Computer-Automated Limit-States-Design of Steel Frameworks

by Donald E. Grierson, Univ of Waterloo, Solid Mechanics, Div, Waterloo, Ont, Canada,
Gordon E. Cameron, Univ of Waterloo, Solid Mechanics, Div, Waterloo, Ont, Canada,



Document Type: Proceeding Paper

Part of: Plastic and Other Limit State Methods for Design Evaluation

Abstract:

The paper concerns the computer-automated synthesis of minimum-weight planar steel frameworks. For any number of applied loading cases, the design of the structure may be constrained by a variety of service and factored limit-states performance criteria concerning displacements, stresses and plastic collapse loads. Fabrication conditions can be imposed to ensure member-continuity and structure-symmetry requirements. Member sizes can be taken as either continuous or discrete variables to the synthesis process, depending on whether custom or commercial standard sections are available for the design. The computer-based design method is iterative in nature and is remarkably effective and efficient. Commencing with an arbitrarily chosen initial trial design, the synthesis process determines the minimum-weight structure satisfying all of the imposed performance criteria without further designer intervention.

Subject Headings: Load and resistance factor design | Steel structures | Steel frames | Minimum weight design | Failure loads | Plastic design | Sensitivity analysis

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