Civil Engineering Forum

Volume XXI/2 - May 2012

PLASTIC ANALYSIS OF STEEL FRAME STRUCTURE

M. Rogac
Civil Engineering Faculty, Podgorica, Montenegro
Email: [email protected]
M. Knezevic
Civil Engineering Faculty, Podgorica, Montenegro
Email: [email protected]
M. Cvetkovska
Civil Engineering Faculty, Skopje, Macedonia
Email: [email protected]

ABSTRACT
This paper presents the plastic analysis of steel frame structure loaded by gravity loads. By applying the cinematic theorem
of ultimate analysis, the ultimate load for the case of elastic - ideally plastic material is calculated. The identical structure
was treated in the computer program SAP2000 where the zone of material reinforcement in the plastic area was covered.

Keywords: Steel frame structure, plastic analysis, ultimate gravity load, material reinforcement.

1 INTRODUCTION

40.0

1.45

18.0

For the frame structure according to Figure 1, of the

welded steel cross section of columns and beams
according to Figure 2, loaded by uniformly distributed
gravity load on all beams, the ultimate load based on
the Theory of elasticity and Theory of plasticity is
calculated. [1]

4.00

1.45

4.00

4.00

0.86

18.0

(cm)

Figure 2. Columns and beams cross section.

8.40

8.40

(m)

Figure 1. Frame structure layout.

Analysis of the structures according to the Theory of

elasticity means the determination of the stressdeformation characteristics in the field of elastic
behavior of material - zone I (Figure 3). According to
[1], the ultimate load according to the Theory of
elasticity, namely the load on the start of yield is
que = 42.24 kN/m, while the maximum deflection is
maxe = 19.03 mm.

Plastic analysis of structures enters the field of plastic

behavior of material consisting of a yield zone - zone
II and zone of material reinforcement - zone III
(Figure 3).
The Theory of plasticity often uses approximate -
diagrams that greatly simplify the problem, and are
sufficiently accurate for solving of engineering
problems. Figures 4 and 5 show the idealized forms of
- curves used in the calculation.

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The work of internal moments on rotation in hinges:

Au = (M u + 2 M u + M u ) 6

(2)

= (4 312.5 ) 6

The principle of virtual displacements:

As = Au

q u = 70.86 kN / m

(3)

Figure 3. The actual stress-strain diagram of low carbon

steel.

Figure 6. The collapse mechanism with indicated virtual

displacement.

Figure 4. Elastic-ideal plastic material.

2.2 CALCULATION OF ULTIMATE LOAD OF

THE FRAME IN THE COMPUTER
PROGRAM SAP2000
In the computer program SAP2000, the behavior of
the structure after the yield point is modeled with
plastic hinges that can be defined in an arbitrary
number of points along the length of a finite elements
of the structure. Thus, the linear deformations are
covered with the finite elements, and plastic
deformations are covered with plastic hinges assigned
to the finite elements. [2]
Figure 5. Elastic material with three-linear behavior in the
plastic zone.

2 PLASTIC ANALYSIS
2.1 CINEMATIC THEOREM OF ULTIMATE
ANALYSIS - CASE OF ELASTIC-IDEALLY
PLASTIC MATERIAL
Ultimate load (qup) resulting the structure collapse formation of a local mechanism (Figure 6), is
calculated using the principle of virtual displacements.
The work of external load on a virtual displacement:
As =

1
1
p
p
L qu = 8.4 4.2 qu 6
2
2

(1)

The formation of a plastic hinge requires a certain

length at which the plastification of material will
happen - the length of a plastic hinge (lp). According
to [3], for steel frame structures it is necessary to
adopt a length of plastic hinge approximately equal to
the height of cross section. In the analyzed example,
the plastic hinges (PZ) of lp = 0.4 m length are
adopted, arranged on a mutual axial distance of 0.4 m
on all finite elements of the structure. This ensures the
possibility of plastification of all cross-sections of the
structure.
Hinge property data for deformation controlled hinge
are calculated based on moment-curvature diagram.
For the adopted cross section (Figure 2) and -
diagram from Figure 7, which represents the best
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approximation of actual stress-strain diagram for low

carbon steel, M- connection is calculated using
computer program XTRACT.

Moment about the X-Axis - kN-m

Civil Engineering Forum

Curvatures about the X-Axis 1/m

Figure 7. - diagram for low carbon steel elastic

material with three-linear behavior in the plastic zone.

