Bridge engineering is moving towards BrIM (Bridge Information Modelling) and looking to capitalise on the potential time and monetary savings already being realised through use of BIM in Construction. This brief overview shows how models can be transferred between disciplines (Design and Analysis in Advance Design through to Situational representation in Autodesk Revit to a Detailed version in Advance Steel) – using a single model from Analysis to Build.
Download GRAITEC wallpaper for February 2014
With calendar
Size: 1280×1024; 1600×900; 1680×1050; 1920×1200
Without calendar
Size: 1280 x 1024; 1600 x 900; 1680 x 1050; 1920 x 1200
Download GRAITEC wallpaper for January 2014
With calendar
Size: 1280×1024; 1600×900; 1680×1050; 1920×1200
Without calendar
Size: 1280 x 1024; 1600 x 900; 1680 x 1050; 1920 x 1200
Happy Holidays !
Steel-Glass façade for the most inclined Tower of the world
The façade of the Capital Gate in Abu Dhabi was constructed by Waagner-Biro Stahlbau AG with Advance Steel, the 3D-Software for steel constructions.
The spectacular skyscraper “Capital Gate” was created directly to the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Center, the biggest area for trade shows and events in the Middle-East. The Capital Gate is 160m high and has an impressive inclination up to 18 degrees. Therefore it is more inclined than the leaning tower of Pisa that has only an inclination of 4 degrees. In the Guinness Book of Records the Capital Gate is already listed as the most leaning tower of the world. The building was erected between 2007 and 2010. It consists of 40 levels and is used as an office complex. In the 16th upper floors a five-star-Hyatt Hotel is located.
Waagner-Biro AG from Vienna was responsible for the modeling, construction, detailing and assembly of this extraordinary and organic formed steel-glass-facade of the Capital Gate. The tower has a polygonal foundation and the facade is one degree per level sloped and twisted. At the most inclined part the facade leans out more than 24m over the ground floor. The main-load bearing structure consists of a diamond structure.
More than 720 diamond elements were field-assembled by triangle sections with the glass and finally mount complete to the main structure. Each of those large-sized elements called “Diamonds” covers two levels and consists of 18 triangular areas and 33 single rods. For the entire facade 23.760 single bars and 12.960 glass panels were used. Because of the complex free formed surface each triangular glass panels and each single bar is unique. All in all more than 1.200 tons of steel and 24.000m2 glass was used for this extraordinary facade.
In order to realize the complex and challenging project in cost and on schedule, the 3D-CAD Software Advance Steel was used for planning. Thanks to its extensive 3D-tools it was easy to model the sculptured surface with nodes, rods and joints between them. Advance Steel processes the entire 3D model data, accelerates all document creation and insures all-around drawing consistency. An in-house programming on top of Advance Steel created all workshop documents (assembly drawings, GA-drawings, BOMs, NC-files) automatically from the 3D model.
Mr. Gert Weimann, head of engineering and construction department at Waagner-Biro AG, explains: “The project Capital Gate was a big challenge for us especially concerning the geometry, construction, detailing and assembly. Advance Steel increased the productivity in engineering and in the participated departments by more than 50% due to its 3D abilities and its possibilities of a comprehensive programming“.
About Waagner-Biro Stahlbau AG
Waagner-Biro is an international company for steel constructions and has its headquarters in Vienne, Austria. The company was founded in 1854. More than 1.000 employees work for Waagner-Biro in 16 offices in Europe, in South-East Asia and in the Arabic countries. Waagner-Biro is specialized in steel-glass-technology, bridge constructions, stage constructions and special mechanic engineering. Some of their main references are the cupola of the Reichstag in Berlin, the YAS-Marina Project in Abu Dhabi, the new airport terminal in Baku (Azerbaijan) and the Sony-Center in Berlin.
Download GRAITEC wallpaper for December
With calendar
Size: 1280×1024; 1600×900; 1680×1050; 1920×1200
Without calendar
Size: 1280 x 1024; 1600 x 900; 1680 x 1050; 1920 x 1200
GRAITEC at the FABTECH 2013 show in Chicago
The GRAITEC Inc. team is exhibiting at the FABTECH 2013 exhibition at the North and South Halls of McCormick Place, in Chicago (USA), on November 18-21, 2013.
The upcoming trade show and conference sets the stage for new ideas, products and technology through interactive exhibits, educational programming, and networking opportunities.
