===============      ============================    =======================
README.TXT File      SECTIONBUILDER Version 8.1.1    Release Date 2003-09-24
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PLEASE READ THIS FILE!

It contains important information that is more current than what is in
the Manuals.


CONTENTS
--------
  1. Installation Instructions for SECTIONBUILDER Version 8.1.1 
  2. Installing over older version 8.xx 
  3. Updating older version 8.xx from the ftp
  4. Significant changes from Version 8.01


1. Installation Instructions for SECTIONBUILDER Version 8.1.1
-------------------------------------------------------------

  The installation instructions are available in three places.  
     A.  The "SECTIONBUILDER Installation Card" link on the SECTIONBUILDER CD browser.
     B.  A printed document included with the program package.
     C.  In the SECTIONBUILDER _Install_Instructions.pdf file in the root directory of the CD.
  The instructions include information about the software protection system used and 
  installation options and instructions. You can choose between a Standalone or 
  Network installation.

  For Network installations, see the License Manager System Administrator's
  Guide for more detailed information about the License Manager and the License 
  Manager Administration program "WlmAdmin.exe".  


2. Installing over older version 8.xx
-------------------------------------
  Version 8.1.1 cannot coexist with another version 8.xx on the same machine. It will
  first uninstall the older version from that machine. Before installing SECTIONBUILDER  
  Version 8.1.1 on an older version, please backup the license file "lservrc" sent to
  you for your machine.  After a Standalone installation the backed up license file 
  should be copied over the new one.  

  For Network installations there is a newer version of the SentinelLM server
  software that you should install.  First uninstall the old version 7.1.1.  Then run
  the Setup for the new version 7.2.0.  To register your saved license file, copy it
  over the one in the ETABS License Manager directory and run "lslicense.bat".  


3. Updating older version 8.xx from the ftp
-------------------------------------------
  The update from the ftp is a full installation. Items 1 and 2 above apply.

 

4. Significant changes from Version 8.01
----------------------------------------

  Changes from V8.1.0 to V8.1.1 (09/24/2003)
  -----------------------------------------
    - Internal Shapes.lsd file updated. This was affecting the starting of
      certain sections. They could not be started.
    - An error which corrupted the writing of a *.pro file for use in ETABS
      and SAP2000 has been corrected. 
    - Minor changes to working of License
 
  Changes from V8.01 to V8.1.0 (01/30/2003)
  -----------------------------------------
    New Features:
      - Global Properties for Sections are computed and reported on the Section
        Property window. These properties are calculated about the Global XY axis
        and are dependent on the location of the Section with respect to the
        origin of the Global Axis. This is useful to calculate the properties of
        the Section about any axis other than the centroidal axis.
      - Section Properties can be exported to .PRO files that can be read by SAP2000
        and ETABS.
      - Entire Sections can be rotated by specified angels about the centroid of
        the Section or any other point. Sections may also be aligned with the 
        Principal Axis orientation using the Section Rotation tool.
      - Stresses resulting from prestressing force applied eccentrically or 
        concentrically can be viewed on the Section in addition to the combined
        stresses caused by biaxial moment and force.
      - Several additional stress-strain curves for both concrete and steel have
        been included in the new version of the program. 
      - Confinement properties of some editable concrete models (e.g. Mander
        Confined concrete model) can be altered for each Shape and assigned to
        that particular Shape, using the Shape Editor. If no parameters are altered
        for the concrete model, the values assigned to the model on the Material Set
        Properties form are assigned to the Shape.
      - Various parameters, including rebar Fy, stress-strain curves, and rebar size,
        may be assigned to individual rebar. 
      - In addition to the current outputs displayed on the moment curvature curve,
        the values of maximum moment and curvature, and the yield moment and curvature
        at yielding are also displayed. These results can be included in the report
        using the Add to Report tool.
      - Selected Shape and rebar parameters used in generating the interaction curve
        are displayed on the Section Capacity Viewer form. All points computed for
        generating the respective curve are also displayed. These can be included
        in the report using the Add to Report tool.
      - A surface closing option (cutoff limit) has been included for the
        interaction surface and curves for both the tension and compression side
        as computed using the selected design code.
      - Results generated for the Interaction surface and curves can be copied
        and exported to other software (e.g., MS Excel).
      - Several additional design codes, including ACI-318-02, ACI-318-95, BS 8110-97,
        EuroCode2, CSA-A23.3-94, UBC 97 and many others, have been included for Section
        capacity and moment-curvature calculations.
      - Fillets of user-specified radii can be added to Shapes. 
      - The coordinates points (nodal points) of non-parametric Shapes can be edited
        numerically (keyboard input). This eases the process of drawing and editing
        user- defined Shapes and modifying merged shapes.
      - Several parametrically defined sections conforming to Caltrans requirements
        are available. The shapes of these Sections are linked to proper confinement
        models. The parameters defining those confinement models are computed using
        the rebar information provided for the Section.
      - A single concrete model may have several subtypes defined using different
        parameters. These subtype models may be assigned to individual Shapes in a
        Section.
      - All new context-sensitive HTML Help has been developed for the new version
        of the program.
      - A Verification Manual with result comparisons has been included. 
      - The SectionBuilder User's Manual has been updated.
    Bugs Fixed:
      - While calculating the section capacity of certain Sections, the program
        did not include calculations for the capacity of some of the triangles
        obtained through meshing. This caused irregularities in the generated
        Interaction surface and curves. This problem has been fixed, resulting in
        smooth curves and accurate values for all Sections.
      - When a Section file was closed, the values provided by the user on the
        Rebar Set Properties form were not saved with the file, and when the Section
        file was reopened, the values were initialized to the defaults . The rebar
        values are now saved with the Section file and reloaded when the file is opened.
      - The rebar failure criterion was initially not connected to the moment-curvature
        curve generation. It is now connected and produces realistic results.
      - In calculating the moments while generating the moment-curvature curves,
        the moment values were being divided by the capacity reduction factor as
        specified in the selected design code. This has now been removed, giving
        more accurate moment values.
      - Changing parameters in the Mander Curves caused runtime errors. This has
        been fixed.
      - Stresses along section lines were not plotted at the correct location.
        This problem has been rectified. 
    Known problems not yet fixed:
      - When capacity curves are plotted for concrete sections with maximum strain
        greater than allowed or defined for the stress-strain curve, the resulting
        capacity curves are distorted.
      - Properties of US database double angles are not correctly reported.

