Applying Area Loads to Beam Model 1

[MegaStructures]

Hello: I have a large beam model in FEMAP that I would like to apply area loads to. The beams in reality will have a steel deck plate on top of them and per code a 75 psf distributed load must be applied to the beams. I cannot figure out a way to apply a distributed load to these beams, without manually calculating the tributary area of each beam and applying load onto each individual beam. There must be a way to add a distributed load to a beam model in FEMAP, similar to structural programs such as STAAD and Risa. Any suggestions are highly appreciated.
Edit: I should also mention that node and beam spacing is irregular, so manually calculating nodal loads, or linear beam loads would be extremely cumbersome

 

[rb1957]

yep, you'll need to figure out the tributary area … 1/2 the distance to the adjacent beams ?

this is a model of a beam in isolation, or is the beam part of a larger model ?

another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?

 

[MegaStructures]

Thanks for the reply rb1957. It's a model made up of 100's of beam elements arranged in a way that makes the bending from the deck plate 'two-way' bending. The other possibility I though of was modeling the deck plate as a surface and applying a force per area to that, but I ran into an additional problem that I cannot connect the deck plate along the beams.

 

[rb1957]

why not model the deck plate, and apply pressure load ?

another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?

 

[MegaStructures]

I would like to do that, but cannot think up a way to connect the deck plate to the beams.

Edit: To be clear the beams are actually beam elements, they are not beams made with shell elements.

 

[rb1957]

understood, beams as BEAM elements, nodes close to NA.

plate on the nodes. if you're using it as a loading surface, make it reduced properties (E = 0.1*E, t = 0.01", …)

another day in paradise, or is paradise one day closer ?

 

[BlasMolero]

Hello!,
In FEMAP you have the DATA SURFACE EDITOR, take a look to the enormous capabilities of this feature. “Data Surfaces” allow you to apply vari­able loading conditions using a number of predefined methods.
Take a look to this training material:
•

http://www.iberisa.com/transfer/DataSurfacesExample.zip

(34 MB)

Also, take a look to SDC VERIFIER for FEMAP in my blog, no limits!:

https://iberisa.wordpress.com/2019/07/01/sdcverifier-para-femap/

Best regards,
Blas.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Blas Molero Hidalgo
Ingeniero Industrial
Director

IBERISA
48004 BILBAO (SPAIN)
WEB:

http://www.iberisa.com

Blog de FEMAP & NX Nastran:

http://iberisa.wordpress.com/

 

[MegaStructures]

Blas, can a pressure force be applied to a data surface, or is the only option to create nodal loads?