ASDIP CONCRETE is a structural engineering software that includes the design of concrete columns. It includes a new feature called the Column Batch Design Manager, which allows the design and optimization of a group of concrete columns, such as those imported from ETABS. This post is a brief overview of this new feature, and how it can save you hours of work with a simple click.
Importing Loads from ETABS
ASDIP CONCRETE is able to import the column loads directly from the ETABS model of your building. Once the loads have been imported, the full set of columns will show in the Project Manager of ASDIP CONCRETE, as shown below. From here, you can edit any of the concrete columns by double clicking each on of them and making the right adjustments. You can do this on one by one column, but it would be very time-consuming.
What if you could design all your columns at once with the simple click of a button? Now this is possible with the Column Batch Design Manager.
Column Batch Design Manager
The Column Batch Design Manager is a tool that performs a preliminary design of a group of columns based on the loading conditions and your preferred bar sizes. The Batch Design Manager will find the required reinforcing steel of each column in the batch to optimize the material properties. In addition, ASDIP CONCRETE will identify the column shape, either round or rectangular, and will perform the design accordingly.
Once the preliminary design is completed, the user can get access to the calculations of any specific column in the batch and easily fine-tune the design with minimal effort.
To open the Batch Design Manager, go to the Project Manager and click on the Design > Batch Design Manager menu option, as shown below. The Design Manager window will show up, where the user can enter the preferred bar size. Click on the Design button to start the design of the full batch of columns.
What's Next?
In the near future, ASDIP CONCRETE will be able to generate a Column Schedule, which is a pre-formatted table that shows the most relevant information about every column in your project. ASDIP will generate this schedule for you based on the design information, without any extra work or manual inputting. This schedule will then be able to be exported to an Excel file that can be used for your construction drawing.
Takeaway
ASDIP CONCRETE now includes a new feature called the Column Batch Design Manager, which will produce a preliminary design of all the concrete columns in a building. In addition, in the near future the program will be able to generate a Column Schedule and Export to Excel.
For engineering background, see the blog post How to Design Concrete Columns Using ASDIP CONCRETE
. For the integration with ETABS see the blog post ASDIP CONCRETE and ETABS Integration. For our collection of blog posts about concrete design please visit Concrete Design.
Detailed information is available about this structural engineering software by visiting ASDIP CONCRETE. You are invited to download the Free 15-day Software Trial, or go ahead and Place your Order.