Release Notes 110 Enu

Tekla Structures 11.0
Release Notes

Product version 11.0May 2005

Copyright © 2005 Tekla Corporation

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Contents

1 Tekla Structures 11.0 Common features ............................................... 9

1.1 General ................................................................................................ 10Batch file settings in the user interface ........................................... 10Performance improvements .......................................................... 13New Template Editor - version 3.2 ................................................. 13Miscellaneous.............................................................................. 16

1.2 Modeling............................................................................................... 18Sketching cross sections .............................................................. 18Show or hide handles (contour plates and concrete slabs) ............... 20Selecting part handles .................................................................. 21Binding objects to different types of plane....................................... 21Making construction lines magnetic ............................................... 22Improvements to copy and move tools ........................................... 23Surface treatment ........................................................................ 23Miscellaneous.............................................................................. 27

1.3 Drawings .............................................................................................. 28Associative drawings .................................................................... 29Dimensioning improvements ......................................................... 34Dimension line tags ...................................................................... 36Unfolding fixes ............................................................................. 36Weld symbol improvements .......................................................... 37Drawing list improvements ............................................................ 37Elevation dimensions.................................................................... 39Improvements to section view symbols and labels .......................... 40Drawing color .............................................................................. 41Templates and reports.................................................................. 41

Release Notes 1

New surface treatment fields in report templates ............................. 42Miscellaneous .............................................................................. 42

1.4 Import and export................................................................................... 45Import MicroStation 8 DGN files..................................................... 45IFC import and export ................................................................... 45Web viewer models ...................................................................... 47Miscellaneous fixes ...................................................................... 47

1.5 Custom components .............................................................................. 47Performance improvements........................................................... 47New properties for custom components.......................................... 48Editing custom components........................................................... 49Define parameters for part adds..................................................... 51Imperial units in formulas .............................................................. 51New detail position options ............................................................ 52 Miscellaneous ............................................................................. 52

1.6 Components.......................................................................................... 53Component catalog improvements ................................................. 54Use Excel in connection design ..................................................... 60Miscellaneous .............................................................................. 61

2 Release Notes

2 Tekla Structures 11.0 Steel Detailing ................................................... 63

2.1 Modeling............................................................................................... 63New weld options ......................................................................... 64

2.2 Drawings .............................................................................................. 652.3 Import and export .................................................................................. 65

NC file settings moved to user interface ......................................... 66NC fixes ...................................................................................... 67

2.4 Components ......................................................................................... 67New help for tower and bracing components .................................. 68Improvements to existing moment connection checks ..................... 68AutoConnection improvements...................................................... 69Beam to beam connections........................................................... 69Beam to column connections ........................................................ 70Gusset connections...................................................................... 70Macros and details ....................................................................... 70Cold rolled ................................................................................... 71Miscellaneous.............................................................................. 72

Release Notes 3

3 Tekla Structures 11.0 Precast Concrete Detailing ............................. 73

3.1 Modeling ............................................................................................... 73Deforming parts............................................................................ 73Add surface treatment to parts....................................................... 75Miscellaneous .............................................................................. 77

3.2 Drawings............................................................................................... 78Cast unit drawing improvements .................................................... 78Show undeformed shape of parts in drawings ................................. 79Reinforcement marks and dimension lines...................................... 80Show tiled surface treatment in drawings........................................ 81Templates and reports .................................................................. 83Miscellaneous .............................................................................. 86

3.3 Components ......................................................................................... 87Corbel connection (14).................................................................. 87Seating with dowel connections ..................................................... 87Miscellaneous .............................................................................. 88

3.4 Reinforcement ....................................................................................... 88Spiral reinforcement groups........................................................... 88Reinforcement mesh properties ..................................................... 90Reinforcement components........................................................... 92Miscellaneous .............................................................................. 96

4 Tekla Structures 11.0 Analysis and design ......................................... 97

4.1 Analysis and design ............................................................................... 97Extended clash check ................................................................... 97New design codes ........................................................................ 98New seismic codes....................................................................... 98Analyzing composite beams .......................................................... 99Load groups............................................................................... 100Changes in ULS and SLS design checks...................................... 101Load distribution fixes ................................................................. 102Miscellaneous ............................................................................ 103

4 Release Notes

5 Tekla Structures 10.2 Steel Detailing ................................................. 107

5.1 General .............................................................................................. 108Improvements in saving and opening models ............................... 108Display of objects in rendered views ............................................ 108Miscellaneous............................................................................ 109

5.2 Modeling............................................................................................. 110New select switches ................................................................... 110 Lock and unlock control numbers............................................... 110Miscellaneous............................................................................ 111

5.3 Drawings ............................................................................................ 112Grid lines in drawings ................................................................. 112Multi-drawing improvements ....................................................... 112Miscellaneous............................................................................ 113

5.4 Import and export ................................................................................ 114Import status data from CIS/2 manufacturing model ...................... 114Use environment variables in path and file names......................... 115Model dumps ............................................................................. 115SDNF import and export ............................................................. 115Miscellaneous............................................................................ 116

5.5 Custom components ............................................................................ 116New properties for custom components ....................................... 116Custom component reporting ...................................................... 120Battering connection (13) ............................................................ 120Miscellaneous............................................................................ 121

5.6 Components ....................................................................................... 121Automatic seam recognition (30) ................................................. 122Cover sheet (16) ........................................................................ 122Component catalog .................................................................... 123AutoDefaults improvements ........................................................ 125Beam to beam connections......................................................... 125Bracing connections ................................................................... 125Macros and details ..................................................................... 125Miscellaneous............................................................................ 128

Release Notes 5

6 Tekla Structures 10.2 Analysis and design ....................................... 131

6.1 Analysis and design ............................................................................. 131STAAD.pro 2004.1 ..................................................................... 131New load modeling codes ........................................................... 131New member analysis types ........................................................ 132Simultaneously select parts in Tekla Structures and STAAD.pro ..... 133Load panels ............................................................................... 133Wind load generator (28)............................................................. 135Openings in analysis elements .................................................... 136Analyze curved beams as straight segments ................................ 136Optimization results .................................................................... 137Miscellaneous ............................................................................ 137

6 Release Notes

7 Tekla Structures 10.1 Full Detailing .................................................... 141

7.1 General .............................................................................................. 142Performance improvements ........................................................ 142Snapping improvements ............................................................. 142

7.2 Modeling............................................................................................. 142Improved display in model views ................................................. 142New snap settings...................................................................... 143Making models parametric .......................................................... 144Assigning control numbers to parts .............................................. 145Reference model improvements .................................................. 147Load modeling ........................................................................... 147Miscellaneous............................................................................ 148

7.3 Drawings ............................................................................................ 149Modifying drawing grids .............................................................. 149Including reference models in drawings........................................ 151Showing part openings and recesses in drawings ......................... 152Displaying control numbers in drawings ....................................... 153Part mark improvements............................................................. 154Dimensioning improvements ....................................................... 155Templates and reports................................................................ 155Printing ..................................................................................... 156Miscellaneous............................................................................ 156

7.4 Import and export ................................................................................ 158CNC ......................................................................................... 158Plate profiles in SDNF exports..................................................... 1583D DGN export .......................................................................... 159Miscellaneous............................................................................ 159

7.5 Custom components ............................................................................ 159More properties for custom components....................................... 160Creating reference distance variables .......................................... 161Miscellaneous............................................................................ 161

7.6 Components ....................................................................................... 162New tower components .............................................................. 163Array of objects (29) ................................................................... 166

Release Notes 7

Tapered column-beam stub (150) ................................................ 167Beam to beam connections ......................................................... 168Beam to column connections....................................................... 168Splice connections ..................................................................... 169Bracing connections ................................................................... 169Macros and details ..................................................................... 169Component catalog improvements ............................................... 171Miscellaneous ............................................................................ 171

7.7 Analysis and design ............................................................................. 172New design codes ...................................................................... 172Omitting individual analysis members from design check ............... 172Optimizing part size .................................................................... 173Omitting openings when analyzing plates ..................................... 175Fine-tuning analysis models ........................................................ 176Miscellaneous ............................................................................ 177

7.8 Reinforcement ..................................................................................... 180Bent reinforcement meshes......................................................... 180Prestressed strands.................................................................... 182Curved and circular reinforcing bar groups.................................... 184Displaying overlapping bars......................................................... 185Converting concrete cover........................................................... 185Reinforcement components......................................................... 186Miscellaneous ............................................................................ 186

8 Release Notes

1 Tekla Structures 11.0Common features

Tekla Structures version 11.0 is a main release and contains many new features and fixes.

Compatibility Tekla Structures 11.0 is compatible with all previous versions. You can open and work with existing models using Tekla Structures 11.0.

We recommend that you complete any models you have started using your cur-rent version.

Installing Tekla Structures setup creates a new subfolder for Tekla Structures 11.0.

You need Windows Administrator rights to install Tekla Structures 11.0. This ensures that all Windows system folder *.dll files are updated.

Topics This chapter is divided into following sections:

• General (p. 10)• Modeling (p. 18)• Drawings (p. 28)• Import and export (p. 45)• Custom components (p. 47)• Components (p. 53)

Once you save a model in Tekla Structures 11.0, you can no longer open it in older versions, in Xsteel, or in Xengineer.

Release Notes 9Tekla Structures 11.0 Common features

1.1 GeneralThis section describes the following new features and fixes:

Topics Batch file settings in the user interface (p. 10)

Performance improvements (p. 13)

New Template Editor - version 3.2 (p. 13)

Miscellaneous (p. 16)

Batch file settings in the user interfaceIn Tekla Structures 11.0 we refer to environment variables simply as variables.

To make it easier to manage batch file settings, the variables can now be used in a new dialog box. To view or change variable settings, click Tools > Advanced options... to open the Advanced options dialog box. Variables are grouped together in categories. The left pane in the dialog box displays the list of catego-ries. Click a category to view the variables it contains in the right pane:

• The right pane show the variable Name and the Value. Variables have a description and the default value is shown in the dialog box.

10 Release NotesTekla Structures 11.0 Common features

• When you change the value and click OK, a warning message is dis-played if you need to restart Tekla Structures. If you do not get any warning message, it is not necessary to restart Tekla Structures.

• To get help for a variable, highlight it, then press the F1 key.

• All paths now support scandinavian characters (å, ä, ö).

You can still edit variable settings by editing batch files using any text editor, as you could in previous versions.

Any changes you make in the Advanced options dialog box overwrite changes you make by manually editing batch files. (For more information on the files the changes you make in the Advanced options dialog box affect, see the image below.)

We recommend that you use one method to set variables, not both.


Batch files are located in the following folders:

For a complete list of the user-specific variables, see User variables in the online help.

These files contain the default values for the variables which are set by default.

Options.ini

xxx_env.bat

language.bat

user.bat

This file contains the changes you make to all other variables in the Advanced options dialog box.

Copy this file to the system, project, or firm folders to share your settings with others.

This file contains the changes you make to user-specific variables in the Advanced options dialog box.

Options_username.ini


Performance improvementsTekla Structures 11.0 includes following improvements:

• Use more virtual memory, up to:• 3 Gb in Windows XP started with /3GB switch.

The /3GB switch increases the size of the virtual memory to 3 GB and restricts the kernel mode components to the remaining upper 1 GB. For more information, see Microsoft WHDC web page:

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/platform/server/PAE/PAE-mem.mspx .

• 4 Gb in x64 systems with 64 bit Windows XP / 2003.• Empty string attributes (attributes that only contain a space " " or

nothing "") no longer increase the size of the database. Tekla Struc-tures now deletes empty string attributes when opening a single-user database, or converting a multiuser database.

• Modifying a view in models that contained DWG reference files used a lot of memory. This was because the DWG files contain triangular faces defined using four points. This is fixed. Tekla Structures now ignores the 4th point, which is the same as the 1st point. The refer-ence files are also correctly read and displayed.

• Deleting parts from very complex assemblies is now faster..

New Template Editor - version 3.2Tekla Structures 11.0 includes a new version of the Template Editor, version 3.2. It also includes the older version, 2.2. You can use templates and reports created with either of these Template Editors in Tekla Structures 11.0. You must convert templates created with Template Editor 2.2 to the new format to open and edit them in Template Editor 3.2.

Which version to use?

• To make minor modifications to an existing template, use Template Editor 2.2.

• To make major changes, or to create a new template, use Template Editor 3.2.

When you open a version 2.2 template in Template Editor 3.2, it prompts you to either convert the template, or click Retain and open the template in the old edi-tor.

• Click Convert to convert the template and open it in Template Editor 3.2. You have to manually edit the template, before you can use it.

• Click Retain if you do not want to convert the template.


http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/system/platform/server/PAE/PAEmem.mspx

Starting Template Editor

To start Template Editor 3.2:

• In Tekla Structures, click Tools > Templates...

OR

• From the Windows Start menu, select All Programs > Tekla Structures 11.0 > Tools > Template Editor 3.2

To start Template Editor 2.2:

• From the Windows Start menu, select All Programs > Tekla Structures 11.0 > Tools > Template Editor 2.2

OR

• Open it in folder ..\nt\TplEd\2.2

What’s New in 3.2 Template Editor version 3.2 features an improved user interface.

It contains several new features, including:

• Open several templates at the same time.

• Create almost any number of rules.

• Hide rows. For example, create more compact templates by hiding rows that only collect information for the summary row.

• Use row content types to filter out data. Row content types define what type of data a row can contain.

• Sum any fields together, for example, WEIGHT for parts and WEIGHT_GROSS for plates can now be summed.


• Import AutoCad and MicroStation files into graphical templates. For example, import blocks to use as title block.You can define the scale of the inserted DWG file by a scale factor, by width and height or by the maximum size.

• Create templates to output content in several columns.

• Add user-defined attributes to templates and reports. Add hierarchies and comments to the user-defined attributes in the attribute tree in Template Editor. For more information, see User-defined attributes in templates in the online help.

• Convert Imperial units to system units (metric).

File location Tekla Structures searches for the new templates in the following locations, in the following order:

To modify the folders these variables point to, click Tools > Advanced options and select the File locations group.

• Variable XS_TEMPLATE_DIRECTORY_SYSTEM is used to set the path to the default environment-specific templates delivered with Tekla Structures.

Tekla Structures searches for version 2.2 templates in two locations, in XS_TEMPLATE_DIRECTORY and in the first folder containing templates:

• model• project• firm• system templates• systemOnce Tekla Structures finds a template in one of these folder, it stops searching.

Folder Defined by variableFolder containing your templates

XS_TEMPLATE_DIRECTORY

ModelProject XS_PROJECT

Firm XS_FIRM

Environment-specific system templates

XS_TEMPLATE_DIRECTORY_SYSTEM

System XS_SYSTEM


See also Template editor help

The Template Editor training manual on the Tekla extranet at https://extranet.tekla.com

Miscellaneous

Log fileThe log file now shows the object ID for objects with illegal chamfer parameters.

• To view the log file, click Tools > Display log file > Log file... The object ID is shown in the log file in line "Illegal parameters for chamfer: Object id: *id number*".

• To highlight the the incorrect object in the model, click the relevant line in the log file.

The log file now contains the file name and line number if there are errors or warnings about reading inp files (for example, objects.inp).

Inquire dialog• To copy text from the Inquire dialog box, select the text, right-click

and select Copy from the pop-up menu (or press Ctrl + c).

• If you resize the Inquire dialog box to text automatically wraps.

• Using the Inquire bolts now displays the ID's of connected parts. The first ID is the first secondary part (the part with which the bolt is listed in reports), followed by the remaining secondary parts, an arrow and the primary part. For example: Connected part ID numbers: 256, 325 -> 178

GUID• Occasionally, some objects had incorrect globally unique ID’s

(GUID). Tekla Structures 11.0 assigns new GUID’s to these objects, which means the old incorrect GUIDs are no longer valid. If 11.0 you have exported the objects, then try to re-import them, you may have problems.

If text- or graphics-based templates display incorrectly in Tem-plate Editor 3.2 (for example, texts overlap or aligning fields is difficult), ensure that your monitor’s DPI is set to Normal size (96dpi).

To set DPI, open the Windows Control Panel and select Display properties > Settings > Advanced > General > DPI setting.


Save as• Saving the model to a folder other than TeklaStructuresModels no

longer creates an empty subfolder in the autosave folder.

• The Save as command now also saves a copy of the Analysis sub-folder.

Numbering• Now the Part name checkbox in the Numbering setup dialog box also

affects the Tools > Compare command.

• The Components checkbox has been removed from the Numbering setup dialog box.

• Messages in the numbering log file about overlapping series are now more informative.

• Illegal chamfer warnings no longer give a warning beep.

UndoUsing the Undo command only removes the last center of gravity point created, not all of them.

Error messageThe error message SmartHeap Library MEM_BAD_POINTER. sometimes appeared when exiting Tekla Structures. This is due to a minor bug in the shw32.dll file contained in Microsoft Service Pack 2. This was fixed in later ver-sions of the Microsoft OS. For more information, go to http://www.micro-quill.com/kb/xpsp2.htm.

Check databaseThe check database now identifies illegal profiles, as shown below:

Id | Object type | Inconsistency | Type------------------------------------------------------------------Id: 43 | Part | Illegal profile: W21X44 | Warning Id: 115 | Part | Illegal profile: W21X44 | Warning Id: 155 | Part | Illegal profile: W21X44 | Warning Id: 239 | Part | Illegal profile: L4X3-1/2X3/8 | Warning Id: 317 | Part | Illegal profile: L4X3-1/2X3/8 | Warning ------------------------------------------------------------------Total 5 inconsistencies


1.2 ModelingThis section describes the following new features and fixes:

Topics Sketching cross sections (p. 18)

Show or hide handles (contour plates and concrete slabs) (p. 20)

Selecting part handles (p. 21)

Binding objects to different types of plane (p. 21)

Making construction lines magnetic (p. 22)

Improvements to copy and move tools (p. 23)

Surface treatment (p. 23)


Sketching cross sectionsUse the tools in the Cross section sketch editor view to sketch parametric profile cross sections. You can define the shape, dimensions, and parameters of a cross section using dimension lines and other constraints.

To create a cross section:

1. Click File > Catalog > Profiles > Sketch parametric cross section to open the Cross section sketch editor view.

2. Use the Sketch polyline, Sketch arc, and Sketch circle tools to sketch the shape of the cross section.

3. Use the constraint tools to refine and lock the shape of the cross section.

4. Add dimensions to the sketch.

To save a cross section it must:

• Be a closed shape• Include dimensions.

