Application of second-order elastic analysis in LRFD: research to practice

Abstract

The goals of this paper are: (1) to highlight the advantages and limitations of some of the more comprehensive approaches for second-order elastic analysis of frame structures, (2) to outline the type of analysis/design procedure perceived by the authors to be necessary for these types of analysis to be applied optimally in a practical design setting, and (3) to indicate the computer-aided design software capabilities needed to support this type of procedure. Comprehensive matrix analysis provides the greatest promise for achieving both simplicity and generality in the calculation of second-order forces for frame design. By providing a complete summary of what the use of comprehensive second-order elastic analysis might entail, the authors hope to demonstrate that comprehensive second-order elastic analysis can be as efficient, and in certain respects, simpler to perform than other more approximate second-order methods.