We're pleased to announce that an update to STAAD(X) Tower V8i is now available for download from Bentley SELECT. STAAD(X) Tower is a standalone product which is used for the modeling, analysis, and design of communication tower structures. This release focuses primarily on tower generation enhancements for both monopole and self-supporting tower structures, with additional new features available for monopole towers.…

Most of the Structural programs from Bentley, including STAAD.pro, RAM Structural System, and RAM Elements, consider the notion of a physical member vs. a segmented finite element model, and there are certain pros and cons to that approach.

Here’s a simple structural framing plan to illustrate what I mean, the girder (beam #1) supports unequally spaced beams (8’; 8’; 8’ and 6’).

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RAM Connection V8i comes with a wide variety of connection templates pre-installed but there is occasionally a need to add a custom template of your own definition. Here are the steps involved in setting up a custom connection template for use in STAAD.Pro V8i:

Prepare a Custom Template File

1. Open a STAAD.Pro model containing steel members and perform an analysis.

   Note: This can be any model; not necessary the…