Tributary width is the share of diaphragm width that contributes load to a shear wall line. Rook multiplies collected wind force (plf) by tributary width when computing wall demand.
Default behavior
On each level, for each orientation and group, Rook sorts parallel wall lines and splits gaps:
- Shared gaps between neighbors default to a 50/50 split.
- Exterior gaps to the group boundary go entirely to the outer line.
View and edit
- Open the Design tab and select a wall line.
- In Properties, review Left/Right Trib (vertical walls) or Bottom/Top Trib (horizontal walls), plus Total Trib.
- Edit shared splits when your judgment differs from the default.
- Use Copy to Other Levels when a side is editable and upper floors match.
- Use Reset Tributary Widths on the canvas toolbar to clear gap edits.
Dim strings on the plan show the current tributaries. Optional Tributary Area can be shown or hidden on the canvas.
Special cases
| Situation | Behavior |
|---|---|
| Isolated line | Both sides are fully manual and may overlap neighbors. Use Un-isolate to return to the shared split. |
| Split by an opening / diaphragm opening | Auto to midpoints; not editable. |
Reconcile tributaries after adding or removing walls, then review Calculation Sheets before export.