Parapet wall panel load decomposition
For the special case of parapet wall panels spanning horizontally to parapet posts supported by columns, the panel load is decomposed as a lateral point load and point moment - which would be produced by a UDL on the post - to the top of the supporting column.
In some circumstances the engineer may wish only the lateral load but not a moment to be applied. This is catered for using the option “Ignore local moments from lateral loading” which is available in the wind wall properties only when the “Is a parapet wall” setting is checked on. When the “Ignore local moments from lateral loading” setting is checked on, only a lateral point load is applied to the top of a supporting column. No moment is applied.
Note:
- The special decomposition of point loads - with or without a point moment - to supporting columns only occurs when all the following are true; the wind panel spans horizontally to parapet posts, the “Is a parapet wall” setting is checked on for the wall panel, the parapet post is supported by a column.
- In both the following cases a UDL will be decomposed to the members onto
which the parapet wind panel directly spans;
- The member supporting the parapet post is NOT a column.
- The member onto which the parapet wind panel spans is not a parapet post (e.g. is an extended column or vertical beam).