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spColumn Changelog

What's new in spColumn 4.81

Jun 6, 2012
  • Corrected nominal interaction diagrams for CSA A23.3 standards
  • Updated installation procedure for systems with 64-bit version of Windows 7

New in spColumn 4.80 (Jun 6, 2012)

  • New Features:
  • Added support for ACI 318-11 code in English and Metric units
  • Enhancements:
  • Revised calculation of effective length factor, k, for slender columns by implementing exact formulas used in Jackson and Moreland Alignment Charts
  • Introduced options for EMF files created in batch mode to be named and sorted by Load Point number
  • Introduced a flag to indicate unexpected axial load capacity increase in transition zone between Balanced Point and Tension Control for ACI code
  • Resolved Issues:
  • Corrected value of steel strain corresponding to negative moment for axial loads
  • Removed lower limit of 0.4 on factor Cm in moment magnification calculations in nonsway frames for ACI 318-08
  • Corrected formatting of spColumn Command Line Help on Windows Vista and Windows 7
  • Resolved several issues related to program output, installation, and checking for updates

New in spColumn 4.60 (Jun 6, 2012)

  • New Features:
  • Added capability to export graphical reports (screen printouts) to EMF files that can be imported into graphics and word processing software.
  • Introduced a command line parameter used in batch mode to export graphical reports to EMF files.
  • Enhancements:
  • Added an option to consider second order effects along the length of a sway column per ACI 318-08, 10.10.2.2
  • Revised calculation of second order to first order moment ratio for sway columns designed per ACI 318-08
  • Revised reporting of second order moments in the program text output to reflect directly notation used in ACI 318 and CSA A23.3 standards
  • Enhanced program documentation to clarify understanding of ACI 318-08 provisions for slender sway columns
  • Improved consistency in displaying warning messages in the GUI and the text results report
  • Resolved Issues:
  • Corrected a few minor issues in formatting of text and graphical output
  • Corrected checking the requirement for moment magnification along length in sway columns (ACI 318-02/05 10.13.5 and CSA A23.3-94/04 10.16.4.) when metric unit system is used

New in spColumn 4.50 (Jun 6, 2012)

  • New Features:
  • Added support for ACI 318-08.
  • Added capability to import sections from DXF file.
  • Added capability to show nominal interaction diagrams.
  • Added capability to define percentage of each load type considered as sustained in calculating slenderness effects for non-sway columns.
  • Added checking of strength and stability of structure as a whole under gravity loads for slender sway columns per ACI 318-05/02 and CSA A23.3-04/94.
  • Enhancements:
  • Added capability to display P-M and Mx-My diagrams by selecting number of the load point coplanar with the diagram.
  • Added examples of input files and Design Assistant spreadsheets for C-shape and I-shape shear walls.
  • Provided consistent number rounding throughout program interface.
  • Discontinued displaying design and investigation results for slender columns when applicability of moment magnification method is exceeded.
  • Extended text results report to include:
  • (a) Distance from extreme compression fiber to centroid of extreme longitudinal tension steel (dt)
  • (b) Minimum clear spacing between longitudinal bars
  • (c) First-order and magnified (second-order) moments for slender columns
  • (d) Maximum steel strain corresponding to section capacity of biaxially loaded columns
  • (e) Radius of gyration
  • Reformatted text output for increased clarity and consistency.
  • Revised Manual and Help documentation to increase accessibility, enhance description of new program features and reflect added functionality.
  • Added default load combinations including Snow load case for CSA A23.3-94.
  • Resolved Issues:
  • Adjusted minimum clear bar spacing for CSA standards. Previously, more conservative minimum per ACI was used
  • Corrected capacity calculated for the first load point in Design Mode in case when the design fails
  • Removed inconsistencies from the disclaimer portion of the results report
  • Printing load point markers outside of interaction diagram area
  • Superimposing interaction diagrams for biaxially loaded sections
  • Saving and opening CTI files that include empty or commented fields in General Information section
  • Truncating the "col" extensions from data filenames include a dot and renamed using Save As command
  • Eliminated resetting of strength reduction factors for sections with confinement OTHER when design code is changed by the user

New in spColumn 4.20 (Jun 6, 2012)

  • Enhancements:
  • Provided easier and faster access to software manual directly from the Help menu.
  • Modified program to indicate a Warning, in lieu of Error, when convergence issue is encountered in large sections.
  • Renamed pcaColumn, also formerly known as PCACOL and IRRCOL, as spColumn to better relate and support the registered trade name of the publisher, StructurePoint, formerly PCA’s Engineering Software Group.
  • Resolved Issues:
  • Resolved issue in reinforcement size considered when "sides different" is selected.
  • Reset factors for snow load case to zero in data files created with previous versions of the spColumn.
  • Resolved issue in reporting the load combinations for section with uniaxial runs.
  • Modified result display to reflect max and min axial capacity accurately when reinforcement is small

New in spColumn 4.10 (Jun 6, 2012)

