What are /r/StructuralEngineering's favorite Products & Services?

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It's this one

I used the TI-36X PRO on my licensing exams

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=free.scientific.calculator.t36.ti36.pro&hl=en_US

this app replicates it more or less to a T on my phone and tablet.

CSI already has free apps for sections

The analysis and concrete stuff you promote might be interesting but typically I think I would just bust out excel

Pentel Arts GraphGear 1000 Premium Gift Set with Refill Leads & Erasers (PG1000BXSET) , Not an engineer but I get a lot of compliments on my pencils from engineers. Black , 0.3mm, 0.5mm, 0.7mm, 0.9mm https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01DMDI5XU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_FM05CJZMEETR5GVNX8W9?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

Revu, it has a 30 day trial to see if its worth it for you

If you don't wanna go with that, just google "revu alternatives" and go through lists like this:

https://alternativeto.net/software/bluebeam-pdf-revu/?license=free

It's very simple - they are programs with massive legacy code bases (millions of lines of code) that were developed using native Windows frameworks. The cost for rebuilding these to be multi platform is astronomical for a small user base. I'm a native Mac user at home and would love to see this but I just don't see it happening.

I think it is much more likely that we will eventually see an edition of SAP / ETABS running natively on the web to leverage cloud computing capabilities. If CSI is not already exploring this then someone else should - it could be a different business model based on usage tokens consumed for each analysis.

Similarly, I think the end game for Autodesk is to fully leverage their BIM360 platform for a web-based version of Revit.

There are companies already doing this - take a look at OnShape and OnScale as examples of what you can do on a web platform.

I use the pro version of this app on android

The main benefit is you can annotate PDFs and export to FDF format.

You can import FDF into bluebeam and your annotations are NOT FLAT and show up in the annotations bar below.

100% recco

Here ya go: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=apptodate.myFrequency&hl=en_US&gl=US

free version: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=apptodate.myFrequencyFREE&hl=en_US&gl=US

Structural Engineering Formulas is the one I have and is the best I've found. It has a lot more than wat's in the AISC manual.

Hibbeler's Structural analysis, buy an older version for cheap. My version is even older. I still refer back to it on occasion

https://www.amazon.com/Structural-Analysis-8th-Russell-Hibbeler/dp/013257053X

Before jumping into Chopra, spend some time understanding the basics, e.g., degrees of freedom, natural vibration, forced vibration. There are a number of good textbooks and online lectures.

I recommend this book: https://www.amazon.ca/Fundamentals-Structural-Dynamics-Roy-Craig/dp/0471430447?ref_=d6k_applink_bb_dls&dplnkId=064f25b7-1366-4a16-9e2d-bb82eec27a43

After you have a good handle on the basics, you will be able to understand (and appreciate) Chopra's book.

Yes you can. Though again, it's the upper bound for the moment when you form a mechanism. I learned from this book. many reinforced concrete design textbooks should also cover yield line analysis.

"Illustrated design of reinforced concrete buildings" - Karve & Shah does exactly that. It's based on the Indian code, which is very similar to BS 8110. I have this book and it's really very good.

https://www.amazon.in/Illustrated-Reinforced-Concrete-Buildings-Earthquake/dp/B074M9RFFG

Visit The Structural Exam website and also The Structural Exam YouTube channel. The website has a CM Exam pack for £75 (that’s how much I bought it for anyway).

This link might help: https://airtable.com/universe/expnDmhENwoLLBlQc/istructe-cm-exam-questions?explore=true

It contains a list of past CM Exam questions

We use Muli as the default font for the calculation software we sell (sort of like a Mathcad alternative). I think you'd have to download Muli from google to use it in Word or Excel though.

This is what it looks like using it for calculations.

The only thing I don't like is that upper i and lower L look the same. That's usually not a problem though.

Thank you. I am going to give ArcGIS Field Maps a go. In the meantime, an app that I think will plug into our workflow nicely is Auto Stamper. It very simply just numbers each photo as it is taken.

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link: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.autostamper.datetimestampphoto&hl=en\_US&gl=US

Keep your spirits up! I passed on my third time, so I understand how you're feeling.

https://sellfy.com/passpe/?utm_nooverride=1&utm_source=download-email&utm_campaign=transactional&utm_medium=email&utm_content=header-link

I ordered this pre-made formula sheet which helped me a bit... I was able to get quite a few questions right using this sheet.

