Lecture 10

Stiffness methods (I): Continuous beam

Bo-Tong Zheng
Research Assistant Professor
Office: Z220
Email: [email protected]
Prepared by Prof. XIA Yong
Department of Civil & 5/11/2020 Page 1
Structural Engineering
 Standardisation of procedures
•Discretization 5 6
6
Elements, Joints (nodes), Code
•Element analysis 2 5
End-force 3
End-displacement 3 4
Element stiffness matrix 1 4
•Assembly 1 2

Global stiffness matrix

Load vector
•Global analysis
e
Nodal displacement - unknown
•Elemental analysis
Elemental internal force
 Continuous beam
1. Discretization 1 3
1 2 2

1 2 --- element number i1 i2

l1 = l l2 = l
1,2,3 --- joint number
(1),(2),(3) --- DOF
3
Number of displacement 1 2
unknowns, independent
displacements, degrees of
freedom (DOFs), kinematic (1) (2) (3)
indeterminacy

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2. Element (member) analysis
e
e
Member end displacement = 1
e
2
e F1e
Member end force F =
F2e

e e
1 e 2

F1e F2e
1 2

F1e = 4ie 1
e
+ 2ie e
2 F1
e
4ie 2ie 1
e

=
F = 2i
e e
+ 4ie e F2 2ie 4ie 2
2 e 1 2
 e e e
F = K Elemental stiffness equation
e
K Element stiffness matrix

e e
e k k 4ie 2ie
K = e11 12
e
=
k21 k22 2ie 4ie

kije Stiffness coefficient, the force in the direction of

i required, to cause a unit displacement at j
while all other end displacements are zero.
e
j = 1, i
e
=0

symmetricity kije = k eji

 Element 1: e=1 Element 2: e=2
1 1 2 2
1 2 1 2 2
1
F11 F21 F12 F22
1 2 1 2
(1) (2) (2) (3)
F11 = k11
1
1
1
+ k12
1
2
1
F12 = k112 1
2
+ k122 2
2

F21 = k 1 1
21 1 +k 1 1
22 2 F22 = k 2 2
21 1 +k 2 2
22 2

F11 = k11
1 1
1 + k12
1 1
2 +0 2
2

F21 + F12 = k21

1 1
1 + k22
1
( 1
2 + k112 1
2
)+ k 2 2
12 2

F22 = 0 1
1 + k21
2
1
2
+ k22
2 2
2
3. Assembly
1 1 2 2
1 2 1 2

1 2 3
1 2 3
P1 P3
P2

(1) (2) (3)

P1 = k11
1
1 + k12
1
2 +0 3

P2 = k 21
1
1
1
(
+ k 22 + k112 ) 2 + k122 3

P3 = 0 1 + k 21
2
2 + k 22
2
3
 P1 = k11 1 + k12 2 + k13 3

P2 = k21 1 + k22 2 + k23 3

P3 = k31 1 + k32 2 + k33 3

P1 k11 k12 k13 1 P1 1

P2 = k21 k22 k 23 2
P = P2 , = 2

p3 k31 k32 k33 3

p3 3

k11 = k11
1
k 21 = k 21
1
k31 = 0
k12 = k12
1
k 22 = k 22
1
+ k112 k32 = k 21
2

k13 = 0 k 23 = k 21
2
k33 = k 22
2
Global stiffness equation

P = K
Global stiffness matrix K
kij Stiffness coefficient, the force in the direction
of i required, to cause a unit displacement at j
while all other joint displacements are zero.
j-th column of K consists of the joint loads
required to cause a unit displacement at j
while all other joint displacements are zero.

symmetricity kij = k ji
Assembly of matrix – element code number
(1) (2)
1 2
1 1
1 k k 1 (1) (1) (2) (3)
K = 11
1
12
1
k21 k
22 2 (2) k111 k121 0 (1)

2 2 K =
1
k 21 1
k 22 + k112 k122 (2)
k
2 k 1 (2)
K = 11
2
12
2 0 k 212 k 222 (3)
k 21 k 22 2 (3)
1 2
(2) (3)
4. Global analysis
P1 1

