FLEXIBILITY METHOD

STATICALLY DETERMINATE STRUCTURE

R2 Equilibrium Equations:
R1 Q1= b11 R1 + b12 R2 +  + b1n Rn
Q2= b21 R1 + b22 R2 +  + b2 n Rn

Qm= bm1 R1 + bm 2 R2 +  + bmn Rn

Where:

Q1, Q2, … Qm – Total set of member forces

R1, R2, … Rn – Total set of Applied Loads

Q = bR (1a) where

 b11 b12  b1n 

b b22  b2 n 
b=  21  is called the force transformation
      matrix
 
bm1 bm 2  bmn 
 Example
Equilibrium at joint D:
1
− FDB =
0 ⇒ FDB =
0
2
R1 1
FDB + FDC + R2 =
0 ⇒ FDC =
− R2
2
b R2
B Equilibrium at joint B:
0 kN C
FBA=-R1; FBC=0
2R2
-R1 kN Equilibrium at joint C:
l -R2 kN
a c 1
− FCA + R2 = 0 ⇒ FCA = 2 R2
d e 2

0 kN In matrix form:
A R1 R2
D
Ax=R2 Qa   −1 0 
Q   0 0 
l  b   R 
 Qc  =  0 −1   1 
Q   0   R2 
Ay Dy=R2  d  2
 Qe   0 0 
Superposition:
Consider:
1

b
0

0
l a -1 c
0
d 0 e Member force

1 l
Consider:
1
b
0

l a c
0 -1
d e
√2 0

l
 STATICALLY INDETERMINATE STRUCTURE

Q = bRR + b X X
Q a   R1   X1 
or  b R  X 
Q     
Q= c R =  2 X =  2
R 
Q = [b R bX ]  (1) Q  R3   X3 
X         

Where
R = External nodal loads Note: The matrix [bR bX] is called force
X = Redundant force transformation matrix
 Example 1 - Truss
Determine the matrix [bR bX] for the following truss.
 Qa   1 −45
Q  
 b  3 4 −35 
 Qc   1 −45  R 
 =  
Qd   0 −35  X  Note: [bR] and [bX] are force transformation
 Qe   0 1  matrices representing the separate
    influences of the known applied loads R and
Q f  5 4 1  the unknown redundant X on the member
bR forces.
bX
Example 2 - Frame
 R1=1 R2=1 X1=1 X2=1

Qia   −10 −10 0 20 

 a  
Q j   10 0 −10 −20 
Qib   −10 0 10 20   R1 
 b   
Q j   0 0 −10 −10   R2 
 c=    
 Qi   0 0 10 10  X 1 

Q j   0
c
0 −10 0   X 2 
 d  
 i  
Q 0 0 10 0

Q   0
d
0 
 j  0 0
 MEMBER FLEXIBILITY EQUATION

Find relationship between member deformation and member force

1) Truss / Axial member

For member a:

qa = f aQa

qa = member deformation = member elongation

fa = member flexibility matrix
Qa = member force or internal force

 L 
fa = 
 AE 
2) Flexural or beam member

From slope-deflection equation:

Qi   2 1  θi  6 EI ∆ 1

a
2 EI
 a 1 2  θ  − L2 1
Q j  L   j 

(3)

From diagram:
∆
qia= θi −
L
∆
q=
a
j θ j −
L

θi  qia  ∆ 1

∴   = a  +   (4)
θ j  q j  L 1
 Substituting Eq. (4) into (3) :

Qia  2 EI  2 1   qia  ∆ 1 6 EI ∆ 1

= a     a  +   − 2  
Q j  L 1 2   q j  L 1 L 1

2 EI  2 1  qi  2 EI  2 1  ∆ 1 6 EI ∆ 1

a

=    a+    − 2  
L 1 2  q j  L 1 2  L 1 L 1

2 EI  2 1  qi  2 EI ∆ 3 6 EI ∆ 1

a

=  + 2  − 2  
L 1 2  q aj  L 3 L 1

Qia  2 EI  2 1  qia 
 a= 1 2  q a  (5)
 j 
Q L    j 

Qa = k aqa
Where ka is the member stiffness matrix
Inverting Eq. (5), we get member flexibility equation as follow

qia  L  2 −1 Qi 

a

 a =  −1 2  Q a 
q j  6 EI    j 

or:

qa = f aQa

where:

L  2 −1
f =
a
 −1 2  = member flexibility matrix (for member a)
6 EI  
3) Frame Member

We should include axial force (Qka) and axial deformation (qka = uj – ui)

Member deformation – member force

relationship (based on previous equations):

 L L 
 3EI − 0 
qi   6 EI
 Qi 
a a

 a  L  
0  Q aj 
Li
q j  =  −  a
q a   6 EI 3EI
L  k 
 k Q
 0 0 
 EA 

qa = f aQa
 MEMBER FLEXIBILITY EQUATION

Member force vector: Corresponding Relationship among

member deformation deformations:
Qia  vector:
vi − v j
  q = θi −
a

Q a = Q aj  qia  i
L
  vi − v j
Q a  q a = q aj  q=
a
θj −
 k q a 
j
L
 k q=
a
k u j − ui
Member deformations – member forces relationship:

qia = f11aQia + f12aQ aj + f13aQka

q aj = f 21a Qia + f 22a Q aj + f 23a Qka
Note: fija = Flexibility coefficient
qka = f31aQia + f32a Q aj + f33a Qka

In matrix form:

qia   f11a f12a f13a  Qia 

 a  a  
q j  =  f 21 f 22a f 23a  Q aj 
q a   f a f32a f33a  Qka 
 k   31

Or:

q a = f aQ a
 Moment + Axial:

 La La 
 − 0 
 3Ea I a 6 Ea I a  Qia 
qi 
a

 a  La La  a
q j  =  − 0  Q j 
q a   6 Ea I a 3Ea I a  Q a 
 k  La   k 

 0 0 
 Ea Aa 

fa
Moment only (Beam or frame): Axial Only (Truss):

 La La 
−  La  a
qia   3Ea I a 6 Ea I a  Qia  {q } =  E A  {Qk }
a

 a =   a k
 a a
q j   − La La  Q j 
 6E I 3Ea I a 
 a a
Nodal Displacement – Member Deformation
Relationship (Indeterminate Structure)
T
1 R   r 
External Work: Wext =    
2  X  rX  Note: rX = 0 if no lack
of fit or no support
Where settlement are present
r = Nodal displacement vector
rX = Displacement at redundant
member force redundant  Temperature changes, etc.
Support  settlement (prescribed amount)

1
Internal Work: Wint = QT q Refer to next slide for prove
2
Where
q = Member deformation vector (all members)
 PROVE

1 a Qia + Q aj 
W=
int
2 
Q θ
 i i + Q a
θ
j j − ( i j ) k ( j i )
v − v + Q a
u − u
L 
1 a vi − v j  a
vi − v j  
= Qi  θi −  + Q j θ j −  + Qk ( u j − ui ) 
a

2  L   L  
1 a a
= Qi qi + Q aj q aj + Qka qka 
2
1
= QT q
2
 External Work = Internal Work

T
1 R   r  1 T
   = Q q
2  X  rX  2

Substituting from equation (1):

T
1 R   r  1  R 
T

    = [b R b X ]   q
2  X  rX  2   X 
T T
R   r  R 
⇒   = [ ]
T
  R b b X q
   X  
X r X
R   bTR 
T

=    T q
 X  b X 

 r   bTR  Nodal displacement – member

∴  =  T q (2)
rX  b X  deformation relationship
 Nodal Displacement – Member Deformation
Relationship (Determinate Structure)
External Work = Internal Work

1 T 1
R r = QT q
2 2

Substituting from equation (1a):

1 T 1
R r = [bR ] q
T

2 2
⇒ RT r =R T bT q

Or
r = bT q (2a) Nodal displacement – member
deformation relationship for
Determinate Structure
 CONSTITUTIVE OR MEMBER FLEXIBILITY EQUATIONS

The relation between deformation of all members and the corresponding

internal member forces can be obtained, i.e. the relation is primarily based
on the material constitutive in the form of member flexibility equations. In a
matrix form, we have
q=fQ (6)

Where f is the matrix of unassembled member flexibilities

Example

f a 
 
 fb 
f = fc 
 
 fd 
 f e 
STRUCTURE FLEXIBILITY EQUATIONS (DETERMINATE
STRUCTURE)
Substitution of Eq. 1a into Eq. 6 leads to
q = fbR
r = bT q (2a)
Then, substituting into Eq. 2a:

r = bT fbR
or
r = FR

where

F = bT fb
Where F = Flexibility matrix of the structure
 STRUCTURE FLEXIBILITY EQUATIONS (INDETERMINATE
STRUCTURE)

Substitution of Eq. 1 into Eq. 6 leads to

R 
q = f [b R bX ] 
X

Then, substituting into Eq. 2:

 r   bTR  R 
  =  T  f [b R bX ] 
rX  b X  X
 bTR  R 
=  T  [fb R fb X ]  
b X  X
 bTR fb R bTR fb X  R   FRR FRX  R 
=     
FXX   X 
T T
(7)
 X R X   FXR
b fb b X fb X
Where FRR, FRX, FXR and FXX are defined by

FRR = bTR fb R
FRX = bTR fb X
FXR = bTX fb R
FXX = bTX fb X
 Redundant Force, X

Consider 2nd row of eq. (7):

=
rX FXR R + FXX X
⇒ rX − FXR R =
FXX X
−1
⇒ FXX ( rX − FXR R ) =−1
FXX ( FXX X )

Or
−1
X = FXX ( rX − FXR R ) = FXX−1 rX − FXX−1 FXR R (8)

If rX = 0 (no lack of fit or no support settlement), then

−1
X = −FXX FXR R

Once redundant force is found, the member force is obtained by using

equilibrium equation (Eq. 1)
 Nodal displacements:

Consider 1st row of eq. (7):

=r FRR R + FRX X

Substituting from Eq. 8:

FRR R + FRX ( FXX

r= −1 −1
rX − FXX FXR R )

( RR RX XX XR )
=F − F F −1
F R + F −1
RX XX rX
F
−1
= FR + FRX FXX rX If rX = 0 (no lack of fit or no
support settlement), then

where
r = FR
−1
=
F FRR − FRX FXX FXR
Other way to find member force vector, Q:

Substituting Eq. 8 into Eq. 1:

Q b R R + b X ( FXX
−1 −1
rX − FXX FXR R )

( b R − b X FXX
= −1
FXR ) R + b X FXX
−1
rX
−1
= bR + b X FXX rX If rX = 0 (no lack of fit or no
support settlement), then
where Q = bR
−1
=
b b R − b X FXX FXR