Historic Sections BrAsS provides tools to rapidly build and calculate compound sections from a combination of standard rolled sections including:
Any
standard rolled section can be defined including complex filleted and
tapered sections. In addition BrAsS provides a selection of predefined
historic rolled sections commonly encountered in riveted bridge
structures. The list is customisable allowing
users to add any number of additional sections.  Section Templates BrAsS provides a number of section templates to enable rapid production of common sections including:
The
templates represent commonly encountered sections, the dimensions are
easily customised to suit specific sections. A selection of template
sections are illustrated on the Screen Shots page.  Professional Report Generator BrAsS provides an custom report generator using vector based graphics to present section property calculations in a clear and consistant format, a sample report can be viewed here. In addition BrAsS provides a functionality for exporting output to Microsoft Excel allowing BrAsS calculations to be linked with existing calculation spreadsheets. |  Section Wizards BrAsS has two section wizards to rapidly build riveted plate and trough girders. The wizards automatically calculatess the position of individual elements and rivet holes based on a few key dimensions. The wizards remember dimensions so that a number of similar sections can be constructed and computed in minutes. Units BrAsS works in two unit systems, "Imperial" and "Metric". Sections can be built in BrAsS in the units in which they were originally fabricated and easily converted to unit systems in which assessment calculations are preferred.  Component Properties
In BrAsS, sections can be subdivided into a number of elements, with each element being composed of a number of parts. Parts represent sections such as angles, channels or plates etc. BrAsS calculates section properties (gross and net) for the section as a whole, for each element and all individual parts. This means for a single section such as a Girder Section, gross and net properties are calculated for the whole section and for each of the elements, i.e. "Top Flange", "Bottom Flange" and "Web". Additionally BrAsS calculates girder properties excluding the "Web" and top flange properties including 1/3 of the web as required in bending calculations considering U-Frame restraint. Rapid Calculation Built-up riveted structural members often have a number of changes in section requiring repetitive calculation of properties. BrAsS rapidly speeds up this process providing tools for copying and editing similar sections.Should the assessment of a structure find it to be understrength BrAsS can be used to rapidly test a number of alternative strengthening options. Additional components can easily be added to existing sections and the section properties calculated instantly. |