Structural Analysis: Are We Relying Too Much on Computers?

Part 1: The Problem

By Graham H. Powell, Ph.D., P.E.

I have noted with interest some recent editorials in STRUCTURE magazine on the subject Are We Relying Too Much on
Computers (February 2007 and August 2007), and also the article Basic Education for a Structural Engineer (April 2007). I
disagree mildly with the editorials. I disagree strongly with the Course Content in the Basic Education article. ®

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I do agree that problems can arise when I also consider a number of second- the wall aspect ratio. Compare the
computers are used for structural analysis. ary points, in particular (a) the role of deflected shapes for a slender wall

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However, the computer is not at fault. structural analysis and (b) the coordination (mainly bending deformation)
The computer is merely a tool, and like of courses in structural analysis with with that for a squat wall (mainly

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all tools it must be used in a craftsman- courses in structural design. shear deformation). Do the same
like fashion. In my opinion, the problem for a coupled shear wall. Vary the
lies not with the computer but with the t coupling beam span to see how
righ
Developing a “Feel” for

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craftsmanship. In this article I explain p y it affects the results. Both include
why I believe this is the case. In a follow-
Co Structural Behavior and ignore shear deformations in

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up article I propose a solution. Once upon time it was necessary to the walls and coupling beams. For
In this article, I argue two main points, analyze structures “by hand” (I graduated a cantilever wall and a coupled
as follows: in 1958, so I was trained in that era). A wall, estimate the rotational

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1) Older engineers often complain number of useful, and occasionally stiffness of the foundation, and see

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that young engineers lack a elegant, analysis methods were developed, whether foundation deformation

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“feel” for structural behavior. the most important of which was Moment has much effect on the behavior.

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For example, a young engineer 3) Apply support settlements on a

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Distribution. It is often argued that when
may get an analysis result that engineers used Moment Distribution they statically determinate structure

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is obviously wrong, yet may developed a “feel” for structural behavior, and a similar, but statically
not realize that there is an error, but that when they use a computer this indeterminate, structure. Examine

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and may even believe that the “feel” is lost. I strongly disagree with this the moments, shears, reactions and

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result is accurate to 6 or more argument. I firmly believe that if you give deflections. Explain the results. Do
significant figures. A viewpoint a computer program to a student, and if the same with thermal expansion
that is often expressed is that you teach him or her to use that program loads. Use this example to consider

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hand calculation methods, such
a Moment Distribution, help an
properly (a big “if”, which I address later),
then that student can develop a better
the advantages and disadvantages
of redundancy, not in terms of the
Structural Forum

engineer to develop a better “feel”, “feel” for structural behavior in a couple of number of unknowns for analysis
and that computer analysis does semesters than he or she could develop in by the force method, but as a
not. I emphatically disagree with a lifetime of using Moment Distribution. physical concept.
this viewpoint. In my opinion the The following is a list of some struc- 4) For a reinforced concrete frame,
opposite is the case – computer tural analysis exercises. I believe that by consider different methods to
analysis can give a young engineer estimate the bending stiffnesses
discussion on topics of current importance to structural engineers

examining and explaining the analysis

a much better feel for structural results for exercises of this type, a stu- of the beams and columns. See
behavior than hand calculation. dent can quickly develop a “feel” for how different stiffness estimates
2) In structural analysis there are three structural behavior. affect the calculated moments
phases, which I will identify as 1) Analyze a truss structure as a and deflections. Use this example
the Modeling, Number Crunching simple truss (assuming pinned to explain how cracking affects
and Interpretation phases. In connections) and as a frame stiffness. Emphasize that there is a
my opinion, the modeling and (accounting for continuous lot of uncertainty in modeling for
interpretation phases are by far the members and estimating analysis, and that analysis results
most important, and should be connection stiffnesses). Do this for are at best approximate.
given by far the most attention. As trusses with slender and not-so- 5) Analyze a multi-story frame and
far as I can discern, the structural slender members, and compare a shear wall separately for lateral
analysis courses at most universities the results. Discuss whether the load, and note that they have
devote almost all of their attention bending moments can be ignored different deflected shapes. Then
to the number crunching phase, for design. couple them together and explain
and very little to modeling and 2) For a simple cantilever shear wall, what is happening (one way is to
interpretation. This does not calculate the moments, shears and connect them with stiff bars, and
provide students with the skills deflections both including and look at the forces in the bars).
that they really need. ignoring shear deformation. Vary

Structural Forum is intended to stimulate thoughtful dialogue and debate among structural engineers and other participants in the
design and construction process. Any opinions expressed in Structural Forum are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the
®
views of NCSEA, CASE, SEI, C 3 Ink, or the STRUCTURE magazine Editorial Board.

STRUCTURE magazine 50 November 2008

 The important things are placement compatibility. Common sense and
what procedures and as- a feel for structural behavior are indispens-
sumptions are used to set able. Experience is always valuable.
up the analysis model, and Organizing the results requires an under-
what the analysis results standing of how analysis results are used for
mean in terms of structural assessing performance and making design
behavior and performance. decisions. Almost always, design decisions are
made using strength and/or deformation® de-
What is mands, corresponding capacities, and hence

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“Modeling”? Demand/Capacity ratios. In the analysis of
a frame structure, the deflected shape and
It may seem obvious,

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the bending moment diagram are useful for
but it is worth keeping checking the analysis results. They are not
in mind that we analyze a particularly useful for assessing performance
model of a structure, not

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or making design decisions.
the structure itself, and
h t that the behavior of the
rig model may or may not be What is “Number Crunching”?

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o p y
6) Analyze a steel frame with semi-rigid close toCthe behavior of the actual structure. The number crunching phase is everything

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connections. Vary the rotational The challenge is to create a model that is that is not included in the modeling and
stiffness of the connections and see the accurate enough for practical purposes. interpretation phases. It includes the numerical
effects. Estimate the stiffness for an To create a meaningful model an engineer computations and the underlying theory.

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actual bolted connection. must (1) understand the behavior of the com-
ponents that make up the structure, and (2) Do We Have a Problem?

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7) Analyze a frame with stiff end zones

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(or rigid offsets) in the connection know how to capture the important aspects

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I believe that we do have a problem, and that
of this behavior in an analysis model. This is

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regions. Examine the effect on the it is a serious one.
frame deflections. Compare the beam not a simple task. It requires an understanding
For an engineer who uses structural analysis,

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bending moments and shear forces of such things as axial and shear forces, bend-
the most important phases are modeling
at the column faces (which would be ing and torsional moments, beam and column

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and analysis. These are tasks that require

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used to design the beams) and at the behavior, load transfer through connections,
engineering skills and judgment, and can
connection deformations, composite action,

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joint center-lines. not (yet) be done by computer. The number
8) Analyze a steel frame with and cracking, yield, bolt and bond slip, buckling,
crunching phase is not unimportant. However,
without deformable connection and many other aspects, including the differ-
panel zones at the beam-to-column
connections. Calculate how much of m
the frame deflection originates in the
panel zones. Explain how loads are
ence between actual and design loads. It then
requires decisions on how (or whether) to
model different aspects of behavior, given the
capabilities of the available analysis methods
“The computer is merely a tool, and
like all tools it must be used in a
craftsman-like fashion.”
transmitted through the connection (or computer programs). Modeling is especially
and why the shear stress in a panel difficult for nonlinear analysis, because of the
with modern computer programs, this phase
zone is much larger than in the webs many types and causes of nonlinear behavior.
can be handled entirely by the computer. An
of the adjacent beams and columns. It is also more difficult for dynamic loads.
engineer needs a basic understanding of the
For these exercises, the analyses are all easy An important skill for an analyst is the ability
theory (i.e., the Direct Stiffness Method) and
to do with a computer but would require to create useful models of real structures (not
the computational procedure, but for the most
an impossible amount of time by hand (not just simple two-dimensional frames of the type
part the analysis details are not important.
to mention a high level of expertise in hand that are often considered in analysis courses). A
The problem, I believe, is that young engineers
calculation methods). Using a computer, a useful model must capture the behavior of the
are not being taught the skills required for mod-
student can quickly build the model and run structure with sufficient accuracy for design
eling and analysis. In most structural analysis
the analyses, see the structure in 3D, vary purposes, it must produce results that are
courses, the emphasis is overwhelmingly on
the dimensions, loads and other properties, accurate enough for making design decisions,
the “number crunching” phase, even to the
and display the results graphically. Most and it must not be so large or complex that it
extent that students are being taught Mo-
importantly, a student can focus on the takes too long to analyze. A model does not
ment Distribution (which I find horrifying). As
modeling and interpretation, and not get have to be, and never can be, “exact”.
a consequence, young engineers have to learn
bogged down in number crunching. I believe the really important skills on the job. At the very
that a student can learn much more about What is “Interpretation”? least, this is an inefficient use of resources.
structural behavior by completing exercises There are two parts to interpretation, namely In my opinion, we spend far too much
of this type than by learning how to analyze (1) checking the analysis results to make sure time teaching unimportant (and relatively
structures by hand, and can also have more that they are reasonable, and (2) organizing uninteresting) skills, and far too little time
fun doing it. the results in a form that supports decision teaching the skills that are important (and
It is important to note that to gain benefit making for design. more interesting).
from such exercises it is not enough just to run Checking analysis results requires a number This is the main problem. There are also
the analyses – it is essential to understand and of skills. There are several tools that can be some secondary ones.
explain the behavior. The computational de- used, including free bodies and equilibrium
continued on next page
tails of the analysis are relatively unimportant. equations, and methods for checking dis-

