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Creating member and element loading graphically

The following element load types can be created using the respective commands in the Sculpt > Create entity loading menu:

  • 1D entity loading
    • Beam loads
    • Prestress loads
    • Distortions loads
    • Thermal loads
  • 2D entity loading
    • Face loads
    • Edge loads
    • Prestress loads
    • Thermal loads
  • 3D entity loading
    • Face loads
    • Thermal loads
  • Gravity

The Create element loading menu is also available on the right-click menu that is displayed when the cursor mode is set to Select elements. The procedure is broadly the same for creating each load type and is as follows.

  1. Set the cursor mode to Select elements.
  2. Select the elements that are to be loaded.
  3. Give the respective Create element loading command.
  4. Specify the load in the Beam load definition, Beam prestress definition, Beam distortion definition, Beam thermal load definition, 2D element face load definition, 2D element edge load definition, 2D element prestress load definition, 2D element thermal load definition or Gravity load definition dialog boxes, respectively.

Mapping loads onto 1D and 3D elements​

The Sculpt load mapping commands allow beam loads and face loads to be applied to selected 1D and 3D elements, respectively, with loading values expressed as a function of the coordinates of the element topologies. Normal mathematical notation is used in expressions. For example:

z + abs( sin(x) ) * pi

Operations may be with respect to standard (e.g. global) or user defined axis sets.

Beam and face loads can be mapped on elements using the Sculpt > Create element loading > Map beam loads on 1D elements and Sculpt > Create element loading > Map face loads on 3D elements menu commands, respectively. The procedure is as follows:

  1. Set the cursor mode to Select elements.
  2. Select the elements to be loaded.
  3. Give the respective Map loads command.
  4. Specify the action to be taken in the Map beam loads or Map face loads dialog boxes, respectively.

Mapping loads onto 2D elements​

Mapping face loads onto 2D elements have been replaced by the ability to specify a face load by an equation.