Introduction and fundamentals

Structural analysis is that branch of structural mechanics, which associates the behavior of a structure or structural elements with the action of external causes. If the dynamic effects are negligibly small, in which case the loads are said to be applied quasistatically, then the study falls in the domain of structural statics. On the other hand, if the dynamic effects are not negligible, it becomes structural dynamics. The branch of structural statics that deals with the character of the response is called stability or instability of structures. Stability of structures or structural elements is an important phase of structural analysis, and consequently, they affect structural synthesis and optimization. There are many ways a structure or a structural element can become unstable, depending on the structural geometry and the load characteristics. The spatial geometry, the material along with its distribution and properties, the character of the connections, and the supports comprise the structural geometry. This chapter presents a detail analysis of conservative force field.