MicroStation V8i and STAAD.Pro Awarded Top Honors by Readers of Construction Computing Magazine
In CAD and Structural Analysis Software of the Year Categories
EXTON, Pa. – Bentley Systems, Incorporated, today announced that MicroStation V8i and STAAD.Pro received top honors at the Construction Computing Awards 2009 (also known as The Hammers IV) ceremony in London’s Tower Hotel, Tower Bridge. MicroStation V8i was named CAD Software Product of the Year and STAAD.Pro was named Structural Analysis Software of the Year. In addition, Bentley’s GenerativeComponents generative design software was recognized as runner-up in the Product of the Year category. The Construction Computing Awards showcase and reward technology, tools, and solutions for the effective design, construction, maintenance, and modification of commercial buildings, residential and social housing, and civil engineering projects of all sizes. The winners were selected by Construction Computing magazine’s readership, which includes IT professionals in construction, product, project, and service companies.
Josh Boulton, director of the Construction Computing Awards program, said, “This recognition underscores Bentley’s acknowledged commitment to developing innovative, value-creative infrastructure software.”
Commenting on the awards, Joe Croser, Bentley global marketing director, said, “Having our software selected for awards by Construction Computing magazine’s audience of construction IT professionals is truly an honor. These discerning specialists are charged with providing innovative solutions that not only advance an organization’s technological capabilities, but also streamline its workflows and make it more profitable. At Bentley, we focus on these same goals in the development of our comprehensive portfolio of software for the infrastructure lifecycle.”
For additional information about the Construction Computing Awards 2009, visit www.constructioncomputingawards.co.uk.
World’s Largest Earthquake Test
Pleasanton, Calif. – Colorado State University and Simpson Strong-Tie, along with other partners, successfully led the world’s largest earthquake shake table test in Japan on July 14th, 2009, showing that mid-rise wood-frame buildings can be built to withstand major earthquakes.
“Thorough, detailed analysis of the data won’t be available for weeks, but scientists are pleased with the initial results,” said John van de Lindt, principal investigator on the test and civil engineering professor at Colorado State University.
This 40-second test, approximating a 7.5 magnitude earthquake, occurred on a seven-story condominium tower with 23 one- and two-bedroom living units. The test, held in Miki City, near Kobe, Japan, was on the world’s largest earthquake shake table owned by Japan’s E-Defense, a 3-D, full scale earthquake testing facility. The tower is the largest wood-frame building ever built and tested.
The U.S. building industry rarely permits wood-frame buildings in excess of five stories in earthquake-prone areas. The data gathered from this test could increase the height of these buildings and influence the design of future wood-frame construction. The government of British Columbia is particularly interested in the results of the test after enacting a new law April 1 that increases the height of wood-frame structures from four to six stories.
The seismic testing, known as the NEESWood Capstone tests, is the culmination of a four-year $1.4 million grant from the National Science Foundation to develop a new design approach for taller wood-frame buildings in earthquake-prone areas. That grant is a collaboration between five universities, including Texas A&M University, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, University at Buffalo, and University of Delaware.
Other contributors on the Japan project include the U.S. Forest Products Lab/Forest Service, the Provincial Government of British Columbia, FPInnovations, Maui Homes and numerous material contributors, including Stanley Bostitch, and Strocal Inc.
For more information, visit www.strongtie.com/capstonetest
AISI PUBLISHES COLD-FORMED STEEL DESIGN MANUAL
WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Iron and Steel Institute (AISI) announced today the publication of the 2008 edition of the Cold-Formed Steel Design Manual. The Manual supplements AISI S100-07, the 2007 edition of the North American Specification for the Design of Cold-Formed Steel Structural Members. It is available for purchase online at www.steel.org
The material contained in the new manual provides the latest design information for conformance with AISI S100-07, as well as new improvements and additions.
