Method For Analyzing Complex Viscoelastic Structures

The paper presents a method of analysis for structures composed by beam members with different creep properties, whose structural configurations are repeatedly modified. A great deal of attention has been dedicated to this problem since it occurs very frequently in practice. As is known, the problem is governed by a coupled system of Volterra integral equations for each intermediate stage, and involves considerable difficulty in its calculus. The proposed method simplifies the mathematical formulation of the problem. Among other things; some advantages are obtained by introducing a corollary of the theorem of virtual work, which has no particular advantages with respect to the usual elastic methods, but is very appropriate for use in the viscoelastic analysis of heterogeneous structures. By imposing compatibility conditions at the delayed restraints, the general statement of the problem is presented. Subsequently, by using the numerical step-by-step procedures of the general method a rapid numerical algorithm, which must necessarily be computer processed, is proposed. Finally, some numerical applications are carried out for three different types of structures.