May 1, 2020
Video: Aluminum Member Design in RISACalc
Learn how to load and design individual beam and column aluminum members in RISACalc.
Welcome to a high-level walkthrough of dynamic analysis in RISA-3D! This guide introduces essential aspects of modeling dynamics, focusing on natural frequencies, mode shapes, and the impact of dynamic behavior on structural integrity. The Dynamics Scenario Imagine we’re tasked with evaluating the stability of a cantilevered pedestrian bridge that spans over a city street. The bridge is connected to a building on one side and features decorative panels and a lightweight canopy. The concern? Wind gusts and foot traffic could cause the bridge to vibrate. Our goal is to understand its dynamic properties—natural frequencies and mode shapes—and assess whether it can handle these dynamic forces without compromising structural stability. We start by setting up dynamic mass for each load case: Canopy Load: Applied uniformly along the length of the bridge to account for wind effects. Pedestrian Load: Simulated at intervals along the span to reflect walking traffic. Decorative Panels: Modeled with specific weights on each side. Once mass and stiffness are set, RISA-3D enables us to simulate how the structure behaves dynamically, revealing which parts might be sensitive to specific frequencies or forces. Running the Eigensolution Analysis In RISA-3D, we use an eigensolution to identify: Natural Frequencies (intrinsic vibration rates…
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Learn how to load and design individual beam and column aluminum members in RISACalc.
The new Aluminum ADM 2015 code has been added in RISA-3D v15.0. To select this code for your design, simply open the (Global) Model Settings and under the Codes tab select AA ADM1-15:
The bending and axial code checks for single angles differ somewhat from other shape types, because single angles behave quite differently in bending and compression depending on how they are braced along their length.
In Aluminum design, the welded areas have a decreased material strength and RISA-3D can assign any material strength to the members based on the Material spreadsheet.
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