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AS 1170.0:2002 (Amdt 5)Australia

Wall Analysis

Structural engineers in Australia and New Zealand working out how floor, roof and cladding loads on a load-bearing wall reach the members below it. Wall Analysis distributes those loads along the wall onto each supporting joist, bearer or wall. The reactions then link into beam, column, concrete wall and pad footing calculators.

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What it calculates

Distribute top-of-wall loads along a wall onto the joists, bearers or walls below it. Loads are factored to AS 1170.0 for strength and serviceability, and the calculator reports the reaction at every support. Reactions link to beam, column, concrete wall and pad footing calculations so the load path updates automatically.

Code standards

  • AS 1170.0:2002 (Amdt 5)

How it calculates

The Wall Analysis calculator shows how the loads on top of a wall reach the members below it. The wall is modeled in-plane as a member spanning along its length. Every load is factored to AS 1170.0:2002 (Amdt 5), and the reaction at each support is reported.

Structural model

The wall is analyzed along its total length L, using the beam solver that also runs Beam Analysis with Load Cases. You enter an in-plane bending stiffness EI and an axial stiffness EA for the wall. Supports sit along the bottom of the wall in two forms:

  • Supporting members perpendicular to the wall, such as floor joists. Enter each location and support type (fixed, pinned, roller or rotation), or generate them from a first location and a spacing.
  • Continuous supports parallel to the wall, such as a bearer, a lintel or another wall directly below. Each runs between a start and end location as an axial spring, lateral spring, rigid pin or rigid roller.

Auto-generated supports cannot be combined with continuous supports in the same calculation.

Loads at the top of the wall

Loads are entered as characteristic values at any position along the wall:

  • Distributed loads in kPa, multiplied by a start and end load width (the tributary width) to give a line load
  • Line loads in kN/m, constant or varying along their length
  • Point loads as vertical loads in kN

Wall self-weight is added as a dead load: self-weight per area times wall height. Openings split that self-weight along the wall. A door carries no self-weight, and a window carries the wall below it plus the window self-weight per area.

Load types and AS 1170.0 combinations

Each load carries magnitudes by type: dead (G), live (Q), ultimate and serviceability wind (down and up), earthquake and snow. The character of imposed load you select (residential floors, roofs, balustrades and others) sets the short-term, long-term, combination and earthquake factors for Q. Distributed and concentrated imposed loads get separate factors.

The calculator runs these combinations:

  • Strength: 1.35G; 1.2G + 1.5Q; 1.2G + 1.5 x psi_l x Q; 1.2G + Wu (down) + psi_c x Q; 0.9G + Wu (up); G + Eu + psi_E x Q; 1.2G + Su + psi_c x Q
  • Short-term serviceability: G + Ws (up); G + psi_s x Q; G + Ws (down) + psi_l x Q; G + Es + psi_l x Q; G + Ss + psi_l x Q
  • Long-term serviceability: G; G + psi_l x Q; G + Ss + psi_l x Q

Reaction outputs

  • R* - the maximum bearing demand, with the load case that governs it
  • Support demands - the position and reaction of each support
  • Strength load cases - the total reaction and maximum reaction for each strength combination
  • Unfactored loads - the total load and maximum reaction for each load type

A load and support diagram and a free body diagram plot any strength, serviceability or unfactored case. The diagram draws the wall height and openings. The calculator reports reactions only: it does not check the wall's own capacity.

Linking loads in and out

Reactions from joists, rafters and beams above can be linked into the wall's line load and point load tables. The wall's support reactions link out the same way. Point reactions feed AU and NZ beam, column, Concrete Wall and Concrete Pad Footing calculators. Reactions along continuous supports feed beam calculators as line loads. Each link keeps the load types, so a change upstream flows through without re-entry.

Related calculators

Beam Analysis with Load Cases→Concrete Wall→Concrete Wall Footing→One-Way Concrete Flat Slab→

Support articles

Analyze a Wall with Load Cases→
Browse all docs →

Frequently asked questions

What design standard does the Wall Analysis calculator use?
Wall Analysis factors loads with the AS 1170.0:2002 (Amdt 5) load combinations. You enter characteristic loads by type: dead (G), live (Q), wind, earthquake and snow. The calculator runs seven strength combinations plus short-term and long-term serviceability combinations. It reports the maximum bearing demand and the load case that governs it.
What loads can be applied to the wall?
You can apply any number of loads along the top of the wall: area loads multiplied by a load width, line loads in kN/m, and vertical point loads. Each load can start and end anywhere along the wall length. Wall self-weight is added automatically from the self-weight per area and the wall height. Window and door openings adjust that self-weight along the length.
What outputs does the Wall Analysis calculator produce?
Wall Analysis reports the reaction at each supporting member below the wall, the maximum bearing demand R* and the load case that governs it. Tables list the total and maximum reaction for each strength load case and each unfactored load type. Load and free body diagrams can be shown for any strength or serviceability case. It does not check the capacity of the wall itself.
What presets are available?
Seven presets are available. Interior and exterior walls each have a lower floor and a top floor version. The others are wall under floor lintel, top floor wall under lintel, and railing. Each preset sets wall height and self-weight from your project defaults. The lower floor exterior wall adds a cladding line load and the lintel presets add a window opening. The railing preset adds a railing self-weight and sets the imposed load to balustrades.
How does this differ from the Beam Analysis with Load Cases calculator?
Both calculators use the same beam solver and AS 1170.0 load cases. Wall Analysis treats the wall as a member spanning along its length and resting on the members below. You set its in-plane bending stiffness EI and axial stiffness EA. It adds wall inputs: wall height, self-weight per area, openings, supports generated at a set spacing, and continuous supports. It reports support reactions rather than moment, shear or deflection.
How do I link wall reactions to the members below?
Wall Analysis exports its support reactions as linkable loads. Point reactions link into AU and NZ beam, column, Concrete Wall and Concrete Pad Footing calculators. Reactions along continuous supports, such as a bearer or lintel, link as line loads into beam calculators like Beam Analysis with Load Cases. Linked reactions keep their load types, so the receiving calculator applies its own combinations and updates when the wall loads change.

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