CE G617 Advanced Structural Analysis

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Flexibility Method

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 Outline
 Grid Example
 Combined Displacements
 Beam Example with Temperature change
 Flexibilities of Prismatic Members

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Example 5

 The grid structure shown in Fig. a

is in a horizontal plane (x-z plane)
and carries a load P acting in the
vertical direction.
 The supports of the grid at A and
C are fixed, and the members AB
and BC have length L, flexural
rigidity EI, and torsional rigidity
GJ.
 The redundants that are chosen
for this example are released by
cutting the grid at joint B (Fig. b),
thereby giving a released structure
in the form of two cantilever
beams.

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Contd..

 There are no other internal actions at joint

B, because in a grid with only vertical
loads there are no horizontal forces
between members and no couples about
a vertical axis.
 When the load P is applied to the
released structure (Fig. c), displacements
DQL are produced.
 These displacements are shown in their
positive directions in the figure.
 Note that a translational displacement is
denoted by a single-headed arrow, while
a rotation is denoted by a double-headed
arrow.
 The matrix DQL can be formed:
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Contd..

 The flexibility coefficients are

the displacements shown in
Figs. d, e, and f.
 It is assumed that unit values
of the redundants Q1, Q2, and
Q3 are applied one at a time
to the released structure.

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Contd..

 The desired coefficients can be obtained, and the

flexibility matrix is found to be

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Contd..

 This matrix can be written in a simpler form by

introducing a non-dimensional parameter  , defined as
the ratio of the flexural and torsional rigidities:

 With this notation the flexibility matrix can be put into the
following form:

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Contd..

in which the following additional non-dimensional parameters are used:

Finally, substitution yields the vector of redundants:

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Contd..

 If the members AB and BC are torsionally very weak,

then  can be considered as infinitely large.
 The above formulas then give the following values for
the redundants (after dividing the numerators and
denominators by )

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Contd..

 If the members AB and BC are torsionally very weak,

then  can be considered as infinitely large.
 The following values for the redundants (after dividing
the numerators and denominators by )

 This result could also be obtained by assuming that a

spherical hinge exists at B which transmits vertical force
but not moment.
 Such a grid would be statically indeterminate to the first
degree.
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Temperature Changes, Pre-strains, and Support Displacements

 It is frequently necessary to include in the analysis of a structure not

only the effects of loads but also the effects of temperature changes,
pre-strains of members, and displacements of one or more supports.
 Combination of all matrices representing displacements in the
released structure will be denoted DQC.
 It can be expressed as follows:

 Generalized form of the superposition equation for the flexibility

method becomes

 Equation is solved for Q, the result is

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Example

 Consider the two-span beam ABC in Fig. a. The beam is

assumed to be subjected to a linear temperature
gradient such that the top surface of the beam has a
temperature change ∆T2, while the lower surface has a
temperature change ∆T1.

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Solution

 Previously, this same beam

was analyzed for the effects of
loads, and in that solution the
reactions at supports B and C
were taken as the redundants
Q1 and Q2.
 These same redundants will be
used again in solving for the
thermal effects.
 Therefore, the inverse of the
flexibility matrix may be taken
from the former solution.

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Contd..

 Also, the vector DQ giving the

actual displacements in the
beam is a null vector (DQ = 0).
 The released structure for the
beam ABC is the cantilever
beam shown in Fig. b.
 If the temperature change ∆T1
is greater than ∆T2 , the
released beam will deflect
upward, as indicated in the
figure.

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Contd..

 The displacements corresponding to the redundants are

denoted DQT1 and DQT2.
 These displacements can be calculated by the unit-load
method .
 Thus, the displacements DQT1 and DQT2 are found to be

respectively.
 Where  is the coefficient of thermal expansion for the
material and d is the depth of beam.

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Contd..

 If only the effects of temperature are considered in the

analysis of the beam, the vector DQT becomes the vector
DQC . Then the redundants as found from that equation
are

 The signs on the elements of Q show that the redundant

reaction Q1is upward when ∆T1 is greater than ∆T2, while
the redundant Q2 is downward.
 If ∆T1 is less than ∆T2 , the directions of the redundants
will be reversed. Of course, if ∆T1 is equal to ∆T2 , the
redundants are zero.

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Contd..

 If the combined effects of both loads and temperature

are desired, the matrix DQC is taken as the sum of DQT
and DQL.
 Values of the redundants under the combined conditions
will be the sum of the values obtained for temperature
changes and loads taken separately.

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Flexibilities of Prismatic Members

Structure- and member-

oriented axes for
(a) beam member,
(b) Plane truss or plane
frame member,
(c) grid member, and
(d) space truss or space
frame member.

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Flexibilities for beam member

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Flexibility for truss member

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Flexibilities for plane frame member

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Flexibilities for grid member

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Flexibilities for space frame member

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Contd..

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Summary Of Flexibility Method

1. Problem statement
2. Selection of released structure
3. Analysis of released structure under loads
4. Analysis of released structure for other causes
5. Analysis of released structure for unit values of
redundant
6. Determination of redundants through the
superposition equations

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Hyderabad Campus

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