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TRUSS4 Release notes

November 25th, 2008 – Version 4.0.k

Truss generally

New version 4.0k introduces significant improvements in program Truss 3D. Besides them, it includes the following corrections and news:

Export corrections
Export files for automatic sawing machine CT800 and program Dietrich's were corrected and updated.

Truss 2D

The new version of program Truss 2D brings the following changes and improvements:

Upgraded mounting of rafters
The program now supports input of rafters with upper and bottom details. Values of Overhang, Height H, End cut mode etc. are assumed from end joints.
Transfer of compression forces by contact of timber members
We added to the program the option to consider transfer of compressive forces only by contact of timber members (not by nail plates).

Truss 3D

Program Truss 3D brings the most of the changes. First of all, the truss generator was revised and improved, a new possibility to specify common truss properties was added and bulk truss design is available now. Besides that, some program parts (e.g. mounting or redrawing 3D views) were significantly accelerated.

Upgraded mounting of rafters
The program now supports input of rafters with upper and bottom details. Values of Overhang, Height H, End cut mode etc. are assumed from end joints.
Common properties of a project
For a given project in program Truss 3D you can now specify settings included in dialog boxes Design options, Design customizing and Analysis options. The settings are used as default for individual trusses. When you modify these common settings, the values are automatically changed in all generated trusses.
Company catalogue
Catalogue of companies is now also available in Truss 3D.
Ground plan import in format *.dxf
Line ground plan drawing in format *.dxf can be imported to a project. The tool is available in the main menu: File > Import. In order to use this function, you need to create a new project as an Empty structure. Only the line drawing is loaded to the project, all wall properties such as depth, roof plane, etc. are assumed from Wall template, which can be edited while creating the project (folders Structure and Bottom detail).
Entering of basic analysis data
Basic analysis data of a truss (loading width, truss multiplicity, symmetry) can be now introduced directly in Truss 3D through the control tree – item Truss check. So it is no longer necessary to run Truss 2D to check trusses.
Tools for working with points
There are new tools available for working with points: Convert relative to absolute and Convert absolute to relative. Both functions are similar to the ones in Truss 2D. The tools can be found in the vertical control panel when mode Points is active.
Bulk truss design
Automatic truss design and check can be now run directly in program Truss 3D. Buttons Automatic truss design and Static analysis and truss check were activated. By using them, you can run design and check of trusses without opening the trusses in program Truss 2D. You can design and check individual, selected or all trusses in a project. There are also some other changes when mode Truss check is active. The window in the right bottom corner displays the truss and allows you to visually check the results immediately.
Upgrade of truss generators
The new version brings completely revised interface for generating of trusses. Especially creating of general trusses (in older versions called Generating under outline) was significantly improved and becomes now the default mode of truss generating. The generator includes some new functions, for example a possibility to automatically lower horizontal top chords of trusses when there are rafters mounted over them. The value is measured perpendicularly to the roof plane.
Bulk lowering of horizontal top chords of trusses
In the new version you can lower height of all trusses with horizontal upper chords in the project. The value is measured perpendicularly to the roof plane
Major truss spacing
You can now specify Major truss spacing in a project. The value is used while assembling truss groups (hip, valley). The program always offers such truss layout in the group, that truss spacing does not exceed the specified value. The value is also automatically considered to be the default loading width of trusses and the out-of-plane buckling length of horizontal top chords.
Bulk generating of trusses in groups
Trusses in groups can be created at once using button Generate and without opening dialog boxes of individual groups.
New options of hip assembly
There are more options of truss layout in group of trusses Hip. Now you can enter a hip with fixed length of skew fillets, which allows you to use the same skew fillets in hips of various dimensions.
Another interesting improvement is a possibility of generating side skew fillets connected to corner rafters. Location of these skew fillets is in the current version generated automatically considering the Major truss spacing. All location modifications have to be done individually for each truss.
Arbitrary location of ridge and hip peak
In macro step Straight roof, you can now specify the exact location of roof ridge. If the exact ridge location is determined, the program automatically calculates and modifies roof slopes accordingly. In macro step Hip, the Hip peak location can be changed the same way.
Trimming of roof planes with support walls
It is now possible to determine the basic shape of roof plane by auxiliary walls and then get the final shape by trimming the roof planes with support walls.
First you need to select two connected walls determining the new eaves shape. Then you can click macro step "Trim roof planes with polygon of selected walls". It requires determining of a wall with the roof plane that we want to trim. In the dialog box you need to choose, whether left or right side of the roof plane is to be cut. If you trim more roof planes, you need to repeat the process for each one of them. This modification as well as others can be inserted to a macro for automatic generating of roof planes.
Wall property „Upper detail“
Folder Upper detail was added to Wall properties. If choice Vertical shift of roof plane is activated for an eaves wall, the data in this folder (especially Overhang) are considered when generating roof planes and trusses. Upper detail can be also used in case of support wall - it affects oversupport joints of trusses ended on the wall.
Improvement of guide for creating new projects
Guide for creating new projects now allows simple entering of the most important data for truss design (truss spacing and width, material, brace spacing, etc.). You can also determine properties of bottom detail of eaves walls.