The Chicago event is expected to cover more than 550,000 net square feet and anticipates over 35,000 attendees and 1,500 exhibiting companies.
Download GRAITEC wallpaper for November
With calendar
Size: 1280×1024; 1600×900; 1680×1050; 1920×1200
Without calendar
Size: 1280 x 1024; 1600 x 900; 1680 x 1050; 1920 x 1200
Autodesk acquires Advance Steel and Advance Concrete
Graitec SA and Autodesk, Inc. have signed a definitive share purchase agreement allowing Autodesk to acquire Advance Steel and Advance Concrete product lines. This acquisition is expanding Autodesk’s BIM portfolio for structural engineering. The transaction is expected to close during the 4th 2013 quarter.
Until the completion of the transaction and importantly thereafter, GRAITEC will continue to sell Advance Steel and Advance Concrete, as before, as well as all the related services (maintenance, training, hotline) with its subsidiaries and resellers. Moreover, GRAITEC continues its development process, sales and technical support for the entire range of existing products.
See also:
Download GRAITEC wallpaper for October
With calendar
Size: 1280×1024; 1600×900; 1680×1050; 1920×1200
Without calendar
Size: 1280 x 1024; 1600 x 900; 1680 x 1050; 1920 x 1200
GRAITEC announces the release of the new BIM Structural version: GRAITEC Advance 2014
GRAITEC, European software developer and vendor for modeling and drawing creation for the construction industry, announces the release of the GRAITEC Advance 2014 suite.
Designed for structural engineers and professionals in the construction industry, GRAITEC Advance Structural BIM solution provides a complete environment for the development, design and production of all drawing and materials for steel, concrete, and wood structures.
GRAITEC Advance is a unique solution provider in the BIM field since it allows users to complete the entire structural process in a consistent environment, from finite elements analysis, to design according with the latest norms (Eurocodes, ACI, AISC…) and automated documentation production required for the fabrication: drawings, bills of materials and NC files.
GRAITEC Advance consists of three main structural software solutions: Advance Design, Advance Steel, Advance Concrete, completed with Advance CAD.
The “BIM GRAITEC” main characteristic feature is related to its capability to perform structural analysis and fabrication documents under the same concept. More than 10000 users, working daily with GRAITEC Advance, are involved in the design process of various structures such as towers, stadiums, civil engineering works, industrial buildings, stairs, etc.
For Francis Guillemard, CEO of the GRAITEC Group: “An accelerated growth of over 30% in the last two years and more than 10000 new users who joined our community means that GRAITEC Advance is the reference of the BIM Structural field. An innovative, technology, that helps engineers and construction professionals, to design and build their projects within time constraints and increasingly stringent quality.“
ADVANCE STEEL 2014: TAPERED BEAMS & IMPROVED ERGONOMICS
Advance Steel® is specifically designed for steel professionals who require an easy-to-use 3D, powerful structural steel detailing software for automating drawing production, BOMs and NC files.
Among all new functionalities of version 2014, two major developments stand out: significant enhancement of tapered beams in Advance Steel and the continuous investment in the ergonomics and ease of use refinements of Advance Steel.
ADVANCE STEEL 2014: WELDED TAPERED PLATE BEAMS
On a continuous growing market in the emerging countries that invest more and more in their infrastructure, the use of tapered elements for steel structures increased, especially for portal frames having large spans. However, without dedicated tools to complete large and complex steel projects, the design process can take longer. Advance Steel 2014 provides valuable assistance to all designers with a very comprehensive set of features: a new object, “tapered beam”, which allows the user to define elements having a variable cross section, including the possibility to combine different constraints on each segment (fixed or variable lengths, parallel flanges or not, etc.).
Moreover, the user has the possibility to define tapered elements having a hollowed cross section with many options: continuous web or flanges, automatic welding features, etc.
All automatic connections work together with this new object – tapered beam. Thus, with Advance Steel 2014 users will obtain quickly all required drawings, BOMs and NC files for these steel members.
ADVANCE STEEL 2014: FOCUS ON ERGONOMICS
GRAITEC continues its efforts to improve the ergonomics and ease of use of its software solutions. The Tool Palette has now a variable design: its content can be changed interactively, and a “Favorites” category can contain the frequently used commands. The same principle is used for the management of assemblies and collision checks commands which are still accessible even when the user performs other operations.
