Modeling Software for Cold Formed Steel

[Jonathan Monge Cubillo]

Hi,

Does anyone knows a software to perform structural analysis of ligth gage cold formed steel structures? I'm using CFS 10 from RGS software, but it just perform section capacity analysis, so most of my calculations are performed manually using spreadsheets and principles of mechanics. That's fine for small housing projects, but for multistory midrise construction and hotels i'm not entirelly confortable.

So if you know any specialized software please share some info. I also use SAP 2000 but dont get quite fine results.

Regards,
Jonathan.

 

[WARose]

Most of the people who manufacture studs have capacity tables. By the way, I'd be careful doing calculations as per the "principles of mechanics" or other FEA software. (Without code.....like AISI's.) A lot of these software packages can spit out buckling values that are meaningless (and ridiculously high).

 

[Jonathan Monge Cubillo]

WaRose:

Sure we use the AISI and take into account all the possible buckling modes in design. We are looking mostly an analisys tool, to make lateral analisys a bit easier, to avoid performing stiffness and deformation analisys manually.

We are at the same time, designers and manufacturers, so we produce the studs as peer design by using our own machine, so we dont have capacity tables yet.

 

[spats]

Both RISA-3D and RISA-2D can handle cold-formed analysis & design.

 

[sandman21]

Simpson CFS design software

 

[SethGuthrie]

Ram Elements also includes AISI Cold formed steel design with a variety of cross sections options.

 

[oengineer]

STAAD Pro preforms Cold Formed Steel analysis

 

[JAE]

Just a note - RISA 2D isn't supported anymore so be careful on what code version you run on it.


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