Autodesign types

Within SCIA Engineer, there are different possibilities that guide you through the optimization process. The basic option is the use of parameters. Again, almost each entity in SCIA Engineer can be covered by a parameter. Once a project is defined and analyzed, the user can always save the project as a template for later reuse. More general and very useful tool is the Autodesign tool. This allows the user to optimize different parts of the structure. With the optimization, one has the option to define relations between dimensions and specify iteration steps. Last but not least, the defined optimization groups can be combined in the Overall Autodesign in order to optimize multiple types of members or entire structure.

SCIA Engineer enables you to perform an optimisation of the whole structure or of its selected part. The optimisation can be run for steel, concrete, aluminium and timber structures or for steel or timber parts of multi-material projects. Most of the items there concern the default Autodesign (cross-section steel, timber, aluminium, fire resistance, corrugated web check) which is the standard Autodesign of cross-sections that can be found in the appropriate steel, aluminium and other services.

There are several advantages in the overall Autodesign function over the individual Autodesign in services:

• The ability to Autodesign more than one member at a time.
• The ability to run more than one type of Autodesign at a time (steel, timber, concrete, aluminum…etc).
• The ability to use an iterative optimization

There are several different Autodesign procedures mentioned in the following table:

Material	Autodesign item
Concrete	Automatic member reinforcement design (AMRD)
Steel	Cross-section AutoDesign
Steel	Fire resistance AutoDesign
Steel	Corrugated web AutoDesign
Steel	Lapped purlin/girt Autodesign (only IBC code)
Steel connection	Bolted diagonal Autodesign
Timber	Cross-section Autodesign
Aluminium	Cross-section Autodesign
Geotechnics	Pad foundation Autodesign
Steel hall	In-block Autodesign item
Steel hall	Frame - Autodesign manager
Steel hall	Frame – CSS height Autodesign
Steel hall	Frame - deflection Autodesign
Steel hall	Frame - flange Autodesign
Steel hall	Frame – web Autodesign
Steel hall	Frame - flange thickness Autodesign

It is also possible to perform several of the above mentioned optimisation types and then compare the results. And it is up to you to select the cross-section types and bolted diagonal connections that are relevant to your work. It is also your responsibility to think in advance and define and assign to 1D members as many cross-section types as necessary for a proper design and optimisation of the project.

Note: In order to perform the Autodesign, calculation must be already performed.

Note: Autodesign for material concrete use Automatic member reinforcement design (AMRD) from Concrete Advanced service.