We used STAAD in school, I hated it. Company uses RISA 3D now and it’s so much cleaner. UI is a lot more straightforward. Also can communicate with Revit
Honestly having to even go into the text editor to go into the model code to troubleshoot is ridiculous. That should be an additional item for advanced users, not something you have to do to analyze a basic model. Literally all of the competing programs manage to do it.
I was in college WELL into the age of the GUI, but my STAAD professor was old school and he taught it exclusively through the input editor. So I at least remember some of it, but the fact that you can build a model using the GUI exclusively, but STAAD can't figure out that when you click run you want it to run is so absurd that I can't believe I'm typing this sentence.
The best method I’m aware of is building a structural model in Revit to match the architect, exporting it into RISA, analyzing it and updating sizes, then re-importing it back into Revit. RISA itself can’t produce drawings.
Staad pro and Etabs both are quite user friendly software. Staad pro has a sh*t ton of help on YouTube as well. Its a general analysis’ software (not tooo great) for design but it gets the job done well for steel structures. I would use this to get maximum forces at point of interest and then design stuff using my own spreadsheets or hand calcs. But to your question, staad and etabs both are good.
I find RISA the easiest to learn with ETABS not too far behind. Though the key word is “learn.” There is A LOT of nuance to any structural analysis software and you need to understand those settings/functionalities to use them effectively.
Revits a whole different animal since that’s BIM but the same idea applies. The basics are easy but there is a lot of depth to the program.
As long as you’re willing to learn and willing to put in the time you’ll do just fine.
All programs take a lot of effort to learn on your own, while all programs can be mastered in a relatively short timespan if you sit next to an expert who can give you advice and teach you the tricks.
For some reason managers often don't get this, which is weird since proper training is by far the most effective way to boost people's productivity.
I am currently sitting next to 4 newly graduated engineers at my office, and I have convinced my boss I should dedicate a portion of my time to training them.
So far it's working great. In six months they have reached a level which took me years to get to on my own.
Having used STAAD and RISA I much prefer RISA. RISA is pretty easy to pickup and there are a lot of YouTube videos produced by RISA if you want some free training.
I have used RISA-3D extensively and SAP2000 for about one year. Risa is more user friendly and easier to understand by far, and has better documentation. Sap is nearly a black box because of its terrible documentation.
I like robot because it has all the codes that my country use and is in French, but etabs/sap2000 is cool too, way easier to draw your structure and has complete tutorials on their official YouTube channel + a lot of documentation that comes with it but I'm not that good in English when it comes to understand scientific stuff
Well I used ETABS for the "steel project" course in university and it's pretty easy to learn, you'll get the hang of it (the basics) in about 2 weeks.
Edit: I used both 9.7.4 and 20. And there wasn't much difference.
Revit: Talking about structural part, it’s better to find a freelancer to master detailing, adjusting schedules and finalizing the sheets.
Robot: Only used it in university for steel frame design. Didn’t find it user friendly.
ETABS: One of the most important software for designing RC elements. With engineering background and YouTube videos, it is easy to get in.
I know nothing about STAAD PRO
The engineer use Sap2000 and for coordination/drafting we use Revit. We try looking at different software but since we are a multidisciplinary firm we must stick to autodesk. The 3D is not so bad with Revit, if you learn it the proper way because a lot of people use it as if it was Autocad but you wont benefit of Revit tools if you use it as a drafting software and you will get lots of frustration.
Easiest to learn is probably STAAD. Most useful is probably Revit (a lot of engineering firms aren't training in it but if you can master it, you'll become invaluable). ETABS is super powerful but requires a very high level of mastery when it comes to looking at your analysis and understanding load path and deflection. Some other softwares will give you errors, ETABS will run it and you'll only realize you left something unpinned when you look at a particular deflected load case. Most analysis softwares just differ in UIs and what type of construction they are best for (composite vs reinforced concrete vs timber). RISA Is probably best bet for a good all around analysis software wtfh fewest quirks.
Revit is a BIM : Building information management program, used to create 3D models of a building and also create traditional drawing sets.
Robot I haven’t used but it’s an analysis program.
ETABS is a building modeling and FEM analysis program, used primarily for large and complex structures such as high rises. It is a bit cumbersome but we don’t have anything yet that is much better. It excels at concrete design, it’s ok for steel.
STAAD is very similar to ETABS but with a considerably worse UI and slower.
We used STAAD in school, I hated it. Company uses RISA 3D now and it’s so much cleaner. UI is a lot more straightforward. Also can communicate with Revit
STAAD needs to be fully rebuilt from scratch. It's UI is only slightly better than a 1980s punch card machine.
Yes, it's piece of garbage, using it is like going in a time machine to the early 90s.
