IDEA Connection is the biggest development in structural engineering since many years, offering an easy way to design even the most complex connection. It filled a big gap that existed in Steel Connection design since all existing software were either not capable of handling complex connections that often used in modern structures, or they were highly sophisticated FEM tools that are not productive enough to be used by practicing engineers - and do not provide code checks. IDEA StatiCa is based on CBFEM, a new method that offers a much more detailed analysis of a connection and design “beyond the code” since it uses Finite Elements Analysis to calculate the internal forces within a joint. This enables the engineer to model any connection even if it is not covered by current standards, such as EC3 or AISC. At the same time, it offers some unique features like Local Buckling analysis and Stiffness analysis/classification, which provide much more information for the behavior of the connection.
