Advertiser News

Integrated Structural Modeling
WoodWorks Offers RISAFloor/RISA-3D Training
Dynamic Foundation Testing Seminar; PDA and CAPWAP workshop; GRLWEAP workshop and Integrity Testing workshop in Orlando
SmartGeometry 2010 Workshop on Advanced Design Exploration Heads to Barcelona March 19-22
GRACE CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS OFFERS GREATER VERSATILITY WITH NEW MIRA® 62 ADMIXTURE
Simpson Strong-Tie Introduces DeckTools™ Design Software for Deck Builders and Suppliers
GRACE CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS INTRODUCES THE NEW ADVA® 400 ADMIXTURE SERIES, TAKING THE SCIENCE OF SCC PRODUCTION TO A NEW LEVEL
Composite Beam

Integrated Structural Modeling

Bentley Enables Engineers to Take Full Advantage of Building Information Modeling Best Practices

Jan. 27, 2010 – This week, Bentley Systems, Incorporated, announced the launch of its Integrated Structural Modeling (ISM) methodology for creators and consumers of structural project information at a Press Event attended by STRUCTURE^® magazine staff. With ISM – and new no-cost software apps available for download from Bentley – structural engineers can fully participate in multidisciplinary, integrated project workflows. This means they also can take advantage of innovative Building Information Modeling (BIM) best practices to reap business benefits for their projects and organizations. ISM’s flexible workflows support design review of various structural assets, such as buildings, bridges, towers, and industrial structures, by aggregating information-rich content, in both proprietary and interoperable formats, from multiple data sources.

The new apps – consisting of Structural Synchronizer V8i and Structural Dashboard V8i – let structural engineers immediately and quickly employ ISM in their integrated projects. Both can be downloaded for no charge at www.bentley.com/getISM.

Structural Synchronizer provides:

A shared repository of common structural model data;
The ability to track revisions and compare differences between versions;
Enhanced coordination through the synchronization of data across products;
Review facilitated by a structural model and drawing viewer with data interrogation capabilities;
Integrated applications and data for structural modeling, structural analysis and design, structural documentation and drafting, structural detailing and fabrication, plus industry-neutral formats;
An open API enabling third-party vendors to integrate with the ISM workflow.

Structural Dashboard enables structural engineering professionals to:

Manage workflows for common project types;
Launch all structural applications from a unified interface;
Create customized workflows specific to individual projects;
Receive structural news from customizable RSS feeds;
Join a structural online community and access blogs, wikis, and forums;
Download product upgrades from the Bentley SELECTserver;
Manage project files and links within project workflows.

Facilitated by Bentley’s new i-model container for open infrastructure information exchange and Structural Synchronizer V8i and Structural Dashboard V8i apps, ISM maximizes the interoperability of structural information among different specialized applications, CAD and BIM platforms, and design review environments.

ISM-enabled structural tools currently include Bentley’s Structural Modeler (formerly known as Bentley Structural), RAM Concept, and RAM Elements, as well as Autodesk Revit. For additional information about ISM and these products, and to download Structural Synchronizer and Structural Dashboard, visit www.bentley.com/ISM.

Bentley, the “B” Bentley logo, RAM, STAAD, ProSteel, AutoPIPE, Structural Modeler, Enterprise License Subscription, Passport Subscription, SELECT, SELECTserver, and MicroStation are either registered or unregistered trademarks or service marks of Bentley Systems, Incorporated or one of its direct or indirect wholly owned subsidiaries. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.

WoodWorks Offers RISAFloor/RISA-3D Training

WHAT:

WoodWorks educational program and RISA will be offering architects and engineers training on the new RISAFloor/RISA-3D software. The training will help architects and engineers design all-wood and hybrid structures more quickly and easily using the new RISA update.

Each day of RISA training provides 8 PDH units for the two-day course.

WHEN:

February 4, 2010
7:30 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

February 5, 2010
8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

WHERE:

Embassy Suites Minneapolis - Airport
7901 34th Avenue South, Bloomington 55450
(952) 854-1000

WHO:

WoodWorks, an initiative of the Wood Products Council, is a cooperative venture of all the major wood associations in North America, as well as research organizations and government agencies. It provides one-stop access to the widest possible range of information on the use of wood in non-residential structures.

RISA Technologies, a California Limited Liability Company, is a leading developer of structural design and optimization software. RISA-3D, the flagship product of RISA Technologies, is the most widely used structural engineering application in the United States.

HOW:

To register, visit www.woodworks.org

Dynamic Foundation Testing Seminar; PDA and CAPWAP workshop; GRLWEAP workshop and Integrity Testing workshop in Orlando

If you are new to the field of deep foundation testing or if you are an experienced tester, there is a program for you:

March 17: General Seminar

March 18 and 19: Workshops

FQA High Straing Dynamic Pile Testing examination on March 20.

