GSA 8 Release Notes

Contents

• GSA Restrictions
• GSA (not yet published)
• GSA 8.7 build 80 (released 5 September 2017)
• GSA 8.7 build 79 (released 30 June 2017)
• GSA 8.7 build 78 (released 4 May 2017)
• GSA 8.7 build 77 (released 20 March 2017)
• GSA 8.7 build 74 (released 17 January 2017)
• GSA 8.7 build 73 (released 11 November 2016)
• GSA 8.7 build 72 (released 29 September 2016)
• GSA 8.7 build 70 (released 2 September 2016)
• GSA 8.7 build 68 (released 29 June 2016)
• GSA 8.7 build 67 (released 3 June 2016)
• GSA 8.7 build 66 (released 8 April 2016)
• GSA 8.7 build 62 (released 15 December 2015)
• GSA 8.7 build 60 (released 4 December 2015)
• GSA 8.7 build 59 (released 3 December 2015)
• GSA 8.7 build 57 (released 5 November 2015)
• GSA 8.7 build 54 (released 21 October 2015)
• GSA 8.7 build 53 (released 6 October 2015)
• GSA 8.7 build 52 (released 28 September 2015)
• GSA 8.7 build 50 (released 9 September 2015)
• GSA 8.7 build 49 (released 29 July 2015)
• GSA 8.7 build 45 (released 27 May 2015)
• GSA 8.7 build 43 (released 5 March 2015)
• GSA 8.7 build 42 (released 12 February 2015)
• GSA 8.7 build 41 (released 6 February 2015)
• GSA 8.7 build 37 (released 17 December 2014)
• GSA 8.7 build 36 (released 21 November 2014)
• GSA 8.7 build 33 (released 13 October 2014)
• GSA 8.7 build 31 (released 7 August 2014)
• GSA 8.7 build 28 (released 23 June 2014)
• GSA 8.7 build 27 (released 17 June 2014)
• GSA 8.7 build 22 (released 14 May 2014)
• GSA 8.7 build 21 (released 17 April 2014)
• GSA 8.7 build 19 (released 1 April 2014)
• GSA 8.7 build 16 (released 12 March 2014)
• GSA 8.7 (first released 14 February 2014)
• GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 23 (released 26 November 2012)
• GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 20 (released 28 September 2012)
• GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 18 (released 11 July 2012)
• GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 15 (released 27 June 2012)
• GSA 8.6 build 9 (released 13 March 2012)
• GSA 8.6 (first released 10 February 2012)
• GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 27 (released 27 September 2011)
• GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 24 (released 24 June 2011)
• GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 21 (released 18 April 2011)
• GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 20 (released 15 April 2011)
• GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 19 (released 18 March 2011)
• GSA 8.5 build 14 (released 21 December 2010)
• GSA 8.5 build 10 (released 30 September 2010)
• GSA 8.5 build 8 (released 18 August 2010)
• GSA 8.5 (first released 3 August 2010)
• GSA 8.4 build 20 (released 1 July 2010)
• GSA 8.4 build 19 (released 17 May 2010)
• GSA 8.4 build 17 (released 14 December 2009)
• GSA 8.4 build 15 (released 26 October 2009)
• GSA 8.4 build 11 (released 28 September 2009)
• GSA 8.4 (first released 14 September 2009)
• GSA 8.3 (first released 24 June 2008)
• GSA 8.2 latest patches
• GSA 8.2 build 3 (released 25 July 2007)
• GSA 8.2 build 2 (released 13 February 2007)
• GSA 8.2 build 1 (released 20 December 2006)
• GSA 8.1 latest patches
• GSA 8.1 build 12 (released 22 December 2005)
• GSA 8.1 build 9 (released 4 November 2005)
• GSA 8.1 build 7 (released 14 October 2005)
• GSA 8.1 build 4 (released 10 August 2005)
• GSA 8.1 build 3 (released 29 July 2005 as a patch)
• GSA 8.1 (released 1 July 2005)
• GSA 8.0 build 34 (released 21 April 2005)
• GSA 8.0 build 30 (released 7 May 2004)
• GSA 8.0 build 27 (released 12 December 2003)
• GSA 8.0 build 15 (released 14 February 2003)
• GSA 8.0 build 9 (released 5 November 2002)
• GSA 8.0 initial release (released 5 September 2002)
• GSA Outstanding Bugs

GSA restrictions

GSA restrictions — Gss Solver

• Link element forces and reactions at nodes on link elements can be wrong when the link elements are connected in a chain.

GSA restrictions — GsRelax Solver

• Element offsets cannot be analysed by GsRelax.
• If the constraint axes of the two nodes of a joint differ the model cannot be analysed by GsRelax.
• Distortion loads not acting at the end of a beam or not in the x, y or z direction cannot be analysed by GsRelax.
• Fablon uses 4 triangular elements to simulate a Quad 4 element in the analysis in which a dummy node at the centre of the Quad 4 element is introduced. The results at the 4 nodes are the average of the results of the two adjacent triangular elements and the results at the centre is the average of the 4 triangle elements. It is expected that the results are not consistent with true 4-noded quad element.
• In the post-processing of 1D element results, the original length rather than the deformed length is used in the calculation of beam shear forces and moments. If an element is loaded and its deformed length is significantly different to its original length (and the results are from a GsRelax analysis), the output of beam shear forces and moments may not be correct.

GSA restrictions — Interface

• When running Remote Desktop on a Windows 7 machine to access another machine (whether running Windows 7 or XP) to run GSA, the performance of Graphic Views is degraded in that rubber-banding leaves a trail, selection marks do not 'stick' and legend text is badly formatted.

GSA Recent New Features (not yet published)

None implemented since the last release.

GSA Recent Fixes (not yet published)

Items identified as 'released' in this section are available as a revised component, by request from Oasys. They will be built into an updated installation in due course.

GSA recent fixes — Design

• The value of fcdc for EN1992 code is incorrect. The value should be multiplied by 0.52.
  [NCR11360] (Fixed 14 September 2017)

GSA recent fixes — Analysis

• When creating response spectrum for China design codes GB50011-2001 & 50011-2010, all parameters are zero.
  [NCR11415] (Fixed 18 December 2017)

GSA 8.7.0.80 - New Features

• The relative displacement option for response spectrum analysis now includes rotations as well as translations.

GSA 8.7.0.80 - Fixes

GSA 8.7.0.80 - Fixes — General

• When grid loading is used and only selected results are required the expanded beam loads get deleted when the analysis completes resulting in incorrect results along elements.
  [NCR11310] (Fixed 24 July 2017)
• The ‘Reset Grid/Face Loading’ command will not clear face loads expanded for load panel elements when there are no grid planes or grid loads in the model.
  [NCR11312] (Fixed 26 July 2017)

GSA Recent Fixes — Analysis

• Nonlinear analysis does not converge if nodes in a rigid constraint belong to the current analysis stage do not connect to any active elements
  [NCR11319] (Fixed 31 July 2017)
• If 2D element in-plane thickness is modified, the buckling analysis and p-delta analysis results are incorrect
  [NCR11333] (Fixed 14 August 2017)

GSA Recent Fixes — Design

• In RC Slab if user dedfined reinforcements are specified, reinforcement areas cannot be calculated.
  [NCR11336] (Fixed 18 August 2017)

GSA 8.7.0.79 - New Features

GSA 8.7.0.79 - New Features — General

• The output axes are now reported in the Report tab of the Object Viewer. Also if 'displayed results' is selected the output axes are set to the output axes of the displayed results.

GSA 8.7.0.79 - Fixes

GSA 8.7.0.79 - Fixes — General

• GSA refuses to read view settings from a .gwb file if the model sets contain a critical sequence of entity numbers.
  [NCR11268] (Fixed 6 June 2017)
• GSA crashes if a combination case is input whose descrption refers to an analysis task that does not exist.
  [NCR11286] (Fixed 29 June 2017)

GSA 8.7.0.79 - Fixes — Analysis

• GSA crashes when doing p-delta analysis and p-delta modal buckling analysis with combination case as p-delta case, the workaround is to use equivalent analysis as p-delta case.
  [NCR11249] (Fixed 22 May 2017)
• GSA crashes trying to run footfall analysis if no response nodes have been set.
  [NCR11260] (Fixed 31 May 2017)
• Tool for generating "Spectrum Scaling factors of modes" does not work if user defined spectrum is used.
  [NCR11273] (Fixed 14 June 2017)
• Beam translational releases do not work correctly in nonlinear analysis if displacements are large.
  [NCR11274] (Fixed 14 June 2017)

GSA 8.7.0.79 - Fixes — Design

• HK steel design: While checking buckling interaction, the steel checker incorrectly uses the plastic section capacity instead of the elastic section capacity when the section is plastic.
  [NCR11235] (Fixed 9 May 2017)

GSA 8.7.0.79 - Fixes — Table Views

• 2D Element Loading Thermal: Editing the last row via wizard could crash GSA.
  [NCR11289] (Fixed 16 June 2017)

GSA 8.7.0.78 - New Features

GSA 8.7.0.78 - New Features — Interface with Third Party Software

• The GSA-Revit link is now compatible with Revit 2018.

GSA 8.7.0.78 - Fixes

GSA 8.7.0.78 - Fixes — General

• When using load panels to distribute load the reference edge can get lost resulting in the load being attributed to the wrong edges.
  [NCR11208] (Fixed 29 March 2017)

GSA 8.7.0.78 - Fixes — Analysis

• The calculation of modal damping from material damping is incorrect when the model contains elements with releases.
  [NCR11205] (Fixed 27 March 2017)
• GSA crashes trying to analyse in GSS where there are links in the model that refer to non-existent nodes.
  [NCR11212] (Fixed 31 March 2017)
• GSA crashes analysing a small number of models containing load panels.
  [NCR11215] (Fixed 3 April 2017)
• GSA crashes setting up dynamic, P-delta, Ritz and model stability analysis when there are combination cases in the model that refer to non-existent combinations.
  [NCR11216] (Fixed 4 April 2017)

GSA 8.7.0.78 - Fixes — Design

• When the required reinforcement areas are very small, sometimes RC slab design fails to calculate the reinforcement areas and wrongly shows impossible to calculate the reinforcement areas.
  [NCR11214] (Fixed 27 March 2017)
• When extra eccentrcity has been defined in RC slab property, the calculated reinforcement areas may not be correct.
  [NCR11223] (Fixed 20 April 2017)

GSA 8.7.0.77 - New Features

GSA 8.7.0.77 - New Features — Analysis

• Footfall analysis using AISC SDG11 (Vibrations of Steel-Framed Structural Systems Due to Human Activity) 2nd edition for walking on floor, walking on stair and running on floor.
• Load panel elements can now be bounded by zero length link elements as well as beam/bar elements. This allows for modified ‘releases’ to be set in different stages. No load is applied to the link elements. An additional check is made for load panels that are bounded by coincident elements.

GSA 8.7.0.77 - New Features — Design

• In RC slab design, a new parameter (user defined additional eccentricity) is added to RC slab property, this will allow users to explicitly define this additional eccentricity to consider the slenderness effect of the RC slab/wall when in-plane forces are significant.

GSA 8.7.0.77 - Fixes

GSA 8.7.0.77 - Fixes — General

• GSA crashes when running 'Create Patterned Loads' from Tools menu if element list of beam loads is empty. The workaround is to delete this beam load or add element to the element list.
  [NCR11116] (Fixed 19 January 2017)
• When pasting explicit postions into the assemblies table the units can get lost resulting in the values being interpreted as SI.
  [NCR11121] (Fixed 30 January 2017)
• Some of the total forces/moments are not written to gwa files.
  [NCR11155] (Fixed 1 March 2017)
• When reading text files, GSA garbles combination cases with envelopes of combinations that are later in the file.
  [NCR11179] (Fixed 10 March 2017)
• When reading gwa files some items can get a 'version' number added to the name. Ths affects Grid Planes, Grid Lines and Polylines.
  [NCR11181] (Fixed 13 March 2017)
• When reading section (PROP_SEC) records from gwa files the section formation type is ignored.
  [NCR11193] (Fixed 17 March 2017)

GSA 8.7.0.77 - Fixes — Analysis

• When node loads are applied to nodes that are inactive in the solution, these loads are still included in the total loads and in the ignored node list. This does not affect the rest of the analysis. This is now modified so that these loads are ignored.
  [NCR11128] (Fixed 6 February 2017)
• Creep factor defined in stage definition is missed out for thermal load in linear (GSS) analysis.
  [NCR11129] (Fixed 6 February 2017)
• Creep factor defined in stage definition is missed out in nonlinear (GsRelax) analysis .
  [NCR11130] (Fixed 6 February 2017)
• If beam element has axial release and the release end is connected to a Link element, the link element forces and moments will not be available from nonlinear analysis.
  [NCR11145] (Fixed 23 February 2017)

GSA 8.7.0.77 - Fixes — Design

• EC3 steel design: EC3 steel design grade S450 (EN) name is shown incorrectly as S460 (EN).
  [NCR11176] (Fixed 9 March 2017)
• EC3 steel design: The steel checker incorrectly uses the yield strength when selecting a buckling curve. This sometimes gives a conservative estimate of buckling capacity for S460 steel grade.
  [NCR11187] (Fixed 15 March 2017)
• When a load design code is set in the new model wizard, the selected code is ignored and reset to Undefined.
  [NCR11192] (Fixed 16 March 2017)

GSA 8.7.0.77 - Fixes — Interface with Third Party Software

• GsRevit: Orientation of framing members (beams and braces) is not imported into Revit 2016/2017.
  [NCR11120] (Fixed 24 January 2017) (Released in GsRevit_R16/R17 8.7.0.75)

GSA 8.7.0.74 - New Features

GSA 8.7.0.74 - New Features — Analysis

• The 'projected proportional' leg length type has been added to the Spacer Properties. After form-finding analysis this results in the final projected leg length of spacer elements being proportional to the original projected leg length.

GSA 8.7.0.74 - New Features — Design

• Steel design to CSA S16-14 has been implemented.

GSA 8.7.0.74 - Fixes

GSA 8.7.0.74 - Fixes — General

• Dummy beam elements on load panel edges cause an error when expanding face loading.
  [NCR11109] (Fixed 6 January 2017)

GSA 8.7.0.74 - Fixes — Analysis

• The use of a damping table in response spectrum analysis was inconsistent with its use in the other dynamic response options. Rather that use the values only for the specified modes, the values for unspecified modes were calculated by interpolation from the table, rather than using the user specifed constant value.
  [NCR11098] (Fixed 19 December 2016)
• GSA crashes in data checks or when trying to analyse a model with wall elements that refer to nodes that do not exist.
  [NCR11107] (Fixed 5 January 2017)

GSA 8.7.0.74 - Fixes — Design

• Steel design: The steel checker incorrectly uses the yield strength of the ASTM A36 material as 35 ksi.
  [NCR11067] (Fixed 16 November 2016)
• Steel design: The 'Steel Design Calcs (verbose)' output omits the member number from the output.
  [NCR11094] (Fixed 14 December 2016)
• EC3 steel design: The steel checker sometimes incorrectly estimates the modification factor for the reduction factor for lateral torsional bending.
  [NCR11096] (Fixed 15 December 2016)
• RC slab design: If reinforcement cover is small compared with slab thickness, RC slab design may fail to produce reinforcement areas.
  [NCR11101] (Fixed 22 December 2016)
• Canadian steel design (CSA S16): When checking sections heavier than 313 kg/m of ASTM A36 steel in the buckling compression capacity check the steel checker now sets the 'n' factor to 0.93.
  [NCR11105] (Fixed 4 January 2017)
• Steel design: The tolerance for the end moments used when checking for bending moment reversal in lateral torsional buckling calculations has been increased.
  [NCR11106] (Fixed 4 January 2017)

GSA 8.7.0.74 - Fixes — Table Views

• When pasting a column into Table View entries in other columns are sometimes reset.
  [NCR11047] (Fixed 14 November 2016) (Partial fix released in GSA 8.7 build 73)

GSA 8.7.0.74 - Fixes — Interface with Third Party Software

• When exporting a NASTRAN file GSA build an index of materials used, but omitted 2D elements when creating the index, leading to materials missing in the NASTRAN file.
  [NCR11068] (Fixed 16 November 2016)

GSA 8.7.0.73 - New Features

None.

GSA 8.7.0.73 - Fixes

GSA 8.7.0.73 - Fixes — General

• GSA crashes opening the steel restraint properties table when there are gaps in the property numbers.
  [NCR11033] (Fixed 12 October 2016)
• GSA does not save the characteristic period and horizontal seismic influence coefficient of the response spectrum for GB 50011-2001 and GB 50011-2010 design codes.
  [NCR11041] (Fixed 24 October 2016)

GSA 8.7.0.73 - Fixes — Analysis

• If 1D elements are included in the element list for defining 2D element pre-stress loads, GSA crashes. The workaround is to remove 1D elements from the list or to define dummy 2D element properties with the same property number that have been referred to by the 1D elements.
  [NCR11040] (Fixed 25 October 2016)
• GSA hangs if you try to analyse a model that has elements linking coincident nodes that lie in grid planes.
  [NCR11053] (Fixed 7 November 2016)

GSA 8.7.0.73 - Fixes — Graphic Views

• Contour colours are inverted when drawn over sections and a dark background.
  [NCR11042] (Fixed 25 October 2016)

GSA 8.7.0.73 - Fixes — Design

• RC slab sometimes fails to calculate required reinforcement areas even though valid areas are available.
  [NCR11052] (Fixed 4 November 2016)

GSA 8.7.0.73 - Fixes — Table Views

• Table View crashes occasionally in Undo operations.
  [NCR11048] (Fixed 11 November 2016)

GSA 8.7.0.72 - New Features

None.

GSA 8.7.0.72 - Fixes

GSA 8.7.0.72 - Fixes — General

• When any lists, axes, materials or properties in a model have names that are more than 250 characters long, GSA crashes editing tables that refer to these modules.
  [NCR11007] (Fixed 8 September 2016)
• Typing = in tables changes other fields in the same record, not just the current field.
  [NCR11021] (Fixed 27 September 2016)

GSA 8.7.0.72 - Fixes — Design

• RC slab design: Maximum strain limit for reinforcement should be taken from relevant design code or user defined, but it is not the case at the moment. It is hard coded to 0.045, so it is wrong if code specified limit is not 0.045.
  [NCR11008] (Fixed 14 September 2016)
• RC slab design: Strength reduction factor (phi) is missed out in RC slab design for ACI codes.
  [NCR11009] (Fixed 19 September 2016)
• AISC Steel Checker: Steel checker is conservatively using a safety factor of 0.9 for hot rolled I sections under shear.
  [NCR11014] (Fixed 26 September 2016)

GSA 8.7.0.72 - Fixes — Graphic Views

• The Connect 1D Elements sculpt command does not update the display list to include new entities.
  [NCR11018] (Fixed 26 September 2016)
• The Connect 1D Elements sculpt command sometimes skips element creation when connecting along a line of 2D elements.
  [NCR11023] (Fixed 27 September 2016)

GSA 8.7.0.72 - Fixes — Interface with Third Party Software

• GsRevit: When exporting from Revit to GSA, section mappings defined in mappings.db3 are overridden by mappings defined in shared parameters.
  [NCR11016] (Fixed 23 September 2016) (Released in GsRevit 8.7.0.71)

GSA 8.7.0.70 - New Features

None.

GSA 8.7.0.70 - Fixes

GSA 8.7.0.70 - Fixes — General

• GSA crashes reading models that contain explicit members that cannot be resolved into elements.
  [NCR10945] (Fixed 7 July 2016)
• A tied interface check reports an error when a tied interface references the same node on both sides of the interface.
  [NCR10948] (Fixed 11 July 2016) (Released in GsCheck.dll 8.7.0.69)
• The Equivalent Static / Accidental Torsion load generation does not work properly for loads generated from a respnse spectrum analysis.
  [NCR10994] (Fixed 11 August 2016)
• GSA can crash when manipulating data based on members where the member topology is ill-defined (e.g.topology items repeated).
  [NCR10997] (Fixed 18 August 2016)
• On Chinese language computers, GSA displays a garbled error message containing Chinese characters when there is a syntax error in combinations.
  [NCR10999] (Fixed 19 August 2016)
• When using the 'Create Members from Elements' command GSA is sometimes unable to form a single member from a string of beam elements when the model contains 2D elements.
  [NCR11005] (Fixed 31 August 2016)

GSA 8.7.0.70 - Fixes — Analysis

• If influence line is constant (i.e. horizontal line), the worst load cases involving vehicle loads may be missed out in bridge load optimisation analysis.
  [NCR10958] (Fixed 14 July 2016)
• Settlement loads on the nodes of 2D elements with MITC formulations are applied incorrectly.
  [NCR10965] (Fixed 19 July 2016) (Released in Gss.dll 8.7.0.69)

GSA 8.7.0.70 - Fixes — Design

• RC Slab design sometimes fails to produce reinforcement areas or gives extremely high reinforcement areas.
  [NCR10990] (Fixed 8 August 2016)

GSA 8.7.0.70 - Fixes — Interface with Third Party Software

• GsRevit: When exporting Revit floor and wall entities to GSA with openings touching the boundary badly formed areas are created in the GSA model.
  [NCR11006] (Fixed 23 August 2016)

GSA 8.7.0.68 - New Features

None.

GSA 8.7.0.68 - Fixes

GSA 8.7.0.68 - Fixes — General

• GSA reports intermediate results for models with grid loads or load panels wrongly if lists or geometry in the model are added or changed after analysing.
  [NCR10925] (Fixed 20 June 2016)

GSA 8.7.0.68 - Fixes — Design

• Minimum reinforcement areas defined in RC slab property are sometimes ignored in RC slab design.
  [NCR10911] (Fixed 13 June 2016)

GSA 8.7.0.68 - Fixes — Interface with Third Party Software

• GSA can crash when exporting a NASTRAN data file. This occurs when link elements are included in the model but the link element properties are not defined. Defining a link property will avoid the problem.
  [NCR10898] (Fixed 8 June 2016)
• GsRevit: When exporting Revit floor and wall entities to GSA as areas some are exported as overlapping areas.
  [NCR10924] (Fixed 20 June 2016)

GSA 8.7.0.67 - New Features

GSA 8.7.0.67 - New Features — General

• There is now support for cloud-controlled network floating licensing. The advantage over the previous licensing is that network seats expire on the web server if not in use for a defined period of time.

GSA 8.7.0.67 - New Features — Graphic View — Sculpt

• The finding of existing nodes has been sped up in the following sculpt operations:
  • Split 1D elements/lines
  • Split Quad elements
  • Split Tri elements
  • Modify linear 2D to parabolic
  • Snap

GSA 8.7.0.67 - New Features — Interface with Third Party Software

• The GSA-Revit link is now compatible with Revit 2017.
  Note that the GsRevit executable has been digitally signed by Oasys Ltd to verify that it was published by Oasys. However the first time it is run Revit will ask you to confirm that you wish to run the executable.

GSA 8.7.0.67 - Fixes

GSA 8.7.0.67 - Fixes — General

• When a material name is set in the wizard it is not saved and is lost on exit.
  [NCR10805] (Fixed 12 April 2016)
• Spurious beam loads can be generated from grid area loads when the polygon defining the load and the polygon defining the panel on the structure have a single point in common.
  [NCR10812] (Fixed 18 April 2016)
• In some dialogs where the text should include Greek symbols, or superscript/subscript characters the text is blank.
  [NCR10827] (Fixed 27 April 2016)

GSA 8.7.0.67 - Fixes — Analysis

• If there is a modal analysis task in front of static analysis task, Pseudo response spectrum analysis cannot be done.
  [NCR10816] (Fixed 20 April 2016)
• When expanding load panel loading on to beam elements with offsets the offsets are not properly accounted for if they are local relative to the element. This does not affect global offsets.
  [NCR10817] (Fixed 21 April 2016)
• If EC2 code and UK Annex is used, the uncracked concrete strength is overestimated in RC slab design, i.e. a 0.85 factor is missed out.
  [NCR10828] (Fixed 28 April 2016)
• If a model has very large beam sections and the analysis is for internal loads (thermo and pre-stress loads etc) only, nonlinear analysis results may be incorrect. The workaround is to use absolute residual instead of relative residual in the analysis
  [NCR10841] (Fixed 9 May 2016)
• If Link elements are forming a chain and the direction of the link elements is not from lower numbered link elements to higher numbered link elements, nonlinear analysis results may be wrong. The workaround is to make the direction of the link elements from lower numbered link elements to higher numbered link elemenmts
  [NCR10847] (Fixed 12 May 2016)

GSA 8.7.0.67 - Fixes — Graphic Views

• Flipping a 1D element with local offsets gets the flipped offsets wrong.
  [NCR10818] (Fixed 21 April 2016)
• Some OpenGL functions were called without a valid context.
  [NCR10843] (Fixed 10 May 2016)

GSA 8.7.0.66 - New Features

GSA 8.7.0.66 - New Features — General

• The sub-model extraction now has a couple of enhancements:
  • Orientation nodes are no longer considered when establishing if a joint or rigid constraint crosses the boundary.
  • There is an option to continue when a rigid constraint crosses the boundary. In this case the relevant nodes in the sub-model will be fixed and given settlements corresponding to the full-model displacements for these nodes. It is up to the engineer to determine of this is appropriate.(Released in GSA 8.7.0.64)
• When assemblies contain 2D elements the force calculation can be made from the element stresses, or the element forces and moments. Previously this calculation always used the stresses resulting in zero values if the stresses were not present. It is now modified to use the stresses if available, and if not to use the forces and moments.
  (Released in GwDat.dll 50.12.0.65 & GsPrivate.dll 8.7.0.65)

GSA 8.7.0.66 - New Features — Graphic View — General

• Raft Interaction Areas are now labelled at their specified Elevation.

GSA 8.7.0.66 - New Features — Graphic View — Sculpt

• The Add String of 1D Elements command now offers the option to string to the next closest node.
  (Released in GSA 8.7.0.64)

GSA 8.7.0.66 - New Features — Interface with Third Party Software

• GsRevit: Performance of the section mapping process has been improved by storing the result in GSA to avoid multiple COM calls.
  (Released in GsRevit 8.7.0.64)

GSA 8.7.0.66 - New Features — Design

• RC slab design: The iteration routine for the optimum layer arrangement has been revised to speed up the process as well as to reduce the number of valid arrangements that are missed.
  The change may result in small differences in the optimum reinforcement arrangement compared with previous versions, but both arrangements should be valid.

GSA 8.7.0.66 - Fixes

GSA 8.7.0.66 - Fixes — General

• Tied interfaces with node lists are not exported correctly to LS-DYNA.
  [NCR10666] (Fixed 13 January 2016) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.64)
• There is an additional option, enabled in the Miscellaneous preferences, to “use a block buffer” reading and writing files. You can try setting this option if you have trouble reading and writing large files.
  [NCR10700] (Fixed 28 January 2016)
• When elements included in an assembly are modified or split the element list in the assembly is not updated.
  [NCR10731] (Fixed 18 February 2016)
• When writing explicit members in GWA format the internal topology is not written if the member is invalid.
  [NCR10764] (Fixed 7 March 2016)
• Explicit members are treated as invalid when the group of the member and the corresponding elements are not the same.
  [NCR10765] (Fixed 7 March 2016)
• The calculation of polygon intersections can have problem with long, very thin polygons. This problem can manifest itself in a variety of ways, e.g. when displaying contours of grid loading where the load is spread across a number of intersection polygons.
  [NCR10768] (Fixed 10 March 2016)
• GSA crashes sculpting or manipulating models when there are dynamic response tasks with relative nodal displacements.
  [NCR10782] (Fixed 21 March 2016)
• Sculpting or manipulating nodes in large models takes a very long time.
  [NCR10784] (Fixed 22 March 2016)
• Element lists that include the syntax XYn (and similar) reference all elements.
  [NCR10789] (Fixed 29 March 2016)
• GSA throws an exception for 2D element result extraction via API output arrays.
  [NCR10801] (Fixed 05 April 2016)
• Force/moment components get muddled while extracting assembly results over the COM API.
  [NCR10800] (Fixed 05 April 2016)

GSA 8.7.0.66 - Fixes — Analysis

• Form-finding analysis with 'X axis projected ratio' leg length type spacers does not work if the axis is not global.
  [NCR10657] (Fixed 6 January 2016) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.63)
• The pre-analysis data checks for tied interfaces could wrongly identify nodes as being on both the slave and master sides of the interface.
  [NCR10660] (Fixed 7 January 2016) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.63)
• GSA crashes when defining a 2D element offset in local axis directions.
  [NCR10663] (Fixed 8 January 2016) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.63)
• If a model has Tie or Strut elements or uses elastic-plastic material, grid loads and panel loads will be missed out in the second task of nonlinear analysis, therefore the second analysis results will be wrong if a model has grid loads or panel loads.
  [NCR10665] (Fixed 12 January 2016) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.64)
• If a model has wall elements, the modal damping is wrongly calculated as negative infinite from modal P-delta analysis.
  [NCR10741] (Fixed 22 February 2016)
• The modal damping (based on the material damping value) is not calculated when the dynamic analysis is carried out using the Ritz analysis option.
  [NCR10744] (Fixed 24 February 2016)
• If master and slave nodes in a rigid constraint are coincide, nonlinear analysis cannot proceed due to error in data checking.
  [NCR10766] (Fixed 7 March 2016)

GSA 8.7.0.66 - Fixes — Design

• RC slab design sometimes fails to calculate the required reinforcement areas even though valid reinforcement areas should be available.
  [NCR10743] (Fixed 23 February 2016)
• EC3 Steel Checker: sometimes the Uniform Moment Factors and Interaction Factors are estimated incorrectly.
  [NCR10802] (Fixed 8 April 2016)

GSA 8.7.0.66 - Fixes — Table Views

• In the Elements table the Dummy default field is ignored.
  [NCR10654] (Fixed 5 January 2016) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.63)

GSA 8.7.0.66 - Fixes — Interface with Third Party Software

• GsRevit: Column orientation is imported into Revit incorrectly when the orientation angle in GSA is negative.
  [NCR10689] (Fixed 25 January 2016) (Released in GsRevit 8.7.0.64)
• GsRevit: If the Revit level height is not equal to the framing instance Z coordinate then the nearest Revit level is assigned to it and offsets are applied relative to the assigned level.
  [NCR10745] (Fixed 24 February 2016) (Released in GsRevit 8.7.0.65)

GSA 8.7.0.62 - New Features

None.

GSA 8.7.0.62 - Fixes

GSA 8.7.0.62 - Fixes — General

• The fix [NCR10587] for panel expansion on adjacent load panels where there are element offsets on he beam elements, resulted in a problem when the elements had no offsets, leading to load terms being double counted. This problem did not exist in builds before GSA 8.7 build 59.
  [NCR10624] (Fixed 11 December 2015)
• The ‘Create Load Panels on Storeys‘ command crashes when there are gaps in the numbering of lists in the model.
  [NCR10628] (Fixed 11 December 2015)
• When using the tool to create load panels on a surface there can be instances where this fails. This is particularly the case with long thin panels.
  [NCR10632] (Fixed 15 December 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.62 - Fixes — Design

• RC slab design sometimes fails to produce the required reinforcement areas where valid reinforcement should be available.
  [NCR10636] (Fixed 14 December 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.62 - Fixes — Graphic Views

• The collection of entities that is to be displayed sometimes gets confused following a sculpt operation that adds entities.
  [NCR10631] (Fixed 14 December 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.60 - New Features

None.

GSA 8.7.0.60 - Fixes

GSA 8.7.0.60 - Fixes — Analysis

• When going through analysis wizard for harmonic, time-history, periodic and footfall analysis, the modal analysis task ComboBox is not populated or populated with a wrong order of modal analysis tasks, so these dynamic response analyses cannot go ahead through the wizard..
  [NCR10617] (Fixed 4 December 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.59 - New Features

GSA 8.7.0.59 - New Features — General

• The Wave Loading tool now allows wave loads to be generated for several wave profile data files in one go.

GSA 8.7.0.59 - New Features — Analysis

• Automatic bridge load optimisation analysis may now be carried out for Eurocode EC1_LM1.

GSA 8.7.0.59 - Fixes

GSA 8.7.0.59 - Fixes — General

• When face loads are applied to load panels and the surrounding beam elements have offsets, the loading on the offsets is incorrect when more than one face load contributes to the load on the beam.
  [NCR10587] (Fixed 23 November 2015)
• When calculating storey rotations the nodes close to the centre are subject to the largest rounding error and have a disproportionate effect on the resulting story rotation, leading to inaccurate rotation results in some cases. The algorithm has been changed to use a weighted average of the rotations calculated at the nodes to avoid this problem.
  [NCR10593] (Fixed 25 November 2015)
• It takes a very long time to create analysis envelopes when there are a large number of permutations in the combination.
  [NCR10597] (Fixed 25 November 2015)
• When an analysis stage is used to set creep factors these are considered in the analysis but not in the post-processing where intermediate displacements are calculated.
  [NCR10601] (Fixed 27 November 2015)
• The spectral accelerations for the Indian seismic code (IS 1893 (Part 1) : 2002 6.4.2) are too low by a factor of ‘g’.
  [NCR10606] (Fixed 30 November 2015)
• The tool for modal force calculation from a dynamic analysis is not working as the loadcase list is not interpreted correctly.
  [NCR10610] (Fixed 1 December 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.59 - Fixes — Analysis

• Using "Pre-load" in advanced setting may make the relevant element forces/moments incorrect. As "pre-load" does not fit physical reality, this option is removed from GSA
  [NCR10519] (Fixed 23 October 2015)
• A combination of custom rigid constraints and settlements can cause GSA to crash.
  [NCR10584] (Fixed 20 November 2015)
• If working unit is not SI, the position of generated vehicle loads from bridge analysis are incorrect.
  [NCR10599] (Fixed 27 November 2015)
• If there are more than 9 member buckling analysis cases, drawing chart view for Member buckling analysis may not take the correct analysis case as selected.
  [NCR10600] (Fixed 27 November 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.57 - New Features

GSA 8.7.0.57 - New Features — General

• There are times when it is necessary to refine a model by re-meshing from beam elements to shells. A new feature allows the loads on beam elements to be transferred to the new shell elements.

GSA 8.7.0.57 - Fixes

GSA 8.7.0.57 - Fixes — Analysis

• GSA sometimes crashes analysing models containing rigid constraints.
  [NCR10546] (Fixed 4 November 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.57 - Fixes — Design

• EC3 Steel Checker: the Elastic Critical Moment is incorrectly computed for cantilever beams when using NCCI SN009a-EN-EU.
  [NCR10542] (Fixed 3 November 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.57 - Fixes — Graphic Views

• When saving or printing saved views via COM held data scales revert to auto.
  [NCR10532] (Fixed 30 October 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.54 - New Features

GSA 8.7.0.54 - New Features — General

• Assembly results are now reported as blank if the results are not available for any of the elements that form the assembly.

GSA 8.7.0.54 - Fixes

GSA 8.7.0.54 - Fixes — General

• When extracting a sub-model from GSA the orientation nodes on elements are not considered and these are then lost in the sub-model.
  [NCR10506] (Fixed 20 October 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.54 - Fixes — Analysis

• Nonlinear analysis crashes if there are uniform thermal loads for shell elements, the workaround is to use equivalent initial strain loads to replace the thermal loads.
  [NCR10478] (Fixed 7 October 2015)
• Shell element centre only results are either not available or not correct from nonlinear analysis.
  [NCR10480] (Fixed 7 October 2015)
• Settlements were not included in the total loads and reactions leading to an apparant lack of equilibrium in the solution. Also settlements could be applied at constrained nodes leading to incorrect constraint and reaction forces. Settlements are now not allowed at constrained nodes.
  [NCR10508] (Fixed 20 October 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.54 - Fixes — Design

• EC3 Fire Steel Checker: GSA unnecessarily carries out torsional buckling checks for hollow sections.
  [NCR10502] (Fixed 20 October 2015)
• EC3 Fire Steel Checker: GSA incorrectly computes the LT buckling utilization when moment reversal is present in the member.
  [NCR10503] (Fixed 20 October 2015)
• EC3 Steel Checker: GSA now uses Table B.1 for interaction factors when the LT buckling is ignored in accordance with clause 6.3.2.2 (4) of EN 1993-1-1:2005
  [NCR10504] (Fixed 20 October 2015)
• AS4100 Steel Checker: While calculating AlphaM for cantilever beams GSA ignores the lateral torsional restraint at free end.
  [NCR10507] (Fixed 20 October 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.54 - Fixes — Graphic Views

• The deformed shape of beam elements when the section shape is displayed considers the intermediate rotations as zero.
  [NCR10491] (Fixed 14 October 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.53 - New Features

GSA 8.7.0.53 - New Features — General

• The new 'pseudo response spectrum analysis' option has been introduced in the Analysis Wizard. This does the same basic calculation as a normal response spectrum analysis but the mode shapes are defined by static analysis cases and the engineer supplies the modal dynamic details (frequency, effective mass and modal mass) directly to the task.
• The new 'Tools | Manipulate Model | Extract Sub-model' option has been extended to work with analysis tasks associated with modal, Ritz and response spectrum analysis.
  • Modal and Ritz analysis tasks are converted to and equivalent static analysis where a set of node loads are applied that correspond to the inertia load associated with the mode.
  • Response spectrum analysis tasks are converted to pseudo response spectrum tasks and the dynamic details from the modal task are copied to the psuedo response spectrum task.

GSA 8.7.0.53 - Fixes

GSA 8.7.0.53 - Fixes — General

• When load panel elements are ill-defined (element refers to non-existent topology item) the load expansion will crash. Fixing the topology avoids the problem.
  [NCR10463] (Fixed 1 October 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.53 - Fixes — Analysis

• Factored effects should be used to determine the critical load combinations in bridge load optimization analysis, but total effects are incorrectly used currently.
  [NCR10464] (Fixed 2 October 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.52 - New Features

GSA 8.7.0.52 - New Features — General

• Internal calculations for assemblies now use ‘end points’ closer to he end of the assembly to reduce the rounding error in the extreme points.
  (Released in GwDat.dll 50.12.0.51)
• The new 'Tools | Manipulate Model | Extract Sub-model' option creates a new model from a specified element list. For selected static tasks settlements are applied to the boundary nodes representing the corresponding displacements.

GSA 8.7.0.52 - New Features — Analysis

• Link elements are now considered in response spectrum analysis.
  (Released in GdSpec.dll 8.7.0.51)

GSA 8.7.0.52 - Fixes

None

GSA 8.7.0.50 - New Features

None.

GSA 8.7.0.50 - Fixes

GSA 8.7.0.50 - Fixes — General

• 'Import GWA' in 'overwrite' mode resets the model units to SI.
  [NCR10393] (Fixed 7 August 2015)
• Intermediate member user module values are sometimes not recognised for members that relate to several members.
  [NCR10395] (Fixed 10 August 2015)
• Grid loading can be wrongly calculated when the load polygon and the polygon formed by the panel touch at a single point. This can result in a doubling of the load being applied on the structure for this panel.
  [NCR10404] (Fixed 18 August 2015)
• Accidental torsion calculation not working when one of the storeys in the model has zero mass.
  [NCR10418] (Fixed 1 September 2015)
• Forces and moments for beam elements bounding load panels are not reported correctly after the model is saved and read back.
  This bug does not affect results that have been produced by an analysis in the current session.
  [NCR10424] (Fixed 3 September 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.50 - Fixes — Design

• EC3 Steel Checker: Checker ignores the applied moment direction while checking for Lateral Torsional Buckling. This effects unsymmetrical sections with negative moment.
  [NCR10405] (Fixed 7 September 2015)
• BS5950 Steel Checker: Checker sometimes incorrectly identifies 'strut connections' as 'member connections' for PFC section members.
  [NCR10426] (Fixed 7 September 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.49 - New Features

GSA 8.7.0.49 - New Features — General

• Touch Gestures
  Touch gestures are implemented as follows.
  • tap - click
  • drag - drag
  • pinch - zoom
  • double finger drag - pan in Graphic Views [NEW]
  • press and tap - right-click in Graphic Views [NEW]

GSA 8.7.0.49 - New Features — Output Options

• Resolved shear |Fyz|, and resolved moment |Myz| are now included in Beam and Spring Forces and Moments output and are available as contouring and diagram options.

GSA 8.7.0.49 - New Features — Graphic View — General

• Volumes now consider lines and areas independent of the regions to which they belong.
  (Released in GsPrivate.dll 8.7.0.46)

GSA 8.7.0.49 - Fixes

GSA 8.7.0.49 - Fixes — General

• When using ‘Select by criteria’ to select by length, only 1D elements defined by a section are selected. This means links, cables and spring are ignored.
  [NCR10295] (Fixed 1 June 2015)
• Grid load expansion on one-way spanning grid planes can result in the generation of extra (incorrect) beam loading records. This problem always results in more load applied to the structure than specified.
  [NCR10314] (Fixed 10 June 2015) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.12.0.46)
  [NCR10321] (Fixed 11 June 2015) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.12.0.47)
• Assembly definitions cannot be pasted into a model that has results.
  [NCR10345] (Fixed 25 June 2015)
• GSA crashes when any change that alters or deletes members is undone.
  [NCR10349] (Fixed 26 June 2015)
• Base shear calculations for seismic equivalent static analysis are incorrect.
  [NCR10350] (Fixed 30 June 2015) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.7.0.47 and OaUtil.dll 50.12.0.47)
• "Generate Static Vehicle Load..." tool fails to use model unit, SI unit is always used.
  [NCR10360] (Fixed 7 July 2015)
• GSA reports intermediate results for beams with grid loads or load panels wrongly after members are created or edited.
  [NCR10378] (Fixed 20 July 2015) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.12.0.48)
• GSA crashes analysing models with complex lists in them when a Graphic view is visible.
  [NCR10385] (Fixed 28 July 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.49 - Fixes — Analysis

• If 1D elements are included in the element list in 2D element thermal load definition, Nonlinear analysis crashes.
  [NCR10299] (Fixed 1 June 2015)
• Footfall, harmonic, periodic and time history analyses cannot be done due to a wrong error message. The workaround is to define a response spectrum in the same file to enable the analysis to proceed.
  [NCR10300] (Fixed 1 June 2015)
• When calculating modal damping from material damping the elements with zero damping are ignored. This can lead to higher than expected damping values. Specifying a small (~0) damping value will avoid this problem.
  [NCR10304] (Fixed 4 June 2015)
• When centre-only values on 2D elements are specified for a response spectrum analysis, this option is ignored and values are calculated for all points. If the centre-only values are specified for the modal analysis then the response spectrum analysis results will contain invalid values for all but the first topology item, which will contains the centre value. This results in black contours and blanks in the output views.
  [NCR10326] (Fixed 16 June 2015)
• The phenomenon is the same as NCR10326 above, but this bug is for harmonic and time history analysis.
  [NCR10328] (Fixed 16 June 2015)
• When relative tolerance is used in raft analysis, the actual tolerance is sometimes too small for the analysis to converge. This is due to that the smallest soil settlement is used in calculating the actual tolerance, by right, the largest soil settlement should be used.
  [NCR10353] (Fixed 1 July 2015)
• GSA sometimes crashes analysing models that have wall elements in them.
  [NCR10355] (Fixed 4 July 2015)
• Response spectrum calculations are incorrect for nodes restrained in local axes.
  [NCR10370] (Fixed 23 July 2015)
• If a model with wall elements and the wall elements use non-local axis, the analysis results are sometimes wrong.
  [NCR10372] (Fixed 17 July 2015)
• Total Moments are reported incorrectly for Modal Analysis and Response Spectrum Analysis when the output axis is specified as a user defined axis.
  Total Moments are calculated incorrectly in Modal Analysis by including the force contribution with the wrong sign.
  [NCR10382] (Fixed 27 July 2015)
• For Response Spectrum analysis cases reporting the Total Reactions separately for each restraint type led to a confusing sum of reactions. Total Reactions are now reported as a sum only for Response Spectrum cases.
  [NCR10383] (Fixed 27 July 2015)
• Saving intermediate results when terminating nonlinear analysis does not work.
  [NCR10384] (Fixed 28 July 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.49 - Fixes — Design

• EC3 Steel Checker: GSA crashes while contouring steel utilisations when the section shape is RHS, CHS, T and PFC and the member is subjected to high shear force.
  [NCR10317] (Fixed 11 June 2015) (Released in GSA_DES_EC3_2005.dll 50.12.0.46)

GSA 8.7.0.49 - Fixes — Graphic Views

• The Delete Displayed Loading sculpt command does not work on All Loading diagrams for other than grid loading.
  [NCR10374] (Fixed 17 July 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.45 - New Features

GSA 8.7.0.45 - New Features — General

• For the Chinese seismic code GB50011, the code based values of Tg and αmax defining the spectrum can be overridden with locally specified values.
• The GSA program icons have been updated.
• The new installer framework will not install over more recent versions.

GSA 8.7.0.45 - New Features — Output Options

• When 'Envelope 'Subject Component' only' is selected then Maxima and Minima records are reported only for the subject component.

GSA 8.7.0.45 - New Features — Interface with Third Party Software

• GsRevit: data can now be copied from and pasted to the mappings tables in CSV format and imported from and exported to CSV file.
• GsRevit export: lines along line loads and around area loads can now be exported to GSA as lines.
• Export to DYNA files now includes translational releases on beam elements (in addition to rotational ones).
• The GSA-Revit link is now compatible with Revit 2016.

GSA 8.7.0.45 - New Features — Analysis

• Improvement in the accuracy of shell elements in large displacement non-linear analysis.

GSA 8.7.0.45 - Fixes

GSA 8.7.0.45 - Fixes — General

• Local axis offsets are not handled in the GWA format.
  [NCR10170] (Fixed 23 March 2015) (Released in GsFile.dll 50.12.0.44)
• The tool to expand element offsets is not handling the local option – all offsets assumed to be in global.
  [NCR10191] (Fixed 7 April 2015) (Released in GSA.exe. 8.7.0.44)
• When specifying grid lines from the New Model wizard the Grid Line Definition dialog does not use the units specified in the New Model wizard.
  [NCR10207] (Fixed 14 April 2015)
• GSA does not correctly report the C value for calculation of the torsional stress in the properties dialog.
  [NCR10247] (Fixed 28 April 2015)
• The coefficient of thermal expansion for ACI concrete is incorrect.
  [NCR10260] (Fixed 6 May 2015)
• The "Tools | Seismic Analysis | Storey Masses" option can give wrong (zero) masses for the storeys. The total values are correct. This problem does not occur with the Mass analysis.
  [NCR10292] (Fixed 20 May 2015)
• SPEC_ACCELERATION does not work over COM GwaCommand.
  [NCR10233] (Fixed 23 Apr 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.45 - Fixes — Analysis

• If no spectrum has been specified for a response analysis, GSA crashes trying to analyse the model.
  [NCR10151] (Fixed 9 March 2015)
• when plotting resultant displacement, velocity and acceleration against time from time history, the resultant displacements, velocities and accelerations are wrong in the chart view.
  [NCR10179] (Fixed 27 March 2015)
• Grid line loads which start 'on' a panel edge can result in a failure of the load expansion. Adjusting (nudging) the start point can help alleviate the problem.
  [NCR10190] (Fixed 7 April 2015)
• The grid loading algorithm can fail in a couple of situations:
  • For one-way spanning grid planes with area loads defined by polylines the load is applied by slicing the polyline. A ‘vertical step’ in the polyline means that the algorithm may fail to find the next and subsequent slices, meaning that some of the load is skipped.
  • For two-way spanning panels with corner effects included edges which are almost straight can result in the algorithm failing to detect the corner properly resulting in infinite loads applied to some of the beam elements.[NCR10210] (Fixed 16 April 2015)
• Modal damping calculated from modal analysis is incorrect for models with wall elements.
  [NCR10282] (Fixed 12 May 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.45 - Fixes — Design

• EC3 Steel Checker: The steel checker is sometimes unable to converge while finding the section web classification.
  [NCR10241] (Fixed 28 April 2015) (Released in GSA_DES_EC3_2005.dll 50.12.0.44)

GSA 8.7.0.45 - Fixes — Output Views

• When assemblies are defined by ‘storey’ the output view reporting of the storey at a position along the assembly can be wrong if the first storey is before the start of the structure/assembly.
  [NCR10223] (Fixed 21 April 2015)
• Compression and tension only spring stiffness are wrongly shown as zero in spring property output view.
  [NCR10261] (Fixed 6 May 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.45 - Fixes — Graphic Views

• The exclusive volume (Ctrl+drag) does not work properly for regions.
  [NCR10177] (Fixed 26 March 2015)
• 'startup' views saved in the design layer do not open in the design layer. Also, when a 'startup' view is an initial view then the 'startup' view is opened twice.
  [NCR10251] (Fixed 30 April 2015)
• When displaying load diagrams, where a point load is located at the end of a patch load the point load is incorrectly displayed at the start of the element.
  [NCR10276] (Fixed 7 May 2015)
• In the design layer, either one of the grid or the legend were displayed at one given time. If the grid was turned on, the legend text stopped appearing.
  [NCR10315] (Fixed 10 June 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.45 - Fixes — Interface with Third Party Software

• GsRevit Export: material properties are exported with values set to zero.
  [NCR10293] (Fixed 27 May 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.43 - New Features

GSA 8.7.0.43 - New Features — Interface with Third Party Software

• GsRevit: columns in the 'Section Mappings' table can now be resized.

GSA 8.7.0.43 - Fixes

GSA 8.7.0.43 - Fixes — General

• GSA can either crash or fail to open the Advanced Analysis Options from the Analysis Wizard. This can happen when elements are defined but their properties are missing.
  [NCR10106] (Fixed 23 February 2015)
• The assemblies can in some instances lose elements that are at the ends of the assembly. This is due to a tolerance issue when determining if elements are part of the assembly. The graphic view shows the elements GSA is including in the assembly.
  [NCR10112] (Fixed 24 February 2015)
• The positioning of the assembly does not always work. This happens when the assembly is offset in the x direction from the origin of the axis in which it is defined. Assemblies defined by topology are not affected by this problem.
  [NCR10129] (Fixed 27 February 2015)
• When outputting results for combination cases the check that the base analysis cases exists does not work properly – in particular the combination is assumed to have results if results exist for the first referenced analysis case. This can lead to unexpected problems including empty results tables or even crashes.
  [NCR10130] (Fixed 27 February 2015)
• Saving a GWA file containing Raft | Displacement Data causes GSA to crash.
  [NCR10132] (Fixed 2 March 2015)
• Kv is set to be the same as Kz for all rectangular, T, I and channel sections. This is wrong for sections that are wider than they are high, where it should equal Ky.
  [NCR10134] (Fixed 2 March 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.43 - Fixes — Analysis

• If an element is released and the release node has settlement load applied, the settlement is missed out for the end of the element release node.
  [NCR10117] (Fixed 24 February 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.43 - Fixes — Design

• SANS 10162 & CSA S16 Steel Checkers: Steel checkers are missing the flexural torsion buckling capacities in the buckling interaction checks.
  [NCR10095] (Fixed 18 February 2015)
• BS5950 Steel Checker: Steel checker does not consider the intermediate lateral restraints when estimating the effective length for lateral torsional spans of simple members.
  [NCR10142] (Fixed 3 March 2015)
• EC3 Steel Checker: When checking for moment capacity under combined bending and shear the steel checker now reduces the moment capacity only for the corresponding shear area.
  [NCR10143] (Fixed 24 February 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.43 - Fixes — Graphic Views

• The deformed shape of members is sometimes drawn incorrectly.
  [NCR10141] (Fixed 18 February 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.42 - New Features

GSA 8.7.0.42 - New Features — Analysis

• Allow dummy mass and dummy inertia to be modified exponentially by a given power in addition to be modified by a linear factor in nonlinear analysis, this may be useful when a model has large stiffness difference between elements.

GSA 8.7.0.42 - Fixes

GSA 8.7.0.42 - Fixes — General

• User module values at the centre of 2D elements are not reported unless values at each nodal position have also been supplied.
  [NCR10050] (Fixed 10 February 2015)
• In the Contour Settings dialog when a Steel Utilisation data option is selected, selecting an Effective Length Factors data option crashes GSA.
  [NCR10052] (Fixed 11 February 2015)
• The Rationalize Lines command uses fixed tolerances that give the wrong results for some models.
  [NCR10057] (Fixed 11 February 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.42 - Fixes — Design

• Contouring of Effective Length Factors for lateral torsional buckling to Eurocode 3 is incorrect.
  [NCR10053] (Fixed 9 February 2015)
• GSA hangs when displaying Effective Length Factors contouring if the result case includes permutations.
  [NCR10054] (Fixed 10 February 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.41 - New Features

GSA 8.7.0.41 - New Features — General

• Element and member offsets at end nodes and internal nodes of explicit members are now ignored when considering the relationships between elements and members.
  (Released in GwDat.dll 50.12.0.39)
• The 'Select by criteria' tool now works for nodes (in addition to elements and members). Options for criteria include nodal coordinates, colour, being active in an analysis case, being part of a list, restraints and support stiffnesses.

GSA 8.7.0.41 - New Features — Output Options

• The Steel Design Effective Lengths output table now includes the subspan length and the effective length factor (Le/L).
• Steel Design Effective Length Factors, Major, Minor and LT may now be contoured per subspan.

GSA 8.7.0.41 - New Features — Graphic View — General

• In the Contour Settings dialog improvements have been made to the automatic setting of contour settings for special cases, e.g. when changing from 'governing utilisation' to 'overall utilisation' or from a utilisation to a non-special data option.
• When annotating contour barrels (i.e. on 1D and wall elements) stretches of constant value are now annotated with a single value at the centre of the stretch.

GSA 8.7.0.41 - New Features — Interface with Third Party Software

• GsRevit Export: The mappings database (mappings.db3) may now be edited directly in the Export to Oasys GSA dialog.
• GsRevit Export: The mapping priority may now be specified in the Export to Oasys GSA dialog.

GSA 8.7.0.41 - Fixes

GSA 8.7.0.41 - Fixes — General

• Mesh generation by MeshTools: The 'tie node to mesh' option is not creating master elements during mesh generation.
  [NCR9828] (Fixed 19 December 2014) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.12.0.39)
• GSA is sometimes unable to find the associated elements for an explicit member.
  [NCR9829] (Fixed 19 December 2014) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.12.0.39)
• The 'Open/Save Selected Results Only' option is confused when the model has previously been saved with selected results only. The confusion is caused by existing [RESULTS_*] lists in the model.
  [NCR9829] (Fixed 24 December 2014) (Released in GsFile.dll 50.12.0.39)
• Setting the element default offsets ignored the currently selected units and assumed length units of metres.
  [NCR9851] (Fixed 5 January 2015) (Released in GSA.exe 8.7.0.40)
• Where beams are loaded by grid loading or load panels and the expanded loading includes point loading (e.g. where the beam elements are offset or where dummy elements surround the panel) the interesting points for force and moment output do not consider the point loading.
  Also, beam force and moment output is confused by beam point loading applied at 0% or 100%.
  [NCR9864] (Fixed 6 January 2015) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.12.0.40)
• In the ‘Equivalent Static Load’ dialog the direction option is disabled for the ‘Lateral load’ option. Switching to ‘Accidental torsion’ allows the direction to be changed.
  [NCR9898] (Fixed 13 January 2015) (Released in GSA.exe 8.7.0.40)
• GSA crashes with an Out of Memory message in the “Rationalize lines” command when there are lines in the model that refer to coincident nodes.
  [NCR9908] (Fixed 15 January 2015) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.12.0.40)
• Renumbering of nodes and elements (e.g. when using the Manage Data tool) does not renumber node and axis references in the 'Relative nodal displacements' table for response spectrum tasks or element references in the 'Elements excluded from geometric stiffness' element list for modal buckling and p-delta tasks.
  [NCR9938] (Fixed 20 January 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.41 - Fixes — Analysis

• When using the IBC 2015 spectrum the scaling factor Cd is ignored.
  [NCR9960] (Fixed 22 January 2015)
• If master node of a rigid constraint is restrained and its slave nodes are connected to wall elements, its reaction forces may not be correct (note: other results of the model are still correct).
  [NCR9962] (Fixed 22 January 2015)
• Soap-film form-finding analysis does not stop even though all tolerance requirements are met if there are Bar spacers and the nodes along bar spacers are fixed
  [NCR9976] (Fixed 23 January 2015)
• If a model has wall elements and the wall elements have no in-plane forces from the p-delta load cases, then modal p-delta analysis cannot be run because of numerical errors
  [NCR9994] (Fixed 27 January 2015)
• Loads and reactions don't sum to zero for certain instances of P-Delta analysis.
  [NCR9880] (Fixed 14 January 2015)
• Pre-analysis checks for large models without any 2D elements are slow.
  [NCR9930] (Fixed 19 January 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.41 - Fixes — Design

• Steel Design: GSA crashes outputting member utilisation results if any members have elastic-plastic materials.
  [NCR9881] (Fixed 9 January 2015) (Released in GSA.exe 8.7.0.40)
• Steel Checker: The checker sometimes incorrectly identifies member point locations along explicit members.
  [NCR9903] (Fixed 13 January 2015) (Released in GsPrivate.dll 8.7.0.40)
• EC3 & IS800:2007 Steel Checkers: The Steel Checkers are incorrectly estimating the warping length factor for cantilever beams. This affects the elastic critical moment for cantilever beams and it is non conservative.
  [NCR9997] (Fixed 27 January 2015)
• EC3 Steel Checker: The Steel Checker is incorrectly estimating the torsional stress due to torsion in the members. This leads to non-conservative utilization when the members are subjected to large torsional forces.
  [NCR10025] (Fixed 2 February 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.41 - Fixes — Graphic Views

• Linear members with offsets are sometimes displayed in Graphic Views as cranked.
  [NCR9830] (Fixed 22 December 2014) (Released in GsGraph.dll 8.7.0.39)

GSA 8.7.0.41 - Fixes — Interface with Third Party Software

• CAD import: The remote origin adjustment is not working correctly causing the structure to be warped, depending on how the units are specified in the CAD model.
  [NCR9959] (Fixed 22 January 2015)

GSA 8.7.0.37 - New Features

GSA 8.7.0.37 - New Features — General

• Element and member offsets at internal nodes of explicit members are now ignored when considering the relationships between elements and members.
• A list of Restraint Nodes may now be defined for members. These specify restraint points along members additional to the restraints from secondaries. The list may be entered as a GSA list but is stored as a simple list.
  Member restraint labels are now displayed at the undeformed nodal postions.
• The member Internal Nodes list now need not be ordered, and may be entered as a GSA list but is stored as a simple list.

GSA 8.7.0.37 - New Features — Output Options

• Beam Element and Spring Displacements, Rotations and Beam End Relative Rotations are now available for bar elements.

GSA 8.7.0.37 - New Features — Graphic View — Sculpt

The following features are now offered in the Split 1D Elements sculpt tool.

• 'Split at' a specified interval along the element from either end 1 or end 2.
• 'Create new nodes only (element will not split)' allows the tool to be used to create new nodes along an element for, say, use in the definition of member restraint nodes.

GSA 8.7.0.37 - Fixes

GSA 8.7.0.37 - Fixes — General

• Changes to the convergence tolerance for a modal analysis in the analysis wizard are ignored unless the change is in the Advanced parameters option.
  [NCR9727] (Fixed 4 December 2014)
• Fixed the code that determines the extents of the graph view does in order to consider axis label height when the graph is drawn to fit the window.
  [NCR9740] (Fixed 5 December 2014)
• The region element size is not included in the REGION GWA record.
  [NCR9792] (Fixed 15 December 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.37 - Fixes — Analysis

• The grid load and load panel load expansion can be lost before the analysis is complete. This problem occurs in models that have 2D elements in non-global planes.
  Expanded grid loads and load panel loads are used in the calculation of intermediate results on beam elements, so lost expanded loads results in incorrect intermediate results. Switching off the intermediate result calculation works around this problem.
  [NCR9794] (Fixed 16 December 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.37 - Fixes — Design

• CSA S16-09 Steel Checker: The lateral torsion check does not consider a restraint point to be a torsional restraint where the restraint point has partial torsion stiffness with minor/major axis shear stiffness.
  [NCR9793] (Fixed 15 December 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.37 - Fixes — Graphic Views

• When contouring 2D element face loads, for elements where the load is constant on the element and the load is at the contour limit the element is sometimes coloured as out of range.
  [NCR9679] (Fixed 26 November 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.36 - New Features

GSA 8.7.0.36 - New Features — General

• The response spectrum generator that was in the past bundled with GSA has now been included directly in GSA. A time history is read and a response spectrum generated for a given damping and peak acceleration. The spectrum is added to the response spectrum module.
• The ‘select by criteria’ option now allows entities to be selected with depth/width dimensions greater than or less than a specified value.
• There is now support for the 2015 version of the IBC code.

GSA 8.7.0.36 - New Features — Output Options

• Beam End Relative Rotations can now be contoured and tabulated. These report the rotation of the element end relative to the node to which it is attached for beam elements that have releases about the major (yy) axis.
  (Beam End Relative Rotations are not yet available for bar elements.)
• The governing steel utilization can now be contoured.

GSA 8.7.0.36 - New Features — Graphic View — General

• Contouring when 'section display' is switched on now displays the contouring on the surface of the section for beams and on the top and bottom surfaces of 2D elements.
  Note that this does not contour surface values; the same values are being contoured as in other contour representations but displayed on the surface of the elements.

