Activate/Deactivate at this step

- April 2, 2019 at 6:56 pm
  
  Sam Fares
  Subscriber
  
  Hello,
  
  If i have four load steps. i got the force changing from
  
  Step1: 1000 lb
  
  Step2: 2000 lb
  
  Step3: 3000 lb
  
  Step4: 4000 lb
  
  if i Deactivate step 4 , does it mean the load will not be solved for step4 load and will only be solved for the first three steps? Not sure what deactivation does!
  
  Regards,
  
  Sam
- April 2, 2019 at 7:57 pm
  
  peteroznewman
  Subscriber
  
  I rarely use Deactivate, but this is my understanding.
  
  Deactivate is useful on displacement boundary conditions, because it changes the solution from being held at a specific displacement in the previous step to being free in this step, which is the same as having no boundary condition.
  
  Deactivate on a force load means no force. But can't you just type in zero as the force magnitude and get the same effect?
- April 3, 2019 at 2:22 pm
  
  Sam Fares
  Subscriber
  
  Yes i can use what you suggested. I just wanted to have an understanding of this option.
  
  Thanks Peter!