Release notes IDEA StatiCa Concrete 20.1

Introduction

The new version of IDEA StatiCa is here! We bring another batch of new features and improvements to enhance the design of your concrete projects. No matter how complex is your concrete project, IDEA StatiCa delivers:

• Complete code-checks
• Advanced analysis types
• The unlimited topology of cross-sections and reinforcement layout
• All 2D concrete details
• Reports that get the project done

Our users currently do this through separate applications - Detail, RCS, and Beam. We are thrilled to introduce you to a brand new application in IDEA StatiCa Concrete - Member.  It will unify all the design and code-checks of all reinforced concrete members in one place, integrated into your FEA software. Member will be available in BETA for all users with any concrete license of IDEA StatiCa.

Besides this whole new app, you can find improvements in our code-checking engines:

• Partially loaded areas
• Fatigue check

Next to that, we prepared some improvements on the IDEA StatiCa licensing to enable you flexible and comfortable license management.  

We hope you will enjoy all our new features and improvements and would love to hear your feedback anytime. 

Calculate yesterday’s estimates!

Concrete Member BETA

Release 20.1 brengt een nieuwe applicatie voor Betonontwerp - Concrete Member BETA. Modelleer, ontwerp de wapening en controleer een kritisch betonelement in enkele minuten.

Geometrie

Dankzij onze nieuwe applicatie kan de gebruiker eenvoudig ruimtelijke constructies van gewapend beton ontwerpen en beoordelen die bestaan uit 1-D elementen, liggers en kolommen. In de toekomst zal het mogelijk zijn om constructieve 3D-elementen van elke topologie te berekenen

Lasteffecten

The load can be applied in the direction of any member axis via the line load. Endpoints of related members can be subjected to point forces (and moments) that represent nodal forces obtained from global analysis.

De belasting kan via de lijnbelasting in de richting van een willekeurige staafas worden toegepast. Eindpunten van gerelateerde staven kunnen worden belast met puntkrachten (en momenten) die knoopkrachten vertegenwoordigen die zijn verkregen uit de hoofdberekening.

Wapening

Met behulp van het bekende dialoogvenster kan de gebruiker langswapening en beugels in elk element ontwerpen. De vooraf gedefinieerde sjablonen kunnen het hele proces van wapeningsontwerp nog versnellen. Elke groep langswapening, evenals beugels, kan eenvoudig worden bewerkt in het eigenschappenvenster.

U kunt verschillende wapeningszones over de lengte van het element definiëren en een complexe wapeningslay-out creëren, inclusief verschillende afstanden tussen de beugels en lengtes van wapeningsstaven in de lengterichting.

Berekening

Er zullen verschillende berekeningstypes beschikbaar zijn voor één constructief model. Momenteel kan alleen lineaire analyse worden uitgevoerd, maar in de volgende releases zullen andere soorten berekening worden geïmplementeerd.

Er zijn vier typen berekeningen beschikbaar om betonelementen te berekening. Nu kan een lineaire analyse worden uitgevoerd in Concrete Member Beta, de andere drie berekeningtype zijn in ontwikkeling of in het stadium van hun definitieve afstemming.

• Lineare analyse (LA): geïmplementeerd in Concrete Member Beta

• Geometrisch en materiaal niet-lineare analyse, inclusief thermische analyse (GMNA): in ontwikkeling

• Compatible Stress Field method 2D (CSFM 2D): bijna beschikbaar (CSFM is beschikbaar in IDEA StatiCa Detail)

• Compatible Stress Field Method 3D (CSFM 3D): in ontwikkeling

Doorsnede Controle

After linear analysis, the user can run a detailed section check using the application RCS, which automatically chooses the most utilized sections on analyzed members and assess them.

Na lineaire analyse kan de gebruiker een gedetailleerde doorsnede controle uitvoeren met behulp van de applicatie RCS, die automatisch de meest uitgenutte doorsnedes op geanalyseerde staven weergeeft en beschouwt.

Beschikbaar in Expert en Enhanced versie.

IDEA StatiCa Detail

Partially loaded areas

Reinforcement in Partially Loaded Area

You can design the reinforcement in the partially loaded area in a more effective way since version 20.1. The reinforcing bars are part of the CSFM model, and the bond between concrete and bars is treated as perfect. 

About Partially Loaded Area

This feature is suitable mainly for precast and bridge structural engineers who are dealing with significant reactions in the bearings or concentrated prestressed forces from the tendons in the beams.  The benefit is hidden beyond non - conservative design, saving material and money.

We have figured out how to deal with triaxial stress in partially loaded areas. In these areas crushing of concrete is allowed, and the resistance of concrete in compression can be raised due to transverse confinement according to valid standards (Eurocode). The increase of the resistance can be up to 3 times the cylinder strength of concrete.

The partially loaded area can be found on every structure. Some typical examples are bridge diaphragms with an area above the bearings, areas under the anchor, or concentrated load on the edge of the wall. Partially loaded areas are designed according to the requirements of the Eurocode and simultaneously are restrained by model geometry (openings, thickness, edges, abrupt change of cross-section).

The increase of concrete resistance can be considered if the confinement is kept. Due to this condition, reinforcement bars are automatically added to pass the condition regarding confinement and Eurocode provision.

This functionality guarantees that models are getting converge and simultaneously comply with design criteria for valid standards (Eurocode). The implemented method is independent of the finite element mesh. The bearing capacity is increased with the changing of the concrete area. The consequence of this state is constant stress along with the height of a cone. Dispersed fictitious struts affect artificially the stiffness of the cone and correctly redistribute the transverse stress, which appears in this area. The density of each dispersed strut is increased to the direction of the applied load.

Known limitations come out from the standards valid in Eurocode.

• Cones cannot coincide
• The area A_c1 and A_c0 lie on the resultant of the acting force

IDEA StatiCa RCS

Fatigue check

In previous releases when assessing concrete for fatigue, the stress in the concrete was calculated based on the parabolic-rectangular stress-strain diagram. 

According to Eurocode the tensile strength of concrete shall be ignored and a linear stress-strain relationship for concrete under compression shall be used. Now for fatigue verification, we use the same stress-strain diagrams as in SLS checks, i.e., an unlimited linear stress-strain diagram.

For the concrete in compression, the mean value of Young's modulus of elasticity E_cm is used.

BIM links

Versions of applications supported by IDEA StatiCa 20.1 (Concrete)

Licensing

Licensing improvements highlights:

• Possibility of the automatic sign out after you close IDEA StatiCa 
• IDEA StatiCa launches 40 % faster   
• Better error messages so you know what the problem with your license is  
• New License dialog with "Forgotten password" button at hand