Structural Analysis 1

ProfessorAmit Shaw
Department of Civil Engineering
Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur
Lecture 1
Introduction

Hello everyone. Welcome to Structural Analysis 1. This course is being offered as online
certification course. An initiative by NPTEL. So let us begin our courseby expressing our
thanks to NPTEL and of course to CET IIT Kharagpur formaking the arrangements.Firstlet
me introduce myself. My name is Amit Shaw. I am an associate faculty in department of civil
engineering IIT Kharagpur. You cannote down my email ID.

Throughout this course or even after that if you have anything to discuss, if you have any
confusion need to be clarified, you are most welcome to write to me. But whenever you write
to me please make sure that the subject of email you give this.

(Refer Slide Time 01:17)

It will be easier for me to identify those emails. This course is having around 12 modules.
Eachmodulesaround 5 lectures. Each of which 25 to 35 minutes duration. We're going to start
first module today. You see I will give you the syllabus of the course, reference books and the
notesand other resource material.But since this is the first class, let us try to understand, what
is the motivation of this course? Let us try to understand that, what exactly we are going to
learn from this course?
And if you look at in your engineering curriculum there are many courses and among these
courses, where thiscourse stands. How this course is related to those courses? You see the
name of the course isStructure Analysis. So the word structure isnot new to us, right? I mean,
onvarious occasions and various contexts we do use this word, structure. For instance we say
some time something like themanagement structure of the company is like this.

We do say the social and economic structure of the country is like this. Sometimes we also
say that the fabric structure of the textile is like this. So the word structure, we are familiar
with, right? And we have used it in various contexts. Now if I see the dictionary meaning of
this word, then it says,the arrangement of and relations between the parts or elements of
something complex.

(Refer Slide Time 03:02)

This definition is very general and it includes all the applications of the word structure
engineering or non-engineering. But you at from engineering perspective, then probably the
second definitionis closer. It says that a building or other object constructed from several
parts. So for us structure or whenever we refer to structure, it means a building or other object
constructed from several parts. Okay.
(Refer Slide Time 03:43)

Now as we have defined the word structure, let us see some examples. Because there is a
saying that one image is equals to thousand words. So what I am going to do is in next few
slides I am going to show yousome examples for structures. Let us start withthe structures
from ancient age.

(Refer Slide Time 04:13)

You know the concept of building structures was known in ancient age as well. Probably the
idea of Structure Analysiswas not in the form that we have today. But they knew how to make
structure as per their requirement and this is evidence from this figure, you see the first one is
around 15000 years old. It is made of mammoth bone structure. And the second one is again
10000 years old and the third one 3600 BC.
And this is one of the some of the oldest freestanding structureand you can Google all these
structure and read their history, howthose structures were made?So the concept of the
structure was also there during ancient age.

(Refer Slide Time 05:07)

All wonders of the world, these are very famous structures.I have not given the name of these
structures because they don't need any introduction, these structures. You see for any subject
learning from history is a very important step. You imagine these structure were built during a
time when the technology was not that advanced. The concept of understanding of material
was not that advanced and in spite of that they could build these kind of structures.

Soyou must read the history of all these structures. How the design was done? How the
construction took place? And definitely those informationwill help you to be a better
structural engineer. Nowwellyou see this in the first rowyou see some of the structures which
really common in country sideand this down, the second row, the structures which aresome of
the well-known famous structures.

And now the structure is a mud hut, what you see in a village that is also a structure. And
theworld’s tallest building Burj Khalifa that is also a structure. A slum where many small
houses, collection of many small-small houses, those are also structures. And this skyline that
you can see, that is also structure. The Bamboo Bridge which is again very common in
countryside that is also structure. And these kind of bridge is also a structure. So what point I
want to make is to tell you the two extreme. And anything falls between this to this, all are
structures.
(Refer Slide Time 07:18)

Wellmany animals are also great engineers too. You see these are the some of the
structuresmade by animals. The first one is ant colony, then bird nest, then wild comb
structure, then spider web, silk nest by moth and then termite colony. The first one is very
interesting because you see there is an optimizationtechnique called ant colony optimization
technique and that optimization technique is motivatedfrom ant colony, this kind of structure.
If you look around, you can see there are many other structures made by animals. Here just I
am showing you some representative figures.

