Force

Form: Joint Load Assignment - Force

Assigning a force or moment to a joint object is meaningful only if the joint object is in one of the following locations:

• At the ends of structural frame objects (beam, column, brace, link).

• At the corner joints of structural shell objects (floor, ramp, wall).

• Anywhere in the plane of a structural shell object (floor, wall).

• Anywhere along the length of the frame object with frame section properties (beam, column, and brace) unless the frame object is tagged to not be automatically meshed. Note that the joint object must lie exactly on the frame object. We do not recommend attempting to apply point loads to frame elements in this manner. Instead, use the Assign menu > Frame Loads > Point command to apply the point loads.

Note that the joint loads are specified in the global coordinate system directions.

Assign a force load to a joint objects as follows:

1. Select the joint object(s) to which a force load is to be assigned.

2. Click the Assign menu > Joint Loads > Force command to access the Joint Load Assignment - Forces form.

3. Use the available options to specify the parameters for the point load:

• Load Pattern Name drop-down list. Select the name of a defined load pattern to which the specified loads are to be assigned. (Note that the Define menu > Load Patterns command is used to define load patterns).

• Loads edit boxes. Input the point loads in the global coordinate system directions. Positive directions of moments (shown in the sketch below) are based on the right-hand rule.

• Options

• • Add to existing loads:  Adds the specified point loads to the joint object. If one or more point load assignments have already been made, this option increases the total point load on the joint object, assuming a positive load is being specified.

  • Replace existing load:  Replaces the currently specified point load, if any, with the new point load assignment. If no assignment exists, the new assignment is still made. This is the default option. Note that only the loads in the load pattern that is specified above are replaced.

  • Delete existing loads:  Deletes any and all point load assignments made to the selected joint object(s). When this option is selected, the items in the Loads area of the form are ignored when the Apply button is clicked. Note that only the loads in the load pattern that is specified above are deleted.

Note that the default option is Replace and that the program defaults to this option every time the form is opened.

4. Click the Apply button to complete the assignment.
   
   When the Apply button is used, the Joint Loads Assignment - Forces form will remain open until it is closed by clicking the Close button. This allows selection of another joint object(s), to which another assignments can be made.<="">
   
   If only one assignment is being made to only one set of selected objects, the OK button can be used to both apply the assignment and close the form.

See Also

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