CVEN 2303 Structural Analysis

& Modelling

THE PRINCIPLE OF
WORK

LECTURE OUTLINE
The Theorem of Work
Principle of Virtual Forces
Principle of Virtual Displacements
Temperature Effects
Support Settlements

DEFINITION OF WORK
PRODUCT
WORK PRODUCT
the product of a force and a displacement
(an abstract quantity)

EXTERNAL WORK PRODUCT, W

when the force is an externally applied load, P

W=Pu
INTERNAL WORK PRODUCT, U
when the bar force, N, is associated with a change of length, e

U=Ne

THE THEOREM OF WORK

THE THEOREM OF WORK

states that if the structure

is subjected to any geometrically consistent displacement
field, during which the equilibrium force field is not
disturbed, then the work product of the external forces and
displacements is equal to the work product of internal
stress-resultants and deformations

i.e.

W=U

A geometrically consistent displacement field is one in

which the joint displacements {u}, which may include support
displacements, agree with the bar extensions {e}.

WORK THEOREM
PRINCIPLE OF VIRTUAL FORCES:
(dummy load method)

: real

: virtual;

PRINCIPLE OF VIRTUAL
DISPLACEMENTS:
: virtual;

: real.

WORK THEOREM
In principle of virtual forces,
is any EQUILIBRIUM FIELD.

In principle of virtual displacements,

is any CONSISTENT FIELD.

THE VIRTUAL WORK

PRINCIPLES
The Virtual Work Principles comprise:
The Principle of Virtual Displacements, and
The Principle of Virtual Forces.
The principles are used extensively in the analysis of beam, frame and
truss structures to determine static quantities (e.g. forces or
moments) and geometric quantities (e.g. displacements or
rotations), and to formulate equilibrium and compatibility
equations.
The principles are applicable to any type of structure, including:

beams, frames, trusses, slabs, plates and shells.

The Principle of Virtual Forces

The force filed and the displacement field referred to earlier may both be
real, in which case the work done is real. However, in the majority of
applications either the force field or the displacement field is imaginary. It is
usual to call such a field a virtual field, in which case the work is also virtual
work (meaning imaginary work). Imaginary quantities will be donated by
a ~ above the symbol.
In the case of truss analysis, a common situation is that we know a set of
(real) internal deformations e and support displacements uR and we
require to calculate the remaining joint displacements u. For a truss of
practical size this is an extremely tedious process by geometry. It is
therefore convenient to introduce a suitably arranged virtual force field,
by which device the geometry problem can be transformed into a statics
problem.
By the method of virtual forces it is only possible to find one joint
displacement at a time.

The Principle of Virtual Forces

Exercise 1:
The 5bar truss in the figure below is loaded as shown. For all bars,
assume: E = 2 x 10^8 kPa, A = 500 x 10^-6 m^2. Calculate the vertical and
horizontal movement of joint C.

Real Structure
Member

1
2
3
4
5

Real load applied!

e=N

[kN]

[m/kN]

[mm]

Internal Work Product

Find uc ?

Member

e=N
[mm]

1
2
3
4
5

Virtual load only applied!

Find uc ?

External Work Product

DoF

1
2

5
6

VIRTUAL STRUCTURE

0
0

The external work product W = 1 x u1

W = U and therefore, u1 = mm

Internal Work Product

Find vc ?

Member

e=N
[mm]

1
2
3
4
5

Virtual load only applied!

Find vc ?

External Work Product

DoF
1

u
0

2
3

5
6

0
0

Virtual load only applied!

The external work product W = 1 x u2

W = U and therefore, u2 = mm

TEMPERATURE EFFECTS
In some cases, truss members may change their length due to
temperature.
If is the coefficient of thermal expansion for a member and T
is the change in its temperature, the change in length (L or
e) of a member is L = TL.

Hence, we can determine the displacement of a selected truss

joint due to this temperature change from

- coefficient of thermal expansion of member

- change in temperature of member

EXAMPLE 2
temperature effects
Calculate u8

4
1

5m 1

7
12

8
11

10
7

5m

5m
u8

Members 1, 2, 3 & 4:

EXAMPLE 2 - model
2

4
1

7
12

8
11

10
7

VIRTUAL FORCE PRINCIPLE

EXTERNAL WORK
PRODUCT

INTERNAL WORK
PRODUCT

DOF

Bar,
i

1,,7

u1,, u7

1,,4

0.5

3.6

1.8

u8

u8

5,,9

N5,,N9

9,11

u9 , 0

10,12

u10, u12

-0.5

4
1

7
12

8
11

10
7

FABRICATION ERRORS
AND CAMBER
Occasionally, errors in fabricating the lengths of the members
of a truss may occur. Also, in some cases truss members must
be made slightly longer or shorter in order to give the truss a
camber. Camber is often built into a bridge truss so that the
bottom chord will curve upward by an amount equivalent to the
downward deflection of the chord when subjected to the
bridges full dead load.
If a truss member is shorter or longer than intended, the
displacement of a truss joint from its expected position can
be determined from direct application of

EXAMPLE 3

4 kN

C
3m

5m

5m
B

4m

(i) Determine the vertical

displacement of joint C
if a 4 kN force is applied
to the truss at C.

4m

(ii) If no loads act on the

truss, what would be
the vertical displacement
of joint C if member AB
was 5 mm short?

Find N and e ?

Real load applied!

4 kN

C
3m

5m

5m
B

4m

4m

Internal Work Product

Virtual load applied!

Member

(i)

e=N

[mm]

1
3

6
5

B
3

EXTERNAL WORK PRODUCT

DOF

(i)
2

u2

-u2

u3

u1

EXAMPLE 3 (ii)

EXTERNAL WORK PRODUCT

DOF
INTERNAL WORK
PRODUCT
Bar,
i

u1

u2

-u2

u3

0.667

-0.005m

-0.00333

-0.833

-0.833

Only member AB undergoes a deformation of e = -0.005 m

Support settlement
(iii) If no loads act on the truss, what would be the vertical displacement of
joint C if support A has settled 2 mm downwards?

EXTERNAL WORK PRODUCT

DOF
1

u1

u2

-u2

u3