Monolithic Beam + Slab and Monolithic Column + Retaining Wall - Which Software?

[kellez]

Hello evryone,

I am currently in search for a good structural analysis and design software.

At school i used SAP2000 but i want something more practical, that carries out Reinforced Concrete and steel frame design to Eurocodes and prepares documentation ready to be handed in for construction license application.

So i decided to try Robot Structural Analysis, mainly due to the Autodesk Building Design Suite, which is very good value for money and Robot seems to be a powerful software. I have started using it about 2 weeks ago and already i have discovered some weaknesses.



Modelling of monolithic beam + slab design

I tried to model and design an L and T beam, unfortunately with robot its not possible to easily define and model a T and L beam.

If you try to do this, the software takes into consideration the whole area of the rectangular beam + the area of the slab therefore taking the same area into consideration twice.

This makes the whole design more stiff, to overcome this they suggest to decrease the moment of Inertia I of the beam which i don't like, i expect more from an expensive software which i will count on for my designs. I expect it to be more intuitive.



Modelling of monolithic column + retaining wall design

Next I also tried to design a column that is embedded in a retaining wall, which basically is the same case as the beam + slab design above but vertically, again its not possible to simply define this with robot.

I am looking for a software that is able to easily model a beam + slab or column + wall. Does anyone know of any powerful software that can do this?


Thank you

[kellez]

Hi,

I would like to specify that the issue i described above with robot is also the same within SAP2000.

Above i have asked if you know any software that can easily model a monolithic design. In case you don't know of any software that can do this and you are using a software that has the same issue i described above, please let me know the software. I want to understand if this is a common issue within all structural softwares.

Thank you

[Kelly_Bramble]

Well, I keep waiting for the spammer to come and drop a link for some no-name software.


I guess I'm a little surprised that you’re having challenges with a T and L beam with the RSA software. I would have thought this software would be more robust being that Autodesk is responsible. I do know that all of the mainstream analysis software packages do have quirks.


You said “At school I used SAP2000 but i want something more practical” I assume you are talking about price?


First, I suggest that you keep with the more developed structural analysis software in your search. Also while in you search ask the software organization to demonstrate functionality, results, etc. for the particular application you are having challenges modeling.


Last, be aware that ALL engineering productivity software has shortcomings and functionality that’s seems broken. The value of using mainstream engineering software is the support that is available directly from the software engineers or the internet as well as compatibility and employment opportunities.

[kellez]

Hi,

No this is not a spam, i am here because i need help, and yes robot and sap maybe very powerful softwares but the issue i describe above is one of their shortcomings.

Robot can actually design a T beam but its not that straight forward, you need to make adjustments to the moment of inertia and also move some of the reinforcement of the beam by your self to spread it with in the flange of the T-beam. Imagine of you have 200 beams to design and you have to manually to all this, I am here because i want to know if most softwares have this issue,

If you try to model a beam with a slab on top you will notice that the slab is inserted in the middle of the beam, and the software doesn't consider this as a monolithic design.

Regarding SAP2000 when i said i need something more practical i meant that i need something to design the required reinforcement for RC and then produce a report with drawings ready to be handed in. ETABS can do this pretty well with good report and drawings, i haunt tried ETABS but is something that i am considering. However if you compare the price of other softwares with the price of AUTODESK BUILDING DESIGN SUITE then you get a lot more from autodesk.

I really want a high end software thats why i want something to easily overcome this and i am prepared to to pay for it.

[kellez]

anyone else?