***************************************************************** ** Revision History for STAAD.Pro 2004, Build 1001.INDIA.

REL ** ***************************************************************** This document is organized in a way that newer revisions appear at the top. Therefore, section numbers will keep decreasing from top to bottom. Copyright (c) Research Engineers Intl. 2. What's New in STAAD.Pro 2004, Build 1001.INDIA.REL 1. What's New in STAAD.Pro 2003, Build 1001.ASIAN.REL ============================================================================== 2. What's New in STAAD.Pro 2004, Build 1001.INDIA.REL 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Features affecting the Pre-Processor Features affecting the Post-Processor Enhancements to the analysis and design facilities Miscellaneous Enhancements

Please refer to the Software Release Report for STAAD.Pro 2004 for more and latest information. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------2.1 Features affecting the Pre-Processor a) Plate elements can now be color coded to distinguish the directions of their local z-axes. The face of the element in the positive direction of the z-axis is referred to as the front . The opposite side is referred to as the back . b) The connection design interface to STAAD.Pro 2003 has been enhanced to enable users to modify the colors of the various parts of a connection . In the past, the beams and columns would be represented in one color and the bolts in another. c) The Translational Repeat facility now has a feature to allow the copying of entities without having their loads, properties, steel design parameters, etc. being copied with it. d) A new feature has been added to enable the user to sequentially highlight a specific group of entities (beams, plates, or solids) in numerical orde r. Controls on the speed of the selection are also included. e) A new check has been added to allow users to verify that the solid elemen ts in their model have the proper sequence (order) of node numbering to prevent warnings in the output file of solids containing negative volumes . f) A new check has been added to allow users to check if a solid element is warped. Warped solids cannot be analyzed and will produce errors in the output file. g) The 3D Rendering feature, which depicts the model in realistic 3D lightin g

and texture, has been improved for displaying large models in a fraction of the time. h) The new automatic load generator feature enables the user to assign load types to primary load cases (like dead, live, wind, etc.) and automatical ly create load combinations based on standard load combination factors from codes like UBC, IBC, ASCE, etc. i) A new tool has been added to check the model for plates that overlap or intersect each other at their boundaries. Typically, these overlaps cause improper load transfers or instabilities in the model. j) A new tool has been added to check the model for plates that overlap or intersect each other at their boundaries. Typically, these overlaps cause improper load transfers or instabilities in the model. k) A new tool has been added to check the model for plates that are improper ly connected to beams. Beams must be connected to plates at their nodes in o rder to ensure proper coupling and load transfer. This tool will inform the us er if any improper connections are present in the model. l) The construction gridlines in STAAD.Pro (used to create beams, plates and solids by snapping to a grid layout) have been enhanced to include an irregular grid shape pattern where the grid spacing can vary from line to line. The grid can also be placed on any inclined plane. m) OpenSTAAD has been enhanced in STAAD.Pro 2004 to include specific functio ns to control the analysis engine and the reporting grid table formats. n) This feature is only available for users who have purchased the OpenSTAAD Professional Edition which enables users to run VBA macros within STAAD.P ro using the new embedded STAAD VBA Editor. The automatic calculation of the K factor in steel design has been added based on the nomograph method prese nted in the AISC ASD manual in Chapter 5 Section C-C2.2. o) Shear wall modeling and design now includes walls with openings. Rectangu lar openings may be added to a wall using the Customizable Construction Gridl ines. The design is carried out for different parts of the wall (panels) in acc ordance with ACI 318-02 provisions for walls, columns, and beams, as appropriate. p) A facility is added to add openings to Surface elements. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------2.2 Features affecting the Post-Processor

a) The new beam stress manager allows the user to obtain the combined stress for any cross-section at any point along the length of the member. An OpenGL rendered picture of the stress distribution in 3D is also provided. b) The facility for plotting stress contour diagrams for plate and solid elements has been enhanced to automatically re-index the stress contour ranges when individual elements are isolated (by creating a new view wind ow). c) The Advanced Query feature, which enables the user to extract specific information from the STAAD results, has been enhanced to include operatin g a user-defined query on selected members and being able to control the parameters while sorting data. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------2.3 Enhancements to the analysis and design facilities a) This facility is used to limit the modes used in dynamic analysis to thos e listed in this command and deactivate all other modes that were calculate d but not listed in this command. Thus, it allows one to specify a reduced set of active dynamic modes. b) For curved beams with pipe cross section (elbow), the extra flexibility t hat such a configuration has compared to a straight beam (since the section w ill become oval) is now computed. The user may enter the internal pressure fo r the elbow as well. c) Now user can print the center of gravity of any portion of the structure. The beams, plates and solids of the desired portion must be defined using gro up names (See STAAD.Pro Technical Reference Manual for details). d) In floors of a model where beams are specified but slabs are not, the pre ssure loading on the slabs has to be transmitted to the beams. If the mode of deflection of the slab is one-way, and hence the load transmittal from th e slab to the beam too is one-way, this feature can be used. e) Until now, the surface defined for this case had to be purely horizontal. This has been enhanced so that loads may now be generated on beams which defin e a vertical surface also. f) Instructions may now be specified for simultaneous generation of horizont al & vertical springs at a node, with each direction having its own subgrade m odulus.

