Plastic Analysis of

Continuous Beams 1

Increasing the applied load until

yielding occurs at some locations
will result in elastic
elastic-plastic
plastic defor
defor-
mations that will eventually reach
a fully plastic condition.
Fully plastic condition is
defined as one at which a
sufficient number of plastic
hinges
g are formed to transform
the structure into a mecha-
nism, i.e., the structure is
geometrically
t i ll unstable.
t bl
1
1See pages 142 – 152 in your class notes.
Additional
Addi i l loading
l di appliedli d to
the fully plastic structure
would lead to collapse.
collapse

Design
g of structures based on
the plastic or limit state
approach is increasingly used
andd accepted
t dbby various
i codes
d off
practice, particularly for steel
construction Figure 1 shows a
construction.
typical stress-strain curve for mild
steel and the idealized stress-
strain response for performing
plastic analysis.
2
 σ
rupture
x
σy

idealized

ε
εy
Figure 1. Mild Steel Stress-
Strain Curve

σy = yield stress
εy = yield strain
3
ULTIMATE MOMENT
Consider the beam shown in Fig.
2. Increasing the bending
moment results in going from
elastic cross section behavior
(Fig. 2(a)) to yield of the
outermost fibers ((Figs.
g 2(c)( ) and
(d)) and finally the two yield
zones meet (Fig. 2(e)); the
cross sectioni ini this
hi state is i
defined to be fully plastic.

4
Figure. 2. Stress distribution in a sym-
metrical cross section subjected to a
bending moment of increasing magni-
tude: (a) Cross section, (b) Elastic, (c)
Top fibers plastic,
plastic (d) Top and bottom
fibers plastic, and (e) Fully plastic 5
The ultimate moment is
determined in terms of the yield
stress σ y .
Since the axial force is zero in
this beam case,
case the neutral axis
in the fully plastic condition
divides the section into two
equal areas, and the resultant
tension and compression are
each equal to σ y A/2
A/2, forming a
couple equal to the ultimate
plastic moment Mp
M p = 12 σ y A (yc + y t ) (1)
6
The maximum moment which a
section can resist without
exceeding the yield stress
(defined as the yield moment
My) is the smaller of

M y = σ y St (2a)
M y = σ y Sc (2b)

St = tension section modulus

(≡ I / ct )
Sc = compression
p section
modulus ( ≡ I / cc )

7
 ct = distance from neutral axis
to the extreme tension fiber
cc = distance from neutral
axis to the extreme com-
pression fiber
p
I = moment of inertia

α = Mp/My > 1 = shape factor

= 1.5
1 5 for a rectangular
section
= 1.7 for a solid circular
section
= 1.15 – 1.17 for I- or C-
section 8
PLASTIC BEHAVIOR OF A
SIMPLE BEAM
If a load P at the mid-span of a
simple beam (Fig. 3) is
increased until the maximum
mid-span
id momentt reachesh theth
fully plastic moment Mp, a plastic
hinge is formed at this section
and collapse will occur under
any further load increase. Since
this structure is statically deter-
minate, the collapse load PC can
easil be calc
easily calculated
lated to gi
givee

PC = 4M p / L (3)
9
 P
L
2

L
(a) Loaded Beam
Mp

(b) Plastic BMD

PC

θ θ
2θ Δ
(c) Plastic Mechanism

Figure 3. Simple Beam 10

 Plastic Hinge Along the
Length of the Simple Beam

11
The collapse load of the beam
can be calculated by equating
the external and internal work
during a virtual movement of
the collapse mechanism (this
approach is eq equally
all applicable
to the collapse analysis of sta-
tically indeterminate beams)
beams).
Equating the external virtual
work We done by the force PC to
the internal virtual work Wi
done by the moment Mp at the
plastic hinge:

12
 Lθ
Lθ
We = Wi ⇒ PC = M p (2θ)
2
⇒ PC = 4M p / L
which is identical to the result
given in (3).

13
ULTIMATE STRENGTH OF
FIXED ENDED BEAM
FIXED-ENDED
Consider a prismatic fixed-ended
beam subjected to a uniform
load of intensity q (Fig. 4(a)).
Figure 4(b) shows the moment
diagram sequence from the yield
moment My
2
q L
M y = σ y S(≡ ) =
I y
c 12
12 M y
⇒ qy =
2
L
through the fully plastic condition
in the beam. 14
 q
(a)

