per American Aluminum Association ASD 1994 Code

Load Types and Generation

• Categorized load into specific load group types like dead, wind, live, seismic, snow, user-defined, etc. Automatically generate load combinations based on standard loading codes such as ASCE, ACI, LRFD, BOCA, IBC, UBC, etc.
• One way loading to simulate load distribution on one-way slabs
• Patch and pressure loading on solid (brick) elements
• Element pressure loads can be applied along a global direction on any imaginary surface without having elements located on that surface
• Automatic wind load generator for complex inclined surfaces, irregular panels and multiple levels also taking into consideration user-defined panels
• Loading for Joints, Members/Elements including Concentrated, Uniform Linear, Trapezoidal, Temperature, Strain, Support Displacement, Prestress and Fixed-end Loads
• Global, Local and Projected Loading Directions
• Uniform or varying Element Pressure Loading on entire or selected portion of plate elements
• Floor/Area Load converts load-per-area to member loads based on one-way or two-way actions
• Automatic Moving Load Generation per standard AASHTO or user defined loading
• IBC 2003/UBC 94, 97/AIJ/IS 1893/Cypriot/NTC (Mexican) Seismic Load Generation
• Tributary/influence area diagrams plotted for all wind, area and floor loads
• Factored Load Combinations including algebraic and SRSS combination schemes
• Imposed displacements in any number of load cases, any number of DOF, any type of elements, and with inclined supports
• Temperature gradient along local Z axis of member as well as local Y axis
• Floor load generator which automatically updates the pressure distribution if the floor changes. Also, allows for elimination of floor members and creation of floor groups.
• Automatically reduces the live loads dubbed as Live Load or Roof Live Load as per UBC/IBC
• Automatic load combination generator and editor to define custom load combinations
• Wind loading on open lattice structures
• ASCE 7-02 Wind and Snow (Unbalanced/Drifting) loading including calculation of suction and roof pressures

Analysis Capabilities

Static, P-Delta, Non-Linear Analyses

• Linear, P-Delta analysis
• Non-linear analysis with automatic load and stiffness correction
• Multiple analysis in same run
• True curvilinear beams (not piecewise linear)
• Plate elements contain extra “drilling” degree of freedom
• Tapered tubular cross-sections such as hexagonal, octagonal, etc. (excellent for poles)
• Unidirectional support (compression-only/tension-only supports) for generation of soil springs
• Master/slave capabilities
• I-beam warping end restraint added as an option for torsional stiffness
• Buckling analysis
• Plate elements consider inclined supports
• Member and spring specification
• Fixed, pinned and spring supports with releases. Also Inclined Supports
• Automatic spring support generator for mat foundations
• Active/Inactive members for load-dependent structures
• Compression-only and tension-only members, multi-linear (non-linear) spring supports
• CIMSTEEL interface
• 3D beam stress manager for calculation of combined stresses on a member
• Member tension command can be used with IBC/UBC load generator
• Determine stresses and forces along any cut line through a group of plates by cutting with a plane
• Elbows (curved beams with pipe sections) can be modeled with an internal pressure
• Multi-linear spring curves can be assigned to elastic or plate mats
• Beam, truss, tapered beam, shell/plate bending/plane stress and 8-noded solid elements
• Full and partial moment releases (excellent for steeel frames where releases defined by springs are hard to determine)
• Nonlinear cable members for cables
• P-Delta analysis enabled for plates
• New automated bridge loader to calculate 3D influence surfaces, traffic lanes, critical vehicle loading positions, etc. (optional)
• Influence area reported for spring supports for elastic mats
• Warnings for “load losses” due to poorly defined beam releases
• Enhanced solid stress contour definition for brick elements

