A simple python CLI for managing quick load calculations.
load-calc is a concept CLI tool written in less than 100 lines of python and with no 3rd party dependencies. I wrote it in a few hours as a Proof-of-Concept. My goal was to make a simple tool for common quick calculations done typically by structural engineers while they are computing load combinations over tributary widths and areas. I've always felt there was something I could create that was somewhere in-between using excel or mathcad and a calculator. load-calc is my attempt at creating this.
The script is extremely simple. If you have python 3 on your machine, simply run the script from the command line with py load_calc_cli.py.
Load-calc is intelligent about how loads come together. You simply enter a two letter appreviation of the load type followed by the load and load-calc-cli will record it. It will echo the current state of your load types you have entered.
MyLC Version 1.0.0 Command line tool for rapid load combination maniputations
>>DL 22k
DL 22k
>>LL 15k
DL 22k
LL 15k
Then, typing LC: followed by the load combination as shown will automatically gather the load types and sum them. you can enter any values here as long as they follow the convention
of a signed float followed by two alphabetical characters.
>>LC: 1.2DL 1.6LL
ultimate: 50.4
Starting a new example: Loads can be stored with different units and the trib taken over. The arrow indicates multiplication over the trib resulting in final units of kip (k).
>>DL 5k/ft -> 10ft
DL 5k/ft -> 10ft
>>LL 10sqft -> 5ft -> 5ft
DL 5k/ft -> 10ft
LL 10sqft -> 5ft -> 5ft
Typing s will "shrink" the loads to their base.
>>s
DL 50.0
LL 250.0
And computing the LC we get
>>LC: 1.2DL -0.5LL
ultimate: -65.0
We can even add additional loads to a specific load type by using the + symbol. Below is an example. Also, the -1 symbol after the ft in this example tell load-calc to divide
>>+DL 5ksf -> 10ft-1 -> 10ft-1
DL 5k/ft -> 10ft
LL 10sqft -> 5ft -> 5ft
+DL 5ksf -> 10ft-1 -> 10ft-1
>>LC: 1.2DL 1.6LL
ultimate: 460.06
and we can simply see the summarized per load type with the s command if we wish at any time.
>>s
DL 50.05
LL 250.0
Annotations can be added to the loads so you can keep track of what they are. First, we will overwrite our existing load type. re-entering it will overwrite.
>>DL self_weight:5k/ft -> beam_length:10ft
DL self_weight:5k/ft -> beam_length:10ft
LL 10sqft -> 5ft -> 5ft
+DL 5ksf -> 10ft-1 -> 10ft-1
Lets add an annotated super imposed dead load
>>SD super_imposed:0.5k/ft -> beam_length:10ft
DL self_weight:5k/ft -> beam_length:10ft
LL 10sqft -> 5ft -> 5ft
+DL 5ksf -> 10ft-1 -> 10ft-1
SD super_imposed:0.5k/ft -> beam_length:10ft
Then we show how adding two plus sympbols allows for another distinguished load type ++
>>++DL extra:0.5k
DL self_weight:5k/ft -> beam_length:10ft
LL 10sqft -> 5ft -> 5ft
+DL 5ksf -> 10ft-1 -> 10ft-1
SD super_imposed:0.5k/ft -> beam_length:10ft
++DL extra:0.5k
And we can still use s as well as get our values for an LC.
>>s
DL 50.55
LL 250.0
SD 5.0
>>LC: 1.4DL 1.4SD
ultimate: 77.77
There are no restrictions on what you put for the units but you will need to track dimensional analysis. Here we show unit conversions to maintain results as k (kip).
>>WL 14lbf/sqft -> 10sqft -> 1000lbf/kip-1
DL self_weight:5k/ft -> beam_length:10ft
LL 10sqft -> 5ft -> 5ft
+DL 5ksf -> 10ft-1 -> 10ft-1
SD super_imposed:0.5k/ft -> beam_length:10ft
++DL extra:0.5k
WL 14lbf/sqft -> 10sqft -> 1000lbf/kip-1
>>s
DL 50.55
LL 250.0
SD 5.0
WL 0.14
to undo a load type, use rm: followed by the load type symbol (++DL here) (Also note here pressing enter with no imput will simpy echo the load types stored)
>>
DL self_weight:5k/ft -> beam_length:10ft
SD super_imposed:0.5k/ft -> beam_length:10ft
+DL 5ksf -> 10ft-1 -> 10ft-1
WL 14lbf/sqft -> 10sqft -> 1000lbf/kip-1
LL 10sqft -> 5ft -> 5ft
++DL extra:0.5k
>>rm:++DL
>>
DL self_weight:5k/ft -> beam_length:10ft
SD super_imposed:0.5k/ft -> beam_length:10ft
+DL 5ksf -> 10ft-1 -> 10ft-1
WL 14lbf/sqft -> 10sqft -> 1000lbf/kip-1
LL 10sqft -> 5ft -> 5ft
stored:<name> will store the load types for the session under that name and can be recoverd with recall:<name>
d will delete the whole load type currently being worked on (it clears the terminal).