Every macro has its own verification page. Each one gives the source the calculation was compared with, the reference value, the computed value and the deviation between them side by side. The source may be a closed-form solution, a published worked example, or a laboratory or field test. Each page also sits under its own macro.
- MindFEM comparison records
- 1,032
- Macro tests anchored to a source
- 220
- Macro tests anchored to a measurement
- 33
- Programs compared
- 2
Macros
| Macro | What it was checked against |
|---|---|
| Section Analysis | The fiber section calculation is checked against closed-form solutions, a published worked example and 39 reinforced concrete columns tested in the laboratory. On none of the thirty-nine specimens did the computed capacity exceed the moment the specimen actually carried. |
| Column Design | The column calculation is checked in two layers. The section capacity comes from the fiber engine verified against laboratory-tested columns, while the TS 500 and TBDY 2018 detailing rules are each checked at their limit values. |
| Single Pile Analysis | Which worked example and which field test the single-pile calculation was checked against, with the measured and computed value at every point and the magnitude, direction and cause of each deviation. |
| Pile Group | Which equation and which measurement the group efficiency, block failure and lateral row multipliers were checked against, with the magnitude and direction of every comparison. |
Every macro test carries the kind of value it rests on. The table counts the tests that rest on a published solution, a code clause or a closed form, and those that rest on a laboratory or field measurement.
| Macro | Tests anchored to a source | Tests anchored to a measurement |
|---|---|---|
| Section Analysis | 93 | 12 |
| Column Design | 10 | 0 |
| Single Pile Analysis | 90 | 14 |
| Pile Group | 27 | 7 |
Calculation engine
| Engine | What it was checked against |
|---|---|
| MindFEM Engine | The results of the MindFEM engine are checked against closed-form solutions, published literature sources and ETABS and SAP2000 models of the same structures. The page gives the distribution of the records and the coverage and the largest deviation by subject. |
Criteria
The deviation is the relative difference between the computed value and the reference, defined as below.
Where the reference is zero, the absolute magnitude of the computed value is used instead. Once the relative difference drops below it is no longer measurable in double precision and is recorded as zero. Each record has its own tolerance, and the pages give the measured deviation, not the tolerance.
Kinds of reference
| Kind of reference | What it is | What it shows |
|---|---|---|
| Published source | A solution printed in a book, a standard or a paper | That the calculation reproduces the published solution |
| Measurement | A value measured in a laboratory or field test | How the calculation agrees with real behaviour |
| Closed form | The problem's own analytical solution or static equilibrium | That the result is right |
| Independent program | The same structure built in ETABS or SAP2000 with that program's own objects | That a separate program gives the same result |
| Independent calculation | A second solution built here for the comparison, such as a finely divided model or the force method | Consistency, not agreement with an external source |
| Compared model | A MindFEM solution of the same structure with another modelling choice | The effect of the choice; not counted as verification |
Program comparisons
Every program comparison page states what is kept the same in the two programs and what differs. The model file that produced its table can be downloaded from that page. All MindFEM results on these pages were produced with the MindFEM version below.
| Program | Version |
|---|---|
| MindFEM | 2026.10.25 |
| ETABS | 20.1.0 |
| SAP2000 | 27.1.0 |
Verification shows that the program solves the problem given to it correctly. That the model represents the structure and that the code applies remain the engineer's responsibility.
Citation
The verification pages can be cited as below. To cite a single page, use that page's address and the update date shown under its title.
StructuralMind (2026). Verification. https://structuralmind.com/en/docs/verification (updated 2026-10-15).
@misc{structuralmind_verification_2026,
author = {{StructuralMind}},
title = {Verification},
year = {2026},
howpublished = {\url{https://structuralmind.com/en/docs/verification}},
note = {Updated 2026-10-15}
}