ProtaStructure Design Guide

Loading Generator
Version 1.0 5 October 2020

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Table of Contents
Scope ....................................................................................................................................................... 4
Dead and Live Load Cases .................................................................................................................... 4
Roof Live Load Cases............................................................................................................................ 4
Construction Stages Load Cases .......................................................................................................... 5
Seismic Loading ................................................................................................................................... 5
Wind Loading ....................................................................................................................................... 5
Minimum Horizontal Loading .............................................................................................................. 6
Soil Pressure ........................................................................................................................................ 6
Loading Combinations According to Design and Seismic Codes .......................................................... 7

ACI318-14, ASCE07-16, SNI1726-2012, SNI1726-2019, NSCP2015, AISC360 (LRFD) ........................ 7

UBC97 (Cl. 1612.2.1)......................................................................................................................... 7
TS500, TBDY2018 ............................................................................................................................. 7
Turkish Steel Code (YDKT) ................................................................................................................. 8
Turkish Steel Code (GKT) ................................................................................................................... 8
Eurocodes ......................................................................................................................................... 8
Thank You… ........................................................................................................................................... 10
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Scope
ProtaStructure can automatically generate the load combinations as required by different design codes.
To generate load combinations automatically use the Loading Generator under Analysis > Building
Analysis > Load Combinations. This document explains the different options in the loading generator.

Dead and Live Load Cases

Dead and live load cases must exist in all projects. That’s why it is not allowed to uncheck these two in
ProtaStructure.

Pattern live loads are optional. By default, only odd and even loaded span pattern is used. You can
optionally check the other three patterns and include in the combinations.

Separate pattern load cases are generated for each orthogonal direction if “Direction Dependent
Pattern Loading” is checked.

Roof Live Load Cases

Generally in codes, it is recommended to define different load cases for Roof Live Loads and it is
recommended to included in the loading combinations with different coefficients. Especially these
definitions are important in steel structures where roof loading is prominent.

By checking these options, you can define individual load cases for "Roof Live Load (Qr, Lr in ASCE-based
specifications)", "Snow Load (S)" and / or "Rain Load (R)" instead of "Live Load State (Q)" to roof level
slabs and elements (such as roof cladding, purlin, beam.). For example, if you check the Roof and Snow
Load fields, a different set of combinations (in the form of Qr or S or R) will be generated for each of
these load cases. Even if you assign loads for all of them, these three load cases will not be automatically
considered in the same combination simulatenously. However, you are free to consider these at the
same time by editing any combination.
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In some codes (eg Eurocode) these load cases are applied with different coefficients (as Qr and S or Qr
and R). No codes apply snow and rain loads together.

If you define a load in the "Live Load (Q)" field together with "Roof Live Load (Qr)" for a member at roof
level, both of these loads will be applied together. Therefore, a load should not be defined in the "Q"
field for such elements, unless specifically preferred.

Construction Stages Load Cases

Dead and live load cases can be defined as a part of construction stage. Optionally, you can have a
second independent set prepared for construction stage combinations that will enable you to envelope
the results with unstaged cases.

Seismic Loading
Four load cases (Ex +, Ex-, Ey +, Ey-) including positive and negative eccentricities are defined for
earthquake loads calculated in accordance with the selected earthquake codes. The "+" and "-" signs in
the load case labels indicate the side of the eccentricity with respect to floor mass center. (i.e. rotating
the floor CW or CCW)

All seismic codes require to include and additional combination, 0.9G + E, that may yield more critical
results where G acts favorably. You can optionally include this in loading generator.

Wind Loading
Generally, two load cases are sufficient for the wind loads for standard buildings where windward and
leeward facades are similar. Load combinations are automatically created separately for the positive
and negative directions.

However, it is necessary to use different load cases in positive and negative directions to define the wind
load, especially for the buildings with different windward and leeward facade areas, the cladding and
purlins on the sloping roofs of steel structures, and the girts on their surfaces. For this purpose, you can
define 4 load cases by using the "Define Different Negative Load States" option.
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In the ASCE-based wind loading definition, 4 load cases (Wx, Wmx, Wy, Wmy) are generated by default
since the torsion moment is calculated for each direction. If you use the "Define Different Negative Load
Cases" option, you can use 8 load cases by creating separate load cases for the negative directions.

Minimum Horizontal Loading

Especially in non-seismic regions, design codes provision the application of a minimum horizontal load
(notional loads) to buildings. By definition, this includes the minimum lateral loads that can be caused
by constructional defects in the structure and is usually calculated as a percentage of the building
weight.

Soil Pressure
You can check the “Soil Pressure” load cases to describe the soil pressure effects. (For example, span
loads applied to the basement shearwalls, or storey loads defined by storey loads editor)

In case the soil pressure is unilateral, it is sufficient to define one or two load cases. By checking the
option for relevant direction, you can create soil pressure load cases and associated combinations.

Design codes suggest different combination coefficients for the soil load cases for situations where the
soil pressure is applied favorably or unfavorably with other horizontal loads. In this case, you must
specify the direction in which the load is applied. For example, if "negative" is selected for the direction
of 1, the soil load coefficient will be "0.9" in the earthquake loading in the positive direction, and "1.6"
in the earthquake loading in the same negative direction.

