Summary

Advanced topics in structural stability; elastic & inelastic column buckling; lateral-torsional buckling of bridge/plate girders; nonlinear geometric effects; frame stability; computational formulation of stability theory; Geometric stiffness method; Plate buckling; Plastic collapse analysis

Content

  • Week 1: Introduction & easy statics
  • Week 2: Plastic analysis and collapse loads
  • Week 3: Stability of axially loaded members
  • Week 4: Interaction curves - bending and axial load
  • Week 5: Lateral torsional buckling of members - P1
  • Week 6: Lateral torsional buckling of members - P2
  • Week 7: Frame stability
  • Week 8: Geometric stiffness method for buckling analysis
  • Week 9: Euler method and equlibrium paths
  • Week 10: Potential energy method for assessing stability
  • Week 11: Dynamic method for assessing stability
  • Week 12: Plate buckling
  • Week 13: Applications of plate buckling in structural mechanics
  • Week 14: Case studies on structural stability

Keywords

structural stability, static & dynamic loading, nonlinear geometric instabilities, nonlinear behaviour, frame stability, plastic analysis, plate buckling, plate girders

Learning Prerequisites

Required courses

  • Statics
  • structural analysis
  • mechanics of materials and/or structural mechanics

Recommended courses

  • Design of steel structures
  • Design of concrete structures
  • Statics
  • Structural mechanics

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course, the student must be able to:

  • Assess / Evaluate
  • Critique
  • Design
  • Estimate
  • Analyze
  • Check
  • Dimension
  • Define

Transversal skills

  • Plan and carry out activities in a way which makes optimal use of available time and other resources.
  • Set objectives and design an action plan to reach those objectives.
  • Use a work methodology appropriate to the task.
  • Communicate effectively with professionals from other disciplines.
  • Access and evaluate appropriate sources of information.
  • Use both general and domain specific IT resources and tools
  • Communicate effectively, being understood, including across different languages and cultures.
  • Identify the different roles that are involved in well-functioning teams and assume different roles, including leadership roles.

Teaching methods

3-hour lectures, 1-hour exercises

Use of:

  • Power point
  • Online reading
  • Python-based tools to facilitate learning and computational thinking
  • In-class exercises
  • Problem sets

Expected student activities

  • Class participation
  • Weekly In-class exercises

Assessment methods

  • Graded assignments (30% of the total grade)
  • Final written exam (70% of hte total grade)

Supervision

Others The course lectures will be provided online 3-hours after the end of each class.

Resources

Bibliography

  • Ziemian, RD. Guide to stability design criteria for metal structures
  • Bazant, Z., and Cedolin, L. Stability of structures
  • Chen, WF., Him, EM. Structural stability: Theory and Implementation
  • SIA-263 / Eurocodes

Ressources en bibliothèque

Notes/Handbook

  • The course lectures, list of in-class exercise problems, problem sets and exams are based on lecture notes that are provided weekly through Moodle.
  • The course does not follow a specific textbook.

Moodle Link

Prerequisite for

  • Master projects in structural analysis and advanced design of structures
  • Nonlinear static and dynamic analysis of structures
  • Performance assessment of new and existing structures
  • Performance-Based Earthquake Engineering (PBEE)

 

In the programs

  • Semester: Spring
  • Exam form: Written (summer session)
  • Subject examined: Structural stability
  • Lecture: 3 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Exercises: 1 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Type: optional
  • Semester: Spring
  • Exam form: Written (summer session)
  • Subject examined: Structural stability
  • Lecture: 3 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Exercises: 1 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Type: optional
  • Exam form: Written (summer session)
  • Subject examined: Structural stability
  • Lecture: 3 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Exercises: 1 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Type: optional
  • Semester: Spring
  • Exam form: Written (summer session)
  • Subject examined: Structural stability
  • Lecture: 3 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Exercises: 1 Hour(s) per week x 14 weeks
  • Type: optional

Reference week

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