Create and group loads

This section introduces the different types of loads available in Tekla Structures and explains how to create and group them.

Tekla Structures includes the following load types:


Load type	Description
Point load	A concentrated force or bending moment that can be attached to a part.
Line load	A linearly-distributed force or torsion. By default it runs from a point to another point. You can also create a line load with offsets from the points. A line load can be attached to a part. Its magnitude can vary linearly across the loaded length.
Area load	A linearly-distributed force bounded by a triangle or quadrangle. You do not have to bind the boundary of the area to parts.
Uniform load	A uniformly-distributed force bounded by a polygon. You do not have to bind the polygon to parts. Uniform loads can have openings.
Wind load	Area loads defined by pressure factors, along the height of and on all sides of a building.
Temperature load	A uniform change in temperature that is applied to specified parts and that causes axial elongation in parts. A temperature difference between two surfaces of a part that causes the part to bend.
Strain	An initial axial elongation or shrinkage of a part.

To ensure that load analysis is correct, use area and uniform loads for loads on floors. For example, when the layout of beams changes, Tekla Structures recalculates the loads to the beams. It will not do this if you use point or line loads on individual beams. Tekla Structures also distributes area and uniform loads automatically if they act on parts that have openings.