Wind Posts

Use the Wind Posts option to introduce wind posts into the length of the wall panel.

If a masonry wind panel is failing, wind posts can be added at distinct positions along the wall. The distance of the posts from the left hand end of the wall can be entered along with the proposed section size. To set the section size, click on the 'Add' button at the end of the cell. This will open a steel sections database from which the section type and size can be chosen and applied.

By default, the wind post is simply supported top and bottom. There are options to fix the post at the base and/or top and also to have the top of the post free in the situation where the wall itself is free-standing.

The user can define whether the post is bending about its major or minor axis and whether to use the elastic or plastic capacity of the section.

The user can also define whether the wind post breaks the continuity of the wall or not. If the wall continuity is broken then the panel leaf is assumed to simply supported either side of the post.

If the post section type or size is not a standard section found in the steel database, the user can enter the elastic moment capacity of a non-standard section for use in the analysis.

The yield line analysis takes full account of the wall stiffening when it comes to a solution and the capacity of the post is implicitly checked in the analysis.