
What is STAAD.Pro?
StaadPro stands for 3D structural analysis and designing software. This Software is widely used Software for civil Engineering designing and analysis. This Software reduces our manual calculation and time. Now Bentley launch a upgraded version STAAD.Pro Connect Edition which help to Engineers’ perform detailed analysis and design for any size or type of structure faster than ever before.
STAAD pro is basically an analysis & design software. Analysis of 3D structures is a quite complex task if you do it manually, But STAAD pro helps you to design a 3D model of your structure easily with simple input the data and loads according to provisional codes and give you result of analysis. It can also use to design the part of structure design using a international design codes. This software has become a very integral part of structural engineering. They help us to design safe & well engineered structures as the software does most of the tedious work & the engineer has more time to look into the conceptual part. These are also other software like ETABs, SAP2000, etc which are also good.
STAAD.Pro V8i includes some new and enhanced features which has made the analysis and designing process easier. In the latest update STAAD.Pro v8i is introduce lots of new feature one of them ISM with this help you can import or export projects from STAAD.Pro.

What Can Do STAAD.Pro?
Design and analysis of structural models –
Quick and easily design whole project including foundation of structure spread footing, pile footing, plinth, column, beams, decks, slabs, openings, columns, walls, braces. Automatic changes applied on sections, plans, elevation and also in reports efficiently and reduce our work and time and analysis tasks and produce practical system and component designs that are document ready.
Generate design loads and load combinations –
Apply the load as code-prescription wind and seismic loads to the structure using built-in load generators. Automatically detect and co-relate with loading parameters according to the structure geometry, and selected building code provisions without separate manual calculations.
Slab and foundation designs –

Design the slabs and foundations by specialized applications Staad foundation that are integrated with the master analysis model. Create and design the foundation’s calculations and reinforcing drawings and add the design information in BIM models by using ISM.
Design and Analyse load –
Design and analyse the structure for various loading conditions, such as gravitational load (Dead load and live loads, snow load,), in combination with lateral loads (Wind load and Earthquake load) as well as loads with time history creep, shrinkage, and expansion at connection.
Execute with seismic requirements –
Design the structure for seismic load-resistance framework, calculate the seismic loads or wind load according to the relevant load code. Consider these forces in the design of elements that affect with lateral forces (frames and the larger structural system).
Design lateral resisting frames –
Design comprehensive lateral resisting frame accordance with building-code checks for earthquake and wind loads on braced frames and moment frames. StaadPro calculate the quick result for safe and reliable designs for designing structure.

Design and analysis with finite elements –
Design and analysis of complete building structure precisely and efficiently using specified finite element analysis.
Import section shapes created in DXF –
In Staad.Pro quick link available to import metric(MKS unit) or imperial (unit in Inches and feet) custom-defined section profiles detailed in DXF drawings. In other words this section is define regular shapes with simple key dimensions or pick from a range of standard libraries.
Integrate steel connection designs –
Staad.Pro is best software for designing of structural steel connections. perform your work within a single integrated environment. Simply collect the information data from the 3D analysis of member such as sizes, shapes and and applied load and input the details to the steel connection design application. RAM connection is offer to reuse the information and reduces the time of repeat the work required when the structure changes.
Generate section property reports –
Through Staad.Pro we can easily analyze the section properties of structure and easily produce detailed reports on your custom section profiles.

Generate structural design documentation –
Produce structural design detailing including required plans and elevations that are required to read the design. Any applying changes on 3D model are automatically updated in the documentation.
Share –
Export your structural model and design results from StaadPro to another like Revit, AutoCAD and synchronize on cloud storage. Quickly share the structural model, drawings, and information with the other one.
Features of STAAD.Pro
Smoothly handle your Building Information Modelling workflow by using a physical model in StaadPro. Share synchronized models with multi-discipline team for collaboration and deliver safe with cost-effective Designs.
- StaadPro supports over international (Including US, Britain, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Spain, Norway, Finland, Sweden, India, China, Euro Zone, Japan, Denmark, and Holland) design codes for different materials such as steel, concrete, timber, aluminium, and cold-formed steel structures.
- Bentley provide flexible StaadPro options according to different work field of companies and user because every user has different requirements.
- StaadPro – This is the most basic STAAD option including FEM analysis and physical modelling.
- StaadPro Advanced –The StaadPro connect is most advanced and latest option for more complex analysis and give faster and accurate solution.
- Structural Enterprise – This is the limited edition (Compact version). It is the a single a cost-effective license.
- StaadPro automatically convert your physical model into an analytical model. Using Finite Element analysis user can design for seismic effect on structure.
- Collaboration with multi-discipline team members with cloud and also with personal devices laptop, mobile applications (View and edit models of any size from mobile devices) via local hosting within team members / Designer, Revit.
Additional Features
1. OpenStaad Macro Editor
OpenStaad is the name for set of functions enabling engineers’ access StaadPro internal function that have been produced to allow user of StaadPro to obtain result from a StaadPro analysis by using the OpenStaad results object as well as its graphical commands to create StaadPro models data b using the OpenStaad software object. OpenStaad, offer user can use programming language (like C, C++, VB, VBA, FORTRAN, Java and Delphi) to tap into Staad’s database and seamlessly link input and output data to third-party applications. You can also automate repetitive tasks or commands in StaadPro by creating your own customized macros with a full built-in VBA editor.
2. Analytical Modelling
Analytical model creates to analyse the structure. Analytical model can be created using specific command the ribbon-based user interface, by editing the command file or by importing several other files types like .dxf, cis/2 etc. The model geometry can even be generated from the data of macro-enabled applications (like Microsoft Excel, MicroStation etc.) by using Macros.
3. StaadPro Physical Modeler

