1. General description
Having installed the program and the user license, the program can be run from Start Menu -> ECtools -> ECtools or the corresponding desktop icon (if it has been created during installation). From version 4.0 the program runs in a uniform environment with a navigator in the left side of the GUI providing all the functionality of the previous versions:
EC Design : Comprises of the main design and check application for RC and/or masonry structures (Standards EC2, EC8, ΕC6). It collaborates directly with the RC/masonry walls editor and the autonomous section check and design program Nous, which is described below.
ACI Design : Comprises of the main design and check application for RC structures (ACI CODE-318-25 & ASCE/SEI 7-22 US norms). It collaborates directly with the RC/masonry walls editor and the autonomous section analysis and design program Nous, which is described below.
PC/Masonry walls : Graphics editor for creating the geometry of RC walls, masonry blocks and bed-joints that are modelled with linear or area elements in ETABS. It creates text files of the form
.wal for the RC walls and
.mas for the masonry elements that are necessary for the design and check runs.
Νουs : Autonomous program for the check and design of arbitrary RC and masonry sections. It can accept jacketed sections for strengthening designs of existing structures, creates files of the form
.sd that are required for checking/designing, includes the computing algorithm for checking and design of arbitrary sections in biaxial bending with axial force and collaborates interactively with the design application forming a reliability auditing tool for the program results.
About : Displays the basic program information as described in section 1.2 (current version, user license information).
Documentation: Displays the current user manual(Adobe® Reader required).
Exit : Terminates the program.