PCalc vs xsec

PCalc is the powerful choice for scientists, engineers, students, programmers, or indeed anybody looking for a feature rich calculator. It includes an optional RPN mode and multi-line display, a choice of button layouts, an extensive set of unit conversions and constants, a paper tape, multiple undo and redo, engineering and scientific notation, as well as support for hexadecimal, octal, and binary calculations. Includes an Apple Watch app, so you can calculate on your wrist!

Beam and column cross-section analysis of reinforced concrete, prestressing etc. Metric or inch-pound. Any shape: input X,Y per corner or bar. Any materials: input a sequence of stress/strain coordinates for each. Any loading; biaxial or not. An innovative cross-section analysis algorithm that is very universal is used. The enterprising design professional can take full advantage of their knowledge of the materials: • to design innovative concrete members, • to assess the remaining strength in irregular shaped surviving parts of deteriorated or damaged beams or columns. The algorithm is described by Thompson, P. J., Discussion of "Ultimate Strength Domain of Reinforced Concrete Sections under Biaxial Bending and Axial Load", ACI Structural Journal, Nov-Dec 2013, pp 1109-1112. There are established computation methods for a variety of cross-section shapes: rectangular, circular and Tee are examples. Also the established methods use a variety of shapes for the stress/strain relationship of concrete: the rectangular stress block, the parabolic stress block, linear, cracked linear are examples. With most of these established methods, if the input to the application is the same as that input to the established method then the results from the application will be the same as those from that established method. Several of the worked examples are taken from previously published articles and illustrate this point. The material description facility is completely general. Material descriptions can be prepared for any locale and any standard design code document. Also once prepared they can be copied from one job to the next. This is one of the benefits of the file read/write facilities in the application. There is a comprehensive user guide and some worked examples on the internet at xsecweb.com.