Sketching tools Tekla Structures includes the following tools for sketching parametric cross sec-tions:


Command Icon DescriptionSketch polyline Tools to sketch the shape of the cross

section.

Sketch arc

Sketch circle

Sketch free distance Creates a dimension between two points you pick.

Sketch horizontal distance Creates a horizontal dimension between the points you pick.

Sketch vertical distance Creates a vertical dimension between the points you pick.

Sketch radial dimension Creates a radial dimension for the arc or circle you pick.

Parallel constraint Forces lines to be parallel to each other.

Perpendicular constraint Forces lines to be perpendicular to each other.

Coincident constraint Forces two lines to start or end at the same point, by extending or shorten-ing one or both lines.

Fixed constraint

Horizontal constraint Forces line to be parallel to the local x axis.

Vertical constraint Forces line to be parallel to the local y axis.

Display variables Opens the Variables dialog box, where you can view, add and edit sketch parameters.


See also For more information on how to create profiles using the Cross Section Sketch Editor, see Sketching and using cross sections and Sketching tools in the online help.

Show or hide handles (contour plates and concrete slabs)To show or hide handles and chamfers on contour plates and concrete slabs:

Click Tools > Advanced options..., to open the Advanced options dialog box.

In the Model view category, set the variable XS_DRAW_CHAMFERS_HANDLES. The options are:

• HANDLES: only shows handles. Use this option to make selecting handles easier.

• CHAMFERS: only shows chamfers. This is the default value.• CHAMFERS_AND_HANDLES: shows both handles and chamfers.

Save sketch as

Close sketch Prompts you to name and save the cross section sketch. Click No to close the Cross section sketch editor view.

Command Icon Description

CHAMFERS (default value).

CHAMFERS_AND_HANDLES


Selecting part handlesTekla Structures 11.0 gives you the option to only select part handles within a window selection:

Binding objects to different types of planeWhen you create distances to bind model objects together, use the second list box on the Snap settings toolbar to select the plane to bind the object to. The options are:

• Boundary planes of parts• Outline planes of parts• Grid planes

• Select the parts.

• Hold down the Alt key, and select the parts again by clicking and dragging the mouse from left to right to define a win-dow selec-tion.


You can only bind objects to grid planes in the Model Editor:

See also Plane types in the online help.

Making construction lines magneticWhen you make a line magnetic, the handles on the line move with the line. In Tekla Structures 11.0 you can make construction lines magnetic. This is useful, for example, when modeling facades. To make a construction line magnetic, open the Construction line properties dialog box and select the Magnetic check-box:

Current limitations

Construction circles cannot be magnetic.

For more information on construction lines, see Points > Construction line in the online help.

Grid plane


Improvements to copy and move tools• New check boxes in the Copy - translate and Move - Translate dialog boxes

make it easier to select the directions in which to copy and move objects:

• When you try to copy an object to its current position (i.e. the dX, dY, and dZ fields are set to zero), Tekla Structures 11.0 displays a warn-ing.

• Using the Clear button in the Copy - translate dialog box now also saves the values in the dialog box, so they apply to subsequent copy commands.

Surface treatmentTekla Structures 11.0 includes tools to create surface treatments for concrete and steel parts, for example, unpainted areas, fire proofing, special finishes, or tile patterns.

Surface treatments are visible in models and can be included in drawings and reports.

You can create surface treatment for entire part faces, or to a selected area:

Surface treatment added to a part face.

Surface treatment added to a selected area.


Add to part face To add surface treatment to the face of a part:

1. Double-click the Create face surfacing icon to define the properties of the

surface treatment in the Surfacing properties dialog box: :

The properties include:

• Name - used in drawing marks.

• Surfacing type and Surfacing name - used in reports and draw-ings.

• Color - color in rendered views.

2. Click Apply or OK to save the properties and close the dialog box.

3. Select the part face to apply the surface treatment to:

• Ensure you are in a rendered view.• Move the mouse cursor over a part, the faces that you can select

appear in blue.• Click a part face to select it.

4. When prompted, pick the origin and direction of the surface treatment.

5. Tekla Structures creates the surface treatment.


6. Repeat steps 4 and 5 to continue adding the surface treatment to part faces.

Add to selected area

Use the Create polygon surfacing tool to add surface treatment to a selected area, for example you can specify unpainted areas of steel when you need to bolt an endplate to an unpainted surface:

To add surface treatment to a polygonal area:

1. Double-click Create polygon surfacing icon to define the properties of the

surface treatment in the Surfacing properties dialog box:

2. Enter or modify the surface treatment properties to use.

3. Click Apply or Ok to save the properties and close the dialog box.

4. Select the part you add surface treatment to.

5. Pick points to indicate a polygonal area.

6. When prompted, pick the origin and direction of the surface treatment.

7. Tekla Structures creates the surface treatment.


Cut parts If you add surface treatment to a part face that has openings, Tekla Structures uses cut parts and cut planes to cut the surface treatment. Check that the cut part cuts through the entire surface treatment.

Use the chamfers on surface treatment corners to reshape and move the corners. You can also create cuts to add openings to surface treatments.

Surface treatment options

The Type and Surfacing name properties in the Surfacing properties dialog box, are defined in product_finishes.dat file, located in the ..environ-ments\*your_environment*\system folder.

To add surface treatments to the file, edit it using any text editor and save it in the Firm folder (indicated by the variable XS_FIRM).

The first section of the file defines the types of surface treatment available. Do not edit this section:

// Product finishes// -------------------------//// Type : Type of surfacing// 1 = concrete finish// 2 = special mix// 3 = tile surface// 4 = steel finish// Code : Abbreviation code used in drawings and reports// Name : This is the name used in reports


The remaining sections define the options for each surfacing type. This is where you add new options.

In the example above:

• 1 is the surface treatment type (concrete finish)• MF is the code for the surface treatment option• "Magnesium Float" is the full name of the surface treatment

option

See also Add surface treatment to parts (p. 75)

MiscellaneousFixes Tekla Structures 11.0 includes the following fixes:

Polygon plate orientationThe following changes have been made to polygon plate orientation:

• The plate is not oriented when created or modified. • The plate coordinate system is always from the first point picked to the sec-

ond point picked. • Plate orientation is now always recalculated before any output (draw-

ings, NC files, reports).

This might affect plates created with older versions as follows:

• NC file contour points might start from a different point.• Stick models make appear different.

Fixes• Xsnap now also works for user-defined plane reference points.

• Deselecting a bolt group now also deselects bolt group handles.

• Bolt group handles are now visible in rendered views, even if the bolt is only a hole. Hole group handles are now also correctly displayed.

• The order in which bolts are selected no longer gives different clash check results.

• Standard grid view settings are now automatically loaded when open-ing a model.

// =========================================// *** Concrete Finish// =========================================// WET FINISH// ----------1 MF "Magnesium Float"1 SMF "Smooth Magnesium Float"1 WT "Wet Trowel"


• Some welded assymmetrical profiles disappeared from rendered views when you changed the display properties in another view from fast to exact. Fixed.

• Incorrect snap between part reference line and geometry line is now disabled.

• The list of saved filters now updates correctly when you change a model.

• Picking a plane sometimes generated unneeded planes or used a lot of memory, for example, when binding a point to plane or creating sur-face treatments. Fixed.

• Occasional runtime errors during multiuser save occurred when model contained multidrawings. Fixed.

• The Load list box did not display saved properties when you double-clicked a reference object to open the Reference object properties dia-log box. Fixed.

1.3 DrawingsThis section describes the following new features and fixes:

Topics Associative drawings (p. 29)

Dimensioning improvements (p. 34)

Dimension line tags (p. 36)

Unfolding fixes (p. 36)

Weld symbol improvements (p. 37)

Drawing list improvements (p. 37)

Elevation dimensions (p. 39)

Improvements to section view symbols and labels (p. 40)

Drawing color (p. 41)

Templates and reports (p. 41)



Associative drawingsAll drawing types in Tekla Structures 11.0 are associative. This means that draw-ing objects are linked to model objects, so that most drawing objects automati-cally update if the model changes, but you do not lose manual changes made to drawings. All drawing types are associative, whether created manually or auto-matically.

Tekla Structures updates the following drawing objects to reflect changes in the model:

• Marks• Dimensions• Welds• Views• Section symbols

Tekla Structures keeps the following manual changes made to drawings:

• Base points of drawing objects, for example if you drag an object to a new location.

• Drawing object properties, for example color, font, and line type.

Associative symbol

In drawings, an anchor symbol indicates that an object is associative.

• The associative symbol is not plotted. • To toggle the associative symbol on and off, click Setup > Associative

symbol, or use the shortcut Shift + A.

Examples Here are some examples that show associative drawings before and after modify-ing the model:

To keep manual changes made to single-part, assembly, and cast-unit drawings, freeze the drawings.

It is not necessary to freeze general arrangement or multidraw-ings, they are always associative.

If you add manual dimensions to a drawing that includes hidden parts, such as bolts, the associative symbol helps you check that you picked the right creation points for the dimensions. If the dimension line does not have an associative symbol, the dimen-sion is not associative.


Example 1 Modification: grid coordinates changed in the model:

Before:

Grid dimensions in the drawing:

After:

The grid dimensions are updated to reflect the changes:


Example 2 Modification: The right column is moved 500 mm to the right:

Example 3 Modification: Column height 1 modified in the model.

Before:

Various marks and dimen-sions manually added to a general arrangement draw-ing:

After:

After moving the right column 500mm to the right, the manual marks do not change.


Deleting and editing model objects

If you delete an object in a model, the corresponding drawing objects are also deleted in drawings.

Before:

A parametrized part is dimensioned in a drawing:

After:

After column height 1 is modified in the model, the dimen-sions automatically update in the drawing:


If you change the ID of a part in a model, the related drawing objects will not be updated if the model changes.

To prevent drawing views from being deleted when associated objects are removed from the model, use the following variables:

• Set variable XS_INTELLIGENCE_DO_NOT_REMOVE_OBSOLETE_VIEWS to TRUE, to prevent obsolete views from being deleted from drawings. FALSE is the default.

• Set variable XS_INTELLIGENCE_DO_NOT_REMOVE_OBSOLETE_VIEWS_IN_GA to TRUE to prevent obsolete views from being deleted from general arrangement drawings. TRUE is the default.

To set these variables, go to the Drawing properties category in the Advanced options dialog box (no restart required), or manually edit the batch files. For more information on variables, see Batch file settings in the user interface (p. 10).

Models created with earlier versions

Only objects created in Tekla Structures 11.0 are associative. For example, if you add dimension to a drawing created with earlier version, only dimension added in Tekla Structures 11.0 will be updated if the model changes.

Current limitations

Drawing objects such as lines, polygons, and circles are not associative in Tekla Structures version 11.0.

Grid dimensions are associated with the grid line name.

If you rename grid lines in a model, Tekla Structures deletes the grid dimensions associated with them in the drawings.

To prevent Tekla Structures from automatically updating draw-ings if the model changes, clear the Value field for the variable XS_INTELLIGENT_DRAWING_ALLOWED, in the Draw-ing properties category of the Advanced options dialog box.

Set variable XS_INTELLIGENT_DRAWING_ALLOWED_IN_GA to FALSE to prevent general arrangement drawings from being associative. Note that this prevents your part marks and dimen-sions to be automatically updated when the model changes.


Dimensioning improvementsTekla Structures 11.0 includes new options to define the format of equal dimen-sions in assembly, single-part, and cast unit drawings.

1. In the drawing properties dialog box, click Dimensioning..., to open the Dimensioning properties dialog box.

2. To select the format to use when combing equal dimensions, select a format in the Combine equal dimensions field on the Position dimensions tab, the options are 3*60 or 3*60 = 180:

3. To define how many equal dimensions must exist before they are combined, enter a number in the Minimum number to combine field.


For example:

Current limitations

Combine equal dimensions feature does not work with US absolute and US abso-lute 2 dimension types.

Combine equal dimensions set to Off:

Combine equal dimensions set to 3*60=180, and four equal dimensions (1200 mm) are combined:


Dimension line tagsIn Tekla Structures 11.0 you can add user-defined text tags to dimension lines for both single and combined dimensions:

To add dimension line tags:

1. Double-click the dimension line to open the Dimension properties dialog box.

2. Go to the Tag tab, and enter the dimension line tags.

Unfolding fixesTekla Structures 11.0 includes the following fixes:

• Bend angles in unfolded plates are now visible in multi-drawings.

• The Unfolded option in the View properties dialog box of single part, assembly, GA and multi drawings now works correctly:

• You can now only update dimensions by recreating the view in the drawing level view properties.

• Set the variable XS_UNFOLDING_PLANE_EPSILON to define epsilon when checking if all section points are in the same plane. The default value for this variable is 0.01 mm. To set the variable, click Tools > Advanced options, and go to the Speed and accuracy category.


Weld symbol improvementsNew attributes available for weld symbols in drawings: Effective throat and Root opening.

See also New weld options (p. 64)

Drawing list improvementsThe Drawings dialog box includes the following improvements:

• Renamed columns, see illustration below• Title fields in the drawings list• Include up to 20 user-defined attributes in the drawings list.

Root opening Effective throat

Title column renamed Name

Name column renamed Mark

Title fields contains the drawing titles defined in the Drawing properties dialog box:


User-defined attributes

To include a user-defined attribute in the Drawings dialog box:

1. To define a user-defined attribute in the drawing properties: click User-defined attributes... in the drawing properties dialog box:

2. To display user-defined attribute in the Drawings list, you must set special_flag (formerly consider_in_numbering) to yes for the user-defined attribute in the objects.inp file:

3. Close Tekla Structures and restart the program to activate your changes. The user-defined attributes you defined now appear in the Drawings dialog box.

Opening drawings

Checking of drawings is now made much easier and faster than before. From now on, you can keep the drawing list closed while going through the drawings, as you can Open next (default shortcut Ctrl+Down) or Open previous (default shortcut Ctrl+Up) drawing without having to pick them from the drawing list.

See also Common drawing properties in the online help.

User-defined attributes in drawings in the online help.


Elevation dimensionsIn Tekla Structures 11.0 you can modify how elevations are dimensioned using the Datum point for elevations field on the Attributes tab in the drawing view prop-erties dialog box:

The datum point is a reference point relative to which the elevations are calcu-lated. You can define different datum points for drawings and views.

Datum point for elevations is 0


Improvements to section view symbols and labelsTekla Structures 11.0 displays specific information in section view symbols and labels:

To specify which section view symbol to display:

• In the Section symbol properties dialog box, select an option in the Symbol list box.

To modify section labels:

• Open the View properties dialog box by double-clicking the border of the section view. On the Label tab, enter the label text in the Text field.

Section view symbol

Section view label

Both: Left: Right:


• To restore the default label text, clear the Text field.

Drawing colorBy default drawings have a white background and black lines.

Templates and reportsTekla Structures 11.0 includes the following new features and fixes:

Report file locationTo define the default folder for reports, enter the path in the variable XS_REPORT_OUTPUT_DIRECTORY:

Go to the File locations category in the Tools > Advanced options dialog box.

To output a report to a different folder, rather than the default location, include the full path of the folder in the Report file name field in the Report dialog box.

Custom seams in reportsTo include seams in reports, use the following new template fields:

• SEAM_NAME • SEAM_LENGTH

Fixes• Drawing and project user-defined attribute values are now correct in

ASSEMBLY and ASSEMBLY_PART type templates.

• The ASSEMBLY_TOP_LEVEL field now includes the top level of the part, even if the solid is cut.

To create colored drawings, set the variable XS_USE_COLOR_DRAWINGS to TRUE (go to the Drawing view category in the Tools > Advanced options dialog box).

To change the drawing color in the drawing editor, click Setup > Black and white drawing, or use the keyboard shortcut b.


• The ASSEMBLY_WEIGHT field in part marks now calculates the weight of the assembly from all objects in the assembly, even if the whole assembly is not within the drawing view.

• The report fields FLANGE_LENGTH_U, FLANGE_LENGTH_B, WEB_LENGTH now display the correct lengths.

New surface treatment fields in report templatesYou can include the following new surface treatment fields in report templates:

Miscellaneous

Part marks• Part marks are now oriented to match beams.

• Create > Part marks > All parts did not work correctly. Now Tekla Structures ignores the visibility settings and creates marks in all existing views.

• Option type user-defined attributes now return the text value to part marks instead of zero.

Name ExplanationNAME Text in the Name field in the Surfacing proper-

ties dialog box.SURFACING_CODE Code for the surface treatment defined in the

product_finishes.dat file. For example, TS1.

SURFACING_NAME Surface treatment name defined in the product_finishes.dat file.

SURFACING_TYPE Surface treatment type in the Surfacing proper-ties dialog box.

SURFACING_TYPE_NUMBER Surface treatment type number defined in the product_finishes.dat file.

SURFACING_AREA

SURFACING_VOLUME

SURFACING_WEIGHT

The NAME field in report templates displays the text entered in the Name field in the Surfacing properties dialog box.


Placing text in drawings• Changing text created with Text along line command placing from

Fixed to Free in the Text placing dialog box no longer generates an application error.

• The Angle field in the Text properties dialog box is now grayed out if you use the following types of text:

• Text along line• Along line, arrow at start point• Along line, arrow at end point

Drawing hatchesTo speed up opening drawings that contain hatches, Tekla Structures now buffers hatches. Use the following variable to adjust the size of the buffer: XS_HATCH_SEGMENT_BUFFER_SIZE.

The default value is 100000. If the drawing contains very complicated hatches, try using a larger value. For small hatches, use a smaller value. You do not need to restart Tekla Structures to activate changes to this variable.

Grids• Sometimes Tekla Structures combined the grid lines of several draw-

ing grids. Fixed.

• When you moved a model grid in a drawing’s x and y directions, the drawing grid and any manual edit were deleted and a new grid cre-ated. Fixed.

• Grids created in the model after creating a drawing now appear cor-rectly in the drawings.

Fixes• In general arrangement drawings, parts not completely within the

drawing view are now left open. This applies also affects section views. ,

• Bevel dimensions now appear on the face of plates, not the edge.

• The layout field was not recognized when you modified drawings, only "table layout" field was recognized. Fixed.

• If a bolt or bolt hole was located near the boundary of a drawing view, opening a drawing sometimes locked up Tekla Structures. Fixed.

• Modifying the properties of a multi-drawing deleted the update flag, so you could open the multi-drawing even if it was not updated. Now if some drawings have an update flag, Tekla Structures prompts you to update the drawing:


• Select Yes to update and modify all selected drawings,

• Select Cancel to only modify up-to-date drawings and ignore those with an update flag.

