The following table compares the features of spColumn 4.50 and its predecessors pcaColumn and PCACOL.
|
Feature |
PCACOL 3.0b |
pcaColumn 3.6x |
spColumn 4.20 | spColumn 4.50 |
|
General & User Interface |
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| Operating System | Microsoft Windows 3.1 or above | Microsoft Windows 98 SE or above | Microsoft Windows XP and Vista | Microsoft Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7 |
|
Support Long File Names |
No |
Yes (128 characters) |
Yes (256 characters) |
Yes (256 characters) |
| Evaluation Mode | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
|
Network License |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Command Line Parameters for Batch Processing | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| pcaColumn Text Input (CTI) Files | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Export Interaction Diagrams and 3D Failure Surface to CSV and TXT files | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Export Sections to DXF Files | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Import Sections from DXF Files | No | No | No | Yes |
| Explicit Export of Interaction Diagram to Specified IAD Files | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Copy Interaction Diagram to Clipboard (EMF format) | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| P-M Diagram Display | M - positive only |
M - both sides |
M - positive or M - negative or M - both sides |
M - positive or M - negative or M - both sides |
| Customize P-M Diagrams to Turn On or Off Display of Point Labels and Splice Lines (Rays) | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Shortcuts to Display P-M and Mx-My Diagrams for Subsequent Load Points | No | No | Yes | Yes |
|
Acceleration Keys (Keyboard Shortcuts) |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Enhanced Toolbar Buttons |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Most Recent File (MRF) List |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Print Dialog Box |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| On-line Checking for Program Updates | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Digital Signature for Improved Security | No | No | Yes | Yes |
| Electronic Documentation | Partial Electronic Documentation | Complete Electronic Documentation | Complete Electronic Documentation with Direct Link to the Manual from the Program. Detailed References to Design Codes in the Manual. | Complete Electronic Documentation with Direct Link to the Manual from the Program. Detailed References to Design Codes in the Manual. |
| Input Data Examples | 4 | 17 | 18 | 20 |
|
Design Features |
||||
|
Concrete Design Code ACI-318 |
1995 | 2002 |
2005 2002 |
2008 2005 2002 |
|
Slender and Non-slender |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Concrete Design Code CSA A23.3 |
1994 | 1994 |
2004 1994 |
2004 1994 |
| Units | US/Metric | US/Metric | US/Metric | US/Metric |
| Report Neutral Axis Location | Yes (Control Points and Axial Loads only) | Yes (Control Points and Axial Loads only) | Yes (All Points on Interaction Diagram or 3D Failure Surface) | Yes (All Points on Interaction Diagram or 3D Failure Surface) |
| Report Maximum Steel Strain | No | No | Yes (All Points on Interaction Diagram or 3D Failure Surface) | Yes (All Points on Interaction Diagram or 3D Failure Surface) |
| Report Strength Reduction Factor for ACI Code | No | No | Yes (All Points on Interaction Diagram or 3D Failure Surface) | Yes (All Points on Interaction Diagram or 3D Failure Surface) |
| Report Distance from Extreme Compression Fiber to Centroid of Extreme Longitudinal Tension Steel (dt) | No | No | No | Yes |
| Axial Load Increment | Positive Only | Positive Only | Positive or Negative | Positive or Negative |
|
Negative Factor in Load Combination |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
| Bar Number Increment for Circular Column Design | 4 | 4 | 1 | 1 |
|
Design for Minimum Reinforcement Area |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Auto Section Design |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Auto Rebar Design |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Investigate Section |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Load Cases |
Dead, Live, and Lateral |
Dead, Live, Wind, and Earthquake |
Dead, Live, Wind, Earthquake, and Snow |
Dead, Live, Wind, Earthquake, and Snow |
|
Maximum Load Combinations |
8 |
20 |
50 |
50 |
|
Default Load Combinations |
4 |
13 |
13 |
13 |
|
Factored Load Entries |
320 |
4000 |
5000 |
5000 |
|
Service Load Entries |
10 |
50 |
50 |
50 |
|
Control Point Load |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Slender Column Design |
||||
|
K Factor Calculations |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Moment Magnification |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Stiffness Reduction Factor |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Cracked Section Coefficient |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Sway and Nonsway Check |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Detailed Reporting of First-order and Magnified (Second-order) Moments |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
Check for strength and stability of structure as a whole under gravity loads for slender sway columns per ACI 318-05/02 and CSA A23.3-04/94 |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
User-defined percentage of each load type considered as sustained |
No |
No |
No |
Yes (nonsway columns only) |
|
Service Load Input |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Capacity Diagram |
||||
|
P -M Diagram |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Mx-My Diagram |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Nominal Diagram |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
Display of P-M and Mx-My diagrams by selecting associated load point |
No |
No |
No |
Yes |
|
Neutral Axis Orientation (2D/3D) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Copy Diagram to Clipboard in Enhanced Meta File (EMF) Format |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Section Shapes |
||||
|
Regular Shapes (Square, Rectangular) |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Circular Shapes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Irregular Shape Editor |
Standalone |
Integrated |
Integrated |
Integrated |
|
Number of Irregular Shape Templates |
0 |
5 |
5 |
7 (includes C-shape and I-shape shear walls) |
|
Section Properties |
||||
|
Area |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Moment of Inertia |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Elastic Section Modulus |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Rebar Area/ Rebar Ratio |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Section Editing |
||||
|
Arbitrary Opening |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Edit by Point Coordinates |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Edit by Moving Points Graphically |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Importing Data from Text File |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Drawing Shapes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Rotate, Flip |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Automatic Rebar Distribution |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Numeric Rebar Editing |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Graphic Rebar Editing |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Number of Openings |
1 |
1 |
1 |
1 |
|
Maximum Number of Bars |
500 |
500 |
10,000 |
10,000 |
|
Maximum Number of Exterior Points |
50 |
500 |
10,000 |
10,000 |
|
Maximum Number of Interior Points |
50 |
500 |
10,000 |
10,000 |
|
spView |
||||
|
Supports Printing |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Supports Print Preview |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Supports Copy To Clipboard |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|
Supports Font Selection |
No |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes |
|