Advance Concrete - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Advance Concrete is a computer-aided design

Computer-aided design

Computer-aided design , also known as computer-aided design and drafting , is the use of computer technology for the process of design and design-documentation. Computer Aided Drafting describes the process of drafting with a computer...

(CAD) software application developed by GRAITEC

GRAITEC

GRAITEC is maker of CAD / CAE software for the civil engineering and construction industries.Headquartered in France, the company was founded in 1986 by Francis Guillemard. GRAITEC went from a single company located in France to a group of 11 wholly owned companies spread around the world...

and used for modeling

3D modeling

In 3D computer graphics, 3D modeling is the process of developing a mathematical representation of any three-dimensional surface of object via specialized software. The product is called a 3D model...

and detailing reinforced concrete structures

Reinforced concrete

Reinforced concrete is concrete in which reinforcement bars , reinforcement grids, plates or fibers have been incorporated to strengthen the concrete in tension. It was invented by French gardener Joseph Monier in 1849 and patented in 1867. The term Ferro Concrete refers only to concrete that is...

in AutoCAD

AutoCAD

AutoCAD is a software application for computer-aided design and drafting in both 2D and 3D. It is developed and sold by Autodesk, Inc. First released in December 1982, AutoCAD was one of the first CAD programs to run on personal computers, notably the IBM PC...

. Advance Concrete is used in the structural / civil engineering and drafting fields.

Features

Advance Concrete is a software application integrated into AutoCAD

AutoCAD

, running as an AutoCAD plug-in. Advance Concrete functionalities are grouped in specific toolbars/ribbon tabs in the AutoCAD interface.

The application can be used for modeling and detailing different types of concrete structures, such as buildings, precast concrete

Precast concrete

By producing precast concrete in a controlled environment , the precast concrete is afforded the opportunity to properly cure and be closely monitored by plant employees. Utilizing a Precast Concrete system offers many potential advantages over site casting of concrete...

elements, and also for civil engineering

Civil engineering

Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...

designs.

Advance Concrete uses AutoCAD technology: ObjectARX

ObjectARX

ObjectARX is an API for customizing and extending AutoCAD. The ObjectARX SDK is published by Autodesk and freely available under license from Autodesk. The ObjectARX SDK consists primarily of C++ headers and libraries that can be used to build Windows DLLs that can be loaded into the AutoCAD...

. This technology provides users with professional objects (beams, columns, slabs, bars, frames, stirrup bars) integrated into AutoCAD and on which most basic AutoCAD functions can be applied (stretch, shorten, copy, move, etc.).

The Advance Concrete native file is the DWG

.dwg

DWG is a binary file format used for storing two and three dimensional design data and metadata. It is the native format for several CAD packages including AutoCAD, IntelliCAD and Caddie. In addition, DWG is supported non-natively by many other CAD applications...

file.

The main functions of Advance Concrete concern:

2D / 3D modeling
3D modeling
In 3D computer graphics, 3D modeling is the process of developing a mathematical representation of any three-dimensional surface of object via specialized software. The product is called a 3D model...

of concrete structures;
Automated drawings
Engineering drawing
An engineering drawing, a type of technical drawing, is used to fully and clearly define requirements for engineered items.Engineering drawing produces engineering drawings . More than just the drawing of pictures, it is also a language—a graphical language that communicates ideas and information...

, with tools for automatic creation of sections, elevations, foundations, isometric views, etc.;
Advanced reinforcement
Reinforcement
Reinforcement is a term in operant conditioning and behavior analysis for the process of increasing the rate or probability of a behavior in the form of a "response" by the delivery or emergence of a stimulus Reinforcement is a term in operant conditioning and behavior analysis for the process of...

, with automatic creation and update functionalities and also with manual input tools;
Creation of paper drawings;
Automatic bill of materials
Bill of materials
A bill of materials is a list of the raw materials, sub-assemblies, intermediate assemblies, sub-components, components, parts and the quantities of each needed to manufacture an end product...

.
Multi-user modeling. Users can securely and simultaneously work on the same project through a shared database that stores the model data.

The program provides a working environment for creating 3D structural models from which drawings are created. The 3D model is created using Advance Concrete specific objects (structural elements, openings, rebars, etc.) and stored in a drawing (in DWG

.dwg

format). Once a model is complete, Advance Concrete creates all structural and reinforcement drawings using a large selection of tools for view creation, dimensions, interactive annotations, symbols, markings and automatic layout functions. Advance Concrete provides functionalities for automatic drawing updates based on model modifications.

Specific functionalities

One of the features of Advance Concrete is the “dynamic reinforcement” technology for the rapid reinforcement of concrete elements taking into account their context (type, parameters, connection with other elements).
The user creates a so called dynamic reinforcement solution that integrates the reinforcement cage elements and properties: geometric information, local rules and standards for steel grade, reinforcement bar placement, concrete cover

Concrete cover

Concrete cover, in reinforced concrete, is the least distance between the surface of embedded reinforcement and the outer surface of the concrete...

, etc. The reinforcement solutions can be used later for elements that have different sizes. The reinforcement elements adjust to the new dimensions and are taken into account at reinforcement drawing creation and lists.
The user can save the reinforcement solution in an external file, which can be exchanged, downloaded, reused in any other projects etc.

Software compatibility

The application is compatible with the following operating systems and Autodesk platforms:

Windows Vista
Windows Vista
Windows Vista is an operating system released in several variations developed by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops, tablet PCs, and media center PCs...

, Windows XP
Windows XP
Windows XP is an operating system produced by Microsoft for use on personal computers, including home and business desktops, laptops and media centers. First released to computer manufacturers on August 24, 2001, it is the second most popular version of Windows, based on installed user base...

Pro and Windows 7 (32 and 64 bits)
AutoCAD 2007, 2008, 2009 32 and 64 bits, 2010 32 and 64 bits
ADT 2007,
AutoCAD Architecture 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011.

Software interoperability

Advance Concrete integrates GRAITEC’s “GTC” (GRAITEC Transfer Center) technology, a data synchronization

Data synchronization

Data synchronization is the process of establishing consistency among data from a source to a target data storage and vice versa and the continuous harmonization of the data over time. It is fundamental to a wide variety of applications, including file synchronization and mobile device...

technology that allows:

Importing / exporting data to other GRAITEC software and standard formats (IFC
Industry Foundation Classes
The Industry Foundation Classes data model is intended to describe building and construction industry data.It is a neutral and open specification that is not controlled by a single vendor or group of vendors...

2.×3)
Several Advance Concrete users working simultaneously on the same project and synchronizing their models
Synchronizing in Advance Concrete the modifications made by engineers in other GRAITEC software applications (e.g., section changes, addition of structural elements, etc.).

GTC is the GRAITEC solution for CAD/Design software interoperability and integration specialized in creating and handling a BIM (Building Information Model).

Release history

Official name	version	release	date of release
Version 2011	2011	10	2010
Version 2010	2010	9	2009
Version 2009	2009	8	2009
Version 8.1	8.1	7	2008
Version 7.1	7.1	6	2006
Version 6.1	6.1	5	2005
Version 5.2	5.2	4	2004
Version 5.1	5.1	3	2003
Version 4.2	4.2	2	2002
Version 4.1	4.1	1	2001

External links

Sources

The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.