New Software Simplifies Masonry/Steel Design

Words: Bronzella Cleveland

NovemberDecember 2008
Industry News

New Software Simplifies Masonry/Steel Design

The International Masonry Institute, the National Concrete Masonry Association, Bentley Systems, and Ryan Biggs Associates have teamed up to develop an innovative structural masonry design software program that the group says offers a “whole building” approach for designers that will shrink design time from weeks to days.

The software performs efficient analysis of both loadbearing masonry buildings and the so-called “hybrid” concept of masonry/steel design (steel-framed buildings with reinforced masonry infill). To make designers comfortable using the new software, the groups are sponsoring a national seminar series that covers both hybrid masonry/steel and loadbearing masonry buildings.

The seminars will offer professional education credits, and cover theory and design, as well as whole building analysis. For more information, visit www.imiweb.org. MD

Chairman’s Message: SELF TALK
July 2025

My wife, Sheryl, listens to podcasts often. Sometimes she uses earbuds but also listens through her cellphone speaker as she does countless other things around the house. As a result, very often I have no choice but to listen to the podcasts along with he

Outreach Outlook: Momentum in Motion
July 2025

As we move into the heart of summer, the masonry industry continues to thrive—fueled by innovation, partnership, and a growing commitment to excellence in education and workforce advancement. June has been a remarkable month, marked by events that not onl

Building More: Slow, Fast, or Consistent. What is Tempo?
July 2025

It was a drizzly midweek day when I rolled up to the project we were working on just outside of town. The foreman paced the scaffolding, rain hood half-zipped, barking at two laborers who were sprinting bricks like they were late for a flight. Forty feet

Marvelous Masonry: Belém Tower
July 2025

The Belém Tower in Lisbon, Portugal, stands as a testament to stone construction's enduring artistry and technical prowess. Erected between 1514 and 1519, this iconic structure served as a defensive bastion at the mouth of the Tagus River and as a ceremon