GSA 8.7.0.36 - New Features — Interface with Third Party Software

• NASTRAN export: output of 2D element properties has been modified so that the in-plane thickness factor is included in the PSHELL membrane thickness (T) field. The bending and mass fields have been adjusted to account for this.
  (Released in GsExport.dll 8.7.0.34)

GSA 8.7.0.36 - New Features — Design

• New steel design code:
  • Steel design to EN 1993-1-2:2005 Eurocode 3 Fire (UK)
    (Released in GSA 8.7.0.35)

GSA 8.7.0.36 - Fixes

GSA 8.7.0.36 - Fixes — General

• In 2D element user modules the assignment of values to positions on the element are confused.
  [NCR9495] (Fixed 15 October 2014) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.35)
• When a region is badly formed, GSA sometimes crashes checking regions for mesh generation or trying to generate a mesh.
  [NCR9568] (Fixed 4 November 2014)
• When the Object Viewer is open, keyboard focus is periodically diverted there and command keys intended for other windows are lost.
  [NCR9621] (Fixed 18 November 2014)
• When importing 2D element user modules in append mode the assignments of values to positions on the element are confused.
  [NCR9634] (Fixed 20 November 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.36 - Fixes — Analysis

• Soap-film form-finding analysis blows up if 1D element is normal to the X direction of the axis used by the soap-film property that is used by the element.
  [NCR9539] (Fixed 28 October 2014)
• It is possible to enter an element pre-load description that is not valid. GSA refuses to read back analysis tasks for a saved file once this has happened.
  [NCR9545] (Fixed 29 October 2014)
• The analysis can report that a structure has no restraints in a particular direction if the only restraint in that direction is provided by a global restraint. This has no effect on the actual solution and can be ignored.
  [NCR9574] (Fixed 5 November 2014)
• Ground spring element results are not saved from Linear Time History analysis.
  [NCR9624] (Fixed 18 November 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.36 - Fixes — Design

• BS5950 Steel Checker: The checker is ignoring the applied moment while calculating the section moment capacity for member buckling interaction. This affects when the section class is SLENDER and the member LT check is not required.
  [NCR9493] (Fixed 15 October 2014) (Released in GSA_DES_BS5950_1_2000.dll, GSA_DES_HKSUOS_05.dll, GSA_DES_sans10162_1_2011.dll 50.12.0.34)
• EC3 Steel Checker: The torsion constant for welded box sections is incorrectly computed. This affects flexural torsional buckling and lateral torsional buckling of the member.
  [NCR9508] (Fixed 21 October 2014) (Released in GSA_DES_EC3_2005.dll 50.12.0.35)
• Steel Checker : The effective section modulus for Slender RHS or Box sections is computed incorrectly.
  [NCR9536] (Fixed 27 October 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.36 - Fixes — Output Views

• Storey force output for a seismic analysis attributes mass to load panel elements leading to an overestimate of the storey masses. The mass from a mass analysis does not suffer from this problem.
  [NCR9571] (Fixed 4 November 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.36 - Fixes — Graphic Views

• GSA crashes when attempting to display a contour plot of grid area loads containing unspecified polylines.
  [NCR9560] (Fixed 3 November 2014)
• For certain design codes, the legend fails to display ultimate concrete strength (fc) and steel reinforcement yield strength (fy) when drawing the RC Slab Reinforcement contours.
  [NCR9635] (Fixed 19 November 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.36 - Fixes — COM Interface

• GSA crashes when returning beam rotation output through COM.
  [NCR9603] (Fixed 13 November 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.33 - New Features

GSA 8.7.0.33 - New Features — General

• The distinction between storey and loading grid planes has been blurred so that storey grid planes can now be use for loading as well as specifying a storey elevation. The restriction that a storey grid plane is defined relative to a global axis set remains.

GSA 8.7.0.33 - New Features — Output Options

• The 'storey' is now included in assembly result output.

GSA 8.7.0.33 - New Features — Graphic View — General

• Nodes that are used on the other layer but not on this are now displayed as 'unused nodes'.

GSA 8.7.0.33 - New Features — Design

• The SteelDesignClient1.6.xla Excel add-in for steel design COM now optionally produces a Steel Design Calcs (Verbose) report.

GSA 8.7.0.33 - Fixes

GSA 8.7.0.33 - Fixes — General

• When using the Equivalent Static Seismic Loads tool the accidental torsion calculation is reporting extremely large values of mass when the element list is other than "All".
  [NCR9345] (Fixed 19 August 2014) (Released in GwDat 50.12.0.32)
• GSA misinterprets combination cases that use the (1 or 2)C1 syntax and envelope SRSS combinations.
  [NCR9346] (Fixed 20 August 2014) (Released in GwDat 50.12.0.32)
• GSA can either report ∞ or no value for assembly results when the assembly is defined by topology. This problem can be avoided by using the axis option.
  [NCR9362] (Fixed 27 August 2014)
• The Create Elements from Members tool sometimes creates elements that overlap with pre-existing elements.
  [NCR9373] (Fixed 1 September 2014)
• Creating a combination case with a large number of permutations takes a very long time.
  [NCR9397] (Fixed 12 September 2014)
• In the Dynamic Details output the 'Effective / active mass [%]' values are being calculated incorrectly.
  [NCR9466] (Fixed 6 October 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.33 - Fixes — Analysis

• If there are 2D element property for shell elements in the model, the equivalent nodal loads from element internal loads (pre-stress and thermal loads) except shell elements are double counted in non-linear analysis.
  [NCR9285] (Fixed 5 August 2014)
• If a non-linear spring curves is specified where the curve does not pass through the origin an unhandled exception is thrown. The error message is unhelpful but the fix is to correct the non-linear curve to pass through the origin.
  [NCR9367] (Fixed 28 August 2014)
• When calculating the storey drift details in GSA an error resulted in the storey height and drift index being incorrect.
  [NCR9402] (Fixed 5 September 2014)
• The constraint moments reported for custom rigid links are not including the effect of reduced linkage and can be reporting spurious moments as the master node.
  [NCR9408] (Fixed 9 September 2014)
• The effective mass/total mass ratio in 'Output | Dynamic Summary' has an error when offsets are defined on 2D elements.
  [NCR9410] (Fixed 10 October 2014)
• The automatic selection of displacement direction for plotting axial force-displacement curve in member buckling analysis does not always work correctly, so incorrect displacement may be used in plotting the curve.
  [NCR9416] (Fixed 12 September 2014)
• Total loads and total reactions do not match in nonlinear analysis if there are constraint equations in the model, other results are still correct.
  [NCR9428] (Fixed 22 September 2014)
• GSA crashes trying to analyse models where springs refer to non-existent nodes.
  [NCR9470] (Fixed 7 October 2014)
• If XY plane responses are selected for footfall analysis, the nodal displacements, velocities and accelerations are incorrect (overestimated).
  [NCR9479] (Fixed 9 October 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.33 - Fixes — Design

• AS4100 Steel Checker: Steel checker is not limiting the maximum value of alpha M to 2.5. This affects the lateral torsional buckling moment capacity.
  [NCR9338] (Fixed 20 August 2014)
• Steel Checker: Effective lengths are not reported for combination cases.
  [NCR9339] (Fixed 20 August 2014) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.7.0.32)
• Steel Checker: Effective lengths for lateral torsional buckling are reported incorrectly when the compressive flange is laterally restrained along the span. This does not affect the steel design calculations.
  [NCR9341] (Fixed 20 August 2014)
• BS5950 Steel Checker: The effective section modulus about the minor axis is sometimes calculated incorrectly.
  [NCR9403] (Fixed 8 September 2014)
• BS5950 Steel Checker: The effective plastic modulus (Seff) is sometimes incorrectly estimated when the section is Class 3 Semi-Compact.
  [NCR9478] (Fixed 9 October 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.33 - Fixes — Graphic Views

• When displaying saved views of contouring 'graded by value' with labels assigned the labels are lost.
  [NCR9313] (Fixed 11 August 2014) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.7.0.32)
• Node load diagrams and contours are displayed on the design layer.
  [NCR9355] (Fixed 22 August 2014)
• When a polyline is used to define the initial shift vector in the Move / Copy Selection dialog the polyline is not converted to user units and is assumed to be in meters.
  [NCR9461] (Fixed 2 October 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.33 - Fixes — Interface with Third Party Software

• CAD export: Exported 3D sections are not correctly transformed when exported with respect to a grid plane.
  [NCR9353] (Fixed 22 August 2014)
• GsRevit Import / Update / Export: the GsRevit operation fails if a shared parameter file, GSASharedParameters.txt, created by GsRevit 8.7.0.22 or earlier is in the user Temp folder.
  [NCR9480] (Fixed 10 October 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.31 - New Features

GSA 8.7.0.31 - New Features — General

• Output View table notes are now reported even when the table is empty.
  (Implemented in GSA 8.7.0.29)
• Analysis case GWA records (ANAL) can now be imported/pasted when results are present in the model (but not when the task to which the analysis case relates has been analysed.
  (Implemented in GSA 8.7.0.29)
• The mesh generation engine, MeshTools, has been updated to version 4.5.0.
  (Implemented in GSA 8.7.0.29)
• The tied interfaces now offer a linkage option. The options are:
  • Auto - determined from the slave type: tied for elements and rigid for nodes
  • Tied - conventional tied interface algorithm (connecting 2D elements on slave side to master side).
  • Rigid - connects the 2D elements rigidly to the nodes on the slave side.The rigid option is for situation such as connection between column nodes slab elements. It is not appropriate for element : element interfaces.
• The grid plane table now displays the storey number of a (storey) grid plane.

GSA 8.7.0.31 - New Features — Graphic View — General

• When contouring 'graded by values' for values that have a label specified the the label replaces the value in the legend.

GSA 8.7.0.31 - Fixes

GSA 8.7.0.31 - Fixes — General

• GSA can report geometry errors in assemblies when the internal positions are set to storeys. Storey lists that refer to non-existent storeys can cause a particular problem. Also with storeys the positions used to output assembly results can be different from those requested.
  [NCR9145] (Fixed 3 July 2014) (Released in GwDat 50.12.0.29 and GsTable 8.7.0.29)
• The new model wizard for 2D circular grid model generates some redundant spacer elements that have to to be removed manually before an analysis can be done, the wizard also gives incorrect spacer type for the circumferential spacers.
  [NCR9150] (Fixed 30 June 2014) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.29)
• Calculation of storey displacements and rotations gives results about the origin instead of the centre of mass.
  [NCR9159] (Fixed 2 July 2014) (Released in GwDat 50.12.0.29 and GSA 8.7.0.29)
• The calculation of storey inertia forces for response spectrum analysis is wrong.
  [NCR9189] (Fixed 11 July 2014) (Released in GwDat 50.12.0.29 and GSA 8.7.0.29)
• The storey force calculation can return invalid numbers (NaNs) if load panel elements are cut in the storey calculation. This can be worked around by excluding these elements using the element list option.
  [NCR9196] (Fixed 14 July 2014) (Released in GwDat 50.12.0.29 and GSA 8.7.0.29)
• GSA crashes when a combination case has the (0 or 1)A1 syntax with a zero factor.
  [NCR9206] (Fixed 15 July 2014) (Released in GwDat 50.12.0.29)
• Assembly force results and cut section forces can in some instances return blank values. Adjusting the cut position can help alleviate this problem.
  [NCR9207] (Fixed 16 July 2014) (Released in GwDat 50.12.0.29)
• When the analysis stage selected for a dynamic response analysis differs from the stage in the basic modal analysis the analysis wizard can in some instances becomes stuck.
  [NCR9209] (Fixed 16 July 2014) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.29)
• The “Restore Manual Backup” and “Save View” commands crash GSA.
  [NCR9213] (Fixed 17 July 2014) (Released in GwDat 50.12.0.29)
• Combination cases are corrupted when load cases are deleted In the Load Case Specification table.
  [NCR9225] (Fixed 21 July 2014)
• The Create Code Load Combination tool, with a single Variable case type in the load case specification (eg Variable : Wind), does not generate the correct load combinations. Variable loads create 'leading' and 'accompanying' combination cases. With multiple Variable loads there is a combination, for each Variable load, of the 'leading' component of that load + the 'accompanying' load from the other variable loads. A single Variable load is a special case which requires a combination that is the Variable 'leading OR accompanying' load. The Create Code Load Combination tool ignores this combination and only uses the 'accompanying' Variable loads.
  [NCR9243] (Fixed 24 July 2014)
• The number of high and low modes for a model stability analysis is not written to the GSA (binary or text) file.
  [NCR9249] (Fixed 24 July 2014)
• When selecting 2D elements to align the edges, all the 2D elements between the lowest and the highest selected get aligned.
  [NCR9253] (Fixed 25 July 2014)
• GSA sometimes crashes if you try to enter a combination case with a syntax error.
  [NCR9254] (Fixed 28 July 2014)
• Mesh generation by MeshTools: Closed loops of lines within an area cause an error during mesh generation. Closed loops are now permitted.
  [NCR9277] (Fixed 25 July 2014)
• Mesh generation: GSA crashes sometimes while checking the regions if the region includes invalid areas.
  [NCR9294] (Fixed 6 August 2014)
• Accidental torsion and equivalent static loads derived from a response spectrum analysis and applied to part of the structure should scale the base shear. This scaling is not currently applied.
  [NCR9303] (Fixed 6 August 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.31 - Fixes — Analysis

• The tied interface does not provide good linkage between nodes and 2D element edges for the drilling degree of freedom when the 2D element edge is almost aligned with one of the global axis directions.
  [NCR9261] (Fixed 30 July 2014)
• If PSIC (Pile-Soil Interaction Coefficient) is too stiff, reaction forces on piles may not be correct from piled-raft analysis.
  [NCR9272] (Fixed 31 July 2014)
• When running a response spectrum analysis for a model containing ground springs GSA can crash. Replacing the ground spring with internal springs avoid this problem.
  [NCR9282] (Fixed 1 August 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.31 - Fixes — Design

• BS5950 steel design: The Equivalent Uniform Moment Factor (mLT) for cantilevers is being calculated incorrectly (unconservatively). The mLT value should be 1 in accordance with table 18 of BS5950-1:2000.
  [NCR9252] (Fixed 25 July 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.31 - Fixes — Graphic Views

• The sculpt Refine Quad Elements and Refine Mesh At Nodes commands do not transfer the element offsets.
  [NCR9140] (Fixed 30 June 2014) (Released in GwDat 50.12.0.29)
• When using the 'Fill Blank Values' option in the Contour Values dialog and the value of the highest contour is unspecified GSA fills the value with the max. data extent even when that is lower than the specified value of a lower contour. (And simliar for the lowest contour.)
  [NCR9258] (Fixed 29 July 2014)
• In the Graphic View Legend, in the event that the Windows text-size setting is larger than 100%, some contour values are unnecessarily skipped.
  [NCR9289] (Fixed 5 August 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.28 - New Features

GSA 8.7.0.28 - New Features — General

• Storey inertia forces are now reported for a response spectrum analysis. The lateral forces (Fx and Fy) and torsional moment (Mzz) are calculated for the storey drift and force locations specified in the response spectrum task.

GSA 8.7.0.28 - Fixes

GSA 8.7.0.28 - Fixes — General

• Equivalent static and accidental torsion calculations can fail is GSA is unable to expand all the grid planes. Removing ill-defined grid planes avoids the problem.
  [NCR9109] (Fixed 17 June 2104)
• GSA reports nonsense values or crashes when viewing envelopes of SRSS combinations.
  [NCR9116] (Fixed 19 June 2014)
• When a case is multiplied by 0 as part of a combination, GSA crashes or removes the permutation silently.
  [NCR9123] (Fixed 20 June 2014)
• The explicit option for internal points in an assembly does not handle the units conversion properly and only works in SI units.
  [NCR9124] (Fixed 20 June 2014)
• In mesh generation by MeshTools, GSA is unable to mesh areas that include arcs in some circumstances.
  [NCR9127] (Fixed 23 June 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.27 - New Features

GSA 8.7.0.27 - New Features — Output Options

• Enveloped assembly results are now available in tabular output, diagrams and contours.
  (Implemented in GwDat 50.12.0.23 and GsPrivate 8.7.0.23)

GSA 8.7.0.27 - New Features — Design

• Steel design to CSA S16-09 has been implemented.
  (Released in GSA_DES_csa_S16_09 8.7.0.24) (First public release — use with caution)
• Steel design to HKSUOS:11 has been implemented.
  (Released in GSA_DES_HKSUOS_05 8.7.0.24) (First public release — use with caution)

GSA 8.7.0.27 - Fixes

GSA 8.7.0.27 - Fixes — General

• Assembly forces may not be correct for assemblies that include wall elements where the cutting plane cuts along the edge of a wall element.
  [NCR8940] (Fixed 15 May 2014) (Released in GwDat 50.12.0.23)
• There is a problem when calculating equivalent static or accidental torsion loads using the 'seismic code procedure' option. If the fundamental period is set to 'code calc.' and ASCE 7 or IBC codes are used the Cu factor is ignored.
  [NCR8993] (Fixed 19 May 2014) (Released in OaUtil 50.12.0.24)
• Bending moments are calculated incorrectly when offsets are defined in local element directions.
  [NCR9004] (Fixed 21 May 2014) (Released in GwDat 50.12.0.24)
• Storey drift location specified for a response spectrum analysis are not converted properly to SI units results in the values changing from those specified. This does not affect model with length units of m.
  [NCR9007] (Fixed 22 May 2014) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.25)
• GSA crashing when in Analysis wizard with a response spectrum analysis selected on point of opening the advanced options.
  [NCR9013] (Fixed 23 May 2014) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.25)
• GSA can give a message "Unable to expand grid loads" when using the Tools | Seismic Analysis | Storey Mass option, even is not grid loads are present. This happens if it is unable to expand one of the grid planes. This does not affect the reporting of storey masses from a mass analysis.
  [NCR9038] (Fixed 29 May 2014) (Released in GwDat 50.12.0.25)
• When saving text data file, if there are spring stiffness matrix data in the model, the spring stiffness data are not saved and lost.
  [NCR9042] (Fixed 30 May 2014) (Released in GsFile 8.7.0.25)
• When interpreting tied interfaces in which the master elements list includes Quad8 or Tri6 elements GSA sometimes fails to identify some slave nodes.
  [NCR9043] (Fixed 29 May 2014) (Released in GwDat 50.12.0.25)
• GSA ignores loads that are added to or removed from entities when sculpting, both when analysing and when they are displayed in graphic views. In addition, GSA crashes after loaded elements and nodes are deleted.
  [NCR9044] (Fixed 30 May 2014) (Released in GwDat 50.12.0.27)
• The option to modify selected tasks does not update the selected results option properly. This does not affect the option in analysis wizard.
  [NCR9060] (Fixed 4 June 2014)
• Location information (latitude and longitude) not retained.
  [NCR9073] (Fixed 6 June 2014)
• GSA crashes or is slow reporting case permutation factors when there are a large number of permutations in a combination.
  [NCR9083] (Fixed 9 June 2014)
• GSA crashes viewing or reporting envelopes of SRSS combinations that use the (1 or -1)C1 syntax.
  [NCR9086] (Fixed 10 June 2014)
• The RC member design property table and wizard do not properly store the bar layout information for columns.
  [NCR9093] (Fixed 12 June 2014)
• The Delete Loads from Case command is slow for large models.
  [NCR9095] (Fixed 12 June 2014)
• Section database: In the 'EN 10210' catalogue, types 'RHS (EN10210-2: 2006)' and 'Celsius 355 RHS (EN10210-2: 2006) - Corus', properties for sections of profile 'RHS120x60...' and 'RHS120x80...' were incorrect.
  In the fixed version, when existing models that reference these sections are opened a warning message is given and any results are deleted.
  [NCR9097] (Fixed 13 June 2014)
• Section database: In the 'EN 10210' catalogue, for several sections of types 'RHS (EN10210-2: 2006)', 'SHS (EN10210-2: 2006)' and 'Celsius 355 RHS (EN10210-2: 2006) - Corus' the top and bottom thickness were not specified, resulting in incorrect translations to perimeter section, and section display.
  [NCR9098] (Fixed 13 June 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.27 - Fixes — Analysis

• Bridge analysis crashes if beam used for influence effect does not exist and the position of the influence point is also positive.
  [NCR9049] (Fixed 02 June 2014)
• If there are rotational settlement loads applied to the master node of rigid constraints and/or link elements, the settlement loads do not work correctly in nonlinear analysis.
  [NCR9050] (Fixed 02 June 2014)
• In-plane shear forces & stresses (also the derived stresses) of shell elements are slightly wrong in nonlinear analysis.
  [NCR9067] (Fixed 05 June 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.27 - Fixes — Output Views

• The calculation of interesting points for elements that have beam distortions applied at an element end in the case being considered have forces (and results derived from these) reported both at the element end and very close to the end.
  [NCR9106] (Fixed 16 June 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.27 - Fixes — Graphic Views

• When using the 'Sculpt | Extrude Selection' command with the 'Use existing nodes where present' option unchecked new nodes are created coincident with existing nodes at the base level of the extrusion.
  [NCR9039] (Fixed 29 May 2014) (Released in GwDat 50.12.0.25)
• After splitting lines references to lines in regions are not updated.
  [NCR9075] (Fixed 6 June 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.27 - Fixes — Interface with Third Party Software

• NASTRAN export: GSA does not export 2D element orientation angles to NASTRAN files.
  [NCR9040] (Fixed 29 May 2014) (Released in GsExport 8.7.0.25)
• CAD export: When creating section blocks the unit conversion factor is not applied in the z direction resulting in distorted sections when the length unit is other that meters.
  [NCR9099] (Fixed 13 June 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.22 - New Features

GSA 8.7.0.22 - New Features — General

• Curved assemblies may now be specified. The curve of the assembly x axis is defined topologically by end nodes, internal nodes and an orientation node that defines the assembly xy plane. The curve fit is either by Lagrange Interpolation or to a circular arc.
  The x axis of linear assemblies may now be defined by end nodes.

GSA 8.7.0.22 - New Features — Interface with Third Party Software

• The GSA-Revit link is now compatible with Revit 2015.
• In the GSA-Revit link there is a new import option to 'Align imported model such that the GSA global origin is located at the Revit Project Base Point (else at the Revit Survey Point)'.

GSA 8.7.0.22 - Fixes

GSA 8.7.0.22 - Fixes — General

• The 32-bit edition of GSA crashes opening data files when running under Windows 7 or later.
  [NCR8975] (Fixed 12 May 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.22 - Fixes — Analysis

• In nonlinear analysis, the calculations of in-plane stresses and forces are wrong for quad4 fabric, plane stress and plane strain elements. If stresses within the element are relatively uniform, the errors are very small, otherwise error are large, but within an element
  [NCR8940] (Fixed 22 April 2014)
• A conflict can exist between rigid constraints and additional restraint in a modal dynamic analysis. This is now resolved so that the additional restraint imposes the restraint condition on the rigid constraint.
  [NCR8983] (Fixed 14 May 20104) (Released in GSA 8.7 build 22)

GSA 8.7.0.22 - Fixes — Design

• When accessing through COM, the stand-alone steel design program (SteelDesign.exe) does not support the shear lag factor design property. This affects the tensile carrying capacity of the steel member.
  [NCR8982] (Fixed 13 May 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.22 - Fixes — COM Interface

• GwaCommand() includes SET keyword and formatted vectors such as (0,0)(1,2)(2,4) does not work due to the comma in the formatted vector is taken as separator. For the same reason, a CSV file contains formatted vector also cannot be opened properly.
  [NCR8953] (Fixed 2 May 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.22 - Fixes — Interface with Third Party Software

• When exporting to LS-DYNA fails the warning message implies that the file cannot be opened. In fact the error is in writing the file, not opening the file.
  [NCR8933] (Fixed 17 April 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.21 - New Features

GSA 8.7.0.21 - New Features — General

• The option to create mass elements from element mass now adjusts the mass calculated for parabolic 2D elements, so that negative mass at the corner nodes is avoided. The mass is now only assigned to these nodes so the resulting mass elements are the same as those for the corresponding linear element.

GSA 8.7.0.21 - New Features — Output Options

• The Total Loads and Reactions output now produces output when a summary, not by case is requested. Other improvements have been made to the formatting of the Total Loads and Reactions output.
  (Implemented in GSA 8.7.0.20)

GSA 8.7.0.21 - Fixes

GSA 8.7.0.21 - Fixes — General

• When reading or writing GWA SPR_MATRIX records units were ignored. I.e. values were assumed to be in SI units.
  [NCR8905] (Fixed 4 April 2014) (Released in GsFile 50.12.0.20)
• Assembly charts and cut section force charts ignore the offset of the axis of the assembly/cut position. This does not affect assembly diagrams.
  [NCR8907] (Fixed 8 April 2014)
• When reading GWA JOINT records the Direction values are ignored. (This may affect other circumstances in which joints are specified.)
  [NCR8909] (Fixed 9 April 2014)
• Direction cannot be selected for accidental torsion load calculation when the response spectrum analysis option is selected.
  [NCR8912] (Fixed 10 April 2014)
• Beam section properties are currently reported relative to x and y axes (rather than y and z axes.
  [NCR8913] (Fixed 10 April 2014)
• In some circumstances GSA crashes when opening a model.
  [NCR8924] (Fixed 14 April 2014) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.20)
• Entity results were not being reported for combination cases that included reference to a case for which no results are available (e.g. element not in analysis stage) AND reference to a case that includes an enveloping operator (e.g. "signabs").
  [NCR8926] (Fixed 15 April 2014) (Released in GsPriv 8.7.0.20)
• GSA lets you list recent job numbers when there are none and crashes when you click OK in the Recent Jobs dialog.
  [NCR8929] (Fixed 16 April 2014)
• GSA sometimes crashes when models are closed.
  [NCR8930] (Fixed 16 April 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.21 - Fixes — Analysis

• Grid line loads were not expanding on to some panels. This was due to some of the load polyline intersections with the panels not being correctly identified.
  [NCR8897] (Fixed 2 April 2014) (Released in OaUtil 50.12.0.20)
• Grid line loads not expanding correctly when close to panel edges. The expansion for point loads and line loads has been changed to always use the legacy option.
  [NCR8906] (Fixed 4 April 2014) (Released in GwDat 50.12.0.20)
• Error norms are reported as infinity in Ritz analysis.
  [NCR8911] (Fixed 10 April 2014)
• Buckling analysis can return load factors smaller than the cutoff, when cutoff is specified.
  [NCR8910] (Fixed 10 April 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.21 - Fixes — Interface with Third Party Software

• When merging two Revit models shared parameters were being duplicated as Revit was considering shared parameters to be different if they have different UIDs. This has been resolved by assigning fixed UID to shared parameters. However due to limitations in the Revit Structure 2012 and 2013 APIs this fix is only available in Revit 2014.
  [NCR8931] (Fixed 16 April 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.19 - New Features

GSA 8.7.0.19 - New Features — Analysis

• In a response spectrum analysis the ground spring reactions are now included along with the other components of the reactions.

GSA 8.7.0.19 - Fixes

GSA 8.7.0.19 - Fixes — General

• With the new grid load expansion options loads that are in the corner of a panel are not always expanded properly.
  [NCR8848] (Fixed 13 March 2014) (Released in GwDat 50.12.0.17)
• Equivalent static loads are not calculated if there is no additional mass and a message is displayed "Unable to expand grid load".
  [NCR8849] (Fixed 13 March 2014) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.17 & GwDat 50.12.0.17)
• Relative displacements in a response spectrum analysis using ABSSUM combination in fact use an SRSS combination.
  [NCR8850] (Fixed 13 March 2014)
• The grid load expansion for areas that involve complex load polygons can fail in some instances, resulting in no loads on the panel.
  [NCR8861] (Fixed 17 March 2014) (Released in GwDat 50.12.0.18 and OaUtil 50.12.0.18)
• Assembly displacements are incorrect when the assembly includes 2D elements. This due to a wrong axis set being used in the calculation.
  [NCR8876] (Fixed 25 March 2014)
• References in assembly element lists are not renumbered following operations that result in elements being renumbered or deleted.
  [NCR8877] (Fixed 25 March 2014)
• On some machines an Interaction Services Detection message relating to Check For Updates is displayed sporadically when GSA is running.
  [NCR8879] (Fixed 25 March 2014)
• There are a couple of issues when writing text files from GSA. The active mass/inertia records are not written correctly. The force/moment records for grounded springs are not written.
  [NCR8888] (Fixed 31 March 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.19 - Fixes — Analysis

• A grid load specified with a load value of zero results in invalid expanded loads.
  [NCR8872] (Fixed 21 March 2014)
• Grid line loads are not distributed properly with the non-legacy grid options when the line of the applied load is on top of beam elements, and loads close to panel edges may in some cases give odd distributions.
  [NCR8886] (Fixed 28 March 2014)
• When a panel on a grid plane has more that one dummy element GSA warns that it will not be able to distribute load onto this panel. This message reports that 16 elements are dummy. This number is incorrect and the message has been modified to simply report that there are multiple dummy elements.
  [NCR8890] (Fixed 31 March 2014)

GSA 8.7.0.19 - Fixes — Graphic Views

• GSA crashes if you type a list with a syntax error in the Select by List command.
  [NCR8858] (Fixed 17 March 2014) (Released in GSA 50.12.0.18)

GSA 8.7 build 16 — New Features

GSA 8.7 build 16 — New Features — General

• The new region mesh generation attribute 'Create tri elements during the mesh generation' has been added. This option is useful when generating an odd number of elements along a line.

• The chart style settings (fonts, margins, etc.) are now retained, but can be reset as required.

GSA 8.7 build 16 — New Features — Analysis

• A new option in the Response Spectrum Analysis task allows pairs of nodes to be selected for calculation of relative displacement. This is useful at large scale for looking at pounding of tall buildings or at small scale for impact on bearings.

• If the new eigensolver option is selected the matrix solver has to be Sparse Parallel Direct. A check is made and the matrix solver option in the task is modified if this is required. (This eigensolver is now the default option.)

GSA 8.7 build 16 — Fixes

GSA 8.7 build 16 — Fixes — General

• In some cases the patterned load tool does not correctly index the elements to be considered for the pattern loads. This results in fewer loads being generated than should be.
  [NCR8789] (Fixed 24 February 2014)
• Grid loads using the new grid loading algorithms where the centre of the load is close to a corner uses a different algorithm from the general loading algorithm. This would give expansion errors when there were multiple elements along an edge as these elements were checked in reverse order. This does not affect the lagacy option.
  [NCR8799] (Fixed 24 February 2014)
• GSA crashes when a node, line or area that is part of a region is deleted.
  [NCR8802] (Fixed 27 February 2014)
• Graphic and Output views do not account for newly created entities and GSA may crash when an entity that is part of a view’s list is deleted.
  [NCR8808] (Fixed 28 February 2014)
• GSA refuses to run on Windows XP computers, displaying the mesage ‘The procedure entry point SHCreateItemFromParsingName could not be located in the dynamic link library SHELL32.dll’.
  [NCR8845] (Fixed 28 February 2014)
• If a model contains only wall elements then the storey forces for assemblies are not available.
  Similarly, force results in Graphic Views and Output Views are not available for assemblies that include only wall elements.
  [NCR8815] (Fixed 3 March 2014)
• In some instances when exporting assemblies from GSA to AdSec the merging of the elements into a single AdSec section gives incorrect thickness to some of the parts.
  [NCR8817] (Fixed 4 March 2014)
• Lists are garbled when entities within them are deleted or split.
  [NCR8825] (Fixed 5 March 2014)
• Shear forces for beam elements with a beam point load applied at an end are not reported correctly.
  [NCR8829] (Fixed 6 March 2014)
• GSA crashes if there are no elements at base level in the model, when trying to generate dummy base elements. This can be avoided by ensuring that the ground level is set in the general specification dialog to the lowest level of the structure.
  [NCR8833] (Fixed 7 March 2014)
• GSA crashes in the Create Patterned Loads dialog when there are gaps in the numbering of lists in the model.
  [NCR8840] (Fixed 11 March 2014)
• ‘Erase all results’ doesn’t erase results from tasks whose status isn’t set to analysed.
  [NCR8847] (Fixed 12 March 2014)

GSA 8.7 build 16 — Fixes — Analysis

• GSA sometimes crashes while generating analysis envelopes.
  [NCR8790] (Fixed 24 February 2014)
• GSA is not reporting the sum of the effective mass during a modal dynamic analysis.
  [NCR8797] (Fixed 26 February 2014)
• If a model has 2D elements that have offsets, P-delta analysis cannot be done as GSA is crashing.
  [NCR8838] (Fixed 10 March 2014)
• If there are link elements in the model, p-delta analysis results are slightly wrong.
  [NCR8846] (Fixed 12 March 2014)

GSA 8.7 build 16 — Fixes — Design

• SANS 10162 Steel Checker: Torsional buckling capacity incorrectly used in the combined buckling checks.
  [NCR8820] (Fixed 5 March 2014)
• GSA is not adding the flange full warping restraints to member design restraints.
  [NCR8822] (Fixed 5 March 2014)

GSA 8.7 build 16 — Fixes — Graphic Views

• GSA crashes splitting lines that are connected to areas.
  [NCR8823] (Fixed 5 March 2014)
• There are two ‘Beam’ options in the data defaults menu. GSA crashes adding elements by sculpting after choosing the second one.
  [NCR8824] (Fixed 5 March 2014)

GSA 8.7 build 16 — Fixes — Interface with Third Party Software

• When exporting to CAD GSA adjusts the orientation of the section in the wrong direction.
  [NCR8795] (Fixed 5 March 2014)
• When exporting to NASTRAN the standard steel material is not exported.
  [NCR8827] (Fixed 6 March 2014)

GSA 8.7 New Features

GSA 8.7 Main New Features

• New Codes of Practice
  New steel design codes:

  • EN 1993-1-1:2010 Eurocode 3 (SS)
  • SANS 10162-1:2011

  New RC slab design codes:

  • ACI 318-11
  • ACI 318M-11
  • Hong Kong Code of Practice for Structural Use of Concrete 2013
  • Indian Railway Standard : Concrete Bridge Code 1997 (2003)
  • Canadian Standards Association : A23.3-04 Design of concrete structures (2004)

  Footfall analysis codes:

  • BS 6841:1987
  • BS 6472-1 - 2008
  • User defined frequency weighting curve

• Non-linear Shell Elements
  Geometrically non-linear shell elements have been introduced for analysis by GsRelax.

• Assemblies and Assembly Results
  Assemblies have been introduced. An assembly:

  • is a collection of elements;
  • has local axes defined in terms of a specified axis set and offsets;
  • has assembly points specified along the assembly x axis - defined either by number of points, spacing, storeys or explicitly.

  Assemblies may be used as follows.

  • Cut Section Forces charts may be specified in terms of an assembly.
  • Diagrams and contours of assembly displacements, drifts, drift indices and forces may be displayed in Graphic Views.
  • Assembly displacements, drifts, drift indices and forces may be reported in Output Views.
  • Sections can be created from assemblies for export to AdSec. Reinforcement can be added in the export.

  Assemblies in Graphic Views:

  • Assemblies may be referenced by name in element lists and are offered in the element display list for Graphic Views (and Output Views).
  • Several assembly labelling options are available.

• Modal and Seismic Analysis
  Modal analysis improvements:

  • The mass of lumped mass elements can be modified for the different directions. Modifiers can be specified for the x, y and z directions which result in the mass used in the analysis varying in the different directions.
  • In a modal dynamic or buckling analysis, when the ‘Subspace Iteration with Shifting + Locking’ eigensolver option is selected it is now possible to apply a shift to recover modes that are closest to the shift frequency (dynamics) or load factor (buckling).
  • The ‘Subspace Iteration with Shifting + Locking’ eigensolver now makes use of an improved orthogonalization procedure to ensure that mode shapes are orthogonal with respect to the stiffness matrix.
  • There is now an advanced option for Ritz analysis which allows the base load vectors used in the analysis to be randomized. This can be useful to seed torsional modes in symmetric structures.
  • Dynamic Details and Dynamic Summary have been enhanced to provide more information relating to rotational effects. Output now includes:
    • Active inertias
    • Effective inertia as fraction of total/active inertia
    • Principal inertias and the axis about which they actThere is also an option in the ‘Tools | Dynamic Analysis’ menu to create an axis set with origin at the centre of mass and with axes aligned with the principal axes of the model.

  Seismic analysis improvements:

  • The calculation of response spectrum results has been recoded resulting is a faster analysis.
  • Storeys have been merged with grid planes and are now identified as storeys in the grid planes table. A storey grid plane enforces global axes and an element list of ‘all’.
  • When storey grid planes are present in a model then 'Storey Views' are offered in the Views display drop list. 'Storey Views' are automatically generated views that display a plan view of the elements in the storey grid plane, the vertical elements attached beneath the storey grid plane, with section shape labels and shrink on.
  • The Storey Drifts table has been removed. Instead storey drifts are specified in the Response Spectrum analysis task.
    Storey drifts now include a list of storeys that are to be considered.
    Note that models saved with storey drifts from GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 41 and later will not be readable by versions earlier than build 41.
  • Response spectrum analysis now defines the basic responses directly in the analysis wizard. The response for x, y and z are defined in terms of a spectrum and a list of modes. Each direction can be included or excluded.
  • In the Equivalent Static / Accidental Torsion Load tool it is now possible to specify the base shear directly instead of by extracting the value from the results of a response spectrum analysis, or from a code based expression.

  Miscellaneous tools:

  • A new option has been added to allow mass to be created from grid area loads. The elements which are attributed to the grid plane can be modified for this operation by specifying an exclusion list. Only the vertical component of loads fully loaded grid planes are considered.
  • A new tool (Tools | Dynamic Analysis | Effective Mass by Part) calculates the effective mass for parts of the structure defined by lists.
  • A number of new options have been added mainly for seismic analysis of complex structures. The tools (Tools | Manipulate Model) allow lumped mass elements to be created to control local modes of vibration:
    • Create mass elements from other elements
    • Create mass elements from members
    • Create mass elements from grid loadsThere is also an option to create grid loads from the weight of 2D elements.

• Wall Element Enhancements
  Wall element enhancements:

  • The limitations of rectangular shape and local axis to wall elements have been removed, so wall elements can be defined in the same way as other 2D elements.
  • Wall element model buckling analysis and P-delta analysis. Note that local buckling effects are not considered.
  • Cut section forces are available for wall elements.

• Improved Model Stability Analysis
  For ill-conditioned models, Model Stability Analysis can be used to determine the cause of the ill-conditioning. The condition number is directly related to the ratio of highest to lowest eigenvalues. The improved Model Stability algorithm helps detect both ‘low stiffness’ and ‘high stiffness’ modes. The results are available as element virtual energies, which can be used to pinpoint elements that cause the ill-conditioning.

• Mesh Generation by CM2 MeshTools
  CM2 MeshTools has been introduced as a new mesh generation engine option. MeshTools offers faster execution, producing smaller and better conditioned meshes. The general approach of specifying what is to be meshed by regions remains the same, though there are changes in the mesh attributes for regions, areas, lines and nodes. There is an option to include Tri elements; when this option is checked Tri elements are used to improve the condition of the mesh where elements do not satisfy specified internal angle limits.
  The previous mesh generation engine remains available and may be specified in 'Tools | Preferences | Advanced | Legacy options'. There is a tool for converting mesh attributes from Quad-Build format to MeshTools and vice versa.

• Curved and Explicit Members
  Curved members and explicit members have been introduced.

  • Curved members may be specified either as an 'arc defined by a third point on arc' or as an 'arc defined by radius and point'.
  • Explicit members are specified by an ordered list of intermediate nodes.Elements can be created from both curved members and explicit members, and vice versa. Curved members are included in Revit coordination.

• Faster RC Slab Design
  RC slab design now includes the option to select a faster calculation routine where the loading is primarily either in-plane or out-of-plane. The calculation makes use of a more approximate non-iterative approach that is likely to lead to slightly more conservative results. The user can choose to use this approach in appropriate situations and can specify a total area of reinforcement, as a percentage of the cross-sectional area, above which a rigorous, iterative solution is used.

• Grid Load Expansion Algorithm
  The grid load expansion for multi-way spanning panels has been improved. GSA now offers the following options:

  • Legacy
  • Plane approximation
  • Plane approximation (smooth)
  • Plane approximation (corner)

  With any of the plane approximation variants the loading in initially specified as a UDL applied over the panel elements. The main advantages of this method are that:

  • fewer beam load are generated per grid load
  • grid load expansion is considerably faster

  The aspect ratio of the loaded panel is considered leading to a greater load imposed on the edges closest to the centre of loading. With the ‘smooth’ option the loads on all elements along an edge are aggregated and represented as a linearly varying load. This prevents an unrealistic concentration of load at mid-span that is present in the basic ‘plane approximation’ option when there are multiple elements along an edge. The ‘corner’ option takes this smoothed load and tapers the load off toward the corners of the panel, giving an ‘envelope’ pattern for fully loaded rectangular panels.
  The grid plane definition has now been modified. The multi-way span type has been removed and this functionality has been merged with the two-way spanning option.
  If the span types is one-way the span direction must be specified, if two way the load expansion option must be set. For two-way spanning there is the option of ‘simplified tributary areas’. This corresponds to the two-way option in previous versions of GSA.

• Handling of Large Models
  Improvements have been made in the handling of large models, as follows.

  • GSA is now less sensitive to gaps in node and element numbering. This makes file reading and writing much faster and otherwise makes a marginal improvement in the general performance.
  • When 'Tools | Preferences | Miscellaneous | GWB read/write via memory file' is set it is now possible to specify the amount of memory to allocate to this operation. This should be set according the amount of memory available on the computer and the typical size of model accessed.
  • The handling of lists has been optimised. This benefits models with large numbers of lists and models with large numbers of loading records that reference lists.
  • The handling of case descriptions has been optimised, especially benefiting file reading.

• Save With Selected Results Only
  There is now a 'save as' option to save a model with 'Selected Results Only' that allows a subset of results to be saved with the model, offering faster post-processing of huge models. As with the similar Open With Selected Results Only option the subset of results is specified in terms of a list of elements and a list of cases; results for nodes attached to the listed elements are also included. All input data is saved.

• New Element Selection Options
  The entity selection options have been updated. There are now options to:

  • Select Badly Connected which replaces the Select Overlapping option and gives the option of selecting elements/entities that cross one another or elements/entities that terminate at a point internal to another element/entity.
    These options are also considered when identifying panels for grid loading.

  • Select By Criteria which allows a set of criteria to be established by which the entitlies will be selected. Criteria include features such as: length, colour, releases, ...

  • Select By Name allows entities to be selected based on the entity name. Regular expressions may be used in the search. For example "^roof.*" will match all names that begin with roof, and "^roof[0-9]$" will match all names that are of the form roof followed by a digit. More details of regular expressions can be found online, for example at www.regular-expressions.info (opens new window)Also, when right-clicking on elements, members and areas the right-click menu now includes the option to select all entities that are the same colour (in addition to the previously available options to select entities with the same property, material, and group).

• New GsRevit Functionality
  The following new features have been implemented in the GSA-Revit link.

  • The GSA-Revit link is compatible with Revit 2014.
  • Export to GSA:
    • GSA member/element numbers, section names and section descriptions are stored as Revit shared parameters during the export.
    • Revit marks are exported to GSA as names for members, elements and sections.
    • Revit analytical model offsets and orientations are exported to GSA member/element offsets and orientations.
    • Revit curved members are exported to GSA curved members.
    • Revit slanted columns are exported to GSA members as column type.
    • After the initial export there are options to map to GSA sections using the 'GSA section name' shared parameter or the 'GSA section description' shared parameter instead of the default coordination that uses the Revit symbol ID that is stored in GSA.
  • Import/Update from GSA:
    • GSA member/element numbers, section names and section descriptions are stored as Revit shared parameters.
    • GSA offsets and orientations are imported to Revit analytical model offsets and orientations.
    • GSA curved members are imported as Revit curved members.
    • GSA inclined members are optionally imported as Revit slanted columns.
    • The mappings database may be edited via the GsRevit interface. The mapping interface offers lists of mapped sections, unmapped sections, and best guesses if available.
    • GSA sections may be mapped to Revit symbols using the GSA section name instead of the section description.
    • 'Import from Analysis/Design Layer' options are enabled only if the corresponding entities exist in GSA.
    • There is an option to override the loaded family symbol in Revit with the symbol identified in the mappings database.

• New GSA COM Functionality
  New COM functions have been added for the extraction and manipulation of nodes, elements and sections. These functions operate directly on data objects instead of using GwaCommand strings and are hence faster to execute and easier to use. The following new functions are available through the ComAuto object:

  • Nodes(...) and SetNodes(...) for getting and setting an array of GsaNode objects.
  • Elements(...) and SetElements(...) for getting and setting an array of GsaElement objects.
  • Sections(...) and SetSections(...) for getting and setting an array of GsaSection objects.A new function also allows extraction of cut-section forces and logging has been improved overall.

• Patterned Load
  New tools have been developed to assist in defining patterned load. These tools are focussed on the method described by Don Ho in his paper ‘An Efficient Alternative Approach for Patterned Load Analyses of Arbitrary Multiple-ways Spanning Floor Systems’. There are three tools, grouped under the Tools | Building Analysis menu item.

  • Create Load Panels on Storeys – examines the storey grid planes and creates load panel elements
  • Create Patterned Loads – allows specification of adverse and beneficial load factors and creates elements loads for ‘mean’ and ‘difference’ loads.
  • Create Patterned Load Combinations – allows analysis cases to be selected and sets up the combinations of ‘mean’ and ‘difference’ analysis cases to give maximum and minimum envelope cases.

GSA 8.7 New Features — General

• If the new 'Prompt for history note when saving' preference is set, when the model is saved the History dialog is displayed so as to prompt for the addition of a history note.

• The Task View has been improved:

  • A double click on an analysis task/case will open that task/case, otherwise the ‘Manage Tasks’ will be opened.
  • A new option is provided to allow tasks and cases to be renumbered.
  • ‘Check Data’ & ‘Terminate Analysis’ have been removed from the context menu,

• Load panel elements now have an ‘Auto’ option. This assumes that the load is transferred to all edges unless an edge is bounded by a dummy element. In this case the load pattern is changed so that no load is applied to dummy elements.

• The analysis report is now stored with the task and reported in the ‘Properties’ for the task.

• The Import GWA options have been improved:

  • The 'Import GWA' option now considers results.

  • The 'Import GWA' option now allows combination cases (unless any locked), members and design properties to be imported when results are present.

  • The 'Import GWA' option now allows user module data to be merged into an existing user module. If the user module referenced by an imported USER_MOD_ELEM_TITLE record already exists and if the imported and existing user module title data are compatible (i.e. the 'dimension' and 'is_centre' fields are the same) then USER_MOD_ELEM records that reference that user module are read into the existing user module. However if the title data are incompatible then values in the existing user module are nulled.
    ...and similar for node and member user modules.

  • The 'Import GWA | Append' option now considers:

    • axes, grid planes, polylines, storeys,
    • materials, properties,
    • analysis stages,
    • analysis tasks and cases,
    • combination cases,
    • user modules.

    A reasonable gap is now left between original and appended records.
    The new 'Paste Append' command has been added to the Gateway right-click menu.

• The Manage User Module dialogs now offer the following options.

  • The table now offers multiple selection of modules to enable actions on several modules in one operation,
  • The new 'Generate' option generates a new user modules as the min, max, abs, signabs, sum or srss of the currently selected modules.
  • The dialog is now resizable.

• A tool allows a collection of lists to be checked to see if they include all of the selected entities. Lists are created for ‘missing’ and ‘duplicate’ entities. This works for nodes, element and members.

• The Manage Data dialog now offers options to renumber lists of nodes, elements and load cases.
  Either the 'from' and 'to' lists are specified as a pair of ordered lists or the 'list' may be specified as a GSA list, including ranges etc., in which case the 'from' field must be specified as the new number of the first item in the 'from' list.

• The load case titles in GSA have been extended and renamed load case specification. In addition to the load type various other details have been added to allow the loading to be more precisely defined. Load design code has been added to the design specification which at present only offers Eurocode. A new item in the Tools menu – ‘Create Code Load Combinations’ – sets up a set of combination cases for the design code based on the load case specification and/or the response spectrum cases.
  Note that if the load design code is set to other than 'undefined' then the model will not be readable by versions earlier than GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 33.

• The equivalent static and accidental torsion option now allows the source to be defined for use in generating combination cases. (Where the values are generated from a response spectrum analysis the source is copied from the analysis task.)
  The calculation may now be limited to a part of the structure expressed as an element list. When the calculation is limited to a part of the structure GSA uses a factored mass to determine the base shear. So the assumed base shear is the total base shear times the proportion of mass in the part to the total mass.
  The nodes to which the load is distributed are determined from the specified element list.
  It is now possible to include a base level (default is specified ground level) and list of storeys to include (default is all). The process also reports a breakdown of the torsion applied at the different storey levels.

• New checks have been added to identify badly formed polylines. These are polylines with repeated points, overlapping or crossed edges or points lying along edges. Polyline checking has been implemented, as follows.

  • The Polyline Definition dialog highlights invalid edges and points, and reports specific issues in the polyline at the time of exiting the dialog.
  • Invalid edges and points are highlighted on selected polylines in Graphic Views.
  • Invalid polylines are treated as errors in the pre-analysis data checks.

• The 'Tools | Preferences | Miscellaneous | Save file after batch analysis' preference has been renamed to 'Save file after analysis' as the file is now saved whether or not running in batch mode when this preference is set.

• The new 'Check Data for Task' command on the Task View right-click menu when a task is clicked does a thorough pre-analysis data check for that task. (Whereas 'Analyse | Check Data Only' performs only task independent checks.)

• The new 'Tools | Expand Gravity Loading' command creates equivalent beam, face and node loads, for beam elements, 2D elements and mass elements respectively.

• There is now a 'Close Polyline' command in the right-click menu for the 2D Polylines table that adds the starting point to the end of the selected polyline(s) to make a closed loop. There is also a corresponding 'Unclose Polyline' command that removes the final point when the polyline is closed.

• The Manage User Modules dialog now has 'Export' and 'Export All' options that save the contents of one or all user modules to file in GWA format.

• Ranges of envelope permutations can now be specified in case lists. So for enveloping combination case C3 that identifies four permutations, case list "C3p1 to C3p*" expands to "C3p1 C3p2 C3p3 C3p4".

• Grid load expansion now happens when required and the expanded panels/grid loads are kept until data changes invalidate them. This means that any calculations involving grid loads should, in many cases, be faster.

• The node properties report now identifies the constraints (rigid constraints, joints, etc.) that reference the node and the elements that reference the node as an orientation node.

• The sequence of items in display list drop lists has been rationalised. E.g. saved list names are sorted alphabetically but grid plane names are offered in grid plane sequence in the elements display list.
  Lists, Grid Planes, and Assemblies are presented in separately collapsible sections in display drop lists.

• New 2D model wizard for generating circular or elliptical cone model.

• A new tool give the option to create a set of constraint equations to tie a node or a beam element to the surface of a 2D element.

• Offsets for beam type elements can now be defined with reference to adjacent/connected sections. The offsets are based on the dimensions of the connected sections.

• When modifying elements from the graphics the dialog now checks for the types of element that are in the current selection. If these are all of a single property type the currently defined properties are offered in a drop down.

• The element wizard has been modified so that it requires fewer steps than previously.

• Constraints can now be assigned names.

• A new option has been added to analysis stages allowing a concrete creep coefficient (φ) to be assigned to a stage. This is used to modify the E and G values of concrete materials for a long-term analysis. (Non-concrete materials are unchanged by this option.) The modifications applied are

  E → E/(1 + φ), G → G/(1+φ)

GSA 8.7 New Features — Output Options

• The History report has moved from the Titles and Model Statistics output to a separate History output option.
• The section name has been added to Beam Section Definitions and Beam Section Summary output.
• The 'Include entity names in results output' option has been added to the Output Wizard: Further Options dialog box. When checked, node, element and member names are reported in results output.
• Diagnostic tools:
  • The '1D Element Geometry', '1/Length' and 'Area/Length' contouring options have been introduced.
    For clarity these are displayed as circles, like contours on nodes.
  • The 'Element Result Accuracy | Loss of Accuracy' contouring option displays the loss of accuracy, in terms of significant figures, that can be expected in element results.
    This is calculated by comparing the magnitude of the element displacement to the element distortion, as the distortion forms the basis of the element result calculations.
• Contouring and diagrams of Beam Section Modifiers have been introduced.
• When producing 'Combination Case and Envelope Details' if 'Output Table' is switched off then permutation details are not reported. This provides a quick way of finding out the number of permutations in a large envelope.
• The production of 1D element envelope results has been speeded up.
• Contouring, diagrams and tabular output of Assembly Displacements and Assembly Forces and Moments have been introduced. See here for details.
• Output axes for Beam and Spring Displacements now default to local.
• Dynamic Details and Dynamic Summary have been enhanced to provide more information relating to rotational effects. See here for details.

GSA 8.7 New Features — Output View

• When opening Output Views from the Gateway the entity lists for the output are now initialised to the current selection.
• The Output Settings dialog now offers an option to copy the currently specified output directly to the clipboard.

GSA 8.7 New Features — Graphic View — General

• It is now possible to interrupt the calculation of data scales by clicking the 'stop' button.

• Grid planes can now be selected for annotation of grid loading by selecting an element that lies in the grid plane when in the select for annotation cursor mode.

• 'Omit from display' cursor mode
  The new Omit From Display cursor mode allows entities to removed from display by selection. The behaviour of the Omit cursor mode is as follows.

  • Click on element or member omits that entity and all related entities, depending on the current Colour Elements method.
    • Colour by type - if the selected entity has been assigned a colour then all entities that have that colour assigned are omitted, otherwise all entities that are of the same type and do not have a colour assigned are omitted.
    • Colour by property - all entities that reference the same property as the selected entity are omitted.
    • Colour by group - all entities that are in the same group as the selected entity are omitted.
    • Colour by material - all entities that reference the same material as the selected entity are omitted.
    • Colour by initial stage - all entities that first appear in the same analysis stage as the selected entity are omitted.
  • Shft-click or Shft-drag omits the selected entities, regardless of the current Colour Elements method.
  • Ctrl-click undoes the last omission.*
  • Ctrl-Shft-click undoes the all omissions.*

  * Entities are removed from the display by appending a 'not' clause to the entity display list. Omissions are undone by removing trailing 'not' clauses that seem to have been appended by the Omit cursor mode.
  To facilitate the Omit From Display cursor mode shortcuts are now available for setting the Colour Elements option, as follows.

  • BT - colour by type.
  • BP - colour by property.
  • BG - colour by group.
  • BM - colour by material.
  • BS - colour by initial stage.'Colour by' menu commands are now also available.

• The behaviour of the Volume cursor mode has been modified as follows.

  • Ctrl-click now deletes the last volume. (Previously this was inactive.)
  • Ctrl-Shft-click now deletes all volumes. (Previously this did a 'rescale')This is for consistency with the new Omit From Display cursor mode.

• Now when displaying user axes labels only axes for which the origin lies within all currently defined volumes are displayed.

• Diagrams may now be displayed for user modules. To enable this user modules now include the position of values along beams, the axis and direction of the diagram, and the colour of the diagram.
  User modules generated from output tables and contours include this new information.
  Note that models saved with user modules from GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 43 and later will not be readable by versions earlier than build 43.

• The 'Graded by value' contouring option has been introduced. The 'Graded by value' option contours only data at the specified contour values; data at other values are treated as out of range. When contour values are calculated automatically for this option a contour value is set for every discrete data value encountered in the part of the structure being contoured, and colours are assigned automatically. 'Graded by value' is only available for some data types, e.g. properties, grid loading, ...

• The 'Pin Display' option has been introduced. When 'Pin Display' is checked, setting the element list on the Lists toolbar to reference a grid plane also changes the current grid to that grid plane, and setting the current grid plane on the Lists toolbar also sets the list of elements to those in the grid plane.

• The 'Condense Cases' option has been introduced. When 'Condense Cases' is checked, the Cases drop list on the Lists toolbar is automatically trimmed to offer only those cases in which current diagram and contouring data exists for the currently displayed entities.

• The behaviour of the display of grid loading diagrams and contouring has changed as follows.

  • If the current grid plane is a user defined grid plane then grid loading is displayed for that grid plane, regardless of what elements are displayed. (As previously)
  • If the current grid plane is a standard grid plane (e.g. 'Global grid') then grid loading is displayed for all grid planes for which some included elements are displayed. (New)Displaying grid loading for the current grid plane (i.e. the former option) will usually be quicker.

• When a large model is opened and the default Graphic View settings are such that the display is slowed down a prompt is now given to switch these settings off before continuing. The settings considered are 'Highlight edges', 'Highlight coincident nodes' and 'Highlight coincident elements'. The option is given to switch the message off for the duration of the session.

• When displaying line contours on 2D elements the 'x2' and '/2' options now factor the contour line thickness.

• When 'highlight coincident nodes' is switched on coincident nodes are not highlighted if they are in a joint. Now joints that are not active in the current stage are ignored in this process.

• The Draw Load Panel Edges display method has been introduced.

GSA 8.7 New Features — Graphic View — Sculpt

• The 'Convert Orientation Node to Angle' command has been moved from the Tools > Manipulate Model menu to the Sculpt > 1D Element Operations menu and now operates on the current selection, both for elements and members.
• The 'Flex Line of Nodes' command now offers the 'sinusoidal' flex shape.
• The new Edit | Quick Delete (Ctrl+Del) command deletes only the entities and not the references to the entities.
• It is now possible to extrude in local axis directions.
  If the selected elements (or members) have the same local axes then selecting the 'local' axis option specifies the local element axis set as the axis for the extrude; otherwise, similarly, if the selected nodes have the same constraint axes then these will be the local axis directions. Note that the entity type used for local axis interpretation is independent of the type of entities being extruded. E.g. When extruding nodes, it is possible first to select the element that is to define the local axis directions, then to select the nodes that are to be extruded before opening the Extrude dialog.

GSA 8.7 New Features — COM Interface

See here for details of new GSA COM functionality.

GSA 8.7 New Features — Interface with Third Party Software

• GsRevit: See here for details of new GsRevit functionality.
• CAD Import: GSA can now import CAD Lines, Arcs, Circles, Ellipses, PolyLines, and PolyGon Meshes as GSA polylines.
  The option is given to delete the last point of closed polylines during the import.
• CAD Import: the post-import automatic collapsing of all coincident nodes has been disabled. (Still, an existing node is used in preference to creating a new node during the import.)
• GSA can export the stiffness and mass/geometric stiffness matrices from an analysis. These are in MatrixMarket format (see http://math.nist.gov/MatrixMarket (opens new window) for details).
• Dyna export: GSA now splits a PTF export into several PTF files: one PTF file per modal task plus one PTF file for all static tasks and combination cases. The task list is appended to the PTF filename and to the D3plot title. Handling modal results in a separate D3plot session overcomes some confusion in the display of results in D3plot.
• NASTRAN export
  • GSA export of NASTRAN files now includes support for
    • translational releases on beam/bar elements
    • ‘plate’ type rigid constraints
    • constraint equations
  • A fix for slave/master options in joint export.
  • Export of properties limited to those referenced in the selected analysis stage.
• GSA now has a tool to Open in DesignLink Viz for the creation of 3D PDFs. (DesignLink Viz is only available within Arup.)
• The option for interfacing with concrete programs has been improved.
  • The RC Beams used in the interface with ADC have been removed from GSA. Instead members are selected for export to ADC.
  • There is now an option to export member or assembly sections to AdSec.

GSA 8.7 New Features — Analysis

• There is now an option to factor the global stiffness of the structure in a linear analysis. All elements are factored by this stiffness value.
• The Stop comand on the Analysis toolbar has been made much more robust to avoid crashing, although it sometimes take time to stop.
• P-Δ effects for rigid constraints and link elements are now considered for both P-Δ and buckling analyses.
• There are two improvements to tied interfaces.
  • There is now an option to assign a full degree of freedom set to shell elements that are included in tied interfaces.
  • The tied interface formulation has been improved so that a node tied to the face/edge of a 2D element now has the drilling degree of freedom linked to the rotation of that face/edge.These should both reduce the likelihood of unrestrained degrees of freedom leading to matrix singularities

GSA 8.7 New Features — Design

See here for a list of codes of practice implemented in this version.

• Output of steel design calculations now considers envelopes by outputting the calcs for the permutation in which the maximum overall utilisation occurs.
• RC slab design is now available for cases that include response spectrum results.
• BS5950 Steel Checker: The steel checker can now check the buckling shear capacity of welded box sections. If the applied shear is more than 50% of the shear buckling capacity then the moment capacities is assumed to be zero.

