LEAP Bridge v 9.0.0 incorporates the following enhancements:
• The ABC Wizard now allows you to model abutments including stemwall or pilecap type abutments. 3D models and 2D dimensioned drawings and data exchange from superstructure to substructure design are now automatic. • You can now connect to a LandXML file holding ground information (3d points and faces). The ground can then be optionally displayed in the 3D viewer. • Ability to define multiple cross-section templates within ABC Wizard with support for direct read in from LandXML file. • When the OpenGL viewer is used a compass showing north is displayed in the lower right corner. Similarly if the option to show alignment is selected, the alignment is shown graphically with true horizontal, vertical profiles and cross sections. • The specification of battered piles is now possible right within the ABC Wizard. The battered piles are shown in all 3D and 2D views appropriately. • Several new user friendly changes were made to the user interface including new menus for 2D and 3D viewer options and toolbars for 2D and 3D graphics. • The ABC Wizard now allows the specification of drilled shafts, generates 3D and 2D displays and integrates this information with the substructure design program. • A new option has been added to show XYZ co-ordinates of any point either on the ground or on the bridge model. • New option for Alignment Tie by Co-ordinates (Northing and Easting) has been provided in the alignment dialog in ABC Wizard. • Enhanced the Multiple Bridges definition, such that parallel bridges with offsets from primary alignment can be specified easily. • The ABC Wizard allows you to model bearing dimensions including length, width and depth in Step 3. • Integrated with new stepped cap option in RCPIER and GEOMATH and 2D/3D displays in LEAP Bridge. • New pre-stressed girder cross sections are now handled including hollow-core slabs, channel sections, and precast solid slabs. • Cross-sections feature now expanded to include multiple cross-sections in ABC Wizard (either by input in ABC Wizard or by importing from LandXML). • Reports enhanced to now include fields for checked by, checked date, option to print time stamp on reports and re-organized headers. • LEAP Bridge is now available under Bentley Educational License.
The following enhancements are present in CONBOX v9.0.0:
• T-Beam Bridges. • Live load distribution factors for moment and shear for one- and two-cell boxes per California Amendments v4.01. • Automatic generation of default load combinations for LFD. • Enhancements to Rating Combination Factors dialog box to make it consistent with the Design Parameters dialog box. • Option to specify Exposure Factor (γe) for Crack Control Check per LRFD Article 5.7.3.4. • Option to specify total duct diameters to be deducted from web width, bv in calculation of shear resistance. • The report header has been updated to include "Checked By" and "Date". • CONBOX is now available under Bentley Educational License.
The following enhancements are present in CONSPAN v9.0.0:
• Deck Slab Design using the Approximate/Strip method as specified in LRFD Art. 4.6.2. • Updated to the 2009 LRFD Specification. The Fatigue Limit State is automatically considered in the design, with a 1.5 Load Factor and a check for compression stresses under ½(DL+PS) + 1.5(Fatigue Live Load). • An automatic strand generation option has been added when user selects the pull percentage/CG of strands input method as compared to the strand by strand approach. • Updated to the 2009 Florida DOT Structure Design Guidelines (SDG). • CONSPAN has been updated to handle Deck Bulb Tees sections, without topping, computing more accurate live load distribution factors as per the provisions of the LRFD specifications. • The rating dialogs have been updated to allow for selection of upto 50 trucks for load rating. • A new summary rating report has been added to allow the user to obtain rating results for one span, or for the bridge as a whole. • A new load rating vehicle, Notional Rating Vehicle has been added to the library as per the Manual for Bridge Evaluation, 2008. • A new option to not compute concrete stresses at the top of topping has been added. This option is now the default option. • A new option to ‘Retain Beam Level Changes' has been added at the program level under Preferences, so changes in the beam level are not overwritten based on settings in the Project Parameters. • The beam dialog has been updated to show a summary of the beam/location stresses and moment, as a cursor is moved along the bridge amongst pre defined locations. • A new option to define materials at the beam level (under data modification) has been added. Previous versions required all spans and beams to have the same material properties. • A new option to neglect Elastic Shortening Losses under LRFD prestress losses has been added. • The automatic strand pattern generation algorithms were fine tuned to generate strands in more cases. • A diaphragm load wizard has been introduced in this version to facilitate quick and easy input of diaphragm loads. • A new ‘Copy to' button has been added under diaphragm loads input. • A new field named ‘Sacrificial deck thickness' has been added on the Geometry tab to allow the user to model the non structural deck thickness. The self weight of this sacrificial deck thickness is computed internally by CONSPAN. • 2D Graphics have been improved to show beam numbering in cross-section and plan views. Also a new button called ‘View Options' has been added in such 2D drawings to help the user benefit from advanced functionality available. In addition 2D drawings show a schematic representation of the curbs on the bridge. • 3D views now show more realistic 3D shapes as defined by user drawn sections in the beam library. • Reports enhanced to now include fields for checked by, checked date, option to print time stamp on reports, set the font on enhanced reports and re-organized headers. • CONSPAN is now available under Bentley Educational License.
The following enhancements are present in GEOMATH v9.0.0.
• Level Manager: Users can define various levels in GEOMATH and assign attribute properties through the level manager dialog. Program allows saving and reusing of the defined level settings. • Integrated features: Drilled shaft, battered piles and abutments are integrated with LEAP Bridge. • Girder Layout Wizard: This tool helps novice users quickly layout the girders in a bridge. • Vertical Recompute feature: A new setting is available in the program to turn off automatic vertical computation. If vertical computation is tuned off, it allows the user to update geometry changes very quickly. Users can update vertical computation once the entire bridge geometry is updated. It is recommended to turn off vertical recomputation when reading the data from LEAP Bridge. This helps in the overall improvement in speed. • Ability to define different thickness for bearing and beam seat is now available. • A new integrated stepped cap option in pier definition has been introduced. • Bridge components such as footing, column, pile, drilled shaft etc can now be defined using the Define menu. • In the status bar a new filter for piles, column, footing has been added.
The following enhancements are present in RC-PIER v9.0.0.
• Stepped cap: Users can now define stepped caps for piers. Program provides two options to compute the step thickness using start and end elevations or to input step thickness manually. • Custom load combinations: Program provides two options: 1. Generate default combinations 2. Define your own combination selecting individual load case and factor. • Analysis filter: User has the ability to filter out analysis results based on member and node number selection. • Check point for flexure and shear design: In cap design, the users can now define separate design check points for flexure and shear. • Ability to define footing eccentricity in both X & Z direction. • A new grid format for loads data allows importing loads from CSV file type. Also, allows copy/paste from and to Excel spreadsheets. • In previous version, stem wall was assumed to be concentric with the footing. In v9.0, this limitation has been removed and users can now define eccentric stem walls. • Program now has new pile section library. • Footing dialog is improved to help user easily define footing/eccentricity dimensions.
I just saw this post today, but I am unable to find this latest release on the website. Is the date supposed to be July 25th? When will it be available?...Thanks...