Tips & Tricks

June 3, 2025

The Ultimate Guide to Instability Warnings in RISA-3D

Modeling instability can be one of the most frustrating errors to troubleshoot in structural software. Whether you're a new user or a seasoned pro, instability warnings in RISA-3D can bring your workflow to a halt if not properly diagnosed and resolved. This master article brings together all the most common types of instability, provides guidance on identifying the issue, and links to existing resources that walk you through the resolution process. To supplement this written guide, check out the Troubleshooting Mini Tutorial in the RISA Learning Center (RLC). Common Instability Types and How to Resolve Them Below are the five most common causes of instability in a RISA-3D model, along with diagnosis tips and links to deeper resources: 1. Member End Releases at Boundary Conditions Symptom: Instability warnings at the base of columns or ends of beams. Diagnosis: Look for members where moment releases are applied directly at nodes with pinned or fixed boundary conditions. Why It’s a Problem: This removes all rotational fixity at the connection, creating a hinge with no resistance to rotation. Resolution Resource: How do I avoid instability warnings in a RISA-3D model? 2. Pinned End Releases at Every Member Framing into a Single Node Symptom:…

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How to View Wood Design Values
July 31, 2013

How to View Wood Design Values

We have recently added a new View Design Properties dialog to allow you to now have the ability to easily view the wood design values prior to solution.

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How to use Live Load Special
July 2, 2013

How to use Live Load Special

In RISAFloor, there are several different Load Categories that define Live Load. The IBC and the ASCE7 both have provisions that allow you to reduce the tributary area of the Live Loads. These codes have equations that adjust the Live load based on the tributary area and usage (KLL*AT). In...

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Customizing Labels in RISA-Revit Link
June 23, 2013

Customizing Labels in RISA-Revit Link

You can now customize the member and nodes names Revit uses during the export to RISA. When you export your Autodesk Revit model to RISA, the member and joint names are automatically altered with “REV” listed in front. This can helpful for you to identify that the model was created in Revit,...

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Import DXF Drawing Grid in RISAFloor
January 7, 2013

Import DXF Drawing Grid in RISAFloor

This video shows how to import a DXF as a drawing grid in RISAFloor. To do this, you can save any drawing file as a DXF file format and import points, lines, polylines, arcs and circles into RISAFloor. This gives you the ability to create your own drawing grids with complex geometries and use this...

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Using Virtual Joist Girders in RISAFloor
October 10, 2012

Using Virtual Joist Girders in RISAFloor

The Steel Joist Institute (SJI) has recently put together a Virtual Joist Girder table which converts common joist sizes into equivalent wide flange beams. This topic describes how to use these Virtual Joist Girders within the RISAFloor program.

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How to Add a Deck to a RISAFloor Model
July 12, 2012

How to Add a Deck to a RISAFloor Model

RISAFloor has some default decks provided for you when you open the program in the Deck Definitions spreadsheet. You can use one of these decks or you can create your own by going to the bottom of the spreadsheet and press ENTER.

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