Structural Ridge Beam Force direction

[usprb1976]

Can someone help me understand the real world loading situation for the following scenerio? See attached image for the basic concept
I have an LVL structural ridge beam from point A to point B with a evenly distributed load of vaulted rafters on each side. There are no ceiling joists or collar ties (cathedral ceiling). However, I am joining the rafters to the ridge with steel clips to the side of the ridge and straps over the peak. The ridge will be supported at each end with a stud pack. At the approx. center of the ridge there will be an intersecting sloped LVL rafter beam that is in the same plane as the other rafters. This sloping beam will support load from valleys and a dormer ridge. I have placed an opposing double rafter on the other side of the ridge to balance it, and I will have bolted connections at the top and bottom end of the rafter beams to lock everything together. Here is my question... will the ridge beam transfer load diagonally downward through the rafter beams to the walls below so they will act like an intermediate bearing point for the ridge, or will the rafter beams transfer part of their load to the walls and part of it to the ridge so that it become an additional concentrated load that the ridge must support? Many thanks for any input you can offer!

 

[GeorgeTheCivilEngineer]

Load will go where it is stiffest. The vertical supports for the ridge beam are likely to be the stiffest part so i would expect the load to transfer via the ridge beam to the vertical end supports.

However I'm not sure how your intersecting sloped LVLs will 'lock everything together' but I suspect there is more to the diagram than you've said.

 

[phamENG]

The sloping LVL can only resist the vertical load if it also has has a means of resisting the lateral component at its base. Since it won't have that and it is at the most flexible point in the side wall, I would not rely on it. Design the ridge the span the full width of the building with the sloped beam supported at the wall and at the ridge. Don't try to make the sloped beam a slanted column - won't work for you here. You'll get lots of unpleasant deflections.