I have a relatively tall screen wall at the roof level - about 20ft tall - around a mechanical area. The structure is kicked back into the roof diaphragm. What is the best way to model it so that RAM Frame accounts for its wind surface area? The footprint of the enclosure is much smaller than the footprint of the roof, so I don't think making my parapet taller is the right answer.
Thank you,
Most people just add this as a parapet in Loads - Exposure. That accounts for the extra surface (at higher wind pressure). This is assumed to act over the full exposure width though.
Modeling the actual wall is another option, but without any diaphragm you have to model the columns as lateral posts and apply nodal loads.
Seth, Thank you for the response.
What if I were to put horizontal braces to brace the top of the walls in lieu of a diaphragm? The structure is basically a box on top of the roof. I could model all the walls as lateral, "other" walls.
Alternatively, I could model another level with a smaller footprint. The diaphragm for this level will be only a foot or so above the real roof and this will have 20ft tall parapets. What do you think?
Those ideas are fine but complicated. Keep in mind these rules