• Section symbols appeared in the wrong place if you created section view from a rotated view. Fixed.

• Modifying the Section symbol offset value at the drawing level caused the whole drawing to be recreated. Fixed.

• Sometimes when you double-clicked an absolute dimension to open the Dimension properties dialog box, Tekla Structures used the rela-tive dimension type, instead of the absolute. Fixed.

• Tekla Structures 11.0 displays a warning on the status bar if you try to modify the protection settings of a frozen drawing.

• You can now also snap to reference objects in drawings using the Geometric points snap switch.

• Grid lines now correctly snap to the edges of a shortening cut, instead of disappearing.

• If a general arrangement drawing contained studs and bolt presenta-tion was set to solid, opening a general arrangement drawing was sometimes slow. Fixed.

• Sometimes when printing a landscape report the text was too narrow. Fixed.

• The Arial and Arial Narrow fonts no longer appear the same in draw-ings.

• Selecting GA drawings from the Drawing list and modifying them with the General arrangement drawing properties dialog box now cor-rectly modifies all properties.

• Plotting a drawing to DXF or DWG file no longer changes font width.

• The Plot dialog box no longer rounds up the drawing scale up to the next decimal place.

• Line weight no longer appears too thin in black and white mode when you print a drawing.

• Symbols moved in drawings using drag and drop now no longer move back when you modify them.


1.4 Import and exportThis section describes the following new features and fixes:

Topics Import MicroStation 8 DGN files (p. 45)

IFC import and export (p. 45)

Web viewer models (p. 47)

Miscellaneous fixes (p. 47)

Import MicroStation 8 DGN filesTekla Structures 11.0 imports MicroStation 8 dgn files. Tekla Structures exports dgn files in MicroStation 7 format.

IFC import and exportTekla Structures includes the following new features:

IFC Reference Import

Import IFC2x2 models (IfcBuildingElement class and sub-classes only) as refer-ence models. This means you can use data from architectural software, such as ArchiCAD, Allplan, Bentley Architecture, and ADT.

For more information on using reference models, see Reference models in the online help.

Tekla Structures supports only IFC2x2 reference files, you can see the file format in the IFC file header:

IFC Export Tekla Structures 11.0 exports both IFC2x and IFC2x2 files. It exports the follow-ing entities:

• IfcBeam• IfcColumn• IfcSlab• IfcWallStandardCase• IfcPlate


• IfcFooting• IfcPile• IfcRailing• IfcBuildingElementPart• IfcBuildingElementProxy

Use IFC export tab in a part’s user-defined attributes dialog box to define how to export parts:

See also For more information on the properties on the IFC export tab and how to export IFC files, see Exporting IFC in the online help.

Current limitations

• IFC export does not support tapered members

• Some special profiles are not supported.

• Exporting curved beams is not always working correctly.

• In some cases polybeams are placed and rotated incorrectly.


Web viewer modelsTekla Structures 11.0 imports webviewer models in XML format as reference models.

Miscellaneous fixes• When you use the variable XS_USE_NEW_PLATE_DESIGNATION

Steel 2000 and KISS exports now contain the correct values.

• When you set the variable XS_DGN_EXPORT_USE_LOCAL_ID to TRUE to use the local ID in 3D DGN export, it now works correctly.

• Importing the entire profile catalog from any environment to the UK environment did not work if the existing catalog already contained a cross-section with same name and the suffix _ 2. Now the imported cross-sections have the suffix _3, _4, etc.

• Adding DXF files to a drawing no longer generates extra lines between bolts.

• Profile rotation values in SDNF files are no longer doubled when importing.

• Selecting Export all in 3D DGN exports no longer causes the export to fail.

1.5 Custom componentsThis section describes the following new features and fixes:

Topics Performance improvements (p. 47)

New properties for custom components (p. 48)

Editing custom components (p. 49)

Define parameters for part adds (p. 51)

Imperial units in formulas (p. 51)

New detail position options (p. 52)


Performance improvements• Tekla Structures 11.0 creates and modifies custom components faster

than previous versions.


• Tekla Structures no longer recreates custom components when saving in multiuser mode, which makes the save faster, particularly for slow hard disks or if logs are written to a network drive.

• Custom components that contain hundreds of parts now work faster.

When you copied custom connections to a model, or imported or exported them, Tekla Structures copied the system connections within custom connections as custom connections. This increased the size of the xslib.db1 and slowed down opening the model. This has been fixed, but this fix does not correct the results of this problem in existing custom component libraries. To fix an existing custom component library:

1. Backup the model.

2. Open the model.

3. Export all custom components.

4. Close the model and Tekla Structures.

5. Delete xslib.db1 from the model folder.

6. Open Tekla Structures and the model.

7. Import the custom components into the model.

8. Save the model.

New properties for custom componentsTo include an option to create or not create parts in a custom component proper-ties dialog box:

1. In the Variables dialog box, add a new property

2. Set the Value type to Yes/No,

3. Set Visibility to Show

4. Enter a Label to display in the custom component dialog box:

5. In the custom component browser, link the property to a part:


6. Save the custom component and exit the custom component editor.

When you open the custom component properties dialog box, you now have the option to create or not create the part:

Editing custom componentsTekla Structures 11.0 stores edited custom components separately to the original custom component:

• When you create a custom component, Tekla Structures saves a library definition of the custom component in the file xslib.db1 in the current model folder.


• When you edit a custom component, Tekla Structures shows the library definition of the component in the editor, and the modifica-tions you make are saved to the xslib.db1 file.

The main benefits of storing edited custom components to the library definition are:

• You can edit custom components from the component catalog, by right-clicking the component and selecting Edit custom component.

• You can edit any custom component imported into the component catalog, not only the ones in the current model.

• The difference between the custom component in the model and the component you edit in the custom component editor is now more clear.

• You see the unmodified custom component in the editor.For example, if a custom component uses the Creation option, Tekla Struc-tures shows the library definition of the component in the editor, with all parts visible, even if you set the create parts option to No in the current model.

If you remove the xslib.db1 file from the current model folder, you cannot edit or export custom components.


Components created in earlier versions

Tekla Structures 11.0 handles outline planes differently. Plane names are more descriptive and the distances bound to outline planes of asymmetrical profiles are more effective.

Custom components created with earlier versions that includes distances bound to outline planes may not work correctly in version 11.0.

When you open an old custom component in the new Custom component editor, Tekla Structures asks if you want to update the component. The options are:

• Yes: The component is updated to Tekla Structures version 11.0. If you update the component, check the component in the editor, especially the distances.

• No or Cancel: The component is not updated, and will work in the same way as in the previous version.

See also Editing custom components in the online help.

Define parameters for part addsIn Tekla Structures 11.0 you can:

• Bind part adds using distances• Move parts adds using magnetic planes and lines• Calculate the properties of part adds using formulas

For more information, see Parametric modeling and Part add in the online help.

Imperial units in formulasNow you can use imperial units in formulas, for example, define the name of a profile using a formula in the Custom component editor. Use the imp operator in the same way as any other operator, e.g. sin().

When you use the imp operator in a formula, Tekla Structures converts the impe-rial unit to millimeters, then performs the calculation you define in the formula.


Use the following formats to identify feet, inches and fractions:

New detail position optionsTo position custom details on contour plates and concrete slabs, use the new field Position in relation to primary part on the General tab of the detail properties dia-log box:

Select a checkbox to indicate the position of the definition point of the detail, rel-ative to the main part.

Use the Horizontal offset and Vertical offset fields to define the horizontal and ver-tical alignment of the detail, relative to the primary part.

MiscellaneousTekla Structures 11.0 includes the following fixes:

Market size functionThe Custom component editor includes a new parameter, fMarketSize(), which gives the next available market size for the material, based on the thick-ness you specify. The syntax is =fMarketSize(material, thickness, extrastep):

• Insert the material as a string with in the parentheses.

• For extrastep enter an integer to define the increment to the next size (default is 0).

Format Example Meaning Resultimp(x) imp(1) 1 inch 342.90mmimp(x,x) imp(1,2) 1/2 inch 38.10mmimp(x,x,x) imp(1,1,2) 1 1/2 inches 12.70mmimp(x,x,x,x) imp(1,1,1,2) 1 foot, 1 1/2 inches 25.40mm


Fixes• Exploding a custom part by clicking Detailing > Explode component

and picking the custom part now works.

• When you used the graphic options in list boxes in the custom com-ponent dialog box the settings did not change. Fixed.

• Parts created with custom component now get the current phase num-ber.

• Mapping properties in nested custom components now works cor-rectly.

• The minimum size of the component catalog has been reduced. Use the following variables to adjust the size, then re-open the component catalog:

• Collection names are truncated to 12 characters. To change this, use Advanced options > Modeling > XS_COMPONENT_CATALOG_COLLECTION_NAME_LENGTH. This may increase the size of the component dialog box.

• To adjust the size of thumbnails to between 6 and 96 pixels, use Advanced options > Modeling > XS_COMPONENT_CATALOG_THUMBNAIL_SIZE . The default is 96 pixels.

• Position in relation to primary part no longer disappears from the com-ponent dialog box if you modify the component in the Custom com-ponent editor.

1.6 ComponentsThis section describes the following new features and fixes:

Topics Component catalog improvements (p. 54)

Use Excel in connection design (p. 60)



Component catalog improvementsThe Component catalog contains the following new features in Tekla Structures 11.0:

Detail and thumbnail view

Browse component names or thumbnails:

Detail view:


Thumbnail view:


By default, components are grouped in folders based on their type and framing condition. You can add and remove components, and create folders and subfold-ers.

Information on the folders you create is stored in the file ComponentCata-logTreeView.txt located in the attributes folder in the current model folder.

The default tree settings are stored in the file ComponentCatalogTree-View.txt file, located in the folder ..\TeklaStructures\11.0\environ-ments\*your environment*\system.

If you modify the default tree, your settings are stored in the current model folder.

To create new folders in the tree view, right-click a level in the tree and select an option from the popup menu:

• Create new folder to create folder at the same level• Create new sub-folder to create a folder one level below

Grouping components

To create a new folder based on the results of a search:

1. In the Component catalog, enter your search criteria and click Search.

2. To group the search results in a new folder, click Store.

3. In the Store search result dialog box, enter a name for the folder and click OK.

4. The new folder appears in the tree.

To remove components from a group, right-click the component and select:

• Remove, if it is a default group.or

• Remove from search result if the folder was created from a search


Add or edit thumbnail images

To edit a thumbnail image for a component:

1. Create an image and save it in bmp format in ..\Tekla Struc-tures\11.0\nt\bitmaps folder.

2. Press CTRL-f to open the component catalog.

3. Right-click the component and select Change picture...

4. Locate the thumbnail and select it:

5. Click OK.

6. Tekla Structures links the thumbnail to the component.

Add or edit descriptions

To add component descriptions or edit existing ones:

1. Click to view the description field in the lower section of the catalog window.

2. Select a component.

If you click Delete, the component is deleted from the model. To remove a component from a group, always use Remove com-mand.

To create the image, you can use Component basic view and Snapshot commands, for example.


3. Enter new text or edit the existing text.

4. Click in the model. Tekla Structures prompts you to save the description. Select Yes to save it.

Descriptions you add or edit are stored in the current model folder in the file ..\attributes\ComponentDescriptions.csv.

To use your component descriptions in other models, move the file to the system folder: ...\TeklaStructures\11.0\environments\*your environ-ment*\system.

Add or edit keywords

To add or edit keywords, right-click a component in the component catalog, and select Edit keywords...

Keywords you add or edit are saved in ComponentCatalog.txt file in the cur-rent model folder.

You can combine ComponentCatalog.txt files and move them to the system folder: ...\TeklaStructures\11.0\environments\*your environ-ment*\system..

Tekla Structures searches for the files in the following order:

Customize and save components

Many components are suitable to use in different situations. Now you can define the properties of a component to use in a specific situation, then save a copy in the component catalog to use in similar situations.

Folder Defined byCurrent model The open modelProject variable XS_PROJECTFirm variable XS_FIRMSystem variable XS_SYSTEM


For example, we’ll use the Bolted gusset (11) component as a single brace at the base plate of column.

5. To save a copy of the component, we’ll right-click the component symbol in the model, and select Publish in catalog.... The Publish in catalog dialog box appears.

6. We can add the component to a specific group. By default, the component is added to the All group.

7. By default the component uses the same thumbnail image as the original component. To change the thumbnail, see Add or edit thumbnail images (p. 57).

Miscellaneous • Adding more than 255 characters to the description field generated an application error. Fixed.


• Searching for components by number now works correctly. For example, if you type 11 in the search field, the search results are con-fined to components that have the number 11.

• Collection has been renamed Search result.

Use Excel in connection designIn Tekla Structures 11.0 you can link Microsoft Excel files with system compo-nents to perform calculations and automatically update connection properties. This is useful when you want to check connection design and have Tekla Struc-tures update component properties according to specific codes.

You need a component-specific spreadsheet.

• The spreadsheet file names and locations are defined in the file Excel.vb, located in the ..\nt\bin\plugins folder.

• The default name for component spreadsheets is component_*com-ponent number*.xls

• The default location for spreadsheets is ..\11.0\environ-ments\country-independent\exceldesign folder.

The folder ..\11.0\environments\country-independent\excelde-sign contains the following files to help you to create your own spreadsheets:

The template file includes following sheets:

• InputsTekla Structures transfers the component properties from the component properties dialog box to this sheet.

• ComponentTekla Structures transfers the component geometry and information on the main and secondary parts (for example, part profiles) to this sheet.This sheet includes calculations.

• OutputsExcel adds modified values to the Outputs sheet. These values are trans-ferred back to the component, and the component is modified accordingly.

File name Descriptioncomponent_144.xls A sample file for component End plate

(144). component_template.xls A template for creating your own spread-

sheets.


See also Using Excel in connection design in the online help.

MiscellaneousTekla Structures 11.0 includes the following features and fixes:

• Macro symbols were selected but not highlighted in rendered views if parts of the macro were hidden. Fixed.

• The default color of construction lines created by a component has been changed from black. Lines located inside the work plane are yellow and lines outside the work plane are red.

• Tekla Structures 11.0 now automatically applies values in component dialog boxes before a save. This ensures that values in sub dialog boxes (Bolt or Weld) are also saved.

To perform calculations, the Excel spreadsheet must contain the StartCalculation macro, which is included in the template file.

You just use the sheet names shown in the template file.


2 Tekla Structures 11.0 Steel Detailing







• Modeling (p. 63)• Drawings (p. 65)• Import and export (p. 65)• Components (p. 67)


Topics New weld options (p. 64)


Release Notes 63Tekla Structures 11.0 Steel Detailing

New weld optionsTekla Structures 11.0 includes new weld options in the Weld properties dialog box:

• Effective throat is the weld size used in weld strength calculation.• Root opening is the space between welded parts:

This is how they appear in drawings:

See also Weld symbol improvements (p. 37).

Effective throat

Root opening

64 Release NotesTekla Structures 11.0 Steel Detailing

2.2 DrawingsFixes• The variable XS_BOLT_POSITION_TO_MIN_AND_MAX_POINT now

works correctly. Use the variable to dimension minimum and maxi-mum position for bolts. This variable can be used only when the dimension point is inside the bolt group, not when the point is, for example, in the part end.

• Positioning secondary parts (e.g. gusset plate) using By bolt dimen-sioning now creates horizontal and vertical dimensions both to the same hole:

• Sometimes parts at the left end of an assembly were used when calcu-lating drawing view boundaries for an end view from the right end of the assembly. Fixed.

• Sometimes part cuts in the end of an assembly were included in the overall dimension of the part. Fixed.

• For Oversized bolt holes for bolts that did not have a slot value, bolt marks and bolt symbols were incorrect in drawings. Fixed.

• Tekla Structures 11.0 only relocates marks if the model changes.

• Sometimes slots appeared in the wrong direction in drawings. Fixed.


Topics NC file settings moved to user interface (p. 66)

Tekla Structures 11.0:

Previous versions


NC fixes (p. 67)

NC file settings moved to user interfaceYou can now define all the NC file settings in a dialog box,NC file settings, instead of editing machin*.ini text files.

• Much easier to use, maintain, and learn• Easily define settings for CNC files• Save machine / fabricator specific settings• Re-use settings - define those only once – no need to check/adjust

settings always before CNC file creation

Additional CNC options:

• DSTV • Pop-mark position • Pop-mark defects

For more information on NC files dialog box, see Setting up NC files in the online help.


NC fixes• Plate nesting now recognizes slotted holes.

• If you included both assembly and part position in a hard stamp, Tekla Structures only included the assembly position in the NC file-name. Fixed.

• Use the variable XS_DSTV_WRITE_BEHIND_FACE_FOR_PLATE to include (AK + IK) contours for front (v) and back (h) faces of plates in NC DSTV files. The default is to only include the front face.

• The variable XS_DSTV_NET_LENGTH now affects the part length in the EJE file in the MIS export dialog box.

• You can now open nesting results (DXF files) in AutoCAD.


Topics New help for tower and bracing components (p. 68)

Improvements to existing moment connection checks (p. 68)

US Design (p. 69)

AutoConnection improvements (p. 69)

Beam to beam connections (p. 69)

Beam to column connections (p. 70)

Gusset connections (p. 70)

Macros and details (p. 70)

Cold rolled (p. 71)



New help for tower and bracing componentsThe help for tower nd bracing compnents has been rewrittend and terminology made more consistent in the component dialog boxes. :

Improvements to existing moment connection checksThe moment connection check has been improved as follows:

• Checks added for bolt hole edges, end distances, and spacing that are not stress-related


• Tekla Structures now reports buckling check results for lower flange plates if they are compressed

• New Net Tension Capacity and Gross Tension Capacity checks for shear plates

• Distribution of axial forces is now based on the relative area of the secondary members (flanges and web)

• New check for buckling length

• Results are shown using four digits

US DesignThe values for Fv and Ft for various bolt scenarios are hard-coded in Tekla Struc-tures. If you use an non-standard material grade, Tekla Structures uses the values Fv=17 kips and Ft=44 kips and adds a note to the report.

AutoConnection improvementsTekla Structures 11.0 includes the following fixes:

• Using AutoConnections where beams did not touch the column caused application error. Fixed.

• AutoConnection did not connect parts that were not touching, even if the variable XS_AUTOCONNECTION_TOLERANCE was set.

Beam to beam connectionsTekla Structures 11.0 includes the following new features and fixes:

Full Depth S (185)If the primary part was a U-profile with angled flanges, the gusset shape was not always correct. Fixed.

