Simultaneous Reduction in Time and Space for Dynamic Finite Element Models of Beam–Column Assemblies

For analyzing structural dynamic behaviors, a broadly accepted approach is to semi-discretize the mathematical models by finite elements and solve the resulting ordinary initial value problems in time. For some structural behaviors, e.g., seismic behavior of large underground structures, the lumped mass and the dynamic excitation are available as digitized records. When one or both of these digitizations are very dense, the analysis computational effort may become excessive. To reduce this effort, attention is paid to a technique proposed for efficient time history analysis (in 2008 by the first author), and recently adapted to static finite element analysis. In this paper, the technique and its adapted version are put together with the purpose to reduce in time and space finite element models representing seismic behaviors of beam–columns assemblies. Provided special conditions, the analysis computational effort reduces considerably in the price of negligible change in accuracy.