Introduction Base plates play a critical role in steel structures by providing a stable and reliable interface between steel columns and their supporting foundations. These structural members ensure the safe transfer of loads from the steel column to the concrete foundation, allowing for even distribution of forces while preventing local failure or excessive stress concentrations. […]

Introduction ASCE/SEI 41-17—“Seismic Evaluation and Retrofit of Existing Buildings”—is the industry standard for assessing seismic performance in existing structures. Moreover, it uses performance-based design principles. Consequently, the standard defines a three-tier process: initial screening, detailed analysis (linear & nonlinear), and acceptance checks against clear performance objectives. Additionally, it covers both deficiency-based and capacity-driven approaches. Finally, […]

Introduction ProtaStructure 2026’s User-Defined Acceleration Spectra guide empowers engineers to import and manage unlimited site-specific seismic spectra, assigning distinct curves for the X, Y, and Z directions. Users can effortlessly build a spectrum library by importing data from text files or pasting from the clipboard, with automatic parsing of common delimiters. Furthermore, the Compare tool […]

Introduction ProtaStructure 2026’s Subbasement Members Design Guide provides a streamlined workflow to insert and model subbasement walls, slabs, and beams within foundation systems moreover specify foundation depth to auto-recognize members for accurate load assignment, and use the detailing menu to quickly define reinforcement, slab strips, and ties. Subbasement Walls and Subbasement Wall Height  Subbasement walls […]