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Guides, standards and workflows for CAD, BIM and structural engineering — from the team behind CadnPDF.

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65 articles
Structural Steel

Bolted vs Welded Connections: Pros and Cons

Bolted and welded connections each bring real trade-offs in steel construction — speed and adjustability versus strength and rigidity. A clear comparison of when each method wins, and how the choice shapes whether a frame behaves as rigid, semi-rigid, or pinned.

June 16, 2026 4 min read
Structural Steel

What Is Steel Detailing? Shop, GA, and Erection Drawings

Steel detailing bridges the gap between structural design and physical fabrication. A clear explanation of what GA drawings, shop drawings, and erection drawings each do, and why this discipline is essential to getting steel built right.

June 16, 2026 4 min read
Structural Steel

Structural Steel Sections Explained (I, H, C, Angle, Hollow)

Structural steel sections are standardized shapes, each efficient for a specific job. A clear guide to I-beams, H-beams, channels, angles, and hollow sections (RHS/SHS/CHS) — what each is good at and how engineers actually choose between them.

June 16, 2026 4 min read
RCC & Structural

Working Stress vs Limit State Design

Working Stress Method and Limit State Method represent two different philosophies for RCC design. A clear comparison of the elastic, deterministic WSM against the plastic, probabilistic LSM — and why IS 456:2000 adopted LSM as the modern standard.

June 16, 2026 3 min read
RCC & Structural

Load Calculation Basics for a Simple Building

A step-by-step walkthrough of how load calculation works for a simple building — dead, live, wind, and seismic loads, the load path from slab to footing, and why codes use factored load combinations rather than simple addition.

June 16, 2026 4 min read
RCC & Structural

Types of Foundations and When to Use Them

Foundations split into shallow (isolated, combined, strip, raft) and deep (pile, pier, caisson) types. An overview of each, and the soil, load, and site factors that determine which one a structure actually needs.

June 16, 2026 4 min read
RCC & Structural

Concrete Cover: Why It Matters and Code Requirements

Concrete cover protects reinforcement from corrosion, ensures steel-concrete bond, and provides fire resistance. A clear explanation of clear vs nominal vs effective cover, IS 456 requirements by exposure condition, and why too much cover is also a problem.

June 16, 2026 4 min read
RCC & Structural

Reinforcement Detailing Basics: Beam, Column, Slab, Footing

Reinforcement detailing decides where rebar goes, how it bends, and how it connects between members. A practical guide to detailing rules for beams, columns, slabs, and footings, and the universal principles — cover, laps, spacing — that apply everywhere.

June 16, 2026 4 min read
RCC & Structural

How to Read a Bar Bending Schedule (BBS)

A Bar Bending Schedule (BBS) governs how rebar is cut, bent, and placed on every RCC site. How to read one, why cutting length differs from drawing length, and how reinforcement detailing differs between beams, columns, and slabs.

June 16, 2026 4 min read
RCC & Structural

What Is RCC? Reinforced Cement Concrete Basics

RCC combines concrete's compressive strength with steel's tensile strength. A clear explanation of what Reinforced Cement Concrete is, why it works, what goes into it, and where it's used in construction.

June 16, 2026 3 min read