Steel Connection Software Recommendation 11

[struggle67]

Hi,

Do you guys use software or spreadsheets for steel connections? Can you please recommend me a steel connection software?

Thanks

 

[struggle67]

Just bringing it up.

 

[MSUK90]

Here, the engineers either use their own spreadsheets or programs like PROKON or LIMCON for the connection design.

 

[DrZoidberWoop]

Here's what we do where I work:

Simple shear connections are typically company standards, approved at the beginning of a job by the EOR. MathCAD is used for almost all unique connections, braces, etc. Then VBA in Excel or Excel alone for things like column splices, which are better presented in a list form.

This approach has worked for a lot of very heavy steel structures over the years, with 100s of thousands of tons of steel fabricated and delivered.

 

[HTURKAK]

Dear struggle67 (Structural);

I will suggest you to develop your excell spreadsheet, and math cad programs so , you can feel proud with your study..
..And keep in your mind that your own study to succeed is more important than any other software..

 

[phamENG]

The problem with steel connection software is that most of the affordable variety consists of things that can be pretty easily put into a spreadsheet/MathCAD sheet. Where you really need it is when you get into abnormal geometries that are difficult to lay out. But then you're essentially in need of an FEA connection program, and you'll be shelling out big bucks for that.

Best to do a few all the way by hand to get used to them and understand the important steps of the process, then either teach a spreadsheet/MathCAD sheet to do it repetively or buy a subscription to RISAConnection, IESConnect, or one of those.

 

[XR250]

You should def. be doing these by hand or writing a spreadsheet before you purchase dedicated software.
This may be off topic, but your moniker, "Struggle67" saddens me. I'm a firm believer in the Law of Attraction. Seems like you are inviting "struggle" into your life.
Maybe "Awesome67" would be more appropriate

 

[struggle67]

Thanks to you guys I changed my mind yes I should definitely doing these by hand or spreadsheets. Can you please recommend me a book instead?

your moniker, "Struggle67" saddens me. I'm a firm believer in the Law of Attraction. Seems like you are inviting "struggle" into your life.
Maybe "Awesome67" would be more appropriate

haha yes, you are right it is not that I want to struggle but when I started my career as a PT designer 6-7 years ago, there was no one to teach me no mentor nothing and I also had to study English at the same time. Recently I started working for a c&s main consultant but I still have to struggle. I had no choice but to "struggle", so I decided to live with it happily. I hope one day I will be awesome67. Luckily I found this forum especially rapt for pt design and all the nice people(my mentors). Now I can ask people around me but still I have no doubt that people in this forum are much more knowledgeable and real engineers who enjoys talking about structures.

 

[phamENG]

Idea Statica looks really nice. But it's very pricey. Only slightly more expensive than RISAConnection, but looks much more powerful. But it's almost 12x the cost of IESConnect (though IES is fairly limited in connection design).

 

[KootK]

Can you please recommend me a book instead?

Some goodies to start with:

1) Handbook of Steel Connection Design and Details by Akbar Tamboli.

2) Any of the AISC Design Guide series books that deal with connections.

I miss the early days of your PT adventures. That generated a lot of interesting discussion. I look forward to equally interesting threads as you branch out into other areas. I could see you having a lot of fun with the global, lateral design of buildings.

Recently I started working for a c&s main consultant but I still have to struggle.

c&s = Core and Shell??

 

[hotmailbox]

Another way to learn or build spreadsheet/Smath/MathCAD calcs for steel connections is to follow all the steps/code references laid out in design output from a commercial software like RISA Connection/Limcon/Civil Bay

You can go here

http://asp.civilbay.com/18-manual/21-sample-calc.aspx

and check sample calc for each type of connections for studying or working on your own spreadsheet. Not saying it is a bible to follow but it definitely saves you a lot of time.

 

[wrxsti]

they need a non black boxed UFM software/spreadsheet

i think the advent of fem connection software may cause you to stray from the core principles
of establishing geometry to accommodate UFM design principles and you may draw anything your imagination allows.

 

[JoshPlumSE]

I second KootK's recommendations. But, I expand on them a little:

1) Handbook of Steel Connection Design and Details by Akbar Tamboli.

2) The Following AISC design guidess:
a) DG1: Base Plates
b) DGs 4 & 16 for bolted end plate moment connections
c) DGs 12 & 13 for retrofit of existing moment connections and stiffeners for moment connections.
d) Any of the AISC Design Guide series books that deal with connections.
e) DG 24 for Connections using Hollow Structural Sections (i.e. Tubes and pipes)
f) DG 29 for vertical braces

3) AISC Steel Construction Manual and their on-line examples.

 

[Aesur]

While I will always recommend starting with hand calculations and creating a spreadsheet for such connections, I do want to point out that yes, there is software available; although not necessarily cheep.

The two that I have worked with in the past are RISA Connection and RAM Connection. Both have their annoyances, mostly with understanding their terminology in selecting the right connection without switching multiple times and load inputs. If you use their other software they can export loads to the connection design makings this process easier. Of the two, it is my opinion that RAM is better, simply because it can do high seismic connection designs, whereas RISA doesn't currently. I do caution though, you better know what you are doing in the program, have an idea of what the connection should be, and understand how the connection works, because if you don't, these programs can and will give you wrong connection designs. For instance, in RAM there are checkboxes that enable high seismic design, ie for "Dog Bone" connections and others, and if this checkbox isn't selected, your design won't save. This may have been fixed in the past 2 years, but was a constant pain when checking others work as it was buried in options elsewhere in the program and almost always missed, resulting in under design connections. Another common mistake is taking a connection that has (8) bolts and changing the dimensions to look like there are only (4), this isn't acceptable, because the program just stacks the bolts over one another and designs as if there are 8, when 8 don't actually fit and the output image only shows 4, again a major mistake of not understanding the software.