How do I simulate a canopy?

Open this page and use the live Crane Boom Check tool below — set your inputs and the simulation runs instantly in your browser using real numerics. No install, no account needed.

Yes. The simulation runs free in your browser. A one-time unlock or a Pro plan adds advanced parameters, saved presets, data import, and clean exports.

Can I use my own numbers?

Absolutely — every input is adjustable, and with data import you can drive a canopy from your own measurements.

Use case · powered by Crane Boom Check

Crane Boom Check for a canopy

Simulate a canopy live in your browser. This runs the real Crane Boom Check solver — adjust the inputs, watch it respond instantly, and export the result. No install, no account.

For:Students Researchers Educators Engineers Hobbyists & Makers K-12 Students First Responders

3D FEA

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3D FEA — Space Frame StudioLive

3D direct stiffness · drag to orbit

Controls

A 3D tower under a lateral + vertical load at the top. Drag to orbit. Members colored by axial force.

Presets

Lateral load

Deformation ×

▶ Run in Python

Data Inspector

Nodes16

Members40

DOF48

Solveconverged

Max displacement3.161

Governing equation

K u = F, k_{e} = \frac{E A}{L}, F_{x} = 15 (40 members)

Reading this result: Combined lateral 15 and vertical load bends the frame; peak node displacement is 3.161, and members recolor by axial force, cyan for tension and pink for compression.

Runs locally in your browser — free forever. Scale to the cloud when reality gets heavy.

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Column Buckling

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Column Buckling (Euler)Live

critical load & slenderness

Controls

Presets

Young's modulus E (GPa)

Moment of inertia I (10⁶ mm⁴)

Length L (m)

Cross-section area (mm²)

A slender column fails not by crushing but by buckling sideways at the Euler critical load Pcr = π²EI/(KL)². The effective-length factor K depends on the end restraints — fixing both ends quadruples the capacity versus pinned. Educational tool, not a substitute for code-based design.

▶ Run in Python

Data Inspector

Critical load Pcr2193 kN

Effective length3.00 m

Slenderness KL/r52

Critical stress731 MPa

Governing equation

P_{cr} = \frac{π ^{2} E I}{( K L ) ^{2}} = \frac{π ^{2} ( 200 GPa ) ( 10 \times 1 0 ^{6} mm ^{4} )}{( 1 \times 3 m ) ^{2}} = 2193 kN

Reading this result: Intermediate slenderness (KL/r = 52): buckling and yielding compete, so design codes blend the two rather than trusting Euler alone.

Runs locally in your browser — free forever. Scale to the cloud when reality gets heavy.

↓

Fatigue

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Fatigue (S-N Curve)Live

failure under cyclic load

Controls

Presets

Ultimate strength (MPa)

Stress amplitude (MPa)

Ferrous (has endurance limit)

Repeated loading well below the ultimate strength can still break a part — metal fatigue. The S-N curve plots stress amplitude against cycles to failure. Steels have an endurance limit: below it they last essentially forever, but aluminum has none and eventually fails at any stress. Cause of many catastrophic aircraft and bridge failures.

▶ Run in Python

Data Inspector

Endurance limit250 MPa

Cycles to failure1.17e+5

Verdictfinite life

Governing equation

N = (\frac{σ _{a}}{σ _{f}^{'}})^{1/ b}, σ_{a} = 300 MPa \Rightarrow N = 1.17 e + 5 cycles

Reading this result: At 300 MPa the part fails after about 1.2e+5 cycles. Drop below the 250 MPa endurance limit to reach infinite life.

Runs locally in your browser — free forever. Scale to the cloud when reality gets heavy.

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About this simulation

The full Crane Boom Check tool models a canopy with the same numerics engineers and scientists use — running entirely client-side. Change any parameter and the result updates in real time, so you can build intuition, check a design, or teach the concept without spreadsheets or installs.

More you can do with Crane Boom Check

Crane Boom Check for a cantilever balcony Crane Boom Check for a bridge girder Crane Boom Check for a floor joist Crane Boom Check for a roof rafter Crane Boom Check for a steel beam Crane Boom Check for a timber deck Crane Boom Check for a crane boom Crane Boom Check for a retaining wall

Other ways to simulate a canopy

2D Fluid (CFD) for a canopy 3D CFD for a canopy 3D FEA Space Frame for a canopy FEA Truss for a canopy Meshing + BCs for a canopy RLC Circuit for a canopy

Frequently asked questions

How do I simulate a canopy?: Open this page and use the live Crane Boom Check tool below — set your inputs and the simulation runs instantly in your browser using real numerics. No install, no account needed.
Is it free?: Yes. The simulation runs free in your browser. A one-time unlock or a Pro plan adds advanced parameters, saved presets, data import, and clean exports.
Can I use my own numbers?: Absolutely — every input is adjustable, and with data import you can drive a canopy from your own measurements.