Assign Beam Line Numbers
In order to establish which beams will be skip loaded, and which gravity concrete beams should be considered continuous for analysis, you must first assign beam line numbers to the beams. A beam line number defines which beams will be designed as a single continuous beam in the beam program. Beams in a contiguous line are typically assigned the same beam line number, but you can manually assign almost any continuous line of beams to the same beam line as described below.
Our model should not have any skewed beams but the beams on either side of a girder might be slightly off center.
- Set the Beam offset to accept as continuous to 2.
- In the Gravity Beam Fixity box, check the box to Automatically Assign Fixity and Fix all beams.
- Click [OK].
- Select and select the Second story.
The second story (the story with concrete beams) will have the following beam lines automatically generated. Notice that the only concrete beams are assigned beam line numbers.
We will now the end segments of beam line eleven and assign it to be a separate line manually. Zoom into the area if you cannot easily see the beam line numbers using View - Zoom Fence.
If you are not already in plan mode you will be asked to select a floor plan,
The Assign Beam Line manual dialog will open. It may be helpful to turn off the decks display at this point by selecting View-Members, Then selecting Decks/Slabs (Last icon).
- Select the option to Remove from Beam Line.
- Click [Single].
- Click on the beam between Grids A and B and E and F on Grid 4.
Hint: Beams in a single beam line must be must be continuous. If you select two beams, that are not continuous, to be in the same beam line you will be issued an error message.
- Right click to return to the previous window
- Set the Assign Mode to Add to New Beam Line.
- Click [Single] and pick one of the beams again.
- Repeat for the other beam
This span will now be detailed separately from the beams in the moment frame. To clear up the display: