Wall supported on beam

[RasmusHolst]

Hi.

I am modelling a buiding where walls are supported/on top of beams and columns below. In order to find vertical linear loads on the supporting beams, how is the best procedure. I am using claddings as slabs that transfer loads to the walls that then needs to transfer these loads plus selfweight to the beams. I am using panels with edge releases rigth now, but as the wall is stiffer than the beam loads are transfered to the columns(ends of the beams) "directly", through the wall. 

I have been trying out curtain walls, but at some other places in the building I have beams supported on the walls, and as far as I know that is not possible to do with curtain walls? 

Anyone knows what would be the best practice?

Thanks.

Rasmus

[Artur.Kosakowski]

Assuming that load applied to slabs is distributed using the triangular and trapezoidal method rather than via surface elements you can check this in the way shown on the picture below:

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[RasmusHolst]

Hi Artur.

Thanks for you reply. 

But unless I misunderstand you, this is not what I need to do. From 5 to 2. floor the walls are taking up the loads from the floor slabs. No beams here. It is only at the 1.floor. Here the walls are carried by beams. That means that loads are transferred from slabs to walls all the way up in the house, but when we come down to the 1. floor, these walls are supported on beams. That means that the forces from all the walls and the forces from the slabs needs to be transferred to beams. For now, the lowest wall will act as a high beam and transfer the loads directly to supports - "ignoring" the beam. But I would like to know what the linear load on the beam would be, if it was to carry the whole load it self.

I hope that it makes sense. Otherwise I will try to explain myself again. 

Thanks. 

Rasmus

[Artur.Kosakowski]

Robot being FEM program doesbn't use the load takedown approach (meaning assigning tributary are of load to elements followed by adding up loads from upper load stories downwards) and it doesn't show its output as the cumulative load applied to elements of a model. The transfer of applied loads is based on the stiffness of the elements of the model and it is the deformation of the model which 'rules' the load distribution. You cannot see the loads but internal forces (bending, axial force, shear force diagrams) instead.

If you find your post answered press the Accept as Solution button please. This will help other users to find solutions much faster. Thank you.

[RasmusHolst]

Well yes - I know all this.

Actually I thought someone might say that I should try to reduce the wall stiffness so that it would not react as a beam itself. But I am not sure that this will get me anywhere 🙂

Thanks for your time though.