When solving, predefined plots containing the applied loads are generated. You can add them from the Add Predefined Plots window. Figure 2-42 shows an example of such a plot. In this section, it is described in detail how you can work with these plots to fine-tune the visualization.

For each structural mechanics physics interface and dataset, a node group is generated under Results. Its name is Applied Loads (<interfaceTag>). Within this node group, one plot group per type of load is created. The possible plot group names are listed in Table 2-22.

In general, load groups are generated as soon as there is load of a certain type, irrespective of whether the value of the load is nonzero or not. Load features in which it is possible to enter both a force and a moment contribution, such as Edge Load in the Beam interface, have a special behavior:

Within a load group, there is one plot per load feature. In most cases, the plot has the same label as the generating load feature, for example Boundary Load 2.

Within a load group, the style of each load plot is inherited from the previous plot. The inheritance can be modified in the Inherit Style section. For example, clear the Color check box to enable different color schemes for different loads and the Color and data range to allow different ranges of the color legends.

In order not to hide any load arrows, the default is to use a transparent representation of the geometry. This is obtained through the extra surface plot Gray Surfaces together with a Transparency subnode. This plot adds a uniform gray surface on each boundary of the geometry. The effect is shown in Figure 2-42. If you disable the Gray Surfaces plot, the structure will have a wireframe outline only. You can modify the transparency level in the Transparency subnode, or delete the node completely. You can, furthermore, add a Selection subnode to the Gray Surfaces node to modify on which boundaries to plot the gray surface.

The Gray Surfaces plot is only generated for physics that use a 2D or 3D representation of the geometry.

You can change the attachment of the arrow by changing the setting of Arrow base in the Coloring and Style section. The default is in most cases to place the tail on the geometry. One exception is, for example, a pressure boundary load for which the head of the arrow is placed at the geometry.

For distributed fields, the default is to place one arrow at the center of each element, element face, or element edge. If the density of arrows is not appropriate, you can modify the settings in the Arrow Positioning section. For example, change Placement to Mesh nodes to place an arrow in each point of the linear mesh, or set it to Uniform to specify an arbitrary number of arrows to be plotted.

The color scheme of the arrow plots is controlled in a Color Expression subnode. The default color table is a Gradient going from red to black. You can change this in the Coloring list. By selecting Color table, the color table is automatically set to Spectrum. This color table can be useful for a clear visualization of the applied loads, when, for example, the magnitude varies significantly between load features.

By default, the load plots are presented in the initial configuration of the model. However, when applicable, a Deformation subnode is added to each plot, but with the Scale factor set to zero. Modify the scale factor to view the loads in a deformed state. Note that when multiple load plots exist in a plot group, the scale factor is by default inherited from the first plot. The exception is the Gray Surfaces plot, where the scale factor is set independently of the other plots.

When the analysis includes geometric nonlinearities, the Scale factor is by default set to one. Hence, the loads are presented in the deformed configuration for such cases.

The automatically generated plots of the applied loads can be useful during preprocessing, for example to verify that loads are applied on the correct boundary and in the intended direction. To generate the load plots before computing the study, right-click the Study node, and select Get Initial Value, see Computing the Initial Values. Doing so will generate all default and predefined plots requested by the currently active features in all physics interfaces active in the study. You can then insert the plot from the Add Plot window.

Note that plots are only generated the first time a dataset is created, which means that the settings will not be updated for subsequent computation of the solution. Moreover, load plots will not be generated for load features that are added after the creation of the dataset. To generate new plots when new load features have been added, delete the current load plots. Then compute the solution or do the Get Initial Value, and insert the new load plots from the Add Plot window.