In the French environment, Tekla Structures did not create the connection if the primary beam was a U-profile. Fixed.

Purlin connection (93)With small rafters (< 120mm) bolts no longer penetrate both flanges.

Beam with stiffener (129)This connection now creates a correctly-shaped shear plate.

Two sided clip angle (143)This connection now creates correct angle plates with default values.


Beam to column connectionsTekla Structures 11.0 includes the following new features and fixes:

Bolted moment connection (134)Slotted or oversize hole settings for bolts in the shear plate no longer override the hole settings for the flange plate.

Gusset connectionsTekla Structures 11.0 includes the following new features and fixes:

Boomerang tube diagonal (59)In previous versions, the bolt standard was not updated when you loaded saved properties. Fixed. To fix this problem with older properties files, click the Load button twice and then the Save button.

Macros and detailsTekla Structures 11.0 includes the following new features and fixes:

U.S Bearing plate (1044) Now attaches studs to the bottom plane of the bearing plate instead of the top.

The switch for indicating which part is slotted now works correctly.

Before

TS 11.0


Tapered column (136)Tekla Structures now correctly displays weld preparations in the lower column.

Hollow column stub (S69)Tekla Structures now checks the stub length and start- and end-of-haunch values before creating the stub.

Stanchions (S76)You can now use Imperial units for spacing.

Turnbuckle (S3)Tekla Structures now creates clevis pins with the correct rotation for horizontal or sloped bracing.

Miscellaneous • U Pan (S71), Wooden steps pan (S72), Polybeam pan (S73), and Z pan (S74)

components include the following fixes:• Unnecessary gap between bracket plate and stringer removed. • Bracket no longer bolted to the top or bottom landing parts.

• Bracket bolts now created symmetrically in stair components.

• Stairs (S82): The image and the layout on the Picture tab has been improved. • You can now create U-Pan stairs (S71) without entering a bracket profile

thickness.This connects the bolts to the stringer, without a bracket.

Cold rolled

Ayrshire componentsA new option, Remove washers, added to the Parameters tab.

Albion Std Anti-Sag Bay (62) and Eaves Brace (64)The default bolt size has been changed from 12mm to 16mm.

Bridging (80)Brackets were only visible in mid-span, not at the end of the first and last purlin. Fixed.

Ultrazed Eaves beam to stanchion (104) Now determines the appropriate EBC cleat for the sheeting face dimensions, using the text file EBCCleat.dat .


Miscellaneous• When you select the Sleeve option in a cold-rolled sleeved connec-

tion, the cleat is no longer moved.


• The name Circular joining plates (124) has been changed to Round join-ing plates (124).


3 Tekla Structures 11.0 Precast Concrete Detailing

The Tekla Structures 11.0 Precast Concrete Detailing configuration contains the following new features and fixes:

Topics Modeling (p. 73)

Drawings (p. 78)

Components (p. 87)

Reinforcement (p. 88)


Topics Deforming parts (p. 73)

Add surface treatment to parts (p. 75)


Deforming partsIn Tekla Structures 11.0 you can warp, camber, and shorten concrete parts. You can use these tools to curve long sections that will settle on site, for example.

Release Notes 73Tekla Structures 11.0 Precast Concrete Detailing

Warping To warp a beam:

1. Double-click the beam to open the part properties dialog box. Go to the Deforming tab.

2. In the Start field, enter the angle of the beam at its start point, relative to the part reference line.

3. In the End field, enter the angle of the beam at its end point, relative to the part reference line.

4. Click Modify to warp the beam.

Cambering To camber a part:

1. Double-click the part to open the part properties dialog box, and go to the Deforming tab.

2. In the Cambering field, enter the degree of camber in the local z direction.

If you have customized the objects.inp file, ensure that the attributes warping1 and warping2 are not included in the file. They will override values entered in the part dialog box.

74 Release NotesTekla Structures 11.0 Precast Concrete Detailing

3. Click Apply to modify the part.

Shortening To shorten a part:

1. Double-click the part to open the part properties dialog box, and go to the Deforming tab.

2. In the Shortening field, enter the shortening in the local z direction.

3. Click Apply to modify the part.

Undeformed view Parts may be warped, cambered or shortened in the final erected position, after fabrication. You can display parts in the model and in drawings in both their deformed and fabrication states.

To view a part in its fabrication state in the model:

• Select the part and click View > Create view > Part undeformed view

See also Show undeformed shape of parts in drawings (p. 79).

Warping, cambering and shortening parts in the online help.

Add surface treatment to partsTo add a tiled surface treatment to a part:

1. Double-click the Create polygon surfacing or Create face surfacing icon to open the Surfacing properties dialog box.

2. Select Tile surface in the Type list box.

3. Click the User-defined attributes... button. Tekla Structures opens the Surfac-ing dialog box.

4. Define the surface treatment properties on the Tile pattern tab:


• The options for Bonding are

Option Bonding1/1

1/2

1/3

1/4


• Define tile and mortar colors by assigning values for red, green, and blue, on a scale of 0 to 10. For example:

Red = 10 0 0Green = 0 10 0Blue = 0 0 10White = 10 10 10Black = 0 0 0

5. Click Modify and Apply to save the tile pattern properties.

6. To add the tiled surface treatment to a part, use the Create polygon surfacing or Create face surfacing command:

• Pick the corners of the surface treatment or pick the part face,

or

• Pick the origin and the direction of the surface treatment.

To create tiling that runs continuously from one part to the next, pick the same origin for the surface treatment for all the parts:

Tekla Structures only displays the tile pattern in rendered views.

See also Show tiled surface treatment in drawings (p. 81).

Miscellaneous• Magnetic planes did not work correctly with polygon plate handles,

because the center line of the polygon plate was incorrectly drawn. Fixed.

• Tekla Structures 11.0 creates rectangular reinforcing mesh in the direction of the current work plane if you try to create another direc-tion. For example, if the work plane is the horizontal XY plane and you try to create the mesh in the vertical direction.

• When you use the the Inquire command on reinforcing bars, the rein-forcing bar is highlighted, not just the main part.


• If you added a steel part inside a concrete part cast unit and changed the embedded part, you could still open the cast unit drawing without running numbering. Fixed:

• You cannot open cast unit drawings if embedded objects have changed.

• Cast unit drawings are flagged P for numbering purposes, even if only embeds have changed.


Topics Cast unit drawing improvements (p. 78)

Show undeformed shape of parts in drawings (p. 79)

Reinforcement marks and dimension lines (p. 80)

Show tiled surface treatment in drawings (p. 81)

Templates and reports (p. 83)


Cast unit drawing improvementsTekla Structures 11.0 includes the following new features and fixes:

• Create cast-unit drawings of main concrete parts and cast-in embeds (steel parts or assemblies added to a cast unit).

• Modify bolt and weld properties using the Bolt..., Bolt mark..., and Weld... buttons in the Cast unit drawing properties dialog box.

• Automatically dimension the main parts in steel assemblies in draw-ings. The Cast unit - dimensioning properties dialog box now includes a Bolt dimensions tab and new options on the Position dimensions tab. For more information see Bolt dimensioning properties and Posi-tion dimensioning properties in the online help.

Tekla Structures compares embeds and will not open the draw-ing, even if embedded objects are not selected in numbering setup.


• To automatically open the drawing view in the drawing editor when you create a cast unit drawing, hold down the Ctrl and Shift keys and click Drawing > Cast unit drawing.

This also works for assembly and single-part drawings.

• When you used the Model option for Coordinate system in the Cast unit - view properties dialog box, plates were incorrectly oriented and the view direction was not taken into account. Fixed.

• If you clicked the Apply button before the Modify button in Cast unit - bolt properties, Cast unit - bolt mark properties, and Cast unit - welding properties dialog boxes, the properties were not modified. Fixed.

Show undeformed shape of parts in drawingsTo create drawings that show parts in their fabrication state, rather than their deformed state:

1. Open the drawing properties dialog box and click the View... button.

2. Go to the Attributes tab and select Yes in the Undeformed list box.

3. Click Apply or OK to save the drawing view properties.

4. Create the drawing.


See also Deforming parts (p. 73)

Reinforcement marks and dimension linesTekla Structures 11.0 includes the following improvements:

• Leader line type Mark parallel to the rebar added for rebar marks (not merged rebar marks).

• New arrow type showing a circle at the end of the leader line added for rebar marks

• If a rebar dimension line is dragged outside the rebar group, Tekla Structures 11.0 draws a broken line from the rebar to the dimension line.

• If a rebar mark has a leader line and a rebar dimension line, the rebar mark leader line now follows the intersection of the rebar line and the rebar dimension line.

Drawing showing the part in its deformed state

Drawing showing the part in its fabrication state


Show tiled surface treatment in drawingsYou can now show tiled surface treatments in drawings.

To define how tiled surface treatment appears in drawings:

1. To open the Drawing surfacing properties dialog box:

• Click the Surfacing... button in the drawing properties dialog box or

• Double-click the outline of the surface treatment in the drawing:

• The display options are: Outline, Exact, Workshop form, Symbol, Bounding box, and Base box.

2. To show the tile pattern in the drawing, select the Show pattern checkbox.

3. Click Apply or OK to save the drawing properties.


To edit surface treatment marks:

1. Click the Surfacing mark... button in the drawing properties dialog box to open the Surfacing mark properties dialog box.

2. Modify surface treatment marks in the same way as part marks.

To show tile and mortar properties in surface treatment marks, use the following user-defined attributes: TILE_WIDTH, TILE_HEIGHT, MORTAR_WIDTH, MOR-TAR HEIGHT, TILE_COLOR, and MORTAR_COLOR..

The drawing shows the tile surface treatment and the surface treatment mark:


For example, to add tile width property to a surface treatment mark:

1. Select User-defined attribute in the Elements list and click Add.

2. In the Mark content dialog box, enter TILE_WIDTH:

3. Click OK, to add TILE_WIDTH to the list of mark elements:

4. Add surface treatment marks to the drawing, or modify existing ones.

5. The surface treatment marks now include the tile width:

See also Part presentation and Marks in drawings in the online help.



Rebar pull-out pictures in templatesIn Template Editor 3.2 you can add pull-out pictures of reinforcing bars to draw-ing templates:

Pull-out picture in a cast unit drawing:

In Template Editor 3.2, use the graphic field field_REBAR_SHAPE to show pull-out pictures.

The row content type is REBAR


Graphic fields have the following user-defined attributes which define their appearance:

To define the appearance of a graphic field in Template Editor 3.2, double-click the field to open the Graphical field properties dialog box and click the Free attributes... button:

The Template Editor automatically scales and aligns the picture.

Attribute Default value DescriptionFontName romsim

FontSize 2.0

FontColor 1 blackRotationAxis 2 0 = by view, 1 = by global Z, 2=by

local axisExaggeration 1 0 =no, 1=yesEndMark 1 1 = straight, 2=half arrow, 3=full

arrowDimensions 1 0=no, 1=yesBendingAngle 1 0=no, 1=yes


Bent meshes in reportsUse the following new attributes to include information about bent mesh in reports:


Middle section viewsCreate middle section views of reinforcement.

Reinforcement in cast unit drawingsCast-unit drawings now also show reinforcing bars that are attached to steel embeds.

Fixes• Sometimes reinforcement marks is fixed positions disappeared when

you modified them. Fixed.

• The Place... button in the Cast unit - bolt mark properties dialog box no longer opens the wrong dialog box.

Template Editor version Attribute name3.2

Use the MESH row content type, and these attributes:

DIM_A, DIM_B, DIM_C, DIM_D, DIM_E, DIM_F, DIM_G, DIM_H1, DIM_H2, DIM_I, DIM_J, DIM_K1, DIM_K2, DIM_O, DIM_R, DIM_TD, DIM_X, DIM_Y, ANG_S, ANG_T, ANG_U, ANG_V

2.2 MESH_DIM_A, MESH_DIM_B, MESH_DIM_C, MESH_DIM_D, MESH_DIM_E, MESH_DIM_F, MESH_DIM_G, MESH_DIM_H1, MESH_DIM_H2, MESH_DIM_I, MESH_DIM_J, MESH_DIM_K1, MESH_DIM_K2, MESH_DIM_O, MESH_DIM_R, MESH_DIM_TD, MESH_DIM_X, MESH_DIM_Y, MESH_ANG_S, MESH_ANG_T, MESH_ANG_U, and MESH_ANG_V



Topics Corbel connection (14) (p. 87)

Seating with dowel connections (p. 87)


Corbel connection (14)The sloped secondary part is now correctly cut and the cut is wider..

Seating with dowel connections• The holes for the dowels in the beam were rectangular. A new round hole

option has been added to seating connections (75), (76), (77), and (78).

• An option to omit the end cut has been added to seating connections (75) and (77). This is required for multi-span beams.

• An option to use a single bearing pad aligned with the column has been added to seating connections (76) and (78). This option overrides the align-ment options on the Left beam and Right beam tabs. The dimensions and eccentricity of the bearing pad comes from the values for the left beam. If the eccentricity values on the Picture and Left beam tabs are zero, the bearing pad is created to the middle of the end of the column.

• Seating connection(75) no longer creates too large a bearing pad.


• Column end cuts have been corrected in two-sided seating connec-tions (76) and (78) for beams that are not parallel or with lower planes at different levels.

• The bearing pad is now automatically part of the column assembly. To prevent this, define a specific assembly number for the bearing pad in the component dialog box. This applies to seating connections (75), (76), (77), and (78).


• When you modified a system component that added parts to a cast unit it sometimes removed other parts from the cast unit. Fixed.

• Cut parts created by concrete components generated warnings in the log file. • Setting part representation to Fast in the View setup dialog box

did not display polygon plates and cuts correctly. Fixed.

3.4 ReinforcementThis section describes the following new features and fixes:

Topics Spiral reinforcement groups (p. 88)

Reinforcement mesh properties (p. 90)

Reinforcement components (p. 92)


Spiral reinforcement groupsIn Tekla Structures 11.0 you can model circular or polygonal spiral reinforcing bar groups.

Create the spiral reinforcing group using the Reinforcing bar group or Circular reinforcing bar group tools


Example To create a circular spiral reinforcing bar group:

1. Double-click the Create circular reinforcing bar group icon to open the Reinforcing bar properties dialog box.

2. On the Group tab, select Spiral in the Rebar group type list box:

3. Enter or modify other properties, if required.

4. Click Apply or OK.

5. Select the part.

6. Pick three points to define the stirrup.

7. Pick two points to indicate the distribution of the bars.


8. Tekla Structures attaches the spiral reinforcement to the part.

See also Reinforcing bar group in the online help.

Reinforcement mesh propertiesThe Reinforcement mesh properties dialog box includes several new properties:

Field DescriptionMesh Click to select a mesh from the mesh catalog. Tekla

Structures applies the following properties to the mesh type: Diameter, Pitching, Left overhang and Right over-hang.

Does not define the size of the mesh.Creation method Defines whether the bars are evenly distributed or not,

for both longitudinal and crossing bars.


Tekla Structures takes the default properties for mesh from the file mesh_database.inp, located in the ...\environments\*your environ-ment*\profil folder.

Pitching (previ-ously spacing)

In previous versions, this was called spacing. Use the Pitching fields to define the pattern of both longitudinal and crossing bars:

You can use more than one pitch value. For example,

Longitudinal: 3*200 3*600 2*100

Cross: 4*200 4*100

If you define several pitch values, you cannot manually define the dimensions of the mesh. Tekla Structures auto-matically calculates the width and length of the mesh using the values in the Pitching, Left overhang, and Right overhang fields.

The Mesh type option you select also affects which dimensions you can manually enter.

Left overhangRight overhang

Define the overhang of longitudinal and crossing bars. These options are only available when Creation method is set to By varying spacings.

Field Description


Reinforcement componentsTekla Structures 11.0 includes the following new features and fixes:

Reinforcement mesh array in area (89)Use the component Reinforcement mesh array in area (89) to create reinforcement meshes for an entire concrete part, or for a defined polygonal area:

To use:

1. Pick the part.

2. To attach the reinforcement to the entire part, pick the first position,

or,

to attach reinforcement mesh to a selected area, pick points to indicate the polygonal shape of the reinforcement.

3. Click the middle mouse button to create the reinforcement mesh.

FIxes When you define more than one set of distances in the Bar pitching field, e.g. 10*200 15*200, this component now uses them all, not just the first one.


Automated reinforcement layout componentsTekla Structures 11.0 includes the following new components to create reinforce-ment for different types of concrete parts:

Component DescriptionAutomated reinforce-ment layout - double tee beam (51)

Create flexural, shear or flange reinforce-ment for double tee beams.

Automated reinforce-ment layout - Inverted tee beam (52)

Creates flexural, shear or ledge reinforce-ment for inverted tee beams.

Automated reinforce-ment layout - Ledge beam (53)

Creates flexural, shear or ledge reinforce-ment for ledge beams.

Automated reinforce-ment layout - rectangular beam (54)

Creates flexural or shear reinforcement for rectangular beams.


Modeling slab areasUse the Modeling of slab area (88) component to create various types of concrete slabs, including fanned layouts. This component creates slabs between two sup-port lines, which can be polylines or sloped. To create a fanned layout, use sup-port lines that are curved or of different lengths.

For more information, see Modeling of slab area (88) in the online help.

Automated reinforce-ment layout - ledge span-drel (55)

Creates flexural, shear or ledge reinforce-ment for ledge span-drels.

Automated reinforce-ment layout - rectangular spandrel (56)

Creates flexural or shear reinforcement for rectangular span-drels.

Automated reinforce-ment layout - columns (57)

Creates longitudinal or tie reinforcement for columns.

Component Description


Slab bars (18)The Slab bars (18) component includes following new features:

• Group offsets from the edge of the slab.• Support for curved and tapered rebar groups.• Main and cross bar extensions.• Cover thickness options on the Bottom bars and Top bars tabs.

Lifting anchor (80)You can now can define Class for lifting anchors.

Pad footing (77)D-type lacer bars are now centrally placed so that they are identical. With the fol-lowing lacer types default 'p1' and 'p2' values are half the length of the side of the pad footing:

Rebar spacing is now correctly calculated:

• To create a rebar group with exact spacing and flexible first and last spaces, select the One zone option in the Arrangement field and the Spacing option in the Creation method field.

• To create a rebar group in three zones, with exact spacing and a flex-ible first space, select the Three zones option in the Arrangement field and the Spacing option in the Creation method field for the first zone.

