• In LIRA-CAD module, it is possible to generate a pile schedule and a legend of symbols (sign notation). This information is placed on the drawing sheet in the form of an editable table.

• Reinforcement types (that are templates for arrangement of rebars in the body of the corresponding RC elements of the structure) can be exported to a DXF file or placed on drawing sheets as editable tables. Tables can be arranged on sheets with many columns if the project involves a variety of reinforcement types. Alternatively, continuation sheets with appropriate table heading format can be used. 

• The "Update contours" command is implemented for walls. This option allows you not to lose the arrangement of reinforcement in elements when the wall geometry is modified in the model. When adding openings, changing the wall length, and using the "Update contours" command, it is enough to update the previously created model of wall reinforcement.

• For more convenient work with objects that are created on the "Drawing" view, new tools are added:

  • mirror copy;
  • object scaling;
  • equidistant.

• In the new version of the program, it is possible to define the scale on the drawing individually for each view image on the sheet. That is, if the same view is presented on the sheet several times, then each of its images may be displayed on a different scale. Usually, the reinforcement view is presented several times on the sheet. It is the reinforcement pattern in the slab in different locations: at the top or at the bottom edge of the slab, along numerical or along letter axes. Now each representation can appear on the sheet at its own individual scale.

• A new option to assign the damping ratio to individual elements of the model for each dynamic load case. These damping ratios are used in earthquake analysis for real one-component accelerogram (27), real three-component accelerogram (29), response-spectrum (41), three-component response-spectrum (64) to account for damping.

• In earthquake analysis by a real one-component accelerogram (27) and a real three-component accelerogram (29), it is now possible to define the maximum calculated damping ratio.

• New option to correct the spectrum according to the damping ratio computed in earthquake analysis by the response spectrum (41) and the three-component response spectrum (64). 

Note:

When the spectrum is corrected according to the computed damping ratio, the user-defined response spectrum is generated for a damping ratio 0.05 (5%).

• When the data for earthquake analysis is defined according to AzDTN 2.3-1 2010 with amendments of Jan 01, 2014 (Azerbaijan - module 50), it is now possible to define the coefficient of nonlinear deformation of soil Kq.

• A new option to define a set of mass redistribution groups in the elements of design model for dynamic analysis (for each spectral dynamic load case and for time history analysis). Mass redistribution is used to shift the centres of mass in plan by a specified value.

• When offsets for bars are added, it is possible to consider the angle of pure rotation. 

• When the elements are copied or moved by two nodes, either by rotation or symmetrically (mirror copy), there is an option that allows you to rotate the local axes of the bars and assign the calculated angle of pure rotation. The specified sections of bars, loads in the local coordinate system, and offsets in bars are oriented according to the new location of the local axes.

• It is possible to copy selected properties for load cases: type of load case, subproblems, type of dynamics, account of static load cases (mass accumulation for dynamic analysis), selective account of masses in elements, groups of mass redistribution in elements, eccentricities of mass application. It is also possible to copy the values of increasing factors fvk and damping ratios ksi for earthquake load cases. 

• For the list of material properties of reinforced concrete structures (type/concrete/reinforcement) and masonry reinforcing structures (masonry/reinforcement/strengthening), there are new options: 1) to find in the list the data assigned to the elements selected on the design model, and 2) to find on the design model the elements with the data highlighted in the list. 

• A new option "Ignore parameters of filters" that allows you to temporarily disable the reaction to the set filters (selection criteria) in the "Polyfilter" dialog box.

• Added option to edit the angle of deflection for adjacent bars; for this angle, it is allowed to combine the bars into one structural element (default 2.3°). Now, if the user specifies a larger deflection angle, it will be possible to combine curved elements of beams or columns into a single StE.

• Option to customise the hotkeys and add corresponding commands to user-defined toolbars now applies to all flags of drawing (options for setting parameters for presentation of design model and information on it), as well as, mosaic plots of assembled and disassembled elements.

• Option to select groups of structural elements, unified groups, unified groups of structural elements and structural blocks with the selection window. 

• For bars, a new option to display section types and geometric properties on the model.

• A new command that allows you to change the restraints at selected nodes.

• The number of colours may be defined for the discrete colour palette (the palette is evenly divided within the extreme values) and to the colour palette by values (each division corresponds to a unique value of the mosaic plot of the displayed parameter).

• The specified graphs of dynamic loads at nodes (seismograms, piecewise linear (polyline) load with uniform step, accelerograms in relative units) may be presented with account of specified coefficient to load/conversion coefficient of relative units to acceleration units.

• When you define the data to compute the load at the specified nodes of the design model from its remaining part (load on the fragment), there is a new option to exclude nodes that do not belong to the elements of the fragment from the analysis.

• The super-elements may be automatically snapped to the main model, in case super-elements were moved from a subdirectory to the directory with the main model.

• When you define the default parameters for the new problems and new design options, it is now possible not to delete incomplete or conflicting data for reinforced concrete and steel analysis before analysis procedure.

• Modified and extended with new commands the panels of the ribbon interface, as well as the menus and toolbars of the classic interface.

• New types of perfectly rigid bodies (PRBs) are added along the directions for degrees of freedom (DOF) in the system: 

  • All degrees of freedom;
  • X, Y, Z, UX, UY, UZ;
  • Z, UX, UY; 
  • Y, UX, UZ;
  • X, UY, UZ; 
  • X, Y, UZ; 
  • X, Z, UY; 
  • Y, Z, UX; 
  • X, Y, UX, UY, UZ; 
  • X, Z, UX, UY, UZ; 
  • Y, Z, UX, UY, UZ.

Note.

Before the LIRA-SAPR 2024 R1 version of the structural analysis program, the PRB was only of type 1, "All degrees of freedom". This indicated that the slave and master nodes were connected by the same warping values (model type 6), with the exception of the kinematic restraints between X, Y, Z, UX, UY, and UZ.

• A new option to modify DCL forces and stresses for bars and plates according to a set of rules:

  • 0 - all values of the selected forces are replaced with zero values; 
  • ZERO - values of selected forces, the absolute value of which is less than defined parameter e, are replaced with zero values;
  • FACTOR - all force values for the selected elements are multiplied by the specified parameter k;
  • AFORM - the diagram of values for the selected forces is transformed to rectangular at the bottom and trapezoidal at the top;
  • LFORM - the diagram of values for the selected forces is transformed to trapezoidal at the bottom and rectangular at the top;
  • HFORM - the value at the beginning of the selected force diagram is multiplied by the value of the parameter beg, at the end of the diagram - by the value of the parameter end, other values of the diagram - by the values of the parameter mid.

With the help of this set, it is possible to calculate a single DCL table by considering the rules for modifying the forces for the analysis of plastic walls and assigning responsibility coefficients to every element in the model. In terms of the minimum load-bearing capability of certain structures, it is also quite a flexible tool for putting the provisions of various building codes into practice.

Important.

The forces are corrected in the design sections of the elements that are used in the design procedure.

• The mirror copy command is improved, taking into account the correct location of the cross-section in the elements and the boundary conditions assigned to them.

• The soil model now has a new option that allows it to be temporarily disabled during calculations. It is not required to exclude the soil model from the project in order to identify the best possible design options. Instead, you could activate an option that will ignore the soil model in calculations. This offers a more practical and adaptable method of using the soil model.

• A number of new features are developed in the "Layers" dialog box:
  • for more convenient work, layers may be automatically organized by name;
  • when the underlays are imported, the colours of the layers used in the DWG file fully correspond to the colours in LIRA-CAD module;
  • to check that the layers belong to certain objects, a special graphical view "Layer Colours" is developed.

• We have changed how the parameter value for the ±DH is interpreted in response to many requests from our users. This tool's original purpose was to simulate niches and recesses. That is why the "Depth" parameter was made for it in the interface. The deeper the niche, the higher the parameter value. Many users have discovered an additional application for this tool, though. It was possible to represent pedestals for columns, local thickenings in slabs, and capitals by specifying negative depth values. It's challenging to classify these components as niches. Consequently, the ±DH was introduced instead of the term "Niche," which frequently received a negative depth value.

  Since a positive sign is associated with an increase in thickness and a negative sign - vice versa, it was decided to name the parameter "Thickening" and interpret it accordingly. Now, at negative values of this parameter, the thickness of the slab decreases and accordingly, a niche is formed. At positive values - a local thickening of the slab element is formed.

• In the design of buildings, there is the practice of placing elements at intermediate elevations located between the main levels of the building. To facilitate the work with such objects at certain heights, there is a tool to create "intermediate levels". In the new version of the software, in the "Project Structure" dialog box for such objects, you will see indicators of height elevations, thus facilitating the management of structures placed at different height elevations.

• To facilitate the work process, the key tolerance settings required for the project are now gathered in the project properties window. These tolerance settings are important at various stages of the program: they are used for model generation, during the import of external models, during the design of panel buildings, and when the complete model is checked for errors and warnings. The design process is more standardised and predictable when these characteristics are all in one location, which reduces errors and speeds up the design process.

• The key tolerance settings required for the project are presented in the project properties window. These properties are used in a number of cases:

  • for model generation;
  • when importing models;
  • in the construction of panel buildings;
  • for validation of the generated model.

• The "Shaft" tool is improved. New functionalities:

  • check points are added at the top of the object to make it easier to resize the shaft;
  • for more convenient and accurate generation it is now possible to display the shaft in the analytical presentation of the model;
  • in the "Editable Analytics" mode, the option to change the shaft size is now available;
  • for the shaft element, the "Extract properties" tool is improved and applied; it allows you to copy properties and apply them to other created objects.

• New module for earthquake load - (63) TBEC-2018 (Turkey).
• A load from a forced displacement may be defined. The following data should be defined: the load, its displacement (m) along a certain direction, its rotation angle (rad) about a certain axis, or its warping (rad/m). When the load from the forced displacement is located in the model, it is automatically linked to the object that it is applied to. To check the object that the load is linked to or remove such a link, use the "Manage links of object" dialog box. To "fix" (link) the load to a selected object, use the "Attach object" command. When the meshed model is generated, a node is generated at the location of the load from the forced displacement, and such load is transferred to the VISOR module as a forced displacement at the node. To define the load along the line, use the "Forced displacement along line" command. In the meshed model, such a "linear" load will be split into several nodal loads of the forced displacement with the triangulation step of the object that it is linked to, or discretization step (if such a step was defined in the load properties). 
• New tool to define uniform and non-uniform thermal loads on bars and plates.

• For dynamic analysis, new option to define the mass weight at a node and mass weight along a line.
• Enhanced functionality for the tool that collects loads. New option that takes into account continuity of the proxy object when distributing bar loads through it.
• For objects of the "Snow mound" type, new option to divide the snow model into segments and connect the separate segments together.
• For more convenient work with linear and surface uniformly distributed loads, a new approach to their application in the finite element model is provided. New option "By whole finite element" for uniformly distributed loads: the load may be transferred not as individual concentrated load but as uniformly distributed over the whole surface of each finite element. To use this option, the load should be linked to a certain structural element. This option is available for the surface load and the linear load. There are two ways to transform the load that is applied to each finite element:
  • the load contour defines the triangulation zone. In this case, the load is presented as a uniformly distributed load within this zone;
  • the triangulation does not depend on the load contour. In this variant, the load is transformed into a uniformly distributed load on the plates in which centres of gravity are located within the load area.

• For walls that are interpreted as loads, there are two methods to transform this load:

  • 1 (standard method): to calculate the weight of the wall with account of openings and create a uniformly distributed linear load that is placed along the line along which the partition is generated;
  • 2 (new method): to divide the wall into segments with variable load within the openings. Then each segment will obtain a different, uniformly distributed linear load corresponding to that segment.

• The "Space" tool is significantly enhanced:
  • If it is necessary to consider the floor for the room that is described as a load and a multi-layer floor covering material is used, the intensity of this load will be automatically calculated, taking into account the thickness and unit weight of each floor covering layer;
  • If a room occupies several floors and is interpreted as a load in a property, the intensity of the load will be applied to each slab that it passes through, taking into account its volume.
• The validation of the model is enhanced. Upon generating a mesh model, the software will check the loads to identify the finite elements that it can be applied to. A warning message appears if no finite elements are detected and some load is lost. Therefore, in order to prevent lost loads during the model's transfer to the VISOR structural analysis module, it is possible to adjust the load locations during the generation of the meshed model.  The project properties now include a customisable parameter that allows you to ignore a small percentage of the lost load and not display a warning when validating the model.

