There used to be something called Bentley Structural Modeler that could import the STAAD .std model which allowed the engineer to access and modify the analytical elements (See Analytical Features menu).
Pretty advanced when it was introduced back in 2010 or so. Since then Revit and others have provided similar functionality on the physical modeler side.
On the analytical app-side, a lot of apps like SCIA, Strusoft, ADAPT, SAP and Robot have started providing a lot CAD-like modeling tools and importing capabilities.
There seems to be a bit of a convergence of the two... ala Analytical Modeling that GB has been outlining over the last few years.
Aecosim's 'sim' seems to promise that the simulation or analytical side of things would be an integral part of the package. AES is a big part of this promise. And I suppose the more and more Hevacomp and electrical stuff is integrated, the more Aecosim will truly be an 'Analytical Modeler'. P+ID's would also be great (Openplant?)
Hopefully, the structural tools will get the same treatment now that STAAD Pro has added a Physical Modeler and there is iModel 2.0 on the horizon. It would be good to upgrade the ISM connection to allow better two-way support of more elements like surface elements (newly added to SP CE). ISM is already a big way of getting Revit based info into the Aecosim environment for collaboration; and iModel 2.0 looks like it already has a 'bridge' app for Revit, so I would expect to see a lot of dgn Ref attachments being replaced by iModel 2.0 attachments in the production environment.
What would be great is if SP CE can Ref attach CAD models into its analytical environment like SCIA can. This would give the structural engineers a great way to work, bypassing having to guess dimensions etc and rely on a modeler to relay info verbally or via mark-ups etc. Ref attachments would also allow SP to participate in the new Issues Resolution workflow? Not sure if SP is based on a Mstn or Navigator engine, probably not.
If not, it would be good to get ISM to support 'Companion app' mode... where Aecosim and SP can be used 'side by side' with real-time synchronisation. Apparently already possible between AutoPlant and Navigator. This way, the engineer can use Aecosim/Mstn's great Ref attach tools and Accudraw to model and connect his members accurately, clash detect/issue resolve on one screen; and add his loads, analyse and visualise the deflections / stresses, forces etc, check code compliance etc on the other. By combining the two, Bentley would be able offer an analytical modeling tool that is better what the competition can offer and be more scalable by far to boot.
Hopefully, SP CE will support Ref attaching other .std models like Mstn can. It would be great if Ref files can be adopted by all Bentley apps as Bentley 'DNA' features? Ref attaching the physical model over the analytical model would also be useful for quickly checking that the analytical model is coordinated with the physical design. This is not a given I can assure you from experience !
Aecosim users would also benefit getting access to the 3d grid / frame node objects generated by STAAD that are parametrically adjustable. Great way to provide a 3d 'Parametric Frame Builder' to complement the aging 2d one Bentley inherit from Bricsys three decades ago?