> For the complete documentation index, see [llms.txt](https://docs.openbrim.org/llms.txt). Markdown versions of documentation pages are available by appending `.md` to page URLs; this page is available as [Markdown](https://docs.openbrim.org/templates/openbrimfea/loads-fea.md). # Loads \[FEA] The Loads branch holds everything that acts on the structure, organised by the kind of action. **Static Loads** covers load cases and the loads that belong to them - nodal, line and surface loads, temperature, prestressing, and analysis overrides. **Live Loads** covers the vehicles, design lanes and influence surfaces used for traffic loading. **Wind Loads**, **Pushover** and **Dynamic Loads** each hold their own analysis case types. **Staged Construction** is different in kind: rather than a single loading condition, it defines a sequence of stages, each inheriting the deformed and stressed state of the previous one. Two things are worth knowing before working anywhere in this branch. Every load belongs to an **analysis case**, and a load with no case assigned applies nowhere, silently. And the **sign** of a load component follows the axis direction - a downward load in a Z-up model is negative. --- # Agent Instructions This documentation is published with GitBook. GitBook is the documentation platform designed so that both humans and AI agents can read, navigate, and reason over technical content effectively. Learn more at gitbook.com. ## Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter, and the optional `goal` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.openbrim.org/templates/openbrimfea/loads-fea.md?ask=&goal= ``` `ask` is the immediate question: it should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. `goal` is optional and describes the broader end goal you are ultimately trying to accomplish on behalf of the user. GitBook uses it to tailor the answer towards what is most useful for that goal. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.