Nonlinear Structural Analysis by Filip C.

Filippou

Introduction to nonlinear geometry for truss structures

OUTLINE

Definition of nonlinear strains/deformations

Some discussion of work conjugate stress/basic force measures
Shallow truss example with one dof
Prestressed cable example with one dof

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Nonlinear Structural Analysis by Filip C. Filippou

Definition of nonlinear strains/deformations

Consider a truss element with general orientation undergoing large displacements. The latter can be expressed either
in the global or local coordinate system. The local coordinate system is more convenient for the subsequent calculations.
There is a single element deformation in this case: the
v1
change of length v1. In the following we drop the subscript.
Du y = u 5 - u 2 Note that the displacements may be large and the
Du x = u 4 - u1 deformation small on account of large rigid body motion.
In the following we are interested in pursuing moderate
Ln u5 and possibly large deformations (the latter typically due
to plastic behavior).

L While it may be natural to define the element deformation

j u4
as the difference between the new and the original length
Y of the truss element, this is one of several possible
L deformation definitions in continuum mechanics. We will
y not elaborate on the subject at this stage but wish to
u2
x introduce it for motivation. We focus on two strain/deformation
definitions: rotated engineering strain and Green-Lagrange strain
i X
u1
We introduce the following notation: ε is the strain tensor(bold) In our case there is only one strain, the axial strain,
and we denote it with the letter ε (italic)

Ln − L
We define the (rotated) engineering strain as ε RE = and the corresponding deformation as vRE = Ln − L
L
1 1 2 2
We define the Green-Lagrange strain as ε GL =
2L 2 ( n
L2 − L2 ) and the corresponding deformation as vGL =
2L
( Ln − L )

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Nonlinear Structural Analysis by Filip C. Filippou

Comparison of strain measures - Approximation for small strains

The two strain measures are approximately equal for small strain values. We can show this by noting that

L2n − L2 ( Ln − L )( Ln + L ) ( Ln − L ) ( Ln + L ) Ln − L
ε GL = = = ≈ = ε RE since Ln + L ≈ 2 L
2 L2 2 L2 L 2L L

We pursue the subject of approximation a bit more. Let us first express the square of the new length by Pythagoras.
⎡ ⎛ Δu ⎞ 2 ⎛ Δu y ⎞ 2 ⎤
According to the figure on the preceding page we get: Ln = ( L + Δu x ) + ( Δu y ) = L ⎢⎜ 1 +
2 2
⎟ +⎜ ⎟ ⎥
2 2 x

⎢⎣⎝ L ⎠ ⎝ L ⎠ ⎥⎦

1 ⎡ ⎛ Δu x ⎞ ⎛ Δu y ⎞ ⎤ Δu
2 2 2 2
1 1 ⎛ Δ u ⎞ 1 ⎛ Δ u ⎞
the Green-Lagrange strain becomes εGL = 2 ( Ln − L ) = ⎢⎜1 + ⎟ +⎜ ⎟ − 1⎥ = + ⎜ ⎟ + ⎜
2 2 x x y
⎟
2L 2 ⎢⎝ L ⎠ ⎝ L ⎠ ⎥ L 2 ⎝ L ⎠ 2⎝ L ⎠
⎣ ⎦
For the rotated engineering strain we need the new length, i.e the square root of the square of the new length above.
An approximation of the square can be obtained by Taylor series expansion.

1 1
2
⎛ Δux ⎞ ⎛ Δu y ⎞
2
⎡ Δu 1 ⎛ Δu y ⎞2 ⎤
Noting that 1 + x ≈ 1 + x − x2 we get Ln = L ⎜1 + ⎟ ⎜+ ⎟ ≈ L ⎢ 1 + x
+ ⎜ ⎟ + h.o.t.⎥
2 8 ⎝ L ⎠ ⎝ L ⎠ ⎢⎣ L 2 ⎝ L ⎠ ⎥⎦
2
Δu x 1 ⎛ Δu y ⎞
and the rotated engineering strain can be approximated by ε RE ≈ + ⎜ ⎟
L 2⎝ L ⎠
Δu x
In many structural engineering applications is of the order 10−3 ÷ 10−2
L
Δu y
however is of the order 10−2 ÷ 10−1
L
2 2
⎛ Δu x ⎞ ⎛ Δu y ⎞
Thus, while ⎜ ⎟ is of the order 10 −6 ÷ 10 −5 ⎜ ⎟ is of the order 10−4 ÷ 10−2 and cannot be neglected
⎝ L ⎠ ⎝ L ⎠
Under such conditions it is acceptable to approximate the engineering strain with the above expression
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 Nonlinear Structural Analysis by Filip C. Filippou

