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Displacement Method

The direct displacement method is used to analyze indeterminate structures. It involves: 1) Determining the degrees of freedom, which are the independent joint displacements. 2) Calculating the fixed end forces for each member by separating the structure. 3) Computing the member end forces due to a unit displacement at each degree of freedom. 4) Establishing equilibrium equations corresponding to each degree of freedom. 5) Solving the equations to determine the unknown displacements.

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559 views3 pages

Displacement Method

The direct displacement method is used to analyze indeterminate structures. It involves: 1) Determining the degrees of freedom, which are the independent joint displacements. 2) Calculating the fixed end forces for each member by separating the structure. 3) Computing the member end forces due to a unit displacement at each degree of freedom. 4) Establishing equilibrium equations corresponding to each degree of freedom. 5) Solving the equations to determine the unknown displacements.

Uploaded by

Khen Catayas
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as DOCX, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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CLIFFORD JAY C.

ANSINO THEORY OF STRUCTURE II


5 BSCE – B

DISPLACEMENT METHOD
BEAM AND FRAMES

The direct displacement method is another technique that can be used to analyze indeterminate structures.
This method can be generalized and is commonly used in structural analysis software.

In this method, all degrees of freedom of a structure are restrained, i.e. "locked", and the member fixed end
forces are calculated due to any applied loads on the member. As in moment distribution, each degree of freedom is
then independently released, i.e."un-locked", and the member end forces are determined due to an application of a
unit displacement that corresponds to each degree of freedom. This displacement can either be a rotation or a
translation. The actual member end forces are then calculated by satisfying equilibrium conditions at each of the
degrees of freedom.

The steps required to complete an analysis based on the direct displacement method are illustrated in the
following simplified example (more detailed examples are given below):

Given a structure:

i) Determine the kinematic degree of indeterminacy, i.e. the number of degrees of freedom.

The kinematic degree of freedom is the number of independent joint displacements (rotations and
translations).

This sample problem has two degrees of kinematic indeterminacy since the structure can undergo
rotations at both joints B and C.

However, the moment at Joint C is determinate. However, since the moment at C is zero, modified
stiffness can be utilized for member BC. Modified stiffness is used by not including the rotation at C
as an unknown reaction. This reduces the kinematic indeterminacy of the structure to only one.
CLIFFORD JAY C. ANSINO THEORY OF STRUCTURE II
5 BSCE – B

ii) Determine the restraining, i.e. fixed end forces of each member.

In this example, the structure is separated into two sections;

The corresponding sections and their fixed end forces (refer to the Table of Fixed End Moments or a
structural analysis text book for these values),

Note: since modified stiffness is being used on member BC the moment at C is equal to 0 and the
moment at B is wl2/8 rather than wl2/12.

iii) Calculate the member end forces due to the application of a unit displacement in the direction of
and at the location of each degree of freedom. (Clockwise rotation is positive in Direct Displacement)

The resulting member end forces on each member due to a unit rotation at B are:

Note: the member end forces are those required to induce a unit rotation at support B. For
derivations, please refer to any structural analysis text .
CLIFFORD JAY C. ANSINO THEORY OF STRUCTURE II
5 BSCE – B

iv.) Determine the equilibrium conditions that correspond to each degree of freedom.

The equilibrium conditions are found by using statics to sum all forces that act on a specific degree
of freedom. In this example, the sum of the fixed end moments and those induced due to the
unknown degrees of freedom, X1, at B.

The equation of statics at B is expressed as,

PL/8 - wL2/8 + (4EI/L + 3EI/L)*X1 = 0

Where PL/8 and wL2/8 are the fixed end forces and (4EI/L + 3EI/L) is the summation of the stiffness
coefficients at Joint B, i.e., the moments due to unit rotation at Joint B. These coefficients need to be
multiplied by the unknown rotation X 1, so that equilibrium can be attained. The left hand side
equation is set equal to zero, since there is no external moment applied at Joint B.

Repeat this step for each degree of freedom. This will yield a number of equations that equal the
number of the unknown displacements.

v.) Calculate the unknown displacements.

X1= (wl2/8-PL/8)*L/ (7EI)

vi.) Utilize the calculated unknowns to determine the member end forces.

The resulting member end forces are now found by adding a correction moment to the fixed end
moments. These correction forces are equal to the member end forces corresponding to a unit
displacement at the end of the member, multiplied by the associated displacement X.

In this example;

MAB = -PL/8 + (2EI/L)*X1 YA = P/2 - ( 6(EI)/L2 ) * X1


MBA = PL/8 + (4EI/L)*X1 YB - left = P/2 + ( 6(EI)/L2 ) * X1
 
MBC = -wL2/8 + (3EI/L)*X1 YB - right = 5wl/8 - ( 3(EI)/L2 ) * X1
M CB = 0 YC = 3wl/8 + ( 3(EI)/L2 ) * X1

vii.) Calculate remaining member end reactions.

Use the fixed end moments and any applied loads in conjunction with the static equations to
calculate the remaining member end reactions.

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