Instead, master or Frame3DD . They lack the glossy interface, but they rely on the same mathematical principles (stiffness matrix method) as the $10,000 software.

Download FreeCAD 1.0, go to the FEM workbench, and run the "Beam Bending" tutorial. You will be analyzing steel frames for free by tonight. Disclaimer: Always verify critical structural calculations with licensed professional software. The author is not liable for structural failures resulting from the use of open-source tools.

In the world of structural engineering, Robot Structural Analysis (typically Autodesk's package) is a gold standard for Finite Element Analysis (FEA). However, the professional license can cost upwards of $3,000 per year.

2D Portal Frame - Wind Load 1 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 0 10 1 1 1 1 1 1 3 20 10 1 1 1 1 1 1 4 20 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 2 3 1 1 1 3 3 4 1 1 1 MAT 1 200 0.3 0.0001 SECT 1 10 100 500 500 1 1 1 4 1 1 LOAD 1 1.0 2 5.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 3 5.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 Copy this into a .dat file, run Frame3DD , and you will get nodal displacements and member end forces— what Robot would give you for a linear static case. Final Advice Do not pirate Autodesk Robot. It is legally risky, often filled with malware, and you miss out on updates.