Like a PEMB? Is it existing and you're trying to evaluate it or designing a new one?
I've used RISA to do built up, tapered sections before and it worked quite well. Never used their connection design software, though.
If it's a new building, best to have a PEMB company design it (yes, even large industrial warehouses). Your client will get killed on fabrication expenses out of a typical shop. PEMB manufacturers have the economies of scale to produce those things dirt cheap.
a client wants to utilize existing steel from a demoed warehouse. not only the members are tapered. the connections are not straight. for instance columns and beams are connected in an angle. I know you can build up sections from ram advance or risa. but I don't know the program will let you connect them in an angle.
I don't think you'll find a software package to do that for you. You'll have to do the connections by hand.
If you have RISA, you'll have to figure out the axis of the member and plot your intersection nodes accordingly. That way, all the angles will work out. It's not that hard.
Dear Hazel - from your post history it seems you may be looking for software to get quick and easy answers to a variety of structural engineering questions involving somewhat unusual situations in which a good understanding of basic principles, experience and good engineering judgement is needed. I hope that you have the hands-on experience and confidence in your basic knowledge that you could have done these calculations by hand, but are looking for confirmation or expansion of your capabilities. Please accept my apologies if I have inadvertently said anything hurtful.
IFRs
thanks for the comments. I have been working as a engineer for my whole life so far and recently got to a new enterprise that we have to start everything scratch after a idle period considering early retirement. I have been using most of the popular programs in united states and not to brag but considered one of the sharpest at all my works. I know I am here only to take so far seems like. barely replied anything that is not mine. but I am pretty sure my intelligence and experiences is way above the average on this site. probably I am more on a humble side or more concentrating on get things done or getting to know things i am not familiar with instead of showing off stuff I do know. also my native language is not English which is why I might be lack of knowledge of terms like "first principles" which I don't consider as an indication of engineering capability. hope this satisfied your curiosity.
You can use STAADpro or Bentley Elements. they both are very easy i design PEBs every 3rd of my life,
use RAM elements or STAADpro.
Can you upload the picture of the frame here, i can quickly analyze it for you, i Have Tapframe, specialized plugin for STAAD for Tapered PEB frames.
thanks AL
good thing is I only do a preliminary analysis to come up with a concept or opinions. someone else will do the final engineering which I'm not part of it.
