I need inexpensive or "Free" Steel Frame modeling software 1

[nkclarke]

I have been given an existing simplified model of a structure. The important information consists of node position and member locations (i.e, the nodes that define the beams, columns etc. Only the primary structure is included in the model and it's my job to "fill out" the model by incorporating most of the secondary steelwork. To achieve this, I'll be needing to insert lots of additional nodes to existing members and use these additional nodes to create extra members. For example, if there is a particular member formed by two nodes, I need to be able to insert several nodes to make it more than one member.

My question is; Does anyone know of a piece of of software that will allow me to achieve this? The software only has to be able to help me build the model; it does NOT have to carry out any structural analysis. I'm sure there are lots that can do it but this one has to be inexpensive (or preferably free). The only other requirement is that is has to be able to accept a text file as input containing node and element information and also be able to output a text file with any changes I make to the model.

The reason I do not need this software to carry out structural analysis is because I will perform the analysis using a different software package. The problem is that my software has no pre-processor to speak of.

 

[GregLocock]

The way I'd do it is a Fortran or Basic program that identifies each element and then chops it up. Before preprocessors got pretty we used to spend a lot of time writing mesh generation programs.


In general preprocessors don't have fancy tools available for mesh refinement of beam elements, it doesn't sound like a common feature.



Cheers

Greg Locock

SIGlease see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.

 

[nkclarke]

The way I've been trying to do it so far is to use Excel. This is proving to be a very time consuming error-prone exercise. Unfortunately, the geometry is quite complicated and the number of pieces that I need to chop up each element into varies throughout, so a programming solution seems beyond my ability level.

I thought that it would be nice to have a graphical solution. I could import the basic geometry that I already have and then I can click on a member and sub-divide it as needed. Finally, I can use the extra nodes that I've created to "point and click" in the extra members.

I don't have vast experience with structural analysis packages but I have used STAAD in the past and am aware that it has some capability to use the GUI to manipulate geometry - adding in extra nodes etc. I guess I'm looking for similar frame generating capabilities but without the hefty pricetag.

 

[IRstuff]

I'm unclear why you didn't post in the forum for your specific structural analysis program forum and ask about preprocessors for that program. see:

http://www.eng-tips.com/forumlist.cfm

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[nkclarke]

I don't really have a specific structural analysis program in mind. As to which forum would be most relevant for me to submit my post, I wasn't sure about it and I'm completely open to suggestions.

 

[rowingengineer]

This is a genral FEA program that might help you, and it is free for the first 1300 nodes and cost only a few $$ for the next 10,000.

http://www.lisa-fet.com/

When in doubt, just take the next small step.

 

[rowingengineer]

maybe

http://www.bconverged.com/calculix/

When in doubt, just take the next small step.

 

[nkclarke]

Thank you so much rowingengineer. I'm going to try both of your suggestions and see which works best for me. You may have saved me weeks of extra work.

 

[rowingengineer]

here is another place to check out:

http://www.thestructuralengineer.info/freeware_shareware.html

When in doubt, just take the next small step.

 

[IRstuff]

Did you even look at the link? What FEA program are you using?

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[nkclarke]

Yes, I did look at the link that you sent me this morning. I saw a list of forums dedicated to specific software packages. As I've said, my query wasn't specific to a particular piece of software. It was a general enquiry asking for advice on which software would be able to perform a particular task that I had in mind.

Do you feel that I should have posted on another forum?

 

[IRstuff]

Presumably, another user of the same FEA software would be the most logical person to ask about a preprocessor for that software.

TTFN

FAQ731-376

 

[GregLocock]

Does calculix do beam elements now? It didn't a while back.

Cheers

Greg Locock

SIGlease see FAQ731-376 for tips on how to make the best use of Eng-Tips.