pycba.nonlinear#

PyCBA Nonlinear Module — Generalized Clough Model#

Incremental nonlinear analysis of continuous beams using the Generalized Clough model for material nonlinearity (concentrated plasticity).

The Generalized Clough model tracks a stiffness-reduction parameter R at each element end. R = 1 is fully elastic and R = q (the strain- hardening ratio) indicates a fully plastic hinge. Between yield (M_y) and the plastic moment (M_p), R degrades linearly, producing a bilinear moment–rotation response at the section level.

Each plastic hinge is owned by a single element end so that the adjacent element retains rotational stiffness at the shared node. This keeps the global stiffness matrix non-singular during load redistribution and allows the analysis to continue past first-hinge formation. True collapse is detected by a separate rank test that zeros both element ends at every hinged node and checks for global singularity.

References

  • Clough, R.W. & Johnston, S.B. (1966). “Effect of stiffness degradation on earthquake ductility requirements.” Proc. Japan Earthquake Engineering Symposium, Tokyo, pp. 227–232.

  • Li, G.Q. & Li, J.J. (2007). Advanced Analysis and Design of Steel Frames. John Wiley & Sons, Chapter 4.

  • McCarthy, L.A. (2012). Probabilistic Analysis of Indeterminate Highway Bridges Considering Material Nonlinearity. MPhil Thesis, Dublin Institute of Technology.

  • Caprani, C.C. (2006). “Probabilistic Analysis of Highway Bridge Traffic Loading.” PhD Thesis, University College Dublin.

Classes

HingeEvent

Record of a yield or plastic-hinge formation event.

NonlinearBeamAnalysis

Nonlinear continuous beam analysis using the Generalized Clough model.

NonlinearResult

Results container for a nonlinear beam analysis.