Tower

The most significant new features brought by this new version are: SAF Import and Export (Structural Analysis Format) which enables whole model exchange with programs SCIA, Archicad, Allplan, RISA, FRILO, Strusoft, Axis VM, Dlubal, Sofistik, SCAD, LIRA land, IDEA StatiCa, comprehensive program adjustment for work on computers with multiple monitors and for work on high-resolution monitors, added function in report editor for automatic preservation of texts readability in rotated blocks, enabled change of the zone of the slab reinforcement area, added new seismic code NTC 2018 (Italian),...
Complete list of new features in this update is:

• SAF Import and Export. SAF (Structural Analysis Format) is a format for exchanging data between structural analysis software. SAF was created on the basis of an initiative from the Nemetschek Group and the current structural analysis software participating are SCIA, Graphisoft, Allplan, RISA, FRILO, Strusoft, Axis VM, Dlubal, Sofistik, SCAD, LIRA land, Radimpex and IDEA StatiCa
• Comprehensive program adjustment for work on computers with multiple monitors and for work on high-resolution monitors with text scaling greater than 100%
• In report creation module, in addition to the existing orientations of the Portrait and Landscape blocks, two new orientations were introduced - Portrait(-) and Landscape(-) (180 and 270 degrees of rotation).
• In report creation module added function for automatic setting the orientation of texts in rotated blocks in order to preserve readability (Dialog for Report Formatting, tab: Text)
• Enabled change of the zone of the slab reinforcement area and copying the reinforcement area from one zone to another. (in the command for editing sets of reinforcement areas)
• A new "Merge" function has been introduced in the dialog for editing hiding lists, which will enable to unite hidden status of entities of one hiding group with other groups.
• Added new seismic regulation - Italian – NTC2018
• The Swiss seismic regulation has been updated and is harmonized with the changes of SIA 261 – 2020.
• Dialogs for 'Influence in beams' and 'Load combinations' become resizeable.
• A change in the algorithm for determining the perimeter of the penetration of slabs at the end of the wall. The depth of the perimeter corresponds to the length of the entire edge zone of the wall.
• In the combination scheme for Eurocode regulations, the algorithm of the Unite function has been improved and it is possible to combine loads of different types. Combined loads always appear together and with the same state of dominance.
• Rearranged dialog for Functionality - the group "Dimensioning" was added to the main dialog and 5 items from the results were transferred to it.
• In the Set Control command, multiple selection is enabled for the needs of the color generation function so that colors are generated only for selected sets.
• When importing from a DXF file, it is possible to select the AutoCAD unit of measure. (it doesn't have to be just 1ACU = 1m anymore)
• A new variant of color generation when plotting full isolines of influence in surface entities - "Symmetrical in relation to zero" where the same color refers to the same range of both positive and negative values.

Beside this new features, this Build contains a large number of improvements, optimizations and bug-fixes.

The most significant innovations brought by this new version are: improvement of IFC compatibility including IFC export command (still in development), improvement of load combination generation algorithm, export of usability limit state combinations from combination scheme, improvement and new configuration in graphical display parameters, improvement in form and the display of some reports, a new possibility of setting the line load on the beams in accordance with the LKS beams and many others ... The more detailed list of new features brought by the new version are:

• A new command has been introduced - "IFC Export", which enables the exporting of models (slabs, walls, beams and columns) and a network of finite elements in an IFC file. The command is in development stage.
• Significant improvement in import from IFC files. The IfcPluPlus library is now used. It allows IFC files of all versions and formats to be loaded, and import is several times faster and recognizes a far greater number of ways to define entity geometry.
• Capacity Design is also enabled if the seismic calculation is performed with the EC8 Lateral Forces Method.
• The option has been introduced to return to its previous zoom state when returning to a previously visited 2D view. In the window layout dialog, there is a switch to turn on this mode.
• A new feature for defining linear loads - setting the linear load in the direction of the local coordinate system of the beam on which the linear load lays.
• This method is only possible if all the specified lines are on the beams, over their entire length.
• Added option of adding a remarks in sets of surface, line and point supports and connections. It is also enabled to display remarks in set control legends. A check box has been added to the set control dialog to turn on the display of remarks.
• Improved algorithm for generating load combinations in the dialog for load combinations (adapted for a large number of basic load cases)
• For EC2-based regulations, enabled geneartion and export of Usability Limit State from combination scheme dialog. The combinations for the Usability Limit State that refers to the sum of long-term and short-term part.
• The modal analysis dialog now displays a note / explanation in case of simultaneous use of set multipliers and multipliers in advanced options.
• Enabled partial copying of drawing parameters (separately screen parameters and separately paper parameters) from a saved configuration to the current configuration.
• In concrete design SRPS EN codes, changed the default name for reinforcement to B500
• Improved algorithm that calculates the width of tables in reports when the option "font type affects table width" is enabled
• The tables should be slightly narrower now than in previous versions, but wide enough to show the complete content.
• Concrete design - calculation of cross-section - enables approximate consideration of the influence of buckling.
• Implemented Copying of a graphic block to the clipboard at Ctrl + C.
• Enabled option for choosing between 3 different sizes of line spacing in the report.
• Enhancement in the file storage system that contains the report, which allows the report to be larger than 2 GB. The new system is fully compatible with the old report file format.
• A safer algorithm for automatic report defragmentation has been implemented and the criteria for performing automatic defragmentation have been changed.
• Improvements in the appearance and form of seismic reports, modal analysis reports, and beam set reports.
• Improvement in the load combination scheme. A special mode of creating independent sets of combinations has been introduced in case there are several permanent loads with mutual exclusion.
• For EC2-based codes, global adjustment of the value of the coefficient of displacement of the tensile force line is enabled. Default value for Eurocode regulations 1,125
• Reconciliation of text reports of results. As of version 8.3, multimodal seismic and SRSS load cases are treated as duplicates, so the reports are adjusted accordingly.
• Separate commands were created for dimensioning influences in 3D, dimensioning extremes and set control (commands that have their own icons)
• Optimization and improvement in beam reports for all load cases. Due to the reduced amount of memory, reports should be generated faster.
• A new configuration of drawing parameters - "Standard" was created and included in the installation
• Enable drawing of a out-of-domain (arrow) cursor filled - for better visibility on high-resolution monitors.
• Several new configurations of drawing parameters for color printing have been created and included in the installation: "Default - Color Print", "Dark - Color Print" and "Standard - Color Print"
• A new configuration of report parameters was created and included in the installation: "Standard"

Beside this new features, this Build contains a large number of improvements, optimizations and bug-fixes.

This is a service build and contains a bypass of problem occurring on computers with Windows 10 Version 2004 (May 2020 Update) related with regular program freezes during some commands for report generation.
The very same code which causes program freezing is implemented in Tower 6, Tower 7 and Tower 8 and worked flawlessly in a past 13 years on Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10 prior May 2020 update (Version 2004).
Beside that, this Build contains an installation package for installing Sentinel Hasp drivers compatible with Windows 10 Version 2006. It was noticed that older Sentinel Hasp drivers could cause occurrence of BSOD  (blue screen)

This is a service build and contains a bypass of problem occurring on computers with Windows 10 Version 2004 (May 2020 Update) related with regular program freezes during some commands for report generation.
The very same code which causes program freezing is implemented in Tower 6, Tower 7 and Tower 8 and worked flawlessly in a past 13 years on Windows XP, Windows 7, Windows 8 and Windows 10 prior May 2020 update (Version 2004).
Beside that, this Build contains an installation package for installing Sentinel Hasp drivers compatible with Windows 10 Version 2006. It was noticed that older Sentinel Hasp drivers could cause occurrence of "BSOD"  (the blue screen)

The most important new features are: new regulation for concrete design SRPS EN 1992-1-1 and accelerated orbit in rendered 3D view and improved the responsiveness of orbit and zoom in 2D and 3D views.
Complete list of new features of this new version is:

• Added new regulation for concrete design SRPS EN 1992-1-1. In this regulation, the default value for αcc is 0.85
• Accelerated orbit in rendered 3D view and improved the responsiveness of orbit and zoom in 2D and 3D views.
• In the buckling lengths calculation, the multipliers from the static model (if used) of the bending strength of the beams / columns about axes 2 and 3 are also taken into account.
• The name of the code is displayed in the slab punching control report.
• Influence names have been harmonized in the timber design according to Eurocode regulations - the suffix "ed" added and the name of regulation is displayed.
• In the Brick Wall Stress Control Report, the influence names changed ("Msd" to "Med").
• In slab punching control, user defined value of alfa cc was not taken into account
• From now on, deleting or changing SRSS combinations will erase the results of the slabs punching controls that are affected by this change, to prevent program crashes when preparing reports. (3907)
• Correction of the error in the slab punching control report generation if previously calculated for the current load case (anvelope type) that caused the program to crash if the current load case was non-anvelope type.
• Corrected the error in displaying results in 3D view in 32-bit version of program with DirectX 7 turned on when the program occasionally got stuck.
• When adding a building stage to a model that was already reinforced with reinforcement areas, the reinforcement areas remained in its current (not the last the last) stage and could not be utilized anymore.
• It is now ensured that areas of reinforcement always belong in the last stage of construction
• In Dialog for supports added Tooltips for displaying units for supports stiffness property.

This Build, beside several minor fixes, in EC2 EN based codes were added an option for setting the coefficient αcc - a coefficient which takes into account the long-term effects on the strength of concrete...
This is a more detailed list of changes and fixes in this Build:

• in EC2 EN based codes, added option for setting the coefficient αcc - a coefficient which takes into account the long-term effects on the strength of concrete
• correction of error in the algorithm for calculating the flection according to EC2 EN regulation. The data ζ (ceta) was calculated according to the crack calculation procedure, which in some cases led to a smaller deviation in the obtained flection results.
• Fixed problem in generating a report for surface load defined by "Wizard" when the load contour was extremely narrow and high - reporting a "Page layout not satisfactory" message.
• Error correction in moving load analysis. In the case that the moving load contained surface
• loads with dimensions smaller than the size of one finite element, the load was distributed as if
• it acted all over the finite element, so greater influences were obtained.

The most important new features are: New families of steel profiles (UPE and UP), change of mode of diagrams display for multimodal seismic load cases and their combinations, diagram of percent of reinforcement of beams, improvement of command resultant reaction, new type of render - realistic render and more ... Complete list of new features of this new version is:

• Two new profile families have been added, UPE and UP. An auxiliary profile database (Tower_8200UPE. $Prf) was included in the program installation, which contains two groups of profiles. The export of these profiles to Metal Studio will be realized in the very next Build of Metal Studio.
• In SRSS or multimodal seismic load case, a change in the way of displaying influences was made. From now on, the influences are shown as two-valued, represented as two-sided diagrams, because they represent the range of influence and not just the positive value.
• Display of diagram of percentage of reinforcement of beams / columns and display of maximum and minimum value of percentage of reinforcement per beam / column for required and adopted reinforcement.
• In the dialogs for reviewing slab’s cross-section influences, slab punching control, wall design and proxy entity design, is enabled switching the visibility of the entities being reviewing, as well as multiple selection.
• New command introduced – proxy entity review.
• The Set Control command can now display and sort entities according to the material used in design (concrete, steel, wood)
• Improvement of the command "Resultant if the reaction". Now it provides graphical presentation and reporting.
• Enabled creation, display and report of the interaction diagram in proxy entity design.
• Introduced display of the direction of the resultant transverse force in the plates (forces perpendicular to the plane of the plate)
• A new way of displaying the model in 3D is introduced - a realistic rendering. It is a kind of full render with contour edge highlighting.
• In the dimensioning of the beams according toEC8 EN (Capacity Design), arbitrary setting of beam‘s clear length is enabled.
• A more accurate method of calculating the accidental eccentricity of the storey mass in seismic calculation was introduced.
• Improvement in the algorithm for determining of seismic wall‘s moment envelope (EC8 EN) for obtaining a optimal envelope at the expense of a minimal increase in extreme bending moment.
• Remarks column has been added to the slabs and beam sets dialogs. The set remarks will be displayed in slabs and beam set control dialog, visibility by sets dialog and the beam set report.
• A change in the algorithm for determining the stiffness of an elastic bond with a partial (percentage-set) release. The linear function for determining the stiffness is replaced by an exponential one. Refers to boundary conditions in the slab, beam releases and connections.
• In the case where particular configuration is missing at the destination, it is copied during installation and in cases where the preserving of the old configuration files is selected. This is also done in case of quick installation.
• In the optimization of dimensioning of steel girders with optimization of the cross-section selection, sorting of columns in the dialogue is enabled.
• Implemented obtaining a value of influence „Ns with width” in the cross section in slabs for SRSS or multimodal seismic load case or combination of loads with them.
• Acceleration in an algorithm for sizing a series of walls in an optimal way to load and determine the influences in each section of the wall.
• Enabled concrete design of the proxy entity in case all the reinforcement lines are defined as “adopted reinforcement”. (in this case the program does not calculate the required reinforcement but only do the control of the known reinforcement)
• Improvement in the command for displaying stress in cross section of a beam – enabled selection of a reference point with a mouse and implemented quick selection of characteristic points.
• In the dialog for setting the mode of reinforcement in the proxy entity, multiple selection and assignment of values to the right mouse click are enabled.
• Implemented layer locking of the auxiliary axes - auxiliary axes whose layers are locked cannot be deleted, changed or moved.
• Added Report generation for sets and contours of point and line Links in the "Construction" section of the Report editor.
• In the dimensioning of beams / columns according to EC8 EN (Capacity Design), enabled setting of γRD over-strength coefficients for beams and columns, separately for the DCM and DCH model
• Displaying the proxy entity’s coordinate system in the dialog and report
• In EC2 EN based codes, added option for setting the coefficient αcc - a coefficient which takes into account the long-term effects on the strength of concrete.
• Modification of concrete names for EC2 EN based regulations. Instead of C12, C16, C20… the marks C12 / 15, C16 / 20, C20 / 25 are now being introduced. The change applies only to the first installations on a single computer, since the existing configuration files of the user will not be changed.
• From now, the SRSS combination of seismic load cases used for Capacity Design, except two seismic load cases for horizontal actions, may contain a third, for vertical action.
• In EC8 EN based regulations, it is enabled to define value for avg / ag and define seismic spectra for the vertical effect of an earthquake.
• Enabled saving of proxy entity reinforcement input data to configuration file. The proxy entities with the same geometries will be able to use one of the previously recorded reinforcement input data configurations.
• When generating txt report for beams it is possible to take into account only the forces at the ends and not from the inner nodes.
• In the general command for defining a poly line, in the sub command “Offset” added reusing previously defined value for offsetting.

Beside this new features, this Build contains a large number of improvements, optimizations and bug-fixes.

This Build contains a several fixes and small improvements. The most important ones are related with ductile walls capacity design and its design envelope, improvements in installation process, increase of maximum number of load combinations... This is a more detailed list of changes and fixes in this Build:

• fix in calculation of bending moment in design envelope for ductile walls at the wall perimeters where multiple sections (due to wall openings) existed. The increase of bending moment is distributed proportionaly among the sections based on their length.
• faster drawing of bi-directional hatched isolines (isolines for slab reinforcement and cracks) and solution for occasional not showing those isolines in graphical blocks in case of wide blocks.
• improvements in client installation. Implemented pultipple attempts and prolonged time for establishing connection with the license server.
• fix in regularityin plane check – the check was preformed on Static instead on Seismic model.
• fix in wizard for surface load. In some cases, when wizard type load is set to act over system of beams, the load is not applied at all.
• increased max number of generated load combinations from 1024 to 32768 and increased number of load combinations in steel and timber design ftom 5000 to 32768.

