Dynamic elastic–plastic and large deflection analyses of frame structures using motion analysis of structures

This paper presents dynamic large deflection analyses of frame structures with elastic–plastic material properties using the method of motion analysis of structures (MAS). The method of MAS is developed on the basis of vector mechanics, in which the analyzed continuum or structure is described by a set of particles directly governed by Newton's laws. The interactions among particles are complemented by the generalized forces evaluated by vector form intrinsic finite element (VFIFE), which is capable of handling the structures with large overall motion and large deformation. The strong-formed particle equations of motion are finally solved using time integration step by step. An elastic–plastic material model with mixed hardening rule and Cowper–Symonds equation for strain rate sensitive materials is adopted to account for the material nonlinearity. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the performance of MAS on analyzing frame structures under complex conditions.