Figure 8. XTRACT Analysis Report.

Figures 8 shows XTRACT analysis report with two

lines on the M- diagram: Actual diagram magenta
line; Effective diagram blue line. Effective diagram
is defined with two points: Yield point (Effective
Yield Moment 309.0 kNm; Effective Yield Curvature
0.0156 1/m) and Ultimate point (Ultimate Moment
453.4 kNm = 1.4673 EYM; Ultimate Curvature 1.025
1/m = 65.72 EYC) and it is used for hinge property
data calculation (Figure 9). Yield points (B and B-) are
marked in magenta on the diagram and in the table,
while the ultimate points (E and E-) are marked in red.
Because of easier tracking of the plastic hinge status,
three more points are defined on the diagram: IO
blue, LS cyan, CP green. Points scale factors from
Figure 9 (20, 40, 60) are arbitrarily adopted.
Analysis Result:

Analysis Result:

Failing Material
Failure strain
Curvature at Initial Load
Curvature at First Yield
Ultimate Curvature
Moment at First Yield
Ultimate Moment
Centroid Strain at Yield
Centroid Strain at Ultimate
N.A. at First Yield
N.A. at Ultimate
Energy per Length
Effective Yield Curvature
Effective Yield Moment
Over Strength Factor
EI Effective
Yield EI Effective
Curvature Ductility

5 SD
.2000 Compression
0 1/m
15.37E-3 1/m
1.025 1/m
304.6 kN-m
453.4 kN-m
11.46E-9 Compression
.4138E-6 Compression
-74.55E-6 cm
-40.38E-6 cm
387.1 kN
15.59E-3
1/m
309.0 kN-m
1.468
1.98E+7 N-m^2
143.2E+3 N-m^2
65.72

Figure 9. Frame Hinge Property Data for PZ.

By the method of testing, an ultimate uniformly

distributed
gravity
load
is
determined
qup = 90.10 kN/m. During the load of 90.20 kN/m, a
collapse mechanism has been formed and a program
detects a failure in calculation.
Figure 10 shows the deformed structure with specified
position and status of activated plastic hinges. Plastic
hinges status is indicated by the corresponding color
according to Figure 9. If the ratio of obtained
curvature to Effective Yield Curvature is within 1-20
plastic hinge on Figure 10 is marked in magenta, 2040 in blue, 40-60 in cyan and 60-65.72 in green color.

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Figure 10-a. Plastic hinges are not activated - Steps 1-39.

Figure 10-d. Position and status of activated plastic hinges

Step 49.

Figure 10-b. Position and status of activated plastic hinges

Step 40.

Figure 10-e. Position and status of activated plastic hinges

Step 54.

Figure 10-c. Position and status of activated plastic hinges

Step 43.

Figure 10-f. Position and status of activated plastic hinges

Step 70.

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Figure 10-g. Position and status of activated plastic hinges

Step 76.

Figure 10-j. Position and status of activated plastic hinges

Step 88.

Figure 10-h. Position and status of activated plastic hinges

Step 79.

Figure 10-k. Position and status of activated plastic hinges

Step 91.

Figure 10-i. Position and status of activated plastic hinges

Step 85.

Figure 10-l. Position and status of activated plastic hinges

Step 93.

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The maximum deflection under the ultimate load

occurs at the center of the upper left beam according
to Figure 11.

Figure 11. Maximum deflection maxp = 1576 mm.

For all steps of analysis, it is possible to present

tabular results and moment - plastic rotation diagrams
(Figure 13) for all the adopted plastic hinges in the
structure.
Since the curvature is defined as the rotation per
length unit of the bar, the rotation of cross section A in
relation to cross section B (AB) of the bar with the
change of the curvature (x) is according to [4] equal
to:
B

AB = ( x ) dx

(4)

According to [4], it is adopted that the plastic

curvature (p = u - y) has a constant value at the
length of the plastic hinge (lp) so the plastic rotation
(p) is equal to:

p = ( u y ) l p

(5)

Figure 12. The displacement of curvature along the

cantilever beam with ultimate moment in the fixed end: (a)
cantilever, (b) bending moment diagram, (c) actual and
idealized displacement of the curvature.