(Refer Slide Time 08:07)

Well, as we all know nature is the best engineer. Some of the structures again created by the
nature. Human skeleton is a great structure and for that matter skeleton of any animal is
structure. The next one isthe fish scales. The body of the fish itself is a great design because
the body is made in such a way, the surface of the scale is made in such a way that it helps
not only to allowthe fish to swim, it also protect the fish.

And here two important things to be (clea) noted. One is the arrangements of these fish
scales. And if you take each fish scale separately and if you look into thestructureof fish
scales, that is also very fascinating. Bird wings is a great, again a very fascinated structure
created by nature. Then outer cover of snails. Tree root is again very interesting structure. You
know the roots are such that it holds the tree to the ground and it also provides stability to the
structure.

In fact (ther) now people are trying to make foundation of any structure very similar to
theroot structure of a tree, to make it more stable. The anatomy of ant is again very interesting
because you see ant can carry much-much more load then their weight. Andthe anatomyof ant
actuallyhelps them to do that. And if you study them, people are trying to study the anatomy
ofand try to make robot in such a way that it can carry more load. So these are again some
few examples of the structure created by the nature. But if you look around you can see
severalother examples as well.

(Refer Slide Time 10:09)

Okay. Some of the structures, you know the structure is not only associated with civil
engineering. Yes, civil engineering we do have structure. But when we say structure, it is a
very general. It is not only restricted to civil engineering. For instance, here the first one is
again very well-known.It is the supporting frame for PSLV. That is also structure.
And this structure, when we have to create this structure, make this structure, we need to
consider all the possible loads coming from this launcher. International Space Station, it is
also a structure. It is orbiting in loweredorbit. And then robot, yes robot is again, the concept
of structure mechanics is very important to make robots. In next lecture we will be studying
degrees of freedom and we will see thatthese concepts of degree of freedom and constraint is
very important in studying robotics.

Ship is again a structure, these are very well-known. The skeleton of any vehicle if you take,
that is also structure. Aero-plane is also a structure. Again these are some examples but there
are many moreexamples.

(Refer Slide Time 11:27)

Well, structure is everywhere you know. Some of the example that you have seen so faris
very big. But very small things that we see everyday, they are also structure. And I am trying
to collect some of them so that you can relate themto your daily life. For instance say, tripod
of a camera is a structure. The see-saw, it is very (co) common in any children park. That is
also structure. The jack, lifting jack is a structure. The dish antenna, that is also very
common, is a structure.

You all might have use drafterin your first year engineering drawing. That drafter is also
structure. The chair you're sitting on and watching this video or the table where the computers
are kept,they everything is a structure. If you are sitting on a bench in your classroom, that
bench is a structure. Cycle is a structure. Ceiling fan is a structure. Even cricket bat is a
structure. Then the collapsible gate, that is also very common, is a structure. The switch
board, there are switch you can see, this switch is also a structure.

Scissor is a structure. Even the cloth hanger that is also a structure. You know the structure is
everywhere. Nowbeforewe go further, here we I try to give you some of the examples. Some
of thephotographsof structures that are famous and also some of the objects which cannot be
associated with civil engineering. But they are also structure. Some of the objects we use in
our daily life, when we see every day, they are also structure.

But again there is a saying that figure is demonstration. Demonstration is much better than
figure. So I am going to show you some of the objects which are structure and there is a
reason behind (obj). Those objects are having (pa) particular shape, particular size, particular
feature and those features are not accidental. There is a reason for that and that reason can be
explained through structure mechanics.

For instance, let us give you first example is an umbrella. You know you all are familiar with
this umbrella. Now if I open this umbrella yousee this mechanism can be explained through
structure. These ribs that you can see they are actually different kind of structure.

