Versions

• Version 8.0 released January 2025
• Version 7.0 released September 2023
• Version 6.0 released November 2021
• Version 5.0 released November 2018
• Version 4.0 released October 2017 - First version, built on VisualPlate 3.0 features

Punching Shear Design Overhaul

• Enhanced punching groups
  • Option added to check punching subgroups
  • Line Supports can now be included in punching shear groups
  • Smarter punching shear group generation
  • Smarter punching group/grade beam interaction
  • More accurate critical sections for punching shear
• Improved how "d" is calculated
  • Accounts for the direction of punching
  • Accounts rebar sizes and orientations
  • Use correct value based on the specified or optimized design approach
• Critical section now minimizes the punching perimeter (bo)
• More accurate punching shear demand calculation
• All components of the punching free body diagram can now be reported
• Punching Shear design moved to background thread (UI stays responsive while design works)
• Improved graphics performance for punching boundaries
• More accurate beta calculation

New Design Specification Options

• Added option to specify γ for ACI 350-20 & ACI 350-06
• Added option to neglect the size effect factor (i.e. λ_s=1) for ACI 318-19

New Load Combinations

• IBC 2024 Load Combinations
• NBC 2020 Load Combinations

New Scripting Commands

• Set project criteria (title, billing, notes, etc.)
• Delete loads
• Generate custom load combinations
• Extract results on a per boundary basis 
• Set visible result case
• Add graphics to report 
• Obtain lists of the service and strength result cases

New Report Features

• Added option to save reports in the project
• Added option to save reports as a style
• Reorganized report project manager

Scripts & Command Line

• Command Line is a powerful new way to drive the program:
  • Definite slabs, beams, point supports, line supports etc.
  • Apply loads to regions, load points, and beams
  • Adjust the analysis settings
  • Extract plate results (displacements, shears, moments, etc.)
  • Add tables to report and export reports
• External Script files can automate common tasks and much more:
  • Generate boundaries, apply loads, extract results
  • Refine the mesh until model converges
  • Perform model optimization

New Design Specifications

• ACI 318-19
• ACI 350-20
• CSA A23.3:19

Other Features

• Plate design diagrams
• Query plate results at a specified location
• Beam loads remain constant when switching between resultant to distributed loads
• Table of Contents report table
• Loaded Area information added to Area Uniform Loads tab in the Find Tool
• Updated Microsoft .NET framework for features and performance

Key Features

• Slab's mesh can be refined at load point and point support locations
• Punching shear reinforcement can be specified

Other Features

• Improved Design Rebar Patterns dialog that retains rebar patterns
• Plate result diagram overhaul
• Program ensures area loads are properly modeled before starting the analysis
• The number of shear legs can be specified for beams
• Improved filtering of table extremes
• Justification can be specified for report tables
• Improved drawing grids
• Improved the performance of generated loads

Fixes & Minor Changes

• Improved Help File documentation
• Crash recovery file improvements
• Fixed concrete preferences
• Fixed point support size reporting error

General

• Graphic wire frame in picture view mode
• Project Manager: Categories remember last open/collapsed state
• Project Manager: drop-lists are activated by clicking anywhere, not just on arrow
• Improved warning message formatting
• Improved Print Preview display for graphics
• Column-line graphics are "filtered" to avoid clutter
• Improved area load graphics with shaded tops
• Graphics performance is up to 20x faster
• Removed 'memory leaks', which slowed program over time

Modeling

• Ability to override punching perimeter
• Ability to insert a vertex along an area side
• DXF import shows bounds and an option for centering at the origin
• Polygon boundary defined by side length in addition to radius

Loading

• Ability to move area loads by side coordinates
• Beam loads can now be applied relative to wall orientation (parallel and perpendicular)
• Multiple selection in Load Case Manager

Analysis

• Line supports now insert a "drilling" spring support
• Individual service cases can be analyzed
• Analysis is now 12% faster

Design

• Canadian CSA A23.3-14 specification for slabs and beams
• ACI 350-06 Environmental Engineering Concrete Structures for slabs
• Slab reinforcement may be specified (rather than patterns to search/check)
• Distinct slab design parameters for each slab-boundary
• Filter beam design results graphically by limit state
• Plate design checks are 1.5x faster

Reporting

• Name filters are now enabled for both graphic and report filters
• Unavailable tables shown disabled with reason for not being available
• Table drop position used to locate when adding new tables in Text Reports
• Full report can now have categories filtered (model, loads, results, design, graphics)
• Flexure and Shear Design Report Tables now include key intermediate design details

Built on the concrete design module of VisualPlate 3.0

General

• 64-bit implementation, no more out-of-memory issues
• Multiple-threaded architecture uses all processor cores
• New UI, Ribbon toolbar, consistent with other IES tools
• 3D model/viewing (ctrl+mouse wheel or click the cube)
• Preference settings (fonts, colors, sizes, options, etc.)
• History Flies (automatic daily backups of a project-file, see preferences)
• Your Logo in a Text Report (see preferences)

Modeling

• No merge/intersection necessary for concrete boundaries
• Easier to edit
• Automatic split/connect meshing for crossing or overlapping line supports, beams
• Control over overlapping concrete thicknesses
• DXF import has insertion point so huge coordinate files can be moved.

Loading

• Implements ASCE 7 load combinations
• More Direct full-boundary loading

Analysis

• Automated behind-the-scenes
• Much faster analysis (using all processor cores)
• Accurate results

Design

• Implements ACI 318-14 specification
• Beam design, limit states and unity check
• Concrete boundary reinforcing design
• Custom detailing regions
• One-way and two-way punching shear calculations

Reporting

• Powerful Report Viewer
• Many tables and options
• Saved reports in project files
• Paste graphics into reports
• Complete project report
• Predefined, customizable reports