This page provides you with the latest information on the InfoCAD program system and the most important changes with respect to previous versions.
Customers with a guarantee or maintenance contract can download the current program version from the Service page.

General Information

• A reset function for the window layout has been added in the view menu.
• The length limitation of the load case description text has been cancelled.
• The calculation listings have been provided with bookmarks. Because of this, the access to listing contents has been considerably improved.

Bridge Checks

• To use the recalculation directive for road bridges and the draft EN 1991-2/NA:2011 the LM1 has been expanded by additional lanes.

Timber Checks according to EN 1995-1-2

• The structural fire design method with reduced sections according to EN 1995-1-2, Chapter 4.2.2 has been added to the checks.

Structure Analysis for Fire Scenarios according to EN 1992-1-2

• The new timber materials are now also available for the thermal and mechanical analysis. Their temperature-dependent material properties are automatically taken into consideration by the program.
  The advanced calculation method can now be carried out according to EN 1995-1-2: 2010.

General Information

• The function „View Selection“ has been added to the view menu and the shortcut menu of the table view. Therewith, for example, the tabular result representation can be limited to elements selected in the graphical view.
• The dialog for selecting the design codes included in the user interface has been redesigned and expanded.
• The number of load case combinations has been increased to 9999.

Timber Checks according to DIN 1052 and EN 1995-1-1 (EC 5)

This new modul offers checking of the cross-section resistance for beams made of solid timber according to EN 338 (C14 ... D70) and glued laminated timber according to EN 1194 (GL24h ... GL36c) based on the following standards:

• DIN 1052:2008
• EN 1995-1-1:2010 as the base document
• DIN EN 1995-1-1:2010 with the National Annex Germany 2010-12
• ÖNORM EN 1995-1-1:2010 with the National Annex Austria B 1995-1-1:2010-08
• SS-EN 1995-1-1:2010 with the National Annex Schweden 2010-01

The check includes the items listed:

• The program determines the decisive design internal forces for the desired design situation with consideration of the safty factors and combination factors according to DIN 1055-100 or EN 1990.
• For every set of internal forces the modification factor k_mod is automatically determined from the service class of the section and the decisive load-duration.
• The effect of the modification factor on the design value of the resistance can lead to the result that an action combination becomes decisive which does not provide the maximum design value of the appropriate load. Because of that all possible combinations of load cases are analyzed in the checks.
• Optionally, the effect of member size on the material strength can be taken into account by the factor k_h.

General Information

• From this version on the operating systems Windows XP and higher are supported only.
• In each project file, a standard drawing can be established. This will be loaded by opening the file automatically.
• Construction steel according to EN 10025-2 has been added to the material table.
• The isolines representation for large structure models has been accelerated.
• Load cases and the load case combinations can be renumbered in groups within the database tree. The modified numbers will be updated within load cases, load case combinations, definitions of actions and analysis settings.
• Changes in the action and analysis settings can now be canceled or restored.
• The definition of the finite element coordinate systems were supplemented for model faces.
• For EN concrete the creep and shrinkage coefficients can now be calculated in the section dialog.

Prestressing

• For simultaneous prestressing of beam, area and solid elements the new type of tendon group Mixed has been added. The main applications are the calculation and the check of composite sections.
• During the calculating of the load case 'prestressing' the statically determined and statically undetermined internal forces will be saved separatly for beam elements.
  They are identified by the additions (P0) and (P1).

DIN Technical Report 102 - Bridge Checks

• The shear check for combined stresses is modified, the detailed listing was revised and supplemented.
• To use the recalculation directive for road bridges in the lateral force check for cot Q now an upper limit of 3.0 is approved.
• The safety factors for reinforcing and prestressing steel can be adjusted to meet the recalculation directive.
• For the fatigue check of road bridges the increase factors of the load model 3 (annex A.106.2) now can be defined for each section.

OENORM B 1992-2

• The decompression check is now performed at the edge of the precompressed tensile zone according to Chapter 4.7.2. For area elements, the principal tensile stress σ1 or one of the longitudinal tensile stresses σx or σy is decisive depending on the user's selection.

Design of Steel Structures DIN 18800-1

• The dialog for the definition of actions has been redesigned. With the help of new design groups, selected members of the entire structure can be designed for specific action combinations and traffic loads.
• In adaption to the new edition 2008-11, the combination rules of DIN 1055-100, Chapter 9.4, or the simplified rules according to DIN 18800-1, Chapter 7.2.2, can be chosen now.
• The material types S275 and S450 have been supplemented.
• The design listings have been generally revised and extended.

