General Features:

• Fully Integrated steel design; see Integrated Steel Design (below) for more detail on this design program.
• To-scale true graphic renderings of structural shapes make visualization and verification of the model simple and intuitive; and great for presentations.
• Quick Modeler – a modeling toolkit for the quick creation of standard geometry including 3D rectangular multi-story buildings, continuous beams and frames, trusses, bar joists, domes, barrel vaults, space frames and towers.
• AutoCAD interface provides virtually limitless flexibility and control for modeling, editing and viewing results.
• Two-way compatibility with STRAAD Finite Element Analysis allows users to bring old models forward into the Frame Analysis and Design interface and back if they wish.
• Elements coloring enables users to easily and visually indicate element cross section, material, type or stress ratio (steel stress ratios only, see below) with a single click.

• Inactivity. Members, nodes and loads can be “turned off” without deleting them.
• Reports are generated in Microsoft Rich Text format, a very versatile format recognized by Microsoft Word and most other applications. Reports can also include graphics of the model as taken from AutoCAD.
• Send Project feature automatically “zips” project files and automatically attaches the Zip file to an email message. This is great for quickly and easily sending projects to other engineers or to Digital Canal for technical Support.
• A built in section property calculator saves results directly into the section database making them available to the integrated steel design utility. The utility can also compute section properties for the in-span variation of non-prismatic section properties.
• Project Manager includes simplified project creation as well as support for long file names.

Element Types:

• Prismatic and Non-Prismatic (tapered) frame
• Truss and tension-only
• Hooks, gaps and slots (contact elements)
• Cables

• Non-linear truss element—a truss element that has an elastic, perfectly plastic stress-strain curve, with rupturing

Boundary Conditions:

• Rigid supports, rigid offsets, master/slave relations
• Support stiffness
• Release or connection stiffness

• Supports can have their own local coordinate systems, allowing for inclined supports and other special support conditions

Loading Conditions:

• Static Forces: concentrated, uniform/linear, triangular and self weight
• Displacement: Support Settlement and initial elongation loads

• Environmental: Temperature, cable wind loads per EIA-222-F and Cable ice loads

Analysis Methods:

• Static linear and P-delta
• Frequency/Modal

• Stiffening/weakening effects due to axial loads.

This is the most detailed steel design software available. That is not an exaggeration it’s a fact. No other program provides the level of detail available from Frame Analysis and Design. Setting the stage with its unprecedented 2-way exchange of data between analysis and design, using this program results in dramatically reduced analysis and design cycles. Steel design checks and designs are in accordance with AISC, ASD9, and LRFD2 standards. In addition to standard detailed and summary reports, reports can include a step-by-step listing of the computations used to design the member. The program will tell you what AISC equation was used, and will display the equation and reports the calculated value for each step. These incredibly detailed reports are done in the popular modern rich text format.

Technical Specifications:

• Supported sections include I-shapes, channels, angles, double angles, tubes, pipes, tees, solid circular bars and rectangular bars.
• Element’s can be checked and designed for deflection criteria. Separate load combinations can be specified for live and total load deflections. Additional design constraints such as depth limits can also be specified.
• Elements can be colored according their code check status; a five-color spectrum visually indicates their stress level.
• Spread Sheet format allows you to quickly sort and compare design and code check results for members.
• Versatile environment. The program utilizes spreadsheets for entering input and viewing output. These spreadsheets are compatible with Microsoft Excel and entries can be copied and pasted between the two applications. Reports are generated using RTF format, which is the native format for Microsoft Word. In fact the reports are automatically displayed in Microsoft Word or Word Viewer. Note that reports can be viewed using any word processor that reads RTF files, which includes almost all word processing programs.

• Element cross sections can be automatically updated (in the model) by the steel design routine allowing for quick and efficient design-analysis cycles.
• Conditional allowable stress increases for wind loading. User can define relationship between load combinations such that the 4/3 increase factor for a combination containing wind loads is only used if the combination without wind does not exceed allowable stresses as given by 9th Edition ASD.
• Procedure Reports are reports that step through the complete code checking process listing every computation made including equation used, computed value and location in the code book. This unique feature is only available through Digital Canal. It is an invaluable tool for engineers for verifying steel code check calculations.
• Output includes: allowable stresses/ultimate strengths, critical stresses/section forces, deflections and deflection ratios, ratios for each stress/force component, locations of critical sections, optimal shape recommendations and detailed computation procedures.

The industry's best spread footing design capabilities integrated directly into Frame Analysis and Design - designing footings can't be made easier! Every practical footing design consideration is covered (uplift, bi-axial bending, size restrictions, bar selection, temp. steel, sliding...everything!). The spreadsheet interface enables you to design thousands of footings in as much time as it takes to get your morning coffee.

Check out the technical specification listed below, you won't find a better way to design footings:

Technical Specifications:

• Footings can be designed right inside of the AutoCAD model. Spreadsheet format allows you to design one or one hundred footings with just a few clicks.
• Footing layout command draws a 3D representation of the footing-great for checking clearances and spotting trouble areas.
• Spread footing reports can be generated in summary or detailed mode. Summary reports consist of a single table with a row for each footing while detailed reports list all of the details of the footing and its design.
• Footings are designed or checked using ACI 318-2002 code. The controlling column and load combination is listed for each design element (footing dimensions, thickness, pressure, top steel, bottom steel)--this is important information for identifying "problem columns" and program verification.
• Footings are designed to resist uplift and sliding forces as well as biaxial column moments and compressive forces.
• You can group supports to find single footing design that will work for all of the columns - simplifying construction! 
• Loads are automatically read from the analysis results and factored for ACI 2002 combinations.
• Design combinations are completely customizable.

• Reinforcement design includes multiple bar size options and corresponding spacing. Minimum steel for temperature and shrink is determined and the user is warned if the footing becomes over-reinforced. When development is inadequate the program warns the user that anchorage must be provided.
• Column bearing is checked and the required area of dowel steel reported. If a baseplate is present, the bearing failure surface is adjusted accordingly.
• Dimension restrictions can be entered to control the design of the footing when space limitations are present. User defined increment factors assure that the program does not design footings of impractical size--no 46.5" x 27.33" footings!
• Spread footing reports have been completely reformatted to RTF format; tables, icons, shading and coloring are used to illustrate key data and improve readability.
• Flexible unit controls allow for US or metric designs