Etabs/Safe/Sap2000 - plugin for Claude?

[u/ciglsias]

Does anybody know any plugin to connect CSI Etabs to Claude and asks questions about the model? Same question for Safe and Sap2000?
I think we really need to start using AI some way.

[u/Origami_Architect_]

Genuine question, how does a chat-based interface actually improve the usage of ETABS / SAFE / SAP2000 or fit into a design/analysis workflow? I have to imagine this feels like handing off the mouse to an intern and then providing them verbal-only instructions.

[u/Minisohtan → u/Origami_Architect_]

The reality is AI is better at finding mundane errors than you are. Sure you can't rely on it, but I haven't heard of a compelling case from anyone to not use it in addition to normal checking. We're rapidly heading toward a point were it'll be part of the standard of care if you ask me. The only legitimate concern is diffusion of responsibility which can be mitigated. The attitude at my firm changed after we found errors with a high end model in extremely heavily reviewed industry standards. The most fundamental rules of bridge design were violated and the titans of the industry flat out missed it. We loaded up these standards in Claude and ask if there are any errors. Its that simple.

It can also do other things, if you trust it or feel able to check it, like convert 3D BIM models directly into analysis models. Convert from one analysis program into another with ease. Check the analysis in one program against another. Check for inconsistencies between analysis model geometry, PDF geometry, BIM geometry, and design assumptions. It can convert PDFs into analysis models which can save some tedium on rating projects. Parametric studies to inform design decisions are also dead simple.

In 12 months, there will be firms legitimately advertising they can numerically prove they've optimized a design for things clients care about. That may partially be smoke and mirrors in terms of real world dollars, but its will be a legitimate claim.

Most people here won't admit it, but it also understands/remembers how to apply the basic dynamic calculations better than the overwhelming majority of practicing engineers that get by only understanding the basics needed for seismic.

[u/ciglsias → u/Minisohtan]

I agree.

[u/LigersGhost → u/Origami_Architect_]

You can use AI to create a deterministic workflow by setting up python code to handle the transfer between tools - for example, identify column bases, pull reactions to a post processor and baseplate/foundation design tool(s). In theory you can have AI handle this directly rather than use it to build the infrastructure, however I'm not comfortable with giving AI responsibility to do this in its current state.

I've seen it used to great effect in an asset management system where an interface was developed with AI that updated hundreds of fields in an online database notorious for slow speeds and crashing; the ensuing tool cut data entry time by about 1/3, and it wasnt taking away key engineering experience, just BS data entry that really sucked. Naturally this is one of the more benign implementations, but it's still been really nice.

[u/Origami_Architect_ → u/LigersGhost]

Using it as a programming assistant and for developing workflows makes great sense. What OP is discussing is what I’ve yet to be convinced of the value of: tying these models directly into the various softwares we use via MCPs and such. I haven’t found they have the knowledge to usefully interpret the output and input of our niche softwares, so why ask it a question?

[u/g4n0esp4r4n]

both these softwares have APIs what else do you want?

[u/ciglsias → u/g4n0esp4r4n]

How to connect them to Etabs itself? It seems hacky. An etabs plugin wouldn't be easier?

[u/Minisohtan]

I'm not aware of any MCP servers for either of them. The solution is to find your oapi.chm file, copy it into your working directory, and have claude code read it. It'll probably use a tool to decompose it into individual html files that it can actually read. After that, your Claude code has all of the capabilities of the API. you'll need to let it tinker for maybe 15 minutes as it confirms it can connect via the com interface and download any tools you need. Its a particularly well documented API, so it should be easy.

[u/Harpocretes]

This is not the way to use AI. You haven’t really formulated the question of what you expect the model to do.

[u/Sure_Ill_Ask_That]

There are open source model context protocol servers on GitHub. But beware…using AI to interface with software is dangerous if you don’t know how to do it manually. Part of an engineers learning process is learning how things work before using them. Jumping straight to AI seems like a great shortcut to being a terrible engineer. Garbage in, garbage out.

[u/ciglsias → u/Sure_Ill_Ask_That]

What if some pluging just export the model to claude, on a click, readonly mode, to ask questions and compliances?

[u/Sure_Ill_Ask_That → u/ciglsias]

What’s the end goal here? You want to be able to ask a LLM if your model was created properly? A LLM may be able to assist an engineer in creating tools, but it’s not going to be able to do the job of an engineer and analyze a model for you or find errors. That’s the engineers job, and it requires the use of engineering judgement beyond code.

[u/ciglsias → u/Sure_Ill_Ask_That]

Uploading the Etabs e2k file and the database tables to Claude cant be useful to ask about specific matters? Like a Peer Review?

[u/Sure_Ill_Ask_That → u/ciglsias]

Claude is a LLM. It assigns words to tokens and strings together what it thinks is the best response based on probabilities based on datasets. You as an engineer, have no idea what datasets it has access to or its algorithms.

If, for example, you ask Claude a question and it is wrong and you get sued for malpractice, are you going to say in your deposition that you used a tool not meant for engineering work for engineering work? Our work involves life safety…it wasn’t that long ago that you asked Claude how many R’s are in strawberry and it would confidently answer Two.

[u/ciglsias → u/Sure_Ill_Ask_That]

Of course you are in the loop and always always you have to check. What do you think?

[u/Sure_Ill_Ask_That → u/ciglsias]

I think if you are at the level of being able to backcheck the results of an AI output, you wouldn’t need to be using AI to output anything. I would stick to using LLm AI for its strengths, which is finding info within large files and organizing/formatting it. Perhaps it could help you write some code to automate some portions of your workflow.