Hello,
I am working on a model involving Moment Frames connected by bracing (tension member only) and purlins.
I have generated a Wind Definition and intensities using the ASCE option. I have also assigned this wind load to a Group of Members (not using a X, Y, or Z range) to ensure that the wind load is only acting on the columns of the moment frame and not the bracing or the purlins. (I am more interested in the support reactions than I am in the stresses developed in the beams etc.)
When I view the resulting nodal loads from the wind load I am unsure of how STAAD obtained those values. I estimated the tributary area for a node and multiplied it by the corresponding intensities to find the nodal load. However, my calculation is two to three times greater than the nodal load value in STAAD.
Does STAAD have an option to demonstrate how it obtained the Nodal Load?
Or is there a way for STAAD to distribute the Wind Load as uniformly distributed loads on the members instead of the nodes?
Your assistance is greatly appreciated.