Release notes: Tekla Structural Designer 2021 SP2
This release will upgrade your Tekla Structural Designer installation to version number 21.2.0.58 and should be installed to ensure optimum function of the program. It includes a number of enhancements and issue resolutions as detailed below.
If you are upgrading from a version earlier than the immediately prior release 2021 (version 21.1.0.33 released April 2021), you can find details of requirements, enhancements and fixes for all previous releases in Tekla User Assistance (TUA) and Tekla Downloads via the links below:
Licensing & Installation
Licensing:
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No new license is required for this version.
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Client License Service Version - if it is not already, the Tekla Structural License Service update April 2021 (v3.3.1) update should be installed with this release on clients*.
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*This update of the license service was released to coincide with that of Tekla Structural Designer 2021 SP1 because if this was installed but the License Service V3.3.1.0 update was not, then you could experience a blank sign-in window when attempting to sign-in to your Trimble Identity account on launching Tekla Structural Designer. This update does NOT need to be installed on Sentinel RMS license servers.
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License Server Version - for Sentinel RMS Server licensing, the latest version of the Tekla Structural License Service (v3.3.0) (incorporating Sentinel RMS 9.7) must be installed on your license server to be compatible with this release. Licensing will not function correctly if this is not the case. For more on this requirement please see the TUA article Tekla Analysis & Design 2021 Releases & Sentinel RMS Server Licensing - the License Server must be updated.
Installation:
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This service pack requires Tekla Structural Designer 2021 first release (version 21.0.0.116) to be installed and will update your current version.
- Integration:
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Tekla Structures - if you wish to integrate with Tekla Structures you should install both this release and Tekla Structures 2021 for optimum performance.
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Note that there have been significant improvements to integration - especially for rebar - in the 2021 release of Tekla Structures. For more information about this please see the Tekla Structures Help Topic Tekla Structural Designer Import and Export.
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Tekla Tedds - to use Design using Tekla Tedds, for optimum performance you should install Tekla Tedds 2021. This can be obtained from Tekla Downloads.
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Tekla Portal Frame and Connection Designer 21 - if you wish to integrate this release with Tekla Portal Frame Designer/ Tekla Connection Designer - or use these products on their own - you should install Service Pack 2 for Tekla Portal Frame Designer 21/ Tekla Connection Designer 21 which is installed at the same time as this release. The installation for this can be obtained from Tekla Downloads.
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Autodesk Revit© - the Tekla Structural Designer Integrator for Autodesk Revit© 2022 (version 8.0) is released at the same time as this release. For more information about this see Tekla Structural Designer Integrator June 2021 updates page. The installation for this is available in Tekla Downloads. If you are using Autodesk Revit© 2022, you can install this to perform BIM integration with Tekla Structural Designer.
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Fixes and enhancements included in the Integrator for Revit© 2022 are also included in updates for the Integrators specific to the other currently supported Revit© versions which are 2019 (update version 5.04), 2020 (update version 6.03) and 2021 (update version 7.02). For more information see the Tekla Structural Designer Integrator June 2021 updates page. If you are performing BIM integration with any of these Revit© versions, we recommend you update to the latest version of the associated Integrator.
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Please note that the Integrator for Revit© 2018 is no longer supported and so there is no update for this.
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Previous Versions and file compatibility - files from all previous versions can be opened in this release, however note that, once saved, they cannot then be opened in a previous release. If you wish to retain this option we therefore recommend using the File > Save As… option to save a copy of the file in the previous release and retain the original.
Highlights
- Improvements to Workflow - New Properties Window Validation and Tooltips
- Embodied carbon - New reporting for piles and distribution by level
- Simple wind load enhancements
- Steel column base plate design - enhanced scope for USA head code
- New orthotropic two-way slabs
- Interoperability - New Tekla Structural Designer Integrator for Autodesk Revit 2022
General & Modeling
Highlights
Other General & Modeling Enhancements and Fixes
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A number of additional fixes which are not detailed explicitly here are also made to improve general performance and stability.
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[TSD-8821] - NEW - Remember Last Used Property Set
To improve the workflow when modeling, when creating members using the Model ribbon buttons for line elements (beams, columns, braces), the last used property set for the member type being created is now remembered and automatically set in the Properties window, as shown in the picture below.
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Note that this new functionality applies only to line elements with a specific ribbon button, so is not available for some line elements where this is not the case, such as cold rolled purlins and rails.
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[TSD-9608] - Grid Lines - Select by Default in 3D View
The facility to select architectural grid lines by default in 3D structure views (without requiring further Level and Scene Content settings) is re-enabled. This issue applies only to the immediately previous 2021 SP1 release in which this facility was disabled by new related behavior of architectural grids in the Review View.
Interoperability
Highlights
Other Interoperability Enhancements and Fixes
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[TSD-8690] - IFC Export - in some IFC viewers - for example Trimble Connect and Tekla Structures - it was not possible to see the grid lines for an IFC model that had been exported from Tekla Structural Designer. This was because the grids were not added to the IFC spatial structure. This is corrected in this release.
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[TSD-8676] - Structural BIM Import - Status Tree - when updating models via Structural BIM import of a CXL file, erroneous messages "Position Updated" were issued in the Structural BIM Import status tree for models containing steel columns with splice offsets when there were no changes to the positioning of the splices. This is corrected in this release.
