RAM Structural System: Live load reduction

Question

Does RAM SS consider all the stories where I have the unreduced live load for the calculation of the tributary area that is considered for the live load reduction? Design per ASCE 7-10.

Seth Guthrie · Answer

Here are some notes from the Ram Steel Column manual: 
 Live load reduction factors are a function of the area associated with the loads acting on a member. In calculating the reduction for a given load, the program only uses the area on the member associated with that live load type . For example, if part of the load on a member is Reducible and part is Storage, only the area associated with the Reducible loads will be included in the calculation of the reduction factor on the Reducible loads, and only the area associated with the Storage loads will be included in the calculation of the reduction factor, if permitted, on the Storage loads. 
 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 user can specify which load types are to be considered in this determination, for the purpose of calculating Live Load Reduction. For example the user can specify that a level carrying Roof Live Load not be included when determining the number of levels that a member supports (this does not mean that the Roof loads are not applied). These options appear in the Determining Number of Stories group box in the Criteria > Live Load Reduction command in the RAM Manager.

RAM Structural System: Live load reduction

Top Replies