This page contains list of changes, fixes and new features in FEM-Design 24.

Version 24.00.003

Released: 8th of May 2025

Added:

• 'Basic' user profile.
• New documentation template tailored for the Plate module.
• Label for auto-handling anchorage of longitudinal reinforcement for RC shells.
• The struxml schema is now part of the installation. The official version that belongs with the version appears in the installation folder as strusoft_*.xsd. 
• New map for characteristic snow load in Swedish annex according to BFS 2024:6.
• Support reactions can be exported for Simplex Foundation.

Modified:

• VBS script is no longer used for listing to Excel.

Fixed:

RC bar design

• Modifying the design parameter for more RC bars with cross-sections of different shapes caused a crash.

Foundation design

• Program could crash using check on foundation design tab.

Parametric model

• Crash could occur during loading file into parametric model saved from doc module.

User interface

• The window layout did not update after moving Calculation window from docked to embedded position in Steel Joint.
• it was not possible to define negative eccentricity value for timber panels.
• A new section could temporarily disappear after adding it to the library.

RC punching design

• In detailed result, the equation of VRd,max for punching was shown wrongly in some national annexes.

StruXML

• Latvia had incorrect short name in StruXML.

Input (structural)

• Using the same name for two materials could cause trouble in the material library.
• If multiple beams/columns with different cross-sections and materials were selected for displaying their properties in the Properties dialog, it was possible to close the dialog by pressing OK, even if the cross-section/material selected in the dialog did not fit the selected beams/columns.
• Changing code could cause crash at pile properties.
• It was not possible to add "U" section to the timber library.
• Setup dialog for timber plate connections was always displayed on the secondary screen.
• E2/E1 factor had no effect for concrete shells.
• Quick tools window could disappear in some cases.

RC shell design

• In some special cases, the reduction method used for the shear control regions gave higher shear force than the original one.
• Anchorage label for single reinforcement bars defined by their end points were faded. 

Timber design

• Default kdef vaules were not correct for some of the orthotropic panel types.

Documentation

• Copying of graphical windows of Documentation module created windows, where "Hide selected" function was not available.
• When listing the maximum results for shear or punching utilization, incorrect load combination name could be displayed.
• Critical parameter tables of the Stability analysis results could have changed after recalculation to not valid before disappearing.
• Changing table properties accidentally changed the objects listed in the table if they were selected manually.
• Transparent images appeared with a black background in Documentation module.
• Drag&Drop a file too early could cause problems when the code selection dialog was showing.
• Pasting a file that contained documentation may have caused a crash after entering Documentation module.
• List of objects tab in the Properties dialog of tables in the Documentation module did not display the correct selected objects in some cases.
• The layers of Result points, Labelled sections and Virtual bars did not keep their status while exiting/reentering Documentation module or switching between tabs.

Steel design

• Stress calculation did not work correctly for bar-shell models in some cases.
• After max. of load groups calculation, certain cells in the "Load case factors" column in utilization tables could have been empty.
• Some of the cold-formed section shapes were not recognized.

Analysis

• A random equilibrium error could occur when applying surface stress load on composite (cross laminated timber or general laminated composite mechanical model) shells.

Install

• Installation and launching FEM-Design failed, when 'Controlled folder access' was switched on at the 'Windows Defender Security Center'.

Loads

• Vehicle loads that contained line or surface load defined by their resultant were not considered correctly in the calculations.
• Splitting regions with existing lines did not work if the selected lines were bars or line loads.
• It was not possible to modify via Clipboard/Import line and surface force loads defined by their resultant.
• When the geometry of a fictitious shell was modified, its local coordinate system was reset.
• In case of vehicle loads, it was not possible to add Used vehicles to the library by right-clicking on them.
• Notional load macro generated incorrect loads, if loads defined by their resultant were used by it.

Design (generic)

• Modifying more applied timber panels with different types caused crash.

Misc

• The estimated formwork for Type A composite columns was not correct if the concrete part was extended beyond the steel part.
• It was impossible to add a timber section with some unusual shape to the section library,
• The new floating toolbar could cause crash in some special cases

Results

• There could be missing stirrups and contours in the RC bar section after DOCX export of the detailed result.
• Listing thicknesses for concrete elements did not use the correct unit in the Quantity estimation tables.
• At displayed result / "Display options" dialog, when "Apply" or "OK" button was pressed, the error message may have come up: "Unable to write file rescomvar.ini".
• For Max. of load combination results of Virtual bars the numeric values did not show which load combination the value came from.
• Handling eccentricity was wrong in case of Virtual bar.
• The unit of thickness of steel and timber shells in the Quantity estimation tables/dialogs was not displayed correctly.
• Imperfections / Rotational displacement result was not possible to select from "Results" tree.

API

• APPLYCFG command: missing load combination-related attributes for foundation design config/settlement tab added.
• Pipe engine output stuck if the log message was extremely long.