STRUCTURE magazine 51 November 2008

 The Purpose of Accuracy hand, they developed a better “feel” for
structural behavior than engineers who use
Students can easily get the impression that
Structural Analysis structural analysis results are somehow “exact”.
computers. In my opinion this is, or should
In structural analysis courses, students can be, incorrect. With proper instruction, an
This relates to the common complaint is that
easily get the impression that analysis is an end engineer can get a much better feeling for
inexperienced engineers often present analysis
in itself. This is rarely, if ever, the case. The end structural behavior by running computer
results to six-figure accuracy or more. Even
result for the analysis of a building frame is not analyses and examining the results rather
worse, students may be led to believe that
the deflected shape and the bending moment than by doing repetitive and boring®hand
structural analysis can predict the behavior of
calculations. Using a computer, an engineer

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diagram. Usually, the required result consists a structure exactly. Researchers who should
of the strength and deformation demands on can analyze complex 3D structures, quickly
know better often suggest that “advanced”
the structure and its components, so that a explore the effects of different modeling
structural analysis can accurately simulate

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designer can assess the performance of the assumptions, and consider dynamic loads
and predict structural behavior, accounting
structure by calculating Demand/Capacity and nonlinear effects. None of this is possible
for all types of nonlinearity and all types of
ratios. When students present the results of when hand calculation is used.
load. The truth is that structural analysis is

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a structural analysis, they should consider The key point is that engineers are not
almost always very approximate, and for real
how to organize those results in a way that being educated to use computers effectively (I
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structures accuratehsimulation is impossible.
yrignot the case, over-reliance

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supports decision making for design. This is deliberately use “educated” here, not “trained”,
Even if thisopwere
rarely done in structural analysis courses. C can lead to “design by analysis”, because this is an academically demanding
on analysis
process). Engineers are also not being educated

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which is a very bad idea.
to think critically about computer results. If an
Coordination with Students should be taught that for real
engineer believes that a computer analysis model
Design Courses structures there is a great deal of uncertainty,
is “exact”, or that it is the only possible model,

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in the properties of the structural components,
Design courses frequently make use of or that the results are accurate to 6 significant
the support conditions, the loads, and the

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structural analysis, but often the analysis figures, that engineer has received a poor

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contributions of nonstructural components.

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methods are different from those that are education. An engineer has also been poorly
Students should not be under the illusion

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taught in analysis classes. Students can get educated if he or she thinks that structural
that analysis results are “exact”.
analysis is an end in itself, rather than just a way

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the impression that analysis and design are
unrelated disciplines. It is important, if only
in the interests of efficiency, that the course
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Conclusion

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to get useful information for design.
The problem, in my opinion, is that structural

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material in analysis be coordinated with that I have seen it argued that back in the days analysis, as it is presently taught in most of our

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in design. when engineers did structural analysis by universities, incorrectly emphasizes the num-
ber crunching aspect of analysis, and greatly

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underestimates the importance of modeling
and interpretation. Modeling and interpreta-
tion are not simple tasks. They can be complex
even for structures that have static loads and
linear behavior, and they can be very complex
when dynamic loads and nonlinear behavior
are considered. Modeling and interpretation
are academically demanding processes that
require an understanding of structural be-
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havior, the modeling capabilities of computer

programs, and the needs of designers. Typical
university courses in structural analysis provide
very little instruction in these important areas.
The problem is not with the computer, it is
with the professor.
In the second part of this article, in an
upcoming issue, I propose a solution.▪

Graham Powell is Professor Emeritus of

Structural Engineering at the University
of California at Berkeley. Over his career,
Professor Powell has developed, or supervised
the development of, several computer programs
that have been used widely in research and
industry. He currently works as a consultant
to Computers and Structures Inc., developing
and supporting the CSI PERFORM computer
program. Professor Powell may be reached at
[email protected].

STRUCTURE magazine 52 November 2008