iNON-LINEAR ANALYSIS OF CONCRETE FRAMES USING A DIRECT STIFFNESS LINE ELEMENT APPROACH

ABSTRACT: A computationally efficient method of non-linear analysis is described for reinforced concrete frames. The Crisfield arc-length solution procedure is used together with a previously developed line element formulation which takes account of both the material non-linearities and the geometric non-linear effects. The resulting method has been found to be more reliable and more efficient than the previously-used methods which relied on load-control and displacement-control procedures. Results obtained from the analysis of several frames are compared with test results reported in the literature. i