ShapeBuilder calculates geometric section properties, like area, moment of inertia, etc. It handles multiple materials and composite sections. ShapeBuilder also performs advanced stress analysis, cracked analysis, and calculates the strength of reinforced concrete sections.
ShapeBuilder is a powerful utility for anyone who needs to calculate geometric or structural properties of plane areas. The primary purpose of ShapeBuilder is to help engineers determine properties of custom or combined sections for structural design.
The tool is useful for architects, forensic engineers, mechanical engineers, and others needing to calculate the properties of irregular plane areas.
ShapeBuilder goes way beyond a simple calculator though, offering advanced stress distribution analysis, cracked reinforced concrete analysis and capacities, as well as significant aides for understanding torsional behavior of thin-walled, open, cross-sections.
ShapeBuilder and Other IES Products
ShapeBuilder runs stand-alone, but can export shapes to the database used by VisualAnalysis and AnalysisGroup. ShapeBuilder is essential for using certain capabilities in VisualDesign, such as generic design, and wood structural composite lumber design.
Feature Contents
Properties Calculated
- Dimensions
- Width & Height
- Perimeter (paint area)
- Geometric Properties
- Area (gross and net)
- Moments of Inertia
- Section Modulus
- Radius of Gyration
- Centroid
- Weight per unit length
- Plastic Properties
- Plastic Modulus
- Plastic Neutral Axis Location (both directions)
- Principal Properties
- Principal axes and Orientation
- Principal Moments of Inertia
- Product of Inertia
- Polar Properties
- Polar Radius of Gyration
- Polar Moment of Inertia
- Advanced Analysis Properties
- Torsion Constant
- Warping Constant
- Shear Center
- Polar Radius of Gyration about Shear Center
- AISC Flexural Constants (H, C, etc.)
- Composite Properties
- All properties "transformed" with modular ratio
- Yield-stress weighted Plastic Modulus
- Reinforced Concrete
- Cracked Moments of Inertia
- Pure Compressive Strength
- Pure Tensile Strength
- Modular Ratio, ACI's "n"
Analysis Results
- Advanced Stress Results
- Axial, Bending, and Shear Stresses
- Combined Stresses
- Warping Normal Distribution
- St. Venant Torsion Stress
- Reinforced Concrete Analysis
- Bar Forces
- Neutral Axis Location & Orientation
- Interaction Diagrams
- Moment and Axial Capacities
- Strain in Concrete
- Whitney Factor
- Effective Section Analysis
- Reduced Section Properties (or create reduced shape)
- Stress-limited Shape Capacities (per AISI)
Editing Functionality
- Drag & Drop over 30 different Parametric Shape Components
- Simple Polygons
- Complex & Hollow Polygons
- Curved Shapes
- Rolled Shapes
- Bent Thin-walled Shapes
- Drag & Drop from library of US and Foreign Manufactured Shapes
- AISC Steel
- Aluminum
- British Steel
- Canadian (CISC) Steel
- Cold Formed Steel: HUD, LGSI, SSMA
- NDS Wood: Lumbers, Timbers, Glu-lams, Posts, etc.
- Wizards for Typical Reinforced Concrete Sections
- Rectangular Beam
- Tee Beam
- Spandrel Beam
- Circular Column
- Square Column (Circular Bar Pattern)
- Rectangular Column (Bars 4 Faces)
- Rectangular Column (Bars 2 Faces)
- Import & Export
- Import Outline or Centerline (x,y) Points
- Import DXF Outlines
- Export to Shape Database (VisualAnalysis, AnalysisGroup, etc.)
- Usability
- Many Preference Settings (colors, sizes, fonts, performance, notation, etc.)
- Flexible Unit Systems with Styles
- Mouse-wheel Zoom and Pan
- Filter Settings on Views
IES Database Editing
ShapeBuilder provides commands and features for customizing the IES shape and material databases. These databases are used in VisualAnalysis and AnalysisGroup.
Custom shapes for VisualAnalysis may be imported through
ShapeBuilder, or created in ShapeBuilder.