IJtt. d. Mech. Sci. Pergamon Press Ltd. 1960. Vol. 1, pp. 322 335.

Pri,,ted in Great I~ritaill

THE DETERMINATION OF THE VALUE OF THE

COLLAPSE LOAD FOR STATICALLY I N D E T E R M I N A T E
SYSTEMS U N D E R G O I N G PLASTIC DEFORMATION*f

A. A. GVOZDEV
TRANSLATOR'S PREFACE
THE article by Professor A. A. Gvozdev which is the subject of this translation
contains what appears to be the earliest proof of the theorems of limit analysis
f o r p r o p o r t i o n a l l o a d i n g . I n t h e c o u r s e o f his p r e s e n t a t i o n , G v o z d e v i n t r o d u c e s
m a n y c o n c e p t s n o w f a m i l i a r in p l a s t i c i t y t h e o r y , n o t a b l y g e n e r a l i z e d f o r c e s
and displacements, the principle of maximum plastic work and the equivalent
n o r m a l i t y c o n d i t i o n for s t r a i n r a t e s a t y i e l d .
T h e a r t i c l e a p p e a r e d i n a s l i m v o l u m e e n t i t l e d Proceedings o f the Conference
on P l a s t i c D e f o r m a t i o n s , December 1936, w h i c h w a s i s s u e d b y t h e A c a d e m y o f
S c i e n c e s o f t h e U . S . S . R . in 1938, u n d e r t h e g e n e r a l e d i t o r s h i p o f A c a d e m i c i a n
B. G. G a l e r k i n . $ O n l y f i f t e e n h u n d r e d c o p i e s w e r e m a d e in t h e first p r i n t i n g
and the document appears to have remained unnoticed outside the U.S.S.R.,
although frequently referred to by Russian authors.§
G v o z d e v ' s p a p e r is e s p e c i a l l y n o t a b l e b e c a u s e o f his u s e o f g e n e r a l i z e d
f o r c e s a n d d i s p l a c e m e n t s . T h i s c o n c e p t w a s e m p l o y e d in 1952 b y P r a g e r s w h e n
establishing a general theory of limit design, and Hedge 9 has given it a central
p l a c e in his r e c e n t t e x t o n t h e p l a s t i c a n a l y s i s o f s t r u c t u r e s . T h u s t h e p a p e r
is e s s e n t i a l l y m o d e r n in a p p r o a c h , d e s p i t e i t s a g e , a n d t h i s , t o g e t h e r w i t h t h e
s i m p l e a n d d i r e c t m a n n e r o f p r e s e n t a t i o n o f t h e m a t e r i a l , is c o n s i d e r e d t o
m a k e a full t r a n s l a t i o n w o r t h w h i l e .
Professor Gvozdev has written mainly on aspects of reinforced concrete
c o n s t r u c t i o n . T h e A d d i t i o n a l B i b l i o g r a p h y (B) c o n t a i n s a l l a r t i c l e s b y h i m
w h i c h t h e t r a n s l a t o r h a s s e e n m e n t i o n e d in t h e R u s s i a n l i t e r a t u r e .

* Proceedings of the Conference on Plastic Deformations, December 1936, p. 19. Akademiia