June 12th, 2008 – Version 4.0.j

Truss in general

Truss 4.0j update includes the following improvements:

  • New drawing mode of internal forces and utilization diagrams in program Truss 2D
  • Improvement of the input line options – range of input values
  • Possibility to use the calculator by the input line as a dialog box
  • General improvement of dimensioning options

April 9th, 2008 – Version 4.0.i

Truss in general

The greatest innovation in the new version of Truss (4.0.i) is the complete integration of standards based on the Eurocode principles into the program. Now, you can officially use the program for design of trusses according to EN 1995-1-1 and DIN 1052:2004. Design according to CSN 73 1702 will be possible immediately after releasing the standard. Some new functions were added to program Truss 3D. Most of the reported errors were corrected in all programs. The newest version of the package includes the following innovations:

Characteristics of nail plates for EN 1995-1-1, DIN 1052:2004, CSN 73 1702
Characteristics of nail plates derived from tests performed according to CSN EN 1075 and evaluated according to prEN 14545:2008 were inserted to the program. The characteristics are assumed from the Record No. 010-022091 of tests of mechanical properties of joints with punched metal plate fasteners, published on March 15th, 2008 by the Technical and Test Institute for Construction Prague. The record is available in company Bova Ltd.
Catalogue of materials
A new catalogue of materials was inserted to the program. Besides others, it includes the complete range of timber grades according to CSN EN 1912:2004. Use of operators and functions in data entry fields Topological entry fields now work also as simple calculators. Besides numbers, you can also type in various operators (+,-,*,/,(),^) and functions (sin, cos, tan, arcsin, arccos, arctan, ln, log, pi, e, sqr, sqrt, abs, int, frac). Numbers can be also entered as fractions (2/3) or as functions (0,8*cos(25)). Data entry fields with these extended options are marked by “fx” button.
Increased precision of entering numerical data
Numerical parameters can be now specified more precisely using numbers with more decimals. Rounded value used on screen or in outputs is shown in an explanatory note (bubble), which is displayed above the entry field when you rest the mouse pointer there. The feature is available only in the fields described in the paragraph above.
Extended options of entering prices of nail plates
Options for entering prices of nail plates were significantly extended. The prices can be specified depending on weight or area of nail plates. Common price can be entered either for individual types of nail plates or for all types at once. Special price (different from the global price) can be assigned to any width or length of nail plates. Even an individual unit price can be entered for a nail plate. It is also possible to consider different costs for nail plate sizes, which are not available in the warehouse and have to be imported.

Truss 2D

The new version of program Truss 2D brings the following changes and improvements:

Modification of the system for saving current and default settings
System for saving default settings and settings of current project was reorganized and became clearer. It is located on the main menu – item “Tools”. There you can find two separated tabs “Default settings” and “Current settings”. Each one contains items “Truss properties”, “Design options”, “Design customizing” and “Analysis options”.
Customizing of design for EN 1995-1-1
If designing standard EN 1995-1-1 is selected, it is now possible to modify all coefficients (factors) and structural principles used in design. For current structures, dialog box “Design customizing” can be found in tab “Current settings” in menu “Tools”. For new structures, the default parameters can be modified in “Default settings”. The parameters can be changed and will be used in analysis only if designing standard EN 1995-1-1 is selected and national annex “user” is chosen.
Extension of tool “Change location unit of relative joints”
Topology tool “Change location unit of relative joints” was improved in such way, that besides multiple change of the location unit it can be now used also for change of mode of measuring distance (location) and for change of reference joint.

Truss 3D

Program Truss 3D brings numerous new functions and improvements. Most of previous version errors were corrected. The main changes are:

