I am pleased to announce a new release of STAAD.Pro CONNECT Edition V22.
As part of our commitment to you to deliver new builds more frequently, we are making available this version which adds great new functionality to improve efficiency for engineers around the world and has resolved numerous issues that have been reported and thus highly recommend that you look to adopt this version and improve your working experience.
The principal developments and enhancements that are delivered in this new version of STAAD.Pro are:-
Creating new models has become easier with the introduction of ‘Seed Files’. Essentially allowing the starting point of a new model to be that provided by an existing model. This could easily be a baseline datafile that contains commonly used profiles and materials, load cases and combinations, grid files or more. Or simply taking an existing model as the starting point for creating an alternative without fear of modifying the original data.
As models become larger with a greater collections of separate load cases, determining the collection of load combinations can be daunting. However by categorising the primary load cases, the new Automatic Load Combination Generator can follow the rules given in a design specification. Similar to the method that is currently available in the Analytical Workflow, a new tool has now been provided for creating combinations in the Physical Workflow. With the ability to create your own rules including how collections of a given load category should be considered either separately, combined together, or using a complex matrix of when they exist together, then you realise that you have a powerful tool at the click of a button that can create dozens of considered combinations with ease.
The loading in Physical Models has been expanded to include the automatic generation of Notional Load effects from the primary load cases when the combination method has been specified as REPEAT loading. This ensures that the lateral effect of the vertical loads in the combination be accounted for automatically.
There are many occasions when the structural effects of components cannot easily be modelled, but their stiffening effects need to be accounted for. This can be achieved by selecting the node points on the model that are connected though a stiffness relationship and setting the node relationship and determining which is the Control node. The relationship can limit the degrees of freedom that are combined so that effects such as wall panels and slabs can be modelled on a frame without having to model the features directly.
Since its release, STAAD.Pro CE has supported different types of profile database which has led in the past to some models not resolving into the ideal analytical data model. Thus with this release, the Physical Model workflow has been revised to use the same profile database as the analytical Model. This has been addressed by consolidating the two modelling environments to operate using the same single database platform to provide a more robust analytical decomposition of the physical model. Additionally, when identifying the profiles for the catalog now, the geometric details can be viewed for the selected shape:-
As an added benefit, Physical Models can now leverage the benefits of using external user provided tables (UPTs).
Added to the collection of wind loading generators is the ASCE 7 2016. This routine can be used in creating wind loading on both the analytical and physical models.
With the increase in analysis and design of models with STAAD.Pro in China using the SSDD application, a new workflow has been added to the program to provide a more efficient way to initiate this regional design application.
Note that the workflows can be easily configure to add or remove unwanted workflows from the Configurations dialog in the backstage:-
The scope of models that can be detailed using Steel AutoDrafter has been extended beyond profiles picked from standard tables, but now include those defined in User Tables.
The recently published v13.3 version of RAM Connection has now been implemented in STAAD.Pro which includes supports the use of channel sections as beams with the AISC/CSA/AS/NZS/EN and IS codes.
For other updates in this version of RAM Connection refer to the release notes
The Russian steel design SP16 13300:2017 is now provided as a design option for a wide range of steel profiles and improves the method for accounting for the slenderness for members under compression and tension over that provided in earlier implementations of the Russian steel code.
The Indian steel design code IS 800:2007 has been updated to provide an option to account for the seismic effects on members as outlined in section 12 of the code.
The first offering using an analytical digital twin to assist the engineers coordinate and communicate effectively using the physical model for simple, but structured discussions which can involve the entire design team.
Leverage the use of having the STAAD model in a Connected Project and launch an analysis using one of the various engine versions provided in the cloud.
By using the cloud analysis, solutions and scenarios are created and can use the Optioneering Centre where various models can be compared using key performance indicators to determine an optimum arrangement.
(Currently this feature is only provided for models created from the Analytical workflow)
The Advanced Concrete Design application, RCDC, has been updated to v9.4 which includes:-
For more details on these and other issues that have been addressed in this build Refer to the RCDC Release Notes.
The concrete foundation application included in the STAAD.Pro installation , STAAD Foundation Advanced (SFA) has been updated to v9.4 which includes:-
For more details on these and other issues that have been addressed in this build refer to the SFA Release Notes.
Note that if you are already using STAAD.Pro CONNECT Edition, you should be notified of the new build with the Bentley CONNECTION Client.
Revision History
The Revision History document details the issues that have been addressed and as with all builds is included in the ReadMe file which can be accessed from the Help section of the application and can also be found here.
Notes:-
(* Included with Structural Entitlements)
(** Additional license required, included with STAAD.Pro Advanced and Structural Worksuite)
(** *Additional license required, included with Structural Worksuite)