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Structural software is used by civil engineers to prototype and analyze architectural designs. It allows engineers to view, draw, and manipulate components, perform structural analysis, and create databases and spreadsheets for tracking project elements. Reporting features and animation are also available.
Structural software is software used to prototype and analyze architectural designs. Also referred to as structural engineering software or civil engineering software, it is mostly employed by civil engineers. These engineers require a high level of data analysis and digital dimensional manipulation to achieve their professional goals.
In the real world, civil engineers and structural engineers design with components such as beams, joists, foundations, and beams. Structural software gives them the opportunity to view these components on screen. Many of these programs require the engineer to know what kind of loads are placed on the component and precisely what type they are. These components can then be viewed and manipulated in the software design module.
Components can also be drawn by the engineer using the software. Most structural software programs offer a way to create non-scratch elements. Typically, fixed figures such as lines, polygons, and boxes are provided for this purpose.
An important part of many of these programs is the computation or structural analysis module. This module calculates specific data for a wide range of building elements. From a mock up of a thin concrete wall to one of a steel beam with torsional loads, this piece of software can replicate the design of those elements and provide specific mathematical analysis for each element.
Any reputable structural software will offer database and spreadsheet capabilities so that the structural engineer or civil engineer can more clearly research what type of elements are being used in a project at any given time. These databases track a series of measurements specific to a component. For example, if an engineer needs a section of rolled steel for a project, that engineer can refer to the software database which provides the weight, area, depth and many other specifications of many sections of rolled steel.
Custom databases and spreadsheets can be created based on the engineer’s needs. Structural engineering combines creativity and difficult mathematical data. For this reason, it is important that this type of software provides a way for the engineer to create specialized databases that collect all the components of a particular project in one spreadsheet.
In addition to structural analysis, structural software also performs other critical functions for engineers. Reporting features allow users to collect data. Detailed graphs and charts are provided for presentation purposes. Color coding may also be available to differentiate groups of data. Some types of structural software provide animation, allowing for a more dynamic, three-dimensional presentation.
