STAAD and RISA 3D input file

[sbj09]

I recently started a new job and work at a smaller company with mostly mechanical engineers. The mechanicals use NASTRAN for all FEA analysis and have suggested I use this program for structure as well. I am not inclined to use this and would prefer a structural program.

The senior structural engineer works from home and uses an independent, older copy of RISA 3D. He has not upgraded because he says the current RISA input file is not in text format and will not allow you to modify the input file any longer. The text input is necessary for many programs he has written to generate input files.

Has RISA 3D stopped using the input text file? If so, my colleague thought STAAD Pro still has a text file as the input format and would be a better choice. I have used STAAD before and it had a text input in the version I used. Any thoughts?

 

[Stazz]

SBJ,

Try posting this question on the RISA-3D forum. I usually get some good responses from RISA employees there.

 

[ThomasH]

Hi

I don't know Risa but STAAD has a text file that you can work with.

But I wouldn't compare STAAD to NASTRAN. NASTRAN has a different level of capabilities. What do they user for pre/post? Femap, for example, can "talk" to both NASTRAN and STAAD.

Regards

Thomas

 

[JAE]

On our v. 8.0 RISA 3D program - the File Import only shows RISA 2D,Staad File, BIM file, etc. but no text files.

 

[stack]

The RISA input file IS a text file and can be edited in any text editor. Here is a snippet from a Version 8 file:


[.HR_STEEL_MATERIAL] <5>
"A36 Gr.36 " 29000.000000 11154.000000 0.300000 0.650000 0.490000 36.000000 -1;
"A572 Gr.50 " 29000.000000 11154.000000 0.300000 0.650000 0.490000 50.000000 -1;
"A992 " 29000.000000 11154.000000 0.300000 0.650000 0.490000 50.000000 -1;
"A500 Gr.42 " 29000.000000 11154.000000 0.300000 0.650000 0.490000 42.000000 -1;
"A500 Gr.46 " 29000.000000 11154.000000 0.300000 0.650000 0.490000 46.000000 -1;
[.END_HR_STEEL_MATERIAL]

[.CF_STEEL_MATERIAL] <2>
"A570_33 " 29500.000000 11346.000000 0.300000 0.650000 0.490000 33.000000 52.000000 -1;
"A607_C1_55 " 29500.000000 11346.000000 0.300000 0.650000 0.490000 55.000000 70.000000 -1;
[.END_CF_STEEL_MATERIAL]

[.ALUMINUM_MATERIAL] <0>
[.END_ALUMINUM_MATERIAL]

[.WOOD_MATERIAL] <2>
"DF Larch " " " 0 6 2 0 1.000000 0.300000 0.300000 0.035000 0 -1;


etc.

 

[blackmaddog]

I don't know why you want to edit the input file but it sounds dangerous to me.

On a side note, I have been using RISA since it was DOS based and highly recommend it. Editing in the program can be done graphical or in the data spreadsheets. They also have pretty good FEA capabilities which I find easy to use. The new RISAFoundation allows users to transfer reactions from RISA-3D to footings or slabs which is very nice. The support at RISA is outstanding with email responses to questions in a couple hours most of the time.

 

[dozer]

Yes, STAAD has an input text file, but you better find out what their future plans are before you buy based on this. There going to STAAD(X)v8i which last time a tried an early version of this did a very poor job of reading the *.std file (the text input file for STAAD.Pro). It would only read in the geometry, nothing else.

 

[BliMan]

It depends on what you want to do.

RISA3D is clean and user friendly. It also 'seamlessly' sucks AutoCAD wireframe geometry into the RISA 3D model, which will save you countless hours inputting and error-trapping coords, freeing you to focus on str'l 'what-if's', and code checks.

STAAD is punch-card dumb, but text input is easier to read and debug, and it has greater overall capabilities than RISA 3D, including auto redesign, however dozer's warning above is right, Bentley owns STAAD and RAM now, welcome to the Borg.

It's all gonna be outsourced to Mumbai anyway for $18/hr. % )

 

[JAE]

RISA does redesign.