Interface

The user can now move seamlessly between the STRAP modules - main menu, geometry, loads, results, design, etc. - simply by clicking on the appropriate 'tab' located below the tool bar at the top of the screen. For example:

This feature enables the user to work simultaneously in more than one module and move seamlessly between them. For example, when a user displays the detailed results for a beam in the Steel design module, he can click the tab to check the loads on that beam. If the user then clicks the tab, the program will return to the same location in the Steel design module, i.e. the detailed results table.

Stages

Multiple 'stages' can now be defined for a model. In each stage, beams and elements may be removed, different supports and properties may be defined, etc. Each load case may be assigned to a different stage and combinations may be defined with load cases from different stages. The program calculates separate results for each defined stage.

Solution

The algorithm has been enhanced in order to reduce the solution time; in large models the time may be reduced by up to 66%.

Rendering

Refer to Detailed List - General

Output: a company logo (bitmap) may now be added to all printed output

Output tables:

- all tables may now be copied to the Clipboard and subsequently Pasted into Word, Notepad or Excel documents.

- a Print option has been added to all tables.

Rotate option:

- Dynamic zoom option - the model rotates according to the movement of the mouse

- Three permanent rotation angles may now be saved and selected.

- Rotate to any global plane may now be selected by clicking a button.

[Ctrl][+] and [Ctrl][-] are now equivalent to Zoom In/Zoom Out.

Element selection: All elements parallel to a specified element may now be selected.

Print drawing: the current time may now be printed with the drawing

'Remove': the 'Limit display to a plane' and the 'Remove nodes without elements' options are now coordinated.

Rendering:

- improved quality

- support for high resolution and advanced graphic cards

- all zoom, rotate and scroll options are fully functional for the rendered image

- "opacity" may now be defined for the colours, e.g. the model behind elements may be viewed

- an option has been added to draw lines along the member boundaries.

- the program now does not draw double 'panels' (e.g. the common face of two adjacent elements), unless otherwise specified by the user.

Models files may now be condensed to a single 'ZIP' file; the program can extract models from a ZIP file.

'Setup' menus have been rearranged and simplified.

New setup options:

default height axis, default working plane (for Wizard models), default DXF units (for Load DXF drawing)

Line thickness may now be defined for:

- drawing titles - printer

- contour map table

Delete model: the BEAMD files created by the concrete design module are now erased.

Solve several models: the program now solves models with revised geometry only, even if the user did not enter the loads module.

A 'Quit' option has been added

'Draw' options:

- the angle between any two lines may now be displayed

- the display of Dimension lines and Grid lines in an isometric view has been improved

- there are now separate Display options for Dimension lines and Grid lines

- different units may now be specified for Dimension lines and Elevation values.

Dimension lines automatically created by the "Model Wizard' are now added to the model.

Show data - beams - the program now displays the offset group.

'Check elements' - the warnings may now be printed.

The 'User-defined material' option has been rewritten in a more user-friendly table format.

Wall numbers are now displayed as W1, W2, etc. to differentiate between wall and element numbers.

Delete beams/elements: unattached nodes may now be deleted at the same time.

Beams:

- Beam definition options (single/line/chain/arc) have been combined and simplified

- properties: 'Copy' and 'Paste' options have been added; properties may now be copied to another model or to the same model.

Node definition: the following options have been added:

- intersection of a line and a plane

- intersection of a line and a cylinder

- X1 coordinate identical to X1 of an existing node, X2 identical to X2 of a different node, X3 identical to X3 of a third node.

Rigid links - 'rigid in a plane': a tolerance value for the plane coordinate may now be defined.

Solid elements: an option has been added to define a single element by selecting its corner nodes.

Copy - supports may now be copied.

Wall elements:

- rotate wall : the angle may now be defined by selecting two nodes.

- new walls may be defined by 'Pasting' an existing wall to a single or multiple locations.

- walls may be selected from a list when added to the model

Restraints/springs: radial restraints or springs may now be defined, i.e. a different local system at every node on the circumference of a circle or cylinder.

Display loads: the program now displays the center-of-gravity of the loads in each load case. This option is useful particularly for checking symmetric load cases.

Linear element loads: the loads may now be applied to the elements in one of the global directions and not only in a local direction.

Joint loads may now be defined in any direction.

A load case may now be copied and applied to the model in a different direction, modified by a factor. For example, 10% of the vertical loads may be applied as a horizontal load.

Wind loads: the IS875 Code ( India) has been added.

Beams may now be displayed with colour according to property type..

The number of load cases that may be included in a combination is now unlimited.

Walls: total moments and forces are now displayed for the entire wall, in addition to those for each segment.

Results along a line: the sign conventions have been revised so that the display conforms more to engineering, not mathematical, conventions.

Elements: the result coordinate system may now be displayed for each element.

Geometry and/or results may now be displayed with full or dashed lines.

Combination library: several combinations may now be extracted simultaneously.

Beams may now be displayed with colour according to property type.

Reactions (tables): the sum of reactions for only the displayed supports is now shown in the table

Reactions (graphics): reactions may now be displayed only for a selected global direction.

Print/ edit
saved drawing

The scale specified when the drawing was created may now be revised at the printing stage. This option allows the drawing to be modified to accommodate a change in paper size or to fit additional drawings on a single page without recreating them.

Text: new options to revise the text and the angle of an existing text.

The drawing title may now be revised in the drawing list.

Drawing margin values may now be defined.