Lecture 10

Plastic collapse analysis of beams

Ultimate load-bearing capacity
Print version Lecture on Theory of Elasticity and Plasticity

Dr. D. Dinev, Department of Structural Mechanics, UACEG

10.1

Contents
1 Introduction 1

2 Material modeling 2

3 Cross-section behavoir 3

4 Plastic hinges 6

5 Plastic analysis 7 10.2

1 Introduction
Introduction
Computational models
The basic quantities in structural mechanics are:
• Displacements – u, v, w
• Strains – εxx , εyy , εzz , εxy , εxz , εyz
• Stresses – σxx , σyy , σzz , σxy , σxz , σyz
• Forces – fx , fy , fz
10.3

Introduction
Displacement
Prescribed BCs Displacements Body forces
displacements û u f

u = û
e = Du DT σ + f = 0
on Su Kinematic
in V σ = Ee Equilibrium
in V
in V Force BCs
Strains Stresses Prescribed tractions
e Constitutive σ t
σn = t̂
on S t

Governing equations
• Kinematic equations – 6 eq
• Constitutive equations – 6 eq
• Equilibrium equations – 3 eq
10.4

1
Introduction
Linear and non-linear models
• Geometrica nonlinearity – non-linear relation between displacements and strains
• Material nonlinearity – non-linear constitutive equations (non-linear elastic, elasto-plastic,
plastic, fracture)
10.5

2 Material modeling
Material modeling

Results from a tensile test

• Plastic behavior of the material is characterised by permanent plastic deformations when
the body is unloaded
10.6

Material modeling
Results from a tensile test
• The stress-strain relation is non-linear
• The transition from elastic to plastic behavior is called yielding
10.7

Material modeling
Mild steel
• σy = 200 − 400 MPa
• σu = 400 − 600 MPa
10.8

Material modeling
Mild steel
• εy ≈ 0.1% and εu = 30 − 50%
• Material that can sustain large strains is named ductile in contrast to brittle material
• The most important part is Oab
10.9

2
Material modeling

Idealized curve
• Elastic-perfectly plastic model
10.10

3 Cross-section behavoir
Load-carrying capacity
Plastic bending
• Load-carrying capacity- the maximum bending moment which can bear a section before
failure
• Classical beam theory
2
• ε = −z dw
d2 x
- kinematic equation (Bernoulli hypothesis)
• σ = Eε-
R
constitutive equation
• M = A zσ dA- equilibrium equation
10.11

Load-carrying capacity

Stage 1- elastic behavior

• Consider a rectangular cross-section with dimensions of b and h
• Maximum stress is σmax = σy
• Moment equilibrium gives
bh2
My = σy
6
10.12

Load-carrying capacity
Stage 1- elastic behavior
• The curvature is
σy 2
κy =
E h
• The yielding point is reached
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3
Load-carrying capacity

Stage 2- partial plastification

• When the load is increased beyond the yielding the result is a partial plastification
10.14

Load-carrying capacity
Stage 2- partial plastification
• The curvature is 2κy and moment capacity of section is
11
M2 = σy bh2
48
10.15

Load-carrying capacity

Stage 3- almost full plastification

• The load is increased and the section is almost fully plastic
10.16

Load-carrying capacity

Stage 4- filly plastic section

• All fibers of the section are filly plastic
10.17

Load-carrying capacity
Stage 4- filly plastic section
• The curvature is κ p = ∞ and the plastic moment is
bh2
M p = σy
4
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4
Load-carrying capacity

Stage 4- filly plastic section

• Moment - curvature relationship
10.19

Load-carrying capacity
Stage 4- filly plastic section
• The comparison of the bending moments
Mp
η= = 1.5
My
• The above ratio defines so called shape factor
• Circular section- η = 1.7
• Pipe section- η = 1.273
• I-section- η = bht + 14 dh2 ≈ (1.12 ÷ 1.15)
10.20

Load-carrying capacity

RC section
• RC section with σ − ε- curves of concrete and reinforcing steel
• Assumption for a tension failure
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Load-carrying capacity

RC section
• Moment-curvature diagram
• The presence of composite section require a definition of an ultimate moment capacity of
section Mu
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5
Load-carrying capacity

RC section
• Moment capacity of section
10.23

Load-carrying capacity
RC section
• ∑ H = 0- height of the compression zone
As fy
As fy = 0.85 fc0 ab → a=
0.85 fc0 b
where As is the area of the reinforcement, fy is yield strength of the reinforcement, fc0 is
the compressive cylinder strength of the concrete, b is the beam width
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Load-carrying capacity
RC section
• ∑ M = 0 - moment capacity- Mu
 
 a As fy
M =T d− → Mu = φ M = φ As fy d −
2 1.7b fc0
where d is the distance from the centroid of the reinforced steel to the extreme concrete
compression fiber, φ = 0.9 is a strength reduction factor to obtain the design strength
10.25

4 Plastic hinges
Plastic hinges

Hinge formation

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 • The presence of unrestricted plastic flow at section leads us to the concepts of the formation
of plastic hinges in beams
10.26

Plastic hinges
Hinge formation
• The maximum BM is F`/4
• When the load F is increased and F`/4 = M p is reached the mid-span section is fully
plastic
10.27

Plastic hinges
Hinge formation
• No plasticity occurs in sections where the bending moment is < My
10.28

Plastic hinges
Hinge formation
• The beam behaves as two rigid bodies connected by a plastic hinge which allows them to
rotate relatively to each other
10.29

Plastic hinges
Hinge formation
4M p
• The value of Fu is given by Fu = ` is the ultimate (collapse) load
10.30

Plastic hinges
Hinge formation
• The length of the plastic hinge is
 
1
Lp = L 1 −
η
10.31

5 Plastic analysis
Plastic analysis
Ultimate limit state
• The main task of the structural engineering is to design the structural members so they can
carry the loads under all possible conditions including ultimate limit states
• The elastic distribution of stresses can be obtained by solution of the elasticity problem
• However the structural elements do not behave elastically near ultimate load and bending
capacity of section is based on a plastic analysis
• It is reasonable to use methods of analysis and design which recognize plasticity
• The following theorems govern the plastic analysis
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7
Plastic analysis
Theorems of plasticity – Uniqueness theorem
If the following conditions are satisfied simultaneously, the structure in its collapsed state and
the Load factor = Ultimate load
• Equilibrium condition – the bending moments must be in equilibrium with the applied
loads
• Yield condition – the bending moment at any point in the structure must not exceed the
plastic moment
• Mechanism condition – sufficient plastic hinges must have formed so that the structure is
a mechanism
10.33

Plastic analysis
Theorems of plasticity – Lower-bound theorem (safe)
• Each arbitrary moment distribution that satisfies the equilibrium and yield conditions (not
necessery mechanism) delivers a lower-bound for the limit load
• Load factor ≤ Ultimate load

Theorems of plasticity – Upper-bound theorem (unsafe)

• Equilibrium condition for an arbitrary mechanism (not necessery yield) provides an upper
bound for the limit load
• Load factor ≥ Ultimate load
10.34

Plastic analysis

Theorems of plasticity
• Values of the ultimate load according to the upper-bound and lower-bound theorems
10.35

Plastic analysis
Methods of plastic analysis
• Icremental analysis (hinge by hinge) – the load is incremented and plastic hinges are
formed. The iteration stops until sufficient hinges ahve formed to collapse the structure.
Very labour-intensive approach, but suitable for computer implementation
• Static method (equilibrium) – the method is based on the lower-bound theorem. Starts
with drawing of elastic moment diagram which helps to identify the location of plastic
hinges
• Kinematic method (mechanism) – the method is based on the upper-bound theorem. The
collapse mechanism is first postulated. Virtual work equation for this collapse state fulfills
the equilibrium condition. This method is most popular in plastic analysis
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8
Plastic analysis

Incremental analysis
• Consider a propped cantilever beam
• Span – L = 1
• Cross-section – My = 7.5 and M p = 9.0
• Bending stiffness – EI = 10
• Working load – P = 32
10.37

Plastic analysis

Plastic analysis – ex. 1

• Consider the same beam
• Determine the ultimate load by static and kinematic methods
• The beam’s indeterminacy is one
• Therefore two hinges are enough to form a mechanism
• There is two 2 sections (A and B), candidates for platic behavior
10.38

Plastic analysis
Static method – main steps
• Determine a primary system by remuving redundands until the strucutre is statically deter-
minate
• Draw reactant moment diagrams for each redundant
• Draw free moment diagram from the applied loads
• Construct a composite moment diagram by combing free and reactant diagrams
• Obtain bending moments from the composite diagram
• Choose sections where plastic moments can be achieved and introduce into the equilibrium
equations
• Calculate the ultimate load factor and check the yield condition for all sections
• Repeat last 2 steps for all possible locations for a plastic moment
10.39

Plastic analysis
Konematic method – main steps
• Choose a mechanism
• Determine at each plastic hinge the rotation θi and moment M pi
• Determine the displacement at the point loads Pi
• Determine the virtual work done by plastic moments trough rotations
• Determine the virtual work of applied loads trough displacements
• Equate the VW of applied loads to the VW of internal forces and calculate the load factor
• Repead preveous steps for all possible mechanisms
10.40

Plastic analysis

Plastic analysis – ex. 2

• Consider the beam with an uniform load
• Determine the ultimate load by static and kinematic methods
• Justify the position of the mid-span plastic hinge
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Plastic analysis

Plastic analysis – ex. 3

• Consider the beam with two point loads
• Determine the ultimate load by static and kinematic methods
10.42

Plastic analysis

Plastic analysis – ex. 3

• Check all possible mechanisms
10.43

Plastic analysis

The End
• Imhotep- the 1-st engineer
• Any questions, opinions, discussions?
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