Advance Design
Advance Design was specifically developed for industry professionals that require a superior solution for the structural analysis and design of Reinforced Concrete, Steel and Timber structures according to the latest versions of Eurocodes (EC0, EC1, EC2, EC3, EC5 and EC8) and North American codes.
Advance Design features include easy modeling, a powerful FEM analysis engine, top-level design wizards, automated post-processing of results and automated detailed reports. Achieve a new level of computer-assisted engineering with Advance Design!
Fast and easy modeling
Advance Design has a complete library of structural elements, supports and loads. Those easily customizable elements adapt to all situations: numerical eccentricities, braces, ties with initial prestressing...
The CAD has advanced functions and stay easy to use:
- Levels concept: input a column using a single click, a wall using two.
- Properties templates on linear and planar elements.
- Elements snap points enable different actions: stretch, trim or extend, copy, move, etc...
- Use of multiple viewports enable simultaneous work in several viewpoints and visualization modes.
- Command lines functions and script saving functionalities.
- Display mode of elements as "linear contour", "hidden faces" or "realistic rendering".
- Ability to input elements in a 2D workplane or in a user defined coordinate system (Cartesian or polar).
- BIM Center toolbar to import-export-synchronize with different standard formats: GTC (Graitec BIM file), IFC, SNDF, PSS, CIS/2, DXF...
- 3D climatic generator for wind and snow effects.
- Seismical spectrums generator.
- Time history analysis wizard...
International codes
Since the 2010 version, Advance Design integrates the latest publications of Eurocodes 0, 1, 2, 3 and 8:
- Automatic generation of EC8 spectrums.
- Climatic loads on multiple roofs and snow accumulation on roofs with negative slope.
- Complete management of load cases and families combinations.
- Fire design for concrete and steel members.
- Connections design according EC3 and American codes (AISC).
- Concrete and steel design according American codes (ACI 318-08 and AISC)*.
- Timber Design according EN1995-1-1 and EN1995-1-2.
- Management of opened building according EN1991-1-4.
- French-German-UK-Czech and Romanian national appendixes for EC0-EC1-EC2-EC3-EC5 and EC8.
Available standards
Competitive meshing and finite elements calculation
- Wide range of linear element types: pre-stressed cables, ties, gaps, etc.
- Advanced meshing engine: "grid" or Delaunay mesh algorithm, finite elements with 3, 4, 6 or 9 nodes, progressive meshing, refinement tools, global mesh parameters
- Static, dynamic, non-linear analyses, large displacements, generalized buckling, etc.
- Extended solver capabilities due to enhanced memory management
- Boundary conditions on planar elements (membranes, plates, shells) ⇒ possibility to define a total or partial release.
- Multi-core finite elements engine.
- Automatic extension of lintels over walls modelled as shells.
- Full 64 bits application.
Meshing
Results processing
- Automated post-processing and updating of all result types (finite elements, reinforced concrete, steelwork) within a fully integrated environment
- Several post-processing methods: graphical results, result curves, stresses diagrams, calculation reports
- Recording of graphical animation, either of the input model or the analysis model
- Fully customizable design reports: styles, tables and graphical images, cover sheet, user input text, linked documents, etc.
- Automatic peak smoothing zones above columns and point supports.
- Torsors postprocessing on linear footings.
- Table with Storey drift on concrete buildings.
- Internal forces clipping options useful for industrial Concrete, Steel and Timber buildings.
- Advanced tools to post process the stresses on sections.
Reinforced Concrete Design
- The "design template" concept allows for the grouping of elements by their design properties: concrete quality, cracking hypotheses, concrete cover, etc.
- Calculation of theoretical reinforcement sections of linear and planar elements
- Determination of 3D interaction curves on an arbitrary section
- Obtainment of the theoretical reinforcement ratios
- Global design reports include the "concrete" results
- Detailed Crack width analysis and concrete-steel stress calculation according real reinforcement on beams and columns.
- Detailed Crack width verification on plates.
- Automatic cracked inertia calculation.
- New Baumann method for reinforcement design on planar elements.
- Detailed design reports.