Presenters: Dr. Frank Rausche, Garland Likins, Mohamad Hussein and Jorge Beim.

In cooperation with PDCA.

More Information and Registration Form.

SmartGeometry 2010 Workshop on Advanced Design Exploration Heads to Barcelona March 19-22

EXTON, Pa. – Bentley Systems, Incorporated, the leading company dedicated to providing comprehensive software solutions for the infrastructure that sustains our world, today announced that the SmartGeometry 2010 Conference workshop will take place March 19-22, 2010, at the Institute for Advanced Architecture of Catalonia (IAAC) in Barcelona, Spain. Organized by the SmartGeometry Group (www.smartgeometry.org), sponsored by Bentley (www.bentley.com), and hosted by IAAC (www.iaac.net), the four-day workshop carries the theme “Working Prototypes” and focuses on functioning prototypes developed to prove and test concept and design.

The workshop features 10 hands-on design studios, each led by preeminent professionals representing multiple disciplines from architectural practices and design institutes on the cutting edge of generative design. Among these professionals are Shane M. Burger, associate and head of the Computational Design Unit, Grimshaw; assistant professor Axel Kilian, Ph.D., School of Architecture, Princeton University; professor Achim Menges, director of the Institute for Computational Design, Stuttgart University; Brady Peters, Ph.D. Fellow, CITA, Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts, School of Architecture; and professor Robert Woodbury, Ph.D., School of Interactive Arts and Technology, Simon Fraser University. The studios will facilitate the development and testing of working prototypes and provide a nucleus for exploration, discussion, processes, and techniques. Each will embrace a wide spectrum of approaches and engage 8 to 16 participants. Bentley will provide participants with GenerativeComponents – Bentley’s generative design software – for use in the workshop.

Huw Roberts, Bentley global marketing director, said, “Bentley is proud to sponsor, for the sixth straight year, the highly anticipated SmartGeometry Conference workshop. Seats are limited and, given the heavy attendance of past workshops, will undoubtedly fill up quickly. So I encourage those interested in participating to apply as soon as possible. This is a unique opportunity for architects and design professionals, along with architectural and engineering students, to explore advanced design objectives enabled by the latest technology. The studios will be led by renowned experts actively and enthusiastically engaged in the practice of generative design. They represent organizations that are already employing advanced computational and parametric design tools, technologies, and methodologies in delivering inspiring real-world projects.”

Roberts continued, “The workshop will be followed by a two-day conference and reception, also sponsored by Bentley. The conference will focus on new trends in design and the huge potential of digital manufacturing and parametric modeling that now can be realized with advanced generative tools such as GenerativeComponents.”

Admission to the workshop is based on an application process and selection by the SmartGeometry Group. The application deadline is Jan. 10, 2010.

Workshop participants will use GenerativeComponents as their platform. Applicants unfamiliar with this software will need to complete training in advance of the Barcelona event so they can focus on design exploration during the workshop. Applicants can contact events@bentley.com for information on no-charge GenerativeComponents downloads and training opportunities available to them. Additional software complementary to GenerativeComponents, along with software plug-ins, will be supplied to participants for particular design studios.

For additional information about the SmartGeometry 2010 Conference workshop application process and format, and to apply, visit www.smartgeometryconference.com/2010.

For additional information about the workshop and conference and to view past presentations from the 2007, 2008, and 2009 events, visit www.SmartGeometryConference.com.

GRACE CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS OFFERS GREATER VERSATILITY WITH NEW MIRA® 62 ADMIXTURE

Cambridge, Massachusetts—July 22, 2009—Grace Construction Products, an operating segment of W. R. Grace & Co. (NYSE: GRA), has introduced MIRA® 62, its next generation polycarboxylate-based linear dosing admixture, covering water-reduction needs from Water-Reducer to Mid-Range Water-Reducer.

The linear dose water reduction capability of MIRA® 62 facilitates meeting various water/cement requirements, thus contributing to the production of less permeable, more durable concrete. The MIRA® 62 technology is versatile and can be used to produce a wide range of concrete slumps for applications such as pumping and flatwork, where superior finishing characteristics are required.

In addition, the superior dispersion capability of MIRA® 62 produces concrete with significantly improved early and ultimate compressive strength, while maintaining near neutral set times even at lower temperatures.

This admixture offers significant advantages over conventional water reducers, including:

Superior air control
Versatility—linear water reduction
Neutral set times through wide range of dosage rates
Exceptional compressive strength performance, workability and finishability
Improved performance with pozzolans and pumpability with harsh mix designs

MIRA 62 meets the requirements of ASTM C494 Type A and F admixtures.

For more information about Grace’s product line, customers can contact their local Grace representative or visit the web site www.graceconstruction.com.

