Estimates of the post-shakedown response of hardening structures by means of simplified computations (Q1115229)

A simplified procedure, aiming at the estimate of the post-shakedown response of elastic-plastic structures under varying external actions, is proposed in the paper. A single step, holonomic elastic-plastic analysis is performed under fictitious loads obtained by replacing the actual, variable, elastic stress response with its envelope. Such a solution is usually a reasonable estimate of the actual response and permits a comparatively stringent bracketing from below and above of some particular functions of the plastic strains actually developed. Often these functions are closely related to quantities of direct engineering relevance, thus stressing the practical interest of the proposed procedure.