Puntlasten

Puntlasten is a Dutch term used in civil and mechanical engineering to describe loads that act at a single point on a structure. A puntlast is a concentrated force with a known magnitude and direction, applied at a specific location along a member. In static structural analysis, puntlasten are treated as a single resultant force, and their effects are determined by summing forces and moments about reference points. On a beam, a point load produces a discontinuity in the shear force diagram equal to the load magnitude and generates bending moments that depend on the distance from supports.

When multiple loads act on a member, their effects can be combined by the principle of superposition. Designers must account for local stress concentrations where the load is applied, and consider the bearing area and eccentricity of the contact between load and structure. Pitched or angled loads can be resolved into components; dynamic effects may require an impact factor or numerical analysis in design codes.

Puntlasten are contrasted with distributed loads, which extend over a length, or line loads, which act along a line. They are common in machinery foundations, floor slabs supporting heavy equipment, vehicle loads on bridges, and other situations where a heavy object contacts a structure at a relatively small area.

In practice, accurate identification of the load location, magnitude, and direction is essential for safe design, assessment of reactions, moments, and stresses, and for ensuring serviceability under expected load cases.