Load train with ELLA

Hi

I am investigating the forces in a plate from moveable loads using the program ELLA. The loads consist of a simple vehicle with two axles which can move only in direction of the lanes i have defined. The distance between the axles is fixed to 6 meters, but the distance between each vehicle is approximately minimum 0.2m. Each of the lanes can be up to 100 meters long.

Since the load is user defined, i have defined two axles in each load case.

When using ELLA to calculate the worst section forces, ELLA does not see the two axles as being one vehicle, and therefore removes the axles which are not maximizing the section forces. I want the program to either keep or remove the whole vehicle, and not only parts of it.

Therefore i have two questions:

  • Is there a way to define a specific vehicle instead of only axles?
  • Or is there a way to code in ELLA that both axles should be removed if unfavorable?

The code defined in sofiload is the following:

!Containers
sto#contW 2.44[m] !Width, container
sto#contL 6.060[m] !Length, container
sto#clW 0.162[m] !container point load, width
sto#cll 0.178[m] !container point load, length
sto#contCCw 4.2[m] !C-C distance containers on row(width)
sto#contd 0.4[m] !Outer distance between containers on row(length)
$sto#Tcc 0.1[m] !Tolerance in C-C distance of containers, if 0.1m input, then total movement is ±0.1m=0.2m

sto#Pcont 182.9[kN] !Point load in each corner of container
$sto#Pstraddle 110[kN] !Point load in each corner of container

$!Straddle carriers
$sto#slw 0.232[m] !Straddle carrier point load, width
$sto#sll 0.371[m] !Straddle carrier point load, length
$sto#dstrady1P 2.1[m] !Distance straddle carrier wheels resultant, longitudinal
$sto#dstrady2P 3.5[m] !Distance straddle carrier wheels resultant, longitudinal
$sto#dstradxP 4.45[m] !Distance straddle carrier wheels resultant, width

ECHO ACT
ACT L
ECHO LANE,LOAD
GAX ‘A’ S 4*#deltxy X #Cx-3*#contCCw Y #Cy-2*#deltxy Z 0 NX 0 NY 1 NZ 0 ! Axis A creation
LANE ‘A’ TYPE EN WR #contW/2 WL -#contW/2 ! Lane in axis A defined
GAX ‘B’ S 4*#deltxy X #Cx+3*#contCCw Y #Cy-2*#deltxy Z 0 NX 0 NY 1 NZ 0 ! Axis A creation
LANE ‘B’ TYPE EN WR #contW/2 WL -#contW/2 ! Lane in axis A defined

LC 91 TYPE L TITL ‘Container Lane 1’; TRAI USER PFAC 1 XCON #contd+#cll DIR B DIRT N WIDT #contW ! Custom container load
TRPL 2*#Pcont B #contW-#clW BW #clW LW #cll
TRPL 2*#Pcont A #contL-#cll B #contW-#clW BW #clW LW #cll

LC 92 TYPE L TITL ‘Container Lane 2’; TRAI USER PFAC 1 XCON #contd+#cll DIR B DIRT B WIDT #contW ! Custom container load
TRPL 2*#Pcont B #contW-#clW BW #clW LW #cll
TRPL 2*#Pcont A #contL-#cll B #contW-#clW BW #clW LW #cll
TRPL 2*#Pcont A #contL-#cll B #contW-#clW BW #clW LW #cll

end

Hello

Why are you using two axes? If I understand you correctly, you want to model a vehicle with two symmetrical loads. So I would define a load train with two symetric point loads on one axis.

The procedure is described in the SOFiLOAD manual.

SSD / TEDDY > Help > User Manuals > All Manuals… > SOFiLAOD > chapter 5.6 TRPL - Point Load of train load (Item Y)

In addition, we have many predefined load models according to the different design codes. So take a look at the available models. Perhaps you will find a suitable load train.

Maybe one of the SOFiLOAD examples will help you:

TEDDY > File > Examples > SOFiLOAD > english > …

Best regards
Frederik Höller
Your SOFiSTiK Support Team