JPNAS.NET / Digital Resources

🏗️ Structural Analysis

Free and open-source programs for statics, structural analysis and the finite element method (FEM), plus free references. For learning and checking – real structures must be designed by a licensed engineer. FreeCAD with its FEM Workbench and Bonsai for BIM are in the Architectural Design section.

Open in the interactive Digital Resources

• Ftool

  portal.ftool.com.br

  A simple, fast program for 2D beams and frames, developed at PUC-Rio for teaching. Draw the structure and see the N, V and M diagrams at once. The basic version is free; not open source.

  • #2D-FRAMES
  • #BEGINNER
  • #FREE

• CalculiX

  calculix.de

  A free finite element solver for static, dynamic and thermal analysis. Often used through FreeCAD or other pre-processors.

  • #FEM
  • #SOLVER
  • #OPEN-SOURCE

• Code_Aster

  code-aster.org

  A powerful open-source FEM program developed by the French energy company EDF, used for civil and mechanical engineering. Comes with the Salome-Meca graphical environment.

  • #FEM
  • #ADVANCED
  • #OPEN-SOURCE

• OpenSees

  opensees.berkeley.edu

  A program from UC Berkeley for earthquake engineering and non-linear analysis, widely used in research. Free for education and research; companies may use it internally.

  • #EARTHQUAKE
  • #RESEARCH
  • #FREE

• OpenSeesPy

  openseespydoc.readthedocs.io

  The Python interface to OpenSees – build and analyse models with Python scripts. Same licence terms as OpenSees.

  • #EARTHQUAKE
  • #PYTHON
  • #FREE

• PyNite

  github.com

  An easy-to-use Python library for 3D frame and beam analysis. Good for checking hand calculations or automating simple structures.

  • #PYTHON
  • #3D-FRAMES
  • #OPEN-SOURCE

• anaStruct

  github.com

  A small Python library for 2D frames and trusses that draws the reaction, shear and moment diagrams for you.

  • #PYTHON
  • #2D-FRAMES
  • #OPEN-SOURCE

• Frame3DD

  frame3dd.sourceforge.net

  Free software for static and dynamic analysis of 2D and 3D frames and trusses, with a long history in teaching.

  • #FRAMES
  • #DYNAMICS
  • #OPEN-SOURCE

• Elmer FEM

  elmerfem.org

  Open-source multiphysics FEM software from CSC in Finland – structural mechanics, heat transfer, fluids and more.

  • #FEM
  • #MULTIPHYSICS
  • #OPEN-SOURCE

• IfcOpenShell

  ifcopenshell.org

  An open-source library for reading and writing IFC building models, for example from Python scripts.

  • #BIM
  • #IFC
  • #PYTHON

• Eurocodes (JRC)

  eurocodes.jrc.ec.europa.eu

  The official EU website about the Eurocodes, with free background documents, worked examples and news about the second generation. The standards themselves are sold by national bodies.

  • #STANDARDS
  • #EUROCODES
  • #REFERENCE

• SIST – Slovenian Institute for Standardization

  sist.si

  Where Slovenian editions of the Eurocodes (SIST EN) and the national annexes are published. The standards are paid; the website shows which ones are valid.

  • #STANDARDS
  • #SLOVENIA
  • #REFERENCE