The most important new features are:
Optimization for adopting the cross sections in steel design, Concrete design of reductor (proxy entity), an option for quick install of a new Build of Tower over existing local or client installation,.. Complete list of new features of this new version is:

• Optimization of dimensioning of steel girders with optimization in adopting the cross sections.
• Concrete design of reductor (proxy entity)
• An option for quick install of a new Build of Tower over existing local or client installation. This installation does not require the entry of an installation number or a directory selection, and keeps all existing parameters and settings. It also enables skipping the installation of Sentinel Hasp drivers and redistributable components.
• Aproximative calculation and report for quantities of required and adopted reinforcement.
• Function for sorting the order of blocks within one branch of the report.
• A new type of wizard for surface loading on curved surfaces has been introduced (Cone and Cylinder) – "Linear"
• Added a new feature for setting multipliers of the stiffness of the supports. By using the multiplier it is possible to define the different behavior of the supports in the static and seismic model.
• Enabled enlarging the size of Toolbar icons in the user interface of the program. In the icon and menu settings dialog, three predefined icon sizes (100%, 150%, and 200%) are enabled. Enlarging icons also affects other elements of the toolbar.
• In punching control of the foundation plates, enabled taking into account a reduction in the shear stresses due to reactive soil load inside the perimeter of punching.
• Automatic creation of a SRSS combination and setting of saved load combinations from a combination's storage after a seismic analysis. -Added two new influences for Vector section in plate:
  Mn +/- |Mns| and Ms +/- |Mns|
• In steel design (EC3 EN codes) enabled user choice between two options of calculation of reduction factor for lateral-torsional buckling (6.3.2.2. or 6.3.2.3.)
• In steel design (EC3 EN codes) added option for using uder defined value for Mcr (elastic critical moment for lateral-torsional buckling)
• In shear wall design (single section, EC2 EN code) added option for uder defined multipliers for moment and shear force from seismic load ceses.
• In the dimensioning of a series of shear walls with a design envelope of influence, two new types of constructions were introduced relating to the analysis of squat walls. EC8 EN 5.5.2.4.2(1)
• When taking into account the moment of rotation, (switch "Mxy" is checked), report of concrete slab design will contain values of source moments for Mxy, M1 and M2 which created design moments)
• Enabled adopting bars in the beams at the segments of cross section not belonging to the main reinforcement Aa1-Aa4 (auxiliary reinforcement, Aak)
• Included printing of values of Vrd,max, in the reports on the dimensioning of concrete beams, individual cross-sections and seismic walls. -Increased limit for number of generated load combinations (1024 → 32768) and ncreased limit for number of combinations used in steel and timber design (5000 → 32768)
• Improved the appearance of the application's user interface in case that an increase in font scaling is done in Windows (in the 'Display settings' section - Scale and layout advanced scaling settings) -Parallelisation (multi-processor execution at the same time) has been introduced for several functions related to the drawing. -Optimization and acceleration of the solving process (speeding up the stiffness matrix creation and the calculation of the forces) This optimization should also affect the faster change of the load case in the processing of results.
• In the "Offset" command that refers to the change in the geometry of the existing entities, enabled using previous last used value and enabled choice for keeping the original entity after offsetting.
• Enabled refreshing report blocks not only with the originally used drawing parameters but optionally with the currently set drawing parameters. A new menu icon has also been added in the menu to invoke a dialog where this can be customized.
• Enabled labeling gap between the reinforcement bars in the reinforcement adopting dialog and the report for the reinforcement of the beam.
• Enabled choice for number of decimal places used for displaying value for distance between auxiliary axes
• In export of TEXT report to Excel, enabled user choice for export of numerical values – as numeric or text.

Beside those changes, this Build contains some bug-fixes and small improvements.

New version presents significant improvement of program Tower 7 and was created based on requests and needs of its numerous users. Free functional DEMO version of program Tower 8 is available. For users of program Tower 7 we provided a special user-manual (see Download**** page), with detailed cover of all new features and differences in Tower 8. Contact our nearest representative for information about purchasing or upgrading.