General principle

 

Within SCIA Engineer, several types of combinations are recognized. The user can input a Code combination, which is in a first step in the background exploded to Envelope combinations and in a second step to Linear combinations. The user can input any level of combination, depending on the chosen type all load case coefficients need to be defined manually.

Code combination

Contains the combination type and list of assigned load cases.

Envelope combination

Result of the explosion of a Code combination to multiple envelope combinations. The rules for the explosion are given by the selected code. During this explosion, the safety factors γ are applied to each load case. Duplicate Envelope combinations are filtered out at this level.

 

Linear combination

Result of the explosion of an Envelope combination to multiple Linear combinations. All possible combinations are generated. During this explosion, the load case relations (Standard, Together, Exceptional, Master-Slave) and possibly ψ factors are applied. Duplicate Linear combinations are filtered out at this level. A Linear combination, which is giving an extreme result, is called a Combination key.

 

Explosion example: