What LUSAS does

LUSAS (trading name of Finite Element Analysis Ltd.) is a privately held UK engineering analysis software company founded in 1982 by Dr Paul Lyons and Dr David Irving, with software origins dating to 1970 at Imperial College London. The company develops and supports a finite element analysis (FEA) software suite organised around four core application-specific products — LUSAS Bridge, LUSAS Civil & Structural, LUSAS Analyst, and LUSAS Composite — built on a shared LUSAS Modeller interface and LUSAS Solver engine written in C++. The platform supports linear, nonlinear, dynamic, thermal, geotechnical, and composite analysis with proprietary multi-frontal solvers delivering 10-20x performance gains, and is extended via add-on modules (Vehicle Load Optimisation, Masonry Bridge Wizard, IMDplus, nonlinear/dynamic/thermal options) and a programmable interface (LPI) enabling customisation, BIM integration with REVIT and Bentley, and an official Grasshopper plugin with Python scripting.

LUSAS generates revenue primarily through quote-based perpetual and annual software licences (sold in LT, Standard, and Plus tiers), annual technical support contracts, training courses, and an engineering consultancy services division. It serves enterprise engineering customers across bridge, civil/structural, offshore oil and gas, mechanical, aerospace/defence, automotive, rail, and medical device industries, with named customers including Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE), Woodfield Systems (Aker Solutions), FaberMaunsell, Flint & Neill (COWI), Arvin Exhaust, and BEBO Arch International. An academic licensing program supports university research and teaching at reduced pricing.

The company operates from its UK headquarters in Kingston upon Thames with wholly-owned regional subsidiaries LUSAS KOREA Co. Ltd. (Seongnam-si) and LUSAS Hangzhou (China), supplemented by a global network of regional distributors and resellers. Distribution combines direct sales for enterprise accounts with channel partners across Asia-Pacific, the Americas, Europe, and Australia/New Zealand. The business has remained founder-led, privately held, and bootstrapped across its 40+ year operating history, with a small employee base of 11-50 staff and an unbroken annual major version release cadence.

Name

LUSAS

Legal name

Finite Element Analysis Ltd.

Website

https://lusas.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1982

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

LUSAS (Finite Element Analysis Ltd.) develops finite element analysis software for bridge, civil, structural, composites, and general engineering applications, serving enterprise consultancies, infrastructure owners, and academic institutions across more than 40 countries via direct sales and regional distributors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Engineering Analysis Software (Finite Element Analysis)

NAICS

Custom Computer Programming Services (541511), Engineering Services (54133)

SIC

Services-Computer Programming Services (7371), Services-Engineering Services (8711)

akta.pro primary industry

Reliability, Safety & Risk Engineering (RAMS/PSM) Consulting (BPAHAIAK)

Keywords

• Finite element analysis
• Structural engineering software
• Bridge analysis software
• Civil engineering analysis
• Composite materials analysis

Headquarters

HQ city

Kingston Upon Thames

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Software

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Operations

Revenue model

1. Software Licenses: LUSAS software is sold as perpetual or annual licenses with different product tiers (LT, Standard, Plus versions). License types include standalone (USB hardware lock protected) and network (LAN/WAN) licenses. Pricing varies by product type (Bridge, Civil & Structural, Analyst, Composite), version level, and additional software options.
2. Technical Support: Annual technical support contracts available for initial site licenses. Support is provided through nominated individuals at each licensed site. Support options can be purchased separately from software licenses.
3. Training Courses: On-demand and live online training courses provided as separate service. Training course enquiries directed to [email protected].
4. Consultancy Services: LUSAS Engineering Consultancy Services division provides specialized engineering analysis consulting for civil/structural, bridges, offshore/oil/gas, mechanical engineering, and composites applications. Customisation services also offered.
5. Academic Licenses: Special pricing for bona fide educational establishments for research and teaching purposes. Annual license fees with optional technical support. May not be used for commercial applications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

LUSAS develops, sells and supports a finite element analysis (FEA) software suite used by engineers to analyse, design and assess bridges, civil and structural infrastructure, mechanical components, composite structures and storage tanks. The suite is built around the LUSAS Modeller GUI and LUSAS Solver engine, delivered as modular commercial software (Bridge, Civil & Structural, Analyst, Composite, Tank) with versioned tiers (LT/Standard/Plus), optional add-on modules and an academic edition. The company also delivers paid engineering consultancy, training courses and recurring technical support based on its own software.

Product overview

LUSAS is a comprehensive finite element analysis (FEA) software suite developed by Finite Element Analysis Ltd. The portfolio consists of a modular platform architecture with four core application-specific products: LUSAS Bridge (bridge analysis), LUSAS Civil & Structural (general civil and structural engineering), LUSAS Analyst (general mechanical and industrial analysis), and LUSAS Composite (advanced composite materials). LUSAS Academic provides educational licensing for the same products. Each core product is available in multiple tiers (LT, Standard, Plus) with incremental capabilities, and all products share the common LUSAS Solver technology and LUSAS Modeller interface. The software supports extensive add-on options including Fast Solvers, Vehicle Load Optimisation, design checking modules (Steel Frame, RC Frame, RC Slab/Wall, Composite Deck), Nonlinear Analysis, Dynamic Analysis, Thermal/Field Analysis, Geotechnical Analysis, Heat of Hydration, Rail Track Analysis, and the IMDplus advanced modal dynamics option. Customisation and automation is enabled through the LUSAS Programmable Interface (LPI) and Material Model Interface (MMI), with official plugins for Grasshopper and third-party integrations with CAD systems (PATRAN, IDEAS, FEMVIEW, IGES, DXF, STEP), FEA formats (Abaqus, Ansys, Nastran), BIM platforms (REVIT, Bentley), and Microsoft Office applications. Engineering consultancy services are also provided.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• LUSAS Bridge: Feature-rich bridge analysis system for all types of general analysis with beam, shell and solid elements.
• LUSAS Civil & Structural
• LUSAS Analyst
• LUSAS Composite
• LUSAS Academic

Products and services

• LUSAS Bridge Feature-rich bridge analysis system for all types of general analysis with beam, shell and solid elements. Supports linear static stress analysis, linear cable tuning, natural frequency/eigen analysis, linear dynamics with forced response, and Interactive Model Dynamics. Available in LT, Standard, and Plus versions, with options for vehicle load optimisation, steel and composite deck design, masonry bridge analysis, nonlinear and dynamic analysis. Sold to engineering consultancies, contractors and government transportation departments worldwide.
• LUSAS Civil & Structural Feature-rich structural analysis system for all types of general analysis with beam, shell, solid and joint elements. Supports linear static stress analysis, linear buckling, linear cable tuning, natural frequency, linear dynamics, Interactive Model Dynamics, and fatigue analysis. Available in LT, Standard, and Plus versions, with options for steel frame design, RC frame design, RC slab/wall design, geotechnical analysis, Fast Solvers, nonlinear, dynamic and thermal/field analysis. Used for buildings, towers, industrial structures, tunnels and geotechnical applications.
• LUSAS Analyst Feature-rich engineering analysis system for general use in automotive, aerospace, defence, manufacturing and general mechanical industries. Supports linear static stress, linear buckling, natural frequency and fatigue analysis, with an advanced element library including solid continuum, thick/thin plates, flat shells and generalised joints/springs/gaps. Available in Standard and Plus versions, with Plus enabling nonlinear, dynamic and thermal analysis via additional options.
• LUSAS Composite Advanced composite analysis system for laminated and composite components, offered as Plus version only due to advanced element requirements. Includes an extended high-performance element library (bars, beams, plane stress/strain, shells) and advanced materials (orthotropic, anisotropic, composite lay-ups), with composite failure modelling using Tsai-Hill, Hoffman, Tsai-Wu and Hashin criteria. Fast Multifrontal Solvers are included with new orders; IMDplus, Nonlinear, Dynamic and Thermal options can be added.
• LUSAS Tank Specialized analysis software for tank structures, including LNG storage tanks with seismic isolation analysis capabilities. Sold as a dedicated application built on the LUSAS Solver.
• LUSAS Academic Licensed version of LUSAS software for bona fide educational establishments for research and teaching. Allows any LUSAS application product (Analyst, Composite, Bridge, Civil & Structural) to be selected at run-time, with Fast Solvers, IMD Plus, Nonlinear, Dynamics, Thermal/Field, and Heat of Hydration analysis options included. Sold under separate discounted annual academic pricing with fixed or floating license options; not for commercial applications.
• LUSAS Consultancy Services Paid engineering consultancy services using LUSAS software for civil/structural projects, bridges, offshore oil and gas, mechanical engineering and composites. Includes customisation services for developing tailored analysis solutions. Offered by Finite Element Analysis Ltd.'s Engineering Consultancy Services division, with project examples including Gateshead Millennium Bridge support hinge design, LNG marine loading arm thermal analysis and AMAP exhaust system tool development.

