Lecture Module no.

4
Conditions for instability, stability, and redundancy of structures.
Sources:
Structural Analysis Fourth Edition – Kassimali
www.learnaboutstructures.com

Prepared By:

AdU Civil Engineering Faculty

 INTRODUCTION

Before beginning to analyze a structure, it is important to know what kind of structure it is.
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Different types of structures may need to be analyzed using different methods. For
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example, structures that are determinate may be completely analyzed using only static
equilibrium, whereas indeterminate structures require the use of both static equilibrium
and compatibility relationships to find the internal forces. In addition, real structures must
be stable. This means that the structure can recover static equilibrium after a disturbance.
There is no point analyzing a structure that is not stable.

This section will explain the concepts of determinacy, indeterminacy and stability and show
how to identify determinate, indeterminate and stable structures.
 IMPORTANT CONCEPT
Stable/Unstable
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A stable structure is one that will not collapse when disturbed. Stability is the capability
for a structure to recover equilibrium. In general, there are many ways that a structure
may become unstable, including buckling of compression members, yielding/rupture of
members, or nonlinear geometric effects (P-Delta effects); however, for linear structural
analysis, the main concern is instability caused by insufficient reaction points or poor
layout of structural members.
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT IMPORTANT CONCEPT

Internally Stable
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An internally stable structure is one that would maintain its shape if all the reactions
supports were removed. A structure that is internally unstable may still be stable if it has
sufficient external support reactions. An example is below
 IMPORTANT CONCEPT
External Determinacy
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In an externally statically determinate structure, all of the external reaction component forces
may be calculated using only static equilibrium. A structure for which the external reactions
component forces cannot be calculated using only equilibrium is externally
statically indeterminate.

Internal Determinacy

In an internally statically determinate structure, all of the external reaction component

forces and internal forces may be calculated using only static equilibrium. A structure for which
the internal forces cannot be calculated using only equilibrium is internally statically
indeterminate. Typically, if one talks about 'determinacy' (without specifying internal or external),
then it is internal determinacy that is meant.
 IMPORTANT CONCEPT
Redundant
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Indeterminate structures effectively have more unknowns than can be solved using the
three equilibrium equations (or six equilibrium equations in 3D). These extra unknowns
are called redundants.

Degree of Indeterminacy

The degree of indeterminacy for a structure is equal to the number of redundants. An

indeterminate structure with 2 redundants may be said to be statically indeterminate to
the second degree or "2° S.I."
 EXTERNAL INDETERMINACY
If a structure is externally determinate, then all of the reactions may be calculated using
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equilibrium alone. To calculate external determinacy, the following equations are used:
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where r is the number of reaction components, and ec is the number of equations of

condition. Both of these are described in detail below.

The degree of indeterminacy is given by the following equation:

CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT EXTERNAL INDETERMINACY

Reaction (r) = 5 Reaction (r) = 6

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Internal Connection (ec) = 0 Internal Connection (ec) = 1

5 ? (3 + 0) 6 ? (3 + 1)
5>3 6>4
Therefore the beam is “Statically Therefore the beam is “Statically
Indeterminate Externally to the 2nd Degree” Indeterminate Externally to the 2nd Degree”

Reaction (r) = 6
Internal Connection (ec) = 3
Reaction (r) = 4 6 ? (3 + 3)
Internal Connection (ec) = 4 6=6
4 ? (3 + 4) Therefore the beam is “Statically
4<7 Determinate Externally”
Therefore the beam is “Statically
Unstable”
 INTERNAL INDETERMINACY
If a structure is internally determinate, then all of the reactions and internal forces may be calculated using
equilibrium alone. Internal determinacy is generally much more important than external determinacy in
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structural analysis. To calculate internal determinacy, the following equations are used:
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Where m is the total number of members in the structure, r is the number of reaction components, j is the
total number of joints in the structure. The meaning of r and ec are the same as for External Determinacy.

he degree of indeterminacy is given by the following equation:

 INTERNAL INDETERMINACY
m=6;r=7
j = 7 ; ec = 3
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[3(6) + 7] ? [3(7) + 3]
25 > 24

Therefore the frame is “Statically

Indeterminate to the 1st Degree Internally”

m=6;r=6
j = 7 ; ec = 3
m=3;r=7
[3(6) + 6] ? [3(7) + 3] j = 4 ; ec = 3
22 < 24
[3(3) + 7] ? [3(4) + 3]
Therefore the frame is “Statically 16 > 15
Unstable Internally”
Therefore the frame is “Statically
Indeterminate to the 1st Degree Internally”
CIVIL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT INTERNAL INDETERMINACY
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m=4;r=6
j = 6 ; ec = 3

[3(4) + 6] ? [3(6) + 3]
18 < 21

Therefore this beam is “Statically

Unstable Internally”
 DETERMINACY FOR TRUSS
Trusses are structures where all of the members are connected together at pinned joints.
Since each member in a truss has a pin at the end, the members cannot take any moment or
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shear.
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The degree of indeterminacy for trusses is given by the following equation:

 DETERMINACY FOR TRUSS
In this problem, assume that the trusses are statically determinate “Externally” having r = 3
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(20 + 3) ? 2(12) (26 + 3) ? 2(15) (17 + 3) ? 2(10)

23 < 24 29 < 30 30 = 30

Therefore the truss is “Internally Therefore the truss is “Internally Therefore the truss is “Statically Stable
Unstable” Unstable” Internally”
 STABILITY
An unstable structure generally cannot be analyzed. Therefore, it is useful to know if a
structure is stable or unstable before a structural analysis is conducted. There are four
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main ways that a structure may be geometrically unstable. These apply only to linear
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geometric stability and not to instability caused by buckling, member yielding or

nonlinear geometry.

1. the reactions are parallel: All of the reaction components point in the same direction.
An example of such a situation is shown below. In this example, the horizontal
equilibrium (Summation Forces along X) cannot be solved and there will be a net
horizontal force on the system with no resistance
 STABILITY
2. The reactions are concurrent: All of the reaction components meet at a point. An
example of such a situation is shown in below. Effectively, the system is free to rotate as
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a rigid body around the point that the reaction components meet at.
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 STABILITY
3. There is an internal collapse mechanism: This is any situation in which there is an internal
mechanism in the system that will cause it to deform between the supports. In some such
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situations, this will be clear from the use of the determinacy equations, but in others, it may
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not. In all such cases, though, the instability will become clear during the structural analysis
because it will be impossible to solve for all of the internal forces. An example internal
collapse mechanism is shown below.