Indeterminate Analysis

Force Method 1

• The force (flexibility) method

expresses the relationships
between displacements and
forces that exist in a structure.
• Primary objective of the force
method is to determine the
chosen set of excess unknown
forces and/or couples –
redundants.
• The number of redundants is
equal to the degree of static
indeterminacy of the structure.
1Also see pages 10 – 43 in your class notes. 1
 Description of the Force
Method Procedure
1. Determine the degree of static
indeterminacy.
 Number of releases* equal to the
degree of static indeterminacy are
applied to the structure.
 Released structure is referred to as
the primary structure.
 Primary structure must be chosen
such that it is geometrically stable
and statically determinate.
 Redundant forces should be
carefully chosen so that the primary
structure is easy to analyze 2

* Details on releases are given later in these notes.

 Force Method – con’t
2. Calculate “errors” (displacements) at
the primary structure redundants.
These displacements are calculated
using the method of virtual forces.

3. Determine displacements in the

primary structure due to unit values
of redundants (method of virtual
forces). These displacements are
required at the same location and in
the same direction as the
displacement errors determined in
step 2.

3
 Force Method – con’t

4. Calculate redundant forces to

eliminate displacement errors.
 Use superposition equations in
which the effects of the separate
redundants are added to the
displacements of the released
structure.
 Displacement superposition results
in a set of n linear equations (n =
number of releases) that express the
fact that there is zero relative
displacement at each release.
4
 Force Method – con’t
 These compatibility equations
guarantee a final displaced shape
consistent with known support
conditions, i.e., the structure fits
together at the n releases with no
relative displacements.

5. Hence, we find the forces on the

original indeterminate structure.
They are the sum of the correction
forces (redundants) and forces on the
released structure.

5
 Flexibility Analysis
(1)

R1 R2
=

(2)
D1 D2

+
f11 (x R1) f21 (x R1)
(3)
1 (R1)
+
f22 (x R2)
(3) 6
f12 (x R2)
1 (R2)
 f11 R1  f12 R2  D1  0
(4)
f21 R1  f22 R2  D2  0

Solve for R1 and R2.

Using matrix methods:
[F] {R} = -{D}
 {R} = -[F] {D}-1

7
  f11 f12   flexibility
[F] =  
f 21 f 22  matrix

-1
[F] ( inverse flexibility matrix)

1  f 22 f12 
  
f11f 22  f12f 21 f 21 f11 

 D1   primary
{D}   
 2
D structure
displacement
vector
8
  redundant
 R1 
{R}    force
R 2  vector

 R1  1  f 22 D1  f12 D 2 
   
R 2  det[F] f 21D1  f11D 2 

det [F] = f11f 22  f12f 21

(5)

With R1 and R2 known,

remaining structure is
statically determinate. 9
 Releases

Release is a break in the continuity of

the elastic (displacement) curve.

One release only breaks a single type

of continuity.

Figure 1 shows several types of

releases.

Common release is the support

reaction, particularly for continuous
beams. 10
11
 Flexibility Equations
Primary structure displacements at
the releases are related to the
unknown redundant forces via

 D i  f ij R j (1)

f ij  displacement at release i due

to a unit force in the direction of
and at release j; flexibility
coefficients.
Equation 1 for the case of three
redundant forces is expressed as
12
D1  f11 R1 f12 R2 f13 R3
D2  f21 R1 f22 R2 f23 R3 (2a)
D3  f31 R1 f32 R2 f33 R3
Matrix form of (2a)
-{D} = [F] {R} (2b)

 D1 
 
{D} = D 2  = <D1 D2 D3>T
D 
 3
= displacement vector at the
redundant degrees of 13

freedom
  R1 
 
{R} = R 2  = <R1 R2 R3>T
R 
 3
= redundant force
vector

 f11 f12 f13 

f 
[F] =  21 f 22 f 23 
f31 f32 f33 
= flexibility matrix
14
Displacement Calculations –
Method of Virtual Forces

