Applications of Finite Element Analysis in Structural Engineering
Advances in the field of computer aided engineering during the last two decades have been quite extensive and have led to considerable benefits to many engineering industries. In the building industry, use of advanced finite element tools has not only allowed the introduction of innovative and efficient building products, but also the development of accurate design methods. High performance computing facilities and advanced finite element programs are now available for research and development activities in many universities in collaboration with industries. In this paper, four examples of successful applications of advanced computer tools are presented and discussed. The structural performance of steel cladding systems, innovative hollow flange beams, plasterboard lined cold-formed steel stud walls and an innovative cold-formed steel building system was accurately simulated by finite element models and thus considerably reduced the number of time consuming and expensive large scale experiments required. Both local and overall failures of various building components were investigated. New design rules, structurally improved and optimized building products and systems, and simplified behavioural and computer models were developed. This paper presents a summary of the four detailed investigations using advanced finite element tools, and selected results.
Independent Assessment and Benchmarking of no/low cost Finite Element Analysis Software for Linear Static Structural Analysis
This work assesses no and low cost FEA software. The work is most relevant for businesses or 11 individuals who are not able to afford the industry standard proprietary FEA packages; this 12 paper might aid them in selecting a lower cost alternative while maintaining a level of 13 confidence in the results. The investigation was undertaken for both linear and nonlinear static 14 structural analyses using isotropic material models, but due to the volume of content, only the 15 findings for linear static modelling are presented here. 16
Cold-formed steel structures
Abstract Cold-formed steel structures are steel structural products that are made by bending flat sheets of steel at ambient temperature into shapes which will support more than the flat sheets themselves. They have been produced for more than a century since the first flat sheets of steel were produced by the steel mills. However, in recent years, higher strength materials and a wider range of structural applications have caused a significant growth in cold-formed steel relative to the traditional heavier hot-rolled steel structural members. This paper contains three components. First, it reviews and summarises the major research developments in cold-formed steel structures over the last 3 years (1999–2001) as published in leading journals on steel structures and thin-walled structures. Secondly, it summarises the development of the North American Specification for the Design of Cold-Formed Steel Structural Members. Finally, it provides a brief summary of the Direct Strength Method being developed by the American Iron and Steel Institute Specification Committee.