In the Figure 12, a concept of plastic rotation in the

zone of plastic hinge is defined in the case of
cantilever beam loaded by force at the free end. The
hatched area represents the actual plastic rotation that
occurs in the zone of formation of a plastic hinge.
Dashed line is used to mark the idealized diagram - a
rectangle of dimensions (u-y) lp with an area equal
to hatched one. [4]
Figure 13 shows characteristic results for the plastic
hinge in which plastic deformations firstly appeared
(Figure 10-b). In all the steps moment and plastic
rotation intensity is shown as well as plastic hinge
status through the appropriate color.

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Figure 13-a. Diagram Moment-Plastic Rotation Step 39.

Figure 13-d. Diagram Moment-Plastic Rotation Step 49.

Figure 13-b. Diagram Moment-Plastic Rotation Step 40.

Figure 13-e. Diagram Moment-Plastic Rotation Step 54.

Figure 13-c. Diagram Moment-Plastic Rotation Step 43.

Figure 13-f. Diagram Moment-Plastic Rotation Step 70.

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Figure 13-g. Diagram Moment-Plastic Rotation Step 76.

Figure 13-j. Diagram Moment-Plastic Rotation Step 88.

Figure 13-h. Diagram Moment-Plastic Rotation Step 79.

Figure 13-k. Diagram Moment-Plastic Rotation Step 91.

Figure 13-i. Diagram Moment-Plastic Rotation Step 85.

Figure 13-l. Diagram Moment-Plastic Rotation Step 93.

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3 CONCLUSION

Based on the conducted analysis, a behavior of steel

frame structure loaded by the gravity load at stress
levels in the plastic range can be observed.
For the case of elastic-ideal plastic material, using the
cinematic theorem of ultimate analysis approximately
1.68 times bigger value of ultimate gravity load were
obtained in relation to the value of ultimate load
calculated according to the Theory of elasticity.
Introducing the material reinforcement in the analysis,
this ratio is increased to 2.13 according to Table 1.
However, the deformations in the structure are
multiple increased, so that in the third case, an
achieved ratio of maximum span toward maximum
deflection has reached a value of 5.3, and a ratio of
maximum deflections according to the Theory of
plasticity and Theory of elasticity is 82.82. It is
therefore necessary to carefully analyze the results of
plastic analysis of the structure, particularly in terms
of structure usability.

The level of the obtained deformations assumes also

an entry of the structure in geometric nonlinearity, not
only material nonlinearity that is analyzed here. In
addition, the ratio L / max 5.3 involves an elastic line
that has elements of a catenary with all its
peculiarities in the calculation of such structures.
Plastic analysis includes large deformations, so there
is a question of justification of the basic assumptions
of plastic analysis, especially of Bernoullis
hypothesis of plane cross sections.
This paper analyzes the steel structure under the
assumption of ideal stability of all structural elements.
In further analyzes it would be interesting to introduce
the influence of stability of compressed structural
elements to the ultimate load.
Assumptions and idealizations mentioned in the
previous two paragraphs have allowed a simple plastic
analysis, and their justification should be confirmed or
rejected by the experimental determination of ultimate
gravity load of analyzed steel structure.

Table 1. Recapitulation of the results of conducted calculations

Method of calculation

Ultimate
gravity
load
qu (kN/m)

The theory of
plasticity

Theory of elasticity
The cinematic theorem
of ultimate analysis.
Elastic-ideal plastic
material
SAP 2000 Elastic
material with three-linear
behavior in the plastic
zone

The ratio of
ultimate loads
according to the
Theory of
plasticity and
Theory of
elasticity

Max
deflection

max (mm )

The ratio of
the
maximum
span toward
maximum
deflection
L

max

The ratio of
maximum
deflection
according to the
Theory of
plasticity and
Theory of
elasticity

8400

max

42.24

19.03

441

70.86

1.68

90.10

2.13

1576.0

5.3

82.82

REFERENCES
Rogac M.: "Plastic Analysis of Steel Frame Structure
Calculation of Ultimate Gravitational Load",
Seminar paper of the course Theory of
Plasticity, Civil Engineering Faculty in
Podgorica, Podgorica, 2010, 60 p.
Computers and Structures, Inc., SAP2000 Steel
Design Manual, California, USA, 2000

Sanchez L., Plumier A.: "Particularities Raised by The

Evaluation of Load Reduction Factors for The
Seismic Design of Composite Steel-Concrete
Structures", Stability and Ductility of Steel
Structures, Timisoara, 1999, 41-48 p.
Park R., Paulay T.: Reinforced Concrete Structures,
A Wiley-Interscience Publication, Christchurch,
New Zealand, 1974, 769 p.
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