Grid Line Loads

These are line loads located in space or, more precisely, on a grid surface which is located in space. The grid surface is also used to identify the elements that are considered during the grid load expansion. Refer to Specifying Grid Loading for details.

Grid line loads must be located so as, either, to coincide with an element or to be bounded by a closed polygon of elements. The grid loading edge tolerance is used to determine whether a load is applied directly on an element.

If the grid surface associated with the load is 2D element type, the grid line load will be transferred as point loads on each of the 2D elements which intersects with the grid line load. Position of the point load is at the centroid of the grid line segment that intersected with the 2D element. Intensity of the point load is also calculated from the intersected grid line segment. If the grid line load coincides with edges of more than one 2D elements, the load will be transferred to the first element that program identifies and ignores other element.

Definition

Name

The name is only used as a convenient way of identifying a load. Optional.

Grid Surface

The surface in which the load is located and the surface that defines the elements that attract the load. Note that the load is not necessarily applied in the underlying grid plane axis directions (see Axis, below).

In sculpt: The grid plane is set to the current grid. The grid plane cannot be edited in the dialog.

2D Polyline

Line loads are defined by a polyline. This can either be a reference to a polyline specified in the polylines module, or the polyline can be defined explicitly in the load record. If a polygon is embedded in the load record it should be of the form ‘(x0,y0), (x1,y1), ... (xn,yn) (unit)’, where the ‘(unit)’ part is optional.

The polyline is defined in grid coordinates (i.e. x and y coordinates in the grid surface). Note that the vertices are defined by Cartesian x-y coordinates even when the grid plane is cylindrical.

In sculpt: An existing 2D polyline identical to the current polyline is referenced or the current polyline is saved as a 2D polyline and referenced. The 2D polyline cannot be edited in the dialog.

Load case

This is the load case in which the load applies. The load case gives a way of grouping load effects together.

Axis

The axis in which the load is applied. Setting this to local implies panel local axes.

Direction

The direction of the loading, in the specified axis direction.

Projected

When the load and the structure are not orthogonal the load applied to the structure depends on whether the load is taken as applying along the length of the polyline or the length of the polyline projected on to the structure in the load direction.

Values

The magnitude of the load at the ends of the polyline. A linear variation between the ends is assumed.