A contribution to the computer aided design of optimized structures for the steel industry

A practical method of incorporating realistic flexible connections including the effect of connection sizes and shear deflection in plane frame analysis is presented. The general algorithm can be easily implemented in a standard plane frame analysis program and once implemented it can be an ideal tool for production work in the steel industry. In this approach connection stiffness is programmed directly into the analysis by utilizing the connection moment-rotation equations developed by Frye and Morris but it may also be entered separately as data. Nonlinear connection analysis is carried out by the procedure outlined by Frye and Morris. Practical application of this method of analysis is demonstrated by modifying a standard plane frame analysis program to include the effect of flexible connections. The validity of the modified program, CPlane, was verified against the findings of Moncarz and Gerstle. Using CPlane, a simple plane frame structure was analyzed under various lateral load intensities for different connection assumptions. It was found that the inclusion of connection behavior significantly altered the internal force distribution and design of the structure.Applied Science, Faculty ofCivil Engineering, Department ofGraduat