Question:
How do I correctly model the load flow when a beam acts as a support?
Answer:
When modeling surfaces supported on members or beams in RFEM 6, modeling errors of the load transfer may easily occur.
When modeling a line support on the member line where the surface is supported, the load of the surface is transferred directly to the support. The stiffness of the member or the beam is not taken into account, nor is the beam loaded and designed correctly.
If you want to model the member or the beam as a support, it is important to use a member support. You can select it in the Types for Members category of the Data Navigator.
The following video uses a very simple example to show how the different types of models affect the force distributions; with more complex models, this effect becomes all the more significant.