  • Enhancements:
  • Introduced Snow as a primary (Basic) load case
  • Modified default load combinations for ACI 318-05, ACI 318-02, and CSA A23.3-04 to include Snow load case
  • Implemented functionality to reset load combinations to their default values for the selected design code
  • Increased program capacity to support:
  • (a) 10,000 reinforcing bars up from 500
  • (b) 10,000 exterior points up from 500
  • (c) 10,000 interior points up from 500
  • (d) 5,000 factored load entries up from 4,000
  • (e) 50 service load entries
  • (f) 50 load combinations up from 20
  • Optimized numerical procedures for increased capacity
  • Reformatted display in dialog boxes and text output for increased clarity and consistency
  • Added functionality to allow user-specified files to save and read user-defined bar sets
  • Added version information to pcaColumn executable file
  • Discontinued using PCAPROGS.INI file and redirected all user-settings to Windows registry
  • Updated Manual and Help documentation to reflect added functionality
  • Resolved Issues:
  • Modified Material Properties dialog box to allow change to specific parameters without resetting all others (e.g. load combinations, phi factors, and ultimate concrete strain).
  • Resolved issue with converting earthquake (EQ) loads when unit system is changed
  • Resolved issue with reading specified strength of concrete (fcp) from a pcaColumn Text Input (CTI) file
  • Resolved minor functionality issues in several dialog boxes in pcaColumn, pcaSection, and pcaView
  • Corrected weight of #15 bar in CSA G30.18 bar set
  • Corrected pcaView caption to always display the name of the file that is currently open
  • Eliminated random occurrence of black screen issue in Investigation mode for sections without reinforcement

New in spColumn 4.00 (Jun 6, 2012)

  • New Features:
  • Added support for ACI 318-05 and CSA A23.3-04 design standards.
  • Added support for batch mode processing via command line parameters.
  • Added pcaColumn Text Input (CTI) files capability.
  • Added capability to export to points from P-M diagrams, Mx-My diagrams, and 3D failure surface.
  • Added capability to export sections in DXF format.
  • Added capability to customize display to include one or both sides of P-M interaction diagrams.
  • Enhancements:
  • Provided capability to report neutral axis location and maximum steel strain corresponding to section capacity.
  • Provided capability to report strength reduction factors in text output.
  • Customization of P-M diagram to show load point labels and splice lines (rays).
  • Provided shortcuts to display P-M and Mx-My diagrams for subsequent load points.
  • Changed number of bars increment to 1 from 4 in circular column design.
  • Increased filename length (including path) from 128 to 256 characters.
  • Improved handling of Axial Loads including negative increments and enhanced reporting.
  • Provided explicit export of interaction diagram (IAD) to specified files.
  • Provided capability to check for program updates on-line from Windows or program environment.
  • Improved security by introducing Digital signature.
  • Updated and enhanced manual documentation to include detailed design code references.
  • Resolved Issues:
  • Eliminated "Could not open file mapping object DDE_SVR" error.
  • Eliminated "License is not available" error occurring during solution.
  • Eliminated freezing/crashing of the program in some situations, e.g.
  • (a) When opening two biaxial files in a row
  • (b) When solving a section with bars outside of the section
  • (c) When opening Service Loads dialog box with very large values of loads.
  • Eliminated black screen problem occurring after switching to Investigation mode from Design mode where no valid design existed.
  • Corrected capacity reduction per CSA A23.3-94 for sections with rho < 1%.
  • Mmin is no longer taken into account for CSA design if slenderness can be ignored.
  • Factored loads are now always correctly calculated from service loads.
  • Corrected issues encountered in design for reinforcement with fy=87 ksi.
  • Sections with zero area of concrete are now treated as invalid and cannot be solved until area of concrete is increased.
  • Report slenderness ratio over 100 always during solution.
  • Resolved bar layout issues encountered with circular columns.
  • Section type is now remembered when switching from Design to Investigation.
  • Iy label is no longer printed instead of Ix in Print Screen printout.
  • Correct units are now displayed in reinforcement Sides Different dialog box.
  • pcaColumn name is now used consistently in the program.
  • Terms “User Defined” and "Other" are now consistently used to designate Column Type and Confinement.
  • Status bar is now refreshed when a data file is open.

New in spColumn 3.64 (Jun 6, 2012)

  • The lshost.txt file now accepts multiple entries. Each entry has to be on a separate line. License manager will try these entries one by one until a valid license is found. As an entry, server name, server IP address, "no-net" or "LAN" can be used. "no-net" means that a standalone license will be used if it is available. "LAN" will make the license manager look for a license in the local area network (within the subnet only).
  • The Help|About box displays now detailed licensing information including: license type, license expiration, license server, and license ID. Licensing information is also shown in the printouts.
  • Issues with importing data from text files have been resolved.
  • Design for minimum steel area has been corrected.
  • The accuracy of calculating the concrete stress block resultant has been increased.
  • Text results are available for both sides of the P-M interaction diagram if Control Points or Axial Loads are selected.
  • Results are now cleared if Bar Layout option or Cover To option is changed.
  • A message is now displayed instead of proceeding with a design if Factored Load or Service Load list is empty.
  • The default value of Stiffness Reduction Factor for slenderness calculations is now 0.75 instead of 1.0.
  • The limit value of Service and Factored Loads has been increased to 1.0e12.
  • Superimposed diagrams are now fully shown instead of just one (positive) side.
  • Control point indicators are now shown on both sides of the P-M diagram.
  • Default value of Concrete Strength is now 4 ksi (30 MPa for CSA) instead of 0.
  • Pagination within Service Loads block of text output has been corrected.