Criteria - Member Loads dialog

Setting	Description
Code for Live Load Reduction	The current building code by which Live Load Reduction will be calculated is displayed in the Code for Live Load Reduction group box. Refer to the Technical Notes chapter in the RAM Steel Beam Design, RAM Steel Column Design or the RAM Frame manuals for a discussion of how the RAM Structural System manages Live Load Reduction.
Snow vs Roof Live Load	Roof loads can be considered either as snow or as roof live, but not both at the same time. Depending on the engineers selection the program will consider either the snow or the roof live load during the analysis and design. The Roof Live Load specification appears in the Roof Live Load Type group box.
Roof Live Load Type	If roof loads are considered to be live load they can be considered either as reducible or non-reducible.
Determining Number of Stories for Live Load Reduction	In some Building Codes the Live Load Reduction is a function of the number of stories carried by a member or is dependent on whether the load is coming from a single level or from more than one level. The ability to specify which level types are considered in this determination, for the purpose of calculating Live Load Reduction, is available. For example the user can specify that the roof level not be included when determining the number of levels that a member supports. These options appear in the Determining Number of Stories group box.
Reports	When the program calculates the loads on beams it calculates the load for each segment along the beam and on both sides of the beam. To simplify the output, these segments of loads are combined when possible into a single load on the beam. This is the default behavior of the program, but an option is available, Combine Beam Loads, that can be unselected to prevent the program from combining these load segments. This will have no impact on designs but will result in a fuller listing of member loads which can aid in the verification of those member loads. In general it is recommended that the option to combine the loads be selected, to simplify and shorten the listing of gravity loads in the reports.

Code for Live Load Reduction

The current building code by which Live Load Reduction will be calculated is displayed in the Code for Live Load Reduction group box.

Refer to the Technical Notes chapter in the RAM Steel Beam Design, RAM Steel Column Design or the RAM Frame manuals for a discussion of how the RAM Structural System manages Live Load Reduction.

Snow vs Roof Live Load

Roof loads can be considered either as snow or as roof live, but not both at the same time. Depending on the engineers selection the program will consider either the snow or the roof live load during the analysis and design. The Roof Live Load specification appears in the Roof Live Load Type group box.

Roof Live Load Type

If roof loads are considered to be live load they can be considered either as reducible or non-reducible.

Determining Number of Stories for Live Load Reduction

In some Building Codes the Live Load Reduction is a function of the number of stories carried by a member or is dependent on whether the load is coming from a single level or from more than one level. The ability to specify which level types are considered in this determination, for the purpose of calculating Live Load Reduction, is available. For example the user can specify that the roof level not be included when determining the number of levels that a member supports. These options appear in the Determining Number of Stories group box.

Reports

When the program calculates the loads on beams it calculates the load for each segment along the beam and on both sides of the beam. To simplify the output, these segments of loads are combined when possible into a single load on the beam. This is the default behavior of the program, but an option is available, Combine Beam Loads, that can be unselected to prevent the program from combining these load segments. This will have no impact on designs but will result in a fuller listing of member loads which can aid in the verification of those member loads. In general it is recommended that the option to combine the loads be selected, to simplify and shorten the listing of gravity loads in the reports.