We develop software for structural engineers and detailers. Our development team researches, tests, and applies new methods of analyzing the behaviour of structures and their members. Based on this, we created IDEA StatiCa – software that enables engineers to work faster, evaluate requirements of the national code thoroughly, and use the optimal amount of material. For us, creating software is a way to contribute to making every new construction around the world safer and cheaper.
Stress / Strain analysis provides the resistance of each connection component in terms of strength. Von-mises stress and strain contours are displayed along with detailed checks.
Buckling analysis is a tool for investigating if stability requirements are met. The software calculates the critical factors and displays the deformed shape of the connection no matter how complex this is
Stiffness analysis classifies each connected member in terms of stiffness. A connected member can be classified as rigid, pinned, or semi-rigid. Moment-rotation curves are displayed, and the designer can also estimate the initial or secant stiffness of the member, in order to account for its influence in the global analysis model according to the code requirements.
Capacity design is indispensable for steel structures located in seismic regions. Designers can verify, that plastic hinges will be formed where they are expected with the visualization of plastic strain concentration.
How much can I increase the applied load without failure? Easy… our joint resistance analysis will calculate how much can you increase the applied stress vector (N, Vy, Vz ,Mx, My, Mz) to reach the ultimate connection capacity.
Check results are reflected on the 3D connection model with colors that denote how much is the component in question utilized, or even if it fails. The designer can spot the weak parts in his design with a single glance.
The model is decomposed into steel plates preserving the original model shape. A material non-linear analysis is performed and the principal plastic strain is checked.
Welds are modeled with actual shell elements. Stress is accurately redistributed to reflect the actual weld behavior. Stress is then recovered and checked according to the relevant code requirements.
Bolt model accurately reproduces the bolt behavior including bolt hole bearing and shear-tension interaction at every calculation step. Moreover prying forces are calculated for plates in contact.
Base plates of any complexity can be anchored on concrete blocks. The concrete block is checked against localized stress concentration. All anchor modes of failures required by the code are checked, depending on the type of anchor, and the way they work. Shear keys of any shape are also supported.
Plates in contact are accurately modeled. Tension between them is eliminated, and this behavior allows the accurate calculation of the prying forces in case they are bolted.