Nauk SSSR, Moscow-Leningrad (1938).
Translated from the Russian by Professor R. M. HAYTHOI~TH'vVAITE, Brown University,
Providence, R.I. (Now at University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, Michigan.)
See Additional Bibliography (A).
§ In the case of Gvozdev's paper, recognition appears to have come rather late even in Russia
and in fact it coincided with a great outpouring of work on similar lines in Britain and the U.S.A.
When reviewing developments in plasticity in the U.S.S.R, for the period 1917 47, Ishlinskii1
dismisses the entire subject with the single sentence (p. 244) "The general idea of the carrying
capacity of structures and the method of computation at the limit load was given by A. A.
Gvozdev". Meanwhile neither Sokolovsky~ nor Leibensons had made any mention of his work
in their books on the theory of plasticity. Nor did Kachanov a or Markov5 recognize the limit
theorems as derivable from the variational principles when specialized to proportional loading.
Later on, writers interested in structural applications, such as Bezukhov 6 and Rzhanitsyn 7,
have given considerable prominence to this and other papers by Gvozdev.
322
 Statically indeterminate systems undergoing plastic deformation 323
1. G E N E R A L APPROACH
One problem of s t r u c t u r a l construction which m u s t o c c u p y a central position
is the c o m p u t a t i o n of the carrying capacity, i.e. the d e t e r m i n a t i o n of the
largest live load which a s t r u c t u r e can carry. Only in the case of brittle
materials which o b e y H o o k e ' s law almost to fracture can this problem be
solved completely b y the m e t h o d s of the t h e o r y of structures and of elasticity.
O f greater practical i m p o r t a n c e is the d e t e r m i n a t i o n of the carrying c a p a c i t y
o f s t r u c t u r e s composed of elements which yield on reaching a certain stress state.
I t is more c o n v e n i e n t to f o r m u l a t e the plastic relations in terms of the
elements from which the parts of the s t r u c t u r e are composed r a t h e r t h a n for
the material itself, i.e. for an element of length of a beam, for an element of a
plate o b t a i n e d b y cutting t h r o u g h the entire thickness, for an element of a
body, for a b e a m of a framework, etc. T h a n k s to this approach, the field of
application of the t h e o r y u n d e r consideration is b r o a d e n e d appreciably.
The a p p r o a c h becomes p a r t i c u l a r l y clear when applied to a segment of a
reinforced concrete b e a m in bending. I t would be incorrect to say t h a t the
material of such a b e a m can y i e l d - - y i e l d i n g is possible only in the reinforce-
ment. However, the relationship between the value of the bending m o m e n t M
and the angle of relative r o t a t i o n A¢ of the ends of the section (Fig. 1) shows
that, when the moment reaches a certain value M = -/]i,the magnitude of the
deformation increases almost without change in the loading. In the graph
there is a typical yield zone ab. In reality, when the moment reaches the
value M = 217, the reinforcement starts to yield, b u t in the concrete a crack
opens, progressively diminishing the height of the compression zone. T h e
m o m e n t M can be d e t e r m i n e d b y a formula due to A. F. Loleit. The equality,
M = ~]7, is suggested as the condition of yield for the reinforced concrete b e a m
in bending.

/ \

Fro. 1.

I n w h a t follows it will be necessary to define w h a t is m e a n t b y the state of

collapse of the structure. I f for k n o w n conditions the elements of a s t r u c t u r e
are able to yield, t h e n the s t r u c t u r e can be considered as disabled as soon as
t h e displacements of the system can increase solely on account of the plastic
deformation of its elements. This state will be referred to below as the state of
collapse, a n d the corresponding i n t e n s i t y of the live loading as the collapse load.

2. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ELEMENTS

The methods of calculation of the value of the collapse load must be
adapted to a w~de class of structural forms, so the relationships which are to
be written for an element of a structure should be formulated in a sufficiently
324 A . A . GVOZDEV

general manner. On the other hand, idealization of the properties of' the
material is unavoidable in order t h a t our calculations should not be excessively
complex. This leads, for example, to ignoring strain hardening and also to
eliminating entirely the factor of time from the calculations.
F o r materials such as reinforced concrete, the relation between the deforma-
tions and the tractions up to the state of yield is exceedingly complex;
therefore a new simplification is in order and for the plastic state we will
introduce the most e l e m e n t a r y relations in the spirit of Saint-Venant and
y o n Mises.
The following characteristics will be a t t r i b u t e d to the elements of the
structure :
(a) F o r an element u n d e r the influence of" constant forces, perceptible
deformation is impossible e x c e p t in the state of yield. I n reality, reinforced
concrete structures can deform continuously u n d e r the action of a c o n s t a n t
load, due to the creep of the concrete ; however, the m a g n i t u d e of such deforma-
tion is of quite a n o t h e r order from the m a g n i t u d e of the deformation at
collapse, as defined above.
(b) I n the state of yield, the generalized displacement (deformation) of an
element can increase indefinitely for a constant value of the corresponding
generalized force.
(c) F o r each possible mode of plastic deformation, the corresponding
generalized force has a specified constant value. The set of generalized forces
corresponding to all possible modes of d e f o r m a t i o n determines the H e l d condi-
tion, i.e. the relationship satisfied b y the forces acting on the elements when
in a state of yield.
The characteristics (a) and (b) can be considered as defining an ideally
plastic b o d y or element.
I n the example of the reinforced concrete beam bent in one plane, which
has been considered above, the value of the m o m e n t producing plastic deforma-
tion was found to be M = 21), where for definiteness we shall set. M > 0.
I f the b e a m has double reinforcement, t h e n for bending in the opposite
sense the corresponding value of the m o m e n t producing yield is found to be
M = M where _M < 0. Consequently, possible values of the bending m o m e n t
in the b e a m must satisfy the condition _M ~<M ~<~IT/. Such conditions, indi-
cating t h a t b y virtue of the plastic characteristics of an element the load acting
can change only within set limits, will be referred to as limit conditions.
If, as in the example considered, the stressed state of the element is deter-
mined b y only one generalized force, the yield conditions (and hence the limit
eondit, ions) are p a r t i c u l a r l y simple. Often, however, the stressed state of the
element is characterized b y values of several linearly unrelated generalized
forces, for example, a longitudinal tbrce N and bending m o m e n t s M~ and M~
in a beam, or six stresses (ax, sy, ~ , T~y, rye, %x) on the sides of an e l e m e n t a r y
cube with sides perpendicular to the co-ordinate axes x, y, z, or, on the other
hand, three principal stresses (~1,~2,~a) on the sides of a correspondingly
o r i e n t a t e d e l e m e n t a r y cube. F o r such eases the yield condition must be
studied in more detail.
 S t a t i c a l l y i n d e t e r m i n a t e s y s t e m s u n d e r g o i n g plastic d e f o r m a t i o n 325

