5 Apply loading

The Load tab allows you to:

• Manage loadcases, groups, combinations, envelopes and patterns
(page 340)
• Apply panel, member, and structure loads (page 364)
• Apply wind, snow, and seismic loads (page 387)

5.1 Manage loadcases, groups, combinations, envelopes

and patterns
Loadcases, groups, combinations and envelopes are all managed in the
Loading dialog (page 357). Load patterns are reviewed via Update Patterns
on the Load tab.
• Manage loadcases (page 340)
• Manage load groups (page 342)
• Manage load combinations (page 344)
• Manage load patterns (page 353)

Manage loadcases
Before applying loads to your model, you must first define the loadcases
within which the loads will be contained.
To define loadcases, see:
• Create loadcases (page 341)
• Activate reductions in live or imposed loadcases (page 341)
• Renumber all loadcases (page 342)

Apply loading 340 Manage loadcases, groups, combinations,

envelopes and patterns
Create loadcases
When you create a new model, Tekla Structural Designer automatically creates
a loadcase whose type is Self weight - excluding slabs. You cannot access the
loadcase because Tekla Structural Designer automatically calculates the loads
within it using the objects in your structure. Tekla Structural Designer also
creates three other loadcases that are initially empty. However, you will almost
certainly need to create other loadcases that contain the loads that your
building must withstand.

1. On the Load tab, click Loadcases.

The Loading dialog (page 357) opens on the Loadcases page. On this
page, you can see all currently existing loadcases.
2. Click Add.
3. In Loadcase Title, name the loadcase.
4. In Type, select the desired loadcase type.
5. Select whether the loadcase is included when you automatically generate
load combinations.
6. Click OK.
Tekla Structural Designer adds the new loadcase to the list of loadcases in
the Loading list.

Activate reductions in live or imposed loadcases

When you create a loadcase whose type is Live (US) or Imposed (other head
codes), you can allow Tekla Structural Designer to automatically calculate load
reductions in accordance with the percentages specified on the Load
reductions page in Model Settings. To do so, see the following instructions.

Activate reductions in live and roof live loadcases (US)

1. On the Load tab, click Loadcases.

The Loading dialog (page 357) opens on the Loadcases page. On this
page, you can see all currently existing loadcases.
2. Select the Live or Roof Live loadcase to which you want to apply the
reductions.
3. Select the Live Load Reductions option.
4. Click OK.

Apply loading 341 Manage loadcases, groups, combinations,

envelopes and patterns
Activate reductions in imposed loadcases (other head codes)

NOTE You cannot activate reductions in loadcases whose type is set to Roof
Imposed.

1. On the Load tab, click Loadcases.

The Loading dialog (page 357) opens on the Loadcases page. On this
page, you can see all currently existing loadcases.
2. Select the Imposed loadcase to which you want to apply the reductions.
3. Select the Imposed Load Reductions option.
4. Click OK.

Renumber all loadcases

When you delete loadcases from the Loading dialog (page 357), the remaining
loadcases retain their original loadcase number. If necessary, you can
renumber the remaining loadcases in sequence.
For more information, see the following instructions.

1. On the Loading tab of the Project Workspace, right-click Loadcases.

2. In the context menu, select Renumber.

Manage load groups

Load Groups facilitate the generation of combinations (primarily for design of
industrial structures where many loading scenarios must be considered).
To manage load groups, see:
• Overview of load groups (page 342)
• Create load groups (page 343)
• Inclusive and exclusive load groups example (page 344)

Overview of load groups

Features of load groups
• Load Groups are an aid to building Combinations - both manually and
using the Generator - and their use is entirely optional.
• Once a Combination is built using Load Groups, the link to the Load Group
is lost – the Combination is made up only of Loadcases. Only Loadcases
and Combinations are analysed – Load Groups are not.