P = K P = P2 , = 2

p3 3

Calculate nodal displacement

−1
= K P

5. Calculate member end force

e e e
1
= 1
=
F = K 1 1 2 2

1
2
= 2
2
2 = 3
 6kN.m 3kN.m 3kN.m
Example 1
i1 = 1 i2 = 2
1. DOFs 1 2 3
2. Stiffness matrix 1 2
(1) (2) (3)
(1) (2) (2) (3)
4 2 (1) 2 8 4 (2)
1
K = K =
2 4 (2) 4 8 (3)

3. Assembly
(1) (2) (3)
−6 (1)
4 2 0 (1)
K = 2 12 4 (2) P = −3 (2)

0 4 8 (3) 3 (3)
4. Joint displacement − 17 / 12 (1)

P = K = −1/ 6 (2)
11 / 24 (3)
5. Member end forces
F = K
e e e 1
1 = 1
1
2 = 2 1
2
= 2
2
2 = 3

1 1 1 4 2 − 17 / 12 −6
F = K = =
2 4 − 1/ 6 −7/2

2 2 2 8 4 −1/ 6 1/ 2
F = K = =
4 8 11 / 24 3
3.5

0.5
6 3
 5kN.m 8kN.m P3
Example 2
Post-process i1 = 1 i2 = 2
boundary condition 1 2 3
1 2
(1) (2) (3)
(1) (2) (2) (3)
4 2 (1) 2 8 4 (2)
1
K = K =
2 4 (2) 4 8 (3)

(1) (2) (3)

4 2 0 (1) 4 2 0 1 −5
K = 2 12 4 (2) 2 12 4 2 = −8
0 4 8 (3) 0 4 8 3 P3
 4 1 + 2 2 + 0 0 = −5
4 2 1 −5
=0 2 1 + 12 2 + 4 0 = −8 =
3 2 12 2 −8
0 1 + 4 2 + 8 0 = P3

−1
4 2 0 −5
1 4 2 1 −5 = − 0 .5
2 12 4 = −8 =
2
2 12 2 −8 0
0 4 8 3 P3

1 1 1 4 2 −1 −5 4
F = K = = 2
2 4 − 0.5 −4

8 4 − 0.5 −4 5 4
2 2 2
F = K = =
4 8 0 −2
 5kN.m 8kN.m P3
Critical thinking
(optional) i1 = 1 i2 = 2

In example 2, if joint 3 1 2 3
rotates by 0.1 rad clockwise. 1 2
(1) (2) (3)

4 2 0 1 −5
2 12 4 2 = −8 3 = −0.1
0 4 8 3 P3

4 1 + 2 2 + 0 (− 0.1) = −5
4 2 −5
2 1 + 12 2 + 4 (− 0.1) = −8
1
=
2 12 − 7.6
0 1 + 4 2 + 8 (− 0.1) = P3
2
 − 1.018
− 1.02
1
= = − 0.464
− 0.46
2
− 0.1

1 1 1 4 2 − 1.018 −5
F = K = =
2 4 − 0.464 − 3.89

2 2 2 8 4 − 0.464 − 4.11
F = K = =
4 8 − 0.1 − 2.66
3.89 2.66

5 4.11

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 Equivalent nodal load

PQ1
PQ = PQ 2
PQ 3 FE1 FE 2 FE 3

FE1
=− FE2
FE3 PQ1 PQ 2 PQ 3

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 Example 3
q ql 2 / 12 q Pl / 8
P P
1 2 3
1 2
l l/2 l/2
(1) (2) (3)

q ql 2 / 12 P Pl / 8

2
1 2
ql / 12 Pl / 8

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 Fixed end forces
1 ql 2 / 12 2 Pl / 8
FE = FE =
− ql 2 / 12 − Pl / 8
Elemental equivalent nodal load