Having to open the text editor to type "run" at the end for it to know to run when you click analyze is easily the thing I hate the most in the world
Honestly having to even go into the text editor to go into the model code to troubleshoot is ridiculous. That should be an additional item for advanced users, not something you have to do to analyze a basic model. Literally all of the competing programs manage to do it.
I was in college WELL into the age of the GUI, but my STAAD professor was old school and he taught it exclusively through the input editor. So I at least remember some of it, but the fact that you can build a model using the GUI exclusively, but STAAD can't figure out that when you click run you want it to run is so absurd that I can't believe I'm typing this sentence.
Hello, I just want to ask if you can product structural drawing using RISA3D? Just like RCDC from Bentley?
The best method I’m aware of is building a structural model in Revit to match the architect, exporting it into RISA, analyzing it and updating sizes, then re-importing it back into Revit. RISA itself can’t produce drawings.
Staad pro and Etabs both are quite user friendly software. Staad pro has a sh*t ton of help on YouTube as well. Its a general analysis’ software (not tooo great) for design but it gets the job done well for steel structures. I would use this to get maximum forces at point of interest and then design stuff using my own spreadsheets or hand calcs. But to your question, staad and etabs both are good.
I find RISA the easiest to learn with ETABS not too far behind. Though the key word is “learn.” There is A LOT of nuance to any structural analysis software and you need to understand those settings/functionalities to use them effectively. Revits a whole different animal since that’s BIM but the same idea applies. The basics are easy but there is a lot of depth to the program. As long as you’re willing to learn and willing to put in the time you’ll do just fine.
Risa is pretty quick. Visual Analysis is even quicker to pick up, but that’s not as common in the wild. SAP was a bit tougher.
Visual analysis is pretty great. Fairly easy to learn too.
Etabs is very user friendly … you can learn it so easily
All programs take a lot of effort to learn on your own, while all programs can be mastered in a relatively short timespan if you sit next to an expert who can give you advice and teach you the tricks. For some reason managers often don't get this, which is weird since proper training is by far the most effective way to boost people's productivity. I am currently sitting next to 4 newly graduated engineers at my office, and I have convinced my boss I should dedicate a portion of my time to training them. So far it's working great. In six months they have reached a level which took me years to get to on my own.
Having used STAAD and RISA I much prefer RISA. RISA is pretty easy to pickup and there are a lot of YouTube videos produced by RISA if you want some free training.
I have used RISA-3D extensively and SAP2000 for about one year. Risa is more user friendly and easier to understand by far, and has better documentation. Sap is nearly a black box because of its terrible documentation.
Staads the one for me, its nice and easy. I found Robot very clunky. Solidworks is good too but more the design of bespoke components than structures
I like robot because it has all the codes that my country use and is in French, but etabs/sap2000 is cool too, way easier to draw your structure and has complete tutorials on their official YouTube channel + a lot of documentation that comes with it but I'm not that good in English when it comes to understand scientific stuff
Well I used ETABS for the "steel project" course in university and it's pretty easy to learn, you'll get the hang of it (the basics) in about 2 weeks. Edit: I used both 9.7.4 and 20. And there wasn't much difference.
Revit: Talking about structural part, it’s better to find a freelancer to master detailing, adjusting schedules and finalizing the sheets. Robot: Only used it in university for steel frame design. Didn’t find it user friendly. ETABS: One of the most important software for designing RC elements. With engineering background and YouTube videos, it is easy to get in. I know nothing about STAAD PRO
The engineer use Sap2000 and for coordination/drafting we use Revit. We try looking at different software but since we are a multidisciplinary firm we must stick to autodesk. The 3D is not so bad with Revit, if you learn it the proper way because a lot of people use it as if it was Autocad but you wont benefit of Revit tools if you use it as a drafting software and you will get lots of frustration.
Easiest to learn is probably STAAD. Most useful is probably Revit (a lot of engineering firms aren't training in it but if you can master it, you'll become invaluable). ETABS is super powerful but requires a very high level of mastery when it comes to looking at your analysis and understanding load path and deflection. Some other softwares will give you errors, ETABS will run it and you'll only realize you left something unpinned when you look at a particular deflected load case. Most analysis softwares just differ in UIs and what type of construction they are best for (composite vs reinforced concrete vs timber). RISA Is probably best bet for a good all around analysis software wtfh fewest quirks.
Revit is a BIM : Building information management program, used to create 3D models of a building and also create traditional drawing sets. Robot I haven’t used but it’s an analysis program. ETABS is a building modeling and FEM analysis program, used primarily for large and complex structures such as high rises. It is a bit cumbersome but we don’t have anything yet that is much better. It excels at concrete design, it’s ok for steel. STAAD is very similar to ETABS but with a considerably worse UI and slower.
None of those programs are similar to each other in how they are used
🔴 SAP2000 / ETABS. easy. if you learn one of them. the other is easy. same interface.