Why am I getting different design results based on meshing of frame elements representing columns?
Extended Question: For the same cantilever model, the design is different if the column has just 1 frame element or if it has several frame elements, such as 5 elements in this case. It happens both with the Edit-Divide Frames command, or using the Automatic Frame Mesh. Answer: The axial and flexural capacities of a member depend on the effective and unbraced lengths of the member. When the cantilever is divided into several members, the default program-determined effective lengths are underestimated, because the program calculates the effective lengths based on the length of individual divided members, whereas the effective length should be based on the entire structural member. Therefore, the effective length ratios and unbraced length ratios should be overwritten by the user to reflect the actual properties of the column.
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