Advanced Structural Analysis

Assignment 1 (Due 22 August 2016)

1.

The truss shown in the figure below has Aac = 4 in2, Aad = Aab = 22Aac and E = 29 E+3 ksi. Calculate
the nodal displacements and element forces if (a) Element ac is fabricated 0.06 in too long (b) Support
a settles by 0.05 in.

2.

Obtain the stiffness matrix for the single truss element in the figure below which has a linearly
varying cross-section using the exact displacement function. Compare this stiffness matrix with the
stiffness matrix found assuming a linear displacement function.

3.

Obtain the stiffness matrix for the planar beam with a spring support shown in the figure below.

4.

Determine variationally consistent nodal loads for the Bernoulli-Euler beam loaded with a linearly
varying distributed load as shown in the figure below:
7 kN/m
5 kN/m

2 kN/m

4m

3m

Hint: Discretize using 2 elements and 3 nodes.

5.

The integral I defined below governs the small deflections of a rotating string of length l, defined over
the domain [0, l]:

=
0

1 2 2
1
+ ( )2
2
2

1
( 2 )=0
2

y(x) is the displacement of a point from the axis of rotation, F(x) is the tension in the string, (x) is the
mass density of the string, is the angular velocity of the rotation and p(x) is the intensity of the
distributed line load acting on the string. The spring has an yielding support at the end x = 0 and k is
the modulus of the support. Obtain the governing differential equation and identify appropriate
boundary conditions for this system.