Looking for a simple beam / frame analysis program (free)

[clarke1973]

Does anyone know of a free available program for analysing simple 2D beams / frames? Preferably one with a graphical interface and not just an excel spreadsheet. I'm sure I've come accross one in the past but cannot find any free ones on the net at the moment.

Would be grateful for any help.
Thanks

 

[andriver]

Ftool

Created by the Corp of Engineers. Freeware

 

[andriver]

I went ahead an uploaded it here.

 

[steellion]

Go to SteelTools.org and find BEAMANAL by Alex Tomanovich. It is an Excel spreadsheet, but it has built in graphs for moment, shear, and deflection. The only downside is it's ASD only.

 

[awa5114]

Try RISA2D Educational. Its free and very easy to use for modelling beams, frames and columns. You can also input section and material properties, everything is in spreadsheet format.

 

[jayrod12]

You should not be using educational versions of any program for actual professional work. The fine print indicates this is actually illegal. The whole point of educational versions is so students (who are generally way too poor to afford program licenses) can try out the software and become familiar. They are NOT for professional engineer's looking to save a buck.

 

[spieng89]

jayrod12:

Ease up. You are assuming the OP's intentions without any background.

OP:

I recommend either RISA2D or Ftool which have both been stated previously.

 

[jayrod12]

No I'm responding to awa's comment. and providing an FYI for anyone else that doesn't realize what educational license means.

If you want to trial software to see if it is worth purchasing then contact the companies directly. Almost all provide a free demo version. This is different from an educational license.

 

[IDS]

Free continuous beam analysis (with units):
ConbeamU

Free 2D frame analysis (also 3D frame analysis:
Frame4

They are both spreadsheets, but that to my mind makes them more useful and more versatile than an application with a fixed graphic interface anyway.

Doug Jenkins
Interactive Design Services

http://newtonexcelbach.wordpress.com/

 

[Enginerdad]

BeamBoy is a free, very simple beam analysis program. Sorry, it doesn't do frames, but you can model a beam with any number of spans under distributed, linear and point loading.

http://www.geocities.ws/richgetze/

 

[ColinPearson]

Joel Berg has a sheet BEAMANAL13 which updates Mr. Tomanovich's sheet to the newer AISC.
Believe it only has the single span calcs though.

http://www.steeltools.org/communiti...0-0000-0000-000000000000&tab=librarydocuments