(Refer Slide Time 14:10)

So thisyou can explain through the knowledge of structure mechanics. For instancethis is a
very fascinating example. You all have seen this coffee cup, right? Now if you see the rib of
this coffee cup.I don't know that you can see it properly or not. This (th) it is folded outward.
Yes, yes. This is folded out ward.
(Refer Slide Time 14:43)

This is folded outward. This is also not foraesthetic. There is a structure reason to this. There
are two things important. One is it is folded and it is folded outward, not inwards. You go to
any coffee shop, take any paper cup and you see this is a common feature that it is always
folded outward.Now have you asked yourself, why it is folded outward? It can be explained
through mechanic structure.

Now similar example again is aluminium foil. Many of you probably used this aluminium
foil to carry food. You see what is interesting, you again see these small vertical ribs here.

(Refer Slide Time 15:24)

Okay. Again these are not for aesthetic. This provides stiffener. These are actually
stiffeners.This make this entire container more rigid. So that you can hold it properly without
considerable bending. So this is also from the concept ofstructural mechanics. Similar
example, you take this water bottle.

(Refer Slide Time 15:53)

Water bottle again this vertical stiffenerthat you can see. Theseare again not for aesthetic.
Aesthetic is one aspect but there is a structure reason to this. This provides stiffness. Make it
more stiff.Now I will tell you one incident that few days back I was visiting one of my
colleagues and I saw his 4 years daughter playing with building blocks. These are building
blocks, okay?

(Refer Slide Time 16:25)

And she was making tower with this building blocks. And first she made a tower very
slender, very slender tower. And when she tried to hold it and carry at it could not control and
itfell down.

(Refer Slide Time 16:40)

Then next time when she started making the tower once again, she made very small tower.
Not that tall, not that slender and she carried it. I asked her, why are youmaking itthat small?
Then she told me because if I make it more slender then it may fall again. You see the 4 years
daughter could realize that if it is long then it may fall. But why it falls? That can be
explained by structural mechanics. Now if I hold it like this it won't fall.

(Refer Slide Time 17:21)

So when a structure become slender then it becomes unstable.That can be explained through
structural mechanics. This again some example. This razor that is also a structure. This you
see this is a very common thing you can see on the dining table. This isa spoon holder. The
spoon holder is also a structure.

(Refer Slide Time 17:43)

So what point I want to make it here is, we are surrounded by structures. Structure is
everywhere. Only thing is we have to look at those object in a different way. Okay, now one
of the important role of engineer is to build those structures, okay.

(Refer Slide Time 18:15)

Now you know,building a structure is a process. Means there are many steps to be followed
before we actually have the actual structure. And structural analysis is one such step. Now
just to put it in more clear way,let me give you illustration. You see, consider this structure.

(Refer Slide Time 18:46)

This is Lotus Temple, New Delhi. Again it is a very famous structure. Now suppose this is the
final product, final structure which we need to build. Now what we are going to see is, what
are the steps that we need to make this structure? Okay.

(Refer Slide Time 19:02)

Now, these are some steps. It always starts with concept of the structure, planning of the
structure. As well as this structure is concerned, it is the architecture of the structure. Now
this is beside another reason why every architect must have some understanding of structural
analysis. Now the first is always the concept of the structure, the architecture of the structure.
Now once that model is ready, the architecture model is ready, what we need to do is, we
need to understand feasibility of that model?

Means how the model, how the structure may respond when it is subjected to actual
environment? And that step is analysis. And once the analysis is done then you need to design
the structure. Design means,if you look at the structure, if it is a food, then design is a recipe
for that food. You need to make the recipe for the structure. So that this structure can be
constructed.

Now once the design is done then you need to translate the design in the form of a language
that can be understood by the people who will be executing the structure or will be
constructing the structure or fabricating the structure, right? And this language is design, this
language is drawing. As you might have heard in your engineering drawing course
thatdrawing is the language of engineer. Now this drawing goes to the construction site.

