
February 27, 2023
IBC 2021 Is Now Available!
RISA-3D, RISAFloor and RISAFoundation now include support for IBC 2021!
When modeling plate elements alongside member elements in RISA, users may notice that member forces—such as bending moments or axial loads—are lower than expected. This behavior is often the result of how loads are shared between plates and members based on their relative stiffness. If the distribution of forces doesn't align with your design expectations, it may be due to unintended interaction between these elements. Accurately capturing structural behavior requires not only the right modeling approach, but also a clear understanding of how plates and members interact within the analysis. In this article, we’ll explore common scenarios where this issue can arise, explain why it happens, and provide practical tips and workarounds to ensure your results match your design intent. Why Model Plate Elements in the First Place? Before diving into the interaction between elements, it’s worth asking: Do I need to model plate elements at all? In many cases, member design and stability can be accurately represented using simplified area or line loads—and plates might not be necessary. However, there are valid reasons to model plates, including: The model is unstable and needs plate elements for diaphragm action. Plates are part of the lateral load path. You want a…
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RISA-3D, RISAFloor and RISAFoundation now include support for IBC 2021!
RISAFoundation Version 14 includes new and improved tools for the modification of slab edges, openings and thickness. The new version allows users to easily modify corner points of thickened regions or openings by first selecting the corner and then dragging it to a new location. Additionally,...
As more engineers trust RISAFoundation for their foundation design needs, additional requests and features are added in order to provide the most robust and comprehensive design options possible. In RISAFoundation, users can design a single pile without a slab or pile cap. This allows engineers to...
The new Smart Corners feature in RISAFoundation Version 14 allows for the ability to draw continuous footings without causing overlapping slabs at the corner. To implement this, check the "Keep Wall Continuous" option when drawing a Lateral/Custom Strip Footing. For more information about this...
RISA software is staying current with all the Windows updates in order to bring you the best quality that Windows recommends. Unfortunately, that means it will require a little extra time during installation and your computer could require a reboot more than once. The current versions of RISA...
RISAFoundation has the ability to display the enveloped contour diagram results for soil pressure. The graphical display of enveloped soil pressures is advantageous because it allows users to quickly identify the degree of influence the loads and slab geometry have on the soil.
Seismic factors, including Omega, Rho and Ev, can now be included in automatically generated Load Combinations. Values for Omega and Rho shall be entered into the Seismic tab of the Model Settings to be considered in the analysis.
New to RISA-3D v19 and RISAFoundation v13 is the ability to apply up to 100 "Other Load" Categories. Previously users only had the ability to add up to 10 "Other Load" Categories. The expansion of "Other Load" Categories gives the user more flexibility to be able to apply and organize the loading...
New to RISAFloor and RISAFoundation is the ability to exclude results by selection. Excluding results from your model is useful when there are certain elements whose results aren’t of interest to you. Removing this clutter from the results will enable you to concentrate on the elements you are most...
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