Design Tools for Residential Structural Engineers

[medeek]

What are the most valuable tools and resources for residential structural engineering? My list is below:

People:
Mentors
Eng-Tips Forum
Client Feedback
Bldg. Dept. Feedback

Software:
AutoCAD
MS Excel
Perl
Woodworks Shearwall
Forte (for TJI joists and rafters)
Adobe Acrobat

Books:
NDS 2012
ASCE 7-10
Design of Wood Structures, Breyer
The Analysis of Irregular Shaped Structures, Malone
IBC 2012
WFCM 2012

Other:
HP48G


A confused student is a good student.
Nathaniel P. Wilkerson, PE

http://www.medeek.com

 

[LorenAWC]

There also online calculators provided by the American Wood Council such as a connection calculator and a span calculator.

http://www.awc.org/calculators/index.php

 

[mike20793]

Forte is pretty useful for basic cases. Personally, I prefer not to use Woodworks software, because we have in house spreadsheets that do almost anything Woodworks can. We handle most lateral wood design by spreadsheets, except for rigid diaphragm cases. We mostly do diaphragm detailing (straps and blocking) by hand. I also use the AWC calculators quite a bit. The connection calculator can save some time with non standard connection design. I've also used RISA 3D quite a bit for FTAO shear walls and rigid diaphragm cases. I've also used it for some complicated glulam design.

The books are spot on for wood design. Those, in my opinion, are the best references to have. There's some nice changes coming to the new NDS SDPWS for rigid diaphragm cases for shear walls at corridors only (cantilever diaphragm with no exterior shear walls).

I've actually had good experiences speaking with anyone at Woodworks (the Wood Product Council). They are really knowledgeable and can find you an answer if they don't know it themselves. Bruce Lindsey is in charge for my region and his help has been really valuable on some complicated wood projects I've had recently. I've had good success talking to Terry Malone about topics found in his book, also. His experience as a designer and plan checker is invaluable.

 

[dhengr]

Medeek:
Experience, having done any given problem a number of times; intuition gained from having seen something similar before; efforts to decomplexify things as much as possible. Obviously, there are times when it is tough to avoid the added complexity, and the codes, and Arch’s. & Builders aren’t making this easier either, all in an effort to sell sex appeal. Nonetheless, anything you can do to simplify the job leads to more likelihood that it might be built right. Standardization, as you are trying to do with some of your spreadsheets, etc.

 

[Archie264]

For me the indispensables are pencil, paper, HP RPN calculator and Excel. I could get by without Excel if I had to but it would sure slow things down.

 

[medeek]

I guess I forgot to mention the AWC connection calculator, I don't use it a lot but when I need it, it is sure handy.

The only thing it is missing is double shear for Nails. I was working on a plywood gusset truss a couple months back that had clinched nails in double shear.



A confused student is a good student.
Nathaniel P. Wilkerson, PE

http://www.medeek.com

 

[msquared48]

Clients are the most essential tool. Without them there is no point to any of the rest


Mike McCann, PE, SE (WA)

 

[medeek]

I have been wanting to try and do some RISA 3D for FTAO and portal frames but I have absolutely no idea how to accurately model up the sheathing with the nails connecting to the framing. Does anyone have a very simple model,even a couple of studs and a panel just so I can get started with this. I've also got an old copy of STAAD that I'm pretty familiar with and have used for analyzing complex aluminum and steel frames (Aerospace), but once again accurately modeling wood sheathing and fasteners has me at a loss. I think I'll start a new thread for this. I'm in between projects for a couple of days, so it is time to do some "cool" stuff.

A confused student is a good student.
Nathaniel P. Wilkerson, PE

http://www.medeek.com