Design of Steel Structures EN 1993-1-1 (EC 3)

The steel checks per EN 1993-1-1 for polygonal beam sections of material grades S235 to S450 have been added. The following standards are available:

• EN 1993-1-1:2009 as the base document
• OENORM EN 1993-1-1:2007, NA Austria
• DIN EN 1993-1-1:2010, NA Germany
• SS EN 1993-1-1:2010, NA Sweden

The check includes the items listed:

• The program automatically calculates the internal forces for the desired design situations, taking into account the safety factors and combination coefficients defined in EN 1990:2002.
• The cross-section class is automatically determined for every set of internal forces (according to EN 1993-1-1, Chapter 5.5).
• The elastic cross-section resistance is verified for all cross-sections of the classes
  1 to 4. Cross-sections of class 4 are treated like class 3 if the c/t ratio does not exceed the increased limits of class 3. Otherwise the check is carried out with effective cross-section properties as per EN 1993-1-5, Clause 4.3.
• The plastic cross-section resistance will be verified for all cross-sections of the classes 1 and 2 if the elastic cross-section resistance of the contemplated set of internal forces is exceeded.

Lateral torsional buckling check

• The check has been adapted to the new edition 2008-11 of the DIN 18800-2.
• The material types S275 and S450 have been supplemented.

Dynamics

• The result folder has been removed from the database. The results are now listed in the subsections node deformations, internal forces and support reactions.
• The internal forces and support reactions of time step integrations can be displayed separately for every time step.
• The results of the time step integration can be animated.
• The velocities of a time step calculation can now be combined.

Axisymmetric Shell (ROS)

• The seviceability checks for DIN 1045-1 and OENORM B 4700 are now available.
• The checks in the ultimate and serviceability limit states and the check against fatigue for EN 1992-1-1 with the national annexes of Germany, Austria and Sweden have been supplemented.

Nonlinear System Analysis

• For reinforced concrete shell structures the reinforcing steel stresses and steel strains are stored now. They are available for graphical and tabular output.

Structural Analysis for Fire Scenarios

• According to E DIN EN 1992-1-2/NA:2009-02 the upper limit function in 3.3.3 (2) is used for the thermal conductivity of DIN concrete.
• The stress distribution in the section can be shown for selected locations.
• The stress-time curve can be displayed for any section point.
• The result folder has been removed from the database. The results are now listed in the subsections node deformations, internal forces and support reactions.
• The internal forces and support reactions of time step integrations can be displayed separately for every time step.
• The results of the time step integration can be animated.

IFC Data Transfer

• The IFC data transfer now supports the export of structural members.

General Information

• The user interface was newly arranged. Functions of the view and context menus allow following settings:
  - Moving, adding and deleting icons in the toolbars,
  - Definition of shortcut keys for a faster access to commands,
  - Modification of menus,
  - Free positioning of the dialog bar,
  - Enlargement of the representation area by fading out the output bar and the data base/print list automatically.
• In order to allow structured representations of large systems, you can now use so-called partial views. Thereby system representations are possible which cannot be achieved by the use of the layer technique.
• The function "Arrange elements" allows now the user to define the zero level.
• The cone object can be defined now by edge objects. Additionally, the meshing of cones has been improved.
• A new function of the options menu allows to import and export the system file IGRAPH.DAT which contains the page frame and other user specific settings.
• In the project files a miniature view of the structure is stored now, which can be displayed in the Windows Explorer. This allows a fast project overview without opening the files.
• For frameworks within the FEM mode, the function "Predeformation" has been supplemented.
• The function "Predeformation" has been extended with a method to define sinusoidal precurvatures.
• The quality of reinforcing steel of beam cross-sections can be changed for a whole group of elements now.
• The node and element related result curves of a direct time step integration (dynamic or thermal analysis) can be exported using the clipboard.
• The bedding properties of the solid elements refer now exclusively to the bottom area of the element (until now only bedding in z-direction). A calculation considering a bilinear bedding characteristic or the exclusion of tensile stress has been implemented. Additionally an analysis according to the compressibility method can be performed. The calculated ground stresses are stored and can be displayed graphically. They are also considered for load case combinations.

Link Elements and Spring Elements

• For a simplified input of special beam connections a shared node is divided automatically, if
  - in case of point links the dependent node and the reference node are identical,
  - in case of springs the start and the end node are identical.

Parallel Sparse Solver

• In case of a relocatability of the system the solver reports now the corresponding node and degree of freedom.

Dynamics

• The masses can be activated separately for each degree of freedom.
• For the alternative response spectrum method can also be specified a vertical range.
• The tabular form of the results of a time step integration can be sorted for node numbers or result locations.

Prestressing

• Optionally, tendon groups can now be assigned to beams even if they are not positioned exactly within the beam cross-section.
• The DXF-Export function also transfers the tendon group geometry and marks the spline points.

DIN 4227

• The analysis settings were extended to define the permitted principal tensile and compressive stress and the shear stress according to table 9 more detailed.
• The shear check of combined loads was modified, the output was revised and supplemented.

