Modeling Features

• Foundation systems can be any combination of mat slabs, grade beams, spread footings and combined footings
• Slabs can be any arbitrary shape with varying thickness and can include openings and discontinuities
• Design of isolated spread footings
• Pedestals can be added to spread footings and slabs
• Model and design grade beams: between slabs, on slab perimeters, between spread footings and independent
• Variable soil properties possible throughout the foundation system
• Impose point supports anywhere in the model. Supports can be rigid, tension only, compression only or tension-compression spring; well suited for modeling pile supports.
• Automatic generation of circular mat slabs
• Comprehensive CAD-like graphic drawing/editing capabilities that let you draw and modify as well as snap, move, rotate, copy, scale, delete, apply, mirror, etc.
• Versatile drawing grids (orthogonal, radial, skewed)
• Universal snaps allow drawing without grids
• Powerful graphic select/unselect tools including box, line, polygon, invert, criteria, spreadsheet based, with locking
• True spreadsheet editing with cut, paste, fill, math, sort, find, etc.
• Unlimited undo/redo capability and automatic timed backup
• Dynamic synchronization between spreadsheets and graphics
• Constant in-stream error checking and data validation
• Support for all units systems & conversions at any time

Analysis Features

• State-of-the-art plate/shell element with automatic calculation of transverse shear
• Automatic meshing of slabs into well formed quadrilateral elements (NO triangular elements are created by the mesher). This is all done “behind the scenes” without any user interaction necessary, though user may optionally control the size of the mesh
• Physical member used for grade beams, automatic inclusion of internally generated mesh points
• Soil spring stiffness automatically calculated based on soil subgrade modulus and slab tributary area
• Self weight of slabs and beams is automatically calculated and may be optionally excluded in the analysis
• Unlimited load cases and load combinations
• Point loads, point moments, line loads and area/patch loads can be applied anywhere on the slab

Graphics Features

• Unlimited simultaneous model view windows
• “True to scale” rendering with translucency, even when drawing
• High-speed redraw algorithm for instant refreshing
• Dynamically zoom, pan, rotate, scroll, snap views
• Font and color control
• Saved views to quickly restore frequent or desired views
• Saved selections to quickly recall desired selection states
• Rendered or wire-frame animations of deflected model
• Distance tool for measuring between points