Loading
Analysis & Results
Highlights
Other Analysis & Results Enhancements and Fixes
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NEW - Model & Result Tables for FE Results and Controls for Imposed/ Live Load Reductions and Combination Strength/ Service Factors
The following enhancements are made for the analysis data tables available in Model & Results:
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[TSD-9503, 9504] - NEW - “FE Results by Node” and “FE Results by Shell” Tables
New tables are added to view and export results for “FE Results by Node” and “FE Results by Shell” which previously were only available in Reports.
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The new tables can be selected from the View type drop list as shown below and are available for all the appropriate analysis types and cases/ combinations - as well as with the new options listed below - in the same manner as the existing results such as Nodal forces.
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[TSD-9576] - NEW - Results with Imposed/ Live Load Reductions
A new toggle button is added to show results with Imposed/ Live Load Reductions (ILR) included/ not included in the Result type group of the Model & Results Ribbon (previously the results available were all without ILR).
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Currently this is applicable for; Nodal Forces, FE results by node, FE results by shell
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[TSD-9577] - Enhanced - Combinations - Results for Strength/ Service Factors
Previously the toggle buttons to display results for either Strength or Service Factor were applicable only to nodal deflections. Their function is now extended to all eligible options such as; Nodal forces, Element end forces, FE results by node and shell, 2D integrated results.
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These options are disabled when load cases are selected for viewing as they are only applicable to combinations results.
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[TSD-9575] - Results View - Imposed / Live Load Reductions - the Results Ribbon button to activate display of results including Imposed/ Live Load reductions has been changed from "Reduced Axial Force" to "Imposed Load Reduction" or "Live Load Reduction" as appropriate to the Head Code.
Design
Highlights
General Design Enhancements and Fixes
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[TSD-9654] - NEW - Design Warnings/ Checks added to Global Settings Page
For the appropriate Countries/ Codes which feature Design Warning settings - such as the USA - the Design Warnings settings page is now included in the Global Settings (Home > Settings) where previously it was omitted. This enables your desired defaults for these to be configured for new models. This also applies to the Design Settings > Design Checks page detailed below for the India Head Code and associated Settings Set.
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[TSD-9559] - Pile Cap Design - All Head Codes - the autodesign of piles for Pile Caps would attempt to find a passing solution for pile lateral capacity when the Design Setting “Check piles for lateral load” was not enabled. This could result in an over-design or in autodesign failing to find a passing solution, though such a solution could be found manually. This is corrected in this release.
Head Code India Design Enhancements and Fixes
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[TSD-9233, 9435] - NEW - Concrete Wall Design - Seismic Horizontal & Vertical Reinforcement Check Controls
The Design settings for seismic design of concrete walls are enhanced as follows:
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In the Design Settings, the "Design Warnings" settings group is renamed to "Design Checks"
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Grouped under the heading “Concrete seismic checks” new options are added to enable/ disable the seismic concrete wall design checks for horizontal and vertical reinforcement per Cl. 10.1.6 Table 1 and Cl. 10.1.8. These are all enabled by default and can be disabled individually at the engineer’s discretion.
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When enabled the behavior is as previously.
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When disabled the particular check is not performed and is omitted from the design status and details.
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Reports and Drawings
Highlights
Other Reports and Drawings Enhancements and Fixes
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[TSD-2260] - NEW - Envelope Reports for Member Forces
The Member Forces report item can now be configured to give results for envelopes - either all or selected. The aim has been to keep the reported data to a manageable level while including the key result the engineer most likely requires.
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This new option makes it possible to obtain tabular output of the max/ min extreme values (termed “points of interest'') for an envelope such as could be obtained by viewing results for an Envelope in the Load Analysis with the “Show Extremes” option enabled, as illustrated below.
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The report content includes results at:
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A fixed number of positions as defined by the Positions Filter settings.
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Additional “points of interest” wherever there is a maximum or minimum value for any of the 8 reported results which is larger than occurs at any station.
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The exception to this is torsion for which only abs max values are reported.
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The report is also amended - for all loading filters - to remove points with maximum deflections zero, which could previously be included.
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Hence there are potentially 15 positions in addition to the fixed positions. Therefore it is recommended to consider setting a minimum number of positions. E.g. as shown in the picture below you could set the minimum Positions Filter (beams) = 3 (gives four fixed positions of end points and two internal points at 1/3rd positions).
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These settings were used to produce the example below, in which it can be seen that:
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All extreme values are given at the fixed points of 0m, 2.5m, 5m and 7.5m (shaded in blue).
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Extreme values are also given at the points of interest of 4.059m and 6.025m (shaded in green) where the max/ min deflections occur, producing twelve rows in total for the beam.
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[TSD-8950] - Updated Drawing Settings for SEA
In line with customer feedback, the drawing settings have been updated for the SEA countries of; Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia. These will be active by default in a new installation and new files. For an existing installation and files you can update your settings to these as follows:
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After installing this release, In Home > Settings Import the new settings set for your country and set it as Active.
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Open an existing file, open Drawing Settings then Load from the Active settings set.
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If you wish, you can then Save these to your custom global settings by switching the Active settings set to this, then clicking Save in the drawing settings.
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To update the settings in any other existing models, repeat step 2.
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Notes
The number in brackets before an item denotes an internal reference number. This can be quoted to your local Support Department should further information on an item be required.