Version 0.8.1 - 09.07.2025
- Developed the matrix analysis engine for the beam calculator using the stiffness method.
- Added a load diagram to the beam report.
- Added shear and moment graph to the beam report.
- Added a deflection graph to the beam report.

The engineering report is still not complete however by rolling this beta release I can allow potential users of this plugin the ability to test it out and assist in the debugging.  The plugin can be directly downloaded from this link:

http://design.medeek.com/calculator/sketchup/medeek_engineering_ext.rbz

First look at partial UDLs with overhangs:







So with that I think the basic nuts and bolts of the matrix analysis engine is in place and functioning pretty much as expected.  Of course it will probably be a few more days or even weeks before I am able to put out every little fire that may be burning undetected thus far, but we will see.

Now I will turn my attention to the following items on the todo list:

1.) Try to fix the truncation in the shear graph so that vertical jumps actually are vertical.
2.)  Add in the standard engineering checks for wood beams (glulam, lumber, timber, LVL, SCL and PSL)
3.)  Finish the formatting and layout of the HTML report.  I may also include an option between a condensed report and a detailed report (or that may come later).

Things that are not specifically on the todo list but are interesting:

- Add in fixed and partially fixed supports, currently every support is assumed pinned.
- Engineering for steel beams
- Trapezoidal distributed loads
- Moment loads

Overhanging beams with point loads now check out.  Once again ChatGPT to the rescue to help debug my syntax and even debug my actual algorithms.  This AI stuff is getting crazy good, sometimes it makes mistakes but then it is able to reason and catch itself, it's uncanny.

Now I just need to debug for uniform distributed loads on overhanging beams.  Then it is on to the actual engineering portion (AWC stuff for wood) and some final formatting of the PDF/HTML report.

I'm also not entirely satisfied with the clunkiness of the tools used to move and create the supports, some improvements on this end are needed.  A load/support copy tool would be really nice, rather than having to create completely new loads and supports from scratch.

I built the single story, you will have no problem extending it longways.

I used 16" floor joist increments since the 2x12 SS was the sturdiest dimensional lumber I could get ahold of at 20' span, might be able to use 2' increments with engineered lumber.

If you're not married to 20' width and you're just a single guy, I did find obtaining and hauling 16' lumber to be way more accessible from both a logistics and accessibility standpoint, but given this house was used for more than one person the 20' suited us perfectly.

Still putting out a few fires and bugs. I had a small bug in my conditionals where loads were symmetric (like the example below), but I've resolved that now. My next fix is the vertical jump issue(s) with the shear diagram. I have some ideas on how to address this, just need to test it and see if it is the solution. Here is a symmetric point load scenario and the deflections for the two load cases:

P1 = 500 lbs (D)
P2 = P3 = 100 lbs (D) 500 lbs (L)

Building longer is much easier than going wider. Basically you just add more foundation, walls and roof, repeating sections of what was used in the original plan.

First look at a combined point load and distributed load. I'm not exactly happy with the shear diagram where it makes the vertical jumps. I will need in to add in a correction factor (additional point) at each point load and internal support so that the shear is properly reported at those locations.

I see that the 1.5 story plan can be modified in 2' increments. Is this also possible for the single story plan? I am considering purchasing the plan, but would like to build 20x36 instead of 20x30. Is this easy enough?

I am using the stiffness method per Ch. 15 of R.C. Hibbeler's book, Structural Analysis. For intermediate loads between supports I use (FEM) fixed end moments. I'm actually still working on the matrix analysis piece. I've got point loads pretty much in place I've just got to implement distributed loads next. I suppose I could have it generate the entire polynomial for both shear and the moments since I am generating them for each applied load, it is probably just matter of using superposition on them as well.

Here is a first look at the ability to switch between various load cases for the deflection graph: