Open Access

ARTICLE

A BEM Approach for Inelastic Analysis of Beam-Foundation Systems under Cyclic Loading

E.J. Sapountzakis¹, A.E. Kampitsis²

1 School of Civil Engineering, National Technical University, Zografou Campus, GR–157 80, Athens, Greece. cvsapoun@central.ntua.gr
2 School of Civil Engineering, National Technical University, Zografou Campus, GR–157 80, Athens, Greece. cvakamb@gmail.com

Computer Modeling in Engineering & Sciences 2012, 87(2), 97-126. https://doi.org/10.3970/cmes.2012.087.097

Abstract

In this paper a Boundary Element Method (BEM) is developed for the inelastic analysis of beams of arbitrarily shaped constant cross section having at least one axis of symmetry, resting on nonlinear inelastic foundation. The beam is subjected to arbitrarily distributed or concentrated vertical cyclic loading along its length, while its edges are subjected to the most general boundary conditions. A displacement based formulation is developed and inelastic redistribution is modelled through a distributed plasticity model exploiting material constitutive laws and numerical integration over the cross sections. An incremental - iterative solution strategy is adopted to resolve both the plastic part of stress resultants and the foundation reaction along with an efficient iterative process to integrate the inelastic rate equations. The arising boundary value problem is solved employing BEM. Numerical examples are worked out to illustrate the efficiency, the accuracy and the range of applications of the developed method.

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Keywords

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