THE STRUCTURAL PERFORMANCE OF VIERENDEEL FRAMES USING APPROXIMATE METHOD AND COMPUTER PROGRAMS

Abstract

The Vierendeel girder definition is open-frame N-truss without diagonal members, with rigid joints between the top and bottom chords and the verticals are known also as open-frame girder, this research is conducted to study the structural performance of different Vierendeel frame. Three models of the Vierendeel (1, 2& 3) were studied for their structural performance using approximate method and structural analysis programs such as SAP2000 and ROBOT STRUCTURAL for different loadings that were calculated according to British code BS 5950. The results of the analysis were illustrated in graphical presentations. It was taken the differences in bending moments and shear forces for the three models and they were tabulated by approximate method and SAP 2000 and Robot 2015. It was found that the maximum values of bending moments and shear forces were in Vierendeel model (1), and that the minimum values of bending moments and shear forces were in Vierendeel model (3). After examining the structural performance of the three models and comparing the results with each other, it was observed that the Vierendeel model (3) is better compared to the Vierendeel model (1) and (2).