AutoPIPE - Snow loads combined w/ non-linear analysis

Question

Im running an analysis in AutoPIPE Advanced, which needs to include snow loads. Ive entered these in my analysis sets, and have read the help file on snow loads to fully understand how they work/act.
In the help, the following can be read as a limitation to snow loads: "Currently, AutoPIPE only considers snow loading as linear analysis. Load sequencing does not apply to snow loads and such results should not be considered. For analysis sets that consider Gaps/Friction/Soil, the snow loading checkbox should remain unchecked."
My model includes supports with gaps and friction, but I do need address snow loads.

What options do I have left then?

HVN · Accepted Answer

Thanks for coming back to this. I already received an answer to this question by Mike D., who referred to SR 7000575136, and referred me to this wiki; communities.bentley.com/.../31908.how-to-model-snow-load-sn-for-non-linear-analysis 
 
Regards

Jessica Alegre · Answer

Hello, 
 
As you read, a current limitation with the snow load is that it only applies to linear analysis. Therefore, even though you might have gaps and friction on the supports in your model, you cannot take them into consideration when reviewing the snow load results. If you have other occasional loads (wind/static earthquake), I would recommend creating one analysis set that includes the gaps/friction with those loads. Then you would have to set up a second analysis set that includes the snow load but does not include the gaps/friction. You would have to review the results for each analysis set accordingly.