Requires: 2D Design Level

Introduction

The Design and Advanced levels of VisualAnalysis offer sophisticated code-checking and member sizing capabilities which are broadly classified as 'design'. The design software implements various material specifications for checking aluminum, cold-formed steel, concrete, steel, and wood elements. Stress and deflection checks can also be performed for custom member shapes and/or materials. Prior to using or trusting design checks, it is important to verify that the model is producing reasonable analysis results since these results are used in the design checks. VisualAnalysis is also integrated with other IES products which support a variety of specialized design features as described below.

Design Essentials

• Design Groups
• Unity Checks
• Bracing
• Deflection Checks
• Performance Tips

How To

• The Design Process
• Loading for Design
• Modeling for Design
• Analyzing for Design

Design Types

• Building Code Support
• Steel Design (AISC / CISC)
• Composite Beam Design (AISC)
• Aluminum Design (ADM)
• Wood Design (NDS)
• Concrete Design (ACI / CSA)
  • Concrete Beam Design
  • Concrete Column Design
  • Concrete Wall/Slab Design
• Cold-Formed Steel Design (AISI and more)
• Stress & Deflection Checks (Generic & Custom)

Foundation Design

• Export to IES QuickFooting, a separate IES product for spread-footing design. This process is summarized on the QuickFooting page.
• Export to IES VisualFoundation, a separate IES product for complex mat foundation design. This process is summarized on the VisualFoundation page.

Steel Connection Design

• Export to IES VAConnect, a separate IES product for steel connection design. This process is summarized on the VAConnect page.

Other Design Support

Double-click on a member in the Design View to see exactly which checks controlled the design. The "Design Group Results" report include specification references, controlling load case, demand and capacity values, as well as intermediate results or parameters such as unbraced length, K factors, load duration factors, rebar details, etc. Additionally, there are some report tables available (in all levels of VisualAnalysis) that can help the user perform additional design calculations outside of VisualAnalysis (such as member relative deflections, column drift, member moment magnification, etc.). Reports can be exported using the clipboard or by saving a file that can be used in a spreadsheet or other tool.