The Cold-Formed Steel Design Manual consists of six parts:
- Part I, Dimensions and Properties
- Part II, Beam Design
- Part III, Column Design
- Part IV, Connections
- Part V, Supplementary Information
- Part VI, Test Standards
AMERICAN CONCRETE INSTITUTE SEEKS PRESENTATIONS FOR SPRING 2010 CONVENTION
FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. (April 27, 2009) - The American Concrete Institute (ACI) is currently seeking presentations for sessions taking place during the ACI Spring 2010 Convention in Chicago, Ill., March 21-25, 2010. More information about current Calls for Papers can be found by visiting www.CallforPapers.concrete.org.
Building Information Modeling
ACI Committee 118, Use of Computers, seeks presentations for its technical session "Building Information Modeling in the Concrete Industry." This session will take place during the ACI Spring 2010 Convention in Chicago, Ill., March 21-25, 2010.
Participants are invited to submit abstracts on topics including, but not limited to, successes, failures, problems, and/or potential of using Building Information Modeling for concrete structures in any or all phases of a project, including design, detailing, fabrication, construction, and operation.
Abstracts of up to 500 words, along with presentation title, author name(s), and contact information should be sent to Allan Bommer at allan.bommer@bentley.com no later than Sept. 1, 2009.
Practical Applications of Numerical Analysis
ACI Committee 118, Use of Computers, and Joint ACI-ASCE Committee 447, Finite Element Analysis of Reinforced Concrete Structures, seek presentations for their technical session "Practical Applications of Numerical Analysis." This session will take place during the ACI Spring 2010 Convention in Chicago, Ill., March 21-25, 2010.
Participants are invited to submit abstracts on topics including, but not limited to, practical applications of numerical analysis used to facilitate the design or analysis of concrete structures.
Abstracts of up to 500 words, along with paper title, author name(s), and contact information should be sent to John Jakovich at john.jakovich@dyk.com no later than Sept. 1, 2009.
For more information on ACI’s current Calls for Papers, to submit an abstract, or to submit a Call for Papers for a concrete industry-related meeting or event, please visit: www.CallforPapers.concrete.org. Information about upcoming ACI conventions can be found at www.ACIconvention.org.
NASSPA Expands Membership
ALEXANDRIA, Va., April 23 - The North American Steel Sheet Piling Association(NASSPA) has expanded its membership to companies and individuals that are involved with accessories, equipment, design and specification of steel sheet piling (SSP) systems.
In keeping with the mission of NASSPA to provide a forum where the users of steel sheet piling technology can interact and discuss best practices, the Board of Trustees approved two new membership categories into NASSPA. Associate membership is offered to firms engaged in the manufacture, distribution, and/or supply of equipment, material, accessories, or services to the hot rolled steel sheet piling industry in North America. Technical affiliate membership is offered to firms engaged with the design or in teaching the art and science of design and installation of hot rolled steel sheet piling in North America.
According to Gerry McShane, who represents Arcelor Mittal on the NASSPA Board of Trustees, "The work that NASSPA does in developing standards, promoting steel sheet piling systems, and developing education programs will only benefit as we hear from suppliers and users of SSP systems. We look forward to their participation at NASSPA committees and their involvement with NASSPA projects."
Steel sheet piling wall systems are used as major components in the construction of port facilities, bridges, locks and dams, remediation of contaminated soils, and support of excavation. Founded in 2003, NASSPA is dedicated to the promotion of hot rolled steel sheet piling and its members represent the major producers of hot rolled steel sheet piling that supply the North American market. The Association is involved in a broad range of education, technical, research, marketing, and communications activities.
Structural Steel Industry to Open its Doors Nationwide on September 18 for SteelDay
(Chicago, IL) - On September 18, 2009, architects, engineers, contractors and others involved in the AEC community will have the opportunity to visit steel fabricators, mills, service centers and other facilities throughout the country. Currently, more than 100 SteelDay events are scheduled in 43 states for the AEC community to tour facilities and jobsites, attend educational seminars, network, and see how the structural steel industry is contributing to build America.
