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TOWER STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS AND DESIGN

TSE Tower Structural Engineering Software

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TSE SOFTWARE
TOWER STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING

The Tower Structural Engineering Software is an integrated analysis and design software for structural engineering. The software accounts for advanced structural analysis and design of steel latticed transmission towers, electrical substations, tubular poles, multi-poles frames and telecommunication structures such as self-supporting towers and guyed masts. 

This engineering software solution is used worldwide by several notable international companies in production work for building innovative tower structures. The TSE is a robust and reliable structural software based on more than 33 years of Research and Development. 

ADVANCED STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS

The Tower Structural Engineering software is a technology built on a powerful user-friendly interface offering comprehensive analysis options and intuitive modeling features.

The advanced structural analysis of the TSE software allows the user to achieve specialized analyses crucial to any projects related to the tower industry.

Torsion and
Warping

The TSE software considers restrained warping for the torsion of thin-wall open sections. Notice that this phenomenon is not included in most commonly used frame analysis programs. Almost all frame programs in practice use St-Venant torsion theory ignoring the effects of restrained warping.

•Seismic response spectrum, seismic time-history and dynamic time-history analysis
•Customized response spectrums and accelerograms
•Fully customizable analysis parameters
•Maximal response using CQC and SRSS methods
•Automated or user defined damping
•Graphical display of response spectrums and accelerograms
•User defined incidence angle of seismic loads and vertical components
•Customized analysis and output time steps
•Time refined results can be provided for selected parts of the models
•Automated or custom determination of the signs of deformations provided by the maximum response methods
•Additional masses can be added to the model by way of static loads
•Seismic loads (spectrum or accelerogram) and dynamic loads (sinusoidal, general load functions and random load functions)
•Multiple seismic and dynamic loads can be combined together in a single analysis
•Base shear calibration according to the selected building code
•Possibility to define several seismic loads and account for eccentricities between the center of stiffness and the center of mass
•Graphical display of the center of stiffness and the center of mass and seismic forces at floors
•Account for accidental eccentricities
•Account for the I, F and R coefficients of the NBCC and IBC code in spectral and time-history analysis

SEISMIC AND DYNAMIC ANALYSIS

LOADS and
LOAD COMBINATIONS

The software allows the user to create load combinations. A load combination results in an algebric combination of distinct basic loads. Each basic load is multiplied by a load factor. The resulting load combination acts on the structure to generate a specific structural response. The load combination wizard in the program also allows creating load patterns.

The load combination wizard generates load combinations according to NBCC, UBC, ASCE 7, BOCA, Eurocode and ECC.
•Loading for joints, members including concentrated, uniform, trapezoidal and thermal loads.
•Pressure or concentrated floor loads with two-way, one-way and truss distribution using triangular or quadrilateral surfaces.
•Pressure or concentrated loads on finite element plates.
•Gravity loads in any global direction calculated by the program.
•Imposed displacements at any joint.
•User defined load combinations.

PHYSICAL MEMBER LOADS
The user can apply uniform, concentrated and variable loads to physical members (continuous sequence of members).

•Extensive database of standard sections (CISC, AISC and European).
•Custom section libraries.
•Non-standard sections (over 30 shapes available).
•Truss and pre-tensioned cable sections.
•User defined section properties.
•Composite sections are available. 
•Library of standard panels types with facilities to create user-defined ones.

GEOMETRIC CALCULATOR

•Wizard based geometry generation
•Large number of pre-defined frames
•Over 30 pre-defined trusses
•Circular and parabolic arches
•Cylinders and cones composed of beams and/or plates

EXTENSIVE PROFILE TYPES AND LIBRARIES

CATENARY CABLES
ANALYSIS

The catenary cable element is a highly non-linear element used to model the catenary behavior of a cable suspended between two points under the effect of its self-weight. This formulation accounts for the non-linearity due to large displacements.

