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Structural Engineering Calculators & Tools

Structural engineering calculators for beam deflection, column buckling, stress analysis, and more. Calculate bending moments, deflections, and critical loads for your structural designs.

Structural Engineering Calculators

Explore our collection of 5 structural engineering calculators. Each tool includes detailed documentation, formulas, and interactive visualizations.

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Beam Deflection Calculator
Calculate maximum deflection, bending moment, and stress for simply supported and cantilever beams. Includes 3D visualization.
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Column Buckling Calculator
Calculate critical buckling load for columns using Euler formula. Supports various end conditions and cross-sections.
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Mohr's Circle Calculator
Calculate principal stresses, maximum shear stress, and stress transformation angles using Mohr's Circle for plane stress analysis.
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Stress-Strain Calculator
Calculate stress, strain, and elastic modulus from basic inputs. Includes true stress/strain conversion, Poisson's ratio effects, and interactive stress-strain curve visualization.
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Moment of Inertia Calculator
Calculate moment of inertia (second moment of area), section modulus, and radius of gyration for common cross-sectional shapes including rectangles, circles, I-beams, and channels.

Structural Engineering Glossary

Key terms and definitions for structural engineering. Understanding these concepts will help you use our calculators more effectively.

Elastic Modulus (Young's Modulus)
A measure of a material's stiffness, defined as the ratio of stress to strain in the linear elastic region. Denoted as E, it represents how much a material will deform under a given load.
Moment of Inertia (Second Moment of Area)
A geometric property that describes how a cross-section's area is distributed about an axis. It determines a beam's resistance to bending and is denoted as I.
Deflection
The displacement of a structural element from its original position under load. Maximum deflection is often limited by building codes to prevent serviceability issues.
Bending Moment
The internal moment that causes a beam to bend when subjected to external loads. It represents the sum of moments about a point in the cross-section.
Bending Stress
The normal stress induced in a beam due to bending. Calculated as σ = M·c/I, where M is bending moment, c is distance from neutral axis, and I is moment of inertia.
Slenderness Ratio
The ratio of effective column length to radius of gyration (λ = KL/r). It characterizes how prone a column is to buckling. Higher values indicate more slender columns that are more susceptible to elastic buckling.
Effective Length
The equivalent length of a column with pinned ends that would buckle at the same load. Calculated as Le = K×L, where K is the effective length factor depending on end conditions and L is the actual length.
Radius of Gyration
A geometric property that relates moment of inertia to cross-sectional area: r = √(I/A). It represents the distance from the centroid at which the entire area could be concentrated to produce the same moment of inertia.
Principal Stress
The maximum and minimum normal stresses that occur on planes where shear stress is zero. These are eigenvalues of the stress tensor and represent the extreme values of normal stress at a point.
Stress Transformation
The mathematical process of converting stress components from one coordinate system to another rotated system. On Mohr's Circle, rotation in physical space by angle θ corresponds to 2θ rotation on the circle.
Maximum Shear Stress
The largest shear stress that occurs at a point, equal to half the difference between maximum and minimum principal stresses: τ_max = (σ₁ - σ₂)/2. On Mohr's Circle, it equals the circle radius.
Engineering Stress
The force applied to a material divided by its original cross-sectional area: σ = F/A₀. Also called nominal stress, it does not account for the change in area during deformation.
Engineering Strain
The change in length divided by the original length: ε = ΔL/L₀. Also called nominal strain, it is dimensionless but often expressed as a percentage or in microstrain (με).
True Stress
The force divided by the instantaneous (current) cross-sectional area: σₜ = F/A. Related to engineering stress by σₜ = σₑ(1 + εₑ) for uniform deformation. More accurate for large strains.
True Strain
The natural logarithm of the ratio of current to original length: εₜ = ln(L/L₀) = ln(1 + εₑ). Also called logarithmic or natural strain. Additive for sequential deformations.
Centroid
The geometric center of a cross-section, where the first moment of area equals zero. For symmetric shapes, the centroid lies on the axis of symmetry. Moments of inertia are typically calculated about axes through the centroid.
Neutral Axis
The axis within a beam cross-section where bending stress is zero. Fibers above the neutral axis are in tension or compression (depending on bending direction), while those below are in the opposite state.
Parallel Axis Theorem
A formula relating moment of inertia about any axis to the centroidal moment of inertia: I = I_c + Ad², where I_c is centroidal moment of inertia, A is area, and d is distance between parallel axes.
Section Modulus
A geometric property relating bending moment to bending stress: S = I/c, where I is moment of inertia and c is distance from neutral axis to extreme fiber. Used in the bending stress formula: σ = M/S.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are structural engineering calculators?

Structural Engineering calculators are online tools that help engineers and students solve common structural engineering problems. They provide quick, accurate calculations for design, analysis, and verification tasks.

Are these structural calculators free to use?

Yes, all structural engineering calculators on Simulyzers are completely free to use. No registration or account is required.

How accurate are these structural engineering tools?

Our calculators use industry-standard formulas and methods. However, they are intended for preliminary estimates and educational purposes. Always verify critical calculations with a qualified professional engineer.

Can I use these calculators on mobile devices?

Yes, all our structural engineering calculators are fully responsive and work on smartphones, tablets, and desktop computers.

Other Categories

⚡ Electrical Engineering⚙️ Mechanical Engineering🏭 Manufacturing & Production💧 Fluid Mechanics🌡️ Heat Transfer & Thermal

About Structural Engineering Tools

Our structural engineering calculators are designed for practicing engineers, students, and technical professionals. Each calculator uses established engineering formulas with clear documentation of assumptions and limitations.

How to Use These Calculators

  • Enter your input values in the form fields
  • Select appropriate units (metric or imperial)
  • Click Calculate to see results
  • Review any warnings or notes about assumptions
  • Use the 3D visualization to verify your understanding
  • Share calculations by copying the URL

Disclaimer

These calculators are for preliminary estimates and educational purposes only. Results should be verified by a qualified professional engineer before use in actual engineering applications. See our full disclaimer for more information.