The d e f o r m a t i o n of the element can be described with the aid of the

generalized displacements corresponding to the generalized forces which have
been selected. F o r the sake of convenience, we select as generalized forces
values of identical dimension, for example in the ease of a beam, the m o m e n t s
a b o u t t h r e e axes which do not intersect at a point b u t which lie in the plane
of the section. F o r this the generalized displacements will have identical
dimensions.
W e shall now obtain in a convenient fashion a geometrical i n t e r p r e t a t i o n
which is often used for the s t u d y of s t r e n g t h theory. In a space of n dimen-
sions, where n is the n u m b e r of generalized forces necessary to define the
stressed state of the element., we set out along the axes of one set of co-
ordinates the values of the generalized forces Sl, S2, Sa . . . . ,s,~, and along the
axes of another, the values of the corresponding generalized displacements,
q , %, e3.... , %. The corresponding forces and displacements are set out parallel
and in one and the same direction (Fig. 2).

F~(~'. 2.

A n y stressed state of an element is t h e n represented b y the vector s with

c o m p o n e n t s s i (i = l, 2,..., n), and the plastic d e f o r m a t i o n of the element b y
the v e c t o r e with the c o m p o n e n t s e~ (i = 1, 2 ..... n). Since, however, the
d e f o r m a t i o n for a plastic state can increase indefinitely, the length (magnitude)
of the v e c t o r e is indeterminate. This v e c t o r determines only the direction in
space, whereas the vector s determines a point. Therefore, in place of the
v e c t o r e it is more convenient to obtain the corresponding unit v e c t o r e', i.e.
the v e c t o r the length (magnitude) of which equals unity.
The p r o p e r t y of the ideally plastic element given u n d e r (e) above can now
be s t a t e d as: for each possible deformation, represented b y the unit v e c t o r e',
where
er = e e2,
i

there corresponds an e x p e n d i t u r e of work

T = e's = f(e').

All the vectors s the ends of which lie on a linear ( n - 1)-dimensional manifold
( " p l a n e " ) orthogonal to e' and distant T = f(e') from the origin o f co-ordinates
satisfy this condition (Fig. 2).
 326 A.A. GVOZDEV

The equation of this linear manifold has the analytic form*

E e'i s i = f.
The set of such (n - 1)-dimensional manifolds for all possible modes of deforma-
tion (of vectors e') produces a convex body in the n-dimensional space. The
points of the surface (of the boundary) of this body satisfy the yield condition ;
all points of the body satisfy the limit condition.
If only discrete modes of deformation are possible,$ the yield condition
determines a polygon, the boundaries of which are orthogonal to the corre-
sponding vectors e'. If the possible vectors e' form an analytic manifold, then
at the yield conditions they satisfy the points of an ( n - 1)-dimensional mani-
fold (of a "surface") skirting a family of linear ( n - 1)-dimensional manifolds
("planes") corresponding to all possible vectors e'. Thus in this ease the
deformation corresponding to the stress state represented by any point A of
the boundary of the convex body, i.e. the plastic deformation, is represented
by the vector e~, parallel to the normal to the surface of the body at the
point A (Fig. 3).

FEe. 3.

The origin of co-ordinates (the unstressed state) always satisfies the yield
condition. Since the work being expended in the plastic deformation is always
positive, the vector e~ is directed along the outwards normal of the yield
surface at the point A. Thus the following results are deduced from the
definition of an ideally plastic element given above:
Result I. In the space (sl, s2, ...,sn), the yield condition gives an ( n - 1 ) -
dimensional manifold ("surface") which is a limiting convex body, referred
to as body B.
Result II. For each stressed state represented by a point A lying on the
boundary of the body B (i.e. a state of yield) there corresponds a deformation
represented by a vector e~ directed along the outwards normal to the boundary
of the body B at the point A.
* T r a n s l a t o r ' s n o t e - - T h e o r i g i n a l is E ei8 i = f, w h i c h a p p e a r s t o be a m i s p r i n t .
t T r a n s l a t o r ' s n o t e - - T h i s s t a t e m e n t is u n n e c e s s a r i l y r e s t r i c t i v e . I f a n y t w o m o d e s of d e f o r m a -
t i o n occur a t t h e s a m e stress s t a t e , a p o l y g o n a l form will r e s u l t ; h o w e v e r , c e r t a i n l i n e a r e o m b i n a -
t i o n s of t h e m o d e s are t h e n also p o s s i b l e ) °
 Statically indeterminate systems undergoing plastic deformation 327

I f F -- 0 represents the yield condition, then the second result is written

in the analytical form
ei=C~F/~s~ ( i = 1,2,...,n),
where C is a positive quant i t y depending on the co-ordinates and on time but
independent of the indices i.
This shows t h a t the function F represents the potential of the flow, as
introduced in the t he or y of plasticity by yon Mises in 1928. It is necessary,
however, to remark t h a t von Mises's result possesses an entirely formal
character. Von Mises wrote the function F as a quadratic which did not
change with variations of the hydrostatic pressure and he sought to obtain
an expression for the deformation in the form of linear functions of the stresses
which again were to be independent of the hydrostatic pressure. Here, on the
other hand, the role of the function F as a potential of the flow is derived
directly from the definition of the ideally plastic material and is unrelated t o
the analytic expression for the condition of yielding and displacement.
F r o m the definition of the ideally plastic material at the yield condition,
the points lie on a convex body; hence it is easy to deduce the following result.
Result I I I (Fig. 3). The work T = eAs4 being expended on the plastic
deformation of an element is not less than the virtual work T' = e A sD which
would be performed for the same deformations by combinations of any load-
ings (stresses) on the element which are permitted by the limit conditions.
We shall now clarify by means of examples what we understand by possible
modes of plastic deformation. Suppose t h a t for an element of some isotropic
material only plastic deformation representing slip is possible, i.e. pure shear
in the direction of one of the three principal shearing directions. In all there
will be six possible modes of deformation (counting the sign of the deforma-
tion). All six of the possible vectors e lie in the plane e1+ e2 + e3 = 0. In view
of the similarity of the axes sl, s 2 and s 3, the yield conditions define in this
case a regular hexagonal prism (maximum shear stress hypothesis).
I f not only pure shearing but also all deformation which does not change
the volume of the element is possible, and if the work T = e's is constant,
i.e. does not v a r y with the direction of e', then the yield conditions define a
cylinder ( H e n c k y - v o n Mises theory).
For concrete and rock, the condition of plasticity defines the boundary of
a body which is broadening in the direction of increase in the hydrostatic
pressure (Fig. 3). E vi dent l y in this case the vector e is always projected in the
positive direction of the axis* le~ + ]e£ + le£, i.e. the plastic deformation must
be accompanied by an increase in the volume of the element.
This theoretical prediction is confirmed by the results of tests. In the
University of Illinois, Richart, Brandtzaeg and Brown t subjected concrete
cylinders to longitudinal compression and simultaneous hydrostatic pressure
on the lateral surfaces. At the start of the test, the volume of the concrete
* T r a n s l a t o r ' s n o t e - - S e e Fig. 3. T h e o c t a h e d r a l axis is m e a n t .
t T r a n s l a t o r ' s n o t e - - T h e a u t h o r p r o b a b l y h a s in m i n d F. E. R i c h a r t , A. B r a n d t z a e g a n d
R . L. B r o w n , A Study of the Failure of Concrete under Combined Compressive Stress, Bull. 185,.
U n i v e r s i t y of Illinois E n g i n e e r i n g E x p e r i m e n t a l S t a t i o n (1928).
 328 A.A. GVOZDEV

decreased owing to the smallness of Poisson's ratio. With increasing load, the
reduction in volume slowed down and when the concrete started to flow it
increased in volume; however, in m a ny samples the original size remained the
largest even up to the conclusion of the test.
Often the expressions for the limit conditions prove to be rather compli-
cated. The following two examples show how t hey can be simplified for the
purpose of practical calculations.
For an element of length of a metal I-beam subjected to the action of a
longitudinal force and bending in the plane of the web, it is easy to construct
the limit conditions for any position of the neutral axis, recalling t h a t all that,
part of the section lying on one side of this axis is stressed to the yield limit
in compression and the remaining part of the section is stressed to the yield
limit in extension. The lens-shaped limit curve [Fig. 4(a)] is constructed
from two parabolas having common tangents at the points C1, (~2, Ca and ('~.

7 b
• " 2,

(m (c:

FIG. 4,

As is evident from the graph in the figure, it can be approximated closely

with the aid of a hexagon (or allowing rather large error, by means of a
rhombus). This corresponds to the substitution of a fictitious effective cross-
section for which only discrete positions of the nentral axis are possible, as
shown in Fig. 4(b) for the case of the hexagon and in Fig. 4(e) for the case of
the rhombus.
For the reinforced concrete section with double reinforcement, as shown
in Fig. 5, the limit moments for the upper and lower reinforcement are com-
puted in accordance with the draft, of technical specifications and standards
for reinforced concrete construction (1936). In the case of eccentric extension,
of pure bending and of eccentric compression with large eccentricity, the yield
curve is composed of two line segments.* Only in the range of small eeeentrici-
ties, i.e. at the approach to brittle fracture, does the yield curve depart from
* T r a n s l a t o r ' s note M o and M o are t h e b e n d i n g m o m e n t s a s s o c i a t e d w i t h t h e a x i a l forces
w h e n c o n s i d e r e d a c t i n g a t O a n d O" r e s p e c t i v e l y . Th e e n e r g y d i s s i p a t i o n is a l w a y s g i v e n b y
D = O M o + O ' M o, wh ere 0 a n d 0' are t h e r o t a t i o n s t a k e n a b o u t w h i c h e v e r b a r is n o t e x t e n d i n g :
hence M 0 a n d =¢I~ are t r u e g e n e r a l i z e d stresses. N o t e t h a t , if b o t h b a r s e x t e n d , 0 a n d 0' are b o t h
non-zero, t h e v a l u e s b e i n g o b t a i n e d b y a l l o w i n g o p e n i n g of t h e j o i n t first a b o u t one b a r a n d t h e n
a b o u t t h e other. N e g a t i v e r o t a t i o n s , i.e. r o t a t i o n s o p p o s i t e in sense to t be c o r r e s p o n d i n g m o m e n t s ,
are not i)ermissible.
 Statically indeterminate systems undergoing plastic deformation 329
these lines. I f we restrict ourselves to cases far from brittle fracture, the limit
conditions can be given approximately in the form M'~< ~ ; M/> M. Two
modes of plastic deformations correspond to this: (1) The lower reinforcement
yields, the element opens and its parts rotate about an instantaneous centre
lying at the level of the upper reinforcement. (2) The upper reinforcement
yields, and opening of the element proceeds, by the turning of its parts about
an instantaneous centre lying at the level of the lower reinforcement.
Thus in these two examples it appears to be sufficient for practical purposes
to consider only two or three modes of deformation instead of the infinite
number of modes which actually exists.

~
Brittle
ture

Brittle fracture /
//
't //
,¢,*:--~M;
.o~

.~r.,

:FIG. 5.

3. LIMITATIONS ON THE APPLICATION OF THE THEORY

Before passing on to an explanation of the principles and methods of
calculation, it is necessary to make several reservations.
In all that follows, it is presupposed that, up to the instant of collapse,
the deformations and the displacements remain sufficiently small so that one
can ignore the change in the geometric quantities (angles, lever arms, spans,
etc.) entering the equations of equilibrium of the elements and also the kine-
matical constructions and calculations. Such a restriction is usually made in
the calculation of elastic systems, but in our case it is evidently more trouble-
some because the restriction is carried to very late stages of loading of the
structure. None the less, for structures which are sufficiently rigid, as will
usually be the case in construction, the restriction which has been referred to
seems to be appropriate.
A danger which appears to be a more serious limitation on the application
of the theory is that the structure might lose stability in whole or in part
before reaching what is being designated here as the collapse load. This
limitation is important in the case of metal construction,* but it plays hardly
any role for reinforced concrete. However, for the latter material it is necessary
to consider the possibility of brittle fracture prior to collapse due to yielding.
* Author's note--The question of loss of stability has decisive significance for compressed
beams in metal frameworks, even when their flexibility is not very large. The author has, inci-
dentally, given a diagram for the approach to failure in such beamsfl I

22
330 A . A . GVOEDEV

The possibility of prior collapse b y instability or b y brittle fracture requires

individual verification and, for design, a strengthening of the elements
involved.
In the following presentation of the theory, these questions are not touched
u p o n ; it will be assumed t h a t the possibility of collapse b y instability or by
brittle fracture has been eliminated with the aid of appropriate constructional
ineasures.

4. T H E P R O B L E M OF T H E D E T E R M I N A T I O N OF T H E
C O L L A P S E LOAD. L I M I T I N G E Q U I L I B R I U M
The state of collapse, as it has been defined above, is the state of limiting
equilibrium of a system u n d e r the action of (1) a dead load of given intensity
and (2) a live load of i n t e n s i t y P.
Our problem becomes the d e t e r m i n a t i o n of the value of the p a r a m e t e r P.
F o r this purpose, it is assumed t h a t the dead load is insufficient to cause
the collapse of the system. The directions of the forces comprising the live
loading are given; therefore only positive wdues of the p a r a m e t e r P are
of interest.
F o r the state of collapse, two groups of conditions must be tulfilled:
Group I. The fbrces in all elements of the system nmst satisfy: (a) the
conditions of equilibrium; (b) the limit conditions.
Group II. The configuration of the yield zones and the mode of possible
deformations of the elements belonging to these zones must allow displace-
ments of the points of the system. In this connection, the elements which are
not in a state of yield are considered as not being deformed.
E v e r y state of the system which meets the conditions of Group i will be
called state I and the corresponding intensity of the live loading will be
denoted b y PI. A set of states I exists to which a set II~ of the values P~ corre-
sponds. F o r example, those states t h r o u g h which the system passes when
loaded from P = 0 up to collapse belong to this set. E v i d e n t l y the set lI~ is
b o u n d e d from above; we shall denote its u p p e r limit b y P~.
E v e r y state t h a t meets the conditions of Group I I will be called state II.
I t is possible to construct (mentally at least) the set of states for which the
conditions of Group I I are satisfied.
E a c h state I I can be brought into correspondence with some intensity
of the live loading PJI, as deternfined in the following m a n n e r : we give the
system I I an indefinitely small displacement which permits deformations of
its plastic zones and we denote b y T~,I ~ the work being e x p e n d e d in the ele-
ments of the system for the deformation corresponding to this displacement.
We will c o m p u t e also the work ~ done b y the dead loading and the work Tj,
done b y a unit live loading on the same displacement. We determine the
value Pn from the equality

E, '
which meets the condition
 Statically indeterminate systems undergoing plastic deformation 331

Evidently fulfilment of this condition is necessary for the equilibrium of a

system in state II. Since we are interested in the states for which Pn > 0, then*
Tp>0.
This follows from the assumption that the dead load is insufficient for collapse
of the system and hence,
Tn, ii - Tg :> 0.
This analysis will be needed below.
We will consider the set 1]n of positive values Pn. The lower bound of
this set will be denoted by -Pn. Since in the state of collapse both condition I
and condition II must be fulfilled, the intensity of the collapse load P lies
simultaneously in both sets H I and II n (their intersection). Hence
P I >>P
. >~Pn.
We shall now show t h a t P~ is not larger than -Pn- Suppose t h a t this is
not so and Pi >-eII ;

then it would be possible to take values P; and P n such t h a t

Pi > r;I"
The state I' is a state of equilibrium, therefore the work done by the forces
of this state on any possible displacements must be equal to zero., From the
possible displacements we select the displacements of the state II', with the
aid of which the load P'II is determined. Denoting by TI, ii the work done by
the forces acting on the elements of the system in state I' for the deformations
of the elements in state II', we write
P'~ ~, + Ta = T~, n.
The condition determining P'II has the form

P'n Tj, + 5 = Tn. II'

TI[ 1 i - T I i I
and so v; = ,

In accordance with Result I I I deduced from the definition of an ideally plastic

element, the numerator of the right-hand side is not less than zero; and sinee
T, > 0, then r'II ~>P;"
We have arrived at a contradiction. Hence it follows that PI is not larger than
-Pu and so the collapse load P is the largest of the loads for which the conditions
of Group I can be satisfied; and at the same time is the smallest of the loads for
which the conditions of Group II are satisfied
PI .... = e = PII lniil"

* T r a n s l a t o r ' s n o t e - - T h i s is e q u i v a l e n t to r e s t r i e t i n g s t a t e s I I to d i s p l a c e m e n t s in w h i c h t h e
live l o a d i n g does positive w o r k on t h e s t r u c t u r e .
T r a n s l a t o r ' s n o t e - - T h i s is t h e principle of v i r t u a l w o r k for rigid bodies.
332 A.A. GVOZDEV
Thus the establishment of the collapse load m a y be approached either by
a determination of P = P~max or by a determination of P = Pn m~" A combina-
tion of these two methods is also possible. Now it is easy to show that factors
producing internal stresses in the system (for example, removal of supports,
residual deformations caused by previous cycles of loading, change of tempera-
ture, etc.) do not influence the value of the collapse load, provided, however,
t h a t the corresponding displacements are small and t h a t it is possible to ignore
changes in the mechanical properties of the material brought about by these
factors. Actually, neither the conditions of equilibrium nor the limit condi-
tions change, unless the loads involve the induced internal stresses as factors.
The fundamentals of the method of determining the collapse load will be
illustrated briefly by two examples.

5. D E T E R M I N A T I O N OF THE COLLAPSE LOAD _P =PImax FOR

STATICALLY I N D E T E R M I N A T E BEAM SYSTEMS W I T H
n UNKNOWNS
Making use of the conditions of equilibrium, it is possible to represent any
force s~ in a statically indeterminate system as a linear function of the load P~
and the statically indeterminate parameters X 1, X2, ..., X~
i=n
sk = sk~ + P~ skr, + ~2 ski X i . ( 1)
i=1

Here Skg is the force system in the primary structure due to the dead loading;
Sky is the force system in the primary structure due to unit live loading, and
ski the force system in the primary structure due to the forces X i = 1.
The forces in the statically indeterminate system must, moreover, satisfy
the limit conditions. Therefore the conditions which the load intensity Pt
must satisfy can be obtained by substituting the expression (1) for the force %
into the yield conditions.
As was shown above, the limit conditions can be represented in the ibrm
of the union of expressions of the form
i=m
Z e;.8j <f, (2)
i=1
where si (j = 1, 2 .... , n) are the forces characterizing the stressed state of the
element and m the number of these forces.
After substitution of the expression for sj from (l), the condition (2) takes
the form
P~ Eel,.sk,~ + Ee'k sk, + Exi E% ski -~f
or, using the notation Ee'l:Skp : ~p, Z e k 8kg : ~g, Ze~ Ski : 3i,

P~~p + ~, + ZX~ ~ < ,f. (3)

The condition (3) has a simple mechanical meaning: it is easy to see that
the coefficients 8~), $g and 3, represent displacements (generalized), which arise
in the basic structure in the direction of the corresponding live loading, the
dead loading and the unknowns X i when the element for which this condition
arises undergoes unit deformation e'.
 Statically indeterminate systems undergoing plastic deformation 333

