ClariCalc Pro Beam Analysis
This page describes the ClariCalc beam analysis utility. [▼]If you wish to have this feature, then you need to (1) buy and install a ClariCalc Pro license, and (2) choose the installation option for Structural or for Beam Analysis.
To solve a continuous beam diagram, start by invoking the Beam command on the Add-Ins ribbon. You'll get a table that looks like this:
| Beam Diagram | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| E (ksi) | I (in4) | Factors | Skip | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Service | ü | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Span (ft): | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Node type: | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| Node # | P (kips) | M (k') | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Span # | w (kpf) | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Loads | Span # | wleft | wright | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Span # | wleft | wright | xstart | xend | |||||||||||||||||||
| Span # | P (kips) | M (k') | xlocal | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Given: | Output detail at xlocal: | ||||||||||||||||||||||
| Span # | xlocal | V | M | Δ | |||||||||||||||||||
Fill in the blanks, then click where it says "Beam Diagram". ClariCalc will analyze the beam and display the loading, shear, bending, and deflection diagrams. The example below shows a two-span continuous beam. ClariCalc has analyzed it with all live load patterns.
| Beam Diagram | ||||||||||||||||
| E (ksi) | I (in4) | Factor | Skip | |||||||||||||
| 29000 | W8x24 | ASCE 7–10 | ü | |||||||||||||
| Span (ft): | 15 | 12 | ||||||||||||||
| Node type | p | p | p | |||||||||||||
| Span # | w (kpf) | |||||||||||||||
| D | all | -wself | ||||||||||||||
| Loads | L | all | -0.30 | |||||||||||||
| Span # | P (kips) | M (k') | xlocal | |||||||||||||
| L | 1 | -2 | 5 | |||||||||||||
Notes
In the "I" cell, write the moment of inertia. If you want to automate that cell, write the section name or a field that reads {Section}. CalcPad will find the Ix of the section.
Click on "Factors" to toggle between Service loads, ASCE 7 load combinations, and NBCC load combinations.
Write the span lengths in line 4.
Node type should be one of: blank, "p", "f", "h", "ph", or "s". ("p" is for pinned, "f" is for fixed, "h" is for hinge, "ph" is for propped hinge, "s" is for spring.)
Sign convention: A negative load is a downward load. Positive is upward. A positive moment is counter-clockwise.
In order to use load combinations, put one of: "D", "L", "E", "W", or "S" in the cell at the left of the load row.
A "span" is a section of beam running from one node to another node. Spans are numbered from left to right.
xstart and xend have the meanings shown in the sketch below.
It's ok to add new load rows. It's ok to delete unused rows, except rows 1, 4, or 5. If you click on the scissors, a macro will automatically delete unused rows.
You can write all
for a span number. A span number can be a list 1,2,3
or 1–3
.
A distributed load can be stretched across more than one span, so
| span # | wleft | wright |
| 1–2 | -0.1 | -0.2 |
means this: 
In the output detail section, "xlocal" is the distance to the nearest leftward node.
If Skip
is checked, ClariCalc will do the analysis with patterned live loads. That is, it will add or withhold live load to each individual span in all possible patterns. It will then display all the patterns that have at least one envelope point.
To get help, click on the question mark.
The utility will erase an existing diagram before drawing a new one.
