midas Gen Review

Easily And Accurately Perform Linear And Nonlinear Structural Analyses

One of the primary reason why midas Gen is built is to give engineers ways to easily and accurately perform structural analysis. With this integrated solution, engineers can apply various types of linear and nonlinear structural analyses. A linear analysis is a process of understanding how structures react to forces or conditions applied to them and verifying whether or not those structures will be displaced or swayed beyond their elastic limits. On the other hand, a nonlinear structural analysis is a method that allows displacements to exceed the elastic limits of structures but checks if the structures are designed to effectively deflect the forces applied to them or reduce the damages that such forces or conditions may cause.

Analyze Construction Stage And Floor Vibration  

The building design and analysis solution uses algorithms so engineers can obtain accurate results as they perform structural analyses. One type of structural analysis that they can do using the software is construction stage analysis. Here, they can access different material properties of concrete that are time dependent. They can also conduct floor vibration analysis wherein they will be able to evaluate how floor structures react to walking loads through dynamic time analyses.  

Pushover Analysis

Another type of structural analysis that can be seamlessly conducted using midas Gen is pushover analysis. The solution allows users to accurately simulate force and displacement that are happening incrementally, permitting them to set up different types of hinge connections, model and control force and displacement, and calculate the reactions of frame structures to loads and forces that are applied to them sequentially.

Inelastic Time History Analysis And More

Engineers can also evaluate the seismic design attributes of structures using inelastic time history analysis. What’s great about this is that the solution has a database of time history records where they can access data about the earthquakes that happened within the area where they are going to build the structures. They can immediately apply whatever data they gathered from the time history records and use their parameters for conducting inelastic time history analysis. The other types of structural analyses that users can perform are heat transfer and heat stress analyses, and geometric nonlinear and plastic analyses.

User-Friendly Graphical User Interface With Multiple Model Windows

midas Gen is built with a user-friendly and intuitive graphical user interface (GUI) that simplifies how engineers do structural design modeling and analysis. The GUI is comprised of multiple model windows which permit users to visualize the specific components of their models in separate windows. Because each model window collects data from the same database, any data manipulation and control they perform in one window will be updated across the other windows.

Explore Structural Models Using Walk-Through Functionality

The GUI is also equipped with a walk-through functionality which enables engineers to explore multiple views of their models using their mouse. This makes it easy for them to see and analyse detailed components and elements of their structures. Also, they can apply animation effects as they use this functionality.

Blending Effect

Another component of midas Gen’s GUI is its blending effect. With this feature, users will be able to adjust the transparency of specific components included in their structural designs and models. They can set the transparency based on the type of material, element, or other attributes. For instance, if they want to examine the interior structures of a model, they can modify the transparency level of its exterior structures. This way, they can analyse complex models without the need for removing or disabling their exterior structures.

Merge Data And Files

The GUI streamlines the process of manipulating data and files. For example, users can generate sub-models of their structures and combine them into a single model later on when they need to conduct a structural analysis. This capability is ideal when it comes to modeling complex structures that contain irregular geometric shapes.

Generate Models Through Data Conversion

Aside from merging data and files, midas Gen also supports model generation through data conversion. With this capability, users will be able to export data and files from third-party programs and translate them into a  usable file format within midas Gen.

Material And Section Properties

midas Gen also makes it possible to apply different types of materials and sections to structural models. In fact, it offers over 37 section shapes that users can choose from and implement on their structural elements. Interestingly, the solution helps them quickly calculate measurements associated with the properties of materials and sections through the aid of its Sectional Properties Calculator.

Building Generation Wizard

With midas Gen, users will be able to intuitively and rapidly create models for the structures that they are planning to build, whether those structures are part of a conventional building or a more sophisticated project.  The solution allows them to access wizards that help them save time as they generate models. One of these wizards is the building wizard which has the capability to automatically generate complete models of high-rise and multi-storey buildings including floor diaphragms.

Model Structures By Simply Entering Parameters

Moreover, midas Gen is equipped with a wide array of structure wizards which allow users to generate models of specific structures in such a way that they no longer have to model each component of the structure. They simply need to specify the parameters of the structure and the solution will do the modeling for them. For instance, if they want to create a model of an arc, all they need to do is to use the Arc Wizard and specify the length, curvature, and the spacing between the segments of the arc.

Powerful Post-Processor That Can Produce Graphical Results

midas Gen comes with a powerful post-processor which simplifies the generation and visualization of structural analysis results. The post-processor permits engineers to view graphical results as they evaluate structural reactions and displacements, as well as member forces and stresses. For a more dynamic structural analysis, it lets them instantly come up with various load combinations based on whatever design standards they are adhering to. Structural analysis results can be animated as well.

Structural Analysis Result Tables

Aside from its capability to generate graphical outputs of structural analysis results, the post-processor also organizes all input data and results in tables that have a format similar to a spreadsheet. Users can access these tables from multiple windows, and they can alter, add, and rearrange, and search data contained in these tables in many ways.

Dynamic Report Generation

Summing it up, midas Gen offers dynamic report generation capability which allows users to drag images and result tables from the solution and drop them onto MS Word documents. They can also export result tables to Microsoft Excel.