How do you choose the right structural analysis tool?

1 Define the problem

The first step is to define the problem that you want to solve with structural analysis. What are the objectives, constraints, and assumptions of your project? What are the loads, forces, and stresses that affect the structure? What are the failure modes and criteria that you want to avoid or minimize? What are the design codes and standards that you need to comply with? By defining the problem clearly, you will be able to narrow down the possible structural analysis tools that can address your needs.

2 Identify the options

The next step is to identify the options that are available for structural analysis. There are many types of structural analysis tools, such as analytical methods, numerical methods, experimental methods, and hybrid methods. Analytical methods use mathematical formulas and equations to solve structural problems, such as beam theory, truss analysis, and elasticity theory. Numerical methods use computational algorithms and software to approximate structural solutions, such as finite element analysis (FEA), finite difference method (FDM), and boundary element method (BEM). Experimental methods use physical models and tests to measure structural behavior, such as load testing, strain gauging, and modal analysis. Hybrid methods use a combination of different methods to enhance structural analysis, such as substructuring, model updating, and data fusion. Each type of structural analysis tool has its own advantages and disadvantages, depending on the complexity, accuracy, and cost of the problem.

3 Evaluate the criteria

The third step in selecting the right structural analysis tool is to evaluate the criteria that are relevant. This includes data availability and quality, resource availability and cost, analysis accuracy and speed, and output format and application. Consider how much data you have, how reliable it is, how much time, money, and manpower you have, how precise the results need to be, how fast you need them, how sensitive the structure is to errors, how you want to present the results, and how compatible the tool is with your project workflow. By evaluating these criteria, you can compare and rank the structural analysis tools based on your preferences and priorities.

4 Test the alternatives

The fourth step is to test the alternatives that you have selected based on the previous steps. Testing the alternatives means to apply the structural analysis tools to your problem and see how they perform and match your expectations. You can use methods such as simulation, validation, and sensitivity analysis to assess the validity, accuracy, consistency, robustness, and stability of the tools. Additionally, you can compare the results with other tools or benchmarks to verify their quality and reliability. Through testing, you can identify and eliminate structural analysis tools that do not meet your requirements or expectations.

5 Choose the best solution

The final step is to choose the best solution among the remaining alternatives. To select the structural analysis tool that best solves your problem and satisfies your criteria, you can use different methods, such as scoring, weighting, or ranking. Scoring involves assigning scores to each alternative based on how well they meet each criterion and then adding up the scores to get the total score. Weighting involves assigning weights to each criterion based on how important they are for your problem and then multiplying the weights with the scores to get the weighted score. Ranking involves ranking each alternative based on how they perform on each criterion and then comparing the ranks to get the overall rank. By choosing the best solution, you will be able to finalize your structural analysis tool and use it for your facilities engineering project.