Beam: Stiffness Method

Basic concepts

P1 P3
M P2
B
A C

L L L L
2 2 2 2

Step 1:
Identify Nodes. Here three nodes are identified. A, B and C.
Determine the degrees of freedom (dof)
In this example, dof = 2, which are rotations at point B and point C.

B
A C
D1 D2
 Basic concepts

Step 2:
Restrict movements along the dof.
Draw the restrained structure

B
A C

L L L L
2 2 2 2

B
A C

restrained structure
 Basic concepts
Step 3:
Apply the external forces on the restrained structure except those
along the dof.
Determine the actions (forces/moments) corresponding to the dof.

P1 L P1 P2 L P3
P1 L P2 P2 L
8 8 B 8 8
A C

L 2 L 2 L 2 L 2

P1 L P2 L
ADL1
8 8 ADL1
ADL 2
P2 L ADL
8 ADL2
 Basic concepts
Step 4:
Apply unit displacements on the restrained structure along the dof
separately.
Determine the actions (forces/moments) corresponding to the dof.

2 EI
4EI
L
L B
A
4 EI C
1
L

L 2 L 2 L 2 L 2

4EI 4EI 8EI 2 EI

S11 S 21
L L L L
 Basic concepts
Step 4 (continued)
Apply unit displacements on the restrained structure along the dof
separately.
Determine the actions (forces/moments) corresponding to the dof.

2 EI 4 EI
L L
B
A
C
1

L 2 L 2 L 2 L 2

2 EI 4EI
S12 S 22
L L
 Basic concepts

Stiffness Matrix: A unique matrix for a structure

S11 S12
S
S 21 S 22

8EI 2 EI
L L
S
2 EI 4 EI

L L
 Basic concepts

The actions in the original structure (AD)

are equal to the
corresponding actions in the restrained structure due to the
external loads (ADL)
plus the
Corresponding actions in the restrained structure due to the unit
displacements (S)
Multiplied by
The displacements (D)

AD1 ADL1 S11D1 S12 D2

AD 2 ADL2 S 21D1 S 22 D2
 Basic concepts

AD ADL S D D1
D
A D A DL SD D2

AD1
AD
AD 2 DS 1
A D A DL
ADL1
A DL
ADL1
Beam Examples: Stiffness
Method
Problem:
i) Calculate all reaction components at A, B and C.
ii) Calculate the Shear force and bending moment at both sides of the support B.
AM 1 AM 3
2P P
AR 2 PL P
B
A C
AM 2 AM 4
L L L L
AR 3
2 2 2 2
AR1 AR 4

AR1 AM 1
A A
AR R 2 AM M 2
AR 3 AM 3

R4
A AM 4
 A R A RL A RD D
A M A ML A MD D

A RL Corresponding reactions due to external load in the restrained structure

A RD Corresponding reactions due to unit movement along the dof in the

restrained structure

A ML Corresponding actions (SF/BM) due to external load in the restrained

structure
A MD Corresponding actions (SF/BM) due to unit movement along the dof in
the restrained structure
Step 1:
Identify Nodes. Here three nodes are identified. A, B and C.
Determine the degrees of freedom (dof)
In this example, dof = 2, which are rotations at point B and point C.

B
A C
D1 D2

D1 PL
D AD
D2 0
Step 2:
Restrict movements along the dof.
Draw the restrained structure

B
A C

L L L L
2 2 2 2

B
A C

restrained structure
 Step 3:
Apply the external forces on the restrained structure except those
along the dof.
Determine the actions (forces/moments) corresponding to the dof.

2 PL PL
PL PL
8 4 2P P
4 8 P PL
B 8
A C

L 2 L 2 L 2 L 2

ADL1
PL PL

PL PL
4 8 8 8 PL 1
A DL 1
PL 8
ADL 2
PL
8 8
 Step 3 (extended):
Determine the required reaction components. ARL
Determine the required actions (forces/moments). AML

P
2P P 2 P P
PL PL
PL 4 B
A 8 C
4
L 2 L 2 L 2 L 2
P
P
P 3P 2
P
2 2

ARL1 P 4 AM 1 P 8
A PL 4 L A PL 4 2 L
A RL RL2 P A ML M2 P
ARL3 3P 2 4 6 AM 3 P 2 8 4

RL4 P 2 2 M4
A A PL 8 L
 Step 4:
Apply unit displacements on the restrained structure along the dof separately.
Determine the actions (forces/moments) corresponding to the dof.
6 EI
L2 2 EI
4EI
L
2EI L B
A
L C
1
4 EI
6 EI
6 EI 2 L 6 EI
L
L 2 L2
L 2 L 2 L 2 L 2

4EI 4EI 8EI

S11
L L L 6 EI L2 next 6 EI L2 next


next

S 21
2 EI 2 EI L 4 EI L next
A RD A MD
L 0 next 6 EI L2 next

6 EI L next 4 EI L next
2
 Step 4 (continued)
Apply unit displacements on the restrained structure along the dof separately.
Determine the actions (forces/moments) corresponding to the dof.
6 EI
L2 4 EI
L
B
A
2 EI C
1
L 6 EI
L2
L 2 L 2 L 2 L 2

2 EI 6 EI L2 6 EI L2 0
S12 0
L
A RD
2 EI L 0 4 EI L 0
A MD
4EI 6 EI L2 6 EI L2 6 EI L2
S 22
0

L 6 EI L
2
6 EI L
2
4 EI L 2 EI L
Stiffness Matrix:

8EI 2 EI
L L EI 8 2
S 2 4
2 EI 4 EI L

L L

1 L 2 1
S 1 4
14 EI
DS 1
A D A DL

D1 L 2 1 PL PL 1
D 1 4 0 1
2 14 EI 8

D1 PL 2
17
D 5
2 112 EI
 A R A RL A RD D
AR1 4 6 EI L2 0 107
A L 31L
R 2 P 2 EI L 0 PL 2
P
17
5
AR 3 4 6 0 6 EI L2 112 EI 56 69

R4
A

2 6 EI L2
6 EI L
2
64

A M A ML A MD D

AM 1 8 6 EI L2 0 5
A 2 L
M2 P 4 EI L 0 PL2 17 P 20 L
AM 3 8 4 6 EI L2 5 64
6 EI L2 112 EI 56

AM 4 L 4 EI L 2 EI L 36 L
 5 64
P P
56 56

36
2P 20 PL P P
31 PL 56
PL A 56 B
C
56
L L L L
2 2 2 2
107
P 64
56 69 P
P 56
56