DIN EN 1993-1-1-konforme integrierte Stabilitätsanalysen für 2D/3D-Stahlkonstruktionen (Teil 1)

DIN EN 1993-1-1 based integrated stability analysis of 2D/3D steel structures (Part 1).

This paper - as the first one of a series of three parts - presents the details and use of the "General method" of DIN EN 1993-1-1/clause 6.3.4. This method is a model based design procedure for steel structures using integrated stability analysis and standard check. The method is compared to the classical method where different calculation models as well as suitable software are used for the stress analysis and for the stability analysis and check. Also the alternative method of 3D calculations with the theory 2nd order using equivalent initial deformations, which are derived from the eigenform analysis, is presented.
For the numerical analysis (as it is the crucial point of the method) the 14 DOF beam-column finite element of ConSteel is described and its quality is shown by relevant benchmarks. According to the recently published methodology for the classification of 2nd order theory software ConSteel belongs to the highest category 5 (TH.II.O.-3WS). Finally it is shown that the "General method" leads to an easy to use, robust and understandable computer aided design methodology against loss of global stability.