software for calculations for piles, caissons, for two story structures hillside Southern California
software for calculations for piles, caissons, for two story structures hillside Southern California
(OP)
As no doubt members of this forum know better than I, designing and making calculations for pier and caisson based foundations in southern California is quite the exercise. For us, it is bounded by the City of Los Angeles codes, that require a geotechnical report, and then calculations for the strength of the foundation, including as it relates to the soil (and of course design and calculations for the building/structure itself - outside the scope of what I m writing about here)
So far I have identified the following software
yakpol.net for reinforcement calcs
soilstructure.com - for foundation calculations
Ensoft L pile and Group Yes, BUT these seem to be used by primarily large companies here in So Cal, not small engineering construction firms like mine, at least not that they could reference
RISA - no, not for piles
Any knowledge of software packages for smaller companies like ours?






RE: software for calculations for piles, caissons, for two story structures hillside Southern California
In my experience, building departments in SoCal don't like computer mysteries. My simple stuff gets approved pretty quickly. I beat my competition because AHJ's like my work and don't bleed all over it.
Have you tried Civiltech? He writes (wrote) some good software.
RE: software for calculations for piles, caissons, for two story structures hillside Southern California
http://civiltech.com/software/all-pile.php
It's $950, but I'm sure it will quickly pay for itself.
RE: software for calculations for piles, caissons, for two story structures hillside Southern California
BUGGAR: I like the term "computer mysteries". Hadn't heard that before, but I really have problems with computer programs with input that I am unable to substantiate. I write my calcs on spreadsheets with no hidden numbers and RULES; use RISA sometimes and have documented pile routines that I've used for many caissons - a lot in Southern California for monopoles. I will not do a project without a soil report - I don't care where I am. Lots of times I have to go back for more information. Sometimes the geotech will not provide me where the passive will start - which has been as much as 10 feet down. Use the old NAVFAC DM 7 for many situations. I try to make my calcs as simple as possible even idiot style because they can be reviewed quicker.
I don't remember where I've done any pier and grade beams in the east bay but I've done all kinds on the Peninsula where there's all kinds of soil problems - from bay mud to expansive soils to slabs on sand fill with the water table at the surface. Every one of these are unique and always with a good geotech.
More and more I'm finding engineers just filling in numbers in a simple program that isn't even appropriate for the problem.
RE: software for calculations for piles, caissons, for two story structures hillside Southern California
Buggar - thanks. I m sure you' re correct - lay it out in easy to understand manner. Avoid mysteries. One thing I m finding, not by choice but experience is that the young engineers coming into our organization their first question is where is the software, which software do you use. As oldrunner comments, maybe this isn't even appropriate in several cases - but it is the desire of folks that were raised with an iphone in their hand. For better or for worse.
oldrunner - point taken, we have a big say in our organization in our own employed engineering resources partly because of course engineers reserve the right not to bid nor to work on a job ~ but ~ we have a job to do. As you know just having a civil engineering license is only a part because this is a specialist part of engineering. Thanks for your various comments, and I must agree a soils report (with the relevant data) must be the starting point. I too have learned that - in my case the hard way. Our soil here on this project is decomposing granite so called, and only 3 feet down - we got lucky at least on that part.