I think you should be fine using the 318-11 for the exam. That's what I used for the December 2019 test, and I was able to find all the answers for the ACI code questions. Ultimately it's best to use the code that the board lists on their site, but I can't imagine they would ask many questions where the answer was only available in certain code years.

Good luck!

If you want to own the liability: do nothing

If you want to protect your liability (this is CA specific):

1. Create California professional corp. ($800/year minimum tax)
2. Get business bank account (free)
3. Get Quickbooks Online ($40/month + $40/month payroll)
4. Hire book-keeper on upwork.com ($80/month)
5. Get errors and omissions insurance (call Heffernan Insurance) $5,000 year
6. Get a standard contract (Call David Davidson) $400/contract

For me, it wasn't worth it to go part time. When I was ready to start consulting, I just went full time. You have to prepare for 3 months of no income and and additional 3 months of half income. 5 years on I make double the income per hour and have total flexibility on when, where and who I work for.

After that, you just have to have the computer and software.

The engineers I know who code their own stuff use Matlab and they rave about it. check it out. I'm sure there's youtube and udemy.com courses that will get you up to speed in no time. good luck!

I've been using this web app: https://super-productivity.com/ I love it because it's lightweight and intuitive. Simply has the features needed without clutter.

We never had any luck with organization-wide task lists. They always turn into a complete mess because different people put different effort into them at different times.

For taller wood buildings, it’s good to consider cross grain shrinkage due to reduction in moisture content, and “elastic shortening” under load. This is a good resource - written for Cdn audience, but that subject is dealt with in a way that anyone can use it. https://www.amazon.ca/Mid-rise-Wood-Frame-Construction-Handbook-Chun/dp/0864885660/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?dchild=1&keywords=fpinnovations&qid=1632575282&sr=8-2

That makes a lot of sense, thanks for that explanation on the standard process and for taking the time to try and help me with this. Essentially, I am hoping the deck will safely support the following above-ground pool: https://www.amazon.com/Intex-Inches-Prism-Above-Ground-Swimming/dp/B06XPLVXRJ
As the pool is rated to hold approximately 1,200 gallons of water (1200 x 8.34 pounds per gallon = 10,008) plus up to 4 adults at up to 200 pounds each (800 pounds) I am hoping the deck would be capable of supporting at least 11,000 pounds.

I like my PenTel EnerGel pens.

But back when I did markups on paper, they didn't exist.

I will emphatically recommend a china marker for yellow highlighting over an actual highlighter. They last about 1000x longer, are (kind of) erasable, and I don't think they copy (could be wrong, been a while).

Sharpie grip pens are pretty nice.

https://www.amazon.ca/Sharpie-Point-Assorted-Colors-3-Count/dp/B002M1HQ0M/ref=sr_1_4?dchild=1&keywords=Sharpie+grip+pen&qid=1628877521&s=office&sr=1-4

I like the old school felt tip pens. - PaperMate med tip (like - https://smile.amazon.com/Paper-Mate-Flair-Porous-Medium/dp/B00MR1QBK8/ref=sr_1_10?dchild=1&keywords=papermate+felt+tip+pens+black&qid=1628871814&sr=8-10). You can find boxes of Black, Blue, Red and Green. I have found a couple of off brands felt tips that work well but I don't have any on my desk to reference.

If I get something on weird paper that these pens smug on, I used ultra fine sharpie permanent markers.

Sometime ago I found this book, maybe it can help you.

Also there's strupy library.

OP, another app you can try: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=de.bauing.sdt.idynamics&hl=en_US&gl=US

Set it on your desk and check out the acceleration, displacement, and how long a full cycle takes and let us know what you find out.

I'm currently developing such an app (at the moment only Android is supported) after a marathon of inspections using the same "timestamp and notes" method. Its still early stages but I'd welcome some user feedback on the design, ease of use and any improvements that can be made. You're welcome to have a look here and leave a review, or DM me with your thoughts and suggestions.

Reinforced Concrete Design: A Practical Approach (3rd Edition) https://www.amazon.ca/dp/1323496556/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_i_2XYNAVYNBPAC87NZ3RAE

One of the best all around reinforced concrete design books. Extensive examples and clear concise first principle explanations. Svetlana is a saint.

