Question
How should the top-bottom thermal load be input?
Answer
The 'Beam Section Temperatures' function is used to input temperature differences in the beam elements.
The 'Beam Section Temperatures' function typically inputs temperature differences for beam elements with rectangular cross-sections.
By using the 'Beam Section Temperatures', thermal loads can be applied to not only PSC sections but also composite sections by converting them into equivalent section widths for multiple segments.
The 'Beam Section Temperatures' allows you to input thermal loads for each section along the beam without calculating the effective width. Simply select the section and input the thermal loads for each segment.
For simple PSC structures, the existing function can be used to calculate the converted cross-section. However, for complex PSC structures with thermal load, this function is a convenient tool because it automatically calculates the converted cross section for the tilted parts of the web and flange.
For detailed information on the input window, please refer to [Load] > [Temperature Load] > [Beam Section Temperature] of the Online Manual.