GSA 8.7 — GWA Syntax Changes

• The GWA format associated with the following keywords has been updated:
  • COMBINATION — syntax for bridge option changed; backwards compatible
  • DAMPING_TABLE — syntax for damping table changed; NOT backwards compatible
  • DLF_CURVE — syntax for dynamic load factor changed; NOT backwards compatible
  • GR_VIEW.14 — new syntax for assemblies; version incremented
  • GRID_PLANE — new field added to identify grid planes that are storeys; backwards compatible
  • GSS_PARAM — new field added for extra degrees of freedom for tied interface nodes; backwards compatible
  • LINE.3 — new syntax for mesh generation; version incremented
  • LOAD_CURVE — syntax for load curve changed; NOT backwards compatible
  • LOAD_GRID_AREA — syntax for generated bridge loads changed; backwards compatible
  • LOAD_GRID_LINE — syntax for generated bridge loads changed; backwards compatible
  • LOAD_GRID_POINT — syntax for generated bridge loads changed; backwards compatible
  • LOAD_TITLE.2 — new fields added; version incremented
  • LOCATION — new field added for country; backwards compatible
  • MEMB.3 — new fields added to support curved members; version incremented
  • POLYLINE_2D.2 — syntax for 2D polyline changed; version incremented
  • PROP_2D — new option for automatic determination of support condition; no changes for existing models
  • PROP_MASS — new fields added for modified x, y and z masses; backwards compatible
  • PROP_SPR — new formats for connector and lockup connector springs; no changes for existing models
  • RAFT_NONLINEAR_CURVE — bug fixes; previously corrupt (released in GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 20)
  • RAFT_PSI_CURVE — bug fixes; previously corrupt (released in GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 20)
  • RAFT_SOIL_PROF — bug fixes; previously corrupt (released in GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 20)
  • REGION.3 — new syntax for mesh generation; version incremented
  • SPEC — new field added for grid expansion option; backwards compatible
  • SPECTRUM — syntax for user defined spectrum changed; NOT backwards compatible
  • SPR_CURVE — syntax for non-linear spring curve changed; NOT backwards compatible
  • STOREY_DRIFT — new field added for storey list; backwards compatible
  • STOREY_ELEV — deprecated, replaced by GRID_PLANE
  • TASK —
    • keywords prefixed with SOL_
    • new options added
    • GsRaft tasks: new field(s) (released in GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 20); NOT backwards compatible with older builds
  • TOL — new field added for element offset from curved members; backwards compatible
  • USER_MOD_ELEM.2 — new syntax; version incremented
  • USER_MOD_ELEM_TITLE.2 — new syntax; version incremented
  • USER_MOD_MEMBER.2 — new syntax; version incremented
  • USER_MOD_MEMBER_TITLE.2 — new syntax; version incremented
  • USER_MOD_NODE_TITLE.2 — new syntax; version incremented

GSA 8.7 — Fixes

GSA 8.7 — Fixes — General

• If numerical format in nonlinear spring curve table and load curve table is scientific (e.g. 1.0e+6), the data will be lost after opening the definition dialog box.
  [NCR7311] (Fixed 8 August 2012) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.1)
• When there are elements with nodal releases or stiffnesses in a model, GSA crashes at random times in response to user operations.
  [NCR7679] (Fixed 6 December 2012) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.1.28)
• When applying grid loads or panel face loads to a model where the beams have rigid offsets is it possible to end up with loads beyond the ends of the element. Removing the offsets will avoid this problem.
  [NCR7696] (Fixed 17 December 2012) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.1.28)
• When using 'Generate Static Vehicle Load' tool to generate vehicle loads, the specified vehicle orientation angle is not considered, so the vehicle orientation angle is always zero for the vehicle loads generated.
  [NCR7699] (Fixed 18 December 2012) (Released in GsBridge.dll 8.6.1.28)
• Deleting in-plane loads and grid line loads from the gateway can cause GSA to crash. Deleting from the relevant loads table avoid this problem.
  [NCR7700] (Fixed 19 December 2012) (Released in GSA.exe 8.6.1.28)
• GSA sometimes crashes calculating results if there are combination cases that refer to individual permutations in their descriptions.
  [NCR7733] (Fixed 9 January 2013) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.1.30)
• GSA sometimes crashes appending records with the “Paste special” command in the Gateway.
  [NCR7756] (Fixed 18 January 2013) (Released in GSA.exe 8.6.1.30)
• When using the tool to expand grid and face loads, the option to overwrite the existing load case can cause loads to be lost if a face load is applied to both load panel elements and structural (shell/plate) elements.
  [NCR7824] (Fixed 13 February 2013) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.1.34)
• GSA reports the steel utilization as zero if an element in the member has a point load applied at a position of 100% of the member.
  [NCR7832] (Fixed 18 February 2013> (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.1.34)
• When exporting the steel member data (***File > Export > Steel Member (CSV file)***) combination cases were missing.
  [NCR7834] (Fixed 18 February 2013> (Released in GSA.exe 8.6.1.34)
• GSA crashes displaying RC slab reinforcement when there are dummy 2D elements with property numbers that do not refer to actual properties.
  [NCR7835] (Fixed 18 February 2013> (Released in GSA.exe 8.6.1.34)
• GSA can crash when trying to define equivalent static / accidental torsion loads from a dynamic response analysis when there is none present. The problem can be avoided by avoiding this option when there are no response spectrum cases.
  [NCR7836] (Fixed 18 February 2013) (Released in GSA.exe 8.6.1.34)
• The Design | Reset Member Sections operation sometimes crashes if elements are missed in the member.
  [NCR7858] (Fixed 22 February 2013) (Released in GSA.exe 8.6.1.35)
• GSA can give wrong results for the Storey Mass option in the Seismic Tools option. This problem does not exist in the storey mass resported in a mass analysis.
  [NCR7870] (Fixed 28 February 2013) (Released in GSA.exe 8.6.1.36 and GwDat.dll 50.1.1.36)
• Files written with no design load code cause a problem with the location information. This information resorts to default values. Note this can affect the interpretation of edge loads as pressure v force per unit length.
  [NCR7871] (Fixed 27 February 2013) (Released in GsFile.dll 50.1.1.36)
• In an analysis with 2D elements singularities can be avoided by setting an artificial zz stiffness on 2D shell element. This can get lost when saving as a gwa file.
  [NCR7917] (Fixed 18 Mar 2013) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.1)
• GSA crashes reading a file where a P-delta combination is expressed in terms of another combination with a higher number.
  [NCR7922] (Fixed 18 March 2013) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.1.39)
• GSA is unable to read or write large files (larger than 4 GB) when using the memory file option. Also, there is a memory leak that causes memory to be used up by GSA each time a GWB file is saved using the memory file option.
  As a work around in earlier versions GSA can read and write large files when the Tools > Preferences > Miscellaneous > GWB read/write via memory file option is switched off.
  [NCR7931] (Fixed 27 March 2013) (Released in GsFile.dll 50.1.1.39)
• Additional mass on 2D element property table is ignored for fabric 2D elements.
  [NCR8015] (Fixed 22 April 2013) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.1)
• The tool to calculate modal forces from a load case (i.e. the Tools > Dynamic Analysis | Modal Forces command) can cause a crash if there are gaps in the analysis case numbering.
  [NCR8055] (Fixed 14 May 2013) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.6.1.48)
• When cut section forces are requested by storey and the cutting plane is not global the cutting positions are not transformed according to the axis and the chart is misplaced.
  [NCR8067] (Fixed 24 May 2013) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.6.1.49)
• The unit label associated with data with the dimension area/length (e.g. RC slab reinforcement) is reported as for 'length - sections'^2/'length - large' instead of 'length - small'^2/'length - large'.
  [NCR8082] (Fixed 31 May 2013) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.1)
• GSA can crash when displaying face loads in graphics. This can occur when the indexing of expanded face loads get out of sync with the beam elements surrounding the load panel. If this situation arises saving as a GWA file and opening the GWA file should clear this problem.
  [NCR8083] (Fixed 3 June 2013) (Released in GsTable.dll 8.6.1.51, GwDat.dll 50.1.1.51)
• Importing or pasting GWA elements and members overwriting existing items does not overwrite the releases or offsets unless there is some release or some offset specified in the GWA data.
  [NCR8108] (Fixed 13 June 2013) (Released in GsFile.dll 50.1.1.53)
• Cut section forces are reporting a value of 1.#QO for a response spectrum analysis case whenever the response spectrum depends on a Ritz analysis where one or more modes have been erased from the task.
  [NCR8152] (Fixed 02 July 2013) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.1)
• Copying the members module from the Gateway puts the old syntax on the clipboard and copying dynamic load factors from the gateway fails with the message “Data cannot be copied from that module”. In addition, copying a steel restraint property record from the table view fails to copy.
  [NCR8211] (Fixed 19 July 2013) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.1)
• RC Slab Design: The RC Slab Properties dialog wizard is warning of invalid input, even when the current entry is valid. It is not immediately apparent that values derived from the current entry may have become invalid. It is also not possible to enter an empty user-defined cube strength during the process of changing its value without a warning message interruption.
  [NCR7558] (Fixed 29 July 2013) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.1)
• The torsion constant for tapered T section is incorrect if the shape is odd.
  [NCR8237] (Fixed 25 July 2013) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.1)
• GSA can crash when generating rigid membranes. This occurs when the properties for the elements are not defined as GSA tried to establish the centre of mass of the storey in order to add a node there.
  [NCR8272] (Fixed 6 August 2013) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.1)
• GSA reports an empty table when storey masses are requested.
  [NCR8287] (Fixed 13 August 2013) (GwDat.dll 50.1.1.66)
• When combination permutation descriptions are reported, the abs and signabs operators are missing.
  [NCR8346] (Fixed 4 September 2013) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.1)
• When using COM function GwaCommand(...) to get 'spring curve', 'load curve', 'damping table', '2D polyline' & 'DLF table' data, only the last point of the data are read in and the rest of the data are missed out.
  [NCR8352] (Fixed 10 September 2013) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.1)
• Expanding grid/face loads does not check for null loads, resulting in excess (empty) load records.
  [NCR8366] (Fixed 12 September 2013) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.2)
• Grid point loads on one-way spanning panels where the grid plane is cylindrical do not expand correctly. In many cases the coordinates end up outside the structure.
  [NCR8432] (Fixed 2 October 2013) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.4)
• Question marks or Chinese characters are displayed in dialogs and returned through COM instead of unit abbreviations on Chinese language computers.
  [NCR8478] (Fixed 15 October 2013) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.5)
• GSA crashes pasting badly formatted data records into modules from the Gateway and when undoing complex data manipulation operations.
  [NCR8483] (Fixed 15 October 2013) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.5)
• Constraint records are locked even when the corresponding stages are not analysed.
  [NCR8574] (Fixed 11 November 2013) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.9)
• When lists in a model use the step syntax, lists are corrupted when deleting in Sculpt.
  [NCR8677] (Fixed 19 December 2013) (Released in Gwdat.dll 50.12.0.12)
• GSA crashes in the Sculpt | Connect Lines command.
  [NCR8680] (Fixed 20 December 2013) (Released in Gwdat.dll 50.12.0.12)

GSA 8.7 — Fixes — Analysis

• When bridge code UK_BD21_HB is selected, the HB units are not editable in bridge specification, so the wrong unit may be used in the analysis if current stored units are not correct for this code. The workaround now is to select bridge code UK_BD37 first and input the correct units, then go back to this code to finish the specification.
  [NCR7663] (Fixed 30 November 2012) (Released in GsTable.dll 8.6.1.28)
• Strange results can occur when grid loads refer to badly defined polygons/polylines. In particular a polygon or polyline where a point is repeated (e.g. (x1,y1), (x1,y1), (x2, y2), …). Removing the repeated point(s) avoids these problems.
  [NCR7674] (Fixed 5 December 2012) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.1.28 & OaUtil.dll 50.1.1.28)
• when bridge code UK_BD21_HB is used, the lane factors are wrong if the loaded length is longer than 40 meters.
  [NCR7707] (Fixed 24 December 2012) (Released in GsBridge.dll 8.6.1.29)
• GSA sometimes ignores loads applied to load panels when there is more than one analysis task in the model.
  [NCR7709] (Fixed 21 December 2012) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.1.30)
• Structure types other than ‘space’ can give a spurious warning about lack of constraint in the non-active directions.
  [NCR7717] (Fixed 3 January 2013) (Released in Gss.dll 50.1.1.33)
• Modal p-delta analysis results are wrong when nonlinear analysis results are used and the displacements are large.
  [NCR7718] (Fixed 3 January 2013) (Released in Gss.dll 50.1.1.30)
• In some instances the grid area load expansion would report an error for no obvious reason. One instance where this would be displayed is where the intersection of the load polygon and the panel outline would result in two or more polygons defining the load in the panel. The algorithm has now been adjusted to cope with this case.
  [NCR7828] (Fixed 14 February 2013) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.1.33 and OaUtil.dll 50.1.1.33)
• GSA crashes in a form-finding analysis when there are no normal 2d properties specified for form-finding quads and triangles.
  [NCR7843] (Fixed 19 February 2013) (Released in GsRelax.dll 8.6.1.36 and GsCheck.dll 8.6.1.36)
• User defined first load increment is ignored in automatic load increment analysis.
  [NCR7849] (Fixed 20 February 2013) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.1)
• When distorsion loads that are in X, Y or Z directions or the position is not at the end of the beam is used, nonlinear analysis crashes.
  [NCR7860] (Fixed 25 February 2013) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.1)
• When face loads on load panel elements are included in additional mass (dynamic and mass analysis) these loads get double counted resulting in too much mass (and frequencies that are too low).
  [NCR7960] (Fixed 4 April 2013) (Released in Gwdat.dll 50.1.1.40 & GsCheck.dll 8.6.1.40)
• GSA refuses to open a file with storey drifts and no tasks with the message “Some of the data in this file is for non-licensed features”.
  [NCR8035] (Fixed 30 April 2013) (Released in Gsfile.dll 50.1.1.43)
• Grid line loads are not applied correctly when the polyline forms a closed polyline. In this instance the final (closing) segment is ignored.
  [NCR8038] (Fixed 1 May 2013) (Released in OaUtil.dll 50.1.1.43 & GwDat.dll 50.1.1.43)
• In-plane formulation flag for raft analysis gets lost after saving and reading a file, i.e. no matter which in-plane formulation has been set previously, after saving and opening the file, the flag will always be set to bilinear.
  [NCR8056] (Fixed 13 May 2013) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.1)
• When a tied interface was specified where the master nodes exist on 2D elements with an incomplete set of stiff degrees of freedom the solver would crash (parallel solver) or terminate with an error message.
  [NCR8095] (Fixed 10 June 2013) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.1.52 & Gss.dll 50.1.1.52)
• If element masses are ignored in modal analysis that is used by time history analysis, then the base excitation time history analysis overestimates the masses and the responses.
  [NCR8109] (Fixed 14 June 2013) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.1)
• Element stress is being incorrectly reported for 2D linear elements under the Allman Cook element formulation.
  [NCR8112] (Fixed 14 June 2013) (Released in Gss.dll 50.1.1.53)
• When using tied interfaces that included elements with some restraint added GSA can in some cases fix the slave node rather than setting up the correct set of dependencies.
  [NCR8273] (Fixed 6 August 2013) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.1)
• In as response spectrum analysis to ASCE7 the scaling of displacements is incorrect using Cd/R rather than Cd/I.
  [NCR8286]] (Fixed 13 August 2013) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.1)
• If existing analysis case is used as p-delta case in p-delta analysis, the analysis cannot be done if there are 2D elements in the model.
  [NCR8288] (Fixed 13 August 2013) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.1)
• Footway load factors are wrong for EC1_UK bridge code. (1) a phi factor of 0.6 is missing for LC1, (2) a phi factor of 0.6 is missing for LC3 loading and (3) a phi factor of 0.6 and a footway factor of 0.4 are missing for LC4 loading, i.e. factors 1.0, 0.6 and 1.0 were wrongly used where they should be 0.6, 0.24 and 0.24 for LC1, LC3 and LC4 respectively.
  [NCR8437] (Fixed 4 October 2013) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.4)
• GSA crashes trying to analyse in GsRelax when link properties have not been defined.
  [NCR8721] (Fixed 17 January 2014) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.14)
• Two related bugs:
  1. In buckling and P-Δ analysis, the geometric stiffness is always generated using element forces from Bi-linear in-plane formulation, by right, the forces should be calculated using user selected formulation, i.e. bi-linear or Allman-Cook.
  2. If a buckling analysis and P-delta analysis are using existing analysis case as P-Δ case, nodal forces are used to generate geometric stiffness matrix while Gauss point forces should be used.[NCR8745] (Fixed 29 January 2014) (Released in GsBridge.dll 8.7.0.14)
• When releases are applied to a beam along with offsets the element is too stiff as too few degrees of freedom are assigned to account for the releases.
  [NCR8755] (Fixed 30 January 2014) (Released in Gss.dll 8.7.0.14)
• Automatic load increment analysis with non-global nodal constraints does not always give correct results, i.e. the constrained direction may have non-negligible displacements.
  [NCR8771] (Fixed 12 February 2014) (Released in GsRelax.dll 8.7.0.15)

GSA 8.7 — Fixes — Design

• RC Slab design: For design codes HK 2004 & HK 2004 (AMD1 2007), the concrete design code parameter 'ecu' is being calculated according to HK 1987 and not as changed in 2004.
  [NCR7639] (Fixed 8 March 2013) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.1)
• EC3 steel design: The constants 'alpha' and 'beta' for RHS sections used in the equation 6.2.9.1(6) of EN 1993-1-1:2005 are incorrect where the axial utilization is greater than 0.94.
  [NCR7893] (Fixed 8 March 2013) (Released in GSA_DES_EC3_2005.dll 50.1.1.37)
• AS4100 Steel Checker: Steel checker is conservatively estimating the effective section modulus (Zeu and Zev) for angle sections.
  [NCR8002] (Fixed 17 April 2013) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.1)
• Steel Design: Program is sometimes incorrectly classifying parallel flange channel sections (PFC) about minor axis.
  [NCR8036] (Fixed 1 May 2013) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.1)
• RC Slab Design: Errors in the calculation of design code paramters: parameter 'fcdc' for codes HKCP 2004, 2007; parameter 'XoverDmax' for code HKCP 2004 (fc 45MPa only); parameter 'fcdc' for codes ACI318 2002, 2005, 2008.
  [NCR8059] (Fixed 16 May 2013) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.1)
• Steel Design: Steel design properties of S460 grade are now in accordance with BS EN 10025-3:2004.
  Models that referenced the old grade will now automatically reference the new grade. The affect on steel design results for members that reference this grade is as follows.
  • Sections of thickness more than about 100mm previously could not be designed (zero yield strength). Now they can.
  • In some cases the tensile capacity of the section is slightly different.[NCR8125] (Fixed 19 June 2013) (Released in OaUtil.dll 50.1.1.54)
• AS4100 Steel Checker: Nominal in-plane and out-of-plane moment capacities of compression members are incorrect.
  [NCR8156] (Fixed 8 July 2013) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.1)
• Steel Design: When checking steel design data GSA incorrectly reports a problem with blank steel design properties, which prevents the steel design from proceeding.
  [NCR8222] (Fixed 23 July 2013) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.6.1.64)

GSA 8.7 — Fixes — Output Views

• When total loads and reactions are output the sums of loads and reactions are not displayed.
  [NCR8034] (Fixed 30 April 2013) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.1.43)
• GSA does not report resolved displacements, rotations, forces and moments for cases that refer to specific permutations of combination cases.
  [NCR8074] (Fixed 29 May 2013) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.1.50)
• Permutation factors are not reported fully expanded when combination cases refer to individual permutations of other combinations.
  [NCR8097] (Fixed 11 June 2013) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.1.52)
• In Output Views the 2D element facet angle is being incorrectly divided by 180 making calculations very intolerant to changes in facet. This affects stress and force averaging and stress errors for non-planar meshes of 2D elements.
  [NCR8605] (Fixed 20 November 2013) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.11)
• Output of dynamic details is corrupted when the language for non-Unicode programs is Chinese, Japanese or Korean.
  [NCR8689] (Fixed 3 January 2014) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.13)

GSA 8.7 — Fixes — Graphic Views

• Operations that involve changing the element type, including the sculpt Modify Elements dialog, lose the element name.
  [NCR7680] (Fixed 6 December 2012) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.1.28)
• The sculpt Connect 1D Elements command and the Add Elements Sculpt Tool do not handle offsets in the element x direction properly. These are now considered though where a split would occur in an axial offset zone that split is skipped.
  [NCR7628.2] (Fixed 3 January 2013) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.1.30 and Gsa.exe 8.6.1.30)
• The sculpt Join String of 1D Elements command does not update element lists to reference the new element and does not delete resulting unused nodes.
  [NCR7720] (Fixed 4 January 2013) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.6.1.30)
• 'undefined' cannot be selected in the Select Colour dialog.
  [NCR7926] (Fixed 20 March 2013) (Released in OaUtil.dll 50.1.1.39)
• Plotting a chart 'Forces along 2D element cut', the Average Forces & Moments output is reporting only half the expected value for the last polyline segment.
  [NCR8052] (Fixed 10 May 2013) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.1)
• The contouring of nodal user module data on elements is not displayed for some elements.
  [NCR8096] (Fixed 10 June 2013) (Released in GsPrivate.dll 8.6.1.52)
• When contouring 'Beam Prestress, Force', 'Beam Strains', 'Beam Lack of Fit' and 'Beam Thermal Load' the signs of the values are lost.
  [NCR8107] (Fixed 12 June 2013) (Released in GsPrivate.dll 8.6.1.53 and GsGraph.dll 8.6.1.53)
• When load diagrams are drawn for an analysis case that references a stage the diagrams do not consider the stage, e.g. when the density differs in the stage for a gravity case. (This does not affect the analysis.)
  [NCR8143] (Fixed 27 June 2013) (Released in GsPrivate.dll 8.6.1.59)
• The display of 'Colour by property' and 'Colour by group' is slow for large models.
  [NCR8212] (Fixed 22 July 2013) (Released in GsPrivate.dll 8.6.1.64, GsGraph.dll 8.6.1.64 and Gsa.exe 8.6.1.64)
• Orient About Grid Axes fails to produce a sensible transformation in some circumstances.
  [NCR8538] (Fixed 31 October 2013) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.8)
• When annotating 1D element constant line thickness contours the text is displayed in a random colour.
  [NCR8572] (Fixed 11 November 2013) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.9)

GSA 8.7 — Fixes — COM Interface

• GsaCom Output_Extract sometimes fails to return a value for the centre position of a 2D element when the position is specified as the highest nodal position. This problem does not occur when the centre position is specified as -1
  [NCR8710] (Fixed 14 January 2014) (Released in GSA 8.7.0.13)

GSA 8.7 — Fixes — Interface with Third Party Software

• Dyna export: GSA exports a PTF file that cannot be read by D3Plot when there are gaps in analysis or combination case numbering or when elements, including dummy elements, reference non-existent properties.
  [NCR7923] (Fixed 21 March 2013) (Released in GsExport.dll 8.6.1.39)
• NASTRAN export: Exporting to NASTRAN a combination case with a blank description can cause GSA to crash.
  [NCR8061] (Fixed 17 May 2013) (Released in GsExport.dll 8.6.1.48)

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 23 New Features

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 23 New Features — General

• The pre-analysis checks now report details of load panel elements that cannot be mapped to beam elements.
• When grid loads or load panel face loads have to be applied to beam elements with offsets, the offsets are now taken into account. The loads is trimmed to the flexible part of the element and the loads on the end part are applied as point loads at the ends of the felxible part of the element.
• There is a new tool to create lumped mass elements from either the elements or the members in the model.

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 23 Fixes

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 23 Fixes — General

• The Areas Table View changes all areas that are 'multi way' type to 'void' type upon display.
  [NCR7487] (Fixed 11 October 2012) (Released in GsTable.dll 8.6.1.23)
• GSA crashes trying to read data files from GSA 8.5 or earlier when bridge-generated grid loads refer to polylines that are missing from the model.
  [NCR7489] (Fixed 11 October 2012) (Released in GsFile.dll 50.1.1.23)
• GSA can fail to generate grid loads properly in some cases. This occurs when there are multiple elements along the edges of a 'panel' and these point in different directions. This problem can show up when reading a file: in this case GSA reports a message about non-numeric values in the grid loading.
  [NCR7494] (Fixed 15 October 2012) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.1.23)
• 'Selection properties' for elements reports a wrong value if the selection contains load panel elements. This does not affect mass calculations in the analysis.
  [NCR7539] (Fixed 26 October 2012) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.6.1.23)
• GSA refuses to transform geometry or map loads if the expression includes the arctangent of a number greater than 1 or an expression that is too complicated.
  [NCR7543] (Fixed 29 October 2012) (Released in OaUtil.dll 50.1.1.23)
• Section database: In the British catalogue the Izz value is always zero for back to back angle and channel sections. The updated database now includes a calculated Izz value that is based on zero gap between webs.
  [NCR7580] (Fixed 6 November 2012) (Released in sectlib.db3 dated 6 November 2012)

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 23 Fixes — Analysis

• GSA crashes when analysing models with 2D-parabolic shells and tied interfaces.
  [NCR7466] (Fixed 3 October 2012) (Released in Gss.dll 50.1.1.23)
• If a model has both wall elements & rigid constraints, wall element forces/moments and reaction forces/moments from modal analysis are wrong, but frequency and mode shape results are still connect. The workaround for this bug is to use mass normalisation rather than mode shape normalisation, so all results will be correct.
  [NCR7475] (Fixed 9 October 2012) (Released in Gss.dll 50.1.1.23)
• When calculating storey forces for a case from a response spectrum analysis the program can crash if the number of modes is too small. When the response analysis depends on six or more modes the problem is avoided.
  [NCR7514] (Fixed 18 October 2012) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.1.23 & dependencies)
• When face loads are applied to dummy load panel elements these should be ignored. At present these are included as loads on the structure.
  [NCR7574] (Fixed 7 November 2012) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.1.23)
• Modal p-delta analysis results are sometimes wrong when there are tie or strut elements in the model and nonlinear analysis results are used as the p-delta case.
  [NCR7598] (Fixed 10 November 2012) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.1.23 & Gss.dll 50.1.1.23)
• In a p-Δ analysis, where the p-Δ effect is picked up from pre-existing analysis results, non-linear elements are checked to see if they are active. This is done by looking for extension of tie elements and contraction of strut elements. This check does not take into account pre-stress in these elements so the elements may be wrongly excluded.
  [NCR7606] (Fixed 14 November 2012) (Released in Gwdat.dll 50.1.1.23 & Gss.dll 50.1.1.23)
• GSA will crash in a staged analysis if the 2D element properties are changed for the analysis stage to be a different type. So plane-stress elements in the whole model changed to shell elements in a stage will cause a problem.
  [NCR7611] (Fixed 15 November 2012) (Released in Gwdat.dll 50.1.1.23)
• GSA crashes trying to analyse models when there are elements that refer to nodes that do not exist and there are also load panels in the model.
  [NCR7615] (Fixed 16 November 2012) (Released in Gwdat.dll 50.1.1.23)
• GSA crashes trying to analyse a model when analysis stages refer to non-existent 2d properties.
  [NCR7625] (Fixed 21 November 2012) (Released in GsCheck.dll 8.6.1.23)

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 23 Fixes — Design

• RC Slab Design: Error in the calculation of the following design code-derived parameters, for any code where such parameters are derived as a function of concrete strength. Code parameters affected are: Epsctrans, EpsCax, EpsCu, beta, (x/d)max and (x/d)min.
  [NCR7522] (Fixed 19 October 2012) (Released in OaUtil.dll 50.1.1.23)
• RC Slab Design: For EC2, ACI and AS concrete design codes, the concrete strength both displayed and used for any calculation is incorrect by the approximate difference between the cube and cylinder strengths of the current concrete grade set for a RC Slab Property. This behavior occurs when (1) the model is saved and reloaded from file and (2) the RC Slab Property is modified directly via property table (EC2 only). In both cases the error is corrected upon opening the RC Slab Design Properties dialog wizard and clicking OK.
  [NCR7533] (Fixed 23 October 2012) (Released in GsFile.dll 50.1.1.23 and GsTable 8.6.1.23)
• RC Slab Design: Updates to reinforcement calculation to accommodate recent changes to master design spreadsheet, up to and including version 12_08_15.
  [NCR7577] (Fixed 07 November 2012) (Released in GSA_DES_RC2D.dll 8.6.1.23)
• Steel Design: Steel grades from BS EN 10025:1993 are now superseded by the steel grades from BS EN 10025-2:2004. This affects steel grades S235, S275 and S355.
  Models that referenced the old grades will now automatically reference the new grades. The affect on steel design results for members that reference these grades is as follows.
  • Sections of thickness more than about 150mm previously could not be designed (zero yield strength). Now they can.
  • In some cases the tensile capacity of the section is slightly different.[NCR7633] (Fixed 22 November 2012) (Released in OaUtil.dll 50.1.1.23)
• RC Slab Design: Error in the calculation of the concrete tensile strength (fcdt) design code parameter for IS456 and EC2_04 design codes.
  [NCR7636] (Fixed 23 November 2012) (Released in GSA_DES_RC2D.dll 8.6.1.23)

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 23 Fixes — Table Views

• Soil zone table always shows soil profile 1 being used even though other soil profile has been used by the soil zone.
  [NCR7524] (Fixed 22 October 2012) (Released in OaRaft.dll 50.1.1.23)

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 23 Fixes — Graphic Views

• Deleting nodes after a model has been analysed corrupts results.
  [NCR7488] (Fixed 9 October 2012) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.6.1.23)
• Annotated diagrams of 2D element pre-stress and thermal loads lose the sign.
  A work-around is to switch ‘Draw loads as components in output axes direction’ ON in the Diagram Settings dialog.
  [NCR7526] (Fixed 22 October 2012) (Released in GsGraph.dll 8.6.1.23)
• The sculpt Split 1D Elements command does not handle offsets in the element x direction properly. These are now considered though where a split would occur in an axial offset zone that split is skipped.
  [NCR7628] (Fixed 22 November 2012) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.6.1.23)

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 23 Fixes — Interface with Third Party Software

• GsRevit Import and Update From GSA: GsRevit fails to map family symbols defined in mapping.db3 that are already loaded in Revit.
  [NCR7531] (Fixed 23 October 2012) (Released in GsRevit_RS2012.dll 8.6.1.22 and GsRevit_RS2013.dll 8.6.1.22)

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 20 New Features

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 20 New Features — General

• A new algorithm has been implemented to identify the exterior nodes and elements on a structure. This replaces the current option in Tools > Manipulate Model > Create Facade List > All Facades. The output is a couple of lists called 'Exterior Nodes' and 'Exterior Elements' which can then be used to create load panels.
• The wave loading generation tool can now generate loads from the current simply by setting the wave height to zero in the wave profile (.wvp) file.

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 20 New Features — Output Options

• The perimeter is now included in Beam Section Extended Properties output. (This does not consider the root radius and toe radius of catalogue sections.)

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 20 New Features — Interface with Third Party Software

• The following enhancements have been made to the 'Import from GSA' option:
  • When importing from the GSA analysis layer there is now an option to exclude dummy elements.
  • Grid lines that already exist in Revit are now not re-imported.
  • Import GSA Members now includes the ‘Vertical members are columns; other members are beams’ option.
  • The Section Mapping table can now be sorted by 'Revit Family Type' and 'Structural Type/Usage'. So now all fields in the table can be sorted. (Sort by clicking the respective header in the table.)

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 20 New Features — Analysis

• A check has been added to the solver to identify models that are unrestrained in one of the global directions. This is reported as a severe warning.

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 20 — GWA Syntax Changes

• The GWA format associated with the following keywords has been updated:
  • RAFT_NONLINEAR_CURVE — bug fixes; previously corrupt
  • RAFT_PSI_CURVE — bug fixes; previously corrupt
  • TASK — GsRaft tasks: new field(s); NOT backwards compatible

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 20 Fixes

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 20 Fixes — General

• Bad default values are applied to omitted TASK 'rigorous' and GSS_PARAM 'eigen' fields during GWA reading. These can result in failure to read the GWA file or subsequent failure when writing a GWB file.
  Also GWA i/o for solution types SOL_DYNAMIC_RESP, SOL_HARMONIC, SOL_TIME_HIST, SOL_FOOTFALL, and SOL_GENERIC_DYNA are incorrectly implemented.
  [NCR7262] (Fixed 16 July 2012) (Released in GsFile.dll 50.1.1.19)

• GSA crashes when sculpting settlements. This can be avoided by entering the settlements in the node load table.
  [NCR7265] (Fixed 17 July 2012) (Released in GsTable.dll 8.6.1.20)

• Sometimes the link definition wizard is not behaving properly when the linkage type is 'custom'.
  [NCR7275] (Fixed 20 July 2012) (Released in GsTable.dll 8.6.1.20 and GwDat.dll 50.1.1.20)

• Saving a model with results and dummy 2D elements as a .gwa file crashes.
  [NCR7289] (Fixed 31 July 2012) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.1.19)

• When defining an analysis case description GSA can hang in the "Case Description Definition". This problem can be avoided by ensuring that there are no spaces in the description.
  [NCR7310] (Fixed 8 August 1012) (Released in GSA.exe 8.6.1.20)

• In some circumstances GSA is unable to save a file and gives a message:

  "Error saving backup file"
  "Switch of 'GWB read/write via memory file' and try again?"

  If the model is not too large this may be due to an incorrect parameter in the GSS task parameters. Deleting and recreating the tasks should resolve the problem.
  [NCR7365] (Fixed 28 August 2012) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.1.20)

• Pasting to the Gateway does not accept specification records.
  [NCR7407] (Fixed 12 September 2012) (Released in GSA.exe 8.6.1.20)

• 'AISC Rectangular Hollow Sections-ASTM A500' catalogue sections 'CAT HSS-R HSS7x2x0.5 20070619' and 'CAT HSS-R HSS7x2x0.25 20070619' have incorrect descriptions. (They should have been described as 'CAT HSS-R HSS7x2x0.25 20070619' and 'CAT HSS-R HSS7x2x0.125 20070619' respectively.) These sections have been flagged as superseded in the fixed version of the database; attempting to analyse models that reference these bad sections will throw an error during data checking.
  New 'CAT HSS-R HSS7x2x0.25' and 'CAT HSS-R HSS7x2x0.125' sections have been added to the sections database.
  [NCR7433] (Fixed 24 September 2012) (Released in sectlib.db3 dated 24 September 2012)

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 20 Fixes — Analysis

• GSA is unable to expand load panels when the panel element is too warped.
  [NCR7268] (Fixed 17 July 2012) (Released in Gwdat.dll 50.1.1.19)
• GSA erroneously reports a warning that properties referred to by grid planes are unused.
  [NCR7283] (Fixed 24 July 2012) (Released in Gscheck.dll 8.6.1.20)
• The calculation for the torsion constant for STD section types becomes less accurate with increasing thickness. 'Thick' section types are not specifically handled.
  [NCR7291] (Fixed 01 August 2012) (Released in OaUtil.dll 8.6.1.20)
• Bridge analysis occasionally does not produce analysis results, static bridge loads and corresponding grid loads are produced, but no results. The current workaround is to delete bridge analysis task and create a new one
  [NCR7293] (Fixed 02 August 2012) (Released in GsFile.dll 50.1.1.20)
• Static analysis fails for some models with a 'user termination' error.
  [NCR7294] (Fixed 02 Aug 2012) (Released in Gss.dll 8.6.1.20)
• Running modal or buckling analysis can cause GSA to crash under certain circumstances.
  [NCR7295] (Fixed 02 Aug 2012) (Released in Gss.dll 8.6.1.20)
• When cutting 1D elements in a cut section forces calculation, erroneous results are reported when displaying output with respect to a user axis. Moments are not correctly reported about the user axis origin.
  [NCR7296] (Fixed 02 Aug 2012) (Released in GSA.exe 8.6.1.20)
• GSA can crash with grid loads where the load references an undefined polyline/polygon or the polyline/polygon is empty. Checking has been improved to identify invalid or missing polylines/polygons.
  [NCR7312] (Fixed 9 August 2012) (Released in GsCheck.dll 8.6.1.20 & OaUtil.dll 50.1.1.20)
• GSA prevents a buckling analysis from proceeding if load panels are present. This problem can be avoided by expanding the load panel loads and then deleting the load panels.
  [NCR7329] (Fixed 15 August 2012) (Released in GsCheck.dll 8.6.1.20)
• When using Eurocode, bridge analysis sometimes does not produce the worst load combinations if there are footway lanes.
  [NCR7382] (Fixed 04 September 2012) (Released in GsBridge.dll 8.6.1.20)
• When a grid load or a load applied to load panel elements is part of two tasks that are not consecutive and you analyse them together, GSA ignores the load when it analyses the second task.
  [NCR7386] (Fixed 05 September 2012) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.1.20)
• Response spectrum analysis of 2D element forces and moments gets the components mixed up so that Nxy is reported as Ny and vice versa. Similarly for the moments.
  [NCR7419] (Fixed 18 September 2012) (Released in GdSpec.dll 8.6.1.20)
• GSA reports the erroneous severe warning “unexpected flag 00001000 found. Contact Oasys.” when there are custom rigid constraints in the model.
  [NCR7429] (Fixed 21 September 2012) (Released in GsCheck.dll 8.6.1.20)
• GSA crashes trying to analyse models containing grid line loads or grid area loads that refer to grid planes that do not exist.
  [NCR7439] (Fixed 25 September 2012) (Released in GsCheck.dll 8.6.1.20)

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 20 Fixes — Design

• AISC360-05 steel design: The steel checker is incorrectly calculating the utilisation for combined biaxial bending and compression/tension. This affect AISC360-05 and AISC360-10 when utilisation for axial compression/tension is greater than 0.2.
  [NCR7287] (Fixed 27 July 2012) (GSA_DES_aisc_360_05.dll 50.1.1.20)
• RC Slab Design: When calculating RC Slab reinforcement for a given analysis case, the RC Property used for the calculation is not taking into account whether the analysis case is part of a staged analysis that maps some original 2D property number to a new number.
  [NCR7313] (Fixed 09 August 2012) (GsPrivate.dll 8.6.1.20)
• RC Slab Design: Any user-supplied override value for 'Minimum Percentage Compression Reinforcement' is always being used for the reinforcement calculation, even if the override value supplied is not enabled in the RC2D properties dialog. This issue occurs for all codes except Australian codes.
  [NCR7340] (Fixed 16 August 2012) (OaUtil.dll 50.1.1.20)
• AISC steel design: The AISC and LRFD3 steel checkers are incorrectly applying a design thickness factor of 0.93 to AISC HSS sections. (i.e. AISC RHS - ASTM A500 and AISC CHS - ASTM A500 sections.) The factor shouldn't be applied to these HSS sections as the thicknesses held in the database for these sections already have the 0.93 thickness factor applied.
  [NCR7392] (Fixed 6 September 2012) (GSA_DES_LRFD3.dll 50.1.1.20 and GSA_DES_aisc_360_05.dll 50.1.1.20)

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 20 fixes — Graphic views

• Edit > Select Out-Of-Range does not work for contouring on elements (unless the 'Don't paint white contours' contouring option is switched on).
  [NCR7317] (Fixed 10 August 2012) (GsGraph.dll 8.6.1.20)
• When translucency is enabled the opacity of raft and pile interaction areas is erratic. The fixed code consistently applies the 2D element opacity to interaction areas.
  [NCR7401] (Fixed 10 September 2012) (GsGraph.dll 8.6.1.20)
• In the sculpt Modify Members dialog the options to modify the member type and member releases are broken.
  [NCR7405] (Fixed 11 September 2012) (GsTable.dll 8.6.1.20 and GSA.exe 8.6.1.20)
• The message "Encountered an improper argument" is displayed repeatedly when GSA attempts to display a long tooltip. (E.g. when the Graphic View tooltip preference is set to 'Full' and the mouse points at an element with a long section description.)
  [NCR7408] (Fixed 12 September 2012) (Released in GSA.exe 8.6.1.20)
• When splitting 2D elements that have face loading the resulting face loads can be obviously wrong. This only affects variable, and not constant, face loads. The best option at present is to delete loads before splitting and recreating after.
  [NCR7423] (Fixed 20 September 2012) (Released in OaMatrix.dll 1.4.0.3)

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 20 Fixes — Interface with Third Party Software

• CAD Export: The unit conversion for element offsets is wrong.
  [NCR7347] (Fixed 20 September 2012) (Released in Gsa_Export_Cad.dll 8.6.1.20)

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 18 New Features

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 18 New Features — Graphic View — Sculpt

• Mapping pressures on 2D element faces now has the option of a constant pressure across the face of the element (as well as the variable pressure).

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 18 Fixes

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 18 Fixes — General

• The delete key cannot be used to edit names of analysis tasks.
  [NCR7231] (Fixed 7 July 2012) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.6.1.18)
• Load panel elements would in some cases be unable to identify correctly the set of beam elements forming a panel. This would cause the load expansion to fail.
  [NCR7246] (Fixed 9 July 2012) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.1.18)
• Copy protection checks are carried out during installation.
  [NCR7247] (Fixed 28 June 2012) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.6.1.16)
• GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 15 fails to install on some computers that have Revit installed.
  [NCR7248] (Fixed 9 July 2012) (Released in GsaRegister.exe 8.6.1.17)
• Exported cut section force results are badly formatted.
  [NCR7249] (Fixed 10 July 2012) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.6.1.18)
• Limited capability mode is broken.
  [NCR7253] (Fixed 11 July 2012) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.6.1.18)

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 18 Fixes — Analysis

• Wall element results are not correct from modal dynamic analysis if displacement normalisation is used. The workaround is to use mass normalisation to 1kg through advanced settings from analysis wizard.
  [NCR7228] (Reported 29 June 2012) (Released in GSS.dll 50.1.1.18)
• Model with link elements sometimes cannot be analysed by GsRelax solver due to an error in data checking that prevents the analysis to proceed.
  [NCR7252] (Reported 1 July 2012) (Released in GsCheck.dll 8.6.1.18)

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 15 New Features

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 15 New Features — General

• The 'Save' command is now disabled when the model is not modified.
  (Released in Gsa.exe 8.6.0.11)
• The storey displacement and drift calculation (both chart option and tools options) now allow a list of nodes to be specified allowing the calculations to be limited to one part of the structure.
  (Released in GSA 8.6.0.13)
• The load panels have been improved so that they are more tolerant of dummy elements and bracing elements which cross the panel.
  (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)
• A new row is present in the Total loads & Reactions output view that reports any loads applied to the model, but ignored by the solver. For example, this may represent loads applied to inactive degrees of freedom and may help account for any imbalances present between total loads and reactions.
  (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)
• The definition of an active constraint has been modified. A constraint is active if the master node exists and either the master or slave nodes are attached to active elements.
  (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)
• The ability to undo edits to the model has been made optional. If undoing is switched off GSA will not accumulate information in computer memory that it would need to undo edits.
  (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)
• GSA now checks for a badly formatted or corrupt section database.
  (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)
• GSA now checks for valid numeric values when opening files. When a non-numeric value is first encountered GSA reports the data module concerned. After reading the file the reported module should be checked. Any invalid numeric values in tables are now identified by the string "####". Previously these would appear to be a valid numeric value (usually displayed as "-1") until the field was edited.
  (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)
• There is now an option on the right-click menu in the Elements table to highlight incomplete elements. These are elements that reference a non-existent node or property (shown in red)) and repeated topology items (shown in blue).
  (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)
• You can now envelope all of the analysis cases in an analysis task in a combination case.
  (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)
• GSA now makes view names unique when reading and pasting views.
  (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 15 New Features — Output Options

• The 'Centre values only' option is now enabled for user modules in 2D element models.
  (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)
• Wall element equivalent beam stresses are now available.
  (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 15 New Features — Graphic View — General

• Options to contour nodal and beam loading are now available.
  (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 15 New Features — Graphic View — Sculpt

• It's now possible to switch 'snap' off to avoid accidentally splitting elements or lines when using the 'Add Elements Sculpt Tool' or 'Add Lines Sculpt Tool'.
  (Released in GSA 8.6.0.13)
• There is now an option to Select Overlapping entities. Any entities which partially or fully overlap are selected. Note: if the current entitiy type is element then no checks are made for overlap of 1D and 2D elements as this is a common occurance and not usually the cause of any problems.
  (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 15 New Features — Interface with Third Party Software

• GsRevit: The GSA-Revit link is compatible with Revit Structure 2013.

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 15 New Features — Analysis

• There is now an option to select the fast option for combining modal contributions in response spectrum analysis. When the coupling coefficient is < 1% the modes are assumed to be independent.
  (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)

• The force, moment and stress results for 2D elements are adjusted depending on the in-plane and bending thickness factors. The results are calculated as follows:

  • Stress (σ) – based on actual element thickness
  • In-plane force (N) – based on in-plane thickness
  • Moment (M) – based on bending thickness
  • Shear force (Q) – based on bending thickness

  (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)

• A new eigensolver based on a faster and a more robust algorithm is now available. The old eigensolver is identified as "Subspace Iteration [Jacobi]" – the new as "Subspace Iteration with Shifting + Locking".
  (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)

• A new analysis option has been added called "Model Stability". This is an analysis to help detect the presence of ill-conditioning and model errors.
  There are three situations where this can occur:

  1. The model is unrestrained
  2. Part of the model is unrestrained
  3. Part of the model is too flexible

  The first two of these produce zero modal stiffness, but in the first case the mode shape should show the whole model displacing (rigid body displacement) while in the second case only a part of the model will be displacing (again as a rigid body). These cases are usually due to oversight and are fixed by checking/modifying the restraint and connectedness of the model. The third case is usually due to problems in the modelling – usually due to very flexible element adjacent to stiff elements. The solution is typically problem specific, however the modes shapes shoud give a clue as to where the problems occur.
  (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 15 New Features — Design

• Steel design processing has been speeded up.
  (Released in OaSteelDesUtil.dll 50.1.0.11)
• Steel design to EN 1993-1-1:2005 Eurocode 3 (FR) has been implemented.
  (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 15 — GWA Syntax Changes

• The GWA format associated with the following keywords has been updated:
  • TASK — new option for modal analysis and solution type description modified so that they are now preceeded by SOL_ (eq STATIC is now SOL_STATIC).
  • GSS_PARAM — new options to select eigensolver options.
  • RAFT_SOIL_PROF — fix to allow read/write of soil profiles – incorrect field removed.

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 15 Fixes

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 15 Fixes — General

• GSA 8.6 cannot import the Pdisp data files written by the current version of Pdisp (Pdisp 19.2).
  [NCR6899] (Reported 16 February 2012) (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)
• GSA crashes opening a model when P-delta tasks are not valid.
  [NCR6960] (Fixed 23 March 2012) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.0.11)
• GSA crashes or hangs entering lists with bad syntax including asterisks.
  [NCR6961] (Fixed 23 March 2012) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.0.11)
• Asking to plot a 'Forces on 2D element cut' is causing GSA to crash when either requesting a cut from a polyline (in some circumstances), or by using QUAD 8 elements and checking the checkbox 'Use average 2D stresses'.
  [NCR6962] (Fixed 23 March 2012) (Released in OaBase.dll 50.1.0.10 & GSA.exe 8.6.0.10)
• GSA can, in some circumstances, crash when expanding loads on load panels.
  [NCR7006] (Fixed 2 April 2012) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.0.11)
• When using advanced option in cut section force operation, the normal direction of the cutting plane is not responding to the normal direction specified in the definition file (*_chart.csv file).
  [NCR7015] (Fixed 4 April 2012) (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)
• GSA refuses to copy standard fabric material properties in the Material wizard.
  [NCR7040] (Fixed 13 April 2012) (Released in GsTable.dll 8.6.0.11)
• GSA crashes when attempting to display Nodal User Module Data on Elements.
  [NCR7046] (Fixed 18 April 2012) (Released in GsPrivate.dll 8.6.0.11)
• On Japanese-language computers, GSA crashes trying to open files with Japanese characters in their names.
  [NCR7060] (Fixed 19 April 2012) (Released in GsPrivate.dll 8.6.0.11)
• When writing GWA data for 2D Element Properties the 'type' is omitted for Load Panel properties.
  [NCR7066] (Reported 23 April 2012) (Released in GsFile.dll 50.1.0.11)
• Renumbering of nodes (e.g. in 'Manage Data') does not update node lists in the Raft Interaction and Pile Interaction tables.
  [NCR7089] (Reported 30 April 2012) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.1.15 and Gsa.exe 8.6.0.13)
• If GSA is closed while it is minimised it sticks minimised when it is restarted.
  [NCR7091] (Fixed 1 May 2012) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.6.0.12)
• GSA crashes if the first edit to a model is undone.
  [NCR7092] (Fixed 27 April 2012) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.0.11)
• When doing the pre-analysis checks for a response spectrum analysis GSA will crash if a the response spectrum task refers to a nonexistent modal dynamic/Ritz task.
  [NCR7096] (Fixed 2 May 2012) (Released in GsCheck.dll 8.6.0.12)
• GSA crashes trying to open the table of combination cases if there are combinations defined in terms of each other.
  [NCR7111] (Fixed 9 May 2012) (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)
• GSA can crash when contouring grid area loads. This happens when the load boundary is defined by polylines which are closed (last point repeats the first point).
  [NCR7159] (Fixed 30 May 2012) (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)
• GSA is taking a very long time to open files that contain many Perimeter Sections.
  [NCR7170] (Fixed 07 June 2012) (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)
• GSA is reporting the wrong value for the warping constant C in the Section Properties dialog.
  [NCR7171] (Fixed 08 June 2012) (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)
• Some equations in the GSA manual are truncated with the right hand side and bottom not visible.
  [NCR7181] (Fixed 08 June 2012) (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)
• GSA sometimes crashes if the “undo” or sculpt “Preview” commands are used repeatedly.
  [NCR7182] (Fixed 31 May 2012) (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)
• Lists referring to cases by task are not interpreted correctly when models are read in.
  [NCR7193] (Fixed 15 June 2012) (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)
• Combination cases defined using lists containing combinations with srss or sign syntax have bogus additional permutations.
  [NCR7197] (Fixed 15 June 2012) (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)
• Combination permutations are not updated when lists they refer to change.
  [NCR7200] (Fixed 18 June 2012) (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)
• Soil profiles written to gwa files were corrupted. Only the first soil layer would be read and a spurious warning about zero soil properties would be given.
  [NCR7221] (Fixed 27 June 2012) (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 15 Fixes — Analysis

• GSA crashes when a static P-delta analysis is requested for a model with non-linear elements (ties, struts, etc) and the P-delta effect defined by results from an analysis or combination case. This problem does not affect model with only linear elements.
  [NCR6955] (Fixed 23 March 2012) (Released in Gss.dll 50.1.0.11)
• Some piled-raft models that can be analysed by GSA 8.5 become impossible to be analysed by GSA 8.6. This is due to infinite soil settlements being returned from soil settlement analysis.
  [NCR6959] (Fixed 23 March 2012) (Released in PDDCal.dll 50.1.0.12)
• An error occurs in the calculation of link element forces when using links with a property type xy, yz or zx plane constraint (pin or all). In this case, link elements are missing component contributions of their force when reporting their element force in the object viewer and output views.
  [NCR6984] (Fixed 27 March 2012) (Released in GSS.dll 50.1.0.10)
• An error occurs in the calculation of reaction forces for 2D elements when using the Allman-Cook element formulation. This effects the reporting of reaction forces in the object viewer and output views and is most evident as showing an imbalance of forces in the Total Loads & Reactions output.
  [NCR6972] (Fixed 28 March 2012) (Released in gss.dll 50.1.0.11)
• Plate elements are erroneously activating the 'zz' degree of freedom when the Allman-Cook formulation is set for the task (this in-plane preference should have no effect for plate elements).
  [NCR6973] (Fixed 30 March 2012) (Released in gss.dll 50.1.0.11)
• GSA will crash in the non-linear solver is load panel elements are included in the analysis. This problem can be worked around by expanding the loads on load panels and then setting up an analysis stage that excludes these elements.
  [NCR7007] (Fixed 2 April 2012) (Released in GsRelax.dll 8.6.0.11)
• Analysis fails without giving correct message if non-local axis is used by wall element property. The workaround is to change wall element property axis to 'Local'.
  [NCR7008] (Fixed 2 April 2012)
• The ‘Check Data’ command reports spurious errors for models with load panels in them.
  [NCR7012] (Fixed 3 April 2012) (Released in GsCheck.dll 8.6.0.11)
• GSA refuses to do buckling analysis of a model if the load cases in the disabled P-delta case description have applied displacements.
  [NCR7039] (Fixed 13 April 2012) (Released in GsCheck.dll 8.6.0.11)
• Analysis fails without giving correct message if wall elements have offsets. Wall element cannot have offset and the offsets need to be removed before doing analysis.
  [NCR7055] (Fixed19 April 2012) (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)
• 2D elements are giving wrong stress and moment results when thermal gradients are applied to the elements.
  [NCR7061] (Fixed 19 April 2012) (Released in Gss.dll 50.1.0.11)
• There can be a problem in grid loading if grid loading is applied to triangular panels on a two-way spanning grid plane. If the "first" node found on the panel is somewhere along an edge and the adjacent elements have local x axes pointing in opposite directions the panel search thing this panel has an extra edge leading to error in the application of load. The result is that the model ends up "fixed" when analysed.
  [NCR7077] (Fixed 26 April 2012) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.0.11)
• Automatic calculated soil interaction areas for nodes connected to 2D elements are wrong/infinite if there are also other vertical 2D elements connected to the nodes. Because of this Raft analysis cannot be done.
  [NCR7082] (Fixed 27 April 2012) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.0.11)
• GSA refuses to analyse models when there are spring properties that the analysis options in the task do not support but are not in use by active elements.
  [NCR7095] (Fixed 1 May 2012) (Released in GsCheck.dll 8.6.0.12)
• In a response spectrum calculation the scaling specified for the spectrum is not applied in the analysis which is carried out for the standard 5% damping.
  [NCR7099] (Fixed 2 May 2012) (Released in OaUtil 50.1.0.12)
• If a model uses orthotropic material and also has thermal loads, p-delta and buckling analysis cannot be done, either irrelevant error generated or GSA crashes.
  [NCR7103] (Fixed 3 May 2012) (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)
• The restraint direction of support springs with non-Cartesian axis is not consider correctly in nonlinear and form-finding analyses, i.e. the actual nodal positions of the restrained nodes are ignored when working out the nodal restraint direction.
  [NCR7105] (Fixed 4 May 2012) (Released in GsRelax.dll 8.6.0.13)
• GSA displays the message “Warning in List: Analysis stage specified in analysis task does not exist” when lists contain unused properties.
  [NCR7110] (Fixed 9 May 2012) (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)
• If a perimeter section has more than one hole and also use elastic-plastic material, the perimeter section proprties (area and second moment of area) are incorrectly used in nonlinear analysis, i.e. the hole areas has not been considered.
  [NCR7124] (Fixed 15 May 2012) (Released in GsRelax.dll 8.6.0.13)
• GSA does not include 'zz' rotational degrees of freedom when evaluating any type of 2D element loading on an element under the Allman-Cook formulation. Including these missing dof provide a more uniform and complete load across the loaded 2D surface.
  [NCR7051] (Fixed 29 May 2012) (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)
• If both nodes of an edge of wall elements are in a rigid constraint, a link or a joint, the corresponding edge (i.e. the hidden nodes along the the edge) should also be in the relevant constraints, but this is not the case in current GSA 8.6.
  [NCR7180] (Fixed 11 June 2012) (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)
• GSA crashes trying non-linear analysis of models with grid loads after elements are deleted.
  [NCR7187] (Fixed 13 June 2012) (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)
• When projected face loads are applied to load panel elements with load distributed to all faces the projection factor is ignored.
  [NCR7188] (Fixed 14 June 2012) (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)
• If wall element nodes are constrained, but not fully fixed, the nodal reaction forces and moments are sometimes incorrect.
  [NCR7220] (Fixed 27 June 2012) (Released in GSA 8.6.1.15)

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 15 Fixes — Design

• EC3 steel design: The lateral torsional buckling check ignores the intermediate minor axis restraints in the member.
  [NCR6920] (Fixed 29 March 2012) (Released in GSA_DES_EC3_2005.dll 50.1.0.11)
• BS5950 steel design: Equivalent uniform moment factor (mlt) is incorrect when the member is subjected to destabilizing loads.
  [NCR6921] (Fixed 29 March 2012) (Released in GSA_DES_BS5950_1_2000.dll 50.1.0.11)
• Load height is not updated when the value is entered in the Steel Restraint Properties Table.
  [NCR6922] (Fixed 29 March 2012) (Released in GsTable.dll 50.1.0.11)
• AS4100 Steel Design: The buckling interaction check for CHS sections has been improved.
  [NCR7018] (Fixed 5 April 2012) (Released in GSA_DES_as4100_98.dll 50.1.0.11)
• HKSUOS steel design: Utilization factor for lateral torsional buckling is sometimes incorrectly setting to infinity.
  [NCR7041] (Fixed 5 April 2012) (Released in GSA_DES_HKSUOS_05.dll 50.1.0.11)
• AISC360-05 steel design: The steel checker is incorrectly calculating the effective section modulus (Seff) for slender RHS sections.
  [NCR7072] (Fixed 26 April 2012) (Released in GSA_DES_aisc_360_05.dll 50.1.0.11)
• The 64-bit edition of GSA crashes calculating steel utilisation using the LRFD3 design code.
  [NCR7075] (Fixed 25 April 2012) (Released in GSA_DES_LRFD3.dll 50.1.0.11)
• AISC360-05 steel design: The steel checker is incorrectly calculating the reduction factor( Qa) for stiffened elements of RHS sections.
  [NCR7080] (Fixed 27 April 2012) (Released in GSA_DES_aisc_360_05.dll 50.1.0.11)
• BS5950 steel design: Sometimes the checker is non-conservatively selecting the web class of Tee sections.
  [NCR7084] (Fixed 30 April 2012) (Released in GSA_DES_BS5950_1_2000.dll 50.1.0.11)
• EC3 steel design: When calculating the elastic critical moment (Mcr) the steel checker incorrectly uses the effective length factor for the minor axis (Ky). This error only occurs when the effective length factors are overriden and can be unconservative.
  [NCR7121] (Fixed on 15 May 2012) (Released in GSA_DES_EC3_2005.dll 50.1.0.12)
• EC3 steel design: The modified reduction factor for LT buckling (ChiLT_Mod calculated in accordance with clause 6.3.2.3 (2) of EN1993-1-1:2005) is now applied to member buckling interaction. Previously the reduction factor for LT buckling (ChilLT) was used for buckling interaction. This is applicable to I Sections only.
  [NCR7185] (Fixed on 13 June 2012) (Released in GSA_DES_EC3_2005.dll 50.1.1.15)
• EC3 steel design: The equivalent moment computed from combined bending and tension is incorrect. Lateral torsional buckling is checked against this equivalent moment when the member is subjected to bending and tension.
  [NCR7216](Fixed 26 June 2012)(Released in GSA_DES_EC3_2005.dll 50.1.1.15)

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 15 Fixes — Table Views

• GSA crashes when you use the “Wizard” button or double click in a table when the left-hand column is selected.
  [NCR6995] (Fixed 29 March 2012) (Released in GsTable.dll 8.6.0.11)

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 15 Fixes — Output Views

• Nodal Forces and Moments are not reported at nodes that are attached to both 2D and non-2D elements unless the lowest numbered attached element is non-2D.
  [NCR6946] (Fixed 22 March 2012) (Released in GsPrivate.dll 8.6.0.10)
• GSA crashes outputting applied displacements or settlements when there are more of them than node loads.
  [NCR6974] (Fixed 26 March 2012) (Released in GsPrivate.dll 8.6.0.10)
• Requesting a Grid Window for Response Spectrum Details output causes GSA to hang.
  [NCR7101] (Fixed 2 May 2012) (Released in GsPrivate.dll 8.6.0.12)
• Nodal Forces and Moments, and 0D and 2D Element Forces and Moments are not reported for elements that have inconsistent properties for the case being considered. This check is valid for stresses, but not forces.
  [NCR7115] (Fixed 11 May 2012) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.0.12)
• Unit conversion from SI to user units is applied incorrectly for the following footfall analysis results: Peak Acceleration, Resonant Critical Frequency, Peak Velocity, RMS Velocity, RMQ Velocity, Transient Critical Frequency. (This doesn't affect Graphic Views.)
  [NCR7205] (Fixed 20 June 2012) (Released in GsPrivate.dll 8.6.1.15)

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 15 Fixes — Graphic Views

• Load diagrams of gravity cases sometimes display some spurious load applied to load panel elements. This is incorrect as load panel elements do not attract gravity loading. This does not affect analysis results.
  [NCR7067] (Fixed 23 April 2012) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.0.11)
• When splitting lines the replaced references to lines in areas do not always consider the direction of the original line in the area.
  [NCR7078] (Fixed 26 April 2012) (Released in GwDat.dll 50.1.0.11)
• Deformed Elevation contouring on 2D elements is drawn as stick contours instead of area contours.
  [NCR7122] (Fixed 15 May 2012) (Released in GsGraph.dll 8.6.1.15 and GwDat.dll 50.1.1.15)

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 15 Fixes — COM Interface

• GSA displays a window when invoked from COM. This bug can potentially slow down COM clients.
  [NCR6991] (Fixed 28 March 2012) (Released in GSA.exe 8.6.0.10)

GSA 8.6 sp 1 build 15 Fixes — Interface with Third Party Software

• GsRevit registration: The GSA installer / GsaRegister.exe is unable to register GsRevit on computers on which Revit has been installed for specific users (as opposed to 'all users'). This has been fixed by adding the user specific location paths for the GsRevit.addin file. All of the user-specific locations ("C:\Documents and Settings\\Application Data\Autodesk\Revit\Addins\2012\" for XP and "C:\Users\\AppData\Roaming\Autodesk\Revit\Addins \2012\" for Vista/Windows7) and the 'all users' location ("C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application" for XP and "C:\ProgramData\Autodesk\Revit\Addins\2012\" for Vista/Windows7) are now considered. If an 'all users' manifest file shares the same name with a user-specific manifest file, the 'all users' manifest file is ignored.
  [NCR6940] (Fixed 26 March 2012) (Released in GsaRegister.exe 8.6.0.10)
• CAD Export: CAD block table names created from GSA property names that include illegal characters cause GSA to crash when exporting. This has been fixed by replacing the illegal characters with underscores and reporting that this has been done.
  [NCR6981] (Fixed 27 March 2012) (Released in Gsa_Export_Cad.dll 8.6.0.11)

GSA 8.6 build 9 — New Features

GSA 8.6 build 9 — New Features — General

• The load panel feature has been enhanced so that the load panels now work if there is a diagonal brace element across the face of the load panel.
• There is a preference to check file versions when reading a binary (gwb) file. When the preference is enabled (the default) a warning is given when a file created by a different version of GSA is opened.
• When calculating the 'J' value for a Perimeter Section, a check and warning is now provided for any section shape that is considered too sufficiently thin-walled for a satisfactory solution by the current calculation method.

GSA 8.6 build 9 — New Features — Analysis

• Response spectrum analysis is enabled for wall elements.

