lexeng18
Structural
- Jul 5, 2018
- 45
Hi all, my team is looking for a software that has the following (apparently hard to find) qualities:
[ol 1]
[li]The ability to capture flexible diaphragm behavior correctly. I say "correctly" simply because the software I've demo'd so far that claims to have this feature does not dump the diaphragm shear into chords/collectors as axial loads. While the overall lateral force distributes correctly, the load just materializes into the bracing elements. I'd like to be able to properly design chords/collectors.[/li]
[li]The ability for wind loads to be defined in a way that can capture wind column behavior correctly. For example, RAM Structural System only lets you use the wind generation feature to apply wind as if the cladding spans vertically from diaphragm to diaphragm. Most of our work is industrial buildings where girts span horizontally to columns, so the columns should be loaded in bending from the horizontally spanning cladding, and the columns should span vertically diaphragm to diaphragm.[/li]
[li]Be able to have features #1 and #2 above without weird, hacky workarounds that create other problems.[/li]
[/ol]
It seems that in 2024 it should be possible for such a software to exist, but currently with RAM Elements, RAM SS, STAAD its not possible. I tried RISA3d and once I figured out that they lock down the flexible diaphragm option behind needing also RISA Floor I was turned off to the entire ecosystem.
I've yet to try VisualAnalysis, ETABS, or any of the very new to market ones (SkyCiv? ClearCalcs?). I was hoping someone here would have some experience with other software to help me in my search!
The reason for this request is simple. While we currently have RAM Elements and get by just fine by having separate gravity/lateral models plus some hand calcs, more and more we are being asked for calculation packages as part of a project. It would be really nice to have a combined, non-clunky, working analysis model that behaves true to its design.
[ol 1]
[li]The ability to capture flexible diaphragm behavior correctly. I say "correctly" simply because the software I've demo'd so far that claims to have this feature does not dump the diaphragm shear into chords/collectors as axial loads. While the overall lateral force distributes correctly, the load just materializes into the bracing elements. I'd like to be able to properly design chords/collectors.[/li]
[li]The ability for wind loads to be defined in a way that can capture wind column behavior correctly. For example, RAM Structural System only lets you use the wind generation feature to apply wind as if the cladding spans vertically from diaphragm to diaphragm. Most of our work is industrial buildings where girts span horizontally to columns, so the columns should be loaded in bending from the horizontally spanning cladding, and the columns should span vertically diaphragm to diaphragm.[/li]
[li]Be able to have features #1 and #2 above without weird, hacky workarounds that create other problems.[/li]
[/ol]
It seems that in 2024 it should be possible for such a software to exist, but currently with RAM Elements, RAM SS, STAAD its not possible. I tried RISA3d and once I figured out that they lock down the flexible diaphragm option behind needing also RISA Floor I was turned off to the entire ecosystem.
I've yet to try VisualAnalysis, ETABS, or any of the very new to market ones (SkyCiv? ClearCalcs?). I was hoping someone here would have some experience with other software to help me in my search!
The reason for this request is simple. While we currently have RAM Elements and get by just fine by having separate gravity/lateral models plus some hand calcs, more and more we are being asked for calculation packages as part of a project. It would be really nice to have a combined, non-clunky, working analysis model that behaves true to its design.