CAD/System

• Program crashed if a Virtual bar was selected with other kind of object and Properties command was launched.
• Default kdef value for timber panel was mixed up.
• Modification of Rigidity type library item caused crash in some special cases.

Version 24.00.002

Released: 24th of February 2025

Added:

• The explanation note in the Connections tab of Profiled and Timber panel dialog was extended.
• HD-F 120-40 and 120-50 sections were added to the Hollow Core section library group.

Fixed:

CAD/System

• Unnecessary Close button was removed from the Documentation panel and the Calculation window of standalone Steel Joint module.
• Correct model/Merge region lines function did not work, if an edge connection belonged to any of the lines that should have been merged.

Input

• When distance parameter of surface connection was modified, the position of the interface region was not modified.
• If General material was chosen, the program could crash.
• Panel colour in Connection tab of Profiled and Timber panel dialog was not correct in some cases
• Bar end condition types were not pasted correctly, if the pasted model had different annex.
• Shell connections were not visible in the Filter menu when the shell was chosen first.
• Last row of the table was not seen at material's Plastic analysis data dialog in the Polish translation.

Loads

• Surface loads defined by their resultant were not considered correctly in the calculation, if they acted on a cover.
• Program could crash, when Import/Export Save as default was pressed at Load groups dialog.

Results:

• Program crashed in some cases when Filter was used to display connection force results

Design:

• Modifying or deleting bars after Steel or Timber design tab was entered might have caused crash at saving the model.

Documentation:

• Title block fields disappeared when any project data was modified in the Settings/Project/Title dialog.

Version 24.00.001

Released: 6th of February 2025

Added:

• An "All" button has been added to the Transparency tool window.
• Model name filtering option in the Input Wizard.
• Labels display the models’ name in the Input Wizard.
• A “Duplicate” window button on window tab bar.
• In timber bar fire design calculations, users can now specify whether solid and glue-laminated timber are considered as softwood or hardwood when using automatic nominal charring rate calculation.
• Offline crash viewer diagnostic tool.

Modified:

• The Correct model function no longer merges region lines that have an assigned edge connection or physical extension.
• Improved preview image sizing in the Input Wizard.

Fixed:

User interface

• The window list was duplicated when changing positions.
• Resolved a 1-pixel gap at the bottom of program window in Windows 11.
• Fixed flickering and overflow issues in the Colour schema dialog.
• When hidden buttons were made visible on the ribbon by "Show hidden buttons" option, they were not faded as in earlier FEM-Design versions.

Graphic engine

• Symbols were displayed incorrectly unless the graphics engine was set to DirectX.
• Some texts disappeared from dimensions when using OpenGL with a non-white model background.

CAD/System

• Number of selected objects was not displayed correctly in some cases.

Input

• The behaviour of Connections and Connected objects functions was confusing and has been improved.

Loads

• After generating load combinations, duplicate instances of the same combination could appear.
• In the traffic load result view, internal force or stress results could be incorrect at bar ends.

Foundation design

• Soil pressure calculations were incorrect in some special cases.

RC bar design

• Selecting a section with a different number of edges than the original section caused a crash later in the process.

RC shell design

• Scaling of Single shell reinforcement did not function correctly.

RC punching design

• For German Annex, C,Rd,c calculation for punching was incorrect.

Steel design

• The buckling curve for lateral torsional buckling was not chosen correctly in certain cases when "Use EN 1993 - 1-1:6.3.2.3 for NA specified sections" option was selected.
• The auto-design of steel bar shell models did not correctly determine thickness values in some special cases.
• The scrollbar size in the Detailed result window was incorrect in some cases.
• In steel bar design calculations, the interaction check did not take into consideration for which internal force was the section classified as Class 4.

Steel joint design

• In beam-to-beam joints with welded splice plates with 2 or 3 welds, the width of the gap was not checked.

Timber design

• Principal axes were not displayed in Timber bar detailed results.
• Some design changes did not affect structural data (e.g. timber fire design), yet an unnecessary dialog appeared about applying changes. This dialog has been removed in such cases.
• Some controls were missing from Buckling length tool window for timber bars in certain situations.

Composite design

• In composite column design, the calculation of N,pl,c,Rd did not include α,cc.

Results

• Resultant arrows for Reaction/Connection result were not displayed, when the Graphic engine mode was set to OpenGL.
• Resultant arrows for Reaction/Connection result could disappear when scaling or rotating the model view.
• In the Detailed results for line reactions for maximum of load combinations, the corresponding load combination was not displayed correctly.

Documentation

• User-defined filters were not listed in the Tables/List of objects dialog.
• In Detailed results, certain notations (e.g., minimum and maximum reinforcement check conditions) may have been misleading, implying that the checks had already been performed and failed. This has been clarified. The relevant chapter titles have been supplemented, and misleading conclusions have been removed.

IFC

• Various bugs were fixed, and minor improvements were made to IFC export and import.