More simplification: the fusion of all features (holes, notches, cuts etc.) which can be applied on profiles, plates or concrete elements. Likewise, all functionalities used to define structural elements (portal frames, purlins, bracings, connections etc.) were grouped into a new dedicated page in the Tool Palette.
ADVANCE STEEL 2014: MORE ENHANCEMENTS…
Advance Steel 2014 also provides many other features designed to extend the possibilities for design and improve user efficiency:
- Improved BIM Interface (IFC, Revit)
- Improved performance and functionality of integrated CAD platform
- New automatic connections (Overlapping bolted purlin joint)
- New special features used in the custom connections
- Enhancements to the weld preparations
- Possibility to define the detailing direction
- New options for the camera presentation
- Creation of XML DStV files for controlling welding robots, etc.
For Dennis BAK, VP-Engineering at Steelway Building Systems (Canada): “Specializing in the design, detailing and fabrication of Pre-Engineering Buildings, which extensively utilizes many types of welded tapered plate beams, we participated in the discussions and checking of the enhanced features in Advance Steel 2014. We were impressed by the number of useful plate features and true parametric connections achieved and we now believe we have the best 3D CAD software for modeling, detailing and manufacturing of welded tapered plate beams“.
ADVANCE CONCRETE 2014: PERFORMANCE & ENHANCED PROFESSIONAL EXPERTISE
Advance Concrete® is specifically designed for structural engineers and reinforced concrete detailers who require professional and easy-to-use 3D BIM software for automating drawings creation.
With increased performance, Advance Concrete 2014 improves the user efficiency experience, especially when it is used on its integrated CAD platform. It also provides several functional changes in response to user requests.
ADVANCE CONCRETE 2014: IMPROVED PERFORMANCE
Two of the key features of Advance Concrete (Multi File data storage and multi CAD platform) have been at the heart of version 2014. Performance and robustness have been brought in these two areas: the time to create new views and updating of existing views, has been largely optimized. More improvements in performance, which are very significant, are available: faster reinforcement elements renumbering in complex cases faster “3D Copy” feature which allows the users to copy the 3D reinforcement of an element in all corresponding views with its identification, symbols and associated dimension lines. Lastly, required corrections were made in Advance Concrete, with the target to deliver more stability and significantly higher robustness for Advance Concrete 2014.
ADVANCE CONCRETE 2014: MORE ENHANCEMENTS
Advance Concrete 2014 has many improvements in response to the feedback and different requests Graitec collected from Advance Concrete users:
- Improved BIM exchange with Revit: all objects are now imported in Advance Concrete, without limitation in terms of geometry. Steel elements are also imported.
- Improved modeling capabilities: evolution of the “Adjust” command for circular elements, adding new functionalities to handle the control surfaces (roofs and ramps), etc.
- Improved functionality for reinforcement: changes in pattern recognition algorithm for the renumbering of reinforcement bars and meshes, new options for submitting bending details for bars and meshes, etc.
- Improved localization for the Czech market (grades, symbols, labels, representation styles, etc.).
ADVANCE DESIGN 2014: BIM AND EXTENDED DESIGN
Advance Design® is specifically dedicated to structural engineers who require a professional and easy-to-use BIM solution for structural FEM simulation and optimization according with specific design standards (Concrete, Steel or Wood).
Advance Design 2014 has many new features and improvements, mainly focused in two directions: BIM and the enrichment of design capabilities.
ADVANCE DESIGN 2014: BIM SIMPLIFIED EXCHANGES
In a context where all structural designers are increasingly receptive to the BIM concept and its associated gains in terms of productivity and safety, Advance Design 2014 provides a set of new features designed to facilitate the BIM exchange in the design offices structure or between the architects and the design offices. The model which is used for structural simulation by the engineer can be a variation of the geometrical model produced by the architect which, in the end, can be significantly different: the elements are coplanar, intersecting axes, the elements extremities which are to closed are merged, small details of the facade are not modeled, etc.
Advance Design 2014 offers a range of tools that allows the engineer to greatly simplify the processing of geometrical models into analytical models.
The principle: a first audit function identifies non-intersecting axes or nodes which are too close and presents an interactive list of errors. The software then provides automatic adjustment features (magnetic modes, quick projection onto a plane, axis adjustment, etc.) which facilitate the correct geometrical conversion of the models provided from different partners.
