Plastic Limit Analysis Using the Simplified Theory of Plastic Zones

Abstract

The simplified theory of plastic zones (STPZ) was mainly developed to determine strain ranges and accumulated strains in the state of shakedown at cyclic loading between prescribed levels of loading. Kinematic hardening is an indispensable feature of the STPZ. The plastic limit load, however, is defined for monotonic loading and elastic–plastic material behavior without hardening. Simply assigning a zero value or a numerically very low value of the tangent modulus when applying the STPZ is generally not possible due to arising numerical instabilities. It is, therefore, not immediately obvious how the STPZ can be used to determine the maximum load level that can be applied to a structure without developing a kinematic mechanism. This paper describes the theory and the analysis steps required and provides some illustrative examples. Typically, between one and three linear elastic analyses and some local calculations are required to provide either the exact value or at least a reasonable estimate of a range of the plastic limit load, as well as of the associated stress and strain fields and displacements that are not provided by classical limit analysis.