Create Sloping Floor Element

Referring to the hierarchy, a sloping floor element must reside below an existing floor slab element.

From the Select Structural Element pane of the Building Applications window, make sure that the Floor Slab element is the CE.

On the Building tab, in the Create group, select Sloping Floor in the Create Element drop-down list.

Click Create Element to display the Create Floor Slab window.

The Create Floor Slab window supports functionality for naming, material selection, and defining the slab thickness. The functionality is similar to that previously explained for Slab + Screed components. Refer to Create Floor Slab for further information.

Sloping floors are created in a manner that is closer to straight beam creation than other floor types. A catalogue element is used as a profile between two points defined by the user. As such the creation window reflects the requirements for catalogue selection, positioning, orientation, and mitring.

Click Catalogue to display the Section Specification window. Here the user can select appropriate settings relating to the profile that is used to model the floor.

Click Properties to display the Modify Properties window.

Here the user can select appropriate settings relating to the profile that is used to model the floor.

Click Apply in the Section Specification window to set the properties.

Click Cancel to discard any inputs and close the Section Specification window.

Click Pick profile to copy to copy the properties of an existing sloped floor.

The Properties on the Create Floor Slab window mimics the Properties on the Section Specification window.

It allows users to adjust the default width and depth parameters that is used for the slab profile.

The Length textbox displays the proposed length of the slab. It can be populated in two ways:

• Type a value in the length textbox.

• Click Measure Length to invoke the Positioning Control window to graphically pick existing elements to measure the length.

Click Flip start and end position reverses the start and end positions of the slab.

Click the Use end position for start sets the end position of a previously created slab as the start position of the current slab for continuous end-to-start creation.

Select Graphical Pick Start/End from the option list to invoke the Positioning Control window to make two graphical selections to establish the start and end of the slab.

Select Move Graphically from the option list invokes the Positioning Control window allowing the user to graphically select an existing element to move the slabs start position to.

The Start Position section of the window is used to establish the start position of the slab. It can be populated in several ways:

• Establish the correct direction from the option lists and type the co-ordinates.

• Click Graphical Pick Start to invoke the Positioning Control window to graphically pick the position. The co-ordinates are populated automatically.

• Alternatively, the first two methods can be combined by utilizing the padlocks. Click Coordinate locked to unlock a value or click Coordinate unlocked to lock the value. A locked value is displayed in grey.

The wrt (with respect to) textbox displays the element name that the start position co‑ordinates are positioned with respect to.

The End Position section of the window is used to establish the end position of the slab. It uses the same functionality as the Start Position section.

The Section Rotation textbox displays the rotation angle of the section To populate it, type in the appropriate angle and press Enter. Rotation angles can be entered in any of the following formats:

The miter Direction section of the window is used to establish the miter directions of the Start and End. The miter directions are manipulated as the start and end positions of the slab are established and/or connected to adjacent elements. By default, the miters are perpendicular to the direction of the slab and are always shown with respect to the level. However, if needed, the miters can be manually changed. Two methods can be used to select each miter:

• Click End direction always perpendicular to unlock the textbox. A new direction can be entered by typing a direction or, by clicking Pick surface or edge to define direction, graphically select a face or edge of an existing element.

• Click End direction free to lock the textbox and force the miter direction to be perpendicular to the slab direction. The miter is calculated automatically when the direction of the slab is modified.

The Connectivity Activated checkbox is selected by default. The Building Design utility always attempts to connect elements to other elements. For example, if the start position of a slab has been established by selecting a wall using a graphical pick, the slab is automatically connected to the wall element. The name of the connected element is shown with a green background.

Click Apply to create the slab. The Modify Floor Slab window replaces the Create Floor Slab window.