g) The design of composite beams per the 3rd edition of the American LRFD co de has been implemented. h) The Surface element has been enhanced to allow design of shear walls with rectangular openings. i) STAAD.Pro includes full-featured two-way slab design in accordance with A CI 318-02, as a part of the Interactive Design suite of programs. This editi on of the program includes a number of new features and enhancements. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------2.4 Miscellaneous Enhancements a) There is no longer the need to choose the analysis/design engine associat ed with a specific country when for running the analysis using the STAAD analysis option. A single choice replaces the multiple choices. b) Mexican steel tables are integrated into the STAAD steel sections databas e. c) UBC/IBC load can now be used in conjunction with member tension/compressi on commands.. d) Up to 8 UBC load cases may be specified in a single run. The previous lim it was 4. e) UBC/IBC cases may be factored in a REPEAT LOAD command if each UBC case i s followed by a CHANGE command. f) The UBC/IBC Accidental Torsion load may be factored to allow torsion to b e in the opposite direction. g) Concrete Density parameter may be specified for composite beams. This is to allow for specification of lightweight concrete. h) A member list may now be specified with the STEEL TAKE OFF command (See s ection 5.41 of the STAAD Technical Reference manual). i) Facility for designing I shaped beams with top & bottom cover plates is n ow available with the AISC ASD code.

============================================================================== 1. What's New in STAAD.Pro 2003, Build 1001.ASIAN.REL

Please refer to the Software Release Report for STAAD.Pro 2003 for more information. Graphical Interface and other major Enhancements New or Enhanced Analysis & Design Facilities OpenSTAAD 2.0 Removal of Interoperability Module Errors corrected in Post-processing since STAAD.Pro 2002, Build 1006.ASIAN.REL 1.6 Errors corrected in the Analysis and Design engines since STAAD.Pro 2002, Build 1006.US.REL 1.7 Other miscellaneous enhancements and changes -----------------------------------------------------------------------------1.1 Graphical Interface and other major Enhancements The following items have been added to the STAAD.Pro Graphical Interface a) To select a group of nodes, beams, plates and/or solids user can now choose between the rectangular rubber band window (Drag Box), a polygon (Region), or a line (Drag Line). b) The member query box has been modified to include the ability to change many of the member attributes from the dialog box itself including the property definition, specifications (releases, truss, cable, etc.) and beta angle. In STAAD.Pro 2003, enhancements to changing the release and material attributes have been added. c) A new facility to automatically save the current STAAD file at periodic intervals has been introduced in STAAD.Pro 2003. The Backup Manager is also capable of restoring older versions of the current STAAD file as well as find the differences between two versions of the same or differen t STAAD files. d) The Copy/Paste facility from STAAD.Pro s table grid sheets containing input and output information has been enhanced to allow different column sizes and configuration to be copied from Excel into STAAD. Previously, i f the Excel sheet had four columns and STAAD s grid table was expecting three or five, the paste would fail or would be abnormal. e) Change the origin of rotation from the default (center of structure) to a ny point on the current model. f) STAAD.Pro 2003 is now equipped with an automatic crash detection mechanis m which will monitor the performance of the program while in use. g) To color code different entities in STAAD.Pro by group name, properties, specifications or thickness. h) STAAD.Pro 2003 has a new feature which allows the user to view the stress es along any line cut through a row of plate elements. The usefulness of thi s feature comes from the fact that one can now obtain, say, the total in-pl 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5

ane shear force at a horizontal section at a desired height above the base of a shear wall. Similarly, the total bending moment at the mid-span section o f a bridge deck modelled using plates can now be calculated. i) A new program has been supplied (Advanced Mesher) which can be used to discretize any 2D surface and then, automatically create a STAAD file. Th e Mesher can handle any types of holes, curved surfaces and even allows the user to define internal and external column points and wall lines so the mesh would intersect at or along these points. j) STAAD has a facility for automatic generation of spring supports to model foundation slabs. For details please refer to 2003 Release Report and Tec hnical Reference Manual. k) This command may be used to designate certain support springs as contribu ting to the computation of modal damping by the composite damping method. For det ails please refer to 2003 Release Report. l) In seismic load generation using a static equivalent approach, encompasse d in codes such as UBC, IBC, IS1893, etc., the weights in the structure have t o be specified as part of the "DEFINE" command block. Two new options have bee n created ELEMENT WEIGHT and FLOOR WEIGHT along with the previous SELFWEIGH T, JOINT WEIGHT and MEMBER WEIGHT. m) Two types of loads can now be assigned on the individual faces of solid e lements. For details please refer to 2003 Release Report. n) If a pressure or volumetric load is acting on a region or surface, and th e entity which makes up the surface, like a slab, is not part of the structural mo del, one can now apply the pressure load using this facility. The load is defined in terms of the pressure intensity at the 3 or 4 nodes which can be treated as the corners of the triangular or quadrilateral plane area which makes up the region. This command may be used as an alternative or supplement for the Area Load, Fl oor Load, Wind Load, and other pressure load situations. o) An existing facility "Element pressure loads on plates" is enhanced. For details please refer to 2003 Release Report.

