IES VisualFoundation User's Guide
Training Videos
You will find the following videos below, showcasing several features available in VisualFoundation.
VisualFoundation is a powerful finite element analysis tool to help engineers quickly and accurately model foundation systems, such as, mat footings, pile caps, grade beam systems, and combined footing systems. VisualFoundation performs design checks per the ACI 318 and CSA A23.3 specifications.
In VisualFoundation, standard circular, rectangular, and polygon boundaries be created, or custom arbitrary boundaries can be drawn. Boundaries can be modified or designated to be a hole. When boundaries overlap each other, the thickness of the overlapping part can be designated.
In VisualFoundation, tools are available that make it easy to create piers, piles, grade beams, and walls. The size, shape, material, and position of these features can be modified as needed in your model.
In VisualFoundation, loads can be applied to the piers, walls, and grade beams in the model. Also, uniform and linearly varying pressures can be applied to the slab. You can draw rectangular, circular, tubular, or ring loads onto the boundaries in the model or select the boundary and apply a load to the entire area. Apply service level loads and view the results from standard Load Combinations or create your own Custom Load Combinations.
VisualFoundation provides stability calculations for overturning, slinging, and uplift. Stability checks can be performed at the service load level or the strength load level. The bearing pressure, friction coefficient, passive pressure, and pile resistance can be adjusted by the user.
Graphic filters are used to show or hide numerous features of the model, analysis results, and design results, allowing you to customize exactly what is displayed as you work and control what is shown in the graphics of the report.
VisualFoundation checks soil bearing pressure at the service level loads or the strength level loads based on the loads applied. Also, the punching shear for the slab is checked for the individual piles and piers and for groups of piles and piers.
VisualFoundation can design the flexural steel in the slab according to the ACI 318 or the CSA A23.3 design specification. The steel required for each finite element plate can be displayed, or VisualFoundation can suggest which rebar pattern should be used for different portions of the slab.
VisualFoundation checks the design capacity of piers with the ACI 318 concrete specification. Steel, concrete, and wood piles are designed according to the AISC 360 or CISI steel specification, the ACI 318 concrete specification, and the NDS wood specification, respectively.
Grade Beams can be designed according to the ACI 318 or the CSA A23.3 specifications in VisualFoundation. Simply specify the longitudinal, shear, and torsional reinforcement let the program check the capacity automatically. In addition to checking flexure, shear, and torsion, VisualFoundation ensures that the minimum flexural steel area, minimum transverse steel area, and the minimum transverse steel spacing requirements are satisfied according to the chosen design specification.
A variety of new features have been added to VisualFoundation in Version 9.0, including, structural design of piers and piles, design of concrete using the CSA A23.3 specification, the ability to batter piles and specify the pile sliding resistance, and upgrades to the reports, to name just a few.