The AASHTOWare Bridge Design and Rating Task Force is pleased to deliver version 7.5.0 of the AASHTOWare Bridge Design (BrD) and AASHTOWare Bridge Rating (BrR) products and the combined Design and Rating product (BrDR).
The 7.5.0 release adds the following capabilities and features:
- Next Generation of Report Tool Phase 1 – New reporting framework and report editor. The Phase 1 objective is to establish the foundation for the new Report Tool and include reporting for prestressed concrete bridges. Other bridge types and output data reporting will be implemented in future phases.
- AASHTO Manual for Bridge Evaluation updates (3rd Edition, 2023 Interim Revisions)
- MBE 6A.4.2.1 and 6A.5.8 – Changes to concrete shear and evaluation of shear load rating
- Use concurrent load effects
- Concrete Iterative Shear Rating Control Option
- Modify MCFT Strain and Ignore Size Effect Control Options
- MBE 6A.4.2.1 and 6A.5.8 – Changes to concrete shear and evaluation of shear load rating
- Improvements to existing capabilities and features
- Consistent Rating Method Naming with MBE – Rename LFD rating to LFR and ASD rating to ASR.
- Support Copy and Paste Functionality for All UI Grids
- New Additions to General Preferences – New preferences for LRFR Condition factor, LRFR System factor, and Additional self-load (kip/ft and %).
- Enhance License Mechanism and Cryptographically Secure Bridge Data
- BrDR Database Maintenance and Usability Improvements – Support connection pooling, reconnection after disruption, encrypted connection, and Azure multi-factor authentication and integrated active directory.
- Analysis Results Comparison Tool Usability Improvements – New user interface for configuration settings, provide additional information in the Dataset Explorer, and relocate dataset storage to the Documents folder.
- AASHTO Analysis Engine Maintenance tasks
- BSSD-1581 Add Net Area Deduction for Truss LRFR
- BSSD-1606 and 1707 Truss Member and Gusset Plate Adjacent Vehicle Analysis
- BSSD-1617 Provide Std and LRFD Inputs for Modulus of Rupture
- BSSD-1622 Use Concurrent Moments in Cb Calculation
- BSSD-1880 Provide Input for Maximum Aggregate Size
- BSSD-1940 Improve 3D Mesh Generation to Limit Small Elements
- BSSD-2370, 2708, and 2738 Truss Gusset Plate Shear Analysis Improvements
- BSSD-3333 Consider Variable Axle Spacing for LRFR Permit Loads
- Top voted RADBUG enhancements
- BSSD-1585 Modeling and Analysis with Square Rebars
- BSSD-1824 Allow LFR of Curved Steel Spans Greater Than 300 feet
- BSSD-3109 Improve Culvert Design Tool Final Iteration Reporting
- BSSD-3223 Improve Load Rating Tool Precomputed Data Window
- BSSD-3552 Concrete LRFR Moment Redistribution
Special Notes:
- For the Advanced Concrete Multi-Cell Box Superstructure LFR and LRFR task originally planned for the 7.5.0 release, the testing is currently in progress and the task has been rescheduled for the 7.5.1 release.
- The existing BrDR license mechanism has been enhanced for the 7.5.0 release.
- A new “AASHTOWare Bridge Design & Rating Desktop Service” will be deployed while installing BrDR to manage instances of BrDR. This desktop service does not require any additional maintenance or input by the user during installation.
- All users, regardless of their license type, will be required to have an active license when running BrDR. The license can be deployed as a part of the silent installation.
- BrDR XML Report Viewer – With Microsoft’s deprecation of Internet Explorer, users may no longer be able to use the browser for reviewing Report Tool files. To circumvent this issue, a BrDR XML Report Viewer is available. Details on this viewer are provided in Technical Note 70.
The 7.5.0 release download package, with Bridge Design, Bridge Rating, or both, is provided in accordance with your AASHTO license agreement. Installation instructions are provided within the AASHTOWare Bridge Startup Guide in the download package.
Software distribution is processed based on the information the organization provides when the software is licensed. The 7.5.0 release download package will be distributed to the organization’s shipping and end-user designee. Software distribution to all licensees will be completed within 5 working days from this announcement. A follow-up email will be sent upon completion and provide information on the learning resources available for the new capabilities and features.
Please direct any questions to AASHTOWare Bridge Design and Rating Technical Support at BrDR@promiles.com.