• To create a rebar group in three zones, with exact spacing and flexi-ble first and last spaces, select the Three zones option in the Arrange-ment field and the Spacing option in the Creation method field for the middle zone.

• To create a rebar group in three zones, with exact spacing and a flex-ible last space, select the Three zones option in the Arrangement field and the Spacing option in the Creation method field for the third.

Pilecap reinforcement (76)Rebar spacing is now correctly calculated.

To create a rebar group with exact spacing and flexible first and last spaces, select the By spacing option in the Creation method field.

Beam end reinforcement (79)The diagonal bar no longer protrudes from the beam.


Rectangular column reinforcement (83) You can now select hook type for each intermediate link groups.

Miscellaneous• When comparing bent meshes, spacing were not always correctly

compared. Fixed.

• Bent meshes were given unique position numbers. Fixed.

• Reinforcing bars that were not perpendicular to the view plane were not visible in cross section views. Fixed.

• Cover thickness was not always created correctly for polygonal meshes. Fixed.


4 Tekla Structures 11.0 Analysis and design

4.1 Analysis and designThe Tekla Structures 11.0 Analysis and Design module contains the following new features and fixes:

Topics Extended clash check (p. 97)

New design codes (p. 98)

New seismic codes (p. 98)

Analyzing composite beams (p. 99)

Load groups (p. 100)

Changes in ULS and SLS design checks (p. 101)

Load distribution fixes (p. 102)


Extended clash checkExtended clash check is now the default method for creating analysis models. It is based on a clash check of solids. By default, solids are expanded by 1mm in each direction to find parts that are so close to each other that they should be automat-ically connected when creating the analysis model.

To automatically connect parts in the analysis model, even if they have a large tolerance gap you can change the expansion in the axial direction using the vari-able XS_AD_SOLID_AXIAL_EXPAND_MM.

If this variable is not set, the default value of 1mm is used.

Release Notes 97Tekla Structures 11.0 Analysis and design

New design codesThe following design codes have been added for steel:Desi

The following design codes have been added for concrete:

See also Design codes and methods in the online help.

New seismic codesTekla Structures 11.0 includes the following new seismic codes:

• IBC2003 (US)• AIJ (Japan)

If there is a connection between members, they are treated as clashing.

Option DescriptionAS 1250 Australian design code for steel SNiP-11-23-81 Russian design code for steel AIJ Japanese design code for steel

Option DescriptionAS 3600 Australian design code for concreteSNiP-2.03.01 Russian design code for concreteAIJ Japanese design code for concrete

98 Release NotesTekla Structures 11.0 Analysis and design

Analyzing composite beamsComposite construction consists of beams, studs and concrete slab on top of the beams. To analyze beams as composite beams, modify the beam properties on the Analysis tab:

1. Select:

• Composite beam to manually change composite beam properties, or

• Automatic composite beam: to have Tekla Structures automati-cally recognize composite beams and calculate the effective slab width

2. If you chose Composite beam, select the slab Material and Thickness.

3. Select Effective slab width:

• Enter the value, or


• Have Tekla Structures automatically calculate the effective slab width by dividing the span length of the beam by the value you enter. For example, if span length is 8.0 meters, factor 8 is used for both left and right. So the effective width of the slab is: ((0.5*8.0)/8) + ((0.5*8.0)/8), = 1.0 meter

4. Run the analysis to calculate the effective slab width.

• The effective width cannot exceed the maximum distance to the next beam:• For the Composite beam option, slab width is zero if there are no

adjacent beams.

• The Automatic composite beam option enables Tekla Structures to calculate slab width, even if there are no adjacent beams.

• Effective width must be less than half the distance to the nearest com-posite beam.

Inquiring effective width

Right click and select Inquire to see the analysis results. The results that relate to composite beams are:

• Effective width• slab thickness• slab material• concrete strength• rib width and height• stud diameter and length

Load groupsTekla Structures 11.0 includes the following improvements:

• You no longer need to create load groups before applying loads in the model.

• The dialog box name is now Load groups

• New Current field and Set current button in the Load Groups dialog box.

• You can select loads by load groups and load groups by loads.

• Right-click a load group to export or import it.


The Loads toolbar contains the following new options:

The default load groups are defined in the DefaultLoadGroups.lgr file, located in ..\TeklaStructures\11.0\environments\*your environ-ment*\system folder.

Changes in ULS and SLS design checksTekla Structures 11.0 distinguishes between Ultimate Limit State (ULS) and Ser-viceability Limit State (SLS) load combinations in steel codes EC3, BS, and AISC LRFD. In the previous version factored loads were generally used.

Tekla Structures 11.0 runs a deflection check for SLS load combinations, but not for ULS load combinations.

For ultimate limit state, ULS- and LG-type load combinations are considered.

For serviceability limit state, SLS- and LG-type load combinations are consid-ered.

The Analysis > Optimize menu contains the following new options:

Open Load groups dialog box

A list box to select a load group


• Analysis model parts

Optimizes only the parts included in the analysis model.

By default, Tekla Structures considers ULS and LG load combinations. Use the Serviceability limit state switch to also consider SLS and LG load combi-nations

• Selected parts

The same as Analysis model parts and also optimizes selected parts, and parts not included in the analysis model if their design group matches the design group of a part in the analysis model.

• Serviceability limit state

If limit state design is active, this option includes the serviceability limit state in the optimization.

Load distribution fixesTekla Structures 11.0 uses the load panel system as the default load distribution method.

Some limitations have been removed from the load panel system. Also, uniform load areas can now be any shape and can contain holes.

Tekla Structures 11.0 includes fixes for the following:

• There was error in load distribution if the new load panel system was used and the direction of the primary axis was incorrect. Invalid spanning direction is now automatically corrected, if double span-ning and automatic primary axis weight are used. The direction does not matter in this case.

• An unnecessary warning appeared in load distribution even if the load was correct in STAAD.Pro. Inquiring a load applied to a slab always generated a similar warning.

• If you used load panel distribution, Tekla Structures generated over-lapping member loads from a single load. This made it difficult to check loads in the STAAD.Pro post processor. Now Tekla Structures always merges loads from a single load.

• If you used load panel distribution, Tekla Structures distributed the area load to the wrong part.

• The load panel distribution method is now always used.

The Serviceability limit state option will be available in version 11.1.


• Loads were not distributed to walls and slabs using load panel sys-tem.

• A tolerance problem in load distribution caused missing area loads and differences in total line load.

• Load distribution sometimes created a point load at an incorrect node on a column. This also occurred with walls connected to columns, creating split nodes.

Miscellaneous

Fixes• Using the extended clash check method with parallel or nearly paral-

lel clashing members did not work correctly. Fixed.

• The AISC ASD connection check includes the following fixes:• SSL and LSL values were missing for bolt grades A325N,

A325X, A490N, and A490X where the hole type is NSL in AISC manual table I-D page 4-5. NSL = Long-or short-slotted holes normal to load direction.

• Design check calculations used a default bolt strength when you used bolt grades A325N, A325X, A490N, and A490X and the bolt group contained slotted or oversized holes. Fixed. Now uses the bolt strength defined in AISC manual.

• You can now define different offsets for the nodes at the start and end point of a concrete panel.

• When longitudinal analysis offsets were used on a beam, the loads applied on the beam were positioned incorrectly. Fixed.

• Analysis member offsets were not taken into account when creating node points on the edge of walls that contained door openings. Fixed.

• The full analysis model did not work correctly if it was created before creating any loads in the model. None of the loads created later were added to the analysis model. Fixed.

• The load form picture was not updated on the Magnitude tab, if you loaded saved properties. A similar refresh problem also affected load panel properties on all load dialog boxes, and analysis properties on part dialog boxes.

• Trapezoidal member loads were not generated correctly when mem-bers were outside the load plane.

• Extra nodes were created on beams due to incorrectly detected clashes with slabs or walls.


• Analysis sometimes failed for concrete panels and slabs, because the default plane for concrete panels was the top plane in the German, Indian, Dutch, UK, US imperial, and US metric environments. The default plane has now been changed to middle. The tolerance for checking loads are inside plates has also been increased.

• Moment release at the end of a beam connected to a wall panel was not applied in the analysis model. Fixed.

• Using the member end release method, the By connection option gave incorrect analysis results. The hard-coded default values for member end restraints of connections were incorrect. Fixed.

• Tekla Structures did not create a rigid link between a beam and a wall created using the column tool.

• Where walls connected in a corner, the node points of one wall effected all neighboring walls resulting in too dense a triangle mesh. Now the nodes are merged to form a single shared node.

• The size of analysis elements created for walls or slabs sometimes varied considerably resulting in badly-formed triangles. The Element size in the dialog box is now an approximate value. Tekla Structures automatically rounds it up or down to form elements of the same size.

• The analysis log is now cleared each time analysis is run.

• Accepting all optimization results was very slow if Analysis utility check was selected in the Colors dialog box. Fixed.

• Analysis optimization sometimes suggested changing a library pro-file to a parametric profile (for example RHS150*5 to RHS150*150*5) with the same cross-section area. Now the profile name is retained if the cross section area of the optimized profile and the original profile are within 1 mm2 of each other.

• Analysis sometimes did not run, because the analysis method option in the analysis model properties was sometimes blanked out. Fixed.

• The following problems that occured when applying horizontal line loads to walls have been fixed:

• The load had to be positioned exactly on the selected analysis plane (e.g. the middle plane).

• Areas of the load that were not on the wall disappeared.• Tekla Structures created nodes at the load point, even if nodes

already existed, which caused problems with element meshing.

• It was not possible to modify the load result created with Wind load generator (28) macro by double-clicking the load, when the compo-

nent objects select switch was active. Fixed.


• The Inquire command showed the default user-defined attribute value 2147483647. Modifying analysis-related user-defined attributes without the A&D module installed caused an internal error, which resulted in incorrect values for those user-defined attributes.


5 Tekla Structures 10.2 Steel Detailing

Tekla Structures version 10.2 is a sub release and contains many new features and fixes.



Installing The Tekla Structures setup creates a new subfolder for Tekla Structures 10.2.





• General (p. 108)• Modeling (p. 110)• Drawings (p. 112)• Import and export (p. 114)• Custom components (p. 116)• Components (p. 121)


Improvements in saving and opening models• The Directories and Model directories lists in the Open model dialog

box are no longer case sensitive.

• To give easy access to the last file saved with the Save as... command, the file appears last in the Model directories list.

• When you try to create a new model with the same name as an exist-ing one, and select the Create default view and grid checkbox, Tekla Structures now displays an error message. Previous versions created a default view and a new grid in the existing model.

• When you click Setup > Save defaults, Tekla Structures now displays a warning if it is not possible to save the standard file, for example, if it is read-only.

Display of objects in rendered viewsIn Tekla Structures 10.1 the display of objects in rendered views was enhanced so that distances are easier to perceive, as distant objects are darker than close ones.

Use the following environment variables to revert to the old functionality or to control the darkness of objects:

set XS_RENDERED_FOG_START_VALUE=0.25

set XS_RENDERED_FOG_END_VALUE=0.50

Use values from 0 to 1to control the darkness of objects. The bigger the value, the darker the objects at each end.


Miscellaneous• The Setup > Current Phase... command has been renamed Setup >

Phase manager....

• Tekla Structures now updates the work area when you change the view depth if you have set the environment variable XS_CHANGE_WORKAREA_WHEN_MODIFYING_VIEW_DEPTH=TRUE.

• Tekla Structures 10.2 handles reference objects faster in multiuser mode than previous versions.

• You can again double-press shortcut keys for commands to open properties dialog boxes. This feature has not been available since Tekla Structures 10.0.

• Tekla Structures 10.2 shows bolt holes more clearly in rendered views. This makes selecting such holes easier.

• When you use ID numbers in reports, you no longer need to insert a space between the "Id" text and ID text field.

• Tekla Structures uses pixel tolerance to differentiate between clicking and dragging the mouse when zooming. Use the new environment variable XS_RENDERED_PIXEL_TOLERANCE_SCALE to define pixel tolerance. The default value is 0.7. If the mouse moves less than the value you specify with the mouse button depressed, it is treated as a click.

Variables set to zero

Variables dis-abled



New select switchesThe Select switches toolbar contains two new switches: Select planes and Select distances.

Lock and unlock control numbersNow you can lock and unlock control numbers. Tekla Structures does not renum-ber locked control numbers. The locking status is shown with user-defined attribute ACN_STATUS.

To lock or unlock control numbers:

1. Click Tools > Numbering > Lock/Unlock control numbers to open the Lock/Unlock control numbers dialog box:

2. If you do not select any parts, this command will affect the control numbers of all parts.

Select user-defined planes

Select reference distances


• To only unlock or lock the control numbers of specific parts, select the parts.

3. Select Lock or Unlock in the Status list box.

4. Click Apply, then Create.

Fixes • Assigning control numbers to parts by numbering series now works correctly, even if the start number is greater than one.

For more information on control numbers, see Assigning control numbers to parts in the online help.


• Closing the inquire dialog box now removes all highlighting.

• When you add user-defined attributes to reference objects, the refer-ence object properties dialog box now displays the complete attribute name.

• When you moved a single bolt, with the Select single bolts switch active, Tekla Structures displayed the message Nothing selected on the status bar. Fixed.

• Adding the user-defined attribute %%UDA:PHASE.NAME%% to the environment variable XS_PART_MULTI_NUMBER_FORMAT_STRING, then assigning multinumbers to parts no longer causes an application error.

For more information, see XS_PART_MULTI_NUMBER_FORMAT_STRING in the online help.

• The Class field in the part properties dialog box now displays six characters.

• If you modeled a part with an unknown profile, and then tried to add the profile in the profile catalog, this sometimes caused an applica-tion error.

•



Grid lines in drawingsTo only display grid line marks in drawings, instead of entire gridlines, select Only grid line marks visible in the Grid listbox in the Grid properties, Grid line prop-erties or View grid properties dialog boxes:

You can also:

• Drag and drop grid lines in drawings• Extend gridlines• Add an extension to a grid line

To add an extension to a gridline, select the grid line handle and drag it to where you want to place the grid line mark.

Multi-drawing improvementsTekla Structures 10.2 includes the following new features and fixes:

Placing viewsTekla Structures now organizes view in a multi-drawings more effectively.


Views are now always aligned vertically.

Empty space in drawingsTo remove unnecessary space between the drawing view label and the drawing view, set the environmenet variable: XS_MULTIDRAWING_REMOVE_VIEW_LABEL_GAP to TRUE


• The drawing properties and view properties dialog boxes no longer contain Component.. and Component mark... buttons.

• Countersunk information is now correctly compared when you com-bine bolt marks.

• Drawing view frames now appear in bright blue if the background is set to black.

• Changing the DWG/DXF name in the text field in Tables dialog box (Properties > Layout... > Table layout > Tables) now works correctly.

• You can now use environment variables in path and file names in the Tables dialog box.

• Tekla Structures 10.2 uses less memory when you create multi-draw-ings.

• Tekla Structures 10.2 always places column marks correctly in gen-eral arrangement drawings (45-degree angle).

Earlier versions Tekla Structures 10.2


• When you create single-part views in drawings, the current work-plane no longer affects the result.

• Due to conflicting ID numbers, some drawing objects (for example, bolts, dimensions or parts) could have disappeared from the drawing in some rare situations.

• If bolt definition points were outside the drawing view boundaries, the bolt hole was not drawn if there was no screw in the bolt.


Import status data from CIS/2 manufacturing modelYou can now import fabrication status information for assemblies and parts from a CIS/2 manufacturing model into Tekla Structures:

• To use CIS/2 status information with Tekla Structures, export a fully- detailed Tekla Structures model into a CIS/2 manufacturing model.

Tekla Structures 10.2 includes a new option in the Export CIS2 Manufacturing model (26) dialog box:

• Select Yes to export globally unique ID’s instead of internal ID number.

To import status information into a Tekla Structures model:

1. Click File > Import > FEM..., to open the New import model dialog box.

2. Select CIS2 status import in the Type list box and click Properties button to open the CIS2 status import dialog box.

3. Click the Browse button against the Input File field to locate the file to import.

4. Select Entire model in the Input scope list box to import attributes to all the parts and assemblies in the model,

or select Selection only to import the attributes to the selected objects.


5. Select an option in the Create log file list box:

• Create to create a new log file• Append to add new log entries to the attribute_import.log file• No to not create any log entries

6. To view the log file, select On dialog in the Display log file list box.

• Click an part ID in the log file to highlight the part in the model.

7. Click OK to import status information into the model.

• The status information appears as user-defined attributes in the objects.inp file.

Use environment variables in path and file namesYou can now can use environment variables in:

• DWG, DXF, DGN, and 3D reference object names in models and drawings

• DWG and DXF text file names in drawings

Add the variable in format %VARIABLE%, for example:

%REFERENCE_DIRECTORY%\MyReference1.dxf

The length calculation of part now correct, but bolts may still be in correct place if the bolt group is very long and shortening would affect the hole locations. At the moment, only bolt group start point location takes shortening into account.

Model dumps• When you try to import a model dump that was created in an older

version, Tekla Structures displays a warning and will not do the import.

• Reinforcement meshes are now imported or exported with a model dump.

For more information on importing model dumps, see Model dump import in the online help.

SDNF import and export• When you tried to import parts with offsets, Tekla Structures did not

place the parts to correct positions in the model.


• SDNF export now functions correctly also with parts that have off-sets. In earlier versions Tekla Structures used incorrect location infor-mation for such parts.

Miscellaneous• CNC: Tekla Structures 10.2 calculates the part length correctly in NC

files also when shortening of part has been used.

• Importing a STAAD CIS/2 export file no longer causes an applica-tion error.

• Using user-defined attribute Shorten did not produce correct header information about the part length into the DSTV file of the part. Now using Shorten affects also the length written to the header of a DSTV file.

• If the bolt definition points were more than a bolt length above the part, the holes were not written to NC/DSTV file.

• Export CIS2 Manufacturing model (26) macro did not work correctly if there were more than 10 000 objects in the model.

5.5 Custom componentsThis section describes the following new features and fixes:

New properties for custom componentsUse the new Name and Attribute file properties to:

• Replace a subcomponent inside a custom component with another subcom-ponent

• Use different properties files for components.


How to replace a subcomponent

In this example we will createa custom component that contains a pair of cast-in embeds as subcomponents (castin1):

Then we will replace castin1 with a different pair of subcomponents, castin2.

To do this:

castin1


1. Select the custom component

2. Right-click and select Edit custom component from the pop-up menu to open the custom component editor.

3. Open the Variables dialog box and add a new parameter.

• In the Formula field, enter the name of the subcomponent, castin1.

