Snow Load tab

Used to generate snow loading on a structure in accordance with the provisions of the ASCE-7-02 code.

The feature is currently implemented for structures with flat or sloping roofs. Snow load generation for members of open lattice structures like electrical transmission towers is currently not part of this facility. Hence, the feature is based on panel areas, not the exposed width of individual members.

Note: If a snow load has not yet been defined for the model, a warning message is displayed in the dialog and the controls are inactive. Refer to the Add New Snow Definition dialog to learn more about defining a snow load.

Setting	Description
Floor Group	Select the floor group on which the snow load is to be applied.
Condition	Specify whether the load is "Balanced" or "Unbalanced." These terms are described in section 7.6, and figures 7.3 and 7.5 of ASCE 7-02.
Define Snow Type	Select the snow load type number. This is the number specified against the Type No. field while creating the snow load definition in Part I described earlier in this section.
Roof Type	Specify the roof type from the available choices: Default (if the roof type is not Mono, Hipped or Gable, it is referred to as Default) Mono (see mono-sloped roof shown in figure 6-6 of the code) Hipped (see figures 6-3 and 6-6 of the code) Gable (see figures 6-3 and 6-6 of the code)
Roof Obstruction	Specify whether the roof is "obstructed" or "unobstructed." This also is a term described in section Table 7-2 of ASCE 7-02.
Roof Slope Factor	For sloped roofs, the roof slope factor is described in section 7.4 of the SEI/ASCE-7-02. A value of 0 indicates that the roof is horizontal.