1. The current Esteem version’s capabilities
1.1 Reinforced-concrete beams
Esteem can design RC beam with detailing. It is capable for beams with multiple sections.
1.1.1 Beam Auto-support
Esteem able to automatically defines the beam supports based on the finite element stiffness analysis and the moment diagram shape.
1.1.2 Automatic Beam Load Pattern
Esteem assigns beam pattern loads automatically depending to the number of beams and number of slabs at a floor to get the most critical enveloping results.
1.1.3 Curve beams
Esteem able to automatically design curve beam with torsion checking and reinforcement detailing requirements.
1.1.4 Beam Opening
Esteem automatically designs beams with openings at various points. Beams with large opening is meshed and the trimmer bars are designed and detailed automatically.
1.2 Reinforced-concrete columns
Esteem is able to design RC column with detailing.
1.2.1 Irregular shape column
Esteem can design to any column profile or the preset column types (Rectangular, Circular, T-section, Plus-section, U- section, V-section) including any voids inside the column.
1.3 Reinforced-concrete slabs
Esteem able to design slab with detailing through its automated finite element analysis. Esteem is capable to design and detail for irregular shaped slabs.
Esteem can produce detailing for slab cut sections.
1.3.1 Slab opening
Esteem can analyze and design for slab opening together with its trimmer bars detail.
1.3.2 Cantilever slab
Esteem can automatically detect cantilever slab and design it with suitable rebar curtailment detailing.
1.3.3 Sub-slab drop
Esteem can design for slabs with multiple thickness and drops, usually defined as separate sub-slab.
1.4 Reinforced-concrete flat slabs
Esteem 11 is capable to design and detail for RC flat slab. Esteem will automatically define flat slab design strips for flexural design.
Esteem is able to perform flat slab punching shear check that is capable for shear links detailing.
Do note that the flat slab will be a transfer plate if the slab fully supports a column or wall. Esteem does not have design for transfer plate at the moment.
1.5 Reinforced-concrete shear walls
Automatic finite element analysis and design of RC shear wall with automated wall group detailing.
1.5.1 Wall Opening
Esteem able to design and details walls with openings. The typical lift door opening is automatically designed with coupling beam above the opening.
1.5.2 Transfer wall
Esteem will automatically detect shear wall that are sitting on columns as transfer wall. Esteem able to design transfer wall together with the transfer beam through the strut-and-tie method.
1.6 Pad foundation design
Esteem able to automatically size and design pad footing based on column & wall reaction.
1.7 Pile foundation design
Esteem able to automatically provide pile numbers and arrangement based on column & wall reactions. User has to define pile working capacity. Esteem designs pilecap to the working capacity of pile.
1.8 Raft foundation design
Esteem 11 able to design for raft foundation set to the lowest floor. Raft slab is designed at column to flexural and punching shear.
1.9 Steel member analysis and design
Esteem 11 can model, analyze, and design steel columns & steel beams to EC3.
1.9.1 Steel Section Catalog
Esteem provides the user with various steel section catalog to BS Steel, Perwaja Steel, & ASTM Steel sections. User can also define their own steel section, and the section properties will be calculated automatically.
1.9.2 Steel Portal Frame Analysis
Esteem can run analysis for portal frames typically used for industrial buildings. Steel beams can be modeled slanted as a roof beam with fixed ends.
1.10 Wind analysis & Notional load analysis
Esteem able to run 3D analysis with lateral wind loads and notional loads to respective codes (BS6399-2:1997 & EN1991- 1-4).
1.11 Seismic analysis
Esteem is capable to run both static and dynamic seismic analysis to a structure to EC8. Esteem able to run Equivalent Lateral Force Analysis (ELFA) method and Modal Response Spectrum Analysis (MRSA) method with the choice of either Eigenvalue method or RITZ Vector method.
1.12 P-Delta analysis
Esteem is capable to run iterative P-Delta analysis to all load combinations relative to its displacement and sway.
1.13 Staged-construction analysis
Esteem able to simulate staged construction analysis (also known as sequential loading) to each floor-by-floor sequence. The stage construction of each floor would induce "secondary" reactions to the previous floors, especially if any transfer members exist.
1.14 Irregular and multi-storey buildings
Esteem is well capable of modelling, analyzing, and design for irregular shaped buildings and high-rise buildings.
1.15 Malaysian Standards and National Annexes currently implemented, including EC1, EC2, EC3 and EC8.
Esteem currently has implementation and compliance of the following Malaysian Standards:
Users are given choices of legacy codes for reinforced concrete design.
