Temperature and Shrinkage Loads can be defined at individual levels or multiple levels in a multistory model. Both load types are modeled as Patch Loads and as such, can be entered by definition of patch load vertices or by mapping of a patch load to a slab region by use of the Patch Load Wizard. Temperature and Shrinkage load cases must be set up by the user in the Load Case Manager. The load case is then designated as a temperature or shrinakge load case. Multiple load cases can be defined for either of the load types.
The temperature loading formulation in ADAPT-Builder is based on Hooke's strain-stress law where strain elongation components εx and εy are extended to include the temperature effects. In the case of 2D elasticity, this stress-strain law is expressed as follows:
Where (σx, σy, τxy, τyz, τzx) are the stress components, (εx, εy, γxy, γyz, γzx) are the strain components, E is the modulus of elasticity, μ is the Poisson’s ratio and αx and αy are the coefficients of thermal expansion along x and y direction respectively. T is the thermal load.
In ADAPT-Builder, the implementation assumes that the materials are thermally isotropic, therefore the coefficients of thermal expansion are equal αx = αy.
Thermal load is understood as the differential or gradient in temperature rise or fall from ambient conditions. ADAPT-Builder assumes that temperature fields are stationary (steady-state). No heat transfer or thermal transient effects are considered. The temperature fields in frame and shell elements implemented in ADAPT-Builder are modeled as linearly varying along the element width and through the element thickness. This linear behavior formulation is based on user-defined input values representing temperature gradients at the analytical nodes of the top and bottom shell or frame elements.
The formulation of temperature effects in plates (shell quadrilaterals) which is implemented in ADAPT-Builder follows the assumptions of the thin plate theory of Kirchhoff-Love.
Temperature loads modeled as patch loads apply to all components (shell and frame elements) that fall under a specific definition and placement of the temperature load and are referenced from the same level as the load. Differential or uniform temperature input for slabs, beams, columns and walls is available as part of the patch load dialogue window associated with the temperature load.
Click the [+] icons below to expand/view the instructions.
Creating a Temperature Load Case:
Go to Loading>Load Case/Combo and click on the Load Case Manager 
icon.
In the General Loads section of the load case manager click on the Add button. The program will add a new load case titled "Load Case N", where N is a sequential number starting from 1.
In the list of general load cases click on the newly entered load case to select it.
Click your mouse in the General Loads Label text box.
Type a new name for the load case on your keyboard. In the example below we have added a Temp load case.
With the temperature load case you created selected, check the Temperature box to associate the temperature load type for the load case. The load case will now be appended with (T) to denote that it is a temperature load case.
Applying a Temperature Load to the temperature load case:
Go to Loading>General and click on the Add Patch Load 
icon.
The inputs for the load you are about to create will be shown in the Properties Grid as shown below.
Use the Load Case drop down menu to select the temperature load case you want to apply the load to. In the example below we are applying the load to the Temp load case.
In the Magnitude section of the Property Grid choose if the load you are applying will be a Uniform Load or a Variable Load depending on the load type you want.
If using a Uniform load type enter a value for the dT input. This is the differential temperature and represents the difference between the actual and reference temperatures. A positive value represents a temperature increase and a negative value represents a temperature decrease. Entry for this dT input is propagated to all component values.
If using the Variable load type, modification of specific values per component for temperature and gradient can be defined entering user-defined values. For components that you do not want to apply a temperature load to, enter 0 in the input box.
Left-click in the model space at the location where you want to place the first point of the temperature patch load.
Left-click in the model space at the location where you want to place the second point of the temperature patch load.
Continue left-clicking to place verticies for the patch load until the patch load covers the given area you want it applied at. A patch load can be of any shape but must be placed over a slab region to be considered.
Once you have placed the last vertex of the area load click the C key on your keyboard to close the modeling of the temperature patch load. This will create one more edge for the patch load from the last point to the first point of the area load.
Repeat steps 4 through 9 until all temperature patch loads have been applied to the model.
Once all temperature patch loads have been applied to the model, click the ESC button on your keyboard or right-click your mouse in white space within the model space, and choose Exit from the right click menu to exit the Add Patch Load function.
Once temperature loads have been added, go to Loading>Load Combinations and add temperature load cases to the load combinations you want to evaluate for the effects of the temperature load.
Applying a Temperature Load using Patch Load Wizard
Select the entity you want to create a temperature load for. The entity in this case can be a slab region, ramp, or a drawn or imported polygon, or polyline.
Go to Loading>General and click on the Patch Load Wizard 
icon.
In the Create Patch Load Automatically window use the Load Case drop down to select the temperature load case you want the temperature patch load applied to.
For a uniform patch load, in the text entry box to the right of the load case drop down, enter a value for the dT input. This is the differential temperature and represents the difference between the actual and reference temperatures. A positive value represents a temperature increase and a negative value represents a temperature decrease. Entry for this dT input is propagated to all component values.
For a variable patch load, click the Edit button and modify the values for each component. Modification of specific values per component for temperature and gradient can be defined. For components that you do not want to apply a temperature load to, enter 0 in the input box.
Click the Create button to close the dialog window and view the loads that were created. In the image below we have selected the slab region . The image is in an isometric view where we can see the patch load projecting from the perimeter of the slab region.
Repeat steps 1 through 5 until all patch loads have been applied to the model.
Once temperature loads have been added, go to Loading>Load Combinations and add temperature load cases to the load combinations you want to evaluate for the effects of the temperature load.
Shrinkage loads (represented as input strains) are modeled as patch loads and apply to all components (shell and frame elements) that fall under a specific definition and placement of the shrinkage load and are referenced from the same level as the load. Shrinkage load is analytically represented as uniform strain over its defined input region.
Click the [+] icons below to expand/view the instructions.
Defining a Shrinkage Load Case:
Go to Loading>Load Case/Combo and click on the Load Case Manager icon.
In the General Loads section of the load case manager click on the Add button. The program will add a new load case titled "Load Case N", where N is a sequential number starting from 1.
In the list of general load cases click on the newly entered load case to select it.
Click your mouse in the General Loads Label text box.
Type a new name for the load case on your keyboard. In the example below we have added a Shrink load case.
With the shrinkage load case you created selected, check the Shrinkage box to associate the shrinkage load type for the load case. The load case will now be appended with (S) to denote that it is a shrinkage load case.
Applying a Shrinkage Load to the Shrinkage Load Case:
Go to Loading>General and click on the Add Patch Load icon.
The inputs for the load you are about to create will be shown in the Properties Grid as shown below.
Use the Load Case drop down menu to select the shrinkage load case you want to apply the load to. In the example below we are applying the load to the Shrink load case.
In the Magnitude section of the Property Grid type the strain value for the shrinkage load.
Left-click in the model space at the location where you want to place the first point of the temperature patch load.
Left-click in the model space at the location where you want to place the second point of the temperature patch load.
Continue left-clicking to place verticies for the patch load until the patch load covers the given area you want it applied at. A patch load can be of any shape but must be placed over a slab region to be considered.
Once you have placed the last vertex of the area load click the C key on your keyboard to close the modeling of the shrinkage patch load. This will create one more edge for the patch load from the last point to the first point of the area load.
Repeat steps 4 through 8 until all shrinkage patch loads have been applied to the model.
Once all shrinkage patch loads have been applied to the model, click the ESC button on your keyboard or right-click your mouse in white space within the model space, and choose Exit from the right click menu to exit the Add Patch Load function.
Once shrinkage loads have been added, go to Loading>Load Combinations and add shrinkage load cases to the load combinations you want to evaluate for the effects of the shrinkage load.