steadyload

Steadyload is a term used in engineering to describe a load condition in which the magnitude and direction of the load remain constant or change only slowly over time. In practice, steadyloads enable static or quasi-static analysis, where inertia, damping, and transient effects are neglected.

In electrical power systems, steadyload models describe how real and reactive power consumption behaves as system voltages and angles vary, typically used in load-flow studies, planning, and reliability assessments. Common steadyload representations include constant-impedance, constant-current, and constant-power models. These models capture how the load draws power as voltage changes: for constant-impedance, power scales with voltage squared; for constant-current, current remains fixed; for constant-power, the consumed apparent power is held constant, which can produce nonlinear behavior in simulations.

In structural and mechanical engineering, a steadyload (often referred to as a static or dead load) is a force that acts on a structure at a fixed magnitude and direction, such as gravity on permanent components. Steadyloads are analyzed using static analysis to compute stresses, deflections, and safety margins, in contrast to dynamic or impact loads.

Real-world loads can fluctuate, so designers may combine steadyload analyses with probabilistic or time-series approaches to account for variability. The term steadyload is not universally standardized and may be defined differently across domains, so context is important for accurate interpretation.