GSA 8.6 build 9 — Fixes

GSA 8.6 build 9 — Fixes — General

• Some superseded sections in the EN10210 catalogue are omitted from the section database. The following section types are affected: SHS (EN10210-2:2006); RHS(EN10210-2:2006); EHS(EN10210-2:2006); Celcius 355 SHS(EN10210-2:2006)-Corus; Celcius 355 RHS(EN10210-2:2006)-Corus. Opening a model that references one of the omitted sections results in the properties for the section being set to zero.
  In the fixed version of the database the superseded sections have been restored and flagged as 'superseded'.
  [NCR6812] (Fixed 22 February 2012) (Released in sectlib.db3 dated 24 February 2012)
• The torsion constant can now optionally be calculated for perimiter sections. When sections are written to text (gwa) files this option is written as a flag +J/-J. This causes problems in Excel, so the flag has been changed to J/NO_J.
  [NCR6820] (Fixed 22 February 2012) (Released in GsFile.dll 50.1.0.9)
• When sections are written to / read from file the flag to indicate that principal axes are to be used is lost.
  [NCR6825] (Fixed 23 February 2012) (Released in GsFile.dll 50.1.0.9)
• GSA creates a timber material if you try to copy a standard concrete material in the wizard.
  [NCR6861] (Fixed 29 February 2012) (Released in GsTable.dll 8.6.0.9)
• Right-clicking in the Views tab of the gateway goes to the wrong view after you save or delete a view.
  [NCR6866] (Fixed 1 March 2012) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.6.0.9)
• Perimeter section dialog is not re-evaluating the calculation for the torsion constant when only the units of the perimeter section are changed. Other dialog inconsistencies.
  [NCR6874] (Fixed 2 March 2012) (Released in OaSect.dll 50.1.0.9)
• The reporting of storeys in an output view swaps the above/below elevation tolerances.
  [NCR6876] (Fixed 5 March 2012) (Released in Gwdat.dll 50.1.0.9)
• When the "Staged Analysis" feature is not enabled the tied interfaces stage list is left empty, resulting in the tied interface being inactive.
  [NCR6913] (Fixed 13 March 2012) (Released in GsTable.dll 8.6.0.9)

GSA 8.6 build 9 — Fixes — Analysis

• GSA crashes when doing GsRelax analysis if elements have offsets. GsRelax cannot take element offsets, so do not use element offsets when doing GsRelax analysis.
  [NCR6804] (Fixed 17 February 2012) (Released in GsCheck.dll 8.6.0.9)
• Removing any element pre-load, previously applied to a task through the task's Advanced Solver Settings, is not correctly being removed when the task is analysed.
  [NCR6807] (Fixed 20 February 2012) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.6.0.9)
• Setting an in-plane/bending thickness distinct from the actual thickness for 2D elements leads to inconsistent results for thermal and in-plane load due to the load being applied to the wrong thickness.
  [NCR6826] (Fixed 23 February 2012) (Released in Gss.dll 50.1.0.9, Gwdat.dll 50.1.0.9)
• Response spectrum analysis with the Chinese GB50011-10 spectrum results in null results due to the spectral accelerations being set as zero.
  [NCR6833] (Fixed 24 February 2012) (Released in OaUtil.dll 50.1.0.9)
• In some instances the sparse solver would terminate during the solution for no apparent reason. This is due to an internal overflow. This can be avoided by using the sparse parallel solver.
  [NCR6834] (Fixed 24 February 2012) (Released in OaMatrix.dll 1.4.0.2)
• If there are beam elements that are pinned on both ends in a model, form-finding analysis using this model produces a model that cannot be analysed.
  [NCR6852] (Fixed 28 February 2012) (Released in GsRelax.dll 8.6.0.9)
• Nonlinear analysis results are incorrect if there are link elements with custom link properties.
  [NCR6854] (Fixed 28 February 2012) (Released in GsRelax.dll 8.6.0.9)
• Tied interfaces were not linking the zz degree of freedom of 2D elements so elements connected to these were left able to spin.
  [NCR6867] (Fixed 1 March 2012) (Released in Gwdat.dll 50.1.0.9)
• A modal dynamic analysis can cause a crash in the initialization of the mass matrix.
  [NCR6872] (Fixed 3 March 2012) (Released in OaMatrix.dll 1.4.0.2)
• GSA takes a very long time to delete bridge tasks in large models.
  [NCR6877] (Fixed 5 March 2012) (Released in Gwdat.dll 50.1.0.9)
• GSA crashes trying to analyse models with grid loads after elements are deleted.
  [NCR6883] (Fixed 6 March 2012) (Released in GsCheck.dll 8.6.0.9)
• The Sparse Parallel Direct Solver sometimes hangs at the stage of 'assembling stiffness matrix'.
  Setting the Tools > Preferences > Miscellaneous > Advanced Preferences > Number of threads for parallel solver to 1 reduces the likelihood of this problem occuring.
  [NCR6893] (Reported 15 February 2012)
• The definition of an active rigid constraint has been adjusted so that a rigid constraint is only active is it it connected to at least one active element.
• The stresses, forces and moments in 2D elements are a function of the element thickness. When thickness modifiers are applied to 2D elements it is not always clear which thickness is used in the calculation. In GSA 8.6 the forces and moments are the basic results and the in-plane and bending stresses are calculated from the forces and moments. These are based on thicknesses as follows:
  • N (Nx, Ny, Nxy) – in-plane thickness
  • Q (Qx, Qy) – bending thickness
  • M (Mx, My, Mxy) – bending thickness
  • σ (σxx, σyy, σzz, σxy, σyz, σzx) – actual thicknessNote: when thickness modifiers have been applied this version should give the same moments and forces, but the stresses may differ.

GSA 8.6 build 9 — Fixes — Design

• AISC Steel Design: The AISC steel checker incorrectly calculates the flexural critical stress for compact RHS sections.
  [NCR6800] (Fixed 16 February 2012) (Released in GSA_DES_aisc_360_05.dll 50.1.0.9)
• BS5950 Steel Design: The BS5950 steel checker is incorrectly using the equivalent uniform moment factor (mlt) for Tee Sections.
  [NCR6823] (Fixed 24 February 2012) (Released in GSA_DES_BS5950_1_2000.dll 50.1.0.9)
• AS4100 Steel Design: The section interaction check for CHS sections has been improved.
  [NCR6829] (Fixed 24 February 2012) (Released in GSA_DES_as4100_98.dll 50.1.0.9)
• AS4100 Steel Design: Section classification for CHS section is incorrect.
  [NCR6830] (Fixed 24 February 2012) (Released in GSA_DES_as4100_98.dll 50.1.0.9)
• AS4100 Steel Design: The default value of "maximum plastic:elastic ratio" has been revised to 1.5.
  [NCR6832] (Fixed 24 February 2012) (Released in GSA_DES_as4100_98.dll 50.1.0.9)

GSA 8.6 build 9 — Fixes — Table Views

• Pasting to the Axis field in the 2D Element Properties table gives a spurious message and freezes the table, then only allowing the table to be closed.
  [NCR6806] (Fixed 17 February 2012) (Released in GsTable.dll 8.6.0.9)
• Resizing the width of the first column of any table (row header) causes GSA to crash.
  [NCR6835] (Fixed 24 February 2012) (Released in GsTable.dll 8.6.0.9)
• In the 2D Element Properties table, after changing the Type, default values assigned to previously greyed fields do not take into account the current units. Also, there is some confusion over which fields are greyed per Type.
  [NCR6873] (Fixed 2 March 2012) (Released in GsTable.dll 8.6.0.9)
• Some tables are restricting a number of their columns from being resized by the mouse.
  [NCR6860] (Fixed 8 March 2012) (Released in OaWin.dll 50.1.0.9)

GSA 8.6 build 9 — Fixes — Output Views

• GSA does not update the grid view after output options are changed.
  [NCR6894] (Fixed 7 March2012) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.6.0.9)

GSA 8.6 build 9 — Fixes — Graphic Views

• On some graphics cards the image is not displayed in perspective view.
  Graphics cards affected include 'ATI Radeon HD 3470' and 'ATI FirePro V4800 (Fire GL)'.
  [NCR6811] (Fixed 21 February 2012) (Released in GsPrivate.dll 8.6.0.9)

• On some graphics cards the following problems occur during entity selection in Graphic Views.

  • Dragging a selection rectangle leaves a trail of rectangles on the screen.
  • Selection marks are incorrectly displayed.

  In most cases one of the following solutions resolves these problems, in order of recommendation.

  1. Update the graphics card driver.
  2. Switch to a non-Aero desktop theme (if running on Windows 7).
  3. In GSA, switch on ‘Tools > Preferences > Miscellaneous > View Options > GDI overlay in Graphic Views’.

  Graphics cards affected include those in the 'NVIDEA GeForce' family, the 'Intel(R) Express Chipset' family and 'Intel(R) HD Graphics (Core i5)'.
  [NCR6816] (Reported 15 February 2012)

• Load diagrams of the self weight of mass elements are not displayed unless some other load is also displayed.
  [NCR6822] (Fixed 22 February 2012) (Released in GsPrivate.dll 8.6.0.9)

• Selection highlight marks do not appear in printed graphics.
  [NCR6911] (Fixed 13 March 2012) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.6.0.9)

• Selection marks are not updated following some sculpt operations.
  [NCR6912] (Fixed 13 March 2012) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.6.0.9)

GSA 8.6 build 9 — Fixes — Interface with Third Party Software

• CAD Export: CAD layer names created from GSA property names that include illegal characters cause GSA to crash when exporting. This has been fixed by replacing the illegal characters with underscores and reporting that this has been done.
  [NCR6865] (Fixed 2 March 2012) (Released in Gsa_Export_Cad.dll 8.6.0.9)
• GsRevit Import From GSA: ‘Import from Oasys GSA’ fails to map to any Revit families even when the Revit family type is in Mappings.db3.
  [NCR6892] (Fixed 7 March 2012) (Released in GsRevit_RS2012.dll 8.6.0.9)

GSA 8.6 New Features

GSA 8.6 Main New Features

• 64-bit hardware support
  GSA now supports the 64-bit capabilities of modern computer hardware. The size of model that can be analysed is only limited by the amount of swap space available. A 32-bit edition of GSA will continue to be available for older machines and 32-bit versions of Windows but the size of model it can analyse has been reduced slightly to make the program more stable. The two editions of GSA can read each other’s files, though the 32-bit edition may not be able to read extremely large models written by the 64-bit edition.

• New Design Codes
  New steel design codes:

  • AISC360:05
  • AISC360:10
  • AS4100:98
  • HKSUOS:05
  • EN 1993-1-1:2005 Eurocode 3 (NL)

• Steel Design support for Channel and Tee sections
  Steel design may now be carried out for Channel and Tee sections. This is available for all currently supported codes.

• 2D Load Panel Elements
  Load panels have been added to GSA. These are non-structural 2D elements (quad-4 and triangle-3) that allow simpler definition of loads and which transfer that load to the surrounding beam elements.
  2D elements are specified as being load panels by setting the 2D Element Property 'Type' to 'Load Panel'; the load distribution is specified by setting the 2D Element Property 'Support Pattern' to one of the following:

  • All edges supported - the load is distributed to the edges in proportion to the contributing areas.
  • Three edges supported - the load is distributed to the supporting edges so that as far a possible equilibrium is maintained. The edge opposite the reference edge does not take any load.
  • Two edges supported - the load spans from the sides adjacent to the reference edge.
  • Two adjacent edges supported - the load is taken on the reference edge and the 'next' edge on the element.
  • One edge supported - the load is all attributed to the reference edge. The moment due to the offset of the load is ignored.
  • Cantilever support - the forces are distributed as for one edge supported but the moment is applied to the edge so that equilibrium is achieved.The 2D Element Property 'Ref. Edge' field specifies the reference edge.

• Cladding tool
  A cladding tool has been introduced — Tools > Manipulate Model > Create Load Panels on Surface. This allows a surface to be specified as a list of 1D elements. The tool then generates a set of load panel elements to fill the faces bounded by the 1D elements in the list.

• 2D Linear Element with 'zz' Rotational Stiffness
  A new formulation type has been added to the options available for 2D linear elements. The new formulation includes the local in-plane 'zz' rotational degrees of freedom within the construction of the elements local stiffness. Often referred to as the 'drilling' degree of freedom, their inclusion has both performance and practical considerations:

  • The additional strain states provided by the drilling degrees of freedom turn out to provide the exact bending strain states necessary to help alleviate the element from the problems of in-plane shear locking, often symptomatic of linear element formulations. The new element performs much better for bending type problems.
  • The formulation has the additional practical capability of providing a means to connect moments applied in the local 'zz' direction of the 2D element to translational strain of the element. While this has the clear advantage in practical problems, care must be made to allow for a connection over a sufficiently sized area. Specifically, 'zz' connections to 2D elements made over a single node are not recommended.

• Wall Elements
  Wall elements have been added to GSA. These are superelements that are represented internally by 4-by-4 Quad8 shell elements.

  • A Quad4 element is specified as a wall element by setting the 2D Element Property Type to 'Wall'.
  • Wall element results are represented on an equivalent beam, or 'wall stick', in either the primary or secondary (local x or y) direction. These equivalent beam results are available tabulated in Output Views, and contoured and as diagrams in Graphic Views. The wall stick direction is specified in the 1D Element Results dialog.

  Note that:

  • Only linear static and modal dynamic analysis may be carried out on models with wall elements.
  • Wall element grouping for post-processing is not available.Refer to the GSA manual for a complete list of limitations.

• Calculation of Torsion Constant ‘J’ for Perimeter Sections
  A new solver has been added to GSA that implements a method for calculating the torsional rigidity of arbitrarily defined perimeter sections.

  • For any perimeter section defined through the Section Wizard, there is now an explicit option to calculate the torsion constant alongside all other section properties. Aside from a valid section shape, no further input is necessary for the solver.
  • Internally, the method makes use of a new solver that solves for the stress field across the section domain, and in turn, the Torsion Constant J (m⁴).
  • The method is applicable to any perimeter section, including sections with voids.

• Results at 2D element centres only
  The performance of GSA when post-processing large 2D element models may be improved by using the following features.

  • Advanced Solver Settings > Results > 2D element forces and stresses at centre only
    When this option is set 2D element forces and stresses are stored at centre positions only, not at nodal positions. Tabular output and diagrams will be reported at element centres only; contouring will use the centre value at each nodal position to result in a constant contour value across each element unless results are averaged at nodes). When combining centre only results with results from tasks that do store results at nodal positions the centre value will be used as the nodal value.
  • Diagram Settings > Output of 2D Element Results > Centre values only When this option is set 2D element result diagrams are drawn at the centre position on the element only and not the nodal positions.
  • Contour Settings > Output of 2D Element Results > Centre values only
    When this option is set the centre value is applied to the nodal positions per element to result in constant contouring values for each element.
  • Element user module CENTRE_ONLY_2D flag
    When the CENTRE_ONLY_2D flag is set for an element user module only a centre value for each 2D element is stored. Using the 'Generate User Module(s)' command when 'Centre values only' is set causes the CENTRE_ONLY_2D flag to be set in the resulting user module(s).

• Improved interaction of Output View reports with spreadsheets
  The new 'Fully populate fields' option produces a report that has all header and leading fields populated. This format is convenient for working with Output View reports in spreadsheets, especially when using the Excel 'Filter' and 'PivotTable' features (and similar).
  The 'Fully populate fields' option is offered in the Output Wizard : Further Options dialog. The previous 'Spreadsheet format' option has been renamed to 'Output all data per entitiy on a single row'.

• Lists of stages for constraints
  You can now specify generalised restraints, rigid constraints, joints, constraints and tied interfaces that apply in a list of stages.

GSA 8.6 New Features — General

• Edge loads on 2D elements can be specified as either pressure or force per unit length. This is set in the analysis specification. Plane strain and axisymmetric structure types only offer the pressure option.
• In tables the default name for many records is of the form "name #" where the # is replaced by the record number. An option for formatting the number has been introduced by specifying the field width by setting multiple hashes, so "name ###" for record 1 would give a field "name 001".
• Support has been added for the updated ASCE and Chinese seismic codes (ASCE 7-10 abnd GB 50011-2010).
• A right-click option has been added to the gateway to allow deletion of loads for a selected, or selection of load cases.
• A new option "Investigate Model" has been introduced in the "Tools" menu. At present this only contains an option to identify discrete structures within the model, outputting a list of elements for each structure.
• The Views tab of the Gateway now stays open when you save a view or undo a change to the model.
• The option to generate equivalent static loading has been updated to include more seismic codes (labelled 'NEW')):
  • ASCE 7-05 (NEW), ASCE 7-10 (NEW)
  • Eurocode 8 (NEW)
  • FEMA 356
  • IBC 2000, 2006 (NEW), 2009 (NEW)
  • IS 1893 (NEW)
  • UBC1997
  • IS 1893 (NEW)
  • GB 50011-01 (NEW), GB 50011-10 (NEW)There is also an option to specify the fundamental structure period.
• There is now the option to assign names to loads. Note that name fields are visible in loads tables only if the Input > Show names in loads tables preference is selected. Load names are reported in Output Views.
• The Check Member-Element Relationships command now produces more detailed output including lists of members. The output is reported in the Object Viewer.
• The new Preferences > Miscellaneous > Preferred View Options dialog allows the following preferences to be set:
  • Render Graphic Views in a separate thread (default: ON)
  • Crude graphics rendering in Graphic Views (default: OFF)
  • GDI overlay in Graphic Views (default: OFF)
  • Render Output Views in a separate thread (default: OFF)
  • Perform analysis in a separate thread (default: ON)
• Section properties for beams now report the yy/zz or uu/vv properties based on the choice of axis for stiffness calculation. Note this only affects non-symmetric sections.
• The section database now includes finish information to indicate whether the section is rolled or formed. For sections that have a specified finish the section 'Type' field is set accordingly and made read-only.
• The tool 'Create Rigid Membranes from Storeys' has been enhanced to create a new node on each storey at the centre of mass which becomes the master node. These new nodes restrained in the z, xx & yy, and are added to a list named "Centre of Storeys". This list can then be used in post-processing to examine storey horizontal displacements.
• The 'Create Storeys' tool has been enhanced so that storeys are determined based on horizontal elements in a model. This avoid problems if columns are divided between storeys.
• You can now create materials with additional standard steel, aluminium, timber and fabric properties in the Material Wizard.

GSA 8.6 New Features — Output Options

• 2D element Bending Thickness, In-plane Thickness and Additional Mass may now be contoured.
• Beam Section Extended Properties may now be reported in Output Views. These include all properties that are displayed in the Section Wizard : Section Definition > More dialog.
• In Output Views the area of grid planes is now included in Grid Planes output. The reported area is the sum of the areas of all valid panels identified for the grid plane. Where a panel is not parallel to the grid plane the actual area of the panel is used, not the area of the panel projected onto the grid plane.
• The following Output View options now recognise the specified case list:
  • Mass Details
  • Dynamic Details
  • Dynamic Summary
  • Buckling Details
  • Response Spectrum DetailsNote that accumulated values are not reported when the case list is other than 'All'.
• The Dynamic Summary now includes modal stiffness and modal damping. The accumulated effective / total mass and accumulated effective / unrestrained mass are now only reported per modal task, not per mode.

GSA 8.6 New Features — Graphic View — General

• New labelling options:
  • Storey references
  • Due north - displays a north arrow in the legend axes triad.
  • 2D element edges - an arrow is drawn from the first to the second corner of 2D elements.
  • Load panels - indicating the reference edge and load pattern for 2D 'load panel' elements.
• Opening a new Graphic View when the settings have been grabbed from a Graphic View using the 'View settings painter' applies the grabbed settings to the new view.
• When right-clicking on elements, members and areas the right-click menu now includes options to select all entities that reference the same property, the same material, and that are in the same group.
• The default setting for the Graphics > Limit before ghost image has been increased to 10,000,000 elements.
• When displaying modal results the period is now reported in the legend.
• The Graphics Fonts and Styles dialog now includes a 'Print' 'Dark background' option that specifies whether saved images should be on a dark background. Previously the 'Screen' 'Dark background' applied to saved images.
• When displaying the deformed image for 1D elements that have no element displacements (e.g. link elements) the nodal displacements are now used. Previously these were displayed undeformed.
• The new 'Regenerate graphics on standard view' preference causes the graphics to be regenerated when any of the standard view commands (e.g. 'Plan') is invoked. Note that graphics regeneration can be slow when working with large models.
  Previously the graphics was always regenerated for standard views.

GSA 8.6 New Features — Graphic View — Sculpt

• The Split 1D Elements and Split Lines dialog boxes now offer the option to split the entities at the intersection of the entity with a plane. The plane may be specified by a grid plane or by three nodes. Selected elements that do not intersect the plane will be ignored.
• New sculpt options for aligning elements:
  • Sculpt > 1D Element operations > Align 1D Elements - The selected 1D elements are flipped such that the element x axes point generally in current grid axis directions.
  • Sculpt > 2D Element Operations > Align 2D Element Edges - The selected 2D elements are spun such that the first edges align generally with specified axes.
  • Sculpt > 2D Element Operations > Align 2D Element Z Axes - The selected 2D elements are flipped such that the element z axes point generally in current grid axis directions.
• A new sculpt option has been added to allow columns and slabs to be connected. A rigid constraint ties the translations and rotations of the slab close to the column to the translations and rotations of the column.

GSA 8.6 New Features — COM Interface

New COM functions are now available to extract results in arrays, manipulate views, extract entities in a list and returns all data for a GWA module.

• A new set of Output functions (Output_Arr) have been exposed. These return analysis results for nodes and elements as arrays in a single function call, improving efficiency and reducing the complexity of Output extraction code.
• Functions for saving, renaming, deleting and editing saved views have been exported.
• A new function returns the entities in a list given its description.
• GWACommand has a new option 'GET_ALL' that returns all records for a module in a single function call.
• A new function returns all elements or members connected to a given node as an array.

GSA 8.6 New Features — Interface with Third Party Software

• GsRevit: The GSA-Revit link is compatible with Revit Structure 2012.
• DYNA: Tie, strut and cable elements are exported as "beams" to LS-DYNA.

GSA 8.6 New Features — Analysis

• Fabric elements can now be analysed in the linear solver. For a linear analysis these elements include compression.
• Response spectrum analaysis is now available for plane-stress, plane-strain and axisymmetric structure types.
• GSA now has a user preference to automatically save the model and results to a file whenever batch analysis tasks finish being analysed.
• The 'Sparse Parallel Direct' solution method has been introduced. This significantly speeds up the stiffness matrix factorisation during linear analyses (approx. x9 on a quad core machine) to result in an improvement in overall analysis time (approx. x1.1 on a quad core machine). 'Sparse Parallel Direct' is the default solution method.
• The thickness modifiers for 2D element properties have been clarified. There are now three modifiers - bending, in-plane and mass/weight. The bending and in-plane modifiers apply only to the element stiffness. The mass/weight modifiers applies to the mass calculation and the value of self weight/gravity loads. Thermal loads are always based on the actual thickness of the element.
  (Updated in build 9.)

GSA 8.6 New Features — Design

See [here](#8.6_design codes) for a list of codes of practice implemented in this version.

GSA 8.6 — GWA Syntax Changes

• The GWA format associated with the following keywords has been updated:
  • CONS_EQN — new options in field(s); backwards compatible
  • DISP_NODE.2 — new field added; version incremented
  • GEN_REST — new options in field(s); backwards compatible
  • JOINT — new options in field(s); backwards compatible
  • LOAD_2D_EDGE.2 — new field added; extended; version incremented
  • LOAD_2D_FACE.2 — new field added; version incremented
  • LOAD_2D_PRE.2 — new field added; version incremented
  • LOAD_2D_STRN.2 — new field added; version incremented
  • LOAD_2D_TENDON.2 — new field added; version incremented
  • LOAD_NODE.2 — new field added; version incremented
  • LOAD_BEAM_DIST.2 — new field added; version incremented
  • LOAD_BEAM_LENG.2 — new field added; version incremented
  • LOAD_BEAM_LINE.2 — new field added; version incremented
  • LOAD_BEAM_PATCH.2 — new field added; version incremented
  • LOAD_BEAM_POINT.2 — new field added; version incremented
  • LOAD_BEAM_PRE.2 — new field added; version incremented
  • LOAD_BEAM_STRN.2 — new field added; version incremented
  • LOAD_BEAM_TEN.2 — new field added; version incremented
  • LOAD_BEAM_TRILIN.2 — new field added; version incremented
  • LOAD_BEAM_UDL.2 — new field added; version incremented
  • LOAD_GRAVITY.2 — new field added; version incremented
  • LOAD_GRID_AREA.2 — new field added; version incremented
  • LOAD_GRID_LINE.2 — new field added; version incremented
  • LOAD_GRID_POINT.2 — new field added; version incremented
  • PROP_2D — new options in field(s); backwards compatible
  • PROP_LINK — new options in field(s); backwards compatible
  • PROP_SEC — extended; backwards compatible
  • RIGID — new options in field(s); backwards compatible
  • SETTLE.2 — new field added; version incremented
  • SPEC — extended; backwards compatible
  • SPEC_BRIDGE — new options in field(s); backwards compatible
  • SPECTRUM — new options in field(s); backwards compatible
  • TASK — new options in field(s); backwards compatible
  • TASK — GsRaft tasks: new field(s); NOT backwards compatible
  • TEMP_2D.2 — new field added; version incremented
  • TEMP_BEAM.2 — new field added; version incremented
  • TIED — new options in field(s); backwards compatible
  • USER_MOD_ELEM_TITLE — new options in field(s); backwards compatible

GSA 8.6 — Fixes

GSA 8.6 — Fixes — General

• When reporting results for 2D elements in cylindrical coordinates, discontinuities in choosing the resolved output axis may be present for elements that are not completely flat.
  [NCR6407] (Fixed 18 Jan 2011) (Released in GSA 8.6.0.8)
• Lists are silently changed if spaces are removed between a lot of numbers and GSA takes a very long time to analyse them.
  [NCR6578] (Fixed 7 December 2011) (Released in GSA 8.6.0.8)
• GSA crashes if a task pasted into the Tasks view is badly formatted.
  [NCR6739] (Fixed 2 February 2012) (Released in GSA 8.6.0.8)

GSA 8.6 — Fixes — Analysis

• When an in-plane thickness modifier is set for 2D elements this modifier is used in the calculation of element loads. So for example gravity loads are based on the modified thickness rather than the actual thickness. This has been changed so that the actual thickness is always used.
  (There's no change to the gravity load diagrams, which display the gravity loads based on the actual thickness.)
  [NCR6394] (Fixed 29 September 2011) (Released in GSA 8.6.0.8)
• The spring stiffness that is equivalent to soil support at pile interaction nodes generated after piled raft analysis is wrong.
  [NCR6465] (Fixed 3 November 2011) (Released in GSA 8.6.0.8)
• In bridge analysis if there is more than one lobe with the same sign in an influence line and the lobe with the largest influence value is very narrow, the vehicle load may be missing for that influence effect. I.e. Bridge analysis may fail to produce the analysis case if the lobe with largest influence value produces zero influence effect, but other lobes produce non-zero influence effects.
  [NCR6735] (Fixed 1 February 2012) (Released in GSA 8.6.0.8)
• GSA crashes trying to analyse or checking data for models where springs do not have properties defined.
  [NCR6588] (Fixed 14 December 2011) (Released in GSA 8.6.0.8)

GSA 8.6 — Fixes — Design

• EC3 Steel Design: Improvement in LT check for the member subjected to axial tensile force. Earlier steel checker used to ignore the tensile force for lateral-torsional buckling check.
  [NCR6308] (Fixed 5 Sept 2011) (Released in GSA 8.6.0.8)
• Steel Design: Steel checker ignores the root radius while calculating the torsional modulus constant.
  [NCR6309] (Fixed 5 Sept 2011) (Released in GSA 8.6.0.8)
• Steel Design: Utilizations are sometimes incorrectly displayed for minor axis, torsional and flexural torsional axial buckling. Steel checker calculates the worst utilization from the major axis, minor axis, torsional and flexural torsional axial buckling and displaying as the major axis axial buckling utilization.
  [NCR6310] (Fixed 5 Sept 2011) (Released in GSA 8.6.0.8)
• Steel Design: User defined Shear Modulus and Modulus of Elasticity constants are not reflecting in calculations.
  [NCR6311] (Fixed 5 Sept 2011) (Released in GSA 8.6.0.8)
• IS800:2007 Steel Design: Shear buckling capacity of slender web is slightly non-conservative (kv value is incorrectly defined in IS800:2007 steel checker). This affects the I section with slender web.
  [NCR6312] (Fixed 5 Sept 2011) (Released in GSA 8.6.0.8)
• Steel Design: Steel checker conservatively calculates the effective moment of inertia about minor axis. This affects the slender I section.
  [NCR6313] (Fixed 5 Sept 2011) (Released in GSA 8.6.0.8)
• EC3 Steel Design: Steel checker can now check the shear capcacity of the slender web I section
  [NCR6359] (Fixed 14 Sept 2011) (Released in GSA 8.6.0.8)
• When adjusting the response spectrum data with pre-exisiting response spectrum analysis tasks, blanks in the basic responses would lead to a crash in the analysis wizard.
  [NCR6460] (Fixed 31 Oct 2011) (Released in GSA 8.6.0.8)
• EC3 Steel design: Sometimes steel checker conservatively calculate the interaction factors. This happens when the steel checker is unable to identify the moment profiles defined in Table B.3 of EN 1993-1-1:2005.
  [NCR6587] (Fixed 14 December 2011) (Released in GSA_DES_EC3_2005.dll 8.5.1.28)

GSA 8.6 — Fixes — Table Views

• Table View combobox drop lists do not drop on the secondary monitor when running in a two monitor setup with 'Extend my Windows desktop onto this monitor' switched on.
  This is an Objective Grid problem.
  [NCR60] (Fixed 30 Jan 2012) (Released in GSA 8.6.0.8)

GSA 8.6 — Fixes — Graphic Views

• Fixes to the Add Entities Sculpt Tools:
  • Add Lines Sculpt Tool - adding a line that splits an existing line into two does not update associated areas.
  • Add Lines Sculpt Tool - having added a line by splitting an existing line, while the original line is removed from the Graphic View it is not removed from the model.
  • Add Members Sculpt Tool - adding a member to a point along an existing member splits the member.[NCR6731] (Fixed 31 Jan 2012) (Released in GSA 8.6.0.8)
• 'Print by case' only prints the first case when only contours are displayed.
  [NCR6768] (Fixed 9 Feb 2012) (Released in GSA 8.6.0.8)

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 27 — New Features

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 27 — New Features — General

• The section database now includes a South African catalogue.
  (Released in sectlib.db3 dated 14 July 2011)
• The new Switch Keys utility has been provided to allow the swapping between activated GSA licences in a shared licence environment. E.g. to switch from GSA Building to GSA Suite.
  A shortcut to the Switch Keys utility is placed beneath Oasys GSA 8.5 on the Start menu.
  (Switch Keys is included in Oasys installations only)

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 27 — Interface with Third Party Software

• LS-DYNA export now supports the export of tie, strut and cable elements. These are all output as beams.

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 27 — Fixes

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 27 — Fixes — General

• ASCE 7 Response spectra are not read correctly from ASCII (gwa and csv) files. The value of R is overwritten by the Cd value and Cd is set to 1.
  [NCR6190] (Fixed 5 July 2011) (Released in GsFile.dll 40.3.1.25)
• When calculating the torsional stress for rectangular hollow sections, if the torsion constant C needs to be calculated it is incorrectly calculated for sections that have different wall top/bottom and side thicknesses. The maximum thickness is used instead of the minimum.
  [NCR6195] (Fixed 11 July 2011) (Released in OaUtil.dll 40.3.1.25)
• In the section database the Russian CAT B 18.B2 section has the area set as 0.022395 rather than 0.002395.
  [NCR6200] (Fixed 12 July 2011) (Released in sectlib.db3 dated 14 July 2011)
• In the section database the 'AISC Rectangular Hollow Sections (v13.1: 2005)' and the 'AISC Circular Hollow Sections (v13.1: 2005)' sections have the thickness set as the nominal thickness rather than the design thickness.
  [NCR6201] (Fixed 12 July 2011) (Released in sectlib.db3 dated 14 July 2011)
• Wave Loading: The wave loads generated using 'Wave Loading...' tool are wrong if the wave load profile (*.wvp file) contains non-uniform marine growth.
  [NCR6202] (Fixed 12 July 2011) (Released in Waveload.dll 8.5.1.25)
• If a data file has been corrupted with more than one list with the same name, GSA crashes trying to delete any of the duplicated lists.
  [NCR6210] (Fixed 18 July 2011) (Released in GsFile.dll 40.3.1.26)
• Wave Loading: When sections are modified, the wave loads generated are incorrectly based on the modified section properties.
  [NCR6215] (Fixed 20 July 2011) (Released in Waveload.dll 8.5.1.26)
• If a GSA data file is GWA and there are soil displacement data, the file cannot be read.
  [NCR6306] (Fixed 02 September 2011) (Released in GsFile.dll 40.3.1.27)
• Search and replace in tables was not working correctly when the replacement for the field did not have the expected upper/lower case. For example in the loads table replacing "beam" with "bar" would match "beam" to "Beam" in the table and replace the string with "bar" but this would not be a valid match, so the table changes were ignored.
  [NCR6316] (Fixed 5 September 2011) (Released in OaWin.dll 40.3.1.27)
• In the section database all South African sections except hollow sections have the torsion modulus too high by a factor of 1000.
  [NCR6358] (Fixed 14 September 2011) (Released in sectlib.db3 dated 14 September 2011)
• Drawing a Cut Section Forces chart 'by storey' is always using the Global axis as the origin of the cut, no matter which axis has been specified and reported as the Cut Axis.
  [NCR6297] (Fixed 21 September 2011) (Released in GSA.exe 8.5.1.27)
• When requesting to draw a chart of 'Forces on 2D element cut', but where all supplied analysis cases are not applicable (i.e. either a case without results or an envelope combination case), GSA is still attempting to draw a chart but fails with an error and an empty chart.
  [NCR6212] (Fixed 23 September 2011) (Released in GSA.exe 8.5.1.27)

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 27 — Fixes — Analysis

• The optimised bridge loads are sometimes incorrect when using Australian bridge design code (AS5100-2) in bridge analysis.
  [NCR6203] (Fixed 12 July 2011) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.3.0.27)
• Creating analysis envelopes crashes if there are dummy elements in the model that refer to non-existent properties.
  [NCR6262] (Fixed 5 August 2011) (Released in GsEnvelope.dll 8.5.1.27)

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 27 — Fixes — Design

• RC Slab Design: Changes to the method of calculation for some variables in RC design calculation. Correction for working with existing models saved in some pervious versions that were re-loading model with wrong concrete grade. Improvements to internal testing of RC design ouput.
  [NCR6279] (Fixed 24 August 2011) (Released in GSA_DES_RC2D.dll 8.5.1.27)
• RC Slab Design: Minor change to RC2D convergence routine. Error most likely only apparent as a result of NCR6279 (above) and so change is unlikely to have had a significant affect on previous versons.
  [NCR6362] (Fixed 15 September 2011) (Released in GSA_DES_RC2D.dll 8.5.1.27)

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 27 — Fixes — Graphic Views

• Spring Fx and Mxx diagrams are drawn in the picture plane rather than in the local x direction for the spring.
  [NCR6327] (Fixed 12 September 2011) (Released in GsGraph.dll 8.5.1.27)

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 27 — Fixes — Interface with Third Party Software

• When exporting to an LS-DYNA file some properties were set to zero when the value was small.
  [NCR6211] (Fixed 18 July 2011) (Released in GsExport.dll 8.5.1.26)

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 24 — New Features

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 24 — New Features — General

• The print paper size and print orientation are now included in the settings that are saved by the Graphic View and Output View 'Save Default View Settings' options.
  (Released in Gsa.exe 8.5.1.22)

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 24 — New Features — Graphic View — General

• When the display type is Nodes now only nodes in the display list can be selected.
  (Released in Gsa.exe 8.5.1.24)

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 24 — Fixes

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 24 — Fixes — General

• The 'factors' tab of the Combination Cases table is sometimes missing rows (factors) from the table window. The terms missing include any analysis case with a case number that is higher than the highest case present in any analysis case up to but before the first empty row in the combination case table.
  [NCR5938] (Fixed 20 April 2011) (Released in GsTable.dll 8.5.1.24)
• User defined variable UDL wizard cannot be opened, so new variable UDL cannot be defined and previously defined variable UDL cannot be edited through the wizard.
  [NCR6011] (Fixed 10 May 2011) (Released in gstable.dll 8.5.1.24)
• If raft-soil interaction area is automatic, 2D soil pressure results are wrong, this is due to that user defined interaction areas rather than the correct automatic areas are used.
  [NCR6061] (Fixed 20 May 2011) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.3.1.24)
• If a bridge analysis model is saved using the GWA (text) format, any Variable UDL load data defined in the model is not being saved to the GWA file.
  [NCR6066] (Fixed 23 May 2011) (Released in GsFile.dll 40.3.1.24)
• GSA crashes in definition dialogs for loads if the entered load case is negative.
  [NCR6114] (Fixed 7 June 2011) (Released in GsTable.dll 8.5.1.24)
• The modal force calculation can crash when a load case is selected that does not have a corresponding analysis case with results.
  [NCR6127] (Fixed 7 June 2011) (Released in GSA.exe 8.5.1.24)
• Tied interfaces are not updated when coincident nodes are collapsed.
  [NCR6150] (Fixed 18 June 2011) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.3.1.24)
• Lists using the geometric syntax are corrupted when the node they refer to is deleted.
  [NCR6151] (Fixed 18 June 2011) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.3.1.24)
• The calculation of storey drift and displacement can omit mass that should be included. This can result in the centre of mass of the structure being caculated wrongly leading to discrepancies in the resulting values.
  [NCR6152] (Fixed 20 June 2011) (Released in GSA.exe 8.5.1.24)
• The Section Definition wizard is not saving any changes made to a section if the wizard is invoked through the 'Properties' button on the Element Definition wizard.
  [NCR6159] (Fixed 22 June 2011) (Released in GsTable.dll 8.5.1.24)

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 24 — Fixes — Analysis

• The width of the automatically generated right side lane for Australian bridge code is sometimes wrongly defined as 3.0 metre, but it should be 3.2 metre.
  [NCR6004] (Fixed 06 May 2011) (GsBridge.exe 8.5.1.24)
• Automatically generated raft-soil interaction area is sometimes zero that prevent raft analysis from proceeding. This happens when an raft-soil interaction node is connected to 1D elements as well as to vertical 2D element(s).
  [NCR6007] (Fixed 06 May 2011) (GwDat.dll 40.3.1.24)
• Bridge load optimisation analysis bugs including:
  1. When HLP vehicles are included in the optimisation, the optimised bridge loads are not correct.
  2. The wheel loads for HLP400 vehicles are wrong (too few wheel loads are considered.
  3. Walk way load may be missed out.[NCR6034] (Fixed 10 June 2011) (GsBridge.dll 8.5.1.24)
• When optimising path load 'EC1:LM3 Generic' that have two vehicles, the two vehicles are sometimes overlapped.
  [NCR6085] (Fixed 27 May 2011) (GsBridge.dll 8.5.1.24)
• Through-thickness shear forces have the opposite sign to the through-thickness shear stress and in conflict with the GSA help.
  [NCR6129] (Fixed 8 June 2011) (Released in Gss.dll 40.3.1.24)
• Note and warning messages reported for 2D elements are ambigious in their suggestions and could be misleading.
  [NCR6153] (Fixed 20 June 2011) (GsCheck.dll 8.5.1.24)

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 24 — Fixes — Design

• Standalone steel design program (SteelDesign.exe) does not work that also affects COM access to this program. The workaround is to download file SteelDesign.exe from this link ( http://oasys.intranet.arup.com/public/struct/Installables/GSA8.5/ ) and paste it to the GSA folder and replace the previous file.
  [NCR5934] (Fixed 20 April 2011) (SteelDesign.exe 8.5.1.24)
• EC3 Steel design: Yield strength for slender CHS sections is reduced by a factor 1.e6.
  [NCR6110] (Fixed 3 June 2011) (Released in GSA_DES_EC3_2005.dll 8.5.1.24)
• EC3 Steel design: Modification factor for LT Check is sometimes incorrectly calculated.
  [NCR6111] (Fixed 3 June 2011) (Released in GSA_DES_EC3_2005.dll 8.5.1.24)
• RC Slab Design: Correction in the calculation of reinforcement for cases when moments require adjustment to take into account minimum eccentricity of applied axial forces. Correction for a numerical rounding error in convergence algorithm that underlies calculation of reinforcement. A number of minor performance enhancements and efficiency tweaks.
  [NCR6115] (Fixed 2 June 2011) (Released in GSA_DES_RC2D.dll 8.5.1.23)

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 24 — Fixes — Graphic Views

• When the Add Elements Sculpt Tool is used to split an existing element the loads applied to the original element are not mapped correctly onto the split elements.
  Also, when the element display is filtered the new elements are not added to the filter. Furthermore, views on modules affected by replaced element references (e.g. loading tables) are not updated (and similar when splitting lines).
  [NCR6003] (Fixed 5 May 2011) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.5.1.22 and GwDat.dll 40.3.1.22)

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 21 — New Features

None.

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 21 — Fixes

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 21 — Fixes — Analysis

• In some situations GSA gives missing or corrupted results. This is likely to occur when there is more that one analysis task and for analysis tasks that process modal results, (response spectrum, time history, harmonic analysis, etc.)
  [NCR6176] (Fixed 18 April 2011) (released in Gsa.exe.8.5.1.21)
• When a modal analysis has been carried out with limits on frequencies set the dynamic response analysis does not check that the results are present for all the cases associated with the modal analysis which can cause the analysis to fail.
  [NCR6177] (Fixed 18 April 2011) (released in GdSpec.dll.8.5.1.21)
• When a modal analysis has been carried out with 'Frequency cut-offs' option activated, i.e. some modes may not have results, if footfall, harmonic, periodic & time history analyses use results from this modal analysis in their analyses, the analysis will fail.
  [NCR6178] (Fixed 19 April 2011) (released in GdSpec.dll.8.5.1.21)

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 20 — New Features

None.

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 20 — Fixes

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 20 — Fixes — General

• The torsional constant (C value) for sections in the 'United States' catalogue 'AISC Rectangular Hollow Sections (v13.1:2005)' type and 'AISC Circular Hollow Sections (v13.1:2005)' type (i.e. HSS sections) is too small by a factor of 1000.
  This affects the post-analysis calculation of torsional stress and results derived from this (e.g. Von Mises stress); it does not affect stored analysis results.
  [NCR5836] (Fixed 22 March 2011) (Released in sectlib.db3 dated 22 March 2011)
• Selecting time history analysis on analysis wizard does not lead to the next page correctly. The workaround for this is to go back and re-select time history analysis, then the next page on the wizard will be opned correctly.
  [NCR5853] (Fixed 24 March 2011) (Released in GSA.exe 8.5.1.20)
• GSA crashes reporting results for combinations with empty permutations.
  [NCR5881] (Fixed 5 April 2011) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.3.1.20)
• Viewing a cut section force chart for a cut across 2D elements resolves wrong values for moments when asked to display values in a non-global axis.
  [NCR5901] (Fixed 8 April 2011) (Released in GSA.exe 8.5.1.20)
• Bridge loading written by GSA 8.5 in GWA format cannot be opened by GSA 8.5. The workaround is to open the GWA file and modify bridge load type from 1 to VEHICLE, 2 to KEL and 3 to UDL in the relevant records.
  [NCR5908] (Fixed 11 April 2011) (Released in GsFile.dll 40.3.1.20)
• Minor adjustments to GSA → LS-DYNA export for beam element properties.
  [NCR5913] (Fixed 12 April 2011) (Released in GsExport.dll 8.5.1.20)
• GSA reports the Qmax 2D element derived force wrongly for envelopes.
  [NCR5914] (Fixed 12 April 2011) (Released in GsPrivate.dll 8.5.1.20 and GwDat.dll 40.3.1.20)
• Copy protection issues:
  • A problem with the automatic release of the GSA shared licence.
  • GSA calls the copy protection modules upon installing and uninstalling. [NCR5922] (Fixed 14 April 2011) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.5.1.20 and OaWin.dll 40.3.1.20)

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 20 — Fixes — Analysis

• In analysis of 2D element meshes where nodes are in non-global constraint axes there are cases where the modal can be over constrained. This will happen when the element normal point in the x or y direction of the nodal constraint axis and the result is that 2 rotational degrees of freedom are removed from the solution rather than the one (local zz rotation).
  This problem can be avoided by using the artificial zz stiffness option.
  [NCR5854] (Fixed 25 March 2011) (Released in Gss.dll 40.3.1.20)
• When doing bridge load optimisation analysis, if Australian footway bridge loads are defined, the analysis does not produce any results.
  [NCR5885] (Fixed 25 March 2011) (Released in GsBridge.dll 8.5.1.20)
• In a modal analysis where limits are set on the frequency/load factor the cases outside the range of interest are marked as "discarded". When re-analysing these do not get re-set to "active" so in the solution the results modules are not available for all the requested modes (analysis cases).
  This problem only arises when limits are selected, and can be avoided by saving and re-opening the file.
  [NCR5861] (Fixed 29 March 2011) (Released in GSA.exe 8.5.1.20)
• Path load 'EC1:LM3 Generic' allows two vehicles to be placed at the same lane, but if this path load is selected, the bridge load opertimisation does not work correctly due to that the second vehicle used is not the one having been specified.
  [NCR5904] (Fixed 8 April 2011) (Released in GsBridge.dll 8.5.1.20)

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 20 — Fixes — Design

• EC3 Steel Design: Buckling interaction check for hollow sections is incorrect when effective lengths are overridden.
  [NCR5898] (Fixed 8 April 2011) (Released in GSA_DES_EC3_2005.dll 8.5.1.20)
• Steel Design: Change in the warning message when the section types not supported.
  [NCR5899] (Fixed 8 April 2011) (Released in steel design DLLs 8.5.1.20)
• RC Slab Design: Correction for the calculation of sections with very shallow stress blocks.
  [NCR5917] (Fixed 12 April 2011) (Released in GSA_DES_RC2D.dll 8.5.1.20)

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 19 — New Features

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 19: New features: general

• The time history analysis chart view now offers the option to produce charts for individual mode contributions, in addition to the existing option of combined results of all modes.
• The response spectrum analysis requires a method for combination of the modal responses. To date the options offered are CQC (preferred) and SRSS. There is a new combination option ABSSUM (absolute sum). This is defined as r = Σi | ri |
• The Generate User Module(s) commands may now be used on member based results, e.g. Steel Utilisations.
• The plate element formulation preference now defaults to MITC.
• In the Tools > Preferences > Input dialog the new 'Precision of generated node coordinates' preference determines the precision of coordinates stored for generated nodes, in terms of number of significant figures.
• The Company Information dialog, accessible from Tools > Preferences > Miscellaneous, now allows the company name, as displayed on printed output, to be edited.
• An option has been added to the cut section forces chart dialog to allow stored cut section definitions. An external file (_chart.csv) is used to store the cut specification(s).
• Cut section forces can be exported directly from the cut sections dialog without having to draw the chart. This produces a text file that can be read into Excel.
• In grid line and area loads it is now possible to specify the polyline/polygon explicitly. The option of referring to an existing polyline is still available.

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 19 — New Features — Output Options

• Names are now included in node, element and member output.
• In Output Views, section descriptions are now reported as standard descriptions (e.g. 'CAT A-UB 360UB56.7') rather than simple descriptions (e.g. '360UB56.7'), to be consistent with the Sections table. (Catalogue section dates are not reported.)
• The option to calculate modal forces (Tools > Dynamic Options > Modal Forces) has been extended allow extra terms (Σfiφi2) to be calculated for use in dynamic post-processing.

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 19 — New Features — Graphic View — General

• In the Tools > Preferences > Graphics dialog a 'Release symbols' option has been provided to allow the representation of element releases to be specified as 'symbol' rather than 'text'. Previously this was determined by the 'Restraint symbols' setting.
• The 'Highlight coincident nodes' and 'Highlight coincident elements' Graphic Settings options now default to being switched on.
  (Your preferred setting for these and other Graphic View and Output View options can be set using the Save Default View Settings command, as previously.)

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 19 — New Features — Graphic View — Sculpt

• The Manage Data operation, and entity deletion operations in sculpt now consider Areas and Regions when renumbering references to renumbered entities.

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 19 — New Features — Analysis

• Bridge load optimisation has been implemented for US codes AASHTO 17 and LRFD 3.
• Bridge load optimisation has been implemented for Australian code AS5100.2.
• In an analysis that requires a geometric stiffness matrix there is now an option to exclude a list of element from the structure geometric stiffness matrix. This is one of the ‘Advanced’ options.
• Improvements to the non-linear convergence critera for the solution of compression/tension only elements in a GSS Static Analyisis.
  • Previously, convergence was based on a displacement critera - now modified to a new critera based on forces. Convergence is now invariant to uniform changes in structure stiffness but stricter for models that are slow to converge (high stiffness ratios). Note that from this release, existing and new models may take a different number of iterations to reach convergence. The default convergence tolerance has been modified to relfect this change but may still be adjusted as necessary.
  • An option is now provided to save to file the residual error occuring as a result of a GSS non-linear convergence. Error is reported as the remaining compression/tension force present in tension/compression only members respectively. This is ouput as a GWA user module and written to file in the current model directory.
  • Reduction in the time taken to solve per iteration.
• The convergence rate of raft and piled raft analyses has been improved by using double precision in the interaction data. This benefits both the speed and likelihood of convergence.

GSA New Features — Interface with Third Party Software

• GsRevit Import From GSA: GSA Member/Element references are now written to Revit elements as a parameter.

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 19 — Fixes

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 19 — Fixes — General

• Opening a response analysis task in the wizard can cause the response cases to be reset. This happens when there are gaps in the analysis case numbers and the set of response cases can be fitted into one of these gaps.
  [NCR5589] (Fixed 23 December 2010) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.5.0.15)
• Cut section forces are calculated incorrectly for cases including response spectrum results when the output axis in non-global. The results given are calculated by rotating the results calculated in global into the output axis set, rather than the calculation of the forces happening in the output axes.
  [NCR5590] (Fixed 23 December 2010) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.5.0.15)
• GSA crashes on specifying the bar arrangement while creating RC member.
  [NCR5594] (Fixed 24 December 2010) (Released in OaUtil.dll 40.3.0.15 and GsTable.dll 8.5.0.15)
• GSA removes sids from data records when the user edits them in tables.
  [NCR5608] (Fixed 8 January 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• When a modal analysis task is defined that includes additional restraints, this restraint is carried over when subsequent analysis tasks are defined. This leads to the model being over restrained in these tasks.
  [NCR5633] (Fixed 19 January 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• Meshing involving automatic soil nodes does not update the display of the Raft Interaction table.
  [NCR5639] (Fixed 24 January 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• Deleting a generated mesh does not delete the associated Raft Interaction records.
  [NCR5640] (Fixed 24 January 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• Soil loads are unintentionally created when exporting Pdisp file if the GSA model is a piled-raft model.
  [NCR5642] (Fixed 24 January 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• Bug in the setting of element releases that may cause GSA to crash in many circumstances when creating elements with releases.
  [NCR5643] (Fixed 24 January 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• Diagrams and contours do not automatically adjust after a combination case is edited.
  [NCR5646] (Fixed 25 January 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• GWB files saved as 'GSA file (Input data only)' and timed backup files saved with the Preferences > Miscellaneous > Include results in timed backup option switched off, include analysis tasks but exclude analysis cases.
  [NCR5649] (Fixed 25 January 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• Storey drifts are not scaled properly for seismic codes that include displacement/force scaling factors.
  [NCR5655] (Fixed 28 January 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• Enveloped 2D element principal results envelope the angle rather than report the angle for the enveloped values. In the fixed version, the max envelope only reports the max principal value and the reported angle is the angle of the max principal value, and similarly for min values.
  [NCR5677] (Fixed 4 February 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• In some instances the calculation of storey drifts for combination cases is incorrect. This happens if there are no results for some of the storeys in the model and in this instance the case specified can be replaced by one of the compoment cases for the subsequent storeys. So for example if a combination C10 is selected and C10 ≡ 1.5A12. Results can be reported for A12 rather than C10 (ie without the 1.5 factor).
  [NCR5681] (Fixed 7 February 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• In some cases GSA can either crash when outputting response spectrum details, or give the wrong unrestrained mass for the task.
  [NCR5687] (Fixed 7 February 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• GSA misinterprets numbers with three decimal places when the decimal point is set to a comma.
  [NCR5713] (Fixed 14 February 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• Changing an existing analysis task so that it uses the Gss solver does not pick up the solution options from the preferences.
  [NCR5781] (Fixed 1 March 2010) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• Cut section forces are calculated incorrectly for elements including element offsets. Cut section chart displays the value expected for an element with no offset.
  [NCR5809] (Fixed 14 March 2010) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 19 — Fixes — Analysis

• The forces in nonlinear ground springs from nonlinear analysis are sometimes incorrect, i.e. the sign of the forces are wrong.
  [NCR5616] (Fixed 12 January 2011) (Released in GsRelax.dll 8.5.0.15)
• When applied displacements are used along with loads in the same analysis case the adjustment of the load vector for the Lagrange multipliers is incorrect, leading to incorrect displacements. This problem does not affect analysis cases that include only applied displacements.
  [NCR5630] (Fixed 18 January 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• Piled-raft analysis is difficult to converge or not converge due to the underestimate of the initial soil stiffness.
  [NCR5647] (Fixed 25 January 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• Automatic load increment analysis using GsRelax solver cannot be completed with an 'unexpected error' message when using Window 7 operating system.
  [NCR5648] (Fixed 25 January 2011) (Released in GsRelax.dll.8.5.0.15)
• In a modal analysis where pre-stress in elements is included this pre-stress force does not get included in the calculation of the element forces and moments.
  [NCR5657] (Fixed 31 January 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• GSA crashes when the “stop analysis” button is used, especially on Windows 7.
  [NCR5673] (Fixed 2 February 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• In material nonlinear analysis, if beam elements have member loads, the beam end moments are wrong due to the fixed end moments are not added after the analysis.
  [NCR5691] (Fixed 7 February 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• After form-finding analysis, some nodal coordinates may be wrongly updated if there are element releases in the model.
  [NCR5697] (Fixed 10 February 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• When the current grid plane is cylindrical, polylines specified graphically and displayed graphically are in cylindrical (r,h) axes, but grid line loads and grid area loads that reference a cylindrical grid plane are assumed to be located in Cartesian (x,y) coordinates. This has been fixed by consistently applying the rule that Polyline coordinates are in Cartesian axes regardless of the type of the referenced grid plane.
  [NCR5699] (Fixed 10 February 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• The severe warning “section whose principal axes are not horizontal or vertical has been specified to ‘Ignore Iyz’” counts towards the number of severe warnings but it is not always reported as a warning.
  [NCR5762] (Fixed 22 February 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• If path loads are all SM1600, bridge analysis will produce no results.
  [NCR5782] (Fixed 3 March 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• Some polylines are wrongly deleted or overridden when deleting bridge analysis or doing bridge analysis.
  [NCR5789] (Fixed 2 March 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• In 2D shell or plate elements changeing the shear modulus should change the shear (out-of-plane) stiffness of the elements. This is not happening as the stiffness is calculated from E/(2(1 + ν)) rather than using G directly.
  [NCR5792] (Fixed 4 March 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• GSA wrongly reports that constraints form a loop when analysis stages are in use in GsRelax.
  [NCR5808] (Fixed 11 March 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• Requesting 'Total Loads & Reactions' in any non-global (such as user) axis ignores any offset between the origins of the requested axis and global, when resolving moments about the requested axis. (Any rotation of requested axis from global is accoutned for).
  [NCR5806] (Fixed 11 March 2010) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• If requested, any user module output written to GWA file from a GsRelax analysis is sometimes saved to file in the wrong location, depending on the location of the last-but-one opened file.
  [NCR5732] (Fixed 11 March 2010) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 19 — Fixes — Design

• EC3 Steel design: Corner radius for Cold Formed RHS/SHS sections is incorrect. While calculating the section properties, the checkeruses inner and outer radius as 1.5 and 2.5 times the thickness of section respectively. This is corrected according to EN 10219-2:2006.
  [NCR5717] (Fixed 21 February 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• RC slab design: The maximum ratio of depth to neutral axis to effective depth on RC slab design property for code AS3600-09 is wrong, the wrong value of 0.4 is used rather than the correct value of 0.36.
  [NCR5721] (Fixed 15 February 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• RC slab design: The minimum reinforcement areas are sometimes provided in RC slab design even though there are no reinforcements required.
  [NCR5765] (Fixed 23 February 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• Steel design: Lateral torsional check results are incorrect when top flange only restrained against lateral displacement and point of contraflexures coincides with internal member points.
  [NCR5766] (Fixed 24 February 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• EC3 steel design: Buckling width for RHS/SHS sections is incorrect. As EN1993-1-1:2005 does not specify the buckling width, the steel checker assumed a value according to BS5950-1:2000. This is corrected according to 'P363 Steel Building Design: Design Data' published by SCI.
  [NCR5793] (Fixed 4 March 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• RC slab design: Calculation of reinforcement for AS3600 and ACI318 are using wrongly calculated values of Phi and cylinder strength in some situations. This results in errors in the output values for area reinforcement given.
  [NCR5807] (Fixed 11 March 2010) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• Steel design: Reverse curvature is assumed even for negligible moment values if the sign is reversed. This is due to low tolerance limits.
  [NCR5813] (Fixed 15 March 2010) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• IS800:2007 steel design: IS800:2007 steel design uses simplified elastic interaction instead of exact verification for Plastic and Compact Sections.
  [NCR5814] (Fixed 15 March 2010) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 19 — Fixes — Table Views

• The storey drift table only allows units of metres to be used.
  [NCR5593] (Fixed 24 December 2010) (released in GsTable 8.5.0.15)
• The values of variable 2D face loads for points 2 & 4 are wrong in the 2D face loading dialog box if the unit is not SI.
  [NCR5719] (Fixed 15 February 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 19 — Fixes — Output Views

• Degree signs in HTML export are viewed as Chinese characters on Chinese-language computers.
  [NCR5678] (Fixed 4 February 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)
• In the Total Loads & Reactions output the Total Weight of Structure is reported for combination cases, which is inappropriate and potentially confusing. (Fixed by omiting the total weight for combination cases.)
  [NCR5692] (Fixed 9 February 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 19 — Fixes — Graphic Views

• The dragging of polyline vertices in the Polyline cursor mode is broken.
  [NCR5711] (Fixed 14 February 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)

GSA 8.5 sp 1 build 19 — Fixes — Interface with Third Party Software

• Export to Ansys ASAS:

  • Correction in geometric element, which was being duplicated.
  • Removal of 'FLEX' command from tube element, which is not valid for tube. Flexural property will now be calculated from section properties.
  • Removal of garbage information from Link constraint.
  • Correction in body force, which ASAS was not reading correctly. 'ELEM' tag added to correct this issue.

  [NCR5733] (Fixed 21 February 2011) (Released in GSA 8.5 sp 1)

GSA 8.5 build 14 - New Features

GSA New Features — General

• When calculating storey displacements/forces in a chart for a case that is for a response spectrum analysis, the sign of the value is now retained if there is only a single mode involved.
  (Released in Gsa.exe 8.5.0.13)
• Second moment of area values for oval sections are calculated assuming that the section can be approximated by a pair of ellipse, the inner ellipse having the semimajor a, and semiminor axis b, dimensions reduced by the thickness t. The calculation of the torsion constant has been improved by including the 'open section' term so is defined
  J = Amean×t/p + p×t3/3
  where Amean is the area bounded by a line at the mean thickness of the section and p is the perimeter.
  An upper limit is set for the thickness of
  tlimit = min(b×(a/b)2,a×(b/a)2)
  (Released in OaUtil.dll 40.3.0.13)
• Soil interaction areas for the nodes connected to 2D elements can be generated automatically if 'Automatic' is selected in Raft Interaction table.
  (Released in GwDat.dll 40.3.0.14)

GSA New Features — Graphic View — General

• A slight speed up of grid area load display has been implemented.
  (Released in GsGraph.dll 8.5.0.13)

GSA New Features — Graphic View — Sculpt

• In response spectrum analysis, results based on element displacements can be difficult to interpret and it can be easier to work from the nodal displacements. There is now an option in the analysis wizard to choose to omit element displacement results, leaving only the nodal displacements.
  (Released in Gsa.exe 8.5.0.12)

GSA 8.5 build 14 - Fixes

GSA 8.5 build 14 — General

• Nodes in constraint equations and tied interfaces are wrongly warned as unattached, have no constraint forces stored and are not treated as constrained by data manipulation tools.
  [NCR5282] (Fixed 13 October 2010) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.5.0.12, GdSpec.dll 8.5.0.12, GsCheck.dll 8.5.0.12, GsPriv.dll 8.5.0.12, GsFile.dll 40.3.0.12 and GwDat.dll 40.3.0.12)
• Property values are reset when inputting isotropic materials in the wizard and the shear modulus is reset when inputting in the table.
  [NCR5232] (Fixed 21 October 2010) (Released in GsTable.dll 8.5.0.12)
• Storey drifts are calculated wrongly in the Tools > Storey Displacements and Forces option. The values calculated in the chart option are correct.
  [NCR5315] (Fixed 28 October 2010) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.5.0.13)
• When using spherical axes for results output, the values reported are incorrect if the x and y axes that define the spherical axis do not align with global x and y axes respectively.
  [NCR5497] (Fixed 2 December 2010) (Released in OaUtil.dll 40.3.0.13)
• Adding a new basic response once a Response Spectrum task had been set up and without editing the task would result in a task that would not run.
  [NCR5316] (Fixed 28 October 2010) (Released in GdSpec.dll 8.5.0.14)
• When using the Select Colour dialog to modify the colour of entities, entering an invalid colour then clicking 'Cancel' puts control into a loop around an 'invalid colour' message box.
  [NCR5356] (Fixed 5 November 2010) (Released in OaBase.dll 40.3.0.14)
• Element lists defined by geometry are corrupted when elements are changed with data management tools or sculpted.
  [NCR5553] (Fixed 15 December 2010) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.3.0.14)
• GSA runs out of memory and crashes while using data management tools on or sculpting large models.
  [NCR5562] (Fixed 15 December 2010) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.3.0.14)
• Solution method and plate formulation method are missed out in saving raft analysis task.
  [NCR5569] (Fixed 15 December 2010) (Released in GsFile.dll 40.3.0.14)

GSA 8.5 build 14 — Analysis

• GSA would fail in a response spectrum analysis is there were gaps in the response spectrum or basic response tables. Removing the gaps will resolve this problem.
  [NCR5238] (Fixed 14 October 2010) (Released in GsTable.dll 8.5.0.12 and GdSpec.dll 8.5.0.12)
• Reaction forces were reporting wrong sign when using constraint equations referencing a slave node with a nodal stiffness. Continuation to NCR 5184.
  [NCR5239] (Fixed 18 October 2010) (Released in Gss.dll 40.3.0.12)
• Reaction forces were not evaluating correctly at the master nodes of a constraint equation when coupled to slave nodes with compression/tension only ground springs.
  [NCR5254] (Fixed 18 October 2010) (Released in Gss.dll 40.3.0.12)
• Degrees of freedom were not always set up properly for elements with releases resulting in matrix singularities for some release conditions at free ends of the structure.
  [NCR5258] (Fixed 2 November 2010) (Released in Gss.dll 40.3.0.14)
• When 2D elements were in global planes and the nodes were in non-global constraint axis the degree of freedom did not reflect this axis change.
  [NCR5335] (Fixed 2 November 2010) (Released in Gss.dll 40.3.0.14)
• Reaction forces on beams with translational releases were not correctly accounting for beam loads when applied at oblique angles.
  [NCR5390] (Fixed 17 November 2010) (Released in Gss.dll 40.3.0.14)
• An error in the static P-Δ analysis when there are non-linear elements means that the linear stiffness matrix does not get reassembled after the first case so the subsequent analysis cases use a modified linear stiffness matrix including the P-Δ effects from the previous analysis case.
  This problem can be avoided by specifying only a single analysis case per non-linear static P-Δ task.
  [NCR5437] (Fixed 24 November 2010) (Released in Gss.dll 40.3.0.14)
• When a model contains castellated beams the weight calculation (reported in the total loads and reactions) is incorrect as it is based on the "flange" area and density. Elsewhere (dynamic analysis and gravity loads) the mass/length is used.
  [NCR5438] (Fixed 24 November 2010) (Released in Gwdat.dll 40.3.0.14)
• In a modal analysis if frequency cut-offs are specified and modal damping is requested the solver reports an unexpected error.
  [NCR5550] (Fixed 10 December 2010) (Released in Gss.dll 40.3.0.14)
• If a node is connected to more than one beam elements and two or more of the beam elements have releases at this node end, the releases do not work properly, i.e. the released end of the beam element may still take moment.
  [NCR5571] (Fixed 16 December 2010) (Released in GsRelax.dll 8.5.0.14)

GSA 8.5 build 14 — Design

• RC Member Design: When attempting RC member design, not all design codes are supported. If one of the unsupported codes is selected then GS would crash when doing the design check. Another problem is that RC member design checks do not work for analysis cases - only for combination cases.
  [NCR5216] (Fixed 7 October 2010) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.5.0.12 and GsAdc.dll 8.5.0.12)
• Steel Design: Effective section modulus for CHS for BS5950-1:2000 and IS 800:2007 computed incorrectly. This affects steel design member checks for BS5950-1:2000 and IS 800:2007 where slender Circular Hollow Sections are used.
  [NCR5236] (Fixed 13 October 2010) (Released in GSA_DES_BS5950_1_2000.dll 8.5.0.11 and GSA_DES_IS800_2007.dll 8.5.0.11)
• Steel Design: Plastic section modulus for shear area of CHS sections in BS5950 and IS800:2007 computed incorrectly. This affects steel design member checks for BS5950-1:2000 and IS 800:2007 where CHS section is subjected to high shear.
  [NCR5237] (Fixed 13 October 2010) (Released in GSA_DES_BS5950_1_2000.dll 8.5.0.11 and GSA_DES_IS800_2007.dll 8.5.0.11)
• Steel Design: EN1993-1:2005 steel checker computes reduced plastic moment capacity under tensile force incorrectly.
  [NCR5475] (Fixed 1 December 2010) (Released in GSA_DES_EC3_2005.dll 8.5.0.14)
• Steel design: GSA crashes when reporting steel utilisation for members that do not relate to a complete list of constituent elements.
  [NCR5493] (Fixed 10 December 2010) (Released in GsPrivate.dll 8.5.0.14 and GwDat.dll 40.3.0.14)
• Steel design: BS5950-1:2000 checker computes moment capacity unconservatively under high shear when the section is semi-compact.
  [NCR5568] (Fixed 16 December 2010) (Released in GSA_DES_BS5950_1_2000.dll 8.5.0.14)

GSA 8.5 build 14 — Table Views

• If a time history file is badly formatted, GSA does not report that the load curve has not been imported and may crash.
  [NCR5359] (Fixed 5 November 2010) (Released in OaBase.dll 40.3.0.14)

GSA 8.5 build 14 — Output Views

• Output Views of Nodes incorrectly report all coordinates as being in units of length when the output axes are cylindrical (should be L, deg., L) or spherical (should be L, deg., deg.).
  [NCR5408] (Fixed 23 November 2010) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.5.0.13)

GSA 8.5 build 14 — Graphic Views

• Printing and saving to file saved Graphic Views from the Gateway or the View > Batch View Options menu sometimes fails to re-establish the view correctly scaled, especially when the view was zoomed.
  [NCR5243] (Fixed 21 October 2010) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.5.0.12)
• Property tips flicker excessively on some platforms. (e.g. Windows 7)
  [NCR5274] (Fixed 20 October 2010) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.5.0.12)
• Using ‘Apply’ in the Diagram Settings and Contour Settings dialogs causes the modified output axis setting to be lost when exiting the dialog.
  [NCR5275] (Fixed 20 October 2010) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.5.0.12)
• Node dots are drawn on the Analysis Layer at unattached but constrained nodes even when that option is switched off in the Display Methods dialog, when the node is referenced by a region. (And similar for orientation nodes.)
  [NCR5398] (Fixed 19 November 2010) Released in GsGraph.dll 8.5.0.13)
• The selection of grid line intersections is confused by negative length grid lines. The fix copes with negative length grid lines, but not negative radius grid arcs.
  [NCR5467] (Fixed 29 November 2010) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.3.0.14)

GSA 8.5 build 14 — Interface with Third Party Software

• When exporting mass elements to NASTRAN a null field is omitted from the CONM2 record, causing a misalignment in the data.
  [NCR5196] (Fixed 30 September 2010) (Released in GsExport.dll 8.5.0.12)
• Exported SAP file could not be read in some circumstances:
  • Bar elements written as beam elements which were free to spin about the element axis
  • Gravity load headers written when there was no gravity lloadingto output.
  • Names were output including '(', ')' & and '_', which are not valid characters in SAP. '(', ')' are now replaced by '+', and '_' is replaced by '-'.[NCR5315] (Fixed 28 October 2010) (Released in GsExport.dll 8.5.0.13)
• When exporting data to an LS-DYNA file:
  • standard materials referenced by shell elements are not mapped to the appropriate DYNA material
  • mass elements assigned to a local axis set are given an axis of -1 rather than 0 (global).[NCR5510] (Fixed 6 December 2010) (Released in GsExport.dll 8.5.0.13)
• Data gets locked preventing export of damping data to a CEAP file.
  [NCR5511] (Fixed 6 December 2010) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.5.0.13)

GSA 8.5 build 10 - New Features

GSA New Features — Graphic View — General

• In the Diagram Settings and Contour Settings dialogs, changing the data type now resets the output axes to the default for the new data type. Note that the output axes are not reset when the data component is changed within the same data type; e.g. Ux to Rxx.
• The environmental parameters database has been updated.