The LIRA-CAD module implements an effective mechanism for managing design options. The new LIRA-CAD functionality allows you to create and modify design options and customise their parameters. Alternative design options allow for quickly obtaining the analysis results for reinforcement and sections according to different building codes. For each selected building code, structural elements automatically receive material properties corresponding to these documents.

Certain types of analysis (by DCF, by DCL, or by forces) may be assigned to every design option. The corresponding building code may be defined for any analysis (reinforced concrete, steel, or masonry reinforcing). Accordingly, the material properties specified for each of the selected building codes will be applied.

In addition, it is possible to create several design options according to one building code, with different types of analysis for sections (by DCF, DCL, or forces). These options may be selected in the dialog box and displayed in the table with design options.

The new approach of working with design options exactly corresponds to the logic of structural analysis software VISOR module. The input data required to carry out the strength analysis may be defined in more detail. 

• A new functionality has been introduced that allows you to precisely define the intersection line between the ramp and the curved wall it rests on or intersects with. This solution automatically creates the intersection line along the contour of the interaction between the two elements. In this way, an integrated coordination of the ramp with the curved wall is ensured, which contributes to a more correct connection between the ramp and the wall in both the physical and analytical models. Engineers can build complex curvilinear shapes much more easily thanks to this approach, which also increases modelling accuracy for complex elements.

• The new command "Do not intersect in the meshed model" allows you to configure (in the physical model) that two selected objects will not work together. The command is universal and may be applied to different types of objects. For example, to remove intersections between objects within the deformation joint. The configured intersection prohibitions can be checked in the "Manage links of object" dialog box.

• The program incorporates a new approach to verify if the ground-floor objects have supports. Links are automatically made for such vertical elements along specific directions in case there are no supports. In the new version of the program a check for the presence of foundation beams under such types of objects is added.
• A new option is to create a bar analogue for walls not only in a vertical direction (BA pylon) but also in a horizontal direction (BA wall-beam). For the bar analogue, it is possible to specify the number of division zones or the division step for the target bar.
• Depending on the load-bearing structure of the staircase (stair carriages, stair stringers, or monolithic reinforced concrete), the materials for the design of the stair elements may be defined. For the plates or bars of the stairs, it is possible to specify general parameters, parameters of concrete and reinforcement for analysis or steel class, design parameters, and selection limitations for the steel analysis.
• Unification of local axes of capital and column base. There are 3 options for the unification of local axes: globally, parallel to the global axes; along the floor slab, parallel to the local axes in the floor slab; and radially, parallel to the column centre.
• The Special Element tool is enhanced. Now you can manually define the coupled DOF and hinges between any objects.
• Triangulation points may be defined over columns and triangulation lines over walls in inclined slabs. It is also possible to create arbitrary points and triangulation lines on inclined slabs.
• New functionality to make it easier to create and edit walls. Additional points at the top of the wall are included in the tool. The new features provide more accurate positioning of walls and more reliable interaction with other elements at the same level.
• Additional design parameters are introduced to the building model; these parameters are utilised in the finite element analysis (FEA). Rz, the ultimate load on an elastic foundation in the direction of the local Z1-axis of the finite element, is a new parameter introduced to the foundation slab. This enhancement makes it possible for you to perform a nonlinear FEA and more precisely consider the impact of this parameter.
• The "Align model" tool is enhanced to align the wall's analytical component as well as its physical structure. This enhancement is available in both "Analytics" and "Editable analytics" modes. This option makes it possible to efficiently align the "analytics" of the wall with other objects and, as a result, obtain higher quality analytical model (of the building).

• The "Align model" functionality in the software is significantly improved not only for walls, but also for slabs. The slabs are aligned for both physical and analytical models. This not only speeds up the process of generating and modifying architectural and analytical building models, but also contributes to improving the accuracy and quality of the design.

