Tower Structure Design and Analyze Software Application

We know that nothing is impossible when talking about computers. Works that it is hard to do manually, with a few clicks is done by computers. No need more intelligence to understand how it works, as long as you follow the guide, the result is correct. Computers has reach all aspect of human life. From out daily job activities, like typing, playing games, play musics, movies, until a complex work like making a complex machine, and giving you the result of the parts drawing, weight, it’s duration in use by how many rotation it can handle, and many more.

Engineers, as the user of computers also take advantages on it. Many complex calculation that if worked by manual can take months, with computer, you can take days. Also, it has ability to revise easily, so you no need to work all from beginning. Just change the parameters, change the parts that you want to replace, see how it influences the other parts, and with a few clicks more, the result is ready for presentation.

Not excepted the tower construction business industry. We know that in the last decade, this business is growing fast. Towers are everywhere we see. Not just for electricity / power, the telecommunication and broadcasting also. Telecommunication vendors racing to build more and more towers to strengthen their coverage. To do that, software development make a customized application to fulfill the needs of the computation. Of course, it based on EIA-TIA-222 F and or G references, and many other reference for each countries.

Here is the list of application that can handle your needs on tower structure design and analyze :

1. First, the most common used program for structural, the pioneer of the computation structure for engineering, SAP2000. Founded by Computers and Structures Inc, first on 1975, and now has reach release 14. This application has all your need in the construction world. From the simple beam, to complex building, bridges, and also with more features template for tower construction. It’s flexibility by using many materials, not just steel but also can be concrete and others. All you need is just input the material characteristic, and you ready to use the materials. SAP2000 also capable in analyze and design which part is failure for the loads you given. You can get the result of the forces, moments, and others.


2. The next application is Mstower. A special purposes software to calculate all towers, poles and masts structure. Not just for telecommunication, but also for electricity / power tower, and others. Different from SAP2000 that gives you ability to design structure with making lines between two points and mark it as a certain profile, with Mstower you need to input all the tower data, including antenna, wind load, the wind gust, the connector – bolts with diameter and length, and also the quantities into a text editor included. Mstower claim they can calculate for the reference : BS 8100:Part 1, 1986, (Amd 1, 2005), BS 8100:Part 4, 1995, (Amd 1, 2003) BS 6399:Part 2, 1997, CP3 Chapter 5, ILE TR7, 2000, EIA/TIA-222-G, 2005/7 + Addendum 1 , EIA/TIA-222-F, 1996, ASCE 7-02, AS 3995, 1994, Malaysian Electricity Supply Regulations, 1990, IS:875 (Indian Standard), BNBC (Bangladesh National Building Code), Earth Quake (Response spectrum Analysis), Earth Quake (Lateral Acceleration), Earth Quake (Equivalent lateral force method of EIA 222-G). Sementara itu, part / members and bolts capabilities using rule of : BS 8100:Part 3, 1999, (Cor’ 1, 2001), EIA/TIA-222-G, 2005/7 + Addendum 1, EIA/TIA-222-F ,1996, ASCE 10-97, ASCE 10-90, ASCE Manual, 72, BS 5649 part 7, ILE TR7, 2000, BS5950 (Poles only), BS 449 (No bolt checking), AS 3995, 1994, IS:802 (Indian Standard). Towers can be three legged of for legged. Mstower having advantages to calculate strengthening tower by its build in strengthen figure.

1. Some application, like Tekla and ProEngineer, may able to design tower too. More, those application advantages are when we done with the analyze, and all parts are safe using all load combination, after generate it, we can directly get result like part shop drawing, including weight and quantities (bill or list of material as result). With those application, material with asymmetric shape, able to find its weight correctly after reduced with the holes for bolts.


2. Don’t forget about local software for this purposes. ESRC, Engineering Software Research Center, an Indonesian engineer, who start making his own Towerwin. This application is very high level Tower Designer: Model Generator, Wind Load Generator, Force Analysis, Member Design, Foundation Design, Connection Design, Volume and Cost Calculation. For Radio/TV/Power Transmission/CDMA/GSM Tower, 3/4 Sides Steel Lattice Tower, EIA/TIA-222F Code. Towerwin includes feature to see the tower figure. This application is similar with Mstower, using a text editor as input of the application to calculate. /li>