Comparing FEA & Moment Coefficient Method for Slab Design
Introduction Finite Element Analysis (FEA) has become a cornerstone of modern engineering practice. Its widespread adoption has transformed the design workflows across numerous disciplines—from automotive to aerospace and especially in structural engineering. In fact, it’s nearly impossible to imagine contemporary engineering without it. The primary reason for its popularity lies in its ability to simulate […]
IDEA StatiCa as a Design Link for Prokon SUMO
Today, we’re exploring IDEA StatiCa as a Design Link for Prokon SUMO — a powerful design link that significantly enhances structural workflows for pro-consumer users. My name is Jacobus Oberholster, and I’m a technical consultant for AEC and Prokon at Micrographics. If you have any questions after reading this or would like a personalized demo, […]
Designing Concrete Elements using Prokon SUMO & 7 Design Links
Understanding the distinction between analysis and design is crucial in structural engineering. While analysis involves applying loads and evaluating load effects such as deflections and stresses, design ensures that structural elements comply with national and international codes. This article, based on a recent webinar, explores the use of Prokon SUMO and its design links to streamline the workflow for designing concrete elements. From beam detailing to column and footing design, we examine the functionality, applications, and best practices of SUMO’s powerful tools, demonstrating how they enhance efficiency and accuracy in structural design.
Line Load Length Error in Prokon SUMO
Users often encounter an issue where a Line Load cannot be applied to a beam or column, leading to an error message upon running the analysis: Error: “Projected length of zero for element load” Why Does This Error Occur? This error usually occurs when: Solutions to Fix the Line Load Length Error Under the Properties […]
Does Mesh Quality Affect 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 […]
Designing a Concrete Beam Using SUMO FEA Only
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 […]