Strain measures under rigid body rotation

Let us look at an interesting case. A truss element that undergoes a rigid body rotation about one end. Under this
condition the axial strain should be zero. This is easy to see for the rotated engineering strain, since there is no change
in length. Let us see what the Green-Lagrange strain produces
2
Δ u x 1 ⎛ Δu x ⎞ 1 ⎛ Δu y ⎞
2
1 1
⎟ = − (1 − cos β ) + (1 − cos β ) + ( sin β ) = 0
2 2
Δu x = L (1 − cos β ) ε GL = + ⎜ ⎟ + ⎜
L 2⎝ L ⎠ 2⎝ L ⎠ 2 2
obviously the linear strain definition leads to the erroneous result
that there is strain under rigid body rotation. Just to see this we have
Δu y = L sin β
Δu x
εL = = − (1 − cos β ) ≠ 0
β L
Similarly, the approximation of the engineering strain leads to the
L
erroneous result that there is strain under rigid body rotation. We get
2
Δu x 1 ⎛ Δu y ⎞ 1
⎟ = − (1 − cos β ) + ( sin β ) ≠ 0
2
ε RE ≈ + ⎜
L 2⎝ L ⎠ 2
Linear strain error
0.02 Approximate engineering strain error
0.02

1
−( 1 − cos ( β ) ) + ⋅sin( β ) = −1.987 10
0.015 2 −4
β := 0.2
2

1−cos ( β ) 0.01 1
−( 1 − cos ( β ) ) + ⋅sin( β ) = −0.125 10
2 −4
β := 0.1
2

1
−( 1 − cos ( β ) ) + ⋅sin( β ) = −0.008 10
0.005 2 −4
β := 0.05
2
0
0
0 0.02 0.04 0.06 0.08 0.1 0.12 0.14 0.16 0.18
0 β 0.2
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Nonlinear Structural Analysis by Filip C. Filippou

Equilibrium equations that are work consistent with different strain/deformation measures
We touch briefly upon a subject that is very important. The question is: what are the equilibrium equations that
are consistent from a virtual work standpoint with the preceding two strain/deformation definitions. While the external
virtual work is not affected, the internal virtual work depends on a consistent definition of virtual strains or
deformations for large displacements. We establish such virtual deformations by taking the variation of the preceding
strain definitions. We recall first the definition of variation (basically differentiation)
dg
With the definition that δ g ( x) = δx where δ denotes the variation of a variable or function we obtain
dx
⎛ L2 − L2 ⎞ L δ L Ln
for the variation of the Green-Lagrange strain δε GL = δ ⎜ n 2 ⎟ = n n and then δ v GL = δ Ln
⎝ 2L ⎠ L L L

⎛ Ln − L ⎞ δ Ln δ v RE = δ Ln
and the variation of (rotated) engineering strain δε RE = δ ⎜ ⎟= and then
⎝ L ⎠ L
P
for the following shallow truss the external virtual work is δ U ⋅ P

Ln U the internal virtual work is δ v ⋅ q

ΔY + U
L ΔY Noting that Ln = ΔX 2 + ( ΔY + U )
2
we obtain δ Ln = δU
Ln

ΔX
Thus, from PVD, i.e. δ U ⋅P = δ v ⋅q for this one element structure we get

ΔY + U
for Green-Lagrange strain P= q
L
ΔY + U
for the (rotated) engineering strain P= q
Ln

As far as material response is concerned, we can use EA

for the (rotated) engineering strain q = EAε RE = v RE
the same expression, even though the resulting material L
EA
description is, of course, slightly different for large strains for the Green-Lagrange strain q = EAε GL = v GL
L
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Nonlinear Structural Analysis by Filip C. Filippou
comparison of different strain/deformation measures for regular truss

0.1
0.1

0.08

0.06

v.l( U) 0.04

v.GL( U) 0.02
L
0
v.RE( U)
L
0.02
v.ap ( U)
L
0.04

0.06

0.08

− 0.1
0.1
0.2 0.15 0.1 0.05 0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2
− 0.2 U 0.2
L
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Nonlinear Structural Analysis by Filip C. Filippou

force-displacement relation for regular truss

1500
1500

1000

500

P.l( U)

P.GL( U) 0

P.RE( U)

500

1000

− 1500
1500
0.2 0.15 0.1 0.05 0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2
− 0.2 U 0.2
ΔX
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Nonlinear Structural Analysis by Filip C. Filippou
comparison of different strain/deformation measures for shallow truss

0.1
0.1

0.08

0.06

v.l( U) 0.04

v.GL( U) 0.02
L
0
v.RE( U)
L
0.02
v.ap ( U)
L
0.04

0.06

0.08

− 0.1
0.1
0.4 0.3 0.2 0.1 0 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.4
− 0.4 U 0.4
L
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Nonlinear Structural Analysis by Filip C. Filippou

force-displacement relation for shallow truss

100
100

50

P.l( U)

P.GL( U) 0
P.RE( U)

50

− 100
100
0.2 0.15 0.1 0.05 0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2
− 0.2 U 0.2
ΔX
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Nonlinear Structural Analysis by Filip C. Filippou

force-displacement relation for shallow truss under downward force (snap-through instability)

20

15

10

− PGL( U)
5
− PRE( U)

10
0 0.05 0.1 0.15 0.2 0.25 0.3
U
−
L
10