How to specify a nodal load at an inclination to the global directions ?

By default nodal loads are applied along global directions. However one can go to the editor and enter a nodal load in a format described below to apply it at a certain inclination to the global axes.

JOINT LOAD

1 TO 10 INCLINED 1.0 -1.0 0.0  FX 10.0 

The above command would apply an inclined load at joint numbers 1 to 10. The magnitude of the load would be 10 ( in current force units say Kip ). The inclination of the load at that node would be determined by the direction vectors specified as 1.0 -1.0 0 above, which represents the vectors in global X, Y and Z directions respectively. The inclined load would be applied along the resultant of these vectors.

CAUTION :

Please note that this is not a published feature and is NOT supported by the Graphic User Interface ( GUI ). Hence GUI will do ( or not do ) the following

It will not be able to display the load as an inclined load

It will generate errors when opening or saving the files using the GUI. However if you ignore the warnings and run the analysis, analysis engine would be able to consider the loads correctly and generate the correct result.

Since the GUI does not recognize these commands, it will delete these load items from the file if you save the file using the GUI. If you save the file using the editor, the commands will remain intact. So if you need to save the file using the GUI after defining such commands, you should take precaution so that you do not lose the data. You should keep a backup of such commands in the file and just leave it in the commented out state. That way even if you end up saving the file inadvertently using the GUI you can always get the load items back by reactivating those commands and would not lose the data.

An example in which inclined load is applied in the X-Z plane at 45 deg inclination to X, is attached for reference.

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