GSA New Features — Graphic View — Sculpt

• The sculpt 'Copy Entities' command now copies constraint equations where any node that is referenced by a constraint equation is included in the set of nodes that are being copied.
  Note that no attempt is made to rotate the copied constraint equation. This will need to be done manually for copies 'by rotation'.
  (Released in GwDat.dll 40.3.0.9)
• The new sculpt Node Operations > Update Geometry to Unwrap State command modifies the coordinates of displayed nodes to the unwrapped position. This command is only available when the current image is unwrapped and bases the 'unwrap' on the current unwrap settings.
  This command is useful for exporting the unwrapped image to CAD.
  (Released in Gsa.exe 8.5.0.10)

GSA New Features — Analysis

• Translational releases and release stiffnesses are now implemented for non-linear analysis by GsRelax.
  (Released in GsRelax.dll 8.5.0.9)
• In-plane shear stress calculation has been improved to give more consistent results, particularly in areas where there are large stress gradients.
  (Released in Gss.dll 8.5.0.12)

GSA New Features — Design

• The restrictions to reinforcement angles on RC slab design properties are removed, so the two direction reinforcements can be defined by any angles including negative angles.
  (Released in GsTable.dll 8.5.0.9)

GSA 8.5 build 10 - Fixes

GSA 8.5 build 10 — General

• GSA crashes if you hit the Delete key in the Task view away from a task or case name.
  [NCR5056] (Fixed 27 August 2010) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.5.0.10)
• There is a problem handling files which include a % in the file name. The problem can be avoided by renaming the file to exclude the %.
  [NCR5091] (Fixed 31 August 2010) (Released in GwDat 40.3.0.9)
• GSA wrongly considers combination case decriptions of the form (0 or 1)(A1 or A2) to have more permutations than they should.
  [NCR5111] (Fixed 24 August 2010) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.3.0.9)
• GSA will not copy standard material properties into the elastic-plastic or orthotropic material models.
  [NCR5112] (Fixed 24 August 2010) (Released in Released in GsTable) -->
• An error in checking element releases means that the check is, in some cases, carried out for the wrong direction. This can lead either to spurious warnings or invalid releases being permitted. It does not cause any analysis errors.
  [NCR5123] (Fixed 9 September 2010) (Released in GsCheck 8.5.0.10)
• GSA crashes when double clicking on errors or warnings about element releases and offsets.
  [NCR5124] (Fixed 9 September 2010) (Released in GsCheck.dll 8.5.0.10)
• There are no projected stress output for responses spectrum analysis.
  [NCR5129] (Fixed 10 September 2010) (Released in GsPrivate.dll 8.5.0.9)
• When a grid point load is applied directly to a dummy element the load is not correctly distributed to the adjacent elements, leading to a grid load expansion warning.
  [NCR5130] (Fixed 13 September 2010) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.3.0.9)
• Several sections in the Japanese, Korean and Corus Advance catalogues cause GSA to crash upon selection.
  [NCR5140] (Fixed 15 September 2010) (Released in sectlib.db3 dated 15 September 2010)
• When overwriting an existing node by importing or pasting a NODE.2 GWA record, using keywords NO_REST, NO_STIFF and NO_MESH results in the respective data values being unchanged rather than reset.
  [NCR5143] (Fixed 15 September 2010) (Released in GsFile.dll 40.3.0.10)
• If 2D element property is not defined, but form-finding property has been defined, data checking crashes.
  [NCR5152] (Fixed 16 September 2010) (Released in GsCheck.dll 8.5.0.10)
• When setting up a modal buckling P-Δ case description where an analysis case had been defined (even though not selected) the wizard would be unable to move to the next page. This problem can be avoided by ensuring that the analysis case selection is blank.
  [NCR5161] (Fixed 20 September 2010) (Released in Gsa 8.5.0.10)
• An inconsistency between reading and writing of members in a text (gwa) file resulted in the module not being able to round-trip.
  [NCR5162] (Fixed 20 September 2010) (Released in GsFile 40.3.0.10)
• When setting release stiffnesses on beams the table does not convert from SI to the user units when loading or user to SI units when saving (although the user units are display at the head of the column). This problem does not exist if the wizard is used to define the release stiffnesses.
  [NCR5182] (Fixed 24 Spetember 2010> (Released in GsTable 8.5.0.10)

GSA 8.5 build 10 — Analysis

• There is a conflict in applying both offsets and releases at the end of an element. This can be avoided by including a link element in place of an offset.
  [NCR5083] (Fixed 26 August 2010) (Released in GwDat 40.3.0.9)
• If loading is applied to dummy 2D elements GsRelax analysis crashes.
  [NCR5151] (Fixed 16 September 2010) (Released in GsRelax.dll 8.5.0.9)
• In some circumstances non-linear analysis generates lists of yielded elements. If such a non-linear analysis task is run more than once then new lists of yielded elements are created with the same names. Deleting a list with a non-unique name crashes GSA.
  Fixed by assigning unique names to the generated lists of yielded elements.
  [NCR5155] (Fixed 17 September 2010) (Released in GsRelax.dll 8.5.0.9)
• MITC formulation was not correctly accommodating elements whos referenced 2D element property was not specified in the Local axis.
  [NCR5158] (Fixed 20 September 2010) (Released in gwdat.dll 40.3.0.10)
• Reaction forces reported errors when tying a 2D element to a (slave) node that has a nodal stiffness associated with it.
  [NCR5184] (Fixed 28 September 2010) (Released in gss.dll 40.3.0.10)

GSA 8.5 build 10 — Design

• EC3 steel design: Elastic section modulus of RHS sections computed incorrectly.
  This affects steel design member checks for EN1993-1-1:2005 where class 3 or class 4 sections are used.
  [NCR5154] (Fixed 24 September 2010)(Released in GSA_DES_EC3_2005.dll 8.5.0.10)
• EC3 steel design: Shear reduction factor computed incorrectly when shear force value is negative.
  This affects steel design member checks for EN1993-1-1:2005 where the shear force is more than half plastic shear resistance.
  [NCR5156] (Fixed 24 September 2010)(Released in GSA_DES_EC3_2005.dll 8.5.0.10)

GSA 8.5 build 10 — Graphic Views

• Models a very long way from the global origin take a very long time to display grid points.
  This problem can be avoided by explicit specification of the grid layout extents in the Grid Layout Definition dialog, which is accessible via Data > Define Current Grid.
  [NCR5107] (Fixed 7 September 2010) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.5.0.10)

GSA 8.5 build 8 - New Features

None

GSA 8.5 build 8 - Fixes

GSA 8.5 build 8 — General

• The option to transform geometry rejects valid expressions with a syntax error.
  [NCR5031] (Fixed 5 August 2010) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.5.0.6)
• Calculation of storey drifts show non-numeric values for the centre of mass of the storeys.
  [NCR5032] (Fixed 5 August 2010) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.5.0.6)
• 'Create Members from Elements' creates members incorrectly.
  [NCR5034] (Fixed 05 Aug 2010) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.5.0.6)
• The saving (and opening?) of huge models sometimes fails.
  Fixed by implementing a new 'GWB read/write via memory file' preference (default: checked). When the saving of a model fails and the 'GWB read/write via memory file' preference is checked, a message box offers the option of unchecking this setting and continuing.
  [NCR5040] (Fixed 10 Aug 2010) (Released in GsPrivate.dll 8.5.0.7, GsTable.dll 8.5.0.7, GsFile.dll 40.3.0.7, GsGraph.dll 8.5.0.7, Gsa.exe 8.5.0.7)
• For section types 'Celsius 355 SHS' and 'SHS (EN10201-2:2006)' shear factors and section dimensions are wrong and section displays are corrupt.
  [NCR5042] (Fixed 11 August 2010) (Released in sectlib.db3 dated 11 August 2010)
• Error reading (non-concrete) materials from file that contain environmental parameters specified by the user.
  [NCR5044] (Fixed 11 August 2010) (Released in GsFile.dll 8.5.0.7)
• Analysis > Check Data causes GSA to crash, except where all user materials are fabric materials.
  [NCR5051] (Fixed 16 August 2010) (Released in GsCheck.dll 8.5.0.8)
• The Materials table resets all records to the elastic isotropic material model when the highest numbered material is elastic isotropic and refuses to accept input when it is any other model.
  [NCR5054] (Fixed 16 August 2010) (Released in GsTable.dll 8.5.0.8)
• The Language selection dialog has no effect until GSA is restarted.
  [NCR5055] (Fixed 17 August 2010) (Released in GsPrivate.dll 8.5.0.8)

GSA 8.5 build 8 — Analysis

• If there are gaps in element numbering, harmonic analysis does not produce any results.
  [NCR5035] (Fixed 9 August 2010) (Released in GdSpec.dll 8.5.0.7)

GSA 8.5 build 8 — Design

• Steel Design: Error in BS5950-1:2000 strength checks for welded box sections. GSA computes incorrect values for shear area, effective properties and Lambda LT for welded box sections with slender elements.
  [NCR4850] (Fixed 16 August 2010) (Released in GSA_DES_BS5950_1_2000.dll 8.5.0.8)
• Steel Design: Effective section properties for certain sections (with slender or semi�compact elements) are computed unconservatively.
  This affects steel design member checks for BS5950-1:2000 and IS 800:2007 where slender or semi-compact sections are used. While computing the strength of the section in local bending and interaction, GSA computes the effective section modulus specific to the bending axis. If one of the elements is slender or semi-compact then GSA may still use a plastic modulus under certain scenarios. This is unconservative and it has now been rectified so that the overall section classification is used irrespective of the bending direction.
  [NCR4850 and NCR5050] (Fixed 16 August 2010) (Released in GSA_DES_BS5950_1_2000.dll 8.5.0.8 and GSA_DES_IS800_2007.dll 8.5.0.8)

GSA 8.5 build 8 — Graphic Views

• GSA crashes when attempting to draw a region that references a non-existent area.
  [NCR5043] (Fixed 11 August 2010) (Released in GsPrivate.dll 8.5.0.7)

GSA 8.5 build 8 — Interface with Third Party Software

• GsRevit 'Import from GSA' crashes while importing members with offsets. This also affects GWA copy-paste of MEMB records within GSA.
  [NCR5033] (Fixed 05 Aug 2010) (Released in GsFile.dll 40.3.0.6)

GSA 8.5 New Features

GSA Main New Features

• A new element formulation for Quad 4 & Triangle 3 elements
  A new formulation for linear 2D elements has been introduced that achieves a wider range of stability in the solution of 2D plate and shell element meshes for the GSS Solver. The new formulation is based upon the theory of Mixed Interpolated Tensoral Components (MITC).

  • Quad 4 and Triangle 3 elements (with the new MITC formulation specified) are now the recommended choice for use in analyses where parabolic accuracy is not required.
  • Note that the new formulation is turned off by default to keep consistancy with existing models. An option is available in the Advanced Solver Settings of the Analysis Wizard to enable the MITC formulation for 2D linear elements. A global preference to choose the default type for all future analysis tasks is also available in the GSA preferences.
  • The new MITC formulation has a range of stability comparable to Quad 8 and Triangle 6 elements (and in many cases improved) but with the performance of linear elements.
  • The new element is completely free from shear locking while using full-integration for the shear terms. This in turn frees the new formulation from the problems of hourglassing.

• Orthotropic 2D Elements and Beam Elements
  Linear and non-linear analysis of 2D elements and beam elements with user defined orthotropic material are now available.

• Translational Releases and Release Stiffnesses
  Translational releases may now be applied to beam and 2D elements.
  Release stiffnesses may now be specified at releases on beam elements.
  Release labels may now be represented in Graphic Views either by symbols or text; this is controlled by the Preferences > Graphics > Restraint symbols setting.

• Tied Interface Slave Nodes

  • The slave list for tied interfaces can now be specified as a list of nodes. This allows a 'floating' node within a 2D element to be connected to the 2D element by a tied interface. This may be useful for:
    • Applying a point load to a mesh
    • Connecting a node at a column to a mesh- without having to adjust the mesh.
  • The new mesh generation attribute for nodes 'Tie node to mesh' causes the mesh generation process to ignore internal nodes flagged as such when meshing but then, as a post-generation step, to tie such nodes to the generated mesh.

• New Design Codes
  New steel design codes:

  • EN 1993-1-1:2005 Eurocode 3
  • IS800:1984
  • IS800:2007

  New RC slab design codes:

  • ACI 318M-08
  • AS3600-2009
  • IS456:2000

• Faster Processing of Lists
  Faster post-processing has been achieved by optimising the processing of saved lists. This is especially beneficial when working with large models that have a large number of saved lists that are referenced by name.

• Open With Selected Results Only
  A new option to open a model with 'Selected Results Only' allows a subset of results to be opened with the model, offering faster post-processing of huge models.

  • Having requested to open a model with 'Selected Results Only' GSA prompts for a list of elements and cases for which results are to be read. Results are read only for the specified elements, and for nodes attached to those elements, and for analysis cases referenced by the analysis and combination cases in the specified case list. Loading is also reduced to the loads upon which the selected results depend.

  • Having opened a model with selected results only:

  • A flag is set in the model to indicate that the model has selected results.

  • The default filename for the model has '_[SELECTED_RESULTS_n]' appended.

  • Lists of nodes, elements and cases are saved, named "[RESULTS_ELEMENTS]", etc. as an indication of the results that are available.

  • The saving of a model with selected results is available. The model retains the 'selected results' flag.

  • The results in a file that has selected results can be reduced further by, again, choosing to open with 'Selected Results Only'.

  • The deletion of all results is available; you are warned that the loading is reduced from what was previously analysed.
    (The partial deletion of results is not permitted.)

• Unwrap in Graphic Views
  The new Unwrap option in Graphic Views projects the displayed structure onto the surface of a cylinder or cone and then unwraps the surface to produce a planar representation of the structure. The unwrapped image can be adorned with labels, diagrams, contours, annotation, and can be generally manipulated in the same way as the normal (wrapped) image.
  The Unwrap option works as follows.

  1. A cylindrical axis set is specified as the 'unwrap axes'.
  2. The 'unwrap surface' is specified as either cylindrical or conical centred on the 'unwrap axes' z.
  3. The structure is projected onto the unwrap surface.
  4. The unwrap surface is unwrapped onto the global ZX plane.The Unwrap option is intended as a tool for clarifying the display of data on a structure. The process of unwrapping contorts 3D global space so some graphical operations that rely on 3D space being 3D may behave unexpectedly; sculpting on an unwrapped image may have bizarre consequences.

• Window Organisation
  A new family of commands is available for the convenient organisation of windows within the GSA window. These resize and reposition the current window to fill the respective zone of the GSA window, typically toggling between half, one-third and two-thirds occupancy. The following commands are offered:

  Window top-left

  (Ctrl+Num 7)

  Window top

  (Ctrl+Num 8)

  Window top-right

  (Ctrl+Num 9)

  Window left

  (Ctrl+Num 4)

  Window middle (full)

  (Ctrl+Num 5)

  Window right

  (Ctrl+Num 6)

  Window bottom-left

  (Ctrl+Num 1)

  Window bottom

  (Ctrl+Num 2)

  Window bottom-right

  (Ctrl+Num 3)

• Sections and Mappings databases in SQLite format
  Paving the way for a 64 bit version of GSA (to be implemented in a future release) the database format for the sections and mappings databases has changed from MS Access to SQLite.
  There are many tools available for viewing and editing SQLite databases, including:

  • SQLite Expert Personal (opens new window)
  • SQLite2009 Pro Enterprise Manager (opens new window)- both of which are freeware.

• Section Database Updates
  The following updates have been made to the section database.

  • EN 10210 and EN 10219 catalogues are introduced. These include sections meeting these European standards.
  • In the British catalogue, old EN 10210, EN 10219 and 'Blue Book 6th edition' sections have been flagged as superseded. (Updated versions of these sections now appear in other catalogues.)
  • Corus Advance catalogue sections have been updated.

GSA New Features — General

• GWB file I/O:
  • GWB file opening and saving is significantly faster than in previous versions. (eg saving GWB files is between 2x and 6x faster.)
  • File > Save As now offers a 'GSA File (Input data only)' option that excludes results from the saved file.
  • The 'Include results in timed backup' preference introduces the option to exclude results from timed backups.
• Updated Materials:
  • Fabric materials are now part of the main Material module.
    • Fabric properties can be edited in the wizard.
  • Materials can be created with OpenSees material models.
    • These materials can be exported to OpenSees but cannot be analysed within GSA.
• The ASCE 7-05 and IBC 2006 code options are now presented as separate options and the IBC 2009 code has been added. The calculations are the same in all three cases.
• The Page Setup dialog now offers the option to exclude the 'Service Pack' and 'Build' from reported version numbers.
• In a mass analysis the storey mass and inertia is now calculated. The mass details in the output now report for each storey: mass, inertia (Izz) and centroid or mass.
• There is now a tool to calculate and report modal forces. These are calculated for a selected modal analysis task and list of load cases.
• Items can be copied from the object viewer in tab separated format (context menu - "Copy (TSV)")for pasting into spreadsheets.
• When setting up an isotropic concrete material it is possible to use code specified values. The code specified densities are for plain concrete (ignoring reinforcement). The dialog has been modified so that a percentage of steel can be specified to give a density for reinforced concrete.
• The Graphic View and Output View 'Generate User Module(s)' command now only outputs for the current display list. In Graphic Views, if the current display type is not the same as the entity type for which the user module is being created then output is for all displayed entities.
  Previously user modules were populated for all entities, regardless of the current display list.
• The advanced solver settings are now included in the Object Viewer properties for analysis tasks.
• There if a tool (Tools > Manipulate Model > Expand Element Releases) which allow beam elements with end releases and/or stiffnesses to be converted to beams with fully fixed end conditions, the stiffness to be represented by a spring and the fixity by constraint equations.
• 2D element properties now have an in-plane thickness factor in addition to the bending thickness factor. This provided mainly to allow analysis of slabs with voids where the effective thickness of the slab for stiffness is significantly less than the actual thickness.

GSA New Features — Output Options

• Derived data has been added to Response Spectra output.

GSA New Features — Output View

• Options to increase and decrease the numeric format precision have been added to the Data Options toolbar. (Enabled for Graphic and Output Views.)

GSA New Features — Graphic View — General

• The 'Negative colours' option in the Graphics Fonts and Styles dialog is renamed to 'Dark background' and now renders black objects as white and renders other objects a bit lighter than when rendered on a light background.
  This results in the dark background colour scheme being more consistent with the light background colour scheme than in previous versions, which simply inverted the colour of all objects.
• When displaying 2D elements with colour fill on, the bottom surface is now coloured darker than the top, regardless of whether colouring 'by type' or 'by property' etc. and regardless of whether explicit colour is defined or not. Previously the bottom surface was coloured darker only when colouring 'by type'.
  However, no darkening of the bottom surface occurs when shading is on (except as caused by the position of the light source).
• Options to increase and decrease the numeric format precision have been added to the Data Options toolbar. (Enabled for Graphic and Output Views.)
• The new Graphics > Orientation > Rotate > Rotate About Selected Node command sets the point about which rotations occur (i.e. the object point) to the position of the currently selected node. 'Rotate About Selected Node' is also available on the right-click menu when in the Select Node cursor mode.

GSA New Features — Graphic View — Sculpt

• When the new 'Copy lists expanded' sculpting preference is checked the 'Copy Selection as List' operation copies to the clip-board an explicit list of entity references.
  eg "11 12 13 14" instead of "11 to 14".
• The options to map loads and transform geometry have been enhanced. The expressions that define the spatial variation have been expanded to include conditional expressions. These are in the form "if(condition,true_expr,false_expr)" .
  eg for hydrostatic pressure "if(z<-10,-1000*(10+z),0)".
• Now when the Sculpting > Append to selection when click is unmodified preference is set Ctrl+click deselects. When that preference is not set Ctrl+click inverts the selection, as previously.

GSA New Features — COM Interface

GSA New Features — Interface with Third Party Software

• Ansys ASAS Export: The Ansys ASAS export option dialog now offers the option to export gravity loads.
• CAD Import/Export: GSA can now import and export DWG 2010 files.
• CAD Import/Export: CAD Lines and Arcs can now be imported as Grid Lines.
• OpenSees Export: OpenSees export has been considerably enhanced.
  • Materials can be specified with OpenSees material models.
  • Models can optionally be exported with OpenSees corotational truss, nonlinear beam column and displacement beam column elements and fiber sections.
• The export of data from GSA to LS-DYNA has been revised. In addition to fixing a number of formatting and indexing issues this also introduces a number of new features.
  • Clearer correspondance between properties and parts.
  • Option to select which beam properties are to be exported as seismic beams.
  • Option to split seismic beam elements. This splits the relevant beam elements in two with a new node at the centre of the original element and the orientation of the first element reversed.
  • Support for orthotropic materials (*MAT_ORTHOTROPIC_ELASTIC).
  • Support for tied interfaces (*CONTACT_TIED_SHELL_EDGE_TO_SURFACE_ID)
• GsRevit: The GSA Revit link is compatible with Revit Structure 2011.

GSA New Features — Analysis

• Limits can be set on the frequencies (dynamic analysis) and load factors (buckling analysis) so that high or low modes can be discarded.
• The linear solver can now accommodate loads defined in "Deformed Local" axes: the axis is considered to be the same as "Local".
• The ASCE7-05/IBC 2006 spectrum option has been replaced by ASCE7-05, IBC 2006 and IBC 2009 spectra. These spectra are functionally equivalent. Exisiting ASCE7-05/IBC 2006 spectra will be assigned the ASCE7-05 type.

GSA New Features — Design

See [here](#8.5_design codes) for a list of codes of practice implemented in this version.

• An option to provide minimum percentage of compression reinforcement is implemented in RC slab design.

GSA — GWA Syntax Changes

• The GWA format associated with the following keywords has been updated:
  • EL.2 (extended)
  • GSS_PARAM (extended)
  • MAT (new)
  • MAT_ISO (superseded by MAT; can be read)
  • MAT_FABRIC (superseded by MAT; can be read)
  • NODE.2 (extended)
  • PROP_2D.2 (extended)
  • RC2D_PROP (extended)
  • STOREY_MASS (new)
  • STOREY_INERTIA (new)
  • STOREY_CENTRE_MASS (new)
  • TASK (extended)
  • TIED (changed)

GSA 8.5 - Fixes

GSA 8.5 - Fixes — General

• There is a problem when using the reponse spectrum wizard to define a code specific spectrum. If you go "back" in the wizard to modify the spectrum parameters the final page with the chart does not update properly. This problem can be avoided by exiting the wizard and re-entering to modify the parameters.
  [NCR4391] (Fixed 23 December 2009) (Released in OaBase.dll 40.3.0.5)
• GSA reports output in German when the system locale is set to Chinese.
  [NCR4469] (Fixed 9 February 2010) (Released in GsPrivate.dll 8.5.0.5)
• The ‘Redo’ command does not redo sculpting and tool operations.
  [NCR4628] (Fixed 6 April 2010) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.3.0.5)
• When exporting data to a LS-DYNA keyword file gaps in the numbering of beam sections would give rise to a mismatch between PART and SECTION data.
  [NCR4884] (Fixed 21 June 2010) (Released in GsExport.dll 8.5.0.5)
• The value for 'Reinforement proportion' in the Material Wizard (Environemtal Impact) was not being stored in the dialog when finishing the wizard.
  [NCR4512] (Fixed 25 May 2010)
• Dialog behaviour in the material wizard may have given misleading intent for which values were being used. Value for reinforement proportion (for environmental impact) in the Material Wizard was also not being stored when writing to file.
  [NCR5024] (Fixed 03 August 2010)
• Footfall analysis results are omitted when saving GWA files, so footfall results are not available after opening a GWA file that includes footfall analysis. A consequential error is that the GSA COM GwaCommand function does not work with the FOOTFALL keyword.
  [NCR4416] (Fixed 12 January 2010)
• The bridge design codes except UK_BD37 is wrong after reading GSA 8.3 file with bridge design code being set.
  [NCR4911] (Fixed 30 June 2010)
• Raft soil pressures are wrongly calculated if automatic raft-soil interaction area option is selected. This does not affect raft analysis as the correct interaction areas are used in the analysis and only the pressure outputs are wrong.
  [NCR5011] (Fixed 27 July 2010)

GSA 8.5 - Fixes — Analysis

• GSA crashes when the user tries to use the Analysis > Check Data command and there are staged rigid constraints in the model.
  [NCR 4454] (Fixed 3 February 2010) (Released in GsCheck.dll 8.5.0.5)
• GSA sometimes crashes checking data or attempting to analyse models where elements or rigid constraints refer to node numbers higher than any that are defined in the model.
  [NCR 4551] (Fixed 3 March 2010) (Released in GsCheck.dll 8.5.0.5)
• When using the ASCE 7-05 spectrum the value of Cs is limited in certain cases. This limitation is a function of SD1, but the calculation in GSA was using SDS.
  [NCR 4584] (Fixed 18 March 2010) (Released in OaUtil.dll 40.3.0.5)
• Compression-only and tension-only ground springs were reporting reactions when in tension/compression respectively. Only the reactions are affected by this – displacements and element forces are not.
  [NCR 4662] (Reported 19 April 2010) (Released in Gss.dll 40.3.0.5)
• GSA crashes when you try to analyse a new case and an Output view is open reporting the results of a previous analysis.
  [NCR 4828] (Fixed 2 June 2010) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.3.0.5)
• Incorrect calculation of response spectrum results when the axis system is non-global, due to problems in transformation of effective mass and participation factors.
  [NCR 5019] (Fixed 29 July 2010) (Released in GdSpec.dll 8.5.0.5)
• In piled-raft analysis, if top layer soil is significantly softer than the lower layer soil, the piled-raft analysis may not be able to converge and if the analysis does converge, the results may be slightly wrong.
  [NCR 4572] (Fixed 5 March 2010)
• If the width of a carriageway is a multiple of 3 meters in Eurocode bridge load optimisation analysis, some of the optimised static bridge loads may be missed out and resulting unconservative results.
  [NCR 4590] (Fixed 7 April 2010)
• If the influence effects are very small, but still not negligible, the optimised static bridge loads are missed out.
  [NCR 4687] (Fixed 20 April 2010)
• User defined area variable UDL loads are sometimes wrongly treated as line loads rather area loads. Because of this, if the width of the lane with this variable UDL on, the optimised bridge loads will be wrong.
  [NCR 4771] (Fixed 13 May 2010)
• If non-local axis is used, the tension and compression directions of two-noded nonlinear springs are sometimes wrong, i.e. compression may be taken as tension and vice versa.
  [NCR 4783] (Fixed 20 May 2010)

GSA 8.5 - Fixes — Design

• When Australian and American concrete design codes are selected, the acutal concrete grade used in RC slab design is one grade lower than the user selected grade.
  [NCR4443] (Fixed 28 January 2010)
• The concrete grade/strength on the concrete page of the RC slab property wizard is not editable even though the concrete grade has been set as user defined.
  [NCR4444] (Fixed 28 January 2010)

GSA 8.5 - Fixes — Output Views

• Chinese characters are output instead of superscripts in unit abbreviations when the system locale is set to Chinese.
  [NCR4486] (Fixed 12 February 2010) (Released in OaUtil.dll 40.3.0.5)
• The headings of pages that are not at the beginning of a table are garbled when output views are printed.
  [NCR4542] (Fixed 24 February 2010) (Released in OaWin.dll 40.3.0.5)
• GSA crashes in output views when there are recursive combinations in the model.
  [NCR4630] (Fixed 7 April 2010) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.3.0.5)
• GSA crashes outputting results for dummy elements with missing properties.
  [NCR4693] (Fixed 28 April 2010) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.3.0.5)

GSA 8.5 - Fixes — Graphic Views

• Node labels applied to a selection of nodes are not drawn on unattached nodes in that selection.
  [NCR4396] (Fixed 4 January 2010) (Released in GsGraph.dll 8.5.0.5)
• When displaying part of the model in a Graphic View, and when using the 'move' command to move entities such that new nodes are created, the new nodes are not included in what is drawn or what can be selected.
  [NCR4409] (Fixed 8 January 2010) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.5.0.5)
• When using the sculpt 'join' command on members and lines, the overly strict restrictions on joining elements are applied.
  [NCR4410] (Fixed 8 January 2010) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.5.0.5)
• When using the sculpt 'move' command to move entities other than nodes out of the current volume, preview does not display the moved entities and, though new nodes are created as needed, the entities are connected to the existing nodes.
  [NCR4413] (Fixed 11 January 2010) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.5.0.5)
• Cached steel, RC slab and envelope results for a Graphic View are always deleted whenever the view is updated with changes made in another view, even when the changes do not warrant the recalculation of results.
  [NCR4440] (Fixed 27 January 2010) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.5.0.5)
• When you make a volume selection and the display list is set to "All" 'Nodes' then free nodes within the volume are not displayed.
  [NCR4589] (Fixed 19 March 2010) (Released in GsPrivate.dll 8.5.0.5)
• When printing saved graphic views or view lists that include graphic views from the Gateway (i.e. without opening in a Graphic View) the data scales were not being recalculated.
  [NCR 4807] (Fixed 27 May 2010) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.5.0.5)

GSA 8.5 - Fixes — COM Interface

• The COM function Output_NumElemPos, when considering result types that are valid for all element types, e.g. REF_DEFM_ELEV_Z, incorrectly returns the number of positions for a 1D element regardless of the element type being considered.
  [NCR4553] (Fixed 3 March 2010) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.5.0.5)
• The COM function Output_NumElemPos returns zero when requesting element or member related data that are reported for the whole entity, such as steel utilisations.
  [NCR4586] (Fixed 18 March 2010) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.5.0.5)
• GwaCommand: Modifying an analysis task using GwaCommand might lead to an error when analysing it.
  [NCR4426] (Fixed 20 January 2010)
• The GWA keyword ANAL is unavailable with COM Gwa commands like Highest or Exist.
  [NCR4908] (Fixed 29 June 2010)

GSA 8.5 - Fixes — Interface with Third Party Software

• GSA crashes exporting models with missing beam sections, materials or axes to CIMsteel STEP format.
  [NCR4583] (Fixed 18 March 2010) (Released in Stepfile.dll 8.5.0.5)
• GsRevit: 'Import from GSA' crashes for while importing certain grid planes.
  [NCR4535] (Fixed 24 February 2010)
• GsRevit: 'Import from GSA' crashes while importing columns if the GSA vertical tolerance is too coarse.
  [NCR4414] (Fixed 12 January 2010)
• GsRevit: 'Import from GSA' crashes when importing 0 length members.
  [NCR4795] (Fixed 24 May 2010)

GSA 8.4 build 20 - New Features

None

GSA 8.4 build 20 - Fixes

GSA 8.4 build 20 - Fixes — General

• The option to scale a user defined spectrum based on modal damping values was lost in the reorganisation of the response spectrum analysis options. This has now been restored.
  [NCR4800] (Fixed 25 May 2010) (Released in GdSpec.dll 8.4.0.20 & OaBase.dll 40.0.0.20)
• In the AISC shapes database v13 many sections have incorrect values of W (kg/m) : ‘mass per unit length’. These errors were reflected in the Oasys section database, sectlib.mdb.
  Affected are all HSS sections, and several W, L, and T sections in the AISC v13 catalogue.
  A document identifying the affected sections is available by request from Oasys.
  [NCR4833] (Fixed 3 June 2010) (Released in sectlib.mdb 3 June 2010)
• GSA crashes sporadically on computers running Windows 7.
  [NCR4897] (Fixed 15 June 2010) (Released in OaWin.dll 40.0.0.20)

GSA 8.4 build 20 - Fixes — Analysis

• If bridge analysis task exists no matter with results or not, new analysis tasks cannot be created.
  [NCR 4793] (Fixed 21 May 2010) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.4.0.20)

GSA 8.4 build 19 - New Features

GSA New Features — General

• The speed of display of 1D element forces and moments, and results derived from these, when requested at element ends only, has been improved.
  Results may be requested at 'element ends only' by switching off 'Forces at interesting points' and setting the 'Number of equidistant points' to zero in the 1D Element Results dialog.
  This improvement is especially significant when viewing results in models with large numbers of loading records.

GSA 8.4 build 19 - Fixes

GSA 8.4 build 19 - Fixes — General

• GSA sometimes gets confused when creating charts of cut section forces that use different element properties for different analysis stages.
  [NCR4362] (Fixed 15 December 2009) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.4.0.18)
• In the section database, the torsional shear constant values (C) for the US HSS sections are out by a factor of 1000. (E.g. 0.966e-6 instead of 966e-6)
  [NCR4437] (Fixed 27 January 2009) (Released in sectlib.mdb)
• Structured lists are replaced with simple lists after data management and sculpting.
  [NCR4511] (Fixed 18 February 2010) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.0.0.18)
• The application occasionally crashes unpredictably, more frequently on Windows 7.
  [NCR4517] (Fixed 19 February 2010) (Released in OaWin.dll 40.0.0.19)
• Lists in the model are corrupted after data management and sculpting operations.
  [NCR4765] (Fixed 12 May 2010) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.0.0.19)

GSA 8.4 build 19 - Fixes — Analysis

• Tension and compression only spring elements are wrongly ignored in non-linear static (GsRelax) analysis, therefore the non-linear static analysis results of a model with these elements are wrong.
  As tension and compression only spring elements were introduced only from GSA 8.4, this bug will not affect the analysis of GSA models created before GSA 8.4.
  [NCR4419] (Fixed 14 January 2010) (Released in GsRelax.dll 8.4.0.18)

GSA 8.4 build 19 - Fixes — Table Views

• GSA sometimes crashes while copying and pasting text in tables.
  [NCR4518] (Fixed 22 February 2010) (Released in GsTable.dll 8.4.0.19)

GSA 8.4 build 19 - Fixes — COM Interface

• Output_Extract does not clear cached results after changes to the model, so reported results relate to the pre-modified model if inspecting the same result type for the same entity and case.
  [NCR4382] (Fixed 22 December 2009) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.4.0.18)

GSA 8.4 build 17 - New Features

GSA New Features — General

• The Japanese catalogue has been added to the section database.
• For catalogue sections that have no area or torsion constant, J, specified in the section database, these values are now calculated, based on the dimensions of the section.

GSA New Features — COM Interface

• When using the Output functions, there has been a slight improvement to the efficiency of extracting several components of the same result type for the same entity and case.

GSA 8.4 build 17 - Fixes

GSA 8.4 build 17 - Fixes — General

• GSA crashes trying to read files with elements referring to non-existent nodes that also contain members.
  [NCR 4152] (Fixed 27 October 2009) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.0.0.17)
• GSA assigns a Young’s modulus about one million times greater than the correct value to materials entered through the Concrete Code Material Properties dialog.
  [NCR 4165] (Fixed 2 November 2009) (Released in GsTable.dll 8.4.0.17)
• When using the response spectrum wizard and selecting back from the final page of the wizard the spectrum was converted into a user defined spectrum.
  [NCR4188] (Fixed 6 November 2009) (Released in OaBase.dll 40.0.0.17)
• Periodic check for updates is not working.
  [NCR4200] (Fixed 10 November 2009) (Released in OaWin.dll 40.0.0.17)
• GSA crashes when changing the design code and when calculating reinforcement if there are gaps in the RC Slab Design Properties.
  [NCR4253] (Fixed 26 November 2009) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.4.0.17, OaWin.dll 40.0.0.17)
• GSA does not recognise rigid constraints when there are no elements and only a single rigid constraint. Adding elements or more rigid constraints gets around this problem.
  [NCR4303] (Fixed 3 December 2009) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.0.0.17)
• Creating a graph with 'Forces on 2D element cut...' sometimes results in a 'Failure to open view' for some specific cut sections.
  [NCR4310] (Fixed 7 December 2009) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.4.0.17)
• Shear stresses are calculated incorrectly for welded RHS elements.
  [NCR4339] (Fixed 9 December 2009) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.0.0.17)

GSA 8.4 build 17 - Fixes — Analysis

• GSA incorrectly calculates the value of Fa for the IBC 2000, FEMA 356 and ASCE 7 spectra, basing the value on S1 rather than SS.
  [NCR4149] (Fixed 27 October 2009) (Released in OaUtil.dll 40.0.0.16)
• Generating analysis envelopes fails with the message ‘An unexpected error occured in the Envelope solver’ when there are grounded springs in the model.
  [NCR 4170] (Fixed 3 November 2009) (Released in GsEnvelope.dll 8.4.0.17 and GwDat.dll 40.0.0.17)
• When running a modal analysis there is a user specified limit on the number of iterations. When this limit is reached without convergence the problem still reports the problem as converged. Normally this will be accompanied by a warning that the error norm is large for some of the modes. In this case the modal results will be unreliable.
  [NCR4184] (Fixed 6 November 2009) (Released in Gss.dll 40.0.0.17)
• If in the Pdisp Load Data table, the order of vertical loads on horizontal planes is altered then the raft analysis may give incorrect results.
  [NCR4126] (Fixed 8 December 2009) (Released in PddCal.dll 40.0.0.17)

GSA 8.4 build 17 - Fixes — Graphic Views

• Diagrams and contours of grid loads applied to grid planes in cylindrical axes are sometimes confused.
  [NCR4285] (Fixed 1 December 2009) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.4.0.17, GwDat.dll 40.0.0.17, GsGraph.dll 8.4.0.17)
• Lists beginning with ‘not’ are corrupted during sculpting operations.
  [NCR4289] (Fixed 17 November 2009) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.0.0.17)
• Lists referring to property ‘*’ are corrupted during sculpting operations and records containing them may be deleted.
  [NCR4290] (Fixed 23 November 2009) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.0.0.17)

GSA 8.4 build 17 - Fixes — COM Interface

• Response spectrum results not working with COM GwaCommand.
  [NCR4304] (Fixed 04 December 2009) (Released in GsFile.dll 8.4.0.17)

GSA 8.4 build 17 - Fixes — Interface with Third Party Software

• When exporting data to NASTRAN the axis records are misaligned.
  [NCR4166] (Fixed 2 November 2009) (Released in GsExport.dll 8.4.0.17)
• CAD Import: Closed polylines are not imported closed.
  [NCR4248] (Fixed 23 November 2009) (Released in Gsa_Import_Cad.dll 8.4.0.17)
• GsRevit: Certain Families can cause GsRevit to crash while exporting the Revit model to GSA.
  [NCR4309] (Fixed 7 December 2009) (Released in GsaComHelpers.dll 8.4.0.17)
• GsRevit: The Gsa-Revit link is not registered with 64 bit versions of Revit Structure.
  [NCR4355] (Fixed 11 December 2009) (Released in GsaRegister 8.4.0.17)

GSA 8.4 build 15 - New Features

None

GSA 8.4 build 15 - Fixes

GSA 8.4 build 15 - Fixes — General

• GSA crashes in the combination case table and combination details output views when there are recursive envelopes in combination cases.
  [NCR 4059] (Fixed 9 October 2009) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.0.0.12)
• After reading a GSA 8.3 data file that contains non-linear spring curves, the sign of the nonlinear spring curves will not be consistent with GSA 8.4 nonlinear spring curve sign convention due to the change of the sign convention in GSA 8.4. The fix is to delete the relevant analysis results after opening GSA 8.3 file.
  A tool is also provided from right click menu on nonlinear spring curve table to reverse the sign of the nonlinear spring curves.
  [NCR 4068] (Fixed 2 October 2009) (Released in GsFile.dll 40.0.0.12, GsTable.dll 8.4.0.12)
• GSA crashes while trying to read very large models with results from .gwb files.
  [NCR 4091] (Fixed 7 October 2009) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.0.0.12)
• Concrete properties entered through the Concrete Code Material Properties dialog are assigned to the model wrongly when the current units are not SI.
  [NCR 4115] (Fixed 12 October 2009) (Released in GsTable.dll 8.4.0.14)
• Grid line loads applied by polyline along the edge of panels were not always expanding properly. This resulted in a warning in the grid load expansion.
  [NCR 4119] (Fixed 14 October 2009) (Released in OaUtil.dll 40.0.0.14)
• Tabulated storey drift values were output as zero.
  [NCR 4121] (Fixed 15 October 2009) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.0.0.14)
• The highest node in the model was missed out in determining which nodes are used in storey drift calculations.
  [NCR 4122] (Fixed 15 October 2009) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.0.0.14)

GSA 8.4 build 15 - Fixes — Analysis

• The solver reports an error when a model contains compression/tension-only ground springs and is unable to complete the calculations. This problem can be avoided by replacing ground springs with internal springs.
  [NCR 4102] (Fixed 8 October 2009) (Released in Gss.dll 40.0.0.14)
• When the range syntax is used in analysis envelope combinations, all combination cases except the first and last in the range are left unlocked.
  [NCR 4116] (Fixed 13 October 2009) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.0.0.14)
• GSA crashes in data checks when there are grounded springs in the model without corresponding properties.
  [NCR 4139] (Fixed 21 October 2009) (Released in GsCheck.dll 8.4.0.14)

GSA 8.4 build 15 - Fixes — Table Views

• When a user defined axis is specified in the spring table this can be corrupted when opening the table. The actual value can be checked in the output view.
  [NCR 4099] (Fixed 8 October 2009) (Released in GsTable.dll 8.4.0.13)
• When defining force-density form-finding parameters the table gives an error when trying to save the record. This problem does not affect soap-film form-finding.
  [NCR 4133] (Fixed 19 October 2009) (Released in GsTable.dll 8.4.0.14)

GSA 8.4 build 15 - Fixes — Graphic Views

• GSA crashes sculpting models with lists that do not refer to any entity in the model.
  [NCR 4086] (Fixed 6 October 2009) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.0.0.12)

GSA 8.4 build 15 - Fixes — COM Interface

• COM GwaCommand function broken by Gsa.exe 8.4.0.14.
  [NCR 4148] (Fixed 26 October 2009) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.4.0.15)

GSA 8.4 build 11 - New Features

None

GSA 8.4 build 11 - Fixes

GSA 8.4 build 11 - Fixes — General

• Some section properties are not read in correctly when migrating files from 8.3 to 8.4.
  [NCR 4001] (Fixed 18 September 2009) (Released in OaSect.dll 40.0.0.11)
• When copying GWA data to the clipboard, whether from Table Views, Graphic Views, or the Gateway, trailing spaces, tabs and linefeeds are trimmed from the last record.
  [NCR 4017] (Fixed 21 September 2009) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.4.0.11, GsTable.dll 8.4.0.11)
• When editing notes in the History dialog, for notes longer than 255 characters, the cursor moves to the start of the note after each character is typed.
  [NCR 4037] (Fixed 24 September 2009) (Released in OaWin.dll 40.0.0.11)
• Automatic relationship between members and elements fails for members shorter than 1m.
  [NCR 4039] (Fixed 25 September 2009) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.0.0.11)
• Inputting concrete material properties using the Concrete Code Material Properties dialog fails with the message “invalid concrete density”.
  [NCR 4042] (Fixed 25 September 2009) (Released in GsTable.dll 8.4.0.11)
• The Concrete Code Material Properties dialog displays values in Imperial units when the ACI318M-02 code is chosen.
  [NCR 4047] (Fixed 25 September 2009) (Released in OaUtil.dll 8.4.0.11)

GSA 8.4 build 11 - Fixes — Analysis

• GSA crashes when the user tries to use the Analysis > Check Data command and there are no rigid constraints in the model.
  [NCR 3999] (Fixed 16 September 2009) (Released in GsCheck.dll 40.0.0.11)
• The sign of non-linear spring curves for ground springs is wrong, the sign needs to be reversed.
  [NCR 4025] (Fixed 22 September 2009) (Released in GsRelax.dll 8.4.0.11)
• In the response spectrum calculation to UBC 1997 the empirical period is calculated from the height of the structure. An error in the m:ft conversion resulted in a factor being applied twice and an overestimate of the building period.
  [NCR 4043] (Fixed 25 September 2009) (Released in GdSpec.dll 8.4.0.11)

GSA 8.4 build 11 - Fixes — Design

• The minimum eccentricity in RC slab design property is wrong if the unit is not SI and the design code is not BS8110.
  [NCR 4012] (Fixed 21 September 2009) (Released in GsTable.dll 8.4.0.11)

GSA 8.4 build 11 - Fixes — COM Interface

• COM GwaCommand GET operation does not permit the getting of keywords in other than the current version format.
  The specification has changed such that:
  • Both the SET and GET commands recognise the keyword version. If the keyword version is not specified then the SET and GET commands assume the current version. If the keyword version is specified in a GET command then the keyword in the returned string includes the keyword version.
  • The keyword for setting, getting or inquiring about an element is EL; however, EL.1 (EL version 1) can be used to GET the element data in EL_BEAM (etc.) format, and EL_BEAM (etc.) can still be used to SET elements.[NCR 4015] (Fixed 17 September 2009) (Released in GsFile.dll 40.0.0.11)
• The GSA COM object might sometimes fail to instantiate.
  When running as a user with regular privileges, trying to create an object of Gsa.ComAuto might fail.
  [NCR 4046] (Fixed 25 September 2009) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.4.0.11 and GsaRegister.exe 8.4.0.11)

GSA 8.4 build 11 - Fixes — Interface with Third Party Software

• ASAS-GSA translator crashes when there is a gap in load cases in the ASAS model.
  [NCR 4024] (Fixed 22 September 2009) (Released in ASAS-GSA.exe 8.4.0.11)
• Nodal load command format is incorrect in the Ansys ASAS export option.
  [NCR 4045] (Fixed 25 September 2009) (Released in GsExport.dll 8.4.0.11)

GSA 8.4 - New Features

GSA New Features — General

• Piled Raft Analysis
  The option to analyse piled rafts is now available, as follows:

  • Piles are modelled in the model of the structure (the GSA model) using a string of beam elements. (The Sculpt > Extrude Selection command can be used generate piles at a selection of nodes.)
  • The soil is modelled as Vdisp Data (via GSA), in the same way as for non-piled rafts.
  • The nodes down the length of the piles are associated with the soil model using the Pile Interaction table. Note that:
    • The dimension of the interaction area can be automated. The calculated area is based on the section type and size for the pile.
    • The elevation of the interaction is calculated automatically, though this can be overridden.
    • (The Soil Interaction table has been renamed to Raft Interaction, to avoid confusion.)
  • Pile interaction numbers and pile interaction areas can be 'labelled' at nodes.
  • The analysis of piled rafts is requested in the same way as of non-piled rafts.
  • Soil Nodal Results now include Contact Pressures and Interaction Areas per direction. These can also be contoured.Other improvements to raft analysis include the display of soil zones and profiles, (see below).

• Bridge load optimisation analysis to Eurocode and update to Australian code

  • Full carriageway load optimisation analysis to Eurocode using UK national annex is now available.
  • Lane-by-lane bridge load optimisation analysis for Eurocode using UK, generic and user defined NDPs is now available.
  • Lane-by-lane bridge load optimisation analysis to Australian code has been updated to be in line with the current code specifications.

• Environmental Impact
  Environmental impact can be assigned in terms of:

  • Embodied energy
  • Embodied carbon
  • Recycled content
  • a user defined parameter

  These environmental impact parameters can be assigned to each material type for the structure as a whole, and per material. Data is provided to suggest appropriate values for the material type, grade and country.
  Environmental impact can be output as follows:

  • The 'Environmental Impact Summary' output reports environmental impact totals per property, per material property and for the whole structure.
  • In Graphic Views, environmental impact parameters can be contoured on elements for the current stage.

• Tied Interfaces
  Tied interfaces are introduced. A tied interface constrains a list of slave elements to act as if connected to a list of master elements. A typical use of a tied interface is to zip together adjacent areas of 2D element mesh, overcoming poor topological connectivity between the areas of mesh.
  Tied interfaces can also be used to connect beams (in the slave list) to 2D elements (in the master list).

• In mesh generation, the new 'Tie meshes in adjoining regions along this line' line attribute produces, as a post-generation step, a tied interface that ties the elements generated along the line for the region being considered with elements previously generated along the line for another region.

• In mesh generation, the new 'Create soil spring supports per generated 2D element' region attribute produces, as a post-generation step, a node at the centre of every 2D element generated for the region and ties that 'soil node' to the element by constraint equations. Raft interaction records are produced per 'soil node' generated, in case raft analysis is to be performed.

• The new Tools > Contact Constraint > Create 2D Face to Ground Contact option offers the following:
  For each 2D element in the specified element list, a node will be created at the element centre and that node will be connected to the 2D element by a constraint equation. The centre node will optionally have a soil spring specified either by a nodal stiffness or an attached ground spring element.

• The new Tools > Contact Constraint > Create 2D Edge to Ground Contact option offers the following:
  For each 2D element edge represented in the node list, a node will be created at the element edge centre and that node will be connected to the 2D element by a constraint equation. The centre node will optionally have a soil spring specified either by a nodal stiffness or an attached ground spring element.

• There are three new chart options:

  • View > New Chart View > Modal Analysis Details allows selected results from a modal or response spectrum analysis to be selected and plotted as a function of mode number.
  • View > New Chart View > Forces on 2D Element Cut calculates the force and moment (per unit length) along a specified cut in a 2D element mesh. The results are plotted as a chart of force per unit length and/or moment per unit length against distance along the cut.
  • View > New Chart View > Cut Section Forces calculates the forces and moments at a series of points defined by a cutting plane and an axis. The results are plotted as a chart of force and moment against distance along the axis.

• Standard and grid nodes are now combined.

  • Standard and grid nodes are editable from the Nodes Table View.
  • The Nodes Definition dialog handles both standard and grid nodes.
  • (Previously grid nodes were not editable from the nodes table and there was a separate Grid Node Definition dialog.)

• There is now the option to assign names to nodes, elements and members.

• Analysis envelope results are now stored in GWA files.

• Pre-analysis data checks now report all entities associated with a given message in the form of a hyperlinked entitiy list. Following the link causes that list of entities to be selected in Graphic Views.

• An additional option has been added to the syntax of combination case descriptions. The operator sign(C1, A2) returns the results for the first argument with the sign of the second analysis case.

• A new seismic analysis tool, Tools > Seismic Analysis > Spectrum Scaling of Modes, has been added which creates a set of combination cases based on the scaled modal results. A response spectrum and direction provide the data required to determine the modal multiplier and this is used to create factors which, with the modal analysis cases, define the combination cases for the scaled results.

• The History option has been resurrected.
  The History is a list of history records, each made up of a date, time, user name and an optional note, to serve as a history of changes to the model. Functionality is as follows:

  • A history record is automatically appended to the History when the model is first created, and each time the model is opened.
    A history record is appended when the model is imported, noting the source of the import.
    A history record is appended when the model is saved in GWB format with a new name, noting the new name.
  • The History may be viewed and edited via the Data > History command. In the History dialog, notes may be edited for any history record, new history records may be created, and existing records may be deleted.
  • The History is reported in the 'Titles and Model Statistics' output.
  • The History is saved with the model.The History is especially useful for tracking changes to a model when several people are working on the same model. In this circumstance, all participants should be encouraged to record their changes as notes in the History.

• The new Oasys Technical FAQ can be accessed via Help > Technical FAQ.

• A new version checking system has been implemented, giving more explicit identification of the version being run and options for periodic checking. See Help > About GSA.

• GSA now imports data from files in CSV format.

GSA New Features — Output Options

• Grid Area Loads is now available as a contouring option.
• Several nodal result options are now available for contouring on elements and tabular output per element. These include:
  • Velocities
  • Accelerations
  • Soil Contact Bearing Pressures
  • Footfall Induced Vibration results
• The 1D Element Results dialog now offers the option to 'Include intermediate results on bars'. Previously, intermediate results were always calculated on bar elements; now the default is for these not to be calculated. This option is applicable to diagrams, contours and tabular output.
• The 2D element 'Projected axes' diagram option is now available. The projected axes are displayed per element and take account of the diagram 'output axes' setting.
• Reactions are now output for nodes in combinations that add results for analysis cases in stages where the nodes are restrained to results for cases in stages where they are not.
• Total loads and reactions for modal and response spectrum analysis now report inertia loads and moments as well as reactions. For a reponse spectrum analysis total forces (including base shear) and moments (including overturning and twisting) about the centre of mass at ground level are reported in the response spectrum details.

GSA New Features — Interface

• The new Initial Setup wizard offers new users the option to edit basic preferences, including 'advanced features'.
• Graphic Views and Output Views open at the time of saving a model, may now be displayed when the model is opened, depending on the 'Initial Graphic Views' and 'Initial Output Views' preference settings.
• The geometric entities, lines, areas and regions may now be edited via tables. (Grid nodes are now treated as standard nodes, edited via the nodes table.) The Geometric Entities view has been removed.
• In entity tables (node, elements, lines etc.) the right-click menu now offers the option to 'Select in Graphics' to select the current entity in Graphic Views.
  In tables that include an entity list field (e.g. beam loads) the right-click menu now offers the option to 'Select in Graphics' to select the list of entities in Graphic Views.
• In tables, copying a complete record copies that record on to the clip-board in GWA format. In this circumstance the entire object is copied, including any data not displayed in the table. Pasting GWA records has the desired effect of pasting the entire object, including fields not represented in the table.
• Grid Lines are now accessible from the Gateway.
• Batch Saving of Views
  The following changes have been made to the batch output of Graphic Views and Output Views:
  • 'Save to file' is now offered as follows:
    • From the right-click menu for the Views tab on the Gateway.
    • From the 'View > Batch View Options' menu.
    • On the View List definition dialog.
  • The preferred format for Graphic Views and Output Views saved to file may now be specified in the Miscellaneous Preferences. Batch saving to file automatically saves in the preferred format.
  • The default filename for views saved to file now includes the view name.
• The new 'Broadcast case list' option on the Lists toolbar in Graphic Views and Output Views updates all other Graphic Views and Output Views with the case list that is specified for the current view.

GSA New Features — Output View

• When 'Output Settings > Further Options > Envelope 'Subject Component' only' is selected and no relevant subject component is selected, output is produced for the envelope of every component, together with co-existent values.

GSA New Features — Graphic View — General

• Explicit Entity Colour Definition
  The colour of entities displayed in Graphic Views can be defined explicitly, as follows:

  • Colours can be assigned to the following object types:

    • Nodes
    • Elements and Members
    • Materials
    • Properties
    • Polylines
    • Analysis Stages

  • Use of object colours:
    In Graphic Views:

    • When the view is set to colour elements 'by property', or 'by material' or 'by initial stage', elements (or members) are displayed in the colour of the property, material or stage, respectively.
    • Otherwise entities are displayed in the colour of the entity.
    • - except when the colour is set to 'undefined' (the default), in which case default colours are assumed.

    In Table Views:

    • Records are highlighted with a colour-wash representation of the colour assigned to the node, element, member, property, material, polyline, or stage, respectively.
    • - except when the colour is set to 'undefined' (the default), in which case no hightlighting is applied.

  • Assigning colours to objects:
    In Graphic Views colours may be assigned by using the 'Graphics > Modify Colour of Selection' command, or by right-clicking on an entity and using the 'Modify Colour of This' command.

    • When the view is set to colour elements 'by property', or 'by material' or 'by initial stage' the colours of the properties, materials or stages of the selected elements (or members), respectively, are modified.
    • Otherwise the colours of the selected entities are modified.

    In Table Views colours may be assigned by using the 'Edit > Modify Colour' command (also on the right-click menu).

    • The colour is applied to the selected records, or, if no records are selected, then to the current record.

  • Colour selection:

    • The Select Colour dialog offers the selection of colour either by selecting from a list of preset colours or by picking in a Color dialog.
    • The colour may be set to 'undefined'.
    • The selected colour is indicated in the colour swatch, and the derived colour-wash, by the partially hidden colour swatch.
    • The Select Colour dialog remembers the 'last selected colour'.
    • The 'last selected colour' can be set by picking the currently assigned colour of an object, by using the Graphic View right-click 'Pick Colour of This' command.

  • The colour of all objects in the model can be reset to 'undefined' by using the 'Clear Colour Modifications' command.

