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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Efficient Design of Tendons with the Support Line Span Optimizer
November 21, 2022

Efficient Design of Tendons with the Support Line Span Optimizer

ADAPT-Builder includes a Support Line Span Optimizer that allows the user to optimize tendons within a support line span based on stress, pre-compression, and balanced loading percentages. The Support Line Span Optimizer will optimize tendons based on the FEM results from the envelope of service...

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ADAPT-PT/RC Version 22.0 is now available!
October 13, 2022

ADAPT-PT/RC Version 22.0 is now available!

Consideration of Drop Caps and Drop Panels for Two-Way Punching Shear Design ADAPT-PTRC now checks two-way shear for columns at critical sections within the drop cap, drop panel, and slab. This feature is available for all codes.

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NEW RELEASE: ADAPT-Builder Version 21.0.1 now Available!
June 1, 2022

NEW RELEASE: ADAPT-Builder Version 21.0.1 now Available!

ADAPT-Builder Version 21.0.1 is now available and includes integration with RISA-3D, colorization of applied loading as well as other new features. For more information about new features, users can review the related articles below as well as the release notes. Related Articles: Related Articles:...

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Integration between RISA-3D & ADAPT-Builder for Podium Buildings
May 24, 2022

Integration between RISA-3D & ADAPT-Builder for Podium Buildings

ADAPT-Builder v21.0.1 includes the option to import reactions from a RISA-3D model. The program will import the superstructure reactions and loading as point and line loads. The B3D Import Wizard allows you to choose which load cases to import and gives you the ability to map the loads to existing...

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Automatic Calculation of Long-Term Load Factors in ADAPT-Builder
December 17, 2021

Automatic Calculation of Long-Term Load Factors in ADAPT-Builder

With the release of ADAPT-Builder v21, users now has the option to have the program automatically calculate long-term load factors using two different methodologies. Calculation of Long-Term Load Factors is available using all design codes but is implemented based on ACI 209. When calculating these...

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Smart Tools for Tendon Entry and Modification in ADAPT-Builder
December 17, 2021

Smart Tools for Tendon Entry and Modification in ADAPT-Builder

ADAPT-Builder v21 now includes a new set of Smart Tools that assist the user in efficient modeling and modification of tendons. These tools include smart creation of tendons where the tendon spans and shapes are determined by the program based on the location of support lines or banded tendons...

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Load Combination Generator in ADAPT-Builder
December 17, 2021

Load Combination Generator in ADAPT-Builder

With the release of ADAPT-Builder v21, a new load combination generator (LC Generator) provides users the option to automatically generate code compliant load combinations for use in the analysis and design of an ADAPT-Builder model. Included in this feature, is the ability to include automatic...

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ADAPT-PT/RC Version 21.0 is now available!
November 17, 2021

ADAPT-PT/RC Version 21.0 is now available!

New Design Code: AS3600 - 2018 ADAPT-PT/RC has been updated to include the latest Australian - AS3600 (2018) concrete design code. The provisions in this design standard that have been included in ADAPT-PT/RC include but are not limited to:

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