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The Displacement Method

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60 views4 pages

The Displacement Method

Uploaded by

Thapelo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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The displacement method is a fundamental approach in structural analysis used to determine the

deformations and reactions in structures. Unlike the stiffness method, which focuses on the stiffness
of elements and their interactions, the displacement method is based on the concept of displacements
and equilibrium.

### Key Concepts and Formulas

1. **General Approach**
- The displacement method calculates displacements at nodes and uses these to find internal forces
and reactions.
- It involves solving the structure using equilibrium equations and compatibility conditions to find
unknown displacements and forces.

2. **Basic Steps**

1. **Determine the Displacement Vector (\(\mathbf{d}\))**:


- Establish the global displacement vector which includes all the unknown nodal displacements.

2. **Formulate the Stiffness Matrix (\(\mathbf{K}\))**:


- Construct the global stiffness matrix of the structure, which relates displacements to applied
forces.

3. **Apply Boundary Conditions**:


- Modify the global stiffness matrix and force vector to incorporate constraints (e.g., fixed or
pinned supports).

4. **Solve for Displacements**:


- Use the equilibrium equation to solve for the unknown displacements.

5. **Calculate Internal Forces**:


- Once displacements are known, use them to calculate internal forces and reactions in each
element.

### 1. **Equilibrium Equations**


The fundamental equation in the displacement method is:

\[ \mathbf{K} \mathbf{d} = \mathbf{F} \]

- \(\mathbf{K}\): Global stiffness matrix


- \(\mathbf{d}\): Displacement vector
- \(\mathbf{F}\): Force vector (including external forces)

### 2. **Stiffness Matrix for a Structural Element**

**For a 1D truss element**:

\[ \mathbf{k}_{\text{e}} = \frac{E A}{L} \begin{bmatrix} 1 & -1 \\ -1 & 1 \end{bmatrix} \]

- \(E\): Young’s modulus


- \(A\): Cross-sectional area
- \(L\): Length of the element

**For a 2D frame element**, the stiffness matrix is more complex and involves rotation and
transformation:

\[ \mathbf{k}_{\text{e}} = \frac{E I}{L^3} \begin{bmatrix}


12 & 6L & -12 & 6L \\
6L & 4L^2 & -6L & 2L^2 \\
-12 & -6L & 12 & -6L \\
6L & 2L^2 & -6L & 4L^2
\end{bmatrix} \]

- \(E\): Young’s modulus


- \(I\): Moment of inertia
- \(L\): Length of the beam

### 3. **Global Stiffness Matrix Assembly**


To assemble the global stiffness matrix:

1. **Determine the local stiffness matrix for each element**.


2. **Transform local coordinates to global coordinates** (if needed).
3. **Add the contributions of each element stiffness matrix to the global stiffness matrix** at the
appropriate positions.

### 4. **Boundary Conditions**

- **Fixed Support**: Displacement components are zero.


- **Pinned Support**: Constraints in specific directions but allow rotation.

When applying boundary conditions, modify the global stiffness matrix and force vector to account
for constraints.

### 5. **Solving for Displacements**

Once the global stiffness matrix \(\mathbf{K}\) and the modified force vector \(\mathbf{F}\) are
known, solve the system of linear equations:

\[ \mathbf{d} = \mathbf{K}^{-1} \mathbf{F} \]

### 6. **Internal Forces Calculation**

After finding displacements \(\mathbf{d}\), compute internal forces using:

\[ \mathbf{F}_{\text{element}} = \mathbf{k}_{\text{e}} \mathbf{d}_{\text{element}} \]

Where:
- \(\mathbf{F}_{\text{element}}\) is the force vector in the element.
- \(\mathbf{d}_{\text{element}}\) is the displacement vector for that element.
### Applications

- **Determining displacements and rotations** in structural elements.


- **Calculating internal forces and reactions** in structures.
- **Analyzing complex structures** by breaking them into simpler elements and assembling the
global system.

The displacement method is particularly useful in analyzing structures with various boundary
conditions and complex geometries, as it simplifies the problem into solving linear equations based on
displacements and deformations.

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