L
Mp

(b)

My My
Mp Mp

qC
(c)
Δ θ θ
2θ

Figure 4. Fixed-Fixed Beam

15
The collapse mechanism is
shown in Fig
Fig. 4(c) and the col-
lapse load is calculated by equa-
ting
g the external and internal
virtual works, i.e.
⎛ q CL ⎞ Lθ
2⎜ ⎟ = M p (θ
θ+ 2θ
θ+ θ)
⎝ 2 ⎠ 4
16 M p
⇒ qC =
2
L
Sequence off Plastic
S Pl i Hinge
Hi
Formation:
(1) Fixed-end
Fi d d supports – maxi-
i
mum moment (negative)
(2) Mid-span
Mid – maximum
i positive
iti
moment 16
ULTIMATE STRENGTH OF
CONTINUOUS BEAMS
Next consider
N id the
h three
h span
continuous beam shown in Fig. 5
with each span having a plastic
moment capacity of Mp. Values
of the collapse
p load correspond-
p
ing to all possible mechanisms
are determined; the actual
collapse
ll load
l d is
i the
th smallest
ll t off
the possible mechanism
collapse loads.
loads

17
Mp = constant
P P
L L (a)
A 2 3 D
E F
B C
L L L

PC1
(b)
Δ1 θ θ
2θ
PC2
(c)
Δ2 θ β
θ+β

Figure 5. (a) Continuous Beam

(b) Mechanism 1
(c) Mechanism 2 18
For this structure, there are two
possible collapse mechanisms
are shown in Figs. 5(b) and (c).
Using the principle of virtual work
(We = Wi) for each mechanism
leads to

Figure 5(b) (Δ1 = Lθ/2):

⎛ Lθ ⎞
PC1 ⎜ ⎟ = M p (θ + 2θ + θ)
⎝ 2 ⎠
⇒ PC1 = 8M p / L

19
Figure 5(c) (Δ2 = Lθ/3):

⎛ Lθ ⎞
PC2 ⎜ ⎟ = M p (θ + θ +β)
⎝ 3 ⎠
2Lβ θ
= Δ2 = L
3 3
⇒ β= θ
2

⎛ Lθ ⎞ 55M pθ
∴ PC2 ⎜ ⎟ =
⎝ 3 ⎠ 2
⇒ PC2 = 15M p / 2L

20
The smaller of these two values
i th
is the ttrue collapse
ll lload.
d Thus,
Th
PC = 7.5Mp/L and the corres-
ponding bending moment
diagram is shown below.
When collapse occurs,
occurs the
part of the beam between A
and C is still in the elastic
range.
Mp
M < Mp

A B C
E F D

-M > -Mp -Mp

Collapse BMD 21
 P qL = P
L
2
q (a)
2
1
2Mp Mp
L L

PC
(b)

θ θ Δ1
2θ

qC (c)

Δ2 θ β
θ+β
L1
Figure 6. (a) Continuous Beam
(b) Mechanism 1 22
(c) Mechanism 2
The two span continuous beam
shown in Fig
Fig. 6 exhibits some
unique considerations:

1.the plastic moment capacity of

span 1-2 is different than the
plastic
l ti momentt capacity it off
span 2-3; and
2.the location of the positive
moment plastic hinge in span
2 3 is unknown
2-3 unknown.

