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Theory of Structure

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8 views3 pages

Theory of Structure

Uploaded by

mcocoy70
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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The Theory of Structures is a fundamental area in civil engineering that

focuses on analyzing and designing structures to ensure they can withstand


applied loads without failure. It combines principles of physics, mathematics,
and material science to evaluate how structures behave under various
conditions.

Key Concepts in the Theory of Structures:

1. Types of Structures:

o Beams

o Trusses

o Frames

o Arches

o Shells

o Plates

2. Loads and Stresses:

o Dead Loads: Permanent static loads (e.g., weight of the


structure itself).

o Live Loads: Variable loads (e.g., people, furniture).

o Environmental Loads: Wind, earthquake, snow, and thermal


changes.

o Stress: Internal resistance of a structure to an external load


(e.g., tensile, compressive, shear).

3. Analysis Techniques:

o Statically Determinate Structures: Can be analyzed using


equilibrium equations alone.

o Statically Indeterminate Structures: Require additional


compatibility equations and material properties.

o Methods include:

 Free-body diagrams

 Moment distribution

 Slope deflection method


 Matrix analysis of structures

4. Structural Stability:

o Ensuring a structure does not collapse due to instability (buckling


or overturning).

o Stability depends on geometry, supports, and loading.

5. Deformations:

o Elastic Deformation: Temporary changes in shape or size.

o Plastic Deformation: Permanent changes after exceeding the


yield strength.

o Methods to compute deformations include virtual work,


conjugate beam method, and energy principles.

6. Material Behavior:

o Properties like elasticity, plasticity, and ductility influence


structural response.

o Common materials: steel, concrete, timber, composites.

7. Safety and Factor of Safety (FoS):

o Structures must resist failure under unexpected loads or


conditions, using safety margins.

8. Dynamic and Seismic Analysis:

o Dynamic Loads: Time-dependent forces (e.g., moving vehicles,


wind gusts).

o Seismic Analysis: Evaluating structural behavior during


earthquakes.

9. Theories of Failure:

o Yield criteria (e.g., von Mises, Tresca).

o Fracture mechanics for crack propagation.

10. Design Codes and Standards:

o Governing rules to ensure structures meet safety, durability, and


performance criteria (e.g., ACI, AISC, Eurocode).
Applications:

 Designing bridges, buildings, towers, and other infrastructure.

 Ensuring structures can withstand extreme events like earthquakes or


hurricanes.

 Predicting the lifespan of structures under various operating


conditions.

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