Author: Jacobus Oberholster | AEC Engineering Technical Consultant (Prokon)

Jacobus is an AEC Technical Consultant at Micrographics, specialising in the Structural Engineering industry. He focuses on optimising structural workflows in Revit, Prokon, and IDEA Statica, streamlining processes through the integration of various software packages. Jacobus holds a BTech in Civil Engineering and is a Professionally Registered Engineering Technician with the Engineering Council of South Africa. With close on 10 years of experience, he has served as a designer, quality controller, and project manager in both the public and private sectors, demonstrating his extensive expertise and commitment to the field.

Does Mesh Quality Affect Load Distribution?

Mesh Quality vs Load Distribution.

Mesh quality is often overlooked when the plane element itself is not being designed within the relevant software package. But is this a wise approach? While it may save time and computational resources, could it impact the accuracy of load distribution to supporting elements? In this video, we investigate whether mesh quality plays a critical […]

Why are SUMO & Continuous Beam Moments Different?

There is often confusion about why the maximum moment displayed in SUMO differs significantly from the maximum moment shown in Continuous Beam when using the Beam Detailing design link for a monolithic beam. In this video, we explain the reason behind this discrepancy and clarify how these results should be interpreted. This content is particularly […]

Designing a Concrete Beam Using SUMO FEA Only

SUMO software interface displaying a structural analysis model of a concrete beam using shell elements, with reinforcement contour results shown in a color gradient.

Comparing Finite Element Analysis (FEA) outputs with traditional code-based calculations is a complex and comprehensive topic. In this video, I assess the Concrete Design and FEA capabilities of Prokon’s SUMO software to determine whether its results align with standard code-based methods. I also explore whether SUMO’s output can be relied upon exclusively for designing the […]

Concrete Beam Design in Prokon SUMO – Part 01

SUMO software interface displaying a structural analysis model of a concrete beam using shell elements, with reinforcement contour results shown in a color gradient.

Prokon SUMO stands out as one of the most user-friendly structural analysis tools available, at least in my experience. Beyond its intuitive interface, it offers impressive functionalities, including the calculation of Wood & Armer bending moments, which account for twisting moments, and the determination of required reinforcing steel in concrete elements. In a recent webinar, […]

Concrete Beam Design in Prokon SUMO – Part 02

A structural analysis software interface showing a 3D beam model with applied loads and support conditions. The screen displays red load diagrams and purple moment diagrams on a beam structure, with a workspace panel on the left, properties panel on the right, and loadcases and messages panels at the bottom.

In Part 01, we ran through the process of modeling a simply supported concrete beam in Prokon’s SUMO module. Along with this, we manually calculated the relevant maximum sagging moment and the required area of steel. We compared the results and found that they were delightfully comparable. In Part 02, we have followed the same […]

Structural Versus Manufacturing FEA Mesh

Screenshot of two structural analysis software interfaces. On the left, SUMO software displays a meshed slab model with a grid overlay and load cases. On the right, Autodesk Inventor Nastran shows a finite element analysis (FEA) result with a color-coded stress distribution around a circular hole in a metal component.

Finite Element Analysis (FEA) has been around for quite some time and continues to gain popularity. However, it remains a complex subject that is not always well understood. Given its depth, FEA can quickly become intricate, requiring careful consideration of various factors. Recently, we hosted a webinar comparing FEA results to code-based values (SANS 10100-1) […]