ABSTRACT
Structural mechanics deals with a system of members connected by joints which may be pinned or rigid. In general, solving a solid mechanics problem must satisfy equations of equilibrium, conditions of compatibility between strains and displacements, and stress–strain relations or material constitutive law. The digital computer called for a more systematic method of structural analysis, leading to computational structural mechanics. A major feature evident in structural matrix analysis is an emphasis on a systematic approach to the statement of the problem. In the design and analysis of bridge structures, it is necessary to study the effects intrigued by loads placed in various positions. Strain analysis is concerned with the study of deformation of a continuous body which is unrelated to properties of the body material. A material body will produce deformation when subjected to external excitations. Based on the sources from which it arises, nonlinearity can be categorized into material nonlinearity and geometric nonlinearity.
