Lecture 12

Plasticity of structures
Load-carrying capacity
Print version Lecture on Theory of Elasticity and Plasticity of
Dr. D. Dinev, Department of Structural Mechanics, UACEG
12.1

Contents
1

Introduction

Material modeling

Load-carrying capacity

Plastic hinges

Plastic analysis

Yield line theory of slabs

6.1 Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . .
6.2 Yield lines . . . . . . . . . . . . .
6.3 Ultimate moment of resistance . .
6.4 Analysis by virtual work principle
6.5 Minimum load principle . . . . .

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10
10
11
12
13
15

12.2

Introduction

Introduction

Plastic behavior
Plastic deformations
12.3

Introduction

Plastic behavior
Plastic deformations- FE simulation
12.4

Material modeling

Material modeling

Results from a tensile test

Plastic behavior of the material describes the deformation of the body undergoing nonreversible changes of shape in response to applied forces
12.5

Material modeling
Results from a tensile test
The stress-strain relation is non-linear
The transition from elastic to plastic behavior is called yielding
12.6

Material modeling
Mild steel
y = 200 400 MPa
u = 400 600 MPa
12.7

Material modeling
Mild steel
y 0.1%
u = 30 50%
The most important zone is Oab
12.8

Material modeling

Idealized curve
Elastic-perfectly plastic model
12.9

Load-carrying capacity

Load-carrying capacity
Plastic bending
Load-carrying capacity- the maximum bending moment which can bear a section before
failure
Assumptions- The Bernoulli hypothesis is valid
Euler-Bernoulli beam
= z- kinematic equations
= E- constitutive equations
M=

A z dA

= EI- equilibrium equations

12.10

Load-carrying capacity

Stage 1- elastic behavior

Consider a rectangular cross-section with dimensions of b and h
Maximum stress is max = y
3

 Moment equilibrium gives

My = y

bh2
6
12.11

Load-carrying capacity
Stage 1- elastic behavior
The curvature is
y = y

2
Eh

The yielding point is reached

12.12

Load-carrying capacity

Stage 2- partial plastification

When the load is increased beyond the yielding the result is a partial plastification
12.13

Load-carrying capacity
Stage 2- partial plastification
The curvature is 2y and moment capacity of section is
M2 =

11
y bh2
48
12.14

Load-carrying capacity

Stage 3- almost full plastification

The load is increased and the section is almost fully plastic
12.15

Load-carrying capacity

Stage 4- filly plastic section

All fibers of the section are filly plastic
12.16

Load-carrying capacity
Stage 4- filly plastic section
The curvature is p = and the plastic moment is
M p = y

bh2
4
12.17

Load-carrying capacity

Stage 4- filly plastic section

Moment - curvature relationship
12.18

Load-carrying capacity
Stage 4- filly plastic section
The comparison of the bending moments
=

Mp
= 1.5
My

The above ratio defines so called shape factor

Circular section- = 1.7
Pipe section- = 1.273
1 htw
I-section- = 1+d/2
1+d/3 , where d = 2 bt f
12.19

Load-carrying capacity

RC section
RC section with - curves of concrete and reinforcing steel
Assumption for a tension failure
12.20

Load-carrying capacity

RC section
Moment-curvature diagram
The presence of composite section require a definition of an ultimate moment capacity of
section Mu
12.21

Load-carrying capacity

RC section
Moment capacity of section
12.22

Load-carrying capacity
RC section
H = 0- height of the compression zone
As fy = 0.85 fc0 ab

a=

As fy
0.85 fc0 b

where As is the area of the reinforcement, fy is yield strength of the reinforcement, fc0 is
the compressive cylinder strength of the concrete, b is the beam width
12.23

Load-carrying capacity
RC section
M = 0 - moment capacity- Mu

a
M =T d
2



As fy
Mu = M = As fy d
1.7b fc0

where d is the distance from the centroid of the reinforced steel to the extreme concrete
compression fiber, = 0.9 is a strength reduction factor to obtain the design strength
12.24

Plastic hinges

Plastic hinges

Hinge formation
The presence of unrestricted plastic flow at section leads us to the concepts of the formation
of plastic hinges in beams
12.25

