Stiffness Method

Pin Jointed Frame & Simple Beam

The Stiffness Method of frame analysis can be applied to any structure, theoretically
without limit on size or complexity. it is an incredibly powerful method,
particularly when the mathematics involved is solved by a computer.

It is the basis of the finite element method, and the basis of all frame analysis
programs.

These following presentations consider 2 special cases that account for most of the
problems encountered.

Structures E2 1
 Stiffness Method
Pin jointed frames (axial load only) (4x4 element matrix)

Beam members (bending and shear without axial load) (4x4 element matrix)

The governing matrix for a general (any direction) axially loaded member is:

Where θ is the inclination of the member.

Member EI Length Inclination

2.0m
For each of the elements we will get a
4x4 matrix.
Structures E2 3
 Pin Jointed Frame
The matrix below needs to be populated:

U1 V1 U2 V2 U3 V3 U4 V4
U1
V1
U2
V2
U3
V3
U4
V4

Elements 1-2, 2-3 and 3-4 are straightforward since their node numbering is
consecutive. Structures E2 4
 Pin Jointed Frame
Element 1-2
U1 V1 U2 V2 U3 V3 U4 V4
U1
V1
U2
V2
U3
V3
U4
V4

Structures E2 5
 Pin Jointed Frame
Element 2-3
U1 V1 U2 V2 U3 V3 U4 V4
U1
V1
U2
V2
U3
V3
U4
V4

Structures E2 6
 Pin Jointed Frame
Element 3-4
U1 V1 U2 V2 U3 V3 U4 V4
U1
V1
U2
V2
U3
V3
U4
V4

Structures E2 7
 Pin Jointed Frame
Element 1-3 is slightly different since the nodes are not consecutive:

U1 V1 U2 V2 U3 V3 U4 V4
U1
V1
U2
V2
U3
V3
U4
V4
Structures E2 8
 Pin Jointed Frame
The general matrix is simply the summation of these 4 matrices.

U1 V1 U2 V2 U3 V3 U4 V4
U1
V1
U2
V2
U3
V3
U4
V4
Structures E2 9
 Pin Jointed Frame
The next step is to introduce the boundary conditions. U1, U4, V1 and V4 are all
zero.

U1 V1 U2 V2 U3 V3 U4 V4
U1
V1
U2
V2
U3
V3
U4
Structures E2
V4 10
 Pin Jointed Frame
This leaves a 4 x 4 matrix to invert (to find the 4 unknown displacements):

U2 V2 U3 V3
U2
V2
U3
V3

Note that NONE OF THE ABOVE HAS REQUIRED EXCEL.

Structures E2 11
 Pin Jointed Frame

The next step is to solve the series of equations to find the unknown displacements.
Remember that this is simply a set of 4 simultaneous equations.

For this step, in the example we are looking at we would definitely have to resort to
some form of computer program to invert the stiffness matrix, multiply this inverted
matrix with the load matrix and hence find the unknown displacements. Excel is an
obvious choice.

Once the displacements are found we can back substitute to find axial forces in all
elements.

Structures E2 12