Risa vs Ram vs Staad .. everyones a loser.
There are 2 main things you need for a structural app to be indispensable.
1. you can do modeling fast and easy.
2. but the more important is, you get the output that you "really" want fast and easy.
everyone likes the 1st point, and do judge apps...
commands are easy. intepretation and logic are the most important. staad.pro results only gives you recommendations, not definite solutions. you should be wary of it.
We have been using Revit for 2 yrs now, and it has proven to be indispensible esp for the big steel building structure we are doing.
The most important really is to know beforehand the clashing of members esp with services (Me , ee, etc..) and to know clearances (ceiling heights, available...
Staad.Pro is not the right app to use for a true 2nd order analysis. Better find others (eg. Oasys Gsa, etc..) The correct would be to form a geometric stiffness, aside from the normal structure stiffness.
Tips:
1. Your proposed brace layout should always be in symmetry. (e.g if you brace on the left sode of the structure, be sure there's a brace on the right, top or down, on same leves, etc.) The point is to avoid overall torsion in the structure, which leads to another point.
2. The braces...