Apply panel loads

You can use panel loads to apply loads to slab items, walls, roof panels, and wind wall panels.

The following different panel load types are available:


Panel load type	Use
Point load	Can be applied anywhere within an individual or across multiple slab items, walls, roof panels, or wind wall panels.
Patch load
Polygonal load
Area load	Entirely covers a slab item, wall, roof panel, or wall panel.
Slab load	Entirely covers all slab items in a parent slab.
Level load	Entirely covers all parent slabs in a level.

Create point loads

Open a 2D view of the level within which you want to apply the load.
Set the view regime to Structural View.
In the Loading list, select an appropriate loadcase.
On the Load tab, click Point.
In the Properties window, adjust the load details according to your needs.
In the model, click a reference node from which the load position can be offset.

The load position can be the start or end point of any member at the level.

Tip: To be able to select a reference node, go to Scene Content, and select Points.
Click the load position, or press F2 to type the exact position.

Note:
If you move the slab item or panel by manually selecting & re-positioning its nodes, the point load does not move with the slab or panel.

However, if you move any of the grid lines defining the reference node, the load will move as well.

Create line loads

Open a 2D view of the level within which you want to apply the load.
Set the view regime to Structural View.
In the Loading list, select an appropriate loadcase.
On the Load tab, click Line.
In the Properties window, adjust the load details according to your needs.
In the model, click a reference node from which the load position can be offset.

The load position can be the start or end point of any member at the level.

Tip: To be able to select a reference node, go to Scene Content, and select Points.
Click the start point of the load, or press F2 to type the exact position.

Note that the start point is an offset (X, Y) from the selected reference node.
Click the end point of the load, or press F2 to type the exact position.

Note that when you type the position using the keyboard, the end point is an offset (X, Y) from the load start position.

Create patch loads

Open a 2D view of the level within which you want to apply the load.
Set the view regime to Structural View.
In the Loading list, select an appropriate loadcase.
On the Load tab, click Patch.
In the Properties window, adjust the load details according to your needs.
In the model, click a reference node from which the load position can be offset.

The load position can be the start or end point of any member at the level.

Tip: To be able to select a reference node, go to Scene Content, and select Points.
Click to specify a corner position of the load, or press F2 to type the exact corner position.
Click to specify the size of the load, or press F2 to type the size.

The size is specified as the offset dimensions from the selected corner position.
Click to specify the rotation angle of the load, or press F2 to type the rotation angle.

Create polygonal loads

Open a 2D view of the level within which you want to apply the load.
Set the view regime to Structural View.
In the Loading list, select an appropriate loadcase.
On the Load tab, click Polygon.
In the Properties window, adjust the load details according to your needs.
In the model, click a reference node from which the load position can be offset.

The load position can be the start or end point of any member at the level.

Tip: To be able to select a reference node, go to Scene Content, and select Points.
Click the start point of the load, or press F2 to type the exact position.

Note that the start point is an offset (X, Y) from the selected reference node.
Click a corner point of the load, or press F2 to type the exact position.
Repeat step 7 according to your needs.
When the polygon is complete, do one of the following:
- Press Esc.
- Click the first corner that you defined.
Tip: To modify the shape of an existing polygonal load the following:
1. In the model, select the load.
2. Click one vertex of the load.
3. Click the point where you want to move the vertex.

Create perimeter loads

Open a 2D or 3D view showing the level at which you want to apply the load.
Set the view regime to Structural View.
In the Loading list, select an appropriate loadcase.
On the Load tab, click Perimeter.
In the Properties window, adjust the load details according to your needs.
Tip: If necessary, you can select one or both of the following options:
- Create as line loads: creates the load as a series of separate line loads along each external edge.
- Ignore openings: only creates the load around external perimeters, and not around internal opening perimeters.
Click any slab or mat item.

Tekla Structural Designer creates the load around the external perimeter of every continuous area of slabs at the selected level.

Create variable patch loads

Note:

Variable patch loads do not have to be quadrilaterals. Instead, they can be any polygonal shape.

Open a 2D or 3D view showing the level at which you want to apply the load.
Set the view regime to Structural View.
In the Loading list, select an appropriate loadcase.
On the Load tab, click Var. Patch.
In the Properties window, specify three load values to describe the variable loads.
Adjust the remaining load details according to your needs.
In the model, click a reference node from which the load position can be offset.

The load position can be the start or end point of any member at the level.

Tip: To be able to select a reference node, go to Scene Content, and select Points.
Click the start point of the load, or press F2 to type the exact position.

Note that the start point is an offset (X, Y) from the selected reference node.
Click a corner point of the load, or press F2 to type the exact corner position.
Repeat step 8 according to your needs.
When the polygon is complete, do one of the following:
- Press Esc.
- Click the first corner that you defined.
Click one of the corners of the polygon to specify the position of Load 1.
Click another corner to specify the position of Load 2.
Click a third corner to specify the position of Load 3.
Tip: To modify the shape of an existing patch load the following:
1. In the model, select the load.
2. Click one vertex of the load.
3. Click the point where you want to move the vertex.

Create area loads

Open a 2D view of the level within which you want to apply the load.
Set the view regime to Structural View.
In the Loading list, select an appropriate loadcase.
On the Load tab, click Area.
In the Properties window, adjust the load details according to your needs.
Click the panel to which you want to apply the load.

Create variable area loads

Variable area loads can only be applied to non-horizontal slab items and roof panels, as well as wall panels and concrete walls. Therefore, they cannot be applied in a 2D view.

Open the 3D view, frame, or sloped plane view in which you want to apply the load.
Set the view regime to Structural View.
In the Loading list, select an appropriate loadcase.
On the Load tab, click Var. Area.
In the Properties window, adjust the load details according to your needs.
Click the slab item or panel to which you want to apply the load.

Create slab loads

Open the view in which you want to apply the load.
Set the view regime to Structural View.
In the Loading list, select an appropriate loadcase.
On the Load tab, click Slab.
In the Properties window, adjust the load details according to your needs.
To apply the load to all the slab items within a parent slab, in the model, click any slab item within the parent slab.

Create level loads

Click any slab panel in order to apply the load to all slabs within the level.

Open the view in which you want to apply the load.
Set the view regime to Structural View.
In the Loading list, select an appropriate loadcase.
On the Load tab, click Level.
In the Properties window, adjust the load details according to your needs.
To apply the load to all slabs within the level, in the model, click any slab item.