Excel spreadsheets to quickly calculate building structures

In 2012, the TBG standards to calculate building structures were unified across Europe and replaced by the Eurocodes. Between 2019 and 2024, the Eurocodes will change again. To take a lot of work off the hands of structural engineers, there are Excel spreadsheets and software that calculate building structures quickly, clearly and easily.

Qec (Quick Eurocode) is one of the few software companies in the Netherlands that is active in providing software for calculating individual components of architectural structures. Meanwhile, Qec has developed 175 calculation models in Excel and more are on the way, according to René Mom, one of the initiators. "The Excel spreadsheet packages we realize are not only intended for calculation, but also for checking and determining loads on building structures. Mostly for load-bearing structures in concrete, steel, wood and masonry. This makes it fast, easy and it is clear. Among others, municipalities like Amsterdam, well-known large and small engineering firms, one-man steel suppliers and contractors are already using our calculation sheets."

Eurocodes
The Dutch TGB standards NEN 6700 through NEN 6790, to calculate building structures, were replaced in 2012 by calculation rules valid throughout Europe: the Eurocode. Even before this was the case, René Mom and two former colleagues (van Swaay and Wouters) started Qec ten years ago. Between 2019 and 2023, however, the Eurocodes are going to change again, which means a lot of extra work for structural engineers. Qec's products can help with that. These are all calculation sheets for parts of a building. Think of calculations in terms of loads on a structure (from wind, snow and the like), of materials such as concrete, steel, wood and masonry, as well as geotechnical engineering. "Taking these calculations out of the hands of structural engineers saves them a lot of work," says Mom. "These are formats that can only be partially completed by the structural engineer; the underlying formulas may only be modified by Qec. Because the calculation is not a black box, errors are immediately detectable so that immediate action can be taken. But the calculations are checked so often that this is not likely to happen."  

Text | Irene Teunissen  Image | Qec