FLEXIBILITY METHOD

1- DETERMINE THE STATIC INDETERMINACY

2- CHOOSE THE UNKNOWNS/REDUNDANT FORCES (NAME THEM X1, X2,.....,

Xn)
[The unknowns can be external reactions, internal forces or both]
(Make sure that the structure remains stable)

3- REMOVE THE REDUNDANT FORCES (UNKNOWNS)

(Set the unknowns equal to zero)
The Structure is now statically determinate, and it is called (THE RELEASED
STRUCTURE)

4- REMOVE ALL THE LOADS AND APPLY A UNIT LOAD

CORRESPONDING TO X1, At the location of X1.

5 REPEAT STEP 4 FOR ALL Xs

6- USING THE PRINCIPLE OF SUPERPOSITION, AND APPLY

THE COMPATIBILITY CONDITIONS AT THE LOCATION
OF ALL THE Xs

{DOXi} = {DRXi} + Fij *{Xi} (1)

DOXi = THE DISPLACEMENT CORRESPONDING TO Xi IN THE
ORIGINAL STRUCTURE
DRXi = THE DISPLACEMENT CORRESPONDING TO Xi IN THE
RELEASED STRUCTURE due to the applied loads
Fij = THE DISPLACEMENT IN THE DIRECTION OF Xi at i DUE TO
ONE UNIT LOAD IN THE DIRECTION OF Xj at j

7- SET UP THE EQUATIONS IN A MATRIX FORM

8- FIND THE DISPLACEMENTS CORRESPONDING TO THE
UNKNOWNS IN THE RELEASED STRUCTURE (DRXi)
(You may need to draw the shear and moment diagrams)
DRXi = Mmi dx/EI
9- FIND THE FLEXIBILITY COEFFICIENTS.
Fij = mimj dx/EI
10- SOLVE FOR THE UNKNOWNS FORCES (REDUNDANTS) BY USING
EQUATION 1.
11- AGAIN USE THE PRINCIPLE OF SUPERPOSITION AND
FIND ALL THE FORCES AND DISPLACEMENTS
12- DRAW THE FINAL SHEAR AND MOMENT DIAGRAMS

Flexibility Method Spring 2016

 W = 2 k/ft
48 ft-k 12 kips

2EI EI EI

16 ft. 6 ft. 6 ft. 10 ft.

A B C D E
1- SI = 3
2- CHOOSE THE UNKNWONS
W = 2 k/ft
48 ft-k 12 kips

2EI EI EI
1
16 ft. 6 ft. 6 ft. 10 ft.
A B C D E

9
Flexibility Method Spring 2016
Released system

W = 2 k/ft
48 ft-k 12 kips

DRX3

2EI DRX2 EI EI

16 ft. 6 ft. 6 ft. 10 ft.

DRX1

W = 2 k/ft
48 ft-k 12 kips Guided
Support

2EI EI EI

16 ft. DRX2 6 ft. 6 ft. 10 ft. DRX3

A B C D E
DRX1

W = 2 k/ft
48 ft-k 12 kips Guided
Support

2EI EI DRX2

16 ft. DRX1 6 ft. 6 ft. 10 ft. DRX3

A B C D E

Flexibility Method Spring 2016

 W = 2 k/ft
48 ft-k 12 kips Guided
Support

2EI EI EI

16 ft. DRX2 6 ft. 6 ft. 10 ft. DRX3

A B C D E
DRX1

W = 2 k/ft
48 ft-k 12 kips

DRX3

2EI DRX2 EI EI

DRX1

W = 2 k/ft
48 ft-k 12 kips

DRX3

DRX1 DRX2

Flexibility Method Spring 2016

 W = 2 k/ft
48 ft-k 12 kips

DRX3

2EI DRX2
EI

DRX1

W = 2 k/ft
48 ft-k 12 kips

a b c

+a+b = DRX1
+c+d = DRX2 d = 0, DRX3 = the rotation at E

W = 2 k/ft
48 ft-k 12 kips

2EI EI EI

16 ft. 6 ft. 6 ft. 10 ft.

A B C D E

TRY THIS ON YOUR OWN

Flexibility Method Spring 2016