ETABS Version 9.7.

2
Release Date: 2010-12-29

ETABS Version 9.7.2 is an update to Version 9.5.0 and later. It is available as a full installation on
CD, or from the ftp as a full installation or a patch.

PLEASE READ THIS FILE!

It contains important information that is more current than what is in the Manuals.

Contents

1. Installation Instructions for ETABS Version 9.7.2

2. Installation Instructions for License Manager 8.0.5
3. Trial License on Vista for ETABS
4. File Compatibility
5. Significant Changes from Previous Version

1. Installation Instructions for ETABS Version 9.7.2

ETABS Version 9.7.2 is available as a full installation, or as a patch to v9.5.0 through v9.7.1.
Installing ETABS v9.7.2 will uninstall older versions of ETABS (Versions 9.0.0 through 9.7.1).
Versions prior to v9.0.0 will not be affected.

The installation instructions are available in three places:

• The “ETABS Installation Card” link on the ETABS CD browser.
• A printed document included with the program package.
• In the file ETABS_Install_Instructions.pdf in the root folder of the CD.

The instructions include information about the software protection system used and installation
options and instructions. You can choose between a Standalone or Network installation.

2. Installation Instructions for License Manager 8.0.5

The information in this section does not apply if you are using standalone licenses.

For new Network installations, see the System Administrator's Help for more detailed information
about the License Manager and the License Manager Administration program “WlmAdmin.exe”.
This installation contains Sentinel RMS License Manager 8.0.5.
• If you are currently running Version 8.0.5 or higher of SentinelLM you do not need to re-
install License Manager.
• If you are currently running a version that is older than 8.0.5 then you must install version
8.0.5. Uninstall the older version prior to installing this version. IMPORTANT! All
commuter licenses should be checked in before uninstalling the old version. Note that
Sentinel RMS License Manager 8.0.5 will recognize older licenses for Computer and
Structures products. Please refer to the ETABS Installation Card or the
ETABS_Install_Instructions file for information on how to do this.
• If you are serving licenses on later versions of the Windows operating system (Vista,
Windows 7, etc.), you will need to use Sentinel RMS License Manager 8.3.0, which is
available from Computers and Structures, Licensing Department, upon request. This version
cannot be locked to a disk ID, but instead requires a computer ID key. Note that version
8.3.0 is not required when the license server is running on older versions of Windows. It
does not matter what operating system is used to run ETABS.

To speed up finding a network license when ETABS is launched, you can do either or both of the
following:
• Create a text file, LEVEL.TXT, and enter the ProgramLevel in a single line. The
ProgramLevel should be one of the following:
ANY/PLUS/NONLINEAR/PLUSC/NONLINEARC/NONLINEARI
Save this file to the folder where ETABS is installed. This file will cause the program to
find the license faster. Note that this file will be included when a new license is sent.
• Create a text file, LMHOST.INI, and enter the network name or IP address of the machine
that is running the License Manager. If you are serving licenses on more than one machine,
enter each name or IP address on a separate line of text. Save this file to the folder where
ETABS is installed.

As an alternative to using the LEVEL.TXT file, you can specify the program level as a command-
line option. To do this, use the Windows Run command or create a shortcut pointing to ETABS.exe
in the installation folder. Add the following text to the command line after “ETABS.exe”
/L ProgramLevel
where ProgramLevel is one of the values listed above for the LEVEL.TXT file. Specifying
ProgramLevel on the command line will supersede the value in the LEVEL.TXT file.

If you experience problems with the license please refer to the appropriate “License Trouble
Shooting Guide...” located in the ETABS program folder.

3. Trial License on Vista for ETABS

ETABS Version 9.7.2 is installed with a 30-day trial license.

If you are running on Vista and the trial license does not work for ETABS v9.7.2, please run
application file LSINIT.EXE located in the folder where you have installed ETABS v9.7.2. This
file runs quickly and silently with no feedback. The trial license should now work.
4. File Compatibility

ETABS Version 9.7.2 can open model files (*.EDB) from older versions of ETABS, as well as
import older ETABS text files (*.E2K and *.$ET). Note that once you save or run these models in
Version 9.7.2, they will not be usable by older versions of the program, so you may want to save
them under a new name after opening or importing them in Version 9.7.2.