Dynamic Analysis

• UBC 94, 97 and IBC 2000 and IBC 2003 supported
• Calculation of maximum base shear for time history loading
• Scale factors for ground acceleration for time history loading
• Response Spectrum
• Time History Analysis with blast loading and multiple arrival times for multiple vibrational sources
• Harmonic Load Generator
• Combination of Dynamic Forces with Static Loading for subsequent Design
• Missing mass for response spectrum load cases
• Logarithmic interpolation for spectra
• Modal damping for time history and spectrum
• Composite damping to specify damping ratio for each member/element
• Base shear calculation includes direction factors
• Extraction of Frequency and Mode Shapes
• Modal Damping Ratio for Individual Modes
• Generate floor spectra from time history

Result Verification

These powerful graphics based facilities provide on-screen result verification and customized report generation. User friendly navigation and organization of data helps you get the information you need with a few simple clicks. Point and click on a member to obtain all the information on its Geometry, Cross-sectional properties, Forces, Moments, Displacements, etc. Even design information such as Allowable Stresses, Governing Code Criteria, Reinforcement layout, are available. Sort and Search based on required criteria to create customized reports. Arrange and rank the data based on Forces, Moments, Displacements, Stresses, etc., in ascending or descending order. Customize reports to include only the information you want, where you want it, including your company logo.

• Step-by-step hand calculations including all formulae, intermediate results, and code clauses for steel design
• Custom-defined tool tips for displaying pre- and post-processing data for any entity with mouse roll over
• Export saved pictures into any raster format (BMP, JPEG, TIFF, etc.) and in any size
• New plate and solid element query box through double-clicking
• New slider control for member query box to see shear, bending and deflection values at any point along the beam
• New super query box to change any beam/element attribute on the fly (i.e. double click on a support or load diagram)
• Table of contents for STAAD viewer to directly go to different parts of the ANL file
• Dynamic Query feature to create customized queries for data mining STAAD output (i.e. Find All Nodal Deflections < 0.06 inches in the Global Y Whose Z Coordinate is > 20 ft. for Load Cases > Load Case 5)
• Textual and graphical results verification and display
• Deflected and Mode Shapes based on Joint/Section
• Displacement for user-specified loading or mode shape number
• Bending Moment and Shear Force diagrams of individual members as well as the entire structure (through single double-click)
• User-controlled Scale factors for Deflected or mode shapes
• Force/Moment Envelope plots as max/min for all loads
• Stress contour plots
• Code Performance Plots for Steel Design
• Powerful on-line Query for analysis/design results
• On-screen Report generation with Sort/Search
• Animation of Deflected/Mode shapes, Stress Contours
• VRML (Virtual Reality Modeling Language) export feature enables “Walk-through” Model verification using any standard Web Browser

Model Verification

• Multiple zooming and shadow box windows
• Automatic toggling of steel and concrete parameters, loads and ranges of node/beam/plate/solid labels
• Automatic view restoration facility to keep window arrangements intact
• New 3D rendering of structure using shading and lighting
• 2D/3D drawings on screen as well as on plotter/printer
• Full 3D shapes for Frames, Elements
• Sectional views or views with listed members only
• Isometric or any rotations for full 3D viewing
• Display of Loads, Supports, Orientations, Properties, Hidden line removed, Joint/Member numbering, Dimensions, etc.
• Capability to open multiple windows on screen for simultaneous viewing of different items
• Plot Manipulation according to size, rotation, viewing origin and distance
• Compatible with spreadsheet software such as Microsoft Excel
• Plots of displacement vs. time, velocity vs. time, acceleration vs. time for dynamic analysis

Intelligent Structural Modeling (ISM)

Flexible software to integrate your workflows.

Bentley’s integrated Intelligent Structural Modeling (ISM) methodology maximizes the interoperability of structural information among different specialized applications, CAD and BIM platforms, and design reviews for all authors and consumers of a project’s structural information.

Structural modeling, analysis, design, documentation, and detailing – within integrated and flexible workflows – empowers intelligent structural design practices. The benefits are dynamic collaboration and increased data reuse among structural engineers, detailers, and fabricators. The results are more efficient delivery of high quality designs and well-coordinated and accurate documentation, along with increased project productivity, reduced errors, and improved quality control.

