Braces
Click where a brace starts at the floor, then where it ends at the head, and a diagonal member rises between them in the same sections a beam has: timber, glulam, steel or concrete, rectangular, hollow, I or channel.
Every property, and what it does
Select a brace and these are its rows.
Section
What the brace is made of and its size, as a beam's.
| Field | What it does | Values |
|---|---|---|
| Made of | The structural material. Each starts as its own usual section. | Sawn timber, Glulam, LVL, Steel, Reinforced concrete |
| Shape | The section's shape, from the shapes this material is rolled or formed in. | Rectangular, I-section (UB, UC), Hollow (RHS, SHS), Channel (PFC) |
| Preset | A catalogue size to start from. The numbers below are the truth and can be typed over. | The catalogue sizes of that material and shape |
| Width | Across the brace. | Millimetres, 10 and up |
| Depth | Through the brace: its height up the diagonal. | Millimetres, 10 and up |
| Flange, Web | Flange and web thickness of an I or channel section. | Millimetres |
| Wall | The wall thickness of a hollow section. | Millimetres |
Where it rises
The height of each end.
| Field | What it does | Values |
|---|---|---|
| Height at A | The first end's height above the storey's floor level. | Millimetres; default 0 |
| Height at B | The second end's height above the storey's floor level. | Millimetres; default the storey's head |
Derived
Read from the brace as it is.
| Field | What it does | Values |
|---|---|---|
| Length (diagonal) | Corner to corner, up the rise. | Metres |
| Run in plan | What the drawing shows: the diagonal laid flat. | Metres |
How the Brace tool works
Open the Brace tool
In the editor, open Structure and choose Brace, or type BRACE (BR).
Click start and end
Click where it starts at the floor, then where it ends at the head. The tool stays armed for the next one.
Set its section
Choose its material, shape and size, as a beam's, and the height of each end.
See it everywhere
It is drawn on the plan, cut in sections at the height it passes, billed by the metre and exported to IFC.
Brace questions, answered.
What is a brace?
A diagonal member between two points on the frame, at two heights, that stiffens it against racking.
What can a brace be made of?
The same as a beam: sawn timber, glulam, LVL, steel or reinforced concrete, in rectangular, I, hollow or channel sections.
How is a brace drawn on the plan?
As its diagonal laid flat, with its tag; its true length is in its panel.
Read on
- Beams: Beams drawn support to support.
- Columns: Classical, timber, steel and masonry columns.
- Structure docs: Columns, beams, gridlines, braces and footings.