Structural engineering software for high rise buildings 2

[prahulvarma]

Hi,
Can anyone help me in choosing the best software that is used in the design and analysis of high rise buildings. I know of only Etabs but I would like to know if there are any other software which are equally good or even better. Please help!!!

 

[hokie66]

I think ETABS is the standard for tall building analysis.

 

[prahulvarma]

@hokie66: what about other software like RAM and RISA3d? Do they have similar capabilities?

 

[hokie66]

I don't know. Haven't used them. Others who have will likely comment.

 

[Lion06]

I don't know what ETABS is, but I've used RAM Structural System for a 30-story building. I'm not sure that qualifies as "tall", but it's definitely not short.

It did a good job, provided relatively easy-to-read output for the dynamic properties. RAM, in general, is pretty straightforward and easy to use.

 

[JoshPlumSE]

Prahulvarma -

If you're talking about high rise construction and software that is similar to RAM / ETABs for this purpose, then you're probably talking about the RISAFloor program. RISA-3D will do a good job on the lateral system. But, RISAFloor will handle the gravity system better than RISA-3D. This would include such topics as composite steel beam design, deflection optimization, floor vibrations due to walking excitation, live load reduction, et cetera.

 

[prahulvarma]

JoshPlum- Thanks for your input. But can we integrate RISA3D with RISA floor and RISA foundation. Also, will it support in the design and analysis of a 50 storey concrete/steel building?

 

[JoshPlumSE]

Prahulvarma -

I don't really want to turn this into a best practices blog for using RISA on high rise structures. I think that sort of thing is frowned upon in these forums.... I don't want to get my posting flagged as "inappropriate". People tend to do that when you give a heavy marketing pitch for a particular product.

But, yes the RISAFloor, RISA-3D and RISAFoundationprograms integrate with each other. There are some other RISA specific forums which might be better places to continue the discussion

Either that or you can contact us privately through the info@risatech.com e-mail address. Whatever you prefer.

 

[abusementpark]

I don't know what ETABS is, but I've used RAM Structural System for a 30-story building. I'm not sure that qualifies as "tall", but it's definitely not short.

It did a good job, provided relatively easy-to-read output for the dynamic properties. RAM, in general, is pretty straightforward and easy to use.

Does RAM allow you to input a forcing function to represent a dynamic wind loading? How does it consider damping of the structure?

 

[Lion06]

Abusement-
No, RAM does not provide or (as far as I know) let you input a forcing function. It doesn't give an actual acceleration. We brought wind tunnel guys on for that. As for damping, we provide a damping ratio to use to the wind tunnel guys to use in their acceleration analysis.

It gives the dynamic properties - natural frequencies and periods for almost as many modes as you want, mass distibutions, mass moment of inertia. The wind tunnel guys took that info and provided us with accelerations.

 

[delagina]

so i guess Staad is the least preferred for concrete/high rise buildings, no?

Staad is the most widely used software in petrochem/oil and gas industry.

But i do think it aint good for concrete structures which we rarely do in petrochem anyway.

 

[rowingengineer]

Do you really need a wind tunnel test for 30 stories? most codes would cover this structure indepth.

ANY FOOL CAN DESIGN A STRUCTURE. IT TAKES AN ENGINEER TO DESIGN A CONNECTION.”

 

[Lion06]

rowing-
We did. There are limits for height/least dimension that kick you into a wind tunnel study.

 

[kirti5]

Hi Prahul......
The answer to ur question is STAAD.Pro. That's the standard,dude, and definitely better than ETABS. Take my word for it.

 

[peal724]

i would say 30 stories is tall.

i don't trust ETABS. i tried to use it once for a 20 story concrete building and it gave 0.2% vert reinf for all shear walls. i then took the forces ETABS said were in the walls put those forces into PCA Column and came up with 3% vertical steel. i sent the model to tech support at ETABS and they claimed that the analysis was putting the forces into the walls and that the design module was working correctly. but i knew it wasn't right.