Navigation:  Working With Beam Calculations > Beam Loads > Launching With Revit Floors With Area Loads > Typical Floor Conditions > Floor Openings

The optimal sampling mode for beams adjacent to floor openings depends on the user’s desired outcome.  

To accurately model all variations in load due to the opening, the beam should be launched using the “Complete Contour” mode.  This will result in segmented loads that reflect the transition from simple span slab, to cantilever slab at the opening, and back to simple span.

However, in some cases a user may desire to design a beam without considering small insignificant floor openings and instead design the beam as if uniformly loaded.  In such cases, the user can easily select an alternate sampling density that does not capture the subtle variations the user wishes to ignore.  For example, sampling the beam shown below at midspan, third points, or quarter points would result in the small piping sleeve holes being ignored.