Software for Wood Frame Analysis/Design

[csdoo]

Dear Colleguages,

One of our daily office tasks is designing members in wood framed buildings for gravity forces. This is a labor-intensive and time consuming job. For steel buildings, we use Ram-steel to analyze and design the gravity framing quickly and efficiently. If anyone knows of software for gravity design of wood frame structures please let us know.

Chung-Soo
cdoo@sdesf.com

 

[JAE]

I haven't checked it out yet but check out WoodWorks at:

http://www.woodworks-software.com

they also advertise here:

http://www.awc.org

 

[LPPE]

I have tried WoodWorks, and did not like it. HOWEVER, I only tried it a few times. It seems like a quality program, except I felt the learning curve was quite high.

I don't think WoodWorks does complete framing systems. For quick beam or joist sizes (even columns), try TJ Beam. Trus Joist also makes a program called TJ Expert which will do complete gravity systems, however, I don't think Trus Joist makes the TJ Expert program readily available. Couldnt hurt to ask, though.

 

[ishvaaag]

RISA 3D also performs wood design to US practice and is smart for modeling.

 

[baueng]

Try STRUCALC.com It does a lot for a small cost

 

[JAE]

pylko - We've been thinking about WoodWorks for some time, waiting for the right project to come along before investing in it. The literature we've gotten appears to indicate that it does do framing systems (as opposed to single beams or joists). Was it a real deep program with lots of issues to remember? Was it black box?

Most of our wood design is either by in-house spreadsheets or by RISA 3D (per ishvaaag). RISA is just now developing area load generation similar to RAM.

baueng - does STRUCALC do framing systems or just single member design?

 

[CTruax]

JAE
I see your comment
"Most of our wood design is either by in-house spreadsheets".
All of my work is wood design in CA.
I looked at woodworks and feel the interface is too...
I've written Some VB apps and would like to exchange and/or see what your spreadsheets have to offer.
Please eMail me some of your wood spreadsheets.
WoodGuy@builderspost.com

 

[LPPE]

JAE - It was quite an in-depth program that had all the bells and whistles associated with wood design. The few times I tried the program was to size a few beams and headers with various sloping uniform and point loads. It took me about 20 minutes to get the results for one beam, where as the TJ beam program sizes me a beam in a minute.

I'm not saying Woodworks is a terrible program, just that it'll probably take you a while to learn it and get used to it, while TJ Beam was almost childs play. (And TJ beam will do solid sawn for you, also!)

One other thing - You can only install Woodworks on one computer. If you have one guy in your office doing wood design, your OK. If you have 10 guys, forget about it.
TJ Beam can be on any/all computers.

Do I sound like a TJ Beam salesman or what?! Sorry for the biased post!

 

[JAE]

pylko - thanks....Yes, you sound like Smiling Sam, the TJ software salesman. Just don't stick you foot in my door.

Does TJ have a website?

 

[JAE]

ctruax-
Not trying to be stingy, but our in-house stuff is the company's property and I can't since they aren't my own to share. Sorry.

 

[LPPE]

JAE - Now that I'm ashamed to admit it; Yes, Trus Joist does have a web site.

http://www.tjm.com

Honestly, I'm not a TJ sales rep!
I prefer steel, not wood!

 

[LPPE]

One other thing - The TJ-Xpert program is only available for retailers and distributers of TJ products.

 

[Trussdoc]

For wood structures, as an alternative to Woodworks, you could contact KeyMark Enterprises, Boulder CO. They do have a system that will lay out structural members and (I believe) size the beams.

http://www.keymark.com

 

[MPHenry]

As a follow on to the above items on wood design software I would like to suggest WINWOOD from Archon Engineering. This program is excellent value for money and is quite versatile. Trusses and beams are included along with connection design. The timber design modules in ENERCALC are also quite good if you desire a quick beam, column design check. Diaphragms and shear walls are also included.
The following links apply.

http://www.enercalc.com

http://www.archoneng.com

Regards

Mike B-)