Combination Method

Specifies the combination method to use for combination cases only. Load cases to
combine are designated as L1, L2, and so on. Select the combination method from the
list.
Load case results are multiplied by any associated scale factors before
performing the combination and comparison.
The available methods are:
Algebraic - Indicates a signed algebraic combination of displacement and force level.
This method combines the displacement vectors and the force vectors algebraically
and then calculates the stresses from the combined forces. Displacements are the
algebraic combination of the displacement vectors. Forces are the algebraic
combination of the force vectors. Stresses are not combined. Stresses are calculated
from the algebraically combined forces. The Algebraic method would typically be
used to calculate EXP code stresses.
The obsolete CAESAR II combination methods DS and FR used an Algebraic
combination method. Therefore, load cases built in previous versions of CAESAR II
using the DS and FR methods are converted to the Algebraic method. Also, new
combination cases automatically default to this method, unless you change them.
Algebraic combinations can be built only from basic load cases. Basic load cases are
non-combination load cases or other load cases built using the Algebraic combination
method.
Scalar - Indicates a signed combination of displacement, force, and stress level. This
method combines the displacement vectors, force vectors, and stress scalars.
Displacements are the algebraic combination of the displacement vectors. Forces are
the algebraic combination of the force vectors. Stresses are the scalar combination of
the stress scalars.
The combination of displacements and forces are the same for ALG and Scalar
methods. The combinations of stress levels are different between ALG and Scalar
methods because the stresses are calculated from the combined forces in the ALG
method and summed in the Scalar method. .
For example:
Load Case 1: bending stress = 100 psi, due to X-moment
Load Case 2: bending stress - 100 psi, due to Z-moment
Algebraic (vectorial) sum = square root of (100*100 + 100*100) = 141.4 psi
Scalar sum = 100 + 100 = 200 psi
Scalar is typically used to sum (SUS + OCC) code stresses.
The obsolete CAESAR II combination methods ST used a Scalar combination
method. Therefore, load cases built in previous versions of CAESAR II using the ST
method are converted to the Scalar method.
SRSS - Indicates a combination of the square root of the sum of the squares of
quantities, such as the displacements of the forces or the stresses. Displacements are

the square root of the sum of the squares of the displacements of all cases included in
the combination. Forces are the square root of the sum of the squares of the forces of
all cases included in the combination. Stresses are the square root of the sum of the
squares of the stresses of all cases included in the combination. This method is
typically used to combine seismic directional components.
ABS - Indicates a combination of the absolute values of quantities, such as the
displacements, the forces, or the stresses. Displacements are the sum of the absolute
value of the displacements of all cases included in the combination. Forces are the
sum of the absolute value of the forces of all cases included in the combination.
Stresses are the sum of the absolute value of the stresses of all cases included in the
combination. This method is typically used to combine SUS cases with OCC cases for
occasional stress code check.
MAX - Indicates a combination that reports the maximum displacement, the
maximum force, and the maximum stress value of the cases combined. This method
retains the original sign. Displacements are the displacements having the maximum
absolute values of all the load cases included in the combination. Forces are the forces
having the maximum absolute values of all the load cases included in the
combination. Stresses are the stresses having the maximum absolute values of all the
load cases included in the combination. This method is typically used to report the
greatest restraint loads from among a selected set of load cases.
MIN - Indicates a combination that reports the minimum displacement, the minimum
force, and the minimum stress value of the cases combined. This method retains the
original sign. Displacements are the displacements having the minimum absolute
values of all the load cases included in the combination. Forces are the forces having
the minimum absolute values of all the load cases included in the combination.
Stresses are the stresses having the minimum absolute values of all the load cases
included in the combination.
SIGNMAX - Indicates a combination that reports the maximum displacement, the
maximum force, and the maximum stress value of the cases combined. The sign is
considered in the comparison. Displacements are the maximum signed values of all
the displacements from each case included in the combination. Forces are the
maximum signed values of all the forces from each case included in the combination.
Stresses are the maximum signed values of all the stresses from each case included in
the combination. This method is typically used in conjunction with SignMin to report
the envelope of restrain loads from among a selected set of load cases.
SIGNMIN - Indicates a combination that reports the minimum displacement, the
minimum force, and the minimum stress value of the cases combined. The sign is
considered in the comparison. Displacements are the minimum signed values of all
the displacements from each case included in the combination. Forces are the
minimum signed values of all the forces from each case included in the combination.
Stresses are the minimum signed values of all the stresses from each case included in
the combination. This method is typically used in conjunction with SignMax to report
the envelope of restraint loads from among a selected set of load cases.