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May 2006 

<printable version>

Dear SCIA eNews reader,

It has been exactly 2 years since we launched our first eNews.
Time after time we have tried to present very interesting issues. This edition is no different from usual.

For the fifth time, SCIA organises a User Contest. An event that already gets worldwide credit and in which your company and your most beautiful projects attract the attention. Participating is the message; the beautiful prizes are a bonus!

Before you sign up for the User Contest, don’t forget to read our Support article about the graphical output. We would also like to show you a magnificent project, namely the local swimming pool of Jonfosse (Liege) designed with our Allplan Architecture software…. and there is a lot more, just watch.

Throughout the years, the SCIA User Contest has become a renowned event, strongly appreciated by the users of our software solutions and highly praised by the international press. With this lustrum edition - this is already the 5th one - we will even go further: new categories, new software and extra prizes…

You will, without any doubt remember the previous edition, which resulted in a nice
User Contest book, where every participating project got extensive attention. If you shouldn’t have your own copy yet, you can still order it here for free.

We have reserved several categories for projects modelled and calculated with SCIA.ESA, like we did for the previous edition. The category Allplan (Nemetschek) has, due to the success of the previous edition, been divided into 2 categories “Allplan Architecture” and “Allplan Engineering” and completely new for this contest is the category “Geotechnics”, in which we welcome ground mechanical projects designed by users of MSerie software (Geodelft).

Take this unique opportunity to show the results of your organizations’ know-how and professionalism to the outside world, by means of 5000 “hard copies” of the contest book, 11.000 eNews letters in 5 languages and large international press attention. On top of that, the winning project in each of the 6 categories is rewarded with a 1.000€ cheque.

Participating is easy: Throughout time, you have already elaborated your projects and therefore the biggest part of the job is already done. The only thing that still needs to be done, is sending your projects to us.

From today on, you can subscribe for and find all practical information regarding the contest on the SCIA User Contest 2007 website. However, don’t hesitate to contact your regional SCIA contact person in case you should need more information.

Take part…success is guaranteed!

As part of the on-going collaboration between the company ‘Echo’, manufacturer of precast floor elements, and SCIA a further step in the development of pretension beams will be taken.

In version 2006.1 of SCIA.ESA PT the following features will be developed: Asymmetrical Strand Patterns, Phased Arbitrary Beams, Batch Processing of parameterised templates, Code Check EN 1168, Concrete Fire Resistance and Holes in Beams.

Especially the check of Concrete Fire Resistance can be seen as a generic module for all existing and new concrete users. This module allows the user to check the maximum fire resistance of a practically reinforced rectangular cross-section. This calculation involves a physical non-linear calculation of the cross-section. Currently such feature does not exist in our software and it will have to be newly developed, see picture.
Note that the current check of the ultimate limit state response is always linear, i.e. flat surfaces remain flat, Bernoulli hypothesis.

Finally the Batch Processing of parameterised templates will be another step forward for all users of SCIA.ESA PT. It will enhance the parametric solution of SCIA.ESA PT with another breakthrough feature. Using this so-called batch processing the user is able to calculate or define an optimised solution for any type of structure and any type of result. He simply parameterises the structure according his wishes sets a step, a minimum and maximum value for this step and let the computer calculate all results. These results will be presented in i.e. Excel and the user can modify the data according his requirements or he can produce nice graphs for the development of a parameter over another parameter. Even more the user is able to define his own unity checks. He simply defines the appropriate parameter and divides it by his limit parameter.

Example:

Parameter 1 Result of deformation at midspan, uz
Parameter 2 Length of the beam, ulim = L /300 [normal formula]
Parameter 3 uz / ulim [normal formula]

Parameter 3 will then be the Unity Check for the deformation at midspan.

Project: The local swimming pool of Jonfosse (Liège)
Client: Bureau Act 1 Architects
Used software: Allplan Architecture

The company ACT 1 is an architectural firm counting 2 structural engineers, 1 environmentalist urban development architect, 7 architects, 2 interior designers, 1 designer and 2 office workers.

The main sectors in which ACT 1 is working are:

• The service sector (offices)
• The hospital sector and rest homes
• The commercial sector (Carrefour, Krefel, Mediamarkt)
• The hotel sector
• The sector of accommodations (individual, apartments)
• The sports sector (sports centre)

ACT 1 disposes of the following certificates: ISO 9001 and CoQual.

The project
The project has been realized in November 2004 within the framework of a contest organized by the City of Liège.
The studies were made in partnership with ‘Coste Architecture’ of Montpellier. It regards the construction of a municipal swimming pool and adjacent accommodations. The site retained for this equipment is interesting due to its citification (strong density of houses and schools), its difference in level and the district in which it is situated (station of Jonfosse).

Philosophy
The new swimming pool has to re-revitalize the district. In order to blend in, the front side of building will bring an urban answer in correlation with its environment: the use of hewn stone at the base and of bricks for covering the envelope of the vertical circulations as well as the arrangement of large horizontal glass parts, result in a strong architectural statement.

The Buildings

• 2 parking levels
• Ground floor: swimming pool and equipment
• Level 1: fitness centre
• Level 2: cafeteria and conference rooms

Some figures

• Estimate of the budget of the works 7,500,000 euros all-in
• The surface area of the ground: 2500 m2
• The surface area of the swimming pool: 1900 m2
• 19 accommodations
• 60 parking places