# Face loads
Face loads on 3D members or elements are similar to face loads on 2D members or elements, with the additional requirement that the face be selected. Loads are specified as a pressure across the surface.
When loads are applied to members, they will be automatically expanded to load the appropriate finite elements.
# Definition
Name
The name is only used as a convenient way of identifying a load.
Entity type
This specifies whether a list of members or elements will be used to define which entities the load will be applied onto.
In sculpt: The entity type is set to either members or elements based on what is in the current selection set.
Entity list
The list of elements to which the load is to be applied.
In sculpt: The entity list is set to the 3D members or elements in the current selection set. The entity list 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.
Face
The face to be loaded. The face is defined by a face number: face topology details below.
| Face | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brick | bottom (1 4 3 2) | top (5 6 7 8) | front (1 2 6 5) | right (2 3 7 6) | back (3 4 8 7) | left (4 1 5 8) |
| Wedge | bottom (1 3 2) | top (4 5 6) | front (1 2 5 4) | right (2 3 6 5) | left (3 1 4 6) | |
| Pyramid | bottom (1 4 3 2) | front (1 2 5) | right (2 3 5) | back (3 4 5) | left (4 1 5) | |
| Tetra | bottom (1 3 2) | front (1 2 4) | right (2 3 4) | left (3 1 4) |
Load type
The user has a choice of the type of loading applied to the member or elements.
- Uniform: Uniform load applied over the whole face of the element or each element in a member.
- Variable: Load which varies across the face of the elements interpolating between values specified at the corner nodes. This option is only available when the entity type is set to element.
Direction
The direction in which the load is applied, with respect to the specified axis.
Axis
The direction of the load is with respect to this axis set. Setting this to Local implies element local axes. If local axis is specified for a face load applied to a member, GSA will apply the load to the constituent elements in the direction of the elements' local axis.
Projected
When set, the load is projected from onto the element to result in the magnitude of the load actually applied to the element being the specified magnitude factored by an amount dependent on the inclination of the element to the load direction. (E.g. for snow loading.)
Value
The magnitude of the load specified at the corner nodes of the element.