Application of superelements in static analysis of thinâ€walled structures

• Main Authors: Ireneusz Kreja, Tomasz Mikulski, Czeslaw Szymczak
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Vilnius Gediminas Technical University 2004-06-01
• Series: Journal of Civil Engineering and Management
• Subjects: thinâ€walled structures; beams; frames; stiffeners; static analysis
• Online Access: http://localhost/journals.vgtu.lt/index.php/JCEM/article/view/8972

A concept of a beam superelement is suggested as a new tool in the static analysis of structures made of thinâ€walled members. This proposal seems to be especially attractive for treating the problems where the existing oneâ€dimensional models do not provide proper solutions. This class of problems includes, for instance, the torsion of thinâ€walled beams with battens and the determination of the bimoment distribution at the nodes of frames made of thinâ€walled members. The entire segment of the thinâ€walled beam with warping stiffener or the whole node of the frame is modelled with shell elements. The stiffness matrix of such thinâ€walled beam superelement can be estimated according to the standard procedure of the enforced unit displacements. The accuracy of the proposed oneâ€dimensional model has proved to be comparable to that offered by the detailed FEM model where the whole structure is represented by a very large number of shell elements. First Published Online: 14 Oct 2010