StaadPro Physical Modeler used for design the physical modelling to simplify and visualise realistic modelling of a structure. Beams and surfaces are placed in the model on that scale which they would provide in the realistic at the time of construct the structure
4. Steel AutoDrafter
Steel AutoDrafter work is take out planar drawings and material from a structural steel model which is prepared in StaadPro software. The Steel AutoDrafter converts the analysis model into working design drawings. It produces excellent quality plans, sections and projected views of their steel structure in any of the orthogonal directions.
5. STAAD Building Planner
STAAD Building Planner is inbuilt in main software that enables absolute generation of structure models that can be analysed and designed thereafter in the program itself. STAAD Building planner is use to defining the visual data information such as geometric information, making changes in the shape and size of structure component are operate by just simple step in this workflow.
6. STAAD.Beava
Staad.Beva is use for the design of multiple loading rules and enforces bridges. Established the adverse effect due to complex load application and designed against. To obtain the maximum design effects, designers have to try many loading conditions on a trial and error basis.
7. Advanced Concrete Design(RCDC STAAD)
RCDC Staad is design the detailing of advance conrete engineering software. RCDC application workflow is process of delivers the analysis to design & detailing, drawings, estimation and report. This is operated outside the StaadPro user interface, but requires a model and results data from a suitable analysis. Using RCDC application user can be used to design the Pile Caps, Footings, Columns and walls, Beams, Slabs.
8. Advanced Slab Design? – RAM
The Staad.Pro advanced slab design is an integrated tool that works from within the Staad.Pro interface. Advanced slab design mode enables concrete slabs defined with or without holes to be designed using the RAM-Concept or ADAPT-Builder software. Concrete slabs can be defined, and the data can be transferred to RAM Concept. The data passed into RAM Concept includes the geometry, section and material properties, loads and combination information, and analysis results.
9. Seismic Mode
Seismic analysis is fundamental requirements of any structure. Seismic analysis / wind load analysis has been provided to ensure that the structures can sustain the lateral loads without failure or crack on building.
Limitation of Staad.Pro
- No any provision for brick masonry work.
- In Staad.Pro we can’t estimate how much materials used in construction.
- To use Staad.Pro you have to knowledge of designing codes, and also required knowledge of structural topics (Strength of Material, Structural analysis, steel design, concrete design in LSM as well as WSM) of civil engineering.
- Not for costing and estimating.
Keyboard Shortcuts of Staad.Pro
1. Exit the programs. | Alt+F4 |
2. Opens the help topic for the current input command. | F1 |
3. Select all the contents in the current input file. | Ctrl+A |
4. Copy the current selection to the clipboard. | Ctrl+C |
5. Open the Quick Find tool to search the document. | Ctrl+F |
6. Open the Quick Replace tool to find and replace strings in the document. | Ctrl+H |
7. Highlight all occurrences of a typed string. | Ctrl+I |
8. Delete the current line. | Ctrl+L |
9. Start a new input file. | Ctrl+N |
10. Open an existing STAAD input file. | Ctrl+O |
11. Open the Print dialog. | Ctrl+P |
12. Save changes made to the current input file. | Ctrl+S |
13. Reverse the order of the previous two characters before the cursor. | Ctrl+T |
14. Paste the clipboard contents at the cursor location. | Ctrl+V |
15. Cut the selection from the document to the clipboard. | Ctrl+X |
16. Undo the last redo action. | Ctrl+Y |
17. Undo the last action. | Ctrl+Z |