1

1
Athol Athol J. Carr J. Carr
Professor Professor of Civil of Civil Engineering Engineering
Department Department of Civil of Civil and and Natural Natural Resources Resources Engineering Engineering
Uni versity of Canterbury, Uni versity of Canterbury,
Christchurch, Christchurch, New New Zealand Zealand. .
Anlisis Ssmico de Edificios de Hormign Armado.
Respuesta Dentro del Rango No Lineal
ACHISINA
Asociacin Chilena de Sismologa e Ingeniera Antissmica
Santiago de Chile, 2 al 6 de junio de 2008
Section 7 P-Delta Effects
2
P-Delta Effects
In this example when the structure
deforms laterally under the
horizontal force P the lateral
displacement induces further
moments caused by the vertical
weight on the structure times the
lateral displacement . The moment
at the base is not Ph as would be
obtained using small deflection
theory but is now Ph+Mg. These
extra moments will take up part of
the capacity of the structure.
2
3
Effect of Equivalent Negative Bi-linear Slope
Due to P-Delta
M
o
m
e
n
t
Displacement
One of the arguments about P-Delta analyses is that then effect of the
gravity loads is to reduce the effective bi-linear stiffness. This may
imply a negative bi-linear factor.
With a negative bi-linear
factor the structure may
find it easier to go back
to yielding in the initial
yield direction than to
yield in the other
direction reducing the
displacement. This will
case the structure to
continue to drift in one
direction. This is most
evident in single degree
of freedom structures
4
P-Delta Effects
These are often regarded as second order effects and are very
often ignored in dynamic analyses.
In terms of analysis it is always the deformed structure that is
equilibrium with the applied loads.
For most civil engineering structures the deformed structure has a
geometry that is very close to that of the un-deformed structure and
as the member orientation is almost the same as that of the original
un-deformed structure we can write the equilibrium equations in the
un-deformed coordinates without a significant loss of precision. This
is not applicable for some classes of structures, notably suspension
bridges and hanging roofs.
In reality if one was to use the deformed coordinates we cannot
write the equations of equilibrium until we know the deformed shape
and we cannot solve for the deformed shape until we have the
equations of equilibrium. The chicken and the egg problem which
comes first?
3
5
Effects of P-Delta Requiring Extra Lateral Load
Resistance
F
W
1
2
W
N
x 1
F
x 2
F
x 3
Some design codes (standards) require
the designer to estimate the maximum
inter-storey drifts in each storey and
hence, from the storey gravity column
forces, estimate the equivalent P-Delta
lateral forces acting on the structure.
These will require extra strength in the
structure which already has to resist the
lateral forces implied from the earthquake
excitation.
6
P-Delta Effects.
If the displacements are large such for suspension structures
then the non-linear equilibrium equations have to be solved,
usually by incremental load methods.
There are no theorems for convergence in large displacement
problems
This is in contrast to some cases involving material non-linearity
where, provided we do not exceed the maximum sustainable
load on the structure, iteration may give a solution.
Normal structural analysis assumes that small displacement
theory is valid. Here the initial geometry chosen in which the
equations of equilibrium is the initial un-deformed geometry of
the structure. Any displacements are assumed to be small
compared with the dimensions of the structure.
4
7
P-Delta Effects
The alternative is to use a large displacement theory where the
displacements are assumed to be significant in terms of the
dimensions of the structure.
This implies that columns that were vertical are no longer
vertical etc.
In this case only an incremental analysis is valid and at each
increment of displacement the coordinates of the nodes (joints)
is updated and the transformation matrices for each member
have to be re-defined and new member stiffness matrices have
to be computed.
The total stiffness matrix for the structure will also have to be
re-formed.
This makes a large displacement analysis computationally more
expensive
8
P-Delta Simplification
In a multi-storey frame subjected to lateral excitation the
overturning moments caused by the lateral loads will increase
the axial forces in the columns on one side of the structure and
correspondingly reduce the axial forces on the other side of the
structure.
This will reduce the lateral stiffness on the columns on one side
with a matching ? increase of the lateral stiffness of the
columns on the other side.
The nett effect is no significant change in the total lateral
stiffness of the frame..
This means that the lateral stiffness of the frame is reduced due
to say the gravity axial column forces and then small
displacement theory can be used for the rest of the analysis.
The program must account for the effective lateral forces
implied by the inter-storey drift acting on the vertical load
carrying elements in the equilibrium equations.
5
9
P-Delta Simplification
With these simplifications the cost of the analysis is little
different from that of a small displacement theory analysis.
The limitation is that vertical earthquake components should not
be considered as these would imply a time-wise change in the
total vertical load on a storey and hence change the total lateral
stiffness of the storey. Sloping columns should not exist in the
structure.
Such analyses are available in programs such DRAIN-2Dand
Ruaumoko
Ruaumoko also offers the option of a large displacement
analysis. However, for many structures the difference in the
results between the full large displacement analysis and the
simplified P-Delta option are not significant.
In all multi-storey structural analyses, unless the gravity forces
are small, at least a P-Delta option should always be used.
Gravity is always acting on our structures.
10
Frame Geometry 4 and 12 Storey Reinforced
Concrete Frames
7.00
3
.4
0
1
1
.5
0
1
Floor Plan
7.00
1
1
.5
0
Structural
2
wall
3
A
7.00 7.00
3
.4
0
3
.4
0
3
.4
0
L2
L1
Structural
wall
L3
3
.4
0
L4
L5
LN
B C D A
Elevation at 1 or 3
7.00 7.00
D B C
column
Flexible Flexible
column
Flexible
column
Flexible
column
Moment resisting
Moment resisting
frame
frame
The frames 1 and 3 provide the earthquake resistance in the East-
West direction
6
11
P-Delta Effects
to include p-delta
Additional column
column is not deflected
Force distribution if
W
N
N +1
W
W
Force distribution if
column is deflected
N
y
N
F
X
F
X
F
N +1
F
y
N
N +1
W
N +1
Concept of using a pin-ended column to model P-Delta effects
considering gravity loads carried by other parts of the structure but
laterally supported by the part of the structure being analyzed.
12
P-Delta Effects
(Non-linear Geometry vs Simplified P-Delta option)
Rose12 Frame subject to El Centro 1940 N-S (x2)
-0.5
-0.4
-0.3
-0.2
-0.1
0
0.1
0.2
0.3
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Time (s)
H
o
r
i
z
o
n
t
a
l

