Question

What are the three steps of structural analysis? Explain why a creative team would use a structural analysis.

Answer 1

Structural Analysis is the process of predicting the performance of given structures under a prescribed loading condition that could include loads and/or other external effects such as support displacement and temperature changes. The performance characteristics that are usually of interest in structural design are: (a) stresses or stress resultants such as axial force, shear and bending moment, (b) deflections and (c) support reactions

Once the basic form of the structure and the external loads are defined, structural analysis can be made to determine the internal forces in various members of the structure and the displacements at some controlling points. When live loads are involved, it is important to determine the maximum possible stresses in each member being considered.

A structural member should be able to carry the internal forces at each section without failure so as to perform its intended function. So, in order to check the integrity or effectiveness of a structural member, one needs to check its capacity against internal forces at its each and every cross-section. This makes the study of the variation of internal forces in a member very important to structural mechanics. Such a study is best done through internal force diagrams, which provide, at one glance, critical information on these internal forces.