1 − ql 2
/ 12 (1) − Pl / 8 (2)
FQ = FQ
2
=
ql 2 / 12 (2) Pl / 8 (3)

Pl ql 2
PQ1 − ql 2 / 12 (1) ql 2 / 12 − Pl / 8
8 12
PQ = PQ 2 = − Pl / 8 + ql 2 / 12 (2)
PQ 3 Pl / 8 (3)

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Example 4
q
1 2 3 4

1 2 3
(1)
l (2)
l (3)
l (4)

ql 2 / 12 2
ql / 12 PQ1 − ql 2 / 12
PQ 2 0
PQ = =
PQ 3 ql 2 / 12
PQ 4 0

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Combined nodal load q Pl P
1 2 3
Equivalent nodal load 1 2
l l/2 l/2
− ql 2 / 12 (1) (2) (3)
PQ = − Pl / 8 + ql 2 / 12
Pl / 8
0
Direct nodal load PD = − Pl
0
− ql 2 / 12
Combined nodal load P = PD + PQ = − 9 Pl / 8 + ql 2 / 12
Pl / 8

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 q Pl P
1 2 3
Member end forces 1 2
l l/2 l/2
(1) (2) (3)

P = K ql 2 / 12 q Pl / 8
P

e e e
F = K
e ql 2 / 12 ql 2 / 12 − 9 Pl / 8 Pl / 8
+ FE

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 Example 5 10 kN 4kN/m
(1) (2) EI1 = 6 EI2 = 24 EI1 = 6
4 6 / 8 1. 5 (1)
K
1
= 4m 4m 12m 8m
1. 5 3 (2)
1 2 3 4
(2) (3) 1 2 3
2 4 24 / 12 4 (2)
K = (1) (2) (3) (4)
4 8 (3)

(3) (4) 3 1.5 0 0

3 1.5 (3) 1.5 11 4 0
K =
3 K =
1.5 3 (4) 0 4 11 1.5
0 0 1.5 3

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 10 kN
Joint load vector

1 10 10 − 10
Pl / 8 = 10 FE
1
= FQ
1
=
− 10 10
ql 2
4kN/m = 48 2 48 2 − 48
12 FE = FQ =
− 48 48
2
48
10 − 10 (1)
38 − 38 (2)
PE = PQ =
− 48 48 (3)
0 0 (4)

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Boundary condition
3 1.5 0 0 1 − 10
1.5 11 4 0 2 − 38
=
0 4 11 1.5 3 48
0 0 1.5 3 4 0

Solving equations
11 4 2 − 38 2 − 5.81
= =
4 11 3 48 3 6.476

1 0
2 − 5.81
= =
3 6.476
4 0
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Member end forces

1 3 1.5 0 10 1.29
F = + =
1.5 3 − 5.81 − 10 − 27 .43

8 4 − 5.81
2 48 27 .43
F = + =
4 8 6.476 − 48 − 19 .43

3 1.5 6.476
3 0 19 .43
F = + =
1.5 3 0 0 9.71

27.43 19.43

BMD 1.29
9.71

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Structural Engineering
 10 kN 4kN/m
Pre-process of
boundary condition EI1 = 6 EI2 = 24 EI1 = 6

(0) (1) 4m 4m 12m 8m

1 3 1.5 (0)
K = Post- 1 2 3 4
1.5 3 (1) 1 2 3
process
(1) (2) (1) (2) (3) (4)
8 4 (1)
K
2
= Pre- 1 2 3 4
4 8 (2) 1 2 3
process
(0) (1) (2) (0)
(2) (0)
3 1.5 (2)
K
3
= 3+8 4 (1)
1.5 3 (0) K =
4 8+3 (2)
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(1) (2)
Equivalent nodal load

1 − 10 (0) 2 − 48 (1)
FQ = FQ =
10 (1) 48 (2)
− 38 (1)
P =
48 (2)

Joint displacement
0
11 4 1 − 38 − 5.81 − 5.81
= 1
= =
4 11 2 48 2 6.476 6.476
0

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