Maintaining compatibility with architects and other disciplines extends these benefits across the entire project team.

Add-On Module: OpenSTAAD

OpenSTAAD is a library of exposed functions allowing engineers access to STAAD.Pro’s internal functions and routines. OpenSTAAD’s open architecture provides customers with an Application Program Interface (API) to STAAD.Pro’s analysis and design engines as well as its Graphic User Interface (GUI) for personal customization. With OpenSTAAD, any user can use practically any programming language (including C, C++, VB, VBA, FORTRAN, Java and Delphi) to tap into STAAD’s database and seamlessly link input and output data to third-party applications. You can also automate repetitive tasks or commands in STAAD.Pro by creating your own customized macros with a full built-in VBA editor.

Following an open architecture paradigm, OpenSTAAD was built using ATL COM and COM+ standards as specified by Microsoft, Inc. This allows OpenSTAAD to be used in any environment whether it is in a customized application written in C++ or in a macro application like Excel, AutoCAD or Visio. OpenSTAAD can also be used to link STAAD data to Web-based applications using ActiveX, HTML and ASP. OpenSTAAD enables you to integrate STAAD with legacy applications and datamine and export STAAD’s results in any manner.

OpenSTAAD allows engineers and other users to link in-house or third-party applications with STAAD.Pro. For example, a user might create a spreadsheet in Microsoft Excel to analyze and design a circular base plate using support reactions from STAAD. With OpenSTAAD, a simple macro can be written in Excel to retrieve the appropriate STAAD data and automatically link the results. If the STAAD file changes, so will the Excel sheet! OpenSTAAD is currently being designed to work on the new .NET platform as well as on PocketPCs running Windows CE.

With OpenSTAAD 2.0 and later, users can also write their own VBA-based macros within STAAD and have access to functions controlling the geometry, viewing, and results display. For example, you can create macros to insert your own connection design routine which can run using the output from a STAAD run and automatically add it to the STAAD output.

The OpenSTAAD library of functions is classified under the following general categories:

• STAAD File Input and Output (I/O)
• Structure Geometry
• Member Specifications
• Properties
• Loads
• Viewing
• Toolbars/Dialog Boxes
• Output Grids
• Output Results
  • Nodes
  • Beams
  • Plates
  • Solids

Add-On Module: Sectionwizard

Sectionwizard is compatible with leading PC-based engineering software applications and metric and imperial unit systems – an invaluable tool for the structural engineer, allowing fast and accurate calculation of section properties and retrieval of stress values for custom and assembled shapes. Sectionwizard can be run as a stand-alone application or within STAAD.Pro.

Sectionwizard Features include:

• Create custom shapes from built-in sections and plates.
• Over 12 international steel tables provided including US, British, Dutch, German, Russian, Canadian and Indian.
• Calculate section properties of custom and built-up shapes: Area, Moment of Inertia, Plastic moduli, Section modulus, Center of Gravity, Shear Center, Torsional Constant, Shear Area and warping constants (plastic resisting moments).
• Create any free form sections (even curved surfaces!), insert holes and openings of any shape, create chamfers and fillets. Sectionwizard has a CAD user interface enabling the engineer to outline any section imaginable.
• Create a customized library of parametric sections and mathematically define parameter relationships.
• Easily move and rotate internal contours or cutouts by dragging and dropping.
• Build shapes with Composite Materials.
• Metric or Imperial units supported.
• Show stresses at any point of a cross section based on Axial forces and Moments about principal axes. (Compare actual stress calculations with allowable to verify the adequacy of your section).
• Create STAAD.Pro User Tables to assign the properties to members in a structure.
• Create customizable MS Word reports.
• Automatic generation of equivalent sections. For example, create a polygon with holes and ask for a wide flange shape with equivalent properties so a proper code check can be performed.
• Import any DXF or DWG file.
• Full Context Sensitive Help along with several movie tutorials.
• Use the final section properties in any structural analysis and design program.