Varied Roof Heights and Traditional Roof Framing

This example demonstrates how LAVA can be used to model and design a custom single-story home with:

• Multiple roof heights

• Varied wall heights throughout the structure

• Traditional roof framing

• Roof joists and ridge beam design

• Custom roof loading conditions

Unlike many example models that focus on roof trusses, this project uses conventionally framed roof elements to demonstrate how LAVA handles more customized residential framing conditions.

Download the Example LAVA Model

Download the example LAVA model used in this walkthrough.

Example Overview

This custom home includes multiple roof elevations ranging from 17 ft to 20 ft, along with wall heights varying between 9 ft, 10 ft, and 14 ft throughout the building.

The model demonstrates how architectural variation can be incorporated directly into the structural workflow while maintaining a complete load path through the building.

Step 1: Define Roof and Wall Heights

Roof elevations and wall heights are defined directly within the model and can vary throughout the structure.

In this example:

• Main roof areas use 17 ft and 20 ft roof heights

• Wall heights vary between 9 ft, 10 ft, and 14 ft

• Multiple roof slopes are used across the building

This allows complex custom home geometry to be represented accurately within a single model.

Wall heights are based on the global floor level and can be customized per wall to accommodate the varied heights:

Each Roof plate slope is assigned individually:

Step 2: Model Traditional Roof Framing

This example uses traditional roof framing instead of roof trusses.

Roof joists and ridge beams are modeled directly at the roof level, allowing the engineer to:

• Design individual framing members

• Apply custom roof loading conditions

• Track load transfer through the framing system

• Evaluate ridge beam reactions and supporting conditions

Step 3: Design Roof Joists

Roof joists can be designed directly within the model using custom loading conditions.

In this example, custom loads are applied to individual roof framing members to verify:

• Bending capacity

• Shear capacity

• Deflection

• Bearing conditions

The framing checks update automatically as geometry or loading changes.

Step 4: Design Ridge Beams

Ridge beams are analyzed as part of the complete building model.

LAVA calculates:

• Tributary loading

• Member forces per load combination

• Shear and Moment checks

• Deflection checks

This provides a complete structural workflow for conventionally framed custom homes.

Final Calculation Report

The completed calculation package generated from this model is shown below.

Summary

This example highlights how LAVA can model complex custom residential projects with varying roof geometry and traditional roof framing systems.

By combining full-building modeling with member-level framing design, engineers can evaluate custom home conditions within a single integrated workflow.