A SIMPLIFIED ANALYSIS ON ELASTIC PLASTIC STABILITY OF FLEXURAL BRACING-FRAME SYSTEM

This paper presents an analysis of the elastic-plastic stability of frames braced by flexural bracings. Because of the inherent complexity of the problem, a simplified model is used in the present paper in which the frame is replaced by a leaning column and the flexural bracing is modeled as a vertical column. Horizontal forces and vertical loads are exerted on the system, and equations for determining the required cross-sectional rigidity of the cantilever columns are established. It is found that the required cross-sectional rigidity under combined actions of horizontal loads and vertical loads is greater than the summation of the required rigidities under horizontal loads and vertical loads separately.