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Creating Levels

Press the Level button and a dialog box will open to allow you to enter the elevation of each level in the structure and to select your current working level. Note that you must press Add to create a new level, simply typing in the elevation and then exiting the dialog box will not do it.

Each level consists of vertical members (columns and walls) that support horizontal members (beams and joist areas). For example, columns on level 2 support beams on level 2, beams and walls on level 2 support joist areas on level 2. The columns and walls on level 2 transfer the reactions to level 1.

Column and wall height is based on the vertical distance between the gridpoint at the level where the column is defined and the level where it is supported. Your lowest elevation should be the height of the first floor columns. Sizer will not allow a level at elevation 0 because the column height would be 0. If you want to design a floor at ground level you will have to insert a level underneath the rest of your building members and then support the floor with members that are designated not to be designed in the Groups Dialog.

The highest elevation in the structure is assumed to be the roof. Even if you are only designing a floor system, it is advisable to add a roof level so that Sizer doesn't treat your floor as a roof.

You may delete only the upper floor – the next floor down then becomes the roof. You may add a level anywhere in the structure: Sizer will just insert the elevation with out affecting the rest of the building.. You can only modify a level elevation so that it remains within the range of the floors above and below it.

You can copy all the members and loads from one level by checking the Copy selected level when adding checkbox when adding a level.

After selecting the level you want to work on and press the Okay button to exit the dialog.

See Also

Creating a Structure

Creating a Grid

Creating Columns

Creating Beams

Creating Walls

Creating Joist Areas

Creating Loads