ECtools is now available

ECtools© is a design software for Reinforced Concrete and Unreinforced Masonry Structures using either the European Norms (Eurocodes) or the ACI318-11& ASCE/SEI7-10 US norms. It to facilitate the practicing structural engineer or the design office in the correct application of the several clauses of these codes. It utilises the analysis results of either SCIA Engineer© or-for the Eurocodes- 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
√ Preparation of the static inelastic analysis model according to the  procedures of the Eurocodes and  FEMA.

KEY FEATURES

ECtools has some key features which when beeing combined render it one of the most efficient design tools in the European Market:

√ General Building Checks fitting the requirements of EN1998 or ACI318-11&ASCE/SEI 7-10, such as:

• Automatic definition of building type

• Automatic calculation of behaviour factor q

• Torsional Sensitivity

• P-D effects

• Required seismic joint at each level

√ Application of the capacity design concept which is inhrent in all modern seismic codes

• Capacity design of joints (the weak beam - strong column rule)

• Capacity shear design of all members for ductile behaviour (capacity shear forces)

√ Flexural design of all 1D elements 2D walls and cores

with biaxial Moment -Axial force interaction, utilising a very efficient algorithm that produces fast results, while applying the cracked sections design concept with parabolic stress distribution for concrete.

√ Checking the design of a new building

• Input of the design results to be checked via excel spreadsheets
• Use of custom safery factors
• Indication of elements with inadequacy using red indictors in the status bar

√ Seismic Assessment and Strengthenning of existing buildings

• Input of the design results to be checked via excel spreadsheets
• Use of custom safety factors for verified materials
• Use of element ductility factors (primary & secondary elements)
• Available stregthenning options with R/C jackets of existing elements
• Indication of elements with inadequacy using red indicators in the status bar.