About This Tool
LoadTakedown is a fast, easy to use, visual load-takedown tool for early-stage structural design.
It removes much of the repetitive, error-prone work involved in spreadsheet-based load takedown by allowing you to align PDFs across multiple levels, work directly on the plans, and see tributary areas and wall loads visually.
The emphasis is on clarity, speed, and transparency — helping engineers understand and develop structural arrangements and verify load paths.
What You Can Do Today
LoadTakedown lets you build a clear structural picture directly from your drawings:
Import and scale PDF plans for each building level
Align multiple levels to maintain consistent geometry through the structure
Extract geometry from PDFs to instantly identify walls and structural lines
Sketch and edit walls and floor areas directly on the drawing
Visually verify support conditions using colour-coded tributary regions
Apply floor loads using simple one-way spanning assumptions
Automatically calculate vertical wall loads from all supported floors
Inspect load values at the base of each wall, broken down by contributing areas
All results update live as geometry changes, making it easy to test layouts, visualise load paths, and catch mistakes early.
How LoadTakedown Thinks About Loads
LoadTakedown deliberately uses simple, explicit assumptions appropriate for feasibility and concept design.
Simple one-way spanning floors - loads span in the specified direction only
No vertical distribution between supporting elements — loads are reported at the base of each vertical element
Clear load breakdownsNo hidden averaging, smoothing, or vertical spread
This approach keeps outputs predictable, auditable, and easy to sense-check.
Typical Use Cases
Early-stage structural feasibility studies
Visualising and testing layout arrangements
Comparing design options quickly
Checking wall load magnitudes before detailed analysis
Teaching or explaining load paths visually
Sanity-checking manual or FEA-based calculations
What's Coming Next
Development is active and focused on expanding capability and maintaining ease of use. Planned improvements include:
Clearer load summaries and breakdown panels
Improved visualisation of load flow through the structure
Exportable results (tables, CSV, PDF reports)
Vertical load transfer between stacked elements
Additional floor sspan and support conditions
Expanded structural elements and load types
Optional paid tiers once the feature set stabilises
The goal is to grow LoadTakedown into a reliable, engineer-first load-takedown workspace, not a one-off calculator.
Important Notes
This software is under active development by a small team
Feedback and bug reports are strongly encouraged — use the feedback form.
Always apply professional judgement to results.
See licences & terms for intended use and limitations.