Fast, Accurate, Productive – just a few ways engineers describe RISA-3D. Easily the most popular general 3D analysis/design software available, our intuitive interface and familiar spreadsheets help you solve your next problem in minutes, not hours.

Packed with the most current steel, concrete, cold-formed steel, and timber design codes, RISA-3D gives you the tools to tackle multi-material projects with confidence.

RISA-3D also integrates seamlessly with RISAFloor and RISAFoundation, including links to top detailing, drafting, and BIM packages for a complete building design solution.

RISA-3D Specifications

Modeling Features

• Comprehensive CAD-like drawing/editing environment: draw, generate, modify and load elements as well as snap, move, rotate, copy, mirror, scale, split, merge, mesh, delete, apply, etc.
• Versatile drawing grids (orthogonal, radial, skewed)
• Universal snaps and object snaps allow drawing without grids
• Powerful graphic select/unselect tools including box, line, polygon, invert, criteria, spreadsheet based, save/recall selections with locking
• True spreadsheet editing with cut, paste, fill, math, sort, find, etc.
• Dynamic synchronization between spreadsheets and graphics
• Open multiple spreadsheets simultaneously
• Constant in-stream error checking and data validation
• Unlimited undo/redo capability, automatic timed backup
• Generation templates for grids, disks, cylinders, cones, arcs, trusses, tanks, hydrostatic loads, etc.
• Support for all units systems & conversions at any time
• Automatic interaction with RISASection custom shape libraries
• Import DXF, RISA-2D, STAAD, ProSteel3D and CIS/2 files
• Export DXF, SDNF, DesconWin, ProSteel3D and CIS/2 files
• Robust two-way link with Revit Structure 2009

Analysis Features

• Accelerated true sparse solver for static analysis
• Flexible modeling of P-Delta effects
• Accelerated Sparse Lanzcos dynamics solver, very fast and robust
• Multiple simultaneous dynamic and response spectra analysis using Gupta, CQC or SRSS with automatic calc of scaling factors
• Automatic inclusion of mass offset (5% or user defined) for dynamics
• Automatic generation of wind and seismic forces (IBC 2000/2003/2006)
• True physical member modeling (members are aware of interior joints)
• State-of-the-art plate/shell elements with plane stress  only option
• State-of-the-art 8 node solid elements with automatic meshing
• High end mesh generation — draw a polygon with any number of sides to create a mesh of well formed quadrilateral (NO triangular) elements.
• Accurate analysis of tapered wide flanges
• Automatic rigid diaphragm modeling with detachable joints
• Area loads with one-way or two-way distributions with optional “blow through” distribution for loading open structures
• Plate thermal loads
• Simultaneous moving loads, AASHTO/custom for bridges, cranes…
• Torsional warping calculations for stiffness, stress and design
• Member end releases, rigid end offsets, top of member offsets
• Joint master-slave assignments
• Enforced joint displacements
• One Way members, for tension only bracing, slipping, etc.
• One Way springs, for modeling soils and other effects
• Euler members: Compression up to buckling load, then turn off
• Stress calculations on any arbitrary shape
• Inactivate members, plates, solids and diaphragms without deleting them
• Story drift calculations provide relative drift and ratio to height
• Automatic self-weight calculations for members, plates and solids

Graphics Features

• Unlimited simultaneous model view windows
• “True to scale” rendering with translucency, even when drawing
• High-speed redraw algorithm for instant refreshing
• Dynamically zoom, pan, rotate, scroll, snap views
• Font and color control
• Saved views to quickly restore frequent or desired views
• Rendered or wire-frame animations of deflected model and mode shapes
• Animation of moving loads with speed control
• Distance tool for measuring between points
• Force/moment summation about any arbitrary cut line
• High quality customizable graphics printing

Design Features

• Designs/optimizes concrete, hot rolled & cold formed steel, masonry and wood
• Concrete Design Codes: ACI 1999/2002/2005, BS 8110-97, CSA A23.3-94, IS456:2000, EC 2-1992 & BSEN 2004, NZS3101-1995, AS 3600-2001, NTC-DF2004
• Maintains consistent bar sizes through adjacent spans
• Program selected or user-defined rebar layouts for flexure and shear
• Concrete beam detailing (Rectangular, T and L).
• Concrete column interaction diagrams.
• Masonry Design Codes: MSJC 1999/2002/05, UBC 97 (ASD & Strength)
• Masonry wall design for in-plane, out-of-plane & bearing loads
• Steel Design Codes: AISC 360-05 ASD & LRFD, ASD 9th, LRFD 2nd & 3rd, HSS Specification, CAN/CSA-S16.1-1994 & 2004, BS 5950-1-2000, IS 800-1984, Euro 3-1993 & 2005, NZS 3404-1:1997, AS 4100-1998 including local shape databases.
• AISI 1999/2001, CSA S136-01 cold formed steel design
• NDS 91/97/2001/2005 wood design, Glulams, SCL, multi-ply, full sawn
• Automatic spectra generation for UBC 1997, IBC 2000/2003/2006
• Extensive user controlled generation of load combinations: ASCE, UBC, IBC, BOCA, SBC, ACI & International
• Intelligent unbraced length calculations for physical members
• Automatic approximation of K factors
• Tapered wide flange design with either ASD or LRFD codes
• Optimization of member sizes for all materials and all design codes
• Steel Shapes: AISC, HSS, CAN, ARBED & numerous foreign databases
• Light Gage Shapes: AISI, SSMA, Dale/Incor, Dietrich, Marino\WARE
• Wood Shapes: Complete NDS species/grade and Glulam database
• Complete wood wall design for bearing & shear walls. Choose from all three design methods: segmented, perforated & force transfer around openings
• Seamless integration with RISAFoot (Ver 4) for advanced footing design

Results Features

• Graphic presentation of color-coded results and plotted designs
• Color contours of plate, solid stresses/forces with smoothing and animation
• Spreadsheet results with sorting and filtering of: reactions, deflections, forces, stresses, optimized sizes, code designs, concrete reinforcing, material takeoffs, frequencies, mode shapes, etc.
• Standard and user-defined reports
• Graphic member detail reports with force/stress/deflection diagrams and detailed design calculations and expanded diagrams
• Saved solutions quickly restore analysis and design results

Integrated Building Design

RISA-3D, RISAFloor and RISAFoundation are so tightly integrated that they operate as one program on the same building model. Optimize the gravity system in RISAFloor, the lateral system in RISA-3D and the foundation system in RISAFoundation, with a complete flow of information both ways.

• Lateral models created as you define & change floors
• Gravity loads are automatically applied & updated
• Automatically generated wind and seismic loads including partial loadings and accidental torsion cases with detailed reports
• All reactions are automatically imported into RISAFoundation for design and detailing of the complete foundation system.

Use all the power of RISA-3D for your lateral system. Tension-only bracing, sloping columns, openings in walls are just a few of the possibilities. Even better, the RISA-3D, RISAFloor and RISAFoundation interfaces are the same, making them much easier to learn.

General Features

• Optimized for Windows 2000/XP/Vista
• Extensive customization options & user defaults
• Program technical support provided by Professional Engineers