computer programs for warehouse design

[Dwhaoeone]

what is the best computer program for warehouse design? some warehouse framing using tapered beam and columns. any program can do analysis for those kind of members? thanks

DS

 

[jayrod12]

I would throw Risa3d into the mix. They're geared pretty well towards all steel design. But also include most other materials in most configurations. It's my go to FEA.

 

[TehMightyEngineer]

Same recommendation as jayrod. Decent price, great support. Easy enough to learn.

Professional and Structural Engineer (ME, NH)
American Concrete Industries

http://www.americanconcrete.com

 

[Dwhaoeone]

I use staadpro a lot and used Risa3d before. what does Risa3d can do but staad can't? in staad we can build up sections but I think there should be a better program that can handle the tapered sections.

 

[Once20036]

I've only used it for one project so far, but Ram Elements can do tapered sections.

 

[mike20793]

I also vote for RISA and it is also my go to program. It can do tapered wide flange members.

 

[TehMightyEngineer]

I've used both Staad and Risa, prefer RISA a lot more. There are a couple of things staad does better (plates for example) but not by much and Risa has a much better code check of steel buildings in my opinion.

Professional and Structural Engineer (ME, NH)
American Concrete Industries

http://www.americanconcrete.com

 

[JoshPlumSE]

Two suggestions:
1) If you're doing tapered members, get a copy of AISC design guide 25.

2) Download a demonstration copy of the program that you're considering and take it for a test drive. Maybe create a couple of simple examples based on Design Guide 25 to make sure the answers it's giving are in the ballpark... or to make sure that you're inputting your design parameters correctly.


Disclaimer: Unlike the other who have responded I actually work for RISA, so I cannot be looked at as an unbiased observer. You can request a demo version of RISA by going to the website clicking on the software you're interested in and then clicking the Download Demo link. My guess is that the other guys STAAD / RAM, et cetera will have a similar option.

 

[BUGGAR]

If the OP is doing warehouses with tapered members, that sounds like AISI Metal Building land. The big metal builders have their own in-house programs.

 

[MrHershey]

Been parroting this a lot recently, but main concern with Staad and RAM Elements is they're Bentley products. So beware of the stuff they're currently doing with their licensing. They'll let anyone in your organization with the program installed in to the program at all times regardless of how many licenses you own or are currently using and then each quarter quietly send you a bill a couple months later for 16% of a new license cost to pay for the 'overuse'. Cost can get away from you quick if you're more than a one man shop. Go over just once per quarter and you'll be buying yourself a new license every 18 months.

I would tend to vote RISA on this one, and not just because of the licensing stuff (though would be lying if I said that wasn't part of it).

 

[Ron]

RISA 3D for many reasons, licensing included. Have used a variety of FEA programs over the last 25 to 30 years, including STAAD (and its variety of iterations).

Most of the "warehouses" you described as having tapered elements are probably PEMB's, and those are usually done with proprietary programs.

 

[Dwhaoeone]

Ron. That was why i adked the question. What propriety grograms are they? Can they be purchased? Thanks.

 

[Ron]

Dwhaoeone.....to my knowledge, the manufacturers will not sell their proprietary programs.

 

[JAE]

And those programs probably would not do you any good as they are written around the actual building system and elements that they sell.


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[Dwhaoeone]

thank you everyone. I have another question. what kind of program the fabricators use to produce shop drawings?

 

[Brad805]

Tekla structures and Strucad are common for detailing. The pre-eng guys do a ton of API programming to build their own interface. I know Butler uses Tekla since I see them on that forum quite frequently.

If you are going to try to complete the analysis and detailing pay careful attention to who's links with what. We use Tekla and it has a good link that is being maintained with SAP2000. I would stay far from anything Bentley. I have found them to be an awful company to try and deal with when I tried in the past.

 

[thaidavid40]

If you plan on doing a lot of PEMB designs, there is a company that makes proprietary software geared to that market: Metal Building Software, Inc. Here is their link:

http://www.mbsweb.com/index.html

. Their prices are not cheap, but if you do enough designs per year, their streamlined, dedicated system might be worth the investment.
Dave

Thaidavid

 

[jimstructures]

Brad805

Which forum are you talking about that Tekla users from Butler are appearing on? I work on a lot of metal building projects and while Tekla is a little bit above my price range I would really like to follow the discussions.

Jim

 

[Brad805]

Jim, the Tekla forum is only for users. The API talk they get into is very specific and not very interesting. The forum does not see a lot of traffic, and even less since they re-vamped their site. The whole automating to the degree they have seems to be a huge undertaking and requires constant updating.

 

[jimstructures]

Brad805

Thank You for the very quick response. I was looking at Tekla Structures as a design tool and it was out of my price range but was very impressive for the ease of applying loads and graphic output. I would have liked to follow the discussion and maybe get a feel for how versatile the program would be to use.

Thanks again for the reply.

Jim