Development and Updates for the Medeek Truss Plugin

Started by Medeek, November 07, 2015, 03:06:39 AM

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Medeek


Version 1.3.9 - 03.14.2016
- Out-to-out span of trusses in the trial version are now limited to a range of: 16 ft. (5m) - 32 ft. (9m).
Nathaniel P. Wilkerson, P.E.

Medeek

Version 1.4.0 - 03.15.2016
- Added LP Solidstart® I-joists: 450, 530, 18, 36, 56.
- Rim joist option enabled for LPI floor joists.
Nathaniel P. Wilkerson, P.E.

Medeek

Version 1.4.1 - 03.16.2016
- Added Soffit Cut within Advanced Options for Gable Roof and Gable Roof w/ GLB.
Nathaniel P. Wilkerson, P.E.

Medeek

Coming up on the 6 month anniversary of the plugin (April 7).  I'm pretty excited with the amount of work I've been able to do on it.  I would really like to get to some more big items on the list like secondary roofs and dormers but that will take a few days of uninterrupted programming which is really hard to come by at the moment.  Lately, I have been addressing mostly minor items that I can knock out in a a couple of hours.  I usually don't start into a big project unless I think I can complete it in one go since it is really hard to partially complete it and then try to jump back into it at a later date.  The higher the complexity the more this holds true.
Nathaniel P. Wilkerson, P.E.

Medeek

I've been considering transition trusses and what it might take to add them into the plugin.  Below is a quick study of this type of roof.  I am curious to know if a common truss is butted up next to a transition truss for sheathing purposes.  Also notice the scissor transition, this situation is a little complicated, not exactly sure how to deal with it.



View model here:

https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=ue1772e6a-eb97-4775-b9f8-d12e3e134ba3

For clarity I have removed all of the common trusses in the image below:



I think it would look something like this:



however I think the framing at the lower peak would be more correct if the top chord members abut like this:

Nathaniel P. Wilkerson, P.E.

Medeek

#155
This is a re-visit of the unequal pitch hip roof a few days back.  Larry Belk, an experienced architect whose advice I highly regard, has suggested that an alternative way to handle this type of roof is to raise the top plate and thereby allow the overhang to remain constant around the roof:



View model here:

https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=u24f241c6-d493-45cb-9506-d025d7ebd795

Compare with hip roof 7: 



and model:

https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=uc12480ec-9330-464b-93eb-56bc73878207

A few things pop out at me here. 
First the raised top plate method allows the constant overhang with the continuous fascia, overall this is more aesthetically pleasing.
Second the hip rafter is no longer at the corner but is jogged in some amount onto the higher wall.
Third, the higher wall actually is protruding through the sheathing of the lower pitched roof in the model.  Obviously the higher wall needs to be trimmed back some to deal with this.

For the plugin I think I will probably go with option 1 above initially but at some point it would be good to have a checkbox that allows one to choose either of these two options, the code is going to get ugly.
Nathaniel P. Wilkerson, P.E.

Medeek

Version 1.4.2 - 03.19.2016
- Added energy/raised heels for attic trusses (1 variant: vertical w/ strut).
- Addressed some minor usability issues with the attic truss menu and options.



View model here:

https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=u4f64fd8b-160f-49ce-815d-a66991527cdb

I've had quite a few people asking for this update so stayed up most of the night and knocked it out.  Note, that the raised heel option is currently limited to attic trusses with a span of 24 ft. or greater.  The reason for this is the way my logic currently works with spliced top chords.  If this becomes an issue I will spend some more time on it to encompass attic trusses with a lesser span.  I still do not have the gable truss, metric input or structural outlookers for this truss type, yet more items for the "todo" list.
Nathaniel P. Wilkerson, P.E.

Medeek


Thinking about dormers today and attic trusses:





View model here:


https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=ud50cb83e-54fc-42b0-9b57-0a5691b1c678


2-ply girder trusses on each side of the dormer with ladder framing between.  I haven't bothered to show all of the main floor framing geometry (doors, windows, stairs etc...)  My question is what would be the best route for the infill framing above the dormers.


1.)  Ladder frame perpendicular to trusses.
2.)  Install a ridgeboard hangered between the girder trusses and a lower header and install rafters parallel to the trusses?


Note that the manual creation of the dormers took about an hour whereas the attic truss main roof and dormer roof were created with the plugin and only took about 5-10 minutes.  A dormer routine would be useful.
Nathaniel P. Wilkerson, P.E.

Medeek

Version 1.4.3 - 03.20.2016
- Added Scissor truss type, configuration: (6/6).
- Added energy/raised heels for scissor trusses (2 variants: wedge and vertical w/ strut).
- Addressed some minor usability issues with the scissor truss menu and options.



View model here:

https://3dwarehouse.sketchup.com/model.html?id=u8ca4bf44-f28a-481e-8c1e-b53de30e3696
Nathaniel P. Wilkerson, P.E.

Medeek

Polynesian 4/4 truss is working:



However, I haven't released this latest update yet, I still need to enable gable end trusses and advanced options for this truss type before it is ready for prime time.

The inputs are similar to all other truss types except you have two top chord pitches and a pitch break length measured from the left butt cut of the truss.
Nathaniel P. Wilkerson, P.E.

Medeek

Version 1.4.4 - 03.21.2016
- Added Polynesian truss type, configurations: (4/4).
- Metric input enabled for polynesian truss type.
- Added gable end trusses for polynesian truss type.



I'm not sure where this type of truss is commonly used but whenever I see one I think of a bus stop or train station:



Advanced options are not yet enabled for this truss type yet, so sheathing, fascia, rake will have to come later.
Nathaniel P. Wilkerson, P.E.

Medeek


After adding Bowstring and Bow Barrel trusses the only common other round truss type is the Barrel Vault.  The problem with this type of truss is the webs get messy or at least hard to predicate because of the interplay between the vault and the pitched roof above it.  In an effort to better understand this type of roof/ceiling configuration I've created the matrix below:





High Res. PDF copy here:


http://design.medeek.com/resources/truss/BARREL_VAULT/BARRELVAULT_STUDY1.pdf


I am trying to predict the max. height of the vault given a specific roof pitch and and vault width to span ratio.  Perhaps I am recreating the wheel and some architect or designer has devised a method to create the perfect barrel vault given a roof pitch and other criteria.


I would be interested in what other opinions are on this matter.
Nathaniel P. Wilkerson, P.E.

Medeek

Using a typical Barrel Vault 8/7+4 or 8/7+2 configuration I come up with the following triangulations.  I'm sure there are other methods of configuring these webs but for the purposes of the plugin I think these solutions will suffice for now:



High Resolution PDF copy here:

http://design.medeek.com/resources/truss/BARREL_VAULT/BARRELVAULT_STUDY1_REVA2.pdf

Based on this matrix I've been able to come up with a simple algorithm for the triangulation of this truss type.  I'll admit the barrel vault truss is one handsome devil.
Nathaniel P. Wilkerson, P.E.

Medeek

A 9:12 barrel vault truss with a 16' wide barrel:

Nathaniel P. Wilkerson, P.E.

Medeek

Nathaniel P. Wilkerson, P.E.