New options of generating roof planes
New roof detail “Intersection of two hips” was added to the section. It designs proper roof shape when two hips intersect and there is a ridge created in the intersection. The detail is available for two layouts – for hip ridges parallel or perpendicular to one another.
Extended options of group of trusses “Straight roof”
Location of trusses in group “Straight roof” can be specified more ways. Besides the original way by entering the count of trusses, it is now available to determine fixed truss spacing - distances to edge trusses are automatically shortened.
Correction of generating corner rafters
Generating of corner rafters and generally all trusses located at different angle to their bearing wall than 90° was corrected. The program now solves corner rafters correctly including their location, support size and overhang length.
Automatic recognition of inner load-bearing walls
If mode “Generating of trusses below outline” is switched on, the program automatically recognizes inner supporting walls and considers the wall location as an inner support of the truss. The inner load-bearing wall must have the same height as the outer walls.
General location of a truss between two objects
Trusses can be individually located between two walls and newly also between two trusses or between a truss and a wall. All the types of bearings are entered using “Both side relative location of truss” (in section “Truss”, “Individually”).
Extended options of locating a truss between two objects
Location of a truss inserted between two objects (walls, trusses) can be now determined by location on one object and an angle from a perpendicular line to this object.
Transfer of selected locations to a new type of truss
For a given truss, it is now possible to select some locations and transfer them to a new type of truss. Function “Separate selected truss locations” is available in the control tree, item “Truss”, choice “Individually”.
New options of dimensioning and descriptions in ground plan drawing
Ground plan dimensioning can be affected by several new settings, which were added to dialog box “Ground plan drawing”. Now, it is also available to choose description mode of trusses (in a bubble or along the truss).

November 23rd, 2007 – Version 4.0.h

TRUSS generally

The new version of program TRUSS (4.0.h) includes many adjustments related to new designing standard based on the Eurocode. The interface for exporting files to CAD programswas completely revised.

Improvement of export to CAD systems
The process of exporting structures to CAD applications was improved and unified in all programs. Export to program SEMA was added to the menu.
Addition of functions into the Table of combinations
New functions were added into dialog box “Table of combinations”. First, there is a possibility to generate new combinations while keeping the previously generated ones. Now, it is also available to copy selected combinations. This modification is included in both Truss 2D and Truss 3D.
Integration of hard-lock update into the program
Program for updating hard-locks is now integrated directly into program Truss 2D. The program automatically suggests the user to e-mail requested data for extension of hard-lock validity when displaying the warning of licence expiration. The update by itself can be accomplished in dialog box “Licence extension”, which is available in control menu in folder Help.

Truss 2D

New version of program Truss 2D includes the following modifications and improvements:

Improvement of design according to standards based on the Eurocode
Structure design according to standards EN 1995-1-1, CSN 73 1702 and DIN 1052:2004 was improved. Some errors occurring within calculations and analysis were removed and switching between the mentioned above standards and CSN (STN) 73 1701 standards was significantly accelerated.
Automatic generating of combinations during data transfer from FinPri
Automatic generating of combinations during data transfer from FinPri to program Truss 2D was integrated into the program. It allows the users to check the structure immediately after receiving data from FinPri and without the need of generating combinations manually.
Printing of divided symmetrical trusses
If a divided truss consists of two identical parts, the program allows printing of manufacturing documentation only for one of the structure parts. Number of trusses in the documentation is equal to the number of needed parts. Such printing mode can be set in dialog box “Analysis options” in folder “Cut-pieces”. Older structures have to be recalculated in order to get the setting available.
New option for entering structure cuttings
New mode of entering structure cuttings allows leading them perpendicularly to intersected cut-pieces. The mode can be set in “Truss cutting properties”.
Automatic adding of auxiliary nail plates to a wedge
In some complicated details, the program did not generate auxiliary nail plates holding stiffening wedges. Now, it can be switched on in dialog box “Analysis options” in folder “Nail plates” and works even for very complicated details.

Truss 3D

The new version of program Truss 3D firstly contains the possibility to print structure ground plan and also includes lots of small improvements, adjustments and corrections such as recalculation of lowering the height of hip trusses. The value can be now entered perpendicularly to the roof plane, not in vertical direction. Some errors related to entering of loads were also removed. New features included in program Truss 3D are:

Printing of ground plan
Program Truss 3D now allows printing of structure ground plan including dimensions and truss locations and labels. The function is available in control menu, in folder “File”. The entire ground plan or just its part can be printed out. Ground plan with mounted trusses, list of all trusses in the structure and structure drawing with basic geometric properties of roof planes are also printable.
Polygonal hip
New feature for creating roof planes was added in folder “Roof”: hip determined by a polygon. It becomes very useful when a double-pitched roof is terminated by more roof planes intersecting in one point (peak). To introduce the roof plane detail, two walls determining the roof ridge and one of the walls forming the polygonal hip have to be specified. The program calculates slopes of the other roof planes of the polygonal hip to join in the intersection of the ridge and roof plane of the entered wall. Some examples of structures solved using the function are shown below:

Truss Explorer

Truss Explorer now allows opening data files created in program Truss 3D. Trusses in any existing project can be uploaded to Truss Explorer using function “New in directory” without changing extension of truss files.

