COMPUTERS AND STRUCTURES, INC.

, BERKELEY, CALIFORNIA JANUARY 2002

STEEL JOIST DESIGN

Technical Note

Overwrites
This Technical Note provides instructions on how to use the Steel Joist Design Overwrites form and describes each overwrite.

General
The steel joist design overwrites are basic assignments that apply only to those steel joists to which they are assigned. After selecting one or more steel joists, use the Design menu > Steel Joist Design > View/Revise Overwrites command to access the Steel Joist Design Overwrites form where you can view and revise the steel joist design overwrites. Default values are provided for all steel joist overwrite items. Thus, it is not required that you specify or change any of the overwrites. However, at least review the default values for the overwrite items to make sure they are acceptable. When changes are made to overwrite items, the program applies the changes only to the elements to which they are specifically assigned; that is, to the elements that are selected when the overwrites are changed.

Using the Steel Joist Overwrites Form

After selecting one or more steel joist, use the Design menu > Steel Joist Design > View/Revise Overwrites command to access the Steel Joist Design Overwrites form. The steel joist overwrites are displayed with a column of check boxes and a two-column spreadsheet. The left column in the spreadsheet contains the name of the overwrite item. The right column in the spreadsheet contains the overwrite value. Initially, the check boxes are all unchecked and all of the cells in the spreadsheet have a gray background to indicate they are inactive and that the items in the cells currently cannot be changed. The names of the overwrite items in the first column of the spreadsheet are visible. The values of the overwrite

General

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Steel Joist Design

Overwrites

items in the second column of the spreadsheet are visible if only one joist was selected before the Steel Joist design Overwrites form was accessed. If multiple joists were selected, no values show for the overwrite items in the second column of the spreadsheet. After selecting one or multiple joists, check the box to the left of an overwrite item to change it. Then left click in either column of the spread sheet to activate a drop-down box or to highlight the contents of the cell in the right column of the spreadsheet. If the drop-down box appears, select a value from the box. If the cell contents becomes highlighted, type in the desired value. The overwrite will reflect the change. You cannot change the values in the drop-down boxes. When you check a check box or left click in one of the columns in the spreadsheet, a short description of the item in that row displays in the large text box just below the list of items. This description helps you recall the purpose of the overwrite item without referring to the manual. When changes to the steel joist overwrites have been made, click the OK button to close the form. The program then changes all of the overwrite items whose associated check boxes are checked for the selected joist(s). You must click the OK button for the changes to be accepted by the program. If you click the Cancel button to exit the form, any changes made to the overwrites will be ignored and the form will be closed.

Overwrites
For purposes of explanation in this Technical Note, the overwrite items are presented in tables. The column headings in these tables are described as follows.

Item: The name of the overwrite item as it appears in the cells at the left side of the Steel Joist Design Overwrites form. Possible Values: The possible values for the associated overwrite item. Default Value: The built-in default value that the program assumes for the associated overwrite item. Description: A description of the associated overwrite item.

Overwrites

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Overwrites

Table 1: Steel Joist Overwrites

Possible Values
Any defined joist section >0

Item
Current design section LL deflection limit (L/) Reduced live load factor

Default Value
The current joist design section 360

Description
The current design section for the joist.

Deflection limitation for live load. Inputting 360 means that the limit is L/360 where L is the length of the joist. Reducible live load is multiplied by this factor to obtain the reduced live load. If zero is selected, the program calculated valued is used. This item is Yes if story level similarity (to a master story level) is to be ignored when designing the joist.

Program calculated or user-defined Yes, No

Program calculated

Ignore similarity

No

Overwrites

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