Component Areas of Basic and Composite Elements

For most elements, the calculated area is the projection onto the virtual plane that runs through the center of the component.

The following table gives details about area calculation for each element type.

Basic or Composite Element	Which Plane is used to Calculate Projected Component Area?
Regular Straight Wall	The vertical plane that runs through the center of the component.
Slanted Wall	The slanted plane that runs through the center of the component.
Curved Wall	The plane of the vertical cylinder that runs through the center of the component.
Curved Slanted Wall	The plane of the cone that runs through the center of the component.
Double Slanted Wall	The plane of the variable-thickness component that is closest to the wall's reference line.
Trapezoid Wall	The plane of the variable-thickness component that is closest to the wall's reference line.
Polygon Wall	The plane(s) of the vertical polygon(s) defined by the reference edge(s).
Roof	Plane of the roof.
Slab	Plane of the slab.
Shell	The plane of the component that is closer to the Shell reference plane
Mesh	The Mesh reference plane
Straight Beam	The Beam's vertical plane
Column without Veneer	No component area is calculated.
Column with Veneer (circular)	Circular column with veneer: The plane of the centerline of the veneer component.
Column with Veneer (rectangular)	The program calculates the veneer as if it were divided into four parts as shown, and the vertical plane of each is used.
Morph	No component area is calculated