STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING

TERMS AND DEFINATIONS

• Story drift
• Storey displacement
• Soft storey
• Weak storey
• Storey shear/ base shear
• Time period
• Diaphragm
• Mode shapes
• Modal analysis
• Frequency
• Damping
• Linear/non linear analysis
• Static/ dynamic
• Stiffness
• Shear lag
 Storey drift

• Storey drift is the displacement of a storey

with respect to next storey.
 Storey displacement
• Storey displacement is total displacement of
ith storey with respect to ground.
 Soft storey
• It is one in which the lateral stiffness is less
than 70 percent of that in the storey above or
less than 80 percent of the average lateral
stiffness of the three storeys above.(IS 1893-1
(2002))
 Weak storey
• It is one in which the storey lateral strength is
less than 80 percent of that in the storey
above, The storey lateral strength is the total
strength of all seismic force resisting elements
sharing the storey shear in the considered
direction. (IS 1893-1 (2002))
 Base shear
• Base shear is an estimate of the maximum
expected lateral force that will occur due to
seismic ground motion at the base of a
structure.
 Time period
• The time taken (in seconds) for each complete
cycle of oscillation (i.e., one complete back-
and-forth motion) is the same and is called
Fundamental Natural Period “ T” of the
building.(EQTips10)
 Diaphragm
• It is a horizontal, or nearly horizontal system,
which transmits lateral forces to the vertical
resisting elements, for example, reinforced
concrete floors and horizontal bracing
systems. (IS 1893-1 (2002))
 Mode shapes
• A mode shape is a specific pattern of vibration
executed by a mechanical system at a specific
frequency.
 Modal analysis
• Modal analysis is the study of the dynamic
properties of systems in the frequency
domain.
 Frequency
• A frequency of vibration of a structure is a
single frequency that the entire
structure would vibrate at, were it to be
started (that is, set into motion) appropriately.
This assumes an idealization of a structure as
being one that is linear and undamped.
 Damping
• Damping in mechanical systems is the
extraction of mechanical energy from the
motion in the system, usually by conversion of
potential energy into heat. Therefore it can be
regarded as a loss of energy.
 Linear analysis
• A linear static analysis is an analysis where a
linear relation holds between applied forces and
displacements. In practice, this is applicable to
structural problems where stresses remain in the
linear elastic range of the used material. In a
linear static analysis the model’s stiffness matrix
is constant, and the solving process is relatively
short compared to a nonlinear analysis on the
same model. Therefore, for a first estimate, the
linear static analysis is often used prior to
performing a full nonlinear analysis.
 Non-linear analysis
• A nonlinear analysis is an analysis where a nonlinear
relation holds between applied forces and
displacements. Nonlinear effects can originate from
geometrical nonlinearity’s (i.e. large deformations),
material nonlinearity’s (i.e. elasto-plastic material), and
contact. These effects result in a stiffness matrix which
is not constant during the load application. This is
opposed to the linear static analysis, where the
stiffness matrix remained constant. As a result, a
different solving strategy is required for the nonlinear
analysis and therefore a different solver.
 Static analysis
• Applied force is constant.
• Force is not varying with time.
 Dynamic analysis
• Applied force is dynamic.
• Force is varying with time.
 Stiffness
• In structural engineering, the term 'stiffness'
refers to the rigidity of a structural element. In
general terms, this means the extent to which
the element is able to resist deformation or
deflection under the action of an applied
force.
 Shear lag
• Uneven shear stress distribution across length
or cross section area of members.
Irregularities
Irregularities