Plastic hinges
Hinge formation
When the load is increased and M p is reached the mid-span section is fully plastic
12.26

Plastic hinges
Hinge formation
No plasticity occurs in sections where the bending moment is < My
12.27

Plastic hinges
Hinge formation
The beam behaves as two rigid bodies connected by a plastic hinge which allows them to
rotate relatively to each other
12.28

Plastic hinges
Hinge formation
The value of Fu is given by Fu =

4M p
`

is the ultimate (collapse) load

12.29

Plastic hinges
Hinge formation
The length of the plastic hinge is
L p = L(1 )
12.30

Plastic analysis

Plastic analysis
Ultimate limit state
The main task of the structural engineering is to design the structural members so they can
carry the loads under all possible conditions including ultimate limit states
The elastic distribution of stresses can be obtained by solution of the elasticity problem
However the structural elements do not behave elastically near ultimate load and bending
capacity of section is based on a plastic analysis
It is reasonable to use methods of analysis and design which recognize plasticity
12.31

Plastic analysis
Theorems of plasticity- Hillerborg 1975
Lower-bound theorem- If there is a load qu for which it is possible to find a moment
field that fulfills all equilibrium conditions and the moment at no point is higher than the
yield moment, then qu is a lower-bound value of the carrying capacity. The structure can
certainly carry the load qu
Upper-bound theorem- If for a small virtual increment of deformation, the internal energy
taken up by the structure on the assumption that the moment in every point where the
curvature is changed equals the yielding moment and this energy is found to equal the
work performed by the load qu for the same increment of deformation then qu is an upperbound value of the carrying capacity. Loads greater than qu are certainly high enough to
cause moment failure of the structure
12.32

Plastic analysis

Theorems of plasticity
Values of the ultimate load according to the upper-bound and lower-bound theorems
12.33

Plastic analysis

Example

Consider a propped cantilever beam with a force at the mid-span

The section starts to yield when the maximum moment reach to My
A force F2 can be added and produces a collapse mechanism
The ultimate load Fu = F1 + F2 and plastic hinges are formed at maximum moments
The equilibrium gives the magnitude of the ultimate load based on the lower-bound theorem
12.34

Plastic analysis

Example
The virtual work principle gives the value of the ultimate load based on the upper-bound
theorem
12.35

Yield line theory of slabs

6.1

Introduction

Yield line theory of slabs

Introduction
The method for a limit analysis of RC slabs known as yield line theory was initiated by
Ingerslev (1921) and extended by Johanson (1932)
10

 The ultimate load is estimated by postulating a collapse mechanism that is compatible with
the BCs (upper-bound approach)
The moment at the plastic hinge lines are the ultimate moment of resistance of the section
The ultimate load is determined using the principle of virtual work and it is either correct
or too high
Note
Thus all possible collapse mechanisms must be examined to ensure that the load-carrying
capacity is not overestimated
12.36

6.2

Yield lines

Yield line theory of slabs

Yield lines
When a collapse mechanism has developed, the plastic deformations along the yield lines
are much greater than the elastic deformations of the segments between yield lines
The theory assumes that the segments are plane
The geometry of deformations gives the basic rules for the determination of the pattern of
yield lines
To act as plastic hinges of a collapse mechanism made up of plane segments, yield
lines must be straight lines forming axis of rotation for the movements of the segments
The supports of the slab will act as axes of rotation. If the edge is fixed, a yield line
may form along the support. An axis of rotation will pass over a column
For compatibility of deformation, a yield line must pass through the intersection of
the axes of rotation of the adjacent segments
12.37

Yield line theory of slabs

Yield lines
Crack pattern in a RC slab (Mrsch, 1922)
12.38

11

Yield line theory of slabs

Yield lines
Boundary conditions, axes of rotation and yield lines
12.39

Yield line theory of slabs

Yield lines
Yield line patterns for uniformly loaded slabs
12.40

6.3

Ultimate moment of resistance

Yield line theory of slabs

Ultimate moment of resistance
For a yield line that runs orthogonal to the reinforcement the ultimate moment of resistance
per unit width is


As fy
Mu = As fy d
1.7 fc0
where As is area of the reinforcement per unit width
12.41

