General FAQ

How does SAP2000 calculate and apply acceleration loads?

[See acceleration load page.]

What is the procedure used for calculating rotational acceleration loads?

Question: What is the exact procedure the program uses to calculate the rotational acceleration loads? For translational acceleration loads, the loads are calculated as negative translational mass times the acceleration. For rotational acceleration loads how exactly is the translational mass, rotational mass, or both masses used to calculate the acceleration loads?

Answer: [See acceleration load page.]

Under "Display > Show Plot Functions" menu command, absolute or relative acceleration (velocity or displacement) can be chosen. What is the difference between relative and absolute responses?

Relative acceleration is acceleration relative to the ground. Absolute acceleration is the sum of relative acceleration and the input ground acceleration.

Can I apply acceleration loads only to selected members in the model?

If you need to apply acceleration loads only to some elements in your model, you would need to apply these loads manually.