Abstract When exposed to high temperatures, such as in a fire situation, the physical and resistance characteristics of the materials employed in the structure deteriorate as the temperature increases. This fact promotes a considerable loss in the bearing capacity and stiffness of the structural system. The verification of a structure exposed to fire depends primarily and principally on the thermal analysis of the cross section of the structural element. This analysis permits determination of the temperature variation or temperature range in the element from the boundary conditions provided by the fire model adopted. As such, this study had the objective of performing a thermal analysis in a transient regime by means of a finite element method on steel-concrete composite cross sections that are employed in civil construction through use of the Computational System for Advanced Structural Analysis/Fire Analysis (CS-ASA/FA). Two cross sections are analyzed and the results obtained were satisfactory. In addition, different iterative solution processes were adopted in the analysis. Parametric studies were also performed related to the mesh variation of the finite elements and time increase. From the results, it was possible to conclude that CS-ASA/FA can supply the necessary information when a thermo-structural analysis is performed for the evaluation of strength and stiffness losses of the structural material when exposed to fire.

Nesse trabalho, um elemento finito híbrido, que incorpora em sua formulação os efeitos não lineares de segunda ordem, da inelasticidade do aço e da semirrigidez da ligação, é utilizado para modelar e analisar sistemas estruturais reticulados planos em aço. Trata-se do elemento finito clássico de pórtico plano que apresenta, em suas extremidades, pares de molas dispostas em série. Uma das molas é representada pelo parâmetro Sc, que define o grau de rigidez da ligação entre as barras; a outra mola é representada pelo parâmetro Ss, que avalia a plastificação da seção. A matriz de rigidez desse elemento incorpora todos os efeitos não lineares supracitados. O presente trabalho faz uma averiguação da eficiência computacional do elemento híbrido na simulação isolada e combinada desses efeitos não lineares. Problemas clássicos de equilíbrio e estabilidade são inicialmente modelados e, em seguida, a atenção é voltada para a análise de sistemas estruturais com ligações flexíveis. Por fim, o referido elemento é utilizado em análises inelásticas de pórticos planos baseadas no método da rótula plástica refinado. Através dessas análises, é possível verificar e validar o emprego do elemento híbrido na modelagem numérica de diversos problemas estruturais não lineares na engenharia civil.

In this work, a hybrid finite element that incorporates in its formulation the second-order effect, material yielding and connection flexibility effects are presented to study the behavior of plane steel frames. In fact, it is the classic beam-column finite element that presents, at its ends, pairs of springs arranged in sequence. One of the springs is represented in the mathematical formulation of this element by the parameter Sc, which defines the joint stiffness of the members; the other spring, whose rigidity is simulated by the parameter Ss, evaluates the plastification of the cross section. The element stiffness matrix incorporates these three mentioned nonlinear effects. Therefore, the aim of this work is to investigate the computer efficiency of this hybrid finite element in the isolated and combined simulation of these nonlinear effects. Initially, equilibrium and stability of classic structural problems with high nonlinear behavior and critical points in the equilibrium paths are studied. Semi-rigid structural systems with initial geometric imperfections are also evaluated. Later, the hybrid element is tested in the inelastic analysis of plane steel frames based on refined plastic-hinge method. Through these examples, it was possible to validate and verify the use of the proposed hybrid finite element in the numerical modeling of various nonlinear structural problems in civil engineering.