• Translucency may now be switched on and off and the opacity of beam element sections, solid 2D elements and filled contouring may now be specified.
  Also, to improve the appearance of solid 2D element meshes when translucency is on, internal edges are not rendered unless at a mesh 'edge' or 'shrink' is on.
• The 'Graphics > Display > Hide' submenu now offers options to hide all entity types and to hide the Graphic View legend, in addition to the previously offered options to hide labels, contours and diagrams. The Hide submenu is also available on the Graphic View right-click menu.
• The 'Hide Legend Display' command is now a three way toggle: 'hide legend' > 'show legend' > 'show legend clipped'. The command has been renamed to 'Hide/Clip Legend Display'.
• The 'Tied interfaces' labelling option is now available (via 'Labels and Display Methods > On Nodes > Tied interfaces'). Note that, though tied interfaces are described in terms of elements, the tied interface labels are on nodes indicating which nodes are being constarined by the tied interface. Slaves and masters are distinguished by colour. The 'draw nodes in shrunk position' option (see below) helps to clarify the association between node and attached elements.
  The 'Highlight Edges' option, when highlighting a topologically disconnected edge of a 2D element, distinguishes between those that are connected as tied interface masters and those that are connected as tied interface slaves, and those that are not tied.
• The display of element offset marks can now be switched off (via 'Labels and Display Methods > Display Methods > Draw offset marks').
• The position at which nodes are displayed can now be shifted to the average of half-way towards the shrunk end of attached elements (via 'Labels and Display Methods > Display Methods > Draw nodes at shrunk position'). This is useful for identifying coincident nodes and their attachments (e.g. at joints).
• In raft models, soil zones and profiles can now be displayed (via 'Labels and Display Methods > Display Methods > Soil zones and profiles').
• Automatically calculated contour values can now be based on a rounded range. In this circumstance the middle contour can be automatically set as zero, with either equal or unequal intervals above and below zero. For example, if the range being contoured is -25.2 to 14.1:
  • 'Contours based on rounded range' produces contours from -30 to +15 in intervals of 5.
  • '... - Set middle contour to zero' produces contours at -30 -20 -10 zero +5 +10 +15.
  • '... - Equal +ve and -ve contour intervals' produces contours from -30 to +30 in intervals of 5.When coutours are based on a rounded range the specified number of contours is used only as a guide.
• The 'Contour Settings > Constant thickness barrels ...' option now also affects the size of contour blobs on 0D elements and nodes. The option is now named 'Constant size on nodes, and 0D and 1D elements'.
• The 'x2' and '/2' toolbar options now factor the constant barrel thickness.
• The BLOB_SHIFT user module flag causes user module data applied to 2D elements to be contoured as discrete blobs shifted from the nodal position on the element half-way towards the next node.
• Entity selection can now be by selection within a polyline. The procedure is as follows:
  • In the Polyline cursor mode, form a Polyline.
  • Switch to the required selection cursor mode ('Select Nodes' or 'Select Elements', etc.) cursor mode. All entities within the polyline (as viewed) are appended to the current selection set for that entity type.
  • When the reference point of selection items is set to 'Drag to right - all; drag to left - any part', a polyline specified in the clockwise direction (as viewed) selects all entities wholly within the polyline; whereas an anti-clockwise polyline selects entities within or partly within the polyline.
• Setting the new 'Entities > Display excluded faint' option in the Graphic Settings dialog causes entities excluded from display, whether by exclusion by volume or display list, to be drawn faint, rather than not at all. This can also be set using the 'Graphics > Display > Display excluded entities faint (Ctrl+Alt+F)' menu command. Auto-scaling ignores excluded entities regardless of this setting.
• Element axes labels are now scaled by the 'Graphic Fonts and Styles > Scaling factors > Symbol size'.
• The new 'Copy Selection As GWA' command on the right-click menu when selecting entities copies GWA records to the clip-board for the selected entities.

GSA New Features — Graphic View — Sculpt

• The new 'Refine mesh at nodes' sculpt command splits every 2D element attached to each selected node, whether Quad or Tri, to produce a finer mesh at the selected nodes.
• The 'Split 1D Elements' (and members and lines) sculpt command now offers the option to 'split at existing nodes'. This option splits each selected 1D element at every node found within the specified coincidence tolerance along its length. If the 'align nodes' option is checked then found nodes are moved onto the line of the original element. ('Arc' lines are not handled by this option.)
• Keyboard accelerators Ctrl+Alt+C and Ctrl+Alt+M can be used to invoke the Copy Selection and Move Selection commands, respectively.
• The new 'Join String of 1D Elements' (and members and lines) sculpt command joins a string of 1D elements into one element. In assessing whether attached elements form a string the elements must be aligned (within a tolerance), of the same property and group, and without other 1D elements attached. Constrained and loaded nodes also break the string.

GSA New Features — COM Interface

• GSA COM is now ATL based.
  Apart from running a bit faster, this also provides the option to run multiple instances of GSA COM. Check 'Tools > Preferences > Miscellaneous > Startup > Create a new GSA instance for every COM object requested' to enable this option. When this option is enabled, invoking GSA COM objects will create new GSA instances..
• GSA COM is now version controlled.
  Early binding GSA COM clients must now reference a specific version of the GSA COM object.
  Late binding GSA COM clients (as demonstated in the GSA samples to date) can reference a specific version of the GSA COM object, but can continue to reference the unversioned GSA COM object, in which case the last registered version of GSA COM is called.
• GwaCommand now always operates in High Precision, ignoring the 'GWA Numeric Precision' preference setting.
• GSA COM: New samples are available illustrating the use of GSA COM interface.
  • C++ Sample showing an early binding example: .\Samples\API_and_GWC\GsaComCppSample.zip
  • .NET Sample, illustrating wrapper functions for getting and setting data using the GwaCommand. The wrapper class can be used directly by users in their code: .\Samples\API_and_GWC\GsaComDotNetSample.zip
• There is a new set of COM functions that assist in renumbering entities.

GSA New Features — Interface with Third Party Software

• CAD Export: The CAD Export Options dialog now offers the option to transform exported coordinates with respect to a specified grid plane.
• BIM Coordination: The new 'Tools > Rationalise Sections for BIM Coordination' looks for Section Properties that are referenced by both columns and other beams and offers the option to copy the section and separate the references as necessary.
• BIM Coordination: The new 'Tools > Check Model Suitability for BIM Coordination' carries out the following checks:
  • that grid planes exist, to represent levels.
  • that sections are not referenced by both columns and other beams.
• GsRevit: A new method of mapping Revit Families and GSA Sections is now available. Users can define mappings in a database file and these will be used by GsRevit when trying to match cross-section definitions between GSA and Revit.
• GsRevit: 'Import From Oasys GSA' now offers options to creating Framing elements of varying structural types. The choices offered are either to create them as beams, braces or both.
• GsRevit: Revit Structure 2010 compatibility is now available.
• ASAS: A stand-alone ASAS to GSA translator is now available. This can both translate an ASAS model and results into a new GSA model, and import ASAS results into an existing GSA model.

GSA New Features — Analysis

• Footfall analysis can now be carried out to comply with AISC SDGS11 recommendations.
• Footfall analysis can now be carried out by using user defined dynamic load factors (DLFs).
• Analysis with non-linear elements has often suffered from convergence problems. To address this problem the convergence criteria in the static analysis with non-linear elements has been changed to provide more consistent criteria for convergence with varying loads and structure stiffnesses. The new convergence check is based on the relative displacement change between iterations rather than an absolute displacement change. One consequece of this is that the default tolerance is now more relaxed (1e-4 instead of 1e-6). Old files which would have a convergence tolerance specified will have this value changed on reading the file to the new default value.
• The Sturm sequence check in a modal analysis is now optional. The default and recommended option is to do the check.
• In a P-Δ analysis the P-Δ effect can now be determined from a combination case as well as an analysis case. The combination case must be a simple one and not an envelope case (e.g. ka Aa + kb Ab + …).
• Support has been added for response spectrum analysis to ASCE 7-05 (IBC 2006), Eurocode 8 : 2004 and GB 50011-2001 and the damping options in response spectrum analysis have been clarified.
• In soap-film form-finding analysis of 2D elements, different stresses can applied in the x and y directions. In previous versions, the stresses in the two directions had to be the same.

GSA — GWA Syntax Changes

• Version numbers may now be associated with GWA keywords. Versions are specified by appending the version number to the keyword, separated by a '.', for example:

  NODE.2

  When reading GWA records for versioned keywords, where no version is supplied the current version is assumed. GSA does not write the version to GWA records.
  A new version number is defined for a keyword only when new data is inserted into an existing keyword record. New data appended to an existing keyword record does not warrant a new version number.

• The GWA format associated with the following keywords has been updated:

  • ANAL_STAGE.2
  • AREA.2
  • BASE_REACT (new)
  • BRIDGE_OPTI_SUMMARY
  • EL (new)
  • ENV_PARAM (new)
  • ENV_RES_ELEM (new)
  • ENV_RES_NODE (new)
  • LINE.2
  • LOAD_2D_STRN (replaces LOAD_2D_INIT)
  • MAT_ISO
  • MEMB.2
  • MEMBER (deprecated)
  • NODE.2
  • PATH_LOAD
  • PATH_LOAD_AUTO
  • PILE_SOIL_INTERACTION (new)
  • PROP_2D.2
  • PROP_CABLE.2
  • PROP_LINK.2
  • PROP_MASS.2
  • PROP_SEC (new)
  • PROP_SPACER.2
  • PROP_SPR.2
  • RAFT_DISP_DATA (replaces RAFT_DISP_GRID, RAFT_DISP_LINE, RAFT_DISP_POINT)
  • RAFT_NONLINEAR_CURVE (replaces RAFT_NON_L_CURVE)
  • RAFT_PSI_CURVE (new)
  • RAFT_PSI_PROPERTY (new)
  • RAFT_SOIL_INTERACTION
  • RAFT_SOIL_LOAD (replaces RAFT_CIRC_LOAD, RAFT_RECT_LOAD)
  • RAFT_SOIL_PROF
  • RC2D_PROP
  • REGION.2
  • RESP_FORCE (new)
  • RESP_MOMENT (new)
  • RESP_ORIGIN (new)
  • RESP_SCALE (new)
  • SEC_BEAM (deprecated - use PROP_SEC)
  • SOAP_STRESS_2D
  • SPECTRUM
  • SPEC_BRIDGE
  • SPEC_BRIDGE_NDP (new)
  • SPEC_RAFT (replaces RAFT_VDISP_PARAM)
  • TASK
  • TIED
  • VUDL
  • Z_ELEVATION (new)

GSA 8.4 - Fixes

GSA 8.4 - Fixes — General

• In RC slab design to Eurocode 2 the uncracked and cracked design strengths of concrete are incorrect (i.e. one degree higher than the values they should be).
  When running the fixed version of GSA, the corrected design strengths may be applied to existing RC Slab Design Properties by opening each property in the RC Slab Design Property definition dialog and then clicking 'OK'.
  [NCR 3134] (Fixed 29 September 2008) (Released in OaUtil.dll and GsTable.dll 8.4.0.10)
• When labels contain spaces and these are copied to Excel, the quotes around the text are removed. This causes problems when copying from Excel and pasting into GSA. This fix replaces the previously withdrawn attempt.
  [NCR 3244] (Fixed 11 December 2008) (Released in GsFile.dll and OaWin.dll 40.0.0.10)
• Torsion constants entered for perimeter sections do not persist.
  [NCR 3250] (Fixed 26 November 2008) (Released in OaSect.dll 40.0.0.10)
• GSA crashes going into the Bridge VUDL wizard.
  [NCR 3252] (Fixed 26 November 2008) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.0.0.10)
• In reponse spectrum analysis to UBC, the displacements and forces are scaled. In the reporting of storey drifts, and in the storey force and displacement charts, this scaling factor was omitted.
  [NCR 3254] (Fixed 27 November 2008) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.4.0.10 and GwDat.dll 40.0.0.10)
• It is not possible to create constraint equations with negative factors.
  [NCR 3259] (Fixed 28 November 2008) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.0.0.10)
• The Nodes table fails to open when there are nodes with Elevation or Global cylindrical axes.
  [NCR 3263] (Fixed 1 December 2008) (Released in GsTable.dll 8.4.0.10)
• The plastic modulus of channel sections is reported wrongly. This does not affect calculated results.
  [NCR 3277] (Fixed 15 December 2008) (Released in OaUtil.dll 40.0.0.10)
• The Create Mass from Loads tool crashes when there are elements referring to non-existent properties or gaps in the load case titles table.
  [NCR 3300] (Fixed 9 January 2009) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.0.0.10 and GSA.exe 8.4.0.10)
• Editing a user defined response spectrum in the wizard, with non-SI units, would result in the values being left in SI units rather than being changed to values in user units. This results in a change in the values when the wizard is exited.
  [NCR 3303] (Fixed 16 January 2009) (Released in OaBase.dll 40.0.0.10)
• Help buttons on dialogs sometimes give help on the current view instead.
  [NCR 3310] (Fixed 20 January 2009) (Released in OaUtil.dll 40.0.0.10)
• GSA displays a blank message box when an analysis case descriptions are input wrongly.
  [NCR 3342] (Fixed 29 January 2009) (Released in OaUtil.dll 40.0.0.10)
• The Iyz second moment of area is calculated with rounding errors for symmetrical perimeter and line segment sections.
  [NCR 3358] (Fixed 4 February 2009) (Released in OaUtil.dll 40.0.0.10)
• The 2D Edge Load wizard crashes when it is selected for a load that has been locked after a model has been analysed.
  [NCR 3378] (Fixed 10 February 2009) (Released in GsTable.dll 8.4.0.10)
• If there are gaps in the analysis stages, the analysis stage associated with a task may be corrupted when entering the analysis wizard.
  [NCR 3385] (Fixed 11 February 2009) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.4.0.10)
• GSA gets confused when entity numbers are repeated in lists.
  [NCR 3427] (Fixed 5 March 2009) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.0.0.10)
• GSA was incorrectly expanding grid load on two-way spanning triangular panels when the start node defining the panel was part-way along one of the edges. This does not affect one-way or multiway spanning.
  [NCR 3488] (Fixed 14 April 2009) (Released in OaUtil.dll 40.0.0.10)
• CSV files cannot be read back when there are names with commas in them.
  [NCR 3517] (Fixed 6 May 2009) (Released in GsFile.dll and OaUtil.dll 40.0.0.10)
• GSA does not warn when an invalid catalogue description is keyed into the sections table.
  [NCR 3525] (Fixed 10 May 2009) (Released in OaSect.dll 40.0.0.10)
• Doubleclicking on an undocked gateway fails to open tables and GSA sometimes crashes when switching between models.
  [NCR 3542] (Fixed 15 May 2009) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.4.0.10)
• Moments reported at nodes for elements with offsets were reported incorrectly. Moments reported on elements are correct.
  [NCR 3576] (Fixed 26 May 2009 (Released in GwDat.dll 40.0.0.10)
• The Down button at the bottom of the scrollbar is obscured on the Tables tab of the Gateway.
  [NCR 3622] (Fixed 4 June 2009 (Released in Gsa.exe 8.4.0.10)
• GSA crashes if dynamic response analysis is chosen in the tool to generate equivalent static loads and no suitable cases have been analysed.
  [NCR 3689] (Fixed 23 June 2009) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.4.0.10)
• Lists are corrupted when coincident nodes are collapsed.
  [NCR 3917] (Fixed 2 September 2009) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.0.0.10)

GSA 8.4 - Fixes — Analysis

• GSA occasionally crashes when the user stops analysis.
  [NCR 3001] (Fixed 6 August 2008) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.0.0.10)
• GSA can crash during the solution of large models when it fails to allocate enough memory.
  [NCR 3248] (Fixed 25 November 2008) (Released in Gss.dll 40.0.0.10)
• GSA slows down in the data checking stage when there are gaps between node numbers.
  [NCR 3258] (Fixed 28 November 2008) (Released in GsCheck.dll 40.0.0.10)
• When using grid loads which have been edited the solution would sometimes fail with an "unhandled exception in solver" when the model had incomplete panels. This problem has now been fixed.
  [NCR 3299] (Fixed 13 January 2009) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.0.0.10)
• If thermal and prestress loads are used in 2D element buckling analysis and the load factor for the thermal and prestress loads is not 1.0, the buckling analysis results are wrong.
  [NCR 3383] (Fixed 11 February 2009) (Released in Gss.dll 40.0.0.10)
• Modal buckling analysis cannot be done if static non-linear analysis case/results are used as p-delta case in the analysis.
  [NCR 3405] (Fixed 20 February 2009) (Released in GsRelax.dll 8.4.0.10)
• During a Ritz analysis the reported ratio of effective mass to unrestrained mass is incorrect. The reported values are with respect to total mass.
  [NCR 3411] (Fixed 26 February 2009) (Released in Gss.dll 40.0.0.10)
• GSA crashes starting nonlinear analysis when “Show progress in Graphic View” is selected.
  [NCR 3505] (Fixed 21 April 2009) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.4.0.10)
• The forces in custom link elements (and any associated reactions) are calculated incorrectly. The best option is to use joints instead of custom link elements.
  [NCR 3510] (Fixed 30 April 2009) (Released in Gss.dll 40.0.0.10)
• Second moments of area are not calculated correctly for taper sections.
  [NCR 3554] (Fixed 20 May 2009) (Released in OaUtil.dll 40.0.0.10)

GSA 8.4 - Fixes — Design

• Lambda values for steel member effective lengths are incorrect.
  [NCR 3403] (Fixed 20 February 2009) (Released in BS5950_1_2000.dll 8.4.0.10)
• The effective plastic modulus for semi-compact CHS is wrongly calculated in steel design for BS5950. The calculated value is lower than the correct value due to that factor 1.485 is missed out in the calculation (see section 3.5.6.4 of BS5950).
  [NCR 3492] (Fixed 15 April 2009) (Released in BS5950_1_2000.dll 8.4.0.10)
• Equivalent uniform moment factor m for flexural buckling design to BS5950 is wrong, the sign changes of the moments along the member have not been considered.
  [NCR 3507] (Fixed 29 April 2009) (Released in BS5950_1_2000.dll 8.4.0.10)
• RC member design fails when sections are defined as perimeters.
  [NCR 3800] (Fixed 24 July 2009) (Released in OaUtil.dll and AdSol.dll 40.0.0.10)

GSA 8.4 - Fixes — Output Views

• GSA crashes displaying element results for node-based analysis envelope cases.
  [NCR 3343] (Fixed 30 January 2009) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.0.0.10)
• GSA crashes when the user tries to undock the toolbar from output views.
  [NCR 3387] (Fixed 11 February 2009) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.4.0.10)

GSA 8.4 - Fixes — Graphic Views

• GSA uses excessive memory and sometimes crashes running out of memory when sculpting models containing combination cases.
  [NCR 3506] (Fixed 22 April 2009) (Released in GwDat.dll 40.0.0.10)

GSA 8.4 - Fixes — Interface with Third Party Software

• The ASAS file seems to rotate each member by 90 degrees when compared with the GSA file.
  [NCR 3413] (Fixed 27 February 2009) (Released in GsExport.dll 8.4.0.10)

GSA 8.3 - New Features

GSA 8.3 - New Features — General

• Custom links can now be specified in GSA. This adds the joint functionality to link elements by allowing particular degrees of freedom to be linked.
• Following a mesh generation, 2D element geometry checks are now carried out on the generated mesh. When the mesh generation is invoked from a Graphic View the option to select the problem elements is offered.
• The way in which section properties are handled has been revised in this version of GSA. This changes the way that non-symmetric sections are used.
  In previous versions of GSA modifiers applied only to the properties in the y and z axis directions of the sections. When a section was non-symmetric and the "Use Iyz" was selected the property modifiers were ignored. In most cases the shear area factors were set to zero resulting in simple beams.
  In the new implementation the user can select work in yz or uv (principal) axes. Any section modifiers apply to the values in the selected axis set.
• The shear area factors for angle and general I sections are now calculated.
• In the Manage Tasks dialog there is now an option to select that marked tasks be run on exit.
• Storey forces, displacements and drifts can now be displayed in chart form.
• The NODE record in GWA files has been extended to include restraint and support fields. The SPC and SUPPORT records are deprecated, though old files containing these can still be read.
• Tasks can now be referred to in case lists with the T prefix.
• Indexing of element/member relationships is now significantly faster.
• Response spectrum analysis in local axes now adopt the ± corresponding to the direction of the axis for displacement based results. So for a local axis rotated by 45° and a y direction excitation the x values will be -ve.

GSA 8.3 - New Features — Output Options

• The 'Steel Design Effective Lengths' option is now available in Output Views and on the Report tab of the Object Viewer. This includes effective lengths and slenderness for each buckling mode, and the constituent elements, per member.
• Beam element 'Axial Strain' output is now available.
• Contoured output under the new heading of 2D Element Geometry offers angle checks and warp checks.

GSA 8.3 - New Features — Graphic View — General

• Usually GSA renders the graphics image in a separate thread, providing smoother graphics transitions and the option to interrupt the rendering. The new 'View > Misc. View Options > New Graphic View (main thread)' option opens a Graphic View that renders the image in the main thread, which may occasionally by useful. (See '3D PDF Capture' below).
• Capture of the GSA Graphic View image to 3D PDF has been tested with Adobe Acrobat 3D version 8.1.2. Note the following:
  • The system version of OpenGL should be used.
    By default GSA uses the version of OpenGL that is installed with GSA. Renaming the version of opengl32.dll installed in the GSA program folder (typically C:\Program Files\Oasys\GSA 8.3) to, say, opengl32_.dll will cause the system version to be used.
  • The graphics should be rendered in the main thread.. (See 'New Graphic View (main thread)' above).
  • The GDI overlay (i.e. legend, axes triad, selection marks) will not be captured.
  • In Acrobat 3D, if '3D Capture Settings > General > Discard stray points and lines' is 'checked' then lines in the Graphic View (as opposed to filled areas) will not be captured, and if there are no filled areas then no capture will occur!
  • If Acrobat 3D crashes when converting the image then, in 'Acrobat 3D Conversion > General > Preview Image' try changing from 'Retrieve preview from default view' to 'Blank preview'. (Acrobat 3D v.8.1.2)
    (This may not have caused problems in earlier versions of Acrobat 3D.)
• Double-clicking on an entity in a Graphic View now opens the definition dialog for that entity. Double-clicking on the background of a Graphic View opens the Graphic Settings dialog for that view.
• The context menu displayed when right-clicking on an entity now offers the option to select that entity. The previous selection for that entity is replaced unless the 'append to selection ...' sculpting preference is set.
• The functionality of the 'Highlight Edges' option has been improved to cater for situations where more than two 2D elements meet along an edge. The option now operates as follows:
  • Bad connectivity: Brown lines are drawn along each edge of 2D elements that:
    • is not connected to any other 2D element, or
    • is badly connected to any other 2D element (i.e. linear v. parabolic or different mid-side nodes), or
    • is upside-down with respect to other attached 2D elements in the same plane, or
    • is attached to only one other element and is upside-down with respect to that.
  • Mesh discontinuity: Yellow lines are drawn along the edge of a 2D element where no other 2D element attached to that edge:
    • has the same property reference, or
    • lies in the same plane.
• Rigid constraint labelling now displays a bold square symbol at nodes included in rigid constraints, in addition to the arms radiating from the master.
  (Released in GsGraph.dll 8.3.1.18)
• In the grid loading diagrams, when the current grid is set to a user defined grid plane, a diagram is now displayed only for loads applied to the current grid. When the current grid references a standard grid plane, such as the global grid, this check is not carried out.
  (Released in GsGraph.dll 8.3.1.18)
• The discrete blob method of contouring element user module data can now be applied to 2D elements.
  (Released in GsGraph.dll 8.3.1.21, Gsa.exe 8.3.1.21)

GSA 8.3 - New Features — Graphic View — Sculpt

• In operations that split 2D elements the loads on these elements are now mapped on to the new elements so that the load distribution remains unchanges. This applied to:
  • Face loads
  • Edge loads
  • Thermal loadsIn-plane loads are always applied in local axis directions so a consistent axis set should be used when in-plane loads are to be included.
• Areas and regions may now be copied and moved.
• In the 'Connect lines' and 'Split lines' sculpt commands, the option is now given to replace old line references with new. So, for example, the integrity of an area is maintained when a referenced line is split.
  (Released in Gsa.exe 8.3.1.17, GsPrivate.dll 8.3.1.17, GwDat.dll 30.38.1.17)
• If, in the Drag Nodes Sculpt Tool, the drag is on to another existing node then the operation now takes into account the existing node, depending on the current 'drag on node' setting:
  • Drag on node - Collapse — the dragged node is deleted and references to the dragged node are replaced with references to the target node. So, for example, an element attached to the dragged node will end up being attached to the target node.
  • Drag on node - Joint — the dragged node is moved to the same position as the target node and a joint is created to connect the dragged and target nodes. The target node is made the master of the joint and the default linkage is applied.
  • Drag on node - Co-locate — the dragged node is moved to the same position as the target node.
  • Drag on node - Ignore — the target node is ignored.(Released in Gsa.exe 8.3.1.17)
• The sculpt 'Copy' and 'Move' commands now apply the specified transformation to element and member offsets.
  (Released in Gsa.exe 8.3.1.17)

GSA 8.3 - New Features — Interface with Third Party Software

• Export of data in ASAS format is now available.
  The following data are handled:

  • geometry
  • properties
  • node loads

• The CAD import 'shift origin' option is now available. When selected, the nodal coordinates are transformed to the specified origin, and a grid plane is set up at the CAD origin. (The CAD origin grid plane enables positions to be displayed in CAD coordinates.)
  During the import, when the CAD model origin is considered to be remote, a suitable local origin is suggested.

• New features in the Revit Structure link (GsRevit) are as follows:

  • GsRevit now works with Revit Structure 2009.
    Support for RS2008 remains available.
  • 'Update From Oasys GSA' can now import new members, section properties, grid planes and grid lines created in GSA.
  • Export of curved members from Revit to GSA is now supported. However, changes made to these members in GSA will not be updated back into Revit.
  • 'Update From Oasys GSA' compares coordinates using a user specified tolerance.
  • GSA models imported into Revit using 'Import From GSA' can be further coordinated with GSA models using the 'Update From GSA' functionality.

• Results from a GSA analysis can be output to an LS-DYNA plot file for display and post-processing in D3PLOT. This inludes:

  • Nodal displacements (as displaced shapes)
  • Beam forces and moments1
  • Shell stresses and force resultants

  D3PLOT can display beam element equivalent shapes but this data is not available from the plot file and has to be loaded from a ztf file. These can be created indirectly by exporting a keyword file from GSA (not using seismic beams or section shapes) and using PRIMER to create the ztf file.
  1Correct interpretation and display of these results requires D3PLOT 9.3. Until 9.3 is released an output preference allows for 9.2 compatible files to be written. These may give the wrong orientation of beam elements and some of the force and moment terms will be interpreted as stresses.

GSA 8.3 - New Features — Analysis

• The P-δ analysis options in GSS now allow an analysis case to be selected to provide the P-δ effects.
• Footfall analysis according to SCI P354 - "Design of Floors for Vibration: A New Approach".
• Dynamic response analysis of structures subjected to generic periodic load excitations.
• Linear time history analysis of structures subjected to time dependent loads or ground acceleration.
• Pre-analysis 2D element geometry check failures may now be treated as 'severe warnings' instead of 'errors'. The option to treat these failures as severe warnings (i.e. non-fatal) should be used with caution. This is one of the advanced options accessible from the last page of the wizard.
• The new 'pre-load' option allows an element pre-load to be defined for GSS analyses. The specified pre-stress load is used to define initial pre-load forces in elements, which are used to modify the element stiffness by including the P-δ of the pre-stress. This is one of the advanced options accessible from the last page of the wizard.
• The results to be stored post-analysis can be selected when specifying an analysis task. This allows results of little interest to be excluded. This is one of the advanced options accessible from the last page of the wizard.
• The Russian spectrum, SP 31-114-2004, has been included for response spectrum calculations.
• After non-linear analysis, the elements that have been yielded will be saved as an element list in the list table in general data.
• In buckling and P-delta analyses the user can disable some of the terms in the geometric stiffness.
• When a single mode is used in the response calculation no combination of modal responses is required. The response is therefore just the scaled mode shape - retaining the sign of the original mode.
  (Released in GdSpec.dll 8.3.1.24)

GSA 8.3 - New Features — Design

• RC slab design can now be carried out to ACI 318-05 (and ACI 318M-05) and ACI 318-08.

GSA 8.3 - Fixes

GSA 8.3 - Fixes — General

• The RC Member design properties are corrupted after saving and reopening a file.
  [NCR 2429] (Fixed 23 January 2008) (Released in OaUtil.dll 30.38.1.11)
• GSA fails to evaluate zero permutations in enveloped output, so a permutation description of "0A1" would have no impact on the overall evaluation of an envelope.
  For example: an envelope described as "(0 or 1)A1" should yield permutations "0A1" and "1A1" but, as the first permutation is ignored, both the max and min values reported for the envelope are the "1A1" values. Specifying the envelope as "(0.000001 or 1)A1" works around the problem.
  [NCR 2682] (Fixed 21 April 2008) (Released in GwDat.dll 30.38.1.11)
• Models with gaps in the analysis stages table are corrupted when they are saved.
  [NCR 2707] (Fixed 30 April 2008) (Released in GsFile.dll 30.38.1.11)
• Cut section forces for 2D elements were calculated incorrectly in some cases due to incorrect axis transformations.
  [NCR 2761] (Fixed 22 May 2008) (Released in GSA.exe 30.38.1.11)
• Cut section forces for 1D elements were calculated with the wrong sign when the cut was below the origin of the cutting axis set.
  [NCR 2762] (Fixed 22 May 2008) (Released in GSA.exe 30.38.1.11)
• When materials or fabric materials are set in a model imported for Revit or Sids are set for them, they may be replaced by those for other materials and GSA may crash.
  [NCR 2796] (Fixed 10 June 2008) (Released in GwDat.dll 30.38.1.11)
• 'Generate User Modules' does not work for Element Direction Cosines and other output that is not per node on the element. Also, output that is not per case, such as Element Direction Cosines, outputs per case specified.
  [NCR 2803] (Fixed 11 June 2008) (Released in GsPrivate.dll 8.3.1.11 and Gsa.exe 8.3.1.11)
• When using stage properties, the impact of modifying an element property reference is not recognised in the stage properties until the model is saved and reopened.
  [NCR 2807] (Fixed 12 June 2008) (Released in GwDat.dll 30.38.1.11)
• Section modifiers were lost on saving and reopening a file.
  [NCR 2864] (Fixed 3 July 2008) (Released in GsFile 30.38.1.13)
• Input data from files with corrupted results is sometimes unreadable.
  [NCR 2878] (Fixed 3 July 2008) (Released in GsFile.dll 30.38.1.13)
• Storey forces and displacements were not calculated correctly for combination cases.
  [NCR 2880] ( Fixed 4 July 2008) (Released in GSA 8.3.1.13)
• GSA crashes trying to read files from 8.2 or earlier when there are modified sections using principal axes, gaps in the section table and results.
  [NCR 2882] ( Fixed 7 July 2008) (Released in GsFile.dll 30.38.1.13)
• Wave loads generated are wrong if the diameter of the circular element section is not unit or the phase angle of the wave loads is greater than 330 degrees.
  [NCR 2889] ( Fixed 7 July 2008) (Released in GSA 8.3.1.13)
• If there are gaps in Link Property Table, the text formatted data file (GWA & CSV) of GSA cannot be opened.
  [NCR 2899] (Fixed 14 July 2008) (Released in GsFile 30.38.1.14)
• "Copy all" from the gateway crashes GSA when there are gaps in the Analysis tasks Table.
  [NCR 2902] (Fixed 16 July 2008) (Released in GSA.exe 8.3.1.14)
• GSA occasionally crashes when windows are moved around.
  [NCR 2939] (Fixed 21 July 2008) (Released in GSA.exe 8.3.1.14)
• When reading section modifiers (keyword: SEC_MOD) from GWA files or via COM, the modify 'Izz/Ivv value' 'to' field is read as the 'Iyy/Iuu value' 'to' value and the 'Izz/Ivv value' 'to' value is set as zero.
  [NCR 2946] ( Fixed 22 July 2008) (Released in GsFile 30.38.1.14)
• Pre-mesh generation checks sometimes identify adjacent areas as being overlapping.
  [NCR 3021] (Fixed 19 August 2008) (Released in GwDat 30.38.1.16 and OaUtil 30.38.1.16)
• When a task is defined as P-delta with the P-delta effects specified by an analysis case, copy/paste does not create a full copy of the task. The retults is that the P-delta analysis case gets lost.
  [NCR 2966] (Fixed 29 July 2008) (Released in GsFile 30.38.1.16)
• The Seismic "Equivalent Static Load" dialog allows new spectra to be defined but these spectra are then lost. The workaround is to define the spectra before opening the tool.
  [NCR 2988] (Fixed 4 Aug 2008) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.3.1.16)
• The tool to create rigid diaphragms from storeys would in some cases fail to find all the nodes that constitute the storey.
  [NCR 2993] (Fixed 5 August 2008) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.3.1.16)
• GSA occasionally crashes at the end of the new model wizard.
  [NCR 3000] (Fixed 6 August 2008) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.3.1.16)
• The frequency of the dynamic load factors and the time of load curves have been wrongly rounded to integer when saving as GWA file.
  [NCR 2964] (Fixed 28 July 2008) (Released in GsFile.dll 30.38.1.16)
• When opening a GWA file that has harmonic analysis task, re-analysing the harmonic analysis task will not generate any harmonic analysis results.
  [NCR 2978] (Fixed 30 July 2008) (Released in GdSpec.dll 8.3.1.16)
• Element lists specified with geometry syntax such as XY30 are wrongly considered to contain all elements.
  [NCR 3067] (Fixed 9 September 2008) (Released in GwDat.dll 30.38.1.17)
• Accidental torsion tool gives non-numeric values when mass and inertia are concentrated at a single point on each storey.
  [NCR 3092] (Fixed 18 September 2008) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.3.1.19)
• Stage property changes or element property changes that result in an element property no longer being modified for a stage, sometimes do not register in the model. The analysis will use the currently registered (potentially incorrect) property for the stage; the property labels, as displayed per stage, show the registered property. Closing and re-opening the model forces the stage property registration.
  [NCR 3187] (Fixed 23 October 2008) (Released in GwDat.dll 30.38.1.19)
• Locale is ignored when reading/writing text files.
  [NCR 3188] (Fixed 23 October 2008) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.3.1.19)
• When writing or reading GWA files containing lists of geometric entity type (i.e. LINE, AREA or REGION), the type is either omitted (when writing) or unrecognised (when reading).
  [NCR 3207] (Fixed 5 November 2008) (Released in GsFile.dll 30.38.1.20)
• Copying GWA data that contains continuation lines from the Gateway produces only the last continuation line on the clipboard.
  [NCR 3210] (Fixed 7 November 2008) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.3.1.20)
• Average strain energy densities for beam elements were calculated from the values at end-points only. This can result in an over-estimate of the values where the value at the middle is less than the end values.
  [NCR 3242] (Fixed 10 October 2008) (Released in GwDat.dll 30.38.1.22)
• Panel loads are not correctly applied to some panels where the corners are small acute angles.
  [NCR 3243] (Fixed 13 November 2008) (Released in GwDat.dll 30.38.1.22)
• When labels contain spaces and these are copied to Excel, the quotes around the text are removed. This causes problems when copying from Excel and pasting into GSA.
  [NCR 3244] (Fixed 30 October 2008 ) (Released in GsFile.dll 30.38.1.22)
  Fix causes other problems in GSA COM, so fix withdrawn.
  [NCR 3244] (Unfixed 27 November 2008 ) (Released in GsFile.dll 30.38.1.23)
• GSA writes garbage records to GWA files after a model with grounded springs in it has been analysed.
  [NCR 3409] (Fixed 24 February 2009) (Released in GsFile.dll 30.38.1.24)

GSA 8.3 - Fixes — Analysis

• Vehicle exclusion length for path loading UIC71-RU is wrongly measured from the end of the vehicle while it should be measured from the centre of the vehicle. The user defined vehicle exclusion length is also wrongly measured from the end of the vehicle while it should also be measured from the centre of the vehicle.
  [NCR 1306] (Fixed 17 May 2007) (Released in GsBridge.dll 8.3.1.11)
• C1, C2 and Von Mises stresses are not available with analysis envelopes.
  [NCR 2693] (Fixed 25 April 2008) Released in GSA.exe, GsPrivate.dll and GsEnvelope.dll 8.3.1.11)
• When the ignore Iyz option was selected for a section property the shear area factors would be set to zero for non-symmetric sections.
  [NCR 2708] (Fixed 2 May 2008) (Released in several components of GSA 8.3.1.11)
• GSA stops analysing when there are saved case lists with "not" syntax.
  [NCR 2743] (Fixed 14 May 2008) (Released in GwDat.dll 30.38.1.11)
• General face temperature loading on 2D parabolic elements were not applied correctly. Temperatures were set incorrectly at mid-side nodes leading to incorrect results.
  [NCR 2763] (Fixed 22 May 2008) (Released in GwDat.dll 30.38.1.11)
• GSA gives spurious warnings when gravity loads are used with stage properties.
  [NCR 2845] (Fixed 26 June 2008) (Released in GsCheck.dll 8.3.1.13)
• GSA crashes when the user tries to use the ‘Analysis > Check Data’ command.
  [NCR 2846] (Fixed 26 June 2008) (Released in GsCheck.dll 8.3.1.13)
• Case descriptions with enveloping operators don’t work in analysis envelopes.
  [NCR 2877] (Fixed 4 July 2008) (Released in GsEnvelope.dll 8.3.1.13 and GsPrivate 8.3.1.13)
• In a Gss analysis with 2D elements in which the 2D elements are close to a global plane the automatic constraints are not set up correctly. This problem can be avoided by using the artificial zz stiffness option.
  [NCR 2883] (Fixed 8 July 2008) (Released in Gss.dll 30.38.1.13)
• When restraints are applied at nodes which are in a user defined constraint axes. The model ends up over-restrained. An error in the degree of freedom suppression resulted in two degrees of freedom being suppressed instead on one.
  [NCR 2900] (Fixed 15 July 2008) (Released in Gss.dll 30.38.1.16)
• The reported total mass from a mass analysis with 2D elements is incorrect. The masses of individual nodes are correct.
  [NCR 2901] (Fixed 15 July 2008) (Released in Gss.dll 30.38.1.16)
• When a P-delta analysis references a non-linear static analysis case for the P-delta effects, the non-linear elements may be considered inactive when they should be included in the analysis.
  [NCR2967] (Fixed 29 July 2008) (Released in GwDat.dll 30.38.1.16)
• The joint forces from non-linear static analysis are wrongly doubled and are incorrect.
  [NCR 2928] (Fixed 17 July 2008) (Released in GsRelax.dll 8.3.1.16)
• Grid loads are wrongly ignored in time history analysis, harmonic analysis and periodic load analysis.
  [NCR 2944] (Fixed 21 July 2008) (Released in GsCheck.dll 8.3.1.16)
• Strain energy in elements is calculated incorrectly in some cases.
  [NCR 3091] (Fixed 18 September 2008) (Released in Gss.dll 30.38.1.18)
• Edge loads applied to 2D elements in user defined axes were not handled correctly. There is a warning in the checking, but the analysis is not prevented.
  [NCR 3138] (Fixed 3 October 2008) (Released in GwDat.dll 30.38.1.22)

GSA 8.3 - Fixes — Design

• BS 5950:2000 Code checker: Torsional capacity calculations for I Sections are incorrect.
  [NCR 2747] (Fixed 22 May 2008) (Released in GSA_DES_BS5950_1_2000.dll 8.3.0.1)
• GSA occasionally crashes reporting steel utilisation.
  [NCR 2764] (Fixed 21 May 2008) (Released in GsPrivate.dll 8.3.1.11)

GSA 8.3 - Fixes — Graphic Views

• Diagrams in Graphic views do not always reflect changes to design properties.
  [NCR 2706] (Fixed 29 April 2008) (Released in GSA.exe 8.3.1.11)
• Annotated diagrams of 2D element result envelopes where annotate 'minimum only' or 'maximum only' is specified sometimes produces annotation for the incorrect vector, (e.g. for the less negative minimum principle 2D element stress).
  [NCR 2719] (Fixed 12 May 2008) (Released in GsPrivate.dll 8.3.1.11)
• When displaying beam load diagrams in user axis directions the load value is not transformed into the requested directions, though it is displayed in the requested directions. This only affects user axis output directions; not global and local.
  [NCR 2806] (Fixed 12 June 2008) (Released in GwDat.dll 30.38.1.11)
• The 'collapse coincident node' command applies the restraint condition of the lower numbered node instead of the combined restraint of the two nodes. Also, the command didn't combine the support stiffnesses and mesh generation attributes of the two nodes.
  [NCR 2817] (Fixed 16 June 2008) (Released in GwDat.dll 30.38.1.11)
• US catalogue T and double angle sections are drawn displaced.
  [NCR 2879] (Fixed 4 July 2008) (Released in GSA build 8.3.1.13)
• GSA can crash when the user types an expression it does not understand in the Transform Geometry or Map Loads dialogs.
  [NCR 3003] (Fixed 19 August 2008) (Released in OaUtil.dll 30.38.1.16)
• When adding lines to form an area adjacent to an existing area, on closing the loop of lines sometimes two loops are identified: the adjacent area and the area formed by the outer boundary of the two areas, depending on the direction in which the lines were added.
  [NCR 3042] (Fixed 28 August 2008) (Released in GsPrivate.dll 8.3.1.17)
• 'Highlight coincident elements' highlights only if the elements are coincident taking into account both topology and offsets, whereas 'Select highest coincindent' ignores offsets. Both now take into account offsets.
  [NCR 3060] (Fixed 5 September 2008) (Released in GwDat.dll 30.38.1.17)

GSA 8.3 - Fixes — COM Interface

• Command File Commands: Analyse() doesn't analyse. The Analyse() command from command file interface doesn't run successfully and seems to expect a task number.
  [NCR 3019] (Fixed 19 Aug 2008) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.3.1.16)
• COM Interface Analyse function causes VBA to throw an error message when invoked.
  [NCR 3064] (Fixed 5 September 2008) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.3.1.17)

GSA 8.3 - Fixes — Interface with Third Party Software

• CAD Import: The 'Remote origin' option creates a new origin even if the option is checked off.
  [NCR 2999] (Fixed 07 Aug 2008) (Released in Gsa_Import_Cad.dll 8.3.1.16)
• GsRevit: Section <=> Family translation fails for non-English versions of Revit.
  [NCR 3012] (Fixed 12 Aug 2008) (Released in GsRevit_RS2008.dll 8.3.1.16)
• GsRevit: Import From GSA: Some sections show up as 'Not Used' in the section mapping dialog during multiple synchronizations.
  [NCR 3013] (Fixed 12 Aug 2008) (Released in GsRevit_RS2008.dll 8.3.1.16)
• In ASAS export, conversion of User Axes results in output that extends beyond column 80, which causes problems with ASAS.
  [NCR 2952] (Fixed 25 July 2008) (Released in GsExport.dll 8.3.1.16)
• CAD Export: Section dimensions are not scaled according to export units of the CAD model. CAD Export does not scale section dimensions to the same units as the export units. As a result section units are always in SI, resulting in wrongly scaled models.
  [NCR 3202] (Fixed 31 October 2008) (Released in Gsa_Export_Cad.dll 8.3.1.22)
• CAD Export: Column orientations are not exported correctly.
  [NCR 2998] (Fixed 19 Nov 2008) (Released in Gsa_Export_Cad.dll 8.3.1.22)

GSA 8.2 Patches - New Features

GSA 8.2 Patches - New Features — General

• GsRevit: Export to GSA - Member types are now exported from Revit to GSA.
  Export to GSA now specifies the member type (Steel Beam > Steel Column > Concrete Beam > Concrete Column) while exporting a model to GSA, thus facilitating their usage by GSA design modules.
  (Released in GsRevit_RS2008.dll 8.2.3.5)
• GsRevit: Import from GSA - Vertical members can now be imported as framing types.
  It is now possible to import vertical GSA members as framing type members. This can be useful while importing trusses.
  (Released in GsRevit_RS2008.dll 8.2.3.5)

GSA 8.2 Patches - New Features — Graphic View — General

• When the display list is a node list then only those nodes included in the node list have labels, diagrams and contours drawn. (Labels, diagrams and contours are not drawn on nodes if they are only included in the display because they are at the 'other end' of elements that are attached to included nodes.)
  (Released in Gsa.exe 8.2.3.10)
• The Cut Section Forces tool ('Graphics > Cut Section Forces') now operates on a case list, allowing cut section forces to be calculated for several cases in one operation.
  (Released in Gsa.exe 8.2.3.10)
• The size of the contour legend is now factored with the text size.
  (Released in GsGraph.dll 8.2.3.11)

GSA 8.2 Patches - New Features — Graphic View — Sculpt

• The 'Connect 1D Elements' sculpt command now connects 1D elements to 2D elements by splitting the 1D elements at every aligned 2D element node.
  (Released in GsPrivate.dll 8.2.3.11)

GSA 8.2 Patches - New Features — GsSpec Solver

• Response spectrum analysis now includes constraint (joint & rigid constraint) forces and moments.
  (Released in GdSpec.dll 8.2.3.11)

GSA 8.2 Patches - New Features — Raft Analysis

• GSA now imports and exports Vdisp data in Vdisp 18.2 file format.
  (Released in OaRaft.dll 30.32.0.14, GsFile.dll 30.32.0.14, GsRaft.dll 8.2.3.14, and other dependent DLLs of the same generation)

GSA 8.2 Patches - Fixes

GSA 8.2 Patches - Fixes — General

• Perimeter sections with voids give "void perimeter is outside of the outline perimeter" message on validation of the perimeter in the section wizard.
  [NCR 1791] (Fixed 27 July 2007) (Released in OaSect.dll 30.32.0.2)
• If there are analysis stages and grid loads in a model and the elements with distributed grid loads are not included in the current analysis stage, the warning messages for this problem are given as if it is "Face temperature " load problem even though the model has no face temperature loads.
  [NCR 1826] (Fixed 23 July 2007) (Released in GsCheck.dll 8.2.3.2)
• Vertical elements when exported to CAD files appear to have a different orientation in AutoCAD.
  [NCR 1831] (Fixed 7 Aug 2007) (Released in Gsa_Export_Cad 8.2.3.3)
• When reading 2D element stresses, the top and middle layer stresses are wrong reset to the corresponding bottom layer stresses.
  [NCR 1836] (Fixed 9 Aug 2007) (Released in GsFile.dll 8.2.3.2)
• When a gwa file with a modal dynamic analysis task is read the additional mass flag is not set, resulting in additional mass being ignored in a subsequent analysis.
  [NCR 1944] (Fixed 4 September 2007) (Released in GsFile.dll 8.2.3.5)
• The management of expanded grid loading sometimes results in beam loading being stored for elements that no longer exist, causing GSA to crash.
  [NCR 1962] (Fixed 10 September 2007) (Released in GwDat.dll 30.32.0.5)
• Boolean functions in the COM interface throw an exception when invoked by early binding clients.
  [NCR 1963] (Fixed 10 September 2007) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.2.3.5)
• The Analyse function in the COM interface throws an exception when called with a non-existant analysis task.
  [NCR 2083] (Fixed 4 Oct 2007) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.2.3.8)
• CAD Export: Some elements (typically those aligned along X axis) appear to be rotated by 90 degrees about their axis in the CAD file. This resulted as a consequence of a bug fix to the export (ref. NCR 1831).
  [NCR 2072] (Fixed 3 October 2007) (Released in Gsa_Export_Cad.dll 8.2.3.6)
• GSA crashes starting up if the registry is corrupted.
  [NCR 2190] (Fixed 25 October 2007) (Released in GsPrivate.dll 8.2.3.9)
• In staged analysis GSA fails to report results for combination cases that reference different stages for elements that reference different properties in the different stages even when the properties referenced are identical except for the material that they reference.
  [NCR 2232] (Fixed 9 November 2007) (Released in GwDat.dll 30.32.0.10)
• GSA crashes during region mesh generation when attempting to report errors in regions that are identified at the pre-generation phase, as opposed to the region checking phase.
  [NCR 2233] (Fixed 9 November 2007) (Released in GwDat.dll 30.32.0.10)
• Region mesh generation gets confused when bounding areas are higher numbered than internal areas.
  [NCR 2234] (Fixed 9 November 2007) (Released in GwDat.dll 30.32.0.10)
• The warning message for "Principal axes do not coincide with y and z axes" is wrongly given, i.e. the message is given the wrong way around.
  [NCR 2231] (Fixed 9 November 2007) (Released in OaSect.dll 30.32.0.10)
• A race condition that could crash GSA has been fixed in the undo and redo commands.
  [NCR 2189] (Fixed 27 September 2007) (Released in GsTable.dll 8.2.3.10)
• Undo doesn't work and selecting OK after preview in sculpt repeats the action when grid panels are being drawn in graphic views.
  [NCR 2235] (Fixed 9 November 2007) (Released in GwDat.dll 30.32.0.10)
• GSA crashes on startup when the “Do not keep history of recently opened documents” group policy is set.
  [NCR 2261] (Fixed 20 November 2007) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.2.3.10)
• 'Copy All' on the Gateway right-click menu excludes nodes and elements from the data that is copied to the clipboard.
  [NCR 2301] (Fixed 4 December 2007) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.2.3.10)
• Lists referred to in grid planes are not locked.
  [NCR 2348] (Fixed 14 December 2007) (Released in GwDat.dll 30.32.0.11)
• GsRevit: 'Update from GSA' creates incorrect scaling factors for some elements.
  [NCR 2352] (Released in GsRevit_RS2008.dll 8.2.3.10)
• Import GWA in 'append' mode fails when saved views are present in the GWA file.
  [NCR 2388] (Fixed 4 January 2008) (Released in GsFile.dll 30.32.0.11)
• Beam combined stresses are calculated wrongly when the enveloping operators abs and signabs are present.
  [NCR 2406] (Fixed 11 January 2008) (Released in GsPrivate.dll 8.2.3.11)
• GSA crashes when creating a new 2D element grid model if “Include spacers for form-finding” is ticked but the “Internal…” and “Edge…” buttons have not been clicked.
  [NCR 2256] (Fixed 11 February 2008) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.2.3.12)
• GSA fails to read the whole file if a combination case is so complicated it runs out of memory.
  [NCR 2468] (Fixed 1 February 2008) (Released in GsFile.dll 30.32.0.12)
• GSA crashes trying to analyse models with recursive grid planes.
  [NCR 2476] (Fixed 5 February 2008) (Released in GwDat.dll 30.32.0.12)
• GSA crashes on startup if the Internet Explorer cache folder is unset in the registry.
  [NCR 2422] (Fixed 22 January 2008) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.2.3.12)
• When creating members from elements using the "break at columns" option the resulting members do not in fact break at the columns.
  [NCR 2430] Fixed 23 January 2008) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.2.3.12)
• Spurious warnings if a list excludes a property and there is no element with the same number.
  [NCR 2469] (Fixed 1 February 2008) (Released in GsCheck.dll 8.2.3.12)
• CAD Export: Element orientations may not export correctly when an orientation node is used.
  [NCR 2580] (Fixed 11 March 2008) (Released in Gsa_Export_Cad.dll 8.2.3.12)
• Lists defined using the geometry option (e.g. XY51) are not always interpreted correctly due to an overstrict check on the coordinates.
  [NCR 2644] (Fixed 4 April 2008) (Released in GwDat.dll 30.32.0.14)
• GSA crashes entering the Grid Node Definition dialog when there are results in the model.
  [NCR 2659] (Fixed 31 March 2008) (Released in GsTable.dll 8.2.3.14)

GSA 8.2 Patches - Fixes — Gss Solver

• 2D element buckling analysis results are wrong if the 2D element model has prestress loads, initial strain loads or thermal loads on any of the 2D elements in the model.
  [NCR 1848] (Fixed 13 August 2007) (Released in GSS.dll 8.2.3.3)
• The normalization of results is incorrect when the modal mass option is used. Using the displacement option does not result in any problems.
  [NCR 1925] (Fixed 24 August 2007) (Released in GSS.dll 8.2.3.5)
• GSA sometimes crashes when stopping analysis or running out of memory during analysis.
  [NCR 2287] (Fixed 28 November 2007) (Released in GSS.dll 30.32.0.9)
• Modal damping values were calculated incorrectly.
  [NCR 2611] (Fixed 19 March 2008) (Released in GSS.dll 30.32.0.12)
• Mass calculation would terminate with an error when constraints (joints, rigid constraints, ... ) were present in the model.
  [NCR 2612] (Fixed 19 March 2008) (Released in GSS.dll 30.32.0.12)

GSA 8.2 Patches - Fixes — GsRelax Solver

• When doing member buckling analysis, if a chain of elements are selected, the analysis may fail due to the use of over-estimated starting axial force for those elements.
  [NCR 2614] (Fixed 20 March 2008) (Released in GsRelax.dll 8.2.3.12)

GSA 8.2 Patches - Fixes — GsSpec Solver

• If the dominant frequencies for transient responses of footfall analysis are below 8 Hz, GSA footfall analysis gives over conservative transient response factors, i.e. larger than real transient response factors are given by GSA footfall analysis.
  [NCR 1904] (Fixed 16 August 2007) (Released in GdSpec.dll 8.2.3.4)
• No forces and moments reported for ground springs in a response spectrum analysis.
  [NCR 2020] (Fixed 19 September 2007) (Released in GdSpec.dll 8.2.3.11)

GSA 8.2 Patches - Fixes — Steel Design

• According to Clause 4.8.3.3.4 of BS5950, the equivalent uniform moment factor (EUMF) should not be less than 0.85 if the member is a cantilever or in a sway-sensitive frame, this has not been considered by the steel checker, therefore, if the calculated EUMF is smaller than 0.85, the designed member may be unsafe.
  [NCR 2001] (Fixed 17 September 2007) (Released in GSA_DES_BS5950_1_2000.dll 8.2.3.9)
• Contouring of steel utilizations aborts when materials referenced by steel members have zero yield stress or ultimate stress defined for the material, even though these values are not used by the steel member checker.
  [NCR 2613] (Fixed 20 March 2008) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.2.3.12)

GSA 8.2 Patches - Fixes — Table Views

• Non-linear spring curves are not set up correctly in the Spring Properties table, so analysis with non-linear spring elements cannot be carried out.
  Spring properties displaying this problem must be corrected in the fixed version of the Spring Properties table or in the Spring Properties Definition dialog.
  [NCR 1825] (Fixed 6 August 2007) (Released in GsTable.dll 8.2.3.2)
• GSA crashes when deleting elements in tables if a Graphic View is open.
  [NCR 2543] (Fixed 21 January 2008) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.2.3.12)
• GSA crashes opening Path Loading table if there are gaps in the analysis tasks table.
  [NCR 2635 and NCR 2660] (Fixed 1 April 2008) (Released in GsTable.dll 8.2.3.14)

GSA 8.2 Patches - Fixes — Graphic Views

• Property tips cause GSA to crash in certain environments, even when switched off in 'Tools > Preferences > Graphics > Property tips'.
  The fix provided in Gsa.exe 8.2.3.2 overcomes the problem, but requires the property tips to be switched off.
  [NCR 1810] (Fixed 31 July 2007) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.2.3.2)
  Graphic View property tips are now set to 'off' in the default preferences, so as to minimise the occurance of this issue.
  (Fixed 13 August 2007) (Released in GsPrivate.dll 8.2.3.3)
• Load diagrams for grid loading applied to a plane are not displayed pre-analysis.
  [NCR 1955] (Fixed 7 September 2007) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.2.3.5)
• Specifying 'data extents' for 'All Loading' diagrams causes GSA to crash. (The problem does not occur when extents are specified for diagrams of specific load types.)
  [NCR 2130] (Fixed 15 October 2007) (Released in GsPrivate.dll 8.2.3.9)
• Grid Line Load diagrams sometimes omit some part of the diagram where the value at a line segment end is exactly zero.
  [NCR 2265] (Fixed 22 November 2007) (Released in GsGraph.dll 8.2.3.11)
• GSA crashes when undoing or previewing sculpting repeatedly.
  [NCR 2458] (Fixed 30 January 2008) (Released in GwDat.dll 30.32.0.12)
  (Fixed 9 April 2008) (Released in GwDat.dll 30.32.0.14)
• The calc. sheet border and title block are omitted from all but the first page of multi-page printed output.
  [NCR 2573] (Fixed 10 March 2008) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.2.3.12)

GSA 8.2.3 New Features

GSA 8.2.3 New Features — General

• The region grid plane can now be specified as 'auto' (and the standard grid plane options, 'global grid' etc., may no longer be specified).
  When the region grid plane is set as 'auto' the plane of the region is based on the plane of the largest area in the region.
  (Released in GwDat.dll 30.15.0.2)
• Arcs and circles in CAD drawings can now be imported as GSA Lines of the type 'arcs'.
  In addition to being able to import CAD entities as GSA 'Lines', one can also import CAD arcs and circles as Lines, to ease the meshing process.
  (Released in Gsa_Import_Cad.dll 8.2.2.2)
• GsRevit now works with Revit Structure 2008.
  Support for RS3 and RS4 remains available.
  (Released in GsRevit_RS2008.dll 8.2.2.2)
• Data references may now be specified in tables and dialogs 'by number only' or 'by name only' or 'by number and name' (default: 'by name and number only'). This affects references to axes, properties, cases and stages. The data references input method is set on the Input page of the Preferences dialog.
• The new 'Tools > Manipulate Model > Split Warped 2D Elements' command splits non-planar Quad elements into two Tri elements.
• The new 'Tools > Manipulate Model > Rationalize Lines' command splits overlapping co-linear lines into a string of lines.
• Element offsets are now exported to CAD files.
• It is now possible to specify the stiffness of a grounded spring by an explicitly defined spring matrix.
  This feature is currently only available for analysis by the GSS solver.
• When importing from a Polygon Mesh or 3D Face / Poly Face Mesh and 'Quad4' is selected: where two of the four vertices are coincident, a Tri3 element is created; where more than two vertices are coincident an error is reported.
• The option to offset new 2D elements downward by half the element thickness during region mesh generation is introduced. The option is set in the region mesh generation attributes.
• The option to generate beam elements along aligned members during region mesh generation is introduced. The option is set in the region mesh generation attributes. An 'aligned member' is one that spans along a string of lines included in the region.
• The new 'Create Regions per Grid Plane' command identifies panels on each specified grid plane from closed loops of lines, members or elements, then creates areas from the panels, and then creates regions from the areas per grid plane. Loose lines and nodes within each region are included in the region.

GSA 8.2.3 New Features — Output View

• 'Enter' and 'Esc' may be used to terminate the editing of controls on the Lists toolbar. 'Enter' accepts the entry; 'Esc' cancels the edit and reverts to the previous setting.
• Data references may now be set to 'by number only' or 'by name only' or 'by number and name' (default: 'by name only'). This affects references to axes, properties, cases and stages. The data references output method is set on the Output Wizard : Further Options dialog.

GSA 8.2.3 New Features — Graphic View — General

• 'Enter' and 'Esc' may be used to terminate the editing of controls on the Lists toolbar. 'Enter' accepts the entry; 'Esc' cancels the edit and reverts to the previous setting.
• When the new 'Sculpting > Append to selection when click is unmodified' preference option is set, previous selections are not emptied by a plain click or drag. (Otherwise 'Shft' must be pressed while selecting, to append to the selection.)
• Labelling of data references may now be set to 'by number only' or 'by name only' or 'by number and name' (default: 'by number only'). This affects references to axes, properties and stages. The data references output method can be set on the relevant pages of the Labels and Display Methods dialog.
• Property tips are now displayed alongside the cursor when the cursor hovers over an entity. The Graphics preferences determine whether property tips are 'brief', 'full' or 'off'.

GSA 8.2.3 New Features — Graphic View — Sculpt

• The sculpt 'Add Region' command now offers the choice between:
  • adding one region that references all selected areas, lines and nodes, and
  • adding a region per selected area, (ignoring selected lines and nodes).(Released in Gsa.exe 8.2.2.2)
• The new 'Apply Defaults to Selection' sculpt command applies the default attributes to currently selected entities.
• The new 'Create 1D Elements from Lines' sculpt command creates default elements (if working on the analysis layer) or members (on the design layer) based on the topologies of the current selection of lines.
• The new 'Create Lines from 1D Elements' sculpt command creates default lines based on the topologies of the current selection of elements or members.
• The 'Move / Copy Selection' sculpt command now allows entities to be shifted 'to' a location. (Previously only 'by' a vector was available.) The shift mode of x, y, and z coordinates are specified as 'by' or 'to' independently, thereby allowing, for example, lines of nodes to be straightened or planes of nodes to be flattened.

GSA 8.2.3 New Features — COM Interface

• The new 'NodeCoor' COM function retrieves the position of a node in global coordinates.
• The "Analyse" COM function now takes a task number as an argument, to allow individual tasks to be analysed via COM. The task number defaults to zero ( = all tasks ).

GSA 8.2.3 New Features — Gss Solver

• 2D elements may now be included in buckling and p-delta analyses.
  (Released in Gss.dll 30.15.0.2)
• The 'Sparse Direct' solution method is now the default for new GSS analysis tasks.
• In modal analyses additional restraint may now be applied to enable only horizontal or only vertical modes to be identified.
• Normalisation of mode shapes now defaults to a maximum displacement of 1m. This may be changed in 'GSS Advanced Settings > Eigensolution > Normalisation'.

GSA 8.2.3 New Features — Concrete Design

• 'Hong Kong Code of Practice - 2004, including amendment 1 (2007)' has been incorporated in both RC slab and RC member design.