However, if you want to define different positive and negative load cases in both directions, you can
check the "Define Different Negative Load States" option to create 4 load states (Hx, H-x, Hy, H-y).
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Loading Combinations According to Design and Seismic Codes

The following tables outline the loading combinations used for the strength design, which are
automatically generated according to the different codes supported. More combinations will be
created depending on the options specified by the user in the loading generator.

ACI318-14, ASCE07-16, SNI1726-2012, SNI1726-2019, NSCP2015, AISC360 (LRFD)

Prime G Q Qr, R, S W E H
Effect
G G 1.4
G+Q Q 1.2 1.6 0.5 1.6
G+Q+(Qr, R, S) R 1.2 1 1.6 1.6
G+(Qr, R, S)+W R 1.2 1.6 0.5 1.6 - 0.9
G+W W 1.2 1 0.5 1 1.6 - 0.9
G+W W 0.9 1 1.6 - 0.9
G+L+E+Ev+S E 1.2 1 0.2S 1 1.6 - 0.9
G+E+Ev E 0.9 1 1.6 - 0.9

UBC97 (Cl. 1612.2.1)

Prime G Q Qr, R, S W E H
Effect
G G 1.4
G+Q Q 1.2 1.6 0.5 1.6
G+Q+(Qr, R, S) R 1.2 1 1.6 1.6
G+(Qr, R, S)+W R 1.2 1.6 0.8 1.6
G+W W 1.2 1 0.5 1.3 1.6
G+W W 0.9 1.3 1.6
G+L+E+Ev+S E 1.2 1 0.2S 1 1.6
G+E+Ev E 0.9 1 1.6

TS500, TBDY2018
Prime G Q Qr, R, S W E H
Effect
G G N/A
G+Q Q 1.4 1.6 1.6 1.6
G+Q+(Qr, R, S) R N/A
G+(Qr, R, S)+W R N/A
G+W W 1 1 1 1.3
G+W W 0.9 1.3
G+L+E+Ev+S E 1 1 0.2S 1
G+E+Ev E 0.9 1 1
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Turkish Steel Code (YDKT)

Prime G Q Qr, R, S W E H
Effect
G G 1.4
G+Q Q 1.2 1.6 0.5 1.6
G+Q+(Qr, R, S) Qr, R, S 1.2 1 1.6 1.6
G+(Qr, R, S)+W R 1.2 1.6 0.8 1.6 - 0.9
G+W W 1.2 1 0.5 1.6 1.6 - 0.9
G+W W 0.9 1.6 1.6 - 0.9
G+L+E+Ev+S E 1.2 1 0.2S 1 1
G+E+Ev E 0.9 1 1

Turkish Steel Code (GKT)

Prime G Q Qr, R, S W E H
Effect
G-Only G 1
G+Q Q 1 1 1
G+Q+(Qr, R, S) Q, Qr, S 1 1 1
G+Q+(Qr, R, S) Q, Qr, S 1 0.75 0.75 1
G+(Qr, R, S)+W Q, Qr, R, 1 0.75 0.75 0.75 1 - 0.6
S, W
G+W W 1 1 1 - 0.6
G+W W 0.6 1 1 - 0.6
G+L+E+Ev+S E 1 0.75 0.75S 0.525 0.6
G+E+Ev E 0.6 1 0.6

Eurocodes
ProtaStructure supports Equation 6.10 for strength design combinations (STR) and Equation 9.10 for
seismic combinations.

Combination for live (variable) loads, Frequent Use and Semi-Persistence

ψ0 ψ1 ψ2
Office Areas, 0.7 0.5 0.3
Accessible Roofs, 0.7 0.5 0.3
Snow (H>1000 m), 0.7 0.5 0.2
Snow (H<1000 m), 0.5 0.2 0
Wind, 0.6 0.2 0
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Partial Factors for Dead and Live (Variable) Loads

ɣG 1.35 Unfavorable
ɣG 1.1 Favorable
ɣQ 1.5 Unfavorable
ɣQ 0 Favorable

Accompan
Leading
ying
Variable G Q QRoof S Rain W N E H
Variable
Effect
Effect
G
G+Q Q 1.35 1.5 1.5 1 1.35
G+Q+S Q S 1.35 1.5 1.5 1.05 1 1.35
G+S+Q S Q 1.35 1.05 1.05 1.5 1 1.35
G+Q+R Q R 1.35 1.5 1.5 1.05 1 1.35
G+R+Q R Q 1.35 1.05 1.05 1.5 1 1.35
G+Q+S+W Q S, W 1.35 1.5 1.5 1.05 0.9 1 1.35 - 1
G+S+Q+W S Q, W 1.35 1.05 1.05 1.5 0.9 1 1.35 - 1
G+W+Q+S W Q, S 1.35 1.05 1.05 1.05 1.5 1 1.35 - 1
G+Q+R+W Q R, W 1.35 1.5 1.5 1.05 0.9 1 1.35 - 1
G+R+Q+W R Q, W 1.35 1.05 1.05 1.5 0.9 1 1.35 - 1
G+W+Q+R W Q, R 1.35 1.05 1.05 1.05 1.5 1 1.35 - 1
G+W (G W
1.1 1.5 1 1.35 - 1
favorable) (unfavorable)
G+E+Q+S E Q, S 1 0.3 0.3 0.2 1 1
G+E+Q+R E Q, R 1 0.3 0.3 0.2 1 1
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Thank You…
Thank you for choosing the ProtaStructure Suite product family.

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times through globalsupport@protasoftware.com and asiasupport@protasoftware.com

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