9. ENERGY METHODS; Part I
The chapter focuses on energy methods, specifically Real Work and Virtual Work, as techniques for formulating and analyzing structural problems. Real Work emphasizes the relationship between external work and internal strain energy, while Virtual Work offers a more flexible approach, allowing analysis of structures under various load conditions and deformation states.
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What we have learnt
- Energy methods are essential for both the formulation of stiffness matrices and the analysis of structural problems.
- The first law of thermodynamics states that the rate of change of total energy equals the sum of external work and heat input.
- Virtual Work provides a powerful approach for structures, using actual and hypothetical loads to derive deformation compatibility.
Key Concepts
- -- Real Work
- A method that relates external work done on a system to its internal energy and heat content.
- -- Virtual Work
- A method that incorporates both real and hypothetical forces to analyze the compatibility of deformations in a structure.
- -- Strain Energy
- The energy stored in a structure due to deformation, calculated based on stress and displacement.
- -- First Law of Thermodynamics
- A principle stating that the total energy in a closed system remains constant, with changes related to work done and heat transfer.
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