> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://calcs.com/docs/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# How to Design an Inclined Member in Calcs.com
When working with roof elements such as rafters, hip beams, or valley beams, you may need to model a structural member that sits on an incline. Calcs.com makes this easy using built-in presets and flexible input controls. This article walks through how to set up and design an inclined member from scratch.
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Follow along below or with this video:
## **Starting a Beam Calculation**
If you're designing a beam, Calcs.com includes several presets specifically for roof elements, including the **Hip/Valley Beam or Rafter.**
These presets automatically apply an incline.\
However, you can also start with a **Generic Beam** and define your own slope.
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## **Setting the Beam Incline**
In any beam calculation, you can set a sloped condition that allows you to input the incline pitch, as shown below. By default, a generic beam is assumed to have no slope, so we need to indicate this in our design conditions.
### **Where to Find Slope Settings**
Scroll down to the **Design Conditions** section.\
Under **Beam Incline Type**, choose from:
* **Simple Slope** – defines a single plane incline (most common)
* **Hip or Corner Slope** – for beams sloping in two directions
### **Entering Your Slope**
When **Simple Slope** is selected, additional inputs will appear allowing you to define the incline.
You can enter slope in two ways:
* **Rise/Run (e.g., 11:12)**
* The software automatically converts this to **degrees**
This ensures your beam geometry is modeled accurately.
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## **Choosing How to Enter Support and Load Locations**
After defining the incline, choose how you want to input beam geometry and loads:
* **Plan View** – distances measured horizontally based on the plan length
* **Inclined View** – distances measured along the slope of the beam
Switching between these modes updates the input fields to match your preferred workflow.
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## **Defining Loads on the Inclined Beam**
Calcs.com gives you flexibility in how loads are interpreted:
* **Gravity - Plan** - loads applied over the plan length, meaning the horizontal projection of the structure
* **Gravity - Incline -** loads applied over the inclined length, meaning the actual sloped length of the structure
* **Beam-Aligned Loads** - applied directly along the sloped member
You can specify line loads, point loads, or distributed loads as usual.
The interface includes additional notes explaining how loads are resolved into components on the beam.
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## **Linking Loads to the Beam**
Once the beam is inclined:
* Linked loads will automatically account for slope effects
* Reactions and internal forces are calculated using the true geometry
This ensures accurate analysis of bending, shear, and axial forces resulting from the incline.