After the calculation of the structure, when the elements are optimized, Advance Steel and Advance Concrete can retrieve all changes which took place in Advance Design (synchronization mechanism) and update the assembly plans or fabrications drawings. With Advance Design 2014, the aim is to enable the engineer to save a significant amount of modeling time by reusing the information through BIM expertise, while keeping in control the necessary adjustments to achieve the analytical model.
ADVANCE DESIGN 2014: ENRICHMENT OF ENGINEERING EXPERTISE
Another development for Advance Design 2014,the enhancement and enrichment of the design engines: automatic calculation of the support rigidity based on the properties of the soil layers, considering of real transverse reinforcement for columns (Eurocode), many changes regarding the steel connection design, 2D climatic generator for a quick design study (New !), possibility to post-process results on a pre-defined grid for planar elements allowing designers to achieve full gantry and quick study, able to post-process the results of an independent grid mesh element.
ADVANCE DESIGN 2014: MORE ENHANCEMENTS
Advance Design 2014 has many changes and other adjustments:
- Extensions in the time history analysis option
- New options for post-processing results
- New options for reports
- New options for the element’s display
- Ability to export just the support reactions and reuse in another calculation
Download GRAITEC wallpaper for September
With calendar
Size: 1280×1024; 1600×900; 1680×1050; 1920×1200
Without calendar
Size: 1280 x 1024; 1600 x 900; 1680 x 1050; 1920 x 1200
Advance Design Steel Connections
One of the most complex and time-consuming phases of the steel structures design is the steel connections calculation. This long and complex process requires precision and efficiency and can become a source of errors with unwanted consequences.
Advance Design Steel Connections (ADSC) is an easy to use and accurate module that offers multiple advantages when it comes to connection design and verification.
Available connection types
The most frequently used connections are available in ADSC. For each connection type, you have a set of advanced options that allow you to modify and customize the corresponding connection. For the calculation of connections and loads combinations, ADSC uses standard methods in accordance with the latest versions of international standards: Eurocode 0 EN1990 – 2003 and Eurocode 3 EN 1993-1-8 – 2005).
Fast connection design
ADSC provides the option to create connections with all the corresponding components and features with a single operation. Starting from these templates, the user can completely customize the connection.
Detailed properties definition
Each connection has a complete set of properties that can be easily defined. For a better understanding, each parameter is illustrated by a small picture in the dialog box. The changes made in the properties dialog box are automatically applied. You can view the modifications in real time, in the graphical area.
Advanced visualization options
For an efficient handling of your model, ADSC offers zoom and view commands that are intuitive and easy to access, pan and orbit functions, various rendering modes, including realistic representations, etc.
Complete calculation reports according to Eurocodes 3
You can obtain complete or synthetic calculation reports for each combination as .rtf or .html files. The reports can be customized to suit your preferences. You can select the information to list in the report along with the verification status:
- The combination from which the highest stress is obtained, for each verified component.
- The theoretical formula.
- The formula for failed verifications only.
- The work ratio for each verification.
Advance Design Steel Connections is part of the Graitec Advance Suite
As part of the GRAITEC Advance Suite, ADSC can be either used as a standalone application or linked with Advance Design.
In standalone mode, ADSC will allow you to easily define the connection (geometry, connected elements, loads, etc.) and design it in a few clicks. Then, you can generate automatically a detailed calculation report and the corresponding drawing.
It is also possible to use this model with Advance Design after a finite element analysis. In this case, Advance Design calculates all the envelopes internal forces for the connection design. Just click in the contextual menu of the connection to export it to ADSC.
Download GRAITEC wallpaper for August
With calendar
Size: 1280×1024; 1600×900; 1680×1050; 1920×1200
Without calendar
Size: 1280 x 1024; 1600 x 900; 1680 x 1050; 1920 x 1200
GRAITEC will be exhibiting at BuildTechAsia 2013 in Singapore on July 31-August 2, 2013
Singapore – July 22nd, 2013. The GRAITEC Advance suite team is pleased to announce that they will be exhibiting at BuildTechAsia, International Building Technology Expo at Singapore EXPO on July 31-August 2, 2013.
The GRAITEC Team will be demonstrating Advance Steel 2013, the powerful and user-friendly 3D structural steel detailing and fabrication software that automatically creates drawings, BOMs and NC files, and that communicates with Autodesk® Revit® among other systems.
GRAITEC will also be offering free Product Presentation on Day 2, Thursday August 1st at 12:00-12:20 in the Yellow Zone.
Come see us at booth #P07, in the IT Pavilion.
