Concrete Software

[marinaman]

I was wondering.....what do you guys feel is the best concrete design software for component analysis and design.....such as looking at an individual column, an individual beam, a multi-span one way joist system, etc.

What do you guys feel is the easiest to use software?

 

[JedClampett]

As far as I know, there's only two software programs that fit your description. One is Enercalc and the other is TEDDS. Enercalc is far from perfect with many quirks. You can search on it in this site, if you want, as I'll not repeat them here.
TEDDS is a foreign import (unless you're English) which seems to be pretty good, but we only were shown a demo and didn't make the leap for cost reasons. It's not cheap.
A lot of your responses to this post will extoll the virtues of the design packages of STAAD, RISA, etc. But I like to do my own analysis and check the members by themselves or run an analysis and check the members seperate, which requires software like you request. I don't like a black box.

 

[marinaman]

I agree....I also do not like "black box" style of software.

I've been checking out spbeam and I've been looking at adapt software.

spbeam is crude, in my opinion. Adapt seems a little better, but not much.

I too own RISA 3D, but I'm not real impressed with its concrete capabilities. I love it for steel though.

Just thought I'd get some input.

 

[hokie66]

RAPT is the structural concrete design choice of Australian engineers. Available in other codes, including the ACI.

 

[jberg]

I find Visual Analysis from IES is very user friendly for concrete design. Handles concrete columns, beams and will design walls and slabs. All of the code checks are per ACI, though.

JWB

 

[BridgeEI]

I prefer to create my own design spreadsheets but if I want something quick and dirty I'll use Enercalc and/or TEDDS. However I don't trust those two programs at all, they have way too many bugs and TEDDS is always pushing updates to fix something. Unacceptable in my opinion.

 

[ToadJones]

does visual analysis do walls?

 

[Lion06]

I like SP Column (used to be PCA Column). I use analysis software (like RAM Elements or similar to get forces, then design the section in SP Column.

 

[JAE]

The problem with most concrete software is that it just isn't very compatible with the way most engineers traditionally have designed concrete structures. For one thing concrete structures are genearally redundant and this, by code, requires alternating live load applications (odd spans, even spans, adjacent spans).

Another thing is that most engineers will establish a standard cut-off point for partial top reinforcement - say 35% of the span, and then design around that. Most programs I've seen don't allow anything of that sort.

Also engineers will use very ingeneous scheduling methods to communicate to rebar fabricators how reinforcement is laid out. This has to be done with partial top bars, continuity bars, special bars for unique situations.

I have yet to see a good program that does that - not that I've seen them all by any means.

 

[nicam]

Hokie66, I perfer Inducta (slabs, RC building & PT3D)
much better in my opinion.