A cable has no bending, shear, compression or torsion stiffness. Due to this fact, the fixities at the ends are ignored; the cable is always treated as member acting in tension only.

In the interface of the TSE, the user can create a catenary cable by associating a cable type section to a member.

Spatial objects are used to model non-structural secondary elements attached to the structure. These elements add no stiffness to the existing model. Loads applied to spatial objects are transferred to the structure through one or more attach joints. The loads are transferred using a “rigid plate” approach.

Concentrated, pressure and wind loads may be applied to spatial objects. The figures below shows a spatial object loaded vertically and horizontally attached to a cantilever column. Also, it shows the deformations and biaxial moments induced by the loads transferred by the spatial object.

SPATIAL OBJECTS AND SPATIAL LOADS

DIRECT ANALYSIS
METHOD (DAM)

This option is available for AISC 360-16 and AISC 360-10 standards.

The options for the Stability Design Method are Direct Analysis Method (DAM) and Effective Length Method (kL).

INTUITIVE MODELING FEATURES

•Local coordinate systems
•Linear or circular lines of constructions for model creations
•Automated commands for model creation such as move, rotate, extrude, copy, attach, subdivide and others
•Models can be edited either graphically or by means of spreadsheets
•Element can be created in batch or one by one
•Elements of the models can be selected either graphically or according to a set of criterions
•Persistent groups of selected objects can be created and edited graphically or by means of spreadsheets
•Definition of physical members
•Selection and edition of physical members
•Definition of loading surfaces
•Multiple edition grids with user defined spacing, angles and labels
•Powerful edition and automatic generation tools
•Members can be subdivided in any number of equal segments or at specific positions

•Automatic generation of guy cables at varying radius and guy anchor elevations.

•Similar connected members can be merged together
•Elements of the structure can be renumbered according to several criterions

•Element attributes can be set graphically or by means of spreadsheets (sections, analysis parameters, rotation angles, etc.)
•Element attributes can be edited in batch or element by element
•Loads can be edited graphically or by means of spreadsheets
•Contour lines for finite element plates with customized bounds
•Wizard based geometry generation

•Wizard driven parametric physical model generation for :
o Square and rectangular selfsupporting towers
o Substation structures
•A large number of pre-defined frames
•Circular and parabolic arches
•Cylinders and cones composed of beams and/or plates
•Physical elements concept to group different elements
•Surfaces can be used for load transfer and self-weight calculation
•Surfaces can be used to simulate diaphragm effects•Graphical-based modelling commands such as linear copy, rotation copy, mirror, move, extrusion, member subdivision and member attachment.
•Rigid connections can be created to stiffen beam to column or beam to beam connections.
•Models can be edited graphically or by means of spreadsheets.
•V-cable element.

PRODUCTIVE MESH GENERATION

Functionalities of the TSE program allow to generate automatically detail elements in an automatically generated mesh perimeter.

These functionalities are specifically  related to the refinement area, the opening, the linear constraint and the punctual constraint. All detail elements added to the TSE model will be automatically connected to the finite element mesh.

The mesh perimeter will also connect any elements already in the model to the mesh perimeter automatically if they are in the plane of the mesh contour.

DISPLAY FEATURES

The program manages to scale the size of the various pictures including toolbar buttons in order to make the user interface easy to use on every monitor, even on very high resolution monitors.

•3D solid display of all section shapes
•Ultra-fast 3D visualization in wire frame or solid modes
•Customized display of all graphical objects
•Partial model visualization
•Results can be displayed on screen for the whole or a part of the structure
•Results can be displayed for each element separately by means of graphics and numerical results spreadsheets
•Results can be displayed for a set of elements by means of numerical results spreadsheets
•Graphical display of seismic and dynamic analysis results
•Model size limited only to the physical capacity of the computer

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TSE TELECOM STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING

OBJECTS TRANSPARENCY

Functionalities of the TSE program allow to display objects transparency for various components such as current selection, solid members, plates, surfaces, spatial objects, panels.

