Tata Steel has just released an upgrade to its popular free-of-charge roof decking software package that enables structural engineers and designers to carry out full deck analysis to achieve optimum design and cost efficiencies.

RoofDek Analysis Software is a partnership project with leading international developer CSC, best known for the very widely-adopted Fastrak, S-Frame and Tedds structural design software. It extends and enhances Tata Steel’s structural decking design software suite, which also includes ComFlor® Analysis Software for floor decking applications.

The latest software version contains a number of revisions and improvements. Key changes include the availability of enhanced deck illustrations, showing perforated and plain roof decks. Summary output has also been polished.

Support shear check results now include reduction factor and fastener specification and the user interface now allows up to two fixings per web on extended end laps. RoofDek D210 deep deck has been included for the first time, following successful testing to EC3.

RoofDek Analysis Software has been developed to assist structural engineers and other construction professionals involved in the design and specification of structural roof decking.

It brings software for deck design into the 21^st Century. Whereas earlier roof decking software has focused on a simple equation-based approach, RoofDek Analysis Software allows the user to carry out a full analysis and to fine tune decks in the same way as they can do with other components. It also completely satisfies the need to comply with Eurocode 3 Design of Steel Structures and Eurocode 9 – Design of Aluminium Structures, soon to be mandatory in the UK and useful throughout Europe and the rest of the World.

Users are able to input up to four spans, two of which can be cantilevers. Extended end laps can be included at internal supports. Thickness of deck can be varied each side of extended end laps. Default loads and load combinations are provided, however the user may input virtually any combination. Bending moment, shear, deflection diagrams plus full calculations to comply with Eurocodes 3 and 9 can all be output.

All input parameters and the extent of output are fully editable. The updated version of RoofDek Analysis Software can obtained here. Existing users will receive an auto-update.