Currently, STAAD.foundation supports three concrete codes: ACI-2005, BS 8110 and IS-456-2000. These foundations can be on soil or on piles. Load types can be predetermined or user-defined with a customizable automatic load combination generator. Wind and zip code based seismic loads can also be generated through a simple wizard-based input. STAAD.foundation can calculate footing plan dimension and thickness automatically. It designs for one way shear, punching shear, pile punching shear, and corner pile check. It calculates reinforcement along both axes (X and Z) and both faces (top and bottom). With its powerful 3D graphics, engineers can quickly identify and investigate displaced shapes, stress contour, soil pressure and reinforcement layout.

Integration with STAAD.Pro
STAAD.foundation is bi-directionally integrated with STAAD.Pro (a leading product in structural analysis and design). Any analyzed STAAD.Pro file can be imported into STAAD.foundation with all column positions (and/or plates), support reactions and loads brought in automatically. Changes made to the column positions or loads can be re-imported for further evaluation of the substructure.

Finite Element Analysis (FEM) for accurate and economical designs
STAAD.foundation has a very unique and innovative technique for mat design that takes full advantage of 3D FEM analysis, which can provide for an accurate and economical design. It designs the slab at thousands of discrete points taking into consideration an unlimited number of load cases. This unique approach to creating user-defined reinforcing zones helps the user to visualize and optimize the reinforcement reinforcement requirement. The program can automatically detect upliftand redistribute the force. A design along any user-defined line in the slab can be performed along with checks for punching shear for all column positions.

Unique, Object based modeling for complex foundations
No matter how complex the foundation is, STAAD.foundation can design it with its object based modeling environment. Whether it is rectangular, complex polygonal, circular or includes openings , STAAD.foundation has the tools to model, analyze, design and produce drawings. In addition, both regular and irregular column lines can be modeled. The sophisticated mesh generation allows for the creation of holes (cut-outs) and inner regions with different thicknesses for pedestals.

Boundary/property line loads can be modeled with powerful physical loading objects such as circular load, quadrilateral load, line load and point load.

• Intuitive user-friendly graphical user interface; the workflow is categorized and arranged to flow from top to bottom
• Complete foundation project environment which includes isolated, combined, strip, pile cap, octagonal footing and mat foundations; it connects all the modules through a global layer
• Tabbed view, navigator tree and floating toolbar.
• Modeling wizard for rectangular mat foundation
• Physical mat foundation modeling environment saves time and reduces errors
• Physical loading—like point load on space, quadrilateral load, circular load, or line load allows user to simulate tank loading and wall loading
• STAAD.foundation is seamlessly integrated with STAAD.Pro to import loadings, reactions, column positions; users can even import any set of analyzed plates to design; program tracks changes made in STAAD.Pro model and can merge the changes with STAAD.foundation file
• Powerful OpenGL-based graphics helps visualize output like displacements, stress on displaced shape, combined beam stress, and entities like plates and beams in 3D for a realistic rendered view
• Automatic transfer of load from top of the pedestal to the base of the footing
• Automatic pile arrangement
• Automatic mesh generation considering holes, control regions and column lines; option for both triangular and quadrilateral plates
• Physical beam

Analysis and Design

• Supports both flexible and rigid method
• Sophisticated FEM analysis for mat foundation powered by reliable STAAD analysis engine
• Supports unlimited number of load cases and load combinations
• Physical tie beam which automatically converts to analytical members for analysis and provides output such as bending moment, shear and combined stresses
• Innovative and unique slab design to take full advantage of FEM analysis; it produces user-defined reinforcing zones and blocks for optimal reinforcement distribution
• Slab design along any cut line to simulate manual mat design technique
• Automatic pile arrangement using BOCA standard
• Proper handling of biaxial moment for all footing types using finite difference approach
• Pedestal design

Output

• Step-by-step detailed calculation sheet with code clauses and equations to verify output
• Layout drawing with grid marks and to-scale drawing detects overlaps and aids in selection of foundation type
• Detailed structural drawing of each footing with customizable arrow marks and labels
• DXF export of detailed and layout drawing to produce site drawing
• Base pressure and plate stress color contour
• User defined cut lines through mat slabs to view bending moment and shear diagramps and designs