Automized Alternative Approach on Pattern Loading in Frames

According to building codes, in structural analysis of building frames, pattern loads must be arranged to give the most unfavorable internal forces. Especially, if the structural analyses of multistory structures are done according to this rule, hundreds of cases of pattern loading arrangements must be done. Even with the use of computers, this much of pattern loading arrangements is not practical and economical. Hence, in former studies, different pattern loading arrangements are proposed. Two well known important studies about pattern loading arrangements have been proposed by Prof. Richard W. Furlong and Prof. Ugur Ersoy. The main motivation of this book is to investigate these two former studies on pattern loading arrangements and propose a new approach, and automate all three distinct approaches by preparing computer programs. The proposed approach of author, whatever the number of spans and floors of a building frame, requires only five pattern loading arrangements. Comparing with Furlong Approach, the proposed approach gives larger internal forces in all elements, also comparing with Ersoy Approach, the proposed approach yields larger axial forces in columns.