Loads

All loads belong to a load case. A load case is purely a definition of loads — it does not produce results on its own; an analysis case solves it.

Load cases

Create load cases on the Loads tab. A load case has:

• a name,
• a self-weight multiplier (e.g. 1.0 to include full self-weight, 0.0 to exclude it), and
• an action type (G permanent, Q live, W wind, E seismic, T temperature) used by the automatic Eurocode combination generator.

Note

Adding a load case automatically creates a matching Linear analysis case of the same name (factor 1.0), so the load case can be solved and combined right away.

Load types

Load	Applies to	Parameters
Point load	a node	Fx, Fy, Mz
Distributed load	an element	trapezoidal Fy/Fx start→end, global or local axes
Element point load	a point along an element	Fx, Fy, Mz at distance a
Edge load	a triangle edge or a surface boundary side	traction Fx, Fy per unit length
Temperature (bars)	an element	uniform ΔT and gradient ΔT
Temperature (areas)	a triangle	uniform ΔT over the element
Support settlement	a supported node	prescribed ux, uy, θz
Nodal mass	a node (for a Mass case)	Mx, My, Mtz

Add each from its sub-table on the Loads tab, or from the Loads menu (Manage… / Add… per type), selecting the load case it belongs to. The component names above are the plane-domain ones; the dialogs read them in the active domain's terms (see below and Domains).

Edge loads are the surface-element counterpart of a distributed load: pick the two end nodes of a triangle edge or a surface boundary side — the Add edge load tool lets you click them on the canvas — and give the traction per unit length. They are the way to apply pressure to a wall or plate.

In the plate domain

A slab or grillage bends out of plane, so its loads are transverse (see Slabs and Grillages):

• Point load — Fz (transverse force), Mx, My (moments).
• Distributed load on a grillage beam — a transverse intensity qz.
• Area pressure pz [kN/m²] on a slab region (a surface object or a single triangle) — the everyday slab load, drawn as a colour map over the region. Add it from Loads → Area Pressure (Manage… / Add…).
• Winkler area spring kz [kN/m³] — a slab on grade, lumped kz·A/3 at each triangle vertex. It is a support, not a load, but is applied over a region the same way.
• Area temperature — a slab does not stretch, it bends, so a triangle or surface temperature is the through-thickness gradient ΔT = T_top − T_bottom, which curves the plate element (a uniform rise is stress-free).

Field temperatures need the mesh

A field-driven temperature on a surface object only resolves once the object is meshed into triangles. Before that the loads view shows a note asking you to Generate mesh (F6); a constant pressure or gradient draws immediately.

Self-weight

Self-weight is applied per load case through its self-weight multiplier, using each element's section area and material unit weight. There is no separate self-weight load to add — set the multiplier on the load case.

Viewing loads

Switch the View dropdown to Loads and pick a load case (or all load cases) to draw arrows and value labels on the canvas.