Simpson Strong-Tie Introduces DeckTools™ Design Software for Deck Builders and Suppliers

Pleasanton, Calif. – Imagine showing a prospective customer a picture of their dream deck—and not just a drawing or sketch, but a full-color, 3-dimensional image they can look at from any angle. DeckTools™, a sales, design and estimating software program for decks, allows deck builders and suppliers to bring photo-realistic deck designs to customers right from their laptops.

With DeckTools, users can create one-of-a-kind deck designs for their clients, customizing nearly every detail from the deck shape to railings and material choices. The program provides 3-dimensional views of deck and railing designs as well as traditional plan views. Designs are rendered in real time, so clients can see what their deck will look like with their home and backyard. The program also makes it easy to suggest upgrades by instantly showing the visual and cost impact.

In addition, DeckTools helps with practical design elements, such as identifying the key connections required by the building code and suggesting the appropriate Simpson Strong-Tie connectors and fasteners. Users can generate all of the drawings they need in minutes, including structural drawings for permit applications, working drawings for crews and detailed finished views for homeowner associations. They also can create material take-off lists, cost estimates and professional proposals which are fully-customizable Microsoft® Office documents. One-on-one training is provided with every license as well as ongoing online classes, self-paced instructional videos and customer support.

Simpson Strong-Tie acquired DeckTools in early 2009. For more information, visit www.strongtie.com/decktools

*Editors see a live demonstration of the program at PCBC in San Francisco on Thursday, June 18, booth 925 – south hall.

GRACE CONSTRUCTION PRODUCTS INTRODUCES THE NEW ADVA® 400 ADMIXTURE SERIES, TAKING THE SCIENCE OF SCC PRODUCTION TO A NEW LEVEL

CAMBRIDGE, MA, April 27, 2009 - Grace Construction Products has introduced the ADVA® 400 Admixture Series, which provide unprecedented rheology control, materials management and moisture control to enable consistent manufacturing of Ready-Mix Self-Consolidating Concrete (SCC).

The state of the art time-releasing polycarboxylate technology included in the ADVA® 400 Series admixtures has been tailored to maintain constant dialed-in slump flow for over 2 hours without extended set, allowing for predictable transit and jobsite workability, minimizing the need for slump flow adjustment at the jobsite and subsequently reducing QC costs.

"The ADVA® 400 Series incorporates the latest technologies to maximize rheology control for conventional high flowing and SCC mixtures", noted Dr. Ara Jeknavorian, Grace Construction Products R&D Fellow. "The unparallel performance demonstrated by these admixtures results from using a statistically designed blend of selected polycarboxylates and other agents to mitigate the effect of materials variation on the stability of concrete mixtures, especially SCC", added Dr. Jeknavorian.

ADVA® 405 and ADVA® 408 are specifically designed to address the increased quality control costs associated with SCC versus that of conventional concrete. They are easy to use, single component advanced superplasticizing admixtures that can encompass water-reduction needs from conventional flowing concrete to SCC. These robust admixtures enable the concrete to tolerate daily material and water variation, leading to reduced QC cost and greater flexibility in mix design, in turn, leading to a substantial reduction in surface defects/repairs and in the number of rejected loads.

These new superplasticizers provide a number of benefits, including:

2+ hour slump flow retention with minimal to no retardation

Consistent slump flow at the plant and in transit
No slump flow increase or loss

Exceptional robustness, controlling the effect of daily material and water variation

Unprecedented rheology control for static and dynamic segregation resistance
Highly fluid and stable mixtures and superior concrete surface finish

ADVA® 405 and ADVA® 408 meet the provisional requirements of ASTM C494 Type A and F, and ASTM C1017 Type I admixtures.

For more information about Grace’s product line, customers can contact their local Grace representative or visit the web site at www.graceconstruction.com.

Headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, Grace Construction Products, a business of W. R. Grace & Co. (NYSE: GRA), is a world-leading provider of technically superior concrete admixtures, fibers, surface treatments and liquid pigments that make concrete stronger, longer lasting, crack resistant, aesthetically pleasing and cost efficient. The company also manufactures additives for cement processing, fire protection, fire stops, waterproofing and masonry products, and has more than 125 plants and sales offices around the world. For more information about Grace Construction Products, customers can contact their local Grace Construction Products salesperson or visit www.graceconstruction.com.

Composite Beam

CSC is a major, international structural engineering software business with offices in the USA, Canada, UK, Australia, Malaysia and Singapore.

FASTRAK Building Designer - available from CSC Inc Chicago - saves time and money by equipping structural engineers with a tool to model and design buildings quickly and simply within a user interface suitable for any building geometry. As an introduction to this great software, CSC is offering the FASTRAK composite beam module to every US structural engineer - completely FREE and without obligation. Key benefits of the module include: