GRID EXAMPLE
Determine the joint displacements,
member end forces, and support
reactions for the three member grid
by using the Direct Stiffness Method.
E=200 GPa
G=76 GPa
I=3.47108 mm4
J=1.15108 mm4
8
5
12
D
SOLUTION:
There are 3 active dofs (shown in red).
Also there exist 9 constrained dofs
(shown in green).
11
2
2
10
First obtain member stiffness matrices in global coordinates (XYZ)
Member 1 (From A to C), L=10 m, =36.8
Construct element stiffness matrix in local coordinates (K1)
K1=
832.8
4164
-832.8
4164
874
-874
4164
27760
-4164
13880
-832.8
-4164
832.8
-4164
-874
874
4164
13880
-4164
27760
Transformation matrix (T1) is obtained as
T1=
0.8
0.6
-0.6 0.8
0.8
0.6
-0.6 0.8
Then the element stiffness matrix in global coordinates is obtained through K1=T1T K1T1
K1=
832.8
-2498.4
3331.2
-832.8
-2498.4
3331.2
-2498.4
10553
-12905
2498.4
4437.4
-7081.9
3331.2
-12905
18081
-3331.2
-7081.9
8568.6
-832.8
2498.4
-3331.2
832.8
2498.4
-3331.2
-2498.4
4437.4
-7081.9
2498.4
10553
-12905
3331.2
-7081.9
8568.6
-3331.2
-12905
18081
Member 2 (From B to C), L=6 m, =90
K2=T2T K2T2=
3855.6
-11567
-3855.6
-11567
-11567
46267
11567
23133
1456.7
-1456.7
-3855.6
11567
3855.6
11567
-11567
23133
11567
46267
-1456.7
1456.7
Member 3 (From D to C), L=8 m, =0
K3 = K3=
1626.6
6506.3
-1626.6
6506.3
1092.5
11567
-1092.5
6506.3
34700
-6506.3
17350
-1626.6
-6506.3
1626.6
-6506.3
11567
-1092.5
1092.5
6506.3
17350
-6506.3
34700
The structure stiffness matrix is obtained through assebmly, i.e. K = K1 + K2+ K3
1
6315
14065
-9837.5
14065
57912
-12905
-9837.5
-12905
54238
K=
0
The joint load vector (P) is composed of zeros, i.e.
P=
0
0
Members 2 and 3 are subjected to distributed loads, which should be converted to joint loads.
60
y, Y
-60
20 kN/m
P2F = T2T P2F =
x, Z
6m
60
60
60
60
0
60
60
80
y, Y
0
20 kN/m
P3F = P3F =
x, X
8m
106.67
106.67
80
80
Hence the fixed end force vector fort he structure is PF =
140
60
-106.67
106.67
80
-106.67
The structure stiffness equation can be developed as P - PF = K D
0
0
0
140
60
-106.67
6315
14065
-9837.5
D1
14065
57912
-12905
D2
-9837.5
-12905
54238
D3
-55.95 m
The joint displacements are obtained as
D=
11.33 rad
10-3
-5.49 rad
Member end displacements and forces (also support reactions) can be determined as follows:
For member 1, local end displacements (D1) can be calculated as
0
0
D1 = T1 D1 =
10-3
-55.95
5.77
-11.19
Then, member end forces in local and global coordinates (P1 and P1) can also be determined.
P1 = K1D1 =
0.015
kN
0.015
-5.04
kNm
-50.66
77.71
kNm
59.14
-0.015
kN
-0.015
5.04
kNm
50.57
-77.56
kNm
-59.02
P1 = T1TP1 =
End forces for members 2 and 3 can be determined through the following formulations
P2 = K2D2 + P2F
P3 = K3D3 + P3F
P2 = T2T P2
P3 = T3T P3
P2 =
144.67
135.32
10
-445.06
-12.38
11
7.99
375.52
12
-24.67
24.68
-62.95
12.38
-7.99
67.01
P3 =