Maintaining budget and schedule, getting efficiency and cost savings are some of the multiple challenges faced by companies working on pre-engineered steel building (PEB) projects across the GCC. 

Bentley Systems, the US-based software company that produces solutions for the design, construction and operation of infrastructure, has time and again come to their rescue by meeting the specific needs of the projects with its advanced solutions.

“Because our solution is integrated, our users can deliver high-quality projects faster, and often at a lower cost than the project estimate,” says Ashish Kumar, senior sales director, product sales – Middle East and Africa, Bentley Systems.

Among the applications Bentley offers for the advancement of infrastructure, STAAD.Pro and RAM Elements are most relevant to the PEB industry.

STAAD.Pro is the world’s first computer-based analysis and design software and is widely used in this region by organisations such as Mammut Building Systems, RASANA Engineering Industries, and Mabani Steel. 

“It is a comprehensive and integrated finite element analysis and design offering that includes a state-of-the-art user interface, visualisation capabilities, and uses over 80 international design codes. Its flexible modeling environment and advanced features, such as dynamic change revisions and management helps design and engineering professionals lower cost of ownership, increase design productivity, and reduce project costs and delays,” Kumar says.

RAM Elements enables designers to perform analysis and design of almost any type of structural component, including pre-engineered steel buildings, easily and cost effectively. Firms can use the finite element analysis capability to complete building analysis, design, and drafting for an entire structure accurately and efficiently, which reduces time spent waiting for results. 

Each of these applications uses AISC Design Guide 25 (code for including PEBs). Bentley products, Kumar points out, are well integrated, which means engineers can design PEBs completely from modeling to frame design, purlins, girts, connections, and produce fabrication and detailed drawings using Bentley ProSteel.

While designing PEBs using STAAD and RAM, designers can get the final drawing output through Bentley’s ProSteel fabrication and detailing application. ProSteel is also integrated and therefore provides an end-to-end solution to the PEB industry.

“For irregular PEB design, many of our users prefer STAAD.Pro and RAM Elements over other applications because of their flexibility and interoperability with third-party software. These benefits save them a lot of design resource hours, which in turn means a savings that they can then pass on to their client,” Kumar says. 

So are those solutions specific to certain types of PEBs?  “Yes, since both STAAD and RAM Elements support the AISC Design Guide 25 and Metal Building Manufacturers Association design guidelines.

Web-tapered members of PEBs can be easily modeled and designed in STAAD and RAM Elements.

With STAAD and RAM Elements’ powerful engine, huge and complex PEBs can be analysed quickly, while producing accurate results that help users quickly evaluate the structure’s behaviour and to “economise” the design,” he explains. 

Bentley extends 24/7, 365 days technical support to its users while they work on complex design projects. “Our technical support team provides all the help users need to complete the project on time and deliver an economical design,” Kumar says.