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Top 20 Structural Engineering Spreadsheets Free Download

Structural and civil engineers have to learn a lot, and it's hard to remember all the specifics. And then there are giant building code books which simply cannot be remembered. So, there are simplified and useful spreadsheets for doing structural work. If you're working in the construction industry, then you will need the below top 20 structural engineering spreadsheets, almost all your working life.

We have divided the top 20 structural engineering spreadsheets into five distinct categories depending upon which portion of the construction they may be used in. These are: Foundations, Reinforced Concrete, Steel, Composite, and Steel Connections. Each of the spreadsheets have download links associated with them, as well their descriptions, and the codes they are based upon.

A. Spreadsheets for Foundation

Wall footing design and analysis

  • Building Code: ACI 318-2002
  • Download link: http://www.psnconsulting.com/wall-footing
  • Data required:
    • oWall width
    • Applied Axial loads
    • Surcharge Loads
    • Cover
    • Reinforcement size
    • Wall stress
    • Allowable soil pressure
    • Footing dimensions
    • Footing thickness
  • Data generated:
    • Min required reinforcement
    • Bearing pressure
    • Shear checks
    • Checks for min reinforcement
    • Bearing strength at interface checks
  • Design and analysis of spread footing

  • Building Code: n/a
  • Download link: http://www.psnconsulting.com/spread-footing
  • Data required:
    • Allowable soil pressure
    • Footing dimensions
    • Applied loads
  • Data generated:
    • Applied shear
    • Applied moment
    • Stability checks
    • Soil pressure distribution
    • Min required reinforcement

B. Spreadsheets for Reinforced Concrete

Design of rectangular RC sections under bi-axial shear, bending, compression or tension

  • Building Code: BS 8110-1
  • Download link: http://www.technouk.com/Programs/Beam-Column-Tie_20120804-.zip
  • Data required:
    • Applied axial load
    • Column dimensions
    • Area of reinforcement
    • Cover
    • Rebar arrangement
    • Shear links
    • Option of singly or doubly reinforced section
  • Data generated:
    • Biaxial bending check
    • Shear checks
    • Reinforcement requirement checks
    • Stress and strain of steel above x and y axis
  • Design of concrete structures that retain aqueous liquids

  • Building Code: BS 8007, BS 8110
  • Download link: http://www.technouk.com/Programs/RC8007010108-.zip
  • Data required:
    • Reinforcement type
    • Concrete grade
    • Depth of section
    • Concrete cover
    • Reinforcement size
    • Reinforcement spacing
    • Crack width
  • Data generated:
    • Serviceability limit state checks
    • Max moment capacity
    • Max shear capacity
    • Crack requirement checks
    • Reinforcement requirement checks
    • Steel ratio required for control of thermal and shrinkage cracking
  • Design of RC rectangular beam

  • Building Code: BS 8110: Part 1&2
  • Download link: http://www.technouk.com/Programs/RC981220p.zip
  • Data required:
    • Concrete grade
    • Reinforcement grade
    • Concrete section dimensions
    • Area of reinforcement
    • Area of stirrups
    • Design moment
  • Data generated:
    • Span/depth ratio design and limit
    • Max bending capacity
    • Max shear capacity of concrete
    • Max shear capacity of stirrups
    • Torsion capacity

    Design of RC columns

  • Building Code: BS 8110
  • Download link: http://www.technouk.com/Programs/Rect-Column_20091211-.zip
  • Data required:
    • Braced or unbraced conditions
    • Applied axial load
    • Concrete grade
    • Steel grade
    • Section size
    • Support conditions
    • Effective length
    • Reinforcement size
    • Reinforcement arrangement
  • Data generated:
    • Column slenderness check
    • Max axial capacity
    • Reinforcement reinforcement checks
    • Max bending capacity
  • Design for rectangular, T-shaped, or circular RC columns

  • Building Code: Eurocode 2
  • Download link: http://www.yakpol.net/ShortColEC2_down.html
  • Data required:
    • Material properties
    • Section properties
    • Reinforcement sizes
    • Number of reinforcement
    • Reinforcement spacing
    • Reinforcement position based on coordinates
    • Applied loads
  • Data generated:
    • Crack width control analysis
    • Capacity checks against axial load and moment
    • Static equilibrium checks
    • Interaction diagram of P vs M
  • Design of RC circular columns

  • Building Code: n/a
  • Download link: http://www.technouk.com/Programs/RoundCol000104-.zip
  • Data required:
    • Concrete grade
    • Steel grade
    • Section diameter
    • Applied axial load
    • Applied moment
    • Braced or unbraced conditions
    • Effective length
    • Cover
  • Data generated:
    • Max axial capacity
    • Reinforcement requirement checks
    • Column slenderness check
    • Min diameter checks
  • Design of Retaining Wall due to Lateral and Vertical Loads

  • Building Code: n/a
  • Download link: http://www.technouk.com/Programs/RetWall20150415-.zip
  • Data required:
    • Surcharge loads
    • Wall height
    • Wall thickness
    • Base thickness
    • Heel and toe length
    • Wall density
    • Earth density
    • Angle of repose
    • Coefficient of friction
    • Ground pressures in vertical or horizontal direction
    • Water Loads
    • Water table level
    • Applied point or line loads
    • Option of including passive earth pressure
  • Data generated:
    • Stability checks for sliding and overturning
    • Checks for restoring and eccentric moment
    • Ground bearing checks

