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Structural Analysis Verification Techniques

You should perform simple hand calculations to estimate structural behavior, member forces, and deflections before complex analysis. For complex models, create a simple approximate pilot model to check load paths and member forces. Always do a linear static analysis first to verify correct behavior before more advanced analysis, and check reactions, deformed shapes, and deformation magnitudes to identify errors.

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Ankit Garg
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102 views1 page

Structural Analysis Verification Techniques

You should perform simple hand calculations to estimate structural behavior, member forces, and deflections before complex analysis. For complex models, create a simple approximate pilot model to check load paths and member forces. Always do a linear static analysis first to verify correct behavior before more advanced analysis, and check reactions, deformed shapes, and deformation magnitudes to identify errors.

Uploaded by

Ankit Garg
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd

You should always aim to have done a simple hand calculation in advance to think about the structural

behaviour and estimate the approximate forces and deflections you expect. This also applies to more
complex types of analysis such as natural frequency calculation where you should obtain an estimate
of the first natural frequency of the model by hand calculations if possible. Guidance and examples on
this may be found at:

In some cases where the model is going to be especially complex, it is worthwhile creating a simple
crude approximate pilot model to analyse to check load paths and equilibrium and provide estimates of
member forces and deflections to compare with the final refined model.

A linear static analysis should always be carried out to verify correct behaviour before progressing to a
more complex analysis e.g. elastic buckling, natural frequency or non-linear.

The following basic checks for your model should always be carried out to identify gross errors on the
linear static model:

1. Check the reactions you get


 For a known load case, sum up the total load you believe you have applied in each direction
and compare this against the sum of all the support reactions obtained in each direction.
 At each support point, check you have got the forces you expect e.g. if you think you have
released the force in the X direction, is Fx = 0. Similarly for moments.

2. Check the deformed shape that you get


 Does the deformed shape look like you would expect and, if not, what might be causing this
discrepancy e.g. incorrect supports arrangements, loads applied in the wrong place, incorrect
member releases, incorrect member stiffnesses somewhere?

3. Check the magnitude of the deformations you get


 Are the deflections obtained what you would expect for typical bridge construction or are they
far too small or large? This is particularly useful in identifying problems concerning consistent
units and material/ geometric properties or missing supports.

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