Description
The first edition considered only linear elastic behavior of structures. This assumption is reasonable for assessing the structural response in the early stage of design where one is attempting to estimate design details. As a design progresses, other critical behavioral issues need to be addressed.
The first issue concerns geometric nonlinearity which results when a flexible member is subjected to axial compression loading as well as transverse loading. This combination causes a loss in axial stiffness for the member, which may result in a loss in stability for the structural system. Euler buckling is an example of this type of nonlinear behavior.
The second issue is related to the behavior of the material used to fabricate structural members. Steel and concrete are the most popular materials for structural applications. These materials have a finite elastic range, i.e., they behave elastically up to a certain stress level. Beyond this level, their stiffness decreases dramatically and they experience significant deformation that remains when the specimen is unloaded. This deformation is referred to as “inelastic deformation.” The result of this type of member behavior is the fact that the member has a finite load carrying capacity. From a structural system perspective, it follows that the structure has a finite load capacity. Given the experience with recent structural failures, structural engineers are now being required to estimate the “limit” capacity of their design using inelastic analysis procedures. Computer-based analysis is essential for this task.
We have addressed both issues in this edition. Geometric nonlinearity is basically a displacement issue, so it is incorporated in Chap. 10. We derive the nonlinear equations for a member; develop the general solution, specialize the solutions for various boundary conditions; and finally present the generalized nonlinear “member” equations which are used in computerbased analysis methods. Examples illustrating the effect of coupling between compressive axial load and lateral displacement (P-delta effect) are included. This treatment provides sufficient exposure to geometric nonlinearity that we feel is necessary to prepare the student for professional practice.
Inelastic analysis is included in Part III which deals with professional practice; we have added an additional chapter focused exclusively on inelastic analysis. We start by reviewing the basic properties of structural steel and concrete and then establish the expressions for the moment capacity of beams. We use these results together with some simple analytical methods to establish the limit loading for some simple beam and frames. For complex structures, one needs to resort to computer-based procedures. We describe a finite element-based method that allows one to treat the nonlinear load displacement behavior and to estimate the limiting load. This approach is referred to as a “pushover” analysis. Examples illustrating pushover analyses of frames subjected to combined gravity and seismic loadings are included. Just as for the geometric nonlinear case, our objective is to provide sufficient exposure to the material so that the student is “informed” about the nonlinear issues. One can gain a deeper background from more advanced specialized references.
Aside from these two major additions, the overall organization of the second edition is similar to the first edition. Some material that we feel is obsolete has been deleted (e.g., conjugate beam), and other materials such as force envelopes have been expanded. In general, we have tried to place more emphasis on computer base approaches since professional practice is moving in that direction. However, we still place the primary emphasis on developing a fundamental understanding of structural behavior through analytical solutions and computer-based computations.