Difference Between Buckling Analysis and Nonlinear Static Analysis to Evaluate

Buckling
Linear buckling analysis works by applying perturbations to the undeIormed shape, and
looking Ior deIlections that could be unstable due to the P-Delta eIIects under a speciIied set
oI loads. The output oI the linear buckling analysis is a set oI buckling Iactors and
corresponding mode shapes. For each mode shape, the buckling Iactor is a scale Iactor that
must multiply the applied loads to cause buckling. Similarly, the mode shapes are normalized
displacements oI the buckled structure and describe how the structure would buckle.
Nonlinear static analysis works by applying the total load in increments and evaluating the
stiIIness and response at each increment. The stiIIness may change Irom increment to
increment due to the Iollowing eIIects:
O P-Delta EIIects - eIIect oI large tensile or compressive stresses on transverse bending
and shear behaviour
O Large Displacement EIIects - deIormed shape oI the structure is considered when
assembling the equilibrium equations
O Nonlinear Material Properties - accounts Ior nonlinear material properties, such as
yielding oI steel. This behavior is modeled using Irame hinges or layered nonlinear
shell elements in SAP2000.
Unlike the linear buckling analysis, the nonlinear static analysis provides a "actual response"
oI the structure (displacements, internal Iorces, etc.) Ior each load increment. You can review
the deIormation path oI the structure to determine when the structure starts soItening, which
may be viewed as initiation oI buckling.
We would recommend you to review the Iollowing sections oI the CSI Analysis ReIerence
Manual that provide good insight into this topic:
O chapter Load Cases, section Linear Buckling Analysis
O chapter Geometric Nonlinearity, section Overview
O chapter Geometric Nonlinearity, section The P-Delta EIIect
The linear buckling analysis does not take into account material nonlinearity, so the results
may be quite diIIerent, depending on how much the material nonlinearity governs the
behavior.