A Modification on Applied Element Method for Linear Analysis of Structures in the Range of Small and Large Deformations Based on Energy Concept

In this paper, the formulation of a modified applied element method for linear analysis of structures in the range of small and large deformations is expressed. To calculate deformations in the structure, the minimum total potential energy principle is used. This method estimates the linear behavior of the structure in the range of small and large deformations, with a very good accuracy and low analytical time. The results show that analysis of a console beam by proposed method, even with minimum numbers of elements, in range of small deformations, has a computation error of less than 2%. Meanwhile, solving the same problem by Applied Element Method (AEM), has more than 31% error. Also, the buckling and post-buckling behavior of the structure, within the range of large deformations, is well-suited. So, with minimum number of elements, and very high accuracy, the buckling behavior of the fixed-base column was simulated. Also, the computational time of the proposed method is less than 40 percent of the computational time in the application of the applied elements method with 10 series of connection springs.