Add a Truss Area and Truss Volumes

You can use this function to define a general truss area, and add truss volumes to it with even intervals. In order to define the shape of the truss volumes, select the upper and lower structures limiting them, for example the roof slopes and the ceiling.

You can change the order of selecting structures with a keyword in the user/SETUP file. See Order of Selecting Structures when Adding a Truss Area.

1. Select Trusses > Common Trusses.
2. Select the truss parameters.

   Truss Parameters

3. Select the upper limiting structures. Select several slopes with the Ctrl key pressed down or by using area selection.
4. If necessary, select a function from the contextual toolbar to determine the distance between the top chord of the truss and the limiting structure:
   • Editing Slope Reference Data
5. If necessary, edit the truss area by adding or removing sections of roof slopes. You can select following functions from the contextual toolbar:
   • Add Slope Extension
   • Set Slope Shape
   • Cut Slope Shape
   • Define Limiting Plane
   • Deleting Slope Shape
   • Editing Slope Shapes
6. Select Confirm.
7. Define the bottom chord of the trusses. Do one of the following:
   • Select the lower limiting structures, for example the ceiling. If the structures are added in drawing-model pairs of their own, select the structures in the 3D model. If necessary, you can hide the geometry of the roof or ceiling from the model to make it easier to select the right structure, see Selecting a Roof/Ceiling. If necessary, select a function from the contextual toolbar to determine the distance between the bottom chord of the truss and the limiting structure:

     Editing Slope Reference Data

   • Enter the support height and select the points of the limiting area. Select the function from the contextual toolbar:

     Define Limiting Plane

   • Select the definition according to the exterior surface of the bearing walls. You will select the walls as the last step of defining a truss area. Select the function from the contextual toolbar:

     Bottom of Trusses by Bearing Walls

   • Select directly the Confirm function. The bottom chord of the trusses will be determined by the roof volume in the model.
8. Select Confirm.
9. From the contextual toolbar, select the location method, which will determine the point from which the positioning of the trusses will be started.
   • From Left to Right
   • From Right to Left
   • From Both Ends to the Center
   • From a Selected Point in Both Directions
   • Center Point of the Interval in the Point Selected
10. If necessary, select the truss adjustment for gable trusses. When you select the adjustment, the truss edge will be positioned in the selected truss line point.
    • Adjusting First Truss
    • Adjusting Last Truss
11. Click the truss line points, or the first and last truss position. The centers of the trusses are positioned in the selected points, unless you have selected the truss adjustment for the gable trusses. Please note, that the trusses are created perpendicularly to the line between the selected points.
12. Select the bearing structures (walls and beams). You can edit the selection by clicking a selected structure to remove the selection.

    If you selected the function Bottom of Trusses by Bearing Walls when defining the lower limitation of the truss area, the bottom chord of the trusses is determined by the exterior surfaces of the bearing walls you will select.

13. Select Confirm.

Note

• If a truss would be positioned on a chimney, it is not added.
• You can later edit the truss area using the following functions:
  • Edit a Truss Area - editing involves the exact same steps as adding a truss area.
  • Edit Supports - you can reselect the support structures of trusses and update them.
  • Update Truss Shapes - you can reselect trusses' upper and lower structures. In addition, you can define the distance between the top or bottom chord of the truss and the limiting structure.
  • Generate Trusses - you can reselect truss parameters.

Trusses