12

Yield line theory of slabs

Ultimate moment of resistance

In the usual case the reinforcement bars are orthogonal to each other and not coincide with
a general yield line, then we may apply the Johansens yield criterion
t = 0 gives
Mun = Mux cos2 + Muy sin2
12.42

Yield line theory of slabs

Ultimate moment of resistance
n = 0 gives
Munt = (Mux Muy ) sin cos
When Mux = Muy , thus Munt = 0 the slab is isotropically reinforced
What is the slab with Mux 6= Muy ?!?
12.43

6.4

Analysis by virtual work principle

Yield line theory of slabs

Virtual work principle
Suppose that a rigid body is in equilibrium under the action of a system of forces
If the body is given a small arbitrary displacements, consistent with the BCs the sum of the
work done by the forces (force times its corresponding displacement) will be zero because
the resultant force is zero
Hence the principle states:
If a body that is in static equilibrium under the system of forces is given a virtual
displacement, the sum of the virtual work by the forces is zero
12.44

Yield line theory of slabs

Analysis by virtual work principle
To analyze the slab by the virtual work principle, a yield line pattern is postulated for the
slab at the ultimate load
The segments of the slab may be regarded as rigid bodies because the slab deformation
occurs only at the yield lines
The segments of the slab are in equilibrium under external loading and the bending and
twisting moments and shear forces along the yield lines
A convenient point within the slab is chosen and given a small displacement in the
direction of the load
Then the resulting displacements of all points of the slab (x, y) and rotations of the slab
segments about the yield lines may be expressed by and the dimensions of the segments
12.45

13

Yield line theory of slabs

Analysis by virtual work principle
The work W done by a ultimate uniform load qu is
Z

W=
A

qu (x, y)dA = Qu

where Qu is load resultant on the segment and is the displacement of its centroid
The work done by internal forces U is due only to the bending moments
U = Mun n `0
where Mun is the ultimate moment normal to the yield line, n is the rotation and `0 is the
yield line length
The twisting moments and shear forces do not produce work because they cancel each
other at the opposite sides of the yield line
12.46

Yield line theory of slabs

Analysis by virtual work principle
The equilibrium is U = W or

Mun n `0 = Qu
Since most slabs are rectangular and the reinforcement is orthogonal we know the Mux and
Muy and it is easier to deal with the directional components of the internal work
12.47

Yield line theory of slabs

Analysis by virtual work principle

For an arbitrary yield line we have

Mun u `0 = Mux x y0
+ Muy y x0
where x and y are components of u ; x0 and y0 are components of `0
Therefore

Qu = Mux x y0
+ Muy y x0
12.48

14

6.5

Minimum load principle

Yield line theory of slabs

Minimum load principle

In most cases a yield line pattern cannot be drown without unknown dimensions locating
the yield line position
The unknown dimensions must be included in the virtual work equation
The equation for ultimate load has the form of Qu = f (x1 , x2 , . . . , xn )
12.49

Yield line theory of slabs

Minimum load principle

Since the upper-bound approach is used the values for xn required those values that give
the minimum value for Qu and may be found by solving a set of equations
Qu
= 0,
x1

...

Qu
=0
xn

The values for x1 , x2 , . . . , xn are substituted back into the ultimate load equation to obtain
the minimum Qu
12.50

Yield line theory of slabs

15

Example 1
Consider a rectangular slab with an orthotropic reinforcement
Determine the ultimate load for the given yield line pattern
12.51

Yield line theory of slabs

Example 1
The yield line pattern
12.52

Yield line theory of slabs

16

Example 2
For the given pattern find the optimum position of the yield lines and the ultimate load
12.53

Yield line theory of slabs

Example 2
The yield line pattern
12.54

Yield line theory of slabs

17

Example 2
The minimum ultimate load
12.55

Yield line theory of slabs

Example 2
The slab is designed as follows
Steel strength- fy = 400 MPa
Concrete strength- fc0 = 30 MPa
Strength reduction factor- = 0.9
Reinforcement- 8@200o.c.(251mm2 /m)
12.56

Yield line theory of slabs

The End
Imhotep- the 1-st engineer
Any questions, opinions, discussions?
12.57

18