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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