The level of transparency may be customized for each type of object from the Display Options command.

FILES IMPORT

IFC (INDUSTRY FOUNDATION CLASSES)

The integration of IFC in the GSE program enables importation of models from a large number of architectural and structural software.

IFC (Industry Foundation Classes) is an open and neutral data format allowing the definition of related classes to all construction objects. It is dedicated to the building sector and aims to software interoperability (all editors, all applications).

IFC is the most widely used protocol for information exchange and sharing between different platforms of BIM (Building Information Modeling).

DATA EXCHANGE

•AutoCAD interface to import and export models by way of a DXF file
•The SDNF (Steel Detailing Neutral File) interface exports beams, columns and braces to SDNF compatible detailing software
•The KISS (Keep It Simple Steel) interface exports beams, columns and braces to KISS compatible estimation softwares
•IFC-Architecture interface for importing models from Revit or other IFC compliant programs.
•If required, members subdivision and account for physical elements will be carried out automatically
•The solid view of the structure may also be exported when exporting to AutoCAD

COMPREHENSIVE REPORTS PROVIDED

•Results can be visualized either graphically or numerically
•Input data and results may be printed for the whole structure or partial structures using a graphical selection or a range of elements
•Customized list of input data and results to be printed
•Reports are available in several formats including SAFI™ reports, Microsoft Excel worksheets, Microsoft Access databases and ASCII text files
•All graphics can be printed or copied to the clipboard for use in external programs

UNIT SYSTEMS

Metric, imperial and mixed units systems are allowed and can be modified at any time.

Reports are printed according to any unit system.
Tower Structural Engineering

TSE TOWER

STEEL LATTICED TRANSMISSION TOWERS AND ELECTRICAL SUBSTATIONS

TSE TOWER is one of the applications of the Tower Structural Engineering software.

TSE TOWER is a powerful and comprehensive Microsoft Windows program for the analysis and design of steel transmission structures such as transmission latticed towers and electrical substations according to a range of international standards. An extensive library of panel types allow for quick creation of the structure through parametric tools.
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TOWER ANALYSIS
FEATURES

•Automatic generation of dead, ice and wind loads to the following standards:
o ASCE 74-2009
o IEC 60826-2003
o CAN/CSA-C22.3 No. 60826-10
•Uniform wind pressure profile and uniform thickness ice profile
•User-defined wind pressure profiles
•United States county listings of design criteria for wind, wind with ice, and ice
•Loading for joints, members including concentrated, uniform, trapezoidal and thermal loads
•Loading for surfaces and finite element plates
•Automatic calculation of drag coefficients, gust factors, topographic parameters and escalate ice thickness
•Display loads graphically and detailed wind and ice loads parameters can be displayed in numerical tables
•Automatic handling of tension-only members

•Available design provisions include ASCE 10-97 standard.
•Members are checked against their ultimate strength in accordance with the selected code, Design check include:
o Slenderness ratios
o Buckling length
o Tension
o Compression
o Connections (shear, bearing, block shear)
o Anchor rods
•Anchor rod can be design checked for ASCE 10-97 and CAN/CSA S16-09 standards.
•Calculation of the equivalent loads on footings
•Can optionally check members according to LRFD-99 for :
o Bending
o Tension-bending
o Compression-bending
o Shear
o Torsion
o Warping
•Profile optimization of selected members allows to test different section shapes, grade and materials types.

TOWER DESIGN
FEATURES

Tower Structural Engineering

TSE SOFTWARE PACKAGE

TSE TOWER

Steel transmission structures such as transmission latticed towers and electrical substations.

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TSE POLE

Transmission tubular poles and multi-poles frames. Design of base plates and anchorage bolts.

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TSE TELECOM

Steel telecommunication structures, self-supporting towers, guyed masts according to ANSI/TIA-222-G.

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