The analysis of frame structures with non-prismatic beams

Abstract

This paper studies the static analysis of frame structures with non-prismatic beam elements. The flexibility coefficients of the non-prismatic elements are obtained by numerical integration of the equation of deflection of beams in bending The paper studies the possibility of approximation of the behavior of the non-prismatic beams by subdividing them in a minimal number of prismatic elements. The results of this study are very useful in the practice, when special analysis software for non-prismatic beams is not available.