Apply loading 342 Manage loadcases, groups, combinations,

envelopes and patterns
• Each Load Group holds items of a single load type - e.g. “Dead” or
“Live”...etc. - and can contain both multiple loadcases and other Load
Groups
• The fundamental Load Groups setting is the “Class” which is either
“Inclusive” or “Exclusive”
• When “Inclusive” – all loadcases are added at once into a combination
• When “Exclusive” – loadcases are used one at a time in combinations.
Thus for example, where an Exclusive Load Group contains four
loadcases, the Generator will produce four combinations for all
required combinations which include the group’s load Type (e.g.
“Imposed”), each containing only one of the group’s four cases.
The load groups process
To make use of Load Groups you would proceed as follows:
1. Define Loadcases as normal
2. If required, create Load Groups from Loadcases and/or other Load
Groups
3. Create Combinations by combining Loadcases and/or Load Groups
The end result is Loadcases and Combinations (built up of factored loadcases).
These are then run through analysis and design.

Create load groups

1. On the Load tab, click Load Groups.

The Loading dialog (page 357) opens on the Load Groups page. On this
page, you can see all currently existing load groups.
2. Click Add.
3. Enter the Load Group Title.
4. In Class, select the desired load group class.
• Inclusive - all loadcases are added at once into a combination
• Exclusive – loadcases are used one at a time in combinations
5. Click the load group name in the left hand panel of the dialog to display
the available loadcases.
6. Select each loadcase in turn to be included and click the right arrow
button to copy it into the load group.

NOTE A load group can only contain items of one load type.

Apply loading 343 Manage loadcases, groups, combinations,

envelopes and patterns
7. Click OK.
Tekla Structural Designer adds the new load group to the list of load
groups.

Inclusive and exclusive load groups example

If you were to manually create a combination to include:
• Loadcase 1
• Load Group 1 ("Inclusive" which contains Loadcases 2 & 3)
• Load Group 2 ("Inclusive" which contains Loadcases 4 & 5)
• Load Group 3 ("Exclusive" which contains Loadcases 6 & 7)
• Load Group 4 ("Exclusive" which contains Loadcases 8 & 9)
When you click OK to close the Loading dialog, the following combinations are
created with the relevant factors according to Load Type

Combination Contains Loadcases

Combination 1 1+2+3+4+5+6+8
Combination 2 1+2+3+4+5+6+9
Combination 3 1+2+3+4+5+7+8
Combination 4 1+2+3+4+5+7+9

See also
Create load groups (page 343)

Manage load combinations

Load combinations allow you to assemble sets of loadcases, applying the
appropriate factors for the strength and service condition. These factors are
specific to the design code that you are using.
To manage load combinations, see:
• Load combination classes (page 344)
• Generate load combinations automatically (page 345)
• Create load combinations manually (page 346)
• Create modal mass combinations (page 347)
• Import loadcases and combinations from a spreadsheet (page 347)
• Renumber all load combinations (page 352)

Apply loading 344 Manage loadcases, groups, combinations,

envelopes and patterns
Load combination classes
Combinations fall into five different classes, with a number of options available
for each of the classes:

Combination Description Active Strength Service

class
Construction Only required Not applicable Not applicable Not applicable
Stage for design of
composite
beams
Gravity Consists of On/Off On/Off On/Off
gravity loads
only (self
weight, dead,
slab dry, slab
wet, imposed,
roof imposed,
snow)
Lateral In addition to On/Off On/Off On/Off
gravity loads,
contains
lateral loads
due to
notional loads
or wind
Seismic Consists of On/Off On Not applicable
gravity and/or
lateral loads
as well as
seismic
loadcases
Modal Mass Only required On/Off Not applicable Not applicable
if you perform
a modal
analysis

• Active: Selecting and clearing the option switches the combination on and
off for analysis and design.
• Strength: If the Strength option is not selected and the combination is
active, the combination is not assessed for design.
• Service: If the Service options is not selected and the combination is
active, the combination is not assessed for deflection.

Apply loading 345 Manage loadcases, groups, combinations,

envelopes and patterns