Advanced Structural

Analysis
By
Dr. Nadmi M. Al-Mekhlafy

Lecture 3 flexibility Method

 Flexibility Method
• • Structure flexibility matrix
• • Element flexibility matrix
• • Formation of the structure-flexibility
matrix from element-flexibility matrices
• • Analysis of indeterminate structures
 Flexibility Method
• The flexibility method uses forces as the
independent variables.

• The method is also referred to as the force

method.
 Flexibility Method

• If we apply a load W2 at point 2, the

deflection 1 at point 1 can be expressed in
the form:
 Flexibility Method

• The term F12 is flexibility influence

coefficient.
• It is defined as the deflection at 1 due to a
unit load at 2.
 Flexibility Method

• Apply loads at all three points, the deflection

at 1 will be given by:
Flexibility Method
Flexibility Method
Flexibility Method

+
Flexibility Method

+
Flexibility Method

+
Flexibility Method

+
Flexibility Method
 Flexibility Method

1 2𝐿 2 8 𝐿3 1 2 𝐿 2 𝐿2
𝐹 11= ∗2 𝐿∗ ∗ ∗ 2 𝐿= 𝐹 21= ∗2 𝐿∗ =
2 𝐸𝐼 3 3 𝐸𝐼 2 𝐸𝐼 𝐸𝐼

1 𝐿 2 𝐿 𝐿 5 𝐿3 1 𝐿 𝐿 3 𝐿2
𝐹 31= ∗ 𝐿∗ ∗ ∗ 𝐿+𝐿∗ ∗ = 𝐹 41= ∗ 𝐿 ∗ +𝐿 ∗ =
2 𝐸𝐼 3 𝐸𝐼 2 6 𝐸𝐼 2 𝐸𝐼 𝐸𝐼 2 𝐸𝐼
Flexibility Method
 FORMATION OF THE STRUCTURE-
FLEXIBILITY MATRIX
FROM ELEMENT-FLEXIBILITY MATRICES
 Element and Structure Forces and
Deformations

consider the beam in Fig.

• -two forces. and two
moments and the
corresponding deflections and rotations.
• to obtain the flexibility matrix subdivide the
beam into two elements
 Element and Structure Forces and
Deformations

• Define two moments and

their corresponding rotations
for each element.
• To differentiate these
quantities from the structure
forces and deformations, we
refer to them as element
forces and deformations.
 Element and Structure Forces and
Deformations

• assume all structure loads to

be applied only at nodes.

• we can use either the

moments at both ends, as
we have chosen to do, or the
shear and the moment at
one end.
 Element and Structure Forces and
Deformations

• Element-Flexibility Matrix
• apply a unit moment
qi = 1 as shown in Fig.

• Using the moment-area

method, we obtain
 Element and Structure Forces and
Deformations

• Element-Flexibility Matrix

• Similar results are

obtained if we apply a
unit moment to the right
end of the element.
 Element and Structure Forces and
Deformations

• Element-Flexibility Matrix
• The flexibility matrix thus
takes the form:

• The Equation gives the

flexibility matrix for an
element of a planar structure
for which only flexural
deformations are considered.
 Element and Structure Forces and
Deformations
• Element-Flexibility Matrix

• A great advantage of subdividing a

structure into a series of elements
is that the same element-flexibility
matrix can be used for all the
elements of the structure.
• We shall now form a matrix
containing a flexibility matrix of the
type given by last Eq. for every
element in the structure. Thus
 Element and Structure Forces and
Deformations

• Element-Flexibility Matrix
 Force-Transformation Matrix

• The force-transformation matrix is a task in the

flexibility method which relates what occurs in
elements to the behavior of the entire structure.
 Force-Transformation Matrix
• Formed the force-transformation matrix
Force-Transformation Matrix
 )Transformation of [fc] into [F

• To develop the procedure for transforming the

composite element-flexibility matrix [fc] into the
structure-flexibility matrix [F], we make use of the
principle of conservation of energy. The work
performed by the structure forces acting on the
entire structure must be equal to the work of the
element forces acting on all of the elements into
which the structure has been subdivided. Thus
 )Transformation of [fc] into [F

• We have

• We have
)Transformation of [fc] into [F
)Transformation of [fc] into [F
)Transformation of [fc] into [F
Before Cont. To
Examples