BuildTechAsia is a part of:
GRAITEC BIM CONNECT – From Advance Design to REVIT
Graitec BIM Connect is the latest BIM technology available from Graitec enabling structural models created in GRAITEC BIM software to be exported to Autodesk REVIT applications.
In this example a Reinforced Concrete structure with several steel members, was created in ADVANCE Design. The structural elements are organized into different groups, each one representing a different level. This model also contains a number of different load cases which are also grouped by their load type.
Notice that all the frames, slabs and walls are concrete while the vertical bracings are defined with steel cross sections.
Using the standard transfer functions available in all Graitec Software, this structural model will be exported using our unique Graitec BIM *.gtcx format; a light-weight file which can be shared with other systems using our free GRAITEC BIM Connect technology.
With Graitec BIM Connect installed in Autodesk Revit Suite and available under in the Add-Ins Tab you can see that the same file can be quickly transferred to Revit.
After the transfer is complete the structural model is imported preserving all its original geometry. Especially important to notice is that all the sections have been automatically converted to their corresponding Revit families defined in the Autodesk Revit Suite, creating a true Revit model. The loads & load cases have also been fully transferred.
Graitec BIM Connect allows model data to be shared in both directions so an Autodesk REVIT model can also be imported into any GRAITEC Advance Software.
Even more powerful is the unique ability to synchronize these models across different applications – only possible with Graitec BIM Connect.
Last minute deal! 1 Day Essentials CAD Training Course in Southampton on Tuesday 23rd July
Do you need basic CAD training?
This course offers users that are new to the CAD environment a fantastic opportunity to understand the fundamental principles of using a 2D CAD system.
Spaces are limited so book now!
July webinars: Discover (or re-discover) Advance Steel 2013
Did you miss our User days and could not discover the new enhancements in the new Advance Steel 2013 release? Or you would like to review some detailed possibilities by a web presentation done by one of our GRAITEC specialist?
Webinar 1: Create your own custom connections
Date: July 18th at 9h (CEST time)Date: July 18th at 17h (CEST time)
Webinar 2: Complete set of new cold rolled systems
Date: July 23th at 9h (CEST time)Date: July 23th at 17h (CEST time)
Webinar 3: Intelligent manual dimensions & welding lines
Date: August 1st at 9h (CEST time)Date: August 1st at 17h (CEST time)
Download GRAITEC wallpaper for July
With calendar
Size: 1280×1024; 1600×900; 1680×1050; 1920×1200
Without calendar
Size: 1280 x 1024; 1600 x 900; 1680 x 1050; 1920 x 1200
Advance Steel Project: ARS Electronica Center
Project location: Linz, Austria
Software used Advance Steel
Design Office: Grömer Stahl GmbH
Contracting Authority: Immobilien Linz GmbH & Co. KG
Architecture Office: Treusch Architecture ZT GmbH
Project description:
The Ars Electronica Center (AEC) is a center for electronic arts, situated in Linz, Austria, at the northern side of the Danube. The new Center, opened in 2009 – the year Linz served as European Capital of Culture, is an enhanced and updated version of the 1996 original. It is also known as the “Museum of the Future” and is one of the most important sights in Linz. The Ars Electronica Center is the architectural expression of what Ars Electronica is all about: a place of inquiry and discovery, experimentation and exploration, a place that has taken the world of tomorrow as its stage, and that assembles and presents influences from many different ways of thinking and of seeing things. The most modern techniques from the technology sector are presented to the museum’s many visitors.
The project with a high degree of complexity was designed using Advance Steel by Architecture Office – Treusch Architecture ZT GmbH, contracted by Immobilien Linz GmbH & Co. KG. The entire structure is covered with a 5000 square meter steel-glass facade, consisting of 200 tons of steel and 1100 square meters of grating. The steel-glass facade is the highlight of the project, because of the LED (liquid emitting diode) technology installed in the space between the two layers of the facade, which allow the building to be illuminated in various colors. Partly matte and partly transparent, the glass panels combine into one continuous glass surface on each side of the building.
The Ars Electronica Center is extraordinary, and not only because of its distinctive architecture. “Innovation” is also always present in the themes of its exhibitions, the structure of its offerings and its communication concept. It emphasizes discovery, experimentation and creativity.
The Ars Electronica Center was nominated at the World Architecture Festival, in 2009, for the cultural building category.
Civil Engineering Software Solutions 