LIRA-FEM for students and teaching/training purposes

LIRA SAPR company provides the users with various options to learn the simulation of building structures: either for self-training or for teaching/training purposes in the specialized education institutions. There are several versions of the software products that may be applied in the teaching & training process.

Non-commercial version, distributed free of charge

No hardware protection key.
Analyses with no limitation on nodes and elements.
Nonlinear analysis is not available.
Version is limited with LIRA-SAPR 2016 options.

LIRA-SAPR 2016 (with SAPFIR 2016)

Academic Set

A set of licensed software packages with LIRA family products (LIRA-FEM, MONOMAKH, ESPRI, LIRA-CAD). The set is mentioned for any higher education institutions in such branches as architecture, civil and structural engineering. With this set of programs you could enable the students to obtain practical training sessions with licensed software products that they will use in their future professional life.

LIRA-FEM, MONOMAKH, ESPRI, LIRA-CAD

Study version

LIRA-CAD, distributed fee of charge. It is mentioned to wide range of potential users (architects, designers) as well as students of civil and structural engineering specialities.

LIRA-CAD 2024

Demo version

Latest version of LIRA-FEM with all options, including nonlinear analyses and all new options provided in FULL bundle configuration.

LIRA-SAPR 2024 (with LIRA-CAD 2024)

On the chart below you will see how the work of the student may be organized. This process enables the users to minimize the time required to be spent in the classrom when using demo version & version distributed fee of charge together with Academic Set version.

Demo version of LIRA-FEM contains LIRA-CAD module in Study version. Outside the classroom and without protection key, you could generate full design model (with specified loads applied as load cases, triangulation, etc.). Problem file generated in this version may be transferred to VISOR module of Academic Set version, then you will add parametric tables (DCF/dynamics/collection of masses) and carry out analysis. Then you could take home the saved input data (design model in *.lir format) and output data (including export of selected reinforcement for RC Design (LIRA-CAD) module), evaluate results in Demo version of LIRA-FEM, and generate drawings of reinforcement in RC Design (LIRA-CAD) module in Study version. That is, at home you could evaluate data, prepare output data and generate drawings of RC structures and RC structure items. Thus, time necessary to be spent in the classroom of the institution is reduced to min.

Limitations imposed on 'LIRA-CAD Study version'

In addition or instead of Demo version, you could use LIRA-SAPR 2016 R5* distributed free of charge. Data formats of these versions are compatible. That is, problems generated in 'LIRA-SAPR 2016 R5*/SAPFIR2016' may be opened in Demo version 'LIRA-SAPR 2017/SAPFIR 2017 Study version' and vice versa. But commercial version does not support these formats.

Notes:
  • Access to Academic Set version in the institute is ogranized with wi-fi. Then, the student may take his/her laptop and connect to the network (for example, in the entrance hall or in the library reading-room of the institute), start the Academic Set version (installed separately, distribution kit may be saved to the institute’s server or the teacher may provide the students with it) and carry out analysis. Then, he/she goes home, evaluates and prepares output data without the protection key of Academic Set. Thus, it is not necessary to search for vacant place and time in the classroom. Such approach ensures greater availability of LIRA-FEM program for the students.
  • Demo version LIRA-FEM enables the user to carry out analyses up to 1000 FE. It means that simple research/term papers and lab research works (2D frame, truss, etc.) may be carried out at home - in full and in the latest version of the program.

Archiving analysis results and importing them on another computer or in the Demo version

In the LIRA-FEM program, to create a ZIP archive that contains the project’s input data and a complete set of analysis results (output data), use the "Save problem to ZIP archive" command.

All project data and analysis results can be stored in this archive (for example, for archiving on DVD or other storage media). The archive can also be used to transfer an already analyzed problem to another computer, whether running the commercial version or the demo version (the demo version can be used without a hardware protection key). To open the archive on another system, simply import it using the appropriate command.

Collaborative work in LIRA-FEM. Option to create the ZIP archive.

Tips for collaborative work across different versions

Collaborative work in LIRA-FEM. Location for files.
  • It is recommended to install LIRA-FEM (commercial, academic, or demo version) not in the default directory, but directly to the root of the disk, for example: C:\LIRA SAPR\LIRA SAPR 2024\ . This ensures consistent file paths across all computers used. When you pack a ZIP archive and unpack it on another computer, the input data will be located in the same path. If you install the program to the default path, directory differences may occur due to different usernames on different computers.
  • If the analysis is carried out in the commercial or academic version, and the analysis results are evaluated in the demo version on the same computer (e.g., 1 – a student carries out the analysis using the academic version at the university, then evaluates analysis results at home using the demo version; 2 – an engineer carries out the analysis in the commercial version, passes the hardware key to a colleague, and continues working with the demo version), it is sufficient to assign the same data directories in the demo version as those used in the full version. See How to define directories.
  • If several project team members need to evaluate the design model, you can enable shared access to the "Data" and "Work" folders over a local network. In demo versions installed on other workstations, specify these shared folders as the data directories. It allows, for example, the engineer to perform analysis on the commercial version, while the designers, project manager, lead engineer, or chief designer can immediately evaluate the results on their workstations using the demo version. To avoid overloading the engineer's computer with data read operations, these folders can also be synchronized to a server, from which all project participants can access the necessary files.
  • To share the analysis results in real time (e.g., run the analysis — results are automatically synchronized), use common cloud services such as Google Drive, OneDrive, Dropbox, or others. Example directory structure for automatic synchronization via Google Drive:
    • c:\Users\...\Google Drive\LIRA-SAPR 2024\Data
    • c:\Users\...\Google Drive\LIRA-SAPR 2024\Work
Collaborative work in LIRA-FEM. Option to save in cloud.

Note: Files with more than 1000 nodes or elements cannot be saved in the Demo version. This means that no accidental modifications can be saved when working with full-scale models in the demo version.

Useful links


Free Structural Analysis Software
Demo version
Free education versions