MasterFrame Loads

Within MasterFrame, a wide range of loads can be defined to act on any model, ranging from loadings defined to act over areas, loads applied to the members of a model and loads applied at nodes. These loads represent idealisations of the actions on the structure to be modelled.

Within MasterFrame, the MasterFrame physical members are loaded with member applied line and point loads. Therefore, all area applied loads are decomposed into equivalent distributed line load or point loads. This is carried out automatically within the software.

Within the analytic model, all loads are then converted into nodal loads for use in the solution of the equations which form the analysis of the structure. Loads for use in the analytic model are always converted into loads acting in the global axes. This process is automatically carried out by the software and is not a user dependent process.

User applied loads are generally applied in the global axes, regardless of the member orientation. The exceptions are loads applied acting in the major or minor member axes, which are therefore applied relative to the member local axes. Nodal loads can also be applied at a specified angle to the horizontal and vertical global planes to avoid the need to resolve loads into the global axes.