March 4th, 2007 – Version 4.0.g

All programs (including Truss Explorer)

  • New version of program Truss (4.0.g) includes many improvements and supports new designing standards based on the European design standards, so called Eurocodes. Considering the fact that nail plate capacities have not yet been determined according to these standards, it is not possible to perform any checks of real structures.
  • Eurocode based standards are available in the program only for testing purposes. These standards will remain valid after 2010 when national standards (CSN and STN 73 1701), which do not follow the Eurocodes, are expected to be cancelled in European Union countries. Standards CSN 73 1702 (translation of DIN 1052 : 2004) and DIN 1052 : 2004 are supposed to come into effect in 2008. Standard CSN EN 1995-1-1 (Eurocode 5) is applied in the Czech Republic and it has been being prepared in Slovakia, Poland and Hungary. Harmonized standard EN 14545 determining requirements for nail plates has not been published yet. Therefore all nail plate analyses performed according to EN 1995-1-1 shall be used only for testing purposes until it is possible to process test results of BOVA nail plates according to EN 14545. The results will be also used pro new DIN and CSN standards. For testing purposes, this version contains values of nail plate capacities determined according to CSN 73 1701.
  • Different rules for load determination and creating of combinations in standards based on original CSN standard (CSN 73 1701 a STN 73 1701) and Eurocode principles (EN 1995-1-1, DIN 1052:2004, CSN 73 1702) are considered. Consequently, individual load states and combinations are not converted (recalculated) according to a current standard if a designing standard originally set in a project was changed. It means that all loads, load states and combinations disappear when switching from CSN 73 1701 to EN 1995-1-1. Therefore it is necessary to enter them again. However all data introduced for CSN remain saved and when current designing standard is switched back to CSN (or STN), they will all appear again.
  • Support of operating system Windows Vista. Program Truss 4 now works also under Windows Vista operating system.

Truss 2D

In program Truss 2D few small errors related to manufacturing documentation of arc cut-pieces etc. were corrected. The following features were added to the program:

Generating of combinations only in Truss 2D window
Considering integration of new designing standards to the program, it is not possible any more to generate combinations automatically in FinPri. New combinations can be generated only in Truss 2D window. Short-cut button “Generate” for generating combinations is available in the upper left corner of “Table of combinations”
Transfer of internal forces in joints in compression only by a nail plate
This new setting allows considering transfer of compressive force only by a nail plate without taking timber members into account. Switching-on the setting may reduce price in case of heavily loaded edge (support) diagonals. The setting can be switched on in “Truss properties”, folder “Standard”.
New method of embedment analysis in supports and details
We built-in to the program new, more sophisticated method of embedment analysis according to EN and DIN standards. The method is also used by default for calculations performed according to CSN and STN. If you wish to return to the original way of performing embedment analysis (because of standard compatibility reasons), you may do so following these directions: click “Tools” on the main menu, choose “Design options”, open folder “Special”, switch on the setting “Use the old model of embedment analysis in supports and details”
New introduction of loading width
Loading width of a truss is no longer specified using the loading width coefficient but it is now determined by these two values: loading width and truss multiplicity. Designing loading width is then calculated as a quotient (ratio) of the values. Truss multiplicity is only used for calculation of designing loading width; it does not affect number of trusses to be produced. This modification was done because of connection to program Truss 3D.
Generator of web members
This tool allows users to quickly change web layout directly in Truss 2D window. The generator can be found in the control tree in folder “Truss”, subfolder “Tools”
Improved DXF exports
Braces preventing out of plane buckling are newly generated into their own layer when exporting structures to DXF files. Truss multiplicity is taken into account.

Truss 3D

New version of program Truss 3D includes many smaller modifications and improvements. The most important new features are:

Generating of truss shape
Command “Generate under outline” generates such truss shape that corresponds to entered ground plan of the truss and appropriate roof planes. The function is available for individual trusses in folder “Truss” included in dialog boxes “Truss properties” and “Roof detail properties”
New types of walls
Current wall types were revised. We added a possibility to insert so called “Auxiliary wall”. It is a line carrying the same data as a typical wall, however it is not displayed as a wall and it does not support trusses. For example a half-hip may be created using an eaves wall, which has vertically shifted beginning of the roof plane.
Wall alignment under a roof plane
Walls can be now aligned under selected roof plane. Using this feature you can for example create a front wall of a double-pitched roof or a half-hip roof.
Deleting of truss group while remaining locations of individual trusses
In the new version it is possible to remove a group of trusses (a hip for example) while keeping locations of individual trusses. This choice avoids automatic removal of other groups dependent on one of the deleted trusses.
Entering of various values of snow-load applied to truss parts
Dialog box for entering of snow-load was modified to allow users to introduce different intensity of snow load applied to individual parts of a truss. Truss 3D now allows entering of snow-load fully according to currently valid standards.

Truss Explorer

Some small corrections, for example in export of cut-pieces for digital multi-angle saw Stromab CT600, were made in program Truss Explorer.

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