GSA 8.2.3 Fixes

GSA 8.2.3 Fixes — General

• Re-analysing a previously analysed task in a model that contains ties or struts fails with the message: "This analysis requires features that are unlicensed in this verion of GSA".
  [NCR 1245] (Fixed 16 February 2007) (Released in GsTable.dll 8.2.2.2)
• Back-to-back channel sections in catalogues are not handled correctly.
  [NCR 1252] (Fixed 24 April 2007) (Released in GsFile.dll and sectlib.mdb 8.2.2.2)
• Line entities created via CAD import can cause the graphics to hang.
  [NCR 1293] (Fixed 19 March 2007) (Released in Gsa_Import_Cad.dll 8.2.2.2)
• GsRevit: 'Update From GSA' crashes while trying to update a model with 'new' materials or standard materials.
  [NCR 1318] (Fixed 22 March 2007) (Released in GsRevit_RS4.dll 8.2.2.2)
• GSA uses excessive memory, and may run out of memory, for results, especially when there are large gaps in node numbering.
  [NCR 1338] (Fixed 2 April 2007) (Released in GwDat.dll 30.15.0.2)
• GSA crashes reading a model if areas refer to non-existent lines.
  [NCR 1373] (Fixed 5 April 2007) (Released in GwDat.dll 30.15.0.2)
• GSA crashes when calculating storey displacements.
  [NCR 1378] (Fixed 10 April 2007) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.2.2.2)
• The EC8 (2003) horizontal spectrum is not generated.
  [NCR 1389] (Fixed 13 April 2007) (Released in OaUtil.dll 30.15.0.2)
• The 'Manage Data > Renumber nodes/elements along vector' options produce confused node and element lists.
  [NCR 1399] (Fixed 19 April 2007) (Released in GwDat.dll 30.15.0.2)
• Analysing when a results output view is open slows down the analysis.
  [NCR 1257] (Fixed 20 April 2007) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.2.2.2)
• GSA crashes sporadically in certain environments.
  Some issues relating to the stability of GSA and its compatibility with other software have been addressed.
  [NCR 1259] (Fixed 24 April 2007) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.2.2.2)
• The calculation of torsional stresses in a rectangular section is out by a factor of 8 (2 × dimension)3
  [NCR 1415] (Fixed 30 April 2007) (Released in OaUtil.dll 30.15.0.4)
• If the web and flange thicknesses of a RHS section are different, the smaller thickness is used by steel design which is not appropriate for welded RHS section.
  [NCR 1417] (Fixed 30 April 2007) (Released in OaSteelDesUtil.dll 30.15.0.4)
• If 'Check Data' is run on a model and then 'Analyse All', the analysis aborts with the message 'Unhandled exception in solver'.
  [NCR 1418] (Fixed 30 April 2007) (Released in Gsa.exe 8.2.2.4)
• GSA crashing when changing an analysis case description in the Analysis Wizard.
  [NCR 1454] (Fixed 4 May 2007)
• The Export to CAD option exports beam orientations ignoring orientation by orientation node.
  [NCR 1515] (Fixed 24 May 2007)
• A member with only top or bottom flange restraint (F1L or F2L) is sometimes treated differently if the same member with very similar (but not the same) moment diagram, i.e. the member will be considered as no lateral torsional buckling or with laterial torsional buckling if the end moment is small and changed very slightly.
  [NCR 1442] (Fixed 24 May 2007)
• In the GSA COM interface a number of GwaCommand calls for analysis results are returning an empty string.
  Affected key words: LOAD_FAC, RESID_DISP & RESID_MOMENT
  [NCR 1564] (Fixed 12 June 2007)
• GSA analysis slows down drastically when large numbers of stage properties are set.
  [NCR 1632] (Fixed 29 June 2007)
• CAD Export: Special characters in section descriptions/names can render a DXF unreadable in AutoCAD.
  [NCR 1514] (Fixed 24 May 2007)
• The 'Create elements from Members' tool assigns incorrect element releases to some elements.
  [NCR 1516] (Fixed 24 May 2007)
• C1, C2 and Von Mises beam stresses are calculated wrongly for line segment sections and unnecessarily conservatively for combinations with enveloping operators.
  The output of maximum envelope values of C2 beam stresses and minimum envelope values of C1 and Von Mises beam stresses have been suppressed, for clarity.
  [NCR 1746] (Fixed 23 July 2007)
• The sign of '2D Element Derived Stresses > Average Stress' is wrong.
  [NCR 1754] (Fixed 24 July 2007)

GSA 8.2.3 Fixes — Gss Solver

• Matrix singularities reported at the wrong node with the sparse solver.
  [NCR 1397] (Fixed 19 April 2007) (Released in OaUtil.dll 30.15.0.2)
• Automatic constraints were not working as they should requiring the user to use the artificial zz stiffness option.
  [NCR 1413] (Fixed 27 April 2007) (released in Gss.dll 30.15.0.3)
• GSA gives spurious ‘mid-side node not located correctly between corner nodes’ errors for offset isoparametric elements.
  [NCR 1554] (Fixed 8 June 2007)
• GSS sometimes fails to calculate constraint forces and energies, and generates GWA files that cannot be read back.
  [NCR 1581] (Fixed 15 June 2007)
• Load factor of 2D element model buckling analysis is overestimated if the dominant buckling model is in-plane buckling.
  [NCR 1628] (Fixed 25 June 2007)

GSA 8.2.3 Fixes — GsEnvelope Solver

• Analysis envelopes fail to generate results for Max 2D Through-Thk Shear, Qmax.
  [NCR 1633] (Fixed 29 June 2007)

GSA 8.2.3 Fixes — Graphic Views

• When selecting entities by volume, if the selection mode is "Any Part", entities whose centre is within the volume but whose nodes are not are not selected.
  [NCR 1279] (Fixed 16 March 2007) (Released in GwDat.dll 30.15.0.2)
• Graphics hangs when Regions exist and there are gaps in the Region numbering.
  [NCR 1416] (Fixed 30 April 2007) (Released in GsGraph.dll 8.2.2.4)
• Graphics shading is displayed incorrectly for line segment sections and perimeter sections specified anti-clockwise around the section.
  [NCR 1549] (Fixed 6 June 2007)
• GSA crashes when a node is copied more than 128 times.
  [NCR 1553] (Fixed 7 June 2007)
• The sculpt 'Split Lines' command doesn't split arcs correctly.
  [NCR 1635] (Fixed 2 July 2007)

GSA 8.2.2 New Features

GSA 8.2.2 New Features — General

• The New Model Wizard can now base model generation on a non-orthogonal set of grid lines.
• GsRevit now exports Revit grids as GSA grid lines.

GSA 8.2.2 Fixes

GSA 8.2.2 Fixes — General

• The X elevation, Y elevation and Global cylindrical axis sets are not recognised correctly.
  [NCR 1070] (Fixed 16 January 2007)
• CAD Import: AutoCAD arcs/circles/ellipses may not import correctly.
  [NCR 1054] (Fixed 31 January 2007)
• GSA crashes analysing grid loads on dummy elements.
  [NCR 1079] (Fixed 6 February 2007)

GSA 8.2.2 Fixes — Gss Solver

• When setting up a modal dynamic analysis there is an option to set a starting mode. If this is set to a value other than 1 the solver will terminate unexpectedly.
  [NCR 1060] (Fixed 31 January 2007)

GSA 8.2.2 Fixes — GsRelax Solver

• If the master node is also included in the slave node list in 'Rigid Constraint', GsRelax analysis cannot be conducted and an error message "An unexpected error occurred in the GsRelax solver" is thrown out. The workaround at the moment is to remove the master node from the slave node list.
  [NCR 1043] (Fixed 18 January 2007)

GSA 8.2.2 Fixes — Table Views

• When defining a user material on 'User Defined' material table (not through material wizard), it will generate an error (Ultimate stress is less than yield stress) in data checking and prevent analysis to proceed. The workaround for at the moment is to go through the material wizard to remove the hidden error.
  [NCR 1013] (Fixed 18 January 2007)
• GSA crashes entering RC2D properties.
  [NCR 1078] (Fixed 5 February 2007)

GSA 8.2.2 Fixes — Graphic Views

• MSI rebuilt to re-introduce openGL32.dll and glu32.dll to overcome spurious graphics behaviour on some machines.
  (Released 8 January 2007 as Arup_GSA_8_2_1_2.msi)
• When using the Sculpt 'Connect 1D Elements' command the tolerances are specified in 'length - small' model units but used as if they had been specified in 'length - large' model units. E.g. a trim tolerance specified as 10mm may be interpreted as 10m.
  [NCR 1011] (Fixed 26 January 2007)
• Text in Graphic Views sometimes appears blocky.
  [NCR 1077] (Fixed 15 January 2007)

GSA 8.2.1 New Features

GSA 8.2.1 New Features — General

• Constraint Equations
  Constraint equations have been added to GSA. These allow the user to specify constraints on nodes based on the displacements of other nodes. Thus, for example, a node (11) may be required to have a displacement that is the average of two other nodes (10 & 12). This can be done by setting a constraint equation for node 11 in the x direction of the form:
  0.5N10x + 0.5N12x
  and likewise for the other directions.

• CAD I/O Enhancements
  The previous 'File > Import > AutoCAD (DXF file)' and 'File > Export > AutoCAD (DXF file)' commands have been replaced, as follows:

  • Both DWG and DXF files are handled.
  • File versions up to AutoCAD 2004 (R18) are handled.
  • 'CAD files (*.dwg;*.dxf)' appears as a file type on the 'File > Open' dialog.
  • Units of import are suggested, based on the overall extents of the imported data.
  • Import is based on selection of layers.
  • The relationship between layers and the properties of imported elements is under user control.
  • The group number of imported elements can optionally be based on the CAD entity colour.
  • A rounding tolerance may be applied to the coordinates of imported nodes.
  • 'Connect 1D elements' may be applied at the time of import.
  • Auto-offsets may be applied at the time of import.
  • The colour of exported elements may be based on the GSA element colours or the group number of the element.

• Revit / GSA Link
  GsRevit is a Revit plug-in that provides data translation between Revit and Oasys GSA. The following options are provided:

  • Export the Revit model to Oasys GSA, including options to:
    • Write new file or synchronise with an existing model.
    • Export the whole file or the current selection only.
    • Export to the Design Layer or Analysis Layer.
    • Export all Sections and Materials or referenced properties only.
  • Update the Revit model from Oasys GSA, including options to:
    • Update from the Design Layer or Analysis Layer.
  • Import a Revit model from Oasys GSA, including options to:
    • Import from the Design Layer or Analysis Layer.

• Updated Grid Layout, Grid Lines and Current Grid
  The following changes have been made to the current grid:

  • Grid layouts are no longer referenced by grid planes.
  • Grid lines are no longer an option in the grid layout. Grid layouts specify grid point spacing and extents only.
  • The current grid now references a grid plane, a grid layout and, implicitly, the grid lines defined for the model.
  • Grid lines now:
    • lie in the global XY plane, by definition.
    • are displayed projected onto the current grid plane.
    • may be straight or circular.
    • are explicitly located and orientated.
  • The new Grid Line Definition dialog offers simple tools for creating and manipulating grid lines.
  • The new sculpt 'Create Grid Lines' command creates grid lines based on currently selected line entities.See the 'C:\Program Files\Oasys\GSA 8.2\Samples\GridLines&GridPlanes.gwb' sample file for an example of the use of the updated grid functionality.

• New Geometric Entities
  New geometric entities have been introduced as follows:

  • Grid Nodes - like a standard node but can be located relative to a grid plane and grid line intersections. Grid Nodes are interchangeable with standard nodes for general applications. Grid Nodes include 2D mesh generation attributes.
  • Lines - can be straight or circular arc and, if arc, can be defined by 3rd node on arc or radius. Lines include 2D mesh generation attributes.
  • Areas - bounded by Lines. Areas include 2D mesh generation attributes.
  • Regions - a collection of Areas, Lines and Grid Nodes. A Region may be used to define a slab, including holes, differing thicknesses, internal point and line supports etc. Regions include 2D mesh generation attributes.

  The home for these new geometric entities is the design layer. The following functionality is provided for the handling of these entities:

  • There are new cursor modes for the selection of lines, areas and regions. (Grid nodes are selected using the 'select nodes' cursor mode.)
  • Geometric entities are implemented in: selection sets, lists, object viewer properties, labels, defaults.
  • New nodes created on the design layer using the 'add nodes', 'add elements' and 'add lines' sculpt tools are automatically created as grid nodes.
  • Lines can be created using the 'add lines' sculpt tool on the design layer.
  • Areas can be created by the 'Add Area' sculpt command on a selection of lines. If while adding lines a closed loop is detected you are given the option to create an area from that loop.
  • Regions can be created by the 'Add Region' sculpt command on selections of areas, lines and nodes.
  • 'Convert Nodes to Standard' and 'Convert Nodes to Grid' sculpt commands are provided.
  • The 'Copy Selection', 'Move Selection', 'Split lines' and 'Connect lines' sculpt commands work with lines.See the 'C:\Program Files\Oasys\GSA 8.2\Samples\RegionMeshGen.gwb' sample file for an example of the use of the new geometric entities.

• 2D Mesh Generation Enhancements
  2D element mesh generation has been revamped as follows:

  • There's a new underlying (3rd party) mesh generation engine.
  • Mesh generation now operates on regions. (See New Geometric Entities.)
  • The mesh domain may be described as follows:
    • Internal and bounding edges may be straight or circular arcs.
    • Internal areas, multiply nested, may be assigned different properties.
    • Holes may be defined.
    • Internal points may be defined.
    • Internal lines may be defined. The support conditions assigned to the lines is automatically assigned to the nodes generated along the lines.
    • Mesh density and mesh concentrations may be specified.All of these features are specified by a region; a region is a complete definition of a mesh generation task.
  • The following mesh generation operations are available:
    • Check region(s) for mesh generation.
    • Delete previously generated nodes and elements for region(s).
    • Generate mesh for region(s). (The region is checked and mesh previously generated for the region is deleted.These commands may be invoked either from the 'Tools' menu or from the 'right-click' menu for a region.See the 'C:\Program Files\Oasys\GSA 8.2\Samples\RegionMeshGen.gwb' sample file for an example of the enhanced 2D mesh generation.

• RC Members
  The use of members has been extended to include reinforced concrete (RC) members. Members can be beams, columns or unspecified. This introduces a number of new data items:

  • RC Member Properties - concrete and reinforcement strength, covers and bars
  • Bar Patterns - templates for layout of reinforcement in the section
  • Bar Arrangements - specific layout of reinforcement that defines the particular reinforced concrete section

  This allows sections to be checked for strength with the results (area of reinforcement and M/Mu) stored in user modules for subsequent display in Output Views or as contoured data in Graphic Views.

• User Module Enhancements
  User modules have been enhanced as follows:

  • Member user modules may be specified.
  • User module data may be specified at equidistant positions along 1D elements and members.
  • Element and member user modules may be specified as BLOB, to indicate that user module data on 1D elements and members are to be represented as discrete blobs, rather than continuous barrels.

GSA 8.2.1 New Features — Graphic View — General

• Contour labels may now be specified in the Contour Values dialog. The labels are displayed in the legend against the respective contour interval.
• When toggling through items in the Ambiguous Selection dialog the properties of the current selection are now displayed in the Object Viewer (if it's open).
• Graphic View accelerator keys are revised as follows:
  • 'K' - skew view (was 'S').
  • 'Alt+P' - reverse plan (new).
  • 'Alt+X' - reverse X elevation (new).
  • 'Alt+Y' - reverse Y elevation (new).
  • 'Alt+arrow' - fast rotate (new).
  • 'SG' - select grid points (was 'G').
  • 'SN' - select nodes (was 'N').
  • 'SE' - select elements (was 'E').
  • 'SL' - select lines (new).
  • 'SA' - select areas (new).
  • 'SR' - select regions (new).

GSA 8.2.1 New Features — Graphic View — Sculpt

• Offset elements are now selected by their offset position.
• Element Snap Mode
  When using the Add Elements Sculpt Tool to add 1D elements and when picking the second node, an existing 1D element may be picked in which case that element is split and the new element is attached at the split position, depending on the current snap mode:
  • Snap Centre - snaps to the centre of the existing element.
  • Snap Perpendicular - snaps to the perpendicular point on the existing element.
  • Snap Align with Grid Axis - snaps to a point on the existing element parallel to a current grid axis.Where the split position is outside the length of the existing element the existing element is extended to that position.

GSA 8.2.1 New Features — COM Interface

• The new 'Gen_RegionMeshCheck' COM function checks that one or all regions are ready for mesh generation.
• The new 'Gen_RegionMeshGen' COM function generates the mesh for one or all regions.
• The new 'Gen_RegionMeshDel' COM function deletes the mesh for one or all regions.

GSA 8.2.1 New Features — Gss Solver

• Sparse Solver
  A new solver option has been implemented for the Gss Solver offering a sparse direct solution method. This allows for solution of much larger problems than the traditional active column solver.
  This option uses the Approximate Minimum Degree (AMD) algorithm and a Sparse LDLT solution. This solution is appropriate for all the Gss analysis options.

GSA 8.2.1 New Features — GsSpec Solver

• Harmonic Analysis
  Harmonic analysis has been implemented for the GsSpec Solver offering analysis of structures under the actions of harmonic loading.
• Footfall Induced Vibration Analysis
  Footfall induced vibration analysis has been implemented for the GsSpec Solver offering response analysis of structures under the actions of human footfalls.

GSA 8.2.1 New Features — GsRelax Solver

• Non-linear Spring Element
  Spring elements with non-linear force/displacement and/or moment/rotation relationships can be used in any model when analysed using GsRelax solver.

GSA 8.2.1 New Features — Raft Analysis

• Maximum soil pressure
  Maximum soil pressure can be specified for some or all soil-raft interaction areas in raft analysis. Once maximum soil pressure is defined and the maximum soil pressure has been reached, the loads from raft to soil will be redistributed from high pressure areas to low pressure areas. This is useful to simulate the yield of foundation soil in raft analysis.

GSA 8.2.1 Fixes

GSA 8.2.1 Fixes — General

• GSA does not expand loads when panels bounded by strings of dummy elements.
  [NCR 143 & NCR146] (Fixed 3 April 2006)
• Spurious warnings that beams with perimeter sections have no torsion constant.
  [NCR152] (Fixed 10 April 2006)
• Zero torsion constant, J, is defined for sections in the Indian (IS) steel section catalogue. (Singularities may occur in the analysis when J=0)
  [NCR167] (Fixed 31 July 2006)
• Newly created models cannot be saved if the calc heading contains a slash.
  [NCR180](Fixed 28 October 2006)

GSA 8.2.1 Fixes — Gss Solver

• When global restraints are applied to a model and a node in that model is defined with a user defined constraint axis. The global restraint gets applied to that node in a local rather than global direction.
  [NCR137] (Fixed 13 January 2006)
• In the calculation of automatic constraints an eigenvalue analysis is carried out at each node to detect non-stiff degrees of freedom. The eigenvectors form the basis of an axis transformation that assigns the non-stiff degree of freedom as z and rotates the node into a temporary local axis system. In some instances this transformation is incorrect. This problem is due to the wrong ordering of the eigenvectors (for some models) resulting in a left hand axis system being set up.
  Automatic constraints are only invoked when the 2D elements lie in non-global planes. Of models with these 2D elements, the problem seems only to affect elements which are close to a global plane and not in all models.
  This problem can be avoided by by using the "Advanced" option in the Analysis Wizard to set the suppression of non-stiff degrees of freedom in 2D elements to "Artificial zz stiffness in shells".
  [NCR178] (Fixed 9 October 2006)

GSA 8.2.1 Fixes — RC Slab Design

• The RC Slab module may fail to use the correct Nationally Determined Parameters when a design is performed to EC2 and a particular country specified.
  [NCR179] (Fixed 12 October 2006)

GSA 8.1 Patches - New Features

GSA 8.1 Patches - New Features — General

• When importing user module GWA records, USER_MOD_NODE and USER_MOD_ELEM, the module number may now be set to any value less than 1 to refer to a user module with respect to the highest.
  (Previously only module no.= 0 to refer to the highest user module, was permitted.)
  E.g. if the highest node user module is 10 and a USER_MOD_NODE record is imported with module no.=-2 the value will be written to user module 8.
  (Released 15 February 2006 in GsFile.dll 8.1.13)
• The 'Next Display' and 'Previous Display' buttons now increment properties and materials.
  For example, if the Display List for a Graphic View is 'PB1', clicking the 'Next Display' toolbar button will display 'PB2', i.e. elements with Beam Section property 2, and clicking 'Previous Display' will display elements with the highest Beam Section property.
  (Released 9 June 2006 in Gsa.exe 8.1.14)
• The 'Tools > Create Members from Elements' command can now generate from the current element selection.
  (Released 9 June 2006 in Gsa.exe 8.1.14)
• The new 'Tools > Manipulate Model > Apply Offsets' command applies element offsets based on a specified offset with respect to the section origin in local axis directions.
  (Released 27 July 2006 in Gsa.exe 8.1.17)
• The NASTRAN export feature has been enhanced to give the option of exporting beam elements as CBEAM elements with PBEAM/PBEAML properties.
  (Released 1 Sept 2006 in Gsa.exe 8.1.18)

GSA 8.1 Patches - New Features — Output Options

• Nodal Forces and Moments output in local axes are now output in local element axis directions.
  (Previously these were output in local node axis directions.)
  (Released 24 May 2006 in GwDat.dll 8.1.16)

GSA 8.1 Patches - New Features — Output View

• When reporting output 'by property' the property name is now displayed in the header for the property.
  (Released 9 June 2006 in Gsa.exe 8.1.14)

GSA 8.1 Patches - New Features — Graphic View — General

• The default contour values that are set up for RC slab reinforcement areas now include a 'zero' range (~ +/- 1 mm2/m).
  (Released 9 June 2006 in Gsa.exe 8.1.14)
• Models opened that contain members but no elements now open in the Design Layer.
  (Released 9 June 2006 in Gsa.exe 8.1.14)

GSA 8.1 Patches - Fixes

GSA 8.1 Patches - Fixes — General

• Advanced features are not available in Demo Mode.
  [NCR138] (Fixed 23 January 2006) (Released 23 January 2006 in Gsa.exe 8.1.13)
• Element rotations for loaded elements are reported wrongly in combination cases, generally larger than they should be.
  [NCR139] (Fixed 1 February 2006) (Released 2 February 2006 in Gwdat.dll 8.1.13)
• The option to export storey masses reports incorrect Izz values. In fact the result exported is Ixx.
  [NCR141] (Fixed 21 February 2006) (Released 23 February 2006 in GsUtil.dll 8.1.13)
• The option to export storey masses always outputs results in SI units, even when the user has selected user units.
  [NCR141a] (Fixed 21 February 2006) (Released 9 June 2006 in Gsa.exe 8.1.14)
• F1 help does not work in the section table.
  [NCR144] (Fixed 3 March 2006) (Released 9 June 2006 in Gsa.exe 8.1.14)
• GSA gives spurious warnings about loads being applied to unused properties.
  [NCR145] (Fixed 16 March 2006) (Released 9 June 2006 in GsCheck.dll 8.1.11)
• GSA objects to panels where the border is defined by or partly defined by strings of dummy elements.
  [NCR146] (Fixed 3 April 2006) (Released 3 April 2006 in GwDat.dll 8.1.14)
• There is an error in the expansion of grid loading applied to two-way spanning panels bounded by a dummy element in that the load expanded onto the dummy is not correctly dispersed to adjacent elements.
  [NCR147] (Fixed 7 April 2006) (Released 10 April 2006 in GwDat.dll 8.1.15)
• GSA gives spurious warnings about grid loads being applied to elements with offsets for elements that are not offset but previously were.
  [NCR148] (Fixed 18 April 2006) (Released 24 May 2006 in GwDat.dll 8.1.16)
• The country is ignored in the Design Specification dialog when the selected code is Eurocode EC2.
  [NCR149] (Fixed 27 April 2006) (Released 7 July 2006 in GsTable.dll 8.1.13)
• When a grid plane contains many panels with crossed elements GSA can in some cases crash or report an unhandled exception.
  [NCR150] (Fixed 4 May 2006) (Released 24 May 2006 in GwDat.dll 8.1.16)
• Pre-analysis checking reports an error that any saved case lists in the model are not valid.
  [NCR153] (Fixed 4 May 2006) (Released 24 May 2006 in GwDat.dll 8.1.16)
• When using the COM interface Output functions, requesting output for an invalid combination case or an enveloping combination case that refers to a higher numbered combination case causes an exception to be thrown.
  [NCR158] (Fixed 9 June 2006) (Released 9 June 2006 in Gsa.exe 8.1.14)
• Accessing GSA functions through the COM interface fails until the program is run as an administrator or a power user.
  [NCR159] (Fixed 14 June 2006) (Released in the installation file dated 16 June 2006)
• The Concrete Code Material Properties dialog sets the Effective Young's Modulus for ACI318(M) ten times too large and consequently sets the Elastic Modulus in the Materials wizard incorrectly.
  [NCR162] (Fixed 29 June 2006) (Released 7 July 2006 in GsTable.dll 8.1.13)
• GSA crashes when the Undo button is used repeatedly and rapidly.
  [NCR164] (Fixed 6 July 2006) (Released 7 July 2006 in GsTable.dll 8.1.13)
• GSA COM crashes in the SaveViewToFile function when attempting to save graphic images to PNG, JPEG etc.
  [NCR165] (Fixed 7 July 2006) (Released 7 July 2006 in Gsa.exe 8.1.16)
• Incorrect distribution of one-way spanning area loads with re-entrant load polygons. This occurs when a panel is loaded over a proportion of its length but the load polyline extends along the whole length of the side of the panel (for loading on an adjacent panel). In this case the extra section of polyline is not trimmed and load is applied on the part that should not be loaded.
  [NCR174] (Fixed 1 Sept 2006) (Released 1 Sept in GwDat.dll 8.1.17)

GSA 8.1 Patches - Fixes — Gss Solver

• Modal damping was calculated incorrectly for a model P-delta analysis. This was as a result of ignoring the geometric stiffness terms in the calculation of the damping ratios.
  [NCR157] (Fixed 8 June 2006) (Released 8 June 2006 in Gss.dll 8.1.10)

GSA 8.1 Patches - Fixes — Graphic Views

• 2D element mesh generation in Sculpt can crash GSA when the there are many 2D polylines in the list.
  [NCR160] (Fixed 16 June 2006) (Released 16 June 2006 in Gsa.exe 8.1.15)
• When both uniform and variable face loads are applied to a 2D element, whether in a load case or combination case, in both contouring and diagrams the uniform load is represented as a single value at the centre and the variable load as nodal values. The revised behaviour adds the centre value to the nodal values.
  [NCR166] (Fixed 13 July 2006) (Released 1 Sept 2006 in GwDat.dll 8.1.17 and GsGraph.dll 8.1.10)
• On the Design Layer, results are not displayed on members that have the number of an element for which the result does not exist. For example, axial force is not displayed on member 721 if element 721 does not exist or if forces are not available for element 721.
  [NCR175] (Fixed 5 Sept 2006) (Released 5 Sept 2006 in GsPrivate.dll 8.1.14)

GSA 8.1.12 New Features

None implemented since the last release.

GSA 8.1.12 Fixes

GSA 8.1.12 Fixes — General

• Formatting scientific values to n significant figures may produce errors (e.g. 8.99999 to 4 sig figs gives 8.100 rather than 9.000).
  [NCR114] (Fixed 15 November 2005) (Released 18 November 2005 in OaUtil.dll 3.0.30)
• The Print All Saved Graphic Views command calculates and prints diagrams wrongly.
  [NCR115] (Fixed 15 November 2005) (Released 21 November 2005 in Gsa.exe 8.1.11)
• GSA crashes reading models if a combination case refers to a non-existent name.
  [NCR118] (Fixed 15 November 2005) (Released 18 November 2005 in GwDat.dll 8.1.10)
• GSA failing in panel load expansion. This problem occurred when a panel contains more than adjacent one dummy element. With dummy elements the load has to be transferred from the dummy element to adjacent real elements. When the adjacent element is a dummy this procedure fails.
  [NCR120] (Fixed 15 November 2005) (Released 18 November 2005 in GwDat.dll 8.1.10.0 and GsCheck.dll 8.1.10)
• GSA failing in panel load expansion. This problem occurred with grid line loads where the polyline is along the line of elements. In this case the algorithim was trying to distribute the load over the panel and also apply it directly to the beam elements resulting in excess load being applied to the structure.
  [NCR123] (Fixed 18 November 2005) (Released 21 November 2005 in GwDat.dll 8.1.11.0)
• When using the back button in the analysis wizard, with the modal dynamic, modal P-delta dynamic, Ritz, Ritz P-delta or buckling options, spurious additional analysis cases would be generated.
  [NCR124] (Fixed 24 November 2005) (Released 21 December 2005 in Gsa.exe 8.1.12)
• When the local setting use a "comma" for the decimal point the import of sections from a DXF file was failing. When the decimal point is set as a "dot" there is no error.
  [NCR125] (Fixed 28 November 2005) (Released 28 November 2005 in OaSect.dll 3.0.31.0)
• There are two minor issues with the IS 1893 response spectrum.
  • The option to ignore the short period response reduction is ignored.
  • The back button from the last page goes right back to the start of the spectrum definition.[NCR113] (Fixed 9 November 2005) (Released 21 December 2005 in GsTable.dll 8.1.12)
• In Beam Derived Stresses output the Von Mises stress calculations did not take account of every point on the perimeter of the beams.
  [NCR130] (Fixed 29 November 2005) (Released 21 December 2005 in GwDat.dll 8.1.12)
• The beam derived stress options appeared blank if the user locale was set to German, and the Windows locale output setting did not follow the user language for some languages and dialects.
  [NCR131] (Fixed 29 November 2005) (Released 21 December 2005 in GsPrivate.dll 8.1.12 and GSA.exe 8.1.12)
• Beam shear stresses were always calculated assuming steel sections, and assumed the sections were welded if no design parameters were set.
  [NCR132] (Fixed 14 December 2005) (Released 21 December 2005 in GwDat.dll 8.1.12)

GSA 8.1.12 Fixes — GsBridge Solver

• In a bridge analysis, if 'retain results at influence points only' is set for an analysis case, combinations of that case only reported values for influence points.
  Note: The fix does not take effect until models are re-analysed.
  [NCR133] (Fixed 14 December 2005) (Released 21 December 2005 in GwDat.dll 8.1.12 and GsFile.dll 8.1.12)

GSA 8.1.12 Fixes — RC Slab Design

• GSA crashes displaying RC2D results for large models.
  [NCR117] (Fixed 15 November 2005) (Released 18 November 2005 in GsPrivate.dll 8.1.10)
• RC2D fails to offer the user the option to contour a reinforcement plot owing to the check of number of 2D properties vs number of RC2D properties.
  [NCR121] (Fixed 15 November 2005) (Released 18 November 2005 in GsPrivate.dll 8.1.10)
• RC2D may fail to produce the solution that is expected due to material properties having been modified rather than derived, though this is not obvious to the user through the RC Slab Properties Table View.
  [NCR122] (Fixed 12 December 2005) (Released 21 December 2005 in GsTable.dll 8.1.12, GsFile.dll 8.1.12 and OaDes.dll 3.0.32)
• RC2D may indicate that some elements are unreinforceable though the forces and moments applied suggest otherwise.
  [NCR127] (Fixed 2 December 2005) (Released 2 December 2005 in GSA_DES_RC2D.dll 8.1.10)
• If an element failed in some cases, combinations reported minus infinity as a minimum.
  [NCR134] (Fixed 15 December 2005) (Released 21 December 2005 in GsPrivate.dll 8.1.12)

GSA 8.1.12 Fixes — Graphic Views

• When contouring 2D Element Face Temperatures and Face Temp. Gradients the sign is ignored.
  [NCR128] (Fixed 6 December 2005) (Released 21 December 2005 in GsPrivate.dll 8.1.12)
• The Sculpt Extrude Selection command generates 2D elements along the extrusion by connecting nodes in a geometrically sorted order rather than one per 1D element in the selection.
  [NCR129] (Fixed 8 December 2005) (Released 21 December 2005 in GsUtil.dll 8.1.12)

GSA 8.1.9 New Features

GSA 8.1.9 New Features — General

• Support has been added for response spectrum analysis to the Indian code (IS 1893 (Part 1) : 2002).
• The GSA Viewer program has been withdrawn. Now the demo version of GSA functions as a viewer upon expiry of the demo period.

GSA 8.1.9 New Features — Output Options

Option

Output Views

Diagrams

Contours

Labels

Beam Derived Stresses > Sy, Sz, St, von Mises

new

new

new

GSA 8.1.9 New Features — Graphic View — Sculpt

• The new 'Split Quad to Tri Elements' option converts Quad4 and Quad8 elements Tri3 and Tri6, respectively.
  Note that Quad elements should be used in preference to Tri elements, where possible. However Tri elements are useful for modelling warped surfaces.

GSA 8.1.9 Fixes

GSA 8.1.9 Fixes — General

• Data checking reports spurious warning messages of the form 'Warning in Node Load 2: node 19800992 is undefined'.
  [NCR106] (Fixed 17 October 2005)
• Dummy element flags were not written to or read from gwa files so no dummy elements are present after a write/read cycle to a gwa or text file.
  [NCR108] (Fixed 20 October 2005)
• Displaying results for combination cases of the form (C123 to C125) where any cases in the range use SRSS usually crashes GSA. If output is produced it is unreliable.
  Specifying the combination case in the form (C123 or C124 or C125) works around the problem.
  [NCR110] (Fixed 25 October 2005)
• Grid loads were not applied correctly to inclined panels, with the magnitude of the error increasing with the degree of inclination of the panel relative to the grid plane.
  [NCR111] (Fixed 28 October 2005) (Released 28 October 2005 in GwDat.dll 8.1.8)

GSA 8.1.9 Fixes — Output Views

• Producing 'summary only' output for large tables crashes GSA.
  [NCR109] (Fixed 21 October 2005)

GSA 8.1.9 Fixes — Graphic Views

• If a load diagram is displayed in a graphic view and the layer is then switched to design, nonsense loads are displayed.
  [NCR112] (Fixed 31 October 2005)

GSA 8.1.7 New Features

GSA 8.1.7 New Features — General

• The following enhancements are have been implemented in the cross strain energy density (cSED) calculation tool.
  • The option to select averaged cSED results based on values along the element is now offered. These are available as total, web or flange values.
  • Simple (non-enveloping) combination cases can now be selected. (Previously only analysis cases could be selected.)(Released 8 September 2005 in Gsa.exe 8.1.6 and GwDat.dll 8.1.6)
• The cut section forces tool has been upgraded as follows.
  • The cut section forces tool is now associated with the Graphic View, accessible from 'Graphics > Cut Section Forces'. Feedback is given on the Graphic View to indicate where the selected cut(s) are located on the model.
  • Forces may now be calculated for several cuts in one operation.
  • The cut section forces may now be exported to tab separated (.TXT) file, comma separated file (.CSV) or Sigraph graphics (.SIG) file.(Released 8 September 2005 in Gsa.exe 8.1.6 and GwDat.dll 8.1.6)
• The beam sections table has been revised to improve usability. The number of tabs has been reduced to two: one for data entry/editing and the other for review of analysis data.
• Any data table in GSA can now be resized so that the columns widths fit the contents of the columns. These options are available on the table right-click menu or from buttons on the Data Options toolbar.
• The panel search algorithm for grid loading has been enhanced so that two regions of panels linked by a string of elements do not cause panel search errors.
• The time before the next timed backup is taken is reset on Save or SaveAs GWB.
• Pressures (e.g. Face Load values and Grid Area Load values) are now expressed in units of 'Force / Length^2' whereas stresses continue to use the specified units of stress.
• The Nodes table right-click menu now offers a 'Round Coordinates' option that rounds the coordinates of all nodes to the nearest specified length.
• The new 'Tools > Clean Combination Cases' command removes references to non-existent cases from all combination cases. This command is also available on the right-click menu for the Combination Cases table.
• The new 'Tools > Seismic Analysis > Japanese Ai Distribution' command generates equivalent static loads distributed across the storeys of a building for seismic analysis.
  This option has been released at beta status, for testing purposes only.

GSA 8.1.7 New Features — Output Options

Option

Output Views

Diagrams

Contours

Labels

Material Properties

new

• The 'Ratio of effective mass to unrestrained mass' is now output in the Response Spectrum Details.

GSA 8.1.7 New Features — Output View

• Stripey output (i.e. alternate sections output with a light grey background) is now optional when output is not tab separated; - set using the 'Output > Stripey Output' command. Previously stripey output was always produced when output was not tab separated. The previous functionality of stripey output not being produced when output is tab separated, is unchanged.

GSA 8.1.7 New Features — Graphic View — General

• The new 'Edit > Select Close To Vertical 1D Elements' option selects all elements that are within 1° of being vertical but are not sufficiently close to vertical to be deemed vertical for the local element axes definition.

GSA 8.1.7 New Features — Graphic View — Sculpt

• The sculpt move and copy options now retain the restraint condition of the existing node when the coincidence settings result in an existing node being used. Previously the sub-set of the restraint conditions of the two nodes was used.
• Keyboard accelerator options have been provided for the sculpt geometry cursor modes, as follows:
  • Add Nodes Sculpt Tool (Shft+N)
  • Modify Nodes Sculpt Tool (Ctrl+Alt+N)
  • Drag Nodes Sculpt Tool (Ctrl+Shft+N)
  • Add Elements Sculpt Tool (Shft+E)
  • Modify Elements Sculpt Tool (Ctrl+Alt+E)
• The 'Sculpt > Collapse Coincident Nodes' option now displays a dialog that gives the option to adjust the coincidence tolerance. The coincidence tolerance defaults to the sculpt preferences setting.
• The new 'Sculpt > Round Coordinates' option rounds the coordinates of selected nodes to the nearest specified length.

GSA 8.1.7 New Features — Gss Solver

• The analysis wizard now offers the option of scaling the structure mass in a modal dynamic, Ritz or mass analysis. This allows the mass associated with the structural elements to be increased by a factor, for example, to allow for connections. By default the factor applied is 1.
• The conjugate gradient solver has been improved and now uses less memory and runs faster. In addition the convergence chesks have been improved to better detect a converged solution.

GSA 8.1.7 Fixes

GSA 8.1.7 Fixes — General

• Case lists that refer to saved case lists ignore the saved case list reference.
  [NCR81] (Fixed 19 August 2005) (Released 31 August 2005 in GwDat.dll 8.1.5)
• Combination cases that cannot be resolved because they refer to cases that do not exist or combination cases that refer to these cause a corruption in the case description of the case.
  [NCR83] (Fixed 30 August 2005) (Released 31 August 2005 in GwDat.dll 8.1.5)
• GSA crashes when calculating cross strain energy density.
  [NCR86] (Fixed 30 August 2005) (Released 31 August 2005 in GwDat.dll 8.1.5)
• Blanking a field or entering an invalid value in the Data Defaults dialog and moving to another window causes a message box to be displayed which cannot be closed.
  [NCR87] (Fixed 29 August 2005) (Released 8 September 2005 in Gsa.exe 8.1.6)
• Cut section forces are not calculated for plane stress elements.
  [NCR90] (Fixed 5 September 2005) (Released 8 September 2005 in GwDat.dll 8.1.6)
• Cut section forces are sometimes calculated incorrectly if the cut lies along the edge of a 2D element.
  [NCR91] (Fixed 5 September 2005) (Released 8 September 2005 in GwDat.dll 8.1.6)
• When reading beam sections non-symmetric sections would cause corruption of the neutral axis angle of subsequent symmetric sections.
  [NCR92] (Fixed 7 September 2005)
• In some cases GSA will crash when deleting nodes. This happens if a non-existent node is used as a topology item for an element or member and this falls within the range that has to be renumbered. This can be avoided by doing a data check before renumbering to identify any reference to non-existent nodes.
  [NCR96] (Fixed 20 September 2005)
• GSA can report expansion errors with grid line loads. This can happen when the grid line loads cross panels at nodes. In this situation the expansion algoritnm fails to find the correct points for the intersection of the load polyline and the panels.
  [NCR97] (Fixed 21 September 2005)
• If a model contains elements that reference non-existent nodes and 'Draw current grid panels' is selected from Labels and Display methods, GSA crashes. In addition, if data checks are run on such a model, the message 'Unhandled exception in solver' is logged.
  [NCR98] (Fixed 27 September 2005)
• When using the face load wizard to apply "variable" load to a 2D element the pressure values are corrupted on exit.
  [NCR99] (Fixed 27 September 2005)
• GSA can run into problems when cut section forces refer to combination cases. Two different problems have been identified:
  • Enveloping combination cases are excluded but combination cases which are rely on envelope cases are not, but cause a problem if selected.
  • Combination cases are producing zero results.[NCR100] (Fixed 28 September 2005)
• Deleting the last analysis case in the Task View or in the Analysis Wizard leaves the analysis case in place.
  [NCR101] (Fixed 29 September 2005)
• An error writing user defined response spectra and storey drifts to a gwa (text) file means that the resulting file cannot be read without errors.
  [NCR102] (Fixed 29 September 2005)
• In the GSA combination cases table, changing a case description to include a reference to a saved SRSS combination either in the table or with the wizard crashes GSA.
  [NCR103] (Fixed 30 September 2005)

GSA 8.1.7 Fixes — Gss Solver

• When an analysis of models with non-linear elements fails to converge in some of the analysis cases there are no force/moment or reactions results for any of the cases.
  [NCR93] (Fixed 8 September 2005)
• When multiple constraints are applied to a single node (either rigid constraints or joints) only the constraint forces resulting from the highest numbered rigid constraint or joint at the slave node are reported. Any preceeding constraint values at the slave are overwritten. Constraint forces at master nodes are unaffected.
  [NCR107] (Fixed 20 October 2005)

GSA 8.1.7 Fixes — GsRelax Solver

• In soap-film form-finding analysis, if some bar elements use form-finding property and some use normal beam section property and the bars using normal property have higher element number, the analysis fails.
  [NCR88] (Fixed 30 August 2005) (Released 31 August 2005 in GsRelax.dll 8.1.5)

GSA 8.1.7 Fixes — RC Slab Design

• RC2D uses an iterative process to find the lowest total acceptable area of reinforcement at a node. The point, during each iteration, at which the value for total reinforcement is recorded and stored for comparison, needed to be adjusted.
  [NCR84] (Fixed 30 August 2005) (Released 31 August 2005 in GSA_DES_RC2D.dll 8.1.5)
• If no concrete design code has been selected, and reinforcement or concrete material grades are specified by typing the strength value directly into the RC Slab Design Properties table rather than by selecting a grade, then GSA crashes.
  [NCR94] (Fixed 13 September 2005)

GSA 8.1.7 Fixes — Graphic Views

• When recording an animation the legend is always displayed even when the legend is switched off.
  [NCR80] (Fixed 19 August 2005) (Released 8 September 2005 in Gsa.exe 8.1.6)
• No results are displayed when contouring 'abs' or 'signabs' of >U| or |Uxy| (or other resolved values).
  [NCR85] (Fixed 30 August 2005) (Released 31 August 2005 in GsPrivate.dll 8.1.5)
• When using the sculpt option to move elements to result in an existing node, A, moving onto another existing node, B, GSA fails to remove node A and connect to B.
  [NCR95] (Fixed 19 September 2005)
• The 'Window | Settings | Fonts and Styles | Colour over-rides | Screen | Negative colours' setting is ignored for the display of entity selection symbols.
  [NCR104] (Fixed 4 October 2005)
• Steel utilisation and other member results are occasionally displayed incorrectly.
  [NCR105] (Fixed 10 October 2005)

GSA 8.1 build 4 New Features

• none

GSA 8.1 build 4 Fixes

GSA 8.1 build 4 Fixes — General

• Opening a data file with a long filename by double clicking the file in Windows Explorer (or 'right-click | Open') opens the file but gives it an abbreviated, DOS-like name.
  [NCR67] (Fixed 20 July 2005)
• Files with long path names fail to open from the Welcome dialog.
  [NCR74] (Fixed 2 August 2005)
• Undo/Redo sometimes forgets final redo step.
  [NCR75] (Fixed 2 August 2005)
• GSA occasionally crashes when attempting to open files containing combination cases.
  [NCR79] (Fixed 5 August 2005)

GSA 8.1 build 4 Fixes — GsEnvelope Solver

• GsEnvelope continues without reporting an error even if the case description refers to a case that does not exist.
  Also, GSA crashes when attempting to output results for an analysis envelope case for which the case description refers to a case that does not exist.
  [NCR76] (Fixed 4 August 2005)

GSA 8.1 build 4 Fixes — Graphic Views

• Deleting nodes or elements in a large model clears the undo buffer.
  [NCR73] (Fixed 1 August 2005)
• The sculpt move/copy selection command, when collapsing coincident nodes, always collapses to the position of the lower numbered node instead of the position of the original node.
  [NCR77] (Fixed 3 August 2005)
• Printing ignores permutation numbers specified in the case list when 'print by case' is set. (e.g. 'C4p2' is printed as if 'C4' is specified.)
  [NCR78] (Fixed 4 August 2005)

GSA 8.1 build 3 New Features

GSA 8.1 build 3 New Features — General

• The following new functions are available via the COM interface:
  • CaseResultsExist - returns true if results exist for the given case.
  • CaseTask - returns the reference number of the analysis task that is parent to the given analysis case.
  • TaskStatus - returns the status of the given analysis task.
• Pre-stress loading is now available for 2D elements. This provides similar options to the pre-stress loading for beams with pre-stress force, initial strain and tendon pre-stress.
• The following new sections have been added to the section database:
  • Celsius LCHS sections added to the British catalogue.
  • The Indian catalogue has been added.Also, the option to select a Bridge Beam has been added to the Perimeter page of the Section Wizard.

GSA 8.1 build 3 New Features — Output View

• In the 'Combination Case and Envelope Details' output cases for which there are no results are now displayed in red.
  [NCR63]

GSA 8.1 build 3 New Features — Graphic View — General

• Where several diagrams of similar data are displayed the automatic scaling now applies the same scale to those diagrams. For example, auto-scaling Fx, Fy and Fz reaction diagrams now produces the same scale for each diagram.

GSA 8.1 build 3 Fixes

GSA 8.1 build 3 Fixes — General

• When using the COM interface to extract output, calling CComAuto::Output_Init to request REF_FORCE_EL1D_MZZ output returns 'invalid DataRef'.
  [NCR59] (Fixed 5 July 2005; released in Gsa.exe 8.1.2)
• In the materials wizard when using 'code defined concrete properties' to set up a material the magnitude of non-SI data is confused.
  [NCR68] (Fixed 21 July 2005)
• The reading, writing and importing of user modules ignores model units.
  [NCR69] (Fixed 21 July 2005)
• When a GWA import fails the existing model is reset leaving an empty model, though this is not evident from the currently displayed views.
  [NCR70] (Fixed 21 July 2005)

GSA 8.1 build 3 Fixes — GsRaft Solver

• GWB files containing VDisp Displacement Grid data saved by GSA 8.1 cannot be read.
  [NCR65] (Fixed 13 July 2005)

GSA 8.1 build 3 Fixes — RC Slab Design

• In the RC Slab Reinforcement output the note is always displayed as 'undefined' for envelope cases whether or not the reinforcement calculation was successful.
  (The note may be ignored; if a reinforcement area is displayed then the reinforcement calculation was successful.)
  [NCR66] (Fixed 20 July 2005)

GSA 8.1 build 3 Fixes — Steel Design

• BS5950 and LRFD steel design crashes when attempting to check an RHS section that has the top and bottom thickness different to the thickness of side walls.
  [NCR71] (Fixed 29 July 2005)

GSA 8.1 build 3 Fixes — Output Views

• Output of results 'by case' occasionally only reports results for the first node. Typically this is where there are no results for the first three components of the result. E.g. where reactions are for rotation only restraints.
  [NCR64] (Fixed 15 July 2005)

GSA 8.1 build 3 Fixes — Graphic Views

• Attempting to move the message box that is displayed when using sculpt to create user axes from elements causes GSA to freeze.
  [NCR58] (Fixed 5 July 2005)

GSA 8.1 New Features

GSA 8.1 New Features — General

• There have been various enhancements to the COM interface. Refer to the [release notes](downloads/gsa8.1/GsaReleaseNotes.htm#COM Automation) for more details.
• Various features have been implemented to facilitate the importing and exporting of GSA data. Refer to the [release notes](downloads/gsa8.1/GsaReleaseNotes.htm#Import and Export of GSA Data) for more details.
• The organisation of analysis case and analysis task definition data has been rationalised and access to this data has been improved. Refer to the [release notes](downloads/gsa8.1/GsaReleaseNotes.htm#Analysis Tasks) for more details.
• Analysis envelopes have been implemented. Refer to the [release notes](downloads/gsa8.1/GsaReleaseNotes.htm#Analysis Envelopes) for more details.
• View lists have been implemented. Refer to the [release notes](downloads/gsa8.1/GsaReleaseNotes.htm#View Lists) for more details.
• Gravity loads are now applied to a list of elements, defaulting to 'all' elements. This allows gravity loads to be split between different load cases to facilitate the consideration of adverse and beneficial loading.
• Wizards are now available for all loading modules. (Previously wizards were only available for grid loading.)
• It is now possible to delete all loads of a particular type or, indeed, all loading by right-clicking on the respective branch on the Tables tab of the Gateway.
• Writing gwa files now uses the current unit set. Reading gwa files makes use of the units specified in the file. The units can be changed at any point in the file so that different parts of the model can be read in different units.
• Data can be exported from GSA as an OpenSees (opens new window) tcl file for advanced seismic analysis. Only geometry information is exported. This option should be used with caution.
• The Results tab on the Object Viewer now offers 'displayed result' as the default output option. In this setting clicking on an entity (node, element or member) in a Graphic View causes the currently displayed result in that Graphic View to be reported in the Object Viewer. The currently displayed result in the Graphic View is determined by the following precedence:
  1. The contoured data, if contouring is displayed.
  2. The last specified diagram, if any diagrams are displayed.
  3. Node or element displacements (depending on whether a node or element is clicked), if the deformed image is displayed.
• Improvements have been made to the material wizard so that user defined concrete materials can be specified that comply with design codes (BS8110, BS5400, EC2, ACI318, ACI318(M) and AS3600). These are available if the material type is set to conctete. These materials should be used in preference to the standard short term and long term concrete materials.
• When defining a new model it is now possible to define user materials before creating a new model. The materials defined at this stage are available in the new data generation wizard.
• A new option has been introduced in the Tools menu to allow elements to be modified so that orientation nodes are removed and replaced by an orientation angle.
• The value of Poisson's ratio for an elastic material cannot exceed 0.5, however, in some instances it is useful to be able increase the Poisson's ratio to model particular effects. For plane stress and plate bending the value can be increased up to 1 before the stiffness terms start to become negative. The limit on Poisson's ratio has been increased to allow this although a severe warning is issued if the value exceeds 0.5.
• A preference has been introduced to allow the output to GWA/text files and via COM to be at either default precision or high precision. The new high precision option aims to retain all the significant figures in the data.
• A specific envelope permutation can now be specified in case lists to allow the output of results for just that permutation in Output Views and contours and diagrams in Graphic Views. Specifying C3p5 in a case list refers to the fifth permutation in combination case three, which should be an enveloping combination.
• The data defaults are now accessible from a dialog and removed from the Object Viewer.
• SRSS combinations are now available. Specifying a combination case as SRSS(A1, C2, ...), where the factors are simple combinations, evaluates to the square root of the sum of squares.
• There is now an option in the tools menu to calculate cross strain energy density. This calculation is similar to the calculation of strain energy density but involves the product of "forces" from one analysis case with "displacements" from another.
• The Manage Data dialog now offers options to renumber nodes and elements along a vector and to delete lists of nodes and elements. The data management operations are also generally faster than in earlier versions.
• A 'timed backup' is now only saved at the start of an analysis if changes have been made to the model since the last timed backup and if the timed backup interval is greater than zero.
• There is now an option to define the Eurocode 8:2003 spectrum for response spectrum analysis. This is in addition to the Eurocode 8:1994 spectrum.
• The user module ID in GWA files may now be set as zero; this causes the user module to be created as the highest+1 user module (i.e. appended). Specifying a user module ID greater than zero now causes any existing user module ID data to be overwritten.
  (This adjustment enables user modules to be written to GSA via the COM interface using GwaCommand.)
  Functionality in previous versions required a user module ID greater than zero and the module was always appended.
• A new tool has been introduced in the "Tools | Seismic Options" menu which allows calculation of storey mass and inertia, based on the mass specified in an existing dynamic analysis.
• The Chinese catalogue has been added to the section database.

GSA 8.1 New Features — Interface Enhancements

• Saved and preferred Graphic Views and Output Views can now be printed without opening the view in GSA. Refer to the [release notes](downloads/gsa8.1/GsaReleaseNotes.htm#Batch Printing of Views) for more details.
• The new Undo View and Redo View commands allow multiple undoing and redoing of view settings. Each change to the view settings (e.g. rotate, zoom, labels, diagrams, contours in Graphic Views or data option, case list, by property in Output Views) adds an undo step to the undo buffer.
  Separate undo buffers are preserved for each Graphic View and each Output View.
• New copy and paste of view settings options allow view settings to be copied from one view to another and from one model to another.
• The Lists toolbar automatically resizes to the width of the view, resizing the width of the cases and display comboboxes accordingly. This gives scope to display wide lists in wide views.
• New toolbar buttons allow convenient stepping forwards and backwards through cases and display options.
• The Sculpt toolbar has been modified as follows.
  • All frequently used sculpt commands are now available on the new Command toolbar. On the Command toolbar is the Command combobox from which sculpt commands may be selected.
    The Command combobox is initialised with a list of commonly used sculpt options. However this list is dynamic in that the most recently used command is placed at the top of the list, whether the command has been picked from the Sculpt menu or from the Command combo box. Several 2D element sculpt commands are appended to the combobox list when 2D elements are present or added to the model. The selected command is then executed by clicking the Execute Command button on the toolbar.
    This new functionality allows rapid repetition of a sculpt operation and easier access to all sculpt commands used frequently within a session.
  • Whether the Command toolbar is displayed or not is registered across sessions. (I.e. It behaves as most other toolbars.)
  • The introduction of the Command toolbar has enabled a rationalisation of the Sculpt toolbar, resulting in fewer buttons on the toolbar.
• The new 'Edit | Select String' command selects a string of elements aligned with and attached to any currently selected elements. If the current cursor mode is 'Select Nodes' then it is the nodes attached to the string of elements that are selected.
  The 'Edit | Select String' command may also be used to extend the current polyline by appending points at the positions of aligned, displayed nodes or grid points.
  The 'straightness tolerance' preference is used to determine whether an item is aligned, so curved lines of nodes and elements and curved polylines can be selected using this command.
• The new 'Edit | Select Highest Coincident' command removes from the current node or element selection set all but the highest numbered coincident items.
  This command offers a convenient means of selecting coincident nodes or elements so as to move or delete them.
• The new 'Edit | Select Out-Of-Range' command selects all entities for which the currently contoured data is out of the range of the current contour settings. (Only enabled when contours are specified.)
• The following new increment operators available in Table Views copy the value from the same cell in the preceding record and perform an operation on that. They apply to numeric fields only.
  • +=f to add f to the copied value.
  • -=f to subtract f from the copied value.
  • *=f to multiply the copied value by f.
  • /=f to divide the copied value by f.If the increment, f, is omitted then the default value is used as the increment.

GSA 8.1 New Features — Output Options

Option

Output Views

Diagrams

Contours

Labels

Properties > A * Ky, A * Kz

new

new

Properties > E * A, E * Iyy, E * Izz

new

new

Properties > G * J, G * A * Ky, G * A * Kz

new

new

2D element loading

new

Soil interaction numbers

new

Soil interaction areas

new

RC slab reinforcement > top , bottom

new

Element Strain Energy

new

new

• Gravity loads may now be displayed as diagrams.
  • Gravity loads on beam elements are displayed as 'Beam Loads, Force' diagrams.
  • Gravity loads on 2D elements are displayed as 'Face Pressures' diagrams. These include any additional mass specified in the 2D element property.
  • Gravity loads on mass elements are displayed as 'Node Loads, Force' diagrams.(All these diagrams are included in the 'All loading' diagram setting.)
• Most load diagrams in Graphic Views are now drawn in the direction of the load, by default. The 'Draw loads as components in output axes directions' option is offered on the Diagram Settings dialog to enable load diagrams to be broken down into components (i.e. to provide the functionality offered in earlier versions of GSA).
  Beam loads are always broken down into components in output axes directions.

GSA 8.1 New Features — Output View

• The underlying Output View code has been overhauled offering several benefits to the user, as follows.
  • Capability to produce Greek text, subscripts, superscripts and coloured text.
  • Preparation of output in a separate thread, allowing interruption of the output preparation process.
  • Re-use of the prepared data for exporting to file and for switching between space separated, tab separated and grid output making these operations faster.
  • Export in Rich Text Format (added to the previous tab seperated, comma separated and HTML export capability).
  • Output is striped with a pale grey background for alternate items, improving legibility.
  • The grid style output is now produced by giving the 'Output | Grid Window' command when an Output View is open. This opens a Grid Output View that coexists with the standard Output View.
• The 'Titles and Case Details' output option has been split into three separate options: 'Titles and Model Statistics', 'Analysis Details' and 'Combination Case Details'.
• Areas of 2D elements are now reported in the Elements output.
• Element Direction Cosine output is now available for all element types. (Previously this was only available for beam elements.)
• Saved view settings may now be edited prior to display by giving the Edit command on the Gateway, Views tab right-click menu.
• The new 'Output | Generate User Modules' command creates user modules containing each component and each case currently displayed in the Output View.
• In the Rich Text Output View Font dialog ('Window | Settings | Font') the percentage reduction in font size for condensed printed output may now be specified. Previously this was set to 60%.
• Totals are now included in the table summary for some data components, e.g. element lengths and element strain energy.

GSA 8.1 New Features — Graphic View — General

• When an RC slab reinforcement option is selected for display by contours, contour values are initialised to values equating to standard bar sizes and spacings.
  When the model units are imperial contour values equate to bar sizes #4, #5, #6 and #8 at 8" and 6" c/c; otherwise contour values equate to bar sizes T12, T16, T20 and T25 at 200mm and 150mm c/c.
• When RC slab reinforcement is displayed, whether as diagrams or contours, the legend now reports the reinforcement angles and concrete and steel strengths, but only if these are the same for all elements drawn.
• Graphic View animation can now animate by stepping through a list of cases. This is automatically invoked if, at the time of requesting animation, the Graphic View cases list identifies several load cases or several results cases (i.e. analysis cases and/or combination cases).
• The 'Animation Settings | Period of animation' is no longer limited to 10s.
• 'Animation Settings | Override with modal period if animating mode shape' may now be used to automatically animate at the modal period.
• The printed image scale is now saved with preferred views.
• 2D element diagrams are now drawn darker and dashed when representing negative values. This replaces the arrow heads that represented negative values in previous versions.
• When diagram extents are specified the out of range portion of diagrams can now be hidden from display using the 'Hide excluded diagrams' option in the Diagram Settings dialog box.
• The contour values listed in the legend are now not affected by the font height scaling factor.
• Contour colours may now be specified. Contour colours are specified in the new Contour Values dialog (which also offers an improved method for specifying contour values).
• 'Don't paint white contours' is a new contour setting that causes contours that would have been white to be left unpainted. This includes out-of-range contours and contour intervals that are specified as being white.
• When in the Select Nodes or Select Elements cursor mode it is possible to select items by pasting a list from the clipboard directly into the Graphic View. Now the list can be 'CR' separated (i.e. a column of entries) or tab separated.
• If a saved Graphic View named 'startup' (not case sensitive) exists in a model than that view is displayed upon opening the model.
• Saved view settings may now be edited prior to display by giving the Edit command on the Gateway, Views tab right-click menu.
• When the new 'Print by case' option is selected in the Graphic Settings wizard each case identified in the current case list is printed on a separate sheet. If the 'Recalculate displayed data scales on change of case' preference is set then data scales will be recalculated for each page.
  This option has similar effect when saving the image to WMF, JPeg or PNG file. In this circumstance each case is saved to a separate file with the case reference being appended to the specified filename. E.g. saving cases 'A1 A2' to PNG file specified as 'image' would result in 'image_A1.png' and 'image_A2.png' being saved.
• The Saved Image Settings preferences now allow the resolution to be selected as either screen resolution or print resolution (118 pixels/cm) and the image size to be specified for JPeg and PNG format saved images. This enables much larger and much higher resolution images to be saved (in much bigger files!).
• The total area of selected 2D elements is now reported in the Selection Properties.
• It is now possible to switch off the display of elements that are not included in the current stage.
  The 'Draw dummy elements' option on the Display Methods page of the Labels and Display Methods dialog has been renamed 'Draw inactive elements'. When set, dummy elements and elements not included in the current stage are drawn as wire-frame (as in previous versions), otherwise such inactive elements are not drawn.
• When rolling the mouse wheel to zoom, if the cursor is over the Graphic View then the zoom now occurs pinned at the cursor position. (Previously it was pinned at the centre of the window.)
• The new Shade Surfaces option adjusts the colour of colour filled areas depending on the incidence of the surface to the position of the point light source, the colour of the point light and the colour of the ambient light.
  The position of the point light source can be defined as being at the current eye position using the Shine Light From Here command. The lighting settings can be specified explicitly in the Lighting Settings dialog box.
• The new 'Graphics | Generate User Module' command creates a user module containing the currently contoured data.
• 'Selection Properties' for a selection of elements now displays the total length, total mass and total surface area of selected Beams, Bars, Ties and Struts, and the total area, total element mass and total additional mass of selected 2D elements.
• The structure scale is now reported to a minimum of three significant figures overiding the current numeric format if that produces less precision.
• A warning is now displayed in the legend to indicate that data scaling is unreliable when the image has been zoomed since the last Regenerate (F5) and a data scale is reported.
• The node, element and member lists entered in the Graphic View Find dialog are remembered for a model while that model remains open.
• While the new 'Apply adornments to selection' option is set any labels, contours or diagrams specified are applied to the current selection only. If no appropriate selection exists then the adornments are applied to all.
• 'Cur.Grid' is now offered as a display type on the Lists toolbar, allowing the current grid to be selected from the display list.
• The new 'Orient About Grid Axes' option causes orientation operations to be carried out with respect to the axes of the current grid instead of global axes.

GSA 8.1 New Features — Graphic View — Sculpt

• If the current cursor mode is not appropriate for a given sculpt command and it is obvious what is intended then the cursor mode is automatically changed.
• The grid spacing for the default grid now defaults to 1ft. when the model units are imperial.
• The new 'Straighten Line of Nodes' sculpt option aligns selected nodes, either maintaining the original spacing proportions or spacing evenly.
• The new 'Transform Geometry' sculpt option allows nodal coordinates of selected nodes to be transformed to a position expressed as a function of the original position of the node.
  Normal mathematical notation is used in expressions. E.g. 'z + abs( sin(x) ) * pi'
• The 'Split 1D Elements' dialog box now allows the split to be specified from end 2.
• The 'Modify Elements' dialog box now allows the orientation angle to be modified to or by a number of degrees.
• There is now a 'Connect 1D Elements' option. This connects selected crossing elements by splitting them and connecting the split elements to a common node at the point of intersection.
• There is now a 'Disconnect Elements' option. This disconnects selected elements at the specified end from the original node by attaching them to a new node coincident with the original. There is an option to create a joint between the original and new nodes.
• The new 'Extrude Selection' command generates nodes and elements by a specified number and length of increments. The extrusion is based on either a polyline or a set of nodes or elements and is generated along a specified axis of a specified axis set or along a specified alignment, if any have been defined.
• The 'Copy / Move Selection' option now sets the default shift vector to the first line of the current polyline.
• The option to 'Modify Linear 2D to Parabolic' is now accessible directly. Previously this operation could only be invoked through the Modify Elements option.
• 'Replace references to old elements with references to new' is now an option in the Split 1D Elements, Split Quad Elements, Refine Quad Elements and Split Tri Elements dialog boxes. Previously this happened without option.
• User axes based on element axes can now be created for a selection of elements.
• In 'Split 1D Elements' and 'Connect 1D Elements' when 'Split loads and replace references to old elements with references to new' is selected, beam loading on old elements is now mapped onto the new elements. This overcomes the 'saw-tooth' load pattern arising from splitting an element with a linearly varying load applied.
• Sculpt options are now available for the creation of all load types. (Previously only grid loading could be created graphically.)
• When, in the sculpt 'Create beam load' command, a patch load is specified to extend beyond the end of the beam to which it is applied the load is automatically 'broken up' and applied to the string of beam(s) that are positioned to take the load, if they exist.
• The new sculpt options 'Map Node Loads', 'Map Beam Loads' and 'Map Face Loads' allow node loads, beam loads and face loads to be applied to selected nodes, 1D and 2D elements, respectively, with loading values expressed as a function of the position of the item being loaded.
  Normal mathematical notation is used in expressions. E.g. 'z + abs( sin(x) ) * pi'

GSA 8.1 New Features — Gss Solver

• The results of a modal analysis are mode shapes rather than displacements and as such can be scaled arbitrarily. Up till now the scaling has been to give a maximum displacement in the mode of 1m. For those using non-SI units this results in somewhat arbitrary magnitudes for the modes shapes. It is now possible to scale either for unit modal displacement or unit modal mass. The units used for the scaling are the current model units.
• A conjugate gradient solver has been impemented in GSS. Refer to the [release notes](downloads/gsa8.1/GsaReleaseNotes.htm#Conjugate Gradient Solver) for more details.
• The Ritz analysis option is now available.
  As with the modal dynamic analysis option, there is an option to include P-delta effects. The Ritz P-delta option is offered for testing purposes and should be used with caution.
• The calculation of modal damping is now available in modal and Ritz analysis. This modal damping is then used in response spectrum analysis.