• Set Value type to Component name.

• Enter a name for the parameter in the Label in dialog box field and set Visibility to Show.

4. In the Model browser, add the equation P1 for both subcomponents

The field Cast-in plate will appear in the dialog box of our custom component.


To change the subcomponent:

1. Click the Browse button next to the name field. The Select component dia-log box opens.

2. Select the component to use and click OK.

3. In the custom component dialog box, click Modify. Tekla Structures changes the component in the model.

How to change the properties file

To add the properties file field to the custom component dialog box, see the instructions for Name.

castin2


To change the properties file, go to the Variables dialog box:

• In the Formula field, enter the name of the properties file (in our example, prop1).

• Set Value type to Text.

• Enter a name for the parameter (in our example, Properties file) in the Label in dialog box field and set Visibility to Show.

• Remember to add the equation for Attribute in the Model browser.

To use another properties file, enter the file name in the Properties file field.

Custom component reportingYou can now include the user-defined attributes of custom components in reports and templates and view them with the Inquire tool.

• The Inquire tool shows all the user-defined attributes that are dis-played in the component’s dialog box.

Battering connection (13)Use Battering connection (13) to fit the secondary part in custom component, either square to the main part, or at an angle:

To enter the angle and the distance between the parts, go to the Picture tab.

To use this connection:

1. Pick the main part

2. Pick the secondary part.


MiscellaneousTekla Structures 10.2 includes the following new features and fixes:

• The custom component dialog box now contains a list box to modify component type (Modify connection type/ Ignore other types). See also Modifying components in the online help.

• Initiating the last component used with Create current connection now also works with custom components.

• If you try to edit a conceptual component, Tekla Structures now prompts you to change it to a detailing component so that you can edit it. See also Conceptual components in the online help.

• Tekla Structures now correctly updates custom part distances in the part properties dialog box.

• Moving a custom part no longer fails when points are included in the selection.

• Custom components, containing Distance list or Chamfer type vari-ables, were converted incorrectly from version 10.0 (or earlier) to 10.1. Tekla Structures 10.2 converts these variable types correctly.

5.6 ComponentsTo use components, press Ctrl+F to open the Component catalog. Search for components by name, number or category. For more information, see Compo-nent catalog in the online help.


This section describes the following new features and fixes:

Automatic seam recognition (30)Use Automatic seam recognition (30) to add predefined custom seams between parallel parts, such as slabs or wall elements:

To add a custom seam to parts:

1. Press Ctrl+F to open the Component catalog and select Automatic seam rec-ognition (30)

2. Enter a Seam name, or click the ... button to browse for a custom seam.

3. In the Seam property file field, enter name of the attribute file to use (optional).

4. Select a Seam direction and Seam up direction.

5. Click Apply or OK to save the properties.

6. Pick the parallel parts in the model.

7. Click the middle mouse button, Tekla Structures adds the custom seam between the parts.

Cover sheet (16)Use Cover sheet (16) to issue check reports with a cover sheet. The report lists all the symbols and formulas Tekla Structures used in the design check calculations for the selected components.


Use this component in the US imperial environment with components that have the design check option. For example, Bolted moment connection (134) or Column with stiffener (182).

Before you issue the check report, you must create the connection check results file:

1. In the connection dialog box, go to the US Design tab and set Check connec-tion to Yes:

2. Click Modify .Tekla Structures creates a DesignCheck folder in the current model folder and creates the check results file and picture files in it. The results file is named Check_results_cover_sheet.htm. It is in HTML format.

To create a check report for components:

1. Ensure that numbering is up to date. (Tools > Numbering > Modified)

2. Select the components to include in the report.

3. Press Ctrl+F to open the Component catalog and search for the Cover sheet (16) component:

4. Leave the Output file field empty to use the default file name IssueCon-nectionChecks.htm, or enter a file name.

5. Click Apply to save the properties and then click Create. Tekla Structures creates the IssueConnectionChecks.htm file in the DesignCheck folder.

Component catalogThe Component catalog includes the following new features:

• Add to collection..., option on the right-click popup menu.• Remove from collection option on the right-click popup menu.• Collections no longer appear in the Keywords field or the Keywords dialog

box.• Component descriptions.


Descriptions To view a component description, select the component name in the Component catalog dialog box.

If the description is not visible, click the Description>> button to display it.

To hide descriptions, click the Description <<button.

You can create new descriptions and edit existing ones:

• The default component descriptions are stored in the Components-Descriptions.csv file, located in ..environ-ments\*your_environment*\system folder.

• When you edit a component description for the first time and click Save, Tekla Structures creates the ComponentDescriptions.csv file in the model’s attributes folder and saves the edited descriptions there.

• Edited component descriptions are model-specific. To restore the default descriptions, delete the ComponentDescriptions.csv file in the model’s attributes folder. Tekla Structures will then use the default file in the system folder.


AutoDefaults improvements• Tekla Structures now opens the Attribute file list dialog box directly

when you select Additional connection parameters... from the pop-up menu in the AutoDefaults setup dialog box.

Beam to beam connectionsThis section describes the following new features and fixes:

Stiffened shear plate (17)• Now always correctly fits the secondary part and places bolts so that

the bolts do not collide with the stiffener.

• Now cuts the upper flange of the secondary part to the same length as the top flange of the secondary part.

Beam with stiffener (129), Full Depth S (185)Now support floor and roofing situations specific to Japan.

Support for built up primary sections now works correctly.

Full depth S (185)• Did not work correctly when applied to built-up primary parts. Fixed.

Bracing connectionsThis section describes the following new features and fixes:

Heavy brace (165)• If the column was rotated relative to the secondary part, this compo-

nent created the gusset plate in the wrong direction. Fixed.

• Setting Rib length equality on the Parameters tab to Not equal created the wrong shape rib on the beam sid. Fixed.

Macros and detailsThis section describes the following new features and fixes:

Stairs (S71–S74, S83)U pan (S71) Use the wooden tread option in the U pan (S71) component to add custom parts

(e.g. stairs):


1. On the U pan tab, select the wooden tread option:

2. On the Parts tab, enter the custom part name in the Custom field and the attribute file name in the Custom settings field.

S71–S74, S83 The Perpendicular step rotation option now correctly uses with the offset value from the Picture tab.

S83 The European environment now includes Finnish Finnritilä step profiles.


Handrails (S76, S77)Stanchions (S76) • Use custom components in Stanchions (S76) even if the stanchions

do not collide with the stringer (for example, Stanchion side plate (83)).

• To browse for components, click ... against the the Connection num-ber field:

• Use a saved attribute file with custom connections.

• Use imperial units to define stanchion spacing in the Stanchions (S76) dialog box.

Railings (S77) • Browse for components on the Parameters tab:

• Sometimes selected the wrong part as the main part in the assembly, which meant that the geometry of the middle horizontal rail in the last stanchion was wrong. Fixed.

• Gave all parts the name illegal arguments if there was no name in the Rail product name field on the Parameters tab. Fixed.

Array of objects (29)• Now includes welds and cast units in object selection.• If you select the same object twice, Tekla Structures no longer

includes it twice in the selection.

Modeling of slab area (88)• Now cuts double tees symmetrically.


• It is possible to enter US imperial units in all fields.

U.S Bearing plate (1044) • Now creates studs as workshop studs by default. The switch on the

Bolts/ Studs tab for changing the stud type (Site/ Workshop) now also works correctly.

• The default name for the bearing plate name is now PLATE. You can also change the name.

U.S. Base plate (1047)Now also works with built-up components that include web plates, for example, Tapered column 2 (S44) and Tapered beam 2 (S45).

Cast-in plate (1069)• When the length and width of the cast-in plate were equal, Tekla

Structures did not create the connecting parts. Fixed.

• Tekla Structures did not always use the option selected in the Bolt standard list box on the Bolts tab. Fixed,


• 141, 143, 146, 147, 149, 151, 182, 184, 185, 188, 190

New option on the Beam cut tab to define the type of weld assembly to use for the weld backing bar.

The Pos_No and Material fields for the weld backing bar now function cor-rectly.

• 134, 181, 182, 186, 187, 188: Tekla Structures now uses the value in the thickness field on the Doubler plate tab.


• Tower member macro (S63) This macro sometimes caused an applica-tion error.


6 Tekla Structures 10.2 Analysis and design

6.1 Analysis and designThe Tekla Structures 10.2 Analysis and Design module contains the following new features and fixes:

STAAD.pro 2004.1Tekla Structures 10.2 uses the STAAD.pro 2004.1 analysis engine.

If you already have Tekla Structures 10.2 installed on your computer, this instal-lation will install STAAD.pro 2004.1 in the same folder as the previous version of STAAD.pro. To install it in a different folder, uninstall the previous version before installing 2004.1.

New load modeling codesTekla Structures 10.2 includes the following new load modeling codes:

Use the Code tab in the Analysis load modeling dialog box to indicate the building code to use in load combination. For more information, see Load modeling code in the online help.

Option DescriptionUBC (US) Uniform Building Code. US load combina-

tion codeIBC (US) International Building CodeACI Publication 318 from the American Concrete

Institution


New member analysis typesTekla Structures 10.2 includes these new member analysis types for parts, Shear wall and Plate.

Shear wallUse Shear wall for rectangular concrete panels and slabs in the following design codes:

• ACI (Publication 318 from the American Concrete Institute)• BS 8110 (British Standard 8110)

The ACI and BS8110 design code options include several new properties for shear wall design:

For more information, see Member analysis type and Design information in the online help.

PlateUse Plate to treat beams and polybeams as plates in the analysis model. For example, hollow-core slabs are modeled as beams in Tekla Structures, but in analysis model they can be analyzed as plates.

• To change a beam or polybeam analysis type to Plate, go to the Mem-ber analysis type list box on the Analysis tab in the part properties dia-log box.

• Select the Plate analysis type. Use it for columns, beams, polybeams, curved beams, concrete columns, and concrete beams.

Property DescriptionTwoLayered reinforcement distributionVerMin Minimum reinforcement bar size for vertical rein-

forcementVerMax Maximum reinforcement bar size for vertical rein-

forcementHorMin Minimum reinforcement bar size for horizontal rein-

forcementHorMax Maximum reinforcement bar size for horizontal rein-

forcementEdgeMax Maximum reinforcement bar size for edge reinforce-

mentClearCover Distance from surface of member to edge of outer-

most reinforcement


• Set the Plane option to Middle plane or Middle plane (of left/right), depending on the rotation of the beam.

For more information, see Analysis properties of plates in the online help.

Simultaneously select parts in Tekla Structures and STAAD.proWhen you select parts in a Tekla Structures model view, the STAAD.pro postpro-cessor selects the corresponding analysis elements, and vice versa.

When you select a node in STAAD.pro, Tekla Structures displays a temporary symbol to show the node in the model view.

Simultaneous selection only works if the analysis was run in the current session.

• To disable simultaneous selection, set the environment variable XS_AD_DISABLE_SELECTION_SYNCH.

• To set the maximum number of objects to select simultaneously, set the environment variable XS_AD_SELECTION_SYNCH_LIMIT

• For example, set it to 10 to prevent simultaneous selection of more than 10 model objects.

Load panelsTekla Structures 10.2 includes load panel distribution, a new way to distribute loads.

The main benefits of the load panel distribution method are:

• Distributes area and uniform loads faster.

• The magnitude of the area and uniform member loads no longer vary.

• Tekla Structures still distributes line and point loads that are not applied to a specific member, if the bounding box of the load is big enough.

• Tekla Structures checks the total load applied in the analysis and dis-plays a warning if the difference is larger than 0.1 %.

• Tekla Structures now also generates point loads on members for line, area, and uniform loads; for example, when a floor load is applied to columns.

• When you modify the bounding box of a load correctly, temperature change is applied two-dimensionally; for example, to an entire floor.

• For strain loads, the strain for the individual element is proportional to the projected length of the element on the load line.


To use load panels:

1. Go to the Load panel tab in the load properties dialog box, and select Yes in the Use panel method list box.

2. Select an option for Spanning:

• Single: in the direction of the primary axis only• Double

3. To define the Primary axis direction, pick a part in the model. The dialog box loads the x, y and z numeric values of thepartin the current work plane. The direction options are:

• Parallel to part

• Perpendicular to part

Click Show direction, to check your settings. Tekla Structures displays a symbol in the model to show the primary direction. This symbol disappears when you close the dialog box.

4. If you selected double spanning, select an option in the Automatic primary axis weight list box.

• Yes: Tekla Structures automatically calculates the load portions for primary and secondary directions.

• No: Enter the weight for the primary direction in the Weight field. This weight, subtracted from one, is the weight for the secondary direction.


5. Enter the Load dispersion angle. This is the angle by which the load is pro-jected onto the surrounding elements.

6. If you are using uniform load distribution on continuous slabs, select Yes in the Create fixed support conditions automatically list box to use fixed support conditions. This means that for the first and last spans, the distribution of the support reactions is 3/8 and 5/8, instead of 1/2 and 1/2).

For more information on distributing loads, see Distributing loads in the online help.

Current limitations

• The area and uniform load shape polygon must be convex.

• Uniform load cannot have any openings.

• This component cannot handle load distribution on overlaid, uncon-nected members. This means that you must use a load filter to restrict load distribution to the uppermost members.

Wind load generator (28)Wind load generator (28) now creates area loads using the load panel distribution method.

• To identify the load-bearing parts, enter the part names in the Part names field and select Include in the list box.

• To indicate which parts do not bear the load, enter the part names in the Part names field and select Exclude in the list box

For more information on applying loads to parts, see Applying loads to parts in the online help.

Load

Angle

p

Gap. Beams are not con-nected in the analysis model.Beams


Openings in analysis elementsTo set the size of the element mesh around the openings in concrete slabs, con-crete panels and contour plates:

1. Go to the Analysis tab in the part properties dialog box.

2. Enter the element size in Element size for holes field.

Analyze curved beams as straight segmentsTo analyze a curved beam as straight segments in STAAD.pro, modify the part properties:

1. Click the User-defined attributes... button in the part properties dialog box, to open the user-defined attributes dialog box. Go to the Analysis tab:

2. To analyze the part as straight segments, enter 1 in the Curved as straight field.


3. Enter the number of additional splits in the No. of split nodes field.

Optimization resultsTekla Structures 10.2 includes the following improvements:

• The Optimization results dialog box now stays open when you accept changes for the selected design groups or parts.

• A new Accepted column, with options Yes and No:

Miscellaneous

Decomposition of loadsTekla Structures now skips decomposition of loads which are not included in load combinations.

Use Inquire command on loadsUse the Inquire command to check which parts loads were applied in an analysis.

1. Run the analysis.

1. Right-click a load and select Inquire from the pop-up menu.

2. Tekla Structures highlights the parts that the selected load was applied to in the analysis. The analysis must have been run during the current work ses-sion.

The inquire command now shows the magnitude of the load using the current coordinate system and displays the total load.


Force truss-type analysis members to meet in the analysis modelTo force the nodes to merge in the analysis model, define the following part properties and user-defined attributes in the physical model:

1. Open the part properties dialog box. Click the User-defined attributes... but-ton to open the user-defined attributes dialog box. Go to the Analysis tab.

2. In the Merge distance field, define the maximum distance at which to merge nodes.

3. To indicate that a part must remain straight, for example, the bottom or top chord of a truss, enter 1 in the Keep axis field.

4. For diagonal and vertical parts:

• To prevent rigid links and allow the nodes to merge, enter 0 in the Rigid link field.

• Select the Truss option in the Member analysis type list box.

Design propertiesDesign properties are now grouped together in a dialog box, where you can view, modify and find out more about individual design properties. To open a design properties dialog box:

1. Go to the Design tab in the Analysis model attributes dialog box.

2. Double-click a row.

Merged nodes


3. Modify the properties and click OK.

Twin profilesTekla Structures now includes analysis and design checks for the following types of twin profiles:

• double angle

• double channel

Analyze model in model viewTekla Structures 10.2 includes following new features:

• When you click Select objects in the Analysis & Design models dialog box, Tekla Structures displays concrete plate and panel analysis model lines in the model view.

• The rigid links appear in blue in Tekla Structures rendered views.

Fixes• Tekla Structures now includes holes and cuts in concrete panels and

plate-profile beams in the analysis.

• The Plane options for concrete panels are now left, middle, and right. In previous versions the options were top, middle, and bottom.


• When you select Automatic Dx in the Analysis offset list box in the part properties dialog box, the offset now works correctly.

• Tekla Structures added unnecessary warnings to the analysis log file when you included L-profiles in an analysis model. Now Tekla Struc-tures does not check L-profile values and adds a line to the analysis log file: Note: Cross section values for profile name are not checked.

• Sometimes line loads applied to several beams were only distributed to one beam. Fixed.

• Sometimes seismic loads did not appear in UBC load combinations. Fixed.


7 Tekla Structures 10.1 Full Detailing







• General (p. 142)• Modeling (p. 142)• Drawings (p. 149)• Import and export (p. 158)• Custom components (p. 159)• Components (p. 162)• Analysis and design (p. 172)• Reinforcement (p. 180)

Once you save a model in Tekla Structures 10.1, you can no longer open it in older versions of Tekla Structures, or in Xsteel or Xengineer.

Release Notes 141Tekla Structures 10.1 Full Detailing


Performance improvementsTekla Structures 10.1:

• Uses virtual memory more efficiently, so you get fewer warnings about low memory.

• Uses less memory when you open and close views, or switch between rendered and wire frame views.

• Handles large values in user-defined attributes more accurately.

Snapping improvementsTekla Structures 10.1 includes the following new features and fixes:

• The Snap to intersection points switch now also affects intersections that are inside objects, for example, intersections inside reference models and intersections of part centerlines in drawings.

• The environment variable XS_PIXEL_TOLERANCE now correctly adjusts the search area of snap switches.


Improved display in model viewsWe have improved the way Tekla Structures displays models in rendered views.

• Tekla Structures highlights objects more clearly when you select them.

• Parts look better when you use the Shaded wire frame option.

• Distances are easier to perceive when you use the Rendered option, as distant objects are darker than close ones.

142 Release NotesTekla Structures 10.1 Full Detailing

New snap settingsUse the new list box on the Snap settings toolbar to snap to either the boundary planes or outline planes of objects:

For more information on snapping and plane types, see the following topics in the online help:

• Specifying points • Snapping • Plane types


Making models parametricIn Tekla Structures 10.1 you can make models parametric by creating dependen-cies between the planes and handles of model objects. For example, you might make the offset of columns from a wall dependent on the location of the wall; so, if you move the wall, the columns follow.

The Points toolbar includes two new tools that you can use to create these depen-dencies:

In the model, Tekla Structures displays reference distances in orange.

Use Rendered representation for parts to make it easier to select object planes.

Click the Create reference distance icon to create a reference distance between model objects that you can use in calculations in the Model browser and Variables dialog boxes. See also Creating reference distance variables (p. 161).

Click the Create distance icon to bind model objects together. See Creating distance variables in the online help.


You can also define variables and formulas for models, and use magnetic planes.

The Tools toolbar contains the new tools to open the Variables and Model browser dialog boxes for model objects:

For more information on parametric objects, see Editing custom components and Defining variables in the online help.

Assigning control numbers to partsControl numbers are attributes that identify the location of parts in a model. Each part gets a unique control number. You can have Tekla Structures assign consec-utive control numbers to all parts in the model, to selected parts, or only to parts in a specific numbering series.

To display control numbers in reports, drawings, or when you use the Inquire > Object... command, select the attribute, ACN.

To assign control numbers to parts in a model:

1. Ensure that numbering is up to date (Tools > Numbering > Modified).

2. Click Tools > Numbering > Create control numbers... to open the Create con-trol numbers dialog box:


3. Indicate which parts to consider:

• To consider all parts in the model, do not select any parts,

• To only consider specific parts, select the parts.

4. Specify which parts get control numbers, using the Numbering list box:

• To create consecutive numbers for all parts, select All,

• To create control numbers for parts in a specific numbering series, select By numbering serie; then enter the prefix and start number of the numbering series in the Numbering serie fields.

5. To define the control numbers, go to the Start number field and enter the first control number to use; then enter the interval in the Step value field. For example, to assign the control numbers 2, 5, 8, 11, etc., enter 2 in the Start number field and 3 in the Step value field.

6. If some parts already have control numbers, use the Renumber list box to specify how to treat them: Select Yes to replace existing control numbers, No to keep them.


7. Use the Sort order list box to specify in what order to assign control num-bers, according to the location of each part on the global coordinate system. The options are None, X-Y-Z, Y-X-Z, Z-X-Y, and Z-Y-X. In the following exam-ple, the sort order is X-Y-Z.

8. To assign control numbers to parts, click Apply; then Create.

See also Displaying control numbers in drawings (p. 153).

Reference model improvementsTekla Structures 10.1 includes the following new features and fixes:

• You can now use reference models in the Viewer and Project Man-agement configurations.

• Tekla Structures now hides the parts of reference models that are out-side the work area.

• If you change reference model properties or visibility in a model view, Tekla Structures no longer shows the reference models in other views where they should be invisible.

Load modelingTekla Structures 10.1 includes the following new features and fixes:

Creating uniform loadsTo create uniform loads that do not have openings, simply pick the load corners once, and then click the middle mouse button (just like you do to create contour plates and concrete slabs). You no longer need to pick the first load corner again.

1

2

3

4


FixesTekla Structures 10.1 includes fixes for the following:

• Tekla Structures did not filter loads in views if:

• The loads were created using the Wind load generator (28) macro.• The load group name contained inch characters (").

• The Part names filter in the load properties dialog boxes did not work for plates.

• When Tekla Structures automatically creates and names load groups, it no longer uses existing load group names.


• The select filter and select switches now affect all commands that ask you to pick objects, chamfers, custom components, etc.

• If a part had end offsets (Dx, Dy, Dz), you could not snap to the part’s handles, even if the Snap to reference lines/points switch was active. Fixed.

• Tekla Structures no longer treats the segment ends of construction circles as intersections, so it is now easier to snap to the correct inter-sections.

• The Tools > Measure > Bolt measures command now creates the mea-sures in the view in which you pick the bolt.

• If you changed the visibility settings of component symbols in model views, you had to redraw the window to change the blue macro sym-bols. Fixed.

• The view angle now updates correctly if you change a wire frame model view to rendered and the view angle from Plane to 3D at the same time.

• The Reference line part representation option now works in rendered model views.

• Sometimes parts seemed to disappear from rendered model views if you selected the Profile text checkbox in View properties > Display > Advanced. Fixed.

• If you tried to modify or delete locked model objects and clicked OK in the warning dialog box, Tekla Structures ignored the visibility set-tings in model views and displayed all objects in them. Fixed.


• In the Steel Detailing configuration, reinforcing bars now move with the part that contains them.

• Opening a new or existing model when the Modify profile catalog or Modify material catalog dialog boxes were open sometimes caused an application error. Tekla Structures now closes these dialog boxes before opening a new or existing model.

• Tekla Structures now correctly calculates the center of gravity for polybeams when you use the Inquire object icon, regardless of the location of the work plane.

• If you copied polybeams that had connections, Tekla Structures placed the connection symbols in the global origin. Fixed.

• When you clicked the Get button, Tekla Structures sometimes took into account very minor differences in imperial bolt and stud dis-tances and incorrectly grouped them together in dialog box fields (for example, 2*1'-5"5/16 1'-5"5/16 2*1'-5"5/16 instead of 5*1'-5"5/16). Fixed.


Modifying drawing gridsTwo new select switches on the Drawings: Select toolbar allow you to select grids or individual grid lines in drawings:

Double-click a grid or grid line to change its properties. This is useful when you want to:

• Not print grids or grid lines (use the background color of the drawing for grid lines and text to do this).

• Change a line type.• Change a label (font, size, frame).• Define a label location. You can now define different locations for

the labels at each end of a grid or grid line.

Select gridsSelect grid lines


Examples If you have a drawing that contains different grids, one for the architect, another for the engineer, you can now easily hide one of the grids.


If the labels of two grids overlap, simply extend the grid lines of one grid to move its labels:

Including reference models in drawingsIn Tekla Structures 10.1 you can include reference models in general arrange-ment drawings. For example, you could use 3D plant models or architectural drawings as reference models.

Drawing level To show or hide reference models in drawings, and change their appearance:

1. Open the General arrangement drawing properties dialog box.

2. Click the Reference model... button. Tekla Structures opens the General - ref-erence object properties dialog box. The Contents tab lists all the reference models included in the model:

3. In the Visibility column, select Visible from the list box to show the selected reference model in the drawing.

By default, the grid labels overlap.

Changing the length of one grid line makes each label distinct.


4. Go to the Appearance tab to select line color and type for all visible refer-ence models.

View level Use the View properties and View reference object properties dialog boxes to show and hide reference models in individual drawing views, independently of the properties of the drawing.

For more information on using reference models in Tekla Structures models, see Reference models in the online help.

Showing part openings and recesses in drawingsTekla Structures 10.1 includes a new option to show openings and recesses (blind holes) in parts in drawings.

To do this, do one of the following:

• Open the drawing properties dialog box, and then click the View... button.• Double-click the border of an existing view in a drawing.

On the Attributes tab, select Yes from the Show openings/recess symbol list box.


Tekla Structures indicates openings and recesses in the following way:

Displaying control numbers in drawingsTo display control numbers in drawings, include the attribute ACN in the part marks:

1. In the drawing properties dialog box, select Part mark... to open the part mark properties dialog box.

2. Select User-defined attribute in the Available elements list, and then click Add> .

3. Type "ACN" in the Mark content - user defined attribute dialog box; then click OK to close the dialog box:

4. Save the part mark and drawing properties.

Type of opening Shown as ExamplesHole through a part Hole symbol

Recess in the front face of a part

Recess symbol and bounding lines shown as unbroken lines

Recess in the back face of a part

Recess symbol and bounding lines shown as dashed lines

Remember to switch hid-den lines on for parts.


Part mark improvementsTekla Structures 10.1 includes the following new features and fixes:

Updating marks in frozen drawingsTekla Structures now correctly updates and splits merged part marks in frozen drawings when some (but not all) of the parts sharing the mark have changed.

Showing part marks for hidden partsTo have Tekla Structures 10.1 show marks for hidden parts in drawings, use the environment variable XS_PART_MARKS_ALWAYS_VISIBLE_IN_DRAWING, fol-lowed by one or more of the following letters, to define the drawing type:

Mark frames and leader lines appear as unbroken lines.

Examples To show marks for hidden parts in assembly drawings:

set XS_PART_MARKS_ALWAYS_VISIBLE_IN_DRAWING=A

To show part marks in cast-unit and general arrangement drawings:

set XS_PART_MARKS_ALWAYS_VISIBLE_IN_DRAWING=CG

Updated marks following partsUse the new environment variable XS_UPDATE_MARK_PLACING_IN_DRAWING to have Tekla Structures relocate updated marks in specific drawing types. Use the letters in the above table to specify the drawing types. By default, this envi-ronment variable applies to single-part, assembly, and multi-drawings.

Example To relocate updated part marks in single-part, assembly, multi-, and general arrangement drawings:

set XS_UPDATE_MARK_PLACING_IN_DRAWING=WAMG

Part number format in marksTo specify the number of characters used to display part numbers in part marks when you use the template fields ASSEMBLY_SERIAL_NUMBER and PART_SERIAL_NUMBER in the User-defined attribute element, add a period (.) followed by the minimum number of characters after the field name.

Letter Drawing typeW Single-part drawingsA Assembly drawingsM Multi-drawingsG General arrangement drawingsC Cast-unit drawings


Example PART_SERIAL_NUMBER.3 creates part numbers with at least three characters (001, 002, 003, etc.).


• Manually relocated part marks moved when you updated marks in general arrangement drawings, even if you had selected fixed from the Placing list box in the Part mark placing dialog box.

• Merging part marks did not work correctly if you used the template fields ASSEMBLY_SERIAL_NUMBER and PART_SERIAL_NUMBER in the User-defined attribute part mark element.

Dimensioning improvementsTekla Structures 10.1 includes the following new features and fixes:

Dimensioning concrete partsTekla Structures now automatically shows the profile dimensions of concrete parts in cast-unit drawings. To prevent this, set the environment variable XS_DO_NOT_CREATE_PROFILE_DIMENSIONS_FOR_CONCRETE to TRUE.


• Curved radial dimensions were incorrect if you used the Angle option.

• If you used triangles to show bevel dimensions, setting the environ-ment variable XS_CHECK_TRIANGLE_TEXT_SIZE to TRUE did not adjust the triangle size to the text size.

• Setting the environment variable XS_USE_TUBE_INNER_LENGHT_IN_DIMENSIONING to TRUE did not dimension the overall length of SDP tube profiles along the inner surface.


Numbering not required to create reportsYou can now create reports without numbering the model objects, in all configu-rations of Tekla Structures. This is useful when you need to produce draft reports from large multiuser models. Tekla Structures still warns you if numbering is not up to date.


Strand reportsTo create reports of prestressed strands, use the cast_unit_strand_list report template. This report lists the position, number, grade, size, and length of strands and the pull in each strand.

For more information on how to create reports, see Printing reports in the online help.

User-defined attributes in templatesYou can now combine user-defined attributes in template fields. Use the follow-ing definitions in front of the attribute names:

• UDA: for text strings• UDA_N: for numeric attribute values

Examples =%UDA:DRAWING_USERFIELD_1% %UDA:DRAWING_USERFIELD_2%

=%UDA_N:USER_FIELD_1% %UDA_N:USER_FIELD_2%

=Modeled by %UDA:MODELED_BY% on %UDA:MODELED_DATE%

FixesThe template field CAST_UNIT_REBAR_WEIGHT now works correctly.

PrintingTekla Structures 10.1 includes the following fixes:

• Tekla Structures now only displays the warning Folder not found if you plot to a file and have not defined the file path.

• Plotting using the French XP driver for Xerox 8825 and then saving the model sometimes corrupted the model database, so you could not reopen the model. Fixed.

• Tekla Structures no longer prints the view frame around the key plan in drawings.


Opening drawings with different Tekla Structures configurationsYou can now:

• Open any drawing type using any Tekla Structures configuration.

• Open and print drawings that are locked, or if numbering is out of date, in all configurations of Tekla Structures.


Snapping in the Drawing EditorSnap to nearest points is now the lowest priority snap switch in the Drawing Edi-tor. This makes it easier to accurately pick a point (for example, an end or mid point) when the Snap to nearest points switch is active.

It is now also easier to snap to part centerlines and not hit the edge lines of thin parts, for example, I profile webs.

In some cases Tekla Structures did not find a point to snap to in drawings. This sometimes caused an application error. Fixed.

End views in included single-part drawingsTo prevent Tekla Structures from creating end views when you create an assem-bly drawing and choose to include single-part drawings, set the environment variable XS_NO_END_VIEWS_TO_INCLUDED_SINGLE_DRAWINGS to TRUE.

If this environment variable is disabled or not defined in the user.bat file, Tekla Structures creates end views based on the single-part drawing properties.

Tolerance for overlapping part lines inside cast unitsTo define the distance within which Tekla Structures treats part lines inside cast units as overlapping, set the environment variable XS_HIDDEN_LINES_CHECK_TOLERANCE. The default value is 0.01.


• The Save as and Load buttons did not work correctly in the Assembly - neighbor part properties and Assembly - neighbor part mark proper-ties dialog boxes.

• Tekla Structures displayed holes for studs in assembly drawings.

• Tekla Structures did not revert to the original drawing if you modi-fied the filter settings for neighbor parts and then changed them back.

• If you used a dimension line with a reinforcement mark to show the reinforcement distribution area, and then added a dimension point to the dimension line, the circle symbol at the intersection of the dimen-sion line and the reinforcing bar disappeared.


• If a bolt connected several parts that had different holes, for example, normal and oversized holes, the hole diameter was incorrect in some bolt marks.

• Tekla Structures 10.0 omitted pull-outs from merged reinforcement marks for single bars and bar groups.

• Elevation marks were upside-down in cast-unit drawings if you set the environment variable XS_UPSIDE_DOWN_TEXT_ALLOWED to TRUE.

• Text you created using the Text along line command was not orthogo-nal, even if the Setup > Ortho setting was active.

• Tekla Structures did not copy the hatches when you copied or linked drawing views to another drawing.


CNCTekla Structures 10.1 includes fixes for the following:

• If you used the Even option in the Slots list box in the Bolt properties dialog box to rotate slotted holes, they had the wrong direction in DSTV files.

• Tekla Structures included holes that were outside parts in the DSTV files.

Plate profiles in SDNF exportsTo have SDNF exports convert plate profiles (PL) to contour plates, set the envi-ronment variable XS_SDNF_CONVERT_PL_PROFILE_TO_PLATE to TRUE. This works with SDNF versions 2.0 and 3.0.


3D DGN exportTekla Structures 10.1 includes improvements to 3D DGN export, and a new 3D DGN dialog box:

MiscellaneousTekla Structures 10.1 includes fixes for the following:

• Construction lines were black when you used the File > Import > DWG/DXF... command and selected the Use 2D import checkbox in the Import DWG/DXF dialog box.

• Using DWG files that contained blocks as reference models some-times caused application errors.

• When you published models as web pages, the position of the work plane affected the XML output.

• Tekla Structures did not update part locations correctly in XML imports if the location of part definition points changed less than 1000 mm.

7.5 Custom componentsTekla Structures 10.1 makes all the changes to custom components simulta-neously, which makes them faster to use, and the changes more accurate. Tekla Structures 10.0 made the changes one handle at a time.

Enter the name of the export file, or click Browse... to locate it.

Click Export selected to export the parts you have selected.



More properties for custom componentsYou have now more information available to build into your custom components. You can use user-defined attributes and template fields when you create links between custom component parameter variables and component object proper-ties in the Variables and Model browser dialog boxes.

To use template fields, use the fTpl function, followed by the field name and object ID. For example, enter =fTpl("WEIGHT",6290) in the Formula column in the Variables dialog box:

See also Creating parameters that use formulas in the online help.

Use the Model browser dialog box to set values for user-defined attributes:


The part properties available for custom components also include Name, and the bolt properties include Bolt type (site or workshop):

Creating reference distance variablesThe Custom component editor toolbar contains a new Create reference distance icon. Use it to create reference distances to use in calculations in the Model browser and Variables dialog boxes.

A reference distance changes as you move the objects between which you cre-ated the distance, but you cannot move the objects by changing the reference dis-tance. In the Custom Component Editor, Tekla Structures displays reference distances in orange.

By default, reference distance variables are hidden in the custom component dia-log boxes. To show them, select Show in the Visibility column in the Variables dialog box.

For more information on distance variables, see Creating distance variables in the online help. See also Making models parametric (p. 144).


• You can now create several system connections between the same main and secondary parts, using the Custom Component Editor, if the parts are included in a custom connection or seam. You must also include other objects in the custom component.


• You can now include system macros and custom components in cus-tom components.

• If you have included custom components in another custom compo-nent, you can now change the properties of subcomponents using the dialog box of the main component.

• The Allow multiple instances of connection between the same parts checkbox in the Custom component wizard dialog box now works for custom connections and seams.

• Custom seams now have handles, which you can bind to planes and use when you create distance variables.

• Tekla Structures did not remove the square brackets indicating default values in custom component dialog boxes if you changed the values in the Profile or Material fields. Fixed.

• Tekla Structures rotated custom parts if you moved magnetic planes. Fixed.

• If several magnetic planes temporarily overlapped, they stuck together and one of the planes caught all objects on the planes. If you moved that plane, all objects moved. Moving the other planes did not move any objects. Fixed.

7.6 ComponentsTo use components, press Ctrl+F to open the Component catalog dialog box and search for the component you want to use by name, number, or category. For more information, see Component catalog in the online help.



New tower componentsTekla Structures 10.1 introduces several new components, which you can use to detail tower bracing:

Example DescriptionBolted gusset brace (167)

Connects two continuous diagonal braces with two horizontal braces using a bolted gusset plate.

Bolted bridge brace (169)

Connects three horizontal braces with a bolted gusset plate.

Open/Close angle ends (1050)

Bends the end of an angle leg.

Open/Close angle (1051)

Bends a portion of an angle leg.


Most of these components take default values from the following files, which must be located in the ..environments\*your_environment*\system folder or the current model folder.

Bolted brace (181)

Bolts two horizontal braces together.

Bolted plate brace (182)

Connects two horizontal braces using a bolted gusset plate.Tower 1 diagonal (87)

Connects a diagonal brace to a main leg using bolts.

Tower 2 diagonal (89)

Connects two diagonal braces to a main leg using bolts.

File Descriptionang_max.txt bul_dim.txt bul_pes.txt bul_pin.txt Bolt end distance, edge distance, distance

between bolts, bolt/hole tolerances.imb_com.txt

Example Description


imb_dim.txt note_pes.txt pla_com.txt Filler plate composition.pla_dim.txt Filler plate dimensions for each bolt diameter.prof_pes.txt ring_com.txt Composition of filler rings.ring_dim.txt Ring washer dimensions.slun_pes.txt sp_lam.txt Plate thickness.std_gauges.txt Bolt spacing for each bolt diameter and angle

size.std_gauges_12.txt std_gauges_16.txt std_gauges_20.txt std_gauges_24.txt wash_dia.txt Outer diameter of the washer.

File Description


Array of objects (29)Use the Array or objects (29) component to copy model objects along a line. If you modify the original object in this component, the copied objects change as well.

In this example, we copied cast-in fittings along an edge of a concrete part:


Tapered column-beam stub (150)Tekla Structures 10.1 includes the following improvements:

• Tapered column-beam stub (150) now uses U.S. Splice connection (77) to create the splice. To create the splice, select Specified from the Splice list box on the Parameters tab and enter the name of the splice properties file in the Parameter field.

• Tekla Structures creates weld preparations for welds 1 to 7. U.S. Splice connection (77) automatically creates welds 8, 9, and 10.

• The upper flange alignment list box has been removed from the Pic-ture tab.

Tekla Structures 10.1 also includes the following fixes:

• The lower flange of a built-up bracket is now aligned with the exte-rior face of the secondary part flange at the splice location.

• For rolled (profile) brackets, the lower flange cut and backing bar location is correct, and the flange and backing bar do not collide with the column or diaphragm.

• The root gap for rolled brackets at the upper flange is no longer dou-bled.

• Backing bars are welded to bracket flanges and attached to the assembly.

• When the lower flange of the bracket extends below the bottom dia-phragm, the web rathole is correct, and there are no welding prob-lems.

• The upper flange weld is now along the face of the flange, not on the side of it.

• You can create a haunched bracket without stiffeners by setting stiff-ener thickness to 0.

• Sometimes the web was not welded to the lower panel. Fixed.

• Tekla Structures now uses the correct material and part mark infor-mation for the lower flange of the built-up brackets.


Beam to beam connectionsTekla Structures 10.1 includes fixes for the following:

Stiffened shear plate (17)If you selected the Secondary member option from the Splice plate assembly list box on the Plates tab, Tekla Structures treated the splice plate as the main part in the assembly, not a secondary.

Welded beam to beam (123)The beams collided, because this connection did not automatically chamfer the secondary beam based on the radius of the inner corner of the primary beam.

Full depth S (185)Did not create tab plates correctly if you used chamfer options other than Line or Default.

Beam to column connectionsTekla Structures 10.1 includes the following new features and fixes:

Haunch (40)The part prefix was incorrect for the flange plate of welded built-up haunches. Tekla Structures now uses the settings defined in Setup > Options.

Defining stiffener sizeFor Bolted moment connection (134), Moment connection (181), Column with stiff-eners (182), (186), (187), and (188) components, use the Stiffeners tab to define stiffener size:

Column with stiffeners W (182)Now creates weld backing bars correctly.

See also Tapered column-beam stub (150) (p. 167)


Splice connectionsTekla Structures 10.1 includes the following new features and fixes:

U.S. Splice connection (77)Now correctly creates the filler plates (spacers) between the splice plates and the web or flange of the spliced parts. Filler plates no longer collide with the splice plates.

Bracing connectionsTekla Structures 10.1 includes the following fixes:

Using flat barsWhen you use connections 10, 11, 20, 22, 61, and 62 Tekla Structures now searches folders for the fltprops.inp file, in this order:

1. Current model folder

2. Project folder

3. Firm folder

4. The profil folder under ..\environments\*your_environment*\

Bolted gusset (11)Now uses the correct value for bolt shear capacity when more than two layers of material are bolted together.

Corner tube gusset (56)Now works correctly, even if the only secondary is a plate.

Boomerang wrapped diagonal (58), Corner wrapped gusset (63)The number of shim plates is now an integer, not a distance.

Macros and detailsTekla Structures 10.1 includes the following new features and fixes:

Concrete var beam (S52), Building (S58)Sometimes caused application errors. Fixed.


Stairs (S71–S74)• You can now define the distance between steps and stringers:

• To define the rotation of steps in the U pan (S71) and Wooden steps pan (S72) components, use the Steps rotation list box on the Parame-ters tab.

• U pan (S71) and Wooden steps pan (S72) now only create holes in brackets when you create holes to connect brackets and steps.

• U pan (S71) now positions angle-profile brackets correctly, even for user-defined step profiles.

• The part and assembly position number fields appear in the correct order in the U pan (S71) dialog box.

• Tekla Structures now creates the bolt assemblies correctly. You can now also define bolt assemblies in Wooden steps pan (S72).

• The U pan (S71), Polybeam pan (S73), and Z pan (S74) dialog boxes include the following new dimension:

Railings (S77)Parts now have default values in the Class fields.

Base plate (1004)In the US Imperial environment, the default value for bolt diameter was incorrect and caused Bolt not found warnings. Fixed.


Handrailing (1024)You can now use details to connect stanchions. Add the details and connections you want to use to the following files:

• ..\applications\steel1\ts_page_10.inp • ..\environments\*your_environment*\system\joints.dat

For more information, see Input files and Data files in the online help.

To use a detail or connection to connect stanchions, when you create the hand-rails, go to the Parameters tab and select it from the Stanchion connection type list box.

Tekla Structures now displays connection symbols for stanchion connections.

Component catalog improvementsTekla Structures 10.1 includes the following new features and fixes:

• Arrow keys now work correctly when you scroll over two custom components in the Component catalog dialog box.

• When you select or start to create a component using the Component catalog dialog box, Tekla Structures no longer displays other icons on the component toolbars as if the associated commands were active.

• (French version) The component category names (Basics collection, Favorites, etc.) in the Component catalog dialog box are now also available in French.


• System macros now have handles, so you can bind them to planes, other objects, etc.

• The connection design check based on the AISC ASD Specification now also works for one-sided welds in connections 11, 60, 62, 134, 141–144, 146, 181, and 182. To indicate one-sided welds, set one of the weld sizes to 0.

• For connections 141, 146, 147, 149, 181, 184–187, and 189 Tekla Structures now uses the global coordinate system and creates all shear plates on the same side of the main parts.

• If you tried to modify several components at the same time and mod-ifying any of them required another component to be modified, Tekla Structures only modified some of the components. Fixed.


7.7 Analysis and designThis section describes the following new features and fixes:

New design codesTekla Structures 10.1 includes the following new design codes:

Steel design

Concrete design

To select design codes for different materials, open the Analysis model attributes dialog box. On the appropriate Design tab, select an option from the Design code list box. For more information, see Design codes and methods in the online help.

Omitting individual analysis members from design checkYou can now omit individual members from the design check when you run the analysis. To do this, go to the Design tab in the part properties dialog box, and set one of the following properties to No:

• Steel parts: Check design - Enable design check of member • Concrete parts: Calculate required area - Enable design check of mem-

ber

Option DescriptionNS3472 Norwegian design code for steelNPD Norwegian design code for offshore steelDS412 Danish design code for steelBSK99 Swedish design code for steelB7 Finnish design code for steel

Option DescriptionNS3473 Norwegian design code for concreteBBK94 Swedish design code for concreteB4 Finnish design code for concrete


The default is Yes.

Optimizing part sizeTekla Structures optimizes steel part sizes based on the profile weight, and, by default, suggests profiles using profile catalog rules, in the order in which the profiles appear in the catalog. To change this, use the following user-defined attributes:

• The Design order attribute defines the order in which Tekla Structures suggests profiles.

• The Design group attribute defines the profile groups from which Tekla Structures suggests profiles.


For more information, see Adding user-defined attributes to a profile in the online help.

To have Tekla Structures ignore the profile catalog rules and search the entire profile catalog, set the environment variable XS_AD_OPTIMISATION_RECURSE_CATALOG to TRUE.

To prevent Tekla Structures from searching for profiles based on the weight, set the environment variable XS_AD_OPTIMISATION_NO_WEIGHT_SORT to TRUE.

Rule

Click Definitions... to define user-defined attributes for the selected profile.


Omitting openings when analyzing platesTo have Tekla Structures ignore holes in contour plates, or openings in concrete slabs, when you analyze them, use the Min hole size user-defined attribute on the Analysis tab in the user-defined attributes dialog box for the part. Enter the mini-mum size of the bounding box around an opening to indicate which openings to consider. The analysis will ignore openings with a smaller bounding box than the value you enter here.

Editing objects.inpTo add user-defined attributes to part dialog boxes, you need to edit the objects.inp file in the ..\environments\country_independent\inp folder, using any standard text editor (for example, Notepad). Save the objects.inp file and restart Tekla Structures for the changes to take effect.

Example To create a Min hole size field on the Analysis tab, add the following lines to the Part attributes section of the objects.inp file, under tab_page("Analy-sisPlates"), and after the other attributes:

attribute("AD_plate_min_hole", "Min hole size", dimension, "%.3f", no, none, "0.0", "0.0") { value("", 0) }

For more information on editing the objects.inp file, see Adding properties and Interpreting objects.inp in the online help.

To show the Analysis tab for the appropriate part types, remove the comment marks /* */ around the following line (for exam-ple, in the Concrete slab attributes section of the objects.inp file):

tab_page("AnalysisPlates","jd_AnalysisPlates",8)


Fine-tuning analysis modelsTo control how Tekla Structures creates analysis models, use the new user-defined attributes in the following table. See also A closer look at the analysis model in the online help.

To create fields for these user-defined attributes in part dialog boxes, you need to edit the objects.inp file as explained in Editing objects.inp (p. 175).

The following lines in the Part attributes section of the objects.inp file, under tab_page("AnalysisBeamAndColumn"), create the dialog box fields:

attribute("AD_part_rigid_link", "Rigid link", integer, "%d", no, none, "0.0", "0.0", 377, 310) { value("", 0) }

Attribute Description Possible values (in dialog box)

AD_rigid_link Allows or disables rigid links at the start, mid, and/or end points of parts. Also works with the Force to cen-tric connection node defini-tion method.

Enter 0 or 1 for start, mid, and end point. 0 disables and 1 allows rigid links. For example:

• 0 = no rigid links• 100 = rigid link at

start point• 111 = rigid links at

start, mid, and end point

• 1 = rigid link at end point

AD_keep_axis Fixes the location of mem-ber axis so that Tekla Struc-tures does not shift the axis when it makes members meet in the analysis model.

To fix a member axis, enter 1.

AD_keep_start Fix the start or end of parts so that Tekla Structures does not move the part ends when it makes members meet in the analysis model.

To fix a part end, enter 1.AD_keep_end

AD_clash_with Forces or disables connec-tions between the parts you specify.

To make analysis mem-bers meet, enter the part ID’s. Enter negative ID’s to prevent the connection.


attribute("AD_keep_axis", "Keep axis", integer, "%d", no, none, "0.0", "0.0", 377, 340) { value("", 0) }

attribute("AD_keep_start", "Keep start", integer, "%d", no, none, "0.0", "0.0", 377, 370) { value("", 0) }

attribute("AD_keep_end", "Keep end", integer, "%d", no, none, "0.0", "0.0", 377, 400) { value("", 0) }

attribute("AD_clash_with", "Clash with", string, "%s", no, none, "0.0", "0.0", 377, 430) { value("", 0) }


• The filter in the Analysis model attributes dialog box is now a list box and uses standard select filters.

• The analysis method option 2nd order has been changed to Non-linear, so the options are now as follows:

For more information on analysis methods, see P-Delta Analysis and Non Linear Analysis in the online help.

To have Tekla Structures use these settings for an analysis model, select the Extended clash check checkbox in the Analysis model attributes dialog box when you create the analysis model.


• The Analysis & Design models dialog box now has standard minimize and maximize buttons in the upper right corner of the dialog box.

• Buttons in the Analysis & Design models dialog box are now only active when you can use them. For example, if you do not have an analysis model selected, only the New and Close buttons are active.

• If you use the Save or Save as buttons in the part properties dialog boxes, Tekla Structures now also saves the analysis-related user-defined attributes and their values to a properties file.

• Tekla Structures 10.1 only builds the analysis model when you run the analysis, not when you create or modify an analysis model.

• Tekla Structures 10.1 creates analysis models faster when you are working with large models, or if your model contains plates that con-nect with beams.

• Tekla Structures 10.1 finds colliding parts and common nodes more efficiently when it creates analysis models. It now extends each part’s bounding box by 1 mm to find colliding parts and ignores inner con-tours. To use this method for an analysis model, select the Extended clash check checkbox in the Analysis model attributes dialog box when you create the analysis model.

Tekla Structures 10.0 extended exact part solids by 50 mm. See also A closer look at the analysis model in the online help.

• Tekla Structures no longer splits truss members.

• Tekla Structures 10.1 automatically removes all releases from a canti-lever member end if:

• no member is connected to it,• no rigid link is connected to it, and• the end node is not supported.

• Tekla Structures 10.1 shows a progress bar while it builds analysis models and distributes loads, and gives you the option to cancel cre-ation of the analysis model.


• You can now interrupt the load combination process. This is useful if you have defined incompatible load groups that will result in a large number of load combinations.

• Tekla Structures 10.1 writes warnings in the analysis log file if prob-lems occur during load distribution. To view the analysis log file, click Tools > Display log file > Analysis log file....

• Load distribution is more accurate now as Tekla Structures 10.1:

• Ignores loaded members in the analysis if they are less than 20 mm long.

• Does not transfer uniform loads to parts which are parallel to the load magnitude.

• If you change the analysis or design properties of a part in an analysis model (for example, support conditions, buckling length), Tekla Structures 10.0 unnecessarily marked the drawings associated to the part affected and recreated the components associated to the part. Tekla Structures 10.1 treats the part as modified and only marks the single-part drawings with P flag, and changes the analysis model sta-tus to Out of date.

• If you used the Full model option to create an analysis model of the entire physical model and then created new load groups and loads, the load groups were not available for load combination. Fixed.

• The Unl and UnF design properties of steel parts no longer cause con-flicts. If you define values for both of them, Tekla Structures multi-plies the values and uses the result. If either value is 0, Tekla Structures uses the other value.


7.8 ReinforcementThis section describes the following new features and fixes:

Bent reinforcement meshesYou can create bent reinforcement meshes in Tekla Structures 10.1.

To create a bent mesh:

1. Double-click the Create reinforcement mesh icon to open the Reinforcement mesh properties dialog box.

2. In the Mesh type list box, select Bent.


3. Enter the bending radius.

4. Enter or modify the other mesh properties.

5. Click Apply or OK to save the properties.

6. Click the Create reinforcement mesh icon.

7. Select the part to reinforce. Tekla Structures attaches the mesh to the part.

8. Pick points to indicate the bending shape of the crossing bars.

9. Click the middle mouse button to finish picking points.

10. Pick two points to indicate the length and direction of the longitudinal bars.


Prestressed strandsTekla Structures 10.1 introduces a new tool to create prestressed strands for con-crete parts. This tool appears on the Detailing menu and the Concrete toolbar.

Creating strands To create prestressed strands for a concrete part:

1. Double-click the Create reinforcement strand pattern icon.

2. Enter or modify the strand properties.

3. In the Number of patterns field, enter a number based on the strand profile. For example:

Example DescriptionReinforcement strand pattern

Creates straight or deflected strands based on the strand profile you indicate.


4. Click Apply or OK.

5. Click the Create reinforcement strand pattern icon.

6. Pick the part you are creating strands for.

7. Pick points to position the strands (for example, at the end of a part). The points you pick define the first pattern. Click the middle mouse button to fin-ish picking.

8. If you chose to create a single pattern, pick two points to define the length of the strands. Click the middle mouse button to finish picking.

9. If you chose to create two or more patterns, for each pattern, pick points to indicate the strand positions. Pick the strand positions in the same order as for the first pattern. After each pattern, click the middle mouse button to fin-ish picking.

Strand profile Number of patterns1

2

3

4


Curved and circular reinforcing bar groupsTekla Structures 10.1 includes two new tools to create reinforcing bar groups. These tools appear on the Detailing menu and the Concrete toolbar:

Example DescriptionCurved reinforcing bar group

Creates a group of curved bars based on:

1. Three points you pick on an arc.

2. Two points indicating the distribution direction of bars.

Circular reinforcing bar group

Creates a group of circular bars based on:

1. Three points you pick on a circle.

2. Two points indicating the distribution direction of bars.


Displaying overlapping barsOverlapping bars now look more realistic in rendered model views. For example, stirrups have a small gap between the bars where they overlap:

Tekla Structures 10.1 automatically uses this new representation:

• In rendered model views• In drawings, if you use the representation option filled line or double lines for

reinforcement• In the reinforcing bar clash check

Converting concrete coverTekla Structures 10.1 handles concrete cover thickness in a different way than Tekla Structures 10.0. So, if you open a model that contains reinforcement and was created in Tekla Structures 10.0, Tekla Structures 10.1 asks you to change all concrete cover thickness values to zero. This moves the handles to the ends and corners of the bars.

Tekla Structures 10.0 Tekla Structures 10.1


If you click No, Tekla Structures tries to convert the bars and meshes as well as it can, but you should check the model to ensure that bars have not moved or become deformed.

Reinforcement componentsTekla Structures 10.1 includes the following new features and fixes:

Strip footing (75)• You can now create main bars and stirrups based on exact or target

spacing.

• The Bend type list box on the Stirrups tab has new, graphic options:

Pad footing (77)Use the new Lacer bars list box on the Lacer bars tab to switch lacer bars on or off.

Starter bar (78)Rectangular stirrups are now a reinforcing bar group, so you can modify them all at the same time.


• Part representation settings no longer affect reinforcement. Reinforc-ing bars are now never transparent in model views.


• The following commands on the View menu now also work for rein-forcement, and are available on the pop-up menu when you have reinforcing bars selected:

• Fit work area • Fit by parts • Create view > Part basic view • Create view > Part basic views

• In the Steel Detailing configuration, reinforcing bars now move with the part that contains them.

• You can now number reinforcement in the Reinforced Concrete Detailing configuration.

• You can now bind reinforcement handles to planes in custom compo-nents and when you make models parametric.

• Reinforcing bars sometimes moved or disappeared if you shifted the work plane and then used the Edit > Reinforcing bar > Attach to part command. Fixed.

• Tekla Structures no longer omits user-defined attributes for reinforce-ment in the view filter.


Release Notes 110 Enu

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