TILT WALL DESIGN SOFTWARE

[JP20]

What's the best software for concrete tilt walls? Or cast-in-place walls for that matter. Must be able to add openings to the analysis.

JP

 

[Aesur]

I use hand calcs and EnerCalc for all tiltup I have done to date. I looked into Tiltwerks but their pricing was confusing and VERY expensive as you pay for each piece you want to design; pay for each redesign of the same project if it changes and just to use the software you pay a fee for the privilege of using their software as well as a per project fee - in the end their price to use the software was equal to a large portion of the going rate for tilt projects in my area and the client wasn't willing to pay extra for shop drawing level including lifting analysis (they still pay someone else but it's part of the construction loan rather than upfront costs). That setup pisses me off and I will not use software that has that setup.

 

[JP20]

I was looking at enercalc but didn't see an option to add openings. Am I missing it or does it just not show in the demo version?

 

[driftLimiter]

I also use a spreadsheet to determine pier out of plane loads then use enercalc for deflection and reinforcement design.

I have seen precast wall features in Robot, and RAM but we have never used them. The thing most softwares lack are the second order analysis required for these walls. Enercalc does a good job of this.

 

[Aesur]

You are correct in that it doesn't allow openings, what is typically done is to use the software to design the wall elements, ie jambs, beams, etc.. Laterally is pretty much hand calc only using wall pier stiffness. The rigidity tables in books like the Reinforced Masonry Engineering Handbook help significantly with lateral design.

 

[dylansdad]

I use spWall from StructurePoint. Pricey, but the program is easy to learn and the technical support is great. It handles openings as well.

 

[JoshPlumSE]

I've only seen this sort of thing in the following locations:
1) Enercalc (in fact I had some discussions with Michael Brooks on the non-linear out of plane effects). I've never used Enercalc for this, but from the discussions I had with Michael Brooks, I trust that he was doing it in a sophisticated and acceptable way.
2) RAM Elements. Just rumors from people I've talked to as I've never used this feature.
3) Structure Point would be the other place I'd think of as well.
4) I don't think I'd trust Robot with something like this.... Just because it's much more US code minutiae than what I normally see Robot doing.

 

[Brad805]

Erickson Wall might be something to consider. I am not sure if it has panel width limits.

 

[structSU10]

I have not used it so somewhat worthless opinion but RAM structural system has added a tilt up panel utility. If it works the same as their other concrete walls it should be fairly robust.