help · Results and reports

Calculation and results

Calculating a mast in one or more profiles and reading the results.

Calculating

  1. Open Mast profiles at the top and tick one or more.
  2. Start the calculation: Across the track or Along the track for one orientation, or Calculate both orientations.

Each profile and orientation is one variant. If something is missing - mast data, parts, the EK - the page says what and where to fix it.

Reading the results

The tiles below show the Summary, the total utilization first. Results per variant shows every check of each variant; a closed section still shows its highest utilization per variant, so you see at once which check governs. Over-utilised checks are marked. The table scrolls inside its box, its head and first column stay in place.

The diagrams show forces, moments, stresses and deflections along the mast, with anchor or without anchor. Move the pointer over a diagram to read height and values. At a part's height and at the anchor a diagram steps level: it shows the value just below and the value just above that height. Torsion Mz follows the right-hand rule: looking up the mast (into +z), a clockwise torsion is positive.

The axes are global and right-handed: x to the right, y into the picture, z up along the mast. The folded note on the page maps them onto AxisVM's names.

What the calculation leaves out

BEAM combines the self weight, the added weight of the parts, the permanent wire tension at -20 °C and at +5 °C, wind in both directions and the exceptional load of a wire break (A400). It does NOT calculate with:

  • the permanent wire tension at -5 °C,
  • snow and ice on wires and parts,
  • construction loads.

The catalogue may hold values for the first two - they are there for other RailTools tools - but they do not enter a BEAM result. If one of these loads matters for a mast, check it separately.

Masts without a report

You can keep up to 10 calculated masts without a report at a time. Recalculating a mast already counted is always possible. A report frees the places of its masts; entries also expire after 90 days.

The latest result stays with the mast and is marked as outdated when its inputs change.

The model in 3D

Below the results, 3D view opens each variant as a 3D model, with its loads, diagrams, deflected shape and support loads: 3D view. To look at the model in AxisVM: Opening the model in AxisVM.

Please confirm