• For stairs where the stair carriages are the load-bearing components, several modifications are made. The ability to define the design material parameters for reinforced concrete and steel is one of the modifications. It is feasible to configure the following settings for steel stair carriages:
  • element type;
  • partial safety factors and load factors;
  • presence of stiffening ribs;
  • deflection value;
  • input data for the stability analysis;
  • in the analysis of the cross-section, you can define the required dimensional limits and the program will carry out an analysis within the range.

• In LIRA-CAD 2024, it is possible to independently manage the combined behaviour of elements with the perfectly rigid body (PRB). There is a new option to generate PRB as a separate special element. This tool will allow you to create high-quality meshed models as well as more flexible management of the combined behaviour of elements. Generated PRBs can be copied by the element itself or to other elements. It is also possible to add a PRB as a template to the Library and use it in other projects.

For friction FEs 263/264, the "Unloading with initial stiffness" option is implemented. With this option, you can apply the hysteresis behaviour of FE in the cyclic loading: the friction load T=N*mf, where mf is the friction coefficient defined in the stiffness parameters, activates when the direction of motion changes (i.e., when the velocity equals 0). In "unloading with initial stiffness", the FE of friction enables you to describe, for example, the behaviour of a friction seismic isolator and, in combined behaviour with the FE of an elastic spring, a friction pendulum seismic isolator.

The mass redistribution procedure is implemented. For time history analysis and each spectrum dynamic load case, a set of mass redistribution groups may be defined. It is possible to comply with the building code's requirements thanks to this technology, which includes taking into account the torsional effects of unknown mass locations and spatial variations in earthquake loads.

Every group has the following parameters:

• Position of the local coordinate system of the group. There are two options to define the position of this coordinate system: default and specifying the angle of rotation about the global Z-axis.
• Mass relocation along the local axis R` (Eak_R`).
• Mass relocation along the local axis T` (Eak_T`).
• A list of items to create a group.

The default position of the UCS for the group is determined in the following way:

• for single-component earthquake loads - the direction of the local X-axis is determined as the projection of the earthquake load on the XOY-plane of the global coordinate system;
• for three-component earthquake loads with radial components - the direction of the local X-axis coincides with the direction of the radial component of the earthquake load;
• for other spectral dynamic loads and time history analysis - the local coordinate system of the group coincides with the global coordinate system.

The purpose of mass redistribution is to move the centres of masses by the specified displacements, Eak_R` and Eak_T`.

Important.

The group redistributes masses obtained from loads and mass weights applied to the elements and directly to the internal nodes of the group. The internal nodes of the group are the nodes that belong only to the elements of the group. To collect the masses from the FE into the nodes of this element, a diagonal mass matrix is used, no matter what type of matrix has been specified.

• For Pushover Analysis, new option to set the user-defined steps for application of horizontal earthquake load and to take into account the damping ratio.

• For Pushover Analysis, it is possible to use iterative FEs; previously, only step-type FEs were used. This option, for instance, enables the use of nonlinear hinges and inelastic springs to account for the local plasticity.

New check and limitation on the specified parameters for orthotropy stiffness. The stiffness should be positive:

• for plate FEs ν12 ≥ 0, ν21 ≥ 0, ν12*ν21 < 1;

• for solids ν12 ≥ 0, ν21 ≥ 0, ν13 ≥ 0, ν31 ≥ 0, ν23 ≥ 0, ν32 ≥ 0,

ν12*ν21 + ν23*(ν12*ν31 + ν32) + ν13*(ν21*ν32 + ν31) < 1

Conditions that the matrix of physical constants for orthotropy is positively definite:

• for plate FEs E1*E2 > (0.5*(E1*ν12+E2*ν21))^2;

• for solids

E1*E2*(1-ν23*ν32)*(1-ν13*ν31) > (0.5*(E1*(ν12+ν13*ν32)+E2*(ν21+ν31*ν23)))^2

E1*E3*(1-ν23*ν32)*(1-ν12*ν32) > (0.5*(E1*(ν13+ν12*ν23)+E3*(ν31+ν21*ν32)))^2

E2*E3*(1-ν13*ν31)*(1-ν12*ν32) > (0.5*(E2*(ν23+ν13*ν21)+E3*(ν32+ν12*ν31)))^2

Analysis of physically nonlinear bars for which a cross-section of arbitrary shape and components is generated in the "Cross-section Design Toolkit" module. Elements with such a cross-section can be physically nonlinear step-type, iterative with unloading with initial stiffness and iterative without unloading.

• Account of the max soil resistance for the nonlinear behaviour of elastic base for bars and plates.

  Previously, the nonlinear behaviour of the elastic base for bars and plates meant only that C1/C2 was ignored in uplifting (one-sided behaviour). Now, in addition to the one-way behaviour, it is also possible to define an max soil resistance in compression. That is, now there are two variants of behaviour for the elastic base:

  • one-way behaviour and no limitation on max resistance of soil;
  • one-way behaviour and limitation on the max compressive resistance of the soil.

• New option to get the max design resistance from the calculation in the SOIL system.

Important.

The max resistance of soil should be a negative value. If no data are available or the value is greater than or equal to zero, it is considered that the max soil resistance is not specified.

New types of PRBs are implemented.

Now, PRB may be one of the following types:

• All degrees of freedom (DOF)
• X, Y, Z, UX, UY, UZ
• Z, UX, UY
• Y, UX, UZ
• X, UY, UZ
• X, Y, UZ
• X, Z, UY
• Y, Z, UX
• X, Y, UX, UY, UZ
• X, Z, UX, UY, UZ
• Y, Z, UX, UY, UZ

Directions for the degrees of freedom(DOF) correspond to the directions of the local coordinate system of the master node.

The PRB was limited to type 1 ("All degrees of freedom") earlier. This meant that the slave and master nodes were connected by the identical values for warping (model type 6) and temperature (model type 15), in addition to the kinematic restraints between X, Y, Z, UX, UY, and UZ.

The 2nd type of PRB imposes only kinematic restraints between X, Y, Z, UX, UY, and UZ.

PRB of types 3-5 connect the displacements of the slave and master nodes as they move out of the certain planes. As a result, the displacements of the slave and master nodes are independent in this plane.

PRB of types 6-8 connect the displacements of the slave and master nodes in the certain plane. As a result, the displacements of the slave and master nodes are independent when they move out of the certain plane.

PRB of types 9-11 make the displacements of the slave and master nodes independent only along the appropriate axis.

Now, a node can serve as the master for multiple PRBs simultaneously.

Let’s consider modelling a slab-wall intersection, where the slab "leaves a trace" in the shape of a PRB in the wall and the wall "leaves a trace" in the shape of a PRB in the slab.

Previously, the model in the figure was modelled by three PRBs:

1, 4, 5, 48, 51

2, 6, 7, 47, 50

3, 8, 9, 46, 49

Now this can be modelled with the six PRBs. This will release the degrees of freedom in the PRB in directions that do not require restraint. For example, so that the slab and wall nodes in the PRB can move freely from thermal heating.

1, 4, 5 (PRB type 3. Z, UX, UY)

1, 48, 51 (PRB type 5. X, UY, UZ)

2, 6, 7 (PRB type 3. Z, UX, UY)

2, 47, 50 (PRB type 5. X, UY, UZ)

3, 8, 9 (PRB type 3. Z, UX, UY)

3, 46, 49 (PRB type 5. X, UY, UZ)

That is, 1, 4, 5 is an unbending body in the XOY-plane, but can deform in that plane,

and 1, 48, 51 is an unbending body in the YOZ plane, but can deform in that plane.

Important.

When you open the problems generated in previous versions, all PRBs are of type 1 (all degrees of freedom).

A slave node can be part of only one PRB and a slave node cannot be a master node.

It is possible to compute a new type of force that is an analogue to the shear force for warping (model type 6). The lateral-torsional moment is calculated in the design cross-sections of bars; for this moment, the diagrams along the length of the bars are generated for FE 7. This type of force is required in order to compute the tangential stresses in the analysis of the load-bearing capacity of elements subject to torsion.

The option "Unloading with initial stiffness" is added for the FE of joint. Unloading is performed by an elastic-plastic model with initial stiffness from the point of the current state. Re-loading is performed along the path of the previous unloading, so the joint will return to the point with the maximum strain that was achieved earlier. The relationship between the vertical stiffness and the shear stiffness for the FE of joint is shown in the figure below.