The Loads command provides the means to add a dead load and a live load to the bridge. Additionally, load combinations can be defined for any of the Analysis Stages. LEAP Bridge Steel will automatically generate load cases and load combinations for each of the Analysis stages. The automatically generated load combinations can be augmented with additional user defined load cases as desired.

Load cases are shown on the right side of the Loads dialog. Two main groupings are present:

• Locked Library Loads - These loads are permanently part of the LEAP Bridge Steel Vehicle Library. Additional Locked Library loads can be added by the user. Locked Library loads can be used in the Bridge Loads by dragging and dropping . See Vehicle Library documentation.

  The locked library loads that are delivered with LEAP Bridge Steel are the following:

  
  • HL-93 - Simple Span
  • Military LL
  • HL-93 - Multi-Span
  • P5 - P15 LL
  • 3 Legal
  • 3-3 Legal
  • 3S2 Legal
  • Fatigue
  
• Bridge Loads - These load cases are available to be used in bridge design or rating load combinations. Load cases are either generated automatically by LEAP Bridge Steel or defined directly by the user. Automatically generated loads consist of steel self-weight (main member, cross frames, stiffeners); slab self-weight (including partial slab loading in construction stages) and appurtenance loads (parapets, medians, sidewalk, railing).

  Load cases can be defined in any of the following groups:

  
  • Dead Load/DC1 Group - These load cases define all loads that are applied to the non- composite structure.
  • Superimposed Dead Load/DC2 Group - These loads cases define loads that are applied to the long-term composite structure (n=3n) and consist of parapets, medians, sidewalks.
  • FWS/Utilities/DW Group - These load cases define loads such as future wearing surface and utility loads that are applied to the long-term composite structure (n=3n).
  • Temperature Load Group - Load cases defining uniform temperature loads.
  • Live Load Group - Live load cases that are applied to the short-term composite structure (n=n).
  • Pedestrian Load Group -Load cases defining pedestrian loads applied to the long-term composite structure.
  • Wind Load Group - Load cases defining uniform wind load.

Input for each of the load cases is described on the Loads Dialog page.