Limit Loads of Mechanical Components and Structures Using the GLOSS R-Node Method

Abstract

A method for determining plastic collapse loads of mechanical components and structures on the basis of two linear elastic finite element analysis is presented in this paper. The r-nodes, which are essentially statically determinate locations, are obtained by GLOSS analysis. The plastic collapse loads are determined for statically determinate and indeterminate components and structures by using the single-bar and the multibar models, respectively. The paper also attempts to unify the concepts of load-control, limit load, reference stress and stress-classification. The GLOSS R-Node method is applied to several component configurations of practical interest.