Steel Design
- The new module designs steel connections according EC3 and American codes
- The "design template" concept allows for the grouping of elements by their design properties: buckling hypotheses, lateral-buckling restraints, deflections verification, etc.
- Shapes optimization starting from a predefined shapes library and using an automated calculation cycle: FE calculations and successive optimizations
- Shape sheets
- Global design reports include the "steel" results
Bracing members design according to Eurocode 3
Joint Design
The new connection design module allows calculating connections according the EC3 or the American Steel code:
- Specific toolbar to model the connection with a direct access to the detailed parameters through a property list.
- Possibility to design the following connections types:
- Synthetic tables and calculation report to design those connections.
- Splice joints.
- Apex haunch connections.
- Haunch joints.
- Tubes connections.
- Clip angles connections.
- Gusset plate connections.
Result Memory technology. How does it work?
When a graphical view is stored in memory, Advance Design not only saves the current image, but also the context that generated this image: view angle, zoom, filter of displayed elements, colors and display characteristics, nature of results (iso-values of displacements, values of theoretical reinforcement, magnified stresses), load cases, units, etc.
The views saved, using this technology, may be inserted in a design report, whose global content (current hypotheses, results, graphical views) may also be stored in memory. During each calculation iteration, Advance Design automatically recreates all the graphical views and rewrites the design report using the specified criteria.
Innovative interface
- Advanced options for workspace customization
- Dock and undock the different environment components using docking guides
- Display, hide and auto-hide options for the interface components
- Enhanced icon caption readability
Advantages
Discover the Advance Design work process from the modeling step to the post-processing of results in the following set of videos.
The images quality has been reduced (small size and compressed) for Internet compatibility. A high-speed connection is recommended.
Advance Design: Introduction (1:24)
This video offers a preview of the Advance Design user interface, from the modeling step to the generation of a design report.
Advance Design: Modeling and meshing (3:18)
This video illustrates several Advance Design modeling and meshing functions while demonstrating the creation of a model.
Advance Design: Post-processing of results (3:52)
This video illustrates post-processing functions and the updated results.
Overview
This interactive demo describes the main user interface objects. Moving the mouse over a red context-sensitive box will display a description of the corresponding feature.
Animation
Create a movie (AVI format) of the results by placing cameras around the model.
Rapid results display
All available results are readily accessible from the toolbar. Rotate the model in 3D and the real-time results remain displayed on the screen.
Mesher / Solver
Refined progressive meshing, density specified for each side…Advance Design speeds up the meshing step of your projects. The solver’s new memory management allows the handling of very complex designs.
Advanced design reports
The desired design report, containing concise result tables and images, can be obtained with little effort and can be edited in Word or Excel. All of the report’s parameters are stored in memory and the report is recreated after each design calculation.
Level concept
Specify, as needed, the level parameters and work with a 2D drawing: a column with 1 click, a slab with 2!
Post-processing Methods
Store genuine post-processing methods. In addition to the design calculations, the stored post-processing methods will be re-applied and the design documents will be automatically updated.
Dynamic properties window
When selecting several elements, the common properties of these elements will be displayed and can be modified simultaneously.
Context menu
Each object has a context menu accessed using a single click and offering different functions: copy, move, change local axes, and generate a load or support.
Customizable user interface
Customize the user interface by modifying the content and the position of menus, icons, toolbars, etc.
Dynamic model manipulation
Using this simple toolbar, move, zoom, and rotate around the model.
Realistic rendering
Design elements can be rendered using linear contour or realistic display modes regardless of design complexity!
ArcelorMittal partnership
GRAITEC and ArcelorMittal signed a strategic partnership agreement to enhance GRAITEC's engineering solutions and to facilitate access of design offices and steel structural workers to ArcelorMittal products.
Advance Design provides the option to define cellular beams in the 3D model (with a real OpenGL rendering) and to design them according to EC3 with the Arcelor’s module.
BIM technology : GRAITEC software interoperability and integration
All Graitec programs can now easily communicate with the new BIM format, that allows the exchange of models between applications and also the models synchronization, with no data loss and no need to re-input data!
Discover how Advance Design is compatible with Autodesk Revit Structure.
Advance Design Related Technical Articles
Read more about different functionalities of Advance Design in the following articles :