5. Significant Changes from Previous Version

We have listed only significant changes here. For a complete list of changes, please see the separate
file ReleaseNotes.PDF located in the ETABS installation folder.

Changes from Version 9.7.1 to Version 9.7.2 (issued 12/29/2010)

Enhancements Implemented
• Incident 20801 (Design): Concrete frame design has been implemented for code "ACI 318-
08".

• Incident 20802 (Design): Concrete shear-wall design has been implemented for code "ACI
318-08".

• Incident 29861 (Design): The Eurocode 3-2005 steel frame design details output has been
improved to provide additional information related to the various parameters calculated by
the design algorithm.

• Incident 30366 (Design): The Chinese design code implementation has been updated from
the 2002/2003 versions of GB50009, GB50010, GB50011 and JGJ3 to the 2010 versions of
these codes. This affects the response-spectrum loading and seismic provisions for steel
frame, concrete frame, and concrete shear-wall design. Specifically for this release, the
following changes have been made:
1) Code references changed from Chinese 2002 to Chinese 2010.
2) The seismic modification factors, Gamma_RE have been updated (GB50011-5.4.2).
3) The automated seismic loading combinations have been updated (GB50010-5.4.1).
4) The built-in Chinese response spectrum function has been updated (GB50011-5.1.5).
5) The special Chinese Modified SRSS response-spectrum directional combination has
been removed. Users should add additional response-spectrum cases to consider each
primary direction separately.
6) To judge torsional irregularity of buildings a model direction factor is now output. The
direction factors for the three translational directions and the torsional direction will add
up to unity. This only has meaning when rigid diaphragms are used.
7) Seismic modification factors to account for story shear/gravity ratios have been updated
(GB50011-5.2.5).
8) Seismic modification factors to account for story stiffness ratios between adjacent
stories have been updated (JGJ3).
 9) Seismic modification factors for concrete members that account for member type,
structure type, position and seismic design grade have been updated (GB50011).
10) The seismic design-grade concept has been introduced for steel member design.
Limiting slenderness ratios and compactness checks are now dependent on the seismic
design grade (GB50011).
11) Automated load combinations for notional loads (if present) are now made for Chinese
design codes.
12) Old models, when opened or imported, will update the code from Chinese 2002 to
Chinese 2010.

• Incident 28189 (External Import/Export): CSIxRevit support for the import from and export
to Revit Structure 2011 has been added to ETABS. CSIxRevit v2011 for use within Revit
Structure 2011 is a separate product from ETABS and requires its own standalone license.
32-bit and 64-bit versions are available.

• Other minor enhancements as detailed in ReleaseNotes.PDF.

Incidents Resolved
• Incident 26247 (Design): An incident was resolved for shear-wall design using codes "ACI
318-02" and "ACI 318-05" in which the reported value of Av-min for spandrels was
sometimes incorrect when the model database units were not lb-inch. The reported Av-min
was in error by the sqrt( f'c / f'c(psi) ), where f'c is the concrete strength in the database
units, and f'c(psi) is the concrete strength in lb-inch units. However, this error only occurred
when the value of f'c was greater than 4444 psi.

• Incident 26650 (Design): An incident was resolved where large demand/capacity ratios
were being reported for the Eurocode 3-2005 steel frame design when using Method 1
(Annex A) for computation of the k factors. This could occur on members with end
moments and would result in overly conservative results.

• Incident 28150 (Design): An incident has been resolved for concrete frame design using the
Australian “AS 3600-01” code in which the buckling capacity of a rectangular column
section was being calculated as if the section was square with dimension equal to the major
dimension (t3, along the 2-axis). This lead to an over-estimate of the buckling capacity
when the section was deep (t3 > t2), and to an under-estimate of the buckling capacity when
the section was wide (t2 > t3). The effect of this on the final design or design-check result
depended on whether or not axial buckling was controlling.

• Incident 28261 (Design): An incident was resolved for concrete frame design using the
"Eurocode 2-2004" code, with the Norwegian Annex, in which the calculation of vmin
(EC2 6.3N) was using k^(3/2) instead of k^(2/3). This could have been unconservative in
cases where the minimum shear resistance (VRd,c) controlled.

• Incident 28266 (Design): An incident was resolved for the Eurocode 2-2004 concrete frame
design in which the equivalent first order end moment was not always calculated correctly.
This error could occur if either the M02 end moment or the M02 and M01 end moments
 were negative signed values and could result in an unconservative value for the equivalent
first order end moment.

