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Stability & Determinacy of Beams & Frames

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Astructureisstaticallyindeterminateifthememberforcescannotbecalculatedusingthe
equationsofstaticequilibrium.

Example1.
moment
release

NumberofUnknowns=16

6forcespermemberx2members=12
4reactions

NumberofEquations=16

3equationspermemberx2members=6(FH, FV, M)
3equationsperjointx3joints=9(FH, FV, M)
1equationofconditionatmomentrelease(M)

Shortcut:
NumberofUnknowns=1610

63forcespermemberx2members=126
4reactions

NumberofEquations=1610

3equationspermemberx2members=6(FH, FV, M)
3equationsperjointx3joints=9(FH, FV, M)
1equationofconditionatmomentrelease(M)

Sincethenumberofunknowns=thenumberofequations,thestructureisstatically
determinate(memberforcescanbecalculatedusingequilibriumequations).

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Stability & Determinacy of Beams & Frames

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Ingeneral:

If

Thestructureis

numberofunknowns

< numberofequations

Unstable

numberofunknowns

= numberofequations

Stable&Determinate

numberofunknowns > numberofequations Indeterminate

Theprocedureoutlinedabovedoesnotalwaysworkwithregardtostability.Analternate
method(thedisplacedshapemethod)ofdeterminingwhetherastructureisstableorunstable,
anddeterminateorindeterminateisthefollowing
Ifthedisplacedshapeofthestructurecanbedrawnsothatnomembersdeform,the
structureisunstable.
Ifthedisplacedshapecannotbedrawnwithoutcausingamembertodeform,the
structureisstable.
o Ifremovalofoneconstraint(asupportforceoramemberforce)causesthe
structuretobeunstable(i.e.thestructurecanbedisplacedwithoutdeforminga
member),thentheoriginalstructureisstableanddeterminate.
o Iftwoormoreconstraintsneedtoberemovedtocausethestructuretobe
unstable,theoriginalstructureisstableandindeterminate.

Example2.

CountingMethod

NumberofUnknownForces=(2members)x(3memberforces/member)+4reactions=10
NumberofEquilibriumEquations=(3joints)x(3equations/joint)=9
Thereforestructureisindeterminate.Ithasonemoreforce(calledaredundantforce)than
neededforadeterminatestructure.

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DisplacedShapeMethod
1.OriginalStructure:

2.OriginalStructureminus1force

Structuredisplacementcausesmember
deformation,thereforethisstructureis
stable.

Structuredisplacementcausesmember
deformation,thereforethisstructureis
stable.

3.OriginalStructureminus2forces

StructuredisplacementcausesNOmember
deformation,thereforethisstructureis
UNstable.

Case2.OriginalStructureminus1forceisthereforethestableanddeterminateversionof
thisstructure.Thereforetheoriginalstructureisindeterminatewithoneredundant.

Example3.

CountingMethod

NumberofUnknownForces=(3members)x(3memberforces/member)+6reactions=15
NumberofEquilibriumEquations=(4joints)x(3equations/joint)+2momentreleases=14
Thereforestructureisindeterminatewithoneredundant.

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DisplacedShapeMethod
1.OriginalStructure:

Structuredisplacementcausesmember
deformation,thereforethisstructureisstable.

2.OriginalStructureminus1force

Structuredisplacementcausesmember
deformation,thereforethisstructureisstable.

3.OriginalStructureminus2forces

StructuredisplacementcausesNOmember
deformation,thereforethisstructureis
UNstable.

Case2.OriginalStructureminus1forceisthereforethestableanddeterminateversionof
thisstructure.Therefore the original structure is indeterminate with one redundant.

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AdvantagesofIndeterminateStructures
Indeterminatestructuresareoftenmorestructurallyefficient.

Example4.

3 simply-supported spans
3 continuous spans

1 k/ft
1 k/ft

L
L
L
L
L

L
2

Mmax = w L / 8

Mmax = -w L2 / 10

Indeterminatestructuresalsoprovideredundantloadpaths,meaningifamemberfails,the
loadisredistributedtoothermembersandthestructuredoesnotcollapse.Saythebending
strengthofthemiddlespanisexceededandaplastichingeforms.

collapse

Thedeterminatestructureisnowunstableandwillcollapse,whilefortheindeterminate
structure,loadisredistributedtotheothermembersandthestructuredoesnotcollapse.

DisadvantagesofIndeterminateStructures
Disadvantagesofstaticallyindeterminatestructuresinclude
settlement(andotherapplieddisplacementssuchastemperaturechange)cancause
largeinternalforcesinindeterminatestructures

calculationofmemberforcesismorecomplicatedsincetheequilibriumequationsalone
areinsufficient.