Open Steel Design and Graphics
Osdag
Osdag is a cross-platform free/libre and open-source software for the design (and detailing) of steel structures, following the Indian Standard IS 800:2007. It allows the user to design steel connections, members and systems using a graphical user interface. The interactive GUI provides a 3D visualisation of the designed component and an option to export the CAD model to any drafting software for the creation of construction/fabrication drawings. The design is typically optimised following industry best practices.
Starting with version 2017.06.a.e2dd, the beta version of Osdag is released under the terms and conditions of the GNU LESSER GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE (LGPL) Version 3.
Download the latest version of Osdag
System Requirements:
Supported Operating Systems:
Windows Vista
Windows 7
Windows 8
Windows 8.1
Windows 10
Windows 11
Supported Architecture:
64-bit
RAM and Storage Space:
Minimum 4 GB RAM recommended
Minimum 3 GB free storage space recommended
Installation Steps:
===================
Uninstalling Earlier Version of Osdag:
If you have a previous version of Osdag installed then it is mandatory to uninstall the same.
i) Go to the location where Osdag was installed and run "Uninstall.exe".
# Note: If you have an active Antivirus package installed on your system please disable it
during the installation of Osdag. Since Osdag is not registered with the Microsoft store,
the antivirus might block installation/running of Osdag. Osdag does not install any harmful
package on your system.
To install Osdag, Run Osdag_windows_installer.exe
# Follow on-screen instructions AND select the following options in the Setup:
i) Double click on the Osdag_windows_installer.exe to start the installation process.
ii) Click Next.
iii) Read the License and click 'I Agree' to proceed.
iv) Select the installation directory after checking the space requirement and click Next.
v) Click Install.
vi) The installation process will continue. After the process ends, click the Finish button.
Osdag will be successfully installed!
Running Osdag:
==============
After the installation is complete, you may run Osdag by one of the following methods:
i) Double-clicking on the Desktop shortcut or
ii) Press the Windows key and search Osdag
iii) Navigating to the installation-directory and double-clicking on the Osdag shortcut
System Requirements:
Hardware Requirements:
Minimum 4 GB RAM
Minimum 3 GB free disk space
Prerequisites:
This setup script is for machines running Ubuntu, Windows or macOS that do not have
Miniconda3. If you have Miniconda3 already installed on your computer, please skip
Step 1 and proceed to Step 2.
1. Install Miniconda3
Install Miniconda3 if not installed already. Select your operating system. Any other installation giving access to the latest conda version (e.g., Anaconda, miniforge, etc.) is also acceptable.
2. Install LaTeX Distribution
Install MikTeX (for Windows) / TeX Live (for Linux or other OS). This will be needed to generate reports.
-
For MikTeX: Make sure to select "Install for yourself". Once the installation is complete, open MikTeX Console, click on "Check for updates". Click "Update now" if there is any update available.
-
For TeX Live: The package
texlive-fullmay have to be installed to avoid a "missing packages" error (more details below).
3. Open the Conda-Enabled Shell
Instructions are available on the Miniconda3 installations page.
-
For Windows: Open the Anaconda Command Prompt or Anaconda PowerShell Prompt. These should be available from the start menu after installation.
-
For Linux: Open the terminal (use
Ctrl+Alt+T)
4. Create Osdag Environment
Run this command. This will create a new environment and install Osdag in it. It may take several minutes to get the prompt back.
conda create -n osdag-env osdag::osdag -c conda-forge5. Run Osdag
To run Osdag, from the same shell, run these two commands. This will open the Osdag main page.
conda activate osdag-env
osdagNote: Running Osdag will create a folder "ResourceFiles" where this command is run. This folder will be used to store data for use in subsequent runs (for example, input values for various modules).
6. Verify Installation
Attempt a sample problem to make sure everything is working.
7. LaTeX Package Installation
During the first run, when creating the design report, some LaTeX packages may have to be installed before the report can be compiled. MikTeX will generally attempt to do this right then, but may fail if it was installed as an administrator. TeX Live is generally installed as an administrator (i.e., with sudo), so you may have to install texlive-full first.
8. Future Usage
To run Osdag in the future, follow Step 5 from the same folder. This will not require an internet connection (except for installing missing packages as described in Step 7).
9. Update Osdag
Occasionally, update Osdag as new updates may have been added since the install.
conda activate osdag-env
conda update osdagIn case of issues during Steps 3 or 4, i.e., in case Osdag is not installed or does not run, you could try to use the alternative mamba solver:
1. Activate the environment
conda activate osdag-env2. Install mamba
conda install mamba3. Install Osdag using mamba
mamba install osdag::osdag -c conda-forgeOsdag invites enthusiasts with similar interests to contribute to Osdag development. Your contributions can go a long way in improving the software.
Please take a moment to review the guidelines for contributing.
Ways to Contribute:
- Bug reports
- Feature requests
- Pull requests
Have a bug or a feature request? Please first read the issue guidelines and search for existing and closed issues.
If your problem or idea has not been addressed yet, please:
- Open a new issue, or
- Post a query on the Osdag discussion forum
The latest version of Osdag can perform design for two scenarios:
Scenario 1: Optimum Design
Users can obtain the optimum design for a given scenario from a suite of available options in terms of:
- Steel sections (e.g., different channel sizes and plate thicknesses)
- Connectors (e.g., bolts of different grades and diameters)
The optimum design is selected based on the total volume of material, and this design solution is detailed in the output dock and design report.
Scenario 2: Design Check
Perform a design check with a specific set of single inputs/selections in the 'Customized' option. In this case, Osdag will inform if the design checks are satisfied and suggest changes otherwise.
- The Design Report has been reformatted using the LaTeX software system through the PyLaTeX package
- The report is much more detailed and shows step-by-step calculations for a better user experience
- Shear and Moment connections, Slab and Gusseted Base Plates, Tension Members, Compression Members, and Flexural Members have been modified in terms of structure at the backend, GUI, and calculations
- Known bugs have been fixed
The latest version of Osdag contains the following modules (in addition to those available with previous versions):
Plate(d) Connections:
- Lap Joint - Bolted
- Lap Joint - Welded
- Butt Joint - Bolted
- Butt Joint - Welded
- Strut - Bolted to End Gusset
- Strut - Welded to End Gusset
- Axially Loaded Columns
- Plate Girder
- New modules have been added to Osdag:
- Compression Member: Strut in Trusses
- Flexural Member: Simply Supported Beam, Cantilever Beam
- The process of creating the CAD models has been optimized to reduce the time required
- A more streamlined conda-based installer is available to allow for smoother installation and updating. Once installed, users can update Osdag without the need for reinstallation
- Bugs fixed
- This beta version of Osdag contains only the shear connection modules
Contributors
The contributors of the latest version are acknowledged in CONTRIBUTORS.md
Copyright © Osdag contributors 2020.
This program comes with ABSOLUTELY NO WARRANTY. This is free software, and you are welcome to redistribute it under certain conditions. See the License.txt file for details regarding the license.
The beta version of Osdag is released under the terms and conditions of the GNU LESSER GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE (LGPL) Version 3.