The following table compares the features of spBeam 3.1x and its predecessors pcaBeam and PCA-Beam.
|
FEATURE |
PCA-Beam |
pcaBeam |
pcaBeam |
pcaBeam |
spBeam v3.10 |
|
General |
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|
Operating System |
Microsoft Windows 3.1 or above. Compatibility issues with 32 bit platform. |
Microsoft Windows 98 or above. Fully compatible with 32 bit platform |
Microsoft Windows XP, Vista, and Windows 7 | ||
|
Evaluation Version |
No |
Yes |
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|
Electronic documentation |
WinHelp (.HLP)
|
WinHelp
(.HLP) |
WinHelp
(.HLP) - XP (Context
Sensitive)
HtmlHelp (.CHM) – Vista (Not Context Sensitive) Manual (.PDF) |
HtmlHelp (.CHM) (Context
Sensitive) Manual (.PDF) - accessible directly from the program |
|
|
Printed Documentation |
Printed Manual |
On demand |
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|
Floating Toolbar |
No |
Yes |
|||
|
Status bar |
No |
Yes |
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|
Auto Input (Wizard) |
Yes. Forward functionality only |
Yes. Works in both directions |
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|
Input Data File Format |
PCA-Beam (.BMS) |
pcaSlab (.SLB) pcaSlab (.BMS) |
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|
Input Data Examples |
2 |
Over 40 |
|||
|
Long File Names |
No |
Yes |
|||
|
Recent Files Menu |
No |
Yes |
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|
Modeling and Calculation |
|||||
|
Concrete Design Code ACI 318 |
1989 |
2002 |
2005 2002 1999 |
2008 2005 2002 1999 |
|
|
Concrete Design Code CSA A23.3 |
1994 |
1994 |
19
94 2004 |
||
|
Metric Units |
Yes |
Yes |
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|
US customary units |
Yes |
Yes |
|||
|
Investigation mode |
Yes |
Yes |
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|
Reinforcing Bar Tables |
ASTM A615
|
ASTM A615 - |
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|
Torsion Analysis and Design |
No |
Yes |
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|
Moment Redistribution |
Yes |
Yes |
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|
Maximum Number of Spans |
14 |
20 |
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|
Cantilevers |
Yes. Always present in a model. |
Yes. Selectable. |
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|
Load Cases |
3, Fixed: Dead, Live, Lateral |
Up to 6, Default:
Self, Dead, Live, Wind, EQ |
Up to 6, Default:
Self, Dead, Live, Snow, Wind, EQ |
||
| Load Combinations |
3 |
Up to 20 | Up to 50 | ||
| Self-weight Automatically Computed |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes (Optional) |
||
|
Lateral Load Cases |
Yes. |
Yes. Multiple lateral load cases possible |
|||
|
Loads per load case (DL or LL) |
Up to 100 partial loads. |
Up to 100 partial loads. |
|||
|
Pattern live loading |
Yes |
Yes |
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|
Number of segments per span |
20 |
Up to 100. |
|||
| Proportioning of Longitudinal Reinforcement for Combined Flexure, Shear, and Torsion | No | No |
Yes (CSA A23.3-04 only with M-V-T Design option) |
||
|
Compression Reinforcement |
No |
Yes |
|||
| Displacements | Instantaneous | Instantaneous |
Instantaneous Long-term |
||
|
Visualization and Reporting |
|||||
|
Geometry View - Isometric |
Yes |
Yes |
|||
|
Geometry View - Plan |
Yes |
Yes |
|||
|
Geometry View - Elevation |
Yes |
Yes |
|||
|
Geometry View - Side |
No |
Yes |
|||
|
Bending Moment Graph |
Yes. Selectable for single span. |
Yes. Selectable for whole structure or single span. |
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|
Moment Capacity Graph |
No |
Yes. Selectable for whole structure or single span. Each strip shown individually. |
|||
| Longitudinal Reinforcement Capacity Graph for Combined Flexure, Shear, and Torsion | No | No |
Yes (CSA A23.3-04 only with M-V-T Design option) |
||
|
Shear Force Graph |
Yes. Selectable for single span. |
Yes. Selectable for whole structure or single span. |
|||
|
Shear Capacity Graph |
No |
Yes. Combined with Shear Force Graph. |
|||
| Reactions | Envelope values of column moments at joints | Column reactions at joints and far ends for all load cases (including patterns) | Column reactions at joints and far ends and spring reactions for all load cases (including patterns) and all load combinations (including patterns) | ||
| Cracked section properties | Yes | No | Yes (extensive info) | ||
|
Deflection Graph |
Yes. Selectable for single span. |
Yes. Selectable for whole structure or single span. |
|||
|
Longitudinal and
transverse |
No |
Yes. Selectable for whole structure or single span. |
|||
|
Surface Loads Graph |
Yes. Fixed for whole structure. |
Yes. Selectable for whole structure or single span. |
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|
Dead Loads Graph |
Yes. Fixed for whole structure |
Yes. Selectable for whole structure or single span. |
|||
|
Live Loads Graph |
Yes. Fixed for whole structure |
Yes. Selectable for whole structure or single span. | Yes. Selectable for a load pattern and whole structure or single span. | ||
| Units Shown on Load Graph | No | No | Yes | ||
|
Graphical Screen Copy |
No |
Yes. Can be saved as bitmap (.BMP) or metafile (.EMF). |
|||
|
Graph Customization (popup menu) |
No |
Yes |
|||
|
Print Preview |
No |
Yes. Available for graphical windows. |
|||
|
Zoom Window |
Yes. Only geometry view windows. |
Yes |
|||
|
Zoom In / Zoom Out |
No |
Yes |
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|
Panning |
No |
Yes |
|||
|
Selectable angles for isometric view |
Yes |
Yes |
|||
|
Rotating and panning
|
No |
Yes |
|||
|
Selective view of structural members |
Yes |
Yes |
|||
|
Text Report |
Yes. Page layout
customizable No font selection. |
Yes. Page layout customizable after executing calculations. Font can be selected. |
|||
|
Segmental Output for Internal Forces and Deflections |
Yes |
Yes |
|||
| Segmental Output for Longitudinal Reinforcement | No | No | Yes | ||
|
Text Screen Copy |
No |
Yes |
|||
|
Text Report File |
Yes. ASCII text file
(.OUT
)
|
Yes. ASCII text file
(.OUT
)
|
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|
Customization |
|||||
|
User-controlled color settings |
Yes |
Yes |
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|
User-controlled default data directory |
Yes |
Yes |
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|
User-controlled default design code |
Yes |
Yes |
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|
User-controlled default rebar table |
No |
Yes |
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|