
August 17, 2022
AISC 341-16 & AISC 358-16 now included in RISAConnection
The AISC 341-16 and AISC 358-16 Edition changes have been implemented into RISAConnection v13.
Light-framed construction has become increasingly prevalent in mid-rise and modular development, driven by its cost-efficiency, speed of construction, and adaptability. But with flexibility comes complexity. Engineers designing with wood and cold-formed steel (CFS) must navigate a unique set of challenges: diaphragm behavior, segmented shear walls, buckling sensitivity, and code-specific checks that differ from traditional hot-rolled steel or reinforced concrete structures. This article explores practical modeling and design approaches for light-framed buildings, focusing on how structural engineers can balance constructability, analysis clarity, and compliance with governing codes. Diaphragm Behavior: Not Always Rigid In light-framed buildings, flexible diaphragms are often assumed due to the nature of wood sheathing or light-gauge decking. However, as buildings increase in size and irregularity, this assumption deserves scrutiny. Flexible diaphragm assumptions work well in rectangular buildings with regular framing, but irregular load paths or large openings may require semi-rigid modeling to capture torsional behavior. Engineers should consider the influence of diaphragm stiffness when assigning lateral forces, especially in hybrid systems where part of the structure may be stiffer or tied into concrete cores. In projects where semi-rigid diaphragm analysis was warranted, integrating tools like finite element meshing helped visualize how in-plane stiffness impacted overall response—particularly in designs…
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The AISC 341-16 and AISC 358-16 Edition changes have been implemented into RISAConnection v13.
RISA-3D is expanding its industry leading support for the analysis and design of various materials with the implementation of Seismic Design of Masonry Wall Panels according to the provisions of TMS 402-16 (as well as ACI 530-13). When creating a model in RISA-3D, users now have the ability to...
The ability to design buckling restrained braced frames has been added to RISA-3D when you integrate your model from RISAFloor. In collaboration with CoreBrace, this new feature came as part of the release of RISA-3D v19.0.0 and RISAFloor v15.0.0.
The ability to design buckling restrained braced frames has been added to RISA-3D when you integrate your model from RISAFloor. In collaboration with CoreBrace, this new feature came as part of the release of RISA-3D v19.0.0 and RISAFloor v15.0.0.
With the release of RISA-3D v19.0.2, you can now design special concentrically braced frames (SCBF) as well as buckling restrained braced frames (BRBF) according to the capacity-limited design. The objective of capacity-limited design is to ensure columns and beams in braced frames are designed to...
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.
With the release of RISAFoundation v13, you now have the ability to transfer Response Spectra Analysis reactions from RISA-3D v19. RISAFoundation now also includes additional seismic options that can be considered in the generation of Load Combinations.
The AISC 341-16 and AISC 358-16 Edition changes have been implemented into RISA-3D v19.
In structural engineering, a modal analysis uses the overall mass and stiffness of a structure to find the various periods at which the structure will naturally resonate, along with the frequencies of vibration of the structure. In RISA-3D, the modal analysis is a prerequisite to the response...
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