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Support CenterKnowledge Base ArticlesStrengthening of existing steel members
IDEA StatiCa Member for steel
Member model organization
Modeling wizard for typical use-cases in Steel Member
Member wizard models available for AISC and AS
Out of surface load warning in Member
Strengthening of existing steel members
Strengthening of existing steel members
SteelMember designKnowledge baseMemberEN (Eurocode)

Strengthening of existing steel members

This article is also available in
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Applying additional loads to existing structures or building renovations together with CO2 consumption has is an increasingly very hot topic more and more. Proper assessment of the strengthened structure might be a tough task. But not with IDEA StatiCa Member!

Construction stages and strengthening

Construction stages (known as Preload in the Member application) are used when, say, an engineer needs to check a member based on a new load distribution against an existing load pattern. Using this method, specific and targeted strengthening works can be designed. 

Strengthening a building, rather than demolition, can be a complex solution, which is why this method has been introduced. It aims to allow design teams to formulate a strategy that saves buildings and reduces CO2 emissions. There are several examples in engineering where this is required: where solar PV panels are used on existing roofs, leading to increased loading and uplift, or re-modeling of retail premises where stairs and openings are never in the right place.

Define a new Check type of the pre-load to allow the software to introduce additional loading after the required ULS loading checks have been completed. Thanks to this, you can clearly see pass/fail results, including the, e.g., stress in the existing structure, and in the plates of the added strengthening.

Available in IDEA StatiCa Steel and IDEA StatiCa Complete editions.

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Related articles

Release notes IDEA StatiCa 23.1
  • Concrete
  • Steel
  • Connection
  • Detail 2D
  • Member
  • Checkbot
  • Viewer
  • RCS
  • IDEA Open Model (API)
  • ACI (USA)
  • AISC (USA)
  • BIM link
  • EN (Eurocode)
  • v23.1
  • +14
  • Concrete
  • Steel
  • Connection
  • Detail 2D
  • Member
  • Checkbot
  • Viewer
  • RCS
  • IDEA Open Model (API)
  • ACI (USA)
  • AISC (USA)
  • BIM link
  • EN (Eurocode)
  • v23.1

Release notes

Release notes IDEA StatiCa 23.1

Read more