p) Floor and Area load can be applied in any Glabal direction. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------1.2 New or Enhanced Analysis & Design Facilities The following three designers have been added to the STAAD.Pro. For details pl ease refer to 2003 Release Report. a) Shear Wall Designer b) Concrete Slab Designer c) Steel Designer -----------------------------------------------------------------------------1.3 OpenSTAAD 2.0 OpenSTAAD has been enhanced in STAAD.Pro 2003 to allow users to create macro s inside the STAAD.Pro environment to automate STAAD.Pro graphical and postprocessing routines, customize STAAD.Pro by adding in their own design routi nes or dialog boxes or link third party applications directly within STAAD.Pro. OpenSTAAD 2.0 also comes with a built-in VBA editor and supports the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) scripting language created by Microsoft. STAAD. Pro is the first structural engineering software capable of this function. The b asic part of OpenSTAAD (Version 1.0) allows users to link STAAD.Pro results direc tly and dynamically into applications like Excel, Microstation or AutoCAD. OpenS TAAD 2.0 is an add-on module. Please see the OpenSTAAD Technical Reference manual for all the new function s and procedures available in OpenSTAAD 2.0. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------1.4 Removal of Interoperability Module The STAAD.etc moment connection interface in STAAD.Pro has been replaced wit h the new integrated moment connection designer in the new Steel Designer mode. In the past, the moment connection module required that you have a license of STAAD.etc. This is no longer true as the new moment connection designer comes with STAAD.Pro. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------1.5 Errors corrected in Post-processing since STAAD.Pro 2002, Build 1006.ASIAN. REL a) If a member fails in slenderness per the AISC ASD code, the steel design tab of the member query option fails to correctly report the state of the axi

al force on the member (tension vs. compression). In some cases, the state m ay not be reported at all. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------1.6 Errors corrected in the Analysis and Design engines since STAAD.Pro 2002, Build 1006.US.REL a) If SPRING TENSION and SPRING COMPRESSION commands are both present in the file, there was an error in processing the data. Only the last specified data w as honored. b) If the PERFORM ANALYSIS command is specified more than once with no chang e in structure geometry or properties in between, in rare cases, the results a fter the second analysis operation may be erroneous. c) For structures contains plate elements and solid elements, temperature lo ads were not stored properly. d) An error in welding design has been corrected. e) An error in designing the AISC B shapes (plate girders) has been correcte d. f) If metric units are used, the diameter of a circular column will not be r eported correctly in the output for ACI 318 based concrete column design. g) While designing concrete columns per the ACI 318 code, the program someti mes fails to identify that certain bar arrangements are adequate, and may end up re porting that a larger area of steel reinforcement needs to be provided. h) An error involving plate temperatures and load combinations has been corr ected. i) An error involving the second bending temperature load (the one which cau ses bending about the Z axis), and repeat loads has been corrected. j) An error in analysis when UBC/IBC loading and PDELTA analysis commands ar e used in conjunction, has been corrected. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------1.7 Other miscellaneous enhancements and changes a) The CHANGE command is no longer needed if MEMBER TENSION and MEMBER COMPR ESSION commands are used in conjunction with multiple load cases.

b) The mass/stiffness ratio cut-off criteria in retaining small masses has b een changed to allow smaller masses. This may result in some differences in frequency values obtained from eigensolution. c) For moving load generation performed using the DEFINE MOVING LOAD command , the number of axles allowed per vehicle TYPE has been increased from 49 to 20 0. d) Tresca stresses are reported in the output produced in response to the PR INT ELEMENT STRESSES command. e) For time history loading, Moment type of forcing function can now be spec ified. In the past, only FORCE type was permitted. f) Command file based mesh generation of plate elements can generate upto 23 000 joints and 47000 elements in a single instance of the GENERATE ELEMENT co mmand. These limits were considerably less in the past. g) Re-analysis is now permitted when frequency calculation or response spect rum type load cases are present. h) For solids-only models, program automatically removes rotational degrees of freedom to avoid zero stiffness messages. This may also reduce the run-ti me considerably for large models. i) Minor improvements in the ASCE 4-98 based dynamic analysis facility. j) If supports are specified for some/all slave nodes in a master-slave command, those will now be detected.