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Diaphragm


Use the Diaphragm tool to define rigid-body behaviour for a slab or deck, forcing all nodes within the contour to move as a single plane during analysis.

Diaphragm tool

When you select Diaphragm, a tool palette opens.

Diaphragm tool palette

Main tools
  • Define - draw a new diaphragm region with the current contour method
  • Properties - check or edit properties of existing diaphragms. Opens the Default settings dialogue for the selected elements
  • Hole - cut an opening inside an existing diaphragm
  • Default settings - set the default parameters for new diaphragms (read below in more detail)
Contour definition methods

Available for both Define and Hole tools

  • Rectangular - draw a rectangular contour
  • Circular - draw a circular contour
  • Polygonal - draw a custom polygon
  • Pick lines - select lines from the model to define the shape

Only available with Define tool

  • Pick existing region - reuse an existing region’s shape


Default settings

When you press the Default settings button, a dialogue window opens.

Diaphragm Default settings dialogue

  • Identifier - label shown in schedules, lists and tooltips


Last update: 2025-10-07