Beam Detailing vs. Sub-Frame
Sumo’s design links provide two options for exporting beams to Continuous Beam (CB) for design.
- Beam detailing
- Sub-frame
Beam Detailing
The beam detailing design link is intended for concrete beam elements that don’t form part of a larger slab. It is important to note that in this case, the results that you view in CB are directly imported from Sumo. CB does not do the calculations when the beam detailing design link is used.
Sub-Frame
The sub-frame option exports a Sumo object called a sub-frame strip to the Continuous Beam module. The sub-frame takes the geometry and loading from Sumo and loads it into CB. Notice that CB does the analysis when this link is used.
This is especially useful when doing a flat slab design. The Sub-Frame option allows for the consideration of column and middle strips that divide the applied area loads proportionally. Another application could be a monolithic T-beam where the flange is the slab, and the web is a rectangular beam.