Paul, in answer to your questions, WoodWorks Shearwalls automatically calculates wind and seismic loads, and then distributes them based on both rigid and flexible diaphragm assumptions, and designs the Shearwalls based on perforated and segmented construction. The rigid distribution considers torsion effects for both seismic and wind as per ASCE7-05. It doesn’t currently consider extra requirements for code defined “irregular structures”.
It is only a shear wall program and therefore currently does not design the diaphragms. And although you can manually assign relative rigidities to some or all shearlines to accommodate “non -IBC/NDS –shearwall”, there is no direct way to model steel elements.
Robert J. Jonkman, P.Eng.
Manager, Structural Engineering and Sustainable Design
Canadian Wood Council
Suite 400, 99 Bank Street
Ottawa, ON K1P 6B9
Tel: 613-747-5544 ext 252
Toll Free: 800-463-5091 ext 252
Fax: 613-747-6264
email: rjonkman@cwc.ca
Visit our website at: www.cwc.ca
Wood Engineering Software: www.woodworks-software.com
Building Green with Wood: www.planetfriendlycanada.com
From: PFFEI@aol.com [mailto:PFFEI@aol.com]
Sent: Thursday, May 07, 2009 6:35 PM
To: seaint@seaint.org
Subject: wood design programs
what is the consensus on a good wood design program for lateral force design. i am looking for something that can do rigid diaphragm analysis, perforated shear wall design, accomodate irregular geometries and torsion, system offsets between levels, and model steel elements that could be part of the system. is woodworks a good program or is there something better.
thanks for your response.
paul franceschi, s.e.