Risa Tips & Tricks: How to Use Our Structural Analysis Software

July 30, 2026

Need Help with RISA? Here Are Your Go-To Resources

RISA supports you at every stage of your design process, from the first click in the program to the final design. Whether you need a quick answer or in-depth guidance, we offer a wide range of resources to help you work efficiently and with confidence. The RISA Help Files Get answers on all the behind-the-scenes technical information including analysis methods, variable definitions, and design assumptions. The help file provides transparency into the program methodology to make sure RISA engineers can feel confident in the results. The help file is available for each program in the RISA suite for tailored information. It can be accessed at risa.com/help or press F1 within the program for even easier access. Tips & Tricks Blog Explore modeling tips, troubleshooting ideas, and engineering insights on the RISA blog. Our blog articles are designed as quick reads to help engineers find answers fast. Start reading at blog.risa.com. The Video Library See the workflow in real time with the RISA video library at risa.com/videos. From quick clips showing a specific concept to full on-demand webinars, these videos help you understand workflows and seamlessly navigate the interface. Learning Paths Start exploring RISA with on-demand interactive training through our learning…

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RISA-3D (24)

March 12, 2015

Cold-Formed Steel Back to Back Design

Cold Formed Steel channels are often built-up as back-to-back sections to...

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March 10, 2015

The Internal Force Summation Tool for Walls

You may be familiar with the Internal Force Summation Tool (IFST) that is...

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February 26, 2015

Canadian Wood Design now Available

Timber design per the Canadian CSA 086-2009 design code is now available....

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February 17, 2015

What's New for Code Updates in RISA

New codes have been added to RISA-3D v13 and RISAFloor v9, these include:...

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January 15, 2015

Approximate Guidelines for Plate Meshing

It is important to submesh plate elements in your model in order to obtain...

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December 03, 2014

What do the Unbraced Length commands Segment and Lbyy mean?

Aside from leaving an unbraced length blank or inputting a fixed distance,...

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November 19, 2014

What do the Unbraced Lengths represent?

Understanding unbraced lengths and how RISA software accounts for them is...

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November 12, 2014

How do Unbraced Lengths affect Analysis?

The axial compression and flexure strength of beams and columns is...

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October 29, 2014

Code Requirements for Panel Zone Shear Deformation

Code requirements for consideration of panel zone shear deformation can be...

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