January 23, 2026

A Day in the Life of a RISA-3D User

What does a typical day look like for an engineer using RISA-3D? From initial model setup to final analysis, RISA-3D simplifies complex structural design tasks, saving time and enhancing accuracy. This narrative follows an engineer tackling a mid-sized steel-framed warehouse project, showcasing how RISA-3D’s powerful features streamline every step of the process. 7:30 AM: Morning Coffee and Project Kickoff As the day begins, the first task is reviewing the new project’s scope. It’s a mid-sized steel-framed warehouse, and the architectural plans have just landed in the inbox. Armed with a fresh cup of coffee, the engineer opens RISA-3D, ready to create the initial model. One of RISA’s standout features becomes apparent immediately: its user-friendly interface. The engineer sets up grids and assigns materials in just minutes, appreciating the intuitive workflow that keeps everything organized from the start. 9:00 AM: Importing and Integration With the structural grid in place, it’s time to integrate the Revit model provided by the architects. The seamless RISA-Revit Link ensures a smooth import, saving hours of manual data entry. Columns, beams, and even structure geometry are automatically transferred, leaving the engineer free to focus on refinement. A quick visual review confirms that everything matches the architectural…

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June 23, 2013

Customizing Labels in RISA-Revit Link

You can now customize the member and nodes names Revit uses during the...

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February 07, 2013

Tapered Member Design Using AISC Design Guide 25

RISA has now incorporated the tapered member design provisions from Steel...

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October 10, 2012

Using Virtual Joist Girders in RISAFloor

The Steel Joist Institute (SJI) has recently put together a Virtual Joist...

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October 04, 2012

Using Virtual Joist Girders in RISA-3D

The Steel Joist Institute (SJI) has developed a Virtual Joist Girder table...

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September 06, 2012

How to Install a RISA Program on a Mac

RISA programs are Windows-based and require a Windows operating system to...

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February 23, 2012

How Do I Resolve a P-Delta Instability?

Investigating P-Delta instabilities in RISA-3D (or RISA-2D) can be...

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July 28, 2010

How Do Plates Connect to Members?

In order to understand the interaction between plates and members it is...

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March 17, 2010

Do You Ever Get the “LOCKED” Message on a Simple Beam Model?

Do you get an instabilities warning when you’re trying to do a simple 2D...

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