FE Analysis Software (Concrete)

[Lutchmanen]

From the numerous finite element concrete design packages available, do you have a preference for one or the other? Can we make a sort of poll to determine what is most widely used and why?
I, for instance, use Frame from The Prokon Structural Analysis and Design package.
A number of reasons support my choice, of course: ease of modeling, no hourglassing effect for elements, choice of support definitions (rigid, pinned, spring), etc.

 

[JoshPlumSE]

Lutchmanen -

My guess is that it will depend on your type of application.
1) Concrete frame analysis and design.
2) Concrete shear wall buildings.
3) Advanced concrete frame analyis (i.e. non-linear backbone curves for moment connections and push-over analysis)
4) Concret detailing (rather than pure analysis).
5) Elevated slab buildings (with or without post-tensioning)

Those are all pretty much related to commercial building structures. I'd wager that program folks use for frame analysis would be differnt than the one they use for push-over or elevated slabs. Also, I'm sure there are another set of structures (Water retaining structures, dams, mass concrete, et cetera) that might go for another type of analysis package.

Not sure that Prokon has any real penetration here in the North American market....

 

[Lutchmanen]

I have been thinking that Prokon might be only used in the African-Australasia regions only. I guess that is really the case then.
You are right about the design-specific packages people would use.
But lets take for example concrete frame analysis and shear wall designs, do you have any software that you use that would provide for both Plane Stress and Plane Strain analaysis?
Another question that has been bothering me is the fact that some FE software, for example for plane stress analysis, define shells with four nodes while other define with eight nodes. I was wondering why the difference? I suppose that four nodes are more appropriate and do provide a better simulation of deformation, rather than eight nodes, which may show uplifting, right?
This single difference between sofwares is quite significant, isnt it?

 

[JoshPlumSE]

I don't think you'd be using a plain strain element for for either a shear wall or moment frame system at all. You're usually only going to use those for mass concrete applications (like a dam).

I cannot address the differences between 4 and 8 node plates very well. They're just different element formulations. The structural FEM packages here in the US rely almost entirely on 4 node elements. Therefore, I suspect that you have to get into mechanical or aerospace applications before 8 node plates become desirable or practical.... though that is just an educated guess.