SAFE Version 12.3.

2
Release Date: 2012-01-12

SAFE Version 12.3.2 is an update to Versions 12.0.0 to 12.3.1, and is distributed electronically by
download from the internet.

PLEASE READ THIS FILE!

It contains important information that may be more current than what is in the Manuals.

Contents

1. Installation Instructions for SAFE Version 12.3.2

2. Installation Instructions for License Manager 8.4.1
3. File Compatibility with Older Versions
4. Significant Changes from Previous Version
5. New Features in SAFE Version 12
6. Notes for Users of SAFE Version 8 or Earlier

1. Installation Instructions for SAFE Version 12.3.2

SAFE Version 12.3.2 is available electronically as a full installation from a web download, or on
DVD by request. Installing SAFE Version 12.3.2 will uninstall previous Versions 12.0.0 through
12.3.1, if present, but will not uninstall older versions of SAFE (Version 8 and earlier.)

The installation instructions are available in three places:

• By a separate link available on the web download page.
• The “SAFE Installation Card” link on the installation browser.
• In the file SAFE_Install_Instructions.pdf in the root folder of the DVD.

The instructions include information about the software protection system used and installation
options and instructions. You can choose between a Standalone or Network installation.

Silent installation is also available for the Standalone and Workstation installations. For more
information, please visit wiki page https://wiki.csiberkeley.com/x/nIBa, or contact CSI Technical
Support.

A key driver is available for users who have licenses tied to a USB hardware key. This can be
installed from:
• The full installation browser by clicking on the Key Driver Installation button.
 • After installing the standalone version of SAFE, from the installed subfolder
“SAFE 12\KeyDriver\”.
• After installing the network version of SAFE, from the installed subfolder
“SAFE 12 Server\License Manager\KeyDriver\”.

If your key is not recognized, please install the key driver.

Windows User Account Control (UAC)

For recent versions of the Windows operating system (Windows 7, Vista, and XP SP3), User
Account Control (UAC) is enabled by default. When UAC is turned on, you must explicitly give
permission to any program, such as SAFE or the installer, that wants to use "Administrative"
privileges. Any program that tries to use Administrative privileges without your permission will be
denied access.

Standalone, Server, and Workstation installations for SAFE require "Administrative" privileges to
run. When installing SAFE with UAC enabled, you should expect to be prompted to allow the
installer access to system folders and the Windows registry. Please allow it to continue so that the
installation can complete.

Retaining Your Previous Standalone License

The following information applies to the Standalone installation only. It does not apply to the
Network Server or Workstation installations.

If you are updating an existing SAFE v12 installation that has a Standalone license, please copy the
license file “lservrc” from the existing SAFE folder before performing the upgrade. Then install the
new SAFE Version 12.3.2. After installing v12.3.2, copy your saved “lservrc” file back into the
SAFE installation folder. This will overwrite the trial license file that comes with the installation.

2. Installation Instructions for License Manager 8.4.1

The information in this section does not apply if you are using Standalone licenses.

For new Network installations, see the System Administrator's Help for more detailed information
about the License Manager and the License Manager Administration program “WlmAdmin.exe”.

This installation contains Sentinel RMS License Manager 8.4.1.

• If you are currently running Version 8.4.1 or higher of Sentinel RMS you do not need to re-
install License Manager.
 • If you are currently running a version that is older than 8.4.1 then you must install version
8.4.1 or later. Uninstall the older version prior to installing this version.

IMPORTANT! All commuter licenses should be checked in before uninstalling the old
version. Please refer to the SAFE_Install_Instructions.pdf file for information on how to do
this. Note that Sentinel RMS License Manager 8.4.1 will recognize older licenses for
Computer and Structures products.

To speed up finding a network license when SAFE is launched, you can do either or both of the
following:
• Create a text file, LEVEL.TXT, and enter the ProgramLevel in a single line. The
ProgramLevel should be one of the following:
ANY/STANDARD/STANDARDC/STANDARDI/ PT/PTC/PTI
Save this file to the folder where SAFE is installed. This file will cause the program to find
the license faster. Note that this file will be included when a new license is sent.

• Create a text file, LMHOST.INI, and enter the network name or static IP address of the
machine that is running the License Manager. If you are serving licenses on more than one
machine, enter each name or static IP address on a separate line of text. Save this file to the
folder where SAFE is installed.

As an alternative to using the LEVEL.TXT file, you can specify the program level as a command-
line option. To do this, use the Windows Run command or create a shortcut pointing to SAFE.exe
in the installation folder. Add the following text to the command line after “SAFE.exe” and a
space:

/L ProgramLevel

where ProgramLevel is one of the values listed above for the LEVEL.TXT file. Specifying
ProgramLevel on the command line will supersede the value in the LEVEL.TXT file.

If you experience problems with the license please refer to the appropriate “License Trouble
Shooting Guide...” located in the SAFE program folder.

3. File Compatibility with Older Versions

SAFE Version 12.3.2 can open model files (*.FDB) from older versions of SAFE, as well as import
older SAFE V8 text files (*.F2K) and SAFE V12.0.0 and later database files (*.F2K, *.XLS, and
*.MDB). Note that once you save or run these models in Version 12.3.2, they will not be usable by
older versions of the program, so you may want to save them under a new name after opening or
importing them in Version 12.3.2.
4. Significant Changes from Previous Version

For a complete list of changes, please see the Release Notes (file ReleaseNotes.PDF) in the SAFE
folder and available by using the Help > Documentation command in SAFE. Most changes do not
affect most users.

5. New Features in SAFE Version 12

For a full list of features, capabilities, and enhancements, please visit the SAFE v12 news page at
www.csiberkeley.com/SAFE_news/v12/

6. Notes for Users of SAFE Version 8 or Earlier

Users of SAFE v8 or earlier should be aware of several significant changes in SAFE v12 modeling
of slabs for analysis and design:

1. The analytical model is a full three-dimensional model with 6 degrees of freedom at each
joint. This allows for consideration of in-plane forces due to post-tensioning and a better
model for consideration of lateral-load effects.

2. The slab and beams can be modeled at the right locations vertically with interaction of in-
plane and bending behavior due to variation in thicknesses and eccentricities. T-beam
effects are automatically included when these eccentricities are considered. If no post-
tensioning is present these vertical offsets can be ignored and the T-beam effect can be
explicitly modeled. The program default is to ignore the vertical offsets when no post-
tensioning is present.

3. The columns and walls are now explicitly included in the analytical model rather than being
included as springs. This allows for better modeling of lateral loads.

4. For SAFE v12 it is not necessary to export distortions from ETABS to account for lateral
loads. The loads can be exported directly and the columns and walls modeled in SAFE will
account for the correct distribution of moments to the slabs. Back-calculation of the loads
from the distortions is sensitive to the differences in stiffness modeled in SAFE and ETABS
and is no longer needed.

5. Only the thick shell finite element is used in SAFE v12 as it includes shear deformation,
which is important for getting the right amount of shear in adjoining beams.

6. As a general mesh is now possible and strips can be arbitrarily placed, only the Wood-
Armer method is available for obtaining the design moments. The nodal method is
discontinued.
7. A general mesh option is available and the rectangular meshing has been considerably
improved by use of internal edge constraints. The effects of irregularities are now localized
and do not affect the whole mesh.

8. The concept of a Load Pattern is introduced. The Static Load Cases are now simply called
Load Cases and can contain one or more scaled Load Patterns. The Load Cases can be of
type Static Linear, Static Nonlinear, Modal, or Response Spectrum (when imported from
ETABS). The Load Combinations are the usual combinations of the responses from the
individually analyzed Load Cases.