Tapered Loads Tab

Taper Loads may be added or deleted by first selecting the Tapered sub-Tab, then clicking the "+" (Add), "x" (Delete), or Copy buttons. New loads are added to the end of the list. Select a load before clicking to copy or delete. The highlighted load will be copied or deleted. Only one load may be copied or deleted at a time.

Live Load - Left/Right

Enter unfactored Starting/Ending Live load for each load case. Minimum live loads are specified by the governing building code. See Product Design.

Dead Load - Left/Right

Enter unfactored* Starting/Ending Dead load determined by the weight of the materials supported by this member. See Loads.

*The RedSpec™ analysis factors loads assuming gravity (downward) combinations. To analyze an uplift condition, it is appropriate for the user to factor the dead load as required by the building code.

Starting/Ending Location

Enter the Starting and Ending location of each tapered load as a distance from the extreme left end of the member. You may enter the location in a number of ways. For example, if you would like to enter a location of 20'-6.0", you may key in:

• 20'-6.0"

• 20'6.0"

• 20'6"

• 20'6

• 20.5

• 20-6

• 20 6

• 19 18

• 20.25 3

• 246"

Regardless of how you enter it, upon leaving this field, it will be displayed as 20'- 6.0".

The ending location must be greater than the starting location and equal to or less than the total length of the member.

If you change the member length after entering the load, the load location may be affected. Locations that are less than the member length (before and after the change) are unaffected. If the revised member length is less than the load location, the location will be adjusted to equal the new member length. If the original location is equal to the member length, the new location will also equal the member length, regardless of whether it is shorter or longer.

Load Units

Select one of the available alternatives:

psf -- Pounds per Square Foot: The most common way to specify uniform loading for joist calculations. This load will be multiplied by the Spacing/Trib.

plf -- Pounds per Lineal Foot: The most common way to specify uniform or tapered loading for beam calculations (a plf load will not be multiplied by Spacing/Trib).

Load Duration

Type or select the duration of load factor for use with the input live load. This duration is specified in the governing building code. Dead load durations are not shown as they are automatically computed internally. The listed durations reflect the time that the live load is present on the member in accordance with the governing building code. See Load Duration for more information.

Replace

Choose "Add" or "Replace". 

• "Add" -- loads are added to the application loads and any other loads that occur in the same location. 

• Replace" -- loads take the place of application loads, but are added to any other loads that occur in the same location.

Comments

You may add a note beside the load. It is shown on the printed calculation.

To edit comments, click on the cell. The text will become highlighted and ready for editing. To copy and paste, click on the cell, highlight the comment text, copy it, select the destination cell, and paste.