Question:
Is it possible to divide a tapered member in such a way that the interpolated cross-section is determined automatically at the division point? Is it possible to change the cross-section of a tapered set of members by changing the cross-section height on a member (start, middle, or end of the set of members) and then automatically determine the new cross-section heights for the other members?
Answer:
If a tapered member is divided by nodes, the interpolated intermediate cross-sections are created automatically.
For members that have already been divided, or for sets of members, it is necessary first to reverse the division in order to be able to use this feature. Therefore, a common solution is as follows:
First, all members with loads are copied and the intermediate nodes are deleted, merging the lines. Then, the cross-section is adjusted and the original one is deleted. Now, the copy can be moved to the original location. If the automatic division of members at nodes is deactivated, it has to be performed manually. The procedure is shown in the attached video.