Tips & Tricks

December 29, 2025

What’s New for IBC 2024 in RISA: A Closer Look

With RISA’s latest release of RISA-3D v23.0.1, we’re continuing to expand support for IBC 2024, helping engineers stay aligned with the latest building code requirements as adoption accelerates across the U.S.—including federally funded projects. This release builds on v23.0.0 ASCE 7-22 enhancements and adds key material design updates that move RISA further into full IBC 2024 compliance. New Material Design Updates Supporting IBC 2024 The upcoming release introduces several important design code updates referenced by IBC 2024, including: Steel Seismic design per AISC 341-22 Prequalified connections per AISC 358-22 Continued support for AISC 360-22 (16th Edition) steel design Ongoing updates to the hot-rolled shape database, including compatibility with both 15th and 16th Edition steel manuals These updates support modern seismic detailing requirements and ensure consistency with current steel industry standards. Masonry Masonry design per TMS 402-22, aligning with the latest strength and serviceability provisions adopted by IBC 2024. Key updates include: Revisions to shear design equations, including clarified definitions of shear area as outlined in Table 4.4.5, improving consistency and transparency in shear capacity calculations. Updated strength reduction factors for flexure and combined flexure + axial. Unlike previous editions that used a fixed ϕ-factor of 0.9, TMS 402-22 introduces tension-controlled,…

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Case Study: WVDP Phase 1A - Decommissioning
April 3, 2025

Case Study: WVDP Phase 1A - Decommissioning

Decommissioning a nuclear facility requires precision, planning, and advanced structural analysis. At the West Valley Demonstration Project (WVDP) Phase 1A, American DND engineers faced the challenge of safely dismantling heavily reinforced structures—some with walls up to five feet thick—without...

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HSS Beam to Column Moment Connection now available in RISAConnection v16
March 26, 2025

HSS Beam to Column Moment Connection now available in RISAConnection v16

The new HSS Beam to Column Moment Connection allows engineers to efficiently design and analyze rigid connections between HSS beams and HSS or wide-flange columns. Unlike typical bolted or welded connections, this moment connection provides enhanced rigidity while maintaining the benefits of HSS...

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Wood vs. Steel: Making the Right Choice for Your Building
March 25, 2025

Wood vs. Steel: Making the Right Choice for Your Building

Choosing between wood and steel for your next project isn’t just a material decision—it’s a balancing act of strength, cost, sustainability, and performance. As structural engineers, we know there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. But with the right tools (like RISA), you can model, compare, and...

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Engineering Tomorrow: Hidden Costs of Manual Calculations
March 24, 2025

Engineering Tomorrow: Hidden Costs of Manual Calculations

When was the last time you took a step back and evaluated the efficiency of your structural design workflow? Many engineers rely on spreadsheets, hand calculations, or outdated processes simply because they’ve always done it that way. But what if those manual methods are costing more than you...

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Customer Spotlight: Magnus Engineering
March 18, 2025

Customer Spotlight: Magnus Engineering

How Magnus Structural Scaled Up with RISA? What does it take for a growing structural firm to level up? For Magnus Engineering, the answer was the right tools, smart processes, and a commitment to efficiency. By integrating RISA into their workflow, Magnus streamlined design, improved...

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ADAPT-Builder: Fixing Instability Warnings Due to Multiple Slabs
March 11, 2025

ADAPT-Builder: Fixing Instability Warnings Due to Multiple Slabs

When working with ADAPT-Builder, in some models users may encounter an instability warning due to multiple slabs on a single level. This can be frustrating, but we're here to help! The root cause is typically related to insufficient boundary conditions allowing unintended translation or rotation....

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Pile Supported Slabs in RISAFoundation
March 6, 2025

Pile Supported Slabs in RISAFoundation

Ensuring Your Slab is Fully Supported by Piles in RISAFoundation A common mistake when modeling pile-supported slabs in RISAFoundation is forgetting to zero out the soil properties. By default, RISAFoundation assigns a soil definition to all slabs, which introduces soil springs into the model. If...

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How the RISA Learning Center Fits Into Your Workflow
March 4, 2025

How the RISA Learning Center Fits Into Your Workflow

Inside the RISA Learning Center: What You’re Missing Ever wonder how top engineers master RISA software without stepping away from their projects? The secret isn’t extra hours—it’s integrating learning into their daily workflow. The RISA Learning Center makes it easy to sharpen your skills,...

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Customer Spotlight: TAIT
February 20, 2025

Customer Spotlight: TAIT

How TAIT Built an Entertainment Powerhouse with RISA-3D? Ever wondered how a small firm transformed into a global leader in entertainment design? TAIT, a company known for creating jaw-dropping stage structures and kinetic architecture, started with a vision and the right tools to bring it to life....

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