Form: Shell Assignment - Diaphragms
Use the Assign menu > Shell > Diaphragms command to assign previously defined diaphragms to shell objects. The command can also be used to remove an existing diaphragm from a shell object.
Assigning a diaphragm to a shell object provides a diaphragm constraint to all of the corner joints of the shell object and to any additional joint objects that are enclosed within the boundaries of the shell object. This includes any joints that are created as a result of automatic floor object meshing.
Important: Diaphragms can be horizontal only. Thus diaphragm assignments are not applicable to wall-type shell objects. They are applicable only to floor type shell objects and to null-type shell objects that happen to be in a horizontal plane.
Select the shell object(s) to be assigned to the diaphragm. The selected objects should typically all lie in a plane that is parallel to the global X-Y plane. No shell objects other than those actually selected are included in the diaphragm constraint.
Click the Assign menu > Shell > Diaphragm command to access the Shell Assignment - Diaphragms form.
Select a diaphragm definition from the display list and click the Apply button to make the assignment. Any previously assigned diaphragm definition will be replaced by this assignment. To remove all assignments, select the shell object(s), highlight the None option, and click the Apply button.
Note that clicking the Modify/Show Definitions button will display the Define Diaphragm form, which can be used to define a new diaphragm definition.
When the Apply button is used, the Shell Assignment - Diaphragms form will remain open until it is closed by clicking the Close button. This allows selection of another shell object(s), to which a different assignments can be made. If only one assignment is being made to only one set of selected objects, the OK button can be used to both apply the assignment and close the form.
Note: Diaphragms can be assigned directly to joint objects. However, in most instances, it is better to assign the diaphragm to a shell object.
See Also