GRID EXAMPLE

Determine the joint displacements,

member end forces, and support
reactions for the three member grid
by using the Direct Stiffness Method.
E=200 GPa
G=76 GPa
I=3.47108 mm4
J=1.15108 mm4

8
5

12
D

SOLUTION:
There are 3 active dofs (shown in red).
Also there exist 9 constrained dofs
(shown in green).

11

2
2

10

First obtain member stiffness matrices in global coordinates (XYZ)

Member 1 (From A to C), L=10 m, =36.8
Construct element stiffness matrix in local coordinates (K1)

K1=

832.8

4164

-832.8

4164

874

-874

4164

27760

-4164

13880

-832.8

-4164

832.8

-4164

-874

874

4164

13880

-4164

27760

Transformation matrix (T1) is obtained as

T1=

0.8

0.6

-0.6 0.8

0.8

0.6

-0.6 0.8

Then the element stiffness matrix in global coordinates is obtained through K1=T1T K1T1

K1=

832.8

-2498.4

3331.2

-832.8

-2498.4

3331.2

-2498.4

10553

-12905

2498.4

4437.4

-7081.9

3331.2

-12905

18081

-3331.2

-7081.9

8568.6

-832.8

2498.4

-3331.2

832.8

2498.4

-3331.2

-2498.4

4437.4

-7081.9

2498.4

10553

-12905

3331.2

-7081.9

8568.6

-3331.2

-12905

18081

Member 2 (From B to C), L=6 m, =90

K2=T2T K2T2=

3855.6

-11567

-3855.6

-11567

-11567

46267

11567

23133

1456.7

-1456.7

-3855.6

11567

3855.6

11567

-11567

23133

11567

46267

-1456.7

1456.7

Member 3 (From D to C), L=8 m, =0

K3 = K3=

1626.6

6506.3

-1626.6

6506.3

1092.5

11567

-1092.5

6506.3

34700

-6506.3

17350

-1626.6

-6506.3

1626.6

-6506.3

11567

-1092.5

1092.5

6506.3

17350

-6506.3

34700

The structure stiffness matrix is obtained through assebmly, i.e. K = K1 + K2+ K3

1

6315

14065

-9837.5

14065

57912

-12905

-9837.5

-12905

54238

K=

0
The joint load vector (P) is composed of zeros, i.e.

P=

0
0

Members 2 and 3 are subjected to distributed loads, which should be converted to joint loads.

60

y, Y

-60
20 kN/m

P2F = T2T P2F =

x, Z
6m

60
60

60
60

0
60

60

80

y, Y

0
20 kN/m

P3F = P3F =

x, X
8m

106.67

106.67
80

80

Hence the fixed end force vector fort he structure is PF =

140

60

-106.67

106.67
80

-106.67

The structure stiffness equation can be developed as P - PF = K D

0
0
0

140

60

-106.67

6315

14065

-9837.5

D1

14065

57912

-12905

D2

-9837.5

-12905

54238

D3

-55.95 m
The joint displacements are obtained as

D=

11.33 rad

10-3

-5.49 rad

Member end displacements and forces (also support reactions) can be determined as follows:
For member 1, local end displacements (D1) can be calculated as

0
0
D1 = T1 D1 =

10-3

-55.95
5.77
-11.19
Then, member end forces in local and global coordinates (P1 and P1) can also be determined.

P1 = K1D1 =

0.015

kN

0.015

-5.04

kNm

-50.66

77.71

kNm

59.14

-0.015

kN

-0.015

5.04

kNm

50.57

-77.56

kNm

-59.02

P1 = T1TP1 =

End forces for members 2 and 3 can be determined through the following formulations
P2 = K2D2 + P2F

P3 = K3D3 + P3F

P2 = T2T P2

P3 = T3T P3

P2 =

144.67

135.32

10

-445.06

-12.38

11

7.99

375.52

12

-24.67

24.68

-62.95

12.38

-7.99

67.01

P3 =