Large-deformation, elasto-plastic analysis of frames under nonconservative loading, using explicitly derived tangent stiffnesses based on assumed stresses

Simple and economical procedures for large-deformation elasto-plastic analysis of frames, whose members can be characterized as beams, are presented. An assumed stress approach is employed to derive the tangent stiffness of the beam, subjected in general to non-conservative type distributed loading. The beam is assumed to undergo arbitrarily large rigid rotations but small axial stretch and relative (non-rigid) point-wise rotations. It is shown that if a plastic-hinge method (with allowance being made for the formation of the hinge at an arbitrary location or locations along the beam) is employed, the tangent stiffness matrix may be derived in an explicit fashion, without numerical integration. Several examples are given to illustrate the relative economy and efficiency of the method in solving large-deformation elasto-plastic problems. The method is of considerable utility in analysing off-shore structures and large structures that are likely to be deployed in outerspace.