Currently working on a project where I have an asymmetrical open structure, The structure is a complex shape canopy that has a oval shape and follows the path of three radii. The canopy has Rectangular HSS sections as columns which rotate their axis directions in relation to the radii. The intend of my design is to fix the base in the direction of the strong axis of the section, and for the weak axis, the columns frame into a beam and act as a moment frame. When I begin to fix the base of the columns, the reactions and moment fixity follows the global axis, which in some columns works, but for the columns whos local axis are not parallel to the global axis. Does anyone know if RAM allows for the fixity to be placed on a reference to local axis, not the global axis?
Member hinges are in the local axis, so apply a moment release hinge in the desired axis of the column. If you ever need to accommodate sliding, that's harder. For that situation, a shear release hinge can be applied, but I like to introduce a small column segment at the bottom of the real column just for this purpose.