Surface load

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Use the Surface load tool to add surface force to the model.

When you select the Surface load tool from the panel, a new tool palette opens.

Main tools on the tool palette

	Description
	Use Define tool to add a new surface load to the model.
	Use Properties tool to check properties of existing surface loads. This will open the Default settings dialogue for the selected load(s).
	Use Hole tool to cut holes into existing loads.
	Use Variable intensity tool to change any existing Ordinary surface load into a linear variable load by defining 3 intensity points.
	Use Info tool to see additional info on existing surface loads. This will open the Surface load info dialogue for the selected load (read below in more detail).
	Use q1 numeric field to enter the value of the force. Only available when defining Ordinary or Variable intensity load. For Ordinary load, this is the main constant value. For Variable intensity load, this is the value at the first intensity point.
	Use q2 numeric field to enter the value at the second intensity point. Only available when defining Variable intensity load.
	Use q3 numeric field to enter the value at the third intensity point. Only available when defining Variable intensity load.
	Use z0 numeric field to enter the surface level of soil/water in the global Z axis. Only available when defining Soil/hydrostatic pressure load.
	Use q0 numeric field to enter the load intensity at surface level. Only available when defining Soil/hydrostatic pressure load.
	Use qh numeric field to enter an increment of load intensity along the global Z axis. Only available when defining Soil/hydrostatic pressure load.
	Use F numeric field to enter the value of the resultant force. Only available when defining load as Ordinary by resultant.
or	Click on the down arrow button next to a numeric field to activate or deactivate the automatic numeric field filling function. When the function is active, program will automatically fill the next numeric field with the same value, while you enter a value in the current field. Active function's arrow background is marked with light color. Inactive function's arrow background is marked with dark color. Function is active by default.
	Click on the Predefined surface loads arrow button next to the numeric fields to open a new dialogue window with predefined surface load values (read below in more detail).
	Use Default settings tool to change some settings (read below in more detail).

tip

Automatic numeric field filling function does not prevent you from manually entering a different value in the automatically filled field. It is just a helping function to fill in the values faster.

Ordinary or Soli/hydrostatic pressure load

	Description
	Use Ordinary function to define a constant load. Also, use this function first if you want to define variable load later.
	Use Soil/hydrostatic pressure function to define a variable linear load that varies along global Z direction.
	Use Ordinary by resultant function to define a constnt load by defining it's resultant.

Direction tools

	Description
	Use Predefined direction function to select the load direction from 6 possible options.
	Use Parallel with line function to set the load direction by drawing a line in the model space.
	Use Perpendicular to plane tool to set the load direction to be perpendicular to a selected plane. You can select the plane in the model space.
	Use Object's local system tool to select the load direction from 3 possible options.
	Only while Predefined direction tool is selected, use this Direction tool to select one of the 6 possible options - global coordinate system X, Y or Z axis or user coordinate system x, y or z axis.
	Only while Object's local system tool is selected, use this Direction tool to select one of the 3 possible options - direction parallel to local x', y' or z' axis.
	Only while Predefined direction tool or Object's local system tool is selected, use the Positive direction and Negative direction buttons to change positive/negative direction of the selected axis or normal of the selected plane.

Contour tools

For defining load and hole contours. Only available for the Predefined direction, Parallel with line or Perpendicular to plane directions.

	Description
	Use Rectangular function to define a rectangle by two opposing corner points.
	Use Circular function to define a circle by center point and radius.
	Use Polygonal function to define the polygon with multiple consecutive points.
	Use Pick lines function to define the shape by using any existing closed shape that is made of lines, edges, axis or edges of a Region.
	Use Pick existing region function to define shape by selecting an existing Region.

Other tools

	Description
	Use Assign to structure tool to assign the load to a structural element already while defining the load.

note

To read about assigning the load to structure see the topic
User interface ➔ Tab menus ➔ Loads ➔ Panel Modify ➔ Assign load to structure

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Predefined surface loads

The Predefined surface loads tool opens a new dialogue window which shows predefined load values based on the selected design code for the project.

• Ref. - reference to Eurocode.
• Description - load value description from Eurocode.
• Value - value assigned to each predefined load.

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Surface load info dialogue

The Info tool opens a new dialogue window.

Resultant force

• F - Resultant force value.
• Fx - resultant force vector's component in global X direction.
• Fy - resultant force vector's component in global Y direction.
• Fz - resultant force vector's component in global Z direction.

A point on line of action

• x - resultant force location coordinate in global X direction.

• y - resultant force location coordinate in global Y direction.

• z - resultant force location coordinate in global Z direction.

• Insert line of action - use this button to insert a line into the model that represents the resultant force. It will be inserted in the location described with above coordinates.

Calculated distribution area

• Length - see the area of the surface load.

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Default settings

The Default settings tool opens a new dialogue window depending on whether Ordinary, Soil/hydrostatic pressure or Ordinary by resultant function is selected.

When Ordinary function is selected this dialogue opens:

When Soil/hydrostatic pressure function is selected this dialogue opens:

When Ordinary by resultant function is selected this dialogue opens:

	Tools and functions in the dialogue windows
q1	Change the value of the force. Only available when defining Ordinary or Variable intensity load. For Ordinary load, this is the main constant value. For Variable intensity load, this is the value at the first intensity point.
q2	Change the value at the second intensity point. Only available when defining Variable intensity load.
q3	Change the value at the third intensity point. Only available when defining Variable intensity load.
z0	Change the surface level of soil/water in the global Z axis. Only available when defining Soil/hydrostatic pressure load.
q0	Change the load intensity at surface level. Only available when defining Soil/hydrostatic pressure load.
qh	Change the increment of load intensity along the global Z axis. Only available when defining Soil/hydrostatic pressure load.
F	Change the value of the resultant force. Only available when defining load as Ordinary by resultant.
Load case	Select a load case for the load
Comment	Add a comment to the load
	Select the Apply on the eccentric axis/surface if you want to apply the load on an eccentric axis of eccentric surface of a structural element. If unselected, the load is applied on the centroid axis. Only available when defining load as Ordinary or Ordinary by resultant.
	Select to apply the load intensity along the action surface (for example, dead load).
	Select to apply the load intensity perpendicular to the direction of the load (for example, snow load).