External Diaphragm [CUG]

External Diaphragm

Support Line: Select the support line where the external diaphragm is constructed.

Girders: Select the two girders that the external diaphragm is connecting to.

The external diaphragm's sole function is to connect two girders within a single unit; in other words, it is not intended for connecting multiple girder units. To achieve that purpose, a continuity diaphragm can be employed. The external diaphragm can be defined as a continuous part of the girder unit or at the end of the girder unit. The position of the external diaphragm is updated according to the Support Line input.

Thickness: The thickness of the diaphragm in the longitudinal direction can be defined using this parameter. The stiffness of the created finite elements is not affected by this input. During the construction of diaphragms, the user can choose whether to include the diaphragm weight as a load or to ignore the diaphragm load effects in the model.

Material: The material of the diaphragm can be specified using this parameter. A previously defined material from the Properties > Materials section can be assigned, or a material can be imported.