ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a versatile computer-based method of second-order elastic analysis for both Type fully restrained (FR) and Type partially restrained (PR) constructions, that is numerically stable and also can be simply implemented in a computer. In this development, the chapter highlights the necessary simplification of the analytical procedures without losing numerical stability and accuracy of a rigorous solution. The chapter illustrates the derivation of the stiffness equations for beam and column members in closed form from the governing differential equations of a finite displacement theory with the assumption that members undergo only moderately large rotations. It describes the implementation of connection models and an iterative method to solve the nonlinear stiffness equations. Modeling of connections is an important subject that strongly influences the accuracy of analysis with respect to Type PR construction. The chapter develops the analysis program which is basically the same as FLFRM with some refinement made to the original program.
