Loads
Loads in Substructure are specified in distinct load cases corresponding to load types specified by AASHTO Standard or LRFD. All loads may be manually input. However, Substructure can generate most commonly encountered loads automatically.
It is, however, the user's choice to use this generation. For specific cases, the user may want to input already computed loads directly, even for the load types that the program can generate. All other loads, when needed should be manually input.
The program generates the following loads:
- Self Load of the Pier
- Dead Load of the Superstructure
- Live Load
- Longitudinal Force/Braking Load
- Centrifugal Load
- Wind Load on Structure
- Wind Load on Live Load
- Temperature Loads from Superstructure
- Earthquake Load
The results due to these loads are visible to the user after a successful completion of the analysis. These analysis results can be seen under the "self load" case.
In the generation of these loads, the entire cap load is applied to the internal model on cap elements. For column members, the load is generated to the bottom of the cap and applied to the column elements. The weight of the column is generated from the bottom of the column to the cap bottom where the centerline of the column intersects. In rare cases where the column is wider than the cap and extended above the cap bottom, the self-load of the part wider than the cap is ignored for the part above the cap bottom line.