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The Snow Load dialog gives the user the ability to apply snow loads to segments of the model. When snow is applied, AutoPIPE creates a load in direction of gravity (simulating the real effects of snow in direct contact on a pipe), and can be defined through one of three methods.
Weight/Length
Weight/Area
Density
In order to include a snow load as part of an analysis, users must enable the "Snow Case" check box on the Static Analysis set dialog box:
Furthermore, user should understand Snow load limitations, read about them at the bottom of the Snow Analysis Overview page in AutoPIPE help.
On the Snow Load dialog screen, how exactly is the snow load calculated for weight / Length = 0.5 lbs/in for both a 2 inch dia pipe and 12 inch dia pipe that are both 1 ft long piece of pipe.
The answers would be identical because the pipe diameters are not considered. In this example, the user is entering the weight of snow per length of pipe that already considers a pipe diameter or another words:
Weight of snow for the 1 foot length of 2 inch dia pipe:
(0.5 lbs / inch) * (12 inch) = 6 lbs of snow
Weight of snow for the 1 foot length of 12 inch dia pipe:
Note:
1. AutoPIPE currently only consider the horizontal component of projected pipe area for snow loading. Another words, as the vertical angle increases only the horizontal length component of the angle will be used to calculate the snow load. For piping on the vertical axis, the program will automatically remove snow load that has been applied.
2. For dialog options Method = "Weight / Area" or "Density", the projected area is used in calculating the snow load; horizontal length component of the angle multiplied by the pipe's outer diameter.
3. Snow loads, like wind loads, are not currently applied to beams. This is has been logged as an enhancement for a future version.
4. Currently, AutoPIPE V8i 09.06.01.xx and lower does not handle snow loading for non-linear analysis and is not accurately nor realistically applied to non-linear models. As a work around, apply uniformly distributed loads along the relevant segments with the expected linear forces and combine this distributed load with a wind case.
How do i delete the snow load from an AutoPIPE model?
The easiest method of removing snow load from a model is to perform the following:
1. On the Segment tab of the input grid, un-check snow load for all segments.
2. Under Load> Snow> regardless of Snow load Method, make all values 0.00.
3. From the analysis set dialog screen, for each analysis set, remove check mark next to the Snow Case.
Run the analysis, and verify in the complete analysis report that no snow load was analyzed.
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