Structural Software 1

[ludvik]

I work for a firm of consulting structural engineers, and we are currently a little fustrated with the software we use for structural analysis (we design bridges mostly).

We use LARSA, SAP2000, and ADINA. LARSA's non-linear time history (ie transient analysis) doesn't work at all. Additionally its interface is clunky. SAP2000's has non-linear time history, but doesn't handle non-linear material properties and only handles basic geometric non-linearity effects (P-delta to be specific). ADINA has a very hard core solver, but its interface is completely hopeless.

I have looked into ANSYS which has both a good solver and a good interface. The problem is that it is too expensive. ANSYS/Structural costs US$23000 per license. Possibly a manufacturer could justify this kind of expense for an analysis package, but we consulting engineers can't.

Hope to hear about your experiences and thoughts on this.

Michael

 

[JAE]

Are you looking for basic bridge design software (steel or concrete?) or specifically bridge software that does time-history, non-linear type analyses?

 

[ludvik]

Ideally any package we buy will be a structural engineering based package with all the moving load and steel/concrete design features and also have a fairly serious solver and pre/post processor.

We are doing progressively more non-linear time history and shell modelling, and traditional struct eng packages look like toys for this kind of application. The mechanical engineering targeted packages have the solver and meshing capabilities we seek, but also have many more features like leading to a MUCH higher price.

I have been scouring the net and have downloaded a few demos. I have to say that I am impressed with Strand7. It is cheap (~australian $6000 =~US$3000), it has a far superior interface to SAP or LARSA, and it has hardcore solvers. The only problem with it is that it doesn't have structural eng targeted features (although I heard they are working on that). Has anybody used this for seismic analysis?

Michael

 

[Qshake]

I share your concerns and would offer my experience. I work for a large consulting engineering firm where I work mainly with bridges large and small. I have used many different commercial applications and in-house software too. For routine analysis we have migrated to SAP2000 from STAAD and also use GTSTRUDL quite abit. When we have to go to elaborate finite analysis we use COSMOS and STRESSCHECK.

My recommendation of the whole lot is GTSTRUDL. It is the best multi-purpose structural engineering program around, it has higher order analysis capabilities and (most important, for me) it has a dedicated staff who knows what they are doing and will work with you.

Good Luck whatever your choice.

 

[Zodiac]

Take a look at STRAP...

http://www.atirsoft.com

I like it very much

 

[SUTRA]

Hi,

I have been hearing this problems also here in Portugal. I think that most offices shouls spend a little time finding someone that is a structural engineer and also a good programmer for incorporating taylor made solutions over the packages you have.

I work here like a freelancer developing software for mesh generation, pre and post processing of existant software, hard non linear problems in sections, bridge analysis, etc.

For example my last work was a incremental launching analysis for bridges using SAP2000 ( getting all the envelops ). It has a very cool interface, works with DirectX ( good graphics ) and took only a month to code it from the scratch. I also make a point of integrating packages with EXCEL, AUTOCAD etc.

The truth is there are very good packages in the market, and STRAND7 is in my opinion one of the best. But even in this case you will surely need some good skilled strucutral engineer with very high matemathical background and a "taste" for programming.

If I was in another country, I would be surely working in a structural software house. But here I have to make my own software house because all days I am asked to do this and that in a flash just because software doesn't make what people really need.

People should understand that the future office work will be programming very high level object oriente languages, instead of using the regular Word, Excel, etc.. etc...

 

[cradino]

I know STAND since I read about it in "Microcomputer in civil engineering" magazine DEC88.
Any days ago I tried to catch it but I was unable.
In this forum it is refered several times like STRAND7.
Please inform me to arcindo@msn.com where can I cath it?

Arcindo

 

[cradino]

Excuse me. I made a mistake. Where I Write STAND I mean STRAND. Who knows the site of STRAND7?

Best regards

arcindo@msn.com