Applies To
	Product(s):	STAAD.Pro
	Version(s):	All
	Environment:	N/A
	Area:	Modeling Solutions
	Subarea:	Loading
	Original Author:	Abhisek Mandal, Bentley technical Support Group

 If we have a wind load on a bracing system (perpendicular to the bracing plane), can we apply the wind loading directly to the brace as a uniform load instead of resolving the force into point loads? How does Staad handle this type of loading on members that are declared trusses??

If a transverse load such as a uniform distributed load or a concentrated force is applied on a truss member, STAAD converts it to the equivalent concentrated shears at the 2 ends of the member. The member end force output will show them as shears on the member under the output terms SHEAR-Y or SHEAR-Z depending on the local axis direction the load is applied in.

However, if you determine the equivalent end shears and apply them as joint loads instead, and not as a member load, the truss members at that node will not experience any shear force due to that load.