ABSTRACT
Today,structural stability is usually understood as the capacity of a structure to return to a previous state of equiiibrium after imposed small displacements.In framed buildings,the displacements likely to be critical are usually the result of elastic flexuralde formations of relatively slender beams and columns and elastic shearinng deformations of associated walls,brought about by applied loads such as thewind.In shells they are more likely to be displacements normal to the surface and liable to cause this to buckle.The term may also,by extension,be used to denote the ability of the structure to remain standing after local permanent damage.But it seems preferable to use a different term-such as structural robustness-for this.
