Global Structural Analysis of Buildings


Global Structural Analysis of
Buildings
Karoly A.Zalka




Preface

A shift in emphasis can be seen in the approach to structural design. More often

structures are looked at ‘globally’, as whole structural units, rather than a group of

individual elements. The investigation of this global behaviour, also described as

‘holistic’ or ‘whole building’ behaviour has been made possible by new theoretical

achievements and the spectacular advance in computer technology during the last

decades.

The global structural analysis of buildings can be carried out following two routes.

First, sophisticated and complex computer packages based on the finite element method

offer endless facilities and can handle even huge structures with a great number of

elements. Second, analytical methods can also deal with whole structures leading to

simple closed-form solutions, with the additional benefit of providing fast checking

facilities for the computer-based methods.

This book follows the latter route and, after describing and solving the complex

theoretical problems of bracing systems covering many practical cases, intends to

achieve the following three objectives:

- To present simple procedures and closed-form formulae which make it possible for

the practising structural engineer to carry out a general structural analysis of the

bracing system of building structures in minutes.

- To show that the main areas of structural design (stability, stress and frequency

analyses) are not independent; indeed they can be linked by the global critical load

ratio which can be used to achieve optimum structural solutions with high

performance and adequate safety.

- To help to understand global behaviour better and to develop structural engineering

common sense through the introduction of the most representative stiffness

characteristics for the stability, stress and frequency analyses.


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