GSA 8.1 New Features — GsRelax Solver

• After form-finding analysis the option is now given to save the spacer element forces as prestress load applied to 1D elements that coincide with the spacer elements.

GSA 8.1 New Features — Response Spectrum Analysis

• The user can now specify either constant or variable damping for the response spectrum calculations.
• The user can now specify an axis for the basic responses, so that responses in skew directions can be examined.

GSA 8.1 New Features — Raft Analysis

• There are new Graphic View labelling options for soil interaction numbers and soil interaction areas.

GSA 8.1 New Features — Bridge Analysis

• A new option has been introduced in the Bridge Analysis option allowing results from the final static analysis to be condensed. If this option is selected only results relating to the specified influence effects are retained.
• Improvements to the bridge optimisation have resulted in optimisation of the bridge loading being at least an order of magnitude faster .
• UK Assessment Loading to BD86/01 has been added to the Standard Bridge Loading options.

GSA 8.1 New Features — Steel Design

• Steel design implemented to AISC LRFD3 for I, H, CHS and RHS sections.

GSA 8.1 New Features — Concrete Design

• The following design codes may now be selected from which RC Slab will draw code dependent input and derived data: BS8110, BS5400, Hong Kong Code of Practice, EC2, ACI318, AS3600.
• If EC2 is chosen as the design code, then a specific country may be selected in order that the concrete's uncracked design strength and tensile strength may be derived using appropriate country-specific factors. These country-specific factors are stored in a Nationally Determined Parameters data file.
• An increased number of RC Slab's input and derived data parameters may be overridden by the user.
• Minimum areas of reinforcement may now be specified for each reinforcement direction in each face.
• Results for areas of reinforcement may differ between GSA 8.0 and GSA 8.1 for the reasons below.
  • Minimum areas of reinforcement may be specified in GSA 8.1.
  • GSA 8.1 introduces limits on the values of x/d (the proportion of the effective depth that is in compression) in accordance with design code requirements.
  • GSA 8.1 has a modified procedure for deciding whether to stress all layers or only the outer one. The revised approach is more logical and assures greater strain compatibility.
  • GSA 8.1 allows minimum areas of steel and minimum eccentricities to be specified. The changes bring the algorithms closer to the requirements of BS8110 and the other design codes that are now supported.
  • If the user has not chosen to 'modify' data via the RC Slab Design Properties Wizard, then GSA 8.0 uses an uncracked concrete design strength of 40% of cube strength, and a cracked concrete design strength of 30% of cube strength. However, GSA 8.1 uses 0.67 x design strength/s.f., and 1.6 x sqrt(design strength) respectively for BS8110.

GSA 8.1 New Features — SpecGen

• none

GSA 8.1 Fixes

GSA 8.1 Fixes — General

• If 'No Equal Segments' is specified when importing DXF files that contain arcs, then some arcs may be drawn incorrectly as the complementary arc to that which is required. The alternative specification of arc import as 'Minimum Arc Angle' does not exhibit this bug.
  [NCR35] (Fixed 11 August 2004)
• When using the GSA/COM interface, the NumArg function returns 1 greater than the number of arguments.
  [NCR39] (Fixed 2 September 2004)
• For very short beam elements the local axes are calculated incorrectly. Displaying the element axes graphically will reveal the problem. The only solution at present is to ensure that the element size does not get too small.
  [NCR40] (Fixed 2 September 2004)
• In the display of projected 2D element load diagrams incorrectly calculates the "projection factor", resulting in too much load being displayed on elements inclined relative to the load direction.
  A similar problem calculating the projected loads in the GSS solver was addressed by an earlier fix. (See bug report 8.0/58).
  [NCR42] (Fixed 8 September 2004)
• Multiple blocks in a table can be selected using control and shift options. Any find/replace or modify operation on the selected cells results in the operation being applied to all the cells in a block bounding all the selected cells.
  [NCR44] (Fixed 12 October 2004)
• Having imported an element user module into a 2D element model and then saved this to GWB, the element user module 2D element centre values are lost (i.e. set to zero) when reading the GWB file.
  This bug does not apply to GWA file I/O.
  [NCR45] (Fixed 22 November 2004)
• When offset plate elements are exported to a NASTRAN file the offset directions are wrong.
  [NCR47] (Fixed 17 December 2004)
• The side and top/bottom dimensions of RHS sections were switched when reporting the section properties.
  [NCR48] (Fixed 4 January 2005)
• DXF file import of a polygon mesh always imported as triangular elements even when quad elements were requested.
  [NCR50] (Fixed 1 April 2005)
• DXF file import of a 3D polyline can result in the nodes that define the polyline's vertices having their z coordinates doubled.
  [NCR51] (Fixed 5 May 2005)
• When using 'Create new model from deformed geometry' and scaling by other than one bizarre orientation angles are produced.
  (The option to 'Adjust orientation angles for rotational deformation' has been added to the 'Create new model from deformed geometry' dialog to highlight the fact that this happens in the new model generation and to allow this to be switched off.)
  [NCR52] (Fixed 11 May 2005)

GSA 8.1 Fixes — Gss Solver

• Effective masses sum to greater than the total mass in models with rigid links.
  [NCR46] (Fixed 29 November 2004)
• Settlement loads in a local direction to an inclined 2D element were applied incorrectly.
  [NCR49] (Fixed 13 January 2005)
• In axisymmetric analysis with thermal loading the hoop component of the thermal strain was ignored in setting up the load vector resulting in incorrect displacements.
  In axisymmetric and plane strain analysis with thermal loads the thermal strains were not excluded from the calculation of the element stresses.
  [NCR54] (Fixed 8 June 2005)
• When link elements were combined with 2D elements the links would in some cases fail due to the automatic constraint option failing to detect the link master nodes and consequently appling an (incorrect) axis transformation to the link master.
  [NCR55] (Fixed 9 June 2005)

GSA 8.1 Fixes — GsRelax Solver

• none

GSA 8.1 Fixes — GsSpec Solver

• none

GSA 8.1 Fixes — GsRaft Solver

• none

GSA 8.1 Fixes — GsBridge Solver

• none

GSA 8.1 Fixes — RC Slab Design

• none

GSA 8.1 Fixes — Steel Design

• In BS5950 code checking the effective to gross area ratio is used instead of the effective area for slender CHS sections in the buckling capacity checks.
  [NCR9] (Fixed 27 January 2004)

GSA 8.1 Fixes — Table Views

• none

GSA 8.1 Fixes — Output Views

• none

GSA 8.1 Fixes — Graphic Views

• Contouring the deformed elevation displays incorrect values for the centre point of Tri elements.
  [NCR11] (Fixed 30 January 2004)

GSA 8.0 build 34 — New Features

• none

GSA 8.0 build 34 — Fixes

GSA 8.0 build 34 Fixes — General

• Modified check on Poisson's ratio for plane stress and plate bending elements. Values of 0.5 or more give severe warnings and values of 1 or more give an error.
  [NCR36] (Fixed 18 August 2004; released in GsCheck.exe 8.0.31)
• When using the GSA/COM interface, operations on 2D Polylines access the Grid Plane data instead.
  [NCR37] (Fixed 19 August 2004; released in GsFile.dll 8.0.31)
• GSA crashes when attempting to open a model on machines that do not have a current printer assigned.
  [NCR38] (Fixed 25 August 2004; released in Gsa.exe 8.0.33)

GSA 8.0 build 34 Fixes — Gss Solver

• Temperature load cases do not converge if the model contains tie elements.
  [NCR29] (Fixed 24 May 2004; released in GSS.dll 8.0.31)
• When applying initial strains or lack-of-fit loading to non-linear elements (ties, struts or cables) a non-linear correction force of the wrong sign was applied.
  [NCR32] (Fixed 19 July 2004; released in GSS.dll 8.0.32)
• For pre-stress loads with non-linear elements (ties, struts or cables) the non-linear correction force omitted the load case factor. So, for analysis case A1 = 1.4L1 the factor 1.4 would be ignored.
  [NCR33] (Fixed 19 July 2004; released in GSS.dll 8.0.32)
• In buckling analysis the geometric stiffness is calculated from the forces from a linear static analysis. These forces are calculated from the displacements. For pin-ended elements, the degrees of freedom at the releases were handled incorrectly, leading to incorrect geometric stiffness in these elements.
  [NCR34] (Fixed 29 July 2004; released in GSS.dll 8.0.33)

GSA 8.0 build 34 Fixes — GsRelax Solver

• none

GSA 8.0 build 34 Fixes — GsSpec Solver

• Response results are not calculated for the centres of 2D elements.
  [NCR43] (Fixed 24 September 2004; released in GdSpec.dll 8.0.34)

GSA 8.0 build 34 Fixes — GsRaft Solver

• none

GSA 8.0 build 34 Fixes — GsBridge Solver

• none

GSA 8.0 build 34 Fixes — RC Slab Design

• none

GSA 8.0 build 34 Fixes — Steel Design

• none

GSA 8.0 build 34 Fixes — Table Views

• none

GSA 8.0 build 34 Fixes — Output Views

• none

GSA 8.0 build 34 Fixes — Graphic Views

• none

GSA 8.0 build 30 — New Features

• The COM Automation interface has been extended as follows:
  • Function 'NumArg( string )' returns the number of comma separated arguments in string.
  • Function 'Arg( index, string )' returns the index'th comma separated argument in string.
  • Function 'IsItemIncluded( option, item, string )' returns true if option, item is included in list string, where option is NODE, ELEM, MEMBER, CASE etc.
  • 'ADD' and 'SET_AT' GwaCommand options facilitate the editing of collection table modules (e.g. Beam Loads).A draft updated 'Programming and Command Line Interface' chapter of the user manual is available on the GSA downloads page.
• The automatic sizing of the construction grid in Graphic Views now ignores the current orientation and is based on the structure footprint on the grid, plus margin.
• Memory allocation in the GSS analysis has been tuned to allow larger analyses to be carried out more efficiently.

GSA 8.0 build 30 — Fixes

GSA 8.0 build 30 Fixes — General

• Carrying out large edit operations (such as executing 'expand grid loading' or deleting more than 10 elements at a time) several times in a GSA session causes GSA to make excessive demands on system memory ultimately causing GSA to crash.
  This bug has existed since the first build of GSA 8.0.
  [NCR7] (Fixed 23 January 2004)
• Editing operations launched from the Tools menu (such as 'expand grid loading') do not lock the data to prevent simultaneous editing by another thread, resulting in corruption of the data.
  A likely circumstance in which such corruptions arise is when the automatic timed backup is invoked during the execution of a tool. It is advisable to switch off the timed backup facility ('Options | Preferences | Miscellaneous | Timed backup interval' = 0) while executing tools until a fix is implemented.
  [NCR8] (Fixed 22 January 2004)
• When exporting 3D sections to DXF vertical elements are rotated by 90°.
  When exporting 3D sections to DXF sections are centred on the GSA section origin instead of the section centroid.
  [NCR10] (Fixed 28 January 2004)
• Opening a GWA file that does not have the data units declared (i.e. no UNIT_DATA records) assumes the data is in the preferred units. The units should default to SI in this circumstance.
  Data units in GWA files were introduced in GSA 8.0 build 27. This bug only affects the reading of GWA files that were written by versions of GSA earlier than GSA 8.0 build 27 and GWA files not written by GSA; GWA files written by GSA 8.0 build 27 are not affected.
  [NCR12] (Fixed 30 January 2004)
• A user material with default shear modulus of E/2(1+nu) set, saved to GWA and then read back into GSA is evaluated instead of retaining the default formulaic setting.
  ( The fixed code still writes the evaluated default but, upon reading, compares the read value with the default and, if the same, sets the shear modulus to the default E/2(1+nu). )
  [NCR15] (Fixed 5 February 2004)
• When saving/reading spring properties to a gwa file the units are converted incorrectly. Instead of force/length or moment/rotation units, length or rotation units are used.
  [NCR16] (Fixed 17 February 2004)
• When importing a DXF file into GSA while the DXF is currently open in another program, e.g. AutoCAD or IntelliCAD, GSA crashes after emitting the warning that the file could not be opened. As a work-around the DXF file should be closed in all other programs before being imported into GSA.
  [NCR18] (Fixed 18 March 2004)
• Load types HL-93, M1600, S1600 do not appear in the bridge Path Loading wizard.
  Load types are duplicated in the bridge Path Loading table.
  [NCR20] (Fixed 22 March 2004)
• In the 'Properties' display for Section Properties the unit conversion for Zy and Zz uses a dimension of [L^4] but should use [L^3] (though the unit label is displayed correctly).
  [NCR24] (Fixed 31 March 2004)
• When bending stresses are calculated for doubly unsymmetric sections and the 'Stress Calc. Basis' is set to 'Use modified properties', Iyz = 0 is used in the calculation of the bending stress.
  This has been corrected such that if the properties are not modified then the correct Iyz is used; otherwise the bending (and combined) stresses are not reported.
  [NCR25] (Fixed 23 April 2004)
• 'Manage Data' options fail to replace or delete node or element references in lists that include the 'not' keyword.
  [NCR22] (Fixed 26 April 2004)

GSA 8.0 build 30 Fixes — Gss Solver

• GSS results are invalid for models in which pre-stress load is applied to non-linear elements.
  This problem affects models with cable, tie and strut elements which are subject to a pre-stress force, initial strain or lack-of-fit loading. Tendon pre-stress does not cause a problem.
  [NCR27] (Fixed 7 May 2004)

GSA 8.0 build 30 Fixes — GsRelax Solver

• none

GSA 8.0 build 30 Fixes — GsSpec Solver

• none

GSA 8.0 build 30 Fixes — GsRaft Solver

• none

GSA 8.0 build 30 Fixes — GsBridge Solver

• In bridge optimisation to UK and HK codes HB and HA loads are sometimes allowed to overlap incorrectly.
  This bug did not exist in GSA 8.0 build 15.
  [NCR13] (Fixed 30 January 2004)

GSA 8.0 build 30 Fixes — RC Slab Design

• none

GSA 8.0 build 30 Fixes — Steel Design

• GSA crashes when attempting to produce Steel Design Summary or Steel Design Calcs for an invalid member; - i.e. a member that refers to non-existent nodes.
  [NCR23] (Fixed 31 March 2004)

GSA 8.0 build 30 Fixes — Table Views

• none

GSA 8.0 build 30 Fixes — Output Views

• The formatting of beam stresses sorted 'by case' is corrupted.
  This is caused by an extra 'Stress Calc. Basis' field being added per element resulting in fields to the right of this being shunted further to the right per element.
  [NCR21] (Fixed 25 March 2004)

GSA 8.0 build 30 Fixes — Graphic Views

• GSA fails to display grid area loads applied to the whole plane when there is a failure in the panel identification for any currently defined grid plane.
  [NCR19] (Fixed 22 March 2004)

GSA 8.0 build 27 — New Features

• Writing gwa files now uses the current unit set. Reading gwa files makes use of the units specified in the file. The units can be changed at any point in the file so that different parts of the model can be read in different units.
• The COM Automation interface has been extended to include the following options:
  • Creation of new GSA models.
  • Setting GSA data directly from a spreadsheet.
  • Interrogating the GSA data.
  • Extracting data from GSA.
• Data can be exported from GSA as an OpenSees (opens new window) tcl file for advanced seismic analysis. Only geometry information is exported. This option should be used with caution.
• The Results tab on the Object Viewer now offers 'displayed result' as the default output option. In this setting clicking on an entity (node, element or member) in a Graphic View causes the currently displayed result in that Graphic View to be reported in the Object Viewer. The currently displayed result in the Graphic View is determined by the following precedence:
  1. The contoured data, if contouring is displayed.
  2. The last specified diagram, if any diagrams are displayed.
  3. Node or element displacements (depending on whether a node or element is clicked), if the deformed image is displayed.
• Graphic View animation can now animate by stepping through a list of cases. This is automatically invoked if, at the time of requesting animation, the Graphic View cases list identifies several load cases or several results cases (i.e. analysis cases and/or combination cases).
• 'RC slab reinforcement, top' and 'RC slab reinforcement, bottom' diagrams are now available. Lines are drawn of length scaled according to the area of reinforcement, oriented in the direction of the reinforcement.
• The Split 1D Elements dialog box now allows the split to be specified from end 2.
• There is now a Connect 1D Elements option. This connects selected crossing elements by splitting them and connecting the split elements to a common node at the point of intersection.
• 'Replace references to old elements with references to new' is now an option in the Split 1D Elements dialog box. Previously this happened without option.
• In Split 1D Elements and Connect 1D Elements when 'Split loads and replace references to old elements with references to new' is selected, beam loading on old elements is now mapped onto the new elements. This overcomes the 'saw-tooth' load pattern arising from splitting an element with a linearly varying load applied.
• When RC slab reinforcement is displayed, whether as diagrams or contours, the legend now reports the reinforcement angles and concrete and steel strengths, but only if these are the same for all elements drawn.

GSA 8.0 build 27 — Fixes

GSA 8.0 build 27 Fixes — General

• Calculation of rotations along an element where the element has releases does not allow for the local/global transformation relating nodal displacements and rotations to those in the element.
  [8.0/44] (Fixed 17 April 2003)
• The list of user axes offered in the Axes dialog box is confused by blanks in the Axes table. If the highest user axis set is 5 and there are two blank axis sets then the dialog box offers only the non-blank axes in the range 1 to 3.
  [8.0/46] (Fixed 9 May 2003)
• Various minor issues in grid loading can cause the grid load expansion to fail.
  [8.0/48] (Fixed 28 April 2003)
• Commands that delete loading by modifying the load record entity list do not modify the loads that the Graphic View and solvers recognise until the model is saved and re-opened.
  For example, using the 'Sculpt | Delete Displayed Loading' command to delete loads from some of the elements in a loading record will modify the element list in the loading table to exclude the elements but will continue to display the loading in the Graphic View and will include the 'deleted' loading in any analysis until the model is saved and re-opened.
  Deleting loads applied to all elements in a loading record successfully deletes the loading record.
  [8.0/49] (Fixed 27 May 2003)
• The "Cut Section Force" and "Storey Displacements and Forces" options can give wrong answers with 1D elements if some of the elements are reversed compared with the others. The forces in the reversed elements attract the opposite sign to the other elements leading to the wrong totals.
  [8.0/50] (Fixed 12 June 2003)
• Grid loads may not be applied propertly to panels that are inclined relative to the grid plane. For flat, inclined panels this is shown by the load stopping short of the end of the elements. For inclined panels, which are not flat, the panels can (wrongly) be assumed to be re-entrant and are then excluded from loading.
  [8.0/51] (Fixed 26 June 2003)
• Importing DXF files can crash GSA if no element type is associated with the entities in the drawing.
  [8.0/52] (Fixed 2 July 2003)
• When using the New Model Wizard to create 2D elements, two spacer properties are generated automatically when either the 2D Element Grid dialog or the 2D Element Orthogonal Grid dialog is opened. These properties are incorrectly generated for versions of GSA that are not licenced for Form Finding. However, when saved, the data file cannot then be reopened by such versions of GSA, and the error message "Some of the data in this file is for non-licenced features" is shown.
  To avoid this bug, when using a version of GSA that is not licenced for Form Finding do not use the New Model Wizard to create 2D element grids. Instead create a 2D element in the graphic view, and split this element into the number required by Sculpt | 2D Element Operations | Split Quad Elements.
  [8.0/53] (Fixed 16 July 2003)
• Expanding panel loads sometimes fails with panels that consist of multiple elements along panel edges. This occurs if the nodes are not on a straight line and the panel is identified as re-entrant. This problem can be avoided by flexing the nodes along the edge so that it forms a straight line. A new DLL fixes this problem so that the straightness tolerance is correctly used to check for re-entrant panels.
  [8.0/56] (Fixed 22 August 2003)
• When exporting data to an AdBeam file, point loads are sometimes set to a position and a value of zero. This occurs when the orientation of the beam (local x direction) in GSA is the opposite of the span direction in AdBeam. You can get around this problem by flipping the element in GSA before exporting. (Remember to adjust the load when flipping the element.)
  [8.0/61] (Fixed 17 October 2003)
• GSA crashes when attempting to carry out GsRelax pre-analysis data checks or 'Check data only' on a model that contains a complete loop of link elements.
  [8.0/63] (Fixed 29 October 2003)
• The total average strain energy density is omitted for all section types except I and RHS sections.
  [8.0/67] (Fixed 12 December 2003)
• When expanding grid loads requesting that the load case be overwritten the existing grid loads are not removed.
  [NCR5] (Fixed 12 December 2003)

GSA 8.0 build 27 Fixes — Gss Solver

• Projected 2D element loads are not projected in the current version of GSA.
  [8.0/39] (Fixed 19 February 2003)
• The GSS solver does not apply the correct element transformation when an element is attached to nodes in user defined constraint axes and element releases are applied at one end of the element.
  [8.0/42] (Fixed 8 April 2003)
• The calculation of the total inertia of a structure ignores the inertia of lumped mass elements. This does not affect any other calculations but can lead to misleading ratios of effective inertia to total inertia.
  [8.0/47] (Fixed 9 May 2003)
• When an analysis case consists of factored load cases which include settlements. The factors are not correctly applied to the settlements. This shows up in incorrect displacements at the nodes where settlements are applied and consequently incorrect forces/moments in elements attached to these nodes.
  [8.0/54] (Fixed 11 July 2003)
• Projected loads on 2D elements were incorrectly projected, using the cross product of the surface normal and the load vector instead of the scalar product of these vectors.
  [8.0/55] (Fixed 15 August 2003)
• In some instances the effective mass totals calculated in the modal dynamic solver and reported in the solution statistics would be incorrect.
  [8.0/58] (Fixed 16 September 2003)

GSA 8.0 build 27 Fixes — GsRelax Solver

• none

GSA 8.0 build 27 Fixes — GsSpec Solver

• In CQC calculations the cross terms are not all included correctly due to the sign of the participation factor being lost. A patch is available to fix this problem.
  [8.0/45] (Fixed 6 May 2003)

GSA 8.0 build 27 Fixes — GsRaft Solver

• none

GSA 8.0 build 27 Fixes — GsBridge Solver

• When a bridge is loaded with both vehicle & VUDL and VUDL alone generates larger influence effect than the combination of vehicle and VUDL does, the optimised VUDL load acting on the largest lobe is missed out by the optimiser.
  [8.0/40] (Fixed 24 February 2003)
• To speed up influence analyses only some influence lines are calculated directly and others are interpolated from these. This interpolation was incorrect where the chainages and positions along different paths were not consistent.
  [8.0/64] (Fixed 13 November 2003)

GSA 8.0 build 27 Fixes — RC Slab Design

• Care should be taken when modifying the derived properties in the RC Slab Design Properties Wizard. If the 'modify' check-box is checked and then un-checked, the unit conversion miscalculates the displayed properties' values. The 'modify' check-box is now, however, un-checked, and these erroneous values will not be used in the design.
  The problem arises if the dialog is kept open and the 'modify' check-box is now checked again. The erroneous values are now active, and will be used in the design unless first modified by the user.
  [8.0/62] (Fixed 20 October 2003)
• RC Slab results that are currently being displayed are not updated when the RC Slab design properties are altered.
  [8.0/65] (Fixed 14 November 2003)

GSA 8.0 build 27 Fixes — Steel Design

• none

GSA 8.0 build 27 Fixes — Table Views

• none

GSA 8.0 build 27 Fixes — Output Views

• none

GSA 8.0 build 27 Fixes — Graphic Views

• In the 'All Loading' diagram option diagrams of beam point loads (and beam distortions) are not displayed where the position coincides with an end of a patch load.
  This error does not occur when separate diagrams are specified. E.g. Specifying 'Beam Point Loads, Force' and 'Beam Loads, Force' diagrams results in the diagrams being drawn correctly.
  [8.0/41] (Fixed 6 March 2003)
• Element length labels are displayed in meters regardless of the units specified for the model.
  Displayed element lengths can be switched to the model units (or any other units) by using the 'Window | Settings | Units...' command or the 'Units' toolbar button.
  [8.0/43] (Fixed 9 April 2003)
• When displaying principal axes labels the axes are rotated from the local axis directions about the local x in the wrong direction. This error does not affect the analysis results.
  [8.0/57] (Fixed 2 September 2003)
• Requesting the display of 'selected items' results in all currently selected items being displayed rather than just those items that are both currently selected and currently displayed.
  [8.0/59] (Fixed 18 September 2003)
• Loads applied to cable elements are not represented in the load diagrams.
  [8.0/60] (Fixed 1 October 2003)
• GSA sometimes hangs when drawing contour diagrams in the Graphic View.
  [8.0/66] (Fixed 19 November 2003)

GSA 8.0 build 15 — New Features

• The 2D Polylines table has been modified such that a polyline is now specified in a single string field. This facilitates the process of pasting polylines from spreadsheets. A 2D Polyline wizard is now available.
• Data can now be exported in OpenSees (TCL file) format.
• Animating a Graphic View when several cases are specified in the case list now animates by stepping through the cases. The following is an extract from the next edition of the user manual.
  When the case list for the Graphic View is a list of several load cases or several result cases (i.e. analysis cases or combination cases) then the animation is by stepping through the list of cases. Note that a case list comprising a mix of load cases and result cases does not satisfy this rule. Thus a case list '1 to 5', which, in the typical situation, is equivalent to 'L1 to L5 A1 to A5' would not produce animation by stepping through cases whereas 'A1 to A5 C1 to C5' would.
• Load diagrams of grid area loads that are applied to the whole grid plane are now displayed as if the load had been applied to a polygon around the boundary of the structure in the grid plane. Previously these were displayed as a single arrow pointing at the origin of the grid plane to which they were applied.

GSA 8.0 build 15 — Fixes

GSA 8.0 build 15 Fixes — General

• Using the sections wizard on explicitly defined properties that have modification factors applied has the effect of modifying the specified base property by the modification factor on entry to the Explicit Properties page of the wizard. This occurs on each pass through the sections wizard for a property, to result in an accumulating error.
  [8.0/25] (Fixed 6 November 2002)
• For a staged analysis reaction moments written to gwa files are included for all nodes restrained in the "whole model", but are ignored for nodes that are only restrained in particular stages.
  [8.0/26] (Fixed 15 November 2002)
• Expansion of grid area loads on one-way spanning panels could go wrong for panels at arbitrary orientations due to tolerences which are too tight to allow for the nodal coordinate transformations.
  [8.0/27] (Fixed 25 November 2002)
• Reading files with large report logs can take excessively long. An improvement to the string reading produces a significant improvement.
  [8.0/28] (Fixed 26 November 2002)
• Attempting to read a GWB file that includes an element user module that contains data for a non-existent element causes the program to crash. (The fixed version of the program discards the redundant user module values.)
  [8.0/30] (Fixed 3 December 2002)
• There is a corruption in the enveloping of 2D element results and 'Nodal Forces and Moments'. This does not affect analysis results; only the envelopes derived from these.
  [8.0/33] (Fixed 6 January 2003)
• Total strain energy density is not output for sections other than RHS and I sections.
  [8.0/35] (Fixed 6 February 2003)
• The Thermal Expansion Coefficient for the Glass standard material is incorrectly defined as 93.5e-6. It should be in the range 7.7e-6 to 8.8e-6 and is modified in GSA to 8.0e-6.
  [8.0/37] (Fixed 7 February 2003)
• The calculation of plastic modulus is wrong for Perimeter sections that have several voids.
  [8.0/38] (Fixed 14 February 2003)

GSA 8.0 build 15 Fixes — Gss Solver

• none

GSA 8.0 build 15 Fixes — GsRelax Solver

• none

GSA 8.0 build 15 Fixes — GsSpec Solver

• none

GSA 8.0 build 15 Fixes — GsRaft Solver

• none

GSA 8.0 build 15 Fixes — GsBridge Solver

• none

GSA 8.0 build 15 Fixes — RC Slab Design

• none

GSA 8.0 build 15 Fixes — Steel Design

• none

GSA 8.0 build 15 Fixes — Table Views

• On the Distortions page of the Beam Loading table the value of Displacement is factored by the wrong unit conversion factor upon display. This problem occurs only when the units of Length are other than [m] but affects both translations and rotations.
  [8.0/31] (Fixed 16 December 2002)
• Editing the Name in the Materials table when there are blank records in the table causes GSA to hang.
  [8.0/36] (Fixed 6 February 2003)

GSA 8.0 build 15 Fixes — Output Views

• none

GSA 8.0 build 15 Fixes — Graphic Views

• Load diagrams of patch loads on beam elements can sometimes ignore load values when the position of the load is a very small distance (e.g. 1.e-10%) away from the element end or another load position on that element. This is only likely to affect generated loads such as those generated by the 'Expand grid loading' tool; it does not affect the analysis.
  [8.0/29] (Fixed 27 November 2002)

GSA 8.0 build 15 Fixes — Common Code

• Perimeter sections defined by importing a DXF file into the section wizard are lost at the time of exiting the wizard.
  [OA/08] (Fixed 5 February 2003)

GSA 8.0 build 9 — New Features

• The minimum number of points for influence analysis can now be specified in the Bridge Loading Specification.
• Loading is now exported to LS-DYNA Keyword files.

GSA 8.0 build 9 — Fixes

GSA 8.0 build 9 Fixes — General

• A problem in the function that reduces coincident nodes causes incorrect topologies to be assigned in operations that make use of this, such as import DXF, modify 2D elements from linear to parabolic etc.
  [8.0/3] (Fixed 17 September 2002)
• Grid loading that lies outside the structure can cause an error in the solution. This can be avoided by deleting any grid loads that lie outside the structure.
  [8.0/5] (Fixed 17 September 2002)
• The Gateway is not updated with the new number of nodes and elements following various sculpt and data management operations.
  [8.0/8] (Fixed 20 September 2002)
• Uxy displacement envelopes are reported incorrectly, reporting values of Uxy for permutations that do not give the max and min values.
  [8.0/14] (Fixed 30 September 2002)
• Where a user module is present in a model and the model is then modified by deleting nodes or elements or reducing the number of topology items for an element, reading in the modified model from GWB file causes the program to crash. (The fixed version of the program discards the redundant user module values.)
  [8.0/15] (Fixed 4 October 2002)
• The Beam Strain Energy Density and the Average Beam Strain Energy Density for the Web is reported as the same as the Flange value. This affects diagrams, contours and Output Views.
  [8.0/18] (Fixed 16 October 2002)
• When exporting footfall data the node excitation lists are not exported.
  [8.0/19] (Fixed 22 October 2002)
• Strain energy densities [SED] broken down by flange and web would in some cases use the wrong ratios of second moments of area. This affects the web SED in bending and the flange SED associated with minor axis bending.
  [8.0/20] (Fixed 24 October 2002)
• When exporting data to AdBeam UDL loading is written as a load varying from the maximum intensity at end 1 to zero at end 2.
  [8.0/21] (Fixed 29 October 2002)
• Rotations reported along 1D elements do consider the effect of element releases correctly.
  This is only a partial fix and a subsequent problem has been identified and fixed see [8.0/44] below.
  [8.0/23] (Fixed 29 October 2002)

GSA 8.0 build 9 Fixes — Gss Solver

• A change to the formulation of the Quad 4 element stiffnesses to avoid hourglassing problems can in some instances result in singularities in the solution. The best way to avoid this problem is to use parabolic elements rather than linear elements.
  [8.0/4] (Fixed 17 September 2002)
• When a mass analysis is carried with the "additional mass from loads" option selected there is a problem with converting face loads on parabolic 2D elements to equivalent mass.
  [8.0/6] (Fixed 17 September 2002)

GSA 8.0 build 9 Fixes — GsRelax Solver

• none

GSA 8.0 build 9 Fixes — GsSpec Solver

• none

GSA 8.0 build 9 Fixes — GsRaft Solver

• none

GSA 8.0 build 9 Fixes — GsBridge Solver

• During optimisation analysis if three points on an influence line are found to be co-linear then the program hangs.
  [8.0/16] (Fixed 11 October 2002)

GSA 8.0 build 9 Fixes — RC Slab Design

• If the forces and moments at a calculation point are the same as those at the previous calculation point, the reinforcement areas for current point are wrong because the wrong sign of the forces and moments are used in the calculation of reinforcement area.
  This does not normally happen but does if the slab is under simple compression or tension within its plane.
  [8.0/13] (Fixed 30 September 2002)

GSA 8.0 build 9 Fixes — Steel Design

• none

GSA 8.0 build 9 Fixes — Table Views

• Opening the Combined Responses table when no basic responses have been defined causes GSA to crash.
  [8.0/2] (Fixed 16 September 2002)
• New loads cannot be appended to load tables post-analysis when the load table already contains some records.
  [8.0/12] (Fixed 27 September 2002)
• The location values in the Beam Thermal Loads table are corrupted when the units are SI at the instant of opening the table.
  [8.0/17] (Fixed 11 October 2002)
• When forming a selection in a table in order to modify data the upper extent of the selection extends beyond the actual selected block.
  [8.0/24] (Fixed 29 October 2002)

GSA 8.0 build 9 Fixes — Output Views

• The grid line load values and grid area load values reported in Output Views are incorrectly converted from SI to the output units (though the unit labels reported at the top of these output tables are consistent with the output units).
  [8.0/10] (Fixed 23 September 2002)
• GSA sometimes crashes when preparing output for combination cases that refer to enveloping operators.
  [8.0/22] (Fixed 29 October 2002)

GSA 8.0 build 9 Fixes — Graphic Views

• Using the 'Space proportionally' option in the sculpt Flex command sometimes results in badly spaced nodes.
  [8.0/1] (Fixed 16 September 2002)
• When redisplaying a resolved result (e.g. |U| diagrams or the deflected shape) for a combination envelope in Graphic Views the result is lost and is output as if the values are all zero. The results are displayed correctly for the first display of a particular resolved result and particular combination envelope per instance of a Graphic View.
  [8.0/7] (Fixed 20 September 2002)
• 2D element offsets are not applied to new mid-side nodes when using the sculpt modify element operation to convert linear 2D elements to parabolic.
  [8.0/9] (Fixed 20 September 2002)
• 2D element offsets are ignored by the sculpt split quad elements option.
  [8.0/11] (Fixed 23 September 2002)

GSA 8.0 initial release — New Features

GSA 8.0 (initial) New Features — General

• Grid Line Loads and Grid Area Loads are introduced.
  Grid planes are now assigned a span type with options for one-way spanning (planks), two-way spanning (back-of-envelope pattern) and multi-way spanning.
  Grid loading tables now have wizards to assist in defining the loading. These are also used to allow sculpting of grid loading.
• The Object Viewer is introduced. This is a window that can be left open during a GSA session for the display of properties of selected items and the reporting of results for selected items.
• The new COM interface makes various GSA commands accessible from outside GSA in the form of commands that can be accessed from spreadsheets such as Excel. Along with this comes the ability to write GSA command files, to allow batch operation of GSA.
• Data management options are now available to:
  • Delete blank nodes and elements, renumbering subsequent items.
  • Delete references to blank nodes and elements.
  • Incrementally renumber nodes and elements.
  • Delete all loading for specified load cases.
• A GSA Viewer application has been released as a free download.
• The functionality of the definition axis and the construction grid are combined into what is now called the current grid.
  The current grid is a reference to a grid plane, defaulting to the global grid plane. Grid planes now refer to a grid layout. The default grid layout defines evenly spaced grid points (like the construction grid in earlier versions of GSA). Grid layouts may also be defined in terms of a number of irregularly spaced grid lines, in which case the grid lines can be assigned a label. The grid lines are positioned with respect to the axes of the referring grid plane.
  Coordinates are displayed and specified with respect to the current grid axes both in the Nodes table and the Nodes definition wizard. Coordinates of the cursor position in Graphic Views are reported in the current grid axes, and global axes where these are different.
  In Graphic Views when the 'Draw Grid' option is on, the current grid is displayed. Also drawn are all other grids that have a layout specified in terms of grid lines. This allows several irregularly spaced and oriented sets of grid lines to be displayed. The grid labels are also displayed.
  Grids are now printed if the 'Draw Grid' option is on at the time of printing.
• NASTRAN output now allows for export of z offsets on 2D elements. The offset is the average of the nodal offsets.
• In tables it is possible to refer to axes, load cases (and some other items) by number or name. This has been extended to include most items that cross reference with items defined in other tables. The option of referring to load cases by name can be disabled in the preferences.
• The context sensitive (right-click) menu is available in tables. This gives access to the editing, selection, wizard and property options. Properties are only available for a subset of the tables displaying data in the [Object Viewer](#Object Viewer).
• The GSA model can now be saved to and read from a csv file. This file is in the same format as the GWA (text) file except that fields are separated by commas.
  Note: No special precautions are taken to ensure that names etc. do not contain commas.
• Projected loads can be applied to 2D elements.
• When deleting load case titles the user is offered the option to delete the associated loading.
• UB1016x305 sections have been added to the British catalogue in the section database.
• Nodal Uxy translational displacements can now be output.
• Mass Details can now be output.
• New standard material properties for aluminium and glass have been included.
• Perimeter sections can drawn as polylines in AutoCAD and saved as DXF files. The section wizard can import the polylines as sections perimeters.
• Section properties (from the right click menu on the sections table) now include number of elements/members, total length, mass, surface area and cost.
• The bending thickness of 2D elements can be specified separate from the in-plane thickness. This allows for better modelling of cracked concrete sections.
• Storeys have been introduced which define a horizontal plane through the structure. At present no other data depends on the storey information. Storeys can be sorted into ascending order from the right-click menu in the storey table. If no storeys are defined a tool allow storeys to be created based on the elevation of the nodes. If storeys exist they can be used to create grid planes - one for each storey.
• Mass Details can now be output.
• Grid Planes can now be referred to in element lists.
  This supersedes the 'Edit | Select Grid Plane Elements' command.
• The following design properties can now be referred to in element lists:
  • DS steel beam design property (members only).
  • DSR steel restraint property prefix (members only).
  • DCB RC beam design property (members only).
  • DCS RC slab design property (elements only).
• Nodal user module data can now be contoured on elements and output per element.
• A cutting plane can be defined through the structure and the resulting forces and moments calculated. A related option where storeys are defined allow the storey forces to be calculated (at mid storey height) or storey displacements (at the storey levels.
• The Beam Section Summary table is now available. This gives the total number, the total length, the total mass, the total surface area and the total cost of elements and members per property.
• The log that is displayed in the Report View during analyses etc. is now preserved for redisplay in subsequent GSA sessions. The 'View | Open Report View' command opens the Report View.
  The 'View | Clear Report' command can be used to delete the contents of the Report View. Note that in some circumstances the contents of the Report View can increase the size of the GWB file significantly.
• The torsion constant is now calculated for Ellipse, Taper, Taper-Tee, Taper-Angle, Taper-I, Recto-Circle and Recto-Ellipse standard sections. This means that the torsion constant is now calculated for all standard sections.

GSA 8.0 (initial) New Features — Graphics

• The Graphic View Polyline cursor mode now only allows the selection of a polyline in the current grid plane.
  Attempting to define a polyline point by clicking on a node that does not lie in the current grid will result in the option to set the current grid plane to one that lies at the elevation of the node. If such a grid plane does not already exist then a new grid plane will be created parallel to the current grid plane.
  When in the Polyline cursor mode the commands 'Edit | Select 2D Polyline' and 'Edit | Save Selection as 2D Polyline' are now available.

• Symbols identifying selected items (i.e. nodes, elements, members, polylines etc.) are now displayed in grey when the cursor mode is not the associated selection mode. Previously the selection was not displayed unless in the associated selection mode.

• Symbols identifying selected items (i.e. nodes, elements, members, polylines etc.) are now printed.

• Coincident nodes and coincident elements or members can be highlighted in Graphic Views. These options are accessed in the Graphic Settings dialog box alongside the Highlight Edges option.

• In Graphic Views the middle mouse button or wheel now functions as follows:

  • drag pans the image, as in previous versions.
  • Ctrl-drag vertically zooms the image.
  • Ctrl-drag horizontally adjusts the eye distance (for perspective views).
  • Shft-drag rotates the image.

  This differs from the functionality of the Rotate cursor mode in that Pan and Rotate are reversed. This is to maintain consistency with previous versions and to give quick access to Pan when in the Rotate cursor mode.
  Spinning the mouse wheel zooms the image, as in previous versions.
  The middle mouse button functionality is the same regardless of cursor mode.

• In Graphic Views new keyboard shortcut commands are available to set the current cursor mode as follows:

  • R Rotate cursor mode.
  • Z Zoom cursor mode.
  • V Volume cursor mode.
  • N Node cursor mode.
  • E Element cursor mode.
  • L Polyline cursor mode.
  • A Select for Annotation cursor mode.

  Also in Graphic Views:

  • Alt+Home Rescale data.
  • Ctrl+Alt+A Reset to all entities.
  • Ctrl+Alt+E Engineering scale (was Alt+E).
  • Ctrl+Alt+P Perspective (was Alt+P).
  • Ctrl+Alt+L Legend display (was Alt+L).

  In both Graphic Views and Output Views:

  • C sets the focus on the Cases combobox on the toolbar, then allowing the arrow keys to be used to toggle through the cases and a final Tab to execute the case change.
  • D sets the focus on the Display Type combobox on the toolbar. Tab then shifts focus to the Display List and a final Tab executes the specified display.

  Other new keyboard shortcut commands are generally available as follows:

  • Alt+0 Show/hide the Gateway.
  • Alt+1 Open New Graphic View.
  • Alt+2 Open New Output View.
  • Alt+3 Show/hide the Object Viewer.A full list of keyboard shortcuts is available in the user manual.

• The Graphic View 'Draw Selection' command is introduced. This draws just the currently selected set of nodes, elements or members. The 'Draw Selection' command is available on the Edit menu and on the right-click menu when the cursor mode is a selection cursor mode.

• The Graphic View 'Annotate Selection' command is introduced. This annotates just the currently selected set of nodes, elements or members. The 'Annotate Selection' command is available on the Edit menu and on the right-click menu when the cursor mode is a selection cursor mode.

• The Graphic View 'Rescale Data' command now also resets the scale factors to 1.0.

• Element and member materials can now be labelled in Graphic Views.

• Element and member lengths can now be labelled in Graphic Views.

• Element principal axes can now be labelled in Graphic Views.

• Preferred Graphic Views now include specified contour values. Only the first 10 specified values are preserved.

• The structure scale for printed output can now be specified (in the Graphic Settings dialog).

• In Graphic Views, giving the 'Edit | Select none' (Esc) command when there is no selection for the current cursor mode now results in other selections being cleared. Therefore Esc, Esc always clears all selections.

• Elements can now be labelled with the first analysis stage in which they appear and they can be coloured according to the first analysis stage in which they appear.

GSA 8.0 (initial) New Features — Sculpt

• The Modify Elements Sculpt Tool is introduced.
• The Create User Axes sculpt command (previously called Sculpt User Axes) now operates on a selection of nodes or grid points instead of a selected polyline.
• The Create Grid Plane sculpt command is introduced.
• Sculpt commands to Create Grid Point Loads, Create Grid Line Load and Create Grid Area Load are introduced. An appropriate grid plane is automatically created if one does not already exist.
• When using the sculpt operation to modify 2D elements from linear to parabolic each new mid-side node takes the constraint axis and the common restraint condition of the adjacent corner nodes. This only applies when the constraint axis of both of the adjacent corner nodes is the same.
• The sculpt Copy Nodes and Copy Elements commands now include the option to copy references to the copied nodes and elements in the Lists, Generalised Constraints, Joints, Rigid Constraints and all loading modules.
• The sculpt Delete Displayed Loading operation deletes all displayed loads regardless of whether the nodes or elements have been selected.

GSA 8.0 (initial) New Features — Gss Solver

• The linear 2D elements have been improved to give reasonable results for a broader range of thicknesses. They should still be used with caution and parabolic elements are still the recommended elements for GSS.

GSA 8.0 (initial) New Features — GsRelax Solver

• What was called Fablon is now called GsRelax.
• The option to save residuals to user modules in a GWA file is now available. The residual data can then be imported for tabular and contoured display.

GSA 8.0 (initial) New Features — GsSpec Solver

• Extra response spectra: IBC 2000, FEMA 356 and Eurocode 8 are now available.
• Equivalent static and accidental torsion loading to UBC 1997, IBC 2000 and FEMA 356 are now available.

GSA 8.0 (initial) New Features — Raft Analysis

• The VDisp flexibility matrix that is calculated in the first iteration of a raft analysis is now saved for re-use in subsequent iterations to result in faster analysis (approximately three times faster, depending on the model).

GSA 8.0 (initial) New Features — Bridge Analysis

• Bridge Loading phase 3 introduces full carriageway optimisation for UK/HK loading on constant width carriageways, coping with HB vehicles straddling lanes, lane reduction factors, different combinations etc.
• Additional Path Loading types have been introduced to simplify lane by lane optimisation to UIC, Eurocode, AASHTO and AusRoads standards.
• The introduction of Grid Line and Area Loads has removed the problem of the coarse grid of point loads which model UDLs in GSA 7.6

GSA 8.0 (initial) New Features — Steel Design

• Steel design implemented to BS5950-1:2000 for I, H, CHS and RHS sections.

GSA 8.0 (initial) New Features — Concrete Design

• The RC Slab Design module has been rewritten so as to be more robust and to produce a solution in more diverse conditions. Previously this module was on limited release; RC slab design is now generally available.

GSA 8.0 (initial) New Features — SpecGen

• none

GSA 8.0 initial release — Fixes

GSA 8.0 (initial) Fixes — General

• Data checking often produces error messages for 2D elements with mid-side nodes.
  [7.6/17] (Fixed 18 September 2001, released in GsCheck.dll version 7.6.2)
• Bar and Tie elements in GWA files are read into GSA as Strut elements.
  [7.6/18] (Fixed 18 September 2001, released in GsFile.dll version 7.6.2)
• 2D element results in GWA files (i.e. records with keywords: STRESS, FORCE_2D, MOMENT_2D or SHEAR_2D) cause an error when being read into GSA.
  [7.6/19] (Fixed 19 September 2001, released in GsFile.dll version 7.6.2)
• When writing a gwa file the paths are writen out with the keyword DECK_PATH. This should be PATH. The gwa file can be edited in Notepad or a similar editor to get around this problem.
  [7.6/20] (Fixed 21 September 2001, released in GsFile.dll version 7.6.3)
• Attempting an analysis when the Analysis Cases table is open causes GSA to crash.
  [7.6/26] (Fixed 5 October 2001)
• Opening the Analysis Cases table when there are inactive (blank) analysis cases causes the following problems:
  • A message box is displayed asking if it is OK to delete the results.
  • Results for the first analysis case are deleted.
  • Any open Output Views update multiple times.[7.6/27] (Fixed 11 October 2001)
• Opening a Combination Cases table when there are many Analysis Cases (>>100) leads to the program hanging. This is because the number of columns required to display the analysis case factors becomes to great to be handled by the table. There is no work around at present other than creating the analysis cases manually if that will significantly reduce the total number.
  [7.6/28] (Fixed 11 October 2001)
• Intermediate displacement calculations for analysis cases or combination cases are always calculated assuming a factor on the gravity load case of one.
  [7.6/30] (Fixed 15 October 2001, released in GwDat.dll version 7.6.4)
• The New Model Wizard options to generate 2D element meshes result in meshes smaller than that specified. A work around is to define the mesh dimensions large enough to allow for one extra set of elements in both directions.
  See also [7.6/52] below.
  [7.6/33] (Fixed 23 October 2001)
• GSA crashes when attempting to open GSB or GXB files containing blank elements.
  [7.6/35] (Fixed 25 October 2001)
• GSA crashes when using the Element Definition wizard for a new element. This happens when Next is clicked on the Topology page of the wizard.
  [7.6/36] (Fixed 31 October 2001)
• Reading the displacement and ground acceleration units from a text file (.txt or .gwa) results in corrupted units factors for these units. Resetting the units after reading the file will overcome this problem.
  [7.6/39] (Fixed 5 November 2001, released in GsFile.dll version 7.6.6)
• Editing an existing element using the Element Definition wizard, whether via the Wizard command from the Elements table view or via the element right-click menu 'Edit element' command from a Graphic View, results in all loading applied to that element being removed from the internal register of loading until the register is re-established.
  This can have very undesirable consequences, as follows.
  The loading register is used by GSA when displaying loading in Graphic Views and when analysing. The loading register is only re-established when a data file is opened.
  Editing an element in the Element Definition wizard results in loads applied to that element disappearing from Graphic View load diagrams and being ignored by any analysis during that GSA session. The loads still exist in the loading tables. Saving the file and then opening the file again causes the loading register to be re-established; - the load diagrams once again display correctly. However, if the file was saved with results produced when the loads were lost from the loading register then the results read will be for the model without the temporarily lost loads.
  Note that this problem only occurs when elements are edited using the Element Definition wizard in GSA 7.6 and in GSA 7.6.1, builds 1 to 4. The problem does not occur in earlier versions of GSA and does not occur in the (more commonly used) Sections wizard.
  The fix to this problem only prevents this problem from occurring in the future. Models analysed in GSA 7.6 should be re-analysed if there is a chance that existing results were produced following the use of the Element Definition wizard prior to the installation of GwDat.dll version 7.6.6 (which is included in GSA 7.6.1, build 6).
  [7.6/40] (Fixed 5 November 2001, released in GwDat.dll version 7.6.6)
• The plastic moduli, Zpy and Zpz are often calculated incorrectly for perimeter sections. This error does not affect analysis results.
  [7.6/41] (Fixed 26 November 2001 )
• The centroid is calculated incorrectly for Taper and Taper T sections. This error does not affect analysis results.
  [7.6/42] (Fixed 27 November 2001 )
• Material exported from GSA to a DYNA keyword file is given an incorrect *MAT_ELASTIC_KINEMATIC keword instead of *MAT_PLASTIC_KINEMATIC. The workaround is to edit the keyword file and replace *MAT_ELASTIC_KINEMATIC with *MAT_ELASTIC if no yeild stress has been specified or *MAT_PLASTIC_KINEMATIC if a yield stress has been specified. In the latter case an additional line is required specifying the strain rate parameters and failure strain for eroding elements.
  [7.6/44] (Fixed 3 December 2001)
• The short leg length of some unequal angle (UA) catalogue sections is incorrectly stored in the sections database. The incorrect dimension is the same as the long leg.
  [7.6/45] (Fixed 4 December 2001)
• Copying a standard material in the Material Wizard does not take into account the currently selected units resulting in property values that may require factoring.
  [7.6/49] (Fixed 10 January 2002)
• Exporting of rigid constraints to a NASTRAN file results in the final line of the RBE2 record being a blank rather than a list of slave nodes. The only solution at present is to add these in a text editor.
  [7.6/50] (Fixed 11 January 2002)
• In the New Model Wizard skew 2D element mesh generator the 'datum' node is always assigned the coordinates 0,0,0 regardless of the specified coordinates.
  The alternative method of generating such meshes is to set up a single element of the required shape and then to split this using the 'Split Quad Elements' sculpt command.
  See also [7.6/33] above.
  [7.6/52] (Fixed 29 January 2002)
• When using the 'Create New Model from Deformed Geometry' tool on models that have blank records in the elements table GSA crashes.
  [7.6/53] (Fixed 5 February 2002)
• When in the Analysis Wizard on the 'GSS Static Analysis' page double clicking in the case list can cause the program to crash.
  [7.6/54] (Fixed 21 February 2002)
• The dimensions of Beam Strain Energy Density and Average Beam Strain Energy Density output are incorrectly taken as [FL/L] (i.e. energy per length) instead of [FL/L^3] (i.e. energy density). This causes incorrect unit conversion when the output units are not SI.
  [7.6/57] (Fixed 2 April 2002)
• For cases including gravity load in an analysis stage for which analysis stage properties have been defined the output of forces and moments (and results derived from these) is incorrect. The free end force and moment diagram is based on the Whole Model properties.
  [7.6/58] (Fixed 25 April 2002)
• The pre-analysis data checks incorrectly report element is close to vertical but is oriented as a non-vertical element for elements that are within the defined vertical element tolerance but outside the old default vertical element tolerance of 5.7e-14°.
  This is an error in the data checking only. Elsewhere (i.e. in analysis, Graphic Views and Output Views) such elements are treated as vertical and have local axes oriented accordingly.
  [7.6/62] (Fixed 2 May 2002)
• The displacements at the centre of 2D elements are calculated as the average of the displacements at nodes instead of interpolating using the shape function of the element.
  [7.6/66] (Fixed 21 June 2002)
• Extreme fibre beam stresses calculated for line segment sections are incorrectly based on the extreme fibres being at the extremities of the first defined line segment.
  [7.6/67] (Fixed 21 June 2002)
• Extreme fibre beam stresses for bending about z, Bz, are output as compression +ve instead of tension +ve.
  For Bz output this simply means that the sign is wrong. However for combined stress output the effect is that tensile axial stress and tensile By stress are being added to compressive Bz stress; this results in incorrect values of combined stress for doubly unsymmetric sections.
  [7.6/68] (Fixed 21 June 2002)
• The calculation of extreme fibre beam bending stresses for doubly unsymmetric sections ignores the non-zero Iyz term brought about by the principal axes not aligning with local.
  [7.6/69] (Fixed 5 July 2002)
• DOS GSA files (GSB) containing blank elements or containing mass results for a static analysis cannot be read.
  [7.6/70] (Fixed 18 July 2002)
• 'Undo' does not undo the deletion of blank nodes.
  [7.6/71] (Fixed 19 July 2002)
• Contours and output of 2D element displacements are incorrect when the element is offset. The problem is due to a bug in transforming nodal results to results at the element positions (offset from the nodes). This problem only affects 2D element displacments for offset 2D elements; it does not affect nodal displacement results.
  [7.6/75] (Fixed 1 Sept 2002)

GSA 8.0 (initial) Fixes — Gss solver

• Reactions at nodes which are also constrained by rigid constraints or joint, are calculated with the wrong sign. This can be detected by checking the total loads and reactions which should balance one another, but in this case do not.
  [7.6/22] (Fixed 24 September 2001, released in GSS.dll version 7.6.2)
• Analysis time is noticeably slow for medium to large models compared with GSA 7.5.
  [7.6/23] (Fixed 24 September 2001, released in GSS.dll version 7.6.2)
• Using analysis stages in conjunction with rigid constraints defined for all analysis stages can cause memory corruption usually noticeable in odd looking results or crashing of GSA. The work around is to define the rigid constraints only for the stages in which they are required.
  [7.6/37] (Fixed 31 October 2001, released in GSS.dll version 7.6.6)
• Settlements applied at nodes with non-global constraint axes give incorrect answers.
  [7.6/63] (Fixed 27 May 2002)
• The additional mass calculated for 2D parabolic elements is 1.66 times too large. This only affects analyses for which additional mass is specified.
  [7.6/73] (Fixed 16 Aug 2002)
• Rigid constraints and joints for which no slave or master node is attached to the structure being analysed cause a corruption during the solution. This circumstance is most likely to occur where part of the structure is excluded from an analysis stage.
  [7.6/74] (Fixed 16 Aug 2002)

GSA 8.0 (initial) Fixes — GsRelax (Fablon) solver

• Forces reported in link elements are calculated assuming the element axes coincide with global axes. In most cases this will give wrong element forces in the link elements and node forces for nodes attached to links but it does not affect the calculated displacements. This problems does not affect rigid constraints.
  [7.6/43] (Fixed 29 November 2001)
• The GsRelax solver crashes when analysing models that have Steel S355 standard material defined.
  [7.6/60] (Fixed 25 April 2002)
• In the automatic load increment option, when the structure capacity is reached before the analysis limits (e.g. deflection limit) are met no 'global results' are stored.
  [7.6/61] (Fixed 25 April 2002)

GSA 8.0 (initial) Fixes — GsSpec solver

• none

GSA 8.0 (initial) Fixes — GsRaft solver

• During a GsRaft analysis the VDISP (VDD) file can be saved at a specified interval. Sometimes the file is not saved.
  [7.6/21] (Fixed 21 September 2001)
• When the minimum pressure limit specified in the Soil Interaction table is negative (allowing soil to take tensile force) and the pressure between the raft and soil is also negative (tensile), the raft and soil should not separate if the pressure between them is smaller than the limit. Currently the raft does separate from the soil in this circumstance.
  [7.6/31] (Fixed 10 October 2001)
• Reactions for soil interaction nodes that are otherwise unrestrained are not saved to GWA files.
  [7.6/51] (Fixed 8 January 2002)

GSA 8.0 (initial) Fixes — Bridge Analysis

• In the Optimise Bridge Load option the optimiser does not consider vehicle positions partly off the beginning of the deck.
  [7.6/24] (Fixed 25 September 2001)
• When reading node influence effects from gwa or txt files the action type may be corrupted and the node concerned is set to zero. Check and fix this module after reading one of these files.
  [7.6/46] (Fixed 6 September 2001)

GSA 8.0 (initial) Fixes — RC Slab Design

• none

GSA 8.0 (initial) Fixes — Table Views

• On Windows 95 and Windows 98 machines opening tables sometimes causes GSA to crash. This is especially true when opening the Beam Loads table when a Graphic View is open.
  [7.6/29] (Fixed 5 November 2001, released in OaWin.dll version 2.1.38.1)
• In loading tables, post-analysis, the default load case cannot be changed if the current default load case has been analysed.
  [7.6/38] (Fixed 5 November 2001)
• When pasting a table that is not constant width (e.g. the beam loads table) the calculation of the number of columns seem to be determined by the first columns of the first few rows. This can result in the remaining columns being ignored and replaced in the table by default values.
  This problem can be avoided by filling in the "greyed out" columns with "0" in the spreadsheet before copying.
  [7.6/56] (Fixed 29 April 2002)
• The right-click menu is put up only when right clicking off the table, but within the Table View.
  [7.5/03] (Fixed 29 April 2002)

GSA 8.0 (initial) Fixes — Output Views

• In the Moving Bridge Load output the Load Type and Vehicle fields are blank.
  [7.6/32] (Fixed 23 October 2001, released in GsPrivate.dll version 7.6.4)
• Printing from grid style Output Views produces output in a huge font.
  [7.6/64] (Fixed 5 June 2002)

GSA 8.0 (initial) Fixes — Graphic Views

• When using the sculpt Move Elements command and when the move results in an affected node not moving (e.g. because the move is a rotation about that node) a duplicate node is created and the moved elements are attached to the new duplicate node.
  The Highlight Edges command can be used to establish whether this has happened.
  [7.6/34] (Fixed 23 October 2001)
• When using the sculpt Flex Selection command to flex nodes to a circular arc of specified radius the nodes at the ends of the line being flexed were included in the transformation to result in slightly repositioned end nodes caused by rounding errors during the transformation.
  [7.6/55] (Fixed 22 February 2002)
• On some machines saving the image to JPEG or PNG file via the right-click floating menu results in the floating menu appearing in the saved image. This can be avoided by using the 'Graphics | Save Image' menu and positioning the Graphic View away from where that menu is displayed.
  [7.6/25] (Fixed 29 April 2002)
• Printing after scaling to fit (or any standard view) followed by rotation of the image results in a spurious structure scale for the printed image.
  [7.6/65] (Fixed 5 June 2002)
• When splitting lots of elements the program sometimes crashes. This is due to an overflow of the undo buffer during the process of replacing references to the split elements.
  [7.6/72] (Fixed 26 July 2002)

GSA Outstanding Bugs

GSA Outstanding Bugs — General

• For combination cases that refer to cases that include gravity load in an analysis stage for which analysis stage properties have been defined the output of forces and moments (and results derived from these) at intermediate points along elements may be incorrect. The free end force and moment diagram due to the gravity load is based on the density referred to by the one of the stage properties, not necessarily the correct stage for the gravity case.
  This problem does not affect element end values; also it does not affect intermediate values where the densities specified for the analysis stage of each of the analysis cases that contribute to the combination are the same.
  [7.6/59] (Reported 23 April 2002)

GSA Outstanding Bugs — Table Views

• Pasting a named list (e.g. "fred") from the clip-board to spreadsheet loses the quotes to result in an invalid list when that data is copied from the spreadsheet back into the table.
  This problem can be avoided by referring to lists by number (e.g. #3) instead of by name.
  [7.5/04] (Reported: 14 December 2000)

GSA Outstanding Bugs — Output Views - Rich Text

• In Print Preview the text format does not represent what will appear on printed output. The output will be displayed on more pages in print preview than will be printed and the line length is increased to cause lines to wrap in print preview but not when printed.
  [7.5/01] (Reported: 5 October 2000)

GSA Outstanding Bugs — Output Views - Grid Style

• When columns in output views are re-sized the values may be truncated to fit the new cell width. This means that it is possible for numbers such as 1.23E−6 to be displayed as 1.23. This problem affects screen display and printed output.
  When the table is displayed initially the columns are sized to fit the content. The problem only arises if the column is resized.
  [7.4/69] (Reported: 27 October 1999)

GSA Outstanding Bugs — CIMsteel step file translators

• The element orientation angle is ignored when importing a CIMsteel step file.
  [7.3/26]

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