This is the third release of the company’s flagship 3D structural design software this year. SCIA Engineer 15.2 expands the program’s steel and concrete design capabilities with a focus on the United States and provides numerous usability improvements to increase day-to-day productivity.
“With SCIA Engineer 15.2, we’re seeing the positive outcomes of our new development process. With additional development resources and reorganization of the development teams, we are much more efficient and able to turn around substantial releases of SCIA Engineer every three months,” said Scia nv Chief Technology Officer Herman Oogink. “As a company, we can respond much more quickly to our customer’s needs and demands in our core markets: Europe, the United States and Brazil.”
Highlights of the Scia Engineer 15.2 release include:
- VIRTUAL JOISTS
Historically, structural engineers have not been able to incorporate joists with realistic physical properties into their building models. As a result, neither joists with non-uniform loading nor joists included in lateral load resisting frames could be defined accurately. The new virtual joist component in SCIA Engineer allows the engineer to incorporate joist member stiffness in the overall model, making the analysis of the building system more accurate.
01 – Virtual Joist Designation. Image by SCIA. All rights reserved.
The joist members can be checked and auto-designed and are given a realistic joist designation consistent with expectations from joist manufacturers and the Steel Joists Institute (SJI).
- EQUIVALENT LATERAL FORCE
For fast and easily verifiable seismic analysis, SCIA Engineer 15.2 introduced the Equivalent Lateral Force procedure including support for the provisions of ASCE 7. This simplified method is a nice complement to SCIA Engineer’s Model Response Spectra and Pushover capabilities.
- SUPPORT FOR NEW MATERIALS
Materials databases have been expanded to include timber and aluminium according to IBC.
Design of steel connections now fully supports beam flanges and webs in compression according to EN 1993-1-8 Article 6.2.6.7 (1-2). Other improvements concern summary output, output for splice connections, and drawing of connections, to name a few.
Users will find a new pre-stressed tendon library according to standards ASTM A416 and ASTM A910. This development enables users to introduce strand-patterns and tendons in 3D beam and slab geometry while providing the ability to calculate losses.
02 – IBC Pre-stressing. Image by SCIA. All rights reserved.
SCIA Concrete Section EN 1992-1-1 now multiple sets of internal forces can be inputted. The checks are shown for the combination with the worst effect.
- USABILITY IMPROVEMENTS
Scia Engineer 15.2 expands its BIM capabilities with support for Tekla Structures 21.1 and improved IFC interoperability with Allplan Architecture and Allplan Engineering.
Inputs, filtering, and the viewing and exporting of results have been improved in both the Table views and the Engineering Report. In addition, the Engineer Reports offer some nice PDF and MS Excel compatibility improvements.
SCIA Engineer 15.2 presents improved calculation of membrane structures using triangular finite elements.
For a complete list of what’s new in Scia Engineer 15.2, please visit: www.scia.net/new. Existing clients with maintenance agreements can download their free upgrade here: www.scia.net/update.
About SCIA
Established in 1974, SCIA has become one of the world’s leading developers of structural design and analysis software that supports the Open BIM process. SCIA is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Nemetschek Group – a globally leading software provider for the AEC (Architecture, Engineering, Construction) industry. SCIA Engineer is an integrated, multi-material structural analysis and design software for all kinds of projects. Its wide range of functionality make it usable for all kinds of projects: design office buildings, industrial plants and bridges, all within the same easy-to-use environment.