23
Mechanism 1:
PC Lθ
We = PC Δ1 =
2
Wi = 2M pθ + 2M p (2θ) + M pθ
= 7M pθ
14M p
We = Wi ⇒ PC = (A)
L

Mechanism 2:
Δ2 Δ2
We = q C L1 + q C (L − L1)
2 2
Δ2
= qCL 24
2
 Wi = M pθ + M p (θ +β
β)
L1θ = Δ 2 = (L − L1) β
L1
⇒ β= θ
L − L1
⎛ 2L − L1 ⎞
∴ Wi = ⎜ ⎟ M pθ
⎝ L − L1 ⎠
∴ We = 1 q C LL1θ
2

We = Wi
2 ⎛ 2L − L1 ⎞
⇒ qCL = ⎜ ⎟ M p (B)
L1 ⎝ L − L1 ⎠
25
The problem with this solution
for qCL is that the length L1 is
unknown.
L1 can be obtained by differen-
tiating both sides of qCL with
respect to L1 and set the result to
zero, i.e.
d(q C L) −2L1(L − L1)
= Mp
2 2
dL1 (L1) (L − L1)
2(2L − L1)(L − 2L1)
− Mp
2 2
(L1) (L − L1)
= 0 (C)
26
Solving (C) for L1:

2 2
2L1 − 8LL1 + 4L = 0

8L ± (8L) 2 − 4(8L2 )
⇒ L1 =
4
= 2L − 2 L
= 0.5858L ( )
(D)

Substituting (D) into (B):

11 66 M p
11.66
qCL =
L
(E)
27
Comparing the result in (A) with
(E) and
d ffor qL
L = P shows
h th t the
that th
failure mechanism for this
beam structure is in span 2 2-3
3.

M < 2Mp L1

Mp

-M
M > -2M
2Mp -Mp

BMD for Collapse Load qC

28
 Direct Procedure to
Calculate Positive Moment
Plastic Hinge Location for
Unsymmetrical Plastic
Moment Diagram
g
Consider any beam span that is
loaded by a uniform load and the
resulting plastic moment diagram is
unsymmetric. Just as shown
above the location of the maximum
positive moment is unknown. For
example assume beam span B –
example,
C is subjected to a uniform load
and
a d tthe
epplastic
ast c moment
o e t capac
capacity
ty at
end B is Mp1, the plastic moment29
capacity at end C is Mpp2 and the
plastic positive moment capacity is
Mp3.

Mp1 ≤ Mp3; Mp2 ≤ Mp3

Mp3

-Mp1
-Mp2
L1
L

30
The location of the positive plastic
momentt can be
b determined
d t i d using
i
the bending moment equation

M(x) = ax2 + bx + c

and appropriate boundary

conditions.

(i) x = 0: M = -Mp1 = c

(ii) x = L1: M = Mp3 = aL12

+ bL1 + c

⇒ aL12 + bL1 = Mp3 + Mp1

(iii) x = L1: dM/dx = 0 = 2aL1 + b 31

Solving for a and b from (ii) and
(iii):

−(M p1 + M p3 )
a=
2
L1
2(M p1 + M p3 )
b=
L1

32
(iv) x = L:
M = -Mp2 = aL2 + bL + c
= -(Mp1+ Mp3)(L/L1)2
+ 2(Mp1+ Mp3) (L/L1) - Mp1

0 = -(M
(Mp1+ Mp3)(L/L1)2
+ 2(Mp1+ Mp3) (L/L1)
- Mp1+ Mp2
Solving the quadratic equation:

33
 ⎛L⎞
⎜ ⎟ =1
⎝ L1 ⎠
4(Mp1 + Mp3)2 − 4(Mp1 − Mp2)(Mp1 + Mp3)
±
2(Mp1 + Mp3)

⎛ Mp1 −Mp2 ⎞
= 1 ± 1− ⎜ ⎟
M +
⎝ p1 p3 ⎠
M

L
∴ L1 =
⎛ M p1 − M p2 ⎞
1+ 1− ⎜ M + M ⎟
⎝ p1 p3 ⎠

34
 EPILOGUE
The process described in these
notes and in the example pro-
blems uses what is referred to as
an “upper bound” approach;
i.e., any assumed mechanism can
pro ide the basis for an anal
provide analysis.
sis
The resulting collapse load is an
upper bound on the true colcol-
lapse load. For a number of
trial mechanisms, the lowest
computed load is the best
upper bound. A trial mecha-
nism is the correct one if the
corresponding moment
diagram nowhere exceeds the
plastic moment capacity. 35