SteelDay 2009, hosted by the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC), is the first planned annual national event dedicated to providing the AEC community with accessibility to the latest happenings in the structural steel industry. To announce SteelDay 2009, AISC recently launched a new web site and portal, www.SteelDay.org, which features information and resources on where all of the action is taking place, including a map of the event locations and how to attend or host an event.
"SteelDay is a unique chance for participants to receive hands-on education about the latest advances in the structural steel industry and witness new technologies first hand," commented Chris Moor, AISC industry mobilization director. "AISC holds tours and seminars throughout the year in specific locations, but we wanted to do something on a grand scale where more people could get these types of learning experiences without having to travel very far."
AISC member Lyman Zolvinski, president of structural engineering consulting firm, Zolvinski Engineering in Michigan City, IN, attended an AISC seminar at a service center last year and hoped to see more fabricator and mill tours become available in his local area. "A wealth of information can be obtained by visiting service centers, fabricators, and mills that can't be put into literature," said Zolvinski. "It also keeps one up to date on the latest supply and fabrication techniques and availability." Zolvinski plans to attend a steel mill tour in Indiana on SteelDay.
During SteelDay, participants will gain hands-on knowledge about structural steel's key benefits and features such as sustainability, availability, speed and cost. They can also observe how design affects production and efficiency, advances which have resulted in high-performance projects that minimize construction's impact on our planet while also saving time and money.
About the American Institute of Steel Construction
The American Institute of Steel Construction, headquartered in Chicago, is a not-for-profit technical institute and trade association established in 1921 to serve the structural steel design community and construction industry. AISC's mission is to make structural steel the material of choice by being the leader in structural steel-related technical and market-building activities, including: specification and code development, research, education, technical assistance, quality certification, standardization, and market development. AISC has a long tradition of service to the steel construction industry of providing timely and reliable information.
Constructability of Structural Steel Buildings Design Guide No. 23
David Ruby, founder of the structural engineering firm Ruby + Associates, long considered a pioneer behind the concept of constructability, can now say that he literally wrote the book on the topic. The publication, Constructability of Structural Steel Buildings Design Guide No. 23, was written in collaboration with the American Institute of Steel Construction (AISC).
The Guide is expected to become an authoritative voice on incorporating construction considerations into the structural design decision matrix. More specifically, constructability is the application of construction knowledge and experience into the design process to achieve the most efficient and effective results. The notion behind constructability is to bridge the gap between design and construction. As the publisher’s note in the Design Guide states, "...this document can serve as a primer for structural engineers and others in the structural steel industries who seek new approaches to construction and new ways of doing business. The author is not just theorizing about integrating ‘constructability’ into structural engineering practice. Rather, his firm has actually done it and is sharing this knowledge..."
"By collaborating early in the construction process, team members can anticipate issues and develop creative, relevant solutions while still in the project planning phase," said David Ruby. "The results of constructability are manifested in faster approvals, shortened schedules and reduced construction costs."
The Design Guide explores specific areas such as: early involvement, the design process, issues related to the structural steel framing, detailing and fabrication, steel erection, and special constructability issues (e.g., anchorage to concrete, camber, and tolerances).
Ruby + Associates applied its constructability approach to recent marquee projects like the Kaufman Center for the Performing Arts in Kansas City, a Naval Air Station hangar complex in Jacksonville, FL, Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan and Mercy Hospital of Tiffin in Tiffin, OH to name just a few.
Design Guide No. 23 is available as a free download to AISC members from www.aisc.org/ePubs or at a price of $60 for nonmembers.
NCSEA publishes Guide to the Design of Diaphragms, Chords and Collectors.
Link to: www.iccsafe.org/e/prodshow.html?prodid=7042S06&stateInfo=cadYijjykLydaqGi3706|3