User Interface

LARSA 4D's user interface is quick to learn and easy to use. All project data is shown and edited through spreadsheets, graphics, and "explorers." Some unique features of the LARSA 4D user interface include:

Undo/Redo

LARSA 4D fully supports infinite-level undo and redo of all data-modifying operations with an undo history limited only by the size of the hard drive.

Integrity Checks

Integrity checks find common modeling errors and provide shortcuts for correcting problems.

Project Reports

Reports on LARSA projects can printed or saved to file and may include input spreadsheets, output spreadsheets, graphics and charts. Export file formats include Microsoft Excel, Web Page (HTML), Adobe Acrobat (PDF), and Text-only. Animations of the structure and of results diagrams can be exported to AVI animations.

Structure Groups

Breaking down a structure into smaller units can save time by allowing quick access to a part of a structure. Structure groups allow you to quickly select and unselect portions of a structure, for using the Model Data Explorer, or for viewing results in particular portions of the structure. Groups are also used in staged construction analysis and as design groups for Steel Design. Structure groups can also be given colors so that parts of the structure are easily recognized, or for presentation output.

Spreadsheets

Spreadsheet cells display information clearly, using textual names rather than numeric IDs where possible. Column headers always display input units where needed. Spreadsheets automatically refresh when data has been changed in other areas of the program. All data can be edited in LARSA 4D's spreadsheets.

Explorers

Navigating through a 20,000-element project is difficult, no matter what software package is used. While invaluable, spreadsheets often present too much data at once. Presenting the solution to this problem, LARSA 4D uses Explorers to summarize large quantities of data into manageable units which can be quickly edited.

Viewing Results

Analysis results can be viewed both graphically and numerically. Graphical results include deformed model, reactions, element forces, stresses, and plastic yield. Results can be shown for the total cumulative effect or, in staged construction analysis, for the incremental effect of a stage's loading or for the cumulative effect of just a single load class.

Spreadsheets are also available showing detailed results and have further options, such as computing displacements and forces in alternate coordinate systems. Result cases can be enveloped merely by clicking the cases in the Analysis Results Explorer which always sits on the right-hand side of the LARSA 4D screen. As with graphical results, incremental effects and cumulative effects for individual load cases can be reported for Staged Construction Analysis.

Graphs

Graphs can be quickly plotted for any result data. The x-axis automatically chooses time, load position, or other units as appropriate for the data set plotted, and y-axis results can be plotted relative to the value at another location. Result-versus-result graphs can also be created, such as force-displacement graphs.