Di =
∫ pi d +
∫ mi dφ +
∫ vi dy (3)

subscript i ⇒ direction of R i at release i

d = differential axial displacement

dφ = differential rotation displacement

dy = differential shear displacement

Flexibility Coefficients –
Method of Virtual Forces
fij  fija  fijb  fijs (4)


pj
fija  pi dx
EA(x)

 axial influence coefficient


mj
fijb  mi dx
EI(x)

 bending influence coefficient


vj
fijs  vi dx
GAs (x)

 shear flexibility influence coefficient

Nonmechanical Loading
[F]{R} = − ({D} + {D ∆ }) (5)

{D ∆ } = < D1∆ D∆
2 … D ∆ T
n > = relative dimen-

sional change displacements, calculated us-

ing principle of virtual forces

Displacements due to dimension changes are

all relative displacements, as are all displace-

ments corresponding to releases. They are

positive when they are in the same vector direc-

tion as the corresponding release.

Structure Forces

Once the redundant forces are calculated from

Eq. (5), all other support reactions and internal

member forces can be calculated using static

equilibrium along with the appropriate free

body diagrams. This is possible since the force

method of analysis has been used to determine

the redundant forces or the forces in excess of

those required for static determinacy.

 Mathematical
Expressions
Calculation of the non-redundant
forces Ai (support reactions, internal
shears and moments, truss member
forces) can be expressed using
superposition as
NR
p
Ai  Ai   (A ui ) j R j
p j1
where Ai = desired action Ai on
the primary structure due to the
applied loading; (A ui ) j = action
Ai on the primary structure due to
a unit virtual force at redundant28
Rj and NR = number of redundants.
Displacement Calculations

Displacements for the statically indeterminate

structure can be calculated using the exact

member deformations for a truss or exact shear

and moment expressions along with the virtual

force expressions on the primary structure.

For a truss structure, calculation of a joint dis-

placement ∆ using the principle of virtual

forces results in

1 (∆) =
∑
i =1
pi δi + δ∆
 m

=
∑i =1
pi
Fi Li
EAi
+ δ∆ (6)

pi = primary structure member forces due to

the application of a unit virtual force at the

joint for which the displacement ∆ is desired

and in the direction of ∆

δ∆ = primary structure displacement at de-

sired displacement ∆

δi = exact member displacements that are ob-

tained for the statically indeterminate struc-

 ture using the calculated redundant forces to

determine all the member forces within the

truss structure

For a frame structure, in which shear and axial

deformations are ignored, the displacements

are calculated as

m L

1(∆) =
∑∫
i =1 0
mi∆
Mi
EIi
dx + ∆ ∆ (7a)

m L

1(θ) =
∑∫
i =1 0
miθ
Mi
EIi
dx + θ∆ (7b)
mi∆ , miθ = primary structure virtual moments

based on the desired displacement ∆ or rotation

∆ ∆ , θ∆ = primary structure displacements at ∆

or rotation θ

In Eqs. (7a) and (7b) the moment expressions

Mi are exact based on the statically indetermi-

nate structure subjected to the external loads

with the redundant forces known from the

flexibility analysis.
Equations (6), (7a), and (7b) are correct only

because exact real member forces are used in

the calculation of the desired displacements.

 Force Method
Examples
1. Calculate the support reactions
for the two-span continuous beam,
EI = constant. w

L L
=

Primary Structure w/ Load

1 (x R1) 17

Primary Structure w/ Redundant

2. Calculate the support reactions
for the two-span continuous beam,
EI = constant.
w

L L
=

Primary Structure w/ Load

+

R1 R2
Primary Structure w/ Redundant Forces
18
Prismatic Member Displacements

19
20
21
3. Calculate the support reactions
for the two-span continuous beam
using the internal moment at B as
the redundant force, IAB = 2I and
IBC = I; E = constant.

P
L
2

Primary Structure w/ Loading

22
 MB

Primary Structure w/ Redundant

DB = __________________

fBB = _________________

MB = _________________

23
4. Calculate the bar forces for
the statically indeterminate
truss.

Statically Statically
Indeterminate Determinate
Truss Released Truss
(Redundant24X)
 Truss Calculations
Mem L (in) F FV FVFL

AB 40 -4/5 -6144
192"
BC 144" 0 -3/5 0

CD 0 -4/5 0
192"
DA 144" 30 -4/5 -2592

AC 240" 0 1 0

BD 240" -50 1 -12000

 FV F L
FAC    /fAC,AC  20736/829.44
 EA  25

= 25 kips
 Example Beam Problem –
Nonmechanical Loading

E = 30,000 ksi
I = 288 in4
(a) Given structure
(b) Primary structure 29
The interesting point of this example is
that the flexibility equation will have a
nonzero right hand side since the
redundant displacement is prescribed
to equal 0.72” downward. Thus the
flexibility equation is

fBB RB = dB - D B (7)
where
dB = prescribed displacement
at redundant B
= -0.72" since RB is
positive upward

D B = -0.24"
 relative displacement
dB  DB  30
at redundant B
 Truss Example –
Nonmechanical Loading

For the truss structure on the

next page, compute the
redundant bar EC member force
if the temperature in bar EF is
o
increased 50 F and member BF
is fabricated 0.3 in. too short.
EA = constant = 60,000 kips and
 = 6x10-6 /oF.

31
 Truss Example
3 @ 20’ = 60’
B C

A D 15’

E F

B C

A 1 D

E F
Primary Structure Subjected
to FCE = 1

32
Truss Example Calculations
Mem L FV F V F VL
AB 240" 0 0

AE 300" 0 0

BC 240" -4/5 153.6

BE 180" -3/5 64.8

BF 300" 1 300

CD 240" 0 0

CE 300" 1 300

CF 180" -3/5 64.8

DF 300" 0 0

EF 240" -4/5 153.6 33

 m
1
f CE,CE  
EA i 1
FVi FVi Li

m
 
DCE   FVi i
i 1

EF  TEF LEF  0.072"

BF   BF   0.3"


fCE,CE FCE  DCE 0

34
Calculate the horizontal displace-
ment at joint B for the statically
indeterminate truss.
D 16’
40 k C

12’
R1
A B

D C

A B
1
Primary Structure Subjected to
41
Virtual Loading
Calculate the rotation at the center
support for the two-span
continuous beam, EI = constant.
w

L L
R1 R2
1

L L

Primary Structure w/ Virtual

Load at Desired Displacement
Location
42
 Influence Lines for
Statically Indeterminate
Structures
We will utilize the force
method principles developed in the
last chapter to calculate and
construct influence lines for
statically indeterminate structures.
Recall that an influence line is a
graph of a response function of a
structure as a function of position
of a downward unit load moving
43

across the structure.

Calculating the response function
values simply involves computing
the values of the desired response
function(s) for various positions
of a unit load on the structure.
Constructing the influence line(s)
simply involves plotting the
calculated values.
Earlier in this course, we produced
qualitative influence lines for
statically indeterminate structures
using the Muller-Breslau principle.
44
 Influence functions for
statically indeterminate structures
are piecewise cubic for piecewise
prismatic beam members. This
is based on the solution of the
differential equation

4
d uy
EI 4  0 (b)
dx
where uy = transverse beam
45
displacement.
Truss structure members remain
piecewise linear since the
governing differential equation is

2
d ux
EA 2  0 (t)
dx

where ux = axial truss member

displacement.

46
Beam and Truss Structure
Influence Lines
Consider the continuous beam in
Fig. 1(a) – calculate and draw
the influence line for the
redundant vertical reaction at B.
NOTE: Once the redundant
force(s) is (are) known, the
remaining forces can be
obtained from static equilibrium
or from superposition (Eq. 6).
47
Figure 1. Influence Line Construction for
Single Redundant DOF Beam
 The influence line for the reaction By re-

quires that we calculate By as a function of the

unit load position x. Using the force method of

analysis:

f BX + f BBB y = 0
f BX (1)
⇒ By = −
f BB

where flexibility coefficient fBX denotes the de-

flection of the primary structure (beam) at B

due to a unit load at X (Fig. 1(b); and flexibility

coefficient fBB denotes the deflection at B due

to a unit value of the redundant By.

 An efficient procedure for the solution of

(1) involves using Maxwell’s Law of Recipro-

cal Deflections, i.e. the deflection at B due to a

unit load at X must equal the deflection at X

due to a unit load at B. For our problem, this is

stated mathematically as fBX = fXB. Thus, (1)

can be rewritten as

f
B y = − XB (2)
f BB

which represents the equation for the influence

line for B. We only need to determine fXB and

fBB.
 Equation (2) is more convenient that (1)

since (2) shows that the unit load only needs to

be applied at B on the primary (statically de-

terminate) structure and the corresponding dis-

placement is calculated at X. Closed-formed

solutions of (b) for a number of statically de-

terminate structures subjected to point loads are

included in your notes. Also, refer to the table

solutions included in your force method of

analysis notes. The influence line of Fig. 1(d)

is obtained by plotting the solution of (2) for

various values of X; ordinates = -fXB/fBB.

 The influence line equation as represented

in (2) shows the validity of Muller-Breslau’s

principle:

The influence line for a response function is

given by the deflected shape of the released
structure due to a unit displacement (or rota-
tion) at the location and in the direction of
the response function.

The ordinate of the influence line at any point

X is proportional to the deflection fXB of the

primary structure at that point due to the unit

load at B. Furthermore, this equation indicates

that the influence line for By can be obtained by

multiplying the deflected shape of the primary

structure due to the unit load at B by the scaling

factor -1/fBB.

Consider next a beam structure with multiple

degrees of freedom as shown in Fig. 2. The

procedure is the same you simply have more

redundant degrees of freedom. In Fig. 2, the

vertical reactions at B and C are taken to be re-

dundant forces leading to the equations

f BX + f BBB y + f BCC y = 0
(3)
f CX + f CBB y + f CCC y = 0
Figure 2. Influence Line Construction for
Multi-Redundant DOF Beam
Using Maxwell’s reciprocal principle, (3) is

rewritten as

f XB + f BBB y + f BCC y = 0
(4)
f XC + f CBB y + f CCC y = 0

which facilitates the solution of the problem.

Thus, the unit load needs to be placed succes-

sively only at points B and C and the deflec-

tions fXB and fXC at a number of points X along

the beam are computed.

Procedure for Analysis

1. Determine the degree of static indetermi-

nacy and select the redundants.

2. Solve the redundant equations using Max-

well’s law of reciprocal deflections.

3. Select a number of points along the length

of the structure at which the numerical
values of the ordinates of the influence
lines will be evaluated.

4. Once the influence lines for the redun-

dants have been determined, the influence
lines for other response functions can be
generated using static equilibrium.
 Beam Example
Using the force method of analysis,
calculate the ordinates for the positive
internal moment at C.
EI = constant

(a) Beam Structure

(b) Qualitative Influence Line Diagram
61
 This beam structure is the same as
the two redundant dof qualitative
example. Thus, taking By and Dy
as the redundant forces (see Ghali
and Neville, 2003 – “Prismatic
Member Displacements”):
f BB  f1 (  80 ', x  24 ', b  24 ', P 1)


(80  24) 24
6 (80) EI
 2
2(80)(24)  (24)  (24) 2

7526.4

EI
f BD  f DB  f1 (  80 ', x  56 ', b  24 ', P 1)


24(80  56)
6 (80) EI

2(80) (56)  (56)2  (24)2 
6297.6 62

EI
f DD  f1 (  80 ', x  56 ', b  56 ', P 1)


(80  56) 56
6 (80) EI

2(80)(56)  (56)2  (56)2 
7526.4
  f BB (due to symmetry)
EI

f XB   f1 (  80 ', b  24 ', P 1)


(80  24) x
6 (80) EI

2(80)(24)  (24) 2  x 2 
 
7x
60EI

3264  x 2  for x  b

f XB   f1 (  80 ', b  24 ', P 1)


24(80  x)
6 (80) EI

2(80)x  (24)2  x 2 
 
(80  x)
20EI

576  160x  x 2  for x  b
63
f XD   f1 (  80 ', b  56 ', P 1)


(80  56) x
6 (80) EI

2(80)(56)  (56)2  x 2 
 
x
20EI
 
5824  x 2 for x  b

f XD   f1 (  80 ', b  56 ', P 1)


56(80  x)
6 (80) EI

2(80)x  (56)2  x 2 
 
7(80  x)
60EI
 3136  160x  x 2

for x  b

64
 1
 
R   [F] {D(x)}

 B y  EI
  
D y  16,986,931.2
 7526.4 6297.6   f XB 
   
 6297.6 7526.4  f XD 

 B y  EI 4.4307 f XB  3.70732 f XD 
   
D y  10, 000  3.70732 f XB  4.4307 f XD 

From equilibrium:
1
 M  0  E y  80  x  24 By  56 D y 
A

 Fy  0  A y  1  By  D y  E y
65
 Influence Lines for
Support Reactions
1.0

0.8

0.6 By
Dy
Ay
0.4 Ey

0.2

0.0
0 4 8 12 16 20 24 28 32 36 40 44 48 52 56 60 64 68 72 76 80

-0.2
66
 Influence Line for Mc
From equilibrium:
M C  40A y  16B y  (40  x); 0  x  40
M C  40A y  16B y ; 40  x  80
6

4
Mc (ft-kips)

0
0 8 16 24 32 40 48 56 64 72 80
-1

-2

67
 Truss Example

See example 15.4 in your textbook.

1
x
A B C D

15’

E F
3 @ 20’ = 60’

68
 Primary Structure
w/ Loading

1
x
A B C D

15’

E F
3 @ 20’ = 60’

69
 Primary Structure
w/ Unit Redundant
Load

A B C D
1
1 15’

E F
3 @ 20’ = 60’

70
Truss Example Calculations
Mem L A FV FVL/A
AB 240" 6 0 0
AE 300" 6 0 0
BC 240" 6 -4/5 -32
BE 180" 4 -3/5 -27
BF 300" 4 1 75
CD 240" 6 0 0
CE 300" 4 1 75
CF 180" 4 -3/5 -27
DF 300" 6 0 0
EF 240" 6 -4/5 -32
71
Mem FB FC

AB -8/9 -4/9
AE 10/9 5/9
BC -4/9 -8/9
BE -2/3 -1/3
BF -5/9 10/9
CD -4/9 -8/9
CE 0 0
CF 0 -1
DF 5/9 10/9
EF 8/9 4/9

72
 m
1 FVi Li
f CE,CE   FVi
E i 1 Ai
m
1 FVi Li B
B
DCE  
E i 1 Ai
Fi

m
1 FVi Li C
C
DCE  
E i 1 Ai
Fi

i i
fCE,CE FCE  DCE  0;
i  B, C
73
Mem E  f CE,CE E  D CE
B
E  DC
CE
AB 0 0 0
AE 0 0 0
BC 25.6 128/9 256/9
BE 16.2 162/9 81/9
BF 75 -375/9 750/9
CD 0 0 0
CE 75 0 0
CF 16.2 0 243/9
DF 0 0 0
EF 25.6 -256/9 -128/9
74
 1
f CE,CE  (25.6  16.2  75
E
 75  16.2  25.6)
233.6

E
B 1  128 162 375 256 
DCE      
E 9 9 9 9 
341

E

C 1  256 81 750 243 256 

DCE       
E 9 9 9 9 9 
1202
 75
E
 i
i DCE
FCE  ; i  B, C
fCE,CE

B
FCE  1.46

C
FCE   5.15

76
Calculate forces in members BE, BC
and EF. Note: Member forces
AB, AE, DC, and DF are statically
determinate for this truss structure as
are the support reactions.
1
x
A B C D

15’

E F
3 @ 20’ = 60’

77