Authorised by Academic Registrar, April 1996
Objectives To develop an understanding of the elastic instability of structural elements and systems and the competence to assess elastic critical load factors and to relate these factors to inelastic behaviour for the design of structural elements and systems.
Synopsis Types of instability and post buckling behaviour; stability functions and geometric stiffness; determination of elastic critical loads of plane rigid jointed frames and trusses, flexural torsional buckling of beams and beam columns; numerical methods including finite elements and finite differences, Rayleigh-Ritz, power iteration; application to industrial building frames, buildings and bridges; interaction with plastic behaviour for ultimate strength of structural systems and elements; design applications.
Assessment Examination (3 hours): 60% + Other assessment: 40%