Design Expert v 2.

3/2013 Release Notes

New in version 2.3

Dear user,
The new version Design Expert 2.3 is available with a lot of improvements and new features.
All users of version 2.0 or later can upgrade to the new version for free.

Installation
You download the new version from the following link:
http://www.proektsoft-bg.com/dropbox/en/Design_Expert_Setup_EN.exe
After downloading, start Design_Expert_Setup_EN.exe in order to install the program. You
do not need to uninstall the old version; all files will be replaced as necessary. Existing license
codes will remain unchanged.

List of changes
All modules

The program is fully compatible with the new

ZWCAD+. In order to use Design Expert together
with ZWCAD+, do not forget to change the option
External CAD from ZWCAD to ZWCAD+ in
the settings dialog for each module;

All floating point calculations are performed with double precision. That improves the
accuracy of the numerical iterative algorithms for analysis of complex sections with
arbitrary shapes;

Detailing requirements for different ductility levels

(DCL, DCM and DCH) to Eurocode 8 are added for
automated detailing of seismic elements.

Additional requirement for concrete cover to be >

+ 10 mm is added. Cover is automatically adjusted
when you change the bar diameter .

AutoCAD/ZWCAD Plug-in

Option for using standard bending radius is added by default for the "Bends and Hooks"
command. Then you do not need to enter any value and radius is calculated from the
diameter of bars according to Eurocode;

Direction of hooks (top/bottom) is determined by the sign of the hook length;

Visual feedback for bar position is added when inserting new bars;

You can find more information in the updated user manual:

http://www.proektsoft-bg.com/dropbox/en/Zwcad Plug-in.pdf

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Design Expert v 2.3/2013 Release Notes

Beam Expert

Drop down combo boxes for selecting sections, support types,

load types, load cases etc. are added to tables;

Display of section dimensions is improved;

Quality of graphics for diagrams is improved;

Main reinforcement area is represented by two diagrams. The

first one represents the theoretical reinforcement obtained by
bending design only. The second one takes into account the additional tension force
from shear design and minimum reinforcement ratio. That provides better view and
understanding of the design results;

Arrangement of the final reinforcement drawing is improved. Support numbers and

axes are removed;

Detailing requirements to Eurocode for different ductility classes (DCL, DCM and DCH)
are included;

The requirement of section 5.6.1(3) in 8 is added. Anchorage length starts at 5dbL

from column edge inside the joint for DCH (dbL bar diameter);

The requirement of section 5.6.2.2(2) in 8 is checked. In order to provide good

anchorage, the ratio of the anchored bar to the column size is limited. If this check is
not satisfied, a warning is displayed;

According to section 5.6.2.2(4) in 8, bars at internal joints, are anchored behind the
joint at distance lcr into the next span for DCM and DCH.

You can find more information in the updated user manual:

http://www.proektsoft-bg.com/dropbox/en/Beam Expert.pdf.

Column Expert, Shear Wall Expert

The requirement of EN 1991-1-1, section 8.7.4.2 for adding shear reinforcement at

distance 4 from the end of lapping compression bar is included.

According to EN 1991-1-1 . 5.6.3 (3), the spacing of the shear links across the lap
length is the lower value of

bc /4 and 100 mm, where bc is the smaller dimension of the

column cross section.

Column Expert

Arrangement of the columns in the reinforcement drawing is improved to avoid

overlapping of some objects. Anyway, the final view of the drawing depends on the

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Design Expert v 2.3/2013 Release Notes

style settings, used in ZWCAD/AutoCAD. For better results, use Width Factor = 0.7 for
the text style.

Checks for detailing requirements to Eurocode were improved. They work also for
circular columns;

You can find more information in the updated user manual:

http://www.proektsoft-bg.com/dropbox/en/Column Expert.pdf.

PMM Expert

All changes to the detailing parameters in Column Expert are automatically included in
PMM Expert, since they use common section editor;

The infinite loop problem at some cases is corrected.

Shear Wall Expert

Additional checks for confined zones in shear walls are added to the section editor.
Some of them differ from the requirements for columns. For example, the minimum
reinforcement ratio is 0.5%, instead of 1.0%;

Additional code requirements checks are added for the whole shear wall as follows:
o

minimum web thickness

Bw min

minimum length/thickness ratio

Lw/Bw min

minimum height of critical zone

Hcr

minimum length of confined boundary

Lc min

minimum width of confined boundary

Bc min

minimum reinforcement ratio for the web

w min

minimum bar diameter for the web

dw min

minimum bar spacing for the web

a min

maximum spacing between bars in the web

Sw,max

maximum bar diameter in the web

v,h max

maximum spacing between S links in the web

dS max

You can find more information in the updated user manual:

http://www.proektsoft-bg.com/dropbox/en/Shear Wall Expert.pdf.

Pad Expert

Diagram for base stress is added along the foundation edges.

Schemes of base stress diagrams and values including the position of neutral line (in
case of uplift) are now printed to the report.

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