Good day.
I understand that for rigid diaphragm slab action, you are NOT required to model the slab as plates if you are to use the Floor Diaphragm command.
But for this frame structure that I am working with, there are certain floor loads that I can accurately and easily apply using plate loads, which I would need to load on plates (i.e., heavy equipment resting on a certain portion of my elevated slab-- the load is not distributed all over the slab but only concentrated on the footprint area of the equipment). For these instances, would it make sense if I use the rigid diaphragm command in combination with the slabs modeled as plates?
In a gist, I would assume a rigid diaphragm action using Floor Diaphragm command, but I would still model the slab as plates for a more accurate and easier load application.
Thanks.