1.16 Design, building-height, storey, node, member or foundation limitations under the different P6, P21, P50 and PU packages.
The only limitation is the number of key plans or storeys that can be designed, depending on the package acquired. E.g. if you acquire Esteem 11 (P6) you can design up to 6 key plans; P21 up to 21 key plans; P50 up to 50 key plans; PU has unlimited key plans.
2. Design outputs and drawings
2.1 Structural analysis results
Elevation Result:
Wall & Column Reaction:
2D Contour View:
Plan Loading & Result View:
3D Analysis Display:
Interstory Drift Report:
Seismic Analysis Report:
Seismic Storey Shear:
2.2 Load combinations and design assumptions
Load Combination to BS8110:85, BS8110:97, and CP65:
Load Combination to EC2, EC2 (NA to SS), and EC2 (NA to MS):
Seismic Load Combination to EC8:
2.3 Beam, column, slab, wall and foundation calculations
2.3.1 Beam calculation
2.3.2 Column calculation
2.3.3 Slab calculation
2.3.4 Wall calculation
2.3.5 Foundation calculation
2.4 Reinforcement details and schedules
2.4.1 Beam detail
2.4.2 Slab reinforcement layout
2.4.3 Column schedule
2.4.4 Wall schedule
2.4.5 Foundation schedule
2.5 Structural layout and construction drawings
2.6 Concrete, formwork and reinforcement quantities
2.7 Costing or quantity takeoff reports
2.8 Outputs can be exported to
2.9 We would particularly like to understand whether the generated calculations are
sufficiently detailed and transparent for checking, internal QA review and submission to clients or approving authorities. Esteem generates detailed, step-by-step calculations designed specifically to make independent checking, verification, and referencing as straightforward as possible. To complement the calculations, we recommend attaching the corresponding analysis result diagrams (such as bending moment, shear force, deflection, etc.) with your report. This allows checkers and approving officers to easily cross-reference the design values used in the calculations directly back to the visual analysis results. Requirements can vary significantly depending on the approving authority. Some local authorities may demand highly exhaustive, fully expanded hand-calculation-style output, while others accept summary calculations alongside full model diagrams. We recommend liaising directly with your local reviewing authority to confirm their specific submission preferences and QA guidelines.
3. AutoCAD and Autodesk compatibility
As we are comparing the use of ESTEEM with
either standalone AutoCAD or the Autodesk AEC Collection, please advise:
3.1 Whether AutoCAD is required to edit and finalize drawings generated by ESTEEM
Esteem automatically generates detailed structural drawings directly based on the parameters and design settings the user had defined. While the drawings are automatically produced, users may still need to perform minor touch-ups or adjustments in AutoCAD to meet their specific drafting standards or preferences. If any detailing changes are made within the CAD drawings outside Esteem, these changes must be manually verified by the engineer, as they will not automatically sync back to the Esteem model. Esteem will explicitly notify the user in the drawing whenever it encounters specific complex details that require manual review or editing in AutoCAD, so that appropriate adjustments can be made.
3.2 Which AutoCAD versions are currently supported
Currently, all drawings exported from the Esteem software is compatible with the latest AutoCAD 2026 & Autocad 2027
3.3 Whether ESTEEM can generate complete drawings with title blocks, annotations,
reinforcement details and bar schedules; Esteem can incorporate user-generated title block templates into the model space of the drawing. Currently, the user has to manually input the sheet numbers into each title blocks in AutoCAD. Esteem currently does not produce bar bending schedules.
3.4 The current compatibility with Revit
Esteem is compatible up to the latest Revit 2026 & Revit 2027.
3.5 Whether the Revit link is genuinely bidirectional
Yes, this is correct in regards to Revit bi-directional link. E.g. it is bi-directionally compatible with Revit 2026 & Revit 2027.
3.6 What model and design information can be transferred between ESTEEM and Revit; and
Geometric model can be transferred between Esteem and Revit Note: The elements supported for Revit and IFC are also mentioned in Esteem user manual.
the dwg exported from the Esteem software should be compatible up to Autocad 2027 Revit bi-directional link is compatible up to Revit 2027 Ifc2x3 exported from the Esteem software can be up to Revit 2027
3.7 Whether there are any known limitations or information losses during Revit or IFC
exchange. For Revit there is information losses for pad and pile foundation, however, this can be overcome by using IFC instead