SAP2000 - Plate loading

[shino10121012]

I am relatively new to SAP and I have been using STAADPRO till date. I have a doubt regarding loading on an area element in SAP2000. I would like to know if there is any method to apply a point load on a plate element or a patch load on a plate element. The same can be done in STAAD, so was wondering if it can be done here too. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[stressed]

Late reply to your question, but yes, you can assign point loads or area "patch" loads on SAP area elements. The key is to mesh the area in order to incorporate those load assignments - in other words, you can't simply draw a special joint on a SAP area element and assign a load to it. You would need to mesh the area element to have a mesh intersection which coincides with that joint in order to apply that joint load to the area.

Also, be careful with your terminology because a "plate" element in Staad is roughly equivalent to a "shell" type area element in SAP. In SAP, a plate type area element only has out-of-plane stiffness.

 

[shino10121012]

Thank you for your response...
But don't you think once you mesh the area and then apply it is again a complete load on a the shell element and not a "patch" load.

 

[stressed]

shino, then mesh your shell element via gridline meshing or whatever method you choose. A "patch" load is an area load on a meshed finite element.