What Software Do I Use As A Structural Engineer?

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Hi friends,

Are you curious about what software programs structural engineers use in their day-to-day job? 🤔🤔

Well, I was very curious about this question in my early university days. I could not imagine how structural engineers would design a building at the computer. Also, because I did not know any structural engineer, I could ask.

So, today I am sharing all the software programs I personally use - as a full-time structural engineer - to design buildings and other structures.

The following list is ranked according to how much I use each program. So the first software I use the most and the last program the least.

#1 Microsoft OneDrive

At work, we save every single file on OneDrive, whether it’s a calculation sheet, a dwg file or site images. It makes it super easy to share files with colleagues, and it’s always accessible from anywhere with any device.

I have also been using OneDrive for my personal stuff (Blog, finances, contracts, etc.) for the last 5 years. It’s always backed up, and I can access it with my laptop, iPad and iPhone. I don’t save anything on my desktop or local drive.

#2 Microsoft Excel

What would structural engineering be without Excel? A question I can’t answer. At work, I use Excel spreadsheets that either our company or external companies made. Example spreadsheets are:

• Reinforced concrete beam design

• Reinforced concrete column design

• Pad foundation design

• Stabilizing wall verification

• and many more

I then export the spreadsheet as a PDF and add it as an attachment to the design report, or take a screenshot and insert it in my report.

#3 Mathcad

I do all hand calculations in Mathcad. Mathcad is great for the documentation and calculation of formulas, as you can see step-by-step what happens.

So what do I mean by hand calculations?

Hand calculations (to me) mean solving mathematical or engineering calculations step-by-step. This could be with pen and paper or a program like Mathcad.

I use Mathcad for the calculation of:

• Steel welding design

• Suspended ceiling design (I actually had a project where I had to verify suspended ceilings 😄😄)

• Characteristic loads and the load transfer for small projects

• Timber connections

• Timber beam design

• etc.

I also started using it as a documentation tool for calculations I do in other software programs, such as Excel or Robot. I then insert screenshots of the calculations and add explanations of what I did. I found that when I do a calculation, for example in Excel and save it in a folder on OneDrive and come back to the calculation a few days or weeks later, I often have a hard time understanding what I did or which element I designed.

There are also free alternatives such as SMath and Calcpad.

In case you are still using pen and paper, it’s worth considering testing one of these tools. ✌️✌️

#4 Microsoft Word

I use Microsoft Word to document and explain my structural designs and calculations. The reports are then exported to PDF and sent to the client. For each project, I document (at least) the following 3 things:

• Basis of design: Explanation of the structure, quick explanation of the load transfer, material properties, characteristic loads, load combinations, fire requirements, etc.

• Structural calculations: This consists of the load transfer and definition (horizontal and vertical) of each structural element and the structural verification. Sometimes I insert the formulas in Word, but in most cases, I insert screenshots of the calculations I did in other programs like Mathcad, Robot or Excel.

• Drawings or sketches: This part is not done in Word, but in the next software in this list (#5). ⬇️⬇️

#5 Bluebeam

Bluebeam is the best PDF editor and creator out there. You can create lines, markups, text, dimension lines.

At some point, I’ll do a blog post or extensive newsletter about Bluebeam.

In small projects with a small budget, I create my “drawings” (sketches) in Bluebeam.
In bigger projects, I use Bluebeam to do an overview of all structural elements (and to add an index), sketches for the drafter, load plans (showing different loads in different areas with different color) and much more.

#6 Beam Analysis Software Polybeam

Polybeam is very specific to the Danish market, but beams are the structural elements I desgin the most. So it makes sense to have a good tool for that.

I like Polybeam a lot because it’s so simple and the reports look great. It can design for all 3 materials, concrete, steel and timber.

#7 Autodesk Revit

For smaller projects, I also do the drawings myself. And since I am from Generation Z, I never really learned to use AutoCAD, but started right away with 3D modeling and using Revit.

So whenever I create drawings, I use Revit for that.

#8 To-Do list program todoist

I organize my To-Do lists - from work but also personal - in todoist. It’s a very simple online tool, which also has a mobile app. So whenever I am on the train and get an idea, I can quickly add it to my To-Do list.

#9 Microsoft Outlook

Every structural engineer gets emails from project partners, colleagues and clients. I use Outlook at work. It works great with all the other Microsoft products like Excel, Teams, OneDrive.

I am very excited to see how our workflows can maybe be improved by the upcoming release of Microsoft Copilot.

#10 Autodesk Robot

For the internal force calculation of more complicated structures, I use Autodesk Robot.

I also use it to design some steel, timber and concrete elements.

But be careful. A lot can go wrong if you don’t have a lot of experience with FEM. Wrong results can lead to smaller forces which lead to a collapse of the structure in the worst case scenario.

#11 Hilti PROFIS

Hilti Profis is a great tool to design steel to concrete connections. It has an easy-to-use user interface and good reports.

I use it for all of my steel to concrete connections.

#12 Rhinoceros and Grasshopper

I use Rhino to illustrate structural designs in 3D, as it’s one of the best tools for 3D modeling.

But the company I work for has also developed its own Grasshopper plugin, which finds the structural system and the dimensions of the cross-sections based on a few inputs. I was lucky to help develop this plugin while I was still a student worker.

So now I am often using it in the early design phases to get quickly an estimate of how big the loads and cross-sections are.

Btw, all the 3D models I create for the blog, YouTube and the newsletter are made in Rhino.

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Alright, these were the 12 programs I use the most. There are of course other programs I have also used, but not on a weekly basis.

I hope this gave you an interesting insight into the workflows and daily tasks of structural engineers.

See you next week! ✌️✌️

Cheers,

Laurin.