Specify load cases and natures for the loads applied to your analytical model.
To add a load case
- Click Analyze tabAnalytical Model panel (Load Cases).
- Click the Add button. New Case 1 is added as a table record and the Add button changes to Duplicate.
- Click in the Name cell of this new load case, and enter a name, such as Mechanical Unit.
Note: The Case Number column of the table is read-only. Revit provides a unique number.
- Click the Category cell of the new load case, and select a category.
Note: You may also create a new load case by selecting an existing load case in the table, clicking Duplicate, and editing the new load case as needed.
The second table in the Structural Settings dialog is the Load Natures table. Use this table to add or delete load natures.
To add a load nature
- Click Analyze tabAnalytical Model panel (Load Cases).
- Click in the Load Natures table.
- Click the Add button. A new load nature record is added to the table.
Note: When adding a Dead Load to the model, you must include an estimated load for the self-weight of the structure.
- Click in the cell of the new load nature.
- Change the name of the load nature as appropriate.
For American users there is an perceived redundancy in the Name, Nature, and Category parameters. However, it is typically useful for other geographical areas where more detailed divisions of load (category) and sub-types (nature) are necessary. Each sub-type allows for the application of different combination factors. For instance:
- European Outdoor Exposure Sites (Eurodes) have Live Loads (Variable actions) and a number of natures such as Category A (residential) and Category B (offices).
- Australia/New Zealand code has Live Loads (Imposed) with natures such as Distributed-floors-residential, Distributed-floors-commercial, and Concentrated floors.