Lecture 7: Flexibility Method - Frames

Example
The plane frame shown at the left has fixed
supports at A and C. The frame is acted upon
by the vertical load P as shown. In the analysis y y
account for both flexural and axial
deformations. The flexural rigidity EI is
constant. The axial rigidity EA is also constant.
Joint B is a rigid connection
Redundants
are forces
and moments
Joint B is a rigid connection.
The structure is statically indeterminate to the
third degree. A released structure is obtained by
Zero and nonzero
cutting the frame at joint B and the released
actions Q
1
, Q
2
and Q
3
are redundants. Find the
magnitude and direction of these redundants.
Zero and nonzero
displacements in
the released
structure due to
external loads are
shown
Lecture 7: Flexibility Method - Frames
The displacements in the released structure caused by P and corresponding to Q
1
, Q
2
and Q
3
are in the previous figures. The displacement D
QL1
consists of the sum of two Q
3
p g p
QL1
translations which are found by analyzing the released structure as a set of two
cantilever beams AB and CB.
First analyze the cantilever beam AB The load P will cause a downward translation at First analyze the cantilever beam AB. The load P will cause a downward translation at
B and a clockwise rotation at B. There is no axial displacement thus
( ) 0
1
=
AB
QL
D
The displacements D
QL2
and D
QL3
in the released structure AB also consist of a vertical
displacement and a rotations, i.e.,
( )
1
AB
QL
( )
EI
PL
D
AB
QL
48
5
3
2
= ( )
EI
PL
D
AB
QL
8
2
3
=
But these displacements in the released structure AB have corresponding displacements
in the released structure CB.
Lecture 7: Flexibility Method - Frames
However, since there is no load on member CB in the released structure, there will be no
displacement at end B and
Even though the displacements at B in CB are zero, the total displacement of joint B
ld b h i f h D f AB d CB Th h D
( ) ( ) ( ) 0
3 2 1
= = =
CB
QL
CB
QL
CB
QL
D D D
would be the summation of the two D
QL
components from AB and CB. Thus the D
QL
matrix is

+ 0 0

+ =
6
5
0
48
0
48
5
2
2
3
L
EI
PL
PL
EI
PL
D
QL
We need to assemble the flexibility matrix F. Consider the released structure with
)

+
6
0
8EI
PL
1
1
= Q
Lecture 7: Flexibility Method - Frames
The displacements corresponding to unit values of Q
1
, Q
2
and Q
3
are shown as flexibility coefficients F
11
, F
21
and F
31
.
If b th i l d fl l d f ti id d th
( ) ( ) ( ) 0 0
31 21 11
= = =
AB AB AB
F F
L
F
If both axial and flexural deformations are considered, the
displacements at end B of member AB are
( ) ( ) ( )
31 21 11
AB AB AB
AE
The displacements at end B of member BC are
( ) ( ) ( )
EI
H
F F
EI
H
F
CB CB CB
2
0
3
2
31 21
3
11
= = =
H L
3
H
2
The flexibility coefficients take on the following values
0
21
= F
EI
H
AE
L
F
3
11
+ =
EI
H
F
2
31
=
Lecture 7: Flexibility Method - Frames
The same analysis must be made with
1
2
= Q
For frame sections AB and CB
( ) ( ) ( )
EI
L
F
EI
L
F F AB
AB AB AB
2 3
0 :
2
32
3
22 12
= = =
( ) ( ) ( ) 0 0 :
32 22 12
= = =
CB CB CB
F
AE
H
F F CB
Which leads to flexibility coefficients Which leads to flexibility coefficients
0
21
= F
AE
H
EI
L
F + =
3
3
22
EI
L
F
2
2
32
=
Lecture 7: Flexibility Method - Frames
Once again from frame sections AB and CB (Q
3
= 1)
( ) ( ) ( )
EI
L
F
EI
L
F F AB
AB AB AB
= = =
33
2
23 13
2
0 :
( ) ( ) ( )
H H
2
( ) ( ) ( )
EI
H
F F
EI
H
F CB
CB CB CB
= = =
33 23 13
0
2
:
leading to flexibility coefficients
EI
H
F
2
2
13
=
EI
L
F
2
2
23
=
EI
H
EI
L
F + =
33
ead g to e b ty coe c e ts
Lecture 7: Flexibility Method - Frames
Assembly of the flexibility matrix leads to
(
(
(
(

+
+
L H L
EI
H
EI
H
EA
L
F 0
2
0
3
2 3
2 3
(
(
(
(

+
+ =
EI
H
EI
L
EI
L
EI
H
EI EA EI
F
2 2
2 3
0
2 2
Now let
K
000 30 k i E
inches ft H L
P
K
144 12
10
= = =
=
2
4
10
200
000 , 30
in A
in I
ksi E
=
=
=
Lecture 7: Flexibility Method - Frames

0
When these numerical values

=
00432 . 0
5184 . 0
QL
D
and
( ) ( )
kip in
EA
H
EA
L
/ 00048 . 0
10 000 , 30
144
= = =
( )
( )( )
kip in
EI
H
/ 165888 . 0
200 000 , 30 3
144
3
3
3
= =
The axial compliance (flexibility) of each component is quite small relative to the
flexural compliance (flexibility). We will ignore the axial compliance of the beam
and the column when assembling the flexibility matrix. The inverse of compliance is
stiffness. This is equivalent to stating that the axial stiffness of the beam and column
is so large relative to flexural stiffness of the beam and column that axial
displacements are negligible.
Lecture 7: Flexibility Method - Frames
Omitting axial deformations leads to the following flexibility matrix
(
001728 0 0 0 1659 0
| |
(
(
(

=
000048 . 0 001728 . 0 001728 . 0
001728 . 0 1659 . 0 0 . 0
001728 . 0 0 . 0 1659 . 0
F
(
0868 0 0009 0 0015 0
When the flexibility matrix is inverted we obtain
(
(
(

3315 . 8 0868 . 0 0868 . 0

(
(
(

= Q 5189 . 0
0 . 0
0 . 0
0 . 0
0868 . 0 0015 . 0 0009 . 0
0868 . 0 0009 . 0 0015 . 0
10 1
4
{ }

)
`

)
`

)
`

(
(

ki
kips
Q
0692 4
9414 . 0
00432 . 0 0 . 0 3315 . 8 0868 . 0 0868 . 0

)
`

=
inches kip
kips
3818 . 90
0692 . 4
Note that the displacements associated with the redundants in the original structural Note that the displacements associated with the redundants in the original structural,
represented by the matrix {D
Q
} are zero because joint B is a rigid connection. One can
rationalize the rotation D
Q3
is zero from this assumption.
Lecture 7: Flexibility Method - Frames
Now examine the structure by omitting axial deformations. The flexibility matrix
0.1664 0.0 0.001728
(
(
| |
0.0 0.1664 0.001728
0.001728 0.001728 0.000048
F
(
=
(
(

Finding the inverse of this matrix (homework assignment) and substitution into Finding the inverse of this matrix (homework assignment) and substitution into
l d t
{ } | | { } { } { }
QL Q
D D F Q =
1
{ }
0.916272
4.03466
88 2336
kips
Q kips
ki i h

=
`

)
leads to
88.2336 kip inches


)
which is less then 3% different from the computations where axial deformations are
included. This frequently happens in the analysis of typical frames and bolsters the c uded. s eque y ppe s e ys s o yp c es d bo s e s e
assumption that D
Q1
and D
Q2
(axial deformations associated with axial force redundants)
are zero. This allows the seasoned engineer to make judgments about considering only
bending in frame analyses.