And where there are people involved who can read this drawing and execute the structure and
finally you have the structure. So these are the steps need to be followed in order to construct
it. These are the broad steps. There are some other steps as well, minute steps. But these are
the major steps that need to be followed.Now you see it is not particularly for this structure. If
you take any object which needs to be constructed or fabricated or manufactured, similar
steps need to be followed.

There may be minor variation depending on the structure, but the essence of this steps
remains the same.Okay, so this is what we are going to doin this course is this step, the
analysis of the structure. We will be having design course in the subsequence semester. I
believe you already have engineering drawing. Construction also you will be having in
subsequent semester. So this is how you are analysis is related to other subjects that you may
have in your engineering curriculum.

Okay, so what we have done so far is we havedefined structure, what is structure? Then we
have seen some of the examples and through those examples we realize thatstructure is
everywhere. Any small or big, many object can be can be called as structure. And one of the
important role of an engineer is to build those structure. And building structure is a process. It
needs several steps and structural analysis is one such step.Right?
Then naturally the next question comes is, what is structural analysis? We understand the
structural analysis is a step. But what is structural analysis? Now next what we are going to
see is what is structural analysis? Now instead of giving you a formal definition of structural
analysis, let me tell you or explain structural analysis through a story. Okay.

This is a very old story, maybe more than 150 years old story. It is a very popular story. It is a
popular nursery story. AndI am sure that many of you might have read the story when you
were kid. But still I am telling you the story because story as such is nothing new in this story
probably. Everybody understand that. But still this story will probably help us to look at this
subject in a proper perspective. Okay,now the name of the story is three little pigs.

(Refer Slide Time 23:10)

All the photographs I have takenfrom this book. All the scan copy of photographs taken from
this book. Okay. The story was like this. There are three brothers. Okay. They used to stay
with their mother.
(Refer Slide Time 23:29)

But when they are grown up they decided to go out and live their own and make their own
houses. So theyrequested their mother to allow them to do so. And then mother said, yes fine
no problem, you may go ahead and be careful.

(Refer Slide Time 23:51)

And now once they got the consent from their mother, they are very happy, they are very
excited because now they are going to live their life on their own. And they are going to make
their house. Nowthen one of these three brothers name is Curly.He was an engineer. Okay.
Now hesaid other two brothers that, yes now we are going to make our own house. Let us
spend some time to plan those house. Let us make the house strong so that we can protect us
from wildwolfs. But other two brothers were bit lazy. They said, no nothing doing, we will
make the house asfast as possible and rest of the time we will play.

(Refer Slide Time 24:40)

So what the firstbrother did? The first brother collected some straw and made a straw house.
Okay. He could make the house very fast and then he would play his guitar. He could play
around.

(Refer Slide Time 25:04)

Now the next brother, he collected some wooden sticks and made his house with wooden
sticks. Okay. He could also make the house very fast.

(Refer Slide Time 25:15)

But on the other hand, the curly who was an engineer was busy in planning the house. Okay.
And design the house and so he was taking a lot of time to make the house. And the other two
brothers were laughing at him. And was telling him unnecessary he was wasting the time in
making your house that strong. Our straw house and wood stick house is enough. But Curly
did not listen to them and he went ahead with his plan. And finally hemade a housewith
bricks and cement. Okay. Now they all made their houses. They are really happy now. They
are excited. They were living in their houses. And now one fine morning they were playing
and suddenly they saw one wolf coming.

(Refer Slide Time 26:00)

The wolf was watching them. They saw the wolf coming. And then what happened after
seeing the wolf, they all got scared and they rushed to their houses.The first one went to his
straw house. The second one to his woodenstick house. And the third one, the Curly engineer,
he went to his brickhouse. And the wolf followed them.

(Refer Slide Time 26:25)

The wolf first followed the first one who was hiding in his straw house. But straw was
nothing, it was not strong enough for wolf. So the wolfjust blew it off.