Edit: you can use this for design and reference to ACI for anything further. Hope this helps you.

First of all, I don't have the experience yet, but I am considering to have it. For my engineering remote communication I am using atm a graphic tablet + MS Whiteboard. It is a convenient solution, but there is still something missing, so I am currently thinking about a docucam as well. In my case I could buy a pro docucam like this or this, or to make a DIY-version with an old webcam I have left.

The resolution may be an issue, but I would be more concerned regarding the autofocus. Like in older smartphones, it was impossible to make a picture of handwritten text, because the autofocus could not lock on the letters, while at the same time the resolution was way enough to make the photo.

There are DIY kits for sealing foundation cracks... such as...

https://www.amazon.com/Basement-Removable-Surface-Seal-n-Peel-Homeowners/dp/B009M51P9Y

But remember, these repairs are non-structural; they only prevent water incursion, they don't make the wall stronger... A shrinkage crack doesn't move anymore, but other types of cracks, i.e. settlement cracks, do move, and an injection crack repair would only be a temporary fix for those cracks.

If you want a couple of decent textbooks, try these:

Introduction to Geotechnical Engineering (Holtz)

Fundamentals of Geotechnical Engineering (Das)

When I was a student I learnt Matlab and used it for some simple rutines like reinforced concrete beams and interaction curves for columns. Later I discovered Python and I have been trying to develop something similar as before but life has not given me spare time.

I found this book, maybe it can be useful for you.

Also, I love LaTeX!! Yes, it takes some time to learn it and to produce something worthy but then it is so rewarding when you start automating stuff. My favourite package: siunitx.

you can PM me anytime about general industry questions. other books? geez there's like a thousand of them. whenever I get stumped or down about a situation in life, I try and expand my mind and consider problems that mankind has faced and mastered. Doing that makes my own struggles seem small. books like a history of pi https://www.amazon.com/History-Pi-Petr-Beckmann/dp/0312381859 why structures don't fall down https://www.amazon.com/Structures-Things-Dont-Fall-Down/dp/0306812835 help sometimes.

peace dude.

Bridge Engineering: Design, Rehabilitation, and Maintenance of Modern Highway Bridges by Zhao/Tonias is pretty good if you have very little/no experience with bridges. It covers the basics.

Bridge Engineering Handbook by Chen/Duane (https://smile.amazon.com/dp/1439852057/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_imm_t1_d8XNFb541QFV1) is better for all design aspects. This is a five part series and there is an entire book dedicated to seismic design. The parts are 1) Fundamentals, 2) Substructure, 3) Superstructure, 4) Seismic Design, and 5) Construction and Maintenance.

Edit: If you happen to be working with steel railroad bridges, I highly recommend Modern Steel Railway Bridges by Unsworth.

Well, I invite you to take a look at my recently published app: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=structuralengsite.com.eurocodepushoverfree

However, your question is too broad. There is a vast literature regarding this. Try to be more specific in what you need and I might be able to help.

Not a cheer sheet but I find this app very useful, if I am away from my desk and do not have access to my codes. It basically provides steel section geometric properties and can find sections with equivalent properties as well.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.csiamerica.csisteel

I'm trying to figure out the safest way to hang gymnastics rings in my finished basement. The *easiest* way would be to get a mount like this X-mount or this, more basic mount, however I'm wary of two things:

1. is it a problem to have screws going up, into the ceiling joists, vs. through them, from the side? I'll make sure I hit dead center, but wondering if it's safe to hang weight from two screws this way in a joist
2. because there is drywall on the ceiling, will the screws be somewhat loose? I don't know how much the drywall will compress when I tighten the screws over the mount, but am worried I'll crush it and the screws will loosen over time. Is this a real concern, or is there a better workaround?

Let me know if anyone has any suggestions! Thank you!

This is a great book -

Bridge Engineering, Third Edition https://www.amazon.com/dp/0071752498/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_tai_Kj8cCbYZ1GNGV

It high level with good enough examples to get you going.

You could also read the AASHTO LRFD, section 3 that describes loading combination and loads to apply but as with all codes it’s not always clear.

I have the American Institute of Timber Construction's Timber Construction Manual" sixth edition in PDF form. I can email it if you want.

https://www.amazon.com/Timber-Construction-Manual-American-Institute/dp/0470545097