Retaining Wall Programs
Retaining Wall Programs
(OP)
I am a residential and light commercial "structural" engineer (PE). I have used QuickRWall by IES for several years now and like it. I'm getting ready to upgrade and am considering Retain Pro. Does anyone have any comparitive experience with either or both of these? Others?
Thanks,
Thanks,






RE: Retaining Wall Programs
The few times I have used it, it did everything I needed it to and it was fairly easy to jump into and use; however, there are definitely bugs present in the program. Sometimes it seemed to not recognize that a parameter had been updated in an input box. No error messages or crashes, just no calculation refresh.
Given that it's our go-to program, I work around the bugs and I am still happy with the results. It has actually been several months since I used it, so the bugs have possibly been fixed by now.
RE: Retaining Wall Programs
I did notice that my output wasn't updating a couple of weeks ago as well and I sent them a technical inquiry and they were right on top of helping me and we determined that it was a bug in the software that they had already fixed I just did not have the newest update.
I think there are still some bugs to be fixed since they have changed to Version 10.0, bit we have been using their software for at least 5 years in this office.
Hope this helps,
Scott
RE: Retaining Wall Programs
RE: Retaining Wall Programs
RE: Retaining Wall Programs
We had a 2007 version of RetainPro in the office. I tried it but it did not do everything that we wanted. Having previously worked with IES's products we tried QuickRWall and TEDD's (which we already had in the office). I see preliminary calc files for both RetainPro and TEDD's, but the final cacl's are in QuickRWall.
My recollection is that once we got the preliminary walls designed, it became apparent that stepping the wall could result in a cost reduction. Once confirmed by the CM we proceeded that way. I think stepping the walls in Quickerwall was much easier, although sometimes the graphics did not reflect the true picture. I brought up some of those calc's and the views all look OK now.
I would recommend the trial version of RetainPro before you purchase it. TEDD's handles stepping the wall very easily as well, but I can't remember what ultimately swayed us to choose IES's QuickRWall.
Not sure this doesn't further muddy the waters. Right now we only have QuickRWall and TEDD's as our available options.
gjc
RE: Retaining Wall Programs
Your initial discussion is why I rarely do basement walls anymore. I do a hybrid retaining wall that has a slightly smaller footing than a typical one giving some credit to the continuity and proximity of returns walls in the basement, by way of reducing the factor of safety. I find a little more concrete, as long as the builder agrees, is the cheaper easier way to go. They can backfill right away and not fuss with all the top connections, nor deal with the inevitable stairway opening.
You must have had to put the steel in the center of the wall in order to have them function as retaining walls for awhile, then switch to basement wall. Or you braced them on the interior. I would love to hear if you came up with an economical solution (that saved labor as well as material).
RE: Retaining Wall Programs
RE: Retaining Wall Programs
We ended up with rebar on both sides of the wall. The Construction Manager initially rejected the idea of stepping the wall, but reconsidered after realizing that the labor and rebar costs would be about the same and he would save a significant amount of concrete costs. He came back to us with the recommended step location based on the that the form sizes his sub was going to use would necessitate placement of the wall in two lifts anyway.
Also forgot that it is now 2013 and the walls were designed for the spring of 2011. It took about a year to get everything tied together, so they were "retaining walls" for a considerable length of time.
gjc
RE: Retaining Wall Programs
keepitsimple, I don't think that RetainPro offers any advanced calculations that QuickRWall doesn't, so if you're familiar with QuickRWall, I don't think you will gain much by switching to RetainPro.
Also, QuickRWall has great technical support. They're very responsive and will work with you to get your questions or any bugs worked out.
-GD
RE: Retaining Wall Programs
RE: Retaining Wall Programs
• A check on the maximum flexural steel spacing requirements of the Code (QR-wall didn’t do the check).
• Getting printout documentation that was different from what the output on the screen said (had to do “screen shots”) for final documentation with the right information.
• Not using the most up to date version of the Code (at the time I had installed the most recent QR-wall update). I see one of the post above mentioned that 2012 IBC and ASCE 7-10 are not included yet.
• Using the wrong load factors for soil when designing the footings and/or wrong load factors for “resisting” loads.
• The volumes of paperwork required for the file to fully document a complete design.
I am just curious if anyone has experienced some of this (not the paperwork issue) and has any feedback. Thanks in advanced.
RE: Retaining Wall Programs
Yes, i have noticed some of the problems you mention. Basically I have found work-arounds that satisfied me, but yes, those things are annoying and hopefully get fixed in the next version.
Thanks to everyone who gave great input. This website consistently impresses me with how useful it is.
RE: Retaining Wall Programs
It was developed by a practicing structural engineer with attention to maximizing usefulness. I have been talking with him about it for a couple of years, and really like the app. The results agrees with CRSI's published tables. It functions well, and allows a designer to change the variables and see the changes update as that is done. Output includes calc results and a section drawing in a single PDF file via email.
RE: Retaining Wall Programs
For most of my designs, I use a program called "RetainWall" on my Mac. Super fast and easy (all Mac stuff is)
Have to go to my PC emulation software for the wintel side of things.