DIN 1045-1

• The crack width check for thick components according to chapter 11.2.2 (8) is available now.
• For the fatigue check three stress-strain curves for concrete are offered to determine the stress ranges.
• In the fatigue combination the cyclic and non-cyclic actions are superposed separately now. In existing projects the previous fatigue action has to be exchanged with the new fatigue action Qfat.
• Alternatively, the simplified fatigue check under the frequent combination can be carried out.
• At sections with the mode "Compression member" the robustness reinforcement is not checked anymore, because during the design for bending with longitudinal force minimum compression reinforcement is already determined.

EN 1992-1-1 with National Annexes Germany, Austria and Sweden

• The fatigue checks for concrete, for longitudinal, lateral and torsional reinforcement as well as for prestressing tendons have been supplemented.
• Optionally, you can either carry out the simplified check for the frequent combination or the check with damage equivalent stress ranges.
• The checks have been adapted to the draft of the National Annex of January 2010.
• The crack width check for thick components according to chapter 7.3.2 (5) is available now (NA Germany).

DIN 1045-1, OENORM B 4700, SIA 262, EN 1992-1-1

• The selected shear and torsion section is now visualized in the dialog.
• With the help of new design groups, selected members of the entire structure can be designed for specific action combinations and traffic loads.

DIN Technical Report 102

• The selected shear and torsion section is now visualized in the dialog.
• For the fatigue check three stress-strain curves for concrete are offered to determine the stress ranges.
• In the fatigue combination the cyclic and non-cyclic actions are superposed separately now. In existing projects the previous fatigue action has to be exchanged with the new fatigue action Qfat.
• Alternatively, the simplified fatigue check under the frequent combination can be carried out.
• The crack width check for thick components according to chapter 4.4.2.2 (9) is available now.
• For prestressed components with subsequent bond the tendons can be set ungrouted for every situation.
• At sections with the mode "Compression member" the robustness reinforcement is not checked anymore, because during the design for bending with longitudinal force minimum compression reinforcement is already determined.
• If desired, the inner lever arm of the bending design can be used for the lateral force design.

In the settings function the 2003-03 or 2009-03 edition of the standard can be selected. The following checks have been adapted to the new edition:

• Check of the maximal lateral load-bearing capacity VRd,max (Chapter 4.3.2.2.(4)P).
• Determination of the lateral load-bearing capacity VRd,ct without lateral force reinforcement (Chapter 4.3.2.3(1)*P).
• Limiting the strut angle cot θ (Chapter 4.3.2.4.4(1)*P).
• Definition of the permitted characteristic stress range ΔσRsk (Chapter 4.3.7.7, Tab. 4.117).
• Calculation of the crack width (Chapter 4.4.2.3).

Bridge Checks according to EN 1992-2 and OENORM B 1992-2

This new modul offers bridge checks for beam and shell structures according to Eurocode 2. Elements with no prestress as well as prestressed elements with subsequent bond, without bond, with external prestressing and in mixed construction can be analyzed. The licensing is provided in conjunction with the DIN Technical Report 102 bridge checks.

• Consideration of any loads and load positions
• Special preparation of load model LM 1
• Automatic combination of the actions
  - Construction and final stages for all action combinations
  - Optional user-defined actions
• Checks at the ultimate limit state
• Minimum reinforcement against failure without warning
• Bending with or without normal force or normal force only
• Lateral force under consideration of the minimum level of reinforcement
• Pure torsion and torsion with lateral force
• Checks against fatigue for concrete, bending, lateral force and torsion reinforcement as well as for tendons
• Checks at the serviceability limit state
  • Minimum reinforcement for the crack width limitation
  • Limiting the crack width via direct calculation
  • Decompression check
  • Limiting the concrete compressive stresses
  • Limiting the reinforcing steel stresses
  • Limiting the prestressing steel stresses

Structural Analysis for Fire Scenarios

• Within cavities of cross-sections, heat transfer by radiation and convection can be considered now.
• The temperature-time curve can be illustrated for any section point.

IFC Data Transfer

• The IFC data transfer now supports the import of structural face members.

General Information

• The help system is now available in English. You can switch beetween the languages using the corresponding command of the Options Menu. Additional documents can be downloaded from the internet service page „http://www.infograph.de/enu/service.htm“.
• You can now display the first 999 load case variants to be combined in the action dialogs for DIN 1045-1, EC2, OENORM, SIA 262, and DIN 18800. Load groups to be analyzed according to the second-order theory can be created for selected variants.
• The combination info function was expanded so that the deformations associated with extremal support reactions (or vice versa) can be called up.
• You can create load cases with load groups based on the second-order theory or superposition load cases directly from within the Combination info (shortcut menu).
• The labeling of the section integrals has been completely revised. The font size can be changed.
• A new context function allows to change the orientation of model faces.
• The symbolic representation of the boundary properties can be switched.
• A new branch for spring elements has been added to the database. It allows you to depict all properties including the nonlinear characteristics in the printout.
• A new toolbar with functions of the View menu makes it easier to change the viewport.
• For numerical results representation you can now modify the offered list of base reinforcements.
• You can now define the number of decimal places you want for any graphical display of results.
• The image view can be moved with the mouse by pressing down the mouse wheel.
• From this version on the operating systems Windows 2000 and higher are supported only.

Printing

• A new function on the print list toolbar allows to switch between different print lists.
• Cut-outs can be optionally ordered next to one another in the print list.
• You can define the page frame to be used for the entries in the print list.
• The page formats now support the new @Pfad text variable.
• The page setup now allows you to print the names of graphical views of the print list instead of the page title while using the standard page frame. For user-defined page frames, this function is supported by the new variables @Objekt, @Ordner and @Kapitel.

Loads

• The direction of effect of the local line load on areas can now be defined freely. It is no longer linked to the local element system of the area elements. The corresponding representation has also been improved as a result.
• As regards the structure types 2D Frame and Axisymmetric Shell, the material's specific weight is now also calculated for the dead load load type.
• The new temperature load type has been added for all structure types.
• In the FEM system the dead load load type can optionally be defined for each element. This is helpful, for instance, in conjunction with the construction stages.
• All marked load cases can be displayed simultaneously using the shortcut menu. In this way you can easily check, for instance, if all areas of a slab are assigned a load.

64-Bit Edition

• The 64-bit edition of the program system is offered for the 64-bit windows operating systems. This edition is characterized by a significant higher computing speed and allows the use of the entire available memory.

Finite Elements Analysis

• A new direct equation solver called parallel sparse solver has been implemented. Memory optimization and parallel processing result in a significant speed advantage over the standard equation solver, especially for large systems. It is activated using the FEM analysis settings. The new module is licensed together with the iterative equation solver.
• The program capacity has been increased to 1 million nodes and elements. This now allows you to analyse structures with up to 6 million degrees of freedom. Depending on the size of the system of equations it may be necessary to use the 64-bit program version in conjunction with the parallel sparse solver or the iterative equation solver.
• During the FEM calculation, the processing of geometrically defined point loads, line loads and area loads has been optimized resulting in a considerable increase of speed.
• The failure of tensile supports can be activated individually and for every direction.
• For the calculation of the buckling eigenvalues the required iteration accuracy has been increased.
• The program features spring elements that can be assigned any nonlinear characteristics. This allows for the modeling of numerous effects, including spring deflection, plastic joints, contact and tearing, etc. The spring elements are available for static and dynamic calculations.
• For area elements, the determination of lateral forces has been optimized.

Nonlinear System Analysis

• For nonlinear calculations of concrete constructions the influence of time-dependent creep can be taken into account. The settings are provided within the load group dialog.

Prestressing

• The default value when entering new tendon groups has been changed to fp0.1k = 1500 MN/m².

Dynamics

• The response spectrum for earthquake checks according to EN 1998-1:2004 (EC8) has been added.
• For the load-time function a new time step calculation option has been added. This makes it much easier to map the effect of multiple loads with different load-time functions (transient or periodic) to act simultaneously on the same structure.
• Accelerations are now also combined for the load case combination of results from time-step integrations.

Beam Section

• The british UB and UC profiles (BS 4-1:1993) have been added to the section library.
• The representation of the main stresses σ1 and σ2 has been added to the section stress dialog.

OENORM B 4700, B 4750 and B 4753

• For the crack width limitation, the action combinations according to B 4753, table 1, can now be selected as an option.
• For the check of decompression and concrete tensile stresses in construction stages, the decisive tensile strength according to B 4750, Chapter 3.7.3, and B 4753, Chapter 11.4.2 (3), can now be defined in the Section dialog.

Eurocode EN 1992-1-1:2004, DIN EN 1992-1-1:2005

• New design methods for biaxial bending with normal force according to Chapter 6.1 of the standard have been implemented. At present, the calculation is performed for polygon sections and composite sections within the scope of the FEM’s single design. You can activate the new methods in the Design codes dialog of the Options menu.

Systemviewer

• A new function allows to show the contours of the system. This results in a clearer representation of complex structures.
• The image view can be moved with the mouse by pressing down the mouse wheel.

License Manager

• Operation as a service is now also possible using Windows Vista.
• In the service mode no dialogs are executed. Instead, settings are made using the expanded InfoMonitor help tool. Error messages are now written to the Windows event log.
• The settings are no longer written to the registry but rather to the InfoNetKey.ini file.