Elastic-Plastic Incremental

Analysis
USING ETABS
The Plastic Hinge Concept In-elastic Zone
P3
• Usually, the elasto-plastic zone is spread over a A C
significant length of the beam. Fully Plastic Zone
• However, the region of complete plasticity has a
very small length Elastic Inelastic Elastic

• An assumption to simplify the elasto-plastic

analysis is to assume all plastic deformation
concentrated in a small region called Plastic Curvature = κu
Hinge, and the remaining of the beam is elastic. P3
• This gives an approximate deflection A C
calculations but can be helpful for computing Plastic Hinge
the plastic capacity of the beam.
Rigid Elastic – Plastic Deformations
•• For 2m Lp = 2 m 2m
  the previous example, we can approximate the plastic
analysis as:
• The Plastic rotation ϴp can be “approximated” as:
Curvature = κu
• Lp is the length of the elastic-plastic zone.
• The length Lp can be obtained from the moment diagram at the
L/2-Lp/2 = 2m
instant of plastic collapse, using geometric relations
A C
• The deflection can then be also approximated by assuming the Δ
elastic segments as rigid straight parts, thus: Δ = 2m*ϴp = 0.4 ϴp
m
• We see this value of 0.4m approximates quite well the real
value of 0.32 m obtained using virtual work.
• This procedure can help in verification of frames in elastic-
plastic analysis. The virtual work is still more accurate but
requires complex calculations, especially if the structure is
indeterminate.
Estimating Plastic Length
• The plastic length Lp can be computed
approximately using geometrical relations based
on moment diagram.
• Assuming a portion of moment diagram as shown, Lp L – Lp
then by similarity of triangles we can write:
(Mp-Mo) / (My-Mo) = L / (L – Lp)
Mo
• Which after simplification gives: My
Mp
Lp = L(1-f) / ( Mo/My – f )
• Where f = Mp/My = The shape factor for the cross-
section
• Notice if Mo = 0 , then Lp = L( 1-1/f)
EXAMPLE P
2P 2m 2m
• Consider the given frame, with a cross-
section that has the given steel cross-
section of A36 steel. Assume the ultimate 4m
strain in steel is 0.1. We wish to
determine the lateral deformation at the
instant of collapse (assuming the collapse 300 mm
is purely plastic). 300
4 mm thick
• Because this is a determinate structure, mm

the collapse happens when only a single

plastic hinge forms.
• The single P.H. will develop at location of Moment, kN.m
Mp = 128.8
max. moment. My = 113
κ, 1/m
0.008 0.67
Approx. Hand Computation 2P
M = 8P
2m
P
2m

• Drawing the moment diagram, equating the maximum moment to M = 5P

4m
the plastic moment, gives the collapse value of the load P =
128.8/8 = 16.1 kN.
• We can estimate the lengths of the plastic zones (in the column 2P 1.5P 2.5P
and in the beam) as follows: MP 2m 2m
• In Column, Lp,c = 4(1-1/f) = 0.49 m My M = 5P
• In Beam, Lp,b = 2*(1-1.5)/(5*16.1/113– 1.5) = 1.77 m
• As a simplification, we assume the columns do not suffer vertical
displacement (neither from axial deformation nor from the Δ
bowing or bending).
• Thus the net rotation for the joint is
ϴ ≈ ϴB – ϴc = ½*(Lp,b-Lp,c)*κu = 0.4288 rad
• The lateral deflection then is (approximately), ϴ*L
ϴB
Δ = 0.4288*(4-.49)=1.505 m ϴB
• Thus the peak value for capacity is when P = 16.1 kN, giving a Base- ϴc
ϴ
Reaction of 2P = 32.2 kN, with a displacement of nearly 1.7 m. ϴ≈ ϴB – ϴc
Solving Using ETABS Push-Over.
• The same example can be solved using the ETABS Engine.
• In this software, the plastic hinge is concentrated in a single location, and the
rotation within the plastic hinge is generally computed as the product of
2XPlastic Hinge Length X Ultimate Curvature. The 2 is because ETABS defines
the hinges to be on both sides of the node.
• In order to match our calculation to ETABS analysis, we have to input the
length of plastic hinge as Lp/4 for computing the rotation.
• First in ETABS, define the material: A36, Fy = Fu = 245 Mpa, ultimate strain =
0.1. (i.e. elastic-perfectly-plastic, in order to match our assumption).
• Define cross-section using the defined material.
• Now go to define nonlinear hinge properties
Defining P.H. Properties
• Define two P.H’s, one for columns and the other
for the beam
 Defining M -
•• You
  need to prepare the Moment-Curvature for the cross-
section for both Columns and Beam! Because each one has
a different hinge length
• Switch the Type into Moment-Curvature.
• Enter the length of plastic hinge as ¼ X Lp or 490/4 for
column and 1770/4 for beam.
• The table for moment-curvature is programmed such that it
uses the yielding moment as a scale factor. However, during
computation, the ETABS switch to Plastic Analysis once the
moment reaches MP ( i.e. ETABS uses Rigid-Plastic Model
for the moment-curvature, which means as long as M <M p,
the analysis is assumed elastic)
• Thus we need to rescale the values into 1/1.14, where the
1.14 is the Shape Factor of the cross-section.
• Similarly, the curvature can be scaled to the yield curvature,
thus ≈ 80 , Thus we put for the point of plastic moment
(when moment/SF = 1) the value of curvature/SF as 80.
Defining Procedure for Incremental Loading
• Next step is to draw the members and to assign the hinges and section.
• Then define the applied load on the frame as ratios, where we will do a displacement-based
analysis.
• This means the displacement will continue to be increased until collapse.
Loading Settings
• This analysis is known as “Incremental Static Elasto-
Plastic Analysis”, because the displacement is
increased incrementally and the moment diagram is
updated until collapse occurs.
• This results in a full load-deflection curve.
• It is also called Static Push-Over Curve.
• Getting the results from ETABS, we see the deflected
shape at the last converged step (i.e. at failure), with
hinges showing.
Results
• We can shown the static push-over curve, in ETABS it
automatically plot the curve as Resultant Base-Shear V = 37 kN
against Monitored Displacement. Delta= 1583 mm
• We can also plot Base Force in X against joint
displacement

FX = 33.12 kN
Delta= 1583 mm • Results compare well against hand-
approximate calculations
FX = 32.2 kN and Delta= 1715 mm