Thus the condition (3) shows t h a t the work done by the external forces
applied to the basic structure on the displacements corresponding to the
deformations e' of the element being considered does not exceed the work
expended in the deformation e' of the element. I t is indeed possible to consider
the coefficient ~ as an influence coefficient.
Using this interpretation, the conditions (3) can be written immediately
without resource to equation (1) or condition (2). Each possible deformation
of each of the elements of the system corresponds to a new form (3) and the
problem can be solved by a consideration of the union of these conditions.
The basic structure as a whole can now be considered as an element. To
each of the possible deformations of the element there corresponds a condition
of the form (3). The union of these conditions determines the relation between
the forces Pr, X1, X2, ..., X , acting on the basic structure.
In an ( n - 1)-dimensional space with co-ordinates X1, Xe, ..., Xn, PI, the
union of conditions (3) determines a convex body B. To the internal points
of the body correspond the states of the system for which the yield condition
for the single element is not met. Each point A of the boundary of the convex
body B lies on at least one of the n-dimensional manifolds determined by the
condition (3). Therefore, for the state of the system represented by the point A
of the boundary, there exists an element or elements the stressed state of which
allows plastic deformation of the type defined.
If, however, point A corresponds to P~ < PI ...... then deformations of the
systems, as has been shown already, cannot result from the consideration of
the individual plastic deformations.
I f for conciseness of language it is agreed t h a t the positive direction of the
axis P~ is directed upwards, then the determination of the collapse load is
reduced to finding the segment of the upper supporting plane of the convex
body (3) which cuts the axis ~ .

6. DETERMINATION OF THE COLLAPSE LOAD PIInfin

FOR A REINFORCED CONCRETE PLATE
We will consider as an example an annular reinforced concrete plate,
supported along the inside and outside edges, with radially symmetric reinforce-
ment above and below and loaded with a radially symmetric vertical load
[Fig. 6(a)].
It is easy to explain the manner of its collapse. For possible plastic
deformations of the elements, as understood above, one can take opening of
cracks above and below, accompanied by rotation of the parts of the elements
with respect to the horizontal axes, at the level of the upper and lower rein-
forcement. Owing to the axial symmetry of the plate and the loading, the
cracks must be circumferential and radial. I t is easy to convince oneself t h a t
collapse without circumferential cracks is impossible. However, a circumfer-
ential crack must be accompanied by radial cracks extending from the
circumferential crack to the external boundary of the plate. The cracks which
have been enumerated are formed on one (the lower) side of the plate [Fig. 6(b)].
I f there were no other cracks, then the plate would rise at the external edge
334 A . A . GvozDEv

a n d t h a t is clearly impossible. Therefore radial cracks also a p p e a r on the

u p p e r surface f r o m the internal to the external edge of the plate [Fig. 6(c)].
Only the c o m b i n a t i o n of these two d e f o r m a t i o n s satisfies t h e conditions of the
specification, a n d for this it is not difficult to a r r a n g e a relationship b e t w e e n
these two m o d e s of d e f o r m a t i o n [Fig. 6(d)]. The collapse scheme is settled
w i t h precision to within the p a r a m e t e r d e t e r m i n i n g t h e position of the circum-
ferential crack. After this it is e a s y to f o r m the w o r k e q u a t i o n
+ =

~NzA
I i I

i '--~

FIG. 6.

F r o m this e q u a t i o n the value of Pn is d e t e r m i n e d as a function of the

position of t h e circumferential crack. T h e usual m i n i m u m p r o b l e m r e m a i n s
to be solved.
A c i r c u m s t a n c e meriting ~ t t e n t i o n is t h a t b o t h the u p p e r a n d lower circum-
ferential r e i n f o r c e m e n t m u s t yield f r o m the circumferential crack to the
e x t e r n a l edge. T h u s t h e o u t e r p a r t of the p l a t e is subject to extension in the
circumferential direction. H e n c e the internal p a r t of an a n n u l a r p l a t e b e h a v e s
like a c l a m p e d s t r u c t u r e u p to the m o m e n t of collapse. This result is p e r h a p s
s o m e w h a t u n e x p e c t e d a n d is, it seems to us, of considerable interest f r o m t h e
point of view of developing suitable designs for reinforcement.

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 S t a t i c a l l y i n d e t e r m i n a t e s y s t e m s u n d e r g o i n g plastic d e f o r m a t i o n 335

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A. A. IL'IUSHI~', On the Question of Visco-Plastic Flow of Material.
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* Nazarov is referring to an ideal sandwich section. He uses a piecewise linear m o m e n t -

curvature relation.
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