Notional Horizontal Loading / Equivalent Horizontal Force

The option to automatically add horizontal notional loading or equivalent horizontal forces to a series of ultimate loadcases for examining the stability of a frame is accessible from the Loads > Notional horizontal loads (HNL/EHF) menu.

The Notional Loads allows you to automatically apply a specified percentage of the factored vertical loads in one loading case and add them as a horizontal notional load to the current or any subsequent loading case.

This is done through the use of the ‘HNL/EHF’ option, which calculates a specified percentage of the factored vertical load in the current load case.  The notional loads can subsequently be applied into this current loading case, or any other loading case further down the loading cases list.

The simplest way to generate the correct cases and add the notional loads is to use the automatic ‘Generate’ facility.

1.First enter the load directions (on plane from X axis anticlockwise). Note that these may have already been included if some wind load directions have already been included elsewhere.

2.Then click on the ‘Generate’ button. You may notice the number of load cases increase as some new cases are added. Many other existing cases will have the notional loads option automatically applied.

Important:  The application of horizontal notional loads should not be confused with the notional loads groups N0 to N9.  They are not connected in any way.  The notional load groups are standard load groups that are used for loads that may not be Dead, Live or Wind.  The horizontal notional loads are independent from any of the load groups and do not appear in the Load Combinations area.

After the frame has been analysed the calculated values of the horizontal notional load can be viewed in the frame data file.  From the main MasterFrame menu select Report > View/Print Frame Data.