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Plastic VS Non-linear Analysis 1

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I know that this is basic to some of you "excuse my ignorance".... is plastic analysis some form of non-linear analysis?
 
Yes, there are 3 basic forms of nonlinearity in stress analyses:
- material - behavior other than linear elastic (Hooke’s law) - plastic, hyperelastic and so on
- boundary - changing contact conditions and follower forces
- geometrical - large displacements cause changes in stiffness of the structure
 
Well, it depends.

For steel it usually means that you include the materials yield strength in the analysis. For other materials it can mean other things. But "plastic" in a general sense usually means a non-linear analysis.

Thomas

Edit: FEA_way was slightly faster and more complete [smile]
 
There is an effort to move towards some different language when talking about analysis. Let's call it the use of more "European" terminology.

LA = Linear Analysis
GNA = Geometrically non-linear analysis
MNA = Materially non-linear analysis
GMNIA = Geometric and materially non-linear analysis with the effects of imperfections.

This takes a little getting used to, but I have grown to like this terminology. I think the issue is that in the US we tend to use inconsistent or ambiguous terms that can mean different things to different people....
[ul]
[li]Non-linear analysis (without specifying what type of nonlinearity).[/li]
[li]P-Delta Analysis,[/li]
[li]2nd order analysis.[/li]
[/ul]

Also, isn't boundary non-linearity really just a subset of geometric non-linearity? Like how P-Delta is a sub-set of geometric non-linearity.
 
I tend to think of plastic analysis as being a nonlinear static (pushover) analysis. As far as I'm aware, this is usually more for understanding of the behavior of certain frames (ie which member hinges first), than as a final analysis. This may or may not be done by hand and may or may not consider the entire building, or just part of it.

And I think of nonlinear analysis as being a nonlinear dynamic analysis (with time history ground motions). This is always done with a computer. Usually some sort of linear or pushover analysis is done first to determine locations of plastic hinges.
 
On this forum there is only two types of stupid question:

-homeowners looking for free informal structural engineering advice
-students looking for solutions to their homework problems

all other questions welcome, this one included, was a good refresher for old information i had burried somewhere in my declining memory.

thanks,
Northcivil
 
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