STRES DEEP BEAM: Strut-and-Tie Design of Concrete Deep Beams for $35
STRES DEEP BEAM is a $35 Windows program for structural engineers that designs one-span reinforced concrete deep beams with the strut-and-tie method of Chapter 23 of ACI 318-19, metric version. It turns your geometry and factored load into a truss model, reinforcement areas, a Word design note and a DXF drawing.
Deep beams are where ordinary flexure design stops applying, and drawing a strut-and-tie model by hand means repeating the geometry each time a nodal zone changes size. This small tool does that loop for one common member and nothing else.
Quick facts
- Developer: STRES Structural Engineering Software SARL
- Design code: ACI 318-19, metric units (cm, kN, MPa)
- Scope: one-span deep beams with a span-to-depth ratio under 4
- Output: Word design note and AutoCAD-compatible DXF drawing
- Price: $35, one-time payment
- License: unlimited in time, tied to one computer
- Demo: free, with limits on concrete and steel properties; the download form asks for your name, country and email
- What we checked: $35 with no renewal charge on the order page, and the 10-page manual and product page, on November 6, 2026. We didn't install the demo or check a design by hand.
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Overview
STRES DEEP BEAM fits one window: materials and geometry on the left, the loads in the middle, a live sketch of the beam on the right. After you press Calculate, it reports three reinforcement results: Ats, the main bottom steel, and As1 and As2, the vertical and horizontal bars that resist splitting in the inclined struts.
The main window, with a 400 cm high beam under a 2,800 kN concentrated load. The title bar in this vendor image reads Ver. 1.00.
Features
A strut-and-tie model solved by iteration
STRES DEEP BEAM calculates the widths of struts and ties through an iterative process, so node positions come from the calculation instead of being assumed. For linear loads it takes a conservative fixed lever arm of 0.7h between the top strut and the bottom tie.
Automatic model selection around the 25 degree limit
STRES DEEP BEAM keeps every strut-to-tie angle at 25 degrees or more. When a simple truss would break that limit, it switches to a scheme with extra struts and ties.
Four deep beam configurations
The Configure button in STRES DEEP BEAM covers concentrated or linear loads, each on a normal beam or a very tall one. The tall case suits a bearing wall with a large ground-floor opening: the program freezes the effective design height at the axial span, Ln + 0.5(a + b), and transposes the load using the St-Venant principle.
Unequal supports and general nodal zones
STRES DEEP BEAM accepts different left and right support lengths, which shifts the strut inclinations. It also handles non-hydrostatic nodal zones, where a strut isn't perpendicular to the zone face.
A design note you can file
The Report button in STRES DEEP BEAM creates a Word document with equations, code references and figures of the model and each nodal zone. Its checks cover zone widths and the strength of struts at the supports.
Layered DXF reinforcement drawings
STRES DEEP BEAM draws an elevation and a section to scale with full annotations, and puts formwork, reinforcement and text on separate layers so you can restyle them in CAD. The Settings menu lets you exclude bar diameters, and the steel optimizer then tries other diameters, bar counts and layers for the most economical main reinforcement.
A drawing generated by the program: elevation and Section A with bar marks and dimensions.
Real-World Uses
- Checking a transfer girder that carries one column over an opening
- Sizing the wall panel above a ground-floor opening when the floors above stay solid
- Producing a quick preliminary reinforcement figure before a full finite element model exists
- Adding a code-referenced calculation and a drawing to a small project file
Who It's For, and Who Should Skip It
STRES DEEP BEAM suits freelance structural engineers and small offices who work to ACI 318 in metric units and meet the odd deep beam. At $35 it costs less than the time spent redoing one model by hand.
Skip it if you design to Eurocode or in US customary units, if your member is continuous over several spans, or if it has openings or combined loads. A general strut-and-tie or finite element package fits those jobs better.
Usage Guide
- Fill in the demo form and install the program; remember that the demo restricts material values.
- Enter f'c, fy and the geometry, then press Update Geometry to refresh the sketch.
- Press Configure to choose a concentrated or a linear load.
- Enter the factored load, and tick Include Self Weight if you want it added.
- Press Calculate and review Ats, As1 and As2.
- Press Report for the Word note, then pick units and scale and press DXF for the drawing.
Where it falls short
- STRES DEEP BEAM takes one factored concentrated force or one trapezoidal load, never both at once.
- It models one span only, although the product tags mention continuous beams.
- The license is bound to one computer and can't be moved to another machine. STRES issues a new key only after hardware damage.
- We found no independent reviews, so nobody outside the vendor vouches for the results. Hand-check your first few designs, and treat the output as your own engineering responsibility. The legal terms disclaim any liability.
Comparisons
STRES DEEP BEAM vs AStrutTie
AStrutTie is a browser-based strut-and-tie tool for deep beams, corbels, pile caps and pier caps, with ACI 318, AASHTO LRFD, Eurocode 2 and KDS checks. It is much broader, and you draw your own model. STRES DEEP BEAM covers one member type and one code, and builds the model for you.
Editions and Pricing
| Product | Price | Purpose |
|---|
| DEEP BEAM | $35 | One-span deep beams, ACI 318-19 metric |
| CORBEL | $35 | Concrete corbels, ACI 318-19 metric |
| RCBEAM PRO | $100 | Beams, with 2D frame analysis |
| BUILD-PRO | $400 | The top of the STRES range |
FAQs
Is STRES DEEP BEAM a subscription?
No, STRES DEEP BEAM is a one-time purchase. The order page shows no renewal, and the license terms describe it as unlimited in time.
Can I install STRES DEEP BEAM on two computers?
No, STRES DEEP BEAM uses a key tied to one computer. Ask STRES for a new key if hardware damage forces a replacement.
Does STRES DEEP BEAM support US customary units?
No, STRES DEEP BEAM follows the metric version of ACI 318-19 and takes centimeters, kN and MPa.
What does the STRES DEEP BEAM demo leave out?
The STRES DEEP BEAM demo limits the concrete and steel characteristics you can enter.
How is the reinforcement in inclined struts handled in STRES DEEP BEAM?
STRES DEEP BEAM always provides crack-control reinforcement under section 23.4.3 of ACI 318-19 and takes the strut coefficient as 0.75.
System Requirements
- Windows PC
- Microsoft Word to open the design note
- AutoCAD or another program that reads DXF for the drawings
Conclusion
Worth $35 if you work to ACI 318 in metric units and meet deep beams now and then. The reason to buy is the automatic, iterated strut-and-tie model plus a ready note and drawing. The reason not to is its narrow scope and the lack of any independent review, so try the demo on a beam you have already solved by hand.
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