GENERAL DESCRIPTION

ECtools© is a design software for Reinforced Concrete and Unreinforced Masonry Structures that aims to facilitate the practicing structural engineer or the design office in the correct application of the several clauses of Eurocodes 2, 6 and 8. It utilises the analysis results of either Scia Engineer© or ETABS© and can be used in the following cases:

• Seismic design of Reinforced Concrete Buildings

• Checking/Reviewing the Design of Reinforced Concrete Buildings
  

• Seismic Assessment and Retrofitting of existing Reinforced Concrete Buildings

• Seismic design of Composite buildings with Concrete Cores (The cores)

• Seismic design of Unreinforced Masonry Buildings

• Seismic Assessment and Retrofitting of existing Unreinforced Masonry Buildings

click here to download the ECtools Technical brochure in pdf

GENERAL ADVANTAGES

ECtools has been developed by 3PI. Ltd. which is a subsidiary of Penelis Consulting Engineers SA , a structural design office with projects in many EU and Non-EU countries with high seismic risk, such as Greece, Romania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Serbia, Cyprus, Egypt.

This means that ECtools is a product developed by structural engineers, aiming to satisfy the needs of structural engineers when dealing with large projects. It has been extensively tested within the design office and many Universities and its predecessor, eTools, has been in use since 2002 in Greece and Cyprus.

COUNTRIES OF APPLICATION

The Eurocodes program has allowed for some diversification within member states, thus introducing the National Annexes for each Eurocode. ECtools has incorporated those NAs for all EU countries.

Non EU countries, or EU countries without available NAs, can apply either the general suggestions of the Eurocodes, or a NA of their choice.

LANGUAGE

The software menu and manual are in English, however the final calculation report, which is part of the design deliverables, can be produced in any language the user wishes, since it is very common for local authorities not to accept calculation reports in foreign languages.

Product description

Nemetschek Scia, 3π presented ECtools and Scia Engineer 2011 in Eurodyn2011, in Leuven Belgium

Nemetschek SCIA and 3π presented the launching of ECtools and Scia Engineer 2011 during the EURODYN2011, Eighth International Conference on Structural Dynamics which took place in Leuven,
Belgium, from 4 to 6 July 2011. The international academia and practicing engineers who participated took an interest in the Seismic Design capabilities of the new co-operation between Nemetschek Scia and 3π-Penelis Software ltd.

This freeware standalone application has been developed by 3π and Penelis Consulting SA. It facilitates the biaxial flexural section analysis and design of simple rectangular and T sections incorporating the basic algorithm of eTools. It is free for use and distribution to any licenced civila engineer or students of engineering.

The program requires the triad of design loads (Biaxial moments and axial forces, and the design value of concrete compressive strength and steel yield strength. Please pay attention that all the values are in KN-m units and that they are design and not characteristic values. The result is the reqwuired reinforcement in cm.

Link to Download (Simple Designer.exe)