(Refer Slide Time 26:37)

And then the first brother realized that he is no longer safe there and then he rushed to the
other brother who was taking shelter in a wood stick house.
(Refer Slide Time 26:46)

But again wolf followed him and wood stick house was also not enough, not that strong. So
what wolf did is, then wolf blew the wood stick house as well. And again they realized that
they are not safe.

(Refer Slide Time 27:07)

Then they rushed tothe other brother, Curly and took shelter there.
(Refer Slide Time 27:15)

And now the wolf was very overconfident and the wolf thought that he can blow off this
house as well. And then wolf tried hard, but could not because that brick house was very
strongas compared to the capacity of the wolf.

(Refer Slide Time 27:33)

And eventually he could not break the house and left. And thenall the brothers are safe and
then finally Curly said to the other two brothers that please don't be lazy next time when you
do anything.
(Refer Slide Time 27:50)

Now the story end here. There are many variants of the story. But the essence remains the
same. There are other names of the story as well but I found from prospective of this course.
This end is relevant. Now what we learn from the story? You see,oneis very obvious that we
should not be very lazy in doing anything. We have to be very careful. Nowanother important
thing we will learn is, again in totally you all know probably this, that when we make a
house. Okay.

We have to make the house strong, such that it can withstand the attack from potential threat.
For instance, in this case, had it not been wolf, had it been a small cat or mouse, then
probably straw house or wood stick house would have been enough. And they would have
been safe in those houses as well. But since here the threat is wolf, straw house and wood
stick house is not enough. We have to make brick house. So the (ess) moral is very natural.

Now what you do is, you replace the house by structure and then replace these three brothers
by us engineer and replace the wolf by threat. Okay. So then we can seethat we need to make
our structure sufficiently strong such that it can withstand the attack of potential threat.
Right? Now how do you know that up rightly? In order to make our house very strong, what
we need to understand is, how the structure may respondwhen it is subjected to that threat?

If we find thatthe structure may fail when it is subjected to a particular threat, we can make
our structure stronger. So that realization has to be there, isn’t it? Understanding has to be
there. Now structural analysis gives you that understanding. Structural (anjal) (under)
analysis is a process of understanding how a structure may behave when it is subjected to a
particular environment or a particular threat? Now, thenwhat is structural analysis?

(Refer Slide Time 30:16)

You have a structure which is subjected to a threat and thenwe want to understand what will
be the response of the structure. This is Structural Analysis. We will discuss more detail about
different kinds of structures, different kinds of responses and different kinds of threats. But
this is the Structural Analysis of the structure. Okay. And this flow is for any structure, any
response and any threat.

(Refer Slide Time 30:45)

Now if we go from this, means you have a structure which is subjected to some threatand you
are looking for a response, this is called forward analysis.

(Refer Slide Time 30:55)

Now there are many instances. For instance, you have an existing structure which is
builtmaybe 50 years or 100 years ago. You don't have the design of the structure. All the
calculations are not available. Now you need to understandwhat will be the residual life of the
structure? How long you can keep this structure as it is? Now here you have this structure,
you probably know the response.

But what you want to know is,you want to inversely estimate what will be the strength of the
structure or residual life of the structure? Okay. So forward analysis, input is threat and
output would be response. And if you go like this, you have the response and you want to
understand the properties of the structure,all the potential threat. This flow is called inverse
analysis.In the inverse analysis, it is a separate course all together. What we do ininverse
analysis, your input will be the response and output will be the threat or output will be the
properties of the structure.
(Refer Slide Time 31:56)

Now but in this course what we will do is, our focus will be on the forward analysis. Soin our
case, structure subjected to threat and looking for the response.Now you seenext class we will
start from this slide and we will see, what are the different kinds of structures? What are
different kinds of structure? What are the responses we will be looking for? What are the
different kinds of threats? And how these threat structure and responses can be idealized?

(Refer Slide Time 32:29)

So next lecture will be idealization of the structure, threats and responses.Here we end our
first lecture. Okay. Thank you very much.