# Types of supports in IDEA StatiCa Detail

Boundary conditions definition is always a tricky task when modeling the structure in FEA software. The model with only properly defined supports can capture reality.
$$You will find out how to apply boundary conditions in the application IDEA StatiCa Detail which uses the CSFM (Compatible stress field method). There are five types of supports, let's find out what are they for.The first type of support is point distributed support that is defined on the edge or within an area of the model, where the reaction is distributed. Due to distribution, the stress is not concentrated at one point but distributed over an area. The second type of support is called bearing plate support. A point reaction is transferred to the model via a steel plate where the plate is not checked, it serves as a reaction transfer device. The third type of support which can be considered as universal or more general than these two previous ones is called line support. It acts as a group of spring supports within a defined length on the edge or area of the model. The fourth type of support is the hanging support. The support applied at the hanging is converted, according to the rotation, to the supports acting in the axes of each hanging branch, applied at the point where the hanging branches enter the concrete. The fifth type of support in IDEA StatiCa Detail is patch support. It is a point support with a specific area through which the reaction is transferred to the model. The reaction is applied directly to reinforcement, explicitly specified.$$