Review of the displacement method of structural analysis, energy theorems, and transformation of force and displacement matrices. Computer analysis of framed structures: banded stiffness matrices, assemblage of stiffness matrices, displacement and support conditions and calculation of reactions, solution of banded equations. Structural symmetry, anti-symmetry and cyclic symmetry. Analysis of large structures by substructuring. Analysis of shear wall structures. Introduction to the finite element method: displacement functions, stiffness matrix formulation, consistent load vectors, isoparametric elements. Nonlinear analysis: effect of axial forces combined with large displacements, geometric stiffness matrix, Newton-Raphson techniques, examples of geometric nonlinearity, nonlinear buckling, cable networks including membrane elements, analysis of structures made of nonlinear materials. Structuring and composition of available structural analysis computer programs, and their applications.
This course may not be repeated for credit.

Sections

This course will be offered next in Fall 2024.