Quantifiable outcome

• Vehicle load assessment times can be significantly reduced through Vehicle Load Optimisation option
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers21 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration20 records

Feature7 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• LUSAS Korea Co. LtdcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorAsia-Pacific Regional Office operating as exclusive distributor for LUSAS products in Korea. Handles sales, technical support, and customer relationships for Korean market.
• LUSAS Hangzhou (卢萨斯（杭州）科技有限公司)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorChina Regional Office operating as exclusive distributor for LUSAS products in China. Provides local sales, support, and developed Chinese language version of software.
• REVIT (Autodesk)coreTechnology or IntegrationLUSAS can be used as a component of BIM design systems allowing customised design checks within LUSAS before saving selected model/results data in BIM platform such as REVIT.
• Bentley SystemscoreTechnology or IntegrationLUSAS integrated as part of automated BIM design systems for exchange of geometry design and results data with Bentley BIM platform software.
• Grasshopper (McNeel)coreTechnology or IntegrationOfficial LUSAS plugin for Grasshopper enables parametric model creation with dedicated Grasshopper components, live link updates between Grasshopper and running LUSAS instance, and seamless model exchange.
• Gifford and Partners (Ramboll)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerConsulting engineering firm that designed the Gateshead Millennium Bridge using LUSAS for structural analysis. Long-standing customer relationship.
• Kvaerner Markham EngineeringcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerDesigned electro-hydraulic actuation and control systems for Gateshead Millennium Bridge using LUSAS Analyst for support hinge assembly design optimization.
• Flint & Neill (COWI)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerLong-standing client that used LUSAS for West Gate Bridge Upgrade project strengthening design verification to enable additional traffic lanes.
• FEA (Australia) Pty LtdcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerAustralian FEA consultancy providing specialized LUSAS support and customisation services. Worked on various offshore, mining, and engineering analysis projects.
• Arvin Exhaust R&DcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerCommissioned FEA Ltd's consultancy department to develop AMAP (Arvin Modal Analysis Program) as extension to LUSAS Analyst for automated exhaust system vibration analysis.
• Systematic Drill HeadcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerEngaged FEA Ltd's Engineering Consultancy Services to develop customized user interface for automated vibration analysis of drill spindle assemblies using LUSAS.
• Woodfield Systems (Aker Solutions)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerUsed LUSAS Consultancy Services for stress and thermal analysis of LNG marine loading arm to prove cool-down period reduction feasibility for ADGAS.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Ansys: Global leader in engineering simulation software (structural, thermal, fluid, electromagnetic). Competes with LUSAS Analyst and Composite in mechanical and multiphysics simulation, with far broader platform reach and R&D resources.
• Siemens Digital Industries Software (Simcenter): Simcenter portfolio includes structural, thermal, and dynamics simulation tools (formerly NX Nastran, STAR-CCM+). Competes with LUSAS Analyst for general mechanical and structural analysis, especially in automotive and aerospace customers.
• Dassault Systèmes (SIMULIA / Abaqus): Provider of Abaqus FEA and the 3DEXPERIENCE platform, a dominant structural/nonlinear solver used in mechanical and civil engineering. Competes directly with LUSAS on advanced nonlinear and dynamic analysis, while offering much broader enterprise integration.
• Bentley Systems (STAAD / OpenBridge): Bentley offers STAAD and OpenBridge for structural and bridge analysis within its iTwin infrastructure platform. A BIM integration partner of LUSAS and a competitor pursuing similar bridge/civil customers through infrastructure digital-twin offerings.
• Autodesk (Structural Bridge Design / Robot Structural Analysis): Autodesk bundles structural analysis inside its AEC platform (REVIT, Robot, Structural Bridge Design). Competes with LUSAS for BIM-centric structural workflows and is both an integration partner and a competitive threat as it deepens native analysis.
• Altair Engineering (HyperWorks / OptiStruct / HyperStudy): Provider of structural, optimization, and multiphysics simulation tools. Competes with LUSAS Analyst for mechanical and composite customers and overlaps on solver-based performance differentiation.

Direct peers

• SOFiSTiK: Germany-based structural engineering software for bridges, buildings, and tunneling with strong Eurocode and BIM integration. Closely comparable to LUSAS Bridge and Civil & Structural, particularly for European design-code workflows.
• Computers & Structures (CSI) - SAP2000 / ETABS / CSiBridge: Long-established FEA suite for structural and bridge analysis widely used by engineering consultancies. Direct competitor to LUSAS Bridge and Civil & Structural with comparable feature sets in linear/nonlinear/dynamic structural analysis.
• SCIA Engineer (Nemetschek Group): Structural analysis software for buildings and civil engineering under the Nemetschek AEC portfolio. Directly comparable to LUSAS Civil & Structural with similar Eurocode-driven workflows and BIM integration focus.
• MIDAS Information Technology: Korean-headquartered FEA software vendor specializing in bridge, civil, and structural engineering (midas Civil, midas Gen, midas FEA). Most directly comparable to LUSAS Bridge and LUSAS Civil & Structural, with strong bridge design-code support and Asia-Pacific market overlap.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• GitHubgithub.com/lusas
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/lusas

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about LUSAS