Applies To
	Product(s):	STAAD.Pro
	Version(s):	All
	Environment:	N/A
	Area:	OpenSTAAD
	Subarea:	Load
	Original Author:	Bentley Technical Support Group, Shreyanka Bhattacharjee

Problem Description:

How to add Plate Load (Pressure on full Plate; Concentrated Load, Partial Pressure on Plate) using OpenSTAAD (VBA and python)

Solution:

You need to use function AddElementPressure

Parameter for function AddElementPressure:

[Input]   PlateNo : Plate number ID(s)

[Input]   Direction: Load direction: (= 1 to 9 for LocalX, LocalY, LocalZ, GlobalX, GlobalY, GlobalZ, ProjectedX, ProjectedY and ProjectedZ respectively)

[Input]   Pressure: Magnitude of the pressure or concentrate load on the element

[Input]   x1: Top-Left coordinate X (local)

[Input]   y1: Top-Left coordinate Y (local)

[Input]   x2: Bottom-Right coordinate X (local)

[Input]   y2: Bottom-Right coordinate Y (local)

Note:

• x1, y1, x2 and y2 are 0: Pressure applied over the full area of the element.
• x1, y1, x2 and y2 are not 0: Pressure applied over the area between (x1, y1) and (x2, y2) measured from the center of plate(s) in the local axis system.
• x1 and y1 are not 0, but x2 and y2 are 0: Concentrate load applied on (x1, y1) measured from the center of plate(s) in the local axis system.

Sample VBA Syntax:

Set objOpenSTAAD = GetObject(, "StaadPro.OpenSTAAD")

Dim PlateNo(1) As Long

Dim Direction As Long

Dim Pressure As Double

Dim x1 As Double

Dim y1 As Double

Dim x2 As Double

Dim y2 As Double

 

Direction = 5 '1= LX; 2=LY; 3= LZ; 4=GX; 5=GY; 6=GZ; 7=PX; 8=PY; 9=PZ

Pressure = -1.5

 

'Pressure on full Plate 1 and 2

PlateNo(0) = 1

PlateNo(1) = 2

objOpenSTAAD.Load.AddElementPressure PlateNo, Direction, Pressure, x1, y1, x2, y2

 

'Partial Pressure on Plate 3 and 4

PlateNo(0) = 3

PlateNo(1) = 4

 

x1 = -1

y1 = -1

x2 = 1

y2 = 1

objOpenSTAAD.Load.AddElementPressure PlateNo, Direction, Pressure, x1, y1, x2, y2

 

'Concentrated Load on Plate 5 and 6

PlateNo(0) = 5

PlateNo(1) = 6

 

x1 = -1

y1 = -1

x2 = 0

y2 = 0

objOpenSTAAD.Load.AddElementPressure PlateNo, Direction, Pressure, x1, y1, x2, y2

Python script:

communities.bentley.com/.../AddElementPressure.py

Sample Output: