Software

[todd2ny]

I am looking for some software that will design steel members as well as reiforced concrete walls and slabs. A lot of member design is repetitive, so I am looking for a software package that can design the individual members once I run the analysis in STAAD Pro.

Thanks

 

[csd72]

My philosophy is keep it simple.

The first major portal frame job I did I used the code design package with the program. I ended up with reams and reams of paperwork that was very complicated to check.

After more experience I realised that it was usually quicker and easier to do these same calculations by hand/independent spreadsheet. You can make some very easy simplification judgements that a computer cannot and drastically cut down on the load cases to be checked for each member/connection. The more you do the hand calculations the quicker you are and also the better the feel you have for it.

It is also much simpler for someone to review your calculations.

There are many ways to check that a design is at the very worst 'not far off'. these include:

1. comparison to similar designs - works well when you are doing a lot of similar designs e.g. we had a database of over 100 jobs giving span and windspeed so that you could find one with similar criteria.

2. The critical eye of an experienced engineer can often do this job just as succesfully.

3. Comparison to simple first order hand calculations.

But the first thing you should always do after an alnalysis is to check your reactions. Apply the loads to the structure as if it was a rigid body and check that these calculated reaction are the same(or very similar) to the computer output. This at least check that you have not misaplied loads.

Next check that the total shears and total static span moment are equal or greater to that for an equivalent simply supported beam.

If you can use method of sections at critical point to check the axial and bending in members.

You should NEVER use a computer program without understanding what the results should be. The more complicated the task the more this is true.

Hope this helps.

 

[civeng80]

csd72

I like your approach and in fact use it myself. Verify by hand anything simple such as reactions on structures etc. If these check then your confidance of course increases dramatically.

One favourite (when learning how to use a new program) of mine is to use a complex truss we did at University which in fact is a critical form structures and see how the program handles it. Some programs handle it better than others and in fact this was my basis in choosing which one to purchase outright from the various demo models I had.

I guess, nothing is perfect,and we should accept this with structural analysis software.