Features

• LatPro is 2001 California Building Code and 1997 UBC compliant for light-frame walls with flexible diaphragms. LatPro uses the Simplified Static Lateral Force Procedure (UBC or CBC 1630.2.3). This program may meet IRC 2003 requirements depending on your building official. See section R301.1.3 Engineered design: "When a building of otherwise conventional construction contains structural contains structural elements exceeding the limits of Section R301 or otherwise, not conforming to this code, these elements shall be designed in accordance with accepted engineering practice."

• LatPro includes the all new Simpson Steel Strong Walls, which allow for much more flexible design in high shear locations. To increase flexability, LatPro also contains a database of Hardy Frame Panels which can produce better shear specifications then some Simpson walls. LatPro also has a Drag Strut Collector feature which calculates the on-center spacing of LTP's to transfer shear from the diaphragm to the vertical components. LatPro also calculates drift for each shear wall and checks it against the UBC/CBC design limit.

• LatPro will allow the user to perform a rigid diaphragm analysis. A rigid diaphragm analysis distributes the story shear to the lateral force resisting system based on relative stiffness. In addition, a rigid diaphragm analysis considers the torsional moment resulting from the eccentricity between the center of mass and the center of rigidity.

• LatPro uses simple-to-understand windows that lead the user step-by-step to model their structure. Some examples of LatPro's windows are shown below. Click either to enlarge.

• All data entered into LatPro is easy to edit or remove. Structural designers can quickly compare and optimize designs with LatPro instead of wasting time with tedious hand calculations.

• LatPro analyzes both the wind and seismic forces on a structure simultaneously.

• LatPro is extremely flexible, it can model a structure up to 3 stories tall just as easily as it can model 1 story structures.

• LatPro allows the user to define up to 12 diaphragms per story, which allows complicated structures to be broken into sections that are quick and easy to model.

• LatPro allows for over 25 gridlines per story per direction (North-South and East-West). Of course very few structures will be this intricate, but LatPro is a powerful program.

• LatPro allows for up to 8 unique shear walls per grid line and allows the user to define a shear wall as asymmetrical. This permits shear walls to have different floor types below. For example, one side of a wall may be above a raised floor and the other side may be above a concrete slab, which requires different a strap or holdown on each side.

• LatPro calculates the shear on each wall and generates a list of shear walls that will support the load. LatPro suggests which wall to use, but allows the user to override the suggestion with a stronger wall. Users can select from either LatPro's site-built walls or Simpson Strong Walls. If the user is not satisfied with either, LatPro provides a method for creating user defined shear walls.

• After selecting a shear wall, the user is guided through the brief steps to select the connectors. LatPro will generate a list of connectors from Simpson that will adequately resist the uplift and suggest which to use. Again, the user is able to override the suggestion and select a stronger connector or define their own strap or holdown not included with LatPro.

• LatPro will remember user defined shear walls and connectors and include them in suggestions when specifying. This allows the user to customize LatPro with their shear walls and connectors.

• LatPro will also guide the user through the steps necessary to specify post and post connectors supporting shear walls above.

• If a user consistently models structures in the same geographic region, the user can modify LatPro's defaults. These default wind and seismic values are loaded each time a new project is started and can save valuable time.

• Once the user completes a lateral analysis, LatPro generates a detailed report documenting all the user's inputs, project name, and date, as well as the calculated outputs including the specified shear walls, straps, and holdowns. LatPro's reports are very easy to understand and were designed to be submitted to your building department. The user can export some of the results into CAD.

• The user is also able to generate a Compressed Report, which documents only the items that need to be transferred to a set of plans.

• Before generating a report, LatPro provides an Error Check algorithm that analyzes the model for errors and notifies the user of necessary corrections.

• LatPro includes a Help feature that describes each of LatPro's inputs in detail as the user clicks on them. This allows the user to become familiar with LatPro very quickly without having to constantly refer to the manual.

• LatPro includes an Autosave feature that prompts the user if they wish to save changes on a user-defined interval.