• Incident 28567 (Design): An incident was resolved for concrete shear-wall design using the
Indian "IS 456-2000" code where the reported boundary element lengths could have been
incorrect. For the "Simplified C and T" section, the reported lengths were sometimes too
short (unconservative) on one side and too long (over-conservative) on the other side. For
the "Uniform Reinforcing Pier" and "General Reinforcing Pier" sections, the reported
values were sometimes too long (over-conservative). No other design codes were affected.

• Incident 29863 (Design): An incident has been resolved in Eurocode 3-2005 for welded box
sections to distinguish between sections with or without b/tf < 30 and h/tw < 30. This
affects the buckling curve to be selected and the imperfection factor alpha to be considered
per Table 6.1 and 6.2 of EN 1993-1-1:2005. Previous results could be unconservative for
welded boxes with thick plates.

• Incident 29867 (Design): An incident has been resolved in which the Eurocode 3-2005 k
factors are sometimes negative. This was caused when the axial force was larger than
Ncr,yy, Ncr,zz, Ncr,T, or NRk/GammaM1. Now a message is provided when this occurs,
and the member is not designed.

• Incident 30639 (Design): An incident was resolved for steel frame design using the
"Eurocode 3-2005" code in which the capacity value Ncr,T was being calculated in N-mm
units regardless of the database units of the model. The effect could be conservative or
unconservative, depending on the model units.

• Incident 30648 (Design): Several minor corrections and improvements have been made to
steel frame design using the "Eurocode 3-2005" code in order to better match standard
published example problems. The effects of these changes are generally small. However,
users should consider re-verifying designs performed with previous versions of the
software.
1) The shear areas, Av, for the major and minor directions were previously calculated
using standard formulas. Now they are calculated using the detailed formulas of the
design code. The previous values tended to be slightly smaller and hence over-
conservative. This change could have a small effect on moment capacity as part of
moment-shear interaction.
2) The calculation of the tension-capacity value Nu,Rd was missing the factor of 0.9. The
effect was under-conservative when this controlled.
3) The value of Chi (for flexural buckling) was previously set to 1.0 when the axial force
was less than 4% of the Ncr, as permitted by the code. Now this check has been
removed and the calculated value of Chi is always used, even if the axial force is small.
The effect is very small.
4) The buckling curve used for welded pipe sections was taken as “c” or “b” depending on
whether d/t ≤ 30 or d/t > 30, respectively. Now for welded pipe sections, the buckling
curve is taken as “c” regardless of the value of d/t. The effect is small, but was
previously under-conservative.
 5) The value of AlphaLT for rolled-I sections was previously being calculated as 0.34 and
0.49 for the cases where h/b ≤ 2 and h/b > 2, respectively. Now it is taken as 0.21 and
0.34, respectively, for these two cases. The effect is small, but was previously over-
conservative.
6) The upper limit of 1.0 is now imposed on the value of ChiLT. Previously, without this
limit, the moment capacity for the LTB (lateral torsional buckling) case could be
slightly overestimated. The effect is small, but previously under-conservative.
7) The value of ChiLT was previously set to 1.0, and the moment capacity for LTB (lateral
torsional buckling) taken as the unreduced value, when the unbraced length was small
(represented by LambdaLT < LambdaLT0), as permitted by the code. Now this check
has been removed and the calculated value of ChiLT is always used, regardless of
whether LambdaLT is less than, equal to, or greater than LambdaLT0. The effect is
small.
8) The LTB (lateral torsional buckling) moment capacity was not previously calculated for
box sections, as this rarely governs. Now this capacity is calculated for all box sections.
The effect is small, but was previously under-conservative.
9) The calculation of Cm was incorrect for certain units and in some cases could assume a
negative value. The effect of this was small, but could be over- or under-unconservative.
10) A new check had been introduced to determine if the member is susceptible to torsional
deformation. When It < max(Iy, Iz), the member is assumed to be susceptible to
torsional deformation and Table B.2 is used, otherwise Table B.1 is used. Previously
Table B.2 was always used. The effect is small, but previously may have been over-
conservative for certain cases.

• Other minor Incidents as detailed in ReleaseNotes.PDF.