Limit Load Bounds for the mα Multiplier

Abstract

Limit analysis is an important tool to assess the integrity of a structure. Successive elastic modulus adjustment, in particular, can simulate the plastic stress redistribution in a structure at the limit state (plastic collapse). Several limit load estimates have been developed based on the stress and strain distribution within a component. The bounding nature of these estimates is examined in this paper. Particular emphasis is given to the limit load estimate mα, which has been proposed to give improved limit load predictions from partly converged stress distributions in the structure. Bounds on the accuracy of these mα predictions are derived.