C. Spreadsheets for Steel

Compression Resistance for UKB, UKC, and Hollow sections

  • Building Code: BS EN 1993-1-1
  • Download link: http://bcsatools.steel-sci.org/Compression/Input
  • Data required:
    • Steel grade
    • Member size
    • Buckling length
  • Data generated:
    • Compression capacity
  • Bending Resistance for UKB, UKC (against major axis)

  • Building Code: BS EN 1993-1-1
  • Download link: http://bcsatools.steel-sci.org/BendingUKBUKC
  • Data required:
    • Steel grade
    • Member size
    • Buckling length
    • C1 shape factor
  • Data generated:
    • Bending capacity
    • Lateral torsional buckling resistance
  • Combined Bending and Axial Compression Check for UKB, UKC

  • Building Code: BS EN 1993-1-1
  • Download link: http://bcsatools.steel-sci.org/CombinedAxialCompressionBendingUKBUKC
  • Data required:
    • Steel grade
    • Member size
    • Buckling length
    • Axial compression
    • Max and min bending moments
  • Data generated:
    • Interaction factors between bending and axial compression is verified
  • Note: Assumes same lengths for major axis buckling, minor axis buckling and lateral torsional buckling

Download link: https://drive.google.com

D. Spreadsheets for Composite

Simply supported composite beams

  • Building Code: BS EN 1994-1-1
  • Download link: http://bcsatools.steel-sci.org/CompositeBeam
  • Data required:
    • Steel framing arrangement based on beam type, location, and spacing
    • Slab details (depth, concrete grade, deck profile)
    • Stud details
    • Steel section details (size and grade)
    • Loading values
  • Data generated:
    • Bending checks
    • Shear checks
    • Lateral torsional buckling checks
    • Checks for concrete strut shear
    • Checks for mesh reinforcement
    • Serviceability (deflection and steel stress)

E. Spreadsheets for Steel Connections

Shear and Tying Resistance of End Plates

  • Building Code: BS EN 1993-1-8
  • Download link: http://bcsatools.steel-sci.org/FlexEndPlateDesigner
  • Data required:
    • Steel grade
    • Beam size
    • Plate thickness and width
    • Bolt rows
    • Bolt distances
  • Data generated:
    • Bolt shear resistance
    • Bearing resistance
    • Group bolt resistance
    • End plate shear resistance
    • Weld resistance
    • Beam web shear resistance
    • Tying resistance of bolt, end plate, beam web, and weld
  • Base Plate Design

  • Building Code: BS EN 1993-1-1
  • Download link: http://bcsatools.steel-sci.org/BasePlateDesigner
  • Data required:
    • Column size
    • Concrete grade
    • Baseplate size
    • Steel grade
    • Thickness of plate
  • Data generated:
    • Axial resistance
    • Max plate cantilever
  • Note: Only applies to UKB, UKC, or hollow sections
  • Vertical Shear and Tying Resistance of Fin Plates

  • Building Code: BS EN 1993-1-8
  • Download link: http://bcsatools.steel-sci.org/FinPlateDesigner
  • Data required:
    • Steel grade
    • Beam size
    • Plate thickness
    • Bolt rows
    • Bolt distances
  • Data generated:
    • Bolt shear resistance
    • Bolt bearing resistance in fit plate and beam web
    • Beam web shear resistance
    • Fin plate shear resistance
    • Bearing resistance
    • Tension resistance
    • Weld resistance
  • Compression resistance of gusset plates

  • Building Code: n/a
  • Download link: http://bcsatools.steel-sci.org/GussetPlateDesigner/GussetPlateTool.html
  • Data required:
    • Steel grade
    • Setting out (bracing angle)
    • Bolt distances
    • Tab and gusset plate geometry properties
  • Data generated:
    • Bolt resistance
    • Gusset plate resistance
    • Tab plate resistance
  • Note: Gusset plates for use of diagonal bracing can input one edge gusset plate (for roof bracing) or two edges (bracing at beam-to-column connection).
  • Design of weld groups according to shear, bending, and torsion

  • Building Code: BS 5950-1:2000
  • Download link: http://www.technouk.com/Programs/WeldCalc20141217-.zip
  • Data required:
    • Applied moment
    • Weld group geometry
    • Applied axial load
    • Design strength
  • Data generated:
    • Strength check
    • Centroid of weld group
    • Stress and force results of weld lengths
    • Load eccentricity moments at centroid
    • Resultant moments to weld group
    • Weld coordinates
  • Design of bolts and welds

  • Building Code: BS 449: Part 2
  • Download link: http://www.technouk.com/Programs/Fasten449000527-.zip
  • Data required:
    • Bolt heads
    • Shear plane position
    • Bolt grade
    • Grade of connected part
  • Data generated:
    • Table that has tension capacity, shear capacity, bearing capacity of respective bolt diameters
    • High strength friction grip bolts under specified slip factor
    • Combined tension and shear capacity for each bolt diameter
    • Table of capacities of fillet welds
Top 20 Structural Engineering Spreadsheets Free Download