d
i
s
p
l
a
c
e
m
e
n
t

a
t

l
e
v
e
l

1
2

(
m
)
Small displacement theory Large displacement theory P-delta included
7
13
P-Delta Effects
Modified El Centro EW
12/6/E/T
-0.600
-0.400
-0.200
0.000
0.200
0.400
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40
Time (sec)
D
i
s
p
.

(
m
)
w/o PD w PD
The effect of P-Delta on the displacements of a twelve storey
reinforced concrete frame
14
Hysteretic Behaviour of Interior Column Base
Modified El Centro EW
12A/6/E/T and 12A/6/E/B
With P-delta effects
-1000
-800
-600
-400
-200
0
200
400
600
800
1000
-0.02 -0.01 0 0.01 0.02 0.03 0.04 0.05 0.06 0.07 0.08
Curvature (Rad/m)
M
o
m
e
n
t

(
k
N

m
)
Takeda Bilinear
Difference in behaviour of the Elasto-plastic and Takeda hysteresis loops.
The Elasto-plastic model shows creep in the lateral displacements
8
15
Effects of 2500 Year Earthquake on Analysis
El Centro 1
2,500 years return period
12A/6/3101/T and 12A/6/1170/T
-0.500
0.000
0.500
1.000
1.500
2.000
0 10 20 30 40 50 60
Time (sec)
T
o
p

f
l
o
o
r

d
i
s
p
l
a
c
e
m
e
n
t

(
m
)
3101 w/o PD 3101 w PD 1170 wPD
The 2500 year earthquake is approximately 1.8*475 year earthquake
3101 refers to NZ Standards NZS4203:1992 and 1170 refers to NZS1170.5:2004
16
P-Delta Effects
P-Delta effects are only significant if the column axial forces (P)
are large (if large enough the column buckles and has no lateral
stiffness) and the displacements, or inter-storey drifts (Delta)
are large. If both P and Delta are small then P-Delta effects
are small.
The previous slide show what happens when the inter-storey
drifts (column slopes) become large. The P-Delta effects
become unsustainable leading to structural collapse.
For tall structures always consider P-Delta effects in your
analyses, gravity forces are always there.